26

Chapter 26: Love and War

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Weiss glanced over her checklist one last time. Weapon, check. Dust, check. An entire suitcases' worth, in fact. She was lucky that Ruby was packing light, since she would need her help carrying everything.

Weiss had already ensured that her preparations were perfect the night before, nearly unpacking her suitcase and repacking it to ensure she was leaving nothing behind.

Did she remember to pack her backup scroll?

Normally she wouldn't stress herself out so much for a trip, but this was different.

She placed the list back on her desk with a sigh.

"You're worried." Yang commented from her bunk, a half smirk on her face.

"I am not." Weiss held her head high. "I just want to make sure I'm prepared."

Yang rolled over and popped her head down to share a glance with Blake, who briefly looked up from her book. The other girl smiled and took a look at Weiss before chuckling. "You're worried." Blake agreed.

Yang grinned at Weiss, the 'told you so' clear in her smile. Weiss frowned and crossed her arms. "That's hardly fair."

Yang had learned how to read Weiss long ago, before Weiss had even learned to read herself. She could recognize what Weiss struggled to put into words. Weiss had thought it was a superpower only her girlfriend possessed, but lately Blake seemed to be rather keen as well.

Or rather, Weiss suspected, she had simply decided not to hide it anymore.

Yang pulled herself back up and laid on her back. "What can I say? We know you."

Weiss huffed, but took careful note of the fact that Yang was deliberately lumping in Blake as well.

She looked over at her suitcase before letting her gaze drift over to Blake. "It isn't often that Ruby comes to me instead of either of you. I know this could be dangerous, and I don't want to let her down."

Blake looked up from her book and gave Weiss a soft smile. "Don't worry. Ruby's worried about the same thing. She doesn't want to let you down either." Weiss scoffed. Ruby had always been the perfect team leader. Blake's smile faded slightly. "I know how you see her now, but it wasn't always like that. You didn't accept her at first."

"When you two first attended Beacon?" Weiss asked, to which Blake nodded.

That was another thing Blake did more. Casually talking about the past. It made Weiss feel self-conscious, even though it wasn't really 'her' being discussed, something that they both made very clear, but she was more than happy to not let that show if it meant helping Blake process what happened.

Weiss took one last look around her desk, did she bring everything she needed?

She was still letting her eyes sweep over everything when Yang dropped out of her bunk and appeared behind Weiss. She wrapped her arms around Weiss' body and buried her face in her girlfriend's hair. "I'm going to miss you."

Yang's golden locks spilled over Weiss, and she let herself inhale deeply, savoring the scent of Yang's shampoo. The smell of safety.

Weiss tugged at Yang's arms to loosen her grip and spun around so she could hug Yang properly. "I'll miss you too. We can still talk every day, right? I'm sure the Haven CCT has video rooms."

Yang smiled and gave Weiss a reassuring peck on the lips. "Of course, snow angel."

Weiss wrinkled her nose and made a face. "I thought you had abandoned that."

Yang laughed; a sound so sweet that Weiss couldn't help but smile herself. "You're only annoyed that you haven't come up with one for me."

Weiss puckered her lips. She had been trying to think of something.

"When we were in the void," Blake piped up from her bed, "the best you came up with was sunbeam."

Yang made a sound of mock indignation as she turned to Blake. "I can't believe you'd betray me like that."

Weiss rolled her eyes fondly. "If that was the best I could come up with after months, then this was doomed from the start." Though perhaps she could borrow another's work… "What did you call her?"

Blake's eyes sparkled as she looked between the couple. "You're not stealing the nickname that I came up with that easily."

"Drat." Weiss said, only half joking, releasing Yang so she could cross her arms.

Yang laughed and Blake gave her a sympathetic smile before putting her book down as her smile took on a more serious undertone. "Are you going to be able to handle talking with your dad while you're in Mistral?"

Weiss dropped her arms and furrowed her brow. That was one of the less pleasant things that Weiss certainly wasn't looking forward to. She and her father had come to an… agreement, regarding how often she was to contact him, and regarding her future.

Based on Blake's advice, she kept those conversations and all others strictly academic.

Blake's advice and support was invaluable. She was patient every time Weiss stored into the library and ranted to Blake about how insufferable he'd been this time, or some supremely insolent comment he had made that she had been forced to bite her tongue at.

Every time one of those dreaded conversations was approaching, Blake and her would sit down and talk through how Weiss was going to manage it. What she could talk about, what it was best to leave out. Her relationship with Yang was an obvious omission.

