Project 3:

Tale of the Two Hunters

Rescue and Escape, part II

… Weiss Schnee of Weissenberg …

Weiss woke from her blissful sleep feeling much better than when she had woken from her experience with Cinder. Visibly shuddering she crossed 'date with a vampire' of her nonexistent list of things she wanted to experience. Being restrained, unable to move or access her Aura or magic reserves was awful. Then of course being fed on like that. She had heard what it was like, her sister had written back a few times, and she was very thorough about her experience with a vampire she came across. From what Winter had said, Weiss was nearly certain she had the power as a sorceress to fight one off. She absently gripped her neck where Cinder had fed. How was I supposed to know she'd end up being a very well trained and powerful sorceress as well?! She huffed internally. The recent memories made her shiver nonetheless.

Sleepy eyes wiped awake and minor aches stretched out the heiress took in her new surroundings. She was still in the dungeon of course, but this time she noted it was much darker. Light didn't penetrate this far down in her prison, she knew that much, day and night were irrelevant. That being said, from the few times she had moved cells based on 'superb behavior,' Roman had said, she noted that the various levels had differing degrees of light. So far, she had assumed there was only three. Each level was three a 'U' shaped series of three halls, with the way in and out at one point of the 'U', or end of the hall. That's where Weiss's cell had been, her last cell at least, had been on the highest level and within eye sight of the guards' room.

She let out an indigent sigh. This was terrible to say the least. She knew she was at the bottom now, and judging by the lack of wall torches or light beyond on somewhere in the middle of this hall of cells, she was at the far end. They had placed her well out of sight. She didn't doubt that Torchwick had placed at least a dozen more men between her and the first exit however. She'd have to run through all three levels if she wanted out. A flash of Cinder's malevolent smile burned in her mind's eye. And I sure as dust want out. She'd break out until they broke her, then she'd break out again and again, Weiss decided.

After eating the meal that her captors were kind enough to leave for her while she slumbered, Weiss began assessing the strength and weakness of her new cell. Months ago, back in Atlas, she would be appalled by the idea of anyone entering her sleeping area while she wasn't conscious. That idea of course was culled within her first week away from home. After spending weeks sleeping in the open with carvaneers and now weeks, had it been months already, in this prison where her meals were brought twice a day at the same time, regardless of her state, it was safe to say that notion had been murdered.

Her cell was nearly identical as her previous one. Albeit this one was a good chunk smaller and much damper. Joy. Weiss tested the iron bars that caged her in. With all zero of her collective smithing experience the frost sorceress guessed these were the same as the ones in the levels above her. What reason could they have for being different after all? She snorted. "Who honestly plans on keeping a sorceress of my caliber?"

"Keep it down in there!" A man yelled followed by a loud metallic banging against the iron cast door.

Weiss jumped back with a yelp. Her initial surprise was rapidly replaced by fury. "How dare you!" She yelled back.

The man outside hit the bars again. "Keep quiet, or will come in there and make you keep quiet! We're under new orders, you little snob. Straight from the queen herself."

"The queen?" Weiss asked in a near whisper. It was less for the man addressing her and more for herself. Her internal monologue was the first casualty of however long she'd been imprisoned.

"Yes," the man said, drawing out sarcastically. "The one with a taste for you neck," he added. An amused grin forming when he saw Weiss flinch back in horror. "Better you than me, kid."

Weiss turned her horror into anger for this man. "How dare you sentence me to that witch of a woman," Weiss scolded. The man just laughed lightly and shrugged his shoulders, apparently done with the conversation. "How dare any of you think you can hold me here!" She yelled louder. She balled a pool of raw magic in her left first. The invisible energy chilling the room while she mixed it with bursts of her Arua, a small but shining blue glyph began to appear in the form of an elegant snowflake in the palm of her hand.

The man turned to address her again, the faint blue light catching his attention. He looked at her hand which was now level with his own eyes. He didn't have a chance to yell. Weiss let lose a sharp bolt of her icy power into his head. The man fell to the floor with wet thwap, as dead as he could be. The bolt of ice rested in his skull, coming out either end.

Weiss bit back her breath. I just murdered him. She had killed and potentially wounded a few people before when they had first tried to capture her, sure. She may have even killed that man she froze solid on accident the day before, sure. This was something entirely different for the heiress, however. "Trash," she said, sweeping him away mentally. He more than deserved it. Eyeing the glint of steel at the man's belt she reminded herself that these people would kill her without question.

