Note: Okay, now starting to get into more interesting things. Enjoy.

The cabins were not designed to hold twelve people at once. Though they were decently sized, having all of Team NYBF crammed into the living room caused some seating issues. Blake had to stand in the corner, and Fox, Nora, Pyrrha, and Jaune had to sit at the kitchen table. Ruby parked herself in front of the couch, standing before all of her teammates and ushering them closer. A few yawns were stifled and limbs were stretched.

She looked at the clock. Nine thirty in the morning. No wonder they were all so tired.

"Okay, team, listen up. We're going to go over a few things about the upcoming Festival, so pay attention, please."

Despite their tiredness, the eleven Huntsmen students focused on Ruby. She cleared her throat, wishing she had some sort of visual aid. She supposed she would just have to gesture broadly with her hands.

"So… we made it. Yay, everyone," Ruby said, clapping her hands together. "Now, I know you all probably know Vytal's rules and procedures, but just in case you don't… Blake…" Ruby's gaze shifted to the back of the room. The former assassin growled.

"Wow, fuck you, Rose."

"Am I wrong?"

"No, but… come on…"

"The Vytal Festival lasts for twelve days in total," Ruby explained. "But what we are concerned with is the Tournament, which starts on the fourth day… three days from now. Unfortunately, these next few days are going to be busy. We have media appearances, the opening ceremony tonight, of course, the Gala on day three, and probably a bunch of stuff in between. We don't have a lot of time to get extra training in, so try to find whatever downtime you can. Just don't forget to eat or rest. We need everyone on top of their game."

There were a few scattershot nods, and Ruby continued. "The Tournament is sixty-four participants, single fighter and single elimination. Fighting begins on Day Four with the first half of Round 1, then the second half of Round 1 occurs on Day Five. Round 2 is all of Day Six, then we have a day of rest. Then, it's pretty much a straight shot to the finals. The Final Sixteen fight on Day Eight, the Quarterfinals are on Day Nine, and the Semi-Finals and Finals occur on Day Ten. Good news: you only fight once per day. Bad news: it's going to be a giant pain getting around while the fights are happening, so this would be a great chance to study who you are fighting instead of running off doing something else. Speaking of which…"

The next part of the presentation was called: We Have No Idea Who We Are Fighting.

"So, we have no idea who we are fighting. The Tournament isn't separated by school, grade, or age. There aren't any bye-rounds or rankings. We could go up against literally anyone. The brackets aren't created until the day of the Tournament, so there's no real way to prepare for an individual fight unless you plan on studying all fifty-two other competitors. And that can be hard because schools don't tend to release a lot of information on their lesser-known fighters until tomorrow. So, yes, studying the day before is probably going to be very important." Ruby smiled, trying to keep her team's spirits up. "Now, the good news: the fights are chosen completely at random. Names are literally written on slips of paper and pulled out of a hat. So, there's pretty much no way for Ozpin to rig the brackets."

"Unless he gets the person who does the name-pulling to work for him," Yang suggested.

"Usually, the brackets are picked by the Host of the Festival," Pyrrha explained. "I don't think she works for him. Then again, I don't even know if she agreed to show up this year."

"Either way, hard to rig a manual draw like that," Blake noted. "So the random chance should work somewhat in our favor."

"Right," Ruby said uncomfortably. "That does bring me to something… not great. There are twelve of us. The first round has thirty-two fights in it. I didn't have time to get into the math, but although it's not a guarantee, it is… likely that some of us are going to fight in the first round."

An awkward silence filled the room. That was the difficulty of everyone for themselves. They could plan and strategize together all they wanted, but at the end of the day, only one of them was going to claim the Grail. Their greatest foes were beyond the cabin, obviously, but there were a few shifting glances. Long pauses. Someone was going to end up driving a sword through one of them. The only question was: Who would be the victor, and who would be the victim?

Nora spoke up loudly, slapping her hand on the table. "Well yeah, but… we knew that already, didn't we? Like, if we keep on winning, of course, we're gonna fight each other eventually!"

Ren quietly talked her down. "It's different in the first round."

"Is it really?" she questioned. "A fight's a fight. Look, I don't wanna beat any of you up. You're all my pals. But this is literally what we signed up for? Taking each other to the limit is part of the fun."

