Disclaimer: See last chapter.

Uncomfortable Truths

Ruby Rose's mind was still whirring with activity, despite the fact that she had been so exhausted she barely had been able to get food before she went to bed. And yet...she was still awake, even at twelve at night.

Even with the window open, there wasn't much she could do about it. The wind didn't calm her mind down, and no matter what she thought about the main thing kept popping up into her head. The idea behind it.

She dialed a quick scroll number, not surprised when it picked up on the first ring. What she was surprised to see was Zwei's video call start to activate, the dog having small cucumbers in its eyes as if he was having a day trip to the spa.

"Zwei, why do you have cucumbers!?" Ruby's first thought announced itself. The dog gave a hearty pant, before the cucumbers fell off his eyes. "You know, I know I didn't leave any of those in there, did you go shopping while I've been gone!?"

Zwei gave another bark. "Zwei, please. Please tell me you aren't making Jasper or Lilac's life harder than you need to be," Ruby asked pleadingly. The corgi gave an adorable head tilt before he barked and nodded. "Good, that's all I ask."

Another bark this time, as if asking what she was calling about. "It's...Zwei this is going to sound weird but I just called my dog so it can't be that weird," Ruby started. Zwei gave a distinctly unimpressed look, as if she was doubting his intelligence. Ruby knew she shouldn't; he'd somehow gotten a scroll, got it activated on the CCT, and was able to answer it with video on the first ring.

"Magic is real," Ruby started. "I...don't know what to do anymore. I want to talk to Dad, and I want to talk to Uncle Qrow, but I don't know if I should. I'm tired, but I can't sleep. Ozpin asked me...he asked me to become the Fall Maiden."

Zwei gave a quiet bark, as if he understood she was just using him as a sounding board. "I don't know what to do anymore. I need to talk about it, but I can't talk about it to anyone. Ozpin told me not to."

The corgi tilted his head, as if asking 'but what about me?' before he gave a slight bark. A loud series of whines came out, and a moment later a picture of her dad, Uncle Qrow, Yang, and herself popped up in the viewer.

"You think I should talk to them anyways?" Ruby asked. Zwei popped back up on screen and was nodding. "How do I start it though? By the way, I know that you two used to work for Ozpin and Qrow still does and he invited me to become the Maiden even though you shot down Yang without even telling her-"

Zwei gave a quiet bark of affirmation. "I know," Ruby said. "But...I don't want to make it worse on them. And this is going to be a death sentence, Zwei. I will have this power until I die. Whether that's because of outside forces, or of old age. I'm hoping for that one, honestly."

The dog nodded his face again, before pulling up the picture. "You're right. I should just...pull off the bandage. I get it," Ruby murmured. Zwei nodded, giving another bark before his nose must have hit the 'end call' button. "I swear, he gets more intelligent by the day..." Ruby muttered under her breath.

But as much as she didn't like to admit, Zwei had a point. Although how Zwei managed to get that point across to her was a thought for another time. She should just...get it over with.

She sent a quick scroll message to her dad and Uncle Qrow, asking them if they could just talk for a bit. The answer was near instantaneous, in Qrow's case based on the sudden thud near her window. Her dad would take a bit longer, because this was right around the time he actually was asleep.

"Everything alright firecracker?" Qrow asked as soon as Ruby opened the window for him. He had been a tiny little black bird, only slightly bigger than a regular crow, before he hopped in and a flare of smoke came out. It was interesting to see how the magic worked instantly.

"How did you get to do that? That wasn't your Semblance," Ruby started to ask.

"That never surprised you in the past, and you ask about it now?" Qrow asked, sitting down on her bed. "And uh...I thought you knew already."

"Ozpin told me it was magic, but that was it. And that I now owe Yang two hundred lien that she doesn't realize I owe her."

"Oh, don't tell her that you know she'll come up with some way to ensure you pay her for it," Qrow warned intently. Ruby nodded. Yang was notorious for ensuring that all bets were paid.

Even if she was one of the ones that owed it.

"And...wait, Ozpin told you? How much did he tell you?" Qrow asked, his eyes narrowing. Ruby nodded. This was the moment of truth.

