Author's Notes: Hey everyone! You are all incredible, really. One hundred and three reviews, with only eight chapters! That is just incredible! I'm so glad you're all enjoying this so much, it warms my heart to see this many people enjoying my work!
So I'm gonna be straight with you all, this chapter is basically a plot device, you know? Gotta show them getting back to Beacon, setting the plot back on it's tracks from their break, yadda yadda. So anyways, I hope you still enjoy this, the next one is going to be a fun one that I'm definitely looking forward to! See you then!
Act One: Chapter Nine: Little Ducklings
...
"This world is unforgiving, Qrow. You and I both know that. A mother duck can have twenty ducklings, but the odds are only two will reach adulthood. The future of our world is hanging in the air right now, and you're trying to protect a group of ducklings where only a select few will reach the end. We both know why you left Beacon. To keep your little ducklings safe, because you care for them. Bad luck's followed you forever. And hell, maybe it was your bad luck that led to the attack, to the fall of the Tournament... Good thing you left when you did... or Beacon might have fallen completely.
You're looking for Raven... that's admirable. You left your nest of ducklings to protect them. Also admirable. But you must know... that you cannot keep either of them safe from me..."
...
"You sure you won't come back with us?" Jaune asked as he gave Yang a warm squeeze, separating the hug to lock his cerulean gaze onto her lilac eyes. Behind him, with rucksacks slung over their shoulders, the others all smiled warmly to the exchange of blondes. A light chuckle vented past Yang's lips, stroking her hand down her opposite upper arm bashfully.
"I... I can't right now. I just don't feel ready yet, that's all. I've got a lot of... stuff to figure out, I've gotta fix my bike for starters!" Yang gestured to the shed by the woodland's edge. Jaune nodded with a smile and lifted his head to meet her gaze. "... and, okay maybe I'm... a bit nervous about seeing everyone again like... well, this." she held up her cybernetic limb in front of Jaune's face.
"Okay. Well, take care Yang." Jaune beamed, hugging her once more, much to Yang's mirth. "We'll visit again real soon, I promise."
"Mmm, make sure you do." Yang smiled as the hug ended, smoothing her thumbs down Jaune's arms before he stepped down the porch to the dirt. Blake stepped up the wooden steps and embraced her partner, sighing contently as her open palm pressed a brand of heat to Yang's vested back.
"Are you gonna go to the dance? I'll text you the details when we get back to Beacon?" Blake murmured into Yang's messy tresses. Yang sighed and the hug reared apart.
"I... I dunno, Blake."
"It's not for a few more weeks. A-And we could really use your expertise on how to decorate. Otherwise it's Weiss' doilies everywhere." Blake rolled her amber eyes. Yang bit her lip to hide that famous Cheshire cat grin.
"Hey!" Weiss frowned from behind Ruby and Nora. Blake smiled lightly, but it faded as soon as Yang's did.
"I... I wouldn't get my hopes up." Yang hugged herself, eyes looking down guiltily. "I'm sorry Blake, but... I'm not ready for that yet... that sort of environment. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I'm sorry for asking." Blake sighed, hugging her one last time. "It was selfish."
"Don't be silly, Blakey." Yang smiled as she gave the hug one last squeeze, gyros in her arm whirring. "I'll see you soon."
"Definitely." Blake smiled, before stepping down the steps. Yang rubbed the back of her head, gasping as her sister tightly hugged her.
"You already said goodbye, Rubes!" Yang managed to gasp out, face comically going blue. Ruby eventually let go and Yang gasped for air, hunched over, hands steadying atop her knees.
"Oops. Sorry Yang!" Ruby winced. "I'm just gonna miss you!"
"S'okay... " Yang chuckled breathlessly, standing up straight, popping the tension in her back. At that moment, the front door creaked further open and Taiyang filled the void, leaning against the architrave with a smile on his tanned face. He watched the exchange with a fond heart, both in his chest and evident on his face.
"W-We'll come visit as soon as we can! Two weeks! Two weeks at most, we promise!" Ruby yelled to the others with a small hint of desperation in her eyes.
"Yeah. Of course." Jaune smiled.
