40

Chapter 40: Sisters, Sisters

Beacon's Airfield

"Well, it was quite simple, really. We all had a mutual attraction for each other… um, except Yang and Ruby, of course… so… once we realized that, we… ugh, no, that won't work."

Weiss massaged her forehead as she paced back and forth in front of the airfield's stone fence, mindful of anyone being close enough to hear her mutterings. She'd been waiting for fifteen minutes so far, and she'd taken every second to think of how she was going to explain… well, everything, to Winter.

It wasn't going well.

"You see, it took us all by surprise. I was hesitant at first, naturally, but, after speaking with them, I… oh, Dust dammit!"

Weiss scoffed to herself. "Maybe I should just act like Yang and be blunt as a hammer." Jokingly, she scowled at nothing and gestured around wildly, deepening her voice in a mockery of Yang's tone. "Winter, I love Ruby, Blake, and Yang, and that's all there is to it. I don't care what you or Father or the board thinks. They make me happy, I'm going to stay with them, and damn the consequences!" Her fake speech over, Weiss let her arms fall, chuckling to herself. "As if…"

"I'd buy it."

"GAH!" Weiss spun around and looked up, one hand covering her thudding heart, the other going from Myrtenaster. She relaxed instantly when she saw who'd snuck up on her, letting out a relieved sigh. "Blake…"

Blake smiled from her perch on the fence, sitting daintily with one leg over the other. "Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's okay," Weiss said, feeling her heartbeat slow. She frowned in confusion. "I thought you were going to the library?"

"The librarian said I'd already looked at all the books on Mating that Beacon has to offer. I thought I'd browse around Vale for a bit, check the bookstores." Blake leapt down to the ground, barely making a sound. "I saw you pacing around, and felt your frustration." She frowned. "You're really that nervous about speaking with your sister?"

Weiss let out a huff. "Is it that obvious?"

Blake merely raised an eyebrow. She tapped the side of her head, a small smile on her lips.

Weiss rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Of course," she muttered in faux-annoyance. She shared a smile with Blake, before letting her face fall. She huffed. "I didn't expect Winter to find all that out at once. Last time we spoke, I was the perfect little heiress, deluded into thinking I'd be the number one student and a Team Leader by sheer virtue of being me. Now…" She let out a laugh of disbelief. "I'm not Team Leader. I struggle to keep up with Ren and Pyrrha in classes. My entire viewpoint on Faunus and our company has been upended. And I'm in love with a cat Faunus, a hot-headed bruiser, and a hyperactive sugar addict. Not to mention all the reckless rule-breaking we did last night." She paused for a moment, realizing how her words might sound. A glance at Blake's amused smirk relieved her, but also drained her of her fire. She shrugged uselessly. "I just… where do I even begin to make her understand?"

Blake took a moment to look Weiss over, from the slump in her shoulders to the helplessness in her eyes. She smiled softly. "Well, first things first, take a breath." When Weiss' face pinched in confusion, Blake reached out to brush a stray hair back behind her ear. "If you keep worrying like this, you're going to make this talk going bad a self-fulfilling prophecy."

Weiss huffed but leaned into Blake's touch a little. "You're one to talk."

Blake grinned, though her expression seemed strained. "Exactly. And I didn't speak to my parents for almost a year…" She looked down, her smile slipping."...for nothing."

Weiss' eyes widened a little, filling with sympathy. "Blake…"

Blake silenced her with a small shake of her head, her smile quickly coming back. "Just… don't get all worked up over the what-ifs."

Weiss stared at her for a moment, then let out a sigh. "Easier said than done."

Blake's smile widened a little, her cat ears flicking in the breeze. "Believe me, I know."

Weiss rolled her eyes again, though she couldn't stop a grin of her own from forming. "Oh, just get going before Winter shows up. Isn't there a bookstore calling your name right now?"

Blake laughed a little. Then, to Weiss' surprise, she leaned forward, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. "Let us know how it goes," she whispered softly into Weiss' ear. "Okay?"

