The two figures stood back to back on the rope bridge. The tension between the two was so intense that it couldn't even be cut by the sharpest of knives. As the waterfall roars, the two figures only stand in silence. Until suddenly Pyrrha quickly draws out Milo and Akouo, and rushes in to attack the stranger with a sword thrust. The stranger simply jumps back out of range from the thrust and pulls out what appears to be a pink lace parasol, before quickly rushing in to attack Pyrrha. Pyrrha raises her shield to block the jab and swings her short sword, the figure parrying the attack with ease. The hooded figure ducks underneath a horizontal slash from Pyrrha and thanks to their short stature, they were able to leave Pyrrha opened as they jabbed at her knees with the end of the parasol before uppercutting with the hooked end. The blow caused Pyrrha to stumble back as she gives a growl and glares at the figure.

From underneath the figure's hood, Pyrrha could see them giving a sly smile, as they give a small curtsy towards Pyrrha, taunting her. Pyrrha gives a loud roar of fury as she charges in blindly, Milo raised high as she gets ready to slice this figure up. When Pyrrha would swing her blade, the figure immediately breaks away into glass as they completely disappear. The blow from the strike caused a few strands of rope to get cut up as one of the wooden planks falls down to the watery abyss below. Pyrrha would suddenly feel a sharp pain in her neck as the hooded figure kicks Pyrrha with a white high heeled boot. The blow causes Pyrrha to fall down onto the bridge, another plank of wood breaking off. The red headed warrior does a quick roll away from the hooded figure as she lets her anger get the better of her. "Stop hiding behind your cheap tricks!" She shouts at the figure.

The figure simply lets out a small 'Heh' and taps her parasol on the wooden plank. Pyrrha growls at how smug this person was being, treating this fight like it's nothing but a game. Once again, she charges in, going for a horizontal slash. An audible sigh could be heard from the figure as they once again duck underneath it, attempting to use the hook of their parasol to trip Pyrrha. However, Pyrrha was able to predict this as she jumps over the hook and knees the figure before jumping off of their head, landing behind them and slashing their back as the figure falls onto the wooden bridge.

The slashes tear up their cloak as the figure gives a small grunt. They get back up and charge in towards Pyrrha. Pyrrha raises her guard to get ready to defend herself from the attack only for the charging figure to shatter into glass when they arrived. Pyrrha would then feel a dull pain to her skull as from the air, as the figure dives kick the top of Pyrrha's head. They jump off of them, twirling in the air as a blade comes out from the end of their parasol which they use to slash at Pyrrha's back in an X shape, before twirling her parasol so that the handle is on the other end. The figure hooks Pyrrha by the neck as they bring her down onto the ground, Pyrrha choking in pain from the sudden force. As Pyrrha fell to the ground, she was able to grab the shaft of the parasol with her semblance, causing the figure to fly over Pyrrha unexpectedly as she thrusted her sword up into the figure's chest, the figure just barely being able to dodge the lethal blow.

Pyrrha would land on the bridge with a thud as the wood creaked loudly, and the ropes holding the bridge together squeak from all the sudden weight landing on the bridge so quickly. Pyrrha would get up on her feet as she takes her cloak and rips it off, fully revealing herself to the figure. The figure gives a small exhale of air as they rip off their cloak, revealing a woman with long hair, one half pink and the other half brown. On top of their head was a black bowler hat with a red fabric circling around the base of the hat. She was wearing a white low-cut dress jacket with a black undershirt. For pants she was wearing black dress pants with two leather belts on her hips. Her white leather boots went up to her knees with black buttons lining up on the inside edge of the footwear. This woman was none other than Neopolitan,

Pyrrha gives a small chuckle as she smirks at the woman. "Heh, knew my instincts were right. You were one of those people that worked with Cinder, aren't you?" Pyrrha asks, the grip tightening on her sword.

When Pyrrha would say the name Cinder, Neo's grip would tighten on her parasol as a scowl grows on her face before her signature smug smile returns. What are the odds that she would encounter Pyrrha Nikos, the woman who was going to be the Fall Maiden? Though it's interesting to note how much she has changed. Granted while Neo never had much interaction with the spartan huntress, from what she knew, Pyrrha was always described as kind and caring, and always wanting to do the right thing. One of those goody two shoes types that Neo gets so annoyed at. But now, Pyrrha has the look of a murderer in her eyes, as rage radiated off of her. It almost reminds Neo of herself, but that's a thought for another day. She gives a small nod, answering Pyrrha's question as she taps her parasol once again.

Pyrrha gives a sadistic smile as she can finally take her rage out on one of the culprits that attacked Beacon. "Good. I'll make sure your death is long and agonizing for everything that you and your "friends" have done to me." Pyrrha snarled as she charges in towards Neo, shifting her sword into a small handgun as she fires shot after shot towards Neo.

Neo gives a smug smile as she opens her parasol and blocks each shot. When Pyrrha was within three feet of her, Neo flicks her wrist as a hidden blade slides out from the cuff of her sleeve. She swings her parasol towards Pyrrha's mid-section, who blocks the blow expertly with her handgun, while thrusting her hidden blade towards Pyrrha's throat. Pyrrha was able to bring up her shield in time, causing the blade to bounce off with a spark.

With Neo being wide open for attack, Pyrrha bashes the woman with her shield, causing Neo to fly backwards. As Neo flew back, she holds out her umbrella to hook one of the ropes that served as a railing for the bridge. She then uses the momentum to swing underneath the bridge and fly into the air high above the bridge. She opens up her parasol and starts to slowly float down. Pyrrha would throw her shield at Neo, only for Neo to shatter like glass as Pyrrha fell victim to another illusion. However, before Pyrrha throw the shield, she noticed a small shake from the bridge, like someone landed on it. So, when Pyrrha's shield hit the illusion, she swings her fist and hook punches an invisible Neo right in the cheek.

