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.

20. Snow White Pt II

Weiss hurried home the second her school day ended, running as fast as she could from the front door of the Schnee Manor to the stairs and down into the basement where the Schnee training room was, hoping that she wasn't too late. Because Winter was about to enter Laran Academy tomorrow as a Hunter student – which she passed with flying colors – and Weiss wanted to see her train with her Semblance one last time before she left.

"Winter, wait!" As luck would have it, Winter was still in the training room, facing off against five beowolf test dummies, with glistening ice on the blades of the two dustmetal sabers Winter had crafted, Cailleach Bheur. "Whew, made it! You're not done yet, right?"

"You were running all the way down here?" Wiping off sweat from her brow as she released her Semblance, Winter turned to look at Weiss; she must have been training a good long time if she looked that tired and breathless. "I was just about done. And c'mon, you've seen me use my ice Semblance hundreds of times by now. You even have videos saved of me training!"

"I want to record you one more time before you go... Since we were both born with the gift, then I might as well learn from the best."

"And how exactly did I get to be the best when I haven't even stepped into Laran Academy yet?"

"Because I know you are, and that's why you'll be a great officer one day, just like you've always dreamed of. And it helps that you have a really cool Semblance."

"My Semblance is 'cool'? Really now?"

"You make it sound like a bad thing."

A pause, then the two sisters chuckled.

"...fine, fine!" Winter said after catching her breath; she gave Weiss a knowing look. "Just make sure you save this, alright? It's just one take, no redos... I'm tired and I want to hit the shower!"

"One sec!" Weiss hurried to get the nearby tripod set up at the perfect spot to record her sister, while Winter set up the beowolf dummies again for a new training session; the wide and open space of the Schnee training room allowed for such things. "...alright, there we go!"

Weiss signaled that everything was good on her end, and Winter took only a few moments before embracing her Semblance once more and starting her icy assault.

It was an apt description. A snow squall enveloped Winter, and ice once again formed on her twin blades, making them glisten under the lights, then she ran forward to her targets.

The five beowolf test dummies – expensive machines their father bought for them, designed to mimic beowolf behavior when attacking humans that law enforcement practiced on in case of the worst kind of emergencies – moved to keep Winter centered and surrounded. But it was known that some beowolves in a pack would exhibit overly aggressive behavior given that they had a numbers advantage over their victims, and that seemed to be what Winter was waiting for, turning left upon seeing two of the beowolf dummies overextend their attack; Winter punished them by summoning a powerful blizzard that froze the two beowolves solid.

While that seemed easy enough, the real test of skill was handling the counterattack from the remaining three beowolves, which Weiss observed intently... The two from Winter's sides delayed their attack to surround her first while one in the center lunged forward. But somehow Winter had anticipated, even with her back turned. She stabbed her swords to the floor, and the ice shards that popped up took down the attacking beowolf at the shins with such force that it took Weiss by surprise; the machine almost broke apart.

And for a moment, Weiss thought she saw what appeared to be wings from her sister's back.

That left only two, but Winter didn't wait. She dashed towards the one on her left before the right could hit her from behind, and went at the former, parrying a claw swipe and following up with a merciless sword attack. There was no ice used here – only swordsmanship – clearly meant to save on aura energy, but Weiss couldn't deny the deftness Winter showed, as if she had this kind of technique in her pocket all along, ready to bring it out just in case some Grimm was immune to ice or something. Because with just five quick swings, she had taken down the fourth beowolf, and she was already going after the one remaining target.

And by going after the last, Winter went down and rolled on the ground to avoid a downward slam from the beowolf – again without looking, with Weiss being in awe at this – and Winter's twin blades charged up two crescent moons in response, launching icily sharp projectiles that easily brought down the wide open beowolf.

That was it. And with the battle over, Winter fell to one knee, releasing her Semblance and gasping for breath. "Whew... Not bad, huh Weiss?"

Weiss actually had to pause to find the right words.

"That was awesome," Weiss managed to say as she clapped. "To think that you haven't even gone to Laran yet. I can never be as good as you..."

"Then again, these are just crude copies. They have their purpose, but they don't amount to the real thing." Winter took deep breaths as she wiped away her sweat; she showed a soft smile. "And never say never, Weiss. What if you could wield Myrtenaster once your Semblance manifests?"

"...wield Myrtenaster?" Turning off the recording on her phone and putting the device back in her pocket, that remark gave Weiss pause. The Schnee heirloom rapier was an aurastone, and that would give her an edge in a fight compared to a dustmetal one, in case the gods blessed her enough to be able to use it. But could she really beat Winter even with that weapon in her possession? "I... I still don't think–"

"I wouldn't say that. Mother once said to me that you had a particularly bright twinkle in your eyes when you were born, and that might mean something down the line."

"Really? She said that?"

"Yeah, she did. And no, this isn't one of her ramblings, she's gotten past that now, remember?"

"Right." Recalling Willow's recent struggles, Weiss could only thank the gods that her mother was doing a lot better than before. "But what about you? Do you think I can wield Myrtenaster once my Semblance manifests?"

"I have a strong feeling." Winter showed a small smile. "Call it a woman's intuition."

Weiss didn't know what to say to that, so she just nodded in gratitude for the kind words.

No one knew why the eyes of some newborns shone bright for brief moments after birth – the gods worked in mysterious ways – but that was the sign that they were blessed with the Semblance gift, the power always manifesting at around 16 years of age; it was natural that many myths and superstitions would arise from it. The gods would have to give Weiss more signs if she was to think that she could one day surpass Winter though. Because her merciless sword attack technique alone was–

"Regardless, even though I'm your sister, you shouldn't think of me as some kind of impossible standard," Winter continued. "You'll beat me in many areas, I'm sure of it."

"I don't know about that..." Weiss knew what Winter meant, but she just didn't think it was right to entertain the idea of surpassing her; Winter was her big sister after all, and it just didn't feel right to be taking about something like this. "Besides, I'm not exactly the friendliest person out there. I'm probably going to have a bad reputation for being cold or something again, I can feel it."

"You say that, but you're only 15, Weiss. You're still young, there's a lot that can change your mind on things. Heck, I'm only 18 myself. Even I don't know if I'll still be the same after I graduate." Winter then went to sit on a nearby bench to rest and drink water; Weiss followed, sitting at Winter's right side. "Speaking of professions... You'll make a great Hunter, but have you seriously considered being a scientist instead?"

"...huh?"

"I know I've mentioned this to you many times, but you do like the sciences, and you're really good at them too, so you might want to become a scientist, even though you have the Semblance gift. It's not like a Hunter is the only honorable job out there."

Weiss was well aware of Winter's comments about her schoolwork; she did like the sciences, and she excelled in the topic. But having a Semblance was something else entirely, and Weiss had dreamed many times of slaying the Grimm for good, not just for humanity's sake, but for the glory of Atlas too, the latter being something her sister could definitely relate to. The Schnee family line always had at least one great person among their ranks every generation, and Weiss wanted to be one of them... People didn't think of the Grimm much nowadays, but Weiss never stopped believing that the threat they posed would finally end one day, and she wanted to be part of that, whether or not she was lucky enough to see it.

But that pivot to making her consider switching professions though...

"Can you blame me for asking?" After gulping down more water, Winter then looked at Weiss as if she read her mind. "It's been years, but I'm sorry for the scar, and I don't want you to be hurt like this again in a fight against the Grimm, or worse."

"It's ok, Winter. All that matters is that I'm not blind on my eye, and that it's faint enough to not be distracting... I think it suits me in a way, so don't feel bad. And if I'm going to be a Hunter just like you, then I need to learn how to take a hit, you know? I just think of it like that, making the most of a situation is all."

Weiss thought it was the right way of thinking about it, that her scar – a fine vertical line etched on her left eye – added character to her face, if nothing else. And it really was an accident anyways, all because they were playfighting here in the training room one day back when they were younger, the two of them too excited over the idea of being Hunters. But the blunt practice swords they had used were still made of metal, and Winter's slash at her just so happened to be too close and too strong...

"...sorry. It won't happen again."

"It's ok, you don't have to keep saying sorry anymore."

"But what you want me to say instead? That you can use your scar as a warning to others?"

"That's actually not bad." Weiss smiled a bit. "You know what? I'll be stealing that from you."

"Very funny, Weiss." Winter then sighed. "Did you say that your scar 'suits you' to Father back then?"

"Father didn't react much to it, even though Mother helped me to explain it to him. But he hasn't brought it up to me again since the accident." Weiss's face fell slightly. "...why? Did Father scold you again about it?"

"No, it's fine. Don't worry, Father and I are good. We both know he can get angry at times, but he means well... Which reminds me, he was at home not that long ago. Were you able to talk to him at least?"

"We did, actually." Relieved that Winter wasn't punished again for the accident, Weiss recalled her conversation with their father Jacques. "It was at night, and I just thought of visiting him while he was at home... He told me about some big project he's working on, about using Dust in space to change how the kingdoms communicate with each other."

"Dust in space? Is that even going to work? Dust doesn't even work above the atmosphere."

"Father said it's possible in theory."

"I see, so you spent all night talking about the technical details with him... Sounds like you were very interested in the subject, and I'll bet Father was happily surprised and appreciated it."

"He was happy when we talked, yeah. But you really think he thought that much about it?"

Winter smiled softly. "Father doted a lot on you back when you were a baby like you were the apple of his eye, did you know that?"

"Yeah, but–"

"We both know Father's not good at saying what he feels, and that's partly because he's an introverted science guy himself, always trying to innovate and expand the family business beyond Dust mining. But it's good that at least one of his three kids share his interests, you get what I mean?"

Weiss showed a small smile back. "...yeah, I guess you're right."

"And no, don't bother telling me about Father's project, I won't understand any of it. Science just isn't for me, and all the more Whitley." Winter chuckled after saying that. "Remember what he said about it? 'I'll just leave it to those nerds in the white coats to find out when I get older. That's what I hire them for, to make me richer!'"

"Well, Whitley just doesn't know how to appreciate these things..." Weiss didn't like the way Whitley was too cold and calculating about the topic, like a ruthless businessman, even at the age of 14. Then again, she herself was only 15, just like Winter said, but still. "He just needs to study it and give it a chance–"

"So do you still want to become a Hunter?"

Opening her eyes slightly, Weiss groaned where she lay on the cold floor, knowing vaguely that she should be doing something very important.

...was that a voice crying out to her in the distance just now? It sounded so familiar...

But Weiss closed her eyes instead, unable to resist the allure of peaceful dreams.

"You can still be a great scientist, Weiss. You don't really have to be a Hunter, much less an army officer like me. Being a Hunter isn't like what you see in the movies... It's not the cleanest job, for one thing. And the way your eyes shone when you were born? It might not be about fighting Grimm after all. Think about it, now could be a great time for science careers to take off, especially if Father's project actually works."

Weiss paused; there was something about how Winter spoke that made her think twice, even though she was already decided. Weiss may be 15, but she knew that the academies were basically private military companies, and that a Hunter could be hired for a whole list of reasons, many of which were illegal or at least gray, if the reports of kingdom officials were to be believed. But she definitely didn't want to inherit the family business and its lifestyle, unlike Whitley – the suitors that went to her, hoping to marry into the Schnee family wealth, were insufferable – and Weiss sympathized with Winter's beliefs in a strong Atlas, even if not to the same degree her sister did, which meant eliminating the Grimm once and for all. The benefits of being a Hunter outweighed the cons as far as Weiss was concerned; was it so wrong to pursue it?

"Let me rephrase. Why do you want to become a Hunter, Weiss? Is it because Schnee family prided itself in always having at least one great person every generation, is that what's pressuring you? And since you're not interested in taking over the family business, you're trying to bring glory to Atlas by killing Grimm instead?"