Weiss froze, and for a brief moment, she felt the urge to do something that… well, that Yang or Ruby would have no hesitation doing. Almost as if she could hear said sisters cheering her on, Weiss acted on her impulse.

Blake jumped slightly when she felt Weiss' lips on her own but quickly relaxed into the kiss, her eyes sliding shut as her ears drooped in contentment.

The moment lasted for a few seconds before they both reluctantly pulled away. Her cheeks tinted pink, Weiss smiled bashfully. "I-I will," she breathed quietly, answering Blake's question.

Blake smiled widely. "Okay. Good luck with your sister." She gave Weiss' shoulder a quick squeeze, then started towards a Bullhead on the far side of the airfield. "And remember to breathe."

"Right," Weiss said, watching the cat Faunus walk away. "Breathe." As Blake moved out of earshot, Weiss shook her head, letting out a humorous scoff as she willed the heat away from her face. "We have a moment like that and she tells me to breathe." She smiled gently as she watched Blake speak with the Bullhead pilot.

"Well, I suppose that's one question answered."

At the sound of the cool voice, Weiss' eyes shot wide, her head snapping around so fast it hurt. Winter was standing just behind her, looking over her shoulder towards Blake. Her lips were pressed into a firm line.

"Winter!" Weiss shouted in shock. "You…" Ice filled her veins as she followed Winter's line of sight, seeing Blake get onto the Bullhead before it lifted off. She looked back at Winter, her face pale. "Did… did you see…?"

"The rather intimate moment you just had with Miss Belladonna in this very public location?" Winter raised a curved brow over unreadable eyes. "Yes. Yes, I did."

Heat rushed back to Weiss' cheeks, a look of fear on her face. Her head snapped around wildly, looking for anyone nearby staring at her. To her relief, none of the students in the area were looking her way, though with how long she and Blake had been standing around, that might not mean anything.

"I...I…" Weiss stammered, looking back up at her sister.

Winter merely stared down at her, eyebrow still raised. With a deep sigh, she started walking away, towards the opposite end of the airfield. "Come along, Weiss."

Weiss blinked, startled by Winter's lack of reaction. "Wha… what…?"

Winter glanced back at her. "I've made a lunch appointment for us at the Crystal Aurora. We can have our… discussion there." Without another word, she continued towards a stationary Bullhead, the pilot of the craft jumping to work when he noticed her coming near.

Weiss watched her go. She sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping. This is going to be a disaster, she thought as she fell into step with her sister.

Calm. Confidence.

Weiss paused, feeling the cool emotions spread through her. A smile formed on her lips. Well, she thought as she stepped into the Bullhead. At least I'm not facing it alone.

Beacon Academy, Entrance to The Emerald Forest

On the backside of Beacon, where the pavement ended, a large chain link fence stretched out, covering the distance around the school's border. Steel poles were posted every thirty yards or so, security cameras panning back and forth across the tree line just past the fence, on the lookout for any Grimm that may wander too close to the school. A wide dirt path winded from the school to the fence, towards a large open gate plastered with warning signs.

This was the sight that met Yang and Ruby as the blonde walked up the path, Ruby hanging comfortably off her back. "Well," Yang said, taking in the fence. "We're here."

Ruby stared into the unassuming woods, feeling nervous for the first time since they left the dorm. While students were technically allowed into the Emerald Forest for independent training, it was usually advised for the younger students to be escorted by a teacher or a team of upperclassmen, lest they encounter some of the forest's more irritable Grimm deeper in.

Ruby swallowed at the thought. Clinging a little tighter to Yang's neck, she asked, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Yang, picking up on Ruby's sudden Hesitance and Worry, looked over her shoulder with a reassuring grin. "No backing out now, Ruby. I'm looking forward to this."

Ruby frowned slightly. "If you're sure."

"Rubes, come on! This was your idea!"

