Guys, it's July! We're almost through this crazy year!

Totally counts even if we have to drag ourselves across the finish line, right?

To suggest that the Church of Remnant and the royal families which ruled its four kingdoms were allies was a gross exaggeration. They cooperated with one another, and if Hazel was being fair, both sought the same thing: to protect Remnant and its people. That was where their similarities ended, however.

As he watched his soldiers disappear through the portal his eyes cast over the four youths before him, four Hunters that the Church had selected to assist in Galloway's defense.

Pyrrha Nikos. Jaune Arc. Lie Ren. Nora Valkyrie. They had all just returned from another mission apparently yet were willing and eager to lend their aid; Hazel wasn't about to turn them away.

Had it been anyone else from the Church he might have had misgivings about leaving his men alone with such people, yet he understood these four to be Weiss Schnee's friends. They would be good company, he was certain, and Galloway would be better for their support.

He had no words for them despite that, and as their superior, Bartholomew Oobleck, exchanged final words between them, he offered a small smile and nod, watching as they disappeared into the portal. With a faint hiss the magic doorway shimmered, collapsing in on itself before closing. With luck they would arrive in a city still standing and not one overrun by Grimm. Any messengers had yet to respond, any attempts at scrying were rendered obsolete by the overwhelming surge of magical energy.

By all rights Hazel felt as though he should be at ease with the arrangement. Four of his own, four young Hunters who he knew he could trust, and yet his nerves refused to calm. Lingering alone by the courtyard outside of the cathedral - Proctor Oobleck departed not a moment after the portal closed - he cast his gaze up to the tower, the highest point in the surrounding area. Though the tower was as it ever was, windows obfuscated in shadow, he was certain Ozpin was behind them, perhaps even watching him at this very moment.

There is a purpose behind their being sent, isn't there? Hazel wondered, frowning as he clasped his hands at his back.

No one was free from rebuke or wholly innocent. He had struck deals with wanted criminals, allied himself with killers, and betrayed the Church's confidence on more than one occasion. Putting his back to the towering cathedral he made his way to the carriage that awaited him, waving off the driver and opening the door himself. Yet all he had done, Hazel would argue, had been for the greater good. By employing people like Raven, they kept her relatively controlled, limiting her raids and attacks. By using Roman they ensured his skills were put to better use than theft and trickery.

He was stained, that he would not deny, yet compared to the likes of Ozpin he felt spotless. There was the trifling matter of magic's true nature being hidden from the masses, something that while he understood on some level, it frustrated him to no end. Then there was the business concerning Wardens, their dubious decisions, their inability to keep their own personnel in line. Thinly veiled threats, a monopoly on magic, and their control of faith across the world.

People trusted them because they slew Grimm, because they established barriers and provided guidance. Whatever good the organization did was made irrelevant by all they did out of the public eye.

Yet I am forced to work with them. For the sake of peace, for the good of the citizens of Vale, I must turn a blind eye time and time again. His carriage lurched forward and began a languid pace towards the main city gates. Red brick buildings swallowed him up as he left the plaza, members of the clergy breaking to the sides of the roads to make way. They're fortunate that the populace puts so much trust in them, otherwise I'd strike Ozpin down myself.

But trust them people did. If they acted out against Ozpin, against the Church, then the popular opinion of him, of the crown, would only further diminish. Ozpin knew who the citizens favored and they couldn't openly strike against the Church, not without bringing the whole of the kingdom against them.

Which was where people like Raven and Roman came in. People who could operate outside of the public's consciousness. Raven slew those they felt were a threat, those with a history of egregious abuses, even by the Church's standards. Meanwhile Roman, when he did cooperate, acted as a liaison between nobility and the Church itself, monitoring the latter and making sure the former behaved themselves. It was a balancing act, one where a single misstep would make the entire system come crashing down… On his head.

The carriage's wheels rocked over the final few cobblestone slabs before leveling out, thudding across a wooden bridge before resuming their uneven stride.

And now, with everything precarious as it was, he had been given a new task which could undermine everything. If Ozpin had sent anyone after the children then he would inevitably cross paths, and what then? No doubt Ozpin wished to bring them back into the fold; King Caines had explicitly stated that no such thing was to happen.

There was no reconciling those orders. No compromise to be made. And if history had shown him anything it was that people with incongruous goals rarely settled for civil conversation.

Weapons would be drawn, and blood would be spilled.

Absently his hand reached for the pouch beside his seat, fingers rubbing the refined Dust shards through leather.

The only outcome acceptable was for the children to escape Vale and seek out allies abroad, and for that to be possible the Hunters, Wardens, whatever Ozpin sent, they could not be allowed to find them.

Which meant he would need to dirty his hands and potentially throw all of Vale into chaos.

/+/+/+/+/+/

"Fuck. This. Forest!"

Considering what kind of rashes that might accrue, never mind Blake had never considered herself attracted to plants before, she wasn't inclined to follow Vernal's idea through. With how often the foul-mouthed bandit shouted that phrase though she was beginning to suspect Vernal just might.

