Sup

Freddielebron: Glad you liked it! To be honest, I just don't know how to write a harem. Not to mention, I'm not a big fan of them usually.

Zhangha1: The wait's over dude!

Snackimedes: Hope you're still excited, cause we're no where near done.

HoloBestWaifu: Congrats! Getting a PhD is fucking amazing dude :D I hope you stay successful mate.

Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY or LoL, Rooster Teeth and Riot Games own both respectively. Though, both companies are shit shows methinks.

"Isn't this all so grand? The preparations, the logistics, the tournament, the mixing of cultures- Oh, the Vytal Festival is truly a wonderful event!"

Having successfully made their way to the City of Vale by the skin of their teeth, the team of five were now wandering around the city docks to the unusual joy of one, and to the mix of confusion, annoyance, and weariness of four.

"...I can't tell if you're more excited about the planning of the festival, or the festival itself, Weiss." Ruby said, who was giving her partner a strange look.

"Definitely the planning." Yang said, sighing as she battled her inner boredom with all her might. "Knowing Weiss Cream, it's definitely the more nerdy thing."

The heiress shot her a glare before rolling her eyes. "Ugh, I can't be the only one who values the amount of effort put into all of this, right?" She asked, hoping that the rest of her team could relate to her interests.

The pit brawler shrugged. "Ya lost me at logistics." Sett casually said.

Blake simply shook her head.

The ice queen narrowed her eyes, muttering something about 'appreciating management competency' as she continued to lead the reluctant group.

With not much else to do, Sett resumed his lackadaisical gazing around at his surroundings until something caught his eye.

He furrowed his brow. 'Huh. Tuckson's Book Trade? Might have something worth my lien.' Maybe the store had something Beacon's library didn't. He had yet to find a book with a story as captivating as The Wolf And The Lamb. He made a mental note to visit sometime.

Yang glanced his way. "You seem pretty unfazed by all this. Y'know, considering that you're technically a country bumpkin and all." She teased, smiling all the while.

The Ionian sent her an empty glare. "Well, hotshot, we have festivals back in Ionia that are like this. Kinda. There's no tournament and they're not as fancy as this, but they're still fun to go to."

That much was true: although he'd been an outcast most of his life, Sett had yet to meet anyone who didn't enjoy the Spirit Blossom Festival. "People dance and paint and all that artsy stuff. Oh, and the food is the best part: lot's of different kinds of dishes to try every time." One of his teammates perked her head up in interest.

"A traditional celebration. That sounds really nice." Blake commented. "Is there any sort of occasion? Or is it just a normal thing to do in your culture?" The amber-eyed girl was always eager to learn about other faunus.

"It's a bit of both actually. The festival happens around the same time every year, so it's pretty normal." There were other celebrations of course, but the Spirit Blossom Festival was the most well-known by far.

"As for the occasion…well, at that time of the year specifically, people take time to…talk with the dead." Sett did his best to keep a neutral expression, knowing how he sounded to his Remnant friends.

From what he'd picked up on, religion was barely present here. Which was fair, considering all prayers to be saved from the grimm had gone unanswered for however many centuries. Over time, people began trusting in themselves than a higher power, until almost religion was hardly an afterthought throughout the lands. And since religion was often intertwined with spirituality, it made since why spiritual beliefs were faint here as well.

This was most apparent in how everyone looked at Sett with poorly masked skepticism. "Talk with the dead?" Ruby parroted, brow raised in surprise.

"That…sounds intriguing." Weiss carefully said.

The half-breed internally winced at their reactions before pushing on. "Yea. People take a lotta time to pay their respects to their loved ones and ancestors and wish for good luck." Of course, he had no idea what that was like. His only family was his momma (he didn't count the bastards on his mom's side of the family. And he'd never even met his pa's folks), and he wasn't going to lose her anytime soon.

"..."

Yang blinked. "Oh. Ooh!" Her eyes widened in realization. "When you said people talk with the dead, I thought…well, y'know."

"Thought wha-oh." Realization dawned within him. "No-I didn't mean that…that'd be pretty weird." Sett chuckled nervously. He'd never been happier to be misunderstood.

In truth, he had heard some rumors of spirits making a return visit to the physical realm…but those were just rumors.

The blonde's expression softened. "Hey, I didn't mean anything like that." She waited for Sett to meet her gaze to continue. "I mean, I'm not much of a spiritual person myself, but I think it's pretty wholesome how you guys remember your loved ones. Through a whole festival and all."

Ruby nodded in agreement. "Yea! I mean, I wish I could talk to ghosts. That'd be so. freakin. cool!" She gushed, face filled with wonder.

Ice-blue eyes rolled in response. "For once, I agree with the dunce." Weiss quipped, with no real bite. "Given the opportunity, I would not be opposed to partaking in one of these festivals." After all, how could she not be interested in learning more about what was essentially an isolated kingdom?