"I know!" Ruby said, pouting. "I'm just… I'm starting to remember what I went through when we were first figuring out my Semblance…"

"And I was there for all of it," Yang finished. She leaned her head to the side, bumping it softly against Ruby's. "Remember? If anyone has a shot at learning your Semblance, it's me." She smirked. "Relax, Ruby. We'll be fine. I'll be fine."

Ruby was quiet for a moment, then propped her chin up on Yang's shoulder. "Okay," she replied, a slight smile on her lips. "Say the rules back to me."

Yang rolled her eyes, convinced Ruby was enjoying this odd role reversal. "Listen to my heartbeat, alternate between looking at the ground and up ahead, remember to breathe." She smirked again. "Same as they were when I made you keep repeating them. Now, did you remember the goods?"

Ruby's smile grew, patting the white duffle bag she'd borrowed from Weiss's luggage. "All set." She took a deep breath. "Whenever you're ready."

Yang's grin turned slightly manic. She hunched slightly, her legs tensing as she gripped Ruby's legs against her sides. She looked out into the seemingly tranquil forest, then closed her eyes.

The world turned silent, the only sounds being that of the birds chirping and the distant roar of the bustling school. Ruby waited as the seconds ticked by, more than a little curious about how this would end. Softly, just as they'd agreed on at the dorm, she pressed her fingers against the side of Yang's neck. She could feel Yang's heartbeat beneath her touch, strong and calm.

Ten seconds passed, and Ruby was wondering if she should maybe say something. Then, to her shock, she felt it. Just beneath Yang's skin, she could feel a slight buzz, like her whole form was trembling. As the trembling grew stronger, Yang's heartbeat sped up, slowly at first, but soon it was hammering away, faster and faster, far beyond where a normal person's should go. Yet, Yang's face betrayed nothing, remaining perfectly calm.

Ruby's eyes widened in childlike wonder, a smile cemented on her face. She tightened her grip. Very quietly, she whispered in Yang's ear. "Yang…"

Yang's lavender eyes opened. Shining with unbound energy.

"Run."

Had anyone been watching the sisters, all they would have seen would have been Yang's whole body shift forward slightly, then completely vanish. A streak of yellow light blasted into the Emerald Forest, leaving in its wake only a cloud of dust, leaves, yellow rose petals, and the triumphant shout of two ecstatic sisters.

The Crystal Aurora, Vale's City Center

Weiss smiled into her drink, the pure Joy and Excitement bursting from whatever Ruby and Yang were up to doing a perfect job of offsetting the awkward air between her and Winter.

She had to admit, Winter had done well choosing the Crystal Aurora for their meal. The upscale restaurant carried a vast variety of dishes from all over the globe, each described on the menu with a colorful little description. Surprisingly, there were even one or two dishes claiming to be from Menagerie, rather shocking given that the pristine business didn't seem the sort of place to include food of Faunus origin. She made a mental note to ask Blake about it later, thinking of treating her girlfriends to a meal later on.

Of course, Weiss had a feeling Winter hadn't chosen the restaurant for the food. It was far more likely she'd chosen it for the VIP terrace on the restaurant's top floor, which, in addition to giving a picturesque view of Vale's skyline, also placed them far away from any prying eyes or ears.

Looking across the table, Weiss felt her brief bout of relaxation fade as she met Winter's eyes. Her sister stared back, her face blank. Her glass of white wine sat untouched beside her folded hands, her index finger tapping against the back of her other hand in a steady rhythm.

It had been like that since they'd gotten on the Bullhead to Vale awkward and intense. Winter hadn't spoken a word throughout the trip, cutting Weiss' few attempts at small talk with a piercing look. The message was clear. Not here. So Weiss took the time to gather her thoughts… or at least, try not to suffocate under a growing mountain of anxiety.

Hoping to break the silence, Weiss went to speak, only to close her mouth immediately. She had no idea what to say. So much had happened in so little time. Where to start?

The quiet was instead broken by Winter's resigned sigh.

"Well, Weiss…"

A cold feeling seeped into Weiss' stomach. Winter's lips pursed into a faint frown, her brow furrowing slightly. "You've had a rather… interesting first semester."

