Weiss and Blake came out of the front gates, and immediately out into the courtyard to take the reins of each of there respective horses.
Before either of them could be questioned by the guards, they rode off. The guards stood dumbfounded as they didn't even announce their presence.
Weiss and Blake's horses rode as if they were in understanding of the situation, both seemingly faster than usual. Weiss then abruptly hooked a left, riding into the currently vacant marketplace, away from forever fall. Blake was confused as to why, but followed regardless. When Blake caught up with her, she looked to Weiss and spoke, "Weiss, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't forever fall the other way?!" She shouted over to her as they rode.
"It is!" Weiss started, "however, I've got a feeling Ruby would kill me if I left her horse here by herself!", She finished earning, a smile of understanding from Blake.
They cut through the marketplace and back around behind the stables, so nobody would see them in time to stop them from stealing Ruby and Yang's horses. Weiss and Blake then slowed enough to dismount. The stables were in an uproar. The princesses horses could be heard from around the corner, in obvious rebellion against the stock hands. Weiss and Blake peeked around the corner as almost all the guards and stock hands were trying, to no avail, to calm Rose and Celia.
They thrashed around in their stables like wild animals.
"Let's go Blake." Weiss said, standing and pulling her hood on. Blake nodded and followed pulling, hers on as well. They emerged from around the corner, and slowly approached the guards attempting to calm Ruby and Yang's horses. As soon as the guards saw them, they turned and drew their weapons, not recognizing the girls because of there hoods.
"Halt there you two! This place is off limits to civilians!" One said. Weiss and Blake did not stop. The guard then raised his sword to attack Weiss. Weiss simply lifted her hand to summon a mobility glyph, repelling the man back into the rest of the guards, toppling them over.
Blake then vanished, reappearing behind the guards in front of the stables. She instantly disarmed them, and sliced the backs of their calves, deep enough to immobilize, but shallow enough to avoid permanent damage. She then destroyed the locks keeping the gates on Rose, and Celia's stalls closed.
The stable gates swung open, and the horses immediately thundered away toward forever fall. Weiss whistled, and Gambol and Angel charged around the corner, stopping before there owners. Weiss and Blake then mounted, and rode off after the other horses.
One of the guards managed to stand, and before they could get out of range, he flared his semblance, a bright blue energy bow forming; taking aim he drew back and released, firing a large arrow of aura piercing energy at Blake.
The arrow homed in quickly, but Blake didn't notice. As she rode, Gambol caught sight of the arrow instead. Blake's horse then stopped, spun around, and reared up on his hind legs, throwing Blake off his back. The arrow then bore a hole through Gambol's chest; the horse cried out in pain, before falling over.
"Gambol!" Blake shrieked, "no! Gambol!" She shouted rushing to her horses side. There was a wide hole blasted through his chest. Weiss stopped, jumped off of Angel, and jumped in front of Blake, summoning a defense glyph just as another arrow came flying in shattering it. Weiss then activated her cloak and gained Ruby's semblance. She vanished, yielding red rose petals. She then reappeared behind the guard firing at them, and knocked him out.
Blake sat at Gambol's side, panicking. He'd saved her life.
Weiss approached quickly, "there's no time to lose we have to go!" She said grabbing Blake's shoulder. "No! We can't leave him!" Blake protested fighting her way out of Weiss' grasp.
"Blake there's nothing we can do!" Weiss tried frantically.
"I know that!" Blake silenced her, "but Yang can!" She said.
Weiss eyes widened in confusion.
Blake quickly removed her cloak and laid it over Gambol. She then placed her hands over top of it and passed her aura into it.
A moment passed before Gambol's body caught fire however it didn't appear to harm him. Weiss watched in silence; the idea certainly made sense, but could Yang's healing semblance really be passed through an animal?
After a few more seconds, the flames vanished, and Gambol jumped back up to his feet, with more energy than before.
Evidently so.
Blake jumped up and hugged his neck, "oh thank goodness." She sighed.
Weiss quickly recomposed herself, "Yes, quite impressive but we still need to go," she stated, as she remounted Angel. "Yes of course," Blake said, as she also remounted. Weiss took the lead, riding off toward forever fall.
Before following after her, Blake refastened Her cloak, and silently thanked Yang.
Yang sat on the edge of Ruby's bed. She stroked her sister's hair as she slept. 'What've we gotten ourselves into, Ruby?' She thought to herself, sighing.
Yang was currently mulling over the fact that there mother was, indeed, alive, after all this time. Now she understood how Ruby had been feeling the entire day.
Her mind drifted back to earlier, when they had arrived in camp.
Yang chased Ruby through the camp until she disappeared inside a large tent, pitched atop a small hill.
