Chapter Title: A Fated Meeting, Part 1

What's up peoples? Sanguis here, and this marks the start of the more serious side of the story. So far it's been all light hearted stuff, showing the brighter side of Myst and her team...

This chapter's just in time for Volume 2, as well. After watching the trailer, I felt goosebumps ride up my arms... It felt too close to what I was planning.

Talk about foreshadowing.

Anyway, the usual pre-story stuff (I don't want to get sued, y'know):

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

OC HOLLY ALANOS BELONGS TO xXHawkeye1337Xx [THANKS FOR LETTING ME USE HER!].

OC TEAM COVE BELONGS TO (TehAWESOMESAUCE) TehUnoman [YOU ROCK, MAN! SRSLY!].

I CLAIM OWNERSHIP OF THE OTHER ORIGINAL IDEAS AND/OR CHARACTERS.

"Mmmnnn... Likey..."

Libby was still asleep, nuzzling against Rou's bicep. The human girl had probably moved sometime during the night, and slept through the rest of the night up to now latched onto the fox Faunus' arm like a sloth. It didn't help that the brown haired girl seemed to be dreaming...

"Mmnn... Nuuu, I wanna plushie..." Libby murmured as she pulled herself closer to the Faunus boy's arm.

Myst chuckled softly, watching the younger girl's sleepy antics at the cost of the Faunus boy's arm. "Lady Myst, I beg you, please let me push her off, just this once. Please."

"Mmm..." The flaxen-haired girl put a finger to her chin, appearing to mull the idea over. While there was no doubt the ensuing scene would be hilarious, she found she preferred to see the clingy side of Libby more. "... Nay. Thou shalt let her sleep thus."

Rou replied with a dark look, a frown, and a grumble. "Even if she has caused loss of feeling in my arm?"

"Then use thy Semblance to make her warm enough to let go," Myst countered him while chuckling softly, reaching to her Scroll which decided to beep scandalously loudly, waking the brown-haired girl.

An unregistered Scroll number. Who could this be? Myst's eyes narrowed slightly, tapping on the green 'accept' icon and aligning the earpiece and mouthpiece to their respective places. "Good morrow, thou art speaking to Mystra Ventego..."

It was now lunch time, and Sirocca was taking a short stroll around Beacon's grand walkway. If all ya look at is the surface, there ain't much difference at all. The tiger girl lifted both hands up and behind her head, interlocking her fingers as she continued to walk aimlessly around the vast façade.

The sound of even, timed footsteps intruded on the Faunus' girl's thinking. She would recognize those footfalls anywhere, even while asleep. Sirocca smirked before speaking, all the while facing towards the vast river system and the sky. "Tryin' to pull one on me, Mud-Eater?"

Myst continued walking until she was directly beside the tiger girl. "Nay. If that were my intent, then I would not have chosen such an open space."

Neither spoke for a few minutes, gazing out into the vast body of water that sparkled like a large gem. Myst broke the companionable silence between them. "Sirocca, I have been tasked to clear out a Grimm nest in Atlas. Thou art to remain here in Beacon with Libeccia and Rou as the Order's delegates. But I know thee very well, and doubtless thou shalt tear Beacon from the highest spires down to the cornerstones if it were to happen. I have spoken to Father about this, and he agreed to have thee come with me." The flaxen haired girl took a slow breath and continued with a question that Sirocca did not expect. "Shalt thou still accompany me even though there is a risk of us being killed in duty?"

Another short silence reigned. "Is that for reals, Myst? You ain't pullin' my leg or anything of the sort?"

"Yes, I am not 'pulling your sexy leg', as you so oft put it. Father called this morn..."

[Short Flashback Start]

Myst reached for the loudly-beeping Scroll, tapping on the "answer" icon.

"Good morrow, thou art speaking to Mystra Ventego..."

"Good morrow to thee as well, Daughter."

"F-Father!' Myst sat up straight, not expecting her father, Boreas Ventego, to call this early; nevertheless she was still happy and relieved to hear him. Rou and Libby both turned their attention on her, the Faunus boy's acute hearing letting him pick up on the conversation easily.

"Aye, Daughter. 'Tis good to hear thy voice. Pray, tell me, how art the young betrothed?" Despite being the current High Archdeacon, Boreas still had a bit of a joker in him.

"Father, 'tis not the time for such talk," the flaxen-haired girl gently facepalmed, making the other two glance at each other. Libby only shrugged with a look on her face that easily said she had no idea what the other was talking about. "That can wait until a fortnight from today."

Boreas' chuckle sounded from the other end of the line. "True, true. 'Tis fair enough, I grant thee." His tone switched to serious, which made Myst turn serious as well. "Daughter... Tell me, how doth Beacon strike thee? What is thy impression of that prestigious academy?"

