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Chapter Text

Raven felt him coming long before he arrived.

He'd been nearing for days now. It was only a matter of time, really, she knew he would find her eventually. She could hide from Oz…she could hide from Summer and Tai.

But Qrow had grown up with the tribe, same as her. He knew their ways, knew their tricks, and after what she did there wasn't any convincing him to leave her alone. No, he was always going to find her, and they were always going to have this confrontation.

She’d been preparing for this moment since she left. She hoped it would be long enough. She couldn't risk a fight with her brother, too much was at stake. She needed to convince him, she had to make him understand…the only way she had a chance was if he agreed to secrecy, else all would be lost.

Her fist tightened around the hilt of her sword. I will keep it secret. No matter what.

Her link tugged hard to the west. He was close. Minutes away, now, and from his speed he was angry. That was expected. Please don't make me regret this, brother.

Raven’s grip loosened, and she shut her eyes with a sigh. The light cooing of a child tore her out of her thoughts, and she glanced behind her, unable to hide a smile.

She walked slowly over to the cot beside her bed, tracing a finger down the cheek of the lilac-eyed infant staring up at her. “My daughter,” She whispered, still unable to believe she had something to do with so perfect a child.

She had been terrified when she learned she was pregnant. Tai, Qrow, Summer…they had been there for her. Talked her down from her most irrational fears, and soon the terror turned to excitement. Even as her faith in Ozma wavered, even as she dug deeper into the secrets he kept, she thought maybe the child would somehow fix it all. 

But as the baby's birth drew nearer, the excitement turned back into terror, this time born out of love rather than fear. She…she wasn't made for this. Qrow adapted well enough, but a part of her never left the tribe. She knew her failings as well as her strengths, and she knew she wasn't cut out to be a mother. She couldn't be like Tai. Like Summer. She couldn't even be like Qrow. 

So she had resolved to leave. Her place was somewhere else, and she could never give Yang the life she deserved.

But then she saw something that should have been impossible, and everything changed.

Worried shouts came from outside her tent, and Raven sighed again. She planted a kiss on Yang's forehead and stood. “I won't be long, little one.” 

She left her tent, and found Qrow glaring at her, one hand already in the hilt of Harbinger, though thankfully he kept his weapon slung behind his back. Maybe there was a chance of talking her way out of this.

“Brother,” She greeted with a nod.

“Where is she?” He demanded, cutting straight to the chase. 

“Here,” She answered honestly. There wasn't any point lying to him, not if this was going to work. “But listen to me-”

“Listen to you tell me how kidnapping my niece makes perfect sense?” He scoffed. “Screw you. Give me Yang, and I'll be on my way.”

She took a careful breath. “I can't do that.”

His grip tightened around Harbinger, his knuckles turning white. “And why is that?” He asked coldly. 

“The situation is…much more complicated than you think.”

“I really don't think it is,” Qrow growled. “You left. Fine. Summer, Tai, they don't understand. They're torn apart by what you did, they think they failed you somehow, but I know you better than that.” 

His hand left Harbinger’s hilt, and he stepped towards her. “I know you were never fully comfortable there. Neither am I, to be honest. Everyone's too damn nice for their own good. I know a part of you never left. But even I didn't think you'd ever be stupid enough to go back.”

“Qrow-”

“But in the end, I get it,” He said. “It didn't surprise me all that much. I just thought better of you than that.” She hid a flinch. “But taking Yang with you? You can't be serious, Raven. This is going too far. There's no way you can think this is a good idea. You want Yang growing up the way we did?”

“It's different,” She insisted, hissing through her teeth.

She saw Qrow’s stance shift, and she tensed, expecting him to lunge at her…but he only frowned. “This isn't like you,” He said. 

“If you didn't expect me to leave,” She said, her voice beginning to shake. “Then perhaps you don't know me as well as you think.” It was a bald faced lie, but she didn't know what else to say. She…she didn't think it would be this hard.

“No, not that,” Qrow shook his head. “You should have tried to cut my head off at least three times by now. What's going on?” He looked concerned.

“Qrow…I don't want to fight,” She said, her voice low enough the tribesmen gathering around to watch their confrontation couldn't hear. “I told you, this isn't as simple as you think. Now come with me to my tent, so I can explain everything to you.”

He looked at her skeptically, but his arms fell to his sides. “You better have a damn good explanation,” He told her. “And I'm not leaving without my niece.”

“You say that now…” She muttered, turning back to enter her tent.

Qrow spotted the cot immediately, and hurried over. A part of her wanted to stop him out of instinct, but she needed to get him to trust her if she was going to convince her.

He smiled when he saw her, running a finger down her cheek in exactly the same way she had only minutes ago. Yang smiled, giggling at him. 

“You left before I came back,” He said softly. The anger had left his voice, leaving a somber, resigned tone. “I didn't even get to see her for myself. And you thought you would just hide here, away from her family, give her the same life we did?”

“I wanted her to have a life of her own,” Raven said. 

Qrow rounded on her with a scowl. “What do you think we would have done? You think Tai or Summer would have done anything other than let Yang be whoever she wanted to be? You think I would have let them if they tried?”

“Its not you I'm worried about,” She revealed, and Qrow's eyes widened. “If that were all, I'd have never taken her. I…I wasn't going to take her. Any one of you would have been a better parent than me, and with all three of you I know she would have been happier than any other girl in the world.” The truth stung, but it wasn't as if she hadn't had the same argument with herself a thousand times over already.

“Then…then why the hell would you do this?”

“I told you, it isn't you I took her from,” Raven said. “It's Oz.”

Qrow furrowed his brow in confusion. “What does this have to do with Oz?”

“It has everything to do with Oz,” Raven said grimly. “Look at Yang. Watch. Wait.”

Her brother humored her, turning back to the cot with a sigh. “She's a baby, Raven. What exactly am I looking for?”

“Make her laugh, if you can,” Raven suggested. He'd made her giggle earlier, but it wasn't always a guarantee. “That's gotten the most results so far.”

“What are you-”

“Just do it,” She sighed.

He rolled his eyes, but he smiled and tickled Yang. She laughed, reaching out with one of her tiny fingers. Qrow reached out his own…

…and a flicker of electricity connected them.

Qrlw swore, yanking his hand away even as his face went pale. He looked over to her, eyes wide in panic. “Raven…”

“It isn't a semblance, her aura isn't unlocked,” Raven said. “I made sure.”

“But…that would mean…”

Raven nodded slowly. She wasn't sure how long they stood there, the only noise breaking the silence the occasional cooing from Yang. 

Finally, Qrow swallowed. “Spring is unaccounted for,” He said quietly. “Broke contact, ran off. I've been searching for months, but…”

“...I think the point is moot now,” Raven said.

“Fuck,” Qrow swore. “How is this possible? There's never, never been a maiden like this, not that I've ever heard of. She's an infant! Barely a few months old! And I can't even blame my damn luck, because I haven't met the frigging kid until today!”

“I know,” Raven said. “But you understand now, don't you? If she stays in Patch, Oz will find out about her.”

“He wouldn't-”

“Just listen,” Raven interrupted before her brother could argue. “Let's say for the sake of argument Oz means well. That he only wants what's best for Yang. You look at me and tell me that Yang will have a normal life as soon as he learns. And he will learn, even if you try to hide it. He'll insist her safety is a priority. Have her shuffled from one safehouse to the next, never staying in one place for long. She'll be trained all her life to be a maiden. He'll fill her head up with all his stories, get it in her head that her only path in life is to play hero. And it doesn't matter what you, or Tai, or Summer do, because at the end of the day part of him will be right. You'll argue, and grumble, but eventually you'll agree, even if you're worried. He'll convince you. He always does. But if he never knows…”

“You're asking me to lie to Oz for your sake?” Qrow asked dangerously.

“I'm asking you to lie to him for the sake of your niece,” Raven countered.

He lauughed at that. “Oh really? So she can grow up like her dear old mom? Like us? What's the difference between letting her grow up as a maiden for Oz, or letting her grow up as a murderer with you?”

“She won't!” Raven hissed, her anger getting the better of her. She winced at her outburst, and tried again. “I…I'm not blind, Qrow. I know what I am. What the tribe is. And I won't let her become like us. Yes, she might grow up with a bias. And yes, it won't be a normal life. But it will be hers, Qrow, I swear it. Whatever she wants, whatever she chooses, she will choose it for herself. If she wants to go to Beacon, I'll send her there myself. If she wants to go to fucking Atlas and join the military, I'll fly to Ironwoods office and hold a sword to his throat until he agrees. If Oz learns about her, she won't have a choice, you know that. And that’s the best case scenario. Because if Oz learns about her, that runs the risk of her finding out.”

He glared at her for a moment longer, but finally sighed. “This…complicates things.”

“I told you that,” She snorted, earning another glare.

“What do you want me to do?” He asked honestly. “Let you run off with Yang, just like that? I can't do that, Raven.”

“Talk to them,” She pleaded. “Talk to Taiyang. Summer. Make them understand.”

“I don't even know if this is for the best,” Qrow said. “This…this is one big fucking mess.”

“I know.”

His shoulders fell. “I'll talk to them. And we'll figure out what to do.” He met her eyes. “But this isn't over, Raven. Even without Yang…” Qrow shook his head. “We were happy. You, me, Tai, Summer. We were happy. We had a home. A family. And no matter what happens now, things have changed. It's never gonna be the same again.”

“I know,” She repeated for what felt like the hundredth time. “But it could never be any other way.” She waited a moment before placing a hand on Omen’s hilt. “Do you want me to send you back?”

Qrow shook his head. “Nah, I'll fly back the long way. I need the time to think. Clear my head. This…there's a lot to consider.”

She nodded. “Then fly fast, and be careful.” Her brother turned to leave, and before she could stop herself, she blurted out one last parting remark. “And when you get back…just…make sure they don't blame themselves,” She said, wincing as the words left her mouth. “It wasn't…it isn't their fault I left. It's just the way it had to be."

“Maybe now,” Qrow said. “But you had a choice.” He turned back around. “I'll have a chat with them. I'll be seeing you soon, Raven.”

He left, leaving her alone in her tent with her daughter.

She shut her eyes, letting out a heavy breath. It felt like a great weight had left her shoulders. All things considered, that had gone as well as she could have hoped for. If nothing else, she still has Yang, and Qrow had agreed to at least talk to Tai and Summer.

She could tell he didn't know what to do. Whether it would be the right thing to let her keep Yang, or tell Oz. She hoped the time he took flying back would help him see sense.

It was the only way. It wasn't perfect, and it wouldn't be pretty, but Yang would be free to live the life she chose, not the one Oz would inevitably groom her for. 

She couldn't be like the doting mothers she'd met after leaving the tribe. But she was the only one who could give Yang what she needed. 

No matter how much it tore her up inside.

He could hear them arguing inside, their raised voices muffled through the door. Not that it did much to mask the sound.

Qrow debated staging outside a while longer. He'd had a long journey, and there wasn't anything for him past that door except more headaches. Hadn't he earned a break?

“You're being insane!” Summer’s voice was unmistakable. It wasn't often she yelled, but when she did she made herself known. “Qrow's already on their trail. If he can't find her, the two of us aren't going to. We need to stay here for when he gets back. Or worse, if Oz needs us.”

“Stay here?” Tai was livid, and Qrow couldn't blame him. “Raven disappeared in the middle of the night without a word, and kidnapped my daughter! How am I meant to just stay put?”

“How does putting yourself in danger help Yang?” Summer countered. “Qrow asked us to trust him. He said he could find them.”

“What if Raven tries something?”

“He's her brother-”

“And I'm her husband, but that didn't stop her from running away!”

Qrow sighed. No point waiting any longer. He'd already dragged it out by taking the long way, but he needed the time to work up his courage and sort through his thoughts.

Why was he always the one bringing the bad news?

Before he could talk himself out of it, he raised a fist to the wooden door, knocking twice. The voices went silent immediately, and he heard a small set of footsteps walk towards the door.