I wonder what plant she'd go for first, Blake wondered, grimacing at the mental images conjured up. It was a disgusting proposition, but it did help to alleviate the tiresome journey. Perhaps they need more action in the tribe. Maybe she should complain to Raven, not us.

"She could have sent anyone else. Anyone else! But no, she picked me!" Vernal sneered and hacked apart another bush with her chakrams, the blades making light work of thin branches. "Make me march through the godsdamned forest to find two brats. Load of fucking cack is what this is."

Putting a hand to her face Blake sighed, exasperated. Any efforts to calm Vernal down had been moot, her voice falling on deaf ears. More drowned out really as the bandit seemed determined to shout over everything. Blake, nature, even the occasional howl of Grimm.

It was a relief that negativity didn't draw them in.

Beside her Ilia winced, holding her head again. Unsurprisingly she hadn't fully recovered yet; it took more than a few days to get over a concussion, even a mild one. Even if they'd had a healer on hand, they couldn't have hastened the process. Between the bright lights, Vernal's shouting, and their vigorous pace, Blake was earnestly surprised Ilia was able to keep going at all.

Taking her by the arm she guided Ilia around a few trees, offering her canteen when the latest bout of nausea passed. "Hey," Blake whispered. "I can carry you. I don't mind."

"I'm good." Ilia grimaced as another string of obscenities began. "I would be if someone would shut their damned mouth."

On that they could agree. Seeing Vernal taking a swing at a squirrel for some reason Blake rolled her eyes, stopping Ilia in her tracks, hands on her shoulders. "Take a break, okay? I'll go talk to her."

Ilia looked like she wanted to protest. She also looked pale despite her usual complexion, save for the shadows of green around her throat. With a reluctant nod she waved Blake off and dragged herself into the shadow of a tree, sitting against the trunk and laying her head back, eyes closed. Leaving their canteen with her, Blake pat Ilia's arm then jogged ahead, catching Vernal just as she was doubling back to check on them.

"The fuck are you two doing? Why'd you stop?"

Using every ounce of self-control she had not to respond in kind Blake held her hands up. "She's still recovering, Vernal. She needs a break." The bandit scoffed, peering past Blake and rolling her eyes. "And you need to calm down."

"What? Why?!"

"You haven't stopped shouting since you found us. I'm sorry if you're angry that you're out here." Honestly, she couldn't care how inconvenienced Vernal felt. "But complaining isn't going to change the fact we're in the middle of the forest and nowhere near the others. So please, stop?"

Vernal seemed to consider the request or at least didn't snap back immediately. Then she sneered, putting a chakram over her shoulder and the other on her hip.

"Idiot. You haven't noticed?" Blake tilted her head. "We're being followed. Grimm," Vernal added quickly, reaching out to stop Blake from looking around. "I don't know why they're just followin' us, or why they haven't attacked. About a hundred yards back, few Beowolves. There's a Ravager overhead too." She lifted her head slightly in indication.

Unable to help herself Blake craned her neck, narrowing her eyes as she tried to pierce the canopies and seek out the Grimm in question. Nothing to see but blue sky and the occasional white wisp.

"Don't look, idiot!" Vernal snapped, pushing Blake's head back down. "Look, Grimm don't just stalk people. Something ain't right."

"And you think we should just ignore them? The two of us could kill them, Vernal."

"And tip off whoever the hell's leadin' them?"

Blake didn't have an answer for that.

"I'm not dumb, contrary to what you lot seem to think. I know what happened before." Vernal stepped back and cracked her neck. "If someone's commandin' these things somehow then we've gotta wait. Kill them when it looks like we found 'em by accident." She nodded behind her. "There's a field up ahead. They'll have nowhere to hide, that's where we'll get them. Unless your dumbass wants to attack now?"

"No, I can wait," Blake said. She took one look back at Ilia and frowned. "What about her though?"

"They'll probably go for her first since she can't fight. You'll need to protect her." Vernal grinned. "Or we can use her as bait."

"We are not using Ilia as bait!"

"Relax, whiskers, it was a fucking joke. I doubt they'd take it anyways." Vernal twirled her chakrams in hand and smirked. "Just keep up. Once we reach the field, we'll take a breather again. Follow my lead, alright?"

As if she had any other choice. Vernal wasted no time and began to complain again, this time about how slow Blake and Ilia were. Somehow, she didn't think that was just for show.

In truth, Blake was tempted to find and engage the Grimm then and there. Fighting in the trees would remove whatever numbers advantage the beasts might have, not to mention the shadows here, prevalent as they were, gave her a lot more to work with. Vernal seemed convinced though that attacking now was a bad idea, why and how Blake didn't understand.

What did Raven tell her? Back at Ilia's side she leaned over, slung one of her friend's arms over her shoulders and lifted her to her feet. Immediately Ilia grimaced, hiding her face in Blake's shoulder as they meandered along.

"I thought you were going to talk to her…"

"I did," Blake said, lowering her voice. "We're being followed. Grimm. Vernal wants to try luring them out up ahead."

"What?!" Ilia hissed, lowering her head again and blanching. "Why wait?"

