Chapter 1 – Haven Academy

Ruby

She had no idea what was to come in her life...the next five years...the chaos that would hit the World of Remnant...

But she was even less prepared for what would happen in merely five days.

"Jaune..." A soft female and regal voice whispers in a mysterious landscape that has formed around her, red skies stretch out across her head and a shattered lunar moon above her head. Ruby staggers back slightly with widened silver irises, examining the many dark charred trees that surround her. The air feels like it is stuffed with intense heat, as if there are fires that never cease to burn around them all. Smoke flows through the atmosphere around her, and the distant howls and screeches of Creatures of Grimm of all kinds echo everywhere. Nightmarish shrieks from a familiar monster resound nearby, the shriek of the Nuckelavee in particular. Ruby remains stood still in the middle of the ash covered charred forest that surrounds her, staring directly ahead when she hears the familiar voice once more. "Jaune..." Her voice repeats in a whispery voice, and Ruby sets her eyes on somebody stood amongst the cracked and carbonised trees. The black dust trails and crumbles from the trees, floating up into the air, but she knows who she sees.

She is a tall young woman with slender curves in her athletic body, long red hair tied back into a ponytail that hangs down her back. She wears Spartan-Like bronze and golden armour strapped around her body and appendages as she stares at her friend. She has large emerald eyes and a heart shaped face, her eyes staring directly at Ruby Rose who stands there, looking so alienated in this place. She turns and walks away from Ruby, and Pyrrha calls out her name with disbelief and desperation. "Pyrrha!" Ruby screams, her voice echoes endlessly throughout the domain that she is trapped in.

The Silver Eyed Huntress sprints after her, roses trail from her long red cape as she pursues her deceased friend who walks into the distance. Ruby does not even notice that the petals that trail from her cape have completely wilted away into dust, crumbling away as they rot away in the charred realm. Ruby keeps running and running, desperate to find her, but when she runs into the smoky cloud that Pyrrha had entered, she has completely vanished from her view. She pushes her heels into the ash suffocated soil to slow herself down, looking around fearfully to find her, wrists shaking erratically.

How? How could she have just vanished like that?

Am I going crazy?

What is this place?

The howl of the Nuckelavee's Imp erupts from the ghostly forest once more, creating a jolt of terror in her bones. She staggers from the terrifying howl, spinning round to find the unnatural monster that they managed to kill only a few hours ago. Every time the Nuckelavee roars in the distance, it sounds like it is getting closer and closer. But as she tries to search for Pyrrha and also keep her eyes open for the location of the howling Nuckelavee...a familiar voice resounds around her.

And it creates an aching pain in her heart.

"This is going to be so much fun!" A gentle female voice whispers with an enthusiastic voice that speaks with such joy.

Ruby knows that voice...

Recognises it all too well...

It is Penny's.

The voices of the damned echo and swirl around the young Huntress as she staggers around – as if she were lightheaded – still trying to locate her deceased friend. Hearing the sounds of electrical blood sparking from her severed corpse as she laid there on the ground, dead and destroyed from an accident created in the Vytal Festival Tournament. But Ruby keeps on sweeping those large round silver eyes of hers across the destroyed forest she has found herself trapped in, frantically trying to locate Pyrrha. But Penny's ghostly voice is not the only one she hears echoing around her from the dark smoke that swirls across the field.

"This is the real world!" The distant memory of Roman Torchwick bellows, and Ruby spins around when hearing his voice. Behind her is the man himself, stood at approximately six feet and three inches high. His slanted, dark-green eyes glare directly at her with anger and his bright, long, orange hair, with long bangs covering his right eye swings with his rushing movements. Black eyeliner traced his visible left eye slightly smudged from the combat they engaged in.

Ruby almost forgot what Roman looked like; it has felt so long since he died despite it only being six months since he was swallowed whole by a Griffin. In which the Creature of Grimm did unintentionally save her life by eating him. Roman wore a red-lined white suit with long black pants and black shoes. His accessories included a small gray scarf, black gloves with buckled sleeves, and a black bowler hat with a small feather tucked into its red band.

Roman roared as he swung Melodic Cudgel towards her, just as he did when they fought each other atop Ironwood's Dreadnaught. After Neo was taken away and was lost to them all, her whereabouts are still unknown to this day. Ruby flinches, closing her bright silver eyes and looking away, raising up her arms to shield her face from the attack. The ghostly figure bursts away into dust as he slams the cane against her head, but she felt absolutely nothing from the attack. Ruby staggers back slightly though from shock of seeing him again...clearly the Battle of Beacon has left more scars on her than just physically. She cannot stop thinking of her enemies as well as her friends that died that day.

