AN: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we're back! I said many moons ago that I intended to return to When A Plan Fails, and here we are! Of course, i also said I would give Nevrospastos a bunch of love, and how did that go?

Still working on it, promise. I'm just a lazy ass.

But WPF! It's back! I've done some work on the plot for this arc, and but before we can get to that JNPR goodness, we still have a little bit of interlude work to do. But to take that first step down a long road...

Thank you for reading, and please enjoy: The Weisst.

Airy music flitted through the gala, barely audible over the susurrus of the partygoers. The buzz of their talking would occasionally be broken by the trill of laughter or the clink of crystal, but the sound of a hundred people talking of nothing dominated the room. Nothing, and worse, that is. Trapped to stand beside her father, Weiss was forced to listen to their meaningless, demeaning, prattle.

"-off Faunus the same wages as the rest of our mining staff; their argument is invalid right out of the gate." Her father scoffed.

"Ignoring the fact Faunus make up over 80 percent of the mining communities, and those wages leave them virtual serfs…" Weiss mused, recalling long talks with Blake.

"Well, I think the bigger issue here is our society as a whole." One of father's associates countered, looking quite sharp in a suit worth a year's labor in those mines. Weiss opted to not enter the conversation, instead allowing her attention to drift; these galas had been stuffy even before she had left, but now?

Now all Weiss could see was the hypocrisy of these people. Her people. Her wandering eyes fell upon the massive landscape of Beacon along the south wall, and Weiss began to turn from her father. A hand caught her before she had taken two steps.

"Where are you going?" Jacques Schnee asked sidewise.

"I'm… just a little thirsty." Weiss lied.

"Sweetie, we have people for that."

"What? No, I can get it myself."

The two fixed gazes, a silent battle over this miniscule point waged in that gaze

"-promised jobs." Her father turned back to the conversation.

"I'm sorry, I tuned out for a second, sounds like I'm the good guy again?" As the sycophants laughed, her father dismissed her, and Weiss drifted through the ballroom. With each step, she was pulled within the painting. She strode back in time, to happier days. Running with her friends to get to class, sparring in the open air, simply lazing about in the afternoon sun.

She wanted it back. She blazed with need, with an almost painful longing to be away from here and with them. In Patch, helping care for her team. Those two letters smuggled to her by Winter and Klein were more precious than any jewelry she owned, and just the sight of them pulled as hard as this painting. The chatter faded from her hearing, so too did the music, and her vision seemed to draw down to hold only this glimpse of Beacon.

"It's beautiful." And then someone intruded in her fantasy.

A flick of her eyes showed a young man not much older than herself leaning casually on the guardrail's post. Red and black clothes, with a seemingly useless chain on his belt matched by myriad rings. Rather than looking at the painting, he was eyeing her with a relaxed expression.

"Here it comes…" She thought, counting down in her mind. "Three… two…"

"You two match."

"No Weiss, you're not allowed to hit people for compliments." She sighed quietly. "Yes. It's a lovely painting." She did not turn to face him.

"So, that was my attempt at breaking the ice. How am I doing so far?"

She sighed louder this time. "You're leaving a lot to be desired." "It's like Jaune when we first met, minus the innocent gullibility."

He laughed nervously, and he should be nervous. "Well, I've always appreciated honesty. Henry. Marigold." He offered her his hand.

She stared at it.

Just as the pause became obviously painful, she extended her own hand. "Weiss Schnee."

A soft grip, but not in a gentle way. No, it was a weak hand that held hers. No callouses, no firm fighter's hold. Just a delicate, limp grip.

"I know, I saw your performance."

"Obviously." She mused.

"Obviously." He said stiffly before coughing into a hand. "You were wonderful, and I'm not just saying that because you're pretty."

"Oh God, he really can't take a hint, can he?" She turned back to the painting, thinking on Ruby's letters. Her team were in Patch where Yang and Ruby were recuperating. Their father and Blake were quickly becoming friends. Team JNPR had visited, and Pyrrha had finally managed to break through Jaune's incredibly thick skull. Things were going so well for them, and they wished her well!

