Soft footsteps crunched over the gravel and dust of the ruins, a pair of slim black leather boots making gentle prints on the ground. They were attached to a figure wearing a blood-red cloak draped around their shoulders, and as they walked slowly through the ruins, their head turned slowly to take in everything, looking at the broken walls around them. The city of Goldport was eerily still, without even a breeze to move the air.

A sudden barking cut through the air as the figure whirled around, their face covered by a hood as they tried to locate the source of the noise. A huge dog came bounding up to them, panting lightly with their tail swishing back and forth. The head of the dog went up a little past the figures waist, and they looked vaguely wolf-like with a grey-and-black fur pattern.

"Zwei, good boy…did you find anything?" murmured the figure in a soft voice, kneeling down to scratch the dog behind the ears. Yipping, the dog turned around and started running, the figure giving earnest pursuit.

The dog bounded across the cracked and worn ground, passing by building after building that was reduced to naught but ash. The figure kept up their chase, looking around and sighing softly at their surroundings. "So much destruction…but why? And what…"

The figure recognized that they were backtracking on their original path, but diverted from it as the dog bounded off in a different direction. Eventually the dog slowed down as they reached the docks, a light fog curling in. A much heavier fog was set in about a mile offshore, and a wet chill hung in the air.

At the edge of one of the wooden piers was Zwei, sitting down and wagging his tail. He had something between his paws, and the figure rushed up to take a look. They grabbed the object and turned it over, letting out a choked sob.

"No…" they whispered, turning it over and over in their hands. "No no no…why were you here, you weren't supposed to be here…"

The object was a white boot with a sharp heel, covered in grey ash, dirt, and grime, but unmistakable to the maidens eyes.

"Where are you Weiss?" they asked to no one in particular, their voice a rasping whisper.

…

Six months earlier…

"Ruby Rose, what brings you to Goldport?"

A clear voice cut through the busy docks, coming from a tall woman. She had snow-white hair that was tied into a side ponytail, and wore a long off-white coat. She had a blue tunic and black slacks, and a belt with a long cutlass hanging on it. Her hands were clasped behind her back, and she had on a pair of white heeled boots.

The voice caught the ear of a red-cloaked woman, who was standing near a pier looking around, shading her eyes from the sun. Aside from her cloak, her outfit was rather plain, just a white tunic with black slacks and boots. She pulled back her hood to reveal jet-black hair and silver eyes, and a wide smile.

"Weiss! Oh it's so good to see you!" she said with laughter in her voice, running up to the woman who called out at her and throwing her arms around her.

Weiss Schnee rolled her eyes and stiffly returned the hug, letting go quickly and returning her hands to their clasped position behind her back. Clearing her throat, she tossed her hair back and straightened up, repeating her question.

"It's good to see you too, Ruby. What brings you here?" she inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"It's Captain now," Ruby said with a somber grin, pulling her cloak back and revealing a hat hanging on her belt, upon which also hung a cutlass of her own, with a ruby embedded in the pommel. She took the hat off the belt and placed it on her head. It was a black tricorn hat with white feathers, with the insignia of a raven stitched onto one side.

Weiss's eyes widened a little, and she blinked in surprise.

"What happened to Captain Branwen?"

"Gone to the locker, courtesy of your folk." Ruby said shortly, adjusting her hat slightly.

At a loss for words for a moment, Weiss gave a slow sigh and rubbed at her forehead a little. "I would apologize, but Qrow was a scoundrel and an enemy of the governor. As are you, may I remind you, and don't make me ask again, Captain Rose. What are you doing here?"

"Ah, no hard feelings Weiss. He went down fighting." Ruby said in a soft voice, reaching out to gently punch Weiss's shoulder. She then gave a little eye roll and pointed down the pier at a medium-sized ship. "Docking the Winter Maiden. We ran afoul of a heavy storm not a week ago and she suffered more than a little hurt from it. Once repairs are made, I'll be out of your hair…Commodore."

Weiss pursed her lips and shifted a little on her feet. "Ruby you aren't to dock here…if the governor knew you were back he'd have you and your crew hung…" she said in a terse voice, casting a worried look around.

"I guess he'll just have to not find out then!" Ruby said cheerily, slapping Weiss on the shoulder, much to the Commodore's chagrin. "Relax, Weiss. We won't be here a day. As soon as the Winter Maiden is seaworthy, she's a ghost in the wind."

"…See to it that no one else sees you here." Weiss said tersely as she turned and started to walk back into the city. She stopped and briefly looked over her shoulder with a small smile on her face. "Good sailing, Captain."

