Author's Headnote: I Originally planned about Ruby being irresponsible and spending a few more hours in the city of Vale, but I than thought that'd be Out of Character for Ruby, sure I said I'd take liberties, But I'm trying to maintain as much canonical facts intact as possible! Like I said, I'm as much as a writer as the potato in your garden, if you don't have a potato garden, that just further proves my point. So, less headnotes more story!

RWBY: Festival of Blood: Darkness in a Beacon of Light

Ruby Rose:

Aura Status: 100%

Thirst: Quenched

Semblance: Wilted Petal Burst

Grades: Unchanged from the previous chapters.

Team Activity (Required for advancement to second year): Undecided

Team Relations:

- Weiss Schnee: Likely complaining about having to clean up Ruby's rose petals, will hate Ruby's new 'wilted petals'

- Blake Belladonna: Will most likely the first to notice Ruby's... 'changes'.

- Yang Xiao Long: Need to get her new contact lenses, play dumb when the 'incident' pops up.

End of Main character status report

Bullhead, 12: 54 AM, Tuesday, From Vale to Beacon

As the auto-piloted bullhead was taking Ruby back to beacon, she opened up her newly acquired book. She knows that the possibility to survive being a vampire student in beacon academy is in this book.

Vampirica Encyclopedia: Volume 1, Chapter 1: Aura & Semblance and Vampires.

Most people know that vampires are undead, and this can carry across their aura and semblance. A Vampire's soul is tainted with dark magic originated from The Grimm Queen, or so legends told. Because of this, a vampire who has never unlocked their aura never will be able to. Likewise, a vampire's aura cannot heal because of the said dark magic, and requires blood to recover back to 100%. Likewise, this means a vampire cannot unlock their semblance, because it is bound to aura. If a vampire has unlocked their aura, but not semblance before turning, it can still be unlocked. Vampirism can have an effect on the semblance too, since each semblance is unique to each person, the dark magic infecting the soul will modify the effects to meet a much more... darker standard. Aura can be used as a shield to protect vampires from the sun, but this damages the aura so it will leave a giant red flag, vampires with aura should only go out in the day for brief emergencies. If a vampire's aura has dropped to 0 or if the vampire does not have aura, they will die from the harsh rays of the sun. A vampire nor their aura should be afraid of sunlight through windows, the glass blocks out the rays of the sun, but most don't know that so use this as an advantage when walking around during the day to null suspicion from the mortal populace.

More onto aura. Aura is what everyone is told is the physical manifestation of the soul of a living being, vampires who were turned who never unlocked their aura cannot do so because of this, because the locked aura is lost in the turning. An unlocked aura would only be damaged from the turning, since it tries to prevent the taint from damaging the body, but the body is not the target, the soul is. A tainted/undead aura is quite different a living one in many features, it takes damage from attacks that would only normally affect grimm, for example. Mentioned before, an aura can only recover from drinking blood, this only applies when the blood isn't mixed with anything. The aura of a vampire functions pretty much identical to a living being, any aura techniques one can be used is pretty much the same there. Likewise, aura cannot shield anything that's part grimm, whether it be from supernatural implants or vampire powers, albeit the latter is less permanent.

Semblances, on the other hand, are another story. If one has a reactionary or passive semblance, the altering to their semblance should be minimal to non-existent, according to studies and experiments performed on capturing novice huntsmen with unlocked semblances. Active or sustained semblances, on the other hand, have more... expressed changes that makes the powers much darker... ranging from mere cosmetic to outright inverting the properties of their powers. Such as one particular lad with a fire semblance now acts as if it was an ice semblance, truly fascinating. As the studies continue, the said lad's behavior got much... colder, fitting considering the altering of the semblance, one would know that each semblance is a reflection of oneself, or vice-versa, the philosophy was never discussed. Another example is a mere minor change, a lass with what appears to be a summoning semblance. Apparently, she can call wild animals to aid her, after turning the animals appeared to be diseased and sick... to make sure no damage to the environment is caused, she had to be dealt with permanently.

The entire chapter covered on the effects of aura and semblances on vampires, a number of it she figured out on her own, others is apparently new information to her. She is disgusted at the thought that her soul is 'tainted'. Ruby now worries about the changes her condition made to her semblance, the petals are wilted, as if they belonged onto a dead rose. She knows it's wilted because she's seen her pre-turned semblance petals, the ones before tonight were a shade of red, much like the one she wears, along with a soft, smooth texture. The post-turned petals on the contrary, are more of a red-violet with a rough, crumply texture.

