Yang's POV

Massaging my temple, I tried not to let myself get frustrated. It was hard not to, if I was being completely honest. Even after all these years I had nothing to go off of, no real leads. Just the sketch of a portal I'd seen when I was six, one that had haunted my nightmares for months and months after... after Mom and Dad died.

I sighed, resting my face in my hands. I hadn't told Ruby about my hunt, what I was usually up to when I went out for non mission related activities. I was sure she assumed I hung out with Sun or that I was going out with somebody, and I couldn't deny that sometimes I did. As much as I wanted to keep searching I knew better than to let it control me. I needed to make time for some sort of relaxing. But those other times, I was out looking for answers.

Uncle Qrow would have probably helped if I'd asked him. Well, if I'd asked the right questions. It was usually hard getting straight answers out of him, even when he was sober. Years ago I had asked Qrow if he'd met anyone who could make portals during his travels. He hadn't been of much help.

The floor creaked, and I was quick to fold the sketch and put it in one of my pant's pockets as I looked up and, to my surprise, saw my new partner. I hadn't expected anyone to be up this late, and I certainly hadn't expected Blake to be out and about. Nonetheless, I smiled, gesturing for our newest recruit to come join me on the couch, which she did after a moment of hesitation.

Her bruises were almost nonexistent, I noticed. She'd been doing a lot better the last couple of weeks.

"So," she started after a moment, shifting under my gaze. "Your sister is on the same team as you."

"Yep."

"That's dangerous."

"Heh. You're telling me," I answered with a small laugh. "Kid's smart enough to do about anything. But nope, she wanted to be an assassin and take down an evil dictator." What she really wanted to do was stress her big sister out, I mentally added as I reached for the bottle of water I'd brought with me.

This got a hum from Blake, golden eyes looking intently back at me now. "Do you ever think about what would happen if things went south?"

I stopped, my hand pausing. I could feel some of my smile fade, could feel the ache in my chest that thought always caused me. "Of course I have. Everyday. But you'll find Ruby is as stubborn as a mule. Once she makes up her mind, that's that." I shook my head, muttering, "I don't know where she gets it from."

Blake seemed to take this in, nodding her head, allowing us to fall into a moment of silence. Then she cleared her throat, reclaiming my full attention. "Your Boss has given me the all clear. So, I was thinking we could... spar...?"

The last part of that sentence had come out a bit awkward, but slowly I could feel my smile growing. I had to wonder though, where had this come from? I mean, I hadn't expected her to actually accept my invitation to a spar so soon. I studied her, smile transforming into a smirk.

"How did my sister talk you into this?"

She, once again, cleared her throat, the ears on top of her head flicking back and forth. "She made a well thought out argument for me to give you a chance, and I didn't see the -"

"She used the puppy dog eyes on you, didn't she?"

Blake's mouth shut with an audible click and I couldn't help but chuckle. She may have been a former member of the White Fang, but even she was no match against my sister's secret weapon when she wanted something.

Speaking of my sister, she was getting an extra big bear hug tomorrow when I saw her.

Penny's POV

The metal yo-yo trailed up and down, spinning away only to recoil back with the slightest jerk of my wrist. It was certainly a way of keeping the mind occupied when one had the task of walking down one of the many dark alleyways of Vale late at night while waiting for a target to make themselves known.

I smiled to myself, glancing up at the crumbling moon above. Ruby was probably already in position, waiting for a signal. I'd always found it odd that someone with such a massive weapon could be so stealthy, but then again, Crescent Rose was a very versatile weapon so maybe I was just overthinking things. Besides, I liked when Ruby accompanied me on missions.

"Evening, poppet."

Showtime.

Smile still in tack I turned to face the much larger man. "Salutations, Sten," I answered back, putting away my yo-yo for now.

He punched his fist into his open palm, grinning down at me. His eyes were practically glowing, vibrant with vicious glee. He was amused. "So, you've actually heard of me. I'm flattered. But what about my partner, Ibara?"

