Ruby couldn't help but squeeze Weiss's hand as they once again walked through the lengths of the Beacon Vault. It was where it all ended for her, or was it where all her current problems had begun? Ruby huffed, and a slight chill breeze followed her through the shadowed corridors, causing the unnatural green flames that kept the vault lit to dance and sputter before finally going out one by one as they walked past.
Weiss pulled to a halt, her breath condensing in the chill, her icy eyes narrowing in concern, "Ruby, we don't have to come down here, you have every right to badger Ozpin into not doing this, or at least take this 'training' of his somewhere into Forever Fall and not… here.."
Ruby lifted her cloak. offering to share it with Weiss who nodded gratefully, "Sorry about the cold, it just… leaks like that sometimes. And seriously, Weiss, I'm fine. I need to learn how to control my… everything and this is the safest place to train. Besides, it's not like there's much else to do since Yang is still asleep and I don't want to wake her up." Left unsaid was the other reason Ruby wanted to be here, wanted to train and fight. She just wanted to let loose, to let the storm out from under her skin where it wouldn't hurt anyone, to expel the cold from her core, to let nature's wrath-!
"If that's what you want… but I'm making sure Ozpin or that uncle of yours don't pull anything, understand?"
Ruby just nodded while she kneaded her temples, glad Weiss hadn't caught her zoning out. She hated when she drifted off like that but there was just so much more she could touch and feel now… She could feel the breeze drift over the cool stone walls all the up to the end of the vault and what was now gone from it, the heat of flames which should be under her command, she could even feel two people up ahea-
"Miss Rose, Miss Schnee, I hope the two of you are doing okay?" Ozpin, said as he walked up to the two of them, sipping a bit of his cocoa.
"Hi, professor, I'm doing… alright." Ruby waved, while Weiss just looked away.
"Hey, kiddo… I hope you don't mind your Uncle Qrow being here to check on ya today?" Qrow reached out to ruffle her hair and pulled back. But wait… Uncle Qrow always ruffled her hair, duh. She let go of Weiss's hand so she could give her uncle a big hug, smiling as he gently patted her head.
Pulling away from her uncle she looked at Ozpin expectantly, "Sooo professor, you called me for magic practice, right? Learning how to control my powers since well, even before all… this" Her eyes darted briefly to the end of the vault, "I was still so new to it."
She could see Weiss grimace out of the corner of her eye while Qrow's eyes frowned before Ozpin responded, "Yes, which is why today you and I will spar Miss Rose, with your goal simply being to try and not use your powers."
"Wait what? If I'm trying to learn how to fling lightning better, how does not using my Maiden magic in a fight help me learn?" Ruby asked, her head tilting to the side in confusion.
Ozpin looked to Weiss, "Miss Schnee, may I ask you why Huntsmen generally eschew wielding pure dust without a weapon of any sort, despite how powerful it can be unfiltered?"
Weiss's eyes narrowed at Ozpin for a second, looking just as confused as Ruby was, before answering tentatively. "Other than the costs associated with it, it's because once you activate it with your aura it's incredibly easy to lose control and blow yourself up. Even with Myrtenaster as a conduit, it took a long time to even get to a level where my dust usage was remotely safe in a fight. But what does dust have to do with Ruby's Maiden abilities? One is a well-studied, raw material that underpins all of civilization and the other is…" Weiss gritted her teeth, "'magic', according to you at least."
Ozpin gave a small smile before he responded, "They are more alike than you'd think Miss Schnee, but as to how it relates to you Miss Rose," His green eyes looked into Ruby's own, "Dust and magic are both highly unstable and hard to control. However, unlike a dust crystal, your powers can't run out, are never inert, and it's a rare and grave occurrence when a Maiden is able to, is required, to flex the full extent of her powers."
"You did kinda put out the lights just walking to us," Qrow replied, some of his usual smarm slowly making its way back to his voice while Ruby looked away sheepishly.
"That's… fair. Sooo I guess how are we going to do this professor?"
