Whew… Hey guys. Do you know what sucks?

Writer's block sucks. This chapter was a struggle, putting it mildly. Odd, right? Who struggles with mostly happy breather chapters, I mean, honestly? I do, apparently. But, it's done! I haven't abandoned you!

Volume 4… October 22nd… I am hyped, but also not hyped. I really want this story to be complete by then, and I'm sure you guys do too. I'll do my best! The schedule is henceforth suspended. Chapters will come out when they're done from here on out… Volume 4 approaches, and I must say, Weiss is one pretty lady. I mean, seriously, have you seen her V4 design?

Big thanks to Masasin for beta-ing and putting up with my poor understanding of gentile vs. gentle! (FYI, one is a term referring to anyone not of the Jewish faith, the other is to grasp lightly. I do words good.)

Without further ado, let the sap flow through you!

"It seems that my life follows the moon. At times it's half empty…"

"And, sometimes, it's full."

Blake stared across nearly undisturbed snow through Yang's bedroom window, early winter chill held at bay by a thick, yellow and black comforter and the sleeping blonde's immense natural warmth. A small, contented smile graced her lips as her eyes wandered between the stout tree the two of them had shared and Patch's largest town nestled below the cliffs. Dawn still lay a ways off, but the nighttime glow held its own appeal. The warm, yellow-orange glow of sodium streetlights contrasted vividly with midnight blue and soft, welcoming moonlight.

It's like my own private painting, Blake thought with a small hum. I could lay here forever, just watching, especially with my Little Sun Dragon at my back.

She could feel the blonde behind her shift and squirm slightly every once in a while, trying to move into a more comfortable position. Still, Yang's touch never strayed from her body. Whether it was a soft hand, smooth skin, or simply a light pressure, the Dragon kept in contact unconsciously. Blake fought down a hiss as chilled steel wrapped around her bare stomach and pulled her tight against its owner's chest. Blake's index finger traced the augment's edges and lines lazily, pondering its existence while the brawler snored softly in her ear. Guilt tugged at her heart. Unsure of what else to do, Blake slid her hand down the cybernetic's length and entwined her fingers with the Dragon's claw. She squeezed Yang's new hand gently.

I'm so sorry, Yang… Blake thought, forcing her eyes closed in a wince.

A small, firm pulse answered hers, surprisingly lifelike, considering. Blake pulled the mechanical hand upward and pressed it into her chest insistently, directly over her heart. She held it there and nestled back into the blonde, desperate to know, to feel, that Yang really was alright. Her partner responded, stirring slightly before tugging her closer, and Blake heard Yang's breathing spike. "Are you awake, Yang?" She asked softly, careful to keep her voice nary a whisper in case the blonde hadn't actually rejoined the waking world.

A small, content groan came from the brawler's lips. "Hrm… Yeah," she said sleepily, tugging on Blake's side. "C'mere…"

Blake smiled and spun in Yang's arms, wrapping her own around her partner's neck. She tugged Yang's head towards hers and pressed their lips together, intent on showing the blonde how much she'd missed her. They lay there for minutes, passing loving kisses between themselves, completely lost in the feel of one another and so very glad to be here in this very moment, alive.

Eventually, Blake parted and pressed her forehead against Yang's. The blonde wore the goofiest ear-to-ear grin beneath her closed eyelids. "This is the best," Yang moaned.

"Mmm," Blake hummed affectionately, letting a rumbling purr echo into the room thereafter. She pulled Yang's mechanical hand into her own and pressed a kiss to the back of it. "Yang…" She began hesitantly, unable to voice the guilt-ridden question floating around in her mind.

"Whassup, kitten?" Yang drawled, letting violet open slowly above her sunny smile.

"How much… How much can you feel… With this?" Blake asked in a whisper, lifting Yang's hand, unable to stop tears from forming.

Yang's expression softened as she pulled her augmented hand free of Blake's fingers and pressed it to the girl's cheek. Mechanical fingers traced the smooth, angular curves of her partner's face, barely indenting Blake's skin as they mapped its surface. "Everything. I can feel everything," she soothed. "It's almost like I never lost it."

Blake brought her own hand up to grip Yang's, pressing it into her cheek and squeezing its digits. "Really?" She half-begged, smiling despite her tears.

"Really," Yang whispered back before kissing Blake's forehead and giggling slightly. "So try not to worry, okay? I'm fine, better than fine! I've got my kitty-cat back."

Blake tilted her head up and stole a quick kiss while wiping tears from her eyes. "Okay…"

Yang beamed down at her. "It's actually kinda cool having a robot arm. Wanna see a trick?"

"Sure," the ravenette said, still a little misty-eyed.

The blonde smirked down at her and raised her hand in front of Blake's eyes. The mechanical appendage threw up its index and pinky fingers, miming horns, before spinning in a complete circle about the wrist, complete with a little musical ditty. "Ta-da!" Yang whisper-shouted theatrically.

Blake snickered at Yang's dramatics before losing it completely when Yang tilted her head slightly, splayed all her fingers, and shook her hands in a motion the Xiao-Long-Rose sisters often called 'jazz hands'. The faunus' belly laugh filled the room and brought a huge, toothy grin to Yang's face.

"Better now, Blakey?" She said, pulling her kitten back into herself.

"Mmm, much better," Blake replied, staring deeply into gorgeous purple. "Thank you, Sunshine…"

Yang's lips met Blake's again. "Anytime, kitten. Anytime."

"I don't think this is a good idea, Ruby." Weiss warned from behind her team leader.

The brunette in question had an ear pressed to her sister's door. Early morning sunlight filtered into the hall, illuminating the mellow, wooden browns and reflecting off the heiress' stark-white pajamas. Ruby waved off Weiss' concerns haphazardly. "Oh, c'mon Weiss! What's the worst that could happen?"

The white haired girl rolled her eyes. "Oh, I don't know, perhaps getting your head blown off by a startled berserker? Or maybe beaten to a pulp by a certain black-haired friend of ours, who just so happens to have spent the last two months hiding from the White Fang?"

"You worry too much! It's Yang and Blake!" Ruby countered, bouncing excitedly on the balls of her feet. "It's tradition! Do it for the nostalgia, Ice Queen!"

"Fine," Weiss agreed despite her exasperated sigh. "I take no responsibility for the consequences of your orders, team leader."

"Yes!" The Reaper exclaimed, placing her hand on the unlocked door. A quick twist and trust slammed the door open, clearing the way for Ruby's time-honored shout. "GOOOOOD MORNING TEEEEEEEAM RWBY!"

Instead of groans or threats, however, silence and two sets of saucer-wide, panicked eyes greeted her from the bed. Ruby gaped at the scene she interrupted before blushing furiously. Her two teammates, one of which was her sister, lay covered from the waist down by Yang's black and yellow comforter, which, incidentally, was the only fabric present on the bed. Blake, being the quick thinker of the two, threw herself atop the blonde in an effort to preserve what little remained of their modesty.

"Get out!" Yang yelled, blushing furiously. The berserker chucked a pillow forcefully into her baby sister's face for good measure.

Ruby turned on her heel, hid her face beneath her hood, and fled the room, muttering quickly and loudly all the way back to the kitchen. "Ew, ew, ew ew ew ew…"

"For the record, I advised against that particular course of action," Weiss intoned from the hallway, facing away from the door but unable to hide her amusement. "When you two are… finished, please join us in the kitchen. Professor Goodwitch was nice enough to prepare breakfast."

Weiss strolled down the now familiar corridor with a smile on her face, laughing inwardly at Ruby's predictable reaction to her sister's choice of early morning activities and the muffled arguing coming from the room behind her. The tantalizing smell of bacon, syrup, and freshly baked waffles grew steadily during her short walk back to the kitchen. Glynda hovered between the cooking range and the island inside, transferring mouthwatering food between hot cookware and serving plates. A pleasant, simple melody hummed from her upturned lips as she worked, lending a bit of quaint elegance to the strange domestic scene.

The heiress pulled a high-backed chair out from the island and threw an arm around the pouting team leader already seated in front of the steaming food. Ruby's forehead rested on the granite countertop, hidden from view underneath her ever-present hood. "I told you it was a bad idea, dolt," Weiss teased lightly.

Ruby replied in a haunted voice. "They were so quiet… How were they so quiet? I should've been able to hear something…"

"Perhaps they were simply making an effort not to intrude," Weiss suggested.

