Reaper and Neo entered the broken shop via the back door in the alley. All the police out front, as well as the three huntresses in training who had fought the attackers, put the girls on edge. Especially if Roman was right and the three huntresses were who Reaper feared they were. The shop keeper was kept safe from the blast behind the counter and met with the criminal duo.

"God, this place is a mess." Reaper noted.

Doubt there will be any evidence of our attackers left.

"There are other things to learn." Reaper turned to the clerk. "What exactly happened here?"

"Well, these girls entered the shop. This white bitch kept droning on and on about stupid things, I couldn't get her to go away! Then her rabbit friend dragged her behind the shelves and these two other faunus, a monkey and a lion, knocked me out! Next thing I remember is waking up to an explosion!"

'Monkey' Neo quickly messaged Reaper.

"The monkey, dark hair and dark tail?" the scythe girl relayed Neo's question.

"Yeah, actually." The clerk replied.

"And what about the third girl?"

"What third girl?"

"A human in white and a rabbit. There should have been a cat with them. Witnesses even describe three huntresses defending the store."

"I didn't see no cat girl."

Reaper swept behind the counter. The only camera still intact was the one pointed at the back office. The scythe master checked the footage anyway, and didn't like what she saw. Blake was back there for nearly three minutes searching for something. On her way back out to fight the bombers, she slipped something into her pocket.

"I swear didn't see her!" the clerk was scared he would lose his job, or worse. He had heard horror stories about the girl who dressed like death himself.

"Don't worry, I believe you. She is very good at what she does. Neo, let's see if the girls are still here. Maybe we can hear their next move."

'We're supposed to be looking for the people attacking us.' Neo messaged.

"I know, but it's hard to focus ahead of us if we're constantly watching our backs. We need to figure out how to shake them." Neo grudgingly nodded. She wanted to get Roman of their backs, but again Reaper was right. She's getting good at this, Neo smiled.

Illusioned from sight, they found the Beacon group close by.

"Why are we still watching?" Weiss asked.

"Because Roman might send someone to check the shop." Blake answered.

"You don't really think he would send Ruby or that Neopolitan girl for something so trivial?" the heiress continued.

"Maybe not, or maybe he needs someone he trusts if there's people after him." Blake told her.

"If Neo is here, we may not see them." Velvet pointed out. "We don't know how to find and counter her illusions. They're damn good."

"It's getting late, Blake. We need to get back to Beacon before people start questioning what we're doing out here." Weiss said. Blake sighed and conceded. The trio started walking back to the school, the invisible criminal duo tailing within hearing distance.

"So what's our next step? You said you found a lead?" Velvet asked her faunus friend.

Blake pulled the sheet of paper out of her pocket. "I found this memo. It was faxed from OCHQ."

"And it has the return number?" Weiss asked hopefully. Blake smiled and nodded.

Reaper took advantage of the way Blake held up the memo to check it through Brutal Thorn's scope. Shit. The 'OCHQ' wasn't anything more than a warehouse with a single office, manned by an accountant Roman payed to keep all the transactions running smoothly. Thankfully it sounded like the Beacon girls couldn't so anything more tonight.

Once there were a few blocks between them and the huntresses, Neo dispelled the illusion. "We need to move OCHQ. Make sure the warehouse is empty when the girls search it." Reaper thought out loud. Neo nodded, while working on her own plan in the back of her mind. Reaper noticed the devious smile spread on the multi-colored girls face.

I don't like that.

Me neither…

A half an hour later Reaper was telling Ditz the message to relay to Torchwick. As she entered her home, she could tell by the unlocked door Neo was already inside. "We still haven't figured out how she got a key."

I doubt we can get it away from her.

"Do you even want to?" Reaper teased The Voice as she hung her hood and Brutal Thorn on their stands by the door.

Shut up about that already…

"Ohhh I hit a sore spot." Her scroll buzzed. From the kitchen, Neo could see and hear Reaper talking to her Voice out loud and told her so via text message. "Shit, I do that far more than I like to admit. Thanks." The scythe master turned to the multi-colored girl. "I suppose it's pointless to try and get you back to your own house that is literally right next door?"

Neo sarcastically exaggerated a thoughtful face for a few seconds before nodding. "Whatever, I'm making that drink and watching TV." Reaper grabbed the necessary bottles. "You do what you do, I guess. Me casa is su casa, since I don't really have a choice at this point." Neo wanted to join Reaper on the couch, but decided to take a look around the house first.

She passed the door to the Ruby Vault and stopped short. Her curiosity won out and she entered the room to see what it was like to sit amongst 'Ruby'. Or at least she would have, if the door wasn't locked. Does Reaper lock this door usually? Or… is it staying locked…? Neo smiled and made her way back to the living room.


Two years ago the 40th biennial Vytal Festival was held in Vale, and was interrupted by the attacks of Cinder and the White Fang. The councils of the world decided to break tradition and try to replace that memory with a happier one by announcing the 41st would also be held in Vale. There were those that argued a kingdom has never hosted the Vytal Festival twice in a row, but even they eventually admitted that a Vytal Festival had never fallen in such a grand manner and they should at least have a shot to 'redeem themselves'.

