Hey all! Sorry for the delay, been really busy lately! Rest assured that I will be updating on a more regular basis now, and that goes for my other stories as well.

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Now, read on!

Chapter Two

"Weiss? What the hell are you doing here?" Yang nearly yelled, jaw straining.

"I need your help. Like I said." Weiss said, her eyes narrowed.

"No, I heard that part. But what are you doing in my apartment? Wouldn't a simple call have worked?" Yang shot back, her fists clenching tightly.

Weiss's eyes shot down to her hands for a split second, before flicking back to Yang's. The movement was so fast, Yang could have easily missed it. "I know you're unhappy."

"You think?" Yang growled, taking a step closer. "We haven't exchanged a single word for years. The last things you said to me were horrible. And now you think you can just waltz in here like you own the place?"

"Let me explain, please," Weiss said quietly, her hands still behind her back.

Yang narrowed her eyes. Just from one look, Yang could tell that Weiss had changed a lot since their last encounter. Rigid and cold, she looked a lot more like the Atlas types Yang had met in the past. The old Weiss had tried to escape all of that. It was the whole reason for her traveling to Beacon in the first place. Now she looked just like the rest of them. She looked stressed, older, but leading an army at war would do that to you.

"I don't want an explanation," Yang muttered, stepping out of the doorway. "I want you to leave. Now."

"But Yang-"

"No dammit! What in the world could be so important for you to track me down like-"

"It's Ruby! Ok?"

Yang blinked, her mouth falling open slightly. Weiss's cold demeanor had changed in a heartbeat, replaced with an urgent worry. She sighed, holding onto her arm and turning away. Weiss suddenly looked a lot more like the friend Yang used to have.

"What…what about her?" Yang asked.

Weiss looked back, the coldness in her eyes gone. "When was the last time you spoke to her?"

Yang paused. Ruby had been the last link to her old life that she'd had. The two had exchanged words via calls over the years, but Yang had stopped calling over two years ago. Ruby had stopped trying as well, once Yang hadn't answered enough calls. Losing that connection had been…hard. But it had also meant Yang was finally free of everything that had pulled her down. It meant she could pursue her own path.

"It's been awhile." She admitted quietly. "I figured she was happy working with you. Don't need her grumpy sister around."

"First of all, you'd be wrong. As I've told you in the past." Weiss said sharply. "And secondly, I know you haven't talked to her. I was being rhetorical."

Yang felt her blood boil. "Then maybe you should just get to the point."

"Fine." Weiss snapped, before looking sad again. "Ruby's missing. She has been for several months now."

"What?" Yang said, eyes going wide. "What do you mean 'missing'? Doesn't she keep in touch?"

"Normally, yes," Weiss said. "She would call in every second day while in the field. It's been like that for ages, her little system. I used to object, but…well, I can't really stop her can I?"

"That's one thing we agree on," Yang said quietly. "Alright, start from the beginning. Where was she going?"

Weiss hesitated. "She…was going to Vale. To study the Grimm there."

Yang had been holding back, but she really had to struggle when the words left Weiss's lips. "Are you insane?!" She yelled.

"Yang-"

"Vale?! The place is a Grimm breeding ground now! What in the world would possess you to order her there?!"

"I didn't!" Weiss shouted, stepping up to Yang. While the two had grown up more, Yang was still much taller. But the look in Weiss's eyes told her that didn't matter. "I told her not too! It was too dangerous, but she insisted. Like I said, how can I stop her?"

"You grab her and hold her until she realized how dumb she's being!" Yang said. "What the hell Weiss? Why don't you just feed your troops to the Grimm next?"

"Don't talk about her like that!" Weiss snarled. "Ruby is smarter than you think, much smarter. I value her over anyone, anything, else. So don't think I just threw her away like you did!"

"I…" Yang uttered, deflating.

Weiss leered at her. "When you ran off, I was all Ruby had left. I was there for her when you should have been. She means more to me than my own life Yang, and certainly more than yours. Accuse me again of not valuing her and I'll make you regret it."

"Sorry, jeez." Yang sighed, hands coming up in defense. "I…didn't mean to upset you. I didn't know…how close are you two exactly?"

"None of your business," Weiss said quietly, a small flash of color popping up on her cheeks.

Yang would have smirked if the situation hadn't proved to be so serious. She took a big breath, before walking over to Weiss. Lightly touching her shoulder, she guided the girl to a couch. Yang sat down without waiting, placing her boots on the small table in front of them. Weiss took the cue, sitting herself down in a much more polite way.

"Alright…" Yang said slowly. "Start from the beginning."

