Chapter 21: The Chase

Sun leaned on the railing next to her. Blake looked at him in derision. "Are you stalking me?" "What, no!" he replied, "I just saw you headin' toward the docks all by yourself, and I followed–" She raised an eyebrow, and he winced. "…uh," he said, looking everywhere but at Blake and rubbing the back of his neck, "Maybe I shouldn't have put it that way…" She crossed her arms and glared at him; her bow twitched. Sun cleared his throat and continued, "Anyway, I lost you in the docks, and this was the only ship headed out, so I hitched a ride. I've been lookin for ya since then; I guess I must've missed you a few times." He gave a smile.

They stood there, the space between them heavy with an awkwardness that hung like stale perfume.

"So," Sun spoke up, "Why are you out here?" Blake closed her eyes and sighed, "Well, I'm going home."


Yang kicked Bumblebee's kick starter, and noticed the engine sputter before it caught. That's strange, she thought, she doesn't usually do that. Wait, Nick was up last night… I hope he wasn't messing with my bike… he better not have been… She turned to him; he was just getting on, sitting behind her, and she winked with a mischievous grin. She revved the engine and peeled out, screeching onto the road. However, they didn't get far before Yang felt off about something. She asked over her shoulder, "What exactly did you do last night?" He took a moment and said, "Handling some goobers."

The sound of multiple engines roared out of an alley. Nick looked back to see about five motorcycles peeling out behind them. Yang smirked, "Sounds like they're back." The sleezeball said he'd be back, he thought as the bikers closed, and that he'd bring friends. They accelerated, but Yang saw a moving van pull out ahead. The bikers sped up, and Yang sharply turned into an alley. In the tight space, the bikers caught up. They knew these streets.

Yang turned corners, trying to get to a street where Bumblebee could use her speed. A pair of bikers boxed them in, and Nick knew he had to act. One biker pulled out a ball peen hammer. The other raised a jointed truncheon. Nick grew his tomahawk. Yang deployed Ember Celica. She fired at the biker with the hammer, merely grazing him. He wobbled and crashed. Nick took his chance and grabbed the nightstick of the other as he was swinging. Caught off balance, the biker fell of when Nick kicked him in the ribs. The nightstick stayed in Nick's hand.

The guy's bike kept with them a moment, before tipping over with a crash.

Yang made a turn and finally got onto a wide, empty street. Bumblebee roared as she switched up gears. Nick nearly fell off. Clutching beneath his seat, he held on one handed. He glanced behind and saw that one of the bikes was keeping up with them. They were closing in. "AWW, They go a crotch rocket!" Yang heard him yell. She looked in her mirrors, and swore under her breath. The biker drew a curved machete.

Nick readied the truncheon, holding it by its jointed end to cover his forearm. Yang drove into a tunnel, swerving to avoid a few dividers. The biker followed. It took a moment for their eyes to adjust to the orange light. The biker pulled up on their right and swung. Nick blocked the blade with his nightstick. Yang swung her left fist around and fired Ember Celica. The shot grazed the biker's visored helmet and hit the wall. The biker swung the machete again. Nick caught it with his tomahawk and pinned it to the handlebars. He reached out and slammed the bikers head into the handlebars, and she let out a grunt.

Nick hesitated at that, and The Biker slammed her fist into his gut. The shock of impact reverberated up her arm. She swerved away. Yang glanced over with a glare; she swung another shotgun shot at The Biker, only for her to block it with a swing of her machete. Nick narrowed his eyes at that. She ain't an ordinary biker; she's more like a huntress, he thought.

They streaked out of the tunnel. The Biker caught up to them. Yang threw two more punches, both to the same effect. The Biker swung at Yang, but Nick blocked it with his tomahawk. The Biker turned to him. With a flick of the wrist, she tore his tomahawk out of his hand. Time seemed to slow as Yang watched it fall. Suddenly, the blade came at her head. Yang dodged, barely, and swerved out of recoil. Nick snatched something out of midair as it flew by. "HA!" Yang yelled at The Biker, "you couldn't hit the backside of a–"

"She cut your hair," Nick said, holding out a golden lock in his hand. Yang stared at it, her eyes turning crimson. He started to smell something in her hair, curiouser and curiouser, Sun Dragon. Her hair burst into flames, as she screamed an insult at the Biker Chick. Yang threw several shot punches into The Bicker's engine. It sputtered and clanked, before bursting into flames itself. The Biker jumped off, and rolled on the pavement.