"Experiencing it in person does sound like fun." Blake chipped in.

The Ionian looked around before huffing in amusement. "You guys sound more excited about it than me." Looking down in thought, Sett put his hands on his hips before nodding his head. "Alright, no promises…but if I can, I'll have you guys visit-"

"Yes!"

The boy grinned. "I just hope it meets everyone's expectations."

"Well, I'm sure it's a ton more interesting than whatever the heck we're doing right now." Yang assured him, before turning to complain to the team's 'designated nerd.' "Weissy, tell me again why exactly are we here?"

Reminded of her purpose, the Atlesian began to smile. "As you all know, students from the other academies are traveling here for the tournament. And since I heard that the students from Vacuo were arriving today, I felt that it was our duty to welcome our fellow students to Vale! Formally greet them to the kingdom, if you will."

In the blink of an eye, her smile flashed into a frown. "And it seems not all of us are dressed for the occasion." She grumbled in disdain, not-to-subtlety taking a shot at her teammate.

To his credit, Sett tried to look abashed (note: 'tried'). "If I knew we'd be welcoming people, I would've changed. If only we had a little more time…" He would've done no such thing of course, and everyone knew it. "Ah, what a shame. I hope I don't draw too much attention to myself..." Now he was just being a prick.

"If you do, Weiss gets to spy on her competition." Blake dryly said.

"What?! I have no idea what you are talking about…" Weiss retorted, her voice trailing off.

It didn't take long to realize why, with the crime scene down the street.

As the team wandered over, the extent of the damages became clear: shattered windows, disheveled merchandise, and a general mess throughout the premise. "Jeez. What happened?" Ruby quietly asked, voicing everyone's current thoughts.

Having gotten as close as they could to the crime scene, snippets of conversation between law enforcement officers could be heard. "This is the second dust shop hit this week. And it's just like the last one: the only thing that was taken was the dust."

"So it's most likely the same group of people responsible for these robberies. But who needs all that dust?"

"Beats me. Only criminals I can think of are the Fang."

"You're probably right. Damn animals."

"Hey now…my partner's a-"

"You know I don't mean all faunus. Just those terrorist scum."

Blue eyes narrowed in disdain. "Ugh. The White Fang. That officer is right: they truly are all degenerates!" Weiss said, voice oozing with contempt, quickly drawing the ire of one of the team.

But by then, Sett had completely tuned them out, as his attention had been drawn away to another point of interest a few stores away. With his legs on autopilot, he began making his way over to a familiar dust shop.

His sudden departure had grabbed a certain blonde's attention, who began to pace after her teammate: unknowingly leaving behind an increasingly tense scene.

'Closed Until Further Notice. Thank You For Your Patience!'

Standing outside of the shop From Dust Till Dawn, Sett continued to stare at the sign plastered on the window even as a pair of feet placed themselves next to him, joining him in his staring.

"Y'know if you're having trouble, I can read that aloud for you." Yang said, a smirk on her face.

A snicker escaped Sett's lips. "This is coming from the girl that hasn't touched a textbook all year."

"Nerd."

Quiet laughter filled the air as they shared a chuckle.

Sett looked around. "You wanna find something else to do? Anything's better than what Weiss dragged us out here for." Sett liked his teammate, but sometimes she could be as boring as Port and his 'lectures.'

Besides, there was something he wanted to ask Yang.

"Sure. I was getting tired of reading the same sign over and over." Yang quipped, grinning as the two began to amble along the streets of the city.

Much like his second visit after passing the initiation exam, the sidewalks were filled with all sorts of people bustling this way and that. Some moved with a purpose, while others walked at a slower pace, much like Sett and Yang were doing. The smell of food filled the air as they passed by restaurants. Music rang throughout as they passed by a plaza, a group of performers on stage with a sizeable crowd gathered around.

As the sound of music faded behind them, Sett glanced to his side.

"Hey." His eyes connected with lilac ones. "You did the thing again at breakfast, just like when we moved into our dorm." It was the second time she'd saved him from an awkward situation. For someone who gave the impression of being an airhead, she was far more perceptive than one might think. "Not that I'm ungrateful, but why'd you do it?"

Yang shrugged. "Well, you looked pretty uncomfortable when Weiss asked about your powers, so I figured you didn't want to talk about it." Damn, he thought he'd kept his unease under wraps. She looked at him, curiosity in her eyes. "Touchy subject?" She asked.

He averted his gaze.

"Something like that, yea." He looked back, eyebrow raised inquisitively. "Aren't you curious though?"

It's a question he'd been asking himself all morning.

Yang was one of his teammates, and more importantly she was one of his friends: but that didn't mean she had any obligation to step in for him in the ways she did. At first he figured she did it to prevent too much friction from developing between everyone on the team. He doubted they would've lasted if arguments like the one with Weiss and Ruby were commonplace.

But this time there had been no conflict to mediate. Weiss had asked a reasonable question, so the intervention from Yang should never have happened.

