A/N: I really have nothing to say right now. I was sitting outside when I was having lunch in my quiet little corner when I decided this story would end on this chapter...You know, normal lunch. Anyways, there'll be an epilogue, and I'm sure it'll be three parts like the last one. One part for immediately after the story ends, one for the last year at Beacon: Graduation Day, and one for five years later, after everything calms down. Anyways...Yeah...Stuff...Happening...Like normal...Enjoy.


You've all earned what's coming to you...

No. We've done nothing.

Some goddamn team you are...

True. We've had our fair share of screw ups.

You're a really wonderful sister...

I'm not. I'm anything but wonderful.

Night terrors about Cinder and Roman...The Grimm killing everyone I knew...The thing you helped me do is taken away from me...

I didn't know.

"What kind of excuse is that?"

Huh?

"What do you mean, 'I didn't know?' That still doesn't change the fact that you could have stood by your own kin. Blood is thicker than water, Yang. You of all people should know that."

I didn't mean to, though.

"I know. The important part is, he's gone. There's nothing you can do to change that. He died...protecting his little sister. Would you do the same thing he did to me, but for Ruby? I would. You are the only one here with blood on their hands, so I doubt you would."

Of course I would, but –

"No. I suppose you wouldn't. You didn't even flinch when she broke down and ran from you."

This is a dream, Neo.

"This is more than a dream, Yang. This is a warning."


Maplecrest. Cathedral of the Trinity. The Witching Hour. (3AM.)

"Team Silent Night, ready to infiltrate?" Summer asked over radio.

Blake answered blankly, "Affirmative."

I stayed silent. I was not prepared for what I was seeing that night. I had finally been able to go to sleep...peacefully. I used my semblance in my sleep, accidentally invading the dreams of Ruby's sister, spouting hurtful remarks on a rather touchy subject. Needless to say, Yang, in dream and out, was pretty much broken. When she woke up and Ruby had cooled down, Yang laid there in her bed, just staring at the ceiling as if she was waiting for it to cave in on top of her. She was deemed temporarily unstable and was unable to continue to the mission. In a way, I guess that's what I had meant to do. Get the problem team members out of commission for a while so nothing would go awry in the field. I never meant for Yang to be put into the house's recovery ward because of mental stress.

Blake said to Summer, "Team Bloodied Skies, ready to wait for signal?"

"Affirmative."

"Then let's begin the operation."

Blake shut off her radio.

"You ready?"

"..."

I nod.

I shifted my position to the top of the bell tower, leaving the decoy to silently fall apart.

Blake shot her sword to me, making an impromptu rappelling station.

A note floated down to her. It read, "Try not to wake up the entirety of New Meridian, yeah?"

She got up to the bell tower and responded with, "Will do."

We stalked carefully down the narrowly winding staircase of the bell tower, noticing a distinct lack of enemy guards.

We reached the end of the staircase only to find a staircase to a labyrinth of catacombs. Faint blue light coming from certain halls, we followed intently until Blake was distracted with something else. That left me to follow the blue glow.

"Neopolitan. I've been waiting for you."

I was prepared to write something in hopes of getting an answer, but strangely, whatever I wrote out would be written in glowing orange, sparking letters in front of me.

"Who are you? How did you know we'd be here?"

"I was no-one of importance, but now, I am the Skullgirl. That is all you will know me by. As for knowing you would be here, that was the work of a cowardly 'friend' of your leader, Summer, desperate to keep their life. In the end, I did not let them."

"Whoever you are, you will surrender and wait to be cut down quietly. If you do not comply, I will be forced to rip that thing from your chest myself."

The intensity at which I wrote rose, and with it, the glow and intensity of the writing in front of me.

"Well, if you are so eager and arrogant enough to demand I surrender, you will be getting a fight. I can promise you that."

"If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get. I must warn you though. I'm not only what I seem."

As the word's bright glow burned out, I felt a surge of energy pass through me. I turned around suddenly, only to be met by creatures of Grimm in a deep purple with a glassy sheen to them.

"These are the Knightmare Creatures. My...Guardians, if you will. So...Do you dare try and underestimate me now?" The bold letter's screeched.

"I see. You are formidable. Perhaps this will prove an actual challenge."

The Knightmare Beowulf lashed for the Skullgirl. She was no ordinary girl, either. She may have been a maid once, but all she did was make a mess. But, even with that immense power, she still finds naïveté in the worst of situations. She dodged the Beowulf, cutting it clean in half, only to be met by the stinger of a Knightmare Deathstalker.

Seems she can only focus on one attacker at a time. I can use that to my advantage.

The Deathstalker continued its assault as I ran underneath it, sliding into the Skullgirl's feet, knocking her down. A Boarbatusk leaped over both me and the Deathstalker, landing in a rolling state to spin into the Skullgirl, effectively stunning her.

The moment after doing so, I stood myself up, spinning around, parasol in hand. She was flung across the clearing in the catacombs and into a coffin. The door closed on her. The coffin burst, her eyes filled with rage, a shadow was cast across the girl, her bluish white hair turning a sad shade of grey.

Each hit gave her a new bruise; each scratch gave her a new scar, each Knightmare defeated was replaced by another one. She got angrier and angrier until she suddenly exploded open, leaving the Skull Heart open to attacks.

As the case I was given was shut, I felt a surprising rush, like I could take on the world all at once. The remains of the girl clattered to the floor, the blue glow gone from the room. Blake, Weiss, Ruby and Summer rushed in, finding me with my parasol on the floor, box full of Skull Heart under my arm, breathing erratic breaths, face red and body laying on the floor.

"Neo? What happened!?" Ruby asked loudly.

I said in a quiet, hoarse voice, "I did it."


Neo's Journal. Hospital. Time unavailable.

I remember being brought to a grey-haired man with light, wood colored eyes. He took the box I had slung over my shoulder. I was taken somewhere that looked a lot like the color white and nothing else. I feel dead. I shouldn't be. I can't just leave all the friends I made after overusing what I thought was my semblance. No. I can't leave Ruby either. She'd be devastated. Whatever happened to me to put me in hospital, I have to pull through it. I know it. Ruby left a message for me today with the rest of her team. Later on, Painwheel came to thank me again, leaving me my second message for when I wake up. She told me not to call her Painwheel, though. She said her real name was Carol. The people that care about me really do seem to care about me. For their sake, I need to do this.

-Neo


Ruby's Log. I don't care what day it is or what time it is.

I really don't care what day or what time it is. I just care about what date and time Neo can be out of hospital at the earliest. She's been there for three weeks and hasn't woken up since. I need her to be okay. She will be. I know it. After all, she did take down the Skullgirl singlehandedly. I just hope that strength doesn't end with her in a wheelchair for a month. Or worse.

-Ruby