The period after the call up to General Ironwood was once again filled with silence. Jaune and Yang had retreated upstairs for reasons unknown to Sun, while he had resigned himself to resting on the couch with his head nestled in Blake's lap. Corsac had left the house, intent on getting his wounds from the aerial duel with Salem checked by a professional. Harriet and Neopolitan still had not returned from the basement, though Sun didn't have the energy to go and check on them. All he could manage was to remain up against Blake's body and keep his eyes closed while he tried to collect his thoughts.

"So… Weiss the politician," Blake began. "When we first met, I would've literally fought her to keep that from happening."

"And how about now?" Sun asked, opening one eye to look up at Blake. He found her looking down at him as she gently stroked his hair. "You two are cool, right?"

"I'm cool with her, at least," Blake said hesitantly. "We didn't exactly get much time to talk the last time we were here. I wish I could've spent more time with her and Yang…"

"…and Ruby," Sun said solemnly.

"Yeah. Ruby, too," Blake agreed. "I'm just… trying not to think about her, as terrible as it sounds."

"I get it," Sun reassured. "But you've gotta confront it sometime. Seems like we've got a little time to ourselves for at least the night. If you want to talk…"

"I don't," Blake said quickly. "I really don't. Not right now."

"Right," Sun said, his voice a bit hollow. Though he had fully expected to be shot down, there was still a part of him that hoped they could just somehow talk through the issue and he could get an exact idea of where Blake's head was at. "Can I get you something to eat, or…?"

"Sun," Blake began, sounding frustrated as she firmly pushed her palm down into his shoulder to keep the boy in place. "The only thing I want right now is to see you rest. Have you forgotten how things were back in Kuo Kuana, near the end? You're still overworking yourself, and whatever you've got going on right now is serious. We have a quiet moment, so take advantage of it. For me."

Sun kept his eyes on Blake's and found that there was no malice or frustration in her face. All he saw was genuine worry. Slowly, he put his hand atop hers and closed his eyes once again before taking a deep breath and letting out a long exhale.

"…yeah. Sorry, babe."

"Babe?" Blake asked.

"…I'm trying it out. I don't love it."

"Neither do I," Blake said while pulling a face. "Keep it up, and I'll just start calling you 'dork' exclusively."

"I dunno," Sun mused. "I am kind of a dork…"

The sudden ringing of Harriet's scroll caused them both to jump, and Sun sat up on the couch as he stared down at the device on the coffee table. GENERAL IRONWOOD was prominently displayed onscreen, and the faunus' stomach sank.

"So much for relaxing."

"What could he possibly want with us?" Blake asked rhetorically. "Please let it be good news, somehow…"

Sun grimaced as he picked up the scroll and connected the call on speakerphone.

"…hello?"

"Sun,", General Ironwood said. The man's exhaustion was clear in his voice, and all of the tension of the previous call evaporated along with his energy. "I spoke to Dr. Polendina. He can have an arm made for Yang by tomorrow night and attempt to get it to you the following day."

"Really?" Sun asked, perking up somewhat as the tip of his tail flicked in repsonse. "That's great! Are we going to meet up with a transport in Vacuo, or…?"

"You're going to stay put in Mistral," General Ironwood ordered. "Tonight, tomorrow, and until the package arrives the following day. I'm not sure when, but we need to wait until we have a window in which we can sneak it past Salem's forces. The odds of a successful drop off are much higher the closer you are to us."

Sun was glad that he hadn't bothered to set up a video feed- his shoulders slumped with some combination of relief and dread, and he let out a long sigh. Not even he was sure whether he was more pleased to have time to rest or anxious about giving Salem multiple days of a head start on attacking Vacuo. All he knew for sure was that he needed the time off, and he felt incredibly guilty for appreciating the circumstances.

"Got it. We'll… find something productive to do here, a-"

"Rest," General Ironwood instructed. "Prepare yourselves mentally for what you're about to encounter, but prioritize rest. You are the frontline. You are the ones who will be dealing with Salem directly, and the one with the best chance of fighting her off. I need you in peak condition."

"…yes, Sir," Sun muttered.

"I'll make sure he does," Blake reassured. "Thanks for reaching out. Are you going to call the headmaster of Vacuo and tell him that we're coming?"

"That's next on my list, yes," General Ironwood replied. "I'll speak to him tonight, and if you're feeling up to it, it wouldn't hurt for your group to call him tomorrow and coordinate timing and information. Professor Gumo is a… naturally suspicious man. Shrewd, pragmatic, secretive, and intense… but a capable leader and ultimately loyal to Ozpin. I hope that your time working with me adequately prepared you for dealing with him."

"Only one way to find out," Sun considered as he let the tip of his tail glide along the wooden floor below. "Are you sure there isn't anything else we can do while we're here? Even something small?"

"Prepare your squad for the realities of Vacuo," General Ironwood instructed. "You're the only one who has been there, correct?"

Sun sat up a bit straighter and tilted his head.

"Yeah, I think so… unless Corsac has been before. Harriet hasn't gone with the Aces?"

"Harriet is still somewhat new, by our standards," General Ironwood reminded. "She hasn't done a tour of duty outside of Solitas yet. I'm worried about her most of all."

"You are?" Blake asked. "Because she's a Maiden?"

