Velvet and Weiss were taking in Vale on the weekend. Neither of them made much progress in their relevant searches, and were taking a day off from them. Unless Weiss could figure out how to narrow down 'Orange Clockwork' she was at a dead end, and Velvet just didn't want to think about the possibility of the rumor she heard. For now, they distracted themselves with shopping. "You seriously need more outfits. Did you honestly use to go on dates with Ruby in your Beacon uniform?"

"More often than not, actually." Velvet answered Weiss's question. "Not that she minded. That kind of thing wasn't as important to her as the date itself."

"Well, that's sweet. I still think you need more clothing," Weiss told her, "especially when you find Ruby again. As your friend, I refuse to let you go out in-" She was cut off by the sound of an explosion nearby. The two huntresses only needed to trade glances to know their next task. They rounded the corner to see a storefront on fire. There was someone on the ground, likely knocked back by the explosion, and two people running from the scene. Weiss started to chase the probable assailants, quickly noticing Velvet wasn't following her. "Velvet, hurry!"

"Weiss…" Velvet looked at the figure on the ground. Looking over the individual more closely, Weiss couldn't believe her eyes. Dressed in black jeans, a red button-up, red skate shoes, and her precious red cloak was Ruby Rose. Velvet dropped down beside her long-lost girlfriend, nearly coming to tears. Weiss spotted Crescent Rose, unfolded and on the ground nearby. It looked like Ruby was trying to stop the robbery.

"Velvet!" Weiss grabbed the rabbit faunus's attention and handed her Ruby's now folded weapon. "We need to get her back." Velvet nodded.

A few hours later, silver eyes blinked open to a familiar hospital aesthetic. It's just the school infirmary… wait what!? The redhead shot up and looked around the room, seeing the faces of her friends staring back at her. Team JNPR, Blake, and Velvet looked very happy to see her. Weiss and Coco were expressing their more negative feelings to the girl's previous departure. "I shouldn't be here…"

"Seriously!?" Coco and Weiss shouted simultaneously. Coco continued alone. "You run off in the night, disappearing without a trace for how long, and that's what you have to say!?"

"Coco-" Velvet started.

"No, Velvs." Coco walked to the side of Ruby's cot, even forgoing her sunglasses to look the younger girl dead in her eyes. "Do you even know how much you made your friends worry? How much you made her worry!?" she pointed at the rabbit faunus. "We looked for you. Velvet basically never stopped. And now you're back, and you say you shouldn't be here? I get Yang's semblance makes things difficult, but good lord girl! Now, you are staying, and you are making it up to your girlfriend, or I will shove my fashionable boot so far up your ass you will taste expensive leather for a week! Got it?"

The smaller girl's words stuck in her throat, so she elected for a frightened nod. Coco replaced her sunglasses and rejoined Weiss with a smile. The rest then let themselves crowd around the young girl. It was a little overwhelming, so many 'I missed you's and 'where have you been's (Nora asked 'how was your vacation?'). Soon enough, they dispersed enough to allow Velvet close enough to wrap her arms around the girl. "I missed you so much."

The young redhead slowly wrapped her own arms around Velvet. "I missed you too…" The rabbit then took her girlfriend face into her hands and planted a long awaited kiss on the girl's lips.

"I do believe I designed a rule for that." Ozpin walked into the infirmary. "Something about 'public displays'. Though I suppose I could overlook it this once." He made his way to the occupied cot. "Your aura absorbed any possible damage from the explosion. The shockwave must have been what knocked you out. You're free to leave the hospital wing. Ms. Scarlatina, would you fetch Ruby's belongings? I would like a word alone with Ms. Rose."

Velvet nodded, and the rest of them left with her, leaving the scythe master alone with Ozpin. "I have to know, why did you leave?" he asked the girl.

"I'm dangerous." She answered truthfully. "I didn't want to hurt my friends. Hurt Velvet…"

"I see. You left to try and learn how to control your sister's semblance on your own?" The girl nodded to answer. "Where did you go?"

"I mostly stayed outside the walls. I've rarely been in Vale at all. I had to steal new clothes when I outgrew my old ones, and occasionally get food, which is what I was doing when those guys robbed that store."

Ozpin looked at the girls eyes with an unreadable expression before nodding, seemingly accepting the answer. "You didn't have to leave, you know." The redhead dropped her gaze. "Ruby, I'm going to tell you something I should have told you before. When I decided to take you in two years early, I had to make a promise to your father and your uncle. I promised that I would watch over you as if you were my own niece. If there is a way to help you, I promise you I will find it."

