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Cover Art: Z-ComiX

Chapter 30

Ruby's heart thumped in her chest as she was escorted through the Collegium. They flanked her on every side, making sure to walk in a diamond formation that ensured no chance of escape. Silver eyes flicked from one Arcanist to the next, seeing if any wasn't paying attention. They all were. Not a second went by where their eyes wouldn't slide back to her, shoulders tensing and hands loose at their sides, despite that in the cold evening air they could have kept them warm in their pockets.

Did she lash out? Did she attack? Nervously, she licked her lips, hoping they couldn't feel the bubbling sensation of her wild magic rising. She was sure she could take one Arcanist by surprise, but how would she fare against five at once?

And the Guards were watching from the walls. A lot of people were.

The only reason she didn't try her luck was because they weren't taking her toward the Sanctum. Their route was toward where she'd met the Grand Arcanist before. I'll still be able to use magic there.

Instincts from the slums kicked in. When the guards caught you – and it always happened sooner or later – it wasn't always the best idea to take the first chance of escape. That was sometimes the trap, and their retribution was often worse than what they'd have doled out the first time. Sometimes it was best to take the beating, or at least wait until they let their guards down. Right now, they were watching her. Ruby swallowed her fear and kept her head low.

The Grand Arcanist's office was much like she remembered it, but there wasn't much effort on her part to take it in. The man himself stood behind his desk, flanked both by the Arcanist, Goodwitch, and by the new one, Ironwood, who had come with these people. Those two were standing while the Grand Arcanist remained seated.

Opposite him sat a single chair. Ruby was led to and pushed down into it, with the one called Clover standing beside her and the other four Arcanists who had arrested her falling back to the edge of the room. A full surround.

"Miss Rose." The Grand Arcanist spoke. "Do you know why you are here?"

Ruby didn't have to fake the high-pitched and frightened tone. "No…"

"We lost all trace of your bracelet," Arcanist Ironwood interrupted. "It vanished from our readings. Since we only covered why you should keep that on earlier today, I'd like an explanation. More than that, even had you removed it we would have been able to sense where it was. Yours vanished entirely." He slammed his hands down on the Grand Arcanist's deck and leaned forward. "I would like to hear an explanation for that."

The Grand Arcanist frowned. "James. Do not make assumptions so quickly…"

"The questions stands, Initiate. Where have you been?"

Was it a test? A trap? There wasn't time to come up with a proper story that would make sense, so she went with the truth. "I was in the Sanctum."

Ironwood frowned. "The Sanctum?" His eyes narrowed. "The truth, Initiate!"

"I-I'm telling the truth!"

"No Arcanist would willingly visit a Sanctum. No Initiate would even know where to find it."

"James," Ozpin warned.

"I hope you realise the weight of what you've done, Initiate. If you used some ability to mask the trace placed on you, you've endangered everyone in the Collegium. If you eluded it in some other way, things might be worse."

"I already told you, I was in the Sanctum!"

"Miss Rose knows of the Sanctum," Ozpin said before James could speak. The words had Ironwood's head spinning to his. "She served a detention there for an incident earlier in the term; for sneaking out to meet with a Newblood."

The flush of colour that rushed up her cheeks probably did a good job selling that, even if she was more upset everyone believed that. Her pulse was still racing but she forced herself to sit still. They didn't know. They had suspicions, but they didn't know for sure yet.

"I volunteered to help there," she said. "They said it was okay."

"Who is they, Miss Rose?"

"The guards who work there." She wracked her memory. "Nicholas."

"Well, this is a matter easily verified," the Grand Arcanist said. "Miss Harriet, please summon Nicholas Arc from the Sanctum and have him come verify the young lady's story. James, until he is here, how about we drop this line of questioning, hm?"

Ironwood watched her imperiously. His eyes burned into her. "Very well. I would still ask what would tempt an Initiate to visit a place such as that. There isn't an Arcanist among us who doesn't find the sensation… unsettling."

