New Chaotic Life
Much like the rest of my life now, just getting to school is now a call for unwanted attention. Both sides of the lawn that surround the path to the front door are full of people and blocked off by police barricades. Our schools reporter, Neon Katt, sporting her light blue shirt under a white jacket, black short shorts under a pink skirt and her white knee high boots on bare legs, is getting all of this for the school news broadcast, along with the actual news reporters.
Neon: "We're covering the first day of senior year for Signal Academies most famous student, Ruby Rose! Go get 'em, Tiger! Or should I say, Spider?"
Reporter: "The crowd has continued to grow here all morning long at Signal Academy... The crowd seems evenly divided between supporters of Scarlet Spider, and protesters." Supporters seem to be over to the left while protesters are to the right. Each side giving different cheers... some being a little disturbing.
Supporter 1: "Velveeeeet! Velvet! Velvet, we love you. Velvet, are you gonna have her spider-babies?" ...I'm not even gonna get into how wrong that sounds and move on. Velvet and I just continue holding hands while trying to ignore the scrutiny from the crowd.
Protester 1: "Mysteria forever! Murderer!"
Protester 2: "Velvet, you know she's a murderer, right!?"
Supporter 2: "Do a flip!"
Protester 3: "Murderer!" Eventually, Oscar turns back and snaps.
Oscar: "Hey, back off!" But they aren't fazed at all.
Girl: "Who are you!?"
Oscar: "I'm Oscar Pine. I'm-" He didn't know Cardin was coming up behind him until he heard him cut him off.
Cardin: "Ruby Rose's best friend. You come at my girl? You come at Cardin Winchester. You wanna read about our inspiring friendship? You can now, with my new book, Webbed Cardinal." As he presents a book whose cover is an obvious photoshopped picture of he and I as best buds. "One spider, two hearts, a million crazy-ass memories. Check it out." Oscar just gets annoyed and moves on while he's talking. The police check me with a metal detector before letting me enter and stop Velvet to check her once they're done with me.
Velvet: "Just go, I'll catch up."
Ruby: "I'll see you later, alright?" I have no choice but to go in without since the cops are in a hurry to keep me on track.
Neon: "Keep watching Signal News all year as we bring you upclose and personal coverage of Ruby fighting her biggest battle yet: college admissions." Up on the second floor I run into three of the schools teachers. In the middle is doctor Bartholomew Oobleck, the schools history teacher, dressed in a white long sleeved dress shirt, green dress pants, a yellow necktie and basic spectacles. To his right is coach Peter Port, the PE teacher, wearing his dark red jumpsuit and white T-shirt under the jacket. To Oobleck's left is professor Thumbelina Peach, the science teacher, in her closed white lab coat, black gloves that go up to her upper arms and black boots that go up to her thighs along with a skirt that somewhat peek out from under the labcoat and some brown stockings.
Oobleck: "Ruby. We would love to... Welcome you back... to Signal Academy. Where we shape heroes."
Peach: "Uh-huh." Those two maybe very supportive but it's clear Couch Port is not.
Port: "Or murderers."
Oobleck: "Stop it."
Peach: "It is an honor to serve you... Ma'am."
Port: "Just stop. Okay? Mysteria was right."
Peach: "Stop. We don't need any of that. Uh, some of the students put this together for you." As she motions behind them to a display case featuring items dedicated to me, a lot of Scarlet Spider merchandise, my school photo, my debate club jacket and... is that a bust of me?
Port: "No. You did that."
Peach: "I helped a little bit."
Port: "I tried to stop her so many times, but you piled through. She did all of that."
Oobleck: "You did great Professor." At that point they stop their little squabble and return their attention back to me. "I hope you have time to stop and check it out... And feel free to walk... Or, or swing through the hallway... Or crawl on the ceiling to avoid everybody."
Peach: "We all know you can do it." If this keeps up I'm gonna be late to class so I'd better get going.
Ruby: "Um... Thanks, I guess. But um... I'm just gonna go before I'm late."
