Author's Note: These are alternate endings. They all start after Yang loses consciousness in Chapter 12, and all are sadder than the "true" ending. They're also probably not as good. Still, I thought them up so I thought I'd share. My proofreader described them as emotionally "rough." Enjoy the suffering.

Alternate Endings

Welcome to the Machine

Yang opened her eyes and they were flooded with blinding white light. She was not a big believer in an afterlife, but she could only be in heaven. Her last memory was of her friends, gathered around her, crying. In that moment she had felt so incredibly loved, but indescribably sad to be leaving them. She supposed it could have been worse. At least they would outlive her. Hopefully they would not be too sad, but they would surely be happy again one day. There was no better death than dying to protect them.

As her eyes began to adjust, Yang started to become skeptical about whether she was actually in heaven. If she was, the dress-code was drastically different than she had imagined. The simpler explanation was that she was alive and in a hospital. But could she really be alive? They had been hours from civilization and she was minutes from bleeding out when she had lost consciousness. She tried to look around. Her whole body felt heavy and strange but eventually she was able to force her head to turn to the side. There was Ruby, sitting beside her asleep. She looked as though she had been crying.

Yang struggled to speak but her body was uncooperative. She did not know if that was because of her injuries or from whatever medication they had been pumping into her. Finally she managed the slightest whisper. "Ruby." She said. She thought her voice sounded strange. Ruby remained asleep. Yang was starting to get her bearings and her body was finally starting to respond. "Sis." She said a little louder.

Ruby's eyes blinked open. She yawned and looked at Yang. For a moment she stared at Yang before almost jumping out of her chair in shock. "Yang?" Ruby said. "You're awake." She looked relieved but conflicted, almost afraid.

"Yeah, what's wrong?" Yang asked. She would have expected Ruby to be ecstatic.

"It's just...I…" Ruby started crying and ran off.

"Ruby, wait I…" Yang called after her. Yang still thought her voice sounded wrong. "Why did she do that?"

"It's been very hard for her." Pyrrha said. Yang forced her head to the other side to see Pyrrha standing beside her. "It's been hard for all of us. I'm glad you're recovering though."

"Why has it been hard?" Yang asked. "Did something else happen? How long was I out."

Pyrrha looked troubled, as if she did not know what to say. The others had by now gathered around and they looked similarly concerned. "After you blacked out, General Ironwood arrived with a detachment of Atlesian soldiers." Pyrrha explained. "His medic started treating you, and you were rushed to the nearest hospital, but your injuries were very severe." Pyrrha wiped away the tears that had begun dripping down her face, but they were almost immediately replaced by fresh drops. "Your body was failing. Ironwood had a way to save you, but...there was a price."

"What are you talking about?" Yang asked.

"Penny was with Ironwood." Pyrrha continued. "She knew how much your death would hurt us, Ruby in particular. She wouldn't take no for an answer."

"What happened!?" Yang demanded.

"It's...easier to show you." Pyrrha sighed.

Weiss handed her a mirror and Pyrrha held it up in front of Yang's face. Penny's green eyes stared back. When Yang blinked, they blinked. It all became painfully clear. "No...no, I don't want this." Yang protested. Now she could clearly hear that she was speaking in Penny's voice. "Tell me they saved her too."

"The process is irreversible." Pyrrha said. "You were dying and there was no time to transfer Penny into another vessel. If anything remains of her, it's still in that body."

"I didn't want anyone to die for me!" Yang shouted. "I can't live with this!"

"I know it's hard, but you'll get through this." Pyrrha said. "You have to, for Ruby's sake."

"How can I even speak to Ruby?!" Yang cried. "It'll just cause her more pain! No, this is all wrong! This can't be happening!" But it was. Yang sobbed but her mechanical body was incapable of producing tears.

Ruby returned after a few minutes. She was still desperately struggling to hold back her own tears. "Yang, I'm glad you're alright." Ruby said. She leaned down and hugged Yang. For Yang it felt unnatural, all wrong.

"I'm so sorry." Yang said.

"Don't be." Ruby said. "It wasn't your choice. All Penny ever wanted to do was save the world. She couldn't, but she saved you. To the last she was happy. She wouldn't want us to be sad. Please be happy."

