"I wonder who the guests are." Ruby muses to her teammates as they stand outside the academy not far from the landing strip where the airships dock. Weiss glances up at the sky out of mild anticipation, only seeing the various massive airships far above, no smaller transports just yet.
"I don't know, Winter said they're coming from Vacuo, Shade Academy if I remember right, so it could be anyone. Maybe Team NDGO, they competed in the Vytal Tournament, but… Honestly, there's no way to be sure." Weiss replies, attention quickly being captured by the sound of a transport airship making it's final approach to the academy. "And there they are." A few minutes pass after the airship lands before people begin to file off of it, the first group being a familiar team from their days at Beacon.
"… Team CFVY?" Yang quirks an eyebrow as Team CFVY comes into view, the third year team presently studying at Shade Academy, very near graduation to full fledged huntsmen and huntresses. Coco Adel, CFVY's leader, looks over the waiting group, her smile growing as she notices Team RWBY and the remnants of Team JNPR.
"Well hey there, fancy meeting you all here." She says while making her way over, Velvet, Fox, and Yatsuhashi following not far behind. "Can't say I was expecting to see some firsties from Beacon here, I didn't think Atlas was accepting transfers." Chuckling a little, Yang brandishes her scroll and shows off her huntress license, Coco blinking in surprise for a few moments as she looks it over. "Huntress? Well, damn. Can't say I expected that."
"We weren't expecting it either, to be honest, General Ironwood felt it was a good idea to grant us our huntress and huntsman licenses given all we had been through." Yang says, her attention being diverted away from Coco by a loud, cheerful voice joined by a few figures stepping off of the airship.
"Helloooooo Atlas Academy!" Sun Wukong cheerfully calls out, the enthusiastic leader of Team SSSN flanked by his teammates Neptune, Scarlet, and Sage, all four members in particularly high spirits but none as high as Sun's.
"Sun?!" Blake can't help but blurt out Sun's name in surprise as her gaze falls onto him, Sun perking up before looking towards her and making his way over with speed.
"Hey, Blake! What're you doing all the way up here? Last time I saw you was back in Mistral." He says with a grin before pulling Blake into a hug, the feline faunus gladly embracing him back with a soft, almost purr like noise becoming audible.
"It's… A really long story, what are you doing up here? You said you were going to Vacuo, that's… A ways away from here." Sun just grins wider before chuckling a little, a hand reaching up before rubbing at the back of his head.
"Me and my team transferred to Shade Academy, we've been studying there for the past while, but a few weeks back us students were told there was going to be special training up here with the Atlas Academy teams, so I signed my team up so we could get in on the action." Nodding, Blake steps back and looks to her teammates, Yang resuming chatting with Coco while Ruby speaks with Velvet, Neptune and Weiss converse, and Ren and Nora talk to Fox and Yatsuhashi.
"We've… Been through a lot since we left Mistral, between the Grimm, people who've tried to get in our way, and other issues, it's not been easy, but we're huntresses now." Hearing the word huntress, Sun blinks for a few moments, then grins the biggest grin he can muster before pulling Blake into a much firmer hug.
"No kidding? That's awesome Blake, I'm happy for you! It must be awesome getting to go on missions and not have to do schoolwork, it's real boring sometimes." Blake giggles a little as Sun speaks, leaning into the hug before looking towards her teammates and friends.
"It's not always easy, some missions are a challenge, but it's worth doing, helping everyone here." Nodding along, Sun gives Blake a squeeze before releasing her, then steps back slightly, however he's unable to speak as Winter Schnee's voice calls out from a short distance away.
"Welcome, esteemed guests from Shade Academy. If you'll please follow me, we'll begin with a tour of the grounds, then we'll give you your schedules for the next few weeks and show you to your rooms." Sun looks to Blake with that grin of his, then begins to walk backwards before waving.
"I'll catch you later Blake, looks like we've gotta run!" Blake waves to Sun in return before making her way over to her teammates, all four girls smiling rather happily.
"That was a pleasant surprise." Weiss comments, nods being given by the three by her before Yang speaks up.
"You're telling me, I was wondering what happened to the other teams after Beacon fell, I never figured CFVY would transfer to Shade Academy, or that Sun and his team go there too."
"They all look great, I'm happy they found somewhere to study at." Blake says before looking towards the academy, Penny glancing outside before waving to the group. Weiss, upon noticing her, looks back to her teammates, her smile growing slightly.
"If you'll excuse me you three…" She quietly says before slipping over to Penny, the two sharing a quick kiss before either speaks.
"Good morning Weiss!" Penny's cheerful greeting is met with an almost as cheerful response from Weiss, Blake, Ruby, and Yang smiling over at the two as they pass by into the academy. "How are you today?"
"As well as can be, how are you Penny?" Weiss asks in return, Penny idly bouncing in place against her heels the whole time.
