Glynda sent a silent apology to the young man as the Warframe with wolf heads began moving. She needed to test Ruby Rose's skill in a nonlethal situation, and he had gotten decent enough combat grades from Pharos to suit the purposes. It would be too suspicious to send Rose and Nikos up against each other on the first day.

To the surprise of everyone, Rose's Warframe drew her ax off her back… And rested it against the wall before beginning to walk down into the arena.

"Miss Rose? You aren't using your weapon?" Glynda asked, curiosity rising.

"This is supposed to be a spar, not a butchery," Rose said, pulling a sniper rifle off her back and handing it to Belladonna as she passed, "Knell Prime will be more than enough."

"You underestimating me?" Winchester sneered as he walked into the arena, his mace, the Executioner, slung across his shoulder.

"No, I know your type well," Rose said, "Think they're skilled enough to fight a Tenno, when they'll be lucky to leave a scratch. Well trained by most standards, but compared to what we went through, you're nothing."

Winchester's grip on the Executioner grew tighter, before he charged at Rose. The next thing Glynda knew, Rose was behind Winchester and swinging her fist for his head. It made contact with a loud crack and a flash of Aura as he was sent flying by the punch, the Executioner flying from his hand and skidding across the floor of the arena. Glynda refused to blink as Winchester got back up, letting her see Rose tear across the space between them at lightning speeds and deliver a running lariat to his throat.

He slammed back into the ground in a flash of Aura, gasping for air as he did so. Before Winchester could stand back up, Rose latched onto his shoulders and dragged him back up.

"Just give up," she ordered, only for Winchester to give an anemic punch to the face. Glynda could almost feel the eye roll before Rose slammed Winchester into the ground and left him unconscious.

—

Blake stepped out of the Liset with Crocea Mors at her hip and Gambol Shroud on her back alongside her backpack. Walking to the elevator, Blake rose to the nex floor to find Ruby playing with Chiro. The bat… Dog… Thing looked up, nose twitching at her before going back to playing with Ruby. Ruby finished running a hand through the kubrow's fur and stood up.

"Rough day?" Blake said, handing Crocea Mors to Ruby, who immediately slotted it into the modding station and began to type something in. Immediately, lasers began to scan the blade.

"I think I'm gonna skip history in the future, outside of tests," Ruby said, walking towards the living area of the Orbiter with Blake, Chiro padding at their heels. Blake's eyes traveled to the strange, blue, bulbus helmet Ruby kept in her living quarters. She didn't talk about it, but it was obvious that it was important to her.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Blake asked.

"What's the worst they can do, expel me?" Ruby said, cracking open her textbook and rubbing her forehead, "and Ozpin wants to keep an eye on me, so I doubt they'll do that. God, I hate this stuff. No offense, Blake, but why do I have to know when the Faunus Rights Revolution was to be a Huntress?"

"It's a good point," Blake conceded. Beacon wanted their students to have a well rounded education, but she could see why Ruby might be adverse to college level history classes. She had already struggled enough with it on the online program she had been enrolled in for the past year.

"What about math?"

"I like math," Ruby defended, "you need to know math for my combat style."

Yeah, that was fair.

Blake and Ruby lapsed into a comfortable silence, nothing but the scratching of pencils and the soft pants of Chiro, head laying in Ruby's lap, filling the room. Finally, Blake said, "So, why'd you go rearranging the room this morning?"

"I didn't want to be leader. I don't like it. And it means I have to take extra classes on the subject. I'd prefer if you or Yang were in charge."

"I wouldn't want to be leader either," Blake said, "So, what do you think about the Vytal Festival at the end of the year, the big tournament?"

"It reminds me of Lunaro. That's an old Tenno sport."

"Live fire exercise?" Blake asked.

"Surprisingly no," Ruby said, "We had other live fire exercises. Annihilation we called it, Lunaro was just for fun.

"Tenno," Ordis's voice came across the speakers, "the assessment of the weapon you brought aboard is done. Would you like me to read out the results?"

"No, I'll check them myself," Ruby said, standing up and stretching.

—

Ruby walked out of her living quarters and into the cramped room of her Orbiter, stopping in front of the modification station and pulling up the report.

Weapon name: ?

Age: 80 years

Blade forged of Dust enhanced steel. Allows for retention of edge. Despite age, the blade is still sharp.

Integrity: 69 %

Well, that wouldn't do at all.

"Ordis?" Ruby called.

"Yes, Tenno?"

"How many ducats do we have in stock?"

"Tenno, you can't seriously be considering-"

"Ordis?" Ruby repeated.

"…4000," Ordis said, "Shall I load them to the foundry?"

"Yeah," Ruby said, pulling out a small hammer and beginning to work the blade out of Crocea Mors' hilt before walking over to the foundry and beginning to type in the requirements. 32 inches, arming sword design.

The ducats began to melt down, the foundry printing the blade as they did.