"Ruby, have you ever heard of the Miraculous heroes?" Ozpin began, green eyes looking earnestly at the small redhead in the seat across from him. Ruby had been confused before, but at his mention of the infamous heroes that protected the citizens of Vale, she scrunched up her eyebrows.

"I… Think everyone has, Professor. Why?" At her question, Ozpin sighed and reached for something in one of the desk drawers. Jaune shuffled around uncomfortably as he stood behind the headmaster's chair and Ruby looked at him, questions swarming in her silver eyes. He refused to make eye contact, looking at anything but Ruby. Finally, Ozpin pulled out a small wooden box covered with ornate golden carvings and set it atop the desk.

"I have a… Proposal for you, Ruby," the professor said, opening the box to reveal ten shallow dividers, all of which were empty except for three close to the center. Ruby gasped as she saw that they contained three different sets of the most beautiful jewelry she had ever seen: an elegant peafowl-shaped turquoise brooch, a sparkling yellow-green bracelet that resembled a snake, and a glittering pair of bright red earrings with black spots. "These are the remaining three Miraculous stones, which are what give the Miraculous heroes their powers. Each stone contains a small fairy-like creature called a Kwami, and each Kwami is unique to its stone." As he spoke, Ozpin picked up one of the earrings, holding it out for Ruby to fully see. "These stones give their heroes powers related to a specific animal or insect, such as illusions for the Fox or destruction for the Cat, and most of the heroes use those powers for good, however…"

He closed his fist around the earring, his expression shifting harshly. "The Butterfly stone was stolen around a year or so ago, and whoever the perpetrator is, they are using the stone's power to turn ordinary people into the Grimm that the Miraculous heroes fight. They have a few henchmen as well, which is why the identity of the villain has been difficult to discover."

Ozpin rose from his chair, walking toward the window with cane in hand. "A few months ago, the Miraculous team broke up when the thief was able to get the Fox Miraculous stone. Jaune," Ozpin gestured toward his shadowed figure, and Jaune stepped into the light of the window as he continued, "is the last remnant of that team, and the holder of the Lion Miraculous stone. And, Miss Rose, he needs your help."

"I- I don't understand, sir. Needs my help? But how?" Ruby questioned, uncertain of what exactly the man was asking her to do. Ozpin breathed deeply before turning back to face the redhead.

"That is where my proposal comes in, Miss Rose. I would like to ask you to take the Ladybug Miraculous stone and become a hero," he replied, picking up the second earring and offering the pair to Ruby. The girl stared at the jewelry, eyes wide and mouth gaping, before hopping up excitedly.

"This sounds awesome! Of course I will!" She exclaimed as she bounced up and down. Jaune cocked an eyebrow, a bright smile crossing his face for the first time since they had entered the room. He was glad that Ruby had agreed, but she had a long road ahead, and finding candidates for the final two stones wasn't going to be easy. But Jaune wasn't alone anymore, and for that, he was grateful. As Ozpin handed the earrings to Ruby to wear, Jaune excused himself and slipped out, telling Ruby that he would contact her later.

"So, Tikki, right?" Ruby asked the small ladybug-like Kwami on her shoulder. Tikki responded with a nod, floating around Ruby as she walked down the empty street. Everyone else was in school or work, and Ozpin had told Ruby to go home so she'd be ready when her new mentor called, so she was left mostly alone on her way back to her family's house. That meant plenty of time to ask her Kwami some questions about her new "job". "How does this whole 'hero' thing work, exactly?"

"Well, Ruby, to transform, you just yell the phrase 'Spots On'. When you do, I'll become one with your Miraculous stone, your earrings, and you'll get my powers!" The tiny ladybug replied, floating in front of her new friend. "And then you have to use the powers to defeat the Grimm."

"And… What are the Grimm?" Ruby responded, gesturing vaguely. "I mean, I know what they are, but what do they do? How are they made?"

"The Grimm are, as you heard from your headmaster, created by a villain called Papillon. She has the powers of the Butterfly Miraculous, and she uses them to turn people into Grimm when they become swallowed by negative emotion, but she's been difficult to track down and defeat," Tikki explained as the pair wandered down the street. "The Grimm are essentially opposites of the Miraculous; they're given superpowers but use them to do Papillon's bidding instead." Ruby shuddered, scared of the idea that someone could use others that easily.

"That sounds terrible, Tikki," she muttered, eyes downcast. The Kwami floated over to her other shoulder and sat there, small legs swinging back and forth, as Ruby continued her trek. The girl wasn't quite finished asking questions yet, however. "What exactly happened to Jaune's team? Ozpin wouldn't tell me, so I was hoping you might know."

"Ah, the old team. From what I've heard, they…" Tikki trailed off when Ruby's phone began to ring and the girl picked it up. She looked at the caller ID and turned back to the ladybug Kwami.

"It's Jaune! Wonder if he got out of class early?" Ruby said excitedly as she hit the talk button, ready to begin training as soon as possible. "Hey, Jaune! Are we – " Jaune cut her off, speaking urgently.

"Ruby, transform. We have a problem."