RWBY S

by J.S. Everest

After a night of complete despair, Ruby Rose was given the opportunity to enter Beacon Academy so that she could turn her life around. But her decision to accept had slowly put her into something much bigger than anything she could have ever imagined. Now she and her ragtag allies are pursued by spies, the kingdoms, the world's secrets, and her own painful past.

10. Graduation

Ruby's dark red heels stepped on gold carpet as she entered the ballroom, and she immediately noticed the blue uplighting that matched the room's gold motif, together with the crystal chandelier centered on the ceiling. Banners with Beacon's logo were on every column, and a poster with a golden background congratulated their batch, placed at the farthest wall from the main door, right in the middle of the uplighting. Not bad at all. The place all in all had a nice setup, very fitting for the occasion.

She was inside the same building that housed the auditorium she went to during the first day of class – the ballroom was only a few floors below the top – and she could tell that almost all of her fellow graduates were already here. Some were sitting at their tables, some were dancing with their dates under the slow beat being played, while others stood or roamed around. But pretty much every person had a conversation going with someone else, and a general upbeat mood was in the air; almost everyone in the Hunter trials passed, and there were no casualties.

Now where are you, Weiss?

Ruby wore a dark red midi dress with long sleeves and black pumps, the one she thought best suited her in the catalogue Weiss showed her, pairing it with black stockings. It arrived late, thirty minutes after the ball started – Ruby was the last among her roommates to leave – which was ironic in a sense, because she couldn't determine earlier if she would even be here. She recovered just enough to be discharged today, so much so that Weiss told her to rest for the night, and that she would write off the dress, doing the same for Blake and Yang too; Ruby recalled giving way to Weiss's insistence.

You don't have to go this far, you know? It's not like we can't pay for this…

No, I insist. I'm not taking no for an answer, and you can't change my mind. Look, Blake and Yang already agreed to it, so don't drag this out any further than it already has. You're going to wear yourself out at this rate.

…alright. But please no more freebies, Weiss…

It's ok, this isn't anything to be stressed about. Besides, it's the least I can do for your dress not coming in on time. But maybe there's a reason for that… Maybe this is a sign that you really should rest for the night. You of all people deserve it anyways.

…

It's fine, Ruby. We can talk about things tomorrow. Right now, you need to lie down and rest.

Ruby sighed. She wasn't being ungrateful, but she would prefer that no one got any preferential treatment moving forward, given what was just announced during their graduation ceremony. Starting today, 15 October Year 2040, she was to become the leader of her own team, with Weiss, Blake, and Yang becoming her actual teammates, and while they were her friends, she would want to treat them equally, like a leader should.

They did the same thing with Jaune and his roommates, grouping them together and making Jaune the leader; it seemed that Beacon was so impressed with their battle against the Class Two Grimm that they decided to just put them together as is. But having roommates be put together as an actual team was unheard of as far as she knew; Ruby couldn't help but space out from hearing the news. Why was she made as the leader anyways? People often said she was good at the supporting role, and the award she received only solidified that, but a leadership post was much different. She thought of refusing, but the looks on her friends ultimately made her accept. If only she could assure them that she would never let them down, though. It was clear that they trusted her, and she would do anything to uphold that trust, but that night in Patch wasn't exactly her finest hour…

Wincing, Ruby suppressed the memories. Hopefully Jaune didn't share the same doubts she had. For now, she needed to find Weiss; she already texted her friends that she would make it, and they should be around here somewhere. Ruby was here mainly to follow up on Weiss's promise – she didn't feel like resting at all, so why wait for tomorrow what could be done tonight – but there was also something else she had been thinking about these past few days, and becoming the leader of the team only made it more complicated. With her promise of graduating fulfilled, she wondered if it was right to tell her story, given that Weiss promised to tell her own, but–

Walking and looking around the ballroom, Ruby failed to notice a guy standing in her way. Well, she should have known better than not to look where she was going; she accidentally bumped into him.

"…I'm sorry," Ruby said, bowing slightly. "I wasn't–"

"Hey there, Ruby. Glad to see you're here."

Wait, that voice sounded familiar. Ruby looked up, and met a guy with magenta eyes, wearing a green suit and white shoes.

"…Ren?"

"Oof, that took you long enough. Forgot about me already?"

"No, I didn't mean it that way. Of course I know you." Ruby knew that Ren was part of Jaune's group, and the four of them stopped by to see her in the hospital, a day after her own roommates visited. Coincidentally, she was cleared to be discharged a few hours after they left. "Thanks for visiting me… It's good that you guys are doing well."

"You're looking a lot better yourself. Nice to see that you got out of the hospital quick. You deserve it after how you led us to victory, and we can't thank you enough."

"Thank you too, Ren." They thanked her many times during their visit, actually; Ruby nodded in appreciation. "By the way, have you seen Weiss?"

Ren shook his head.

"Ah, that's alright. I was just wondering if you saw her. But maybe your team did? I haven't seen them either."

"…team? Oh, you mean my roommates." Ren looked like he still had to get used to the fact that they were put together into one team as well, but in contrast to her, he seemed to show no worries. "Yeah, I'm sure they're out here somewhere. Then again, it's been a while since I last saw Jaune… Heh, you know what? Damn, I actually think they're up to something, now that you mentioned it."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Ren winked. "You never noticed how Jaune and Pyrrha acted, did you? See, here's the thing…" He leaned closer to Ruby, and whispered to her. "Those two are slow to move, but they really–"

"C'mon, Ren, enough about that."

Ruby was surprised to see Nora was with them now – how she got past her sight, she had no idea – and the girl pinched Ren's arm with her left hand. "Let those two sort things out by themselves, ok? The last thing they need is gossip floating around."

"It isn't gossip if it's true, you know. And those two really should be more honest–" But Nora only tightened her pinch, cutting Ren off and making him change the subject. "Ow! Fine, fine! Ruby's here, by the way. She managed to make it."

"I know, I'm not blind." Rolling her eyes, Nora smiled as she greeted Ruby; she wore a pink peplum dress and gray heels. "Hi, Ruby! Good to see you doing well."

"Nice to meet you too, Nora. Thanks for the visit."

"It was the least we could do for you, Ruby. Please forgive Ren though, he can be dense at times."

"Look who's talking," Ren grumbled.

Nora rolled her eyes. "See what I mean? He's a hopeless case."

"…I'm sure he means well," Connecting the dots, Ruby had a small idea of what was really going on. She wished Jaune the best of luck, and she smiled back at Nora and Ren. "All he told me was that Jaune and Pyrrha are busy right now, so I'll just leave it at that."

"Thanks. I'm just picking up this guy, and we need to go. Sorry, if you'll excuse us…" With a slight bow, Nora seemed to tighten her grip on Ren's shoulder. "Let's go, Ren. Remember what you promised the last time we dueled before the Hunter trials."

"Yeah, yeah…" Ren said. "I promised a waltz, I remember."

"Wait… What?" Nora's face suddenly became beet red, so much so that she dropped her hold on Ren. "Where… Where did you even get that?"

"I lost a match, so that's what you told me. Basically a dance with me under the moonlight… Isn't that what you want?"

"Wait… No!" Nora was clearly flustered, and she spared a look at Ruby. "Hey, this isn't what you think… That's not what we talked about at all!"

Ruby raised an eyebrow; this wasn't what she expected out of these two; they were quite different now from how she thought they were at Jade Forest, so she tried not to chuckle at their silliness. "Well, what is it then?"

"Nah, I made it up," Ren said flatly, then he chuckled at seeing Nora's face. "Sorry, it was just nice to see you so red, that's all." Ren chuckled again. "Heh, you fell for something as simple as that? Who's the hopeless case now?"

"Ugh!" Pouting, Nora held Ren by the arm this time. "Let's just go!"

"Weiss should be around here somewhere," Ren added, right before being dragged away by Nora. "We'll see you around, Ruby…"

Ruby watched them leave, and she chuckled softly once they were out of earshot. They're what you have for roommates, Jaune? The thing was, she also had a small idea of what happened right there, and she supposed she would also just leave it at that.

Anyways, she needed to get going, and so she did, continuing her search for Weiss.

"Hey, it's Ruby Rose!"

Someone shouted her name, and a holler of cheers erupted from the ballroom as the rest of the graduates realized her presence. Ruby simply nodded and waved. If she had any doubts that her story of leading students to win versus two Class Two Grimm wasn't widespread, then this just about squashed them, and so she spent time acknowledging everyone who walked up to her. They mentioned many things, such as how they couldn't have been so brave as her if they were in the same spot, how she exemplified the true Hunter spirit, that she truly deserved her leadership post, among others. Ruby took it all humbly. She wasn't sure what kind of rumors about her were circulating – already she noticed details that were far from the truth – but their enthusiasm for her was genuine enough. Everyone had to observe decorum during the graduation ceremony, but now they could express what they really felt here in the ballroom, and a long time passed before everything finally settled down.

