Chapter Three: Head in the Cloud

The airship flew silently through the cool, clean, still nighttime air. Inside the ship, it was only slightly louder. A few men dressed as Beacon Academy cleaning staff were scattered around the ship, exhausted and silent after their long shift. Some wore headphones, listening to music on their scrolls. A news report played on the TV screen that took up one full wall. The anchor had just turned it over to a junior reporter, who was now talking about a new study on the different breeds of Grimm. Nothing groundbreaking there, Ruby decided. Really, she decided after looking around, it was a wonder that they even ran the ships at this time of night. Morning, technically, Ruby corrected herself. There was hardly anyone on it. And why should there be? It was one-thirty in the morning, and the ship had left from a school. Maybe there are more people returning. Students returning from a date, or teachers who had gone out for a few drinks.

Ruby was seated in the back row of the ship, her back to the wall. She didn't want to leave herself exposed to a surprise attack. Her hood was up, concealing her eyes as they flicked from one group to another, one individual to another. She carefully studied each one in turn, searching for any signs that they might pose a threat to her. The bulge in a jacket pocket- was it a gun, or a wallet after payday? The way that one stood- was he prepared to strike, or was he tense due to problems at home? It was an exercise that had been drilled into her since her youth. Always be aware of your surroundings.

She had added to it over the years as she gained confidence in her abilities. Threat assessment would always be the priority, but there was room for enjoyment as well. Over time, she had begun to play another guessing game with the subjects. She would try to guess their hobbies, or what they had for lunch. If she saw two people who were talking she would try to put words in their mouth for them. Just so long as she remained sure of her environment.

Right now there seemed to be only one real threat to her. It was currently pacing back and forth in the wide aisle that separated the two rows of seats. Weiss would take ten steps exactly, turn on her heel, repeat. Over and over, again and again. She hadn't stopped since stepping onto the ship ten minutes ago.

As if reading her mind, however, Weiss stopped in her tracks and sat down in the seat at the end of the row, crossing her left leg over her right and folding both arms against her chest. She kept her eyes staring straight ahead as she said "I don't suppose you have a plan for where we go when we land in Vale?"

Ruby turned her attention away from a man dressed in a black suit with a loosened tie and towards her…what is she? My partner? My colleague? Hah. Definitely not that. My associate? What is she? She turned her body to face the other girl and gave a small shrug. "Maybe. Maybe not. Who said I was in charge?"

Ruby heard the other girl take in a deep breath as she opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Weiss looked down at her feet and said softly "I don't know anything about hunting." It hurt the white-haired girl to admit to a weakness in front of anyone, but especially so to someone she viewed as an enemy.

Ruby sensed her reluctance and weakness and pounced on it. Maybe if I goad her she'll storm off when we land and it'll be easier to sneak away. "I'm sorry, what was that?" she asked. "Could you speak up?" Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the man in the black suit reach into his jacket. She tensed up automatically, ready to move if he withdrew a weapon…no, his hand came out with a cigarette and a match. He lit it and took a long drag.

Weiss mumbled her comment again, still looking down at her feet.

"You'll have to repeat that. I still can't here you." Ruby raised her voice to demonstrate how loud she wanted it to be. It caused a few of the others on the ship to look up and around in confusion at the sudden noise.

"I'm lost, okay?" Weiss shouted, louder even then Ruby had. Everyone on the ship looked at her, and the man in the black suit coughed as he breathed in some of his smoke. "I was sent here because I was too weak to be of any use to my family, and I already failed my first assignment. I couldn't even keep you out." She threw her arms up in the air. "I assured Professor Ozpin I would keep him safe, and what happened? My first night here, and you got in anyway. You snuck through the entire school, climbed the tower, burst in through the window. Who knows how long you were in there before I showed up. Then he sent me on an errand as a lowly messenger. Now he's given me one last shot to redeem myself, and I'm so far out of my depth that I have to rely on you to help me."

Slowly the men on the ship turned away from the two young women in embarrassment and pretended to focus on something else. While it might have seemed like they were turning their attention back to their scrolls or their conversations, really they wanted to hear the rest of what was no longer a private conversation.

That was a mistake, said one of the voices in Ruby's head. You just drew way too much attention to yourself. What are the tenets? "Hide in plain sight, be one with the crowd." "Never compromise the Brotherhood." That was her loyal voice, the part of her that had been raised as an assassin.

