Black Sun


Author's Notes: Don't own RWBY obvs.

Updating much faster these days. The chapters will likely be a lot shorter unless I really wanna eek out something crucial in the story.

Thanks to all those who have read so far, please continue to do so and tell me what you think


Yang slid the empty glass idly between her hands, the sound of the smooth bottom gliding over the polished wood actually starting to sooth her nerves. She caught a glimpse of her reddened eyes in the backdrop mirror and knew she was seconds from really losing her cool. Junior Xiong glanced over at her nervously, trying to keep a straight face before his other, or rather, actual customers. Not that he cared for the group present or the rest of their entourage milling about the club. Like poor imitations of Goths, everyone was clad in black leather, cakes of poorly applied make-up and wearing jewelry showing all kinds of arcane symbols they probably didn't understand. Fingers of the Witch, the group was called and Junior rued the day the twins had gotten involved with them. Zoning out as three patrons muttered over simple drink options, he nearly leaped out of his skin when the glass shattered behind the bar. The large man hurried over to the blonde, making sure not to step in any of the mess. "Hey, I'm trying to run a business here."

Yang lowered her gaze from the TV screen up above the top-shelf liquors and lightning-quick, she grabbed him by the collar. "Do I look like I care?" Junior could only meet the red eyes for a second before he looked away. This close to being totally fired up, the far larger man wouldn't even sneeze in Yang's direction, fearful that it might set her off.

"Two minutes, gimme two minutes then I'll send the girls out here." Tossing the man back into the sink behind him, the young woman held up two fingers, hand starting to glow with yellow Aura. Junior steadied himself, tossed a glance down at the patrons. Neither of the three seemed curious as to what happened, but in the club, Yang had something of a reputation, so most found it smart to mind their own business. Expertly, Junior mixed and delivered the drinks, slowing down long enough to politely excuse himself from newly arrived customers.

Broken out in a fine sweat, Junior looked around frantically, hoping the twins would be there. Only Melanie, the one most often in white, was present, feet up on the desk, flicking uncaringly through a magazine. "Mel, where is your sister, I need you girls on the floor."

Melanie looked up, facing saying she could not care less what he needed, "Don't know where she is. Sorry."

As she moved to go back to her magazine, Junior hurried to the desk and grabbed it, smacking her feet down to the floor. "No, none of that; go find Milly and work the bar, Yang is here."

With a scoff, the girl rose to her feet. "Big fricking deal. She's not so tough." Melanie smirked, twisting her razor-stiletto heel into the floor. As she opened the ajar door completely, Yang filled the frame, eyes hidden behind her biking sunglasses. Melanie jumped; suddenly afraid she had been overheard. "Yang, so good to see you", she greeted with overzealous mock enthusiasm.

Yang brushed passed her, revealing Miltia lurking in the hall behind her. "Mel. Don't you have some work to do?" The girl rushed out to her sister, and practically dragged her away. Inside, Junior paced frantically in the small space. Yang went around the desk, assuming the same book and position the last girl there had been in. "Junior", she called out in a teasing tone, "You have got to calm down. You're going to have a heart attack."

"Yea, you're telling me", he muttered to himself. He stopped and faced Yang, safely distanced with the desk between. "Look, I turned over every stone I know of, cashed in favors from people I don't even know, sorry to tell you, I got nothing. She's disappeared, gone completely off the grid."

Yang looked up over the magazine, scowl mostly hidden behind her glasses. The young woman remained silent, looking passed Junior through the double pane glass that let the office see out into the bar and if you squinted hard enough, the edge of the dance floor. Muted as not to clash with the music, several of the televisions were still playing stories on the aftermath on the assault on Beacon Academy. Weeks had gone by and the school was little more than ruins of its previous glory. The story jumped to old pictures of Pyrrha Nikos, a venerable highlight reel of her greatest hits before a final shot of her outside of shambles of the Huntsman Academy. Yang smirked ruefully as she watched the images, having practically memorized all the bylines, "Mistral Champion becomes hero of Vale." "Idol, Icon, Legend." "… And a Maiden saved us all."

Yes, through Ozpin's machinations, the ace student of two different nations had risen up to become a warrior of mythic powers and legendary proportions. Yang thought it smart she had went underground after all the dust settled, with the way the world was now, the Huntress had more targets on her head than bull's-eyes she had sank during competitions. The man himself was said to have died during a confrontation with the criminal Cinder Fall, before the red-headed girl stepped in. Aided by the teacher Glynda Goodwitch, Pyrrha was able to stop the madwoman and lead to her capture by Atlas's cavalry forces. With all due respect, Yang hoped the girl was well rested. It would only be a matter of time before the tribe caught up to her. The blonde would accomplish her mission or die trying, especially if the leader had anything to say about it; and she would.