So why did it?

The two slowed their pace, ambling into a park. "I am. I don't think I've ever heard of powers that had nothing to do with aura." They sat down next to a tree, taking full advantage of the shade offered by the leaves. "But it didn't feel right to keep pressing you."

"Why?"

It was Yang's turn to turn her head away.

Just when Sett thought he wouldn't get an answer, Yang looked back at him. "Do you know how Ruby and I don't really look related?" There was not a single trace of levity in her voice.

He nodded.

"It's because...we were born from different moms." She said, her eyes beginning to defocus. "I didn't know it for a while. For as long as I could remember, the only mom I knew was a woman named Summer Rose." She smiled, reminiscing at a memory with her mind's eye.

"She was amazing. Full of smiles and always making Ruby and I laugh. Mom would always tell us stories of her adventures when she came back from missions, all while we munched on her homemade cookies. I wasn't hers in the way Ruby was, but...she loved me all the same."

The fondness in her recall was tinged with longing.

Her smile faded away.

"When we lost her, me and Rubes were devastated. But it hit our dad the worst. It took a long time for him to stop shutting himself off from the world. Before he recovered though, he let it slip that he'd loved another women before Summer: Raven, my birth mother." She spat, a cold fury filling her tone. "She left us right after having me without giving any explanation, without leaving a-a note, without even saying goodbye!" Her eyes began to flicker red, prompting her to shut them, taking a deep breath as she calmly continued. "And I've been looking for her ever since to get her to tell me why."

'Do you know why your dad left you?'

'Have you… ever tried finding him? To hear what he has to say for himself?'

Red eyes widened. "That's why you asked me if I knew why my old man left me, back when we were shopping." He said, pieces clicking into place in his mind.

Yang nodded her head, her eyes returning to their lilac state, albeit dimmer than before. "It's not something I like talking about. Not even with Ruby. The only reason she knows is because she came with me during one of my searches." Interestingly, her voice was plagued with shame.

She sighed. "The reason I didn't want to push you is because I understand what it's like; not wanting to talk about certain things and all. I wouldn't want someone to ask about that piece of my family history." She finished, blankly staring off into space.

It was a look he often wore when thinking of his old man.

It didn't suit her at all.

And it was because of him that she'd picked at old wounds. A frown tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad blood." He said, guilt beginning to well up inside.

She waved him off. "Nah, don't worry about it. I kinda started going on about it myself." If anything, the confusion she felt from sharing overshadowed the dread that should've set in by now. Normally, she kept any thought, let alone any conversations, about Raven as far away from her mind as possible unless she was actively searching. She'd never had much trouble doing that, with things like school, friends, and the team to keep her busy.

Maybe it was because Sett had been through something similar that made opening the floodgates easier than usual. It made since, considering how instead of sinking into the vortex of negative feelings, talking about her birth mother with Sett felt like she'd taken her first breath of fresh air in ages.

She turned as she felt a hand on her shoulder. "For what it's worth, I'm glad you told me." Sett said, appreciative to be considered a confidante.

Yang fixed him with a narrowed, questioning glare. "You're glad?"

Oh shit. 'Did I say something wrong?'

He broke out into a cold sweat, mouth already a blur. "That, y'know, y-you're comfortable enough with me to talk about your mo-Raven and...yea." He swallowed. The boy felt like he was staring into the jaws of death itself. He'd already dug his grave too deep to be given the mercy of Lamb.

The girl continued to stare, unnerving Sett, before a snicker broke through her facade. "Well, you told me your story, so it's only fair trade." She grinned, stilling another bout of laughter as Sett visibly deflated at the realization he'd been played.

They sat in a companionable quiet, idly watching people go about their day, couples spend time with one another, and children playing in the park playground.

"Listen." Sett said, breaking the silence. "If you ever want help looking for Raven...I'll have your back." He didn't know how much longer he'd be on Remnant, but he wanted to be there for Yang if he could. If getting her answers from Raven gave her some kind of peace or closure, he was all for it.

As the shock from the offer wore off, Yang smiled, nudging her friend in the side with her elbow. "I might take you up on that offer big guy." The cordial quiet returned, supplemented by the ambiance around them. And in that moment, Yang felt that nothing could ruin it.

Not even as a tailed-blur swung past them with police hot on his heels, no siree.

"Wonder what that's all about." Yang muttered offhandedly.

Sett shrugged. "Beats me."

A blur of red, white, and black suddenly appeared in their field of view. "There you are." Ruby suddenly called out, rounding the corner at the end of the street, closely followed by the team-plus one. "We were wondering where you'd wandered off to-"

"Never mind that," Weiss cut in, all but shoving a crude drawing in Sett's face. "Have you seen him? Did you see this monkey-tailed rapscallion come this way?" She sharply asked.

That must've been who the cops were chasing just now. "I-"

"Stop that!"

But before he could get another word out, Blake suddenly snapped.

