"Ruby! Look out!"

Responding to Weiss's warning, Ruby only just managed to zip out of harm's way as a fiery, lantern-shaped flailstruck the ground where she'd been standing and released an eruption of red-orange flame.

"Thanks!" Ruby called back once she came to a stop, only to be forced to back-peddle to avoid a stroke from their other opponent's telescoping halberd, "gah!"

Such a spaz…Weiss shook her head, a good-natured smile nonetheless on her face. In their first match, she and Ruby had been paired off against a lovelyyoung couple from Haven Academy – Jacklyn Tern and Galen MacCoul, if she wasn't mistaken – and the pairs had spent the better part of five minutesnow putting each other quite thoroughly through their paces. It turned out a Dust-chamber on the end of a chain and an extendable halberd with inlaid lightning Dust crystals made a rather challenging combination… Every time Ruby would go in for an attack on Tern, her polearm-wielding boyfriend would get in the way, leaving the former free to fire off volleys of Dust while he held off the frontal assault. They seemed to get along fairly well and, under any other circumstances, might have been nice people to sit down and have lunch with, but at the present, Weiss's thought process was completely focused on a single goal… How to take the lovebirds out..?

Weiss was sure that she could top Jacklyn Tern in a one on one Dust duel – her female opponent's technique relied on a large volume of fire and heavy flail blows, not finesse – MacCoul's Semblance appeared to be some means of Dust-cancellation,at least in part; it was almost certainlymore general than that, but at the moment, that was what mattered, as every time Weiss would return fire at Tern with her own Dust attacks, MacCoul would pivot into the line of fire and the barrage stopped dead. This situation was further complicated by the lightning Dust on that halberd of his, which made all but the briefestand most unanticipated of melee attacks against the halberdier untenable, lest he use his Aura to activate the Dust crystals and send and arcing current through the attacker's own weapon. Ruby had learned that particularfact for them the hard way when she'd tried to hook the shaft of the polearm with her scythe, and her hair was quite visibly frizzyas a result…

Their teamwork is perfect…Weiss mentally admitted as she circled around on a glyph, searching for a weakness, we'vebeen on the offensive since the start, but we haven't made any progress… They're just playing it safe and letting us wear ourselves out…

As Ruby threw herself at the opposing pair again, only her Semblance keeping her from contacting the defender's weapon long enough to complete a circuit and get herself zapped again, Weiss fired off another salvo of lightning bolts from Myrtenaster. Still, all of Ruby's blows weren't enough to tie the halberdier down, as instead Tern stepped in to wail on Ruby with her weapon's flail function again, leaving Galen free to extend his weapon like a lightning rod and then make a swing for Weiss using her own crackling blue arcs. Weiss grimaced as she held up Myrtenaster to block focusing more on reasserting control over the electricity than blocking the physical blow, and was knocked backward, skidding to a stop just shy of the arena wall. The audience went wild – especially from the Mistralians in attendance, but Weiss steeled herself. They haven't won yet… If we could just separate them- Or separate US!

It was risky, sure, because they weren't going to be able to cover each other, but staying close enough for that hadn't gotten them anywhere so far… "Ruby! Let's hit them from opposite sides!"

Initiative or not, there were only so many times one could beat one's own forehead against a brick wall before either tactics or cranial structure had to give, so if things weren't going well anyway… What's one more risk?

With a nod shared between them, Ruby and Weiss split to face down their foes from opposing sides, forcing them to break their neat, defensive arrangement. Weiss smirked as Jacklyn Tern's eyes went wide in realization, just in time for the Heiress to shoot forward on a glyph. Galen's chivalry did not fail though, and that was precisely what Weiss was counting on. Weiss stopped short and the counter-attack that the Halberdier had intended for her swept through empty air. Before he could recover, Ruby struck him from behind in a whirlwind of black and red. It was like MacCoul had been hit by a truck, and he lost his grip on his weapon and tumbled to the ground, his aura meter on the jumbo-display overhead dropping precipitously, leaving Tern wide open.

As Ruby pressed the attack to finish Galen off, Weiss resumed her headlong dash for Jacklyn, who only just lifted her Dust-lantern flail in time to parry a thrust. "Ah! Crap!"

