Beta Read by: Crescent Sunrise

Recommended Story: "Red Huntress" by Archer1eye - RWBY AU

~MZ~

For May, the days spent here at Beacon are relaxing. If one can be relaxing through hard training, occasionally interrupted by moments of fun and rest. Still, she's enjoyed her time thus far and honestly wonders if there is anything she can do to extend her time at the school.

It's an idle thought and not likely to happen really but, like many such idle fancies, it is momentarily interesting to ruminate on.

Being pulled from her thoughts by her workout partner May blinks and sets her eyes on Yang, only to get a chuckle from the brawler before she repeats her question.

"I asked if you're going to go stalk my little sister again." The busty bruiser asks with a smirking grin.

"I already told you Yang, I do not stalk your sister after our work outs. I simply enjoy taking a walk near the edge of the forest afterwards to make sure nothing cramps." May replies turning her eyes upwards and away from the blonde.

'Yeah, she'll buy that.'

She doesn't. Going by the deadpan look being given the older sniper. "Uh huh, and the fact that Ruby runs around the field between the woods and the academy every morning wearing a tank top and short shorts has nothing to do with your new habit I'm sure."

'Dammit.'

Coming clean now would be admitting defeat. So like a gambling addict down on her luck, May decides to double down instead of throwing in the towel. "Does she? I had no idea." Her eyes widening in feigned surprise trying to convey her supposed ignorance of that particular fact before narrowing at the blonde. "Yang are you accusing me of being some manner of lecher? I thought you knew me better than that." The sniper adds trying to now sound hurt.

Yang's heart must be a black void which swallows all, because she remains unmoved and unbothered by the display when she replies. "Is it really an accusation if you've already admitted to lusting after her?"

'She's not falling for it, switch tactics!'

May adopts an offended look next. Her head tilting just so, with eyes narrowed. She practiced after watching the heiress and it seems Yang picks up on it as she lets out a little snort. "I do not lust after Little Red and I'm offended by the insinuation. I merely appreciate her lovely visage."

Yang spots a small opening and latches on as they walk slowly towards the dorms. From there the two will separate again like they do most mornings. "So you admit that you go on your little 'walks' so you can ogle Rubes while having an excuse."

'Double down May! Defeat is not an option you can still avoid giving her the win!'

May keeps the false haughty look in place as she replies with a little sniff. "Did I say that? I believe I mentioned having no idea about her running habits. And if I were to do something as base and degenerate as 'ogling her'. Well I'm fairly certain she would be looking right back. And not at my eyes." The sniper replies letting a little sultry look cross her face. Grinning as Yang blanches a moment.

"Nope! Nope, nope, nopity, nope! I'm not listening anymore, I'm stopping the conversation right there. Ruby has good taste sure, but I see where this conversation is heading and it is somewhere very uncomfortable for her older sister. I really don't need to hear your opinion on my sister's assets. Just, go take your walk. I'm due for a shower and a little more sleep. See ya later." The blond replies giving a wave over her head as she turns into the dorms leaving a grinning May behind to continue on.

'Victory tastes so sweet.'

It's a smug little smile on Mays lips as she moves away from the building and towards her usual path, that just so happens to circle around the same field Ruby does her morning run. May catches the red-themed girls' profile as she's making her rounds. Her short frame lean and built for running, as her curves press tight to the fabric of her running outfit. Sweat glistening as it runs little trails across her skin.

Small wonder May never feels the need to put on her jacket during these walks. She's always left feeling warm enough.

Today is a free day. With missions coming soon the Academy slackens off to give students more time to focus and polish their skills. It also lets them get out and enjoy life a bit more just in case the worst should happen during their missions.

She won't have to worry about Ruby though. First years are barred from the dangerous missions to give them more time to garner experience in a more controlled and guided setting.

'Isn't there a dance coming up too? I wonder if anyone has asked her yet.' The sniper ponders letting her eyes drift once more to the running figure. Her attention drawn and caught like an insect to a Venus fly trap. And judging by the girls scythe, twice as deadly.

May pauses about half way and hops up to grab a hanging tree limb. Using it to haul herself up into the tree for a view and maybe afterwards a nap. A lazy day to just relax sounds wonderful and after sending off a message to her team not to wait up for her she leans back to relax. Her jacket covering her upper body like a blanket.

~RR~

Ruby frowns, for days Blake had been withdrawn. Focusing her attention on researching everything. Constantly searching the Dustnet for any information on the Whitefang or Torchwick. The cheery team leader tried to draw her teammate out, but it felt like a wasted effort. At this point she considered it a win if she could get Blake to eat food. Though technically against the rules to eat in the library, a small basket with a few pieces of bread and some tuna or cooked salmon could be snuck in easily enough. And fish was always the right bribe to get Blake to take a break for a moment.

