Hello everyone! Thank you all so much for your understanding with regards to the new update schedule; it's done wonders for my morale. These last two weeks have been quite productive. I've written a few things for the end arc and came up with a large amount of ideas to get us there. So. Excited.
Oh, and the RWBY sub-Reddit has been invaded by Grimm, apparently. Don't worry, you're safe here. No April first shenanigans can harm you within the warm embrace of Penumbra.
As a reward for your incredible patience, have this fifteen-page monstrosity, filled with fluff and plot! Fluffy-plot? Plot-fluff? Yes, one of those.
What's this? A new challenger approaches!?
I think it's high time we saw the rest of Team RWBY, don't you? Nigh is the time of madness and disdain!
"I believed in the world right in front of me. But now, along these empty streets, where this curse haunts these memories of a woman and all she's lost..."
"No time to think about it. No room to breathe."
Weiss' hand languished on the XO quarters door switch, grumbling as the scanner processed its new owner's biometrics. "Come on, you self-important piece of garbage... I'm tired," she complained in exasperation.
As if sensing its impending doom, the device responded jovially in a soft, female voice, "Identity recognized Schnee, Weiss. Hunter credentials confirmed. Access granted." The door slid open with a typical Atlesean hiss.
"...Finally!" Weiss sighed, shuffling into the room and immediately discarding her coat, hat and rapier haphazardly, not caring where they landed in her rush to greet the bed she knew the room contained. The compartment's relatively Spartan appointment didn't bother her in the slightest, nor did the standard-pattern gray and blue military furniture or paint scheme. All that mattered was the fluffy and surprisingly luxurious king-size bed nestled next to the XO's personal picture viewport, a pane of reinforced glass which stretched from wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling.
Weiss removed her scroll from her pants pocket and tossed it halfway across the room with a stabilizing spin. The device landed on the waiting pillows with a thud as she stripped out of her formal business attire, adding to the growing pile of discarded personal effects. Clad now only in her soft sports-type bra and form-fitting training shorts, she hastily flung the stark white covers and threw herself into the bed's soft embrace with a scandalous moan.
She smiled as she sighed pleasurably, "the privileges of Rank... I could get used to this... No Father. No SDC. Just a comfortable bed on a warship far away from the Capital, not knowing what tomorrow will bring." Weiss chuckled to herself lightly as images of Doctor Oobleck asking them why they chose to be Huntresses flashed to mind. "Maybe Yang was on to something..." Weiss mused to the three-AM darkness while moonlight replaced dimming artificial.
It felt so long ago, their trip to Mountain Glenn. Looking back at it now, Weiss realized that's when it all had changed, that their fight on the train heralded Beacon's end. The end of the life she never knew she'd wanted so badly, filled with close confidants and true family.
Family.
People you'd do anything for without a second's hesitation. People who'd you'd give up everything to protect.
Weiss's face fell to a frown as she curled up under the downy comforter, shaking her head twice as it sank into the pillows. That life was gone now, replaced by the realities of war. "Hard to believe it was only a month and a half ago... So much has changed..." She spoke despondently, tears forming in her eyes. "Yang, Blake, Ruby. I miss you all."
Her hand reached upward, intent on sliding beneath the pillow's cool underside. She jumped when it impacted a cool, metal object. Her Scroll.
Her working Scroll.
Sleep could wait.
Weiss lay back against her headboard, stifling a yawn as she pulled the Scroll into its tablet form. Quick, excited taps summoned her contacts menu and Ruby's personalized icon, featuring said brunette smiling ear-to-ear as she pulled a blushing, reluctant heiress into the selfie's frame. Weiss swiped her finger right and watched the Scroll respond dutifully.
Calling Ruby Rose...
The device trilled out a simple ditty, ringing on happily as Weiss' anxiety increased with each unanswered second. "Common, Ruby. I know its late, but please pick up..."
Her prayers to the gods of technology didn't go unanswered. Her device's screen flicked to life, revealing a messy-haired, half asleep, pajama clad Ruby removing her blindfold while muttering unhappily.
"Ugh... it can't be morning yeeeeeeeeet... I just got to bed..." Ruby moaned toward her device, apparently having answered the call via muscle memory. It wasn't until she brought the Scroll nearer to her face that she realized it wasn't her alarm. Her eyes narrowed skeptically, "...Weiss?"
"Hello, Ruby. Sorry to wake you," Weiss snarked through an amused smile.
Ruby's brow shot straight to her forehead as she vaulted upright, nearly falling off her bed. "WEISS!" She half-shouted excitedly before a squee escaped. "Ohmygosh! Howareyou? IsAtlasok? What'veyoubeenupto? IstheCCTbackup? Did ya miss me, didyamissme!?" Ruby rattled off within a second, as if her semblance was powering her voice instead of her legs.
Weiss laughed softly through an ear-splitting grin. "One at a time, dolt," she responded fondly. "To answer the most important question first, yes, I miss you. Why else would I call you at three in the morning?"
Ruby calmed as her grin broadened. "I knew I'd grow on ya," she chided with mock cockiness.
Weiss' smile softened, becoming more affectionate. She responded in a hush, warmth flooding her voice, "you've certainly done that... Funny, it's only been two weeks since we were last together, yet somehow it feels like a lifetime."
