PATCH - CLIFFSIDE
On the cliffside, the forest behind it, a young girl, bearing her red cloak, wears her hood and stares at the gravestone. The inscription on the gravestone read:
"Summer Rose / Thus Kindly I Scatter".
And above it, a rose emblem is carved into the stone.
Removing her hood, the silver-eyed girl smiles. Ruby Rose then crouches down and places a red rose on the gravestone, before standing back up.
"Hey, Mom. It's been a while, since we've last spoken."
Ruby looks around, looking at the snow that envelops the area.
"Well...I think a couple months, is close to a while. Anyways...starting in a couple weeks, Yang and I are going to be here, in Patch for a month. Usually, Winter break is about 2 weeks. But guess what, Mom? We won! We won the Vytal Tournament. Beacon gets a victory, for the first time, in probably a decade. Well...I didn't win it. Pyrrha did. You remember Pyrrha, right? Red hair. Green eyes. Cute smile. Yeah. She claimed victory, in the end. And as a bonus, for winning the tournament, Ozpin gave all students, an extra two weeks of break. So...yeah. Lucky us. Yang is kind of bummed out, though. She was up against Pyrrha, in the final round, and lost. But she's happy Beacon won, this time. So, every now and then, I'll be stopping by, when we're settled in Patch. Perhaps...maybe Weiss and Blake can come visit you. I'll let you know, the next time, I visit."
Ring
Ruby hears the ring, and she takes out her Scroll. She looks at the message.
Airship leaves in ten minutes. Better hurry back, Rubes.
Ruby sighs and put her Scroll away.
"Sorry, Mom. But I got to go. Going to hang with my team in Vale."
Ruby puts her hood and stares at the gravestone.
"I miss you, Mom. I really do."
Ruby then speeds away, leaving a trail of rose petals, some of which lands on Summer's grave.
LANDING PORTThe hum of the airship engines filled the cold evening air as Yang Xiao Long leaned against the side of the sleek vessel. She tapped her foot, checking the clock on her Scroll with an exasperated sigh. The minutes were ticking away, and her younger sister was nowhere in sight.
Woosh.
A familiar gust of wind blew past, and a trail of rose petals drifted into view. Yang raised her head, already knowing who it was. Standing in front of her, with an apologetic grin, was Ruby Rose.
"Oh, for the love of..." Yang groaned, crossing her arms. "Ruby. Seriously? You barely made it."
"Sorry, Yang," Ruby said, scratching the back of her head. "Lost track of time."
Yang pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "Well, come on. Weiss and Blake are waiting for us in Vale."
Ruby flinched at the frustration in her sister's voice but quickly decided to lighten the mood. A mischievous grin spread across her face. "Dearest Yang," she said, her tone overly dramatic, "are you still mad about losing to Pyrrha?"
Yang's eyes widened in surprise, and her cheeks flushed slightly. "N-No!" she stammered. "Of course not! What makes you think that?"
Ruby tilted her head, her grin widening. "Are you sure about that? You seem pretty salty to me."
Yang groaned and threw her hands up. "This isn't going away anytime soon, is it?"
Ruby chuckled and brushed past her, walking into the airship. Yang sighed but followed her inside. They found their seats near the back, where the low hum of the engines drowned out most of the chatter from other passengers.
"So," Ruby said as she plopped into her seat, swinging her legs slightly, "what are you thinking of getting to eat when we get there?"
Yang shrugged and leaned back, resting her hands behind her head. "I don't know. Maybe a nice steak. Juicy, perfectly grilled… seasoned just right..."
Ruby raised an eyebrow as she noticed Yang beginning to drool. She snapped her fingers in front of her sister's face. "Yang! Focus."
Yang blinked, quickly wiping her mouth. "Sorry, zoned out for a second. What about you?"
Ruby tapped her chin, thinking. "I don't know. Weiss knows the place better than any of us, so maybe I'll just let her recommend something."
Yang smirked, her golden eyes glinting with mischief. "Of course you'd say that. And after dinner, maybe you'll ask Weiss to hold your hand or something."
"Yang!" Ruby squeaked, her face turning bright red. "That's not—what are you even—ugh!"
Yang burst out laughing, her teasing having hit its mark. "Relax, Rubes! I'm kidding. Consider that payback for the Pyrrha comment."
Ruby grumbled under her breath but eventually smiled. "Fine. Fair enough."
The laughter between them settled, but Yang soon noticed a shadow pass over Ruby's expression. Her silver eyes drifted toward the floor, her playful energy dimming.
"You okay, sis?" Yang asked, leaning forward with a touch of concern.
Ruby blinked, as if snapping out of a trance. "Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just… thinking about what happened after your fight with Mercury." Her voice softened, and she hesitated. "I keep wondering what might've happened if… if you had actually hurt him."
