The Coronavirus sucks! But please everyone stay safe and stay indoors as much as possible. I hope all of us get through this safe, happy, and healthy as can be. Next chapter, sorry for the delay it's been very hectic and crazy.

Also, for the people wondering how long this reaction fic will go on for, I will be finishing this up either V8 or V9. However, we still have a long way to go before this story wraps up! So don't worry! It will take me some time to get some chapters up, but sooner or later I will get them up.

So, without further rambling on my part… enjoy!


There were no words spoken before the next episode. All six needed to watch what would happen next. Kali hit PLAY.

A Minor Hiccup

Weiss patiently waiting out the minute left on her holographic clock displayed from her desk in the classroom of Professor Peter Port, whose dialogue is merely background nonsense as Jaune slides up next to Weiss.

"He's going to try and ask her out and she's either going to ignore him or shut him down brutally." Tai said, actually wondering what the other blond would do.

"So, Weiss, y'know, uh, I-I was thinking after this, maybe we could go grab a bite to eat?" Jaune turns to the teacher for a second, and then turns back around. "And, uh um, I-I've got two tickets to that new Spruce Willis movie, if you wanna make the trip to Vale. I hear it's awesome." He pauses as his words have no effect. "Aaaand maybe after that, we could study together? I mean, you're smart and I'm, uh... Y'know."

"Yup! That's about how I figured it would go." The blond said, a smile on his face.

Qrow was laughing at Jaune's misfortune, this time not caused by him. "Wow, that was so bad!"

Finally, the clock in front of Weiss gives a shrill beep as it changes from 3:59 to 4:00, and she dismisses it with a wave of her hand. The professor is temporarily unaware of the alarm.

Port was posing as a towering monster about to attack. "And then I— Oh." He straightens his stance as the students start to leave. "Timed that one wrong, I guess. Well, the stunning conclusion to this story will have to wait. Until next time!"

"I still can't believe this is what Pete becomes." Tai said, shaking his head.

"What? A teacher or a joke?" Qrow asked Tai with a snort.

"Stop it. He's still a qualified Huntsman. We have no idea why he decided to teach, so stop. Peter may surprise us later on." Summer scolded her male teammates.

"Come on, it's funny! You can't deny that." Tai said.

"Maybe so, but can we stop commenting on every little thing? Seriously, I want to get to something more interesting." Raven said, glaring slightly at her brother and future… husband? She didn't know what Tai was to her in the future, or where she was, and she would really like to find out, preferably soon.

Jaune watched Weiss as she packs up her Scroll. "Weiss? Did you hear me?"

Weiss didn't even looking at Jaune as she walks away. "No, no, no, yes."

Upon hearing this, Jaune groans and does a face plant into his desk.

As the rest of Team RWBY walks out of class behind him, Yang ruffles Jaune's hair without even looking. "One day."

"Never, I'd say." Raven muttered.


A close-up of Ruby's hands as she straps the red laces of her shoes. Switch to a close-up of Weiss' hand gripping the handle of Myrtenaster strapped to her side. Switch to a close-up of Yang's Ember Celica over her left forearm as she slides the chamber. Switch to a close-up of Blake tightening the black ribbons around her arms. Switch to full view of Team RWBY's preparations, revealing their new outfits.

Blake approaches her bunk as she tightens her wraps. "I thought that class would never end."

"Alright, guys, today's the day! The investigation begins!" Ruby states in excitement.

Happily leaps off her mattress and onto the floor, arms raised excitedly. She almost lands on Weiss, who is on the bottom bunk.

"Idiots! How did we raise such irresponsible children?" Raven hissed.

"They're going to get killed if they continue to be this naive." Qrow said, arms crossed over his chest, a frown on his lips.

"Ruby is young, hell; they all think that they're invincible. But they aren't. That will be their downfall, one or more of them will end up in a situation they won't be able to get out of easily." Summer said, her hands clenching into fists.

"I understand why Blake thinks that this is her responsibility, but she can't do this alone. That's a suicide mission. But her team should have persuaded her away from this reckless course of action." Ghira growled, looking at the children and wondering what will happen to them.