"...I want to become just like you." Weiss didn't know why the conversation became serious all of a sudden – or why Winter pressed the issue like this – but she wasn't going to fault her sister or back out of it. "The family name is one thing, and Atlas is another. But you're the best big sister one could have... Why wouldn't I want to be like you?"

"Weiss..." Winter sighed, showing a small smile afterwards. "You really think that highly of me, huh?"

"Yeah, because you've always been there for me. Remember that one time when we were out at night, and we were caught in the rain? And that time when I forgot to do my project for school and you had to be awake all night with me just to get it done..." Weiss ran through only a small part of the list she had in mind; she could go over to dinnertime if she went through all of them. "You're both smart and talented, with strong convictions... That's why you inspire me to protect the citizens from the Grimm, and make a name for myself."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that I inspire you, that you can relate to my beliefs about Atlas, and I appreciate you cheering me on, it means a lot to me. But there are other ways of getting glory, not just for the kingdom, but for yourself too. And to be honest, you thinking the way I think, being political... Don't attach your life to mine, it doesn't suit you. Because it's not just the Grimm that Hunters worry about... In the line of duty, with kingdoms and citizens involved, there will be sacrifices Hunters need to make that are beyond their control... Along with doing the unthinkable, and forgiving the unforgivable."

"...?"

"Don't think about what I want, or what Father wants, or what Atlas wants, or what the Schnee history wants. Is being a Hunter what you really want?"

"Yes, I want it." Weiss said with confidence, with a nod of her head to match. She realized Winter had to be testing her; that had to be the reason for all these questions, fair enough. Because something like this could easily be in the Hunter tests, so Weiss had to show her determination now. "I want to follow in your footsteps. Father knows, Mother knows, and even Whitley knows, so I want you to know this too."

"Alright," Winter replied after a few moments; she seemed content the answer, based on the look on her face. "This will be the last time I ask you about this, and since you've really decided on it, then I won't try to change your mind about it anymore. We make our own choices, and I know you'll do well with whatever you choose." Winter smiled. "You mean so much to me Weiss, and I thank the gods every day that you're my little sister. Please don't take it the wrong way when I say that you shouldn't attach your life to mine, I'm just asking you this for your benefit, and that I'll never put you in harm's way."

"Winter..." Weiss felt something ache in her heart, but it was the good kind of ache. "It's ok, it's not like I'm connecting my life to your hip, I promise I'll do fine. It's just that you've done a lot for me, and I can't thank you enough for them. So one day, I'll repay everything you've done for me in kind."

"You don't have to, Weiss. You're my little sister."

"But I–"

"Thanks for still saying that though, I appreciate it. Just one more thing..." Winter drank more water before continuing. "Promise me that you'll never sell yourself short no matter how hard it gets there in Hunter training, that valuing oneself and humility go hand in hand, and that you'll help out those you meet that does the same, wallowing in self doubt. Because a time will come when a person has to stand on their own two feet, and one has to be strong at that point. And I want you to say the same to the friends you'll meet... Promise me that, ok? That you'll protect your friends, just like I protect you."

"Yes, I promise."

"Good." Winter nodded. "And don't worry about the friends part. I know you've talked to me about the way your classmates think of you at school, and you worry about being isolated, even with your excellent grades. And I know it's hard to open up to strangers..."

"I can really only open up to you."

"It's ok," Winter replied. "Your coldness will thaw with age, and you'll have best friends that you'll trust your life with, once all is said and done. They'll see what a wonderful person you are... Not because you're my little sister, or that you an heir to the wealth of the Schnee family, but for who you yourself are."

"...thank you, Winter." Weiss slowly nodded. "Though I don't think anyone could ever replace you."

"It's not about replacing," Winter chuckled. "It's fine, you'll know it when you see it. It'll come eventually, don't worry about it. And besides, no matter what, I'll never leave your side, Weiss. I swear I'll always be there..."

"Weiss! Weiss!"

Weiss groaned as she woke up from the dream. That voice... Was that her mother calling her?

"Weiss! Mein Liebchen, aufwachen! Bitte!"

Weiss looked to where the voice was coming from... Yes, it really was Willow, crying and still handcuffed to a railing only a few feet away, with Ironwood or any of his soldiers nowhere in sight.

That gave Weiss enough energy to get up from where she fell and make a dash towards her mother, embracing her Semblance to cut off her mother's handcuffs, freeing her from the railing, and holding her tight in her arms as they reunited.

"Ich liebe dich so sehr, Weiss!"

Weiss wiped away her tears. "...Ich bin eingeschlafen, es tut mir leid."

"Götter Dank geht es dir gut..." Willow sobbed as she held Weiss in her arms, with the latter doing the same; Willow shook and spoke all the sweetness the Atlas mother tongue could offer, as if she would never have the opportunity to do so ever again. "Du bist endlich zurück, mein Schatz. Danke den Göttern..."

"Ich muss jetzt Vater retten, Mutter..."

"Weiss... Es tut mir leid für meine Fehler, meine Vergesslichkeit, meine Laster..."

Weiss wanted to say more, but a wave of weakness suddenly hit her, and Weiss realized that her fatigue almost caused her to pass out in her mother's arms... And that it was the reason why she fell into a dream with Winter in the first place. But why? Did her fight with Penny – why she was called M374 to begin with, Weiss couldn't say – really take out all of her remaining strength?

"Mir geht es gut, Mutter. Mach dir keine Sorgen..." Whatever the reason, Weiss held her mother tight as she consoled and reassured her that she was ok, all while listening for any approaching enemies here in this huge, dimly lit warehouse. "Alles wird gut, das verspreche ich..."

"Ironwood told me what Jacques did," Willow finally managed to whisper, after the two of them were alone for some time. "...is any of it true?"

"I'm sorry..." Weiss whispered back. "Father told me everything, but it's best if he was the one to tell it to you."

Willow sobbed upon hearing that.

But as much as Weiss wanted to let Willow grieve while holding her in her arms, they were still in a dangerous place, and they needed to get out of here asap. But where were the others, how were they doing right now? Weiss heard no sign of enemies, but Team JNPR still wasn't responding to her calls, and she had nothing from Yang or Qrow... Or from her father.

A powerful explosion suddenly burst from a wall not far from where Weiss and Willow were, making them break off from their hug, then came the sound of gunshots and aura Semblances... It was Qrow and Ironwood, and somehow they found their way back here in this large military warehouse while they fought.

"You just won't take a goddamn hint, huh?!" Weiss heard Qrow shout. "Walk away and leave Willow behind, Ironwood! This doesn't have to escalate beyond this warehouse, don't make me have to tear you apart just to get her!"

"Just as soon as you give Jacques in return!" Ironwood thundered back. "But of course you won't give him up. Don't bother with your lies, you can't fool me, I know that you're here with that traitor Robyn Hill, infiltrating the Atlas mainframe to steal vital info and destroy the railgun! And that's why I won't let any of you leave this place alive... I'll crush your head with my own hand!"

"Not if I break your damned fingers first!"

Weiss could sense the sheer frustration in Qrow's shouts. If there were ever any doubts in her mind that the reason why he got here just in time was because of a father's gut feeling for his daughter, and that he was very much out for revenge over Ruby being shot, then those doubts were dashed away; only his job as a spy and them getting Willow back were the sole things hiding this fact from Ironwood. But did Qrow still even care about destroying the railgun, after what happened to Ruby? Because as furious as Qrow sounded, Ironwood himself didn't sound tired at all...

Weiss worried that Ironwood was taking too long to defeat. The man had to be taken down in some way if they were to escape, and that wasn't even considering the incoming army based on the report Penny received.

But what about Willow at least? Could Weiss guide her out to safety all by herself, injured and tired as she was?

Weiss resisted the temptation. So instead she began looking for a suitable hiding spot under the dim lights, intending to keep Willow hidden and out of danger until they had a clear route of escape.

But it seemed Weiss's body didn't want to cooperate, as she felt another wave of weakness hit her, just as she feared would happen, this time making Weiss fall to one knee, her vision blurring for a few moments.

"...I'm fine, we're going to make it out of here," Weiss whispered, trying to soothe her mother's worries again. She may not be able to fight multiple enemies right now, but surely she could still go on. She should still have something left in the tank, she just had to dig deep, make one last push...

Weiss recalled that cold gust of wind she felt earlier. For a brief moment, she remembered feeling replenished by it during her fight with Penny, giving her enough strength to deliver the final blow that gave her the victory. But now that it was gone...

You can do it, Weiss.

Weiss did a double take; Willow didn't seem to have heard anything. But that voice...

She shook her head. No, now wasn't the time to reminisce. And so Weiss held her mother's hand once again, and made her way through the dim warehouse; she eventually found a dark corner where they could hide.

"You really think we're the enemy?!" Weiss heard Qrow shout, taking her off her thoughts. "You idiot, this is your own fault, don't get us involved in your mess, we're just here for Willow! But you just had to break the damned treaties with that railgun, all for your stupid dream that Atlas will become the leader of the world... That's why you see enemies everywhere you go!"

"There was no other way!" Ironwood snapped. "Decades passing without any resolution against the Grimm, twiddling our thumbs as we waited for them to get back on their feet to exact their vengeance on humanity... Only the indolent and the sheltered could be so ignorant as to be fine with that! And that's why I did what I had to do... I knew what Atlas was headed towards when we broke those outdated rules, that you people would have the gall to go against us for doing what was necessary... But I'll kill a hundred of you if it means Atlas can stay true to the promises made in the past, the way our ancestors would've wanted it done... All of you forgot your duty! And I won't let anyone destroy the railgun and get in my way, especially not some spies like you!"

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Qrow shot back. "Hunters from all walks of life toil day in and day out defending the walls, sacrificing time for their friends, for their loved ones, for themselves... Even sacrificing their own lives just to protect people from the Grimm, and to uphold the agreements between the kingdoms to preserve the peace! So don't give me that shit, no one in the front lines forgot their damned duty! You're just overstepping yours!"

"You take pride in merely managing the Grimm and being a toady to those old treaties?! Is this the level of spies I'm dealing with here? Ha! Don't bother embarrassing yourself any further, I'll kill you right where you stand!"

Qrow and Ironwood's battle raged on, so much so that Weiss could see Qrow's black and red aura attacks from the dimly lit distance from where she and her mother hid, piercing the warehouse's roof. But as impressive as the fight was to witness, this couldn't possibly go on like this for much longer; she needed to do something fast. The Atlas army was approaching, and Weiss needed to warn the others about it, and have everyone accounted for so they could all escape before it was too late.

One step at a time; the most pressing issue first... It would be difficult, especially given her weakened state, but Weiss had to try; she thought of what to say to her mother, while preparing herself for what she needed to do.

Weiss turned to look at Willow. "Mother, I–"

"You'll be fighting again, aren't you?"

That took Weiss by surprise. She had half expected to be faced by a sharp rebuke from fear and sheer panic, but somehow, Willow was a lot calmer now, with a soft tone of voice to go along with it, despite the few tears that still fell from her slate blue eyes.

"It's alright, Weiss. But release your Semblance and take a few minutes to catch your breath first, being winded like that won't help your friends."

Only then did Weiss realize that she was holding on to her ice Semblance all this time unnecessarily, wasting the few remaining reserves she had; she didn't even notice that she was panting. And so Weiss followed Willow's advice, releasing her Semblance to rest up as much as she could.

"...maybe we still have some time left to talk while you rest up."

"Mother..."

