So this story took a new turn than what I had imagined. It was a busy spring break, but here is a small segment of what is to come. I am not too sure where or why this story has deviated from my original plan, but the concept is still the same. Anyway seven school days left until I am on externship, I'll try updating soon!
New Divide
Dark and difficult times lie ahead. Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy
-Albus Dumbledore
Ruby stepped outside the camp. She had caught the shocked looks on her teams' faces and how they all sat a bit closer to Blake when they had head the derogatory outrage from the bandits. She wanted to yell, to curse, to scream to the heavens; but knew all of that would be useless. Instead she moved towards a tree and used to her semblance to ascend it up a ways so as to not be noticed or risked being overheard.
Once in the tree, she sat on a branch and pulled her scroll out and started to debate on the next course of action. She hovered over her Uncle's name first, but then moved passed it. She may not totally agree with Raven's view on a lot of things, but she did agree that in this time Qrow was blindly following Ozpin with no questions asked; that being thought of, perhaps Qrow would have already heard about incident and was already on his way to Beacon.
The next name she came across was Tai. Based on her information from the first two months, her father was already with Ozpin and his 'protectors'. There was a high chance then that he too was at Beacon. Ruby scrolled to Winter's name and thought about giving the elder Schnee sister information as 'anonymous', but knew that Winter would potentially trace the call back to her; and she couldn't allow that.
So coming to Ozpin's personal scroll number she relented. However, if she was being honest, she wanted to know why he hadn't taken her warning seriously. Looking down below and seeing no one, she tapped her scroll and waited as it rang.
-Snoopykid-
Ozpin stares at the computer screen, having just watched the replay of the young monkey faunus's fight. He turns it off once he hears the report of an outrage newscaster exclaiming that this is 'Proof that the faunus are nothing but a bunch of terrorists that need to be put down and back in their places.' He sighs in disgust and eventually gets up and turns to the window outside to see the Atlesian airships hovering in place to keep a watchful eye in Vale. Yet this brings him no solace as the knot of dread increases in intensity.
As he sighs out once more. Qrow had contacted him soon after the fight, and told him he was coming back to Vale. Ozpin gave no arguments to this arrangement, so when he heard the buzzing of his scroll, he was surprised to see that it was an unknown number. He shook his head, and debated on letting go but something told him to answer it. Placing it on speaker, he answered, "This is Professor Ozpin."
"Hello Professor, long time and no talk." His surprised escalated hearing the voice of his former student, "I have questions that only you can answer. Namely why didn't you arrest the person in that fight?"
"I am afraid you are going to have to elaborate since it was two people involved in the fight to which you are referring, but for the sake of me answering your inquiries you have to answer mine as well Ms. Rose." He returned just as airily as she greeted.
There was a pause on the line and he heard a deep sigh as he sat back down in his seat, "Fair enough. I will answer what I can, the rest we can do in person when I see you next." This time he detected hurt and sadness in her tone. Contrary to what he heard when she was last standing in his office, "Mine first though. So what happened? I gave you three names to be on the lookout for. Mercury Blake, Emerald Sustrai, and most importantly Cinder Fall." She listed off and he nodded along despite her not being able to see him, "Why was Mercury Black able to participate in the fight?"
Ozpin shook his head, "I looked into those names when they first came to Beacon. I did extensive background research and found nothing threatening from their records at Haven Academy. My friend Lionheart-"
"Is a traitor." Ruby cut him off, and he straightened his posture as if sensing a threat, "I am sorry Oz, but I cannot sugar coat it for you. He has betrayed you and had their records doctored."
"At the time I chose to believe my friend. I shouldn't really have to justify anything to you seeing as how you acted in my office." He narrowed his eyes into the speaker as if this would have some effect on her tone of voice with him, "Which is another reason that I did not find anything credible to what you told me about these three students. Now to answer my question, how did you come to find out my name?"
It was Ruby's turn to sigh, "I cannot answer that over this line. However I can say that your situation and mine are very similar. Only I've taken over the job he gave you."
