It wasn't unusual for Yang to be up around two in the morning, but normally she was doing something. Reading, catching up on videos, chatting with friends, maybe going out and twisting some club owner's sack for information, but never just sitting in the living room channel surfing aimlessly while trying to reassure herself that this was just a pick-up call. Things would be fine. Things had to be fine.

She glanced out the big window by the front door again, hoping-yet-dreading the appearance of approaching headlights.

Yang was a live-and-let-live sort whose fuse lit easily and her very presence exploded. She was the life of the party, the start and end of a fight, a problem solver with an attitude. She was an A-plus student who still managed to frustrate her teachers and was one of the reigning faces of Signal for her good looks, good grades, and no-holds-barred brawler fighting style that left many an opponent peeling themselves off the ground and sent plenty of Grimm to the grave.

Though she seemed like the too-cool sort, Yang's heart was as bright and beautiful as her hair, and she kept it wide open for the people she cared for, like her family.

Yang held a hand out shading her face as a bright light broke through the window and shone into her eyes. She idly tossed the remote aside as she stood swiftly and walked out the door. She was blasted with chilly night air, and she regretted not throwing on more than a tank top and pajama pants, but she weathered it as goosebumps rose on her arms and neck.

She watched the old blue truck park and the driver's side door opened and her father stepped out. Though nearing his midlife, Yang considered her father one of the most handsome men she knew, and any fresh-faced boy that tried to woo her was immediately compared to the strength and reliability of her father. Taiyang Xiao Long was no boyband darling, he was a man. Tall, broad, strong, tanned, covered in scars, unafraid to show his tattoo, with calloused fingers and a simple style of dress: leather jacket, orange button up, faded blue jeans, and thick brown boots. Despite this, he was an openly emotional man whose sheer warmth drew people in, even with bags under his eyes and a slight frown on his face.

Taiyang opened the passenger side door and extended his hand. Small, pale fingers wrapped around his thick tanned ones and squeezed, and Ruby slid out and landed on her feet with Taiyang's help. Ruby and Taiyang had a very short, private discussion, and despite both of them looking tired, neither of them seemed terribly anxious. Yang's heartbeat began to slow, relief flooding her.

Yang observed Ruby's face from a distance. She was holding her goggles, her eyes visible, which was normal when she was around the house without company. Yang read around them. The crinkling of her nose, how her cheekbones and jaw rest, the wrinkles on her brow, all far more telling of Ruby's mood than those ever damning eyes.

Fatigued bags under her eyes, brows higher than normal with adrenaline, but her face was slack and smooth, which told Yang that Ruby wasn't harmed, or in trouble. It was quite the far cry from her own first pick-up from the police station. That ended in one hell of a punishment at home.

Taiyang lead Ruby to her sister with one hand comfortingly squeezing her shoulder. Yang jumped off the top of their deck's three steps to meet them, ignoring the dirt and rocks underneath her bare feet.

"Ruby." Was Yang's first word, racing forward to embrace her sister tightly. Ruby returned the hug, and the two girls leaned against each other briefly before letting go. Yang looked down at her sister, directly at her mouth, plucking her goggles from her hand to relieve her of that constant burden. "Okay, so your big sis needs the rundown. What did you do?"

Ruby smiled earnestly. Yang had learned long ago how to focus on Ruby's face and not her eyes. "Well, there was a robbery…" Ruby trailed off.

"Sweet, what did you score?" Yang snickered. Her father gave her a friendly, though daring punch to the upper arm.

"Not like that, Yang." Taiyang put his hands on each of his girls' shoulders and lead them inside. "And don't encourage her to make trouble, it was bad enough you got caught sneaking booze."

"You wouldn't have been mad if I hadn't gotten caught." Yang retorted.

"Of course I'd be mad, last thing I need is you turning into Qrow 2.0." Taiyang smacked Yang's back. Yang laughed, but her eyes were on Ruby, whom had a secretive little smile going on.

"Okay, for real though." Yang shut the door behind the three of them, the warm air in the house prompting Taiyang and Ruby to shed their overclothing as Yang stretched, enjoying the embrace of warmth once again. Ruby kicked off her flats and Taiyang went to the kitchen to brew some coffee.

Yang followed Ruby to the couch and they both flopped down, Ruby doing so with a relieved sigh. She was quiet for a few seconds before turning her head to look at her sister and flashed a smile befitting a Xiao Long girl. "Yang, I'm going to Beacon."

Yang stared at Ruby with a confused smile, trying to break down the possibilities that led from Ruby going shopping to Ruby getting admitted to Beacon Academy. She finally gave up and tilted her head, the exact same smile still in place. "What?"


The hot coffee in her hands was exactly what Ruby needed after everything that had happened, though it had cooled by the time she'd finished her story. Taiyang was chewing a coffee biscuit, and Zwei was resting at his feet. Yang…

Yang pulled Ruby to her chest and let out a happy laugh. "This- this is real, right? Nobody's punking you?" Yang pat down Ruby, as if looking for a planted wire before squeezing her close again. "Ruby!"

"Yes Yang?" Ruby grunted, trying to figure out how to sip her coffee around her sister's iron-tight grip. Escape wasn't an option, no one got away from cuddle time with Yang.

"You're really going to Beacon?" Yang whimpered, and Ruby looked at her sister's shoulders with a small smile.

"Yeah. Professor Ozpin already has my application, and we're even going to be talking about making use of my semblance." Ruby's voice was relaxed, but Yang could tell it was due to fatigue. This news would normally send Ruby through the roof.

Yang let Ruby go, wishing she hadn't finished her coffee so fast so she could do something with her shaking hands. Yang shot to her feet with a joyous hop, shaking her fists with excitement. "You're going to be a huntress!"