Smelling blood in the water, so to speak, Weiss flurried Tern with jabs and thrusts, emphasizing speed over force to keep her foe off balance. Tern nonetheless managed to dive into a backward roll, swinging her burning flail as she got back to her knees a few yards away. Weiss used a glyph to propel herself skyward and over the smoldering wrecking ball, smirking as she conjured another in the air behind her and heard the announcer declare that Galen MacCoul was unable to continue. "Checkmate…"

Depressing Myrtenaster's trigger as she activated her airborne glyph, Weiss rocketed forward amid a spiraling arc of lightning, slamming into her target dead on. Tern went flying, stray electricity crackling all around her until she struck the ground, skidding several feet, and her aura dipped into the red. Victory.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Jacklyn Tern has fallen beneath the Aura Safety Threshold and is unable to continue! This round's winners are Ruby Rose and Weiss Schnee!"

Sliding to a graceful stop on a fresh glyph, Weiss extended her right hand to her largely orange-clad, fallen opponent. "Need a hand up?"

Tern nodded appreciatively. "Thanks; you two really showed us…"

"Nonsense; your teamwork was excellent," Weiss assured with a smile. Admittedly, good sportsmanship was probably easier on the winning side, but it never hurt to be a graceful winner. "Better luck next time."

Weiss's erstwhile opponent dusted herself off as she got to her feet. "Right; y'know, you're not half bad Schnee."

Weiss winked self-effacingly. "I could never pass up a PR opportunity like this."

Jacklyn chuckled. "Little goes a long way; I'll be rooting for ye then – I gotta think we lost to the best after all~"

"I hope so." Weiss nodded, before Ruby and Galen presented themselves, and the two pairs exchanged bows and handshakes. "Maybe we'll see you next year."

"Aye then."

The pairs split and went their separate ways, exiting the battlefield on opposite sides, just as they had entered, an audience of thousands cheering their exit and wildly anticipating the next match. It was exhilarating, walking out of the arena, out of the sun, into the cool hallway knowing that she was moving on. Success was a good feeling – though it could be better if Ruby just appreciated the simple pleasure of winding down as much as Weiss did…

"C'mon Weiss! C'mon! C'mon! C'mon!" Ruby bounced up and down in a frenzy of energy, her frizzy hair jostling all over the place as she tugged on Weiss's wrist. "We have to get to our seats before the next match starts!"

"RelaxRuby; the singles competition is tomorrow.We aren't going to miss Yang's-"

"But what about Blake and Mina's?" Ruby insisted, rather childishly trying to drag her partner bodily to the nearest stairwell up to the stands, "they're in this division too! We can't miss theirmatch!"

"Their match isn't until after the next round!Chill out!" Weiss protested even as she was hauled up the stairs, "we're notgoing to miss it!"

Ruby, however, would not be reassured, and she persistently dragged the complaining Heiress up the stairs. After the first flight and a half, Weiss sighed and gave up the struggle – she could relax just as well in her seat, she supposed. However, Weiss got around to feeling considerably less accommodating by the fifthflight of stairs and, after being pulled past, and into,several poor folks carrying way too much popcorn and throughseveral dense clumps of tournament-goers. Eventually though, they did reach the section of the stadium reserved for combatant seating and Ruby finallylet her go – if only to zip right over to the railing and watch, wide-eyed, as a pair of Atlesian students – one with a crossbow-sword and the other armed with what appeared to be some kind of Dust-imbued spear – faced off against two partners from Vacuo, though Weiss only knew that by the screen and couldn't see them in the arena from this angle.

Weiss let out a sigh with a shake of her head. "Honestly…" But it was sweet, she supposed, and ultimately harmless. "At least she's enjoying herself…"

Weiss had been worried after their run-in with Nadia and Stahlkreuz the previous day. Just meeting herhad put everyone on edge, herself not least, as she worried about how the others would react to her role in setting Nadia up with the Atlesian army. Fortunately, it hadn't come to that – Nadia herself had spared Weiss that particular dilemma for the time being, for which the Heiress was certainly grateful. The others, however, hadn't been so pleased. Even discounting the close call when Yang had lost her temper and the heart-stopping moments when Mina had been given Nadia's gun… everyone was a little on edge. Ruby was the quickest to bounce back of course, the pomp and circumstance of the festival going a long way to brighten her mood again in a hurry, and even Yang seemed a bitbetter if the way she had just come up on her little sister to bear-hug and drag her to their seats was anything to go by. Blake and Mina were… another matter… Mina had of course assured everyone that she would be okay to compete before the lot of them had left Beacon that morning, but they'd all split up at the match registry, and Weiss hadn't seen either since. I just hope they're okay…

Out of the corner of her eye, though, Weiss caught a glimpse of the other familiar face on patrol at the back of the stands. Is that… It is!

