Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY. RWBY belongs to Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum.


Pyrrha Nikos felt her throat constrict as the words died out of her mouth, the eyes of her seniors falling upon her. An unusual amount of unease rushed through her body as she stood beneath their scrutinizing gazes. Flanking her were both Ruby and Raine, the two guardians having also received a message from Headmaster Ozpin to meet with him, and it was with a few encouraging words from Ruby that the champion was able to find her nerve once more. Despite the odd circumstances, Ruby seemed like she always was; chipper, energetic, and encouraging.

"We're right here with you, Pyrrha," Ruby said confidently.

"Thank you, both of you," Pyrrha replied softly as she stepped into the office.

"I guess the idea of a one-on-one is out of the question then?" commented Raine as his eyes swept over each person in the room.

Ozpin, Qrow, and Goodwitch he had expected, but to see Ironwood and Winter present as well sent alarm bells ringing in his head. He glanced towards Qrow for input, but the man was as indifferent as ever, perhaps even a tad apprehensive. After all, his niece was going to be present for this discussion.

"It would be easier to speak to all three of you at once," answered Ozpin as he motioned for them to take a seat. "I apologize for calling you at such late notice, and at this hour in fact. I'm sure you have many questions."

Ruby looked on curiously, as the atmosphere settled in on her; this wasn't just some lecture they were going to receive. It made her both excited and nervous.

"You... could say that," answered Pyrrha as she sat down on the left, Raine taking the seat next to her, and Ruby sitting opposite of him. "I'm sorry Headmaster, but why did you call us here?"

Ozpin sat with them, placed his tea cup down on his desk, and leaned forward, his hands clasped together.

"Tell me Ms. Nikos; what is your favorite fairy tail?"

Qrow suppressed a snort at Ozpin's question; he knew where this was going. Crossing his arms, he leaned against the wall and waited, his eyes glancing over to Winter to catch her own reaction as well. The Specialist had a look of confusion like Pyrrha.

"I'm... sorry?" Pyrrha responded hesitatingly.

"Fairy tails; stories from your childhood. Surely you must remember a few?"

"Well..." Pyrrha began as she searched her memory. "There's the Tale of the Two Brothers, the Shallow Sea, the Girl in the Tower-"

"What about the story of the Seasons?" suggested Ozpin.

Ruby perked up, remembering how she and the others eavesdropped on her uncle and Raine.

"Oh of course!" agreed Pyrrha, suddenly relaxing. "A callous, old man who refuses to leave his home, was visited by four traveling sisters. The first understands his reclusive nature, and urges him to use his time in solitude to reflect and meditate. The second brings him fruits and flowers, tending to his crops and revitalizing his garden. The third warms the man's heart, convincing him to step outside and embrace the world around him. And the fourth and final sister begs him to look at all that he has and be thankful. In return for their kindness, the man grants each sister incredible powers, so that they may continue to help people all across the world. They graciously accept, and promise to share their gifts with all of the People of Remnant. Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall; the Four Seasonal Maidens."

Ozpin smiled with approval.

"Would you believe me if I told that one has been around since I was a boy?"

Pyrrha giggled openly at the suggestion.

"You're not that old, Headmaster. My mother told me that story has floated around for generations, passed down from her grandparents and so on."

"Well," Ozpin continued, his smile fading away. "Would you believe me if I told you it was true?"

Pyrrha paused.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh wait!" chimed in Ruby as she looked towards Raine, who remained silent thus far. "Isn't that what you and Uncle Qrow were talking about back in Mistral?"

"Don't think I don't remember you barging in like that," Qrow called out from the back of the room, making Ruby blush with embarrassment.

"Raine, what are they talking about?" asked Pyrrha as she turned to him for answers.

Raine took a deep breath, wondering how he should start.

"Well, I didn't get the full story when I first heard about it; we still had the mission to do, and we all know how that ended, but I bet we're about to find out now."

Ozpin nodded slowly.

"What if I told you, Pyrrha Nikos... that there are four maidens in this world, and that each of them were capable of wielding tremendous power without the aid of Dust?"

"Like a Semblance?" asked Pyrrha.

"Like magic," corrected Ozpin.

"So... like the stuff that Cardin has been using but not...?" suggested Ruby.