She shakes it of pretty quickly, and she takes off running as fast as she can to find Pyrrha. But the further she runs, the longer the forest appears to become, stretching out endlessly before her eyes. As if it is some sort of ghastly projection that is unnaturally losing its focus in front of her, the trees stretch and the shrieks of Nevermores cry out as they glide overhead. Most likely plunging their talons and slamming their beaks into anything they spot moving beneath them. Ruby reaches to her belt to grab Crescent Rose, but she finds nothing there, only black space. She does not even have her bullet belt on her person for some reason, she gasps with shock when she sees that as well after hearing the screech of a Nevermore and a Nuckelavee at once. Ruby will need to use her wits and cunning to survive in this domain, if the things she hears are actually there or are just in her head.

But all she wants are answers to so many questions.

Why am I hearing Pyrrha?

What is this place?

How do I get out of here?

Ruby keeps on sprinting to find her friend; until in the corner of her eye does she spot the almost glowing red colour of Pyrrha's hair. Ruby slams the brakes, pushing her heels into the soft ash coated dirt to slow down, and she spins round, staring directly in the direction of which she thought she saw Pyrrha standing.

But when she looks in her direction...

Pyrrha is gone again.

Like a ghost.

It is like some sick game of hide and seek, or cat and mouse that keeps on vanishing over and over again. Her eyes dart back and forth across the charred domain, breathing erratically to locate wherever Pyrrha is. She saw her, she knows that she did, she is not going crazy...is she? "Where are you?" Ruby softly whimpers with a trembling voice as she looks around the place, then she screams it out with desperation. "Pyrrha! Where are you?" She screams with horror, her voice echoing endlessly in the forest that stretches for miles in the spectral realm.

Her stance is broken when the roar of the Nuckelavee suddenly erupts directly behind her; she spins round to see the unnatural beast rearing up behind her. It kicks its front legs back and forth as it howls.

The Nuckelavee is a horse-like creature with an equine main body and a skinless humanoid creature that is fused with it. Its forelegs are shaped like claws and it has hoofed hind legs that leave a characteristic hoof print. The humanoid body has long curved horns on its head, a mouth that looks almost sewn shut, and two long elastic arms each with two clawed fingers. On the back of the human torso are bony spikes along its spine and a variety of weapons from previous battles stuck in it.

When walking on its equine legs, its attached humanoid portion hangs limp to one side, making its arms drag along the ground. Once the equine portion stops to stand still, only then does the humanoid portion of the creature become active, doing so with a spasmodic twitching movement. When enraged, the spikes on its spine lengthen, as do its horns, its pupils become vertical slits, and its mouth opens completely.

Its long arms drag across the ash coated soil, the clopping of its hooves echo as it lands back on all fours, making the ground shake from the landing. Raspy snarling breaths reverberate from its chest as it moves, marching onwards through the smoky domain. It is...almost like the monster cannot see her for some reason. Something glistens on the ground where the beast was stood, catching the eye of Ruby.

Her curiosity is piqued, and she slowly approaches it, wanting to understand what this little thing is that lays there. She walks towards it and she gasps when she sees what the glint shone from...it is Pyrrha's golden circlet lying on the floor that she once wore around her crest. And the arrow that Cinder Fall had launched into her sternum lies right beside it; crimson warm blood stains the arrowhead which punctured her chest, steaming from the freshness of the blood. Ruby's shaky gasp forms as she picks the circlet up with tears forming in her eyes, remembering the terrible sight of her friend disintegrating into golden ashes before her.

The circlet glows bright gold, as if heated up to the point of melting in her hands but she feels nothing at all. As if it had just vanished into thin air in a couple of moments. Ruby tracks the ashes that glow, floating away from her fingertips towards who stands before her. Her long red hair blows in the wind, looking as beautiful as ever. Her emerald eyes looking directly at her. Her tender and ceremonial voice whispers once more. "Jaune..." As if she is unable to let go of her crush.

But why communicate with Ruby if she is desperate for Jaune Arc?

Pyrrha suddenly vanishes in a puff of smoke before Ruby, and then she hears her voice again, nearby.

"Do you believe in destiny?" Pyrrha asks, her voice surrounds Ruby as she speaks, echoing across the Charred Forest which causes Ruby to grab her head in pain from how loud the endless cacophony of voices are.

Ruby runs round the corner, looking around more and more to find her, and then she sees Cinder stood there, drawing the bow and aiming it directly at Pyrrha, darkness surrounding her. Her eyes flushing with hate and power, fire leaking from them as she glares down at the pure girl at her mercy. Ruby takes foot, rushing over to help her, reaching out to her, her large silver eyes widen. Cinder releases the Bowstring, launching the glass arrow directly at Pyrrha, hitting her straight in the sternum. She yelps in agony and Ruby crumples to her knees again, sliding through the ghostly apparition of Cinder who stands there. She reaches out to the side of Pyrrha's head, Ruby watches as she is disintegrated away from Cinder's Fall Maiden Abilities, her embers breaking apart and being carried away into the Autumn Winds. Ruby remains on her knees; broken, knowing that she did not do everything that she could have to save her. She then looks up when she sees Pyrrha stood there, looking right at her. "Jaune! Help Me!" She cries out.

