AN: Hey everyone, here is the second chapter. This is the end of the day of the last chapter, setting up in a bit more detail what some character's journey will entail. We see some new and familiar faces this chapter that were cool to bring in. Hope you enjoy this chapter, leave a review with your comments and questions, and have a nice day.

Chapter 2 – Setting Course

Yang.

In the back-alley part of Vale, at a bar simply known as The Club was only a few minutes from closing for the night. However, the doors busted open. All the goons cleaning up looked in shock, while the Bartender just sighed. Sauntering in from the smoke was Yang, her eyes closed with a smile on her face, "I'm back baby!" She declared as Gilgamesh stood next to her, smirking with his hands in his pockets.

Seconds later, all the goons rushed her, aiming their pistols and rifles at the blond brawler, "So, this is how they say welcome at The Club." Gilgamesh said to Yang as she opened her eyes, smirking back at him, "Allow me to respond in kind. No, more than that, a response equaling that of the King of Heroes!" He said before reaching out of his right pocket, revealing his golden metallic hand. In his metal palm spawned a digital tablet. As the device turned on, dozens of golden vortexes appeared behind him and Yang. the goons looked up at the portals, seeing spears and swords aimed down at their heads. Each of the became gun-shy as Gilgamesh laughed.

"Take it easy." The bartender coming out from between his goons, glaring at Yang, "Hello Blondie." He said in a tired voice.

"Sup Junior," the blond brawler responded, "My reservation?" She said with Junior pointing off to one of the corner booths in the nonsmoking section, "Thanks. I would finally order that drink you owe me, but I think you need one more than me." She said with him sighing. Yang then walked off towards the booth.

Gilgamesh then had his tablet despawned, causing all the vortexes to vanish. As he walked to follow her, one of the goons with a red mustache spoke up, "What do you see in her?" He said to the King of Heroes.

"She's an interesting woman," Gilgamesh responded with a smile, "Life is never dull around her." He then looked towards Junior, "Wouldn't you agree?"

Junior did not respond before walking back to his bar, "I think I need that drink." Gilgamesh smirked before following Yang.

The two blonds walked over to see two men in black bike outfits at a booth, each with sunglasses on. One had a brown hair, a three-clawed scar over his right eye, and the smell of corpses on his body. The other was blond, lightening embordered on his outfit, and an obnoxiously large engine belt buckle. Yang smirked as she sat across the two, Gilgamesh sat next to her, "Well, don't we look like a regular gang." She said with the two guys smirking, "Good to see you, Kairi." The blond brawler said to the necromancer, then turning to The Golden Rider, "But Sakata, I wasn't expecting you?"

"He needed some muscle," Kintoki responded, "I was bored. Nobody is taking my economics class anymore."

"That sucks, it was one of my favorite classes," Yang said with him smiling in gratitude. She then turned to Sisigou, "So, is it true?" The blond brawler said with a smirk, "You found my mom?"

"It's not that simple, but I think I know where she is going?" Sisigou said with Yang's lilac eyes lighting up.

"Wow, you two are better than me at this." She said with a giggle, "It took me years, but I never got close to finding where she'll be next."

"Well, a person who can make portals that can take you anywhere in Remnant is difficult to find." Sisigou responded, crossing his arms, "It took a while to get a credible source to her current location."

"How did you do it?" Yang asked, "Where is she now?"

"One at a time," Sisigou responded, "After a few months of asking around the other kingdoms, I caught a break when I found a tribe called by her given last name."

"When you say, tribe?" Gilgamesh spoke up, a look of worry starting to fill Yang's eyes, "Do you mean bandits?" He said with the two me nodding.

"Not the nice kind that does only human trafficking," Kintoki responded, "That group is full of murderers and thieves."

"But why do they have my Mom?" Yang asked.

"Yang…" Sisigou spoke, his voice weighted in what he didn't want to tell her, "In the past, your mother and uncle were sent to Beacon to become skilled enough to lead the tribe in the future. She went back, but your uncle did not for some reason."

Yang leaned back in her booth as she looked up at the ceiling, a forced smirk on her face at the irony, "Heh, and I just saw him before he left again." She said while Gilgamesh noticed her fist tightening under the table, "He could have told me about this years ago." The blond brawler said as her eye color started to change to red. Suddenly, Gilgamesh placed his left hand on her right shoulder. She turned to him and smiled. Then closed her, a taking a deep breath, and exhaled as her lilac eye color returned. Yang then turned back to Sisigou, "Okay, what about now?"

