Yang's eyes opened to hazy light. The skies of Vale were never clear during winter, so it was only a faint strand of sunlight, but it was still bright enough to make her scurry away from the crack in the ceiling that let it through. She backed up against a wall, frustrated by her rude awakening and the aftermath of her previous night.

She felt sore to her bones, and she was fairly sure there were more than a few scratches on her face. Her head felt light, making it hard for her to string two thoughts together. At least she could take solace in the fact that her clothes were intact – that was considerably more fortunate than most other times.

She struggled to get to her feet and pushed against her cage's door, and it opened with a screeching noise that irritated her ears. Apparently, Ruby had been kind enough to unlock it before leaving. Yang smiled despite her pain, then focused on her sister's vacant chair. A note laid there, filled with hastily-written words.

Slept late! First day of duty, Ozpin will be mad! Sorry! – Ruby.

"Of course it's you, you adorable little pest," Yang rolled her eyes, "who else could it be?"

Their food stash was running low – no doubt because of Ruby's ravenous hunger – so Yang only took two slices of bread with a little butter on top. When she was done, her stomach growled for more, but that would have to do. If she really needed to, she could sneak in a few bites at work.

At least the meal was enough to clear her head – not completely, but enough so that she could block out the rest of her pain. Fortunately, she had learned to live with her curse over the years, or she would have gone mad long gone.

Yang stepped out of the house as she stretched her arms over her head. The breeze on her skin, the lovely smell of fresh air, it all amounted to what could only be a nice, uneventful day…

At least until night fell again.

"There is no possible way that is true. You're trying to play us for fools, aren't you?" Neptune chuckled lightly.

Pyrrha Nikos smiled graciously and, to prove her honesty to her doubtful companions, drew her rifle from behind her back. Without even rising from her seat, she spun the firearm once and took aim at a distant tree. The sound of the shot rang in their ears, making both Weiss and Neptune flinch in reflex. A low thud followed as an apple fell from the tree's branch, a hole piercing it right through its middle.

"Holy Moon, you weren't lying!" Neptune said in complete awe. "I never thought anyone could accomplish such a feat, let alone someone like you!"

"Someone like me?" Pyrrha raised an eyebrow dubiously. "What exactly do you mean by that, prince?"

"I meant no offense, milady," he smiled charmingly. "My disbelief comes from the fact that, while I have met many beautiful, clever and noble women like yourself, I have never met one with your skills. It's a pleasant surprise."

Pyrrha blushed and let out a girlish giggle, much to his delight, and Weiss's dismay. She had known Neptune ever since they were children, even if he lived far away, being the heir to the throne of Mistral, and she had always believed there was a… connection, between them. But now he was captivated by this seemingly-perfect stranger and had barely casted her one glance all morning.

"Perhaps you just haven't looked hard enough, my prince," Pyrrha said. "I'm sure princess Weiss possesses much skill, even if in other areas."

"I suppose so," Neptune shrugged. "She's a nice singer."

"Nice?" Weiss glared at him. "Why, you…" she shook her head and smiled, remembering that, even if she knew Neptune very well, she should still represent Vale as a polite and level-headed heiress. "Yes, I sing rather well, if I may say so myself. Can you sing, Lady Pyrrha?"

"Unfortunately, no. I never had the time to learn, as I was always so focused on my combat training." Pyrrha said.

While the response sounded honest and innocent, it still managed to further Weiss's discontent. Either Pyrrha's skill extended to manipulation by words, or she was really too perfect.

When Neptune rekindled his conversation with Pyrrha, Weiss groaned mentally and forced herself to look away. They were in one of Castle Vale's inner gardens, and while it was beautiful, the frigid air of winter had turned its trees a sickly gray color and the birds had taken to sleeping in their warm nests. Once more the princess was reminded of how much she despised the season – it seemed no matter where she went, there was no escaping it.

She was halfway through sealing her decision of making an excuse so she could slip away to her quarters when general Ozpin stepped through one of the garden's archways. He wore his usual serene expression and tapped his fingers on his wooden cane absently-minded. Much like Lady Summer, he was a welcome contrast compared to the other nobles in their solemn wintery moods.

