"And done." Ruby patted herself on the back for a job well done. Her supplies were restocked and her sweetheart was renewed and ready to get back into the action.

"Finally ready to resume training, Master?" Lancer asked. Ruby could feel her Servant raising an eyebrow.

"Ah, well." Ruby scratched the back of her head. "Maybe I should double-check just to be sure."

"You've been double-checking this about five times now." Lancer turned to the clock. "If it wasn't for your semblance I'd call it impressive that you did it in ten minutes."

"Well I'll do it again a sixth time! A sixable-check." She pointed a thumb to herself, proud at her declaration.

"That's not a word, but sure thing kiddo." Lancer shook her head. "Just know that these powers of ours are fueled by emotions."

"I can be emotional," Ruby argued.

"The right kind of emotion: the desire to preserve life."

"I'm a huntress, I'm all about preserving life."

"Are you though? Or are you just interested in beating up the Grimm?"

"There's a difference?"

"If there wasn't, you would have gotten the hang of it by now."

Ruby groaned. Now wasn't the time for a philosophy class. She didn't want to think about those fancy things. That's Weiss with her fancy words and sentences. Ruby was simple. Aim her weapon, then pull the trigger. Done. Simple. Nothing too fancy.

"Remember Beacon, kid?" Lancer asked. "Hard memories, I know. But remember that?"

"How could I not?" Ruby replied. "Those were the hardest days of my life. Didn't think it would happen."

"Yeah?" Lancer didn't sound too convinced. "Remember the blonde kid? The one who went to the grave and came back as rusty boy?"

Ruby's face changed. She didn't want to think about that. Every time she looked at Rider, helmet on or off, she had to push away that image of her male bestie's lifeless form.

"Thought so." Lancer saw it. "How'd that make you feel?"

"Is this really necessary?" Ruby didn't want to have it right now. She showed her Command Spells. "I could use one of these, you know?"

"Try me," Lancer replied. "Know that Servants could and have taken the wording of Command Spells liberally. Or I could just wait until the effects wore off and try again."

Ruby pouted.

"So back to the question." Lancer pressed on. "The sight of your friend, your companion, there dead and lifeless, how'd that make you feel, kid?"

"What else is there to say? I was too slow. I couldn't make it in time. I didn't believe for the most part. I still don't—and no, it isn't because Rider is right there."

Ruby laid down on one of the chair. This is one of those things that they do right? Therapy has her lying down on a couch.

"You know I'm not qualified for therapy right, kid?" Lancer asked.

"Isn't this what we're doing though?" Ruby replied.

"No."

"Oh." Ruby looked away. "Silver-eyed training?"

"Considering I asked if you were ready to train," Lancer said. "Yes. I'd say yes."

Ruby took that time to find her words. "I guess... I guess I just didn't want it to happen to anyone else. I was angry. I was sad. I didn't want it to happen to anyone else."

"There we go," Lancer replied. "Got the textbook answer out of the way."

"That was a quiz?" Ruby raised her voice.

"And you get a B-plus. You lost points for avoiding questions."

"Well since I now know the answer, why can't I do it now?"

"I said you got the textbook answer out of the way. Putting that into practice is a whole different exam, kiddo. Out there on the field, you're not exactly going to have all the time to calculate the diameter of a sword swing while the Grimm goes 360 degrees-per-hour to the left of you."

"What?" None of that made sense.

"You on the field is going to be very different from the class." Lancer avoided the question. "You're going to have channel that emotion—that desire to protect life—if you want to use these eyes that makes us special."

"But I don't want to be special," Ruby replied. "I just wanted to be a huntress. Go to huntress school and do huntress things."

"Kid, Master." Lancer raised Ruby to sit. She knelt down to meet Ruby in the eye. "Huntsmen and huntresses are damn special by virtue of being huntsmen and huntresses. Who grows up and thinks, I want to go risk my life hunting the dangerous monsters for a living? Heroic? Sure. Normal? Not even close."

Ruby wanted to argue.

"Besides, even without the huntsmen business, you're still a Master. Since there are only seven at any given time, I think that means you're pretty damn special, kid. You're also a team leader but that's normal enough as far as huntsmen go."

Ruby snorted. "I mean I got to Beacon early, I suppose. I don't exactly have it in me to complain, huh."

"Yeah pretty much." Lancer shook her head. "Getting off track here. Back to the silver-eyes. You've got to channel these emotions if you want to bring it out. And know where to aim but that can come after you figure the first part."

