A Minor Hiccup

AN: If you think there's anything different with this chapter, then that's because I've got myself beta-reader. Thank you ChocoboLover69.


Today's class was Grimm studies with Professor Port...which translated to listening to the man brag about his glory days. His Blade certainly didn't help. Yes, Peter Port had a Blade. The Blade in question was a large humanoid with pitch-black skin covered by silver armor on its arms, torso, legs along with what appeared to be a helmet. His Core Crystal was right in the middle of his torso. According to team RWBY's and JNPR's Blades, this Blade was a common Blade. A brute type.

Anyway, Weiss was still listening to whatever Port was blabbering about, trying to pick up any useful information.

During this, Jaune had begun inching closer to Weiss, with Joana shaking her head frantically at what her lord Driver was planning.

"Hey Weiss. I was thinking...would you like to go grab something to eat later today?" Jaune asked Weiss who didn't even acknowledge him.

Dahlia gave Jaune a pitying look, knowing all too well how this would end. But the ice bunny didn't have the heart to tell that to the poor boy.

"And I got two tickets for the new Spruce Willis movie, if you're up for a trip to Vale." Jaune continued, unperturbed by the silent treatment, "I heard it's awesome."

...Still no reaction from Weiss.

"And then I thought we could study together, since you're so smart and I'm...you know." Jaune said, starting to get discouraged.

"Milord, why must you torture yourself." Joana thought in distress. She wanted to speak out, but speaking out of turn now is unacceptable for a knight. Besides, Jaune hadn't listened to his Blade's opinion about Weiss up until now, and he wasn't planning to start now.

At that moment, the alarm rang signaling the end of the class. Which interrupted Port's tale. "Oh, timed that one wrong I guess. The stunning conclusion to this story will have to wait until next time." Port said with his Blade looking a little let down at not hearing the whole story.

With those words, students started to get up from their seats, and walk out. Including Weiss.

"Weiss, did you hear what I said?" Jaune asked, sounding a little distressed now.

"No, no, no…yes." Weiss replied, causing the blonde boy to flop on the desk in misery at Weiss only acknowledging his stupidity.

Then team RWBY walked past him with their Blades. "One day" Yang said while giving Jaune a pat on the head. Judging by how Dragunov was covering his mouth, the draconic Blade didn't agree with Yang.

With team RWBY gone, Pyrrha had moved next to Jaune to put a supportive hand on his shoulder. "…Jaune…I have some free time if you would like to…go with me instead." the Mistral champion said in embarrassment.

"Thanks Pyrrha, but you don't have to pity me." Jaune said, totally oblivious to Pyrrha's demeanor, as he got up and slowly made his way out. Leaving a depressed Pyrrha behind.

"My sincerest apologies, Lady Nikos." Joana apologized with a deep bow, before addressing Talos, "Master Talos." With that, the mecha-knightess moved to follow her Driver.

"...I still don't understand what you see in him." Talos commented once Jaune and Joana were out of hearing range.

"We are NOT having this conversation." Pyrrha said sternly. As much as she liked and respected Talos for his strength and skill, Pyrrha didn't appreciate him trying to dictate her love life.

"...Alright then." Talos sighed, as he didn't want to get into this argument again right now. Though as far as he was concerned, he was just ensuring that whichever man Pyrrha ultimately chooses could at the bare minimum keep up with her. Jaune…could not. "So…would you like to catch up on your training today?" Talos then asked, which earned him a glare from Pyrrha before the red haired young woman walked away. "...What did I say?" Talos wondered aloud in confusion, not realizing he had insulted Jaune.


In the RWBY dorm, the girls have changed out of their uniforms and into their new huntress outfits.

"Okay everyone. Today's the day we begin our mission!" Ruby cheered, as she jumped off the bed.

"I'm so glad we're taking this soooo seriously." Weiss said sarcastically.

"Hey we got a plan, that's moderately serious." Yang countered from her bed.

"The plan is a simple one, go and ask around hoping that people will talk." Dragunov added in with a smirk, "So I'd say we're more than moderately serious. Now can we go already?" The draconic Blade seemed a bit more impatient than usual.

Yang gave her Blade a smirk, "You just want to get a test drive on Bumblebee." Yang had sold some of the diamonds Dragunov had given her, and used the money to upgrade her bike, Bumblebee.

"What can I say, you haven't let me in on the action yet." Dragunov admitted with a suggestive waggle of his hairless eye-brows.

