2 Days Later

His eyes flutter open, then immediately close tight once the light hits him. He tries again, this time more careful, lifting a hand to shadow his face.

“Jaune?”

Jaune turns his head to the familiar voice at his right, the fluffy pillow beneath his head wrinkling as he does so. Her eyes filled with a hint of worry and surprise, Pyrrha peers down onto Jaune, waiting for a response. He looks to his left and finds the big teal eyes of Nora also staring holes into him.

He chuckles. “Give it to me straight, doc. Can I still compete in the big game?”

Pyrrha puts a gloved hand to her mouth, hiding the smile that stretches across her lips. “Would it kill you to be serious for one second?”

She doesn’t give the boy a chance to answer as she throws herself on him, wrapping her arms around his neck, burying her head in the crevice between his shoulder and neck. Jaune only lifts his hand and pats Pyrrha on the head.

“Good to see you, too…” he says.

Pyrrha lets up on the boy and leans back, sniffling. Right after she does, Nora takes her turn and hops on Jaune, making him sputter from not being prepared.

“Hello, Nora,” Jaune says with a strained voice. “Squeezing a bit hard there, squirt.”

“Oh!” Nora says.

“Off—Off—Off—Off.” Nora releases Jaune and smiles down at him, rubbing the back of her head. He just smiles back. After, he turns back to Pyrrha and reels at her near-teary eyed expression. “Hey, what gives? I’m alright, Pyrrha, see?”

She wipes her eye. “I didn’t know what to do. It all happened so fast, I… We were just talking and then those men ambushed us and I tried to fight back, but by the time I composed myself, you already—“

“Hey—Hey, none of that,” he says, putting a hand on hers. “I just got the bad end of the deal, y’know?”

Pyrrha shakes her head. “I should have done more… I called the authorities and even tried to contact Ms. Xiao Long, but… Oh, it could have been so much worse, you could have…”

“Hey. But I didn’t. Right?” he asks, sitting up in his bed. He puts his other hand on Pyrrha’s cheek. “I’m still here. Safe and sound.” She sniffles again. “You don’t think I know you did everything you could? Pyrrha, I’m the one that should be apologizing for making you worry like that. If I had been stronger, I’d never had gotten caught in the first place. But, you know what, none of that matters. Okay? I made it out. I’m fine.”

Pyrrha, opens her eyes and looks at Jaune through the tears welling up. He grins at her. She leans her face into his hand on her cheek and puts her own hand on top of his. She musters up a shaky smile of her own.

Jaune takes his hand down and turns around to look at Nora. “And I need to give you some credit, too. If you hadn’t shown up when you did… I might have done something I’d really regret…”

Nora plays with a lock of her hair and nods. “I think so, too.”

Jaune nods, averting his gaze, then puts his head back down on the pillow. “Wait… Ah, shoot, the others. Ruby.”

As he goes to lift himself up again, Pyrrha puts a hand on his chest, easing him back down. “Whoa, easy there. Don’t worry, everybody’s fine. Ruby’s safe and sound and making a full recovery as we speak.”

Jaune lets out a breath. “That’s good… Weiss?”

“Shaken. A few ware and tears, but… she’s safe, too.”

Jaune nods, looking up at the ceiling. “And Yang and Blake?”

“…Blake is unharmed… and Ms. Xiao Long’s making a quick recovery.”

Jaune closes his eyes and puts his hands over his face. “So they’re alright… Cool…”

“…For the most part…”

Pyrrha’s last words catch Jaune’s attention and he takes his hands down, looking at her. She doesn’t look back at him.

“What? What do you…? Did something happen?”

Pyrrha fiddles with her long ponytail hanging over her shoulder, still not looking Jaune in the eye.

Jaune’s gaze hardens. “What happened?”

Pyrrha turns to the blonde, a solemn look on her face. “Yang and her sister are… not in the best positions right now…”

The light of day seeps through the cracks between the closed curtains, giving the room a dim glow. A streak of sunlight crosses over the bed in the middle of the recovery room, over the dented sheets.

A blonde haired woman sits in one of the three chairs lining the wall with her face hanging low, elbows on her thighs. Next to her, a black haired woman has her arm on Yang’s back, her eyes closed, face solemn. To Yang’s other side, Weiss sits with her hands clasped, eyes on the ceiling.

In the bed, Ruby sits upright, her eyes planted on a spot on her sheets, dim, empty.

“…I did all of that…?” she asks.

None of the other girls responds.

“…That blood… all of it… It’s on my hands…”

On the wall next to the room exit, Ozpin leans his back on it, watching Ruby close. Glynda stands next to him, looking anywhere but at Ruby.

“What are they going to do to me, Professor…?”