"Focus on them, Weiss…"

"So… you thinking about buying it?" Henry asked, rocking the post gently.

Why would she need it? She was going to see the real thing again, after all, just as soon as it could be managed. Nor did she want to "give to the cause" of her father's charity gala; she had something better to offer Beacon and Vale than her money.

She had her sword. Her talent. Her drive.

"No. I don't think so." She would leave the fundraising to these clowns.

"Yeah, kinda pricey for a painting." Henry said dismissively.

"It's to raise money." She said scornfully. Occasionally helping charitable causes was about the only thing these people were good for! General Ironwood's towering form loomed by in the distance. Okay, so most were good for nothing ese.

"Oh really? For what?"

Her brow twitched violently, and Weiss once again felt that homicidal twinge in her left hand. "For what?"

"Heh, I'll admit I only come to these things for the food and drinks." He swiped a drink from a passing server as if to prove the point. "And for the extraordinary company. Of course. So what, is it for another Mantle Fundraiser or something?"

"You know, they really wouldn't miss him, right? I could use that ridiculous chain of his, it's not like he's strong enough to stop me."

Rather than commit homicide, she turned to face the idiot.

"Get. Out." She said in measured tones.

"Wh-what?" He said, a glimmer of fear in his eyes.

"Get out, or I will have security escort you out."

"But I haven't done any-"

"You heard the lady!" An achingly familiar voice said from behind her, and Weiss spun away from the imbecile, refusing to believe her ears.

The three of them sat conspiratorially around the table.

Which Blake thought was fitting given they were conspiring at the moment. They had a scattering of documents and drawings littering the tabletop, alongside a map of the Schnee Manor and their drinks and takeout.

Ruby smacked her hands onto the table, nearly spilling the coffee before announcing proudly: "Alright Team RWBY, Operation Weisst is now under way!"

Yang sniffed, mimicking wiping away a tear. "I'm so proud of you, Ruby."

"The Schnees have a party tonight, guys, and we're gonna snatch Weiss right from underneath them!" She jabbed a finger into the map of Atlas, pointing to a corner a few blocks from their motel before dragging it north to the Schnee Manor. "We'll rent a care here, drive up to the Schnee Manor, and that's when we'll split up. Yang, you've got a legal license for Atlas, right?"

"I know how to drive, Ruby." Blake narrowed her eyes at the response, but said nothing. Technically speaking she was a wanted criminal in Atlas, so who was she to complain. "I can get us up there without any issues."

"Great! We'll drop off Team A, then Team B continues on to the parking area on the east grounds."

"Name?" The gate guard asked.

"Schnee." Yang replied casually from the driver's seat. "Winter Schnee's guest."

The guard frowned. "Winter Schnee isn't even in Atlas."

"But she can still invite people. Check your list, I've got her plus one." The guard grumbled under his breath, typing hard onto his terminal. After a few moments he let out a controlled breath before flipping a switch.

"My apologies, go on through. Drop your passenger off at the front, then follow the valet." The gate swung open ponderously, and Yang threw him a glove thumbs-up as she drove in.

The arching drive leading to the entrance of Schnee Manor offered a perfect vista, the alabaster main building framed against the swirling black of an Atlesia night. Valets and ushers waited ahead beneath the illuminated portico, and Yang twisted to look back at her passengers.

"You ready?" She asked. Ruby and Blake exchanged nervous looks, but nodded.

"Ready." They responded in unison.

Arriving at the red carpet, Yang slowed gingerly and waited as the passenger door was opened and "Team A" was ushered out. A light knock warned her to continue on, and she pulled forward.

"And now for the fun part." She said with a vicious grin. She flexed her new arm and felt Ember Celica's new barrels split the white glove.

Ruby's finger once again traced the route, gliding from the parking area to the airfield. "Team B has to do two things: form a distraction, and steal a Bullhead."

