Weiss knew, deep down, that they had all been supremely lucky. Lucky that everyone had survived the invasion of Mantle, and lucky that, even with her family stranded down below, everyone else had made it topside in one piece. They had even managed to save thousands of people in the process, regardless of how many were condemned to a slow death far below. It was the best version of a worst-case scenario, and one that Weiss couldn't believe had come true.

In contrast, Weiss knew, deep down, that their outrageous luck would eventually run out.

It was a statistical inevitability. A lingering dread that hung over her like a dark cloud, and she suspected the others could feel it, too. There would be a battle that wouldn't see everyone return home. There would be an instance in which she lost someone close to her, or at the very least, one of her friends lost a lover, a sibling, a coworker. Weiss could feel it coming and dreaded that she had no idea when it would be. It could have been any of them- it could have been her. Even knowing all of the realities of the situation and losing sleep on several nights over the possibilities, Weiss still wasn't ready for the suddenness of it all.

Ruby Rose was gone. Her teammate. Her rival, in the early days. A young woman she had, in time, come to think of as a sister in arms. The last time they had seen each other, Ruby barely resembled the girl Weiss remembered. Something was wrong. Something was off. Her entire worldview had changed, and there was a bitter, festering anger behind her silver eyes. Weiss had no idea what Ruby had been through in Sanus, and even with Coco, Cardin, and Fox to relay some of the details, she would never fully know what had caused the shift in her friend. There would be no understanding of the mindset that had led Ruby to push to go to Vacuo. There would only be a void in Weiss' heart where Ruby once was, and feelings of guilt, frustration, regret, and loss.

That was the reality of war… and it wasn't going to stop.

Weiss felt numb, both physically, and to the world around her as she heard Hope relay the news. She was vaguely aware of the massive antennae at the top of Amity Coliseum beginning to crest the edge of Atlas and the booming weapons fire from the air fleet as the swarms of grimm tried to stop the structure's ascent. Citizens of Mantle were still running from the escape ships in disorderly lines all around her as she stood with Cinnamon and Daisuke, but none of them mattered. All she could focus on were Neptune and Hope's reactions to the loss.

Hope looked absolutely devastated, and though the android was incapable of crying, breathing, or flushing with anger, Weiss could tell that the android was feeling something similar to her. Neptune, in contrast, had doubled over and turned away from Weiss, a hot torrent of vomit leaving him and splattering against the pavement. The boy stood on shaky knees, looking ready to faint as he came to terms with reality. Despite feeling as though her limbs were made of lead, Weiss rushed forward and moved to support her friend by throwing an arm around his back and pulling him in close. She gradually worked to turn Neptune toward Hope, trying to divide her attention between the two… and more importantly, refrain from turning it inward.

"It's… i-it's alright," Weiss said shakily, not believing her own words for a second. "We'll… I'll… w-we can get through this, we have to… Penny… Hope… I…"

"…you do not need to put on a brave face," Hope replied in monotone as she sat on the ground, legs folded in sideways and palms against the pavement. "You need to grieve. I will process this on my own, once I figured out how to do so. Ruby Rose was… my friend…"

Somehow, hearing it aloud sent Weiss over the edge, and she quickly found herself unable to meet Hope's eyes. Instead, she focused upon Neptune as she braced her other hand against the huntsman's chest and tried to ignore her own tears.

"Neptune, l-let's get you to the infirmary…"

"I'll… I'll be fine," the boy said, incredibly pale. "We have to be strong, right? Just… please let me lean on you."

"Always," Weiss said quietly. "Breathe… just breathe…"

Weiss looked up as footsteps approached, and she found Daisuke looming over her with his mask down and a stoic look upon his face.

"…we'll handle Ironwood. Do what you need to do to collect yourselves. I… know this feeling, of losing a comrade. The last thing you need right now is us."

Cinnamon took a deep breath in through her nostrils and exhaled, giving a slow nod.

"…I'm incredibly sorry for your loss. Let us know what we can do as the situation progresses. Stay in touch."

Weiss sniffled and nodded as another figure approached- the one she needed most. Marrow had sprinted the distance from the steps of the Academy to the landing bay as though he already knew what was happening, his own face drained of color.

"What happened? I saw Hope go down, and…"

Weiss shook her head as the android rose and placed a cold, metallic hand upon her shoulder.

"Allow me to support Mr. Vasilias," Hope offered. "We will go inside."

"I don't want to be a burden…" Neptune said before coughing and covering his mouth with a hand as Weiss traded places with Hope.

"You're not," Weiss insisted. "Just… please, go take care of yourself. I'll handle Ironwood, with… with those two, and Marrow…"

Marrow nodded his agreement, looking incredibly worried as his tail hung limply behind him.

"We will. But what happened?"

Weiss paused, taking deep breaths as Hope and Neptune walked on past them. For some reason, she couldn't look up at Marrow. Seeing his expression change from concern to heartbreak would shatter her, and she knew it.

"R-ruby's… ship…" Weiss began, unable to say anything more.

