Silver Hope - Prologue Part 1

Running had never been this hard before, and she knew that she wasn't going to make it in time, not with the amount of blood that she'd already lost. She stumbled again and tripped over a hidden root in the snow, collapsing in exhaustion and leaning against a tree. Breathing harsh and trying to blink away the black spots in her vision, the woman pulled out her scroll and with shaking hands, dialled the number of the only person who could possibly help.

"Summer? What's wrong? Are you okay? I thought you were- "

"Q-qrow," she whimpered, "they found me. I-I don't know how b-but they found me and-" she cuts off with a gasp and drops her scroll as a dagger plunges into her stomach.

"Summer? Summer! What's going on- I'm on my way okay? I'm coming just- "

"Qrow…" she says in pain trying to remove the dagger but it had lodged itself in the tree behind her too. "Qrow please, check on the girls and Tai. Don't let anything happen to them, please…" she all but begged the man who she had come to see as her greatest friend.

"Summer what is happening? I'm on my way to them now but you have to hold on okay? I'll get- "

"You know; you are a difficult woman to track down." A voice said from ahead of the woman, unknowingly cutting off Qrow. "Though not as difficult as I had expected. Nor do you put up as much of a fight either, disappointing to say the least Miss Rose, I had expected so much more from you." Sighed a large man as he stepped out from the trees and crouched in front of the dying woman. He gripped the handle of the dagger and twisted, making the woman hiss in pain.

"Hazel," she hissed through her teeth, "I should have known that you'd work for a witch like Salem."

"Yes, you should have, and now you are going to die and take the power of the silver eyes with you. Do not worry, we won't touch a hair on pretty little Yang's head though it is interesting that you would love another woman's child but not have any of your own to carry on the power."

"I wouldn't wish this curse on anyone, let alone a child- ugh!" she screeched through her teeth as he pulled the bloody dagger from her body, wiping as much of the blood off on her skirt before standing. With one last look to make sure that she would die, the large man walked off, leaving just as quickly and he came.

"Summer? I'm almost at Patch, I'll be there soon okay? I'll get you help-"

"Qrow, neither of us are going to make it and you know it… just- just look after them for me? Don't let them mourn for too long, okay?"

"Summer, no! You listen to me, okay. You will make it-"

"I'm sorry Qrow… You were the greatest friend and partner I could ever have hoped for… thank you…"

"Summ-" Beep, beep, beep. "Dammit Summer."

Signing sadly as she hung up on her best friend, Summer leaned back against the tree, trying to ignore the sticky blood now covering her lower body as the pain started to fade away and everything was becoming white. Just as she was about to give up, to finally let the light take her, she heard a small whimper and some rustling leaves to her left.

"Mummy?"

Snapping her head to the sound, Summer stared wide eyed at her 2-year-old daughter crawling over the snow to her dying mother. Knowing that she didn't have much time left, Summer tried her hardest to make her daughter understand what she was about to say.

"Ruby- sweetheart, oh god, no- Ruby, Petal, you have to listen to me okay Petal?" Summer said, trying to cover her wound with her cloak, but failed. "I know you don't understand right now but you have to listen very carefully to mummy, okay? You're special Ruby, s-so much more special than you know. You have beautiful silver eyes that hold so much power but Ruby, Petal, you have to be careful okay? There are a lot of bad people that will hurt you because of your eyes-" She cut off, coughing up blood into her hand, the black spots growing bigger and bigger by the second. "I don't have much t-time but Ruby, don't trust anyone with those amazing eyes of yours. I can't explain now but you can talk to Qrow or even Ozpin, he could help-"

"Mummy?"

"I'm so sorry sweetie, that I'll never get to see you and your sister grow up a-and I'm so, so, so sorry that you had to see this Petal, god am I sorry you have to see this but remember this okay Ruby. I will always love you and your sister, always. Here, take these and never tell anyone about your eyes Ruby, you can't trust anyone with those beautiful eyes of yours…"

Ruby didn't understand why her Mummy just gave her weapons to her, doesn't she need those? And why did she fall asleep? It's cold out here and what is all that red stuff? Should it be coming out like that?

"Mummy? Mummy wake up. Mummy? Mummy?!" Scrambling over to her mummy, Ruby tried to shake her awake with her tiny hands after putting her mothers' collapsed weapons in her pockets; mummy wouldn't like it if she lost them right after she gave them over.

Now Ruby really didn't understand, all she knew was that there was a big scary man who hurt mummy and now her mummy won't wake up and she was scared and now there are big scary Grim everywhere and Mummy still won't wake up and now the scary Grim are getting closer and not knowing what else to do, tiny and terrified Ruby screamed out in terror and agony, somehow knowing that her mummy won't be waking up.

A blinding silver light burst from her eyes as she screamed, and with it a dark red glow grew from her small body and shattered, and not a second later, rose petals started to flow from the girl.

Opening her eyes, Ruby stared in horror at the now frozen Grim, ready to pounce on her. Not knowing what else to do, Ruby took off for her home, running as fast as she could for her daddy, not realising that along the way she had turned into a spiral of rose petals and was flying through the forest at impossible speeds for a 2-year-old.

Finally seeing her house, Ruby slowed down, subconsciously turning back into her normal self but the unlocking of all her powers drained her, leading her to collapse on the swing on their front porch, whimpering in pain at overexerting herself and crying, already knowing that now Mummy will never be coming back.

Flying as fast as he could down the path to the house, Qrow stopped when he was suddenly blinded from a bright silver light deeper in the forest.

'Summer!' He screeched, knowing that she wouldn't have used her powers unless she had no other choice. Knowing he needed to hurry even more, Qrow transformed back into a man and ran to the house, promising himself that he'll be quick and just check on Taiyang and the girls before finding Summer, just like she wanted.