"I'm sure Professor Goodwitch will have no issue with us visiting Yang, Ruby." Pyrrha offered, hefting the strap of her bag over her shoulder.
"We should get going if we're going to make our flight back." Ren offered sadly. Yang nodded and drummed a rhythm into the pale flesh of her upper arm.
"Yeah! Yeah, don't miss your flight guys!"
"Take care of yourself Yang. We'll see you soon, we promise." Weiss smiled, holding the strap of her bag and hefting it onto her shoulder. Yang smiled back with a warm wave. "Thank you for the hospitality, Taiyang." The Schnee beamed over the blonde brawler's head. Ruby hesitated on the steps, before whining and hugging Yang once more.
"I love you." Ruby breathed with misty eyes, balling up the orange vest. Yang blinked hard and hugged her tightly.
"I love you too, Ruby. Stay safe sis."
"You too. Look after her and Dad, Zwei!" Ruby yelled to the little Corgi sat by the front door. Ruby sniffed and separated, running into her Dad's arms to hug him tightly. "I love you Dad."
"Yeah, I love you too Ruby. Take care, okay? Promise me you'll be safe." Tai gave her a warm squeeze. Ruby nodded against the soft fabric of his shirt. She sniffled and pulled back out of the hug with wobbly silver eyes. Tai sighed softly and thumbed a tear off of her ashen skin.
"Hey, none of that now. We'll see you real soon, okay?" Tai whispered fondly. Ruby smiled and wiped her eyes. He looked up over Ruby to the patiently waiting others, his hands on Ruby's shoulders. "You guys take care too, okay? I don't want anymore bad news, ever."
"We will, sir." Ren smiled.
"Yeah, we got each other!" Nora beamed to him, stood close beside Ren. Tai smiled with a nod and his eyes befell on Pyrrha. She smiled, but sheepishly under his fatherly gaze.
"You got a second chance." He said to everyone, but his eyes on hers definitely told her the double meaning to his words. Pyrrha blushed lightly and her head shrunk down into her shoulders. "Don't waste it. Life's too short to think of the what ifs."
"We won't, we promise." Weiss offered, Pyrrha looking to her, but catching Jaune's warm blue eyes instead. He smiled lopsidedly to her and she quirked a smile back, before looking down at her shoes.
"Well, you've gotta flight to catch." Tai clapped before his chest, Ruby nodding and giving him a leaping hug and kiss on the cheek, before turning and briskly walking down the steps, because she knew if she stood there any longer, it'd be immeasurably harder to leave her family otherwise. She joined her extended family on the gravel and Weiss handed her her pack, slinging it over her red cloak.
"We'll see you soon, Yang. Thank you Tai, for offering your home to us." Ren gave a curt nod, Jaune nodding.
"Yeah. Thanks Tai. Look after yourself Yang." Jaune smiled. Yang nodded, Tai saluting.
"Don't worry bout that, Vomit boy. Got a lot of stuff I gotta do before I come back. Busy bee!" Yang chuckled, rubbing the back of her head. Jaune smiled affectionately, before turning and following the others down the path.
...
Seven pairs of feet shuffled along the gravel on the long walk to the airship port, their expressions slightly somber.
"I liked it here. It was... peaceful." Blake shrugged with a sigh. Ren nodded to her.
"Yes, it was incredibly relaxing." He huffed, swiping a black lock out of his eyes. "However, I'm looking forward to the idea of my own bed again."
"Urgh, yeah, you and me both!" Nora whined, slouching forward with exhaustion as she walked beside him. "My neck is sooooooo sore!"
Jaune chuckled at Nora's comical whinging, before he looked at Pyrrha as they walked, her sparkly emerald eyes darting across the dirt in deep thought. He nudged her softly with his elbow, startling her back into reality.
"I'm sorry, did you say something, Jaune?" she asked. Jaune shook his head and his brows curled with worry, eyes studying her deeply.
"Are you okay, Pyrrha? You seem... I dunno, head in the clouds. Something on your mind?" He asked, slowing his walk with her to create a small distance of privacy from the talking others. She quirked her lips into a wry smile.
