91

Chapter 91: Unconventional Conventions

"...please tell me you're joking."

Weiss cringed under her sister's disbelieving gaze, meekly shaking her head.

Ruby watched as Winter slowly lowered her head into her palm, gently massaging her temples as the three came to a stop at the end of the docks. They were just past the warehouse the team had been using for glyph training, standing on one of the unoccupied landing pads. The number of Atlassian personnel milling about was much less than the last time they'd been there, only a skeleton crew left to patrol as the rest were either laid up with injuries after the White Fang battle or sifting through the mountain of scrap metal lining the harbor.

Ruby couldn't help but gawk at the sheer amount of broken metal and weaponry surrounding her. The usual clutter of containers and heavy machinery had been cleared from the entire dock to make room for the beaten and battered shells that were once Atlassian Mecha. All the ones that were still operational must have been taken away because all Ruby could see were disassembled limbs and buckled armor, all slowly being arranged in a loose imitation of humanoid forms. Soldiers dug through the piles of wreckage, rattling off serial numbers and then being pointed toward a particular mech reconstruction. They moved from place to place with a resigned fluidity, born out of repetition.

After a minute to collect herself, Winter lifted her head and turned to face them, poorly hidden vexation on her face. "Alright. Magic… animal… dreams. Sure, that's… just fine. I can believe that."

Weiss and Ruby shared a startled glance. Weiss rose a brow at her sister. "You… can?"

Winter took a deep breath, looking skyward. "Weiss, within the past month I have found you joined in a polyamorous relationship with the heirs of both an extensive private military and the entirety of Menagerie, watched you share our family's Semblance amongst them while gaining theirs in return, help prevent the capital of Vale from falling to a completely unknown coup and getting stabbed for your trouble, and have you kidnapped by our father then rescued by your girlfriend utilizing, of all things, a seemingly perfect if not improved Summon." She looked down and locked eyes with her sister, revealing utterly exhausted eyes. "To put it bluntly Weiss: you could wake up tomorrow with Faunus ears and a tail, and I would not be surprised."

Ruby bit back a giggle, both from Winter's mini-tirade and the stunned look on Weiss's face as her cheeks tinged in mortification.

Before the younger Schnee could formulate a response, Winter waved her hand dismissively. "We can table this… animal spirit discussion for another time. At the moment, we are here to discuss…" She turned sharply towards Ruby, her eyes narrowing. "You…"

Ruby shrunk under the perceived glare, chuckling weakly as she fought down the urge to hang her head. "Yeah… um… sorry?"

"Winter…" Weiss started in a warning tone that surprised her and her sister both. "Do not be angry at Ruby for doing the impossible." She paused for a moment. "Again."

Winter blinked at the low tone, looking at Weiss and then back to Ruby. Her face pinched at the girl's cowed posture, and her shoulders relaxed slightly. "I… I am not angry. Merely…" She struggled for the right words, only to deflate with a harsh sigh. "Deeply, deeply confused. You know yourself, Weiss, how difficult creating a proper summon can be…" She cringed at seeing her sister's face fall, rushing ahead with her next comment. "...and it took me over eight months to advance from my first attempts to a corporeal summon. Yet…" She looked questioningly at Ruby, unable to keep the bafflement off her face. "You somehow accomplished just that… in less than a week."

Ruby fidgeted under Winter's gaze, doubly so when Weiss looked to her as well. While she kept it hidden on the outside, Ruby could Feel the Curiosity, Awe, and Vexation Weiss was trying to suppress. She shrugged helplessly. "I'm not sure what you want me to tell you."

Weiss's brow pinched in thought. "Maybe… Blake said you had been attempting to create a summon for… just one week before you succeeded." She sighed when she saw Ruby wilt at her words, well aware of the Frustration she was trying to stomp down. She forged on. "How about you walk us through what you tried each day, step by step, and what you did differently Saturday?"

Ruby hummed to herself, her brow pinching. "Okay, but… I pretty much just did the same thing each day. A couple hours after Blake and Yang would fall asleep, I'd sneak up to the roof to practice. I just kept running through the mantra Weiss taught me. Feeling out the glyph's size and speed, adjusting my arm and fingers the way she described. The movements and feelings got easier each time I tried… but they always failed right at the end." She looked down at her hands, flexing her fingers. "It felt like… a bit like Yang's Semblance when you hold the power in too long. This pain that just built and built until I had to let it out somehow."

Winter nodded thoughtfully, her brow raising a bit. "While that comparison is… surprising, what you describe tracks with what I know. The physical aspects and aura fluctuation are the easiest part to grasp through sheer repetition. What of the failed attempts? I recall your first was rather… robust."

Ruby tittered lightly, her cheeks dusting at the memory. "Yeah… well, none of them exploded like that first one… thankfully. They just kind of… shattered when Speedymore tried to come through the glyph."

…Winter blinked slowly. "Speedy…more?"

"Oh. That's what I named my Nevermore summon."

"You… named it. Of course you did." Winter breathed deeply through her nose, briefly looking skyward when she saw Weiss put a hand over her face, poorly hiding a reluctant smile. "Again that makes sense. The final step of giving your summon a corporeal form is the hardest. Having to visualize every detail at the moment of the kill while maintaining focus of your actions and aura is where most failures lie." She glanced back to Weiss, adding. "I myself struggled with it for months."

