A/N : Yay, new chapter up!... *faceplants*

As always, events here are NOT CANON, not even in Hawk's alternate universe. (Putting this one chapter IN A CANNON and shooting it over the Atlantic may be a better idea, though...)

Again and again, as I always say (and I will never tire of saying this):

DISCLAIMER : I DO NOT OWN RWBY. CREDIT GOES TO (RWBYGOD) MONTY OUM AND ROOSTERTEETH.

The two Fauna faced each other in an awkward, uncomfortable silence. Tiger faced wolf, the former's tail flicking to and fro. "What the bloody flying fuck were you doing in my dream?! You're only supposed to see people you've already met before in your dreams, but I haven't even heard of you until today!"

The wolf Faunus glared back equally, ears flattened and continuously growling low. "I should be the one asking you that, you oversized catgirl. How the hell did you get into my dream and why did you choose to die there, of all places?"

Myst stood up worriedly, holding a hand out to both Fauna in an attempt to stop things from blowing over, at the very least calm them down. This wasn't how she had planned things to go. "Pray, both of thee, calm thyselves... There should be no cause for thee to fight each other," she said as she stepped directly between Sirocca and Holly.

"Stay outta this one, Mud-Eater. This is between me and her," Sirocca gently lowered Myst's outstretched hand. "Much as I appreciate yer concern, I can take care of myself. Besides, you've never butt into my dreams before."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Holly's eyes narrowed as her ears flattened even further, left hand starting to pull up her right arm sleeve. "You wanna piece of me, kitty cat?"

Sirocca's arms snaked above her shoulder and by her waist, flashing back to her sides holding her twin battle boomerangs. "Damn right I do."

Holly's scythe materialized in her grip, a fiercely determined look in her eyes. "Alright then. You can go regret your decision in the afterlife."

Both Fauna lunged at each other, weapons swinging, aiming for the other's throat. Holly's scythe sweeped low, going for an upward arc, while Sirocca's boomerangs were held back, and flashed in front of the tiger Faunus with blinding speed at the exact same moment.

They were stopped short by the human girl, her staff locked between their weapons. Sinistra and Dextra, Sirocca's battle boomerangs, were caught in the prongs at the top of Myst's staff, while the blade of Holly's Screaming Crescendo was blocked squarely by the butt end of the said weapon. "If thou shalt not cease, then I hope both of thee art prepared to battle and forfeit thy lives in the process."

Myst's low and cold voice startled Sirocca. This was a far cry from the Myst she knew and loved as a close friend - the calm, rational, slow-to-anger, flaxen-haired, blue-eyed Mud-Eater she grew up with. This wasn't her. The human girl between her and Holly was a different Myst.

This was a mirror twin.

Two pairs of eyes were trained onto the horizon. There was nothing but water all around, and clear skies above them. "How much longer until we arrive in Vale?"

"Not much longer, Libby." A long yawn, then a muffled cracking of knuckles. "Please, don't stray far from me. And for the love of all that's holy, please follow whatever Lady Myst tells you."

A cute-sounding pout preceded the next words. "Aw, meanie. Vale's got lots of strong Hunters and Huntresses. I should be able to find someone as strong as Big Sis, right, Rou?"

"That may be true. Still, Lady Myst's decision stands. You will not stray too far from either her or me. And knowing you, you'd only bother her or Sis Sirocca. You wouldn't want to be made to do thirty pull ups with ten blocks strung to your waist, now, would you?"

"Whaat?! Not that! Sirocca wouldn't dare again! I couldn't move for three weeks, no thanks to her cruelty!"

A low, throaty chuckle was the reply. "Actually, that was Lady Myst's idea. Sis Sirocca is worse. She made me hang from a horizontal bar for two hours."

"That isn't so bad."

"... With twenty blocks of two and a half pounds each strung to my waist, and five of two pounds on each arm. And she had me balancing barefoot on pointed poles directly under the arch of my feet."

Rou didn't need to look, he already knew how Libby grimaced while imagining. "... Ouch."

"Indeed. So, do you still wish to cross Sis Sirocca?"

"Aw hell no!"

Holly instinctively felt something wasn't right. She was the first to disengage, her scythe disappearing from her hands. "All right, so can someone tell me what the hell is going on around here?"

Sirocca yanked her boomerangs away, the human girl almost getting pulled along with her weapon. "You gotta be more stupid than you look." She shot a glance at Myst, who still had a blank expression. The tiger girl's voice dropped as she spoke. "I, uh... I was in the wrong. I shoulda kept my mouth shut."

Myst took a step back as Holly rolled her eyes. "Say what? I didn't hear you, I probably have too much wax in my ears." As if illustrating her point, the wolf Faunus wiggled her pinkie fingers in her ears. "You gotta speak louder, I can't hear you."

Sirocca shot a pleading look to Myst. "C'mon Mud-Eater, do I really hafta go through this?" She was only rewarded with another blank stare as a reply. The tiger Faunus knew what this meant. She's dead serious. Boy, am I in deep muck this time.

Sirocca heaved another sigh before speaking again, this time louder than before. "If ya didn't hear me, I said I'm sorry, alright? I know I got some temper issues and I'm workin' on it. Happy now?" She added the last part under her breath; however the tiger girl still got a quick, stinging whack on her behind from the human girl. "Oww! What the flying fuck was that for?!"

"Do it properly." Myst leaned the staff against the crook of her arm, pulling out her Scroll and opening it. "Rou and Libby are coming. Thou shouldst learn to hold thy temper, and guard thy tongue. I leave thee in her hands for now." She turned and opened the door, ignoring the tiger Faunus' pleading.

Holly watched the one-sided exchange quietly. "She does seem to have a rather ugly side to her, huh."

Sirocca slumped against the wall. "You haven't seen her fuming mad yet. And trust me, you wouldn't want to. The beating she gave Cardin's lackeys was only mild irritation." She looked up, watching the clouds float by. "People often take her to be a quiet, obedient girl, but Myst is more than meets the eye. She's got a temper that rivals mine. If she gets ticked off real bad, she always finds a way to get even."

Holly slid down beside her. "That doesn't sound so bad."

Sirocca only turned her eyes towards the wolf Faunus. "That's what everyone says, until they see whatever she did to get even. But don't take my word for it. Wait for someone to cross her completely, then tell me she ain't cruel. Wouldn't want that to happen to ya, though." She sighed softly before continuing. "I may be a hothead and have some anger issues, but one thing I am not is cold and cruel. Sadly, that's Myst's other side."

Both Fauna were quiet for a few minutes. "So... What made her change?" Holly was definitely curious now.

The smile on Sirocca's face was undeniably genuine. "Honestly, I dunno. I don't care, actually. Just as long as I'm with the Myst I know today, I'm sure I'll be safe. With her, I feel protected, loved, valued." Sirocca turned her head slightly towards Holly, the smile still on her face. "Didja know she was my first friend ever?"

Holly shook her head. "No. And by the way you sound, you really seem to hold Myst in high regard."

"That I do." Sirocca jumped up, stretching again. "Well, gotta run for now, the two other guys of our team are coming. Let's just talk some other time, alright?"

Holly stood up as well. "Fine. I'll hold you to that." She held her hand out. "It was nice meeting you, Sirocca. Remember my name, Holly Alanos."

"You betcha." Sirocca took the other's hand. "Keep Sirocca Feanor in yer mind. Maybe some other time I'd like to spar with ya."

"I'd like that."

So first of all, I'm really sorry for the delay. My profile page has the explanations.

Writing all this in the bus really takes its toll on me... Okay that's it for me today. See y'all 'til when.

Sanguis out.