"I don't understand..." admitted Pyrrha as she shook her head.

"That's fine," Qrow commented once more. "First time hearing about it is pretty crazy. I didn't believe it at first either, when I was given this talk."

Pyrrha's eyes widened as she glanced between the two elder Huntsmen.

"Are you serious?" she asked Ozpin.

He looked at her patiently.

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

Pyrrha sat back, placated.

"No sir..." she replied. "But why are you telling me this? And why are Ruby and Raine in on it too?"

"It's... kind of a long story," Ruby admitted as she rubbed the back of her head. "I don't really get all of it either."

"To make a long story shorter..." added Raine, "our ancestors, the Silver Eyed Warriors, were called Guardians for a reason. We weren't just known as legendary warriors, Pyrrha, but we were literally the protectors of the Seasonal Maidens."

Raine turned to Ozpin as he spoke.

"But you wouldn't call us here like this unless it had something to do with the Maidens, would you Headmaster?"

"You are correct, Mr. Zaffre," Ozpin confirmed for him. "Ms. Nikos... my colleagues and I believe... that you are next in line to receive the Fall Maiden's power."

The news was something completely unexpected for Pyrrha, her blood running cold as she thought of the implications, but right now there were more pressing questions at the forefront of her mind.

"But... why?" she asked. "Who are you people?"

"You know who we are..." said Goodwitch as she tried a softer approach. "We're the same teachers, headmasters, and Hunters you've always known."

"Except some of us have a little part-time job. You're not the only new person present here," added Qrow as he shot a glance at Winter with that last remark, a comment she ignored.

"We are the protectors of this world," said Ironwood. "We fight the forces that work against peace, both inside and out."

"And now we need your help," finished Ozpin, "from all of you."

Pyrrha didn't know how to respond. The normally confident and self-assured warrior was at a loss. Her entire life she suspected she was destined to do great things, the battlefield had always been her calling, but now that something very real and significant was happening, she had no idea how to take it. She closed her eyes and bowed her head, not trusting herself to speak.

Ruby looked over her shoulder towards her uncle, her eyes pleading for guidance. He gave her a sad smile, and a look that said he wished this wasn't happening now. Despite her misgivings following the incident at the tower, Ruby Rose suddenly felt very much like a child as she sat there surrounded by men and women with far more power and experience than she could ever guess. Her hand immediately grasped Raine's, hoping that he would bring some clarity to the situation. He squeezed back but kept his eyes on Ozpin. Ruby held her breath as he leaned forward.

"What happened to the Fall Maiden? Why do you believe her power is going to pass on?" he asked seriously.

Ozpin paused for a moment, his mind contemplating how best to approach this subject. With a sigh, he gave his answer.

"It's... easier if we showed you."

The elevator ride that followed was possibly the longest minute of Raine's young life. The cramped interior left little room for all eight of them, with himself and Ruby standing near the door with Ozpin. She kept her hand in his the entire ride, her heart beating loudly in her ears. Winter kept to herself, trying to stay more focused on the matter at hand and not Qrow's close proximity, the smell of whiskey drifting into her nostrils. She glanced towards her General, the man's face an impassive wall of stone, as was Goodwitch who patiently waited with her arms crossed. The trip was completely silent, aside from a single question coming from Pyrrha who meekly stood in a corner next to Ruby.

"Where are we going?" she ventured carefully.

"The Vault... underneath the school," Ozpin replied simply.

The elevator doors slid open, revealing to the group an immense and lengthy hallway. Torches lit with emerald flames were the only source of light for the dark chambers, with glass floors and lined with marble pillars. The adults confidently stepped forward, unperturbed by the atmosphere of the Vault. A shiver went down Raine's spine as he exited the elevator; cold.

"This place gives me the creeps..." mumbled Ruby as she stayed close to him.

"I don't blame you," Raine agreed.

"You three must have a lot of questions," said Goodwitch as she waited for her students.

"Maybe one, or two..." admitted Pyrrha as she walked with her teacher. "I still don't understand though; you said I'm next in line to receive the Fall Maiden's power. What did you mean by that?"

"The Maidens have existed for thousands of years," explained Goodwitch as they followed the rest of the group. "But much like in nature, the seasons change; no two summers are alike. When a maiden dies, her power leaves her body and seeks out a new host. This ensures that no single person keeps the power indefinitely, nor will the power become completely lost."