"I know we met again at the manor, but I didn't think I would lose the chance to be with you more back then, so I don't want to miss the opportunity again... I promise this won't take long." Willow smiled softly. "Besides, I'm quite alright now, and definitely not under the influence."

Weiss's heart ached upon hearing that; did Willow really have to bring that up again? Part of the reason why Weiss was close to Winter was because her mother needed urgent care for a long while; her parents got into heated arguments sometimes, for reasons they never really told her about, but one of them became too much, so much so that Willow's old vices returned.

"...who would've known things would turn out this way, all because we wanted to finish what humanity started? Ironwood was right, the Atlas people wanted this." Willow shook her head. "No, I'm fine, you don't have to hide it from me, I understand what's going on. With the Grimm pushed back we sank into complacency, but we were really looking for something else to conquer, and Ironwood gave it to us, reminded us of our conquering nature, like how our ancestors conquered Solitas ages ago. We wished to destroy the Grimm for good, and get the glory along with it."

Who would've thought indeed. Weiss wanted to eliminate the Grimm too, but even she had her doubts that Atlas's vague announcement of a new weapon would amount to anything, never mind that current events meant so little to her after Winter died, and that she had turned her back on Atlas anyways upon exiling herself. But Weiss couldn't quite bring herself to hate Atlas's militarizing and creating a railgun strong enough to punch a hole at the Grimm stronghold bubble, even though it posed a threat to the other kingdoms. Weiss could even see Ironwood's logic, she saw where he was coming from, there was nothing inherently wrong with his plans for making Atlas the world leader...

But Ironwood also wanted Winter killed for suspecting him of abusing his power and hindering him from his plans, experimented on people to create weapons like Penny, and he almost had Willow killed too because of misguided intel, thinking that they were somehow spies working against Atlas... The thought of all that almost sent Weiss into a rage; she quickly controlled herself.

"Winter would've supported Ironwood if he only did things differently, or if she was left in the dark about his actions. But Winter took her oaths to heart, she really did. As much as she hated the Grimm and wanted Atlas to succeed, she loved the people more, and she could've never turned a blind eye to Ironwood's experiments." Willow stifled a sob. "I miss Winter so much... And I'm sorry that I was weak. I'm sorry that I couldn't give you the time you deserved when you were younger. I'm sorry that I cast you out when you needed me the most, for throwing plates at you, for trying to physically hurt you in my despair, and for relapsing... And I'm sorry that I let myself be captured... Please forgive me."

"It's ok, Mother... I miss Winter too..." Weiss had already forgiven Willow even before she asked for it back in the manor, so there was not much else to do but to embrace her again; keeping her anger at Ironwood in check, Weiss could only hope that her hug was enough to convey to her mother her true feelings.

"...you'll still save your father even if I told you to save yourself first, am I right?"

Weiss slowly nodded.

"I can tell that you don't want to forgive your father, and that you're doing this only because of the contract, I did hire you to find him after all. But it's ok, Weiss. I'll forgive him in your stead."

"...?!"

"I didn't want to accept what Ironwood told me, I refused to even believe it. But I know now what's going on... While ambition is a core part of Atlas's history, so too is hatred of fraud, and I'm sure that's what made it easier for Jacques to go along with Ironwood in the beginning. Your father probably never told you this, but he hated losing in anything he sunk his time into, he wanted to win in everything. But Jacques had many losses too, along with having many arguments with me on letting them go, starting well before you were born. He did all he could to keep his space project alive, and I guess that included underhanded methods... But he also wouldn't have been able to bear being publicly branded a criminal, his pride would never live down being caught. Because your father is an ambitious man, Weiss. He took the Schnee family tradition to heart... He wanted to be the greatest the family had ever seen, by fundamentally changing not just the way people talked to each other, but how kingdoms themselves communicated..." Willow wiped a tear from her cheek. "I guess his ambition finally got the better of him..."

There were many things Weiss didn't know about her father – not only was he almost never home, but he also didn't share his personal thoughts much – and she gained insight to how the marriage of her parents worked. Speaking of which... "Will you be leaving him after–"

Willow shook her head. "While things could've been a lot better, he never abused me, and he helped me get back on my feet from my vices. So no, I'll stay with him... Hunters have their oaths, and I have mine."

"Even though he..."

"He never wanted Winter to be killed." Right after saying that, Willow clenched her fists and stifled another sob. "And if he never joined Ironwood, then he wouldn't have known that he had your sister in his sights all along... That one day Winter would slip up while investigating him, and she would've been killed on the spot with some excuse to cover it up... Your father did wrong yes, but as for our family... He did what he could to save her..."

"But..." Weiss's eyes widened; remembering her outrage at her father earlier, this scenario never occurred to her at all, and emotions stirred wildly in her heart. "You don't know that..."

"Your father has many faults, but do you really think he didn't do his best to protect Winter, to protect us?" Willow gulped. "Not only did he make it a point that you stayed in Vale, he also told me to have an extended vacation somewhere out of the kingdom, a few days right before he vanished... He just asked me to do it out of the blue, and wouldn't tell me why he was being pushy about it... Now I understand why."

"...!"

"Could you and I have done anything differently if we were in your father's place, put into that situation by Ironwood? Because I can't say for my part, I'm just a drunkard after all..."

And with that, Willow sobbed again, and Weiss felt her own tears fall down her cheeks; she hugged her mother once more, without any words left in her to argue. She remembered that Ruby lost her own mother, and that ultimately, Weiss didn't want to lose her father too, even though she couldn't bring herself to forgive him... Weiss just wanted to cry the whole night.

But hearing Qrow fight Ironwood in the distance snapped Weiss back to her senses; she still had a mission to complete, and the brief respite she got would just have to do.

"Mother, I..."

"You need to go now?"

Sniffling as she broke off from their embrace, Weiss nodded. "The guy fighting Ironwood is the father of a dear friend of mine, and I still have other people I need to account for... I can't leave any of them behind, and I can't risk bringing you to safety by myself when Ironwood's forces are around. So I'll be heading out to take down Ironwood long enough for all of us to escape together... And I have to save Father too, he's here somewhere..."

"A dear friend, you say?"

"...yes."

"That's good that you have a best friend now, Weiss. And being a Hunter is a huge responsibility, I know..." Wiping away her own tears, Willow then went ahead and wiped away Weiss's. "I'm glad that you're upholding your Hunter duties, though it's something that I could've told you not to go for, if I wasn't so busy recovering. Maybe you should've been a scientist instead."

"...wait, you knew?"

"Winter told me one day, that's all. But that's all in the past, you've made your choice, and you're excelling in it. I'm proud of you, Weiss... So it's ok, you don't have to agree with how I feel about your father. Just bring him home safe, we'll take it once step at a time, and once everything is over and done with, you can go back to Vale, and continue with your new life. Let the people of Atlas worry about the future... Just come back home safe. You mean so much to me, and I can't bear to lose you too."

"...I love you, Mother." Weiss sobbed for a few more moments before getting a grip on herself. "And I don't want to lose you too."

"Me too, Weiss. Me too." Willow breathed deep. "You know, it's often said that you don't need a reason to love someone... Maybe that also means that you can still love someone despite many reasons not to."

"..."

"Jacques is aloof, almost never there, prone to pride, and unable to really say what he means. But he's still your father, just like he is still my husband. And at the end of the day he helped me overcome my addictions, and he gave you a dream about space... Winter told me that too. Now you don't have to force yourself to forgive him, but think over it carefully. But if you really can't..." Willow kissed Weiss on the cheek. "...then let me carry the burden of loving him, it's the least I can do for you."

Weiss didn't know what to say, other than admit that she was confused beyond saving Jacques. Yes, she didn't need a reason to protect her father, but what about forgiving him? So many questions in Weiss's head, and the answers seemed so few and far between...

"It'll be ok, Weiss. Don't worry about it for now, focus on your mission for now, and be careful out there. If you feel that your back is pressed against the wall, just know that I'm with you in your heart, alongside Winter too. Because I have a feeling she's here in spirit, watching over us right now..."

"Mother..." Could Willow have heard that voice from earlier too? Weiss didn't want to hope, but...

"She'll protect you, I know she will." Willow kissed Weiss's cheek again, then showed her warmest smile yet. "Ich liebe dich, mein Spatz."

Sparrow... When was the last time her mother called her that?

Knowing the fight she was about to head towards, Weiss smiled warmly in return, and said words that she too hadn't said in a long time, words that she always deemed too informal for her tastes, but now seemed to be the right words to say. "Ich liebe dich auch, Mami. Ich fliege bald nach Hause, mit Papa an meiner Seite."

Willow wiped away the new tears that fell down her eyes.

And with one last look at her mother, Weiss left to fight Ironwood alongside Qrow, embracing her Semblance as she moved.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"It seems that's all you and your friends can take for now," Cinder said as she walked straight towards Jaune, the only one left on the battlefield, who was doing his best to hide a wounded Pyrrha behind his back. "Do you feel frustrated? Good. That's just natural, you're only human after all. You don't have the blessings of the Grimm to win against me, much less do the impossible."

Jaune tried his best to control his rapid breathing, not wanting Cinder to see him tired. Or panic for that matter; it was obvious that this woman was playing around with them, and they still couldn't take her down, even as a 6 on 1. And Jaune did what he could, including setting up a trap with Ren to bind her long enough for them to get away, but even that failed, with Cinder powering her way through like nothing happened.

"Now I do wonder where that cat faunus went, she's been gone for a while now. That one learned not to take me head on, but where could she be hiding?" Cinder laughed, seemingly talking to the air – or at the autumn leaves of her Semblance, Jaune wasn't quite sure – as the woman scanned the surroundings. "Waiting for the right moment to land a cheap shot at me, are you, faunus? Then go ahead, fire as much as you want. As if you could bring out a drop of blood from me."

Beating her was clearly beyond them, so they have to divert Cinder's attention somehow, and delay her long enough for them to escape. But how, after their plan to bind her failed? Jaune was sure Blake went into hiding for a reason – she said to hold the line for a bit – but Nora and Ren were out cold along with Robyn, and Pyrrha was still too injured to run away on her own...

The barrier Jaune had set up wouldn't stop Cinder for long, but his other options were limited; if he carried Pyrrha off, Cinder would kill the others, and if he dueled the woman to buy more time, the latter could take advantage of Pyrrha, so Jaune couldn't take the risk. His best shot was to wait for Blake, so he had to stand his ground and find a way to stall Cinder somehow. But for how much longer?

Jaune spared a quick glance at Pyrrha, who took heavy breaths as she held the wound on her belly, which most likely had opened up again during the fight. Jaune had no time to heal her, and asking her to attack Cinder with him was pushing it... And he didn't want to catch himself blaming Pyrrha again for setbacks, he was starting to feel guilty about that.

"You look smarter than the others," Cinder said to Jaune as she twirled her scythe. "You would do for now, since Ruby's not here to talk to. It's hard for me to have a conversation with the other people in my group you see, and a girl needs to have a talk with somebody every now and then, you know? Oh, don't be like that, don't give me that look. I feel like talking right now, so humor me for a moment."

Blake... Where are you?

"I want you to tell Ruby how much I hate her mother," Cinder continued. "Spies like Summer have no right to tell anyone what's right or wrong. Yet she kept holding me back, shot down my contributions, belittled and trampled me, made me feel that I was nothing in her eyes. But I've become more than a mere human now, far more than Summer ever was. And by killing her, I've taken my first steps towards vindication and the truth of the world. So make sure to add that I'll be seeing Ruby soon, I want her to survive long enough to see the end."

"...!"

"Now that's a better look you have there, good to see you still have a killer instinct, I thought you spent it all after you tortured that incompetent Arthur. But if we're going to talk about that... It's still not enough, boy. You're still lacking..." Then suddenly Cinder stopped in her tracks and looked at Pyrrha, huddled behind Jaune. "...you care about her, don't you?"