"With a team!" Ruby bobbed her head, twitching in tired delight. "I'll be going with you!"

"Ah! My baby sister's coming with me to Beacon! Crap, I have to be a model student." Yang mock sighed, and Ruby stuck her tongue out at her. "This is- like, I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am for you, Ruby." Yang set her hand on her sister's head and smiled. "I know it's been hard."

"Not that hard." Ruby insisted softly from behind her mug.

Yang nodded, but knew otherwise. She'd argued with her father and uncle over their decision to keep Ruby from Signal. Ruby's childhood dream had been to follow in her family's footsteps and become a Huntress, all because the little girl - now young lady - wanted to help people. Yang couldn't make the same claim. She had the training, a craving for a good thrill, and a blazing fighting spirit that demanded a life of action. It just so happened she could help people at the same time as living life on her own terms by becoming a Huntress.

Ruby never even got the opportunity to try. Qrow and their father trained her, Yang sparred with her, but it was never to the same degree Signal could offer. She would have to do a lot of catching up for Beacon, but if she did...

"We should celebrate." Yang offered, looking from her father to her sister with eyes brimming with ideas. Ruby looked to her father hopefully, and Taiyang groaned in defeat.

"Sure. We'll get another cake and another feast going. Qrow's gunna be out for a few days, so it's probably just gunna be us three." He offered, scratching his scalp. Even if he wasn't one-hundred percent sure this was a good idea, far from it even, he wasn't going to deny Ruby again. Not when she was doing so good with her control.

"That's fine! More cake for all of us, and we can get presents and- AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Yang's scream made her family members reel in shock, and Yang held her cheeks with sudden excitement. "School. Shopping." Yang gasped, grasping Ruby's arms. "I'm going to make my little sis look hot!" Yang ruffled her hair, and Ruby squeaked in distress.

"Yang!" Taiyang stood up, his hands held out defensively. "I know you're excited, but you're not running up another clothes bill like that again."

"Ruby doesn't have any good school clothes! How can you expect her to be herself when all she has is T-shirts and hand-me-downs?! They don't even fit!" Yang smacked Ruby's chest, causing the girl to yelp.

"Hey!" Ruby wrapped her arms around her chest and fired Yang a pout unintentionally but unavoidably accompanied by a horrific death glare. Her family pretended not to notice.

Taiyang pinched the bridge of his nose. "They have a uniform at Beacon…"

"Not on days off!"

"It's two days out of the week!"

"And no way is Ruby wearing the same two things every week!"

"... No underwear shopping."

"S'cool, she doesn't have much to show off anyways."

"HEY!" The glare was far more intentional this time.

"Young lady, you said those were for support, not for boys!"

"They are for support, not for boys! I never said anything about girls though."

"Oooooh, Yang, you are- I can and will go up there and return them!"

"Already worn." Yang planted her hands on her hips triumphantly. "And I'll have you know, mama Yang looks fii~iine." The serpentine swaying of her hips and smug grin made it clear she meant it.

Taiyang buried his face in his hands, trying to suppress a massive smile as Ruby swatted her sister's backside in revenge.


"I have had it up to here," Qrow held a hand just above his head as he fixed Ozpin with an unhappy frown, "with you interfering on my behalf."

Ozpin sat at his desk and said nothing as the booze-soaked hunter slapped his hand down on his chair's armrest. Ozpin steepled his fingers as Qrow slouched low in his seat, his other hand idly sloshing a flask full of something that smelled like paint thinner. "Qrow, this is the best decision."

"The best decision he says." Qrow's head rolled on his shoulders to face Glynda, who stood by Ozpin's desk with a ladylike non-hostility, even as her middle finger rubbed against her riding crop. Qrow's gaze snapped back towards Ozpin. "Tell me Ozpin, has Beacon really started slipping so much the past half a year that you're gunna push an uneducated, underage girl into your fancy little slaughterhouse?"

Ozpin let out a small, tired sigh, and turned towards the holographic figure dominating the right half of his desk. "For once, I agree with Qrow." Ironwood spoke, arms crossed behind his back, eyes closed as the fresh information mulled in his head. "Disregarding her age - and that is a very strong thing to disregard in training a developing hunter - her skill is two years too short."

"Respectfully, James, I disagree. We both saw the video." Ozpin looked to Qrow, who was sipping at his flask thirstily. "Ruby is Qrow's niece and, left unsaid, his apprentice. What she showed was no middle school kata performance, she fought, she dominated, she remained cool and calm and all for the very goals we are striving for."

"Heh." Qrow picked himself up just enough to look at both Ozpin and Ironwood, his smirk bleeding a cruel humor. "What you saw in that video was Ruby whupping the pants off a bunch of ego-bloated dumbasses who assumed she was easy-pickings. You remember when Summer 'n I became a team in my first semester? Me 'n the Ursa? I would bet you two ta one that if you put Ruby - my 'apprentice' - in that same cave she'da been left a cold smear on the ground."

"A little harsh, don't you think?" Ozpin asked dryly. Glynda's left eyebrow quirked upwards slightly at the rather blase description of Ruby's likely demise.

"Harsh? I'm being realistic." Qrow leaned forward, resting both arms on his knees and he leveled a low glare at Ozpin. "That girl's got spunk and a lotta skill in the making, but I haven't even scratched the limits of what she can learn to do and I never intend to. Her best bet for living a happy, comfy life is staying on Patch and meeting a boy who can keep his mouth shut. If I had a heart of stone, I wouldn't have even let her hold a scythe, much less swing one." Qrow stretched, his back popping, before settling back in the chair with a frown. "Girl's got moxie though. Lotsa moxie. Was hoping she'd never step foot off the island and just help Taiyang 'round the house. Figures she'd somehow make it into your good graces." Qrow levelled a much more personal glare at Ozpin as he tipped the flask against his lips once more, and Ironwood gave a small cough.