Ozpin sighs. “Ruby… The council has left me with few choices this time around… I am to either… let them deal with the matter personally… Or go with the alternative…”

“And what’s that…?”

He looks down. “You will be… sent off to Atlas for an… indeterminate amount of time. For your own safety…”

The young redhead looks over to the other three girls next to her bed. “Away from Yang…”

“Unfortunately… Your sister has her own grievances… Ands she will not be able to join you on your departure from Vale City… Ruby… I am not doing this to punish you. This is for you own good. This city, it’s… not the best place for you right now. There are far too many problems to be taken care of; problems that grow more troublesome by the day. And you need to focus on your own matter. There is someone in Atlas who might just be able to help you and…”

He stop shorts. The older man rubs the bridge of his nose.

“I wish there was something else I could do, but… This is all I’ve all got…”

Ruby looks over at Ozpin… and smiles.

“I understand, Mr. Ozpin…”

He looks genuinely shocked by Ruby’s blunt answer.

“Maybe… this is for the best…”

His lips purse. “I’m not so sure anymore…”

There is a silence.

Glynda looks over to Ozpin. He makes no move to continue speaking. She looks over to Yang, who still keeps her head down.

“Yang,” Glynda calls out.

The blonde looks up at Glynda through her bangs. Her eyes are surrounded by deep bags. They’re dim, just as much as Ruby’s.

“We should… step outside and talk about your situation.”

Yang’s gaze falls back down. Blake leans in close and whispers something inaudible in Yang’s ear, still rubbing her back. Yang then forces her body out of her chair. She goes to walk around the bed, but Ruby reaches out and grabs her hand before she can. Yang looks back at her.

Ruby gives her big sister a reassuring smile, rubbing her thumb over Yang’s knuckles. Yang gives Ruby’s hand a squeeze. Then she walks away, approaching Glynda who has opened the door and stepped out of the room. Yang shuts the door behind her.

Weiss and Blake exchange worried looks.

Yang leans on the wall with one foot on it and her face to the ground, hands behind her back. Glynda stands before her.

“I need you to understand, Yang,” Glynda says. “We are only following the Council’s orders. Due to the aftermath of the situation, they’re just trying to find someone to blame for it all and… they just all decided to lump it all on you.”

Yang says nothing.

“You are a good student. And a wonderful young woman. And, to me, a one day great Huntress… but… for now…”

Yang keeps quiet.

“This is only temporary. Just until things blow over. You’re only required to stay within the limits of Vale City. You'll have your Junior Huntress Badge back before you know it. You’ll see. This will all…” Glynda can’t even finish her statement. She sighs. “It’s not your fault, Yang… None of this… Is your fault…”

A tear streaks down and drips off her chin onto the floor. More follow.

“I just wanted to help…” she says.

More tears.

“I didn’t mean to get anyone hurt…”

More tears.

Glynda puts a hand over her mouth.

“I just wanted to help people…”

She raises her teary eyes to Glynda and stands up from the wall.

“Don’t take her way from me… Please…”

Glynda reaches out and caresses Yang’s cheek. “I’m sorry…”

Yang trembles. She hiccups and drops her head once again. Glynda takes a step forward and wraps Yang in an embrace, putting her cheek atop her head, letting the young girl cry. She rocks her back and forward.

“I’m sorry…”

Alone in the hallway, Glynda holds Yang like she was her own daughter. And the two reel from the events of past few days.

What an awful few days they were…

2 Weeks Later

A multitude of airships descend onto the docks as others ascend and fly off into the distance. Varying numbers of passengers walk out from the airship openings, carrying bags and checking their cellphones, or simply chatting amongst one another. Uniformed workers direct traffic accordingly. The departing walk in one line into their given ship, those arriving are lead into the large multiplex behind the docking port.

Said docking port hoovers over a steep drop into the seemingly endless sea of green that is the Emerald Forest. To either sides of he airship port, large waterfalls plummet over the cliff beautifully. Overhead, a clear blue sky hangs with the sun shining magnificent.

Silver eyes look past the many airships coming and going and out into the horizon where the large forest and blue sky meet. Her face is empty, yet serene, eyes soft, lips in a straight line.

“Nervous?”

She awakens from her trance at being talked to. She look to her side and a bit upward, right at her older, blonde sister, who looks out into the horizon. Next to her, peering at Ruby, Blake stands with crossed arms. Ruby returns her gaze forward, leaning on the railing separating her and the docking pads.

She shrugs. “Not really.”

Yang snorts. “Well, that makes one of us.” She looks down at her sister. “You sure you wanna do this, kid?”

“I don’t remember it being a choice, Yang.”

“Well, we can still figure something else out. I mean, there’s always an alternative. We can talk to Ozpin, get him to pull some strings—“

“Yang.”