The Reaper shot up and grabbed her lover by the shoulders, shaking her insistently. "It's not possible, Weiss! Even when we're trying to be sneaky, we could never be that quiet! It's. Not. Natural!"

Blushing furiously, Weiss stuttered. "I- Ruby! You- That's supposed to be private, you dunce!"

Much to the flustered heiress' relief, she was rescued by Goodwitch's sharp snort and peal of alto laughter. "I believe you're embarrassing your partner, Miss Rose," the Professor chided jokingly, wearing a wide smile beneath twinkling emerald eyes.

Abruptly, Ruby realized what she'd done and dropped her maniacal gaze. "Sorry, Weiss…"

"It's fine, I suppose," Weiss said unconvincingly, rolling her eyes. "Not like secrets stay secrets around here anyways."

"Extracurricular… activities aside, perhaps we should eat." Glynda suggested diplomatically. "Will Miss Xiao-Long and Miss Belladonna be joining us?"

"They're… uhm… a bit tied up at the moment," Ruby replied sheepishly. "Maybe give 'em five minutes?"

"Ah," Glynda said knowingly. "So the Beacon Curse has ensnared team RWBY as well."

"Kinda, yea."

"Kind of?" Weiss snarked. "Did you see those two on the ride back?"

Glynda merely shook her head in disbelief. "Honestly, sometimes I believe Ozpin deliberately pairs teams to encourage this behavior. His track record is stunningly impressive."

"Is it all that bad, Professor?" Weiss asked.

The stern bit of Glynda scoffed at the heiress' remark. "It's not exactly conducive to a studious environment, Miss Schnee."

"Maybe he just wanted to see us happy…" Ruby suggested in deeper tones, drawing a surprised gape out of Goodwitch and a smug smile from Weiss. Encouraged by the uncomfortable silence beginning to stretch into the space, she rambled. "I mean, maybe he was just trying to look out for our mental health as much as our physical? Especially considering what happened… We all could use a little love after that…" A few contemplative seconds stretched out before a shocked look ensnared Ruby's face, followed closely by watering eyes. "Poor Jaune... I hope he's okay…"

"Maybe we should try to get a hold of him, Ren, and Nora. Check up on them?" Weiss suggested heavily.

"Yeah…" Ruby agreed as a couple tears dropped.

"Miss Rose?" Glynda prompted. "Are you alright? What have I missed?"

Ruby shook her head, sniffling and screwing her eyes closed. "Yes… No… I dunno. I'm just tired of being the one who has to tell everyone the news…"

Weiss wrapped a comforting arm around her partner. "It's okay, Ruby, I'll tell her."

"Thanks Weiss..." The Reaper whispered, burying her head in her arms.

"Tell me what, Miss Schnee?" Glynda asked apprehensively.

"Pyrrha died trying to defend the school tower from Cinder Fall. Ruby and I tried to get there to help, but we were too late."

Glynda paled. "No. No, you must be mistaken."

Ruby looked up, moonlight shining in her eyes. "We're not, Professor. I saw the whole thing…"

Glynda choked back a sob. "Gods… I'm so sorry, girls… This is our fault."

"What do you mean, Professor?" Weiss asked just as Yang and Blake wandered sleepily into the room laughing lightly. Their chuckles died when they both spied Glynda and Ruby's tears coupled with Weiss' downcast face.

"What'd we miss?" Yang asked, immensely worried.

"Just…" Weiss began brokenly. "Just telling Professor Goodwitch the news… About Pyrrha."

"Oh."

Blake cut in. "Are you two going to be alright?"

Glynda nodded, but Ruby spoke up. "I don't know, Blake… But I think it's time we had that team meeting we talked about on the ship. Grab some food and we'll go to the living room, we've got a lot to talk about."

Team RWBY plus one ex-Professor cluttered silently around the coffee table while a small fire crackled in the hearth. They ate silently and quickly, keeping to themselves. Everyone knew who'd be the one to start everything off, and they were more than willing to give the diminutive Reaper the time she needed to compose herself. Glynda's excellent food disappeared from plates over the course of a few minutes. Then, the Reaper's fork clinked against ceramic and stayed there.

"Okay guys," Ruby began in a small voice. "What do you want to know… About what happened after we picked Blake up."

Weiss leaned close, put a hand on Ruby's shoulder, and looked her partner dead in the eyes with the softest expression the brunette had ever seen grace her partner's angular features. "Everything."

Ruby sighed as her shoulders drooped. "Okay… Okay," she resolved. "I guess I should start at the beginning."

The heiress twisted round and sat down next to her, pulling her into a one-armed embrace. "Take your time," she offered, watching as the others donned serious expressions and focused on their leader or former student.

Ruby's voice remained low, almost tired. "So, you guys already know about Pyrrha and how I saw Cinder execute her…" The rest of the room nodded slowly in assent. "After I saw her burn away, something inside me kind of… snapped," she explained, pointing to her heart.

"What did it feel like, Miss Rose?" Glynda asked.

Ruby winced slightly. "It felt like… glass breaking followed by a rush of cold, white water. Then, this whiteness was everywhere, flooding all my muscles with incredible power. I couldn't hope to hold it all in."

"That's what that light was…" Weiss mused.

Blake hummed in agreement. "That must've been what froze that Dragon up on the tower."

Ruby nodded. "I think so. I couldn't really see what was going on. The weird thing, though, is that somehow the power felt familiar, like I'd known it was there, deep down, ever since I first found my Aura."

A few seconds silence stretched into the room before Yang suggested something. "Sounds a lot like what it felt like to unlock my Semblance."

"It does, doesn't it?" Weiss vocalized.

"Is that what it is, Professor?" Ruby questioned. "Is this a part of my Semblance? Qrow didn't know much about it, just some legend about silver-eyed warriors."

Glynda shook her head regretfully. "I'm afraid not. It seems like you've inherited your mother's… gift."

Blake's eyes narrowed. "It sounds like you don't consider it much of a gift, Professor."

Glynda sighed. "Ruby, how much have your father and Qrow told you about your mother and the power?"

"Uhm… Not a lot?" She answered shyly. "Why, do you know something?"

"I spent a considerable amount of time with team STRQ during my youth, much like yourselves and team JNPR," Goodwitch explained. "After Summer found the power, she struggled, became withdrawn, and began hiding from the rest of us. Most of our classmates didn't notice, but I made a point to investigate."

"You were worried about her," Yang surmised.

"I- Yes, Yang," Glynda confirmed, surprised. "I began listening in on STRQ during their training and team outings, and I heard some worrying things. Summer was complaining not just of physical pains, but mental ones as well. I heard her talk about feeling dreadful things, overpowering anger and a desire to lash out chief among them." Four sets of eyes shifted to the downcast brunette leader seated between them. "I'm guessing Miss Rose has experienced similar feelings."

When the Reaper said nothing, her sister spoke up while tears glistened in violet eyes. "Ruby? Have you?" She asked, afraid she already knew the answer.

A small, shallow whisper answered the brawler. "Yes."

Yang stood and crossed over to Ruby, knelt down, and pulled the brunette's hands into her own. "Tell me about it," she begged. "I'll understand more than anyone, you know that."

Ruby looked up into her sister's eyes, crying faintly. "Promise you won't hate me?"

"I could never hate you, sis." Yang comforted, squeezing Ruby's hands gently.

The brunette nodded hesitantly. "Okay…" She began, shifting her gaze about the room. "After… After my sight came back, up there on the tower, I got my first good look at Cinder. She looked so angry, like some child who'd been denied dessert. I remember hearing a question. What gives her the right to be so upset when you're the one who just lost everything? I don't know if I asked it, or if someone or something asked it for me. It sounded like my voice, but it's not something I would've asked… After that, I felt so angry, Yang, more than I've ever been. It wasn't a familiar anger, either. It was cold, furious, and wild. It made me want to rend and tear Cinder apart just to make her pay for what she'd done. I felt like I'd never be satisfied until she understood just how much she'd hurt all of us…"

Yang pulled Ruby tight to her, wrapping both her arms around her protectively. "Keep going, I know there's more sis…" She encouraged, waiting to hear the rest of Ruby's story.

