Disclaimer: I like penguins.

The sun filtered through the large windows of the Rose Mansion, casting warm rays of light across the room where Team RWBY had spent the night. Slowly but surely, the peaceful atmosphere of the morning settled in, as Ruby was the first to stir from her spot on the couch, stretching with a yawn. She blinked, rubbing her eyes, feeling the weight of a comfortable night's sleep still lingering in her bones.

"Morning already?" Ruby mumbled, glancing around at her still-sleeping teammates. Blake had shifted during the night and was now curled up in a corner of the couch, her book resting on the armrest nearby. Weiss, somehow, had managed to claim most of the other couch, her neatly folded posture from the night before now a tangled mess of blankets. Yang, on the other hand, was sprawled out on the floor, one arm flung dramatically over her eyes.

Ruby chuckled quietly to herself, standing up and tiptoeing across the room, careful not to wake the others. She opened the curtains just a bit more, letting the light filter in, and took a moment to enjoy the quiet.

But as the peaceful morning settled in, a small reminder buzzed in Ruby's mind—Yang and Weiss would have to return to Beacon soon. She bit her lip, the thought causing a slight shift in her mood. She and Blake would be staying behind, suspended from classes for a month, and while the vacation loops were fun, it didn't feel quite the same without the whole team together.

As if on cue, Yang groaned from her spot on the floor, rolling over and blinking up at Ruby. "Ugh, too early. Why's the sun so bright?"

Ruby smirked, bending down to poke her sister's side. "Rise and shine, sleepyhead. You're the one who always says mornings are the best part of the day."

Yang grumbled something incoherent before finally sitting up, rubbing her eyes. "Yeah, well, today's different."

Weiss stirred next, blinking at the light streaming in. "It's morning already?" She sat up slowly, still half wrapped in the blanket she had claimed, her usually composed expression replaced by grogginess.

Ruby nodded, hopping back onto the couch next to her. "Yep. And, uh... you and Yang need to head back to Beacon today, right?"

Weiss stretched her arms above her head, a small frown forming on her face as the reality set in. "Yes. We can't stay out of classes for too long. We have to return to Beacon by tonight at the latest."

Yang sighed dramatically, leaning back against the couch. "Back to homework, missions, and Glynda's strict rules..."

Ruby smiled, though there was a tinge of sadness to it. "Yeah... back to reality."

Weiss, ever pragmatic, smoothed her hair back into place and stood up from the couch, already slipping into her usual composed self. "We knew it wasn't going to last forever. We've had our fun, but it's time to be responsible again."

Yang gave her a mock salute. "Yes, ma'am, Miss Responsibility."

Weiss shot her a glare but didn't argue. "It's important to maintain our grades and keep up with our training. Just because we're Huntresses-in-training doesn't mean we can afford to slack off."

Blake, who had remained quiet until now, finally stirred, opening her eyes and sitting up. "We'll hold down the fort here while you're gone," she said, her voice calm as always. "You two can check in when you have time."

Yang looked over at Ruby and Blake, her usual playful smile fading slightly. "You sure you guys will be okay? You know, without us around?"

Ruby gave her a confident grin. "Pfft, we'll be fine! This is a vacation, remember? We'll figure out some fun stuff to do while you're gone."

Blake nodded in agreement. "We've got things under control here. You two focus on Beacon. We'll catch up when you get back."

Weiss glanced between them, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Just... don't do anything reckless while we're away, alright?"

Ruby gasped dramatically. "Reckless? Us? Never!"

Blake rolled her eyes. "We'll be fine, Weiss."

Yang, standing up now, stretched with a sigh. "Well, we've got a few more hours before we have to head back. What should we do until then?"

Ruby's eyes lit up. "One last team breakfast, of course! We can't send you off without a proper feast!"

Weiss, despite herself, smiled at Ruby's enthusiasm. "I suppose a team breakfast wouldn't hurt."

Blake stood up, already making her way toward the kitchen. "I'll make the tea."

Yang clapped her hands together, her earlier reluctance replaced by excitement. "Alright! Let's make this breakfast legendary!"

As the team gathered in the kitchen, the lighthearted energy from the day before returned in full force. Ruby darted around, gathering ingredients and trying her best not to burn anything, while Yang took on the more practical tasks of flipping pancakes and scrambling eggs. Weiss sat at the counter, supervising the chaotic kitchen activities with her usual air of calm precision, while Blake brewed the tea in the background.

