The clearing where Team RWBY had set up camp was still, save for the soft rustle of leaves and the quiet crackle of a fire Ruby had managed to kindle. Neo was restrained nearby, her hands and feet tied and a blindfold wrapped securely around her head as she sat propped up against a tree. Each member of Team RWBY bore signs of their previous fight — scratches, bruises, exhaustion etched deep in their expressions. Weiss sat against a fallen log, struggling to breathe as she held a shaky hand to her chest, eyes closed as she tried to calm herself.
Ruby knelt beside her sister, eyes filled with worry. "Take it easy, Weiss," Ruby murmured softly, steadying her teammate as she handed over a water flask.
Weiss took a small sip, though her face was still pale and drawn. "I'm fine, just… just a little worn out," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath. Her gaze flickered to Neo, tied up and silent. Even restrained, the presence of the mute assassin set her nerves on edge. Weiss shivered slightly, remembering the surge of power that had nearly overwhelmed her. She took a shaky breath and set her focus on the broken device she had taken from Neo.
Yang, sitting a short distance away, glared in Neo's direction, her fists clenched tightly. Without realizing it, her hand had gripped Blake's tighter and tighter until Blake winced slightly, prompting her to speak.
"Yang, calm down," Blake said softly, resting her other hand over Yang's clenched fist. "Let it go."
Yang exhaled, her jaw clenched tight, and finally relaxed her grip on Blake's hand. She looked away, her face flushed with frustration. "I'm sorry," she muttered, barely loud enough for Blake to hear. Her anger simmered, and the tension in her shoulders hadn't dissipated, but she forced herself to breathe slower, to keep her emotions in check.
Meanwhile, Weiss finished examining the broken device in her hands, brushing off some stray dirt. She looked up to the others, drawing their attention. "This… this is one of the voice devices Winter and I helped create a long time ago," she said, her voice quiet, reverent almost. "We built them for people who… lost their voices. For people who couldn't speak because of injury or trauma." Her fingers traced the edge of the device, and she closed her eyes, willing herself to keep her composure. "I don't know how Neo managed to get one, but I have a feeling I know where she might have gotten it."
Blake frowned and glanced back at Neo, who was sitting still and silent. "What do we do with her now?" she asked, her voice laced with unease.
Ruby hesitated, her eyes lingering on Neo. Neo shifted slightly, as if the very question had stirred her, though she didn't make a sound. Ruby's gaze hardened.
"We could leave her here," Ruby said finally, her voice steady but cold. "She'd eventually figure a way out, but at least she'd be far from us."
"No!" Yang's voice was sharp, filled with anger and conviction. She leapt to her feet, fists clenched as she glared at Ruby. "Absolutely not!" Before anyone could stop her, Yang took a step toward Neo. Ruby and Blake reacted quickly, grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her back.
Blake positioned herself in front of Yang, her gaze steely as she held her ground. "Yang, why are you acting like this?" she demanded, her tone calm but firm.
"Move, Blake." Yang's voice was low, her hands still clenched tightly, her body practically vibrating with pent-up rage.
Ruby tried to reason with her sister. "Yang, please, just calm down. We're all upset, but we can't let—"
Yang's control shattered. Her eyes flared a bright red, her hair starting to glow with her inner fire. She shook free of Ruby and Blake's grip, yelling in frustration as she bolted forward. In her anger, Yang closed the distance to Neo, who tensed as she sensed Yang's approach. In an instant, Yang yanked off the blindfold, revealing Neo's wide-eyed, fearful expression. She gripped Neo by the collar and dragged her toward the cliffside nearby, her voice shaking with barely restrained fury.
"Do you remember what you did?" Yang snarled, her grip on Neo's collar tightening. "What you did to Jaune? To Winter? To my uncle?" Her voice cracked, but her anger burned hotter, nearly consuming her.
Ruby ran toward her sister, her voice desperate. "Yang, stop! Don't do this, please!"
But Yang only gritted her teeth, ignoring Ruby's pleas. She held Neo's face inches from the edge, her other hand clamped around Neo's neck, forcing her over the cliffside. Neo's eyes widened in fear, her body trembling as she fought against Yang's iron grip.