Ruby swallowed. She couldn't mention Cinder. "I felt sorry for them…"

His eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"Why? Why not? They're in a horrible place. I don't know." Ruby looked to Ozpin, easily pegging him as her only chance of getting out of here. Everyone else was way too eager to call her guilty. "You made me go there, sir. I spent a week there. I got used to it…"

"You got used to a field that nullifies all magic? I doubt that."

"James," Ozpin warned again. "I have told you once and will say it again. Miss Rose is innocent until proven otherwise. I did send her to serve in the Sanctum and assist the guards there. If that is indeed where she has been, then it would make sense for your protections to falter."

"There's the other matter," Ironwood said. "We've had reports of her acting oddly. Wild behaviour."

"What?" Ruby yelped.

"Miss Rose. Please do not shout."

"From fellow students and-"

"From who?" she said, voice still raised but no longer shouting. Her face was red. "Was it Malneux? He hates me. The others hate me and Weiss. They say she's not a real noble because her dad was a merchant and I'm some barbarian from Menagerie."

"Mr Malneux and Miss Rose have a history," Ozpin confirmed. "I do believe he challenged her to a duel."

Ironwood's frown grew even deeper. Ruby had a suspicion it really had been Martyn to try and throw her to the wolves. "And how did that go?"

"It didn't go," she said. "He cheated and tried to have a Crimson Arcanist beat me up. I was about to give up when a friend of mine stepped in and fought for me." Just to drive it home, she asked, "How am I meant to beat a Crimson Arcanist? I didn't even know any real spells then."

"And this friend of yours?"

"Jaune…"

"Ah." Ozpin smiled knowingly. "That would explain it."

Was he thinking she and Jaune were together again? How the hell did the Grand Arcanist know about her supposed love life? Wasn't that a little beneath his notice? Such questions went unanswered as the door opened, the dark-skinned Arcanist returning with a tall and willowy Sanctum Guard with white hair and tired eyes.

"Mr Nicholas!"

He looked toward her. "Do I know you?"

Ruby's stomach dropped out.

"No. Wait." He frowned. "Ruby, isn't it? We spoke a few nights ago." He rubbed his forehead, hardly even noticing her melting into her seat while grasping her heart. "My memory isn't what is used to be. I brought this, however." He held up a book.

"Yes!" Ruby pointed eagerly, eyes wide. "I have to sign in. I have to be counted coming and going!"

Arcanist Ironwood looked defeated even before the book was laid down before Ozpin. He knew from her excitement what he'd find, as did everyone else there by the looks of them. The Sanctum couldn't let random people come and go. Everyone had to be logged by a guard at the main desk. That took place when she entered and left, and she was even given a purple sash to denote herself as working for the Sanctum when she was there.

It didn't take long for Ozpin to point down at the page and say, "And there we have it. Miss Rose was logged down entering the Sanctum two and a half hours ago and leaving not fifteen minutes before being picked up at her dorm." He flicked back a few pages. "And she has been a common, if not regular, visitor for the last month."

Closing the book, Ozpin handed it back to Nicholas, who sent her a worn but friendly smile, bobbing his head to her before letting himself out and returning to the Sanctum. Really, she could have kissed him. Ruby's smile split her face in two and only grew as Arcanist Ironwood's scowl did.

"I believe that explains the little discrepancy here. Wouldn't you say, James? Miss Rose went to volunteer at the Sanctum as she has been for the past few weeks, not realising it would play havoc with the protections you gifted to the students. We did not think to warn of them since we assumed, incorrectly, that no Initiate would be going near the Sanctum and it's anti-magic field."

"There's still the evidence from other students…"

"Flawed evidence, as you well know. Miss Rose's teachers have spoken well enough of her. It only seems to be a small group of her peers that consider her dangerous, and aside from this duel, there haven't been any injuries, malicious pranks or even misfired spells. Not a single bruise, cut or burn to speak of. Where, then, is this danger they seem so keen on mentioning?"

