"Ow… My chest hurts. Why does my chest hurt?" Ruby gasped out, eyes darting across the crowded street, unable to focus on anything. The world was a blur of pain and suffering. It felt like she was being ripped from her own body, kicking and screaming. She couldn't think, she couldn't stand. Was she dying? Would she get to see her mother again?
Panic ripped through the heiress. "Ruby, did anything happen to you on your way here? Do you feel any other pain? Shortness of breath?" Weiss checked Ruby's pulse, finding it within normal for her. Her semblance usually left her with an accelerated heart rate. Ruby's argent eyes, normally a clear silver, were clouded in pain.
"Noo… Ugh…" she groaned.
Weiss fumbled with her scroll, fear robbing her of any semblance of grace. The aura tracker revealed Ruby's aura had ticked away to nothing. In her mind's eye, she could only see the time she depleted her aura. The remembered pain consumed her thoughts. But the time reminded her of a possible way to deal with aura depletion. The medical team had her consume the power of an uncut freeze dust crystal. The energy jump-started the recovery process, allowing her aura to recover at an accelerated process. She had a few crystals in her pouch. She could do the same thing. If her aura was replenished, it would deal with any other issues that were going on. Weiss reached into her pouch and pulled out a wind and a freeze dust crystal. Which one should she use? Sometimes people were attuned to a particular dust. Wind seemed to fit Ruby best. She placed the dust crystal on Ruby's chest. "Ruby, I need you activate the crystal. Can you do that for me?"
"I think so." The white crystal illuminated like a flickering flame as Ruby consumed the howling tempest slumbering within. The power of the crystal soothed the pain, allowing her to sit up without agony. "What happened?"
"I have no idea. Stay still, I'm going to call your sister." Her scroll's aura tracker still showed no aura for Ruby, but at least, the pain had subsided. She quickly flicked to the phone app and dialed Yang's number. "Yang? It's Weiss."
"Am I not moving fast enough for your majesty?" she replied teasingly.
"Ugh, Yang, Ruby collapsed outside the-" She glanced up at the hotel towering over her and her fallen partner. "Merlot Hotel."
"What!? Is she okay? I'll be there in just a moment. What happened?" Yang broke into an open sprint, shoving through the crowd.
"I think she'll be fine. Her aura was depleted, but I gave her a dust crystal to accelerate her aura's recovery. I'm going to call my sister. She has more experience in first aid."
Ruby perked up at the sound of Yang's voice through the scroll. "Is that Yang?" She whispered to Weiss. "Hi, Yang!" She called through the scroll.
"Ruby! I'm on the phone. Yang, did you hear her?"
"Yup. I'll be at the hotel in a minute." Yang hung up the scroll and shoved it into her pocket.
"I expected her to be more upset," Weiss muttered to herself. She called her sister. "Winter! What do you know about aura depletion?"
"Good afternoon, Weiss. I have been trained to first aid, why? What happened?"
"My partner collapsed. I managed to stabilize her, but I don't have a confirmed cause."
"How did you stabilize her? Aura transfer?"
"I had her use a dust crystal. We haven't been taught to perform an aura transfer."
"You did what? Not important, we'll deal with that later. Where are you?"
"Outside the Merlot Hotel in Vale."
"The Merlot Hotel? Why don't you take her to a hospital?"
"Oh yes, let's take the faunus girl who's supposed to be a human to a hospital. Brilliant idea. There's no way that could end badly," Weiss snapped at Winter.
"She changed too? You said Merlot Hotel, correct? You and your team have a knack for being in the right place at the right time. I'll be right down." Winter hung up on her sister, then threw open her suite's window. After a running start, she lunged out the window. Her ebony wings snapped open, arresting her fall. She immediately spotted her sister, her sister's partner, and Yin running towards them on the ground. Was it Yin? She knew it started with a 'Y'. Yang? That was it.
Weiss glanced up as a shadow blotted out the sun. The angelic visage descending upon the members of Team RWBY slowly flapped her wings, sending her into a lazy spiral. The figure beat her wings rapidly, kicking up dust as she landed. The woman, clad in loose fitting a white shirt and pants, was her sister, Winter. She folded her great ebony wings against her back, like a magnificent feathered cloak. Weiss was in shock. She had always assumed avian faunus wings were non-functional. "You can fly! Which isn't important, right now. Do you have any idea what happened to Ruby?"
Yang caught up to the group, shouting, "Ruby! What's wrong? Talk to me!" She slid on the ground, stopping in front of Weiss and Ruby.
