Some time later...

Yin's morning began as it always did, the gentle thrum of his vibrating alarm clock rattling against his dresser pulling him from his deep dreams. Cerulean eyes blinked open easily, the blessedly dim room soothing his groggy eyes as he slowly pushed himself up and stretched his arms high above him. Mercifully, his bed was empty this morning, and he was free to slide his legs over the edge of his bed and begin his morning rituals in earnest.

With his face cleaned, his hair fixed, and a toothbrush fitted between his back molars Yin smoothly padded through his room on slippered feet, dodging a toy sword that he had half a mind to snap over his knee. Coming up to the only window in his room, he parted the shades and peered outwards. There wasn't a dollop of snow to be found; instead, an almost ethereal mist had moved in- thick tendrils of white fog that hazed along the tops of the pine trees to obscure the distant horizon and wet the grass with long stretches of drippy dew.

Winter break was coming to a swift end, and Spring was marching across Patch in earnest. 'The Rainy Season' as Summer liked to call it. 'Prime Frog Hunting Time' Yang would call it.

He sighed and promptly sealed the blinds. He wasn't looking forward to the jaunts through the rain Yang would surely drag him through in the coming days. Lessons would be beginning again soon, and it was doubtless Yang would capitalize on their free time.

He turned away and focused on finishing off his tasks, making a mental note all the while to cut his nails later.

Breakfast was the same as always, if a little more subdued than usual. With Summer off on another job, there was no one to play foil to Taiyang, or to fawn endlessly over Ruby. The matriarch of the family just had a natural presence that seemed to inject life into every moment. Maybe it was because of her charisma; the woman possessing an almost stellar ability to handle her children and husband- assuaging their worries or fanning the flames of their interests with little more than prodding words. If Yang expressed interest in styling her hair in a new way, Summer knew just how to encourage and assist her with it. If Ruby wanted to hear more stories when she had none, the older Rose could probably find a way to spin an already told story in a way that made it even more captivating than it had been when it was first heard.

Even Yin was not immune to her abilities. She knew exactly when he needed assistance in understanding something, or when to offer him a comforting presence when he was hurt or sick. She knew when to leave him be when he was annoyed, and understood when he just wanted a little solitude- never pushing for him to leave his shell more than he wanted to. He really liked that about her, he had no trouble admitting.

Yin polished off the cereal and watched as the rest of his family spread out to do as they pleased. Free time, no clear goal or objective for the day. Just time for everyone to do as they pleased. Moving into the living room, he offered a cursory glance to the new fireplace that some workers from a village down the way had gladly built for them. Something about them owing his father or whatever. All that mattered was the living room was whole once again.

Snatching a book from the cases, he settled down into the middle of the couch and kicked his legs up over the new coffee table. The pages felt crisp and new between his fingers, his uncalloused fingers gliding gently over its rigid spine as he practically sunk into the cushions of his seat. A mirthful smirk pulled at his juvenile cheeks as his eyes cast a quick glance over the pages spread before him.

'No pictures. I'm moving up in the world'

For a long moment, there was nothing but him and the book. He wasn't worrying about the future, he wasn't lying to cover his bases, he wasn't studying the strange being inside of him, he was just… relaxing. Which was strange, because Yin did enjoy doing things. He enjoyed the feeling of accomplishment that came from getting things done, even if they were only as menial as simple chores.

That was part of why he enjoyed reading in the first place. It wasn't just an escape- a way to distract his young and impressionable mind. But there was also a keen sense of progress every time he delved into a book and drifted past page after page. He could feel his mind sharpen with every new word he learned. It was the best of both worlds. Relaxation and a sense of accomplishment.

How did the kingdoms differ? Why was Atlesian history and culture geared toward such a more militant mindset than other places? How did the kingdoms even come about? Were they just settlements sheltered from the Grimm that had naturally grown into the spanning behemoths that they were today? Did all of the kingdoms come into power around the same time? If so, why? If not, then why were they all almost equal in power and influence? If Mistral were to form before Vale, wouldn't it make sense that they would be larger and more powerful than its sister kingdom?

Each book, whether based in history, technology, or mythology, was like that. A never ending rabbit hole that spanned off into so many branching directions that it was nearly impossible to keep track of all the questions. Yin liked questions, at least, when they were intelligent and served purpose. But he liked answers even more. Divining them with contextual evidence or already possessed knowledge, or just coming to a final electrifying answer at the end like the conclusion to a mystery novel. Every answer he came to was that sweet pay-off for all the time he sank into reading.

