Chapter 4

"Aaahhh!" Ruby yelled as she charged, her Semblance sending her rocketing forward where she threw her fist towards her opponent.

Her father twisted, grabbed her wrist and using her own momentum, sent her straight to the ground with a pivot of his hips. She stayed there and panted for a moment before picking herself back up. She took a stance similar to Yang's and charged once more. Every one of her attacks was blocked, deflected or used against her to send her onto the floor.

"Alrighty Ruby, I think that's enough. Let's take a break." Tai helped her up. They had been training on a patch of grass behind the main building, away from most people.

"Damn it. I didn't manage to hit you once!" Ruby growled. She had always been bad at hand to hand.

"Its alright Ruby, you've just started. But if there's anything we've learned, it's that the style I taught Yang really won't work. You don't have the time to make up for the difference in build." Tai pulled her into a hug which she gratefully reciprocated.

He'd been like that recently. There were a lot more hugs ever since she came back. She wasn't complaining. They were nice and a great reminder that he was there for her.

"So what should we do then?" She asked as they pulled apart.

"Well, one thing I never got to hammer into Yang's head was using an opponent's attacks against them. We should try that. Turn their speed and strength against them. Of course, you need to be able to throw a punch too, but you'll get there and your speed will be a large help in doing so."

"What do you mean?"

"Simple. You don't have to have a large build if you can strike quickly. The speed will make up for the lack of muscle mass and cause your hits to be harder to dodge as well. Plus you can always supplement your attacks with a weapon. We can always craft a weapon to help you out."

"So use my Semblance to hit people a lot and when they attack, trip them up with their own movement?"

"Yup."

"Alright. Let's do it!" Ruby smiled a little.

"Hold up a minute! We just got done, take a few minutes to rest alright? Plus I have to show you the proper stances and all." Tai chuckled at Ruby's pout.

The pair rested for a few minutes, before getting back into it. It was rough for Ruby, as good as she was this wasn't like the scythe. She had picked that up quickly but this was slow. I don't know if it's me or the training, but it's just not clicking!

They kept at it for a few more hours before they called it a day. But Ruby wasn't done for the day. She rushed off and met up with team JNPR. She joined in their team training, slotting in and figuring out where she fit with them. It was easier in a way, she could provide more ranged support than any other on the team and her speed allowed her to help anyone who got in trouble. The hardest part was learning how each of them fought.

She and Jaune would unwind at the end by thinking up strategies. He adopted one of her ideas, naming specific team moves with catchy names. He just needed to learn to choose good names! I mean really, Arkos? Flower Power?

She, however, was picking up on just how quickly he could figure out a plan. He had a talent for analysing a foe and figuring out how to defeat them. He was more flexible compared to her. She had always led her team from the midst of the fight, with preset attacks she could just call out. Jaune, however, was better suited to changing the attack plan to capitalise on the enemy's strengths and weaknesses.

He just didn't have the experience to back it up yet.

JNPR had also gone through a bit of a wake-up call. Since Mountain Glenn, they had been training all they could. The group of five had all talked through their Semblances and all the tricks they had.

Pyrrha had even started training her Semblance since Ruby had told her of the Paladins and large groups of soldiers. Pyrrha wanted to be able to take down a Paladin with just her Semblance and even a whole group of White Fang.

She was well on her way to doing it too. They'd asked the teachers for a more private space for her to master her Semblance and they had obliged.

Ren and Nora didn't have much they could do of course. Ren had, a bit begrudgingly, started working on his endurance. Having realised that some missions may require a higher degree of skill than he had

Jaune had thrown himself into training just as hard as Ruby had. They both wanted to protect their friends. A part of Ruby wanted to tell him to slow down and not burn out, but she didn't. How could she preach to him that when she was doing the same thing. I'll tell him when the tournament is closer, it wouldn't do to have him burnt out when it came time to fight.

Today though was a little different. Rather than meeting up with JNPR, she met up with her uncle. Outside in a garden and drinking already, nothing out of the ordinary for Qrow.

