Chapter 25: That Which You Seek (Finds You)

Jaune stood at the boarding ramp, looking in wonder at the place. The first thing that hit him was the heat; it staggered him as he entered the hot, humid harbor. He hefted his guitar and adjusted his backpack, then set out down the gangplank.

Nick and Yang were in front of him, on the pier; Winter strutted behind him as he stepped onto the dock. "Now," Winter stated, "Before we move out, Mister Gadsten, I would like to inquire as to how you know of this island." He turned to her. "And how It involves our mission," she continued. He adjusted his rather large pack of supplies, and walked on, "I was here before... a long time ago."

He motioned for the others to follow into the city.


Ruby and Weiss walked through the twilight streets together, many days after Yang left. They were carrying one bag each; Ruby her backpack, Weiss a suitcase. They were trying to head to the docks and get a ride.

Although both were watching around them in case they were discovered -either by military police or less friendly faces- neither of them noticed the black bird watching over them from overhead.

"So," Ruby struck up, "Things should be... uh, straightforward once we get to Argus..." Weiss turned to her, "If we can get to Argus. We'll be lucky if we can get out of Atlas unnoticed." Ruby sighed and nodded her head. Weiss looked at the young girl next to her. "Ruby, are you sure we should go to Mistral? I already tried once, and when I got there Winter was already waiting for me." Ruby paused, "that's where Cinder was from… We can start there."

Weiss' scroll chirped. She opened it and saw a message from a blocked identity. She started when she read its content.

"Miss Schnee, I have information that will be of great interest to you. Please meet at 42 Deadwood Street." Weiss blinked a couple times. Someone knows I'm here! "Weiss?" Ruby tentatively asked, "What is it?"

Another message arrived on her scroll, and Weiss turned white when she read it, "Bring Miss Rose." Weiss stared into empty space, and mumbled, "Someone knows we're here!" Ruby took Weiss' scroll and read the messages herself. A moment passed as they stayed silent.

"We should go," Weiss nervously stated, starting to head off. "Wait." Weiss turned back to Ruby. "If they wanted to… uh… take you back, why didn't they do it already? I mean, why would they contact you and not simply…" Ruby trailed off, poking her forefingers together and avoiding her partners gaze. "Kidnap me?" Weiss finished for her, crossing her arms.

Ruby sighed, closing her eyes in a long blink. "Yeah," she said, and then looked back into Weiss' eyes. "You know," Weiss began, "I think you're right… the sooner we get to Mistral, the sooner we track down this Cinder."

They walked on, determined to find a ship that would take them. But it seemed like their luck had run out, as captain after captain, pilot after pilot turned them down. None wanted to risk their necks and run the military blockade. No matter what the price was, the loss of their trade license or safe harbor pass outweighed anything; for some, the loss of their families.

Weiss huffed out of a tavern, frustrated by the last pilot they interviewed. Ruby walked up to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. Weiss took a few breaths, calming down. "What now?" she asked, "Where are we going to go? We can't go back…" Weiss looked at Ruby, and no one's going out." Ruby sighed. "Uh," she said, "I suppose we don't really have any other choice, so I guess our best option is to meet your… our messenger."

A woman in a dark —almost black— trench coat with a fedora to match stepped out of an alley and saw the two girls standing out in front of a tavern. She recognized them immediately. Ruby Rose and Weiss Schnee, she thought as she hid in a shadowy doorway, I find you here of all places: in front of a tavern. The pair started to head off.

Weiss' scroll chirped, again with a text. The pair stopped, and Weiss read the message. "Miss Schnee, thank goodness you're alright." Weiss looked up at Ruby in astonishment; Ruby stepped over and peered at her scroll. Weiss replied, "Who is this?"

"Look behind you."

Both Ruby and Weiss stiffened at that. They slowly turned around and saw a figure, enshrouded in the doorway, keeping out of the lamplight. "You're a pretty poor excuse for an executive princess, satchel-foot!" it called out. "Hey!" Ruby shouted, "What are you following us for?" Weiss put her hand on Myrtenaster and added, "Why don't you come on out and show us who you are?" The person made no response. "C'mon," Ruby Jibbed, "Come out, come out, whoever you are!"

