A/N: Apologies for the slow pace, but it will eventually start to speed up; I promise. I just needed to get some of this world building out of the way so that you, the readers, have a good sense of the setting and political/social climate before we start moving more heavily into the plot. And of course, Ruby, Yang, and Weiss need to hash out their differences, because nothing is ever simple when Weiss is involved, which makes her such a wonderfully complex character who's both amazing and difficult to work with.

EDITED 12/28/19

Word Count: 6,500

Chapter 4 — Help

Ruby returned to the cabin just as the greyish-white sky started turning pink and yellow in the east. It was a cool, crisp morning—the kind of weather that made Ruby want to go for a run through the woods just for the thrill of it. She wouldn't though, not today. They had a guest. A most unusual guest.

Ruby hadn't really been sure what to think of her. Sure, Ruby had brought her home because she looked like she could really use some help, but Ruby had been near panic the entire time. She had been fine during the fight, but once her battle-focus waned, every instinct in her told her to run; strangers were dangerous.

But then Weiss followed her into the forest and even got hurt, and it was against Ruby's nature to leave someone who needed help.

There was also the fact that Weiss somehow reminded Ruby of Yang. Not in personality, of course. Definitely not in personality, but they were both...dedicated? No, driven. Ruby didn't know what exactly drove the young noble, but whatever it was was important enough for her to run away from home and follow a complete stranger into an unknown forest. Ruby could tell by the look in the other woman's eyes and the determination in her voice as she spoke the night before. Ruby wasn't that great with people, but even she could tell how serious Weiss was. Yang, on the other hand, would never admit to being serious about anything, but Ruby knew better.

Obviously, Yang would do anything for Ruby, but there was another side of her that she kept hidden. Whenever they left Patch—whether they were called out for a Grimm hunt or they took on a job to escort and protect travelers through unknown territory—Yang always made time to drop by any major towns on the way. Ruby usually waited outside the city limits because of her aversion to people; but there was that one time when curiosity got the better of her, and she followed Yang into town. That was the day Ruby found out something that she was pretty sure her sister didn't want her to know—that Yang was on the search for her birth mother, meaning the two weren't full sisters. They were only half-sisters—something that clearly everyone but Ruby knew. It had been something of a shock, but in the end, Ruby didn't care. Nothing would change the way she felt about Yang. They were family, regardless of whether they shared all the same blood or not.

Still, it was something that Yang wanted to know badly enough that she would search for new information everywhere she went. That was why Ruby pushed herself so hard to master both her Semblance and weapon skills. If Ruby proved she was strong enough, Yang would feel more comfortable about accepting Grimm hunt or escort requests. Then the two of them could travel farther, and Yang could seek out more information about her missing mother.

In her darker moments, Ruby felt guilty. If it weren't for her and her problems, Yang wouldn't have to be tied down to Patch—a place that she barely tolerated these days, which was yet another thing that was Ruby's fault. Yang maintained that the villagers should have been looking out for Ruby the day she had been abducted by those men and that they should have noticed when she suddenly disappeared from the village confines. Yang didn't even talk to the lady who was supposed to be watching the children that day while their parents were working in the fields anymore. Still, things were better now than before. Yang's eyes didn't go red every time she thought of the village, but she had never truly forgiven any of them.

If it weren't for Ruby, Yang wouldn't be stuck here. She could go wherever she wanted and find her mother instead of having to care for a little sister who couldn't even talk. Ruby was always holding her back and causing her to worry, and she hated that. The least Ruby could do for such a self-sacrificing sister was make sure Yang had more chances to find her birth mother.

Ruby slipped through the front door as quietly as possible but not quietly enough.

"Ruby?" Yang called out, her voice thick with sleep.

Ruby hung up her bow and quiver, dropped off her little breakfast surprise parcel at the table, removed her sword from her side, and went over to the cot where Yang was sitting up and yawning. Yang scooched over, and Ruby slipped in next to her—cuddling in when Yang put an arm around her shoulders.

"You're all cold."

Ruby just shrugged as she leaned into her sister's ever present warmth. Being next to Yang was like sitting in front of the fireplace—cozy, comforting, and so very warm. It was a problem during the summer but so very wonderful in the colder months.

