So, I've decided to upload two chapters this week, to finish with the introduction part. Hope you enjoy them!
I am not that good with expressing feelings, but at this point I want to give a big thanks to everyone who at least checked on the story and an even bigger one to the ones who actually followed/favored it. It means a lot to me, truly.
Most of all, though, I want to thank my two friends, Elia and Fenia, who have been putting up with my writing and blabbering so far and have helped me so much with the ideas and style. I love you both.
The wind was blowing her hair, letting her wild golden mane flicker like a roaring fire. Behind her, the sound of combat echoed through the halls and abandoned gardens of Salem's tower as the other three teams had already engaged their respective targets.
Lowering her cowboy hat, Yang Xiao Long looked at Weiss' figure standing a few meters away, observing the dark, red-stained sky. Her pristine, petite form was as breathtaking as ever, her cyan eyes the only thing betraying the anxiety she had for their comrades' safety. What a woman Yang thought. She refuses to let me see her sad or afraid. You are so-
A roaring sound broke the blonde out of her thoughts; she focused her lilac eyes on the other side of the valley, for any indication- ah, there they are; I was getting worried! She looked at the rampaging horde of Grimm, fresh and new out of the pool of darkness, running across the landscape.
It would probably take them… "Less than fifteen minutes" the angelic voice near her finished her thoughts. "Get ready, Yang. This is only the first wave out of Dust knows how many we have to hold."
She activated Ember Celica and stretched her arms to let go of the tension building inside her. So this is it. After five years of endless running and fighting, the finale to this stupidity. Dust knows how many of us will survive to-
Yang bit her lip, as something inside her clicked. She turned to look at Weiss, who had drawn her pair of swords and was waiting in anticipation- they had still more than ten minutes, right? And after that, she might die. Or worse, Weiss might-
No! she waved her head in dismissal. Don't think like that! You are here for her! You will not let her down! Like you didn't let Ruby! Like you didn't let Blake! You will protect her; she means that much to you, after all.
The blonde looked at the object of her affection for the last year, and possibly even more. A pity she will never learn- she took a deep breath, rubbing her head. Now's better than never, I guess. If we survive, Blake's never going to let me get over this.
"Hey Weiss?" The petite girl slightly turned her head "Yes?" "Remember back in Atlas, when you thought Blake and I were dating each other?" Weiss' cheeks flushed crimson. So cute… "Wh-what brought this?"
"Oh, you do remember." "It was not only me, you idiot! With the way you were acting, everyone thought the same until Blake started dating Sun!" she retorted as usual by attacking back to hide her embarrassment.
"Yes. But not everyone drank their ass out and challenged Blake to a duel for the privilege to date Xiao Long, did they?" Weiss' eyes shot wide open; while in the distance the roaring hooves of Grimm were getting closer.
"Thanks for reminding me the most embarrassing moment of my life, a few minutes before we both die, Yang." "Well, that's on you. For me, it was one of the best moments of my life, actually." The glow from Weiss' face could easily put premium dust to shame at this point.
"Yang, we have so little time right now; if you want to tell me something, I suggest you come out with it." "Yeah, sorry. You are so cute; I lost it for a moment." "Yaaang…" she narrowed her eyes, but a wave of the taller girl's hand stopped her.
"It's been almost two years since that. The first one doesn't count since we were fighting in different fronts, but still one year is way too much time I spent trying to realize the obvious. I lost Uncle Qrow, you lost your sister and so many friends of ours are either dead or severely hurt. We may die in a few minutes too, as you said."
She closed her eyes, mustering as much power as she could "but I have to ask; in the very crazy possibility we both survive, would you like to go out with me?"
-o-
November 27th, 85
Patch Island, West of Vale City
"Pfff…HAHAHAHAHA!" the roaring laughter of Taiyang Xiao Long filled the cozy living room as the blonde man didn't even try to conceal his amusement at the story he had just heard.
Next to him, chuckling in mirth, Weiss Schnee sat, enjoying her morning tea; her platinum-white strands were now reaching up to her shoulders and she tied them up in a very short ponytail, while in the front she sported bangs falling down her forehead, framing her lovely blue eyes.
She currently wore a long two-layered skirt, plaid brown on top and light blue underneath, with dark blue stockings and low heels. A pale white top completed the girl's attire. A single blue necklace adorned her white neck, gift to her from the late Winter Schnee.
