Ozpin stepped out of the airship onto the cold stone pavement walkway that led to Haven Academy. His cane gently tapped along with every other step, not truly needed, but a comfort nonetheless. His eyes roved over the scroll he held in his other hand, reading Qrow's report one last time before he shrunk the scroll and pocketed it. Ozpin had already memorized the words there during the first few minutes of his flight to Haven, but even still he felt the need to continuously recheck.

'I am old. Perhaps I'm going senile after 1,000 year,' Oz shook his head as he walked. He was not imagining things, and he trusted Qrow to not lie about such matters.

The grounds were empty. The semester for each of the schools had ended the week prior, which was the only reason Ozpin could even get away long enough to do this. The wind picked up and ushered him onward towards the large double doors that awaited him. With a gentle shove, the door opened inward.

Ozpin paused as he noticed a small figure sitting on a bench near the wall. Her hood was pulled up, face lit by the scroll she held. She didn't seem to notice that he had entered, too distracted by the game she played.

"Ehem", Ozpin coughed as he approached.

The girl panicked and dropped the scroll, turning fearful eyes towards him before visibly relaxing, "Don't sneak up on me like that, Headmaster!"

"I was hardly sneaking, child."

"Yeah, well. I was distracted," she said as she gingerly picked up the scroll, checking for damage.

"And it is my fault if you are too engrossed in your games to notice the world around you?"

'Ek!' the girl sputtered, "I wasn't!"

"I do have students of my own at Beacon, child." Ozpin turned his gaze to their surroundings and frowned, "Where are your guards?"

"Oh, I uh… gave them the slip," the girl replied meekly.

Ozpin sighed and gestured further down the hall. The girl took his hint and jumped to her feet, patting down her skirt before scurrying off ahead of him. Ozpin continued his leisurely stroll through the quiet building in the direction of Lionheart's office. The child stopped every so often, looking back and waiting for him to gain enough ground before running off again.

Soon, she was at Lionheart's door ahead of him, and with some small trepidation, she knocked three times. There was the muffled sound of movement, and as Ozpin reached the door, it finally opened. Leonardo clicked the door open, noticing Ozpin first, then stumbled as the girl shoved past him into the office.

"Leo, old friend, you need to get better security."

"It would seem so," Leonardo Lionheart replied, facing paling slightly as he noticed the obvious lack of guards flanking them, "They will be reprimanded."

He straightened then, and gave Ozpin a curious look, "I admit, I couldn't make much of your message. What are you here for, Oz?"

"I need to ask a question," Ozpin replied, letting his expression show how serious he was.

"Oh, of-of course," Leo stuttered and turned back towards his office, "Vernal!"

The three of them headed to the large open chamber, Leo nervously rubbing his hands together, and Vernal skipping along behind them. It was only once they had begun their descent that the child's mood changed. She stood, shuffling her feet back and forth and stealing glances at the two adults next to her.

Not for the first time did Ozpin wish someone else had been chosen as the new Spring Maiden. This child seemed outgoing enough normally, but as soon as things turned even the slightest bit serious, she clammed up. Perhaps she would grow out of it... Ozpin just hoped she would have enough time to.

The elevator stopped flush with the walkway ahead of them, leading towards an outcropping of stone. Several trees grew behind the stones, their leaves glowing a brilliant orange. It was the door, however, that held all three of their gazes. The surface was made up of several different shapes that fanned out across it, glowing the same unnatural color as the tree's leaves behind it.

With no hesitation, Ozpin strolled off the platform towards the door, prompting the others to follow along. Once he stood before it, Ozpin turned to look at Vernal, "If you would be so kind, my dear."

Vernal gave a tight nod and stepped past him, placing her hand on the door. She seemed to concentrate for a moment, then jumped back in shock as the shapes began retracting into themselves. Vernal stared open mouthed at the desert that somehow fit inside the doorway. The sand and air itself shifted unnaturally. If Ozpin had not been used to it, he might have been queasy just looking at it. Instead, however, the wizard was as calm as ever as he stepped into the desert, eyes locked on the intricate blue and gold lamp that floated above a sandstone pillar in front of him.

Ozpin gave one final look behind him, his eyes meeting with Leo's to make sure that he got the message. Leo nodded and placed a hand on Vernal's shoulder, leading her out of earshot.

"Jinn?"

Almost before the words were spoken, the hazy wave in the air ceased, and time stopped. Blue mist curled out of the lamp on each side, forming into a large blue woman that towered above him.