"Did you get any sleep?"

A little. Maybe an hour or two before the nightmares set in. Flashbacks always brought the worst nightmares rushing back in full, so Ruby would be in for a few rough nights. Not that she would tell Yang that. It would only make her worry, so Ruby waffled her hand from side to side instead.

"So not much."

Ruby's wolf ears drooped. Not for the first time did she wish that she was better at hiding things—or at least that her sister was less adept at reading her.

Yang sighed softly and wrapped herself more completely around her little sister until the smaller girl was sitting between her legs and leaning back against her chest. "Well, take it easy today. Go fishing instead of hunting, or just take the day off. Nap or something. Got it?"

Ruby thumped Yang softly with her tail in response. She would try, if only to keep Yang from worrying more than she already was.

The two sisters sat quietly together, each soaking in the love and companionship they felt for the other. Most days they were busy. Ruby was always out and about, ranging far and wide when she hunted to avoid depleting the game in any single area. Some days she would disappear early in the morning, and Yang wouldn't see her again until well after the sun went down. Yang, on the other hand, had to chop firewood and transport it to the village along with any fresh game, jerky, animal hides or furs Ruby had managed to get. She usually made the trip two or three times a week. Some of the goods she sold to save up money for their trips away from Patch while others she traded for things she and her sister couldn't get on their own—mostly foodstuffs like oatmeal, flour, eggs, milk, bread, and vegetables. The hustle of their everyday lives made these quiet moments all the more precious, and both made sure to savor every second of them.

It was Yang who pulled away first. "So...looks like we have some time to kill. The princess probably won't be getting up for a while so we don't need to do any of that mannerly, take-care-of-your-guest stuff. So how about a workout? Empty-hand, of course." Yang said with a grin.

Ruby pinned her ears back and her shoulders sagged, though her sister only noticed the latter since Ruby's hood was still up.

"I know you don't like it, but if you don't practice, you'll never get better."

Ruby mimed slashing with a sword.

"Yeah, but what're you gonna do if you lose your sword? And your knives. And your bow," Yang added, knowing her sister's oft used arguments. "I don't care if you never get as good as me; I just want you to be better than average so that if you ever get into a pinch, you'll still have a way out. I never want anything bad to happen to you again, Ruby."

Ruby's ears drooped even lower. It wasn't Yang's fault that that had happened to Ruby, but Yang blamed herself all the same and there was nothing Ruby could do about it. But her older sister had a point. Ruby was absolutely worthless in a fight without a weapon against people who knew what they were doing. She could take out your average thugs thanks to her defensive Aura and speed Semblance giving her an edge, but put her against someone who was fully trained and she would lose seven or eight times out of ten. She just didn't have the muscle mass or skill to take on foes bigger and heavier than her without a weapon to act as an equalizer. As Uncle Qrow had put it, watching her without a weapon was like watching a puppy trying to take on a full grown mastiff. Sure, she could probably get in a bite or two, maybe cause her foe some annoyance as she worried away at them with her light punches and kicks, but she'd never beat them unless she got lucky. One well-timed bash from them, and she'd go tumbling head over heels.

Ruby's one ace in the hole was using her speed Semblance to full-on body tackle her opponent, but Yang didn't actually like her doing that. She didn't really approve of Ruby turning herself into a human cannonball for some reason. And if Ruby was being entirely truthful, it just wasn't that effective because she was simply too light. Ruby had tried that technique on Yang once in one of their sparring matches, and her sister had barely budged. Then again, Yang wasn't normal. She could wrestle with an Ursa with only her defensive Aura activated and still not break a sweat.

Finally, Ruby gave a sigh, got up, and trudged towards the door. Knowing her sister, there was no way Ruby was going to get out of this so she might as well get it over with.

"Awww, come on, little sis; it won't be that bad," Yang said as she threw an arm back around the girl's shoulders. "Tell you what, if you can land a solid hit on me, I'll get you some strawberry preserves."

Ruby straightened at once and nearly ran out the door, stopping only when she remembered she needed to remove her belt pouch and hunting knife. Yang chuckled at her sister's antics and sauntered outside to wait.

The first thing Weiss heard when she broke away from sleep's comforting embrace was the sound of several distant thuds. Then came the scraping of dirt and the sound of someone's voice calling out encouragement and advice in equal measure. What was going on?

