This started as a very basic idea and I intended for it to be 5 pages long; lo and behold here we are 21 pages later. I know it starts all unorganized and weird, but I feel it gets better as it goes on. Been saving it for weeks, so enjoy! Happy RWBY Tuesday!

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

The Greatest Team

Backup? Backup?!

Weiss was still screaming the word to herself. She had never once been backup in her entire life.

She could still remember with pristine precision how her father had always demanded she be on the front-lines. Since the first day she had started combat training when she was 5 years old, she had been the one at the head of the pack, no matter what the situation.

When she had to complete a project with the other children in her younger years, Weiss always took the leadership roll. As she grew older and attended strategy meetings for mock battles, Weiss was always the one spouting orders left and right.

Of course there had been times where she was forced to obey commands, and she always had done so with flawless execution and with not a hair out of place.

But since attending Beacon, it seemed she was going to be pushed further and further down the path of subordination. She had long-since gotten over the fact that she was not leader of team RWBY, and she was quite fine with being an equal on that team.

But backup?

As soon as Yang had spoken the word, Weiss had stomped her foot in an appalled manner.

"What do you mean?" she demanded presently, her mist-blue eyes full of disbelief as they stared into lavender.

"I mean exactly what I said." Yang held Weiss' gaze strongly, a feat not many people managed. "You're going to back us up on this mission."

Teams RWBY and JNPR had been deployed on a simple mission of eliminating an Ursai overpopulation problem within the depths of the Emerald Forest. However, after a long battle against the beasts, they had stumbled upon a nest of King Taijitu - or rather, their only escape route had been blocked by the serpents.

Needing to devise a plan quickly, Ruby had shared her thoughts with Yang, who was presently trying to get the heiress to listen as Ruby briefed the others.

But it was evident that Weiss did not fancy an idea such as being backup.

"And would you care explaining to me exactly why I have been demoted to such a position?" The heiress refused to be swayed by Yang's surefire words.

"You're not being demoted," Yang spat. "Ruby came up with this plan herself. When has one of her strategies ever failed us?" she asked, almost accusingly.

"Yang, you don't have to yell at her." Ruby's voice cut in as the team leader appeared, stepping in between the two girls. She then directed her silver gaze at her partner. "Weiss, this is a really crucial part that only you can play."

"How is being backup crucial?" Weiss snapped. But as she continued, her voice carried audible sounds of fracturing. "As far as I know, it just means I'm a hindrance to the mission and you want me out of the way." Anger flashed briefly within her gaze, but Ruby could clearly detect the hurt behind it.

She knew they were all exhausted already from their first battle, and fuses were running short because of it, so Ruby reached out a hand toward her partner in a calming motion.

"Weiss, that's not it at all-"

"Don't you lie to me!" Weiss yanked her arm away from Ruby's fingertips. "If that's not it, then you're telling me you want me to hide in the shadows while my teammates fight for their lives, isn't that right?"

"Weiss-"

"That is what you're asking me to do, isn't it?" Weiss pressed, her voice scathing with venom.

"Not in the way you're thinking about it..." Ruby replied calmly.

"There isn't any other way to think about it. Hiding is all it is!" Weiss growled. "I won't do it!"

"Hey!" Yang barked. "Your leader is giving you an order."

"Yang, stop!" Ruby quickly interjected, turning to Weiss before the heiress could offer a stinging retort. "That's not it. It's just... with the plan we have in mind for this, you'd be a huge help if you were to just stay hidden and help us from your vantage point."

"And you're saying I would be a burden if I wasn't doing that?"

"Hey, that's not what she's saying, princess-"

"Yang, please." Ruby held onto her sister's sleeve; if she was truly going to be the leader of this team, she needed to start proving it. Her teammates were already bruised and tattered from battle, and it was her responsibility to keep them safe and keep them together.

Yang recognized Ruby's determination and intentions, and so she let her tense shoulders slump. Reluctantly, she backed away, sending Weiss a somewhat apologetic glance over her shoulder for her actions. Weiss returned the glance with a slight nod before Ruby occupied all of her attention.

"Weiss, I'm sorry that we're...that I'm asking you to do this," she began. "But like I said, it's something only you can do. We're going up against a nest of King Taijitu, and after that last fight, you're probably the only person out of both of our teams able to keep up with the speed of those monsters. But that's exactly why we need you to stay on the sidelines."

Weiss appeared to finally understand what it was Ruby wanted her to do. She let out a long sigh. "So you don't want me to fight directly? I'm your backup?"

"You're our last line of defense," Ruby declared solemnly. "If the rest of us screw up, you're our only hope. I know it's a huge weight on your shoulders, but there's also no one else I would rather trust with the part."

Silence.

Then:

"Are you ordering me?"

"What?"

"Are you ordering me to do this?" Weiss repeated.

Ruby hesitated. She knew this was a test; if she answered in the affirmative, she would probably lose all of Weiss' trust as a companion, however much that might have been. Yet if Ruby denied the order, she would be viewed as an indecisive leader.

Therefore, Ruby chose her next words very carefully.

"I'm asking you to do this, not only as leader of team RWBY, but as your one and only partner."

Weiss' eyes visibly widened in a brief display of shock, which she quickly swept away behind a calculating expression. She took a moment to digest Ruby's words, checking their security, but she could detect no lies, no uncertainty that could possibly lead to harm in her leader's words; Ruby had not just made a random decision without thinking, as she knew as well as Weiss did that their friends' lives would be on the line.