Upon seeing the house, Qrow sprinted the rest of the way, only seeing a cold and shivering Ruby asleep on the front porch swing, seemingly having a nightmare if the way she was whimpering and crying were any indication. Signing in frustration, Qrow quickly but gently picked up the sleeping child and put her in her bed.

"You're okay Petal, you're okay." He whispered as he carried her up to the room she shared with Yang, careful not to wake her.

"Mummy?" She whimpered at the nickname.

"No sweetie, but I'll bring her back." He said before placing her in her bed, quickly kissing her head and racing back out the door, a quick glance at Tai and Yang asleep to make sure they were alright before taking off into the forest, not caring if he slammed the door on his way.

The slamming of the front door roused the sleeping Hunter on the sofa immediately into wakefulness. In a rush to get up and see what happened, Taiyang accidentally woke up his four-year-old daughter. Racing to the door, he could only just see Qrow before he faded into the forest, racing for something in the woods.

"Dad? What's happenin'?" Asked a bleary-eyed Yang as she too looked out the door but didn't see anything weird.

"Nothing Sweetie, why don't we get you to bed huh?" Tai said, softly nudging his daughter up the stairs to her shared room, Ruby already passed out in exhaustion, not even having enough energy to dream, though none of them would have been pleasant.

Putting Yang to bed was easily done as she was already tired from having just woken up a minute ago and was already dressed in her pyjamas.

"Goodnight my little Firecracker." He whispered to the already sleeping girl before backing out of the room.

Curious to know when Qrow had gotten back and where he had rushed off to so loudly, Taiyang went outside and sat on the swing to wait for him to come back as he usually doesn't wander off for too long once he's back. After 20 minutes passed Tai was getting worried; Qrow was an exceptional Hunter, what could be taking him so long? It was then that he could see Qrow silhouette in the trees but whatever relief he felt was overcome with dread as his friend walked closer and he could see what was in his arms, or more accurately; who.

Summer Rose, his current love and the mother of his youngest daughter, lying limp in his teammates arms.

"No…" He whispered, but the look on Qrows face said it all; she was gone and there was no bringing her back.

"Tai… I'm-"

"NO!" He raced over and grabbed her body and sunk to the wet snow-covered ground, "No, no, no, no, no! She can't be! It was supposed to be an easy mission. Just a bunch of Grim on the island, nothing more…"

"I know, I know. I'm so, so sorry, I wasn't fast enough and I didn't think he would find her it's been years! I thought she was safe. I'm sorry- "

"Dad? What was all that shouting? What are you doing out here? Uncle Qrow? What-" Yang cut herself off, eyes going wide and tears immediately building up and pouring down her face, "Mum?"

Qrow, now with empty arms, sprung up and raced over to his niece as she crumbled to the ground sobbing.

"I know Firecracker, I know," Qrow whispered into her hair, cradling her tiny body as she shudders through each agonising sob, both watching as Taiyang slowly rises and carries his dead love into the house.

Picking up his still sobbing niece, Qrow follows him in and quietly closes the door behind him, tears still falling steadily down his face but knowing that h had to be the strong one now, for all his family.

Qrow watches from his perch on another sofa as Taiyang softly lays Summers body down on the largest sofa and gently cradles her face, softly kissing her lips as though it might bring her back like in the stories they tell little Ruby.

Quietly, Qrow notices that Yang has once again fallen asleep having exhausted herself crying. Standing, Qrow gently placed her back in her bed again, cooing at her softly when she stirred when he moved away. A quick glance over to Ruby to make sure she was still asleep was all he could afford before swiftly returning to the lounge room, Tai still in the same spot on the floor, head bent over Summers limp hand, cradling it as though it was crumble away if he held too tight.

"Tai-"

"What. Happened."

"I'm so sorry Tai, I honestly thought she was okay-"

"What. Happened. Qrow."

Sighing sadly, Qrow leaned back and pulled out his flask, taking a long pull from it before speaking,

"I don't know really. I was already on my way back from my mission when she called me saying that they got her and that they'd found her."

Taking a deep, shaking breath he continued, "Sh-she didn't sound good and so I started rushing and then there was this horrible thunk sound and I think she got stabbed through and pinned to the tree and then I think she dropped her scroll. She must of, she sounded further away but she told me to make sure that you and the girls were okay and Hazel, Hazel came and he was taunting her about finding her and her silver eyes and how she would be the last of the silver eyed warriors and then left her for dead."

Having stood up by this point, Qrow started to pace and try to occupy his hands but could only find his flask, taking another long sip it before replacing the lid.

"I don't think they know about Ruby; he was saying how she could look after someone else child but wouldn't have any of her own to carry on the power and she just- she just said that she wouldn't wish that curse on a child. God I hope they don't find out about Ruby…" he sighed, sitting down again, his head in his hands and tears starting to fall and his voice think, "She knew I wasn't going to get there in time but dammit I tried, I tried so hard and I was so close and then I saw this flash of light and I knew it had to be her but I promised that I'd check on you first and I did and then I went straight to her but it was too late, she was already gone and all the Grim were crumbling away already but I didn't care; I just wanted to bring her home and to make I worse, I couldn't find her weapons anywhere. They weren't there. He took them, he left her for dead and took her only weapons and ugh!" He yelled, throwing his now empty flask at the sofa. After a second, he crumbled and sat in a sobbing mess on the floor.

The night carried on much the same, the men both crumbled on the floor of the living room, crying out in anguish at the loss of such a beloved woman.

The next few days were long and tiring and endless and confusing for everyone. Taiyang had become blank and only caring for one thing and that was giving Summer the respect she deserved, organising a burial and headstone and making sure that everything would be okay financially, not paying any mind to his two daughters knowing that Qrow would take of them.