"I'll try." Yang said. "For you, and for her."

Brain Damage / Eclipse

Yang opened her eyes and they were flooded with blinding white light. She was not a big believer in an afterlife, but she could only be in heaven. Her last memory was of her friends, gathered around her, crying. In that moment she had felt so incredibly loved, but indescribably sad to be leaving them. She supposed it could have been worse. At least they would outlive her. Hopefully they would not be too sad, but they would surely be happy again one day. There was no better death than dying to protect them.

As her eyes began to adjust, Yang started to become skeptical about whether she was actually in heaven. If she was, the dress-code was drastically different than she had imagined. The simpler explanation was that she was alive and in a hospital. But could she really be alive? They had been hours from civilization and she was minutes from bleeding out when she had lost consciousness. She tried to look around. Her whole body felt heavy and strange but eventually she was able to force her head to turn to the side. There was Ruby, sitting beside her asleep. She looked as though she had been crying.

Yang struggled to speak but her body was uncooperative. She did not know if that was because of her injuries or from whatever medication they had been pumping into her. Finally she managed the slightest whisper. "Ruby." She said. She thought her voice sounded strange. Ruby remained asleep. Yang was starting to get her bearings and her body was finally starting to respond. "Sis." She said a little louder.

Ruby's eyes blinked open. She yawned and looked at Yang. For a moment she stared at Yang before almost jumping out of her chair in shock. "Yang?" Ruby said. "You're awake." She looked relieved but conflicted, almost afraid.

"Yeah, what's wrong?" Yang asked. She would have expected Ruby to be ecstatic.

"It's just that...I can't do this." Ruby started sobbing. The others started to gather around.

"What happened?" Yang asked. As Yang's voice got stronger she found there was something different and unsettling about it, but she could not pinpoint the issue. "What's wrong?" The others stood around with pained looks on their faces. Some averted their eyes. "Tell me!"

"Someone has to tell her." Blake said. The others still demurred. "I guess it'll have to be me. After you lost consciousness General Ironwood arrived with a detachment of Atlesian soldiers. His medic started treating you, and you were rushed to the nearest hospital, but your injuries were very severe. Your body was failing. Ironwood had a way to save you, but...there was a price."

"What are you talking about?" Yang asked.

"Pyrrha couldn't imagine living without you." Blake continued. "We tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't take no for an answer."

"What happened?!" Yang demanded. "Is Pyrrha alright?!"

"It's...easier to show you." Blake sighed.

Weiss handed Blake a mirror and she held it in front of Yang's face. Pyrrha's green eyes stared back. When Yang blinked, they blinked. It all became painfully clear. "No...this can't...no!" Yang screamed. "I would never...why did she...I can't live with this!"

"Yang, calm down." Ren said, but Yang was already far beyond the point of calming down.

Red hair burst into flame and green eyes blazed red as Yang flew into hysterics. Suddenly all the metal in the room lifted into the air and began swirling around Yang in a deadly tornado as everyone around took cover. "No!" Yang screamed. "No-no-no-no-NO!"

"We need to sedate her!" One of the nurses shouted.

"How?" A doctor replied. "The syringes are metal."

"Why!?" Yang screamed. "Why did it have to be her!?" The storm of metal surrounding her grew faster and more violent as the flames in her hair grew more intense.

"Yang, calm down." A voice in her head said. "Please, listen to me." The fire in Yang's hair faded and her eyes returned to their normal violet as the metal clattered to the floor with an almighty racket. It was Pyrrha's voice. "I'm not gone. I'm still here with you. I always will be."

"But I…" Yang gasped. "I can't...without you…"

"You have to live for both of us now." The voice said. "I'll always be here for you when you need me. I love you."

"I love you too." Yang said. Her friends, along with the doctors and nurses stared at her in confusion and fear but Yang ignored them. "I always will."

The voice produced a familiar giggle. "I know."

Goodbye Blue Sky

Qrow and General Ironwood arrived just after Yang lost consciousness, but it was already too late. Ironwood's medic did what he could but Yang was declared dead on arrival. Qrow disappeared and Ironwood took the group, along with the body, back to Patch. Yang was cremated and her ashes scattered to the winds. Blake went to Atlas with Weiss. Ren and Nora returned to Mistral to attend Haven. That left only Taiyang, Ruby and Pyrrha on Patch. It was even lonelier than that, as none had the heart to talk to the others. They grieved in isolation.