"Stop what?"

"Stop calling him those names!"

Weiss blinked in bewilderment. "Why? It's what he is. That faunus is a criminal, a danger to-"

'Oh shi-'

Before either Yang or Sett could step in, the group's plus-one was suddenly right in his face. "Salutations! You must be the last two members of friend Ruby's team I have yet to meet." With unnerving enthusiasm, the girl continued to stare at the perplexed boy, her hand out for shaking. "My name is Penny. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance!"

"And you're an ignorant little brat!"

The pit brawler hesitated before taking her hand, responding in kind. "Uh, yea, right back atcha pal." Sett said, bemused and completely missing the palling faces of the sisters, who were glancing between the arguing members of the team.

"Excuse me?!"

"Did you just call me 'pal?' As in, friend?" Penny could scarcely believe it: two friends in one day?! This…This was-

Sett's confusion continued to flourish. "I-um, yea? I guess I did?"

"Oh this is absolutely WONDERFUL!" The girl ecstatically shouted, who was quite literally jumping for joy. "What shall we do today friends? There are an endless amount of fun activities to choose from!"

"How dare you-!"

The team leader winced as the argument intensified. "As much as we'd like to hang out, Penny," Ruby apologetically said, "We should probably get going. My team needs time to…sort this out." She gestured to her arguing teammates.

Her new friend stared, before her shoulders sagged ever so slightly.

"Oh…"

Elsewhere...

The warrior monk Lee Sin turned to his charge before bowing his head. "Welcome back to my temple, Ms. Lahni."

Having concluded their travels, the two were now within the premise of Lee Sin's safe haven: a sanctuary at the bottom of the mountainous heights of Dragon's Peak, overlooking a gently sloped hill vibrant with all sorts of wildlife.

With the closest village a day's walk away, the temple was a secluded location, known only to a select few. "Please, make yourself at home. If there's any way we can accommodate you, you need only ask."

The older lady gave him a warm smile. "Thank you, Lee. This place is just as wonderful as I remember." It had only been a year since the last time she'd visited, and yet, she wondered if she'd see any familiar faces.

As if her thoughts were being read, a guttural voice called out to the two. "Lee Sin! You've returned home, master." Standing within the temple's door was a goat-vastaya garbed in a simple tunic and pants, his slit-eyes curiously aimed at Lahni. "And…is that you, miss-?"

"Kune! My, how you've grown. You were just up to my chin last time I saw you!" She laughed, pulling the young acolyte in for a hug. "It's good to see you, even under these circumstances."

'Circumstances?' The disciple tilted his head in confusion, the horns on his head nearly scraping the door. "I do not understand…what's happened?" He glanced at his master, who's stoic expression quivered with a frown.

"Her son is missing."

Ah. Well, that certainly answered why Miss Lahni was there. Being related to a Dragon-blessed could be dangerous in certain parts of Ionia.

Ushering them inside, Lee continued to speak as they strode through the entrance and into a garden. "There is much to be done. Have Ms. Lahni settled in one of our spare chambers and see to her requests, should she have any. When she is ready, show her the way to the library." Kune nodded as they crossed a bridge arced over a small river. "Gather those adept in magic as well. We need any-and all-available help with our search." Lee finished, the sound of running water and rustling vegetation doing little to soothe his well-hidden anxiety.

"Of course, master. May I ask what sort of expertise you are seeking?" Kune curiously asked.

"I'm looking for anyone knowledgeable on portals. Sett was dragged into one by an unknown force for reasons beyond our current understanding." The trio exited the courtyard, entering a room that branched off into multiple corridors: the main hall.

Kune quickly closed the doors behind them. "Truly? That's troubling to hear...But unless I'm mistaken, we know very little about that form of magic." He winced as soon as he said that, realizing too late what that statement implied.

Lahni stiffened as Lee Sin sighed, stopping in his tracks. "I know. In truth, I do not expect them to know enough to find Sett." The monk turned so he was fully facing his student.

"That is why I will summon my Master and seek his guidance as well."

Kune's eyes went wide.

His teacher was getting him involved. He'd never done that before.

The gravity of the situation hit him in full.

"Ah." He uttered, the shock of that announcement slowly wearing off. Shaking his head, the vastayan came to his senses. "If anyone can give you answers, master, it is him."

With a confident nod, the monk turned away. "Of that, I am certain."

And with that, the trio split up, with the young Kune leading Miss Lahni down a hallway as Lee Sin proceeded further into the main hall.

At the end of the room stood a large statue of a dragon, its elegance conveyed in masterfully carved stone. From the seemingly life-like fur to the accurate dimensions, it was quite an authentic depiction of the Storm Dragon himself. With a posture that exuded a sense of pride, the monument easily towered above him: something that was not lost on Lee Sin.

Kneeling down, the monk entered a meditative posture, calming his mind as he began to deeply breathe.