Weiss searched her partner's countenance for any flicker of doubt, but just like her elder sister's gaze, Ruby's was unwavering.

Weiss felt the tiniest smirk rise up the corners of her lips.

"Fine. You win," Weiss said at last. She began to head toward where the rest of their group waited in the clearing ahead, but halted to murmur one last thing to her leader. "I trust you, Ruby." And with those words, she disappeared through the trees.

Ruby needed to suppress a shiver when she heard those words, as she knew all of their lives might very well be dependent upon Weiss' abilities in this situation, and if Ruby had placed the heiress in the wrong position, it could prove disastrous.

But she quickly shook off her doubts. If I have uncertainties about this plan, that would mean I don't have faith in everyone.

A distant rumbling alerted Ruby to the creatures that were slowly prowling around them, and she took in a deep breath before dashing off to the clearing.

The rest of her companions waited for her there, all with somewhat grim expressions on their faces. They were all fairly disheveled from their fight against the Ursai, all sustaining injuries to some degree. For the most part, it was just fatigue and a few scratches, but Blake and Pyrrha both had long gashes on their arms, and while not critical, they were wounds nonetheless.

Ruby knew they were surrounded on all sides by the giant snake-like Taijitu and there was no means of escape other than to fight; she just prayed her plan would get them all home safely.

The others all looked up as Ruby appeared, anticipation sparking in all eight gazes as they flicked about.

"Let's not waste another second," Ruby announced. "Are we all clear on what to do?" she checked. She turned to every person in turn as they nodded, her gaze resting on Weiss last. The idea of hiding in the shadows as her comrades fought was still obviously an unappealing thought to the heiress, but as her eyes met Ruby's, Weiss nodded as well.

Ruby only just noticed the flecks of blood staining her partner's white combat skirt, and she forced herself to look away.

Weiss tended to overexert herself in battle, sometimes to the point where she did not even feel the resulting fatigue or pain of her wounds. Ruby had seen that side of Weiss more than once, and it terrified her deeply whenever she saw her partner fight on despite dire injuries.

She found a bit of solace in the fact that Weiss would not be on the front-lines this time, and nodded slowly as she met her partner's eyes.

Ruby turned to her right as Jaune stepped up beside her.

"Let's just get everyone home in one piece," he told them. "And remember, if any one person manages to escape and the rest of us can't, then go back to the school and bring reinforcements. Our mission isn't to exterminate this time; it's to get out alive."

The others all nodded solemnly, picking up on the decisive tone in his voice that suggested they were about to take action.

"Everybody ready?" Ruby asked one final time.

"Bring it on!" Nora made a triumphant fist as Ren and Pyrrha stepped up beside her. The rest of team RWBY joined them, all eyes sparked with determination.

"Then let's go," Ruby commanded.

The eight students began running, eyes cast in all directions, ears open and alert to even the smallest sound. There was a slight chance they might select a path void of the Taijitu, that they might happen to only have to leap over a tail or two before they were home free.

But of course, that did not happen.

Due to her superior senses, Blake was the first to hear the hard scales scraping against the ground ahead of them and got a clear mental picture of their nearest opponent.

"Jaune! 3 o'clock!" she yelled.

Not a second later, the trees bursted apart as a large, white head appeared. Eyes glowing crimson, it struck out at team JNPR's leader.

However, Blake's warning had alerted Weiss as well, giving her just enough time to cast her spell for enhanced agility. As a yellow glow engulfed her blade, she managed to swoop beneath the Taijitu's fangs, grabbing Jaune mere seconds before it descended upon him.

"Haaah..." he laughed, his voice cracking. "I guess you were... just passing through?"

"Oh, please! This is hardly the time for jokes!" she snapped, dropping him instantly.

It was only seconds later when the black shadows between the trees all suddenly came to life. Long, serpentine bodies rose up, towering above most of the trees, completely encircling the two teams on all sides.

There was not even a second for them to catch their breaths before the fray commenced. The creatures all seemed to lunge forward at the same instant, fangs bared, eyes burning.

The teams scattered on instinct, but Ruby's shout reached them all: "Remember the plan! Stick together!" she called. "If we get separated there's a much greater chance of getting cornered!"

"I'd say we're already pretty cornered, wouldn't you?" Yang asked, bitterly joking as she smashed her fists together.

Ruby jumped up, propelling herself forward by using Crescent Rose, hooking the blade beneath a Taijitu's throat. The scales were much slipperier than a Beowulf's or Ursa's hide, and she had to use an extra amount of force in order to lop it off. She landed, but not a second later had to jump up again to avoid more fangs.

"Jeez!" she huffed. "I know this is a nest, but still!" She glanced around briefly to see how the others were fairing.

It had only been less than a minute since they had engaged in battle, and her companions were fighting quite well. Jaune was shouting out orders to his team while stabbing scales left and right with his sword. Pyrrha dug her spear into as many eyes as she could, and whenever possible, shot round after round into the snakes' open mouths. This caused them to wither long enough for Nora to nail them atop their heads, effectively smashing their skulls. Ren was slicing off fangs whenever he could, removing what posed the biggest threat to them.

Whichever beasts survived that series of attacks did not engage the teams further and slithered off.

