RWBY /c/ RoosterTeeth


What a Wonderful World...


Chapter 4

"I see…" Ozpin mused, offering a mug of steaming coffee to Oxblood, who refused it politely.

They were in Ozpin's office, located just next to the first year lecture halls. It was a medium sized room. Filled by a single table with a tray of coffee mugs and a pot, a work desk with an inbuilt computer, a second chair for visitors and a grandfather clock by the door which clicked with the sway of its brass pendulum. Oxblood slouched in the guest chair while Ozpin returned to his seat, sipping his coffee quietly.

"It's certainly a very interesting tale," Oxblood said, declining the coffee in favour of a cigarette he'd slipped out of his pocket, though he didn't light it just yet. "I spoke to Miss Belladonna aka Black at quite some length. She vehemently believe the White Fang attacked the school using Grimm as attack hounds."

He perched the cigarette between his lips, shaking his head at the ludicrousy of the idea. Grimm being controlled? That wasn't possible by any means; as far as he knew at any rate.

Still he kept these thoughts to himself, staring at the edge of Ozpin's desk in thought. "On the other hand; I've positively confirmed that none of her human cohorts were responsible for her injuries. In fact, they're a hunting team themselves. Friends even."

"Then who was responsible for the wound?" Ozpin inquired, his expression growing stern.

"It was another faunas apparently, a grudge match from what I gather. When I inquired about it, Ms Belladonna became erratic. She thought she was being hunted by her attacker; even begged me to let her leave, and didn't seem to believe the White Fang is a peaceful Civil Rights movement. On top of it, she seemed faint when I told her this was Beacon." He explained in his unwavering monotone, sounding absent even though his expression was anything but neutral. His brows knitted together in a frown.

Ozpin hummed, folding hands together contemplatively. "Is it possible this may be some sort of delusion brought on by her concussion? Or perhaps even post traumatic stress?"

"I haven't ruled out PTSD. But I'm not qualified to properly assess those sorts of symptoms. Professor Carmine will need to speak with them." Oxblood replied, then glanced to the side as his hand wandered up to stroke his antlers in thought.

"That being said, given the only testimony I have to go off is hers, I'm inclined to give her the benefit of the doubt for the moment. At least until her other teammates wake up."

"Agreed. That's the wisest course of action." Ozpin said, taking another long sip of his coffee then typed a few things into his computer. A list popped up on the glowing display and he scanned through it swiftly. "Professor Carmine is currently supervising Team ZPYR's mission, I'm afraid he won't be back until Sunday afternoon at the earliest."

"Tomorrow then. That's acceptable. Another day gives our guests a chance to rest more. And Carmine can be… shall we say, eccentric?" Oxblood conceded.

That was putting it politely. Professor Carmine was loud. Loud, boisterous and the thought of being in the same room as the man made his ears ache, but Carmine was the person best suited to assess the girls' mental conditions. For his patients' health, Oxblood would let man work.

"What about the other three?" Ozpin said, the holographic display flickering off.

"Miss White aka Weiss is sound asleep. I've managed to heal her injuries completely, aside from some light internal bruising. As before, she'll probably wake any time, if she isn't awake already."

Oxblood lit his cigarette finally, still keenly gazing at Ozpin's desk rather than the man himself. "Yellow aka Yang has been quite fitful. If she doesn't settle down, I'm willing to administer a sedative to help her sleep and heal comfortably. Viridian has performed a physical assessment, now she's devising a therapy regime to rehabilitate her injury.

"And our last sleeping beauty, Red aka Ruby, has started to recover. Minute amounts, but I judge there's no more need for an aura transfusion. My renewed prediction; I'm expecting her aura to recover by Wednesday. Whether she wakes or not afterwards is entirely up to her."

"I see. Fine work as always Dominic." Ozpin said, taking another swig of coffee, he noticed Oxblood still looked troubled. Perhaps that's the wrong word, 'puzzled' would be more apt. "Is there something you'd like to tell me?"

"Perhaps 'ask' is more appropriate," Oxblood sighed wearily. "Mr Belladonna mentioned an earthquake, then a dragon type Grimm using Beacon tower as its nest. From what I understand, the situation she described was total anarchy born of fear and panic. I'm just… a little curious why such an event didn't occur during the Black Vein epidemic ten years ago."