Oobleck: "Of course. By all means." I start walking away but...
Port: "We know what you did."
Peach: "Stop it. You're embarrassing yourself."
Port: "We know what you did."
Peach: "Don't listen to him. He's a conspiracy theorist." Of course as I continue down the halls, the other students won't stop taking pictures or videos. Later on after school, I meet with Velvet on the roof to get away from the crowds. We're both laying down looking up to the sky with Velvet reading through the paper.
Ruby: "Can we just stay up here all day? It's stupid crazy down there."
Velvet: "Oh hey, this one's interesting. 'Some suggest that Rose's powers include the Grimm Spiders ability to drain others energy, which she used to force Scarlatina into her cult of personality'."
Ruby: "C'mon, stop."
Velvet: "Yes, my Spider-Queen." That got a chuckle out of me. She then puts the paper away and we face each other. We look into each other's eyes, but just as we were about to kiss... the door comes open.
Oscar: "Ugh, finally, some privacy." Well not anymore, thank you very much. C'mon dude, you ruined the moment! Ugh... Well, as he clearly doesn't get the situation he just makes himself comfortable and we sit up to face him. "Now I've been thinking. When we get into Beacon, we all should live together."
Ruby: "Oh, definitely."
Velvet: "Sounds nice." Oscar pulls up the front page of Beacons website on his laptop, showing a picture of happy students playing frisbee.
Oscar: "Soon enough, this is gonna be us."
Velvet: "Well, not really. Not quite fond of frisbee, but mostly we won't be as happy with our circumstances." Any scrutiny we get from... anywhere will be unavoidable but I'm sure it will all be with it.
Ruby: "Beacon is obviously the dream, but if we match up our backup schools, regardless of where we go, then we'll all be together in Forever Falls. New school, new town, and I can spider it up there. I mean they have crime over there, right?"
Velvet: "Oh, for sure."
Oscar: "No doubt."
Ruby: "Which means it'll be like a fresh start." They nod in agreement, but Velvet has a slightly saddened expression to the contrary. "What's wrong?"
Velvet: "I just don't wanna get my hopes up to high. My Mom had a certain philosophy back in her day: 'if you expect disappointment, then you can never be disappointed'."
Ruby: "Don't worry. It'll be a fresh start. I just know it." I hold out my hand to her. She is hesitant for a second before she finally smiles again.
Velvet: "You're right. A fresh start." She takes my hand. Oscar puts his hand on top of ours and joins in.
Oscar: "A fresh start." Not long after, I'm in the condo when Yang comes in after checking the mail.
Yang: "First ones here!" Referring to a response letter from one of my applied college's. Unfortunately, the school rejected me. But I shrugged it off on account that it was only one of my backup schools. These keep coming in as the months go on, but their all rejects. It is now about mid to late November, so I'm now 18, by the way since my birthday is on Halloween, and we get to the coup de grace. "Ruby! Last one!"
Ruby: "Beacon?" One of Ms. Schnee's old robo arms from her workshop is placed right by the dining table and... it knocked over a Lego set I just finished building of the Star Wars Death Star and completely destroyed it. Brilliant. But that's not important right now! I immediately text and ask Velvet and Oscar if they got theirs and we agreed to meet at the coffee shop Velvet works at to see the results. When I get there and enter, Velvet and I approach Oscars spot at the counter with our unopened letters in hand.
Velvet: "Alright. Ready?" But first her boss cuts in.
Owner: "Rabbit. I thought I told you to take down the Halloween decorations." Now that mentions it, there are Halloween decorations all over the place. Surprised they weren't taken down earlier.
Velvet: "Actually, that was Coco, so..."
Owner: "Enough attitude, just do it." It's clear he's not a very nice boss.
Velvet: "...On it." You can clearly tell she's ready to get out of this dump.
Oscar: "I feel like I'm gonna be sick..."
Velvet: "Well, try to keep it to yourself, or he'll just make me clean it up."
Oscar: "This is our last chance. It's either here or nowhere."
Ruby: "Hey! Stay positive, okay?"