Ruby's mouth moved to match her teammate's as her eyes watered. She reached over to her nightstand, retrieving a small, jeweled object, cradling it lovingly as she showed it to her white-haired friend. "I wish you'd could've called a couple hours sooner, that way you could've seen me wearing it... I wear it every day, Weiss. It's comforting having a small piece of you here with me."
Ice Queen defrosted completely as her smile grew and two tears fell. "You have no idea how much that means to me, Ruby," she choked out happily. After a few dopey-eyed moments, her voice regained some normalcy. "I would have called sooner, had I been able, but I just got the CCT back up about two hours ago. It has been a... long day."
"You do look tired, Weiss" Ruby cocked her head to the right like an overgrown puppy. "Wait, you got the CCT back up?" She asked disbelievingly.
Weiss rolled her eyes slightly, "yes, I believe I just said that. This is likely the first call sent through my newly-minted Ghost CCT." Noticing her friend's confused expression, she elaborated, "I suppose I should explain..."
Ruby listened, enraptured with her friend's harrowing tale. The excitable brunette wore her emotions on her sleeve, as always, face shifting from polite boredom through wide-eyed worry and smirking, smug satisfaction as Weiss spun her story, explaining her project at the SDC and the ambush that had occurred just hours ago. By the time Weiss had finished, Ruby wore a content smile.
"Wow, Weiss... You have had a long day!" Ruby's excited tone shifted to worry, "people really tried to assassinate you? Are you really holding up ok?"
Weiss nodded. "I'm okay, Ruby, really. I regret having to..." She paused, hesitating briefly as she broke from Ruby's gaze, "kill them, but there's nothing I can do about that now."
Ruby nodded as her brow furrowed, "alright Weiss. I know your sis said she'd be there for you if you need help. I'll be here too, if you'd rather talk to me..." Ruby finished sheepishly.
"Thanks, Ruby," Weiss answered with another soft smile. Noticing the mood threatening to become melancholic, Weiss changed the subject. "Well, that's what I've been doing. I'm curious as to what you've been up to while I was sitting in an office staring at code."
Ruby waved her hand dismissively while her eyes gained a mischievous look. "Nothing nearly as exciting as what you've been doing. I've just been training with Uncle Qrow." Ruby's stare narrowed accusingly, "he mentioned you two fought together at Beacon."
Weiss blushed slightly at the mention while her eyes diverted guiltily. "Well, yes, we did." She continued in a rush, "We... may have used White Rose. I'm sorry, Ruby! I know you wanted to be the first to try it, but there were so many Grimm. It was the best way to deal with them." She looked up to find Ruby's large, smug grin filling the screen.
"I told ya it'd work," she said, matter-of-fact.
Weiss groaned halfheartedly "You're starting to take after your sister," she mumbled before deflecting the current course of the conversation. "You mentioned training. Are you working on new Scythe techniques?"
Ruby shook her head minutely, "not exactly." The brunette hopped out of frame slightly, looking around her room as if searching for an overbearing parent. "Dad gets mad when I do this in the house, so not a word, ok Weiss?"
The heiress' expression narrowed in confusion. "Not a word about what, Ruby? You're not going to destroy your house, are you?"
"Probably not!" Ruby beamed back. "Watch this." Ruby closed her eyes and focused, pulling forth a bit of the power before opening her eyes again.
Weiss' mouth dropped open as Ruby's moonlit eyes and gently waving hair greeted her. "What. How. I have so many questions," Weiss responded flatly, uncharacteristically a bit lost for words.
"Pretty cool, huh?" Ruby said smugly. "That's not even the best part, check this out..." Concentrating, Ruby brought a few motes of light to life in an open palm. A small, brilliantly white rose blossom formed over the course of half a minute, coming to rest nestled gently in Ruby's small hand. "A flower for you, Snow Angel," she cooed with overly exaggerated romanticism. She held her comely expression for, perhaps, five seconds before being overcome by laughter at her own antics.
Weiss blushed furiously, hiding her face with her hand as she joined in Ruby's laughter. "Dolt..." she said, embarrassed Her eyes flicked back to her leader's as she saved a screenshot of the smiling brunette and the wonderfully crafted lunar rose. "It's beautiful, Ruby."
Ruby's laughter subsided, smile returning to prominence "Thanks, Weiss! Uncle Qrow said I should practice making stuff with it, so I decided to make roses! Predictable, huh?"
"Very," Weiss snarked before becoming serious. "Ruby, where'd you get these abilities from? It doesn't seem related to your Semblance."
Her partner's face fell to a sad smile as the moonlight retreated. "I didn't get them so much as discovered them. Dad and Uncle Qrow say I inherited them from mom." Ruby closed her eyes, visibly stiffening as tears formed. "They showed up after... after I saw Pyrrha die. I was so angry, Weiss. She was just kneeling there, helpless. No weapons or Aura, and Cinder just smiled and executed her!" Tears flowed freely from silver orbs as she asked, "Why? Why'd she have to kill her? She'd already won, Weiss! Pyrrha... didn't deserve to die like that..."
Weiss' expression shifted early in the conversation, smile inverting while ice-blue eyes watered. Sadly, she responded, "I don't know, Ruby..."
A moment of silence past as the two girls considered their place in the growing darkness. Weiss spoke first, resolve hardening her icy gaze borne on memories of lives ruined and friends lost.
"But I'll tell you something. We're Huntresses. Warriors. I don't plan on letting Cinder get away with any of this. We'll avenge them, Ruby. We have to."