"But I can't exactly do that on command," Ruby said. "Not unless you want me to go through all that again."

Lancer stayed quiet.

"Lancer!" Ruby, deservedly, sounded offended at the notion.

"It's how it usually is starting out." Lancer shrugged.

Chiron entered the room, having overheard the conversation. "That sounds like a horrible idea, Lancer."

"What, you got a better idea?"

"Ever heard of meditation? Or just entering the mindset of protecting someone? That's pretty much how your powers work."

"We're going to get there eventually," Lancer defended.

"So you were just planning on throwing miss Rose to the big bad wolves just to get her to activate it."

"It's how she did it the first time." Lancer raised her head. "Back me up here Rider."

Rider was in the other room. His voice was raised. "First of all, I do not approve the prospect of having Ruby go through all that. I'm even less approving that you'd think of letting my Master go through that just for her." After another second, he spoke again. "Hey, you're just trying to get ahead in the Grail War, aren't you?"

"No," Lancer said a little too quickly.

Ruby was fully awake now and was hammering Lancer with both her fists repeating "Meanie! Meanie!"

"Guess rage and anger isn't bringing it out either," Lancer said.

"You just said that protecting life is what brings it out," Chiron replied, shaking his head. "You are a horrible teacher, you know that?"

"Like you could do any better," Lancer said. Chiron was about to speak before Lancer spoke again. "Shut up."

"You might want to try it in a safer environment," Chiron suggested. "If Ruby does eventually learn her powers, I would rather we don't have a huge debt owed to Jekyll. Preferably, outside of the cities and out in the wilds."

"There's Brunswick farms," Rider said, still in that other room. "Apathy Grimm. Probably should clear that out while we're at it."

"Apathy?" Chiron asked.

"Drains people of emotions," Rider replied. "All of them. Makes everyone feel tired and exhausted. Next thing you know, they'll be asleep for the last time. A problem for any traveler really. Settlers thought it was a good idea to keep them because of the whole draining emotions bit. No emotions mean no Grimm, except them."

Ruby had her priorities. "Can we still save them."

"They've been asleep for years. All that malnutrition is going to get to them if the cold didn't. We weren't even in Beacon by the time they got there."

"How has nobody heard—wait. Never mind," Chiron. "I'm guessing even huntsmen would be affected by this."

"Depends on how their mindsets. Some get affected slower than others."

"What are you guys doing over there?" Ruby asked. She tried to look without moving from her spot. It was a comfy chair that she returned to.

It was Nora who came out. "Ta-da!"

Paper Pleasers all folded into perfect shapes. All of them were colored with some shaping out the letters that read: Congratulations, Headmaster Chiron!

Ruby turned to Chiron.

"I mean I saw it coming even without the clairvoyance," Chiron said. "None of you were subtle."

"Still worth it!" Nora declared.

"I'm not sure that they'll stay that way, Nora," Ren said. He turned to Rider. "Will they?"

"They'll be gone once I'm out of aura to keep them around or if we get too far."

"Yeah well, let's get this celebration out before we get out," Nora said.

Ruby caught Pyrrha smiling. Genuinely smiling. No. It was more of a distracting smile. Distracting herself.

"I'm flattered," Chiron said. "Really, I am. But we don't exactly have the luxury of time. The train ride isn't going to wait for you."

"Oh right," Rider said. "We might not have to pass by Brunswick Farms at all. You're keeping the Relic, right?"

"Keeping it close." Chiron tapped the Relic that hung on his side.

"Headmaster needs a deputy," Lancer said. "Whose yours?"

"Well—"

The sound of uncle Qrow spitting his drink caught their attention. It was followed by laughter.

"You?" Qrow said between wheezes. "Deputy headmistress?"

"I swear, Qrow," Raven said. Her voice seethed. "Keep that up and we'll have roasted crow for snacks, marinated in cheap liquor!"

Everyone in the house looked to Chiron, even Vernal.

"You asked who's my deputy," Chiron addressed Lancer. "Had Leo kept his deputy, I would have chosen them instead."

"But Raven, teacher?" Pyrrha asked. Even she didn't believe it.

"It keeps her close-by," Chiron explained. "So long as I don't give her too much paperwork."

"Aw man!" Qrow said coming into the room. "And I was about to ask for a photo. How 'bout this? Just get the stacks of papers and have her buried in it. It isn't the same but I can pretend."