Weiss held back an enthusiastic greeting as she took notice of an unfamiliar figure behind the general; a small, pale-skinned girl with hair that was a mix between black and red. The princess would have taken her for an unknown noble's child, if it weren't for the sword and pistol sheathed on her hip.

"Princess Weiss," Ozpin greeted as he came to stand beside their table. "Prince Neptune. And… Lady Pyrrha Nikos, I take it?"

"Yes, sir!" Pyrrha rose to her feet, an ecstatic smile on her face. "It is an honor to meet you, sir! I have heard so many stories about you and your conquests, sir!"

"Believe me, most of the stories are wild exaggerations," he chuckled jovially. "I too have heard many a story about you, Lady Pyrrha. You are an impressive young woman."

If Weiss were a vindictive woman, she would have gripped Pyrrha's throat and squeezed the life out of her at that moment. Even Ozpin, of all people, was singing her praises!

"Yes, she is very precious," Weiss said through greeted teeth. "Is there a motive behind your unexpected appearance, general, or are you here simply to be courteous?"

"You know me too well, princess," Ozpin gestured to the girl following him. She looked at him in panic, then nervously took a step forward. "Meet Ruby Rose, the newest addition to the Royal Guard."

"Oh. Well…" Weiss smiled politely as she shook the girl's hand, "she certainly looks… agile."

"Thank you, milady!" Ruby blurted out, then covered her mouth with her hands, as if she had said some unthinkable thing.

The princess held her smile, even as she began to silently question why the two were being introduced. Ozpin had never made a point of her knowing every member of her sister's guard, and this one… Well, she didn't seem very impressive – she looked more like a novice than a real knightess.

"Do not underestimate Ruby based on her looks and behavior, princess," Ozpin advised. "You will come to understand her true worth soon enough."

"What do you mean?" Weiss asked.

"Why, she's the first official member of your own Guard."

The sound she made in response was not princess-like at all. Neptune snickered, and even Pyrrha had to cover her mouth to hide a smile.

"My… own Guard?" Weiss repeated. "Why would I need any such thing?"

"You are a royal princess." Neptune pointed out, earning himself a glare from her.

"I have never had need of personal guards before!" She protested. "Why should this change now, of all times?"

Before Ozpin could voice his reasoning, the explosion of a nearby round echoed somewhere above them. Neptune shrieked and jumped to the ground, while Pyrrha pointed her rifle around, trying to locate the unseen shooter. Ozpin stood still, not making any sudden moves as he followed the Lady Nikos' example.

And all the while, Weiss was frozen where she sat, staring into the flat side of Ruby's blade, which was hovering only inches away from the tip of her nose. She blinked and looked at the unfamiliar redhead, slowly realizing she had just deflected a bullet that would have surely taken her life.

But before the princess could even think of expressing any proper reaction, Ruby had jumped on the table and kicked against it, turning herself into a blur as she leaped to the roof at the garden's edge. She landed gracefully on the unsteady tiles and swung with her sword.

A man fell from the roof and hit the ground with a heavy thump. Ozpin rushed to his side and crouched down to inspect him – the skin of his forehead was turning purple from where Ruby had struck him with the pommel of her sword, but he was still breathing.

Weiss went to look over the general's shoulder and felt a shiver run down her back. Two round, furry ears poked their way out of the man's unruly hair, resembling those of a canine.

"A faunus," Ozpin said. "Of course."

"Of course?!" Weiss repeated in disbelief. "Were you expecting this all along, general?"

"No, of course not. If I had known about an immediate threat to your life, I would have taken even heavier measures," he looked up at her with a solemn expression. "Do you still protest against a Guard of your own, princess?"

Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked at the faunus once again. He didn't look too frightening, but the thought that he had only barely failed to kill her… It woke a deep, cold fear in her.

Ozpin's gaze softened, as if he had taken notice of how truly unsettled she was. He rose to his feet and patted her on her right shoulder, as a father would do for his own child.

