Chapter 1: Homecoming

Ruby was woken up by the airship's PA system beeping to introduce the coming announcement. Her sudden wake-up call had her arm shooting under her pillow, only to have her panic subside when she realized her dagger wasn't there. Right, I'm back home. After doing a quick breathing exercise, she got out the much-too-comfortable first-class seat on her flight from Mistral to Vale.

She glanced back at the window near her seat, smiling when she saw Vale, her home. Though 'Home' for the last seven years had been the monastery at the top of the cold mountains north of Mistral, not counting the numerous times she was forced to leave it for another mission to some other part of the world.

Before she knew it, the airship's doors had opened, allowing her to freely leave the confines of the area. She quickly took out her scroll, alerting her chosen father of her arrival. Ruby was never one to smile much, but she couldn't help it at the prospect of seeing him again for the first time in over seven years. A normal person would have wanted to meet up with their family right away, but Ruby found herself choosing to walk the way home, taking in the surroundings of the one place she could truly call home.

After about an hour of what could only be described as 'sightseeing', Ruby found her introspective thoughts grind to an abrupt halt at the sight of the wanted criminal Roman Torchwick robbing what looked to be a dust shop? Why would someone like Torchwick rob a dust shop? She shook her head; she could think about that after she took him and his merry gang of criminals down. It's probably a bit early for vigilante activities, but I can make it work. She smirked at the thought, this would be the first time she'd be able to use her skills in her hometown.

After scanning the area of interest, her eyes narrowed at the sight of a vent near the top of the establishment. Perfect. It took only a few paltry seconds to climb up to the point where she was now at eye level with her target. She grabbed the vent, easily dislodging it with a few strong tugs. She crawled through the dusty vent as stealthily as she could, making sure to avoid any and all types of noise at all costs. Her hard work paid off once she found her exit. She carefully opened the vent, slowly setting it on the floor before noiselessly landing on her feet in the ground below.

With her first objective complete, she examined the shop around her. As she delicately peeked behind wooden shelves, the first thing she noticed was the four men in Torchwick's vicinity. Only four? I thought there'd be more. Oh well, at least this will be a good warmup. She couldn't.t help but grin at the thought, for the past eight years she had been fighting elite warriors that could give veteran huntsmen a hard time. Compared to that? This is child's play.

Ruby reached down into one of her skirt pockets, taking out a small shuriken that shined in the artificial light emitted from the lights above her. With a critical eye, she found what looked to be the generator. After another painstakingly long second, she threw the shuriken. As expected, her aim was true, the shuriken striking the center of the generator with deadly precision. Almost immediately all the lights flickered off, leaving them all coated in the inky black abyss of the night. However, there was a small patch of light emanating from the shattered moon, giving Ruby just enough light to spot the six other people in the room.

Torchwick's reaction was immediate, shoving his cane into the head of the shopkeeper at the counter he asked, "What's going on old man? Who else is here?"

The old man was visibly shaking in fear, "I- I don't know I swear! As far as I knew the store was empty!" He pleaded, desperation just oozing from his voice.

It must have sounded genuine though, as Torchwick loosened the hold of his cane over the man's face. He made an annoyed grunt, motioning over to the now pitch black interior around them. " Find whoever's here. Now. He said, making sure to emphasize just how important this operation was.

With a nod, the four goons split, each one straining their eyes as they all looked for the mysterious perpetrator.

The goon couldn't help but suppress a shiver as he walked through the dark menacing aisle, something wasn't right. Whoever was here, he could almost feel their intent. It was strong, crushing even. It reminded him of an old story his parents told him when they tucked him into bed at night. A warning to all criminals who lurk in the night. If he remembered correctly, it was something about a Bat-.

CREAK

His musings were cut off as he looked up to the source of the sound, only to attempt to let out a scream as he saw a dark figure engulf his vision. That was the last thing he remembered before getting knocked out.

The effect of his strangled screams was immediate. The other crooks immediately paused their search and began to look around carefully. Even Torchwick was slightly unnerved as he took a step back in surprise of it all. He shook his head; he wouldn't let some cheap scare tactics fool him. "Keep searching! Don't stop until you find them!"

After a few moments of hesitation, the guards shakily resumed their search. For a few moments, the quiet had seemingly been restored, until...

CRASH!

All who were present raised their head at the sound, only for one to let out a loud shout born of sheer terror and anguish. Everyone was sweating now; the two remaining goons were shaking like leaves. Although, before they could even think to escape, the intruder struck once more.

