Note: Whoo what a reaction to the last chapter. Hope to follow it up with something good.

Yang was furious.

Yang was in agony.

Yang was alive.

When the hammer fell, something was dragged from the depths of her consciousness that she had long forgotten. It called to her when the Aura was shot through every capillary, soaking her cells in rich, potent power. It screamed gloriously as her body sealed the gaps between her bones and snapped her joints back into place, transmitting feeling down her spine and back to her toes. When she opened her eyes, she saw the world in a way that she missed, and yet, it felt so new.

It wasn't a voice or a thought. She stopped thinking once she was back on her feet. It was more of an instinct. It commanded her to hit something as hard as she fucking could.

Good Nora. Dumb, impulsive Nora. Why did she hit her with a sledgehammer? That really hurt. Yang couldn't remember being struck that hard. Did the Grimm even attack her with that much force? She couldn't quite recall. Her memories of that day were quite fractured, after all. It didn't matter. This seemed like the hardest she had ever been hit by something, and she wasn't in the mood to ask questions. Nora just hit her with a hammer. There had to be consequences. Nora tried blabbering at her, of course. She might have even smiled as she saw Yang rise to her feet. Did she say something? Hard to tell. Yang's ears were ringing ever since that Maiden crushed her, and the Aura didn't do anything to help orient her. Unfortunately, for everyone, the Maiden wasn't here. But Nora was. So, Nora got punched.

And it felt so fucking fantastic.

For months, ever since her fusion, Yang felt she had been missing something. It was hard, letting those awful thoughts linger in the background while kindness and compassion and all that friendly, meditative shit got to take center stage. When Yang felt her knuckles collide with Nora's jaw, she felt the electricity jump through her bones. That was what she was missing, wasn't it? This. She missed the satisfying sight of watching someone fly away from her fists. She missed her heart racing in her ears. The fight at the shady apartment building in Vale tickled that itch, but this… god, this was the real deal, wasn't it? The missing ingredient that bound her Soul, that restored the perspective on her life she desperately craved.

Perhaps Nora enjoyed this, too. She certainly played her part well. She led Yang in a chase through multiple chambers of the Vault, bounding off the walls while using her hammer as an explosive pogo stick. She kept on smiling, partly thrilled by the chase, partly ecstatic her insane plan actually paid off. Not that Yang gave a damn. Yang sprinted after her, her endless Aura allowing her to push off the ground and leap ten yards with a single step. Her shotgun bracers were damaged, but that wasn't an issue. It just meant Yang had to get close. She could have fun with that.

And all of that was what led Yang back to the entrance, staring down at Nora with glowing, vengeful eyes. She squeezed her fist, and she felt the bones crack. Maybe the broken bones hadn't actually healed completely; more like she was being together with Aura-made duct tape. Again: didn't matter. She could move. She could fight. Nora had regripped her hammer and was ready for a showdown. Ren was standing beside her, but she pushed him aside despite his protests. From her perspective, what did she have to gain? She did know that would only make her stronger. Ah, that had to be it. She was a masochist, eager to push Yang to her limits. What a lovely pair of freaks they made then. Yang stepped forward, her face twisting into a sinister grin. She had no thoughts of escaping anymore. She was an inferno, and she would blaze down the world until her fire burned itself out.

She took a step forward—and a shadow lunged into her arms.

Yang didn't see Blake coming. Her gaze was so transfixed to her new enemy that Blake could sprint across the entire chamber unseen. Blake didn't show any hesitation, not a drop of fear. Yang couldn't react before Blake tackled her to the ground, sending another Aura-induced shockwave up her damaged spine. Yang raised her arms, ready to pry her off, but then, she felt warm hands lace around her back. Blake buried her face into Yang's neck, and she felt hot tears melt into her collarbone. Yang, dumbfounded, stared up at the black, starry ceiling.

Blake didn't care about the danger. She hadn't thought of it once. She sobbed quietly as she squeezed Yang as tightly as she could.

"I thought I lost you," Blake whispered, unable to hold herself back. "I'm so glad you're okay."

The rage sputtered out. The glow disappeared. Yang lay on her back, her best friend clung tightly to her, barely able to put together another coherent thought. She moved her hands around Yang's neck, pulling her whole body more tightly into her embrace, wanting to feel as much of her as possible. Yang's silly, violent fantasies drifted back into the recesses of her mind, seeming so small and insignificant now. It was as if she had been awoken from a deep trance, or more aptly, a self-destructive nightmare. Slowly, her hands wrapped around Blake, and she returned the hug. She choked down something awful and smiled gently.