"You are incredibly cavalier about this," Coco said distastefully.

"It's not like we're going to kill each other!" Nora exclaimed. "We won't suddenly turn bloodthirsty the second we're in Amity Colosseum. We know each other's limits. We can hold back and still have a good fight."

Jaune raised his hand suddenly, and Ruby called upon him. He spoke with a slight stammer. "I'm sorry. I'm a bit confused. If we are really going to end up fighting each other, can't we just… throw the fights to whoever we think has the best shot?"

It wasn't a bad idea at all. While there would be some disagreement about who was most qualified to proceed to the next rounds, it would solve a lot of their problems. Hell, throwing fights would be a great way to save their energy for their more important fights. No worrying about running out of Dust, or getting injured. It was basically like a cheat code. However, that created the obvious flaw that Ruby was keen to point out.

"Vytal is a professional tournament, monitored by committee," she reminded everyone. "There's going to be millions of eyes on us. People place bets on these matches. If it's revealed that one of us threw a fight—"

"Both fighters would get disqualified for rigging the competition," Yang said with a sigh, finishing their sister's thoughts.

"And unfortunately," Blake said, crossing her arms, "Ozpin is going to be watching us like a hawk. We could try to hide it, but you just know he'll be the first to complain to the refs if one of us does something suspicious."

Ruby nodded in agreement. "I hate to say it, but winning our respective fights is more important than each other's health. We can definitely get away with going easy on each other, but trying to force someone to win is just going to get us in trouble. And we can't afford those mistakes."

The lesson seemed well-learned, and maybe it was all for the best. Trying to decide who won in advance would likely lead to a clash of egos. They couldn't imagine settling a debate between Yang and Nora, or Pyrrha and Ruby, or god forbid, two actual teammates going up against each other. It was best to leave those debates for the actual battlefield—though ideally, they could put that off as long as possible.

"And speaking fighting each other," Ruby added, "ideally, we get split as far away as possible."

"Isn't it better to be in a bracket together?" Velvet asked curiously. "Obviously, it wouldn't be good fighting each other, but isn't that better than fighting other students? Besides, it would be more likely to get one of us to the finals."

"One of us at the cost of everyone else," Ruby claimed. "The Quarterfinals, Semi-Finals, and Championship Round are going to be the hardest. By then, we will most likely be exhausted, injured, and running low on supplies. The more people we can get into the Final Four, the easier of a time that section of the Tournament will be."

"Are injuries really going to be a concern?" Jaune asked. "We have that Stiltskin guy on speed dial, right? He can fix anything."

Ruby seemed confused by the question, only to realize that Team JNPR must not have been properly looped into the discussion. Figured they would get left out, even by accident. "Uh, Blake? Want to clear it up?"

Blake groaned. "Stiltskin isn't coming to the island. Had a chat with him about it. Though he'd love to help, the sheer amount of security that's on Vytal means he isn't safe. The government of Atlas is constantly looking out for him, you know? He can't risk his safety or his other clients to be our personal healer."

"Darn, that sucks," Nora pouted. "I was kind of hoping he'd be here so I could go really crazy."

"Please go only a moderate amount of crazy," Ruby suggested. "But yeah, he isn't here to help us."

"Of course not," Pyrrha said darkly. "That's what makes these tournaments so hard. It isn't the environments or the lack of restrictions on weapons. It's attrition. All of these small, nagging injuries pile up until they overwhelm you. It's only six fights until the end, but by the time you finish, you feel like you've been through a war."

"You have the most experience in tournaments, Pyrrha. Any advice?" Coco asked. The others turned their focus to her. She looked at the table and muttered under her breath.

"Don't give them time to hurt you."

Another long, awkward silence followed. The danger of Vytal was always known to them, but now, it was finally settling in. They were in the lion's den. They didn't want to kill anyone, and they were sure most of the other students felt the same. They all just wanted to win. But accidents happened frequently in Vytal. All it took was one stray bullet, one faulty swing of a sword, and their life was forfeit. The worst of consequences could happen even with the best of intentions, even to each other. To see it plainly, all they had to do was ask this year's Host.

Weiss raised her hand next, cutting through the darkness. "Ruby, I actually have something I wanted to bring up. Three things, to be precise."