"I don't know. I don't know why she didn't warn us earlier. She probably didn't want us fighting with you injured." Although she couldn't say she pictured the bandit giving a toss about how they did. Blake offered a small smile and hugged Ilia's waist. "It will be okay. She and I will handle them, then we can get back to the others."

"Ugh. Fine. If it gets bad though," Ilia looked through squinted eyes. "Leave her behind. You can help us escape like before, can't you?"

"Ilia, she's helping us!"

"She's annoying, Blake. And she's human," Ilia added sourly. "The only reason she hasn't already abandoned us is because of her leader."

That was probably not wrong. Still, that didn't change the fact Vernal was here and helping them. Blake couldn't blame Ilia for not liking the woman though. Simply offering a smile of condolence she tugged her friend along, quickening their pace to keep Vernal in their sights. Now that she was aware, they were being followed her ears remained perked, twitching at the slightest creak, the smallest rustling of leaves. Not turning her head and trying to spot creatures among the trees was perhaps the hardest part of the entire facade.

Something about this didn't quite add up. She knew that Grimm could be controlled and commanded, she'd witnessed firsthand with Merlot, so it wasn't that she doubted Vernal's suspicions. What had her concerned was the fact that man was clearly dead and gone which ruled him out. It wasn't impossible that someone else had learned the same trick.

Except only one group had access to the madman's notes, and only one group could hope to realistically duplicate Merlot's work.

If either hers or Vernal's theories were founded, then slaying the few Grimm stalking them was the least of their concerns.

With no knowledge of the area Blake couldn't say how close they might be to Weiss and the others. Hours, days, perhaps even a week. With no clue as to their distance she tried not to focus too much on how long they would be walking for. Given that she was now aware of their pursuers it was a markedly easy task.

Just as Vernal had said they soon came upon a field. Grass high as uncut stalks of wheat swayed, rising and falling like waves at sea. Not pausing in her stride Vernal marched forward, pushing aside broader blades and disappearing into the growth. Blake and Ilia shared one uncertain look, a collective sigh, then forged in ahead after her.

Seeing anything further than the tip of their nose was impossible. The grass clung to them as they walked, slick with dew, clinging to moisture and shielding it from the sun above. Like an animal's tongue several lapped at their cheeks, some stuck, and Blake sputtered, reaching ahead to try and part the grass. All around them she could hear the incessant chirping of countless crickets, their songs reduced to little more than an unintelligible mess. Occasionally, they heard the bloated croak of a toad, and before long Blake felt her boots beginning to sink into the ground. Each step left a footprint and every time her boot raised the ground squelched, clinging to the sole greedily.

Unable to see their guide through the thickets Blake barely kept her and Ilia from tripping over Vernal. The woman glanced over her shoulder and waved them down, crouched in the grass. Taking a knee and trying to ignore how the wet earth swallowed it up Blake frowned.

"What is it…?"

Vernal pressed a finger to her lips and pointed up. All three of them cast their eyes skyward and Blake saw the Ravager passing back and forth overhead. It appeared to be circling, albeit loosely, and its head swiveled from side to side.

"It doesn't know where we are," Vernal whispered. "Be ready." She began to rise, not tall enough to stand over the blades of grass.

"What are you doing?"

A malicious grin wasn't the answer Blake was hoping for. Neither was Vernal twirling her chakrams or the air at her feet suddenly flaring out, flattening several feet of grass.

"Keep your head down, whiskers. Don't wanna hit you on accident!"

Blake pulled Ilia in closer and ducked. "Vernal, wait!"

A burst of wind nearly floored her and Ilia. Blake dropped her head and braced against battering wind, sputtering when mud kicked into her face. Through the gale she looked up, gawking at the sight unfolding before her. Vernal, like a crazed conductor, waved her arms about, pushing and pulling as if trying to move the air itself. Funnily enough it was working.

Chakrams screeched as they whirred about. Where a simple scythe or blade would suffice in cutting down the grass Vernal instead took a mill's saw to them. Stalks of grass were reduced to chaff. A storm of vicious blades with Vernal as the eye Blake could only sit and watch as the twin chakrams sailed around, clearing the area in the blink of an eye. By the time Vernal stopped, grass rained down upon them like flakes and Vernal, grinning like a madwoman, laughed, summoning her weapons back and catching them.

"There! That's better!"

"Why did you do that?!" Blake shouted. The need for discretion was long gone.

"So, we can see the Grimm!" Vernal sneered, pointing up. The Ravager, having been aimlessly circling before, now hung directly overhead, screeching. "Even if they have a master, a beast is still a beast! Everything has something it can't ignore. Humans, animals…" A chorus of howls rose, and Blake could feel the Grimm barreling towards them. "Grimm!"

Beside her, Ilia groaned, almost falling over as a bout of nausea hit. Cradling her friend with one arm she drew a dagger, glaring at Vernal.

"I can't fight like this!"

"You'd better!" Vernal shouted, hopping in place and rolling her shoulders. "Here they come!"

First she doesn't want to engage, then she turns herself into a beacon for Grimm! Blake pulled Ilia closer, feeling her friend shuddering against her. Damn bandits.

