By Any Other Name

Ruby Rose

Legends. Stories scattered through time. Mankind has grown quite fond of recounting the exploits of heroes and villains, forgetting so easily that we are remnants, byproducts, of a forgotten past.

Man, born from dust, was strong, wise, and resourceful, but he was born into an unforgiving world. An inevitable darkness — creatures of destruction — the creatures of Grimm - set their sights on man and all of his creations. These forces clashed, and it seemed the darkness was intent on returning man's brief existence to the void.

However, even the smallest spark of hope is enough to ignite change, and in time, man's passion, resourcefulness, and ingenuity led them to the tools that would help even the odds. This power was appropriately named "Dust".

Nature's wrath in hand, man lit their way through the darkness, and in the shadow's absence came strength, civilization, and most importantly, life.

But even the most brilliant lights eventually flicker and die. And when they are gone... darkness will return.

Ozpin shakes himself from his internal monologue as he sips his coffee. Salem has long since gone quiet.

This is very troubling indeed to him and his companions. She is planning something, and with Summer dead and her daughter missing, it's only understandable that he worry.

The door opens and Glynda motions for the silver haired man to enter.

He had received a calls earlier from the blonde woman that a girl had taken on Roman Torchwick and ruined his plans to rob a dust shop. While she didn't help the capture, she did succeed in stopping him.

Ozpin steps in the room with a plate of cookies in hand. His eyes roaming what he can see of the young girl. A red cloak sits on her shoulders obviously having been worn for years if the shape it is in is proof of anything. Her armour had obviously not been cleaned nor taken care of since the day she received it, immediately making the headmaster believe she is an orphan.

Black wolf ears sit atop her head telling Ozpin that she quite possibly grew up outside the kingdom and in the forests that surround Vale.

Ozpin sets the plate of cookies onto the table and moves up to the girls face. A red tinted ski goggles covers her eyes, making Ozpin a little leery about the girl. Eyes are a passage to the soul.

Poking out from the ski goggles on the right side is a slightly pink scar that seems to be extremely faded. The girls hair is short with red tips, deeming to have been dyed at some point.

Ozpin takes his seat and opens a scroll before playing the video caught by nearby cameras. "Now Miss..." Ozpin falters at not having received the girls name.

"Rose." The young girl quiet pipes in, sounding rather bored.

Ozpin nods. "Miss Rose. Where do you learn to do this?" Ozpin plays the video of the girl fighting very professionally with a scythe.

Rose shrugs. "Outside the kingdoms in the forests sir."

Ozpin raises an eyebrow. "The only person I have ever met that has used a scythe was a dusty old crow."

Rose only nods. "Cool. I'll have to fight him some day."

Ozpin nods but remains silent. The girl had fought as if it had been easy to her. And if by the looks of things, the girl is only 14 or 15 meaning she could've been a student at one of the middle academies. Yet she wasn't and she fought like a veteran huntress. "Do you know who I am?"

Rose tilts her head and examines the man before her. Ah Professor Ozpin. The youngest headmaster at Beacon Academy for hunters and huntresses. "Your headmaster Ozpin."

Ozpin nods. "Very good. Now, would you like to come to my school?"

Rose weighs the options in her mind before nodding once. "I would."

Ozpin nods and stands up, picking up the plate of uneaten cookies to save for later. "Glynda will give you the details. I hope to see you there this coming year Miss Rose."

After Glynda gives the details for the new school year, Rose is released. The pair watch as the girl disappears into the dark of night.

"Are you sure this is wise Ozpin? Surely you felt what I did?" Glynda glances towards the headmaster.

"Glynda, sometimes it's good to keep your friends close, but your enemies even closer. Let's hope Miss Rose is just it of touch with humanity and will prove to be a valuable asset to our future plans." Ozpin takes a sip of his coffee and glances up at the shattered moon.

-•-

Salem, a humanoid creature. With skin as pale as snow and black veins that cover her skin, she is truly a ghastly sight. This creature of darkness stands in front of one of the larger windows in her castle surrounded by devastation.

Red catches her eye and her eyes are brought to a lone person standing among one of the spawn pools in the distance, red rose petals bleeding from her cloak that flutters in the wind.

Salem turns around and is met with one silver eye and one red eye boring into her soul. Salem bows to her creator. "My queen."

Rose waves Salem off. "It seems things will be progressing faster than planned. I have been accepted into Beacon Academy."

Salem glances at the back of her superior. "I see. Then it is imperative that you know the leaders of all our major allies besides the White Fang will be attending this year."

Rose plops herself into what is usually seen as Salem's chair and nods. A soft whispering in her head brings Rose to the depths of her mind where she is met face to face with an identical version of herself.

Ruby Rose. The original owner of this body Rose has possessed for the time being.

Rose chose her name centuries before she stumbled upon a little girl crying in the woods for her mother. Rose coaxed the girl to release her story on a whim to smile sadly as she remembers the woman the young child to be talking about.

Summer Rose. After learning about the treachery commuted by the academies, she decided to defect. She was then obliterated on the spot by Ozpin before Rose could save the female who supported their cause.

Rose then told the young girl about what had truly happened, and in a rage, Ruby begged Rose to become stronger to avenge her mother. Silver burst from the young girls eyes, absorbing Rose's essence, merging the two into a single body.

While Rose wishes for all humanity to be erased, Ruby wishes for the academies to become nothing more than dust. Rose learning the girl's goals, she accepted. As this would only further her plans. The second part could always come much later.

While both are one and control their form together and while they can speak while controlling this form, it is more tiring unless they disappear into their mindscape to hold out entire conversations.

"Rose." Ruby steps towards the Grimm. Where silver eyes should be, two black eyes with red dots stare back. "I know you've heard the rumours too. About a blonde leader. Do you think..."

Rose puts a hand on Ruby's shoulder. "It might be her Ruby. She should be of age this year, if she is not who we may think, then we shall convert her to our cause so that you and her can remain together little gem."

Ruby nods. "Thank you Rose."

Immediately both are brought back to their body, smiling as only a second had passed in real time.

"Thank you Salem. It was wise to appoint you as my general." Rose stands up and glances out the same window Salem had. The spawning pools steadily creating her army of Grimm. "A bloody revolution indeed."

Both the silver and Grimm eye gleam in delight at the impending battle.