Chapter 4: One Step Forward


The day had come, in the Dorm room it was a somber affair as they had managed over the past week, team PRWN started to burn through black dye, they had dismantled most of their outfits for this re-coloration, all fabric and leather was to be dyed black. While all metal was to be made a bright silver to accent this. they did all of this in secret avoiding the main crowds of Beacon, the moved like shadows as they all wore black cloaks over their equipment. Teams like SSSN and CVFY stayed clear of them. They denied all outside communication from everyone minus staff. With the funeral today, they all wore their now blackened outfits. Though their outfits required one key part, something that was delivered to their dorm, coming from a local store in town. it was their four black cloaks. Which the girls quickly put on over their blackened outfits. The last touch was the dark makeup they put on for the funeral.

The only colors they bore on their clothing were four clips on their cloaks. Blue for Jaune, yellow for Yang, purple for Blake, and green for Lie Ren. Each of them bore them in different orders like Ruby had yellow as the first, Pyrrha had blue, Nora had green and Weiss had purple, with the rest following. They tried to hold tears, and rage with each step as they saw where the event was.


The funeral of the lost four was being held in the main courtyard, there were no bodies so instead, the effects and images of the deceased, Ozpin was standing with a podium with all of the staff of beacon standing with him. They all looked saddened as the clouds allowed no sun to shine. In the front row was the arc family with Taiyang, a man furiously checking his scroll wanting to hear from his daughter, Qrow, who had his flask ready and on offer to his teammate, and a darkly clad woman who hid her visage behind a mask, as it only death could bring her out of hiding again. Though a large black hair man accompanied by his cat faunus wife was very much sobbing in the row behind the rest were students and friends of families that came to support them. Ozpin steeled himself as he grasped the podium, as he felt this was only to be the start of things to come. He looked out at the crowd and began to speak, not from a paper but from his heart.

"Today we gather here to remember the lives of four students, Jaune Arc, Yang Xiao Long, Blake Belladonna, and Lie Ren" Ozpin started his voice bold enough to gain the attention of all who were seated, much to his shock he did not see Ironwood joining the crowd, something he decided to take an advantage of. "I know a lot of you have heard this is now the single largest loss of life of Beacon's history, this is true I will not deny this. The thing I would like to refute is that this all hinged on one student, a girl who lost her sister, so I would not like you to blame them-"

"If you want to blame anyone, blame the White Fang!" a female voice yelled interrupting Ozpin, to which the crowd gasped. Though a larger man grit his teeth as behind pillars came four black-cloaked figured three around the same height with one that was notably taller than the others. They walked up to where Ozpin stood and he Immediately relinquished the podium as he personally wanted to hear what PRWN had to say. The crowd looked at them half glaring for interrupting the ceremony, the other half lightly sobbing, while a select few looked up with intense stares.

As the four hooded figures took the center of attention all they could tell from those cloaks were the feminine features beneath their hoods. It was at this point, another spoke, the cold and icy tone giving the audience chills as it began to sink, though those that could discern it was Weiss speaking, who said, "They were our friends-"

"Our family-" Another one continued, only the students of Beacon could venture a guess that it was Nora speaking. Though, all the cheer that her voice once possessed was flushed away with sadness.

"Our Siblings-" the first original voice spoke. To those observant enough and knew Ruby could tell it was her now. Though to those that recognized it, including Taiyang and Qrow, her voice sounded angry and spiteful, something that sounded like a foreign language to some of the students of Beacon and her family.

"And those our hearts yearned for" the final taller cloaked figure spoke, her voice calmer though it masked the sadness, and those who knew the voice could tell it was Pyrrha. With their intro done, and all eyes on them, one of the cloaked figures took to the podium. She scanned the crowd looking at each set of eyes that looked at her, some puffy and red, while some were wide with shock. She shifted through a wide range of emotions but with a hasty breath, she tempered her emotions as a funeral was not the place to fly off the handles.

