RWBY: Book of Thieves

N/A: Because of the overwhelming support that came since the first chapter went out, I decided to add this chapter quickly since it was easy enough to jot down in between writing the next chapter for Serenity Academy. Don't expect this to happen all the time.

Prologue – Origins

"To really understand what happened, I need to tell the story all the way back to the beginning…the very beginning."

Thebes, Egypt - 1323 B.C.

Even as the harsh, unforgiving sun burned the ancient city of Thebes, the people went about their day like any other – some even felt it was much cooler than normal. Few young men and women traveled to the temples early in the morning, ready to face a full day of education – a rare gift during these times – while most adults toiled away in the fields near the Nile river, harvesting wheat and flax, and children played their games in the shaded alleys. The streets were alive with activity; everyone from basket weavers, bread bakers, sandal-makers, and cloth creators were pushing their goods in raised voices to the thousands of people that flittered up and down the road, many of them foreigners from distant lands searching for valuable trade to return home with.

"It began in Thebes, along the Nile River in Egypt, many days after the death of Tutankhamen, Egypt's youngest pharaoh. While it was still unclear who would become the next pharaoh since Tutankhamen left no children behind, Thebes was a thriving community rich with trade and resources, all provided by the Nile. It was also the home of the founder of the Rose Clan, Desher*"

Our attention turns to a small, modest household owned by a woman who was grinding herbs into paste with a mortar and pestle in deep concentration. She was a fairly young lady, only just starting her first years into the realm of adulthood, with rich-copper skin like the sands of the desert at twilight and thick black hair tied in elegant braids decorated with many clay beads. But the feature of this woman that drew the interested eye of many suitors – both men and women – was her unique, shimmering silver eyes. Like mirrors, they reflected the light of the sun that enhanced her already attractive appearance.

Desher knew she was beautiful and could have any suitor she desired – Tutankhamen had even expressed interest in her once – but she was a humble woman who preferred to earn her way. She worked hard to gain an education and become a physician that helped the sick and weak, rarely taking any currency and only accepted small gifts as payment. Such gifts included the silver Ankh necklace she received from a grateful priest who had become ill with malaria and the lovely scarf made of red silk that was given to her by a Roman traveler who had nearly passed from fever. These were items she kept on her person most of the time, not because they were lovely, but because they were nice gestures of faith.

Desher finished with the paste she had been grinding and dumped the contents onto the wrapping paper before sealing it up with a pretty little bow. She gave the completed medicine to a woman of obvious Egyptian nobility if her fine silk clothing and glittering jewelry were any indication. Desher knew the noble had a private doctor more qualified than her for treatment, and suspected she only came down to her meager household to be alone with the silver-eyed beauty. A suspicion that was confirmed when the noble woman offered her payment in the form of a single, perfectly preserve red rose.

Desher accepted the flower with a hint of a smile on her lips. Roses, while not exactly rare, were valuable items worshipped for healing and aphrodisiac properties as well as being as powerful symbol represented by the Goddess Isis, especially in Thebes. A rose – especially a red one – was a token of true love and not something meant to be handed out lightly. The noble woman smiled sheepishly as she edged closer to Desher, her hands gently lingering on the physician's arms as if to test the water, pressing their bodies together as she gazed into those reflective silver eyes. Her lips part as Desher leaned her head forward….

"Desher wasn't a thief by birth like those who would come after, but a common woman who enjoyed a simple, normal life as any other. She had never given any thought to stealing in her life…until she had no other choice."

Before their lips could meet, they heard a huge uproar coming from the streets and separated. Desher and the noblewoman ran out of the house and Desher was nearly thrown back when she almost collided with a huge crowd of people that he suddenly swarmed the area. Men and woman were howling with anger, raising their fists and threatening to through pottery. Desher had to stand on her tiptoes and found that their anger was directed toward a group of armed soldiers surrounded by a veiled litter made of solid gold carried by no less than twelve men. Seated inside the litter was a strangely pale woman garbed in the finest black silks adorned with jewels and a golden headdress that put even Desher's potential suitor to shame. She didn't know who she was – such a person was unseen in Egypt – but Desher knew she was very rich and very powerful.

