"And you're sure?" Salem spoke into the Seer, currently showing her the almost religiously devout Tyrian.

"Yes, my queen," Tyrian spoke back, "I've narrowed the summer maiden down to an area of about three villiages outside Vacuo."

"Very good," Salem nodded, "keep narrowing the field. I'll send Ms. Lied your way when the time comes."

The Seer left the room, leaving only Salem and her new protégé. Lied Kale looked to her master, silently asking permission to speak. Salem nodded.

"When Tyrian finds the maiden, I am then to kill her and inherit her power?" Kale asked.

"It's more complicated than that," Salem answered, "Simply killing her comprises the possibility of her power not going to yourself." The dark woman stood up and glided alongside the table to her underling. She took out a long white sleeve and showed it to Kale. "This can take her power directly. It was used to some success previously, though the connection was severed about half-way back then. Make sure we get all of it this time."

"Yes, my queen," Kale nodded, taking to sleeve.

"But, there is still some time before we must deal with that," Salem noted. "If you're itching for something to do, there are two individuals who used to work for me. Hazel Rainart and Arthur Watts. Find them, and bring them to me."

Kale nodded once more, and took her leave.

TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP

The hour was crawling by in Professor Port's class, as it usually did. It wasn't necessarily the most boring class at Beacon, but the teacher's tendency to rant completely off topic did encourage many to sleep. By year four, even Weiss would occasionally catch up with rest rather than stay attentive. It was a well-known fact by now that independently studying out of the book was the only way to pass this class.

Though today, it was difficult for Weiss to sleep. Even though her girlfriend was peacefully snoozing beside her, on the heiress's other side, Reaper was tapping away at the desk with her pen like a particularly hyper woodpecker.

TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP

"Reaper!" Weiss whisper-shouted. "Put down the pen!"

The dark woman scowled, but indeed set the pen down. Weiss enjoyed the blissful silence while it lasted.

D-D-D-Drum D-D-D-Drum D-D-D-Drum

Reaper had started drumming her fingers on the desk. Weiss couldn't exactly tell Reaper to set her hand down, and sighed in defeat.

The lecture droned on, and Weiss stared at the clock. Beside her, she barely noticed Neo writing something down and passing it to Reaper. Reaper picked up her pen to write a response to her dark lover, passing the note back.

The pen didn't leave her hand.

TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP

Weiss growled. "Would you at least, I don't know, quiet it down somehow!"

"Sor-rey, princess…" Reaper grunted.

tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap

Weiss gave a very long sigh. Thoughts of strangling Reaper quickly entered her mind, cut off by the bell.

"And that appears to be all we have time for." Professor Port dismissed the class. "Remember! Your essays are due tomorrow! See you then!"

The class filed out slowly, many people shaking off their naps. Weiss approached the two ex-criminals under her charge. "You two have completed the essay, correct?"

Neo nodded with a big smile.

"Reaper?" Weiss pressed.

"Neo's got it. We're sharing the assignment." Reaper told her.

"The assignment was Our Favorite Hunts." Weiss pointed out. "And you and Neo really haven't been on too many real hunts together. Unless you count chasing Creature and Mimic, which I highly doubt made fond memories."

"We talked to Port about our situation." Reaper told her, notably defensive. "Me and Neo worked on a different kind of prompt, and are turning it in together."

"Oh. I wasn't aware." Weiss remarked.

"No, you just assumed I wasn't working on the essay." Reaper scolded.

"That's not fair." Weiss defended.

"Fair or not, I'm right, aren't I?" Reaper crossed her arms. Weiss didn't have a response. "That's what I thought."

Neo looked on with concern while Reaper stormed away. Okay, that's enough. She got the attention of the other two and signed, 'Do you two notice Reaper acting strange?'

"Strange?" Blake asked.

'Angrier?' Neo clarified.

"Reaper? Angry?" Weiss scowled. "Call the fucking presses."