But his Driver wasn't impressed at her Blade's attempt at teasing. "Yeah, nice try." Yang said as she jumped off the comfortable bed, "Anyway, I get a full refund if it can't stand your weight. So, it's a win-win for me."

"Anyway," Ruby piped up, "Everyone remember their roles?"

"You and I will make a call to SDC headquarters to ask about records of recent dust robberies or inconsistencies. "Weiss started explaining, "Seeing as I'm part of the family, it shouldn't be a problem."

"I got a friend on the shady side of Vale, who typically knows everything going on around Vale." Yang told her part, "Getting information shouldn't be hard."

"I hope someone is dumb enough to attack us, because I've been feeling a little... restless lately." Dragunov said, while flexing his stony fingers.

Blake looked a little worried about Yang going with Dragunov, but she's his Driver so... "The White Fang holds regular faction meetings to hand out orders and recruit more people." Blake explained her part, "If I can sneak in, I should be able to uncover something."

"I will act as my lady's back-up, just in case something goes wrong, but hopefully it won't." Nox showed on his scroll.

"Dahlia and I will of course accompany Ruby and Weiss." Roze felt the need to add.

"Okay, let's do this!" Ruby said happily.

"Yeah!" Sun hollered…wait…Sun!?

The Drivers and Blades all turned to look outside their window to see Sun hanging from something upside down.

"Sun! How did you get up here?" Yang, asked, completely caught off-guard.

"That's easy, I do it all the time." Sun responded nonchalantly.

"You do WHAT!?" Weiss did not like the sound of that. And neither did Nox, seeing as his pupil turned into an X.

"I climb trees all the time." Sun clarified, totally oblivious to what Weiss was thinking.

"That doesn't sound much better, monkey." Nox showed on his scroll.

Ignoring what Nox had texted, Sun flung himself into the room, "Soo... Are we finally getting back at that Torchwick guy?"

Blake stepped forward with a frown, "We are going to investigate as a team." Blake motioned towards the rest of her team as she finished that sentence.

"That's why we don't want to get anyone that isn't needed involved." Roze said neutrally, his initial dislike of Sun having been diminished.

"Come on," Sun said dismissively, "You should always get friends involved."

"He didn't call you a friend." Dragunov pointed out.

"Well I didn't ask him to." Sun said in surprisingly good nature, before pointing at the window, "But I did ask Neptune to come."

With that information, Team RWBY leaned a little out of their window, along with their Blades, to see Neptune standing against a very thin patch of masonry. "What's up?" the blue haired boy said coolly.

"Okay, how did you get there?" Dahlia asked, not seeing an immediate route he could've taken to get there.

"I have my ways." Neptune said, before looking fearful, "Seriously though, can I come in. We're like really high up."

Nox's eye was half lidded in what was his idea of a dead-pan look. "Can I drop him?"

"NO!" Blake and Weiss shouted in unison. The former in annoyance, the latter in distress.

"Excuse me." Dragunov said as he picked up the girls by the backs of their clothes.

"HEY!" The four cried out in unison, before being put down away from the window.

Then the draconic Blade reached out of the window to grab Neptune and unceremoniously drag him in, with a yelp from the blue haired boy. "There, now you're in, you little wuss." Dragunov said with an evil smirk.

Yang rolled her eyes at her Blade. "Sooo…are we taking them?" the busty blonde then decided to ask the important thing.

Nox looked thoughtful for a moment before showing his answer. "Objectively speaking: As a faunus, Sun should be able to join Blake in the faction meeting." Nox had to use the word "objectively" because he was in the middle of restraining his personal feelings.

"That still leaves Neptune." Roze pointed out, the boy being a little stiff because of Dragunov teasing him with a savage glare.

"Well, he can go with Yang since she doesn't have a partner." Ruby said as she started pushing Neptune towards her sister. With the said boy quickly winking to Weiss.

"What am I then?" Dragunov asked in mock offense.

Before Ruby could correct herself, Weiss spoke up, "Actually, Ruby, why don't you go with Yang? She is your sister after all."

"But Weiss, who would you go with then?" Ruby asked innocently.

"I guess Neptune could go with me." Weiss said, with Dahlia shaking her head at her Driver's not so subtle attempts to go with the boy.

However, Ruby laughed at the idea. "Nah. Come on Weiss let's go." With that, Ruby moved out, dragging Weiss by her shirt. Despite the white-haired huntress' protests, while Roze and Dahlia following them.

