"Where are we going?" Yang asked for what was probably the millionth time.
Silence was again her answer as the hooded occupants besides her team and Professor Goodwitch sat in the van silent as always. The strangers with them were dressed in dark clothes with frock coats and a hood with ornate visors attached to it. While those who were obviously female wore some sort of hooded body suit with a small jacket over it and had capes handing from their back. All of them had a piece of black clothing covering their lower halves of their face.
She remembered few hours ago how the remnants of team RWBY and Goodwitch passed through some massive portal similar to the thing that swallowed their missing teammate a few days ago. Their mission was to investigate the otherside of the portal and what was there, and their unofficial mission was to possibly find Weiss Schnee. From there they came out of the portal to a large desert with a nearby ruin and abandoned, rusted machinery, and soon enough after some exploration they were attacked by a pack of ugly looking canines all quickly dispatched in less than a minute. Seriously, even the weakest Beowolf proved to be more of a challenge then those weird demented, skinny dog freaks.
Of course after their first battle in this new world, they were then met by the same group of people who were riding with them. They suddenly came out of nowhere, some suddenly teleported to their location with a trail of sparkling display of blue light with some appearing out of the thin air. Armed with axe, daggers, khlopesh, and guns, they had them surrounded but instead of a fight Yang expected to come, they announced themselves as the Kingsglavies: some sort of elite warriors of a kingdom able to utilize magic – something she had hard time believing. They were ordered to bring them to the city to their ruler when the portal and them were discovered by one of their recon teams. They were then escorted to a van and were driven across the road in the middle of the desert to where ever they were heading. The driver and the occupants seemed very eager to move quickly before night time came for some reason.
"Hey, we're at the city." One of the hooded man called out to the Remnant folks.
Team RBY and Professor Goodwitch peered out of the window of the van to see a long line of massive walls with large cannons mounted on top of them. As the van got closer to the walls, the Remnant people felt smaller as the walls slowly became larger in their view, threatening to engulf them with its intimidating presence. Large ornate gates before them opened up to allow the van to pass through some sort of security checkpoint.
From there they were greeted with a amazing sight; beyond the checkpoint was a vast metropolitan city of so much majesty and grandeur to make Vale look like Mantle. Skyscrapers and all sorts of buildings reminiscent of those in Vale and Atlas, but had a majestic feeling to them that made them feel awed. The van moved into a highway and passed by a large statue of a being covered in a intricate armor with horns sprouting from the head.
"Wow… That's one heck of a statue." Ruby awed by the design and size of the statue.
"What is this place?" Blake asked out.
Thankfully one of the occupants answered her. "Insomnia, crown city of Lucis."
"Insomnia? Like the sleep disorder?" The hidden cat faunus tried asking again but to no avail.
Silence filled in the van again as the Remnant people were taking in the sight of the city landscape and the crowded streets as the vehicle came out of the highway. Glynda Goodwitch noticed the lack of colors in the city with the only color noticeable was black, slightly disturbing the proffessor of the lack of color diversity she was seeing.
"What's that place?" Goodwitch then noticed a distinct building in the center of the city. It was a building complex resembling between a skyscraper and the castle, with four distinct structures on top of the main building below. She also noticed a beam of light emitting from the center towards the sky where it dispersed to a transparent massive dome of some kind.
"That's the Citadel, the palace and the seat of the royal government. This is the place where we're taking you too."
"What about the beam of light?" The Professor asked again.
She didn't get any words from them asides from some mutters of classified information.
"We're going to a palace!" Yang whispered out loud of Ruby.
"Oh no! We're meeting a king! I don't know how to act formal." The rose-themed girl panicked.
Several minutes later the van soon made it to the entrance of the massive castle-like skyscraper before them, where a large gatehouse and a checkpoint station was waiting for the van. After the guards opened the gate and the driver getting clearance to enter the main driveway of the Citadel. Ruby peaked out to see they were crossing a small bridge over a lower level connected to the driveway by two large staircase. The van then drove to a stop in front of a large steps leading up to the main entrance of the palace itself. The Kingsglaive sitting shotgun disembarked and opened the door for RBY and Glynda to step out of the van.
"You'll have someone about to come escort you to his majesty inside the lobby." He pointed towards the building. "My job here is finished." He went back into the van and soon drove off.
"Girls, follow close behind me." Goodwitch ordered as she and her students went up the steps and entered the Citadel of Insomnia.