The blonde stops speaking. Ruby looks up at her with a soft smile. Yang stares at Ruby for a second longer. Her expressions simmers down and she smiles with a sigh. She lifts a hand and lands it atop of Ruby’s head of red hair, rubbing through her locks with care.

“How on Remnant are you so cool about all of this? Why am I the one freaking out more right now?”

Ruby looks down. “I’m just… I’m just tired, I guess. I could cry and stuff, but… what would be the point?” She lifts her gaze. “I just want this to be over. I need to do this…”

Yang sighs. “I know you do…”

A bag is set down next to Ruby and the three girls look to side to see Weiss stand up straight and bends back, an audible pop coming from her bones.

“Our ships’s about to start boarding,” Weiss says. She straightens out and lets out a breath. “Are you about ready?”

Ruby nods.

“Hey—Hey, hold on a sec!”

The group of four girls all turn around and see three familiar faces approaching. Jaune has his arm in a sling, riddled in bandages and wrappings. Nora and Pyrrha walk on either sides of him, Pyrrha with her hand on Jaune’s arm, just in case, and Nora with her hands behind her back. Her smile is noticeably absent.

Ruby smiles. “Hey, you. Shouldn’t you be knocked out on painkillers?”

“Yeah, and miss this whole farewell party?” he says with a laugh. “Come on, now. Nah, we wouldn’t miss it for the world. What, were you two just gonna take off without saying goodbye to your awesome friends?”

“Oh, that’s funny, I don’t… seem to notice them.” Weiss says, looking around the area.

“Weiss, you ever thought about taking up comedy? I think you got a knack for it.”

“Hmm… I’ll squeeze it onto my to-do list right after saving the world from the Grimm death.”

“Ah, sweet. I’ll hold you to that.”

“Weiss, you just returned from your last hiatus,” Pyrrha cuts in. “I can’t believe your leaving again already.”

“Yeah, what’s up with that?” Jaune asks. “What, the Vale City air just not sitting right with you?”

Weiss rubs the crevice between her neck and shoulder, looking away. “Well… I was just thinking that I… maybe might have come back too soon? And most certainly at a… bad time.”

“Quite the understatement,” Blake says from the side.

“I think I need to go home and… ‘think’ about things for a bit longer. And besides…” She looks over at Ruby. “Someone needs to give red over here a little company.”

Yang raises her hand. “I—I don’t have a problem with going!”

“Yang, you might not, but I think the council just may,” Ruby says. Yang instantly deflates, lowering her head. Ruby lifts it back up with both hands on her cheeks. “Hey. Don’t worry. This is Weiss’ home we’re talking about here. I bet she’s probably the best choice for this anyway. And it just makes sense, y’know?”

Yang looks none too convinced, still pouting.

“I’ll be okay. Promise.”

Yang’s gaze softens.

“Hey,” Blake says, putting her hands on Ruby and Yang’s shoulders. “I… hate to break this up, but…”

She points to the docks. Passengers are filing into one of the carriers in a long line.

“Guess that’s our cue…” Ruby says. She stretches out her arms. “Loving sister hug?”

Yang smiles soft. She moves in and wraps Ruby up in her arms, even lifting the young girl off her feet. Ruby squeezes back tight.

“Oh… I’m gonna miss you…” Yang says, nuzzling her chin into Ruby’s neck.

“I’ll miss you, too…” Ruby says.

The embrace goes on for a bit longer. Soon, Yang finally places Ruby back on the ground, the young girl pushing back from her big sister, looking her in the eye with a comforting smile. Yang returns one of her own.

Ruby walks for Blake, who stands next to Yang, smiling at the redhead. Ruby then steps forward and wraps Blake in a hug, one quickly returned.

“You be good over in Atlas, okay?” Blake says.

“I will,” Ruby says. “I’m really glad I met you, Blake.”

The two let each other go and Ruby takes a step back. She looks between Yang and Blake and gives them both a smile. Finally, she walks off for Jaune, Pyrrha and Nora. Weiss steps up now.

“I… I owe you two my life,” Weiss starts. “If you hadn’t showed up when you did, then… well… Thank you for everything.”

Yang looks at Blake and scoffs, pointing at Weiss. “Really? This kid serious? Nah—Nah. We’re doin’ this right. Get in here.”

The blonde grabs Weiss by her arm and pulls her into a tight embrace, taking the heiress completely off guard.

“You’re just as apart of this whole ragtag bunch as any of us now.” Yang pushes Weiss back and smiles down at her. “And I’m gonna miss you, too, kiddo.”

Weiss looks at a loss for words as she gaze up at the purple eyed, former Junior Huntress. Even so, her lips curl up at either side, clear that she’s doing her best to fight it, but ultimately failing. She shakes her head, looking away with a clearing of the throat, then nods up at Yang with a much more stern face.