"Yeah. I'm okay."

The two lay there in each other's company, neither daring to move. As Yatsu and Pyrrha entered the chamber, they were forced to maneuver around them. Pyrrha breathed a sigh of relief seeing Yang at piece. The last thing she wanted was to reinjure her friend. Despite Nora's protests, she was getting close to the point of taking action. However, an even greater wave of relief washed over her when she looked toward the entrance and made eye contact with a very familiar lanky blond.

"Jaune!"

Pyrrha was overcome with joy—so much joy that she immediately abandoned Yatsu and started sprinting toward her boyfriend. She took maybe five steps before she heard him cry out and fall over. She stumbled, doubling back for him. "Oh, Yatsu! I'm so sorry!"

"No, it's fine," Yatsu insisted, politely shooing her away. "You go to him."

"Here. Let me help you."

"It's okay."

"Come on. Up you go."

Despite Yatsu's kind rebuttals, Pyrrha hoisted him back up to his feet, and they walked much more slowly to their partners. Jaune and Velvet helped make up the distance, each brimming with joy at seeing their friends unharmed. They met Pyrrha and Yatsu most of the way, able to race across the room easily as Yatsu and Pyrrha hobbled along. Only when Pyrrha was safely able to return Yatsu to Velvet's care did she finally embrace Jaune—and shower him with a barrage of kisses.

"Jaune. Jaune. Jaune." She spoke his name between each peck as if she was afraid to forget it. Jaune just laughed and hugged Pyrrha by her waist.

"I missed you too, Pyrrha."

"How are you alive?" Pyrrha asked worriedly, pulling away just to examine him for injuries. She brushed his shaggy hair out of his eyes, combing him over like a child.

"Just got lucky, I guess," Jaune shrugged.

"You never get lucky," Pyrrha pointed out.

"Then, I guess I was overdue? Hey!"

Pyrrha spun Jaune around. She looked him up and down for injuries. Any sagging limbs, any drops of blood—he couldn't be fine. She saw him crushed, squashed like a bug. If he was just hiding injuries to stop her from worrying, well, that just made her worry even more. He complained as she lifted up his arms, grabbed at his shins, and performed all manner of unnecessary checks. It wasn't until he grabbed her firmly by the shoulders and made her look him in the eye did she finally start to calm down.

"I'm fine, Pyrrha," he promised. "Are you all right?"

Pyrrha took a deep breath. "Yes," she nodded. "I'm much better now."

A few feet away, Velvet buried herself into Yatsu's massive torso. He had difficulty supporting her weight on his bad leg, but he was never one to start a conflict. He gently patted her on the back, which only made her lean on him more.

"Oh, I've had an awful time since you've been gone," Velvet explained. "We found this room, and there were these horrible, frightening things in there. One nearly got me! And everyone was so mad at each other all the time… I wish I had you there to be the voice of reason."

"Well, I'm here now," Yatsu tried to say gently. There was a slight hesitation in his voice that Velvet immediately picked up on. She leaned her head back to look up at the giant, and she saw something wavering in his eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm… happy you're here."

"Oh, I'm hurting you, aren't I?" Velvet gasped before pulling away. She knelt down to examine his damaged thigh. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Maybe just help me sit against the wall," he asked. Velvet beamed as she assisted him. Finally, someone who didn't hate or disappoint her, and, someone large enough to defend her from forces physical and verbal. Even weakened, Yatsu was enough of a presence that he could shelter her from the wickedness this Vault tried to inflict upon her. Still, there was something sad about his smile she didn't recognize, something beyond the pain in his leg. She supposed he would discuss it with her when he felt like it. It couldn't be bad; with Yatsu, it never was.

By the reception area, Nora watched the three merry reunions, planted down her sledgehammer, and wiped her hands clean.

"Well, my job here is done," she declared. "All according to plan."

Ren, standing beside her, eyed her suspiciously. "You didn't plan for any of this."

"Sure I did," Nora stated. "I resurrected Yang with my hammer, found the missing crew, and got us all to the entrance. Literally, everything worked out perfectly."