"Your optimism and trust in the youth of today is endearing, Ozpin, but I still agree with Qrow. Young, inexperienced, and lacking standardized training, Ruby Rose may show promise but she still has to undergo the basic curriculum we all agreed to." Ironwood turned to study Qrow with an appraising look. "Though we're all sidestepping the real Goliath in the room: her powers."

"Oh, oh!" Qrow shot up, eyes wide with excitement. "You mean we're finally going to talk about how she can summon Grimm?! The very monsters every kid in this school is being trained to kill?!" He held his fists up like an excited child and grinned from ear to ear. "'Cuz I was afraid if I said that was the worst idea since sideways-sliced bread I'd be the crazy one!" Qrow fell back into his chair with a disapproving snort.

"... Indeed." Ironwood turned towards Ozpin and held his scroll out. Ironwood's holographic figure shrunk to half its size and shifted to the left to make room for a much larger figure: the standard, run of the mill Nevermore. The hologram grew to give an extremely close view of the Nevermore's feathers. "Standard student training, at least in Atlas, includes identifying Grimm traits. The Nevermore's feathers, sometimes shed in an attack, sometimes used in an attack, only disappear on its death. The vein is dry and rough while the downy barbs are sharpened. The shaft is sharp enough to pierce solid wood in a standard shower, and brittle enough to snap with a slight tug near the middle." Ironwood's hologram grew, the Nevermore and its feathers disappearing. "Should Ruby Rose follow the same properties, any attack during her summonings could have left damning evidence of Grimm presence during that fight. I can only assume your students will learn to identify Nevermore feathers and more as well. Do you intend to tell the student body at large that Ruby Rose can summon Grimm?" He arched a thin eyebrow.

Ozpin clasped his hands in front of his face and closed his eyes in thought. The others patiently waited for an answer, and Ozpin finally sucked in a calming breath. "No." He set his hands on his desk and looked Ironwood in the eye. "For all of the reasons you have mentioned, I am not telling my students about Ruby. Singling her out would lead to consequences that would isolate her and possibly make her a target for vigilante justice."

"Then why?" Qrow demanded, squeezing his armrest with one hand while the other waved in agitation. The padded steel squealed softly under the displeased Hunter's fingertips. "You think they won't find out? You think they'll be forgiving? You think the parents will be fine and dandy with you bringing her in? All it takes is one scroll message back home saying 'by the way, there's a girl here who set a flock of Nevermores on me, please send help' to not just ruin you, but ruin her." Qrow stood, holding his chair for balance as he pointed to Ozpin furiously. "May I remind you this isn't one of your precious pet projects you're wanting to raise, this is my niece. I trained her because I didn't want her to have to rely on those powers to save herself in this dog-eat-dog world. I only filled you in because, damnit, if I needed somebody I could trust to hide her there's nobody better than you. But now you- you want to put her in the firing line because- w-wait, how did you put it?" Qrow pressed his palm to his forehead and spoke with airy mocking, "'We'd be one person short of a full four person team!'"

"Qrow, please sit down." Ozpin ordered, his hands pressed together as he closed his eyes again. Qrow stared him down a few seconds longer, but slowly sat with a heavy thud. His eyes never moved from Ozpin, though he was still aware of Glynda shifting slightly, probably uncomfortable with listening to Qrow admit actual affection for someone or something other than an aged scotch. "I had a good long talk with her about her powers, her skills, and most importantly, her. Miss Rose is an honest, thoughtful young lady who has told me that, without a shadow of a doubt, her dream is to protect people. You must have had this talk with her Qrow, and I know you. You may be a bitter, sarcastic ass but you want what's best for the world too."

"I-" Qrow raised a finger, biting his tongue in restraint, "I want what's best for my family. My new family, my good family. Everything else I save-"

"- is mere collateral, yes, I know. But Ruby is a part of this precious family of yours. She one day looked up at you and asked you to train her, and somehow, someway, you said yes." Ozpin stared at Qrow, daring him to refute. The drunken hunter opened his mouth to say nothing, and realizing this, sat back and stayed silent. "I didn't make the decision immediately, I spoke to Miss Rose for some time, as I said. She is ashamed of herself because she was born with a power she had no choice in getting. She is afraid of people because she was born with eyes that could very well get her lynched. She is a lonely girl with big dreams who has shown enough skill to convince me that she is not only worthy of training, but perhaps empowering her to believe that even the evils forced upon her can be used for good."

The room went silent. Qrow was staring at his lap, Ironwood was watching Ozpin, and Glynda took a deep breath. Ozpin gently ran his thumb down his chin, eyes closed, when Glynda made a small "ahem." Three heads snapped in her direction and she laid out a series of files on the desk. "I have gone over some lesson plans for Miss Rose in regards to her lack of education and I believe she can be caught up to a Beacon level in just under a month, should we cut out minor details and chaff. This will mean she will have to work at an accelerated pace in her schoolwork in addition to her fieldwork, and that's not counting her semblance lessons nor her off days."

Qrow let out an amused grunt. "Please. You told her she has the chance to be a huntress. This is gunna be nothing to her. That little niece of mine puts more effort into building herself up to fight than anyone I've met. You've got no clue what this means to her."

"So you approve of her coming here?" Glynda sounded surprised, but Qrow let out a mocking laugh.

"I'd sooner kiss my sister than tell you this was a good idea, this is a tragedy in the making." His face contorted oddly before resting his forehead against his thumb and pointer finger. "But I'll be damned before I tell the shrimp no. Crushing her like that, man, even I'm not that harsh. Maybe this will be good for her, and maybe I'll teach a beowolf to play fetch." Qrow shook his head. "Either way, Ozpin. This is on you. We're allies in this whole mess, but if you give my elder niece and brother-in-law a reason to cry?" Qrow's expression went dark. "Salem's going to be the last thing you'll have to worry about."