"Get away from her!"

"Lovers, I assume?" Cinder sighed wistfully. "...same team, even? How nice. You two have a kid already? I'm just asking, because I'm an expert at making orphans."

"No, and fuck you!"

"It's been a while... It's been so long since I... No, I should've noticed sooner. Now I understand why you did what you did. Then again, love..." Cinder paused, clutching her forehead with her Grimm left arm, and her face softened, a transition that Jaune didn't expect. And she stood there for a few good moments too, though Jaune didn't dare attack her. Because just as he anticipated, Cinder eventually began to cackle, before calming down and showing a vile smirk, her Grimm eye flaring red. "...love is meaningless."

"...?!"

"I saw you heal and hurt Arthur over and over by the way," Cinder continued. "I couldn't help but look more before I intervened... It's like doctors and surgeons having psychopathic tendencies, healers have that too, and for good reason. Healing isn't what people normally think of, not in the slightest... Wielding the power over life and death is always a fascinating thing to witness. You don't agree? You should. But I suppose I can't blame you for thinking so narrowly, they don't teach you this in Beacon, among other things. Obfuscating the truth never did anything good, and I've always said that it's for the best to be upfront about a student's true capabilities. And now look at you, stymied by your own academy by not teaching you your full potential, impeding you from utilizing your true strength!"

Cinder's eyes began to widen, both human and Grimm ones, the pupils in her eyes dilating.

"The compulsion to destroy an opponent that deserves it... Righteous anger... Such wrath is power for the soul! And by acting on your indignation, you attain your first taste of real power. But clinging to reason, to morality... Suppressing your fury and desires, turns victory into a dream within a dream for you. You don't have to take my word for it. When you tortured Arthur, power appeared in your heart, and your body responded with renewed force, didn't it? You and I aren't so different... We both took our revenge at our oppressors, and saw that there's nothing more invigorating than being freed of what one despises!"

"Shut up!" Jaune shouted. "I'm nothing like you!"

"But you are, you're just new to the sensation of controlling who lives and who dies... I can see it in your eyes. You even attempted to torture me too during that elaborate trap of yours, don't bother denying it, don't think I didn't see through your plans. Your girl can even attest to that, try asking her about it. She'll tell you the truth."

"I said shut up!" Cinder had been messing with everyone's heads during their fight, and while stalling her was one thing, Jaune wasn't about to just take that either. "And leave her out of this!"

"Why should I? Isn't she why you tortured Arthur in the first place? Why deny it now? Because you're ashamed of having your girl see you indulge in your true nature? The gods gave you that power for a reason, boy... Might as well indulge in it."

"You're insane!"

"Isolation can do that to the mind!" Cinder snapped. "And if I'm out of my mind, then all the more you are too... Constantly denying yourself and expecting something different each time is the real insanity here." Cinder then laughed. "You shouldn't, by the way. Because believe me, that girl you love? Girls like her only hold you back."

Cinder began walking towards Jaune again, not even bothering to take a defensive posture while doing so, and got close enough to shatter Jaune's barrier with a single slash from her scythe.

"Love..." Cinder whispered, with, for a fleeting moment, the faintest look of lucidity. "...is such a fragile thing. You're better off without it."

Now that... Jaune didn't expect his barrier to fail in one attack at all. Was Cinder not holding back anymore? Somehow, Jaune believed she still was.

But before Jaune could form his barrier again – or at least raise his heater shield up – Cinder ran up to grab him by the throat with her Grimm left hand, completely ignoring the blade that Jaune thrust at her in response, his sword embedding itself deep in her stomach.

"Now with all that out of the way, tell me where Ironwood is. Or I'll kill you right here, and use your girl as my messenger instead."

Jaune struggled for breath, forced to drop his weapons and Semblance, reduced to wrestling away a Grimm arm that seemed as immovable as the earth itself. And in response, Cinder began to squeezing on Jaune's neck; his vision began to darken...

"Let go of him!"

Jaune managed to see Pyrrha stab Cinder's stomach with her spear, right beside where Jaune's own sword was still stuck in the woman's belly, though Pyrrha cried out in pain from her wound right after that.

"Pretending you can still fight?" Cinder giggled, raising the eyebrow of her flaring Grimm eye. "What the hell was that even supposed to be?"

"Robyn, Nora, Ren!" Pyrrha yelled. "Now!"

And with that, numerous green weaves appeared on Cinder's arms and scythe, binding them much like a spider's web, and Jaune could see them being exerted... Looking at where the others were, Jaune could see Nora charging up her hammer, while Ren tugged on his threads.

"Finally got you tied up, you shambling... Thing!" Ren shouted. "Sorry, but you aren't putting us to bed like babies... Hell, it's not even midnight yet!"

That remark made Cinder look back.

"Yeah, that's right! You think you can treat us like we're your children? Like you're our mother or something?! Ha! Now get a load of this!"

"..."

Now whether it was due to Ren's tugging on her or something else, Cinder's grip on Jaune's neck weakened... And that was all Jaune needed.

Thinking fast, Jaune escaped Cinder's grip and took both his heater shield and knight's sword – yanking the latter straight out of Cinder's belly – and seized his Semblance, forming a barrier.

"Pyrrha!" Jaune commanded. "With me, now!"

And Pyrrha did so, pulling out her spear from Cinder's belly – leaving two holes on Cinder, wounds that her body rapidly began to heal – and summoned a pillar of earth to serve as a literal battering ram alongside Jaune. And that, coupled with Ren tugging on her, the three of them working in tandem seemed enough to disable the woman, even while she stood in place; Cinder turned to look at Jaune.

"Interesting..." Cinder whispered, again with that soft look, seemingly oblivious of the situation she was in. "Look at the two of you, sweethearts fighting together as one... Such nice representatives of love..."

"What the hell would you know about it?" Jaune shouted back; he had just about enough of Cinder's ramblings. "You only fight for yourself, and you don't understand anything else!"

"Of course, because I know love can never last. One day she won't be with you on the battlefield anymore, and your love won't be able to do anything to stop it. That's why we gain power from hatred... Because we need to be free from all that can ever hurt us." A moment later, and Cinder's face turned wretchedly insane. "You know I could've killed your girl if I really wanted to, she was already dragging you down. And one day her death will happen, whether by my hand or someone else's, and you'll fall into the depths of despair, cursing the day you ever met her!"

Something about the way Cinder said that drove daggers at Jaune's heart.

"Jaune!"

Pyrrha's shout snapped Jaune to the fight at hand; she was exerting more effort into her attack now, signaling a concerted effort, and so he followed suit, concentrating all the remaining strength he had.

"Over here!" Robyn shouted from a distance, hiding in a corner, wounded but charging up an aura arrow, the bright glow in the arrowhead unmistakable. "Throw her to the ground!"

"Nora!" Ren yelled. "Your turn!"

Jaune saw Nora primed and ready to launch a powerful electric charge she had accumulated in her hammer... And from another corner, opposite the one where Robyn hid in, was Blake, charging up her own rifle!

Finally. And now that they were complete, it was time to coordinate their attacks.

"Pyrrha! Ren!" Jaune shouted. "On my mark!"

"Tell Ruby..." Cinder whispered to Jaune, back yet again to that soft look – Jaune had never seen anyone switch personalities like her before, as if a switch was being pressed on and off – but here she was, doing exactly that. "That I had to kill Summer... Even though I knew how much it would hurt her daughter, I still had to kill her..."

Cinder wasn't making any sense. Then again, she was completely insane, and her rambling was better than her outright killing them; Jaune ignored her words. "Pyrrha! Ren! One... Two... Now!"

A brief flash of light from both Jaune and Pyrrha's Semblances – and Ren using his threads like a slingshot – was what it took to send Cinder crashing to the wall of the building Robyn pointed at; a considerable distance away.

And that's when Blake, Nora, and Robyn fired their Semblances; a dazzling display of black light from Blake, violent lightning from Nora, and a charged green and pale lilac aura arrow from Robyn landed in concert to where Cinder landed; a triple Semblance attack so powerful it drilled a hole through the concrete and the ground, debris and dust forming at the point of impact.

Silence. Was the fight over? Jaune didn't want to hold on to false hope. But if Cinder wasn't hurt, Jaune figured she would be launching herself at them to take revenge right about now, even if she was still playing around... Either way nothing was happening, so he took the opportunity to turn his attention to Pyrrha, who was just about to fall while clutching her wounds; he held her tight in his arms.

"...sorry I got hurt."

"Pyrrha..."

"It's ok. You're right Jaune, I shouldn't have done what I did." Groaning in pain, Pyrrha showed a sheepish smile. "...it won't happen again."

Jaune felt a sudden urge to apologize, but somehow, the words just wouldn't come out of his lips.

You shouldn't, by the way. Because believe me, that girl you love? Girls like her only hold you back.

Jaune tried to shake off Cinder's nonsense, but he was still at a loss for words – an ache formed in his heart from emotions he would rather think about later, in a much safer place – so he kept quiet and healed Pyrrha, finding himself unable to meet her gaze.

Because we need to be free from all that can ever hurt us.

Jaune noticed that the others were running up to him now; he turned to look at them, Blake in particular. "Whew, you're a sight for sore eyes. Sure took you long enough."

"Yeah, what took you so long?" Robyn added.

"Sorry for being late," Blake replied. "I was planning of setting up a trap of my own, or at least find a way on how to coordinate our Semblances against her without her knowing it. I was about to fire when Cinder began strangling you, but I noticed that the others were awake, and Pyrrha saw me signal, so I had to bide my time." Blake looked at where Cinder landed, the dust there only now starting to settle. "Looks like fate's not done with us yet."

"So it seems," Robyn replied. "...well, I guess I can't really blame you for trying to cook up something. But make it faster next time for your team's sake, alright?"

Blake nodded back.

"Well, whatever fate has in store for us, we should get out of here." Glancing at Pyrrha, Jaune noticed that she had closed her eyes and calmed down her breathing; she was concentrating on getting better, good. The more Pyrrha was out of danger...

And one day her death will happen, whether by my hand or someone else's, and you'll fall into the depths of despair, cursing the day you ever met her!

Jaune did his best to stifle a scowl. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he shake off that woman's words? "We need to get moving, it isn't safe here. Let's meet up with Team RWBY, follow their trail until we meet them or we get them on a call, whichever comes first."

"Can't we take a breather here or something?" Ren then flinched at Nora's hard slap on his back. "...ow!"

"Idiot! What do you mean take a breather? I had to shake you so many times to wake you up, you got all the sleep you need tonight!"

"...sorry about that, I guess I'm a heavy sleeper."

"Ugh!" Nora frowned. "I know we're all tired, but let's just go already. And don't make me worried like that again, ok?! Don't give me that eyeroll, say it properly!"

"You two seem close," Robyn said right after Ren said his apologies. "Hopefully you two aren't too much of a handful to each other."

Nora frowned at Ren. "And don't you dare answer that the way I think you will!"

"..."

"Ren!"

"Anyways, you two should look out for each other," Robyn said, with a sad tone that Jaune was quick to notice. "You never know when the people you care about–"

"To be honest, I was waiting if you people had any follow ups."

That loud voice was unmistakable, and the debris and dust was soon pushed back by an incredible force.

"But I guess not." Cinder cackled from where she stood, seemingly unaffected by all of their attacks; from the distance Jaune could see ice swirling on her human arm, fire swirling on her Grimm one, all while twirling her scythe, her body surrounded by the autumn leaves of her Semblance. And her cackle was louder than ever now, seemingly reverberating in Jaune's ears.