Beacon was already an egregious mistake to him. Knowing that she was spending her time flirting with a farm girl from Patch would be grounds to recall her home and send her to Atlas. As far as Jacque knew, Yang was simply her partner. Not her partner. He knew even less regarding the other members of Team RWBY.

Weiss hated that Blake always insisted she be left out. "He would never approve of me." She always said.

With each passing conversation, Weiss was caring less and less just what her coward of a father approved of.

"I'll manage." Weiss gave Blake her best smile while thinking about having to endure that alone. "But, you'll be available by scroll, right?"

"Of course." Blake said, nodding her head gently.

Weiss nodded, mostly to reassure herself that everything would be okay. She looked over at her suitcase again and glancing at the time on her scroll, before looking over to her bed, where Ruby's half packed suitcase rested. "Where's Ruby? We should be leaving soon."

One of Blake's ears flicked and she smiled warmly. "She should be here soon."

A few moments later the knob of their dorm room turned and Ruby attempted to sneak inside, only to find three sets of eyes staring at her.

"I'm not late." She said sheepishly. She was holding something large under one arm, wrapped in several layers of cloth.

Blake slinked out of bed and stood by Ruby as she closed the door behind her. "You're still cutting it close." Ruby instinctively grabbed one of Blake's hands with her free hand and idly played with it. Usually, Blake was more than happy to indulge her semi-girlfriend, but to Weiss' approval, she gently shoved Ruby towards her unpacked suitcase. "Come on. I'll help."

The two of them walked over to the mess and started to fold clothes and pack items. Ruby set down her unusually large package onto the bed.

"You're not taking that, are you? I don't think it'll fit in your suitcase." Weiss said.

Yang walked over to it and tilted her head. "What is that, Ruby?" She picked it up and set it back down with a clang. "It's heavy."

Ruby scrambled to snatch it away from her sister and put it in her suitcase. "Nothing!"

Weiss raised an eyebrow and tapped her foot, causing Ruby to spin around. "No secrets, remember?" If she was taking something important to Mistral, Weiss was going to know about it.

"It's not a secret, it's a surprise!" Ruby beamed. "I'm just, not done with it." She said less enthusiastically.

Yang poked it with her finger. "Who's it for?"

"Cinder!" Ruby said with more glee than Weiss ever expected for her to utter that name with. "I need to finish it soon, so I'm taking it to Mistral with me!"

The name made the rest of them more nervous than it did Ruby. Yang tugged at her hair with both hands absent-mindedly. "Are you… still feeling like you can get through to her? Before… you know?" She asked.

"Of course, I can!" Ruby affirmed.

Weiss and Blake shared a look. Both were worried that Ruby was taking on too much, but if this was the path she wanted to go down, they would support her.

Ruby finally managed to stuff everything she wanted inside her suitcase and force the zipper closed. It bulged as she hefted it off the bed and onto the floor.

"Ready to go?" She asked Weiss.

Weiss nodded, and the teammates exchanged goodbye hugs before Ruby and Weiss left the dorm room.

"Send us a message when you get to Mistral!" Yang shouted out to them.

Ruby waved in response. "Don't miss us too much!"

---

Weiss sat on her new bed, thankful that this one did not have another suspended above it, threatening to fall on her in her dreams. Truthfully, that terrifying thought had driven her to spend as many nights with Yang as her love for her girlfriend.

She sent their teammates a message that she and Ruby had arrived at Haven successfully from their new dorm room, while Ruby had some sort of preoccupation with the window. She kept staring out it, as if thinking someone would appear through it any moment.

Just because they were away from Beacon didn't mean that there wasn't plenty to do still. There were still papers to write, and homework to be done. Weiss looked towards the plain wooden desk that sat at the foot of her bed. It wouldn't be the same without Yang. They didn't even always do their work together, but her presence was just… soothing. Even if they weren't talking, just having Yang there made Weiss feel… well, safe.

'Missing you already.' She typed the message to her girlfriend and sent it off. Yang was in class right now, and if she was a good student, Weiss wouldn't be getting a response for at least an hour.

Though perhaps this once she wouldn't mind if Yang didn't pay attention in class.

From her perch at the window, Ruby squealed excitedly. Weiss turned her head to see a black bird pecking at the window. She had only enough time to wonder what that was doing when Ruby opened the window and the bird promptly flew inside.

Normally Weiss would not be happy with a bird in the dorm room, and she was only slightly less miffed when the bird transformed into Ruby's uncle, Qrow.

