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Time to Say Goodbye (Part One)
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Now it's time to say goodbye
To the things we loved
And the innocence of youth.
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"—Ruby? Weiss?"
"—Blaaaake?"
"—Yang! Seriously, I need to get one of those leashes they have for kids."
At the crossroads of Atlas' center streets, the four members of Team RWBY froze at the sight of each other. While the surprise of their sudden reunion left them dazed, the groups they accidentally separated from arrived.
Pedestrian traffic lessened somewhat. Four different "factions" of people joined the members of RWBY in their momentary shock—but not for long.
"This looks dicey…" Emerald tensed her hand around her gun.
"Yeah, no kidding," Mercury agreed.
"Cinder Fall…!" Jaune gritted through his teeth.
"Yang…" Raven whispered.
"Weiss?" Ilia murmured. "You're awake?"
"Best three out of five?" Coco challenged.
All of them palmed the handle of their respective weapons, fingers tapped the side of their triggers. Eyes darted to every other person, reacting to each little motion with intensity. Under normal circumstances, they wouldn't hesitate to start fighting, but nothing about the situation was normal.
Amidst the immensely hostile environment, only the four standing at the front of each group did not move.
"Stop," Weiss gave voice to their reservations. "We are not about to turn this place into a battleground. Not while all these innocent people are here."
"She's right, guys," Ruby pleaded with Team CFVY and RNJR behind her. "Let's just calm down, okay?"
Blake also turned to Ilia, Raven, and Adam.
"We shouldn't fight them. This isn't the time or the place."
"Blake. If we end them now, there's no telling how much we save—"
"Adam! If you attack them right now, I swear, I'll fight you this instant."
"A nice sentiment," Raven interrupted. "But while the Schnee heiress seems to have control over her little posse, and we have no reason to pose threats ourselves," she raised her brow, "those dangerous-looking delinquents over there might not be so inclined."
Blake followed the woman's line of sight to Yang and her group, who showed no signs of backing down whatsoever.
To the surprise of many, it was Weiss who spoke in the most amical tone.
"Yang? Could you please ask your people not to do anything reckless?"
"Don't need to," Yang replied shortly.
"Just waiting for blondie there to cool it first, snowflake~" Emerald grinned, while continuing to grip her gun. "And when I say blondie, I mean yours. Not ours."
Their attentions fell on Jaune, who did not lax the hold on his sword.
"Yang…!" he growled.
"Jaune."
"Was what you told me back at Patch a lie?"
"You know I mean everything I say."
"Then, why?!"
The girl went silent, as she fought the urge to answer the question in full.
"…I've got my reasons."
"What reasons could those be? What could they POSSIBLY be?!"
She sighed.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told ya, buddy."
"—You're Yang?" Ilia mugged at her up and down, with a hand on her hip. "Was kinda expecting more."
"More, what? And that's some intense secondhand hate you're slinging my way. Guess my mom and Blake didn't have anything nice to say about me?"
"—Now, you know how I feel," Cinder commented.
"Definitely, not the same thing."
"Yeah. It's all firsthand here!" Jaune snapped.
"…Remind me, who were you again?"
"Grr…!"
"Ice it, Cinder," Yang threw her a begrudging glare. "We both know whose side I take, if you flip the switch on this."
"I wonder about that."
"—Enough." Raven stepped past Blake into the center of the brewing storm. "Seeing as I'm the only real adult here, may I suggest all parties turn around right now, and start walking back the way they came."
"Raven is correct," Cinder met her in the center, face to face. "Destiny brought us together, but we would do well not to indulge its whims any further." She flashed Raven a flirtatious smile. "No matter how much we may want to."
"Bad habit giving in to temptations."
"So, I've been told. Doesn't stop the impulse from taking every now and then."
The two shared a long gaze, before Raven turned on her foot. Cinder did the same, walking back in the opposite direction.
At their leads, two of the factions followed their departure. It took some ushering from Nora and Ren, but they were able to move Jaune as well.
