"Weiss Septim. This is a letter notifying you that you will be required in the Imperial City on the first of Hearthfire, to bear witness to the wedding of Serana Volkihar and Her Majesty, Valeria Septim, the First of her Name. The bearer of this letter and the party accompanying the bearer shall be allowed access to the Temple of the One-"

"Ruby, what did I tell you about reading letters meant for me?" grumbled Weiss, rubbing her eyes as she walked down the stairs of their shared shop-apartment.

Valeria had given Weiss a supply of alchemical ingredients and useful plants, as well as a complete set of laboratory equipment as a parting gift. With it, and a small loan of golden drakes from J'Bari, she was able to set up an alchemical apothecary and garden next to the Mages' Guild of Vale, which doubled as both their home in Vale and a way for Team RWBY to support themselves financially. Though she was certain she could have just asked Valeria or Ra'shamarra for some cash, there were certain Schnee traits that were particularly difficult to erase overnight. Such as an overwhelming desire to prove oneself.

"Sorry, Weiss, but I couldn't resist! I mean, it even has that awesome wax seal on it and all, and it's in this fancy brown paper-"

"Parchment, you dolt. It's really hard to find in Remnant, but...wait, did you say it had a wax seal on it?"

"Yeah! One of the Imperial Dragon,"

"That's Archmage Sep- I mean, mother's seal. What does it say? She hasn't written to us in months,"

"We're invited to her wedding!"

"What? It's that time already? But I haven't finished my studies!"

Ruby pouted and zoomed up to Weiss, putting her in a friendly headlock and rubbing her knuckles against her girlfriend's temples. "Ah! Let me go!"

"You can study later. This is more important. Besides, it's in a week's time, so we've got some time to prepare,"

"Yeah, Ice Queen. Archcat's kind of more important than your studies. She's what, your mother?" Yang chuckled. Neither of them had noticed Yang walking up the stairs to their living area, with Blake following closely behind, dragging her feet as she went.

"Yang! How did training go?"

"Badly," moaned Blake, collapsing into a nearby sofa. "Legion training is nothing like any of Beacon's classes. They made us run around the whole city,"

"Around the whole city? That was all?" Ruby asked, tilting her head. That wasn't a particularly hard task for any of them.

"Yeah. Around the whole city, on the walls, five times. Made us go up and down ladders as we came to each guard tower. And you know how many there are in the city now,"

That was enough to make Ruby blanch. "Okay. That's actually quite nasty,"

"Yeah, go figure. At least I only needed to bench iron," Yang said lightly as she scratched Blake's ears. No longer did the faunus girl have to wear a bow; racial equality was strictly enforced in Imperial law, with offenders being locked in stocks for half a day for every individual offence. Progress for true acceptance among Remnant humans had been slow, but at least nobody dared to voice or display their hate for faunus any longer. "Sucks to be you, since you volunteered for infiltrator training. Everyone knows that Hides-in-Plain-Sight is a real hard ass when it comes to drills and exercises,"

"Keep rubbing it in, and you're going to find yourself sleeping on this sofa tonight, Yang," grumbled Blake.

The blonde was quick to make amends, picking up the cat faunus and giving her a light peck on her cheek. "Well, since you put it that way, I guess I'll stop. You guys don't mind if I and Blake use the bathroom first, do you? We don't exactly smell like roses at the moment,"

Weiss took a sniff and recoiled at the stench. How the two managed to work up such a terrible sweat in the cold of late Valean autumn was beyond her. Wordlessly, she waved them off, keen on ridding her living room of the horrible smell of rank sweat.

"Cool. Thanks,"

"Just make sure you don't make too much of a mess in there. Ruby had to clean up after you two last night,"

"And the night before!"

"And the night before, yes,"

Yang simply pretended to not have heard the two, slamming the bathroom door shut after she hauled Blake in. Ruby sighed, knowing that her sister would likely make another huge mess with the bath again. A mess that she would have to clean up.

"You know, sometimes I wonder how mum cooks, cleans, hunts Grimm and still had enough time to look after both Yang and myself," sighed Ruby, kicking at the wooden floor dejectedly, "I'm trying to do the same, and I sometimes can't keep a handle on everything,"

"Well, you'll eventually get there. I'm sure of it," Weiss said, prying Ruby's arms from around herself and turning to face the red reaper. Grinning evilly, she then added, "As you will when it comes to fashion. I will not attend a wedding with you wearing combat boots!"

Ruby's face paled. "Not the lady stilts! Anything but the stupid lady stilts!"

On the other side of the city, however, there was something different happening. Pyrrha had finally gotten her wish; the yellow-themed boy that was her team leader had finally realised what she was after. The two were alone in one of the city's new parks, out on a tiny island on a mirror-smooth lake.

Together. Alone. In a secluded grove, seated under a rose bush that had been shaped into a giant love heart. Totally, completely coincidental – or so she would have him believe.

"Hey, Pyrrha. You know, I couldn't help but think about what Archmage Septim said, way back then,"

Oh my. Is he actually...?