"Yin."

He sighed, his head ducking down as he lamented over his bad luck.

Sending a withering look up, he was greeted by the sight of his twin sister, still clad in her sleepwear, staring meaningfully at him. The girl's long blonde hair sat on her shoulders now, and her lavender eyes were bright despite her apparent lethargy.

He raised a questioning brow, lowering his book to give her his full attention. The girl gestured to him with the scroll in her hand, "Move."

A vein appeared on his forehead. In an instant, any semblance of a good mood evaporated from him.

"Move…?" He trailed off, making it clear what he wanted from her.

"Before I move you." She gave him a closed eye smile, tilting her head in what could have been mistaken as a cute gesture.

Yin looked utterly unimpressed, both at the display and her lack of shame. If she thought she could threaten him into moving she had another thing coming. They still had an almost equal ratio of win/losses against each other in sparring despite her aura, trying to muscle him into doing her bidding wasn't going to work any time soon. If not because of his own stubborn nature, then by his pride as a man and a Xiao Long.

Even if his dad did let Summer walk all over him.

She must have realized that, because she soon huffed and heaved an exaggerated groan. "Move, please" Dragging out the last syllable, she gave him a sour look and an impatient tap of her foot.

It was good enough. Just a year ago, that word wasn't even in her vocabulary. He would take what victories he could.

"Was that so hard?" He asked, already picking himself up out of the comfortable cushions so he could slide all the way to the end of the couch. He parked himself against the armrest, his small frame fitting into the corner and freeing up more space.

Yang didn't deign him with an answer. Instead she all but pounced onto the couch, her body rolling in midair as she fell into the cushions. Yin gave a grunt when her head impacted his lap, her long golden locks spilling out across his sleepwear while her feet kicked up against the unoccupied armrest. Like that, Yin was delegated to a glorified pillow for her to rest her head on.

She looked pleased by his annoyance, sticking her tongue out at him before picking the scroll up and focusing on some video pulled up on it.

A comfortable silence settled. Yin returned to reading, his arm propped up on the armrest holding the book out for him to see, while his other hand toyed with Yang's blonde hair mindlessly. The little girl herself was engrossed in the video on the scroll, occasionally turning it upwards to show her brother part of it or giggling quietly to herself. Normally he would be incensed by the further interruption of his alone time, but he just couldn't find it in himself to get angry. He supposed he didn't really mind it all that much this time.

"What do you think mom's doing now?"

He was so entrenched in a passage that he almost didn't hear her. The young man paused, and sent her a curious look.

"Getting anxious?" His eyes slipped back to the book. He was in the middle of the climax and all the tension would be gone if he stopped reading now.

"No," her answer was unsurprisingly adamant, as always, "I'm just curious. She's been gone for awhile this time."

"Hmm… she's been gone for longer before."

And it was true. Summer could be out working as a Huntress for up to months of time with very limited contact. Yin didn't know much about the job outside the superfluous tales they had been told, but he expected that long treks across undomesticated land and drawn out confrontations to be a part of it. A Huntress was facing the very manifestations of evil after all- an almost infinite tide of malevolent creatures. Spending months away was no surprise. The two weeks she had been gone this time were nothing in comparison.

The scroll lowered, clutched to her chest as a wistful expression appeared on the little girl's face. "...Maybe she's taking down some huge, old Grimm right now."

Yin wasn't nearly so elated by the idea. His dad had constantly expressed to them just how dangerous every individual Grimm was in their ferocity and combat strength. How even the most basic of the monsters could pose a very real threat if underestimated, and to never approach one unless absolutely certain they could handle them- I.E, not until long after they began formal training at an academy.

It was solid advice, however it painted a contradictory picture when compared to the dramatic tales of their mother cutting swathes through armies of Grimm and single-handedly eradicating ancient Grimm with nothing but her trusty blade. Were Grimm supposed to be a constant threat, or were they little more than annoyances for her?

He wasn't gullible enough to take those stories at face value. But he did hope that there was a kernel of truth to them all the same. It would definitely let him rest easier.

The problem was that he had no frame of reference to really believe that. It was hard to understand just what the benchmark was for a powerful Huntress when he had never even seen a Huntsman, much less a Grimm, in action. Yin was not someone who dealt in belief or faith, he preferred cold facts and irrefutable evidence. Trusting Summer to be fine was well and good, but it was much easier to have faith in her abilities if he could really understand them.