The pink and brown-haired girl gives Pyrrha a growl as she rubs her cheek before raising her parasol up high to bring it down on Pyrrha's head. Pyrrha blocks the blow and swings at Neo's neck, who blocks the blow as well. The two women would continue striking and parrying each other's blows as Neo gets forced back towards the cliffside that Pyrrha came from. From their rapid strikes, the ropes on the bridge would fall victim to the attacks as well, however the two women failed to notice this as they were focused on each other. When Neo and Pyrrha clashed weapons, Pyrrha took the opportunity to step on Neo's foot causing her to stumble back, a pained gasp escaping her lips. Throwing out her arm, Pyrrha calls back her shield as she closes in on Neo, slashing at her chest and causing the beads of her necklace to fly off the bridge.

Neo had no time to react to the lost of her jewelry as she finds herself balancing on the edge of a wooden plank. She was able to regain her balance and stands firm on both feet as she stares Pyrrha down. Pyrrha was about to attack when both women would stop in the middle of their movements as they hear the ropes snapping, causing one side of the bridge to fall off, leaving only one long piece of rope connected between the ends of the cliffs. Neo was able to hook the railing with her parasol in time and spin herself up on top of the rope, balancing herself on the thin platform. She watches Pyrrha fall to the depths, giving a happy chuckle before carefully walking away.

As Pyrrha fell she gives a roar of determination as she puts her shield underneath her feet. The shield becomes enveloped in a black aura as Pyrrha's decent would stop, and soon thanks to her sheer strength with her polarity, she was able to levitate herself back on top of the tightrope, landing with a squeak of the rope. Neo feels the vibrations from Pyrrha's landing and turns around, giving Pyrrha a surprised look. She smiles and immediately goes after Pyrrha once again, a blade coming out from the end of her parasol as she thrusts forward. Pyrrha leans out of the way from the thrust and stabs at Neo, only for her to shatter into glass yet again. She looks up and sees Neo getting ready to land a drop kick. Pyrrha raises her shield to block the blow and hears the sound of glass breaking once again before a loud bang is heard coming in front of her. Pyrrha was quickly able to deflect the shot and she sees Neo standing back, smoke coming out from the end of her parasol. Pyrrha gives a small growl as she rushes towards Neo, the rope squeaking more and more as the tension on it starts to cause some strands to tear apart. "I have my tricks too!" Pyrrha said to herself as she shifts her sword into a spear and throws it towards Neo.

Right before the spear would hit, Pyrrha notices the tension on the rope relaxing for a brief moment before intensifying again, this time coming from behind her. Pyrrha's spear would fly through Neo's chest, Neo once again shattering into glass as another clone falls. However as soon as the glass broke, Pyrrha quickly turns around and punches a dashing Neo in the gut, followed by bashing her face in with Akouo, a small trail of blood running down from Neo's nose. Pyrrha calls back her spear, shifting it into a sword mid flight as she delivers a powerful vertical slash, to which Neo blocks the strike with her parasol, grunting softly as she tries her best to hold back Pyrrha, eyes ablaze with anger.

Pyrrha's eyes soften for a brief moment as she notices the look in Neo's eyes. "Your eyes… they have the flames of vengeance dancing inside of them, like mine." Pyrrha said softly. Neo responds by giving a soft nod, not being able to talk. "Who are you seeking revenge against?" Pyrrha asked as she stares at Neo intently.

Neo gives Pyrrha a deadpanned look as she opens her mouth for a moment, emphasizing that she can't talk, before closing it. Pyrrha darts her eyes away for a moment before returning her attention on to Neo. "I'm… uh… sorry. I didn't know." Pyrrha apologized before shaking her head. She shouldn't be apologizing during a battle of life and death! But… what if by some chance… "Is it Cinder?" Pyrrha asks as she eases up on the pressure from her attack.

Neo's eyes light up as she realizes that they appear to be on the same boat. She nods her head as she starts to carefully lower her guard. Pyrrha lowers her weapons as well, putting her shield on her back while still having a firm grip on Milo before looking at the shorter woman. "If we both seek revenge on Cinder, then maybe it's better that we-" she said before her sentence was interrupted with a loud snap of the rope splitting in half. The two women stand in the air for a brief moment noticing the lack of any kind of ground beneath their feet before falling down the ravine.

Pyrrha lets out a scream as she fell, falling faster than that of Neo due to her heavier gear. Neo, seeing this repositions herself in the air and straightens herself out, falling towards Pyrrha as she held out her gloved hand. Pyrrha grabs Neo's hand with a firm grip as the pink and brown-haired girl opens her parasol to slow their descent. However, despite the strength that Neo's parasol had, it wasn't enough to fully slow down their fall. Thankfully, Pyrrha closed her eyes and concentrated on Neo's parasol, a black aura enveloping it as she uses her semblance to levitate the two back up. Neo gives a happy smile as the two women fly back up to the cliff side that Neo came from, the two of them landing on the stone ground with a thump.

Pyrrha gets up onto her feet, holding her hand out for Neo so that she can help the shorter girl up. Neo grabs her hand and stands up, staring up at Pyrrha. The two women put away their weapons as they stare at each other awkwardly, not sure what to say. "Well… umm…" Pyrrha murmured as she hasn't felt this feeling of awkwardness in a very long time.

Neo gives a small sigh as she moves her hands, signing to Pyrrha. "Do you understand sign language?" She asks with a raised eyebrow.

Pyrrha nods her head. "I do. I learned it before I went to Beacon." she said, crossing her arms. "So… why do you want to kill Cinder?" Pyrrha asks the much shorter woman. Neo only went up to Pyrrha's chest, and that's with wearing high heels boosting her height.

Neo starts to move her hands quickly, signing to Pyrrha. "Well that's a long story, but to make it short, sweet, and simple; which is the opposite of what you are right now." Neo signed with a teasing smile. Pyrrha gives a small growl as she stares at Neo with a deadly look in her eyes. Neo throws up her hands to get her to calm down. "I'm kidding! No need to be so serious. But as I was saying, Cinder hired my lover, Roman Torchwick, and myself to help carry out whatever jobs she had for us. We were promised a big reward that could allow us to survive and live a quiet life, so we obviously accepted. However, if only I knew what this job would entail. Roman got very invested into this new job he had, just because of the payment that was guaranteed to be given to him, allowing us to live our dreams." Neo signed, taking a small break.