It creaked open, and Summer's eyes widened when she saw him. “Qrow!” She wrapped her arms around him in a hug. “You're back! Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I'm fine,” He answered, carefully escaping her grasp. He nodded at Tai as he stepped through the door, making his way to the kitchen table and taking his seat.

He grabbed a nearby glass and took out his flask. He was gonna need a drink to get through this.

Tai scowled at that. “Is this really the time?”

“The perfect time, actually,” Qrow said as he filled the glass. “You're gonna want one too by the time I'm done.”

Worry flashed across his face. “Did you-”

“I found them,” He said before Tai could work himself up any more. “Raven and Yang both. They're with the tribe, like I guessed, and they're safe. Safe as they can be, anyways.”

Tai took a step back, nodding slowly. “Okay…so you came back for backup then?”

Qrow raised the glass to his lips and downed the drink. “Not…exactly.”

“Qrow,” Summer said quietly. “What happened?”

He set the glass down, turning to face what was left of his team. “Raven showed me something. She said she was going to leave anyways, but she saw something that made her take Yang. And I'm starting to think she might've been on the right track.”

Tai’s face reddened in anger. “She took our daughter to a tribe of murderers and thieves!”

“Yang’s a maiden,” Qrow said bluntly, and Tai and Summer both froze. “Saw it myself. No mistaking it. Spring, If I'm not mistaken. The others are accounted for.”

Tai swallowed dryly. “That-”

“You know what'll happen if Oz finds out,” Qrow said. “And he will find out. He'll mean well, but Yang will grow up with more expectations than any kid could ever live up to. She'll be moved around constantly for her own protection. She'll grow up always being told she'll be a hero one day, a maiden. And that's if she doesn't find out.” Qrow sighed. “Raven thinks she can keep her safe in the tribe. Hidden. She promised to raise her freely, give her a chance to choose for herself. Huntress, soldier, maiden, whatever she wants to be, she'll be. It'll be her life, not anyone else's.”

“And what about us?” Tai argued. “Raven is my wife, and she left without telling me anything. She took our daughter. And I'm supposed to go along with it so she can grow up with the same people who sent you and Raven to Beacon so you could learn how to kill Huntsmen?”

“It’s that or grow up as a weapon,” Qrow said. “Which, no matter how we dress it up, is more or less what the maidens are. Weapons for good, maybe, but still weapons. Raven will teach Yang how to defend herself. It'll be her choice what she does with it.”

Tai growled in frustration. “I don't understand. We…we were a family. We were happy, I know we were. Raven isn't as mysterious as she likes to think she is. What happened? Why did she leave, why…why do this?”

Qrow’s expression darkened. “I don't know,” He said honestly. Even Raven's explanation seemed almost hollow. “Wish I did. She was happy, I can tell you that. I don't know what changed, but she isn't coming back. I could see it in her eyes, hear it in her voice.” He stood up with a groan. “Look, we try to figure out why she left all night, but we have bigger things at hand. We need to decide what to do about Yang.”

“There's nothing to decide!” Tai insisted. “She can't stay with Raven!”

“So we take her back, and Oz finds out she's a maiden?”

“We'll keep it a secret,” Tai said, crossing his arms.

Qrow shook his head. “Unless you keep her locked up in the cabin her entire life, he'll find out.”

“So what?” He shouted. “Oz isn't going to force her. Or us. He wouldn't do that.”

“No,” Qrow agreed. “But Raven is right. We can't raise a maiden here. If Oz doesn't find out, Salem will. Oz will want Yang constantly moved for her safety. And if she isn't, then we run the risk of Salem finding out about her. She won't have any chance at a normal life, not here.”

“But she will with the tribe?” Tai scoffed.

“No. But she'll have a choice. To do what she wants.”

“If we let Raven raise her, all Yang will want is to pillage and burn!”

“Then we compromise,” Summer spoke up quietly, interrupting for the first time since their argument began.

Both he and Tai turned to her. “What do you mean?” Qrow asked carefully.

Summer took a deep breath. “Raven's right. Oz is a good man. He is. And of course he would do anything to help us, help Yang. But if he finds out she's a maiden, he will think the best way to help her is to prepare her to use her powers.”

“And that's supposed to be a bad thing?” Tai asked.

“No. But it won't be that simple. Oz will train her. Yang will grow up learning about the maidens, their mission. She'll live her entire life knowing that one day, she'll be expected to risk it as a maiden, a huntress, no matter what she wants. Even if Oz doesn't try to, he'll make her feel like it's her destiny.”

Tai opened his mouth to argue, but Summer wasn't finished. “However,” She continued, cutting him off before he could interrupt. “Yang is our family. We can't let Raven raise her with the tribe. Not without…conditions.”

Qrow raised an eyebrow. “Conditions?” He echoed.

“Keep her from the worst of it,” Summer suggested. “Raise her to defend herself, but she will never take part in whatever crap the tribe gets up to. She won't make Yang into a killer. And she will give her a fair choice. She won't just be told that the tribe is everything, and the outside world are all weaklings. She'll be given a proper choice.”

“And…us?” Tai asked desperately. Tears were falling down his face. “We're just supposed to let her rip apart our family?”

Summer looked conflicted. “I…I don't know,” She confessed. “Either we let Raven keep her away, or we let Yang grow up into a weapon. I…I'm not sure what we should do.”

“Whatever we choose, we don't do anything without an agreement,” Qrow said. “We have to be on the same page. All of us. It's bigger than just Team STRQ. The kid's future is at stake. Either we all come to an agreement, or we do nothing.”

The others nodded in agreement. “We have to make a choice,” Tai said quietly. 

“I think…I think we trust Raven,” Qrow said. The words tasted sour as they slid past his lips, but they were the truth. “We can watch her if we have to. Make sure she stands by our conditions. But we won't be able to keep her secret here. Raven leaving will upset Oz, but he won't go digging into it. He shouldn't find Yang.”

“We'll hold her to whatever promises she makes,” Summer said. “But it's the best way to keep her safe.

They both glanced over to Tai, who stayed silent. Qrow wished he could find the right words to cheer him up, to somehow make this okay…

…But he didn't think anything could make this right.

“We don't do this without your say so,” Summer said again. “We're a team, all of us. If one of us disagrees, that's it.”

Qrow nodded. “We're a family. She's your daughter. My niece. Nobody would blame you for taking some more time to think about this.”

“What's there to think about?” He asked with a bitter laugh. “You're right. Damnit, but you're right.” He clenched and unclenched his right hand, and took a deep breath. “Call Raven, Qrow. I'm guessing she'll answer now that you already found her. We need to talk.”

A few minutes later, and a few curt words with his sister, and a red portal opened beside him.

He shared a look with the others, and Tai stepped forward. He and Summer followed behind, and a moment later he was back in Raven's tent.

He wasn't sure how long they stood there. Tai and Raven, staring each other down in silence, the tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. Yang must have been sleeping, as there wasn't so much as a whisper to break the quiet.

Screw it. He may as well give them a hand. Why was he having to play peacemaker all of a sudden? It didn't suit him.

He cleared his throat. “I spoke with them.”

“We…came to an understanding,” Summer said carefully.”

“But we have conditions,” Tai's voice was cold,.and he never took his eyes off Raven.

To her credit, she held her composure. Raven nodded, as if she had expected as much. “Name them.”

“She won't just be shown the tribe's way of doing things,” Tai said. “She'll be shown there's a life outside of it. If she wants to become a Huntress, she will. If she wants to be a farmer, then she will.”

“That's the entire reason I brought her in the first place,” Raven said. “I won't have my daughter forced into anything.”

“Then at least we agree on that,” Tai huffed. “She won't be a part of the tribes…lifestyle.”

Raven narrowed her eyes. “Excuse me?”

“I won't let you raise her to be a killer, Raven,” Tai said, his temper rising. “Teach her to fight. Teach her to protect herself. I don't give a damn what you or your family of bandits do, but Yang won't be a part of it.”

“I thought we agreed to let her choose?”

“We agreed to give her a choice,” Tai said. “If she raises to know nothing but killing and stealing, of course she'll choose the tribe. It would be no different than if Oz raised her as a maiden.”

“Fine,” Raven said through gritted teeth. “She won't have a part in the tribe's activities. You have my word.”

“We need more than that,” Tai said. “We need assurances. You can't be the only one in her life. We need to be there for her too.”

Raven shook her head. “Not possible. I can keep a lot hidden. My tribe is loyal, but I can't control everything. Qrow, I can explain. If someone talks and word gets back to Oz, it can be written off. It would make sense if we keep contact, if sparse. Just tell Oz he keeps trying to bring me back or something. Even Summer I might be able to get away with, if we're careful.” She met Tai’s eyes. “But you? In Oz’s eyes, we'll have parted ways, bitterly. There's no reason for you to come to the tribe. It'll cause suspicion. Yang already has wisps of blond hair. If one of the tribe sees you and her, and connect the dots, and it gets back to Oz…” 

“So I'm just not supposed to be a part of my daughters life?” Tai asked furiously. 

“You're supposed to go give her a life,” Raven said. “Hers. You can't do that if she's discovered.”

“Easy for you to say.”

“Yes,” Raven said, surprising them all. “It is. I'm…sorry, Tai. I didn't want this. I'm not fit for it. But none of you can keep her away from Oz. I can explain Qrow. I can explain Summer. Yang as well. If Tai comes here, and he's spotted, it all falls apart.”

“You're really telling me you couldn't bring me here without being found out?”

Raven sighed. “Sure I could. Once in a while, with certain precautions. But is that what you want to do to her? A father that appears a handful of times a year then disappears? That's how you want her to think of you?”

“Better than a father that isn't there at all,” Tai argued.

“I'll explain it to her once she's old enough to understand,” Raven said. “She'll know it isn't your choice. I swear it. Qrow can make sure of it. But for her sake, you can't come here. I'm sorry, Tai.”

Qrow shared a look of concern with Summer, then placed a hand on Tai’s back. “We still doing this?” He wouldn't blame him if he had a chance of heart.

At least he would be there. He'd be able to watch Yang grow, popping in once in a while. Hear her laugh, see her smile. Tai wouldn't be a part of her life. Couldn't be. 

He couldn't imagine going through that.

“If…if I don't get to know my own daughter,” Tai said, his voice hollow. “Then at least give me a moment to let me say goodbye. Alone.”

Raven nodded again, walking towards the entrance of the tent. “Come. Since you all decided to come at once, I don't have anywhere to send you to. You'll have to take the long way home.”

“It couldn't just be one of us,” Summer said, choking up. She grabbed her hand to stop it from shaking. “We…we all had to be here.”

“I know,” Raven said quietly.

Tai emerged from the tent a few minutes later. His eyes were red from the tears, and he looked like he'd just watched his entire life come to an end.

Maybe it had.

They left without another word, and a sickening hole in their stomachs. Or at least, he did. He'd argued for this, and even now he agreed with Raven…but that didn't stop it from hurting. 

The tribe's encampment was far behind them when the silence was finally broken. “Did…did we make the right choice?” The anger had left Tai's voice, leaving only the fear of a terrified father.

“We made the only choice,” Summer said.

Qrow took a sip from his flask. “All we can do now is make sure Raven holds up her end of the bargain.”

And pray that Yang would understand when she's older.

Surprise! A new RWBY fic! Been a while since I've done one of these.

To clear things up, this is a prologue. Yang is only one of the main characters, but I thought it was important to include this chapter first, set the stage. 

This is going to be a massive au, to the point where Yang being a maiden raised by Raven isn't even close to the wildest part of this story. The basic premise was a bunch of ideas I had for RWBY fics, but didn't think would justify an entire story on their own…so naturally, cram ‘em all together Into one big smorgasbord!

There's a lot of changes, but the characters will all be the ones you know and love. There will be differences based off of the circumstances of the fic…for instance, Yang will grow up more similar to Raven than Tai, though obviously she won't be a carbon copy. And Ruby will be even more shy due to being an only child. But everything should feel familiar while still remaining exciting. I've got a LOT of fun stuff planned, I'm very excited.