"That in a question worth pondering." Ozpin agreed quietly. "Do you have a theory?"

"I prefer not to make judgements without sufficient evidence. Leaps of logic are one thing, wild speculation is quite another." Oxblood said, finally meeting Ozpin's gaze for the first time in this conversation. "But given Patch and Mountain Glenn were lost completely to Black Vein and the Grimm as a result; save a small Port foothold in Patch... I would have thought the fear would have summoned a creature of that scale."

"Perhaps then, we should count our blessings that didn't happen." Ozpin suggested, looking troubled himself. Oxblood nodded once, inhaling deeply on his cigarette then stubbed it out against his shoe.

"There's one more thing. I haven't told Headmistress Diggs any of this information. Frankly, given her… personality, I thought it was best to give it to you, and move forward from there." The doctor said, once again his hand stroking his antlers in thought.

"I see." Ozpin nodded slowly, looking down at his desk where a bundle of haphazardly written notes sat. "Very well, I'll request keep this information to yourself until we've thoroughly examined Ms Belladonna's team. Then I'll make a complete report to the Headmistress."

"She'll might actually bother to read it if it's yours." Oxblood muttered bitterly, then closed his eyes and shook his head with a low groan. He said the words out loud he realised.

"Give it time, Dominic. Strides are being taken to lessen the divide between our peoples." Ozpin told him sympathetically, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"Not large nor fast enough." Oxblood sighed and rose to his feet. "If that's all?"

Ozpin gave one small nod. "I plan to ask Miss Rose to pay a visit, and the rest of Team STRQ in time. I have no doubt she wanted to visit them anyway. Please allow them permission when they do."

"Understood. I'll let Viridian know." Oxblood nodded once in kind, then left.


Weiss woke up on her side in a strange bed, confronted by a strange bedside table that didn't in any form resemble her dorm in Beacon.

Inhaling deeply and feeling bruised from head to toe, Weiss sat up and gazed around her surroundings. A plain cot with white sheets and dark grey curtain where the first things she'd noticed. Secondly was that someone had changed her out of her combat skirt and into a patient outfit. Clearly this was a medical facility.

Glancing to her left, her dress and boots were folded neatly on a visitor's chair, Myrtenaster rested on top of the pile. They'd allowed her access to her rapier, so she could safely to assume this wasn't a hostile hospital. A vague voice in her mind noted that this could have been an Atlasien hospital. It's quite possible, and she wouldn't have put it past her father to fly all the way to Vale simply to take her to a more local care facility.

Fortunately or not, that theory was debunked by the Beacon Academy crest on the breast of her shirt. The thought filled her with undeniable relief. If this was a Beacon medical facility, or even Vale, then it's quite possible the Grimm had been taken care of. At the very least, the situation was now stable enough for the safe zone to be lifted.

Weiss stretched her arms out, she'd felt stiff like she'd been asleep for days. Peering down the side of her bed, she noticed a pair of thin-soled hospital slippers, which she slipped on and stood up.

It was just now, she thought she heard the distinct sound of someone sniffling.

Well, that's to be expected isn't it? We'd just suffered an invasion after all. Weiss thought sadly, opening the curtains quietly.

It was strange. When she glanced down the room, she didn't see any other beds filled save for one across from her - which still had its curtains drawn - and the one to its right next to the window. From this angle she could see a patient lay there and the soft crying came from there also. But she couldn't see their face, merely a shadow on the curtains.

Strange how only two other beds were occupied.

In fact, for the aftermath of a Grimm invasion, this hospital wing was surprisingly empty. A nurse's desk sat four beds away, but it was unoccupied. The holographic monitor was projecting a bouncing dust crystal as a screensaver. Peering to her right, Weiss had to squint for a second against the bright sunlight, but by the time her eyes adjusted to the glare, she refused to believe them.

Beacon's courtyard lay just beyond completely unscathed. Not a single Grimm or Atlesian mech was in sight, nor debris of any kind lingered after that battle. In fact, students seemed to be going about their daily business in a mix of civilian clothing or school uniforms. But most astonishingly was Beacon Tower.