The figure stepped forward, into the shaft of light; a woman, carrying a briefcase in one hand and a scroll in the other. "Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, we need to talk. But not here." She looked around and added, "Please, follow me, you two are in danger." Weiss promptly asked, "Excuse me? Who exactly are you, and why should we trust you?" She gripped Myrtenaster, ready to attack. The woman sighed and took out a badge, "I'm inspector Thompson, Atlasian Military Police."

Weiss drew back a step, drawing her sabre. Ruby, feeling Weiss' trepidation, reached back and drew Crescent Rose. "Please," Thompson pleaded, "I don't want to—"

A bullet whizzed right in front of them, impacting the walk next to Ruby with a loud Thwack. Weiss stared wide-eyed as Ruby jumped away; the bullet had passed right where Weiss' head was merely a few seconds ago.

"Quickly!" Thompson urged, motioning them towards an alley, "Come with me if you wanna live!"


By evening they stopped hiking through the undergrowth, Nick stopping in a square; they were still in the city, almost at the enforcing walls. "Alright. We'll sleep here tonight," he said, taking a look around the square. Yang looked on, and said, "Kay, what now?" He looked back at her, then up to the sky. "Well," he said, "we better take a look around, try to find some cover. It's gonna rain tonight." The trio looked up to the clear rosy sky, streaked with only a few wisps of white cloud overhead. Nick motioned with a nod of his head, "those clouds on the horizon don't look nice." They looked to the east, seeing the storm clouds for themselves.

It didn't take long to find some shelter; in an old shop in one of the old buildings, tucked away in the back rooms. Jaune and Nick built a fire, and the four sat in its light as darkness fell outside. And on the heels of night came the storm. The rain fell with a white noise outside; a torrent, like a waterfall. And they listened to its calming static, staring at the fire, or at the leaks in the ceiling. Minutes passed.

"You know what this reminds me of?" Yang asked, "When we took that assignment out to Mountain Glen." Jaune perked up, "yeah, Ruby told me about that. How she smuggled her dog with her," Yang chortled at that, "and how she fell through the street into the underground city and found the White Fang train… and, uh," Jaune paused, looking up at Yang, "…got captured." She sighed, and stared at the fire.

After a while though, Yang started getting restless. She stood up and stretched. "I'm going to take a walk," she said, looking at them: Winter dozing with her hand on her sabre, Jaune asleep but tossing and turning, and finally Nick, sitting back against the wall, watching her, "you wanna keep me company?" she asked, looking right into his eyes. They stayed like that for a long moment. The fire crackled, the rain pelted the roof, and their eyes held each other's gaze, almost as if it was a battle of wills. Finally, Yang turned away. You've been too quiet lately, she thought, I wanted to tell you… I'm worried about you, Alice. I don't know what you're going through, but it really hurts me that you won't talk… about anything now.

She started to walk away, but then froze as she heard, "Yang." She slowly turned back to him. She could tell by the look on his face there was a sadness deep inside; something was weighing on him.

"The place I'm taking you," he started, turning away from her gaze. She walked up and knelt beside him as he continued, "It's… You're not going to have a good time there." She reached out and cupped his face with her hand, "hey, I'm okay. I'm stronger now, thanks to you." He looked deep into her eyes, He looked deep into her eyes, "I don't really remember much of that place, but I can say this: Yang," he put a hand on hers, "You will see your worst fears and nightmares come to life." He reached up with his other hand and cupped her face. "And I know you've been having a lot of bad ones."

Yang froze, starting to tremble as she thought of those nightmares. How does he know about my nightmares? I haven't told him; was I talking in my sleep? She thought, her sight cast on him but not really focused. Seemingly from somewhere deep in her mind, a thought seeped into her preview. Can he really be trusted? How do I know he is telling the truth? A movement brought him into clarity. Nick held his arms out, and she shook those doubts away. Walking over and slipping into his tight embrace, Yang felt a sense of peace; tranquility… and happiness permeate her very soul; the fears seeming to fade away as she snuggled into his warm, comforting body. Time passed around them. "You know," she said drowsily, "I can get though any nightmare with you by my side, Alice." He looked down into her face, so close to his. Her lavender eyes drifted closed, but still tried to gaze at him as they did. Her breathing slowed, and he knew she was asleep.