Velvet: "Alright. We ready? One."
Oscar: "Two."
Ruby: "Three." We all open up our letters and read through... only to be met with disappointment. "No."
Velvet: "No. Oscar?"
Oscar: "'In light of recent controversy, we are unable to consider your application at this time'." No need to quote the letter, it just adds insult to injury.
Ruby: "This isn't fair. This really isn't fair. I didn't do anything wrong. And you guys definitely didn't do anything wrong."
Velvet: "And so Mom's philosophy prevails again." Just then, Cardin comes in sporting a Beacon hoodie over his usual shirt.
Cardin: "This will be the day we've waited for! Da da ba da da ba da da! Da da ba da da ba da da! Beacon!" We just look at him unimpressed before we look sad again and he immediately gets the hint. "You guys didn't get in?"
Oscar: "Of course not. Because we're actually friends with Scarlet Spider." He realizes how awkward this is and so decides to weasel out of it.
Cardin: "Uh, yeah... I better get going. There's a, mixer for new admissions... and... Sorry, guys." He just leaves and Velvet's boss cuts in again.
Owner: "Rabbit, what are you doing? Get back to work."
Velvet: "Alright, alright. Don't get your panties in a twist." She turns back to us. "You know what?" She rips up the letter and throws it away. "I wouldn't change a thing." She returns to work and Oscar shares her resolve.
Oscar: "Me neither." He rips up the letter and realizes something before he attempts to throw it away. "Although, I do need to show this to me Aunt." He packs up the letter and leaves. Leaving me to ponder what to do now. Lost in thought, I look at the Halloween decorations and notice the strings of lights shaped like witch heads. Thinking of witches made me think of my fight with Salem... And that reminded me of someone who was there that could possibly help me out here. So I leave a navigate my way through the city until I find my destination: the Sanctum Sanctorum. Home of the Sorcerer Supreme, Professor Cormick Ozpin, and other sorcerers who defend Remnant from threats of inner-dimensional origin. I approach the door and they spontaneously open just as I'm about to knock. I feel an immediate chill when I walk in and find the place covered in snow and ice... What? To my left are two people shoveling snow into buckets.
Ruby: "Um... Hello?" They stop and look my way. "Hello. I'm-" Then a green portal opens to my right, and out comes a light tan skined man with brown hair wearing a aquamarine coat with teal lining and gold patterns, with a teal vest with gold patterns under that and black pants. If I recall, this guy's called Ozma.
Ozma: "The most famous person in the world. I know." He puts down a couple of suitcases he has packed up after coming through. "Ozma. Try not to slip. We don't have liability insurance." He goes back through the portal to grab another set of bags. I decide to ask about what's happened here cause it's seriously bothering me.
Ruby: "Is this for some kind of holiday party or something?"
Ozma: "No." He comes back through and puts the bags down when the portal closes. "One of the rotunda gateways connects to Solitas and a blizzard blasted through here." Then a door comes open and the man I'm looking for is seen floating down the stairs using that cloak of his with a mug of I'm guessing either hot cocoa or coffee in hand. He's wearing a rather heavy looking dark grey trench coat over his usual outfit with his teal cloak of levitation on his shoulders, and his eye shaped amulet around his neck. Of his outfit underneath. Right now we can only see his dark green pants and black shoes.
Ozpin: "Because someone forgot to cast the monthly maintenance spell to keep the seals tight." He lands next to Ozma and almost slips but quickly gains his footing.
Ozma: "That's right. He did. Because he forgot I now have higher duties."
Ozpin: "Higher duties?" Sounding a little offended.
Ozma: "The Sorcerer Supreme has higher duties, yes."
Ruby: "Wait, I thought you were the Sorcerer Supreme?"
Ozpin: "Sadly, that's no longer the case. Ozma here got it on a technicality due to my five year disappearance." That's right. Ozpin was among the heroes who vanished from Salem's snap with the Infinity Stones just like me. I guess it makes sense that they would need to replace him to ensure chaos wouldn't come from a lack of leadership.