Weiss remembered in all too vivid detail the dragon-like Grimm that spiraled around it. Entire packs - no, legions - of Creeps, Ursa and Beowolves clawed at the spire's base; The ones not enthralled by their primordial instinct to kill Weiss and Ruby that is. Even the Grimm focused on killing the two huntresses bulldozed through anything that stood in their way to do so.

Yet there it stood; bold as ever and as pristine as the day Weiss first arrived at Vale.

Just how long had she been asleep if they'd been able to repair the damage so completely? Was that why her father hadn't come for her? No, wouldn't her father to come for her especially because of this?

Where were her teammates?

A sudden ice cold spike of fear plunged through her heart. She'd sent Ruby up to the top of the tower using her speed glyphs, and she'd left Blake and Yang in the care of Sun. On that note, where was Team JNPR? Did Ruby save Pyrrha? Was Jaune okay? What about Ren and Nora?

The questions raged on and on in her mind, causing that icy fear to burrow deeper and deeper in her heart, but for now she tried to focus on the simplest one first.

Where were Ruby, Yang and Blake?

Her eyes fell on the cot closest to the window again, where the patient and the sobbing came from. Swallowing tensely, Weiss approached with the softest tone she could muster. "Excuse me?"

"Weiss!" She heard Blake's exclaim, then the sound of her scrambling to her feet, peering past the curtain's edge. "You're awake!" She practically shouted in relief, temporarily forgetting where she was.

Fear released Weiss' heart if only just, and she rushed over grasping Blake's hand in one of hers. "Blake, are you okay? Where's Ruby and…"

Her voice trailed off as her eyes wandered to the occupied bed. There Yang was still deep in slumber, but judging by the twitching frown of her brow, it was anything but pleasant. A sense of despair weighed heavily in Weiss' stomach.

"Is she doing okay?" Was all she could muster in a weak tone.

"Ruby's just here." Blake replied freeing her hands to gesture to the last bed, still covered by curtains. "She's doing as well as she can, but... Yang..." Her amber hues shifted to the ground, before she moved back to Yang's side. Weiss' eyes widened and her hand came to her lips.

That wasn't possible. Yang's right arm was destroyed, a bloody bandaged stump when Weiss and Ruby left to search for Jaune and Pyrrha. Yet here it was. A thin scar above her elbow suggested someone with medical skills managed to reattach the limb but… wasn't that impossible now?

Whatever the case, Yang's right arm looked significantly weaker compared to her left. Like it hadn't seen a day's exercise and far paler than her usual complexion.

"How could this happen?" Weiss barely whispered to herself. Then licked her lips and tried again. "Blake? What happened to you after we left?" She asked, a little more audible this time staring intently at Blake's downcast face.

"I…" She choked, clinging to Yang's gaunt-looking hand like it'd vanish at any second. "I…" she tried again before shaking her head.

"Blake, you made a promise to me, to us. Remember?" Weiss said, reaching over to grasp her hand. Partly to act as reassurance, and in part to prevent her from dodging the question. "Please. I'm your friend, tell me what happened to you? After Ruby and I left."

Blake met her ice coloured eyes for a moment, before casting her gaze down at the unconscious Yang.

"When we split up, Adam was there." She began with a trembling tone. She bit her lip before continuing. "He was attacking students, and provoked me into a fight. Knocked me down. Gave me this."

Her left hand unclasped from Yang's and slowly pulled up the hem of her shirt, revealing the large gauze patch.

"He did that to provoke Yang." Her voice was shaking, tears forming in her eyes and the first of them dropped onto the sheets. "He…" She swallowed hard, "He cut her arm off. It disintegrated completely."

"I remember seeing the wound," Weiss agreed sadly, staring at the fine red line just above Yang's elbow. "But how did this happen? Aura can't… heal that kind of injury."

"I tried to run. We got to the city, and I ran." Blake confessed through her sobs continuing as if uninterrupted, snatching Weiss' attention from their unconscious teammate. "Adam wanted to hurt me, I thought… I thought it would protect you, all of you but then, there was a flash of white light. A scream and I woke up here."

Weiss nodded slowly, gently patting Blake's hand before clasping hers together in front of her.