And take care of them he did, although not easily, with Yang sobbing and upset, wanting her father to just hug her and tell her it would all be okay only for him to ignore her. Confused and upset, Yang clung to her Uncle and helped him take of Ruby, who had woken up crying about Summer and how her head and her eyes and her whole body hurt. Not quite sure what to do, Qrow treated her as he would if she were sick, keeping the room dark and the noises low and giving her a warm bath to relax her muscles. It took almost a week but gradually she got better and was up and about; her body still hurt and so did her head but she knew that she had to get up and help her sister and uncle and dad, though she hid her mother's Sai's under pillows wanting to have something of her that she could keep.

After that, life seemed to move quicker, though not better. One day bled into the next and nothing really improving, each day as forgettable as the next, except for one person. Although it took her a little while, Ruby came to discover that she could remember everything she saw; every picture, every story, every face her father made and everything her mother had said to her the night she died.

But it was the times that really mattered to her that she could remember best. Like when she and Yang were going to make their mummy's cookies but couldn't find the recipe anywhere; Ruby recited the whole thing perfectly.

But what Ruby liked to remember most is the day her favourite person saved her and her sister from the big scary Grim.

Yang had decided that she needed to find her birth mother Raven, and convince her to return home and help dad because he wasn't in a good place. Finding a tiny clue, Yang had put her little sister in their red wagon and started walking. Ruby got bored quickly and was lulled to sleep by the rocking of the wagon. Yang had to have been walking for ages because when Ruby woke up they were in an entirely different place and the sun was steadily making its way behind some mountains in the distance.

Ruby was getting scared as it grew darker and Yang looked really, really tired but kept walking, saying that they were almost there. It was cold and there was only a tiny bit of sunlight left when the sisters made it to the run-down cottage. Ruby had a bad feeling about it and tried to tell Yang but the blonde had already taken off and run for the door, all but collapsing once she reached it, only to be knocked back by a massive Boewolf paw from inside. Worried and scared, Ruby ran to her sister and could only watch as the scary creatures pounced at the pair, jaws open and claws out, ready to eat the two young girls before it. Out of nowhere a massive blade cut straight through the middle of it. Appearing in front of the girls, Qrow Branwen, massive scythe ready and cape flapping, a couple of black feathers floating down.

He only spared them a glance to make sure they were okay before bounding off again to rid them of the remaining Grim, but that was all it took for young Ruby to fall in love. It may have been a hero crush to start but she didn't know that; Ruby loved everything about him in that moment. She loved his cool attitude, how amazing a Hunter he was, how he wields his scythe that up until then, they had only seen as a sword, and finally, she loved how just seeing his cape made her feel safe…

The last few years had been rough on all of them, but with Qrow needed for missions and what happened when he got back from his first mission to not be able to find the girls, he knocked some sense into Taiyang, literally. Once they were home and fed and in bed, he punched him through the front door and onto the lawn.

Although he tried to wit as late as possible, Ruby still watched through the now empty doorway as Qrow beat and shouted at her father until he truly understood what he had done and what he could have lost. After a while Tai finally broke and collapsed to the ground sobbing for what he could have lost. Ruby, thinking it was all okay now because they were hugging and hugging was good and that she should leave, and was only stopped by the heartbreaking admittance from her father's sobbing lips.

"I-It's just so hard to l-look at her. With her so innocent and happy silver eyes. The same eyes that got her mother killed and-"

"I know, I know. She looks just like her mother Tai, but you're not just hurting yourself when you can't look at her. You have to know that, right? Your breaking her tiny heart knowing that her father can't even look at her."

"I don't think she's noticed yet-"

"But she will, and you know it."

Ruby decided then that she didn't need to hear the rest. Little Ruby didn't need to know that her father hated her and couldn't stand to look at her. Neither of the them noticed she was there but they both certainly noticed when she wouldn't look at them the next morning and every morning after that. She warmed back up to Qrow quickly, still very muchly so in love with everything he did and was always sad when he would go on missions. She had even started to tie a red blanket around her neck to make a cape, just so she could feel like he was always with her. That made the red hooded cape she was holding that much more fitting.

"Yang! I want this one! I want this one!" A little six-year-old Ruby yelled across the store, now wearing the way to big cape on her shoulders, the hood so big that it covered her eyes although she could still see.

"Ruby, you don't have to shout. The store isn't that big." Said a taller blonde as she made her way across to her little sister. Only to stop short when she saw Ruby; looking up at her with timid eyes as a red cape.

"Ruby, it looks just like…"

"A mix of mums and Qrow's! It's great, isn't it!" She asked jumping around in excitement.

"Yeah, yeah, I can see you love it…you gonna be okay with it that big though? It might fall off if you're not careful." Explained Yang.

"Yeah, I know, but doesn't everyone get bigger stuff so they can grow into it or something? I'll grow big and strong and it'll fit perfectly." Explained Ruby as she climbed the chair to stand on it, almost falling as she got up.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hop down you, and we can go get it, then we can show dad your new safety blanket." Yang smirked as they got all the stuff they wanted before heading to the front of the store to pay.

Looking down when she heard no response, Yang saw the more disheartened Ruby shuffling her feet awkwardly.

"Do you think he'll like it though…?" she mumbled knowing Yang would hear her.

Sighing at how much this was upsetting Ruby, Yang hugged her sister.

"Don't worry about dad, I'm sure he'll love it if you love it, and you do love it, don't you?" she whispered to her younger sister and watched as she immediately bounced back up.

"Of course! It's so col and flowy and red like-"

"Uncle Qrows, yes I know. You and your weird crush on him are funny." Yang chuckled as they payed for their items with their dad's card and then laughed at Ruby's puffed out cheeks.

"It's not a crush and he's not my uncle he's yours so ha!"