"Ruby, over here!"

Ruby turned, hearing Yang's voice, and found her together with Weiss and Blake, the three of them standing near a window; she made her way towards them.

"You look great," Yang continued. "Nice dress, no wonder it's late. I guess they took the idea of saving the best for last… Quite literally."

"Don't worry, you'll catch more eyes." It was true; Yang wore beige shoes and a mustard mini dress with a plunging neckline that emphasized her assets. She looked wonderful even with her newly bandaged right arm, and Ruby got so used with Yang's fashion sense – a month ago she would have been too embarrassed to look – that she appreciated the blonde's dress for what it was.

"And that's how Yang likes it," Blake added, who wore a black strapless dress and black heels. "It suits her… Outfits always look best when they reflect the wearer." That was notable to hear, not because Ruby didn't agree with her, but rather because Blake was showing a lot more skin now for someone so reserved, and yet her clothes fit her so well nonetheless. "You look good in yours, too."

"Looks like you really are doing better, Ruby." That was Weiss, sporting a white blazer dress and white shoes. Her outfit was the most similar to her normal wear out of the four of them, but somehow hers was also the most stunning to look at. "I guess the dress came just in time for a reason after all. I'm glad the we all made it here. We should celebrate–"

A musical beep suddenly popped up, prompting Blake to grab her phone from her black clutch bag. She quickly browsed its contents. "…it seems I'll have to catch up. I need to take care of something. I'll see you guys later."

"Blake… Wait a minute."

Blake slowly turned back. "Yes, Yang?"

"Remember what I asked you last time a few days ago, when you found me at the training rooms? I didn't think you'd be busy tonight, but I was just wondering, after you take care of that…"

"I know I promised you that I'll help you with what I can," Blake replied rather abruptly. "But maybe we can do this some other day?"

Ruby raised an eyebrow. What was this about? She didn't say anything about it though, and neither did Weiss.

"It's ok, I understand. They closed the training rooms for tonight, so I have nothing else better to do. These events are too stuffy for my tastes anyways." Yang then crossed her arms. "But you're right. We're teammates now, so there's always another day–"

"I see this means a lot to you." Blake now had a look of deep thought, no longer curt in her movements. She then appeared to send a message on her phone, after which she put her device back into her clutch bag. "I figured something like this would happen tonight." She took a step forward, then motioned Yang to follow suit. "Let's go."

Yang nodded, and that got Ruby thinking. Were they planning to spar somewhere in the academy grounds? It looked like that was exactly what Yang had in mind. Wasting no time, the blonde waved a small goodbye to Ruby and Weiss, then followed Blake out of the ballroom; the two were soon out of sight.

"What was that about?" Ruby asked.

"I'm not surprised," Weiss said, as if she had expected it all along. "After what Blake did to control Yang's dragon, can you really blame her?"

Ruby recalled what happened. It technically wasn't unheard of for aura Semblances to do something similar to what Blake did, but it was rare, and not a maneuver one should be able to do on the fly. Then again, what did she know about Semblances? People like her weren't supposed to teleport either. "…I guess not."

"Yang's just keeping her promise to get stronger, that's how I see it. I would do the same if I was in her shoes." Weiss then looked at the window, observing the outside. "And speaking of promises…"

"This place is too stuffy for you too?"

"Sort of."

"…you still want to go ahead with your promise, huh?" Not that Ruby doubted Weiss, but her determination only highlighted Ruby's own uncertainty. It didn't feel right at all to just hear Weiss's story without giving back, and yet…

"Well, since those two left already… And who knows when they would come back… then we might as well go ahead and stay at a more private spot." Weiss smiled softly. "…thanks for being here, Ruby. I wouldn't have minded telling you my story tomorrow, but the fact that we're all here tonight is something we should appreciate, after everything that's happened."

"You're right." Ruby smiled too, but only briefly. Yes, it was great that they were all here doing well, and that was always worth appreciating, simply because it wasn't something that everyone was guaranteed to get. Then she remembered Patch. "Not everyone has a happy ending though," she whispered to herself.

"Hmm? Something on your mind?"

"No… Not really."

"Well, it can't be more than what I have to say, right?"

"…right," Ruby said simply, keeping her face calm. Memories of her past had been gnawing at her like this for two months now. Should she still keep it hidden? Normally she would without question, but here she was, about to listen to Weiss's own past, and unable to ignore the irony of it. And now that the burden of trying to graduate was no longer on her shoulders, she felt even more conflicted, despite knowing why she kept her past to herself to begin with.

"Want to get out of here?"

"…yeah. Let's go, Weiss." Yes, getting out of here was a good first step. There would be more time to think once they were in a more secluded place. She hoped she would make the right decision then. "You have a good place in mind where we can hang out?"

"I know just the spot."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jaune waited patiently as he leaned against a column, his arms crossed while looking at a starry night sky unobscured by clouds. They were no doubt a pretty sight. But they paled in comparison to the full moon, and he couldn't help but be drawn to it, not that he put up any resistance. Many people had a deep fascination about the moon and its broken state, and he was no exception. No one truly knew how the moon shattered to begin with, or whether it was once a single piece to begin with, but people wondered about it all the same; the moon held so much cultural significance that seeing it in its full broken phase was seen as an omen of sorts. One that was neither good nor bad, only that something important was going to happen.

You go ahead at the graduation ball, Jaune. Wait for me at the colonnade, the one enclosing the open court near the ballroom, at the westernmost part of it. I'll meet you there, I promise.

It was the first time Pyrrha talked to him since the Hunter trials. He knew she didn't bear any hard feelings, but she reverted back to not talking to him again, with her not staying in their dorm room anymore despite no longer having classes, so much so that even Nora and Ren noticed. Pyrrha kept quiet even when the four of them visited Ruby at the hospital a few days ago. Regardless, he decided to give Pyrrha space, and he was glad that she decided to end her silence today, reminding him that she had every intention of keeping her promise.

I'll tell you all about me, about what I really feel for you, and about us.

There was a reason why Jaune was bracing himself so much for this night. The team formation announcement during their graduation complicated things for him; could Ruby also be feeling the same? He resisted to pace around, even as thoughts of what Pyrrha planned to say to him tonight filled his mind, and he felt uneasy in his skin despite the comfort of his white suit. But what could she say to him that would break his heart any more than she already had? And after seeing Pyrrha come out ok after their battle against the Class Two Grimm, could he really ask for anything more? Well, other than closure, of course. Because from now on, he and his roommates were to become one team under his leadership, and it was for the best that he and Pyrrha sorted this out, for both their sakes.

"Hi, Jaune."

Jaune turned, standing up straight, and tried to return the greeting, but no words came out. He soon dropped any effort to say anything. He didn't think he could have, right at that moment.

Pyrrha walked towards him, wearing a bronze slip dress with burgundy shoes, and the sight of her sent tingles to Jaune's skin, like faint chills. She was even more beautiful than what he imagined. Her emerald eyes caught him instantly as always, while her long red hair was beautifully let loose, unfettered by a ponytail. And the perfume Pyrrha wore was like from a garden of flowers, as if he needed more things to be smitten with. Jaune knew he was captivated by Pyrrha ever since he laid eyes on her for the first time, but this just was something else.

"I hope I didn't keep you waiting," Pyrrha said. "What do you think of this spot? We should be the only ones here, far from everyone else."

"It's nice," Jaune replied, trying his best to keep calm. They were so far away from the graduation festivities that the noise from the ballroom was all but a faint sound, and he had been waiting here for some time without meeting another soul. It really was just the two of them here, and they had all the time the night had to offer. "How are you?"

"I'm good. And I hope you're doing fine too, Jaune. Even Ruby's doing ok herself."

"Yeah, she is." Ruby was present during the graduation event itself, having promised that she would attend if her condition allowed it. She should be somewhere in the ballroom right now; she was kind enough to let them know she had been discharged. Which was good, as she looked well on the road to recovery when they visited her. They also owed a lot to her for making a plan to destroy the Class Two Grimm, and he made sure that she knew that. "Did you see Ruby's reaction when they made the announcement? She couldn't believe it at all."

"I don't think we have to worry about Ruby. Weiss and the others have her back."

"Ah…" It was good to hear that Ruby had the support of her roommates. What about him, though? He knew Pyrrha was professional enough to work with him no matter the outcome of this night, but… Keep it together, Jaune. You're the leader now. End this so that the two of you can move on.

Pyrrha looked at the steps nearby. "Want to go sit down there?"

