That episode hit me in the feels!
There was the sway of the horse's back under the saddle.
When he trots, there is a slight bounce, but her seat was relaxed.
The sway was more serene than the sitting trot.
With every other beat, the girl gently lifted out of the saddle. As a result, her legs made more contact with Mercy's sides. Each beat, she nuzzled closer to the boy in front of her.
A chilled breeze grazed their cheeks.
The trees were bare along with the shrubbery. The grass was dry and the leaves were swept away. It was easy for the dull leaves to be pried from the resting place.
Nora wrapped her arms around Zwei, hoping to insulate more heat. She was wearing soft layers of clothing. Despite that, the fast paced gallops didn't help her get warm.
The natural animal blanket didn't do much to help. She wondered how the corgi was fairing since he had short fur.
The weather was the same condition as when their friends escaped to Atlas. Except it wasn't raining, and a tad less daunting.
The sky was an eerie gray. The same way it was when Weiss died, and by some miracle, revived.
Watching their friend take her last breath was unforgettable. Almost traumatic.
It was finally time to see how they were doing.
Several months have past, so curiosity was prevalent.
"It's so cold!" Nora whined. "Are we there yet?"
"Be patient," Ren advised. The boy was seated directly in front of her. He was steering the smaller horse, Mercy. "We'll see them soon."
"I can't believe they're finally back," Nora replied in exasperation. "It feels like they left years ago! But it's only been what? A couple of months?"
"Indeed," said Pyrrha, who was seated behind Jaune. The two rode the larger horse, Drachen. "The royal guard has cancelled the manhunt. It is safe for them to return."
"Shows how much the government actually cares," Jaune remarked. "I bet The Faker has a few people still looking."
"I've no doubt," the amazon agreed. "Cinder likes to think she gets what she wants. At least, most of the time."
Nora lightly snickered from the comment. "The meanie tyrant'll never get 'em!"
When Drachen hopped over a bump, that caused Pyrrha to wrap her arms around Jaune tightly, a blush present. "We will make our move before that happens."
"You think so?" Nora asked.
The Champion nodded. "That may be the main reason our friends are back. They wouldn't come to Vale just to hide again. They- we are going to enact change."
"Hiding all the time sucks and takes more energy than I thought," Nora commented. "If they think it's time to make a move, then I'm all for it."
For a moment, Ren shifted to face her. "You're excited."
"We get to exact revenge on the kingdom," Nora pointed out. "The kingdom is who hurt you, Ren. They need to pay."
Touched by her words, Ren went back to being silent. Instead, he steered the smaller horse away from a tree. Before the group knew it, they reached the small cabin. From the mere sight, Drachen let out a high-pitched neigh.
Jaune leaned forward and gently pat the white stallion. "I bet you're excited to see your owners, huh, bud?"
The muscular horse whipped his head, which caused his white mane to flow.
"A little longer," Jaune soothed.
"Mercy is hyper, too," Nora observed. "They know."
The oreo-patterned horse neighed excitedly at the sight of the familiar humble cabin. Mercy even gave her a whinny.
"Maybe they can smell them," Jaune guessed.
Just after the blond boy said that, Zwei leapt out of Nora's protective lap. It was a high jump, but he stuck the landing almost like a cat and darted into the deep forest.
"Zwei!" Nora shouted. "Wait up!"
But the corgi didn't heed her pleas and kept bolting away. The mini blob eventually blended with nature and vanished.
"Ugh, Blake was right!" Nora admitted. "He's such a little sh-"
Before she could finish, Mercy pounced forward so forcefully that Ren and Nora almost fell off. Luckily, Nora grabbed him in time and kept them both steady as the horse galloped.
"Thanks," Ren said.
"Don't mention it."
Trusting Mercy, Ren allowed her to lead them.
Drachen was more calm and followed the other horse. He didn't need the swift kick in the side to tell him to go forward.
Trots warped to gallops. Hooves crushed the dry ground, leaving impressions in the dirt.
More than likely, Zwei was following their trail of scent. The horses probably picked up the dog's scent and pursued him.
It didn't take long for the group to locate them.
The blobs of red, white, black, and yellow were playing with the enthralled corgi. The tiny ball of energy was zipping all over. He'd dart into the bushes, then slam into one of the girls, going back and forth between the forms. He darted from one person to the next, having much love to give.
From the short distance, it wasn't hard to pinpoint the red reaper. When a neigh echoed, that stole Ruby's attention.
"Dracheeeeeeeen!"
Instantly, the Ruby bolted to her beloved steed, a trail of rose petals was left in her wake. With a broad grin, Ruby wrapped her arms around the horse's muscular neck. In response, Drachen dipped his head since his owner was much shorter than him. He nuzzled into her side and she grasped him tighter. His tail flicked happily as he neighed again.