"The most important thing to controlling magic is ensuring that your emotions do not control your powers, just as you should let them not control your actions. Just as in a fight with a friend we don't let our anger control us to say things we may not mean, it is not about what emotions we feel, but having the self-control to not let it carry magic away from us. Your training as a Huntress actually gives you a rather strong headstart over many newfound Maidens, as controlling your fear in a fight against Grimm is one of the first and most important bits of training you have received. Does this all make sense Miss Rose?"
Ruby nodded eagerly cause… yeah when he put it like that it did make sense.
"Otherwise, Just approach this as you would any other spar, and don't worry about hurting me. Qrow, Miss Schnee, may you give the two of us space?" Ozpin said.
Her uncle nodded, and as he walked past he gave Ruby a thumbs up and a wink, which she responded to in kind, while Weiss looked at Ruby with a worried glance, firing one last glare at Ozpin before following Uncle Qrow.
Once they reached a safe distance away, Ruby dropped into a fighting stance, deploying Crescent Rose. The familiar weight of her baby soothing her as she circled Ozpin. While it may have been a bit heavier than her normal staves, she was certainly a lot stronger than bef- wait what staves? When had Ruby ever-
The sound of crackling broke Ruby from her thoughts and she looked down to see frost gathering on the floor with every footstep. She was already failing to keep her stupid powers in check and she hadn't even taken a single swing yet!
Meanwhile, Ozpin remained perfectly still, not even turning to keep up with Ruby, just standing there, cane in hand, waiting.
When she was nearly behind him, Ruby finally lept forward, swinging downwards only for Ozpin to immediately turn. Ruby felt the crackle of her aura as his cane impacted her and she tumbled to the side, her wind gently picking her up off the floor.
Ruby scrambled for Crescent Rose, picking it up just in time to see Ozpin nearly landing on top of her. She rolled back before firing at him, letting the recoil propel her to a safe distance away from the headmaster, skidding across the granite floor.
The boom of Crescent Rose echoed inside the vault's cavernous interior, and Ruby couldn't help but gawk as she saw Ozpin deflect each of the bullets with his cane. He certainly was living up to his reputation.
Ozpin advanced towards her, clearly expecting her to try and keep her distance but Ruby shot herself forward with Crescent Rose, spinning into another swing that was narrowly met with his weapon.
Cane and scythe clashed, each blow managing to be intercepted in near-perfect stalemate, the two dancing across the floor of the vault in harmony, and Ruby couldn't help but grin.
"Enjoying yourself Miss Rose?" Ozpin's voice rang out without even the slightest hint of exhaustion.
"Yeah," Ruby said, her breath heavy, before she came in for another swing. But this time Ozpin ducked, and he swept Ruby's legs out from under her.
She instinctively pulled on her Semblance, but instead of the familiar and comforting speed and lightness Ruby was used to she felt herself scattering, fragmenting, coming apart, shattering into petals, dead leaves, and frost before abruptly pulling herself back together. She fell to the floor, leaves and petals floating down alongside her, a sheet of frost expanding across the floor where she landed, while she felt clouds percolate above as a wave of wind and mist launched Ozpin into the wall of the vault.
She heard Ozpin's voice, the clacking of Weiss's heels as she and her Uncle shouted her name but she couldn't she couldn't-!
That was her semblance! But she had a Semblance already her speed her beautiful red petals that was her! That was Ruby Rose!
"-let me get to Ruby and talk-!"
"-too dangerous ice queen-"
But wait no no she never had a Semblance why was she surprised she finally unlocked it- No no no no!
"-Qrow take Miss Schnee, I'll-"
"-I made a promise I won't-"
"-please trust-!"
Freezing rain began pouring from the clouds above, all around her, turning to slick ice as it impacted the vault's floor. Everything was wrong, she was supposed to be Ruby but even her Semblance was different now, the thing that reflected who she was as a person! She couldn't remember her grandmama, she didn't remember her own age, she just-! Why her? No, she knew why she did this to save… to save the tournament fighter Pyrrha yes, her friend!