"And was that dream to steal, plunder and get rich?" Pyrrha asked with a flat tone, knowing what all criminals are like.

Neo's face reflects that like she was insulted as she puts her hands on her hips and stares Pyrrha down before a playful smile shows up on her face. "Those were all means to an end. Our dream was to own our very own island and live a peaceful life. Stealing was just a quicker way to reach that dream. With Cinder's help, we thought that we would be able to reach that dream even faster. The attack on Beacon was supposed to be our last job before the paycheck. We were told that the Grimm wouldn't attack us so that we can have an easier time completing the job and causing chaos. But Roman…" Neo pauses as a longing look grows on her face. She takes a big sigh as she starts signing again. "He was eaten by a Griffon Grimm. I was helpless to do anything as I was flown away on my parasol to God knows where." Neo said as she wipes a single tear away from the corner of her eye.

Pyrrha gives Neo a sympathetic stare as she pats the short woman's shoulder. "I see. So that bitch lied to you and treated you as one of her pawns." Pyrrha said, her desire to kill Cinder rising to the boiling point.

Neo gives Pyrrha an angry glare as she nods. "That would be correct. That dumb bitch said that we would be safe from the Grimm, right in front of our faces! Yet my dear Roman was swallowed alive by her very own pet! It doesn't help too that Little Red did absolutely nothing as she just stood there before running away from the Atlas ship that we were on."

Pyrrha's eyes widen as she steps back slightly. "Little Red? You mean Ruby?" Pyrrha asked. It seems like the two of them have more things in common then they first thought.

Neo nods her head as she takes her hat off, looking at it with a longing sigh before putting it back on. "She's always claimed to wanting to be a great huntress, yet she couldn't do anything to save Roman, only stare at what was going on like a dumb child." She signed.

Pyrrha clenches her fist tightly, arm shaking as she now knows that Ruby not only failed her job to save people not once, but twice. "Ruby failed to save my love Jaune from the hands of Cinder. She was sure of herself that she could save him and believed that he will be okay. But she would only return with a blank look in her eyes." Pyrrha said. This obviously didn't happen, as Ruby was unconscious when Qrow returned back to where Pyrrha was during that fateful night. But due to how broken Pyrrha's mind is, it forced upon her this false memory so that it could only further her desire for revenge.

Neo clicks her tongue as she shakes her head disapprovingly. "That's what I expected. While my main goal is to kill Cinder for everything she's done, I would also like to have some, well "fun" with Little Red." she signed with a devious smile.

A smile grows on Pyrrha's face as well as she leans against a tree that was near the cliff. "What kind of fun are you talking about?" She asks, curious to know what's going on in Neo's head. Pyrrha has her own idea on what "fun" could mean.

"Well how about we beat her within an inch of her own life to send a message. Not kill her per say, because I can't fully blame her for Roman's death, but just enough that it will force her to reconsider ever wanting to be a huntress." Neo signed as she lets out a quiet giggle.

Pyrrha gives a small chuckle as well. "I'm glad you and I are on the same wavelength." Pyrrha said as she steps away from the tree and walks towards Neo, extending her arm out. "I think you and I will get along nicely partner." Pyrrha smiled as she waits for Neo to shake her hand.

Neo smiles as well, grabbing Pyrrha's hand with her own and shaking it firmly. When the two would part their hands, Neo starts signing once again. "Oh, by the way, you owe me a new necklace. The one you ruined was worth ten thousand Lien." Neo said with a devilish smirk.

Pyrrha gives Neo a small growl as she glares at her. "I don't owe you anything. But if you're so desperate for a new necklace, I can rip out your throat and you can use that as a lovely new necklace." She grumbled, her tone of voice indicating that she wasn't kidding.

Neo's eyes dilate for a brief moment as she puts up her hands to calm Pyrrha down, giving the taller girl a playful smile. "I was just kidding! No need to be such a grumpy pants about it!"

Pyrrha gives a small chuckle as she pats Neo's back firmly, causing the shorter girl to wince in pain. "I was too. Probably." Pyrrha said causing Neo to ponder on what Pyrrha meant by "Probably". "So, I'm guessing we're going to go after Ruby first. Thankfully, I know where she lives, and her home isn't too far from here. The island of Patch is only a four day walk from here, before we have to take a trip by boat." Pyrrha said as she pulled out a map that she kept in her bag, showing Neo the approximate location, they were at. "Neo, I know you can disguise yourself, but do you think you can disguise me?" She asks.

Neo tilts her head at Pyrrha. "I can. I'm guessing you don't want people to recognize the Pride of Mistral and have them grovel at your feet?" Neo signed with a smug smile.

Pyrrha nods her head with a sigh. "Yes. Their… adoration of me is something that I always hated. Besides, for as far as the public knows, I'm dead and I want it to stay that way." She said with a grumble as the two women start to make their way west.

Neo shakes her hands as she follows after Pyrrha. "Oh, how edgy of you! Do you cut yourself with that edge?" Neo taunts at Pyrrha's dispense.

Pyrrha gives a growl as she shoves Neo with her elbow. "I take it back. You and I are not going to get along." She says a look of displeasure on her face. This is going to be a long journey if Neo is going to be this annoying.

As the two walk through the snowy forest trail, the songs of the cardinals fill the air as they break the silence that was between the two women. Pyrrha looks up and sees two cardinals, a male and a female, nuzzling their heads together as they sing. Pyrrha gives a small sigh as despite her anger and hatred, her heart still longs for the warmth and comfort of her first love. Neo notices this and gives Pyrrha a reaffirming pat on the shoulder. "I know Pyrrha… I relate all too much. When you lose that very special person in your life… it's hard to fill that empty hole in your chest. But hey, at least we can be miserable together! Misery does always prefer company." Neo signed as she tried to comfort Pyrrha the best way that she can. She isn't super good with this kind of stuff, but she hopes that her words are at least able to help.