But as the various collection of teams dispersed, four figures stood rooted to where they stood.
"Yang?" Emerald questioned the girl still staring at her former teammates.
"…You guys head back without me," she called over her shoulder. "Hey, Weiss! You gotta know the best place to grab a bite, right? I'm starving!"
The heiress puffed out her chest.
"Of course," she said snootily. "I am a proud citizen of Atlas after all."
"Eh, what does that have to do with anything?"
"It means, just follow me," Weiss rolled her eyes and began moving in a direction.
"Just checking, but you're not taking us to some fancy schmants shindig, right?" Yang matched her stride.
"And what are you implying, exactly?"
"I'm implying, if there's a dress code, or some stupid etiquette I have to follow, I might have to start second-guessing your tastes."
"Just mind your basic manners."
"Can do~ "
The two paused in their walk, and turned around together.
"What are you just standing around for?" "You guys coming, or what?"
""Uh.""
Ruby and Blake glanced to each other uncertainly, before deciding to follow.
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X
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"Hmmm…."
Peering through her binoculars from the windows of a business studio they broke into, Masa Moon observed the Tower of Cerberus from a distance. Accompanying her was Penny, who provided protection in case she ever needed it.
Although most of Cerberus' architecture laid below ground level, what stood above was nothing to turn their nose at. As the sole entrance to the facility, the gates were well-enforced. Whatever primary defenses the original tower possessed, was further layered by Hades' and Professor Polendina's efforts.
Masa didn't understand how annoyingly fool-proof it was, until she was the one trying to break in from the other side.
As she noticed another aspect of the base, the digital pen in her hand drew adjustments to the projection floating beside her.
"Penny. This one must ask again, if any progress has been made in breaching the system's defenses."
[Nope. It seems father performed a full overhaul of the Tower's encryptions. It's probably because he saw me flying around the city!]
"A logical conclusion. Do you want to meet your father?"
[Oh, yes. That would be stupendous!]
"The moment of reunions will occur in due time. By this one's calculations, it should be—"
[Alert! Motion tracking indicates single approaching entity. Nature: Unknown. Recalculating.]
"Belay the process, Penny. Continue analyzing the Tower. This one knows the identity of our guest," Masa moved from the window sill.
When she was within five feet of the door, a short knock came. The weapon tech opened it without precaution.
Before her, looming over Masa's height, was the figure of Qrow Branwen.
[Target matches registered subject in enemy databanks. Permission to engage.]
"Denied," Masa answered, and turned back to the guest. "What is the reason for your visit, Qrow? Or is this one addressing the Old One, who may very well be the same person by now?"
The scraggly man gave her an annoyed grunt.
"I need to talk to them, Maz. Enemy of an enemy, and all that."
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X
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"This is… strange."
"No, it isn't."
"Yes… it is, Weiss," Blake insisted.
"…Okay, it is a little embarrassing."
Sitting at the corner of a restaurant, Team RWBY's table was completely covered with platefuls of seafood cuisine and all selections of beverages. Besides the grand all you can eat feast, if there was anything Blake found strange about their situation—it was that all of the orders were free and paid for, sent over by the other guests of the restaurant.
As soon as the four entered the establishment, random citizens of Atlas instantly recognized two of the party. Especially a table populated by members of the Silbern Mafia.
"Is it really okay to take this?" Blake asked warily, while eyeing the fish with obvious desire.
"Orf mourf it ish!"
"Yang, please chew your food," Weiss chided.
Yang swallowed her mouthful with an effort, and thumped her chest heartily.
"Of course, it is! Plus, it'd be rude to turn them down! Just accept the offer!"
"—Yeah, boss!" a few mafioso members encouraged from another table. "We have to celebrate your recovery! The girl from Team ENMY's got the right idea! By the way, you guys saved my brother last week! Anything you want, it's on my tab!"
"Eyyy!" Yang shot them a finger gun and a wink. They toasted a frothing glass and drained it to the bottom. "Pah!" she let out a satisfied sigh, while wiping her lips. "Another round, owner!"
