Author's Headnote: Sorry about my 'Rushed' chapter, I didn't want you to think I've ditched you. Or abandoned this fic. I want to at least get past the Beacon Arc God Damnit! Which means I have a lot of chapters to go before I even get there. I'm only at Friday number 1. Not sure how professional writers do this everyday; I just get blocks when writing about anything. I had more blocks than any of my previous chapters combined with that last chapter. But you're not here to read me complaining or anything, you're here for the fic. And that is what you shall receive.

RWBY: Festival of Blood: Punny Smithing

Character Change: Jaune Arc - Blake Belladonna

Blake Belladonna:

Aura Status: 100%

Semblance: Shadow Clone

Grades: Unchanged

Team Activity: Done.

Team Relations:

-Ruby Rose: Blake needs to talk to her about what she did last night.

-Weiss Schnee: Great to she's cooling off.

-Yang Xiao Long: Good friends, currently on her first date with Sun.

End of major character status report.

Beacon Academy, 4:00PM, Friday, RWBY Dormitory

Blake read the news this morning when getting costume makeup for Ruby. Apparently, there were two 'nostferatu' attacks, along with some of her former comrades trying to start a war with Vale. From the time she spent in Vale, she knows that the Valeans have a die-hard loyalty to their queen. But Blake doesn't care, she wants to know why there were TWO 'nostferatu' attacks instead of zero. Sure, she can understand that Ruby would feed off a low-life, who's possibly a criminal. But those two citizens were perfectly fine people, and why did they die instead of the low-life? Something is not adding up. But she'll let Ruby explain what she did.

She entered the dorm to look for her, only to find her in the kitchen. She was fully dressed, hand-washing a glass cup. Was she drinking out of it? Blake didn't remember there being dishes to be done. But that's not the point, the point is. She's hiding something again. Blake confronted Ruby with a concerned but irritated mood. Enough to get Ruby's attenton.

"Ruby. We need to talk." Blake stated.

"Okay Blake. What do we need to talk about?" Ruby asked.

"Two things: One. What did you do last night?"

"I went shopping and bite the neck of a criminal, but he's alive."

"And?"

"And I was working on my new weapon."

"And?"

"I went to bed."

"AND!?"

"That's it."

"Huh, so what explains those two people who had all their blood drained all over the news?"

"What are ya-… Oh. Darn it."

"Care to explain?"

"I was at the park for some reason when these two vampires attacked me! Well, they were dialoguing."

"Okay, and?"

"Then I knocked them out and put them by a tree. I also stole their blood-pack supply."

"Ruby, that's not very noble of you."

"Hey, I'd thought you wouldn't mind if you took a break being my breakfast."

"No, I don't. I just thought you wouldn't steal."

"I thought: 'Better from a hostile vampire than a hospital.'"

"So... why didn't they burn out from the sun?"

"I put them near a tree while they were unconscious."

"Even if you did steal from them, you didn't want them to die? Even though they are already dead?"

"Vampire's aren't dead, they're undead."

"Including yourself?"

"Sadly, yes."

"So, you were drinking blood from a glass cup?"

"I wanted to feel somewhat normal."

"That explains the second thing."

"So that's everything."

"Just don't steal all their blood packs next time."

"Alright."

"I also got you some costume makeup incase someone decides to yank that bandanna off. I know it won't shrink your fangs, but it'd creep people out less."

"Aw... Thanks Blake. You shouldn't have."

"Do you want me to show you how to-"

"No need. I have experience with costume makeup."

"Oh?"

"It's a long story, it involves Yang, a hotel, and a gallon of costume paint."

"Costume... paint?"

"I had to do the entire body, and seal it too."

"Care to explain?"

"She was cosplaying as a niche character for some weird thing she was into while she was my age."

"Oh."

"Ya, she was going through a phase... she kept it a secret from her dad because it was embarrassing."

"Huh, didn't take Yang for the niche geek type."

"Hey, she wasn't always the blonde goddess you see today."

And the incest imagery is in my head again.

"Did you just call your sister a 'goddess?'" Blake asked.

"Yes. Although she's my sister, and the thought of us being more than sisters is disgusting. But even I cannot deny she's HOT!" Ruby stated.

And you've made it worse Ruby. Way to go.

"Hey, what are ya guys talking about?" Weiss asked out of curiosity.

"Oh, Hey Weiss. Ruby and I were discussing Yang's weird phase... apparently." Blake said.

