Yang POV
We never saw that nevermore coming, or rather none that walked away that day. It started out the same as any other day once we graduated beacon. It was just supposed to be a routine sweep of grimm nests near a village, but it all went to hell once Weiss was cornered on a cliff by a pack of beowolves. the next 5 seconds changed the lives of RWBY forever.
One-one thousand. Ruby is in the middle of the pack, slicing at anything not human.
Two-two thousand. Blake takes Ruby's spot as Ruby goes after the alpha.
Three-three thousand. Weiss is stabbing the distracted alpha in the back with her rapier.
Four-four thousand. Ruby jumps at Weiss and knocks her to the ground.
Five. A nevermore comes out of nowhere and grabs Ruby in it's beak and flies off.
The only thing we could find of her remains was her tattered red cloak.
Professor Xiao Long shakes her head to clear the memories of 5 years ago from her head. As long as she is walking down memory lane she can't help but think about how much things have changed. Schnee (Yang refused to call her anything but that and was even more adamant on never talking to her ever again.) ever since she got Ruby killed has been in a state of alternating depression and obsession. Schnee quit being a huntress within 6 months. Within a year she took over her father's company and last Yang heard was trying to help human-faunus relations.
Blake quit about 3 months after that and was now the head of the white fang. They are now an unofficial police force/government for the faunus and are very well respected. Yang hasn't talked to her in over a year.
Yang had a reluctant smile on her face when she thought about her own 5 years. After Ruby's death she had also quit, but never left beacon. Yang took up the post of Combat Instructor and has never looked back. She now teaches the next generation of new hunters and huntresses so that they never have to go through the pain of losing a loved one. To do that she has a harsh grading curve. Training until your bones broke and your hands were stained red with your own blood along with memorizing every single hair on every known grimm, became the minimum requirement to pass. If a student asked why they had to train so hard, Yang would simply look at them and say 'if you don't know the answer by now, then you can expect to be in my classroom all through the weekend for remedial lessons.'
Harsh? Yes, to the extreme, but KIAs from those who had taken her class were almost non-existent and that was all Professor Yang Xiao Long cared about.
"Professor?"
Yang shook her head once more, bringing her attention to the student who had approached her.
"Yes?"
"Someone asked me to give this to you. Said something about a crimson rose."
Yang froze as the student handed her an ammo clip from their backpack. It was grey and was about twice the width of a hand, inside of it were high impact red dust explosive rounds. Only one weapon was made to fire those rounds and the last time she had seen the weapon was...
"WHO GAVE THIS TO YOU!" Her semblance exploded out from her as her eyes turned redder than blood. The student, not expecting such a violent reaction, could only shakily point towards the front of the school and the blonde fireball raced off. Students and Teachers alike, who had decided to see what the outburst was about, leapt out of the way rather than be blown away. The doors of Beacon did not have that option and were burst open like a cannons maw, belching out what looked like a column of fire. Only one person was not looking towards the doors and that was who Yang focused on. Ember Celica shot off a round before Yang charged towards them. Both fireballs were stopped when the first collided with a colossal red scythe that spun around to protect the figure. Before Yang could even comprehend what had happened a gust of wind blew the figure and their scythe away in a flurry of red rose petals.
Professor Ozpin, who had looked out at the courtyard when he heard the doors were thrown open, thought to himself It looks like time for a team reunion.
Weiss POV
"... Schnee. Miss Schnee!"
Groggy pale blue eyes emerged from a mess of white hair. Groaning, Weiss sat up to only slouch against the back of her office chair. Straight ahead sat her secretary, Coco Adel, also a former Beacon student. She had actually graduated, but was put on reserves once her team was disbanded because of the resignation of Velvet Scarlatina for personal reasons.
At least her team is still alive Weiss thought bitterly. However she would never voice her thoughts. After all, it was her own fault for letting Ruby die, if she had just been more aware of her surroundings, maybe Ruby would still be alive.
"You should really stop thinking like that."
Weiss snapped out of her thoughts at the often repeated words. It never surprised her that Coco was able to what she was thinking.
"I would, if I did not know I deserved it. She died defending me, Coco. We couldn't even find her body!" The words were rehearsed, almost a daily ritual at this point. Coco knew this, Weiss knew this, Hell even the coffee boy for accounting knew this.
Coco sighs. "Ozpin called for you. Said that he needs you to come down to beacon."