'Do they ever break their naivety? If not… I fear for them in future viewings.' Kali thinks in worry, clutching onto Ghira's jacket for some level of comfort.

"I'm glad to see we're taking this so seriously." Weiss says sarcastically.

Yang turns to the white haired teen. "Hey, we've got a plan! That's... moderately serious."

"Right!" Ruby looks around at her teammates. "Everyone remember their roles?" Weiss stands up as the camera quickly shifts left to each member who states their objective.

"You and I will head to the CCT and check the Schnee records for any other Dust robberies or inconsistencies. Seeing as I'm in the family, it shouldn't be a problem." Weiss says as she points to Ruby.

"That should be fine. I mean, as long as Jacques doesn't poke around." Kali said, glancing over at Team STRQ.

"Maybe, but I have a feeling that Ruby will get sidetracked with something else." Raven said, narrowing her eyes to stare at Ruby.

"What do you mean, Raven?" Tai asked his… future wife?

"Penny, we have no idea where she went after the incident at the docks." Qrow answered for his sister.

"The White Fang has regular faction meetings to hand out orders and recruit new members. If I can get in, I can hopefully find out what they're planning." Blake said, her fist clenching.

"That won't end well." Ghira said.

"Why not?" Tai asked.

"Fang meetings are usually held in areas where Faunus are accepted, if you're an outsider but still a Faunus and knows the rules can get in, but you're scrutinized more by the members that are at the rallies." Ghira informed the four Humans.

"I have an old friend on the shady side of town that typically knows everything going on in Vale. Getting information out of him shouldn't be too hard..." Yang said with a small smirk.

"Calling it, it's that bar that Yang was searching for you at, Rae!" Qrow exclaimed.

"That…. Actually makes the most sense." Summer said.

The camera dashed back to the leader. "Great! We'll meet up tonight near Yang to go over what we found. Let's do this!" Ruby said, fist in the air.

"Somethin's gonna happen." Qrow whispered, the twins glance at each other and then at the two Faunus.

"Yeah!" Sun says out of nowhere, appearing from the window as he hangs upside down. Team RWBY stepped back and stares at the Monkey Faunus in shock.

"What the hell?!" Ghira and Tai shout at the same time.

Blake stares, surprised and alarmed, she said, "Sun!"

"How did you get up there?" Yang asks, brows furrowing in confusion.

Sun grins. "Ah, it's easy; I do it all the time."

"He may be a thief, but he's a good one if he can use his natural abilities to his advantage." Raven praised.

"You do what?!" Weiss shouts in horror.

"That's actually impressive. I wouldn't mind seeing that." Tai said, hand rubbing his chin in wonder.

"I climb trees all the time!" Sun states nonchalantly. Without reacting to Weiss' scowl, he flips into the dorm room. "So, are we finally getting back at that Torchwick guy?"

"I bet that Neptune also comes in and joins in as well." Kali says.

"Wouldn't put it past 'em." Tai said.

Blake stepped forward. "We are going to investigate the situation... as a team."

Ruby rubbed her neck. "Sorry, Sun. We don't want to get friends involved if we don't have to."

"And yet, all of you are still going to do this even though it's a damn suicide mission!" Summer yelled, her silver eyes narrow in anger.

"Psh! That's dumb! We should always get friends involved! That's why I brought Neptune!" He gestured out the window.

The girls lean out the window on top of one another cartoon-style to see the aforementioned teammate of Sun's standing outside, cool as can be.

"Even with two more, it won't make a difference if you're caught unaware." Raven said, Team STRQ all agreed with that assessment.

Neptune waved. "'Sup?"

"How did you even get up here?" Ruby asked.

Neptune smirked. "I have my ways."

"I'm saying it again. They are all idiots!" Raven exclaimed, throwing up her hands.

The camera pans out to reveal that he is standing on a very thin ledge circling the building under the windows.

Neptune looked down a bit and started nervously, "Seriously though, can I come in? We're like, really high up right now."