"Sure. Go ahead," Ruby bowed and let her girlfriend take the floor.

"With the actual Tournament so close, I know that we won't have a ton of time to train together. However, Velvet," she turned toward the activist, who reacted with surprise at being called out. "I have experience fighting without an Aura or a Semblance. You and I should head over to the training facility to get some sparring in so we can go over how to fight. You'll need to make a lot of changes to stay safe."

Velvet nodded eagerly. "Y-Yeah! That actually sounds like it could be useful. I don't want to be too much of a burden."

"For everyone else: the second thing," Weiss continued. "If we do have three days before the tournament begins, there is no reason we should waste it. Everyone should try to gather as much information as they can on our fellow competitors. We'll be able to find the other Huntsmen all over Li Caccia. It might be a good idea to get to know them."

Coco shrugged. "I mean, if it's an excuse to head to the Fairgrounds, I'm game for that. There's a ton of exclusive Vytal merch that I want to pick up."

"Oooh, I want to go on reconnaissance with Coco!" Nora shouted. "I want to stake out the t-shirts for any bad guys… and the candy booth… and the swimming pool."

"There's a swimming pool?" asked Ren.

"There's a swimming pool!" Nora said with a toothy grin. "And the best place to spot our fellow Huntsmen is from the top of the diving board!"

"So… what's the third thing, Weiss?" Yang asked curiously. Weiss nervously fiddled with her thumb.

"Well, actually… that's something I wanted to talk with just Team RWBY," she stated. "Alone."

"Alone?" asked Yang.

"Alone?" asked Coco.

Ruby shook her head. "What's that about?"

"Sorry, I don't mean to be vague," Weiss said, though Pyrrha cut her off before she could clarify.

"We're supposed to be telling everything to each other. Aren't we teammates?" she asked suspiciously.

"We are, just—"

"What's so bad that you can't tell us?" Fox asked sharply.

"Nothing bad!" Weiss insisted despite her nervous stutter. "It's just this idea I had that's sort of… personal. We can tell you afterward, just…" Weiss looked Ruby in the eye. "It's something I want to go over with you. Blake and Yang should be there too, but… this is for us. Is that okay?"

Ruby didn't know what ideas were forming in her girlfriend's mind, or what could be so important that it was worth keeping from the rest of Team NYBF. Still, she had more than enough faith in Weiss to trust her judgment, and she nodded along with the idea, disregarding any bitter feelings it may cause.

"Whatever you say. We can talk after this meeting is over."

Weiss bowed her head in relief. She would take the time to explain to everyone else later. For now, she would simply tolerate the hard glares and hope that she hadn't accidentally pushed any boundaries.

"Is there anything else we need to cover?" Ruby asked to the room. She believed they had hit all the relevant points. Nora was bouncing up and down in her chair, practically begging to be released from her wordy imprisonment. Yatsu looked like he was about to fall asleep at any moment. Pyrrha looked… agitated. Ruby decided that would probably be enough. "Okay, then. We all have to meet up at Sylani Plaza at seven o'clock for the Opening Ceremony. Winter is going to be paying for everyone's meals, so save your receipts and send them Weiss's way. Be careful of the paparazzi, try not to get swarmed by fans, and uh…" Ruby pumped her fist into the air. "Happy Hunting! Woohoo! Vytal… yeah…"

Nora practically bolted out the door the moment the last syllable came out. "Shopping, here I come!"

"So, Weiss, what's this idea of yours?"

Blake's tone belied her genuine curiosity. It wasn't often that Weiss led the planning meetings, and though she'd be loath to admit it, Blake found value in the heiress's perspective. She, Ruby, and Yang all lay on the bed in her room. She had to admit that it wasn't very comfortable, not just because it was three of them squeezed together. She understood the need for authenticity, but couldn't they give better beds to their supposed "Champions"? Still, she had slept on worse.

Weiss stood at its foot, gently closing the door behind them. Teams JNPR and CFVY had run off to do whatever activities they found necessary. Weiss was supposed to meet back up with Velvet in half an hour. Whatever she was planning, it had to be quick.

"Sorry for making it awkward back there," Weiss confessed. "This is just something we need to talk about on our own."