"It's not like Weiss will never see him again." Dahlia thought in amusement.

After they left, Dragunov gave the disappointed Neptune a warning look, "Just make sure you don't get in our way, and we'll get along juuuust fine."

"Yes, sir." Neptune said, resisting a whimper.


At the Cross-Continental Transmit tower, Ruby was marveling at the sheer scope of the thing. "WAAAAHH! It's so cool!" Ruby marveled at the tall tower that allowed communications between the four kingdoms.

"You should see the one in Atlas." Weiss said with slight pride.

"That was the first among them, right?" Roze asked, having read about Remnant in his spare time along with the other three Blades, not counting those of JNPR.

"Correct." Dahlia surprisingly answered, "Atlas developed the Cross-Continental Transmit system so that the Kingdoms could communicate with each other. Was I right?" You don't become the Blade of Weiss Schnee without learning things alongside her.

"That's right Dahlia." Weiss said with uncharacteristic cheer at her Blade remembering, "It was also Atlas' gift to the world after the Great War."

"Ooohhh, look at me. I'm Weiss, I know facts, I'm rich." Ruby said, giggling at the end of it.

Which wasn't appreciated by Weiss, judging by her annoyed look, "Don't be a pest! We could've just made the call from the library, but you like the tower so much."

"Besides, I'm the one who said most of the information, so why are you teasing Weiss?" Dahlia asked, questioning Ruby's logic on teasing Weiss.

"Because Weiss is my BFF!" Ruby said happily.

"No." Was the cold reply. Which earned a blank look from Roze.

Then Ruby started fishing out her scroll, either ignoring or just flat-out oblivious to what Weiss just said, "I've gotta take a picture." Unfortunately, in her excitement, Ruby managed to drop her scroll which was soon picked up by an orange haired girl in a grey blouse. "You dropped this." the girl said, offering the device back to Ruby.

"Penny?" Ruby said in surprise, recognizing the girl, "Where have you been!? Why did you disappear like that?"

The girl now named Penny looked surprised to see Ruby. "I'm sorry I think you're confused," Penny said, before hiccupping.

That surprised Ruby a little, "Penny, it's me, Ruby."

"I-I have to go." Penny said, before walking away.

"You know that girl?" Dahlia asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, she's a friend that disappeared a few days before I awakened Roze." Ruby told Dahlia.

"Then why didn't she recognize you?" Roze asked, looking after the girl that was moving a little stiffly if you asked him.

"I don't know." Ruby said, before a look of determination came onto her face, "But I'm going to find out!" With that, Ruby ran off after Penny, leaving Weiss behind.

"Weiss, you make that call, I will go with Ruby." Roze told Weiss before running off after his Driver.

"If they were going to leave us like that, then they could've let Neptune come with us. That's what you're thinking isn't it?" Dahlia teased her miffed Driver.

"Dahlia!" But the girl clearly wasn't in the mood, as she walked to the tower with an annoyed look, with her Blade following. All the while the ice bunny had an unusually smug smile at Weiss' expense.

Back with Ruby, she had reached Penny walking down a set of stairs. "Penny, where have you been? It's been weeks." Ruby asked the weird girl.

"Th-There seems to be a misunderstanding." Penny said, without looking at Ruby.

"What?" that just made Ruby more worried as she slid down the handrail to get ahead of Penny, "Penny, what's wrong?" Penny just kept walking past Ruby, ignoring her. "Penny, please stop." Ruby pleaded as she lightly grabbed the girl's arm, finally stopping her. "Look, I don't know what's wrong, but please listen to me." Ruby said with a worried look directed at Penny, "Those guys we fought at the docks. We think they're up to something big. Something bad, so I need you to tell me what happened to you that night." At this point, Roze had reached the two. And while he didn't exactly agree with Ruby spreading their plan around, this Penny could know something useful. "Please…as a friend." Ruby said.

Penny looked at the floor with a contemplative look, before sighing and moving close to Ruby's ear. "It isn't safe to talk here." Penny whispered to Ruby with Roze raising an eyebrow at the whispering.


Back at the tower, Weiss stepped into the elevator with Dahlia.

"Welcome to the CCT. How may I help you?" an automated message spoke.

"I'd like to get to the communications room, thank you." Weiss replied into the microphone on the elevator wall.