Having tucked himself into a corner after being summarily ignored, Junior watched Yang rise from the desk and snap open her scroll. "I'll be back; Junior and I expect good news, at the very least progress." She flicked her scroll in his direction and continued for the door. "I've sent you a couple of programs that may help. I shouldn't have doubt you, just given you a little bit more… motivation, eh?" She smiled, humorless and mean and left. Junior didn't even bother checking his device, just headed in the other direction. Cutting through a small staff hallway, Junior hit the backdoor of the club, glancing out of habit to the unlit end of the alley where his car was hidden mostly in the shadows. From behind a soiled dumpster, the man retrieved a plastic baggie holding a half smoked cigar and butane lighter. He had quit smoking regularly years before, a birthday promise to Miltia, when she was still young and sweet.

A silhouette creeping along the wall drew Junior's attention. He put out the stogie and reached into another cubbyhole for his bat. Years of club experience had taught the man to never have a weapon too far from hand. The shadow continued its slow trek towards him, until it finally hit the light and the man could make out a human shape and tattered clothing. Eventually a small, beat-up girl came into full view, head lowered and shoulder so slumped she probably didn't even notice he was there. "Hey", he called out cautiously. It could be a trapped to play on his good nature in an attempt to rob the club, but it would be a bold move to try to hold him up with the place already getting busy in the early evening. "Hey, you there. You ok?"

The girl looked up, wild-eyed and dirty. She squinted, looking in the direction of the voice just outside the range of light. "Help", she managed, before dropping to her knees. Swearing at his luck, the man crossed the alley to the girl's side. In but one shoe and wearing tattered clothing, Junior took pause at what he had assumed was just a stick the girl was using to support herself. At closer inspection, he realized it was a weapon, the red and black metal in far better shape than its owner. A red hobo satchel attached to the end of the pole handle obscured the exact type of weapon but the man was weary nonetheless. "Where am I" the street urchin asked as she was scooped up into Junior's arms, covering his chest with a slimy layer of mud, dust and things he didn't want to identify.

"You're in Vale, kid", he answered, toting her weight with ease back towards the clubs door. When she squirmed, the man tightened his grip slightly, "Easy girly, you asked for help, so you're gonna get it." Through the same hall, Junior moved to his private quarters, a little home away from home if the night had been too hectic and he didn't feel like making the trip back to his own place. "What's your name", he asked, looking around for someplace to risk getting mucked up.

"Ruby", she replied weakly. Set to rest on a wooden ottoman at the end of a day bed, Ruby watched the man begin to unbutton his shirt before disappearing into an attached bathroom. While the ran in the washroom, the girl eyed the small apartment, looking over the pictures with the man who apparently rescued her, two identical twin girls at various ages and other people she did and didn't recognize. Two pictures, one of Yang laughing while shoving some kind of plate of cream into his face and another of him and her Uncle Qrow. Through her foggy memory, Ruby recalled Yang telling of a man she often came into town to talk to, a club owner who had information on any and everything. Figuring her savior to be him, Ruby felt a little safer knowing she had ended up somewhere her sister knew, which meant it was someone who could help her get back to home. She checked her scroll, filthy from her travels and utterly useless as the screen displayed little beyond the date, time and scrambled-signal snow.

Junior stormed back into the room carrying a bottle of water and a plate of food, angrily grumbling under his breath. Behind him, hushed voices followed, which the man was doing his best to ignore as he delivered the items to Ruby. "Ew", a girl said upon entering. She decked out in black leather pants, boots and vest, a white blouse cutting through the darkness, exposing from the shoulders down and her midriff. Green eyes lit with pale makeup settled on Ruby in disgust. "I'm not giving her any of my stuff, Milly you do."

This 'Milly' poked her head into the room, her face and hair a mirror of the other girls except for the blood red feathers sticking up from the back of her head and dangling from her earrings. "I don't know if I have anything that fits", she offered, rather insincerely. Ruby looked down at herself, feeling embarrassed and worn out.

