Breaking Point

The point at which something loses force or validity

The point at which a situation becomes critical

The point at which a person gives way under stress

"Alright that was better." Jaune commented proudly to Oscar.

"Heh." Oscar managed to get out thoroughly winded as he whipped the sweat off his forehead, "Thanks; I know we just had fought the Grimm and whatnot, but I figured I could use a bit of light practice."

Jaune nodded and handed him a water bottle as they sat with their backs against the wall, "It's all good. Anyway I wasn't in the mood to write my report yet, so you offered the perfect excuse."

Oscar just smiled at him and took a swig of water. They did rest up a bit, but he had been feeling antsy. Not having unlocked his semblance yet made him feel almost inadequate sometimes. Yes he had come a long way from being a simple farm boy, but he knew that he had a lot of catching up to do. He had been about to make another comment, when there was a sudden shot that rang out in the training room. Looking over, he sees Ruby with her scythe fully extending from its sniper mode to its full length, "I wonder if she is alright…" He trailed off looking at Jaune.

Jaune was frowning as he watched his friend. Ruby had come storming in while he and Oscar had been practicing. They tried to get her attention, but Ruby had her scroll out and headphones on, so they left her alone as she went to the target practice area where randomized Grimm would appear and began fighting them…rather violently as if they were the real thing, "I do not know." He pulled out his own scroll, hoping to text one of her teammates to see if something had happened to the reaper, when he sees a message from Nora. Opening it he sighs, "Well practice is over anyway. Winter wants to see us in her office." He says sending a text back to her.

Oscar sighs as well, "So much for a night off."

The boys start to get up and pack up their things, "I am going to the rest room quick." Jaune said, "Looks like Ruby doesn't know, do you want to let her know about the meeting?"

Oscar looks over warily, but nods, "Alright want us to wait for you here?"

"Sure we can walk over together." They hear a battle cry and watch as a holographic Beowolf is decapitated by the massive blade. Jaune winces in sympathy to the hologram, "Try not to startle her though."

Jaune starts to walk away, Oscar's eyes not leaving the lethal dance the red caped leader was performing, "I'll try not to." He says to himself. Taking a deep breath he goes over to Ruby.

So many dreams were broken and so much was sacrificed. Was it worth the ones we loved and had to leave behind? So many years have past, who are the noble and the wise? Will all our sins be justified? The song blasted through her headphones and into her ears as she stood panting. Honestly she couldn't remember the band, nor did she care (A/N: it's actually Within Temptations 'Hand of Sorrow'). All that mattered was that it spoke to her, and seemed to understand her. Seeing the massive Ursa before her, she stood her ground as it roared in her face rearing its massive front claws ready to strike at her.

The curse of his powers tormented his life. Obeying the crown was a sinister price. His soul was tortured by love and by pain, he surely would flee but the oath made him stay. He's torn between his honor and the true love of his life. He prayed for both but was denied. She dodges and a memory comes to the forefront of her mind. It was the moment on the bleachers after Ironwood presented them with their licenses:

"Your mom, Summer, would be proud of you."

"Her… last mission. Was that another Oz secret?"

"There were a lot of those back in our day. But this one was a Summer secret. When she didn't come back, Ozpin seemed just as in the dark as myself and your father. Still, who knows what he may have hidden from us over the years."

Ruby let out a scream of rage at the Ursa as it took another massive swipe at her. Then in a burst of petals she went behind the beast and in one fluid motion she lopped its head off and the monster disappeared. Qrow's words mixed with the song that was still playing in her ears: Please forgive me for the sorrow, for leaving you in fear. For the dreams we had to silence, that's all they'll ever be. Still I'll be the hand that serves you, though you'll not see that it is me.

Everything this song was say was true as she tilt her head back to breathe for a moment. This young man in the song was given a heavy burden. He had been a nobody and yet somehow he ended up serving what seemed to be a king. Not being able to be happy for himself no matter how he tried. It felt like her…she too had been a nobody until that dust robbery…suddenly the last verse of the song cut out. Swearing, she pulls her scroll out and sees that it had died on her, "Damn it!"

"Ruby?" Ruby mentally groans and looks to see Oscar approaching her with caution, "Jaune said he got a message from Nora-"

"I don't care. Leave me alone." Ruby says wrapping her headphones up with her scroll and placing it in her pouch on her side. She went over to the console, readying it to give her the next level of Grimm to fight.

Oscar hesitated for a moment, unfamiliar with the sudden mood of the girl who was normally cheerful and encouraging, "But we have to see Winter; she called for a meeting."

Ruby was growing increasingly agitated, "What part of 'leave me alone' are you not getting?" She couldn't help it. It honestly was not Oscar's fault, but the more he talked, the more she saw Ozpin. He was the cause of all of this and…she defended him. Sure she was angry, but she tried damn it! She tried and yet…

"You are a team leader. You have to be there." He pushed again not seeing the warning signs that Ruby was not having any of it, "It's probably about-"

"You do not need to tell me what it is about!" Ruby yelled now, grabbing her scythe making Oscar wince and take a step back, hands raised, "You know what?! I will not be a part of your sins anymore!"