Jaune nodded, and made sure that he kept the lead as the two of them went to the nearby concrete steps. Not something one would think of sitting on when they were both dressed so nicely, but it was the last thing on his mind right now. He let Pyrrha sit down first, then he sat to her left. "…how are you?" Jaune asked, breaking the brief pause that followed.

"I'm good."

"That's nice to hear." Jaune then realized he already said that, though Pyrrha didn't seem to mind.

"You already asked, by the way."

Well, so much for that. But Pyrrha showed him another small smile, with a soft giggle to match, which eased Jaune's embarrassment. He smiled in return, appreciating her gesture. It made it easier for him to think of something more natural to say. "…you know, it's been a while since we last talked like this."

"It's been a while, yes."

"You look like you have a lot on your plate."

"…yeah, you're right." So saying, Pyrrha gazed at the night sky. "I really do."

The two went silent again. But then he noticed Pyrrha slowly put her right hand closer to him, so he held her hand with his left.

"Still thinking of graduation?" he asked.

"You could say that."

"Yeah, it got me wondering too." Jaune had no idea what Pyrrha was thinking of, and he mentioned their graduation just so that he could break the ice, but it appeared that his attempt actually worked. Pyrrha was looking at him now, and she firmly held his hand. "It's not every day when you're one of two teams to be composed entirely of roommates."

"Headmasters have final say on these things," Pyrrha said. "It's clear that Ozpin was more than impressed with our teamwork. I guess he thought it best to keep us together, Ruby's group included."

"I never thought he'd do something like that, to be honest."

"He's only human though, just like everyone else." Then, as if she caught herself saying something wrong, Pyrrha quickly backtracked. "But you fit the post, Jaune. It helps when the leader is in the front lines, calling the shots for the team in real time, while also having skills that can assist with that. I can see why Ozpin put both you and Ruby in the role. You'll both do well, I'm sure of it."

"Thank you," Jaune said, appreciating Pyrrha's high opinion of him, even though he didn't think he warranted such praise. But he didn't want to argue or disappoint her, so he left it at that.

"I wasn't doubting Ozpin's decision or your skills by the way, and I'm sorry if it sounded like that. I'm sure you'll be a great Hunter. I was only…"

"…only what?"

Pyrrha said nothing, as a cool breeze passed by them instead. She took a deep breath.

"…Pyrrha?"

"I appreciate you always being there for me, even when I'm not the same to you. I'm glad I met you, Jaune. You're kind, funny, and good to hang out with… I can't thank you enough." A sad look formed on Pyrrha's face, and her eyes glistened. "…you're a great guy, you know that? Even when I left you hanging, you never took it against me. I'm sorry."

So, here it was. This time it was Jaune who took a deep breath. Time to end it. You can do this. "…it's ok, Pyrrha. Just be honest with me this time. No more hiding… It's all I ask."

"Jaune, I…"

Keep it together and show a brave face. Just say you made a mistake, that you were a fool waking up from a dream about love, and keep her at arm's length moving forward… It was never meant to be. Easier said than done, of course. Keeping a calm look was hard enough already. "…was any of it real?" he managed to blurt out. It didn't sound right, but it certainly felt right, so Jaune continued. "Your laugh, your soft smile, your kiss?"

"They're all real, just as you're you, as real as you can be." Pyrrha's grip on his hand tightened. "You're what made you so fun to be with. But unlike you, I'm not who you think I am. Do you know what I mean, Jaune?"

Jaune tried desperately to do what was necessary, but he still couldn't bring himself to say anything close to what he had in mind, and all he could do was hold Pyrrha's hand tighter. "…I guess I don't," he finally managed to say. "…so tell me who you are."

"Just tell you, is that it? Just like that? I…" Pyrrha's voice trailed off. "Well, what do you think of me, Jaune?"

"You're…" The succeeding words died in Jaune's lips. …I can't do it. He realized he could never end it, even after becoming leader, even after everything. He was hopelessly in love, simple as that; maybe Pyrrha would end it for him, but she had yet to say anything remotely close.

Silence. And then…

"…let me show you."

Finally breaking the silence, Pyrrha let go of Jaune's hand, and took out her phone from a clutch bag she carried. She showed him a picture in her photo galleries, but she didn't talk about it just yet. Still sitting close to him, she closed her eyes briefly, mumbling words that he couldn't understand, before she continued. "…this is me when I was seven, and this is my mom."

Jaune nodded. "You two look very much alike."

"I never got to know my father. He ran away when he found out that my mom was pregnant with me."

"…I'm sorry to hear that."

"No, it's ok. My mom often said she was just a fling to him anyways, so I'm not surprised to find out that he left us. But he didn't leave behind any financial support either, which I guess hurt us more. We were poor, and with no other relatives to ask help from, she had to raise me by herself." Pyrrha showed Jaune more pictures. "Still, we managed to scrape by, and I did my best not to ask for stuff. But my mom still found ways to give me presents like my cards, and she knew I had the Semblance gift… She somehow gathered enough funds for me to train when my power manifested, and that's how I got into Laran."

"I see."

"But my mom had always been sickly, and she never found the time to check on her health. One day, she fell to the floor and couldn't get up, and when we went to the hospital, we found out that she had a wasting disease. And that made me realize how hard it is to juggle jobs in between classes." Pyrrha forced a chuckle. "I knew it was a losing battle, but I still had to try. I did everything I could to save my mom… At least make it so she would see me graduate… Well, she's not here anymore, but my mom never stopped being proud of me…" A few tears fell down her cheeks. "She often asked how I was doing, and gave me advice as much as she could. She never complained about her pain, and she never asked how I got the money…"

"She only had you in mind, Pyrrha." Hearing her story broke Jaune's heart. "…I'm sorry. You did your best to take care of her, and I'm sure she knew how hard you worked to make ends meet."

"You really think so, huh?"

Then Pyrrha showed him another image, and Jaune's eyes widened. It was… He thought it was all about her mom passing away. Never in his wildest dreams did he think that what she showed him was actually the case. There was no doubt that it was her in the picture, except…

"Yeah, that's me alright. The girl you fell in love with. Well, what can you say about that?"

Pyrrha showed him more. Everything made perfect sense now, as to how he found her so irresistible, how she seemed to know from the get go, and why she kept her distance.

"What about now, Jaune?"

Jaune said nothing. As awful as it was, nothing she showed him came close to changing his view of her… But how best to say that? His mind scrambled to say something about it, something that Pyrrha wouldn't lash out on, realizing the pain in her voice.

"…you're probably wondering why I even saved these. But why shouldn't I? It's a reminder… A reminder of how bad I am." Pyrrha cried harder. "…remember those guys I was with, when we first met? Why do you think they were talking to me? And those awards you saw in our room… How do you think I really got them? Because I didn't win them fairly at all, let's put it that way…"

"Those guys aren't bothering you anymore, right?" That was the first thing that popped in Jaune's mind, purely out of instinct. "I'll beat them to the ground if they still talk to you."

"I'm fine, Jaune. It's as if nothing ever happened. I… I haven't been asked by anyone since."

"…alright." Jaune had no follow up to that; words kept failing him tonight. A part of him wished he drove those guys deeper into the dirt for what they had in mind, as well as those she had to deal with in Atlas, but there was no point dwelling on it. There was only one thing he could do. He carefully reached out to hug her, and while Pyrrha froze at first, she eventually warmed up to it, and buried her face in his chest.

"…I couldn't escape what I created," Pyrrha sobbed. "My mom died already, so I tried my best to lay low, but no matter how I tried to keep myself scarce, somehow others still found out."

Jaune sighed as he caressed the back of her head, and gently set aside her phone. There was no need to see any more of those pictures.

Pyrrha continued to cry, and Jaune embraced her tighter in his arms. He didn't know how long they were there near the colonnade, but he didn't care, and he could only hope that his embrace provided some comfort. If Pyrrha didn't like it, she was free to pull away, and he braced himself for that, but Pyrrha never did, staying with him instead; her cries soon softened.

"I had to find a way to get out. I couldn't stand being in Soteria anymore, and I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to escape if I just went to Laran. So I sought help from other academies outside Atlas, and that's the first time I talked to Ozpin. He took pity on me, and gave me the chance to start over here in Beacon…" Pyrrha sighed, her voice still shaky. "Of course I accepted. There was nothing left for me in Atlas anyways. And other than those guys you met, it felt like I was able to start a new life when I got here in Vale, and I've been indebted to Ozpin ever since."

"Pyrrha…"

"But now that you know, can you still look at me the same way?" She seemed to have something else to say, but she cut herself off, slowly reaching to kiss him instead, and Jaune returned it, caressing her cheek.

Pyrrha's kisses then became more unrestrained, her body pressing on him, and Jaune soon found himself down on the floor somehow, with her on top.

"What do you want to do now?" Pyrrha whispered, trying her best to control her sniffles. "…we're all alone here, with nothing better to do."