"How… just… I don't understand." Qrow moaned from the utter stupidity and sheer recklessness that Ruby's team and their friends were doing.

Inside the dorm room, the group is standing in a circle as Ruby lays down the new plan.

"Alright, I'll go with Weiss; Sun, you can go with Blake." She starts, as she pushes Neptune past Weiss, he slips her a wink. Weiss looks mildly shocked but then comes to her senses quickly. "And Neptune, you can go with Yang since she doesn't have a partner. Everyone good?"

"Actually, Ruby, why don't you go with Yang? After all, she is your sister." Weiss tries to say.

Ruby pushed Neptune, who is stiff as a board, up next to yang. When she is done pushing him, he rocks back and forth looking nervous. Yang put her hand on his shoulder to stop him from rocking.

Ruby frowns and looks at her partner. "But, Weiss, who would go with you, then?"

"Well... I guess Neptune could come with me." Weiss glanced between Ruby and Neptune.

Neptune puts on a suave look and points at Weiss as the team leader cracks up.

"Hahaha, nah!" Ruby laughs.

Weiss is obviously less than amused, yet is powerless to stop Ruby from pulling her by the back out the door.

Weiss sticks her arms out fruitlessly trying to get back to Neptune. "But! But!"

"Ice Princess' got a crush!" Qrow sang, a vicious smirk on his face. He couldn't wait to lord this over the girl when he got the chance.


The scene changes to that of a monumental tower that looms over the sparse trees growing around the crossroads below.

"Woooow! I forget how big the Transmit tower looks up close!" Ruby cranes her neck upwards to look at the large tower.

"You should see the one in Atlas!" Weiss says smugly.

Ruby tapped her chin, "That was the first one, right?"

Weiss nods, "Correct."

Weiss and Ruby are seen walking down the path towards the building.

"Atlas developed the Cross Continental Transmit System to allow the four kingdoms to communicate with one another. It was their gift to the world after the Great War." Weiss informed the cloaked Huntress in training.

Ruby acting high and mighty. "Oooh, look at me! My name's Weiss! I know facts! I'm rich!" She snorts into her hands at Weiss' frown.

Summer, Taiyang, and Qrow laugh at Ruby's imitation of the Schnee girl.

"Don't be a pest! Besides, the only reason we're here is because you like the tower so much! We could have just as easily made a call from the library!" Weiss scowled at her team leader.

"I know, but it's so coool! Ooh, I'm going to take a picture!" Ruby said, her excitement clearly showing.

I wonder who she got that from." Qrow said with a smirk, Ruby was a genius in her own right, that much was proven with Crescent Rose and how she handles it.

Summer turns red and says, "She knows how to wield that oversized gardening tool 'cus of you, Qrow. Don't forget that you're her teacher." It's Qrow's turn to blush red now.

Taiyang, Raven, Kali, and Ghira all laugh at the two of them, their banter making the viewing much more enjoyable.

She grabs her Scroll from a pocket on her clothes, but in her excitement, the device is launched from her hands, bouncing along the pavement until it lands at Penny's feet.

"Oh!" Penny picks up the Scroll and extends towards the clumsy teen. "You dropped this."

"Penny?!" The six adults say in shock.

"I knew it!" Qrow grinned and threw up his arms.

Ruby looked shocked. "Penny?!"

Penny was similarly surprised by seeing her new friend, she couldn't really say anything.

"Where have you been? We haven't seen you since that night at the docks!" Ruby asked with worry.

"That's what we'd like to know as well." Raven said.

"S-Sorry. I think you're confused. She suddenly hiccups, throwing the Scroll into Ruby's hands. "Uh... I've got to go!" She turns quickly and walks away.

Weiss turned to Ruby. "What was that about?"

The six adults looked at each other in confusion.

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out." Ruby starts walking in Penny's direction as she shouts back to her partner, "You go make your call! I'll meet up with you later!"

Weiss reached toward Ruby, "Wait!" Seeing the futility of stopping her teammate, she lowers her hand and sighs angrily.