The voice echoes through her mind as the nightmare begins to collapse around her.

She gasps, returning back to the real world, silver eyes snapping open as her terror leaves her lungs and from her firm lips. She bolts upright from the fragranced and well cleaned bedding that caresses her slender frame, clutching the bed sheet close to her chest. She's still wearing her clothes that she wore when she and the rest of Team R.N.J.R made their perilous trek across Anima. Some of her long black and red hair – still rather greasy from the lack of care from shampoo and a good shower – covers half her face. Ruby shudders as she holds her bed sheet close to her cheek, unable to shake the nightmare that she had just woke from. Sweat trickles from her pores due to the nightmare, body shaking as if she is in the icy cold land of Atlas.

She has had nightmares before... but nowhere near as intense as that one was. She looks around, in her room at Haven. The note that she wrote still sat on the table, the one meant for Yang. She then looks over to the balcony where her Uncle Qrow Branwen is stood, looking out at the majestic city of Mistral, of Haven Academy.

He has recovered from his wound that Tyrian inflicted upon him. Took some time with the medics, but they managed to solve the problem, enough equipment to handle the issue. He looks much better, no more sweat glistening on his skin and his colour is no longer pale from the poison that ran through his body.

Qrow turns when he hears his little niece gasp in shock like that when she wakes up. He walks over to her and he sits down on the edge of her bed. "Hey, pipsqueak." He says, his gravelly voice being a kind reminder to Ruby that she is not dead.

Ruby sniffles slightly as she brushes her hair from her eyes and wipes the sweat from her brow, still a little rattled from that nightmare. "Yeah...I just had a –" Before she can finish Qrow finishes the sentence for her, he knows her so well.

"Bad Dream?" He presumes, gently caressing her knee with his hand.

Ruby looks at her uncle and eventually nods silently and timidly. Qrow smiles and he wipes the tear from her eye and puts his hand on her knee again. "What was it?" He asks her.

Ruby looks at him inquisitively.

"I...I um..." She nervously stumbles, her little voice fretfully breaking a little. "I was in a forest...It was dark, cold and hot at the same time. Burned..." She explains to him, still able to see the skyscraper tall charred trees that enveloped her view. "I could hear her, Uncle Qrow." She softly reveals to Qrow. Her Uncle Branwen looks at her and he admittedly appears to be a little nervous.

"Who?" He queries his sweet little niece.

"Pyrrha..." She answers, remembering the regal tones in her voice. Qrow looks at her and he sighs, looking back out at the city.

Almost like there was some relief there for a second.

"She's trying to talk to Jaune...but he can't hear her." Ruby tells him.

"Was that all?" Qrow asks her.

Ruby looks up at him and then she continues, because she knows this place must be important. She has suffered from nightmares on multiple occasions but nothing quite like that before. Never has she seen the Charred Forest before now, it must be important...it must be. "It wasn't just Pyrrha, I heard Penny as well. And I saw Torchwick as well." Ruby lists with a shaky voice, hearing their voices and the monstrous screech again in her memory. "Gods, I even saw that Grimm...Horseman...thing." Ruby stutters as she tries to find the name for the creature, not entirely sure of what the Nuckelavee was.

She does not even know what it's name is, only that it killed Ren's parents in front of him.

And now he has had his revenge at long last.

"The Nuckelavee." Qrow corrects, thinking back to the many missions and examples of monsters that exist out there in the cold dark world that is Remnant.

"Knuckle-Who-Ha?" Ruby asks with a puzzled look. Qrow laughs a little at her adorable confusion, patting her knee.

"The Nuckelavee." He repeats, a little slower this time so Ruby can hear each syllable clearly. Nuck-El-Ah-Vee "I never fought with it before, but I heard tales of it from other Huntsman on my missions. No one had ever survived an encounter with it. And then you came along and claimed the title. Look at you, Nuckelavee-Slayer." He says, rubbing his hand against her black and red hair. Ruby squirms as he does it and then she looks up at him, like a little puppy does when wanting attention.

Qrow smiles kindly to her. "It was only a bad dream, don't let it stick with you, kiddo." Qrow assures her kindly. He stands up and gets off her bed, walking over to his sword, sheathing it onto the back of his belt. "Trust me, you don't want those kinds of thoughts in your life. Especially with everything that's happening." Qrow explains to her, as if he speaks from experience.

"But...Uncle Qrow, it's the third time I have heard Pyrrha in my head. And I don't know why I hear her asking Cinder if she believes in destiny...did she say that before she...I never heard her say that! How can I be hearing that?" She mutters to herself, not even speaking to Qrow anymore. She presses her hands against her temples with distress. "What's wrong with me?"