"Oh really? It's not a crush, is it? Then what is it?"

"It's love you dumby! Get back here you!" she shouted as her sister took off in the direction of their father.

"Dad! Ruby's in Lo~ve!" Screamed Yang as she spotted her father leaning against a wall not too far from the store they were just in.

"Oh, really now? And who might she be in lo~ve with?" Taiyang responded, looking up to see his daughter racing towards him. After catching Yang, he looked back up to make sure Ruby wasn't too far behind when he saw her; running as fast as she could, almost tripping on the draping red fabric surrounding her, but it was when she looked up that he almost started crying. Her beautiful silver eyes shining with happiness and her dark hair with red tips flowing around her face and a billowing cape, she looked so much like her mother again in that moment.

Yang was going to respond when she looked up and saw Ruby go from an angry yet happy little girl chasing her sister to the small and sad little girl that they've all seen too much of over the past couple of years. Sighing sadly, she turned around to see the exact look Ruby was afraid of painted all over their father's face – the sad look that says just looking at Ruby reminds him far too much of his dead love – and then the undoubtful way he turns his head away so that he can't see her to try and control his emotions.

Upon hearing Ruby sniffle and walk up the them, they both look down to see her quietly crying, trying to wipe her face on her new cape. Reaching out for her, Tai watches as she huddles back into her cape with a small whimper.

"Ruby…"

"I'm really, really sorry daddy…"

"Ruby, no… No, you – I…."

"I know Daddy, I'm sorry… I know why you can't look at me sometimes and I'm really, really sorry Daddy but I really like the cape, it reminds me of Qrow and he's safe and I just want to feel safe and I know it looks Mummy's and I'm sorry, I'm sowwy, I'm sowwy!" Ruby babbled as she looked down at her hands crying, her hood falling further down to cover her face.

Not hearing anything from the two in front of her, Ruby peaks up at her father only to see him crying and his hands shaking. Not knowing what to do and only knowing that she's the reason he's upset, Ruby takes one last look before running away. 'Maybe if he can't see me he'll be happy again' Ruby thought as she ran through the city. A faint "Ruby no! Come back!" could be heard but she didn't pay it much attention.

After running for a while, Ruby only stopped when she accidentally ran into someone and fell. Finally looking around to see where she was Ruby saw that somehow, she'd run all the way to the docks for the Bullheads to Beacon Academy. Before she can even think about what to do, everyone started to move forwards onto the now empty Bullhead, pushing and pulling at her until she's somehow in the middle of the vehicle and it's already taken off and on its way to Beacon.

"Ahhh," Ruby started crying, "What am I going to do? What am I going to do? Daddy's going to be so upset and then he'll hate me even more than he already does and then- and then-"

"Excuse me little miss are you okay?" asked a nice-looking Faunas man as he crouched down to her height.

"Um… I'm not sure? I d-don't think I'm supposed to be here, I got kind of shoved onto the ship and I don't know where to go…" Ruby replied, tears building in her eyes again though nobody could see them as her hood was still up and covering her face, though they could certainly hear it in her voice how scared she was.

"Well how about this? When we get there, I can take you to Professor Ozpin and he should be able to help you out, okay?" He said as he pets her hooded head and watched amused as she perked right up at the name of the Professor.

"Professor Ozpin? There's a Professor Ozpin at Beacon?"

"Yep, he's the headmaster at Beacon Academy."

"Oh cool, I think my mummy knew an Ozpin. Maybe they're the same person?"

"If your parents are hunters than that is quite likely." He nodded in agreement before looking back at his partner waving them over, "Would you like to come and wait with me and my partner over there, we have a spare seat?"

"Yes please! Thank you for helping me."

"Of course. Come on, we can wait over here…"

"I'm afraid the Professor is currently teaching a class in the field at the back of the school but she's welcome to wait for him here. I'm sure he'll be back soon enough."

"Thank you, I'll leave her in your care then. Is that okay with you little one, we have a class to get to, sorry."

"Yep! That's okay, I'm sure he won't be too long, right? Thank you, Mr and Miss nice people, it was nice to meet you!"

"You too sweetie. Have a good day."

After waving goodbye to the two nice people, Ruby thought about how she would get to this Ozpin persons class, because she wasn't just going to wait for him. With a genius plan in mind, Ruby kindly asked the lady at the desk where the toilets were before walking across to them and then sneakily making her way across the school, trying to find the back.

After wandering around the school for a bit, a loud shout startled Ruby and drew her attention to what looked like a class in a field. 'Hey, maybe this is his class! It looks like a field. I don't know if I'm at the back though but now I just have to see if it is Professor-'

"Ozpin!"

'Found Him!' Trying to be sneaky, Ruby decided to hide in the bushes closest to the group and watched the silver haired man deflect ball after ball, blind folded, some flying back and hitting the person who threw it.

"You know that you should all be practicing instead of throwing them all at me!" The blind folded man called as expertly dodged three balls from different directions by flipping over them all.

"Sooooo~ cooool~" Ruby whispered to herself but whimpered when his head snapped to look in her direction for a second before focusing back on his students.

"Alright, one more shot from each of you and then we'll leave it for today." He called out again before lowing himself into a crouch, waiting for the next attempt.

Hearing them all mumbling to each other, it became clear to him that they were all going to try hitting him all at once. Chuckling to himself, Ozpin waited with baited breath and expertly dodged them all, letting them hit people on the other side of the circle they had formed before jumping and round house kicking the last ball straight into a bucket off to the side. Sensing that was all, he took off the blindfold and directed his class to pack up, ignoring their groans of disappointment in lieu of keeping an ear out for the small voice from the bushes.

Ruby watched as the Professor, not even looking in the right direction, call out to a student about to try one last shot, that throwing it would not end well and then watched as they all walked back to the main building.

