Blake closed her eyes, exhaling as she got into position to attack. The world was upended, the ground passing by above her head and the sky far beneath her. She pulled her legs in tight, and crossed her arms over her chest as she spun through the air. She had to wait for just the right moment, just the right position in the arc of her jump. With her heightened situational awareness, she was aware of Gambol Shroud spinning past her head, connected to her by its ribbon, which coiled through the air, looping around her several times. All of this was passing in between beats of her heart. Just the right moment...
Blake snapped her eyes open, yanked the ribbon and sent Gambol Shroud flying past her head. She stretched her limbs back out to counter-balance the change in her momentum. Gambol Shroud found its target, its blade wedging deep into the neck of the lunging Beowolf. As the arc of Blake's jump sent her dropping back down to the asphalt, she yanked on the ribbon, wrenching the Grimm's head to one side and interrupting its attack.
Her feet hit the ground behind the creature. As she landed, she thrust forward, working with her momentum rather than fighting it. She pulled as hard as she could on the ribbon, which now ran over her shoulder and to the Grimm behind her. The Beowolf was pulled right off its feet, and flew backwards, directly towards Blake's back. Gambol Shroud had been ripped free by this motion. The weapon flew back to Blake, and she caught it just before once again leaping into the air, straight up this time. The Beowolf flew by beneath her feet, blood spewing from the hole ripped in its throat. It swiped at her as it flailed, but she'd leapt out of its reach. As her jump peaked, Blake took aim and put a shot right through the Grimm's skull. Its flailing ceased, but its body continued flying forward. As Blake dropped back down to the ground, the dead Beowolf crashed into another, very much alive Beowolf. The creature's lunge was interrupted as it was struck from the side. It crashed to the ground and writhed about, so enraged that it had trouble getting back to its feet. Blake permitted herself a quick, sly grin at her feat.
The target of the Beowolf that now lay on the ground had had her back turned, dealing with another of the monstrous creatures. Bringing both fists together into an uppercut, her knuckles struck her adversary under the chin. She grinned as she fired a shot from either half of Ember Cecelia. The Beowolf's head was blown apart and its body was sent flying over her, brushing through her hair as she ducked. Yang glanced behind her at the Beowolf that was now righting itself. She gave her partner a quick glance, nodding to acknowledge the save. She planted her foot directly in the Beowolf's face, sending it tumbling backwards. She charged forward, pointed behind Blake at more Grimm closing in, then leapt into the air. She rolled, then fired both her gauntlets downwards as she flew over the Beowolf. The creature was blown to bits. Yang used the recoil to extend her jump and complete the flip, landing fist-first into the face of yet another Grimm.
"Front flip for style!" Yang declared victoriously, as the Grimm crumpled to the ground before her. She turned to Blake, who was leaping in between the halves of one Grimm to reach another. She impaled it through the chest with her sword, and clung to its chest as it stumbled back. Yang noticed a final Beowolf charging Blake, between the two Huntresses, and sprinted to intercept it. Blake swung around, positioned herself on the impaled Beowolf's shoulders, and wrenched Gambol Shroud free. Not a split second after it was free from the creature's chest, she stabbed it through the back of its head and out its mouth. She pulled the sword back out, looked up, and saw the final Beowolf coming at her. She didn't notice Yang flying through the air towards it, fist pulled back to strike. She jumped from the Beowolf's shoulders, dropped a Shadow and propelled herself off of it. She flew at the Grimm, slashed her sword, and landed next to it as its head went flying into the air. Then she noticed Yang, who now was flying directly at her.
Yang's eyes widened in surprise, and she abandoned her attack position as she flew at Blake. Blake had only time to raise her hands up to shield herself as Yang crashed into her. They both tumbled over each other, holding each other tight. The came to a stop with Blake on her back and Yang laying face down on top of her. Yang raised her head up and looked around.
"Ow," She said, chuckling, "Well, that wasn't the coolest way we could have ended that. You okay?"
Blake tried to answer, but her words were muffled. Yang looked down in confusion and realized that her breasts were pressed down against Blake's face.
"Oh, sorry!" Yang said, quickly jumping off, unable to hold in a smile, "I'm so sorry, Blake!"
Blake sat up, and gave her head a quick shake. She looked at Yang and smiled back. They held in snickers for a couple of seconds, then both busted out laughing. Blake laughed harder than Yang had ever heard her laugh. Tears were in Yang's eyes. She tried to speak a couple of times, failing to form words.
"I c- I couldn't breathe." Blake said, between laughs, "I actually couldn't."
This only made Yang laugh harder. They both sat on the ground, surrounded by disintegrating Grimm, holding each other as they laughed. Eventually they quieted down and began catching their breath.