"You're so handsome, Drachen!" Ruby beamed. "That a new haircut?"
A playful snort.
"Oh, thank you so much for taking care of them!" Ruby chirped. "Gah, it's been forever since I've seen my baby!"
The girl was bursting from excitement just like her dog. She didn't know who to address first. There was so much love to give she didn't know what to do with herself. When she was done hugging Drachen, she pulled apart and gave him a soothing pat.
Her horse wasn't having it and used his broad snout to coax the girl back to his chest.
Ruby giggled several times and hugged him again. "Aww, did you miss me?"
The white steed stomped his front hoof and snuggled closer.
While the owner and pet had their moment, Jaune and Pyrrha took that as their cue to hop off the horse. Ren and Nora followed suit, leaving Mercy to approach her owners, who greeted her eagerly.
"He was no problem at all," Pyrrha assured the red reaper. "Perhaps a little too well behaved."
"That's Drach for ya," Ruby grinned. Another snort rang out.
"You look well," Pyrrha mentioned, glad the girl was her normal, giddy self.
"I'm more than good!" Ruby stated. "And so's-"
It was then that azure pools met emerald. Just a few feet away, the girl in white stood. It wasn't a deathly, or ill white. It was a familiar white. The pure kind.
"Weiss!"
Pyrrha couldn't bite back the exclamation of relief.
It felt like time froze as her friends stared at the spectacle.
She looked fine. She was alive. She was breathing. A far cry from how she looked before they left for Atlas.
From the call of her name, Weiss approached her friends, who she hadn't seen in months.
"Hey, guys," the ex-princess greeted. "Sorry I didn't greet you sooner. Zwei demanded my attention."
A few chuckles.
Ruby sensed her friend wanted to talk with them, so she led her horse over to her other friends to give them some space. She was welcomed with warm smiles and Blake greeted her with a doting kiss on the cheek.
It felt odd for Weiss to be stared at this much, but she understood. Last time they saw her, well, she couldn't even remember that.
"How wonderful it is to see you so well!" Pyrrha exclaimed. "You look good as new!"
From the compliment, Weiss smiled. It was nice to see her friends again. Conversing with them felt like home. Where they truly belonged.
Nora nodded. "The last time we saw you you were kinda… not looking too good, so trust me when I say it's a relief to see you're okay!"
"My wounds have mostly healed," the lion faunus informed. "Other than that, I'm one-hundred percent."
"Thank god," Jaune breathed a sigh as he gazed up at the gray sky. It felt like the world was off his shoulders. The area around them was silent besides a few giggles in the distance. "We didn't even know if you made it."
"Ah, that's right," the lion faunus recalled. "I was in Atlas by the time I woke up. Sorry for not informing you sooner."
"Don't worry about it, there's no way you could have," Jaune said softly.
The whole experience was a bit hazy.
Weiss remembered being told by Yang that Pyrrha risked her life to sneak her out of prison. The Champion had carried her battered body out of the pipelines. She knew the full dangers of being caught, and yet, she chose to help anyways.
Nora somehow revived her.
Weiss had no recollection of any of that. Just the feeling of drifting in that cold, dark space. A never-ending oblivion. Then, there was nothing. At least until she was moments from waking up. There was a feeling of comforting warmth. Warmth that was irreplaceable.
Her eyes did the rest.
To express her gratitude, Weiss pulled Nora and Pyrrha in for a hug. Although, her arms couldn't wrap around both girls fully since they were too short. That was unexpected to both girls. It was well-known the ex-princess valued her personal bubble. This was one of the rare times Weiss chose contact over pleasant words.
Although they were stiff at first, Nora and Pyrrha returned the embrace. Nora's head rested on the short girl's shoulder, and Pyrrha elected to lean down slightly.
Meanwhile, Jaune and Ren watched with broad grins.
After the friends pulled apart, Weiss dipped her head to the girls.
"Thank you. You saved my life."
To Weiss, they were her saviors.
"W-woah," Nora exasperated. "Raise your head please. We don't deserve it-"
"You both saved me," Weiss stated firmly and slowly raised her head to meet both of their gazes. "For that, I can't even begin to think of how to repay you."
"There's no need to repay us," Pyrrha replied. "We're just glad you're better."
"You're alive and kicking, well, hugging," Nora chirped happily. "That's all we wanted. Don't worry about repaying us. It's what friends do. We help each other out."
Pyrrha nodded in agreement. "It's only natural. So please, do not feel as though you are indebted to us."
Seeing as the girls spoke firmly without a doubt, Weiss smiled. "Very well," she turned to the two boys. "Thank you both as well. You all made an admirable effort."