"In the absence of a pharaoh, a priestess named Ankhsalemun forced herself onto the throne, using her title and guile to swindle the Egyptian noblemen into surrendering their coin and bribing countless men for their loyalty. In a very short time, Ankhsalemun took control of all of Tutankhamen's territory and began a reign of oppression the likes Egypt had never seen."

Ankhsalemun gestured her men with a wave of her hand and the silent order was given. At once, chaos exploded in the streets as the soldiers shoved their way through the crowd and started smashing the trading posts, destroying all of their hard work without remorse. Anything that was seen as valuable was taken such as cloth, food, and jewelry, even stolen directly off the people themselves. Even Desher's lover was a victim as several soldiers bared down upon her, ripping away the glittering baubles from her hands and clothing until she was left kneeling on the ground in tattered rags that barely covered her modesty, tears running down her cheeks.

"Greedy and heartless, Ankhsalemun stolen everything she could and horded it for herself, leaving the people destitute. The people tried to fight back, but Ankhsalemun's power was too great."

Outraged by her lover's treatment, Desher attempted to tackle the man who stole her brooch, but she was viciously backhanded across the face and thrown facedown in the dirt. When the soldiers collected all they could, Ankhsalemun was carried down the street to continue their pillage of the great city, knowing no one could stop them. Desher could only watch helplessly from her place on the ground, gritting her teeth in frustration.

"Desher couldn't stand the see the injustice that Ankhsalemun was inflecting on the people, but she knew she wasn't strong enough to take on an army of trained soldiers on the priestess's payroll. So, rather than fighter back, Desher came up with another idea: she would steal it back."

Later that same night, after a long successful day of looting the poor people of everything they had, Ankhsalem took her rest in the city's sacred temple. She had forced out all the students and scholars and forbid any entry. All of her spoils were taken to an isolated chamber, where they would be moved to her traveling caravan that would leave at the first light of dawn. With guards stationed at every entrance and routine patrols around temple, it seemed almost impossible for anyone to sneak any…. Anyone who wasn't a Rose.

After the latest patrol walked around the corner of the western wing of the temple, several large bags rattled loudly as they were dropped one after another out of the high window, creating a huge pile on the ground below. And the one who was throwing the bags out of the temple was none other than Desher, who had climbed up the window using a pair of khopesh swords she had acquired from the local smith, hauling a load of flax sackcloth and a length of rope over her shoulders. Afraid that someone might recognize her, Desher had reworked her scarf to make a bright-red hood that covered her hair and obscured her face from anyone that saw her from a distance.

It took many tense-filled hours, but Desher finally collected all the stolen items, using the rope to climb back up to the window and throw them out onto the grounds. The bags were then collected by a group consisting of her smug-looking lover and two muscular men that could easily carry five sacks in each arm. As her gang disappeared into the shadows before the next patrol arrived, Desher paused for a moment, looking around the now-empty chamber, imagining the look of Ankhsalemun's face when she found that all her stolen goods were stolen…again.

To add insult to injury, Desher pulled out the red rose that her lover had gifted her and let it drop to the floor as a symbol of her victory before she disappeared into the night.

"That was the first theft committed by the Rose Clan, who would gain its name from the red rose that Desher left behind as her calling card to the greedy priestess. Many nights after, Ankhsalem would try again and again to steal back what she felt was rightfully hers, only for Desher and her gang to steal it back right under her nose. Even after Ankhsalemun left Thebes, Deschet's crew continued to steal from her and the other greedy nobles who wrongfully took more than they deserved. Even the most heavily guarded and booby-trapped pyramid were no match for them. The pharaohs themselves sent armies of men after Desher, but they could never catch her, making her one of the greatest thieves in recorded history.

"And then, one day, Desher discovered the greatest treasure of all…."

Desher's boat glided listlessly down the Nile River, the crescent moon smiling at her from above and the twinkling lights of the distance city winking from afar. The silver-red woman, now older and wiser, smiled softly before she turned to her lover and the treasure she rocked gently in her arms. A child, little more than a few weeks old, snored peacefully into her mother's bosom as Desher's lover whispered a soft lullaby into her daughter's ears. Desher's heart warmed at the scene as she silently reached over, caressing the child's chubby cheeks with the gentlest of touches. Her fingers lingered for a moment on the child's brow just above her closed eyelids, knowing that underneath them were a pair of reflective silver eyes just like her own.