"So, that happened," Yang said.
"How many- how many Grimm was that?" Blake asked "Oobleck will want to know."
They had been wandering the destroyed cityscape of Mountain Glenn all day, killing Grimm as Oobleck observed. They had, just a couple of minutes previously, gotten separated. They'd been looking for the other half of their team and the professor when the Beowolf pack had ambushed them.
"Seven," Yang said, "We killed seven Beowolves in like ten seconds. Damn, we're good."
"We make a good team," Blake agreed, "When we're not crashing into each other."
"Hell yeah. Go Team Bumblebee!" Yang said, putting on her sunglasses.
She collapsed Ember Cecelia down into bracelet form. Blake stood, and picked up Gambol Shroud from where it had fallen when Yang had run into her. She returned it to her back.
"We should probably go find the others," Blake said.
"What's the hurry?" Yang asked, "This is a nice spot when there's not a bunch of Grimm spoiling it."
Blake leaned against a lamppost and look around, crossing her arms.
"I guess so. The ah, decay and destroyed buildings kind of ruin the view a bit."
Yang hopped on top of a mailbox next to the post and sat, looking over at Blake.
"Well, yeah, there's that," Yang said, "But there are prettier things here, if you know where to look."
Blake raised an eyebrow, curiously, "Like what?"
"Like you." Yang said, smiling.
Blake rolled her eyes, but smiled, too.
Yang shrugged, and blushed a bit. She looked around. A quiet moment passed. Blake looked down at the steaming black puddles which were all that remained of the Grimm. She looked back up at Yang.
"Thanks," She said, blushing a little herself.
Yang hopped down from the mailbox and walked over to Blake. She pulled her sunglasses off, returning them to their usual spot, hanging from her top. She got in close, placing her hand on the post just above Blake's shoulder. She looked Blake in the eyes, smiling.
"What're you doing?" Blake asked, raising an eyebrow.
Yang's eyes wandered down a bit, then up, stopping at the bow in Blake's hair. She reached up and touched it, apparently examining the fabric. Blake was confused, but patient.
"Mind if I ask you something?" Yang asked.
"Is it about the bow?" Blake asked, a bit apprehensively.
"No."
"...What, then?"
"What's with the bow?"
Blake rolled her eyes again, looking away. Yang smiled and shrugged apologetically.
"I just don't understand why you still hide them," Yang said, "You're not ashamed of them, right?"
"Of course not," Blake said, defensively, "Its not shame, its..."
Yang was silent, patiently waiting for Blake to speak when she was ready.
"When I told you and Ruby and Weiss about me, I mean, I blurted it out, but... I said it because I wasn't guarding my words. I felt safe saying it. I trusted you. I've learned to be cautious about trusting people."
Yang smiled warmly. To Blake's surprise, she pulled on one end of the ribbon, unravelling the bow. Having the long, black ears exposed made Blake feel a little vulnerable, but here, right next to Yang, she felt safe.
"I think they're really cute, you know?" Yang said, "You're like a little kitten."
Yang scratched Blake behind one ear, playfully. Blake blushed and made an effort to squirm away. Yang laughed. They awkwardly avoided each other's glances for a moment. Suddenly, Yang looked into Blake's eyes and seemed to be struck with an impulse. Without warning, she moved in and kissed Blake. She pulled back, eyes wide as if she herself was surprised by this. Blake stared back at her, stunned. Yang removed her hand from where it had found itself, resting on Blake's shoulder, and took a step back.
"I'm sorry, I-" Yang stammered, "I just, you looked..."
Blake placed a hand over her own lips, still speechless.
"S-sorry, if I made that weird," Yang said, looking at the ground, "I should have... asked, or..."
"Hey." Blake said, lowering her hand and grinning.
Yang looked up at her, "Yeah?"
"Do that again."
Ruby collapsed her Scythe into compact form even before the top half of the Beowolf even hit the ground. The halves of the dead monster hissed as they began dissipating into wisps of smoke. It joined the other half dozen creatures and parts of creatures that now littered the street. She turned to Professor Oobleck, a hopeful look on her face, looking for any sign of approval from the experienced Hunter. He took a sip for his thermos, thoughtfully. Weiss, standing nearby, waved Myrtenaster, dispelling the glyph she had created in the air for Ruby to repel off of at one point in the fight.
"Well done, Miss Rose," Oobleck said, with a nod.
"Thank you, professor," Ruby said, beaming, "I tripped up a bit on the third one because I thought it was going to swipe, but it pounced instead, and I had to dodge up and to the right, and that's when Weiss placed the glyph, and I know I was supposed to be fighting solo-"
Oobleck waved his hand, dismissively, "You performed admirably on your own, and I'm confident you would have emerged the victor even without your partner's intervention. I will not deduct anything from your grade for relying on your teammate. Or from yours, Miss Schnee, for recognizing when your partner needed help."