"It's all right," Ruby assured her. "What's on your mind?"

"Okay," Weiss sighed. "Well… we all know why we are here and what we have to do. We must win the Vytal Festival at any cost—and that means that we should be willing to use all of the power we have at our disposal. I know that with the stakes being so high, it might make sense to avoid unnecessary risks. However, I truly believe that we have to take chances, even if we previously agreed we should not. Therefore, I'm going to suggest that we do something, and I would very much appreciate it if you did not immediately shoot it down."

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked gently. She could see the tension in Weiss's shoulders and feel her unease. Obviously, the pressure was weighing heavily on all of them. But Weiss was tactical and precise. She wouldn't suggest something unless she was certain. Weiss briefly glanced away from her girlfriend, only for a moment. Only for the suggestion to be pulled from her lips.

"I want to use the Astral on you… on Rosaline."

No one was expecting that, especially not so suddenly. Saying the R-S-L-N word was something none of them had done in weeks as if it might cause the Fable to materialize in the room with them. The proposal was out there, and Ruby immediately sat up in bed. Yang and Blake followed, flabbergasted.

"What?" Blake gasped.

Yang stammered. "That's… uh…"

"Didn't we literally all decide that was a bad idea before?" Blake asked pointedly.

"Hear me out," Weiss pleaded. "I have my reasons."

Ruby didn't react with anger. In fact, she said nothing at all.

"Okay, you said not to immediately turn down the idea," Blake stated, "but can I turn it down if it's horrible?"

"Why do you think it's horrible?" Weiss asked pointedly.

"You want to know why I think it's horrible to fuck with god?" Blake said with disbelief. "The god who lives in your girlfriend? Your girlfriend who could have bad things happen to her if we fuck around with god?"

"We don't know that," Weiss stated.

Yang shrugged. "It is a pretty big concern though. That's why we said not to do it in the first place."

Weiss sighed. "Yes, we all agreed that the Astral shouldn't be used to learn about Rosaline. Obviously, there are significant downsides. I've only ever used it once, and that was on someone who wasn't resisting the process and was far less powerful. It could strain my mind, and that might not be worth it so close to the tournament beginning. We don't know how Rosaline would react. However, we said that because we didn't want to interfere with Rosaline if she wasn't interfering with us. And, well…" Weiss gestured broadly to Ruby. "Then Ruby sprouted giant wings made of flowers and brought a woman back from the dead. I think the time for waiting and seeing has passed us by."

"Right, but that doesn't get rid of the downsides," Blake reminded her. Did Weiss have a point? A little. Maybe. Barely. Rosaline had grown from a worrying curiosity to an ever-present danger in their lives, and that was scary as hell. Still, Blake felt the most reasonable response was to not fucking touch anything. Weiss refused to be persuaded.

"No, but it changes the calculus," Weiss claimed. "You all understand why I wanted this discussion to just be between us, right? This is something Ruby has to decide on her own. Ruby, you haven't been able to use Rosaline's power since the Vault, correct?"

"I… I don't even know how I used it in the first place," Ruby sighed. She wiggled her fingers, black digits fidgeting in the dry air.

"If you are somehow able to access that power and control it, no one in Vytal would stand a chance against you."

Control Rosaline… was that even possible though?

"It could also kill whoever she goes up against," Yang added. "Take it from us, that much power has its consequences."

But if she could...

"That's why understanding it is so important—and why we shouldn't go into Vytal blind," Weiss reasoned. "What if the power triggers itself by accident during a difficult fight? What if it puts a strain on you higher than it already is? If you let me dive in, I can at least take a look around. Maybe I'll learn something. Surely, that's better than the alternative of ignorance."

Yang and Blake held back. They were on much the same wavelength since recoupling, and this occasion was no different. They had worked so hard to get into Vytal, to plan for its many eccentricities, and to develop counter strategies for those involved. They were supposed to be resting. Avoiding risks. Tampering with the unknowable Fable powers so soon just seemed like tempting fate. Yet, in the end, their opinions didn't really matter. It wasn't their body to choose.