"Hello again, Ozma," Jinn crooned, placing a hand to her chin as she leaned down to be at more of an eye level with him.

"I've come with a question."

"Don't you always?"

"Ahem", Ozpin cleared his throat, taking a moment to sear the exact wording of his question into his mind. The words came out soft, but commanding, "What information do you have about Violet Regalia?"

Jinn's form moved away from him, back to her original position, as a coy smile played across her lips.

"Who?"

A long silence passed between the two. Ozpin stared up at Jinn in shock, and Jinn tried her best not to laugh.

"What!?" Ozpin's usually calm demeanor broke entirely.

"Is that another question?" Jinn smirked down at him, "Unfortunately, I'm not sure what it pertains to."

"Who is Violet Regalia!?"

"Who indeed?"

"What is her origin!?"

"When a man and a woman love each other very much-"

"Where was she born!?"

"Haven't you already contacted people in Atlas to inquire about that?"

"What powers does she have!?"

"The power to not ask dumb questions, for starters."

"Why did the bodies of the Grimm she killed not vanish as they usually do!?"

*Shrug*

"Aaahhh!"

Ozpin scowled up at Jinn, his face a mask of pure bewilderment at this turn of events.

"Why will you not tell me?" he demanded loudly, his hands gripped the cane tightly.

"I do not have the answers you seek, Wizard," Jinn sighed, "You have two questions remaining this century. Is there anything else you wish to ask about?"

Ozpin spun on his heel, cane swinging out and piercing down into the sand once his back was turned from the Relic of Knowledge, "No. We are done here."

An amused snicker escaped Jinn's lips as the haze returned, and the two waiting outside began moving again. Ozpin did not need to turn around to know that she had retreated into the lamp.

"It's finished," Ozpin announced roughly as he stepped out past the startled forms of both Leo and Vernal. From their perspective, it had only been a few seconds since they turned from the doorway to give him privacy. Ozpin did not slow his pace, his cane was held in a fist at his side.

"Not the answer you were hoping for?" Leo managed to get out. As they moved away, the shapes on the door began folding back outwards, sealing off the desert landscape from prying eyes.

Ozpin could only grimace as he reached the elevator and waited for the other two to step aboard.

"Worse."

The tenth year of Violet's life was hell, all because she had to open her stupid mouth on her birthday. 'Note to self - the next time mom asks what I want to do with my life, don't tell her the one thing she least wants to hear.'

Violet had told them in no uncertain terms that she planned on becoming a huntress. Her father had laughed at first, but his mirth died in his throat when he realized Violet was serious. He had pleaded, placated, and begged for her to change her mind, all the while Violet had remained resolute.

Violet's mother had then stepped in, and in the most sickly sweet voice she had ever heard her mother use, announced, "Of course you can become a huntress, sweetheart~"

The next day Violet had been awoken at 5am and taken into the new gym her mother had renovated into the house itself. Awaiting her had been three personal trainers, each with a grim scowl on their faces. The first trainer had her run until she dropped. The second had her lifting weights until her arms refused to move anymore, and the last had demanded she do it all over again.

Violet had lasted a little over half an hour before she had to stop and lie down on a mat, her weak body refusing to take any more self-inflicted punishment. Her mother had chosen then to step inside, "What's wrong, sweetheart? Don't you want to be a huntress~"

Violet was proud of herself for still being able to say yes. She was still required to attend the lectures from her private tutors afterwards, in which she had barely been able to pay attention.

The next day had been much of the same. Sprints, weights, jumping jacks, back to sprints, and on and on until she collapsed. Her mother had stayed to watch for longer this time, and simply asked, "Ready to give up?"

It continued that way for a month straight. Each day, Violet was able to run faster, lift more, and endure longer. She was tempted to cheat. To wash away her own fatigue, to make herself stronger and faster than she would be naturally, but doing that would be just as bad as admitting defeat; if not to her mother, than to herself. So she persevered.

By the end of the month, Violet's mother was present during the entire two hour session, a silent observer.

As Violet lay panting on the ground, spread out completely to try and let her body vent some of the heat it had built up during the exercise, her mother approached.

"Do you still want to be a huntress?"

Violet's breath caught at the words. There was no hint of the disapproval that had been there before. No dissatisfaction. Just a simple question. Violet turned to regard her mother, still breathing heavily, and with one nod of her head, signalled her confirmation.

"Okay."

Violet was still lying on the floor in confusion when her mother walked past to the personal trainers, "From now on, she shall be trained properly."

"Yes, ma'am," three voices replied somewhat in unison.