Yang's expression darkened briefly, her jaw tightening at the memory. "Yeah," she said quietly, "that would've been bad. Real bad. Guess we need to thank whoever stopped it from going that far."
Ruby's gaze lingered out the window as the airship began to hum louder, signaling its departure. The Vale skyline shimmered in the distance.
"Yeah," she said softly, her thoughts drifting. "Whoever they were…"
The sisters sat in silence for a moment, the weight of what had been left unsaid hanging in the air.
DAYS EARLIER - VYTAL COLISEUMThe arena roared with cheers and applause as Yang Xiao Long stood tall, a victorious grin on her face. Her golden hair glistened under the bright stadium lights as she raised a fist in triumph.
"Yang Xiao Long wins!" the announcer declared, his voice booming across the Colosseum.
In the stands, Ruby Rose jumped to her feet, pumping her fist in the air. Beside her, Weiss Schnee clapped politely, while Blake Belladonna gave a small but proud smile.
"Yeah! You did it, sis!" Ruby yelled, her voice cutting through the crowd's noise.
Yang turned to face her opponent, Mercury Black, who was slowly pulling himself off the ground. Despite his confident smirk, there was a flicker of frustration in his eyes.
Wiping the sweat from her brow, Yang gave him a respectful nod. "Better luck next time," she said before turning to leave.
She'd only taken a few steps when Mercury's voice, dripping with malice, echoed behind her.
"There's not going to be a next time, Blondie!"
Yang whirled around, her instincts flaring. She saw Mercury launch toward her, his prosthetic leg poised to strike.
Then it happened.
SCREECH.
A piercing, metallic noise tore through the arena, silencing the cheers in an instant. The crowd clutched their ears, wincing in pain. Ruby, Weiss, and Blake covered their ears, Blake wincing even more as she adjusted her bow to shield her sensitive cat ears.
The sound abruptly stopped, leaving the stadium in stunned silence. Yang cautiously lowered her hands, her crimson eyes locked on Mercury. He was standing still, but something was off.
Confused murmurs rippled through the audience as the massive arena screens flickered to static.
OZPIN'S OFFICE
In his office high above the stadium, Ozpin leaned forward, his hands gripping the edge of his desk as the static filled his monitor.
The door creaked open, and Glynda Goodwitch strode in, her expression sharp. "Ozpin," she said briskly. "Are you seeing this?"
He gave a single nod, his gaze fixed on the screen. "I am, Glynda. And it seems everyone else is as well."
ARENA
The static faded, revealing a hooded, masked figure on the screen. Their voice, distorted and mechanical, filled the stadium.
"Citizens of Remnant," the figure began. "I apologize for interrupting your broadcast. While I, too, enjoy the Vytal Festival Tournament, I cannot allow it to proceed without addressing a grave threat. A disaster that would have involved Miss Yang Xiao Long... and a much darker plot."
Gasps rippled through the audience. Yang frowned, her fists clenching. "What the hell is this?" she muttered.
The figure continued. "General Ironwood, I address you directly. Among the Haven Academy students present are three individuals who are not who they claim to be. One of them stands before you now—Mercury Black."
Yang's eyes widened, and she turned to Mercury, who glared at the screen with a mix of anger and panic.
"He, along with Emerald Sustrai and Cinder Fall, is guilty of heinous crimes: extortion, kidnapping, and murder. And they just happen to be in the same place right now."
As their faces appeared on the screen, a ripple of recognition spread through the crowd.
Ruby leaned over the railing, her sharp eyes spotting Emerald slipping out of her seat. "Weiss, Blake—look!"
"General Ironwood," the masked man continued, "I suggest you apprehend Miss Sustrai immediately. She is approximately thirty feet to your right."
Emerald froze mid-step, her green eyes darting to her right. General Ironwood was already on his feet, flanked by several Atlesian Knights. She bolted toward the nearest exit, but an Atlesian Knight intercepted her with a swift blow, knocking her unconscious.
As the screen cut to Cinder, seated in the stands, her face twisted in shock. The Atlesian Knights closed in, but she didn't wait for them to act. With a snarl, her dual swords materialized in her hands. She cut through the machines with brutal precision, trying to escape.
Her path brought her face-to-face with Jaune Arc. He stood firm, his shield raised, and his sword drawn.
"Stay down," Jaune commanded, his voice steady.
Cinder sneered and swung her blade, forcing Jaune to parry and narrowly avoid injuring a bystander. The two clashed in a frantic exchange, Jaune's shield eventually bashing her off the ledge. She tumbled ten feet down, landing with a heavy thud.
Mercury, still on the field, tried to run but was met with Yang's flaming fist. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
Cinder staggered to her feet, only to see Yang approaching, her fiery aura blazing. Eyes glowing red, Yang marched forward, unfazed as Cinder fired arrows at her.