"Steal a Bullhead." Yang asked flatly.

"Yep."

"And a distraction." Blake asked in an equally controlled voice.

"Yep."

"What kind of distraction?" Blake challenged.

Bruin straightened up from his relaxed slouch as he saw the woman approaching. A crisp black jacket and tight black pants along with an even tighter white shirt. Probably a driver with an outfit like that, but she glided across to him from the parking deck with a mischievous grin. She flicked back her mane of hair as she came to a stop next to him.

"How ya doin?" She asked with a playful lilt.

"Miss." He said curtly, trying to keep professional. Undeterred, the woman stepped to his side to lean against the wall like he had been.

"Never been up to this place before, any idea how long these shindigs last?"

Bruin shifted to his off foot to keep a bit of distance from her. "Usually go for a few hours. There's a break room to your right, most of the drivers wait there." She peered that way, but didn't move.

"Eh, sounds a little stuffy. Few hours, huh? Man, how come they get to have all the fun." She flashed him another smile, and Bruin felt… uneasy.

"Is… Is this happening?" he thought, hoping the woman hadn't noticed him staring at what her crossed arms did to her chest.

"Like I said, most of the drivers just kill time in the break room." Again, the woman blew it off.

"Sounds lame." She looked him up top to bottom quite openly, her smile taking on a new edge. "I'm Raven, who are you?"

"B-Bruin."

"Got any idea on what I could do for some fun. Bruin." He coughed nervously.

"What the actual hell is happening." A corner of his mind challenged. "Uhhhhh…"

"Maybe somewhere… private?"

"Oh my god, this really is happening. Think think think!" Realizing he'd gone too long without speaking, he blurted a reply.

"There's an access hall, you can… follow me?" The woman winked, and Bruin hurried to turn.

"Hey, idiot, what in the hell kind of sense does this make?!" a corner of his mind protested, but he was too flummoxed to pay it any kind of attention. Footsteps close behind him, and he fumbled with his keycard a few times before an affirmative chirp. He'd just begun to push the heavy security door open when Bruin felt something collide with the back of his skull. Falling forward, he cracked his head on the steel door and collapsed like a wet towel.

"Sorry, dude." Yang said from behind, reaching down to unclip is keycard, "but if it's too good to be true, well."

Poor sap safely tucked into the hallway, Yang strode back to the lot and her waiting car. She hadn't spotted any other guards, and cameras weren't really a problem. More exactly what she needed.

"Well that was weirdly easy." She said as she pulled open the driver's door. "Only guard's gone, got his key. Is our surprise ready?"

"Ruby," Yang said hesitantly, "I can't fly a bullhead."

"I can." Blake replied."Mostly. And I think I have an idea for a distraction…"

"Perfect! Yang drives you guys in, Blake flies, and you guys do something showy!" Blake and Yang clearly didn't seem confident, however. "What?"

"Ruby…" Blake paused, trying to decide how to say it. "If Yang and I are Team B, then you're Team A."

Weiss spun to face the achingly familiar voice. She was in a very modest dress, black that faded to crimson at hem and sleeves. She had been trying to strike a heroic pose, but was a little unsteady.

Ruby Rose.

Weiss threw her arms up and hauled her best friend into a crushing hug.

"I missed you so much!" She said quietly into Ruby's ear as her partner returned the hug, holding her close against everything that had happened.

"Told ya we were coming." Ruby croaked. "Weiss, air!"

Someone cleared their throat meaningfully behind them, and Weiss released Ruby to turn. it was the buffoon still.

"Soooo, I guess you two are friends?"

Weiss studied the worm for a moment, trying to decide what fate was correct, but ultimately decided to be merciful. She didn't want to look overly cruel in front of her partner, after all. Instead, she took hold of Ruby's hand and spun away.

"How did you manage to get in here? Where is everyone?" Ruby hurried after her. Most of the guests were milling in the center space, so she steered them towards the outer edge and the nearest exit.