Pyrrha sees Neo sign and gives her a smile. "Thank you, Neo, once we both get our revenge on Cinder, I know that our pain will end." Pyrrha said with determination. With Neo on her side, she definitely feels much stronger now. Cinder won't stand a chance in hell when she comes face to face with the two of them.

Soon the sun of Remnant would start to lower as the moon slowly rises. The two women were still in the snowy forest of the kingdom of Vale, however they started to notice that as they walked, more lush and green pastures started to peak among the snow, signaling the end of winter and the start of spring. Deciding that they should make camp for the night, Pyrrha and Neo go into the snowy woods, trudging through the snow as they find a small cave. However, inside the cave were a few Ursa Grimm, sleeping soundly. Neo and Pyrrha immediately raise their weapons and point them at two of the sleeping Grimm. Without further hesitation the two of them lay fire on the unsuspecting Grimm, filling their bodies with holes from their weapons. The two Ursas let out a cry of pain before disappearing into black smoke.

Despite two of them being killed, Neo and Pyrrha keep their weapons drawn, waiting for any other Grimm that may jump out from the smoke. Another Ursa lunges out from the smoke, growling loudly as it runs towards Neo, shaking the earth with each step. Neo smiles, opens her parasol, and holds it over her shoulder, twirling it slowly. When the Ursa would stand up from all fours and onto it's hindlegs so that it can deliver a powerful claw slash, Neo would shatter into glass as from behind the Grimm, Neo stabs at it with her parasol, causing the Grimm to roar in pain. Pyrrha follow ups Neo's attack by shifting her rifle into a spear and thrusts it into the side of the Grimm's head. She then jumps over the Grimm itself, keeping a firm grip on her spear as a twisting snap is heard as Pyrrha broke the Grimm's neck, landing on the other side. She flicks her wrist and tears the head off without any effort, causing the Grimm to disperse into black smoke.

Neo gives Pyrrha a small clap, impressed with the show before she hears another Grimm charging towards her. When the Grimm would stand up to attack, holding out both of it's arms to deliver a deadly crushing hug, Neo ducks to the ground and slides between the Grimm's feet. The next thing the Ursa would be greeted to is Pyrrha's shield being bashed into it's skull, causing it to fall backwards with a groan. Neo holds her parasol up and catches the massive Grimm with the sharp end, piercing it through it's spine before kicking it off as it fades away into black smoke once again.

Neo bounces back up onto her feet and gives Pyrrha a small bow and a smile. Pyrrha crosses her arms and gives a small huff of air. "Show off."

"It's no fun killing Grimm unless you add a little bit of flair to it." Neo signed with a smug smile, causing Pyrrha to roll her eyes.

"Yeah yeah yeah… good job though." Pyrrha grumbled. When Neo heard this, she gave a small smile, enjoying the praise from the grumpy red head. "Let's just go ahead and set up camp." Pyrrha murmured as she puts away her weapons and head into the cave where the Grimm once were. It wasn't that deep, only going in about ten feet, but it did feel slightly warm inside. When investigating, Pyrrha would see why it was warm, as there was a large crystal of fire dust in the very back of the cave. The crystal shone bright orange and was almost as big as Pyrrha. She gives a small whistle for Neo to come inside, to which the pink and brown-haired girl did. She notices the large crystal and gives a whistle as well, thinking of how much money could be made off of that. "It's very warm, and it could be quite useful." Pyrrha commented as she puts her hands on the warm gem, giving a small satisfying sigh as her hands warm up from the bitter cold.

"It could be used to make some pretty big profits or make a very big explosion. Either way, not taking this will be a huge waste of an opportunity." Neo signed as she skips playfully around the gem. She leans on it causing the gem to shift a bit from Neo's weight, catching her off guard. Pyrrha glares at Neo for being reckless, only for the shorter woman to give a shrug. "We'll be fine as long as it doesn't take too heavy of a blow. Large dust crystals such as these are more durable than you might think." Neo confidently signs as she pats the crystal.

"And how would you know?" Pyrrha asked, feeling that she already knew the answer.

"Roman and I stole large crystals from a Schnee Dust Mine way back in our early years. He dropped one about this size on his foot and it was fine. The same couldn't be said about his foot, however. But it was a bit amusing to see him hopping around in pain." Neo paused as a small airy chuckle escapes her lips, reminiscing on the long-ago memory. "I remember that after we took the crystal and sold it on the black market, he would ask me to kiss his foot to make him feel better. He was completely oblivious to the innuendo as I bonked him on the head with Hush before explaining to him what was wrong with what he said. His face was priceless!" Neo signed as with the help of her semblance, she recreates the facial expression that Roman had, eyes dilated, face bright red and mouth trembling before shifting back into Neo's face. Neo squeezes her gut as she heaves over in silent laughter. The sight of Neo laughing so hard and the small story of this supposed criminal mastermind being a clumsy dork causes Pyrrha to give a small genuine laugh. Neo hears Pyrrha laugh and gets back up, giving her a teasing smile. "So, you can laugh. Good. It was getting boring to hear you growl all the time." Neo signed.

Pyrrha's face quickly shifted back into anger as she crosses her arms. "Don't expect to see it too much. It's just… the memory reminded me of something that Jaune would do and I couldn't help it." Pyrrha grumbles. Neo gives Pyrrha a sad stare before sighing softly. "Anyways, we don't need to set up a campfire, and uh… you can have my sleeping bag. I'm fine with the stone floor." Pyrrha said as she quickly took out her one sleeping back and rolls it out in front of the large crystal.

Neo was caught off guard by Pyrrha's generosity, believing that the Pyrrha that once was is long been gone. Perhaps that Pyrrha is still lurking somewhere deep inside her heart. Not being one to refuse someone's generosity, whether it be consensual or not, Neo gladly accepts the sleeping back and quickly gets underneath the covers. Pyrrha takes her armor off and lays down to the right of the crystal. "We will set out first thing in the morning. If we're able to make good time, we can make it to the port in two more days." Pyrrha said as she lays down and stares up at the cave ceiling, noting the small little gems on top that makes it look like the night sky. Neo gives a small nod and taps the cave floor, in acknowledgment. Soon enough, the two women would be overcome with sleep.