And what of the first tenet? This was her independent voice, the one that always seemed to cause her problems. "Stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent." Was attacking that girl necessary?

She is hardly an innocent, the first voice replied. She is a Schnee. Her father abused his power, and she has benefitted from that abuse her entire life. Think of who she now works for, Professor Ozpin. Another that has been judged guilty and sentenced to death for the good of humanity.

Are not the children innocent of the crimes of the fathers? Have you witnessed her do any wrong herself? You have only see her grieve a parent, protect an employer, and view the capture of a known and wanted criminal as a task to be regarded with her full determination, even if she has to put aside her own desires to do so.

Now you quote the enemy? You are weak. Why have you been allowed to exist for so long, sowing your seeds of discontent? Your link weakens this body's whole chain.

"I know what it's like," Ruby heard herself saying out loud. She hadn't even realized that she was speaking, or that she had stood and moved to the other girl's side, or that the other girl was crying softly. "I know what it's like to fail, and to have someone you want to impress."

What did you do to us? her loyal voice was screaming inside her head. Why are we doing this? Run now, while she is distracted!

"Just get away from me!" Weiss said as she tried to push Ruby away. The younger girl caught the older one's wrists and held onto them instead, drawing herself closer. In response, Weiss turned her head away while shaking her arms, trying to free herself.

What did I do to us? Just look what you've done! You've only ever cared about impressing her, doing things for her, even if it meant we didn't get to live for ourselves. I'm the only one looking out for Ruby! You're looking out for Salem, and there's no place for two women in this head!

Weiss was finally able to fight her way free and pushed Ruby away forcefully. "Get away from me!" she shouted as she stood quickly and ran toward the small bathroom at the front of the ship.

Perfect, her first voice said. Leave now!

No. Think of the people you could help. How many lives has Torchwick ruined already, and now you have a chance to stop him? Take it.

Ruby remained in the seat she had moved too after first upsetting Weiss and grabbed at her head. Inside of her, the two voices were arguing fiercely. It was beginning to give her a pounding headache.

Suddenly a new voice made an appearance, quiet and timid. Excuse me, it seemed to be saying. Listen to me. Quiet down, both of you. This isn't right. Ruby wanted to listen to that voice. Neither of you belong here. Ruby finally gained control of her thoughts and forced them silent. Thank you, the new voice said. Ruby, this is…well, this is you, Ruby. This is the real you. Those other voices? They aren't you. Think for yourself for once. Use that free will you've been told you're fighting for.

Those other voices aren't you. It isn't loyalty, or honor. That voice is hers, its Salem's. The woman who took you off the streets, promised you a purpose…that voice is hers, trying to guilt you into doing what she wants.

It isn't independence, or individuality. It's him, your uncle. The man who first taught you how to fight, only to leave you behind when it became inconvenient to him. He went off to die, and left his voice with you, trying to guilt you into doing what he wants.

Neither of them are you, though. You are the best parts of both of them, I think. You have her purpose-free humanity from fear. You have his selflessness-push yourself past your limits to help others.

Ruby was nodding to herself, ignoring the lingering looks of the other occupants of the airship. Yes, yes, this quiet, but forceful, voice was her. It felt right. It was something she could be proud of. She felt the two voices that had waged war inside her head for so long fade away like a fire that hadn't been stoked. Slowly, surely, the two individual fires died out, replaced with one single one.

I've been waiting for so long for you to wake up, Ruby. We're going to have so much fun together. We're going to do so much good together. Just listen to me, girl. I won't lie to you. I won't mislead you. I won't use you. I'm here for your benefit.

Now go and find Weiss. I hope you fancy yourself a detective. You have a criminal to catch.

Ruby walked slowly towards the exit of the ship. It wouldn't have been easy for her to blend in with the crowd of middle aged men wearing janitor's overalls or business suits, so she didn't even try. Instead, she merely hung to the back of the crowd as it pushed towards the doors. The ship hadn't docked yet, but it would shortly. Everyone was tired and ready to be sleeping at home. They wanted to be off the ship immediately after it landed.

She looked for Weiss, but couldn't see her. She wasn't tall enough to see over the heads of the crowd, and Weiss, even in heels, wasn't tall enough to be seen over the heads of the crowd. She might even be shorter than me if she wasn't wearing those ridiculous boots, she thought. How does she fight in them?