Within seconds, the dragon blessed had formed a mental link: or, more accurately, half of a link, as he could only meet his master halfway…

'Master Ao Shin, hear my call. I come to you seeking guidance once more!'

As he internally hailed the otherworldly being, he felt the physical world around him fade as he entered a different realm, one only a select few individuals could access.

In the connection he shared with his master, the dragonmancer felt an inkling of surprise before an enormous presence connected with his consciousness.

The first thing Lee sensed was the presence of lightning. Crackling thunder boomed in the distance.

Not long after, the monk found himself kneeling on clouds: thick, dark clouds that occasionally reverberated with the power of the storm. These clouds ran as far as the eye could see, making up the ground as well as the sky. The clouds above, however, were not as numerous: a sea of stars could be seen in the heavens, bathing the monk in a luminous light.

It was a remarkable setting, one that the warrior monk would've savored in less dire circumstances.

As it was, all of his focus was on the gargantuan being hovering in front of him.

The Storm Dragon Ao Shin.

"Ahhhh, My chosen. To what do I owe the pleasure?" The dragon rumbled, gazing down upon Lee, who had yet to move from his position.

"Master Ao Shin. I humbly request your aid for an urgent matter." He proclaimed, rising to his feet.

"Pertaining to the whereabouts of the Obsidian Dragon's chosen one, I assume?"

"I-Yes." The monk paused, caught off guard. "How did you know?" Not only was his master aware of the situation, but he sounded amused, bewildering Lee Sin.

It didn't help that his master chuckled at his confusion. "Come now, it wasn't all that difficult to draw that conclusion: your close compatriot disappears, and leaves not a clue as to where he may have gone. You don't exactly have many options to find him." The dragon haughtily said, as if it was so obvious. "Besides, I should know. I'm the one who sent him away, after all."

'...What?'

The monk quickly found himself with more questions than answers.

Ao Shin continued on, easily reading the stupefied monk. "Prior to your search, you were preoccupied with those cultists: not a trifling task as you are aware. I did not think it best to distract you while you were already engaged with your mission. As such, I would've told you of what had transpired concerning your ally in the near future…But the present is acceptable as well."

The dragonmancer's mind raced, still trying to comprehend this news. "I…I believe I see the wisdom behind your actions, Master Ao Shin." While he would never question his benefactor, Lee had yet to fully understand him and his ways. "But I would still appreciate an explanation of where Sett has gone. And why."

"The where, is rather simple. I sent him to a separate planet called Remnant." Ao Shin casually mentioned, as if he'd simply sent the brawler on a quick errand.

But all signs of triviality vanished as the Storm Dragon looked to the stars, narrowing his gaze. "As for the reasoning? That is a bit more…complicated."

.

"-And that is why he was the first chosen to cross the realms." Ao Shin finished, staring at his own chosen as he waited for a response. "I trust you understand why it had to be done."

"Without question, master. It is just a great deal for one to process." The monk scrunched his brow, his confusion now replaced with concern. "Especially the part pertaining to his newfound allies. If I am properly understanding it, they do not know that he-"

"-Shouldn't be here!"

Weiss couldn't believe it-despite learning that their 'teammate' was a member of one of the most violent terrorist organizations on Remnant, no one else seemed to care! Was she the only one left with any sense?

And yet, with the way Ruby and Yang were arguing with her, it was as if she had lost her mind!

"But she's our teammate-our friend! Don't you think we should at least give her a chance?" Ruby pleaded, trying to reason with the heiress, who was pacing back and forth in agitation.

' She was our friend.' Weiss rolled her eyes, exasperated. "What we should do is report this to Headmaster Ozpin. The fact that a member of the White Fang was able to somehow infiltrate Beacon is a major security breach he should be aware of." Now that she thought about it, did the academy even properly vet prospective students? Obviously not, if something this big was missed.

The blonde brawler glanced at her partner's vacant bed, ignoring the pang in her chest. "Well, what if she isn't a part of the White Fang anymore?" Yang thought out loud, turning to face her team.

Ruby quickly nodded in agreement from her own bunk bed. "Yeah. She might've come to Beacon for a fresh start, or to escape the White Fang."

"So what, former terrorists should just be let off the hook?" Weiss incredulously shot back, baffled that once again, she was the only one who cared about that detail.

"That's not what I-" Yang stopped, taking a deep, weary breath.

The normally unrestrained blonde was no stranger to delicate events. Contrary to popular belief, she could be patient when the situation called for cool heads. Of course, Yang's limits on how calm she could be were being tested today…

After gathering her composure, she continued. "Look. You have good reasons to hate the White Fang, I get that. They've done some nasty things, but I'm sure Blake has her own reasons for joining them too."

"And? How could anyone possibly justify joining a terrorist organization?!"

"I really wish I could tell you, but I can't. But you know who can? Blake. Once we find her, I'm sure she'll be calm enough to explain." Yang assured, praying that Weiss would listen and calm down herself.