She sat up slowly and blinked blearily as she looked around. Where was she? It took a moment for her to place the weathered timbers around her and the scratchy, uncomfortable straw mattress beneath her. That's right. I followed the hooded warrior here and met her utterly obnoxious sister.

Weiss shifted to the edge of the mattress with a sound that would have been a groan in anyone less cultured. The last few days had not been kind to her.

She had ridden in a series of carriages as far as they would take her the first two days—sacrificing stealth for comfort—under the assumption that her father probably wouldn't even notice she was gone unless one of the servants was brave enough to risk gaining his attention (and therefore his ire) to tell him. There was no point in roughing it if she didn't need to.

The third day, she used what little lien she had to buy travel supplies. To avoid garnering too much unwanted attention, she asked the inn matron to send one of her workers to pick up whatever they thought she might need in her stead. She could only hope that they hadn't overcharged her for the plethora of goods the man brought back. From there, Weiss attempted to make her way to the border, avoiding roads when she could and sleeping under trees or in caves for shelter. It was torture. The first night she slept on the road, she woke up so stiff that she could barely move; and the next couple nights were no better. She had no idea how travelers and peasants did it all the time.

What she would give for a cup of hot coffee. She had been shocked upon learning that coffee was such a luxury that most people had never even heard of it. As unpleasant as it was to admit, perhaps Weiss was less prepared to run away than she thought.

That's why I need to do whatever I can to secure the younger sister's services as a guard and guide. It might be difficult since she can't speak, but I'm sure I can manage.

Weiss frowned briefly. I really could do without the older sister though; but judging by how she reacted last night, I doubt I can convince her to stay behind. Which reminds me, where are they?

She would have thought at least one of them would have noticed that she was awake and greeted her. She was a guest after all, and the loft creaked like mad every time she moved. There was no way they could have missed the sound. If the loft didn't look so sturdy, Weiss would have been worried that it was about to collapse every time it made that horrendous noise.

Weiss stood, carefully walked to the edge of the loft, and glanced down. She was alone. Well, at least the sisters' absence would give Weiss a chance to change in privacy.

She made her way down the ladder as quickly and carefully as she could. As she dressed in one of her cleaner sets of clothes, she took a moment to assess herself. Her body was still achy from the past few days of camping out, but at least the red rope abrasions around her wrists were gone. Her Aura had healed them overnight. A warm meal and a full night's rest had done wonders, it seemed.

Once fully dressed, Weiss wondered if it would be permissible for her to make some tea for herself. Then she realized she didn't even know where they kept the tea. She had been too exhausted and hungry the night before to pay attention to the quieter sister when she had been puttering around in the background.

That was when Weiss realized the sounds that had woken her up were coming from outside. She made her way to the door and stepped out into the sunlight.

"Come on, Ruby, keep your arms up and elbows in! Otherwise, you're opening yourself up for attack," the golden-haired, older sister, Yang, said as she launched a punch. The younger sister, Ruby, dodged the initial punch, but then Yang turned that punch into a backhanded fist strike, whacking the poor girl on the side of her temple. "See, if your arms had been up, you could have blocked that." The hooded girl stumbled away from Yang with a hand pressed against her bruised head. Weiss winced in sympathy.

Weiss found herself wondering if the girl ever took off that hooded cloak. Did she wear it because of her shyness? Then Weiss wondered what she looked like. Unlike her taller, broader, sturdier older sister with muscles Weiss had never seen before on a woman, the younger girl was short and slender. In other words, their body types were exceedingly different.

Perhaps she shares her sister's blonde hair and lilac eyes? Weiss tried to picture it, but somehow couldn't. All she could see in her head was that mysterious hood.

Yang straightened and noticed Weiss. "'Morning, Princess. Sleep well?"

"Don't call me that," Weiss said automatically before answering politely, "Yes, I did. Thank you."

Be polite, she reminded herself. Not only to win the sisters' favor so that they'd be more willing to grant her assistance, but also because her father would never have bothered being polite to anyone he considered beneath him; and that, in and of itself, had value in her eyes. "What were you doing?"

"Training my sister to fight without weapons." Yang gave a stretch as she spoke.