Weiss' cheeks pinked a bit. "I suppose…" she muttered.

Winter raised an unimpressed brow. "You don't consider theft of information and vigilantism 'interesting'?"

Weiss winced. "Winter… I can explain…"

"And I expect you to," Winter said, her voice full of authority. Her frown deepened. "Weiss, this is… beyond anything I was expecting. I barely recognize you."

Of all the things Weiss thought Winter would say, she hadn't expected something like that. A look of hurt flashed across her face. "R-really? I didn't think I'd changed that much."

Winter's brow raised further as she let out a sharp breath, sounding suspiciously like a scoff. "Weiss…" She cut herself off, taking a deep breath. She closed her eyes. When she opened them, they seemed less harsh than before. To her surprise, Weiss thought Winter looked almost… concerned. Looking right into Weiss' eyes, Winter propped her elbows on the table, resting her chin on her laced fingers.

"Help me understand," she said, a hint of confusion bleeding through her calm voice. "When I last spoke with you, you acted brash, spoiled, and had a superiority complex that almost rivaled our father."

Weiss felt like she'd been slapped. She'd always known Winter to be straightforward, but she'd never heard her sister be that blunt before. To compare her to their father…

Yet, she couldn't deny her. What little indignation she felt fizzled out as memories of what her first months at Beacon were like; berating Ruby's immaturity, snidely questioning Yang's intelligence, the… everything with Blake being a Faunus.

Weiss dipped her head, her shoulders sagging. The more she thought about it, the less deserving she felt about all her girlfriends had given her.

Winter noticed Weiss' inner turmoil, her face softening slightly. "Now, I know most of that was an act." When Weiss looked up in surprise, Winter's lips curled in sympathy. "Being around Father, you have to think and act a certain way. I know how hard it is to break from that mindset."

Weiss blinked, her lips curving into a hesitant, hopeful smile.

Winter allowed herself to smile back for a moment before her lips returned to a serious line. "But this goes beyond that. Weiss…" For the first time in Weiss's memory, Winter struggled to find her words. "How do you go from that… to be in a four-way relationship with both a Faunus and a pair of sisters?"

Weiss' cheeks tinted horribly, her heart skipping a brief beat. Ruby had already told her Winter knew of their relationship, yes, but still, having Winter bluntly state it was a shock to the system. "It's, um…" She floundered for a response. Averting her eyes, all she could say was, "It's a long story."

Winter was unimpressed. "That much goes unstated. Regardless, I want to hear this long story. I want to know your reasoning. I-" She paused, her lips forming a frown as she leaned back slightly.

"You… what?" Weiss asked, forcing the heat from her face.

Winter looked away for a moment. When she looked back, Weiss was shocked by the confusion in her eyes.

"Why are you risking yourself like this?"

Weiss was taken aback. "What… what do you mean?"

Winter sighed, leveling Weiss with a frustrated stare. "Weiss, much as you likely wish differently, you are not a normal teenage girl. You are the heiress to the SDC. The eyes of the whole world are on you, and Father is waiting for something, anything he can use to claim that you coming to Beacon was a mistake." Weiss' fearful wince made it clear that she was well aware of this, but that just fueled Winter further. "And yet… stealing from the company." She started ticking each item off with a raised finger. "Spying on the White Fang. Fighting the White Fang. That's not even mentioning your relationship." She stressed the word, her tone layered with equal parts disbelief and bafflement.

Weiss cringed under her sister's words. "I-I know it's a risk…"

For the first time, a spark of anger entered Winter's eyes. "This is beyond 'risk'. Weiss… what do you think Father is going to do when he finds out?"

"...pull me from school?" Weiss offered, her voice full of fear and resignation.

Winter scoffed, shaking her head. "You'll be lucky if that's all he does." She let out a deep breath, calming a bit. "Weiss… I don't need to tell you this, you already know what's at stake. So why? Why these girls? How did this even happen?"

