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(Weiss PoV)

"Hello! It seems that we have another astonishing bout ahead of us! Wouldn't you agree, Professor?" Professor Port's voice boomed through the stadium.

"Doctor," Oobleck corrected. "And yes Peter, I think it's safe to say this match may be the closest we've seen of the four-on-four round of the tournament!"

"For those of you just now joining us, welcome to the Vytal Festival Tournament, broadcast live from the Amity Colosseum! If this is your first time watching, allow us to break down the rules."

" The tournament is divided into three distinctive rounds; teams, doubles, and singles. Age and school year are irrelevant! In this tournament, your only attribute being tested... is skill."

"Correct! The winners of this battle will elect two of their members to represent them in the doubles round, followed by the winners of that round choosing one member to advance once again. The remaining combatants will then fight their way through the final bracket in the hope of achieving victory for their kingdom!"

"And yes, Peter, these certainly are some spectacular spectacles on which to spectate on! I don't think anyone tuning in around the world is going to disagree with me on that!"

"Ahh, and why would they? Now, let's get back to the match between Team RWBY of Beacon, and Team ABRN, of Haven."

A girl rode a bladed skateboard into Blake but she was able to knock it away. The board returned to it user just in time for Blake to deliver several slashes and kicks. The skateboarding girl was able to deflect each attack and flip the board around to ride it along. Blake vanished in a clone at the same time the girl lunged and reappeared to slice the board in two. It became two pistols and wielding the girl approached Blake. Blake knocked her flat on her butt and winced in empathetic pain.

Yang clashed with a tunic wearing girl bearing two fisticuffs. She delivered a series of hammer blows to Yang which Yang blocked only for them both to fire a punch which both collided and shattered the ground for yards and yards.

A boy with a rifle was sneaking up on Yang. Ruby ambushed him and quickly knocked him down. I froze him in place.

"Got your back!" Ruby called.

"But who's got yours?" A boy with a staff asked her. He twirled his staff once and approached her. I summoned a glyph and kicked him into a rock.

"My BFF!" Ruby proudly declared.

"No," I returned in deadpan and ran off.

The boy with the spear crouched with his weapon as he saw a white glyph appear in front of him. A second later, I dashed by and slashed at him, then leapt up and attempted an aerial attack, which he was able to block. I readied my sword while preparing a glyph behind me, and Ruby used it to launch herself straight up and come down spinning on the boy, who managed to block the curved blade. Ruby grimaces and blasts herself away to my side, and he rushed us, rolling away from the shards of ice that I rained on him and jumping over Ruby's swing as he continued running.

"What!?" Ruby wondered.

The boy reached a dust deposit and cut a piece off. He threw it to the skateboarding girl who fused it with her board. It turned the lights a crimson shade.

"Thanks Reese!" The frozen boy exclaimed.

She went back to blake and slammed her board into her blade. SHe launched back but knocked weiss through a frozen pillar. Reese attempted to use her board to slam Blake into the ground but she dodged thanks to her shadows. Changing tactics Blake launched the pistol part of Gambol Shroud at a nearby glacier and threw herself behind it. Reese followed and saw blake and attacked but Blake simply vanished and kicked her. She knocked her out of bounds and her aura into the red. The girl hit the ground in frustration.

"Ooh, a double whammy! Reese Chloris is eliminated by ringout and Aura level!" Port declared.

"Oh, she really should've worn a helmet!" Oobleck followed.

The girl Yang had been fighting summoned a rope and swung along it. I knocked the spear wielding boy into an ice pillar and froze him. When the girl with the rope saw that she rolled her eyes and went to help him.

"Yang!" I called out. "Now."

Blake slung the ribbon around and Yang grabbed it. She skated on a column of ice I summoned and punched all three of our opponents at once.

"Yes!" Yang pumped a fist while Ruby squealed excitedly.

"And that's the match! Team RWBY is victorious!" Port commentated.

"We... did it?" I asked.

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"...is anyone else starving?" Ruby asked.

"I may have worked up an appetite," Blake's stomach growled and she hunched in embarrassment.

"Gee, if only there was somewhere on campus to get food around here," I shrugged and gestured at the festival grounds. "Oh, wait."

"It's okay, Weiss, I forget about the fairgrounds, too." Ruby patted my shoulder.

"I was being facetious?" I knocked her away.

"Gah! Well if you were hungry, why didn't you say so!?"

"Come on! I know just the place," Yang suggested.

My scroll buzzed as I followed Yang. I looked at the caller id. It said 'father'. I quickly dismissed the notification and kept walking.