"How is the power supposed to choose though? You must have some idea if you think Pyrrha is next in line," asked Winter as she broke her silence.

"Through a series of stupid and convoluted rules," griped Qrow.

"Qrow!" growled Goodwitch.

"Don't get mad just because I'm right!"

Goodwitch sighed with irritation.

"At first, the only thing our group knew for certain was that the power always selected young women, but as time went on, we learned that the selection process was more... intimate."

"Intimate...?" Pyrrha repeated nervously.

"It became apparent that when a Maiden dies, the last one in her thoughts would become the first candidate to receive her power."

"Unless of course that person was a dude or some old hag, then it went to someone random," clarified Qrow. "When that happens, our job becomes much more difficult."

"That still doesn't answer the overarching question; why Pyrrha?" pressed Raine. "As far as we know, she's never met the Maiden, making it impossible for her to be an immediate candidate."

"Call it an educated guess," answered Qrow. "You're strong, Nikos. It takes an astoundingly strong young woman to properly house a Maiden's power. Your display of aura during your duel with Boy Scout over here put you at the top of the list."

"I don't know if I should feel honored or scared," Pyrrha admitted.

"That's why the Maidens had their Guardians," said Ozpin. "They were their protectors, friends, and sometimes family, but they also had the duty of preparing the next Maiden for her role. That is why Raine and Ruby are here as well."

"Don't get me wrong; Pyrrha is our friend and we'd do anything for her. But how are we supposed to prepare her for anything when we're just as lost?" asked Raine.

"Yeah, I mean... we just learned about this too," agreed Ruby.

"It's in your blood," Ozpin replied cryptically. "You will naturally feel drawn to her, to support her when she needs it most. Her soul must be just as strong as her mind and body in order to properly receive the Maiden's power."

"For now, all you need to know is that the current Fall Maiden has been attacked, and that for the first time in history part of her power was stolen," interjected Qrow.

The group reached the end of the hallway, and came upon a pair of life support pods hooked up to a massive computer and power source. Ruby held a hand to her mouth when she noticed that the pod on the left was occupied.

"Is that...?" she began, to which Ozpin sighed with sorrow.

"Yes... the current Fall Maiden; Amber."

The girl within the pod was beautiful, to be sure. Slim in build, a light brown in complexion, with short, brown hair that perfectly framed her face, a face that was marred with extensive scars. A single birthmark sat at the outer corner of her left eye. Aside from a white tube top and white skirt to preserve her modesty, she was completely bare. If not for the nature of her occupancy, she could have passed for merely sleeping; forced hibernation would be a more accurate term. Her breaths came out pained and labored, as if a great weight lay upon her chest.

"This technology... it's... it's beyond anything we have back home," whispered Winter. "It's keeping her alive when she should have died ages ago."

"She's alive for now," said Ironwood. "These pods are using state-of-the-art technology to keep her stable, but there are issues that are... unprecedented. We don't know what will happen if... when... she passes. The power should transfer to the next host, but it's not uncommon for the last thoughts of the slain to be of their attacker, and to make matters worse... no one has ever seen the power split like this before. For all we know, it could seek out its other half, regardless of the gender or age of that individual."

Pyrrha's face set into a frown as she came to the same conclusion.

"Her assailant," she said, finishing the thought.

"And that would not bode well for anybody," declared Ozpin.

"What about the other Maidens? Where are they in all of this?" asked Winter. "If one of their sisters is in danger, shouldn't they be here to help? At the very least they should be told!"

"At ease, Specialist," Ironwood ordered firmly.

"It's not that simple," answered Ozpin. "Seldom few Guardians survived the Great War. When once there were thousands, by the War's end, barely a hundred remained. Their enemies, those who fought against them during the War, the Guardians who fell to corruption, hunted them down in the years since. The survivors went into hiding, and with them so too did the Maidens. To aide in this, we and our counterparts in the other Kingdoms worked to suppress knowledge of the Maidens for what they truly were, instead masking them as great warriors like the Guardians. Amber was the only one who remained in contact with our group; she couldn't bear to run when so many in the world lived in fear of the Grimm. The whereabouts of Spring and Summer are completely unknown, and from what we understand, Winter has gone into exile in the frozen wastes north of Atlas; completely unreachable by both us and her would-be assassins."