"Well, I went to the tribe." The necromancer added on.

"And I beat up a handful of their members," The Golden Rider finished with a smirk on his face, "You know, showing dominance and stuff." However, the confidence soon faded from his face, "But, your mother wasn't there."

"I talked with a girl there named Vernal." The necromancer continued with a sigh, "Luckily, I have dealt with Mordred enough times to know how to deal with that girl. Unluckily, she told me that the tribe was getting hesitant on Raven's ability to lead them anymore. So, Raven went to Apocrypha."

"What?" Yang interrupted, "Why?"

"Even Vernal didn't know, only that it was for some form of power. She was gone about two months before I arrived at the tribe." Sisigou then pulled out a scroll, showing a map of his home kingdom. The western board was highlighted in red light, with blinking black dots running from the upper side, "After relations with Vale increased, traveling between kingdoms was easier. However, it led to some bad people moving into this area. People jumping airships and stealing supplies sent for the struggling towns in Apocrypha." He said before pointing to the dots, "These are locations that a person matching Raven's description had been seen. I forwarded it to Sherlock to tell me where her next location is." Sisigou said before a yellow dot appeared on the map, "But Yang, if we go to this location, I cannot guarantee your safety. Nor can I guarantee you'll-."

"I'm going," Yang cut him off, "I need to meet her, face-to-face."

"Then I'm going with you." Gilgamesh said to her with a smirk, "After all, I still have that question I need to ask her." He said with her smirking back.

"Well, road trip it is then." Kintoki said before getting up, looking at the King of Heroes, "Too bad about your airship, we could have made it there in no time."

"The location is predicated on a windowed timeframe." Sisigou spoke up, "Raven will be there in few days, so we need to hurry."

"Okay then," Yang said as Gilgamesh got out of his seat, allowing her to stand up, "Let's move out."

As the four started to leave The Club, Junior called out. "Blondie!" Junior called, causing Yang and Kintoki to turn towards him, "Oh for the love of-" he said with anger at shaking his head.

"I think he means me," Yang said.

"Ah," Kintoki responded with a nod before joining the others. Sisigou continued his paced, while Gilgamesh knew that was not his title.

Yang looked back to see Junior. He sighed before raising a glass, "Good luck." He said with her smiling, giving him a single wave goodbye before exiting The Club. Junior then took a swig from his drink, sighing again as he looked at it being a strawberry sunrise.

Outside The Club, four bikes were parked. Each member got on their own ride, revering their engines. Yang looked at her reflection in the visor of the helmet, her eyes glowing red for a second. She then had a look of determination before putting on the helmet. The gang then rode off into the distance, heading for the border of Apocrypha.

Blake.

As night fell over Beacon Academy, Blake laid in her bed wearing a set of grey pajamas. The lights were turned off, but a lit candelabra sat on a nightstand to the black cat faunus' right. Using her scroll, she had a video call with a man who had spiked hair. The name Achilles was seen in caller idea, "Are you sure you're going to be okay being by yourself for a few days. I could try to get an earlier flight in." The young hero said over the scroll, "It would probably be quicker if I just used my chariot to get to Vale."

"I'll be fine, trust me." Blake reaffirmed to him, "You don't need to worry."

"I'm not worried," Achilles responded, a smile on his face, "I just want to see you again." He said with her smiling back, then yawning, "I'll let you get some rest, call you tomorrow?"

"Okay," Blake said before Achilles hung up. She then closed the scroll before placing it on her nightstand. The black cat faunus then reached for a mug steaming with tea. She held it with both hands before blowing, then taking a sip. After a sigh of relief, Blake held the cup to her right hand, then reached into the nightstand drawer, pulling out a small black book. She opened it to the near middle and began to read.

However, just as she was a few words into where she left off, her scroll gave a single buzz. Blake put down her mug and book to check on her device. It was not a missed call, but a news notification. As she was about to put her scroll down, the black cat faunus read the title of the article, White Fang Massacre in the Forever Fall Forest.

"What?" Blake said before opening the newsletter. In opening the article, she saw a video at the top of the page that began to auto play.

In the crimson forest was a female reporter with black and purple suit, the tagline Lisa Lavender underneath. "As most students finished up there a year with tests, one team was tasked with a makeup assignment to gather sap from the trees in the Forever Fall Forest. However, what they found was the remains of a raided White Fang Outpost." The reporter's gaze became serious as she spoke, "What you're about to see is considered graphic and not suitable for children." She said with Blake starting to hyperventilate. Her finger moved to the pause button, but she stopped herself, needing to see what happened.