"Having a child made Desher realize that she wouldn't be around forever. Even with Ankhsalemun mysterious disappearance, she knew that there would be others who would abuse their power and steal what was not theirs. One day, her daughter would inherit the mission that she started and Desher wanted to make sure she was prepared."

Desher sat alone at the table of the home she shared with her family, making sure not to disturb her lover and daughter as she lit a solitary candle. On the table was a book filled with black pages that Desher had purchased from distant traveler. Picking up her reed brush and dipping it in ink, Desher began to write furiously on the first page –

"Desher was the first to write in our family's most ancient and sacred text – The Book of Thieves. Desher would write all her knowledge into this book and pass it down to her daughter, who would add to the book and pass it down to her daughter. For centuries, the women of the Rose Clan would add their wisdom into these hallowed pages, passing along their secrets of sneaking and stealing for the next generation, carrying on the mission that Desher started. And now, it's your turn to inherit it…Ruby."

Eight-year-old Ruby Rose's silver eyes were practically sparkling as she gazed at her mother in awe, clutching her favorite red blanket as she bounced on her mother's knee. Summer Rose chuckled as she gently closed the ancient Book of Thieves on her lap. She set the book on the side table and lifted Ruby up by her armpits, if only to spare her aching knee. She set the bubbly little girl on the floor, who was practically burst with excitement.

"I've thought about that night every day since it happened," Ruby narrated. "It was the day my mom told me about the Book of Thieves and the legacy of the Rose family line. Each story is still so clear in my head that I can still remember all the names of my ancestors – each one a master in their own time. And then, on my eighth birthday, it was my turn to inherit their secrets and follow in their footsteps."

"Can I really have it, mama?!" Ruby squealed, her fingers inching towards the book. "Really?!"

"You're eight-years-old now," said Summer with an amusing smile as she snatched the book out of her daughter's reach. "That was the age when my mother passed it down to me and when her mother passed it down to her. And now, it's all yours…," she slowly started lowering it down to Ruby, who reached out eagerly for it, until she swiftly pulled it back, "if you can answer a pop quiz."

"Aw, mama!" Ruby complained loudly.

"It's just a little refresher," said Summer teasingly. "What's the number one rule of the Rose Clan?"

"Oh, oh, we only steal from the bad guys!" Ruby shouted, her hand in the hair like she was being called by the teacher.

"And why is that?"

"Because there's no honor, no challenge, and no fun in stealing from ordinary people," Ruby recited with her arms crossed and a proud grin.

"That's right," Summer nodded. "Only when you've ripped off a master criminal will you be recognized as a master thief, Ruby. You have a long way to go until then, but this" – she held up the Book of Thieves – "is your first step toward that path. Here, take it."

With a gleeful gasp, Ruby reached out to take it again, knowing that this time it wasn't going to be taken away –

"I was so close to receiving my birthright," said Ruby. "But just when I thought it was finally within my grasp…they showed up."

Ruby's fingers were only centimeters from the book when a loud bang echoed down from the hallway leading to the front door. Summer straightened up, once again pulling away the Book of Thieves before Ruby had a chance. The older woman scowled down the hallway as another bang rang out. Someone was trying to break in. Ruby looked up at her mother as she jumped out of her seat and felt terrified by the scowl on her expression.

When they heard the third bang, Summer immediately jumped up and crossed the room to photo of herself and Ruby on the wall. She pulled back the photo and revealed the secret safe hidden behind it, punching in the digital code to unlock it, throwing the Book of Thieves inside, before shutting it again. There was another bang – this time accompanied by the tell-tale sounds of splintering wood. They were almost inside. Summer put the photo frame back into place, concealing the safe, rushed over to Ruby, and snatched up off the floor.

"Mama, what's going on?" Ruby asked in a scared voice.

Summer said nothing as she sprinted across the room and threw open the closest door. Ruby let out a tiny whimper as Summer set her down inside in the far back, partially hidden behind the coats. She put a finger to Ruby's mouth, stilling her whimpering, but still holding on to the serious expression.

"No matter what happens, do not come out, you understand me?" Summer said seriously. "I'm going to…. Just promise you'll stay here until it's over, all right?"

Ruby hesitated, but nodded, and Summer closed the door just as they heard the front entrance being broken.