Right. He could do that.

"Uncle Qrow!" Ruby threw her arms around her favorite uncle.

Qrow enveloped her in a one-armed hug, a smile on his face. "Heya kiddo." He gave a nod in greeting to Weiss before releasing Ruby, his face becoming more serious. "I'll make this quick. You both know why we're here, so first thing's first. We need you both to be familiar with the school. Get acclimated to the grounds. Do some exploring. Attend class. If you can find a reason, visit Professor Lionheart. Try to blend in."

"And what will you be doing?" Weiss asked.

"I'll be shadowing Lionheart. Covertly, of course." Qrow pulled out his flask for a quick swig.

"And when the time is right, we'll nab him!" Ruby added enthusiastically. Qrow chuckled and crossed his arms.

See, that was the part Weiss didn't get. If Ozpin knew Lionheart was a traitor, what good was delaying? "If you know he's guilty, why risk waiting? Why not march into his office right now?" She asked.

That caused Qrow to give another round of chuckles. "Atlas." It was only after Ruby gave him a pleading look that he actually considered the question. Qrow stroked his stubble. "Well, there's the fact that Ol' Ozpin doesn't want this to be public knowledge. Whatever we do, we can't make a scene. Then there's the fact that if Lionheart thinks someone's after him, he'll report it to Salem. That would be a worst-case scenario."

In Weiss' mind, those two were competing goals. She gave a look to Ruby, who seemed completely on board with her uncle's plans. Weiss sighed. If it was good enough for her team leader, it would be good enough for her.

She gave a nod of understanding to Qrow.

"Whenever we need to talk, I'll meet you both here, tapping on the window. But don't be surprised if you don't hear from me for a few days. You both can handle yourselves on your own."

"You can count on us!" Ruby grinned.

Qrow climbed into the window frame with a grin. "Course I can." He leapt from it, transforming back into a crow and taking off.

Weiss promptly retrieved her weapon case from her pile of luggage, opening it and sheathing Myrtenaster on her belt. She grabbed a few rounds of dust, the cheap ones that she kept for training, and got ready to leave.

"I'm going to train." Weiss informed her team leader.

"Already? We just got here!"

"I've already missed when I'd normally be training. I don't like to break my routine. Besides, your uncle said we should learn about the grounds."

Ruby grabbed Crescent Rose from her bed and bounded after Weiss. "Wait for me!"

---

Weiss' daily training, especially when Yang wasn't around to practice their combos together with, and generally flirt with each other, just wasn't the same.

Ruby was right beside her, pushing her semblance to the maximum, burning a path around the track at lighting speeds.

Her team leader could do all sorts of tricks, from splitting her semblance up, to picking up others with it (an experience Weiss was not looking to repeat after Ruby's first demonstration), to incorporating it flawlessly in combat.

That level of skill only made Weiss want to try harder to grow her own semblance. During the Vytal Festival, her sister had made a point to try and teach Weiss personally, whenever her busy schedule allowed.

They had tried to keep up the weekly training sessions, but often Winter would have to call to reschedule, and then reschedule again, and again. Weiss tried not to let her disappointment show, but Winter still apologized every time.

Weiss cared for her sister greatly. In many ways, she was the only family, at least the only emotionally available family, that Weiss had. But Winter had been forced to make a difficult choice long ago, and escaped to the military. Weiss couldn't fault her sister's logic, but military life was hardly conducive to strong familial ties.

That was one of the reasons her bonds with her teammates were so different. They were never too busy for Weiss, even though their own schedules were hardly light.

Yang was a given, and as the two of them had grown closer, Weiss had come to rely on her like no one else. She could be vulnerable with her in ways that she never had been able to with Winter. Some part of her had always craved the sort of connection that Yang gave her, though she had never realized it.

But Yang was only one part of it. Blake was always willing to listen, their one-sided past meaning that the faunus was almost super-naturally attuned to Weiss' moods and feelings. Her deep empathy fostering a deep trust between the two of them.

And then there was Ruby. Her team leader who was spraying rose petals everywhere. When Ruby had first approached Weiss, wanting to switch partnerships for the Vytal Festival, she had thought that Ruby had grown a second head. This was the Vytal Festival. The biggest event of the entire year. Ruby and Blake were obviously the best fighters, so why would she risk an unnecessary loss?