"Hardy har-har; very funny you two." The annoyed voice coming from the other side of the living room belonged to no one else than Yang Xiao Long, daughter of the man who was one step away from chocking in laughter.
The blonde huntress was the one among her team who had retained the most of her appearance from their former days. Her wild golden mane was still there and the numerous scars and cuts she had received in her face and exposed arm only added to her powerful presence in combat.
Having donned her household clothing, an orange top and her jeans were the only things she wore, in addition to the cuddly and furry ball of cuteness that rested on her lap- the family corgi, Zwei.
"Oh come on, Yang" her girlfriend smiled in satisfaction "I still love you." Shit that look is criminal. "That's not my point, Snowflake" she turned to her dad "since when chill-at-home-weekend became laugh-at-Yang's-expense vacation?"
Tai took a serious tone before answering. "That's rich, coming from someone who nearly punched Weiss' father when they first met." Yang crossed her arms "first of all, that was three years ago. Second, he deserved it; in my opinion I should have done more."
"Well, thank Dust you didn't; I would hate to get a phone call telling me you got arrested again" he chuckled as he stood up "weather forecast said snowfall for tomorrow; I am going to the warehouse to get some extra wood."
Weiss got up "let me help you Mr. Tai." The man smirked and cast a side glance to his daughter. "Nonsense; you are our guest. Besides" he reached out and ruffled Zwei's head, waking up the little fluff ball "someone here has grown lazy- let's go boy!"
After the tall man had left the room, Weiss turned to her girlfriend "I still think you were very cute back then." Yang closed her eyes and crossed her arms again "you should have told that earlier; not now that we are alone."
"Oh, no, Xiao Long. I am not getting in an argument between you and your father again. Deal with it yourselves." She opened her left eye and rose its eyebrow, slowly tilting her head backwards "I am sorry, sweetie, but the 'privilege of dating Yang' as you yourself said, comes with the duty of supporting her against villainous family members."
"You are such a child." "Says the girl that can't sleep without cuddling me." "…" "…" "That was a low blow, even for you." Yang grinned "I was taught by the best." "Remind me to have a talk with Blake about this."
Both girls stopped and started laughing; such antics had become almost second nature to them- at some point they had become so common, that Ruby had grown anxious about whether they were actually dating or simply hating each other.
But both girls enjoyed it; they could show their affection to each other this way when the situation didn't let them be more…intimate. "Still, don't complain about your dad" Weiss said, sipping some tea as she looked at the door "he is an amazing father; I wish I had the chance to grow in such a loving place; be a part of such a caring family."
"…" When Yang didn't respond to that, Weiss turned back at her "did I say anything wrong?" "No…" Yang replied in an unfamiliar reserved manner, playing with her hair before looking at her girlfriend.
The atmosphere turned quiet for a few seconds as lavender got locked with pale cyan. Weiss didn't want to break it; she knew Yang very well to know that this was her 'I want to tell you something important' form. "Hey, you know…your apartment is really good" she finally said.
Weiss sipped her tea, without answering. "But it's very far away both from mine and the one Rubes stays in." "And?" she let her lips curve upwards. "And…you do spend a lot of time in mine-not that I don't like it" Yang felt her cheeks heating up.
"And?" Weiss hoped her amusement was not too obvious. "And, you told me you would like to be with someone who cares and loves you- that is me." She put her mug down, smiling widely "you are blabbering again- do I have to make the question for you?" Yang frowned before letting a whisper "come stay with me; I promise it will be worth it."
Weiss didn't reply; instead she got up and walked next to an overheating Yang, who was staring at her as her life depended on it. The alabaster girl sat down next to the blonde and stared at her eyes once more "are you sure you can deal with me 24/7?And I am very serious about it- we don't know-"
"Yes. I know all these. I have been thinking about this for weeks now. I love you, Princess. Even if it's tough, or weird, I will deal with it, if it means being with you." "I love it when you get all romantic, My Dragon." She leaned forward and kissed her tenderly; letting her hands trail over Yang's muscled back "the answer" she whispered between her kisses "is yes."
Yang's heart soared, her brain failing to process anything else as she felt her hands grabbing Weiss and pushing her closer. She didn't even manage to remember that her father was somewhere around, cutting wood as the pale girl shivered in her embrace-
The sound of two scrolls beeping with the SHU emergency summons signal snapped her out of the merry reverie. Weiss quickly slipped away from her, making Yang sigh deeply "Please tell me it's Glynda asking us to bring her traditional Patch sweets on Monday."