Ruby ran up to Penny as she descends the steps until she gets in front of the non-eccentric redhead. "Penny! Where have you been? It's been weeks!"

'At least we know how much time has passed.' Kali thought, thinking back to Blake's interrogation.

"There seems to be a... misunderstanding." Penny says with a frown.

"What?!" Ruby asks in shock, not understanding what's going on with her friend. Penny continues to walk away. Ruby slides down the rail next to her. "Penny... Is everything okay?" Penny continues forward without reaction. Ruby grabs her by the arm. "Penny, please stop!" Penny finally stops and listens. "Look, I don't know what's wrong, but you have to listen to me! Those guys we fought at the docks, we think they're up to something big, something bad! I need you to tell me what happened to you that night! Please... As a friend."

Penny, sighing, and then glancing to her sides swiftly, she walks over to Ruby's side and leans in close. "It isn't safe to talk here."

Penny looks around suspiciously, much to Ruby's confusion.

"What the hell?" Tai asked.

"She's hiding something." Raven said, eyes narrowed onto the redhead.

"Ruby is going to get Penny involved in their chase for Torchwick." Summer said in anger.


Weiss walks through the grand, glowing lobby of the tower with pride, avoiding the central terminal and heading straight for the elevator doors, which slide open automatically and close when she's inside. The voice of the CCT AI is projected from a panel near the door.

CCT AI: "Hello. Welcome to the CCT. How may I help you?"

"I'd like to go to the communications room, please." Weiss says politely.

CCT AI: "Absolutely. Could you please place your Scroll on the terminal to verify your identity?"

Weiss retrieves her Scroll and places it as directed.

CCT AI: "Perfect! Thank you, Miss Schnee."

Upon the elevator's ascent, Weiss' expression shifts from pleasant to serious. Upon entering the room, four symbols are seen on a computer - twin axes and wreaths, three flying swords pointing down, a spear and shield inside a fragmented circle, and a precise winged shape. Weiss walks up to the front desk where a holographic secretary appears in the seat.

Beeps are heard before the projection speaks in a polite manner.

CCT AI: "Welcome to the Beacon Cross Continental Transmit center. How may I help you?"

"I need to make a call to Schnee Company World Headquarters in Atlas." The heiress said.

CCT AI: "Absolutely. If you could head over to Terminal 3, I'll patch you through."

Weiss smiled at the AI. "Thank you!"

Weiss smiles and nods before walking over to her assigned cubicle-like computer, passing a few Beacon students in uniform - one of which is talking to her mother and asking how things are going back in Signal Academy. She sits at her own display, taking a deep, unhappy breath to prepare for the call ahead. The face of a short-haired brunette appears on the monitor with the Schnee snowflake rotating behind her. She does not realize who she is talking to until she looks up.

SCHNEE CORP OPERATOR: "Thank you for calling the Atlas- Oh! Miss Schnee! Good afternoon! Would you like me to patch you through to your father? I think your sister Winter might be here as well."

Weiss smiles pleasantly. "No, thank you! I was actually wondering if you could find some files for me. I've compiled a short list."

Weiss produces her Scroll, placing it into a slot on the keyboard, creating a series of noises as the Operator looks at the data from her side of the screen.

SCHNEE CORP OPERATOR: "I see. If you don't mind... what may I ask is this for?"

"School project." She replies easily.

SCHNEE CORP OPERATOR: "Um... There are some sensitive documents on this list, ma'am."

"Well, then, I'll be sure to treat them with care." Weiss said, a bit of a frown forming.

SCHNEE CORP OPERATOR: "Right... Very well.The data is being transferred to your Scroll now."

"Wonderful! That will be all, then." Weiss says with finality.

SCHNEE CORP OPERATOR: "Are you sure you wouldn't like me to patch you through to your father before you go?"

Weiss loses her smile, but quickly replaces it.

"Yes, I'm sure." The heiress says coldly.

SCHNEE CORP OPERATOR: "Well, then... Have a nice day!"

The call is dropped, and so too is Weiss' happy act, seen in the screen's reflection.