"You might as well come out little red, we both know that I know your there!" Ozpin called out and watched curiously as a small child in a far too large red cape shuffle out from the bushes with a small 'meep!', her hood all the way up so he couldn't see her face.

"You're not in trouble child, don't worry." He said, tone soft and crouched down from his towering height. "What are you doing all the way out here by yourself?"

"Oh well, I was running and then I got lost and then I ended up on this ship and then I was freaking out but then this nice wolf man helped me and I sat with him and his partner and then we went to see you but then you weren't there so I was gonna wait for you but then I was like 'I know where you are so I'll just go find you' but then I got lost because I didn't know where the back of the school was but then I saw everyone around here and was like 'So Cool!' and you were jumping and flipping and then I heard someone say your name and was like 'Yay, found him' but then I didn't know what to do so I just hid in the bushes and watched and you were so coooool~ and woah~" quickly taking a breath from her rambling, Ruby looked up to see he had stood up again and was collecting his stuff. "And you are super, super tall."

Chuckling at the adorable little girl, Ozpin had to agree, "Yes I am, thank you. So, you were impressed with the class I take it?"

"Yep, yep! It was ama~zing! You were jumping and flipping and dodging and you were blindfolded and it was just amazing…" she sighed.

"Well thank you miss… I don't think I know your name yet."

"Oh, I'm Ruby. Hi!"

"Hello Ruby, so would you like to get back to your family now?" Ozpin asked, watching as the adorable bouncing girl suddenly stops and looks down. Crouching down to try and look her in the eyes, he continues to watch as she pulls her hood even further down her face.

"…Or not. You can stay with me for a little longer, I guess. I have some paperwork to do but your more than welcome to sit with me if you like-"

"Yes please! I don't want to go back yet…"

"Alright then, how about we get going." After taking a couple of steps, Ozpin turned around and saw her stumbling and tripping on her cape.

Chuckling to himself, Ozpin walks back and crouches in front of her, his back facing her. Hearing her small 'huh?' Ozpin turned his head to look back at her with a small smile, "Hop on, I'll give you a piggy back ride."

It was a quiet walk back to his office, only hearing an occasional sniffle from the small bundle on his back. Losing himself in thought, Ozpin didn't notice the odd looks he was getting but was pulled from his musings at the feel of his passenger's tiny hands playing with his hair.

"Having fun there?"

"Your hair is so soft, I really like it. But why is it silver?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I see a lot of old people at home but they all have wrinkles and stuff but they have grey hair, yours is a shining silver, not grey, and you don't look that old…"

Chuckling to himself, Ozpin nodded. "While I can tell you that I am older than you could ever imagine, you not wrong about the colour. I just like it silver, it makes me look more mature."

"What does 'mature' mean?"

"It means to be an adult, responsible and a grown up, I guess."

"Does that mean that all grownups are mature?"

"Not quite, some adults didn't really grow up mentally and still act like children, they don't set a very good example."

"Oh, but why do you need to look more mature? I thought you said that you were really old. Shouldn't that make you the maturest?"

"Maturest isn't a word Ruby."

"Oh."

"And while I may be older and have lived many years, I don't look it so I try and make my appearance match my profession."

"Profession?"

"My job as the Headmaster. People listen to you more if they don't think that your younger than them."

"Oh, well I like it. It's pretty."

"Thank you, not many people say that."

"Your welcome!" Ruby paused as people looked at her funny as they walked into the elevator to his office. Once the doors closed she continued, "So do you still grow old and stuff or do you always look like this?"

Shocked at her question, Ozpin swung his head around to look at her, accidentally hitting her head too.

"Ow."

"Sorry, sorry. But why would you think that I don't age?"

"Oh, I was wrong? Sorry. It's just that you said that you were 'older than you could ever imagine' and I can imagine a lot so then I thought that you'd be really, really old but then you'd have wrinkles and stuff and you don't so I just kind of thought that maybe you don't grow old and stuff but oops, sorry, I guess I got that wrong. And could you please say something because I think I'm running out of words to say and yeah-"

"No, you were right, your fine. It's just that nobody has ever figured that out before…"

"But you told me…?"

"Not really Ruby, a couple of vague statements that you somehow pieced together faster than anyone I know… You are far more than anyone thinks, aren't you?" He muses as he walks into his office, gently placing his small companion on the sofa on his office.

Upon reaching his desk and not hearing a response, Ozpin turns around to see little Ruby playing with a pair of retractable Sai swords, opening and retracting them as she pleases. They were far too big for her hands but she looked like she knew them well, an air of familiarity about her as she watched them transform, entranced.

"Well, those seem far too big for you." Jolting her slightly as he broke the silence.

"They were mummy's. she gave them to me when she went away. I don't think Daddy knows I have them but I don't want him to, he'll take them away if he knew."

"Where did she go?"

"Mummy went to live with everyone else in the stars. She was the bestest Huntress ever."

"Oh, really now?"

"Yep, and when I grow up, I'm gonna be a huntress too, and save everyone like the heroes in the stories. Just like Mummy."

"That's quite ambitious of you Ruby."

"What's ambitious?"

"Hmmm, ambitious is kind of like of like showing a strong desire to succeed, like how you seem to have a strong desire to become a huntress."

"Oh, so like how my sister always has a strong desire to help our dad?"

"I guess you could say that, yes. Do you know how to hold those properly?" Ozpin gestured to the now open Sai's.

"No, Mummy left before she could show me…"

"Would you like me to show you before you go?"

"Really? You would show me how to use them? I kind of remember that Mummy used to spin them and throw them but she always did it so fast that I could never see how she did it but with you showing me, then I'll be able to finally use them properly and-"

"Slow down little Ruby, you have to learn how to hold them first. You have to start with the basics."