Ozpin let out an amused, if nervous chuckle. "I'll be sure it doesn't come to that. Ruby's going to be well taken care of here, and her training will be thoroughly planned out to ensure the best growth possible." Qrow simply shook his head at Ozpin's reassurance and lounged in his chair.

"Since it's clear you won't be talked out of this decision, I expect reports on young Miss Rose's progress." Ironwood said, examining his watch. "While I don't expect incredible results early on, should her powers prove more stable and useful than expected I may request a brief transfer to Atlas for a better study of the Grimm, provided they are identical to those in the wild."

"We'll see when the time comes, James." Ozpin noted his expression as he lowered his watch. "Are we keeping you?"

"Yes. Is there anything else we need to discuss?" He turned his head towards the other three, but was given a negative. "Then I will be in contact again at 1700 hours. Stay safe. Stay vigilant." Ironwood nodded his respect towards his allies before his hologram disappeared.

Qrow examined his empty flask while the room went quiet, then stood with an exaggerated stretch. "Welp, this has been a thoroughly unfulfilling and downright pain-in-the-ass talk. Ozpin, you'd better be dead serious about this." Qrow leaned forward, hands on his knees, stretching and staring the headmaster in the eyes at the same time. "I'm gunna make sure the twerp writes to me and lets me know what you're putting her up to. But if somehow, someway you get those powers under control, those eyes under wraps, and sharpen her into the hero she wants to be…" He touched his thin, pale lips. "I'll kiss-ss…" He pointed to Ozpin, drawing out the "ss" before turning towards the only other person in the room. "Glynda."

"Do so, and the Salem will be the last thing you have to worry about." Glynda parroted dryly, hiding her mouth behind her hand in disgust.

"Hey, that's the sort of faith I have in this whole gig. You two try not to get a papercut." Qrow turned, hands in his pockets, and walked towards the exit.

Ozpin watched him until the lift doors closed, then turned towards Glynda. "You know, you could stand to take a break from work and find a date."

She gave him her dirtiest look.


Yang had failed to account for how pale her sister's legs were.

Yang had a hand over her smile as Ruby uncomfortably shuffled around in a pair of black leather hotpants. Ruby was skinny, but not so noodle thin that she couldn't fill out some tight pants. The only issue was Ruby's lack of sun, as her pale legs seemed to glow under the dressing room's artificial lighting.

"Yang, I feel stupid." Ruby admitted as she stared down at her legs, hands on her hips since they wouldn't fit into the pockets. "It's so showy."

"You don't look that bad." Yang walked around her sister. Ruby had a girly figure but it was a girly figure. Other than her thighs she didn't have much meat on her, so Yang's typical method of shopping was floundering. "What about the skinny jeans?" Yang asked.

Ruby sighed and slipped into the dressing room again. When she came out, it was with rigid steps in a pair of pants that compressed Ruby's legs. She looked even more defeated if possible. "I can't move with these!" She whined, wriggling a leg in annoyance. Yang giggled before spinning Ruby around and marching her back into the changing room.

"Okay, so, my favorite store didn't work out." Yang stroked Ruby's back as they walked out of Club QT a bit later, arms visibly lacking in bags.

Vale was active today, as the energy of the city had grown with the heat. The weekend was a wonderful time to get things done, and Yang had dragged Ruby out of the house to shop.

Ruby was in a dark tank top and a knee-length black skirt. It was fairly normal, day-to-day clothing that, while comfortable, didn't scream "hunter." There was a sense of style associated with fighting the Grimm, a flair, a flaunting, an unspoken dress code to stand out. It was part of the legend. Ancient hunters often came from communities where the fashions were simple, but the proven protectors wore bright and unusual outfits so the people would know who to run to for protection.

These days, it meant dressing was a fashion contest. After all, hunters who gained fame were put on cereal boxes and posters, they were inspirations to the next generation and treated like celebrities. Having a signature fashion allowed normal people to show their loyalty, favor, and respect by imitating it. Hunters, the primary defenders against humanity against an inarguable evil, liked to be recognized for their efforts.

Yang enjoyed showing off. She wanted to be recognized for her full figure and assertive, sexy looks. People would see wild blonde and leather one day and they would think of her. Ruby wasn't a showy girl at all, but she'd never had the opportunity to get out. It took a week of Yang's dropping suggestions and discussing with her dad to convince Ruby to go out to Vale for one eventful afternoon...

"I know a few more places near the docks. They're a little… err, hum." Yang handed Ruby a helmet while trailing off in search of a proper euphemism. Ruby popped it on and took her place behind Yang on her motorcycle as Yang tied her hair back into a ponytail to keep it out of her eyes. "They're exotic."

"Don't you mean 'erotic?'" Ruby corrected, hands on Yang's shoulders as Yang grinned, sliding her riding goggles on.

"Ya caught me. They're sexy but not gross, it's where I found that dress for prom." Yang and Ruby coordinated to back the motorcycle out of its parking spot and Yang checked her surroundings before revving her beloved ride's engine up.

"The one dad hated?" Ruby called over the vehicle's roar. Yang tossed a thumb's up rather than trying to shout over the bike's noise. "It was a really nice dress!" Yang smiled at that and gunned it.

The ride through the hot Vale air was addicting. The city was lively and so fun to explore from the streets. Yang got to admire all the sights from atop her growling ride, enjoy the sweet smells of the marketplace when they rode by, and get a thrilled shiver when the scent of gas and oil hit her. It smelled like a challenge, a thrill to be surmounted. She loved it. Her bike thrummed beneath her and her arms trembled just so on the handles, the passing air and warm sun whispering that she could go much faster than this...