The girl looked at Ozpin in amazement. She never knew this detail before. It made sense though. She was the youngest student to attend Beacon in generations. It wasn't often people got pulled up in combat schools, dangerous as they are. She gave Ozpin a smile, but inside, she lamented. If only you knew, there is no more helping me.

Over at the nurses station, Velvet received the box of Ruby's personals. She saw her girlfriend and Ozpin still talking, so she leafed through the box to pass the time. Ruby's new clothing looked good on the girl as a casual look. Her old Goth getup was cute, but a little over the top sometimes. There was also her Beacon-issued scroll, which held obvious signs of neglect as well as a large crack down the screen. She'll probably need a new one. At the bottom of the box lay Crescent Rose and the cloak.

As Velvet's fingers absent mindedly traced over the objects, she felt something strange, a hard spot in Ruby's cloak. She fumbled with the object until she found a secret pocket she didn't know existed, and something hidden inside it. A black scroll? Where did she get this? What is it for? Velvet didn't know why, but she felt uncomfortable holding the device. She took a peek around before slipping it into her pocket. She didn't like how it made her feel and wanted to check it out.


Three days earlier

Reaper made her way to Torchwick's office for this strange meeting she was late for, followed closely be Neo. The multi colored girl was till ticked at Reaper for shutting off her scroll. Not that Reaper much cared what Neo thought of her 'Ruby Room'. Just because she was survivor now didn't mean she didn't occasionally miss the simpler life of the past. The redheaded secretary spotted their approach and gave Reaper a warm smile. "Good evening. Roman is just inside waiting, Miss Reaper. Miss Neopolitan."

"You don't give up, do you?" Reaper asked the woman.

"I've never lost yet." She told Reaper. A little cocky, eh? Pretty, too. I could get used to you…

Reaper decided to sit on the girl's desk and flash her a smile. "Maybe you do deserve a reward. Let's talk sometime, red." Reaper told her sweetly before hopping off and proceeding into Roman's office. Neo hung back to give the secretary a sweet smile, though inside the multi-colored girl was screaming. Something about her really didn't like how Reaper just flirted with this girl. Torchwick was treating a guest as the girls arrived in the office. A thin, gray, well-dressed man.

"Ah, Reaper, finally. What kept you?" Roman sounded irritated.

"My scroll was off. I was trying to relax. This criminal stuff can be fun, but the hours are killer." She replied.

"Well, let's get on with this thing. Our friend here is Don Palette. Don Palette, this is Reaper."

Reaper raised an eyebrow. Palette Mafia wasn't huge, but it was well respected. Why was he meeting with a fresh gang like Torchwick's?

"I've heard a lot about you, Reaper." Don Palette stood to shake her hand.

Reaper accepted the handshake. "Good or bad?"

"Well, my dear, that depends on your point of view." He told her with a smile. Reaper smirked back. "Now that we're all here, let's talk. Your boss and I have already discussed things."

"Yes." Roman took his cue. "He's offered to support us, help give us standing."

"What about your own legacy?" Reaper asked.

"I have one son with no desire and another with no ambition. One who doesn't want to run things, and one with no intelligence to run it well. I'm tired, I've earned my retirement. The Valen Underworld is a delicate balancing act. I can't trust my sons to not upset that balance, for the good of us all."

"So what do we do to earn your support?" Reaper knew this world was one of give and take, this for that.

"As I said, I'm ready to retire. I have a wonderful home waiting in Atlas for my sons and me. But certain incriminating files are keeping me from leaving the kingdom. I need them to disappear." He told her.

"Files that important are kept on government and military servers. One would need to be really important to have access, and those places are near impossible to break into. You would need a man on the inside." Reaper stated.

Don Palette looked to Torchwick. "And you say she's only been in the business a few months? Impressive."

"You're right Reaper," Roman said, "But you're missing something. Hunters are above even the military. Ozpin would have access."

"Ozpin's private files are no easier to break into, you would still need someone on… the… inside…" Reaper came to a realization. "Oh no, hell no! You know how I feel about going anywhere near Beacon!"

"Your old friends are already looking for you, right?" Roman said. "They just need to find you."

"I'm not going to be able to pull this off and keep my identity secret!" Reaper shouted, her eyes beginning to tint.

"How long are you expecting to stay hidden from your Beacon buddies anyway?" Roman shouted back.

"Grrr… I need to think!" Reaper stomped out of the office and onto a nearby balcony.

"Give her a minute, Don Palette." Torchwick sighed. "She'll come around, I'm sure."

Neo decided to follow the girl onto the balcony. Reaper was brought out of her deep thought by her black scroll buzzing. 'Why do you insist on them never finding out anyway? You already know you can't truly return.'