It was a familiar scene—one that felt like it could've been from any ordinary day at Beacon. But for Ruby, the knowledge that things would shift again after breakfast kept a bittersweet feeling at the edge of her thoughts. Still, she pushed it aside, determined to enjoy the moment.

"Weiss, can you pass me the syrup?" Ruby called over her shoulder as she set the table.

Weiss did so with a slight sigh. "Just try not to spill it everywhere."

"No promises!" Ruby said with a grin, her voice full of mischief.

Soon, the kitchen was filled with the smell of pancakes, eggs, and freshly brewed tea. The table was set, and the four teammates sat down for what would be their last full meal together before Yang and Weiss returned to Beacon.

As they ate, the conversation flowed easily—playful banter, fond memories of past missions, and a lot of teasing at Ruby's cooking skills.

"Ruby, I think you burned the pancakes again," Weiss pointed out, poking at one of the slightly-charred pieces on her plate.

Ruby laughed sheepishly. "I was going for extra crispy! Adds texture!"

Yang snorted. "Sure, Rubes. Whatever helps you sleep at night."

Blake took a sip of her tea, watching the exchange with an amused smile. "At least the tea turned out alright."

The team laughed, enjoying the simple pleasures of the moment. Even with the knowledge that they'd be splitting up again soon, for now, everything felt right.

After breakfast, the kitchen was filled with the soft clatter of dishes and quiet conversation. Yang, as usual, took charge of cleaning up, though her exaggerated grumbling made it clear she was only doing it out of sibling duty. Ruby tried to help but was quickly banished from dish duty after accidentally dropping two plates in the sink.

"Rubes, you're a hazard in the kitchen," Yang said with a laugh, shaking her head.

Ruby pouted, standing off to the side. "I'm just trying to help!"

Weiss, who was wiping down the table, gave her a sympathetic glance. "Perhaps your skills are better suited elsewhere."

"Like leading scavenger hunts!" Ruby declared proudly.

Blake, sitting at the kitchen counter with a fresh cup of tea, smirked. "Or setting things on fire accidentally."

Ruby gasped dramatically. "That was one time!"

The light banter continued as the morning wore on, but the unspoken reality lingered in the air: Yang and Weiss would be leaving soon. Ruby felt it in the slight quietness that settled over her whenever she glanced at her teammates. She was used to them all being together, and even though it wasn't the end of the world, knowing they'd be apart for the next few weeks stung a little more than she cared to admit.

Eventually, with the kitchen cleaned and everyone having taken their time to relax, Yang stood up from the couch, stretching her arms overhead with a loud yawn. "Alright, looks like it's almost time to head out."

Weiss, checking the time on her scroll, nodded in agreement. "We should start getting ready. It'll take some time to get back to Beacon."

Ruby's shoulders slumped slightly, though she tried to keep her smile in place. "You sure you can't stay just a little longer?"

Weiss gave her a small, sympathetic smile. "We've already stretched our time as much as possible. We can't afford to miss any more classes."

Yang, noticing the slight shift in Ruby's mood, ruffled her hair affectionately. "Don't worry, Rubes. We'll be back before you know it. Besides, you and Blake will be fine here. Think of it as an extended vacation!"

Ruby chuckled softly but didn't quite meet Yang's eyes. "Yeah… I know. It's just gonna be weird without you guys."

Blake, sensing the slight tension, stood up from her spot and walked over to Ruby, giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "We'll still check in. And it's only a few weeks."

Ruby smiled at that, though her heart still felt a little heavy. "Yeah, you're right. We've got this."

Weiss, now standing near the door with her scroll in hand, glanced around the room one last time. "I'm going to make sure we have everything we need for the trip back. Yang, try not to take forever getting ready."

Yang waved her off with a grin. "I'm always ready."

Ruby watched as Weiss stepped outside to check on transportation back to Beacon, leaving her, Yang, and Blake in the living room. For a moment, there was a comfortable silence between them, the kind that comes from years of knowing each other well. But even within that silence, Ruby felt the weight of the upcoming separation.

Yang, ever the big sister, noticed the slight shift in Ruby's demeanor. She bumped Ruby lightly with her elbow. "Hey, it's not like we're leaving for good, you know. I expect you to have a bunch of cool stories for us when we get back."

Ruby brightened at that. "Oh, I will! Maybe I'll even, like, decorate the mansion while you're gone. Make it super homey for when you visit again."