Crawling deeper into the closet, Ruby wrapped her favorite red blanket over her head like a hood, closer her eyes tight, and tried to block out the noise beyond the door. There was a pair of muffled – one was loud and furious while the other was calm and chilling. And then there was chaos; a cacophony of noise pounded against her ears. She could hear glass breaking, furniture being thrown across the room, and half a dozen voices yelling over one another. Ruby whimper, but kept it soft so that no one could hear….

And just as quickly as it started, the fight ended. The house was quiet; too quiet. Though shaken and terrified, Ruby crawled up to the door, quietly turning and handle and peeking through the crack into the living room.

Ruby wished she hadn't.

The room was in tatters; all of their possessions smashed on the ground, holes adorned the walls, there was a burn mark on the carpet next to the overturned chair, and the window had been broken, spilling glass all over the floor. And right there, in the middle of the room, was Summer Rose, thrown haphazardly on her back with a huge splatter of blood across her chest and face; her silver eyes dim and unmoving. Ruby slapped her hands over her mouth to stop herself from gasping too loud, tears streaming down her face.

"We were attacked by a gang of heartless monsters called the Grimm," said Ruby. "My mom tried to defend us, but she was overpowered by their numbers and cheap tricks. It was a dishonorable and cowardly assault against my family."

"She didn't need to die," Ruby heard a soft, rumbling voice. "She had a child. A child that is now orphaned because of us…."

"She deserved it – all of them do," a woman snapped venomously. "What happens to the child is of no consequence. Now, about this book…."

Ruby pried her eyes away from her mother's body and stared up at the five shadows lurking near the back wall, unable to see them properly because the light had been broken in the scuffle. What she could see, however, was that the hidden wall safe had been broken up and the Book of Thieves was in the hands of who Ruby presumed was the leader.

"Just as we agreed," a woman spoke softly. "We'll divide it among ourselves five ways. We'll take the secrets the Rose Clan coveted for centuries and use them to grown our own power. The legacy of the Rose Clan will be lost and forgotten, just as it should be."

And just like that, the leader opened the book and tore out the first page for herself before another of the shadows tore out their own, and then another, and so forth until all the shadows blended together. The tearing of the pages sent a chill down Ruby's spine each time. Most of the attacks were laughing with glee and pride, though one of them – the tallest among them – seem a little subdued, not that Ruby cared to notice. And before she knew it, the last page had been ripped out and the leader tossed the now empty cover of the once sacred text on the ground, landing near the closet where Ruby was hidden. One more round of victorious laughter and the five intruders exited the house one after the other until Ruby was left all alone in still silence.

She waited almost five minutes before leaving the safety of the closet, clutching her blanket around her neck as she stepped cautiously into the open. She stooped down and picked up the cover of the Book of Thieves. As she expected, all the was left were the torn remains of where the pages used to be…. But there was also something else. She hadn't noticed before, but there was a strange, gothic cross with a silver rose braid looping around the middle nestled in the spine of the book. Ruby wondered for a moment if the attackers had seen it and thought it had no value or if they had missed it completely. But that was a question that would have to wait for another time….

Ruby padded over to her mother's body, holding the cover and necklace against her tiny chest as she dropped to her knees, her blanket-hood falling over her eyes. A choking sob escaped her lips as the tears renewed themselves, falling like waterfalls as the now-orphaned child screamed inside her cold, empty home.

"That night haunted me my whole life, like it was set on endless replay," said Ruby. "The neighbors heard the commotion and called the cops, but it was already too late. My mom was dead, my home was ransacked, and our family treasure was ripped into pieces and scattered to the four corners of the globe. I had nothing left. I had nobody left. I was all alone…. Or at least, I thought I was at the time."

Ruby sat alone on the hard, uncomfortable chair in the hallway of the local police station, sniffling as she held on to the Book cover and necklace, her blanket still wrapped around her head like a hood. The police had tried to confiscated them as evidence, the Ruby kicked and screamed as hard as she could until they gave up and let her keep them. Ruby didn't know how long she had been sitting there – minute? Hours? Days? Everything was a blur to her, lost in darkness of despair.