"You two better figure something out", the man barked, moving around the room. He stopped beside Ruby, holding out towels and a large plastic bag. "You can wash up in there", he signaled to the washroom, "and put that stuff… in here". Whatever his relation to was to the girls, they all seemed to have sneers pretty down packed. Ruby nodded and took the stuff, balancing that along with the plate precariously on her lap. The twins glowered at her a little longer before turning swiftly and vanishing back down the hall, followed by Junior. Ruby wolfed down the sandwich and water, not having eaten in who-knew-how-long.

She bathed quickly; feeling relieved and refreshed once all the filth was rinsed off her. She felt bad for leaving the tiny shower so filthy, but with only a towel to wash with and one to dry, she didn't have much choice for cleaning options. Just as she was stepping back into the office, the girls were laying out the clothes they were forced to surrender to the vagrant Huntress. "Oh, here you go", the one in white said, moving a safe distance away from Ruby and the bundle.

The other twin was looking the younger girl over, admitting she cleaned up well and didn't look quite as sketchy now. Upon catching sight of Ruby's ankle, she gently elbowed her sister and nodded in that direction. When Melanie hissed at her in annoyance, Miltia whispered "Look!" Ruby eyed the girls, noting the one in the red leather pants and boots settled mostly for a just a black top, also showing her midriff but showed less arm and tapered off into suit tales in the back. She was glad the clothing seemed to be an acceptable mix of black, white and red, although she mentally questioned the inclusion of a corset.

She grabbed the bundled and huddled into a corner to get dressed while the two girls whispered quietly to themselves. "Hey, what's your name?"

Ruby looked up at the twin in white and offered a smile. "It's Ruby, Ruby Rose." The girl didn't smile back or reply, just placed her hands on her hips and examined her further. As she moved to pull on a stocking, she paused, looking at her ankle. The white scar tissue was still puffed and heavily pronounced, but there hadn't been any pain since it had been cut open. Actually there was no evidence that she had even been cut or spoke to her mother's ghost or reunited with Blake. She did bare many fresh small cuts and bruises, but that was typical fare for a Huntress. Shaking her head, Ruby chocked the whole thing up to a fever dream, it was all too surreal to be true; which did lead to the question of what really did happen and how she ended up in a puddle in the middle of some backwoods village before making it to Vale.

The red one, approached Ruby slowly, almost reverently, and kneeled at her leg. "How did you get that?"

"I don't know", Ruby answered honestly, much to the girls' chagrin.

"Mil, stay with her", the domineering woman said, moving towards the door, "I'm going to make the call."

Miltia glanced back at her sister and nodded. She helped Ruby finishing dressing in silence, her fingers trailing over the eye though the fabric of the stocking then that covered both. "Everything fit ok?" Ruby stood and tested out the clothing. They were roughly her size and style, the black "combat skirt" going well with the blouse. The corset turned out to be a blessing, as it mostly covered the massive cleavage window cut into the blouse. Roses and other red and black accessories brought out a goofy grin in Ruby, who couldn't believe the luck. "I'm Milly, Miltia", the girl said, holding out a small brown backpack. "My sister, Melanie, is very…" she paused for the right word. "Aloof. But she's nice once you get to know her." Offering the bag to Ruby, she added, "Junior said you might need this, you're clothes are pretty much ruined but for your other stuff." Her green eyes flicked to Crescent Rose, still leaning on the edge of the ottoman.

Ruby accepted the bag and moved over to her weapon. Miltia watched as she carefully pulled off the satchel and set it gently on the floor. Ruby unwound her tattered cloak, revealing the clips of ammo she kept on her person dozens of glossy silver shards of glass. When she had awoken, she almost left the mirror fragments on the ground, but a sudden compulsion caused her to gather as much of the glass as she could, cuts aside and keep with her. Surprising the other woman, Ruby flicked her weapon into its blade mode, causing the large scythe to jut wickedly into the air. Satisfied that it was no worse for wear, even minimally dirty, she collapsed the pole and attached it the hold on her belt. With a small flourish she whipped her cloak out and wrapped it at her neck. The cross clasp had been damaged at some point, but a rose pin, likely provided by the equally red-wearing twin worked as a suitable substitute.

Miltia hovered off to the side of the room quietly, watching Ruby who went back to looking over the man's possessions. Both jumped when Junior came flying into the room, his face flushed with emotion and Melanie talking behind him, the sound of her sharp heels echoing on the tile. He paused and looked over Ruby, nodded his approval and turned to Miltia, "What kind of nonsense have you two gotten into?"

Before she could answer, Melanie barged in, "I don't know why you are being so difficult. She means nothing to you, and everything to us. If we present the girl to Sir Black, Her Lady will look upon with favor."