"Mostly by luck," Ren sighed. "Please, next time, be more cautious before doing something like this. Or at the very least, give me more than a two-second warning before you drop a sledgehammer on me. I worry about you."

"Awwwww," Nora cooed. "Don't worry. I promise to be extra careful next time I almost kill you."

"That's not what I—"

"But again, it totally worked out, so maybe not."

"I feel like you aren't understanding me."

"Do you want a hug?"

"Why would I want a hug?"

"That's what someone who wants a hug says. Come here!" Nora hoisted Ren up into her arms, gently shaking him around in a bear-like grip. Ren sighed, unable to resist. Nora's smile was infectious, despite the blood dripping from her lip. Her spirits hadn't been dampened at all from the battle, and frankly, why would they be? She was right. Yang was saved from certain death. Her wild, out-of-the-box thinking kept their teammate alive, and for that, he was extremely thankful. Ren rested in Nora's hug, content that the worst of their excursion into the Vault was over. Nearby, Pyrrha once again hugged and kissed Jaune. Velvet cuddled next to Yatsu as they sat against the wall. Blake and Yang hadn't moved from their embrace.

And by the entrance, Fox was just sorta… there. Being alone.

He wasn't alone for very long. From the furthest, right-most corridor, a voice carried out into the chamber. "Hey! People, hey!"

Everyone's attention was drawn toward the corridor, save for Blake and Yang, lost within their own little world. There, they saw a very relieved, very tired Coco, trying to summon some enthusiasm. The CFVY leader waved joyfully to the entrance and rushed over to celebrate their return. From the darkness, Ruby and Weiss followed behind, with Penny trailing slightly further back. It wasn't a long journey from the communication hub, though the revelations of the Vault had weighed them down. Ruby and Weiss were thinking carefully about how to best break the news if they ever saw their teammates again, though those concerns were washed away when they saw a familiar blonde lying on the floor, smothered by a cat Faunus.

"Yang!" Ruby and Weiss's exclamations came simultaneously. Ruby broke out into a sprint, and though Weiss was far slower, she tried to follow close behind. Ruby felt her heart swell with every step, her mind racing with the possibilities. Some cynical part of her tried to dismiss this sight as a mirage, or a tragedy—Blake, grieving over a lifeless body. But Yang was moving. She seemed to be speaking. Ruby could see her smiling. The rest of the room was far too jubilant for Yang to be hurt. There was only one logical conclusion. At some point, as Ruby drew close, Yang sat up and saw her sister bounding toward her. She opened her arms wide, expecting the hug. The impact was slightly more than she could handle. Ruby barreled into her at full force, sending her back to the ground and threatening to once again to break every bone in her body. Ruby thrust herself into Yang's embrace, nearly squeezing Blake out of the picture. Somehow, they managed to make it work, and the three lay in a loving heap as Ruby let all of her anxieties melt away.

"Hey. I'm alive," Yang muttered with a laugh. Ruby didn't respond. She didn't need to say anything. She had worn out her eyes from crying over Rosaline, and that left only the joy inside of her. Her sister was safe. For now, for the moment, they could be together.

Weiss sluggishly approached them, taking deep breaths by the time she hovered over her three hugging teammates. The concussion had taken more out of her than she expected, though she was still able to flash a proud smile at the sight. She thought about joining them in the pile, but Yang didn't have enough room in her arms and she didn't want to spoil the moment. Instead, she tried to think somewhat practically about their situation.

"Yang, I'm glad you are awake," she said softly. "But how are you feeling? You look—"

"Not dead?" Yang held back a laugh. "Still feel a little like it though."

"Can you move?"

"Yeah. Thanks to Nora."

"Nora?"

"She saved my life. That bitch…"

"H-How?"

Yang explained succinctly, and it was enough of a shock that Ruby and Blake jumped away from Yang and stared at her in disbelief.

"She hit you with a sledgehammer?" Ruby screamed.

"The hell?" Blake cried.

Before Yang could defend—or chastise her—Nora came to her own defense, shouting from a few yards away.

"It worked! Gosh, why is everyone so mad at a plan working?"

Ruby couldn't believe her ears. Nora's plan was genius. Okay, it was actually stupid, but it was so stupid it looped back around on itself to become brilliant. In fact, she was slightly mad she had never even considered it. She would have to mark this down for future combat use and test its full potential… under only supervised and safe conditions, of course. Not just for Yang's safety either. She wasn't sure if her heart could take the stress. Blake, meanwhile, barely realized the potential and simply glared at Nora furiously. The redhead did save Yang's life, so she was safe. For now.