"She has good acting skills." Kali said, concerned for the girl since finding out what the White Fang had done to her and her family.

"Considering the family she had to grow up in… I wouldn't doubt that she's had a lot of practice to putting on the perfect mask." Summer said with a scowl. She wanted nothing more than to go to the Schnee patriarch and slap him for what he has made his own children endure.


"Back to Penny and Ruby." Tai pointed out.

Penny stands alone near a two-story building with patio furniture and she is looking around nervously when a hand grabs her shoulder, causing her to jump. She turns to see Ruby grinning. She smiles in return. The scene moves to the two strolling down the street.

"I wish I could help you, Ruby, but I don't know anything about those men." Penny said.

"Well, what happened to you that night? We were all together, and then you just disappeared! Were you kidnapped?" Ruby asked.

"Oh, no! Nothing like that!" Penny quickly reassured her.

"Then where did you go?" Ruby asked, frowning in obvious worry.

"I've never been to another kingdom before. My father asked me not to venture out too far, but... You have to understand, my father loves me very much; he just worries a lot." Penny said, trying to appeal to the other girl.

"Believe me, I know the feeling." Ruby grins and Penny grins back. "But why not let us know you were okay?"

"You're an overprotective father in the future. Good to know." Summer said to Tai, sharing a glance with Raven.

"I… What? Why?!" Tai cried. "That's not fair; I don't know what happens…" Tai pouts.

"I... was asked not to talk to you. Or Weiss. Or Blake. Or Yang. Anybody, really." Penny said with her head bowed.

Ruby frowned, concerned for her friend. "Was your dad that upset?"

"Wow, Penny's Dad sounds like one of those parents who won't let their kid out of the house unless they're with them." Tai said. The blond frowned, hoping that he wouldn't be that over the top with Ruby and Yang. But if something does happen to Summer and Raven…

"Somehow, I get the feeling that Penny's father wasn't angry, more so he was worried for her safety." Kali said, Ghira agreed with his girlfriend.

Penny shook her head. "No, it wasn't my father..."

Raven, Qrow, and Ghira all sucked in a breath.

"The girl's from Atlas! She has to be, that strange attire would only be worn by Atlas natives, especially young girls." Ghira suddenly said.

"That girl isn't normal, something is off about her." Raven said, thinking back to Team RWBY's first meeting with the redhead and then the fight on the docks. "Something is going on with her."

"Ironwood!" Qrow spat, red eyes narrowed as his hand gripped Harbinger's handle tightly. "Penny has something to do with why Ironwood brought a fleet of military ships to Beacon! Something is going on, and whatever it is will lead to a war."

Before she can continue, she and Ruby hear the sound of megaphones announcing something, turning around the corner to look at the platform in the center of a plaza where the holographic image of James Ironwood is seen before six AK-130 Androids, who are in turn standing in front of two large metal storage cases with the spear-and-shield emblem on their doors.

The twins snarled, their red eyes glowed with barely repressed anger.

"Robots are inefficient fighters when fighting against Humans and Faunus." Ghira said with his arms crossed, amber eyes narrowed, watching the General of the Atlesian Military.

"The AK-130 has been a standard security model of Remnant for several years, and they have done a fine job. Wouldn't you agree? Wouldn't you agree?" Ironwood questioned. The clapping of the gathered audience causes the drones to take a jerky bow. "But... the kingdom of Atlas is a kingdom of innovation, and 'fine'... Well, that's just not good enough, is it? Presenting... the Atlesian Knight-200!"

The doors to the cases roll up, and six new, bulkier, shinier automatons stand at attention before knocking their obsolete predecessors down to the applause of the watchers. "Smarter, sleeker, and admittedly, a little less scary." The robots flex and pose as a demonstration, "These models will become active later this year, but they won't be alone! Now, the Atlesian Military has always supported the idea of removing men from the dangers of the battlefield. However, there are still many situations that will undoubtedly require... a human touch."

'What is he...' Summer furrowed her brows and then gasped, her hands flying to cover her mouth in utter shock.