Ruby's silver morphed into grayed steel, meeting her friend's glacier-hard blue. "For Penny, Pyrrha, and all the other lives lost." Ruby sighed as her resolve ebbed, continuing in a small voice, "it's all gone to shit, hasn't it?"
Weiss hesitated briefly, shocked at Ruby's uncharacteristic curse. "It really has, Ruby... So much has changed so quickly..."
"We lost everything in half a day... Beacon, Penny, Pyrrha... and our team. We're all split up... Some leader I turned out to be," Ruby lamented, crestfallen.
The Detective cursed their separation, wanting to reach out to either wrap the girl in a comforting hug or shake some sense into her. "We'll come back from this, Ruby, all of us. Even Blake will come back." Weiss let a bemused snort escape, "with how she was holding Yang's hand on the docks, I'm surprised she left at all."
Ruby shook her head. "It's not Blake I'm worried about. I know why she left. She's afraid the White Fang will target us to get at her, so she did the only thing she could think of to keep us safe. She left." Ruby rolled her eyes in exasperation, "she's an idiot, but I can understand why she'd react the way she did."
"That's... surprisingly insightful, Ruby," Weiss muttered, shocked at her leader's age-defying wisdom. "Who are you worried about, then, if not Blake? I assure you, I'm doing fine, assassination attempts notwithstanding."
"I'm less worried about you now that we're talking," Ruby confided with a smile before her shoulders slumped downward. "I guess I'm a little worried about Jaune, Ren, and Nora after what happened, but they have each other to lean on... Mostly, though, I'm worried about Yang. She's not herself, Weiss..."
Weiss nodded in understanding, "She did just loose an arm, Ruby. I'm sure that's getting to her a bit."
The brunette shook her head, "It's not just her arm, Weiss. Sure, that's probably part of it, but she seems so broken... She's hardly left her bed in the last two weeks. She just sits there staring out her window. I went to talk to her when I woke up after everything..." Ruby's tears returned in earnest as she explained through increasingly powerful sobs, "she said... she said she didn't care that Blake left. T-t-then I-I-I told h-her I l-loved her, and s-she didn't s-say a-a-anything back..."
Weiss paled and brought a hand to her mouth, shocked. "Oh gods, Ruby... I'm so sorry," she consoled. The Detective's mind drifted as her friend tried to fight down wracking sobs, disbelief quickly replaced by concern and anger. "How could she?" Weiss half-shrieked, voice harsh and accusatory, shouting with flashing eyes. "The Yang I knew would never do something like that, especially to you."
"See what I mean? This isn't like her! What am I suppose to do, Weiss? We have to help..." Ruby begged, desperate.
The heiress sighed, rage retreating at Ruby's words while concern for her wounded friend grew. "I don't know what we can do to help her emotional state..." Weiss trailed off as an idea bloomed to life. A crazy, long-shot of an idea. "But I may have a way to help with her missing arm..."
Ruby's mood brightened instantly. "Really!? What is it? Whatisit!?"
Weiss' mood lifted at her partner's ridiculous excitability "Let me talk to someone tomorrow. I may have an 'in' with someone well versed in cybernetics," she said with a wink. "For now, though, I think we should both get some rest. I promise I'll call tomorrow once I have details."
Ruby pouted through her new frown, "Aww... we have to stop talking already?"
"We won't be able to get anything done tomorrow if we don't, Ruby," Weiss replied with equal reluctance.
"Okay... spoilsport..." Ruby muttered before palm against the screen, covering half of Weiss' view. "Until tomorrow?"
Weiss matched Ruby's gesture, placing her own hand on Ruby's virtual one. "Until tomorrow." Weiss smiled fondly toward the silver eyed girl opposite, "and, Ruby? Thank you for the rose... No one's ever given me a flower before, and definitely not one made of such gorgeous light."
Ruby blushed brightly in response before responding in a small voice, "you're welcome, Snow Angel... Sweet dreams, Weiss."
"Sweet dreams, Ruby," she responded, smiling sadly before the screen flicked back into darkness.
Sighing, she folded the device and laid it next to her pillow, flopping herself onto the soft, welcoming white cloud soon after. Sleep came easy, her mind calmed by black and crimson framed silver and impossibly bright grins.
Weiss awoke to rich orange light filtering through her massive window accompanied by a warm, automated voice wafting through her cabin.
"Good morning, Miss Schnee. The time is currently 1100 hours, Atlas Standard. Weather forecasts for today predict mostly clear skies with calm winds from the north. Please note that breakfast is still being served in the officer's lounge for the next thirty minutes."
She groaned audibly. "It's still to early, you ridiculous waste of processing power..." The detective rolled to face the window, pulling the covers up higher before reluctantly opening her itchy eyes.
The sight that greeted her forced all breath from her body in a sharp gasp.
Winter had always described the Northern Mountain as impossibly beautiful, waxing on and on about pastel hues and rich, perpetual, prismatic snow. Now, faced with the unrelenting beauty of the thirty-thousand foot peak bathed in the bight orange and purple from the crisp beginnings of a winter sunrise, she couldn't help but think her sister's descriptions could never hope to convey reality's majesty The mountain before her appeared more painting than physical manifestation, with picture-perfect white clouds shifting sunlight shades darker as they drifted lazily. The snow itself bounced a rainbow of colors across the wilderness, spraying brilliance everywhere and making the mountain sparkle like an immense diamond.