Ironwood's teeth ground together. Turning, he spat out, "Clover."

"Yes, sir?"

"I want the one who reported her in my office tomorrow morning. I'll be questioning him further. If he wasted my time…"

"I'll see it done, sir."

I hope it was Malneux. Basterds. Even if they're right, I've not done anything that should clue them off. And if they really thought I was a Wildmage, they wouldn't dare earn my anger like that. They were just trying to get her in trouble or kicked out.

"Well she can't return to the Sanctum," Ironwood said. "We need the traces accurate."

Ruby's head shot up. "What!?"

"Please understand," Ozpin said, far kindlier, "that it's for your own protection. While I disagree with James' tone there." He fixed Ironwood with another warning look. "I don't think he's wrong to say it. While we continue looking for the one targeting students, we can't afford to forever be wondering if you have been kidnapped or worse."

Except there wasn't anyone kidnapping students and she knew it. Knew it but couldn't say it. They were taking the Sanctum away from her. Taking Cinder away. They had no idea they were doing it, but they were ripping away her biggest ally in the Collegium. Both Cinder and her would be alone again, robbed of the one person they could both speak to without having to hide things.

"I… but…" Ruby scowled under their expectant gazes. How could she refuse? How could she without sounding suspicious? Ruby's hands bunched into fists. "O-Okay…"

"Thank you for understanding."

"C-Can I go one last time? Just to tell the people there. Some of them will wonder what's going on if I don't show up and I tell them about the world outside." Piteously, she looked to Ozpin, the only one of which she held any hope might be swayed. "Please…?"

"Absolutely not," Ironwood said.

"I will allow it for a short hour," Ozpin countered, staring the Arcanist down. "However, I'll be asking a member of James' team to accompany you. That way he won't need to worry about anything untoward happening."

Not ideal, but at least she could talk to Cinder. She didn't want her to worry. It wouldn't do, but they'd have to make it.

"Okay. I just want to say goodbye."

"Now, Miss Rose, it's not goodbye. Once this matter is dealt with, I'm sure Nicholas and the other Sanctum Guards would be happy to have you back. Your sympathy for those locked within is unique among Arcanists."

"Suspiciously so," Ironwood said. "They're criminals."

"They didn't do anything to me," Ruby pointed out.

"Criminals of Vale."

"And Miss Rose is not of Vale," Ozpin said. "So even should she meet someone famed as a villain here, she would not understand it. I understand your frustration, James, but if you cannot reign it in before an Initiate, I will ask you to leave. Miss Rose has explained herself and has provided proof of where she has been. This is all just a big misunderstanding."

"Ahem." Beside her, Clover coughed. "If that's the case, why don't we let her go back to her dorm and not waste her time here, Grand Arcanist? If I remember anything from my own time as an Initiate, it's that the rumours only grow the longer you're absent. Keep her any longer and people are going to think she's overthrown us."

Ruby nodded quickly.

Ozpin saw it and chuckled. "You have a point. Thank you for coming, Miss Rose. If I may, I might like to speak with you tomorrow – worry not, it's only to clear up this unfortunate encounter and explain ourselves. Would that be acceptable?"

"Um. Yes. Sure."

"Wonderful. Mr Clover, can you escort her back? Seeing you might allay any unfounded concerns her classmates have." He paused to look at Ironwood. "Unless you have any more questions for her, James? Though I can't imagine what those might be…"

"None." The crimson and white Arcanist closed his eyes. "Do not remove the bracelet," he told her. "It's for your own protection."

Ruby nodded and was escorted out by Clover, who kept a hand on her upper back as he led her out the office and away. Once the door was closed, she heard loud voices inside, but he steered her away from it before she could make anything out.

"I'd like to apologise on behalf of Arcanist Ironwood," Clover said. "Please understand that he's not normally so antagonistic. He was worried you had been taken."

Ruby sent him a sideways look. "He was accusing me."