Weiss in turn snapped her head toward her sister, eyes wide in naked surprise. "You… you did?"

Winter blinked at the disbelief in Weiss's voice, turning to her fully. "Of course. It's the most difficult glyph for a reason. Even Grandfather struggled with the concept in his early days." Winter's lips pulled into a tight line at Weiss's clear surprise. "Did you think I performed a perfect summon on my first attempt?"

Weiss's cheeks pinked slightly. "You… always made it look so easy."

Winter's eyes widened, then closed in resignation. She let out a deep sigh. She gave Weiss a tight, not-quite frown. "The ease I have now is thanks to years of repetition. Trust me, there were plenty of frustrating failed attempts in my early days." She turned to Ruby. "Which is why you creating a fully controllable summon so easily… flabbergasts me. Please, tell me; what did you do differently that brought the first success?"

Ruby shifted her weight from foot to foot, lips pursed in thought. "Honestly… it was Yang and Blake who figured out what I was doing wrong."

Winter blinked, sharing a perplexed look with Weiss. "Could you elaborate?"

Ruby huffed, crossing her arms as she thought back. "The whole time I was trying to summon Speedy, I focused everything on the moment when I killed the Nevermore. How fast I was going, how hard I swung Crescent Rose, even the last sound it made. They made me remember that there was so much more to that moment." At Winter's prodding look, she continued. "I made the final blow, but it took all four of us to take the Nevermore down. It was the first time the four of us worked together as a team, and…" She broke into a wide grin at the memory. "I was just so happy and excited during the whole thing, and… that's what I was missing."

Eyes wide, Weiss took an involuntary step while Ruby spoke. A flicker of Hope, Awe, Desperation shined from the heiress, which she couldn't stomp down. "What were you missing, Ruby? What part of that was the breakthrough?"

Ruby winced at the raw emotion pouring off of Weiss, trying to find the clearest words possible to explain. "It was all of it, Weiss." When Weiss still looked perplexed, Ruby went on. "Just focusing on the moment I killed it was not enough. You have to take everything: what led up to the end of the fight, what you were thinking, what you were Feeling. When I looked down from that cliff and saw the three of you looking up at me…that. When I held on to that memory… bringing out Speedy felt so simple."

Judging by Weiss's bewildered stare, something she'd said had either been mind-blowing or incredibly wrong.

"But, that… that's not how it's supposed to work."

Oh, I did both.

Ruby turned at Winter's voice, the Specialist staring at her as if she'd been speaking a foreign language. "Which part?"

Winter shook slightly, regaining the focus. "A-All of it! When making a summon, you have to repress your emotions, otherwise, they leak into the summon and it goes wild!"

Ruby could only shrug. "You asked what I did differently. That was it."

"But… but that cannot…" Winter abruptly cut herself off, visibly reining herself back in, to both Ruby's and Weiss's surprise. She closed her eyes, clenched her fists at her side, and breathed in deeply. When her eyes opened, her tone was calm and clipped. "Show me."

Ruby's head perked up in surprise. "What?"

Winter took another calming breath. "All my prior experiences are telling me that what you're saying cannot possibly be true. Yet, I witnessed myself that it somehow, miraculously, impossibly, must be. I'd like you to summon your… Speedymore so I can see what other differences, if any, your summons have from what I know."

Ruby stared for a moment. Then her eyes sparkled as she beamed. "Yeah! Okay, yeah, I can… uh, let's see…" With near-manic energy, Ruby quickly scanned the dock around her, finally turning to face the center of one of the landing pads.

Time to prove herself!

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Weiss asked, a hint of trepidation in her voice as she watched Ruby flex her hands.

Winter's eyes stayed on the speedster, analyzing her every movement. "You do not have faith she can summon on command?"

Weiss clicked her tongue, crossing her arms. "I have all the faith in the world in her. But I also know that she's accident-prone and her best way of learning is trial and error. I worry that the summon may go out of control again."

Winter hummed in acknowledgment. "We shall see. I made preparations for such, regardless." Her eyes briefly darted up to the sky, Weiss following her gaze. A trio of Bullheads lazily glided high above the docks and sea.

"Okay!" Ruby's bubbly voice echoed across the docks as she looked back at the sisters. "I'm ready when you are!"

Winter and Weiss shared one last look, then stepped up to flank Ruby on either side. Winter waved a hand towards the landing pad. "On your mark, Ruby."

Ruby gave a sharp nod. "Okay… picture it in your mind…"

The Schnee sisters watched as Ruby's hands shined with red light, her arms and fingers going through languid motions as she muttered familiar words under her breath. A crimson glyph formed at the center of the landing pad, quickly growing to massive size and spinning wildly. Weiss's breath hitched as she saw the form of a Nevermore take shape evenly and stable within its surface. Winter's brow rose as the glyph, while spinning much faster than normal, remained consistent and level.

Neither were unaware of Ruby's beaming smile throughout the entire process.