"M-my impression of Beacon?" Myst took a minute to sort out her thoughts before responding. "The teaching faculty can not be faulted, the students themselves will make the Order's Masters proud, and above all the headmaster himself can be easily seen at any time taking a hand at the everyday dealings of the school." Myst then paused, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath."I would be both pleased and honored to enrol here and call myself a student of Beacon Academy, Father."

There was a short silence on the other end. "Very well. I am glad to hear thine opinion. 'Tis with a heavy heart that I have to break this to thee..."

Myst's other hand slowly curled into a fist on her lap, a nagging hunch forming at the back of her mind. "Break what, Father?"

"... *sigh* I did not wish to do this, but... Daughter, by the authority bestowed on me by the Sacred Order of the Six Wards as the current Lord High Archivist and High Archdeacon, thou art summoned back into Atlas for an urgent dispatch." Boreas' voice softened, hinting to the flaxen-haired girl how her father hated to do it, but was still forced to. "Thou art tasked to investigate a sudden influx of Grimm near the outskirts of the Alchemists' Laboratories, and eliminate any and all creatures found within the vicinity."

Neither father nor daughter spoke for a long minute. Myst closed her eyes and tried to calm herself; her gut was indeed correct. Even if she wanted to complain, Myst knew there was little good in doing so. Her father, though belonging to the upper echelons of the Sacred Order's council, had very little influence in the Great Hall due to being born and raised out in the fields and spending more time keeping invading Grimm, humans and Faunus raiders alike from pillaging his home village. His selection and current position as High Archdeacon was influenced by the fact that his stature and fame as the Gray Tempest of Mistral preceded him, quite surprisingly a very quick learner, an efficient record-keeper, and he was also a fervent follower of the Order's teachings. He had very little skill in politics to begin with, but he was quickly grasping its fundamentals. Amaranth, Myst's mother, seems to be only a little better off in the realm of politics, having been a successful speaker in her late teens before the ill-fated sea voyage that landed her in the Order's doorstep.

Rou's ears flattened slightly; he heard what Myst was ordered to do. He was about to brush Libby off of him when Myst replied. "I understand, Father. I shalt inform our hosts here, and gather Siroc-"

"Thou art to return alone, Daughter. Sirocca and the other two shalt remain in Beacon as our delegates and emissaries."

Myst's brows drew closer. Return alone? "But, Father... Thou knowst how Sirocca is. She shalt force herself to be included on-"

"Yes Daughter, I do remember." Boreas cut his daughter's words short. "In fact, I am expecting her to do so."

"Pardon my intrusion, Lady Myst, Your Eminence." Rou spoke up, intentionally raising his voice to make sure he was heard, while his hand idly scratched the tip of his chin. "I could not help but overhear your conversation. I believe it would be better to let Sis Sirocca come with Lady Myst, rather than have her tear Beacon apart when Lady Myst departs without telling. We all know how attached Sis Sirocca is to her."

"Uh, where's Lady Myst going...?" Libby reached up and kept on playing with Rou's fox ears. "Is she being asked to go back?"

"Father?"

A soft sigh could be heard from the other line. "Very well. Thou can bring Sirocca along. Rou, thou and Libby shalt remain in Beacon as the Order's emissaries and delegates for the Vytal fair."

"Consider it done, Your Eminence."

"Many thanks, Father," Myst said at the same time.

"Do not thank me yet, Daughter. If it were up to me, I would rather that thou stay in Beacon and continue thy studies as a Huntress. It wouldst make thine mother proud."

"Nevertheless, I still thank thee, Father." Myst gently smiled. "Also, where is Mother?"

"She is with me, listening in and frowning her displeasure at what I was forced to tell thee..."

[Short Flashback End]

Sirocca crossed her arms, her forefinger tapping on the arm it rested on. "So it's just gonna be you and me against the Grimm nation, huh." She shifted slightly, resting most of her weight on her left leg. "Better than nothin'. I ain't dyin' to some soulless critter, mark my words. Anywho, did yer old man say anythin' 'bout my old man?"

"Nay. However, should circumstances permit, then we may be able to pay Master Leu a vi-"

"Whoa now, hold that thought right there, Mud-Eater," the tiger Faunus held a hand up to interrupt the flaxen-haired girl. "I didn't say anythin' about droppin' by my old man's place. If anything, I'd rather avoid him until we complete your li'l homework assignment. THEN I can face him."

"... Thou art still bent on that goal, Sirocca?"

"You bet your sexy butt I do," the tiger Faunus' eyes glinted hard as she shot a sidelong glance to the human girl. "He taught me to be strong, to overcome everything he threw at me, literally and not. He himself also said that once I beat him fair and square, that's the only time he'd acknowledge me completely."

"It seems that Master Leu has influenced thee more than I had envisioned." Myst took a deep breath, before exhaling slowly while facing the great river again. "Then we had better make haste. The sooner we accomplish the task set upon us, the faster we can get your grudge settled."