"You can read me like a book." she rolled her eyes, stroking her upper arm bashfully. Jaune chuckled and raked his fingers through his thatch of blonde.
"Well, vice versa. You're a bit more observant than me most of the time." Jaune offered. Pyrrha gave him a look, an incredulous look. Jaune paused and huffed. "Okay, so more than a bit, more than a bit." He chuckled, Pyrrha humming alongside him.
"I'm joking Jaune. You're very observant to me, to my feelings. You've been an amazing support to me for so long now." She smiled bashfully. Though she gasped silently and her eyes shot wide open when she looked down at her hand, his firmly clutched around it, thumb smoothing over her tendons. "Jaune?"
"Second chances, right?" He smiled softly to her, eyes filled with what she could only describe - and hope - as loving adoration. She smiled softly and walked a tiny path closer, closing the gap and nudging her shoulder to his, head resting on his shoulder.
In front of them, the others stopped at the fork in the road, turning their heads to the lagging two behind them. All of their eyes warmed and their smiles widened at the close pair pacing hand in hand.
"Hey you two." Blake smiled fondly. Weiss hefted her bag over her shoulder into a more comfortable position, smiling almost smugly to them.
"W-What?" Jaune chuckled at her, never once releasing Pyrrha's hand, contently supporting her head on his shoulder. Their faces flushed, yet they cared not what the others thought. Besides, they knew they were happy for them, of course they were. All those smiles weren't plastic.
"Nothing. Just always thought you two would be cute together. I guess I was right, as always." Weiss smirked. Jaune smiled to Weiss and bashfully looked down at the pale hand in his, giving it a fond squeeze.
"We're umm... We're getting there." Jaune offered, Pyrrha nodding and reluctantly parting from him, standing bashfully beside him. "W-Well, whatever 'there' is, heh."
"Y-Yes, umm... it's a case of taking careful, small steps." Pyrrha flushed, fidgeting with her fingers.
"Guys, you don't need to defend yourselves. We love you guys. Just... do what makes you happy." Ruby smiled brightly. Jaune smiled at Ruby's warm blessing, then to Pyrrha, her eyes locking with his. Timidly she slipped her hand into his and he instantly squeezed it.
"Well... Pyrrha and I... we're trying... we're trying to make things work, and... " He chuckled weakly, cheeks bright red. "We've got a date planned for when we get back to Beacon." His voice cracked. The others all beamed brightly.
"Yay!" Nora bounced giddily. "I knew it Ren, I knew it!"
"That's wonderful guys." Weiss smiled fondly, Ren nodding beside her with a gleaming simper.
"About time." Blake smirked, Pyrrha blushing and smiling bashfully.
"Thanks guys." Jaune chuckled meekly, looking adoringly to Pyrrha as she smiled right back. They always knew they would have the blessing of their loving friends, and yet to hear it plain and simple, in warm words and smiles of flesh, calmed the rough tides of their fluttering stomachs.
...
It was hardly bustling, but the 'Patch Airship Port' was still busy enough, considering the small population that inhabited the land of Patch. It wasn't a massive terminal like Atlas', or Mistral's, but it had enough there to entertain those awaited their flights. Built upon a grass plateau overlooking the ocean via a sheer cliff, the late afternoon view was more than captivating enough to keep most busy in their wait. Alleys of food stalls littered the open Port, the wind wafting scents of savory and sweet dishes from various cultures.
"Well, I've got good news and bad news." Jaune huffed as he returned to the bench the friends were all sat upon, just at the edge of the Airship Port. Weiss looked up over her scroll at him, as the dwarfing shadow of a banking Bullhead eclipsed them all.
"That doesn't fill me with confidence." Weiss whined.
"What d'ya wanna hear first?" Jaune shrugged.
"Bad news I guess." Ruby bobbed her shoulders, nibbling on a cookie the size of a dinner plate.
"Bad news is our flight's been delayed for another hour." Jaune sighed. Pyrrha nodded beside him.
"Sorry." She huffed, playing her fingers over her wolf's tail of vermilion hair.
"Well, what's the good news?" Nora asked, slurping a mouthful of noodles out of her steaming cup, slapping the wheat strands against her forehead. "Ow."