However…if you're keeping up with my other stories, you know I'm going through a bit of a tumultuous time at the moment. Worse, my laptop is now broken, again, and I can't get one for a few months. Good news, I found out I can upload chapters to FFN through the app, so I can keep uploading! Just, don't expect super speedy chapters. And this fic in particular may be slow to update…but I can promise it'll be worth the wait. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

“So…have you given any thought to who you might want to be your partner yet?”

Jaune shut the locker where he had placed Crocea Mors the night before with a sigh. Sheathing his sword, he turned with a forced smile. “I can't say I have, no. It hasn't really occurred to me.”

He had expected to wind up getting recognized by a few of the other prospective students, but he'd hoped it would be limited to a few looks here or there, at worst someone asking for a picture, or a photograph.

What he hadn't expected was for Weiss Schnee to pick him out first thing in the morning to introduce herself before initiation even began.

He should have known better, but…he thought going to Beacon would mean he wouldn't be surrounded by so many people that knew him. But so far, nothing has changed from Ansel.

“Well personally, I was thinking the two of us could be on a team together,” Weiss said. They didn't even know each other! How could she expect the two of them to work well together if they didn't even know how the other fought?

He smiled again. “Sounds great! Just…great.”

Weiss perked up, grinning. “The two of us will be unstoppable! The smartest girl in school, and the strongest boy! We’ll be popular! We'll be celebrities! We'll get perfect grades!”

A part of him wilted at her words, and his armor suddenly felt a thousand times heavier. I was right, He thought miserably. Just like Ansel.

All he had wanted was a fresh start. Was that so much to ask for?

He tuned back into Weiss’s ramblings, trying to be polite. “-course, the rest of the class will be jealous,” She was saying. “Regardless of who else we wind up with, the Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company and the Hero of Ansel will already put us in a league of our-”

“Sorry,” A small voice interrupted. “But…did you say Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company?”

Jaune blinked, and a tall redheaded girl appeared beside them, clad in armor. She would be nearly as tall as he was if she wasn't slouching, and would be rather intimidating, if everything else about her didn't scream the exact opposite of intimidating. 

Weiss crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. “Yes, I did. Don't tell me you're with that brute from yesterday. I don't have the time to deal with more imbeciles going on about things they don't understand.”

The girl's eyes widened, and she waved her hands in front of her. “No, not at all! My friend Ruby ran into you yesterday, and she didn't have a chance to talk to you…”

Weiss raised an eyebrow. “Ruby?”

“I think she, um…broke one of your dust vials?”

“Ah,” Weiss said flatly. “The dunce.”

The nervous girl winced, and Jaune frowned. Did Weiss realize she was making her uncomfortable? “S-She wanted to apologize, but you left before she was able. I…I just thought since I found you…”

Jaune placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled. She froze at the touch, and looked up with wide green eyes. “It's alright,” He told her. “That's nice of you to do for your friend. What’s your name?”

“P-Pyrrha,” She stammered. “Pyrrha Nikos.”

“Well, this is Weiss,” Jaune gestured towards the Heiress. “And my name is Jaune. You, uh…probably know who we are.”

“Weiss, yeah,” Pyrrha frowned. “But I don't think Ruby mentioned you?”

He blinked. “You don't…know who I am?”

Pyrrha’s face went pale. “Oh no, please don't tell me you're actually another important heir or something.” Her eyes flickered over to Weiss. “I think I already have her angry at me.”

“Another…?” Weiss shook her head in disbelief. “This is Jaune Arc!”

Pyrrha stared at her blankly. 

“Top of his class at Sanctum?” Weiss went on, growing more and more irate on his behalf. “He received requests from every major academy to train at their school!” Was that public knowledge? He felt like that wasn't supposed to be public knowledge.

Pyrrha only looked more confused. “Um…”

Weiss’s scarred eye twitched in anger. “The Hero of Ansel?!”

“Ansel…” Pyrrha murmured, and her eyes widened. “Oh! Arc!”

Jaune tried to hide his disappointment, but couldn't help sagging his shoulders. It wasn't her fault. Maybe he should have gone to Shade after all. Vacuo was supposed to be more insular, wasn't It? He doubted anyone over there would have heard of-

“-I thought that sounded familiar,” Pyrrha continued. “You slew a King Taijitu that was attacking Ansel singlehandedly, right?”

He scratched the back of his head, blushing in embarrassment. “That makes it sound more impressive than it was…”

“He's being modest,” Weiss said smugly. “The resident Huntsmen were dealing with a Nevermore in the woods. He killed the King Taijitu on his own, and that was without combat training!”

“The thing leapt at me while I had my family's old sword pointed at it,” Jaune protested. “If anything, it killed itself. I just stood there.”

“And the tournaments you've won since?” Weiss raised an eyebrow. 

Jaune sighed. She did, unfortunately, have a point. Even ignoring what happened in Ansel, his father had made sure he received the best training ever since.

Pyrrha shook her head in disbelief. “I can't believe it took me so long to recognize you. I watch all of the tournaments and exhibitions…though I'm mostly a fan of the older stuff.”

Well…that was something at least. He could deal with being recognized…at least she didn't seem as…passionate as Weiss was. He didn't think Weiss was all that bad, but he wasn't sure he could deal with that sort of attention for four years.

Besides, there was something about her…a kind of novelty in her eyes, like she couldn't believe she was actually there. He thought it was cute. 

Maybe Beacon hadn't been such a bad choice after all.

He saw Weiss open her mouth, but before she could speak the intercom blared, and a stern voice rang out through the school.

“Will all first year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation? Again, all first year students please report to Beacon Cliff immediately.”

Pyrrha let out a surprised gasp. “It's…it's really time, then. This is it. Initiation.”

Jaune smiled. “It was nice meeting you, Pyrrha. I'm sure you'll do great.”

“Nice to meet you too!” She waved back, grinning. “Good luck!”

Weiss rolled her eyes as they made their way out of the school. “As if we'll need it. We're going to form the best team this school has ever seen!”

“We’ll see what happens,” Jaune said passively. “Life’s got a funny way of turning your plans upside down.”

And not always in a bad way.

Pyrrha felt like she was going to faint.

She was looking at Glynda Goodwitch, the Headmistress of Beacon Academy, in person. She was surrounded by people who had trained their entire lives to become Huntsmen and Huntresses. She was walking in the same school her heroes had at her age.

Even walking to the cliff felt like an out of body experience, as if some other force was pulling her towards initiation. It didn't feel real. It still seemed like a dream to her.

And the Professor Goodwitch spoke, and she realized with a start this was real.

The Headmistress began with a curt nod. “For years you have trained to become warriors, and today your skills will be put to the test inside the Emerald Forest.” She laced her hands behind her back before continuing. “I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about how teams are assigned. Perhaps you've heard from older students, or from your parents. Many of you are uncertain, confused…allow me to put an end to that. You will be given your teams, today.”

Pyrrha sucked in a breath of excitement. 

Professor Goodwitch pushed up her glasses. “These teammates will be with you for the duration of your time at Beacon, and likely some time after, so it would be in your best interest to pair with someone whom you would work well.”

Pyrrha nodded, and further down the line of students she saw Weiss smile smugly. 

“That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years.”

Pyrrha’s heart froze in her chest as a chorus of protests were shouted out. She saw a look of horror on both Ruby and Emerald's expressions, while Weiss looked devastated. Jaune seemed to accept Goodwitch's words rather quickly…and she saw one student actually grinning with glee.

A girl she hadn't seen before, with short ginger hair and a manic smile. She was tugging on the sleeve of a boy beside her. “See Ren? I told you!”

“After you’ve partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest,” Goodwitch continued. “You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path…or you will die.”

Pyrrha paled, swallowing nervously. That…sounded ominous. Very ominous. She couldn't be serious, right? She knew Beacon was going to be intense, but she wouldn't actually put students in danger, would she?

“You will be monitored and graded through the duration of your initiation, but none of the staff will intervene. At the end of the path you will find a ruined temple, and within that temple you will find a number of relics. Each pair must choose one, and return to the top of the cliff to complete initiation. Are there any questions?”

“Er…excuse me, ma’am?” Pyrrha raised a hand nervously. 

“Excellent,” Professor Goodwitch nodded. “Now, everyone, take your places!”

“Professor, I have a question!” She asked frantically. She heard a loud noise beside her, but ignored it for a moment. “How exactly are we supposed to get down? Will there be a Bullhead to fly us, or…”

“No, you will be using your own landing strategies.”

There was another sound, but she wasn’t paying it any mind. She was more concerned with figuring out what the Professor meant. “And, er…what exactly does that mean?”

“It means you will be falling,” Goodwitch answered curtly.

“Right,” Pyrrha winced at having to ask so many questions. Was no one else bothered by this? “And what exactly is a landing-AH!” 

The tile she had been standing on suddenly sprang forth, launching her into the air and soaring over the forest. 

Pyrrha was screaming at the top of her lungs, clutching onto Milo with every bit of her strength. “I'm gonna die!” She screeched. “I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die!”

Her eyes were shut tight, her heart pounding so fast she was sure it was going to burst…

…Then a pair of strong arms gently wrapped around her, and her eyes shot open in surprise. 

“Hold on!” Jaune yelled over the chaos of falling. He took his shield and slipped it around her right arm, fastening the straps for her. “When I let go, press this button here! You'll float down to the ground, and you'll be okay. Just don't let go!”

“But what about you-” He let go before she could get another word out. He dove towards the forest, drawing his sword just as he disappeared beneath the canopy of trees.

She didn't have time to dwell on it. The ground was approaching, and way too fast for her comfort. She quickly pressed the button Jaune had pointed out, and a pair of blue holographic extensions jutted out from the edges of the shield, slowing her descent.

Pyrrha let out a sigh of relief as she realized she wasn't going to die. 

This…this was insane. Is this what Huntresses had to do every day? How did they survive? Was Jaune okay? She had seen some of the others breaking their momentum with their weapons, but she had just taken his shield. “I'm sure he's fine,” She said to herself, panting half out of fear and half out of adrenaline. “He wouldn't give me his shield if he didn't have another way down.”

Finally, she floated beneath the trees, and before she realized what was happening, the shield caught itself between two branches. She almost pressed the button to disable the holographic extensions so she could free herself…

…Before realizing if she did so, she would fall right to the ground…which was still very high up.

“Jaune?” She called out, hoping someone would hear her. “Ruby? Emerald? Anyone?” When nobody answered, Pyrrha let out a sigh.

“Guess I'm stuck here for a while,” She muttered to herself.

She just hoped her arm wouldn't get too tired.

  Emerald was going to murder that four-eyed stuck up bitch, and she was going to enjoy it.

It was bad enough every word out of her mouth sounded like a speech about how disappointing they all were. It was bad enough she looked at them like she had a stick perpetually shoved up her ass, and she was taking it out on all of them.

No, she had to go and launch them off a cliff as well.

Ugh. It was fine. She'd put up with whatever crap they threw at her if that's what it took to get through this school. Four years, that was all. That was nothing.

She took out Thief's Respite from behind her back, firing off the chains to hook herself around an errand branch. As she was falling, she let her momentum carry her, the chain swinging her back up again as she recalled the makeshift grapple. Having killed most of her speed, she aimed for the trunk of another tree digging into the bark with her blades. With a flip, she kicked herself off the surface, landing perfectly on the ground below.

Emerald put her pistols away, brushing off a few leaves and twigs that had stuck to her.

“Im gonna break her stupid glasses first,” She grumbled, glaring murderously at nothing in particular. With a quick look to the sky to check the sun, she started making her way north. “Then I'm gonna take that dumb riding crop and smack that stupid look off her face, except she'll probably be into it, because apparently her idea of a good time is launching a bunch of kids off a cliff!” She shook her head in anger. “Masochicsitc old hag. I bet she gets off on-”

Something rustled in the bushes beside her, and she activated her semblance on instinct, masking her from view. A second later Ruby Rose tumbled through with a yelp, nearly losing her balance.

“Hello? Is anyone there?” The kid called out awkwardly. After a moment, she frowned. “I thought I heard someone?”