"Thank you, professor," Weiss said.
"Come here, look at this," Oobleck said, beckoning with his hand as he strode over to one of the dead Grimm.
Ruby, glanced over at Weiss, who raised an eyebrow, and they both accompanied the professor. They gathered around the corpse, which was slowly sublimating into nothingness. It was little more than a puddle of black slime already.
"Does it not seem odd that the creatures of Grimm disappear when killed?" Oobleck asked.
"Of course, sir," Weiss said, "One of the reasons the Grimm are still such a mystery is that their bodies can't be studied."
"Makes clean up easier, though, doesn't it?" Ruby quipped.
"A good attitude, Miss Rose," Oobleck agreed, "Do you know what old legends say about the nature of the Grimm?"
"I do, sir," Weiss said, "That they're made of Evil. Pain and suffering and negative emotions made flesh. Our ancestors believed that was why they so relentlessly try to destroy anything good, or anything with a soul."
"Indeed," Oobleck said, "And what would you say, Miss Rose, that says about the way they disappear when destroyed?"
Ruby bit her lip, thoughtfully. She looked over to Weiss, who shrugged, equally at a loss.
Oobleck sipped again from his Thermos, and waved towards the buildings about them.
"Look at this place. Buildings, statues, evidence of Humanity. They remain."
"But Mountain Glenn fell, professor," Weiss pointed out.
"True. And yet, what we built, this good thing, did not vanish. It endures as a monument to what we achieved, at least for a time."
"But the Grimm don't last!" Ruby said, starting to understand.
"Indeed!" Oobleck shouted suddenly, causing the two of them to jump, "The Grimm are like any other terrible thing, or painful event. At the time, we're fearful of them, and they may even seem insurmountable. But once they're overcome, they fade away. Eventually, all that's left is the memory of something we're stronger for defeating. But when we create something, when we achieve something good, it lasts. And when something is really good, it can last a very long time."
"Like the kingdoms," Weiss said, nodding "Or the peace after the War."
"Or this team!" Ruby declared.
Oobleck smiled, slyly, "I think RWBY will last a very, very long time."
Weiss laughed. They were quiet for a moment. Zwei barked.
"Well, anyway," Oobleck said, adjusting his glasses, "Let's find your teammates, I'm sure they're nearby."
"I think I heard Yang firing her Shot Gauntlets from the east earlier," Weiss said.
They set off at a casual pace. Ruby took the lead at first, but stopped at an alley she seemed to find promising, and called for Yang. Oobleck stopped beside her and looked down the alley curiously. Weiss found herself running ahead. She stumbled onto a spot further down the road where the asphalt was torn with the distinct appearance of having been hit by Shot Gauntlet rounds. She looked around and noticed a piece of black ribbon laying abandoned atop a mailbox by the side of the road. She walked over to it, picked it up, and looked at it, curiously. It was most definitely Blake's bow. Weiss heard a commotion from the destroyed coffee shop in front of her. She walked through the old door frame and saw her teammates in the corner.
They were wrapped in each other's arms, with Yang against the wall. She was playing with Blake's ears affectionately with one hand, and squeezing Blake's posterior with the other. Blake was passionately kissing her neck. Yang's eyes were closed, she seemed to be enjoying it greatly. Weiss took in this sight for a moment, then averted her eyes and coughed quietly. Yang cracked one eye open.
"Oh, hey Weiss," She said, with a laugh, "What's happening?"
Blake abruptly turned around, eyes wide. Seeing Weiss she jumped a step away from Yang, embarrassed. She made an effort to act casual.
"Oh, Weiss," She said, "Um, hey, you found us, um... great, I..."
Weiss burst out laughing. She held up Blake's ribbon so Blake could see it, then tossed it to her. Blake quickly wrapped it back around her ears, still trying to act casual, despite Yang now wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
Weiss leaned out the door frame and waved to Ruby and Oobleck.
"I found them!" She called, "Over here!"
Yang held a finger to her lips and winked at Weiss. Weiss nodded, knowingly. The three of them exited the shop and rejoined the professor and their team leader.
"What were you doing in there?" Ruby asked, confused.
"Just taking a coffee break," Yang said, "The service in there is terrible, though."
"Miss Long, if you wanted coffee, you should have brought some along," Oobleck said, "I didn't bring any, of course, don't drink the stuff myself."
Yang raised an eyebrow, "Then, what's in the...?"
"Not important." Oobleck declared, "Come along, Team RWBY, we must find a place to make camp. Its getting late."