The brunette buried her face in Yang's shoulder, once again feeling like the scared, ashamed little girl she'd been years ago. "The worst part is… I gave into it, Yang. I let it drive me, and I liked it. I liked how it drove the power through my veins, giving me more strength and speed. I liked how it built a scythe just for me, one sharp enough to cut through Cinder's Aura like it wasn't even there. I tortured her, Yang, cut off her arm instead of just killing her. I drove her mad with fear."

Weiss and Blake shuddered at the revelation. It just seemed so alien, coming from their happy-go-lucky leader. Yang, however, just pulled Ruby closer, waiting for her to ask the question the blonde herself had asked her father the night she'd discovered her Dragonfire.

"What kind of terrible monster am I that I could make the woman who did all this afraid?"

Silence enveloped the room. Slowly, Yang pulled Ruby away and placed her palms on either side of her sister's face. Deep blue eyes locked onto twitching silver, strong and unwavering. "Did I ever tell you what happened the night I unlocked my Semblance, Rubes?"

"N-no…" Ruby stuttered.

Yang grinned. "I was out walking years ago, looking for Raven. It was right after Qrow saved us. Gods, I was such a stupid kid…" Ruby cracked a small grin at the self-depreciating humor. "I'm sure you remember that night when Dad had to leave you with Qrow because some girl found a nest of Grimm. Well, I was that girl, and it wasn't a nest. It was a pack of Beowolves which had found their way into the protected area of the forest and cornered a family. By the time I got there, they'd already killed the parents. I stood there, watching them go in for the kill on two helpless little girls. They reminded me of me and you helpless in that clearing. Something in me decided that wouldn't happen again. I don't remember much after, only being covered in Grimm blood watching two Beowolves flee from me. I went to see the girls in the hospital after, and they cowered under their covers till I left. Do you know what I asked Dad after that?"

Ruby shook her head.

"What kind of monster am I? I saved them, but they're afraid of me… I made the Grimm run…" Yang whispered lowly. "So I'll tell you the same thing Dad told me, Rubes. You're not a monster, you're just human. Anger's a part of us, just as much as love or happiness. The trick is to use it for good, and I know you're good, Rubes. Better than I am, better than any of us."

"…Really? Even after what I did?" The brunette choked out hesitantly.

"Really," Yang promised. "I've heard the voice too. So don't worry, it's not evil. It showed me how to save Blake."

"How?" Ruby asked, perking up slightly. "Is that why your eyes are blue now?"

Yang smiled and stood, satisfied Ruby was recovering. "Blue eyes, huh? Didn't know that… Guess I really am like Dad," she said, turning to look at the rest of the room. Weiss, Blake, and Glynda all wore various levels of shock and melting warmth.

"Your Semblance spoke to you, Yang?" Blake asked. "I've never heard of that."

"I have," Glynda added. "It's rare, exceedingly so, usually only occurring right on the edge of death. Some who've studied Aura speculate it's a hallucinatory phenomenon or somehow adrenaline based. I've never met anyone who's experienced it."

"If it was a hallucination, it was a damned good one. I had a conversation with it. Looked like Dad, only he was a legit dragon-person, golden scales and everything."

"And you say it showed you how to save Blake?"

"Well, more like how to not die to Banesaw. Want a demo?"

"Please," Glynda said, holding a palm up.

Yang snapped both arms down with a small shout. Fire snapped to life, twisting about her frame while small arcs of blue lightning danced about her fluttering hair. "It's called Sun Dragon Ascendant, or at least, I think it is," Yang explained. "Not sure how I know that."

Glynda smirked. "Well, it looks like the Xiao-Long genes are just as strong as ever. You look just like your father after he figured out how to focus that particular Semblance. I was hoping you'd inherited it from him."

Yang let her fire extinguish. "Glad I did, Prof. I'd be dead without it."

"What about Ruby?" Weiss asked, annoyed at the shift in conversation. "This power sounds too dangerous to use."

"I agree," Blake added.

Yang shook her head, replying firmly. "No, this isn't something to run from. She's gotta learn to control it, just like Uncle Qrow told her. Otherwise, It'll just control her. Trust me, I know."

"I think it's just a little bit different from your Semblance, Yang," Weiss hissed back.

Yang spun to look Weiss in the eyes. "I appreciate you being all concerned for Rubes, Ice Queen, but you gotta' trust me on this one. Sounds like our Mom already tried the hiding thing. Didn't pan out so well, or were you not paying attention for once in your life?"

"I won't let her lose herself to this! I can't!" Weiss shouted, standing, fists balled.

"Guys," Ruby cut in, still whispering as she stood to move between them. Despite her quietness, both women heard her and stopped arguing. "Weiss, Yang's right. I won't hide from this," she said, producing a small, glowing white emblem of a spear and shield nestled in her palm. "I'm going to master it. It's an advantage we can't afford to ignore."

"But-"

"Weiss, no," the Reaper interrupted. "I won't end up like my Mom. I won't abandon you, or Yang, or Blake. I promise."

The heiress took a moment to compose herself, head in her hands.

"Feeling better, Rubes?" Yang asked.

"Yeah, thanks sis. Take a seat, I've got a question to ask everybody."

Yang sat down next to Blake, casually wrapping an arm around the faunus girl's shoulders. "What's on your mind, Rubes?"

The Reaper looked around to each one of her team mates. "I know everybody knows this already, but there's a war going on right now. My question is, do you guys want to fight?"

"Like there's even a doubt," Weiss snarked. "I won't sit here idle."

"I agree with Weiss," Blake said, passing a small smile to the heiress.

Yang shifted her eyes between the three other members of her team. Shortly after, she chuckled darkly. "Welp, looks like you got me too, Rubes. Can't let Blakey here go out without her partner, now can I?"

"Good," Ruby sighed, relieved. "We need a plan, then. Any suggestions?"

"We should finish outfitting The Nevermore," Weiss offered. "It's weaponry hasn't been installed or calibrated, and it's missing half its armor and engine protection. I don't want to have another engine failure."

"I can help with that," Yang volunteered. "Blake needs a new weapon, too." The brawler raised a hand to cut off her sister before she offered to help. "No offense, Rubes, but I wanna be the one to make it."

"Aww…" Ruby said, deflating a bit. "Guess I'll just have to be happy with the ship."

"I think we should look into ground transport," said Blake. "That corvette isn't exactly subtle."

"I've already got my machines working away on replacement parts for Bumblebee," Yang answered.

Blake rolled her eyes playfully. "Of course you do. That's still only wheels for two, and there are four of us, in case it escaped your notice."

"I wouldn't worry about that, Blake," Weiss replied lightly.

Yang cocked her head. "What'da mean, princess?"

"I'll explain later," the heiress deflected before shifting her attention to Glynda. "Professor, would you mind overseeing some sparring?"

"I think that's an excellent idea, Miss Schnee." Glynda praised.

"Right," Ruby agreed, having regained her hard leader's edge. "So, we've got The Nevermore, Blake's new weapon, and the repairs to Bumblebee, plus three hours' combat training each day until all three of those are ready."

"Damn, Rubes, three hours?" Yang whistled.

"Yeah, sis, three hours," Ruby confirmed. "We haven't fought as a team in months, we need to shake the dust off. I have a few new rules too."

"Oh, this should be good," Yang snarked.

"One, no one goes anywhere alone. Period. I know we've already talked about that, but it's important." Seeing nods all around the room, Ruby continued. "Two, weapons are to be within arm's reach at all times, even here on Patch."

"Sensible precaution," Blake agreed.

"Easy enough for me," Yang joked, waving Shenlong at Ruby. Light laughter filled the room.

"May I offer some advice, Miss Rose?" Glynda asked.

Ruby, taken aback by the question, hesitated briefly. "Uh, sure, Professor."

"While I'm impressed with all of your initiative and practical forethought, I encourage you to make some time for relaxation," Glynda offered with a soft smile. "Once you leave here, you may not get that chance again. Going into battle tired and drained is a… mistake."

Ruby considered Glynda's advice. "Sounds good, all those in favor?"

Three hands raised at her question.

"Welp, looks like team RWBY is taking a vacation together after all."

The Nevermore sat perched on its bulky landing struts atop the white blanket covering Patch. Its chrome Dust-alloy armor shone in the mid-day sun, darkening all reflections with polished blackness. Together with the soft, cold breeze fluttering about, the scene would typically have appeared quite peaceful. The harsh, electric-blue light and loud buzzing noise created by Ruby's portable arc welder, however, spoiled the moment.