"I'm fine, Yang. Weiss is taking of care of me." Ruby said, her head lying in Weiss's lap. Her eyes had begun to clear though clouds still covered her light.
"I just arrived. Let's get her to my suite, then we can examine her. I have an expert aura tester in my room. Yang, can you carry her?" Winter gestured towards the hotel looming overhead.
"I can walk. I'm fine," Ruby protested the proposed plan. She didn't need any help, she was perfectly fine. Sure, her semblance acted weird that one time, but what were the odds it would happen again?
"She's my partner. I'll carry her." Weiss hefted Ruby, swaying under the weight. While not capable of the same feats of strength as Yang, bolstered by her aura, Weiss had thought herself equal to the task of carrying her partner. Unfortunately for her, Ruby was significantly heavier than her lean frame belied.
"Weiss, I don't need to be carried. I can walk." Ruby twisted out of Weiss grip, falling to the ground.
"I'll take her. You gave it your best, but she had one too many cookies."
"Yyyaaaaannnnnnggggg! I'm still awake," Ruby whined at her sister.
"Hush, Ruby. I've got you," replied Yang. She lifted her sister and walked into the hotel.
The group ascended to the suite at the top of the hotel with nothing more interesting than a complaining Ruby happening. The hotel attendants were clearly well trained to adhere to the respects of their customers, as they did not ask questions. The sprawling suite was devoid of any unique sign of personality and spotless, save a single mahogany desk with papers stacked neatly into a single stack on it. A solitary nevermore shaped paperweight defended them from the scourge of the open window.
The far side of the room revealed a single person in the open closet. The closet was devoid of the traditional clothing and trappings one would expect within a closet. Instead, a series of dangling wires crisscrossed the walk-in closet, connecting to a woman, one very familiar to the patient. The ginger-haired android's emerald eyes snapped open upon the group entering the suite. "Salutations, Specialist Schnee! Your wings are looking splendid today!" Eyes of jade danced across the party, falling on the brunette leader lying in Yang's arms. "Ruby! Are you alright?" Penny questioned, rushing over to her friend.
Winter smiled at the friends. "Penny, I believe you know Ruby and her teammates? Please perform an aura scan on Miss Rose."
"Yes, Specialist Schnee," Penny replied mechanically. Her brilliant eyes dimmed a touch at the order. She held her hand out towards her friend, a soft green light shined from her open hand as she ran it up and down Ruby's body. Amaranth rose in response to the green light. "Her aura is recovering, but she appears to be combat ready. However, it appears she has the wrong aura. I will have to conduct an in-depth scan. Ruby, please lie down on the bed and remain still." Ruby climbed into the bed. Penny's green light once more began to travel up and down her body.
Yang never left her sister's side. "Winter, how long is going to take?"
"Penny is the best field medic in all of Remnant. Her condition isn't going to worsen. I promise you, she'll be fine. Can you tell me what happened?" Winter pulled a couple of folding chairs for her sister's team. "Please," she said, nodding towards the chairs.
Weiss and Yang exchanged glanced at each other, then Weiss replied, "There isn't much to tell. Ruby used the pen to create a duplicate. One is mature and clever, the other is childish and impulsive. The mature one stayed in our room while the child came with us to see the rally. Everything went according to plan until she used her semblance. She complained about chest pain and collapsed. Then I called both of you."
"She created a duplicate and now her aura changed color? Interesting. Weiss, may I speak with you privately." Weiss glanced at Yang who nodded in response. Yang joined Ruby near the bed, holding her hand while Penny worked. The two sisters walked to the far corner of the room and in hushed tones, Winter continued, "You said you had stabilized her aura using a dust crystal. Why would you do that?"
"In the tournament, I depleted my own aura. The medics had me use a freeze crystal and hold the power in myself. Professor Goodwitch told us in combat class that was an acceptable way of encouraging the body to recover aura."
"Weiss, does your partner know how to channel the power of dust?"
"No, she's allergic to dust. I have to fill my weapon in the bathroom."
"Dear sister, did you use dust on someone with a dust allergy and is incapable of properly channeling the power?"
"Yes…"
"Weiss, never do that again or I will pull you from Beacon myself. You could have severely injured your partner. You were very lucky she didn't explode. Fortunately, Penny hasn't found any damage."
Weiss paled at the thought of accidentally killing her partner. "I.. didn't know."
"I know, Weiss but you have to be careful. Let us rejoin your teammate." Winter and Weiss walked back to the chairs.
Yang looked up at the clicking of Winter's shoes. "Is everything alright?"
Winter smiled at the big sister. "Considering the circumstances, everything is fine. I have a theory as to what happened to your sister. Auras function like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger they become."
