Ruby let out a groan as she plopped down on a bench. She had thought that the Museum of Vale would give her some kind of inspiration, but she was still lost, all it had was dinosaurs and old timey weapons.

While those would normally be cool, they did not help her currently. She had graduated from high school two months ago and still did not know what career she wanted. Everyone else had it figured it out, but nothing seemed right for her. She was good at engineering, but for some reason that didn't feel right. There was just something missing.

So for two months she sat around the house trying to "find herself" as her dad put it. She did projects to stay busy and ventured out trying different things, the closest she got to feeling right was writing which felt more of a hobby than a job.

Tired of always sitting around, she wandered into the medieval section passing swords and banners from centuries old Europe. Plaques and diagrams showed wars of old and their effects on the people that lived at the time.

To make things worse Ruby was sure her dad was somewhat disappointed that she hadn't found anything yet, although he'd never outright say it. He was completely supportive of her and always said she'd do great things. But so far she hadn't done any things!

That's why she was here hoping to get something, anything. Maybe a historian or teacher, maybe someone that dug up fossils, she didn't know. But again she found nothing, just her own grumpy face in a silver shield paired with a spear.

"Maybe I could be an actress, Yang always said I was dramatic," she said to herself.

At least Yang knew where she belonged, being a personal trainer in Vale. She had an apartment and everything there so she didn't have to commute from Patch every day. She even would be called to other cities for a couple days at a time for some more high paying customers to help them in their homes. Dad had freaked over that one, but had calmed down when he learned she'd always have a partner with her, and hers was a girl named Pyrrha Nikos who definitely looked like a personal trainer. The two of them could handle themselves.

And that still didn't help her. Stupid brain not focusing. Maybe she shouldn't be too hard on it, it didn't even know what to focus on.

Ruby jumped in surprise as screams and crashing sounded out through the museum. Maybe a fire had started. Not dwelling on the reason she knew that the building wasn't safe anymore. She ran in the general direction everyone else was, trying to find a fire exit. She was sure everything would be alright, they made these places so that there was always a safe way out, right?

She passed all kinds of old swords and guns as she sprinted through the medieval and Vale's history sections. An alarm blared loudly, pounding against her ears while her feet pounded the ground. Fear drove her to great speeds trying to get away.

Seeing a large red exit sign Ruby had found her escape. Elation filled her head and carried her to safety. She was almost there when a cry for help came from behind her.

Ruby didn't know what came over her but she stopped.

She knew she was just a girl. She didn't know anything about saving people, she even knew running back into a burning building would more than likely only put two people in danger. But for once she knew something, she couldn't run away when someone needed help.

Running back into the museum Ruby tried to find the source of the voice.

"Hello! I'm trying to help! Where are you?" she yelled into the dark room that was only illuminated by emergency lights now.

No response came, there weren't any alarms going off anymore, either. Ruby leaned against a sword display to catch her breath.

Something was wrong. A primal sense similar to how you knew not to stand on a cliff's edge. Ruby scanned the room looking for something, anything. There wasn't a fire, there hadn't been any gunshots, nothing that told her what made those people scream.

A growl came from behind her, and only instincts throwing herself aside saved Ruby. Something large crashed into the sword display shattering the glass and sending the blades flying. Ruby picked herself up off the ground the same time it did.

Both of them locked eyes, neither moving as they sized each other up. Or, more likely one studied its prey and the other was rooted to the spot. The beast had the shape of a wolf or dog, but its limbs were much too long, letting it tower over Ruby. Even more intimidating was its unnaturally black coat and what seemed to be bone plates with red etchings covering it at several points.

Doing what came naturally Ruby ran as soon as her senses returned. The beast gave chase, digging its claws into the floor as it ran. While Ruby was fast in her own right due to years of track, her legs couldn't outpace those that were twice as long.

Another roar came from behind her and she again dove to the side.