I felt someone land behind me and I jumped sideways toward the wall before having to bounce off that to dodge another close call before landing back on the ground, now facing both newcomers at once. Where Sten was a big, hulking figure, his partner was slightly smaller but just as muscled, made for speed and brute force if I had to venture a guess. Hmm.

I noticed the glint of silver on one of the rooftops and tried not to let my smile show. "I don't really have a partner myself," I admitted. "But I do have excellent friends."

On cue, Ruby came down, scythe drawn and slashing down, nicking Ibara's arm. That one injury was enough for the paler of the two to let out a frustrated yowl. "Stupid bitch!" he spat before taking off after the younger girl.

Sten made a move to follow but was stopped by the metal string I'd planted during my evasive maneuvers, the cord cutting into his neck, stopping him in his tracks. Strings gathered and spun from the contraption on my wrist until they formed a rather sturdy spear which I promptly launched into the muscle-head's chest.

Sten smirked though he was obviously choking a little, sweat starting to build on his brow as his hand clutched at the handle of my makeshift weapon. "You... foolish girl," he gasped. "Do you honestly think that I am so easily killed?"

No. Of course I didn't. I'd read up on this guy. The amount of training he'd put his body and mind through was impressive. It was beyond the realm of someone like me, who was not made for pure brute force.

I shook my head in answer and raised the hand the strings were attached to. "That's why my strings are currently wrapping around your heart."

He had just enough time for his eyes to widen before I clenched my hand, tugging the strings tight. Blood gushed out of his mouth, and Sten made one last gurgling sound before the strings retracted entirely and he fell limp on the ground, red now freely spilling out of the open, gaping hole in his chest.

I blinked once at the carnage before sighing. All that training, and it still hadn't been enough.

"Well, that was a thing," Ruby's voice came from behind me and I turned, watching as she walked over, blood coating Crescent Rose's blade as well. Which reminded me, I'd have to clean Crosstail when we got back to base. "Easier than I was expecting, honestly," she continued.

I nodded. "Weren't these two considered high ranking?"

She shrugged in response, seeming unperturbed with how easy and relatively routine this had gone. "We better start back," she stated, smiling that bright smile that was super infectious. "After we say salutations to that ice cream shop a couple blocks down."

I returned the brunette's smile, bringing out my yo-yo once more as we started down the street. Excellent friends, indeed.

Qrow's POV

Well, no one had ever said this job was a clean one. The bodies cut up around my feet could attest to that pretty well. I scoffed as I put away my scythe. Sometimes this job got a little too over the top for my tastes, but I supposed it was a necessary evil. No such thing as a good, bloodless war after all.

With not much care about what I stepped in I made my way back onto the walkway, unscrewing the lid on my flask and taking a nice, long swig. Didn't even notice the burn after all these years, but it still managed to warm me up a bit. Plus, no one was going to notice just another drunk walking down the street.

Usually I wasn't one to just come back to headquarters but when Glynda had mentioned Night Raid had added a new member, I'd made it a priority to make my way back. Adam Taurus and his faction of the White Fang were, to say the least, one of the more lethal, and had been a growing pain in the rebellion's side for a while. What was Winter thinking letting one of them in?

The bells of the Vale I'd just left cut through the air and I smirked. Taken them long enough to find the bodies. They were probably cold by now.

Occasionally I'd stop and check my surroundings, making sure no one was following me. Could never be too careful, and relocating was always a pain. Though, it would be hard to beat this little hideout Night Raid had found for themselves out here in the forested mountain area. Someone would have to be pretty lucky just to stumble across it.

I didn't meet anyone when I entered, making my way through the building and up a couple flights. First I stopped by my nieces' room, unsurprised to find them both sound asleep, Ruby under two blankets and holding that raggedy stuffed Beowolf and Yang with one arm dangling off the edge of her bed and lightly snoring.

Some things don't change.