"Don't fret, Weiss," he said, marking one of the rare times in her life someone called her just by name, with no titles or pleasantries attached, "this man poses no threat to you anymore. Ruby has already left to check on our surroundings, so there won't be any more surprises."

Weiss looked up at the roof, and indeed, there was no one there. She wondered if Ozpin had given Ruby a silent order, or if she so capable to the point of taking action of her own accord. Her swift handling of the situation had surely been impressive.

"Alright," Weiss muttered, "but I don't feel like staying here anymore. I'll retire to my quarters for the day," She turned to her young companions. "Prince Neptune, Lady Pyrrha. It was an honor to speak with you."

Neptune just wiped the dirt off his shoulders casually, as if he hadn't been cowering in fear for the duration of the ordeal. Pyrrha nodded and gestured with her rifle.

"I will scout the area too, if it isn't presumptuous of me. I'm sure Lady Ruby would appreciate my help." She said.

Ozpin expressed his gratitude as Weiss left the garden, arms wrapped around her chest as if to fend off the fear that had suddenly invaded her life.

"Hmm, hmm… Dream of anything, I'll make it all come true… Everything you need, is all I- Ouch!" Yang rubbed her head and glared back at her boss, who had unceremoniously hit her with a stiff piece of bread. "What did you do that for?!"

"Stop humming, girl!" he ordered. "Are you a baker or a minstrel?"

"Maybe I'm both!" she yelped as he hit her once again. "Alright, I get it! I'm a baker! No more singing."

He nodded his approval and left her to her duty of mixing the flour and water. It wasn't a difficult job, but neither was it easy – it required a certain amount of finesse and dedication, which she doubted many girls her age possessed. They were too busy chasing after boys who would sustain them for the rest of their lives.

Not that she was all about working, in fact saying that would be a massive misstatement. Yang cherished her life outside of work, running through the streets of Vale, talking to her many friends, picking fights… When you spoke the name Xiao Long, you would be hard-pressed to find someone who didn't know who it belonged to. People knew and admired her.

But that didn't mean she would make of herself a goal to be disputed by every boy – and some girls – in the town. No, certainly not. She didn't plan to settle down until her hair began to gray, and then she would decide who would be by her side based on nothing but her own free will.

She still appreciated the occasional flowers, though.

A knock on the bakery's window distracted her from her work. She rolled her eyes when she saw her friend Sun signaling to her from outside, his monkey tail wiggling anxiously behind him. Yang looked around to make sure her boss wasn't watching, then rushed to the door and slipped outside.

"What are you doing here, Sun?" she asked, annoyed by his appearance. "You know I can't stop to talk to you in the middle of work."

"Sorry," he looked around nervously. "Do you have any food to spare?"

Yang glared at him, but went back to retrieve a loaf of bread for him. Even if he was being inconvenient, he was still her friend and he looked hungry. She frowned, noticing how breathless he seemed as he devoured the bread.

"Have you been running from the Guard again?" she asked. "Because I can't cover for you, and I'm not sure if I want to. What did you steal this time?"

"Nothing!" he replied with his mouth full. "I swear! I was just sneaking around in the plaza when the Guard comes marching through, with their lances all shiny and pointy… I was lucky they caught some other faunus before they saw me!"

"Ah. Must be that time of year." Yang sighed.

The fate of free faunus was very well known: either they were captured or they were killed. Humans who protected them didn't even have any other option than the latter. And every few months, the town Guard would storm down on the population, taking whatever faunus they could get their hands upon.

"I don't think so, Yang. They looked especially motivated today," Sun shook his head. "Something about an attempt on the princess's life."

"The princess Weiss?" Yang groaned. News seemed to get worse by the second. "Ruby got accepted into her Guard just yesterday."

"I guess I shouldn't complain that the attempt wasn't successful, then," Sun said. "They're blaming the faunus, of course."

"Well, duh. Who else has reason to assassinate the royals?" the girl questioned. "Anyway, you'd better get away from here already. If the Guard comes around the corner right now, I'm throwing you to them. It'd fetch me some good coin."

