"Good to see you're up and moving."

Pyrrha looked over as Yang sent a small wave from the table. Pyrrha returned one of her own, giving a slight twitch as her eyes caught a glimpse of her skin. She wasn't quite sure she'd ever get used to her new look, and a quick pass of the mirror in the room she'd awoken in displayed just how jarring her new form was.

"To be honest we weren't sure if you'd wake up at all. The uh..." She motioned to her, and Pyrrha knew exactly what she referred to. "had us questioning if you were even alive." Yang finished as Pyrrha made her way over, taking a seat as to let her body rest.

"I don't quite recall what happened after our fight with Cinder." Pyrrha said, only to notice Yang's questioning look.

"Cinder?" The woman's face stiffened a fraction. "You're telling me it wasn't Neo you were fighting?" Pyrrha let out a tired breath as she leaned back.

"No, she introduced herself to us as Cinder Fall." Her eyes squinted. "No.. That isn't right, she introduced herself to Vermillion. I'm fairly certain she didn't quite care for me."

"V?" Yang asked as Pyrrha nodded.

"You were with V?" Pyrrha turned to see Ruby walk in alongside Jaune and the rest of her team. Nora rushed up with a curious expression. "Do you know what happened to him?" However before anymore questioning could commence the girl was pulled back by her more level headed partner.

"Give her some time Nora." Ren held an somber look, one that spoke of understanding. He faced her as the words flowed freely, handing her V's pauldron. The light seemed to glimmer as it reflected against the blackened metal. "Blake said you were clutching it when they found you, although she said they thought you were him for a second before they'd gotten close enough to see."

Ren went quiet for a second, and both of them knew where the line of thought was going. He was letting her be the one to break the news, she knew this, and yet it stung her deeply upon the sight of the suspenseful looks across Ruby and Nora's faces. The once champion straightened her posture, and with eyes shut and voice level she spoke.

"He saved my life... at the cost of his own."

Pyrrha didn't dare open her eyes, not wanting to see the looks of her friends. She failed to defend herself, and in the end it cost the man his life. She was too weak, both then and now. In the end she was a coward, one who couldn't even face her friends at the disclosure of the terrible news. Pyrrha hated that she couldn't allow herself to witness their looks. However most of all underneath her self pity and loathing there was an even stronger hatred. This hatred burned brighter than anything else, and outweighed all of her other emotions.

Cinder.

The mere thought of the name drove ripples of vile intent throughout her body. The woman responsible for everything, the one who killed the maiden and brought so much destruction to Vale.

The woman who killed V.

Cinder took advantage of her weakness; made use of her drive to set things right. But most detestable of all the woman stole away everything Pyrrha had worked so hard towards. Beacon; her friends; the classes; the dance; all of it had been ruined. Pyrrha knew she'd never get that life back and that her days as a simple student were over.

Bile tempted it's way up her throat, but she forced it down as her head dropped. Pyrrha's eyes cracked and she saw the last gift given by her departed savior. The ashen hue broken up by rivers of thin shadow that was her tainted skin acted as a stark display of his act; the physical manifestation of her second chance.

Pyrrha's eyes widened slightly as a hand lay itself over her own, followed by another, and another. Her vision trailed up and she saw that the others had drawn close, each adorned in a look of strength.

"It's not your fault." Nora had been the one to speak, her soft tone feeling out of place for the usually up beat girl.

"I never sai-"

"You were thinking it." Ren replied before she could even finish. "Nora's always been one to catch on quick, even if she doesn't always show it."

"They're right, don't go blaming yourself for something you couldn't control." Jaune said as he sent a steadfast gaze. "What's most important is that you survived."

"But V-"

"Saved you." Ruby's tone felt a little off, and with a quick glance Pyrrha could see her holding back tears. "He saved you. That's what hunters do. He chose to save you even when he could have just saved himself. It... it was his choice to make, and he made it."

But it wasn't.

Unlike the rest Pyrrha had been there, she saw the panic on his face as her body went numb, and she saw the confusion as his armor faded and she could breath again. They thought he tried to save her, and he did, but it wasn't how he intended.

It was an accident, and Cinder ran with it.

He had no idea his aura was dead, and neither did she, but they both learned when his head went rolling and body fell onto hers. It was both horrifying and painful, but what followed after had her questioning everything. The amount of pure visceral hate she felt after had drove her mad to a degree, and she never got to fully comprehend what happened afterwards.