"…what are you?" But the girl kept him quiet with another deep kiss, and Jaune found himself unwilling to resist.

She then kissed him on his neck, and Jaune had enough. His heart racing wildly, he stood up, holding her close in his arms, and stopped her in her tracks; she was surprised at how fast he did it.

"…I thought you still liked me? …you don't want this?"

"I do…" To say that he wanted what she just did was an understatement. If circumstances were different – if she wasn't crying like this – then Jaune knew he would have given in instantly. But…

"You know that movie you watched with me? Remember how it ended?" Pyrrha's voice trembled. "I was trying to tell you the truth. So when you say that you still like me, even after everything…" Pyrrha's tears fell once more. "There are so many other girls out there that are so much better, so why can't you just leave me alone… Why won't you stop? Even though I've tried to reject you, you're still by my side…"

"Because I fell in love with you, Pyrrha. I don't take anything you did in the past against you at all. Because geez, how can I?" Looking at Pyrrha's pretty face, now marred with puffy red eyes and cheeks streaked with tears… Jaune finally reached his breaking point, and his emotions spilled over. "I've kept my distance, but even though you've rejected me, I just can't stop loving you…" Jaune fought to regain control of himself. He was sure his eyes looked strong at least. Crying was out of the question. He was a man, and he had to show strength as a leader. "But I know when I'm beat. It's not like I haven't been rejected before." Suddenly, he found the strength to say what he couldn't bear. "But you don't have to do this anymore. You don't have to push me away like this, because I'll be the one to walk away. All I ask is a normal work relationship moving forward. I'll manage how I feel next time… I shouldn't be dreaming so much, that's all…"

Pyrrha kept quiet; wiping away her tears, her crying gradually ebbed. Then her green eyes met his blue ones, and she slowly shook her head. "But it's not fine, Jaune. Because I myself can't…"

"You can't… What?"

"…"

"…what is it?"

There was another quiet moment, this time lasting what seemed to be the whole night. And then, finally, "…because I'm scared."

"…scared of what?"

"Because I also fell in love with you, Jaune."

Jaune was stunned; he was sure that his heart skipped a few beats. "I…" He had to close his eyes to even process what Pyrrha just said, wondering if he misheard. But when he opened his eyes again, he saw Pyrrha's soft smile… That was when he knew she was sincere, that she told the truth, that this was real. She wouldn't have smiled at him like that otherwise.

"And I know I don't deserve you, even though I want to be with you so much. I'm sorry for hurting you… Despite how I felt, I still held myself back and pushed you away, even though I didn't want to. Before I knew it, I was the one changing for the worst. But you stayed the same, and you never changed at all, just like you promised." Pyrrha gulped, then cleared her throat. "Remember when you told me that the right person would come at the right time? That's when I felt it… That's when I knew it was real, and it wouldn't go away, no matter what I did."

I realized it the moment I met you. Jaune took a deep breath. And it looks like you did too. For all his mulling, it never once crossed his mind that she felt the same way from the start, and a huge weight was lifted from his heart.

"…so what now?" Pyrrha whispered. "I don't want to push you away…" She once again buried her head on his chest, and both went quiet.

A soft breeze blew past them.

"Then we stay together."

Pyrrha gasped, and immediately looked at Jaune.

"Because we have everything to gain, and what else do we have to lose?"

"Jaune…" Pyrrha whispered. "I want to be with you so much…"

"Then be with me." Jaune fully expected to lose everything tonight – and why he was speechless for so long – but now that she confessed, following up on it just felt very natural to him. It was a far cry from his earlier apprehension. He knew exactly what to say next, and he would be damned if let this slip. "There's a reason why we both feel this way."

"…even after what I told you?"

"It doesn't matter to me," Jaune said. "Because I love you too much for that."

"…and I love you too." Pyrrha sniffled and rubbed her eyes. Smiling softly, it was clear that she did her best not to cry anymore. "…thank you for accepting me, and I'm sorry for giving you a hard time." She slowly shook her head, as if she couldn't believe the sudden turn of events. "I was so afraid too… I'm so stupid. I'm sorry for crying so much."

"It's ok, Pyrrha. There's nothing to forgive."

"…and I was ready for you to leave me, you know."

"Me too."

"So we think alike, huh?" Pyrrha's smile widened. Already Jaune could feel her demeanor lighten, and that was a good sign. "I've never had a real relationship though… Will you forgive me once I mess something up?"

"If you'll do the same to me, then sure." Jaune smiled back. "Because I have a feeling I'll be messing things up a lot more than you will."

"C'mon, really now?" Pyrrha giggled, and Jaune chuckled as well. Just like that, it was as if they met for the first time, without any worries or baggage to think about, and that brought him a huge relief. "I highly doubt that."

"But I don't doubt us."

"…I used to, but not anymore." Sighing, Pyrrha had a loving look on her face. "Thank you again, Jaune. I love you so much, I really do."

"I love you too, Pyrrha."

Pyrrha then kissed him, and Jaune knew right then and there that this was different, genuine; he kissed her back, running his fingers through her hair as he felt her hands cling to him, still holding each other close. He was just starting to wonder how he would proceed with their relationship too; he would have to do that some other time, as thinking quickly took a back seat to what was happening. Right now, what mattered was that Pyrrha was happy, so he was happy as well, and as long as they stayed together, then they would make this work.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ruby followed Weiss into one of Beacon's beautiful gardens, located near the dorm buildings, a favorite place of students who preferred to study outside. The lights and sounds of the ballroom were faint from here, and more often than not they were drowned out by the chirping crickets. With no one else around, this was all well and good for the both of them. Weiss was fulfilling her promise to tell everything to her, to privately confide her pains that made her unload her anger at her the first time they met, and Ruby was in a quiet place where she could think about whether or not she should do the same thing: relive the memories she suppressed for so long, and disclose her past.

"We're finally here," Weiss said as she sat on a wooden bench, and Ruby followed suit, sitting beside Weiss on her right side. "Nice night, huh?"

"The graduation ball's alright." At least it looked good, presentation wise. Both of them haven't eaten the buffet there, much less watched the program, but Ruby was in no mood for any of that, and she knew Weiss wasn't either. "Not sure if I would have fully enjoyed it, though. I'm not much of a fancy pants dancing girl… I have no dancing skills whatsoever."

"Hmm? Not even a slow dance? I didn't know that." Weiss chuckled a bit. "I saw you talk to the students who congratulated you. They stayed around you for longer than I thought. I guess they were that impressed, huh? But given how beautiful you look, I actually thought one of the guys there fell for you and offered a dance, and maybe even asked you on a date."

Ruby knew that Weiss intended that to praise her, but it actually hurt her a lot, knowing exactly who she would have danced the night away with, even if all she could really do was just hug and sway. She didn't want to show her pain to Weiss though, so she hid it with a smile instead, acting as if she was just returning her gesture. "I'm surprised no one seems to have asked you out," she replied. "You've always looked much better than me, and everyone knows your name by now. Did you shoot down any advances earlier?"

"None tonight, but I've shot down a fair number of suitors back in Atlas. I'm sure you can imagine why."

"You'll find the right one eventually."

"I don't know about that," Weiss said. She paused for a while after that, as if in deep thought. "Not that I'm looking for one, but a guy shouldn't be expected to 'fix' someone, you know. I'm not exactly what people would call 'undamaged'… And it's not like I still have the wealth of the Schnee Dust Company to attract men anyways."

"Huh? What do you mean? Aren't you–"

"There's a reason why I'm here in Vale, and why I'm never going back to Atlas. Me being here is a new life for me, for all intents and purposes." Weiss paused again, glancing at the shattered moon. "The scar over my left eye should give people a clue, at least."

"What are you talking about? Your scar's not even that bad to look at." Weiss's vertical scar was faint enough not to diminish her appearance, and Ruby certainly didn't think anything wrong about it; she oftentimes forgot that it even existed. But now that they were on the subject… "…and how did you get that anyways?"

"Me and my older sister Winter used to playfight around a lot back home when we were kids, fooling around with stuff we shouldn't even be playing with. Makes sense in hindsight, with us eventually having the same ice Semblance. Then one day things just got a bit too rough, that's all." Weiss made an upward motion with her left finger near her eye. "Winter did it by accident, but I didn't take it against her. But given what happened two months ago, I've been thinking if this scar has a lot more meaning now. Maybe I should treat it as a warning to others…"

Ruby shook her head. "C'mon, Weiss. I know you have your reasons for being here and not in Atlas, but that doesn't mean you say things like that to yourself. Besides, you keep telling me your line not to sell myself short, so that should apply to you too, right?"