"Can't you see Neo?! With all the Lien that this Cinder chick is promising us, we can finally live our dreams! Just imagine it, our own private island, away from the law as we live like how we humans are supposed to live! In paradise!" The familiar voice of Roman Torchwick said to the shorter woman, his arm over her shoulder as he brings her in close. "And we can not only start our own family, but our own tiny little community! We will show your stubborn old man how it's done as he rolls around in his grave." Roman cooed, caressing Neo's cheek before kissing her hand.

Neo gives a small blush as she spins her parasol in her hand. This offer sounded too good to refuse! A family with Roman? Building their own society from the ground up? What could be better?! Unfortunately, as Neo was about to respond, she would see a massive shadowy figure rise up behind Roman and engulf her love in darkness. She reaches her hand out in horror, a silent scream escaping her lips.

Neo would suddenly find herself wide awake, tears running down her eyes as she looks around in terror before noticing that she's in the cave with the large dust crystal. She gives a deep sigh as she looks over to see if Pyrrha was still sleeping, only to find her missing. Her armor was still right where she left it so Pyrrha didn't abandon her. Perhaps she went out for a midnight stroll? Getting out from the sleeping bag and exiting the cave, she walks through the snowy forest as she tries to find Pyrrha. She would then hear a voice coming from her right. Following the source of the noise, she creeps around silently, making sure to make as little noise as possible.

The voice would get louder and louder with each step until she finds a small light within the darkness. Hiding behind a large tree, Neo would see Pyrrha holding her scroll, looking at it longingly. Curious to know what Pyrrha was doing, she stays put to see if she can spy in on what was going on. Neo would once again hear the voice that she heard early as it starts to speak. "Hey Pyrrha… I… uh… well I think I should apologize first for stealing your scroll. Yeah yeah I know I said that I needed it because I left my scroll in the dorm and couldn't get in, but that was a lie and I hope you forgive me for that." The voice would belong to none other than Jaune Arc, the leader of team JNPR. Neo wasn't super familiar with him, but she could recognize him by his voice. Jaune would continue his message for Pyrrha with a sigh. "I just… well… I wanted to record a message for you. I hope you're able to read this message before you start your match in the finals during the Vytal Festival so… I just want to tell you how much you mean to me. You… well… umm… I didn't realize how hard this was. I just wanted to wuh wah!" Jaune shrieked as a muffled banging can be heard as the scroll that Jaune was holding falls to the ground.

Neo could hear Pyrrha give a small giggle, sounding just like the one she gave earlier, causing the brown and pink haired woman to give a small frown of sympathy. Soon enough on the recording, Jaune would pick the scroll back up and give a sigh of relief. "Oh thank god there isn't a crack, I'm not sure what I would've done if I cracked your scroll… but back to the point of this message. I just want to say that… you're the most important person to me. You saw me at my absolute lowest and strived to help me rise to the top, even though my journey there has only just begun. I'm probably at like maybe the top of the bottom, maybe low mid on this imaginary pyramid that I have in my head but that's not the point. The point is that, you're helping me realize that my dream of becoming a hunter to help protect and save the people of Remnant is actually possible and not a far off fantasy as some people led me to believe. And you didn't have to do any of this! You could've just shrugged me off and think that you're too good for me because of your celebrity status, but you didn't! Because you're a kind, caring and humble person through and through. Remnant needs more people like you Pyrrha, because you make a dark and cold world warm up into one that I want to live in. So just… thank you so much Pyrrha. I will cherish our relationship for the rest of my life." Jaune said before stopping the recording.

Neo could see a small tear running down Pyrrha's cheek as the spartan holds her scroll tight to her chest. "Jaune… I miss you so much… everything I do is for you. I will never forget you and I will make sure that Remnant never forgets you either." Pyrrha sobbed as she wipes her eyes and taps on her scroll, making the video play again.

Neo gives a quiet sigh as she leaves to go back to the cave, being left alone with her thoughts. 'Pyrrha… our loves helped shape us who we are. While I can't make any promises for anything that happens way down the line, but for the foreseeable future, I promise that I won't leave your side. We will avenge our lovers.' Neo thought to herself as a newfound fondness developed in her heart for Pyrrha. Neo would enter back into the cave get under the sleeping bag and soon fall back asleep.

The cracks of sunlight would shine through the cave opening as the two women slowly wake up from their mostly peaceful slumber. The two stretch their arms as they give a loud yawn before looking at the large crystal. "Well what should we do about this beauty?" Neo asked with a curious look in her eyes.

"I think it's too big for us to carry as it will just slow us down. I want to try to get to Patch as soon as possible. However, that doesn't mean we can't take pieces of it." Pyrrha suggested as she took out Milo and broke off one of the gem fragments that stuck out of the large crystal, before stashing it in her bag. She hits the dust crystal again with Milo, knocking off a palm sized crystal and hands it to Neo. Pyrrha does this about four more times so that the both of them have about three large flame dust crystals each. "If we can get into town and find some empty dust cartridges, we can make our own flame rounds. Or we can even use these raw and set fire to something if need be." Pyrrha thought aloud as she looked at one of the crystals in her hand before putting them away.

"I like the way you think! Arson is always fun!" Neo signed giving an evil grin.

Pyrrha gives Neo a small snarl, causing the shorter woman to roll her eyes. "We will only commit arson if necessary. It'll just be a waste to use it for fun." Pyrrha lectured, not being opposed to the idea but wanting to utilize the dust crystal to its fullest potential. Neo gives a small groan as she starts to waltz her way out of the cave, Pyrrha close behind.