Ruby had to do a double-take on Raven. She still wore her combat outfit for the most part but there was a clipboard in her hand and she wore a pair of glasses that weren't for her eyesight at all. She looked like she was poorly imitating professor Goodwitch.

"While the clipboard is practical, Raven," Chiron said. "But the glasses are unnecessary."

"I thought I'm supposed to command respect?"

"I intended for you to be the combat instructor," Chiron replied. "You could command respect there. Within reason."

Raven's eyes burned as she leapt for Qrow. He turned into a bird and flew away. Raven followed suit and the two fighting birds were making a mess of things. Nothing too drastic but they were like the worst pests that entered the house.

"Hey Rider," Nora asked. "You think the Paper Pleasers could fly as paper birds?"

"Whose side do you want them on?" Rider.

"Rider, no." Pyrrha took command as Master.

"Nora, no," Ren added.

Chiron snickered and mumbled something to himself.

Uncle Qrow and Raven continued their avian battle. Ruby opened the window. If those two were going to make more of a ruckus, they could do it outside. At least, they respected that wish.

"And for me?" Vernal asked suddenly. "What does the illustrious new headmaster of Haven have of me?"

Chiron gave it some thought. "I could use a janitor?"

"Hell no!" Vernal fumed. "You want to go, horseman? I'd throw down with a Servant."

"One move," Lancer said.

"Fool's bet," Rider replied. "One-half of a move."

"So long as you stay nearby." Chiron ignored the other two Servants. "It doesn't matter what your duty is. You're still Raven's anchor and I highly doubt that she would bond with me anytime soon."

"Finally," Vernal said. "I get to be away from these dorks."

"You're welcome," Ren said. "For every meal I've ever prepared."

"On second thought, what if I go with them, instead? You could probably bond with Raven well enough. She respects strength."

"No." Nora got between them. "You stay."

"Uh Rider?" Pyrrha didn't look like she liked the electricity forming around Nora. Ruby didn't like it either.

"We'll be fine," Rider assured them. "I think?"

"You think?"

Ruby didn't like that uncertainty either. "Lancer?"

"You seriously think that its serious?" Despite the mask, Lancer couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Tensions broke there, mostly. Among Servants, things were fine. Among non-Servants, not so much.

Chiron took this time to reclaim the conversation. "While those birds are out there, you all need to take the next train to Argus. Rider, I suspect that you will be the one to take any Bullhead to Atlas?"

"I mean, if Lancer wants to volunteer?"

"No." Lancer shook her head. "No Riding skill. Plus, not much for piloting myself."

"Very well, on the communications, use the code HJ-7. Atlas personnel should already be briefed on that coding and inform the general."

"Doctor Henry Jekyll?" Rider asked.

Chiron nodded. "He'll be expecting you at some point. All of you."

Eventually, Qrow and Raven's little spat was solved. Sort of. Qrow had been the last to turn back into a human since Raven still had some pecks on her face and a few feathers out of her mouth. By contrast, Qrow had small burnt patches peeking out of the sleeves and collar.

Rider and Lancer stayed in their spirit forms for the most part.

Two huntsmen were stationed specifically for the train. Dee and Dudley were their names. Those two approached their group.

"Huntsmen for Argus Limited," Dudley said. "You're looking at the prime protectors while we go through Grimm territory."

"Though." Dee recognized Pyrrha. "Maybe for a tip. We might just be protecting your car extra nicely. Wouldn't do to let the next generation go out early, no?"

Rider appeared then and there, rusted armor and broken sword. No helmet though. Dee and Dudley fell back.

"The hell?" Dudley's eyes focused on Rider as he helped his friend back up.

There was a taunting tone in Rider when he said, "semblance. Only makes me and what I hold invisible."

"What?" Dee chuckled nervously. "Wanting to play hero there, Rusted Knight? Even got a broken sword."

"Like a said, only makes what I hold invisible."

Emphasizing his point, there were scratch marks on the floor that weren't there before. That was fast.

"Alright, alright, we'll play nice." The two huntsmen got to their position.

When the they got to the train and on their car, and after making sure that no one else was around, Lancer materialized and said, "that's what huntsmen are like these days? I've heard of money grabbers, pays good, but still."

"Says a lot that I'm one of the better ones, huh?" Qrow said. "Don't get it twisted. I'm literally a bandit tribe member. Less than savory things should be the norm with folks like me."