"Everyone did," Jaune pointed over her shoulder to prove his point.
There was her girlfriend, Yang. The blonde wore her usual sunny smile. She wore fewer layers since she was a natural heater. There was Blake and Ruby, who were conversing by the horses. There was Sun and Neptune, who were playfully sparring. There was Taiyang, Wilhelmina, and Qrow, who were laughing as they watched Zwei perform a back-flip for a treat.
"It wasn't just us," Jaune reminded. "I mean, we went to the prison to get you, but they're the ones who treated you and helped you recover."
"I am very well-aware of that," Weiss stated solemnly. "Each person had a part. Each just as important to my well-being. Just accept my gratitude," she ended with a playful huff.
"Accepted," Ren slightly smiled. "We're glad you guys are back."
"Nothing noteworthy happened while we were gone?" the lion faunus asked.
Pyrrha spoke for them. "The Faker called off the manhunt for you. They searched for almost two months and eventually had to give up. I bet they spent too many resources. Other than that, nothing else has transpired."
"Wonderful," the ex-princess said softly. "This is our opportunity."
Jaune gave her a skeptical look. "Does that mean what we think it means?"
Nora giddily giggled. "It's time to kick some butt!"
"What she said," Weiss smirked. "We're making final adjustments to prepare. There are some last minute details that need to be covered, so if you don't mind, can you stick around?"
The four gazed amongst each other and nodded.
"Sure," Jaune shrugged. "When will we discuss the plans?"
"In a few," Weiss curtly answered.
"Is there anything we should do specifically?" Ren asked.
Since they were going against an entire government, there was bound to be something they could do. Ren wanted to be extra cautious. Prevent as few casualties as possible.
"Do as you see fit," the lion faunus suggested. "Spar, eat, sleep. Anything to help gain an edge in battle. We already have the materials we need to succeed, we just have to utilize them when the time comes. At this point, it's safe to say we are prepared. All that's left is to plan. For now, worry about yourselves and how you will manage on the battlefield."
"Yes!" Nora pumped her fist in the air. "Ren, spar with me!"
"I don't think-"
Before he could protest, Nora grabbed his arm and dragged him away.
"Come on, it'll be fun!"
Jaune, Pyrrha, and Weiss could only watch the display with amused expressions. Eventually, Ren resigned to his fate and stopped trying to get away.
"I think we'll spar here," Pyrrha said. "Might as well."
"Enjoy yourselves," Weiss replied.
Before the pair walked away, Jaune set a hand on the shorter girl's shoulder. "Let us know if you need anything else."
"Noted."
"Agh! How on Remnant- agh!"
The white horse she was sitting on suddenly jerked to the side. Unfortunately, sometimes Drachen was stubborn and did his own thing rather than pay attention to his surroundings.
The white stallion dipped his head to graze some grass, although it was dry. The animal was bored and growing tired of the girl on his back, who wouldn't stop shrieking whenever he moved.
His ear flicked when he walked a few steps forward. The girl screeched again, lost her balance, and fell forward to hug his neck tightly.
To secure her girlfriend, Yang got on her tiptoes and set a reassuring hand on her back. To keep the muscular horse still, Ruby set a palm on his back to stop him from wiggling.
"Drachen," the red reaper scolded. "Be considerate. She's trying to learn!"
"Dolt!" Weiss yelped. "Your horse is-"
"He's really nice, Weiss. Just be patient. I swear, he can be more stubborn than you sometimes."
Yang was on the other side of the horse, making sure her girlfriend didn't fall off. "Try to relax, princess. Riding a horse comes more naturally than you think."
Drachen's tail flicked and he suddenly whipped up his head up to smell the dry air. There were so many wonderful scents in the woods. Even though most of the forest was silent and dull, it was still bountiful. He was distracted and didn't even bother to address the girl on his back.
His sudden actions caused Weiss to tilt backward with another high-pitched yelp. The lion faunus flailed her arms and would've have fallen off if Yang wasn't there. Luckily, Yang kept her upright and steadied her again.
"Your yellin' is startin' to hurt my ears," Yang said teasingly.
"Excuse me that Drachen is unruly!"
From the insult, the big horse shook himself. Another round of yelps ensued, and Yang kept her upright again.
"Drachen!" Ruby scolded. "Now I know you're being a jerk on purpose!"
A sharp whinny.
Weiss pouted. "Am I that bad? Do you hate me?"
"No one could hate you," Yang consulted her. "It's really his fault. He can be an asshole sometimes. Kinda like Zwei. They have their moments."
While the freezerburn couple conversed, Ruby took it upon herself to talk to Drachen.