"I remember white light too." She admitted after a long moment's contemplation. Blake looked up at her, prompting her to continue. "I used my glyphs to help Ruby climb Beacon Tower, but there were just so many Grimm. I'd thought that an Alpha had snuck up behind me and knocked me down."

Her lip trembled with the sudden weighty realisation that her death was a very imminent reality in those moments. No amount of training or skills could have prepared her for that situation. Yet, like Ruby, she'd thrown herself headlong into it.

"I-I remember the screaming, like holding a note for too long until it becomes white noise." Weiss' tone was trembling, even as she struggled with all her might to maintain what little composure she had. Her eyes drifted to Yang's face again.

"Then I woke up here. I assumed I was in Atlas. But…" She glanced out the window, then to Yang. "Do you know what happened to Pyrrha or Jaune? Ren, Nora, SSSN?"

"I spoke to the Doctor," Blake began, sounding particularly quiet now. "He said that the people who brought us in only found us. I don't know where the others are…"

Weiss didn't have anything else to say. She merely dragged a chair over from the corner and sat down next to Blake, watching Yang's fitful sleep. Both girls were thankful to the other for the silence.

They needed time; to process, to grieve and most importantly to understand. Understand what just happened, and how they got here. They'd awakened to a Beacon that apparently hadn't suffered an attack at all. And they had no idea what happened to their friends or their enemies. In that moment, they felt helpless.

Then, they heard a sound echoing down the hospital wing, of a closing door and light, skipping footsteps slowly approaching… and humming? Weiss and Blake both stood and peered around the veiled corner. What they saw made their eyes bulge and stole their breath.

Down the wing, now just passing the nurses station was the exact image of Ruby!

Her short ponytail bouncing lightly with her steps, wearing a woolen jumper and dark red pants. She'd had her gaze to the ground, merrily humming to herself as she wandering along. When her eyes flickered up, her face brightened as she greeted them with a kind smile. Even those silver eyes looked exactly like Ruby's.

"Oh, you're awake." She said, giving them a tiny little wave.

When she'd arrived at Yang's bed, she spared a quick glance at her, then turned her attention back to Blake and Weiss. Both were too gobsmacked to say anything. "I'd thought I'd drop in to see how you were doing. I'm glad to see you're both awake."

Her gaze then flickered to Yang, who mumbled incoherently in her sleep. "No… who…"

"Oh no, I didn't mean to wake her too." She chastised herself softly, cringing and muttering something to herself hopelessly, as Yang stirred and her eyes fluttered open.


"Who..." Yang barely murmured, still in the process of waking up.

For a second, she thought she was seeing things. Some sleep induced haze that would clear as she'd refocused her eyes.

But it hadn't.

This mirage still stood at the edge of Yang's bed. Weiss and Blake stood on her right side, carefully crowded into the apparently tiny side space next to her bed, their backs against the grey curtain. They'd noticed her awaken, but whatever words they'd spoken to her were lost in the maelstrom of confused, half-thoughts in her head. And the significant blow she thought her sanity had taken.

Before her stood the perfect visage of her beloved mother, Summer Rose; lost on a mission over twelve years ago. Unable to tear her eyes away, Yang drank in her appearance. Trying to etch it indelibly into her memory.

Summer's hands were clasped behind her back and the tiniest of warm smiles on her face. That familiar shoulder-length red and black hair was tied back into a tail, and she'd been clad in a cosy white woolen jumper with dark red pants. Her silver eyes still shone with the warmth of the sun. Just as Yang had always remembered.

For a moment, Yang still questioned her senses. Of course, her sense still told her she had a right arm, so they weren't much in the way of reliability right now.

"You…" She breathed, eyes widened in disbelief and filling with tears.

"Hi! I didn't think you'd remember me." Summer said, smiling sweetly.

How could I not remember you? Yang thought desperately, tried to sit up and reach forward. Though the action was stopped by something holding her right side down. But she was too transfixed by Summer to see what it was.

"My team were the ones who rescued you. Gave us quite a fright I have to say."

Yang's heart ached. It was just the smile she remembered. The last one Summer ever gave her when she'd left that fateful day. The blonde's eyes shifted to Weiss and Blake, then back to Summer. They were just as astonished, unable to utter a single word.