The two girls would find themselves back on the road again, walking down the path in silence for the most part, save for a few tweets from various birds. When noon would strike, Pyrrha and Neo would find that most of the snow in the area they were in has melted as bright green grass sways in the wind. As they make their way, further down the trail, they would find what appears to be a fuel station and diner hybrid. In front of one of the signs they would find a black motorcycle. Pyrrha looks at Neo and gives her a smile. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" She asks.

This caught Neo off guard. Pyrrha being the one to suggest that they steal the motorcycle instead of her?! This is something that shouldn't normally happen! Though then again, Pyrrha is willing to do anything to complete her goal so stealing wasn't out of the realm of possibility. Neo gives a happy and innocent smile as she playfully skips over to the motorcycle, tapping her heels together every now and then as she sits on the sleek black beauty. "Oh, we are definitely stealing this bad boy. The poor sap even left his keys in here! This guys misfortune is our pleasure!" Neo signed as she gives a happy silent giggle.

Pyrrha walks up to the cycle and investigates it. "Do you know how to drive this? I can drive a car, but not a motorcycle." Pyrrha asked, a bit embarrassed at the fact but it's something that in her previous life she never bothered to learn. Neo nods her head as she scoots up towards the front of the motorcycle and turns on the engine. Pyrrha hops on and sits behind Neo, holding her by the waist. "Let's go then." Pyrrha said as with a roar of the engine, Neo and Pyrrha took off down the path.

What would've been a two-day trip was quickly shortened to six hours from how fast they were going on the motorcycle, not wanting to waste any time. As the sun would start to set, Neo and Pyrrha could see the silhouette of buildings in the horizon, as the port town of Seam came into view. Pyrrha tugs at Neo's shoulders, getting her to stop at the location they were in. "We need to disguise ourselves now before we get into town. Even though my short hair and scar can conceal me, there are no doubt going to be those die-hard fans that will immediately call me out." Pyrrha suggested to Neo. "Plus, with you being a wanted criminal, I'm certain that the local huntsmen and huntresses will arrest you on the spot."

Neo gives a small nod as she looks over to Pyrrha, one foot on the dirt ground as the motorcycle churned. "Well do you have any suggestions for a disguise, or do you want me to just go with a random look?" She asks.

"Actually, I have a disguise in mind for the both of us." Pyrrha says, reaching to take out her scroll and scrolling through the pictures. She comes across one that's of her with a brown haired girl with wavy locks that gradient into a caramel color, wearing a beret, designer sunglasses, a light brown colored shirt with a black scarf who has her arms wrapped around a brown haired rabbit faunus girl with brown eyes, a long sleeved brown jacket and black under armor. The two girls seemed to look very happy as Pyrrha holds up a peace sign. "Their names are Coco Adel and Velvet Scarlatina. They're two students from Beacon. I was thinking that we disguise ourselves as them when we enter town, rent a hotel, board the ship to Patch and go to Ruby's house, saying that we want to have a "talk" with Ruby about some important information in regards to Cinder." Pyrrha said, devising a masterful plan. "Plus, with us disguised as those two, it'll get Yang to get off our backs as she would immediately trust us."

Neo nods her head as she studies over the two figures. She gives a small hum and snaps her fingers, shards of glass covering over her as she soon becomes Velvet Scarlatina. She shifts her focus over to Pyrrha who would feel a tingly feeling running over her body as she becomes Coco Adel. "Velvet" gives a smug smile. "A perfect reflection if I do say so myself." she signs with pride.

"Coco" gives a smile as she clears her throat. "Very much so dear and leave the talking to me. I know how shy you tend to get." She said, lowering the sunglasses to give Neo a wink, almost perfectly imitating Coco's voice.

Neo gives a happy smile, satisfied that her work is being recognized. 'Just like what Roman used to do.' she thought to herself before revving up the engine of the motorcycle and heading towards the town. The two women would quickly arrive into town and park the motorcycle outside of a hotel, with Neo using her semblance to change the motorcycle's color to a crimson red color with white highlights, in the event should the original owner stumble upon their bike parked in front of the hotel.

Pyrrha admires the design change and nods her head. "That's actually a pretty color scheme. Good taste Velvet." She complimented, staying in character just to be safe. "Velvet" gives a small curtsey before the two walked into the hotel. "Coco" walks up to the counter and rests her elbow as she looks at the clerk. "One two bedroom for the night darling." She asks as she quickly puts down the payment for the room on the desk without the clerk even telling her the price. "Velvet" was hiding behind "Coco" acting shy as she looked at the clerk from the side.

The poor boy could only stumble on his words as he takes the payment and slides over the key to their room. "Y-your room is 312 ma'ams. P-please have a nice night!" He squeaks with a bow. "Coco" takes the key and starts walking towards the elevator, motion for "Velvet" to follow her.

Once the two would arrive in their room, they would find themselves in a fairly nice-looking hotel room, two plush looking beds with white sheets that look like they were freshly washed and pressed. There were two end tables next to the beds. A scarlet throw rug was between the two beds and in front of the beds was a forty-inch television mounted on an oak bookcase. There was a large window on the wall across from the door they entered with red curtains. Neo dismantles the illusion, causing herself and Pyrrha to go back to their original selves. "You're quite the actress, aren't you?" Neo complimented as she throws herself onto the bed, landing with a 'POMPF!'

"Well, being the Pride of Mistral, it became a requirement for me to have. I'm more surprised that I was able to, for the most part, mimic Coco's voice." Pyrrha sighed as she stretched her arms, removing her armor. "You can take the first shower. You look like you need one." Pyrrha offered with a teasing smile.

"Are you saying that I stink?" Neo asks with a glare.

"Literally, yes. Figuratively, I will have to see, but survey is leaning towards yes as well." Pyrrha chuckled as she rests her arms behind her head. Neo holds up her middle finger and flips the red head off, giving an angry glare. Pyrrha gives a small laugh at Neo's anger. "Fuck you too." She said with a smile. Neo couldn't stay angry at Pyrrha forever, as her angry glare would soon be replaced with a smile. She jumps up from the bed and prances towards the bathroom to take her shower.