Emerald briefly considered revealing herself. Ruby wasn't the worst pick for a partner, sure. She could get stuck with Nikos, after all.

But Goodwitch had been clear. For the next four years she would be stuck with a fifteen year old brat who could barely hold a conversation without stuttering. 

Emerald was committed to going through with Beacon. She'd go to all her classes, she'd smile at all the brats she really wanted to punch, she'd even be a proper team player, if that's what she needed to be.

But she wasn't going to willingly subject herself to four years of babysitting.

She turned around, determined to find a partner she could actually tolerate…

…and as soon as she stepped through the brush, was greeted with the sight of Pyrrha Nikos dangling uselessly from a tree branch, one arm stuck in a shield she clearly didn't know how to use.

Emerald blinked at the sight and sighed, walking back the way she came.

She dropped her semblance and put on her best smile. “Ruby! It's good to see you!”

“Huh?” The cloaked girl spun around with a confused look, before her silver eyes widened in recognition. A grin broke out across her face. 

“Oh my gosh, Emerald! I'm so glad it's you!” Ruby sighed in relief. “I was worried I would get someone I didn't know…or worse, someone like Weiss. But this is awesome! We're gonna be partners!” She froze, looking suddenly panicked. “You…didn't have anyone else you wanted to partner up with, did you? Did I accidentally mess things up?”

Emerald shook her head. “Not at all. You were my first choice, actually. I was hoping to run into you.” Ideally with a roll of tape to shut her up.

Once again, Ruby sighed. “Good.” She smiled again. What was with all the smiling? “I'm glad I ran into you. I'm gonna be the best partner ever, I promise!”

“Let's not get ahead of ourselves,” Emerald said. “We haven't even passed initiation yet. Still gotta snag ourselves a relic.”

Ruby gasped. “Crap! I completely forgot!” She dashed around frantically, searching for a path. “Which way is north? Are we heading the right way? Do you think the ruin is gonna be super obvious, or do you think we'll have to really look for it?”

Emerald sighed, rolling her eyes as she trailed after her new partner. All things considered, it really could be worse.

Still. It could be a whole lot better, too.

  Weiss made certain she was presentable after her landing before taking another step. She needed to be at her best if she was going to impress Jaune Arc, and she would need to do so if they were going to partner up. She had every intention of making sure he knew that she could keep up as his partner. She wanted him to be able to trust her.

Of course, the fact that he looked rather dashing in his armor was only a bonus.

Weiss had tried to pick out where Jaune would land while they were flying through the sky, but she lost sight of him quickly in the chaos. Still, she trusted she would be able to find him. How difficult could it really be?

She checked the cartridges on Myrtenaster, ensuring they were loaded before she set out. She had spent a long time preparing for this day. Everything was supposed to go right. 

Which naturally meant everything immediately went wrong.

Loud footsteps pounding on the dirt behind her alerted her only seconds before the attack. She moved on instinct, darting out of the path as a beowolf slammed into the trunk of a tree with a howl. 

Narrowing her eyes, she leveled Myrtenaster at her for and sprang forward, a single piercing blow pinning the Grimm to the tree. It yelled in agony, before disintegrating. She withdrew the tip of her sword with a thunk, and spun around to meet the others that would inevitably follow. Beowolves never traveled alone.

She counted four more, slowly closing in, arranged in a semicircle around her. They were young, which was good, but Weiss didn't let down her guard.   

The scar on her eye had taught her the price of overconfidence before, and it wasn't a lesson she wanted to learn twice.

The first beowolf leapt into action with a snarl. Weiss flourished her sword, and a glyph appeared in front of her, a large icicle shooting forward and splitting the Grimm in two. 

In the same movement she flicked Myrtenaster’s spinner, Imbuing her next glyph with fire dust. A fire ball knocked the next beowolf off course, disorienting the creature as Weiss ran forward to face the next two. 

They lashed out with their claws, slow attacks Weiss easily parried. A moment later she spied her chance, and thrusted the point of her blade up through the throat of one of the beowolves and out the back of its skull. 

She didn't have time to pull out her sword before the next one swung at her. She rolled back weaponless, and grimaced. The beowolf charged, but Weiss didn't bother entertaining the wretched beast. She leapt up, propelling herself off the head of the beowolf and launching over it, to pluck her sword off the ground. 

Weiss turned just in time to block another swipe of the beowolves claws. She made a series of thrusts, pushing the beast back carefully. It snarled in anger, lashing out wildly, giving her the perfect opportunity to sidestep it's blow and shove her sword through its heart. 

The Grimm dissolved even as it fell through the air, and a satisfied smirk fell upon her face. She very nearly sheathed her sword…and then she froze. Four more. There were four more, not three.

A low growl emanated from behind her, and she spun around immediately. She had a fraction of a second to watch the final beowolf hurtling towards her as she raised her sword…

Only to hear a loud bang as the beowolf was sent flying to her side, the force of the impact impaling it on a branch and killing the beast.

Weiss frowned, slowly turning to her apparent savior…

…And blinked. 

An all too familiar girl with a thick mane of blonde hair and an evidently permanent scowl was staring at her, one wrist outstretched where her bracer was still smoking. 

The girl stared at her for a moment longer, lilac eyes meeting blue, before finally lowering her arm. “I'm blaming my uncle for this,”  She said flatly. “His luck must have rubbed off on me.”

She shook her head, tearing herself out of her daze. “For the record, I had that handled.”

The girl snorted. “Sure you did.”

Weiss glared for a moment longer, before turning away. “Right then. We never saw each other.” She made to leave, but to her shock the girl spoke up.

“Yeah, no,” She said, stopping her in her tracks. “We met each others eyes. You heard Goodwitch. We're partners now.”

Weiss scoffed in disbelief, turning around. “So let me get this straight…” She began counting off her fingers. “You insult me…you threaten me…you question my abilities…and now you want to be partners?”

“Okay, first off I didn't technically threaten you,” The girl pointed out. “I just said there's a lot of people here who won't like you, which is just true. And second of all, believe me, I’d much rather have found someone else, but Goodwitch was clear, and I'm not getting disqualified before even passing initiation because you think you're better than the rest of us and want to pick and choose your partner.” She crossed her arms. “Which means, like it or not, I'm stuck with you. And if I have to drag your ass to the relic and back to Beacon by your ponytail, then I will. So we can do this the easy way, or the hard way.”

They held each others gaze in a silent standoff, until Weiss finally sighed. “Why do you hate me?”

“You got a pen and a pad?” She asked. “Or a tree stump we can use as a chair? Cause if you want a list, we're gonna be here a while.”

“No,” Weiss shook her head, stepping towards her. “I'm sure you have your reasons to hate the SDC. You might even have your reasons to hate my father. But from the second we met, you've been nothing but dreadful to me. I don't even know you. You don't know anything about me, and yet you insist on hating me…so why?”

This time it was the girl who was quiet as Weiss stared her down. For a minute, she thought it might actually break into a fight…but the girl only sighed. “We can sit here and argue as long as we want, but the more time we waste, the more time the others have to find the relics. You don't like me. I don't like you. Doesn't change the fact that we're partners. Let's just get through this, and we can sort everything out later.”

Hm. An olive branch of sorts, or at the very least a temporary truce. If nothing else, her…partner could be practical when the need arose.

She could appreciate that.

Weiss nodded. “Very well then. A truce.”

The girl nodded back. “Good. I'm Yang, by the way.”

Weiss waited for her to continue, but Yang only rolled her eyes. “It's just Yang. Nothing more. Now follow me.”

“Why should I-”

“Because I know how to navigate woods I've never been in before,” Yang said, cutting her off. “I grew up outside the Kingdoms. If we're gonna be partners then that means there's gonna have to be some give and take. This? This is my life. I grew up outside the Kingdoms, and I can get us to the relics faster than anyone else here, I can promise you that. When I need someone to choose what doilies to go with at a fancy party, then I'll leave it to you, but for now…” Yang turned, walking off the way she came. “...just follow my lead.”

Weiss hesitated, but after a moment followed after her, pouting.

“What wrong with doilies?”

Well damn, this came out pretty quick considering it was all on my phone, lol

A bit more of the story unfolds, and a few more hints of things to come. I can't wait to go more in depth, but we have to set the story first, unfortunately.

Btw, yet further confirmation that Emerald is so far the most fun to write, lol. I'm enjoying this. Although, insert the usual disclaimer that the wait between chapters won't be consistent, so if it's a little longer I apologize, but I've got a lot going on and I'm trying to be transparent.

That said I'm very much enjoying this, so I doubt it will be a long wait

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

“Do you think this is it?” Weiss frowned at the site of the supposed temple.

“Goodwitch said it was a ruin, didn't she?” Yang shrugged. “Well there you go. Told you I'd find it.”

Great. Now her partner was going to get a big head because she was right once. Just what she needed. “Hm. We don't even know if there are any relics left.”

“Here's a thought,” Yang chirped. “Maybe if you stopped talking and started walking, we'll make it before initiation is over.” 

Weiss rolled her eyes, not bothering to humor the girl. She did what she said she would and got them to the temple. If her next four years were going to be spent with someone who hated her, she could at least be glad that someone kept their word.

Yang held out a hand and grinned. “After you, princess…”

You're here for a reason, She told herself, walking past Yang silently. Don't forget that. Don't let her get to you. She knew nothing about Weiss, nothing about her life, who she was, what she wanted. What some girl with an attitude thought didn't matter…Weiss knew the truth.

She frowned as they entered the temple. A circle of small pillars ringed the inside of the building, with little chess pieces sitting on top of them. “These must be the relics…” She observed.

“And we aren't the first ones here,” Yang noticed. “Some of these are empty.”

“The Professor said one piece to a pair, correct?” Weiss hummed in thought. “I wonder if it matters which piece we choose?”

Yang snatched one off of a pillar without a second thought. “I'm taking the horsey,” She said without bothering to ask her opinion.”

Weiss scowled. “It's called a Knight, not a horse.” Curiosity spiked inside her, and she found herself wondering why she was so quick to pick up the piece. “Is…there a reason you wanted that one?”

Yang shrugged. “Always wanted to learn how to ride a horse.”

“Seriously? That's it?” She scoffed. So immature. “Whatever. It's done. Now let's just get back to the cliff so we can-”

She was cut off by the roar of a Grimm coming from the bushes. She leapt back, drawing Myrtenaster even as Yang cocked her shotguns. They waited as the pounding footsteps grew closer, ready for a fight. The Ursa broke through the treeline, charging them…

…and with an explosion of pink energy, fell to the ground, and a girl rolled off its back with a disappointed look. “Aw…I broke it…”

Before Weiss had a chance to process what she was looking at, a boy came running after the Ursa-riding lunatic. “Nora!” He yelled between panted breaths, resting his hands on his knees. “Please…don't ever do that again.”

The newcomers' eyes lit up at the sight of the relics. “Ooh, is that a little castle?” 

“Nora!”

Weiss blinked as the two ran over to the relics. “I'm sorry…did that girl just ride in on an Ursa?”

“Huh.” For the first time since they met, Yang looked genuinely bewildered. “I think I found the one person in Vale that might actually be cool.”

Weiss rolled her eyes. “Oh, of course you'd like the-”

Once again she was silenced, only this time someone was screaming from above them. 

“Headsss upppppp!” Weiss looked up in surprise as a small red figure grew larger and larger as it fell faster and faster.

She took a step back, but before she could act, something crashed into the falling girl, catapulting them both towards the trees.

The branches rustled as they both fell, and finally the first girl came into view, her cape caught on a branch and leaving her hanging from the tree.

“Ah!” The girl who destroyed her dust squeaked, uselessly trying to free herself. “Help! I'm dying!”

“Ahem,” Weiss cleared her throat, crossing her arms. “Ruby Rose?

The hanging girl looked down, and her eyes widened. “No wait, I didn't mean it, let me hang! Let me hang!”

There was a thud beside her, and Weiss looked down. Groaning on the floor was that irritating girl who had interrupted her and Jaune before initiation…Pyrrha, wasn't it?