FWOOSH

That and the sudden gust of wind blowing in his face was the only warning one the goons had before he too was consumed by the seemingly supernatural being among them.

The fourth and final goon shrieked, tossing his sword aside in favor of running to the bright light of freedom.

She wouldn't let them get that far.

Just as he was mere inches away from the sanctuary that was the outside, he felt someone's boots land firmly onto his back, forcing him to the ground.

CRACK!

Torchwick and the Shopkeeper were both frozen in horror as they witnessed the disturbing sight of the man being slowly dragged back into the darkness. The person in question hopelessly gripping the tiles in a pitiful attempt to remain in the light. Unfortunately for him, it was for naught as the ever-present darkness was all that remained as he joined his friends in their slumber.

Following what was seemingly an eternity, Torchwick finally felt the courage to move. He growled, using his newfound courage to use his cane to shoot wildly in the direction of that thing's lair. Nevertheless, that burst of courage and adrenaline seemed to slowly ebb away from his body as his ears began to decipher what sounded like footsteps walking at a slow methodical pace.

He ran away and never looked back.

Ruby sighed as she saw who she thought was one of the most wanted criminals running away scared shitless from their encounter. She would have to do this the normal way now. With that, she jumped off the shelf, making sure to avoid any and all cameras as she leaped out of the backdoor and onto a nearby rooftop.

Ruby didn't waste any time, immediately drawing herself into a sprint as she searched for the survivor of her crusade. Her eyes narrowing at the sight of his pure white Jacket contrasting with the darkness around him. Now that her target had been found, she made sure to land behind a few buildings ahead of him, setting it up so it would look like Ruby Rose 'coincidentally' found Torchwick running away from the scene. She made sure to be stone-faced, taking a deep breath to steel herself as casually walked out of the darkness, a small shing coming from her scimitar as it was unsheathed from its scabbard.

She saw Torchwick flinch as he caught sight of her, noting that he seemed to breathe out in relief before aiming his cane at her. "Sorry kid, usually I'd make a clever quip but I'm already off schedule as it is."

Ruby didn't speak, choosing to have her actions speak for her as she used her semblance to dodge the barrage of dust. His eyes widened in surprise as she prepared to strike him with her sword. Torchwick was also quick to react, meeting her sword with his cane mere milliseconds before her strike hat hit true. Ruby inwardly smirked, knowing she could have hit him if she wanted to. Unfortunately, though, the numerous cameras she spotted around her stopped her from going all out, she couldn't blow her cover, after all.

After a few seconds of struggle, Ruby decided to end it. She moved back, causing Torchwick to stumble from the momentum from their clash. Then, just as he was about to regain his footing, Ruby caved in the right side of his face with the blunt end of her, worsening Torchwick's previous struggle for balance. To finish it, she used her semblance to perform multiple slashes and cuts to his aura, only stopping when she heard the sound of his aura breaking.

Once she was sure he was unconscious, she dragged him to a nearby pole and cuffed him to it. She smiled at a job well done, at least until she spotted the gaze of a very irate Glynda Goodwitch.

"Ms. Goodwitch, why am I here? Have I done anything wrong?" Ruby asked sweetly. She almost hated the voice she put on.

"No," Glynda admitted.

"Then can I leave?"

"After," Glynda answered. "There is someone here who wishes to speak to you."

Ruby pretended to jitter nervously if only to mask the movements of her hand under the table as she texted her aunt.

A moment later the headmaster of Beacon Academy, Professor Ozpin, entered the room. This was slightly surprising for Ruby. She knew Glynda was a teacher at Beacon, but that alone did not explain why Ozpin was here. It definitely didn't explain why he wanted to talk to her of all people.

He sat down, looked at her, and began to stare. "You have silver eyes."

That set off a red alert in Ruby's mind. She maintained her composure, of course, nary a twitch of reaction. But a comment like that was all too convenient.

Ozpin set down a plate of cookies. Ruby reacted to that if only to stay consistent with whatever persona would have the voice she used. She managed to scarf one to near completion before Ozpin spoke again.

"So! Where did you learn to fight like this?" The headmaster pushed forward a tablet playing a video of her fight with Torchwick.

Ruby was relieved that she started holding back while fighting the man. "Private tutors," she answered while grabbing another cookie. She was going to have to start eating them slowly if this took too long. They were far too sweet for her tongue.

"I see..." Ozpin sounded suspicious. He didn't seem to be a trustful person. "And the men in the store? They tell a very interesting story."

"The store?" Ruby played off excellently. "I was never in the store."