“Yes, well… I… appreciate that,” Weiss says. She turns to Blake. “It was nice to meet you, Ms. Belladonna. Thank you for your help as well.” She puts her hand out.

Blake shakes her head. “Think nothing off it. I just… happened to be around.” She takes Weiss hand and the two shake.

Weiss withdraws her hand and picks up her suitcase. She follows behind Ruby, heading for Jaune’s group.

Ruby steps before Jaune and grins. “Hey.”

“Hey,” he says. “Guess this is it.”

“Looks that way.”

“Man… This week’s been kinda crappy. After everything’s that happened, now I’m losing my best bud, too.”

Ruby scoffs. “Nah, you’re not losing anything. Still your best bud, right?”

Jaune chuckles. “Guess you got a point there.”

“And besides.” Ruby motions to both Pyrrha and Nora standing to his sides. “You’ve got something a lot better than me now.”

Jaune gives both Pyrrha and Nora looks, the two girls smiling at him, Pyrrha tapping him on the shoulder. He shakes his head. “Nah… You’re all equal in my book. Might as well get used to it, red. You’re family now.”

A true sight to behold: Ruby’s dim, almost lifeless silver eyes, usually devoid of light… shine ever so slightly. The light of her big smile obviously must be the source of that shine. A blush glows on her puffy cheeks. Then her smile drops as tears well up in her eyes. She catches herself and wipes at them.

“Dang it, Jaune…” she says with a sniffle. “I’m not supposed to be crying anymore, you jerk.”

He laughs. “I’m sorry. It’s not my fault, I swear. I got this really annoying ability to make people cry when I’m around. It’s usually because they’re so frustrated with my stupidity that they are literally driven to tears, but, y’know, all the same.”

Ruby giggles while still wiping her tears.

“That’s actually secret on how I got into Beacon. Ozpin saw me standing at the gates one day and started crying when he saw how sad I looked. I was given him puppy dog eyes from outside and he just started bawling. It was nuts!”

Ruby’s giggles rises to a laugh now.

“And you think that’s bad, just ask Pyrrha what it was like after Weiss left me! Yeah, she found me in the bathroom one night singing lonely songs in my underwear. I was using the soap as a microphone and everything. Not my proudest moment, I gotta admit.”

Now Ruby is full on laughing. And not just her normal, subdued laugh, but an actual, hands-on-stomach, bent over, mouth-wide-open laugh. Her tears are now there from laughing too hard.

“Oh and trust me, there’s more where that came from!”

“No! No, stop! Please!” Ruby begs, coming down from her high. She straightens up and smiles up at Jaune. She looks over at Pyrrha and Nora as well. “Gosh, I’m gonna miss you guys…” With that, she walks forward.

“Yeah, that’s right, bring it on in. Come on.” Jaune opens his arms and accepts Ruby into them, who puts her head on his chest. “You know, Ruby… You are a special kid. Never thought a guy like me would ever meet a girl like you.”

Ruby rubs her head into Jaune’s chest.

Pyrrha looks on from the side, smiling a warm smile. When she is tapped on the chest, she looks down to see Weiss standing before her, one of her hands rubbing her other arm.

“H…Hello…” Weiss says.

Pyrrha stares for a moment. Then she looks over to the still embracing Jaune and Ruby. Weiss follows her gaze. Pyrrha looks back at Weiss and Weiss lifts a brow at her. The taller woman's lips curl up. Weiss deadpans.

She rolls her eyes. “Oh, just do it already.”

Not missing a beat, Pyrrha wraps her arms around Weiss and lifts her off the ground. Weiss sputters at the tight embrace, but, never the less, doesn’t do anything to fight back.

“This is payback for not saying goodbye last time,” Pyrrha says. “And you had better come back, do you understand me? Or I will be stopping by.”

Weiss nods. “G…Got it!” she says through a strained throat.

Pyrrha puts the heiress down. Weiss lets out a breath, keeling over with a hand on her chest.

Pyrrha smiles and tilts her head. She taps Weiss on the tip of her nose. “And be good!” she says.

Weiss grins.

“Weiss.”

Pyrrha and Weiss turn to Ruby, who calls the white-head’s name. She and Jaune are looking over at her. Ruby nudges her head at the boy. “You’re up.”

Weiss and Pyrrha exchange gazes and Pyrrha motions for Weiss to approach Jaune. Taking in a deep breath, she approaches the boy. Ruby moves over to give Weiss some space and the heiress takes Ruby’s spot in front of Jaune.

Jaune and Weiss stare into one another’s eyes for a moment.

Weiss opens her mouth to speak, but quickly closes it and looks to the ground. She goes again, but no words come on. Her eyes dart around the area as if looking for something. Perhaps the right words.