But it was Ruby's sincere belief that their swapped partners could be just as powerful as their traditional ones that had won Weiss over, and specifically Ruby's belief in Weiss. To hear Ruby tell it, each of her teammates was a superhero, with nothing out of their reach. They could accomplish anything, and together the four of them were truly unstoppable.

Any failure was only temporary. Ruby was always sure of that.

However, that outlook only made it only slightly less frustrating as Weiss tried (and failed) to summon something, anything, all afternoon. She held Myrtenaster in one hand, trying to mimic the pose that Winter always used when summoning for combat.

The glyph sprawled out on the floor flickered and rotated. The swords fading in and out as Weiss' concentration ebbed and flowed. Weiss brow creased. Just a little bit more… almost…

A ball of rose petals whooshed past her and blew her momentarily off balance.

"Ruby!" Weiss said, somewhat exasperated.

The ball dissipated, leaving one very apprehensive team leader in their place. Weiss gestured to the quickly disappearing rose petals that covered her outfit.

Ruby grinned sheepishly. "Sorry! I just glanced over and got excited, and well, sort of stopped paying attention to where I was going."

Weiss sighed and shook her head. There were also times where Ruby was like this.

It used to infuriate Weiss, but these days, it was just part of her charm. At the very least, it ensured that life was never boring when Ruby was around.

"Why don't you take a break?" Weiss left the fact that it would allow her to concentrate far better unsaid.

"Can I watch you summon?" Ruby asked, as if it was the most interesting thing in the world, and not both incredibly boring and unsatisfying. "I missed the first time you did it before!"

Weiss frowned. It didn't look like she was going to be successful today either. "You're going to be sorely disappointed then."

Ruby tilted her head and frowned slightly, but didn't say anything.

Weiss gripped Myrtenaster in her hand, the other arm behind her back. Her semblance was like a muscle, that was what Winter always told her, but unlike her physical muscles, this one never seemed to get any stronger no matter how much she worked it.

Her snowflake glyphs had become second nature at this point, and though she had started time dilation, she had quickly abandoned them. Just trying to make one took far more of her aura than practical, and half the time the glyph slowed her down instead of speeding her up.

Ruby had been very gentle in telling her that perhaps maybe time dilation wasn't what Weiss was best at, and though Weiss huffed at the time, she had to agree.

But summoning was another matter. Winter had also abandoned time dilation, so Weiss felt little shame, but her sister had mastered summoning.

So, Weiss had to as well.

She clenched her teeth and curled her fingers around the grip, crushing it in her grasp as she tried to pour more aura into the weapon, overwhelming the barrier she was pushing against with raw power.

The white glyph began to glow, white light contained just below the surface, waiting to burst through. It span faster and faster, until Weiss was dizzy just looking at it. The dizziness broke her concentration, her aura crackling.

The glyph exploded; the stored energy released into the air around it. Fortunately, Haven's training rooms were more than equipped for students experimenting with their semblances, and most of the impact was absorbed by the room, the padded walls shaking as a wave of pressurized air blew through, nearly knocking Weiss over.

Weiss looked down at her weapon in her hands, defeated. What was she doing wrong? She was doing everything that Winter had shown her, thinking about her fallen foes, those that had forced her to progress from where she had been to where she was now. The grimm she had defeated, the trials she had been forced to endure.

Where had she gone wrong?

Weiss sank to her knees as tears threatened to spill over as she heard footsteps running towards her. Ruby knelt down next to her, a hand on her back.

"Woah, are you okay?" She asked, concerned.

Weiss nodded weakly. "I don't know what I'm doing wrong."

Ruby's silver eyes were filled with worry as Weiss languished. "Your aura never cracked when you summoned before." She said gently, rubbing her hand comfortingly along Weiss' back.

Weiss laughed weakly. Even her future self was better than what she could accomplish now.

Ruby's hand gently touched Myrtenaster. "Can I show you? What I saw you do before?" Weiss shrugged one shoulder and let Ruby hold her weapon. "Wow," Ruby said as she waved the weapon around, "it's lighter than I thought it was."

Weiss looked up. "You've never held it before?" She would've assumed that at some point they all would've been intimately familiar with each other's weapons.

"Nope!" Ruby said with a warm smile. "You never would've let me touch it at Beacon, and afterwards, well, none of us really had time for something like this." Ruby thought about that for a second longer, her smile fading. "Actually, you did use Gambol Shroud once, but you didn't like to talk about that."

Weiss nodded slowly. Gambol shroud wasn't her style perhaps, but surely using it once wasn't so uncomfortable that Weiss wouldn't be able to even talk about it. She gestured to Ruby, holding her weapon.