"Well obviously we came to get yo-ohhh!" Weiss' arm was wrenched hard as Ruby collapsed to the ground, but she managed to keep her own balance. Ruby was scowling angrily at her feet?

"Stupid lady stilts…" Ruby growled, pushing herself up to her knees. "Help me up, we don't have a lot of time!" Weiss recognized the edge of excitement in her partner's voice immediately.

"Ruby, what did you do." Weiss had a suddenly horrible feeling in her stomach. "You've set my house on fire, haven't you?"

Moving again, Ruby shot her a horrified look, but she didn't say no. "Yang and Blake are gonna buy us time, we gotta get you outta first!" They had managed to scoot past the last party-goers and were closing on one of the exits when Weiss asked again.

"Ruby, how did you get in here?"

Anther intruding cough brought Weiss' attention back to their surroundings.

Klein was standing in front of them, hands clasped behind his back and his face curled in mischief.

"Klein?"

His mustache twitched as his eyes flickered in glee. "Seems there's a plot afoot, Miss Schnee." He reached behind himself casually to slide open a false panel, revealing several of her travel cases, including Myrtenaster's!

"N' who would I be if I didn't help with a bit o' plotting?"

"Klein, I…" Weiss's vision grew blurry even as she closed the gap between ehr and and small man. Just as she had with Ruby, she threw her arms wide to encompass him. "Thank you."

He patted her head, gently rocking the two of them in their embrace. "Anything for you, Snowflake."

"Snowflake?" Ruby asked behind them.

"Not now, Ruby." Weiss said, still not releasing Klein.

"I believe," a voice came from behind Ruby just as a figure stepped ominously into the light. Short, incredibly so, with a rotund figure and balding pate, an older man with gleaming eyes stopped beside Ruby.

"That, is where I come in. Winter Schnee sends her regards and her blessing, misses."

"So… flying a Bullhead?" Yang asked, pushing the icy branches of the bush to the side.

"Yeah, you pick things up." Blake replied, peeking over the same bush into the courtyard. Yang snorted quietly.

"How do you 'pick up' flying?"

"You propositioned and suckerpunched a guy ten minutes ago, Yang, are you really trying to do this?"

"Well Weiss isn't here yet, I feel like I gotta fill the role. So come on, say it!"

Blake sighed dramatically. "I learned it the same place I-"

An explosion ripped through the quiet of the night, the echoing roar of the flames spinning every person in the courtyard to look towards the distant parking deck.

"I learned to make carbombs." Blake finished.

Shouting filled the courtyard, the armed guards gesturing furiously at the others present. The civilians scurried to the doors as instructed, while most of the guards rushed forward to investigate and help contain the issue. Yang watched the two guards left behind with an almost pitying expression before being elbowed by Blake.

"If you invite them over for a good time, we can be gentler."

"I knew it, you really are setting my house on fire."

"Weiss-"

"I like this house, Ruby." Ruby gave her a disbelieving look. "Usually."

"Miss," Klein interrupted, "we don't have time, we need to get moving." He pulled both of them towards the servant hall and the three disappeared behind the disguised door.

Her heels were embarrassingly loud on even the carpet as the three hurried through narrow halls, clutching her cases close. Staff would stop where they stood to stare as she passed by, the privacy of this space destroyed by the sight of a Schnee, but Weiss had no time for the crisis.

"Where are we going?" she asked breathlessly.

"Airfield!" Ruby tossed back gleefully

"What, are we stealing someone's ship and flying off into the sunset?"

"Duh!"

"Ruby! Rose!"

"Ah!" Klein panted as he lumbered beside her, "Perhaps you should," a deep gasping breath, "consider what your friends have gone through," yet another pant, "to arrive here?"

So scolded for her scolding, Weiss refocused her mind. "Is the pilot trustworthy?"

"So long as we don't leave her alone with the fish dinner!"

"Since when does Blake know how to fly?"