"It's a part of that worry. We thought we'd lost you, then to find you alive and well and with no injuries? You must admit it would have looked strange to us. Concern can turn to anger once the person you're worried about is safe. He was only trying to make sure you understand how serious this is."

"So I won't remove the bracelet?"

Clover nodded.

"But I didn't in the first place."

"That's why I'm apologising – and why Ironwood was in the wrong this time. I'm sorry for any stress we caused you."

/-/

There were at least twenty people in the common room when they returned. Weiss, she could expect, and Coco made sense as well, but the others – Martyn included – were just there to witness this. To see what they hoped would be another punishment, or even expulsion, for her. Assuming Initiates could even be expelled.

Weiss looked haggard and afraid. Ruby had the suspicion she'd been bullied by the others.

"So many worried for the young lady," Clover said. It wasn't hard to hear his sarcasm. "I'll tell you all that she's in no trouble. There was a small problem with her bracelet that caused her signature to flicker around the Collegium. It wouldn't normally be an issue, but we've handed out hundreds of them today, so a few mistakes are to be expected." He gave her a gentle push. "It's fixed now, so there aren't any problems."

No one could call him out on that and most of them looked bored with the answer. Ruby took the chance for what it was, snatching Weiss' arm and going upstairs with her. Weiss didn't resist and quickly power-walked beside her, the two slamming into their room at the same time.

Ruby wasted no time filling her in.

"Suspicious!?" Weiss growled. "There was nothing suspicious at all! And how dare he accuse you! You should complain."

"I think it's best I let it pass."

"Then at least complain against Malneux."

"We can't be sure he was the one spreading the rumours."

"Oh, come on, Ruby, we both know he is. Probably humiliated about being tossed in the river and then needing Jaune to save him." Weiss scoffed. "Since Jaune and you spend so much time together, everyone knows you're involved so it's like you saved Malneux. He probably doesn't like that."

"Arcanist Ironwood said he'd speak to the one responsible."

"Good. I hope he puts the fear in them. We should watch Martyn," she said vindictively. "If he's summoned to speak with the Arcanists, we can draw attention to it just like he did with you. Throw it back in his face and see how he likes it."

That sounded nice. He wouldn't even be able to complain since they weren't doing anything to him. "I can't. The Grand Arcanist wants to speak with me tomorrow. He said it was just to apologise and explain things."

"Probably to avoid reprisals from families. It wouldn't be a problem with yours obviously, but if they falsely accused the daughter of a powerful noble, that would have repercussions. He's going to try and make you understand why they did it."

Averting blame, then. It wasn't necessary for her so why…? Oh. He didn't want to face accusations of favouritism toward students who still had powerful parents. Instead of picking which to talk to and which not, he was just going to do it for them all. That was the fairest option on his part, even if it meant wasting both their time.

"You can still watch Malneux," Ruby suggested. "Even if I'm gone."

"Believe me, I intend to. I was terrified!" Weiss wrapped her arms around her suddenly, pulling Ruby close. "I thought – I don't know what I thought! He kept saying you'd be thrown in the Sanctum or even executed!"

"Martyn?"

"Hm." Weiss nodded. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Me too," she said, patting Weiss' back. "Me too."

You've crossed a line, Martyn. I thought we'd agreed to leave one another alone but apparently not. Maybe it was time to make a clear example of why you didn't mess with a Dredger.

/-/

The summons to meet the Grand Arcanist came before midday and from someone she didn't recognise. He was of the Emerald and brought her back to the building she'd visited the night before. The same office. Grand Arcanist Ozpin sat inside with a spread of food out upon a table set a small distance from his desk. The soft and tender pork and turkey set next to heaps of steamed vegetables had Ruby drooling. She didn't hear the door close behind her or the Emerald Arcanist leave.

"I hope you don't mind us eating together," Ozpin said. "I thought that by calling you for lunch, we could enjoy a meal."

If this was part of his apology it worked well. Ruby hurried over and sat down, eyes feasting. The knife and fork were already in her hand before Ozpin had so much as taken his own seat. Chuckling, he poured both some cordial from a jug.