Weiss raised an eyebrow. "Why? Isn't she good enough with her sword?"

"Yeah, but there's no guarantee she'll have it every time things go south. I wanna make sure she can defend herself in any situation long enough to run." The taller woman sighed. "Unfortunately, she's kind of hopeless at this. Put a sword, knife, or bow in her hands and she's amazing, but take them away and it's like she's never been in a fight in her life, and I can't figure out why."

Weiss couldn't think of anything to say to that. She wasn't any good without Myrtenaster either. In fact, she was so out of practice that she might not be any good even with the rapier in hand.

"You still against having me along?" Yang's sudden query broke into her thoughts.

Weiss crossed her arms. "To be entirely honest, yes."

"Because I'm a woodcutter?"

"That's one of the reasons." There was also the fact that Weiss couldn't stand the infuriating, unprincipled, pushy elder sister; and Yang had made her own opinion regarding Weiss and the Schnees very clear the night before. Once again, Weiss found herself railing inwardly against her father. Even now he was barring her path. Thanks to him, the Schnee name alone was enough to turn people against her. She could only hope that the younger sister didn't mind that she was a Schnee and would accept her job offer regardless.

Yang gave Weiss a smug grin that made her brow furrow in confusion. "Now that's a challenge if I've ever heard one. I'm gonna make you eat your words. Hey, Ruby! Grab your sword! Let's put on a show for our possible employer!"

Now what was the loudmouth up to?

Weiss stepped aside to allow the sisters back into the cabin, watching them curiously. Ruby slipped her sheathed sword back onto her side while Yang came out with a pair of...gauntlets? If so, they were the strangest pair of gauntlets that Weiss had ever seen. They seemed to be made of mostly hardened leather straps combined with a few dull metal plates.

Yang caught her eye. "Something the matter?"

Weiss hesitated then asked, "What are those?"

"A pair of cestuses. They're battle gloves."

"So they aren't gauntlets?"

"Nope. Gauntlets are mostly for defense. These are for both defense and offense." Yang offered one of the gloves to Weiss so that she could get a better look.

Weiss started to take it and lurched when Yang suddenly let it go. It was heavy! Weiss glared at Yang who was snickering at her expense. Weiss grumbled to herself before finally examining the glove more closely.

The glove was comprised of two layers. The outer layer had several metal plates sewn onto hardened leather, covering the outside of the forearm, the back of the wearer's hand, and their knuckles. The inner forearm of the glove was protected by overlapping, hardened leather straps and the palm and inner fingers were protected by slightly more malleable leather covered with a strange, white, heavy cloth. The same white cloth lined the inner layer of the glove, which was padded with pockets filled with what felt like heavy sand. The largest sand compartments covered the outer forearm and wrist, the inner forearm, and the knuckles.

Perhaps they were for shock absorption? She tested one of the pocket-protected areas and could see how the sand might reduce some of the impact of any attack, but they were so heavy. One would think that the extra weight would be a disadvantage in battle. Then again, the older sister seemed to have muscles on her muscles so maybe she didn't even feel the extra weight. All in all, it was the strangest weapon Weiss could remember ever seeing. She handed it back to Yang, who slipped it on as though it weighed nothing.

Ruby had drawn her sword and was weaving it through the air in a series of movements that Weiss recognized as exercises swordsmen used to loosen their wrist and muscles before a match or training. Weiss fought the urge to go inside and grab Myrtenaster to join the smaller girl in her exercises. Later, she told herself, when the sisters are occupied, I'll make some time to practice.

Belatedly, she blurted out to Yang, "Wait, she's going to spar against you with a live blade?" Even the guards at the castle only sparred with weapons that had their edges dulled.

"Of course. It's not much of a training exercise if we don't. Plus, I've got a lot of Aura so even if I get a little cut up, I'll heal quickly enough. In case you're worried though, I do pull my punches. Rubes is a lot more delicate than me, and I could seriously hurt her if I went all out."

"'Delicate than I,'" Weiss corrected absentmindedly.

"Huh?"

"'More delicate than I' is the proper way to say it."

Yang blinked and then just shook her head. "Uhh...alright, whatever you say, Princess."