"Oh, right, yeah… and then I'll be cool and spinny and flippy and it'll be so cool~…"

Ozpin chuckled at her day dreaming expression before snapping her out of it with a small smile, "Okay so we start with our fingers holding onto the handle like this and…"

Ruby had caught on rather quickly to the hand holds and how to swap between them, now casually spinning through the holds, a couple of missed grips because of how small her hands were in comparison but otherwise confident in her new abilities.

"So, Professor Ozpin?"

"Yes Ruby?"

"How did you do that thingy in the field with the blindfold today? It was so cool~"

"I like to call that class 'Spatial Awareness'. I'm trying to teach them how to be aware of all their surroundings by using their other senses. It will allow them to sense when something is coming up on them that they can't strictly see with their eyes."

"Like when someone comes up behind you and you can't see them?"

"Precisely."

"So, you were using your other senses to see where an attack was coming from?"

"Mmhmm"

"But how did you know where the ball was going to go?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I can get that you could sense who or where it was coming from, you could probably hear them or something but how could you know where it was going to go? You didn't just dodge them but you hit them back with your cane, so you must have known where they were going to go."

"My, you are a perceptive one, aren't you?"

"Perceptive?"

"You see far more than the average child, average adult at this rate."

"Oh… I don't mean to, I'm sorry…"

"No, it's nothing to be sorry for little Ruby. It's rare among many, even rarer to see it in a child, and to answer your question, I've had many more years of practice than any of them and I may have been using my aura a little."

"Your aura? How do you do that?"

"With enough training, any Hunter or Huntress can use their aura in many different ways aside from protection. I simply used mine to reach out and- well I guess, see everyone else's. Each person has their own unique Aura and can sometimes leave a whisp of their aura on an object that they use it on, much like many of my students were."

"So, for the ones you could see the Aura on, you hit back and the ones you couldn't you just dodged?"

"Correct, though none of them have noticed this yet so maybe we can keep this our little secret?"

"That's so cool! Can you teach me? Please?"

"Only if you promise not to tell okay?"

"Okay!"

"But I'm not sure you're going to like it though Ruby, it's mostly just sitting down and meditating for long periods of time. And I think you should be getting back to your family now, I'm sure that they're worried sick about you."

"Yeah, okay…" she sighed, "my sister is probably ready worried about-" Ruby continued before getting cut off by Ozpins Scroll.

"Hello, this is Professor Ozpin."

"Hello Professor, I'm Officer Aqua, sorry to interrupt but I have a father and daughter at my station in Vale looking for a little girl in a red hooded cape. She had gotten upset and run away and was last seen boarding a bullhead to the academy and I was wondering if you had seen or heard of her so far?"

"Her name wouldn't happen to be Ruby, would it?" Ozpin asked, glancing at the now nervously shuffling girl beside him.

"Yes sir, that would be her."

"Oh, good then. Yes, I have seen her; she was waiting down in the main building for someone to take her back, would you like me to send a teacher with her back into Vale?"

"Yes, please sir, that would be greatly appreciated. Her family will be waiting for her at the docks."

"I'll send her now, thank you for the call officer."

"No thank you sir, her family will be very happy to see her, they've been worried sick about her."

"It's a pleasure to help, if that will be all?"

"Yes sir, thank you for your help Professor Ozpin. Have a good day."

"Good day officer."

Hanging up with the officer from Vale, Ozpin turned to crouch in front of Ruby again. "So, it seems I was right. Your father and sister went to the police in search of you. I'll send you back with a teacher to make sure you make it okay."

"Why did you lie?" Ruby asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"Sorry?"

"You said I was waiting to go home, why didn't you tell them the truth?"

"Because while I try to encourage people to tell the truth, I don't think your father wants to know that you went wandering around a dangerous school by yourself and I'm sure that you don't want him to know that you've been practicing with a weapon he doesn't know you have. I think that it would be easier to just make up a whole new story, rather than try and fill in the gaps of the truth. Sometimes we have no choice but to lie to the people we love Ruby, just don't make a habit of it okay?"

"I'll try. Thank you for teaching me how to use Mummy's weapons."

"It was a pleasure, you're a very good student Ruby."

"Can I maybe come back again, please?"

"Only if you're not running away from your family again, okay? They do love you dearly, I'm sure."

"I know, thank you Professor!"

Before he could think, tiny Ruby had wrapped herself around him in a hug. Relaxing into it, Ozpin smiled softly and pet her head. "You're welcome Ruby, now off you go, before your family gets even more worried."

"Okay, bye, bye Professor!"

Hiding her mothers' Sai's back in her pockets and rocking back and forth on her feet, little Ruby blushed a little at how safe she felt hugging the tall silver haired man, a feeling she usually only gets around her Qrow. 'Maybe they know each other,' she thought as she got off the elevator and met a nice lady named Professor Peach who led her back to the Bullhead and took them back down to Vale city.

Upon landing, Ruby was immediately tackled by Yang and then dragged off the ship towards their father – a quick thank you sent to the nice lady professor before the Bullhead took off again.

"Ruby! I've been so worried about you! Don't you run off like that again, okay? Gah! I was so scared you were hurt or something…" Hearing Yang start to sniffle, Ruby immediately felt bad and leapt forwards to hug her sister.

"I'm sorry Yang, I didn't mean to upset you."

"Ruby?" She heard her father ask. Not wanting to see the disappointment on his face, Ruby turned but kept her hood up and head down.

"Ruby, please look at me sweetie… Petal-" Snapping her head up at her nickname, Taiyang looked on in shame as her surprised silver eyes were overcome with sadness, neither really knowing the last time they heard that nickname. Crouching low and his arms open, Taiyang waited with baited breath for Ruby to decide, and choked on the sob that rose from his throat in happiness as she flew into his embrace. Sadly, it was their first real embrace since Summer had died. They stayed like that for a long time, both a mess of tears and apologies but both just happy to be in each other's arms.