Once more the beast overshot its mark and crashed, this time into a suit of armor, causing the steel plating to clatter loudly. Through the haze of adrenaline Ruby's mind flashed an idea. It was dangerous and deadly if it didn't work but she knew she wouldn't be able to avoid it forever. Flight was not an option.

Pushing herself off the floor with all her strength she dashed for the first display that had been destroyed. Sliding into it she ignored the small cuts from the glass. Hearing the telltale growl she scrambled through the debris, grasping one of the swords.

Turning around she thrust it out in front of her, hoping against all expectations.

And those expectations were met. The sword failed to pierce the beast's hide and was jarred out of Ruby's hands as she was slammed into the ground, pinned underneath a wall of black fur.

The wind was knocked out of Ruby, but so was the monster after being jabbed in the chest despite not drawing blood. Thanking whoever might be looking over her Ruby saw a shield to her left. She grabbed for it in the moment that the beast was stunned, and she held it in front of her.

Seeing it was not injured once it recovered a clawed hand descended aimed at her neck. Ruby held the shield in front of her face, again expecting the worst.

Grunting as her arm absorbed the blow, she held firm. She didn't know how she was doing it, but the girl who asked her dad to move anything too heavy was holding back something the size of a bear.

Trying her luck she pushed back, and with a great heave it was thrown off.

Scrambling to her feet Ruby looked through the rest of the ruined display and picked up a nearby spear. As hundreds of pounds of hatred studied her for the second time she noticed that the shield and spear matched. If the shield let her throw it off and the spear somehow was the same she might just have a fighting chance.

Finishing its study the creature shifted tactics and charged instead, staying close to the ground and running with all four limbs.

This still left it at Ruby's shoulder height. She held the shield out in front of her and turned to the side the moment it made contact. Her arm strained, but the beast was deflected aside.

When it regained control of its momentum the beast charged again, which Ruby again deflected, much to the protest of her arm.

Again and again the beast charged her before being pushed aside with more and more effort each time. While this happened Ruby frantically tried to think of a plan. The monster didn't seem to learn quickly, but it would adapt when an attack failed, so she had to make this count or it would just change tactics again. She wasn't able to counter-attack because of how quickly it charged, but she could move a small distance in between passes.

Seeing a possibility Ruby shuffled to the side on each attack. When she was finally in position she shoved the armored monster as it made yet another pass, its momentum carrying it into an antique loom. Caught in the wooden supports and woven threads it couldn't move.

Ruby rushed at it and thrust the spear into its chest. Giving a final pained roar the beast flailed in its tangled prison before finally going limp and dissolving into a strange black smoke, drifting off into nothingness.

Dropping to her knees Ruby let go of her weapons, letting them clatter to the ground. Trying to catch her breath she tried to process what had happened.

She'd ran back into a building that she thought was on fire to save someone, found a monster instead, and killed it with a pointy metal stick.

"I'm going crazy aren't I?" she asked of no one in particular.

"That remains to be seen."

Ruby snatched up the spear again and pointed it at the source of the new voice.

A man dressed in green held up his hands in a placating gesture, "I don't mean you any harm, in fact if I had been here earlier you would not have had to experience what you did."

Ruby did not lower her weapon. The monster had come from seemingly nowhere and this man only showed up once it was gone, also seemingly from nowhere.

"You know what that thing was?" she asked.

"I do," he slowly lowered one of his arms to use his cane, "Are you harmed?"

"No, but someone screamed. That's why I came back here."

The man gave a small smile, "That is fortunate then. I followed this Grimm's path of destruction here and no one had come to harm

"A Grimm?" Ruby's brow furrowed at the term.

"They are an embodiment of negative emotions and one of the many things that threaten the lives of ordinary men and women," His face remained completely calm through his explanation.

Ruby lowered her spear slightly to the side. "Who are you?"

"A man that tries to protect the lives of ordinary men and women. My name though is Ozpin, might I ask yours?"

"Ruby," she said quickly.

"Well Ruby, it is rather impressive that someone untrained would be able to defeat a grimm, most would not realize they are largely immune to anything not made of silver. But it seems you were able to figure out its fatal weakness."