"How's your arm feeling?" Summer asked in a concern-laden tone, nodding to Yang slightly. "Doctor Oxblood told me it was in a state."

Of course her arm was in a state! A crazy psychopath had cut if off! But for the first time since her awakening, Yang looked down at her right, and her heart stopped. No. That wasn't possible. It couldn't have been? She knew the limb was sliced off - felt the blade pierced her aura and destroy it, along with the other half of Ember Celica. But here it was. Existing and moving of her own volition.

"Weak…" Yang finally croaked, attempting to flex and bend her fingers as if using them for the first time.

"I'm sorry to hear that. But don't worry, Doctor Ox is a genius at what he does. He'll have you back up to a hundred percent in no time!"

It was now that Summer finally looked at Weiss and Blake, who'd been silent for her entire appearance. Summer's eyes curved into crescents and she smiled even more kindly still. "I know, I look a lot like your friend. We were a little shocked too, honestly."

"Who are you?" Weiss asked unsteadily after a minute, somehow managing to find her voice.

"Summer." Yang answered, her tone easily as shaky as Weiss'. "Summer Rose."

Blake and Weiss's head snapped around to Yang, unspoken questions in their eyes and both of their mouths hung open. Summer's silver hues widened slightly, though it was clear she didn't grasp the true reason why Yang knew her.

"Wow, you know my name!" She laughed, a musical one that make Yang's heart lurch even more.

How she'd longed so desperately to see this woman, to get up and hug her again, and Summer didn't even know why! Worse still, it was as if Summer didn't even know her. Yang's lip trembled, but did her best to keep it at bay.

"I know my team's earned itself a bit of a reputation, but I didn't think it'd spread that far yet." She gave another musical laugh, like bird song.

"May I ask, what are your names?" Summer inquired, grasping her hands behind her back and leaning forward a bit in interest.

"I'm… Weiss."

"My name is Blake."

"Yang." Yang answered near mechanically, thorns piercing her heart. Did her own mother really not remember her?

"Yang?" Summer raised an eyebrow. "Do you know a Taiyang by any chance? He's one of my teammates."

Yang didn't reply, she opened her mouth but words didn't come up. Instead, she closed it and looked away, trying to fight back the sting of tears. Summer seemed to notice this, and looked downcast.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." She apologised with a sympathetic tone. "He told me a little about his extended family, but I should've known it was a sore spot. I didn't mean to bring it up."

Silence passed between the four girls. Summer's silver gaze fell on them in turns. Her sunny demeanor from before seemed to have faded, doubtlessly from her attempts to be friendly being so utterly derailed.

"So, what's her name?" She asked, gesturing towards the curtain-covered bed where Ruby still slept.

"She's Ruby." Blake answered as Weiss peered behind her. Both girls casting concerned looks towards the bed. Yang's head turned to the side, eyes filled with a mix of hope, love, grief and fear.

Ruby was right there. She was safe. Thank goodness.

When Yang's head turned back to Summer however, her utter dejection turned immediately to concern. In that instant, a dark haunted look pass over Summer's face which completely wiped the smile off. She stared, wide eyed at the grey curtains no longer looking like the fierce loving mother Yang remembered, but a terrified little girl. Her breathing suddenly become a little audible and almost laboured.

"How old is she?" Summer inquired, her tone sounding as shaky as Weiss' was before.

"She's fifteen." Blake replied, watching Summer stalk towards the curtains and pull them back slightly, peering at the sleeping face with a slowly dawning look of horror.

"Summer?" Yang prompted, a weight of worry pooling in her stomach.

"Are you okay?" Blake asked, gingerly getting to her feet when Summer looked as if she was about to faint.

"I'm… fine. I - p-please, excuse…" she trailed off, backing away then quickly turning to stride down the corridor towards the exit with a hand clasped over her mouth. Blake and Weiss watched her leave, and from her expression - it looked like she wanted to throw up.


Author's note:

I've decided to try and make these chapters longer as I go. Hopefully, I'll be chomping out 5-7k long chapters before long.

Please Review and Comment. I welcome Criticism. :)