Books could only tell so much, and everyone he knew well enough to ask would have their opinions colored by bias. An unfortunate side-effect of being born into a family of Huntresses.

Yang pinched his side furiously, nearly making Yin sling his book across the living room in shock. His entire body erupted in goosebumps and his heart-rate skyrocketed as if he had been zapped by a live circuit. His train of thought was abruptly brought to a crashing halt.

"What the hell, Yang?!"

"Stop ignoring me, Yin! You didn't hear a thing I said, did you?" Yang complained, scowling up at him.

His ire wavered, eyes glancing away hastily as he realized that, yes, he had utterly blocked out Yang. Not purposefully of course, but he still did it. How long had she been talking without him even noticing?

Belatedly, he realized her glare had grown rather similar to his own scowl. No longer was it a glare of petulant annoyance befitting of a child, but a smoldering gaze that made her displeasure crystal clear. It was more than a little unsettling, and reminded him to be wary of her semblance.

While not as mystical or dangerous as his own, Yang's semblance was certainly something he had to always be conscious of. Luckily, to this day Yang had never brought the full brunt of her semblance to bear on him. Not on purpose or accidentally.

Still, it wasn't quite a match for Sheer Heart Attack. For all her strength, Yang was always just a step behind him in many ways. Where he failed in brute strength, he made up for in wit and craftiness. Many a spar that he surely should have lost was turned in his favor by quick thinking and dirty fighting that Yang just couldn't match up to yet. Yang's strength and semblance leveled the playing field to a degree, but that was mostly only because he lacked both an Aura and a semblance that he could feasibly use.

If Yin was actually willing to turn his power on his twin, he was quite certain it would be a very short fight indeed.

"Ugh… You're making that stupid smirk again." Yang sighed beneath him, rolling her eyes.

Unconsciously, his hand flew up to cover his mouth. "...W-what? What smirk? What are you talking about?"

"You know," Yang began, waving a hand flippantly, "whenever you go quiet like that, you make this real snooty smile. It's pretty obvious you're thinking something arrogant right now."

"...You're lying. I dont have such a stupid tell."

There was no way. He always made certain to keep a tight leash on his emotions, and to never let them leak out. He wouldn't believe it for a minute.

"Oh, c'mon! It's clear as day what you're thinking! I bet you're talking up your skills in your head right now." Yang chortled, more than pleased to notice his ears turn the barest shade of red. "For someone who can't even use a computer, you've got a pretty big head."

He turned a venomous glare on his little twin, and reigned in his desire to yank her hair in retaliation to her insult. Barely.

He wanted to retort, to deny and tell her that he could use the computer. That he only didn't like to because all the colors and rules of using the internet hurt his head. But it was a hollow argument and he knew it. If he tried to defend himself now he would only be solidifying the claims in Yang's eyes.

Discretion was the better part of valor. His dad would agree.

The little girl preened arrogantly when he backed down, already jotting it down as a win in her book. Her lilac eyes stared up at him as he pointedly stared into the far corner of the room, most likely internally fuming. The truth was that she fibbed; Yin really didn't make a dumb face when he was thinking hard. But Yang could tell what he was thinking pretty easily, regardless of his stone-like face. Reading Yin was just one of her many 'skills,' and she had no qualms with using it to get under his skin.

Yin eventually returned to his book, though his heart wasn't really in it anymore. Already he felt that his patience was being tried, and it wasn't even noon yet. He attempted to focus, but Yang still continued to stare up at him even as he tried to ignore her.

"...What?" He finally muttered, fed up with the prying look.

"I was just thinking…" he was already worried, great. When Yang adopted that serious tone, it really only ever spelled trouble for him. "You need to hurry up and get your weapon, Yin."

That… wasn't exactly where he was expecting the conversation to go, but it still set him on edge. His eyes narrowed minutely, having heard this line of questioning more times than he cared to remember, "I'm not in a hurry to make a decision."

"You should be!" Yang protested, shooting down the same excuse he had been making time and time again. "You keep… um…"

"Procrastinating?" he supplied, not fully paying attention to her once again.

"Yeah! You need to hurry up already. You wont get into beacon with me if you don't have a weapon, you know?"

He stiffened. His body going eerily still while his hand gripped the book hard enough to crease its pages. He looked like a beowulf caught in headlights. It wasn't so much that he was utterly shocked— he had seen the conversation heading this way after all. But his sister still threw the curveball faster than he was expecting, and in his hurry to appear as if absolutely nothing was wrong, he gave away a few tells. His face froze up and went blanker than it had before, and his body involuntarily clenched to try to force itself into a state of normality.