Ozpin thought her words over and realized that she was telling him without telling him in so many words, "I see."
"Do you?"
"Will you elaborate now in the future?" He asked slowly.
Ruby didn't answer him for a few moments. In fact she had taken a long pause that he thought she had disconnected the call until she responded, "Ask me in ten years then we can talk."
His eyes widened in surprise at this and his mind raced. Ten years…the gods had essentially sent her back ten years from the future? Why hadn't she come forward and told him this? He dealt with the gods and had lived with magic. Did she really think she had to do…whatever she was doing…on her own? "Things are not really all that bad between us that you cannot tell me now is it?" He asked with a bit of tight humor.
"You kidding?" Came the equally tight humor and tone back at him, "Things are a total shit show from where I am." The ball of dread just kept growing, "Now why did the tournament start a week early?"
Ozpin was confused at this question, "It didn't start a week early. It started when it was supposed to."
"No. I distinctly recall that it was supposed to start next week."
"I am afraid you are mistaken. The festival itself started last week finishing with the ball. The tournament started when it was supposed to."
There was a pause and then, "Shit. I had my weeks mixed up. Gods damn it!" Ruby swore and Ozpin heard a thud and then, "Damn it!"
"Ms. Rose?" He called when he heard a groan.
"Sorry, I punched the tree I am in; anyway ok…it's still ok. Well not ok." Ruby said. Taking a deep breath she asked, "The ball…did anything happen?"
It was his turn to pause and then slowly, he answered, "We had a break-in at the CTT. An unidentified young woman-"
"Cinder Fall." Ruby cut-in.
"I'm sorry?"
"That was her name." Ruby said, then she asked, "Ironwood brought in his airships didn't he?"
"He did."
Silence greeted him this time, "Is my dad and Qrow there?"
"Your father is here, Qrow was at Haven but he was in a pub when he saw what happened and immediately contacted me to let me know he was on his way back."
He heard her groan and then swear, "Ok…did you manage to move…?"
"We couldn't. It was too risky. She is critical." Ozpin said slowly.
Silence greeted him once more and for nearly five minutes, no one spoke. He grabbed his cane and went towards the windows and stared out into the city. It was nearing the late afternoon, there had be a slight delay to the next match to allow a bit of an investigation into Mr. Wukong's actions, "Ms. Rose? How bad does this get?"
Ruby did not answer him right away. Instead he hears her as she takes a deep breath and asked, "Can you evacuate the area?"
Well she may not have answered his question directly, but at least this gave him some response, "How much time?"
"As soon as possible." Ruby said, "Evacuate Vale and protect her at all costs. However that is not the only threat. Redirect all power to the shields around Vale. With as much negative energy in the area, it's going to attract a tone of Grimm…dangerous Grimm."
He closes his eyes and sends up a silent prayer of forgiveness. Reopening them, and still staring into the distance, he asks, "Are you going to help us?"
-Snoopykid-
Ruby pauses. She had just jumped down from the tree and started to make her way back into the camp after she gave him instructions to strengthen the shields, "Ms. Rose?"
"I am here." She answers slowly as she approaches her team. They give her looks and it is then, she notices that Yang and Raven are present also giving her looks as well. Raven seemingly smug and Yang confused and annoyed.
"Do I take your silence as a no?" His tone is disappointment and also resigning.
"You do remember what I told you." Ruby stated, "I want to cut off the head of the snake."
"So the body could die?" Ozpin asks, "Yet what if instead you are not dealing with a snake? What if it is more of a Hydra, and another head grows back? Ms. Rose if you come back then I can guarantee that no consequences will come to you."
Ruby shook her head, "You cannot promise me that. Besides there are worse consequences than what you are implying headmaster."
There was silence and Ruby just stared into the shocked looks of her teammates, "Ok, I think I understand what you are not directly saying. However Ms. Rose I had planned-"
"I know what you planned, and unfortunately I cannot allow that to even try to come to fruition since I know your plan will fail." Ruby stated calmly.