Ruby: "Oh. Well, congratulations, Sir."
Ozpin: "If I had been here, then I-"
Ozma: "Would've burned the place down." Ouch, not very much faith in him, huh? Ozma turns his attention to the other two, leaving me and Ozpin to talk. "You two! No one to stop shoveling!"
Ozpin: "So, Ruby. To what do I owe the pleasure?" He starts heading for the fire place.
Ruby: "Right, right, right. Um... Whoa!" I almost slip when I start following him but quickly gain better footing. "I'm really sorry to bother you, Sir."
Ozpin: "Please. We saved half the universe together." With a snap of his fingers he creates a fire in the fire place. "I think we are beyond you calling me 'Sir' or 'Professor'."
Ruby: "Okay, uh... Ozpin."
Ozpin: "That feels weird, but I'll allow it." A slight but of awkward silence before a muster up what I wanted to ask.
Ruby: "When uh... When Mysteria revealed my identity... my whole life took a turn for the worst. I thought maybe, and I'm not even sure if this would work, but I thought maybe... you could turn back time to stop it from happening?" He almost looks a little disappointed.
Ozpin: "Ruby... The Avengers already tampered with the fabric of space-time once to save countless lives, including you and me. And you wish to do it again just because yours is now ruined?"
Ruby: "I would agree with that if it was just about me, but it's not. This is hurting a lot of people. My sister, Mr. Sieben, my best friend, my girlfriend, their futures are ruined just because they know me even though they've done nothing wrong."
Ozpin: "And you have my deepest sympathies for that. You really do. But unfortunately I can no longer do so even if I wanted to since... I no longer have the Time Stone." Him saying that just hit me with realization.
Ruby: "That's right." The Avengers were able to go back in time with a quantum tunnel but I can't exactly go to them with my current circumstances. And the only reason they did so was because two weeks after Salem won she used the stones again to destroy each other, reducing the stones to atoms to stop them from undoing her plan. Then Captain Jaune Arc, AKA Captain Vale, had to return the stones to their timeline of origin to prevent the creation of any bad alternate timelines, to which afterwards he returned to his own time over 80 years ago to be with his sweetheart. In our present time, he's now just a retired old man. With this, the stones no longer exist in our time. Ozpin's amulet used to house the Stone of Time but now it's just an empty shell. Which means... there's really nothing left we can do. "I'm... sorry if I wasted your time."
Ozpin: "No. You didn't-"
Ruby: "It's okay. I'll think of something, so just, forget about it." Ozma cuts in as he's gathering his bags.
Ozma: "Oh, don't worry, he well. He's very good at forgetting things." Now it's Ozpin's turn to show realization.
Ozpin: "Ozma. You've actually sparked a good idea."
Ozma: "What?"
Ozpin: "The Runes of the Maidens."
Ruby: "The Runes of the Maidens?"
Ozpin: "Oh, it's just a simple spell of forgetting. It might not turn back time, but it will at least make everyone forget that you were ever the Scarlet Spider."
Ruby: "Seriously? Thats-"
Ozma: "No. Not seriously." And he's looks angry. What's wrong with it? "That spell travels the dark borders between known and unknown reality. It's too dangerous." Ah. Yeah, that does sound a little serious. Are we sure this is a good idea now?
Ozpin: "Except we've used it for much less. Do you remember the faculty costume party we held at the school?" He ponders for a second before answering.
Ozma: "No."
Ozpin: "Exactly." Wow. Not sure I want to know what happened to warrant that. Ozma still looks a little discontent about using that spell. "Come now, Ozma. Hasn't she suffered enough?" She stays quiet for a minute before a portal opens behind him.
Ozma: "Just leave me out of this." I guess that's the green light to go ahead with it.
Ozpin: "Fine."
Ozma: "Fine." He leaves with all of his bags and after the portal closes, Ozpin removes his coat, revealing his usual garb of a long sleeved green sweater under a dark green vest with a sleeveless dark green robe held together by three black belts around his waist over all of that and some silver armor pieces covering his forearms, and leads me to some kind of basement. Ancient runes of four large... vaults, I think? And two blocked off hallways, one on either side of the lined up vaults. In the center was some sort of bowl backed by a plinth that Ozpin now stood behind.