Weiss watched the sunrise, content to skip breakfast. "I suppose this was worth waking for..." She whispered, awed.
Once orange had faded to bright white, she slid out of bed and headed for her shower, gathering her discarded clothing on the way. She hummed peacefully to herself as warm water greeted her skin, echoing a melody in the small military restroom. "Red like roses fills my dreams and leads me to the place you rest..." Weiss sung softly, muted by falling rain. The rest of her leader's favorite song drifted secretly from her lips as she completed her morning routine, bringing a smile at the thought of Ruby doing the same back at Beacon. The melody lasted just long enough for her to button her blouse and sheathe Myrtenaster.
Dressed and ready, she called up General Ironwood's name in her scroll and sent a text.
General, there's something I would like to discuss. Do you have a few minutes to meet with me this morning, please?
The General's reply was immediate, almost suspiciously so. Had he been waiting for her to contact him?
Certainly, Miss Schnee, I've scheduled today as Leave to reward my crew for their hard work. I'm sending you a map to my office and keying your biometrics for access. Please feel free to stop by any time.
Weiss' mouth twisted in relief as she replied just as quickly.
I will be by shortly, General. Thank you.
She wasted no time, leaving the comfortable room hastily while calling up the General's map on her Scroll. The directions proved easy to follow, guiding her unerringly through tight, clean corridors directly to the upper level command deck. A five minute walk later and she was rewarded by the door to Ironwood's office. The increasingly all too familiar voice trilled out as she pressed her palm to the General's biometric scanner.
"Identity recognized. Schnee, Weiss. Access Granted."
Ironwood greeted her with a warm smile as she entered his well-appointed office space. "Good morning, Miss Schnee. Did you enjoy the sunrise this morning?" He asked with uncharacteristic enthusiasm.
Weiss nodded in response. "I most certainly did, General. It was... breathtaking," she replied as she took a seat in the plush, brown leather office chair opposite the General.
"I'm glad, Miss Schnee. I must apologize for scheduling your wake-up call so early, considering your eventful evening. Once I saw the weather report, however, I decided I couldn't deny you the experience."
The detective chuckled lightly. "I admit, I wasn't... pleased initially, but the view definitely made up for the rude awakening." She took in his growing grin while observing the office around her, her own amusement growing. "It seems we share similar tastes in decor, General," she teased lightly.
Ironwood's eyebrows twitched upward, "how so, Miss Schnee?"
Weiss swept her hands around the room. "The golden-brown wooden wall paneling, the bright carpet, the fireplace. All so distinctly atypical of Atlas, wouldn't you say?"
The General nodded, "I've always found our stereotypical color scheme to be unnecessarily clinical. I take it you approve of my selections?"
"It reminds me of my own office, General, " she responded warmly. "Well, other than the bright blue carpet. Mine's deep red. What a color disaster, Sir..." She snarked, sighing dramatically.
Ironwood laughed throatily before speaking. "You're significantly more forward than your sister was initially, Miss Schnee. Please, feel free to use my first name when its just the three of us. No need to keep up military bearing among officers in private."
Weiss brightened at the liberty granted her. "Thank you, James. You may call me Weiss, as well. I'm not nearly as formal as my father would have you believe."
"You share that trait with your sister, believe it or not," he replied while reclining in his own chair. "So, Weiss, what is it that you'd like to discuss? I doubt you've come just for some conversation with an old man."
Her mood shifted serious immediately. "I would like to ask another favor of you. A favor regarding one of my teammates." Weiss leaned forward in her chair as she continued, "I know you've already granted me a huge one by allowing me to add my team to the strained CCT network, which I appreciate more than I could ever describe, James."
Ironwood mirrored her sudden mood shift, drawing his own thoughts to business "What favor would you ask? I trust you would not come to me unless it was a serious matter."
"It's about as serious a matter as I can think of." Weiss sighed as sadness crept into her voice. "One of my teammates and friends, Yang Xaio-Long, lost her arm during the battle at Beacon when she attempted to save my other teammate, Blake Belladonna, from harm at the hands of, I assume, the leader of the White Fang's attack."
Ironwood's expression became downcast as he interrupted. "Adam Taurus... she's lucky she's alive, Miss Schnee. He's a match for your sister in skill."
Weiss winced at the description before continuing. "I spoke with her sister last night. Yang's... not taken the events at Beacon well. According to Ruby, she's become a recluse and morose, hardly ever leaving her room and denying feelings she clearly still has." She motioned toward Ironwood's mechanical arm. "I was hoping there was something you could do to help her, considering your experience with cybernetics."
Ironwood nodded thoughtfully. "I assume she's still in Vale?"
"She is. Ruby and Yang are both currently staying at their family home in Patch."
With a final nod, Ironwood answered. "Very well, Miss Schnee. I'll make preparations for departure beginning tomorrow. You should speak with your sister about retrieving your personal effects from your manor, as I'm putting in a requisition to have you assigned to me as a consultant for the duration of this war."
Weiss mouth dropped open, aghast "We're actually going back to Vale, just to fix Yang's arm?"
Ironwood chuckled seriously. "She clearly needs someone experienced in this matter to talk to, Weiss," he chided while tapping his metallic arm. "There's no facility better equipped for cybernetic augmentation than The Yggdrasil, and she deserves the best, don't you think?"
Weiss responded instinctively, "of course she does!"