Weiss looked down at the table, wringing her hands nervously. The thought of her father knowing about her, about Blake, Ruby, Yang, the entire Mating affair, brought every fear, both irrational and otherwise, to the forefront of her mind. All the ways it could go wrong, all the things her father could do, not just to her, but to her team. A man with as much pull as him…

Calm.

She let out a startled breath, dimly aware at Winter raising an eyebrow at her. She felt the cool emotions flow through her, tinged with warmth and electricity.

Calm. Relax. Confidence. Kindness. Humor.

Winter's presence was the only thing that kept Weiss from snorting at the last one. She could just imagine Yang trying to lighten the mood with some horrendous pun, and succeeding for all the wrong reasons. She could see Ruby giggling slightly, trying to act like she didn't find the bad joke funny, Blake rolling her eyes with a fond smile on her lips. Feeling some of her tension ease, Weiss smiled to herself.

"Don't get all worked up over the what-ifs."

You're right, Blake, Weiss thought, hoping Blake would pick up on her gratitude. Worrying won't help me. I need to focus on right now. The rest can come later.

Weiss' Mark felt odd for a moment, a split-second of numbness. Then she felt something different, at three specific points on her neck. Cool. Warm. Tingling.

And I won't face it alone.

Focusing back at the task at hand, oblivious to the hard stare Winter was now giving her Mark, Weiss thought over her sister's questions. Her lips curved.

"They see me."

Winter broke her gaze on Weiss's glowing Mark, her brow furrowed. "What?"

Her hands going still, Weiss said, "They see me for who I am… not what I am." She finally looked up from the table, a hard edge in her eyes that offset her small smile. "I'm not the Schnee heiress to them. I'm not my father's daughter, I'm not just some… extension of him. And… now that we're… like this…" She put a hand to her neck, her fingers trailing over the shapes of her Mark. "I don't have to try. I don't have to… to think all the time. No second-guessing, no… worrying about upsetting or angering them because I said the wrong thing at the wrong time."

As Weiss spoke, her voice growing stronger, Winter's face slowly relaxed, he icy glare fading to a look of surprise.

Weiss took a shaky breath, her eyes stinging as she went on. "I'm not a Schnee to them. They don't care about money or reputation, or even their own safety, I think. To them, I'm just… Weiss. And… that's enough."

Winter's expression turned thoughtful, a touch concerned. "You truly do like these girls."

Weiss nodded. "More than anything."

Winter frowned. Conflicting emotions flicked across her face, ranging from impressment to exasperation. "How?" she asked, rubbing at her temple. "Just a few months ago, I know you shared our father's opinion on Faunus. How could you go from that to… this?"

As Winter waved vaguely in Weiss' direction, the younger Schnee paused. Winter asked a valid question, and it was one Weiss could answer. The problem was, the answer didn't just involve herself, but her Mates as well. And even without that, telling Winter how they all got together also meant telling her…

The heat started pooling in Weiss' cheeks again.

"Um…" she said, averting her gaze. "It's… kind of awkward to talk about."

Seeing her sister's change in mood, Winter crossed her arms. "Weiss, there has yet to be a single part of this conversation that hasn't been awkward in some way."

Weiss slumped in her seat. She breathed deeply in and out, weighing her options. Winter has always valued honesty, but… oh, I don't want to tell her this! She huffed to herself. Though, I can't really use the others as an excuse. They've been saying how open they want this relationship to be. Though, Blake might… no, she will be mortified if I tell Winter.

"Weiss?"

Weiss looked back up, meeting Winter's expectant eyes. She hesitated.

"...can you promise me something?"

Winter raised a brow at Weiss timid question. "That depends…"

Weiss swallowed nervously. "If… If I tell you how we all got together… can you promise to keep an open mind? And… not to judge us? Any of us?"

Winter's eyes widened a little. "That depends on what you say happened," she said after a moment. "But I can promise to keep an open mind. I must tell you though, Weiss, the fact you must ask does not give me much reassurance."

Weiss grimaced. That was about as good as she would get from Winter. "I know," she said. "It's just… I don't regret anything, but… talking about it is… embarrassing."