"The appetites of the younger years are ever amazing. Please, indulge yourself. I'm a light eater nowadays."

He didn't need to tell her twice. Ruby dove in, dragging huge cuts of meat onto her plate and smothering them in rich gravy. Where Weiss liked to carefully mix three or four things on her fork and take delicate bites, Ruby ate one thing at a time. She wasn't sure where the habit came from, but it let her savour each piece individually. Salted ham. Crispy turkey skin. Fatty beef.

She was two plates down before she realised that might be considered rude in front of the most powerful man in the Collegium, and by that point it was too late.

"The journey from Menagerie must have been hard on you," he said, refraining from point out her less than stellar manners. "I expect you did not have much to eat along the way."

"Mmm. No. Mm." Swallowing, she tried to slow herself down. "Roots and berries."

"It's remarkable you made it here alive at all. A testament to your resilience. Or your determination. I hope you've found the Collegium here to be to your liking."

This was to be the focus of their conversation? Asking how she was settling in? Well, it was better than her arrest last night. "It's good. I like the food and the people here aren't bad. Not all of them anyway."

"I'm sure I know what you mean on the latter. Rest assured that those casting spurious rumours about you will be punished. James is not one to appreciate his time being wasted; certainly not on childish spats."

"Good. Malneux deserves it."

"Now, Miss Rose, you know I can neither confirm nor deny that suspicion." He chuckled and leaned forward. "Tell me, though. What were your thoughts on James?"

"He was okay."

"You need not pick your words carefully here. I won't tell him."

Well, if he wanted honesty. "He was a prick."

Ozpin's eyebrows rose.

"A-Ah. I mean, he was rather rude and wouldn't listen to me. He latched onto an idea and wouldn't let it go even when I had proof. And he had his people take me right out the dorms. Anyone could have seen."

"Hmm. Not subtle of him at all. I shall have words. I'll leave out the rather interest moniker you've given him." He watched her blush. "I suppose a little rough language is to be expected given what you've been through. Noble blood is hardly a help when travelling across the wilderness. Did you stop at many villages along the way?"

"A few."

"How were the people there?"

"They were okay." Ruby thought to the farmers outside. "They were mostly focused on their own stuff. Crops, animals and things. They'd let me stay in a barn and give me some food but only if I shovelled sh- manure. I didn't have much choice. It was that or starve."

Ozpin ignored her near slip. "No one can fault you doing what you had to for survival, Miss Rose. There are many who would have let pride dictate their actions, and to a sorrowful end. I think a little harsh language and some poor manners is a small price to pay for your life."

"Yeah. I'm learning them back. Weiss is helping me."

"Your roommate, I take it? You mentioned her last night. Something about her not being so respected."

Ruby wondered if Weiss would appreciate her telling the story. This was the Grand Arcanist. He'd be able to find out if she didn't and Weiss' story wasn't much of a secret if every student knew. "Her dad was a merchant who married into nobility. The others don't like that."

"A story as old as time itself I'm afraid. Look back far enough and everyone married into the nobility at some point. Do you know how nobility first began, Miss Rose?" She shook her head. "It began, quite simply, as someone deciding they `owned` a piece of land. That person then built a farm and created food. Suddenly, a lot of other people who were hungry heard about it and came asking if they could have some of that food as well. It gave the person power."

"Come work on my farm and I will give you a share of my food, the first noble said, and soon after he didn't need to work himself because others were willing to do it for him. With the sudden profit made from all the leftover food that could be sold, the noble then created homes for his serfs. You can all live here, he might have said, So long as you keep working on my fields and give me a small amount of the money you make as a tax. And the people agreed."

"From there, the community would have grown. The noble would see that wolves harming his people lessens his profit, so he builds walls. The farmers are told to pay him more because he now protects them as well. Perhaps a few were unhappy about that, so the noble then hired guards to keep them in line. The noble created laws dictating what the farmers could and couldn't do, and the guards enforced them. You can see how this goes on. The numbers grow and grow until the farm is many times its size, forming a village, and more and more people come to work for a share of the food and wealth, with the nobles behind it all taking taxes off the top."