"I got that line from Winter, by the way." Weiss smiled again, a nostalgic one this time. After a brief silence, she took out her phone from her clutch bag. "Here's me and her a few years ago. What do you think? Does she even look like three years older than me?"

Ruby looked at the picture Weiss showed her in her phone. They really did share a strong resemblance with each other, much more than what she expected sisters to actually have, and Winter didn't look any older than Weiss at all. But Winter was beautiful in her own right as well, and thus much prettier than Ruby herself. She said as much to Weiss, adding, "This is a nice picture, actually. Is Winter in Atlas right now? How's she doing?"

"Yes, she's at home in Atlas, but she's not doing very well right now."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Is she doing better now?"

"No," Weiss said bluntly. "She won't."

Ruby fell silent, unsure of what to say. Then she realized that Weiss was starting to open up, trying her best to tell her story in between rants, so she did her best to show her support. She looked at Weiss straight in the eyes. "…then whenever you're ready." It was ironic for her to say something like that, but Ruby felt it was the best thing to say nonetheless, and Weiss seemed to appreciate it.

"…you can tell this is hard for me, huh?" Weiss sighed. "There's just… I have so much to say."

"I know it's not easy, but I'm here for as long as you want me to." Ruby now had an idea that all of Weiss's problems revolved around Winter somehow, so she understood why Weiss found it difficult to continue. Not that Ruby would force her to do so, not at all. "And you don't really have to keep your promise if it's–"

"But I want to do this, Ruby. I want to get everything off my chest. I thought I'd be fine once I arrived at Vale, but I soon realized that I was just a ticking timebomb waiting to explode. And I'm tired of carrying this ache around and hurting others in the process." Weiss's voice was firm despite the pained tone in her voice. "…and a promise is a promise. Words have weight, no matter how hard it is."

Weiss's words stung and hurt Ruby deeply; it was another memory was brought up which she had to quickly suppress. But she kept calm, intending to stay the course with her friend. One look at Weiss was enough to tell her that she wasn't backing out of this one, so Ruby simply nodded.

"After what happened between us at the plaza, and after you saw me cry at the study room, that's when I realized that I have to do this," Weiss continued. "It's not right for me to keep this inside any longer than I already have, or else I'll just bring my frustrations on someone else, and that wouldn't be right if I'm trying to start a new life for myself, right? So that's why I'm saying this… I owe it to you that you be the first to know of it. And I'm sorry for hurting you back then, Ruby. I really am."

"It's ok, Weiss. Everything's alright. We're friends now, and I've already forgiven you."

"Thank you…" Weiss then breathed deep as a cool breeze blew past them. "…just give me some time here, ok?"

"Take as much time as you need, Weiss." Ruby reached out for Weiss's hand, which she accepted, holding on to hers as well. If only she knew how much she was amazed by her courage for doing this, so much so that she began to wonder if she could really follow in her footsteps. But set those thoughts aside for later; for now, she was going to listen. "It's ok, I'll be here the whole night."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What in the world is going on here?" Weiss whispered to herself, observing her surroundings, as she went towards one of the admin rooms of the Atlas Defense Department office. She was briefed by the commanding officer stationed outside that every government employee here was evacuated, but she wasn't told the exact details of what was going on. Not that she didn't have her own suspicions. Seeing soldiers carry off computer devices highly pointed to a huge security breach, and that made sense considering that there was also an ongoing media blackout. The fact that there were so many Atlas soldiers – around fifty men or so – when she arrived was worrisome as well, especially since they were nowhere near any barracks or military base.

She had been busy with training at Laran Academy when her father Jacques called her to come here, and she wasted no time doing so, even with her class still ongoing. As distant as he was, she knew that he would never ask for her unless it was truly important; he wasn't one to do idle chat. Not missing the urgency in his tone, Weiss immediately left Laran, with Seiben driving, and so here she was.

Whatever was happening in this building, her ice Semblance would really be the only reason why her father called her to be here. Elemental Semblances were rare in the hierarchy of abilities, but they were more useful pound for pound compared to the others, and containing something – or someone – with ice was something she could easily do. Weiss had the training; she was close to graduating from Laran anyways, just missing out on the Hunter trials, and it wasn't as if there were plenty of other Hunters her father could get that had her abilities. Only her older sister Winter had the same ice powers she had among all known Semblance wielders in Atlas, and Winter was too busy with her work in the Atlas kingdom to be bothered by all this. Three years after graduating, she was doing far more than just killing Grimm these days.

Weiss reached the end of the hallway, reaching the elevator, and went up to the fourth floor. She wondered how Winter was, now that she thought about her. She was close with her sister ever since childhood, and it was clear since the beginning that Winter showed immense love for the kingdom and its citizens. So much so, in fact, that she made it her goal to help bring Atlas unto greater heights, better than before. Weiss couldn't hold back a smile; Winter was as patriotic as an Atlas citizen could possibly be, though a bit overzealous. Still, it was important for one to show pride in one's kingdom. Weiss was happy to see how much her sister had achieved ever since graduating from Laran three years ago. Winter was well on her way on making good on her promise. She was the best student Laran had in decades, with her leadership, ambition, and combat skills.

She recalled how they played around as kids – getting a scar over her left eye in the process – how Winter would stand up for her whenever she was in a bind, and how they confided with each other. Those were nice days to reflect on every now and then. But things changed once Winter decided to become a Hunter, and Weiss missed her sister ever since she moved out of the house. Messages weren't quite the same, then contact with Winter just dried up around three months ago. But Weiss understood that her sister was busy with work, and she believed that there would come a time for them to catch up on things.

Not that she had anything serious to complain about in her student life at Laran, even though she had a lot to say about that. Deciding to become a Hunter once her Semblance manifested, Weiss was fortunate enough to have the ability to use aurastone weapons effectively which helped her get high marks, though that somehow made people believe she would also overshadow her sister. But the thing was, she never had any intentions to do that. Content with what she could achieve naturally on her own, she instead studied management as contribution and part of being an heiress to the family business – Winter had long discarded her claim since becoming a Hunter – even though her more ambitious younger brother Whitley was first in line to be CEO. That last part was all well and good to her. She was just doing her part; while being a Hunter would always be a priority, she would set that aside if her family needed her help.

A few more steps, and Weiss finally found the room she was looking for. She opened the door.

"Hello, Weiss. You're just in time."

"Hello, Father." Weiss gave a small nod at the man who greeted her, who was none other than her father Jacques Schnee. A man with white ducktail hair, thick mustache, and icy blue eyes. He wore his usual white suit, shoes, and tie, pairing them with a blue dress shirt and vest underneath, along with a red handkerchief in the breast pocket. He always made it a point to dress sharply in accordance to his status. Not only was he her father, but he was also the CEO of Schnee Dust Company, the biggest Dust mining company in Solitas, and he never failed to bring with him an air of authority, even when it should matter little in this place, so far away from their corporate office.

Weiss then noticed that there were six Atlas soldiers with them in the room, all armed and armored, ready to fight. She wondered what these people were doing here, when the other soldiers were busy running around the building, and she felt uneasy talking with them around. Jacques seemed unbothered by their presence though. But as if reading her mind, he then motioned his hands, and the soldiers quickly left the room, leaving only the two of them inside.

"How are you?"

"I'm good. How about you?"

"…I'm ok. Do you have an idea why I asked you to come here, now that you've seen the soldiers outside?"

"More or less." Weiss talking to her father like this face to face was rare, even before she left the house herself to study at Laran. Jacques was always busy with work, and he was never an affectionate person to anyone. So much so that it was a surprise that Weiss even had something in common with him – which was a desire for space exploration – and that at least brought a few good memories. Their recent space program briefly came to mind; it was unfortunate that it had to be canceled, but she supported her father's project until the very end. "Is the target still in this building?"

"Yes," Jacques said. "But before I get to the details, I want to thank you first for arriving here so quickly. I would have preferred not to get you involved, to be honest, but it can no longer be helped."

"But it must really be important for you to still want me here. What's the situation?"

"Weiss…" Jacques's voice trailed off.

"Well, what is it?"

He quickly cleared his throat. "Your sister Winter is a spy and has betrayed Atlas. She stole valuable data from the military and is resisting capture down below."

"…huh?" Weiss had thought this was about something where they needed her ice Semblance. In an instant, that had become the last thing on her mind. The news was so completely out of the blue that it left her stunned, all the more with how calmly her father said it. "…what?"

"She's been stealing data from multiple locations, with the Defense Department being her latest. But the Atlas military has been tracking these thefts for some time now, and they traced her here and trapped her in this building. She's down here in the department's underground data center, in the fourth underground floor. But we both know just how determined Winter can be, and she's not one to back down, even when surrounded like this."

Weiss couldn't believe it. No, it wasn't be possible. It didn't make any sense at all. It couldn't be true. But her father showed no sign of backing down from his statements, and Weiss could hear her heart thumping at how silent the room was.