Her team and new friends looked at her but she was fixed on the scene playing in front of them.

The last line draws Ruby's attention.

"Ruby..?" Penny whispered nervously, stepping back, looking ready to run away.

"So, our kingdom's greatest minds, in cooperation with the Schnee Dust Company, are proud to introduce... the Atlesian Paladin!" Ironwood announced.

Summer paled in horror, as did the two Faunus. "No…" Summer breathed.

"Sum? What's wrong?" Taiyang asked his leader.

"This is really bad!" Kali gripped Ghira's arm even tighter that his hand was losing color. Ghria couldn't respond, he just stared in mute horror and then wiped his head around to Summer.

"You know something." He stated, Summer flinched.

"I… I think I know what Penny is. I might know what the White Fang, Torchwick and those other three wanted with that Dust." Summer said slowly, her head bowed and her shoulders shaking.

The white cloaked female lifted her head, showing tears streaming down her face. "It's bad, Ghira. I think they plan on stealing the paladins and using the Dust to create a chain-reaction explosion either sometime during the Vytal Festival or in the finals when all of the attention won't be on the kingdom. They plan on attacking Vale and blaming Atlas. It will lead to a war."

The others were horrified and stunned by Summer's revelation. "How do you know that, Summer?" Raven asked, eyes only on her leader.

Summer only said two words and then it all clicked for the others. "Mountain Glen."

Everyone was silent as they tried to process all of what Summer had just told them. After a while they wanted to continue watching what would happen. If war was going to happen, it would be better to know who and what they were facing beforehand to try and stop it, or at least prevent needless deaths.

Ironwood's image is replaced with the hologram of a robotic white behemoth, featuring hinged piston legs, large guns for hands, and a rectangular head, standing at least twice as tall as the Knights below it.

"Now, we couldn't have him here for you today, but these mechanized battle suits will be seen defending the borders of our kingdom within the year!" Ironwood's voice carried over the crowd.

'Not good!' Qrow's hands balled up into fists just thinking about the destruction those mech-suits could cause on a populated area. Sure, him and Raven may be bandits, but even they didn't like to see the carnage of an attack or worse, cause it.

Ruby was hunched in awe. "Whoa..."

Penny looked around, concerned to be recognized. "Ruby? Maybe we should go somewhere else."

At the side of the stage, two armored soldiers see Penny, pointing her out and calling in backup. Penny backs away and then breaks into a dead run, which snaps Ruby out of her weapon-awe-induced stupor.

'Something's not right.' Summer thought. Penny is a catalyst for something, she just knew it. But what? That was the big question that the Silver-Eyed Warrior couldn't answer as of yet.

"Penny! Wait! Where are you going?" Ruby shouted after her friend.

Ruby turns to look back at the soldiers chasing after her friend, and realizing Penny's situation, swiftly follows her in an attempt to catch up down the winding alley.

The Atlas soldier gestured to his partner. "Down here! She went this way!"

"What the hell is she?" Tai asked in vain. No one answered him; they were all fixed on watching how the scene would play out.

Penny and Ruby run across the street with the soldiers following them, though a honking car nearly runs one over. He manages to brace his hands against the hood, which somehow stops the vehicle, and his partner runs along after the girls.

Ruby is still trying to catch up with Penny, but a high stack of crates on a flimsy support is easily cut down by Crescent Rose, causing a wooden avalanche of boxes to block the path. Seeing Penny right ahead of her, Ruby leaps into the air and lands on the alley wall, ricocheting off to grab Penny around the middle.

"This way!" Ruby grimaces before the two disappear in a flash of red and rose petals.

"Damn, that Semblance! I forgot about that." Tai said, remembering the 'Red Trailer' and seeing the effects of Ruby's Semblance has on her, and now seeing it used on another person as well.

Ruby dashes away as fast as she can while carrying Penny, but the strain is too great, and they crash to the ground a short while later, with Ruby falling all the way into the street. She gets up slowly, and in her dazed state, she doesn't notice the large truck coming up from behind her until the honking is too late of a warning. She stands up just as she's about to be hit, but from out of nowhere, Penny pushes Ruby out of the way and holds her palms out.