"Bring the gun up a little higher, Blake!" Ruby instructed, working her way around the weapon's gimballed base with the welder.

Blake grunted and heaved heartily with her legs, pushing the cannon around in its hardpoint nestled in the ship's wide nose. She winced as her sore leg gave way slightly, still hampered by the gash left by Shellbreaker's final shot. "That enough?" She asked tersely, sweat dripping from her forehead.

Ruby hit the back of her head on the six-barreled monstrosity. "No… Ow…" She whined.

"Weiss, a little help!" Blake called out, unable to pivot the weapon any higher.

"I'm trying!" The heiress screamed, frustrated. White telekinetic glyphs fluttered about Ruby and Blake's workspace, doing their best to offset the weapon's massive weight. Weiss twitched and panted under the strain of the unfamiliar spell.

Glynda reclined in a rocking chair nearby, absentmindedly switching her attention between Weiss' spell work and one of Blake's novels cradled in her hands. "Tighten the fractal pattern, Miss Schnee," she suggested evenly, flipping to the next page.

The budding mage grunted and twisted her casting hand up and around. Her glyphs pulsed and condensed, increasing the force applied. Blake gained three inches of lift almost instantaneously.

"That's good!" Ruby praised, continuing on with her work. "Keep it here!"

"Easy for you to say..." Weiss hissed.

Blake, too, was feeling the strain. "Can't you just lift this thing like back in the city?" She asked desperately.

"Can you weld Dust-alloy?" Ruby countered.

"…No," Blake admitted dejectedly. "I bet Yang could…"

"She can, but she's still busy in the workshop," Ruby admitted. "Somebody's gotta run the CNC machines to make parts for this thing."

"Oum-damned blonde oaf…" Weiss complained. "Bet she's working on that bike again. I swear she lives in that shop now."

"It'll be fine, guys, I'm almost done. Promise!" Ruby encouraged.

Blake struggled under the weight of the cannon as Weiss' support abated slightly.

"Let me take over now, Miss Schnee," Glynda offered, lowering her book. A quick flick of her crop summoned a single purple glyph which took the full weight of the mounted gun.

Blake shot to her full height unexpectedly. "Whoa!" She yelled, nearly losing her balance.

"I've got it now, Miss Belladonna," Glynda intoned from her chair. "Take a breather."

Weiss and Blake doubled over, covered in sweat, and rested their hands on their knees. "I don't understand how you do that, Professor," Weiss complained, pointing toward the purple circle supporting half a ton of gunmetal.

Glynda graced Weiss with a rare smile. "Years of practice, Miss Schnee. You did very well for your first attempt at true telekinesis."

"I can't say my muscles agree…" Weiss moaned, taking a seat next to the former professor.

Glynda chuckled. "Perhaps it would make you feel better to know that I could barely move a pencil when I first started learning."

"Huh." Weiss huffed, contemplatively staring into the distance.

Atop the ship, Blake tapped Ruby on the shoulder. "Will you be okay here by yourself if I go check on Yang?"

The welding brunette waved her off with her free hand. "Yeah, no prob, Blakey. Go ahead, I know how much you miss her since she's spent the last three days huddled in there."

Blake sighed. "Thanks Ruby."

The Xiao-Long workshop lay shrouded in nearly total darkness save for a single, yellow-orange glow warming a far back corner. The stoked charcoal fire cast its flickering light across the modernity surrounding it, throwing up shadowed silhouettes across the white walls. One among them, clad in a simple yellow tank top and brown cargo pants, wiggled a long metal bar deep into the coals. She watched the metal take heat from the forge, waiting for that deep, cherry-red glow to soak into the metal. Time passed in a strange way for Yang when she worked a forge. Seconds, minutes, and hours seemed to lose all meaning. The steel would be ready when it was ready. No need to rush.

Her forging tongs wrapped around the exposed tang and pulled the rough sword from the fire. Shenlong gripped a heavy hammer and brought it down hesitantly, striking the softened metal lightly, exploring its pliability. Perfect, Yang thought, smiling. Her hammer blows came slow and even then, expertly placed to force Dust and iron together in perfect harmony. The blade held atop her anvil was, perhaps, the only weapon made using this technique in the last two-hundred years.

Well, maybe the second.

Dust pattern-welding has become something of a lost art, Yang lamented. Modern technology could produce similar results in much less time. Something, though, kept Yang coming back to the forge. Perhaps it was the evocative image of a smith's hammer ringing in darkness, the heat of the fire and glowing steel calling back memories of a time long forgotten. Maybe it was the satisfaction she felt, beating unyielding, formless steel into a weapon so satisfyingly useful, sharp, and deadly. If pressed by a certain someone, however, she'd probably admit to her real feelings.

Blades made like this just work better. Ruby even let me forge Crescent Rose's cutting edge. Hell, maybe it's an Aura thing, my own special bit of magic.

"I take it the parts for our ship and Bumblebee are done," Blake snarked, approaching Yang from behind and wrapping her arms lightly around the blonde's apron-protected stomach. The faunus' eyes widened slightly when she looked down at the object on Yang's anvil. "Is that what I think it is?"

Yang sighed morosely. "Blaaaake… You're supposed to be helping Rubes…"

The raven-haired girl pressed a light kiss to Yang's exposed collar bone. "But I missed you," she droned playfully.

"I missed you too, just… I wanted to surprise you with this…" Yang admitted.

Blake smiled as she watched Yang continue to work. "Well, you certainly have. I didn't know that there was anyone who still knew how to make a blade like that…"

"Pretty sure I'm the last, kitten," she said, returning the weapon to the forge's coals before spinning in her lover's arms.

"You didn't have to go through all this trouble just for me, Yang."

The brawler planted a kiss on Blake's forehead. "Nonsense. Only the best for my partner. Don't tell Rubes, though, she'll get jealous."

Blake's low laughter filled the space. "I'm sure she would. Can I watch you work, just for a little while?"

Yang smiled down into those gorgeous golden eyes. "Sure, the surprise is ruined anyway. There's a chair over by Bumblebee."

"Thanks," Blake said, stealing one more kiss before moving off to retrieve the chair.

"How's The Nevermore coming along?" Yang asked off-hand, pulling Blake's sword from the fire and resuming her work.

"Well enough now that Glynda's helping Weiss." Blake pulled the chair next to Yang and watched the blonde's hammer begin forming edge bevels along the blade blank.

Yang chuckled. "Wish I could've seen that. How miffed was the Ice Queen?"

"She was pretty… annoyed when Glynda didn't even have to stand. I see your bike's already back together."

"Yeah, got lucky on that one. Besides the bullet hole through the tank and cylinder head, the only real damage was to the swing arm and rear wheel assembly," Yang said, response punctuated by hammer blows. "Got 'er back together in six hours. I figured it was going to be a lot worse."

"I'm glad," Blake admitted, closing her eyes. "You looked so sad in the cargo bay. I'm sorry I made you kill her…"

"You were worth it…" Yang whispered.

Blake's expression melted with affection. "Thank you, my Little Sun Dragon."

Yang smiled back bashfully, blushing. "You never did tell me where you learned to ride."

"Oh!" Blake exclaimed, laughing slightly. "I learned to ride as part of my training with the White Fang. They wanted their infiltrators to be able to drive anything, just in case."

"I guess that makes sense," Yang surmised. "Can't just turn up to a delivery job and say 'oh, sorry, I don't know how to drive stick'."

"Precisely."

"Not gonna steal her from me, are ya'?" Yang teased with a wink.

"Wouldn't dream of it, honey," Blake replied, leaning back into her chair. Hammer blows filled the space, relaxing in their regularity. The Panther found her eyelids drawn closer and closer together as time stretched on, bathed as she was in the glow from the fire and the strange music of hammer and anvil. Eventually, she drifted off, content to simply be near to her other half.

"Sleep well, my darling dear," Yang whispered, looking down fondly at the girl she'd risked everything for twice over. "I'll be here when you wake up."

Six hours later, Weiss waltzed into the workshop and flicked on the light. The place was quiet, peaceful. No hammer strikes or the sound of blowing bellows permeated the space, only the gentle breathing of two napping women, the soft crackle of dying flames, and the nigh-inaudible footfalls of the white-haired Schnee. She smiled to herself slightly, seeing Blake slumbering upright wrapped in a snoring Yang's arms.

