Chapter 37

Author's Note: Sorry if the chapter seems a bit random and all over the place, but I wanted to change the scene a bit to make it more fitting for the story. And I am also sorry for the random upload schedule, but Europe and Asia are in very different time zones. I also pulled my neck muscle two days ago, which rendered me literally useless for half a day. But enough of my woes, enjoy the chapter!

"Aw, that was close." Ruby sighed.

"Looks like the dorks made it to the next round." Yang grinned.

Blake looked at the arena where Sun and Neptune were dancing like… well, like fools. Sun then looked up and gave a double-gun gesture with a wink to her, and she blushed with a small smile on her face. "Emphasis on dork."

"That concludes the matches for today. Please leave the Coliseum IN A CALM AND ORDERLY FASHION!" Oobleck announced on the loudspeakers.

"C'mon, let's go congratulate 'em." Jeremy stood up and dusted his pants free of popcorn.

Ruby followed, watching as Sun and Neptune were now carrying their teammate away, who was walking in a hunch as he clutched his nuts. But as she looked up she walked right into Weiss and bounced off. "Ow! Weiss?"

The Heiress was staring up at the sky, where a ribbon-adorned craft flew overhead lazily. Her expression was unreadable, but Ruby could hear both joy and anxiety as she spoke. "She's here!"

"Who?" Ruby spoke up, before breaking into a run as Weiss sprinted forward. "Hey! Where are you going?!"

"Ms. Schnee." Geoff nodded as he and Jack saluted, standing in front of a line of Security guards and soldiers as Winter walked out of her ship with a group of crimson-colored soldiers and Atlas AK-200s at the Beacon Academy courtyard. "The security has been up to scale. Everything is going well, no problems at all."

"Understood, Mr. Ramsay." Winter saluted, before smiling. "And good job. I can see the festival is in safe hands."

"Yep." He grinned. "I don't suppose a possible promotion and pay raise is out of the question?"

Winter shook her head as some of the soldiers chuckled. "We'll discuss after the festival."

"Winter!"

They looked up to see Weiss running towards them with Ruby in tow, and Winter stepped forward as her sister stopped in front of her.

"Winter! I'm so happy to see you! Oh…" Weiss curtsied in front of her. "Your presence honors us."

Winter nodded in response. "Beacon. It's been a while… The air feels different."

"It's barely been a few days," Jack muttered, only to wince as Geoff elbowed him.

"She's pretending not to have come earlier," Geoff whispered, before straightening up.

"So what are you doing here?" Weiss asked.

"Classified."

"Oh. Well, how long are you staying?"

"Classified."

"Of course." Weiss nodded with a smile.

"Well… This is nice…" Ruby looked around awkwardly. "I guess."

"You're going to love it here! I know you travel a lot, but so much of Beacon is different from Atlas!" Weiss continued. "Vale, too. The government and school are completely separate! Can you believe it!? I-"

"I'm more than familiar with how this kingdom handles its... bureaucracy. That is not why I came."

"Right! I'm sorry!"

"Nor did I come here to watch my own blood fail so miserably in battle. But it appears that I have no choice in the matter." She sighed.

"But… we won." Weiss blinked in confusion.

"Only a novice would refer to that as a victory. I counted at least three strikes missed. Leave us." She turned to the soldiers and Knights, who saluted before walking away. Geoff and Jack just watched awkwardly before Winter turned back to her sister with a smile. "How have you been?"

"Oh, splendid! Thank you for asking. I'm actually in the very top ranking of our sparring class! And the rest of my studies are going wonderfully, too! I'm-"

Winter smacked her on the head, cutting her off. "Silence, you boob! I don't recall asking about your ranking, I'm asking how you've been. Are you eating properly? Have you taken up any hobbies? Are you making new friends?"

"Okay, does she love her, or hate her?" Jack whispered.

"Sibling love. It's complicated, but different people have different ways of showing that they care about people. I guess Winter's one of them." Geoff shrugged as Weiss introduced Ruby, who promptly started trying to imitate Weiss's earlier curtsey.

"Are there any others? Teams are composed of four students, am I right?" Winter looked around.

"Yes, there's Yang Xiao Long and Blake Belladonna, but they're still coming," Weiss explained. "I can introduce them to you if you want?"

"Of course. I've heard much about your team's efforts in the White Fang and the Breach." Winter looked down at her expectantly.

"O-Oh… Um, I can explain…"

"Save it." Winter sighed. "I'm still deciding whether to punish you or give you a medal. Your actions have… raised some eyebrows in Atlas, but your efforts in subduing the White Fang and your fighting during the Breach, in my personal opinion, more than makeup for it."

"Thank you, Winter." Weiss nodded. "I only wanted to do the right thing."

"And that you did." Winter smiled again. "Seeing as I'm early, why don't you show me around? I'm sure you have other… friends than your teammates?"

"Yes, there is another group, Team JNPR. They fought earlier today."

"Their fight was… unspeakable." Winter's face twisted in disgust. "It can barely be called a victory."

"The first part was kinda cool." Ruby piped up. "But yeah, it got boring by the end."

"Anyone else?" Winter turned to Weiss.