I shook my head and closed the door, continuing on to my intended destination, barging in without a care in the world. The office was also something that hadn't seemed to change much. It was still small, still sparsely decorated, and the mountain of paperwork sitting on the desk was just as intimidating as the last time I'd seen it. Did Winter even sleep?

"Ever heard of knocking?" said woman asked, not even looking up from the folder she'd been studying upon my arrival.

With a shrug I walked over to the little cart she kept against the opposite wall, the one with all the liquor. "Heh. You know that's not my style."

"One of these days I'm going to give my team permission to shoot on sight," she shot back, finally looking up.

I chuckled. "Honestly, anything less would surprise me."

Her icy blue eyes narrowed, a frustrated noise escaping her throat. Those frosty orbs closed and she took a deep, calming breath, rubbing her temple as if to stave off an oncoming headache. "What do you want, Qrow?"

I tossed my scroll at her which she caught with practiced ease. "Those targets you wanted taken care of, I took care of them."

"And? Shouldn't you be on your way back to Oz?"

I raised a brow. "I came to check up on things here."

She studied me, disbelief clear on her face. "Whatever it is you want I suggest you spit it out. I don't have time for your immature games."

Looks like I'd gotten lucky today. She was in one of her better moods.

"You recruited a White Fang lap dog, or cat, as the case may be, after I'd expressed my concerns," I answered. "Mind explaining why?"

"If you have a problem with the way I run things, Qrow, then you should have taken the offer of being Boss of this team," she answered back with a shrug, reclining back in her chair, arms crossing over her chest. "Ms. Belladonna is a very capable addition. Her reputation as one of the White Fang's most lethal can attest to this."

That was exactly the problem. "She's White Fang. It's not a concern of skill."

"Former White Fang. Former White Fang that was passing us intelligence. You can imagine what Mr. Taurus did when he found out."

"Then there's the fact that you paired her with Yang. You know she's a bleeding heart for any lost cause she meets."

"You're not giving you neice enough credit," she countered, leaning forward once more, her hands now interlocked under her chin. "Admittedly there is still a lot of work to be done in regards to that partnership, what with Ms. Belladonna's recent history. However, Yang's mellow and accepting demeanor would allow for the easiest transition." She held my gaze. "Not to mention their fighting styles complement one another."

"You've seen them fight together?"

She shook her head. "No, but I've seen what they can do apart. I have no doubts they'll work well together."

I huffed. "I don't trust White Fang - excuse me - former White Fang," I stressed. There was no doubt that the Faunus was a good fighter, but her being paired with my niece made this very personal. The one getting hurt if things went wrong would be Yang. One way or another.

A smirk formed on her face, one I didn't like. "Once upon a time you weren't a fan of Schnees either and yet here we are."

Hmph. "Looks like you aren't just that little brat I picked up off the streets."

She actually chuckled, tossing my scroll back to me. "I haven't been for a very long time," she agreed. "Now go do your job and get out of my hair." And just like that, she was all business again, and I was obviously being dismissed.

"Your wish is my command, Your Majesty."

Ruby's POV

It was times like this, when Yang dragged me out of bed and down to the training grounds at six in the morning, that I started to question every life choice I'd ever made. All those choices that had led to my very strong sister insisting that I needed to work on my hand to hand while she wiped the floor with me. Yeah. That's exactly how I wanted to spend my mornings.

It was no real secret to anyone on our team that Crescent Rose was my go to weapon of choice. It was flexible by design, allowing me to switch from a long distance sniper rifle to a mid ranged scythe attack. The scythe itself was bigger than I was, but I had enough training and strength to swing it around with ease.

But, yes, without it I was completely useless. I supposed I still had my speed, but that really only left me with the option to run.

So, it wasn't like I didn't see the point in the blonde's insistence that I at least learn the basics. But why did it have to be so early? Then again, Dad had trained Yang like this before he and Mom died, at least that's what she'd told me. After that though, Uncle Qrow had taught her, and also taught me how to use a scythe.

It had been nice seeing him before he left for another mission. He wasn't around that often, but when he was it always made me happy. Yang seemed to enjoy it too, teasing Uncle Qrow about being old. I wondered how long he'd be away this time.