"Remember-" Ren shouted loud enough for all of them to hear. "Go for the eyes!"

"Right!" Pyrrha added. "No need to exert ourselves with overkill!"

Ruby felt a little relieved when she saw team JNPR was doing well, and was spared fighting for another short period of time which she used to seek out her own team.

Yang was deliberately letting the beasts knock her around a bit in order to build up her semblance, mounting her energy. She then blasted fire into every pair of jaws directed her way, projecting herself beneath the giant chins and uppercutting the snakes with such force that their deadly fangs pierced their own heads. She stuck as closely as possible to Blake, whose aura could not keep up with healing her previous injury as well as the new ones she was suffering because of it. She still managed to jab Gambol Shroud into the eyes of several Taijitu, shooting a few others, but Ruby could tell she would not last very much longer.

This alerted her to the fact that she had yet to locate Weiss, and she quickly sought her partner out.

Weiss had been rendered facing the beasts on her own after having been separated from Ruby on the initial charge. The heiress was casting spell after spell in flawlessly-timed patterns, using her Air Step to get up to the giant creatures' levels. The Dust surrounding her altered colors in time with Myrtenaster's perfectly-executed swings as Weiss utilized her glyphs, maneuvering almost effortlessly and piercing her blade into the Taijitus' eyes with fierce accuracy and power.

Whenever the fangs were upon her, she would veer away while slicing them off or turning them to ice before shattering them altogether. Several times, she pierced her rapier through the roofs of the beasts' mouths before propelling herself forward and running with the cut until the creature crumpled to the ground.

Ruby was reminded then of just how exceptional of a fighter her partner was, and knew it could be a potentially dangerous idea to take her off the front-lines. But as her eyes glimpsed Blake clutching her wounded arm, Ruby knew she had to be decisive with her plan.

Ruby kicked off, using a slithering body as a step to elevate her to where the heiress was still fighting. "Weiss!" she called out. Wind rushed past her ears as she turned Crescent Rose at an angle that caused a charging Taijitu to slice itself in half. "Fall back! Follow the plan!"

Weiss thrust her blade into another throat as she sent Ruby a fast glance, then allowed herself to drop down to the forest floor. Ruby quickly followed, seizing the minute of stillness as she free-fell down as well.

Weiss directed her intense gaze at her leader, and Ruby could see that she was breathing harshly. Shortness of breath was worryingly common for Weiss after a battle, Ruby had realized, and she assumed it was because her partner worked best in short, powerful bursts rather than drawn-out encounters. She had briefly witnessed the same momentary lapse in the heiress' composure after her in-class battle with the Boarbatusk, as well as after their battle with the Nevermore, and it only served to convince Ruby her plan was for the better.

But Weiss was not about to succumb to her leader's wishes so easily.

"I'm fine!" she snapped.

"I never asked if you were," Ruby narrowed her eyes.

"That's not what I'm saying," Weiss retorted. "I can still fight. The battle only just started and I still have plenty of Dust to-"

"I'm not saying you can't continue fighting," Ruby clarified. "I just need you to do it in a different way."

"...By being backup?" Weiss bit her lip, still not liking the idea of hiding in the bushes as her companions fought for their lives. Yet she had promised she would be Ruby's best teammate, and therefore knew she needed to trust in her leader and follow her plan.

Ruby could tell Weiss was still conflicted about it all, and appreciated the heiress' internal torment over the matter; she knew Weiss would much rather put herself between those bone-crushing fangs than stand at bay.

But Ruby also knew that Weiss was determined to help her out at all costs, and the brunette spared a brief smile for that fact.

"If you want to think of it that way, then yes." Ruby stared directly into those familiar mist-blue eyes. "But like I said, you're our last line of defense. I know I'm putting the heaviest burden on your shoulders, but there's no one else I trust more to carry it."

As if to balance out the weight of said burden, Ruby lightly placed a hand on her partner's shoulder which trembled ever so slightly.

Then, Weiss inhaled deeply, ceasing her unbecoming huffing.

"Alright," Weiss lowered her weapon to her hip.

"Thanks, Weiss. I really mean it." Ruby removed her hand, leaving a lingering warmth on the older girl's shoulder as she turned away. "I'm counting on you," she murmured just loud enough for the heiress to hear.

Then, Ruby tore off back into the fray, blood splattering in wake of her scythe.

Weiss stood there for another few seconds, longing more than anything to follow her leader into battle, but instead she forced herself to step back.

Just before she could turn to head toward the trees, another familiar voice drew her attention.

"Weiss! Thank god! Perfect timing!" Yang called from the right, and Weiss directed her attention to her. "Take care of Blake for me, would ya?" And without another word, the impulsive elder sister leapt into the air, landing atop another serpent that thrashed wildly as she began to burn and pummel it.

Weiss quickly located her injured teammate and dashed to Blake's side, grabbing her arm and using her abilities to get them out of the immediate lines of fire. She let Blake go once they had reached the quietest part of the clearing, leaning her teammate against a tree to inspect her injuries.

"Thanks," Blake panted. "But I can still-"

"Spare me," Weiss sighed heavily. "My half of those sisters just finished giving me the same denying lecture I'm about to give you, so don't waste your breath."

Her eyes met Blake's then, and there was a mutual understanding unspoken between them about their dislikes toward the present situation. Now they were both being forced to sit back and watch, but Weiss knew her own position was a much better one than Blake's.