Steeling herself and reigning in her anger the ivory-haired woman rested her dominant hand on the lock for her cell. Gather your power. She focused her magic reserves, drawing out a measured amount for her spell. Focus it. In her mind, and on a plane unseen, she shaped the magic to the form it needed, giving it purpose and life in a way. Her glyph adding her own personal Aura into the mix, giving it the flavor, the character that was hers, that made her unique. Unleash it. She let lose the thin restraints required to hold and form her magic, letting it lose through her glyph. The lock shattered from the flash freeze followed by the hard pick of ice piercing it. Cold, frozen, chunks of metal sprinkled to the floor with a satisfying ring.

"Right, well, that worked," She said. Weiss had no doubt in her powers. It was just that active application was entirely new to her. Practice and schooling herself was one thing, using her powers to break out of a jail cell twice now was entirely new. She glanced down at the man who was guarding her as she stepped over him. Killing with it so personally was also something new. Before she had left home she knew she was going to have to, in fact she had banked on it. Offering her skills as a combat mage was her plan after all.

Weiss's eyes narrowed in the dimly lit hall, a single torch in the center provided most of the light, while a dust-lamp at the end lit the corner up. She sighed, mildly relieved. There was no one else immediately down here. At least in her current hall. So, no one was rushing to kill or imprison again her. The heiress couldn't help but scoff, eventually they'd have to cut their losses and kill me. She knew providing enough trouble would offer many ways out, at least that's how it worked as a child… she knew here though that one way was them attempting to murder her. That vampire wants me though, even if it's just for… a drink. The idea of being kept alive for Cinder's personal snack sent shivers down the ivory-haired girl's spine. I'd rather die.

The young sorceress peered around the corner to her right, the only way to go. She'd have to clear all three levels. She didn't see anyone. That didn't mean they weren't there though. Cursing she didn't have any dust, Weiss skulked forward. Had she the patience she could get by without it and have cast a convoluted detect life spell or cast a simple detection web using her frost affinity to catch anyone waiting to pounce. She wasn't that skilled yet though, nor did she ever consider the use of those spells until now, so using them without dust was beyond her. She did make a mental note to practice that if she got out.

Another right, still the only way to go, and she spotted her first targets. Aside from the body thawing outside my cell. Three men stood in a variety of positions leaning against the wall near the only door out. Beyond that door was a short spiral stair case up to the next floor, then she'd go through that floor get to the next, go through that one, then she'd be out into uncharted territory and potential freedom! But first I need to dispatch these ruffians.

Stealth simply was not an option for her. At least when there was more than once target at a time. She'd have to kill them all at once. And that will be very messy. She mentally wrote stealth spells as something to learn as well.

Weiss stepped into the hall, bringing her power forth she raised her glyph, the eight-pointed snowflake illuminating the hall in a cool blue light. Then with a surge of power the hall between her and her opponents was filled with razor sharp ice. Blades of ice spewed forward and Weiss resisted the urge to cringe she heard them try to scream out in pain. They tried very hard. The frozen death cut them off though. The spell ended and much to Weiss's joy they didn't manage to call for help. They were however riddled with cuts and gashes and the door way as well as the hall around them was covered in blood.

The heiress pushed forward, briefly checking the bodies for either dust or an acceptable weapon, neither of which she found. She tor of a rather clean piece of one man's shirt and used it to open the door way, not wanting to stain herself with their blood. No one was inside the circular hall. At the top, she found another door, this one locked. In short order, she burst the lock just like before.

"Eep!" She squeaked in surprise. A pair of guards blinked at her uncertain of what they were seeing. Weiss didn't wait. She recovered and swung her arms up with a push of her glyph and used the summoned sign to throw the two men back. Acting on what little instinct she had trained into herself when it came to combat without her rapier, she launched a salvo of ice spears into the men. The large bolts pierced their armor with ease and she launched a second pair of them to silence the two and put them out of their misery. "Thank you Oum my semblance is frost, not fire." She could only imagine how much worse having your wounds ignite rather than freeze could be.

Apply a little caution Weiss rounded a corner and caught a startled guard who was no doubt coming to investigate the rather loud deaths of the previous two. She launched an array of ice at him with reckless abandon but the man was ready and managed to duck into a cell before sprinting back out and towards the only exit up. Weiss cursed under her breath. She ran after him, spell ready in her off hand. She came around the corner and saw him already latching the door behind him. He was too fast. "Julia have mercy!" She yelled, frustrated.

She stormed back a few paces to gather her wits. Pushing caution into the wind, Weiss readied spells in either hand. The sorceress was ready to cast a web of destruction magic at whatever decided to stand in her way. She cast a bolt at the door. The first one missed the lock but shattered most of the wood around it. Muttering a curse the second one hit its target and the now half destroyed door swung open. She stepped in only to be assaulted by a group of four men waiting with their weapons drawn.

"Die you witch!" One screamed.

"Kill her before she can cast another spell!"