As much as she wants to read the entire thing, she needs time to settle the information in. Ruby's still having to wrap her head around the fact that vampires are real, and she just became one of them! Being in an unknown location or ravenous kind of got in the way of that. She can't let her team know about her condition, especially Yang. Yang would be horrified that her little Ruby became a blood sucking monster. All attempts to warm up Weiss would be in vain if she found out, she's a gossip! The only reason why she kept Blake's secret is likely due to having 'a reputation to hold as heiress of the Schnee Dust Company'. Blake? Ruby isn't sure how Blake would react, sure she'd understand why Ruby's hiding her condition, like how Blake is concealing her identity, but much unlike Blake, pretty sure Ozpin wouldn't tolerate vampires in his academy, being basically sentient blood-sucking grimm and all.

Beacon Academy, 1:36 AM, Tuesday, Beacon Courtyard

The night lights were on around in the court yard, but Ruby didn't need them to see during the night, not anymore due to her condition. One of the perks of vampirism is night vision, of course this is something she'd have to fake not having around faunas due to the fact that humans don't typically have night vision without some sort of technology. It was beautiful out, the night sky brightened up by the shattered moon... pretty, and doesn't blind Ruby's eyes out when she looks at it. The sun however, will not only do that, but will constantly try to kill Ruby, yet again, UV Radiation could have given her skin cancer so... that fact never changed, the sun will just... do it faster now.

I wonder if this book has anything about protecting me from the sun, going to be important if I want to become a huntress now.

Ruby checked the Table of contents on the Vampirica Encyclopedia, opening up to a page about sun-protection. It says here that she'll need to cover up her head, or bring a sunshade... A rainshade would work, sure. But it's a bit suspicious for someone to suddenly carry a shade-stick all of the sudden, yet again, so is using her mother's scarf to cover her head up, wait she could use as it a hood. As for getting her regular intake of blood on the other-hand, if she does that she'll need to feed on one of the students, or the staff and the whole school will be put on lock-down to find the vampire, said vampire is Ruby Rose, the silver eyed child prodigy who got accepted into beacon for nearly thwarting criminal master mind 'Roman Torchwick'!

She'll just wear her scarf like a hood, simple enough. Ruby heads on and decides to enter the dormitory, the lights are out in the entire building, but she doesn't need them to see where she needs to go. She tip-toes up the stairs around to the western dorms where her team is... can't wake up anyone lest they get suspicious not to mention the whole 'Beacon Blackout', that's going to be all over the news tomorrow, along with the 'Beowulf attack next to clothing store'. Funny, she'd still be a living human being if it weren't for that blackout.

Beacon Academy, 1:41 AM, Tuesday, RWBY Dormitory

As Ruby is about to open the door to her dorm, slowly without waking up Blake (she is a light sleeper after all), she slowly sneaks inside, closing the door... slowly... slower... twist the knob so the door thingy doesn't make a noise when she closes aaaand.

shut

A small, quiet shutting noise. Thankfully she didn't wake up Blake otherwise she'd have some explaining to do.

"Ruby?" she heard.

Ah shoot, that's Blake's voice. What is she doing up in the middle of the night?

"Gah! You scared me Blake!" Ruby quietly screamed, trying not to wake up Weiss and Yang.

Ruby couldn't make eye-contact with the cat faunas, that'd be suspicious since she would see that you are making eye contact with her, something humans shouldn't normally do with faunas in the dark. The red vampire stared at Blake's... chesticular region, she'd be annoyed by Ruby doing it, but she couldn't call Ruby out because Blake doesn't know about her night vision due to vampirism.

"Ruby, it is 2AM and you've been ordering Yang's contacts for 7 hours, what took you so long to get back?" Blake asked in an interrogating tone. Blake is now interrogating her.

Ruby couldn't tell the truth, so she needed to come up with a lie.

"uhhhh... The line was long?" Ruby lied, hopefully that would sate Blake's curiosity

"'The line was long?'" Blake quoted Ruby.

"yep."

"at an eyecare facility?"

"correct."

"in downtown?"

"uh-huh."

"during the timespan of 6PM to 12 AM?"

