Chapter 3

Ruby frowned down at her oatmeal. It was terrible. Completely, utterly, horribly terrible. It oozed of the spoon in a repulsive drip. What in gods' name was it made of? Wet cement? The cooking she had been used to was so incredibly better than this. But that staff wouldn't be around for the next eighteen years. A pity, really. She took another bite of the disgusting sludge. At least it was food, and it would help re-energize her for the day she had planned. First clothes shopping, then weapons shopping, then grocery shopping. It would be a long day, especially considering she hadn't actually slept yet. She sank down a little on the bench. Normally she sat way over in the middle of the dining room, hanging out with her friends and being sociable, but the headmaster had recommended that she try to blend in and not seem out of place, so she had taken up temporary residence way over in the far corner of the mess hall. Nobody would bother her here. Also, what had he called her? Summer? That couldn't be right. She was here looking for Summer. She slumped her shoulders under her new cloak. She figured it might have been an error in his words. They did look alike, after all. A motion at her side alerted her. She turned in her seat slightly, to find Glynda standing not a foot away, a tray of food in hand. She gestured to the seat across from her.

"Hello, stranger. Mind if I sit with you? No one else here seems very nice."

Ruby looked up at her from under her hood and nodded passively. The tall, beautiful, be-speckled blond sat down across from her, her tray covered in a large pile of waffles. Almost too many than would or should be normal for a woman of her figure. Ruby watched her perplexed as she began ferociously ingesting the syrup-smothered breakfast. Glynda looked over at her, mouth full of waffle.

"What?" She swallowed, and jabbed her fork into another waffle. "I like waffles. Just like you like peeking on girls in the shower. Don't judge."

Ruby dropped her spoon, which clattered to the floor. Excuse me?! She looked so incredibly nonplussed as she continued eating. Ruby's mouth hung open. She did not like peeking at girls in the shower! Glynda just happened to be there and be disrobed when she went to the showers. Also, wasn't it Glynda herself, actually Professor Goodwitch, who said that one should always make time to appreciate fine art? Ruby caught herself staring. Her face flushed and she looked away, ashamed of herself for even thinking about her, the way her messy, yet perfectly curled hair framed her face, the way her eyes sparkled a stunning green...

Fuck, I did it again! Bad Ruby!

She reached under the table to retrieve her spoon from where it had fallen under the table. She saw it, sitting next to Glynda's shoes. Reaching for it, her eyes unconsciously drifted up the long legs above them. The perfect white skin guided her vision up, a journey of a thousand miles on the very tall girl's legs. Her line of sight was directed to her uniform's skirt, the pleated plaid fabric was suddenly very alluring. Glynda's legs opened, her calves flexing as she became more persistent in shovelling more waffle in her mouth. Ruby unconsciously looked up the skirt. Right at the forbidden zone lay a set of pale pink panties with the words 'Consume Immediately After Opening' printed across the front. Ruby's body jolted upward, her head colliding with the underside of the table with a resounding crack. She whipped her head out from under the table, her face a shade of scarlet that would be rivalled by her own red...cloak? She looked down at it again. White! It was coming together in her head.

"So what's your name anyway, strange person. I find it very difficult to befriend someone who has no name, you know."

Ruby clutched the side of her head where it had smacked the table. Her face scrunched up in pain. She met Glynda's eyes.

Why are you...

"Ever heard of a woman named 'Summer Rose'?"

...So fucking hot?

Glynda shook her head, no, her luscious blond curls dancing back and forth, her mouth full of waffle again. Ruby nodded passively. The realization was coming to her now, the white cloak she was wearing, the fact she had already met Qrow and Raven, and that all the adults in her life from before were here now, as teenagers. She'd been here, in this time, for almost five hours now, and hadn't yet caught a glimpse of her mother. That was the entire purpose of her machine in the first place. She had intended to come back to this time at some point to meet her, after first perfecting a method to return to the present. She looked back at Glynda, who had ceased eating and had pressed her face into a book.

"Are you sure you've never heard of her? She's about my height, same hair, silver eyes, pale complexion, should be a first year about this time, wears a white..."

She stopped mid-sentence. It made sense now. What Ozpin had said earlier made sense. Glynda looked up at her over the edge of her book.

"I get it. I understand it now!"

Glynda dropped her book onto the table.

"What do you get?"

Ruby straightened her back and slammed her fist onto the table.

"I am Summer Rose!"