Ruby: "So what is this place?"
Ozpin: "The Sanctums were built at the intersection of cosmic energy currents. This place acted as the hideout for the four Maidens, that we sorcerer's draw our magic from through a spiritual connection, back during an ancient war for the protection of our plant. Some of these walls are thousands, if not millions of years old. And apparently, they shot a movie based off the 'Man with Two Souls' fairy tale here back in the 80's." Oh, yeah. I remember seeing that. Gotta be honest though, the original book was so much better. Wait! Now's not the time for that!
Ruby: "Well, I appreciate you doing this for me, Sir."
Ozpin: "Don't mention it. And please drop the 'Sir'." As he prepares the bowl for the spell.
Ruby: "Right, right. Sorry."
Ozpin: "Are you ready?" Do you even have to ask?
Ruby: "I'm ready." He diagnolly folds his hands.
Ozpin: "Nice knowing you, Scarlet Spider." That statement left me confused as he begins. Forming a mandala shield in his left hand and taking a piece from said shield in his right.
Ruby: "Wait, excuse me?" He continues moving that piece through the air in his fingers.
Ozpin: "The entire world is about to forget that Ruby Rose is the Scarlet Spider. Including me."
Ruby: "Everyone?" I grow concerned and approach him and stand opposite of him by the bowl as a ring of energy forms around us. "Um... Can't some people still know?"
Ozpin: "That's not really how the spell works and it's very difficult and dangerous to change mid-casting." But then that would mean...
Ruby: "So Velvet is gonna forget all that we've been through? Is she even still gonna be my girlfriend?" The ring starts shaking a little, which doesn't go unnoticed by Ozpin but he keeps his composure.
Ozpin: "That depends. Was she your girlfriend just because you were Scarlet Spider?"
Ruby: "Well, I really hope not, but still-"
Ozpin: "Okay. Fine." He stops and the current ring lowers when he starts over and a second ring starts appearing. "Everyone in the world is going to forget you're Scarlet Spider, except your girlfriend."
Ruby: "Thank you so much-" But then something hits me. "Oh my Gosh. Oscar!" The rings start shaking again while Ozpin yanks a piece of symbols from the ring and discards it into the bowl.
Ozpin: "And who is Oscar?"
Ruby: "He's my best friend, so it's very important to me that he knows." Clearly a bit annoyed, he restarts again for a third ring to appear.
Ozpin: "Now then. Let us not change the parameters of the spell anymore while I'm casting it."
Ruby: "Alright. I swear I'm done." ...Is what I would finish it with if I didn't remember someone else. "Ah! But my sister should really know." He just immediately restarts again for a fourth circle while giving a warning.
Ozpin: "Ruby, stop tampering with the spell."
Ruby: "When she found out I was Scarlet Spider, it was crazy awkward, and I don't think I can go through with that again." He doesn't say anything until I ask again. "So my sister, Yang?"
Ozpin: "Yes." Clearly angry.
Ruby: *sigh*"Thank you." You probably guessed it, but another person came to mind. "And Klein?"
Ozpin: "Are you kidding me!?" Obviously annoyed as the rings all start shaking again.
Ruby: "I know, I know. But I promise this is the last one." I think my voice is being drowned out by the strange noises now coming from the rings.
Ozpin: "Could you please just stop talking!?" The rings finally break formation and we start floating as the room breaks apart to show what looks like outer space... yet we can still breath? Maybe I should've just phrased it like this from the start.
Ruby: "Basically, everyone who knew I was Scarlet Spider before, should still know!" Ozpin looks like he realizes what we're looking at and starts worrying when he sees these strange silhouettes in the void: all humanoid, one with a tail, one very skinny with four tentacles in his back, one very muscular, one a bit average floating in the air and one female-esque with horns one some kind of board. He struggles as he gathers the rings into a smaller start until he finally shrinks a contains then in pentagon cube that could fit in my hand, all while the runes we were in reform around us and we're grounded again. I stand there flabbergasted wondering what the heck just, but obviously the first thing I have to make sure of is... "Did it work?"
