A/N: Alright! Here's the new chapter! Sorry for the long delay- I was dealing with some major writer's block, for no real reason, but here we are! It's a bit shorter than I normally like to post, but you will be seeing these characters again in a chapter and a half. So please be patient with me! With no further ado, here you are!


"Well," Jaune turned, a paper in his hands, "I have bad news, and worse news."

Ren raised an eyebrow towards the blond man. "Oh?"

Sighing dramatically, their leader passed the letter to the other man. Nora peered over his shoulder, chin resting on him. Jaune was still surprised at the ease of which the two fell together after KuroYuri. There had always been a camaraderie, an unspoken connection, between them, even when according to each other they weren't 'together together'. Now that the awkwardness of an unknown quantity that had been their relationship was gone, the comfort of which they moved together couldn't help to bring a smile to his face.

"So, Ruby and Yang are gone?" Nora's voice took on a melancholy note.

"So it would seem," Ren agreed, "despite their uncle telling them not to."

"Pfft." Nora moved, waving a hand dismissively, "yeah, 'uncle'."

All three men in the room turned their head to her. A small sense of dread sunk in Oscar's belly as he heard her words, concerned that he had possibly let it slip, and he tentatively pried.

"What do you mean, Nora?"

A quizzical furrow emerged between her brows as she looked at all three men.

"What?" When no one responded to her, she raised her brows in surprise. "Really? You guys think he's just Ruby's uncle?"

Ren nodded, and Jaune spoke out. "What reasons would he have to hide being anything else?"

The strawberry headed girl's jaw jutted forward, a single brow still raised. "Uh, tons?"

A tug on Jaune's lips pulled one side down. "Like what?"

"Like, I don't know- his semblance? Did you guys not see how he talked to Ruby about that?" She glanced back and forth between the two men. Both wore matching perplexed expressions.

She sighed, deflating, before going forward on her rant.

"Well, who knows why? Maybe something happened, or there's a reason why he didn't tell her. But, come on! They're both the only scythe users I've ever heard of, they are really close, did you not see the way he looks after her? And how she looked after him? And besides, do you really think Yang and Ruby actually look alike?"

"I don't know, Nora." The dark haired man shrugged.

"Seems like you're reaching to me." Jaune shook his head.

"Well, fine!" Nora threw her hands up at them, before placing them on her hips. "If it turns out that I'm right, you guys will owe me!"

The blond haired man rolled his eyes, but Ren spoke up. "Owe you what?"

Hands still on hips, she cocked a hip to the side. "Oh, I don't know! Nothing major... erm... how about... your special pancakes?"

Ren's brows shot up even as his lips pulled down, showing surprise.

"That could be arranged, if needed." He turned to their leader. "According to Ruby's letter, we should be able to meet up with Weiss and her sister at Haven."

"Yeah, I saw that. Let's get ready so we can start our trek up to the school."


With a sense of pride filling her chest, Winter Schnee rocked back on to her heels, even as a small smile pulled at one corner of her lips. Gazing up at the glowing monolith, the older woman spoke, her words surprisingly warm.

"I must say, Weiss, this is quite the improvement. You said that you were able to perfect your summons while in Atlas?"

The younger woman nodded vigorously, her side ponytail swaying after. "Yes! Once I figured out how to summon him," she pointed a finger towards the glowing suit of armor, "I decided that it was time to leave."

Receiving a nod from Winter, the younger woman dismissed her summoned guardian, and it dissolved like ice in the summer sun. Lastly, the glyph faded with it's final vestiges. Turning, she followed her sister as the Atlas Specialist moved out of the sun and into the cooler darkness of her ship. Reaching the cargo bay, far from sight of any observer, Weiss watched as her sister's demeanor shifted, her shoulders stooping, head bowing, and her arms hanging loosely at her side. When she turned to her, the young woman was surprised to see the dark circles under her sister's eyes.

"Weiss." The Specialist paused, her tired eyes looking away. Sighing, she closed her eyes for a count, and when reopening them, met the huntress-in-training's eyes directly. "I am both very proud and overjoyed to see you."

"You don't … look … overjoyed."

Her eyes dropped for a moment. Regathering her will, she drew herself straighter, and brought her gaze to meet the ice blue of the younger's eyes.

"I am. I am also very tired. And … worried."

"About what?"

"Frankly, you."

"Me?" Weiss' voice rose slightly, but she paused to allow her sister to continue.

"Yes. You have made a choice that, while brave, will have many repercussions. Ones that I'm not sure you have even considered."

The younger woman's eyes narrowed.

"Like?"

"Have you considered what going home will now cost you?"

"Everything." She responded without pause. This was a subject she knew well.

"Very good. And while you say that, let me ask you: what if you were to hear of Klein, that he was no longer a butler in our father's household due to your actions?"

Weiss' eyes bugged, as again her voice raised.

"What?"

A hand held up to her, paused her panic.

"That is not something that I have heard, but it is very possible to occur, if the news were to reach Father. What will you do then, Weiss? Will you stop what you are doing to make certain of his care? Or will you continue in your goal? This is just one possible result from your actions. There will be others you can never predict." Her steady eyes faltered, and as her gaze shifted away, Winter's voice softened. "There always are."

The younger woman dropped her own eyes to study her hands as they clutched to each other at her waist. A small voice whispered from her.

"Do- do you think I made the right choice?"

The smokey blues of Winter's eyes snapped up to her sister, and as she drew herself up, she spoke once more with confidence.

"Absolutely."

Her words were welcomed by a genuine smile on her sister's face. As Weiss moved to speak, a tentative voice she had never expected echoed into the reaches of her sister's ship.

"Weiss?"

Whipping around and moving towards the entry hatch, she rounded the corner to identify the visitors, her sister hot on her tail, sword drawn.

"Jaune?!"


A/N2: Here's a piece of exciting news for those of you who followed this chapter to the end... There's something to help with the shortness of this scene... If you follow either me (RideBoldlyRide) or (Elleusive) on Tumblr, there's a special comic that my friend is doing of a scene in the upcoming chapter!

I'm super excited about this, since this scene is one that I've had in my head since I started plotting this story, and I KNOW that Elle is going to do an amazing job! If you don't follow Tumblr, I'll do my best to find a way to link it on the next chapter. The next chapter will be published a few days after the comic is done, so if you really want a sneak peak, the best way is to follow either of us on Tumblr!

Thanks again to all who have followed, faved, and reviewed this story! You guys keep me inspired and honest, and I wouldn't be anywhere as close to as prolific as I am if it weren't for you all.