17

Neither Early Nor Late

Ruby Rose felt like she could be forgiven for feeling awkward in situation such as this. One one hand there was her sister, Yang, who she had lied to and was still feeling incredibly guilty. The young reaper trailed behind as they walked the streets of Mistral towards the orphanage where Amaranth was staying now. Her sister could be so stubborn at times, bulldozing through all of her excuses not to come with them.

Of course the other problem was walking with them. Jaune Arc, the last person she wanted to be around at that moment. That wasn't to say she was mad at him, no. She was actually just extremely aware of him, and of what she had to do. She couldn't be a bad sister and get in the way of Yang's happiness, therefore the only choice was to give up. That was why it was so hard to be around the man. How can she be expected to give up on him when they were spending time together?

It was while lamenting this fact that the trio came up to the orphanage. It was a modest building with three stories and large, double doors. The walls were a drab green with peeling paint in some sections. Without hesitation, Yang stepped up and pressed the buzzer next to the door. A loud ringing sound could be heard throughout. Moments later they noticed heavy footfalls as a middle-aged woman opened the door.

"Yes? Welcome to the Two Brother's Orphanage Center. I'm the headmistress, Camilla Sandshorn. What can I help you with today?" If she was taken aback by finding three teenagers on her doorstep, the headmistress played it off well.

"Hi, I'm Yang. This is my sister Ruby and teammate, Jaune." The two beside her waved at their introductions, "We were hoping to visit a new child you received, Amaranth?"

The lady's face broke into a radiant smile, "Oh little Mara's friends. You are the ones who rescued her yes?" They nodded, "Excellent, excellent. She will be delighted to see you. You young'uns are all she can talk about. Keeps saying she'll be a strong huntress like you someday."

Headmistress Sandshorn led them through the foyer and up a nearby flight of stairs. Eventually they entered a room with comfortable looking chairs and a sofa accompanied by a squat table that had a tea set on it. Miss Sandshorn quickly made herself busy, taking the set and promising them refreshments and that Mara would be around soon. Ruby took up one of the large seats and sighed in bliss as she sank into it. Jaune and Yang sat on opposite ends of the couch, leaving room for a whole person between them. Ruby had to resist the urge to roll her eyes at the two of them.

A sudden sound from nearby had everyone's head snap up. It wasn't Camilla returning nor was it Amaranth. It was something else. A whooshing sound could be heard and there was a pinprick of red light that rapidly expanded into a swirling vortex in mid air. The inside was dark and murky, a red mist-like obscuration covered the event horizon. A lone figure popped out of the swirling vortex and a moment later it vanished leaving the person alone in the room with the three hunters in training.

Without even noticing they had stood, Jaune had his hand on the pommel of Crocea Mors already. Things got even more confusing as they realized it was a familiar white haired girl standing there, having appeared from nowhere.

"Weiss?!" The three shouted at the same time.

"Uh… It's been a while?" The heiress tried, a small wave as she awkwardly smiled.

Weiss couldn't believe how relieved she felt at the sight of her teammates. Even the blond, lovesick idiot was a welcome sight to her as her team leader refused to let go of her, not that she wanted the girl to. Tenderly she wrapped her arms around Ruby.

"I'm so glad to see you." Weiss whispered to Ruby, drinking in the comforting presence of the girl she considered as much a family to her as her sister. Looking over she nodded at Jaune, "You seem well Arc."

"Hey Weiss, glad you're...okay?"

She finally turned to the last person in the room, hoping to see the classing Yang smile.

She did not. Yang stood there with a neutral expression and her arms crossed.

"Wess, the hell is going on? How did you step out of thin air? Last I knew your glyphs couldn't do that."

Ruby's head swiveled to look at her sister, a flash of worry in her eyes. Weiss took a deep, composing breath and let it out slowly.

"I met your mother." She looked Yang in the eyes, "I was on my way into Mistral when the ship I was in was attacked by Grimm. We managed to fight them off but not before the airship was irreparably damaged and we crashed. There I was found by the Branwen Tribe."

"So she just decided to rescue you out of the goodness of her heart?" Yang's eyes were hard, her frown deepset. Weiss felt a stab of irritation at the suspicion. It shouldn't matter what happened between mother and daughter, the heiress had done all she could to return to her team. Surely Yang could be happy about that.