The first Beowolf of many emerged from the brush, hurtling through the air at Vernal. More than prepared for it she stepped aside, laughing as it tumbled. Red eyes snapped on the Magi and it snarled, righting itself and making another mad lunge for Vernal. She ducked, backtracked, whistled as claws sailed over her head. Taking a leap backwards she cooed at the creature, legs beginning to shimmer. With a kick of her right foot Vernal launched herself high into the air.

A chakram sliced through the Beowolf's neck not a second later.

"Behind you!"

Blake whirled around and released Ilia, planting her palm on the sodden earth. Shadow coalesced and erupted before them, a single jagged spike protruding through a Beowolf's chest, catching it mid lunge. Her head snapped to the side and she drew a second dagger, using the blades, short as they were, to block a paw. Spinning on her back foot she ducked beneath the creature's reach and buried her daggers in its chest, shouldering it and knocking it over. In no time she pounced on the Beowolf and freed her blades, burying them in its throat and raking the jagged edges across blackened flesh.

More howls. The Ravager above continued to screech right up until a chakram trimmed a wing off it.

She's insane. They're all actually insane. Blake darted out of the reach of a Beowolf, deflected the paws of another. One bypassed her and went straight for Ilia."No!" Her own shadow raced from her feet and formed a barrier around her friend. The Beowolf struck, claws scraping, tearing away from the makeshift shield.

Landing square on the Beowolf's back Blake shouted and drove her dagger into its neck, its shoulder, anywhere she could strike. With white bony plating covering its body she aimed for every vital point she could.

Did Grimm have organs? No one knew, but she attacked as though they did. When the beast beneath her collapsed and let out a death rattle she hurled a dagger into another, charging it and sliding through the mud, hamstringing it. A Creep burst through the grass and barreled right into it, sending both it and the Beowolf tumbling.

"More coming!" Vernal shouted, and it took a second for Blake to realize the woman was above her. Both chakrams came sailing down and the pair of Grimm were cleaved in two. "Handle the Creeps! I got the rest!"

As if she had any choice. Already more Grimm were emerging, baleful, soulless eyes fixated on her and Vernal. With the bandit outputting far more magic most of them charged for her, leaping into the air and snapping their jaws, frenzied. The few who didn't circled Blake instead. She only just retrieved her daggers when another Beowolf rushed her, kicking up mud and tearing apart grass as its claws tore through the earth.

Blake didn't know for how long they fought. With Grimm already present there was no reason to withhold magic, but she still refrained, using it only in defense. By some grace of the gods they survived the ordeal and as the final Grimm fell, chest run through by her dagger, her body shuddered and her lungs burned, bangs clouding her vision as her hair clung to her face.

They made it through unharmed, however. Letting the shell around Ilia crumble she smiled seeing her friend untouched. Shaken, sure, but without a scratch on her.

Relief soon became overshadowed by annoyance. Vernal touched down again and began to laugh, tossing one of her chakrams up and down as she approached. Despite looking every bit as worn down as Blake felt, the bandit didn't seem sluggish at all.

Without the energy to either act on her annoyance or throw any number of accusations Vernal's way Blake settled for a pointed glare, rolling her eyes as Vernal smirked in return.

"Lighten up, whiskers."

"My name is Blake," she said breathlessly.

"Whatever. We're alive, aren't we?" Vernal indicated around them with a sweeping gesture. "What's the issue?"

Besides you leading us into that mess? Besides being stuck with you?

They were alive, sure, but the two of them were spent. Their skirmish had taken a toll on them, and the marsh they'd trudged into. Countless scars and pits gouged into the soft earth, the landscape transformed into a series of small hills and valleys. Where Grimm had emerged, the grass was trampled or turned up, clear paths stripped of their vegetation.

Mud sloshed as Vernal shuffled her feet, slopping her way over to Ilia and collecting the girl. Even after the fight Vernal had enough energy to drag Ilia over, handing her off to Blake and starting away again.

"Come on. We're not that far now; another hour and we'll be there."

"Wait!" Blake took Ilia's arm again and trudged through shin high mounds of mud. "Why did we fight them? Why not keep hiding?"

Vernal glanced back with the most dubious expression. "Uh, because we're close to the others. What, you want them to know where we are?"

"But you said," Blake began, shaking her head. "You didn't want to fight them before. What the hells changed? Why not kill them in the forest?"

"Isn't it obvious? We can keep track of 'em better out here. I didn't want that Ravager getting away. Besides," Vernal grinned. "I was gettin' bored, I wanted to kill something. Can't blame a girl for wanting to have some fun."

"She's a loon," Ilia muttered beside her. "Blake, you're absolutely sure we can trust her?"

"Her? Not really. Raven…?" Blake bit her lip then smiled nervously. "Well, Weiss and the others are there. We can trust them."

"Great. Just great, Blake."

Ilia's frustration was fair, perhaps even the only legitimate response to all of this. Chuckling, she helped Ilia over one of the larger ruts, a deep put scored by a spell from Vernal.

"Look on the bright side," Blake said. "No Adam."

"Nope, just crazy bandits."

