Hello Everyone this is a RWBY fanfiction and it is noncanon. I figured I would go through my backlog of unfinished drafts and well I am remaking this from the ground up as it was pretty bad even for that point in my writing career. Hope this does it justice.

Ages are as follows

Ruby:25
Winter:31
Everyone else (unless stated otherwise):27

Another long day I suppose. Team RWBY had been sent to a particular patch of woods on reports of Grimm in the area threatening the civilization that lay not far from their camp. Despite what large amount of them they had taken down there was a possibility that plenty of them still were left alive. The thoughts of being eaten alive by the Grimm in their sleep was enough to keep the entirety of the team by the campfire.

"I honestly haven't felt so on edge in so long this entire situation with the Grimm is really eerie." Ruby broke the code of silence that had been only seldom broken between the team over the last several hours. With a look of clarity and being tomato red she lifted her head slightly to glance at the rest of the group.

She had been ashamed to admit her fear trying to stay strong for her team and for those in the villages and small towns nearby who were told a Grimm attack on their camp meant evacuation. A pit formed in her stomach as the inevitable question was to be placed on her as to when the last time something of the caliber happened.

"I got to ask when was the last time this happened exactly Rubes this isn't like you at all." Yang said leaning over to her younger sister and catching her in an embrace like nothing she had ever felt. Ruby was still very shaken up by what it was but she wasn't crying over it. Perhaps it was her instinct for toughing it out when it mattered most but no matter what this behavior had surprised the entire team.

"Well for this I would have to take you back about 6 months, Do you all remember the time that I left for around 3 weeks?" Ruby questioned with uncertainty as to what they remember of that.

"What does that have to do with this?" Yang questioned back looking at her younger sister curiously with her head being held up with her hand although that mostly didn't remain given the state she had been in.

"It has everything to do with it, During those 3 weeks I accompanied 2 young hunters who had just finished all of their training in a special task force known as Shield 1C to fight off a group of bandits that had taken over the entire city outside of that small district." Ruby elaborated her demeanor changing to a more cheerful one as she spoke. "That was at least until both of them were killed in the fight against the bandits." She turned somber with her tone again is if the world around her was caving in from this confession.

POV: RUBY 6 MONTHS PRIOR

The day was warm and the city dull and drowsy as Ruby entered the hunters commission in Lavatale city as it was known by. The waiting room had been hastily put back together after bandits had riddled the place with bullets in one of their many attempts to conquer and pillage everything the small metalworking city had to offer. Ruby hastily made her way to an old wooden chair that had a few bullet holes in it but was in much better condition than the other chairs in the lobby but she made it work. Over the following 20 minutes she had decided to check her phone for any messages from back home.

Over the previous 2 days she had taken a ride in a armored vehicle known as a Tarqe to shield her from any attacks from the bandits.

'It certainly helped that they kept this from Yang I'm sure she wouldn't approve of this." She thought before the appearance of a man in the distance grabbed her attention.

"Ruby Rose I take it?" The man approached wearing the standard equipment of an officer in the commission. His right arm had the symbol of the task force being that of a shield with a lunar eclipse in the middle. The armor covering their chest was made of a thick steel reminiscent of a medieval kingdom that once stood in the vicinity of Lavatale.

"I take it you are the one that called me here?" Ruby asked keeping formalities with the commission officer as they walked down the hall into his office. The room was decorated with an assortment of rare plant species that had seldom been found outside of a few research facilities and a few local universities.

"Apologies for keeping you waiting so long, I'm General Wattman and yea I did call you here as I have a few important tasks that need done and I feel you are the only one that can do them." Wattman elaborated his hands moving to under his desk.

It was a few moments later when he pulled out 2 files and tossed them in Ruby's direction with one of the folders landing in her lap the other one still face up on the desk. She looked through them intently with the first reading as such.

NAME: Finn Oddwick
AGE: 17
SKILLS OF NOTE: It is of great importance to note that should he be away from his weapon in a situation that he is not defenseless as he is trained in 3 forms of martial arts at a proficient level. He also speaks 4 languages given his background of moving a lot with his family.
CURRENT RANK: T3 Rank 25

Ruby put the file on the other side of the desk many questions were to be asked of how things functioned amongst the Lavatale commission. She gave Wattman an odd look as to what the rank meant in terms of the commission but just nodded before taking a look at the second one.

NAME: Callum Frostlore
AGE: 16
SKILLS OF NOTE: He will under no circumstances choose to give up if it means to forfeit of whatever mission he is on. He is also a skilled medic given his background and should anything happen on the field he will be there to assist you tending to his wounds as best as possible given whatever resources are present.
CURRENT RANK: T3 Rank 30

Ruby let out a smile as she put the file down her confidence in her new team despite the ranking system being obscure to her.

"I apologize, I don't believe we got around to discussing how the system of rank and superiority works here during our call." Wattman interjected taking Ruby out of her thought. She knew all too well this was the truth but it was hard to admit it.

Swallowing her pride she nodded, "I don't remember but I think it would be best for us to go over this before we go out." Ruby told her new boss. Wattman nodded in return pulling out a chart similar to a pyramid with the various names of ranking tiers on it.

"Basically the ranking was entirely based on combat skill and leadership as I was already told beforehand." The present Ruby told her group with her head down as she watched the fire burn. It was no secret that she wanted to stop talking about the situation but reluctantly continued to get the weight off her chest.

'What even am I doing alive after all of that? I really am lucky for that.' She thought to herself as she looked at the fire. FIRE like the kind her career had been thrown into at this point.

"Well anyways, I'm getting lost in thought where was I?" Ruby asked continuing her story.

They had went over the tier system and various other details of the organization that should be of note for the mission. It took a decent bit of time but with her now in Lavatale time was less of the essence that it was in the months proceeding the mission.

"Apologies for keeping you waiting over the small things, Your team is in the mission briefing room and ready for you." Wattman loathed with Ruby shaking her head.

The room went silent for around a minute as Wattman extended a hand to Ruby. On it was the label "Mission for 1C, NOT TO BE DISCLOSED TO ANYONE ELSE" Ruby took it without saying a word only nodding as she slid it into a pocket on the jacket she threw on before leaving the house the day she was picked up.

Over time Ruby had become a woman of few words only really speaking on business matters when it was absolutely necessary. This went even for her own team with her sister being the only one she really discussed anything with for a time.

This was most likely after the incident on her 19th birthday where teams RWBY and JNPR went out not being able to do so the previous year due to terrible weather. Weiss and Blake by the end of the night had gotten so drunk they got into a fight with a group of around 16 others at a table nearby in a drunken rage that one of their guys had been eyeing up Yang the entire time. Jaune thought this was funny as did Ren and Nora but by the time the whole thing was over Ruby was just done with it.

I mean they were still friends but how do you explain that you got into a drunken brawl with some guys who were eyeing up your older sister from across the room.

"The Briefing room is the second one to your right." Wattman gave direction to the soon to be field leader of the force. Ruby not breaking nodded before leaving the room.

What mattered was their end goal of protecting the city from bandits and that was what she was to do.