"Not everyone who becomes a huntsman does it for good reasons," Rider said. He sounded irritated. "It's the Rusted Knight part of me, I guess. Seeing those that came after me becoming this just brings out my bad side."

Ruby was by the window seat. Rider's walking was the only thing breaking the silence. Everyone else was seated.

"You looking for something, Rider?" Pyrrha asked.

"If fuzzy memories served me right," Rider said. "This should be where we meet Lancer's living counterpart."

That got Lancer's attention. But she returned back to her seat. "I'd be old by this point. I'm probably gone by now."

"That's what I wanted to find out. Guess I'm not—actually, I'll stop right there."

Outside the window, the snowy fields filled Ruby's vision. Occasional snow-covered trees and hints of a settlement would dot these landscapes. Though the cool sheet of white looked to be a pleasant sight, one could only imagine the harshness living in those conditions were like.

Ruby's mind raced back to Mistral Below. That place full of poor unfortunate souls was already bad enough and they were in the capital. Out here, things might have gotten much worse. How do those people make it? Patch had the benefit of natural borders and a combat prep school to keep itself safe.

"Master." Lancer sat right in front of Ruby. "Something on your mind?"

"Just what to do next," Ruby. "It's funny. I was leader once. I had to be sure of what to do and command my teammates. Back then, since it was class, I guess I could make those mistakes. Now?" Ruby shook her head. "I haven't so much as given a command, not even you."

"With actual lives at risk, I take it." Lancer nodded. "Well, riskier. Safe isn't a word huntresses use unless there's make things that come before it."

"There's also this whole Grail War," Ruby added. "I just wanted to be a huntress, you know? Be a hero like my mom. Protecting people, seeing all the cool weapons, fighting Grimm like the cool huntress that I am."

"And I'd say you're doing a good job at it, kid. Even without the silver eyes."

"But now I'm fighting gods. Magic exists and I apparently have super eye powers."

"Mystic Eyes sound better, though."

Ruby had both eyebrows raised. "That actually sounds cool. You came up with it?"

"Yes, I did." Lancer puffed out her chest.

"No, she didn't," Rider said. "There are different kinds of Mystic Eyes, Ruby. Silver eyes is just one of many. There's one that turns everyone to stone."

"Excuse me." Lancer stood up. "Silver eyes could turn things to stone too, you know."

"Grimm mostly," Rider retorted. "And not all of them either. Most of the smaller ones get blasted away to nothing."

"Bah! Still stone."

Faint rumbling could be heard from outside. Then, there was darkness as the train entered the cave. Their car was mostly empty. Uncle Qrow had used this time to lay down and rest, recovering from his spat with Raven.

Ren used the free space to practice that martial arts of his, mostly the motions with a few imaginary opponents. Nora was bobbing her head to some tune no one but her could hear; she wasn't even wearing any earphones.

It was Pyrrha that took Ruby's attention. Ruby herself may have had one window seat but Pyrrha had the one on the other end. Pyrrha would occasionally rub her wrist or bite her lip. She would look into the rest of the car but that was more to look at Rider when she thought that he wasn't looking. She shook her head and mouthed words without any noise.

The darkness from outside turned back to white. They were out of the caverns. Muffled noises were heard for a moment that surprised everyone there, except the Servants. Everyone recognized those noises as gunfire. Grimm were attacking the train, triggering the defense mechanisms.

The turrets were crude and mostly automated but they were enough for now. Ruby was sure that someone else must have saw them for Rider had the Paper Pleasers among them as well.

Ruby honed her vision on the group. Lancer was nearby and was watching; she was there by the window, hand ready to open them. Ruby focused on them hard. Her cheeks puffed out as her body stiffened.

"Kid," Lancer said. "Take a break. You look more constipated than anything else."

She exhaled. "How else am I supposed to practice?"

"If I knew it was working I would have had you stop or opened the window." Lancer's hand left the window.

Outside, the Paper Pleasers continued their occasional assault on the nearby Grimm.

"You ever wondered what the other passengers are thinking right now?" Nora asked. "Seeing big, sentient paper just attacking the Grimm."

"They're probably recording it on their scrolls," replied Ren. He turned to Rider. "Should we be more public about this?"

"No one's enforcing it," Rider explained. "No Ruler or any other equivalent to tell me otherwise. Unless Master wants me to stop?"