"Always a pleasure, Lady Xiao Long!" the faunus exclaimed, then mischievously ran away before she could grab hold of his tail.

Yang grumbled under her breath as she stormed back inside the bakery. She hated when people called her Lady.

Pyrrha ran on the roof of the Castle Vale, her eyes darting everywhere below and around her, searching for any hidden faunus. The castle was huge, and it was split into so many open and closed sections, it was a fool's errand to scour through it so quickly and shallowly.

With that in mind, she decided to take another approach to the problem. A few feet in front of her was a bell tower, used to sound the passing of the sun and moon's cycles. It was the tallest structure in the castle, and standing on top of it would provide her with vision to rival an eagle's.

Pyrrha steeled herself as she neared the tower, then jumped and clashed her feet against the wall. Her boots crackled with unnatural power as they clung to the clay, and she ran up, not once looking down.

When she reached the bell, she was breathless, but exhilarated. Nothing brought her more joy than making use of her rigorous physical training. There was just something incredible about feeling the impact of her feet against the ground and the wind lashing against her skin as she ran without any inhibitions.

She looked around her, trying to single out any suspicious behavior in the castle. Pyrrha could spot a number of people roaming the outside areas, which was enough coverage for her to be satisfied – if the faunus dared navigate the inside, they would be caught in a matter of seconds. After a full minute of careful observation, she sighed in defeat.

Pyrrha looked to the side and met with Ruby's stare. The newest member of the Guard had had the same idea as her, and was now standing on top of a bell tower parallel to her own. Pyrrha shook her head sideways to indicate she hadn't seen anything, and Ruby did the same.

The mystralian warrior decided to end her search, and unceremoniously dropped off the tower, meaning to land on one of the castle's open gardens. In her scattered state of mind, however, she failed to fully examine her immediate surroundings, and fell on someone, who crashed hard to the floor.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, hurriedly getting up from the boy's back. "I'm so, so sorry!"

He turned so he was lying on his back. He was wearing a novice's armor, and a sword was thrown on the grass beside him, and as he looked up at her and rubbed his blonde hair, there was a dreamy appearance to his eyes.

"Uh…" he mumbled. "I'm dreaming, right?"

"What? You're not dreaming." Pyrrha frowned, leaning down a bit to inspect his head for injuries. "Did you hit your head?"

"I must have, because you can't be real," he said. She blushed and took a step back, feeling genuinely flattered. His flirting was unlike Neptune's – in fact, she had a feeling he hadn't even fully realized what he had said. "But if you're real, I'm Jaune Arc, knight-in-training."

"A pleasure to meet you, Jaune Arc," she offered her hand to help him get back up. "I'm Pyrrha Nikos."

He took her offer and stood, then went to retrieve his sword. As he did, he couldn't help but be disturbed by the way she was staring at him.

"What?" he asked suddenly.

"Oh? Nothing. I'm sorry," she smiled. "It's just that people usually react very strongly to my name."

"Why, because it's a pretty name?" Jaune raised an eyebrow dubiously.

Pyrrha just stared at him, amazed that she had somehow found someone who didn't know who she was. For a moment, she intended to correct him, but then she decided that perhaps it would be nicer to just let him believe he was right.

"Yes, though I don't find my name as pretty as most people do," she said. "So, you're training to be a knight? How far along the ranks are you?"

"Uh…" he looked away sheepishly. "I'm… pretty good, if I may say so myself."

"Really?" Pyrrha's eyes shimmered with excitement. "Let's spar so we can get a sense of each other's skill!"

"W-what now?!" he exclaimed.

"It's a mistralian custom. Haven't you heard of it?"

Jaune gulped, then gripped his sword with his two hands. Well, at least he had the advantage in weaponry – Pyrrha wielded a rifle, which would hardly help her in close combat.

But then she drew a lance and a shield from behind her back, and he knew he was going to regret not backing down from the challenge.

Weiss's plan to retire to her room to feel safer had backfired horribly.