"Irony of your namesake aside," came Qrow's wisecrack as he nudged Winter in the ribs with his elbow.

She smacked him in the back of the head in retaliation.

Raine tuned out the rest of the conversation, barely catching Pyrrha and Goodwitch's mutual disgust with how Amber was being preserved, as well as with the supposed plan to transfer the power into Pyrrha to begin with. Ruby looked at him curiously as he stepped forward to the pod, his hand outstretched to softly press against the window.

"Raine?" she asked him.

He didn't answer her right away, his focus on the woman within. The glass was warm to the touch, warm enough to be felt through his glove.

"It's strange... I... I feel like I should know this woman," he said carefully. "Her face just seems... familiar, like a distant memory barely out of reach."

What struck him most however was the strange pull he felt towards her with his aura. Trusting his feelings, the young Guardian channeled his aura into his eyes, the irises alighting with an empowered glow, an act that startled the rest of the party out of their bickering.

"Mr. Zaffre! Step away from there at once!" scolded Goodwitch as she stepped forward with alarm, only to be stopped by a firm hand on her wrist.

"Wait," said Ozpin. "He might be on to something."

"What does he think he's doing?" questioned Winter.

"He's becoming a Guardian, a true Guardian," answered Ironwood with a hint of awe in his voice.

Raine swallowed the lump in his throat, trusting only in instinct and faith as he went a step further. From the palm of his hand came a steady, and clearly visible, stream of silver aura. The energy connected with Amber at her navel, and quickly spread to envelope her entire body; it glowed with an ethereal light. He let out an involuntary gasp as the connection was made, as his own body glimmered in tandem. Raine could feel his soul intermingling with hers. Despite her crippled state, the depth of her power shocked him. It was primal, raw, and disturbingly thirsty for retribution, but it was also predictably fractured; her soul was broken. Roughly half of it was missing, leaving behind a shell of its former potential. It latched upon his own aura, desperately seeking to replenish itself. The sudden draw of power struck the young Guardian with a wave of burning agony, which he promptly voiced.

"It's hurting him..." Ruby breathed out. "I need to help him!"

"Stop!" yelled Qrow as he rushed forward to restrain her.

"But he might get seriously hurt if I don't!"

"You don't know that," he reasoned with his niece. "If you break the connection now, there's no telling what will happen. It could even end up killing them both."

Ruby fought back tears as she struggled with her own helplessness. Why was it always him that had to suffer?

Raine grit his teeth together under the strain. His mind was screaming at him to stop, but his heart warred against it, arguing that if he did, he risked losing her. He felt compelled to try and save this woman, and he refused to flee when her life was on the line. He couldn't heal all of the damage, it was too extensive, but at the very least he felt like he could buy her some time. Focusing on her soul itself, visible to his mind's inner eye in the form of a flickering flame, he channeled his aura to encircle it, protect it, and fuel it to a sustainable level. It took the form of a silver lantern, a fitting symbol for a dying flame, and one that he hoped would protect her long enough for him to discover a way to save her, but as the lantern formed into completion, visions not of his own played across his eyes.

No longer was he looking into the pod of a dying legend, but instead he saw the world, untainted and pure, free of the presence of Grimm. He saw the sisters in their splendor, and the old man who gifted them with their powers. He caught a glimpse of the War in all of its glory and horror, as well as the glittering spires of a long forgotten city. What followed was a long darkness, broken only by fear, pain, and desperation. He reasoned he was experiencing the aftermath of the conflict, the dark ages that drove the Guardians to near extinction as they fought desperately to protect the Maidens. To his relief, that didn't last forever when the name of Amber finally came to him.

His vision suddenly became hers as he relived her memories. She had traveled the world extensively over the years, freely lending aid to those who suffered, readily came to the defense of those beset upon by the Grimm, yet careful enough to not reveal her true power as a Maiden. By this point, Raine could feel the connection slipping, knowing that at any moment now it would be severed, but he had to hold strong. If he could keep the connection going long enough, he had a chance of catching sight of her attacker, the one who sought to steal her power. Instead, the final memory he glimpsed was something else entirely.