"Yep, and nothing else." Ruby commented.

"Oh. That's oddly specific." Weiss said.

"Yep, it is." Ruby said.

"Isn't it rude to talk about someone behind their back?"

"It was only briefly."

"Okay, fair."

"Oh. Speaking of Yang. I want to show you three something while you're all together. It's a surprise!"

Guess Ruby fully committed to her 'Girl's night out' thing

Weiss went back into the living room streaming television shows from 20 years ago. She knows Weiss does this because the sound of canned laughter can be heard across the room. The only reason people find those shows funny is because the canned laughter creates a contagious effect of laughter to laugh with the laughter. If someone edited out the canned laughter, no one would find it funny. Oh, and while she's at it, may as well tell Ruby the team attack for her and her sister... actually no. Yang would figure it out and yell at Ruby, and than yell at Blake. Perhaps she could figure out something else for that... wait, Ruby told her that her favorite drink is a strawberry sunrise. Strawberry sunrise. That could work!

Blake also felt like she's forgetting something... Wait, wasn't her and Ruby supposed to be somewhere? Oh, right! She and Ruby had to go meant JNPR to finalize plans for Sunday. Blake hinted Ruby to follow her to the JNPR dorm. Things are to be discussed.

Beacon Academy, 4:12 PM, Friday, JNPR Dorm

Ruby knocked at the door and Blake waited patiently. It makes sense for her to do the knocking, she's her leader. Even if she is a vampire. Blake's relieved she doesn't have to go through voluntary blood loss today. Hopefully Ruby picked a good place to hide her blood packs, and not the fridge where Weiss or Yang would see them. Ren opened the door to invite them in. Simple etiquette to take off shoes of course. Not sure why Ren has a problem with wearing shoes inside a living quarter.

The two went inside to see Jaune already discussing the final parts of his plan on Sunday. He's only got two days to do it after all. Blake and Ruby sat down to hear about the events that are to occur on that night. Ruby is out discussing battle plans incase anything goes awry, Jaune is discussing plan A. And everyone else (including Blake) is just standing there and listening. Like previously discussed. Ren and Pyrrha are heading to the CCT and getting info on the SDC and Atlas military. Jaune and Nora are heading to a nightclub to get info on a bartender, according to Jaune, it's one he knows personally. Whilst her and Ruby head to a white fang rally to get info on them.

And than there's Ruby discussing battle plans. She's covering everything from humanoids to grimm. For some reason, it has Ruby attacking from behind than her normal blitz. Makes sense, her non-regenerative aura would not last long with that fighting style. Glad to see Ruby's trying something new with her fighting style, even if she wasn't alive when she made it. Weird to say it like that, but it is technically correct, Ruby is clinically dead, whether JNPR knows it or not. Hopefully the latter, since Jaune's not very good with secrets, worse than Yang from what he heard. And Ruby being a vampire is a secret that will likely be taken to her grave, so as long as Blake keeps to her promise not to tell anyone about her condition. And if she dies. Ruby's combat training and along with the possible immortality means she'd likely be around to see world end if she's lucky enough. Or unlucky enough.

The plan was good, but it didn't apply the crazy what-if-scenarios Ruby for some reason prepares for. Likely turned down by Jaune who's more of a realist. Jaune uncovers that the third year is in fact, a male student. Blake likely already knew this. But she may have forgotten about it. But that narrows down the entire school of Beacon Academy down to possibly 50% of it's students. Well, technically still one because there is for some reason only one third year student in Beacon Academy. The headmaster had him aid fourth year students who were missing one teammate, like some sort of substitute teammate. Hope that doesn't happen to her team if Ruby gets found out.

The discussion went on for a couple of hours until the normal 8:00 PM dismissal. Like usual, Ruby didn't eat anything. She said she wasn't hungry, surprised none of them have caught on to Ruby... not being alive. Being away from everyone during the day asleep gets people questioning. Like Jaune did this morning. Thankfully Blake got Jaune to leave before Yang further explains what Ruby was doing from her perspective, given her big sister status, won't be long before she tries to check her temperature. Blake knows that Yang will inevitably find out on her own, but how she reacts is uncertain, she may be accepting or out-right horrified. Weiss is a different story, she wouldn't care to check up on Ruby, but once she finds out. She may try to use it as a power grab, or keep it a secret herself to avoid PR slander, last thing a Schnee would need is being arrested for vampire harboring. If that is a crime anyway.