It was nice, Ruby decided. The journey from the school to the city wasn't long, so she hadn't been able to enjoy her newfound inner voice for long. But what little she had had been very enjoyable indeed. Her headache had disappeared, leaving her clearheaded for the first time in years. She hadn't even realized how much stress her inner conflicts had been causing her, or the fog that had covered her, until now that it was gone. A veil had been lifted from her eyes, and it was amazing.

Where is Weiss? I can't say yet if Salem lied to me, or if Ozpin has, or if they both are, but it seems clear that Torchwick is a bad man. This is a big city. There's a lot of ground to cover. Having a partner, especially one that's as influential as a Schnee, could only help to find him. She extended her hidden blade briefly before having it spring close. Find him, and finish him. Use this to help the people.

With just a small jostle, the ship landed and the voice of the captain came over the loudspeakers. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have landed safely in Vale. Check your seats for any belongings and please leave the ship in a calm and orderly fashion. We are honored that you traveled with us tonight." The red light over the doors flashed to green as they slid open. "Ladies and gentlemen awaiting transport to Beacon Academy, please remain patient as our current passengers exit the ship. We'll begin boarding shortly and will depart in five minutes. Thank you for your patience." The message would repeat soon, Ruby knew. It had probably played a million times since it was first recorded.

Getting off the ship, Ruby walked towards the stairway that would lead up from the station to the city proper. As she neared it, she saw a girl with long white hair tied to the side, wearing a white dress with a long rapier at her side nearing the top. Aha. She must have been at the very front of the crowd. That's the only way that she could have gotten up there so quickly. How can I catch up to her? It was a little crowded to be using her semblance, she decided. She had already drawn enough attention to herself on the ship by making Weiss shout out angrily. She didn't need to do more here, now, with even more people around. How can I get up there…aha! There! She gently pushed her way through the crowd and past the first stairway. A few hundred feet ahead of her was another staircase, probably used during the day when there were multiple ships coming in at a time. With just the one, though, there wasn't anyone near it. Ruby could use her speed her there, catch up with Weiss, and maybe, just maybe, convince her that she wanted to help.

Weiss gently wiped at her eyes with her handkerchief. She didn't want to mess up any of her makeup. Like it could get any worse for me tonight, she thought dryly. Maybe I should have stayed in Atlas…

That thought scared her, and she hurriedly pushed it to the back of her mind. It didn't stay there for long. She had spent her entire life trying to get out of her father's grasp, and now, finally, she had managed too. Even if it hadn't gone the way she had expected it too. Now she was alone, and being alone scared her.

She sat on the toilet in the small bathroom and buried her head in her hands. She didn't miss her father, not really. He had never cared much for her, viewing her only as a means to an end. He hadn't discouraged her combat training, but only as long as she studied all the things a proper lady should know. He would marry her off as soon as he could. He knew that, her mother knew that, her sister knew that. Being admitted to the Templars was only a formality. Her father had never expected her to do anything more than decorate the arm of a man she wouldn't meet until her father and his had finalized all the details of their wedding contract, set the date, and hired the band..

Now he was gone, and she was left without a plan. Winter had stepped in quickly to take over the business interests until someone more qualified could be found. She had needed to take a brief leave from her military service to do so. She's older than me, Weiss thought. She should be the heiress, not me. She should be the one with the duty they don't want, not me. She shook her head. No, she didn't want that for her sister. Winter had been the only one to ever express the slightest amount of real, personal interest in her. She had been the one who would teach her about glyphs, how to hold her sword, what the proper stance was in a fight. Even my instructors didn't really care how I did. Father had told them that I wouldn't ever use what they taught me. So why should they have put forth any meaningful effort?

But she had been determined to try, to succeed where they had said she would fail. And so she had studied on her own, and had pushed herself far past what she had considered her limits. Winter had noticed her determination at least. So when she took over the day after Father died…the day after Father was murdered, she reminded herself…Winter had agreed to hear her plan to attend Beacon. Her sister had given her some of her time, asking questions about what she wanted for the future, listening patiently to the answers, until she had agreed on two conditions. She said I had to listen to Ozpin, following his orders and keep him safe. I've already failed at both of those.