"Hey?" Qrow says, looking her in the large rounded silvered eyes, she looks at his red ones in return. "There's nothing wrong with you, a little crazy yeah, but there is nothing wrong with you. There was nothing you could have done to save Pyrrha from Cinder, okay? By the time you got up there, it was over." Qrow promises, assuring her.

Ruby smiles happily from his kind words.

"Okay..." She says. Qrow rights himself back up, towering above his niece.

"Alright...I'm gonna go take a walk." Qrow informs, walking towards the door. "Go have a shower, wear some normal clothes, get those ones clean. Might as well, spend some time to rest while you can." Qrow advises, patting her back as he walks past her and towards the door that leads into the hallway.

Ruby rolls her eyes. "Okay..." She sighs. "I prefer my hood though." She whispers, holding the blanket over her body, pouting like a grumpy child.

"I heard that." Qrow states aloud as he leaves the room, closing the door behind him. Ruby throws the sheets off and she stands up, walking away from the bed and to the table, her pen is still where it was and the letter has not been sent yet. She fell asleep when she finished it from exhaustion, and Qrow put her in the bed to let her be comfortable.

Ruby reads the letter.

Hey Sis,

I hope my letters have been reaching you and dad. Handwritten stuff's never been super reliable, but I guess it's all we've got these days. Anyway, in case you haven't been getting them, I just want to say I'm sorry for leaving the way I did. I know you told me it was a reckless idea and after everything I've been through I can definitely say you were right.

It's been hard, on all of us, and I'm not just talking about the monsters we've fought out here. Every step we made took us further and further away from the things we knew, and every morning we'd wake up wondering if just over the next hill we'd find something good, or something terrible. It's scary, not knowing what's going to happen next and the things we do know now, just how bad it can get, it almost makes it all worse. You told me once that "bad things just happen." You were angry when you said it, and I didn't want to listen. But you were right. Bad things do happen, all the time, every day. Which is why I'm out here, to do whatever I can, wherever I can, and hopefully do some good.

We've all lost something. And I've seen what loss can do to people, but if we gave up every time we lost, then we'd never be able to move forward. We'd never have a chance to see what beautiful things the future might have waiting for us. We'd never have the strength to change, whether it's ourselves or the world around us. And we'd never be there for other people that might one day be lost without us. This is what we were training for, Yang, to become Huntresses, to be the ones to stand up and do something about all the bad in the world. Because there are plenty of people out there who are still lost, and even more who will try to gain everything they can from their sorrow.

Believe me when I say, I know it can feel impossible, like every single day is a struggle against some unstoppable monster we can never hope to beat. But we have to try. If not for us, then for the people we haven't lost yet.

I miss you so much, I miss Weiss and Blake too. But I think you'd all be proud to know that I made it to Mistral, all of us did, and we even ran into Uncle Qrow along the way! He's going to take us to see Professor Lionheart, the Headmaster of Haven Academy. And he told us some things you're gonna want to hear, things I can't trust will make it to you in this letter. But maybe, if you joined us, he could tell you himself. With Beacon gone, they'll need Dad at Signal more than ever. And I know you'll need to focus on yourself before I can expect you to come out with me. But it sure would be great to get Team RWBY back together again.

Until next time.

Your Loving Sister,

Ruby Rose

P.S. I'll be sure to give you the address of where we're staying at Mistral. I'd love to hear back from you and dad, and I can't wait to fill you in on whatever's going to happen next! Now we've made it across Anima, I really think things are gonna start going our way.

Still hasn't actually put the address in, as Ruby always forgets in her letters.

A few minutes pass, around half an hour when she leaves the dorm and holds the letter in an envelope, wearing a smart set of Mistraalian Clothes. A beautiful looking dress with adorns reddish bronze colour woven through with velvet and silk which wraps around her body, showing one of her legs and one of her arms and shoulder. She also wears the shoes provided as well, walking out there, turning down the hall. She approaches the dorm next to hers, she knocks on the door gently. The door bursts open and an overly excited Nora leaps into Ruby's arms. "Ruby!" She squeaks with pure joy. Ruby screams as she falls onto the floor from Nora practically tackling her into a hug.

She looks over Nora, seeing Ren stood there with Jaune beside him. They both shrug.

"Nora, come on." Ren says.

They are also wearing some Mistraalian clothes of similar colour scheme but unlike the female version, there's seem more like that of a suit – Nora's is the same as Ruby's, since they are going to meet Professor Lionheart, might as well look the part. Inside their room, they have their weapons on each bed. Crocea Mors on Jaune's, Stormflower on Ren's and Magnhild leaning against Nora's.

Nora finally releases Ruby from her freakishly strong grip and she gasps for air. Ruby gets back up and Nora cracks her neck a little.

"Think I slept a little funny last night." She says.

"Yeah...come on, Qrow's waiting for us." Jaune says, walking ahead of them. Ruby watches Jaune, concerned about him as he just walks off.

He may never recover from losing Pyrrha.