"In the end," Ozpin said, "Nobility was only ever decided by virtue of who had the food. Who claimed it first, and by arbitrary distinction decided their word was law. Since then, everyone who comes after has done little more than be born of that line. Most nobles now don't even take care of protecting people or their land. It's left to the royal family to do that. And to us."

"That's… um…"

"What do you think of the tale?" he asked. "Do you think it fair?"

"M-Maybe? That first person did give them food and shelter. I think they maybe deserved the taxes, but everyone since is just freeloading off that, aren't they?"

Chuckling, the old man agreed. "I think so as well. There are those who hold responsibility and fulfil a duty, but all too many who think nobility a title to be granted and not one to be earned. It's a failing more common in children. Adults tend to be mature enough to see the world differently. Or those who have been through such that would make them an adult." He nodded to her then, and Ruby averted her eyes. "Would you be comfortable if I asked you a little about Menagerie?"

Uh-oh. That could be bad. "S-Sure."

"Thank you. We know little about why it fell, and I thought you might be willing to shed a little light on that. Do you recall the moment?"

"I didn't see everything…"

"Whatever you can tell me would be appreciated."

"Grimm." The answer came quickly, and thanks to Blake. "It was Grimm that brought Menagerie down."

"I see. That is unfortunate to hear. Grimm are normally much more docile than to attack a city."

Docile? Was he talking about the same thing she'd seen in the Azure Archives? That thing had been insane – not to mention the stories of people in the outskirts being torn asunder. If Blake was right, Menagerie had been slaughtered by them. Docile wasn't a word she'd use. Blake's words came back to her.

"S-Someone said it might have been someone on the inside letting it happen."

Ozpin's eyes flickered to hers. "Someone said that? Who is this someone?"

Crap.

"An Arcanist," she deflected. "Someone who helped me escape."

"And what happened to this Arcanist?"

Ruby shrugged.

"What was their name?"

Again, she shrugged.

"You don't know? You never once asked?"

"They were secretive." Ruby shrank back as he stiffened before her. "The only thing I remember was them having a grey gem. Dark grey."

"Shadow…?" With a heavy sigh, the Grand Arcanist sat back. "Of course. That would explain things. They are a secretive group at the best of times, though whatever I think about them they were at least loyal to their Collegium. Did they escort you to Vale?"

Ruby shook her head. "We parted soon after leaving. They told me to come here."

"Hm. I wonder where it is they went. Hopefully to another Collegium. It wouldn't do to have…" He trailed off and then chuckled. "But never mind that. It's not something an Initiate such as yourself need worry about. Nor the Grimm. Rest assured that we are taking the protection of the Collegium and the city seriously."

Ruby noticed the hesitation. "Would it be bad if they didn't?"

"It could be." Ozpin linked his fingers on the table before him and leaned back, watching her with a not-unkind smile. Patient and lecturing. It didn't look like he suspected her just yet; more like he was indulging ger curiosity. "Laws are made not out of the suspicion everyone will break them but for the small number who do. Sadly, that means we must hold everyone to them lest society collapse. Whether or not your saviour is of good heart or ill, they should still sign themselves to a Collegium."

His smile grew. "And they might have. I only know the workings of our own. It's perfectly possible they travelled to Mistral or Vacuo after leaving Menagerie. Either Collegium would be closer than Vale."

"Yeah. Maybe." Why had Blake come all the way to Vale? Why not to somewhere closer? "Do the other Collegiums have Shadow Arcana? Maybe they went there."

"A fair idea but alas, the Shadow are unique to – or were unique to – Menagerie. That's not to say they didn't have family or friends at another Collegium. Travel is rare, but not prohibited. It speaks well of you that you came here and registered with us, and again, I must apologise for how James treated you."