But the ice queen was stubborn, if nothing else. "Oh, she can explain herself alright: while she's in custody-"

"If we get others involved, she might freak out and disappear, and we'll never get an explanation." Yang interrupted, pointing out the issues with that idea. "You saw how she ran from us. How do you think she'll react if she finds out that Beacon and the police are searching for her too?" And the last thing Yang wanted was for Blake to leave them. To abandon them.

Even Weiss couldn't refute that logic.

The heiress was silent, before conceding with a huff. "She'll probably flee or hide, whichever is safer for her." To make things worse, getting authorities involved would certainly catch her father's attention, and that was something Weiss wanted to avoid at all costs.

"Exactly. Which is why the best thing we can do is look for Blake ourselves." Ruby affirmed, jumping off her bed as the team finally approached a consensus.

"Makes sense to me." A male voice called out.

In the midst of heated discussion, Sett had nearly been forgotten. But that was because he'd been unusually quiet during this whole ordeal, having spent the last hour leaning against the wall, staring out the window.

Raising a brow, the heiress aimed her skeptical gaze at the pit champ. "Is that so?"

"Yeah. It's only fair that we hear her out before making any kind of judgment call." Sett shrugged, as if it was that simple.

"And why do you say that?" Weiss begrudgingly admitted it made more sense to keep this incident between them for now, but she didn't understand why they should give Blake a chance, rather than just apprehend her on sight.

Sett's deadpan expression clearly said otherwise. "C'mon Weiss. We've all spent a lot of time together since coming here. Do you really think she's all that bad?" Unless she had top tier acting skills, Blake was alright in his book. At least, that's what Sett wanted to believe, having so far spent every day of the school year together.

"Besides, I don't know about you, but I'd like to think being friends means something." And like it or not, being a good friend went both ways.

Weiss wanted to believe the same, wanted to hope for the best, but she had to be realistic.

With a piercing stare, she continued to press the pit fighter. "And if it doesn't?" She carefully asked.

Sett remained quiet.

"If it doesn't," he muttered, punching a fist into a palm. "Then I know where we stand." He gruffly finished.

The room was silent. The thought of possibly having to go against their friend was dreadful, if not crushing.

But if it had to be done, then so be it.

Fortunately, the fact that everyone understood this seemed to be good enough for Weiss, as she finally gave in. "Fine. Fine! But if it ends up being as bad as I think it is…"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there." Ruby promised, as she zipped to the door. "Come on team. Let's get a move on."

After a few quick preparations, the four members of team RWBYS boarded the next airship to the city of Vale, having agreed that Blake was most likely still there.

And if she wasn't…things would get much more difficult.

Everyone had reached that conclusion, as they each mulled their somewhat desperate situation at hand. But unlike the debate in their room, the trip to the city was relatively silent: the only noise being the soft thrum of the aerial vehicle itself.

No one really felt like talking or making small talk. Tense didn't even begin to describe the atmosphere surrounding the Beacon students.

The silence was broken when they disembarked off of the vessel, having reached their destination. "Alright guys, Vale's a big city, so we've got a lot of places to look. Anyone have any ideas?" Ruby asked.

Yang glanced around the vast metropolis. "Maybe we could split up?" She suggested.

Weiss nodded in agreement. "If we split up into pairs, we can cover more ground." She pointed out. 'And be able to handle anything, should things take a turn for the worse.'

"That's a good idea. Any other suggestions?" The young leader was met with an assortment of negative affirmations. "Then that's what we'll do. Weiss, you and I will search the south side of the city, while Yang and Sett take the north. We'll meet up back here at the end of the day."

The pit brawler flashed a thumbs up. "Sounds like a plan."

"You got it, Rubes." Yang said, cracking a smile as she gave a two-fingered salute. Despite everything, seeing her little sister take charge still managed to fill her heart with pride.

Now armed with a plan, it was time for the four to begin the search. As they began to go separate ways, the heiress spun around. "And if anything happens, make sure to notify each other with our scrolls if possible." She called out.

"Oh yeah! That too." Ruby let out an embarrassed chuckle as Weiss merely rolled her eyes.

With a wave, the red reaper began to turn away. "Good luck-!"

Before colliding with a ginger haired girl.

Sett blinked. "Hey, isn't that Penn-"

Suddenly, Yang grabbed his wrist, yanking him in the other direction. Baffled, the pit brawler could only run with her, lest he be dragged through the streets. Soon enough, the boy found himself lost, and the two were now on their own.

When his wrist was finally freed from its vice grip, Sett shot an unamused look at his teammate. "So, you mind telling me what all that was about?" He asked, not bothering to mask the annoyance in his voice.

The fact that Yang refused to meet his gaze only made things worse. "Oh, uh, I just want to get started, that's all." Yang casually stated.

Sett frowned, continuing to scrutinize the girl. "Uh huh. This doesn't have anything to do with Penny by any chance, does it?"