"No. Originally I was going to be ransomed back to my father." Weiss almost delighted in the widening in her eyes, "Instead we came to something of an understanding. I had something she wanted and I wanted to get to my team."

The blond took interest in this, stepping forward, "What was it? What did you give her?"

"Just some information." Weiss lied, standing a little taller as Yang stalked towards her. The other woman may have been taller but the heiress would not be cowed.

"What. Information."

"I can't tell you."

Yang exploded, her lilac eyes turning crimson, "You can't tell me? Your teammate?! And yet you could tell her?"

"Look, Yang, it's complicated. But part of the deal was for me to keep quiet about what I told her. From anyone." Weisses voice took on a pleading edge, "Trust me, Yang. Please. I wanted so badly to come back to you all."

Yang seemed to deflate at the look on Weiss' face. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, releasing it a moment late. When she looked back at the heiress her eyes were back to their normal lilac.

"I guess… all that matters is that you're here."

Ruby shot a small smile at Weiss and held her arm out, the heiress doing the same. Yang slipped into the embrace and the red hooded girl let out a contented sigh. Weiss could smell the familiar scent of lavender coming from the blond and some flowery scent from the brunette. Even as she treasured the two sisters, she still felt something missing. Judging from the brief look on Ruby's face, she felt it too.

But they were more whole than they had been earlier and that was important in and of itself. They still had plenty of time to get Blake back, wherever she was. A small sigh escaped her as she remembered the moment Blake had fled. She had stayed to make sure Yang would be okay but as soon as she had that confirmation, she left.

"I can't let something like this happen again." Blake said, tears streaming down her face as she looked up from Yang's unconscious form, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Weiss looked at Sun but that was a mistake as the raven haired girl fled into the darkness. The monkey faunus and heiress looked at each other for a moment.

"I'll look after her. Don't worry. And I'll make sure to bring her back too." With that, Sun trotted off after her, his scroll coming up to his ear as he dialled his teammates.

Weiss shook her head. They could worry about their last member later.

The door clicked and opened as a middle aged woman entered, accompanied by a young child.

"Oh my! When did another guest arrive?"

Jaune couldn't stop smiling.

Weiss was back and Mara had been so excited to see them that she had jumped at him and Yang, hugging them both. He felt like he had gained another little sister. His spirits almost took a dive when he remembered that they probably wouldn't see eachother again. The girl with pink hair squirmed in his lap as he stopped playing with her hair. With a laugh he began running his fingers through it again.

This was, after all, all about her. Yet the girl's eyes when she realized they were friends with the Weiss Schnee? Her eyes had been as wide as dinner plates. With an indulgent smile the heiress had acquiesced to the girl's request and sang a small, quiet song for her. Jaune was impressed. He'd heard she was a famous singer but her voice sounded so clear and lovely, like a bell.

Sapphire met lilac and a wide smile bloomed across Yang's face. He returned it. To him this was honestly rather amazing he couldn't get over the fact he was here with his friends. Jaune's eyes traveled over to the heiress and he noted a few things. Her dress was charred and torn in places, testament to the crash and her subsequent capture. Her eyes sparkled, however, and he could tell how much she loved her team.

It was a nagging thought that about a realization, however, as he suddenly found his heart wasn't skipping beats nor was it racing. Instead he felt foolish as he thought back on how he had felt about her. It seemed so shallow now, just a schoolboy crush, and he felt more the fool for it. He hoped nobody noticed his embarrassment as they continued to listen to her sing.

When she finally finished she was rewarded by the excited clapping of a young girl and whistling from her blonde teammate. They spent the next hour or so chatting amongst themselves. Amaranth asked all kinds of questions about what it was like being a huntress (Jaune felt left out) and how they made their weapons. That had launched Ruby into a tirade about weapons and had even Yang looking nervous.

All in all it was hard to leave and Jaune ended up giving the girl his scroll info so that she could contact him from a terminal if she wanted too. His heart almost broke seeing her eyes, pleading him to stay. Yang looked like she was about to break down and they only escaped after promising to stay in touch.

Weiss promptly claimed the first shower upon their return, with a much confused Ren standing there and Nora shouting something about a witch. Jaune had to stop the redhead from tackling the heiress who was continuing on about not letting the girl melt in the shower.

It was chaos, and it was glorious.