Oh Sun Dragon, he thought, shedding a tear, If only you knew how much you have helped me… But I know this cannot last… not unless we both change something…


Morning dawned early, and Nick woke the group up with the sun. Jaune sat up and asked with a yawn, "what's for breakfast?" Everyone started and turned to Nick; his eyes shifted between them, shifting his jaw in thought. "Alright, I'll find something," he said, then turned to Jaune," you can prep the fire." Winter interjected, "What for?! We're moving out ASAP!" Nick looked at her, "I dunno, maybe to make some tea or something." Jaune looked at the heap of ashes and charcoal in the middle of the room, then back up and looked on as Nick left. Jaune grabbed some leftover brush and was kindling a fire when Yang spoke, "Do you know what we're getting ourselves into?"

Jaune looked up at her, caught off guard from her question. "I, uh," he started, "well, um, the thing is…" he paused, rubbing the back of his neck, "Nick… hasn't really talked about it." Yang furrowed her eyebrows, making Jaune uncomfortable. "I would've thought you'd know more than us," Winter butted in, a sneer of contempt on her face to match her tone. Yang tilted her head, but didn't look at her, anger rising through her frustration, "What do you mean?" Winter scoffed, "aren't you sharing his bed?" Yang whirled at her, "Well you wouldn't know what it's like!" Jaune suddenly got between the two –more from instinct than from thought –and held them at bay; however, he thought, what did Winter mean, 'sharing his bed'? Has Yang been cold at night or something? Her crimson eyes drilled into him as he said, "look, all I know is, Pyrrha could still be alive, but stuck in another dimension or something; and Nick was there before, apparently, so he knows how to get there, and what lies in store for us."

"Jaune," Yang said, "look around you! We're on an Island we never knew existed!" Jaune stared at her in silence, and she turned and left, exasperated. "Where are you—" Winter started.

"Outside!" Yang quickly answered, already out the door.

She meandered about the square. It was eerily quiet, almost unearthly. The silence unnerved her. She walked past an alleyway and glanced down it. She took several steps further, then stopped, wait, something's down there. Yang ducked back down the alleyway, moving around crates and boxes. Then she saw them, lining the walls, a cold chill running up her spine.

Cages…

She stepped closer for a better look. Some had chains hanging near the doors; others had padlocks and latches. Most were unlocked. She walked down the arrays of the metal pens. Suddenly Yang froze in front of one, and her eyes shot open at what lay inside.


Nick returned with a full rucksack slung over his shoulder. "Okay Jauney," he said to Jaune, "I found bananas, mangoes, coconuts, and some dates." And he tossed the sack to him. Reaching in, Jaune asked, "Hey, can we roast the bananas?" Winter cut in, "Roast banana? That's repulsive." Jaune looked at her, "Actually, it's pretty good. It kinda brings out a sweet creaminess and stuff." Nick snickered, "You can roast any of this if you want, Jauney." He looked around, "Where's Yang?" Winter replied, "She's—"

A scream tore through the silence from outside. Like a bat out of hell, Nick tore after Yang. His swiftness stunned Jaune and Winter, already startled by the scream. "How can a big guy like that move so fast?" Jaune managed to ask out loud. Winter looked on, thinking the same question.

Nick ran out to the square and stopped, looking around for where Yang could be. After a moment, he took a deep breath and held it. He closed his eyes and shifted his jaw forward, listening. Over to the left… sounds like breathing… erratic… She could be hurt. His eyes shot open and he ran toward an alleyway. As he entered, he slowed and scanned, peering over the nooks and crannies. He passed the cages and paused, clenching a fist, narrow-eyed, as a memory passed through his mind. He looked down the line of cages, and then he saw a head of golden-yellow hair.

Yang!