"She got away."

"Huh?" Yang piped as Pyrrha felt the familiar rage return.

"She got away." Her teeth grit and her nails dug into her palms. "Cinder escaped."

"Woah there, let's calm down a little." Yang spoke with raised hands.

It was the warning that took Pyrrha back from her anger, and she saw that smoke began to rise from the cracks along her skin. She calmed herself, and with it the shadows dispersed.

That's new. Pyrrha didn't quite know what to make of it, but decided to leave the questioning for later as Yang relaxed and lowered her arms.

"Don't make you angry, got it. Now then, let's clear a few things up." Yang clapped her hands together as she leaned in. "First of all you're saying this 'Cinder' was the one who fought with you both?"

"Yes." The words slipped out with a tinge of venom.

"Okay, and both of you fought her?"

"Yes?" Pyrrha didn't know where Yang was going with it.

"Alright, one last question. You said she introduced herself to V in particular?"

"She did." Pyrrha answered as Yang smirked a little. "Why are you asking."

"Well, if she personally introduced herself to him then it would mean she knows a lot about him right? So if for instance we should go searching for her then we'd have two sets of leads to go after: Cinder, and the White Fang. You know what I'm getting at." Yang explained as Pyrrha suddenly understood.

"Those who've been close to V."

"Bingo." Yang snapped her fingers as a voice from behind spoke up.

"That's great and all, but you kids don't have anything on the guy now do you?" Everyone looked back to see Qrow stood in the door frame.

"Yeah... well..." Yang tried as the man sighed.

"See, nothing. Can't exactly track him without at least something to tie it all down. You may find them, but you won't know what to ask, or even what you want to know and why."

"We do have something." Pyrrha spoke up as all eyes were on her.

"Well don't keep us hanging, spill it!" Cried Nora as Pyrrha locked her fingers together.

"Before we fought Cinder there was one part of the introduction that got me thinking. It was when she introduced him, more specifically when she called him by his full name."

"His full name? Then what was it, and why is it important?" Questioned Yang as Pyrrha faced Ruby. The girl wore a confused look, which then morphed into shock as Pyrrha spoke.

"Vermillion Rose."

.

.

Gently the young boy pulled the blanket over Ruby and tucked the ends around her.

His small size didn't afford him the strength to carry her back to their room and as such he opted to cover her up instead. Granted it looked like a pile of furs and laundry was left on deck, but Pebble hoped it would keep her warm time enough for him to figure out who's aura ensnared them.

For some reason he wasn't afflicted with the drowsy sleep that everyone else on the ship seemed to carry, however that only scared him further. Just who put everyone to sleep, and why was he alone spared? Pebble stood as he looked to the end of the ship. Ruby would have asked him to stay back as she solved the issue, but she wasn't awake at the moment and the boy feared what would happen should their slumber continue.

Decked out in several layers of cloth Pebble had prepared himself for what he thought might be a day's journey or more: carrying a couple skins of water and a few rations in the backpack he wore. Alongside everything he also carried a small dagger he'd found down in the storage area which lay strapped at his side and ready should he need it.

He prayed it never came to that.

The strength of the aura grew faint for every step he took away from his adoptive guardian, however the stream itself began to slowly reveal it's flow from the north-east. His semblance allowed him to essentially track the rogue aura as it was constantly expended to keep the others asleep, and Pebble was thankful for that. Had the aura not needed a link he knew there would be no hope of saving them at all.

Pebble shook away those thoughts. He couldn't afford to look on the 'what-if's' as the lives of his friends lay on him, and he intended to save them no matter what.

As he got to the railing he hauled himself over using a small rope he'd taken from below deck to descend towards the snow and ice. His feet hit the fluffy hills below and he nearly stumbled at how soft it was. His boots sunk and the snow went up to his knees. Letting go of the rope Pebble began his trek.

While the icy cliffs kept the winds at bay the boy didn't know how long such a luxury would last. The aura flowed continuously from out beyond their hiding place, and he knew facing the frigid wasteland was inevitable.

How do people deal with this?

The boy had faced many a cold night back as a slave, but never to the extent he felt upon his skin now. With how tightly wound in fabric he was Pebble expected to at least feel some sense of warmth, but at best it felt like the morning chills before getting dressed. The shivers continued as Pebble reached the edge of the cliffside, peering out into the storm that wrought havoc across the lands.