"...and make it live again!" Her voice raising on the last line of the mantra, Ruby threw her arms out wide as a crimson Nevermore rose from the glyph with its wings folded. In the evening sunlight, the beast's feathers took on a near-bloodlike tinge, its wispy silver eyes glowing against its pale-red mask.

Winter couldn't help but swallow as she sized up the summon. Color notwithstanding, it seemed to be a perfect replica of the real beast, though perhaps a tad oversized (Unless the creature Team RWBY has slain was some alpha variant.) Around the docks, soldiers paused in their organizing, several of them slowly raising their weapons.

"Unbelievable…" Weiss breathed as she gazed upon the massive avian, awe clear on her lax face.

Winter couldn't help but agree, her mouth opening to say as much to Ruby-

"Hi, Speedymore!"

-only to let out a barely hidden sigh as the girl in question started walking towards the summon with her arms raised, as if about to greet a long-missed pet. Clearly, the sniper still needed help understanding how a summon was merely-

Then the Nevermore looked down, right at Ruby, and lunged.

Winter's heart gave a painful lurch, panic ripping through her as she made a frantic grab for her blade, Weiss mirroring her fright in the same breath. "Ruby, wait, it-!"

"Oh! Hey, girl!"

Just as quickly as they started moving, Winter and Weiss came to a jolting stop, their swords only half-drawn as their mouths fell open.

Ruby giggled as she was nearly bowled over by the massive raven's beak being pressed against her chest, a low warble at the back of its throat as its beak scraped the ground. "Aww, did you miss me, too?" She sidestepped slightly, letting Speedymore's beak slide past her so she could be level with one of the summons' eyes. She bent down slightly so she could rub one hand on its mask above its eye and reach the other just far enough down to scratch the feathers of its jaw. The warbling grew louder and deeper, making Ruby giggle some more.

Minutes passed, the Schnee sisters reduced to frozen statues as they watched Ruby… well, there was no other word for it. She was cuddling the Nevermore, babying it no differently than she would Zwei. And by all appearances, the summon was wholly accepting of such treatment.

Finally, Weiss let out an exasperated sigh, returning Myrtenaster to her hip with a slight shove. "Honestly, why am I surprised?" It was more her resigned tone than the words that shook Winter from her stupor. Doubly so when Weiss started towards the odd duo with utmost confidence, so swiftly Winter didn't process the act fast enough to call her back.

Weiss barely made it two steps before Speedymore noticed her approach. Two silver eyes locked on to her, the summon's warbling cutting off abruptly. Weiss froze, swallowing as the beast gave her its full attention.

"Hey…" Ruby rubbed the top of Speedy's head as it started to turn away from her. "Easy, girl. It's just Weiss. You remember her, right? You helped me save her."

A low purr came from the back of the summon's throat. Weiss watched as the beast took a heavy step forward, a chill running down her spine as she found all four silver eyes staring down at her. "H…Hello, S-Speedymore." She felt partly silly for greeting the summon, but the way it loomed above her, dwarfing her entirely, seemed to bring out Weiss's need to impress. "Ruby's right. Without you, I'd be… in a much darker place right now. Thank you."

Speedymore stared for a moment, then cocked her head to the side curiously. Weiss's exasperation doubled at her respectful intention going right over the bird's head… only to squeak as she found herself with a chest full of beak and feathers.

Beside her, Ruby giggled. "I think she's saying, 'You're welcome.'"

Weiss held her arms above her in surprise, unsure what to do. When the Nevermore merely nuzzled closer, she slowly brought her hands down on the beast's mask. It felt like porcelain but radiated a soft warmth. She could feel a trembling under her fingertips, a neverending thrum, like a high current crossed with a heartbeat.

Weiss's eyes widened as she traced the intricate silver lines swirling across the masked surface, Speedymore restarting her warbling. "You…" she whispered breathlessly, Speedymore's eyes crossing to keep her in view. "You are magnificent."

Behind her, Ruby was practically vibrating out of her boots, a mad grin splitting her face as she hopped from foot to foot.

Winter watched the whole scene slack-jawed, unable to tear her eyes away from her sister quickly shifting from nervous to placid, treating the beast like an overgrown pet bird rather than a terrifying Grimm. While Weiss had the Nevermore distracted with headpats, Winter slowly circled to Ruby's side, her eyes never leaving the summon. "Ruby…" She paused, trying and failing to collect her thoughts. "I'm at a loss."

Ruby blinked at her in surprise. "What do you mean?"

Winter shook her head in disbelief. "This… a normal summon does not act like this."

A slight frown marred Ruby's face. "How is she supposed to act?"

"It…" Winter stiffened as the Nevermore's eyes turned at Ruby's voice, Weiss looking over in surprise. She wetted her lips and continued. "She's not." At Ruby's perplexed look, Winter sighed. "Just… watch."

Winter turned to the space next to Speedymore. Her arms came up, moving rapidly through practiced motions. Speedymore let a curious coo as white light drew her attention, lifting her head away from Weiss to watch a white glyph form next to her. From it rose a second Nevermore, its feathers a transparent white. To Ruby and Weiss's bemusement, it was a head shorter than Speedymore.