Yang climbed the hill, and entered into the tent after her sister. She was not in the slightest way prepared for what lay before her.
Her sister stood, wrapped in someone's deep embrace, sobbing loudly. Yang stood concerned, until the woman holding her sister opened her eyes and looked up her.
Yang gasped audibly, clearly surprised at the sight before her. She felt fire rise in her heart; a fire that made her conflicted. The fact that there mother stood here, alive, meant that she had left them; abandoned them.
Yang knew she should be happy, but seeing summer for the first time in ten years, after countless nights of having to sing Ruby to sleep, even lying with her sister to make her feel comfortable enough to do so, after Summer's supposed death, only succeeded in infuriating her.
Tears of anguish, and confusion formed in Yang's eyes.
Then Summer spoke, "Yang..." Ruby emerged from Summers embrace and noticed her sister standing there.
Summer made a move to take Yang's hand in her own. Upon this Yang reacted instinctively taking a step back, her eyes taking on a red hue. Summer stopped and looked down toward the ground, " I was afraid of that," she said understandingly.
Yangs tears then flowed freely as Ruby then attempted to get through to her, "Yang? What's wrong?" She said reaching out to grab Yang's arm who quickly snatched her arm away defensively.
"Y-Yang?" Ruby said confusedly.
Yang immediately pressed her crimson eyes shut, turned, and ran, flames briefly dancing across her golden mane as she ran.
"Yang!" Ruby shouted before attempting to give chase before her legs gave out and she fell to her knees. It was only then Ruby realized how exhausted her body actually was after today.
Summer knelt down and scooped up her daughter and began walking in the opposite direction.
"M-Mom?" Ruby questioned.
"Your sister just needs some space right now," she said, "as for you, you clearly need some rest.
Yang ran as fast as she could and didn't look back. Back out into forever fall and kept going.
Her heart was racing and a whirlpool of emotion swirled in her mind with little indication of ending soon. When she finally did stop she fell to her knees and began sobbing herself. Her tears burning with anguish, anger, and dozens of other emotions.
"Dammit!" She cursed and began breathing heavily.
"DAAAAMIIIIT! AHHHHHHHH!!" She shouted to the heavens breathing flames much like a dragon as she did so. She was happy that there mother was alive but infuriated with the new knowledge that she left in the first place.
She expelled large puffs of smoke as she breathed.
She brought a hand to her now aching head. She then looked down at her shaking hands which she then balled into fists. She felt like hitting something, anything. Just then, as if on cue, a large ursa emerged, and began approaching slowly.
Yang gritted her teeth and punched the earth scorching the area she knelt upon. She stood still breathing heavily through her nostrils expelling flame through them with every exhale. Her hair burned intensely. When she opened her eyes they briefly flashed a brighter crimson than earlier.
Then she charged like a bull moving faster even then Ruby briefly. The ursa opened its mouth to roar but as soon as it's jaws parted Yang threw her entire arm down its throat. It immediately attempted to back away as to remove the foreign object in its throat.
Yang, however gave the beast no such mercy as she grabbed the inside of its stomach preventing it from moving. She then looked it in the eyes, opened her mouth and screamed furiously at the top of her lungs blasting fire out of her lungs over the entirety of the ursa's body.
Needless to say after a few seconds of pointless thrashing and pained yelps, there wasn't anything left, except more scorched earth where the beast previously stood.
Yang stood breathing slightly less heavily than earlier. 'Damn that felt good!' She thought as more Grimm emerged drawn in by her deafening shout.
Yang grinned.
"Perfect timing you guys! I could really use some punching bags right now!" She said punching her opened palm.
Yang sat on the bed smiling warmly at her soundly sleeping sister. 'Well if nothing else, I suppose I can be happy for your sake,' Yang thought. Just then Summer pulled back the curtain to the tent and entered.
"Is this a bad time?" She asked Yang carefully stepping forward a bit. Yang looked back to Ruby before releasing an exhausted sigh. "I suppose it's as good a time as any," Yang responded standing up and facing summer.
"Y-Yang I firstly want to apologize for forcing you into th-" Summer began before being cut off.
"Stop." Yang said surprising Summer as Yang stepped closer.
"I can't say yet that I've forgiven you for essentially abandoning Ruby. I'm still conflicted and there are still some things that I probably don't know in regards to why you did what you did," Yang continued her voice breaking, "however, you are our mother. No matter how much I hate your decision... I..."
Yangs tears were back but they weren't angry.
"I, still love you... And I... We, missed you so much." Summer's eyes were wet with guilt but she moved forward to immediately pull her step daughter into the same embrace she had offered Ruby.
They both lowered themselves onto there knees as Yang returned the embrace and sobbed into the comfort Summer provided. "I love you too sweetheart, and I'm never leaving again.
RR