Winter leaned back slightly, already wary of Weiss' tale. "How embarrassing?"

Weiss sighed, already dreading the fallout of her next sentence. Sorry, Blake…

"...how much do you know about Faunus heat cycles?"

…

For a full ten seconds, Winter just stared. She blinked, rapidly. Then, with obvious effort, she slowly reached for her glass of wine, placing it right in front of her. "Go on," she said, her tone making it clear how much she regretted asking.

Weiss groaned to herself. This was going to be awkward beyond belief.

The Emerald Forest

Thump, thump, thump, thump…

The world flew by. The trees blew past, their features blurring together, an endless stream of browns, reds, and oranges, everything tinted with faint yellow light. Her legs pounded against the ground, aching, burning, alive!

Thump, thump, thump, thump…

Every second, she went faster, the wind beating around her, her hair billowing behind her. It was amazing.

"...ng!"

The path suddenly ended into a wall of trees. Her feet left the ground. The world turned sideways, and there was the creak of protesting wood. Her feet touched earth, and the world dissolved to colors again.

"...ow down! You're going to…"

She could feel it, just beneath her skin. There was more speed, raging to be released. She could go faster.

"...ok out!..."

Something up ahead, in her way. Two things, side by side. She didn't care, blasting right between them. Red, brown, bronze. Someone yelled in shock. She pushed on.

"...sorry, Jaune! Yang, you…"

Faster. Faster!

"...opped breathing! Please, just…"

There was no limit. She could run forever.

"...ke up before..."

Anywhere. Everywhere! She could…

"BREATHE!"

Yang gasped, the shrill scream piercing through the haze. The moment the air hit her lungs, everything stopped. Her legs locked up, and she came to a sudden halt, yellow rose petals blasting past her in the wind, dancing like snowflakes.

"Yang?" She could just barely hear a voice over the hammering of her own heart, arms gripping her tightly around the neck. Yang didn't respond, only able to gasp desperately for air. Her whole body shook.

"Yang?" the voice asked again, worried. "Are yo- whoa!"

Without warning, Yang's legs gave out. She fell forward, barely catching herself as she slammed to her knees. She sucked air quickly and deeply, her chest protesting with every breath. Her heart pounded against her ribs frantically.

She dimly felt a weight slide off her back. Small hands cupped her cheeks, blurry pools of silver appearing right in front of her.

"Yang. Yang, breathe slower." That voice again, sounding worried, even scared, yet trying to be soothing. "C'mon, lie down, okay? Just lie down."

Yang had no choice but to do as the voice asked. All it took was a light prod to her shoulder, and her arms gave out. She collapsed limply. Everything hurt.

Small, strong hands gripped her shoulders, rolling her onto her back. She stared up at the blue sky, covered by the red and yellow branches above her. Her breath came out in deep, ragged heaves.

She heard someone running near her. "Ruby!" someone called out, another female voice. "What the heck was… oh no, what's wrong with Yang?"

"Just a second Pyrrha," the first voice said. Someone leaned over her, blocking out the view of the sky. "Yang, can you hear me? Here, this will help."

Something was dropped into her mouth, and she had just enough of her faculties not to suck it in with her next gasp of air. She tasted something overly sweet on her tongue, rich and creamy. Chocolate.

"Um, how exactly is a candy bar going to help?" a third voice asked, this one male.

"It's a long story. Yang? Hey, are you feeling better?"

Once, the candy had melted in her mouth, Yang blinked rapidly. Her vision sharpened a bit, just enough to make out the person leaning over her. Still breathing heavily, she grinned. "Heeey, Rubes," she droned tiredly. "No… offense, but… your Semblance… suuuucks…"

Ruby blinked at her, then let out a relieved chuckle. "Yeah, I know the feeling. Are you okay?"

"Well…" Yang tried to pull herself up but found she could barely lift her head. She huffed, frustrated. "I can't move." She groaned when a sharp twinge drifted up from her legs. "And everything hurts." Despite the pain, she shot a look at Ruby, suddenly suspicious. "Is this what it always feels like… when you push yourself too hard?"