"Do you remember?" Yang shouted again, her voice choked with anger. Her hand shook, the anger inside her boiling over until her vision blurred. But then, through her haze of rage, she heard Ruby's voice, soft and pleading, cutting through the storm.
"Yang… don't do this. Don't let her control you like this."
The words struck something deep inside Yang, and her grip faltered ash she turns to Ruby. She doesn't notice the Glyph that form behind Neo, forcing the former and Yang. When Yang's grip is loose, Blake forces Neo behind her and she stays between her and Yang. Blake's face was calm, but her stance was unwavering, a silent barrier Yang would have to break to reach Neo again.
Blake met Yang's gaze, her voice unwavering. "If you want to hurt her, you'll have to go through me."
Yang's anger faltered, replaced by confusion, frustration, pain. "Why, Blake? Why are you protecting her? She killed them. She killed them all."
Ruby's heart ached at the raw agony in Yang's voice. She knew all too well the pain her sister was feeling. In that moment, a flood of memories washed over her — Jaune, his wounded but determined face, Winter's last stand, the empty space where Qrow once stood. When the vision faded, Ruby stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on Yang's shoulder.
"It hurts," Ruby whispered, her voice tight with grief. "I know, Yang. I want to throw her off that cliff too. But that rage… it'll only hurt you in the end."
Yang looked down, the glow in her hair dimming as the weight of Ruby's words sank in. She let out a shuddering breath, her anger fading into a deep, aching sorrow. Slowly, her legs gave way, and she collapsed to her knees, her hands covering her face. The tears she had been holding back finally broke free, her sobs echoing softly into the night.
Ruby knelt beside her, wrapping her arms around her sister, holding her as the grief finally overtook her. "It's okay, Yang. We're here. We're all here," she murmured, her voice a gentle balm against the storm of emotions raging inside her sister.
Blake gently led Neo back to the van, ensuring she was secure and reapplying the blindfold. She returned to find Weiss huddled over Neo's broken device, examining it with meticulous care.
"What are you doing?" Blake asked softly, glancing down at the device.
Weiss didn't look up. "I'm trying to fix it. If we want to understand why she's here, we'll need her to talk. And this device is the only way she can."
Blake nodded, glancing toward Yang and Ruby, who were still sitting together, Yang now silent as Ruby comforted her. "Do you think Yang will be okay?"
Weiss paused, watching as Ruby slowly helped Yang back to her feet. "She'll come around. Ruby's with her. She'll be okay."
As Ruby guided Yang back to the others, Weiss took a steadying breath, forcing herself to focus on the task at hand. She glanced over at Neo, her jaw tightening. "I know what she's done, Blake. I know she killed Winter. But… hurting her isn't what Winter would have wanted."
Blake nodded, her hand resting over Yang's as she sat down next to her. "It's okay, Yang. I understand."
Ruby approached the van, her gaze darkening as she looked at Neo's blindfolded face. A deep pain flickered in her eyes as memories of Jaune surfaced once more, each one a fresh wound.
She addressed Neo, her voice filled with quiet fury. "You shouldn't have come back. After everything we've been through… after everything you've taken from us." Her hands clenched into fists, but she forced herself to stay calm. "Jaune… he was my future. We wanted a life together. A family."
The words hung heavily in the air, her pain raw and exposed. For a moment, Ruby looked away, breathing through the ache in her chest. "And I want to kill you," she admitted, her voice a barely restrained whisper. "But Jaune… he believed in second chances. So I'll give you one." She shut the van's back door with a finality, her expression unreadable.
She rejoined her team, settling down beside Yang and gazing up at the stars, searching for a sense of peace amid the turmoil.
The night wore on in silence, broken only by the soft crackling of the fire. Team RWBY sat together, bound by shared grief, a quiet understanding settling between them. Blake held Yang close, her hand resting in Yang's as they exchanged a silent promise of support. Weiss continued her work, carefully piecing together the damaged voice device. And Ruby, gazing into the vast night.