"You're my friend, right? You promise you're my friend?"

A yawn escaped from Ruby's lips as she rose from her bed. It had been a long tour hunting Grimm, and she had only gotten home the night before. It had been her sixth ten month tour searching out Grimm on the main continent since graduating from Beacon. As she had so little time off duty, many of her friendships had fallen apart, leaving only the rest of her team as comrades. While Blake and Weiss had found their own place, Yang kind of just hopped around, sleeping in a different bed every night, yet still paying for half of her and Ruby's apartment.

I wonder what the guy she inevitably went home with was thinking, Ruby pondered as she made her way to the kitchen, I figure the tales of her wild nights would scare off more than a few potential suitors, and everyone must know who she is at Junior's club by now.

Shrugging off the thought, Ruby pulling her now back length hair into a quick ponytail before grabbing a cup of coffee. Today is the day when I can finally see Penny again, Ruby smiled inwardly. Penny was the only member not in team RWBY that Ruby had kept in contact with since graduation. Penny was still in the body of a young girl, but her combat prowess was world-class, yet few knew who, or even what she was. Ruby was one of the privileged few who not only knew, but was allowed to communicate with her, and so Ruby took full advantage, calling Penny whenever they were both off mission, talking about their favorite weapons, the cute guys they fought with that week, their favorite Grimm kill they'd seen (it was always one of theirs) and how much they missed seeing each other.

"I promise."

Ruby sighed as she looked out the vast window in her clock tower, surveying her city. It had been 53 years since she had graduated from this very school and become a full time Huntress, and 30 since she had retired to become the new Headmaster at Beacon after Ozpin had passed away. Beacon had become the premier Huntsman training academy in Remnant, drawing the best teachers and students to its hallowed halls, offering a chance to become a part of the tradition of excellence that Ruby had established following Ozpin's example.

Now, almost 50 years after they had last met, one of Ruby's closest friends was finally coming back to visit her. The elevator doors slid open, and Ruby turned to face the ginger haired girl.

"Ruby!" Penny exclaimed, skipping over to the Headmaster, eager to see her oldest friend.

"Penny, still haven't aged one bit I see," Ruby said, leaning down to give the small girl a hug. "So you have to tell me all about it. It's been decades sense you left, and I'm afraid I haven't many stories to tell, but I'm sure you have plenty of stories about the Moon."

"Oh yes, we were all surprised at how bad it had really gotten, and so General Ironwood extended my stay there, but when he retired, the new General just decided I was better up there trying to repair the Moon," Penny responded, shivering at the thought of staying up in space for almost half a century.

"Well, you're here now, and that's all that matters. I am afraid I do have to tell you something Penny, something that you're not going to like very much," Ruby said in her gentlest voice, grasping her young friend's hand. "I'm dying Penny. The doctors said there was nothing they could do, that it was an old battle wound or something."

"Ruby… what do you mean?"

"I'm going to have to leave you. My body hasn't stayed young like yours, and I can't keep fighting anymore," Ruby replied, tears filling her silver eyes.

"But… but why?" Penny said, looking for some clue as to why her friend would leave her.

"I've just gotten too old. You have your whole life ahead of you, eternal youth. Something I wish I could have with you, my dear friend," she said, kissing the top of Penny's head, tears streaming down both of their faces.

"But I don't want to go on without you, Ruby," Penny cried.

"Ruby, I'm not a real girl."