The only thing taking away from the feeling of infinite freedom was the arms wrapped around her middle, and the gentle breathing of her sister against her back. A little reminder to her that she had responsibilities on top of her independence. She secretly enjoyed the trust Ruby put into her when they rode, since she was so hesitant to climb on behind her when she first got her bike. Without a life of challenge, isolated and stuck inside the house, her sister was meek and gentle. Yang took it on herself to try and show her how fun the world could be when you pulled the throttle. Still, as much as Ruby seemed to share Yang's love of speed, the presence of her sibling always served to keep her under the speed limit. The call to adrenaline was strong, but some things were stronger.

They rode along the road by the pier, able to stare out over the water, at all the ships and dock workers, and beyond that the little speck on the liquid horizon that was Patch Island. It seemed so strange that it was so far away, yet the trip here and back wasn't even fifteen minutes on the ferries. It gave Yang a strong sense of security.

On the other side of the bay they turned to go into a seedier part of town. It wasn't a hive of scum and villainy like the northeast quarter, but it was where people went if they wanted a little under-the-cover fun, and Yang had gotten dragged there on several occasions by her less than responsible friends. She wasn't a fan of the place, but it did have Redlite/Greenlite.

Yang pulled up to the red and green store, parking in an open space. She stopped the motorcycle, kicked up the stand, and hung Ruby's helmet on one of the handlebars. Ruby looked up at the store with some trepidation, but followed Yang to the door.

"Okay, so, first thing's first, stay up near the front. Sneak around towards the back and you'll find the weird stuff." Yang explained before she opened the door for Ruby and they both walked inside. The lighting was a low red. There was a stench of pumpkin air freshener in the air mixing with leather and metal, and Ruby instantly felt out of her element. "The outfits here are pretty high-class, and we can even accessorize."

"Okay." Ruby shifted from leg to leg as she looked around. Behind the checkout desk was a tall, older woman in dark clothing reading a magazine. She was extremely pleased when Yang approached, and the two chatted conspiratorially while Ruby walked into the aisles. Some of the stuff looked like it belonged in a teen store, like the leather wristbands with studs, the only thing giving them away as the adult version were the odd hooks and clips here and there where something was clearly meant to attach.

Every now and then Yang would turn to direct Ruby to a different aisle, but let her explore on her own. Ruby ran her hand along the nearly sheer pencil-thin white dress she'd found, blushing. She was an isolated girl but she had access to the Vale Network. She understood things meant for adults, and Yang was delicate in helping her understand the intricacies of physical relationships. It was all very weird and gross, but she could sort of see the appeal and a part of Ruby was afraid she'd never get to experience it and make up her mind.

She stopped in front of a full-length mirror on the wall and stared at herself. She ignored her plain clothing and petiteness, and focused on her goggles. Yang assured her that boys and girls would look past the goggles if they were truly interested, but Ruby's fear came from what was underneath. There was always suspicion and curiosity, which would give away to terror when they found out. Ruby touched her reflection, feeling the cool surface of the mirror on her fingertip, and frowned.

She tore herself away from the mirror. She wanted to become a huntress. That's all that mattered, anything else was a tertiary goal and not worth focusing on. That's what she kept reminding herself as she wandered the store aimlessly, lost in her turbulent thoughts as she handled fabrics and flicked at metal rings. It wasn't until Yang found her absentmindedly sticking her hand up a pair of assless chaps that Ruby remembered why she was here.

"I-it wasn't that funny." Ruby muttered as Yang hugged her tightly, almost hiccuping from giggling so hard. She'd been at it for almost a minute! "I was thinking of something else! I swear it-it was nothing!" She was blushing hard, and Yang began rubbing her cheeks affectionately.

"Sure, Ruby. Did you find anything?" Yang asked with a mischievous smile. Ruby shuffled awkwardly away from her sister's hugging range and shook her head, making Yang sigh. "C'mon, let's see if I can help."

After about twenty minutes, the dressing room door clicked open and Ruby shuffled out, red from her cheeks to her shoulders. Yang stared, a small smile blooming on her face as the girl working the register turned to look in curiosity. The red, knee-length dress was kept tight around the belly by a wide, black ribbon that tied off into a cute hip bow. The dress cupped her small breasts, but her shoulders and meager cleavage were exposed by black fishnetting with purely decorative corset-like ties down the middle.

Yang cocked her head. The dark fishnets, the red and black color-scheme, it worked nicely with Ruby's pale complexion and similarly colored hair. She was quite pretty, and Yang beamed. "Nailed it."

"No." Ruby countered, resting a hand on the opening to her breasts.

"It looks great!" Yang insisted, walking over for a better look. She was surprisingly attractive in it. Maybe not sexy, maybe not cute, but she went from a sweet little young girl to a beautiful young woman. A little blush, some eye… shadow. Right. "We should take it."

"No! I feel weird." Ruby huffed, tugging at the little black bow nervously.

"C'mon, a pair of heels and you'll look like you're going out for a night on the town!" Yang insisted, and Ruby shook her head.

"But I'm not, we're shopping for my hunter's outfit!" Ruby stomped, frowning. Yang hummed in thought, then sighed. She was correct. Not that Yang ever let the details get between herself and a good thing.

"Okay, we'll keep looking." Yang turned Ruby back towards the dressing room. "But I want to buy the dress."

"Dad will be mad." Ruby pouted, and Yang grinned.

"Until he sees you in it."

Yang and Ruby stepped out of the shop with a bag just a few minutes later. Ruby clutched it in slight embarrassment and set it down next to the bike to pick up her helmet. She felt so foolish all of a sudden. She hadn't gone shopping for clothes like the dress ever, and it was so different from what she always wore.

As she pulled her helmet on, Yang stopped her with a touch and pointed across the street. "One more place?" She asked. Ruby looked. Pier-View Costuming.