Nick swiftly approached, kneeling to her level. She lay as if she'd fallen backwards and landed on her seat. He checked her over, looking for anything wrong or hurt. "Nick," she raggedly said, staring at a cage. "Yang, are you okay?" he asked, "nothing broken?" She turned to him, eyes welling up, nearly shivering, and pointed, saying, "A-Alice, there's a person in that cage… They—" she choked back a sob. Nick looked into the cage, seeing the skeleton laying on the floor. The thing that caught his eye, not to his surprise though, was it's tail. Faunas… female, judging by the pelvis… poor thing probably died of thirst….

Yang pressed up against him. Nick looked back at her. "What is this place, Alice? Why is it abandoned?" she asked him, "What the hell happened here?" He looked into her lavender eyes, and sighed, "I don't know." Yang stared, taken aback by his answer. He looked away and closed his eyes. "this port used to be a trading hub, where anything could be bartered, traded, and sold." She quietly listened as he continued, "They were wealthy, powerful, nearly a fifth kingdom in their own right." Hooking an arm around her, Nick helped her up to her feet. Yang looked at the cages. "And thy locked up the Faunas like animals," she calmly stated. Nick drew a heavy breath, "OF all the trades here, none were as profitable for them, or as abundant, then the slave trade." Yang looked back up at him, staring into his eyes. "And there were more than just faunas…" He trailed off, closing his eyes.

Her face twisted in confusion, "What do you mean—"

"C'mon," he said, "let's not dwell on this now. Besides, there's breakfast to eat." He opened his eyes and looked into hers. Oh those curious, curious eyes!


After breakfast, they trekked on, heading for the city walls, and the jungle beyond. Jaune still munched on his coconut, hefting his guitar and a bag of supplies. The overgrowth fascinated him; a few small trees, the grasses and vines, and other kinds of plants they passed gave the city an 'ancient ruins' feel. Soon, they reached the wall, and Jaune marveled at how tall it was. No wonder there aren't many trees, it's like four stories high!

Nick lead them along the wall a ways, until he reached a culvert at the base. It was no more than a drain, an iron grate secured in the wall. "Ah, it's still here," Jaune heard Nick mutter. Winter looked at the grate and said, "Surely there must be better way, and not through some culvert." Nick turned to her and calmly said in a low voice, "this is the path I took before; I don't wanna take the time to backtrack here on the other side."

With that, he turned around, bent down, and gripped the handle of a latch. Nick pulled… and nothing happened; he stopped, took a closer look, then pulled harder. For a moment nothing happened. Suddenly the latch broke free with a clang. Yang stepped up and helped Nick swivel the grate up. They stared at the dark opening before them. Without a word, Nick took off his pack and slid in, disappearing from view. They heard the splash of water, and then his voice, "It's not too deep. Can somebody hand me my pack?" Yang handed him both his and her own pack; and then slid in herself. Winter followed suit, taking off her pack to fit in the hole.

Jaune stood holding the half-empty sack of fruit and coconuts, trying to figure out just how he was going to get through with both the sack and his pack. He stepped forward, thinking, I guess the best thing to do is to pass the coconuts down, and then slip through. "Hey," he called, passing the rucksack through, "could someone, uh, please take the food?" He heard some splashing, then let go when he felt the rucksack lifted from below. Jaune watched it disappear, and he slipped off his pack and crouched down, dangling his feet through the hole. Boy, this sure is deep, Jaune thought halfway through the hole. Suddenly, his grip gave way, and he fell holding his pack with a grip stronger than death.

He landed with a splash.

The water was up to his shins, and Jaune stood there in the dark for a moment, waiting for his eyes to adjust. Three figured appeared from the darkness, standing before him. The farthest away spoke up, "Let's roll." Jaune looked past him, seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, about thirty or so feet away by his guess. The four headed forward, slogging through the water. As he passed, Jaune reached out and touched the brick walls, feeling their age. They neared the exit, and Nick stopped. Another grate barred the exit before them, similar to the first. It sat six inches back from the opening. Nick looked around for the latch, as Jaune took a look outside.

Below them, he saw a moat, half full, and from his guess, about fifteen feet wide, ten deep, and made from concrete. A Jungle literally grew right up to it. It kinda looks like a long pool, Jaune remarked to himself.

