Hi, guys! TheoMidnight here and I just wanted to let you guys know that, sadly, Yang's reaction is not in this chapter. Sorry about that! But don't worry, her reaction will be in the next chapter, I promise! Really, next chapter, it'll be there! Anyway, read and let me know what you guys think! Thank you! Bye!

Something woke Ruby up. She sat up on her padded pallet, one of the byproducts of living on the streets was a real bed can be a little too comfortable, like slowly sinking into quicksand. Ruby tilted her head this way and that, listening in vain for whatever woke her, nothing sounded in the loft.

"Roman? Neo?" She stood up. "Anyone there?" Confused, but sure that something woke her up, Ruby padded across the wooden floors. Am I going insane? She thought, then snorted to herself. Of course I'm insane! Didn't think I was crazy enough to start hearing things, though. Ruby looked around, the huge, floor-to-ceiling windows letting in enough moonlight to let Ruby see in the pale darkness. Neo's hammock swung gently in the corner, and Roman's room, screened off with Shoji screens, glowed softly near the windows. Ruby frowned, Neo's hammock was empty and there was no sign of Roman's small snores coming from his room. Where are they?

A feeling of uneasy grew inside Ruby's chest, a feeling which only grew as Ruby moved on through the long loft. Come on! She thought slightly desperately, looking for any sign of them, turning her eyes everywhere, something bright caught her eye. At the far end of the Loft, in the sitting area, a lamb was on. Breathing a sigh of pure relief, Ruby walked over to the collection of chairs and one worn sofa, she reached the sitting area. Bounding in, she asked them.

"What are you doing up so lat-" Ruby stopped dead in her tracks. Blood, oh God...the blood. Neo and Roman were sprawled out on the floor, their usually bright clothes dyed black with the copious amount of gore and blood that leaked from their bodies, bodies that were riddled with large holes and limbs broken at unnatural angles.

"NOOOOOO!" The scream tore Ruby's vocal cords so badly she spat out blood. "No...please, no." She whispered hoarsely. "Not them, God, not them."

"It's your fault, you know." A voice sounded from behind the weeping girl. Ruby gasped and spun around to face a tall, lilac-eyed, girl with long blond hair who stepped into the light with a smirk on her face. The smirk grew wider as Ruby gasped in terror. "Hey, lil' sis."

Ruby fell over backwards in her haste to get as much distance between the person standing before her as possible. "N-no, impossible. It can't be you." Ruby's voice broke as the tears started to cloud her eyes. "It can't be you."

The blond haired girl crouched down to stare the red haired girl in the eye. "Oh, poor baby is scared." She leaned in close. Her breath brushing across Ruby's face, which caused her to shudder in horror. "You were always so scared, that's why everyone hated you, me, dad, Uncle Qrow-"

"No!" Ruby shouted hoarsely, coughing up more blood as she did so. "Uncle Qrow-"

"-Never tried to find you, did he? Never even asked about you. You were left in the streets to die. No one helped you, no one cared about you, because you are nothing! A little piece of trash! Dad should have stabbed you in the heart instead of the stomach! You were a mistake!"

"Stop it, please, stop it." Ruby whispered as a familiar darkness started to creep back into her mind. "That's not true! I know that's not true!"

The blond threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, and who told you that, I wonder?" She pointed behind Ruby, towards the broken bodies of Roman and Neo. "Them? What makes you think that they love you!? They use you, you are nothing but a tool to them, soon to be thrown away when you're all used up!"

Ruby clamped her hands over her ears. "SHUT UP!" She glared at the taller woman through the moisture in her sliver eyes. "You're not real."

The smirk was replaced by a full-blown smile. "Oh, I may be a nightmare here, I may be a horrible memory come to life here, but..." She grabbed Ruby's collar and yanked her up with her. "But I am real." She leaned in close. "I'll see you soon, Ruby." The smile grew even wider. "Nightie-night." And with that she plunged her fist inside Ruby's stomach, the blood spraying up their bodies as darkness washed over Ruby.

Ruby came screaming out of the darkness, into the gentile, moon-lit, night. Her heart was beating so fast it hurt her chest and her breath coming out in gasping sobs. "NO! NO! NO!"

Feet thudded to the floor as Neo rolled out of her hammock, dressed in a short dressing gown with her parasol raised above her head like a lacy club, looking for any signs of enemies; instead she just found one girl nearly curling up on herself with tears flowing down her face and silently screaming at the world. Neo dropped the parasol and ran over to the weeping Rose. Dropping to her knees beside the shaking girl, Neo put her hand on Ruby's shoulder. Ruby briefly looked over at her before returning to stare at the floor, but her breathing and heart-rate dropped to a somewhat normal pace at the touch of the much shorter teen. Ruby took at shaky breath and turned her body, so that she was sitting across from the kneeling Neo who looked hesitantly at her before reaching out and gently tapping her finger on Ruby's forehead. "Another nightmare?"