Weiss was just about to tell the oaf—yet again!—not to call her that, but then she realized something else. "Wait. Aura? You're an Aura warrior?" she asked in utter shock. Aura warriors were fighters who could utilize their Aura, the power of their soul, both offensively and defensively in battle.

"Uh, yeah. Why so surprised?"

"Because—you—" Weiss couldn't even finish her sentence.

How could this—this lout, of all people—be part of the most venerated class of warriors, the only warriors elite enough to become Huntsmen (fighters who used their Aura to help them exterminate Grimm and Remnant's only real defense against such monsters)? Aura warriors were heroes, not unprincipled peasants.

Something of her thoughts must have shown on her face because Yang's expression hardened. "Sorry to burst your bubble, Princess; but we're both 'Aura warriors' as you call 'em. In fact, Ruby over there has had her Aura unlocked since she was ten."

Weiss's face went even paler. "Please tell me you're joking," she said, horrified.

There was a reason there were so few Aura users, much less Aura warriors—namely, unlocking one's Aura was dangerous. Assuming someone even managed to survive the unlocking of their Aura, many new Aura users ended up killing themselves within the first year simply because they overused their Aura, and overusing one's Aura meant using up one's very soul. Yes, the soul regenerated over time, but it took time and practice for anyone to learn their own limits. A large percentage of new Aura users unwittingly burned themselves out, leaving behind nothing but a soulless husk. Aura warriors were in even more danger because they weren't just learning to use their Auras defensively; they took things a step further and used their Auras offensively. They learned to reinforce their weapons and armor so said equipment wouldn't break upon contact with a Grimm's thick hide or bony plates and how to augment their physical capabilities—both of which only raised the likelihood of them dying from Aura depletion early on.

Furthermore, it was commonly known that younger warriors were much more likely to burn themselves out. Fifteen was the absolute youngest age anyone had ever had their Aura unlocked and survived—though if Yang was to be believed, that age should now be ten—and that was a rarity that had only been witnessed once. The common age for warriors to try and have their Aura unlocked was twenty or older at the absolute earliest, and even then it was rather risky.

Winter had risked unlocking Weiss's Aura when Weiss had been sixteen because Winter had been about to leave with General Ironwood, and she wanted Weiss to have at least some Aura and Glyph training before she went; but the Schnees didn't count. They were one of the few families in all of Remnant with hereditary Semblances. A Semblance was a physical manifestation of one's Aura that was usually unique to the individual, but for some reason, the Schnees were different. It was believed that because their family's Glyph Semblance was hereditary, it was more stable, making it less likely for a Schnee to die in the process of unlocking their Aura. As it was, Weiss had been abed for days after Winter had unlocked her Aura. Her body had felt like it was on fire as the power of her soul flowed through her body for the first time, setting alight every nerve and muscle. It had been a harrowing experience, and a part of Weiss had been certain she was going to die as she lay trapped in bed, burning from the inside out.

"Nope, no joke," Yang replied flatly. Her eyes turned cold and flinty. "It was a life or death situation. We either had to let her die or unlock her Aura in hopes that it would speed her healing and save her life. I thank whatever gods exist everyday that she has so much Aura and that it had been enough to bring her back."

A chill ran up Weiss's spine. She couldn't even begin to imagine it. She felt a new respect for the cloaked figure on the other side of the yard. To face the risk of death twice at only ten years old. What had Weiss been doing at ten—complaining about tutors and tagging along after her mother or older sister?

"Ruby, you ready?" Yang called out as she air-boxed a few times to stay limber. The younger sister's head bobbed in affirmation. "Alright, here I come!" Yang darted forward to meet her head-on.

What followed was probably one of the most amazing feats of battle prowess Weiss had ever witnessed. Ruby slashed, dodged, spun, and kicked, her agility clear as she moved around the yard. Yang, in turn, evaded, punched, and even parried her sister's sword a few times, using the back of her cestus or aiming a well-timed slap to the flat of the blade using her palm. Even Weiss had to grudgingly admit that perhaps Yang was indeed skilled and that she was definitely a force to be reckoned with.