After that day, life at the Xiao Long/Rose house was better than ever, though it took a long sit down with both his daughters and lots of tears, but they got through it together, Qrow helping out when he wasn't on missions.

Ruby had been very excited to show her favourite person her new cape and waited up as late as she could for him to get home, falling asleep on though before he did.

Qrow, for all his manliness, found the sight of Ruby, curled up on his sofa chair and swaddled in her too big cape adorable and couldn't help the small 'aww' that escaped him. Nothing chased away the demons of a tough mission like a tiny, adorable Ruby curled up sleeping, having clearly tried to wait up for him. She was a ball of innocence and everything good in the world, and the fact that she bought a red cape because it made her feel safe was just the icing on the cake.

Hearing what happened just after she had bought it though, made Qrow want to reach across the table and throttle the other man, and would have if not for the miserable look already painted across his face.

"Please tell me you fixed it Tai. Please tell me she doesn't still walk around miserable because of the looks on your face."

"We've started but you and I both know that it's going to take longer than a few days to fix, Qrow, but dammit I'm trying."

"I know, Tai. I know." He sighed, taking a gulp from the bottle of Whisky he grabbed. "It's just that she's so smart Tai, and she catches so much more than you think. That kid is so special…"

"What do you mean?"

"What, like you haven't noticed. Ruby is much too smart for a motherless six-year-old- heck, any six-year-old and you know it."

"I know she's grown up fast but I thought she was fine. Yang's a lot more mature than she should be, I thought Ruby was just like that. Grew up a little too fast because they didn't have a proper home life."

"Tai there are plenty of kids with only one parent, and Ruby isn't just like Yang, she's passed Yang. Although she might act all happy and playful, she's kind of a lonely girl. You watch, when Yang is busy or doesn't need her and I'm 'busy' she'll hide somewhere and read a book, or fidget with her pockets or something. She doesn't go to the park or play with other kids, she'll hide away and play by herself. And trust me, keep an eye on what she's reading; it's nothing that a six-year-old should be able to read. I may have helped her learn to read and write but I certainly didn't teach her how to do it with both hands and she definitely wasn't at that reading level with me."

"She's ambidextrous? Since when? How? What-"

"Jeez Tai, you're worse than I thought. How have you not noticed this? She's your daughter for Christ sakes!" Not being able to stop himself, Qrow leant across the table and grabbed his friend by his collar, bringing their faces closer. "Do I seriously need to beat you up every time I come back from a mission to make you understand what you're doing?"

"No. it's been getting better lately, that day was just a minor setback."

"Minor setback." He scoffed, releasing his teammate. "You somehow managed to lose a six-year-old girl tripping on her own cape in the only major city you have. That was a major fuck up Tai, and your only lucky that she somehow made it to Beacon rather than the criminal district."

"You don't think I know that? I could have lost my little girl again and it was my own stupid fault. Yang has already shouted at me enough about it-"

"Well good, maybe now you'll see how much of a dick you've been and snap out of it." Not waiting for a response, Qrow took one last pull from the bottle before putting the lid back on and walking out, claiming to be going to bed and leaving the other man with his thoughts.

True to word, after watching Ruby follow Yang and Qrow around, Ruby would find a cosy little spot to hide in and read all different kinds of books; some were fairy tales and others were books about Dust. Those books she'd also take little notes of and sure enough, when one hand got tired of writing, she'd swap it all over and start writing with her other hand, the writing just as readable from both hands and she would keep swapping until someone called her name and she put her stuff away.

The only thing she did differently now though was that she would occasionally go for walks by herself around the house and yard, though she only really did that when whoever she was home with was asleep, because her entire family took far too many naps during the day.

Ruby had started using those times to practice her hand holds and the twirling, finding the motions relaxing and letting herself get lost in her thoughts as she mindlessly shifted through each hold, wondering about meditations and decided to ask her Qrow later. She almost got caught once by her father as she was out the front practicing when he got back from the shops. It was close but she had managed to mumble her way out of it.

Ruby had then also started asking Qrow about being a Hunter and how to meditate and what Aura does and how it works and everything she could possibly think of with her child like curiosity. It shocked him at first, but when she said that she wanted to be a Huntress when she grew up and needed to know all of this information, he just chuckled and started explaining.

He covered how you can unlock your Aura and what you can do with it, saying that the best way to unlock it is to meditate and focus on making it bigger inside you and then let it develop and manifest outside of the body on its own. He did also explain that in rare cases, when someone truly needs their Aura, it can manifest to protect you but it's dangerous for the users as it drains them as they haven't prepared for it and can result in a great amount of pain and possibly cause then to fall unconscious; which, depending on the situation, could be a fatal mistake.

With a couple more questions and a thoughtful look, Ruby then wandered off to sit in her corner to think before coming back to ask him to teach her how to meditate. Yang joining in too when she heard how it helps activate Aura.

And so, started the lessons on meditation. While Ruby actually did it without much of an issue – much to the surprise of all as she was usually so jumpy and energetic – they all soon discovered her problem; she couldn't keep her hands still. Always fiddling with her cape or pulling at the grass, Ruby couldn't sit still without her hands moving. She had gotten used to practicing with her mother's Sai's during quiet moments that now it felt weird to be sitting down without them. It was an easy fix though when Qrow had randomly thrown her a couple of pens and she immediately started to spin them, calming down instantly and nothing but a quick 'huh' from Qrow was said on the matter.