Ruby took Neo's small hand off her forehead and just held it in her calloused ones. Looking back at the floor, Ruby nodded.

"It was a new one this time. It was...clearer, it wasn't all pitch black and memories, but something entirely new." She looked back at Neo who had worry in her duel-colored eyes. "She was in it."

The worry in those eyes was rabidly replaced by rage, a rage that was only dwarfed by Ruby's own anger at the mere mention of her. Ruby continued. "That person was there a-and..." Ne's hand tighten around Ruby's, as Ruby choked out the last part of the nightmare. "You were dead! Roman and you, broken and beaten and dead!" Ruby felt Neo's hand slip out of her own. Confused and afraid that she said something wrong, she stared at Neo. "Neo, what's-"

Neapolitan's arms locked themselves around Ruby, squeezing as to never let go. Ruby didn't even bother to say anything else, she just returned the embrace with everything left in her. How long they stayed like that, the girls didn't know, they just wanted one thing, to let Ruby feel safe once again. Finally, though, they unlocked their arms from around each other and leaned back.

"Thank you, Neo." Ruby smiled at her, and Neo returned it with a bright one of her own. "thank you." Ruby laid back down on her pallet and closed her eyes. A few moments past then a impatient noise came from Neo. Ruby cracked open her eyes. "What?"

Neo stared at her crossly then made a movement with her hands indicting Ruby to move over. Ruby just stared at her confusingly. What?

Sighing impatiently, then grabbing Ruby's pajama top in one hand and her pajama bottoms in the other, Neo lifted Ruby and dropped her down off to the right side of the pallet. Neo then curled up next to Ruby and closed her eyes. Ruby stared at her. Ok...that just happened. She thrummed her fingers quietly on the her bed, looking at Neo's small face. Ruby reached out, hesitating just a small bit, before pulling Neo back into a hug and closing her eyes as well. Soon, both of them were sleeping peacefully, holding each other with small smiles gracing both of their faces.

The orange light of dawn came streaming in through the huge windows of the loft, waking Ruby. She opened her eyes and was greeted by Neo's still sleeping face, they were still curled together, their bodies pressed together. A unfamiliar feeling rose up in Ruby, a warm feeling like the sunlight bathing them. A thought drifted into Ruby's mind. She really is beautiful...wait , WHAT?! Ruby shook her head as blood rushed to her cheeks. What did I just think? Why did I just think that! WHAT?! One thing for sure was that Ruby was sure she needed to get up. She rose from the pallet, being extremely careful not to wake Neo, and started to get ready for what was ahead. She had packed most of everything last night, everything except the clothes she was going to wear today and Crescent Rose. Once dressed, Ruby made her way around the still sleeping Neo and headed off towards the kitchen, which was located near the spiral staircase. Roman was already awake and had a plate of eggs waiting for her.

"You know." Ruby said between mouthfuls of breakfast. "I still have no idea who my team is or even what they look like." She looked at Roman expectantly. "Very important to know what your team looks like." Roman just rolled his eyes.

"You'll met them at the station, speaking of which." Roman looked at the stove clock. "It's nearly time to go."

Ruby stood up and went to gather up the rest of her things, but stop and turned back to Roman. "Rome', can I ask you something."

Roman put down his coffee mug and looked at Ruby. "Of course."

Ruby fiddled with the hem of her cloak. "Well...erm." She took a deep breath and blurted it out. "What is it like to fall in love?"

Roman looked at Ruby, then put his head in his hands. "Oh, dear God. Why couldn't you ask me this when you hit puberty?! Why now?!"

"Well..." Because I think I might have a crush on Neo, but I'm not sure, can you help me out? Oh, yes, That'll go over well. "Well, because I'm going to Beacon and staying there for four years, so I would like to know, just a brief summery of what's it like to...fall in love."

Roman looked at her again. "I'll be honest with you, Red, I'm the wrong person to be asking that." He sighed. "But, here's my thoughts ." He linked his fingers together over the wooden table. "When you are with a person and you feel happy and safe and, most impotent, you feel complete. That's love. When you may argue and fight with the person, but after you are both ready to apologies to each other absolutely. That's love. When you are ready to die a thousand deaths for that person. That is love." He gazed at Ruby, who was gazing back at him. "Did that help?"

Yes and no. Ruby thought, but aloud, she said. "Yep, that'll help."

Roman smiled and picked up his coffee again. "Good." He looked at the time again. "Ga! Why are you still here! Go get your things! You have school!"

Ruby shuffled from foot to foot. She was standing outside the transport station alone. Roman had dropped her off, there was no long, teary goodbye, because as Roman said. "You still have every weekend and holiday to come and see me, don't worry! You'll be great!"

In truth Roman's words did make her feel a little better, but now a whole new beast was raising it's ugly head. Shyness. Now, Ruby wasn't a invert, she just had a small problem with talking to people she didn't know. A medium problem, a rather large problem, a bone-breaking, dream-crushing, problem. OK, it was a big problem!