Blake chuckled. "As long as you don't accidentally blow anything up."

Ruby gave an exaggerated salute. "No promises!"

Yang's laugh echoed through the room, her usual lightheartedness filling the space. "Well, as long as you leave some of the fun for us."

Before Ruby could respond, Weiss reentered the room, her scroll in hand. "Transportation's set. We'll be leaving in about an hour."

Yang stood up, her expression shifting from playful to serious, though the warmth in her eyes never faded. "Guess that's our cue."

Ruby felt a pang of sadness but quickly pushed it aside. Instead, she smiled, looking between her sister and Weiss. "Well, you guys better not forget about us while you're off doing homework and training. And don't let Glynda work you too hard."

Weiss gave her a reassuring nod. "We'll manage. Besides, we're not the ones who are going to be bored out here."

Blake, always calm, added, "We'll keep busy. Don't worry."

With the plan settled, the team moved into action—packing up the last of Yang and Weiss's belongings and making sure they were prepared for the journey back to Beacon. Despite the lighthearted teasing and jokes, there was an underlying sense of bittersweetness. They all knew it wasn't goodbye, but even a temporary separation felt strange after so many years of being inseparable.

As they stepped outside to wait for their transport, Ruby lingered near the door, watching the sky. The sun was high now, casting a golden glow over the mansion and the forest that surrounded it. She took a deep breath, trying to hold onto the peacefulness of the moment.

Yang, noticing Ruby's quietness, stood beside her, giving her a small nudge. "You good?"

Ruby nodded, her smile soft but genuine. "Yeah, I'm good. Just... gonna miss you guys, that's all."

Yang grinned, slinging an arm around Ruby's shoulders. "We'll miss you too. But hey, maybe you can use this time to, I don't know, figure out some epic pranks to pull on Weiss when we get back."

Weiss, overhearing, sighed. "Please don't."

Blake smirked. "I'm sure Ruby has some ideas already."

Ruby's grin returned full force. "Oh, you know it!"

Yang's laugh rang out as she gave Ruby's shoulder a final squeeze. "That's the spirit."

The transport vehicle pulled up a few minutes later, and Weiss was the first to step forward, giving the driver a polite nod. "Ready?"

Yang gave Ruby and Blake one last look, a playful wink directed at Ruby. "Stay out of trouble, you two."

Ruby saluted again, her grin now fully back in place. "No promises!"

With that, Yang and Weiss boarded the transport, and Ruby and Blake stood side by side, watching as the vehicle began to pull away. As it disappeared into the distance, Ruby sighed softly, her shoulders relaxing a bit.

"Well," she said, glancing at Blake with a smile, "looks like it's just the two of us for now."

Blake nodded, her calm demeanor never wavering. "We'll make the most of it."

And with that, Ruby turned back toward the mansion, her mind already spinning with ideas for the rest of their vacation. There was no telling what kind of adventures—or misadventures—awaited them, but one thing was for sure: they were going to enjoy every moment of it.

As Ruby paced the living room, her mind racing with ideas, she couldn't help but blurt out, "Okay, maybe not a party. But we definitely need to do something epic while we have the mansion to ourselves!"

Blake, who was now lounging on the couch, sipping her tea, glanced up at Ruby with a raised eyebrow. "Define 'epic.'"

Ruby stopped pacing and turned to Blake, eyes wide with excitement. "I mean, we could go on some wild adventures, right? We could explore the ruins outside of Vale, or check out that spooky forest you mentioned before. You know, the one that's supposed to be haunted?"

Blake shook her head, her expression somewhere between amusement and exasperation. "We've already gone through so many iterations, and you still think we need to find more haunted places?"

Ruby plopped down onto the couch next to Blake, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "Come on, Blake! You know it'd be fun. Plus, you can practice your shadow clone thing! Imagine scaring the pants off some poor tourist."

Blake sighed, setting her tea aside. "I'd rather not traumatize random strangers, Ruby. Besides, what happened to this being a 'vacation' iteration? Weren't we supposed to relax?"

Ruby waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, but a little adventure never hurt anyone. Besides, it's not like we have classes or missions to worry about right now."

Blake's eyes narrowed slightly, though her lips quirked up in the slightest of smirks. "I seem to recall the last 'little adventure' you dragged us on ended with us being chased by a horde of Grimm and nearly falling off a cliff."

Ruby crossed her arms, pouting. "Hey! That was... mostly under control. We made it out fine, didn't we?"