The next day, she didn't do sprints. She didn't lift weights. Instead, the first trainer taught her the best way to work each of her muscles, the second showed her the best meals to eat to promote muscle growth, and the third began showing her how to use various weapons.

The last part came more easily to her. Violet's techniques themselves were born of countless lives spent adventuring. He remarked on her being a natural, 'If only he knew'. They continued their sessions, however. While Violet had the mind for it, her new body did not share reflexes with those past lives. She had to build her muscle memory up anew, and with her trainer's assistance, she made rapid progress.

That same day, they had unlocked her aura.

With her aura unlocked, the pains of exercise that previously would have crippled her for the remainder of the day were instead washed away within half an hour. The healing properties of aura extended to torn muscle fibers, apparently. After learning the proper techniques, she was able to work much harder, for much longer than she would have only a day prior. Violet's trainers took her accelerated fitness in strides, more than aware that she could take more punishment now than she had before.

After a few months, she started sparring with them. They changed weapons daily, keeping her on her toes. Violet struggled still, at first. A new body that was so small could not wield the weapons the same way an adult body would. In some cases, she was given weapons that she hadn't used in many life times, and it took a long time to work out the kinks with those.

They had her meditate at various intervals during their sessions, both to relax and let her aura recover, and to think about her semblance. Of course, they thought these little meditation sessions would help her 'discover' what her semblance would be, but Violet instead used them to ask herself what she wanted. She could give herself anything, unlike regular people, and she refused to have a useless semblance.

The eternal struggle of strength versus fun raged in her mind during these 'meditation' sessions. She didn't want a semblance that would just win fights for her. It needed to require skill, and still be effective. Versatile, but not all powerful. She thought about the issue for weeks, until her trainers finally decided it was time for her to choose a weapon that she would train with primarily.

They arranged a basic version of every kind of weapon along a rack in front of Violet. Daggers, staffs, swords, clubs, scythes, maces, axes... You name it, they had it. Her eyes roamed over them slowly, trying to account for the various advantages and disadvantages that came with each. Violet's eyes finally settled on one, and an idea sparked in her mind. A wide grin appeared on her face.

'Why not kill two birds with one stone?'

She heard one of the trainers choke as she pulled her choice off the rack.

After that day, another tutor was hired. A man that had spent his life working in the Science Division of the military, but had retired a few years ago. Their lessons started with the basics, and Violet was able to follow along well enough. She had spent a number of life times in sci-fi universes, after all. They hadn't been her favorites, but she'd learned a thing or two there.

The real complications came about when aura and dust were involved. The first hurdle, using her aura to change a weapon from one form to another. Violet's tutor gave her a very simplistic design to start with, a dagger that could shift into a pistol.

Stretching her aura out into an object had felt strange at first. Unnatural. It took her an entire month before she could reliably change forms when told to, another month before she could do it without having to concentrate on it.

From there they had built her knowledge base, working from one function to another, and getting more and more in-depth about dust integration. They didn't rush to build her weapon. According to her tutor, using a weapon's system in the field that you weren't intimately familiar with led to missing limbs or death, and he had the coroners' reports to prove it.

Violet was fifteen before she decided once and for all what she wanted to incorporate into her weapon. It took a year and a half of long nights spent poring over blueprints and schematics, designs, redesigns, concept pieces, and massive overhauls before she was finally done.

Violet and her tutor shook hands in mutual congratulations at the masterpiece that lay on the work bench next to them.

"Violet, I have an important business meeting in a few minutes. Could you please hold off on any test fires until later this afternoon?" her father asked her, poking his head into her training room.

Violet stopped to grab a towel and wiped the sweat from her face before replying, "Of course, father. Pepper was going to pick me up at 2 o'clock, anyway. We're headed back out to the fringes again until later tonight."

As always, her father's face revealed his concern, but he shook his head and left. Unlike Violet's mother, he had still never quite come to terms with his only daughter wanting to be a huntress. He respected her decision, but it did not stop him from worrying.

'I wish I could soothe your fears, father. Nothing bad will happen to me, I promise."

After he left, Violet returned to her training. She had long since mastered how to use it in conjunction with her semblance. Violet had chosen something that required skill, but was still potent and versatile like she'd wanted. It was also the only reason she could use the weapon she'd chosen in the first place.

'Even Yatsuhashi would have trouble hefting this thing around."

Violet smirked at the thought.