Ozpin frowned. "If you didn't see Torchwick stealing, how did you know to stop him?"

"He was running from a Dust shop with no lights on in the middle of the night," Ruby defended. Maybe next time she should let the alarm go off.

Thankfully Ozpin appeared to buy it. "So, you didn't terrorize the men in the store."

"Terrorize? No! Are they okay?" Concern for the condemned. Ruby was almost pleased with herself.

"A few broken bones will heal, but one poor soul seems terrified of even leaving his cell," Ozpin explained.

"That's terrible..." That's perfect.

"So, tell me," Ozpin continued, "why is an adorable young girl such as yourself-"

The door slamming open-cut him off. All eyes turned to the new entrant, none other than commissioner Barbara Grayson-Gordon.

"Aunt Barbara!" Ruby cried out. Not only did it fit the act she was playing so far, but it also let Ozpin know exactly what he was dealing with.

"Aunt?" The headmaster indeed seemed worried, if only a little.

"Headmaster," Barbara wasted no time, "on what legal grounds are you detaining this young woman?"

"Commissioner," Ozpin bowed his head respectfully. "I believe there has been a misunderstanding-"

"I understand that she asked to leave, but your colleague here refused her," Barbara cut him off again. "You huntsmen may have power, but this is still a police station! You have no right to use this station as you please! I have half a mind to charge you for wasting police resources."

Ozpin stood, knowing he was beaten this once. "My sincerest apologies, Commissioner. I merely wanted to extend an offer to the young woman."

"And what offer is that?"

Yet another person entered the already cramped room. Even Ruby calling the commissioner 'aunt' wouldn't prepare Ozpin for this next surprise. It was none other than Vale's wealthiest hermit, Bruce Wayne himself.

"Mr. Wayne?" Ozpin turned to him. "With all due apologies to the Commissioner if I am overstepping again, why are you here?"

"To pick up Ms. Rose," Bruce answered.

Ozpin narrowed his eyes, attempting to read the billionaire. "Doesn't Ms. Rose have her own family? Her own father?"

"Bruce is my family," Ruby interjected herself, knowing it would sound more truthful if it came from her. "If anything, he is my dad."

This was clearly not turning out the way Ozpin expected. It was written all over his face. Unreadable to most, but not to anyone in this room.

"Now, about this offer?" Bruce wondered. "You went through all this trouble, you should at least get to say your piece."

"Right," Ozpin snapped out of his funk and turned to Ruby. "Ms. Rose, is it? I wanted to offer you a place at my academy. Beacon Academy, that is?"

Ruby put on her best smile. "I am honored, Headmaster-"

"And she'll accept," Bruce cut her off.

Ruby looked to her surrogate father in surprise. In his eyes, she saw the seriousness of his action. Still, she had to stay in character, even if she wasn't 100% sure what the character was yet. "Are you sure? I'm still two years underage."

"And being offered a spot by the Headmaster," Bruce pointed out, playing his part as well. "We didn't even have to bribe him for it! All sides win as far as I'm concerned. Can you send the paperwork to Wayne Manor? My ward - my daughter - has had a long day and we should be going home."

"Of course, Mr. Wayne. Ms. Rose," Ozpin bid farewell. "I appreciate the swift response."

All parties left the room and went their separate ways. It didn't take long for Glynda to voice what was on her mind. "Ms. Rose... that was Ruby Rose, was it not?"

"I believe so," Ozpin answered.

"Daughter of Summer Rose."

"And the spitting image of."

"So... why was she calling Bruce Wayne her father?"

"I would very much like to know myself. Qrow mentioned something about family issues, but... he never mentioned this."

The moment Ruby and Bruce were out of eyesight, Ruby suddenly wrapped her arms tight around her surrogate father. Bruce simply stayed still. He had never been sure how to react to Ruby's affection, and he couldn't deny he was slightly surprised the League didn't harden those tendencies out of her. He also couldn't deny that a part of him missed these embraces, even if he hesitated to return them.

The moment passed quickly, and the pair continued outside the station and into the Wayne limo, where they would have their own debrief. "So, why am I attending Beacon?" Ruby asked, thankful to drop that sickly sweet persona.

"Look hard enough into history and you see certain patterns," Bruce began to answer.

"Yeah, that's how we found out more about Silver Eyes," Ruby recalled. "So what now?"

"Certain major turning points in our recorded history were led by very specific men. Wise elders who share an interesting similarity in their names. Os- or Oz- at the beginning. Read in between the lines, and these people seem to be in command of incredible power."