That got a reaction, as Yang swiveled her head towards him. "What? No! Of course not…" She nearly sputtered, crossing her arms. "What gave you that idea?"

"Do you really want me to spell it out?"

"..."

The blonde sighed. "Ok, maybe it does." She grumbled, dropping the act. "Don't you think she's…I don't know, weird? No offense, but she doesn't seem right in the head, if you know what I mean." Seriously, who greeted people by saying 'sal-u-tations?' Not to mention, something about the way she acted her just didn't sit right with the blonde.

Recalling his very limited interactions with the girl, Sett scratched his head in thought. "She's a bit strange, yea." Sett agreed, shrugging his shoulders. "So what?"

"The thing is, she just, well…" Yang trailed off. Unable to find the right words to express herself, she threw her hands up in frustration. "Ugh-Whatever. Let's just go look for Blake." She said, moving towards the nearest store.

Confused, Sett scratched his head again before following the blonde into the shop, catching up as she opened the door.

"Hey, do you work here by any chance? We're looking for our friend…"

From sunrise to sundown, the members of team RWBYS remained persistent in their search for the missing faunus.

And from sunrise to sundown, not a single clue was found.

Not one of the dozens of stores they'd visited had seen a black haired girl wearing a bow on her head. An aggravating turn of events, even if it was expected.

And with the sun sinking over the horizon, each fruitless inquiry had begun to wear down the students, both physically and mentally. Especially for Yang.

The stress was beginning to show, as Yang nearly snapped at the last store employee they questioned, her typical laid-back demeanor obviously frayed.

With some convincing from Sett, the two agreed to take a quick breather, buying some food from a fast food joint they'd already visited.

Now occupying a small table in a plaza, the pit brawler was chowing down on his meal: quite the opposite of Yang, who had only taken a few bites as she stared at her food. Sett doubted she'd be finishing that anytime soon.

Setting down his burger, Sett rapped his knuckles on the table, snapping the blonde out of her funk. "It's been a long day Yang. How you holding up?" He asked.

Yang bristled. Did he really have to ask that? "What do you think? We've been here all day and we haven't found anything: no clues, no trace, nothing! It's like we're hunting a ghost." She all but shouted, a dejected sigh escaping her lips.

Running a hand through her hair, she looked apologetically at her fellow brawler. "Sorry, I'm just really worried about Blake. I hope she hasn't done anything…well, stupid."

"Like what, go back to the Fang?"

The girl nodded. "Something like that. Speaking of which, I'd like to get some answers about that too." Maybe not as badly as Weiss did, but she was still curious about her partner's past. "But mostly, I just don't want her to run off and get hurt." Yang muttered, concern for Blake's safety building up as her mind began to wander once more.

'I still can't believe she ran out on us without even a glance back. Did she really think we wouldn't worry?'

"Nah, she probably just panicked and stopped thinking straight, that's all."

Yang blinked. "Oops. Did I say that out loud?" Yang said, letting out an embarrassed chuckle.

Sett smirked in response. "If it makes ya feel any better, I think we really were Blake's friends. After we find her, maybe she'll realize we still can be."

"What about her past with the White Fang? Doesn't that bother you?" Yang asked. After all, it clearly bothered Weiss. When the boy shook his head, she raised her brow. "That's kind of surprising honestly. Not even a little?"

"Uh-uh."

"Huh. Most people would freak out if their friend was a member of the White Fang." She remarked, taking another bite of her pizza and chewing thoughtfully.

"Well, you might say I'm not most people." He winked, before giving the blonde a knowing look. "Besides, it's not like I can judge her. I'm not exactly a saint myself, with the work I used to do." Sett reminded her.

Yang put her pizza down. "Would something you've done include…killing people, by any chance?" She asked, expression unwavering. She felt like she knew, but she wanted to be sure.

Red eyes met her steely gaze, impassive and uncaring. "It's part of the job Yang. Sometimes it was kill or be killed. Everyone involved with the pits understood that." He shrugged. "It is what it is."

Purple eyes went wide. "Just like that huh?" Leaning into her chair, Yang frowned as she tilted her head.

Yang knew at some point, if she was going to be a huntress, she'd have to kill something that wasn't a Grimm. Bandits were common, very much so in the frontiers of each kingdom, and it was a huntress's job to fight against them, the Grimm, or anything else that put people in danger. That wasn't anything new to the blonde, who knew she'd face some grim situations down the line.

But she was still a teen. She wasn't ready to forgo all her innocence just yet. But even if the idea of taking life wasn't something she wanted to think about, she knew it was something she had to come to terms with sooner rather than later. That didn't make the thought of ending a living, sentient being like herself any less nauseating though.

She'd been thinking about it a lot recently. Partially because of the fact that Sett (and probably Blake too) had experienced that kind of death already.

