Author's Note: WARNING: Major character death ahead! Do not read this story if this upsets you! Major character death ahead! You have been warned!

Now that that's out of the way, welcome to part 3 of the Missing Pieces series! If you haven't read Missing Pieces and A Few Pieces More, I highly recommend you read those stories first. But keep in mind (if you can't tell from the warning above) this story has a darker tone than its predecessors.

This story was written after Volume 4, but it's only compliant with canon through Volume 3. For those of you wanting a refresher on the differences, they can be summed up thusly. The events of Volume 4 obviously did not happen. Ruby and Winter are the Summer and Winter Maidens respectively. There is no Whitley, and Weiss's mother is no longer part of the Schnee family and/or possibly dead. There are a few other small differences. I'll mention them in the author's notes when they come up.

I hasten to add that since this story was conceptualized before Volume 4, my Cinder is not in the same situation as canon Cinder. It'll be pretty obvious what I mean when she shows up.

I'm also experimenting with the format of this story. There will be normal-sized prologue and epilogue chapters to start and end with, but the four chapters in the middle will be extra-long mega chapters. This means you'll be getting a lot more with each update, but there will be more time in between them. Feel free to let me know what you think of this approach.

I should say now, I'm expecting some of the things that happen in this story to be controversial, but hey, this series is no stranger to controversy. Speaking of which, just to make sure everyone saw…

WARNING: Major character death ahead!

This version of the story contains implied sexual content. A more explicit version has been posted over on Archive of Our Own.

Chapter 1: Prologue

A lone bullhead tore through the frigid winter skies, racing against the unseen hands of time. The turbulent air shook the airship, jostling its occupants in their seats, but Yang hardly even noticed. Her attention was completely focused on her cybernetic hand. She watched with all the fascination of a small child as her mechanical fingers slowly curled open and closed one at a time.

When Yang had first gotten her prosthetic, she'd subconsciously done her best to pretend it was her old flesh and blood arm magically returned to her. When her prosthetic had been damaged in the fight against Adam and she'd been forced to go without it, she'd tried to forget it had ever existed. But Yang was determined to finally make herself accept the truth. It was the only way she could think of to truly be at peace with what had happened.

Yang clenched her fist. One way or another, it was time to put past tragedies behind her. She couldn't afford to be distracted, not with what lay ahead. Team RWBY had received word not long after their transport had crossed the borders of Mistral. The fight to retake Haven Academy had begun.

Combat was certainly nothing new for Yang. She'd fought monsters, criminals, and worse. But this time felt different. From what Yang had heard, the fall of Haven had been eerily similar to the battle that had destroyed Beacon. The grimm had suddenly appeared in unprecedented numbers and overwhelmed the underprepared school. Maybe it was those haunting similarities. Maybe it was the scale of the looming battle. But whatever the reason, Yang felt afraid. She, Yang Xiao Long, was afraid.

Not so long ago, Yang would have scoffed at the notion of being scared. She'd been born to fight, not huddle in some corner like a coward. But the fear gnawing at the pit of her stomach was undeniable. Nevertheless, Yang wasn't going to let her fear hold her back. She understood now. Fear could be overcome. It was not an absolute. Better than that, fear was like a spice. It mixed with her excitement and anticipation, making everything so much more intense. Despite her fear, or maybe because of it, Yang wanted to get into the fight now more than ever.

Yang unclenched her fist and let her arm rest on her leg. She looked over to her left where Blake was sitting. Blake offered Yang a smile, but Yang could see the anxiety hidden behind it. She realized that she wasn't the only one who was afraid, so she reached over and took Blake's hand in her own.

Blake was bundled up in her greatcoat and a big knit hat, but the garments didn't seem to be up to the task of keeping her warm. Her skin felt cool to the touch in Yang's hand. Yang may have been able to get away with wearing her new crop top and short-sleeved duster thanks to her semblance, but Blake wasn't so lucky. Yang wished she could hug Blake right now and warm her up, but they were both strapped securely into their seats.