Winter eyed Speedymore for a moment, making sure the summon wasn't going to make any sudden movements toward the new arrival. When all she did was cock her head curiously, Winter faced Ruby and Weiss, lifting a hand towards her summon. "Can you tell the difference between yours and mine? Besides the color, obviously."

Ruby glanced at Weiss, receiving only an encouraging nod. Lips pursed in determination, she took us step towards the new summon, looking it all over. Right away, something felt off about it. Ruby stepped to its side, watching the summon's eyes. They remain locked forward at nothing, not acknowledging her in any way. In fact, after analyzing it for a minute…

"It's… not moving," Ruby said haltingly, confused.

Winter nodded. "Indeed. This is how all my successful summons have acted. Without me giving orders, they merely stand at attention awaiting them." Her brow furrowed, weighing her words. "They… are a tool in the guise of a Grimm. No different from my other glyphs or my blade. They are extensions of myself and my will. Nothing more. But yours-"

She cut off when a red-dyed shadow fell over her, looking up to see Speedymore waddle up to her summon. Speedy looked down at the white-feathered Nevermore, cocking her head to the side. She leaned around it on the left, then the right. She cooed softly, trying to coax a response. When she received none, she lightly bopped her beak against its counterpart. The white Nevermore barely budged, just staring blankly ahead.

"...that's kinda creepy," Ruby muttered under her breath, lightly scratching her jaw.

Not low enough, given Winter's twitching brow. "That is how a summon is supposed to act. As in, it doesn't. Not unless I explicitly give it an order. Yours, on the other hand, acts with its own agency. I'd call it wild, except it's not even acting like a Grimm. More like a… a pet."

While Winter and Ruby looked between the two summons, Weiss was focused on something different. "Ruby…" she drawled, drawing their attention. "You said when you make Speedymore, the missing piece was what you were Feeling, right?"

Ruby blinked. "Yeah?"

Weiss hummed, looking between Speedymore and Ruby… then focusing on the symbols on Ruby's neck. "Ruby, when we Feel each other's emotions, we reach out our Aura towards each other, right?"

Ruby beamed, letting Weiss's Feelings of Curiosity and Excitement wash over her. "Yeah-huh!"

"Is that what you did when you summoned Speedymore?"

Ruby's mouth opened… then snapped shut. Her eyes widened as she thought back. She slowly turned to look up at Speedymore, who stared back with her head tilted. Ruby tilted her head to match. "I… maybe?"

"Weiss?" Winter looked over her sister warily. "I'm not as well versed in Faunus mating practices. 'Reaching out aura?' What are you getting at?"

Weiss hesitated, looking her girlfriend over in trepidation. Her lips twisted and concerned. "I think… Winter, from what you taught me, creating a summon requires relinquishing a portion of your aura while locking tight on your emotions, correct?"

Winter quirked a brow. "Of course. Leaked-over emotion is what drives a summon wild."

"Yes, but…" She looked at Ruby and Speedymore again, watching as Ruby leaned slightly to the side, and Speedymore shifted her weight to match her. "What if you did the opposite? Send emotions with your aura… on purpose?"

Winter stared. Her eyebrows found refuge amongst her hairline. She slowly turned to match Weiss's gaze. Speedymore had leaned back down in front of the speedster, giving easy access for Ruby to continue rubbing her feathers. Winter's forehead slowly found its way into her palm. "That… would be monumentally dangerous… and explain quite a lot."

A nervous chuckle escaped Weiss's lips. "More than you might think."

Winter felt very tired all of a sudden. "In what way?"

Weiss glanced towards Ruby and Speedymore. "The night Ruby saved me… remember that dragon Grimm that appeared?" Winter's flat look clearly said 'you expected me to forget that?' Weiss pushed past it. "Speedymore charged at it when it appeared. It took her out with one bite. But when she shattered… Ruby felt it."

Winter's face went blank. "What."

Weiss took a steadying breath. "Her summon shattered and Ruby screamed, nearly falling to her knees in pain. I don't remember you ever saying that could happen with summons."

"It can't." Winter then grimaced, correcting. "It shouldn't."

Weiss nodded, grimacing. "Yes… but if Ruby still had an active aura link to her summon… it might explain how."

"...that is… horrifying." After several minutes of silent contemplation slowly pacing up and down the length of the helipad, Winter sucked in a deep breath, regaining her posture. "Ruby."

The little leader looked over, pausing her rubbing at the base of Speedymore's neck. "Yeah?"

"Weiss and I have a theory as to why your summon is so different." Panic filled her as Ruby's eyes started to sparkle. She forged ahead with her explanation before Ruby could respond, speaking with her head held high like she would when speaking to the general's troops. "When I create a summon, it is made from a portion of my aura, but the aura is… stripped down, so to speak. It has energy granted from my aura, but no emotions, no agency unto itself. It is merely an extension of my will, ready to take my commands. The reason a summon should fail and run wild is if you do not clear yourself of emotions during the summoning, and the emotions bleed over into the summon. With just untamed emotion and no thought behind it, the summon goes wild."

With a clicking step, Winter came to a stop right in front of Ruby. "But… with you, Ruby… We think you did the opposite. While I force aside my emotions… you revel in them. You're not holding back emotions to keep from leaking over, you're actively pouring as much of yourself into your summon as you can. Enough so that, even being granted its own agency, you and Speedymore are still connected. That's why she's not currently running wild around the city."

