A/N:

There's an old saying: you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

But…

Can you add new words to an old fic?

Cuz I'm gonna try.

I won't bother stating how long it's been. I'll just get on with the fic. No doubt the previous audience for this work has long since moved on. So I guess all I can do is attempt to court a whole new one. So here it is. Enjoy.

…...

-Legend 21-

~Waltz for Venus~

Movement 3

…

There were cameras.

And there was certainly sure to be action, if Lord Shaxx was to be believed.

Ruby was sure there would have been lights as well, but there was no need for them here in the broad of day.

Every neck, especially those here in the back, craned for a better view of the stage.

"Wish this thing would get going already…" Yang sighed, her arms folded.

"Patience, Yang," did Weiss say sagely. "Anticipation is part of the performance."

And said anticipation was at its proverbial pitch. The crowd was abuzz with chatter and motion as the giant screens then flared to life.

"Ladies and gentlemen! And Guardians alike! Welcome to the opening of Crucible season!" Shaxx's declaration was as visible as it was audible from his commanding presence at center stage. "As promised, we are here to set the stage for the grand contest of Supremacy. But what is a contest, without its contestants? I present to you now, from all over the Sol system, the greatest and most talented Guardians from each of their respective planets."

The audience was equal parts hushed and voluble, awaiting the announcement of these powerful Guardians.

"First up; representing Mars and The Dust Palace; I give you Gaignun Kukai Jr. ; Ziggurat-8; and Chaos! Fireteam Vector!"

Cheers from the sizable Martian contingent erupted.

Ruby's eyes were half on her scroll as she digested the Guardians' relevant information.

"And representing Venus and The Citadel: I give you Yoko Littner, Velvet Scarlatina, and Neapolitan! Fireteam Lilysteel!"

And Venus went berserk.

Ruby actually found herself taking a precautionary step backwards, such was the positive violence of the crowd's reaction.

Clear even over this, was Yang's voice in Ruby's ear. "I remember those bitches…"

"Absolutely." Even without the aid of the huge viewing screens, Ruby's Hunter eyes could key in on every visible detail on Yoko's person. The Gunslinger, equally, if not more sharp, suddenly met Ruby's stare across the sea of raucous onlookers. She sneered, her amber eyes coming alight. She pointed a finger at herself, she then pointed this same finger slowly. Right...at...Ruby.

Ruby, her own eyes ablaze, met this gesture with one of her own; her thumb drawn grimly across her throat, the same thumb then pointed emphatically downwards.

This excited another sneer from Yoko.

"Are you over there making enemies, Ruby?" did Weiss say.

"You could say that."

From center stage, did Shaxx continue his show. "And now, representing Earth and The Tower; we have Cinder Fall, Mercury Black, and Emerald Sustrai! Fireteam Cinder!"

Though small in number, the Earth attendees let loose their feelings, Rosenkreuz especially. "Earth all day mother fuckers!" was Yang's holler. "Venus sucks balls!"

Shaxx meant to go on in his presentation, but such was the uproar for the home team of Lilysteel, that he comically abandoned the effort. The Earth and Venusian contingents were in an all-out cheering war. From on stage, Lilysteel egged their supporters on, waving their arms, calling for more noise.

Earth wasn't having it.

The exchange went back and forth, until finally, Shaxx, had no choice but to regain command of the situation. "Well, well, well!" did he say, the fire alive in his voice. "We have quite the rivalry on our hands this year!" Control regained, did Shaxx introduce the next Guardian Fireteam. "And here, also from Earth, representing The Garden; I give you; Squall Leonhart; Rinoa Heartilly; and Irvine Kinneas! Fireteam Balamb!"

And Earth had another reason to lose their minds.

"Who are those guys?" Ruby asked this to her Ghost as she poured over her scroll. "Info on them is pretty scarce," did Zwei say. "Even for Earth, Balamb is pretty remote."

"You would think info on Guardians would be common knowledge though." Yang said, as she beheld the trio on her own scroll. "Blade Dancer, Gunslinger and…" she made a face. "What the hell kinda super is Nova Warp?" She rounded on Weiss. "Got any info on that?"