The camera then shifted to a clearing in the woods. Multiple tents that looked like they had been set up were ripped apart. Dozens of bodies and limbs littered the ground, the air still emanating a soft pink mist. the smell of death permeated the area. despite being only a video, Blake held her right hand to her mouth and nose. The corpse of the white fang grunts where near unrecognizable and managed messes of what they once were.

However, Blake's eyes widened, as she did recognize one. It was a girl with tanned skin, but spots on her shoulders, knees, and face that resembled that of a lizard. That was not all that decorated her body, multiple cuts, and gashes were seen on the cadaver. Her brown hair was tied in a ponytail, her Grimm mask shattered in half, showing her lifeless grey eyes. Her right hand looked like it was blasted off, bits of a weapon found nearby her body. While she wore a sleeveless black stealth suit, in the center of her chest was a massive hole that was half a foot in diameter. Her ribs and heart complete destroyed and blood pooled around her corpse, "Ilia…" Blake said as tears formed in her eyes, "Oh, please no."

The reporter then came back on screen, "This marks the sixth raid on the White Fang discovered in the last three months, bringing the casualty count well over the triple digits." Lisa Lavender continued, "The Vale police and Atlas Military have refused to make any comment of the raid. However, they released the bodies to The Vale Hospital for identification." She then had a serious look return to her face, "Regardless of your opinion on the White Fang, nobody should have to die like this. If can identify any one of these victims, it can help them not be forgotten." The video ended but tears still flowed down Blake's face. However, a look of focus and anger started to form as she knew what had to be done.

Weiss.

Aboard a massive Atlas Military airship, Weiss walked behind someone with similar hair color and eyes to her. However, this woman's hair was tied in a bun, some of her hair parted to the right side. She wore an Atlas military uniform of a high-ranking official, a Specialist. Like Weiss, she had a rapier on her left side, but both hands were behind her back as they walked, "It's so good to see you again Winter." Weiss said with a smile.

"Likewise," Winter spoke, but her voice slightly cold, "However, I encouraged you to get some sleep before wanting to meet some of your new colleagues. Our debriefing is not for the next evening."

"Sorry, I'm just so excited," Weiss responded, understanding a bit of her team leader's energy for a moment, "And you said a couple are up anyway."

"True," Winter responded.

"And I don't know anything about them," Weiss added on.

"Not true," Winter said, causing her younger sister to have a look of confusion, "One is whom you met on your visit to Chaldea."

"Oh," Weiss said before she realized something, "Um, Winter…last year…did you watch that school's Grand Order?"

"I did, you performed very well." The Atlas Military Specialist commented, her younger sister blushing, "It is why I picked her as your partner."

"Oh, thank you. I know I didn't win, but I felt I had the Schnee name leave a mark on that kingdom. I know if you entered, you would win easily and-" Weiss frantically said before she realized something, "Wait, picked her as my partner." The white heiress said as Winter stopped in front of a metal door. The Atlas Military Specialist pressed a button, causing the door to slide open as Weiss looked inside.

Laying her back in one of two beds was a girl in a black military suit, matching her long hair. Her boot was gold, matching the material of the emblem on her hat. Her red cape matched her eyes, almost the same shade as a Grimm's piercing vision. Her hands were a scroll, loaded with a game she was rolling a banner on. However, she pried her eyes away from it to look at Weiss, "Sup Ice Queen." She said as the white heiress gritted her teeth.

"Nobu!?" Wiess responded, "You're my partner!?"

"The two of you showed a unique style of teamwork in Grand Order." Winter spoke up, "Even more when the invasion started."

"I wouldn't call most of that teamwork." Nobu said as she jumped out of bed, pocketing her scroll, "After all, she hid shot me in the back."

"You told me to do that, remember!" Weiss shouted back, "And do not say things like that in front of my sister!"

"This is your sister?" Nobu said as she pointed at Winter, "Wow, I guess Ice Queenism is genetic." Her comment caused Weiss to draw her Myrtenaster, ready to lunge forward.