Inside it was a large luxurious looking lobby area, big enough to fit in few bullheads in a line together. Nobody except them was in the lobby, making it a bit strange that they were the only ones to be here it was the palace of the king, expecting more staff members and guards to be around this area.
The whole place gave regal air that this place must be treated as if it was a sacred ground of high importance. Goodwitch had to admitt that the decoration and design put into this room was quite interesting compared to many places she'd been. The design simple yet concise enough to tell visitors this was a room of high importance.
"Anyone know when our guide is going to come?" Yang asked; feeling a little impatient.
"Wonder who they're going to have escort us." Blake wondered.
"Probably some servant or guards." Ruby answered.
That was when the door in front of them, causing Goodwitch and RBY to turn to face their escort to greet him or her, but whatever they were going to say was gone as their body froze at the woman in front of them who made a light gasp.
Weiss Schnee. The member of team RWBY who was missing for few days after her disappearance by a portal that appeared and swallowed her.
They saw the missing 'W' of team RWBY dressed in a outfit they never saw her wear before. Instead of white or a combat skirt, they saw her wear a long black coat dark as night with light blue shirt and long white pants, completely different to what she used to wear. Also her hair was unfolded from her pony tail style and cut down to reach her upper back.
Ruby did the most logical response one would do in this scenario. She zoomed towards her teammate. "Weisssss! It's good to see again bestie!" She crashed into Weiss nearly knocking them into the floor as Ruby hugged onto her as if to prevent her from dissppearing.
"It's good to see you again, Ruby." Weiss spoke, causing Ruby to pause at how old she sounded and how she lacked the coldness in her voice.
Ruby backed out of her hug to take a look at Weiss more closely and gapped at how old she looked. Her body and face matured to the point it somewhat resembled the last time she saw Weiss, and her body grew taller by several inches making her currently nearly around Blake's height.
"Weiss… What happened to you, you looked like you hit quite the growth spurt." Yang asked.
"Miss Schnee… How long have you been here." Goodwitch inquired, fearing the answer she would receive. "You were missing for around 3 days."
Weiss's face deflated at the sentence as she looked at the ground before looking at them again. "Well I've been here quite a long time. 33 years I've been living in this world. Guess it was some weird time shenanigans."
A great silence swept across them as they stopped to absorb in the information. Each of them were hard as granite at hearing the statement from Weiss on how long she stayed in this world. When they entered the portal to explore the other side and possibly rescue Weiss from where ever she was stranded on for the last few days for them, but to hear that because of some time displacement issue, she was stranded for over 3 decades. The fact that they missed all those years to spend time with their friend was a heartbreaking, and along with decades from now RBY will be fully grown adults while Weiss would be old and retired.
For Goodwitch, it was a tragedy that one of her student was left stranded in this world until she was in her middle ages while the rest were in the same exact, the precious time she could've have with them beyond her reach. For Yang she was stunned to discover the Ice Queen is now old enough to be her mother and upset that Weiss had to spend those years here alone without any one familiar to help her out. For Blake it reminded her of a story she read where there were two lovers whose love came to a tragic end where the two were separated by time; and by the time they reunited one was an elderly woman while the other was still in his prime. For Ruby she was devastated, having to realise that she missed the 3 decades worth of time in Weiss's life, missing all the birthdays and fighting they could've shared with one another.
Ruby then hugged Weiss again, this time crying as she dug her face into her friend's chest, expressing her sorrow and guilt. Weiss simply caressed Ruby's head like a mother comforting her child out of sadness.
Weiss gently pushed Ruby off her chest and looked into her redden silver-eyes. "Ruby, I know the feeling too. I've felt the same thing when I realized that I couldn't return to Remnant, and seeing you guys back here." Weiss then turned to look at the rest. "I didn't allow the grief to ruin me, you could say I went native and made a new life here."
She then looked at the watch on her wrist and her eyes widen a bit. "But that would be for later, first we need to meet King Regis."
"His Royal Majesty, King Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII, the 113th King of Lucis." Weiss announced as she introduced to her team and former professor to the her husband they were unaware of.
Ruby, Blake, Yang, and Glynda saw a aged, old man sitting on a golden throne on top of two levels of staircases. The throne itself was simple but the golden metalwork surrounding it was majestic and elaborately designed with many artistic patterns that resembled feathers. The king himself appear to looked entering his 60s, and wore a elaborate suit with golden ornaments with a short cape and knee bracelet.