Weiss crossed the space as silently as she could manage, intent on waking her friends as gently as possible for dinner. Passing Yang's workbench, she stopped. Sitting nonchalantly atop the well-worn stone surface were two blades that shouldn't exist. Couldn't exist. Unable to restrain herself, Weiss wrapped a hand around the nearest one and lifted it from the table.

With casual observation, they seemed little more than simple, gently curved blades which managed to blend modern, angular weapon design with ancient eastern tradition. Single edged and long, she had expected them to feel point-heavy and slow. The one in her hand, however, felt… Alive. It rolled around her wrist easily, flowing into a cut with almost no effort behind it at all. She brought the weapon up closer to her eyes.

Yang made this? Weiss wondered, aghast. This is Dust-layered steel.

True enough, a deep woodgrain pattern etched the sword's bevels, spine, and narrow hamon. The layers alternated between polished, grey-black steel and her very own golden Burn-Force Dust mixture, the very same mix she'd used on Shenlong. Small, nigh-invisible gaps traced their way along the meter-long katana-kreigsmesser hybrid, obviously some sort of mecha-shift. Weiss felt a small trigger beneath her index finger.

Couldn't hurt, right? It broke crisply under firm pressure.

The blade sprang to life. The diamond-shaped tsuba twisted ninety degrees and extended into a more protective cross guard while the mecha-shift plates on each side of the blade flexed open. Golden light sprang from within and coated the sword's clay-hardened edge. It hummed audibly, vibrating softly in Weiss' hand as she brought it around in a slow, sweeping arc, listening to it buzz through the air powerfully.

Not bad, Yang, she thought, eyeing the blade appreciatively as it hummed and crackled with barely-restrained Nature's Wrath.

"Careful with that, princess," Yang teased, awakening behind her. "It'll cut ya'."

Weiss flicked the trigger again, letting the blade extinguish itself. "They're beautiful, Yang. Where'd you learn to weave Dust like this?"

Yang walked around Weiss and took the blade from her, rolling it in her hand appreciatively. "I didn't really learn it from anybody, just kind of… figured it out on my own. There was this sword in a story Uncle Qrow liked to read to us when we were little. I always liked hearing about it… Rubes would get so excited, ya' know? I guess I just wanted to be able to make her one, for when she was old enough."

"I take it that never happened…" Weiss exhaled morosely.

Yang grinned at her. "Nope."

"Nope? As in, no you didn't, or yes you did?"

"Ever taken a close look at Crescent Rose?" Yang teased.

Weiss huffed. "Surely you don't mean to say you made Ruby's sweetheart?"

"Not the whole thing, no, just the cutting edge," Yang snarked, sticking her tongue out at the heiress. "Believe me, it was a struggle, but she's happy about it now."

"Hmmm, well…" Weiss said noncommittally. "Dinner is ready, if you're hungry. Ruby wants to… christen The Nevermore after."

"Oh, this should be good," Yang said, laughing. "Wonder what she's got up her sleeve."

"I don't know what to expect, really. She seemed oddly serious."

Yang shrugged. "Gotcha. Well, we'll be in in a bit."

The blonde waited patiently for Weiss to exit before turning around, kneeling, and pulling Blake's lips to hers by the chin. Though initially startled by Yang's strange method of waking her, it didn't take Blake long to melt into the brawler, humming appreciatively into her partner's mouth.

"Wakey wakey, little Blakey," Yang teased affectionately after breaking the kiss. "Dinner's ready."

Blake looked around, bleary eyed. "How long have I been asleep?"

"A while, long enough for me to finish those," Yang explained, smirking while pointing to her workbench.

Blake stood and wrapped her partner in a tight hug. "Thank you… For everything."

Yang patted her partner's back lightly, accepting the embrace. "Jeez, aren't ya' gonna look at 'em first?"

"You know me better than anyone. I already know they'll be perfect."

Yang chuckled and blushed, pulling Blake over to the table. "Still, you should take a look, just to let me know if you want me to change anything."

"Mmm," Blake hummed, passing a hand over the nearest blade's vaguely pistol-like grip. "They're longer than Gambol Shroud was," she commented, wrapping her hand around the hilt and lifting it from the table. Blake gave the weapon an experimental, half-hearted swing, but even that motion launched the sword much faster than Weiss had managed. "Do they have a name?"

"Yeah, Hyōzume."

"Did Rubes tell you anything about this, princess?" Yang asked, huddled together with Blake under a heavy wool blanket.

Weiss, Blake, Yang, and Glynda were all gathered in front of The Nevermore's nose, shivering slightly from the nippy chill pervading the night-time air. Remnant's sun had long since set for the night, revealing brilliant starlight and the galaxy's expansive iridescence. Thankfully there was no breeze to speak of, at least.

"It just so happens that she neglected to mention anything about tonight," Weiss snarked irritably from beneath the hood of her borrowed crimson cloak. "All she said was it was 'important', whatever that means."

"Knowing her, probably something overly dramatic," Yang remarked.

"Try to keep an open mind, ladies. Miss Rose might surprise you." Glynda suggested.

Blake, for her part, remained silent, content to let her gaze drift over the deceptively gentle, complex curves of their new ship's armor plating. I wonder why Ruby chose to name it after a Creature of Grimm.

The cabin's front door opened, ushering a hooded and cloaked Reaper into the winter air. Her eyes lay concealed in shadow beneath the hood. The cloak itself flapped about her ankles, moved by Ruby's footsteps more than air. In her arms she cradled four wide, rolled strips of cloth, colored red, white, black, and yellow. Approaching to the ship's nose, she kept her back to her friends while she laid the fabric bundle at her feet. She let a few seconds silence stretch out before she lowered her hood, turned, and wrapped all three of her team mates into one embrace.

"Thank you, guys… for coming out tonight. I'm so glad we're back together…"

None of them said anything more, because there was no need to say anything. Each member of team RWBY simply drew the others closer to themselves, communicating love, adoration, and friendship wordlessly through close contact. Their foreheads touched in the center of their little circle as Ruby spoke up.

"One more thing left to do…" She said, pulling away to retrieve the ribbons. "This ship will likely be our home until the war's over, and it's bad luck to fly a ship without a name. Weiss and I decided to call her The Nevermore to remind us of the moment we really became a team."

Understanding dawned on Blake. "Initiation!"

Weiss smiled at her faunus friend. "Glad you remembered."

"And the tag-line? That's from that one Achieve-men song we listened to so much first semester." Yang offered.

"We are lightning, straying from the thunder… Fitting." Blake appraised.

"It's our home," Ruby reminded, handing each of her friends their colored ribbon while keeping red for herself. "And this is the final touch. There are four anchors on the trailing edges of The Nevermore's wings, these attach to them."

"Just like my sister's ship," Weiss muttered happily.

"Well, it is a pretty sweet ship, princess," Yang teased lightly.

The four women moved off, Ruby and Weiss to the left wing, Blake and Yang to the right. As team RWBY fastened their colors to their ship, Blake remembered another song Ruby loved to play for them, back when they wore much fewer troubles than they did now.

Red like Roses fills my dreams and brings me to the place you rest.

White is cold and always yearning, burdened by a royal test.

Black the beast descends from shadows.

Yellow beauty burns gold.

Early the next morning, Yang knelt next to her bike, hands covered in grease. Dawn's radiance was just beginning to show on the horizon beyond the open rear door. Cold air swirled about, but the blonde barely noticed, being as she was a perpetual, living furnace. Carefully, she wound the final piece of her beloved, restored Bumblebee through the front and rear drive sprockets. With that chain, her bike would live again.

She smiled giddily as she pushed the master link through the hollow ends. Letting the semi-connected chain hang slack, she pressed the master's loose outer plate onto the bearing shafts with her right thumb and index finger. Shenlong's screen read out the pressure she was applying. Her grin brightened. It's so cool that I don't need a tool for this anymore!

"Is that the last piece?" Weiss asked, walking in from behind the brawler and kneeling down next to the blonde. The heiress' glacial eyes gave the repaired swing arm and wheels a thorough once-over.

