Chapter Ten: A Familiar Face

Weiss walked to her class, her usual air gone. She had normally been so confident and strong looking, but in the five months since Ruby's disappearance, she had lost a good deal of it. She wasn't the only one, however. Yang and Blake were experiencing similar situations. Fortunately, they weren't to the depression maximum and they could just go on and everyone would sort of treat them as if it were a normal thing.

In her class, Weiss barely paid attention, something that was beginning to become a norm. Her professors had noticed it, sending Ozpin to talk with Weiss and the other two, but he said they needed to work it out for themselves.

After their class, they all met up in the cafeteria.

"How was you guys' days?" Yang asked, the more positive of the three.

"Same." Blake and Weiss said, Weiss sighing.

"Yeah." Yang said. "Same here. Say, check out those students over there. I don't think I've seen them before."

Weiss and Blake looked over, Weiss gasping slightly, but covering it up. There were three students walking in and checking out the building.

The woman on the left had medium brown skin and mint green hair. Her eyes were a dark red, though, not a destructive red. She wore a short olive top as well as a gold plated belt and brown chaps over olive green shorts. She wore plain, dark brown flat shoes as well as white half gloves.

The male on the right, the only male in the group, wore a slate grey and black two tone partial zip jacket that covered his upper body. He wore grey pants with a silver belt. His silvery grey hair, slicked back slightly, was wildly unkempt. His eyes were a silvery grey and seemed to be very calculating.

The woman in the center seemed to be the leader of the group. She wore grey pants and grey combat boots. She wore an open beige leather sleeveless jacket with light beige details. A sarashi was tied around her upper chest and another around her hips. There was a pauldron on her left shoulder and a brown belt around her waist, having several pouches. She wore black, fingerless gloves. She had on clear nail polish. Her hair was ashen black and stopped just above her breasts. It covered her left eye almost completely, some of it showing. Her eyes were amber, seemingly blazing, though a subtle blaze.

"Who do you suppose they are?" Blake asked.

"No clue." Yang said. "Let's go see."

With the three

"You promised this would be interesting." The woman in the middle said, her voice completely calm and confident at the same time.

"God, you're such a kid." The man said. "Having to be constantly entertained. You and your sister are so similar."

"Well excuse me for being seventeen.' The woman said, rolling her eyes. "Besides, I had to walk hearing you two bicker and it took all I had not to knock both of your lights out."

"Hey." The green haired one said. "You wouldn't hit your favorite friend, would you?"

"Actually" The black haired woman said, putting her hands behind her head. "My favorite friend is Neo. You are my favorite girlfriend, though."

The green haired girl blushed a little, looking away.

The male rolled his eyes, used to this.

"If you're done publicly humiliating me.' He said, a small smirk on his face. "Let's hit the ice cream shop."

"Now, who's acting like my sister?" the black haired woman asked, raising an eyebrow. "But, I could go for some cookies."

"You're sisters alright." The green haired woman said, snickering.

"Was there any doubt?" The black haired woman asked, a small smirk on her lips.

"No." the male said. "Especially when you guys fought over the cookies."

"Neo's a good cook.' The black haired woman said, shrugging.

"And how." The green haired one said.

"Say" the black haired one said, looking into the crowd. "Isn't that Yang?"

"So it is.' The grey haired one said. "She's definitely grown."

"Yeah.' The green haired one said, nodding. "Those babies are at least twice the size they were the last time I saw 'em."

"You really are a physical type." The male said. "But, yeah, she's definitely developed.'

"Neither of you are her types.' The black haired woman said, pointing to each of them in turn. "You for being a guy and you for being too pervy."

"I'm not pervy." The green haired one said, crossing her arms.

"I've read your diaries." The black haired one said. "If you're not pervy, I'm not female."

"Wow, boss.' The male said, joking. "Didn't know you knew how to make 'em look so real."

A flick to the side of his head made him chuckle, rubbing it.

"How do I put up with you two" the black haired woman said, facepalming.