"A costuming store?" She asked, and Yang bobbed her head insistently. "... It's not even near the pier. There's two whole buildings in front of it! It doesn't have a pier view at all."

"Quit griping! It's just a name!" Yang grabbed Ruby's bag in one hand and dragged Ruby across the street with the other. Ruby pouted loudly.

"It's a lie! Can't we just go home? Dad's making Hunter's Pie." She rubbed her tummy while Yang snorted.

"Dad's casserole can wait." They stopped in front of the store window. Yang rubbed her hands together with a grin. "I've heard good things about this place. Marigold found her boots here." On display was a long-robed, hooded, leathery outfit that looked like it was out of the Vacuo fairy tales of the Dune Guards. Aside from looking like it'd offer genuine protection from the sandstorms, it had plenty of pockets and strategic areas to keep smaller weapons. Ruby fluttered her eyelids behind her lenses as she stared. It looked like an actual hunter's outfit. "See? It's the real deal, Ruby."

"Okay." Ruby nodded, idly hopeful as they walked inside. The store was small, but packed with outfits of all shapes and colors, with styles imitating iconic outfits from across the world and from history. Ruby recognized the signature green-and-gold woven cloak of Onsen, Mistral's Fury on one of the racks.

"Hello, and welcome!" A portly gentleman waved from the back. "If you're interested, we just got Pyrrha Nikos' tiaras in!"

"Thanks, we'll check them out!" Yang called. She slipped into the rows of clothing by herself. Ruby went to the racks of cloaks. She touched the materials, recognizing the heroes they represented with a comforted smile. Sonder the Bard, Arialis the Slayer Queen of Mantle, Nicholas Schnee's famous red-and-white fur coat, but… all of them were things she recognized.

They were not befitting a young, up-and-coming huntress, they were for costumes. Imitations of the great. While Ruby appreciated the stories and what each cloak represented, she didn't feel… worthy. She walked down the rack towards the variety capes and cloaks that had no historical significance. Standard, plain, ignorable… except…

She pulled out a red cape. It came with a hood, and was vibrant and well-woven, but it was in the exact same style as…

"Find anything?" Yang asked, walking into the aisle. She froze. Ruby stood by the cloaks in silence, the cape hanging near her ankles as the hood hid her face. She turned, broken from her thoughts to look at her sister. Yang's face was slack from shock, and her boisterous stance lightened. Totally free of self restraint, her eyes pinched, her lips quivered, and she smiled. "That looks really nice Ruby." Her voice was trembling and thick with emotion, but was no less genuine for it.

"It feels nice too." Ruby twirled in place, the cloak trailing behind her nicely. "It's like…"

"Yeah. It's like mom's." Yang rested her hands on Ruby's shoulders before she slid the hood back, showing Ruby's face. Idly she ran her fingers through black and red locks, clearing them from Ruby's face and examining her. "Do you want it?" Yang asked, smiling in fondness.

"Yeah." Ruby said, giving Yang a somewhat sorrowful smile.

"Okay. Then we'll find the right outfit to go with it." Yang squeezed Ruby's shoulder and lead her to the rest of the clothing.


"Yang!" A voice cried out, causing the blonde to dog-ear her magazine and sit up. "Yang, c'mere!" The voice yelled again. With a sigh, Yang slid off her bed and tossed her impressive mane of yellow-gold curls into a quick ponytail. She didn't bother with shoes inside her house, but rocked a pair of pajama pants and a casual tank top with "I burn!" inscribed over an explosion. "Yang?!"

"I'm coming dad!" Yang finally called back, taking the stairs two at a time before striding into the kitchen. "Wassup, doc?" Yang asked while leaning against the doorframe.

Taiyang shot her a self-pleased grin before he pulled open one side of the box. "Get this sweetheart, I've got a couple new gadgets to play with in the kitchen." He stepped aside for Yang to come look. The big box was packed with smaller boxes, and Yang slid one out to read.

"The Atlas Kitchen and Hardware Corporation special deluxe peeler, from potatoes to pineapples, peels fast, clean, and easy." She read, then set the box on the counter.

"And get this," Her father set his hand on the box, his smile still strong and sunny, "It's designed to detect bare skin and stop so your pop doesn't end up degloving himself." He grabbed the next box. "Robo slap-chop! I just toss it onto the conveyor and it does all the work while I prep the next set of ingredients." Yang watched him pull the next box out, and a slow frown formed on her face. "And look at this! This blender can do rough, smooth, super smooth, and puree! I can replace the old clunker you always complain about. And this is a plastic clamshell remover! Once I open up the plastic clamshell it comes in, opening everything else will be a breeze, and- and-"

A hand rest on his. Taiyang paused, looking to Yang's quiet, if sad smile. "I'll miss you too, dad." Taiyang looked into her eyes for a long while, then let out a long, tired breath. "You don't have to cook quite as much with us gone. You can work on you things!"

"Heh, yeah." Taiyang slid his hand off the box and took Yang's at the same time, stroking the top of her hand with his thumb. "I can renovate your rooms, have my own personal den upstairs. Laundry'll be easier too, no panties to sort through." He deserved that punch to the arm, and the both of them laughed. "Damn, you're hitting like a huntress these days. That or I'm getting too soft. Am I getting soft, Yang?"

"You cried like a baby when we went luggage shopping, so I'd say about the same as when you saw me in a prom dress." Yang hid her mischievous smile behind her hand.

"Oh man, don't remind me my beautiful blonde baby's all grown up." Taiyang hugged his daughter, rubbing her back with a small sigh. "It's gunna be so quiet without you and Ruby around. Especially you. Ruby isn't even half the trouble-maker you are."