Weiss looked away for a moment as if collecting her thoughts. "Things have gotten worse while you've been hiding in Mistral. Much worse."

"The great war against the Grimm going south?" Yang said sarcastically.

Weiss narrowed her eyes for a second. "Wait and I'll tell you."

She took a breath before continuing. "Atlas has had some success at repelling the Grimm. We've stopped more than one invasion attempt, and each time we won with little casualties. I honestly thought if we held out long enough, we might have been able to expand the territory. Take back land from the Grimm."

"Which of course didn't work out," Yang said, placing her hands behind her head.

"You would be right, unfortunately." Weiss agreed. "Until recently, it was working. The entire continent Atlas is built upon is completely Grimm free, but recently we've encountered some…serious threats. We can't leave to help other kingdoms, not while we're constantly under attack."

"Figures." Yang murmured.

"Will you just shut up and let me speak?" Weiss growled, before coughing and continuing. "Recently, Hunters and Huntresses have been…coming back. From the dead.

Yang blinked. "Uhh, sorry?"

"It's only been the last year or so, but it's true. Humans who share the appearance of Grimm, and the same desire for our destruction."

"Hold on," Yang said, struggling to process what she was being told. "Are you suggesting the Hunters are Grimm? Like, Human Grimm?"

"I'm not sure what to think," Weiss admitted. "They fight alongside the Grimm we know all too well. Not only that, but like the Grimm they die when kept in captivity. They turn to smoke, Yang. It seems whoever Salem is, she's managed to corrupt us. Or at least create Grimm very like us.

"Just like Grimm…" Yang finished, swallowing. "I'm not gonna lie, that's pretty messed up. Are they real people? Like people we know?"

"Some of them I've never even heard of, and others…I've known a little too well," Weiss said quietly. "We don't know anything about them, other than they still act like people. Just…evil, like any morality they had was stripped away. People have started calling them 'Taken'. I think it fits."

"Taken huh?" Yang uttered, feeling a pit in her gut. "No jokes or sarcasm…that sounds horrible. Can you imagine?..."

"I don't have too," Weiss said. She got to her feet, her back to Yang. "I'm not going to lie, things are pretty bleak right now. But I still believe we can win, truly. And…I need your help, Yang. If not for me, do it for Ruby. Please."

Yang took a heavy breath, pushing herself off the couch. She walked over to the tiny window, the dim light of night shining inside the apartment. She looked down at the street below, as people finished last minute tasks and jobs before hurrying home for the night. The people of Minstrel felt safe in their city, but how long would it stay like that?

"I always knew it couldn't last…" Yang thought to herself. "But if I can do something…can something even be done?"

"Yang?" Weiss asked quietly. Yang could feel her icy blue eyes on her back.

Yang sniffed, turning around and putting on one of her trademark grins. Or at least, the best she could do. "Alright, you've convinced me. No use hiding out while the world ends, I'm in."

"Really?" Weiss asked, eyes widening for a second. Her emotion betrayed her, and Yang could tell she was surprised at the answer. She wasn't sure how that made her feel.

"Of course, gotta save my sis. And the world while I'm at it." Yang said with a chuckle. "How soon can we leave?"

Weiss smiled curtly, pulling out a Scroll and pressing a button. "Right now."

Yang's smile dropped. "Wait what?"

The noise of the airship was loud, too loud. It wasn't like the familiar sound of her bike, but alien. Yang could barely stand it, let alone the pure white color scheme. Atlas had always liked to make things with a 'clean' look as if that made them look better to everyone else.

The seats were also uncomfortable, and Yang was forced to fidget a lot to try and sit properly. "So, has Atlas changed much over the years? Did you finally add the dance club I suggested?"

Weiss, sitting opposite her, seemed to ignore the joke. "Atlas is pretty much the same, only better. Once I took charge I made some vast improvements. General layout, outer defenses, and quality of life. All things I've improved upon."

"So the people still live in ignorance?" Yang asked, rolling her eyes.

Weiss missed the barb, shrugging as she looked out over the vast ocean they crossed. "Perhaps. But I like to think that's because I've helped to protect them. The people that work for me have given so much, fought so many battles so they didn't have too. Entirely selfless."

"Oh yeah? Anyone I know?" Yang chuckled.

Weiss smirked lightly, eyes flicking in Yang's direction. "Maybe a few."

Yang frowned, but before she could ask exactly who Weiss was talking about, the two were interrupted. A soldier emerged from the cockpit, offering a salute to Weiss. "General, we are fast approaching Atlas airspace."