The girls and woman from Remnant attempted to bow in respect to the monarch. "No need for that." They paused mid-bow confused at his command. "Weiss has told me quite a lot about you." The King rose up from his throne with a cane in his hand and slowly made his way down the stairs, using the cane to guide his frail body to meet them at equal ground.
"Regis Lucis Caelum." He introduced himself before looking over to RBY. "My wife told me a lot about you three. Ruby, Blake, and Yang." He sent a hidden smirk to his wife, who was fuming that he ruined the surpise.
Ruby, Blake, Yang, and Glynda froze at the word 'wife' and snapped their heads towards Weiss's direction. Mouth gaping at the implication of being called wife by the King.
"You're married!?"
"Holy crap ice queen, you're literally a queen now!"
"Language Yang! Weiss, does that mean you have a son?"
Ruby, Blake, and Yang were shocked that their missing friend was now married to a king and a royalty, making the ice queen nickname quite literal. This was not what they expected if they were to find her. Did that also mean she had a kid or kids running around here?
"Girls, watch your voice." Glynda reprimanded, pointing out to the amused King in front of him.
"Oh no need to do so. It's a perfectly natural reaction to see your long-last friend married to royalty." Regis waved off the concern.
"Like I said before, I made a new life here." Weiss grinned at the Remnantian's reaction. "As the Queen of Lucis and married to this fine gentleman here."
"Oh you flatter me Weissy, you are my little angel of snow graced upon me with your love." Regis teased.
"And I'm happy that I'm married to you Reggie, my dear Cactuar butty." Weiss smiled with passion, freaking out RBY a bit at how joyful she was. Glynda felt like a fish out of water with the teasing going on.
"Do you really have to bring that up" An exasperated Regis sighed.
"Yes Reggie; me, Clarus, Cor, and Cid will never forget that incident until our dying breath."
Regis knew as much as he wanted them to forget it, that moment of his life was simply embarrassing. "Much as we want to talk about the past, I believe we're getting past the topic at hand." He turned to face Glynda. "The portal you came through, how large is it and does anyone know about it on the otherside?"
Glynda replied to the King. "Your Majesty, the portal opened up at the island of Vytal, inside a valley that's well protected from Grimm-."
"Heard about those beasts, simply Daemons that can stay in the day." Regis muttered.
"- The 4 kingdoms were notified of the portal opening up at Vytal, big enough to comfortably accomodate a carrier. We were the first ones to be sent across the portal to observe the other side." Glynda glanced at Weiss. "And possibly find Weiss Schnee; who is now Weiss Lucis Caelum." Glynda felt awkward addressing Weiss since she was now older than her and technically outranked her, even when she was still technically a Beacon student.
"I see." King Regis contemplated the situation. "Dear, would you like to take them to their dinner and hotel room they will be sleeping in?" Regis suggested to his wife. "I'll have to discuss with the Council about this situation at hand, my queen." He gave her a grin.
"I would love to, my king." Weiss returned the smile back. "Come on girls, dinner is ready."
Weiss led their guests out of the throne room while Regis remained where he was, thinking of the possibilities and paths the future gave out to him. 'Is this what the Crystal and the Draconian meant a new path laid out for the True King?'
"Wei- I mean your Majesty, of all the things I would ever imagine, I didn't think you would become queen!" Blake exclaimed.
"Please, just call me by my name when alone." Weiss half asked and ordered.
"This is really weird Weiss. A few days ago, you were the same age as us. Now you're old enough to be our mom." Ruby said.
"Also, you look and sound… More relaxed and carefree." Yang observed.
"Mrs. Caelum, I did noticed a change in personality compared to your time in Beacon." Glynda added in.
Weiss was thinking of the change of personality she had decades ago, a time she felt like it was a fleeting memory. "Well… I guess spending all my time with Regis ever since he found me after coming out of the portal; he was a honorable, kind person who tried to see the best in people and would do anything to protect them." The queen's face morped to a pleased expression. "I was rather a cold person back then, and he would try to break me out of the shell or just be the most affectionate prince ever. Perhaps the most major change was when we turned 19 and Regis' father King Mors, sent us outside of Insomnia to go to the neighbouring country of Accordo for a restoration of the old alliance against the Empire."