Jaune tilts over to get a better look at Weiss’ shadowed face. He reaches out and brushes some of her hair from her eye, putting it behind her ear. She looks up at him and he smiles his uncertain, but sincere and comforting smile. Her face steels.

She puffs her chest out and holds Jaune’s gaze.

Finally, she speaks.

“…You… were always worthy….”

Jaune reels back from Weiss’ words and takes in a sharp breath. She lifts her hand and sticks it out for the boy to shake. He looks between it and Weiss. Then reaches out and, instead of her hand, takes her wrist and pulls her into a hug. She only hesitates for a moment before wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down closer to her.

“You’re part of the family, too, you know…” he says.

Weiss nudges in closer. “I can live with that…”

Ruby watches on from the side with a soft smile. From her peripheral, however, she spots Nora peering; watching her. When she looks over, Nora averts her gaze off to the side. Ruby’s brows knit and her lips purse. She approaches the orange hair girl, Nora flinching, taking a step away. Ruby looks a bit sad by her action and she keeps a few feet between her and Nora.

“Nora…” she says. Nora doesn’t respond. “Please look at me…” Still nothing. Nora only fidgets where she stands, keeping her eyes off of Ruby. Ruby takes in a deep breath, closing her eyes. “I’m sorry you saw me like that… I never wanted to show you that side of me… That… monster I became…” She opens her eyes. “I know you were scared.”

Nora rubs her arm.

“I know you still are.”

She bites her lip.

“But… That’s why I’m leaving. I don’t ever want to show you that part of me ever again. And… And I know it’s hard for you to believe… I have a hard time believing this, myself, but… Despite what happened… I am still me. I am still here.” She takes a step closer. Nora doesn’t back away. “And I’m still your Ruby…”

Silence.

Then, Nora looks up into Ruby’s eyes. “…Promise…?”

Ruby lifts her hand and moves Nora’s hair to the side. She places a palm on her cheek. “I promise…”

Nora rubs into Ruby’s hand and takes a hold of it with one of her own. “I still don’t think that other side of you is bad… But I don’t want it to replace you…”

Ruby’s expressions dims to one much sadder. She rubs her thumb on Nora’s cheeks and sighs. The young redhead leans in and pecks Nora on her cheek just beneath her eye. Ruby smiles.

“Never…”

Ruby withdraws her hand. Nora returns the smile.

“Attention. Now boarding Flight 209. Final Call. Repeat: Now boarding—“

Ruby’s face twists with alert, her hair standing on end. She looks over at Weiss and sees that her expression matches her own.

“Crap! We gotta go! Ruby!” she calls out to the redhead, who has already taken up her bag.

“Yeah, right behind you! Let’s go!” Ruby says, teleporting next to Weiss.

“Wait—Wait—Wait, hold up, one more thing!” Jaune says.

Weiss rolls her eyes. “Jaune, we really gotta run—“

“I know—I know, but there’s this last thing we gotta take care of!”

“Okay! What?”

Suddenly, Jaune wraps both Ruby and Weiss in his arms and squeezes tight.

“H—Hey! What are you—“

Then Pyrrha joins into the mass hugging and puts her cheek on Weiss’.

“Are you serious?!”

“Come on everybody!” Jaune calls over to Yang, Blake and Nora. “Group hug! Pile it in! Let’s go!”

“Really?! Did we not do enough of this already?!”

Nora appears by the group. “Yay!” She squeezes in on the group hug.

“You gotta be kidding me!”

Ruby just laughs.

Blake walks up and throws her body on the pile, nuzzling up to Ruby, rubbing her nose on the redhead, making the young girl laugh even more.

“Alright—Alright, yeah, that’s great, but we kinda have a flight to catch!” Weiss says. “Can we please move this along?”

“Comin’ through!”

The entire group is lifted off the ground as Yang somehow bunches everybody up and wraps them in her arms. They all let out little yelps and she holds them up. Then, of course, they all laugh. Except for Weiss.

“WHY ARE YOU ALL DOING THIS NOW?!” Weiss asks.

“Yang, babe, you really need to lay off them weights!” Jaune says.

“You need to start joining me for arm day, Arc!”

Ruby, yet and still, continues to laugh as all of this is happening.

From behind the group, sitting on a bench, Professor Ozpin is perched next to Glynda Goodwitch, who has one of her legs crossed over the other. She chuckles at the scene.

“Did you ever think this would be the group that would cause the most trouble?” she asks Ozpin, leaning in to get closer to his ear.

He grins. “If you’d asked me that before all this, I can’t say I’d be able to call it. But that’s the beauty of running a school like Beacon and a city like Vale. You never know who you’re going to meet.”

Glynda sighs. “Those kids are something else. They kind of remind me of us.”