"Thank you, soldier. That will be all." Weiss said with a smile. The Soldier lowered his arm but didn't leave.

"Ma'am, we are also receiving a hail on the radio. It's originating from HQ."

Weiss frowned. "Can you tell who exactly is calling?"

"No Ma'am, but it's being sent through emergency channels."

"Must be serious…" Yang muttered. Apparently, Weiss had reached that verdict as well, because she was no longer paying attention to the soldier. She pulled out her Scroll, quickly flicking through different messages and alerts.

One of the alerts was flashing bright red. She pressed it, and the image of a girl appeared on the screen. The girl smiled brightly, her neon green eyes seeming to shine on the screen. A head of bright orange hair bobbed lightly, and her freckles crinkled as she grinned. Yang gasped aloud at the sight of her, recognizing the girl immediately.

"Salutations General Schnee!" Penny Polendina said cheerfully, waving on screen. "I see you got Yang Xiao Long with you, I knew she would say yes!"

"Yes yes," Weiss said, waving a hand dismissively. "Penny, you called on an emergency channel. What's wrong?"

"Oh yes! I was meaning to tell you-"

"Penny?" Yang said slowly, staring down at the small screen with a disbelieving smile. She got out of her seat, taking the one next to Weiss.

Penny shifted her gaze, smile still present. "That's right. Hello Yang! It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

"The longest…" Yang said slowly. "How exactly are you here and talking right now anyway?"

"Oh! Miss Schnee helped to bring me back! She's really great like that."

"Right…but how exactly-"

"Penny," Weiss said, sounding dangerously close to an angry mother. "The emergency?"

"Oh, right! A large force of Grimm is currently attacking the outer district of the city. They've breached the walls and are moving toward HQ!"

"Wha-Why didn't you say so?" Weiss asked angrily, shutting her scroll off. She sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose with a finger. Yang suddenly realized Weiss looked a lot older now, more like her sister Winter.

"Well, guess you'll be fighting sooner than expected," Weiss said quietly. "I know it's a lot to ask, but I need you to help push the Grimm back."

"I thought you would never ask," Yang said with a smirk. "I'll happily break a few faces."

"Coming up on the city now General." A pilot called out from the cockpit.

Yang leaned over the seat to stare out the window. Below, the ocean gave way to a port, which then gave way to a city of metal. Atlas shone in the morning light brightly, challenging even the sun for shine. The city was vast, stretching far into the horizon. Yang noticed the massive fort like structure near the city center, which she guessed was HQ.

She also noticed the large walls that boxed the city inside, as well as split several districts from one another. As pretty as the city was, it was clear it was built to withstand an attack, one side facing the ocean and the other sides surrounded by large mountain ranges. Like Mistral, it was protected by natural defenses as well.

A column of smoke caught her attention. One of the outer walls now had a massive hole, and Yang could see large black shapes pouring inside. She couldn't make out details from their current height, but it didn't take a genius to guess what they were.

The Grimm had managed to take some ground, spreading out from their entrance point. But Yang could also faintly see flashes of explosions below. The soldiers and others were putting up a fight, and by the looks of it, a really good one.

"Find us a place where we can jump off," Weiss said, opening a hatch beside them. The wind began ripping at Yang's hair as the gust blew in from outside.

"We jumping?" Yang shouted, fighting the wind to be heard.

Weiss nodded. "Yes! No time to land, we've got to get down there. Here, take this!"

Weiss pulled out a small device, almost like an earplug. Yang took it, rolling it around in her fingers. Weiss tapped her own ear, a similar device sitting inside. Yang nodded, placing the bud inside. It fit snugly, easily removable but not likely to fall out.

Weiss tapped the bud in her own ear. "This should make things easier." She said, much clearer now. "Agents on the ground, what's the situation?"

"General?" A male voice asked. To Yang, it had sounded like he'd spoken from right next to her. "You've picked a nice time to rejoin us. We're holding them back but there's a lot of them. Might get overrun soon."

"Don't worry, I've brought back up," Weiss said into the communicator.

"Well, hope your backup is good." Another voice said, this time a woman's. Yang felt like she recognized this one. "Cause we have Taken down here. I count at least five."

"Dammit," Weiss said, cursing. She looked at Yang sharply. "We can't wait any longer, we jump here."

"Way ahead of you," Yang said. She held her arms out wide as she tipped herself over the edge, gravity pulling her down.

The wind bit into her skin, making her shiver. And yet the rush she felt as she fell through the air, the jolt of adrenaline. She hadn't felt something like this in a long time. Fighting against human crooks and local threats was rewarding in of itself, but it lacked a certain…sense of adventure. Yang grinned as she flipped through the air, turning to look up.