In the split second where the two make contact, the ground beneath Penny cracks and crumbles into pieces, and the From Dust Till Dawn truck is lifted a little ways into the air by the girl's sheer strength. She puts it down, and the Shopkeeper stares in awe at the crumples in his hood, just like the Huntress who got saved.

The six just stared in utter disbelief and horror. Six jaws looked like they were about to unhinge like a snake's from what the team of student Hunters and the two Faunus had just seen. It didn't seem possible, but it was. It was there in plain view.

"I… I didn't think I was right…" Summer breathed in fear, her hands as white as her cloak.

Ruby's eyes were wide, terrified, and uncertain. "Penny..?"

Penny asked the shopkeeper, "Are you okay?"

The shopkeeper nodded, obviously scared. "Uh-huh..."

Penny backs away, looking at Ruby's frightened expression, then at the bystanders murmuring to each other in an attempt to understand what just happened. In her panic, she runs from the Atlas soldiers still chasing her down and bumps into Ruby, knocking the poor girl out of her stupor as her friend tries to get away again.

"Penny! Come back!" She starts going after Penny as the people look at the destruction Penny caused with her bare hands and the soldiers find they lost their target.

Penny came to a stop once she gets out of the alleyway, looking around for where to run next. "Um... Uh..." The redhead tries to say.

Ruby came up to Penny, exasperated. "Penny! Please! What is going on?! Why are you running? How did you do that?!"

Penny was nervous again. "I-I can't! Everything's fine!" She starts to hiccup with each lie. "I-I don't want to talk about it!" Another hiccup.

"That's her tell." Qrow muttered, too low for anyone but Raven to hear him. She glanced at him and took his hand.

"It won't happen." She leaned into him and whispered in his ear.

"I hope so. I want our family to be complete." Qrow says desperately.

"I know, I do too. You will find someone." Raven gave her twin a small real smile. One that she only shows around her team.

Qrow turned pink at that notion but didn't say anything against it. "I hope. I really want someone to see me for more than my Semblance." Qrow said with his head slightly bowed in the crook of Raven's neck.

Raven moved her head slightly to give her brother a small peck on his forehead, a warm smile on her lips. "I'm sure you will find someone like that." Raven grins, "We may even see that while watching." Qrow turns an even darker shade of pink but he couldn't hide his smile. He was excited at that, finding someone that loves him regardless of what he is.

"Penny, if you can just tell me what's wrong, I can help you!" The young girl says desperately.

Penny retreated from her friend. "No! No, no! You wouldn't understand..."

"Let me try! You can trust me!" The dual-haired girl said.

Penny finally relents, coming up to Ruby's face desperately. "You're my friend, right? You promise you're my friend?!"

Ruby says softly, "I promise."

Penny was silent for a second, then, looking down at her hands. "Ruby... I'm not a real girl."

Penny shows Ruby the toll of stopping the truck that would have killed her: Parts of her palm's skin have ripped away, revealing the gray metal underneath. Penny stares sadly at Ruby's face, now completely astounded by her friend's secret as all she can simply say before the screen goes black and the credits roll is...

"Oh."

They were silent after the screen turned black.

"I… I think we all need some time to process what we just watched." Kali said. They all agreed.

Kali and Ghira went to their room, Summer and Tai went to go get food since they were starting to get hungry and were about to ask the twins what they wanted, but saw that the two were solely focused on themselves.

"Let's leave them alone. I think this is something they need to deal with alone. We'll help them when they ask for it." Summer whispered to the blond who was about to protest.

Raven lifted her head, a grateful smile on her lips directed to her leader. Summer beamed and leaned down to place a small kiss on Raven and Qrow's foreheads. The twins smiled up at their teammates, grateful and happy that they had such support.

"We'll be here whenever you're ready." Tai promised. The twins just resumed cuddling with each other, taking in the silence and the other twin's heartbeat.