Yang, who was in such close proximity to him, noticed the change immediately. She blinked in confusion. His legs were rigid now, and hardly a comfortable pillow in her opinion.

"Yin? What's wrong?"

"I-Its nothing." He deflected, looking away while forcing the tension out of his body with the same ease of deflating a balloon. But Yang wasn't buying it. He had thrown the line out, even if only accidentally, and she had snatched the bait before he could reel it back in. A softer, more concerned pinch assaulted his side.

"No, seriously, you look spooked. Did you eat something bad again?"

"I didn't. It's just…" His eyes darted around, searching for a tactful way out of his situation. No matter how he looked at it, this whole conversation was bad news for him. It was something he wasn't nearly prepared enough to handle right now. He prayed for any way out; Taiyang to call for him, Ruby to interrupt as she was want to do, or even a call from Summer. Anything.

As his eyes darted around, he found salvation in the worst way possible. A smudge of color in the corner of the room, staring daggers at him.

"Zwei…"

"Zwei?" Yang parroted, turning on the spot to stare in the same direction, then hurriedly stifling a giggle. "Oh… Zwei."

Zwei was the newest addition to the already bloated family tree. A pet dog- a black and white corgi with a wild fur coat that was unbelievably soft to the touch. The dog first became a part of their family when Summer rescued it from some Grimm that had prowled a little too close to the edge of the forests. At the time, it was badly injured- thick sprawling claw marks and oozing gouges marring its body in innumerable places before she dispatched the dark monsters. Summer had done her best to get it back to the home fast and patch it up, but there was only so much that could be done.

The sight of such a cute animal in such a poor state nearly broke Yang and Ruby's hearts. Yin had to applaud the dog for its perseverance in even surviving an encounter with Grimm in the first place. But he fully expected it would pass away quietly come morning.

It didn't. Through some means or another, the dog pulled through. The deep injuries faded away in a matter of weeks, until they were little more than tiny scars hidden beneath its fur. Summer, Ruby, Yang, and even Taiyang were pretty much attached to the animal the moment its health began improving, and Ruby was adamant that the dog was to remain a permanent member of the family.

The newly named Zwei had no objections. It was so attached to Summer and, by extension, Ruby, that Yin doubted any force in the world would be able to make it leave. Yin didn't object either, the dog would make a good guard he supposed, it didn't shed all that much, and with it around Yang and Ruby might have someone else to set their sights on for once. To him, it was a win-win.

There was only one problem though.

Zwei hated him.

Yin didn't really know what he did to make the dog despise him as much as it did. But every time he tried to approach the mutt, it would always either growl at him or launch itself into his chest like a missile from hell. Whenever Yin found himself roaming the house in the early mornings, he would always have to watch out for the pet that liked to nip his ankles when he was distracted. If Yin was anywhere near Ruby, Zwei would be there, muscling in to put itself between them. And more than once he found some of his favorite books torn to shreds.

And every time he brought up his complaints- every time he demanded the stupid animal be thrown out for good, it would always act demure and turn those unbearably large eyes upward. Each time it did that, any argument he gave fell apart- nobody else in the family could bring themselves to scold Zwei, not when it acted so cute.

"I know he can be a bit tough, Yin, but come on… Look at those eyes. Can't you tell that he feels bad about what he did?"

No. He didn't. Because when he tried to forgive the dog, he was certain that it would turn and give him what could only be described as a smug sneer.

Zwei hated him, and in turn he hated the damn animal.

So when he spotted Zwei in the entrance of the living room with the tattered remains of one of his shirts clenched between its teeth, he felt that the sudden molten spike of rage in his chest could be forgiven.

Yin growled and shot to his feet, inadvertently sending Yang tumbling to the floor.

"Wha- hey!"

He ignored her, and began stomping after the black and white corgi. Noticing his approach, Zwei instantly turned tail and darted off- his tiny feet pattering across the wooden floorboards. Yin sprinted right after him. Their house wasn't particularly huge by any means, so he was left giving chase at a hurried jog— forced to slow down at every corner and be mindful of the scattered furniture.

"Hey! Drop that, now!" Zwei didn't seem to register his order. If anything, the little pest picked up even more speed— now bouncing off corners to send itself flinging down the hall when it turned.