Weiss was darting toward the ground at an alarming speed. She'd drawn her sword, diving down to earth like an arrow. She shot past Yang, making no move to slow down. Yang flipped back toward the ground, watching the white streak shoot toward the enemy. She had to admit, she was curious to see how Weiss had changed. And it looked like she was about to find out.

Weiss flicked her rapier at the last second, a slope of ice forming on the ground. She twirled, her boots making contact with the icy slide. She slid down, tumbling through the air over a group of Grimm. She flicked her sword again, this time a hail of razor-sharp ice raining down. The deadly rain sliced into the Grimm, who collapsed and began smoking before Weiss even hit the ground. Weiss landed lightly, before turning and charging toward more Grimm.

"Wow, color me impressed," Yang said, before looking elsewhere. "Time to make an impression of my own."

She looked down, now able to make out much more detail. The streets were trashed, rubble and debris covering the roads and sidewalks. Fortunately, Yang couldn't see any bodies, but she could now see the soldiers fighting fiercely. They fired into the crowds of Grimm, their rifles doing little against the larger and more armored beasts. They needed help, badly.

She also spotted a large Grimm, a Goliath below her. It must have been ancient, easily one of the largest in that area of the city. Its large trunk waved angrily, tusks gleaming dangerously as it began charging toward the front line of troops. Yang grinned, shifting into a dive. She cocked her metal arm back, rolling her fist. She plummeted down, aiming right for the Goliaths' head. With a fierce yell, she launched her punch, landing on top of the Grimm at full force.

The Goliaths legs immediately gave out from underneath, its front legs buckling. It roared as they crashed into the ground. Yang's punch created a huge explosion, the entirety of the monster becoming enveloped in flames. The explosion created a huge ripple, which knocked down other Grimm in the area. Yang grinned, the fire not bothering her in the least. Rolling her neck, she got to her feet, stepping off the now dead Goliaths head. Around her, the other Grimm were getting to their feet, turning to face their new adversary,

She slammed her fists together, creating another shockwave.

"Guess who's back?"

The Grimm answered by growling, charging at her in a pack. Yang chuckled, shrugging. "Have it your way."

A Beowolf lunged at her, claws out. Yang ducked the swipe, feeling the air whiz past her head. She slammed her fist into another, knocking it into a nearby wall with a loud crack. An Ursa dove on her, the bear-like creature throwing its weight on top of her. Yang caught it, grunting. Hand's outstretched, she fired both of her gauntlets, sending it hurtling into the air.

She heard familiar screeches, looking up just in time to dodge a clawed swipe. Several Griffons began circling her from above, diving toward her in coordinated groups. Yang began firing into the air, knocking a few of the bird-like Grimm out of the sky. One flew in like a blur, sharp teeth clamping down on her arm. She growled, twisting her arm so the hand was pointing down its throat. She fired multiple shots from her finger gun, roasting the Grimm from the inside out.

Two more Griffons leaped down, one on each side. They lunged at the same time, teeth and claws at the ready. Yang jumped up, boot planting into the face of one, and fist into another. With a grunt, she shoved them both away, the one behind her landing in a heap. She grabbed one of the Griffons with her metal arm, hand clamping down on its beak. Grinning, she swung it like a makeshift mace, bringing it crashing down onto the other.

A loud roar shook her, making her insides vibrate. Turning, she immediately spotted the large King Taijitu at an intersection close by. The large snake had spotted her, letting out an angry hiss at the sight of its fallen kin. The Grimm slithered rapidly toward her, heavy coils crushing cars under its weight. Yang, instead of running away, ran toward the monster.

The snake paused momentarily, hesitant, but it didn't stop for long. Yang rushed down the street, firing into the ground. She launched herself into the air, hurtling toward the head of the Grimm. It lashed out at her, mouth open wide. Yang landed inside the snake's mouth, arm shooting up to catch its jaw before it closed. She could feel herself straining as the Grimm clenched harder, but her arm held firm.

She fired down its throat with the other arm, letting out a battle cry as she relentlessly attacked. The Taijitu must have realized its peril, because it began to shake its head wildly. Yang held on, firing shot after shot. It let out one final cry, before collapsing in a large smoking pile, black vapor escaping from its mouth.

Yang was thrown clear of the body, landing on her side against the cement road. Groaning, she pushed herself to her feet, the sound of more Grimm growing closer. She shot up as a Beowolf tried to take a bite out of her. She grabbed its arm, hauling it over her head and slamming it into the ground. The road fractured from the force, and the wolf died instantly.