"Hey! Might be hard to eat without this," Emerald called holding a red wallet.

"No, no, no, no!" Ruby repeated. She frantically patted herself down.

Emerald laughed. "Good to see you, Ruby."

Ruby took the wallet from her friend. "Oh! Thanks, Emerald! Oh. Guess I dropped it. Girl pockets are the worst!"

"What's up, Em?" Yang wondered.

"Just left the stadium after your amazing fight! You guys were awesome!"

"Oh, shut your stupid little face…" Ruby trailed off.

"I heard your team progressed to the next round too," Blake pointed out.

"You know, I feel that we haven't seen your other teammates," Weiss observed.

"How'd they do in the fight?" Yang asked Emerald.

Emerald tilts her head up in thought. "Really well."

"That's great. Uh. Why don't we all go and get a victory food together?"

"Oh, gosh, that's so nice of you, but my teammates are all kind of...introverted. Really socially awkward."

"Ooh, yeah, I could see that," Yang nodded.

"Oh yeah, looks like Mercury and I are going to move on to the doubles round. What about you guys?" Emerald asked us.

"Well, as the leader of this team, I thought long and hard about this decision," Ruby trumped up.

"We put it to a vote," Weiss interrupted.

"Yes, so, but I decided that we should put it to a vote," Ruby finished.

"We voted for Weiss and Yang," Blake clarified.

I curtsied. "I will happily represent Team RWBY."

"Yeah, we're going to kick some butt!" Yang pumped a fist.

Emerald laughed. "Well, if Mercury and I see you down the line, don't think we'll go easy on ya."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Yang agreed.

"Alright, well we're going to catch some more fights," Emerald waved goodbye.

"Have fun!" Ruby waved back. '

We went and got noodles in bowls.

I offered my card to the shopkeeper.

"Aw, Weiss! What's the occasion!?" Yang wondered.

"Consider it thanks for sending me to the doubles round." The cash register beeped 'declined.' "What?! How can my card be declined? I was barely into my monthly allowance!"

"Maybe I could help?" Pyrrha approached.

"Pyrrha!" Ruby cried.

"Aw, you don't have to…" Yang trailed off.

"Well, I think you all earned it after that battle." Pyrrha smiled.

"Mind if we join you?" Jaune asked.

We ate well. The noodles were good and rich in sauce.

"Are you sure it's wise to have eaten before a fight?" Ren asked Pyrrha.

" Of course! It will give us energy!"

Nora simply gave a hearty belch.

"If I barf, I'm blaming you," Jaune muttered.

"Ooh!" Nora exclaimed. "Aim at the enemy!"

"Nora, that's disgusting. But if you feel the urge …" Ren encouraged.

"Got it." Jaune gave a weak thumbs up.

"Well, we should be off." Pyrrha got up.

"So, you think you guys are ready?" Ruby wondered.

"Of course! We've got a world-renowned fighter on our team, one's basically ninja, I can bench five of me, Jaune, we trained all year, our weapons are awesome, Glynda barely yells at us anymore, and uh…Jaune!"

"Are you gonna take that?" Ren asked Jaune.

"She's not wrong," Jaune shrugged.

"I'm kidding, he knows I'm kidding. Don't be so nervous! The worst that can happen is we lose, that is just a few more years of walking around school with everyone knowing we're failures, our friends will slowly abandon us to preserve their social status, we won't be able to show our faces in class, no one will sit with us in the cafeteria, Ren and I have no parents, we have no home left to go to, we'll be officially renamed Team Lose-iper!"

"So, yeah, we're feeling pretty good," Ren agreed.

"Don't fret. If anything, we should be looking forward to a fight with actual guidelines, and not, well, ...murderers," Pyrrha chimed.

"Yeah, don't sweat it, we've all faced way worse before," Yang said.

"Let's see. Grimm invasions, violent extremists, a destructive sociopath…" Blake listed.

"And that's all while were still in training! Oh, imagine what it would be like to graduate!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Maybe then I'll be able to pay for a meal," I murmured.

"Would Team JNPR please report to the battlegrounds immediately!" Port's voice boomed over the intercom.

"Yes! Like they were scheduled to, several minutes ago!" Oobleck agreed.

"Well, it looks like this is it," Pyrrha said.

"Go get 'em!" Ruby encouraged. We watched our sister team fight in the stadium. They won with Pyrrha carrying them. Then when the match ended and we rose from our seats I hesitated upon viewing a ribbon adorned ship in the sky.

"She's here," I murmured.

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The sun was setting in deep reds and oranges. I ran up to the Beacon docks.