“No… I honestly think they’re worse,” Ozpin says.

Glynda looks over at him, surprised. “Really? Worse?”

“Hmm, no, not yet. But they will be. I mean, look at them.”

Glynda does.

Yang swings the group around. Weiss is clearly yelling her head off to be let down while the rest of the group laugh and smile amongst one another. However, even as she yells, there’s a clear smile on her face that she attempts to hide.

“I don’t think they even realize bad they have it for each other. This group… This one’s special. I just know it. I can feel it in my bones.”

“I think that’s just you getting old.”

“Of that, I am sure. Never the less…”

Glynda smiles at the group’s antics. “They constantly give me pulsing headaches. But I'll be damned if I said I didn’t adore them.” She sends a glare up at Ozpin. “Don’t you ever tell them I said those words.”

“I don’t know, Glynda, I… think I might need a little incentive with this one.”

She smiles. “I promise if you tell them, Ozpin, that you will never sleep in the same bed as me again.”

Ozpin stiffens.

“And I will be putting the couch on the street.”

“…These lips are sealed.”

“Hmm. I bet they are.” And with that, she leans back with her arms crossed over her chest.

Yang finally lets the group down and they all stretch out their limbs and pop their bones.

“Okay…” Weiss says. “Now, if we’re done with all the mushy stuff, can we please…?” Weiss swings her head to the exit.

“Yeah, you two go on!” Yang says. “Go—Go—Go!”

Weiss and Ruby sprint down the hallway for the open exit to the carrier platforms. Weiss runs up to the guard and presents her boarding pass. He inspects it, then nods to her, returning her pass. She rushes through and Ruby then presents her pass. As she he reads it, she turns back to the group one last time, focusing specifically on Yang.

Yang gives her baby sister a sad, yet hopefully smile. Ruby waves at her big sister. Yang waves back, mouthing, “Love you.”

Ruby mouths back, “Love you more.”

The guard hands back Ruby’s pass and she rushes through the exit behind Weiss, who has already reached the ship and is climbing aboard. Ruby enters after her and the doors shut.

Yellow lights on the carrier’s wings flash and spin and the locks on either side of the vehicle separate. The platform the spins around, facing the shit to the open air just over the cliff. The ship hovers off the ground, the propellers in the wings spinning fast. The carrier tilts and forward and, just like it, flies off into the distance. Over the forest and into the horizon.

Yang and the rest of the entourage look on and watch as the ship disappears in the distance. Yang fiddles with her short blonde hair. Her smile has fallen and is replaced with a melancholy smile.

Blake takes her free hand and gives it a squeeze.

“They’ll be alright…” Blake says and smiles.

Yang nods. “I know…”

The two women, hand-in-hand, look out the large, glass window into the sunny sky that stretches out for miles. Out to where Ruby and Weiss’ ship had vanished.

The vast expanses of the ocean whiz by beneath the ship as it flies. The light of day is beginning to fade away as dawn sets in, the orange luminescent glow coating the water. Ruby has her head on the window as she stares out of it, her eyes indicating that she isn’t really paying attention to all that was outside of the ship.

The interior of the ship is lined with cushioned seating in two rows. A few of them were actually empty, with the passengers spread out throughout the cabin. An attendant walks down the narrow walkway, checking on all the passengers.

Ruby fiddles with strands of her long, red hair that falls over her shoulder, her face solemn.

“Hey.”

She looks over to the seat next to her own. Weiss gaze at the redhead.

“You good?”

Ruby averts her gaze back to the window for a moment. Weiss waits for her response, leaning forward.

Finally, Ruby smiles and turns back to Weiss.

“Yeah. I’m good.”

Weiss nods and leans back in her seat. She crosses her hands over her chest and closes her eyes. “Right here.”

“I know...”

Weiss reaches over, eyes still closed, and pats Ruby’s thigh. With that, she remains quiet, leaving Ruby alone with her thoughts.

But, instead of dealing with those, she decides to follow Weiss into slumberland. So, she too closes her eyes and settles back into her seat. Soon enough, her chest rises and lowers rhythmically and she naps through her long trip to Atlas.

Ruby snores light, leaning against the window of the airship. A hand takes her shoulder and shakes it.

“Ruby.”

The young girl awakens. She reaches up and rubs the sleep out of her eye with a yawn. She looks around the cabin and sees that there is no one else aboard the ship. Other than the heiress that sits directly next to her, that is.

Ruby gives her a questioning head tilt. Weiss points out the window.

“We’ve arrived.”

Ruby fully wakes up with that and darts her head around to look out the window. The clouds outside speed past to reveal the landscape below.

White. White everywhere. Snow covers the earth as far as Ruby can see. Along with a sea of mountains and expanding and rising rising for miles. However, as eye catching as they are, they are by no means the main attraction at the moment. No, that honor goes to the large mansion.