"…you can't be serious."

"I'm very serious."

"…but how…" Weiss racked her brain for anything that could possibly make sense of all this, but she drew nothing but blanks.

"Here, let me show you."

Jacques turned on the tv in the room, and showed Weiss a video. Winter was in it, her back facing the camera, but she was busy looking at a laptop screen in a room somewhere. It seemed normal at first glance, except the room was no doubt a database, and there was something about it that told her that Winter wasn't supposed to be there at all. An instinct that Weiss tried desperately to counter with an argument. "…this doesn't prove anything. This could be anywhere in some office…"

"Here's Winter down below."

Jacques revealed footage of Winter moving about in a room filled with computer servers, with the time of the video just a few hours ago, and Weiss's eyes widened at the sight.

"This one is the underground data center of this very building, while the first one I showed you was also a computer mainframe of a military base down south, which happens to be our frontline defense against the other kingdoms should they choose to invade. Both are strictly off limits to almost everyone, and even though Winter's an officer in the military, she has no authorization to access that area, much less even be there at that base. This all happened a week ago, if you can believe that. The military confirmed that what she accessed is top secret. Winter then disappeared from her job without telling anyone, and Atlas quietly began a manhunt in secret. They set traps in multiple locations, and it looks like they've succeeded."

"No, it can't be! Winter wouldn't–"

"It can't be anything else. Have you even looked at what's going on outside? Things are escalating already. Do you really think the military will do all this for nothing?"

Weiss refused to acknowledge the evidence being presented to her, even as she saw her sister work her way into that mainframe with a familiarity that shouldn't be there, despite signs indicating that the room was indeed a restricted area. Stealing data physically to bypass cybersecurity… There was just no way. Winter loved Atlas, and she wouldn't betray the kingdom on a whim for something as stupid as money… Their family owned the biggest Dust company in the world of all things! This had to be something else, even though Weiss couldn't see what else it could be. This was happening so fast… There had to be some mistake here!

An awful thought crept up in her mind. If Winter really was doing what her father was saying she was – if any of this was true – then she would never stand down on what she believed in without a fight. Winter would be more than a match for a normal soldier, but fifty plus were much different, and more could very well be on their way. Winter wouldn't hold back either way. She needed to be stopped… Weiss's thoughts worsened. Was this really the reason why she was sent here?

"I don't know how long Winter's been doing this, sneaking around and taking data from the military, and I don't know what she's doing here now. But the point is that she's been caught, and the alarms of this place brought soldiers ready to charge at a moment's notice. But have you wondered why they're not doing so? Believe me, I've pulled every string I could, just so that we can have our chance."

"…our chance?"

"We have to deal with this as a family. This has always been the Schnee way, to handle things internally whenever something wrong happens, going back centuries." So saying, Jacques approached Weiss and put his hands on her shoulders. "The military allowed me this opportunity, but only if they can be assured that what I plan to do won't turn into a hostage situation. That's why I asked you to be here. You're the only other Schnee who has a Semblance, and I know that you and Winter have been close ever since growing up. Much more than I ever could hope to achieve. You're the only one in the family who can convince her to surrender. If not, then you're the only one who can take her down."

Take Winter down? Weiss didn't know what to say. But what could she say? Where would she even start? Rage slowly boiled inside her, and a moment passed where she almost reached for Myrtenaster, wanting to point it directly at her own father, because all she could hear from her father right now was his cold voice, and how it seemed he was resigned to Winter's fate.

"Listen to me. I know this is hard to accept, but we need to move quickly before Winter decides to make her escape. We need to go ahead and–"

"Go ahead with this? Are you for real? Of course I can't! Do you realize what you sent me here for? Do you even know what you're trying to make me do?!" Weiss's voice was much louder now, and she shrugged Jacques's hands off her shoulders. "And why are you putting everything on me? If handling things as a family is the Schnee way, then why don't we go down there together and talk to her?! Don't act as if she's some criminal you can't be with!"

"I asked that to the military earlier, but they didn't allow it. They can't risk a CEO like me to go there and–"

"She's your own daughter, goddamnit!" Weiss couldn't remember the last time she felt so furious in her life. "Is this it? This is your big plan to save her? You're just parroting what the military told you, and going along with what they want! And even then… You know how strong she is, and I can't–"

"Do you want Winter to be dealt with by the soldiers?"

The quelling words dying in her lips, Weiss could only shake her head; there was a terrible uneasiness in her stomach.

"The military was this close to commanding them to move out," her father continued. "They're that desperate, and they have every right to be at this point. It's only us stopping them, but not by much. We don't have much time."

Weiss calmed herself, wiping her eyes with her handkerchief. Thoughts of her time with Winter kept replaying in her mind, of how she helped her during difficult situations, and how she looked up to her growing up. Weiss still didn't know what was going on, but she knew in her heart that this was all a misunderstanding. It just had to be. "…does Mother know?"

Jacques shook his head. "Only the two of us, and I want to keep it that way. If all goes well, then it all comes to an end with no one being any wiser to what happened. But I need you to believe me, Weiss. I know everything sounds awful, and that this is all coming in so fast, but this is the best thing we can do to help your sister. There's no other way."

"…"

"I know I've been absentee for a long time. To you, Winter, Whitley, even to your mother Willow… And I'm sorry for that. I've been so busy with projects that I had lost track. But know that I'm only asking for help so that I can protect what was created in my absence. Your relationship with your sister is one of those things, and that's something that I want to save at all costs. So please, listen to me. Help me protect Winter. I need you, Weiss. More than ever."

It wasn't just her that went quiet. Everything else seemed so silent now, Weiss noticed, with only her father's voice breaking it. It almost seemed like a lazy weekend with nothing to do, as if her sister wasn't trapped inside this building, and that there weren't any armed soldiers outside, just waiting for a command to break their way in. She swore she heard birds chirping outside; it was all too surreal.

But she then snapped back to reality – to the fact that Winter's life was in danger – and there was no point in denying it anymore. It didn't matter anymore how Winter got into this mess. What mattered now was that her sister needed to be saved, and if anything was going to happen, then she might as well be there to see it through. Whatever Winter was thinking, Weiss was sure she had her reasons, and she was going to be there for her if it came down to it. She just hoped that she was strong enough to prevent the worst.

Weiss faced her father. "…what's your plan?"

Weiss wiped her eyes, coincidentally using the same handkerchief she used that fateful day, coughing as she did.

"…are you ok?"

"…yeah, Ruby. I'm ok." They didn't bring any water to drink, but Weiss was in no mood to walk all the way to the graduation ball while crying her eyes out, so she would just have to manage.

"Do you want me to get some water?"

"No, don't bother." Despite her pains, Weiss was on a roll now, able to recount the events of that fateful day as accurately as she could, and she didn't want to risk not having the strength anymore to continue once she calmed down. Somehow, she still found it in her to chuckle in between sniffles. "Besides, you haven't heard the best part yet. Once I finish my story, then you can judge for yourself."

Weiss opened the elevator, and entered the underground data center of Atlas's Defense Department. She was by herself by design, as the last thing they wanted was Winter doing something drastic at the sight of a squad going after her. Not that the soldiers simply went away; they were in fact a few floors above, and a direct command away from barging in. Winter was indeed surrounded, just as her father said she was, and Weiss needed to convince her sister to give up before it was too late.

The room's lights were dimmed as expected; Winter wouldn't want to make it easier for people to spot her. Perhaps this was why she hadn't made a move yet, maybe trying to lure the soldiers into an awkward situation, and escape once they've committed to breaching this place. Still a risky plan however. Should the military decide to cut their losses and destroy everything just to get to Winter, then…

Weiss shook off the thoughts, and continued to make her way forward, slowly but surely. "Winter, it's me, Weiss! I know you're here! Father sent me here for you!"

There was no response.

"Where are you? I don't know what's going on, and how you got into this mess, but I can help you get out of it!"

Still nothing.

"It's been a while, you know." Yes, keep talking, show that she was here for her, and maybe, just maybe, that would help Winter reconsider. Trying her best to find her sister, Weiss could only hope that she was listening. "You've been away for so long, and you haven't been replying to any of my messages since May. A lot has happened since then, and I'm sure you have a lot to talk about too, right? What are you even doing here… I'm sure you have your reasons for doing this, but you have to know that you're surrounded, so there's no point holding out anymore."