Suspicious of something, Ruby snatched Yang's mug and gave it a sniff. Her face immediately reeled back from the familiar smell.
"Yang! This is beer! You're underage! How are you ordering this?!"
"Hm? With this?" she held out a fake ID for her little sister to examine.
"…Who's Bang Jiao Bong?!"
"I know, right? Em's usually good at coming up with names, but if she doesn't care, they end up not making any sense at all. Still, better than the one Junior gave me that said you chopped my arm off."
"Age: 21? Kingdom of Origin: Atlas. OFFICIALLY LICENSED HUNTRESS?!"
"Well, yeah. I mean, to take the best jobs, it's better to have Huntress-level credentials. Didn't realize it before, but the reward rates for students-in-training are just plain cruel."
"How did you get this?!"
"Cinder knows a few good forgers."
"Can I get one?!"
"—Ruby! No! Do not be a bad influence for your sister!" Weiss reprised Yang.
"Psh! Like you're one to talk—lady crime boss. Shshsh!" the girl let out a hissing chuckle.
"This and that are completely separate issues! Besides, I object to being defined as a 'crime' boss. I, Weiss Schnee, have committed no crimes. All actions taken have been to the pure betterment of my Kingdom's citizens!"
""To Weiss Schnee! Fairest of them all!"" the room cheered in chorus.
"Honestly, how wasted are all of you?! And that's enough about me." She turned to her right. "Blake, we lost contact with you until now. What's happened since we last spoke?"
"Um, a lot of things, really." Blake ate her tuna without noise, but with stealthy speed. "Yeah, a lot of things."
"—I see you're with Adam again…" Yang judged, over her freshly ordered mug.
"Um! Yes, but you see—"
"It's fine. I'm over it already. Really."
"Really?"
"No." She paused for a moment, before taking a long sip. "But I can't say anything about it. Not with the company I'm keeping these days."
"OH!" Ruby piped up. "THAT REMINDS ME! Is… is the orange-haired girl, the one that was with you. Is it really her?"
Yang's cheeks reddened with a genuinely warm smile.
"It's Penny, Ruby. She's busy right now, but as soon as we meet up, I'll let her know you're in town. I'll bet she can't wait to see you."
"…Thank goodness," Ruby shuddered with relief. "That's so great."
With her real arm, Yang roped her sister's shoulders in for an embrace.
"Yeah. Yeah, it is."
After taking some time to let the good news settle between them, they resumed.
"But, how?" Ruby asked.
"Masa rebuilt her. I think she mentioned something about recovering Penny's hard drive and gradually restoring her. I dunno."
"Wait, MASA?!"
"Yeah. That's a whole another story, right there. I think it was on the news, but our team basically broke into Signal to save her."
"—I believe the news said you kidnapped her," Weiss crossed her arms disapprovingly.
"Kidnapping, rescuing. If you really think about it, there's not much of a difference."
"There is a clear difference! There is a VERY clear difference! Hmph, your roguish antics have only grown more extreme since we last met."
"Hey, no high ground for you, mob boss. From what I heard in the underground, you actually have a longer rap sheet than I do. Even if you use the crusading revolutionary excuse."
"I don't—Like I said previously, that is neither here nor there!"
"What, like it wasn't you who orchestrated the fall of—what is it now— ten fortune five hundred companies?"
"—Twelve from what I heard," Blake chuckled. "Not including the S.D.C.'s takeover of several refineries, and placing them under better management. And crashing a number of airships to provide better live-in residencies for workers."
"Oh, not you, too. I can't believe two of our team's worst troublemakers are trying to lecture me."
"I'm not trying to lecture you. I'm proud of you, Weiss."
"…"
"When I heard all the stories—of all the things you've accomplished," Blake glowed, "I could hardly believe it. But at the same time, I knew it could only be you. I thought, only Weiss, who can be so stringent at times, could go to such outrageous lengths to do what's right. A girl with strong principles, who did good by people—someone I was proud to be friends with."