Prestige and brilliant in it’s size and pure dominance on the cliff side, the mansion is, by far, bigger than any single building in Vale City. A huge array of windows line the front of the house, the only part Ruby can really see clearly. Even so, it’s clear that there's is much more going on behind the front, as other, small building can be seen siting there. Stretching out before it, a large runway stretches out over the cliffside for their airship to land on.

Ruby’s jaw drops at the spectacle. She turns to Weiss, wide eyed. Weiss smirks.

“Fitting, don’t you think?” Weiss asks.

Ruby turns back to continue staring out the window. “Literally a princes… Perfect match…”

The airship lowers down on the runway landing pad, smooth, soft. As it completes it’s decent, the rotters slow to a stop and the noise of the engines die down. A large door on it’s back opens and slides down, creating a walkway for Ruby and Weiss, who step off the craft, holding their bags. From behind, a few workers carry the rest of their luggage for them, rolling them on carts, or simply lifting them manually.

As the two girls fully step off of the aircraft, they both instantly notices a new arrival.

“Who is that?” Ruby asks.

Weiss smiles. “Someone special.”

One who walks toward them with hands behind her back, her white, cape-like cloak flowing behind her. Each step she makes is calculated, deliberate and full of a aura that extrudes dominance. Her sharp eyes are cold, icy blue, just like Weiss’. However unlike Weiss’, they demand respect from any who looks into them.

The woman stops a short distance away from Ruby and Weiss. She watches.

“Winter…” Weiss says, a smile stretching across her face. She places her bag down and runs off for the woman.

Just as she reaches her, the woman extends a hand out. Weiss slows to a halt and stands erect. Ruby’s head tilts at the sight.

As Weiss stands frozen, the white haired woman walks forward, toward the younger whitehead. She stops just before Weiss and towers over her, staring down onto Weiss, who looks on, worried, nervous.

Winter lifts her hand and flicks Weiss in the forehead.

“Ow!” Weiss says, rubbing her sore forehead.

Winter retracts her hand. “We’ve talked about this.”

Weiss flinches at Winter tone and looks away. “R—Right. My apologies, Winter.” She takes a step back. Then, she grabs the hems of her skirt and lifts them up a bit. She put a foot behind the other and bows into a curtsy. “G—Good evening, sister.” With that, she lets her skirt fall and she stands up straight. “I’m… home…” She offers a shaky smile.

“Good,” Winter says with cold disinterest.

Winter stares on on, none too impressed. Weiss swallows saliva. And Ruby watches, a nervous look on her face.

This silent stare goes on for some time. And then…

Winter’s lips stretch into a smile of her own. She opens her arms out.

“Get in here, you,” she says.

Weiss worried smile is replace by a much brighter one. As she chuckles, she leaps forward into her sister’s embrace, squeezing tight. Winter proceeds to pick Weiss up off the ground and give her a spin.

Ruby watches, speechless.

Winter finally puts Weiss down and pushes her back by the shoulders. “Look at you. Just as beautiful as always.”

“Thank you, Winter,” Weiss says. “It’s good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you, too, little sister.”

“O—Oh! Right!” Weiss turns to Ruby. “Ruby, I’d… like you to meet my big sister. Winter. Winter, this is… my friend. R—“

“Ruby,” Winter finishes for Weiss. Ruby jumps at Winter saying her name. “Yes, I’ve heard quite a bit out you. Most of it quite flattering. The rest… Not so much.”

Ruby looks away.

Winter looks over at some of the workers standing behind Ruby, some human, some Fauna. “You all bring in the girls’ things.” They bow and do as they are told. Winter looks down at her little sister. “Why don’t you go and get settled in. I believe your friend and I have a few matters to discuss.”

Weiss looks between the redhead and Winter. “Um… Okay. I’ll see inside.”

“Of course.” Winter bends down and pecks Weiss on the forehead, something that makes Weiss smile.

With that, Weiss walks off with the workers who carry her and Ruby’s things, they all heading for the large structure at the end of the runway.

Ruby is now alone with Winter. The air of the winter environment whistles by them.

“…How much did he tell you?” Ruby asks, breaking the silence.

Winter smiles. “More than enough. And I think, in the interest of time, I’ll be cutting to the chase with this.” Her eyes narrow. “I know the truth about you.”

“Did Ozpin…?”

“Oh, he didn’t need to. I’ve always known.”

Ruby’s eyes widen.

“You are your mother’s child after all. And Summer went through the same thing as you.”

Somehow, Ruby’s eyes widen even more than they already did.

“You… You knew my mother…?”

“I didn't just know her. I fought by her. I lived by her. I would have died by her. And I was by her side when she moved on… And I was there to help her with her darker side.”