Ruby's brow rose. She looked up at Speedymore with newfound awe. Then she turned back to Winter, smiling shyly. "So… I did do the summon right?"

Winter swallowed back her initial answer, irritation briefly flashing on her face, stomped down with a visible struggle. "In truth, Ruby, I hesitate to say you did it right. Your method is the polar opposite of mine, and your summon's actions are… frankly, alien to me."

Ruby wilted, her smile falling. Weiss put a hand on her arm, giving a supportive squeeze.

"However."

The two perked up in surprise at Winter's voice.

Winter let out a patient breath, slowly opening her eyes. "I cannot deny that if not for your unconventional summon, my sister would currently be in our father's clutches. You show a… a novelty all your own with the technique. I have no idea how much your version of summoning differs from my own, but I'd be foolish to dismiss it as a failure."

A smile bloomed on Ruby's face once again, not quite as large as before but still beaming. "Then… I did good?" She asked cutely.

Winter let out a sharp breath through her nose, giving an exasperated smile. "Yes, Ruby," she relented. "You did good-urk!"

Before she could react, Winter suddenly had her arms full of jittery, excited speedster, the air in her lungs being violently squeezed out.

Ruby released her just as fast, leaping back a step, looking barely apologetic. "Sorry! I should have asked first."

"I-Its fine," Winter responded, unable to keep the wheeze out of her voice. She shot Weiss a sharp glare as the younger Schnee giggled at her expense. Recomposing herself, Winter said, "I would like to observe how your… how Speedymore operates compared to a standard summon. I fear any training I could give you will have to be adjusted as we go."

Winter was starting to wonder if Ruby's face was hurting from how much she smiled. "Could we start now?"

Winter blinked, sharing a look with Weiss. When her sister only shrugged, she said, "I suppose so. I assume you have an idea how to start?"

Ruby laughed. Then she turned to Weiss. "Want to go for a ride?"

Weiss startled at the sudden question. Her brow furrowed in confusion… until she saw Speedymore perk up, puffing up her feathers with an excited squawk. She jolted in sudden panic, eyes wide. "A-a ride? On Speedymore? You mean.. fly!?"

Ruby nodded excitedly. "Yup! It's so cool! It'll be so much better doing it just for fun instead of…y'know."

Weiss reeled in her panic at Ruby's trailing words, but it by no means left. She looked up at Speedymore anxiously. "I…I don't know, Ruby. I mean, we're right next to the city, and I'm sure Winter wouldn't want us to…"

She trailed off when she saw Winter was merely shaking her head tiredly, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I wish I were surprised."

Weiss's heart stuttered in dread. That did not sound like a tone that would be followed with a no.

She was proved right as Winter went on. "I had hoped to see… Speedymore fly today, but I didn't imagine the two of you riding on it." She looked up to meet Ruby's eyes, her stare firm. "If you do this, you stay above the harbor and open ocean only. You do not enter city airspace. And no super speed. There will be time to test that later."

Ruby pouted briefly, but it was quickly right away with further excitement. "Okay! I can do that!" She turned to Weiss, bouncing from foot to foot. "That's no problem, right?"

Weiss's eyes were blown wide in overwhelming panic. "Uh…"

Ruby stilled, her mind finally catching up with Weiss's Feelings. "I mean…" She leaned back on her heels, ducking her head. "If you want to?"

Winter fought back a snort at Weiss's change of expression when faced with Ruby's sad puppy eyes. Weiss's shoulders slumped as she looked up at the orange evening sky, eyeing Speedymore warily. She sighed heavily, giving Ruby a pleading look. "Can we just… cruise? Instead of racing around?"

Ruby's enthusiasm rushed back with a vengeance. "Yeah, of course! We're just doing this for fun, anyway. C'mon, I'll show you where to stand."

Winter watched as Ruby started dragging Weiss towards Speedymore. "Wait for me to give you the okay to take off!" she called after them, receiving a quick thumbs up as Speedymore laid flat on her belly to let the two climb up on her head. Winter shook her head, then put a finger to her earpiece, scanning the skies for the Bullheads hovering above as she walked next to the Nevermore. "Central, this is Specialist Winter. Come in, Central."

There was a brief burst of static, then, "This is Central, Specialist. How do you copy?"

"Central, be advised that Independent Flight Crimson Wings is about to take off from helipad 2 with passengers. Please advise your fellow craft of the situation and to not engage them."

There was a longer pause of static. The voice came back hesitantly. "Specialist, just to verify: Crimson Wings is the call sign you gave to the red Nevermore summon you briefed this on, correct?"

Winter didn't even try to not roll her eyes. "Yes. Central, that is correct."

"... And this Nevermore is going to be flying with… people on it?"

"Again, correct." She glanced at the summon next to her. Its silver eyes were watching her, crinkled in… amusement? Winter rose a brow at it, then continued. "Specifically, my little sister and her team leader."

"...copy that, Ma'am. Please inform the… riders to steer clear of any approaching craft. The next load from the battle site is due any minute."