"…'Was'?" Weiss leered.
"Well, I didn't know if after everything you would still consider me—"
At that moment, all three at the table frowned at Blake with an accusing expression.
"Am," Blake corrected hastily. "Someone I am proud to be friends with."
The three sank back in their chairs, as if to say, "that's right".
"—So, what's the deal with that Ilia chick?" Yang asked. "She's got it in for me, cause why?"
"We're childhood friends, and she heard about our fight. I think she's just being overprotective."
"'Overprotective'. Right. More like, overjealous."
Blake blushed slightly at that.
"Yup. There's a story there," Yang chuckled. "Romance…"
"—Oh! Oh! Speaking of romance!" Ruby called attention. "Did anyone else catch that weirdness between Cinder and Raven?!"
"You mean, how they were practically undressing each other with their eyes?" Blake added offhand.
"Yeah, that!"
"—Come here, you!" Yang pinched the sides of Ruby's cheeks and stretched them out. "I was trying REALLY hard not to think about that!"
"Ish that why you're working wish Cinder? Cause sheesh your shtep mom!"
"Shut up, shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!"
"Do yoush shthink they did naughty thin—AH!"
"You don't know when to quit, do you?! Don't think I forgot how things ended the last time we saw each other! I'll get my revenge!"
"Br-bring it on!" Ruby started pulling on Yang's face in return.
As the two siblings had their rematch, Weiss and Blake watched on with laughter.
Continuing with their dinner, Team RWBY ate and chatted about their own separate adventures and misadventures. They laughed, they joked. They reminisced and they celebrated.
As their reunion continued, a news report flashed on the TV from the upper corner of the restaurant.
Lisa Lavender appeared with an image of Vytal in the background.
"That does it for the report on the increasing Grimm threat. In other news, two days remain until the scheduled peace summit, where the Four Kingdoms' leaders will meet and discuss the direction of the war. Many sources and key speakers have cited…"
As Team RWBY stared up at the screen, different thoughts plagued their minds.
"That's right," Ruby remembered. "Instead of the Vytal Festival, the Kingdoms are using the anniversary to hold a peace summit. Do you think they'll decide to end the war?"
"Doubt it," Yang frowned, draining another beer mug. "Probably just an opportunity to reissue terms of surrender and get a feel for the other Kingdoms' conditions."
"Or establish a possible alliance," Weiss added grimly.
"That would be bad."
On that note, Weiss and Yang turned to Blake; the sole member of their group, who fought for Mistral.
"…I have no comment."
"—Wait, what? What are you guys talking about?" Ruby asked.
"Really, Ruby. You need to pay more attention to the war's geopolitical landscape," Weiss lectured.
"Geo-wha? And I've been too busy practicing my powers and researching the Four Maidens, and the Towe—" she covered her mouth.
"…Riiiight." Yang's lips pulled into a knowing grin, before twisting bitterly. "Basically, if Mistral persuades Vale into forming an alliance, Atlas is screwed. It'll be instant victory in the war. Unleeeessss, is Atlas willing to make an alliance with Vale?"
"Not with the way the Board of Directors are now," Weiss grimaced. "They're too stubborn and too shortsighted to see the possible implications of not forming an alliance with Vale. It won't happen unless they are given significantly favorable terms—which is impossible. Not to mention Mistral will definitely offer a far fairer treaty, if that is their intent."
The two turned to Blake again, who only continued to eat like she hadn't heard them. Seeing they weren't going to get anything out of her, Yang continued their discussion.
"Mistral's really taking the reins on this war."
"And our Kingdom, which was a heavy favorite to win, now stands with its back against the wall."
"Vale's been in an exhausting war of attrition for some time now—with no viable way of winning."
"They've been driven into a corner. If they're offered even the slightest form of salvation…"
Yang and Weiss sighed simultaneously. Meanwhile, Blake darted awkward looks between them. It was only Ruby, who was still trying to think things through.