“Okay, now I'm confused…” Yang said, and Weiss was forced to agree. 

“Am I…dead?” Pyrrha moaned from the ground, slowly twitching. 

“If you were, you wouldn't be making so much noise,” Weiss sneered. Yang glared at her, but before it went further, they were yet again cut off.

“Gah!” Weiss and Yang both snapped their heads up, where a new girl was sliding around the trunk of a tree, her hook-like weapon scraping against the wood and slowing her fall. “Ruby! What the hell was that?”

“I said jump!” Ruby yelled back, still desperately trying to untangle her cape from the branch. “Could you get me down?”

The girl landed on the ground with a huff, and looked up at Ruby in disbelief. “How did you even…?”

Ruby pouted. “Please? I'm really sorry, Emerald.”

The girl, Emerald apparently, rolled her eyes and climbed up the tree, propelling herself with her weapon. She leapt, slicing the branch Ruby’s cape was caught on, and both of them fell back down…on their feet, this time.

“Great,” Weiss said. “Now that that's settled, could someone please explain exactly what-”

“Everybody watch out!”

Weiss stomped her foot on the ground. “Oh, come on!” She protested.

Jaune Arc broke through the treeline in a dead sprint, a Death Stalker snapping its pincers at his heels. 

The Death Stalkers' tail hovered above, poised to strike. “Jaune!” Weiss yelled out a warning, and immediately he brought his shield up, the Grimm’s stinger glancing off the shield. 

He rolled away, smoothly transitioning back into a run. “Pyrrha!” He shouted.

“Jaune!” Pyrrha sighed in relief. “You're okay! I wouldn't have gone into that stupid cave if I knew-”

“Will everyone just stop for five seconds and give the rest of us a chance to breathe?” Weiss screamed in frustration. “This is absurd!”

“This is life, sweetheart,” Yang said with an infuriating grin. “What did you think being a Huntress was all about? Sometimes you gotta embrace the chaos.” She cupped her hands and held them to her mouth. “Hey muscles! Bring that thing over here, let us take a crack at it!”

Her eyes widened as Jaune changed course, leading it back. “Are you insane?” She hissed. 

“We're supposed to learn how to kill Grimm,” Yang said, nodding towards the Death Stalker. “That's a Grimm. And a big one. Maybe you should get with the program.”

“And maybe you should start thinking like a teammate!” Weiss snapped. “Or are you just so eager for a chance to show off?”

Yang’s eyes flashed with anger. “What did you say?”

Weiss marched over to her partner, glaring up into her eyes. “Our mission was to get a relic and get back to Beacon. Huntresses know how to act professionally and follow the mission for the good of everyone. They don't risk success because they don't know how to be a team player!”

“If you can't fight, that's your problem,” Yang scoffed, and Weiss’s eye twitched in anger. “But I'm going to kill any Grimm I see, because that's what we're here to do.”

Weiss gripped the hilt of Myrtenaster tightly, her knuckles turning white with rage. That…that brute thought she couldn't fight? She was the only one acting with any sense! 

She wanted to draw her sword and show her personally just how well she could fight more than anything…but she stopped herself. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath.

They were partners. And if Yang was determined to do everything in her power to jeopardize their chance at Beacon, then she would have to work twice as hard to make sure they had a place. It was nothing new. It's what she had to do to get there in the first place. If Yang refused to have her back, then Weiss would simply have to be the one to support her partner. 

One of them was going to have to compromise.

Weiss shut her eyes, and Yang grinned. That's what I thought. The Schnee was exactly what she thought she was. Sure, she could off a few beowolves, but as soon as a real fight came up, she chickened out.

Yang pushed Weiss’s words out of her mind. She wasn't about to start taking advice from a rich kid with no idea about how the real world worked. What did she know about huntresses? Huntresses killed Grimm. They saved lives. They were strong enough to hold their own, they didn't run from a fight.

The Death Stalkers stinger slammed into the ground, narrowly missing Jaune. He swerved, ducking into a roll as he finally made it to his partner's side. “Here we go,” He said, holding his shield up and readying his sword.

Emerald put a hand on her hip. “Lovely. Now we can all die together.”

Yang snorted. “It's one Grimm. A big one, sure, but still only one-”

Ruby coughed into her fist. “Um…actually…” She held a finger up in the air. “Emerald and I sort of caught a ride here.”

“Huh?” Yang looked up, and cursed. A Nevermore was flying just above the treetops, circling the ruin. “How the fuck did you get a lift from a Nevermore?”

“Death Stalker!” Jaune reminded them with a shout.

Yang growled. Forget about the stupid bird, they could deal with it. She was gonna kill the Death Stalker first. 

She fired off a round from Ember Celica, propelling herself through the air with a yell. Her fist collided with one of its pincers, and she grinned as she heard something crack from the Grimm. 

Yang jumped back with a grunt, raising her fists. She watched the Death Stalker carefully, trying to remember what Uncle Qrow told her. Fighting Grimm was simpler than fighting people, or sparring…there was always a trick with most Grimm, it was just a matter of knowing how to exploit it.

Yang grinned. She was so gonna brag to Qrow about this.

She kept her eyes on the Death Stalkers pincers. She needed to know where they were at all times, so she wouldn't get caught off guard. 

The Death Stalker tried to snap at her with a pincer, but Yang was quicker. She ducked the blow, running forward and jumping off its head, drawing her arm back ready to slam back down in the Grimm…

…And was thrown back as the Death Stalker's tail caught her across the face, flinging her back into a tree. 

She slid down to the ground with a pained groan, holding a hand to her face. “You fucker,” She spat, her head throbbing in pain. 

On second thought, maybe she would skip over a few details when she told Qrow about initiation.

She staggered to her feet with a scowl. She was here to be a huntress. If she couldn't kill one Grimm, she didn't have a place at Beacon.

Yang took a step forward, but a screech from above distracted her. She barely had enough time to look up before she saw dozens of black feathers flying towards her. 

The Nevermore. I forgot about the fucking Nevermore. Urgh. Those idiots should have handled it!

She shut her eyes and raised an arm to cover her face, and a moment later shrieked in pain as she felt something clawing at her scalp. She twisted her head around enough to see one of the huge feathers had pinned her hair to the tree and froze.

In the back of her mind, she was aware her hand was beginning to shake. She could see wisps of smoke flicker at the edge of her hair. Something was rising in her chest, and she fought desperately to keep her anger in check.

You promised. You told Mom you could do this. You promised. You aren't a little girl. You have to control yourself, you have to hide, you have to-

Thunder cracked above their heads despite the sun shining high in the sky, clouds beginning to gather where seconds ago there had been nothing but empty blue.

The anger faded in an instant, replaced with fear at the sight of the clouds as she tugged on her hair, trying in vain to free herself. “No, you idiot!” She howled, all thoughts of the Grimm forgotten. She stared up, hoping no one was watching as slowly the clouds dispersed, gone before they had a chance to fully form.

Yang slumped in relief, her shoulders falling. “Fuck me,” She breathed out in a heavy sigh. Heavy footsteps brought her back to reality, and she lifted her head just in time to see the Death Stalkers stinger racing towards her.

There was a single split second where Yang realized she didn't have the time to free herself. She shut her eyes, hoping maybe she had enough aura left to take a single hit. 

She heard a crashing sound, and the Death Stalker screeching, and after a few seconds of her heart pounding fast enough to jump out of her chest, she realized she wasn't dead. 

Yang opened her eyes and sucked in a breath. “...Schnee?”

Weiss rose from the ground, clutching her rapier. In front of them, the Death Stalker twisted in frustration, trying to free its stinger from the wall of ice it was now trapped in. 

“My name is Weiss,” She said, turning towards Yang with a glare. “Not Schnee. I didn't want to pick a fight because we already had our objective, not because I didn't know what I was doing. I know how to use my weapon, but I also know how to use my head.”

Yang blinked. “I…”

“You are blunt, rash, bullheaded, inconceivably rude, you have no consideration for anyone else, including your partner, and a family of squirrels could probably survive in your hair for a month without you realizing…” Weiss shut her eyes and sighed. “But…I suppose I haven't done much to prove your assumptions wrong. I…I know I can be…difficult, at times. And I should have backed you up when you decided to fight, regardless of what I thought…”

Weiss took a step forward. “Neither of us are used to this. Neither of us wanted this. But the two of us are partners now, and if this is going to work, we're going to have to do it together. That means not going off to fight on your own…” She winced. “And it means not leaving your partner out to dry, either.” She raised her hand, and a glyph appeared in front of her. She flourished her sword, and a jagged icicle cleaved through the feather, freeing her hair. 

“Thanks,” Yang said awkwardly, running a hand through her hair. “I'll…keep that in mind, er…Weiss.”

Weiss lowered her sword, a small smile beginning to form.

Jaune helped Pyrrha to her feet, and frowned as he glanced above their heads. “The Nevermore is circling back,” He warned. “And that ice isn't going to hold forever.”

Emerald shrugged. “Then why waste anymore time? The relics are right there,” She nodded towards the ruin. 

Ruby nodded in agreement. “Weiss was right. Our mission was to get a relic and get back to the cliff. There's no point fighting these things if we don't have to.”

Yang watched as the pipsqueak and Pyrrha ran up to the ruin, each grabbing a relic for their pairs. “Is that everyone then? Each pair got a relic?”

“I believe so,” Ren said, just as the ice holding the Death Stalkers tail began to crack. He frowned. “I think it's time we left.”

Pyrrha nodded emphatically. “Great idea! Best idea I've heard all day!”

“Let's go,” Ruby said, leaping on top of a small boulder as they crested a hill. “This way, there's more ruins over here! We might be able to lose them!”

Yang furrowed her brow. Beacon…was weird. A fifteen year old girl was leading them away from Grimm, and the strangest thing was, Yang didn't think it was a half bad idea anymore.

“Is something wrong?” Yang turned to find Weiss frowning at her. 

And that's not even the weirdest part. She had a Schnee for a partner, and craziest of all, she was starting to think she could have actually done worse. Maybe she'd be able to hold her own after all.

Yang shook her head. “Nah. Let's go, we don't want the others leaving us in the dust.”

As soon they ran out into the clearing, the shadow of the Nevermore fell over them. “Get to cover!” Ruby shouted, and Pyrrha couldn't agree more. 

They reached the outskirts of the ruins, ducking behind pillars and rocks, trying to hide from the Nevermore. She flinched as the Grimm perched on a broken tower, its head turning as it seemingly scanned for them. 

For a few brief seconds Pyrrha thought they might actually be in the clear.

A roar from the treeline put those hopes to rest, as the Death Stalker emerged, storming down the hill. 

“Crap!” Pyrrha panicked. “We have to run!” She took off, the others leaving their own hiding spots, but almost as soon as they did she heard the cawing of the Nevermore, and the flapping of heavy wings as it spotted them.

“Nora, distract it!” Ren yelled. 

The boisterous girl only nodded and grinned, whipping out a grenade launcher and firing, driving off the Nevermore. 

The Death Stalker closed in behind her, but before Pyrrha could shout out a warning, Ren and Emerald attacked, holding off the Grimm just long enough for Weiss to dart in and get Nora to safety. 

How are they all so fast, She thought as they ran. Before yesterday, none of them even knew each other, and now they were fighting off two massive Grimm like they had fought together for years, all without even coming up with a plan! Is this what it's like to be a Huntress?

Jaune sheathed his sword in his shield, sliding to his knee and twisting as he pulled a grenade out from his back. “Go, go!” He urged, tossing it at the Death Stalker as they reached the beginning of a bridge. Ren fired off a few shots as Emerald doubled back to help hold it off.

Pyrrha almost breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that maybe they would be able to lose the Grimm in the ruins and make it back to the cliff. 

There was a screech from above, and Pyrrha realized with a start she had forgotten about the Nevermore

She shut her eyes tight as they ran, shrieking as she heard the Nevermore slam itself into the bridge behind them. She opened her eyes and turned, sucking in a breath as she saw just how close she was to falling. She peered over the edge, suddenly feeling nauseous. That's…a very long fall.