"Wha-what?"

"You heard me! You've played me from the start of all of this!" Ruby shot back, "Back in the police station! You played on the hopes and dreams of a fifteen year old girl…all because of what I inherited from my mother!"

Oscar's eyes were wide as he took another step back, unfortunately though Ruby took a predatory step forward, "Ruby I really do not know-"

"Bullshit. You probably played all of us, used us as chess pieces; having our fates decided for us. Tell me, what was your main goal if you couldn't just kill Salem?"

"Ruby please-"

"What were you going to do? Make us all Maidens like you were going to make Pyrrha?" Oscar's eyes widened further, "It's your fault she is dead. I should have let Jaune punch your lights out."

This wasn't Ruby, he knew that. Whatever has gotten into her, he needed to snap her out of it. Something (and maybe it was Ozpin or his own survival instincts) was telling him that his life looked like it depended on it. He stopped stepping back and stood still, his hand going for his weapon. Ruby had brought her scythe forward, "Ruby whatever has gotten into you, you need to snap out of it." He fought to keep his voice calm and collected, "I am not Ozpin. You know this."

"You might as well be." Ouch, ok that hurt a bit, "You have his memories! You know what happened to my mother. I know you do. You probably got her killed just like you got Pyrrha killed! In fact you nearly did kill all of us! You had been leading us to our deaths had I not used Jinn in the woods!"

Ok, he sighed to himself, she wants Ozpin…then maybe act like him and that will snap her out of it. He tried to straighten his posture, his muscles moving on the limited memories of what it was Ozpin would do to present himself to his former students, "Ok Ms. Rose, you have my attention." He said once more fighting to keep his voice strong and calm.

Ruby's retort died in her throat as she looks at him. No something was off, but her mind was refusing to work with her at the moment:

"Do you know who I am?"

"You're Professor Ozpin. You're the headmaster at Beacon."

She could see the relaxed posture and secretive smile from the man that she once was ecstatic to meet, contrary to the determined frown and the defensive stance of the young man in front of her, "Hello."

"Nice to meet you."

"You want to come to my school?"

"More than anything."

"I wanted to go to your school more than anything." She says at last.

Oscar is just watching her. He notices Jaune coming out of the bathroom, face washed and wearing a change of clothes. He looks over at them concerned, and readies to call out to them, but Oscar gives him a look, or rather a warning. Jaune must have received it, because he stops suddenly. Looking back at Ruby, he gets a feeling within him and he cannot help but say, "I know you did."

Ruby looks at him, her eyes are slightly unfocused and almost glazed over, and he knew that she actually believed that she was talking to Ozpin, despite the wizard having been dormant within him for weeks now, "Did you? Did you really see me for my skill, or just my eye color?"

"What do you mean?" Oscar asked.

Ruby felt a jolt in her mind as that same question echoed in her, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, it's only been one day. Ruby... I've made more mistakes than any man, woman, and child on this planet. But at this moment, I would not consider your appointment to leader to be one of them."

Ruby shook herself, "I've been questioning myself since we got here. Wondering if what I was doing was right." Oscar said nothing, and chose instead to ready his guard, "I've been thinking about the advice you gave me that day in the hallway. Do you remember?"

Somehow Oscar did. He didn't know how, but he did. He can see the hallway as if he had been going to the school himself, and not as clear but not murky a fifteen year old Ruby comes to his mind with the words that were said to her, "You've been burdened with a daunting responsibility, Ruby. I advise you take some time, to think about how you will uphold it."

Seeing that she was waiting for a response he nods, "Yes and have you thought about it?"

"The badge of burden." She comments lightly, "Somehow you had plans for me right from the start, which leads me to question if the initiation was premediated as well. No matter though." She says cutting off a comment he had been prepared to make, "To answer your question yes I have. You had said a team leader isn't just a title to carry into battle, but a badge that is worn constantly. Well I am being a team leader right now by saying I will no longer be your hand."

"I'm afraid I do not understand." Oscar said slowly.

"I will not serve a false king." With that, Ruby lunged forward, for the first time feeling in control of a situation- a fight for her freedom from the fate of being a chess piece. And something else fueled this, the feeling of if she is free, then her friends will be free as well. All she had to do was defeat the young man in front of her.

Jaune's eyes widened as Crescent Rose met Long Memory. The two clashed before the force of the blows separated the two of them. Ruby lunged forward again, and Oscar just barely had time to defend. Jaune shook himself and grabbed Crocae Mors, ready to help defend Oscar, "No!" Oscar yelled seeing Jaune, after forcing the reaper back.

"Oscar what-?"

"No time! Go get help!" Ruby came at him again, this time he went flying backwards.

Jaune watched as his green aura shimmered, before Oscar got up again, "But your aura, you barely have any left!"

"I got this! Just go now!" Jaune hesitated before swearing and pulled out his scroll. He tried dialing Nora's scroll, but it went to voicemail, he hung up and tried Ren's, and same thing. Swearing again he looked back at the scene of the brutal fight Ruby was giving Oscar before running out of the training room wondering: just what the hell had happened in the ten minutes he had been gone?