"...aw, hell, really?" Ren groaned. "...and I thought Nora's laugh was annoying."

Ren's fingers glistened green, and that was when Jaune realized that Ren had the presence of mind to create a wide net of his threads in front of them preemptively, to serve as much of a delaying obstacle as much it was worth; stretching his arms wide, Ren cast his net, the thickest Jaune had seen Ren do since the Hunter trials.

Then Blake fired a sweeping pillar of light, but not at Cinder, but at the concrete, piling up dirt and dust to serve as cover, with Nora and Robyn following suit using their own attacks. Even Ren joined them by transforming his swords into submachine guns, firing bullets for all they were worth; Jaune knew exactly what to do next.

"Everybody run!" Jaune commanded.

And so they all did, as Team JNPR, Blake, and Robyn ran for their lives, with Jaune carrying Pyrrha in his arms. Jaune could only hope that Cinder was still insane enough to play around for a bit longer so they could survive... And so that he could get rid of her words from his head soon enough.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I'm Sienna Khan, a Hunter spy from Vale sent here to investigate Atlas. Though I guess that's not exactly true anymore, my mission had updated. Now I'm just trying to stay alive long enough to report on what's happening here once I get back home, but it's good that I found you before it was too late."

"Thank you for helping me out, Sienna. But how did you know who I was?"

"I've been around the block, and I've heard of the first person in the world that can blink... Trust me, us older Hunters try not to miss out on these kinds of things. Not that you were top secret to begin with, even though Beacon wasn't advertising you either, but you have a particular look to you too, red like roses and all that."

"...I see." Ruby returned the ID Sienna presented to her. She was thankful that Sienna was here to help her out, but Ruby couldn't help but feel guilty that the faunus was going far and beyond on her behalf, and so Ruby said as much to her, adding, "You've helped me out a lot, but you don't have to get involved in my team's mission. Things might get too dangerous."

"I get your point... Willow Schnee, wife of the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company, was abducted by Ironwood? I'm surprised the Atlas police still aren't involved."

Ruby had some theories about it, and she said them to Sienna, ultimately suspecting that strings were pulled, and that it was a political issue that Hunters like them weren't supposed to dabble in. But whatever was the case, their client Willow was taken, and it was their job to get her home safe and sound.

"Fair enough. I'll bring you to wherever the warehouse is, and cover your back while you rescue the client... Sure, I can work with that, so just think of me as saving your strength by helping you get there. Besides, I've heard that you're good with your blinks, so it makes sense to keep it at the ready and not have it go to waste. And no, don't give me that look, it's not a blessing I'd take lightly if I were you." Having said that, Sienna applied the last bandage on Ruby's right arm. "Anyways... There, that should keep you together for a while. Not sure how it'll hold up if you blink one too many times, but once or twice should be ok."

"...thank you." Her wounds were one thing, but Ruby was still weak and vulnerable, and she was dependent on Sienna to take care of her right now while she recovered. So much so that the faunus even had to carry her a couple of times from one hiding spot to another to avoid being caught by soldiers; they were currently in a dark corner sitting opposite each other, waiting for Ruby to regain as much strength as she could before heading out.

Sienna's phone beeped, and the faunus checked on it for some time, seemingly reading a message and replying to it – all while keeping an eye on Ruby – before putting the phone back in her pocket.

"To think I warned Vale I needed backup, only to be denied," Sienna said. "Damned budget cuts, I knew Atlas was up to no good, and I was proven right with that railgun of theirs. But that Grimm invasion at the Atlas walls, and having evolved Grimm running around like the one you told me about... You saw one in Vale, and another one here in Atlas, right? That complicates things. Because Ironwood breaking those old Pentad Treaties won't look as bad to the citizens once they find out that the Grimm are raising the stakes."

As Ruby recovered, she looked at Cale's wolf pendant on her right wrist. She understood Sienna's point, but at the same time she wasn't really listening to it, as her mind mulled on something else instead.

"...no politics, right. It's not a Hunter's place to comment on it and all that."

They were only doing their jobs as Hunters – and she didn't want them to be involved in anything else – but with everything going on, Ruby wondered if any of them could have done anything differently to rescue Willow. Or was their mission doomed to fail from the start? If she had known that going through with this meant not only dealing with Ironwood, but with the Atlas army too, alongside evolved Grimm with celestial swords...

No, Ruby knew she wouldn't have backed down regardless. Willow made a direct request to avail their services, and Hunters were supposed to honor their contract to their client; that wasn't even considering that Willow was Weiss's mother. But still...

"You don't have to hide it, I'd be afraid too if I saw an evolved beowolf use that kind of weapon you mentioned. Makes one think about if we really did leave the Grimm unattended long enough for them to strike back at us... Long enough for them to learn how to play with their victims."

Ruby shivered, and it wasn't because of the cold.

She once thought wendigos were bad enough. But that beowolf... It wasn't only unbelievably strong, but the way it acted around her too... There was something terrifying about that Grimm that struck Ruby on a deep level, overpowering even the eeriness of this base. So much so that she couldn't help but replay her encounter with it in her head, and worry about that beowolf possibly finding Weiss and the others.

Stifling the growing fear in her heart – and hoping she was recovering fast enough to at least move without limping – Ruby looked again at Cale's pendant. She began to wonder where he was, and what he'd be doing if he was in her shoes.

"Something on your mind?"

"..."

"Relax, I know you're worried, and all of this can be too much to take in, but I'll think of something. Us Beacon Hunters should stick together, and it really helps that you're not being difficult in a stressful time like this, makes sense that you're the leader of your team." Sienna showed a small smile to go along with that. "Stick with me, and I'll get you to your teammates one way or another, just as soon as you're ok enough for us to get moving. And feel free to talk if it helps."

Ruby slowly nodded.

"To be honest, I was prepared for you to argue with me or something when I found you. But you're handling things well, all things considered. Sounds like Beacon's still teaching the right things... How's Ozpin, by the way? I haven't seen him in a long while."

Ozpin... Recalling that he kept secrets from her regarding Summer and Cinder, both hating and understanding why an academy headmaster like him could do such a thing, Ruby kept silent instead.

"So he's still the same secretive guy, I take it."

"..."

"Don't be surprised, rumors do get around, and you don't get to become an academy headmaster without knowing how to do things under the table, let's put it that way. But he's not a bad person... At least, that's what I know of the guy. You know anything about him that'll prove me wrong?"

Ruby just shook her head, and tried to contact Weiss and the others again, hoping that this would be different from her previous attempts.

While waiting for the others to pick up, Ruby looked once more at Cale's pendant, wishing she could just blink him here, wherever he was. Then he would fix things... He always did, whenever she needed his help. And it was times like these – including the Grimm invasion at Patch, which Ruby felt a sharp pang in her heart upon remembering – that highlighted the incredible gap between them, that he was that much greater of a Hunter compared to her both in strength and mental fortitude, and that she...

Ruby heard her phone call drop; still nothing, none of her friends could be reached.

"Still no response from your teammates?"

"..."

The two then went silent upon hearing sounds from somewhere not too far away, slowly approaching them; Sienna peered outside their hiding spot to check on things before hiding back.

"Tch, just our luck, a platoon decided to camp nearby." Sienna shook her head. "Sorry, I know you want to help your friends asap, but we're going to have to wait this out a while longer... The only way out is through them, and I'm not about to risk the two of us getting caught."

Hearing that made Ruby look to see for herself, only to realize that Sienna was right; Ruby felt something sink down her stomach. Were they actually setting up camp here? And how long would they have to wait? She had no idea, only that she was too weak to do anything about it. All Ruby could do was sulk back in her corner, and soon she lost track of how long she sat there, only thinking of what could've been, if only she was stronger...

Ruby looked at Cale's pendant again.

"That's a nice bracelet you got there."

"Yeah... It's from my boyfriend."

"Ah that's nice, I hope you guys are hitting it off. Is he a Beacon Hunter too? Is he included in the people you were trying to reach?"

"He has a Semblance, and a very powerful one at that. But he's not a Hunter graduate... And I actually don't know where he is." Ruby realized Sienna was looking directly at her, probably noticing that she had been staring at Cale's pendant for awhile now, and she thought of dropping the whole subject. But soon Ruby found herself not wanting to. "He said he had to go somewhere before I arrived here in Atlas, and he left me this as a promise that he'll come back."

"I see. Hm... Not a Hunter graduate, right? But did he apply for Beacon at least?"

"He did. His name's Caelus Steel, Cale for short," Ruby didn't know why she was freely telling Sienna all this, but she continued to talk nonetheless. "19 years old, and the strongest Hunter I've ever seen, with a wolf avatar Semblance that can take on anything... He used to be in Signal last year before he dropped out, but he passed the Hunter exams in Beacon this year... Would you have heard of him?"

Sienna shook her head.

"It's ok... It's just that I still worry about him even though he promised he'd be back, that's all." Ruby gulped; why was she telling Sienna all this? And why was she reverting back to her old habit of always thinking of Cale whenever she didn't know what to do or needed help? Ruby knew she should be doing better; she should be recovering and doing things on her own, not asking him for help again. "Sorry, forget I brought him up."

"You miss him that much? It's ok, I'm sure he's doing fine, don't feel bad about it. Besides, it's good that you're talking... When things are tough, it's natural to discuss the things we care about, to the point where we can't help ourselves from doing just that."

"..."

"Do you know what The Dreaming is, Ruby?"

"...The Dreaming?"

"It's a Menagerie myth I've heard about, about the nature of the past, present, and future, and how they're intertwined, not an arrow like we often think time is. That all this is just a dream that repeats over and over, like us sleeping, dreaming, and waking every single day, a never ending cycle..."

Ruby shook her head.

"Never heard of it? That's ok. Learning about myths is a hobby of mine, especially esoteric ones, and I figured I'd share while we wait here. Not that I have the luxury of time to have a heart to heart with you, but this will have to do... Do you believe in the gods and in fate?"

"The gods yes, but in fate... No."

"Why not?"

"Because l don't think our actions mean anything if everything's decided."

"Believing that seems only right for normal people like us. But what about the ones that are larger than life? What people would refer to as heroes, demigods, and ancestral figures in myth... The all powerful ones that shape both our world and our moral code... Does the one that holds the world in their shoulders forever, or the one that hauls the sun in their chariot for all time, or the god of justice that must hold vigil eternally... Do they even enjoy their station? Or are they saddened by it, and long to reject their destinies that they can't escape? Or could it be that they're biding their time, waiting for the time to eradicate everything and be done with it, tired of the cycle of living an undreamed possible dream made by no particular dreamer? Because all dreams must fade after all... Into nothingness."

Ruby fell silent, unsure of what to say to a topic like this, but she noticed that Sienna's yellow eyes were piercing straight at her, prompting her to say her piece.

"...but why would they be bound to fate? Can't the gods defy fate because they're the gods? If there's really such a thing as destiny, then it's only the strong who can break its chains, right?"

"And what if the god of death wished to break the balance binding it and just kill everyone?"

"If the god of death really wanted to, I think we'd already be dead."

"What do you think could be stopping him?"

"If the god of life created people out of love, then the god of death can also stay his hand... Because of love."

Now Ruby didn't think she had a particularly good take there or anything like that – she wasn't knowledgeable about this subject, and just said her thoughts about it in a way that felt right to her – but Sienna nodded at what she said regardless, while still having those piercing yellow eyes.

"Point taken." Sienna smiled softly. "Like I said, I do things that I don't understand, so it's ok, you're not alone."

"I guess a lot of things in life don't make sense, when you put it that way."

"It's funny you mentioned love, because love is kind of the same... I also had a boyfriend, some time back."