Ruby leaned in his ear. "You be nice to Weiss or no apples for a week."
The white horse blew more air out of his nose than usual as beady eyes stared into silver. Drachen didn't look happy, but ultimately conceded to his owner's demands.
Knowing she'd won, Ruby nodded to herself. "We have an agreement," she pat his chest once and glanced up at her friend. "Try again."
"Come on, princess!" Yang cheered. "You can ride him. You got this."
From the encouragement, Weiss hesitantly grabbed the reins. Since she afraid of falling off, she also held onto his neck tightly, which earned frowns.
No wonder Drachen was doing his own thing.
"Why do I have to do this?" Weiss cursed herself.
It'd been several minutes since her girlfriend hoisted her all the way up here. There were no signs of improvement. Weiss had never ridden a horse. According to Yang, it was important to learn.
The process might've been easier if Drachen wasn't so large and so high up off the ground. That certainly raised the fear factor.
"We're right here," Yang fondly grinned up at her struggling girlfriend. "You can't lead a rebellion if you're gonna fall flat on your face."
"Do I have to?" Weiss asked softly while hugging Drachen's neck for dear life.
Yang grabbed her hand to ease her. "Don't you wanna be all symbolic?"
Weiss thought she was hearing things since that was the poorest explanation her girlfriend could possibly muster. "Pardon?"
"Think about it," Yang said in a bargaining tone. "If the former princess of Vale leads the revolution, it'll be really symbolic and cool!"
Naturally, Weiss gave her girlfriend a skeptical look, as if that was the dumbest thing she'd ever heard. "What kind of mushrooms are you eating? How'd you think of such nonsense?"
"Really?" Yang asked in an amused tone. "You skip the alcohol and drugs and go straight for the shrooms? Where would I even get them?"
Weiss shrugged. "I don't know. Ren seems like he has a few things hide."
Since Ren wasn't far away and heard his name, he looked over his shoulder. "Huh?"
Unfortunately, since he was sparing and was distracted, Jaune landed a solid hit. This sent him sprawling to the ground.
"Gotcha!" Jaune announced.
"Ugh…" Ren groaned,
Yang narrowed her eyes at the boy on the ground. "It's always the quiet ones."
When the friends paused, Blake approached them. "Everything going okay?"
Until now, she was busy teaching the brothers some pointers in combat. It was hard to concentrate with her friend's incessant screams.
"It's a big, long struggle," Ruby admitted. "It doesn't help that Drachen's had a long day."
"I'm not struggling," Weiss gave her a weak huff.
Blake sent her a poker face. "Your screams say otherwise."
In defeat, Weiss lowered her head.
Ruby grabbed the reins and pet her horse on the snout. "Can we try this again tomorrow? He looks tired."
"Please," the lion faunus replied.
"Alright," with that, Ruby hopped on her horse directly in front of her friend.
Instantly, Drachen's posture changed. He became less stiff and more relaxed. When his master grabbed the reins, he obeyed like it was the most natural thing in the world and headed toward his stable.
Yang and Blake flanked his sides.
Ruby lovingly pat his neck. "Why couldn't you do this for Weissy?"
Another snort.
"Don't gimme that!"
Several minutes later, the large group gathered inside the nearby cabin.
Suspense was in the air.
Forms were in a large circle surrounding the tiny table.
On the table was a handmade map. The chart was large and adorned detailed drawings of the icy citadel. Their target. The sketches were exquisite, down to the crevice. Not to mention, the outside of the castle and inside were well-crafted and shaded perfectly. Only someone who lived in the castle for several years could conjure such information.
Thanks to Blake, she snatched the map before everything went down and brought it here for the final plans.
"We'll lay low for a couple of days and stay out of the kingdom's view," Wilhelmina advised. "When The Faker leasts expects it, we strike."
"So, we wait like what, two days?" Jaune asked for clarification.
The former queen nodded as her were glued to the detailed map. Even she thought it was near-perfect for the details of her home. It was like someone had taken a picture.
"Tai and I need to buy some more supplies," Mina stated. "When that is done, we can initiate our target."
A silence full of anticipation.
"Guys!" Yang announced. "Get pumped! It's finally time!"
"Let's give them hell!" Nora cheered.
Ruby grinned. "The Faker's empire will fall apart."
Multiple cheers in unison.
"Yeah," Sun nodded firmly.
"Anymore questions?" Tai asked. "Are we good?"
Weiss took the silence as permission to continue and pointed to the crucial map.
"Alright, here's the plan…"
The chapter is titled after the lyrics in Life Will Change by Amalee:
"As your crippled brain tries to fight in vain. 'Your empire will fall apart.'"
Stay dandy,
~Toto