While Weiss was to support her companions with her glyphs from behind the scenes, Blake had no means of assisting them whatsoever now. Her arm was bleeding enough to cover most of the exposed skin, and she leaned heavily against the tree, causing Weiss to notice how she favored one foot over the other.

Yang had been right in her judgement to send her off, as Blake would need to lessen the chances of injuring her leg any further if she wanted any hope of escaping with the rest of them when it was all over.

"This works, though." Weiss perked up slightly when an idea formed in her mind, a strategy that included having Blake help her as well. "You can be my second set of eyes. Tell me who needs what kind of help where and how."

Blake's expression appeared almost touched for a moment as she realized what the heiress was doing, giving her a job as to lessen her feelings of helplessness.

"You've got it." She nodded once determinedly.

Weiss' position now was to help support the groups from the sidelines.

She could easily tell that the number of Taijitu bodies dropping per minute had lessened significantly from the commencement of the battle, and her companions were the ones on the defensive now. She made sure that from her standpoint she would be able to cast her spells far enough to assist them when required.

Then, she used her keen eyesight to track the movements of her fellow teammates, surveying them like a hawk as she tried to pinpoint who was struggling.

All of them were clearly drained from their first fight with the Ursai - that much was clear just by observing their movements and decreased speed of attacks - but Weiss' intent was to aid them through their disadvantages. Although most of her abilities involved Weiss herself fighting directly with Myrtenaster, she now had to focus on using the spells on others.

"Pyrrha needs help." Blake's voice alerted Weiss to the crimson-haired girl who had also been previously injured.

Weiss crossed her hands in a flurry of movements as she took aim, locking onto her target and creating a circle beneath Pyrrha's feet. Weiss' spells would only function properly if the one they were cast on moved their body themselves; the heiress' techniques were essentially just a means of propelling them in a certain direction.

Thankfully, Pyrrha noticed the circle in time and leapt, Weiss' spell enhancing what would have been a 5 meter jump by at least 15 more. This allowed Pyrrha to dodge two venomous fangs while simultaneously scoring a fatal blow down the side of the Taijitu's face with her javelin. She landed, calling out a "thank you" that Weiss saw rather than heard before she returned to the fight.

Aside from when she had launched Ruby into battle with the Nevermore, it was the first time Weiss had ever executed her powers onto another person. It felt somewhat odd, yet at the same time, she could not ignore the prideful feeling that fluttered within her chest.

But she could not allow herself to get caught up in the strange emotion for more than a few seconds before Blake called out another warning: "Nora needs a boost."

Directing her attention back to the fray, Weiss conjured another spell, underneath the hyperactive girl's feet this time, sending her soaring high enough to tower over the entire forest. Even past all the boisterous hissing and sounds of battle, her shriek of delight could be heard above all else as she spiraled down to hammer one of the beasts between the eyes.

"Thanks!" Nora squealed. "That was totally awesome!"

Weiss rolled her eyes but could not stop the corner of her mouth from twitching upward a little.

It was then Weiss began to realize why Ruby had been so intent on having her play this role; it was to show Weiss that, although they were directly engaged in the battle, those on the front-lines were not necessarily the only crucial fighters.

"Ren's next," Blake alerted her. "Four o'clock."

The two of them continued their covert assists, Blake's heightened Faunus senses allowing her to quickly pick up on the movements of her teammates, while Weiss' reaction timing was quicker than a heartbeat.

The next several minutes were packed with action as the standstill tag-team continued to assist their companions. Despite the Beacon side having lost two fighters, the tides of the battle began to shift in their favor.

However, it was not long before Blake realized the breaks in between necessary assists was shortening by the minute. Weiss barely had the time to catch her breath anymore before she had to cast another spell, and Blake's own wounds were beginning to grow numbingly painful. Her vision blurred for just a second before she regained her composure, but it was just enough time to miss a potentially fatal observation.

Weiss had her attention focused on the spell she was presently casting on Yang and failed to notice the black Taijitu slithering up from behind her.

"Weiss!" Blake's warning shout came a second too late as the monster struck.

Blake watched, horrified as the tips of the fangs pierced the white fabrics of her teammate's dress, but in between the split second it took to reach the skin, a red flash appeared.

Hooking the snake's head upward and away from her partner, Ruby sliced its skull clean off with her scythe as she pushed Weiss out of the way. The heiress stumbled, causing her spell-casting to cease, and Yang suddenly lost her enhanced agility, only barely managing to effectively finish her attack as she crunched her fist into her adversary's fangs.

Yang hastily looked in the direction where she knew Weiss and Blake to be hiding, concerned something had gone wrong. Yet she let out a relieved sigh when she noticed the other three members of her team there together, majorly unharmed, and she hastily leapt back into battle.

"Ruby..." The dazed heiress blinked a few times to fix her vision.

"Are you okay?" Ruby fretted, helping Weiss to her feet.

"I'm sorry. It was my fault," Blake admitted wretchedly. "I wasn't paying attention."

"Stop it." Weiss glared intensely at her. "Don't go blaming yourself for something that didn't even happen. You're doing more than enough as is."

"She's right," Ruby agreed. "No harm, no foul. But please remember that you guys aren't exactly safe out here either." Her silver eyes wavered for just a second, enough to show how worried she had been. She addressed Blake first: "How are your wounds? And be honest."