Hearing that caught Ruby by surprise.

"He was a stubborn guy who kept things too close to the chest." Sienna sighed. "He's a kind and good person, don't get me wrong, and he really means well. But it just didn't work out between us, and sometimes I wonder if I wasted my time trying, even though I still believed... How's that for doing something that makes no sense?"

Ruby didn't think trying to make a relationship work was stupid, but she also didn't know the details of it, and didn't feel comfortable saying her thoughts about it anyways, so she replied by saying the one thing she could. "...I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I think I learned lessons from it. Too late of course, but it helps."

"...was it because of no communication?"

"Pretty much, yeah. He kept me at arm's length all the time, so it was hard for me to connect. Made me wonder why I was even his girlfriend."

"...I get what you mean." Ruby remembered her time with Cale; all the sweetness of her relationship with him, along with her insecurities of it. "Guys, they..."

"...they don't cry, I know."

"And I cry all the time." Ruby meant it as a joke and a jab at herself, but she quickly found herself stifling a tear. "And men can be so strong too... It's not fair that us girls can't–"

"My boyfriend once said it didn't matter that women were weak," Sienna said. "...that men will do the heavy lifting no problem, just so long as women love them back once they arrive back home, and not bother them with painful questions."

"...painful questions?"

"Never hit a guy where he hurts, because that'll only make them erect walls and keep to themselves... I read that somewhere after we broke up. I don't know if it would've helped had I known that beforehand... And even if I did, I don't think I could've done any differently anyways... Men are weird like that."

That gave Ruby pause. Cale was a great person yes... Maybe a bit too great, in the sense that he never showed weakness to her. In fact, other than knowing that his parents died due to a botched mission at Signal Academy, one that he had long accepted and wished to move on from... What else did Ruby know of him? What were Cale's fears, difficulties, and doubts? And it was always her that was being helped, not the other way around... Ruby didn't want to admit it, but for all her invitations for Cale to open up, he had yet to do so, even with that letter he wrote and left for her, the morning after they spent the night.

Did Cale feel hurt whenever she asked him to open up?

Or did he not trust that she had his back, no matter what?

A thought ran through Ruby's mind. Was this why she still couldn't stop thinking about him, even though he promised to come back? Because he was in need, but was pushing her away?

"...it still sounds unfair," Ruby said, shaking the thought away. "...surely a woman can protect her man as well. Especially when he has saved her so many times..."

"That's what I thought too." Sienna then looked straight into Ruby's eyes. "But lots of things in life are unfair, and while it's the men who have the power, they also bear the responsibility too... And I guess a woman isn't supposed to act like a man, if that makes sense." A pause, then Sienna said, "...did your boyfriend hurt you or something? Or was it the other way around?"

"..."

"So it's the latter... I figured that was the case, with you pining for Cale like that." Sienna slowly shook her head. "I won't pry any further about it, but your boyfriend sounds like he's a swell and understanding guy, so I take it you'll just make it up to him once he returns."

Ruby went quiet. She could just end the conversation right here, there was no reason to tell Sienna any more. But the compulsion that caused her to open up this topic drove her on, because ultimately she knew she still yearned for forgiveness, even though Cale said that there was nothing to forgive. "I never once thought he'd return to even say goodbye... I thought he was dead." Ruby scrambled for more words; she was compelled to continue, to not just leave it there, and she saw that Sienna was looking intently at her now. "I did an awful thing to him, and I had resigned myself to wallow in despair for the rest of my life. But then he returned to me, so I have to make it up to him somehow... Even though I can't really ask for anything more than him being alive. And when he left, he promised he'd come back, so I'll wait for him and do my best until my body breaks, or this world breaks apart."

Sienna crossed her arms. "But what if fate has other plans for him? What if Cale changes, or he never returns?"

"He came back to me as the same guy I fell in love with, and he'll return the same way, I know he'll keep his promise regardless of what the stars say... I trust him with my whole being on that."

"Like how he trusted you?"

The way that line was said was particularly sharp, and Ruby felt like Sienna's yellow eyes were piercing right through her again, dealing an agonizing wound to her heart.

But Ruby knew she was in no position to be hurt, so instead she took it all in stride, smiling softly as she did. "...I'll never break his trust again."

A pause fell between the two, and Ruby took a few deep breaths to stop her tears.

"You must think I'm just some stupid girl with a red cloak, don't you?"

"Humble, yes. Stupid? No, I can see that you're not."

"Because I sometimes think of how foolish I really am, wondering why I did what I did to him..."

"I didn't have to be so mean, I apologize. I was just thinking of my previous relationship, and I'm not about to cast the first stone."

"It's ok..." Ruby gulped. "I just wanted Cale to see that I'm strong and reliable, that I can be there for him..."

"It's alright, Ruby. I get why... Because at the end of the day, while mistakes were made, you only wanted to show that you love Cale, and I'm sure he knows that."

"Yes, I do love Cale. More than anything." Ruby still held her soft smile, even while she teetered at the edge of breaking down. "I trip over myself trying to keep up with him, but I love him all the same, and I'll never stop believing in him."

The two went quiet again for some time after that, and Ruby was able to regain her composure, though she saw Sienna had closed her eyes for a while before reopening them, as if deep in thought over what Ruby said.

"...Sienna?"

"You're that committed..." Sienna replied, breaking the silence. "Maybe that's why you're named after a rose. Cut it down, bury it, put it to the torch, roses will find a way to bloom again, even in the coldest of winters."

"You don't have to butter me up this much, Sienna. It's fine." Ruby shook her head. "I'm not special, I'm just a girl from the countryside that's probably better off doing farm work than Hunter work, and I'm just trying to fix what I did wrong and do what's right. Because I promised him that I will, and I want to keep that promise... Promises have weight." It wasn't like she was being hard on herself, Ruby just didn't think she was doing anything extraordinary, much less that she was one. She was only doing what she could, which was the right thing, and hoping that it was enough.

Another quiet moment between the two, then it was Sienna who smiled softly. "You're livelier than before."

"...I am?" Ruby held her wounded right arm, which hadn't hurt for a while now; it seemed there really was something to what Sienna said. All along she thought she was stepping out of line, thinking of personal things when she was on a mission, but Sienna made her feel less guilty for being so compelled, which she appreciated.

"You are, and that helps with whatever comes up. See, I told you talking about things you care about is natural, because us talking about it certainly can't hurt. And with that said, I'm sure Cale loves you very much."

"And I want to tell him the same when he comes back. Every waking day, and every night before going to sleep."

Sienna nodded at that, crossed her arms, and closed her eyes once more; the two once again went silent.

But this time it was only brief, as they both heard sounds from outside soon enough... Opening her eyes, Sienna went out to look.

"Looks like luck's smiling on us, the soldiers are packing up and moving out again. Now's our chance."

Ruby felt her spirits rise up; they were leaving? Then there was no time to waste, her teammates needed her. She still hadn't completely recovered, but she did feel better than before, like what Sienna said, and that would just have to be enough. And so, with Crescent Rose tucked behind her waist, Ruby carefully stood up...

Only to be picked up by Sienna in a piggyback carry, taking Ruby once again by surprise.

"Wait, this base is too big," Ruby said. "You can't just carry me around all the way, let me walk–"

"Save your strength when you're about to get into a fight. You can't keep your promise to him if you're too tired to stand your ground when it counts."

And so the woman walked out of their hiding spot and into the softly snowing outside, with Ruby on her back.

"...thank you, Sienna. Even though we're both from Beacon, you still don't know me, and yet you're helping me out like this... I'm lucky that I met you."

"Likewise."

"No, I'm serious." With her body telling her just how much of a relief it was being carried rather than forcing herself to walk, Ruby breathed a sigh of relief of her own. "I really can't thank you enough."

"Don't mention it. Besides, I can't have Cale get mad at me for not taking care of her girl, you know?"

"He's not like that," Ruby said, shaking her head. "He might not look like it, but he's not heavy handed at all, and he wouldn't even think of getting mad at a kind person like you."

Sienna chuckled softly. "Right, right. Of course."

And so Ruby and Sienna looked around to avoid enemies as they made their way forward in the snowy night, trying to find the warehouse where Ruby left her teammates.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Yang took deep breaths as she brought down the last batch of soldiers that fought on, but not chasing after those that fell back, apparently due to some Grimm that somehow got far enough to reach this base, all due to a hole in the Atlas walls, if their shouts were to be believed.

Whatever their reason was for falling back, the battle here was over, and so Yang stabbed Embercleave to the pavement to support her tired and wounded body, releasing her Semblance right after taking out the leftover fires she dealt during her fight that the falling snow hadn't snuffed out yet. She and her team were on a rescue mission after all, and she wasn't about to leave any trail that could lead to her or cause any more collateral damage to Atlas if she could help it.

The base was once again quiet. If there were stragglers from the enemy forces, they could take her out easily. She was that tired, especially after using her dragon for an extended period, as basic as her control over it was; her right arm, free from bandages and rife with scars, was slightly red and hot. But Yang was alone as far as she knew, with the cold biting at her skin and the snow slowly falling down on her, and so she used the respite to regain as much strength as she could. Because as strong as she was, dealing with so many of Ironwood's men, even though they were normal infantry, left her low in the tank.

But all this was just than needless fighting; even though Ironwood started the battle by firing the first shot, and that he had Willow as a hostage, Qrow's return gave Yang hope that they could negotiate for Willow's release. But seeing Jacques, who was dependent on sticking with Qrow for protection, only fueled the general's belief that they were all enemies of Atlas, and that broke down negotiations and forced them to take drastic action; Yang was tasked to take on Ironwood's men, to make sure that Qrow could isolate Ironwood long enough for Willow to be rescued.

Yang thought of the others... With her task done, now what? Was Qrow still fighting Ironwood? And where was Weiss? How were they doing? Did they get Willow? And was Ruby safe, did she reach the cars to recuperate? What about Team JNPR, were they also doing ok? Yang didn't know the answer to those questions – her phone being destroyed during her fight didn't help things – but what she did know was that she didn't have the luxury of time; having overheard the enemy soldiers talk about a grueling victory over the Grimm invasion at the walls, that meant the Atlas army could be arriving here anytime now, and even she couldn't possibly hold them off.

Yang knew she had to act quick. She had to recover soon, and retrace her steps to find where the warehouse was to rescue Willow and get the hell out of here, even though her battle with the soldiers had forced her to stray too far, making her lose her bearings. But one thing at a time; first, she took some more deep breaths–

A sharp giggle echoed in Yang's ears.

Wait, what was that?

Another one, much closer this time.

Yang turned to the sound. Was it over there? The sound beckoned to her for some reason, prompting her to investigate...

Grabbing Embercleave, Yang slowly walked towards where she heard the sounds, but she hadn't taken more than ten steps before she saw a man's figure hiding at a nearby silo… Or was it a girl's?

"Hey you!" Yang shouted, but the figure giggled and ran away in a flamboyant, almost teasing manner instead.

And right at that moment, Yang's right arm began to hurt, almost making her drop her greatsword.

...what?

Yang ignored the pain. She was sure the figure wasn't some soldier out for revenge, but seeing a glimpse of it made her convinced that it was a threat nonetheless. Because no civilian would be wandering around these parts right now, and no one innocent would be running away like that either; an enemy spy most likely, and Yang knew that the figure was aware of her presence.

Her right arm began to throb, but Yang powered through it. As much as she wanted to look for the warehouse now to help Weiss and the others, Yang had to make sure this new threat was dealt with first, before that figure decided to kill her from behind at the earliest convenience... Feeling the eeriness of this place get even worse couldn't be a coincidence.