Ruby has lost track of the entire conversation by now. She shakes her head.

“I don't understand…”

“I know. But don’t you worry about that. We’ll have plenty of time to get on the same page during your time here. That is… if you are willing to give this a chance.”

Ruby’s lips part a bit.

“Ozpin sent you here for a reason, Ruby. Not just to get you away from Vale for a while. But because this was his last resort to help you. He thought it wouldn’t be necessary. He believed he could help you on his own. Obviously… he was a bit… off the mark.” She points to herself. “And that’s where I come in. But I can only do what you allow me to. I can not and I will not force you into this. I didn’t do that to Summer. And I will not do that to you.”

Winter walks forward.

“Despite everything you might believe… Despite how everything seems… At the end of the day, you chose to come here. You could have ran anytime you wanted to. You could have fought whenever you damn well pleased. What was anyone going to do to stop you?Ozpin wouldn’t have been able to stop you. You had every chance to back out. And yet… here you are… Why is that?”

She continues her approach on Ruby.

“Well, I think I have a hunch. It’s because, Ruby, you are not happy. You are not content with your situation. You are tired. Tired of running. Tired of being afraid of your own dreams. Tired of being afraid of yourself. Tired…of crying. And you know… deep down… this is the path to salvation. This is the next step in your journey.”

She stops just before Ruby and towers over the young girl, who keeps her gaze away from Winter’s.

“You want to control it.”

Ruby’s hair blows in the cool breeze.

“Am I warm?”

Silence.

“…Can you help me?” Ruby asks, barely raising her voice above a whisper.

“I am only here to provide you solace… A sanctuary where you can grow in peace. The only one who can save you… is currently avoiding my gaze.”

Ruby slowly looks up at Winter, forcing herself to keep her gaze connected with Winter’s.

“No more hiding…”

The door to the bathroom swings open. In walks Ruby, who steps out of her dark boots and sets them to the side. Next, she slides off her top, leaving her self nude, the black marking on her back free to the world.

“You have nothing to hide from. You have nothing to fear.”

She steps out of her pants, now completely naked, and walks forward. Her image appears in the mirror above the sink. She leans forward and inspects every inch of her profile. Her faded silver eyes. Her tan skin, riddled with the black markings left by her Grimm counterpart. The long red hair hanging over her face.

“You have to come here to control the creature that haunts you. Whispers to you. It does not control you.”

Ruby holds a pair of scissors in her hand, looking down on them with an unsure expression.

One that is soon replaced by a flame in her eye. She looks into the mirror at herself.

“No one is in control of your future but you and you alone. That is fact. And you have to believe that.”

She grabs a fist full of her own hair and puts it in between her scissors. She hesitates for a moment… but then slices down.

“You are not a Grimm.”

She cuts more and more. Clumps of blood red hair fall to the floor at her feet and into the sink.

“You are not a cursed child.”

She continues to hack into her locks.

“You are not your mother.”

She finally places the scissors down. Her hair hangs over her face, shadowing her eyes.

“If you believe that… Then tell me… Who do you want to be? Who do you strive to become?”

Winter narrows her eyes down at Ruby.

“Who are you…?”

Her silver eyed, hardened gaze rises to her mirror reflection.

“My name… is Ruby Rose… And I am done being afraid…”

Winter smiles.

“Good… Now… Shall we begin?”

A crowd of onlookers stand around, watching the scene play out before them. The rain is dying down, but the civilians hold up umbrellas and any other objects they had on hand to stay dry.

Police siren whine loud in the streets just outside the docks of the pier. With the police cars, ambulances also occupy the area. Dozens of workers on the job run in, out and around the area, working to keep the situation maintained. Three men, two in similar looking black suits and one in a whit one are wheeled out to their respective vehicles.

The white suited man is the target of her attention.

A young woman who blends into the crowd, wearing a dark hood, her slit eyes peering out from beneath her hood. Her hands are dug deep in her pockets. Her face is devoid of emotions. Her tail sweeps the ground over and over again.

The man in the white suit is wheeled into an ambulance and the doors close behind him.

The young Fauna withdraws a device and puts it to her hear.

She waits.

“Hey there, sir,” she says. “I think I have something interesting for you. Looks like Conman’s in town.”

“…You don’t say,” a much deeper voice says from the phone.

“Care to do a little recon?”

“I’ll just leave that to you. But I think I’ll stopping by later. I’d love to get the scoop on this one.”

The Fauna woman smiles. “Of course. I eagerly await your visit… Mr. Taurus…”

“Oh I’m sure you will. Don’t think I can say the same for Conman, though… Now that’ll be interesting…”

On that last note, the Fauna woman hangs up.

“See you soon, Vale… I’m coming home…”