"Weiss…"

Ruby hung on every one of Weiss's points. This thing inside of her was dangerous, and yet so valuable. Running from its power wouldn't do them any good, especially when they needed it the most. Rosaline would let her demolish the competition—even Penny wouldn't be able to lay a finger on her at full strength. At least, she hoped. If Ozpin was going to use every advantage he had available to rig this game in his favor, was it not unfair for her to do the same? Besides, she had always championed knowledge over ignorance. It was finally time to answer those little voices calling to her in the back of her mind.

"I think you should do it," Ruby stated.

"R-Ruby," Yang warned, but Ruby cut them off.

"We need to know if we can use this," Ruby explained. "This is the most important fight of our lives. We all know what Rosaline is capable of. At the very least, Weiss should be allowed to look around my head."

Blake breathed calmly. "Ruby, I appreciate that this is your decision, but… I am firmly of the belief that this is a bad plan."

"I hear you, but I have faith in Weiss," Ruby said firmly. "Weiss, you were able to use the Astral to fix Winter, even when you had never done it before. I trust you one hundred percent to be careful with me. We should do everything we can to learn about Rosaline before we miss our chance."

Weiss went slightly numb. Blake and Yang were protesting, but Ruby… Ruby had faith in her. She was trusting her with her body, her mind. That wasn't a given even a month ago. There was always a fear in the back of her mind, ever since that… well, she didn't even like to think of it. Putting it into words made it feel slightly too real. She had been terrified that Ruby secretly resented her for it, that she was merely putting on a show for her self-esteem. But here, Ruby was trusting her completely. There was no hesitation in her voice. She had moved on—or at the least, she was trying to. It gave Weiss the confidence to continue.

"Okay then," Weiss stated. "Blake, Yang… give her some space. Ruby, lie down."

Ruby's eyes suddenly went wide. "N-Now?"

"Well… we don't really have time later," Weiss said awkwardly.

Ruby nodded along. Yes, yes that made quite a lot of sense. It was best to get it over with as soon as possible. Just… wow, she did not think she would be getting pulled into the Astral this morning. Here. At Vytal. In this very nice cabin that she definitely didn't want to break. She needed a second to compose herself.

Blake crawled off the bed with a huff. "I hope you know what you're doing, Weiss."

"Same," Yang warned. "Because if you hurt her…"

"I'll be careful," Weiss promised. "I'm just going to take a little peak inside her head. I'll try not to disturb Rosaline at all."

Easier said than done, though Weiss's confidence made the process sound simple. After a few minutes, Ruby had gotten her nervous breathing under control, and she lay flat on the bed, head slightly dangling off its edge toward Weiss. Blake and Yang stood just off to either side, holding down her arms in case the process caused her to revolt. Of course, if Rosaline suddenly did burst out of the room and attack them, their feeble hands wouldn't do much to stop it. Weiss took a deep breath, hovering over Ruby.

They were really doing this…

"Okay, now Ruby, I need you to breathe."

Ruby did as instructed. In and out.

"Don't be afraid. Just stay calm. Very calm."

Very calm. In. Out. Breathe.

Weiss placed her fingers against Ruby's temples.

"Close your eyes."

Ruby held them shut. Weiss did the same.

They breathed together.

In and out.

In and out.

In and out.

Breathe.

Gentle.

Breathe.

It was easy, like slipping into an old pair of shoes.

Focus. Focus on the beyond.

In and out.

Nothing else mattered.

The world didn't matter. Let it slip away.

Into the Astral…

Calm.

Everything had to be calm.

Stay focused.

Let the physical slip away.

Let go of what was real.

Let all things fade.

Let instinct take hold.

Into the Astral.

Nothing else was there.

No world, no sky.

Nothing but a void.

Into the Astral.

Become greater than a single Soul could ever be.

Ascend to the plane above planes.

Ruby counted on her.

The world became white.

Let it consume.

Let it be.

Slip further down.

Dive…

Dive deep…

Into the—

GET

OUT!

Weiss was thrown back against the wall with the force of a rocket. The wood cracked behind her as she slumped to the floor. Blake and Yang jumped back in shock, and Ruby desperately scrambled off the bed.

"Weiss!"

The heiress grabbed at her head and grunted in pain. Her entire back was raw, and shards of wood lay on the floor beside her. Ruby knelt by her side, tenderly holding her hand.

"Are you okay, Weiss?"