"I am faaaantastic, thank you for asking! General Ironwood has asked me to inform you that your mother and brother are to pay a visit to the academy today, he would like us to accompany them." Hearing Penny's words, Weiss nods, then gently takes her hand before stepping into the school with her.
"Is that so? Today should be pleasant then, I can't wait."
"So, Blake, when did Weiss get those fancy train tracks of hers?" Sun comments as he, Blake, and their respective teams dig into lunch, Blake enjoying a bite of her ramen before responding.
"About… Two months ago. She had them when she was much younger, but never wore her retainers, so she needs them again. I'd suggest not teasing her about them, they're a bit of a sore spot for her." Yang grins over at Blake in response to her unintentional pun, Blake lightly punching Yang's shoulder playfully in response. "Yang, you know I didn't mean to make a pun, so shush."
"That so? She certainly pulls them off, they look great on her, but… I can't say I expected to see her of all people with them, like, I'd have expected Ruby to have them, not Weiss." Yang interrupts Ruby before she gets a chance to speak, continuing to sport that cheeky grin of hers.
"Oh, believe me, Ruby's had her share of dental work done recently, just not to the extent Weiss has. At least Weiss knows how to brush her teeth properly." Yang's teasing draws out a whine from Ruby and a pouty frown, the young huntress crossing her arms over her chest.
"Yaaaang, quit being a jerk! Brushing is haaaard!" Laughter erupts as Ruby continues to whine, Yang snagging her sister in for a one armed hug before ruffling her hair gently. Idle conversation sparks up as the teams eat their lunches, regarding what they've been up to since they last saw each other, what Atlas and Shade Academies are like, and other things that anyone feels like talking about. After everyone finishes eating, Team SSSN save for Sun departs from the cafeteria, Sun electing to stay behind and chat with Ruby, Blake, and Yang longer, however the passing of three white haired figures and a ginger one draws his attention momentarily.
"Say, isn't that Weiss and… Penny? Didn't she… Eh… Who's that they're with?" He questions, deciding not to question why Penny is alive and well, at least not just yet.
"That would be Weiss's mom and brother, they've been to the academy to see Weiss a few times, Weiss and Penny are, um… Not allowed to leave, for reasons, and Weiss doesn't really like her home anyway, so her mom and brother visit her here instead." Blake explains, Sun nodding in understanding before turning his gaze back to the three girls by him.
"That's her mom? She's pretty, I can see where she gets her looks." He hums out, smile growing as he claps a balled fist down against his other hand. "Sayyy, why don't you three show me and the boys around the city, we could use a place to hang out outside of lessons, this place looks too dull and drab."
"Whitley, how has father been treating you?" Weiss asks as she walks along with her mother, brother, and girlfriend, gaze fixated forward while every so often turning towards Whitley and Willow.
"He's… More tolerable than usual, lately he's had a guest over, a friend, so he's paid less attention to me…" He begins to say before pausing momentarily, a soft sigh escaping afterwards. "I think he's up to something, Weiss, I've never seen that man before recent, father has never spoken of him, and when I tried to ask who he was, father just… Kept saying he was a friend before demanding I leave."
"Whitley's right, darling, I… Suppose your father might have known that man from a long time ago, but I've never heard of nor seen him before, and he's focused on something, I'm afraid that something likely isn't anything good." Willow pulls out her scroll after falling silent, drawing up a camera feed from Jacques's study, dated a few days prior.
"You… Have a camera in father's study?" Weiss asks hesitantly, Whitley looking just as surprised as his sister to learn this.
"I have cameras in all the rooms of the house, darling. I never could trust your father after everything he did, so years ago I hid cameras where he'd never be able to find them. Everything he's done and said, to you and Whitley, I… I have it saved, somewhere safe." Surprise turns to shock, and then distress, both siblings looking more than a little bit unhappy to learn that their mother has been watching over them, yet has done nothing to help.
"M… Mom, I… How… How could you? You were watching over us all this time, and you did nothing… When father slapped me, did… Did you see that?" Knowing full well what Willow's answer will be, Weiss turns away from her, Whitley looking between Weiss and Willow with an unsure expression.
"I… I did, darling… I could apologize, over and over, but that won't change anything… It won't fix what happened…" Willow begins to say, a hand settling on Weiss's shoulder only for Weiss to roughly pull herself away. "Weiss, darling…"
"Save it, mom, I don't… Don't try to make excuses… You'll only make things worse…" Weiss huffs out before making an abrupt departure away from her mother and brother, Penny following close behind with a worried frown, both Whitley and Willow watching her leave before looking back at each other.
"Mother, please… I… Know you weren't in the best shape, back then, you made mistakes… But you can fix them, make things right and prove to Weiss, and me, that you really do care." Whitley quietly says before sighing softly, gaze drifting off to the side away from his mother who simply just nods, eyes falling closed momentarily.
"I will… I promise I will, I'll make things up to you both, and Winter as well…"