"No better..." she reported.

"Weiss, what about-"

"I'm fine, just get back in there!" Weiss hounded her. "And for goodness' sake, be careful!" Her expression was hidden from her leader, but Ruby felt that she knew exactly what kind of face Weiss was making right now.

"Right. Same to you."

With that, Ruby took off again, and Weiss waited until she was a good distance away before she removed her teeth from where they were embedded in her lower lip. The tang of blood filled her mouth, and Blake sent her an understanding look; telling her partner to go off into battle and not being able to follow her must have been one of the hardest things anyone could ever do.

But Blake was forced to direct her attention back to the fight then, seeking out where her comrades were faltering.

It was not much longer before the two of them were joined by Pyrrha, who had been too injured to continue to fight at the heart of the battle. However, she still managed to make herself useful by shooting her rifle from where she crouched behind the bushes.

"There's just no end to this..." the sniper muttered. "Perhaps I should try to get back to the Academy and gather reinforcements after all."

"You stay put," Weiss growled. "Neither of you are in any condition to be trouncing back through the forest to do that."

"She has a point," Blake admitted, having also already considered trying to get back to the school. "These Taijitu aren't the only monsters of Grimm prowling the woods."

"I supposed you have a point," Pyrrha sighed. "And Weiss' presence is so crucial in the battle that it would be suicide for her to go."

"It'll also be suicide to have this go on for much longer," Weiss grunted. "All of our pairs have broken up."

As she said this, Blake and Pyrrha realized what she meant; of the four two-person tagteams present, three of those pairs had lost one member each. The only full pair remaining was Ren and Nora's, but they had been separated from one another and currently fought alone.

Naturally, when someone fought and trained alongside a certain person for any length of time, the two would grow accustomed to one another's fighting styles and little ticks that no one else could fully comprehend. Partners could read each other's movements without much thought, but now that the pairs were effectively split, the combat skills of those still fighting was diminishing significantly.

Weiss knew they were losing their advantage now. Even though the three of them could still assist the battle from where they were, it was much less sufficient than engaging the beasts directly.

She could tell they were running out of time; Pyrrha's wounds bled more every time she fired a shot, and Blake did not have to do anything more than stand for her injuries to continue worsening.

Weiss also knew she herself was running low on energy, both on Dust and physical endurance, as the spell-casting did a great deal of damage to her aura when used so excessively. Her entire body was aching with throbs of agony, but she continued to follow Blake's breathless instructions nonetheless.

The people she had to support continued to switch from one to the other without fail. Jaune, Yang, Nora, Yang, Ren, Jaune... Weiss had to close her eyes in order to try and concentrate on what she was doing, mustering up her energy from the confines of her being.

The accomplished feeling she had felt perviously was now ebbing away to be replaced by concern, for she knew none of them were going to last much longer, no matter how admirable their abilities were.

Blake's next call sent a foreboding shiver up Weiss' spine.

"Weiss! Ruby needs help!"

Ruby...? Weiss repeated the name to herself as she immediately sought out the familiar red cloak.

It was only then when Weiss realized Ruby had not required her assistance since the start of the battle; not once had the heiress had to step in to help her.

But now, Weiss felt icy thorns ensnare her heart as she witnessed Ruby surrounded by three of the giant beasts.

Yang had noticed her sister's plight as well, but had two of her own opponents to deal with, and even the zealous blonde was beginning to falter. The rest of team JNPR was also unable to assist, as Nora and Ren were still separated and Jaune had been knocked to the side.

Weiss was petrified. Her feet were rooted to the ground as her mind raced, her heart pounding. She had been ordered to stay put and work from the shadows, and her role had proven ten times over to be momentously critical to the success of their fight.

But her supply of Dust was nearly depleted, and the overwhelming fatigue that crashed over her barely let her so much as stand. Would she even be of any use if she were to jump in?

The thoughts all raced through her mind in an instant, and Weiss knew her indecisiveness may very well cause the loss of a very important comrade if she did not act quickly.

She raised her hands in the beginnings of a spell, but the coils of one of the Taijitu had already wrapped around her leader's body, rendering her unable to move at all even if Weiss used her glyphs.

Crescent Rose dropped to the ground as the giant serpent lifted Ruby up toward its eager jaws.

Weiss' blood ran cold as her spell dissipated, utterly useless.

Move... She ordered her shaking legs. Move... MOVE!

"Weiss!"

The sounds of Blake's and Pyrrha's screams gave the heiress the final bit of energy she needed.

The chill in her veins turned hot as she tore off, pelting through the trees she had been taking shelter behind as she propelled herself across the open clearing at breakneck speed. The wind whipped past her face hard enough to leave tears in her wake as Weiss threw herself back onto the battlefield in a furious flash of white.

She gathered her remaining strength, crouching down before launching herself into the air, angled directly at the monster that had her partner within its clutches. She soared through the final few feet between the beast and herself, raking up each scrap of strength and power from every fiber of her being.

"NO... YOU... DON'T!"

Weiss let out an enraged screech as she hurled Myrtenaster down through the Taijitu's muzzle, impaling it with such force that its neck snapped sideways with a deafening sound. Weiss used the momentum to drag her rapier through its tough scales, slicing out chunks of bloodied flesh as she leapt, spun, and landed. The coils of its body unraveled, setting Ruby free as she dove toward her scythe.

