Spoiler Alert! The following chapter has some character information that is not revealed until Volume 5 Episode 4 Lighting the Fire. If you are okay with this read ahead, if not then I recommend you wait until the public release of episode 4 before reading. I have warned you in advance so if you read ahead and get upset you can only blame yourself. Anyway enjoy.

"Weiss what are you doing here?" I sat across from her on the dirt. She was still a little out of it, taking long to respond. "I… was on my way… to Mistral. I was on an airship and… we were attacked… by a group of Lancers. The ship crashed… and I blacked out. When I came too there were these people… standing over me. Two men and a woman… the woman looked… like you." My blood froze, a cold chill taking over my body. "Mom." Weiss looked at me confused. "What?" I sighed, "That woman you saw, the one that looked like me. Did she have long black hair, possibly carrying a long katana?" Weiss nodded, confirming my guess. "Her name's Raven, she's… my biological mom." I stood up and walked over to the bars, kicking one hard to get the attention of the two sitting on the crates. "Hey, why the hell did you bring me here?" They looked back, one of them jumping off a crate and walking over. "Ha, you're finally awake blondey," he looked past me at the sitting form of Weiss, "oh and the Schnee is awake too, would you look at that." His buddy on the crate laughed, pissing me off. "You didn't answer my question, why did you bring me here?" He rolled his eyes, "Look girly, I don't make the orders, I just follow them. The girl behind you? She's getting ransomed off back to her daddy. You? I don't know, the leader said to put you in with her for now. Either way, it doesn't matter, we'll find a use for you eventually." He was standing right on the other side of the bars now, laughing right in my face. I shot my hands through the bars and grabbed fistfuls of his shirt. I pulled hard, slamming his face into the metal bars.

He fell to the ground clutching his face. "Agh, you bitch, that hurt." His buddy got up and started walking over. "Stop, both of you." A girl emerged from one of the nearby tents, holding Myrtenaster. I noticed a glint of yellow on her wrists, Ember Celica reflecting the light of the fire. "Who are you?" Weiss asked, taking a place next to me. "What does it matter? Soon enough you'll be shipped back to your dad." Weiss scoffed, her reply calm and collected. "Please, you know who I am right? That means you know who my sister is, Winter Schnee, an Atlas Specialist. She's waiting for me in Mistral, when I don't show up, she'll come looking for me, and she will find me. It's only a matter of time." The guy who I slammed into the bars laughed. The girl smiled at Weiss, "Oh you haven't heard? Ironwood called back all military personnel, your sister isn't in Mistral anymore, she's not waiting for you, and she'll never know you didn't make it." She turned and started walking back to the tent she came from. "Hey," she stopped and looked back, "where's Raven?" The girl smiled and walked into the tent. I sighed and sat down my back facing the men still outside. Weiss sat next to me, "We're breaking out, right?" Weiss asked, smiling. "Yeah, we're breaking out."

The fire had died down and the two men who were supposed to be watching us were passed out drunk on the ground. Weiss held her hands together and glyph appeared in her palms, spinning faster and faster until a little white knight appeared in her hands. She looked over at me and nodded. The knight sliced through her bindings with its sword. I yanked my hands down and apart, the rope snapping loudly and falling to the ground, frayed and useless. I glanced at Weiss and nodded. We stood up and walked up to the bars of the cage. I grabbed one of them with my right hand and yanked, the bar budging slightly. I yanked again, and the bar bent in towards us. Another yank and the bar dislodged from the rest of the cage. I grabbed another and yanked until "What's the likelihood that our stuff is still in that tent?" I asked, pointing to the tent the girl came from earlier. Weiss shrugged, "It's worth a shot." We stayed low and in the shadows as we made our way over to the tent. I kept watch while Weiss took a peek into the tent. "Keep watch, I'll be right back." I nodded and crouched down at the side of the tent. There wasn't much noise coming from the camp, the occasional pop and crackle from the dying fire.

A quiet shuffle of cloth drew my attention to Weiss emerging from the tent, Myrtenaster and Ember Celica in her arms. "Ok, now let's go have a chat with my mom." I took Ember Celica from her, looking around to see if anybody had shown up. We walked over to where our guards were passed out. I kicked one in the stomach, he lurched over and got on his hands and knees, puking. I picked him up off the ground and brought him up to eye level, "Take us to Raven." I threw him back on the ground. He scrambled to his feet and pulled a pistol from his belt, I activated Ember Celica, "Are we really gonna play this game?" He pulled the trigger and I felt the bullet whiz past me, he was stumbling, a clear indication that he was still drunk. "Would you like this one Weiss?" She smirked and stepped forward, plunging Myrtenaster into the ground, a large glyph forming in front of her. "Gladly." A larger version of the white knight from earlier rose from the glyph, its large sword in hand. The knight looked back at Weiss and she nodded, the knight stepping forward and picking both men up and lifting them in the air. The knight bashed them together and dropped them to the ground. More bandits started gathering as the sound of fighting picked up. We let the knight handle the fighting as Weiss and I walked to the large tent at the end of the camp.