Ruby's eyes rolled up when a pair of hurried footsteps rushed up to her and her silver eyes met with the remorseful-looking, white-haired police officer that had been kind enough to stay with her during the ordeal. The tag on her police uniform said she was 'W. Schnee'. What was her name again, Ruby wondered? She thought she heard the others officers call her by her first name. Was it Winner? Or Wither? Ruby didn't know, and really didn't care at the moment. The kind-faced officer crouched to Ruby's eye level, holding the child's tiny hands within her own.

"Ruby…there's someone here to see you," she said.

The young orphan raised her eyes curiously then turned to the left as W. Schnee gestured to the second woman that Ruby hadn't noticed until now. She seemed familiar to Ruby. She looked to be around her mother's age, a slightly pale complexion, her lengthy mess of jet-black hair tied loosely back by a red bandanna, and her burgundy-red eyes fell sadly to meet Ruby's silver ones.

W. Schnee let the two of them alone, saying something about 'custody paperwork' to the dark-haired woman. The familiar stranger stepped cautiously in front of Ruby, falling to her knees so that they could be level with one another. The woman gently wiped away the tears on Ruby's cheeks with her thumb, her own expression mournful, but rigid like she was trying to hold back for Ruby's sake. The stranger cupped Ruby's face with her larger hand, trying to put as much comfort and gentleness into the touch as possible.

"Ruby…," the woman murmured softly. "My name is Raven. We haven't seen each other since you were a baby, so you probably don't remember me…. Your mother was my best friend, and I promised her that if anything happened to her that I would take care of you…. I'm going to take you home with me. I know it hurts right now, but we'll get through it…together…."

All the sadness came spilling out of Ruby's heart once more, now that the reality of it all was finally catching up with her. Her mother was gone – her best friend was taking her away. The orphan threw herself into Raven's shoulder like she always did with her mother whenever she was sad or scared, sobbing loudly in the hallway and garnering the sympathetic stares of the officers walking past. Raven hesitated at first, but she held Ruby close to her chest, patting her head softly and letting the child get it all out.

"Raven Branwen was one of the three thieves that worked alongside my mom back in their heyday," said Ruby. "My mom knew that the Rose Clan was being hunted and reached to the others, worried about my future should our attackers finally catch up with us. Raven was the only one who responded – one of the other members was serving a life sentence in jail and the other has been missing for decades. With only my blanket, the necklace, and the cover of the Book of Thieves, I followed Raven back to her village hidden in Shunan Bamboo Forest in the southwestern parts of China."

Ruby stared open-mouthed at the tiny village hidden in the thick center of the tall bamboo forest that surrounded them, completely concealing them from the outside world. There were probably only little over a dozen houses made out of wood and straw – a complete contrast to the suburban life that Ruby was accustomed to – but there were at least a hundred people roaming around the small community, implying that more than a couple families shared the same residence. There was a great wooden fence that surrounded the tribe, a reinforced gate that slammed shut behind them as they entered, and in the very back of the village was a large pitched tent that was easily taller than the houses that surrounded it, likely the home of someone important.

But scattered here and there, Ruby noticed that there were several crates of supplies that looked like they didn't belong in the tribe. Wooden crates marked with foreign letters that weren't Chinese filled with bundles of fruit and water to metal containers that looked like they had guns and metal parts. It took a minute for Ruby to realize….

"They're all thieves," she murmured.

"That's right," Raven nodded as she led the young girl across the village square. "Everyone here is a thief by trade. Many come from all over the world, looking for a place to live in peace, or just to escape the authorities until the heat dies down. There is where you'll be staying from now on."

Ruby was watching a pair of thieves showing off a bag of jewels they had stolen when someone bumped into her. They ran by so fast that Ruby barely glimpsed the pair of messy blonde pigtails whipping around behind them, shouting a quick "Sorry!" before they dashed off. But they didn't get too far as Raven, wearing an annoyed expression, easily caught the girl by the back of her shirt and lifted her off the ground. The girl kicked and flailed, but stopped when she knew she wasn't going anywhere. Raven spun the girl around, bringing Ruby face to face with a blonde girl with lilac eyes.

"Give it back to her, Yang," Raven demanded.

"I don't know what you could possibly mean," Yang replied in an innocently sweet tone. Raven gave her a blank stare, to which Yang frowned and rolled her eyes. "Ugh, fine."