"Acknowledged. Winter, out." Winter looked up at the summon, towards her sister and…sister-in-law? The two had taken up places right behind the Nevermore's eyes, the blade of Ruby's scythe locked around its horn. Ruby held the scythe with one hand as she maneuvered Weiss's arms around her waist with the other, eliciting a blush from the heiress. The two looked down at her when they noticed Winter staring. Winter shook her head at their antics, reaching into her front pocket. "Here," she said, tossing something that Ruby.

The speedster just barely caught them, looking in surprise at the earpieces.

"Those will give a direct link to me with a single tap. I'll call you back in if you don't land before it's time for us to leave. If anyone other than me calls you, it will be Central Air Control. Your call sign is Crimson Wings, and you do whatever they tell you. Again, stay above the ocean, not the city, and steer clear of any aircraft. Understand?"

Ruby nodded sharply, tilting her head to let Weiss apply the earpiece properly. "You got it!"

Winter nodded. She paused briefly, taking in the sight before her: her little sister, about to take off into the sky on the back of someone else's summoned Nevermore, her arms holding a death grip around Ruby's waist. She squared her shoulders, nodding back to Ruby and waving out towards the ocean. "On your mark."

Ruby's smile could blind. "Alright! Hang on, Weiss!"

"What? Wait, Ruby, aren't you going to say ready, set-AAAAHHHHHH!"

With a bone-shaking cry and three flaps of its massive wings, Speedymore shot off the tarmac and into the sky, Weiss's panicked shriek and Ruby's jubilant cheering fading into the distance. Winter watched them climb rapidly, higher than even the far-off skyscrapers. Then, with Speedymore little more than a red dot high in the sky, the Nevermore stopped flapping its wings and extended them wide, gliding gently through the air.

Winter took in a surprisingly painful breath. She hadn't realized she'd been holding it. She watched the Nevermore hang in the air, lazily drifting out over the ocean. She glanced at her own summoned Nevermore, standing still as a statue, staring at nothing. She waved an arm out towards Speedymore. "Shadow them," she said needlessly. With nary a sound, the white Nevermore took off into the sky towards its fellow summon, quickly falling into an escort position.

Winter focused on the faint tugging at the back of her mind. A faint image formed in her mind, like looking through misted glass: Ruby grinning like a madman while Weiss clung to her back, eyes wide in fright… and sparkling in amazement at the vast cityscape below them.

She watched the unfiltered joy that slowly spread across her sister's face… but then Weiss glanced up, double-taking as she saw Winter's Nevermore, inadvertently meeting her elder sister's eye. Weiss's brow pinched, looking over the white Nevermore. Her smile slowly dimmed, turning more and more wistful. As Weiss's face fell further, Ruby looked back, calling over her shoulder in clear concern. Weiss quickly schooled her face, saying something in response. Ruby's face didn't change, her brow furrowing.

Weiss let out a sigh. She hugged Ruby tightly, murmuring something in her ear. Ruby looked, if not convinced then placated, and lightly bumped her head against Weiss's with a soft smile. Weiss giggled in response, laying her chin on Ruby's shoulder as they both went back to observing the skyline.

"Aww! I missed them?"

Winter startled as a gust of wind blasted against her back, golden rose petals drifting past her. She looked back to find Yang staring up at the sky, shielding her eyes from the sun's glare. Far behind here, scattered soldiers were staring towards the blonde, some with weapons half raised.

Winter waved a hand towards them, silently ordering them to stand down. They did so, though some's body language showed clear annoyance. She focused back on the brawler, frowning lightly. "Yang, did you run all the way here from school?"

Yang blinked at her voice as if surprised Winter was there. She grinned wildly. "Yep! I'm getting pretty good at mixing glyphs and superspeed. Like juiced-up parkouring. I got from campus to here in, like, eight minutes."

Winter rose an eyebrow. "And likely broke how many public safety laws doing so?"

Yang stiffened, irises shrinking. She laughed sheepishly, shrugging. "Uh… no comment?"

Winter hummed, unimpressed. She glanced around Yang searchingly. "Did Blake not come with you?"

Yang jumped on the subject change. "She had something she wanted to talk with her parents about. I wanted to get over here to see the fun." She fake-pouted at the red and white Nevermores drifting overhead. "Guess I still need to work on my speed. Did you all at least figure something out about Ruby's summons?"

A huff of a laugh escaped Winter. "You could say that. Yang, your sister managed to achieve the most complicated form of glyph by doing the exact opposite of what she was supposed to."

Yang stared. Then, she began to laugh. Short, disbelieving huffs at first, quickly devolving into deep belly laughs. "Y-yep! Yeah, that sounds about right."

Winter frowned, slightly confused. "You're… unsurprised?"

Yang shook her head, still fighting down chuckles. "Winter, Ruby's the youngest student to get into Beacon and its youngest team leader. She does crazy stuff like that daily. She wouldn't be my little sister if she didn't." She crossed her arms, grinning widely. "Which means I need to follow her lead to keep up. So what'd she do so awesomely backward?"