Ruby looked down at the spear, still clenched in her hand. Silver metal glinted in the emergency lighting. Not a single speck of blood, aside from her own, covered it.

"If I may Miss Ruby, I'd like to offer you a chance to help protect others from Grimm and other creatures," he said, "It is uncommon to find one such as yourself that possesses the raw talent to defend themselves from the supernatural."

A part of Ruby jumped at the idea that someone had found her skilled enough to offer that kind of opportunity, but another warned that she knew nothing about him or what he really wanted.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

As an answer he pulled two business cards from his suit and offered them with an outstretched hand. "One of these cards is an address that if you arrive tomorrow I can explain everything. The other is for someone that can help you forget and rationalize what you saw today."

After hesitating half a moment Ruby took both of them, "Wasn't that in a movie once?"

"So it was," Ozpin chuckled, "But it serves its purpose. You should head home though. If you go down that hallway there's a door on the right where you can leave without having to answer any questions."

She looked in the direction he was pointing seeing a crack of light seeping into the museum and illuminating the destruction within.

"What will you do about this?" she asked, gesturing to the destroyed room around them.

"My job. Part of it is explaining things, I think today a wild animal would work."

A small chuckle escaped her lips as she started to leave. She'd have to think on Ozpin's offer, but for now she had stopped a Grimm from killing anyone, including herself. It was a good day, especially if it meant a direction moving forward, and not dying.

"Miss Ruby?" Ozpin called from behind her, "Leave the spear?"

Later that night Ozpin sat in his office going over the reports of the day and drinking his coffee. He was somewhat disappointed that he had been unable to see any action today. Normally ne was locked to his seat handling paperwork, but he had been on a break when reports came in that a Beowolf was in the local museum. Imagine his surprise when he arrived to find that a girl had killed it.

And that was the reason he was only somewhat disappointed, overall he felt rather joyful. They were always looking for new members and Ruby fit the bill perfectly. There was only one problem.

A knock came on his door.

"Come in," he said.

Practically ripping the door open Yang Xiao Long stormed into his office, her eyes a dark red and hands clenched tight.

"You can't do this," Yang demanded, placing both hands on his desk with a noticeable thump.

"She's a perfect huntress. Resourceful, quick thinking, empathetic, everything she showed on that security clip was nothing short of heroic. And she's more ready than even you were, Miss Xiao Long."

"When I was ready you promised my family would be safe," Yang said, quietly dropping her head, "This is the complete opposite of that."

Ozpin set his drink down.

"I know. This is why I gave her both cards, she has an option to get out and another to understand. You know well how not knowing can drive someone to seek knowledge through the wrong ways, if we deny her she could head down one of those darker paths."

"So what am I supposed to do? Sit back and watch her throw herself into danger?"

"Of course not. I want you to be her partner."

Yang picked up her head, staring incredulously at the older man.

"What about Pyrrha?"

"Miss Nikos can accompany you on missions until we find another position for her," He explained, "The bond of family is invaluable in our work. This way would also allow you to watch Ruby while she learns, as well as having another accomplished huntress accompanying you."

"This still isn't what we agreed on," Yang pressed.

"I know. And if today's events were different our agreement would hold. However your sister now knows about our world. Because of that I can offer her a place among us, or assistance in understanding what she experienced. Or I could have done nothing, leaving her confused and without explanation. This third option neither of us truly know what the outcome would be, but I cannot imagine Miss Rose to come out the better for it."

The moving of gears in Yang's head were almost audible as she glared at Ozpin, "Fine. But if anything goes wrong, you're the one to blame."

Whipping around Yang stormed out almost as quickly as she entered, closing the door with just enough force it almost slammed.

"I hold myself accountable every day Miss Xiao Long..."

AN: I hope that was an interesting enough first chapter to stick around for a little while. Currently my plans are to release a chapter every other week, and with two chapters already written as a buffer I should be able to keep a steady schedule.