"Dolts," Weiss muttered. She through her right hand up, and with it came a rush of power from a web she already had prepared. The web laced the men with razor ice cutting their exposed flesh and tearing into their fine black leather armor. Many unprotected hands holding weapons dropped their armaments. A second spell from her dominant hand came across them and a wave of frost sharpened like a blade cut across them horizontally, cutting deep into their flesh, blood poured from their wounds.

Not taking chances a second time, Weiss blew open the door at the top of the stairs with a burst of white cold magic. The frost and force blowing back the guards that stood ready. She threw three different webs of magic at them, cutting them and slashing into them before hurling spears of frost at any who dared move. She rounded the last two corners of the last level. A smirk tugged at her lips when she was the remains of her old cell, the cast iron bars still very much destroyed and looking worse for wear.

Stealing herself she threw her brunt of her magic into the door. It splintered open in a shower of frost, ice, and splinters. No one was inside. The normally occupied guard room was free of any wardens left. "Hmm," Weiss hummed in thought. Either they're all dead, or they're running for help. Either option suited Weiss perfectly, she intended to escape now before anyone else came.

The heiress stormed up the stairs through the entrance to the dungeons. At the top stood a pair of large double doors made from a rich oak. She admired quality craftsmanship, even more so, now that she was going to destroy it. Toning her intentions down just a little, she settled for blowing the doors open instead. If there was no one out there, there was no need to alert them. She didn't sense anyone when she reached out with her Aura. Except… a feint whisper. Something cold, almost like a void. She shrugged the feeling off, a lack of Aura on the other side could only be a good thing.

With a now well practiced application of magic she broke the locks on the door, just to be sure. Then with one she summoned her glyph and used it to force the doors open. Her glyph faded and the doors swung open quickly but gracefully.

And she froze.

Large silver orbs caught her gaze. Like a child caught stealing cookies from the kitchen these beautiful quicksilver orbs looked at Weiss like they had been caught red handed. Then Weiss took in the owner of those orbs… A short woman with choppy just as short crimson hair looked at her with her head slightly tilted, like she was surprised or maybe confused to see Weiss there. Her clothes were black and she wore a crimson hood, Weiss respected her choice to wear what appeared to be a combat skirt. Then she noticed the woman's skill tone. It was red like roses. No. It was red like blood. She was covered in blood. Her face was covered in blood, and she was licking them, and she had a massive weapon on her shoulders. Her head was cocked because of the scythe resting on this small woman's back. It the darkened halls, this woman's quicksilver eyes weren't eying her like a troubled child, they were taking her in like a predator. A small, deadly predator with the taste for blood and a scythe of all weapons across her shoulders.

Weiss lost her sensibilities and resorted to her last line of defense rather than the arsenal she kept pulled in her that was her magic reserve. In favor of using her Aura, her magic, anything, she screamed. She screamed so loud and shrill she knew a banshee would double over.

There was a vampire looking right at her and she was going to be drained dry, she knew it.

… Ruby Rose of Patch …

Ruby knew she had to act quit. Without further hesitation, she dropped her scythe to her side and closed the distance between herself and the wailing heiress. With great effort and a lot of regret, she brought the open palm of her hand across that beautiful and every-so-soft face. "Shut up!" She strained not to yell. "We do not have time for this."

"You hit me," the white-haired beauty said.

"Yeah, and you're going to get me killed. So, shut up, and pull on your big girl panties, and follow me. I'm here to get you out of here."

"Why should I trust you?" The white-haired woman said. She moved into what Ruby guess was an aggressive stance for some sort of magic user.

"Because why else would I be covered in blood?" Ruby had no idea why that was the first thing she thought of to convince this woman, but it had been.

Miraculously, it seemed to work. "Torchwick's men?"

"Two in a tower outside."

The woman seemed to only consider Ruby for a moment longer. "Lead on," she said. Ruby thought it sounded more like a command. "Please," she added in a hushed tone a moment later.

Ruby did just that. Weiss followed the hunter without question. She stuck close behind. Ruby could feel the slight temperature drop around her newest charge. If it wasn't for the dire situation they were in, she would say it was comforting. She didn't have time to think on it though. Not right now at least.

"Hold up," Ruby said with a hand back to stop the heiress. They were at the west end of the manor house now. "We need to get from here, to that grate over there," she said pointing to the inner wall in a small iron grate near it.

"I can't see anything in the dark," Weiss whispered back.

Ruby blinked twice. "It's right there, how can you not see it?" She asked.

"It's the middle of the night!" the heiress hissed.

"Sorry! I guess I'm just used to it," Ruby said quickly, trying to move on. "Well its' about, say, twenty yards from the door right there. We just need to be quick. I don't want us to split up, so you just stay right on me. Err, behind me," she said correcting herself.