"We know the pain the friends and families are going through right now, We all wish this didn't happen." Ruby said bluntly, almost lacking emotion as she did so before continuing, "and I promise to the families with everyone present as witnesses, We the Black Knights of team Prydwen will bring the White Fang to justice for this." Ruby spoke as she kept her hood raised though she threw her arm to the side, flaring her cloak to emphasize her speech. Her voice could be likened to a general more than a grieving girl. Standing in front of the crowd Ruby could feel the crowd was listening to what she said, though a few were skeptical. As she held her hand off to the side, the grieving crowd morphed into armored soldiers, standing at attention, clad in black armor and her hand shifted to that of metal.

Little known to Ruby, the other three members of her team saw this vision as well, they looked around seeing their cloaks change color to shades of gray, white and black, and they looked older. They only got a snapshot glimpse of this vision because it was over in a few mere seconds.

Continuing on, Ruby spoke calmly switching back to the topic of the funeral, "I ask everyone at Beacon and on Remnant, to never forget the names, Yang Xiao Long, Jaune Arc, Lie Ren, and Blake Belladonna," after that, using the shock of the crowd to slip away, the team filed off and returned the podium to Ozpin who found a folded piece of paper that read, in a very orderly cursive, that suggested that Weiss penned it.


Please tell the press and students to leave us alone.

Team PRWN.


Seeing this, the kind headmaster took up this wish and announce this to all present. He spoke gently and delicately as to make this transition in topic a smooth one. "At the request of Prydwen, they would like to ask not to be bothered by Media or persons" Though one man couldn't just let his daughter go on like this. Though it was clear they had split up in a confusing pattern as the press was present outside the funeral area and on the grounds. He followed the cloaked figure he thought was his daughter. The crowd gasped as the blonde man took off, his former' brother-in-law,' was going to stop him, but decided to let him do his thing as a parent, as he knew Summer would have done the same.

As Taiyang gave chase, no one dared interfere with the grieving father. He followed the figure and yelled, "get back here Ruby!" it was loud enough for the entirety of the campus to hear, stopping the proceedings that Ozpin had handed off to Glynda for the formal proceedings. The cloaked figure stopped and looked back, concerned at who was yelling for Ruby like that. Seeing that no one was around in this part of the courtyard, she lowered her hood exposing her snow-white hair and pale skin to the lonely father. after exposing her identity, she spoke calmly and remorsefully to the now distraught father, who was now muttering and cursing how he followed the wrong girl.

Weiss looked at the man's desperation but she didn't want to cross her friend's wishes. Ruby was avoiding her family, She had been denying contact to avoid them, jumping to conclusions, and being pulled from Beacon, due to her sister's demise. Weiss was saddened but she needed to continue on the way back to their dorm. Seeing Mister Xiao Long so distraught made Weiss truly sad for him as she resumed her path. Raising her hood once more, she walked on. Through his agonized voice, the pain plucked at a string in her icy heart and Weiss thought, How can I just ignore that? As she continued to walk.


Once all four were back in their dorm room, they lowered their hoods and smiled as they had felt they had cleared their name and brought their new identity to the light. They decided to relax, and well draw the day to an early close. Though Weiss looked at Ruby and she saw a bit of herself in her, she was becoming cold and callus. Something Weiss liked yet didn't, it seemed alien, though Ruby was in the throes of grief. She sat there silently on her bunk and watched Ruby, Pyrrha, and Nora as they decided to try and play a board game, alas it wasn't her cup of tea. Out of this whole thing I have lost the least, Ruby lost Yang, Pyrrha, Jaune, and Nora, Ren. Blake and I weren't even that close. She thought as her focus was now on Ruby, as the feelings she held towards her welled up. She wanted to help Ruby through this, she wanted to see her blossom into a brilliant leader and tactician, she was lost deep in thought, imagining how fierce they could become, and she wanted to be there with her every step of the way. She saw another one of those visions. She looked at the tall woman that had replaced Ruby, she hoped this is what they were destined to become. We could take out the White Fang, with Ruby to lead us we will destroy them. Weiss started to fantasize as the game continued. Her hatred of the White Fang filled her mind.

Though as the vision faded, a new thought filled her with fear. As her father would pull her the second he found out about what had happened, especially if he found out about the aura merge. She didn't want to think of the things he would do to Ruby if he found out about that. She closed her eyes. Huh, funny, I thought this would be harder, I guess my whole life was leading me here. It was at that moment she realized she had to denounce her right as heiress to the SDC, and effectively leave her family if she wanted to join Ruby on her crusade. Only a few more months, Only a few more months till I am an adult and I can do this. Weiss was excited by this line of thought. It caused her lips to curl into a smile, as she would be free to do what she wanted, and not have to fear reprisal from her father.