"It's not about being able to return, Neo. It's about preserving their memory of me." Reaper turned to face Neo. The multi-colored girl gave a confused look. "When they think of me now, they think of the innocent little huntress, Ruby Rose. Of happy memories, of an energetic and hopeful being. That's not who I am anymore, and if they knew that, it would likely devastate them."

'You know you can't keep it up forever, especially if you plan to stay with us.' Neo buzzed Reaper's scroll. 'You can always return to the way you were when I found you, but you can't return to Beacon, and you can't keep their memories up forever.'

"I know that, I just wish I could." Reaper sighed. She returned to Roman's office and walked up to Don Palette. "Alright, you got a deal. I've never done undercover/spy stuff before. I'm going to have to lie to some of my oldest friends, and people that were once more important than that. I'm sure you have people with experience in your organization, and I could stand to learn a thing or two."

Don Palette smiled. "Of course, I'll send someone. I'm glad I can rely on you. I've heard many good things about your work ethic. Not many people have the resolve to kick a train off its tracks."


Reaper changed out of her hospital gown behind a closed curtain. As soon as she lifted her cloak over her shoulders, she could tell something wasn't right. It was too light. The only person who might notice that is Velvet, and she picked up my clothes for me. Dammit, she has the black scroll. So much for keeping it a secret. But she didn't confront me about it… perhaps there's still something I can figure out…

She stepped out from behind the curtain, fully clothed with a practiced smile on her face. She was happy to be back here. She was happy to be with Velvet again. She was Ruby Rose. Well, at least one of those were kind of true… she did miss Velvet. As expected, she was the hardest to lie too. Everyone else was surprisingly easy, but she nearly got stuck on Velvet. Reaper couldn't help but think if the desolation the rabbit girl would feel upon learning the truth…

"So, Ruby… I… it's been so long, and now that you're back, I don't know what to say." Velvet looked as though she was two seconds away from shedding tears of joy. Again.

Reaper hugged the girl. "How about food? It feels like dinnertime." I can do this. 'Ruby' is a character I am intimately familiar with.

Velvet laughed. "Yes, love. Food sounds wonderful. Will the cafeteria do?"

"It'll be perfect, Velv." The pair made their way through Beacon hand in hand. Velvet's grip was a little tighter than it needed to be, but that was fine with her. She had resolved to never let Ruby go again. Gathering their food and sitting at the table, it almost felt like old times, almost felt like Ruby never vanished.

"What are we going to do about classes?" Weiss asked her old team leader.

"I talked to Ozpin about that. Until I get settled in and caught up, we're going to keep glued to JNPR like you have been." Reaper, acting her part as Ruby, told her. "There's also something else."

"What is it?"

Reaper looked to Weiss. "Given what I did, everything that's happened… I don't deserve to be team leader anymore. I talked to Ozpin, and, effective tomorrow, you will officially be the leader of team RWBY."

Weiss dropped her fork, staring at the girl in shock. "I couldn't possibly… Ruby, you're team leader! I can't just take your place!"

"Ozpin tried to talk me out of it too, but this is my decision. I'm stepping down. I'm surprised you never took the role while I was gone. I was sure you, of all people, didn't think I'd come back. In the end, I kinda returned on accident…"

Weiss fell silent, soaking in the news, as others took their turns questioning Ruby. She answered them with the cover scenario she had created. Again, she found it surprisingly easy to lie to her old friends. And, again, she found Velvet the most difficult to talk to. They made time for themselves after class, walking alone, when Velvet asked a question that made Reaper uncomfortable.

"Do you remember what you asked me the night you left?"

Reaper's heart skipped a beat. "Umm… yeah…"

"Do… do you maybe… want to try it tonight?" Velvet didn't care about her team mates or their jokes. She wanted to stay with Ruby, to hold her close and never let go.

Reaper's heart skipped another beat before speeding up entirely. God did she want to, more than anything she wanted to say yes. But you won't will you? You can't let yourself. Reaper would maybe be here a few days, if her cover wasn't blown first. She couldn't move forward with Velvet if she was just going to abandon her again, it wouldn't be fair to the poor girl…

"When I asked you, it was because I thought it would be my last chance… I just got back, and… I don't want to get overwhelmed." Reaper invented, dropping her gaze to the ground. Half of that statement was honest at least.

Velvet's smile faltered. "So… you were already planning to go when you asked…" Reaper nodded. "And what you told me… was that your last chance too?"

Reaper stopped Velvet and herself to look the girl in the eyes. "It was a gift, Velv… but I swear it was true. I… I love you."

Velvet looked back into her girlfriends eyes and drew her into a hug. "I love you, too."