Ironwood stood and pulled the detective out of her seat with an offered hand, "besides, I have some sensitive business I need to see to in Vale. This is an excellent pretense for my return. Come, we have much to take care of if we're to depart in a timely manner."
"Lead the way, General."
Ruby Rose flicked in and out of existence, wearing an enormous grin as her shining sword sent straw an burlap flying through the air. In the three days since Weiss had told her the good news, she'd set a new personal record for the number of training dummies destroyed in such a short time frame She had to work off her excitement somehow.
"Weiss is gonna be here today!" She thought as a small squee escaped.
A whim summoned the power, overclocking her semblance as she dashed forward and severed the head of dummy number four-hundred and sixty-seven with a sliding pirouette. Three more quickly followed in its wake, rent asunder by Ruby's whip-crack cuts.
Tai-Yang groaned audibly from his vantage point on the porch as three hours work disappeared in three seconds. "Oh common, Ru! Can't you hold back a little? They're dummies, not Grimm!"
Ruby paused for a second, laughing innocently as her shining eyes found her father. "But I am holding back, Dad!" She called out sarcastically before dashing off in a flurry of petals and eviscerating four more scarecrows, succeeding in drawing uproarious laughter from her watchful Uncle.
"She got you good with that one, Tai." Qrow mocked while wiping a mirthful tear from his eye.
Tai-Yang buried his head in his hands, muffling his voice. "You're not helping, Qrow..."
Qrow smirked as he poked his old teammate in the side. "Not trying to help."
"You two will be the death of me," Tai lamented, playing up the drama deliberately. "She's blown through a whole year's worth of Signal dummies in three days! I have to replace all those before term starts back up, you know."
"Relax Tai, you know as well as I do that there's no way school will start back up before the capital's Grimm infestation gets dealt with." Qrow clapped his friend on the shoulder. "Common, doesn't it make you feel better to see how well she's handling this? Sum' didn't have that kind of control until third year."
Tai sighed proudly, "You're right about that, Qrow. She's still my Little Ru, always so damn upbeat despite all the shit that gets thrown her way." The blonde's head fell slightly, remembering the days before he and his second love moved to Patch's countryside. "Watching her out there, using that sword? Almost makes me think Sum' never left. She's a natural, but I'm worried about how she'll handle it there," he said, waving a hand flippantly toward the rest of Remnant in general. "You know why Sum' and I moved way out here."
Qrow took a drought from his flask. "Yea, I know Tai. I'll ease her into it. Take her closer and closer to the city while we train. Hopefully that'll be enough."
"Yea..." Tai-Yang managed, despondent.
"I'll keep an eye on her, Tai. Just like always." Qrow comforted, squeezing his friend's forearm lightly. "Besides, you've got the angsty Sun Dragon to worry about. For once, you've got the hard job."
Another groan escaped Tai-Yang, "Isn't that the truth... Why couldn't either of them have taken after me instead of their moms? Yang might as well be Rave'-mark-two with how she's acting"
"How do you know they haven't? Both Ru and Yang seem awfully close to their partners," Qrow teased.
Tai-Yang shook his head. "Do you have to bring that up every time we talk about Rave' and Sum'?"
Qrow held up his hands mockingly, "I'm just saying, how many Beacon students managed to get with not one, but two of their teammates? The Xaio-Long genes had to go somewhere with those two."
"You're not helping again, Qrow."
Qrow continued the teasing mercilessly, pointing suggestively at himself. "Sure you don't want to complete the set? I'm sure it'd set some sort of Beacon record."
"For the love of Oum... I'll never live that drunken fiasco down," Tai moaned as he facepalmed again, remembering the night he made an inebriated pass at Qrow during senior year.
"Not till the day I die, Tai." Qrow looked toward the horizon and whistled in mock awe. Elbowing the distracted Tai-Yang in the ribs, he pointed and snarked. "Hey, you know what else probably won't help? That."
Tai-Yang paled as The Yggdrasil breached the fall overcast covering Patch, reflecting auburn leaves and green hills along its polished chrome hull. Its long range dust engines whined a basso note as the dreadnought shifted to a hover. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me..."
A loud, excited squee interrupted Tai's astonished reaction. "She's HERE!" Ruby yelled as she jumped thirty feet into the air, celebrating her best friend's return to Vale. She redirected mid flight in a flurry of crimson and white before zipping nigh-invisibly between the remaining twenty dummies. Straw humanoids exploded dramatically as she worked off nervous energy.
"Now there's an Atleasean dreadnought parked over my house. And not just any dreadnought, the gods-damned flagship," Tai-Yang despaired to the heavens. "This can only end well."
"Always with the melodrama," Qrow remarked. "Common, what's the worst that could happen?"
Sarcasm laced Tai-Yang's reply thickly, "oh, I dunno How about a peasant uprising complete with torches and pitchforks? You know what everyone saw happen in the capital, Qrow. I don't wanna have to rebuild this house again, it was bad enough the first time." Tai poked his friend in the chest. "You still owe me for showing Yang how burn dust works."
"Relax, Tai. It'll be fine." Qrow answered, amused, as the Yggdrasil disgorged The Swallow's Lament. The corvette floated elegantly toward Tai's former garden, which apparently now served as a makeshift landing pad for every visiting ship. "Oh good, Ice Queen's here too. This should be fun."
"I can't tell if you're actually pleased or just being sarcastic, Qrow, and that worries me." Tai-Yang's voice dropped to a whisper as Qrow hauled him to his feet and lead the way toward the landing zone, "my poor tomatoes..."