Weiss

The aircraft soars over the sea that part between the Kingdoms of Mistral and Vale, glistening with light from the burning hot and bright sun which watches over the World of Remnant. The roar of its powerful afterburners echo across the huge space of ocean that stretches for miles.

She sits there on one of the crates, holding a refined fire dust crystal in her firm hands, gently rolling it between her fingers. Her long white hair still tied into an off-centred ponytail that dances down her back in her dress she wears. Weiss wears a short, glittering dress with a colour gradation of blue to pale blue at the hem, a sweetheart neckline, and a white, tulle petticoat.

A white ribbon is wrapped multiple times around her waist, and over the outfit is worn a slightly sheer long-sleeved blue shrug fastened at the collar with a large sapphire broach that has three pendants dangling from it. Printed on the back of the shrug is the Schnee Crest. Completing her attire are dark blue wedge heels and sapphire drop earrings.

She also has an alternate – or perhaps occasional – outfit, which follows the same design as her standard attire except for the skirt, which is floor length and split to her thigh on one side, and she wears chunky heels instead. The white ribbon has been removed from her waist, and she wears her hair and earrings in the same style, albeit her ponytail has grown out, now roughly reaching her knees.

She is a walking representation of defiance against her father at all times.

She sighs, setting the dust crystal back down in the crate that she is perched up on. Her large blue eyes flit down to the door to the cockpit of the ship. Hard to believe I miss Ruby's talkative nature...sure gets boring when you haven't got someone as joyful as her. She hops off the crate, and approaches the cockpit, tapping the button in order to open the door, walking inside of the ship's control room. The pilot is sat in the centre of the cockpit in his leather chair, hundreds of controls littered around the room and beeping computers. None of it are of understanding to Weiss Schnee as she leans against the wall, crossing her arms.

The Pilot notices her and he looks at her, then at the sky again. "How far out are we from Mistral, may I ask?" Weiss inquires politely with a gentle voice – so different in every way to how she used to be when she first arrived in Beacon Academy.

"We're coming up on the city now, just over these mountains." The Pilot informs her, he then sighs with relief, slumping into his chair. "Been a long journey, hasn't it?" He asks her with a sigh, and Weiss smiles as she looks down at the floor.

"It has..." She agrees.

"So – what do you plan to do in Mistral? I mean there are plenty of opportunities for a Schnee over there. You could run banks, buy a whole tonne of businesses and make a fortune." The pilot explains as he flies the ship, but Weiss knows the reason she has come to this Kingdom. Although he is not wrong, if she came here for business, then she could make a lot of money.

"A tempting thought, but no. I am searching for my sister, I know she is in Mistral somewhere...I need to find her." She informs and the Pilot chuckles.

"Well, good luck to you, I guess." The pilot concludes.

The airship lands down at Mistral after it's extremely long journey, the landing gear folding out and the thrusters cool down. Weiss turns and she leaves the cockpit to find her equipment that she needs. Her large blue eyes look around, Myrtenaster by her side at all times along with her case of dust crystals. She feels more confident with herself now after learning how to summon more effectively. She turns back to the cockpit, door still open, and she looks at the Pilot who managed to smuggle her here.

"Thank you!" She says to him, and he looks back at her and he smiles and nods.

"Take the back door, less conspicuous." The Pilot advises and she turns to the back door, seeing it begin to open up for her. She turns back to the pilot and hears his last message. "Good luck, Miss Schnee. I hope you find your sister." He says kindly as he closes his door. Weiss is stood inside, and ready to make her move now.

She can hear the sound of people outside attempting to open the cargo hold. She quickly retreats, opening the back door to get out. She looks around, and she grits her teeth in annoyance at her heels. "Damn things." She whispers, grabbing them and taking them off for being so loud. She steps out and she jolts for a second from the extremely frosty floor. "Why can't Winter go somewhere tropical?" She complains to herself, running quickly across the landing pad to get out of sight from the Mistraalian Soldiers that are searching the Cargo Hold. Weiss runs and keeps low to the ground as she flees from the ship that was her home for a few days.

She hides into one of bakeries nearby.

She crouches down, holding Myrtenaster tight, ready to fight if she must. The metal that has constructed the impressive blade rattles in her shaking wrist. She turns and she gasps, her eyes widen when she sees a young girl looking at her. Little almond shaped green eyes, dark brown hair with freckles on her face and the body of someone who has not been fed in days. Poor thing must be homeless; it breaks poor Weiss' heart to see such a sweet little girl suffering on her own like this. She also is a Faunus, due to the fluffy brown fox tail she has. The Faunus are greatly discriminated here in Mistral, this Kingdom is the second most dangerous place for the Faunus to live due to the Atlesian Connection to this place. It may look beautiful, but Mistral is just as corrupt as Vacuo, perhaps even worse.