Her room had never felt so empty. It was huge beyond utility, and in every corner there were shadows that could hide an unseen killer. The roof above the room could easily allow someone to jump to her balcony.

The fear wasn't the worst of the situation, however. It was the helplessness. She knew if an assassin were to confront her right now, she would be hard pressed to offer any resistance. She was good with a rapier, but what good was a princess's training against some ruffian's ruthlessness? And her real powers? Winter would never condone their use - she had learned that the hard way long ago.

It didn't help that Ruby, supposedly her only private guard, had been absent ever since their introduction. Ozpin had assured Weiss she was busy scouring the area for any threats, and it made sense. It was more effective to search for hidden dangers than clinging to a frightened princess. But that didn't mean Weiss had to like it.

The door to her room opened slowly, and her heartbeat rose quickly. That was it. Curse Ozpin, curse Ruby for leaving, curse Winter for not caring enough to give her more competent guards!

And then Lady Summer stepped inside the room and closed the door behind her. Weiss couldn't stop the sigh of relief that escaped her lips.

"Princess," Summer bowed curtly. "I'm sorry I couldn't arrive sooner. Everyone has been awfully busy today."

"Yes, I presume so," Weiss frowned. "Where's the queen? Shouldn't she be the one entering my room?"

"Your sister is preoccupied," the older noblewoman said. "I assure you, she is very troubled by the attempt on your life, and that is why she hasn't come here yet. Even as we speak, she is making arrangements to better our security and investigate this matter."

Weiss nodded hesitantly. She got up from her bed and went to the balcony. Summer followed her silently, and together, they admired the view of the city from up high.

"Do we know anything at all about the assassin?" Weiss asked.

"Aside from the obvious?" Summer chuckled. To the princess's frighten, she moved to sit on the edge of the balcony, swinging her legs carelessly on the wind. "He was a faunus. We suspect he's affiliated with the White Fang."

"Of course," Weiss said bitterly. "I should have thought of that already. They won't stop harassing my sister, and now they're targeting me."

"Yes. They wish to have their demands heard."

Weiss turned to look cautiously at her companion.

"Do you sound sympathetic to their cause, or am I jumping to conclusions?" she asked.

"I understand their motivation, yes. The faunus live as slaves, my princess. They have no freedom. Those who seek it meet with unforgiving death by our hands," Summer said. "If you were in their position, wouldn't you rebel too, princess?"

"No, I wouldn't," Weiss answered heavily. "I would be grateful that I'm allowed to live, and in good care, too. The White Fang vastly exaggerates the supposed mistreatment they suffer."

"Perhaps in your castle, princess, the slaves might live as you think," Summer shook her head. "Unfortunately, other lords and ladies are not as kind as you and your sister."

Weiss was silent, contemplating the advisor's words. Was she truly so blind to the world around her? It was difficult to believe her parents' assassins might have just cause to their actions.

"Do not mistake my sympathy for support, princess," Summer spoke. "I would never side with such ruthless people. Not when they killed your parents… not when they tried to kill you."

The statement managed to force a smile out of Weiss, even in the terrible mood she was in. Summer smiled back to her, but it was a sad gesture, as if she were truly pained. Weiss had never seen her like this before – Summer had always irradiated a sense of quiet, stable joy.

"I know how painful it is to lose the people closest to you. I still remember how distraught you and Winter were when your parents were assassinated," the redhead woman muttered. "But even then… That was like an echo of past injuries."

"…You mean your daughter?" Weiss asked hesitantly.

"You've heard the rumors," Summer said. "I suppose everyone has."

"Not really. People don't like to talk about it." The princess assured.

"That's… very considerate of them."

Weiss wondered if Summer was going to talk any further about the topic, but she just kept staring at the darkening horizon solemnly. The princess stayed quiet, deciding to not pry on such personal matters.

Summer only moved once the Moon was fully visible against the night sky. She shook her head and smiled, and just like that, her usual persona was back. She turned to Weiss and, to the princess's surprise, planted a kiss on her forehead.