A sudden caw made Cinder turn. A black crow swooped down, briefly distracting her. Before she could react, Qrow Branwen appeared, his sword resting on his shoulder.
"Uncle Qrow?" Yang asked, startled.
Qrow smirked, his eyes never leaving Cinder. "Looks like my suspicions were right."
Cinder charged, but Qrow sidestepped with ease. In one swift motion, he swept her legs out from under her, sending her crashing to the ground.
Her aura flickered and failed.
"It's over," Qrow said, his voice cold.
Yang delivered the final blow, knocking Cinder unconscious.
Ironwood and his knights moved in, detaining the unconscious Mercury and Cinder.
Clapping echoed from the screens. The masked man appeared again, his voice dripping with mockery.
"Bravo! Such a thrilling performance. My thanks to Mr. Arc, Miss Xiao Long, and Mr. Branwen. You've done Remnant a great service today. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must take my leave. Ta-ta!"
With that, the screens flickered back to the arena cameras, leaving the crowd buzzing with shock and speculation.
Yang stood there, trying to process what had just happened. She turned to Qrow, who took a swig from his flask.
"Well," she muttered, "that was… a thing."
Qrow chuckled, resting his sword on his shoulder. "Welcome to my life, kid."
PRESENT DAY - OUTDOOR RESTAURANT
The cool breeze rustled the leaves overhead as the group of friends sat at a long table outside, enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun. Weiss had her elbow propped on the table, her chin resting on her hand as she glanced at her Scroll.
"Ten minutes late," Weiss muttered to herself, tapping her fingers against the table in a rhythmic pattern.
Blake, who had been flipping through a book in her lap, didn't even glance up. "Could you be a little more patient?"
"I'm just saying," Weiss replied, looking over the rim of her Scroll. "Ruby and Yang should have been here by now."
Blake sighed but didn't respond, instead turning the page of her book.
Suddenly, Ruby burst through the restaurant's entrance with her usual exuberance.
"We're here!" Ruby announced, waving energetically.
Yang followed her in, dragging her feet and clearly less enthusiastic. Weiss flinched at the sound of Ruby's loud voice.
"Ruby! You dolt! You scared me half to death!" Weiss snapped, her hand flying to her chest in mock horror.
Ruby immediately lowered her head, guilt washing over her. "Sorry, Weiss. Didn't mean to scare you."
Weiss exhaled, rubbing her forehead. "Just... please, don't do that again."
Blake chuckled softly, barely looking up from her book. "Not scared, unlike someone else."
Weiss groaned, looking at Blake in annoyance as Ruby snickered. Yang slowly lowered herself into her chair, still looking pale and clutching her stomach.
"Yang?" Blake asked, frowning.
"I'm good," Yang said weakly, raising a hand before quickly covering her mouth. Her face turned an even paler shade as she suddenly jumped up and ran for the nearest trash can, her steps frantic.
"What happened to her?" Weiss asked, raising an eyebrow.
Ruby scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "Uh, well... I sort of used my Semblance to get us here quickly. Yang's the first person I've ever had tag along with me while I use it, and... let's just say the results were a little... nauseating."
When Yang returned, she slumped into her chair, eyes narrowed in a glare at Ruby.
"Never again," she muttered, laying her head down on the table.
Ruby winced. "Sorry again."
Blake glanced at her. "You should drink something carbonated, Yang. It helps with nausea."
Yang gave a weak thumbs-up. "I'll survive."
Pyrrha, Jaune, Nora, and Ren approached the table, waving in greeting.
"Hey, guys!" Ruby called out, her energy returning. "Yang's just recovering from some sickness."
"Thanks to me," Yang grumbled, still not lifting her head from the table.
"We should've known better than to let you two get into that kind of trouble," Pyrrha said with a warm smile.
"What brings you here?" Blake asked, glancing up from her book.
Jaune scratched his head, grinning sheepishly. "We were looking for a place for lunch, and Pyrrha recommended this place. Mind if we join you?"
"Of course!" Weiss replied, gesturing for them to sit.
The two teams merged together at the large outdoor table, chatting while the waiter took their orders. The conversation turned to their plans for Winter break as they ate and relaxed.
"So, what's everyone doing for break?" Jaune asked between bites of his food.
"We're heading to Patch," Ruby said, her eyes lighting up. "Yang and I are going to hang out with Dad, who's back for a little while before his next mission."
"I'll be staying at Beacon," Weiss said. "It'll be quiet, and I could use some time to train and study. Plus, I've been thinking of updating my wardrobe."
"You're changing your style?" Pyrrha asked, raising an eyebrow.
Weiss shrugged. "Maybe. It's just an idea."
Blake looked up from her book. "I'll be at Beacon as well. Since there's no place else for me to go, I'll probably take the opportunity to read and enjoy some peace and quiet."