"Weiss! What is the big deal!? Who is it? Who is she!?"Ruby wondered as she ran to keep up.

"Winter," I answered. I stopped and took in the sight of my sister.

"Wait... Your sister?" Ruby asked.

"Winter!" The two of us ran up to her. SHe looked the same a sI remembered with short white hair and clear blue eyes. She was taller than me by quite a bit. "Winter! I'm so happy to see you! Oh…" I stopped and cutsied. "Your presence honors us."

"Beacon... It's been a long time. The air feels... different," my sister murmured.

"I mean it is fall, so, eh, it's probably colder," Ruby pointed out. I hit her and she gasped in pain.

"So, what are you doing here?" I asked.

"Classified," Winter answered.

"Oh, right. Well, how long are you staying?"

"Classified."

"Of course." I nodded in understanding.

"Well... this is nice... I think," Ruby stammered.

"You're going to love it here! I know you travel a lot, but so much of Beacon is different from Atlas! Vale, too. The government and school are completely separate! Can you believe it!? I-"

"I'm more than familiar with how this kingdom handles its... bureaucracy. That is not why I came."

"Right! I'm sorry!" I bowed.

"Nor did I come here to watch my own blood fail so miserably in battle. But it appears that I have no choice in the matter."

"But, we won!" I frowned.

"Only a novice would refer to that as a victory. I counted at least three strikes missed. Leave us." The robots surrounding her obeyed her at once. "How have you been?"

"Oh, splendid! Thank you for asking. I'm actually in the very top ranking of our sparring class! And the rest of my studies are going wonderfully, too! I'm-"

Winter smacked me upside the head. "Silence, you boob! I don't recall asking about your ranking, I'm asking how you've been. Are you eating properly? Have you taken up any hobbies? Are you making new friends?"

"Well, there's Ruby.

"Heh, boob," Ruby giggled.

"I see. So this is the leader you wrote of. How appropriately... underwhelming."

"Uh... Thank you!" Ruby exclaimed. She missed the point.

"Greetings, Ruby Rose. I wish to thank you for taking an interest in my sister."

"Oh! Uh, yes, of course! The honor is in my... court!"

"I have business with the General and your Headmaster. But, seeing as I'm early, why don't you take me to your quarters?" Winter suggested.

"Really?" I wondered.

"Yes. I wish to inspect them and make sure that they are up to my personal standards."

"Of course. Just so you're aware, the bunk beds only look unstable."

"Bunk beds?"

"I'll catch up- I mean, I will... reconvene with you both... at a later…" she paused and thought. "Juncture! At a juncture. Yeah."

We made our way through a courtyard.

"Hey!" A man called. "Yeah, I'm talking to you, Ice Queen!" He reached out and decapitated one of the robots.

"Halt!" WInter shouted.

"Excuse me! Do you have any idea who you are talking to!?" I walked up to the offending man. He placed an open palm on my face and shoved me aside.

"Sssshhh. Not you."

"Hey!" I shouted in protest.

"You. Saw that gaudy ship of yours in town. I guess you're here, too."

"I'm standing right before you."

"So it would seem."

"You realize you just destroyed Atlas Military property," Winter raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, oh I'm sorry. See, I mistook this for some sort of... sentient garbage," the man said.

"I don't have time for your immature games, Qrow."

"Wait, you two know each other?" I asked my sister.

"Geez, you Atlas Specialists think you're so special, don't you?" Qrow asked rhetorically.

"It's in the title," my sister responded.

"Well, you know what you really are? A bunch of sellouts. Just like your boss."

"I'm not sure what you think you're implying, but I've heard enough."

"Oh I heard, too. I heard ol' Ironwood finally turned his back on Ozpin."

"Ozpin?" I asked.

"Weiss, it's time for you to go."

"What-" I was interpreted by the man.

"Listen to big sister, Weiss. She'll protect you. Just like Atlas is going to protect all of us, huh?"

"If you won't hold your tongue, then I will gladly remove it for you!" Winter drew her sword.

"Alright then…" he slicked back his hair. "Come take it."

Winter blitzed at him with a glyph.

"What's going on?!" Ruby walked up to me in the gathering crowd and asked me.

"Some crazy guy just started attacking my sister!"

"Oh no! Who would do such a th- That is my uncle!" Ruby shouted.

"What?!" I demanded.

"Kick her butt, Uncle Qrow!"

"Uh...Teach him respect, Winter!"