Violet continued working through the sword form routine that her tutor had helped her develop. It was one born of necessity and practicality. The greatsword she held had a foot long leather hilt, giving her the leverage she required. The gold colored crossguard was fashioned to look like a crown of sorts, the edges that wrapped around it keeping attacks from sliding up her blade into her hands. Past that, fourty pounds of four foot long steel, sharpened on both sides and ending in a tapered point, awaited anyone, or anything, stupid enough to get within reach.

Violet endured the strain for another ten minutes before she needed to stop and catch her breath. She set her weapon down on a nearby table and grabbed the towel off it again. Violet's hands froze as she spotted the person leaning against the doorway that her father had previously vacated.

'Weiss!?'

The girl realized she had been noticed, along with the shock on Violet's face and raised her hands from where they had been crossed under her breasts, lowering them down slowly over and over in an attempt to calm Violet down.

"Sorry! I'm just waiting for my father to finish his meeting, I didn't mean to spy on you," Weiss stepped into the room as she spoke, giving Violet an apologetic smile.

Violet became aware of the fact that she was still standing and staring, and shook herself back into motion. She toweled herself off and dropped it back on the table before turning back to Weiss, "No problem, you just caught me by surprise. My name is Violet." Violet held out her hand to shake Weiss's own and the girl gladly accepted.

"Weiss Schnee," she said matter of factly before letting her eyes roam around the training room. They settled on Violet's greatsword, "You weapon is massive. How in the world do you manage to swing it so freely?"

Violet grinned and picked the sword back up, holding it out in one hand towards Weiss. The girl frowned, but begrudgingly held her hand out to grab it. Weiss's eyebrows shot up as she raised the greatsword with ease in front of her, taking a few downward swings away from Violet.

"Umm, how?"

"Semblance," Violet said with a grin, "I can manipulate the mass of things within a small distance from myself."

Weiss's face twisted in thought, "Won't that have the same effect as just using a smaller sword, though?"

"Hold it out further," Violet instructed and waited for Weiss to comply. She did, using her left arm to point the tip out to her side, a full arm's length away. Violet dropped the affect of her semblance for only a moment, like flicking a light switch off and then back on again, but in that instant the tip dipped dramatically. Violet laughed at the surprised 'ah!' that escaped Weiss's lips.

"I reduce its mass while I swing it, but before it hits I return the mass back to it, effectively retaining my speed while giving me the impact power of someone much stronger than me," Violet explained.

"It isn't just objects that I can manipulate, though," Violet took her weapon back and set it on the table again before regarding Weiss, "Want to try?"

Weiss's face showed some hesitation, but she nodded her head all the same. Violet concentrated, then felt her semblance take effect. Weiss looked around herself in alarm before looking down at her arms. She slowly raised them up and down, feeling how they were now nearly weightless. Weiss bounced up and down on her feet, "This feels incredible!"

Violet nodded, "It helps me move faster and jump higher." 'Its also the most important part to my landing strategy. I don't want to end up a puddle in the Emerald Forest if I can't get Pyrrha to like me."

Violet released her semblance and staggered as it went. She was starting to get tired.

Weiss's eyes flashed concern as she raised a hand up to steady Violet, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Too much weight for too long starts to wear me out, that's all."

Weiss made a 'hmph!' sound and turned her head away slightly, "I-I don't weigh that much!"

Violet laughed when she realized what Weiss must have thought she was implying, then gestured back towards her weapon, "No, no, I'm still just beat from training."

Cheeks light pink, Weiss turned back to her.

Whatever she was going to say was interrupted by a cough..

"My meeting is finished, Weiss. It's time we left," Jacques commanded, standing in the doorway behind her. Weiss's face soured, then returned to a more regal expression befitting an heiress as she turned around.

"Yes, father."

Weiss gave her one final smile before the two of them left.

"Another glass, Miss Regalia?" the servant asked, stepping up next to her table with tray in hand.

"Henna, how many times do I have to tell you to just call me Violet?" she replied, exasperated.

"At least one more time, like always. Now, about that glass?"

"No, thank you. I've had enough for the night," Violet sighed.

Henna grinned and stepped back, "As you wish, little Miss."

Henna retreated before Violet could come up with a reply. She hadn't been called that in years, but the thought did bring a smile to her face.

Violet sat at a table alone, off to the side from where the rest of the party-goers were mingling. She wasn't socially awkward or inept, and she was certainly not an introvert. Violet's problem with the festivities was renewed every time she listened in to the various conversations around her. Simply put, they were boring. Talks of business deals there, a friendly chat between two ladies recommending hairdressers to each other there. 'And seriously, who cares about your nails?'