"Enough!" A large bolt of lightning struck down right in front of us, charring the ground and sending dirt flying. The girl from earlier was walking towards us. She held her hand up facing us, a strong wind forming, "Vernal! That's enough, and you, Schnee, call of your knight or we'll have Grimm swarming this place in no time." Raven exited her tent and stood visible to everyone. Weiss glanced over at me and I nodded, the knight starting to dissipate. I grabbed Weiss' hand and started leading her over to Mom. The girl named Vernal stepped in front of us, her eyes full of anger, "Let them pass." She scowled and stepped aside, letting us through. I stopped us a few feet from her tent, where she stood with a blank expression on her face. "Mom." I greeted with little emotion. The bandits started gathering around us. "Yang. You've made a mess of my camp." I motioned to myself and Weiss, "Your goons kidnapped us." Grumbles from the bandits noted their disapproval of being called goons. "You could've escaped, both of you, so why didn't you?" I folded my arms, "You should know why. I'm trying to find my sister, and you can get me to her, can't you?" Vernal strode over to Raven and knelt at her side. "No, I can't take you to your sister." I smiled, I had her. "No, you can't take us to Ruby, but you can take us to Qrow."

Her blank expression turned to a slight frown. "Dad told me how your semblance works. You form a bond with people and then you can create portals to them. You have three that I know of; One for Dad, one for me, and one for Qrow. Before he left he said he was going to be with and keep an eye on Ruby. I trust him, so I know he's with her." The flickering light of the fires cast shadows on the tent and distant howls filled the air. "Your father sure doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut. Yes, I can open a portal for you to Qrow, but why would I?" I feigned a smile and shaped my hands into a heart over my chest, "Because we're family." She smirked at my response. "Funny, last time we spoke you had no interest in being family. Qrow is a fool who put his faith in the wrong man, and now he's dragged your sister and her friends into the same mess. There are far more bigger matters in this world than either of you are aware." Weiss stepped forward, her posture stiff and angry. "Oh, so instead of trying to help you'd rather just sit and cower in this little camp of yours? How brave. My partner is out there trying to save the world, a world you live in too." I placed my hand on her shoulder and faced Raven, "You said I needed to be prepared for the world to be engulfed in flames, you never told me why though. If you're so sure Qrow will fail, then how about you tell me why? Also, I'd like my bike back, preferably sent home because I'm sure after this I won't be needing it anymore." A scowl was present on Vernal's face, but Raven let out a short laugh, surprising me. "You've got a lot of nerve coming in here and making those kinds of requests." I stared right back at her and smiled. "No duh, I get it from my mother."

A silence fell over the area. "If that's how you feel then there's nothing to talk about." She turned away and grabbed at the fold of her tent. "Well then we'll just make quick work of your goons and have a talk by force, that is, if the Grimm don't show up first." I activated Ember Celica and Weiss summoned her knight back, causing a few of the bandits to step back. "Both of you, in my tent now! If you're going to join Qrow on his fool's errand, then you need to know the whole story. Vernal, have someone bring my daughter's bike. The rest of you, get back to work!" The bandits broke off as Raven entered her tent. I turned to face Weiss and was surprised when she threw herself at me. "I missed you, so, so much." I wrapped my arms around her, returning the hug. "I missed you too."

"Sit." Weiss and I both sat on the floor across from Raven. "Listen carefully, I will not repeat myself." We nodded, and she began. "Are either of you familiar with The Story of the Seasons?" Weiss and I both shook our heads. "What about The Four Maidens?" I shook my head, but Weiss nodded. "What do you know of the story?" Weiss cleared her throat, "Well the story starts off with an old man who lives alone. One day he's visited by a woman named Winter who encourages him to meditate and reflect on his life and choices. Later he's visited by Spring, who brings him fruit and flowers and brings life to his garden. Another visitor, Summer, convinces him to step outside and embrace the world around him and its beauty. The last visitor, Fall, encourages him to be thankful for all he has been given in life. The old man asks these visitors, who are actually sisters, why they were so kind to him, a bitter old man. The sisters reply that they show kindness to everyone who they meet. The old man, who is revealed to be a wizard, bestows upon the sisters a great power. As they embody the seasons the sisters travel across Remnant spreading their gifts and kindness to all while promising to visit the old man once a year."