Weiss was faintly aware of her leader calling her name, but now that she had blatantly disobeyed her orders, she figured it would be best to attempt doing something beneficial - which was just another way of saying, if she was going to die here, she was not going down without a fight.

She shot upward at one of the remaining two Taijitu that had attacked Ruby, aware of another massive body dropping motionless behind her as team JNPR got themselves together.

Without using a spec of Dust this time, Weiss relied on her own abilities as she jumped toward the creature's fangs. Utilizing her extraordinary flexibility, the heiress twisted her body at such an angle that she landed right between the serpent's jaws; normally the move would have appeared graceful, but now as she was backed into a corner on what very well may be her final fight, there was a ferocity about Weiss that somehow made the action terrifyingly elegant.

She lifted her arms as she held tightly to her blade, awaiting the impact as the mighty jaws closed in around her, only to be pierced by her rapier. Blood showered down on top of her as she burst from the snake's jaws, knocking out one of its fangs with an adrenaline-powered kick as she leapt. She landed on the blood-soaked ground as a burst of flame announced Yang's defeat of yet another of the creatures.

But Weiss did not get the chance to turn and see how the rest of her companions were fairing against the monsters as the third one before her raised itself higher. It was substantially larger than the previous two, which had been large to begin with, and rather than a full black or white pattern like the others, its scales were marked with a balanced mix of both, its eyes the color of rage itself.

Weiss could feel that she was running on her very last spurt of energy, and the vigor was quickly draining from her body.

She was about to dash forward for the final attack, when she felt a hand on hers. She did not need to glance sideways to know that Ruby was next to her, and her partner's presence gave her the last surge of power she needed; nothing felt more right than having Ruby beside her.

They spoke in unison: "Let's do this."

Weiss poured the last ounces of her energy into one final spell, aiming it beneath hers and Ruby's feet. Readying their weapons, the two huntresses crouched low, waiting for the right time to strike.

The massive Taijitu before them swayed from side to side hypnotically, sizing them up, and time seemed to slow for a moment. The girls held their breaths, trying to focus, readying their weapons.

Then, the beast let out a long hiss before lashing out in a flurry of massive fangs.

Ruby and Weiss were propelled forward, both jumping slightly to one side as their blades cleanly cut off one fang each.

Weiss soared upward, her skirt fanning out as she twirled once before landing atop the beast's head. Gathering all of the agonizing throbbing that assaulted her aching torso, Weiss channeled the pain into power as she stabbed Myrtenaster between the Taijitu's eyes.

It let out a vicious hiss as it thrashed about, but Weiss kept it still just long enough for Ruby to lock Crescent Rose around its throat. With a swift twist, a powerful tug, and a mighty swing, she decapitated the serpent just before it could fling Weiss off.

Blood sprayed from the wound as the two girls leapt away, letting the giant body smash to the ground and make the earth tremble.

Ruby landed roughly, leaning on her scythe for support. Weiss descended beside her a second later, but slipped on a puddle of blood, Ruby only just barely managing to steady her.

"Ruby..." Weiss was gasping painfully for breath. "How many... are left? ...I h-have... no aura left..." she rasped desperately.

"Weiss..." Ruby soothed. "It's okay..." She turned to look behind herself. "It's over."

Weiss was leaning heavily on her blade, her legs shaking uncontrollably as she turned around as well.

Yang, Jaune, Ren, and Nora all stood before them, tattered and beaten, but with an air of incredulous triumph. The clearing around them was eerily silent now, littered with dozens of carcasses that were strewn about in a gruesome ocean of blood. The reek could probably be smelled all the way back on the school campus, but hopefully it was strong enough to ward off any other monsters.

A moment of utter silence passed by as the disbelief wafting from the students turned into the realization that it was all real.

"Did... Did that really just happen...?" Yang blinked in shock. "Did we really just defeat... and entire nest of those things?"

"Mmmaybe not the entire nest," Nora hummed. "A few got away."

"That's hardly the point here, Nora." Ren smacked his palm to his face.

"Yeah..." Nora contemplated. "But it was still awesome!" She passionately threw her arms around his neck, and he stumbled backward until she let go.

Ren then promptly proceeded to fall to the ground with an exhausted sigh. Nora cocked her head to one side curiously before shrugging and plopping down beside him.

"I... can't believe we actually did it..." Jaune's mouth was agape as he sat down on the ground, trying to let it sink in.

"That..." Yang shook herself off. "That... was totally awesome!" Charging forward, she crushed Ruby and Weiss into a bear hug. "We almost died, but that was so totally awesome! I'm so proud your plan worked! You guys were amazing!"

"Yang, Yang, Yang!" Ruby wheezed. "You might actually kill us-"

"Ah... sorry, sorry." Yang loosened her grip on her two teammates as she slumped to the ground, taking them with her. Ruby only just realized the sweat beading on her forehead, a sight she had never seen from her elder sister in all her life.

Ruby could feel every ache in her body and was aware of each stinging scratch she had earned throughout the battle.

But she was mostly aware of Weiss who was still gasping agonizingly for breath beside her. Her rapier had fallen to the ground as the heiress hunched forward, her long, alabaster hair frazzled and matted with blood, her dress drenched in it. Ruby tensed at the sight of her partner in such a state, but took a grain of solace in the fact that most of the blood was not hers.