"Alright, I'm right here then."

"On three… one… two… three!"

Ruby darted off. Weiss kept on her tail, though when she stopped at the metal grate by the wall, she could tell it had been painful for the heiress. Right, captivity for Julia knows how long. Not good for the body… pushing her thoughts aside she locked onto the metal grate between them and their escape. "This leads into a simple sewage line that heads out on the I used one of these to get in." She tugged on the grate but it refused to budge. "Normally they aren't this hard," she strained against it.

Weiss sighed and pushed her aside. With a soft flash of blue light from her hands, the bars became super chilled. At least that's what Ruby assumed from the drop-in temperature. It felt so much cozier, more so than the normal cool aura around the heiress. She hadn't realized she liked the cold so much. The heiress delivered a swift kick to the bars and they fell without trouble, and with a relatively quiet splash. "Shall we?" she asked dryly.

Ruby nodded, hopping down first. Sigh, no Rodents of Unusual Size, again. One day. Maybe. Ruby offered her hand and Weiss graciously took it, helping the heiress down without splashing the foul-smelling liquids on her white battle skirt. She considered the broken grate laying in the shallow water before leaving it behind. "If it's blocked, we'll have to scale the west wall. I did it on the way in. Hopefully my line's still there."

"I can just flash freeze the other grate," Weiss said with a blank stare.

"Right," Ruby mumbled. That would be much better than having the heiress dangle from a rope. She had no idea if the woman even knew how to climb rope. It seemed silly, but it wasn't something that came up in many peoples every day lives.

The drainage tunnel proved just as reliable as her trip in. It was spacious enough that she didn't have to slouch too much, and clean and straight enough that the low light wasn't an issue for the heiress. The only thing that truly bothered Ruby was the stench, it seemed to be so strong. Weiss on the other hand didn't seem bothered by it at all. The scarlette mentally cursed her well-developed hunter senses. Some days it seemed to her she was the only one. Especially in situations like this.

The tunnel was slow, the heiress unsure in her footing, Ruby had to guide her forward. As they reached the end and starlight- as well as torches from the walls- began to light give her something to fixate on and move quicker. As Ruby suspected, it was sealed with another iron grate. This one much larger of course to make up for the bigger hole it was covering. "Can you do this?"

"Of course, I can," Weiss scoffed.

Ruby waited patiently. She gave a small smile at the comfort Weiss's cool aura gave her. She'd have to ask about that later. It felt so pleasant to the vampire hunter. She watched Weiss go about her work. Her pale hands extended to the sides of the bars. Casting a cool blue light that was barely visible on each one. It was a long process given how many more she had to flash freeze. As she went about it Ruby gave each one a solid strike with the pommel of one of her daggers. She didn't know how long the flash freezing lasted, or how it even made the metal so brittle. Naturally she did what she could to assist her newest charge.

When she got to the point where helping would involve leaning in and around Weiss, the young hunter turned around to watch their backs instead. She focused her vision, effortlessly taking in the easy details of the drainage tunnel in the faded near-black conditions. Her heart dropped. "Are you almost done, Weiss?"

"It's Lady Schnee to you," the heiress shot back immediately. Ruby could still hear her at work however.

"No, it's Weiss, or would you prefer something like Snow Angel?" Ruby bit back. She didn't like Weiss's remark. It wasn't necessary in any way she could see. To Ruby, she was just another person. She wasn't going to go out of her way to use titles it seemed she didn't deserve, or need. "We have bigger problems though," Ruby added before Weiss could send a snarky response back.

"What kind of problem?" Weiss asked. Her tone was quiet and Ruby swore she detected a slight whimper to it. "Please tell me it isn't a vampire."

"Why would a vampire be here?" Ruby asked. She marked that question for later however. "Don't answer that." She grabbed a small vial of black dust from her belt along with one of red dust. "It looks like they found our little escape route. I'm going to give us a screen of smoke."

"How can you even see that far in this light?" Weiss asked. Her voice kept low but her resolve seemed to solidify again.

Remember to ask her about vampires, Ruby reminded herself as she mixed a pinch of the red dust with a handful of the black before replacing the vials with one hand. "I spent a lot of my late training in caves and other dark places, okay?" She took a few steps forward, then with a little bit of her own magic reserves she flung the dust mixture out before her. It erupted instantly, created a thick black smog that hung in the air and filled the tunnel.

"What is that?" Weiss asked as she moved onto the final bar. "Damn these cross-bars take forever."

"A little smoke bomb mixture I learned as a kid," Ruby whispered back excitedly.

"Your father let you play with dust as a child?" Weiss asked in disbelief.

"My uncle raised me, for the most part. I guess. I had a lot of free time and access to his old gear and the alchemy shop owner was very nice to me."