After a few minutes, Neo would exit the bathroom, dressed in only her undergarments before sparkling glass shines over her as Neo dresses herself in a long pink and white sleeping gown. She motions towards Pyrrha that it's her turn for a shower, which the red head happily accepts. Once Pyrrha was done showering, she would find Neo laying down on the bed, watching the TV as it reports about the deaths of a notorious bandit named Anzo and his crew the Blunderbore Bandits at the hands of a mysterious masked huntress who called herself Vindicta. Neo looks at Pyrrha and gestures towards the TV. "Is that you that they're talking about on the TV?" Neo asks curiously.

Pyrrha nods her head as she goes over to put on Jaune's hoodie over her undergarments. "Yes, that's me. I killed those bandits as well as a giant goose Grimm." She said with a sigh.

"Singlehandedly?"

"Yep. That's how I got this scar on my face. Anzo almost got the jump on me but I was able to dodge in time. However, that's a story for another time. Let's just say that the reward they gave me is big enough for us to buy a small house." Pyrrha said as she gives a small yawn before turning off the TV. "Get some rest. We're leaving first thing in the morning." She said as she got underneath the covers.

"You and your always wanting to leave first thing in the morning. Haven't you heard that sleeping in is good for your beauty?" Neo signed with a sigh as she really doesn't want to get up early while sleeping in a bed this comfy.

"Suck it up. We play by my rules for now. Besides, if we can get to Patch early enough, we can "talk" to Ruby before her sister wakes up. That bimbo was always a late sleeper, having been late to classes on multiple occasions." Pyrrha commented.

Neo gives a chuckle at Pyrrha calling Yang a bimbo, giving her a nod as she gets comfortable underneath the covers. "That's fair enough. Well good night." Neo signed before turning off the lights.

"Good night Neo." Pyrrha said as she soon fell asleep.

The next day, the sun would rise into the sky as the two women's alarms blared off. Pyrrha gets up and out of bed with a stretch while Neo fumbled her arm around to try to turn off the alarm, before getting out of bed and stretching as well. "Let's not waste any time. We'll get a quick breakfast and leave." Pyrrha says as she dresses herself back in her usual clothes, as Neo did the same. Soon the two women would put on their disguises again and after a quick breakfast, the two would leave the hotel and head towards the dock. As they drove down the streets of the city, passing the concrete buildings, hardly anyone was out and about, which should mean that the first boat to Patch should be leaving soon. The two women arrive at the port and buy two tickets to Patch, figuring that it's better and easier to buy the tickets instead of stowing away. Plus, they're able to take their motorcycle on the boat as well so they have an easier way towards Ruby's house.

After a small one-hour trip, the boat would port in the docks of Patch as the forest island welcomes the two women warmly. Without wasting any further time, they set out towards Ruby's house, Pyrrha remembering the address and location due to Ruby constantly inviting her and all of Team JNPR to her house during the holidays. After a thirty-minute drive, Neo and Pyrrha would drive up to a small log cabin that was in the middle of the woods. Parking just outside of the property, Neo and Pyrrha get off of the cycle and give a deep sigh, their hearts racing as the clock counts down to the moment when Ruby will face the consequences of her actions.

Pyrrha, disguised as Coco walks up to the wooden door and gives a knock that could be heard throughout the house. They would hear the sound of a dog barking as after a few minutes they would see Yang, a depressed look in her eyes answering the door, hiding slightly behind it. She stares at the two girls in surprise, who stare at her in return. "Coco? Velvet? What brings you two here?" She asks with a warm smile, enjoying the sight of two good friends paying her a visit.

"Oh, we were in the area and figured that we would like to see how you and Ruby are doing. Speaking of, where is the little cutie?" "Coco" asks as she peaks over Yang and into their house. "Velvet" was shyly tapping her fingers together, staying silent, but she made sure to give Yang a warm smile and a happy wave.

Yang's eyes dull for a moment as she remembers where Ruby went. "Oh… well Ruby isn't here. She…" Yang trailed off before she got cut off by a masculine voice.

"Yang? Who's at the door?" Asks a friendly voice.

"Just some friends from school Dad." Yang responds.

"Well invite them in for some tea! I'll get the water boiling." says the voice from upstairs.

Yang opens the door for "Coco" and "Velvet", revealing herself to be wearing an orange tank top with black sleep pants. But the most eye-catching thing was Yang's missing arm, having been reduced to a small nub that went to where her elbow should be. Pyrrha stares at the absence of the limb with disinterest before walking in with Neo close behind, who was trying not to smile at the sight of Yang's missing arm. Pyrrha would immediately see a black and white corgi excitedly running up to them and giving Pyrrha a sniff. He gives a happy bark as he jumps up and puts his front paws on Pyrrha's leg, immediately recognizing her scent and being so happy to see her again. "Eh! D-down Zwei! Don't get my pants hairy! They cost 2,000 Lien!" She said trying to shoo the dog away.

"Oh? You know Zwei? I don't recall you ever meeting him." Yang said, a bit surprised by Coco knowing Zwei by name.

"Uh yeah I did. Ruby had me meet him before the Vytal Festival." Pyrrha lied, trying to come up with an excuse. Zwei would soon jump off of "Coco" and walk over to "Velvet" to give her a sniff. When he does, he immediately growls at her, recognizing her scent as he bares his fangs at the girl, ears pinned back. "Velvet" acts scared as she hides behind "Coco" from the growling dog.

"Zwei! What's gotten into you boy? That's Velvet! She's a friend!" Yang said trying to calm him down, but to no avail as Zwei would only bark and growl at Neo once more. Yang gives a soft sigh, moving towards the door and whistles to Zwei. "Come on boy, let's go outside for a bit." She said calling for him, yet he didn't come and instead stayed to growl at Neo. "Zwei! Come!" Yang ordered firmly, only for Zwei to once again not listen. Yang gives a sigh as she walks over to him, kneels down, and scoops him up in one arm, carrying him like a football. She places him outside and points for him to go play before closing the door, much to Zwei's displeasure. "I'm so sorry about him. I have no idea what's gotten into him today." Yang apologized.