"Such a lovely name for a lovely girl"

Ruby nearly leaped out of her skin at the sudden voice behind her head, soft, yet masculine. She turned her head around to meet the voice. There stood a reasonably tall boy with light blond hair, bright lilac eyes, and very tanned skin. He was wearing a deep beige vest over his otherwise bare chest and bright yellow shorts. He seemed very attractive. Ruby had to look away. Why me? Why today? She eyed the boy's companion. Oh for fuck's sake. It was Doctor Oobleck, only much younger, his very distinct green hair slicked way back and cut short, his face wearing a set of thick square black-rimmed glasses, and his uniform was a little messy at the moment, necktie ajar. Both he and the blond boy sat down on her side of the long table. Glynda addressed them dismissively.

"Hey Blondie. Who's your friend?"

The blond boy laughed as he settled himself down on the bench.

"Good to see you too, Badwitch. This is Bart. I met him on the airship over here. Well, not met per se, more like I tripped over his sleeping body. Dumbass here was snoozin' on the floor of the ship, taking up like seven feet of space."

Blondie punched his friend in the arm, meriting a lazy response from the green-haired boy.

"Whatever, man. Like, everyone needs their sleep. It's your fault for wanting to rush everywhere, you know. Maybe just like...slow down."

Ruby watched this exchange, perplexed. Was this really the famous Doctor Oobleck? He was so lethargic! Where was the running around imperceptibly, the super-sonic speech patters, the self-refilling thermos of coffee? This boy surely was an imposter! She questioned him as such.

"Doctor Oobleck, sir, have you had your coffee yet?"

Bart frowned over at her, his eyes glazed over, as if they were in a constant state of exhausted.

"Coffee? Terrible stuff. I'd never be caught dead drinkin' that shit. 'Parently it makes you all hyper an' shit. And the hell do you mean 'Doctor', I ain't no narc."

Ruby pursed her lips at the boy, furrowing her brow. This wasn't how she remembered him. A tired stoner? Ridiculous. She locked over at Glynda's tray and eyed her mug of coffee. She reached over and picked it up, sliding it over to where Bart sat. Both Glynda and Blondie perked their eyes up. She put on a serious tone.

"Bart. Drink."

He gave her a 'whatever' look and grabbed the mug, bringing it up to his face. The instant the coffee-scented steam entered his nose Ruby could see his pupils visibly dilate. He, too, perked his eyebrows, looking over at her. Ruby nodded at him expectantly. He took a sip.

"That's it pal. Might wake your dumbass up, even!"

Bart froze mid-sip, oblivious to Blondie's taunt. He seemed entranced. The mug was placed gently down on the table, and the green-haired boy stood slowly. He nodded to the three of them, and spoke in a slow, level tone. His voice wavered slightly, as if he was trying to keep in control.

"My friends, it was nice to meet you. I'm afraid I have business elsewhere. Good day."

And with that, Bart exploded away. The force of the whirlwind that he created was enough to knock over the dishes on the table and knock Ruby's hood down. She smiled at the green blur as it shot across the enormous dining hall and out the main doors. A few other students shrieked at the sudden movement, sending glances over their way at where it had come from. Ruby laughed at their dismay. Little did they know. Ruby's gaze was directed to the door again as a loud curse came from it as it opened. Her eyes fell. There she was again, the girl she ran over that morning. Blondie smacked her in the shoulder.

"Summer, check it out! There she is again! That girl with the black hair!"

Ruby looked over at him. Now she had a moment to actually look at him, she began to recognize him, slightly.

"Oh, yeah, what about her?" she asked, distracted by her own focus on his face.

"Man, she's so hot. What I wouldn't give to just talk to her once."

Glynda snorted at him.

"Just talk? Coming from you, 'Horn-dog Xaio Long'? Please. You'll be trying to sleep with her the first chance you get, buddy."

It clicked. Tan, blond, lilac eyes, beige vest. This was him. She stared at him, completely ignoring the argument he was having with Glynda. It was her father. She was fraternizing with her own freaking father. She shivered, the sirens in her head were deafening now. She had thought him attractive earlier. She suddenly felt violently sick, her face going pale. Fingers were snapped before her face. She looked up at it's source. It was him, still.

"You alright, Summer? You seem a bit ill. You know her or something?" he asked, gesturing over his shoulder at the girl they had been talking about a few moments ago. She looked arbitrarily, so as to not be staring at him anymore. She smiled when she finally realized who they were talking about.