"I'm a failure," she said out loud. "I'm not perfect. I've tried so hard, but I'm not. Not yet at least. I should just go back home." The assassin had made that clear. That girl was younger even than Weiss was, yet she had managed to sneak through the school. It hadn't mattered that Weiss had doubled the amount of guards. She had been able to attack Professor Ozpin. It hadn't mattered that Weiss had been standing in a room near the bottom of the tower. And now, when they were supposed to work together, she had with just a few words caused Weiss to flee and hide. I couldn't protect him, and I'm not listening to him. Both of my promises have been broken.

She wiped the last few tears from her eyes and stood, looking into the mirror to see how much damage she had done. Not as bad as it could've been, I suppose. At least that's…something.

She cracked the door open and looked out cautiously. Ruby was sitting where she had been when Weiss left, mouthing words to herself in some sort of…what? A conversation with herself? Whatever it was, the younger girl was very animated. And apparently a little crazy. Who actually talks to themselves? I mean, out loud? Still, there was something appealing about the girl that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Her eyes are so honest. Maybe that's it. Or perhaps it's the way she talked to me. She didn't fear me or my family. She didn't pretend to be anything that she isn't in an attempt to impress my family. She opened the door fully and exited the ship's small bathroom, but didn't head back toward the black-haired girl. Instead she headed in the opposite direction, towards the extreme front of the ship. It would be landing soon, and Weiss wanted to be the first one off when it landed. The sooner we land, the sooner I can find a hotel for a night. Then I can take a ship back to Atlas in the morning. What will I say to Winter?

She stood by the doors for the next few minutes, turning the thought over in her mind. She barely noticed as the other travelers started to surround her, eager to return home after a long day.

As the doors opened she exited the ship and made her way towards the staircase. She hadn't spent any time in Vale, as she had arrived only a few days ago and had made her way to Beacon almost immediately. Still, she figured that there must be a hotel or two right near the station. That was how it was set up in Atlas, at least. Why would Vale be any different?

She reached the top of the staircase and moved forward before turning to the right. A sign over the hallway had an image that appeared to be representing a hotel, so she followed the arrows, breaking off from the small crowd of people. Apparently none of them needed a room to stay in.

Then, a whoosh, a flash of red, and suddenly there were rose petals floating in the air in front of her. She grabbed at one cautiously while using her other hand to fan the remainder out of her eyes. Where did this come from?

Then she saw exactly where it had come from. In front of her, stepping out of the shadows created by a sharp turn in the hallway, was Ruby Rose. And she had her weapon drawn.

"Is the sword necessary?" Ruby asked.

"Is the scythe?" retorted Weiss coldly.

Ruby looked down at her weapon. "Yes, it is. But it isn't for you." She rose her weapon and swung it carefully a few times, cautious of frightening Weiss into attacking and of the somewhat cramped confines of the hallway. "I built and designed this weapon for one reason: to kill. That is what it does."

Weiss carefully watched Ruby as she spoke.

"This weapon is a part of me. It's an extension of myself. I kill. It's what I do."

Weiss still hadn't lowered her sword, angling it toward Ruby. She instinctively moved her feet so she would be ready to fight. Why, she wondered. Why is she telling me this?

"I've never really stopped to consider if what I was doing was right or not. I was trying to impress someone, someone that claimed to want to help me. I gave it some thought just now and…I mean, I was thinking about what you said on the ship and…" she trailed off, not finishing her sentence.

Weiss carefully lowered her own sword. She didn't put it down fully yet though. How could this girl be such a good fighter, how could she think to challenge Ozpin, and yet seem so scared when talking face to face? "Just say it."

"I want to take down Torchwick. I want to help people," she said excitedly. "I think we can do it." She emphasized the word we. "I want to use this weapon for the purpose I built it for: to help people who can't help themselves."

At this, Weiss lowered her sword fully. I don't want to return to Atlas, she thought. But can I trust her? After all, she did chase after me. Why would she do that if she was just going to run away? "Ruby, right?" she asked. "That was your name?"

The other girl nodded. "Ruby Rose. From Patch." She extended her hand.

"Listen, Ruby, I don't think I like you. But if we're going to do this, we're going to have to do this together. Are you with me?"

Ruby nodded again. "Yeah."

"Then let me introduce myself properly. My name is Weiss Schnee." She looked at the hand Ruby still had held out and sighed. Here goes. She extended her own hand to shake Ruby's. "Do you have any ideas as to where we go from here?"