"Certainly. Please present your Scroll for identification." Weiss did just that, hearing a bling after a moment. "Thank you, Miss Schnee." And with that, the elevator started moving. With Weiss trying to fix her face into a convincing smile.

"Is everything okay, Weiss?" Dahlia asked, catching onto her Driver's behavior.

"Yes, everything is fine." Weiss said, but her face said otherwise.

The ice Blade crossed her arms beneath her ample bosom. "Weiss, I know when you're lying." Dahlia said with a look a mother would use on a naughty child.

The Schnee girl gave up her act with a sigh, "Alright, Dahlia. I'm not looking forward to meeting father, if he's even available."

Dahlia gave Weiss a gentle pat on her head, "We can always hope that he's too busy for you. As cruel as it might sound."

"To me or my father." Weiss said in an attempt to make a joke.

Judging by a melodious chuckle from Dahlia, it worked. "Your father, if that is your answer." the bunny woman said as she flicked one of her braid-like ears.

"I think it would be crueler if she saw you with me." Weiss said with a smile, already losing tension. "Still, I think it's best that you stayed out of the screen's sight, just in case." Weiss then said seriously. She was very certain that her father would not approve of Dahlia's presence, Blade or not.

"I understand. Even though part of me would love to see the look on your father's face if I hugged you from behind," Dahlia said the last one with a suspiciously kind smile.

Weiss knew Dahlia didn't mean anything lewd by that, but she still couldn't help blushing. Though she had to steel herself, because the elevator had reached the communications room.

Weiss walked towards the desk which was operated by a holographic image of a woman. "Welcome to CCT Communications room. What can I do for you?" The hologram asked in a friendly demeanor.

"I would like to make a call to SDC World Headquarters." Weiss replied.

"Certainly. Please move to terminal three and I will patch you through." the hologram replied, before disappearing.

With that, Weiss moved to sit down in front of the aforementioned terminal, which soon connected to the SDC headquarters.

"This is SDC Headquarters, how can I- Oh, miss Schnee." The woman who must be the calling lady said, "Would you like me to patch you to your father? I think your sister Winter is here too."

Weiss quickly eyed, Dahlia, who according to Weiss' wishes was standing next to the terminal out of the receptionist's sight. The ice bunny gave her Driver a supportive look. "No thank you." Weiss replied much more confidently than she felt a few seconds ago, "I'm going to need you to download some files for me. I've complied a short list."

"Of course. Please place your scroll on your terminal." the receptionist said, with Weiss doing just that. After glancing at the list, the receptionist frowned a little, "If you don't mind me asking, what is all this for?"

"School project." Weiss replied easily, earning a smile from Dahlia who started leaning against the top of the terminal with her elbow.

"These files contain sensitive data." the receptionist said.

"Well then, I'll be sure to treat them with care." Weiss replied without missing a beat.

"Right." The woman said unsurely, "The files are being transferred to your scroll now." But she complied none the less.

After a few beeping sounds, Weiss' scroll had all the data she needed. "Thank you." Weiss thanked as she took her scroll away.

"You're welcome ma'am. Are you sure you don't want me to patch you to your fat-" Weiss cut the call before the woman could finish. Letting out a relieved sigh as she did.

"You didn't have to hang up on the woman like that." Dahlia scolded without any real heat behind her words.

"I know, but I really didn't want to drag that out." Weiss said with a sigh. And then she was wrapped into a comforting hug.

"You did good, Weiss." Dahlia said, referring to the fact that the young Driver didn't lose her cool.

"Thank you." Weiss said quietly, hugging her Blade back. Although some of the people in there got a good look at Dahlia's rear, since she had to bend over to hug Weiss.


In the city of Vale, Penny, Ruby and Roze were walking together. Although they had to separate for a time to meet up, as a precaution.

"I wish I could help Ruby, but I really don't know anything about those men." Penny admitted to Ruby.

"But then where did you go?" Ruby asked, before a thought occurred to her, "Were you kidnapped!?"

"No! Nothing like that." Penny said, trying to calm Ruby down.

"Well then, where did you go!?"

"Ruby, I'm sure Penny will tell you once you give her the room to breathe." Roze said sternly, knowing how excitable his Driver is.

"...Sorry." Ruby apologized to Penny, seeing her Blade's point.

"It's okay, Ruby," Penny said with a smile, before taking a more serious expression, "But you see, I've never travelled to another kingdom before. My father asked me to not wander off, but you have to understand, my father loves me very much." At the last one Penny looked a little guilty, "He just worries a lot."