"But if Mistral and Vale form an alliance, wouldn't Vacuo… Oh," her eyes rounded with realization.
"That is correct," Weiss confirmed Ruby's thoughts. "Previously, none of the Kingdoms wanted to forge an alliance due to the unpredictable nature of Vacuo. Many of the leaders thought if an allegiance was made, Vacuo would likely side with their opponent. But in this case…"
"Instead of anyone else, they'd have to get in bed with Atlas," Yang shrugged. "The wildcard of this war isn't a wildcard anymore if you can predict what they'll do. And of course, there's the obvious bad blood between Vacuo and Atlas."
"The original Atlas Board was responsible for the Crusades launched against the Vacuo Kingdom," Blake elaborated. "Calling it bad blood would be putting things lightly."
"So, that's why the war might be over if Mistral and Vale join together…" Ruby revealed a conflicted frown. On one hand, it meant Mistral would rule Remnant, but on the other, it also meant less lives would be lost in a prolonged conflict.
"An almost guaranteed checkmate," Weiss finished. "Well, it might not be the worst outcome from my standpoint. I was never in support of the war campaign. And if Mistral helps bring the same equality to Atlas as I've heard it has its own Kingdom, I can hardly argue. Although I have to admit, it's not ideal to have reforms come from invaders."
"Um!" Blake stood abruptly. "I'll speak up for you! I'll tell Raven and the Mistral leadership to include you in all their talks. I refuse to let the good you've done go to waste. You should be the intermediary, when—"
"Atlas surrenders, after Mistral trounces us?" Weiss showed a kind, but sad smile.
"Weiss…"
"I know. I'm sorry, but I don't want to talk about Atlas' defeat like it's a foregone conclusion," she sighed. "But if that time ever comes, I'll greatly appreciate your help."
"Of course. I'll do anything," Blake promised.
The two shared a look of understanding. As Ruby watched the scene unfold, she couldn't help but notice Yang didn't seem as responsive to the positive outlook.
"Yang?"
Her older sibling only gave a noncommittal shrug.
"Cheh. I never had a stake in the war to begin with. It doesn't change what I have to do. Just makes it a little harder."
"What are you trying to do?"
"…I'm going to kill Salem. And it doesn't matter if she's the supreme leader of Remnant by the time I do it. That's all."
Yang's statement caught Blake's attention.
"Is that truly necessary?"
"Yep. She goes down. No compromise in that. You mentioned what she's done for you, and how she's improved Mistral. That's great and all, but it doesn't change my mind one bit."
"Yang, it's not like I completely trust her either, but—"
"Let's not do this, Blake. We're not kids anymore. Let's not try to convince each other who's right or wrong, or anything. We've all made our choices, found our own beliefs. We're walking down paths we decided for ourselves…without each other. I want to respect that."
Blake gazed sadly at her, before taking a deep breath.
"I want to, too."
"—ALRIGHT! That's enough doom and gloom!" Ruby announced loudly. "It's been so long since we were all together in the same place. So, let's enjoy it until the end!"
Her teammates stared at her for a moment. Then, they ended up smiling at the incorrigibleness of their leader.
Seeing her team unified again, Ruby stood on her chair.
"Now, that we've finished eating. Team RWBY! It's time to move out!" she declared.
As the four filed out of the restaurant into the refreshing night air, a cold breeze made them bunch closer together.
"Welp! That's the most I ate in a while!" Yang burped. "Got calories to burn, ladies. Where to next?"
"Mmmm… What does our illustrious leader have to say?" Weiss joked, only to have it turned on her when Ruby pointed to her scroll. Their next activity fully prepared for.
The other three leaned closer to read the screen at the same time.
"Really?" Blake asked, trying to hide the slight happiness in her voice.
"How very like you," Weiss commented.
"Totally down for that!" Yang banged her fists together.
With prideful enthusiasm, Ruby announced,
"As commemoration of Team RWBY's reunion,
We're going on a mission!"
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NOTE
Part 2 should be released soon.