It only took a few minutes for Myst to get her meager belongings gathered and stowed safely away, keeping only her silver gray cloak and Windforge with her. Sirocca, on the other hand, spent a few hours trying to get her gear collected; she would have likely taken the whole day if Libby hadn't helped the tiger Faunus.

The four now stood at Vale's seaport, with a repaired Jormungandr waiting for its only passengers. "We shalt be leaving now. Take care while we are gone," Myst gently said as a farewell.

Rou and Libby nodded, while Sirocca hefted her large camping bag, a smirk plastered on her face. "Oi, I better not hear that you two're busy going at it while we're gone, ya hear?"

Libby's face wore a look that said she didn't understand what the tiger Faunus meant, while the fox Faunus visibly reddened and tried to hide it by placing his face in his palm. "Lord Monty above, sis Sirocca..."

The tiger Faunus just chuckled and hooked her arms around the two, pulling them closer. "Nah, I know ya two are much too pure for that kinda thing. However, if anyone bugs the hell outta either one of ya, ya got my permission to blarg 'em in the honk honk."

"Wha...? Bla- what?" Libby tried to parrot the tiger girl's words.

"Blarg in the honk honk! I know ya can do it Libby, no sweat. I doubt Rou-ball here would, though..."

"Uhh... Blarg... In the... Honk honk?" The pilebunker wielder was still blissfully oblivious to the intended meaning behind the tiger girl's words.

"She means hit where the sun doesn't shine, Libby." The fox Faunus barely stopped rolling his eyes up as soon as he finished, while Sirocca let go of them.

Myst shook her head gently while softly sighing, as she ascended the gangplank. Sirocca bounced up and down as she half ran, half trotted to the waiting ship. "Oi, Mud-Eater, wait for me! Ya don't dare think of leavin' me here after invitin' me!"

Shortly after the two boarded the Jormungandr, the ship's horn blared, signalling to the ground crew that its preparations were complete and it was ready to head out to sea. Rou and Libby easily spotted Myst and Sirocca on the deck of the ship, the flaxen haired girl holding a hand up to shield her face from the wind as she slightly nodded to them. The tiger girl leaned forwards slightly, waving with one hand while the other hand held onto the railing.

For a split second, Rou froze as the wind seemed to momentarily blow against itself and seemingly distort the faces of the two aboard the ship: Sirocca's face seemed bloody, wild and feral, Myst's was pale, empty and blank. Just as quickly as it came, the wind righted itself and continued blowing towards the mainland.

Libby waved her arms high above her head as the neon pink ship departed Vale, not stopping until she could no longer see her two elders. She let out a happy sigh as her arms fell to her sides, finally giving in to the tiredness. "Hey, Rou, when do you think we'll follow them back home...?"

When the pilebunker wielder didn't get a response, she turned to the fox Faunus, only to be greeted by a sight that surprised her. Rou's eyes were wide, as if still in shock. "Rou? What is it?"

The fox Faunus turned to Libby, still with a worried look on his face. "Libby... I hope I am wrong, but the visions never lie. We better get ready for anything."

Libby took a few seconds, still looking at Rou's face. She then nodded, immediately turned and headed back to Beacon, her pace easily matched by the fox Faunus. She knew the look that Rou wore.

It meant things were going to turn real bad. How soon, it was left to be found out.

Three hours after leaving Vale

Sirocca, as she was always doing, sought out the highest point in the ship, letting the winds play with her wild mane of hair as she let her thoughts roam free. She was idly scanning the horizon when she heard the door below her open, and a head of flaxen hair come into view.

Myst emerged from the door, her normally light and even footsteps sounding heavy and dragging to the tiger girl. She took a deep breath and slowly made her way to the railings, leaning out slightly, and expelling a deep sigh as the winds whipped her long, flaxen hair about, which was normally neatly tied in a low, long ponytail.

Sirocca immediately felt something was off with the human girl. All the times that Myst was summoned by the Council, the flaxen haired girl never looked as worried as she did now.

Sirocca slid down noiselessly from her high perch and dropped a few feet away from the human girl. "Oi, Mud-Eater... I know ya way better than anyone, 'cept yer parents... I know that look ya got now and I know fer sure that ain't good. What's eatin' ya?"

Myst slowly turned around, a worried look on her fair features. "I... I honestly do not know, Sirocca. I feel... 'Tis as if I am worried, but I know not what I am worried about. I feel as if I have to stay away as far as I can from this summons, yet another part of me commands to stay... "

The tiger Faunus took several minutes before she spoke. "I ain't gonna say I'm exactly happy with all this. But I know ya well enough. Ya got yer reasons, and as long as somewhere along the way ya can get me to understand 'em, that's all right with me." Sirocca gently encircled an arm across the human girl's shoulders and slowly led her to the deck, then made her sit down on the deck chair. "So. Could ya tell me when you started feelin' all weird and stuff?"