"I'll be fine! They're just people! Anyways, Roman wouldn't put people on my time that I wouldn't be comfortable with, right?" She groaned to herself. Of course, Roman would do that! Just to break Ruby out of her shell, he would totally do something like that!

"Oh God, Oh, God, Oh, God." She begin pacing in a small line. "What am I going to do?!"

"Stop freaking out?" The voice caused Ruby to straighten up and see a very tall, very pale, teen boy standing there in a long black, trench coat with one sleeve ripped off, and finger-less gloves on both hands, the handles of two long war cleavers sticking out over each shoulder. The teen smiled. "I take it then, you must be Ruby Rose?" His hair was done up in a huge deathhawk, angel bites shining around his black upper lip. "Am I right?"

Ruby blinked a couple of times, taking in the teen's appearance, the toxic green makeup around his twilight blue eyes not helping at all. "Uh...I mean, yes! Yes, I'm Ruby."

The smile grew wider, it wasn't a mocking or cruel smile, in fact it was rather nice! Just...

The teen inclined his head. "The name is Crimson Shard, professional assassin for our friend Roman and here to help you in this mission of yours." He looked around. "Mmm, the others should be coming soon." He turned back to Ruby. "Want to go wait inside the station?"

"Uh, sure."

They walked through the crowd with ease, mostly to the fact that everyone gave Crimson a large berth, the looks directed at him were mixes of shock, admiration, and hostility. Whenever he walked a clunking noise could which Ruby found out to be his huge platform boots striking against the ground. That would explain why he's nearly seven feet tall. Inside the transport station was much cooler and was where Ruby met the second member of her team.

"My name is Skyler Snow." He said, after the other two introduced themselves, taking his off his gray fedora and doing a small bow, his light gray lounge suit spotless and clean, the white shirt and gray vest underneath it even more so. A golden watch chin was just showing under his suit jacket before it vanished inside the vest pocket. Even his gray slacks and leather dress shoes were cleaner then anything Ruby had ever seen.

"So, what do you do?" Crimson asked, eyeing Skyler's nearly shining clothes with a single eyebrow raised. "What's your specialty?"

Skyler smiled in his direction. "My dear Crimson, I, in layman term's, am a spy, I specialize in not being noticed as I hack or steal what I need."

Crimson's eyes narrowed every so slightly, but his voice remained light and warmish. "Well, welcome to the team."

Ruby clapped her hands. "OK! I guess we just have to wait for the last member and then we can-OH, MY GOD! NEO!" Ruby practically screamed as she spotted the extremely petite Neapolitan walking towards her, a large smile on her face. Ruby rushed towards her and crashed into the white-coat wearing criminal. They both fell to the tile floor where Ruby hugged the breath out of Neo, who gasped as the air left her lungs. She tapped the floor with her right hand, causing Ruby to laugh as she helped Neo up.

Picking up her parasol, Neo playfully whacked Ruby in the chest with it causing Ruby to laugh some more. "Sorry about that, it is just that...oh, I am so glad that you are my third team member." Ruby said excitedly and firmly, with an air that if Neo was not the third teammate, Ruby would find the real one, knock him out, gag him, and tie him up in the janitor's closet of the station. "Oh, Neo, this is the rest of our team. Crimson Shard."

Crimson raised his index finger and smiled.

"And Skyler Snow."

Skyler took of his hat and bowed again. Neo curtsied, a curtsy that dripped sarcasm, but then again, Ruby couldn't remember a time where they didn't. She stepped back and looked at her team. Two assassins, a spy, and a master thief. A elite team of individuals whose sole mission was to find a way to destroy Beacon Academy from the inside. And maybe have a little fun on the side. Ruby thought, she smiled at her team. "Let's go." Ruby and her team went off to the gates where the Airships where being boarded by all the other Beacon students. Halfway there Skyler noticed Crimson's boots. He snorted.

"Nice boots."

"Don't make me stomp you to death, Snowball."

Once again, sorry for not putting Yang's reaction to seeing her long lost sister alive and well, but that will be in the next chapter! I am going to have it in Yang's Pov and it should be good. In regards to Ruby's team name, I was thinking of something like Team RSNC (Arsenic), but I would love to hear your ideas! (PM them to me or...wait, if the team name has already been chosen, getting ideas and then rejecting them would be cruel and inhuman, then everyone would hate me and they wouldn't read my stories and then I'll end up living in a box under a bridge with a pet troll because writing is all I have! *pant* *pant* Inner peace comes very hard to me!)

Anyway, panic attacks aside, I hope you have enjoyed this and I'll see you in the next chapter! (P.S, Crimson is a Deathrocker, at least he is in my mind, but I'm not, so please if you know anything about the Deathrock subculture, help me out! Thank you!) (P.S.S, I'm sorry if I offended anybody!)