Seeing Nadia headed out of the section of seating, Weiss cast one last somewhat concerned glance back Ruby and Yang's way, but then hastened to catch up to the Faunus. "Undine!" Nadia halted on the top step of the stairs leading out of the section, freezing as though a deer in headlights. She remained there until Weiss caught up, unable to decide how to react, and in so doing letting Weiss speak first, "Undine… do you have a minute…?"

Nadia swallowed. "I… the Colonel will kill me if I don't keep up my rounds…"

"That's fine." Weiss nodded. "I'll go with you for a bit; I know how she can be…"

"You mean a total hard-ass?" Nadia laughed nervously, though she seemed to relax somewhat as they began to walk.

"I would have said 'task-master,' but yes…" Weiss smiled. "But that does make me curious – especially since, well given what happened,I didn't get to ask yesterday – but… how are you getting along with Colonel Stahlkreuz?"

"Good…" Nadia said, "great even – I'll be honest, her training's probably the kick in the ass I always needed… And I know I said it before, but I know I mean itnow, so… thanks… for setting me up."

"Don't mention it." Weiss shook her head, stepping aside to let a mother with a toddler by. "But as long as we're exchanging 'thank-you's… Yesterday… you didn't have to do that…"

"No… I… I think I did…" Nadia disagreed amiably, "Mina… deserved the chance…"

"I don't mean that part…" Weiss shook her head. "You cut me off when I was going to explain…"

"Oh, that…" Nadia scratched the back of her head somewhat bashfully. "Well, you probably don'tneed trouble for helping meof all people… The way I figure it, it's a down payment on all I owe you…"

"You needn't worry about it," Weiss told her as they made their way up another set of stairs to the next bank of seating, "I appreciate the gesture, but you don't have to think of yourself as indebted – Iof all people can afford to indulge in charity."

"I still have somepride…"

"One more thing we have in common." Weiss chuckled. "In all seriousness though, I'm glad you're doing well."

"You mean that?" Nadia asked, turning to face Weiss with a look of mixed disbelief and gratitude, "I thought you just wanted me to leave Mina alone?"

"I do." Weiss nodded, acknowledging her original motive. "But after what you did yesterday… well... It does a lot for my faith in people… Human andFaunus…"

Nadia blinked. "T-thanks… I could say the same about you…"

"So…" Weiss hesitated. "Is this reallywhat you want to do? I know I pressured you into it at first, but I couldpull a few strings and-"

"No." Nadia shook her head. "Don't… This is what I'm going to do."

Weiss was modestly surprised, but nodded. "Are you planning on applying to Beacon next term then, or…?"

"Actually…" Nadia blushed a bit. "I was thinking about maybe… enlisting… Er… making it official I mean- wait… that doesn't quite sound right either…"

Weiss raised an eyebrow to Nadia's deepening blush. "Take a liking to one of the soldiers?"

Nadia swallowed. "Well… I… I guess…. But that's not why!"

Weiss winked. "Who is it?"

"It's not!"

"Who?"

"I said she wasn't why!" Nadia exclaimed, red-faced, "I really dowant to make things right in my life too…"

"Well I'll be damned…" Weiss gaped. "You've got a thing for the Colonel,don't you?"

"Don't say it so loud!" Nadia looked horrified and a little indignant as well when Weiss stifled a chuckle. "And don't laugh!"

"I… I'm sorry…" The Heiress stammered out as she got a grip on herself, "I just… didn't know when I set you up to train that I was playing matchmaker…"

"It's not funny…" Nadia frowned. "And I'm not stupid enough to think that it'll go anywhere… I just… I admire resolution I guess, and I know it's not tied up with any of that delusional bitterness I put into my… attachment to Mina…"

"She certainly isall purpose..." Weiss reminisced, "that is, if my sessions with her were anything to go by… It's not going to be easy, I can tell you that."

"That's fine," Nadia said resolutely, "I don't need easy. I need direction."