"You were going to show me?"

"Oh, right!" Ruby grinned, drawing her feet together and standing as straight as she could. "I'm Weiss Schnee." She tried to imitate Weiss' refined mannerisms, but only got a few words out before she burst into giggles.

"Dolt." Weiss rolled her eyes fondly, but waited patiently for Ruby to get it out of her system before she continued.

Ruby held Myrtenaster upright just in front of her face with her left hand, and traced her index finger down the blade, a few inches from it. She twisted her wrist so that Myrtenaster pointed towards the ground, gripped it with both hands, and plunged it downward with a flourish and a shout.

Weiss waited in anticipation for several seconds as Ruby held the pose, eyes closed, but of course, nothing happened. Ruby couldn't summon, after all. After Weiss said nothing, Ruby opened one eye, waiting for at least some reaction.

But Weiss was still studying her. Why was it so different than what Winter had showed her? The pose, the gestures, everything. It was wholly new to her. Her eyes darted over Ruby to try and glean any details she could.

Noticing Weiss' focus, Ruby remained frozen, until her calves started to ache slightly. "So… can I move yet?"

Weiss sighed. She could try to memorize every little detail, but really she needed to try it for herself. "Yes, Ruby."

Ruby sighed in relief and let her shoulders sag before getting back up and handing Myrtenaster back to Weiss. "You'll get it soon. I know you will." Ruby turned to resume training her own semblance.

Weiss nodded and smiled slightly, grateful for the support. Though it did leave her with a question. "Why are you willing to help me with this?"

Ruby turned over her shoulder. "What do you mean?"

"I thought 'emotional shortcuts' weren't allowed? Like dealing with my family."

"This is different." Ruby said. Weiss raised an eyebrow. "It is!" She insisted, closing the distance between them. She held Weiss' hands gently in her own. "Summoning could save your life one day, or mine, or Yang's or Blake's." Ruby said earnestly. "If there was something that I could've done but didn't, to prevent that…" Ruby's expression briefly flickered to one of utter despair.

Weiss could feel the weight of responsibility that Ruby felt, and how seriously she took the burden of leadership.

"I'll never let any of you get hurt." Ruby's eyes connected with Weiss', filled with sincerity. "I love all of you."

Weiss felt her smile despite herself. She loved her teammates too, each in their own way. Blake had challenged her worldview with quiet patience and determination, never holding Weiss' misplaced anger against her. Yang had latched onto her when she had needed it, yet was too proud to admit that she wanted it.

She had always had Winter, and always would, and now Yang too, but Ruby was entirely different. She believed in Weiss like no one else, and pushed her to be the best she could. But unlike her training sessions with Winter, where Weiss always left unsure of her abilities and angry at herself for failing, Ruby always made Weiss feel safe. Safe to fail. The unending support and willingness to try just one more time was night and day. She knew how much effort Weiss poured into getting better, and rewarded it, regardless of whether or not Weiss succeeded.

"Thank you, Ruby." Weiss said softly, squeezing Ruby's hands. They both leaned their foreheads closer together so they were gently touching.

She wasn't even trying when it happened. Her aura took shape behind her, a glyph spreading out. Her emblem ringed the outside. Four sets of white wings filled the inside, four feathers between them. Spectral nevermore wings spread fourth from the center, giving Weiss the illusion of having wings sprouting from her back.

They both pulled away slightly at the sound, and Ruby gasped as saw the wings unfurl. "Weiss…!" She said with equal parts awe and excitement.

Weiss turned to look at the wings, her own eyes wide. She let go of one of Ruby's hands to gently brush it against the nevermore wings of her first summon. They were cold like ice, and ethereal like clouds.

Ruby laughed and threw her arms around Weiss, enveloping her in a tight hug that lifted her into the air. "You did it!!"

Weiss let a pleased smirk cross her face. "I did, didn't I?"

It wasn't looking to her fallen foes that had done it. It wasn't focusing on what she had been forced to overcome that had produced this. It wasn't the way she stood, or what gesture she made with her hands, or even how much aura she used.

It was focusing on what mattered to her. The people she wanted to protect. Her most treasured friendships.

Her teammates.

---

Emerald wrapped herself as tight as she could, shivering against the cold. The discarded tarp that covered her was full of rips and tears, barely passing for a blanket. But it was better than nothing. She knew she had to get off the street, to get somewhere safe, but she had no idea where that would be. Getting out of Vale would be a good start.