Though in the dorm room all three of the other girls looked at Weiss, who was sitting motionless, daydreaming. As Ruby waved her hand in front of her partner's blushing face, which only made the girls ask what she was thinking of. Ruby stepped up her efforts to get Weiss out of her trance-like state by patting her shoulder and saying "Remnant to Weiss," repetitively.

On the fifth repetition, Weiss came to with a, "Uh, What?" this reply got all three other girls laughing. Causing Ruby to say through her laughing.

"My God Weiss, the only other time I saw you that lost in a daydream was the day before the dance!" Ruby teased lightheartedly, as Weiss was not the type to get lost in thought like that.

"Yes you were quite, distracted" Pyrrha said with a mix of teasing and genuine concern, as the group backed off from Weiss, which is when she replied with.

"Well it is nothing of your concern," Weiss said embarrassed though masked with a cold, high, and mighty tone she was infamous or famous for. After that little spat, they decided to get some rest as the sun was setting and the funeral came to an end. Though Weiss was the only one who couldn't sleep, she felt concerned for that distraught father she saw earlier, motivated by her friendship and oath to be the best partner she could be she took Ruby's scroll and opened it, something she could do, as Ruby kept it on a slide lock with no pin or password. She opened her contacts and saw the most recent messages were from 'Dad' and 'Uncle Qrow' the two contacts she saw trying to get a hold of Ruby. Copying the contact info on her scroll she sent them both a message.


Hello, I am Weiss Schnee, I am Ruby's partner and friend, and I am contacting you to let you two know she is recovering and dealing with the grief in her own way.


Weiss left it at that and put their scrolls back and laid down, and tried to fall into the embrace of sleep. Hoping the future would be kind to them. Though her scroll started to ring. Snapping up, she looked to see who it was, and it was the 'Uncle Qrow.' Weiss, feeling compelled by an aching conscience answered this. The first thing she was greeted by was a slurring voice asking.

"So you're Winter's sister?" he asked noting her name then moving on to another voice sobbing in the background asking,

"Can we speak to Ruby" though, the quiet voice was cut clean off by a harsh statement of intent.

"I was getting to that, Tai, give me a moment." the voice Wiess could assume to be Qrow's.

"She is currently asleep, she doesn't want to be disturbed," Weiss stated as her voice was muted so as to not wake her teammates. Though she got on the floor and stepped out of the room. She made sure to close the door quietly. "I can't guarantee that she will talk anytime soon, but I will be in contact with you, just give her time and space."

"Sure thing, Kiddo, I get it, just keep her away from liquor, wouldn't want her learning my lesson, if possible can you meet us in the cafeteria?" Qrow asked, solemnly as he hung up the phone, not really giving her a chance to reply. It was clear he was seeing if a rock would decide to bleed. Weiss sighed, she knew Ruby needed to speak with him but, she would have to do that on her own time. Sighing as she took a bit of a walk. It was late at night, almost pressing around the curfew time. Though she made her way to the Cafeteria.

"Told you she would show Tai, shows she has a good heart" The gray-haired man stated as Weiss approached. The man next to the dusty old drunk was the same blonde-haired man from earlier, "So, why did you come here?" Qrow asked as Weiss could have left the conversation at that and went back to bed.

"I came to tell you what happened," Weiss answered. Qrow had gotten a scoop from Ozpin, but he did want to hear it from Ruby, but if she wasn't going to talk, Weiss would do. She told them what had happened, all of it, minus the hallucination, or as it would seem visions.


Back with the walking man, he pondered yet another verse as he walked the trail, hearing the local vine cats, "Together, they stand, divided they will fall. Their fate like shackles, if broken they will die or one will suffer for eternity." This line made the dark lord confused, as this seemed much more than just a simple force bond. Though with a bond this strong, they would logically be very powerful individuals, with great potential. The last bit confused the lord as it hinted at two consequences.


A/N: not much more to say than I fixed some cringy writing IMHO.