Yang looked over at the bullhead's other passengers. Weiss and Ruby were sitting side by side. Weiss was wearing a fashionable coat and a fur hat. Ruby had on the old scarf Taiyang had given her years ago, the new coat Weiss had bought for her this winter, and her ever-present hood.

Weiss's hand was resting on Ruby's shoulder, but Ruby probably didn't even noticed. Her eyes were closed and her fists were clenched in intense concentration. If Yang had to guess, she'd say that Ruby was trying to summon up her power as the Summer Maiden.

Yang frowned. She hated the idea of Ruby being the Summer Maiden. It made her a target. Since Yang had found out that her mom had been the previous Summer Maiden, she'd wondered more than once if Summer had been killed in a bid to usurp her power.

Yang still remembered the warning she'd received from Neo of all people. Cinder wasn't going to stop just because she was the Fall Maiden now. She wanted all the Maidens' powers for herself. Yang wasn't sure if she could trust what Neo had said, but it was still an all too real possibility. Yang didn't know how she could possibly protect Ruby from someone like Cinder. Even with all their power, Maidens more experienced than Ruby had fallen prey to would-be thieves.

Yang's grip on Blake's hand tightened. Maybe she couldn't save Ruby from Cinder or her ilk, but that didn't mean she wouldn't try. She'd always do her best to protect those she loved, no matter what.

Ruby's eyebrows knitted together and she hunched forward as she concentrated even harder, but nothing happened. She let out a frustrated sound and slumped back into her seat.

"It's no good," Ruby said, speaking loud enough to be heard over the whine of the bullhead's engines. "I just can't do it."

Weiss said, "I'm sure you'll succeed if you keep on trying. I believe in you."

"Thanks, Weiss," Ruby said. A tiny smile crossed her lips.

"It's okay, Sis," Yang said. "You don't need fancy Maiden powers to kick some grimm butt."

"But what if Cinder shows up?" Ruby asked.

Yang had been thinking the exact same thing, but she hadn't dared say it. She tried to think of something reassuring to say, but words failed her. There was no use denying it; sooner or later, they would face Cinder.

Ruby said, "The only time I was able to do anything with my power was…." She trailed off, but Yang knew she was talking about Pyrrha.

Blake said, "Then you know you can do it. You drove Cinder off last time. The next time she won't get away."

"Yeah," Ruby said. "And next time all of you will be there too."

Weiss said, "We're going to stop her, Ruby. Together."

"Yeah!" Ruby said. "Cinder doesn't stand a chance."

Yang let out a breath. She didn't feel any relief, but she was glad that Ruby seemed to. "Thanks," she said, quiet enough that only Blake could hear.

"I meant it," Blake said.

"I know," Yang said. "Blake, I love you."

"Yang," Blake said. "We're going to get through this."

"I know," Yang said again. "I just…needed to say it."

Blake smiled. She cupped her other hand over Yang's. "I love you too," she said.

Suddenly, the bullhead lurched to one side. There was a buzzing sound and the pilot's voice rang out over the intercom, "We're almost to Haven, but there are grimm everywhere! We've got griffons incoming!"

Ruby undid the buckles that were holding her to her seat. She jumped up and said, "Come on, Team!" Then she ran to the side door and hit the button to open it.

The roar of the air rushing past filled the cabin as everyone else extracted themselves from their seats. They all ran to join Ruby. When Yang got to the door, an unrelenting, bone-chillingly cold wind bit at her exposed skin. She had to turn up her semblance another notch to keep warm.

It was dusk outside, but even in the fading light, Yang could see inky black silhouettes swarming closer and closer to the bullhead. Ruby drew Crescent Rose and unfolded it into its gun configuration. "Everybody get ready!" she said, pulling back on the hammer.

Weiss flicked Myrtenaster's cylinder over to the yellow Dust chamber, Blake folded back Gambol Shroud's blade, and Yang activated her gauntlets. Everyone took aim at the griffons approaching them.