Things will get better, Ilia. Just you wait. Between bandits who had ulterior motives, criminals masquerading as noblemen, and virtually everything Remnant had going against them, things looked pretty dour, but they would get better. I hope.

As they reentered the forest at the other side of the field Blake felt the hairs on her neck stand on end. Her head turned and her eyes swiveled to the corner, attempting to be as nonchalant about looking as she could. The wind rolled over the field, tussling grass, and dissipating into the now sheared, scarred pit their battle had created. No Grimm, no Hunters, just them and nature.

Better already. Shame her racing heart couldn't agree with her mind.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Poring over books was one of the few things Weiss considered herself to be exceptionally good at. She'd taken to her studies fervently upon joining the Church, memorized line after line of history, the rules of conduct - which she'd broken more than once - and theories on magic. While she hadn't always abided by what she read she remembered it clear as day. Reading was the easiest way to glean information after all, and the only reliable way to pass information from generation to generation.

Which was precisely what was making her current predicament so profoundly infuriating.

Before her, sprawled out across a three-legged table leaned against the wall for support, she had a collection of books, tomes, and loose leaflets of paper. Material recovered from Merlot's broken home in Plockton had yielded a veritable goldmine of information. Unfortunately, said information did little to help with her current issue.

With the snippets available they had learned something that perhaps even the Church hadn't: why. Why had Merlot sought to alter Yang as he had, and why then seek to further his research? They had written it off as baseless, insane experimentations by a man driven to the brink, endlessly compelled by his own sick thirst for knowledge; things would have been so much easier had they continued to believe it was nothing more than that. Weiss turned over another sheet of paper, burned at the edges, clearly torn from a larger piece. Though faint, smudged and caked in dust, she could still make out the neatly scrawled text.

"Wrest control. By denying them I can deprive the… Commands, but only when bound by runes. I'm close, I'm certain of it. If the Church thinks itself clever with its Marks…" Weiss' eyes drifted over the paper and every smudge, every small hole was an eternal damning offense. What tidbits of information were obscured on the already ruined sheet were a slap to the face. Frustrated, she read on. "Sealing is difficult…. Theories are only just that. To further… Extrapolate, continue my work elsewhere. Stafford unsafe, Holmcroft… Ambrose next. I'm nearly there. I'll prove it works, prove that they've deceived us all, and then…"

Then what? Weiss blew hot air through her lips, leaning back from the table and running her fingers through her hair.

Clearly, Merlot had known plenty about the Church's inner machinations, more than any of them. It made sense given his former station as a member of the higher echelon, and it also made his passing, however foul a man he might have been, all the more inconvenient.

What laid before her were many more papers detailing the same, although none as recent as this. A vague, unreliable timeline of his research, small glimpses into his thoughts. Somehow, the work Merlot had conducted was meant to deprive or harm the Church; Weiss, as the rest of their merry band had, felt he meant more than simply causing civil unrest. Something about his studies, about sealing the Grimm, controlling them, was trying to tell them something.

Yang couldn't offer any more insight than the scraps they'd retrieved. Once again Weiss' eyes drifted to the spell book, pages open wide in its leather casing, papers yellowed by age, or perhaps tinted so by the flickering candlelight.

A long shadow cast over the journal and she glanced over, smiling slightly as Ruby shifted in her chair again. The brunette's face pinched and she stared at the paper in her hands for a long moment, brow knit, before shaking her head and deflating with an audible sigh. Their eyes met and Ruby offered a more earnest smile, discarding the paper and sliding her chair closer to Weiss'.

"Any luck?"

"I wish. Nothing I've been able to find in these notes gives me anything that helps." Weiss leaned forward and held her head in her hands, staring in futility at what was now her spell book. "I don't understand his seals at all, and I don't recognize half the runes he uses. One of them resembles the same one Yang bears but it's not quite it. The information we need is likely with the Church."

"And Ozpin isn't going to let us have it, I bet."

Not likely. It wasn't information they could walk in and ask for even if they were on good terms, let alone on the run. With her fingertips kneading at her temples Weiss stared at a seal before her, runes forming a closed ring, three layers deep. In the very center the rune for 'will' stood out among the rest, no doubt as the crux of the spell. While it was fine and dandy, she could recognize that one. The issue was the rest, eight in all, that she couldn't decipher.

It stood to reason Weiss would encounter unfamiliar runes given how extensive the language was. Unlike the Common Tongue - twenty-six characters long - the runic system had thousands. Combined with dead or scarcely used tongues from every race, with runes resembling more of an idea than any particular sound, it was natural she wouldn't know some. Frustrating, distressing, and serving a blow to her pride, no amount of staring was delivering answers.

Ruby's warm hand settled on her arm, a warmer still smile stretching beneath twinkling silver pools. "You'll figure this out, Weiss. We'll figure it out," she amended. "Don't worry so much."

"Don't worry? I'm compromised, Ruby. I could turn on you or someone else at any moment. I don't remember it happening, I can't tell you when it's coming on." Weiss folded her arms as an unearthly chill ran through her, rubbing to try and chase away goosebumps. "Yang might have gained some degree of control since Merlot's death, but I don't have that. I can't force whatever it is to stop, and I can't remove my mark either." Her eyes went to Ruby's, imploring, desperate. "What am I supposed to do then?"