Yang, still recovering, groaned softly. "You really are the definition of 'boring,' Blake."
Blake smiled, but she didn't take the bait. "It's not for everyone, but I enjoy it."
Ruby piped up. "You know, if you're looking for something fun, you could come stay with Yang and me in Patch! We could show you around the village and even visit Signal Academy."
Yang grinned, clearly excited by the idea. "Yeah, it'd be fun! I think you'd really like it."
Blake's smile faltered slightly as she shook her head. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm good. I really do need the quiet time."
Ruby pouted, but Yang's face fell slightly, disappointment creeping into her expression.
"Oh... okay," Yang mumbled, her voice small.
Blake noticed the shift in Yang's mood and felt a pang of guilt. "It's not that I don't want to go," she added quickly. "I just think I need to spend some time by myself for a while. You know?"
Ruby sighed. "Ok. Yang and I get it."
Jaune cleared his throat. "I'll be heading home to visit my family. I want to see how proud they are now that I've improved."
"We're going to meet them, right?" Nora asked, her eyes sparkling. "I've heard so much about Jaune's sisters!"
"I hope they like you guys," Jaune said, grinning. "Ren and Nora will be coming with me."
Ren nodded. "It'll be good to see them again. I'm sure they'll appreciate the visit."
Pyrrha smiled warmly. "I'll be going back to Mistral to visit my family, but I'll be sure to come back to see you, Jaune. Your family will definitely want to meet the person who helped you so much."
Jaune smiled, a little embarrassed. "Thanks, Pyrrha. I'll make sure to pass that on."
Ruby smiled at them. "And if you guys ever come to Patch, let us know! We'll have to meet up."
"Definitely!" Jaune said. "We'll make sure to visit."
The conversation shifted back to the table as everyone relaxed. The waiter came by, handing Weiss the check. She took a quick look at it, raising an eyebrow.
"Wow!" She said.
"A bit too much, Ice Queen?" Yang teased.
"Hmmph!" Weiss said. "Not at all. To my family, this is pocket change."
"Oh, come on." Blake said. "It can't be, that much."
Weiss gives the bill to Blake, who looks at it. Her eyes go wide.
"Wow. Yang's was the most expensive."
"Let me see that." Yang said, grabbing the bill. When she looks at it, she is shocked. "Are you serious? All for one goddamn steak? What kind of resturant is this?"
"A near fancy one, Yang." Weiss answered.
Weiss takes out her purse, and sorts through the Lien, she has.
"Hey, Weiss." Ruby said. "Didn't your father cut you off, a few days ago? Aren't you worried, you might need the money for later?"
"We can help pay for your meal, Weiss." Blake said.
"Nonesence." Weiss said. "Father may have cut me off. But, I figured, it was bound to happen. So, I made a secret account, under my name, the he doesn't know about."
"Oooh...sneaky little girl, aren't you?" Yang teased again.
"Well, I did get a little bit of help, from Winter." Weiss admitted.
Ruby turns and sees JNPR getting up, from their spots.
"Well, we're off." Jaune said. "Glad we got to hang out, like this, you guys."
"We should do this, more often, before break starts." Pyrrha said.
"That sounds like a good idea." Ruby said. "We'll talk later."
As JNPR leaves, Ruby, Yang, and Blake reach to get out their wallets. As Blake takes out a small purse, instead, Ruby and Yang freeze.
"Ruby." Yang said.
"Yeah?" Ruby asked, knowing what Yang's about to say.
"Please tell me, you grabbed our wallets, from our dorm room, like I asked."
Ruby couldn't answer, and just lowers her head in embarrasment.
"It's okay, you guys." Blake said, opening up her purse. "I can-"
Her eyes go wide, and takes out a small piece of paper.
"I.O.U." And a drawing of a sun. And a "sorry" on the corner of the paper.
Blake sighs. "Dammit, Sun."
"Well." Weiss said. "That's some bad luck. How do you expect to pay for your meals?"
Ruby chuckles in embarrasment, and scratches the back of her head. Weiss takes this, as what she had expected.
"No. Absolutely not!"
"Uh...well...since you're the only on-CHEESE IT!"
Without another word, Ruby, Yang, and Blake scrambled out of their seats and dashed off, leaving Weiss staring after them, stunned.
Weiss exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples. "Oh, they will so rue this day..."
She turned back to the bill, counting the Lien she had in her purse. Her face slowly shifted from irritation to surprise.
She was short.
Her eyes went wide as she quickly stood up, gathering her purse and rushing out of her seat.
A shadow passed over the table as a hand appeared, picking up the bill.
Qrow whistled as he looked over the amount. "Damn, Yang. Really?"
He reached into his coat pocket, pulling out enough Lien to cover the bill, and laid it on the table.
Then, without another word, Qrow disappeared into the nearby alley. Moments later, a crow took flight, soaring high into the sky.