She nervously looks at the young Schnee. Weiss smiles sweetly and kindly to her, and she playfully shushes the little girl with her finger. "I'm in trouble, can you help me?" Weiss asks her. The little girl looks at her curiously. "Have you seen someone who looks like me?" She asks, and luckily there are not many women that share her looks and her white hair.

Especially not in Mistral.

The girl nods without speaking. "Where?" Weiss softly inquires with a smile, hopeful that she will find her quicker than she expected. The little girl points right at Weiss and the Former-Heiress sighs, burying her face into her palm. "No not me, you silly dunce!" She coldly retorts. The little girl recoils and Weiss immediately apologises, also something she would not have done six months prior. "Sorry, I've been told I'm quite mean." Weiss apologises, remembering Ruby at times, missing her enthusiasm after the time she spent in Atlas with all those clueless people. "She's my older sister, looks like me but a little taller? Light blue eyes, white hair? Mean like me?" She asks her.

The little girl looks around and then she nods at Weiss with a smile on her face. "When? Where?" She hurriedly asks her.

The little girl points across the street, by some of the merchants that are speaking with the customers. Beggars litter the streets, but all are just as dangerous. They are all most likely rats and little birds that spy on the people of Mistral to the powerful who live in the lower levels of the Mountains. "She was over there." The little girl says, finally speaking for the first time. "About an hour ago, asking for some food." The little girl says. Weiss exhales with relief, although she does not seem to notice how strange it is for Winter Schnee – a dedicated and renowned soldier in the Atlesian Special Forces – is asking for food. Wouldn't she just buy the food? She has the money, why would she become a beggar? She stands up and pats the girl on the head gently.

"Thank you." She expresses her deepest gratitude to the girl.

"Wait." The little girl says, catching Weiss' attention. "She looked hurt." The girl warns Weiss. Her eyes erupt from their sockets in shock and desperation.

"What?" She exhales in fear. The little girl nods. "How bad?"

The little girl gestures to her side with her hands. "She had a big bandage; it looked like she was bleeding." The girl describes for Weiss. She looks around, breathing in and out nervously. She looks to the little girl again and smiles.

"Thank you, and stay safe." She implores to the youngling, taking off to the street. Weiss runs down the town and she looks around, Mistraalian civilians walking around the market everywhere and almost barging into one another, conversing with each other in the streets and purchasing goods. She constantly is looking for someone with white hair like she bears, or someone that is injured. If she was here an hour ago, then she couldn't have gone far. She keeps her eyes peeled, feeling on edge after abandoning her own family like that. Things seemed tense between Jacques and Ironwood before she left. She looks around frantically, until a familiar voice emerges from the crowd of people.

"Weiss?" The young male voice enquires.

The young man in question is a boy with tanned coloured skin, dark-blue eyes and messy light-blue hair that is shaved on the sides and in the back, also known as an undercut. He wears a white dress shirt and black tie under a black and blue jacket adorned with a wide, upturned, black collar, and a silver reticule across the back. Similar to the jacket he wore when they met him back at Beacon, just with his preferred colour scheme. He also sports a pair of gray jeans with black padding strapped to the sides, as well as black shoes fastened with straps instead of laces. Notable accessories within his attire include black fingerless gloves and a pair of yellow-tinted goggles

He looks at her, wearing his jacket and has his weapon on his back where it's always kept. He stands amongst the crowd, like a shining angel in Weiss' eyes. She runs towards him, he backs up and holds his hands up in the surrendering position. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" He exclaims as he backs up against the wall. Weiss pushes her fingers to his lips, shutting him up. She gazes into his blue eyes, still amazed that it is him.

"Neptune?" She gasps, staring at him.

"Yeah?" He nervously responds with a muffle through her finger which is pressed to his lips. She slowly takes her finger from his lips but keeps looking around. She is not a fool – she knows how dangerous this place can be, especially for a young and pretty Schnee like herself. She could be ganged and robbed...or worse.

She needs help...

And he is the best she's got left.

"I hate having to put you in this position, Neptune." Weiss nervously whispers. He now stops joking around and starts listening to her words intently.

"What's up?" He asks her.

"I need your help." Weiss states, which is a lot coming from her.

"Anything." Neptune assures, looking quite serious now.

"I need to hide."

"From who?"

"Atlas, I ran and Ironwood has shut the borders down. My father is out of control, he could be up to something really bad. I need to hide; I will tell you more when you hide me." Neptune holds her hand gently and moves in front of her.

"Follow me." He says to her. They both start walking through the crowd to avoid being seen by anyone, there could be Atlesian Spies in here, and the Schnee Daughter would be one hell of a bounty for Mercenaries to gain from. Every Beggar, every merchant, every passing civilian could be a spy who whispers to the Atlesians to track her down. Jacques Schnee is a powerful man – money is power, he claims – and only now does Weiss truly understand what that phrase meant. They continue through and Neptune holds her hand, pulling her into an alleyway. They both walk through and into another street.