They all caught their breaths as best they could manage as Blake and Pyrrha emerged from their hiding spot, supporting one another until they reached their teammates.

"I'm so glad you're all okay!" Pyrrha fell to her knees as she embraced all three of her teammates in a hug.

"Y-Yeah..." Jaune coughed. "We're glad you're okay too, Pyrrha."

Meanwhile, Yang had to squint up as her partner limped over to her. "Hey, Blakey..." she said airily. "How're you doing?" Yang made an attempt to stand so she could hug Blake as well, but her knees buckled and she fell back to the ground.

"I'm fine," Blake informed her as she slowly knelt down beside her partner, wincing slightly in pain. "Are you sure you're okay?" She supported Yang's shoulders using her good arm.

"Who, me?" Yang chuckled. "Yeah, yeah, I'm all good. Just... really... rrrreally relieved..." She spoke in an uncharacteristically shivering breath.

Likewise, Blake was overwhelmed with emotion, which was a very rare occurrence for her. She was so relieved that everyone was safe, and let her impulses take over as she carefully wrapped her arms around Yang. The brawler's eyes went wide. "Hah, this is unusual for you, Blake," she sniffed. "Not that I mind." She returned the hug with a firm gentleness, letting out an enervated sigh as she buried her face in Blake's shoulder.

From where she sat, Ruby wore a smirk on her face as she glanced at the group of people around her, more listless and yet, somehow more lively than ever.

At last, her gaze rested on the girl beside her.

Weiss was still short of breath, her chest heaving, and her entire body shuddering. Ruby suddenly recalled what her partner had said to her a few minutes ago, that her aura was almost completely wasted, and Ruby felt a prickle of worry creep through her stomach.

"Weiss? Hey, are you okay?" She placed her hand on the heiress' quivering back. Weiss instinctively flinched upon the contact, snapping her head up with a small gasp. "S-Sorry!" Ruby withdrew instantly. "I... I didn't hurt you, did I?" she asked nervously.

"N...No..." Weiss rasped. "I'm sorry. I'm still just a bit... on edge, I-I guess..." Her eyes were glazed over with enervation, and it was clear that she was on the verge of losing consciousness.

Then, she let out one final sigh, slumping sideways onto her leader's shoulder.

"Weiss?" Ruby's voice rose in panic, alarm bubbling within her chest.

"Could you just be quiet... for ten seconds?" Weiss murmured.

Ruby smiled slowly. "Right. Sorry."

She closed her mouth as she cast her gaze over the others, who were all just beginning to break away from their own hugs. Yang was just realizing the copious amount of blood sticking to her person, and Blake's as well.

Her sister's frantic fretting reminded Ruby of her teammates' injuries and she glanced to team JNPR's group to find that they were equally as concerned about Pyrrha.

Right. We're kind of... still in the Emerald Forest, Ruby thought. We should probably get out of here before we run into even more trouble.

She had almost forgotten the fact that Weiss was leaning against her, as the heiress' presence was so withered and still.

"Weiss. Weiss?" Ruby hated to shake her shoulder and rouse her partner, but it had to be done. "You were amazing today. I can't even stress that enough. You saved our lives countless times and you went so far as to exert yourself this much for us..."

As she spoke, she was so touched that she felt tears welling up. "You were so amazing... and I know you're more tired than any of us, and you deserve the best rest ever. I promise I'll make you your favorite coffee and everything once we all get released from the infirmary, but right now you've got to wake up," she said, all in one breath.

But still, she received no reply from her partner.

"Weiss, come on. You didn't fall asleep already, did you?" Ruby lifted her arm, wrapping it around Weiss' waist to give her a gentle shake.

She was so still.

"Weiss?" Ruby's voice rose in fear when she failed to hear her partner's breathing anymore. She shot a terrified glance at Yang and Blake, who were looking worriedly in her direction now. "Hey, Weiss?!" Ruby shifted the heiress' body slightly, moving a hand to her collarbones to feel for her pulse.

Ruby stiffened, her blood running cold as she failed detect the rhythm of Weiss' heartbeat. Her eyes began to burn with tears, her voice hitching as she choked on a sob. "Weiss!" she wailed, her voice breaking.

Ruby felt the world come screeching to a halt around her as her mind went blank. She felt as though she was suffocating.

The others were now all staring at Ruby in deathly silence. The leader who had just been dominating the battlefield with witty commands and decisive combat skills mere moments ago was now reduced to a whimpering girl. "Weiss..." She sniffed, her eyes filling with tears. "Weiss, please..."

Silence.

Ruby held her breath as she bit into her quivering lip.

Then:

"...Ru...by..." A soft whisper mumbled as her mist-blue eyes fluttered slowly open, like a tattered butterfly's wings. "Didn't I ask you... to please be quiet... for a minute?"

"Weiss?" Ruby dug her teeth further into her lip as she looked into her partner's eyes, her own eyes overflowing now. "Oh, god..." She crumpled under the weight of her relief as she pulled the heiress into a desperate hug, breaking out into sobs as she buried her face in her partner's shoulder.

"Honestly, Ruby..." Weiss muttered. "Did you really... let your imagination get to you?" she wheezed. "You didn't really think... I'd die from something like that... did you?" she whispered, a little smugly.

