HAPPY NEW YEAR LET'S GO 2019!
Welcome to yet another fic! Originally, this was 7 chapters, but Shadow Nightblade had to be a sneaky ass and tell me it has more potential, so it has expanded. Check out how many chappys it is my profile.
This story is post volume 5. Beacon didn't fall, but Yang did lose her arm and has the robotic one.
This fic is titled after a concept in an anime called Needless. I'm not using the same concept as it is in the anime, I just like the sound of it xD
"I don't snow about you, but I'm not cold at all."
Groans.
Until now, the team had been discussing what to do when they got to their destination. It was a solemn conversation. Until Yang had to take the seriousness and toss it out whatever window there was in this winter wonderland.
"As I was saying," Ruby said, wanting to get back on track. "We'll be there soon. Ozpin said it wouldn't take more than a few miles."
"Let's pick up the pace then," Weiss suggested as she tugged on her red scarf.
Slightly, Blake's cat ears flicked. With a brief glance, the faunus and heiress' eyes met knowingly.
"We should've done that from the beginning," Blake said with a smirk.
Sensing that was her cue, Weiss formed four glyphs beneath all of them with a flick of her wrist. The glyphs were invisible on top of the pure white snow. In a strong burst, the team leaped forward and left a cloud of powder behind.
Yang wore the brightest smile as she soared with her arms back. "This never gets old."
"Imagine how I feel!" Ruby exclaimed as she twisted into a red blur.
Combined with the propulsion glyph and her own semblance, Ruby was flying faster than the speed of light. She was effectively in the lead and well ahead of her team.
From the sight, Weiss playfully rolled her eyes. "Wait up, dolt!"
With renewed force, the three caught up to their leader thanks to the glyphs. At these speeds, the wind was violent and slapped any exposed skin. The girls were red-faced and couldn't feel their cheeks. After trekking in the snow for a few hours, they were worn out. Especially after a few grimm popped up here and there.
Before the long trek, the team hitched a ride from a train into the snowy mountains. The team simply hopped off the ride when the time was right.
After a few minutes of flying, Ruby decided to slow down. According to the map, they were getting close to the village. She didn't want to accidentally bolt past it. When the leader decelerated, Weiss gradually slowed her glyphs and the team went back to hiking.
Leisurely, Yang put her hands behind her head. "It was nice while it lasted."
Blake just gave her a neutral look.
"What?" Yang asked. "Don't you like flying?"
"I should've remembered," Blake said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You don't get cold."
"Nope!"
The faunus was not one to get cold easily. For extra precaution, she threw on a black jacket that covered her entire upper body down to her knees. This mission was in the icy snow, so she wanted to be warm, but she was freezing.
To be of help, Weiss held out a black bottle in front of her faunus friend. "Do you want some?"
Based on the material, it was an insulated bottle. When Blake grasped it, it was warm. Her frigid hands slowly absorbed the heat, and she let out a pleased sigh.
"How long have you had this?" the faunus asked, impressed.
"Since we left Vale," Weiss said. "I had a couple of sips, so if you don't mind, you can have some. It's tea."
"Always thinking ahead," Blake replied, referring to the fact that they were practically in the Arctic. "Thank you," she said genuinely, cupping the bottle in her hands before bringing the lid to her lips.
From the mention of tea, Ruby and Yang darted over to their teammates.
"Tea?!" Ruby yelped in excitement, her eyes twinkling when she spotted the insulated bottle. "OhcanIhavesomepleaseeventhoughI'mnotreallycoldIjustliketeaspeakingofthatdidyouhappentopackcoffeemybelovedgirlfriend-"
The leader was silenced by a kiss on the lips. This wasn't the first time Weiss calmed her girlfriend down or cut off a ramble with a sweet kiss. Ruby closed her eyes and simply melted into the affectionate contact.
When Weiss figured her girlfriend mellowed out, she pulled away with a blush. "No coffee."
Yang let out a relieved sigh. "Thank God," she was well aware of how her sister reacted to coffee.
A few things riled Ruby Rose up and caused her to be more eccentric than usual. Those things were coffee, weapons, and the cold. Currently, Ruby was experiencing only the cold. Yang couldn't imagine a combination of the three, or even two.
"Wu-uh..." Ruby went silent from the kiss as she gawked at her girlfriend, who blended with the snow.
It wasn't often that Weiss was initiated intimacy in front of their friends, but Ruby was happy to not question it. Her other teammates didn't seem to mind. In fact, Blake and Yang were smiling at the couple.