"It's certainly new to me…" Weiss said studiously. "Windig, download everything."

"Wird besorgt."

The somewhat minor ruckus now passed, Shaxx introduced the final team of the tournament. "And now, last, but anything but least…" in the span of Shaxx's dramatic pause did the viewing screens go black. Where previously they displayed a live feed of the on stage Guardians and spectators alike, there was now but a singular marking upon the black background.

A sudden hush fell over the assembly.

"It can't be…" said someone just in front of Ruby.

Every eye was now trained unblinking at the symbol on the screens.

"Traveler, I know that symbol…" Ruby breathed.

"Is it really them…?" whispered another onlooker.

The crowd on awed tenterhooks, Shaxx delivered the payoff of their suspense. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am proud, and quite honestly even a small bit terrified to present to you, one of the most esteemed Guardian Fireteams in the known system." Just another small pause here. "I give you, Qrow Branwen; Raven Branwen; and Adam Taurus. Fireteam Redwing!"

From on stage, there was a burst of fluttering movement. A murder of crows, all holographic products of top-of-the-line transmat technology, flew forth in all directions. And in the still of their wake, were two figures. Their very presence alone stilled the air they occupied, as did they any eye that looked upon them. Even the Guardians on stage were giving them a fairly wide berth.

"Die Nachthexen…" Given even her distance from the stage and the multitude of bodies between them, Weiss took a few wary steps back.

"Holy shit...it's really them…" This whisper carried truly through the over-awed silence that permeated the place then.

This silence, was then pierced by a singular voice.

"UNCLE QROW!"

Every eye in the assembly turned to look at Ruby; varying degrees of wonder and shock coloring their faces.

"That man...that man is your uncle?" did Weiss say to her.

"Hell yeah!" did Yang and Ruby say in unison.

"That explains...a lot,"

"It explains everything," Ruby giggled.

Up on stage, Qrow, having keyed in on Ruby and Yang's location, gave the girls a cool 'what's up' gesture. Adam only eyed them with disdain, his sneer forming as he espied Yang.

"Yeah...I remember you, mother fucker," Yang growled, her fists spitting sparks.

The silence now disrupted, did Shaxx say, "Well, I see that at least two of Redwing's members have graced us with their presence."

Qrow shrugged a shoulder. "Raven isn't much for the eye of the public. Prefers do do her business and get on and out."

"Such is the way of the Witch," Shaxx said. He turned again to the audience. "And now, spectators, the game is set. The players are present. And the contest of Supremacy is soon to commence. On tomorrow's eve, the Fireteam representatives will arrive to coach their combatants to victory. Set you clocks and keep an eye on the buildup on the CCN app. And be especially sure to stay tuned after the tournament, for we have a very special event planned for the rookie Guardians in attendance today." Shaxx shook with theatrical laughter, his hands on his hips. "It's going to be one helluva day tomorrow!"

###

"The Night Witches! I never thought I'd see them with my own eyes!"

The assembly over, everyone was free to wander the fairgrounds surrounding the stadium. Ruby and her team settled themselves into a snack bar therein, munching and sipping on their various confections. "So the goal is to get the crests…" Ruby mused this through the straw of her milkshake. "The first team to collect all the other teams' crests wins."

"So it's like Clash with an obj," said Yang.

Weiss, seated on her stool facing away from the bar, her legs crossed neatly, watched the throngs of people coming and going. Her suspended foot jangled restlessly with the weight of the question that now passed her lips. "Why did neither of you tell me that you are related to Qrow Branwen?"

Both heads turned to her. "Not exactly the most desirable conversation piece," Yang said simply.

"Yeah," Ruby said in sympathy. "Hard to casually say 'Oh, by the way, I'm actually related to one of the most dangerous dudes to ever exist.'"

Weiss took this for what it was. Freeing her bottom lip from her teeth, did she say. "It's just...I've read so much about The Night Witches. Yet I've never seen them with my own eyes." She expelled a rueful burst of breath. "Until today, I was sure they did not truly exist." She then voiced what was probably on everyone's minds. "I've no doubt that they will absolutely sweep the tournament."