"Oh, you love us.' The male said, putting an arm around her.

"Such a strong word." The black haired woman said.

"Looks like Yang and her two friends are coming over." The green haired girl said.

"Hiya." Yang said, grinning and waving. "You three seem new here."

"You could say that." The black haired woman said, her tone not having left that calm tone.

"Well" Yang said. "I'm Yang Xiao Long. This pretty little kitty here is Blake Belladonna and this icy snow cone is Weiss Schnee."

"Interesting." The black haired woman said. "My name is Cinder Fall Ro—Cinder Fall. This silver haired idiot here is Mercury Black and the minthead there is Emerald Sustrai."

"Well" Yang said. "You guys wanna kinda hang out? WE're not doing anything and we could show you around.'

"That sounds.' Cinder said, thinking for the right word. "Fun."

"Alright.' Yang said." Meet us outside in twenty minutes while we grab some stuff."

"Alright.' Cinder said, Yang and Blake leaving, Cinder sighing as she watched them go.

"You wouldn't happen to be twins with Ruby, would you?" Weiss asked, having hung back.

"So" Cinder said, chuckling softly. "She did tell you."

"Yes." Weiss said. "Some of it anyway."

"Does Yang know who I am?" Cinder asked.

"No." Weiss said." Ruby said she erased her memories of you."

"I figured." Cinder said, her tone sadder. "I guess she didn't want Yang going after me like she did."

"She said something like that." Weiss said.

"Well" Cinder said. "I guess she told you why she left then."

"Yeah." Weiss said. "You're not still that way are you?"

"No." Cinder said. "For now. Speaking of her, where is Ruby? I'd expected to be tackled and had cookies shoved down my throat."

"She left." Weiss said sadly. "Five months ago."

"Did you go after her?" Cinder asked.

"Yeah." Weiss said. "But, we couldn't find her."

"Trust me, kid." Emerald said. "You'll learn this soon enough: if Ruby, or any of us for that matter, doesn't want to be found, you won't find us."

"Why did she leave?" Mercury asked." Kid's a bit high strung, but wouldn't just ditch school."

"What do you think she was doing for the past three years?" Cinder asked. "Taking extra-curricular classes?"

"True." Mercury said. "But, she wouldn't unless she had a good reason."

"Why did she leave?" Cinder asked Weiss.

"She attacked another student." Weiss said. "Said she lost control."

Cinder's eyes widened a bit, though she still kept her cool demeanor.

"So" Cinder said. "I guess she's somewhere or with someone that can curb that rage."

Elsewhere

She walked up to the building, cracking her knuckles. The warehouse in front of her was her next target. Her superior had tasked her with this. She knew she couldn't fail. She adjusted her short green overalls slightly, shoving open the door to the warehouse. It flew against the back wall, making a loud sound.

She walked through the crates that were stacked up, finding one marked 'Caution: Handle with Extreme Caution'.

"Perfect.' She said, a little louder than most would talk. "My superior will be very pleased with the results of this experiment."

She opened the crate to reveal Red Dust crystals.

Suddenly, a woman with pink and brown hair dressed in a pink and white suit with brown pants with really high heels stepped out from behind a shelf, aiming a pink and white umbrella at her.

"Hostile subject." She said, looking at her umbrella wielding opponent. "Stand down or I will be required to use force."

The ice cream looking woman stepped forward, unfazed, pulling a sword out of the handle of her umbrella.

"Very well then." She said, happy to engage her hostile oppoenent. "I will happily engage you."

The other woman silently looked at her with confusion, wondering why she was so jovial.

From the backpack on her back, several swords appeared, the umbrella sword wielder's eyes widening slightly. The swords all rushed forward to hit the other woman, but she dodged, throwing her sword at her. She made no move to dodge it, it hitting her and shattering like a mirror.

She looked at it in confusion, a hit from behind her bringing her back to reality. She turned, her floating swords thrusting towards the object that hit her. The ice cream girl dodged again, moving forward like a ninja, making a slash. The sword glanced off of her skin, scratching it.