As Team RWBY caught up on Yang's miraculous recovery, Coco joined the rest of her team. Fox had wandered close to Yatsu and Velvet, and when Coco rejoined them, she fell to her knees, thankful to see friendly faces.

"Missed y'all," she said, exhausted. "Everyone here okay?"

"I'll survive," said Yatsu.

"Velvet?"

"I've… had quite the day," Velvet confessed.

"Tell me about it," Coco sighed. "Fox, you good?"

Fox crossed his arms. "Aside from wishing I had someone to hug? I'm feeling all right."

"Again… tell me about it," Coco joked.

"I mean, do you want to hug?"

"You ain't my type."

"Okay then."

Velvet scrunched her nose, casting Fox a shameful, sideways glance. "Fox almost got me killed."

Fox groaned. "It was an accident."

"It was your recklessness that—"

"Whoa, one thing at a time," Coco ordered. "What happened?"

"I'll…" Velvet sighed. She didn't have the strength anymore. "I'll tell you after we leave. We found some things that were… unsettling."

Coco whistled, bowing her head. "Tell me about it…"

She wanted to blurt out the truth. How could she not? They deserved to know what she had seen. But as much as Coco trusted her team, she didn't trust them to handle such a revelation. She was barely processing it herself. A single glimpse of her past, and it acted as a cruel reminder of her own mortality. Everything seemed so distant, like she was watching her life go by through eyes other than her own. Even Velvet's smile couldn't ground her, and it took all of her effort to remain strong for the sake of her teammates. That wasn't all. When they were alone, she would have to reveal what Ruby had done, leading them to the Vault in a trap. They had entrusted Team RWBY with their safety, and that trust had been violated, intentionally or not. Now that their escape was likely, a serious reconsideration of their partnership was in order.

Ruby was thinking about their escape as well. Happy reunions were all well and good, but they were still in the Vault. The exit was right there. She wasn't interested in lingering where she didn't have to. Though it pained her to leave her sister's embrace, she forced herself to her feet, and even helped up the others. She called for everyone's attention. Team CFVY turned toward them, Nora plopped Ren onto the floor and led him by the hand toward their position, and Jaune had to nag Pyrrha to stop grabbing his face so they could join the others. Ruby silently counted, triple-checking their numbers. Thirteen Huntsmen. Team RWBY, CFVY, JNPR, and Penny, all together at last. She wasn't in the mood to make mistakes now.

"Okay, everyone… mission successful," she announced.

"Really?" asked Velvet.

"Yeah. It doesn't feel like it," Jaune said glumly.

"We've found Penny and brought her to the entrance. That was the mission. It's done," Ruby declared. "Weiss, can you open the door and let us out?"

Weiss tried to answer, though her eyes fluttered and she hunched over. "Uh… just a moment. Need to… catch my breath." Running, fighting, and trauma had taken a lot out of Weiss, and the violent shattering of her chains was still leaving her disoriented. Ruby sighed. Maybe asking her to summon more chains wasn't the brightest idea. Luckily, they had a backup.

"Penny, can you please open the door and let us out? Penny?"

Penny had never joined them. She did not hug anyone, nor celebrate their health or success. Ever since returning to the chamber, she hovered by the door, floating on a single leg, staring at the great entrance to the outside world—one she wondered if she would ever see again. Her green eyes examined its exquisite patterns, those painted by Fables who once believed themselves to be mere visitors to this tomb. She wondered if they would stare at those patterns, wishing if they could change them over the years if the mere, pleasant thought of painting was among the many things they lost in their derangement. Her escape was a luxury they could never afford. Funny how that turned out.

"Penny? Can you open the door?"

Ruby repeated the request, hoping that the android had merely misheard her. Yet Penny remained bound to her position, and her slumped shoulders gave Ruby enough insight into her hesitations to begin worrying.

"Ruby, about the Grail."

Not this again.

"Penny, please just open the door and we can talk about this outside," Ruby asked, though her tone revealed it was far more of a demand.

"If we go outside, there is a strong possibility you will not allow me to re-enter," Penny said firmly. "And I fear we must discuss this before making any rash decisions."

"We need medical attention."