Yang scraped enough strength to sprint towards the silo where she last saw the figure and checked the corner, holding her greatsword tightly, but there was nothing no matter where Yang looked. No figure, no trap, and no trace to work with, only her right arm hurting even more.

...what's going on here?

Scowling as she endured the pain, Yang made one last sweep of the immediate area; still no sign of that figure. If it was after her, that person would've made their move against her by now. But with nothing happening and with no leads, Yang had to turn back, her mission still needing to be completed.

But that was when the figure appeared seemingly out of nowhere, appearing before Yang just a stone's throw away; a small, dainty girl with a walking stick and a fashion sense so extreme that she couldn't possibly be a threat at first glance, especially given how tall Yang was in comparison. And yet...

You followed me, even when your arm told you not to.

Yang cried out at the awful voice reverberating in her skull, like that of leather crumbling... Her left hand quickly held her head, while her right arm struggled to hold Embercleave. "What the hell... Get out of my head!"

No. Because this is how chosen ones like me communicate, through telepathy. And I refuse to utter any more of your languages.

Telepathy? But no Semblance was known to have that, but its effects were no less real. Her mind tortured by that awful voice, along with a giggle that brought shivers down her spine, Yang almost fell to her knees. Almost.

I'm looking for a dog right now, not some failure like you. But I suppose I can still tell you to stop following me... This is your only warning. I'm not as kind as the other one you met.

"Shut up! Who the hell do you think you are anyway, messing with people's heads?!" Scowling as she forced herself to form a fighting stance, Yang embraced her Semblance, fire once again blazing on her hair and blade, her lilac eyes now a deep red. She wasn't about to let this pass; whoever this person was, Weiss and the others were at risk. "You're the one who should get out of my head, so leave! Or I'll kill you!"

Who am I? But who are you? No idea, of course... Hehe, you're funny. All that anger, and yet you don't seem to know who you are yourself.

Yang had enough. This girl was an enemy toying with her with some new kind of Semblance, so Yang had to deal with her as such; powering through her hurting right arm, she summoned a fireball and threw it straight at her opponent to start the battle from a safe range, bracing to respond to whatever the girl would do next.

But the girl simply stood there and swatted Yang's fireball with her walking stick, sending it away and burning the area behind her instead, and an ominous darkness seemed to grow from her back.

Tsk, tsk... You should've listened to your arm while you had the chance. But it's clear that you also don't know who you're dealing with, so it's time you found out.

Under the moonlight and the falling snow, the girl began to convulse violently, making Yang recoil in disgust, but nothing could've warned her of the horror that came next.

Something else erupted from the girl, tearing off clothes and bloody flesh – disposing of the carcass like a cheap suit – to reveal a vaguely humanoid shape that took out a thin blade from inside its walking stick. But it was also as inhuman as a Grimm could ever be, with their shadowy skin, bone armor, and flaring red eyes, along with a darkness that extended wide behind it like vast wings.

Yang's eyes widened. This girl was a Grimm?! But Grimm weren't known to change shape, much less change shape like that... A hybrid, then? But this one was much less like M374 and more like Cinder, though instead of insanity it radiated a disconcerting strangeness that couldn't be denied, so much so that Yang realized that her body was shaking in fear, and her right arm was pulsing painfully now, as if it had always known what she faced.

"What the hell are you?!"

A higher class of Grimm, and a creature far superior to humans... A hybrid that's the best of both worlds, born again as a true native of the stars. Something a failed imitation like you could never be.

The hybrid made a few steps forward, and Yang found herself taking a few steps back.

Well, you wanted this, didn't you? I've already set aside looking for the dog just for you... So go ahead and make the first move, try to kill me. Or I'll strangle you to death instead.

Normally she would just take on any of her opponent's challenges without a second thought, but Yang instead felt cold sweat falling down her cheeks and her knees buckling. This feeling... Was this hybrid the source of the eeriness of this base all along?!

Giggling, the hybrid continued to walk towards Yang; not wanting to lose, Yang grit her teeth and forcibly stood her ground.

"...get away from me!"

Yang summoned her dragon and fired it straight at the hybrid in front of her at full power, her yellow aura turning gold, and in an instant she was out of breath, and felt like her right arm was being torn off its socket.

But the hybrid grabbed Yang's dragon with a gnarled, clawed hand and strangled it by its neck – never mind that grabbing such an attack seemed impossible, but the hybrid managed to do it – and squeezed with such force that the dragon dissipated into embers, leaving Yang in complete shock.

You don't have full control over it. You're only making up for lack of technique with sheer brute force, and a whole lot of anger... But that won't get you far.

"...!"

Such is the consequence of retaining one's sense of self, and not supressing it, resulting in so many failures. Though I suppose the rewards outweigh the risks, and it's better than being stripped of all personhood, just for the sake of stability...

Glaring at the hybrid, Yang wanted to scream at it to shut up from saying any further nonsense, but the latter gave her no time as it suddenly charged to duel Yang in a swordfight; Yang grunted as their swords clashed.

Though I do find you very cute right now, when you get all worked up like that. So go ahead, show me more.

Metal clanged against metal as the two fought in the snowy night, with Yang giving it her all even with an unbearably painful right arm, to win against this damned thing before it found its way to Weiss and the others. But the hybrid displayed inhuman reflexes and skill, to the point where it became clear to Yang that it was toying with her; despite getting close to collapsing from fatigue, Yang could always tell whenever someone was holding back... Like Cinder did.

Just how many of these hybrids were out there? Finding two couldn't be a coincidence... Yang didn't think this one and Cinder were in any way connected to Atlas. Who were they working for?

Yes, that's a really good look you have there.Who are you protecting, I wonder, for you to persist like this.

Yang ignored the taunting as she pulled out every technique she learned in Mistral. She used ascending thrusts, downward cuts, cross slashes, raining fire at point blank range... Even recalling their formal names in her head, 升天, 勇猛斩, 厄运, and 流星雨. But none of them were working, her opponent blocking and dodging every blow witth surprising technique, dealing cuts on Yang's flesh in return, and Yang's strength was fading away, her swings with Embercleave getting slower and more awkward.

Yang knew Blake was still missing – and she wished that she was doing ok – but she could really use her help right now. She could use anyone's help really, but it was Blake taught her how to use her dragon for a limited duration during their training sessions, and Yang hadn't learned nearly enough for a protracted battle. If Blake was here, then she could've assisted her like she did at the Hunter trials, because right now Yang was too tired to even try to summon her dragon again after this hybrid snuffed it out...

Yang's vision began to grow hazy. Was this...

Are you sure you want to leave? Even though you're now a Xiao Long member, you still have much to learn.

I've had enough of everything here! And I'm sick of you! Sick of you always telling me I'm not enough, and never acknowledging what I do right! If I had only known the truth of what life would be living under this castle... Nothing here is any different from my time in the streets! Fighting tooth and nail over scraps just to survive–

But you did survive. And the fact that I'm not killing you for being so graceless is proof that I acknowledge you.

Shut up! You can't stop me, I've earned the right to leave! I'll look for my own path elsewhere! There's nothing here for me in this damned kingdom anyways, I can protect other people in a different way! And I'll show you that I can be strong on my own merits!

Hmph. Then go ahead, leave if you must, I can never fault anyone for seeking more power. But we both know that you'll be back, Yang.

...!

Yes, that's right. You can never truly leave Mistral, Yang. You'll be back before you know it... And I'll be waiting.

...why was she thinking of her now, of all people?!

The hybrid made a diagonal sword swing at Yang, and that was enough to disarm the latter; Embercleave went clanging on the pavement, and Yang immediately lost her Semblance.

Now that was fun... You're an interesting case, for a failure.

Yang gasped for breath, deathly tired, but was still trying her best to hang on, even though this time she only had her bare fists, against a hybrid pointing a sword directly at her...

The hybrid laughed.

You're so naive, acting as if you can change anything.

Not bothering to use its sword anymore, the hybrid hit Yang with a flurry of kicks instead, all of them too quick for Yang to defend against, and an ax kick was the final blow, sending Yang crumpling to the concrete.

My mother stirs in her sleep, you see, and she expects to wake up soon. There are rules to follow, more fodder to be made, and it's my task to ensure that they're done, starting with that wayward mutt being brought to heel. But you're a welcome surprise, being fun to play around with... It would be a shame to kill you so soon. And who knows, a failure like you might just be lucky enough to have a front row seat at what's to come.

Yang groaned, helpless from where she lay, her body twisted awkwardly, her fingers just a few inches away from Embercleave. Defeated and at the mercy of this hybrid, memories of her time in the Xiao Long Castle came flashing before her eyes, as much as she didn't want it to.

Yang had always wanted to be a part of the Xiao Long family – the most famous martial family in all of Mistral, aptly titled the 東方不敗, and tied much closer at the hip with the royalty than publicly admitted – in her desire to overcome her street rat life in Mistral's slums, born from poverty; angry at the hand life gave her since birth, she only wanted to channel that anger into something productive, namely to protect people from the Grimm.

But the Xiao Longs were known to have an exacting process in their pursuit of finding new strong people to add to their ranks, and the Baxian – the eight strongest members of the family, were both its leaders and its scouts, searching all of Mistral not just for new recruits, but potential heirs to the inner circle too, a tradition going all the way back in the Remnant Era. Which was why Yang made it a point to persevere despite being a girl, getting into – and winning – street fights not just to protect herself, but also to make herself known in some small way, in the slim chance that the Baxian would find her, and recognize her strength.

And so she recalled the first time she met Fenghuang the Huanghou, First of The Eight – and the only woman in the Baxian – and Haesik the Haemosu, Second of the Eight, meeting the two after they caught her stealing food; the latter quickly took a liking to her, and was the one who gave her a new name, "Yang". But it was the former who trained her, and Fenghuang was a harsh master and tolerated no weakness, so much so that only Yang survived from the batch they brought to the Xiao Long Castle, all while making sure that her days were torture along the way, right until she passed the final test.

And that was when Yang left right after becoming part of the martial family, not only to be away from Mistral and Fenghuang, but also to become stronger in her own way. Much stronger. Because once her time in Vale as a Hunter was done, returning to Mistral was next, with the sole purpose of settling grievances.

So rather than beg for your life, you dream of it instead... Hehehe, I like you. You really are an interesting failure.

Yang then realized that her hatred for Fenghuang was the only thing that kept her conscious right now – the safety of her friends being a distant thing compared to that – and she didn't know what to say to that, as her fatigue began to take its toll.

You were a fun diversion. I enjoyed making you suffer, and it's good that you're good for something after all. Because to be honest, failures like you... Have never been worth anything.

Yang's vision began to darken. Ruby, Weiss, Blake, I...

But she still caught the Grimm change shape once more, black blisters on its shadowy skin quickly forming and popping to form new flesh and clothes, until the hybrid went back to that small dainty form Yang saw earlier, all dolled up with that ridiculous fashion sense again as if nothing grotesque had happened, complete with a giggle that seemed to echo throughout the huge Atlas base.

I'll be seeing you again. And you better not be dead by the time I'm done. I wouldn't want to miss another fun moment with you, so be a good girl and lie down straight for the meantime. Because laying there all twisted up like that? It's not very good for your back.

The figure walked away, leaving Yang alone in the falling snow, and the blonde soon lost consciousness.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A woman with long raven hair descended from the rope laid down by the commandeered Atlas stealth helicopter she rode in, hovering in the air, her red eyes surveying the area she was at, and met up with the soldiers that awaited her, all standing at attention.

"The First of the Eight Baxian... Fenghuang, the Huanghou!" barked the captain, who also happened to be the second in command of the squad she led, then him and every soldier promptly made a sharp salute. "Area has been secured, my lady. No enemies found!"