Yin winced as his slippers slid while taking a corner, sending him careening into a wall with enough force to tremble the pictures hung up there. It was only a momentary lapse in focus, an attempt on his part to find a way to cut the dog off, and Zwei capitalized on it to confuse him into taking a corner too hard. The boy growled, already pushing himself up to renew the chase, though he did have to hide a slight limp.

The dog was too damned fast. Even with all the training his father put him through, Yin was still always just a step behind the dog. His graspings hands always fell just short when he reached out to snag Zwei's collar. Whenever he did manage to corner him, Zwei would simply dart between his legs, nearly bowling the poor kid over with its quick reflexes.

It was simply unnatural how fast the dog was, its boundless energy more than making up for how tiny its legs were. It was unnatural how cunning it could be, cutting corners with such precision that it left Yin in the dust.

It was unnatural how big a pain in the ass it was!

"Bark!" Zwei yipped sharply, rushing past the dining room table with Yin hot on his heels. Unfortunately, the tattered shirt clutched in its teeth managed to snag the leg of one of the chair's next to the table like a lashing whip. When Zwei rushed past, the shirt pulled the chair out, sending it screeching out into the middle of the hall.

Directly into Yin's path.

Yin had absolutely no time to dodge out of the way. With blue eyes wide and mouth hanging in disbelief he crashed into it, his shins striking the obstacle with impunity. Unfortunately, with his small body, his weight barely made the chair budge. Instead of knocking it over, the young boy flipped right over the seat- his legs knocked out from under him as he careened directly into the floor with the full force of his inertia.

"GAAAHH!"

Taiyang sighed, pulling his arms out of his car's exposed engine block after finally fastening down a greasy bolt that had given him no end of trouble. The retired Huntsman pulled away from the sea of tubes, clasps, and metallic gears and wiped away the sweat piling up on his brow. Then, he grimaced, realizing that he smeared oil on his forehead. The blonde stared at his tarred up hands, wondering how to clean them now that he was fairly sure his spare rag was lost for good somewhere in his car's engine.

His hands hovered close to his shirt, moments away from wiping them on it, before he pulled back hastily.

"N-no… Glynda gave me this shirt. She would kill me if she found out."

Maybe it would have been a more thoughtful gesture on his part if he didn't notice that the shirt was already dotted with errant stains of oil and fluid. If he wished to preserve the shirt, he probably should have taken it off before beginning the dirty work. Cursing internally, he resolved to drench it in bleach later and wiped his hands down the front- basically ruining it forever.

Taiyang glanced over the engine, pleased with his work. Of all his team members, he had always been the most mechanically savvy. He was a combat Huntsman at heart, but he couldn't deny the joy he derived from just getting to work on some engine or generator. Years of disassembling heavy bullhead engines had given him quite an insight on how to handle a wrench- his boxy family van engine was nothing in comparison.

Summer was good too, but her skills were geared more toward weapons than vehicles. She could perform a field repair on armor and weapons like it was nothing, but hand her a manual for a three cylinder car and tell her to change the brake lights… she would probably end up converting the whole thing into a single use kamikaze weapon. That wasn't even to mention how out of her element she was in dealing with anything to do with mechanical work. The last time she went to get parts for a bullhead repair, the store owner had nearly swindled her into buying a gallon of blinker fluid.

Taiyang almost drove the man out of business that day.

Qrow and… his sister… were more likely to destroy an engine than fix it. For very different reasons.

Shaking himself out of memory lane, Taiyang leaned against the car and gazed out over his front yard. The sky was what really caught his attention; a canvas of grey clouds that stretched on for miles. Fall in Patch always had a bad habit of appearing gloomy in some ways, but he rather liked it. It was like the sky was always on the cusp of opening up- either to set the forests awash in rain, or gleaming sunlight.

Ah… he must really be missing his wife. He was being all verbose in his mind when he didn't even need to be. Maybe he should take the kids out into the nearby village? Yang's favorite restaurant had a special on rainy days, and he himself was already itching to take the car on a spin.

…..

Taiyang blinked, eyes roving around as he stood a little straighter. An errant gust of wind slipped through his sweaty hair, cold with the smell of the distant rain it carried.

"That's weird… The wind kind of sounds like Yin's voice."

Well, he was surely imagining it. He must have been getting sentimental. Whenever he thought of Summer, his kids weren't too far from his mind.

