"Please, just take my Lien and leave." the old shopkeeper said, his hand above his head, desperate to survive.
Roman and his miscreants were not phased, however, the cigar touting leader standing tall, aiming the end of his cane at the man's face as it transformed into a firearm.
"Don't worry, I don't want your stinking Lien. I'm just here for the goods." he gestured with his hand at the Dust Crystal's under the glass counter, the shopkeeper suddenly realizing the true danger he was in. "Go ahead boys, bag 'em up." Roman pressed a button on the handle of his cane, returning it to form and walking away from the counter with pride and callousness in his stride. "My pals in Mistral are going to love this."
Then, gunfire reigned. The shopkeeper ducked, keeping himself away from sight, and Roman turned to scorn his men.
"Did I say shoot!?"
Yet, to his surprise, he found one of his three miscreants sitting on the floor with his hands placed tightly over his hip. He was bleeding, and breathing heavily, staring at the direction of the gunfire. Roman traced his eyes, glancing over the aisle to see a Black and Scarlet haired young girl aiming a scoped rifle with a smoking barrel, the likes of which he had never seen.
"Who the hell are you?" Roman yelled.
"Ruby Rose, at your service!" the girl pulled a switch on her weapon, transforming it back into the scythe she called Crescent Rose, smirking with her cheek turned, still slightly blinded in her left eye. "I think you should leave!"
Roman angered, his other men aiming their automatic side arms at the girl, waiting for his signal, "You little bitch, you're gonna regret that with your life. Kill her." he waved his hand and his nostrils flared.
Just as the bullets began to fly, Ruby swung her cape over her shoulders, rose petals scattering throughout the bookshop like feathers pouring from a torn pillow, making it difficult for the miscreants to see their target. As they turned the store into a chaotic target range, hot lead and broken goods drowning the screams, they somehow lost track of her. Then, there was a kick against a miscreant's stomach, sending him through the shop's window and out into the streets. Then, another strike followed, this time into another man.
In moments, Roman found himself alone in the shop, rose petals conquering the air, and all of his men left grunting in pain on the road outside. He looked at them with a raised brow, until the petals around him suddenly rushed outdoors with a gust of wind. They danced in a cyclone, growing in size and forming a massive flower on the sidewalk. The petals began to wilt, opening swiftly until Ruby's head emerged from within. Soon, the flower morphed, latching itself onto her shoulders, returning to the Red-Cowled cape that it once was.
When all was done, Ruby held out her hand, a beautiful Rose Bud resting on her palm. She closed her hand into a fist, and the garden in her hand faded away.
Roman was irritated as he watched the scene, but his Astonishment outweighed himself, "Well, you don't see that everyday."
Ruby turned her silver eyes to him, determination in her face, "The authorities will be here soon. You never should have messed with that innocent old man."
Her cute sounding voice still left Roman with a sense of disbelief. Despite her impressive performance, he would not surrender so easily.
"Well, Oh, look at the time." he stared at his watch, casually walking out of the shop's busted window. "It's been fun." He bowed as he stepped over one of a man's' back and started to cross the street. "Ugh, dinner's probably getting cold, you know how it goes. You can keep the men, they're a bunch of morons anyway."
He whistled, his arms swinging back and forth with spunk in his step. Just as he approached a ladder on the side of a brick building, Ruby pulled the switch on her scythe, holding the Crescent Rifle firmly at her hip and aiming it at Roman.
"You're not going anywhere until the authorities show up!"
Roman laughed, submissively holding his head down as he turned and tilted his hat, "I'm sorry, there must be a mistake here. I actually am the authorities. Hold on, let me just get this badge out…" he reached into his pocket, quickly taking advantage of the situation, removing a Dust Grenade from his coat, throwing it violently against the ground.
It exploded with a blue hue in the smoke it left behind, and Ice Shards shot out in every direction. It was Blue Dust, the resource which game humans superiors control over water and ice.
Ruby needed to act quickly. She rolled to the side, tossing the back of her cape into the air, a wall of roses growing on the trail behind her, just barely catching the shards. Then, the ice exploded, a wave of below freezing temperature rushing against her. She managed to use her cape to cover herself, but it didn't stop her forearm from freezing. She shivered, ice covering her skin, shaking away the frost, still holding onto her Crescent Rose.
"D-D-Darn you!" her teeth chattered. "Wh-where did he go?"
She heard the sound of a helicopter in the distance, looking up and finding Roman already at the rooftop of the nearby building. She looked to the side and saw that the helicopter was not far away. It wasn't difficult to see what was happening.
"Get back here." Ruby's body transformed into an array of rose petals, dashing up into the air and meeting at the rooftop, stopping Roman in his tracks as she returned to human form. "You're not going anywhere."
She readied her scythe, and Roman grinned.