Ren dabbed the sauce from her forehead with a napkin along with a sigh. Magenta eyes flit up to Jaune.
"Oh I don't have any good news." Jaune announced nonchalantly.
"Well then why did you say there was?" Weiss sat forward, scroll in her lap to let her incredulous gaze sink in. Pyrrha turned to him with a raised brow.
"Yes, Jaune, w-why did you say there was?"
"I didn't want there to just be bad news." Jaune shrugged. Pyrrha snorted at him, hiding her mirth behind her palm, shaking her head with complete adoration.
"You dunce." Weiss huffed, slouching back with a whine. "Urgh! This is why I never fly economy."
"But... If the ship's late, does it matter what seat you sit in?" Nora asked, tongue sticking out as she fumbled with her chopsticks. "Grrr Ren! Who thought it'd be a good idea to use sticks to pick up noodles?!"
Ren scoffed and tried not to smile at her struggle, handing her a fork from his bag instead.
"Thank you!" Nora discarded the sticks and used the metal utensil instead. Weiss frowned and crossed her arms, slumped in the seat as she looked up at the flight arrival board.
"So anyway. Flight's late. Get something to eat, I guess." Jaune huffed. "Nora, where'd you get those noodles from?"
Nora quickly hid her pot from him, eyes narrowing. "Nowhere."
"Nora, I'm not gonna steal your food." Jaune chuckled.
"Oh. The stall over there. Blake's getting fish I think." Nora shrugged, going back to eating. Jaune nodded and turned to Pyrrha.
"Hungry?"
"Starving." She huffed, stretching her arms up over her head with a yawn. Her back popped a few times as she stretched. Weiss stood up and strutted over with a clacking of heels.
"I could eat too."
"C'mon. My treat." Jaune waved them over.
"O-oh no. You bought the coffees the other night, this is my treat." Pyrrha took her wallet out. Weiss simply walked behind, hugging her arms at a gust of harsh wind, cool to her skin, yet her smile was the warmest she'd worn in a while. Watching Pyrrha and Jaune playfully bickering over who was going to buy their snacks. Stroking her lopsided ponytail over her shoulder, raking her fingers through the frost white locks, she smiled brightly at the pair.
Though Weiss did roll her eyes after a while and watched them walk up to the counter, ordering three bowls of steaming noodles. As Pyrrha went to take out her Lien card, Jaune fumbling with his, the Schnee simply opened her scroll and scanned it over the Lien reader with a beep. They turned to her with wide eyes, both blushing at her raised brow.
"Thank you Weiss." They both mumbled bashfully. Weiss nodded firmly and took a seat at the counter, flicking her hair with an elegant swish. Pyrrha and Jaune both took seats as their bowls of steaming stir fried noodles slid to them.
"I'm just glad it didn't get declined this time." Weiss admitted with a wry smirk. Pyrrha chuckled and placed a hand on the Schnee's shoulder.
"Thank you Weiss."
"Yeah, thanksh Weissh!" Jaune's head leaned back from behind Pyrrha, cheeks filled with noodles. Weiss snorted and rolled her eyes.
"Jaune, eww!"
Pyrrha turned to see his hamster-like cheeks.
"Wha?" he muffled.
She scoffed and smiled, shaking her head all the while. Jaune gulped and twirled some more around his utensil, as Pyrrha sobered with a warm sigh. "Back to Beacon soon."
"Looking forward to my own bed, I must admit." Weiss exclaimed, leaning back to arch her spine and crack the tension out. "Tired of sleeping on the floor."
"Here's to that." Pyrrha squeezed the muscles in her back together. "Miss mine too."
"Same." Jaune yawned into the back of his hand. "Urgh, could do with a real good night's sleep."
"I think we all could." Weiss looked over her shoulder, over at the bench where Ruby sat alongside Nora and Ren, just as Blake returned to sit beside their leader. Her eyes lingered on Ruby with a somber sigh. Pyrrha watched her intently though.
"What's wrong, Weiss?"
"Hmm? Oh... well." Weiss huffed. "Keep a secret?"
"What is it? What's wrong?" Jaune asked with worry in his tone. Pyrrha mirrored his face exactly. Weiss exhaled a heavy breath.