Weiss's mouth dropped open when finally, Yang outright caught Ruby's sword in one hand and launched a punch with the other. Ruby ducked and came back up with a knife she had drawn so fast that Weiss never even caught the movement. Yang slapped the knife aside, yanked the smaller girl by her sword until she was off balance, and then shoved her over an expertly placed leg. The girl tumbled backward, hitting the ground hard. The girl lay there for a few moments, apparently stunned.

"Good match, little sis," Yang said with a grin as she pulled Ruby to her feet and dusted her off.

Weiss found her voice. "Why did you do that?" she asked incredulously.

Yang tilted her head. "Do what?"

"Catch the sword! Are you bleeding? Did you get cut? That was both foolhardy and reckless! You weren't even using your Aura! Winning a match is meaningless if you hurt yourself!" Weiss was going to continue only to find herself staring at the unmarred, white palms of Yang's cestuses. "How…?"

"Nightcrawler silk. It's incredibly strong and can't be cut with metal. It's also fire resistant."

"That's…" Amazing. Unheard of. If Nightcrawler silk really was that useful then why hadn't she heard of it before? Merchants all over would be trying to get their hands on it, and militaries would covet it for their soldiers. Wait...wasn't a Nightcrawler a type of Grimm? A particularly dangerous one at that because though they might be weaker than most individual Grimm, they lived in colonies that could contain well over a hundred members, allowing them to swarm and overtake humans through sheer numbers.

"Nightcrawler silk is extremely sticky and can't be used for weaving cloth," Weiss said flatly. She didn't know that much about Grimm, but she knew some of the more common types and their attributes. It was necessary knowledge when she had been slated as heiress. If she ever received reports of Grimm within the Schnee territories of Atlas, she had to know what she was dealing with in order to come up with the proper countermeasure.

Yang shrugged. "Yep. But my little sister is a genius. She tinkers, fiddles, and turns common thought on its head."

"If what you're saying is true, then you could make a fortune producing such cloth."

"Yeah...that's not going to happen. I don't know exactly how to make it, but I know it takes a lot of work to make even a small amount usable. Ruby only added it to my fighting gear because she loves me and wants me protected. Plus, can you imagine if something like this became widespread? People are already killing each other when what they really should be fighting are Grimm. Add something this strong to the mix, and some idiot with an army would go and do something stupid. Lots of people would get hurt."

"That is...depressingly accurate."

"Right? So keep it to yourself."

"It's not like I have anyone to tell anyway."

"And even if you did, you wouldn't, right?" Yang straightened, and her eyes narrowed warningly. Her broad form dwarfed Weiss, and the sudden threat she radiated made Weiss's blood run cold in spite of herself.

Weiss raised her chin. "I swear on my honor as a Schnee that none of your secrets will pass from my lips without your explicit permission."

Yang met her eyes for a several long moments. Then she shook her head. "Not good enough. I don't like your family, and quite frankly, I wouldn't trust most of them even if my life depended on it. I don't care about your Schnee honor. I care about your honor. The honor of a woman named Weiss who just happens to be a Schnee."

Weiss straightened, her heart pounding. Was she really not going to hold Weiss accountable for her family? Perhaps Weiss had been overly hasty in her judgement of the other woman. Ruby, at this point, had moved up next to her older sister and was gazing at Weiss as well. Weiss took a deep breath. "I, Weiss Schnee, swear on my honor and life that your secrets are safe with me. If I ever share something learned in confidence, it will be because one of you has given me permission. Otherwise, your secrets will remain my own as long as I live."

Yang's serious demeanor cracked and that infuriating cocky grin was back. "Good enough, Princess. Good enough." She headed into the cabin, stripping off her cestuses as she went.

"Don't call me that," Weiss muttered futilely as she started to follow the woman inside. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the younger sister's shoulders were quivering. Was she...giggling? Weiss's face flushed pink at the thought, and she hurried inside, desperate to hide her reddening cheeks.

Yang was finishing off her second bowl of porridge drizzled with milk and honey and topped with the fresh wild blackberries Ruby had brought back that morning as a surprise for their guest, when Ruby suddenly bolted upright and turned her head towards the door.

Yang tensed instantly. "What is it, Ruby?"

Weiss put down her mug of tea, and her eyes darted back and forth between the two sisters.

After a moment, Ruby signed and Yang translated. "Some men with weapons are coming this way. Possibly the soldiers from yesterday."