Ruby snorted at that, "Believe me, I know the feeling." Actually, Ruby and Yang's father hadn't heard about what happened with them and their Blades because if he had he would've ran to beacon all the way from Patch just to threaten their Blades. "Dad's tough, but I don't know if he could take down Roze or Dragunov." Ruby couldn't help thinking as she quickly glanced at Roze who's combat abilities remind her of uncle Qrow with her own weaponry. "But why didn't you let us know you were okay?" Ruby then asked Penny.

"I was asked to not talk to you…or Weiss…or Yang. Anybody really." Penny replied with just a little bit of hesitation.

"Did your father tell you that?" Roze asked this time.

"No, it wasn't my father," Penny replied hesitantly, before the three had entered into a park where Atlas was holding a presentation.

Apparently, they were showing off new models of Atlesian Knights that would replace their previous models.

Which of course, made Ruby stare at them. "They're just hunks of moving metal." Roze thought in jealousy. The fact that Ruby still carried Crescent Rose when she had him, didn't exactly sit well with him either. Unfortunately, the last time he told Ruby to leave it behind she looked so hurt that Roze ended up allowing her to stab him in the chest as punishment. Of course, Ruby didn't do that.

"Ruby, maybe we should go somewhere else." Penny said nervously, earning a questioning look from Roze.

And then a giant mech was revealed in a holographic image. "I'm pretty sure Dragunov could trash that easily." Roze couldn't help thinking. But then something else caught his eye, "Why are those soldiers looking this way?" He turned towards Penny to ask her opinion, but the girl had sprinted away into a nearby alley. "Penny! Where are you going?" Roze shouted after the girl, which also snapped Ruby out of her awe.

"Penny, wait!" Ruby shouted, before running after her friend.

Roze gave one last look at the men who started running towards them before running after his Driver. Although the two had gotten a bit of a head start.

"SORRY ROZE!" Was the only shout Roze heard from Ruby, before slicing a pillar that held up a platform with a stack of boxes on it.

However, the rose reaper managed to avoid the boxes, before using the narrow enough alley to wall-jump to the roofs before continuing his chase. Luckily for him, Blades can use the resonance with their Drivers to track them down. Although the girl had gotten a LOT of distance. "She must've used her semblance." Roze thought, unperturbed by the increased distance as he jumped across the rooftops. to get to where Ruby was.

"RUBY!" Roze shouted as he saw on the final roof that Ruby had accidentally gotten herself on the road. And a delivery truck was fast approaching. Before Roze could even think about doing anything, Penny had pushed Ruby aside and stopped the truck with her bare hands. "I thought only Dragunov or maybe Yang would be capable of that." Roze thought as he jumped off the roof, using one of the large roof mats as a trampoline for a safe landing. By the time he reached the awestruck Ruby, Penny had pushed past the girl and ran away again.

"Penny, wait!" And of course, Ruby ran after her, but this time Roze was right behind her.

Thankfully for Roze, Penny had finally stopped, looking like she wasn't sure what to do. "Penny!" Ruby called out as she and Roze reached the clearly distressed girl, "What is going on!? Why are you running!? What WAS that!?"

"N-nothing's going on. Everything's fine." Penny said hiccupping twice.

"Everything's not fine if there are people chasing you." Roze replied sternly.

"I can't tell you." Penny said, now sounding desperate, "I don't want to talk about it!" All the while trying to cover her hands.

"Penny, if you would just tell me what's wrong I can help you." Ruby said, wanting to help her friend.

"No, no, no. You wouldn't understand." Penny said, now looking like she wanted to run again.

"Let us try." Roze said tenderly, "And if you don't trust me, then trust Ruby."

"Yeah, Penny. You can trust me." Ruby said, now really worried about Penny's behavior.

"You're my friend, right Ruby? Promise me that you're my friend," Penny then pleaded with desperation clear in her eyes with her hands clenched into fists.

"I promise." Ruby said sincerely, looking into Penny's eyes to convey her emotions.

"Ruby," Penny said hesitantly,"...I'm not a real girl." And Penny opened her hands to reveal metal under fake skin.

"...Oh." Was the most intelligent comment Ruby had.


AN: ANd there it is. I almost feel like an A-hole for ending these like this, but I just can't help myself :).

And to those who haven't noticed, I have started a reading fic on swift56's THOR alter: Digital Remnant. However, my first priority is this fic, so no worries on that.