"He told me a lot. About...things. Magic. The Maidens."

"He told you about Amber," Qrow guessed. Ruby nodded. "Huh. I'm kinda surprised. I always thought he'd never tell anyone about her until it was too late. Goodwitch and I had a bet riding on it. Don't tell her that, I'll owe her two hundred lien."

For supposed teachers, they sure acted like kids sometimes. Also, two hundred lien? That wasn't all that much, especially considering they were grown adults. Or at least grown, because Ruby was certain that it was only Ms. Goodwitch that was actually an adult.

"He...also told me about how she got to Beacon."

"I kinda figured. Did he tell you the name of the Huntsman that he asked to look into her attacker?" Qrow asked. Ruby shook her head. "Me. He asked me to take a look, considering I was one of his best. It was why I couldn't help you much when you were first starting your shop."

"But you gave me all your weapons! Although I did end up giving most of them back..."

"A crow always likes to hoard shiny things," Qrow joked as he took another swig of whiskey. "And we are always reluctant to give them up. So thanks again Ruby, for giving them back. I like my shinies."

"Ozpin...also asked me to become the Maiden."

The flask dropped. For the first time in history that Ruby could recall, the whiskey flask dropped to the ground, bouncing up and down with a hollow sound. Did he finish every bit of it already? He must have...or he'd been drinking sooner.

"What the heck was Ozpin thinking!? Something like that, that's something he should be throwing to us to discuss first! And if I said no to Yang, I was definitely going to say no to you!"

"I think that's why he asked me without anyone knowing. He knows she's running out of time."

Qrow nodded. He reached down for his flask, giving it a sad look of despair, before he brought it back to his hip. Ruby was relieved he didn't drink out of it after it'd been on the floor, although it didn't sound like much was left.

"She is. Her aura's been dropping for a while, and there's nothing that anyone could do about it. Even if someone had a Semblance that could help, half of her aura was drained before it started. She'd been ambushed right before I got there to help."

"Really? How do you know?" Ruby asked, sitting down on the bed.

"Couple of ways kid. One, Amber was good at using her power. Ozpin claims it's magic, and it certainly feels like it. Fire, rain, wind...if you'd imagine a tornado of fire, you're pretty close to what she could do on a bad day. The area she was attacked? Not very scorched. If someone had come up to her and attacked her? There'd be burn marks."

"So she was surprised."

"She was surprised. We had our scrolls synced to everyone's aura as well. Hers was down to forty percent...with a hard maximum of less than half of what it had been a while before."

"Why does her being surprised mean that?"

"Because if anyone could stand up to her at full, think of how badly they'd beat her down at half. And the Maiden powers...they're not like Semblances, not really. They don't use aura. They just use willpower. If you have a lot of willpower, you can use them for ages."

"Amber didn't?"

"Nah, she was a flighty little thing. Strong as heck when she wanted to be, but really she kinda hated Ozpin and the rest of us. Said that we were the reason why she was in such a gilded cage."

"How well did you know her?"

"Well enough, kid. Well enough to know that I wouldn't wish her powers on anyone."

"Ozpin says that whoever got to her managed to drain her of half of the Maiden's power's. It's why he was keeping such a close eye on the Vytal Festival; he thinks that an attack will happen then."

"He's probably right," Qrow shrugged. "He generally isn't wrong about that kind of thing. He's seen it before. Apparently Salem's tried this in the past."

Ruby blinked. "Who's Salem?"

Qrow stared at her. "Ozpin told you all this, but he didn't tell you that? Odd guy. Salem is...well, you know all this already. Ain't no harm in letting you know the rest of the story..."

He looked upwards, as if recalling some vague memory. "You know the Girl In the Tower, right? The fairy tale? I know Summer read you that one."

"I remember it. Does everything with Ozpin revolve around fairy tales?"

"It seems like it, doesn't it?" Qrow chuckled. "But no, the Girl in the Tower was real. What they didn't tell you is that there was no happily ever after. That girl's name was Salem. She was rescued by a knight, and they got married just as the fairy tale said. But then he got sick, and died. Salem became angry, and lashed out at the world. Her Semblance, and the reason that I think she was locked up, allowed her to control the Grimm."