"Done!" Weiss said with a triumphant fist in the air. Ruby wasted no time, pivoting around and taking the steps forward to deliver a swift kick. The few bars she hadn't helped with quickly buckled under the soles of her black boots. Their newly formed door hit the ground like the heavy metal it was, eliciting a high-pitched ring when it hit rocks.

"We should run now," Ruby yelled, forgoing whatever shred of stealth their exit had maintained.

"Hold on," Weiss said. Upon exiting she turned and cast a magical web onto the exit. At least that's what Ruby though she did. While her own magical abilities were very limited, she was in tune enough to feel when Weiss was casting. It was very useful skill when hunting her preferred prey.

The woods were just as black as when Ruby had seen them early that night. They made their run for it. Sprinting as fast as the heiress could go. Ruby followed behind, spouting the occasional direction change.

Once they had cleared the walls by a large enough margin Ruby stopped the winded heiress. "We have a fall back point set up. We'll head there." Weiss nodded but didn't say anything. She was straining to keep her breathing level. "We'll walk, at your pace," Ruby added. "We can't stop though. These guys aren't all fighters, but their boss will be pissed when they find out you're gone."

"For someone who seems so professional about her job, you are excelling at wasting time," Weiss said when her breath leveled out.

Ruby felt her eye twitch. "I'm sorry for making sure you're okay and understand what we're doing, Weiss," the young hunter said through grit teeth. The nerve of this woman. She just rescued her. Well she was already free when Ruby found her, but she probably would have gotten herself caught again! "I'm just helping!"

"I know what we're doing. I don't need you making sure I'm okay. It is Lady Schnee to you, period. And. You would have been much more helpful if you had an escape route already set up so I didn't have to do all of the work."

Ruby couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was livid. This was ridiculous. Who in the name of Oum did this girl think she was? How was it that someone like her was as cold as her name implied. Stupid snow sorceress, heiress, whatever! "Well, I'm sorry your rescue doesn't live up to your expectation, princess fresh powder." Ruby took pace ahead of Weiss. "I have to go make sure my friends are okay now though. You just keep heading this way, and maybe, hopefully, not really, you'll find our camp. Good luck," Ruby added. She set off at a sprint before spoiled heiress could respond. She didn't have time for this, nor the patience right now. After this mission was over, she would figure out how to handle Weiss.

… Jaune Arc of Gemini …

Blade held at the ready. Shield between him and his foe. Jaune Arc circled with his opponent. He swallowed his nerves. He was committed to the fight. He had been for half an hour now. They had taken out the first five without a problem. These guys were thieves, thugs, bandits at best. Most of them weren't skilled in proper combat. A bar fight, maybe. Going one on one against two very skill warriors? Not a chance. Well, okay, one Jaune and a warrior.

Sun had proved himself very capable with his staff. He'd strike opponents on their sides and in places he knew they could deflect just before moving into their guard and swiping their feet out from under them. Jaune never saw him stab or cut a man, but some of the blows he saw them take from that quarterstaff looked lethal. Especially when they stopped moving completely.

He never thought about killing people. When he set off to Beacon to become a knight, well, he didn't even think he'd go to Beacon. That was all Master Ozpin. He didn't know what he was thinking before he had met Ruby. He honestly though he'd never have to kill a man or woman. He was going to fight monsters and earn his knighthood for service to the crown. Of course, he also didn't consider service to the crown might mean fighting their human enemies. He sighed internally. Here he was now, with two mean downed by his blade. Very much dead. They wanted him the same, and that drove him. At the very least it drove him to survive. He had already decided to worry about the moral repercussions he'd experience later.

The man he was circling with let out a cry and charged in. He swung at Jaune who easily blocked with his shield. This turned out to be a feign. The man pushed himself into Jaune's guard. He was sure if it wasn't for the putrid smells already coming from the dead nearby that this clearly unwashed brute would be an insult to the young knight's every sense. Rather than bring his blade back around into Jaune's weak spots the man pushed his advantage and headbutted the blond. Jaune resisted the urge to cry or curse and instead hit the man in the temple with the pommel of his sword.

"Son of a bitch," the bandit cried. From his smell and ragged gear, it was clear this man wasn't like most of the Dire Hearts. From what Jaune had seen most of them dressed rather well. He felt the word dapper best described them. Smart black uniforms. Well molded leather, and sharp swords and daggers for back up. They were well ordered and equipped. This man, with most of the wave he came out with, was much more rugged. His armor was a patch work of hide and chain mail. He guessed they were some form of shock unit or rather did the more brutal jobs. Like raiding, raping, and ransacking. That made Jaune rather sick to his stomach.