Fleeing from Taurus had been a split-second decision. The walls were closing all around the White Fang more and more every day. Emerald would wake up to find that one less of the White Fang grunts had stayed through the night, or overhear about how an Atlesian patrol had rounded up those who were too far gone to consider hiding.

The White Fang didn't have the resources to try and find all the deserters and bring them back, despite how much Taurus shouted every night that they were all traitors and cowards. He still had a loyal, ever radicalizing, core that urged on his unhinged ranting, endorsing his half-baked, ever more dangerous plans for revenge.

Emerald spent the first night on the streets jumping at every stray noise in the dark, barely even closing her eyes. The second wasn't much better. Footsteps woke her up, innocent ones, most likely, but they still set her heart racing in panic. She couldn't tell who was out there, but her semblance made sure whoever it was didn't see her either.

That left Emerald so exhausted that she could barely move. Still, she willed herself up the next morning, and forward. She dodged every Altesian patrol and faunus, just in case. She stuck to the alleys and backroads, trying to get towards some halfway thought-out destination.

But she was tired. So very tired.

Emerald collapsed behind a dumpster at the end of the alley. She leaned her head against the brick wall, exhaling quietly. Her head throbbed from taxing her semblance so much throughout the past few days. She didn't have her scroll to check with (she knew better than to take it with her, providing an easy way to track her), but her aura couldn't have been high.

She only needed to peak around the side of her hiding spot to glimpse the imposing tower in the distance. Beacon. If what the White Fang thought was true, that's where Cinder was. Not that Emerald knew what she could even do to help her old boss, as much as she wished to, or if Cinder would even accept the help. She needed to get out of the city.

There were also… others… at Beacon too. People Emerald had considered more than just targets.

Had Oscar and Penny given her a second thought after she dropped out of their lives? Did they wonder why she had gone missing? Was Penny back in Atlas, and Oscar back in Mistral?

A car passed by, its bright lights temporarily flooding the alley with light. Emerald scrunched up. After two days of no rest, and weeks of near sleepless nights, sleep was coming whether Emerald wanted it or not.

The dumpster that shielded Emerald from prying eyes was filled with old insulation, riddled with holes, but better than nothing. She grabbed out enough to cover herself, placing the tarp on top, and closed her eyes, letting thoughts of a better tomorrow pull her down.

She couldn't say that she was a heavy sleeper, a lifetime of living on the streets made sure of that, but the exhaustion of the past days and weeks must've gotten to her. She was used to sleeping on the streets, hungry, cold, and alone, but back then it was rare for anyone to be hunting her.

The sun had just begun to assert itself when Emerald awoke, something poking at her shoulder. She opened her eyes, took a moment to shake off her grogginess, and looked to the gun barrel poking her shoulder.

"You can't sleep here." Someone said.

Even in her bleary haze, Emerald knew something was wrong when she heard the voice.

She traced the barrel to the gun, and then to the man holding it. His helmet covered his eyes, and wore the undeniable blue and white armor of the Atlesian military. His weapon was gently prodding, not aggressively, but enough to rouse her. He didn't know who she was.

Once Emerald could form thoughts, she did her best not to panic, but activated her semblance on instinct. A night of rest had rejuvenated her aura, and her semblance scrambled his perception on her in an instant.

The man scrunched his eyebrows and shook his head, before looking at her again and muttering something to himself. His colleague, however, remained aware of her. She wore a matching set of armor, her gun slung around her back. Her eyes darted between a large scroll in her hand and Emerald's face.

"You can't sleep here, sir." The male soldier said again, his colleague looking towards him skeptically.

Emerald stared at him, blinking. "Sorry." She managed, throwing off her impromptu blankets. The other Atlesian flipped through several images on her scroll. Emerald recognized the backwards images of Adam Taurus and Mercury, before the image settled on her own wanted poster.

Emerald quickly picked herself up as the woman's mouth opened slightly, before she gently elbowed her colleague. Emerald wasn't going to wait to find out what he made of it. She took off walking down the alley towards the street. She just needed to get out of the alley and she could disappear into the city, like she had learned to so long ago.

The man looked over at the scroll and made a confused gesture with one hand. "That looks nothing like him." Emerald heard his voice faintly as she picked up the pace, clutching her few belongings close to her. She tried to make herself disappear using her semblance, but it was always harder when she couldn't see her targets, and this time there were two of them, and she was panicked and tired.