Nick found the latch and heaved. This time, surprisingly, it turned. Nick, Jaune, and Winter swiveled it around, sliding it like a gear in a track into a slot in the wall. As they did, all the water at their feet drained away, free from the years of debris buildup in the grate that had blocked and backed up the drain water. They watched the water cascade into the moat like a waterfall.

"So, how are we getting across?" Yang asked. Nick took off his pack and was about to unhitch a coil of rope, when a glyph appeared in the empty space before them. Jaune and Yang stared at the all-too-familiar glyph. It looks like one of Weiss' glyphs! Jaune thought. The two slowly turned toward Winter. "Wat are you two gawking at?" she cut. Jaune turned back to the glyph –and Nick standing on it– and said, "uh.. I thought Weiss' semblance was glyphs… but she's not here and…"

"You have the same semblance as Weiss, don't you," Yang stated. They stared at each other in silence.

"You comin'?" Nick asked, breaking the silence. Winter formed a bridge of glyphs, and they crossed over into the jungle. As they did, Jaune looked back at the wall; the drain was a few feet above the moat. He looked up, and saw, to his surprise, the wall lined with giant metal spikes. They look like steel beams sharpened at one end, pointing down. I wonder what kind of Grimm they were trying to keep out. He turned back and took a look at what lay before them. Jaune drew a deep breath as they plunged into the jungle. Yang snorted, "Welcome to the jungle." Without missing a beat, Nick replied, "We got fun and games." She looked at him in confusion. He gave a sly grin.


It stood before them like a behemoth wrapped in flora. A temple appeared from out of the jungle as they approached, Ancient, weathered, a ruin older than the one they came from hours before. Nick led them strait towards it. Soon, an entrance appeared, gaping and dark, half covered in vines. He headed for the opening and the three reluctantly followed after they paused in awe.

"So, anyone think this is it?" Yang said. She got sarcastic looks of 'Ya think?!' from Jaune and especially Winter. "This isn't it," Nick said, taking out a flashlight, "not quite." He flicked it on and plunged into the temple's mouth. After a pause, Yang followed, taking out her scroll. But she thought, I'm not too sure I like where this is going. She could see Nick ahead in a tunnel much larger than the drain. As she went on, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. "Is anyone else getting the heebie-jeebies or is it just me?" Jaune's voice echoed from behind so suddenly it nearly made Yang jump. Nick paused, but then kept going. "Please," Winter intoned, "Mr. Arc, you're letting your imagination get the best of you."

They entered a chamber, a sanctum of the temple; a shaft of light streaming down from an opening above. The beam of the light showed a great hole in the middle, with only a ledge protruding out into it. A stairwell, they found as Nick popped a flare and dropped it down the center, lighting the stair spiral lining the wall as it fell. He popped another one and set it on the first stair, and then started the descent.

They stepped down in silence, the eerie darkness like a wet blanket, held at bay only by the flares above and below, and by their lights. They kept close to the wall for support, no one liking the prospect of the empty void.

It took a while, but when they reached the bottom, an antechamber spread out before them; or rather, that the stairwell itself was the antechamber to the chamber they were entering. This was hewn from the solid, black rock. To one side they saw three archways, the arches made from pristine cut stone. Each keystone of the arches bore a different symbol, seemingly chiseled into it. They looked to Nick, silently asking which one to take. Nick turned away and headed toward a large overlooked fissure in the chamber wall. The rest followed in silence, though their minds boiled with questions. The fissure itself was a passageway that twisted and turned. Then, finally, it abruptly ended in a chamber of its own, not much bigger around than a small bedroom, but quite taller; it's walls unnervingly smooth. The only noticeable feature was also the strangest: the ornate image of a great door carved into the flattest surface, the wall right in front of them.

Nick popped another flare. "Is this a joke?" Winter bitterly asked. Yang looked at him, questions and doubts filling her thoughts, and showing in her eyes. "You brought us all this way," Winter continued, getting upset, "just to show us an obscene etching in a wall!?" Nick sighed and said, "I don't expect you to believe me, you have too much reason in your head for that. But what lies on the other side of that door will chew reason up and spit it out."