Jaune didn't wait to respond to the brute's curses, nor did he curse himself. He acted. If he had learned one thing from Ruby, it was that you needed to be quick. He let out a small cry of his own as he brought his blade down across the man, pushing in with his shield to get deep in his guard. His family blade caught the man in the shoulder. Flesh was ripped in half and blood spewed from the wound.

"Damn, man," Sun said from his left. He was standing a short way away, with two other men down around him. They weren't bleeding, but they certainly weren't moving either. "Are you alright?" He asked.

Jaune had to give it to the monkey tailed faunus, he had thrown his loyalties to them very quickly and without much question. It was concerning, if only because it was so quick, but he had been watching Jaune's back well this entire fight. "Yeah, I'm fine," Jaune said, rolling his shoulders and swinging his arms to check them. "Didn't hit me much."

Sun gave him a concerned look. "I meant that looked pretty brutal, man. That wasn't exactly pretty."

The blonde knight looked around them at the few dead and unconscious. "It was," he said quietly. "Well worry about that when we're safe." He checked the moon. He had no idea how to tell time, but it looked to have adjusted position a good chunk. "Think we've been at this long enough?" He asked his companion.

"Yeah I think so." He began to undue his staff, breaking apart into its smaller pieces. "We should get out of here before-"

There was a swish in the air. Like something moving at dozens of feet per second. Then the sound of something sticking in a soft surface.

Jaune turned wide eyed to see Sun staring blankly at his chest. As sure as the moon was white and the stars sparkled and gave children dreams, there was an arrow sticking out of his companion's chest. It was close to edge of the right side but it had struck true and hopefully went straight through.

"Well," Sun coughed. "This sucks."

… Ruby Rose of Patch …

Trees went past in her vision in a blur of black wood. Ruby ran as fast as she could. She was sure Jaune and Sun were fine, but it wasn't an attempt to get to them faster, rather it was to increase the distance between herself and Weiss. She felt bad for leaving her behind. That being said, the woman rubbed her the wrong way. How can someone so pretty be such a jerk? Ruby asked herself over and over. It was aggravating. The young hunter had come across a lot of ungrateful people in her life. Most were in shock if they survived a vampire's lair or a bandit raid or whatever field assignment she was being taken on. This was ridiculous though. The heiress obviously had regained her senses quick enough. She was just rotten.

Ruby tried to push the ivory-haired girl from her mind. She couldn't. It reminded her of some of the people who trained alongside her. How they would berate and judge her. Calling her out on her every move. Even when she began to master her weapons, when none of them could touch her in a spar, they still made fun of her for being so young. A few even made fun of her for being a girl. It was so childish and Ruby didn't know how to handle it. She knew she had terrible social skills. It was obvious, she tried though. She tried so hard. She knew she made it awkward a lot, but she tried. Instead they'd make her break down. Having your dad be an instructor in the same place you were learning didn't help either. His talks with those other students only seemed to make it worse.

The young hunter sighed. I need to get through to Weiss… or get rid of her. She was only rescuing her. After this she had no responsibility to the woman except to get her to the nearest Schnee worker. Their dust traders had a warehouse, or seven, in East Gate. They all knew the Schnee family, even if it was just by name. They were the nobles they worked for after all, and most of the higher staff were probably from Atlas. They probably even have their own escorts and guards who can take her off of us! Nowhere in the bounty did it say she had to be brought back all the way to Atlas.

The sounds of a man's battle cry pulled Ruby out of her thoughts. She was close to them now. She had hoped Jaune and Sun would have the situation well taken care of. She then realized that Torchwick would send more people out to secure his castle. He didn't want witnesses to his base of operations in Schwarzwald.

The young hunter quickened her pace. If they hadn't disengaged and started their trip back to their camp, then they were about to be hit hard. These men where smart. They wouldn't just hit them in ones and twos.

Ruby renewed her pace.

… Jaune Arc of Gemini …

Jaune swung his blade sideways across a man's side. It was the last of the next group of raiders that had come. The mystery archer hadn't reappeared, but five of the raiders had. He had fought tooth and nail. He didn't give them the chance to surround and overwhelm him. He had charged the first with ferocity they hadn't expected and lopped the brutes head clean off. This one's side split open, blood and chucks of flesh spilling out.

When he went for the third one Jaune realized he had over stepped. Rather the blunt side of a war-axe he caught conveyed the message. Jaune doubled over. He felt a second hit strike him hard in the side. The plate groaned with the strike, no doubt bent. He tried to cough something out but couldn't. Someone else kicked him. Jerking around in response the young knight ended up on his back. Three very angry men looked down at him with unshaven faces and patchwork armor.

"You're going to have a very rough night," the shortest of the three said. In truth, he wasn't much shorter than Jaune, but with his poor night sight he couldn't make out much detail.