"yes!"

"Ruby, you're lying to me."

"WHAT!? What makes you say that?" Ruby laughed awkwardly.

"One, only 1/50 people in Vale have eyesight problems, eyecare is more of a concern to people living in Atlas and Mistral. Two, the uptown and commercial district eyecare businesses are much more reputable, and thus more people will go to them than the one downtown business who's only selling point is being open all hours. And three, not many people would visit an eye doctor around night hours!" Blake stated. Clearly, she must have done research on this after seeing Yang wearing her glasses. Ruby wonders if Weiss has too...

"oh..."

"I'll ask you again, what took you so long? And it's not that bandanna your wearing."

"Ho do you know about-"

"Faunas have night vision, remember?" Blake interrupted.

Well, Option B, the half truth. It's not much, but at least it's more reliable than 'the line is long'.

"I was kidnapped by a man, couldn't get any specific details on him. He jumped me after I let my guard down after killing the beowulf chasing-"

"you're lying again Ruby, a single beowulf wouldn't chase a man down in the middle of The City of Vale. That sounds like something from a poorly written fanfiction!" Blake interrupted with an oddly specific comparison.

If Only you knew Blake, if only you knew... Believe me, I would have said the same before everything I've seen.

"Did I say beowulf? I meant criminal. Anyways, I stopped the criminal saved the day, unfolded crescent rose, and than he pulled some knocked me out with chloroform and took me someplace, but I got out."

"Really? And where did they take you, Ruby?"

"I didn't really know; it was an abandoned building somewhere in the industrial district." Ruby lied about that part for sure; she couldn't tell Blake about the catacombs in Old Town, that would set off some red flags.

"Oh. I didn't know I'm sorry making you bring that up." Blake said in an apologizing tone. "still doesn't explain the bandanna though, why did you suddenly start to wear it?"

"I thought it'd looked nice on me." Ruby half-lied, sure she thinks it goes with her outfit, but she couldn't tell Blake the real reason why she was wearing it.

Blake looked at Ruby in a more suspicious manner, that or she was annoyed that Ruby was staring at her chest. Ruby hopes that Blake bought the lie so she can go clean herself off, the smell of blood and death is on her... oh shoot, the smell! Ruby never explained about the way she smelled! What's worse, is that faunas have enhanced smell along with their enhanced hearing and night vision, so Blake can definitely smell the death on her.

"And you did all of this while smelling like a corpse covered in blood?"

"uh... yes?"

"Ruby, did you kill someone?" Blake questioned in an interrogative tone, It appears she's very invested to find out about what Ruby was up to.

"I had to escape my kidnappers, didn't I?" Ruby dodged the question with another question.

"You could have used stealth!"

"you're our stealth expert, not me!" The Irony is not lost on her when she said that, she actually did use stealth to escape her kidnappers, they were pretty stupid for people who have been alive for centuries, or at least Ruby believed so.

Blakes eyes squinted at Ruby.

"You're hiding something, are you?" Blake finally figured it out, Blake knew Ruby was hiding something.

"Hey, I didn't question why you were wearing the bow. I'd figure you'd just like wearing it." Ruby dodged the question.

"I Promise I won't tell Ruby; you know you can trust me on this, since you've been keeping my faunashood a secret. Just take off your bandanna and show me what's under there."

Ruby could trust Blake with this, although she first prepares for the worst-case reaction. She shifts her eyes from Blake's chest to her amber eyes, establishing eye contact, something a human shouldn't be able to do with a faunas in the dark. Ruby than lowered her bandanna to show her mouth, purple veined and everything. Ruby than smiled, showing her teeth. Blake can clearly see obvious symptom number 1 and 2, and it didn't take long for Blake to realize about Ruby is technically not a living being anymore.

SLAP!

"Ow! What was that for?" Ruby asked.

"That was for staring at my breasts on purpose." Blake responded.

"Well... I suppose I owe you an explanation."

Ruby sat down with Blake and told her everything that happened, and she did re-instate that a single beowulf did chase after the man who turned her. She also explained she was locked inside a hidden prison complex inside the Old Town catacombs, not in the industrial district. Ruby did not leave a single detail about her first night untouched. Well, except the part where she blacked out with her clothes being licked and her tongue having fabric on it. Ruby also showed Blake the Vampirica encyclopedia, to re-enforce her story. Ruby finally stated that her aura has been altered from the transformation, and needs to drink blood to replenish it. Of course, Blake took this surprisingly well, yet again, she knows what it's like to keep a secret that would make people look at her different once people found out about it.