Beaming widely, Yang answered. "Yup! She's almost as good as new." She pinched the protruding ends of the extending rivets, causing them to flare outward and lock the chain closed. Yang pointed at Shenlong's screen lovingly. "Seriously, Weiss, this is awesome."

The heiress passed a can of spray lubricant over to her blonde friend. "I thought you'd like it," she snarked confidently.

Yang went to work oiling her new chain. "Where'd you learn about all that stuff, anyway?"

Weiss moved around to the back of the rear tire, flipping a wrench in her left hand while eyeing the chain adjustment mechanism. "What's Bumblebee's chain slack spec?" She asked off-hand, drawing a surprised look from the blonde.

"Thirty millimeters…" Yang said, completely aghast.

Weiss placed the wrench around the hexagonal bolt and turned, moving the bike's rear wheel away from the engine to tension the drive chain. She tested it with a finger, watching how far it moved in the peep-sight on the side of the swing arm. Satisfied, she motioned at it while wiping her grease-stained finger on a shop rag. "Look good to you?" She teased.

"Uh, yeah," Yang managed. "Seriously, Weiss, what the hell?"

The heiress broke, laughing genuinely. "Come on, you big, blonde oaf, let me show you something before our partners wake up." It always surprised Yang how pleasant that sound could be, Weiss laughing like she didn't have a care in the world. Ruby had been the first to draw it out, of course, and they were all better for it.

They walked out together into the snowy whiteness, Weiss drawing her Atlesian long coat tight around her once the cold really hit. "What's with the secrecy, princess?" Yang asked, unable to contain her curiosity.

Weiss lead them toward The Nevermore casually. "You'll see soon enough." She placed a hand to the side of the ship and sent a pulse of Aura into a glyph there. It pulsed Schnee blue, and the cargo ramp descended. "Come on, it's in here."

"It?" Yang asked incredulously, beginning to piece together the puzzle. Weiss drew her toward the back of the ship's hold, right to a well-concealed panel. Another glyph on the wall there pulsed under Weiss' hand. This one sent the hidden panel sliding outwards slowly. Nestled within the hidden cradle was the heiress' pristine, sleek, chrome-blue superbike. "No freakin' way…" Yang whispered in awe.

Weiss smiled smugly, patting the bike's tank. "That answer your question, Yang?"

The brawler ran her own hands over it, tracing out the typically Atlesian angled curvature, low stance, and massive exhausts. "This is yours?" She asked disbelievingly.

"Yes," Weiss replied confidently. "It was a gift from my sister after father sold my horses."

Yang laughed deeply. "Bet that pissed him off."

Weiss grinned. "To no end. It was quite… cathartic. I loved my horses."

"Damn, Ice Queen!" Yang exclaimed, wrapping the heiress in a bone-crunching hug. "I'm so proud of you. Way to stick it to the man!"

"Yes, well, he should have thought before he acted," Weiss hedged, extricating herself from Yang's grapple.

The blonde beamed down at her. "I want to ride the Weisscycle!" She squee'd, bouncing on her toes.

The heiress rolled her eyes and smirked. "I'm not sure you can handle it, Yang. This isn't some backyard shed bike." She teased, knowing full well it'd provoke the blonde.

True to form, Yang grinned ferally. "That a challenge, Snow Angel?"

Weiss mounted her bike and walked it out of its paddock, eyeing the blonde playfully. "Perhaps."

The blonde punched her open left hand with her right fist. "Bumblebee versus the Weisscycle! Fire versus Ice! A race for the ages!" She shouted in her best impersonation of Professor Port. "We need judges."

"Ruby and Blake?" Weiss suggested.

"Well, Glynda did tell us to take some time off." Yang said giddily.

"That she did," Weiss agreed. "I've always wanted to take Ruby for a ride."

"Come on, Ruby!" Weiss said impatiently, tapping her foot on the porch outside the front door. "We have all been ready for an hour!"

"I'm almost done, Weiss!" Ruby called back from inside the house, stalling. "Just give me, like, five more minutes!"

Yang and Blake stood together at the end of Tai's driveway, the former leaning against Bumblebee while the latter drilled casually with Hyōzume's twin blades. A white, long tailed coat fluttered about Blake's black leather clad legs, borrowed from Weiss' rather extensive collection of winter clothing. She'd paired it with a black wool, knit turtleneck she'd found in the back of Yang's closet. Tacticool, Yang had called it, much to her chagrin. The blonde, ever hot-blooded, simply wore a distressed leather bomber jacket over her standard yellow tank top and cargo pants.

Yang snickered at the byplay between her sister and the Ice Queen. "I don't think I've ever seen Weiss so excited," Blake commented between practice cuts. The faunus girl focused on her edge alignment, moving her swords through slashes with exaggerated slowness.

"You can sharpen Crescent Rose anytime! Not that it actually needs to be sharp to cut effectively, you dunce!" Weiss shouted, voice shrill and frustrated.

"What if we run into some Grimm, Weiss?" Ruby countered lightly.

"That does it…" Weiss growled threateningly, stalking back into the house with fists balled and arms held rigid.

Yang burst out laughing, doubling over and grabbing her knees. "Gods, it's like they've switched places!"

Blake finished her drill and placed her swords back in the mechanical scabbard hanging across her back. A modified version of Ruby's Rosebush, it clamped her blades in place with a series of barely-audible clicks. She walked back to Yang and threw an arm around the blonde, smiling widely. "It is rather amusing, isn't it?"

"You have no idea, kitten," Yang agreed through decaying chuckles.

"Weiss, noooooo!" Ruby moaned pathetically as Weiss emerged from the house for the second time, dragging Ruby along by her hood. Weiss' grandfather's coat fluttered behind her, every once in a while tangling with Ruby's identically cut, black and red counterpart. The heiress held an expanded Crescent Rose in her opposite hand. The Reaper's heels drug furrows into the snow in a halfhearted, dramatic attempt to delay her girlfriend, protesting the forcible interruption of her weekly weapon maintenance with a pout.

Yang and Blake both burst out laughing. The brawler clapped her lover on the back, pointing at her sister but unable to say anything. Blake nodded along, immensely amused, doing her best to keep her partner on her feet.

Weiss pulled Ruby to her motorcycle, folded Crescent Rose, and turned the brunette around. A swift shove locked the weapon in its place within Rosebush. The heiress spun her partner back around and glared at her.

"Sorry, Weiss…" Ruby muttered sheepishly, wilting under the glare.

Weiss sighed heavily, melting under the force of Ruby's legendary pout. She grabbed Ruby's waist, lifted her up, and unceremoniously plopped her atop her rear seat before throwing her own leg over the bike. Turning to look at Yang and Blake. "Well, we're ready. Finally," She spat, though it lacked her usual bite.

Yang and Blake composed themselves, mounting up soon after. "Welp, princess, where do you want to go?" Yang asked, shooting her friend a winning smile while she pulled on her yellow helmet.

Weiss had her own full-face version in her hands. "How about up the mountain? Surely there's some good roads there." The heiress replied, slipping her head into the visored helm. The glass tinted automatically in response to the bright snow.

"Sounds good!" Yang agreed, putting on her aviators. Blake and Ruby donned Yang and Weiss' extra protective gear, more to keep the wind out of their eyes and hair than out of worry of injury. The imbedded radios didn't hurt either.

Nodding to Weiss, Yang brought Bumblebee to life. "Comms check," She droned evenly.

"Loud and clear," the heiress replied, starting her own bike, which lent a pleasant, mid-tone rumble to Bumblebee's deep basso exhaust.

"I'm in too!" Ruby transmitted, nervousness edging into her voice. The brunette's arms wrapped tightly around Weiss' hips.

"Are you leaning into that, Weiss?" Blake teased, chuckling when the heiress stiffened involuntarily.

"N-no!"

Blake laughed louder over the channel, mirroring Ruby's opportunistic hug with her own partner. "Don't worry, I'm doing the same," Blake encouraged.

They could all hear Weiss' sigh over the intercom. "Sorry, I'm just not use to being open with… this."

"No worries, Ice Queen!" Yang said. "We're all happy for ya'."

"Thanks..."

"Ready to go?" The brawler asked.

"Yeah, I'll follow you out. Keep it slow for a bit so Ruby can get used to it." Weiss replied.

'I'll be fine," Ruby countered melodically. When Weiss twisted the throttle to follow Yang, however, the normally brave Brunette let out a small squeak of surprise, locking herself to her partner with strong arms while the scenery whipped by.

