'This is going to be fun,' she said to herself, clutching her letter in hand. She had sealed it with wax, her message carefully hidden inside.

I wonder how she'll react to this, she thought. Her mind raced with thoughts of the games they would play, the cat and mouse chase between an inexperienced young girl and a clever woman.

After posting her message, she waited with bated breath, eagerly anticipating the day she would receive that message.

'Just a few more days… a little while longer until my plan finally begins. I hope you enjoy the activities I've got set up for you… Ruby Rose.'

Ruby breathed in the fresh air of Vale. It had been a long time since she had been here, her mission taking much longer than she had expected. These past 6 months she had been all the way over in Vacuo aiding with relief efforts after a Grimm outbreak had left the kingdom in quite a sorry state.

'I'm home!'

The girls excited outburst drew stares of many people around, but she didn't care. She was finally back, and she intended to savour her time here.

She decided that she would first head over to her favourite coffee shop, one that Blake also frequented on occasion. Sure enough, the Faunus was there again today, so Ruby decided to go sit with her for a while.

'Hey, Blake. Still wearing the bow I see,' Ruby commented, her pleasant smile cheering Blake up as she looked up from her book.

'You know how I feel about that, Ruby. Even if I have gotten a bit better around people, I'm not ready to take it off just yet. How did your job go?'

'The usual. Just cleanup duty mainly, but it paid well so I don't mind.'

'Don't you ever get bored of doing that stuff?' Blake asked, something which Ruby scoffed at.

'The girl who stayed up several nights in a row to look for one man is telling me about being boring? I really need to change my image, don't I?'

'That was a long time ago Ruby, and you know it. I'm different now,' Blake answered.

'Still,' Ruby sighed, 'it's hard to believe that it's already been 3 years since we graduated from Beacon… it feels like just yesterday.'

'I know that feeling,' Blake agreed, looking down at her book again. You heard the news from Ozpin?'

'No, what's going on?'

'Apparently Vale and Atlas are going to be spearheading some project together soon. Something about joining together and sending out a bunch of experienced Hunters and Huntresses to go clear an area to found a new settlement. Sounds pretty interesting if you ask me, you should check it out.'

'Yeah,' Ruby replied, intrigued. 'I'll drop in later and ask him about it. Anyway, I'm gonna head out. I've got a sister and an heiress to go see,' she cheerily continued, Blake giving a small nod and smile as Ruby headed out.

Ruby figured Yang would be training at the gym, something that had become somewhat of a hobby for her after graduating from Beacon. After arriving, she noticed Pyrrha was also there, but was taking a break and just sat watching Yang train instead.

'Hey guys, I'm back!'

Ruby's squeals caught the Huntresses' attention, both of them happily turning her way. Yang practically pounced on her sister before refraining at the last second, noticing just how sweaty she was.

'It's been a while, Rubes. How was your job?'

'The usual,' Ruby replied contentedly. 'How about you? Anything interesting happen while I was gone?'

'Not really,' Pyrrha chimed in. 'Vale's been pretty quiet without you, actually. Ever since Nora and Ren went on their journey across Remnant we've not really had anyone to make a ruckus. It feels a little bit empty, honestly.'

'Is that right?' Ruby asked with a chuckle, turning back to her sister. 'How have you been, sis? Everything been going well as a bodyguard I take it?'

'Yeah, don't worry about me. What you should be thinking about right now is how drunk you and I are getting tonight to celebrate you coming back. I'll pay for the first round.'

'Yang, you know I don't drink,' Ruby answered with a laugh, Yang tickling her as she spoke.

'You know I aint taking no for an answer! We're gonna have a party tonight whether you like it or not!'

'Alright, alright!' Ruby managed to splutter between giggles, squirming from Yang's grasp. 'I'm glad to see you guys are doing OK. You have fun training, I have a date with a certain dust company heiress to attend to.'

'9 PM, my place! If you're late you're drinking twice as much!'

Satisfied with their conversation, Ruby headed for her final destination – the Schnee Dust Company.

Upon arriving, the secretary had a look of pleasant surprise on her face at seeing Ruby.

'Miss Rose! It's good to see you. Would you like to see Miss Schnee?'

'That'd be great, thanks,' Ruby softly replied. 'And how many times have I told you to call me Ruby? Hearing you say Miss Rose feels weird.

'I apologise, but you are Miss Schnee's close friend and personal guest. It would be rude to refer to you by name, even if you ask me to.'

Ruby gave a disdainful smile. She had always hated that, how people seemed to put themselves down just because of Weiss' family name. It was something the heiress herself disliked, but as long as her parents remained in control of the Schnee Dust Company there was nothing Weiss could do to change that fact.

'She's on the twelfth floor,' the receptionist added.

'Thanks.'

With that, Ruby headed up to see Weiss who was running the Schnee branch in Vale whilst her parents were on a business trip in Vacuo.

'Ruby!'