Nods from Ruby and Yang.

Weiss's head then tilted studiously, her long, glorious ponytail swaying slightly; Ruby watching its every movement. "But there are three of them…" She tapped her chin. "Were they not four in number previously?"

Weiss turned to the silence that had fallen over the two sisters then. Ruby's eyes were unmistakably shining, tears imminent in her then vacant gaze. Yang wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she whispered something into her ear.

Weiss found herself, out of sympathetic reflex, reaching out a hand to comfort Ruby. To perhaps lift the weight she had inadvertently bestowed upon her. She was stopped from doing this by the voice of her Ghost in her head. "I've completed the download of the information you requested. "It's actually quite the read."

"Danke schon, Windig."

She said this with he eyes on Ruby, who had sprung up from her seat upon making a discovery. "Aw, dude look! It's Pyrrha!"

Indeed the Titan Vanguard captain could be seen not far from them, her person swarmed with reporters and Ghost cams drinking in her image.

"Oh shit!" Yang crouched down quickly, attempting to camouflage herself against the bar.

"What's the matter?" Ruby asked her.

"I'm actually still grounded," Yang whispered, fearing her voice would somehow give her away at this distance. "If Pyrrha catches me out here she might ship me back to Earth…"

"Nonsense," did Weiss say, her hand waving dismissively. "Ex-spell one of her very own representatives? I think not. Especially seeing as we're in the minority here. And Shaxx has that special event planned for our Guardian class." She looked down to Yang, her smile of confidence aglow. "Besides, I want to hear her interview."

And with the privileged swagger that only a Schnee could posses, did she march across the space and carve a path through the onlookers that had gathered around the Titan captain.

"C'mon, Yang, before we lose her!"

The two girls hurried after their teammate and joined her side as they watched Pyrrha's interview.

"We have with us now the one and only Pyrrha 'Nike' Nikos. Thank you so much for giving us your time," said the dotting reporter.

"It's my pleasure." The Titan's response and posture were immaculate and professional; back straight; shoulders set; and feet planted firmly. The many Titans around her attempted to mimic her example.

"Tell us, what do think of the new talent in this year's pool?"

"Oh my, so many hot-blooded youngsters in this pool. All of them looking to leave their mark on history. It's certainly going to be an interesting and exciting season."

"Do you think you'll have and undefeated season in singles as you did last year?"

Pyrrha gave a modest chuckle. "Only time will tell on that one."

"And what do you think of the Supremacy tournament? Namely the participation of The Night Witches in it?"

Pyrrha was given visible pause by this question. "It's certainly an unforeseen circumstance. And I think those are the best kind. The unknown keeps us vigilant. Whether it's on the field or in the arena."

"Spoken like the champion you are!" The reporter said. "Thank you so much for your time, noble Titan!"

Pyrrha gave a departing nod and was on her way, the Ghost cams still hovering about her. She stopped in her tracks then. She turned about and met eyes with Yang. The girl bristled as she bit down on her lip. Knowing smirk firmly in place, did Pyrrha offer a single wink. She then made her way off the grounds.

"Busted!" did Ruby say, punching Yang's shoulder.

"See. Nothing to worry about," did Weiss say sagely.

"Yeah….I guess so." Yang expelled the breath she had been holding.

Ruby's eyes then lit on something. "Uh...we got incoming…"

The swarm of reporters had espied Weiss and were currently flocking towards her.

"Oh yeah, the princess is among us," Yang said.

Weiss was busy patting her hair in various places. She gave her skirt a tug and arranged her feet in a prim 'T' pose, her hands clasped behind her back, her chin held high.

Ruby pulled her hood over her head. "Aw...crap…"

And the girls found themselves in front of the eyes of the world.

…..

-End of Legend 21-

…

A/N:

Well, here's to me getting the ball rolling again on this thing...only four years later.

Anyhow, if you liked what you read, consider a fave or follow. If you didn't like what you read, I thank you for reading this long. Thank you and take care.

-B.D. Skunkworks