As Weiss faded into the crowd, Ruby grinned and gave a short salute to her back. She then turned and walked back down the pier, trotting up the boarding plank and waving up at the rigging, upon which was climbing a blonde, shirtless man.

"Commodore Schnee still got that stick up her arse, Captain?" the blonde boy said with a grin, dropping off the rigging and landing with a thud in front of Ruby.

"I think it's even further up there now, it's impressive. How does she look, Sun?" Ruby said, looking around at her boat and keeping her eyes shaded.

"She'll be seaworthy by nightfall, Captain. I've got the crew out gathering all the necessary goods."

"See to it. I'm headed into the city; I have people to talk to and jobs to arrange."

"Be careful."

Ruby grinned mischievously as she jumped back down onto the pier, walking backwards and saying with a light giggle. "Aren't I always?"

Sun sighed and shaked his head, a small smile breaking out on his face. "No."

…

Gripping the boot tightly, her knuckles white, Ruby stood up and whirled around, pulling her hood further over her face. "Come on Zwei. It looks like she survived, and we're going to find her."

A ways down the docks, a solitary boat was moored. It wasn't the biggest boat, but was a ship of decent size. The sails looked like they could have been white once, but were patched and makework. They were still in the air, and Ruby rushed quickly up the boarding plank, kicking it off and jumping onto the rigging. She hung off a little and gave a loud whistle.

About a dozen people gathered around underneath her, looking up at her with varying expressions of fear, uncertainty, and curiosity.

"All of you listen up! I don't know what sacked this city but it ain't good. An unnatural stillness is in this air, and that fog ain't natural neither. But! A very, very good friend of ours appears to have survived. Whether she was taken or escaped I'm not sure, but I won't rest until I find her and make sure she's safe and alive."

"The Commodore?" Sun asked, perking up.

"Aye. I found her boot by the pier."

"We're going after a Navy man?" came a different voice, one filled with a little bit of disbelief.

Ruby jumped down and walked up to the man the voice came from, a snarl on her face as she approached.

"This woman kept us under the nose of Goldports governor for years when you served under Captain Branwen and she's done me more than a few favors as well, so I'd say all you yellow-bellies owe her your lives and livelihoods!" she snarled, grabbing the man's collar and pushing him against the edge of the boat. "Any objections, Neptune?"

Neptune gulped and shaked his head. Ruby gave a small smile and let him go, walking up to the bridge and putting her hands on the wheel, calling out to her crew. "Come on! Get us out of these docks, you useless bilge rats!"

"There isn't a wind, Captain, how do you suggest we get out of the bay?" Sun said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I suggest you run out the sweeps and row, Mister Wukong." Ruby said with a note of sarcasm, raising an eyebrow.

Sun nodded sheepishly and started calling out orders. "Run out the sweeps! Get us out of these docks!" Turning back to the Captain, he asked "Do we have a heading?"

"Wolfrun. If anyone has any knowledge about what happened to this city, we'll find them there." Ruby said. The ship groaned softly as the oars pushed out from below deck, pushing it out of the dock. She deftly handled the wheel, steering the boat so they were headed towards the heavy fog.

"Captain Rose!" came a slightly squeaky voice.

"What is it, Valkyrie?" Ruby inquired of the short-haired ginger girl that had called out her name.

"Uhm…we're headed straight for the fog, Captain…" Nora Valkyrie said in a tense voice.

"Really? I hadn't noticed."

"It's just uhm…the crew is unsteady." Nora said, looking a mite spooked. "Whatever hit this place left a foul magic, and that fog is no good."

"The fog goes on for leagues side to side, little Nora, going around it will take us a day out of our way and I see that as unnecessary time cut into our journey. The fog may dissipate, and if it doesn't, we'll at least be on proper course and we'll be out of it eventually."

Nora nodded, looking thoroughly unconvinced as she headed back below deck. Soon enough the maindeck was empty, leaving Ruby lone on the bridge, her hand on the wheel.

The fog slowly started to curl onto the deck as the Winter Maiden entered the fringe of it, and soon enough Ruby could feel the clinging wetness of it on her cheek. She gave a loud whistle, and her crew quickly gathered.

"We're in the fog now mates, and I understand you all have some concerns. Just keep the Maiden steady and row us through it, aye?"

"Aye Captain!" came a call of agreement.

Sun hopped up the steps onto the bridge next to Ruby, sitting on a crate. He looked next to him at a second crate, this one nailed and weighted down. Pinned on top of it was a map, somewhat faded and torn, but still functional. "Are you sure this is wise, Captain? We won't be able to see a foot in front of us at this rate."