"Where are we going?" Weiss asks him.

"Safehouse, in other words, my house." Neptune answers, surprising the Former-Heiress.

"You have a house?" Weiss questions, tilting her head curiously.

"Yep, well, team S.S.S.N own it." He points out, shrugging his shoulders. "Thought it would be a good plan for a temporary Safehouse."

"Who came up with that plan?" Weiss enjoins, again out of her sweet curiosity.

"I did." Neptune answers with a smile and a wink. They walk out and Neptune stays in front of Weiss in a protective stance. They walk out and a pair of mysterious men approach him, holding weapons in their hands.

"Halt, son." The soldiers order. Neptune already knows that these are not Mistraalian Soldiers, they are Mercenaries disguised as them. They have tattoos underneath those clothes, one that he recognises the insignia of.

"Hey!" Neptune jokingly cheers, acting to them, patting one on the shoulder. "How have you been, I think I recognise you." He says, looking at one of them. With his other hand, he points at the alleyway to their right and Weiss spots his subtle message it. She keeps her head down and casually walks into it. "Love the beard." Neptune comments, poking the ginger beard of the soldier. But one of the Mercenaries espies Weiss fleeing and he yells.

"There's the Schnee brat!" The Mercenary yells.

"Ah, yeah. Good talk." Neptune chortles with a smile, he swiftly grabs his trident and pulls it out, the weapon transforms into combat mode and he smashes it across both of the Mercenaries, launching them both into the market stalls beside them. Neptune sprints through the alley to Weiss. "Run for it!" Neptune exclaims, grabbing her hand and pulling her with him. She yelps as he yanks her with him. She manages to keep up with him and they sprint through, moving as fast as they can from the Mercenaries that pursue. Weiss peers back over her shoulder, seeing the two soldiers sprinting after them, their rifles have been smashed apart thanks to Neptune's attack that disarmed them.

But they are not giving up just yet.

"Don't harm the girl! Remember, the boss wants her in one piece!" The soldier yells to the other, sprinting through the alley to get to her. Weiss and Neptune both have the same idea, grabbing stalls and mounds of boxes and dropping them in front of the soldiers to slow them down. One of the soldiers stumble but the other manages to clamber across the stall as it falls and jump off it and keep up with them.

Weiss opens her case and grabs a Dust Crystal, loading it into Myrtenaster, she turns back and she forms a glyph behind her, one that launches ice directly at the soldier. The soldier yells in pain when one of the icicles hits him the shoulder, knocking him off his feet and onto the floor. He rolls across the floor and the other soldier charges right past him after getting out of his previous predicament. They continue to rush down the alleys; Neptune accidentally bumps into a lady whose minding her own business.

"Sorry!" He calls back to her. The soldier begins to gain on the two of them and Neptune looks ahead, seeing a puddle of water. He drifts round it, from his fear of water and he waits until Weiss is past it. He holds his Trident in both hands, charging electricity into it and waiting until the Soldier is close enough.

The soldier's foot goes into the puddle and he slams the electrical end of his Trident into the water, charging water straight through the puddle and into the body of the soldier. The soldier screams in pain as the electricity cooks him. Neptune removes his Trident from the water, looking back at the soldier who falls onto the floor. He runs and grabs Weiss' hand, pulling her along. "Shocking, huh?" He asks, trying to impress her with a pun.

Weiss groans, rolling her eyes in disgust at his attempt of a pun, reminding her of Yang all over again.

Perhaps some things never change.

They continue to run; unaware of the soldier that has his radio on still. They continue to run until Neptune sees a bunch more soldiers getting closer and closer to where they are. "Neptune?" Weiss whispers nervously. Neptune looks around and he pulls Weiss behind a building. They hide behind it and they wait for the soldiers to pass. Weiss watches one of them, he is holding a Military Grade Assault Rifle in his hands, running through the street. Neptune quietly whistles down to her.

He reaches down to her after climbing up the small building, using a dumpster as a platform. But Weiss is much smaller than he is, so he wants to help her, as he always does. Weiss nods and she climbs up the Dumpster and then jumps up, grabbing onto his hand. Neptune hauls her up with all of his might to get her up there. She lands on his chest and he smirks at her, winking. Weiss sighs, standing back up.

"My hero." She whispers sarcastically.

"So beautiful..." He says to himself quietly.

Whether or not Weiss heard him or not doesn't matter, because she is too preoccupied right now to let her personal feelings for him take over, and yet he is having the time of his life. Weiss kicks his shoulder. "Ow." He whispers, grabbing her arm. Weiss gestures with her head to get him to stand up.

He stands up beside her, looking around.

"How far from the house?" She asks him.

Neptune waves her over to an area in the buildings.

"This way." Neptune says, walking up some stairs. Ahead is the house and Weiss scoffs from surprise. It is no mansion but it is still impressive for a teenager to afford.