"Ruby hasn't exactly been sleeping well. I know none of us have, but... she's taken quite the weight onto her shoulders. She's struggling with what she had to do at Beacon... during the attack. It wasn't just Grimm she had to kill, it was... people. That's what she's dwelling on... constantly it seems." Weiss toyed with her food.
"Oh... Rubes." Jaune sighed, pinching his brow. "Why didn't she tell anyone?"
"She told me, only after I pretty much interrogated her." Weiss dropped her face into her hands. "When I came to Beacon, I didn't like Ruby, I was cold, I was a brat and I didn't like that lovable goofball I proudly call my team leader... and friend. Now? I couldn't imagine life without her. To know she's been suffering this long, with that weight on her shoulders, hiding it because she thinks we have enough problems to deal with, without hers added to it as well? It kills me."
"That's why she hasn't told anyone she's not been sleeping? Cos she thinks we have enough on our plates?" Jaune sagged his shoulders, shaking his head. "Oh, Ruby."
"Indeed. That poor girl." Pyrrha sighed, trying not to dwell on the people that died around her that night... due to her...
"We should... we should eat up. Get back to the others." Weiss cleared her throat into her fist. Pyrrha and Jaune shared a look, before nodding.
...
The flight back was uneventful. They all sat in silence, Nora sleeping in fitful bursts against Ren, Blake reading for the duration, Weiss simply napping with an audiobook playing in her earphones, and Pyrrha soothing Jaune with his upset stomach.
Ruby however sat staring out the window, thinking on family. Thinking on how not so long ago she was this high up on the outside of a ship, playing a part in the deaths of Neopolitan and Roman Torchwick. She gulped and wished they'd land sooner.
Eventually they did, and as they walked through the courtyards of Beacon, something felt amiss. Ruby was the first to comment on it. "You ever feel like we're the only ones who go to this school?"
"Yeah... where is everyone?" Jaune asked. "Hello?!"
"Probably getting dinner. It is late after all." Blake commented, hefting her bag onto her shoulder. "I can't wait to put this thing down."
"Oh me too. My shoulder hurts, for realsies!" Nora exclaimed loudly, throwing her head back dramatically. Ren rubbed his chin, eyes darting around the dwarfing colonnades, when his eyes befell on purple hair.
"Well, normality had to return sooner or later. Shame." Ren snapped, the others looking to him in confusion at his outburst. Their eyes followed the magenta path of his stare. Eyes hardened at the Ickford, until they widened in shock as he stepped into the light.
His left eye was swollen shut and angry purple, surrounded with shades of black and blue. His lip was also split and scabbed over, along with other bruises and matching cuts over his face. A cut on his head was so severe it had required stitches, evident in the zigzagging threads.
"What the hell happened to him?" Jaune asked Pyrrha as she gasped upon sight.
"Goodness. I have no idea!" Pyrrha exclaimed into her palm. Jaymes stormed up to them with an evident limp, before snarling and spitting a glob of spit at their feet.
"Bet you put her up to this huh? Beat me to a pulp when you're nowhere in sight? Perfect way to get away with it!" He snapped, storming up to Pyrrha and snarling venomously. "You. Are. Filth. And I will take greater pleasure now in watching your life burn."
"Back off." Jaune snapped, stepping in front of Pyrrha. "We dunno what you're talking about."
"Yeah, leave Pyrrha alone." Ruby hissed, standing beside Jaune. Jaymes scoffed, suddenly flaring his teeth and grabbing the front of Jaune's hoodie, walking him back through the protesting others to slam him against the wall, seething at the Arc.
"You know. You damn well know! She's your friend after all! Once I'm done tearing Pyrrha's world apart, I'm gonna turn my attention to all of you. This? This is fucking personal now you vermin!" He snarled, pushing Jaune away and stumbling the blonde into Pyrrha, who kept him upright. Ruby growled and clenched her fists, matched by Nora and Weiss' snarling lips behind. Blake and Ren simply frowned and attempted to calm their friends as Ickford limped away.
"THAT'S IT! I'm breakin his legs!" Nora yelled, lunging forward, only for Ren to grab her into a gentle hug to alleviate the anger and sooth her jagged flaying and fighting into tired whispers of protest.