Ozpin: "No. You changed my spell SIX times!"
Ruby: "Five times." I immediately regret correcting him, but for some reason, I couldn't help it.
Ozpin: "You changed my spell! You don't do that! I told you, and that is why!" As he angrily points at the cube. "That spell was completely out of control. If I hadn't shut it down, something catastrophic could've happened."
Ruby: "Ozpin, I am so sorry-"
Ozpin: "That's 'Professor' to you!" Great. Now I've lost his trust. Could this get any worse?
Ruby: "I'm sorry, Professor."
Ozpin: *sigh*"You know, despite everything we've faced together, I somehow keep forgetting... you're skill just a child. Listen, the problem is not Mysteria. It's you, trying to live two different lives at once. And the longer you do it, the more dangerous it becomes. Trust me." He then softens up a bit. "Look, if it's any consolation, I am sorry about your college rejection. But if that was their choice and you tried but failed to convince them to change their minds, then I'm afraid there's nothing else you can do." That last thing he said gives me pause. Maybe I should press for more details.
Ruby: "Wait, what did you mean by that?"
Ozpin: "By what?"
Ruby: "About failing to 'convince them'? Do you mean like, I could've called and talked with them?"
Ozpin: "Of course."
Ruby: "I can do that?" This brings some concern back into his face.
Ozpin: "You haven't tried to-" Uh oh. I think I just screwed up again. *Sigh* Might as well just confess now.
Ruby: "I mean, I did get their letter. But, I kinda just assumed that was it. And-"
Ozpin: "I'm sorry." He pushes the bowl aside as he slowly approach me with anger growing into his face again. "Are you honestly trying to tell me... that you didn't even think and try to plead your case with the school first before you came all the here and basically ask me to try and brainwash the entire world!?" I'm not sure I can talk my way out of this one.
Ruby: "Well, when you put that way then-" And I was right, cause he didn't even give me a chance to explain before he dragged me all the way to the front door, kicked me out and slammed the doors in my face. ...Well, if hadn't lost his trust before, I certainly have now. But at least now I have a new idea on what I can do to try and fix this! So I immediately bring out my phone to call, and I can't believe I'm saying this, Cardin Winchester. "C'mon. Pick up, pick up, pick up." To my surprise, he actually picked up. I can hear slight noise in the background of some kind of party. He must still be at the mixer.
Cardin: "What do you want? I'm busy."
Ruby: "Cardin, where's the Beacon mixer?"
Cardin: "Why?"
Ruby: "Because I need to come a talk to someone to try and get Velvet and Oscar a second chance at getting in."
Cardin: "And what's in it for me? I'm risking a lot just by talking to you." Should've figured that. But I guess I will owe big time for this, so it's only fair.
Ruby: "Okay. I will, um... pick you up and swing you to school for a week?"
Cardin: "For a month." What the-!? C'mon!
Ruby: "For a week." He stays silent for second.
Cardin: "Two weeks." Not as bad as before but still not that favorable for me.
Ruby: "Cardin, please. I'm being serious here!"
Cardin: "Then you know what I want." *Sigh* He's right. I do. Unfortunately I don't have time to argue, so I guess I'd better just suck up my pride and just do it.
Ruby: "...Fine, I'll tell everyone that your my best friend. Just please, help me." I'm willing to bet he has the cockiest grin on his face.
Cardin: "Alright, cool. So there's this lady, Glynda Goodwitch. She's the vice Head Mistress of Beacon, you can plead your case with her."
Ruby: "Perfect. Where is she?"
Cardin: "She just left."
Ruby: "To go where?"
Cardin: "The airport." Crap! I'd better get going then! Otherwise I'll miss my only chance to make this right. And I have just the thing to help catch up with her faster. I just hope I'm not to late!