"No." Pyrrha shook her head. "It's… it's protecting people. There isn't much risk for yo—us either."

Rider nodded and kept going. It was more the momentum that did the Grimm in than the strength of the Paper Pleaser. Since those familiars didn't require much in the way of aura, they were also kind off weak. Ruby could see the Paper's crumpling if they had struck the tougher skins. Some were burned before they had a chance to get there.

"Does it bother them?" Pyrrha then asked. "I mean they are burning."

"They're not the same as the genuine Paper Pleasers," Rider replied. "More like recreations of those people."

"Still," Pyrrha insisted. "They're sentient beings still, with their own feelings and thoughts, surely."

"I suppose so." Rider shrugged. "It's just that these guys are more a product of the Reality Marble. Phantoms without much of a presence. I guess that they're like robots with a program. Like one of those virtual assistants with quirky personalities ingrained into them. Copies of the real thing."

Ruby did not miss the slumping of Pyrrha's form and that look on her face. That was not the answer she was looking for. Does Rider even realize this? Or is Pyrrha taking it better than she showed? She didn't want to make assumptions but she also didn't want to take sides in this. They had to deal with the Grimm and the gods!

Then, they would have to deal with each other. Why can't they have a Grail War where everyone wins? Well, almost everyone. The bad guys definitely shouldn't win since their wants meant world destruction and Ruby, along with everyone else probably, didn't want that either.

She got of her seat and took Crescent Rose with her. "I'm going to clear out some air," she said. Double-checking her ammunition, she nodded and went off.

When distance was made between her and the rest of the group, Lancer had reappeared by her. She had vanished.

"You thinking of your friend there, Master?" Lancer lowered head to around Ruby's height. "I can tell you right now that Rider definitely noticed. He's dense. But I don't think he's that dumb."

"You think so?" Ruby asked. "It doesn't look like it."

"He's a Servant now. Rusted Knight, too."

"You and Rider keep saying that. Chiron too."

Lancer nodded. "Because we have different experiences. We see things differently. Some of us have full lives with not much else to want the Grail for, others are full of regret with too many things to ask the Grail for."

"Which one are you?" Ruby asked.

"Former," Lancer said. "Don't get me wrong, kid. I got regrets. My cocky attitude cost me my eyes once according to rusty boy back there. I love me my adventure but I could do without the reckless endangerment. This here already fills that purpose."

"So you really are planning on not wishing for the Grail?"

"If that's what my Master wants. Guess I do have another now that I think about it. To teach someone else about what I've learned. For however good that's been going for me."

Ruby laughed. "It's… not your fault. I-I'm just not a good student."

"Are you though? You got into Beacon two years early. That's got to count for something."

"Yeah because I stopped a crime from happening. And I still let the bad guy get away."

Did Torchwick survive the Grimm back when Beacon fell? Ruby couldn't remember. I remember he was eaten though.

"Means you got a good heart in your chest." Lancer patted Ruby's shoulders. "Naïve and young, but those things could change with time and experience. The core still stays the same: you like helping people."

"My mom helped people a lot. She's a real hero."

"I know."

"Is she really in this Throne thingy?"

"Us Silver-eyed warriors are pretty much there by default. You would too once you kick the bucket."

"But I'm not a hero!" Ruby denied it. "I haven't even done much yet."

"Yeah," Lancer returned. "Yet. Even if you hadn't kid, these eyes kind off marked you there already. Takes a different meaning to being born to the throne."

A sudden sound of an object falling on the train stopped their conversation. Ruby checked the side that was closest to the mountainside. There was nothing to worry about. For a moment, Ruby had thought that it would have been some kind of avalanche. Sense returned to her since that would have had some kind of rumbling that she would have felt.

It must have been some lone or stray rocks since there was another that followed. Ruby could see that somethings were falling off of the mountainside.

Ruby took a double take on the skies though. She had seen it before. "Lancer?"

"I know, Master," Lancer said. "You're not alone in thinking that. I can verify myself. Come on. Let's get back to the others."

They had haste behind their steps.

"Guys," Ruby said.

"We know," Rider replied. He had one of the Paper Pleasers wrapping something in his hand. Said Paper Pleaser was wrapping what appears to be some kind of toy, a chess piece. "Red King and his pawns. Well, more White King really. Maybe even some of the toy soldiers as well."

"They look too small," Lancer said. "You sure?"

"Dormant, maybe." Rider shrugged. "Light is setting his pieces and making sure that they are ready. Look." He pointed outside. "See those Grimm?"