More screeches made her twist, narrowly avoiding a pair of Boar like Grimm. The two rolled around, spinning rapidly as they came around for another pass. Yang cocked her arm back, launching a punch into one as it passed. She sent it rocketing away, the squeals it made going silent as it crashed into a nearby building.

The other boar growled in anger, charging toward her again. This time Yang lashed her hand out, metal palm catching the spinning Grimm. The sounds of metal scraping hurt her ears and the sparks that flew momentarily blinded her. But the Grimm stopped spinning, momentum gone. She cocked her other fist back, landing a satisfying blow on top of its head. She heard a crack as its head hit the ground, smoke billowing out a second later.

More roars caught her attention. Slowly, she turned to look back up the street. Another large group of Grimm were now charging her position, as eager for battle as the group before. Yang was breathing heavily, arm and legs aching from the sudden physical stress.

"They just keep coming…" She gasped, cocking her fist back once more.

"Yeah, they do that."

The voice belonged to the woman she'd heard on the airship. Before Yang could try and guess who it belonged too, the ground around her suddenly exploded under a hail of bullets. Yang yelped, ducking behind a pile of rubble for cover. The bullet storm, however, hadn't been aiming at her. It had been meant for the Grimm.

The wall of bullets stopped the Grimm in their tracks. The large Grimm screeched from the constant assault, collapsing in piles of black smoke. The smaller ones simply exploded from the shots, their vapor flying up into the sky and momentarily blocking out the sun. It was over in seconds, the entire swarm of Grimm either dead or completely erased.

Yang slowly emerged from her cover, now looking where the bullets had come from, at the other end of the street. A woman walked toward her, the groups of soldiers parting as she approached. And while several things were different about her, Yang recognized her immediately.

She now more a much more expensive leather jacket, lined with furs. Her glasses looked much more expensive than they used to as well, lined with some kind of clear gem in the frames. But she wore the same hat, as well as her typical heeled boots that had no place on a battlefield. Her huge Gatling gun was also the same, even more so as it transformed into a handbag. So different, and yet the same, Yang couldn't help but grin.

"Coco?" She asked, placing a hand on her hip. "Never thought I'd see you here of all places."

Coco Adel shrugged, adjusting her sunglasses. "What can I say? Atlas is currently the pinnacle of fashion."

"Uh huh," Yang said. "How long have you been working for Weiss?"

"The General? A while." Coco replied, seemingly avoiding a direct answer. "Besides, I could ask you the same thing. When I heard that Schnee was going to grab help, I never imagined it would be you."

"Yeah, me either," Yang said with a chuckle. "Anyway, enough jokes. What's the situation?"

Coco nodded, gesturing down the street, where the Grimm had come from. "They only have one access point, though it's large enough to let them pour in. We've had attacks before, but never this size. They're also sticking toward main routes to the HQ. It's odd, it's almost as if they're looking for something."

"Well, wouldn't that be the whole point of an attack?" Yang asked before movement caught her eye. "Heads up."

Something was coming out of the black smoke ahead. Yang immediately readied her gauntlets, as Coco took position beside her, machine gun spinning. The few soldiers who remained also lined up beside Yang, their rifles raised and pointed at the unknown.

However, when Yang realized the silhouette had a human shape, she relaxed. "False alarm, they're friendly.

She went to lower her arms, but frowned when Coco kept her gun ready. The woman lifted a finger to her glasses, lowering them down her nose. Her brown eyes glared at the figure as if she knew them.

"Don't be so sure." She muttered, lips drawn thin.

Yang's frown deepened, and she looked at the figure again, this time her eyes straining to make out details. They were definitely human, curves making them appear female. As they came out of the smoke, more and more details were made clear. The girl had long, dark hair. She wore small pieces of armor, mostly a vest and shorts. The rest was an undersuit of some kind. The whole outfit was familiar, but Yang couldn't place her finger on why.

As she got closer, more and more became apparent. The girl was young, close to the age Yang had been when at Beacon. It felt like she should know her, like the name was on the tip of her tongue.

And then she noticed the ears.

The fur was black now and had been hidden by the smoke, but now they were on full display. Yang knew she didn't like people noticing her long, rabbit-like ears, or at least, used to. Her hair was styled exactly the same as it had been, long and thin, billowing down her shoulders. A pair of burning crimson eyes glared at them, a malicious smile aimed in their direction.

"No…" Yang breathed.

"Yep," Coco said, clearly angry.

With a cheerful giggle, Velvet Scarlatina stopped a few meters away from them. "Hey Coco, Yang. No time no see huh?"