Yang on the other hand was a mess, always fidgeting and shifting and moving around and complaining about how boring it was to just sit and listen and 'focus on your soul' and all that dumb stuff. The only times she was quiet was when she had fallen asleep, and it was only the knowledge that the more she meditates the stronger her Aura will be that she kept it up.

It was only after a couple of months during a session Ruby did by herself that she discovered her Aura had already been unlocked, along with her semblance too if the rose petals flowing away from her were any sign. Upon this discovery, Ruby raced up to her sleeping Qrow and told him. Shocked and still half asleep he asked her to show him, expecting to see maybe a glimmer of Aura but was snapped awake at the sight of her glowing dark red Aura which steadily grew bigger and brighter as the seconds passed and then after a minute, true to her word, Ruby started shedding rose petals that would disintegrate when they touched the floor.

"Well shit."

And so life went on, Qrow started to show Ruby how to use her Aura and together they experimented with her semblance, and not too long after discovering hers did Yang's Aura manifest and Ruby soon learned that she burned if she touched her sisters Aura. It was decided that Yang would work with their father as he too had a similar Aura.

Ruby and Yang had also managed to convince their father to let them have one fun day a month in which they could go into Vale together, which Ruby used to go and see Professor Ozpin, although it took a bit of convincing and bribing to make Yang let her go on her own and not tell their father.

"And why do you want to go to Beacon again?"

"Ummm, because I made a really nice friend there last time and want to go see them again."

"Fine, but I want to meet this friend too."

"No! You can't, he's my friend. I don't want you to meet him."

"Ohhhhh, so it's a guy friend, I see how it is. I thought you lo~ved your Qrow but maybe I was wrong~."

"Yang! It's not like that! I still love my Qrow, it's just that this friend is really cool and was telling me about spatial awareness last time and I want to know more. Can't you just go and watch a fight or something?"

"I could, but what would I get out of it?"

"I won't tell dad about that boy you brought home last week when you thought everyone was out. You know what the rules are about boys."

"Fine, you win. You can go and play with your 'Spatial Awareness' friend, I won't tell dad and you better not either missy!"

"Yay, thank you Yang, Bye!"

And so Ozpin would get a monthly visit from little Ruby and if Ozpin wasn't free, she would hang out with the lovely lady teacher from last time who apparently teaches a class on weapon maintenance and something else. Ruby never knows where Ozpin is on those days he isn't available but she usually doesn't mind because she gets to look at all different types of weapons and designs.

That was, until one day when a little eight-year-old Ruby really wanted to show Ozpin her new moves and decided to try and hunt him down using her Aura, trying to see where he was.

Finding him at the back of the school again with someone else, little Ruby races over in a flurry of rose petals and hides behind a bush again, being very careful not to make any noise like last time. Popping her hooded head up to see what was happening, Ruby stops short at the sight of her Qrow hugging and kissing her other favourite person, Ozpin.

Breaking away from their kiss, neither noticed the hidden girl whose heart they were breaking, too enraptured with each other; Qrow having just gotten back from a particularly tough mission. Leaning his head against Ozpins shoulder, Qrow sighs and almost just collapses onto his lover, Opzin's strength the only thing holding them up.

"Qrow? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine." He sighed, snuggling a bit closer, knowing that no one could see him. "I'll be perfect when I get back to Tai and the girls. There is no better remedy than coming home to Ruby's adorable face; she is seriously one special kid that one, and I think she has a crush on me which is both cute and weird but she follows me around like a lost duckling, it's frankly adorable."

Ozpin chuckles into Qrows hair, but stops, confused about something, "Ruby your niece? I didn't think Raven had two girls, I thought it was just Yang."

"Wow we did a good job then." Qrow mumbled, "No you're right, Raven only had one child. Ruby is Summers' little girl, walks around with a big red hooded cape. She says it reminds her of me and that I make her feel safe. I think she's only ever taken it off to shower and sleep; never seen her without it since she bought it."

"Summer had a daughter? How did I not know?"

"I honestly thought you knew. She ended up at Beacon the day she bought it, you got a phone call about her, sent her back down home on a Bullhead with Peach, how did you not see the resemblance? She looks just like her mother, it's why she ran away in the first place."

"Wait, that was her? I never saw her face, she had her giant hood up the entire time."

"Yep. Tiny girl, way too big red hooded cape and a far too curious mind? That would be her." He laughed. "She's the light at the end of all my missions, the reason I keep going out to fight the hard fight; because there is nothing like her adorable little form sleeping on my chair waiting for me to get back or that blindingly innocent smile she wears when she sees me at the door."

"She sounds like a true gift. I've yet to see her full smile, she still doesn't show me her face…"

"Wait, what? When would you have seen her again?" Qrow asks as he pulls away, looking up at his love in confusion only for the sae look to be painted on Ozpins face too.

"What do you mean? She's been coming to see me every month for the past couple of years, sometimes I'm with you so I miss her but she spends the day with Peach on those days. I thought her family knew…"

"Nope, smart though. She and Yang had bugged Tai to let them come into the city once a month for a fun trip, though they always just say that they looked at clothes and explored the city. No wonder it always sounded so boring, and if she's been with you then I can blame you for having to start her training this early, thanks."

"What are you training her in? And you are very welcome, she's a lovely student."

"At the moment, she's interested in the staff but she keeps saying that she wants a scythe like me. And to make it better, she's an early bloomer; activated her Aura and semblance about a year ago."

"She's so young, but she is a special one… How about we keep her little escapades a secret for now. If she doesn't want anyone to know than we can keep it that way, and you know that she is always safe with me."

"Yeah, alright, we'll keep her little secret. Now shut up and kiss me, I haven't seen you in ages."

Heart both warmed and broken at what she just witnessed, Ruby used her semblance to race back to the main building in search of Professor Peach; she had an idea that she wanted to talk about…