Weiss stiffened. Her bottom lip quivered, and she clenched her hands tightly. "How do you know that? Is that your Semblance?"

Yang shook her head. "No. She's just really sensitive to these sorts of things." Because she was a Faunus, but Yang didn't trust the Schnee enough to share that just yet. Plus, revealing that was up to Ruby, not her. "Ruby, can you tell how many?" She translated, "Two, maybe three squads. So that means anywhere from twelve to eighteen men. That's a lot of manpower just to bring you back, Princess. Or maybe you scared them good when you took them out yesterday, Ruby." She grinned at her sister.

There was a silence. Then Weiss rose shakily. "I'll gather my things and be on my way. I thank you for your hospitality."

Yang stared in shock before she stood up. "Whoa! And where do you think you're going? I thought you were trying to hire us."

"I was, but now we don't have enough time." Weiss walked stiffly away from the table to fetch her rapier and luggage.

Yang moved to stand in front of her. "Weiss, just calm down for a second. What don't we have time for?"

Weiss glared at her. "A proper business discussion, obviously! I'm not naive. I know how these things work. I offer up my terms. You tell me what you're willing and not willing to do. We discuss things and come to a consensus that both of us are satisfied with." Yang's brow went higher and higher as she listened.

"But clearly we can't do that anymore," Weiss continued, "so the best thing I can do is leave now so I have a head start. Then you can tell the soldiers which way I went, and they'll leave you alone. They have no quarrel with you, only with me; and as long as they don't see your sister, they ought to leave you alone."

Yang was silent for a few moments before she heaved an exasperated sigh. "Why are things so Dust-damned complicated with you?"

"I beg your pardon?" The noble's icy gaze could have frozen water. Too bad Yang was made of fire and sunlight.

Yang pointed at the smaller woman. "You're in trouble. You need help. Yesterday, you were fine with asking for it, so why aren't you asking now?"

"Because I have no reason to expect it!" Weiss shouted, the strain of the last few days finally reaching its peak and igniting her paper-thin temper. "As gratefuI as I am for your assistance yesterday, I have no clue why on Remnant the two of you offered it in the first place. It makes no sense! My father would never lift a finger to help anyone unless it was somehow advantageous for him, and nearly everyone else I've met is the same. If there's no profit involved, then there's no reason to do anything for the sake of anyone else. That's just how the world works, so why should I even bother debasing myself if all you're going to do is refuse?"

"You think asking for help means you're debasing yourself?" Yang asked, somewhere between shocked and sad. She couldn't even picture what kind of life that must have been like.

"Well, what else could it be?" Weiss shot back, suddenly looking unbalanced by this whole conversation.

Yang ran a hand through her hair. "I don't know, but not debasing yourself, that's for certain." She glanced over at Ruby, thinking. She wasn't really the best with words, but this time she would try. "Asking for help means being human, being a person," she said at last. "It means admitting that just like everyone else, you can't do this alone and you need someone to bear part of the burden with you. It means accepting the fact that each person is different and what might be difficult for one person may be easier for someone else.

"Me and Ruby...we only have each other. Sure, sometimes our uncle comes by to help with this or that, but mostly we're on our own. I'm not good at sewing or fixing broken things. Ruby can't lift heavy objects or deal with people, so we help each other. I take on the things she can't do well, and she does the same for me. There's no disgrace in it.

"Weiss, if you really believe that asking people for help somehow lessens the person that you are, then I'm really sorry you had to grow up like that." Yang ruffled the back of her head. "Look, this doesn't have to be that complicated. You think Ruby helped you yesterday because she wanted something from you? Do you honestly believe the reason she brought you all the way here—knowing the entire time that she was probably going to have to spend the night outdoors because she can't handle strangers that well—was because she expected some sort of payment? Has anything she's done since you met her even hinted that she wants something from you?"

Weiss stared at Yang. Her lips tightened as though she were about to argue but upon meeting Yang's eyes, she seemed to think better of it. The moments stretched until finally she said reluctantly, "No...no, she hasn't."