Raine saw a hand, clearly Amber's, reached down into a cradle to stroke the cheek of a baby, a baby not even a year old; a baby with black hair tinted with blue.

"Raine... my dear Raine..." came a soft, sad, and feminine voice.

Shock filled the young Guardian as his vision returned to the present. Amber's scars had faded, but were still quite visible. Most astounding of all was that her eyes were fluttering; the Fall Maiden was beginning to wake up. Only a scant few seconds had passed, but for Maiden and Guardian, it might as well have been an eternity. Deep brown met blazing silver, and a whisper slipped from between her lips.

"You came..." she breathed, audible only to the two of them.

Before Raine could answer, a shockwave detonated between them, sending him sprawling onto his back. Ruby couldn't stand it anymore and wrenched herself free from her uncle's grasp. She slid to her knees as she moved to cradle Raine in his arms. To her relief, he groaned in pain at the contact, a hand lifting to his forehead to nurse a sharp migraine.

"Are you ok?" she asked worriedly.

"Yeah..." he gasped out as he desperately sought to catch his breath. "But I'm more concerned about her. Did it work?"

"Did what work?" asked Goodwitch.

"I'll be damned... he actually did it," answered Qrow as he looked upon Amber's form, prompting the others to step forward.

Amber had returned to her slumber, but her breathing was no longer laborious. A strange peace had seemed to come over her; her brow no longer furrowed, and her scars had largely faded from view. Ironwood rushed over to the life-support monitors, hoping against hope that his suspicions were right. Relief flooded through him; she was stable, truly stable, and not steadily fading away.

"He saved her life..." he announced.

"So this is the power of a Guardian..." breathed Winter.

"I bought her time," Raine corrected as he struggled to his feet with Ruby's help. "What I did wasn't enough to save her completely; the rest of her power still lies with her attacker, but at least now she's not knocking on death's door."

"But that's a good thing, right?" asked Pyrrha as she joined him. "It means she can be saved!"

"Hopefully. Ruby and I have a lot of work to do," he replied.

"You mean you won't do something completely reckless without me this time?" Ruby chided.

"I'm sorry Ruby; I'll admit that what I just did was pretty impulsive, even for me, but I had to be sure."

"You idiot, you're lucky I love you," she sighed as she leaned up to kiss him, in plain view of everyone. "Whatever you need me to do, I'm here with you."

The clearing of a few throats brought their attention back to the real world. Goodwitch had her arms crossed, a disapproving look on her face, but given what had just transpired, she chose not to lecture them on public displays of affection. Qrow made a mental note to get that kid a stiff drink; it turned out the Boy Scout was a bit of a dog after all. He captured the heart of one princess, his niece, and turned around to save another. He smirked approvingly as he took a swig from his trusty flask. Ironwood and Winter hadn't noticed, the both of them too busy diagnosing the pods for any damage they might have sustained. As for Ozpin... he simply looked on in amusement and a small amount of relief. He hadn't made a mistake in this respect after all.

For Raine, however, the celebration was short-lived as the visions came rushing back to him.

"Pyrrha," he began, gaining the gladiator's attention, "just focus on your team and the tournament for now. Hold off on that whole "I'll become your next Fall Maiden" plan."

She hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

"If that's what you feel is best."

Raine smiled then turned his attention to Ozpin.

"Headmaster, Ruby and I will eventually need to return here."

"I'll make the necessary arrangements, but first I must ask; what is it that the two of you plan to do?" Ozpin inquired warily.

Raine shared a look with Ruby before answering.

"We've got a lot of reading to do, and hopefully... my old man left behind some clues."


A/N: What's this? Two chapters within a week? Yeah I'm surprised at myself a bit too, but honestly, it's high time we got into what those eyes of theirs can really do. It took a lot of effort and buildup to get to this point, but honestly I'm glad that we're finally here. Winter's early involvement was born of my own suspicions brewing about the Winter Maiden, to which Qrow flippantly points out in this scene. Simply coincidence in Canon? Possibly, but I got options to explore. For those of you who might be wondering, the tournament isn't much further off, but I felt the story needed to get back on track about the Guardians and their connection to the Maidens, if only for a little bit. It's going to be fun either way, so stay tuned for the next chapter of WWSE!