"Read this part, her semblance!" The woman hissed quietly, Emerald already halfway down the street. She slowed down momentarily and poured as much of her concentration as she dared into manipulating the minds of the two soldiers.

Emerald picked up the pace as she heard yelling behind her. "Excuse me!" The man's voice rang out behind her.

Emerald swore under her breath, her concentration breaking. She didn't dare stop walking now, giving up on her semblance. She walked faster instead, matching her heartbeat. If she stopped, that would be it. She would never be free ever again. Her hands shook as she took every step faster than the last.

Both soldiers started running towards her. "Excuse me, miss!" The woman yelled, more forcefully.

Emerald walked as fast as she dared. Only a few more feet. Her heart pounded as she felt cold sweat form on her back.

"Stop or I'll shoot!" The man shouted. Emerald heard the telltale click of a gun being readied, freezing in her tracks. "Put your hands up and turn around, slowly! Now!"

Emerald tried to control her breathing as her eyes darted from side to side. Sweat beaded around Emerald's brow as she did as she was commanded. The man held his gun up, ready to fire at a moment's notice, his earlier placid expression replaced by one of steely determination. He would shoot, if it came to it. He held his position as the woman walked towards her slowly.

She could only watch as the soldier reached for handcuffs. If she used her semblance now, to do anything, they would shoot.

But the woman made it only a few feet when her gaze was directed upward. A laugh echoed from the rooftops overlooking the alley. The source of it leapt from the rooftops, landing behind the man. Both soldiers wheeled to see what this new possible threat was doing, when a scorpion's tail darted out and knocked the man's weapon out of his hands before stabbing him in the gut.

He let out an anguished scream as the woman panicked, dropping her scroll and trying to swing her weapon around.

Emerald's eyes widened in terror as her feet refused to heed her calls to run, her mouth slowly falling open. Her legs simultaneously turning to jelly and ice as she watched, transfixed, as the scorpion faunus brutally dismembered the two Atlesians, butchering them with more joy than Emerald thought possible.

"Well," the man turned to her, one eye larger than the other, "that was exciting!" Emerald could only stare in horror, unable to look away from the quickly growing pools of blood. "Now, come along."

Emerald forced herself to blink, to look away. She put her hands on her weapons, as the scorpion faunus' eyes watched, a smile growing on his face. She tried not to let her voice betray how scared she was. "Who are you? What do you want?!"

"Well, friend, my name is Tyrian! My little gem, I'm here to whisk you away with me." He waved his blood splattered weapon theatrically.

Emerald shakily drew Thief's Respite, pointing both guns at Tyrian. "I'm not going back. You – you can't make me!"

Tyrian sucked in a breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them, his crazed smile had returned to his face.

"Good."

One word was all Emerald needed, her legs resolidifying as she took off running, bolting as fast as her legs would carry her, Tyrian's maniacal laughter echoing as he sprinted towards her.

She ran down street the street, shoving the civilians out of the way, ignoring all the glances that were thrown her way. It didn't take long for those who behind her to realize why she was running, as screams broke through the otherwise peaceful day as the homicidal maniac cut through anyone stupid enough to be in his path as he ran after Emerald.

Panic ripped through the crowd as Tyrian fired his weapon indiscriminately, people diving for cover and shouting as he tore through everything and anyone, his laughter inexplicably louder than the entire din put together.

It was difficult in the crowd, and Emerald wasn't even sure if it would work, but as she ran down street after street, she tried to reach into her pursuer's mind, creating a second image of herself to distract him while she took off in the opposite direction.

It hadn't worked before, but this wasn't just the fear of imprisonment that fueled her mad dash. Tyrian would just as likely kill her as capture her. Tyrian's laughter grew louder and louder, until he was almost on top of her.

Emerald heard the mind-altering sound that accompanied successful uses of her semblance, and ducked down a side street as her illusion kept running. Her breathing was heavy and erratic as her heart threatened to beat out of her chest as she slammed both hands into the brick wall in front of her. She could hear her pursuer getting closer and closer as she held her breath.

His laugh got louder and louder before she got a glimpse of him, sprinting past her hideout without even stopping. He was clad in all white, his braid flailing in the wind behind him. His weapons were drawn and bloody, his scorpion tail flicking this way and that.

She kept up the illusion for as long as she could muster. Emerald didn't dare breathe again until his laughter was fading, even as the panicked shouts and cries of the wounded grew louder.

Sirens started ringing in the distance as people emerged from their hiding places, taking in the devastation around them.