Everything was white, and it felt like his face was being lashed several times over. However with one foot after the other he marched out into the distance with eyes shut and nothing but his semblance to guide him.

Pebble could only hope to make it back alive.

.

.

As Blake stared out at the sea she couldn't help but think back to her departure of Beacon.

When they'd managed to get to the CCT they were shocked to witness it's crumbling state. The whole thing looked like it exploded from the inside out, and Blake distinctly remembered Ruby rushing ahead in a fit of panic as she called out to V; which was strange to her as the two had not been all that close from what she remembered. Moments later the rest of them followed their leader all the way to the top of the tower, climbing along the outer husk until they made it to solid ground.

However what awaited them had Ruby stiff, and it was only a second later when they saw why. They never recognized Pyrrha right then and instead thought it was V who sat hunched over amidst the chaos and flames. No... it was the mumbling that clued them into the identity of the one before them, and Ruby had been the first to regain her composure as she approached and called her name.

Pyrrha had collapsed immediately just as Ruby reached for her, and in a rush she pulled her up. They made to help her, only for the sight of what Pyrrha held to catch her own attention as it fell to the floor. Blake wasn't so blind as to not recognize it, even if she never spent the most time around Vermillion, yet she was enthralled by a new question as she made to pick up the single piece of armor.

"Why does she have V's pauldron?"

At the time the question was aimed at the others, both as a way to let them know what it was and as a note for them to ask about it later. Yang upon hearing this and seeing the black rose suggested that he might have lost it.

"Then where did he go?"

Yang didn't have an answer for that one, and Ruby having overheard suggested he might have been knocked off the tower. Yet Blake herself brought up the fact that he wouldn't have left the rose behind if he did, and that if he had lost it then he'd return for it. She remembered Weiss's face gaining a look of dread, and quickly knew what she was thinking. The feeling infected each of them, and Ruby had suggested it best to wait for Pyrrha to wake up before they assumed anything.

Somehow Blake doubted Pyrrha would have better news.

With a sigh she leaned against the railing and let her arms drape over the side.

What a mess.

Beacon had been shut down as the authorities and other hunters dealt with the remaining Grimm, going so far as to send messengers to Atlas to get the majority of their forces to help. However that took weeks from what she heard and Blake didn't know if they managed to save many others. The only news they'd gotten was that the giant Grimm had disappeared, which was something she guessed.

And here I am, off to deal with the White Fang head on.

It was a stupid idea, she knew it was a stupid idea, and even speaking with the others they told her it was a stupid idea. They said it was if they all went as a team, until Blake informed them that she was the only Faunus on the team and that the presence of Humans on Menagerie would cause trouble for everyone. Still they didn't want her to go, so she did the only logical thing in her mind.

Sneak out.

Sure they'd chew her out when she got back - Yang especially would have a good word with her - but it had to be done. The White Fang had gone way too far this time, and she was tired of letting them run about and cause untold death and destruction.

Her hand flung up as she gripped the arm that reached for her, and with a twist the one who thought her an easy target was quickly introduced to the floorboards as she held the limb in the most painful angle she knew.

"Ah! Ah! I give! I give!"

"Sun?!" Blake let out as she dropped his arm and stood up off him. "What are you doing?!"

The guy made to stand, flinching as he did so, all the while holding a sheepish look.

"You've got a killer grip you know." He rubbed at the sore arm, grimacing slightly as he looked back to her. "For a second I thought you were really going to break it."

"Answer the question!" The blade pointed at his neck got a reaction from him as his arms flew up.

"Hey hey easy! I'm not here to fight!"

"Then why are you here?! Are you stalking me?!" Blake accused as Sun shook his hands rapidly.

"No no no, I'm not doing anything like that!" He looked away as his arms lowered. "We were uh... checking up on you."

"Excuse me? We?" Blake questioned as the man nodded slightly and a sigh flowed from behind her.

"I leave for twelve seconds and you've already startled her." Blake's head spun around and she was overcome with a look of shock.

"Weiss?!"

"Who else?"

"What are you doing here?!" Blake shouted as Weiss raised a brow.