"I'm impressed." Weiss says with a smile.

"Thought you'd like it. N-Not to imply I bought it for you." He says nervously, scratching the back of his neck. Weiss smiles, tilting her head at him, walking towards it. He sighs and follows her. He fits the key into the house and opens it, letting her inside first. He looks around, checking for any signs of Mercenary Activity nearby.

It's clear, and he closes the door, locking it.

Some time passes...

He ignites the fireplace and Weiss sits down in one of the chairs. He gives Weiss a blanket that he found. "Here, you must be cold in that dress." He says to her with a smile on his face. Weiss returns the smile with her own one, taking the blanket and wrapping herself up in it.

"Thank you, Neptune." Weiss gently whispers. Neptune sits down next to her. "Where's Scarlet and Sage?" She asks him.

"They went out to get some food. I was gonna go find them, but then I think I saw an angel." He flirts.

Weiss blushes.

"Shut up." She shyly says with a smile.

Neptune smiles back, leaning backwards into his chair.

"So...what'd you do?" Neptune asks her with a smile.

Weiss looks at him sharply.

"Huh?" She responds.

"Come on, you must have done something bad if Atlas has hired Mercs to hunt you." Neptune says.

"Like I said, Ironwood locked Atlas down, no one in, no one out." Weiss explains.

Neptune chuckles.

"And they still couldn't keep you penned up?" He says with a smile on his face. She looks at him and smiles back. "What happened to all that Schnee Dust Company Heiress stuff?" He asks her, and obviously no one but Weiss really knows about what happened. Weiss looks down, almost like she is ashamed of herself. Neptune clocks on immediately. "Hey...what's up?" He asks her.

She wipes a tear from her eye, sniffling a little. He gets up from his chair and goes to her side, crouching down beside her. "What happened?" He asks.

She looks him in his sapphire blue eyes. "He took it from me. Weiss says to him.

"What?" Neptune questions.

"My father!" She yelps, slapping her arms against the arms of the chair. "I got mad because I heard an Atlas Citizen talking about Beacon like they had it coming. Saying they deserved it..." Weiss remembers. "Pyrrha didn't...Penny didn't." Neptune looks down sombrely, still haunted by those names, and then looks back at her.

"I never did say..." Neptune says. "I'm sorry...she was a kind a good friend. And Penny as well." He continues. "Ozpin..."

"We will get revenge." Weiss assures.

"One day. And I'll be right beside you." Neptune promises.

"Anyway, I couldn't take being in Atlas any longer than I was already there for. My father took my title and gave it to my brother, who wanted it all along. I trained my glyphs..." She says, showing her glyph in her hand for Neptune. Neptune scoffs in amazement at her semblance.

"How'd you get out?" Neptune asks her.

"A friend...his name is Klein. He got me out of there and showed me a secret passage. I hope he's okay. I bribed a Cargo Shuttle Pilot to take me here, and here I am. Didn't expect to be hunted down by Mercenaries though. Who are they?" Weiss asks him.

"Don't know. New bunch, showed up recently. A lot of them as well, some sort of new Mercenary Group...perhaps. I've lived here all my life, seen countless mercenaries, but none as well funded as these guys. I knew those soldiers were Mercs because of the tattoo." Neptune explains. The tattoo was a Grimm Skull with a sword through it. "Whoever's paying them though, they must be rich."

"It must be my father." Weiss says with a sigh.

"Well. Don't worry, Weiss, I've got your back." Neptune promises. She smiles at him and they look each other in the eyes, with a longing. They both lean closer to kiss, to embrace each other.

Until the door bursts open and Scarlet David and Sage appear.

Scarlet has red hair that comes down over his right eye, with a complete undercut. There are several red markings around his left eye. He wears a green, mulberry, navy colour feather earring on his left ear, and has a red military pelisse-like jacket draped over the left side. He also wears a gray bandanna around his neck. On his right hand, he wears a fingerless glove, and on his right bicep, he has a gray band. He wears a white sleeveless shirt and light gray pants. He also wears a pair of long, brown, laced boots. Around his waist, he wears a brown belt and a slightly slanted gray belt that his weapon holster is attached to.

Sage is a teenage boy with dark skin and yellow eyes. His hair is sage green, and he appears to have tattoos of wings on his chest and tattoos of Roman numerals, matching those on his sword around his neck. He wears a white long coat with asymmetrical sleeves, a green wing design similar to his tattoos and no shirt underneath, displaying his tattooed chest. His jacket also has a golden pauldron on his right shoulder and a golden cuff around his left wrist. He also wears a pair of dark pants fastened by a white belt with a yellow buckle.

"Sorry we took so long –" Scarlet David says, stopping and seeing them both. They both recoil away from one another and they both stare in the exact same way at Scarlet and Sage. Both with emotionless expressions and hands nowhere near each other. "Oh...Oh I see what's happening here." Scarlet says with a smirk.