"Because she's… a decent person. One I've worked with for a few years, and long enough to consider a friend," General Ironwood admitted. "I don't know if she feels the same way, especially now, but I want the best for her despite our disagreements. I didn't want any of this thrust upon her. She signed up for an insurmountable job being part of the Aces, but the current situation is far beyond what any of us could have predicted she would face. In fact, when she's ready… have her call me. Please."

"I will. Promise," Sun replied. "You should try to relax, too… if that's even possible with the whole Mantle situation."

"It isn't. I appreciate the thought, though. I'll be in touch, Sun. Don't forget that you're dealing with people, and not just faceless hunters to be moved around a board in a game of war. I'm trying to do the same. I'll call you when the arm is ready."

The call ended rather unceremoniously, and Blake hiked a brow as Sun looked over to her.

"That was… weird, right?"

"Super weird," Sun agreed as he set the scroll back down on the table and stood up. "I guess I'll go tell Yang what's going on?"

"Go for it," Blake agreed as she stood up from the couch beside him. "I'm going to check the basement and see what's taking Harriet and Neo so long."

"With our luck? Some kind of aura-ghost child haunts the basement," Sun said as he wiggled his fingers and tail to mimic the ethereal. "It's that, or giant spiders. If it's giant spiders, I'm out."

Blake fixed her beau with a cold, incredibly judgmental stare.

"…first of all, there's no such thing as an aura-ghost. That's just stupid. Secondly, you would run away from giant spiders, but not a ghost? Seriously?"

"I mean, it could be a good aura-ghost!" Sun said, full of exasperation as he threw his hands out to the sides. "What if it's like… the ghost of someone helpful, or whatever? And they're all like 'Sun Wukong, you're our only hope…'"

Blake merely blinked and folded her arms across her chest.

"…I cannot believe I've had sex with you."

Sun returned the stare, his cheeks pink as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"…yeah, me neither. You loved it, though!"

Blake rolled her eyes and huffed before turning to head toward the basement stairs. She made absolutely certain that Sun couldn't see her smirk as she walked.

"Whatever, dork."

"You're sure that you're up for this? You know that… you don't have to deal with her. It hasn't been good, since you've been away at Beacon. I-I mean, it was never good, but it's gotten worse. I know we were at odds for a long time, but I don't want to see you… fall apart. You've come a long way, but we all still have our weaknesses. I know how you feel about her, and I don't blame you for it at all. There has to be another way…"

"There isn't," Weiss said firmly, her grip on the scroll tighter than necessary. Slowly, the former heiress delicately wiped at her cheek with her other hand and found a stray tear. She could see the building clearly through the car window, and she really didn't want to get any closer. Even so, what Weiss had said was the truth- there really was no other way. "I can do this. I have to do this. Whatever happens in there, I… I have you, Winter, and Marrow for support. None of us are in an easy position right now, and I need to do my part, no matter how painful it may be."

"Don't list Marrow last," Whitley insisted. "I've seen the way your face lights up when you talk about him, and I know how good he is for you. He's a great man, and as far as I'm concerned, he should be considered family. Maybe more than Winter and I, given how little we've actually seen each other these past few years…"

"Please don't say that," Weiss replied as she leaned her head against the side of the window, feeling grateful for the sensation of the cool glass against her skin. "Winter and I, though we don't get the time we'd like, some of my best memories are with her. She's taught me so much on my path as a huntress. As for you and I… honestly, I've enjoyed our encounters since my recent return to Atlas. We'll see each other again soon. I promise you…"

"You're missing something," Whitley cautioned. "Everything you've said about Winter, regardless of how I acted during your first return from Beacon… I feel similarly about you, Weiss. I do look up to you, you know. Father blinded me with his…"

There was a pause as Whitley searched for the word.

"…bullshit?" Weiss tried, feeling more confident in her choice than anything else.

"…bullshit," Whitley agreed. "It took both you and Marrow to begin to break me away from him. I wish I could've seen it sooner. Taken back so much of what I said to you, and the things I did…"

"Whitley, you were a child," Weiss reminded as she shifted in her seat. "So was I, until I returned from Beacon. It took the entirety of RWBY and JNPR to get me to come around. Don't feel bad."

"I do, though. I want to be like you and Winter- not like Jacques. I'm going to have Ilia try to start training me to fight…"

Weiss smirked, getting quite the mental image of the situation.

"Good luck with that. Ilia is… quite intense. She's also becoming one of my best friends. I'll tell her not to go easy on you."

"Good. I don't want any special treatment. I really do hope we see each other soon. I'd like to learn to fight from you, too."

"You will," Weiss reassured as she turned her attention back to the Schnee mansion. "I guess… I should really head inside and deal with this situation."

"You've got this. Good luck, Weiss."

"I've got this," Weiss echoed, not quite believing it. "And good luck to you, too. See you soon."

The call ended, and Weiss took several deep breaths. With a quick thanks to her driver, she opened the door of the limousine and stepped out onto the pavement. A massive marble sculpture of her family's emblem stood before her in the middle of the roundabout before the mansion, and Weiss stopped to stare at it for only a moment. Without a word, she took one final breath before beginning to walk to the front door of what was supposedly her home.

Author's Note:

Some more personal battles coming up than the overall war. Should be a terrible time.

-RD