"I… Said… Stop…" Yin growled, staggering after the tenacious menace. His hand cradled a spreading bruise over his nose, his eyes nearly slitted with boiling rage. Reclaiming his shirt was just about the furthest thing from his mind. If things went his way, he would make a new one out of Zwei's pelt.

After another sharp corner nearly sent him sprawling, Yin had had enough. Sapphire eyes narrowing, teeth bared and a flame burst to life in his chest. A familiar image appeared in his mind, a skull face peering deep into his eyes with cold, righteous fury. His limbs instantly grew warmer, his head clearing into sharp focus as he issued a final clear command.

"Stop!"

Or else.

Zwei's nails dug into the floor, an awful screech piercing the air as the dog ground itself to an instant halt. He slid for a moment longer before finally coming to a stop in the middle of the hall. Yin stomped up and once he towered over Zwei, the dog sat down on its rear- the shirt obediently falling from its mouth with a thump.

Yin stooped down and snatched the dog up by the scruff of its neck. He didn't struggle like he usually would, and his grey eyes stared back demurely at Yin's confused blue.

That was… odd. Zwei never stopped for his demands before, and he was fairly certain the dog would soon throw itself from a cliff before it allowed Yin to carry him. So why the change now? It was such a stark drop in attitude, that Yin was left uncertain.

"Clever bastard…" He muttered, shaking the dog with a low grunt, "Did you know you were in danger?"

Yin had been moments away from blowing the mutt sky-high and damn the consequences. No matter how fast Zwei was, he couldn't outrun Sheer Heart Attack. Did he sense the imminent danger? It didn't seem likely, not when even Taiyang couldn't sense his semblances presence. But the proof was dangling right before him, making him second guess himself. Summer always did say that animals were more perceptive than people could be, but he had never taken it seriously.

Well… At least he knew how to get Zwei to behave now.

"Now, what to do with you?" Zwei stared back at him, both incapable and unwilling to answer. To be honest, this was the first time he had ever caught the dog. So he was at a bit of a loss as to what to even do with him.

Scolding Zwei wasn't his problem, the dog wasn't even his. He would leave that to Zwei's actual owners. Seeing as how Summer was out at the moment, that only left one candidate.

Hoisting Zwei up higher, Yin ignored the ragged remains of his shirt and stomped up the stairs. Passing across the banister hallway, he came up on his sister's door. It was easy to tell the bedrooms apart due to the obscene amount of posters plastered over it- weapon manual clippings, hazard signs, and a crayon drawing that vaguely looked like a depiction of either him or Taiyang, but he couldn't be sure. Giving a few raps on the wood, a muffled shout of surprise echoed from inside before he pushed his way through.

Somehow, the room was even more colorful than the last time he had been in. Ruby had finally started going through a 'decorative phase' and just about everything on her side of the room had a special touch that just screamed her. A giant plush bunny that seemed to fill an entire corner of the room, and a thick stack of comic books just the tip of the iceberg. The little girl herself was on the ground, basically upside down with her legs resting on her bed. Her wide silver eyes stared up at him, the latest edition of her weapon manual momentarily forgotten.

"Yin?" She looked pleasantly surprised to see him. Rarely did he ever voluntarily stop into her and Yang's room. She had gotten more acquainted with her big brother's room in the last few months, but she still hadn't managed to convince him to spend a night here.

He didn't respond verbally, only hefting Zwei for her to see. He pinned the dangling dog with a glare.

"Eep!" Ruby scampered to her feet, crimson petals scattering with the action. Fretful worry colored her face as she raced up to her brother. "Yin! Don't hold Zwei like that! You'll hurt him!"

"Oh? Will I?" He gave Zwei another shake, "Good. The little pest deserves it."

"N-no~! He's just a baby, Yin! Let him go!" Ruby hopped up and down, trying to grab Zwei even as Yin lifted him far out of her reach.

"He ate another one of my shirts, Ruby." Yin growled. Ruby came to an abrupt stop, her eyes widening comically large. "And he took me on a hell trek around the house. I thought I told you to keep him out of my room."

"I...I did? …maybe." Ruby chuckled uneasily, swirling a foot on the ground while avoiding eye contact. The girl quickly broke into a frantic sweat when Yin's seething glare narrowed harshly on her.

Giving a panicked cough into her fist, she turned the most authoritative glare she could (which is to say, not authoritative at all) on the dangling pet. "Zwei! Yin doesn't want you in his room anymore, please please don't be mean to him anymore. I want you two to get along!"