"We're going to bring you for a talk with our boss," another said.

"But first we're going to have some fun with you," the shortest said, giving Jaune a solid blow to the jaw with his fist. A ring on it caught his skin and tore a cut across his lower cheek. "And then we're going to gut your animal friend over there." Jaune saw Sun laying slumped against a makeshift wooden barricade. He was still breathing, and there wasn't much bleeding.

The third raider came up behind Sun, lifting the blond to his feet. He gave Jaune a wicked smile. "This is what happens to fucks like you who fuck with us," he spat. He pulled small blade, some sort of dagger, from his belt and up to Sun's neck. The other two men, the shorter one and the second one picked Jaune up.

"Watch closely now," the shortest said.

He did. With horror.

Something caught his eyes however. Just past Sun's head. At the tree line, a some six or so feet away. Twin orbs of silver, burning like molten quicksilver. At least that's what his blurry vision made them look like. Am I crying? He asked himself. He wasn't sure.

The quicksilver orbs disappeared.

"Say goodbye to your pet, boy," the bandit said.

Those beautiful orbs appeared again. This time Jaune could see the person they belonged to as well. He had the feeling the brutes holding him saw them as well, their grips loosened as they tried to warn their friend.

A short silver sword blade came through the head of the raider holding Sun, coming out where one of his eyes had been. Rolling to the side, a small black and crimson form appeared. They three a pair of silver knives. The dust infused blades piercing the man to Jaune's right. That left the short one.

Jaune broke free of his grip. The man tried raising his weapon but Jaune kicked down on his shins. He felt it buckle. He didn't give the man the time to agonize over it though. He spun on his heel and delivered a swift kick to the brute's temple. He hit the ground with a wet thwack, like a bag of meat.

It was over. Jaune released the breath he hadn't known he was holding. He looked at Sun, who was on his knees bent over, then Ruby who was gathering her weapons. "Sun's been hurt."

Ruby raised a brow at Jaune before turning to Sun. She sighed and knelt by him. "You're going to be okay," she said softly. "No don't touch that!" She swatted his hand when he reached for the arrow. "We'll get you to camp where we can break it. We don't want to pull it out here and have you start bleeding all over the place." Sun nodded but didn't say anything. Jaune counted himself lucky.

… Weiss Schnee of Weissenberg …

Of all the insufferable people who could have rescued her. It had to be a hyperactive, talkative, whatever the dust she called herself! A hunter of sorts. To call the girl frustrating was an understatement. She stormed in there, out of nowhere! Well, probably the way they left. It didn't matter. She came in and demanded control. Weiss was perfectly capable of getting out of them on her own. She had already taking out every person standing between herself and the dungeon exit. Who else in that castle could've stood to stop her? Well she supposed Torchwick… and that dessert colored girl at his side. She had a nasty kick.

"Argh, stupid girl!" Weiss exclaimed to the quiet, dark forest.

If only she hadn't frozen up. It was those silver eyes. As soon as she locked onto them. The blood that girl had been covered in -and probably still was- had been bad enough. It was a terrifying sight. The kind twisted nightmares were made of, but to see that goofy grin with those eyes. They burned like molten quicksilver, glowing in the faint light the torches and wall scones had provided. It was exactly like how that other woman's eyes, Cinder's, had shown. It was truly petrifying.

Ruby wasn't a vampire though. No, she had said something quite different. She hunted them. Weiss was certain that was what she had said. A hunter of sorts. It took Weiss way too long to regain her senses after seeing the girl. It was like she had been charmed. Ridiculous. Ruby didn't broadcast any sort of magical abilities, aside from limited dust usage back in the drainage tunnel. Anyone with a little knowledge of dust mechanics and the smallest fraction of Aura or Magic control could've done that.

Weiss hummed in frustration. She tried rubbing that frustration out through her temples. It was to no avail, however. She was walking aimlessly and without thought. Her mind was lost in the torrent of events that had just transpired. She had no idea or way to tell how long she had been locked in that castle. It might have been days, it may have been months. She dreaded to think years. It certainly couldn't have been that long. The icy grip of fear picked at her insides. Could it have been?

She shook her head. Of course, not. The pitch-black forest was getting to her. She sighed. I need to get on track. She took a moment to orientate herself… and failed. It was only thanks to the moon she had any idea where to look. Ruby had pointed… that way! She hated to admit it, but she needed that girl and whatever help she could offer. At least until she could get to a town or something. There she could contact her father and then… and then what? I said I needed no help. Sure, he said he'd welcome me back when I was done but… she had barely started her journey. Not counting her time in that dungeon, it had only been weeks. She dropped her head in frustration. This was all too much for now.

Weiss set off in the direction Ruby had pointed her. Rather she just continued the way she had already been going.