"Ready…" Ruby said. "Fire!"

A fury of lightning and bullets erupted from the side of the bullhead. Griffons fell from the sky like so many swatted flies, but there seemed to be no end to them.

"This is pointless!" Weiss shouted. "We need to get on the ground!"

Blake glanced down. "There!" she said, pointing.

Yang followed Blake's finger. The mountaintop Haven Academy was built on loomed below her. It was so choked with grimm that the mountainside seemed to be covered in a teeming carpet of living darkness. But then Yang spotted it. There were flashes of light in the center of campus, gunfire and Nature's Wrath holding the grimm at bay.

"Ruby!" Yang said.

"I see it!" Ruby said. She zipped over to the intercom. "There are people fighting on our left side! Get us there so we can jump!"

"Roger!" the pilot said. "Hang on!"

The bullhead banked hard. Everyone grabbed on to something to keep from being flung out of the airship prematurely. Yang's hand found Blake's arm and held on tight. She knew it wasn't necessary, but she couldn't help but try to keep Blake safe. If there even was such a thing as safe anymore.

When the transport leveled out, Ruby ran back to the door. "Come on, Team! Let's clear the way! Weiss?"

"Right," Weiss said, understanding Ruby perfectly. She thrust her finger toward the ground, and a yellow light shone underneath everyone's feet. Yang felt the rush of Weiss's time dilation glyph wash over her. Everyone raised their weapons and a storm of raw destruction exploded from the bullhead. The transport shuttered as the pilot corrected for the sudden force. In mere seconds, the skies were clear. But everyone knew it was only temporary.

Ruby looked down. "We're almost there. Everybody ready for this?"

Blake said, "It'll be just like the Emerald Forest."

"Yeah," Ruby said. "Piece of cake!"

The small patch of resistance against the grimm was almost directly below the bullhead now. "Aaand…" Ruby said. "Go!"

Ruby leaped from the transport, and Weiss followed immediately behind her. Blake was about to jump as well, but Yang put a hand on her shoulder.

"Is something wrong?" Blake asked.

"No, it's just…" Yang said. She reached up and brushed her artificial fingers across Blake's cheek. The mild sensation her prosthetic gave her was barely the faintest echo of what it was really like to touch Blake, but Yang could still feel the connection between them. "Please. Be careful," she said.

"Of course," Blake said. She grabbed Yang's hand off her cheek and kissed it. "You be careful too," she said.

"I will. I promise," Yang said. "Now let's go fight some grimm!"

Blake smiled at Yang. She let go of Yang's hand and stepped from the bullhead. Like that she was gone.

Yang walked up to the lip of the door. The grimm were everywhere below her. It was like she had a front row seat to the end of the world. For a terrible instant, Yang wasn't looking down over Haven but standing back at Beacon. In her mind she could hear Blake's cries of pain, feel the heat of the flames, and see Adam's terrible, soulless face. Yang took a moment to drink in her own fear. She wanted to really feel it, because she knew it couldn't stop her. Team RWBY had beaten Adam. They were going to beat this.

Yang cast her fear aside and flung herself into the pandemonium below.

The air whooshed past Yang as she plummeted head-first toward the ground. In the few seconds that she had, she searched for the biggest, nastiest grimm she could find. She quickly spotted a goliath on a rampage. The beast was charging through Haven's defenders, flinging them about like rag dolls with its trunk.

Yang corrected her course with a blast from Ember Celica. Then she pointed her gauntlets behind her and fired off every last shell in them, save one, to propel herself faster and faster.

Yang hurtled toward the goliath with blinding speed. She thrust her cybernetic fist forward, and then she crashed down on the goliath like a meteor. The force of the impact rattled Yang's teeth, but her arm sunk a good foot into the terrible beast's head.

The goliath let out an anguished cry, but it was abruptly silenced when Yang fired off her last shot into its head. The creature's legs buckled. Its massive body crashed down, making the ground around it shake violently and kicking up a plume of fallen snow.