After Blake and Yang swallowed a few sips of the soothing tea, they felt warmer. The calming liquid trickled down their throats and warmed them from the inside-out. When the pair was done, Yang handed her sister the bottle.
"Thanks," Ruby giddily gulped a few sips before handing the bottle back to her girlfriend. "You don't mind this many germs?"
"I'm trying not to think about it, but thanks for reminding me," Weiss said sarcastically with a ghost of a smile and turned to the faunus. "Do you feel warmer?"
Blake nodded, feeling the circulation return to her fingers. "It helped. Thanks."
"You're welcome," Weiss replied.
Yang glanced over to her sister. "How much longer, Rubes?"
The whole time, they didn't stop hiking. Multiple pairs of footprints embedded in the snow. The heavy snow boots kept their feet warm, but wore down their muscles like lead. The team had walked at least seven miles in heavy snow gear and that was starting to take a toll.
"Uhhh," Ruby checked the map on her scroll. "Looks like we're super close. I'd guess maybe-"
"There!" Blake pointed in the distance.
Smoke.
Dark, ominous clouds of smoke swirled with the gray sky.
"Now," Ruby confirmed.
From the troubling sight, Weiss created multiple glyphs to slingshot them in that direction.
They had to hurry. There had to be survivors. There usually were.
The mission was simple. Rescue any survivors and eradicate the grimm that took over the small village. Unfortunately, the huntsman and huntresses appointed to guard the village failed and team RWBY was the next responders to the scene.
Like acrobats, the four landed perfectly on the edge of the town to examine it. Snowflakes erupted around their forms from the sudden burst of speed.
For once, all four went silent.
Chaos.
Destruction.
Total annihilation.
All the humble buildings the villagers worked so hard to create had been utterly destroyed. A few caught fire in the ensuing fight, hence the black smoke. Debris was carved into the snow, blood splattered in patches. The once vibrant village was in tatters.
Despite the dormant mayhem, a calm breeze flowed by like nothing horrific transpired.
From the scent of the pools of crimson, Blake almost flinched. It was rusty and tangy. It reminded her of her former days in the White Fang. The sight was too familiar. One she never wanted to relive.
Yang tightened her fists. "This is horrible…"
"I didn't think it'd be this bad…" Ruby breathed.
Weiss looked to her leader. "What do you think 'destroyed' means?" she asked, referring to Ozpin's earlier words.
Her tone wasn't sarcastic. Rather, solemn. She didn't want to say it, but the team knew exactly what they were getting into when they were assigned to this mission. It was unlikely they'd find anyone alive, but it was worth a try.
In determination, Ruby flung out her scythe. "Look for survivors. And don't forget to watch your back."
Multiple nods.
With the orders in mind, they split up in blurs of red, white, black, and yellow. Luckily, the village was small so there wasn't much ground to cover. With all of them searching, it shouldn't take long to find people.
The east side is where Weiss searched the remains. Several pieces of debris were burning. Still burning. Nothing but ash. Grimm had to be around here somewhere. Taking note of Ruby's words, Weiss glanced behind herself. Nothing.
The ground was coated in red and white. The vital liquid was everywhere. As Weiss kept searching, remnants of arms and legs popped up. A crimson torso appeared when she lifted a piece of wood.
The sights bothered her, but she remained stoic and continued looking.
Meanwhile, Blake couldn't tear her gaze away from the macabre. Over time, she'd grown desensitized to most violence. Although she'd be lying if she said this didn't make her stomach churn. The scent of blood unsettled her the most. She couldn't escape it. That mixed with smoke was a daunting combination.
She searched high and low and only found the remains of bodies. Mostly children.
After rummaging around a pile of debris, Blake called out. "Any luck!?"
"No!" Yang yelled back.
Weiss didn't say a word.
Yang fought in battle countless times, but never got used to the results. She'd seen the consequences of combat before, but this...
This left a whole new jarring sensation twisting through her.
On the surface, Yang acted like the sight of violence didn't bother her because she's a huntress, but deep down, it definitely did. The blonde didn't have a strong sense of smell like her faunus partner, and the scent of blood still bothered her.
She wondered how Ruby was fairing with the grotesqueness.
"Agh!"
The surprised yelp was followed by a gunshot.
"Ruby!" Yang called.
The shout garnered the attention of her teammates. Instantly, the three darted to the building Ruby shot out of in blinding rose petals. A second later, dozens of beowolves lunged out of a small cabin.
Ruby landed in front of her team as they poised their weapons.
"What's the plan?" Weiss asked.
"Ice flower!"
Stay dandy,
~Toto