Suddenly, the etching split with a grinding sound of stone on stone. Jaune had been examining the door and found the shape of a handprint. Naturally, he put his hand on it, and the etching started to glow crimson. Then the door opened, the two sides like a gate swinging forward. Blood-red mist flowed down from inside, pooling around Jaune's feet.

Winter stared at it in disbelief. Yang absentmindedly stepped closer to Nick. "Nick," she began, "what exactly is this place?" Nick replied, "An ancient temple from ages past. And this door," He pointed to the portal, "Carved by what some would call magic long ago, leads to…" he paused and shrugged, "I don't really know the name for it. Limbo… nowhere… No Man's Land… Shadowzone… Upside-down… all would apply. I call it The Twilight Zone." He turned to them, "Soon you will come to know, where the bullet hit's the bone."

Winter and Yang puzzled over his seemed riddle. But Jaune drew Crocea Mors and stepped toward the swirling mists. "No matter how long it takes," he said, setting his jaw, "no matter what pain awaits, if she's there I will find her and bring her back." He squared his shoulders and walked in.


They ran down alleys and to a grey van, Thompson taking the wheel. Weiss and Ruby piled in the back, closing the door as shots pinged off the body. "What's going on?!" Ruby panted," Who's trying to kill us?!" the van's tires squealed as Thompson floored it, taking off into Mantle. "Not you," she said, "just miss Schnee." She hauled the wheel to the right, sending the two sprawling into the side. "How do you know that?" Weiss said with a grunt, getting out from under Ruby. Thompson paused, turning into another side street. "My… associate… will explain everything in detail, Miss Schnee," she said. "Associate?" asked Ruby, but Thompson said, "Could you please turn off your scrolls." Ruby and Weiss looked at each other. Hesitantly, they shut off their scrolls.

They drove for nearly an hour, twisting and turning down the streets. Thompson pulled into an alley and stopped, putting the van in park and setting the handbrake. The girls stepped out and were guided through a back door, up several flights of stairs, and into an appartment. A corkboard full of pictures and string hung on a wall.

"Ah, Miss Schnee… Miss Rose! It's really good to finally meet." A man wearing a dark blue pinstripe suit and fedora greeted them, a dark grey overcoat draped over an arm. "Slate Tomson, Private Investigator. There are some things I'd like to share."

"Oh?" Weiss asked angrily and facetiously, "do you mind sharing why we were being shot at?!" He stood there unblinking, as is judging whether or not she should know. He stepped to the table, took up a folded piece of paper from among many lying there, and then handed it over to Weiss. She unfolded it and was stunned at what was on it.

A photo of her –taken before she ran away from Jacques– adorned the page. Underneath read the words:

Ⱡ250,000 reward upon confirmation of death.

Schnee, Weiss; Former Heiress of SDC.

Eliminate within 48 hrs.

Ruby looked over Weiss' shoulder.

"That was released four hours ago," Slate said, urgency tinting his voice, "I believe you are safe here for the time being." He glanced at Thompson for affirmation of this claim. She tilted her head, but still gave a nod.

"However," Slate continued, "to answer your question: it may have to do with some other things as well." Thompson spoke up, "To be precise, some other things may –or may not– have led to this." Slate nodded. Weiss looked between the two of them. Are those two related? She thought, well, they do have the same eyes… and hair… and almost the exact same sense of style.

"I was contacted three weeks ago, via a DM," Slate stated, "It was an offered contract to find… you, Miss Schnee." Ruby had turned her attention to the corkboard –the size of a classroom chalkboard– and all the stuff pinned up there, "Considering what I've been investigating for years, I found that… suspicious; so I had the message traced. It had been bounced through several servers, including two in Dakkar Industries, several residential systems, and Atlas Academy. But its source had me dumbstruck."

"Uh Weiss," Ruby said, and motioned to a group of pictures. Weiss' eyes widened at the sight of her picture, taken at her father's banquet, connected with string to other pictures of Jacques, Whitley, Willow, and Winter, along with news articles and more photos of certain events. "It came from within the Schnee Manor," Slate finished.