"It won't help, Nora... calm down, okay? Shhh." Ren breathed, stroking her back to sooth the protective Valkyrie.
"What? Who? I don't understand!" Jaune yelled. "Keep walking... Asshole." He mumbled, surveying the stretched edges to his hoodie's neckline.
"Are you okay?" Pyrrha asked softly, Jaune nodding and firming his lip, snarling at the distant teen. "This is getting out of control." Pyrrha blew out a breath. "I'm so sorry, Jaune."
"S'not your fault, I don't know what happened, cos we weren't even here! He's just looking for a reason to blame us... you." Jaune paced to blow off some steam.
"We should get to our rooms... discuss it once we're settled again." Blake offered to calm them. Jaune nodded angrily and grabbed his bag, briskly leading the way.
So they turned and decided to venture to their rooms, fatigued from their journey and Jaymes' encounter. All of their heads were in the clouds in thought as they rounded the halls, trying to decipher just what happened while they were away.
"None of this makes sense! Who? Who did that to him?" Nora asked out aloud. Ren shrugged to her, warm hand on her shoulder.
As they rounded the corner, all eyes widened and they froze at the sight of James Ironwood, arms crossed over his crisp white military coat, gun at his hip. He tilted his head, blackened locks tinged with streaks of flattering silver. A slight fuzz had accumulated over his square jaw, the General of the Atlesian military and Headmaster of Atlas' Academy. Dark blue eyes flit to the group of youngsters.
"Miss Schnee?" He turned as Weiss gently pushed between the others to the front.
"General? What're you doing here?"
"Checking up on the school's health... and arresting someone for assaulting a student. Don't worry, she won't be an issue at this school again." Ironwood turned to the office door as two Atlesian droids stepped out, holding the blue haired woman in handcuffs.
Eryka looked up and sighed, tired eyes flitting over the teens. She gave a heavy sigh, and staggered as the droids gave a shove to get her into the hall.
"Easy, I'm going. I'm going." She sighed. A third mechanical soldier walked out with a large cage in grip, the loud caws of a trapped Eagle echoing off the walls. Huge wings flapped and rattled the cage. "Hey! Dulcis, shhh, shhh, it's okay baby. We'll be together again, I promise." Eryka was close to crying by the crack in her thick voice.
"Eryka... W-What did you do?" Ruby asked as she gingerly approached. Eryka sniffed and shrugged nonchalantly.
"Let's just say... I learned some unsavory things about that... prick Ickford and his family. I snapped. Now I'm getting taken to Atlas."
"I'll get you out of this, I promise!" Weiss exclaimed. "Please, Ironwood, let her go!"
"Not a chance, Miss Schnee. I am on expressive orders and bound by the laws of the kingdoms. She assaulted a student, beat him into the ground. Even after his Aura gave out, she carried on. After that, it becomes more serious."
"I'm speaking to my Father about this!" Weiss took out her scroll. "There has to be something I can do!"
"Hey, honey...shh." Eryka soothed, Weiss blearily looking up at her warm gaze. "Don't worry bout me. I've been gettin into trouble all my life. Besides, like he said. I attacked a student in a moment of weakness. No excuses. Don't get into debts of favors. Not for me."
"Take her to the transport. I'll be along in a moment, after I've spoken to Glynda." Ironwood exclaimed to the droids. "And you. I expected better of you." He pointed to someone in the office, out of the hall's view. "I thought you were better disciplined than this. I am not always going to be around to protect you, Winter!"
Weiss snapped her head up as Eryka gave one last weak smile.
"Look... look after Neptune for me. And please, don't tell him about this. Please don't let the way he looks up to me change!" She sobbed as the droids gripped her handcuffed hands and led the woman away. Weiss watched her go with a wobbly glassiness to her welkin eyes, before having to tear her gaze to her sister.
"Winter... this is one too many discrepancies. First you recklessly start a fight with Qrow, in the presence of students! Do you realize how dangerous that was? And now, you turn a blind eye to your best friend's assault on a pupil?" Ironwood sighed with disappointment. Winter looked down at her feet.