"Well, this was an uplifting chat!" She exclaimed. "Have a nice night, princess Weiss!"

"Good night, Lady Summer." Weiss replied quietly.

"No, no! We've talked about this," Summer winked. "No Lady."

"Ah, right," the princess smiled. "Good night, Summer."

Summer nodded to her, then exited her quarters. Weiss stayed in the balcony, looking over the city, thinking about faunus, death, and enigmatic redheads.

When Ruby finally made it back home, she was more tired than she had ever been in her life. She could barely hold on to her sword, and every step she took felt like a mile.

She was happy to discover Yang had already arrived too, or they would both have been in deep trouble. As she was, Ruby would have had no energy to find her sister, much less bring her back home.

Yang was sitting on a wooden chair, cleaning some clothes on a basin, when she saw her sister step inside, looking half-dead.

"Busy day?" the blonde asked, rising from her chair and reaching Ruby. "Looks like a busy day."

"The busiest," Ruby muttered, letting herself fall on her sister's arms. "And it was… Argh. Ozpin had me chasing faunus around the castle! I thought I was supposed to be a good person!"

"Well, they did try to murder the princess, didn't they? And it's your job to protect her…" Yang noted.

"You're not helping!"

Yang laughed and laid Ruby down her bed. Because of their not-exactly-luxurious lifestyle, their house consisted of only one large room, where they slept, cooked and ate. Most people would complain, but they actually found it very comfortable.

"Are you going moony yet?" Ruby asked worriedly, pushing past her tiredness.

"Not yet. We have got a bit of time left. Also, don't call it moony. It makes me sound crazy." Yang said.

"And…?"

"Well, that's only half true!"

The two shared a moment of silence, just appreciating the little time they could spend together each day. Then Yang ruffled Ruby's hair and rose to her feet.

"I'm proud of you, sister," she said. "Soon, you'll have the princess wrapped around your little finger."

"I don't want that," Ruby protested meekly. "Besides, she seems really snobby."

"She is a princess. Isn't that her job, to be snobby?" Yang asked.

Ruby shrugged as a response. Yang nodded, then went to her cage and locked its door shut. She sat against the wall and closed her eyes, waiting for the Moon to start affecting her.

In the silence that followed, Ruby still couldn't sleep. She couldn't quite tell what it was, but there was something bothering her – like an invisible presence watching and listening to them. After several minutes of trying to fall asleep, she growled and got to her feet.

"I can't sleep," she explained quickly. "I'm going to take a walk outside."

"Be careful!" Yang warned through gritted teeth, her eyes slowly shifting from violet to red.

Ignoring her sister's increasingly wild behavior, Ruby opened the door to the house and stepped outside. She stood there for a moment, trying to determine what was bothering her… then turned to peek at the space to the side of the house. There was nothing there.

She grumbled and walked there, and then turned to the back of the building. Over the years, the sisters had managed to form a pile of trash there – from food to boxes to clothes that didn't fit them anymore. They saw it almost like a work of art.

Ruby stared at the pile intently, as if challenging it to move. For a full minute it remained still. She sighed exaggeratedly and began to walk back to where she came from…

Then turned around in a split second, catching sight of her watcher as they poked their head out behind the pile. Ruby exclaimed triumphantly and dove to catch the stranger, grabbing them by the fabric of their clothing and holding them to the ground.

A faunus girl stared at her, amber eyes stretched wide in panic as she tried to struggle free. Cat ears poked out of her long, black hair. Her skin was pale, but dirtied, and she seemed unhealthily thin, especially for her size.

"Hi." Ruby greeted.

"You… Let me go!" the faunus protested. "Let me go!"

"Hey! Stop it! I'm not going to hurt you!" the redhead said, trying to calm her down. "My name's Ruby."

The stranger glared at her, but stopped trashing. Apparently, Ruby's revealing of her name had earned some trust, if only a little. Carefully, Ruby let go of the other girl's clothes, and the faunus edged away to a safe distance.

"What's your name?" the guard asked.

"Why should I tell you?!" the faunus exclaimed.