"Well… We keep trying. Merlot didn't just make these up, right? They exist somewhere; someone knows what they mean. We just have to keep looking."

"How can you be so optimistic?" The floorboards groaned and Weiss turned her head. No one else was with them, just a reminder of the shambling home they now squatted inside. "How can you be so sure?"

Ruby slid closer until their chairs clicked together, grabbing one of Weiss' hands in both her own. "Because Merlot had a reason to want your help, and because Ozpin wanted to train you for something. I don't know what they were after, Weiss, but I know what they saw. You're smart, you're passionate, and you're determined when you want something."

"So is Nora, or Pyrrha, or Jaune. Anyone is," Weiss deflected.

"No one else knows runes like you do. Weiss." Ruby tugged on her hand and smiled earnestly. "Your magic is amazing! I'm fast, Yang makes fire, Blake's all sneaky. Qrow, well, he doesn't let people use magic, so he's kind of a stick in the mud. But you can do so much stuff with yours, stuff we all can't!"

"Sure, me and the others like me."

"But the others are all working for the Church. You're not! And the Church worked so hard to keep you with them, and Merlot and Raven both tried to get you to help them. Weiss…" Ruby tugged on her hand. "I think some of them fear what you can do. I don't, and neither do the rest of us. Weiss, you're kind, and you're not going to hurt anyone." Ruby freed one hand and tapped the spell book. "You'll figure out what's in here and start making things right and we'll be helping you however we can!"

The sentiment wasn't unappreciated, if anything it was exactly what Weiss needed to hear then and there. Why then did she feel so despondent still? There wasn't a doubt in her mind that Ruby would support her regardless of how things went. By extension that meant she had Yang's support as well. Even Blake, as tumultuous as their initial meeting had been, Weiss felt she could count on her assistance too. If the others were here, they'd probably say the same thing too. So why do I feel so hopeless?

Despite the optimism Ruby offered her mood felt as dour as the building they were within. Weiss cast a longing, forlorn look about the room. One door frame was collapsed, fallen in on itself, and the room beyond was completely caved in. Rays of sunlight pierced the rubble and told of something warmer on the other side.

Weiss couldn't clear that rubble on her own. Maybe with enough help she could but even then, the freedom on the other side was temporary. If they moved into another building it would be more of the same. More clutter, more darkness, more uncertainty.

The runic system was as expansive as it was difficult. What if they never found someone who could help them? What if she couldn't remove her mark, or Yang's seal? What if something happened to her again and she seriously hurt one of her friends? The unknown weighed her down like weights strapped to every limb. The fear was a pillow over her face, trying to snuff out the dying breaths of hope.

Ruby squeezed her hand and offered a smile both imploring and reassuring. "You're not alone in this, Weiss. We'll figure this out together, okay?"

Figuring 'this' out felt like an insurmountable goal, an ant trying to scale a mountain. Offering the barest minimum of a smile Weiss nodded. "Thank you, Ruby."

She did feel grateful, but not optimistic. Ruby didn't believe her for a second but didn't pursue the matter further, although she did surprise Weiss by pulling her in. When her partner hugged her Weiss sat awkwardly, half leaning off her chair, half captured in the unexpected embrace. Feeling the warmth of her friend, yearning for it even, she hesitantly lifted her arms and returned the favor. Held closer, Weiss allowed her eyes to close and her head to lay on Ruby's shoulder.

There was no guarantee this would work. No assurances that anyone anywhere would be willing to help them, or even could. If an answer existed then surely, they wouldn't be desperately searching to find one, right?

If this didn't work out, if she succumbed to whatever the Church had done to her, it was over. Yang could still lose control, or the Church could send a force against them powerful enough to snuff them out in an instant. They weren't just backed into a corner, they were beneath the heel of the boot, ready to be crushed at any moment.

Gods, her heart ached. Whether Ruby's optimism was sincere or put on for her sake Weiss wished she could feel but a fraction of it. Instead, fear clawed at her mind, and uncertainty tore at her heartstrings, making each thrum painful, every beat a countdown to some unforeseen cataclysm. When Ruby's arms left her, she redoubled her grip on her partner, fearful to be let go. Gentle hands eased her back and soon cupped her cheeks, and without much else to do Weiss allowed her eyes, swimming with tears as they were, to settle on Ruby's, her own distress mirrored by the brunette.

"You've saved me twice now, Weiss. It's my turn to save you," Ruby whispered, voice threatening to break.

She wished she could crack a joke, or downplay Ruby's concerns, anything besides break. When tears fell she felt herself pulled immediately back into an embrace, clinging desperately to Ruby as though she might vanish. No sobs, no cries or even the slightest shudder. As a wave of uncertainty crashed down upon her Weiss chose to hold onto one of the few sparks of hope she had in her life, squeezing her eyes shut to try and stymie the flow.

It hurt. Not knowing if she could save herself, nevermind anyone else. Likely never being able to see her other friends under good pretenses again. Never being able to see her birth family, estranged as they were, left a hole in her heart.