"I mean..." Jaune said slowly, pausing after a moment. He rubbed the back of his head, the same way as he normally did when he was nervous. Was that a slight blush on his cheek that she saw? She held her breath in anticipation, "I mean, you've always been there for me. We're partners, right? Back then, I didn't even know how to swing a blade straight. But you spent your time at night teaching me how to fight properly. You unlocked my Aura, and you pretty much keep Team JNPR running,"

He finally noticed! My team leader finally noticed me! This is a great day!

"So uh, I just thought back to what Archmage Septim said. You've always had my back, every single time; from the time we met during our initiation, all the way till...well, now. I, uh, don't think that I've ever done anything for you to thank you properly, so...I don't really know how to say this,"

Her cheeks felt like they were ablaze. It was happening! He was reaching into his pocket! She could see it now; a box, with a ring in it. With him on one knee, presenting the ring for her to take.

"...Ugh, I must've kept it in my pocket for too long,"

He's been planning this?! And I never noticed?

"...It's kind of melted," he chuckled nervously.

What.

"How does something like that...melt?" Pyrrha gasped in shock. Surely Jaune's back pocket was not the same temperature as a furnace. His Semblance was not fire.

After a few more moments, Jaune fished out whatever it was he had in his back pocket. Pyrrha let out a disappointed sigh as she saw a golden wrapping with gaudy red text on it.

Chocolate. Jaune only had a chocolate bar in his fingers. It was somewhat deformed, but it was unmistakably wrapped in distinctive the gold-and-red wrapping of the best chocolatier in Vale. He offered it up with a silly grin on his face, and she had no choice but to accept it.

"Thanks...Jaune," Pyrrha choked out, forcing a smile to her lips while fighting back tears. Perhaps she was expecting too much from him. Perhaps he wasn't even interested in her in that way.

One that tries may fail, but one that never tries can never succeed.

Maybe there was one more thing that she could do. She looked at the chocolate bar. It was long and narrow, and it was slowly melting in her hands. Yes, there was indeed one more thing she could do. One more try at something completely new.

Opening the wrapper, she gave the chocolate a slow, languid lick, making sure to smear her lips and tongue as much as she could. "Jaune," she spoke, in a low, sultry tone which made the young man raise an eyebrow. Before he could react, she threw her arms around him and pulled him into a deep kiss. One that he didn't break away from, or even show any form of resistance.

Maybe that chocolate was good for something after all, she thought to herself.

Ren and Nora had decided to take some time off, visiting Nirn on a long tour to see what a world without Grimm was like. A world that had seen unbroken peace for at least a thousand years, unburdened by war and monsters. What they had seen – the people that were well-fed and well cared for – touched them deeply. Only in the largest cities of Remnant could people be so joyful, so carefree; and at that point, Ren knew his calling in life. Spreading the Imperial Peace, the Pax Nirnia, on Remnant.

To give people a taste of what they had never had a chance to taste. To give people a second chance at a true life, unlike those of his birth village.

And to do that, he needed to enlist with the Legion. He had heard that they planned to purge the planet of Grimm, reshaping the land as they went. He had also heard that it would take a very long time; ten years, twenty years, thirty years – maybe even fifty – but he did not care. If at the end of it, no child had to witness their friends and family be slain by merciless Grimm, it would be worth it.

Nora had been all too happy to follow him. After all, what more did she want? Ren, his pancakes – and an opportunity to break some legs, all in one place. It was a dream come true for her.

Neo found herself smiling contentedly on her throne made of the swords, maces and hammers of those that she had eliminated in the dead of night. She had removed the old Duke of Dementia – which apparently made her into the new Duchess of Dementia – and she found that she loved the power that came with the title. The crazy cat that owned the entire island even kept her word, and gave Roman Torchwick to her to do with as she pleased.

Her inner council kept her half of New Sheoth running as efficiently as it should. For now, she busied herself by pilfering everything valuable that wasn't nailed down. It caused chaos, and made her a little bit richer every time she did so; and the crazy cat seemed to love it when open brawls happened in the streets, thanks to her actions. In any event, who was she to complain about a world where she was free to mess with people's minds – and was even encouraged to do so? She would have been mad to turn this opportunity down, especially when the alternative was a slow and painful death.

"Roman, dear, fetch me another blood sausage, would you?" Neo asked sweetly of the terrified Roman Torchwick. The man was now back in his familiar white trench coat and had his bowler hat and cane, but the shackles and chains about his legs showed everyone who owned him.

Her.

He was hers to do with as she pleased. As it was with every other one of her 'subjects'. Still, she had not found him boring yet. As long as he pleased her, she had no reason to replace him.

Replace him. Such an impersonal term. But appropriate. She held up her hand that was holding a goblet, and another shackled servant poured her another glass of wine.

Life was good. Power was even better. And she was certain of one thing. She would not share it with anyone.

"My precious," she hissed lowly, stroking the sharp edges of her throne of iron blades. This was hers. And hers alone. She would not give it up to anyone. Not now, not ever.

A/N:

And the first round of extra shorts has come about! There may be more inbound, depending on the amount of inspiration that I acquire over time. Sacrifice ALL the cabbages, yarn and cheese to Sheogorath, for madness is only the first step to inspired genius!