A long anticipated meeting.

Ruby struggled against the ropes binding her wrists together behind her back, slumping when they proved to be immovable.

She looked up at the train car roof that sat above her. She was surrounded by crates stacked with explosives, courtesy of Roman. She still couldn't believe her luck, she knew they chose this mission specifically because they wanted to investigate the White Fang indiscreetly, but trust her to fall right into their clutches, and without her scythe no less.

Now she was stuck here, awaiting the eventual orders to start the train or hopefully her rescue.

The train doors slid open, and Ruby jumped to her feet, albeit not as gracefully as she would have liked, given the rope.

It was a girl, the same one that had thrown her in here after she had proven useless for gathering information. For once she was actually glad she couldn't talk, you can just play dumb for interrogations.

But the girl had her umbrella out, a dangerous glint coming from the top. Roman had called her Neo.

Ruby couldn't help the snort that came with the thought. All she saw was the uncanny resemblance Neo held to Neapolitan ice cream, which only raised the question, was she born like that or did she change her looks to fit her name?

Neo had the tip of her umbrella pointed at Ruby in an instant, Ruby's small smile quickly vanishing with Neo's silent threat.

"Come on Red. Talk." Ruby's eyes widened as she saw Neo sign, her gaze switched from Neo's hands to her mouth. Was Neo like her?

With a sour roll of her eyes, Neo reached a hand into her pocket, presumeably to pull out a scroll. Ruby shook her head violently and surged forward, mindful of the bladed umbrella. The action startled Neo enough to jerk her hand out of her pocket to grab Ruby by the base of the neck and twirl her onto the floor.

Ruby was back on her feet in an instant, smiling at Neo's wary gaze. Ruby wiggled her hands around, hoping Neo would get the message.

Neo stared at her incredulously for a moment, then opened her mouth in a sort of noiseless scoff.

But still, after a calculated look, Neo slowly started to sign again.

"Do you talk?"

Ruby shook her head, then nodded towards Neo in an attempt to return the question.

Neo shook her head as well, now looking at Ruby with a sort of subdued wonder.

Ruby couldn't help but return the feeling. Even if it was with an enemy, she had finally found someone who could relate to her. Someone who knew exactly what it was like being silent in the ever-louder world they lived in.

Ruby took a step forward, freezing when the sealed doors came tumbling inward, their edges encrusted with ice. Fog swept throughout the train car, blurring her vision.

Neo walked forward, the blade in her umbrella retracted for some reason, strolling calmly towards the gaping hole in the car. Her eyes were cold and lightless, focusing resolutely ahead, ignoring Ruby completely.

Ruby grinned as Weiss came charging through the haze, sword drawn, shouting "Ruby! We know you're here somewhere!"

Ruby ran forward, darting past Neo as she ran to her teammates. Her feet slipped out from under her as her semblance activated, balance abandoning her as she pitched forward. With no hands to stop her fall, she braced for the sharp pain about to blossom on her face. A frost-latent breeze surrounded her as steady hands helped her back to her feet, then promptly cut through the ropes binding her hands.

"I got her Yang." Weiss called back. "Ruby's fine."

"Good."

Ruby's smile grew brighter as her sister emerged from the fog as well, Blake on her heels. Immediately, she was swept up in a hug, all-encompassing and warm. Followed by the rushed whisper of "I'm so glad you're okay."

"Guys." Blake said, jerking her head towards Neo who now stood directly in front of them, a coy smile on her face. "We need to stop the train before it starts moving. The professor is taking care of the White Fang for now, but we don't know how long it'll last."

At her words, the train car jolted forwards, sending all the girls reeling for a moment. When they were all steadied once more, Ruby felt her scythe being thrust into her hands. She looked up to see Yang glaring at Neo, her eyes already showing streaks of red.

"I'll take care of this one. You guys meet up with the prof and keep going." Yang muttered, sending a few blasts at Neo while the rest of them ran forwards.

Before she followed Weiss and Blake though, Ruby hurriedly signed.

"I hope I can talk to you again."

All Ruby could see was Neo's eyes widen slightly before she left her behind, racing to join her teammates.