But it matters little, Ruby insists Blake and her head back into the RWBY dorm. Mostly because she thinks Weiss and Yang are back there and she wants to reveal her surprise. Wonder what it could be.

Beacon Academy, 8:03 PM, Friday, RWBY Dorm

Blake arrived at the dorm; Ruby appears excited to reveal something. Weiss and Yang are here too, looks like she was describing her first date with Sun. Wonder what those two lovebirds to be would be like. Blake's also glad she didn't have to make a push between those two, guess it's better to let love build up on its own.

Ruby gathered between the rest of team. Blake is curious to see what Ruby cooked up for Saturday. Likely that comic-book movie Yang wants to see or that ice show Weiss wants to see.

"Friends! Sisters! Weiss!" Ruby announced.

"Why am I not included in friends?" Weiss asked.

"No reason. Anyways, four score and five days ago, I had a dream! A dream where we will spend the night together!"

"Is this going somewhere?"

"And I got us tickets to a fancy opera starring the lead singer of Yang's favorite boyband!"

"Wait, did you steal my business card?"

"I AM NOT A CROOK!"

Yang and Blake giggled a bit after her saying that.

"Anyways, it has everything we all like and I want us to start our second semester off with a bang!" Ruby announced.

"I always wanted to start my semester with a YANG." Yang said, making a pun.

"Boo!" Weiss retorted.

"Please don't 'Boo' my sister. you're not a ghost." Ruby said.

"I wish, than I'd float out of this conversation and not hear a single of Yang's puns." Weiss said with a monotonic voice.

"That took a dark turn." Blake said.

"I was making a Joke!" Weiss defended.

"That's your sense of humor?" Blake objected.

"No... not really." Weiss called back.

"Just don't make jokes like that again." Blake recommended.

"Fine..." Weiss said in defeat.

Weiss had retreated in defeat into the living room to stream old shows. Blake's not sure why she watches those. But it doesn't matter.

"Well, that was awkward." Yang said.

"Yep... very, very awkward." Ruby said.

"So... what have you and Blake been doing?" Yang asked.

"I've just been spending time with one of my teammates. figured I'd need to spend with her."

"That's true, you two haven't spent a lot of time together compared to me and Weiss in the first semester."

"Oh, remember that time when we did that thing?"

"Yep. It was wild."

"Indeed, it was."

"Oh, hey Ren." Yang said.

"Oh? Am I interrupting something?" Ren asked.

"Where did you come from, Ren?" Blake asked.

"You left your shoes in our dorm. And your door was unlocked again."

"Oh, thanks."

"What are they talking about?"

"I don't know."

"Can you please leave? It's rude to enter a dorm uninvited." Yang stated.

"Very well, I was going to do that anyway, but I got distracted by the conversation." Ren said, leaving the dorm.

"Why did you leave the door unlocked?" Yang asked.

"I swore it should have locked itself this time. But at least I have my shoes again." Ruby said.

Blake had put her earbuds on just so she doesn't hear Ruby and Yang talk about nothing for the rest of night. Ruby and Yang are good friends, but they tend to not pay attention to the conversation they're having.

The book is right around its climax when the conflict is at it's highest. Blake dives her nose in the book and reads it.

Character Change: Blake Belladonna - Ruby Rose

Beacon Academy, 8:47 PM, Friday, RWBY Dormitory

"No no, you got it all wrong. The color was named after the fruit." Yang said.

"Well, that doesn't make sense! Why would anyone name a color after a fruit?" Ruby objected.

"Like I said, before orange had it's name, people just called it: 'yellored' well until they found oranges... and since them people just affiliated the color with the fruit."

"But who found the fruit than?" Ruby asked.

"hadn't thought about that."

"So why do people think people name a color after a fruit?"

"Maybe because naming a fruit after a color is kind of stupid."

"Well you don't have any evidence for your claim!"

"Neither do you!"

"Why are you two suddenly talking oranges?" Weiss interrupted.

She stopped and thought about the direction of the conversation. Why are they suddenly talking about oranges?

"I still think the color is named after the fruit." Yang said.

"That's still wrong though." Ruby commented.

The two continue at it for hours that even the author of the fanfic was just bored at rewriting those puns out of the chapter. The retcon had to be done so Chapter 38 can be done already! Anyway, here's a flashback.