Ruby stood near the cliff's edge. Now two stones poked up from the snow. One was emblazoned with a rose and the words Thus kindly I scatter. The other bore a flame with the words Fire forever blazing. Ruby had thought no pain could compare to the loss of her mother. Yang's death proved her wrong. It was infinitely worse. She felt empty and hopeless. She had nothing left. Life was not worth living. The world was far too cruel a place and there was no solace left to be found.

Ruby had not eaten in days. She had no appetite, but it was also an intentional act, designed to weaken her aura to the point where it would not protect her from the slightest blow. It would make ending it all that much easier. Standing before the monuments she unfolded Crescent Rose and jammed the butt end into the ground, tilting the weapon so the blade sat inches from her neck. With a pull of the trigger it would slam back and bring her pitiful life to a swift and hopefully painless end. "I'm sorry mom." She wept. "I'm sorry sis. I just can't go on without you." She squeezed the trigger and a gunshot echoed through the forest.

Taiyang sat alone in the living room. Ruby and Pyrrha had gone out. He did not know where. He held a tear-stained picture of his family taken in happier times. Now half those depicted were dead. His greatest fear had come to pass. His daughter had come home in a box. He would have given anything to take her place, but that was not the way the world worked. He no longer had a desire to live but Ruby still needed him. She had been hit just as hard, maybe harder. Even as he was falling apart himself, he would have to support her as best he could.

There was a knock at the door. Taiyang sighed, wiped away his tears, and slipped the photograph into his pocket. He took a deep breath and put on a brave face before opening the door. Qrow stood there, hanging his head in shame. "I'm sorry." Qrow said. "I couldn't save her."

"This is your fault." Taiyang growled. His despair had quickly been replaced by rage. "If you hadn't…"

"I know." Qrow cut him off. Taiyang noticed something different about his manner of speech. "What I did is unforgivable."

"Are you sober?" Taiyang asked.

"Yes." Qrow replied. "I want to feel the pain." Taiyang was speechless. Ever since Summer's death Qrow had continuously drowned himself in alcohol. "Take this." Qrow handed Taiyang his blade. "Kill me. I deserve it. I won't resist."

Taiyang stared at the weapon, then at Qrow. He had fantasized about this moment, his opportunity to strike the bastard down, even before Yang's death. He gripped the sword, hefted it over his head, and cut diagonally toward Qrow's neck.

Qrow closed his eyes and waited for death. It did not come. He opened his eyes. The blade was inches from his neck. Taiyang stood as if frozen with tears streaming down his face. "Just do it already." Qrow implored. "Please."

"No." Taiyang said. He dropped the blade. "I can't."

"I want to die." Qrow said. "The things I've done…"

"No." Taiyang repeated. "I can't kill my friend."

"I thought we weren't friends anymore." Qrow said.

"I was wrong to say that." Taiyang said. "It's true, you've done some terrible things and cause me indescribable pain. But you're still my friend." He stepped forward and hugged Qrow. Qrow was shocked. "I forgive you."

Instead of slicing through her, Crescent Rose flew through the air, slamming to the ground across the clearing. Ruby stood there, hyperventilating, her eyes wide. Pyrrha stood nearby, having ripped the weapon away with her semblance at the last possible moment. "What are you doing here?" Ruby asked.

"Stopping you." Pyrrha replied.

"But how…" Ruby started.

"I found your note." Pyrrha said.

"Then you know why I have to do this." Ruby said. "Just let me die."

"No." Pyrrha said. "I can't let you throw your life away."

"What life?" Ruby asked. "I have nothing."

"You have your friends." Pyrrha said. "You have your father. Imagine how they'd feel if you killed yourself."

"Why do you even care?" Ruby asked. "You loved Yang, and it's my fault she's dead. If I didn't drag us out there on that stupid adventure, she'd still be alive. You should want me to die."

"How can you say that?" Pyrrha said. "It's not your fault. Even if it was, I wouldn't want you to die. I just want all my friends to be happy. Besides, it's my fault she died. She was trying to protect me. I was the target."