Weiss wasn't alone and the soothing hug she was locked in was affirmation of that, yet even still she felt helpless. Ruby had to know it too even if she put on a brave face, as did Yang. What they were doing would put Remnant at large against them, or at least the strongest organization the world knew. This wasn't some game, some… Whimsical ploy that they could come back from unscathed. Death had always been a real possibility given their line of work, but it had never felt so tangible, so imminent as it did now.

Losing any of her friends was simply unacceptable. They weren't just her friends anymore either but her family, her only remaining family. Without them what did she have?

To hells with her magic, to hells with her legacy, her heritage. Without them Remnant was just an empty, bleak landscape not worth wandering.

Weiss finally let out a choked sob, lips trembling. Her fingers dug into Ruby's tunic and she rubbed her tears on her partner's shoulder, drawing in closer until their legs touched. Ruby reciprocated, every bit as hopeful for some comfort, or to reassure her. Giving what little of herself she could she returned the embrace and held it.

She didn't know how long they sat like that. Long enough that the candle, waning as it was, burned out and left them in the dark. The sunlight, like a hand just out of reach, offered some warmth but failed to reach past the dusty, pale floorboards, choked by the shutters stuck closed, smashed inward, their hinges unmoving. It was long enough for Weiss' tears to dry and the blanket of despair to be removed, leaving her instead with a pleasant numbness. When someone came knocking on the door, she removed herself, reluctantly, from Ruby's embrace and dried her face on her sleeves. Her partner did the same.

"Just a moment!" she said, relieved her voice didn't break. Together she and Ruby gathered up the journal and papers, stacked the latter in the former, and made for the door.

To her elation and dismay Yang awaited them on the other side alone. Her radiant smile became tempered noticing how uncollected they looked, still sniffling, desperate to clean themselves.

"Hey, you guys okay?"

"No." Weiss wiped her eyes with the back of her hand before offering a halfhearted smile. "But we will be."

"You sure?" Yang's brow furrowed as her eyes flickered between Weiss and Ruby. "We can take a sec if you need it."

"We're alright, Yang!" Ruby insisted with a smile, one that was hardly convincing given her red rimmed eyes. "We'll be alright. What's up? You seemed really happy when we answered."

Yang rocked on one of her heels, her smile hesitant as she watched them. After it became obvious neither of them would explain themselves, she nodded, clasping her hands together and grinning. "Right, good news! Blake just got back!"

"Wait, she's back? They found her?"

Ruby's eyes lit up. "They found her!" she exclaimed, giggling as she reached out and grabbed Weiss by the hand. "Come on, we've got to go say hi!"

The sudden change in demeanor was a bit of a slap to the face until Weiss noticed how fragile Ruby's smile was. Returning it, she nodded, sharing a weary look with Yang as the blonde backed off to let them out.

"Let's. I'm sure she's missed us as much as we have her."

Yang snorted, putting a hand to her hip and smiling broadly. "You sure about that? Cats always have a sort of love-hate relationship, ya know."

"Blake isn't a cat, Yang." Ruby paused. "Although she does like fish a lot…"

"And she purrs when she's warm," Yang teased, hands behind her as she walked backwards.

Weiss giggled, then shook her head and wiped her face once more with her free hand. "You two are ridiculous. She'll be furious if she hears you."

"Hey, fine by me! If she can be mad at me then that means she's here," Yang sang. "And I'll take her being angry over her not being here at all any day!"

Well, on that they could agree. Weiss rolled her eyes and waved Yang on, feeling a little lighter for the blonde's laughter and excitement. Ruby even seemed more lighthearted for their friend's return and Weiss supposed she was too.

Clutching the spell book tighter against her side, Weiss hurried along, pulled by Ruby and further harried by Yang's incessant, excitable chatter.

At least they would all be together again, right? Maybe then things would finally start looking up.

/+/+/+/+/+/

Blake's return may not have been enough to smother the insecurity and doubt festering in Weiss' mind, but it was enough to at least hold it at bay. Her friend looked haggard if she was honest; clothes dirty, sweat causing fabric to cling to her body, bits of twig and a few leaves sticking out of her hair. As they shambled into Plockton, with Blake supporting Ilia and Vernal leading the way, Weiss wondered what in the hells they'd gotten up to earlier.

It mattered little in the end. Blake had returned and they could stop fretting she may have been killed or captured. Gods knew Weiss had enough of her friends being taken hostage as of late. Vernal, as endearing as ever, barked crudely worded orders at those nearby and people wasted no time carrying them out. A few men rushed to Blake and Ilia's aide, offering to take them to the healers if need be. Both women shrugged the offer aside, although Ilia's clear pain - her face crumpled, eyes shut and jaw clenched - made it a little harder to dissuade them. After promising to reunite, Blake sent her speckled friend off, waving away those offering to help her too.

There was no nice way of putting it other than Blake looked like hell. Ragged, dirty, and moving with a clear bit of stiffness. That did nothing to prevent Ruby from bolting between Weiss and Yang and all but throwing herself at the Faunus. They collided with a startled yelp and delighted fit of giggles, crashing back into the grass.