Outside the cockpit, Blake could see Yang firing her gauntlets into the space above the hapless guards, shouting maniacally as stone and plaster rained down on them. They'd knocked out the remaining guards and Blake had learned her partner's arm could be launched in the same instance, and while Yang had set up a perimeter, she'd been left to start the Bullhead.

Sat in the pilot's seat, Blake stared hopelessly at the intricate and complex control panel. It looked nothing like the rusting safety hazard she'd learned in beyond that chair and the wheel!

She looked under her chair, maybe there would be an operator's manual!

The sound of Ember Celica resounding down the hall only sped Weiss up, and the party quickly reached an exit. Rather than crash through, however, Ruby halted them just before it.

"Klein, you gotta stay here, we don't want you hurt or spotted."

The older man nodded, handing Ruby the cases he'd been carrying. "Of course, Miss Rose. I'll find myself quite preoccupied for some time, handling all of this."

"Wait, Klein you'll you be alright?" Weiss questioned. "All the staff saw you with me, won't father-"

A twinkle of the eye and a shake of his mustache, and Klein put her at ease immediately. "Nobody ain't seen nuffin, don't you worry." A few rapid blinks and far less mischievous eyes looked up at her. "But I suppose it will be some time before I see you again…"

"But I will see you again." Weiss assured him before giving a winning smile.

An engine roared to life outside and it sounded as if a wall collapsed. Weiss and Klein both flinched at the noise.

"And I'll have them apologize for the damages."

"Yeah, sorry about that." Ruby squeaked, fumbling to keep all four cases in hand. Klein chuckled as he took hold of the handle, and both girls tensed to run.

"Best of luck, girls." They nodded, and he yanked the portal open.

Weiss darted out into a madhouse.

Yang was firing wildly into the shattered remains of a second floor wall, long collapsed under her constant fire. She suspected this was meant for cover, as she could see crouching men in armor directly below said collapsed wall. Meanwhile, a sleek Bullhead which she thought might be the General's spun in a wobbling circle, dipping gently from side to side.

Fly indeed.

Yang spun to fire on the opening door, or likely the wall above it, but halted when she saw them.

"WEISS! WELCOME TO THE PARTY!" She cheered before whirring back to suppressive fire.

"Come on!" Ruby yelled over the commotion, dashing towards the ship. "BLAKE! BLAAAAAKE!"

The listing, spinning ship continued to both list and spin, eventually letting Weiss get a glimpse of an incredibly flustered Blake in the cockpit, ears bent so far forward they could have covered her eyes. Ruby fired ahead on semblance powered speed, careening into the open hatch before firing back out shortly. She reappeared empty handed before her, and Weiss dumped her things into her hands.

"Ruby, hand me Myrtenaster!" she called, and by the time she arrived at the landing pad, her partner was tossing her the rapier.

"Need a hand in?" Ruby called down, but she shook her head.

"Yang!"

The blonde continued shooting up her courtyard.

"YANG YOU OX!"

The firing stopped and Yang made her retreat across the tarmac. A swing of her blade and Weiss laid out a series of glyphs, skating her friend to her side.

The taller girl reached in for a crushing hug, but Weiss lifted the sword into a guard. "Xiao Long, I know how to use this!" Her friend's reply was a massive smile before glancing above her.

"Heads up." She said causally, pulling Weiss forward. The smaller girl acquiesced, and the great turbine of the flyer bobbed through the space she'd been occupying. "Mind giving me some stairs?"

A short pair of glyphs floated into place, and both she and Yang bounded up into the hanger on the next pass.

"Doing well, Blake?" Weiss called to the front.

"Ahhh!" groaned Blake.

"Yang, Can you calm her down, I'll cover our exit." Weiss said, barely repressign a grin.

"Come on sis, kitty up a tree." the two sisters head to the cockpit, while Weiss took up position on the entrance. The ship's spinning gave her a sight of the guards' positions, and while they had begun to look over their cover, no one was yet firing. As luck would have it, the spinning stopped, leaving her in full profile of the guards.