Junior turned on the young woman, large hand balled into a massive fist. "You can drop all that cult shit right now." Melanie merely rolled her eyes, tapping her sharp heel into the carpeted floor. "You agree with this", he asked Miltia, the more sensible sister. The red twin lowered her eyes slightly then raised them, eyes locking with Junior's before she nodded. "Jeez" he groaned. With his unclenched hand, his mussed his hair in thought. Silently he cursed those goddamned Goths who had his girls all messed up in the head and damned whoever was in charge of the so called Fingers. Stepping between the confused huntress and the young women he had practically raised since they were little, Junior asked, already dreading the answer, "And if I say no?"

Miltia moved by her sister's side, and both took an attack posture. "We'll go through you", Melanie replied. Ruby blushed as the man began a string of profanity that put even Qrow to shame. With little for the three of them to really move around, let alone tussle, Junior took a mental inventory of the weapons stashed about. He knew the girls would know where most of them were and would try to stop him for reaching them, but he was smart enough to keep some secrets even from them. He smirked at his chargers and former personal bodyguards as he pressed a button hidden within his cufflink, a silent signal to some of his more trusted men to lock the club down.

The room was eerily still for a moment before all hell broke loose. Melanie attacked first, a leg whipping out in a blur of black and steel. Junior caught the kick and barely managed avoid a swipe from Miltia's claws. Mel kicked with her free leg, her sister moving in tandem, aiming to off-balance their former boss and ward. Junior was forced backwards, almost moving into Ruby who deftly hopped onto his desk out of the way. She didn't know exactly what was going on, but figured enough she was the reason behind the fight and wanted to put space between herself and everyone else. "Sorry", Junior apologized as he caught a distracted Miltia off guard and connecting the back of his fist with her face. Melanie screeched in indignation for her sister, twisting free of Junior's hold and kicking wildly between the man and Huntress. With a push of her Semblence, Ruby launched over the woman's head and maneuvered out the door, rose petals falling in her wake.

Ruby had no idea where to go, and taking a turn she hoped would lead her back to the alley, she ended up on a far side of the club's dance floor. Several startled patrons eyed her, some of the darker clad ones focusing intently on her. Between her leaving to make a call and returning to the office, Melanie had informed several of her friends about Ruby, and her potential importance. Recognizing them as just people, the Huntress in Ruby reacted in mostly defensive moves, parrying grabs and dart just of reach as the cultist moved to grab her. Over the din of music, glass shattering and furniture breaking sounded from elsewhere in the club, as Junior and the Malachite Twins moved their fight to more open space.

Holding his own, Ruby caught sight of the man, but decided against going near him for aid or protection. She leaped to a high beam by the club's ceiling, resting reside a dancing blue-to-red strobe light. The music came to a dead stop when the front doors of the club were blasted open and several men in suits and bowler hats landed across the floor. "Yang?" Ruby whispered to herself in building excite as the blonde left several more men in her wake as she moved deeper into the club. Yellow aura burning, even through the flashing lights, Ruby could see the fires of her sister's fury permeating through the wafts of smoke.

"What the hell is going on here?" the young woman demanded. Her eyes scanned the room, stopping on Junior who was in mid-punch when he froze like a mannequin. "Junior, explain!"

The man began to sputter nervously, the fight deflating from him like a balloon. "Blondie listen…"

"Yang!" a shout from above cut him off. Ruby dropped to the ground and rushed towards her sister, a grin of relief and joy wide across her face. "Oh my goodness, Yang, I'm so glad you're here."

Ruby went for a hug, arms wide and waiting before she was stopped. Lilac eyes gazing her, total confusion on the other woman's face, Yang shook her head and blinked in disbelief. "Who are you", she asked just barely above a whisper.

Ruby's spirit sank at the question. "Yang… it's me… Ruby", she said, trying to keep her composure. Of all she had been through recently, something wrong with Yang was the last thing she needed. "You're sister", she added in a small voice.

Yang stepped back, looking Ruby over, confusion slowly melting into a glower. "No…" was all Ruby managed to hear before a punch slammed square into her chest. Winded and knocked off her feet, the Huntress was but a feather as she flew across the floor, over the bar and into the glass and shelves behind it. With spectral flames bright enough to lit the entire dance floor, Yang positioned herself across from the dazed girl. Only those up close could see the slight glimmer of liquid around her eyes as the blonde balled her fists and jerked her arms, cocking the gauntlets on her wrist. She repeated until it became a shout filling the entire club, "My sister is dead!"