"I-It won't happen again, sir. I promise." She stood at attention sharply.
"I know it won't." Ironwood sighed, pinching his brow. "Give me your Specialists badge."
"What?" Winter's eyes widened, face going pale as she slouched out of her posture. "B-But sir, I-"
"Now, Winter. I am... suspending you, dismissing you, I don't know yet. All I know is your temper and behavior has gone too far this time. Your badge. Now." He held out his open palm. Winter's eyes brimmed for the first time ever to all of them - even Weiss.
She sniffed and took her wallet out of her back pocket, opening it and taking the silver symbol and tearing it out of the leather with a loud rip. She slapped the badge down into his hand, Ironwood closing his fist around it.
"I... I am sorry, Winter. But this? I have to discipline even my most loyal operatives if they step out of line. I'm sorry." He tucked it into his pocket and walked away as he followed his drones. Weiss watched him go and immediately ran to the doorway, standing before her broken older sister.
"W-Winter? What happened?"
Winter simply pushed past her sister and stormed down the hall in the opposite direction, sniffles sounding as she hugged herself.
Ruby looked at Jaune, watery eyed as she hugged her stomach. "E-Everything's falling apart again. I... I'm really missing m-my Uncle right about now."
...
Icy winds screamed over the blank white landscape, sparseness for miles upon miles, unable to see three inches in front of your face. Below freezing, skin numbing in seconds and going black with frostbite in hours, this was the harshest of landscapes... The Atlesian Wildlands.
An echoing caw broke through the whipping winds, when a small jet black bird fell out of the sky, wings and tail missing tufts of feathers, spiraling out of control. With one last screech, the bird crashed into the snow with a plume of icy froth, The silhouette of a man replacing the bird to tumble upwards from the impact, and crash back down in a large plume of churned snow.
A sword/scythe swirled through the air with a whistle, slamming down blade first into the white earth with a humming thud. Acting as an epitaph, the sword stood tall as the man slowed his tumbling to a still beside the blade. Face down and black hair whipping in the harsh weather's winds, his hands eventually stirred, crimson cloak billowing in the gusts. Said hands pushed down into the numbing ice with a crunch, pushing himself up with a harsh groan.
Stubbly pointed chin lifted covered in speckles of snow, red eyes blinking at the wilderness he found himself in. He slid his knee through the snow, soaking through his black trousers and numbing the cap of his knee to sheer pain. He grasped the hilt of his sword, pulling himself up to a kneel.
"Urgh... what're you doing out here, Qrow?" he gruffly rumbled to himself, pressing a snow soaked hand to his brow, numbing to a pain akin to thumbs in the eyes. He pushed himself up to stand, shakily, and pulled his sword from the snow, panting and lifting a freehand to shield the cold winds from his face. He stepped forward, shin deep in the snow, like wading through syrup.
"Oh this was a great idea... journey to the most remote, desolate, place on Remnant. All - argh - to find your stupid sister. Oh for... what're you up to Raven?" He mumbled to himself, teeth chattering uncontrollably.
He waded through deeper and deeper snow, unable to see through the roaring blizzard. He grew weak, numb by the minute, until finally the wall of fast moving flakes gave to misty white skies, broken into wisps by thin strips of blue. Huge spiky mountains adorned the horizon. Qrow collapsed to his knees, dropping his sword to sink into the deep snow, eyes lulling closed, then open again. As he began to drift into unconsciousness, his nose going blotchy red, a silhouette blocked the winter light from his face.
Weakly opening his eyes, they widened at the person stood over him.
"Well, how about that? What are the chances? The Atlesian Wildlands, thousands upon thousands of acres of inhospitable, uninhabitable frozen land, and I find you... taking up just one square foot of it... Brother."
...
Author's Notes: So yeah, a chapter basically just getting the story back on track, reintroducing them to Beacon. And Qrow?! What're you doing Qrow?! Why are you looking for Raven?! That's just me setting up Act Two. In the meantime, we have some awesome fun for Beacon, because next chapter has a few parents visiting to check on their kids welfare. Uh oh, Shenanigans! Awkwardness! Yay! See you then! - Dave