The blonde girl reached inside her pocket and pulled out Ruby's gothic necklace. Ruby gasped; she hadn't even noticed that it had been lifted! Yang tossed the necklace back to Ruby and Raven finally returned her feet to the ground.

"I thought you would be proud of how good I stole it," Yang grumbled, pouting with her arms crossed.

"Number one, stealing from a little girl is hardly a challenge," Raven berated her. Her eyes turned soft as she gestured Yang's attention to Ruby. "And number two…this is Ruby Rose…. Her mother died recently, so she'll be staying with us."

"Oh," Yang muttered, casting a sad glance. "Um…I'm sorry…about your mom and for stealing from you."

"It's all right…," Ruby barely muttered.

"Ruby, this is my daughter, Yang," said Raven, clapping Yang's shoulder. "I hope you two will get along with each other, because from now on, we're going to be a family."

Yang offered Ruby a kind, if not somewhat sympathetic smile as she held out her hand to the young girl. Ruby hesitated for a moment, raising and dropping her hand several times before she finally grasped Yang's fingers in her own. Raven kneeled down beside them, smiling kindly, and she pulled both girls closer to her.

"That was the first time I met Yang," said Ruby. "Though I didn't realize it when I first got there, Yang and Raven would become like my new family. Raven was a strict woman with a harsh survivalist mentality that hardly let Yang and I get away with any mischief, but she was also fair in her own way. Yang was like the big sister I never had; loud, boisterous, always getting into trouble and typically ending up in the 'time-out cell' as Raven liked to call it, and always ended up dragging me down with her. It was different from the life I grew up with, but it was a pretty good life all things considered.

"But growing up in a community made up entirely of thieves only reminded me of what was stolen from me. My mom was gone, but the Book of Thieves was still out there. My family's greatest treasure was still in the hands of those filthy monsters, using all the secrets of the book to commit dastardly crimes. I wasn't just going to sit around and do nothing while the Rose Clan's legacy was being dragged through the mud. That was when I knew what I had to do."

A montage of scenes soon followed. They started with Ruby, barely a few months after she arrived in the village, trying to pickpocket various villagers and even steal from Raven herself when the dark-haired woman was busy with her community meetings. But in the end, Ruby would always lose out to the more experienced thieves, caught before she even had a chance to make the grab. But surprisingly, instead of scolding her for it, Raven and the thieving community offered her tips and tricks to help improve her skills. Ruby could feel the Rose Clan legacy pulsing in her blood as she absorbed all the knowledge that was given to her like a sponge, committing everything she had learned to memory and already preparing for her next attempt.

Many years later, an older Ruby Rose just about to enter into her teenage years was casually robbing her fellow tribesmen blind without them noticing until she was long gone. The people she stole from swelled with pride knowing how far that sad little girl had come in such a short period of time. Even Raven was bursting with joy when Ruby managed to swipe the woman's most prized possession, an ancestral tribesman helmet, literally from under her nose while her partner-in-crime, Yang, distracted her. In what seemed like no time at all, Ruby had become one of the best thieves in the entire tribe, if not the best period. But Ruby knew she had a long way to go and it was time to expand her horizons.

As the years flew by, Ruby and Yang joined the tribe on their missions outside the village, venturing into the nearby cities for the bigger jobs. They swiped bags of money from local drug dealers, left no traces of stolen paintings and rare vases for corrupt business to find, and casually dodged the police like it was a mildly amusing video game. The whole time, Ruby and Yang were laughing along the way, taunting their pursuers.

Not long after all the fun and games were over, Ruby and Yang were waving good bye to Raven and the men and women that helped raised them as they departed through the open gates, lugging a pair of backpacks consisting of only their most essential possessions. The blanket that Ruby had kept since the night of her mother's murder was now tattered and filled with small holes, but she wouldn't throw it away. Instead, it would become her cape and hood, modeling herself after Desher Rose from the story her mother told her all those years ago. The gothic necklace clattered against her growing chest, held by a chain that had once been attached to a wallet she stole, and the cover of the Book of Thieves was tucked away in her backpack, waiting to be filled once more.

"I learned everything I know from Raven and the villagers, amassing a wealth of knowledge that could rival the Book of Thieves," said Ruby. "I honed my craft until I knew I was ready to strike it out as a master thief with Yang by my side through thick and thin. Along the way, I met Blake Belladonna, a master of disguise and cunning thief, and Weiss Schnee, international hacker and strategist supreme."