A single tear dripped down her cheek, seeping into Ruby's cloak.

Ruby could not bring her voice to work any more as she simply continued to cry in relief.

She had imagined it. Her mind had been playing tricks on her. Weiss was alive. Her heart was beating. She was right here...

Weiss allowed Ruby to continue her unbecoming performance of sobbing into her dress. "Really... you are such a child..." she scoffed gently. She managed to gather enough strength to lift her arms around Ruby's back, pulling her ever so slightly closer. "Come on, you dunce. This is... no way for a leader to be acting right now..."

The rest of their comrades looked on a bit amusedly, but Weiss was far too tired to care about their straying gazes.

It took a few minutes more for the eight of them to get their bearings back.

Nora hoisted Ren to his feet as Pyrrha leaned against Jaune. Yang finally managed to get the strength back in her legs and she staggered to her feet before helping Blake up as well.

"Come on, you two," Yang called over to them. "Let's head back. It's about time they started sending out a search party anyway," she realized. "Buuut it's probably best to start moving as much as we can."

"Ruby, come on, enough with the waterworks." Weiss patted her blubbering leader's back. "I'm going to hold you to that promise of preparing coffee for me. You can cry about it then."

Ruby finally managed to stop her tears, moving away from Weiss, checking one final time that she was truly there.

"Y...Yeah. You're right. Sorry." Ruby wiped her sleeve across her face. She strained to reach her weapon, retracting the scythe to its more convenient, portable form as she put it away. "Right, right! Let's get moving." She forced her legs to move as she slowly got up to her knees.

"Ruby..." Weiss murmured, wincing in pain as she tried to stand.

"H-Here, let me help you up!"

Ruby had Weiss hold onto her as she gradually brought her to her feet, but the heiress was so weak she nearly collapsed again.

"Honestly..." She huffed as she tentatively sheathed Myrtenaster. "It'll take weeks to fully replenish my aura..."

"And I'll be making you coffee every day until then," Ruby grinned.

"I look forward to it." Weiss offered a small smirk in return.

Ruby pulled the heiress' arm over her shoulder, supporting her waist with the other hand.

"Everybody good to go?" she checked.

"Never better!" Jaune replied.

They all set off at a steady pace, properly accommodating for everyone's wounds. Nora and Ren, who had sustained the fewest injuries stuck to the front and rear of the group respectively, keeping alert for any signs of other monsters.

But their journey back remained quiet as they continued their collective gait.

Ruby had to stop occasionally to wait for Weiss to catch her breath, and if she had not been so exhausted herself, she would have carried the heiress back in her arms despite the protests and threats she would surely face.

"Hey, Ruby?" The young huntress glanced curiously sideways as her partner addressed her. "I'm... sorry about earlier."

"What in the world do you have to apologize for?" Ruby was incredulous. "You were-"

"Maybe if you'd let me finish, you'd find out." Weiss tilted her head sideways to headbutt her leader before continuing. "I'm sorry... for doubting you," she confessed. "I didn't have full faith in your plan. I just couldn't accept it..."

Ruby gently returned the headbutt, causing Weiss' eyes to widen. But before Weiss could demand what Ruby was doing, her leader cut her off.

"Well, it's a good thing you did doubt me," Ruby reasoned. "Because if you had followed my instructions and stayed hidden, I wouldn't be here right now. Maybe none of us would be."

The heiress flinched as she was forced to imagine the worst possible situation, but Ruby continued.

"Like I said, you were amazing today, Weiss. I bet there's a better word for it, but I just can't think of it right now. You saved us so many times, and it's thanks to your abilities that we managed to win against an entire nest of Taijitu," she emphasized. "I mean... do you realize how big of a deal that is? And it's all thanks to you."

"It was your ingenious plan," Weiss muttered, turning her face away, unable to meet her silver gaze.

Ruby had to stop herself from gasping aloud when her mind registered what was happening. Is... Is Weiss being... bashful?! Ruby, too, had to look away for a second, savoring the extraordinary scene.

A moment of silence passed between them, but Nora's call alerted their attention ahead of them.

"Heads up!" she cautioned.

An air of dismay began to weigh down on the group, as they knew they would not be able to withstand much more of a beating.

But Blake's perceptive hearing kicked in before they could get too worried.

"It's okay," she said.

Before very much longer, a group of figures could be seen ahead; at least 15 other students from Beacon Academy were headed toward them, led by Professor Ozpin himself.

"Oh, thank god..." Yang voiced everyone's thoughts as she let her knees buckle once more, bringing Blake down with her. Ruby followed her sister's lead and allowed herself to crouch down on one knee, letting Weiss kneel beside her.

"Ruby." Hearing her name once more, Ruby turned her head to look into Weiss' mist-blue eyes. "I always knew you had what it takes to be a great leader," Weiss smiled. "And there's not a doubt in my mind that you're the best leader Beacon has ever seen."

Ruby broke out into a wide grin. "Thanks, Weiss!" She gently hugged her partner again. "And you're the best teammate anyone could ever ask for! Definitely... the best partner ever..." she mumbled. "We really do make... the greatest team..."

Both girls were later chuckled at by Blake, and teased relentlessly by Yang about the "embarrassingly touching" things they had said to one another before they had passed out in each other's arms.

A/N: I hope I could do justice to a fight scene.

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