Weiss stood there for a moment, motionless, piecing together the scene before her. "So you've been looking into my family," she said. Slate answered, "yes." Weiss turned to him, "Why?" Slate made no answer. Weiss furrowed her eyebrows, frustrated by his belligerence. He sighed, "Alright fine. Years ago, when I was a fresh detective out of the academy, we investigated the SDC for rumored undocumented worker employment . The Investigation didn't pan out, But I had a gut feeling that there was even more than undocumented workers. So I started looking into Jacques Schnee himself, then it grew to your family. Eventually…" he motioned to the board. Weiss and Ruby stared at it in awe. The mine incident… the Labor reports… Even notes on… Psychological abuse?! Weiss took note as her eyes scanned the board. Then her eyes settled on a simple sticky note –practically holding on by a pushpin– that read, 'not a happy family.'

"But there's more," Slate said. Ruby turned to him. "To be precise," Thompson added, "The job has one extra thing." Slate nodded, acknowledging her. Ruby looked between the two of them. "The employer," Slate started, but cleared his throat and said, "Miss Schnee…" Weiss finally tore herself away from the board, and he continued, "The employer wants to meet… with you. Now I understand completely if you don't want to–"

"I'll do it. I'm no longer afraid," Weiss asserted, then looked over at Ruby," Not with my sister by my side." Ruby looked back at Weiss, a smile lighting up her face. The sight made a slight smile creep along Weiss' lips.

Both Thompson and Slate looked at them, becoming a little uncomfortable by their phrasing. Slate cleared his throat, "Okay then… I'll send the message." Weiss turned back to them, "But will it be safe!? You said so yourself: I'm now a hunted woman!"

"can you Help us?" Ruby asked. The others turned to her. "We need to get out of Mantle, Safely," She continued," But no one can get in or out."

Not 'no one'," Thompson said. "To be precise, there is one man," Slate finished, "Who can."

Suddenly, a heavy knock sounded at the door, making Slate and Thompson jump. Thompson moved over to the peephole, her briefcase transforming into a large submachine gun. She jerked back in surprise, and then quickly unlocked the door. Slate looked back from checking out the window, toting his violin case.

Ruby was too focused on Thompson's weapon to register who it was at the door, until…

"Hey kiddo."

Uncle Qrow?!


It felt strange. Jaune was expecting feeling like a raging torrent around him, or like his insides flopping around, or… something; but he felt no different than simply walking through an open door. Granted, the mist made it difficult to see, but it was just that: mist. He never noticed his Aura flaring, and then flickering out. The mist started to clear; finally he was in the other side. The sight of a giant cavern greeted him.

Jaune expected it to be dark, but to his surprise the cavern was lit by blue neon-like glowing mushrooms. They seemed to light a path leading before him into the murky blackness. As he was looking at the surroundings, a strong hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder. "Hey Vomit Boy, wait for us." Yang. He looked over his shoulder at her in surprise, lowering his shield. Her smirk faded into wonder as she looked around, taking her hand off him. Behind her, Jaune saw Nick step through the haze. Jaune turned back to the path, drawing a deep breath.

"PYYYYRRRRRRRAAAA!" He called out, putting a hand to his mouth. His voice echoed through the cavern. Yang jumped at the sudden yell, nearly sending a haymaker at Jaune's head.

She stared at him as if he'd lost his mind. She wasn't far off, but when she looked back at Nick she forgot about Jaune's mental state. He was staring at the path ahead. His eyes look so fierce; they're searching for something… or someone. Yang stepped back and admired him, twirling a lock of hair as she did. His muscles are so taught, they're ready to spring! It's like he's waiting for something to happen… or maybe he's just ready in case things go bad…

"Don't drool on yourself, Yang," he said without taking his eyes off the path. Winter, her entrance unnoticed, muttered, "Those two are just sickening." Yang ignored Winter, looking down the path with Nick. "What's out there?" she asked. He made no reply, but he simply looked at her. A moment passed between them.

Suddenly, Winter slammed into Nick, pushing him all the way to the cavern wall. She grabbed hold of him, saying through gritted teeth, "What's happened to my Semblance? You knew it would be suppressed, didn't you!" He stared at her, raising his arms in a "Hey, take it easy" gesture as she threatened him. He looked down and to the left, shifting his jaw. "No," he admitted, "this really changes things." He looked up at Winter, and she reluctantly let him go.