Which was also how she saw the woman on the second floor with the rather ominous looking weapon slung over her shoulder.

"Blake…" Weiss warned.

"Working on it!" The brunette yelled back. "Ruby, don't touch that!"

The woman took a knee, bringing the weapon to rest most ominously.

Yep.

That was a rocket launcher.

"Blake!"

"WEISS!" she replied.

Weiss braced herself before driving Myrtenaster into the floor of the ship, focusing hard.

She felt the ship lurch hard beneath her as the engine roared. Were she not prepared, she may have tumbled out and into the snow. There was a triumphant cry from the cockpit as Weiss heard the report of the weapon firing. Even as the ship pulled up and away, the rocket hurtled towards them.

A glimmering sword swept down from above her, the flat of the blade swatting the explosive casually from the air. As they crested the walls of the courtyard, Weiss caught the eyes of that lone woman in the tower, jaw hanging slack in amazement. She gave her the most hauteur smile she could summon, a thing she'd seen crawling across the face of ever bootlicker and sycophant that filled the manor.

Schnee Pride had its places in the world.

She shuttered the hold door and made her way on uneasy feet to see her team. The ship again twisted midair as if a weight vanished from its roof, and she heard a squawk of protest from Blake.

"Everything going well in here?" Weiss asked casually.

Ruby was strapped down tightly in a chair, while Yang clutched another in a deathgrip. An incredibly uneasy Blake sat straight limbed in the pilot's chair, rigid as a board.

"Heh." Blake breathed, ears fixed forward in concentration.

…

"Girls." Weiss said to the tense room.

"Thank you."

Yang's fingers relaxed, and the taller girl finally turned to her, holding her arms wide. Weiss set Myrtenaster down in Ruby's lap before gracefully leaping up to crush the bigger girl in a hug.

"I missed you all!" She cried, and just as Klein had done Yang wrapped her arms around Weiss and rocked her gently.

"We're not going anywhere now, Ice Queen." Yang teased, and for once Weiss felt no compunction to complain about the name.

After a few more moments, Weiss let go and stepped up behind Blake. She gingerly wrapped her arms around her from behind, careful as to not startle her friend into crashing them into the barren, snowy waste quickly surrounding them.

"Good to have you back, Weiss." The girl eked through clenched teeth.

"Good to be back, Blake." She said warmly. "And while I have many many questions, one is most pressing: where are we going now?"

"Okay, this is great and all, but what do we do after we get Weiss out?" Yang asked Ruby and apparently Weiss' butler. "We're basically kidnapping the most important girl in Atlas, even if she does wanna come with us? We can't come to Vale, we know there are Atlas soldiers in Mistral, are we heading to Vacuo? The Wilds?"

Ruby's winning smile dimmed a bit, and Klein shifted from foot to foot.

"Well…" Ruby trailed off.

"A fine point…" Klein mused. "Miss Winter in Mistral should be an asset! She's always been supportive of Weiss."

"No, Yang's right." Blake said sadly. "If we go to Winter, then she gets dragged into the legalities of this. Weiss isn't eighteen yet, it's kidnapping if her father says so, especially with SDC lawyers to back him. Winter can't help us overtly…"

"Then, Vacuo it is?" Klein asked. "I'll be sure to pack sunscreen for her."

"No," Blake muttered in thought, "The SDC has too much power even there, and we don't know anyone to help us." Blake made to speak again, but froze under the weight of her thoughts

A long silence, everyone watching Blake.

"You got an idea, partner?"

"I do, I just… I'm trying to decide if I'd rather die in the Grimmlands than try it…"

"Well it sounds like this idea is our only option?" Ruby pressed.

After an ominous silence, Blake finally answered her.

"Somewhere where no one will ever think to look, Weiss. Especially not the SDC."

That mystery left to hang over her, Weiss looked ahead. Into the black and white night of Solitas, the unrelenting snows of her homeland covering the rocky wasteland filling their vision. Leaving a bleak present to an unknown future.

But a future with her team was better than anything this place offered her.