"Well… there is the AH Crew." She pointed to Geoff and Jack. "They've been here for a while, and we've been on a few adventures with them."

Winter nodded. "Have they been useful?"

"They've taken over the White Fang investigation, and they seem to be doing well."

"Seem to be?!" Jack exclaimed. Geoff elbowed him hard, before wincing as he hit Jack's armor plate.

Weiss clapped a hand to her face before looking up at Winter pleadingly. "They are a lot more competent than they seem, trust me."

"I know full well. And I also have… had my doubts, but I've seen them in person and it all checks out."

"Wait…" Weiss blinked. "You've met them? You were here earlier?"

Winter stiffened before coughing. "I did arrive earlier at the Colosseum to oversee security, so I was… busy. This was my first chance to meet you in person since my arrival."

"What were you doing?"

Before she could reply, a voice called out from behind them. "It's because she was on a spying mission."

They turned as there was a clang and the head of an Atlas Knight rolled across the ground. Qrow stood between the dismantled bodies of two AK-200s, dropping one he held in his hand before strolling forward.

"Uncle Qrow?!" Ruby exclaimed. "Why did you do that?!"

"Because these things aren't going to do jack, first of all." Qrow shrugged. "Trust me, they'll backfire. Second, your dear sister has been overseeing some missions regarding important individuals."

"Who?" Weiss asked. "If it's someone we know, we could help."

Winter was glaring at Qrow with so much anger that any soldiers still waiting near them quickly snuck away to avoid her ire. "Qrow… That is… not something you are part of…"

"I guess you're wondering how I know." Qrow grinned widely. "But don't worry, for the right price I won't tell anyone else."

Winter whipped out her swords and pointed them at him. "Qrow, I've had enough of you! Every single time we meet, you always push me to my limits! What is your problem with me?"

"Uncle Qrow, please…" Ruby tried to pull him away.

"Nah. They're sellouts." Qrow chuckled. "Going on about how they're gonna save the day. I still don't get why you're hiding behind your fantasies of scaring Grimm away. It's not gonna work, Specialist Schnee."

"You're nothing but a drunk old has-been!" Winter hissed.

"And you think you're so special!"

"It's in the name."

"She's got a point," Geoff muttered from the side.

"Weiss, it's time for you to go," Winter spoke to Weiss without breaking eye contact with Qrow, pushing her to the side.

"What-?"

"Listen to your big sister, Weiss. She'll protect you. Just like Atlas is going to protect us all, huh?" Qrow mocked.

"If you won't hold your tongue, then I will gladly remove it for you!" Winter snapped.

"Alright then." Qrow slicked back his hair as he grinned smugly. "Come and take it."

Geoff tried to run between them, but Winter already slashed at him, with Qrow dodging the strikes until it hit his sword, which he pulled out and started trading blows with her.

"Just let them blow off steam…" Jack pulled Geoff back and grabbed Weiss and Ruby, dragging them clear from the fight as a crowd gathered.

"Just who does he think he is?!" Weiss exclaimed. "That drunk… moron! Ruby, back me up here!"

"KICK HER BUTT, UNCLE QROW!" Ruby cheered.

"Wha?!" Weiss gaped at her, before quickly turning to the fight. "Uh, teach him respect, Winter!"

"I'll go get Ozpin." Geoff backed away.

"I'll get Ironwood." Jack nodded, and they both ran back, wincing as the blades clashed against each other.

"I'm telling you, she's somewhere in here!"

Michael sighed as Gavin continued looking through the crowd. "Gavin, there's no way that mute will be here. She'll be recognized."

"Also, I don't think you can change eye color." Jeremy pointed out. "How would she be able to?"

"How does she shatter into glass? How does Ruby travel at the speed of sound? How does Blake leave a shadow clone? How does Pyrrha use magnetism?" Gavin shot back. "How does Nora conduct electricity into power? How does-"

"Okay! Jesus, calm down!" Michael sighed. "But how do we find her?"

"Just… look, she should be here." Gavin continued watching as the crowd strolled past into the ferries back to Vale. "Ryan's taking it seriously."

"Because he wants to meet the Remnant version of him." Jeremy sighed.

Ryan watched the other ferry, eyes trailing over each face quickly and methodically. The few people he made eye contact with all quickly sped up into the ship, something he was fine with.

He was just on the lookout for green eyes or heterochronic eyes.

Ryan saw a little girl with a hoodie on, and he stared at her until she stiffened. She looked back up at him, but he moved on when he saw two orange eyes and a lock of brown hair.

He didn't notice as Neo exhaled when she ducked behind a taller person and snuck through the crowd to the Beacon Academy shuttle. She rubbed her eyes before blinking them in her more-favorable pink and brown.

Changing eye color hurt.

But she'd have her time. All the time in the world to examine her extra-terrestrial alternative, hopefully. If she didn't have to kill him outright.

Neo smiled to herself as she spotted an ice cream vendor and strolled towards it, snagging a few Lien from a drunk man who pasted her. She then raised an eyebrow as she realized he was cradling a swollen jaw along with a dozen other men who were all injured in some way or another, all muttering about some "Damned Cat Faunus."

Eh. Probably nothing.