"Oh, she'll learn." Yang assured her father with a snicker, breaking the hug to help him unpack all the goods. She slid out a new cheese grater and let out a low sigh. She did all the peeling, chopping, and grating while her dad prepped and cooked the meat and watched the pots. It was nightly tradition. Ruby was allowed to watch as long as nothing exploded. "You'll be fine too, dad. Without me around, maybe the girls'll look your direction." She wiggled her eyebrows at her father, who let out a quick guffaw.

"Yeah, I don't think I'm ready for that just yet. Thanks for the show of confidence sweetie." Boxes were opened and new kitchen equipment was put together. Taiyang perked his ears between the moments of tearing and clinking, and looked up at the ceiling. "Your sister's pretty quiet."

"She's been tearing through those textbooks since we bought them. Didn't even put them down for cake." Yang pursed her lips in worry. "For cake."

"Well, this whole prospect's lit a fire under her ass, and she needs to be ready for it." Taiyang smiled. He looked up at the ceiling again. Ruby was a hard worker. It was a trait she'd gained from him, in that if something didn't work, you practiced until it did, then practice more until it worked perfectly, then practiced more until it was engraved in your mind for the rest of your life. Her training with Qrow carried over to her private training in the backyard, and she had sucked with her scythe early on, but failure did not deter her. She worked and worked and worked, and Taiyang watched her go from stumbling around and falling on her face to swirling around like a little whirlwind of decapitations. Somedays, Taiyang would watch her and a painful pit of nostalgia would open as he remembered Summer…

"Hey." Yang nudged him, making Taiyang snap to. "You got that look on your face."

"Yeah." Taiyang nodded, rubbing his face until his muscles relaxed. "Just thinking about your mom again."

"She was the best mom." Yang smirked. They were both talking about Summer. Raven was a touchy subject between the two of them and Taiyang didn't know how to talk about what had happened, but Summer had earned the official title of "mom" around the house, despite her absence.

"She was. She helped bring up two really fantastic kids too." Taiyang gave Yang a look of fatherly pride, and Yang held her hands up like a hostage.

"Alright, we are officially turning into nostalgic saps and I'm not even twenty. I'm going upstairs to be a teenager. I'll find something to rebel against or whatever." Yang turned, hands still held up, but she smiled to herself. She idly wondered how things would have been different if their mother was still around, how Ruby would be treated, if she herself would be a little less outgoing. She knew her dad would spend fewer nights staring out at the backyard swirling a glass of something strong, lost in thought.

Yang stepped into her room and frowned. Her dad would be lonely. The man was already in a weird state without either of his loves, but now she and Ruby were going. If Ruby was staying, that would be one thing, but no…

Yang rubbed her upper arm and opened her scroll. She sent a text to somebody who was honestly terrible at giving advice but still managed to make his drunken self useful from time to time. -Hey dude.-

-Too early for you to need picking up. What's up?-

-Ruby got into Beacon.-

-I heard.-

-Dad's going to be lonely.-

-Yeah, and?-

-You could move in with him.-

-I could also take ballet. Not happening.-

-I'm worried about dad, can't you try?-

-No. I don't stick around for a few reasons, and he understands completely. You need to trust us.-

-Then what do we do?-

-How about your red-headed friend?-

-Rees?-

-Her mom's hot. Set them up! :D-

- :( Gross, no. She's married.-

-I tried!-

-Asshole.-

-Love you too, Firecracker.-

Yang laid back on her bed with a sigh. She rolled onto her side to stare out the window at the sky, thinking on the matter. She worked her jaw. Her father was a hunter, he made his money keeping Patch safe, but his expertise was rarely needed unlike Qrow. Qrow found all sorts of work doing jobs away from Patch, but her dad liked to keep it close to home. Qrow did some work at Signal too, though, when he wasn't on a mission so-

Yang grabbed her scroll again.

-Can you get him a job at Signal?-

-Nope.-

-Why?!-

-Your dad's a jock. Every dad on Patch is a jock. All of them went into teaching at Signal. See where I'm going with this?-

-He needs something to keep himself busy.-

-He's got Zwei.-

-Zwei's not good enough.-

-Ouch. Pup puts in so much work for that sort of response? :( -

-I'm being serious!-

-Me too! Dogs are great.-

-Qrow, I'm really worried about dad. Isn't there something you can do? You work for Ozpin, right? Maybe he has a few jobs dad could take.-

-You think I have that kind of pull?-

-I think he wouldn't put up with you if you didn't do something he couldn't outsource to Zwei.-

-I'll ask, but I'm making no promises. Ozpin runs a tight ship and he likes his crew a particular way.-

-So he went out of his way to hire a soggy old drunk?-

-Ouch! Right in the heart, Yang. Yeah, but he has a special place for us all. I'll see if there's some cozy perimeter control job that your dad can take.-

-Thanks Qrow.-

-You owe me.-

-Next round's on me.-

-Top shelf?-

-I'll figure it out.-

-Legally.-

-Don't trust me?-

-Like I'd trust a wildfire to not burn the bar down. Don't break the law, kiddo. Not until you got a permit.-

-Fine.-

-Good girl. Go find me a good brand while I brown nose.-

Yang closed her scroll and set it on the windowsill. Maybe she was overthinking this. Her dad was a strong man, he could probably handle being lonely. Maybe the only thing holding him back was herself and Ruby? He was fairly responsible around them, but when he had some time to himself he could be rowdy.

She rolled over and picked up her magazine. Either way, if Qrow got the Headmaster to give her dad a job to keep him busy, it'd be her dad's choice to take it or not. She would of course take credit for the idea if he loved it, and knew how to be his perfect little girl to ease him if he didn't like it. She smirked.

As long as her family was happy, she could live her life without worry.


The warehouse activity seemed to stall as three familiar figures sauntered towards the back.