Myst leaned back on the chair's backrest, taking a slow deep breath. "I am not sure... I only felt this abject fear now."

"Must be a first time for ya." Sirocca leaned sideways, letting her head rest on Myst's lap. The flaxen haired girl absently started petting her, causing the tiger Faunus to purr like a cat. "Nrrawr, don't ya dare stop now..."

All throughout the voyage, Sirocca never left Myst's side, feeling that there was something not right.

As soon as the Jormungandr docked in Atlas six hours after leaving Vale, Myst and Sirocca immediately disembarked and headed inland. They stopped at one of the trading shops at the port town's outskirts, Sirocca waiting outside the gates while Myst procured their supplies. Not long afterwards, the flaxen-haired girl emerged, wordlessly nodded to the tiger girl, and led the way.

Neither spoke for several minutes, before Sirocca broke the silence as they followed a dirt path leading into a wooded area. "Look, Mud-Eater, I know ya're still confused or somethin' of the sort, but c'mon. This is borderin' on overkill!"

"I beg to disagree," Myst replied after a few moments. "I am merely taking precautions."

"Precautions, my ass. Ya call THIS precaution?!"

Sirocca gestured to the twenty-four crates stacked upon each other, in two rows of four crates per row and three crates high. These were loaded onto a six-wheeled cart pulled by two oxen, whose reins were in Sirocca's other hand.

"W-well... I may have been a little over-enthusiastic..." Myst sheepishly looked away, gently scratching her cheek.

"Nrrrrh, I say ya're bein' nervous, that's how it looks to me." Sirocca shook her head gently, hiding a small smile. "Look, I know ya're still half worried or whatever that shiz was, but ya know for a fact worryin' 'bout it ain't gonna change the fact that we're chosen by the Council. For all I know they coulda sent my old man to do the job, or yer old folks, but the stark truth is they didn't and went with us youngbloods. Reckon we gotta prove they were right in choosin' us."

Myst gently smiled and took the reins from Sirocca's hand. "Thou must be really upset with me to voice such a long-winded speech. But I have to admit, thou art correct. Mayhap it is thou who art the mature one, and not me."

"Okay, now ya're even assumin' I'm more mature than ya. Y'know, I ain't used to ya like this. It's honestly creepin' me out. Are ya even the Mud-Eater I know?"

"How vexing, to be asked such a question." Myst smiled as she playfully jabbed the tiger Faunus' side with the butt end of Windforge. "I am Mystra Ventego, only child of the Gray Tempest, Boreas Ventego, and of the Lavender Battle Medic, Amaranth Sarzin. I am thy guardian, protector, teammate, and friend."

"Heh. Not like I need the protectin' part, but glad t' see ya got yer priorities in order." The tiger girl gave a half-smirk as she playfully punched Myst's shoulder in retaliation.

Myst gave a mock gasp as she paused for a half beat, before resuming walking. "Art thou saying that I do not have my priorities in order, thou overgrown feline?"

Their playful banter served to occupy their time until both of them noticed a thin trail of smoke above the treeline. Their faces immediately hardened in resolve, and picked up their paces.

The two arrived at a wide clearing, and the sight disturbed them enough to make them pause. The low buildings were mostly intact, but the broken and littered outdoor equipment, as well as the evidence of Grimm attack and the left-behind dead bodies of humans and Faunus alike rattled the flaxen-haired girl more. "Merciful heavens above... Father understated the severity of the Grimm attacks..." Myst started to wander around the debris and bodies, gently prodding each body with her war staff. Each corpse she came across confirmed that the attack happened only recently. "The corpses have not yet entered rigor mortis... Not four hours have passed yet. The Grimm art still close, Sirocca."

"I better get to work then." The tiger Faunus drew out her battle boomerangs and started lopping off medium-sized branches from nearby trees, and digging them into where the fences used to stand. "I don't want those soulless critters to go back here and find the same place they left. If and when they backtrack here, they'll die in the shadow of trees like the shades they are."

Neither spoke for several long minutes, the tiger Faunus taking on herself to set up a temporary camouflaged perimeter fence made of greenery while the human girl took on cleanup duty.

While Sirocca was forcing one particularly thick branch into the ground, she noticed a broken-off section of the fence near her foot. The tiger girl picked up one small shard, calling Myst over and holding it in her palm for the human girl to see. "Look, Mud-Eater. This used to be part of their fences here."

The human girl gingerly picked up the metal shard, careful to avoid getting herself wounded from the rusting metal's sharp points. "Razor chain link fences. This would have deterred most humans or Faunus, but most Grimm wouldst not have second thoughts running through."

"Not if those things were set up like that."

Sirocca pointed with her thumb to a still-intact section of the wall, which still had the razor chain links in place. Myst could not help but whistle when she saw the intricate, multi-layered criss-cross patterned setup. "I take back what I said earlier... But how can Grimm break through razor sharp chains?"

Sirocca only shrugged and continued her task of setting up a temporary fence-slash-camouflage, while Myst approached the intact chain link fence and inspected it. "I see. There art multiple points of impact..."

"Sorta like multiple batterin' rams, then?" Sirocca dusted her hands after planting a thickly leaved branch in front of the spot Myst was looking at. "That kinda makes sense. Looky there." The tiger girl pointed to the broken wall a few feet away from them.

Myst made her way to the rubble, running her hand gently through the jagged edges. "Hmm... A powerful impact... Or impacts..."

"From at least two Ursaj, from what I see." Sirocca pointed to the deepest impact points along the broken wall.

Myst stood up, dusting her knees as she did so. "Then we art up for a definite challenge."

"Heh, you're telling me." The tiger girl cracked her knuckles. "This'll be just a warmup compared to what I'll be doin' when we drop by my old man's place. So, eat up, rest up, then wipe the ground with Grimm arse?"

Twelve hours afterward, a few miles away from the ruined Laboratories

Myst whirled Windforge in her hands, delivering a powerful downward blow to a Beowolf that lunged at her. As soon as the canine Grimm hit the ground with a yelp, she took a half step back and yanked the war staff back, the weapon's butt end slamming straight into another Beowolf's throat.

An inhuman screech drowned out the snarls and growling, making the surrounding Grimm turn their heads towards the source. This made the flaxen haired human smirk, as she whirled the war staff once more and felled several Beowolves and Boarbatusks in one sweep. "Showing off again, Sirocca?"

The tiger Faunus proceeded to lop off the Death Stalker's pincers and stinger, before taking out its legs at the closest point from its body. "Nope, just warmin' up a bit! I can't go all out on 'em from the get-go, yeah?"

"Heh, thou art saying one thing yet thy body betrays thee." Myst stood her ground against several Boarbatusks and a pair of King Tajitus. On the other hand, Sirocca seemed to be having fun dancing around several Ursaj and a Death Stalker, while confusing a Nevermore that circled above them.

Myst quickly surveyed their surroundings. While she did not doubt the tiger Faunus would be able to hold her own, the sheer number of Grimm that converged in this particular area made the flaxen haired girl doubt herself. At this rate, I shalt tire myself out faster than Sirocca... We have to find a way to wipe them out, and fast. But I cannot draw on any Magicks with Sirocca in such close range... And I cannot afford to have her too far from me, in case her bloodlust takes over again...

"Oi, Mud-Eater! Stop yer dilly-dallyin' and do what ya gotta do!"

The tiger Faunus' words shook the flaxen haired human from her thinking. She smiled slightly as she backed up a few steps, until she felt the other girl's back against hers. "Sirocca, there art just too many of them... Draw them in, and I shalt take care of the rest."

"... What, the Vortex?"

"Aye."

The tiger girl turned her head slightly, a concerned look on her face. "I hope ya can still pull it off, Mud-Eater. Don't think I ain't noticed ya're slowly getting weaker."

Myst whirled Windforge overhead several times before slamming it into the ground, the ring facing her squarely. "Worry not about me, Sirocca. I shalt 'pull it off', as thou so oft put it. Just do what you have to, and I shalt do what I have to." She took a half step back, stretching her arm forward with her thumbs touching, her fingers interlocking and the space between her hands forming a diamond that aligned with Windforge's ring perfectly. "Thou had best start rounding up the Grimm, Sirocca. When the Vortex releases, I want thee to clear vertically as high as thy feet shalt let thee."

"As if I needed you to tell me that!"

Sirocca whirled her battle boomerangs in her hand, tensing her legs. "Dunno if I've told ya this before. I believe in ya, Myst!" She then gave the human girl a wink, then started to run around the human girl and taunting the Grimm to come after her.

Myst closed her eyes, starting to channel her Aura into her hands, and arcing into Windforge just inches away. The incantation easily came to her, softly reciting the words from heart.

Fury and anger, despair and woe...

Sirocca knew that the human girl was risking a lot to draw on a powerful spell... But not one that took a lot from its caster. At least, she didn't have to worry about one thing - Myst had enough sense to not invoke one of the Forbidden Magicks that was passed to her.

... Heed my call, grant my prayer...

Myst felt again the familiar cold breeze that started blowing around her feet, signalling the gathering of power. The first time that the Crimson Vortex was taught by her Mama Lyssa, Boreas' grandmother, the flaxen haired girl could not help but get goosebumps crawling up along her back, towards her arms. Back then, she was a mere slip of a girl, barely able to do much else apart from project her Aura into her staff; Mama Lyssa's tutelage helped her grow into one of the Order's most versatile and powerful Acolytes, eventually earning her spot as the High Acolyte.

... Unravel the strands, undo the chains...

Sirocca started running faster, getting more and more Grimm howling after her. Each one had a missing claw, foot, tail, or ear... And they were all intent on repaying the girl running from them. A wide grin adorned the tiger Faunus' face as she felt the wind blast against her face, narrowly avoiding another claw that missed her face mere inches away.

... That which shackles, that which binds...

Myst felt the wind from Sirocca's mad dashing around her. Although her breathing started to become slightly troublesome because of the dust clouds kicked up by the tiger girl and the stampeding Grimm behind the Faunus, the human girl knew it wouldn't be long. Just a little more...

... My deepest power...

Sirocca felt the sudden, sharp gust of air from her side. It meant the incantation was complete, and Myst was just about to let her spell loose.

It was also her cue to jump as high as she can. On instinct, she lowered herself further to the ground, running forward before tensing her left leg for the jump.

... Release the Crimson Vortex!

Myst's eyes slowly opened, her eyes blood red instead of their usual crystal blue, her hands closing in on Windforge at the same time.

As soon as she did so, a blood-red dome expanded from the war staff, engulfing the human and Grimm for roughly a hundred feet, from the tiger girl's estimates. At the same time, Sirocca launched herself up, just in time to avoid getting caught by the dome.

Mere seconds afterwards, the dome started to swirl and collapse upon itself, shrinking little by little. The screams of the soulless creatures captured within were deafening to the tiger Faunus; she wondered how much more it would be for the human girl in its center.

With each passing second, the dome grew smaller, until it seemed to be sucked in by the war staff. Myst was now kneeling on the ground, panting heavily as she shakily kept her grip on the war staff.

Sirocca slowly walked closer, kneeling beside the human girl and putting a gentle hand on Myst's shoulder. "Myst, you did well." She then got back on both feet, tightening her grip on her battle boomerangs. "Bad news is, looks like they were a lot more than we thought. Don't worry, I ain't leavin' ya here."

Myst shakily stood, using Windforge to prop herself up. This must be what I was fearing, on the voyage here. Myst wearily looked around, a calm acceptance settling into her as the immense sea of black swam in her sight. I am not yet powerful enough. She closed her eyes in resignation for what was undoubtedly bound to happen.

Ten seconds passed. Twenty. Thirty. Still, there was nothing.

When the flaxen-haired girl opened her eyes, wondering what the delay was for, Myst was surprised to see the Grimm already decimated, and four figures standing in front of them. One of the four turned, and the moment that Myst met his eyes - or where his eyes should be, hidden by his silver glasses - she felt the same abject fear shoot up again.

"It seems we're just in time to prevent a tragedy from happening," his cold voice sent a mixture of relief and terror coursing through Myst's entire being. "May I offer my team's assistance?"

"Myst!" Sirocca bounded in front of the flaxen-haired girl, her fangs bared and tail fur puffed out, while her battle boomerangs were held defensively. "I dunno what the deal with him is, but I don't like 'im one bit. I can't smell anything on him at all..."

"S-Sirocca...?"

The tiger girl turned to the side, where a red-skinned Faunus stood. "Especially you! You positively reek of being a dragon, and if there's anything I hate more than Faunus discrimination, it's those damn self-righteous dragons!"

"Watch your words, cub." The red-skinned Faunus stepped forward, her hands slowly balling into fists. "We help you and your friend out and this is the thanks we get?"

"Eclipse..." the spectacled man's voice seemed to echo, his head turning to face the red-skinned Faunus.

His tone went unheeded as both Eclipse and Sirocca began circling around, closing the gap between them very slowly; Eclipse's arms were starting to glow red from some Dust crystals she crushed in her hands without either Myst or Sirocca noticing, while the tiger Faunus started to whirl both battle boomerangs.

"Cub? Heh, that's real cute, coming from a hatchling," Sirocca shot back, smirking in the process.

"At least hatchlings are hotter than anything else... In more ways than one, I might add." Eclipse retorted, grinning victoriously.

That hit a nerve in the tiger Faunus, causing her to unconsciously snarl. She was particularly prideful of her looks, and took great pains to maintain a "drop-dead gorgeous" appearance, as she always put it. Meeting the blonde brawler of Team RWBY gave Sirocca a few ideas, and she was eager to bring those ideas to reality. To be told that there was someone 'hotter' than her was the ultimate insult, in the tiger girl's opinion. Sirocca growled fiercely, tensing her legs in preparation for a quick strike. "You want a piece of me, scaly-tails?"

Eclipse's grin only became more vicious as a result. "Bring it on, scaredy-puss."

Sirocca started spinning Sinistra, while flexing the wrist that held Dextra and hopping lightly on the balls of her feet, steadily going lower while maintaining the timing of her hopping. "Hmph. Regret your decision in the afterlife, after I take your head and tail off!" Without warning, the tiger Faunus dashed forward.