And so, while Weiss, Blake and Velvet awaited the inquiry about the number from the fax they set themselves up in the courtyard to see who was going to arrive today. A few they recognized from their battles passed through, but none of team SSSN, the only outside team they would wager to call their friends. Weiss had even had a small thing for Neptune once. Anytime Blake let this bother her, Weiss only needed to remind her about Sun.

"So, have either of you told Neptune or Sun about you being together?" Velvet finally found the courage to ask.

"Somehow, I don't think Neptune will be too broken up." Weiss pointed out. "You do remember how he talked to the NDGO girls?"

"Alright, good point. But what about Sun?" Velvet continued. Blake only shifted uncomfortably in her seat. The cat girl was not looking forward to talking to him, especially if he wanted to still be together after a whole year apart.

"So, Blake, what will you tell Sun?" Weiss asked her girlfriend, crossing her arms. Blake instantly recognized she was trapped and had to say something.

"I… haven't really thought about it yet… I was kind of hoping to just avoid him…" Blake admitted, knowing it didn't sound good.

"You realize he knows where we sleep?" the heiress told her. "He's climbed the tree outside our window before. If he wants to talk to you, it will be impossible to shake him off."

Blake really didn't want to talk to Sun if she could avoid it. But, as always, Weiss was right. She couldn't possibly avoid him forever. Not to mention it was childish beyond belief. "I'll figure it out. And you know you don't have to worry. I love you, Weiss." Blake assured her.

Weiss's scroll went off. "Hello?" She spoke into it. "Thank you very much." She said after a few moments and hung up. "I know where 'OCHQ' is. A warehouse somewhere in the more rundown parts of Industrial."

Her faunus companions nodded and they got up to leave, ready to shift into huntress mode. When they turned, they almost ran right into two people they didn't expect to see.

"Oh, hello girls!" Scarlet greeted them, Sage towering next to the thin pirate-dressed boy.

"Sage! Scarlet!" Blake looked around them. "Umm… So if you're here, where are Sun and Neptune?"

"Neptune ran off to chase some Haven girl's skirt." Sage told them.

"I knew it." Weiss rolled her eyes.

"And Sun is actually looking for you, Blake." Scarlet finished the answer. "He's talked about you a lot in the past year, to be perfectly honest."

"Great…" Blake lamented.

"Is something wrong?" Scarlet asked.

Blake saw a way out and took it. "Listen, would you tell him- hmmp?"

Weiss had covered her girlfriends mouth and continued for her. "-tell him that Blake wants to talk to him about something, but he has to wait until she finds the words."

Scarlet looked between the two girls in confusion. "Um. Alright then. Cheers!" the pirate walked off.

Where Scarlet was oblivious, Sage was not. He looked between the pair and offered a smile. "Congratulations. And good luck with Sun. He was really hoping, so try and be easy, will you?"

"I'll try…" Blake promised.

Sage walked off after his team mate and the girls set off for Vale.


The girls stood in front of the warehouse ready for anything. The doors slid open to reveal… nothing. Not even the pair with faunus senses could pick up a living soul in the building. "Damn it, they must have cleared it out. Maybe the address is old." Weiss cursed.

"Or an invisible Neopolitan saw us with the memo and took precautions." Velvet pointed out.

"There might still be something they forgot, or someone here waiting for us to beat us down. We just have to beat them and get them to talk." Blake told them.

"It's better than nothing, which is what we're back at now." Weiss fumed. "Let's get looking." The trio searched the warehouse end to end, with no luck. They eventually decided that with no other ideas at the moment they would spread their search to other warehouses nearby, looking for literally anything that could help.

Velvet stepped into a warehouse a few spaces away. Initial looks weren't promising. It seemed just as empty as the last. There was an unusual vibe in the area, and it left an uncomfortable tension in the beck of Velvet's neck. She readied her weapon to fight at a moment's notice and stepped through the area slowly. The door behind her slammed shut and she turned to see none other than Neopolitan shimmer into view.

"You again. Come here to finish me off? I won't be taken so easily this time." Velvet shouted to the girl. She didn't need to since the acoustics in this place would have done the job. But if Weiss or Blake heard her, she would have backup. Velvet indeed knew this girl's tricks now, illusion and teleporting. But despite her tough act, she knew she wouldn't last in the long fight one-on-one. The multi-colored girl didn't respond. Velvet found herself wondering if this girl was mute or just arrogant.

Velvet soon decided she didn't care. She saw this girl as Ruby's corruptor, the devil who pulled her down that path where her madness now trapped her. She was going to take Neo down and save Ruby, this much she knew. Her resolve strengthened, Velvet jumped into an assault. She found Neopolitan and her umbrella just as hard to fight as before. This little creature had perfected dodging with acrobatic expertise. In fact, Velvet felt the sting of a few counter attacks quickly, and the multi-colored girl never once went out of her way to land a strike.