Silence. Weiss began to wonder if Winter was even here… But then she heard the faint sound of footsteps somewhere to her far left, which meant that it could only be her sister, so she went towards it. She soon found herself inside a particularly large room filled with computers. "Everything's happening so fast, Winter. I thought they just needed my help to catch someone, so I never thought it was you. Why would I? You're smart and your heart's in the right place… Never in a million years would I have thought that you'd betray Atlas. Even now, I don't think you're doing this to harm anyone. I know you're better than that." Weiss took a deep breath. "I can't help but feel that this will quickly get out of hand. So please listen to me… If you surrender now, I can help you get out of this. You've been there for me so many times before, so let me help you in return. Please… I don't want to fight you." That last part was particularly difficult to say. "It's been so long since we saw each other, and I–"

"Hello, Weiss."

"…Winter!" Weiss turned back to the sound of that voice, and there she was, her older sister standing a few meters away; an officer of the Atlas Army, First Lieutenant Winter Schnee.

She didn't look any different from the last time Weiss saw her, other than her uniform of course. As an Atlas Army officer, Winter wore a long white coat with light blue patches, underneath which she had a white collared undershirt, with a navy blue necktie that connected to her brooch, and partnered that with navy blue gloves, pants, and boots. Weiss felt a pang in her heart; she really did miss her sister a lot. But as much as she was happy to see her again, Weiss couldn't bring herself to smile; there was too much going for that. "What's going on? Father sent me here, and–"

"I'm sorry about this." Winter then took out her own dustmetal weapons; elegant twin sabers called Cailleach Bheur. "But please step aside."

"Wait, what are you doing?!" Weiss instinctively drew Myrtenaster in response, but harming her sister with it was the last thing on her mind.

Winter's eyes narrowed. "I know why you're here, and no, I'm not surrendering. Not only that, but you being here means that they've made their move, and it's a particularly low one at that. I should have known…" Her eyes softened, but only briefly. "I wish you weren't here, Weiss. I wish I made my move sooner. So that's what I'm going to do right now. I'll make my way out of here, and I won't hold back once I've started."

Weiss's heartbeat raced; listening to Winter like this hit hard, much harder than she expected. "Winter, please. Don't do this… I can't let you do this. There's too many soldiers outside… Just tell me what's going on, let me help you…"

Winter took a step forward, and Weiss took a step back.

"I thought you're not letting me? Didn't you just say that? Then why are you backing down?"

"Please tell me what's going on…"

Winter took another step, and Weiss reluctantly took a step back. But then Winter took one more step, and that was when Weiss stood her ground.

"I said step aside, Weiss."

"Damnit, tell me what the hell's going on!" Weiss's emotions spilled over, not wanting to drag this out any longer. "Father told me everything. Is all of it true?!"

"If you're talking about what I'm doing here in this building, then yes, I'm guilty as charged."

"But why?" It was a huge effort for Weiss to keep calm right now. "Why are you doing this?!"

Winter's eyes glanced at the pathway behind Weiss; the fastest route out of the building. "I'm sorry, but I can't. Not right now." For a time, it looked like Winter really did want to talk. But just like with her eyes, it was gone in an instant. "It's me they're after, and they're just using you as bait. I'll tell you everything someday, but you have to let me go. You have to trust me on this."

"Wait, who are 'they'? What are you talking about?!"

"You'll never believe me even if I told you. Too many enemies… Too many innocents. I can hardly believe it myself."

"Then make me believe!" Winter's words only confused Weiss even more. "Once you surrender, I'll spend all my time hearing you out!"

"Do you really believe they'll let you?"

Weiss clenched her fists. The military told her that they could be forced to take drastic measures, yes, but surely they would give her time… That was the reason why they sent her here, right? Even her father Jacques told her that they would give her time. Unless… But her father said… Weiss grimaced, refusing to think about it. She had to focus. Outmanned and outgunned, she had to convince her sister to stand down, or else there was no hope of saving her. "It doesn't have to end this way! Don't make this any harder than it already is!"

"I'm not even going to ask what they told you. I already know you're not going to budge. You're just protecting me after all, and I can't blame you for that." Winter then embraced her Semblance, which looked pretty much like a snow squall. "The thing is, I can't budge either."

Weiss pointed Myrtenaster straight at Winter in response, and embraced her own Semblance; a wintry aura enveloped her, with snow crystals slowly swirling around. "I don't want to fight you! And you don't have to fight me either! We're sisters, we're supposed to help each other! And don't give me that look, you have a choice here, damnit! I swear I'll protect you once this is over, just like how you've always protected me. So please, just this once, listen to me!"

Winter sighed. "Sounds like you've made your choice."

"…what?"

"It's ok, Weiss. I understand. We make our own choices…"

Winter then darted forward. Weiss countered, their ice clashing, and their Semblances howled.

"What are you fighting for?" Weiss cried out. "Don't be stupid! You know I'm just trying to save you!"

"I've never thought of myself as being a quitter, you know. I'm not leaving this building without a fight."

"…Winter!" Not holding anything back, Weiss did her best to encase Winter in an ice prison, which was the most straightforward way of ending their duel. But that was easier said than done given the intensity of their fight, and collateral damage was plentiful with the number of computers they destroyed.

"To be honest, I planned on luring the soldiers here into a trap the moment I realized I was caught. I thought I had something good figured out… But it never crossed my mind that they would drag you into this. Not accounting for that was my mistake. I'm sorry." Winter somehow managed to maintain a calm tone throughout all this, despite the look in her eyes. "I never wished for you to be involved."

"Involve me with what?"

"Exactly. You don't know anything, and there's nothing you can prove to anyone. That's for the best, Weiss. A private citizen like you should be left out of this." So saying, Winter increased the strength of her attacks, slowly inching her way through Weiss's defenses. "But even so, I want you to know that there are enemies out there, both outside and inside Atlas's walls. So please be careful…"

"But at least tell me what data you took! And why are you acting like you're the only one who can solve this? You must have something that you can tell me!" Weiss grew frustrated with the situation. She still couldn't force through her own counterattack, unable to find any openings, and her attempts to form an ice wall to seal in Winter were swiftly dealt with. Winter's eyes were growing colder too, intent on making her way through to the soldiers outside… Then suddenly, a thought entered Weiss's mind. "Wait… Are you being coerced by somebody?"

"No, I'm not."

"But you have to be, right? Because why would someone like you do this anyways? You can tell me if they set you up, ok? I'm your sister, I can protect you too!" No wonder Winter was acting so strange. Why didn't she think about this sooner? Not that Winter wasn't capable, but there was just no way she would do this by herself. This had to be the answer, right? It had to be! "Well, did they? Damnit, just tell me who they are!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about. I found out something, so I worked alone, and I knew the risks I took."

"I can't believe you… You said you want to protect me, so why…"

"Yes, I do." There was a flash in Winter's eyes right then and there, and a scowl formed in her sister's face. "…you're so stubborn, Weiss. Just get out of my way."

"So why are you–"

"I said get out of my way."

"Winter…"

"Damnit, Weiss! Enough!" Rage filled Winter's voice, and her Semblance followed. "You think you can stop me? Then go ahead!"

The two sisters continued their fight, as ice and blizzard attacks of various forms burst forth from both combatants, and it was at this point that Weiss was starting to breathe heavy now. Even while wielding an aurastone weapon like Myrtenaster, Winter was skilled enough with her techniques to maintain control of the fight, never letting Weiss take the offensive… That was how strong Winter was. But Weiss wasn't about to give up despite her fatigue. How could she, after everything her sister said? She just had to keep trying here, because Winter's life depended on it.

Suddenly Winter attempted to bind Weiss with ice of her own, in what seemed to be a surprise move, but the latter saw it coming and dodged it. Weiss then realized that her sister had overextended herself with that last attack. There it was… This was the chance Weiss was waiting for! Taking full advantage, she put everything she had in a freezing attack, intent on ending their duel right at that moment.

Weiss then felt a strong kick to her gut, and that was it. She crumpled to the floor, with Myrtenaster falling from her grip, and with her Semblance vanishing right after, fighting became the last thing on her mind.

"You've gotten stronger." Lying on her side and writhing helplessly, Weiss found Winter standing before her, and she could only watch her limbs be bound to the floor in ice by her sister, ensuring that she couldn't escape. "And you just wouldn't give up too, so I had to take a risk."

"Winter…" Moaning in pain, Weiss felt tears fall down her cheeks, fully aware that she lost the moment she dropped Myrtenaster, unable to use her Semblance without it. She then noticed that Winter's whole left arm was frozen, and realized that her sister overextending her attack wasn't a mistake at all, but rather a calculated feint to make Weiss herself overextend.

"But now it's over." Using her Semblance, Winter carefully chipped off the ice that froze her left arm using her powers, then sighed once she finished, releasing her Semblance and sheathing her swords.

"Don't worry, I'll be back soon enough. I just have to take care of those soldiers first… They're not the enemy, but they're in my way right now, so it can't be helped."

"…why are you pushing me away?" Weiss sobbed, her tears flowing down her cheeks.