"Okay back there?" Weiss asked playfully.

Ruby kept herself tight against her partner. "Yeah… It's just so… fast."

Weiss laughed. "I thought you liked fast, Ruby?"

"I do!" The brunette half-shouted, enthusiasm coming back a bit. "It's a little scary not being in control. How does Blake look so natural up there?"

"Well, she's ridden before," Weiss offered before smiling. "Plus, I'm sure this is much more relaxing than being chased by Cinder and half the White Fang."

Ruby's happy laughter burst over the channel, making Weiss' heart soar. "Yeah, I guess it would be."

Yang chuckled over the channel. "Uncle Qrow warned you about bikes, didn't he, Rubes?"

"Maybe…"

"Do you know why I like this, Ruby?" The heiress asked, letting her hand twist to bring her bike closer to Yang's. True to her word, the blonde set a measured, relatively leisurely pace through the roads leading to the mountain.

"No," Ruby admitted, hiding behind Weiss' helmet.

"It's liberating, being out here, just the bike and I," Weiss explained, grinning ear to ear. "Everything just… melts away. If I just take a deep breath and relax, it almost feels like I'm flying. Take a peek."

Feeling Weiss's entire body loosen and flow in her arms, Ruby leant around. A small gasp burst from her lips. White-coated trees lent over the road ahead, blurred by the motion of Yang and Weiss' bikes, and clear blue sky filtered through the bare branches, reflecting brightly off the fresh snow. She felt it, then, Weiss' flight. Ruby loosened her grip and let her body begin to move with the bike. "Wow… Weiss. You weren't kidding…"

"Told you." Weiss teased, leaning back into Ruby. "This is nice. I never thought I'd ever get to do this…"

"Do what?" The brunette asked, shifting forward to press into Weiss.

"Ride with you, like this. Together." Weiss breathed appreciatively. "I can't begin to explain how light I feel."

Ruby smiled wide at the unrestrained glee in her lover's tone. "I'm glad, Weiss!"

Yang snickered over the intercom, drawing them out of their little moment. "You two are sickeningly cute. What ever happened to our frosty little Schnee?"

"Sounds like your sister thawed her out. I wonder how…" Blake interrupted sarcastically. Yang hushed at the implication.

"You know what, forget I said anything," Yang said with mild, joking distaste. Ruby and Weiss both laughed at her wholeheartedly.

Team RWBY rode on toward the mountain, letting a comfortable silence stretch out, broken only by the evocative wail of powerful engines. Surrounded on all sides by the early Winter scenery and looking ahead at the dormant volcano growing nearer in the distance, all seemed right in the world. Cinder, the White Fang, the Grimm, all lay forgotten in this one moment, together, four teenagers free on the road.

"This is so awesome, you guys!" Ruby shouted a half hour later, all anxiety banished from her system. For once in her life, Qrow had been wrong. Dropping a hand behind, she unfurled Crescent Rose and jumped to her feet, balancing easily on the pillion. A single shot propelled her upwards through the air in a flip. She soared above Weiss' bike, stowing her scythe on the way up. At the very apex, she uncurled and spread her arms wide, eyes closed, imagining that she had her own wings.

Blake looked back over her shoulder at the unmistakable sound. "Yang, slow up and let them pass."

"Why?" The blonde asked, though she complied with her partner's request.

Blake merely smiled at her. "Look at your sister."

Weiss passed them as Yang looked up. "Oh my Oum!"

"GuysGuysGuys!" Ruby squealed over the channel. "Look! I can fly!"

True to her word, the brunette glided smoothly above her partner on a pair of solid, moonlit wings jutting from her shoulder blades. They stretched wide, far beyond the tips of her outstretched arms, slightly bowed and utterly, utterly graceful. "Isn't this AWESOME?!"

"Damn, sis… Here I thought I was cool…"

Weiss smiled up at her lover as she drifted down. My own Rose-colored angel.

Ruby dispelled her wings once Weiss' bike fell within reach, tumbling forward easily back to her place behind the heiress. Strong, scythe-trained arms wrapped the platinum-haired girl tight to her. Ruby felt her heart leap when Weiss leaned bodily into the embrace, cold façade completely melted.

The base of the mountain rose before them, and a twisting road called Weiss' competitive streak to the forefront. "I think this is a good spot, don't you, Yang?"

"You betcha'. Let's pull over."

The pair of bikes came to a stop slowly, and the four women dismounted. Each and every one pulled off their helmets, intent on basking in the crisp, cool air. Three sets of eyes snapped to Ruby the instant her headgear came off.

"Uh…" She began, shrinking beneath the sudden attention and various gaping stares. "Something wrong, you guys?"

Blake answered. "Ruby, your hair is… glowing."

The Reaper looked up and blew a fluttering, white-traced bang away from her forehead. "Huh," she exhaled, a little breathless and puzzled, unable to say anything else.

"Ready to eat my dust, Ice Queen?" Yang taunted, seated atop Bumblebee at the very start of the winding mountain road.

Weiss pulled up next to her, lining her front wheel up with Yang's. "Please," she moaned dismissively while patting her state-of-the-art bike. "Like I'm going to lose to you and that relic."

"Care to make it interesting, then?" The brawler asked playfully, exuding confidence.

"I'm listening." Weiss stated simply, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Loser takes morning watch for a month?"

Weiss hummed in thought. Those were heavy terms. She hated mornings. Then again… "Deal. Hope Blake doesn't mind waking up alone."

"Mmm, I'd prefer not to, Yang." Blake snarked from her place to the side of the start line. "Do try not to lose."

"Guys, c'mon! Don't be like that, it's been such an awesome day!" Ruby pouted, hair long ago having calmed, returning to its normal red-highlighted black.

"No harm in a little friendly bet, sis!" Yang beamed back. Her helmet enveloped her golden mane shortly after, nestled in place above her ever-present aviators.

Weiss became seriousness personified, icy eyes narrowed and hidden behind light-sensitive glass. Her even voice called out across their private radio. "I'm ready whenever you are, oaf."

Yang grinned wide. "How 'bout a little music to get us in the mood?" She suggested, pulling up her song library on Shenlong and selecting a track to broadcast. High-energy rock pumped into her ears.

"Achieve-men's Caffeine?" Weiss said, mirroring Yang's confident grin. "I can get behind that."

"Let the record show Weiss Schnee agreed with Yang Xiao Long on the subject of riding music. Let us never forget the team spirit shown this day." Blake joked sarcastically. "The terms of the race are thus: the first rider to reach the observation gazebo overlooking the city and return to this line is victorious. No weapons, semblance, or Dust spells are allowed. The loser will take morning watch for a month. Riders ready?"

Two bikes roared to life in response, filling the air with a harmony of precise, rapid notes and bellowing, deep bass. Ruby draped an extended Crescent Rose in front of the snarling bikes.

"Three!" She shouted, beginning a countdown.

Yang and Weiss opened their throttles, building power in spinning steel. The Dust-fueled roar intensified, deafeningly loud to the two women not sitting atop bikes.

"TWO!" Ruby bellowed, now using her fingers to aid in the count.

Yang leaned forward, clutch hand twitching in anticipation. Weiss flicked a switch on her left grip. The words 'Launch Control Engaged' scrolled across her bike's crystalline display.

"ONE!"

Yang let off her rear brake, freeing Bumblebee's rear wheel. Weiss leaned down low, nearly laying across the blue-chrome tank.

"GO!" The Reaper yelled. Crescent Rose flicked up and away in an instant.

Yang and Weiss dumped their clutches at the same time, rocketing away with near-identical power wheelies. Bumblebee's wide tire and massive engine gave her the edge despite Weiss' perfect, computer-controlled start. The big bike drifted ahead on the straight leading to the first corner.

"Told ya', Snowflake!" Yang taunted, sending a wave back to her opponent. She reached the first corner and threw Bumblebee into a wide, drifting turn, rear tire squealing.

A flash of blue cut across her path from the inside line. Weiss, taking advantage of her bike's superior ground clearance and lean angle, drug both her left knee and left shoulder across black asphalt. She catapulted out of the corner well in front of the blonde, ice-blue Aura scraping across tarmac. The heiress threw Yang a V-shaped salute as she exited, pouring on all the power her own engine could muster.