Eclipse simply cracked her knuckles. "Come and get it," she muttered darkly, starting to charge towards Sirocca.

That is, until she noticed a blade sticking out directly in her path. She quickly stopped, and glanced to her left. Eclipse saw her leader with a very irritated facial expression, using his Caliber-swords to keep her from getting physical. Meanwhile, Myst took to holding back an enraged Sirocca with Windforge to prevent any unnecessary violence. It surprised the human girl that she was somehow able to restrain the physically stronger Faunus, let alone catch up with the faster Sirocca.

"Sirocca, stop! Calm thyself!" Myst held her war staff diagonally, one hand holding Windforge above the tiger girl's shoulder while the other gripped the weapon by Sirocca's waist. The flaxen haired girl yelled as Sirocca kept on struggling against her, "Let not thine temper get the better of thee, Sirocca! What hath gotten into thee?!"

"Sir, what are you doing? The woman clearly insulted the both of us!" Eclipse stated, looking at the sword-wielder.

"Does it matter, right now? We have orders to protect those two, which involves avoiding any form of physical violence between both parties," he said, his cold voice not helping ease tensions. "So control yourself, woman!"

"I will not sit idly by and let her berate us for doing nothing but hel-!"

Her eyes widened as the sword tip slowly began turning towards her chest region, with killing intent almost surfacing over the wielder's face. Eclipse began walking backwards, and the sword followed in very close pursuit.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that last part over the sound of my sword singing the tale of cutting into your flesh, and allowing the blood to flow much more freely than a river," the man said, his Aura flaring as black as the night itself. "Mind repeating yourself?"

She stopped walking, and her red eyes met the silver barrier in a glare, never letting up for a second. Sirocca stopped her attempts and watched with a mix of fear and anticipation. She wasn't going to lie, she was hoping for the man to kill Eclipse in cold blood and continue whatever he was doing; but her main worry was his Aura. She had never seen nor felt any Aura as unique as his; it was like it was wanting to come into the fray, and kill the woman itself.

It was almost as though it had a life of its own, separate from its owner.

Myst could only watch with barely concealed fear, as the people that saved her and Sirocca turned on each other - two of them, in particular - and were prepared to kill to stop their fight. It wasn't right, nor natural, for a team to act like this; if anything, they acted like hardened murderers or something similar.

The other two observers blankly stared at Eclipse's plight, and didn't care either way. It could be said for only one of them, Myst corrected her own observation a little later; the other woman licked her lips in anticipation, and hunger. The tension continued for thirty more seconds, until Eclipse blinked, looked up, and shook her head.

"It was nothing, sir," she said, in a low monotone voice. The man nodded, and lowered his sword. Grabbing one of the cross-guards, he slammed the hilt forward, causing an audible *click* to echo in their location. The blade retracted into the guard, leaving only two smaller blades on the sides of the former sword. The man then grabbed both ends of the cross-guard, and pulled in opposite directions; the result was two pistols with bladed trigger guards running alongside the barrel of each gun. Twirling them in both hands, the dual pistols vanished in a burst of smoke - at least, it seemed to Sirocca's and Myst's eyes.

"Now then, I'd say we were off to a rocky start. But I don't see anything that will stop us from starting over." He tipped his hat to the human girl and tiger Faunus. "I believe introductions are necessary. Please call me Coronox; the red skinned woman is Eclipse, the other woman is Onyx, and the fellow standing to the side is Viktor."

Myst let go of one hand on Windforge, trying her best to maintain her balance. Coronox inwardly smiled to himself, watching the human girl valiantly put up a front.

"Myst!" Sirocca spun and caught the flaxen haired girl in her arms, preventing her from pitching face forward. "You're not yet fully okay. Don't force yourself."

"Many thanks, Sirocca." The blue eyed girl gently nodded as she slung one arm over the amber eyed Faunus. She then turned towards the four newcomers, and slightly pulled Sirocca closer. "This is Sirocca Feanor, better known as the Poison Wind; I am Mystra Ventego, High Acolyte from the Sacred Order of the Six Wards."

Beacon, Training Auditorium, Three Hours afterward

"... Futsuno, awaken."

The sound of something metallic sliding echoed throughout the domed structure, followed by the sound of a gentle breeze blowing. The entire auditorium was silent, watching the fight between two Faunus.

Rou shifted his stance with his greatsword, while the other Faunus smirked and rolled up her right arm sleeve. "Phantasma Tenore."

A purple scythe materialized in her grip. The wolf Faunus whirled it effortlessly in her hand a few times, before pointing it to the fox Faunus with the greatsword. "Too bad your tiger friend isn't here, I'd really have liked to spar with her. In the meantime, I'd have to make do with you."

Rou's face remained blank. "Count yourself lucky you didn't face her, then. You'll face worse with Sis Sirocca."