Winter's corvette landed softly with nary a whisper, barely sinking into the soft earth as its exit ramp opened. Weiss began her walk down the gangway before it had even finished opening, wearing an uncharacteristically bright smile along with her favorite skirted coat, lovingly deemed "Snowpea" by her friends despite her protests. She waved happily at the approaching Tai-Yang and Qrow before hearing a noise which brought both joy and dread.
"WEISS!" Ruby shouted among her carnage, swirling into a rose-petal powered tornado and flying toward the increasingly worried-looking heiress.
"Oh gods... Ruby n- UNF!" Weiss exclaimed as the friend-seeking supersonic missile that was Ruby Rose found its target and tackle-hugged the white-haired girl, knocking them both into the soft grass.
"It's so good to seeeee you!" Ruby squee'd excitedly, tightening her hug around her precious friend and refusing to leave her position on top of the heiress.
"I'm wearing white, you dunce..." Weiss whispered affectionately, resigning herself to her fate. She wrapped her arms around her leader tightly while watery eyes closed. "It's good to see you too, Ruby." The pair remained in their strange embrace, silently lost to the world while relishing in the close comfort absent for weeks. Weiss brought a hand up, running slender fingers gently through Ruby's hair as she pulled the girl closer. "I missed you," she whispered longingly into Ruby's ear.
Ruby responded with a massive smile and a slight blush, tightening her grip appreciatively in return. The reaper turned her head minutely, allowing Weiss' fingers to run along her former hairpin's resting place inside brunette locks. "Missed you more," she whispered back.
Winter's soft cough shocked them back to reality, embrace loosening as Ruby drew back. Both girls blushed fiercely as Ruby muttered, "oops," eliciting sheepish, embarrassed laughter from Weiss. Ruby stood quickly, hauling her teammate upwards by the hand as red faded from their faces, leaving only smiles in its wake. The brunette turned to regard an affectionately smiling Winter and the amused looking General.
"Thank you both for coming," she began formally before her endearing demeanor returned, "it really means a lot to me that you came all this way to help my sister. You don't even know her..." Ruby teared up slightly, moved by the kind gesture. "Just... thanks," she managed.
Winter nodded gracefully as Ironwood responded warmly, "Think nothing of it, Miss Rose. You did Atlas a great service by destroying my compromised ship. I think it's only right that I return the favor."
Ruby brought a hand up to stroke her hair hesitantly, "well... technically a Gryphon destroyed your ship... I just, kind of... kicked it a bit in the right direction..."
Ironwood laughed at her admission. "Be that as it may, Miss Rose, if you didn't take it upon yourself to deal with my ship, things would have turned out far worse for everyone. For that, you have my thanks."
Ruby nodded slowly as Qrow and Tai-Yang reached the landing site. "Jimmy. Snow Angel. Little Snow Angel." Qrow deadpanned, nodding to each in turn while drawing an angry blush from Winter.
"Qrow." Ironwood replied equally.
"Mr. Branwen," Winter said formally, mild frustration lacing her voice as Weiss simply nodded once toward the dusty corvus.
"Tai, these stuffy military types are General James Ironwood, commander of the Atlas military and colleague of Ozpin, and Winter Schnee, sister to Weiss over there. Everyone, this is Tai-Yang Xaio-Long, resident womanizer and designated Grimm magnet of the now defunct team STRQ." Qrow introduced.
"Hey! Common Qrow, it wasn't that bad..." Tai-Yang protested.
Addressing his pouting friend, Qrow snarked, "keep telling yourself that, buddy." The corvid turned his head back to the Atleasean entourage, "he's also the father of one Yang Xaio-Long, currently occupied with being an emotional, woe-is-me, shut-in of a teenager after loosing her arm to a particularly edgy faunus bastard."
"A pleasure, Mr. Xaio-Long," Ironwood answered. "May we go inside? We have a lot to discuss regarding your daughter's treatment."
"Sure, follow me." Tai replied, leading them toward the quaint home with a casual wave. "I'll be honest, General, this is more help than I'd expected. I'm beyond grateful"
"I thought it best for me to come in person. Your daughter needs more than just a replacement arm, I believe."
Tai-Yang sighed, "you've got that right, General. She's a wreck."
"We'll do our best, I assure you," Ironwood comforted.
Ruby and Weiss stuck to the back of the group, content to walk together in silence close enough to brush shoulders. They allowed the adults to wander ahead, giving themselves some privacy while drowning out the medical talk threatening to engulf their reunion. Weiss reached out and squeezed Ruby's hand, drawing the brunette's attention.
"Ruby, where's Yang?" She asked, voice quiet and serious.
Ruby's brow knit together skeptically as she pointed toward the guest room window and the muted golden mane within. "In the guest room, why?"
Weiss' eyes narrowed with repressed anger. "I think it's time she and I had a heart-to-heart."
Yang Xaio-Long watched the entire exchange from her window, disconnected from the reality playing before her. The window might as well have been a screen, broadcasting some poorly-written, sickeningly sweet afternoon romance to a much more mature audience, failing utterly to elicit any emotional reaction from the jaded watcher. Her heart matched her dim hair and desaturated eyes, completely dead to the world, feeling nothing.
Nothing except utter, crushing emptiness.