"What? Does he think that I will come running down to his office like I did when I was a student? He wants to talk, he will make an appointment, like everyone else." Weiss bitterly spat. Going to Beacon ment reliving her days of team RWBY, if only for a short while. She was sure there was going to be reminders of the fallout of RWBY to keep the happy memories at bay.
Coco evenly replied "A case of dust infused bullets of unknown origin was delivered to Beacon. He wants you to identify them, and see if you can track down where they came from." The only sign of her agitation was a slight narrowing of her eyes. Something that Weiss matched and gave back tenfold.
"He isn't asking as Professor Ozpin is he?"
"No."
"Fine. Ready my jet, I will leave in the morning."
"Yes, Miss Schnee." Coco turned on her heel and walked out of the glass doors.
I hope I don't end up running into Xaio Long there. Weiss thought, shivering at the memory of their last meeting.
After Ruby's disappearance Weiss, Blake and Xaio Long searched high and low for her. A day turned to a week. Weeks turned into months, and months into a years. They found nothing, until the last day of the search. Xiao Long was in Forever Fall, combing it for the final time, hoping that it would yield one sign of her sister. She got what she wished for, a blood red hood in tatters. At the lab later, once they had been able to pry it from Xiao Long's hands, it was discovered that it had dried blood on it. More than any one has survived losing. Then came the explosion, Xiao Long had blamed Weiss for everything. She could still hear the screamed words, forever on replay in her nightmares.
"You did this!"
No, it was the nevermore! Weiss pleaded in her mind.
"You took away my sister!"
No! It's not my fault! Again, her pleas went unanswered.
"You killed Ruby!"
In her grand office, in one of the most profitable businesses in revenant, Weiss Schnee descended once more into memory and depression. Myrtenaster lay in the corner, gathering dust as a mere reminder of Weiss's failure.
Blake POV
Blake sighed as she turned away from a photo. To an outsider, it was only a picture of 4 friends, each with their own color scheme. To Blake, it was a reminder of one of the few times she was truly happy.
Looking around, Blake wondered how she ended up here. A room not unlike a detective's office. Dark woods and black leather dominated the furniture and walls. One item stuck out from all the others. Above her door sat an old White Fang mask, a reminder of the pasts of her and the organization. The White Fang. Who would have thought Blake would return to the organization of her youth?
Who would indeed? Blake silently asked the mask. The mask never answered, the door did. Opening it's mouth to reveal a tall blonde man in white armor. Jaune Arc had grown up since the war with Cinder Fall. Graduated with top honors from Beacon, he was even Ozpin's right hand man.
Or attack dog. Blake was not pleased with Jaune's presence, along with growing up Jaune had attained a hatred for the White Fang, and everything close to it.
"Miss Belladonna, Professor Ozpin asks for your time."
"I have better things to do than see my old headmaster Mr. Arc, especially when the person asking can't be bothered to ask in person." Jaune's eyes hardened and clenched his fists at Blake's disregard for Professor Ozpin.
"It was not an optional request." He grit out. Blake straightened her back and glared at his tone.
"Please remove yourself from my office now Mr. Arc. Otherwise I will be forced to call for security."
A fist was slammed down on her desk as a response, making everything but Blake jump.
"Listen here you stupid freak, your organization of half breeds are only around because Ozpin allows it. So when he asks for your time, you say 'yes sir'."
"Mr. Winchester..."
"I am nothing like that man!" Jaune roared.
"Then act like it!" Blake's response cut quick and deep. Jaune had definitely had changed, for the worst in Blake's mind. "Just leave Jaune."
He left without another word, slamming the door on the way out. Not many minutes later, a knock resounded from the door.
"Miss Belladonna?" This time it was merely an intern. "Mr. Wukong said you might want to see something."
"What is it?" Blake was already in motion out the door as she spoke. Gambol Shroud was hanging ready at her side.
"A faunus was found dead in an alley this morning. His name was Adam Taurus." Her steps faltered for only a moment, her confident stride resumed at a more hurried pace.
Upon reaching Sun's office, Blake threw open the door only to stop in her tracks. On Sun's desk was a picture of the dead body of her former partner, as she expected. What Blake did not expect was the familiar symbol carved into his chest.
The symbol of her dead teammate. A stylized rose.
"The body was found by a Beacon Student on leave." Sun's disembodied voice floated to her ears.
Blake decided that she might actually listen to Ozpin, at least once more.