The gleeful tone of Weiss called out to her as she set foot on the floor. It still amazed Ruby how incredible the place looked, the walls splashed with a vibrant mixture of colour and artworks that gave the room life.

Weiss placed the papers she was holding down on the desk in front of her and ran up to Ruby, throwing her arms around her.

'It hasn't been the same without you, Ruby.'

'It's good to be back,' she cheerfully replied. 'How have you been?'

'I've been fine. Running the company while my parents are away is hard, though. Winter's been helping me with what she can but she's busy with work as well.'

Thinking for a moment, Ruby decided to offer help.

'Is there anything I can do?'

Looking around, Weiss contemplated, spying a letter that was lying on her desk.

'Well, there's nothing for you to do in the office but if you could mail this for me when you leave that would be great,' Weiss said, handing Ruby the envelope.

'Sure thing. Don't push yourself too hard, okay? I'm gonna go get reacquainted with the town but I'll drop by sometime to see how you are.'

Heading out, she posted the letter on her way to the town centre. She had some time to kill, so figured she could spend some of her newly earned money.

A few hours later, Ruby left the town centre several thousand lien lighter and about ten pounds heavier with assorted shopping.

'I really need to stop impulse buying,' she told herself, checking the time as she walked.

8:12 PM. There was still some time before her meet up with Yang, so she headed back to her apartment to sort her clothes out and get ready for her night out. It took her some time to get her keys after wrestling with the shopping, but she eventually managed to open the door and was pleased to see everything as she left it. That was when she noticed a single, small letter in front of her door, sealed with red wax.

'Fancy,' she said to herself. 'I wonder who this is from?'

Her mind immediately went to Weiss, before shaking that thought from her head. Weiss knew she was out on a job, so why would she send her a letter? That wouldn't make sense.

As she opened it, she noticed the unfamiliar handwriting.

Definitely not someone I know.

Reading the letter aloud, it seemed almost cryptic with how it was worded. It didn't seem like it had any meaning or purpose, which confused Ruby.

Beware the crimson princess that lurks amongst shadow,

She who would cause strife in the name of ideals,

For she will be the undoing of the system,

She will tear the people apart,

She will toy with the lesser beings,

And if need be, she will stain her own hands with scarlet.

There was one thing that was for certain. That letter gave her the chills.

What a weird prank… Ruby thought to herself. She'd never read anything like it.

'Oh crap! Yang!'

Looking at the clock, it was already 8:47. She was almost definitely going to be late, and that would not make Yang very happy.

Sure enough, she was late to Yang's apartment and Yang looked at her with a knowing smile.

'Admit it, you wanted to get totally drunk tonight, didn't you little sis?'

'No, I did not,' Ruby replied lightly. Blake and Weiss already had plans, but Pyrrha was free so she went out with Yang and Ruby, the three of them drinking long into the night.

'She's the one,' the woman said, pointing to the white haired girl who was leaving the Schnee office building. The two men she had with her stealthily crept up on the girl, one man covering her mouth whilst the other applied a rag covered in a sleeping drug, the girl soon giving up her struggle as she succumbed to unconsciousness.

'Nice job. Come with me. I'll show you where we're going to be staying for the next few weeks.'

That woman's playful smile was one that struck pure terror into the hearts of those men.

'Ugh…' Ruby groaned, her head pounding. 'Where am I?'

Looking around, she recognised it as her own place. Someone must have been kind enough to escort her home, if the fact that she couldn't remember anything from the previous night was anything to go by.

The time was already 11:20 AM, Ruby apparently having overslept. Grabbing a glass of water and some painkillers, she hoped they would dull the throbbing pain in her head at least a little bit when the phone rang.

'Hello?'

Her groggy, unenthusiastic voice told all about how much she wanted to speak right now, but her attitude changed when she heard what was being said on the other line. Amidst blubbers and sobs, Weiss' voice could be heard, Ruby unable to comprehend what she was hearing.

'What did you say…?'

Ruby needed her to repeat it, just to make sure she had heard it correctly.

'Winter's been kidnapped! Some… some woman, she calls herself 'Benihime' called me and told me she had my sister! I looked all over for her, and she's nowhere to be seen! I'm scared, Ruby… Winter is my only sister, and that woman has her! Please, you have to help me! I don't know what to do! I-'

Ruby hung the phone up.

No way… wait a second, Benihime? I could swear I've heard that somewhere before…

As it dawned on her what it was, she slowly turned her attention to the letter she had received last night.

'Benihime… Crimson Princess…'

Quickly reading through it again, she noticed something. One line in particular.

She will tear the people apart.

This letter wasn't just jumbled nonsense. It was a challenge.

'She will toy with the lesser beings, huh?'

Ruby grew furious at this anonymous sender. Whoever wrote this letter had kidnapped Winter Schnee, and she intended to find out who it was.

'We'll see who the lesser being is when I'm finished with you.'