"Well, I thought we could go over what Glynda- I mean Professor Goodwitch- had told us. There must have been something there that we can use."

Maybe I'm not a failure after all, Weiss thought. Maybe I don't need to go crawling back to Atlas. Maybe meeting this girl will be good for me. "Okay." A simple word, representing a complex alliance.

Ruby looked around worriedly. There wasn't anyone around them, but still…You can never be too careful, she thought. "Not here, though. Too public. Follow me."

She ran off ahead, out of the station and across the street, Weiss following after her.

"Uh, I guess it can't hurt…I've chased after criminals before," Ruby said cautiously.

Ozpin nodded, Weiss crossed her arms and started pacing back and forth while refusing to look at Ruby, Ozpin or Glynda. Glynda herself began to relay the details of the Vale police investigation, her voice strict, her demeanor demanding the attention of everyone in the room.

"This is Roman Torchwick," she said as she tapped at her scroll. An image of the man appeared on the screens behind the desk opposite where the three women were standing. Professor Ozpin turned from looking out over the school grounds and faced the screens himself. The man on them was shown both head on and in profile against a police height chart, holding a sign with his name and an identification number.

"Heh heh…they should have held onto him longer instead of letting him go after taking his picture," Ruby joked.

Glynda stopped and looked at her. "Now is hardly the time for humor, young lady," she scolded. "As I was saying, this is Roman Torchwick. He has been wanted by the Vale Police Department for years now, ever since he managed to escape shortly after this picture was taken.

"Not much is known about this man besides his physical appearance. Just over six feet, green eyes, orange hair. We don't know his age, family or personal history though according to witness reports, he is very attached to his hat…"

"Oh, that'll help immensely," Weiss said as she paced back and forth.

Glynda drew and snapped her riding crop down on the desk, instantly silencing the heiress. Ah, so it is a riding crop, not a baton…interesting. Very interesting, Ruby thought to herself.

"For the last few weeks, there has been a dramatic increase in the number and boldness of dust robberies. Professor Ozpin was approached by the VPD because of this, and he agreed to send me to them to advise them. I decided to stake out one of the larger dust shops that for some reason had been ignored so far, From Dust Till Dawn. I entered the store and asked the owner if he had seen anyone suspicious around. Before he could answer, Roman entered along with several apparent henchmen.

"At the time, I didn't recognize him. Nothing yet had connected him to the robberies. He nodded to his men and they made a move to grab the dust crystals, which is when I intervened. Roman set his men against me, and ran away. I followed as best as I could, chasing him onto a rooftop, but he was able to escape with the help of a very powerful huntress.

"I decided after this to report back to Professor Ozpin. I was only able to briefly study the VPD files on each of the robberies, but they didn't have much in them, so it wouldn't have taken me very long anyway. One detective mentioned an informant from the Wild Fang that was never followed, and another mentioned a visit to a nightclub to ask the owner what he had heard. That visit never panned out. His name is Hei Xiong, but he apparently is known on the street as 'Junior.'" She finished speaking and motioned to Ozpin to take over.

"There you have it, ladies. You face the world now slightly more prepared." Ozpin reclaimed his seat and pointed towards the door. "Remember, Miss Rose, that you fight for the people. And they need you. Miss Schnee, remember what you told me when you arrived yesterday. You can view this as your first test."

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Weiss asked her new partner. They had decided together to search out Junior at his club to see if he had heard or seen anything.

Ruby pointed at the sign above the nightclub. "Here's your sign, Weiss."

Weiss groaned. "We do not know each other well enough for jokes, Ruby." Is she still testing me? Or is she really just like this? She's an assassin…but also a person, right? No one in my family ever seemed so real. This girl…she seems real. Maybe I was too quick to say I didn't like her…

The young assassin sighed, muttering under her breath. "You might not think it, but humor helps with this."

"What was that?" Weiss asked, looking over. She was sitting next to Ruby on a bench across the street from Junior's nightclub, studying the line outside and the bouncers that were keeping them in check.

"It wasn't anything important. I was just saying that humor helps…"

Weiss raised her hand and shushed Ruby. "No, you dolt. What was that?" She pointed to a man flying through the air, a young woman chasing after him. "And who are they?" Moving her arm, she pointed at two women who were running out of the nightclub, weapons held at the ready in their hands.