"The Grimm are mindless though," Ruby answered instantly. She knew that while they weren't technically 'mindless' they were definitely unthinking. She'd killed enough to know that one.

"She has to focus on it, like most Semblances. She became 'the Queen of the Grimm's. Ozpin says he knows the general area of where she is, but not for certain."

"And no one can go there to just...kill her?"

"We've tried. STRQ attempted it, way back when. We survived, but that Grimm continent is a big one, almost as big as Sanus itself. Didn't even make it to where she supposedly was. And there's no one there either, no way to get more supplies. Even flying we can't go too far in," Qrow shook his head.

"Do you think that...me being a Maiden or having one of their powers would help?" Ruby asked quietly. It was one thing that was bugging her mind.

Qrow gave a sigh. "I wanted to keep you and Yang out of it. Completely. I know it's your choice, but you're still kids. Young, with a life ahead of you." He didn't answer her question, she noticed.

"It's not something I'm jumping blindly into. I know enough not to do that, now," Ruby answered. She'd learned her lesson. She'd jumped straight into the 'weapon shop' idea and while it'd worked out for her due to her effort and luck...and more than a generous gift from her dad and Uncle Qrow...it wasn't as if she was going to be jumping directly into another idea.

Qrow's eyes were unfocused. "I think...that it's entirely up to you. Don't let Ozpin control you, don't let me control you. You've seen how Ozpin is around the people that he trusts."

In other words, make up her own mind. Ruby nodded slowly. She had weighed the pros and cons, and when her dad would come in she'd mention the same thing.

The purpose of a hero was to save people, and Hunters were the epitome of 'Hope-bringers'.

She could do the same job as the Maiden without its power. But...she could also do a better job if she was the one that had it.

Amber

Four thirty in the morning. This was nearly the second full day that Ruby had stayed up all night. She hadn't, though, not in reality. She'd gotten small naps throughout the day, and she knows she'd slept for at least two hours last night.

After her Uncle Qrow left, Dad had come into her room after being woken up. Ruby had honestly thought that was for the best.

He hadn't had the same information that Qrow had, but he knew enough to at least warn Ruby that the Maiden's power was dangerous. Not something to ask for lightly, and not something that could be given away afterwards.

Ruby had shut him down instantly by asking him, "So is being a Huntress."

Dad had given her that point, and just reminded her to be cautious. With Summer gone, supposedly on some mission for Ozpin although the headmaster had denied it instantly enough to let him know that wherever Summer had gone it wasn't on one of Ozpin's patrols, all he had left was Yang and Ruby.

It was hard enough being in the house by himself, although he took care of the time by teaching at Signal, and having a few apprentices.

The fact he'd taken some apprentices...was bizarre. Ruby had never known him to in the past. Whether that was because he had two kids to take care of, although Yang helped out a lot by being two and a half years older, or because he just couldn't afford to get attached to another person that would inevitably have their life thrown away.

But...it seemed as if he was doing better. Still arguing with Qrow most of the time, and certainly bickered enough.

Maybe having apprentices was doing him a world of good. Ruby could understand that.

She glanced down at her scroll one last time before she started to think about pressing the button to the elevator. She wanted to do this early in the morning, where no one else knew what was going on.

On it was a simple picture that Dad had sent her, a picture of her, Yang, her dad, and Mom all sitting around a couch. In front of them was a coffee table, messed up with dozens of papers, but mostly glitter. Yang had more glitter in her hair than Ruby had ever seen, and Ruby herself was only two or three in the picture. She couldn't recall this scene.

Uncle Qrow had to have been the one to take it, as otherwise the entire family was there. Ruby's eyes stared at her mom for a bit, before she took a deep breath, and hit the button onto the elevator.

It opened with a far too happy ding that made Ruby once again question her life choices. Although really, that's all she'd been doing for the last few days. It was why she'd sent a message down to Yang an hour ago, asking if when she woke up if she'd be okay with some morning training.