"Just try and stop me, Kiddo."
Ruby slashed her scythe down onto him, but Roman blocked the attack with his cane. At first, it shocked her, causing her to Stumble; but, she continued her savage onslaught, intent on bringing him down. Yet, with each strike, Roman would cleverly sway, or roll, or block. Occasionally he would fire a bullet or two at her weapon directly, disrupting her footing.
She stopped again for a moment, catching her breath, "I don't understand, what is your Semblance?"
The Semblance was the power hidden within those gifted by nature. Not fully understood, it was somehow connected to the human soul. It was what allowed Ruby to transform into a flower, to fly in the air like petals in the wind. At once, it protected those who could wield it, but often condemned those who used it to a life of combat and strife. It was the fulcrum on which all mankind came to survive the harsh realities of the world of Remnant.
"My Semblance?" Roman asked mockingly, standing up from the concrete he sat upon. "Thank the Maidens I don't have one of those."
Before Ruby could reply, a stranger interrupted their conversation. A light footstep against the concrete, a pair of glasses shining against the sun rising for the morning, and curly blonde hair tied nearly into a bun. She seemed to appear from nowhere, her black and purple cape giving her a look of significance, alongside her professional skirt and blouse.
Both Roman and Ruby were left speechless.
"Who are you?" Ruby asked.
The mysterious woman replied with a calm tone, "I should be asking you that, young lady, you are in serious trouble."
"OH, look! If it isn't Glynda Goodwitch." Roman interrupted, patting grime off of his coat. "Nice to see you again my dear. Here to flash your royal tits for all to see again, c'mon miss, isn't it in your name? I thought you were a good girl?"
Glynda maintained her composure, holding the wand in her hand toward him and threatening, "You won't get away this time!"
Roman chuckled, leaning against his cane casually, "Oh, really? Well, well, well, it's been good girls, really. Next time maybe bring some champaign, it's insulting. My ride is here. It's been fun."
Somehow, they lost track of the helicopter's approach. It hovered above them, the force of the rotors pushing them away just a little. When Glynda and Ruby looked back at the docking door, they were greeted with yellow eyes peering down at them.
"No… No." Ruby gasped, taking steps back as her shoulders shook. "It can't be."
Cinder and Ruby met eye-to-eye, Remnant seeming to stand still in time for a short while.
"You've brought a friend, little Rose." Cinder glanced at Glynda Goodwitch. "That wasn't nice of you."
"Who are you?!" Glynda demanded an answer.
Cinder grinned, then sighed as she twirled her fingers through her long black hair, "Just a little birdie away from home."
"That's it." Glynda lost her patience, summoning her Semblance, waving her wand about until objects from nearby rooftops - air conditioning units, doors, scrap, and heavy ornaments of all kinds - floated in the air above her. With a whip of her wand, she sent waves of objects at the helicopter, which would surely take it to the ground.
Then, out of nowhere, Cinder screamed, her voice resembling that of the howl of the beasts that roamed the outer walls of Vale, the Grimm. It was loud enough to deafen them, all but Ruby covering their ears. When her voice settled, the glass from windows of several buildings shattered, the shards shooting up for the helicopter. It was Cinder's unique Semblance, the ability to control glass in any form. The glass scorched, melting together to form a giant sphere that guarded the helicopter. As the objects clashed against it, shattering it apart, it continued to melt. Although Glynda continued her assault, sending more and more at her foe, she had no choice but to halt when the glass shaped into spears, which Cinder tossed at them with all of her might.
Through the chaos. Roman dodged the barrage, jumping to the helicopter, firing a brief amount of rocket fuel from the chamber as he stood with the tips of his toes upon it. It was enough to land him in the bay, where he ignored Cinder's sinister smile and walked over to the pilot.
"Get us out of here before these crazy women kill us, Jim!"
The pilot nodded, then pressed a few switches, and the helicopter began to take off.
Cinder cracked her neck, then ended her attacks as they rose to the sky. Glynda was still on guard, but Ruby Rose just stared in shock.
"We'll meet again!" Cinder forewarned, the helicopter making its way out of the city. "Next time, you won't be so Lucky!"
Then, they were gone. Other than Glynda Goodwitch, Ruby was alone.
She thought deeply for a moment on just how carefully Cinder had chosen her words. Luck, was something she was far too familiar with. The sound of sirens came, as the authorities arrived far too late.
"You!" Glynda walked furiously against her high heels to Ruby. "What are you out past curfew!? Who are you?"
"Step aside, Mistress Goodwitch." said a mysterious man's voice close by. "I will deal with her from here."
Ruby and Glynda looked back and were met with the sight of a man with white hair and glasses, a cane in his left hand and an expression that beckoned respect.
Ruby suddenly smiled, her quirkiness instantly returning," Ozpin! "