"Then help me make it succeed." Ozpin replied, "If you know what is going to happen, then how can you not help us?"
"Because," Ruby started as she now met everyone's gazes, "Beacon has fallen the moment you allowed those three terrorists into your city." There was a gasp and Weiss covered her mouth with her hands. Ruby then looked at Blake apologetically, "Those three aren't even the worse of your problems right now either. By this moment, the White Fang will have infiltrated the city and," she shifted her gaze to Weiss, "the Atlas military will turn on the people they were supposed to be protecting."
"WHAT?!" Blake and Weiss stood up alarmed. Everyone else followed suit in this declaration
"I'm sorry?" Ozpin's voice came through.
Ruby nodded answering both parties, "You heard me correctly. Ironwood's 'people's army' will turn on the people through a virus that was uploaded in the mainframe of the tower. The White Fang has joined the Black Queen. It is precisely the reason why I also warned you about Ironwood's idea to allow Atlesian military interference, especially to his robot army."
There was another pause. Jaune got up and motioned to Ruby to ask her what was happening. Ruby held her hand up to him as a signal to hold on, "Oz?" She asked thinking he hung up on her.
"I am here. This is just a lot to take in." She could almost imagine him leaning on his cane and having a hand pressed to his forehead. She heard him taking a deep breath, "There is nothing that can be done to stop this then?"
"I am afraid the damage has been done already." Ruby said sadly, "At least though I stopped the breach."
"The breach?" These words were asked by both Ozpin and her team. Even Raven looked a bit curious at this.
"Mountain Glenn."
"Ah I see. So that was you that called us in as a tip." Ruby nodded at his deduction, "Well then I suppose you did help us out." Ruby narrowed her eyes at this comment, "However Ms. Rose I would really appreciate your help further."
Ruby looked at her team and an image flashed across her mind, especially looking right at Pyrrha. Diverting her gaze to the ground, she turned slightly, "I'll think about it."
"Try not to think too long, by the way you make it sound we don't have much time."
Ruby nodded and then looked up at the sun, "You have at least a few hours."
"Then I suppose if I do not see you, I wish you well on your journey."
"Our paths will cross again no matter what happens." Ruby said, "I'll make sure of it."
She hears Ozpin sigh, "May I offer you a piece of advice?" Ruby hums in response and waits, "I know this is difficult for you all around, and I do hope you explain more when we see each other soon; but life damages us, everyone. We cannot escape that damage, but I believe that we can be mended." Ruby had been pacing and now stopped staring at the fire, "We can help mend each other. One last thing Ms. Rose…Ruby if I may?"
"You may."
"However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at." Ruby closed her eyes at his words, "While there's life, there is hope. I wish you well Ruby Rose and hope you do what is right." With that he hung up.
Ruby sighed heavily, feeling the never ending weight that had been placed on her shoulders, "Ruby?" Internally groaning, she opens an eye and stares right at Jaune, "Care to share as to what is happening?"
Ruby looked at Raven, who had her arms crossed. She tried to read the older woman's reaction, but got nothing. Looking at Yang, she tries to read her older sister, but again sees nothing. Gazing at the rest of the team and seeing that they are waiting impatiently, she relents, "Fine, but not here." She looks around at the campsite, and despite being in their own conversations, the risk was too great, "May we use your tent again?" She asks Raven.
"You may, I will just be with Vernal." Raven says eyeing Ruby critically.
Ruby nods and leads her team towards the main tent once more, "Nora?" The pink haired girl looks at Ruby, but the reaper keeps her gaze forward, "How much power is on your scroll?"
Nora reaches into her pocket and pulls the device out as they enter the tent. As they sat down again, she says, "70 percent. Why?"
"Keep watching the tournament. Let me know what happens."
"Like what exactly?"
Ruby frowns and then sending up a silent prayer, she responds, "Who the next pairing is. Specifically whoever fights a girl named Penny Polendina."
"Ruby." The reaper looks at Pyrrha now, "You are sort of scaring us, what is happening?"
"A terror attack on Beacon."