"Very impressive." She said cheerily. "You have scratched me. I am amazed. You're the first to do that. Well, second. There was another person who did that. She was my friend. You and her seem to be compatible. My records of your fighting declare so."

The ice cream girl looked at her in confusion. Another figure dropped from the ceiling, cloaked in a red cloak.

"Hello, friend Ruby!" she said, waving at the cloaked girl.

"Penny?" the cloaked girl, apparently Ruby, said, taking off her hood and looking at her. "Is that you?"

With Weiss and co.—the ice cream shop

"Why are we here?" Blake asked.

"I want ice cream." Cinder said calmly. "Cookie Dough."

"Funny" Yang said, chuckling. "My baby sister always ordered that."

"Ruby?" Cinder asked.

"Y-yeah." Yang said. "How'd you know that?"

"You mentioned her earlier.' Cinder quickly thought of that response.

"I don't think I did." Yang said, staring into Cinder's eyes, Cinder and Weiss tensing up. "Have you met Ruby before?"

"I" Cinder said, trying not to say anything too revealing. "I met her a few times. Wears a red cloak, right? Really sweet girl."

"That would be her." Yang said, steely eyes staring Cinder down.

"Also" Mercury said. "WE're associates of Torchwick's.'

"Oh." Yang said. "That figures. She knows the strangest people."

"Hey!" Emerald said.

"Let it go." Cinder said, enjoying her ice cream, not really wanting to be involved in a fight, despite the fact that she could wipe the floor with any one of them, possibly any two or all three.

"Well" Yang said. "I gotta use the can. I'll be back."

"Yang left for the bathroom, leaving Blake and Weiss alone with Cinder and her group.

"She hasn't changed.' Cinder said.

"Funny how you almost got into a fight with your older sister the first tie you see her face to face after three years." Mercury said, chuckling.

"Funny how Pyrrha beat you three times using the same attack." Cinder said, a small smirk on her lips.

"So" Blake said, reading a book. "There's a lot of family history of the Roses I have yet to learn."

"Oh.' Cinder said, noticing Blake. "I didn't know you were there."

"I have that effect.' Blake said.

"You'll keep this a secret from Yang, won't you?" Cinder asked. "It won't do for her to know until the time is right."

Blake debated it, eventually agreeing.

"So" Blake said. "You're the reason Ruby left in Signal first year?"

"Yes.' Cinder said. "It's a long story with longer battles. But, Ruby and I are sisters, twins actually."

"Explains so much." Blake said. "Your auras are very similar."

"I guess.' Cinder said, shrugging. "So, yang fell for a kitty cat. She was the type to go wild."

"Wild?" Blake asked.

"You're the type who hides behind books." Cinder said calmly. "Only to become wild in an excitable situation such as a battle or… other activities. I mean, that's why you read erotica novels, isn't it?"

Blake blushed, quickly shoving her book under her legs.

"Kinda reminds me of someone else." Mercury joked.

"Sh-shut up." Emerald said, looking away to hide her blush.

"Now, Mercury." Cinder said, patting Mercury's shoulder. "We can't blame Emerald for having no outlet to vent her tensions. Though, if only we had a hot spring around here, we could relax in some peace and tranquility."

"There's one nearby." Weiss said, blushing.

"Why are you blushing?" Cinder asked. "Let me guess, you found out Ruby strips down to get in, right?"

Weiss blushed harder.

"It's a Rose/Xiao Long thing." Cinder said.

"Weiss found out just how ripped my baby sister is." Yang said, coming back and clapping Weiss on the shoulder. Weiss was as red as Emerald's eyes, Blake smacking Yang.

"So" Cinder asked, her ice cream finished. "Not to be rude, but, where's out next stop?"

"Oh, don't worry." Yang said, grinning. "I got just the place."


So, two separate adventures. I wonder what's going to happen to the groups. Find out soon.