Winter gave Yang a bemused look. A faint smile graced her lips. "Well, for context, what you do to make a normal summon is…"

As the elder siblings talked, a cargo craft lazily drifted above the city of Vale. The soldier at its controls gently angled the ship downwards as the buildings thinned and the ocean grew larger in the viewscreen. He flipped a switch on the control panel. "Central, this is Raider-12 on approach to Dock 47. Cargo hold is filled to capacity and ready for unloading. Requesting an available landing pad. Please copy."

"Raider-12, request received. Proceed to Landing Pad Three. A salvage team will meet you there. Any trouble on your way over?"

"Not in flight, but we had some trouble on takeoff. They're still having trouble with small Grimm sneaking up through the tunnel. A bunch of Lancers made themselves a nuisance while we were loading. The Hunters kept them at bay until we were airborne, but we took a bit of damage. Systems check out, so it's likely cosmetic."

"Copy that, Raider-12. We'll send a maintenance crew to look you over just in case. Be advised on approach, Crimson Wings is in flight above the dock."

The pilot paused, briefly stilling at the controls. "Central, please repeat. Did you say Crimson Wings? As in the giant red Nevermore that blew our fastest craft out of the water?"

There was a sigh across the comms. "Affirmative, Raider-12. Specialist Winter is conducting a… training exercise. Just… if you see it, ignore it and continue on course. You're cleared for landing on Pad Three."

"...copy that, Central. Raider-12, out." The soldier flipped off the comm, now scanning the skies above thoroughly. "Yeah, just ignore the giant Grimm flying around. Easy," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head. He looked over his shoulder and called out. "Hey, Benson!"

There was the sound of stomping boots, and a second soldier appeared in the doorway to the cabin. "Yes, sir?"

"I just got word from Air Traffic Control. We're nearly at the docks and Specialist Winter is going to be there. Head down and give the hold a once-over."

"Yes, sir!... Uh… how do you do a once-over on scrap metal?"

The pilot huffed, annoyed. "Just make sure that when we open the doors we don't have an avalanche."

Benson nodded sharply. "Yes, sir." Without another word he left the cabin, marching through the hall and sliding down a ladder, exiting into a large room packed to the ceiling with scrap metal in barely organized piles. The constant thrum of the craft's engines was louder in the packed hold, interrupted by the faint clinking of shifting metal as the ship tilted slightly as it flew. Benson carefully made his way through the clutter, walking up a haphazard aisle between the piles. He reached the hold doors, scanning them to make sure none of the scrap was leaning against them.

He let out a groan when he saw that a large flat piece of paladin armor had shifted, laying directly against the door. "Great." He gripped the large panel on one side and pulled with all his might. It budged, but just barely. Benson didn't let up, pulling until the panel was fully vertical, then shoving it back on top of the pile. He winced as it crashed down, creating a cacophony of smashing metal that echoed throughout the cargo hold. He rolled his now-sore shoulder, rechecking the doors to make sure they were now clear.

Clang!

Benson jumped as a metallic impact echoed around him. He wouldn't have thought much of it… except the noise came from the far end of the hold, nowhere near where he'd just been working. He looked around for the source of the sound. He saw movement at the corner of his eye. The cracked dome of a Paladin's turret rolled off the top of a far scrap pile, bouncing and spinning to a stop in the center of the aisle.

Curiosity changed to suspicion as Benson's training kicked in. He slowly drew his rifle to a low-ready position, advancing carefully towards where the turret had fallen from. He scanned the scrap carefully, looking for anything out of the ordinary. He poked and prodded at a few pieces sticking out of the mess. All he found was cracked, melted metal and dead electronics.

After a moment of fruitless searching, he let out a deep breath. Shaking his head at his paranoia, he leaned down to pick up the broken turret. He went to toss it back on the pile…

And was met with a single molten eye.

"-and somehow, despite the whole thing only happening in our heads, only in our dreams, Taurus somehow knows about the whole mess!"

Winter watched Yang reach the end of her rambling in stunned silence. When all Yang did was huff deeply to try and calm down, Winter asked, "And you were completely unaware of this?"

Yang growled. "Honestly, I barely remember any of it. I thought they were just normal dreams until Ruby and Weiss started playing twenty questions this morning." She put her hands behind her head, glaring up at the sky. "Gods, I hate problems I can't punch."

Winter crossed her arms, a worried frown on her lips. "In this case, I can't help but agree. That the Chief's only available plan of action is 'wait and see' is… concerning."

"Tell me about it." Yang huffed, watching the crimson form high in the sky drift silently against the clouds. "Okay!" Yang clapped, nearly making Winter jump. "Enough doom and gloom. Important question time."

Winter quirked a brow. "Which is?" This time she did jump as Yang clapped her hands over her shoulders, looking the Specialist dead in the eye.

"...When's Weiss's birthday?"

Winter blinked. Slowly. "P-Pardon?" She stuttered out, genuinely caught off guard.

Yang's expression was almost comically stressed. "We've known Weiss for months and we still don't know it. Ruby's starting to freak out that we'll miss it, and I'm not too far behind her. I got Blake's from asking her mom, and it turns out we missed hers already because she didn't trust us enough at the time. We don't want a repeat of it for Weiss, so…"

It was then Winter discovered that sad puppy eyes were not solely a Ruby Rose trait.

"Please?"