Ruby followed in that direction. Shocking her, it seems that the Grimm are more intent on destroying these toys that have begun to fall than the turrets. Grimm have ignored their own safety in favor to dealing with the toys.

"As beings of Light," Lancer said. "They are naturally an antithesis to the Grimm, even more so than humanity."

"It's probably why they are placed outside the cities," Rider replied. "We haven't seen nor heard of this back in Mistral's cities."

The drizzle of chess pieces continued on for some time. By now, the people on the train are either talking about it or aren't paying attention. The huntsmen assigned here must be scratching their heads right about now.

"Shouldn't we do something about it?" Ruby asked. "Would they hurt anyone. Other than the Grimm anyway?"

Rider crushed the toy in his hand and threw the pieces outside. "Doesn't look like they do anything unless Light wants them too. But since the Grimm are focused on them right now and it seems that these pieces are away from the people, we can at least rest for now."

"Light still intends to win us back," Qrow said. "Seems about right. His problem ain't with all his creations, just you guys."

"But aren't Rider and Lancer part of Light's creations too?" Nora asked. "Considering who they are."

"Thieves," Ren said. "Light thinks the Throne are a bunch of thieves."

"Got it in one, kid." Lancer nodded. "Master here didn't feel it. But I did. Back against Berserker."

"So did I," Rider replied. "Be it as Rusted Knight of the Ever After or Jaune Arc of Remnant—though a different one—we're still connected to the god of light as part of his creations."

"Rider," Pyrrha said. Her eyes gave it away. "Please."

"Of course." Rider nodded. "Not here. I'm not about to go out there and draw him in. I may be Remnant's greatest hero—"

"Debatable," Lancer interjected.

"But even I'm not so sure about my chances against a god." Rider ignored it.

"If anything," Qrow added. "We're lucky." He chuckled to himself. "Luck." He shook his head. "Where was I? Right, we're actually lucky we met up with Chiron and the other Companion Servants. Imagine if anyone of us right now had died."

Everyone, baring Qrow and the Servants, tensed in that car. They were just students. Their licenses recognized them as professionals but they were still students. If anything, without much lessons and with the Grimm threat being small and infrequent, they're lagging behind.

"I'm going to go check on the rest of the train," Qrow offered. "You kids stay here. Servants, you already know what to do."

"Not an order from our Masters but sure," Lancer said. She turned to Ruby. "Master, mind if I open the window?"

"Why?"

Some shapes and lines on Lancer's weapons were glowing. "I'm not about to let Rider have all the fun."

"You call throwing glorified paper airplanes fun? I'm not even folding them myself nor am I throwing them with my own hands."

Lancer shrugged. "I've got to get some action done. I'd have gone up there and dealt with the Grimm too but they're so few."

"Alright," Qrow said. He opened the door. "See you kids later."

When Lancer opened the window, Ruby could see what it was that her Servant was trying to do.

"You do know you're using a scythe right?" Rider commented. He pointed in a direction. A paper javelin followed.

"Still a Lancer-class," Lancer replied. "They're just the most difficult throwing knives right now."

"That's more of an Assassin-class but okay." Rider pointed again.

"Oi." Lancer faced Rider. She had to be giving him an ugly eye behind that mask. "Stop getting my kills."

"Maybe if you aimed better." Rider had to be smug underneath that helmet.

The train ride was still monotonous for the most part. Qrow returned sometime after with expected news.

"They're ignorant," Qrow said. "Thinks that some whack job had a huge collection of toys somewhere up there and the house gave in."

"Who would live up there?" Ren asked. "It's hardly stable."

"You got a better explanation that isn't the truth or anything that we know?"

"Fair point." Ren returned to his seat to meditate.

Ruby looked towards the room. There were, all of them, distracting themselves with something since the train wasn't stopping anytime soon. There were still hours left.

She found her own spot. Just to be safe, she opened her window. Ruby stared and stared but held back any pouting.

Is there a name I'm supposed to invoke? Maybe some kind of chant? Ruby thought. To protect others. My emotions. Nope. I got nothing.

Ruby had to get it soon. She was certain that she had to.

AN: As much as I feel like it would be cool to have old Maria Calavera meet with them here, especially Lancer, I'm already juggling with a lot of characters here. Only counting the main roster, that's 14 characters. Then, there are the Companions and the supporting cast which is massive.