"Do you really have to shout every time you talk. I'm right in front of you." Weiss told as Blake calmed her shuddering slightly, although not releasing her look of agitation. "Better. As for why we're here well... Sun told me you ran off the night we told you no, and instead of simply stop you and have what I heavily believe would have been another repeat again later I decided we'd just follow and watch over you."

"So you were stalking me!" Blake pointed towards Sun as he held his hand up again.

"I wasn't!"

"Then how did you see me leaving?! I jumped out the window!" Blake accused as she pointed at the poor man. Weiss however decided to stick herself between the to as she spoke.

"We were down in the living room at the time when you made your 'daring maneuver'. It wasn't exactly easy to ignore the crunching of sticks and such as you landed." She told as Blake cringed, only for the face to morph back to confusion.

"Wait, why were you in the living room?"

"All the other rooms were taken, and instead of deal with Yang's habit of flailing around and slapping my face I decided to go downstairs for a bit." Weiss told as Blake hummed.

"And Sun decided to join?"

"I was going to the bathroom. Weiss was already there when I got out." Sun confirmed as Blake lidded her eyes.

"Right." She faced Sun. "Then why were you still around, didn't your team already head back to Vacuo?"

"Yeah, but I wanted to check on Weiss. She said her dad called her, and... well..."

"I wasn't exactly comfortable with leaving everyone." Weiss told as she took a breath. "He said if I kept up the foolishness then I could consider my title as heiress void."

"Oh..." Blake let out as Weiss let her breathing steady, all the while a stern look covered her face.

"His words don't mean much to me anymore though. If he wants to throw me away then fine, I'll find other ways to restore the honor to my family name, even if it means standing against him."

"And you Sun?" Blake asked as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I... erm, well. I thought it was kind of cool how she pushed her pops away like that for a cause she wasn't sure how to handle and... I kind of wanted to help her with it. Nobody could take on something like that alone so I figured 'why not' you know? My team can manage for a bit while we draft up a plan, and when we do I can invite the others to help. I already know Neptune would be down for the action." Sun told as Blake could have sworn a small hint of color flashed across his face.

"Regardless we couldn't let you go alone. I'm sorry Blake but we're here to help you with the White Fang no matter what you say." Weiss stated as Blake looked to her.

"I never mentioned I was chasing them." Both faces fell flat as Blake felt another flinch dash across her.

"It's always the White Fang. Why else would you go to Menagerie so suddenly? It's their home base Blake, we're not that oblivious, not even Sun." Weiss told as the boy gave a thumbs up.

"Yeah, what she sai-hey!" Ignoring his look of indignity Blake felt a wave of guilt flow over her.

"You shouldn't have to do this. The White Fang is my problem. I should be the one to take responsi-"

"Enough with the self pity already!" Weiss ordered sternly. "How many times do we need to have this discussion. We are going to do this together. I've already sent a text to the others before we left with the local network. Even with the CCT down the towns have their own personal services, and I assure you they already know and answered just before we left service. We'll meet up later."

Blake wanted to argue, to shoot back, but she knew it would be useless. With their minds set her team was always going to jump into trouble, even when they shouldn't. It was downright idiotic at points, but Blake - against her own better judgement - found a tiny hint of charm in just how pig headed they they could be.

"Fine. It's not like I'd be able to stop you anyway."

"See? Everything's going to be fine. we're almost to shore anyway." Sun spoke as Weiss shook her head and sighed.

"At least you've come to your sense-" The whole boat rocked which had them all grip the railing to keep standing.

"What was that?!" Sun asked, only to never get his answer as shouting could be heard from back at the main deck. Just as the guy made to turn smoke flashed throughout the area, coating everything which rendered them blind. Soon enough some loud crashes and sounds of struggle passed by Blake's ears.

"Weiss, Sun, are you th-"

Blake was silenced as a pain rang across her, and the world faded to black.

Author's note

...

So I missed the Monday upload yeah I know. Wasn't feeling too well over the weekend, and I ultimately decided to delay the chapter to Friday instead of try and rush it out.

This time we got a bit of everyone's perspective, well... the main cast anyway. However this time as you can tell there was a bit more focus on the present after the Vale attack. I wanted to put more into the past, but there's a bunch of things I have to set up in the present as well.

Don't worry though, we'll have more time with Pebble soon, as well as facing whatever happened to Blake just now. So look forward to that, which will hopefully come out on Monday so long as nothing else stops me.

That's it for this time. See you next time.