Ruby winced, her eyes darting guiltily. "Um… maybe?"

Yang's eyes narrowed, filing that tidbit away for later. Taking a calming breath, finally feeling her heartbeat start to slow, she looked back up at the sky. "What did I do wrong?"

Ruby frowned, reaching into the duffle bag on her shoulder. "You let the speed get to your head." She pulled out a bottle of water and a straw. "You ran for fifteen minutes straight. Then… you stopped breathing."

Yang stared at the sky, breathing deeply. "This is gonna be harder than we thought."

Ruby nodded grimly. "Yep."

She put the straw to Yang's lips, and the blonde sucked down the water greedily, the ache in her throat lessening a bit. Once she drained the bottle, Yang finally looked to her other side, seeing the pair of partners standing awkwardly away from them. "Where did you two come from?"

Jaune and Pyrrha shared a quick glance. "We were out for team training," Pyrrha said. "You ran right between us."

"Uh, speaking of which," Jaune piped up, looking between the sisters in confusion. "How the heck did you run between us? I thought Ruby was the only one with superspeed?"

Ruby and Yang looked at each other. Ruby shrugged, and Yang would have too, had she been able to move. Ruby looked back up at them. "It's… hard to explain. We can tell you, but… could you give us a hand back to the school while we do? Yang can't move, and I lost my crutches."

Confused, Pyrrha and Jaune looked down at Ruby, their eyes widening when they noticed her braced leg for the first time. Yang gave Ruby a startled look. "You lost them? When, where?"

With a slightly flat look, Ruby jerked her thumb back down the dirt path. "About a mile that way, around turn nine." Yang blinked, following her gaze. "Oh. Whoops."

Bemused by the whole situation, Jaune just shook his head. "Yeah, we can help you out. Let me call Ren and Nora first, though. We'll need their help, and I'm not sure how far they-"

"Hey Jaune, Pyrrha! Either of you see a big yellow meteor shoot through the forest?"

Jaune turned towards the shout, surprised. "Or, they could just find us." Raising his voice, he shouted into the underbrush. "Yeah, we're over here!"

A few seconds later, Nora's head of orange hair poked out from behind a bush. Seeing the group, she ran over, Ren following behind her at a slower pace. "There you guys are! When did Ruby and Yang show up? They follow the meteor too?"

Ren let out a small sigh. "Nora, I told you, it couldn't be a meteor, it-" He stopped talking when Nora shot him a pouting glare, just rolling his eyes instead.

Jaune let out a nervous chuckle, hoping Nora wasn't about to start something. "Ruby and Yang were just about to tell us about the… 'meteor'. We just have to help them back to the school."

Nora tilted her head, her brow furrowing. 'Help them? Are you guys hurt or some… thing…?" As Nora turned to look at the sisters, her voice trailed off, her eyes bugging out.

Pyrrha had just pulled Ruby to her feet, looping her arm under Ruby's as the younger girl leaned into her. Ruby winced slightly as she lifted her left leg, trying to keep the heavy brace from dragging on the ground.

Ren curved a brow at Ruby's broken leg. He turned slowly to Nora, frowning.

Seeing his look, Nora threw her hands up in defense.

"I didn't do it!"

Betaed by Covert Weapon

Old A/n: Yeah, I couldn't resist. :p

So, here's the deal. With Volume 5 on the horizon, and pretty much guaranteed to throw everything I have planned completely out of whack, I want to keep the momentum going as much as I can. What this means is, the chapters from here on out will likely all be either this length or shorter. On the plus side, this means the chapters should, SHOULD, come out quicker.

As always, I make no promises. I just really want to get to some of the stuff I've had planned before I get bogged down with a whole new slew of information to give me more ideas. Seriously, I have plans for freaking Ilia, just from 5's latest teaser, and I still haven't reached the end of this freaking second Arc. Mountain Glynn might become it's own freaking Arc at this point. Ugh…

See you all next time!