However, Winter hit her sister on top of her head, breaking the white heiress' concentration. "This is not the time or place for a sparring match." Winter said as her younger sister looked up at her in confusion, but the older sibling looked down with a cold gaze, "If you intend anything more, I would send you back to Vale…or back somewhere worse." She said with Weiss having a look of fear in her eyes, then holstering her weapon at her side, "Good, let's continue." Winter said before walking down the hall.

"Yikes," Nobu said as she walked over to Weiss, both of who looked at Winter, "She gets I was making a joke, right?" The Grimm archer then turned to the white heiress, "I didn't mean for you to get in trouble just then, sor-" Nobu was saying, but Weiss did not respond, instead of following her sister. Nobu had a look of irritation as she followed, "Hey, I was trying to apologize!"

"Why are you here?" Weiss said in a voice restraining her anger.

"She already told you, and I got nothing better to do." Nobu said as she put her hands behind her head, "Okita is off doing her own thing. And I could have visited my family, but …." She did not finish, causing Weiss to look to her in confusion, noticing a look of irritation in the Grimm archer's eyes, "Any who, I'm here to take my mind off of things." She then turned to Weiss with a smile, "Don't worry Ice Queen, I'll play nice this time."

"Thank you…" Weiss said before having a small chuckle, "You know, you're still only the second most annoying person I know that thinks red goes well with black."

"Oh, so you met this other guy before?" Nobu responded.

"What other guy?" Weiss asked as her sister stopped in front of another room. As the Atlas Military Specialist opened the door, the white heiress eyes widened more than before.

Facing a massive window was a man in a fully black long coat, a large rose emblem on his face. His hair was a spiky red with what looked like bull horns protruding out. On his left side was a straight sword in a black sheath. In the refection of the glass, Wiess already saw the Grimm mask over the upper half of his face. Winter spoke to her sister while the man turned around, his arms crossed, "Weiss, this is Adam Taurus. He's-"

"A member of the White Fang!" Weiss finished herself, glaring at Adam, "What is one of them doing here!?"

"He was held in General Ironwood's facilities. Until I made special authorizations to release him into my overwatch." Winter responded, "He is also a member of our mission's team."

"You expect us to work with him!?" Weiss spoke to her sister, pointing at Adam, "You know what his group has done to our family's comp-"

"What matters now is the mission, not personal afflictions." Winter responded in a cold voice, "I brought you onto this mission expecting more from your time at Beacon and Chaldea. Weiss, you cannot act this way about people anymore." She focused on her sister, staring into her soul, "You have to grow up."

"But Winter," Weiss said, but her sister glared back. The white heiress then gritted her teeth before focusing on Adam, "If he was prisoner, why is he allowed to walk around like this."

"Would you prefer a leash?" Adam responded in irritation, "I am not exactly fond of this engagement either, Schnee." He then had a slight smirk on his face, "But if you wish to end it now, to take your revenge on White Fang, I will not object." The White Fang swordsman said before he placed his hand on the handle of his weapon. He took the blade out an inch, showing its crimson red color, "Go on, make my night."

Weiss was fuming with rage, her left hand moving to her Myrtenaster. Nobu had a look of panic, as Winter watched with stern eyes. After a short pause, Weiss stopped herself, moving her hands to her sides. "I'm going to sleep now." She said to her older sister before walking out the door, back down the hall. Nobu let out a sigh of relief as she followed. Winter looked to see the Grimm archer place her hand on the white heiress' back. She noticed her little sister hands were clenched with a drop of blood dripping from her palms. Winter then closed her eyes and exhaled her breath. She turned back to Adam, but he had resumed looking out the window, his arms crossed again. The Atlas Military Specialist left without saying a word, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

AN: There you go, the gang was not as happy as they were last chapter with the idea of their new missions. Yang now learns the truth about her mother and uncle from what Sisigou found, (Also, I'm going to have a lot of fun with Kintoki this story). Gil also shows off that he has some control over Gate of Babylon again, but need the tablet to do so, (Basically, he is now more like Caster Gil than Archer Gil, thanks to his relationship with Yang). Vernal gets a mention in the story. In the same boat is Ilia, but she met with an unfortunate end. As we learn someone has been massacring the White Fang. And finally, Weiss learns that some of her colleagues are not exactly who she thought she would be working with. Nobu is back and so is Adam, (to understand a bit of his context here, he was shown as a focal point of the bonus chapter of Fates Collide). Winter's mission will come to light in a couple chapters, explaining why she picked who she picked. Next chapter, we go back to Ruby as we see her arrival at the new academy. That is all for now, thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the next chapter.