Gunfire tore her out of her thoughts. She glanced up, staring across the now broken bridge as Jaune, Ren and Emerald struggled to hold off the Death Stalker. 

They're being pushed back towards the edge, She realized nervously. “We have to get across! They need our help!”

Nora nodded. “Then what are we waiting for? Let's do this!”

Pyrrha swallowed nervously, looking back down. “I, um…I don't think I can make that jump.”

Nora giggled, a wicked look entering her eyes. Her grenade launcher began to shift, and a moment later she was wielding a giant hammer. “In that case, we'll just have to improvise!”

Pyrrha's eyes shot open. “Nora, wait!” She tried to stop her, but Nora was already moving. 

With a laugh, she jumped up into the air, twisting as she brought her hammer down on the edge of the bridge.

“Nora!” Pyrrha yelled as she was launched across the gap. For a few short seconds she was weightless, flying through the air…and then she came down on the other side, hitting the stone bridge with a thud.

“Ugh…” Pyrrha groaned as she crawled to her feet, looking up just in time to watch Nora slam her hammer into the Death Stalker's head. She slid back to avoid its stinger, bumping into Emerald and knocking her off the edge of the bridge. 

Pyrrha felt her breath leave her body, and she froze…then felt her shoulders falling in relief when she saw a green sickle impale itself in a pillar, and watched as Emerald swung herself across with her chain. 

At least one of us is safe. She turned back to the fight with the Death Stalker, taking a shaky breath. 

The Death Stalker swiped at them with a pincer, and Pyrrha flinched. Jaune blocked the blow with his shield, slashing out at the Grimm while Ren focused his fire to back him up. 

Help them, a voice inside her urged. Swept up in the moment, Pyrrha stepped forward, clenching Milo tightly…

…and gasped, stepping back as soon as she realized what she was doing. What was she thinking?

Her heart began to race, and her chest tightened in fear. She couldn't do this. Why did she ever think she could do this? It didn't matter that Jaune unlocked her aura. She couldn't fight! She couldn't jump a gap! She didn't even have a real-

Jaune crashed into the ground at her feet, and she jumped back in surprise. “Jaune!” She tried to reach out to him, but he was already getting back on his feet, running back to the fight. 

While she stood and watched. 

Pyrrha took a deep breath, glancing down at Milo. She might not be able to fight…but she could still help. She had to try. 

She watched the three of them holding off the Death Stalker, wracking her brain trying to think of a way she could help them. 

She saw the Grimm's stinger dangle in the air, poised and ready to strike. Jaune was distracted, bashing away a pincer with his shield, and the image of Yang being flung through the air flashed through her mind. 

“Jaune!” She blurted quickly. “The stinger!”

He understood at once, rolling back and raising his shield just as the stinger came down on him. “Thanks!”

The Death Stalker screeched in frustration, and Pyrrha scowled, looking for a way to finish the fight. The Grimm was obviously even tougher than it looked, and it already looked pretty tough. After all, Nora hit it dead on with her hammer and it barely dazed the thing…

Her eyes widened as a plan began to form in her head. Its stinger must be pretty strong too…

“Jaune!” She called again. “Give me your shield!”

He turned to her with a frown. “What?”

They didn't have any time to waste…they needed to do this now. “Do you trust me?” She asked him quietly, echoing his earlier words. 

He waited only a second before smiling, unlacing his shield and tossing it over to her. She quickly fitted the straps to her arm, and called out to the others. “Ren! Try and hold one of its pincers in place! I'll hold off the other with Jaune's shield. Then Jaune can slice off the stinger, and Nora-”

Nora cut her off with a mad laugh, gripping her hammer. “Read you loud and clear, Pyrrha! I like this plan!”

“Now!” Pyrrha shouted, her and Ren running forward. She didn't get a chance to look at Ren, being too busy focusing on not dying herself, but considering it's other pincer didn't snap her in two he was apparently doing well. 

She raised Jaune's shield just as the Death Stalkers pincer shot out, flinching away and half expecting to die anyway…and breathed a sigh of relief when the shield held. 

Pyrrha dug her feet into the ground, struggling to keep the shield up against the pressure. She only had to keep it up a few more seconds…

Something flashed above her, and she looked up just as Jaune was flying over her. She had a split second to watch as he cut off the stinger, right before Nora swept in, pulling her hammer back and swinging as hard as she could, piercing the Death Stalker with its own stinger as easily as if she were hammering a nail. 

Jaune pulled her away as the Grimm began to thrash wildly, slowly dissipating into black smoke. 

“We did it…” Pyrrha murmured in disbelief. She laughed, raising her hands into the air triumphantly. “We did it! We actually did it!”

“Yes,” Jaune frowned as he took back his shield. “But what about the others?”

“I dunno…” Nora said, nodding towards the gap. “It looks like they've got it handled.”

Pyrrha followed her gaze, and could just barely make out a tiny red form that could only be Ruby running up the face of a cliff…and dragging a Nevermore along with her. 

Her eyes widened as Ruby reached the top of the cliff, and she seemed almost to float in the air…

Before she fired her scythe, decapitating the Grimm. Pyrrha watched in awe as the corpse of the Grimm slid down the face of the cliff, slowly disintegrating. 

“Woah…” Pyrrha whispered, eyes shining in wonder. 

“Come on,” Jaune said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “It looks like we're all in the clear now. Let's make it back to Beacon before it's too late.”

Pyrrha nodded, following as the others broke off into a run. 

Her heart was racing, her muscles were sore, and she had nearly died more times in the last couple of hours than she had in her entire life…and yet, this was without a doubt the best day of her life. 

She was at Beacon. She was going through initiation, fighting Grimm…winning! 

And against all odds, it looked like she might actually make it into the school, after dreaming of exactly this moment for as long as she could remember.

It was like a fairy tale come to life.

Ruby shuffled into the Great Hall nervously, still not quite believing they had done it. 

Everything was going so wrong…Emerald wasn't so bad, but Weiss and Yang were at each other's throats like they wanted to kill each other! She honestly doubted they were ever going to get to the relics.

But…they had done it. Weiss and Yang had backed down, at least long enough to get through initiation, and even after getting split up from Pyrrha's group, they had managed well enough to take down the Nevermore. 

Ruby turned out most of Goodwitch’s speech, still reeling from everything else. It was so surreal, like she was living someone else's life. She never would have thought even a week ago that she would come to Beacon two years early…that she wouldn't just make a friend, but make a whole bunch! 

And they kicked butt during initiation!

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

“Pyrrha Nikos, Jaune Arc, Lie Ren, and Nora Valkyrie,” At the mention of her friend’s names, Ruby turned back to the stage, where Goodwitch was announcing the team names. “The four of you retrieved the white rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team PALN…led by Pyrrha Nikos!”

Ruby clapped, cheering for Pyrrha, who looked astonished at the decision. Her face had gone white as a sheet, unresponsive even as Nora lifted her up into the air in excitement. 

Ruby giggled. She must be in shock. “And finally…Ruby Rose, Emerald Sustrai, Weiss Schnee, and…” Professor Goodwitch paused, pushing up her glasses with an unamused look. “...Yang,” She finished. “The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team REWY, led by…Ruby Rose!”

Ruby froze. The clamor of the new students faded away, and she did hear a word the Professor said as she launched into some other speech welcoming them. It was all white noise to her. 

Swallowing nervously, she turned around to face her team. Her team…that she was supposed to lead.

The three of them stared at her with different expressions of shock on their faces. Emerald looked confused, Yang looked at her in disbelief, and Weiss looked like she couldn't make up her mind whether she wanted to be furious or dumbfounded. 

For a few magical seconds, there was silence. 

And then, without warning, Yang broke out into a fit of laughter. 

It was a loud, pure noise, not anything like what she had heard from her before. She snickered and snorted, clutching her stomach as she went red in the face. “Ah-ha-ha! You've…you've gotta be fucking kidding me!” Yang wiped a tear out of her eye. “Oh…oh gods…that's gotta feel great, huh Schnee? Beaten out by a fifteen year old girl.” Yang stumbled back, almost losing her footing from laughing so hard. “Ah…this is the best day of my life!”

Well…at least she didn't seem angry at her? Ruby looked over to Emerald, who tried to give her a supportive smile, but she was obviously just as caught off guard.

Still…neither Yang nor Emerald actually looked upset with her. Just surprised.

Weiss, though…Weiss scowled deeply, blushing a bright red at Yang’s remarks.

Ruby shrunk away at her glare. “Um…if it helps, I'm as surprised as you are!”

Weiss growled, not amused at her attempts to defuse the situation. 

“Oh boy…” Ruby sighed. This…this wasn't going to go well, was it?

Behind her, she heard Yang snicker. “I take back every word I said about this place. This is gonna be fucking awesome!”

Initiation is over! Thank goodness, too. It was a lot of fun, but also kind of restrictive. I think it worked really well though. 

I didn't show REWY’s (Ruby’s) side of the fight just because there wasn't any need to. The scene works in the show to display the fight animations, but in writing it would just be redundant. PALN’s (Palatinate’s) fight on the other hand was very crucial for Pyrrha's character, for a number of reasons. I didn't see any point in lingering when the fight with the Nevermore wouldn't be different in any meaningful way from canon. 

I liked a lot about this chapter, from Yang's section and the little hints of her powers and mindset, to Pyrrha struggling so hard, but coming through in a big way. And in case you didn't catch it, yes, Jaune has his aura grenades here. 

Thank you all for reading, and please leave a comment! I love to hear everyone's thoughts on the story!

Oh, and as a little tease…Blake will be making her introduction in the next chapter or two, likely the next one. Have fun!

Chapter Text

“It doesn't make any sense!” Weiss complained. “There isn't even a ‘B’ in Team REWY! How is that supposed to make up Team Ruby?”

Ruby laughed nervously, trying to ignore the pit in her stomach. “I, uh…I think the B’s supposed to be silent?”

Immediately, Yang sat up in her seat, placing her arms on the cafeteria table with a wide grin. “Really?” She chimed in, her eyes flickering over to Weiss. “Cause if you ask me, there's a massive B on the team, and she doesn't know how to shut her damn-”

“Could we please not do this?” Ruby groaned, letting her head fall in her hands. “We've got class in twenty minutes!”

Weiss harrumphed, crossing her arms. “I am not the one insinuating nasty names!” She glared at Yang. 

Yang only shrugged, picking a grape off her plate and popping it into her mouth. “I didn't say anything. And if I did imply something, I certainly didn't direct it towards anyone in particular.” She sighed dramatically. “But if you just automatically assume that if someone's throwing around insults they're talking about you…well, that says more about you than anyone else.”

Ruby frowned, picking at her food as Weiss and Yang fell back into an argument. That seemed to be all they ever did. Bicker and argue, constantly taking snipes at each other. 

“At least I have you,” Ruby mumbled, looking over to Emerald. “It's nice to know not everyone on our time is trying to kill each other.”

Emerald smiled. “Its only been a day. Give it time. I'm sure they'll get used to each other eventually.”

There was a loud thunk, and their heads turned to their side. Yang had stabbed a fork violently into the table, glaring daggers at Weiss. 

Emerald blinked. “Or one of them kills the other, and then it won't be anyone's problem anymore.”

She felt a strong hand pat her on the back, and looked up to find Jaune smiling down at her. “It won't come to that.” He frowned. “But, uh…I'm not exactly sure it's…safe for them to be partners. Have you tried talking to Goodwitch? See if she'd change her mind?”

“That was the first thing they did as soon as teams were announced,” Ruby said. “Goodwitch said the only way they aren't partners would be if they were no longer students at the school.”

“But she wouldn't actually let it get out of hand, would she?” Pyrrha forced a laugh. “Er…would she?”

“I just don't understand why?” Ruby complained. “They don't even know each other and they already decided they hate each other. I don't get it. We haven't even had the chance to unpack yet!” They had woken up and simply left their luggage in their room to grab breakfast before class. 

It was either that or start another fight over Weiss’s luggage, so Ruby had thought it would be a good idea to put off the problem until later, when everyone was properly awake and things had cooled down…except it didn't even matter because all they did was start arguing in the cafeteria.