"What the fuck was that?" Blake exclaimed.

"R-Rosaline," Weiss gasped. "That…"

"She forced you out?" Yang said, dumbstruck. "Can she even do that?"

Apparently, yes. Rosaline was in complete control of the Astral, or at least whatever parts were connected to her host. Worse, she seemed to be really annoyed. She hadn't been listening to their plans, had she?

"Weiss, do you need to go see the medic?" Ruby tenderly reached toward Weiss's head, but was interrupted by the heiress's sneering rage.

"That bitch."

"W-Weiss?"

"Get back on the bed, Ruby," Weiss growled. She shook off the pain and forced herself to her feet. Ruby remained on the floor, stunned by Weiss's tenacity.

"Weiss, we should make sure you are okay—"

"I'm fine, Ruby," Weiss stated. "I'm just furious. She wants to keep me out, does she? Well, she's not getting her way."

Weiss was fired up and ready to give it another shot. It was hard to explain, but the assault felt personal. That was Ruby's mind the Fable was inhabiting. What gave her the right to control it like that? Some bitch drank from a cup once and thought she was so special… well, Weiss would take that cup and shove it right up her—

"Hold up there," Blake said, grabbing Weiss's wrist to slow her down. "Weiss, appreciate the grit, but you are not prepared for this."

"I can do this," Weiss said angrily. "I just need to try again."

"Look, I'm not one to complain when you get hurt," Blake quipped through her frustrations, "but we cannot afford you getting hurt right now."

Goddammit… why the hell was Blake making sense? She was supposed to be the irrational one. But her fears were confirmed when Ruby gently slipped her hand into Weiss's grip, and her calm words floated over her.

"Weiss, you can't beat her. Please, don't push yourself."

Weiss choked down her fury. She didn't even get a second chance to prove herself. It could have been a simple mistake, or something she could have prepared for. But her one opportunity had been wasted. Blake was right: she couldn't fuck with a god. She wasn't strong enough. She would likely never be strong enough. All she was doing now, with her paltry excuse for Fable powers, was getting in the way of something more important. For Ruby's sake—not her own—she relented.

Unfortunately, they didn't have time to stew in the implications. As soon as there was a moment of calm… they heard a knock coming from downstairs.

Then, it came again.

Someone was at their door.

Ruby slipped away from Weiss, hurrying out of the bedroom and down the steps to answer their unexpected visitor. She had a sneaking suspicion of who it was. The crash had probably drawn some attention from their neighbors, and someone from Team JNPR had come to check on them. Shit, they would have to explain this to the others. How was that going to work? They wouldn't feel left out? No, of course not. They would understand. They had to.

Ruby pulled the door open, mouth open and ready to speak. Instead, she froze. She wasn't face-to-face with anyone from Team JNPR, or Team CFVY. Not Ozpin either, or Penny, or anyone she had ever met before. Instead, she was forced to look up at a woman who she could only describe as an angel.

There was something commanding about her presence that immediately sucked the air out of Ruby's lungs. She towered above Ruby at six feet even, swooping platinum blonde hair giving her an additional few inches of leverage. She stood with perfect posture even when totally relaxed, the sign of great discipline drilled into her very bones. Piercing blue eyes stared down at Ruby, but they were filled with respect; a slight grin crossed her strong jawline, which was marked with a tattoo of a thorned ring that Ruby instantly recognized. And then there was her outfit: the boots, the cape, the twin swords buckled firmly to her hip. She looked like a damn superhero. Ruby was so blinded by her presence that she didn't even notice the three other women standing behind her: a dashing rogue with braids of red hair and a fiery smile, a shorter, smug woman with vines wrapped around her arm, and a shy redhead, face stained from grime, who stood awkwardly behind everyone else and didn't want to make eye contact.

Ruby knew all their names. It was impossible not to for an admirer of Huntresses. Ruby was standing in the presence of Huntress royalty. The best to ever do it.

"Ruby Rose… it's nice to finally meet you," said the angel, her voice gentle yet carrying so much power it threatened to topple Ruby over. "My name is Bianca Prisma. These are my teammates: Roane, Ivy, and Ruda. May we come in?"

She raised her hands. She held a gift basket, similar to the one Team RWBY received earlier.

"We brought snacks."