"Like Ozpin? I know he and his conspiracy have been on our list for years. So why now?"

"The stars align. You're done training with the League, and he wants you at Beacon. He wants you close."

"Maybe too close. He mentioned my eyes."

"...That is concerning."

"But the wheels are already in motion. I'll do it."

"I expect nothing less."

"Am I really done training with Damien?"

Bruce smirked at this. "Indulge me this once and wait until we return. I would hate to spoil the surprise."

When they arrived at Wayne Manor Bruce wasted no time heading for the grandfather clock, setting the hands to open the Batcave entrance. Ruby followed him down to the main chamber where she and Bruce split ways. Bruce walked towards the computer, where a few items were laid out on a nearby desk. Ruby went straight for the display cases. More than a few Batman suits sat behind dusty glass, as well as a few Robin suits, the Nightwing suit, and something strange. The case at the very end of the line was empty. Was a suit missing? If it was, she couldn't remember what it could be.

"Ruby," Bruce called out, capturing the girl's attention. He was holding something that looked like a rubber sports singlet. "Strip and put this on."

Ruby took the item and walked behind a curtain set up a few feet away while Bruce turned around. Though it was mostly in service to their father-daughter relationship over any concern for modesty. Ruby had spent too much time with Damien's Assassins to see nudity by itself as anything remotely sexual. Even the inherent embarrassment was little more than a vague memory to her. As for Bruce, well… Bruce was Bruce.

As Ruby changed, her eyes found another display. This one was hung on the wall, preserved in picture-like glass and steel frame. An object that was perhaps more important to Ruby than anything. Her mother's cape. Bruce must have moved it shortly after she left with Damien, as it was already coated in a layer of dust. She would have to take care of that. Though seeing the cape after so long brought far more than concerns over its relocation.

The silence grew heavy. Bruce didn't even have to turn around to know where Ruby's attention was diverted. "How are the nightmares?" he asked.

"After I broke my arm sparring, they jumped back up to once a month," Ruby answered. "Thankfully the plane ride was peaceful. If a little soft."

"Keep up your mind-clearing exercises, they'll go back down," Bruce advised.

"I know," Ruby nodded. She finally turned around, wearing the singlet and nothing else. "It's a little stiff," she commented.

"You'll get used to it. Did I ever tell you my first few suits, I could barely move my neck?" Bruce told her.

"That design flaw couldn't have lasted long," Ruby chuckled. "So, what is this really?"

Bruce smiled. Suddenly, sleeves, legs, and a neck grew from the edges of the singlet. Ruby was suddenly covered neck-to-toe in a black catsuit.

Ruby was astounded. "Woah, what is it?"

"Nanofiber," Bruce explained. "It's a nanotech weave that can assimilate and dissimilate in a near-instant. Currently only viable with fabrics. Thankfully, Kevlar is technically a fabric."

"Fascinating." She muttered. Even after all this time, new tech was always exciting to her. "How does it work?"

Bruce took something out of his ear, with the singlet reverting at the same moment. He handed the device to Ruby. Ruby inserted the tech into her own ear and concentrated. In no time the full catsuit had returned, to Ruby's utter delight. "This is incredible! How cutting edge is this?"

"You're currently wearing the only working version," Bruce admitted. "And as I stated, it doesn't work with metals. Maybe someday a full suit can be made with nanotech, but even Nanofiber won't be on the market for another decade at least."

"And it's tailored to me…" Ruby realized. "Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful, but… why?"

"That's only the first half of your present," Bruce informed her, pushing a high-tech suitcase forward. "This is the other."

Something about the look of the case made something click in Ruby's head. She looked back to the displayed suits and the empty case next to them. She counted said cases and realized she was wrong. She hadn't forgotten a suit. That empty case was new. She didn't need to open the suitcase to know what was inside. Her heart was racing a mile a minute, but she couldn't help but be restrained. "Are you sure? My training-"

"There will always be more to learn, and more room to grow," Bruce cut her off. "But I've heard enough from Damien, seen enough for myself, to know that you understand what this means. You're already in a better position than I was when I started, and not too far behind Dick when he decided to leave. While strong skills are important, a strong spirit is what separates men from legends. Your dedication, your mind, your heart… you're ready."

Ruby looked back down at the suitcase. She couldn't believe this was happening. She forced down her smile and reached out with shaking hands.

"Be careful," Bruce warned.

"Huh?" Ruby nearly jumped from being broken from her concentration.