There was a pause in which Weiss wasn't sure if Marrow was giving her time to finish, or simply coming to terms with what he must have already known. She got her answer in the form of a slow, warm embrace, and it was then that Weiss finally broke. Try as she might, she couldn't stop herself from sobbing into Marrow's chest as he held her closer. Nothing could have separated her from the faunus' chest before she was ready… and Weiss wasn't sure she would ever be ready.

"…anything you need," Marrow whispered, resting his chin atop Weiss' head. "Anything at all. The moment we get free of all this, I'll take care of you as best I can. I don't even know what to say…"

Weiss wanted to tell Marrow that she didn't need him to say anything at all. She wanted a lot of things, but none of them came. Out of nowhere, another thought crossed her mind, and Weiss pulled back to look up at Marrow in disbelief.

"…Oscar…"

"He was…" Marrow began, trailing off.

"On that ship, too," Weiss confirmed as she wiped her eyes. "That poor boy… he was barely even… oh, gods…"

Marrow was quick to pull Weiss back in close and rub at her back, doing his best to keep it together for her as he watched the skyline. Amity Coliseum had made it above the edge of the floating island of Atlas and was slowly making an approach over the unoccupied land far outside the city. Marrow tightened his grip on the girl and took a deep breath, cursing the timing of it all.

"Brace yourself. Amity's about to land…"

Nearly the moment Marrow had said it, the ground began to rumble and Weiss took an unsteady step to stabilize herself. A thunderous noise signaled the touchdown of the massive structure as it planted itself cleanly on the far edge of the island, beyond the city and barely visible in the distance. Cinnamon and Daisuke were already gone and making their way toward the structure. It was a fact that Marrow didn't feel particularly good about, though he was unsure if he should, or could do anything to help.

"Weiss… what do you want to do?" Marrow asked softly. "I know this is terrible timing, but… we need to make a choice. I can take you inside the Academy, away from all this, and we can… we can work through this. Or w-"

"We can do our jobs as hunters," Weiss finished for him with a sniffle. "Marrow, I… I'm not going to be okay for a long, long time. I was hoping, vainly, that when we reached the target altitude, you and I might… deepen our relationship. Spend time with your family, grow closer, and between our requisite work, just… focus on us."

"We still can," Marrow offered as he let Weiss step away. "Slowly, as you feel ready."

"I'll try, but… my family is missing. Ruby is gone," Weiss emphasized, her voice hoarse. "I don't know what I can and can't handle, or what I will or won't need."

"It doesn't matter," Marrow reassured. "I'll be there to give you everything I can, and help you work through this. All of this. With Amity here, we'll at least soon know what Ilia and Winter's statuses are. That'll be some reassurance."

"If they're not dead," Weiss said bluntly, earning an uneasy expression from Marrow. "S-sorry, that was… harsher than I intended it to be. I just can't help but think, why would it stop here? Why would this first disaster be the last?"

"It won't be," Marrow said solemnly. "Which is why we need to treasure every moment we have together. Even within the terrible ones, there's something to learn or gain, there. But… that isn't what you need to hear right now. If you need space…"

"I need you beside me," Weiss insisted. "That I know, even if I feel as though I don't know anything else. And I know… that we should get to Ironwood. Even if I can't do much to sway him toward accepting Sun's departure, I feel like I should be there to support our allies."

"If you're sure," Marrow replied. "Let's go, as soon as you're ready."

Weiss took several steadying breaths, and finally closed her eyes as she made a pair of fists at her sides. Through all of the pain and pounding in her head, the huntress tried to quiet her racing mind and focus on forming an image. It was slow going at first, and for a brief, terrifying moment, Weiss was afraid that she had already begun to forget- that the good memory would fade faster than she anticipated, reminding her of just how precious life was. Eventually, though, the image became clear in her mind.

It started with a smile, gradually framed by black hair with subtle red highlights. The smile was one Weiss hadn't seen in a long time, but one she thought was worth preserving. It was the memory she wanted to keep of her friend, as opposed to the bitterness and hatred she had seen mere minutes ago. Next came the pair of silver eyes, so distinct and striking. With the face locked into her mind, Weiss easily manifested a familiar outfit from memory. Though she wasn't positive she had gotten it exactly right, it really didn't matter. Ruby was there, and she was smiling. The mental image brought back a flood of memories from their time together at Beacon Academy- some pleasant, and others bitter reminders of pointless fights. Each and every one of them mattered. Each and every one of them had changed Weiss over time, and she would endeavor never to forget them.

Weiss almost went over the edge into a full-on breakdown as she tried her best to lock in her thoughts. Instead, barely, she turned the agonizing loss into newfound strength in spite of the tears. She wouldn't allow herself to crumble, and she wouldn't allow any of them to fail.

For Ruby's sake.

"…I'm ready," Weiss said quietly as she opened her eyes. "Let's go."

Marrow nodded and gently wiped away the tears from Weiss' cheeks. Nothing else was said before Weiss turned and the two took off running, side by side.

Author's Note:

The timing of these chapters, which have been planned for almost three years, is fucking hilarious to me in contrast to whatever the hell the writers think they're doing in canon right now. If you know, you know.

-RD