Ugh. People were stupid. 

Pyrrha checked her scroll and frowned. “The first class of the year starts soon. We should probably get ready to go.”

“What class is it?” Ruby asked.

“Grimm studies,” Pyrrha answered. “Taught by some guy named Professor Port.”

“Hey, that sounds like fun!” Ruby smiled, trying to put some cheer into her voice. A good distraction would be just what the team needed. Something to keep their minds off…everything.

“Well it can't be worse than this,” Emerald sighed, stirring her spoon lazily in an empty bowl. 

Ruby forced herself to smile, standing up from the table determined to turn their first day at Beacon around. 

“This is gonna be great,” She murmured, nodding to herself. “Grimm studies, here we come!”

Weiss tried to listen to the old Professor’s lecture. She truly did. She had managed three pages of notes before her eyelids started to droop, and she decided to save her energy for focusing on his words, figuring that if she didn't get any more notes taken, at least she might be able to remember the important parts. 

But he just went on, and on, and on…it was neverending! She'd lost track sometime after he supposedly leapt from a bullhead mid flight to strike down a Nevermore in one fell strike, but had managed to tune back in right before he launched into the tale of a harrowing escape from a horde of Beowolves.

What were they even supposed to be learning? He wasn't teaching them anything, he was just making up stories about himself! 

All that time, all that careful consideration before she had decided to come to Beacon…and she was forced to sit through a lecture that made her want to cut her ears off, a partner that hated her no matter what she did or said, and a leader that probably still slept with a teddy bear.

This would never have happened in Atlas, a traitorous voice told her. 

Weiss tried to ignore it, but she couldn't disagree. Atlas would never tolerate someone like Yang for very long, and they certainly wouldn't have allowed a child into their academy. And at least in Atlas, she would be able to trust she'd get an actual education.

She shut her eyes. It doesn't matter what Atlas would have done. She wasn't in Atlas. She was in Beacon. And considering she had no desire whatsoever to return to Atlas…she had best get used to it.

“So…is this what class is supposed to be like?” Yang asked with a bored voice. “Just sit around all day listening to people talk?”

“Well of course it is!” Weiss sputtered. “What did you think it was gonna be? Have you never been in a school before?”

Yang rolled her eyes. “No, actually. That was sort of implied by me asking if this was what class was supposed to be like.” She frowned. “I don't get it. What are we learning by listening to mustache over there kill us with boredom?”

Weiss scowled. “Professor Port's lecture is very…anecdotal, but he's still a Huntsman. His stories could help save our lives one day.”

Yang snorted. “You want stories? I have stories. I killed a Boarbatusk once by snapping off its tusk and shoving it through its skull. See? Now that might actually help someone. More made up bullshit about how Mr. Perfect killed a thousand Grimm with his eyes closed is just gonna get people killed.”

“He's the Grimm studies professor for a reason,” Ruby tried to defend. “He must know what he's doing if Professor Goodwitch appointed him.”

“This is dumb,” Yang complained. “I thought we were supposed to learn how to fight?”

“Fighting requires more than blunt force,” Weiss chided. “We need to learn about our enemies before we can defeat them.”

“We can learn by killing them,” Yang argued. “Unless…you don't want to fight?”

Weiss could have screamed. Round and round, on and on, it was nothing but talking in circles with that girl! It was the same in the woods…Yang thought she couldn't fight, and Weiss had proven her wrong. She had thought that after initiation, maybe things might be getting better. Maybe Yang wouldn't be as bad as she thought.

But now it seemed everything had reverted, and nothing that had happened during initiation even mattered. It was maddening. Hadn't she proven herself? Why couldn't Yang just admit that Weiss deserved to be there at least as much as any other student? Pyrrha hadn't even had her aura unlocked before initiation, but Yang still decided it was Weiss who apparently didn't belong. 

The others were picking up on her anger. Out of the corner of her eyes she could see Pyrrha looking at her in concern, and beside her Jaune was frowning at Yang. Even the normally passive Emerald looked torn between saying something or staying silent. 

But none of them said a word. 

Weiss put a leash on her anger, clenching her fists before answering coldly. “Im more than capable of fighting the creatures of Grimm.”

“What was that?” A booming voice called from the center of the room, and Weiss froze. “Was that a volunteer from the young Miss Schnee?”

She turned her head to Professor Port, reddening. “Er…sir, what are you-”

“Wonderful!” The jovial professor clapped his hands together, gesturing for her to come down. It was only then she realized that Port had brought out a surprise. Held within a cage beside the professor, a Boarbatusk slammed its body against the trap, snorting and growling. “Come on down, Miss Schnee! Show your classmates the ferocity of a proper Huntress in training!”

Weiss blinked, still staring at the Boarbatusk. How did Port get that in here without me realizing? Has that really been here the whole time? She blanched. Maybe her bickering with Yang was distracting her more than she realized.

Yang snickered at Port's words. “Go on, Weiss,” She laughed. “Show us all how it's done.”

Weiss shot her one last glare, and stood up, grabbing her sword. Being the bigger person was all well and good, but she was still a Schnee. She still had her pride. And she could only suffer Yang’s ignorant remarks for so long.

It was time she reminded her partner just who she was. 

 A smirk found its way to her face as she walked down to Professor Port, holding Myrtenaster in a loose grip. She came to a stop, readying herself as she assumed a classical stance, one she had practiced countless times. 

It felt good. Very good. This was what she loved about fighting…form, function, precision, practice…an application of technique and knowledge, not simple brute strength. 

Professor Port gripped his axe. “Are you ready, Miss Schnee?”

“Hm,” She huffed. “Of course im-”

The Professor brought down his weapon with a grunt, smashing the lock as the Boarbatusk charged forward with a squeal. Weiss grimaced at being cut off, but adapted quickly. If she was going to be a Huntress, she needed to think on her feet.

She sidestepped the rampaging Grimm, slashing experimentally at its side as the creature passed her. 

It barreled forward, screeching to a halt before it slammed into a wall. It turned slowly, digging its hoof into the floor as it glared murderously at her. 

Weiss narrowed her own eyes, raising her sword. She spun Myrtenaster's revolver, and took a step back. She flourished her blade, and a glyph appeared, a hail of small fireballs emerging to hammer the Boarbatusk. 

It thrashed in anger, and Weiss watched carefully. She wasn't trying to truly hurt it, not yet. She needed to see how far she could go, she wanted to test how much the Grimm could withstand.

She tensed as the Boarbatusk snarled, the last of the flames licking at its body fading away. She changed her grip, ready to strike…

“Just kill the damn thing already,” A voice groaned from the crowd, throwing her off. She scowled at the familiar voice. “That's the point of this, isn't it?”

“I'm demonstrating,” Weiss growled, keeping her eyes on her enemy. “Stay out of it, Yang.”

Her partner snorted. “Demonstrating what?”

“You're doing great Weiss!” Ruby cheered emphatically beside her. “Keep it up!”

Weiss rolled her eyes and tried her best to ignore them. She darted forward, ducking so she could jab the tip of her sword up underneath its jaw. That would end things quickly…she'd like to see Yang find a problem with that.

She placed her off hand on the pommel, ready to drive the blade up, when once again her attention was drawn away. 

“Woo-hoo!” Ruby cheered, clapping her hands together. “You got this!”

“We're all cheering for you!” Pyrrha added.

“I mean, I was kind of rooting for the Grimm…” Yang shrugged.

“Will you all just shut-oof!” Weiss felt the air leave her lungs as the Boarbatusk threw her back, launching her off her feet. As she landed, she rolled, barely managing to stay on her knees and not fall on her back. 

Out of the corner of her eye she caught Ruby's hands going up to cover her mouth in shock, even as Yang jumped up into the air. “I knew you could do it, tusks!”

Weiss’s face twisted into rage, and she screamed in frustration. She was sick of Yang's constant taunting and infantile bickering. She was sick of listening to a child that didn't have any place at Beacon. She was sick of stupid Professors that spent all class wasting time with nonsense stories. 

Why was she the one that apparently had to prove herself after initiation? Not the fifteen year old girl? Not the troublemaker that cheered for a Grimm over her own partner?

It wasn't fair. Why did she have to try so much harder? What did she do to make Yang hate her so much? To make the Professor choose Ruby over her?

The Boarbatusk charged again, but this time Weiss didn't care about showing off. What good would it do when they were all so sure of themselves anyways? She was never going to change Yang's mind, so she was done trying.

She leapt over the Grimm easily, letting it pass her as she landed again, this time on her feet with perfect precision. She summoned a glyph, and shut her eyes. A moment of concentration, and a spear of ice appeared in the air just as the Grimm turned back around. She flicked her hand and the icicle went flying, piercing the Boarbatusk’s hide and shooting out through the back of its skull.

The Grimm stumbled forward, squealing as it fell, already disintegrating into wispy black smoke. Weiss lowered her sword with a grimace.

“Excellent showing Miss Schnee!” Port clapped. “A fine display of a Huntress in training! Decisive and elegant, but of course, with room for improvement.”

Room for…?

Weiss clenched her fist, her knuckles turning white. She glanced around her and suddenly felt every set of eyes glued to her at once. Her face reddened, and she felt her chest tighten. 

This was stupid. She wasn't shy, she'd performed dozens of shows for goodness sake! She shouldn't…she didn't…

They saw you fail, a cold voice cut through her mind. This was supposed to be a chance to prove herself, to show everyone that Yang was wrong. But then she’d gone and made a fool out of herself, and everyone was there to watch. 

She could see them. Ruby was smiling, but the brat would smile at anything. Emerald echoed her partner, but the smile was empty, patronizing. Jaune was frowning, Pyrrha was staring, they were all staring, why were they all still staring?!

Weiss kept her head high as she walked away, careful not to betray any of her true feelings as she did. She was a Schnee. She had her pride. They didn't have to like her, but they could never take that away from her. 

“Weiss! That was awesome! You totally kicked its…butt…” Ruby's smile widened as she approached, and slowly fell as Weiss walked past her. “Er…yeah! Go get some rest! You definitely earned it.”

Weiss flinched at her words, but ignored the sting. She didn't need rest. Did Ruby think one Boarbatusk was enough to wear her out?

“Miss Schnee…where are you going?” Professor Port called from behind her. Weiss ignored him, pushing open the door and leaving his classroom. She couldn't take anymore of that blasted staring…she needed to breathe. She needed to get away. 

Weiss rubbed her palm against her eye, furiously rubbing away her tears as they began to fall, and she quietly began to sniffle.

"What's her problem?” Yang frowned.

Emerald looked at her in disbelief. “Dude?”

“What?” Yang demanded. “If you've got something to say, say it!”

Ruby cleared her throat. “Um…I think maybe Weiss thought you weren't being the most…supportive?” 

“I was cheering, wasn't I?”

“For the Grimm,” Emerald reminded her.

“Yeah,” Yang nodded in agreement. “It got her angry. And she won, didn't she? It all worked out in the end.” She didn't see what the big deal was. Mom had made sure she learned from a young age that her anger could be used as a weapon. The angrier you were, the harder you hit, the less the pain hurt.

“I think maybe you crossed a line,” Jaune said. He was looking at her all weird, frowning like he was judging her. 

Yang scowled in response. “I think maybe it's none of your business.”

“Guys, please…” Ruby groaned, her head falling into her hands. 

“Ahem…I think that will be all, today,” The Professor said. “Class dismissed.”

The students poured out of Port's classroom eagerly, desperate to get away. Yang didn't blame them. She knew it might take a while to get used to life at Beacon, but her idea of classes were like involved more…learning.

As soon as they were free, Ruby split away, heading off down a hall Yang didn't recognize. “Where's she going?”

“Probably going to look for Weiss,” Emerald said, before checking her scroll. “We don't have class for another hour, then it's back to back classes for the rest of the day.”

“Well we do,” Pyrrha said hurriedly. “Come on, we're gonna be late!” She pulled urgently on Jaune's arm as they hurried down the hall, their teammates following suit.