The bike blew up a moment later.

Yang didn't even stop, looking back with Nick at the wreckage for a moment. They turned back and drove on, not seeing the black-leather clad Biker get to her knees. She looked down at her curved machete, then sheathed it and looked on as the yellow bike shrank in the distance. Another biker pulled up and offered a lift, and she reluctantly accepted.


Ruby had an idea. When Yang and Nick get back, I wanna tell them about me and Weiss, she thought as she wandered the halls along with Weiss. Eventually, after many turns and stairs, they made it to the parade grounds. The chilly air nipped at Ruby's nose. Weiss stopped, ignoring the cadets passing by. An airship soared overhead, heading for the landing platform. Weiss recognized it immediately. Oh no, she thought, he's found me out already.

"Uh, Weiss, you okay?" Ruby asked. Weiss turned around, and said, "Um, yes. Come on, let's go." As Weiss turned back, Ruby glanced at the landing ship. She didn't believe her, Weiss knew that ship. She walked on, catching up with her partner through the crowd. "Hey Weiss, you wanna go somewhere private?" Weiss paused, and turned her head, "I, er, sure."

They moved along, finally ending up in a loading bay. It was remarkably empty of personnel. "Weiss," Ruby started. "Ruby, I–" Weiss said, turning to her, "I'm scared about this. I left my family, ran away from my father, and now I can't go back. But it's still hard to believe that I can be a part of yours." Ruby stepped up to Weiss, "Weiss, you already are, I mean, you have been since we became a team!" Ruby hugged Weiss, "even though you were a princess back then," she said with a smirk. "Hey!" Weiss exclaimed; pushing back Ruby to arm's length. "You're still a dunce." Weiss drew her into another hug, squeezing her tightly. Ruby grunted, trying to squirm free.

Just then, the rumbling echo of a motorcycle engine filled the air of the bay. Weiss and Ruby parted as a black-and-yellow bike came into view. Yang pulled in, giving Bumblebee a rev for Ruby. Weiss walked over as Yang dismounted. "YANG!" Ruby said, running up and hugging her sister. Weiss stood off to the side, softly smiling, but feeling a little awkward. Yang looked over and motioned for her to join, "c'mon Ice Queen, don't be cold."

Movement to Yang's side drew Weiss' attention; Nick finally dismounted a smile on his charred face. Weiss teased, "What happened to you? Find out Yang's too hot to handle?" Yang looked on in ire at Weiss' joke. He glanced at her, a sly grin on his face. "Oh I don't know, even though I've had the reputation of usually playing with fire; I've yet to get burned."

"Wait a minute," Ruby said, "Nick, what happened to your axe?!" He chortled and simply replied, "I must've dropped it." Yang looked at him with questioning eyes. Absentmindedly, she rubbed the scar on her arm. Why isn't he telling about our run-in with that biker chick?! Is he waiting for me to tell? His eyes met hers, a look of patience in them.

"Well,' he said, motioning for Yang to follow, "let's get this over with." And he headed toward the door. "Hey, get what over with?!" Weiss said. Yang turned, "oh, you know, we're gonna see the General, volunteer for a secret mission, possibly blow something up…" Nick called over his shoulder, "You know, a regular day at the office." She turned back and followed, a smirk plastered on her face. Weiss and Ruby exchanged glances, Ruby taking out her scroll. She dialed up, and the other person answered. "Hey Jaune, I think you should meet us. Oh, and get Uncle Qrow too? Thanks."


Ironwood finished signing a stack of forms, and sighed from the weight on his shoulders. He put his elbows on his desk and massaged his temples. Why can't Jacques see that this embargo's for our safety? He took out his canteen and poured come of its contents in a not-so-empty mug. He threw back a swallow of the liquid, a raspy sigh following.

Suddenly, the door burst open; and Yang strode in like a south wind, Nick not far behind. "General," she said, leaning on his desk, "We want to volunteer for your secret mission." He glanced over at Nick with a suspicious glare, and said, "Very well. You leave in forty-eight hours." He turned to Nick, "Mr. Gadsten, you know the terrain, you'll be leading this mission."

A/N: Hey guys, I'm Back from a unintentional hiatus! Distractions suck, but I still fall for them. Lookin' for a job also has been draining me...

ANYWAY, enough about my sorry life, on to THE REVIEW(S):

GamehunterMC: well, if you say so. I'm glad you've been following along this far!

Well, let's pray I don't take too long for the next chapter...