Blake and Weiss heard the commotion from outside. The sound of the conflict bounced off the warehouses well, but the cat girls faunus sense helped her find the building they were looking for. Unfortunately, the doors seemed jammed from the inside. After trying a few times, they realized nothing short of an explosion would tear the jam apart.

"We could use the roof?" Weiss suggested.

"Whoever Velvet is fighting may have rigged that too." Blake pointed out.

"Well do you see any other options!?" Weiss was getting aggravated. Velvet was fighting alone, and it didn't sound like she was winning.

Blake was about to suggest something, but Weiss never got to find out what. At that very moment, a black blur charged through the warehouse doors with such force and energy as to tear the metal into tiny pieces.


Reaper strode through the halls of her home. Lay low until they got confirmation the Beacon girls checked the warehouse. Once the huntresses were out of leads, she could finally devote time to searching for that fucking monkey. That was the plan. She manipulated the bottles in the kitchen to make her new favorite drink, planning to enjoy one or two before she went to bed that night.

Something's not right.

I know… but what is it?

It's too… peaceful.

You're right. But why does that feel like a bad thing?

Neo. Neo isn't here. What's Neo doing that she wouldn't be stalking us for once?

I don't know… what is there for her to do? Not like she can ask questions, unless she plans to try and moan them all.

She could be just taking some time off from stalking us?

The last remark actually made Reaper laugh. "That girl is guano for us, if she weren't stalking us she would still be in our house."

Yeah, laugh it up smarty-pants. Okay, what operations may need her attention?

None of them. The only operation right now she might be interested in is the one in Industrial.

Oh shit…

Reaper and the Voice simultaneously recognized what Neo would give up a night with Reaper for. "Velvet."

Reaper's eyes instantly flashed bright red. She sped out of the house in a cloud of petals, picking up her cloak and Brutal Thorn along the way. She was little more than sentient wind as the picked up speed and flew through Vale. In mere moments, she crashed through the doors of a warehouse and picked up Neo by the throat as she flashed to the back wall, slamming the multi-colored girl against the metal and concrete hard enough to leave a crater in the wall.

Brutal Thorn unfolded behind Reaper and she posed it, ready to strike. With how red her eyes were now, Neo was surprised she wasn't already dead. The glow usually promised fun nights, but right now it terrified the illusionist to the bone.

"Listen," the voice that came from the girl's throat wasn't Reaper's. It was deeper, but still feminine, and even enraged it kept hints of sultry undertones. "We don't quite know what you want yet, but it's clear you want to stay on our good side. Let me tell you, killing Velvet will not keep you on our good side. If you want us to hate you for the rest of your life, this is the way to go. If not, I suggest you drop whatever jealous vendetta you have, because if you haven't noticed, the people we hate don't usually last long enough to get a second chance. Do. You. Understand?"

Neo nodded. Reaper made her point clear, the rabbit was permanently off-limits. Reaper dropped her, and Neo took a moment to breath. The scythe master stumbled for a moment and fell flat on her back. Velvet ran over to check on the woman she still saw as Ruby, and Neo held back to urge to fight her off.

"Ruby, are you okay?" Velvet asked.

Silver eyes shot open and Reaper sat up, physically staring at the ground. Mentally, she was staring into herself, at the Voice. "What the hell!? You can do that!?" She screamed at it.

Ugh can you not scream, my head hurts now…

"It's my head too, Asshole!" Reaper continued yelling. "You gave us a migraine doing that little stunt, and I still want to know just how the hell that even happened!?"

Honestly? We got pissed, and the Red Haze kinda opened a door in here. I stepped through it and suddenly I was in control. I managed to control the Red Haze, kept us from killing Neo. And the Haze is gone now.

"What, you think you wore it out? Wait, you think we can use you to control the Red Haze?"

Absolutely. I don't think you would have to worry about me completely taking over forever, and I could fight for us.

"That's actually not a bad idea…" Reaper relented as she lay back down on her back. She quickly remembered where she was and who was in attendance. And the look on Velvet's face above told her she was speaking to The Voice out loud again. "Well, shit… guess that cat's out of the bag…"

"Ruby, who were you just talking to?" Velvet asked, her voice shaking.

"The King of Mantle, genius, who do you think? And that's not my name." Reaper replied coldly as she got to her feet. She saw Weiss and Blake making their way across the building toward her. "Great… the whole gang's in attendance."

"Ruby Rose," Weiss started.

"Again, not my name." Reaper sighed.

"-you are under arrest. Please set your weapons on the ground and come along quietly." The heiress finished unimpeded, raising Myrtenaster.

Reaper looked back and forth between the huntresses and Neo. Weiss was steady, official. Blake let a little of her anger bleed through. Velvet was downright shocked at what she just learned. Neo stood next to her, a knowing smirk on her face.

"Oh no, whatever shall I do?" Reaper started in with dry sarcasm. "You have me trapped. It's not like I can just vanish into thin air? Oh wait." The criminal duo disappeared in a flash of light before the huntress could react.

"That little punk can take people with her!?" Weiss fumed. The three huntresses knew they were at a dead end. And worse than that, their target was literally inches from them when she escaped, just like that.