Ruby sniffled, cold tears running down her face even as magic burned from her left eye. She just wished mom, Summer, yes Summer, was here. Back before she died and gave Ruby these powers. Wait no that wasn't-!
The wind howled around her, whipping the rain back and forth to its whims while the clouds above churned with static, and Ruby put her head into her knees, while she wrapped her arms around her legs. Everything was so strange, so different since she'd been attacked and placed into that coffin and torn apart and stuffed into someone else! How could she talk to Dad about this, her poor sister-!
She felt a hand on her back, and she looked beside her to see Ozpin, drenched with sopping white hair tacked to his forehead, glasses stained with icy droplets, sitting next to her.
"G-guess I failed the training huh?" She said weakly, looking at the storm that had been unleashed, that had finally been unleashed, even if there was so much more she could do if she wanted.
Ozpin just sighed, and the cool unflappable persona gave way to one that was unmistakably tired, his eyes closing and shoulders sagging, "Miss Rose, no, Ruby I have something to tell you something deeply personal. I… don't… expect it to make things better but I know what you are going through."
"How would you know…" She muttered bitterly, glaring at him with silvered eyes.
"Maidens are not the only Fairy Tale that has some basis in the truth, some strange progenitor that exists in reality. The Infinite Man, the Man with Two Souls, and many others, those were based on me, on my story."
Ruby's eyes widened as she took in just… what…that… meant… "I… oh, I'm… sorry I didn't know I… how?"
Ozpin stared at the end of the vault, eyes distant, "I've been cursed for the sins of someone else and thus every time I've died I come back, to a new unwitting and unwilling person who hosts my soul. It might not be as fast but… I do it every lifetime, losing myself until the two of us are both one. It never gets easier, the fear of losing yourself, adopting habits and mannerisms, that are not yours. Two people slowly becoming one whole."
"Oh I'm… sorry." That was… a lot to take in… just. He was like her but… Ruby squeezed her legs harder as she thought about it.
"No need to apologize Miss Rose, every lifetime I eventually come to terms with it eventually but that is not the point of why I'm talking to you. I'm not going to minimize your pain but… I want to let you know If you ever want to just talk or confide I will always be here.. I know just how much of a lonely feeling being the only person to deal with something like this."
Ruby flashed him a brief, small smile before it guttered out once again, "I just… don't know who I am, I'm losing my mind, I… I remember things that didn't happen to me and… it's just… everything is changing! I can't control myself and I could have hurt Weiss or Uncle Qrow all because my brain is scrambled and I don't know what to do! And I just… I worry I'm going to stop being the same Ruby I was for Yang, for my dad, for my team… I don't want to hurt them I just… I already mix up my mom and my grandmama and I just don't know what to do! I'm falling apart and that woman is coming for me and the school and she'll hurt everyone to get to me!
Ozpin looked at her warmly, "If there is one thing that sticks with me no matter the merge, that keeps me whole it's," He paused for a moment, "Love. When I've merged with people the love they have for family and friends becomes mine and the feelings I have become theirs. All the things that people loved about them always remained solid and steady and every time friends and family are what have kept me the most… whole. They kept me from losing things during every merge. If there is one piece of advice I can give you Ruby it's to not let fear, theirs or yours, push you away from them, they'll be what keeps you afloat during this, allowing you to become whoever you want to be as even if your past is confused and jumbled, whatever memories you make with them now won't be, all of you will have them and cherish them."
"I… Thanks, professor I just… I'm sorry for getting you drenched…"
He waved her off. "I can sit here with you and talk as long as you want, or we can just sit, or I can let you go back to your Uncle and Miss Schnee, they are waiting out of earshot safe and sound. Whatever you think would make you feel best."
"I'... can we start training again?" She asked, slowly uncurling and scrambling to her feet. "I-I don't want to mope and… when the time comes I don't want to hurt people, let people get hurt, or fail after you've trusted me with so much responsibility so… yeah."
"Of course Miss Rose, of course."