The elevator went up, and up...all the way to Ozpin's clockwork tower. Ruby wasn't sure if he was awake at this point, but...well, he probably was. Did he ever sleep?

That question was answered when the door opened, again with the happy ding, to the empty office. Ozpin himself was lying face down on the desk, small snores coming from his open mouth. He looked both far older and far more mature than Ozpin ever had before. Yes, he did sleep. Good to know!

And yet he looked younger and more...well, natural. "Professor Ozpin?" Ruby asked as she walked in quietly. By all rights, it was early in the morning, she should let him sleep.

His eyes opened instantly and he reached for the cane, brandishing it as a weapon against an invisible attacker. He looked surprised for only a moment to see Ruby standing there. "Oh. Good morning, Ms. Rose. I'm afraid I wasn't expecting visitors."

"I could have guessed that. I've come to a decision."

Ozpin's eyes had shut, as if he was trying to blink the sleep out of them, before he took a deep breath. "And?" he asked, leaning forward on the desk.

Ruby got the sudden feeling that if Qrow was there, the desk would have crashed underneath him. Just...the bad luck thing.

"I want to become the Maiden," Ruby answered simply.

Ozpin took a deep breath and leaned backwards. Again, Ruby had the thought that if Qrow was here, he would have fallen as the chair suddenly snapped.

"Very well, Ms. Rose. When..."

"Sooner rather than later. I've already come to the decision."

"Ah...yes. Good point," Ozpin answered as he stood up, stretching out his back like a cat would for only a second, before he stood up straight.

"I don't know if this procedure is going to hurt, Ms. Rose, but I sorely hope it wouldn't," Ozpin said as he led her down to the vaults below Beacon again.

The same orange glow of Amber stayed in the corner. Ozpin flicked on some other lights, showing another machine that looked identical to the one Amber was in. "I very much wish to say thank you, Ms. Rose. You are every bit a huntress as your mother was."

Laying it on a bit thick, wasn't he? Ruby was almost immune to his manipulations at this point, if only because she'd gotten so used to Zwei trying to manipulate her for food. Zwei was at least being cute about it. She missed him. She'd have to go down to Vale soon to have some time with the poor puppy.

The cushions were cold, nearly freezing, as Ruby got into the machine. It was rough, scraping away at her hands on the outside. She ignored the way the machine hissed as the glass slid down, right across from Amber.

They were going to be 'fusing' souls, wouldn't they? Would it hurt? Ruby knew that Ozpin hoped that it wouldn't, but considering his other hopes and dreams she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing yet-

He flipped the switch, and Ruby's vision became nothing but white.

She felt nothing. There was nothing here except a limbo, an abyss, a vast emptiness of nothing but white. Looking away from her was the same brown haired girl that was on the other side of the machines. Amber.

"Oh? And who's the poor sod who gets the power now?" Amber's voice asked. It was a light voice, but full of hatred and venom. She turned, seeing Ruby right there. Amber was the only thing with color in this place. She was silent for a long moment. "...I have no idea who you are," she said after a moment.

"Ruby Rose."

"...I...have literally never heard of you! So welcome to the worst powers of your life. Actually, hold on, the power is awesome!" Amber shouted suddenly excitedly. "But the chains it comes with, not as much. Word of advice, if you meet a man named Ozpin, he's the headmaster of Beacon-"

"I know who he is," Ruby started. "After you got attacked he's been trying to keep you alive to see if your aura can start healing by itself. It can't."

Amber tilted her head. "What the hell? I mean, yeah I was attacked but...oh right she was draining the Maiden powers. Yeah that sucked. Hurt like a bitch too. Wait, the old man's been trying to save me!?"

"For a while. Year and a half or so, now. Maybe just a year, a little over it. He didn't tell me exactly when he brought you in, but my Uncle Qrow said he found you-"

"Qrow!? You know Qrow...wait, Uncle," Amber blinked, "Shit, that means you're the little firecracker he's been going on about. Weird, I pictured you blonde."