Yang followed her out, engine roaring. Bumblebee strained and flexed beneath her, crawling closer to the electric blue heiress along the straight leading to a pair of tight hairpins. The brawler shifted across Weiss' rear tire, intending to take the inside line through the first turn.

A flash of obsidian glass over her opponent's shoulder and Yang's ploy was up. Weiss swerved hard right, but Yang was faster. Unafraid of the approaching turn, the blonde kept the power on while Weiss braked. Yang passed the heiress on the right and forced a scowling Weiss to divert wide.

"Not gonna get me that easy, Ice Queen!" Yang shouted. Her bike drifted on both wheels through the corner, edging ahead of Weiss atop squealing, smoking rubber. She bled off speed with a wide exit and twisted hard into the snaking uphill track, confident of her lead.

Weiss fell in behind, drafting behind the massive bike ahead of her. She focused hard on the path beyond the switchback, and when Yang missed the apex, she grinned. A quick flick of the bars sent her around the blonde and through the gap she'd left in yet another steep turn. The cobalt bike stayed planted to the road, seemingly in complete disregard for the laws of nature. She stole a glance at the incredulous, gaping berserker riding beside her. Not so confident now, are you, Yang? The restrained, serious intellectual left the corner a full bike length ahead of her wild, adrenaline-junky friend.

"Oh hell no," Yang growled, grinning wide in spite of the loss of her lead. Stretching in front of her was a long patch of nigh-straight tarmac. Sitting right in the middle lay a steep drop, and she could see Weiss slowing already. Not gonna jump, are ya', Snowflake? Leaning forward, she patted Bumblebee's tank, relishing in the power dragging her closer and closer to the heiress. Alright, girl, time to shine! Just as Weiss lifted off to avoid going airborne, Yang rocketed past at full power.

"You careless Oaf!" Weiss shouted, watching Yang soar past, leave the ground, and fly meters ahead.

"Woohoo!" Yang bellowed, throwing her arms wide. Bumblebee landed perfectly with a pair of rubberized squeaks, and the brawler shot off, seconds ahead of her steaming companion.

Yang's lead grew by the moment as the gazebo grew larger. The bike beneath Weiss just couldn't hope to match the titanic power of the yellow and black monstrosity leading her. Stay calm, she'll have to slow at the gazebo. You can still catch her in the corners.

True enough, the tight circle around the small pavilion forced the boisterous bruiser to slow to a relative crawl in order to shove her much heavier bike around. Weiss, however, was not so burdened. With half as much brake and a single downshift, her bit of blue lightning shunted around the bend at full power. Neck and neck at the exit, the two women shared a brief competitive stare, one thought echoing unspoken between them.

Half way.

Yang, fully aware that Weiss had an advantage in the corners, pulled Bumblebee's throttle wide open. Time to get aggressive, she thought, rocketing back down the straight.

Weiss matched Yang, twisting her right wrist until it would go no further. Still, frustratingly, the blonde pulled away on her mountain of power. Weiss huffed angrily inside her helmet, watching Yang shoot off her makeshift ramp again. Her eyes narrowed. If she can do it, why can't I?

Committed, she stayed on the power. Her front wheel passed the hill's peak and left earth, sending a massive jolt of adrenaline coursing through Weiss' small frame. A wide grin plastered itself across her face, flying as she was. Gods, I'm turning into Yang, of all people…

The black tarmac growing below reminded her of something else. Oh, right… Landing strategy. Her eyes went wide. Oh gods, I've never actually jumped before… Think, Weiss, think! Fearing the engine would lock her rear wheel on impact, she declutched and leaned back, bringing the back tire lower than the front. It hit the ground moments later, rocking the bike forward gracefully as the suspension soaked up the impact. She revved the engine and dumped the clutch once the shock had worn off, high on life. Yang's lead isn't so large this time. I'm coming for you, blondie.

Yang had her own plans. Conjuring up old memories of street races before Beacon, she shifted to the outside of the road on the way to the hairpins. Unmolested by the troublesome heiress, she put herself on a perfect racing line, cutting across the entire road to clip the apex of the first turn in order to maximize speed. She mirrored the move on the second, entering wide, but when she looked left, chrome-blue filled her vision. No way…

Weiss had kept most of her speed from the straight, choosing to bleed off speed in the turn. A gamble that seems to have paid off. It meant apexing early, but now she was on the blonde's inside line, forcing the larger, less maneuverable bike away while her own nimble ride took a much shorter path. Come on, Yang, make that mistake I know you're simply dying to make.

She did.

Yang's competitive streak got the better of her. Instead of staying consistent and taking advantage of Weiss' lowered speed, Yang gave Bumblebee a wrist-full of power in an attempt to keep up with the heiress' apparent velocity. The bike's rear tire lost grip and skidded out, slowing her down despite the impressiveness of the controlled drift.

Gotcha', Weiss thought smugly, darting in front of the blonde on the approach to the final bend. No mistakes now, there's one straight left before the end. Weiss took the racing line through the final bend, the very image of cornering perfection. She risked a glance back. Two lengths separated her from a very determined looking Yang, crouched low behind Bumblebee's windscreen. Damn, too close… She thought, beginning to panic. Weiss laid down on the tank, slipping into the calm air behind her own windscreen. The finish line is only a hundred meters ahead now, come on!

The black and yellow rocket in her mirrors, however, was growing larger by the moment. Bumblebee's throaty roar haunted her with its presence, echoing louder and louder, and the distance ahead looked impossibly vast with that noise shouting behind. It refused to shrink. Weiss glanced to the side, and there she was, that blonde tornado, neck and neck with her mere meters from the finish line. In twin yellow and blue blurs, they crossed it, throttles wide open. Only after passing did they both pull in their clutches and roll to a stop.

Pulling off her helmet, Yang vocalized what Weiss was thinking. "WHO WON!?" She shouted, looking excitedly between Blake and Ruby. Weiss tossed her own lid aside before joining the raucous blonde, unable to keep her own excitement hidden.

Blake smirked. "And the winner is…" She teased, drawing out the announcement painfully.

Ruby smiled wide and jumped into the air. "YANG XIAO-LONG!"

"By one centimeter," Blake added diplomatically.

"WHOOP WHOOP!" Yang bellowed, throwing her fists into the air to celebrate.

Weiss deflated mournfully and let her glacier-melt eyes drop to the ground. "Dammit…" She moaned weakly. I will. Not. Cry.

She expected Ruby to come give her a consolation hug, but instead she found herself staring down at Yang's unzipped bomber jacket, yellow tank top, and cleavage. Strong arms pulled her into a tight embrace. She looked up incredulously. "Yang?"

"Hell of a race, Ice Queen!" The blonde congratulated, beaming down at her. "Seriously, I'm fuckin' impressed as hell. Where'd you learn to ride like that?"

Weiss couldn't help but smile as Ruby and Blake came over to join in the embrace. "Winter taught me… Back home," she explained, tone tinged with nostalgia. A little laugh escaped her lips. "You'd like it there, Yang. We have our own private track."

The blonde let loose her much less restrained, barking laugh. "Damn, it must be nice to be rich." Yang looked back down, still smiling. "Tell ya' what, let's hold off on that bet for a while. It's not exactly fair that we raced on my turf, so I'll give you a fighting chance back in Atlas. When we all visit, of course."

"When?" Weiss scoffed playfully.

"Damn straight, princess," Yang insisted. "So, whaddya say? Best two out of three?"

With a small grin and a nod, Weiss answered. "Best two out of three."

Hiiighway to the danger zone!

Next time, on Penumbra! Team RWBY goes to war.

Review Replies!

Knight7572: Are you tired of me saying spoilers? I bet you're tired of me saying spoilers… I have plans for Fall, just you wait!

Krazyfanfiction1: I hope this one was worth the wait as well! Glad you're enjoying the ride!

Raw666: Good to hear from you, man! Thanks, I'll do my best!

A Mechwarrior: Someone noticed! I'm so happy! Penny's boot sequence was a 100% intentional reference to Mechwarrior. I grew up playing those games, Mechwarrior 2, 3, 4, Black Knight. Hell, my first multiplayer experience was on dial-up with Mechwarrior 4. I'm old, right?

With the advent of VR, my most fervent hope is another true Mechwarrior game. Come on, universe, take pity on me.