"And most importantly Blake, you can't tell ANYONE about this! Not even Yang and Weiss. They can't know about my condition, any conversations about it has to be while everyone is asleep." Ruby stated. She is being dead serious about this. It's bad enough Blake found out; Ruby can already imagine what would happen if the rest of the team found out.

"Considering what would happen if everyone found out about your vampirism vs what would happen if people found out about me being a faunas. I understand you completely, Ruby. Just a couple questions." Blake stated. Ruby understands Blake's curiosity about her condition, Ruby's just as curious.

"Ask away."

"So... how are you going to shield yourself from the sun? The dorms and the school aren't a short walk."

"I'd figure I'd cover my head using my cloak, like a hood!"

"Do you have any other quirks that your condition gave you?"

"Well, I can sense negativity like grimm, and my semblance petals are now wilted. That's all I know right now."

"Wait, you can sense negativity?"

"Yep!"

"I can understand why you need to keep this a secret, you're basically a sentient grimm."

"I know... I've made the same comparison in my brain."

"Now about your new diet, where do you think you can get a reliable source of blood?"

"That's what I'm wondering myself Blake, I don't want to steal from the hospitals or beacon's clinic, but I don't really want to feed off of anyone unless they're bad or willing to."

"You can drink from me Ruby."

"What? Why are you offering me to drink your blood?"

"Considering what you've told me, if you don't drink, you'll go crazy and start mauling people. I don't want that to happen, neither do you. You're our leader Ruby, and I don't want you to stray down a dark path I've seen people go down. So, if you need to drink, you need only ask."

"Thanks Blake."

"Do you need to sleep?"

"I... don't know the answer to that question. If I do need to sleep, I'll need to mix some blood in coffee to keep me up during school hours. If I don't, that'd mean I'd have more hours to get things done."

"So, you're going to spending daylight hours wearing a cloak hood?"

"Only outside, Sunlight through windows are fine."

"Huh, I wouldn't have thought about that."

"My turn to ask questions! What were you doing up so late?"

"I was about to head out and look for you. Yang was confident in you and I was pretty sure Weiss would have used your disappearance to make herself 'acting leader'."

"I'm pretty sure it's more Yang worried about being seen wearing her glasses."

"I was wondering why you went out and ordered new contacts for Yang instead of her going there herself."

"Yang doesn't like wearing her glasses, or be seen wearing them. She thinks the glasses conflict with her 'style'. I told her she could get glasses that she thinks would look best on her, but she'd rather wear contacts."

"I'd figure that'd be the reason she takes her time in the bathroom before and after she goes to bed. And why she constantly touches the walls when every morning and night."

"Our dad didn't want Yang to wear contacts in her sleep. Says it'll damage her eyes."

"Where are Yang's contacts, by the way?"

"I'll need to head back on Thursday to pick them up."

"Ah. Welp, I'm gonna change back into my Pajamas and head back to sleep, G'night Ruby."

"G'night, Blake."

Blake went off to the bedroom to get changed. Of course, Ruby would have to be quieter now since Blake's a light sleeper. She wears ear plugs in her sleep and everything and she still wakes up from the slightest noise.

Ruby went on to take a long, cold, shower. She really can't smell like blood and death, nor can she afford to use any of the hot water.

Author's Footnote: And now the exciting part begins. I'm sorry if my writing is horrifying, it's something that can be only improved through time (at least I hope so). As for that little Ladybug tease, I'm not sure If I actually plan on pairing Ruby with anyone (this is coming from someone who never romanced anyone in the Mass Effect Trilogy by the way). But if you guys want Ladybug, I'll make it work, if not than I won't. Ruby now has her own friendly blood pack, I Originally planned on going with the 'Blake was a Thrall and Adam was a Vampire' thing, but decided that would be too cheesy. I also initially planned on Yang being the first one to find out, but I couldn't figure out a way to put Blake into the plot without her spotting the obvious vampire signs, So I decided it was better to keep Yang out of the loop with Ruby's condition. Now you know you could have experienced a much worse plotline with more plot holes! There are likely plot holes by now, all of which will be filled in due time!