She didn't have to wait for a reply; Weiss' frustrated face told her everything she needed.
-o-
The roar of Bumblebee II's engine echoed through the vast fields, as Yang sped up, trying to reach the academy and, by extension, Goodwitch's office, in time. Well, not in time, since Ruby and Blake had gone there twelve hours earlier than them, but…
"In our defense, we had to cross the sea in order to get here; let's use that." She stopped next to the academy entrance, pulling the bike to the side after both she and Weiss got off. "I concur; and let's not tell her that we didn't have your combat gear with us and were forced to stop at your apartment to get them."
Both girls looked at each other; Yang wore her usual attire- the exact same one she had been using since the battle of Haven, save for replacing her long tan coat with a leather sleeveless vest and a brown short jacket. The extra addition was a black cowboy hat she had grown fond of since the Vacuan desert expeditions. Old trust-worthy Ember Celica was equipped in both her metal and normal arms and her travel backpack was strapped in her back.
Weiss' huntress outfit, on the other hand, consisted of a long-sleeved white blouse with blue snowflakes, along with a pale blue combat skirt and dark blue leggings, with white platform boots. Light blue pieces of armor protected her wrists, elbows and shoulders.
A thin belt was strapped above her skirt, where both her weapons, the multi-dust silver rapier Myrtenaster and her parrying blue-hilted shortsword, Crown, rested. She had in her back her own respective travel bag. "Weiss Schnee requesting to hide vital information from Goodwitch?" Yang chuckled "the world is officially ending!"
"You might be right on that" a cool, familiar voice replied from behind them. Both girls turned around to see Blake in her combat outfit as well, standing next to the entrance with an amused expression on her face. "Blakey!" Yang rushed and hugged her partner who returned the gesture "how are you?" the faunus asked her.
She exaggeratedly opened her palms "oh, excited! Who wouldn't be when pulled out of her vacation?" "And you?" she turned to Weiss, who was cut off by the blonde before she could reply "she is a little grumpy too; whined during the entire trip."
"I did not!" the ex-heiress stomped the ground with her foot "I just expressed my desire to know our mission beforehand so I could prepare myself in a more organized and suitable manner!" "I am sure you do" Blake stated flatly. "I will not dignify your irony with a proper response, Belladonna."
The bumblebee pair laughed at the girl's antics, as all three of them moved inside the Academy. "Where is Rubes, by the way? I thought she would be the first one to arrive." "She is here- in the director's office. Goodwitch forced her to hold a lecture about advanced combat tactics in front of the entire school- fan club included- while waiting for you."
"You are joking!" Weiss' mouth hung agape. Talk about holding a grudge, Yang thought. "Leave it to Rubes becoming a hero and then being anxious and afraid to meet her fans" the taller girl announced as they reached the top of Beacon Tower. "Well, she never wanted publicity to begin with; so that's natural."
"I disagree, Ms. Schnee" Glynda's voice replied coldly after all three of them entered the office. Their commander was there, seated in her chair. Bookshelves and other pieces of furniture adorned the room, including six chairs and a table in front of the director's desk, Ruby occupying one of them.
"Hello Commander Goodwitch, Ruby" Weiss bowed politely and Blake followed suit. Yang merely waved her hand at the professor and hugged her sister deeply after the latter finished greeting her teammates. Non-casual talk had never been part of RWBY's interactions with each other, but it never hurt to be formal with the leader of Vale's huntsmen.
"What do you disagree with, Madam?" Weiss asked the stern woman as they took their seats. "There is nothing natural about not being able to properly interact with civilians; a huntress must be able to adapt to all sorts of challenges, not only monster-slaying ones. In that aspect, Ms. Rose has still much to learn."
"Well, I never wanted to be famous, Professor" she groaned. "Just a-" "-normal girl, I know Ms. Rose. Unfortunately, defeating the woman who commanded the Grimm for so long is exactly what makes one famous; at some point you have to deal with it."
Lowering her lips and narrowing her eyes, Ruby slightly pouted, donning the expression Weiss had so many times dubbed as 'adorkable', forcing Glynda to wave her head in an exaggerated manner..
"All right, enough idle talk" she fixed her glasses. "It's time for us to talk about your mission." She let her gaze fall upon the girls, approving that she had all of their attention on her, before announcing something that made all members of team RWBY stare at her in wonder.
"You have been personally requested for a missing person case by a Vale Council member."