I was literally kicked out of my thoughts, my sister's leg colliding with my side. I grunted, and tried to regain my balance enough to lean away from the incoming backhand. No such luck. I hit the ground, panting and sweating and once again wondering what I'd done in my life to deserve this. I lay on the mat, looking up at the brawler that stood at my feet, smiling, with not even a hair out of place.

There was no way she was human.

She gently nudged my foot with hers. "Come on, Rubes, keep focused."

I grunted, turning over to press my face into the mat. It was surprisingly cool. "We've been at this forever! Can't we take a break?"

"What?" She sounded like she was having too much fun. "We've barely been here an hour."

"My arms are going to fall off," I retorted, some of my reply muffled by the mat.

Yang laughed, one of her gloved hands wrapping around my upper arm and carefully hoisting me up. Lilac eyes were practically alight with amusement. "Hardly. Besides, you know as well as I do that this is necessary."

There was something that slipped into her tone, behind the smile, behind the mirth. After about seventeen years I'd learned to pick up on this particular tone, the tone that held nothing but love, concern, warmth.

I pretended not to notice as I rolled my shoulders, trying to loosen up again. "Yeah, I know."

There was a moment of silence before I felt one of her hands come up and ruffle my hair. "Hey, I love you, Ruby."

At this, I smiled and met her gaze once more. "Love you, too. Even if you are a slavedriver."

I was playfully shoved before she took a step or two back and got into position. I sighed. And so it continued.

Jaune's POV

It took everything in me not to collapse onto the couch. My legs protested as I forced myself to take it slow, leaning back. I heard Pyrrha's laugh and I grumbled, taking the bottle of water she offered me and forcing myself not to gulp it down. I was sore, sweaty, and exhausted. But Pyrrha looked as if she hadn't just been out in the hot sun for three hours going through the same set over and over.

What was with the women on this team and looking unphased by this kind of stuff?

She took a seat on the couch next to me, letting out a relaxed sigh, arms wrapped around her midsection. I had to admit, I was curious. I remembered Yang had said that Pyrrha was one of, if not their best fighter. I was...well, I wasn't even worth being on the front lines of the Empress's army. My partner often insisted that I was improving, and even I could tell some difference, but...it was just frustrating, putting all this effort in only to progress a small amount.

"You're thinking awfully hard over there."

Pyrrha's smile was kind and patient, her emerald eyes were even more so. "You know, when I told my mother I was going to Vale to become a soldier she told me not to worry if it didn't work out." I rubbed the back of my neck. "Said I was always welcome home." I sighed. "Even she knew I wasn't exactly cut out for this life."

There was a silence that followed, and the redhead's expression softened. Her gaze drifted away from me and more forward, her arms wrapping a little tighter around herself. My brow furrowed.

"Juane, do you believe in destiny?"

"I, uh..." Did I? I wasn't sure.

Pyrrha didn't seem to actually be looking for an answer, however. "I used to just wait and see where the chips fell." Her lips curved up only slightly. "My family hadn't been wealthy, but neither were we poor. We were comfortable. I joined the Empress's army when I was sixteen, and I managed to go up the ranks with little problem. People called me a prodigy." She shrugged.

I nodded, letting her know I was listening.

"But, I don't know, something just never felt right," she continued. "One day I was out on patrol, just going through the motions, when this woman approached me." Something lit up in those eyes. "It was Yang Xiao Long, Night Raid assassin. I'd recognized her from the posters. She'd told me about Night Raid, what they stood for, what they wanted to accomplish." She shook her head. "She wasn't even the slightest bit worried I'd attack. Not even a little."

Yeah. Yang didn't seem to worry about much.

"And just like that, I'd found it."

"Found what?"

Her eyes finally met mine again. "A spark, a purpose. That night I defected from the army and I've been here for almost-" She paused. "Has it really been two years already?" That last bit was more to herself, so I didn't answer. She then gestured to me. "And now, I have a partner that I'd be happy to fight alongside when the time comes."