Flashback, 9 years ago.

The young Ruby, being six years old just saw Yang came back from dental care, now bearing braces along with her glasses. Ruby just finished tuning up crescent rose, her aim is still lacking, and her melee skills with it are also poor, yet again, she just started. Compared to Yang who was trained in both martial arts and swordplay and was skilled in both. Although she has the tendency to break her training swords compared to Ruby who has managed to keep Crescent Rose at tip top shape. And since Yang was home, it was time to meet her.

"Hey there Rubth.." Yang said, punning. This was the first time Ruby heard her speak with her braces on.

"You sound funny." Ruby replied, with a confused tone.

"Thorry, it'th jutht how I'd thound like for the necth eight yearth, according to the dentitht."

"Uhhh?"

Yang sighed. "I can't really talk well for awhile."

"Why not?"

"I don't know!"

Ruby spent the rest of the day avoiding her sister, mostly because she didn't know what she was saying. given that a six year old child can't really comprehend lisps that well. After she went to eat dinner, Ruby went and took her bath and brushed her teeth went to sleep for the night.

The next day, Ruby was practicing her marksmanship and melee fighting with Crescent Rose. Although her father said bayonets are for stabbing, not swinging. Advice she one day took to hold, but that was not this day. Afterwards, her father had a little chat about Ruby avoiding Yang.

"Yang told me you've been avoiding her." he said.

"I can't understand her." she replied.

"Well, spend some time with her."

"Why?"

"Because if you don't spend time with her, you won't understand her."

"Oooooh."

"So, go spend time with your big sister."

Ruby spent the rest of the day with her sister. She eventually learned what Yang's lisps were saying, and their relationship went back to that unbreakable sister bond! Ruby keeps this memory to remind her that she can't be quick to judge.

Back to the present

"Well, would you look at the time?" Ruby asked.

"What?" Yang said in confusion

"Blake is in bed with her earplugs in, and Weiss is unconscious on the floor. It's 12 AM."

"We've been at this for THAT long!? I got to go to sleep, need to keep up my beauty sleep now." Yang said, before preparing for bed.

And Yang did prepare for bed, she went and removed her contacts, showered, brushed her hair and teeth, put on her retainer, and than Ruby helped her reach her bunk. Ruby should tell Blake to switch bunks with Yang, her being on the top bunk is a terrible idea, she's near sighted. Afterwards, she picked up Weiss and put her to bed. And tucked in Blake. And now Ruby has the whole night to herself. She grabs a bloodpack and downs it entirely, a quick pick-me-up before heads down to tune up Crescent Rose a bit, along with her new weapon: Slice of Life. Can't wait for the field test on that weapon.

All this time to herself, this is basically the last second last night she can be up at without Anyone saying 'you have school in the morning, go to bed.' Ruby wishes she could tell them why she's up at night, she really does, but sadly she just can't. The very thought that vampires are real would cause a large panic which would send grimm all the way from Anima to go to vale.

But she does admit, the nights sure do get boring without anyone else. Sure, she was neve good with people, but her small circle of friends tends to mix things up. Now all she can do to pass the time that is fun to her is weapon tuning and online gaming... wait, she's got an Idea.

Beacon Academy, 1:00 AM, Saturday, Weapon Forge

She managed to acquire her team's and JNPR's weapons. How she got them, is a secret. She's not a crook, she swears on that. First off is Ember Celicia, her sister's weapon. Despite what she tells people, Yang didn't actually make this weapon. Ruby initially crafted it from an older 'shotgun bracer' model from her father's time, who had grenade launcher gauntlets. However, she never managed to finish the design. So, it's still stuck in it's outdated basic shotgun bracer thingy. She plans on correcting that. Despite the simple huntsman model, Ember Celicia really doesn't have a plan for long-ranged enemies, a shotgun isn't a long-ranged weapon.

She first goes over repairs, since her weapon tends to break often, no doubt it needs repairs. Her treatment on Ember Celicia is why Ruby never made her a sword, she'll end up breaking with the amount of force she uses. And it does need attention. It's about to fall apart! Ruby spends time repairing her sister's bracers. The motors for contraction and expansion are loose, the shotgun barrels are rusty, and is that a dent? Ember Celicia isn't strong enough to endure attacks, Ruby has told her sister this countless times! And clearly, she isn't listening when Ruby told her, don't contract them mid-battle, they break like that.