Yang smiled, rolled her eyes at Weiss, and thumbed towards the mess of tangled limbs. "I think she missed her." No sooner did Yang herself rush forward and slide to their side, pulling Blake from Ruby's grasp only to trap her again, this time in her own embrace.

"You think Ruby missed her, huh?" Weiss smiled and took a more measured walk over, kneeling beside Blake. She waited until Blake finished pushing against Yang before grabbing her friend's shoulder, holding up a hand defensively. "I'm not going to attack you like these dunderheads."

As if to further prove her point Ruby latched onto one of Blake's arms and hugged it, beaming madly. Yang, somewhat more restrained now, moved in behind them and put a hand on Blake's other shoulder.

Fatigued as she appeared Blake did smile, passing a glance over each of them before chuckling. "It's good to see you all again."

"Good to see you too, kitty cat," Yang drawled.

Ruby nodded emphatically. "We were so worried! Welcome back!"

"Worried?" Blake eased her arm out of Ruby's grasp but allowed her hand to be held instead. She smiled, looking down the road and waving as Ilia looked back. "I was safe enough. I had good company."

"Are you saying there's better than us?" Yang asked.

"Yang, it's not a competition. And technically speaking Ilia has been Blake's friend for far longer than we have." Which brought up a question that Weiss had to ask immediately. "Speaking of her, wasn't she with the White Fang the last time you saw her?"

Smile turning somber Blake nodded. "She was."

"But she's not anymore!"

"Right, Ruby. She's not anymore," Blake confirmed.

That was fantastic news then. The last time they'd met had been at a camp in the dead of night and Blake had, both through spoken and unspoken words, shared with them what had happened. Although Weiss understood that more of her friends still remained among the White Fang's ranks it was safe to say Ilia was the closest. To hear she had defected was wonderful. There was, however, a mystery around the defection. Blake's tempered happiness at having Ilia with her made it clear something else was wrong, whether it was those she had still yet to save, or maybe something else entirely.

Thankfully, all of them had enough tact not to press the matter. Instead Weiss removed her hand and backed away as Yang and Ruby hauled Blake to her feet. When looked to for help Weiss shook her head, hands up as she smiled apologetically. With Yang and Ruby hanging off an arm each there was no way she'd get herself in the middle of that.

"Let's go meet her!" Yang exclaimed, beaming as Blake cringed and her ears folded. "Oops, sorry, Blake."

Giggling, Ruby tugged and began leading Blake into town, turning around and letting her hands grip Blake's instead. "Yeah, we should go say hi. The healers probably want to just check on her. And you too," she added sternly. "Just to be safe!"

"Ruby, I'm fine. I'm just tired, that's all."

"Why don't we get you cleaned up first? You could take a nap if you wanna too!" Yang smiled. "You know, take a -"

"If you say, 'cat nap' I swear I will cut your hair in your sleep."

"You wouldn't dare!"

Blake kept a deadpan expression and narrowed her eyes. "Try me."

Ruby giggled again, and while she tried to look horrified Yang let out a terrific snort before bursting into laughter, followed soon after by Blake's soft chuckles. Weiss bit her lip and smiled, delighted to see the three of them together again. "The four of us," she amended. "My friends, my… Family, they're all back."

"Seriously though, you wanna sleep a bit, Blake? We could go help out around town."

"Absolutely not." All three girls turned towards Weiss, surprised by her quick rebuke. Weiss frowned and held a finger up with a wag. "Every time we split up someone ends up kidnapped or captured. Absolutely not," she repeated. "If Blake sleeps, we all sleep. If we go visit Ilia, we all visit Ilia. I am not staging another rescue mission. In fact, I forbid the three of you from being captured again for the next decade, at least."

"A whole decade?" Yang pouted. "Man, things were just getting fun!"

"Nothing about that was fun, Yang!" Ruby whined.

Blake's lips curled up into a smile and she nodded. "I suppose that's a reasonable request. Besides," she sighed and shook her head. "We can't refuse it anyways. Princess' orders, right?" She winked cheekily at Weiss.

"No, she's the Ice Queen!" Yang said.

"Guys, she's just Weiss!"

"Oh yeah. Sorry, Just Weiss!" Yang snickered as Ruby smacked her arm.

Somehow the two sisters ended up in a slap fight while dragging Blake between them, and to her credit the Faunus took it in stride. Not like she had much choice. Letting out a giggle of her own Weiss shook her head at a silent plead for help. "Princesses don't fight," she said, smirking as Blake's ears flattened.

"You've absolutely fought before."

"Yes, but now I have people to fight for me," Weiss pointed out, gesturing between Ruby and Yang.

Eyes flickering between the sisters, Blake let out a groan and hung her head. "And they're busy fighting each other." She leaned her head back as hands swat at each other. "Your knights are awful, Weiss.

Weiss gave a more earnest laugh. "Glad to have you back, Blake."

"Glad to be back, Weiss."

In summary: Weiss has doubts, Hazel a gooboi, Vernal a jerk, and hotel? Trivago.

Thank you for reading as always. Please stay safe, stay healthy, and I'll see you next chapter!