“So…what now?” Yang asked. She never stopped to think about what they were supposed to do at Beacon when they weren't at class. Were they supposed to spar? “Ruby and Weiss have screwed off, and the others are stuck in class. Do we just…stand around?”

Emerald shrugged. “We can do whatever we want until classes. I'm gonna go see if I can't take a quick nap.”

Yang glanced around awkwardly. “But…what do I do?”

Emerald raised an eyebrow. “You know, I didn't think you of all people would be asking for direction.”

Yang scowled. “I'm not used to this, asshole. I'm trying not to screw up my shot here.” She hadn't gone through all that effort just to get kicked out of Beacon.

“Well you're fine,” Emerald reassured her. “Just make sure you're back in time for class, and don't break anything or anyone…and you can do whatever.” She frowned. “Word of advice though…if you really are planning on staying…it wouldn't kill you to play nice with Weiss.”

Yang rolled her eyes as Emerald walked away. Twice now someone decided to butt in and comment on her and Weiss. What was their problem? She was playing nice!

Sure, she'd be the first to admit things had started off…rocky. And maybe, maybe she had been a bit more harsh towards the girl than she probably deserved.

But they'd reached an understanding during initiation. Weiss had actually handled herself pretty well, and Yang had eased up a little in turn. 

They argued, yeah, and bickered, but it was all in good fun. Back in the tribe the worst thing you could do was ignore someone. The ones you liked were the ones you argued with the most. Ruby was too young, and Emerald never rose to her prodding, but Weiss never backed down, and she always gave as good as she got. Yang liked that. 

In a strange school that worked off of rules that made no sense to her, she needed at least one thing that was familiar. Teasing Weiss took her mind off of how different everything was. It reminded her of home. It…helped. A lot, actually. 

Screw the others. She didn't care what they thought. Weiss knew what she meant. None of it meant anything. It was a game to see how far you could go, just like home. Rich people did something like that, didn't they? They had all those parties, and sipped a bunch of fancy wine, and tried to insult each other without actually saying it.

At least, she assumed that's what they did. 

It didn't matter. Emerald, Ruby, Jaune…they didn't know anything. She and Weiss were cool. It was fine. 

Of course it was.

One week ago

Blake Belladonna had been in Vale barely a month, and already she decided that she hated it. 

It was everything she thought it would be. Everything Adam told her it would be. Oh sure, it looked pretty enough in the light of day, where all the imperfections were hidden away and ignored in favor of the imaginary paradise they all seemed to prefer. 

But when night fell, the truth slipped through the cracks. Vale was no different from any other human city. Corrupt, rotten, prejudiced. It may not be Haven, or Atlas, but the stink of oppression was thick enough it left a poor taste in her mouth, and set a burning fire in her stomach at the injustice. 

She had watched as her brothers and sisters suffered, from petty acts of vandalism to more serious crimes. She watched as the police did nothing, letting their pleas for aid go unanswered, while any human with a crying child gets all the time of day they could ask for. She wanted so badly to set things right. For the White Fang to show the world that freedom and peace did not apply to only part of the population. To show Vale what justice truly was. 

But that was not why she had come to Vale. And it wasn't why she perched in the rafters of a warehouse, hidden from view. 

Blake crept forward quietly, crawling along the metal beams. An hour had passed since she had crawled in through the skylight, an hour spent waiting. 

And finally, her patience was rewarded. 

A figure in white stumbled into the warehouse, cursing loudly. A figure Blake would have preferred to avoid, but the choice had been taken out of her hands.

Of all of her problems with Vale, Roman Torchwick was certainly high on the list. A wannabe human crime boss who had his fingers dipped in every manner of organized crime within the Kingdom. If she could point to a single person to symbolize the sickness at the heart of Vale, she would point to Torchwick, and to men like Torchwick. 

Bile rose in her throat, and she scowled in disgust. She had heard more than she ever wanted to about Torchwick in the month since her arrival. A common criminal, content to hold onto his small sliver of perceived power at any cost. 

A quick glance around the warehouse assured her they were still alone. Blake chose her moment, jumping down and landing on a wooden crate, towering over the thief. 

“Roman Torchwick,” She growled, filling her voice with as much disdain as she could muster. 

He whipped around towards the sound of her voice, naked fear shining in his eyes. He searched frantically in the shadows, before finally looking up. The second he saw her she noticed his shoulders fall in relief, the fear leaving in an instant, though he still lifted his cane, pointing the tip towards her as a small gunsight appeared. “Now what's a nice young lady like you doing in a dingy old warehouse like this? It's dangerous to wander around this late…”

Blake stepped forward, just enough to let the skylight illuminate her. Roman frowned, stepping back. “I’m not the one in danger,” She snarled viciously. “I know who you are. A thief, a criminal. You prey on the weak and defenseless, and enrich yourself on their suffering. You have failed the people of Vale. You are a cancer on this Kingdom.”

Roman rolled his eyes. “What, did you practice that in the mirror?” Blake reddened. “I mean, don't get me wrong, I've got a flair for the dramatic myself, but uh, here's a little tip for you sweetheart. If you're trying to frighten someone, maybe don't just…describe them?” He shrugged. “I'm a thief, yes. This isn't news to anybody. The question is who the hell are you, and why do you care?”

“I am a sword of justice,” Blake declared proudly. “A warrior for-”

“Yeah, White Fang, got it,” He waved his cane as if hurrying her up. “Should have guessed that from the start. No one else sounds so pompous.” He sighed, lowering his cane. “Look, I don't know where you've been, but in case you didn't get the memo, I'm working with the White Fang.” He grinned. “We're thick as thieves.”

She scowled, leaping off the wooden container and landing in front of him. “I don't know what lies you've fed them, or how you managed to trick them, but I know the White Fang would never work with someone like you.”

“I'll have you know I'm a perfect gentleman.”

“You're a human thief!” Blake hissed.

Roman tsked. “That's just racist, kid.”

Blake growled, and Gambol Shroud appeared in her hand. She let the blade fall, letting the weapon swing as she gripped the ribbon.

Roman kept his smile, but his eyes flickered dangerously down at her weapon. “Now let's just take a second here before we do something we might regret…”

Blake stepped forward. “It isn't my regrets you should be worrying about,” She taunted. It felt good to finally watch him squirm. “How much harm have you done in your lifetime? How much suffering have you caused?” The grip on Gambol Shrouds ribbon tightened. “I think it's time to start paying your dues…”

Roman paled, his face twisting into one of terror, and for a moment Blake nearly grinned…

…Until she realized that Roman wasn't looking at her anymore. He was looking behind her.

“I thought I told you to keep an eye on your partner?” A voice crooned from behind her, and Blake froze, eyes shooting open in fear.

“I tried,” Another voice answered. “She's a lot more slippery than she looks.”

“Blake,” The first voice called. “Come,” She ordered.

Blake obeyed without question, too terrified to utter a word of protest. She sheathed Gambol Shroud, lowering her head as she slinked back. 

Cinder Fall strutted confidently, sparing her only a glance before marching towards Roman. She stopped, her heels clacking against the floor as she tsked. “Forgive her. Blake is a…recent development. I fear she's still excitable.”

“Excitable?” Roman shouted. “The crazy bitch tried to kill me!”

“Now, now,” Cinder hushed. “I'm sure that was just a misunderstanding. After all…” Cinder looked back to her. “Blake here wouldn't do something so foolish. Not when she knows how important you are to us, Roman…would she?”

Blake shook her head fervently. “No, ma’am. I wouldn't.” Inwardly, she cursed. How the hell was Cinder here? Blake had taken precautions, she covered her tracks, she had waited until she knew Cinder would be occupied. 

Cinder turned back to Roman with a smile. “See? A misunderstanding.”

“But-”

“I'm sure she only wanted to look out for our interests, to take initiative and see to it personally how your operations were unfolding.” Cinder’s expression darkened. “Of course, she seems to have forgotten that it isn't her place to think, only obey.”

Blake winced, but thankfully Cinder didn't linger on the point. “I trust you are following our timeline?”

Roman spared one last scowl towards Blake, before nodding back to Cinder. “Yes,” He answered. “There were a few…ah, setbacks…” Cinder raised an eyebrow, and he was quick to clarify. “...but none you aren't aware of,” He assured her. “That brat in the cape was the biggest issue. We just need a bit of time to make up the difference, and we'll be back on track.”

“A pity then that time is the one thing you do not have,” Cinder said. “Our deadline is closing in…but I suppose for the most part we are on course. Do what you need to, but the dust is a priority.”

“Of course,” Roman nodded. “It won't be an issue.”

“See that it isn't,” Cinder said, turning back. “I have matters of my own to attend to. Appearances to keep up. A friend in Atlas to whisper sweet little lies to. Mercury…take our little kitty back home. I fear we've let her roam too much recently.”

Mercury nodded, and shared a silent look with Blake. She followed after him sheepishly, thankful she wouldn't have to deal with Cinder any longer.

Her hopes that they might go back in silence were squashed almost as soon as they were out of earshot, hidden away in an alley.

“You're going to get us killed,” He said.

She scowled. “I went alone,” She said. “It didn't have anything to do with you.”

“That's the problem,” Mercury sighed in exasperation. “Do you have any idea how pissed Cinder was when she found out you went alone?”

“I wouldn't be alone if I could count on my partner to back me up,” Blake snapped before she could stop herself.

Mercury laughed. “Partner? Look, let's get this straight, okay? I'm not your partner, I'm your babysitter.” Blake opened her mouth to protest, but Mercury didn't let her. “We needed a replacement, and your boyfriend sent us you. So for now, we’ll all have to make it work. But get this through your head before you do something stupid. Cinder is the one calling the shots here. Not your boyfriend. Not Torchwick. Cinder. Got that?”

Blake swallowed nervously, but nodded. She still wasn't sure what to think of Mercury. Sometimes he seemed indifferent, sometimes not. But she knew better than to antagonize him right after she screwed up.

He seemed satisfied with that, and nodded to himself. “Good. You can tell yourself whatever you want, that you're furthering the agenda of the White Fang, that you're doing this for that douche with the horns, I don't care. But anything that you screw up, Cinder is gonna hold me accountable for as well. And I am not dying for some brat with a deluded sense of justice.” 

“Fine,” She crossed her arms. “I made a mistake. It won't happen again.”

“Good,” Mercury said. “Make sure it doesn't.” He paused. “And that goes for your little side mission as well.”

Blake froze, her ears shooting to attention. “I don't know what you're talking about,” She lied instinctively. He doesn't know. He can't know.

“Look, I don't give a shit who you're looking for,” Mercury sighed. “Honestly. But asking questions around town is gonna draw attention, especially if I already found out about it. Cinder doesn't like it if she thinks you're distracted. If you're trying to find someone, go for it, but Cinder comes first. And if I were you, I'd try to be a little more subtle.”

“I…” Blake winced. “Right. Yeah, that's fine.”

Mercury nodded, then tucked his hands in his pockets and began walking away. “Come on. Now that we've got that sorted, we can maybe get back and give Cinder some time to vent her anger. You need to steer clear after nights like this. Better you catch on now than wind up like the last one.”

Blake trailed after him, lost in thought. This…this wasn't anything like she thought it would be. Like Adam said it would be. She was supposed to be working with like minded humans in Vale, allies who would support the White Fang. She was supposed to be helping the cause, not busting up dust shops in the middle of the night. 

And worse, if Mercury knew about what she was doing in her off time, that could cause problems. Question is, how much does he know? He didn't seem to know who she was looking for, at least. That was something.

Then his words caught up to her, and she frowned. “What do you mean, the last one?”

This one took a little longer. For some reason Weiss’s pov was super hard to get through. Still, I like the way it turned out.

And Blake has arrived! I'm very excited about her. I wonder if anyone has any idea who she's looking for for? As a hint…when I mentioned there were a few HUGE twists/reveals I had in store, that would be one of them for sure. 

I hope I properly nailed the dynamic between her and Mercury. That's gonna play an important role in the story to come, so I'm trying to get it right from the get go, lol. 

Thank you all for reading!