A final shot showed the members of the Rose Gang situated on the corner of the rooftop with the moon illuminating them from behind. Ruby standing in the middle with her hood pulled up and her cape billowing in the wind behind her; Weiss with her cool expression and a causal glance at her laptop; Blake discarding the ribbon that hid her ears and the sunglasses to expose her golden eyes; and Yang punching her knuckles into the palm with a cocky grin on her lips.

"With their help, I vowed to track down the Grimm, avenge my mom, and steal back the Book of Thieves," said Ruby. "I know I'm facing the toughest test of my life. On this mission, I'll either become a master thief like my ancestors before me, or fail and allow my family name to bite the dust."

The Rose Gang van was silent as the four of them drove down the long stretch of empty road outside of Vale city, the only sound coming from the vehicle's engine. Yang's eyes were firmly on the road, but she was listening attentively as Ruby told the story to Weiss and Blake. The other two, for their part, didn't seem as disturbed by the purpose of their gang's creation as Ruby feared, but they weren't saying much either.

"And that's the whole story," Ruby concluded. "I'm going after the Grimm and I going to steal back the Book of Thieves. I'm sorry for not telling you guys earlier, but I was afraid of how you guys might react if you knew what we were up to. I understand if you wanted to qu – "

"Would you shut up already; I'm thinking!" Weiss snapped impatiently. Ruby immediately shut her mouth fearfully. Weiss spun around in her chair and tapped the keyboard of her computer at blinding speeds, opening and closing several windows in the blink of an eye. "All right, so our next target is the Grimm, is that it? I can search through the dark web to see if I can find any information about their whereabouts, but it could take some time. Based on what Ruby told us, these guys are well-organized."

"That's what the file is for," said Yang, snatching the manila folder from Ruby's hand and tossing it back to Weiss without looking. "Winter's been doing her own investigation ever since she pieced together that Ruby was that little girl whose mom died a long time ago. She looked up all the names and locations of everyone in the Grimm. She probably thought we were going to be hunting them down for revenge."

"Well, she's not wrong," Blake said as she snuck a peek at the file. "Hmm…I've heard at least two of these people during my time before I joined the team. I can try calling in some favors from my old contacts to see if we can get an in with any of them."

"That would be helpful, but I already know who one of these people are and he'll definitely be a nightmare if we try hacking him," said Weiss exasperatedly. "We might want to consider taking him out first just so that the others can't block us out when I breach their computers – "

"Wait, wait, wait, wait!" Ruby shouted, waving her hands in the air sporadically, staring at Weiss and Blake dumbfoundedly. "So you guys are…okay with this? You're going to help?"

"Of course we are, you dolt!" Weiss snapped. "Your family was murdered and these monsters stole what rightfully belongs to you! This type of injustice is the reason why I became a hacker in the first place! They will be punished for their crimes!"

"Wow, I haven't seen Hardcore Weiss since we pulled the Schnee Company Job," said Yang, grinning from ear-to-ear. "I like Hardcore Weiss!"

"Ruby, we're a family," said Blake kindly, leaning forward and holding one of her leader's hands. "We made a promise to always stand by each other no matter what. If this is important for you, then it's important to us. I swear to you, we will avenge your mother. You can count on us."

Ruby wanted to cry right now, but held herself back; a leader doesn't cry! The Rose Thief flipped around back in her seat, smiling to herself as she heard Weiss and Blake work hard following up all leads on the Grimm in the back. She noticed that Yang was smirking at her, but didn't say anything. It was finally happening – she was finally going to steal back the Book of Thieves – and no one was going to stop her.

Winter moaned aggressively as she rubbed her aching head, slouching forward in her desk in a most ungraceful fashion. Tonight had been a disaster of epic proportions. She had Ruby Rose within her grasp, and like an idiot, she had let her slip through her fingers – again! And on top of everything else, all the damages to the police cruisers was coming out of her paycheck for the next month.

Winter ran a hand down her face, groaning. Even after all this time, she could hardly believe that the little girl who cried on her shoulder all those years ago would turn out to be one of the biggest pains in her ass. Sometimes she wished she could just go back in time and slap the cuffs on her before that Raven woman took her away – ethics be damned.