That was, until, a knock came from the door. Weiss was in the living room meticulously towel drying her hair when it came. Dressed in a spare set of Ruby's pajamas the heiress glared at Jaune every time he so much as glanced in her direction. Yang was lounging and waved that she wasn't about to get it. Ruby had her headphones on and was reading X-Ray and Vav, a new issue she had purchased on the way back.

That left the grumbling blond man to get up and answer the door. Still wary of strangers who shouldn't know they were there, Jaune grabbed Crocea Mors from where it was leaning.

Opening the door the blond was faced with a young kid, no older than Ruby herself, standing there nervously. His hazel eyes looked up at the knight and then down to the hand he had on his weapon, stepping a half step back.

"Um… Is there a…. Ruby Rose here?"

That got a reaction from everyone. Yang was at the door in a flash, eyes narrowed.

"Who's asking?"

Though the boy opened his mouth to reply, he never got the chance to as Qrow stumbled into the doorway and slumped into his niece.

"Hehehe, I found 'im!" He slurred as he slouched onto the vacant couch that Yang led him to, laying down with a great sigh of relief.

"Dammit Drunkle Qrow." Yang's fingers massaged. Ruby took off her headphones and sighed the same defeated sigh as her sister.

"Uncle Qrow did you get drunk again?" The look on her face suggested this was quite the old conversation.

"Eeeeeeeeh. Maybe?" Ruby's palm met her forehead before she looked up at the young man who had brought her uncle home.

"Sorry if he gave you trouble, kid. He didn't… do anything did he?" Yang asked the brown haired boy.

He started at being addressed, tearing his eyes away from the girl in red, "What? No, I-"

"Thank the gods nothing happened. I was worried like it would be like that one time in patch." Both Yang and Ruby shivered.

"All those cats…." Ruby said, lost in memory.

"You have silver eyes." The statement was quiet and almost missed. But in a split second everyone's eyes were drawn to the stranger among them. It was Ruby who first spoke.

"Who… are you?" Her eyes narrowed.

"Um. My name is Oscar Pine."

"Wait for it…" Qrow trailed off drunkenly from the couch.

"You may know me better as Professor Ozpin." The boy almost flinched as he said it.

The silence as everyone struggled to wrap their minds around the words was interrupted by the crazed cackling of Qrow as he slid to the floow where he lay face down and continuing to laugh. Weiss continued to towel her hair off, seemingly the least disturbed by the events. Well, besides Qrow. Neo walked up and stood inches in front of him. She brought one hand level with the top of her head and stretched it straight across over his head, comparing their heights. Seemingly satisfied she sat down with the heiress and crossed her legs.

Weiss froze as the criminal sat next to her, no doubt wondering why the psychopath was there and why no one cared.

"Can we also talk about the mute lunatic in our presence? Last I was aware she was trying to kill us."

"She isn't anymore. Not like she helps much either." Yang cast an accusatory glare at the short woman who simply smiled and waved back.

"Right. I'm getting to that." The kid said to no one in particular, raising eyebrows across the room, "Um, so the quick version is that yes Ozpin is dead. However his soul is now attached to my body."

Yang sighed, "Look I'm sorry that Qrow put you up to this. You should go home kid."

"He's not lying." It was Weiss who came to Oscar's rescue.

"Is that one of your witch powers?!" Nora squealed.

"What? No. I'm not a witch Nora! It's something I learned from Raven."

Jaune got nervous as Yang crossed her arms, drawing herself up but thankfully she didn't pursue it. He remembered the last time he had seen the headmaster, standing alone against Cinder as she had fire swirling around her, allowing him and Pyyrha to escape. A pang of grief and irritation spike through his chest but he suppressed it. It looked like they were in for a long night of explanations and judging from the look on Yang's face, Oscar wasn't going to be the only one giving them.

A/N: Hey y'all, shorter chapter here but this one is a little heavy on events so I didn't want to try and stretch it out by adding too much to it unnecessarily.

So yeah, this is the result of some of the changes, i.e. Yang never went to see Raven so Weiss needed to orchestrate her own release. Now don't jump on the Deus Ex train yet because I assure you, there's a lot more to the Raven/Weiss than meets the eye.

But hey!, Old Man Jaune officially went up last week and I'm currently working on the next chapter, Issue #3, right now so it should be up today or tomorrow depending on how much time I get, so there's that.