"Oh yeah, that's Raven. She's like, super mean. I may have almost run her over this morning, so that's why she's really sour."

"Oh, come on, Summer, no one's that mean. Besides, you know her, so do you think you could introduce me?"

Both Glynda and Ruby snorted.

"Yeah, for sure. You're destined to be together, after all."

Glynda laughed visibly.

"The only thing Tai is destined for is a string of gay women he doesn't realize are gay, followed by immense sadness and depression."

Tai perked his eyebrows over to her. Ruby's heart sank. She wasn't far off, actually.

"What's that supposed to mean, Glyn? I have excellent luck with women! And now, Summer here's gonna help me land another one, Right Summer?"

Ruby nodded, feigning excitement. She pushed her tray away from herself and stood up from the bench.

"Hey, do you guys want to come to town with me? I need to go shopping, and I don't really want to go alone." She asked of her two sort-of new friends. Tai and Glynda stood up as well, bright smiles on their faces.

"Sure, Summer, where are we going?"

"Well..." she said, clasping her hands together "...If I'm gonna help Tail land a girl, let alone that one, I'll be needing a new outfit. This one is a little... we'll say unprofessional. This style is so eighteen years from now." she said, gesturing down at her current attire, the tired black slacks and burgundy dress shirt stained from her time spent in the lab. They began the long walk to the parking lot at the edge of campus. Glynda perked up.

"Sounds suspiciously like 'shopping spree,' Summer."

"Damn right, Glyn. And while we're out, I'll need to grab a new weapon to fight off any errant boys who try to talk her first. Tai comes first."

Her face went pale at her own implications, inciting a small chuckle from the two blonds.

"Not what I meant, but anyway, I also need to go buy food and stuff. I hope one of you has a car."

Tai smacked her on the shoulder, making her wince slightly. They had arrived at the gravel lot, filled to capacity with a collection of very expensive sports cars, clearly

"Ha! If only! If I did, I'm pretty sure I'd already have a girlfriend. Girls like guy's with cars! Right girls?"

Both Ruby and Glynda shook their heads at him. Right around the corner, behind some rich kid's Range Cruiser was Glynda's car. Ruby's eyes went wide as she took it in. It was a vintage white VHI Bantam off-roader, complete with the old-school Renegade stickers on the sides of the hood. It was in every way Ruby's dream car, no doors, no roof, and all.

"Holy shit, you drive a Bantam?! Man, this is so retro! I always wanted one of these!"

Glynda stopped mid-stride and turned around, a concerned look on her face for the second time since they met. Ruby suddenly realized her error. In this time, the Renegade Bantam wouldn't have been considered a classic.

"What do you mean, retro, Summer? This car is brand new. Doesn't even have six thousand miles on it. Are you feeling alright?"

Ruby laughed nervously as she climbed over the rear fenders and into the back seat, feeling a little cramped as she positioned herself in the middle of the tiny rear bench seats. Glynda and Tai settled themselves into the front seats, the car's heavy eight-cylinder engine rumbling into life, causing a bright smile to come to the owner's face. Clearly she liked her own car. Glynda's newfound cheerful attitude seemed almost contagious, as she chunked the long gear-lever into reverse and carefully reversed out of the spot between the two hugely expensive SUV, before fumbling around for first gear and pulling forward. Ruby's eyes lit up.

"You can drive stick, Glynda? Man, that is so hot."

Her hand shot to cover her mouth at the outburst. WHAT THE FUCK, ME. She turned a vibrant red, not at all hidden by her hand. Tai turned around in his seat and began laughing at her misery. Ruby wanted to smack him in the face. But would that be okay? This man, despite being only seventeen, was still supposed to be her dad. She stayed her hand for the moment. Let him laugh, he'll get his comeuppance in time. When they reached the edge of the parking lot where it met the road, Glynda turned slightly in her seat and winked back at Ruby. She melted in her seat. This was not her intention. She had a girlfriend already! She wouldn't be born for the next six months, but that wasn't the point! She was taken! But she's so attractive! Her mind argued. And this is my one chance! She closed her eyes and tried to clear her head as they pulled out onto the street. Glynda's voice piped up, making Ruby open her eyes again.

"Man, I'm glad it's September and we can keep the top of the jeep off. You two agree?"

Tai laughed.

"Yeah, it's definitely top-off weather, eh ladies?"

Needless to say, Taiyang got smacked.