The woods felt like they were watching her. It didn't feel like a dozen eyes tracking her, like running around in the wild as a kid with her sister. It felt more like a single pair were burning a hole in her back, no matter which way she turned. Weiss clenched her fist. She refused to get turned around because of her paranoia. The black trees felt like they were closing in…

She picked up her pace. At first speeding up her step. The branches all around seemed to reach out to her, she smacked one away that she had almost run into. Then she picked up into a job when she swore something touched her arm. She shrieked when she tripped over something resting in the path. Not taking the chance of being murdered by whatever was or wasn't there, the sorceress shot to her feet in a full sprint, not looking back once.

Her vision felt tunneled when she ran, she could only see what was directly in front of her. Her breath was labored. Having been confined for so long hadn't been helpful for already weak physical state. She pumped her legs and took in huge gulps of air. At last though, she saw light. It was dull at first. Quickly it grew. By the time she was upon it, the glow had grown into a brighter orange inferno. She yelled as she fell upon it and couldn't seem to stop.

"Keep it down," a familiar voice said dryly. She knew that voice! It sounded much less enthused then it first had.

Weiss opened her eyes. She hadn't realized she had been holding her hands before her face either. To block some doom, she hadn't run into. She blinked a few times trying to gather her errantly running mind. She saw three figures. They were basked in the orange inferno. Well, no. They were simply huddled around the small fire one had made. One was laying close to it. He was blonde, and wore light clothing. She noticed a thick set of bandages around his abdomen. Another sat against a tree, fast asleep, though it looked like he had fallen asleep nursing a cut on his cheek.

Her eyes turned to Ruby. She had prepared a speech to the young hunter, but her words quickly suffocated in the desert that was her throat and mouth upon locking with those silver orbs. It wasn't a glowing ferocity or hunger that stopped her cold this time. It was the unenthused and dull look they held. "I-I, um…" her confidence died like a fish spending a summer out of water.

"I'll get some pack rations out for you," Ruby said. She didn't move yet thought. "First, you tend to his wounds," she pointed to the blonde laying down. He coughed in his sleep. Apparently, that hurt him, as he cringed and squirmed slightly before settling down again. "Arrow wound, no series damage, I did all of the conventional tending I can. If you are a mage of whatever type, use what healing you know."

Weiss simply nodded. She didn't know much, but she had a trick or two she could muster. Ruby turned to her pack to fish out her promised food. Weiss knelt by the wounded blonde. She pulled on one of the bandages softly, checking it for blood and to see if it was tight enough. When her hand touched something furry she yelped. She looked around panicked but only saw Ruby still at her bag and the other blonde against the tree moving his head to the other side of the tree he was against. Looking down, she realized what it was she had grabbed. A tail. At that moment, the sorceress felt equal parts relieved, silly, and curious. They have a faunus in their group. It was curious. Her experience with them had been… not good.

She pushed those memories away for another time. Not all faunus belonged to raider or terror groups. Certainly, not even half.

Casting her limited healing spells was simple. One for pain she had learned when she was younger when her brother had hurt himself, and a second to help speed up the healing and give his body a little more energy to work with.

When it was all said in done, she lowered her hands, the soft blue glow of her magic at work faded out. She felt exhausted and utterly spent. It had been a terribly long day. She apparently had enough energy left to jump in place when a small hand tapped her shoulder. She let out an undignified "Eeep!" and spun in place. "Oh, Ruby, I'm sorry," she said when she saw it was only the young scarlette.

"Here," the mention scarlette pushed a bowl into the heiress' hands. "It's nothing special, but it will fill you. Eat it, then get to sleep. We have a long day tomorrow."

The scarlette didn't say anything else to her. Weiss had a feeling that wasn't the end of it though. She could feel the animosity that was being hidden. There was nothing she could do about it now. She instead turned to her bowl and ate. It wasn't that bad.

A/N: Oh my dust I'm alive!

I apologize for the long months since my last update. I was quite busy moving, per say. I'm here now though!

Anywho, I plan to begin updating again, probably on a basis of every two weeks. It really all depends on how clogged my normal life is. I also plan on getting Project 5, a modern college AU, (I just love those ones), but it will have much shorter chapters (only 1500 to 3000) words. Plus it's mostly fluff and day to day drama, so easy to write.

Review time...

Guest, here's your chapter, sorry it took so long.

JimmyHall24, I quietly enjoy that ship...

jotflier, hehehe

The Grimm Reqper, pretty sure I dm'd you about it, but yeah, here you go!

SO on a whole, you all may notice that this chapter changes from the first section to the second, and then to the final jumps. This is because of the different times I worked on the sections and how my writing style has changed. I hope you enjoyed though, and please read and review.