Weiss interrupted her sister. "I thought that was semblance."
"Semblances are powered by auras. For all intents and purposes, they are exercised the same way. The differences aren't important for this situation. Much like muscles, auras can be strained or twisted."
"I've never heard of that happening." Weiss claimed her seat and gestured for Yang to do the same. She followed suit, but concern for her sister was evident. Weiss whispered to her, "She'll be alright. We can fix this." She held her hand out to Yang.
Yang took the offered hand and whispered, "Thanks, Weiss."
Winter smiled at the two teammates. It was good to see Weiss actually helping people. "Strained auras happen in huntresses and huntsmen who try to push themselves too far. Usually happens when people run out of aura while using their semblance.. Auras can recover in time, but we need an official diagnosis first. The fastest way to recover aura is simply do something that makes you happy. While other means exist, they each have their own problems," said Winter, staring at Weiss. "Has my dear sister ever told you the story of how she discovered her proficiency with dust?" The elder sister looked like needed the distraction. Weiss would complain, but she would understand. She was terrible with words, but Weiss did care for people.
Weiss jolted from her seat, pulling away from Yang. "Winter, don't you dare!" She took her seat once more, nervously straightening her slacks.
Yang cocked her head at Winter, looking more like a canine faunus than a feline. "She told us she learned how to use dust in a controlled training environment. Are you telling me she lied to us?"
"I suppose she was in a training environment." Weiss covered her face as Winter began the story. Hints of crimson peaked through her fingers. "Have you ever been to the Schnee Dust facilities? There is a room devoted to accepting and testing new sources of dust. Father had decided to bring both of us with him to test the dust from the new mine. I was supposed to watch my sister, but she ran off to investigate the new crates. She managed to open one of the Freeze dust crates and started playing with one of the crystals. I didn't think anything was going to happen until the uncut crystal began to glow. She somehow managed to activate all the Freeze dust in the building! It took us two weeks to chip away enough ice to reopen the building. She went into training the moment the building reopened."
Yang turned in her chair to stare at Weiss. "You froze an entire building? Why haven't you done that against the Grimm?"
"I want to give the Grimm a fair chance. You dunce, I don't carry crates of dust with me. If you'd like to carry my extra dust, I'd be more than happy to oblige your desire for wanton destruction."
Yang chuckled at her defensive reaction. "Alright, Weiss. We'll have to remember that next time we go to Mountain Glenn." The mirth faded from her eyes the moment she saw Ruby lying on the bed. Weiss took Yang's hand once more.
Winter began to panic a bit as she looked at the scene before her. She knew she had to get Yang to calm down, but dealing people had never been a strength. Telling the story worked for a moment, but it didn't last. "Could you tell me more about how you got the pen? I might be able to figure something out if I knew more."
"There isn't much to tell. I was given the pen in the library by a young man. He said something about the power of the written word, then left. He was from some place called the Umbraporium."
"'Take this gift, and know now that you are able to do so much more.' Have you been to this place?"
"We did. Did you just quote The Story of the Seasons?" Yang responded.
"Yes, but I'm sure it has nothing to do with this. It just sounded familiar. Did the man tell you anything? Any instructions?"
"He told us the pen should not be used to create, destroy, or alter time," Weiss answered.
A look of panic shot across Yang's face. "What did you say Ruby did with the pen?"
"She created…" Weiss's voice trickled off as the realization hit her. "Is this what the man was talking about? We have to get back to the dorm."
The soft green illumination suddenly snapped off. "Specialist Schnee, Ruby appears to have strained her aura. I would recommend rest and relaxation until she recovers. However, her aura appears to be impaired in some manner I cannot identify. I would recommend taking her to a hospital for a more thorough examination." Penny softly added, "I could return to Beacon to ensure her safety."
Winter, Weiss, and Yang rushed over to Ruby's bedside. Winter said, "Penny, you know your father would be upset if you were to be injured. I can't leave you unprotected."
Ruby's argent eyes fluttered open as she said, "We can watch her. I could use the additional company."
Winter sighed and said, "It doesn't matter what I think, does it? They might believe otherwise, but you are your own person. Make your own choice."
"Sen-sational! I will help Ruby recover from her injuries!"
"Penny, please be careful. None of us want to see you hurt," Winter said.
"Don't worry, Specialist Schnee. I'm combat ready!"
"Winter, we'll take care of her," Weiss reassured her sister.
"Very well, dear sister. Will you be joining me at the rally?"
"I think we should see to Ruby's condition first. I'm afraid we'll have to pass today. Ruby, are you ready to return home?"