"Speaking of," I started. "How exactly is the whole partner thing decided?"

"Most of the time Winter assigns us."

I hummed. "I see. So she assigned me to you? Was she hoping I'd give up and quit?"

She brushed invisible lint from her red shorts. "Actually, I requested this particular team up."

That surprised me. "Why?"

"Because great warriors are made, not born. Talent helps, of course," she admitted with a shrug. "But talent alone can only get you so far." That full smile was back. "So you shouldn't doubt yourself."

I managed a small smile. Hmmm. Destiny. Maybe there was something to that theory after all.

Winter's POV

I took a deep, calming breath through my nose, closing my eyes to let him rest for just a moment. Oz and Ironwood report had not been so inspiring. Missions were getting harder, more lethal targets were popping up and needed to be dealt with. Sometimes I wouldn't be able to get any work done until the members of my team returned. Especially when it was Weiss.

I wasn't a perfect sister, but she was the reason I'd joined this revolution in the first place. I wanted the future to be better for her. If anything happened to her...

Oz had went on to say in his report that our little faction had been attracting a lot of attention from Salem and the White Fang. And worse; the Omen of Death. Not much was known about this particular individual, just that one was lucky to survive an encounter with them. Shipments were given heavier guard, not that my men and women couldn't handle it. But still, added threats just meant greater chance of death.

I shook the thought away.

"Rough day?"

My shoulders sagged as I looked up toward the arrival. "Just more news from the Western region."

"Trouble?"

"Some Grimm spikes," I reported. "Although the real problem lies with a sighting of the Omen of Death." I huffed. "They've been conquering and decimating towns and they took a major settlement. None of our numbers were among them but rumor has it they're heading our way next. The Empress summoned them."

"The Omen of Death? They're actually bringing them in? We're causing that much trouble?" I could hear the smirk in Yang's voice.

I nodded grimly, shifting my gaze over to finally look at her. This was both good and bad.

Her expression softened and one of her hands landed on my shoulder. "Hey, we've got this, Winter. We'll just have to be a little more careful, take more precautions."

I managed a smaller grin. "I can trust you'll help me with this rowdy bunch?"

Her grin came back full force, determination in her gaze. I should have known better than to ask. She was my right hand in this mess. "It's what I'm here for, after all."

A knock on the door interrupted and we both looked over to see our resident Faunus standing at the entrance, her ears twitching curiously. Yang sent her a little wave but Blake simply nodded once. It would seem that despite her having taken to sparring with Yang and Ren she was still weary. To be expected, honestly.

"You sent for me?"

"You've seemed to have recovered well. I was wondering if you'd like some fresh air."

Her golden eyes lit with what could only be called excitement. I'd thought that would get her attention. "You have a mission for me?"

I nodded as I stood from my seat, walking over to the trunk that sat against the wall. "Now that you're officially going on missions," I began, turning back around. "You'll probably want this back."

Surprise flickered across her face as I held out the black and white sword, sheath, and ribbon. Her hand wrapped around the hilt as her other hand ran gently over the sheathed blade. "Gambol Shroud. I... I thought this had been left behind."

Yang was the one to answer, shrugging her shoulder. "Apparently the women that managed to get you to us also made sure to grab it."

Blake nodded her head, the gears in her mind obviously turning. I tossed her a scroll, which she caught with ease. "This will tell you who your target is and where to find them," I continued. I saw her eyes briefly flicker over the information before she left.

I could tell without looking that Yang was waiting for some kind of command and once I was sure Blake was long out of earshot I turned to the brawler. "Follow her, but don't interfere unless it is dire."

"Got it, Boss."

Sorry for the slight delay guys but school and trying to make my schedule for next semester and all that kind of stuff really kept me occupied. Plus there were just some days I didn't feel like writing or revising so, I'm sorry. But we hope this chapter was worth the wait.

Read and review! It definitely helps motivate us.

We out! Peace!