Both Yin and Zwei rolled their eyes at the same time.

Ruby pouted, seizing Zwei's fluffy cheeks while turning her voice into a scolding tone that was hauntingly similar to Summer's, "I want you two to get along… Please try to be nice to Yin. Okay?"

A pregnant silence passed before Zwei's tail wagged twice. Yin stared at it dumbfound and Ruby beamed vibrantly.

'Was that supposed to be a nod?'

"..." Yin grudgingly handed the dog to Ruby, the girl snatching him from his grip as if he were going to steal him away again. She whispered soothing words to the mutt, coaxing its fur to smooth out with gentle brushing strokes. The anguished boy massaged the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut, feeling exhausted despite how early it was.

"Well… Since you're here, do you wanna look through some of mom's manuals with me?" Ruby chirped, already putting the event far from her mind. "Qrow brought some new ones from… erm… the sandy place, that I haven't read yet."

Sandy place… she could only be talking about Vacuo. That actually caught his interest, and for a moment he almost wanted to agree. Against his better judgement, he had gotten more interested in weapons lately. Not out of any fanatical dependence like Summer or Ruby, but out of a more practical desire to learn more about them. Specifically, to learn more about a single mechanism.

However, he still needed to apologize to Yang for throwing her off the couch. The girl was probably poised to punish him for what he did, and delaying it any longer would just make her even more vindictive.

"Maybe later." Yin dropped his hand, releasing what seemed like the hundredth sigh that day. "I—!"

Yin staggered away, his back striking a desk hard enough to pound it against the wall. His hands snagged harsh, locked grips on the edge of the wooden desk- his fingers turning alabaster white with the force. His mouth slackened, parting with abject surprise that was reflected in his wide pools of blue. His entire face paled, freezing in cold-blooded horror. The kind that set hearts thudding in backbreaking tempos and sent freezing chills racing down the spine.

The boy remained rooted to the spot, his eyes locked with terror on what was before him- as if he couldn't look away. It was little different than the sheer shock that paralyzes a man on the spot when an oncoming car threatens to run them down— anchored in place, even when running away was the best option. The edges of his vision dulled, his entire focus centered entirely on a single sight: Ruby holding Zwei close to her chest, the dog resting securely in her arms as they both stared at him.

"Y-Yin?" Ruby stuttered, shocked by his sudden movement. She had never seen him act like that before, and found her blood chilling. Ruby stared up at his stricken face, confusion swirling in her stomach as she took a slow, hesitant step toward him.

When she moved, he pulled back. His hand raised protectively in front of him as he clenched his teeth anxiously. She stopped abruptly, as if slapped.

Ruby was at a loss, an utter blank stretching across her mind as she mentally panicked. She didn't know what to make of the sudden change in Yin, or what it even meant. All she knew was that Yin was displaying an emotion he almost never did. Terror. Pure, abject horror on a level that she had never experienced before. And it was pointed at her. There was no room for doubt, no misunderstanding; he was looking directly at her.

He was afraid… truly afraid. Why? Was it like that time in winter? She hugged Zwei tighter, glancing anxiously around for a Grimm she couldn't see. If that were the case, then it would be okay, right? Her dad was here after all, he could save the day if another of those strange monsters came again.

...Right?

"Yin…" She tried again, and this time her voice seemed to finally get through to him. His gaze snapped back into focus, his eyes blinking rapidly as his expression began to ease. "What's wrong?"

Whatever gripped him finally seemed to disappear. With the same suddenness that it appeared, the bout of earth-shaking terror evaporated until not even an inkling of its presence could be found. If his hands weren't so clammy, he almost could have believed he had imagined it all. Yin slowly slipped his white knuckles from the desk, still looking uneasy, but now more confused than terrified. Ruby shared his expression, though she seemed to be brimming with worry that threatened to breach the surface— only held back by her own hesitance.

"I...I dont…" Yin murmured, his adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed thickly. Ruby amended her assessment; Yin didn't appear confused, he looked lost. Not in the sense of forgetting where he was, but rather in that he had no clue what to do with himself at that moment. For someone so sure of himself— so confident— it was an unsettling sight, like watching a hurricane bowl over a mountain. He sent the little girl a hesitant glance before turning away with grit teeth.

"...Just keep that dog away from me."