Yang pulled her fist out of the goliath's head. She hopped down and landed in front of the grimm as it began to dissolve. Her semblance had happily fed off the force of her impact with the goliath. She could feel its power simmering inside of her, begging to be let loose.

Yang looked around for her next target. However, what she found were the people the goliath had been attacking. Judging by the mud-caked uniforms most of them were wearing, they were students of Haven come to take back their school. Every last one of them looked weary and worn. They had obviously been through a lot.

Yang walked up to a boy who was sprawled out on the ground. He didn't seem to be injured, just exhausted. "Are you okay?" Yang asked.

"I don't know," the boy said breathlessly. "We've been fighting for almost a week to reclaim Haven. But the grimm just keep coming."

"What about Cinder?" Yang asked. "Has she shown up?"

"Who's Cinder?" the boy asked.

A piercing howl interrupted Yang before she could answer the boy. She looked up and saw a pack of beowolves bearing down on her and the students.

"I'll tell you later," Yang said. She pulled out two clips of shells from her pouch, both of them infused with red Dust. She tossed them into the air and caught them in her gauntlets. The second she'd reloaded, she ran for the encroaching beowolves.

"Wait! You'll—" the boy called out. Yang ignored him. She knew exactly what she was getting herself into. It was time to let her semblance come out to play.

Yang's fist hit the lead beowolf squarely in the chest with bolstered strength, and a fiery blast exploded out from her gauntlet. The creature was blown back from the sheer force of the attack, and it collapsed dead to the ground.

The other beowolves hardly even noticed their fallen comrade as they surged forward. Yang threw herself into the frenzied pack. They lashed out at her with tooth and claw, but they didn't stand a chance. Yang's fists became a blur, and the pack was utterly consumed by the literal fire she unleashed.

As the last beowolf fell, the hair on the back of Yang's neck stood up. Acting on instinct, Yang rolled away, and just in time too. A beringel's fists smashed into the ground where she'd been standing. The beringel wasn't alone. Two more quickly joined it. Yang readied herself. Beringels were more dangerous that beowolves, but she knew she could still take them as long as she was careful.

Suddenly, shots rang out. One of the beringels staggered forward. A blade on the end of a ribbon whizzed through the air and plunged into the creature's side. It howled in pain, but before it could do anything, Blake leaped onto its shoulders and delivered a powerful kick to the side of its head.

The beringel toppled forward. Blake rolled off of it, yanking Gamble Shroud out with her. She quickly popped back onto her feet and took a position by Yang's side.

A tiny smile crossed Yang's face. "Just like the Emerald Forest, eh?"

"Something like that," Blake said.

Unfortunately, the beringel that Blake had attacked wasn't dead yet. It staggered back to its feet and let out an inhuman roar of rage and hate. Its companions echoed its battle cry, and all three of them surged forward.

Yang and Blake held their ground. When the beringels reached them, they effortlessly dodged and counterattacked as one. They danced around the savage beasts, perfectly in time with each other. There was no need for words. Each of them knew the next move the other was going to make.

An intense longing suddenly filled Yang as she and Blake beat back the beringels. This was the life she had planned on living. She'd dreamed of the day that she and Blake would graduate Beacon and go traveling the world together as huntresses to fight the grimm. This was what she wanted, not to be caught up in some madwoman's schemes. It was bittersweet getting this little taste of the life she'd thought would be hers, but Yang pushed her feelings aside. She couldn't let them distract her.

One by one the beringels fell to Yang and Blake. The last one tried to grab Blake, but she slipped away, leaving the creature grasping at a clone. Yang moved in and slammed her fist into the beast's chest as Blake jumped over her and slashed at the beringel with her sword and sharpened sheath.

The beringel cried out in pain, but it was too late. It fell to the ground, already dissolving back into nothing.