A smile crept onto his face. "I know you're excited, and you have every right to be. However, the suitcase is biometrically locked. This first time will register you. If your heart rate is elevated now, you won't be able to open it when it's calm later."

"I understand," Ruby nodded, forcing a few deep breaths to steady herself. "Thank you."

"You've earned this," Bruce reminded her.

"I know. But seriously," Ruby suddenly closed the distance between them, drawing Bruce into a hug whether he liked it or not. "Thank you, dad."

Bruce coughed. All these years and he never got used to Ruby calling him 'dad'. The first few times he tried to remind her she had a real father. Ruby would remind him that to her mind, she only had one father who acted like one. So instead, he awkwardly returned the hug with one arm.

When Ruby finally broke off, she headed straight back for the case. With her body willed back into a calm, serious state, she felt it was safe to register. And she really couldn't wait a moment longer. The case took a few seconds to deep scan who-knows-what and clicked open.

The first thing she noticed was the chest piece, with an armored cowl attached and folded behind the neck. The other pieces caught her eye next, a pair of gloves and a pair of boots. She took up one glove, slipping the appropriate hand inside. Suddenly the various plates extended and tightened, with clasps locking into place around her forearm and even as high as her bicep. "Wow… all the pieces do that?"

Bruce nodded. "The plates should extend to cover most major areas. The abdomen is exposed, which is why the singlet portion of the under armor isn't Nanofiber. Instead, it's made from more flexible protective materials. Kevlar, carbon fiber micro-weave, even a layer of impact gel. It should catch most blades and small-to-mid arms fire."

"Metal plates there would have sacrificed mobility, and thankfully current tech means we don't have to," Ruby nodded. "Long as everything really vital can't easily be hit, like my lungs, heart, and major vessels in my limbs. What about these?" She pointed to a mechanical wheel on the upper forearm plate.

"Extra utility spaces in a revolving launcher," Bruce explained quickly. "The grapnel is integrated into your gauntlets as well, no longer a separate piece of equipment."

As Ruby equipped the rest of the suit, guests arrived in the Batcave. "Sorry, we're late. After barging into the police station, I had to take care of a few things before leaving," Barbara explained.

Dick was the first to comment on Ruby's new gear. "Aw, man! You couldn't wait for us, Bruce?"

"If it was that important to you, you should have been here," Bruce countered.

Dick shook his head. "Some things never change."

A third guest caught Ruby's attention. "James?" The boy Ruby had remembered for years had grown into a springy teen almost taller than she was and was equipped with corrective lenses. I guess it's been seven years for all of us. "But what are you doing down here?"

"Bruce, you never told her? In all your letters?" Barbara scolded lightly. The written word was the only way to stay in contact with Ruby while she was with the League, and Bruce seemed strangely determined to do so.

"It must have slipped my mind," Bruce excused, covering excellently that he hardly knew what to put in those letters, to begin with. He turned to Ruby to explain, "James accidentally hacked open one of the Batcave entrances, just a few years after you left. Although, in the end, he decided not to be a part of things down here."

"But that doesn't mean I can't be here for your big moment," James himself cut in. "How does it feel?"

"I'll let you know in a moment." Ruby put on the chest piece next. Like the arms and legs, the cowl automatically raised and unfolded over her head like a hood, clicking into place. Her vision lit up as the visor began displaying the onboard systems coming online. She noticed the cowl linked with the Nanofiber trigger in her ear, and after a moment of concentration, a full Nanofiber cape formed from off her shoulders.

The last thing in the case was a utility belt, brimming with all the toys Ruby had trained for but had never been allowed to take out of the cave before now. As that clipped into place, Ruby felt complete. She had been working toward this for nearly eleven years, even before she knew what all those combat lessons were for. The day had come.

"My lord…" Barbara muttered quietly.

"Like she was born to wear it," Dick commented through a slightly sad smirk.

After a moment of silence, James spoke up again. "So? How does it feel?"

"Powerful." The answer was short and cold. She was no longer Ruby Rose. She was Batwoman now, with all the menace and quiet rage that it implied.

Bruce more than understood. "Think you can handle a patrol?" he gestured to the Batmobile.

Batwoman turned to the vehicle, unsure. "Alone?"

"Technically, but I'll be in your ear the entire time," Bruce assured. He sat at the computer and tapped a few keys to bring the communications link online.

Ruby was still unsure, but she willed her feet to move. "We all have to start somewhere," she finally answered, jumping into the driver's seat of the Batmobile. The night was hers now, and it was time to stake her claim.