Suddenly, there was a knock on her door. Winter muttered a quick 'It's open!' and rolled her eyes up as the door opened. The white-haired officer immediately jumped to her feet as a stern-looking blonde woman wearing thin glasses stepped into the office with a deep scowl on her face. Of all the rotten luck, Winter cursed. It wasn't enough that Ruby Rose made a fool of her again, but now she had to deal with Secretary-General in her office.

"Miss Goodwitch, what a surprise," said Winter, maintaining a formal tone. "I wasn't expecting you."

"Clearly," said Goodwitch coolly, glancing at the conspiracy board on the wall. "I heard that Ruby Rose broke into your office and stole some classified documents right out from under you – again."

"It's more complicated than that, ma'am," Winter retorted.

"And I'm sure you'll tell me all about it in your report," said Goodwitch, turning a cold shoulder. "What did she steal this time?"

"A highly detailed profile on herself based on all the information I've collected over the past three years," said Winter dutifully. "I believe she intends to use this information to hunt down the criminal organization known as the Grimm."

"Interesting," Goodwitch hummed thoughtfully. "The Grimm are at the top of INTERPOL's most wanted list, but we haven't had anything concrete to charge them with. They're practically untouchable. What's Rose's motive for going after them?"

"All of my investigations lead me to believe that the Grimm were responsible for the murder of Ruby Rose's mother, Summer Rose, nearly a decade ago," answered Winter. "I believe she is planning to take revenge on them for her death."

Goodwitch bowed her head, closing her eyes in thought for a moment, then turned back to Winter, declaring: "I want you to follow up on this, Inspector Schnee, and do it quickly. You and your partner are to find and arrest Ruby Rose and her gang before they cause irreparable damage. The last thing we need is for a dangerous group like the Grimm to start causing trouble."

"I will get on it right – wait," Winter cut herself off, giving Goodwitch a strange look. "Did you say partner?"

"That's right – I'm assigning you a partner from now on," said Goodwitch. "He's still a little green, but training under INTERPOL's most decorated officer should help him get up to speed."

"With all due respect, ma'am, I work better alone," said Winter.

"Your record with the Rose Gang says otherwise," said Goodwitch sternly. "You've been chasing them for three years with little to no success. I think it's high time we get a fresh outlook on the situation with Ruby Rose. You know what they say: two heads are better than one. And before you think of talking back to me" – Goodwitch snapped as Winter opened her mouth – "this is not a request. Either you two work together or you can turn in your badge."

Winter closed her mouth compliantly, but scowled darkly at her superior. Satisfied, Goodwitch turned back to the door and called out, "Come in, please!"

The door opened and the first thing that Winter noted about her new partner was how young he was; he looked to be only a few years younger than Ruby Rose. He was very short in stature, his complexion tanned and dotted with freckles, his head topped with a messy mop of black hair, and his eyes hazel with shades of green, yellows, and oranges. He dressed in various shades of olive-green, dark-red, and orange – his entire ensemble giving him an oriental feel to him. But it wasn't just his youth that made Winter less than enthusiastic – he was obviously very nervous to be working with Winter as well, twitching and laughing anxiously at nothing at all.

"Uh…hi," said the boy weakly, chuckling apprehensively. "Um…my name's Oscar Pines. I'm still pretty new, but um…I look forward to working with…you?"

Winter stared at him for a long minute…then slammed her forehead on her desk.

* Fun fact – Desher's name is played off the ancient Egyptian word deshr, which was the earliest word for red and deshret, which means red land. So yeah, the Rose Clan traditionally follows the color rule, mostly pertaining to the color red.

For the origins, I wanted to get into how the Rose Clan to exist and the circumstances behind the creation of the Book of Thieves, something I felt was left out of the Sly Cooper games, who seemed to only start a thieving legacy based on a basic Robin Hood Complex and then just continued for centuries for sport. Plus, I wanted to delve into the years between Ruby's orphanage and the days she became a thief – another plot line that sadly went untold and just wrapped up in ten seconds. I considered adding the parts where Ruby and Yang met Weiss and Blake, but if this story gets far enough, I might just use them as plot points for future stories instead.

And, of course, couldn't resist putting everyone's favorite farm boy in. And as Winter's partner no less.