Raven nodded at Weiss' retelling. "The story goes by many names and has many different versions, but in each one there are points that remain the same; the old man, the four sisters, and the powers the old man gifts to the sisters." I sighed, "So, what does a fairy tale have to do with anything?" Raven rolled her eyes, "I'm getting to that, just be quiet and be patient. All the different retellings have those four characteristics in common with each other. This story, it's not just a fairy tale. The old man and the four sisters are real people and lived long ago. The old man really was a wizard and bestowed extraordinary powers upon the four sisters who became known as The Four Maidens; powerful women who each embodied one of the four seasons. The truth was covered up by a fairy tale to protect the maidens and the old man. But that's not the end of it. When the Maidens died their power and soul didn't, they sought out new hosts and bonded with them, continuing the cycle of the Maidens. When one dies their power will seek out a new host and bond with them, over and over again. A part not in the stories however is the relics, items that hold a great power. To protect these relics, vaults were built around them and then the four Huntsmen Academies were built around these vaults so that the relics would always be protected. That's why Beacon was attacked, the group who's really pulling the strings acquired the powers of the Fall Maiden and are now probably searching for the relic that Beacon houses." I held up my hand to stop her, "What does that have to do with Ozpin? You keep saying Qrow was a fool for trusting Ozpin and you seem to be putting a lot of blame on him." Raven laughed, "Qrow is a fool. What do either of you actually know about Ozpin? He thought it better to hide and wait for something to happen rather than going and eliminating the problem from the start, and because of his arrogance Beacon has fallen, and soon the other academies will fall as well."

I looked at Weiss, who also glanced over to look at me, a shared look of confusion between us. "My brother has been running missions for Ozpin for the last number of years, gathering information and trying to locate the Maidens to keep them safe. Now though, Ozpin is gone and one of the Maiden's powers now lies with the enemy, and my brother still thinks he and a group of kids can save the world." I stood up, stretching my legs out. "That sounds incredibly unbelievable, but I also know that you have no reason to lie to me, so I appreciate the honesty. But if the world really is going to go up in flames, I'd rather be there, fighting the fire, then waiting for it to burn its way towards me." I looked at her a twang of sadness resonating in me. "I'm sorry we can't see eye to eye on this, and I'm sure it's not helping our relationship any, but please, we need your help. Can you please get us to Qrow? You have to do what you have to do, but so do I." I looked at her, I hid my pleading and desperation because I knew it wouldn't work on her. "I helped you once, because as Qrow likes to put it, 'it's my rule'. A favor like this, I can't just grant without getting anything in return. I'm in charge around here for a reason, if I just let you both-" "I'll stay." I turned my head so fast I almost lost balance. Weiss was now standing as well, her hands held together in front of her. "If you help Yang get to Ruby, I'll stay here, and you can ransom me back to Atlas. I won't fight back, I won't try to escape, just don't put me back in a cage and I'll do whatever you say." I stared dumbfounded, "Weiss you can't be-" "Quiet Yang. The Schnee girl has made her decision." Raven walked right up to Weiss, making me fight the urge to step between them. "You are willing to give up, this far into your journey, to help my daughter?" Weiss looked my mom right in the eye and nodded. Raven turned and waved her hand, a large crimson portal opening in the tent. "Both of you go through the portal, it'll take you right to Qrow. This is the second time I've helped you, don't take my generosity for granted. You'll both hear from me again in time. I will make sure your bike is returned to your father. Now go through before I change my mind." Weiss and I walked to the portal, the swirling red tear in reality that will get us to Ruby. I turned back to see Mom facing away from us, "Thanks… Mom" I grabbed Weiss and pulled her with me into the portal.

I stumbled out of the portal, falling flat on my back. I felt a foot kick mine and a sudden weight collapse onto me. "Ow, get off." Wherever we were being completely dark, I felt around but all I could feel was the floor beneath me. "I can't see anything, hang on." I felt a hand on my breast, "Hey hands off!" I shouted swatting randomly. I knocked the hand away, Weiss falling back down on me. "Ow, what the heck I was trying to get up!" Her voice sounded irritated. "Well do it without getting all handsy with my boobs." I grabbed Weiss with an audible "Eek" and lightly shoved her off me. "Why is it so dark in here, and where's your uncle, didn't your mom say the portal would lead to him?" I sighed, "The portal worked fine, I just don't-" A loud banging somewhere off to my right stopped me mid-sentence. "Qrow I swear if you are drunk again I'm gonna-" The lights came on and Ruby was standing in the corner of the room in her pajamas, mouth wide open. Another loud bang rang out as Qrow stumbled into the room, "Can't a guy sleep off a night of booze in peace?" He stopped and looked at Ruby in the corner and Weiss and me on the floor. "Oh, who invited you two?" He laughed and dropped to his knees before falling on his face, blackout drunk. "Ruby what is going on out here?" Jaune, Nora, Ren, and a smaller kid I didn't recognize appeared behind Ruby. They looked at us and then at Qrow passed out on the ground. Ruby sighed and covered her face with her hand. "Just… I don't… ugh let's just go to sleep and deal with it in the morning." I got off the ground and picked Weiss up, running over to Ruby and throwing my arms around her, squeezing her tight. "I missed you Rubes" A smaller pair of arms wrapped around both us. "Quit hogging her Yang, I missed her too." Ruby laughed in the middle of us. "I missed you guys."