"Because I can help you!" Ruby said. "Look, you're scared, and I know why. A faunus just tried to assassinate the princess heir, and now every guard in this town is intent on capturing your kind. You've probably been running from them all day."

"Yes…" the stranger mumbled. "But if that's the case, why should I trust you?"

Ruby took a step forward, only for the girl to take one back. The redhead stopped and gestured peacefully with open hands.

"I know a lot of faunus, alright? Not all of you are evil. You're just like humans in that sense," she said. "The faunus who tried to kill the princess was a member of the White Fang. Are you with the White Fang?"

"No. I don't even know who they are."

"Then you're not evil, and I don't need to turn you in."

The faunus stared at her silently, as if trying to determine how honest Ruby was being. After a while, her shoulders dropped, along with her guard.

"My name is Blake." She said.

"Nice to meet you, Blake," Ruby curtsied playfully. "Would you like some food?"

"…Yes." Blake replied hesitantly.

The redhead nodded and disappeared, leaving behind only a blurred image of herself. Blake blinked, startled by the girl's speed. She considered running away while she was alone, but… she was hungry, and Ruby seemed nice enough, for a human.

After a minute, Ruby returned with a plate of bread and a cup of water. She offered them to Blake, who took it, but didn't move away, as she had expected. Ruby smiled, content that she was finally allowed to stay near the faunus.

Blake eyed her suspiciously as she drank from the cup. When the water was gone, she raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you staring?" she asked.

"No reason," Ruby shrugged. "So, uhm… How old are you?"

"…Seventeen… I think," Blake replied. "Hard to tell when nobody celebrates your birthday."

"Ah. You're an escaped slave, then." Ruby said.

Blake leered at her, signaling very clearly that she didn't want to talk about the matter. Ruby smiled, deciding to comply with her wishes.

"I'm sorry you have to eat back here," the redhead said. "Believe me, if I brought you inside the house right now, you would never stay."

"Stay?" Blake frowned. "What do you mean stay?"

"Well, uhm… You're not planning on walking around the city, are you?" Ruby asked worriedly. "Like I said, the Guard is on a frenzy right now. If they as much as catch a glimpse of you…"

Blake took a bite of the bread. This situation seemed to get more perilous by the second.

"You can stay with us," Ruby offered meekly. "I have to work during the day, and Yang does too – that's my sister, by the way. You'd have the house all to yourself. But you would have to… adapt, some nights of the month."

"What?" Blake frowned.

"F-forget it! We'll explain to you tomorrow!" Ruby gulped. "Will you stay?"

Blake ate the last of the bread, then handed the plate over. She stared at Ruby for a long while before sighing.

"Yes."

"That's wonderful!" Ruby exclaimed. "I'll bring you a blanket!"

Before Blake could protest, the younger girl had blurred in and out of the house, bringing back a blanket and a pillow. The faunus blinked twice in disbelief as Ruby made a makeshift bed against the back of the house.

"…This doesn't mean we're friends." Blake said.

Ruby looked back at her, all excitement fading away in an instant. Blake instantly felt regret over her words, but she said nothing to correct them.

"Alright, if that's what you want…" Ruby muttered. "Good night, Blake."

She left without receiving a corresponding response. Blake waited a moment before laying her head down on the pillow and bringing the blanket up to cover her body. She closed her eyes, then unconsciously sniffed the bedding.

Strangely, it smelled a lot like roses.

And the plot begins.

I won't be uploading this frequently, just so you guys know. I only wanted to get an actual chapter out soon, so you also get an idea of what the rest of the story will be like. But you'll get a chapter every Wednesday!

Note: I won't be putting every single character in this story, but you'll have the majors... So Nora and Ren will appear, eventually. But I don't have plans to include team INDG, for example.

Thank you for the warm reception! A few quick answer to a few quick questions: 1) That Weiss scene last chapter was in the present. Every passage that is not in italics is set in the present, unless stated otherwise; 2) I won't ruin the surprise of what ships will sail (but you got hints this chapter!); 3) Deaths will happen.

-Zeroan