I

Humanity. Don't we just despise it? The very word has been twisted and destroyed to the point of which we, who are intended to define the appalling set of letters, are unsure of what it still means anymore.

"Humanity- Genocide."

"Humanity- Murder."

"Humanity- Cruelty."

What have we become? We've divided both our meaning and world, all in hopeless reach of what may soon be considered a lost cause.

Peace.

Nevertheless, there is always hope for the future. In a dystopian reality where the soul of a person protects them by physical means, we have all the help required to rebuild.

However, for now, humanity must wait. For we stir in a world where one can either hunt-

Or be hunted.

Ruby Rose spoke into the microphone in front of the hundreds of government officials standing before her; every vocal echo shouting her words back as though asking for a debate.

The podium upon which the mic sat rocked slightly as the girl's pale fingers, now turning blue, continued to further grip the edges.

"It is indeed confirmed that millions across the globe have begun to develop a condition that may almost be considered supernatural by means of the general public."

One of the officials spoke up.

"How supernatural?"

Ruby hesitated.

"Many believe that these conditions are results of the soul projecting itself onto the human body it inhabits."

Her statement was met with mixed reactions of surprise and complete, utter disgust.

Some in the audience gasped and exchanged whispers that might have meant something important, while most rolled their eyes and scowled at the superstitious theory.

Ruby proceeded to tense up with how everyone was receiving the news, and continued to press on.

"Regardless of what it may be, this bodily aura that people seem to be generating can enhance the abilities of whoever bears them, some even granting entities akin to that of superpowers, or semblances, as that is what the world seems to be calling them."

Ruby's watchers suddenly became louder and more aggressive, as this announcement had proved to be the more shocking end of the wire for them.

"Superpowers?"

"We've no time for such ridiculous games, Miss Rose."

"Quit wasting our time!"

One man walked from the crowd and unleashed a set of words that stood out more than the generically put together insults, questions, and demands.

"And just how various are these newfound powers that people have been receiving, Rose?"

Ruby looked down from the stage at the man in the white suit before her in the shadows.

"Begging your pardon, sir?"

The man stepped out of the shadows, revealing his chiseled face and faded white hair at the sides of his cut.

"What I am trying to say is-"

He looked up at Ruby.

"What kinds of powers do these people have?"

She smiled, now recognizing the man who stood in front of her as James Ironwood, general of the Atlas military and a devoted supporter of her cause.

"All recorded abilities so far have been ranging from strictly elemental to specifics such as polarity, invisibility, telekinesis, and so on."

Ironwood gave a slight nod and looked down, knowing that everybody else in the room would not be as passive as himself about the situation.

A girl in a black suit inched up next to Ironwood with a clear look of anxious concern on her face.

"If any of this is true, shouldn't we all hope to be more cautious towards this new race of people- if they are even worthy of being called that anymore?"

Ruby spoke up.

"Ms. Fall, please try to understand that these people weren't given these abilities by choice. Most of them have no idea how to use them, nor do they know what to do with their lives, as others seem to treat them like monsters."

"And what happens when they learn how to use their gifts? Surely, some of them will become the monsters society has defined them as, religious zealots aside."

"That gives us no reason to put leashes on our own people."

Ironwood joined Ruby's argument in a small attempt to support her reasoning.

"What Ms. Rose means to stay is that there's no telling what these people may do now that they've obtained these powers. Some may continue to live their lives, and others may choose to face the law. Is that not what every other human being faces on Remnant?"

Cinder rolled her eyes.

"Sure. That is the struggle we all face, unless you're powerful enough to telepathically control the minds of everyone in a courtroom to ensure that you aren't deemed guilty."

Everyone in the room but Ruby and James exchanged glances and whispers of agreement.

Cinder Fall now spoke louder, fully confident in her influence on the crowd.

"These people are dangerous. We should be putting together organizations to apprehend all of them before they decide to get smart."

Ruby kept trying to get her share of support.

"Please. Many of these people are innocent. We can't just arrest them because they're different."

"Hold your tongue, Miss Rose."