They notceied her face getting a bit tense at the mention of the Empire. "Me and him and his royal retinue, fought together in the front lines against the Nifilheim Empire, a vast empire of magitek and machines; who seek to conquer the world with their never ending military might. This moment was perhaps when I realised what it truly meant to be a Huntress, a hero for the people, and where I fell in love with him." RBY and Glynda found themselves eager to hear on. "Seeing him risking his own life fighting in a battle where his life could be extinguished in any moment, he could've stayed back in Insomnia where he was comfortable and safe yet here he was fighting. All because he couldn't see innocents under attack, and that as a future King he has a obligation to lead them."
Weiss then smiled at the next memory she was about to tell. "Few years after that, he and I got married. The following years after it was wonderful and exciting." Weiss secretly giggled at the fond memories of multiple private, intimate enounters with her husband. "But perhaps the biggest moment that changed my life was when I gave birth to my son." Her face started to become emotional as her companion noticed tears gathering up. "Just looking at him suddenly reminded me of my upbringing and the burden he'll have to bear. I promised to myself that I would protect him from all the bad of the world, and give him the life I never had so he could enjoy what life has to give him." She finished, cleaning away the tears.
RBY and Glynda were silent from hearing what Weiss had to say. They saw how much the world and her new family changed for her.
Unfortunately the five individual were about to turn around a corner where Blake was the first to turn when she crashed intott someone hard. Next thing she knew was that she fell forward and landed on something soft. She saw a man with messy hair below her, an admittedly cute looking man who had some baby face and alluring blue eyes that seem to suck her in.
There was something about him that got Blake's attention, she wasn't sure why but the faunus part of her started to whisper to her that he was a important individual. She was confused by what the important individual part was but a part of her felt like giving utmost respect as if he was a divine being. Now that she thinked about it didn't this scene come out of Ninjas of Love V2 chapter 3?
"Blake, as much as you want to ogle my son even if you didn't mean to. I think you should take a look at yourself in your current position." Weiss's voice scolded her, half amused and annoyed.
But hearing the word son and position got Blake out of her thoughts as she noticed that she was straddling him, and her hands on his chest. A closer look showed that his hair had a band of snow white hair. Realisation kicked in and Blake's face turned red that she was essentially straddling and ogling Weiss's son. She leaped off of him like a cat and hid behind a laughing Yang, embarrassed of what just happened.
"Oh Blake you've should seen the reaction on your face!" Yang couldn't help but laugh at the situation. "And I didn't knew you were this assertive Blakey." The blonde teased her faunus friend.
"Please kill me." Blake whispered, wanting to dig herself deep down in the earth.
"Unbelievable." Goodwitch muttered, rolling her eyes, but secretly chuckled at the scene.
"This is just like Blake's filth." Ruby whispered very low; her face blushing.
"Mom, who the heck are they?" The man said as he got off from the floor.
RBY and Glynda now fully saw the son of Weiss Schnee, and found themselves surprised at his appearance. Instead of expecting a well-groomed and dressed crown prince of Lucis, they were looking at some young man dressed in a black outfit composed of a T-shirt covered by a jacket and pants, along with a messy hair. He kind of looked like those guys in the streets who try to make themselves look edgy as possible or part of a boy band. Also they had to admit he had a rather cute face that might become very handsome later on.
"And why do they look like they came out of a cosplay convention?" Weiss's son continued.
"Noctis, first introduce yourself before them." Weiss said to Noctis.
Shrugging his shoulder, Noctis introduced himself. "Noctis Lucis Caelum, prince of Lucis." He said with a bored tone. "Now who are you?"
"Ruby Rose."
"Yang Xiao Long." Noctis raised a eyebrow over the strange name.
"Glynda Goodwitch."
"Blake Belladonna."
"The girl who crashed into me and straddled me?" Noctis said to the embarrased girl.
"I'm sorry!" Blake apologized still embarrassed.
"It's ok." Noctis said unbothered by the incident.
Yang analysed Noctis, carefully looking all over his body before speaking over to Weiss. "Hey Weiss, looks like you got a hotshot of a son."
"W-wait what!?" The prince taken back by the compliment.
"Yang! You can't just say that to our godson." Ruby scolded her sister.
"What godson?" Noctis cried out.
"Besides Yang, my son is engaged." Weiss smirked at the gaping reaction.
"Mom, the heck is going on right now!?" Noctis slightly freaked out at what was happening.
Weiss turned to face her son and knew that she now had to reveal a long kept secret that only her husband and select friends knew of.
"Noctis, my son. I have a long story to tell."