"To protect you." Sitting down, Winter went to kiss Weiss's forehead, and showed a warm smile; it was as if they hadn't been fighting at all. "You're my sister, and the last thing I want is to drag you into this. I wish we met in better circumstances, but…"

"Please don't go. I promised Father that I'd bring you in… I'm only trying to save you…"

"I know, and I'll never blame you for making that choice." Winter wiped away Weiss's tears with her gloved hands. Her face was so soft too; a far cry from the cold look she had earlier. In fact, it almost looked like Winter was about to cry herself. "Don't cry anymore, Weiss. I'm sorry for hurting you. But I've made my choice too, so just hang tight for a while. I'll explain everything to both you and Father once I get to the bottom of things, I promise."

"But they're too many soldiers outside…"

"You don't believe I can make it?"

"That's not the point–"

"The point is I'm making a stand for what's right, because that's what I've sworn to do. The Atlas Army protects everyone in the kingdom from all enemies. Foreign or domestic, Grimm or otherwise."

"Then let me make that stand with you," Weiss begged. "Please let me go… Don't leave me like this. I know you have your reasons, so please, let me be with you… We can talk to them together…"

But Winter shook her head; it was clear she was having none of it. "I miss being with you," she said, sighing wistfully. "I wish I spent more time with our family, and I promise I'll do better on that. But for now, just wait for me, ok? Let your big sister take care of this."

"No, listen to me! Winter, you have to let me go with you! Please!"

"Well, I'll see you later, Weiss."

"Stop! Don't go! No!" Weiss was crying her hardest, but it was no use. Showing one last smile, Winter stood up and walked away, leaving her sister alone in the dim and cold data center, frozen in place.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"…and that was the last time I saw her awake," Weiss said, wiping her tears. "Because the next time I saw her, she was in a coma."

"Wait, what?" Ruby's eyes widened in shock. "But how–"

"I don't know how the soldiers did it, but they said that Winter fought her hardest, and they needed to take her down with every unit they had. Trauma to the head did her in, and we spent a month trying to revive her in the hospital. We did our best to bring her back, but in the end, we had no choice." Weiss stifled her sob. "Winter had to be given a clean exit from the military to avoid putting the military in any embarrassment, so everything was covered up. The public doesn't know that she's home in our mansion right now, resting in a vegetative state."

"…I'm sorry." Fighting fifty soldiers would be enough to take any Hunter down, and that wasn't including any backup. So why did Weiss's sister still go ahead despite the odds? Ruby had no answers; all she could do was say her condolences.

"Can you guess how they came up with her cause of death?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Winter hadn't been in the front lines for a long time, so that crossed out any Grimm encounters. Then what else could bring her down other than a Hunter, right? Their 'official' report soon came in… My sister died because of a training accident against someone around her level, and that someone was none other than me."

"…wait, you went along with that? But why? Why did you take the blame–"

"I made a horrible mistake that I take responsibility for, and with the military getting no answers from Winter, then everyone might as well move on and stop people from asking too many questions. That's how the coverup was formulated. For me to take the fall made the most sense. Case in point, my brother Whitley believed it to be an accident and left it at that, so the plan did work."

A realization hit Ruby. "Wait, don't tell me that–"

"I would've gone along with the idea regardless of what my father thought. But I'm sure it was convenient for him. He was looking for an excuse to vent his anger somewhere, and I happened to be it." Weiss stifled another sob; she did her best to keep a stoic face. "But I still hoped to have some normalcy in my life, even though my mother didn't take the news very well… So much for that. I had a big fight with my parents after Winter finally went home after a month in the hospital… And that's when I decided to leave Atlas." Weiss chuckled bitterly. "Don't give me that look. It was my fault, and I exiled myself to Vale as punishment. That's why I'm getting citizenship here, so that I can start a new life."

"Weiss…"

"Besides, I can't bear to look at Winter anymore either," Weiss continued. "I'm in the dark anyways regarding what she told me, and after failing to bring her back, what's even the point of staying?" Weiss clenched her fists, and she took a deep breath. "But my father's right about one thing. If I was just strong enough, then Winter would still be with us. Even my mother somehow found it in her to forgive me when I arrived here in Beacon, but I know my father will never let go. Remember when you saw me crying in a room last month? He called to remind me to never go back to Atlas. Not that I ever planned to go back there, but…" She took another deep breath, and wiped away a few tears. "Well, that's my story, and you're the first one I've told this to. Pretty pathetic, huh?"

"I'm so sorry, Weiss…" Ruby slowly shook her head. "But it wasn't your fault. You were only following what your father said, and you couldn't have done anything about Winter going alone by herself."

"Then I should've forced myself to join Winter's side. I shouldn't have wasted time trying to fight her. If I had convinced her better, then things would have been different."

"But still…"

"Don't pity me too much. I know you mean well, I really do, but you don't have to tell me what you think I want to hear."

"But I'm being honest here." Having listened to the whole story, Ruby now understood what Weiss was going through – why she had pent up anger when they first met, and why she wanted to stay here in Vale – so it was only right that she helped her friend in this. Recalling her own past, Ruby knew very well the guilt that Weiss felt, and how it could grind someone to the ground. "Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me your story. I know it wasn't easy for you to say something like this, and I'm sorry about what happened to your sister… But I'm sure she knew that you were only trying to protect her… It wasn't like she didn't appreciate you looking out for her, but she knew what she got herself into, and she did her best to keep you out of it."

Weiss just shrugged. "You're just saying that."

"What did your mom say?"

"That's different. She forgave me because I did something wrong to begin with."

"Did she really say that to you?"

"…"

"Because I know you didn't do anything wrong, and I think your mom realized that too." Ruby paused, thinking of what next to say, and she felt the compulsion to share her own story grow stronger. Because if there was someone who deserved the crushing weight of guilt here, it would be Ruby herself. "You know, my mom, she once told me–"

"But you told me your mother died a hero on the battlefield. You weren't there to mess things up like I did. You didn't have a hand in your mother's death, much less anyone else's."

I told you to run away, Ruby…

That cut off Ruby's train of thought. She had intended to shift the subject to her mom, but now… Memories she long buried in her mind went to mind again, and the pain of recollecting was as sharp as ever, even two months after the fact; she couldn't help but wince.

"…Ruby, are you ok?"

Ruby realized she had spaced out, and found Weiss looking at her with a worried look. Ruby then found herself shedding a tear; wiping it away quickly, and suppressing the memories, she smiled softly at Weiss. "…I'm ok. Just remembered something, that's all."

"What's wrong? What were you thinking about?"

Ruby slowly shook her head. She realized she couldn't say it after all. Not to Weiss, or to anyone else. Because otherwise she would break down into tears due to shame, and that wasn't what a leader should look like. She had to stay strong for Weiss, who had no one else to help her, and Ruby felt foolish for even attempting to air out her own pain. She would just have to carry it alone like always. "…I'm ok, really."

"Is this about Cale?"

Ruby's eyes suddenly widened, and felt a sharp pain in her heart, like being stabbed by a knife.

"Is it about him? You said his name in Jade Forest…"

"I…" Just like that, memories of that night in Patch came crashing in Ruby's mind like an avalanche, and she couldn't stop them anymore. Like a twig being broken underfoot. It was that simple. Her right leg began to move restlessly, and she instinctively crossed her trembling arms. "Cale… He's…"

"…Ruby? What is it? Is Cale–"

"It's nothing!" Ruby snapped, her eyes wide like saucers. "Just don't say his name, alright?!" Weiss gasped, her own eyes wide with shock, but that didn't stop Ruby. "You're innocent, ok?! You don't have any reason to feel guilty! But I'm the bad one here! It's my fault he's–"

Ruby then caught herself. She was crying and breathing heavily now, and she held her forehead with her right hand. She realized that she just slipped back into her old self… Her broken self that locked herself in her room for a month. She scrambled to wipe away her tears; she was so weak. So much for being the leader. "Weiss, I…"

"It's ok…" Weiss's shocked expression was gone, and replaced by a faint smile. "It's alright, Ruby…"

"No, it's not!" Ruby knew she had to go. Immediately. She had to run away out of sheer embarrassment and shame – she then realized she left Crescent Rose at their dorm room, leaving her without access to her Semblance – so she did the only thing she could do. She stood up and made a clumsy bow. "…good night, Weiss. I'm sorry, I'll see you tomorrow."

Weiss protested, but Ruby couldn't bear it anymore. She turned and walked away – almost sprinting even – heading back to their dorm room, still wiping away her tears. She knew that Weiss followed right behind her, but she would literally make a run for it if Weiss even got a glimpse of her crying face. Ruby would have to apologize to her for ruining her night. But right now, all Ruby wanted was to hug her pillow and sleep, just like how she often did with Cale in the past.