"Weiss!" Blake scolded. "Rather rude delivery, but she has a point, Neo. Ever since the Aura Link, she's always had anger issues."

'But she's been doing a lot better since coming back here.' Neo pointed out.

"I'm sure she's just pent up from not being able to fight." Weiss assured her. "Once her hand finishes healing, you'll see."

Neo wasn't so sure.

That night Reaper was debating whether she bothered sleeping at all that night. She had been having regular nightmares since before school started back up. She had hardly gotten a full night's sleep since, and her one sure avenue into the depths of her mind had gone inexplicably silent.

Ember? Hello?

…

Groan…

Ruby stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. She wasn't an idiot. Ember wasn't answering, and all of her nightmares had a common theme. Her 'friends' betraying her. Countless times she had watched Neo join Torchwick, or Weiss arrest her, or even Blake simply turn her back on her. And worst of all, every scenario made some sort of sick sense.

Whatever her and Neo had, she was working with Torchwick far longer, and it was obvious she enjoyed that life far more than Reaper did while it lasted. And with Weiss, the dark woman had constantly undermined her authority and drove the team down paths that were technically in violation of Reaper's custody. If the white swordswoman wanted, she could have her arrested in an instant. As far as Blake, Reaper didn't have many interactions with her, and the faunus would definitely side with Weiss if it came down to it.

Reaper didn't know what this meant, but it had her terrified. Was it Ember showing her these things? Did she have a reason to? What was she trying to say? Fear of what the truth could be kept Reaper quiet.

With a deep sigh, she decided sleep wasn't worth the nightmares. She left the bathroom, lazily dressed in the latex dress and stockings with the Beacon uniform shoes, and decided to go on a midnight walk. Neo heard the door shut and turned over to look around the dorm. She knew Reaper didn't make it to bed, but this was the first time the dark woman left the room entirely. Something strange was going on, Neo was sure of it now. And the colorful lover didn't like it one bit.

Reaper wandered onto the roof of the school, lost in her thoughts. Those thoughts weren't any more comforting than her nightmares, but she couldn't seem to silence them.

"What am I doing here?" Reaper whispered to herself. "Is this really where I belong?"

"EEIIII!" A shriek from off to the side made Reaper jump. She whipped around to face Nora.

"Jesus, you've got a voice than can shatter glass…" Reaper noted.

Nora seemed relieved once Reaper spoke. "I almost didn't recognize you without your hood… You look like a ghost! Were you always that pale?"

"What are you doing up here? It's past midnight." Reaper asked her.

"I could ask you the same thing." Nora pointed out.

Reaper thought for a moment. "Fair enough." She answered. "I guess I have too many thoughts keeping me awake."

"Me too." Nora nodded. "Or… well… mainly one thought."

"I see." Reaper nodded. Nora looked over her friend expectantly. Reaper returned a confused gaze. "Am… I suppose to ask what's wrong…?"

"Never mind…" Nora shook her head.

"No, you obviously want to talk about it." Reaper tried to recover. "What's wrong?"

Nora had a mental debate whether to continue the conversation. It was true that for a moment, she was looking forward the letting things off her chest, but Ruby wasn't very good with people, and she hasn't seen anything to suggest Reaper was much better.

"Well… It's about Ren." She decided to go through with it.

"Are you two together yet?" Reaper asked bluntly.

"WHAT!?" Nora shouted, clapping her hands over her mouth. In a much quieter voice, she mumbled, "Is it that obvious…?"

"Semi-successful criminal here." Reaper tapped her own head. "Observant is kind of required."

"Maybe that's what I need to do." Nora pouted. "Make Ren a criminal for a day."

"Wait, so… he doesn't know?" Reaper asked her.

Nora shook her head. "I keep waiting for something to happen… something that just makes it click…"

"Have you tried talking to him?" Reaper. "Neo was never exactly subtle. In fact, she kinda stalked me."

Nora panicked. "What!? No! I could never… What if he doesn't feel the same way, what if it ruins our friendship? I can't just do that, I don't want to lose him!"