That didn't feel right. Why wasn't Ironwood apologising?

"It wasn't your fault, sir."

"It's kind of you to say that but as the Grand Arcanist all here are under my protection, yourself included. Therefore it was my responsibility to step in." Which he had, she wanted to say but didn't. Ruby accepted the apology with a quick nod instead. "I must also say that James' confusion as to the Sanctum wasn't unwarranted. Many feel anxious and frightful at the sensation of their magic being taken from them. Do you not feel that?"

"I do," she admitted. "I just ignored it."

"You just… ignored it…?"

"Sure. It's not like I always had magic."

"Ha Ha." The old man laughed into his fist. "You're right, of course. Such simple wisdom. I suppose that when you're as old as James and I are, you forget that fact. I've been studying for decades and it has taken time to earn four gemstones."

Ruby's eyes were drawn to them again. Crimson. Azure. White. Black. He was the only person in Vale even allowed to study all four. There wasn't anyone even allowed to take three. Why? Was it just the position? Why did it make a difference?

"Why…?" Ozpin asked.

Oh crud. Had she said that out loud.

"Ask your question," he said kindly. "I won't bite."

"Why…" Ruby quickly thought one up. "Why did you choose those four?"

Ozpin's smile grew. "Ah. You're selecting your own soon, no doubt. I see the Azure mantle for now. A rare but respectable choice." The Grand Arcanist reached up and unclipped his Arcanum, holding it for her to take.

No one had ever done that before, but he nodded his approval and she took it, letting her thumbs brush over the stones. They were pretty and cool to the touch. The Arcanum itself was different to hers since it was the Vale one.

"I began with White," Ozpin said. "From there, I naturally found my passion and selected the Crimson because it fit well with my responsibilities. Azure was my third, chosen when I became Grand Arcanist and, I shall be honest, solely because I thought myself unsuited for the position."

Ruby glanced up. "Unsuited?"

"Red and White are quite combat focused Arcana. I foresaw that I wouldn't be able to blast my way out of parent-teacher meetings." His smile became lopsided. "The Azure are knowledgeable and many previous Grand Arcanists wore that colour. I decided to join the Archives and read of them, to explore the knowledge sealed within."

"As for the Black," he finished. "I grew old and lost much of the mobility and athleticism I once had. I decided to create tools to aid me." He hefted his cane, and though she could see nothing unusual about it, it tingled to her senses. Plus, since he'd just said he made it in the Black Arcana, it had to be special in some way. "As you can see, there was no great reason I chose the paths I did, and that is something you should remember."

"That the colour of your Arcana does not dictate your worth as a person. It is what you achieve in this life that determines how you will be remembered, not what you were born as." Winking, the Grand Arcanist added. "Something for your noble peers to keep in mind, no?"

Ruby sniggered. "I'll be sure to tell them."

"Tell young Miss Schnee as well. She should not feel the quality of her blood matters any. Perhaps to children it does, but once she is a powerful Arcanist, people will judge her on her merits, even if that's only because they want her to help them."

"Thank you." Ruby was surprised to find she meant it. "For the food and… and for helping me last night with those people."

"Miss Rose, I did nothing more than seek the truth. If you are looking to enter the Azure, that is something you will be doing as well. Should you wish to speak again, you're free to come and do so. The position of Grand Arcanist is not as closed off as one might think. I have time to talk to students who wish it."

Funnily enough, she thought she might take him up on that. Pushing back from the table, she bowed as Weiss had taught her and thanked him for the meal. On her way out the tower, she saw Malneux stomping away, escorted out by Arcanist Clover. Clover saw her and winked, steering the arrogant twat away with one hand.

Weiss had been right.

Ozpin helps Ruby out a tough spot but seems interested in her for some reason. Meanwhile, The Ace-Ops (and they really need a better name in this fic) take their place in life in the Collegium.

Just a brief reminder here of troll reviews and to ignore them.

Next Chapter: 1st March

P a treon . com (slash) Coeur