"They can survive for a few more minutes."

"What do you want, Penny? To go deeper in the Vault? We're at the exit. Let's just leave."

"And what is your plan for dealing with Ironwood?"

"We will work something out to protect you."

"Not about me," Penny clarified. "About the Grail."

Ruby squinted. The rest of her allies had noticed the petty fight beginning, and a few even stepped in to try to reason with the Atlasian weapon. However, Ruby ordered them to stand down with a grunt and a firm swing of her hand.

"What about it?"

Penny's gaze wandered toward the corridors, those that led deeper into the Fable bunker. "You understand its power more than anyone now. You saw it—the Grail is a weapon, one that can empower an individual beyond anything we can imagine. I have just destroyed its guardian. What do you think is going to happen if we leave it down here? The most likely theory is that, upon realizing the Grail's defenses have been weakened, General Ironwood will send another squad to retrieve the Grail. They will face no resistance. You will have failed in your mission."

"He doesn't have to know," Ruby reasoned, though Penny shook her head.

"He will know. One way, or another." The words came out almost as a threat. Ruby grimaced, though before she had time to protest, Penny moved on to her next point. "And what about the terrorist known as Mrs. Glass? She has already made a play to obtain the Grail. Nothing is preventing her from reaching it now, aside from the guards you noticed waiting outside. Would you feel comfortable trusting the safety of the world to them? In my professional opinion, I would not. Any perspective on this situation leads to the same conclusion: the Grail cannot remain within the Vault."

Ruby gritted her teeth. Penny's logic was painful, yet accurate. It was only a matter of time before someone ventured into the Vault once more. She didn't know who. She didn't know when. That frightened her. An individual transforming into a God—what would Ironwood seek to do with that power? She remembered the fear in Rosaline's eyes. Even a Fable as strong as her was terrified of what would become of her. Someone as mentally weak as Ironwood would be catastrophic. And yet, what was she to do? March out of the Vault with Grail in hand, waving at the dozens of Atlasian soldiers who would surround her with guns and blades? Not exactly a viable solution. Where would she store it if she returned to Atlas? Where could she ensure it fell out of harm's way? Once again, she was faced with no good options. Well, there was one, in the back of her mind.

Have a sip.

Ruby forced away the thoughts and focused on the situation at hand. "Penny, please just open the door, and we'll discuss this outside. We should get everyone to safety first."

"Is that really why you want me to step outside?"

Ruby was taken aback. "What? Of course. Why—"

"Because in here—a vast, open area—I have significant room to maneuver if I were to try to head to the Grail," Penny explained, her voice etched with worry. "Outside, the only direct path is up to the surface. It is a small, enclosed space where I can easily be overwhelmed."

"Penny, we're not going to attack you," Ruby said desperately. "Be reasonable."

"I think this concern is perfectly reasonable," Penny said. There was something fundamentally off about her way of speaking, and Ruby could practically see the cogs in her head turn as she pieced together her logic. They were adversaries, their goals inexorably at odds. Penny could not get the Grail, according to Ruby's worldview. Despite her promises before, Ruby understood the consequences of Atlas obtaining such a powerful artifact. If Penny would not abandon her mission by choice, then together, they could make her leave by force. It was deeply paranoid reasoning, distrustful of the most authentic word, and it planned out far too many steps ahead for it to be seen as a genuine strategy on Ruby's part. It was a deeply unnecessary concern by someone obsessed with playing a game long after the board had been flipped. And yet, in some twisted way, Ruby could see it clearly. It was tactical. Unfeeling. Almost clever. Even after all the consequences, Penny had still learned to think like—

"In… tru… der…"

The voice stole the air from Ruby's lungs. It crashed upon them like thunder.

"Can't… escape… protect… protect…"

A chill ran down Ruby's spine. She turned toward the corridors. Something started to crawl out of the darkness.

"Protect…"

How?

"Protect…"

They had crushed it under ten thousand tons of rubble. It couldn't have crawled out.

"Protect… Grail… protect…"

The Maiden's massive, metal face emerged from the shadows. It did not have expressions, but Ruby knew its thoughts. It was a wounded thing, many of its legs shattered, parts of its shell crushed, one arm torn off and lost forever. It moved sluggishly, pathetically. With all of its determination, its deformities could only allow it to crawl. But it was here for them. It was furious. It was in agony.

It was alive.