Winter's mind went blank as she processed Yang's words, the sheer earnestness in her tone. Before she could stop it, a giggle passed her lips. Before she knew it, she had to put a hand over her mouth to keep from full-on tittering.

Yang blinked in surprise. Once the shock wore off, she crossed her arms with a frown, her eyes briefly flashing. "Okay, I know I laid it on kind of thick, but you don't have to laugh… at… are… are you crying?"

Winter waved away her concern, quickly wiping at her eyes. She cleared her throat twice as she stifled down her laughter. Her vision was still blurry as she met Yang's gaze. "You, your sister, and even Blake are all very absurd." She took in a very sniff-like breath, giving Yang a genuine smile. "And I'm so very glad Weiss met you."

Yang's face went slack, then jumped to beaming. "We aim to please, Big Sis,"

Winter clicked her tongue, schooling her face mostly back to normal. She couldn't quite rid herself of the smile on her lips. "Why do you insist on calling me that?"

Yang smirked at her. "'Cuz that's what you are. When Weiss Linked up with the three of us, she inherited a whole mess of mothers, fathers, and crazy uncles. And on the flip side, me, Ruby, and Blake got a new big sister."

A low hum sounded in the back of Winter's throat. "I'm not sure I make a very good elder sister, Yang."

Yang scoffed, giving the older Schnee an unimpressed eye roll. "Winter, if that were true we wouldn't even be having this conversation. Besides, my birth mother went AWOL for thirteen years. If I can give her a chance, you've got nothing to worry about."

Winter breathed a quick laugh. "An odd compliment, if that's what it was."

Yang's smirk grew. "Well, if you're fishing for a better one, that birthday wouldn't be a bad start."

The smile on Winter's lips worked into an almost smirk of her own. "Of course. It's-gah!"

Winter yelped as her ear was filled with static, putting a hand on the side of her head to ward off the pain, Yang leaping to her side in an instant. A panicked voice cut through the white noise.

"...Central, we need… repeat, mayday! May… imm on board, we…"

Before Winter could parse out the garbled message, a high-pitched whine filled the air. She and Yang turned just in time to see a cargo craft come speeding over the buildings at the far side of the dock. Smoke billowed from the craft as it listed to one side, angling vaguely towards the landing pads, and moving far too fast for a normal landing.

Soldiers dived out of the way as the ship collided with the ground, more than a few diving off the dock out of desperation. Piles of organized scrap were shredded as the craft slid across the pavement, right toward the elder siblings.

Winter tensed her legs, preparing to leap aside. Before she could, strong arms lifted her right off the ground, and the world tinged yellow as her stomach was left behind her. When her vision cleared and her organs settled, she found herself held tight against Yang's chest, clear on the opposite end of the docks as yellow petals danced around them.

The two watched the ship skid down the dock in a shower of sparks. It collided with a destroyed Paladin, sending it listing to the right as it dragged the Mecha along. It finally came to a rest near the end of the pier, jittering to a stop as it hung halfway over the open water.

Yang swallowed thickly, Winter feeling her heart hammering against her back. "Well, that just happened."

The docks fell eerily silent once the craft stopped moving. Yang gently released her hold on Winter, letting the older woman's feet touch the ground. The Specialist nodded her thanks, then drew her blade. Yang followed her lead, engaging Ember Celica as the two slowly advanced on the smoking ship, Atlas soldiers quickly appearing with weapons drawn to encircle the ship.

They all froze when the ship gave a shuddering jolt, shaking from one side to the other. It wobbled precariously on the edge of the dock, the shaking getting more violent as the seconds passed. Then, from the smashed cockpit, a figure crawled out through the shattered view screen, sliding down the crumpled outer hull. It was an Atlassian soldier, the faceplate of his helmet shattered, another soldier in red-stained armor slung over his shoulder. The moment his feet touched pavement, he took off at a run, straight towards Winter and Yang. In the same instant, the smoking ship gave a massive jolt, dipping heavily over the side of the dock and finally sliding into the water with a massive splash.

With the ship lost and an injured soldier running at her, Winter moved to meet him halfway, Yang and several shoulders at her back. "Captain!" Winter called out. "What in all's name happened?"

The soldier heaved for breath, nearly falling to his knees as a pair of soldiers removed the wounded man from his back. "It… Benson found it in the hold, ma'am." He watched the soldiers lay the man down carefully, taking stock of his injuries. "It… it must have snuck on board at the station."

"What did?" Winter squared her shoulders, demanding answers. "What caused this?"

"It… it was a-"

An ear-piercing howl cut him off, followed by the shriek of tearing metal. All eyes turned towards the sinking craft, just in time to watch it get torn apart from the inside out. Writhing masses of cables and scrap metal erupted from the splintered hull, taking chunks of the buckled armor with it. The mass of machinery formed the vague outline of a humanoid, two massive arm-like tendrils slamming onto the dock. The mass lifted itself fully out of the water, revealing a seven-meter hulk of broken machinery. In the vague area where a head would be was a bone-white mask inlaid with pulsating red markings, leading to a single eye blazing at its center.

The creature's name reached Yang's mind a mere moment before the soldier yelled it out.

"GEIST!"