Reaper raised an eyebrow. "You ever consider he's waiting for you like you're waiting for him?"

"He's not a coward like that… he thinks everything through way better than I do." Nora replied.

"Emotions can do funny things with your heart." Reaper lamented, thinking on how her own was in turmoil with all her nightmares and doubts.

Nora took the advice to heart. "What about you?"

"Huh?"

"What's keeping you awake?" Nora wanted to return the favor.

"A lot of things, and nothing at all." Reaper answered vaguely.

"Oh." Nora shifted uncomfortably. And awkward silence fell over them. "Well… I think I'm going to go try sleep again."

"Right." Reaper stood still while Nora made for the roof-access door. "Hey!"

Nora turned back, expecting Reaper to open up.

"Look," Reaper began, "The universe doesn't care so much about any one person to make things happen for them. If you want something to change, you have to make it change on your own."

Nora was half disappointed to not hear what was bugging her friend, but also very glad to hear Reaper cared. She nodded and continued inside, leaving the dark woman to her thoughts once again.

The universe doesn't care about any one person

A lot of good things happened to Reaper in recent history. Almost suspiciously so. Neo having her, Weiss accepting her, Beacon taking her back… All this lent credence to her doubts. How could Neo truly care for her like this? How could Weiss brush off everything Reaper had done, especially when it came to ignoring her authority since her return? How could Ozpin put his career on the line for one little girl? It was more than implausible… It shouldn't have even happened. Yet, it seems to have worked out just like that…

Or has it? The universe doesn't care…

'You don't really think she would betray me so easily? She's been in your life for what? Two years? We have an entire criminal life together…'

Does anyone really care?

Neo woke the next morning to see no evidence that Reaper ever made it to bed. The dark woman was already showered and in her school uniform, drinking deeply from a mug. Neo wondered what cup of coffee she was on at this point. Running purely off of artificial caffeine was not a good way to operate. 'Why aren't you sleeping?' Neo signed to her.

"Just thoughts keeping me awake." Reaper answered.

'What's wrong?' Neo pressed.

"Nothing." Reaper finished her mug and moved to the door. "I'm going to breakfast."

Neo raised her eyebrow. Did that really just happen? We usually go together… She frowned, hoping this wasn't just the beginning of whatever distance Reaper seemed intent on building.

The small girl got ready quickly and left for the cafeteria, trying to catch up with Reaper. When she got there, Reaper was on her way out with a piece of toast in her hand. Neo looked to Blake, the question burning in her eyes.

"She said she wasn't very hungry and that she wanted to wait in the classroom." Blake told her. "Is everything okay?"

Neo cast her eyes to the ground and shrugged. She knew there was something wrong with Reaper, but how can she find out when the woman won't share the same space as her? The thoughts and subsequent overthinking killed her appetite, and she had barely eaten a scrap by the time the bell rung.

"What's up with Neo?" Weiss asked Blake on route to the classroom. "She usually eats more than any of us. Kind of makes me jealous, honestly. How does she stay skinny?"

"Reaper's being distant." Blake told her.

"Really?" Weiss was surprised. "I'm sure it's nothing."

Blake raised an eyebrow. "You're not the least bit concerned?"

"Of course I am!" Weiss defended. "It's just… How many school years have passed for us without some incident?"

"Well… none." Blake admitted. "But hoping that doesn't happen this time shouldn't blind you to actual issues."

Weiss sighed. "The thing is, I'm not sure there's an actual issue here. She's acting a little weird, maybe, but there's no evidence it's anything world changing. Not this time…"

"I guess you're right." Blake admitted slowly.

"Just let Neo handle it." Weiss told her girlfriend. "She's closer to that walking enigma than anyone will ever be."

But it didn't seem like it would be so easy for the ice cream girl. She was only a few steps ahead of her team mates, and the bell rang the second they entered the room. On top of that, Reaper maintained a dead stare ahead and a careful silence, proving one other fact. It was easy to ignore a mute.