"It's alright dear, though I think that little encounter scared Velvet speechless. You know how she can be sometimes." "Coco" shrugged off, trying to play it cool.

Yang gives a small smile. "Yeah, well follow me into the kitchen for some tea." She said, motioning for the two women to follow her. Once inside the rustic kitchen, Pyrrha and Neo would sit down at the log table that was covered with a blue and white checkered tablecloth.

Coming down from the stairs would be a tall blonde-haired man with a tattoo on his arm, this being Yang's father, Taiyang Xio Long. "Ah! You two are Yang and Ruby's friends correct?" He asks with a smile.

"Yes. I'm Coco and this is Velvet." Pyrrha greeted with a friendly smile.

"Coco and Velvet huh? Well how about I get you two some hot cocoa and some chocolate velvet cake bites for you two ladies." Tai said with a knowing smile as Yang gives him a fist bump.

Pyrrha only gives a loud groan as she rolls her eyes. 'Oh God there's two of them…'

With a few minutes of small talk, Tai would set down two mugs of hot cocoa in front of Pyrrha and Neo, who take the mug in their hands and take a sip. "So how does it taste?" Yang asks curiously, leaning against the countertop.

"Velvet" gives a thumbs up as she eagerly takes another sip, always having been a lover of sweets. "Coco" however pauses as she stares down at the mug after having taken a sip. Even with something so sweet as hot chocolate, she still couldn't taste anything. "Is something wrong with the cocoa Coco?" Tai asks with a smile, chuckling softly at the little repetition in his sentence.

Pyrrha shakes her head as she focuses back to the current event. "Oh no there isn't. It's very yummy. I've always loved anything chocolate. I just had something on my mind." she lied as she takes another sip of the hot beverage.

Tai and Yang give a soft smile as Yang goes over to sit across from "Velvet". "So how have things been ever since the fall?" Yang asks, wanting to see how her friends are doing.

"Oh, we've been doing quite alright if I do say so myself. It's been a bit hard to adapt to the new way of things, but with Velvet and the others by my side, we can handle anything. How about you two, and where's Ruby?" Pyrrha asks, wanting to get to the point of why they came to visit and not dawdle any longer.

"Well Pops and I have been doing good for the most part, just hanging in there. But we're alright." Yang said with a smile.

"Don't you mean "all left"?" Tai asked with a cheesy grin. Yang returns the grin and gives her dad a finger gun, making it clearly obvious that Tai is in fact the father. Pyrrha gives a long and deep internal groan at the sight of these two jokers. A part of her starts to think that Ruby just being related to these two is punishment enough.

"But uh… to answer your question about Ruby. She… well… she left home two weeks ago for Mistral alongside Ren and Nora." Yang said.

Were it not for the sunglasses that "Coco" was wearing, Yang and Tai could see the intense glare of anger shining in Pyrrha's eyes. Neo gives a small, frustrated sigh as she finishes her cup of cocoa. "I… see. Did she say why she was going to Mistral?" She asked.

"She remembered hearing Cinder say that she was from Mistral, Haven Academy to be precise. So they're going there to see if they can find her." Yang said. Pyrrha slams the table with her fist as she rockets up, her brows furrowed. Neo squeezes tightly onto her mug as she stares angerly into the empty piece of ceramic. These actions did not go unnoticed by Yang and Tai as they look at the two of them with concern. "Is everything alright?" Yang asks, getting a bit suspicious of them, starting to believe that Zwei might have been onto something.

Pyrrha takes a deep breath as she calms herself down. "I'm sorry, it's just… hearing that name just upsets me. She destroyed our school and killed poor Jaune." Pyrrha apologized with a bow as she sits back down.

Yang and Tai only stare at "Coco" in suspicion before shrugging it off, figuring that that night was stressful for everyone. Everyone has their own PTSD from the events of that night. "But yeah… Rubes isn't here right now. Why did you need to see her?" Tai asks, concern growing over his daughter.

"There was something that we needed to ask of her privately. It… involves matters with Cinder in fact. Just some information that we learned from Goodwitch." Pyrrha lied, trying to get the two blondes to believe them. "I would tell you but Goodwitch said that this information is to be shared only with Ruby." Pyrrha said as Neo nodded in agreement.

"Well I'm sorry that you guys came out all this way for nothing. But if you two are fast enough, you can maybe try to catch up to Ruby and her friends." Tai said as he gets up from the table.

"Coco" nods her head and gets up as well. "Right. Thank you for the refreshments. We really appreciate it." she said with another bow, as "Velvet" bowed as well. "Coco" walks over to give Yang a hug, patting her firmly on the back, causing the one-armed woman to wince slightly.

"Whoa, were you always this strong?" Yang asks with a chuckle, returning the unexpected hug.

"I just started doing some more intense training, that's all." Pyrrha said as she and Neo started to leave. "We would love to meet with you two again! Hopefully for longer next time!" Pyrrha called out, waving goodbye as they approach the door. 'No, we do not.' Both Neo and Pyrrha would think in unison. Pyrrha opens the door and Zwei immediately charges in and nips at Neo, causing her to yelp in pain.

"Zwei?! What the hell?! No! Bad dog!" Yang shouts as she scolds the dog, who only whimpered softly. "I'm so sorry about him, are you two…" Yang trailed off as she sees that Coco and Velvet are gone already.

Tai walks over to Yang and gives her a quizzical stare. "Are your friends always this weird?" He asks rubbing her shoulder. He spots something on the ground and bends down to pick it up.

"No, they aren't. But it's probably the stress of everything." Yang said with a huff as she starts to head back upstairs. "I'm going to clean my room. Call me if you need anything." Yang told her father as she headed upstairs.

"Got it." Tai said as he picks up a singular strand of pink hair and looks at it curiously. "Now I know I'm not colorblind, but I'm certain that neither Coco nor Velvet had pink hair." He said to himself before looking down at Zwei. If only dogs could talk, then Zwei would have been able to tell his family everything and save Ruby from a world of hurt.