The function itself had been a celebration of her father's twentieth year managing the company, but the actual event had long since ended. Unfortunately, Violet need to at least partially keep up appearances as the daughter of a man running a multi-million lien a year business.

Violet couldn't help grinning in anticipation despite herself, though. It was finally time to send in her transcripts to Beacon. She had filled them out the night before, but admission didn't begin until tomorrow.

"May I sit here?"

Violet turned with a smile to nod at the man that had spoken, but the smile died on her face before she could catch it. It returned immediately, but she knew the man was perceptive enough to have caught her reaction.

"Yes, of course!" she managed to say without stuttering. She had kept up her yearly visits to Jinn, and knew that Ozpin had specifically asked about her ten years ago.

'Damnit Qrow!'

"Thank you," Ozpin scraped the chair back before sitting down in it around five feet from her, "This is a nice party, isn't it?"

"It really is," she replied before continuing, "Sorry, I didn't catch your name? I'm Mr. Regalia's daughter, Violet."

"Professor Ozpin, Headmaster at Beacon Academy," Ozpin's eyes regarded Violet intently over the fingers that he had steepled in front of himself.

Violet let her eyes widen in mock surprise, "I thought I recognized you from somewhere."

"Indeed. I heard from a student of mine that you were thinking of becoming a huntress?"

"A student?..."

"My apologies. It has been quite some time since then. He is one of your instructors now, a pro huntsman that goes by the name of Pepper?"

'He's been keeping tabs on me.' Violet realized with a tiny shudder, "Oh! Yes, he is one of my favorite teachers."

"Glad to hear it," Ozpin smiled, "Have you decided what school you want to go to?"

Violet smiled and nodded, not really having to lie, "Actually, I was going to submit my transcripts to Beacon tomorrow morning."

Ozpin paused. The widening of his eyes would have been near imperceptible if Violet had not been looking for it, "That is a nice surprise. If you've been following Pepper's teachings then I have no doubt you'll pass with flying colors!"

'Of course I'll pass. You want me at Beacon to keep an eye on me.'

Violet smiled and accepted his words nonetheless, "If you will excuse me, Professor. It is getting late, and I have bags to pack."

"That confident? Good! It will be a pleasure to have you at my Academy, Miss Regalia."

"The pleasure is all mine," Violet beamed as she stood to leave.

"One thing before you go. I have been pondering a question for quite a while, and wondered if perhaps you might have some insight?" Ozpin tapered off the statement to make it sound like a question, and Violet shrugged in assent.

"How does one kill a Grimm in such a way that its body does not vanish?"

Violet did not fail to notice Ozpin's eyes become more intense as he asked, but the question only drew a confused expression from her, "Dead Grimm always vanish, Professor."

"Indeed," Ozpin replied, the barest hint of dissatisfaction curving his lips downward, "Thank you for your time. I look forward to seeing you at Beacon."

Violet took that as her cue to finally leave.

She really did have bags to pack, but before that, she had someone else's transcripts to sabotage.

Violet floated above the ground in her ghostly, incorporeal state she adopted while asleep. She was in Vale, keeping an eye on her intended target. Ahead of her by twenty or so feet, Jaune kept to the sidewalk, nervously gripping his fake transcripts as if they might blow away in the wind.

'It's not the wind you need to worry about, Jaune.'

Crocea Mors was strapped to his hip and he was keeping his head down, as if he expected his father to come running down the street, demanding Jaune to stop his foolishness and come home.

It was still night here, as it was in Atlas. While she couldn't feel it, Violet could see the effects of the wind blowing down the silent streets. Jaune looked as if he had been travelling the entire day to make it to Vale on time, his breath rasped out with each painful step, threatening to eat away at Violet's resolve.

'It isn't my fault you didn't train before coming to Beacon, Jaune. You can't protect the others from what's to come. I can.'

It seemed as if Jaune had finally found what he'd been searching for. With a burst of exhilaration, he jogged the last thirty feet to his goal, Violet silently floating along behind. Jaune pulled the handle down on the mailbox, slotting his transcript in and, with only a slight quiver, dropped it inside.

Jaune spun on the spot and leaned back against the mailbox, letting his exhaustion get to him. His body slumped, and he kept his eyes down to the pavement as he spoke, "Please, God, let me get into Beacon." He sighed deeply and slowly left, hands dipping into his pockets, putting his fate in the hands of some unseen force that might help him achieve his dreams.

Violet wouldn't. 'Couldn't.' She'd destroyed his transcripts the instant they left his sight.