She repairs all the damage her sister's weapon underwent. And than drafts some plans for upgrades. She could install a grenade launcher, but that would only end up having Yang yell at her. Flamethrower? Nah, Weiss is the team's dust user. Mines? Mines. Giving her weapon the ability to plan mines on someone would come in handy. Just one punch, and 'poof!' mines are planted. However, since this isn't an Atlassian forge, those mines are going to be dangerous to everyone if Ruby doesn't tune down on explosive range. Which would negate the purpose of the mines in the first place.

Even than, putting two mine launchers on a weapon is pointless. So, she instead, installs more durable plating on the weapon, and a must less corrosive barrel, to keep up with Yang's very high maintenance standards. And drafts some plans for a small burst gun on the right bracer. No need to test the weapon since she knows it works.

Next up is Myrtenaster, Weiss' family weapon. Ruby knows this weapon was designed purely for decorative reason, hence the silver blade and revolver barrel. Yet, she uses it for combat anyway. Ruby grabs the blade, only to find it warm to her. Why does the silver blade feel warm to her when the rest of the room-temperature objects feel cold to the touch, even she's room temperature herself? Maybe that she would have had a silver weakness if it weren't for her eye color or some other nonsense, but she digresses. she needs it to retain it's decorative stance whilst also being combat-ready.

It would explain why Weiss never won a single fight, Myrtenaster's a ceremonial weapon. She plans on correcting that. She carefully removes the blade of Myrtenaster, and creates a mold for it, she than melts down the blade and mix it with some non-magnetic stainless steel, ensuring it's appearance is unaffected, yet, it's effectiveness improves. It may also conduct her weapon's dust abilities even further. After the forging is done, she re-attaches the blade onto the barrel, and attached some basic fire dust for a weapon's test.

At the testing room, Ruby is wielding Myrtenaster (secretly, Myrtenaster Mk II) to test it's dust conductivity, she knows the weapon's sharpness and pointiness has improved greatly, but what she needs is the dust test. If this is a proper weapon, surely any old dust would do. She fires up the dust round and pulls the trigger, along with leaving a slash. The slash is similar to the one Weiss had done on the emerald forest and started a fire that went on the news, they blamed the grimm on it. Only that it was faster, and a bit wider. Weiss would think her skill's are improving when in reality, she was handicapped with a god-awful weapon. Revolver weapons are terrible for these kinds of things. Anyways, on to the next weapon.

Gambrol Shroud, Blake's weapon. It has a bow which can be used to grab on things, a small ninjaken blade (not a katanna, a katanna would be bended, the blade here is straight.) along with a submachine gun and curiously two magazines. One for her ammo, another for unknown purposes. This was clearly designed specifically for Blake. At least she doesn't have to re-forge anything, unlike Weiss' 'weapon'. Although she may have to after-all. The blade is made of pig-iron. Pretty susceptible to breaking, however. Likely the weaponsmith couldn't find a suiting black metal that's more competent. To keep with the color tone, she went with forging it with Black steel, not as potent as stainless steel, but would keep the blackness of the weapon intact. And no sane weaponsmith would dare paint metal. She removed Gambrol shroud's blade, and made a mold of it, to forge some black steel with the said mold. She than attaches the new blade to gambrol shroud and discards the pig-iron one.

Her team will thank her for this, but she wants to keep it a surprise. it would be suspicious to say 'hey, I spent all night upgrading your weapons.' Now for JNPR's weapons.

First on her list was Crocea Mors, Jaune's basic weapon. It's practical, but boring. The shield scabbard is where she should focus, she imbues it with gravity dust so it becomes lighter It's scabbard form, so he doesn't feel worn down from the weapon being sheathed. She couldn't figure out what else to do without melting someone else's weapon and fusing it with his.

Ruby checks the time and it's 3:30 AM, she doesn't have time to do the rest of JNPR, so cleans up, puts the weapons back, and starts to prepare for her morning slumber.

Author's Footnote: I retconned the pun thing mostly because it has little or nothing to do with the story later on. So, I had them talk about random conversation topics instead, which is moreso my style. I also thought that her team's weapons are being neglected here, so I decided to have her upgrade stuff, having so much time to herself would mean she would have more time to repairing and upgrading weapons, or playing online video-games. So, I flipped a coin and it landed on heads. If you have any questions, comments, criticisms, or suggestions, leave them in the reviews.