"Well the army can definitelygive you that." Weiss nodded. "But are you sureyou don't want to attend Beacon first? I promise you the Atlesian army isn't going anywhere…"

"Are you saying you're going to miss me?" It was Nadia's turn to tease now, and she relished the opportunity, until the Heiress didn't return with the flustered denial that she'd been expecting, "Schnee…?"

"I'd prefer you called me Weiss-"

"Ladies and Gentlemen, pulling a narrow victory from the jaws of defeat we have Michelle and Gabriel Engel, from Atlas!"

Both girls' attention snapped to the field at the announcement. "Well that was a quick turnaround if that's the case…" Nadia commented, not quite sure what, if any, was the best way to return to the previous subject.

Weiss barely seemed to notice the comment, though, as she watched the display board change to showcase the next match. On one side was a red-headed bull Faunus and a mountain of a man with a chainsaw, while on the other… "Blake and Mina are next up..."

Nadia's attention snapped to the display, her eyes going wide as she abruptly reached for her radio. "Oh my God…"

.

.

.

Mina slipped her hand into her gauntlets and secured them in place. The embedded Dust crystals were fresh, the tension on her wires was as it should be, and all her stakes were where they belonged. In all physical measure, she was ready, whether or not she feltready was another question.

"Are you okay, Mina?"

Mina nodded without much conviction. "Well enough to fight our match."

"You're thinking about Nadia Undine, aren't you?" Blake asked, hugging Mina from behind.

"N-no-"

"It's okay…" Blake assured her gently, "that was a lot to take in yesterday..."

"Do you think she meant it?" Mina asked tentatively.

"I… don't see why she would have lied… or given you her gun if she wasn't serious…" Blake said at length, "and that's good, isn't it?"

"…Yes…"

Blake's face fell. "If you don't feel up to this-"

"Perish the thought!" Mina recoiled. "I will notruin this for you – I will give you my best for this."

Blake's smile returned as Mina turned to face her with an earnest expression. "Alright, but it's only fair that I give you something too..."

"Dearest-?"

"Shhh…" Blake placed a gentle kiss on Mina's lips before pulling a short little ribbon from her pocket. It was red, just a decorative piece for the hair – She'd taken it offof Mina the last time they'd been… intimate.She remembered relishing it, as though unwrapping a gift, and now she was going to return it. "Would you wear this for me again?"

Mina's eyes flashed as she felt Blake tying the ribbon about a lock of her hair. "Truly, dearest…?"

Blake chuckled. "Remember those fairy tales I used to read to you? Well why don't you be myPrince Charming for the day and accept a token of my affection?"

Mina nodded emphatically – almost like they were twelve again and Blake had asked her if she wanted to read that same old fairy tale for the umpteenth time. "Of course!"

Blake chuckled as she finished tying the little red ribbon about the lock of hair that framed the right half of Mina's face before taking her by the hand and leading her from the locker room towards the entrance to the arena. "Now let's give this our best, okay?"

Mina nodded again. "Right."

Such a small gesture, but it meant the world to Mina as they went out to meet their first opponents in the tournament. The din of the cheering crowd grew steadily in volume as they drew closer to the mouth of the hall, but not so loud that Mina couldn't function; she might have a headache later, but that didn't matter now.

But then Blake stopped dead at the edge of the arena. "Oh no…"

"Dearest?" Mina asked, the sudden note of dread in Blake's voice replacing all her contentment with a dull panic in an instant.

Blake didn't get the chance to respond though – to name the foes that stood across the way even as they donned their Grimm masks and drew their weapons. She parted her lips to speak and the stadium seemed to succumb to an unearthly hush, but then, barely audible at first, even to Mina, an explosion rocked the streets of Vale, and then another… a third… By the fourth, the mass of spectators had been shaken free of their stupor and descended into panic as the blasts were now audible to any who would listen, shaking the ground as they drew ever closer – and all hell broke loose.

Author's Note" Hello all; so this is it – we're pretty much looking at my concept of how things would have gone down if RWBY hadn't been there to intervene at Mountain Glenn, so things are about to get interesting. As for this chapter though, Jacklyn Tern, Galen MacCoul, Michelle Engel & Gabriel Engel (Based upon Jack-o-lanterns, Finn MacCoul, and two of the Arc-angels respectively) aren't going to be particularly important, I just thought I'd put in the effort to give them names. At any rate, I do hope that you've enjoyed the chapter, another big Thank-You to KillamriX88 for the edits, and I hope you look forward to next time.