"Uh, I think we need to go," Jaune said. Nick glanced at him, then forged up the path. Yang stood there, stunned and dumbfounded, as the others walked by. Is he really worth it? The doubt slipped into her mind, but instead of dismissing it, Yang held onto the thought. Winter paused and looked at her; She said nothing, simply glaring at her. Yang, avoiding her gaze, walked on, catching up with Jaune… and Nick.

They trudged on in silence, the path leading them up a tunnel, and then, a dim light was seen at the other end. Yang noticed both Jaune perk up, and Nick become tenser at the sight of the exit. It appeared to be night. The cool washed over them as they emerged. Yang breathed in the outside air and looked up at the sky. Her stomach seemed to suddenly drop at the sight.

Two moons shone silver overhead; The larger no bigger than her own. She looked around the sky, spotting a third low on the horizon, even larger and gold in color. It seemed the trio's light drowned out any stars, and lit up the world around them.

"Pyrrha!" Jaune called out into the forest surrounding them; actually it was more like a midnight jungle. His call echoed among the trees, but no reply came. Nick stood there for a moment, looking into the trees with sharp eyes, and said, "We better make camp here." Jaune turned to him, "But what about Pyr–" "She could be anywhere," Nick cut, "I don't even know how big this place is." It was a little harsh, and Yang responded to it, "What's gotten under your skin?" Nick turned to her as if to answer. .Winter, however, butted in, "Nicholas is right; we don't have the recourses to explore this place, nor the manpower. Our best option is to rest until daybreak. Then we can search the surrounding area."

"Now you're taking his side?" Jaune asked, "You're the one who's been itching to find Pyrrha as much as I have."

They stood there staring at each other in silence. "Jaune," Nick said, "Get a fire going." Jaune caught sight of something behind them, in the trees. "Hey did you see that?" they followed his gaze, as Jaune continued, "it looked like a person, like a guy, was standing there…" Winter and Yang turned back to him, but Nick kept looking into the jungle. "where you able to see his face?" Winter asked. "I-I don't know, I couldn't get a good look… I… I don't think so," Jaune answered. Winter stepped up to Nick, "did someone follow us?" Nick shifted his jaw, "Maybe…" he glanced at Yang; she was beside herself. Or, he thought, maybe it was brought here with us…

Jaune got to gathering brush for the fire. Winter kept vigil for Jaune's man. Nick sat down with Yang they didn't say a word, but he was there for her. Some time later, Jaune had the fire ablaze, filling the area with it's orange light. It was so warm and comforting in the cool night that even Winter sat around it. Yang slid her arm around Nick, staring into the fire. Jaune, after setting a cut part of thick branch on the fire, pulled out his guitar and started playing.

The music filled the air, and the trio listed to it, not noticing the woods around them. Jaune himself was wrapped up in his melody, when he heard a long-absent voice.

"Jaune? A-Are you real?"

It was cautious, even fearful in tone. He stopped playing and looked up. "P-P-Pyrrha?!" she stood there on guard, spear at the ready, eyes wide.

"JAUNE YOU HAD BETTER BE REAL!" she yelled.


Well, I'm Back. Yeah, it took more than three or four months, I know. Big chapter, low motivation.

Anyway, The reviews:

Phalanx30: that sounds like a good story.

So, Vol.7 wasn't bad... RT brought back Penny... and now the MC's are outlaws. OK, I admit I was expecting them to bring back Penny, Just not literally shoehorning her in like she didn't die. In fact, I was thinking about bringing her in here, but almost in a completely reset personality. At least they should've given her a glitch or something when Amity arena was brought up, as her system and soul would conflict or something.

also, Clover's death... Well at least they're getting used to the fact that Rwby's not exactly a kids show, but still.

In other news, I'll be taking a vacation here next month, so i'll probably take a break and start writing the next chapter in April; in other words, hopefully published by September. Also, happy late third anniversary of this fic! holy crap it's been three years...