"That's my sister, Yang. I'm Ruby-"

"Right the little sparkler that has a scythe bigger than she is. Qrow couldn't shut up about you. Okay, I have heard of you, I take that back. Anyways, if you see a little dumb broad with black hair, fire powers, and her two little gangs with her...let them have it!" Amber snarled, a mouth turning into a grin full of teeth.

"Who?"

"Seriously, Qrow couldn't even get that much?" Amber sighed theatrically. "Right. So it was some black haired girl with fire powers, could drain my aura and Maiden powers using some kind of special attachment on her arm. She had two kiddos with her, one with green hair and dark skin, one with gray hair and lighter, he kept shooting around the field a lot...could never get a good shot at him-"

"I think I know who they are. They're in the Vytal Festival as first years."

"Oh ho they are not," Amber smiled with a predatory grin. "They are anything but. I'm pretty sure they're some kind of assassin squad."

"Well, the guy, Mercury Black-"

"Black? As in like Marcus Black, the renowned assassin who disappeared like eighteen years ago that Ozpin and Qrow made sure I was close to my leash if I was anywhere close to where he was last seen?"

"...I think you have some problems," Ruby admitted.

"...You're not wrong," Amber said. "Not wrong at all. Let me finish, a'ight? Before I go all booga booga and get to go off to the River of Souls or whatever happens when we die. I ain't becoming the new Ozpin."

"Say what?"

"Oh yeah, Ozpin reincarnates every time he dies. He's like a bazillion years old, that's how he knew how this whole Maiden thing worked to begin with," Amber nodded. "Right, so like I said, assassin squad."

"...What?"

"Why else, because they want the power of the Maidens. Unless they want some other treasure buried under Beacon, which I am highly doubtful I'm the only secret hidden underneath the ground," Amber shrugged. "I spent a good half of my life doing conspiracy theories once the previous Fall Maiden decided to go and off herself."

"How-"

"Kid, this ain't the first time I've seen this limbo. This is the second. The first one I was six years old and just now getting this power because a dead lady from over in Vacuo thought it would be a fun idea to try to give the power over to a guy by jumping into a Deathstalker nest. Not even a heroic death either. I remember her first word to me; 'fuck.'"

"Power can't be transferred to a guy?" Ruby guessed.

"Bingo. Ozpin said he doesn't know why but I'm betting he's lying. He's a lying liar who lies. About lying."

"You've lost track of that word, haven't you?"

"Yes I have," Amber admitted without thinking. "Any case, I have about two more minutes here, so it's like this; whatever Ozpin says, do the opposite. If he tells you to fight, you run. If he tells you to run, you fight."

"That just seems like a bad idea."

"Oh it is! But that's what makes it fun. Then you get to see him in full panic mode, and trust me you do not want to miss that. He was on a scroll call with me when the island of Patch lit up the sky with draconic fireworks that I'm pretty sure put out some kind of EMP."

"...That was me."

"What."

"Yeah, I uh...wanted to celebrate my sister's graduation of Signal."

"...My power could not have gone to a better person. Go then, Ruby Rose, and light the whole world on fire!"

"I thought your power was light-" Ruby started before the emptiness started to vanish.

Amber stood up and started to celebrate, before Ruby's eyes opened to see the glass cover. There was a slow chirping sound, a small countdown timer that felt it would be used on a person in surgery. Suddenly it gave a very cheerful 'ding' just as the glass slid up.

"Is that an egg timer?" Ruby asked. She...didn't feel different. She glanced over to Amber, who was no longer breathing but looked to be at peace with herself now.

Ozpin stood with Ms. Goodwitch, currently being shouted at by the deputy headmistress. Behind them, Ruby could see Ironwood standing there with a scowl on his face, and more than a slight hand print on his head. Had he been facepalming?

How did she know if she had the power of the Maiden or not? What if the transfer hadn't worked!?

Almost as if to ease her worry, a subtle breeze lifted throughout the room, just before one bolt of lightning came out of nowhere and struck Ozpin's shoes.

Not much weaponsmithing being done in a fanfic about weaponsmithing.

I should fix that. Unless you count Ruby becoming a Maiden. Then...well, no fixing needed!

Until Next Time!