The wolf girl was about to bite back an answer when she felt something odd. The wind seemed to be blowing from her back, and gathering around the fox Faunus. "You have power over wind, huh. That's not new."

Rou lunged forward, feinting a slash towards the other's side. The wolf girl made as if to parry, but spun instead to slash. Both combatants' weapons narrowly missed each others' heads, but to the wolf girl's surprise, she felt searing heat from the fox boy's blade. "Wha...?"

"I grow tired of our little game, Lady Alanos." Rou shifted his hold once more on the greatsword. "Please bear no ill will towards me. I do not wish to prolong this any further."

Again, Holly felt the gust of wind, but this time it seemed to encircle the entire stage. "Hmph, fine by me. Don't blame me if I accidentally knock you out of the stage -!"

"Nake, Futsuno (1). Banshō issai kaijin to nase."

At that exact moment, Rou seemed to blur until he completely disappeared from everyone's view. The wolf Faunus swung her head a few times, trying to spot the fox boy. "What the...? Even invisibility? Is he a freaking ninja or something?!"

A whispered voice made Holly whirl behind her. "No. But I have learned to hide in plain sight."

Holly whirled her scythe, slicing at Rou. However, her scythe merely passed through an illusion of the fox Faunus.

The next moment, she felt the same searing heat by her neck. "For your sake, Lady Alanos, yield."

Holly lowered Phantasma Tenore, the scythe dissipating in a cloud of purple mist. "Heh, you got me."

Rou gently lifted his blade away as Professor Goodwitch announced, "Rou has won this match. If everyone was observing closely, neither of their Aura levels have gone into the yellow zone."

Rou silently went back to his seat, still maintaining his poker face, while Libby stood up and hefted her pilebunker rifle. "The next match will be between Libeccia Cuwphah, and Pyrrha Nikos."

Libby and Pyrrha faced each other in the middle of the stage. "I hope we have a good match," the redhead smiled at the younger girl.

"Thanks, but I'm in a bit of a hurry." Libby unslung her weapon and primed it. "This early, I'm gonna say sorry."

"Begin!"

"Pity none, Lo-Ruhama!" Libby yelled as she sprinted towards the warrioress. "Drive!'

The brown haired girl spun as she slammed the pilebunker forward, firing as soon as she felt the pointed end make contact with the redhead's shield. Pyrrha raised her shortsword to counterattack, but she severly underestimated the power behind the attack. It made her skid backwards for a good distance, forcing her to move both arms to keep her shield in place and keep herself balanced.

Pyrrha was able to balance herself, but failed to notice the pile hurtling towards her at a blinding speed.

"Pyrrha! Look out!" Jaune was on his feet, concern readable on his face as his partner was standing dangerously close to the edge of the stage.

Just as the redhead looked up, she felt the impact once again. This time, she was prepared, but wasn't expecting the increase in power. Pyrrha grit her teeth and fought back, but couldn't push forward.

She felt her legs take one step backward. Two. Three. Four.

With a grunt, Pyrrha swung her shield outward. At the exact same time she did so, Libby fired the pilebunker again, causing the swing to go wide.

Pyrrha's eyes also widened as she felt herself lose balance.

The next thing the redhead felt was being swung around, and landing on her behind.

"Yield."

Libby's low voice made Pyrrha look up. The pilebunker was already primed again, and aimed dangerously close to her chest. The expression on the brown-haired girl's eyes told the redhead she would be ready and willing to do anything.

"Enough, miss Cuwphah." Glynda's voice echoed throughout the auditorium. "Even though both miss Nikos and miss Cuwphah still have the same levels of Aura, in this situation it is clear who has the upper hand."

A few seconds passed, then Libby's expression changed back to her friendly demeanor, and put away her weapon while extending a hand to Pyrrha. "Like I said earlier, sorry about that."

"No offense taken," the redhead smiled as she took the proffered hand and lifted herself up. "I'm just curious though, what...?"

"I just have to. That's all I can tell you." Libby's face hardened once more, as she and Pyrrha walked side by side away from the stage, not quite hearing the announcement made by the blonde professor. "Something big is gonna happen... We don't know yet what it is, but we gotta be prepared."

Translation Time:

(1) "Nake, Futsuno" : "Cry, Futsuno".

The next line was inspired by Bleach; let's see if anyone makes the connection.

Sanguis' Scribbles:

Phew! That was a long one, possibly the longest chapter I've ever done... 7k+ words, not counting the scribbles (shoutout to Melanie Malachite for the idea!) and the pre-chapter drabbles.

Anyway, the two - I mean, three authors I mentioned here - xXHawkeye1337Xx, TehUnoman, and Melanie Malachite - these guys (and gal) write wonders. Y'all should seriously check their works and drop these three some rave reviews.

Sanguis out... For now.

P.S.:

I'm still stuck for a new story name... Ideas welcome!