Dozens of masked, uniformed men saw the woman and her gang and opted to give them a wide berth, avoiding barbed remarks and potential pain if they took offense to their presence.

In the back, hovering over a wooden table dominated by a large map covered in smartass marks made in red marker, Roman Torchwick chewed the butt of his cigar. He was speaking to two of the White Fang operatives, their mutterings and ravings covering a plethora of topics from the amount of Dust their last haul brought them to their future plans of action.

This all came to a stop when they noticed the silence now dominating the room.

"Okay," Roman patted the two White Fang members' shoulders, "why don't you two go grab a snack. Papa Roman's got some bizz-ness to discuss with our 'benefactors.'" The air quotes did little to relieve the tension as the two members fled the scene.

Roman held his arms up in a thoughtless shrug, and turned to face Cinder and her companions. Cinder's expression was dark, her body language tense. Behind her, a green-haired woman and a gray-haired man smirked, but their posture was nervous. Roman wasn't used to seeing Cinder so wound up.

"Sooooo…" Roman rolled his tongue as if he was tasting the word, "To answer the question you obviously want to ask, I have no clue where the little Grimm girl went." He beamed optimistically, even as Cinder stormed forward and forced him to confront her angered gaze. "Look, I don't know what you want from me." Roman shrugged, his smile shifting to a petty glare. "I'm in the business of thievery, drug-racketeering, and busting up shops that don't pay their security. I don't do human trafficking, so what do you want?"

"I want that girl found." Cinder's lips peeled back to show her perfect white teeth. "And I want her found, now."

"Hey hey hey, calm down missy, you look like you had a rough day." Roman edged out from between Cinder and the table and walked over to a fridge shoved into the corner. He pulled out a quartet of beer bottles from it and grinned. "You need to relax, so we got jumped by a little girl who can summon the stuff of death and nightmares, how were we supposed to know she was just so important to your little scheme?"

Cinder slapped a bottle out of his hand and snarled. "She isn't. But my mentor has a keen interest in her, and my mentor is not somebody to cross or deny. I want this girl found before she finds out she's here."

"I got a pair of eyes on every corner of Vale looking for this little Grimm girl." Roman lied. Mercury and Emerald both grabbed the spare bottles out of his hands and watched as Roman tried to defend himself. "I don't exactly see you sparing me any time yourself, y'know. You want her found, maybe you should complain less and help." He accused.

Cinder's slap was intercepted by Roman's cane, and the two of them stared each other down. Cinder closed her hand around his cane and tugged it away, squeezing it angrily as she examined its make thoughtlessly. "I am busy ensuring other operations are running smoothly elsewhere. You are the only person in this entire scheme that has been failing me."

"Failing you?" Roman asked in surprise, his arms extended towards the piles of boxes, crates, and containers lying everywhere in the warehouse. "Cinder, baby, do I need to remind you that I have more than enough dust to keep this little operation going for the next eight months? I've looted every store, robbed every tanker, stopped every truck, I've done everything short of tear the sparklers out of babies' hands and you're accusing me of failure? It sounds like the only person who cares about pursuing that Grimm girl is you, so I'd say the only failure right now is you."

Cinder whirled around to stare at Roman. Emerald and Mercury both stood in silent awe and terror, watching Roman's bluster fall flaccid as Cinder, far too calm, far too gentle, walked to Roman and held out his cane. He took it nervously, trying to meet Cinder's suddenly calm gaze. "Whether or not the girl is found will not affect the endgame." She spoke, her voice gentle and measured as she finally took the remaining beer in his hand and popped the cap with a flick of her thumb. "No, the only reason I care about her is because if my mentor were to find out, then she would send somebody that neither of us would want to deal with."

Roman let out a single, disbelieving laugh as Cinder cradled the drink in idle thought. "And who could that be? Sweetheart, I've dealt with killers and thieves, I've seen the worst humanity has to offer. That one-eyed freak you saw me drop into the drink a few weeks back? Sex trafficker, I've seen what he does to pretty girls."

"And believe me, I know just how deep humanity will sink if it means getting stronger and richer." Cinder narrowed her eyes as she looked to Roman, the bottle in her hands beginning to warp, the beer boiling as she heated it. "My mentor has somebody very precious with her. Somebody who craves violence and murder more than some ignorant salaryman with a knife and a chip on his shoulder. I'm not worried about some simplistic human coming to check on my progress."

Cinder watched Roman squirm as the glass in her hands began to melt, the beer inside evaporating into a thick, pungent cloud as Cinder's hands tensed, resembling angered claws as the mixture of alcohol and glass dripped from her fingers. She frowned, her eyes closing.

"My mentor will send it. Something who looks gentle and human, who you will mistake for an ordinary person, but believe me," Cinder began to glare, her teeth showing again, "it has the heart of the Grimm, and it would love nothing more than to show up and skin this town alive. So," Cinder hissed, "if we want to continue our mission in peace and avoid unnecessary casualties and distress, we will find this girl before word gets out and ensure we never have to be visited by it."

Roman stared after Cinder as she approached her two companions, and let out a nervous giggle. "Oh c'mon, it's just another grumpy little serial killer with way more talent than the police, right? Nothing I haven't shot in the back of the head before."

Cinder paused, examining her nails briefly, before answering. "If only shooting it worked. Find this girl, Roman. Dead or alive, I want her in chains and ready to be shipped. Understood?"

Cinder waited, back turned to Roman, and the man flailed his hands in annoyance. "Fine! I'll get your little damsel." He grunted, walking back to the map.

Cinder, Emerald, and Mercury walked towards the exit of the warehouse. Though Cinder had won that exchange, Emerald couldn't help but notice how tense her leader was. She wasn't sure what was worse, a girl that could summon the Grimm, or whatever it was that could make Cinder… afraid.