Fenghuang nodded as she observed the scene, the Atlas snow falling gently down on her attire – a black and red kimono top matched with a short black skirt, multiple red beaded necklaces, black fingerless gloves, and black thigh high boots – while a Xiao Long heirloom, the aurastone odachi Yatagarasu, gleamed under the moonlight as she carried it, the blade resting on her right shoulder. "Good evening, Captain. How is she? And have you found clues on what we could be dealing with here?"

"She's unconscious, but her vital signs are stable. No clues regarding what kind of opponent knocked her out though..."

"I see." Fenghuang had hoped that there was something else they could gather here, but with the number of buildings and the sheer size of the Atlas mainframe, the enemy disappearing didn't really come as a surprise. Then again, they were here for one thing and one thing only. "Now where is she?"

"Right this way, my lady."

Walking side by side with the captain, it didn't take long for Fenghuang to see Yang, crumpled in an awkward way under a pile of rubble, with another one of the Xiao Long aurastone heirlooms a few inches away from her fingers, the greatsword Embercleave.

So you really are here. I didn't think you'd end up getting involved in something like this, though. Weren't you supposed to be looking for Jacques Schnee?

No response... Yang remained still, battered and bruised, with only her blonde hair moving upon being blown by the cold wind, but Fenghuang knew that the girl was still alive.

"Patrol the area and keep in touch with Mistral intelligence," Fenghuang finally said to the captain, breaking her silence. "Alert me the moment they are aware of Atlas's next move... This won't take long."

The man nodded as he left, ordering the group to do as instructed, and Fenghuang moved to kneel near Yang. They weren't even supposed to be here; they were originally dispatched by Mistral to destroy the Atlas railgun upon seeing Ironwood's demonstration of it. But as one of the Baxian, the esteemed group within the Xiao Long martial family that was pivotal to Mistral's enduring existence, she had exclusive right to divert from missions as she pleased, and in the chaos of what was happening ever since the Grimm invaded the Atlas walls, reports from their spies of a golden dragon attacking Atlas soldiers here in a suspiciously abandoned mainframe made Fenghuang move without hesitation; the railgun wasn't going anywhere, it could wait.

Stabbing her odachi to the ground to keep it in place, Fenghuang took out a long knife from her pocket and made a cut on Yang's right arm so deep it went right to her bone, and went further by separating the flesh to glean its secrets, much like opening a book, even as her blood flowed freely; Yang didn't wake up from it.

Good. Yang was holding up well, in fact she was doing slightly better than expected.

Then again, you're doing well on your promise to become stronger beyond Mistral. You were a whelp when I first saw you, and now here you are...

Satisfied with what she found, Fenghuang put back Yang's flesh, and it did the rest, healing itself and leaving no trace of what had just happened.

Only then did Fenghuang treat Yang's other wounds on the rest of her body. A rote procedure at this point, as this was only the latest in a lengthy series of taking care of her 'child', including having Mistral spies in Vale find out what Yang's missions were, as well as her combat record during her stay in Beacon Academy, the latter of which was... Not bad, not bad at all.

Who would've thought you'd grow as fast as the world is escalating right now.

A beep came from inside one of Fenghuang's red arm gauntlets, cutting off her thoughts; she quickly opened her left one, revealing a phone.

"How's the weather up there?"

"The Atlas railgun will be destroyed one way or another, Haesik." Fenghuang said levelly. "So tell the Mistral royalty that they will get the weapon's secrets soon enough. But they'll have to wait, something just came up."

"And what might that be?"

"The Baxian are free to do what they see fit. Feel free to remind those meddling eunuchs that–"

"Off the record... It's Yang, isn't it?"

"..."

"I did name her, you know."

"..."

"I see you're working hard as ever, Raven."

"You keep using my old name." Fenghuang barely hid her annoyance upon hearing it. But the man on the other line was always like this, never missing a chance to push her buttons. "Use my true name, I was given that for a reason. Or do you want me to call you Taiyang in front of the other Baxian from now on?"

"And still as grumpy as ever," the man said with a deep, low laugh. "This is just between us friends, Raven. It's good to look back at where we've been every now and then, it helps keep ourselves humble. And you haven't smiled in a long time."

"I don't remember asking you to call me for laughs." Fenghuang's eyes narrowed; she didn't have time for this. "Now get on with it, do you have anything else to tell me?"

"How's the blondie?"

"...she's fine. You know how she is."

"Unconscious but alive is what you mean. Because she'd be clawing at your throat if she was awake."

"..."

"Not in a talking mood, eh? Well, anyways. Be careful out there, Raven. I'm sure leaving the Atlas mainframe unguarded is some kind of elaborate trap set up by Ironwood for something, so don't get too distracted by it. Once you're done with Yang, deal with the railgun asap. Doesn't matter how it's destroyed, as long as it is, and make sure you bring intel as souvenirs when you get back home, alright? Even though we're the Baxian, these royalty eunuchs are annoying and a pain to deal with."

"And you aren't?"

Haesik chuckled. "I'm not the one that's supposed to be laughing here."

"Then don't. I'll bring what Mistral has tasked me to do."

"I know you will. Just catching up with you while doing mandatory reports. And say hello to Yang for me."

"Do that yourself."

"I may have named her, but you're the one who allowed her entry to the Xiao Long family, remember? So if not for me, then say hi to her for your own sake. It's a dangerous world out there after all, part of why we do what we do to keep Mistral safe. But who knows when you'll have another chance?"

"..."

"Talk to you later, Raven."

Haesik disconnected the call, and Fenghuang mulled over the state of the world while she worked; for all the things Haesik said, that was the one thing they could agree on. Because the world was no less dangerous than when the Grimm were rampant, though for entirely different reasons.

The Dust Revolution was truly a historic moment, when humanity pushed back the Grimm so effectively that some even go so far nowadays as to say that there was finally peace in the world. But that couldn't be further from the truth. As more things changed, so do things stayed the same, as it was often said; the war had only switched targets, and was hidden by the prosperity each kingdom's citizens enjoyed due to the Grimm falling back to their stronghold bubbles, which served as their spawning beds, deep in the wilderness.

But the stronghold bubbles proved too difficult to pierce through despite kingdom cooperation, and Tenebrae, a Grimm infested land located at the northwest where every human there had been wiped out, had borders that also proved too hard to penetrate. So what to do with such an enemy that simply refused to die? Sacrifice as many bodies as possible for the slight chance of ending it all, at the risk of letting the Grimm to get their revenge? Or manage it until a permanent solution could be found? The choice eventually became clear; with the vast majority in agreement that the correct path was the vigilant containment of the Grimm for the foreseeable future, the five kingdoms reached an accord, formally known as the Pentad Treaties.

But the treaties did nothing to stop an arms race; cooperation soon turned to distrust, fueled by having no clear superpower regardless of the Grimm's continued existence, and despite good intentions, no one wanted to fall behind from the others. So in a way the Pentad Treaties were a curse, allowing the people to be complacent, and the kingdoms to forget their duty to destroy the Grimm for good... It was inevitable that things would come to a boil one way or another, and Ironwood proved to be the catalyst, being the first to break the accords.

Not that Fenghuang wouldn't have broken it herself; she had heard about Ironwood's public speeches, she knew that the other kingdoms were weak, anyone that bothered to look would realize what needed to be done. Vacuo was barely a kingdom in the strictest sense, more accurately described as a desert full of barely unified sand tribes, Menagerie was plagued by internal conflict despite their best efforts to hide it, while Vale was led by royalty naive enough to cut their defense spending for domestic concerns, still believing in the old treaties. Kingdoms born and bred to be subservient to a master, one could say...

Now railgun technology was indeed impressive, and Fenghuang would give credit to Atlas for making it happen, but in her mind the true prize was perfecting hybrid theory, to take the power of the Grimm and harness it for the betterment of humanity. And while she sympathized with Ironwood's beliefs, he was a fool if he actually thought that Mistral was behind on that. Because thanks to the research of Zhu the Suzaku, Third of the Eight, the true purpose of the black Dust discovered deep under Mistral long ago had finally been revealed to them. And with their focus on quality rather than quantity as per their martial heritage, Fenghuang would wager that Mistral's hybrids, while much harder to produce and keep stable, were far superior to Atlas's.

It wasn't that Ironwood was wrong, far from it. He was just too hasty, too brazen... A certain finesse was needed to obtain the throne, and that was why Mistral would win in the end. Because unlike the others, they kept the superior culture of their kingdom going all the way back in the Remnant Era, preserved in the most pristine way. It would take time, but ultimately power was downstream from culture, and with the heavens blessing them, they were–

Another beep came out from her phone, and Fenghuang promptly answered it. "What's the news out there, Captain?"

"The Atlas army is moving, my lady. With the Grimm invasion at the walls successfully routed, Ironwood has given the signal for all forces to head towards the mainframe. Also because there seems to be something else roaming around in this base, Atlas army casualties are said to be high, and is probably why Ironwood left the mainframe unguarded, to catch and destroy it. In any case, we need to head to the railgun now, we've been here long enough."

Oh? Something else was here? The Atlas mainframe was a vast military base spanning more than a hundred square miles, with many buildings for things to hide in, and it was possible that some Grimm had gotten inside from some leak at the walls or a different enemy altogether was involved, so the report was believable enough.

And looking at Yang, Fenghuang saw that she was just stroking the girl's head now, her wounds all taken care of; she had taken her sweet time indeed.

Fenghuang spared a look at the constellations of the night sky, the stars were made brighter due to the snow, and noticed one in particular; what the other kingdoms like Vale called Lupus Adamanteus, Atlas as Hróðvitnir, Menagerie as Dingo of the Dreamtime, and Vacuo as قُطْرُب was to Mistral named 大神, and it now shone brightest among the groups of stars in the heavens.

There was much truth in the myths long forgotten by modern society, and the old stories of what the heavens revealed to humans were no exception; for 大神 to be so striking meant that the heavens were anticipating something, and even the shattered moon agreed, itself shining brighter than usual.Fenghuang didn't know exactly what that was of course, but to see such bright stars, along with hearing the captain's report – and feeling the shiver that ran through her back – couldn't be a coincidence.

"Understood, I'm just about done anyways. All units fall back to the helicopter, I'll be there shortly."

Ending the call, Fenghuang looked at another constellation named 天龍, and wondered when the time would come for her plans to bear fruit; many nights went by of her thinking of just cutting her losses and starting over. But Yang made it this far, and for her to be here, even though she was just a fresh Beacon graduate...

Fenghuang saw the blonde's fingers twitch.

You still have hatred for me, don't you Yang?

And from her slight stirring came out a tear, and a single word, fainter than a whisper, but one that Fenghuang heard nonetheless, as clear as the light of the shattered moon.

"Mama..."

...I see.

"Shh... I'm here." Fenghuang whispered back, and caressed Yang's cheek, knowing the little time she had. "Hello, Yang. It's been awhile."

"Mama..." Yang mumbled again, and 天龍 scintillated; a sign that Fenghuang didn't miss.

It seems you're here for a reason after all.

"I'll be seeing you again soon." Fenghuang smiled softly. Already Yang was stirring; she was a resilient one if nothing else. She had survived poverty, survived her training...

Fenghuang stifled an instinct to just take Yang away. No, that wouldn't make her stronger, and that wouldn't get her closer to her goals. So instead she carried Yang to a nearby corner where she could hide in, and kissed the girl's forehead.

Get stronger from whatever defeated you, Yang. You'll be ready in due time, and that's when we'll settle things, just as the heavens want it.

Fenghuang left Yang, knowing that she would awaken soon enough, and that she would survive what was about to happen here, the heavens smiling upon the girl's progress.