Returning her attention to the present, she refocused her gaze on her teammate. "Somehow, I'm not surprised that you're so indifferent about people dying. I'd be lying if I said that wasn't a little scary though." The more she thought about it, the more frightening it was actually…

Oblivious, the pit champ nodded. "Makes sense. To be fair, I'd probably feel the same way, if my childhood wasn't so messed up." After all, violence was his business for good reason. "Regardless, I've more or less come to terms with my history. My guess is Blake's still getting over her guilt with whatever she's done."

"And what if she isn't?" Yang's posture drooped, as she stared despairingly at her half-eaten dinner. "What if Weiss is right, and it really was all one big, fat lie?"

For a moment, Sett was quiet, before pursing his lips. "Then we've gotta accept that she might've taken advantage of us, or worse." His expression darkened at that. "And personally, I don't take that kinda stuff well."

And with nothing more to say, he picked up his food and continued eating. Yang proceeded to do the same.

The two continued to chew in relative quiet when Yang rummaged her pockets for her scroll. She was in the middle of checking it for messages when Sett spoke again.

"Anyways, you wanna explain what you don't like about Penny?" He asked, polishing off his burger before moving onto his fries.

Yang stopped mid chew, bemused. "You're still on that?" She asked.

The pit champ gave her a funny look. "Well, yea. You sounded pretty bothered by it, so I figured she must've done something awful or something."

"It's really not a big deal." She assured him, as the boy continued to munch away. "She just makes me feel uncomfortable, that's all."

"Ha-HACK!"

Sett choked on his food at that, eyes wide and full of shock.

He pounded a fist to his chest. "Wow. You're telling me she managed to push your buttons?" He coughed, clearing his throat. "That's a first. I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be the other way around y'know."

The blonde rolled her eyes. "Oh, Ha ha, very funny." She flatly remarked.

"I do try to be, thank you!" Sett cheekily smiled, before interest filled his expression. "Anyways, I wanna know what the hell she did to freak someone like you out."

Yang shrugged. "She didn't really do anything. It's just the way she talks and acts isn't really normal. It's like she's an NPC from a video game or something." She paused, before grimacing as she processed her own words. "I swear that sounded a lot better in my head."

To her slight chagrin, Sett merely chuckled. "I'm sure it did, Yangy." Before she could fire back, the pit champ waved his hand in a complacent gesture. "Just give it some time. She might grow on you before you know it."

To his surprise, that only seemed to annoy Yang, who scowled in response.

But just as quickly as her temper flared, she deflated, sinking into her chair. "I just don't get why you're so confident about… well, all of this."

Well, he and Lee had a rocky start in their friendship, but they turned out great. Who's to say Penny and the gang can't do the same? As for the situation with Blake…

The pit champ crossed his arms, smirking. "I just am." Yang just stared at him before shaking her head with a smile.

"You're amazing."

"I know."

"...And full of yourself."

"And you love it!"

The blonde laughed, watching with a mixture of amusement and disgust as the boy continued to wolf down his food.

The boy that was more than just the stranger he once was.

She leaned back into her seat.

What was Sett to her? He was her friend first and foremost, a guy who enjoyed messing around as much as she did. Sett was someone who understood her past in a way no one else fully could. Sure they flirted from time to time, but that was for fun (and to annoy their teammates) more than anything else. It hadn't been anything serious.

He was hot, charming, and very strong, but she could say that about a lot of people she knew and old flings from her past. He was a simple guy that preferred to take life on headfirst, much like herself. The boy was prone to violence and had a temper that rivaled her own, not to mention confidence that bordered on arrogance. But he was also fiercely loyal to his mom and to his friends, the contrast of which she found oddly endearing.

There wasn't any confusion about whether or not she he liked him: she did, at least in a physical sense. But getting to know him better made her realize...

...maybe she should take their friendship a step further.

An ear-throbbing belch erupted from across the table, ripping Yang back into reality. Shaking her head, she checked her scroll again. "Ok, it's about time we start looking again. You ready?" She asked, rested and in a considerably better mood. As soon as Sett gave a thumbs up, the two got out of their seats and threw away their trash. "We should probably go-"

Boom

The two froze, before both of their scrolls buzzed. Sharing a look, they both pulled out their respective devices. "What are the chances that's Blake?" Sett asked, as he began reading the message from Ruby.

"It is." Yang said, having skimmed the message already. Without hesitation, the two broke out into a run. "So, you got a plan, handsome?" She asked, as they made their way to the source of the explosion.

Dodging civilians here and there, Sett hummed thoughtfully. "Well, I figure we could knock some sense into Blake once we reach her."

Yang grinned, amused by his one-track mind. "How about we knock some sense into whoever's giving her trouble."

"We could do both!" The pit champ said, beaming all the while.

And so, the two brawlers rushed off, racing into the night.

Whaddya know, TGF isn't abandoned! Jokes aside, it's good to get another chapter out. Hope it meets y'all expectations!

As always, thanks for tuning in, and I'll see y'all soon-ish (I hope)