Yang assured them she would get her partner out of the rut if it got to serious and from the looks of things it's heading that way.

'Why does this have to happen this year? I'm already out of my depth just being two years younger than everyone else. But add on being made a team leader, the festival, May, and now a big conspiracy too? I really don't need the pressure. Not like we can ignore what's right in front of us though. Well, we could. But it wouldn't solve anything.'

Ruby wasn't looking where she was going. Her run was over hours ago and she just finished feeding Blake and between buildings on her way to the dorm when she bumped into a large, muscular, and very male chest. She just tried to zip around again like the last time but was surprised when this time a hand caught her cloak near the hood before she could make it too far. Clenching and lifting her into the air before turning her around to face Cardin Winchester.

"You know, this is the second time you've bumped into me and just walked away without so much as a sorry twerp. It's really rude. Now I decided to let it go the first time. But a second?" He asks, ignoring the kicks planting into his chest. Between Aura, training, and the position keeping her from building some real force, the hits are negligible.

"Let me go Cardin! I'm not afraid of you, jerk!" She replies not pausing her ineffective kicking. Her hands reaching up and grabbing his wrists and hands to try and pry his fingers from her cloak so she can get free without damaging the cloth. His grip is like a vice however as he starts walking away still carrying her.

"Let's go have a chat about how you can make it up to me for being so rude yeah? I can be a forgiving guy so it won't be too bad." The mace wielding bully says ignoring her struggling.

~MZ~

May wakes up slowly, her eyes a little bleary after her nap. When she pulls up her Scroll she blinks to clear her vision before her eyes shoot wide. Noon came and went. Comfy tree indeed, she will have to remember this spot. The branch sticking out to her side was just the right height for her to lean against so she wouldn't have to worry about falling while unconscious.

She straightens up and gives a little stretch her jacket falling to her lap as she looks out and spots a familiar red color across the field next to the wall.

'Not heading to the fair grounds. Looks like they're standing still. Who's the tall one? Too broad in the shoulders to be Velvet.'

May lifts her rifle to look across the field to see Ruby kicking her feet into the guy's chest as he holds her up. Her first guess is a teasing friend messing with her. After all, who could possibly want to bully the ever bubbly team leader? Not just her infectious happiness would prevent it either. She's surrounded by strong friends and her sister isn't anyone to trifle with.

With a little smirk the sniper watches for a minute until she spots something that makes her lips curl in an angry snarl. Ruby's not smiling or pouting with her usual indignance. She's glaring angrily, the short girl's eyes darting around occasionally as if looking for help.

That's all the motivation May needs. She ejects her magazine and digs out another filled with her paint rounds. The same used to punish her team mates when they've gone just a little too far.

She loads it in and loads the first one before looking through her scope again. She pauses watching the wind play over the grass so she can adjust her scope Grateful the big guy actually turned, putting his back to the older girl as she caressed the trigger on her rifle.

She draws in a deep breath and holds it before firing. She had tried to make the round spatter red and white paint. But the membrane separating the two colors ended up too thin causing them to mix after being fired. The result being a light pink color. In the end the result didn't upset her. Not then, and not now as she watches Mr. Bully's head rock forward, a large pink splatter blossoming against the back of his head to mix with his hair.

Ruby is dropped in the confusion and darts towards May after the sniper lifts her Jacket to signal her position. One eye still through her scope in case the first round didn't send enough of a message.

She watches him grip his head and look around towards her position watching his victim heading that way with his spare hand clenched at his side. His eyes narrow in anger but doesn't seem willing to push it any further at the moment because he turns and stalks away with heavy foot falls.

"Hello there Little Red. I hope you don't mind me stepping in, it looked like you had him right where you wanted him right?" May teases lightly hooking her arms behind her back and around her rifle letting her lean back over the weapon. Teasing and flirting. Just enough of both to get that sputtering she so enjoys.

"You're impossible May!" The once more blushing girl exclaims hiding her head under her hood. "Why do you tease me so much one minute then act so nice the next? It's really confusing!" She asks finally having had enough of the confusing treatment and wanting to hear the answer.

May stops then straightening up and noticing Ruby can't see her she leans down a bit and sets a hand on the smaller girls shoulder. There's a silence until Ruby lowers her hood again and looks questioningly up at the taller girl.

'Well she asked. Moment of truth Zedong. Did she really not know?'

"You really don't know? I thought I was being obvious. I like you, that's why. And if riling you up is the only way I can get you to respond to me then so be it. Having your attention on me is worth it." May replies, blue steel meeting molten silver as she locks eyes with the shorter girl.

There is a long stretch of silence between them as Ruby narrows her eyes staring deep into May's looking for any kind of deception. An act that makes May wonder if she did indeed push it a little further than she intended with her teasing. Failing to see the familiar glimmer of teasing amusement in May's eyes though Ruby blinks, taken aback for a moment at the honesty she sees staring back.