Blake just gave her a look. "Barely."

"Okay, fine," Ruby huffed. "But this time will be different! We'll plan it out—no rushing into anything without thinking."

Blake raised an eyebrow. "You? Not rushing into things?"

Ruby's pout deepened, and she nudged Blake with her elbow. "I can be patient when I want to be."

Blake let out a small chuckle, clearly amused. "Sure. But how about we make a deal? If you promise not to drag me into anything too ridiculous, we can go explore. As long as it's not life-threatening."

Ruby's grin returned full force. "Deal! We'll keep it low-key. Mostly."

Blake rolled her eyes but smiled despite herself. "What exactly do you have in mind?"

Ruby leaned back against the couch, her eyes lighting up as she began rattling off ideas. "Okay, so... what if we checked out the caves near the cliffside? I heard they're full of cool old relics and stuff. Or we could head down to the old marketplace at night—it's supposed to be super eerie when no one's around. Or—oh! We could try to sneak into Beacon just to mess with Weiss and Yang!"

Blake pinched the bridge of her nose, though there was an undeniable amusement in her tone. "Ruby, sneaking into Beacon while we're suspended is probably the worst idea you've had."

"Come on, B! It's the perfect idea!" Ruby said, sitting up straight. "We could mess with them a little—nothing too serious, just, like, rearrange their rooms or leave weird notes. It'll be hilarious!"

Blake raised an eyebrow, her voice calm but challenging. "And how, exactly, do you plan to sneak into Beacon without getting caught by Glynda? You know she'll have her eyes on the place."

Ruby paused for a moment, clearly thinking hard. "Well, I mean... we could use your shadow clones for distractions! You're, like, a ninja, and I'm super fast. We could totally pull it off."

Blake sighed. "Or we could just... not do that."

Ruby's shoulders slumped, but only for a second. "Fine, fine. But you can't say it wouldn't have been hilarious."

Blake smiled slightly. "It would've been something, that's for sure."

Ruby suddenly jumped up from the couch, a new burst of energy lighting up her face. "Okay, okay! How about we do something less... intrusive? What if we went on a camping trip?"

Blake blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in direction. "Camping?"

"Yeah! Like, out in the wilderness, just us two," Ruby said, pacing again. "We can roast marshmallows, tell spooky stories around the campfire, and... I don't know, fight off the occasional Grimm if they show up. You know, classic camping stuff!"

Blake considered it for a moment, her expression thoughtful. "I suppose that could be nice. Something quiet, away from everything."

Ruby nodded eagerly. "Exactly! It'll be peaceful, but with a little bit of adventure sprinkled in."

Blake leaned back on the couch, clearly amused by Ruby's constant stream of ideas. "Alright. But if we're doing this, you're in charge of the marshmallows."

Ruby saluted dramatically. "Yes, ma'am! I'll bring enough marshmallows to last us forever."

Blake chuckled, shaking her head. "Just don't burn them all."

"No promises!" Ruby called out with a laugh, already darting toward the kitchen to start gathering supplies for their impromptu camping trip.

Blake watched her go, the usual calm amusement on her face. Despite Ruby's boundless energy and chaotic plans, there was something grounding about their dynamic. Ruby brought the spark, and Blake balanced it with her quiet, steady presence. Together, they made sense—an unlikely but perfectly matched pair navigating their way through endless loops and iterations.

As Ruby rummaged through the kitchen, Blake stood up from the couch and walked over, leaning against the doorframe. "So, when are we doing this? The camping, I mean."

Ruby turned around, holding a bag of marshmallows triumphantly. "Tomorrow! Or tonight, if you're feeling up for it."

Blake shook her head with a smile. "Tomorrow works. Just... try not to overpack."

Ruby grinned. "Me? Overpack? Never."

Blake gave her a pointed look. "Remember the last time we went camping?"

Ruby laughed, rubbing the back of her neck. "Okay, fine. I'll keep it simple this time. Just the essentials."

Blake, clearly unconvinced but amused nonetheless, simply nodded. "Good. We'll leave tomorrow morning, then."

Ruby fist-pumped the air, her excitement evident. "Yes! Camping trip with my best friend! This is gonna be awesome."

Blake watched Ruby with a fond smile, her heart lighter now that their plans were settled. Even in the loops, even in the mundane moments, Ruby always managed to make things feel exciting. And for Blake, that was more than enough.