With that weakly muttered order, he marched out of the room, shoulders hunched and brow furrowed. She wanted to follow after him, to try and do anything she could to help him— and he needed help, that much she was sure of— but she couldn't. Her feet felt like they were rooted to the ground. No, it was more like her legs were rooted to the ground. She kept internally yelling to get her legs to move, to take a step forward and grab his sleeve, anything. But every signal she sent seemed to fizzle out and die before it even reached her knees.

The door slammed behind him, rattling the wall and making Ruby jump in fright. She stared dubiously at where he went, her youthful features pinched in worry. She hugged Zwei a little tighter, the dog looking just as perturbed as she did. Slowly, she raised a hand and nibbled on her finger worriedly.

"Dad?" Ruby murmured, watching her father meander around the kitchen, making a batch of cookies. The smell was absolutely intoxicating, far more than any wine ever could hope to be (she assumed,) and she nearly lost her train of thought if it weren't for Taiyang's curious glance. "Did you… ever find that magazine?"

"Magazine?" He questioned, sliding the pan back into the oven, only sparing the aligned fire dust a critical glance before sealing it back up. Even if he was still skeptical of Yin's tale, that didn't mean he shouldn't be cautious all the same.

Ruby glared at him cutely, peeved that he forgot. "The one I've been asking for, dad. Did you really forget?"

He tapped his chin, trying to recall what magazine she was talking about. Normally he was better at remembering the nonsense that his daughters asked of him, but sometimes it just happened to slip his mind. That didn't mean he could just let himself seem like a forgetful old man. Letting them think he was getting scatterbrained with age would just lead them to being more rebellious.

Or so Qrow said. But seeing as how the man didn't have children of his own and probably didn't know the first thing about taking care of one, the advice was all but worthless.

"Hmm… Well, what's the rush kid? I know you still have a lot of editions left to read through. Why do you want another one?"

She shook her head, sending her bi-colored hair around, "It's not for me. Yin's the one who wants it, so I want it."

Taiyang nearly dropped a can of sugar, floored by the statement. "Yin wants it?"

"Uh huh. I think he's in a bad mood today. So I wanted to get it for him and cheer him up."

Well, with such a virtuous reason how could he deny her? Yin always had his bad days every now and then, so he was all for Ruby trying to lift his spirits. Adopting a thinking pose, Taiyang wracked his mind. Ruby assumed the same pose, even if she wasn't really thinking that hard.

It came to him like lightning. "Ah! Right, I did ask Summer about that for you. The Atlas one right?"

Ruby beamed. Progress! Sweet, chocolate-chipped progress! "Yep! Do you have it?"

"Well, sorry kiddo, but I think your mom tossed it out."

Just as quickly as it rose, Ruby's spirits plummeted. If she knew what a rollercoaster was, she would certainly liken her emotional state to it. "What?! Why?!"

"I know your mother usually keeps those magazines around for a long time, but she gets rid of them when they're no good." Taiyang nodded, leaning onto the kitchen counter. "That magazine you're looking for is useless, so she must have gotten rid of it."

"Useless?" Ruby couldn't understand. How could a weapon ever be considered useless? She would have thought her mom had made a mistake if she didn't know that was impossible.

"Right. After all, Grimm dont have body heat. So heat-seeking weapons aren't really all that useful."

Atlas had been rather proud when they rolled out that line of weaponry. Unfortunately, the scientists over in the cold kingdom seemed to have placed more emphasis on the creative portion of innovation, rather than the actual effectiveness of it. The end result of a long few years of research ended up with a weapon system utterly useless to Huntsman, the biggest and most profitable market for new weapons.

Of course, they were still rather effective in waging other kinds of war. But that was a can of worms he had absolutely no intention of opening with his youngest daughter. Better to let her maintain her innocence for as long as possible than to burden her with the horrors of war.

"Okay..." She guessed she could see the reason now. Still, it was definitely unfortunate. "Yin's gonna be dissapointed…"

A/N:

An abrupt ending, but frankly I couldn't stand to work on this chapter anymore. I've been procrastinating it for awhile, and I finally got the drive to see it all the way through, but boy did it burn me out.

I addressed a lot of the things I wanted to get fleshed out and I had to admit some of these parts were pretty fun to write up. But I spent so much time editing and adding substance where there really was nothing to build off of, that I just want it to be over with. Its not my best work by far, but I need it out of the way so I can start on the next one. Reviews and criticism are always appreciated.

The next one is gonna be long and with school I wont have much time to work on it. So it'll take quite a bit to finish.

But its also gonna be good. So prepare for that. ;)