Yang gave Blake a thumbs-up. But then the sound of thunderous footsteps made her turn her head. Another beringel was approaching. Judging by its massive size and the bones protruding from its back, it was older and far more powerful than the three Yang and Blake had just dispatched.

Yang didn't waste a second. She lunged forward and threw two punches into the beringel's chest, followed by an uppercut to its jaw. Despite the power behind her blows, the beringel was barely fazed at all. Yang stepped up to punch it again, but the creature's gigantic hand batted her effortlessly aside.

"Yang!" Blake cried as Yang flew through the air.

Yang skidded across the ground and tumbled to a stop. Blake rushed to her side to help, but Yang was already climbing back to her feet. Her eyes turned blood red and her hair began to glow like a shining beacon in the twilight. She felt the rush of new strength filling her. After such a boost, the old Yang would have immediately charged down the beringel and let the creature have it, but she'd learned the dangers of recklessly rushing ahead. Her eyes might have been red, but she was still in control.

The beringel beat its fists against its chest, like the gorilla it was a twisted mockery of. It began lolloping toward Yang and Blake.

Blake folded back her sword's blade and fired her gun rapidly at the beringel's face. Yang followed suit and started lobbing shells at the creature. She still had red Dust rounds loaded in Ember Celica. Their fiery blasts crashed against the beringel's body. The combined attacks stopped the creature in its tracks.

"Keep firing!" Blake shouted.

"Yeah!" Yang said. The two of them fired shot after shot until the great creature was teetering on the brink of collapse.

"Now!" Blake said. She sent a clone running toward the beringel.

Yang followed directly behind Blake's clone. When she and the clone got close to the beringel, it smashed its fists down on top of the false Blake, making the clone vanish. Yang couldn't have asked for a better opening. She cocked her arm back and slammed her gauntlet into the creature with all of her semblance-enhanced strength.

Despite the beringel's massive size, it was sent flying back a good ten feet where it impacted the ground hard enough to send up a spray of dirt and snow.

Yang lowered her fists. She ejected the spent shell casings from Ember Celica. "Do you think it's dead?" she asked Blake.

"It's not disappearing," Blake said as she slid a fresh magazine into Gambol Shroud.

Yang pulled out another two clips of shells and quickly reloaded. Sure enough, the beringel's eyes opened. It sprung to its feet and let out a savage roar. Yang raised her fists again and Blake took aim, but before either of them could fire, the blade of a poleax swung down from behind the beringel and drove itself into the creature's head.

The beringel howled madly and flailed about with its arms, trying to dislodge the weapon. Suddenly, the poleax was violently ripped from its head. The blade swung around and cleanly sliced through the grimm's neck. The severed head evaporated away before it even hit the ground.

Behind where the beringel had stood was a blond man, bundled up in a tan winter coat. He smiled in a satisfied way and rested his poleax on his shoulder.

"Dad!" Yang shouted, recognizing the man.

"Yang?" Taiyang asked. His face lit up, and he ran for Yang.

Yang met her dad halfway. Taiyang picked her up in a hug and spun her around, managing not to drop his poleax in the process. "Little Dragon!" he said. "I'm so relieved to see you're okay!"

"You're relieved?" Yang asked. "I'm not the one who was in the middle of a war zone!"

"Hey! Give your dad some credit," Taiyang said as he set Yang down. "Is Ruby here too? Have you see her?"

"We came here together," Yang said. "She's—"

"Incoming!" a voice shouted.

Everyone turned their heads and saw Ruby riding on a giant, white boarbatusk that was glowing with a ghostly, pale light. She had Crescent Rose in her hands and was somehow managing to squeeze off shots and still stay mounted. Grimm were lunging at her, but her mount's tusks and her deadly-accurate fire mowed them all down.

Yang said, "There she is."

Taiyang exclaimed, "What is she doing?!"

Blake said, "It looks like she's riding on one of Weiss's summons."

"That Weiss girl is here too?" Taiyang asked. Then he turned to Blake. "Wait. Who are you?"