Emerald watched on in horror as blood trickled into the street, staining the cobblestones red. She shook her head slowly. This… this was worse than anything she could have ever expected.

Tyrian wasn't going to be fooled by Emerald's semblance for long, and he would just go back to hunting her. What use would getting out of the city be if he was on her tail?

Emerald looked to the tower in the sky as she slinked into the alley, already ready for yet another sleepless night before the sun had even fully risen.

---

Ozpin closed his eyes, listening to the gentle ticking of the clock tower. The gears in his office ceaselessly performing their assigned role, much like he had over the countless years.

Did they ever get tired, too?

"Ozpin?" A tinny voice asked over the scroll which sat at headmaster's desk. "Ozpin!" The voice said, more insistent.

The headmaster opened his eyes. The meeting had already gone on far too long, but as usual, James was being stubborn. Still, the council of Vale had shown remarkable patience entertaining the general's concerns for so long. Though his proposed solution…

"Yes, Councilor?" Ozpin spoke in a level tone.

The councilor in the center pursed his thin lips, his tailored suit as immaculate as ever. "Over the past months, you have concurred with General Ironwood's assessments regarding the threat to Vale and its citizens. During the Vytal Festival, we were willing to allocate additional resources and allow the general a great deal of latitude. However, this new proposal goes too far! The Vytal Festival is over! Does Beacon have any credible reports to back up the increased risks that General Ironwood proports?!"

The other two councilors on either side nodded their agreement. Ozpin frowned, looking at General Ironwood's stiff posture in the corner of the frame. His expression was neutral, but Ozpin knew that below it, he was filled with determination to ensure that no harm befell Vale… mixed with an unfortunate paranoia that caused him to take brash actions, such as proposing a permanent Altesian military base in Vale to the council.

A proposal that they did not take kindly to. There were many in Vale and its government that had chaffed under the Altesian's presence. This would only turn that smoldering fire into a raging inferno.

James was fundamentally a good man, but too often saw himself as the best and only solution to each and every problem.

Ozpin would have much preferred that the General not take such drastic measures in public. They were fighting a war in the shadows so that the public could be protected from such calamity. Rousing panic only served to achieve the opposite.

Still, a delicate response was in order. The threat was real, and denying it to the government of Vale would only serve to leave them unprepared. However, that did not mean he needed to wholeheartedly endorse drastic measures, as much as James wished he did.

"The General is not chasing shadows, but those who wish to bring harm to our kingdom. However, I do not believe that the risks now are any greater than when the Vytal Festival was ongoing." He paused to consider his words. "An army is a symbol of conflict. Conflict breeds discontent. And discontent will draw the grimm."

Ironwood looked slightly hurt by Ozpin's public rebuttal, but he would be able to mollify the general in private later. James started to open his mouth when his personal scroll began to ring. He glanced at it, reading the alert that popped up. Seconds later, Ozpin's buzzed as well.

An aide burst into the room the councilors were in, her eyes wide and her face pale. "There's been an attack." She said breathlessly.

All three councilors wheeled on her. "What!? What happened?" The man on the right said, his balding head covered in a sheen of sweat.

The aide launched into an explanation as Ozpin read the bulletin on his scroll faster and faster. "Two Atlesian soldiers were killed after confronting an armed suspect. That suspect then tore through downtown Vale." She swallowed hard. "They- they're still assessing the damage… but… at least twelve people have been killed, and many more are being rushed to the hospital."

All three councilors were speechless, but that wasn't everything. "That… that wasn't the only one. A bomb was set off at police headquarters an hour after, and an Altesian patrol was fired on in the industrial district… by a group of White Fang… they've been taken hostage."

Ozpin shook his head in disbelief as he finished reading. He risked a glance at Ironwood. The General's shock had worn off and his face had morphed into determined fury. It wasn't just Vale that had been attacked, those soldiers were his men.

"How could that happen!?" The center councilor yelled. "We've arrested hundreds of collaborators!"

"Councilors." Ironwood thundered, radiating authority. The Vale council fell silent before him. "I warned you, time after time, that a threat was real. Now that threat has materialized. These attacks will not be the last. The White Fang have begun their insurgency. You must act decisively to protect Vale."

He let his words hang in the air, even as Ozpin wished he could erase them from existence. Ironwood was already prone to overreacting, and now the council was scared too.

The last councilor, who had remained quiet through most of the meetings spoke up. Her voice was shaken. "If… if we decided to ask Atlas for assistance, how quickly could you establish the base you laid out in your proposal?"