She wished she could feel something. Happiness for her sister and friend, reunited after weeks separated. Contentment at seeing Qrow and her Dad interact like used to in the old days before Summer died. Sadness for friends lost, or heartbreak for... her, the raven-haired faunus she'd almost given everything for the chance to save. Hell, even anger at the shit life she kept being dealt would be welcome.
Instead, nothing stirred, even when she heard her door open and shut, signaling a friend's entrance to her little private domain. She turned her head slowly, gray-lilac eyes drifting reluctantly to the concerned and angry looking heiress opposite.
"Have you come to tell me it's gonna be alright, too, Weiss?" Yang asked flatly, almost mockingly.
Weiss' glacier eyes narrowed dangerously as she stomped across the room with balled fists.
"What's the matter, Weissy? Too harsh?" Yang spat before stars filled her vision.
Weiss brought her left hand around in a powerful, open palmed slap, twisting her hips and stepping forward to throw all her practiced power into the strike. Her attack connected forcefully with Yang's left cheek, laying the brawler out prone two feet further down the bed and leaving a perfect Weiss-sized hand print reddening on her once pristine face.
"Yang Xaio-Long, how could you!?" Weiss shouted angrily, left hand trembling and numb from both her strike and her frustrated rage. "How could you, of all people, hurt your sister like this?"
Yang's hair flared gold at the damage Weiss inflicted. Her voice dropped low as emotion began to thud to life. "I don't know what the fuck you're talking about, Princess. You better get outta my damn room, if you know what's good for you," Yang threatened, moving to rise as red orbs narrowed to match the rictus spreading on her face.
Weiss made a quick, jerking motion with her outstretched left hand, summoning a harsh, pulsing red repulsive glyph above the brawler, forcing her bodily against the bed. Yang struggled in a futile rage against Weiss' artificial gravity while the Detective leaned down, seething.
"No, Yang, you better listen to me if you wish to remain among the living," Weiss countered, voice low and deadly, spitting each word out with precise, commanding intent. "I'm here because Ruby asked for my help with you, you stupid child, and since it's obvious to me that the love and support from your family isn't enough to make you see the light, let's try some brutal honesty courtesy of one Ice Queen."
Yang's struggling abated somewhat, reddened eyes widening in surprise at her teammate's forceful persona and willful use of a moniker she hated.
"You've sat in this room for nigh on a month now, accomplishing nothing while your family worries and frets over you," she accused, poking Yang's forehead forcefully with her right index finger. "You're letting them win, do you know that? By sitting here, wallowing in your own petty feelings, you insult all the effort and sacrifice that's been made fighting Cinder and the White Fang. Do you think Jaune, Ren, and Nora are just sitting around moping right now?"
Weiss forced Yang's head further into the sheets and watched red fade to bright lilac as the Brawler was forced to listen.
"And, you know what? That's not even the worst of it." Weiss shoved her finger forward one final time before standing and pointing toward the framed picture of Ruby nestled in the corner of the room. "The worst thing is that you hurt her, badly. The one person who'd never give up on you. You abandoned her just like your mother abandoned you. Just like Blake abandoned you."
Yang's eyes flared, glowing crimson as semblance-fire took hold. She forced the glyph upward, rising a few inches with a wordless shout before Weiss thrummed more energy into the fractal. "I'D NEVER ABANDON HER, YOU BITCH!" Yang shouted, angry tears lacing her eyelids.
The Detective overclocked her snowflake, allowing her semblance to feed off her Aura, forcing Yang back down as she leaned in to look the restrained Wyrm directly in the eyes. Weiss' voice dropped down to a harsh combat whisper "You abandoned her three and a half weeks ago, the day you refused to acknowledge your love for her. She balled when she told me about it, did you know that? Cried just as hard as she did when Penny bit it. How does that make you feel, big sis?"
Yang's fire died as she broke, going slack jawed and widened eyed as she finally realized what she'd done. Her emotions returned full force as Weiss retreated and willed her glyph to dissipate, allowing Yang to bring her remaining hand up to cover the sobs beginning to wrack her powerful form. The heiress softened, sitting down next to the weeping Dragon before picking her up and pulling her into an embrace.
A few minutes drifted by as Yang cried softly into Weiss' shoulder. Before long, she choked out, "oh gods, Weiss... I'm so sorry..."
"I'm not the one you need to apologize to, Yang," Weiss explained, truthful but gentle. She pulled Yang away, bringing her eyes in line with Yang's tear filled ones. "I know why you feel like this, you know. It's not because you lost your arm or the fight with Adam Taurus. It's not even because Beacon's gone or because Penny and Pyrrha are... dead." Weiss brought a hand up to wipe Yang's tears away, staring into violet with glacier-melt blue. "It's because Blake broke your heart by leaving, isn't it? You don't have to deny that there's something there, Yang. Ruby might not've seen it, but I did."
Yang's head craned left in a sad wince as she dropped her eyelids, forcing more tears down her cheeks. Unable to form the words necessary, she settled for a series of quick, small nods.
Weiss pulled her friend back into her, asking, "why do you think she left, Yang?"
The Brawler grabbed onto the front of Weiss' jacket, pulling herself into the welcomed embrace and planting her eyes on the heiress' shoulder. She shook her head frantically as she replied, "I don't know, Weiss! She always just runs instead of telling us anything! I think that's what hurts the most... knowing she doesn't care about us... me... enough to even trust a little..."
"Yang." Weiss said, commanding her friend to look her in the eyes. "She cares about us more than anyone else."