"What do you think is going to happen, Sun? Will we get boarded by the Dutchman and get caught with our trousers 'round our ankles?" Ruby said in a teasing tone, laughing slightly.

Sun wasn't laughing as he leaned against the railing, a somber look on his face. "The crew has been hearing talk of a cursed ship in fogs like these, Captain."

Ruby barked with laughter and raised an eyebrow. "The Valiant? Surely you don't believe it actually exists.

The Valiant Serpent was a ship that, as far as Ruby was concerned, existed only in stories. It was said to cast unnatural, unmoving fog on a stretch of sea for three days and three nights, and it would attack ships that dared to venture into its fog.

"They say that it leaves no survivors…" Sun said darkly.

"No survivors?" Ruby said, letting out a dry chuckle. "Who'd be around to tell the stories, then?"

Sun blinked and fell silent, wiping his forehead as the fog thickened further.

"Besides," Ruby continued. "The Maiden is the fastest ship in this sea. Nobody has managed to catch her yet, and nobody will."

"Aye, she is a fast one," Sun said with a grin, patting the railing of the boat as he headed back below deck. "Mind yourself, Captain."

"And you."

Ruby straightened up and adjusted her hat as the fog reached its peak, leaving her barely able to see the wheel in front of her.

…

Hours passed and the fog began to thin out. Ruby gave another whistle, but this one was in a different tune, meant only for her first mate to answer. Sun appeared by her side a few moments later, an inquiring look on his face.

"I'm exhausted, and headed to my cabin. Take the wheel, we should be out of the fog in a few hours."

"Aye Captain. Sweet dreams."

"Up yours."

Ruby headed slowly down the stairs, carefully navigating her way into her cabin and stretching. She took her hat off and put it on one of the bedposts, pushing her hair out of her face. Laying down on her bed, she closed her eyes and let out a sigh.

"Everything alright, Captain?"

Yelping, Ruby shot up in bed and looked over at the table, at which was sitting a woman with long brown hair, a golden-brown tunic, and a reddish skirt.

"I've told you to stay out of my cabin, Miss Scarlatina." Ruby said tersely, standing up and walking over to the table, seating herself.

"So you have!" said the woman, smiling. "Multiple times in fact, yet I continue to ignore you."

Ruby sighed and gave a small smile, resting her head against her hand, her elbow braced on the table. "What do you want, Velvet?"

Velvet grinned and reached under the table, pulling out a wooden box with a gold inlaid pattern. A key was on a chain around her neck and she slowly unlocked the box, opening it and pulling out a glass orb. A blue smoke started to curl inside the ball, and Velvet whispered gently.

"These waters hold many secrets, Captain Rose…ones that your dear uncle never cared to tell you."

Ruby felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She never cared for Velvets magic, or magic in general. Having an oracle on the ship was useful, but she didn't have to like it.

"The whispers of the not quite living, but not yet dead, float through this fog…" Velvet murmured, dancing her fingers over the orb as the smoke continued to curl and spin. Eventually the smoke formed an imitation of the sea, and a ship appeared on top of it, ghastly white and wrecked.

"What are you on about, weaver?" Ruby said, rubbing her forehead.

Velvet sighed. "You'll see one day. I'll leave you be now, my Captain."

As the oracle left Ruby's cabin, she reached out to run her fingers through Ruby's hair, her movements graceful as she nearly floated out the door. Ruby sighed and looked out the window of her cabin, narrowing her eyes as something moved in the fog.

The bow of a ghostly white ship peered through the fog, the sails torn and ragged. It passed by the back of the Maiden and disappeared once more into the fog, leaving Ruby's words trapped in her throat.

"Oh dust." Ruby muttered after a few moments, laying back onto her bed and closing her eyes.

Oh, hello there.

GUESS WHO'S BACK MOTHERFUCKERS

YEAH ITS ME

WITH MORE WHITE ROSE

Anyway. Enough yelling.

A lot, a lot a lot has been going on in my life, some unpleasant and some pleasant. And through all that nonsense, I finally found some time to sit down and write, and in that time, I found another White Rose story that I fell in love with.

My writing has improved GREATLY since Every Rose/Frost Covered Rose, and I hope you'll all enjoy my latest adventure with these two dorks.

A few small updates to my life, I am now going by Alice, not Ashley, and some of you might still remember me as Spike. I'd ask that you please refer to me as Alice, Ashley, or Moon, preferably Alice or Moon.

I also have a now, which you can find in my About.

As always.

Enjoy, review, eat cookies, and have an absolutely wonderful day.

Alice