"O-oh... W-well... I mean... You don't have to tease me you know..." Ruby finally replies her cheeks getting closer to the color of her beloved cape and May can tell she's already considering tugging it up again to hide under. To prevent it May steps into Ruby's personal space, one hand trailing fingers slowly across Ruby's jaw line as she other settles on the nervous girl's waist. Bold, but isn't there a saying about those being the one's fortune favors? With the twisting in her gut May's hoping for all the fortune she can get.

"I don't? Why Little Red. Are you implying what I think you are?" May teases her face lowering ever closer to Ruby, causing the girl to blush brighter and stammer, only quieting when May closes the distance and gives her a quick peck on her lips. "Then I'll be seeing you tonight, meet me in front of your dorm building at seven?" She asks in a way that suggests she's not really asking before giving Ruby a familiar wink and walking away with a cocky sway. Already feeling the younger girls eyes following her every movement and stamping furiously on her own nerves before they can turn on her.

'If she shows up she shows up. Either way I'll have an answer then. No point in working myself up over it now.' May tells herself pulling out her Scroll to let Yang know that she finally told her sister. The only reply being the words. 'About time!' Bold and in all caps.

AN:

And here's chapter 6. One of very few scenes I planned out well in advance. This being how I write. A string of conciousness that takes me from one chapter to the next. Anyway, it's happened! Long Distance is unfurling its sails and getting ready to leave port! Next chapter is the first date!

Big round of applause for CS giving this a look see so quickly. Otherwise you all might have had to wait until monday!

As always a special thanks to my reviewers for their wonderful feedback and encouragement. CinderBurn, AntonSlavick020, Goofy Wolverine, Imoshen88, A Wraith, and Doomzoom

Omake by: Crescent Sunrise

Title: The War Rages On… And The Walls Fall

Ruby and Weiss walked around the grounds of Beacon warily, weapons at the ready. The reason being that they hadn't seen ANYONE since Professor Ozpin had made his (possibly drug-induced) speech of war and people wanting to get in Ruby's pants. Needless to say, the pair was quite unnerved.

"Weiss, where is everyone? Seriously, people were everywhere yesterday. It feels like one of those horror movies, you know? The 'Freddy Timber on Willow Street' series? Like, come on! I don't even see those weird shadow people!" Ruby asked timidly, waiving Crescent Rose to and fro, scanning her surroundings.

"Ruby would you stop talking for one minute and let me think?" the heiress says exasperatedly. "Maybe Ozpin was serious."

"What? The guy was totally on something there! It's not like the author would really…" Ruby trails off, her expression turning sour, she looks to where she feels a pair of eyes. "Really!? You're actually going through with this? You write angsty comfort romance and rehashed Narutoverse fics! This is madness!" Ruby screams at the author.

"Madness?" a voice replies, making the partners jump in fright. Looking over to the sound they see a few familiar faces coming into view.

"Sun?" Ruby says, with a tremor of fear.

Sun and his team seem to be lethargic. Arms hanging limply and heads down, like they were zombies form some cheesy B-movie.

"This is…" Sun starts up, "Guns 'n' Roses!" he bellows, head shooting up with literal valentine hearts for eyes as he grins and pulls out some chocolates walking toward Ruby and Weiss, only to be knocked aside by one of his teammates.

"No! This will be Paprika!" Sage starts.

"Come on guys, everyone wants to see Shades of Red." Scarlett butts in.

"Dammit Gavin, no one asked you!" Sun yells.

"Michael! We're supposed to stay in character!" Scarlett says with a scandalized expression.

Ruby and Weiss look on as the three members of team SSSN start to bicker and draw weapons, their eyes glued to the scene like a train wreck, it's horrible, but they can't look away.

"Sup?" comes a suave voice to the girls' left.

"AH! Neptune, what are you doing?"

"Come on Ruby, the Red Sea is the ship that needs to sail."

"Excuse me?" come the frosted voice of Weiss, putting a look of terror on Neptune's face.

Before Neptune could save himself, he was thrown back by one of Weiss' Glyphs, getting knocked into the melee between his other teammates. "Whatever happened to Under the Schnee!?" Weiss screeched. Marching forward, Myrtenaster glowing with Dust as her heels clicked like some kind of death knell.

Ruby just stood stock-still as the world seemed to crumble around her. "Why is everything going crazy? All I wanted was the nice quirky girl with the perky butt!" she whined. Only to stumble as a hand grabbed her wrist while another clamped over her mouth, "We should go before more of them show up." The woman said hastily, unclamping Ruby's mouth.

"Blake?"

"Come on, let's hurry!" Blake whispered as she dragged the Ruby towards the center of Beacon…

"Kerry, why did you have to be such a man-whore!?"

"It's just the character! I'm sorry!"

That's all for now everyone! I love you all, and I'll see you next time!