Qrow dodged my sister's attacks and drew his blade. A single edged broadsword with gears wrapped around the hilt. He fired at her with the shotgun and she deftly dodged. She landed on his blade and backflipped to kick him. He grinned at her and approached. She expertly dodged his attacks and landed on a pillar. She climbed it and came flying at him with a glyph and turned the walkway into a mess. He shifted, his weapon changed forms, and then he stopped, smiled, and put his weapon away. He gestured at his face in a come hither motion.

"Schnee!" They were interrupted. It was general ironwood. He had Penny Polendina behind him.

"General Ironwood, sir!" Winter saluted.

"What in the world do you think you're doing?" The general demanded.

"He started the altercation, sir!"

"That's actually not true. She attacked first." Qrow intruded.

"Is that right?" Ironwood walked up to Qrow. "And you. What are you doing here?"

"I could be asking you the same thing," Qrow shot back.

"I-" Ironwood started.

"Now, now, everyone," it was the headmaster. "There is a sanctioned fight happening just around the corner at the Colosseum, that I can assure you has better seats... and popcorn."\

"Break it up, everyone! We will take care of this mess," Goodwitch agreed. She shot them a glare.

"Let's go," Ironwood decided.

Penny waved to Ruby and Ruby waved back. Then Ruby charged her uncle and jumped on his arm.

"Uncle Qrow! Hi. It's so good to see you! Did you miss me? Did you miss me!?" She demanded.

"Nope," the man answered.

"Qrow!" The headmaster called. "A word, please."

Goodwitch then repaired the courtyard using her telekinesis.

"I think I'm in trouble," Qrow told his niece.

"You did kinda tear up our courtyard," Ruby pointed out.

"Catch ya later, kid," he paced away.

"And suddenly, your recklessness makes sense," I walked up to RUby and told her.

"You're just mad because he whooped butt."

"That was a draw, at best!" I disagreed.

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The next day we were in a pavilion surrounded by ivy covered pillars. In front of me wa s aplate of croissants and strawberries. Winter is sipped from her teacup as I repeated the news I was just told.

"You're... leaving?"

"Yes. I was merely needed to oversee the transport of additional units to Vale. Our last shipment was lost to an ambush. I believe you had a run-in with its cargo, actually. It's fortunate those Paladins were in the prototype stage; otherwise your team may not have fared so well. Weiss, you've done... well, out here, on your own. You should be proud. I'll be honest, it was quite amusing seeing Father's face the day you left for Beacon!"

"I can't wait to show him what I learned!"

"Oh? Then what do you think you've learned?"

"What do you mean? I'm getting better and better with my glyphs! I've even started Time Dilation!"

"And what of your Summoning?" She asked me.

"I... You know I can't."

"Don't be ridiculous. Every Schnee has the ability to summon. We have for generations."

"I've tried! It's just... it's the one thing I've been having trouble with!"

"We Schnees are unique. Unlike many, our Semblance is hereditary. But that doesn't mean it will come easily. Your Semblance is like a muscle. The more you practice with it, the stronger it will become. But if you only focus on one aspect of it... If you fail to test the limits of what you think is possible, then you'll never truly grow. I for one look forward to watching you grow, even as it displeases father."

"Huh?" I asked her.

She just smiled knowingly. "You can continue to forge your own path. Free of father. Show me how you stand."

I pulled my sword and got to my feet.

"Breathe and relax. Breathe and relax. Try your summoning," my sister advised.

A glyph hovered to life over the ground. It spun quickly.

"Think of your fallen foes, the ones that pushed you to stop being who you were an dbecomne who you are."

The glyph failed.

"Sloppy," my sister appraised.

"I'm trying!" I protested.

"If this is what you call trying then you have no hope of being a huntress or winning the tournament. Beg father for help. I'm sure he'll give you a job as a receptionist," my sister kept up.

"I don't need his charity."

"But you do need his money, don't you?" My sister raised an elegant eyebrow.

"Wha-" I stammered. "How'd you know about that?"

"I may have been in a similar position when I joined the military. So what did you do this time?"

"That's just it. I don't know. I went to pay for lunch the other day and my card declined."

"How embarrassing." My sister scoffed.

"Well it was! Why would he cut me off like that?"

"Perhaps so you would stop avoiding him and call home?" My sister suggested.

I refocused on the glyph on the ground with grit teeth.

Winter placed a hand on my shoulder. "Emotions can be a powerful source of strength just so long as you do not allow them to over power you." I looked up at her. "It seems to me you have two choices before you. You can call father, beg for his money back, and explain once more why you'd like to study at Beacon over Atlas. Or you could continue to explore Remnant. Discovering more about the world and more about yourself." She embraced me. "It's time for me to go."

"It was good to see you sister."

"Until next time."

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-WG