Cinder brought the meeting to a close with her final questions.

"All in agreement of eliminating this problem before it manifests itself into an apocalyptic future?"

All in the audience raised their hands but the man and girl at the stage.

"All in favor that we try to be careful with these people and take this opportunity for granted?"

Ruby and Ironwood hardly bothered to indulge in Cinder's taunt. They had lost. Having an Aura was now illegal.

From afar seat in the crowd, the man behind Ruby's pacifistic intentions observed, pushing his glasses back up as his pupil's words were shot down by the others surrounding the stage.

He pushed the bangs of his silky white hair away from his eyes, straightening his green suit and walking out of the room.

He had gotten halfway to the exit of the building when he heard a familiar voice.

"What are you doing here, Ozpin?"

The man gave a long sigh, daring not to turn around.

"I could ask you the same, Salem."

"I'm here to prove a point."

"And that would be?"

Ozpin gave a slight look over his shoulder to spot an inch of her blonde hair.

Salem crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at Ozpin's shirt collar to keep herself from focusing on his face.

"That humanity will never be on our side."

"This is only the beginning. They are learning."

"Learning to kill us."

Ozpin scowled.

"Are we any different? In the end, we're just altered humans. We feel emotion, we commit the same atrocities, and we're prone to betrayal."

"And you'd know all about betrayal, wouldn't you, Ozpin?"

The two age old adversaries fully turned around to face each other.

Ozpin took a small handle out of his pocket, flicking a lever on it and causing it to extend into a cane.

He twirled it around in his hand as he readied himself in something of a battle stance.

Salem simply just stood still as the very floor around her began to disassemble itself particle by particle and swirl around her in a telekinetic twister.

"I have plans, Ozpin. Great plans for the future."

"Whether or not those plans are great depend on the kind of future you envision."

Salem let her arms down to her sides, the fingers on her prosthetic hands twitching as the twister took in more raw matter and began to get stronger.

"I envision a future of hope. One that will provide the best for all of our people who deserve it."

"I do not want to fight you, Salem."

"Then don't. I'll be taking the wheel for now. The best you can do is stay in the passenger's seat."

She stopped, allowing the twister to falter as the storm of particles turned into a faint mist of dust and debris.

Ozpin retracted his cane, putting it back into his pocket with an utmost stern look plastered onto his face.

"I cannot make any promises."

Salem gave him one smile before he turned away from her and walked out of the exit door.

"Goodbye, Ozpin. I hope to see you again soon."

Ruby walked out of the building with Ironwood by her side, ranting to him about the intricacies of human nature.

"God, I hated that! The moment you get up there, they all just stare at you like your existence is a crime!"

"Considering what we were discussing in there, they may very well believe that."

The sidewalk cracked as Ruby's stress caused her telekinesis to have a slight spasm.

Ironwood looked down at the crack in worry.

"I suppose you were holding that in for a while?"

Ruby pouted, shoving her hands into the pockets of her red suit.

"I've been trying to control it."

Ironwood raised an eyebrow.

"I really have! I was holding it in that room for over thirty minutes!"

"The point is to not have to hold any of it back. If none of it is in your system, you'll have nothing to worry about. You need to control your stress, Miss Rose."

"Tell that to Yang."

Ironwood continued to look down at the crack, giving out a slight chuckle.

"You'll learn, Miss Rose. In time, you will learn."

Ruby rolled her eyes, continuing to sulk around.

"Lighten up. I'm sure we can take a little break after that."

James looked up to see that the girl in red was no longer beside him, a small bed of roses in her place.

He smiled, knowing she would be back at the academy in no time.

"Your performance in there was quite questionable, old friend."

Ironwood looked behind himself to see Ozpin putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Where is Rose?"

"She left. Got tired of my lectures again."

"Ah. I see."

They gazed off into the horizon with a mellow feeling rising in their stomachs.

"So, Oz."

"Yes?"

"Have you drawn any conclusions?"

"Not quite. I can only be sure of one thing."

He pushed up his glasses once again.

"The world is ready for a revolution."