Yang's shocked look returned, halting the flow of tears. "How can you think that? She left!"
"Yes, she did." Weiss sighed lowly. "Ruby and I talked about it, Yang. When she brought you back to the docks after this happened, she was hysterical." Weiss began while gently taking hold of Yang's bandaged stump. "She wouldn't stop muttering 'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry,' as she spent half an hour tending to your wound and ignoring her own. It wasn't till she passed out from blood loss that we got a chance to tend to her. She woke soon after, too weak to move much, but you know what she did?"
Yang shook her head, crying again.
"She reached out and took your hand." Weiss mimicked the gesture, continuing, "wouldn't let go either, even when the medics showed up."
The Dragon smiled lightly in spite of the free-falling tears.
"Ruby and I think she blames herself for everything. Beacon. Your arm. Everything that happened because of the White Fang. She probably thought that she'd make us all targets for assassination, if she stayed with us." Weiss held Yang tight, "She left to protect us, separated herself from the only family she'd ever known in order to stop the White Fang from attacking us to get to her."
"That's stupid, why wouldn't they still come after us?" Yang managed weakly.
"Yes, it's beyond idiotic, but that doesn't mean her feelings aren't any less genuine."
Yang sucked in a few harsh breaths, attempting to compose herself while Weiss comforted her. "That doesn't make it hurt any less..."
Shoulders drooping, Weiss replied while rubbing her hand gently along Yang's spine, "I know, Yang, I know. You can't stay in here forever, though. Moping won't bring her back."
Slowly, Yang calmed, hair and eyes gaining back some vibrancy as she looked at her friend. "Thanks, Weiss... You... you were right, I needed that."
"You're welcome, Yang." The heiress replied before pulling her onto her feet. "You know I care about you too, you dumb oaf."
Yang smiled weakly, "oh common Weissy, you don't have to be mean anymore. I get it."
Weiss rolled her eyes at the nickname. "I swear, you and your sister are going to give me an aneurysm..."
The Dragon thumped her arm faintly with a loosely balled fist. "It's only cus we love ya', Snowflake," she teased, voice frail and quiet.
Turning in order to hide her blush, Weiss pulled Yang toward the door by the hand. "Come on, oaf. There's some friends here you should meet."
"The General's your friend now, huh?" Yang teased shakily, still drained.
"Yes. He'll be yours too, if you give him the chance." Weiss looked over her shoulder as she smirked. "He's here to help Ruby and I fix your arm."
Weiss might've been a bit... Yangry... Heh, get it?
...please don't kill me.
I know there are several more reasonable explanations for Yang's depression at the end of V3 besides getting her heart broken by Blake. Losing an arm, her school, being seen as a criminal and abandoned by everyone she cares/cared about. All good reasons, truth be told, but, you know what?
I like this one the most, and since I'm the author... Buzzing Intensifies. Romance will always take a backseat to the action, however. Penumbra isn't primarily about that. I have come up with an overall theme, see if you can figure it out.
In the mean time, do you see them on the horizon? The ships approach. Prepare.
Next time, on Penumbra! Shenlong manifests and a cold, dusty journey begins.
Review Replies
Knight7572: Spoilers! ;-)
Krazyfanfiction1: Summons training, now there's an idea. I may have also come up with some... unorthodox uses for Weiss' glyphs for some later chapters. I don't think I've seen anyone in the FNDM think to use them this way. I won't say more, because spoilers, but I think it may surprise you a bit.
I'm not sure the rules of Remnant-physics would allow Weiss' glyphs to exist in the same space as other matter, buuuuut... No, that would be a spoiler. Thanks for the suggestions! I hope you see your hand in some future fights.
MissAnimeMiss: It always annoys me to see Ironwood written as a jerk, because he isn't one. I've been fortunate enough to get to know a lot of military types, from desk jockey officers all the way to a full-bird Colonel who served three tours in Vietnam as an Airborne Ranger. Ironwood and Winter both remind me of the combat leaders I've met. They're cold and pragmatic when there's a fight while being closed-off and formal around the public. The military calls this enforced seriousness "bearing", an attitude expected of uniformed officers and enlisted. My own theory is that bearing is designed to be deliberately intimidating as a psychological weapon. Opponents being afraid of you is useful, as it means they're less likely to attack.
Those same combat-types, however, become some of the nicest, most genuine people you'll ever meet once you get them alone. Unlike desk jockeys or staff officers, combat teams tend to ignore formal rank structure when planning, fighting, or just plain socializing among themselves. I wanted to show you guys a side of the two of them you'll likely never see in the show. Call it a personal headcanon.
As far as Winter and Qrow are concerned... Well, if shipping Night's Watch is wrong, then I don't want to be right. There are indeed plans for more of them, maybe even a little romance as a side to the action. I may have also added her to my plans for a coming Qrow-op, just for you, and I'm happy to report that she fit in quite nicely. It's going to be so much fun.
Sakurako Nagasaki: It needed to be explained, thanks for reminding me! On steel horses, they will ride.
You totally called it, Yang says hi. Well, she would if she wasn't being all Yangsty.
Masasin: The heretical continuity error has been purged in the name of the God-Emperor. Excellent work, Inquisitor.
In all seriousness, though, thanks for finding that. I had a feeling something was off there, but I couldn't find it for the life of me.
Guest: Thanks for the kind words and understanding! Turning this into a chore would indeed be bad, for all of us.