"But you were distracted by me." Ruby said. "If I hadn't been hurt…"

"Ifs will get us nowhere." Pyrrha said. "We both blame ourselves. If you killed yourself, I'd blame myself for that too."

"I just want it to end." Ruby cried. "It hurts too much. I can't go on."

"You have to, please." Pyrrha said. "I'll be here for you. I'll do anything I can to help you. I just...need you to live."

"Why do you care about me so much?" Ruby asked. "Why did you even stay here? Just seeing me must be such a painful reminder. You should want to forget. You should want to get as far away from here as you can."

"But I don't want to forget." Pyrrha said. "I want to remember Yang, all the fun, all the good times we had, all the love. How could I ever want to forget that? It hurts now, but one day, maybe one day I'll be able to look back and smile thinking about the time we spent together."

"I've felt this pain before." Ruby wept. "It never goes away. It never gets better. I don't want to feel it anymore. I just want it to end."

"Please don't give up." Pyrrha implored. "You're...all I have left. You're like your sister in so many ways. When I look at you it's like...it's like she lives on in you. I couldn't bear to lose you too. It would be like losing her twice."

"But I don't know if I can do it." Ruby sobbed. "It just hurts so much."

"I know, I'm hurting too." Pyrrha said. "But together I know we can get through it." Pyrrha walked up to Ruby and wrapped her in a hug, though the drastic difference in height made it awkward. Ruby squeezed back with bone-crushing intensity. For a moment Pyrrha could almost believe she was hugging Yang again. "Please don't give up. You have to live. You have to."

"I can try." Ruby said, choking back tears.

"I'll be here for you." Pyrrha said. "You'll never be alone." She squeezed Ruby as tightly as she could.

For a moment Ruby could almost believe she was hugging Yang again. It still hurt but perhaps it was not quite so hopeless. When Yang died she had felt so alone. She had lost her mother and now her sister. Her father was too emotionally destroyed to help. Her friends had drifted away, carried by their own despair. But maybe, just maybe, she was not as alone as she had thought. Maybe she could go on. For her father, for her friends, for Pyrrha, and most of all for Yang, she at least had to try.

Author's Note: Just a few notes on chapter and ending titles.

Chapter / Ending Name Meanings

If you didn't notice, all the chapters and alternate endings had the names of Pink Floyd songs.

Wish You Were Here - It refers to the wish, mostly from Ruby but to a lesser degree from Yang and Pyrrha, to be reunited with their friends.

Fearless - A song about dealing with naysayers and opposition, it refers to the growing animosity between Qrow and Taiyang.

Coming Back to Life - This one comes down to a single line - "The killing the past and coming back to life." In defeating the Grimm the group in some ways kills the memory of their past failure, resulting in a new hope or life.

Sorrow - It's about the title. Pyrrha's sad.

On the Run - Again, all about the title. Pretty obvious.

The Dogs of War - Title again, pretty self-explanatory. Extra meaning because the 'dogs' are the Faunus of the White Fang.

Run Like Hell - Title based. This chapter has a lot of running in it. Taiyang and Winter do some running, and Blake discusses the reasons why she ran from the White Fang.

Learning to Fly - Title based once again. Rather than actually learning to fly in order to take down the Nevermore, Pyrrha comes up with a rather more creative method.

Terminal Frost - As a song with no lyrics, this is obviously a title one. A potentially fatal (potentially terminal) trip into the icy (frosty) mountains.

Marooned - Another song with no lyrics. After their shipwreck, the group is marooned on the coast.

One of These Days - Hey, it's one about the lyrics! And there aren't many. "One of these days I'm going to cut you into little pieces." This is surely a sentiment shared by Neo and Yang about one another.

High Hopes - A hybrid of lyrics and title. The words speak of a journey (though the actual symbolism isn't as simple), and our group has certainly been through one. The title also refers to a positive outlook for the future, which I think this story ends with.

Welcome to the Machine - Well this is obvious and based on the title. Yang becomes a machine.

Brain Damage / Eclipse - Based on the lyrics: "There's someone in my head but it's not me."

Goodbye Blue Sky - Lyrics again. "The flames are all long gone, but the pain lingers on." Here the flames refer to Yang's life, and the pain the guilt felt by Ruby and Pyrrha because of her death.