"Can we have cookies when we get back?" she asked, the mischievous gleam once more danced in her eyes. Behind her, Winter silently nodded to Weiss.
"Will you behave for the trip back?" At Ruby's eager nodding, Weiss muttered, "Such a child. Fine. But then we're fixing you and your better half."
Yang's eyes widened in shock. "Better half? Weiss, why did you use that word choice?"
Flustered, she replied, "I… no reason. I just think Rutwo is better behaved."
"Weiss, Rutwo is shy and mature. This Ruby has no control at all. What was the first thing Rutwo said? Something about feeling like she was cut in half? The pen can't be used to create. Could it have split her aura in half?"
Penny looked at each of the three members of Team RWBY present. "Pen? What pen are you talking about? Is this why you are faunus?"
"Penny, we'll explain at the room. How did we miss it? Dunces, both of us. Ruby, we're leaving. Winter, thank you."
Yang, Weiss, Ruby, and Penny opened the door and began the journey home. However, Winter soon caught up to them. "I am returning to the rally. I trust you won't mind if I follow you to the lobby."
The sun had begun to set on Vale, the dying rays of light tinting the lobby pink by the time the team had reached the exit of the hotel. The fading light revitalized Ruby in a way the time with Penny failed to do so. She darted outside, letting the door swing freely, only to be grabbed by a pale hand. "Ruby, until we fix this, you can't use your semblance whenever you want. I won't see you hurt over this foolish experiment," Weiss scolded her partner. She held Ruby in place while Yang, Winter, and Penny caught up.
"Um, Weiss? We may have a problem," Ruby whispered to her partner, pointing up the road. Team JNPR had turned their attention to Rutwo, Nora constantly stealing glances at Ruby.
"Ruby, don't say a word about the pen. Pretend she's the result of an experiment," Weiss whispered back. Ruby waved at her fellow team, ready to get this awkward moment over with.
Nora decided questioning Rutwo was going nowhere. She grabbed the ebony cloaked girl and dragged her over to her duplicate, the rest of her team following after her. "Hi, Ruby! Did you find a magical artifact capable of creating duplicates without telling us?" she blurted out, pouting at the end of the question.
"Ah, hi Nora. You found my cousin!" Ruby shouted, throwing her arms around Rutwo. She whispered in her duplicate's ear, "Just go with it."
"Cousin? But she knew us and she said her name was Ruby."
Weiss stepped forward and bailed her partner out. "Nora, I promise we'll explain everything, but we have to go. Now."
"But I wanted to-" Rutwo started, only to be cut off by Weiss.
"Ruby, we discovered the cure for your condition. We need to take care of you." Weiss grabbed both copies of her partner and started to drag them towards the shuttle.
Yang said to Nora, "Sorry, Weiss has a protective streak after all. We'll talk to you later." She and Penny hurried after Weiss and both Rubies. Winter shrugged at the dumbfounded team and flexed her wings. In a cloud of dust, she flew away.
Weiss refused to allow either Ruby to escape her grip on their trip home. While she was hoping no one would be able to identify her, she expected to hear rumors about a female faunus who held a pair of faunus sisters on her lap the whole trip to Beacon. Even if someone identified her, as had been her luck today, it was still worth it. Keeping her team safe was more important than keeping her reputation pure. Besides, there were only a couple of seats free. It only made sense to keep her troublesome partners under control. Yang spent the entire trip with that annoying smirk on her face while Penny's emerald eyes gleamed with some unknown emotion. If Weiss didn't know better, she'd think it was envy. She groaned at the unspoken jokes she knew Yang would say if she knew where Weiss's mind had wondered. She has spent too long with the brute.
The team walked in silence to the dorm, Ruby tightly bound in Yang's arms, until they reached the door to the dorm. The four faunus paused and sniffed the air. "Do you smell that?" Yang asked her teammates.
Ruby sniffed, then exclaimed, "It's Zwei!" She threw the door open and bounded into the chamber. Weiss rolled her eyes and followed her partner's impulsive half. The sight she beheld caused her to stop.
A/N: Yes, even I get tired of teases. Ever have a chapter you rewrote a dozen times then just decided to release it because you got tired of dealing with it? That was me for this chapter. But then again, every chapter I've hated had been the ones with the best response, so what do I know? I am going to do a bit of a rewrite of the early chapters since I feel like I'm a better writer today than I was back in November.
I can now check off Nuts and Dolts and Freezerburn off the shipping list. I only have Monochrome left to tease! Well, of the main ships.
Next time, Zwei tells the story of how he and Blake spent the afternoon! Craziness ensues!