She sat on the bench beside him and poked him in the rib with her elbow when he didn't seem to notice her. "Qroooooww I'm here now."

"Right right." He put his canteen back into his jacket and turned to her. "Alright then. So, have you figured out what the White Fang is going to do next?" It was one of the things he had started doing. When he didn't train her alongside her father, he made her consider their foes and how they thought.

"They wanted to wreak havoc on Vale with the train but since that failed they haven't made any progress towards their goal. I guess they will want to do something else. Probably during the tournament."

"Good job. That's what I was thinking too. The problem is what?"

"An attack in the city?"

"Quite possibly. Oz has already called in a lot of Huntsmen, mostly Beacon alumni. James has got his military on standby as well. So Ruby, if you were a terrorist where would you strike?"

She thought for a while. "They talk about equality, so I doubt they would attack Huntsmen directly. We protect everyone… usually anyway. So maybe the Atlas military?" She looked to Qrow for confirmation.

He was drinking again. She poked his rib again and he laughed.

"It's as good an answer as anything. Who knows what their goal is, however. On one hand, they have increased anti-Faunus activity due to their attempted attack on Vale. But on the other, it's brought more angry Faunus into their ranks."

"So they are making more people racist to add to their ranks?"

"I don't know if it's intentional or not, just that it's what's happening. Either way, we need to deal with them soon." He patted Ruby on the head. "Don't worry, I'll make them pay for what happened."

"I want to be there. I want to help!"

"I know. But in this case, the best way for you to help is by giving us everything you remember, which you have. We got this one, okay kiddo?"

Ruby huffed and looked away.

"Good. Keep it up okay? Learning to anticipate your enemies will save you in the long run. Especially against human opponents." He ruffled her hair and left.

Learning to anticipate my enemies huh? She sat there thinking for a while, trying to understand her opponents. If Blake was here she could ask her for insight into the White Fang, it's leaders and how they thought. Or ask Weiss on how the White Fang had operated when they attacked the SDC.

Eventually, she returned to her new dorm room with JNPR. She only had a couple of weeks to prepare before the Festival and tournament.

She would be ready when the White Fang came knocking.

"Several Dust stores were robbed last night by a gang lead by a man named Hei Xiong also known as 'Junior'. Police have conducted several raids on his properties but have not commented other than that an investigation is ongoing."

The screen went dark a moment later. Qrow scoffed. "He isn't as quiet as Torchwick was, that's for sure. We all knew it was Torchwick but never had the evidence or a way to find him. This guy is just too easy."

Ozpin steepled his hands together on his desk. "True. He isn't the master thief Torchwick was. It's hard to believe that an information broker would turn to stealing Dust, especially at a time like this."

"You really think they would work with such a brute?"

"Yes. It's just a matter of why."

"Hmm."

"James is already close to catching him and his accomplices. It shouldn't be long."

Qrow scoffed again. "Won't he just take them up to his ship and keep them to himself rather than share with the police?"

"Most likely. However, he is a friend and an ally, Qrow. He is more trustworthy than the Police. It's possible that She has agents there."

"I guess." Qrow took a big gulp from his canteen.

"How is Miss Rose progressing?"

"She's throwing herself into training but she is getting there. Definitely not a natural with her hands though. She's fit in well with JNPR too. Motivated them to work on things they had left behind."

"Good good."

"So, you decided on our little protector yet?"

"I have a couple in mind. I'm going to wait until after the first round of the tournament to decide."

"That might be waiting too long Oz." Qrow looked at Ozpin. He looked older than he had in awhile, that was for sure.

"It might. But I have to be sure."

"Just don't take too long." Qrow walked past the grey-haired man and stepped out the window, turning into a bird between one blink and the next.

Ozpin sighed. There wasn't much time at all. Just who did She send? Who is our opponent here?

A/N: Hopefully I managed to get across what I was thinking lol. So Junior is stealing Dust now and Ruby and JNPR are training hard. Volume 3 is fast approaching for them, so let's see how well they do. Hope you all enjoyed!