Yang breathed a sigh of relief. "Right. So why would you think she'd do anything differently now? I mean, I know you just met her—us—but do we really seem like people who wouldn't lift a finger unless there was something in it for us?" Yang was nearly pleading now. This was too much. Someone had to show this hard-headed noble that there were good people out there—people far better than the self-centered monsters who had forced her to believe that she couldn't depend on anyone. Yang didn't know why she cared so much, but just imagining that sort of life made her feel so...hopeless. She would have been utterly lost without Ruby by her side—laughing with her, helping her, and just being there for her. Just imagining a life without Ruby filled Yang with emptiness and despair, and it hurt thinking this that the woman standing across from her had to live her life without her own Ruby—her own friend, family, and confidant—to rely on. "Come on, it's not that hard, Weiss. Just ask."

Something in Yang's voice or expression must have broken through because after another long moment, Weiss asked shakily in a quiet voice, "...Will you please help me? I have no means of paying you but—"

"Ah, ah, ah—! Stop right there. You asked for help, not only from my sister but now from me as well. You're in our home so the rules of hospitality demand that we feed and offer you shelter for at least three days if you have need of it and if we can spare it. If we're going by the oldest hospitality laws, that means we're to defend you from even your greatest enemies if they come looking for you while you're under our roof, so that's what we'll do. Now say thank you, Weiss."

Icy blue eyes widened in shock. Weiss's mouth opened and closed a few times before she whispered, "Thank you."

Yang grinned at her while Ruby slipped in beside her and laid a tentative hand on the woman's arm. If the noble's eyes were looking a bit watery, neither of the sisters seemed to notice.

Author's Ramblings and Ruminations:

So umm...this is a good place to discuss why I decided to write this fanfic much less upload it where others can read it, especially in light of Yang and Weiss's discussion about what the nature of help truly is.

This is a story dedicated especially to those who have inner demons. Mental illness (whether it be depression, PTSD, anxiety or something else) or other issues like low self-esteem, addiction, and alcoholism are no joke. They're a constant fight against a monster that never really goes away, a monster that just hides for a time only to strike again when one least expects it. I wanted to write this story because the themes of friendship, support, and simply never giving up in the face of adversity are so incredibly powerful in the original RWBY tale that I was inspired to expand on them while giving them my own flair. More importantly, I just wanted all of you out there who are reading this to know that there are other people out there who recognize your struggles and I, for one, honor them.

Yeah, for other people things like getting up in the morning and getting dressed or making breakfast—basically DOING simple things can be the hardest thing ever when your monster strikes. Sometimes stepping out of your house even if it's just to get groceries or psyching yourself up to go to some sort of social gathering can be the most daunting thing ever, and it's really easy to get trapped in a cycle of self-recrimination. Nobody else seems to have trouble with these things so why are these simple things so hard for me? But the thing is, everyone has their own darkness, their own monsters, their own demons. That's life, and to borrow the words of Ruby during her private discussion with Oscar in season 5, episode 5, the fact that you're still struggling against your monster says far more about you than the monster itself. No matter what anyone else says, you are worthy of respect and I salute you.

I'm sure there are people out there who might never understand your problems because just like you might not be able to see their monster, they might not be able to see yours either. But know that you're not alone, and it's okay to admit when you might need a little extra help. There are people who care, people who are out there facing the same, similar, and sometimes even very different monsters, but that in no way belittles the battle you're facing now. Don't give up. Keep fighting. Don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it. One day, this too shall pass and more than anything I hope that one day you'll be able to look back on yourself at this moment and feel proud of yourself, proud that you kept going, and I hope you find something that makes all the struggles worth it in the end.

And I hope that by following my AU versions of Ruby, Yang, and Weiss (and eventually Blake when she appears on the stage) on their journey and through their individual struggles, you can find the strength to keep going even on your bad days.

Sorry, that was so long and rambling, and thank you again for taking the time out of your day to read this fanfic. It really means a lot to me.

P.S. - Yes, my username is a reference to Icon for Hire's "Hope of Morning," which incidentally, is also the character song I'm using to help me write Weiss. It's also my guide for the story thematically, specifically the chorus: "When the hope of morning starts to fade in me / I don't dare let darkness have its way with me / And the hope of morning makes me worth the fight / I will not be giving in tonight."

YOU are worth the fight, and don't let anyone ever make you believe otherwise. Have a great day/night everyone.