"I'm—" Blake said, but she was cut off when a griffon suddenly crashed to the ground in front of them. It thrashed about like it'd been shot, but it wasn't dead yet. It clawed its way back to its feet and let out a piercing screech.

Everyone raised their weapons instantly, but Ruby called out. "I got it!" Her boarbatusk wheeled in the direction of the griffon; and in the direction of Yang, Blake, and Taiyang.

"Uh…" Yang said worriedly, but it was too late. Ruby and her boarbatusk smashed into the griffon. The griffon disintegrated instantly, and Ruby's mount began to glow brightly.

Before the summoned boarbatusk crashed into Yang and everyone else too, it vanished in an explosion of light. Ruby went tumbling to the ground. Her momentum carried her along, and she rolled to a stop in front of everyone's feet.

"Ruby!" a new voice called out. Weiss came running up, completely out of breath. She stopped by Ruby's side and doubled over. "That…" she gasped in between breaths, "…was the dumbest…thing you've ever…made me participate in."

Ruby's head popped up. "Yeah, but it worked! Nice job on the summon! You're really getting the hang of it!"

Taiyang said, "Ruby! Are you alright?!"

Ruby stood and dusted herself off. "Yeah, I'm fine. I—" Ruby cut herself off when she looked up and saw who was standing there. "Dad!"

Taiyang's lower lip quivered as he looked his youngest child over. He suddenly threw his arms around Ruby. "Oh my precious little girl! I didn't think I'd ever see you again!"

"Of course you were going to see me again," Ruby said. "I'm fine."

Taiyang was openly sobbing now. "You are in so much trouble for leaving home, Young Lady!"

"Dad…" Ruby said.

"I hate to interrupt," Blake said, looking off in the distance. "But more grimm are coming."

Taiyang let go of Ruby and dried his eyes. He said, "You're right, uh…who are you again?"

Yang said, "Better worry about that later." She pointed. Dark shapes were moving against the last few rays of the setting sun. Dozens of grimm, if not hundreds were massing.

Taiyang said, "They're just not giving up."

Ruby said, "Then neither are we! Everyone get ready. Because here they come!"

Taiyang folded his poleax into its rifle configuration. Blake held up her pistol. Weiss lifted her hand and conjured up a summoning glyph in front of her. And Yang raised her fists. They all stood firm.

As the hoard approached, Yang's lips pressed together. There were so many grimm, but Yang wasn't going to give up. She was standing with her team and with her family. They were all drawing a line in the sand, saying that they would not back down from this darkness that was threatening to consume the whole world.

Yang's eyes found Blake's. She saw in them the same hardened determination. They were there for each other, no matter what might happen.

The grimm surged forward, growing closer and closer. But suddenly, the skies lit up with sound and fury. Blasts of energy rained down, obliterating the grimm a score at a time.

Everyone looked up and saw an Atlesian warship swooping toward them like a guardian angel. Its weapons were unloading on the grimm with all the destructive power they could unleash.

"Well," Taiyang said. "That's a welcome sight."

Author's Note: Since we haven't gotten to Volume 5 yet as of this posting, I have no idea what Taiyang's canon weapon is. (Assuming he ever gets one.) It wouldn't even matter if I did know. Missing Pieces already established him wielding a poleax. Funny story though, there are about a gazillion different was to spell "poleax". Maybe I should have given Tai a halberd instead. It's almost (but not quite) the same thing.

Just a reminder that the next chapter is about four or five times as long as one of my regular chapters, so it will take me longer to get it finished. I've got a bit of a head start so hopefully it won't be too long until I can post it, but no promises.

And now for something completely different. If you're feeling super generous, I now have a ko-fi page. If you like the work I do enough to make a small donation, you can do so there. You can find my page by either clicking the button at the top of my tumblr or going to ko-fi dot com slash electronicyarn. Now I promise I'll shut up about this in the rest of my author's notes.

As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates.