Ice Queen In Love

The collection consolidates the Darkpenn stories about Weiss and Velvet, intersecting with and repeating some parts of the series RedWhiteBlackYellow. The series begin in Volume 2, soon before the Beacon dance. It was written with no knowledge of what happens in Volume 5 of RWBY.

Weiss' Day Off

Fighting monsters is much easier than understanding matters of the heart, Weiss finds.

Weiss Schnee sighed. She knew that she was supposed to be helping Yang and Ruby set up the hall for the dance but, well, her heart had just been broken. That meant she was allowed to take a break, didn't it? Anyway, Yang could move speakers about and stuff, and Ruby could do ... whatever it was Ruby did.

Maybe not broken, in the tears and screaming sense. Just a little bruised. She had asked Neptune if he would accompany her and he had – wait for it – refused! Refused her! Now why would he possibly do that? After all, she was ... her. Rejection was not a concept she was familiar with.

She told herself that perhaps it was just part of the dating ... thing. Tell the truth, she didn't know much about it. Well, nothing. At home her parents had kept her on a very short leash. Which meant, no boys. At all. She had the feeling that her father planned for her to marry ... someone. Someone strategically useful. To him. She shuddered.

So now she was moping around the boutique district of Vale. She had always thought that she was attractive – if not, then an army of very expensive stylists, elocution consultants, and dental technicians had much to explain – but now she was beginning to wonder. She looked in the window of a store, and saw a pair of dark sunglasses on a stand. Hmm, they looked familiar.

Ah, it was the style that Coco Adel wore. Now, Coco was cool. Bet she never got knocked back, date-wise. The heels, the designer bag that turned into a mini-gun, the bandolier, and ... those glasses.

She wondered if she would look cool in them. Would that make Neptune take some notice? It wasn't too late for him to change his mind, was it? Or was it? Damn, this stuff was tricky.

"Not really you, I think," said a voice behind her. Weiss turned, to find Coco and Velvet Scarlatina standing there.

"Oh, hello," said Weiss. "What do you mean?"

Coco laughed. "I buy all my stuff here," she said. "It's my favourite store. You've got your own style, Weiss, and those won't go with it. I speak as someone who owns a lot of sunglasses."

"Really? How many pairs?"

"Twenty-seven. All the same." She laughed again. "Hey, we're going for coffee. Come with?"

Weiss considered. "Yes, I would like that," she said. She glanced at Velvet. She was staring at Weiss. She moved her lips but nothing came out. Coco nudged her.

"Hi!" blurted Velvet. "I mean, hello! Weiss! Hi!"

"Uh, hi," said Weiss.

Coco sighed. "This way to coffee," she said.

So they went to a little cafe.

Coco asked Weiss about the dance preparations.

"They're going fine," said Weiss. "Or so I understand. Tell me, Coco, are you, you know, going with anyone?"

"Fox," she said. "We hang out a bit. And do ... stuff. Hey, we saw your friend Yang out and about a while ago. With a guy. Big guy. Beard. Not a Beacon guy. I got the feeling they were ... more than just casual friends. I'd seen the guy before, I think he runs a nightclub or something."

Weiss had a sudden flashback to a night a few weeks back, when Yang had come in late, looking somewhat bedraggled and strangely happy. Huh.

"How about you?" said Coco.

"Er, no, no guy for me," said Weiss.

"No guy!?" said Velvet.

"Uh, you see, I've, well, I've never dated a guy."

"You've never dated a guy!?" said Velvet. "That's ... that's ... well, that's wonderful!"

"Huh?" said Weiss.

"Neither have I!" said Velvet. "Hey, can I take your photograph?"

"I ... I guess so," said Weiss. "But why?"

"Velvet's power is that she can temporarily replicate other people's weapons, if she can take a photo of it," said Coco. "She has quite a collection."

So Weiss showed Velvet her sword, and she took a photo of it with her odd-looking camera, and then one of Weiss. And then another. And another. And then another one.

"How many photos of me do you need?" said Weiss.

"For the replication, just one," said Velvet. "The others ... are just for me. And, uh, also, um, er, I was wondering, you know, the dance thing, uh, er ... " She stumbled into tongue-tied silence. She stared at her cup of coffee.

"Oh, for crying out loud!" said Coco. "Weiss, my extremely shy and rather foolish friend is trying to ask you to go to the dance with her. That is, with her. That is, on a date. A date date."

"Uh, why?" said Weiss.

"Because ... because ... because you're so beautiful!" Velvet blurted. "And so cool! And so sexy! There, I've said it."

"Really?" said Weiss. "You really think so?"

"Well, you are kind of pretty," said Coco. "And I say that as someone who does not swing that way, generally speaking."

Weiss was feeling a bit stunned. This dating business just got harder and harder. She looked at Velvet, whose lapin ears were standing up.

"Uh, I'm flattered," said Weiss. "Very flattered. Really, you would not know how much, given recent events. But ... I, well, to borrow Coco's phrase, I just don't swing that way. Sorry, Velvet. I would hate to have you think that something might happen when it won't."

Velvet's ears wilted. "But ... but you said that you had never dated a guy," she said softly.

"Yes, but that's not the reason," said Weiss. "No guys have ever asked me. Comes with being a Schnee. And when I asked a guy, it ... didn't turn out as I had hoped."

"Uh, you know that half of the guys at Beacon are thoroughly infatuated with you, right?" put in Coco.

"Not just guys," murmured Velvet.

Coco laughed. "Somehow, Weiss, you managed to find the one person in the entire Academy who would say no," she said.

Weiss considered. Suddenly, things looked much better than they had an hour ago. She looked at Velvet. "But," said Weiss, "I would really like to be your friend, Velvet. Especially since my RWBY friends are ... weird."

Velvet's ears perked up a little. "I would like that too," she said.

"And I hope that it can include a couple of dances at the party," said Weiss. "In a ... friend ... capacity."

"I ... I never learned how," said Velvet. "There are two people at Beacon who can't dance. I'm one of them."

"Then maybe I can show you some moves," said Weiss.

The scrolls of Coco and Velvet beeped. They took them out and read them. "We have to go," said Coco. "Team business." They rose to leave.

"Perhaps I will stay here and finish my coffee," said Weiss. "And ... think about things."

Coco and Velvet were a little way down the street when Coco turned and came back. "That was ... good of you," she said. "Velvet is ... well, you handled it with kindness. I won't forget it."

Weiss nodded. "Hey, don't tell anyone," she said. "About the ... kindness ... thing."

"If you like, but why not?"

"I have a reputation as an ice queen to uphold, you know," said Weiss.

END

Weiss, Velvet, and How Jaune Got the Dress

Weiss receives a strange request, makes a big decision, and has no regrets about either

Weiss Schnee, watching everyone else have a good time at the Beacon Academy dance, was rather surprised when Jaune Arc came up to her and said: "I need to borrow your dress."

Even by Jaune's standards, she thought, it was a strange request. But ...

"Alright," she said.

"Don't you want to know why?"

"Hmm. Maybe the question is, is there any way I can stop you from telling me?"

"No, there isn't. You see, I told Pyrrha that if she didn't get a date for the dance I would wear a dress. She didn't."

"Uh, do you know who she really wanted to go with?"

Jaune stared at her, mystified.

"You are an idiot," said Weiss. "Okay, you can have the dress, and I'll have to wear your stuff, I guess. Come on, there's a storeroom in the back."

So they went to the storeroom. They started to undress.

"Aren't you going to tell me to not peek?" said Jaune.

"Tell the truth, I can't be bothered. My romantic life is entirely non-existent, so ... can't be bothered." She handed him the dress and stood there in underwear and the chiffon undershirt.

Jaune gave her his suit and then managed, with some help, to squeeze into the dress. The shoes, of course, were not going to happen, so he kept his sneakers. Weiss took a lilac scarf from her bag and tied it around his waist.

Weiss looked surprisingly good in the suit, with the cuffs and collar turned up. "How do you do that?" said Jaune.

"Years of expensive training," said Weiss.

They left the storeroom, looking rather odd. Weiss thought: well, the evening couldn't have really got any worse, anyway.

And then she saw Jaune start to dance with Pyrrha, and Nora and Ren joined in. Team JNPR, lighting up the floorboards to rousing applause.

Worth it, thought Weiss, joining in the cheers.

Someone touched her on the shoulder. Weiss turned, and gave a little gasp. It was Velvet, looking wonderful, in a dress of shining silver.

"You look ... lovely," she managed to get out.

"And you look ... peculiar," said Velvet.

"I know. It's not a long story, but it's a stupid one. I don't want to go into it. What I want to do is dance with you. I promised I would."

"Oh, I sort of assumed you just said that to be polite. You don't have to."

Weiss thought about it. With a little shock, she realised that she did, in fact, want to dance with Velvet. She didn't know what to say. So she just stared.

"And in any case I don't know how," continued Velvet. "But if you want to ... "

"Oh, I do," said Weiss. "I really do." She took Velvet's hand. It was warm.

"Well, I suppose I'm dressed for leading, so I can show you," Weiss said. "Here, you stand like this, and you put your hands there, and I put mine there, and this one around you, like that, and then we listen to the music and move with it, like this." They began to dance, slowly. Velvet gave a shy smile.

Weiss took a deep breath. "We're not doing it right," she said. "That's how people who are ... just friends ... dance. We should be ... more like this." She pulled Velvet closer to her, so their bodies were touching. Velvet gasped ... and then smiled again, and continued to dance.

Someone tapped Weiss' shoulder. Jaune. "Can I have my clothes back?" he said.

"Nope," said Weiss. "Using them. Maybe later. Don't count on it."

Velvet giggled. "I get it," she said, as Jaune, somewhat unhappy with the wardrobe situation, wandered away.

As they continued to dance, Velvet whispered: "Aren't you worried? About ... what people might think?"

Weiss looked around. "I doubt that anyone cares," she said. "And if someone does ... fuck 'em. There, you see, you can dance after all."

"Gosh," said Velvet. "So I can. So now there's only one person at Beacon who can't dance."

"And who's that?"

"Neptune Vasilias."

Weiss, surprised, stopped in mid-step. Then she laughed. "Suddenly, it all makes sense," she said.

"Uh, what does?"

"Oh, nothing important. In any case, it led me here, to be dancing with you, so I'll chalk it up as a win." She resumed the dance, relishing Velvet's warmth. She could feel her heart going ka-thump ka-thump ka-thump. Best ... dance ... ever, she thought.

The music stopped. Weiss and Velvet stopped moving. They stared at each other.

"What ... what do we do now?" said Velvet softly.

"I'm new at this," said Weiss, "but I think this is the part where you kiss me."

Velvet, still being held by Weiss, glanced around. "Are you sure?" she said.

"No. But ... yes."

So Velvet kissed her. And Weiss kissed back.

Ka-thump ka-thump ka-thump ...

Another song started. "Do you want to dance again?" said Velvet.

"I certainly do not," said Weiss.

Blake Belladonna was surprised to find the door of the Team RWBY room locked. Actually, not locked – there appeared to be a chair pushed against it from the inside. Which meant there was someone in there. She knocked. No answer. She knocked more loudly. She thought she heard voices from inside. "Whoever is in there, open up!" she said.

She heard the chair being pulled away from the door. Then the door opened – an inch. Weiss peeped through the crack.

"Hi," said Blake.

"Uh, er, hello," said Weiss. "What do you want?"

Blake noted that Weiss appeared to be wearing only a towel, wrapped around her. She looked somewhat flushed.

"I live here," said Blake. "And I need my other shoes. The heel on one of the pair I have broke."

"Well, okay, I suppose," said Weiss. "But just for a second." She opened the door enough for Blake to come in.

Blake entered, wondering why Weiss was behaving even more strangely than usual. She looked around. There was a man's suit lying on the floor, with other discarded garments. Then she saw that there was someone in Weiss' bed. The sheet was pulled up over their face. But two rabbit ears peeked out the top.

"Oh, hi, Velvet," said Blake.

Velvet sighed, and lowered the sheet. She was obviously naked under it. "Hi, Blake," she said. "How are you?"

"To tell the truth, surprised," said Blake.

"Not as surprised as I am, I bet," murmured Weiss. She picked up Blake's other shoes and handed them to her.

Blake chuckled as she took them. Odd, thought Weiss, I've never heard her chuckle before. Not one of life's chucklers, our Blake.

"I suppose I should be embarrassed or something," said Weiss. "But somehow I just don't feel it."

"No reason why you should," said Blake, as she changed her shoes. "You want to go for it, go for it, both of you. Hey, I might be able to do something for you. I'll keep Ruby and Yang out for as long as possible. There's the clean-up after the dance, which I will tell them has to be done tonight, and then I'll take them out for coffee or something. Should give you two a bit more together time."

"You ... would do that?" said Weiss.

"Sure," said Blake.

"Thank you, Blake," said Velvet.

Blake chuckled again and left. Weiss replaced the chair at the door. She sat down on the bed and sighed.

"Are you starting to have regrets?" said Velvet.

"I was just thinking that I have good friends, probably better than I deserve," she said. She removed her towel, lifted the sheet, and climbed into bed next to Velvet again. She put her arms around her.

"Regrets?" she said. "Not one."

END

Ice Queen to Snow Bunny

Uncertain of her feelings, Weiss receives help from a surprising source.

Weiss Schnee was sitting at one of the outdoor tables of her usual Vale cafe. She had several study books, which she had been trying to read for some time. Unfortunately, her mind kept wandering. She could not help but think of what had happened the night before last, the night of the Beacon dance.

She took out her scroll and checked it. No new messages. She looked again at the several she had sent. To tell the truth, she had had no idea of what to say, so they had all been along the lines of: call me, I'd like to talk, can you get in touch, hoping to hear from you ...

No replies. She sighed. She picked up her cup of coffee. It had gone cold. Seemed somehow suitable.

A shadow fell over her. She looked up ... and saw the massive form of Yatuhashi Daichi. He stared down at her, unsmiling.

She gulped. She had never been so close to him before. He was ... big. No, that didn't really say it. Not even close.

"Mind if we join you?" said Coco Adel, appearing from behind Yatuhashi. Before Weiss could answer, she sat down on one side of Weiss. Fox Alistair appeared and took the chair on the other side. Yatuhashi sat down opposite Weiss.

"Hi," said Weiss. Actually, she didn't. She tried to, but nothing came out. She looked from one of them to the other. She gulped again. Team Coffee, minus one. The team that even the tough-guy teams were afraid of. Even in civilian clothes, they looked daunting. Perhaps even more than when they had their weapons.

"We would like," said Fox, "to know your intentions."

"My ... my intentions?" stammered Weiss.

"Your intentions," rumbled Yatuhashi.

"My intentions ... about what?" said Weiss.

"Velvet, of course," said Coco. "I was there when you said you wanted to be friends with her, remember? And then we see you at the dance, looking like more than just friends."

A little tremor ran through Weiss at the sound of her name. "I ... I ... I ... know," she said. "But when I saw her, and after the stuff about trading clothes with Jaune, and she looked so beautiful, and then when I touched her hand and it was really soft and warm, and then I put my arm around her to show her how to dance, and then when we were dancing and got closer, and then after the first dance she asked me if I wanted to dance again and I said I didn't but I didn't want to let her go and then before I knew it we were in the Team RWBY room and she was so beautiful and I just wanted to be next to her and one thing led to another and a kiss led to more kisses, and something else led to something else and then suddenly we were – "

She stopped, suddenly aware of what she was saying, of how the words were tumbling out of her. She could feel that her face was burning hot.

The three of them were staring at her.

"Ah," said Coco eventually.

"What was that bit about trading clothes with Jaune?" said Fox.

"Not really the issue at hand, sweet," said Coco to him.

"Is ... is she ... is she, you know, alright?" said Weiss. "I've been trying and trying to reach her but she hasn't responded to any of my messages." A sudden thought occurred to Weiss. "Or is it that she was just interested in a one-night thing? I have to say that I wouldn't have thought she was the type, but I don't have much experience in these things. None, in fact."

Coco, Fox and Yatuhashi exchanged glances. "Here's the story," Coco said. "Velvet got in late on the night of the dance, with a big smile on her face. But the next day she was moping about, not talking and on the verge of some serious weeping. All I could get out of her is that she thinks that she is, well, not good enough for you."

"Wh ... what?" said Weiss, amazed. "Why would she think that?"

"You're the ice queen," said Fox.

"Rich," said Yatuhashi. "Powerful family."

"And she's a faunus," said Coco.

Weiss looked at each of them in turn. Her temper began to flare. "What!?" she said. "What, do you think it was some sort of game to me? That I was just interested in using her as some sort of slumming exercise? Is that what you think!?"

"Should we?" said Coco.

Weiss jumped out of her chair, fire in her eyes. She was struggling to control herself, struggling to stop her anger from turning into –

Then Yatuhashi stood, rising up to his full seven feet. "Good enough," he said to her. "We accept that you have genuine feelings for her."

"So you can sit down now," said Coco.

Weiss glared at them.

"Please," said Coco. "We do not wish to fight."

"But your willingness to take us all on to make your point is ... impressive," said Fox.

"Balls," said Yatuhashi.

Weiss calmed down a little. She took her seat again.

"Then perhaps," she said, "you can tell her that I want to see her again, and that none of that other stuff matters. That I really want to see her again. Desperately. I would fight through an army of Nucklevees to see her. That I would – "

"We've got the concept," said Coco. She took out her scroll.

"Uh, I didn't mean right now," said Weiss.

"Good a time as any," said Coco. She hit the number and put the scroll to her ear. "Hi, V," she said. "Yatu and Fox and I are with Weiss, and she is wondering why you haven't called her. I remember you saying that you thought you were not good enough for her, socially speaking, and we have all come to the conclusion that in that respect you are being an asshole."

"Hey, I didn't say that!" said Weiss. But Yatuhashi and Fox waved her into silence.

"In fact," Coco continued, "I believe that Weiss would like you to come to this cafe right now. So the two of you can talk about where you want to go with this thing. ... Okay, she'll be here. ... No, Yatu and Fox and I, uh, have to, er, do some shopping. Or something."

Fox looked at Yatuhashi. He mouthed the word: "Shopping?" Yatuhashi shrugged.

Coco signed off from the scroll. "She's coming," she said. "I daresay she'll want to, you know, pretty herself up first."

"Doesn't have to, as far as I'm concerned," said Weiss. "Tell me, why are you guys so protective of her? It goes a bit beyond team loyalty, I think."

"When someone has saved your life as many times as Velvet has saved each of ours, you can't help but care for them," said Fox.

"What, she saved your lives?" said Weiss. "I thought that you had saved hers."

Yatuhashi shrugged. "We saved her once, she saved us many times," he said. "Many. She is very brave and very strong."

"But a bit fragile in the emotional department," said Coco. "Maybe it's the rabbit genes, I don't know. I can only say that if you hurt her, Weiss, we will not look upon it kindly."

"Probably break your legs," said Fox.

"Arms," said Yatuhashi.

"We protect our own," said Coco.

Weiss looked at each of them, wondering if they were joking. Then she decided that it didn't matter. All that mattered was that Velvet was coming. She would see her again.

"She is fortunate," said Weiss, "to have such good friends."

"You are also fortunate in that respect," said Yatuhashi.

"And maybe you're not such an ice queen after all," said Fox.

Weiss considered. "Maybe I'm becoming more of a ... snow bunny," she said.

Coco, Yatuhashi and Fox got up to leave. "One more thing, Weiss," said Coco. "Do you have any idea what is going to happen?"

"None whatsoever. I only know that I want to try."

Coco nodded. "Good answer," she said. She nodded a salute, as did Fox and Yatuhashi. Then they were gone.

Weiss sat alone, thinking. After a while she looked along the street. Her heart skipped a beat. Hurrying towards her was ...

END

Your Ears Are Tickling Me!

Weiss finds herself somewhere she never thought she would be.

Weiss Schnee broke into a fit of giggling. "Your ears are tickling me!" she cried out.

From the other end of the single bed, Velvet Scarlatina looked up at her. "Well, that's never happened before," she said.

"I'm not saying it's a bad thing," said Weiss. "It's just that I had not realised my tummy was so ticklish." She pulled Velvet up so they were lying side-by-side. She stroked Velvet's lapin ears. Velvet made a purring sound.

"You know, they stand up really straight when you're ... aroused," said Weiss. "Then, after it's happened for you, the tips flop over. Just the tips."

"Huh," said Velvet. "I never knew that. Say, did you know that your cheeks go bright pink?"

"Nope. Well, since you're my first, it's never come up." She looked around. They were in Velvet's bed in the Team Coffee room. Coco had said that she, Yatuhashi and Fox had to do some "extra training" – so they would be out of the room for the afternoon. For which Weiss and Velvet were grateful. Despite the rambling size of Beacon Academy, it was hard to find anywhere private. Somewhere for them to ... well, you know.

Weiss stretched. She chuckled. "If only my dear daddy could see me now," she said. "In bed with a woman, naked."

"And a faunus. Who has no family, no money, and no future. But ... you're not doing this just to upset your parents, are you?"

"Of course not. I'm doing it because you're sexy as hell. That it would give daddy the finger is just a bonus. I have no doubt that he has a plan for me to marry someone who is rich and powerful. A union that would bring financial benefits to the empire. I think he sees me coming to Beacon and training to be a Huntress as a youthful indulgence, something silly before I pull over and join the family business. But I see it as a duty and a privilege. What about you? What would your family think of ... this?"

Velvet looked away. "My family all died in a Grimm attack four years ago," she said. "So ... not an issue."

"Oh, Velvet, I'm sorry, I didn't know."

Velvet shrugged. "So Beacon Academy is sort of my home now," she said. "And Coffee is sort of my family. And my future is about fighting, I suppose."

They were both silent for a while, holding each other. Eventually, Weiss said: "I worry about you, you know. When you go on missions. I know that your team-mates protect you but ... I can't help but worry."

Velvet nodded. "It's getting worse," she said. "The Grimm. There are more of them every time, and they're getting smarter and tougher. It's almost as if someone is ... directing them. They're invading one town in the Borderlands after another. The Hunters and the military are getting stretched. It says a lot that teams that haven't even graduated are being put into the fight. But I can look after myself."

Weiss suddenly realised that she didn't really know what Velvet's powers were. Looking at her now, here, next to her, she seemed so small and vulnerable. Well, my darling, she thought, if the need ever arises I will be your shield and sword.

In the meantime ...

"Kiss me," she said.

She had never been more content.

END

Coffee Break

A fight to the death, an odd phone call, and it ends with cuddles.

"Some fun, eh?" said Coco Adel.

"I have never understood your sense of humour," said Yatuhashi Daichi.

The four members of Team Coffee looked around. They were in the central square of the town of Sheroda – or, rather, what was left of the town – behind an improvised barricade. Behind them, a crowd of refugees were boarding airships, under the supervision of a dozen soldiers.

What was supposed to be a quiet mission helping with the evacuation had become a pitched battle, as hundreds of Grimm creatures had descended on the town. The team had beaten back three attacks but another one, a big one, was forming. The four of them had to hold back the flood so the airships could take off. The evacuation process was nearly complete; there were only three airships still to load.

The army of Grimm creatures began to charge. Yatuhashi drew his sword. "I will cover the left flank," he said.

"Fox," said Coco, "how is the arm?"

"Still broken," said Fox Alistair, as he adjusted the make-do sling that Velvet had made from the sleeve of her outfit. "But I can hold the right flank."

"Uh-oh," said Velvet. She pointed. Three Gryphons were sweeping in, heading for the airships that were taking off.

Coco hefted her mini-gun. Velvet created a copy of it, and together they fired. Their streams of bullets took down the ones on either side, and then converged on the middle one. It gave a howl as it evaporated.

Coco and Velvet turned their guns and fired into the pack of advancing Ursas, Beowolfs and Deathstalkers. The bullets cut through the front ranks of the crowd, sending creatures down. But more were coming.

"Like I said, fun," said Coco.

At that moment, Weiss Schnee and Blake Belladonna were practising backflips and somersaults in the gym of Beacon Academy. They were working on their collaborative moves, for when they fought as a pair – what Ruby had designated 'checkerboard', presumably meaning black and white.

They both flipped onto the higher of the parallel bars, and sat there to rest.

"So," said Blake. "How are things with Velvet?"

Weiss smiled. "This is my first relationship, so I have no basis for comparison," she said. "But that girl ... " She put her knuckle into her mouth and pretended to bite it as an illustration.

Blake laughed. "Glad to hear it," she said. "Rabbit women are considered to be pretty sexy in the faunus community. It's an animal thing. My mother says that that's why they breed like, well, rabbits."

"Anything happening for you in the romance department?" said Weiss.

"After the Breakup From Hell, I've sworn off manhandling. Wouldn't mind taking a page from your book, though. Wouldn't be the first time I played for the home team. Do you happen to know if Coco Adel is seeing anyone?"

"Fox. Sorry. On both counts."

Blake sighed. "When are you seeing Velvet again?" she said.

"We have a date planned for tonight. But I haven't heard from her. I might give her a call and see if she's still available." She took her scroll from her pocket and pressed the button.

The wireframe version of the mini-gun was fading when Velvet's scroll buzzed. As she created a copy of Neptune's energy weapon, she put the plug into her ear.

"Hi, honey," said Weiss. "What's happening with you?"

"Oh, you know, this and that, stuff," said Velvet. She began to fire.

"What!?" said Coco. She gestured at the waves of charging Grimm.

Velvet covered the mouthpiece. "I don't want to alarm her," she said. "She worries a bit."

"Don't want to ... !? Let me tell you, V, this is a good time to be alarmed!" said Coco. She put a long burst into a Deathstalker, cutting it in half. But two more came up behind it.

"Hey, is that Coco?" said Weiss. "Say hello to her for me."

"Weiss says hello," said Velvet to Coco.

A Beowolf leaped at Coco, but Velvet converted the gun into its guandao form and took its head off.

"Velvet!" shouted Yatuhashi. "Help!" He was surrounded by Ursas, fighting hard but in danger of going down.

Velvet made a running leap. She landed in the middle of the pack and swung a copy of Nora's hammer, taking out three of the creatures at once. She fired a volley of missiles. The surviving creatures fell back.

She saw that Yatuhashi had been injured, a shoulder wound where a claw had pierced his armour. She tore off her remaining sleeve and tied it over the wound to stop the bleeding.

"Are the guys there too?" said Weiss in her ear.

"Yes, Yatu is right next to me. Shall I give him a kiss for you?"

"A pretend one, maybe. My real kisses are only for you."

"Weiss sends you a pretend kiss," said Velvet to Yatuhashi.

"Er, what?" he said.

"The last airship is ready!" shouted Coco. "Team, fall back and get on board!" Helping the injured Fox and firing her gun one-handed, she began to back up.

"Er, Velvet," said Weiss. "Is there something going on I should know about? Where are you?"

"A town called Sheroda. Nice place."

"Is this a mission?"

"More like an excursion."

"Huh?" said Yatuhashi.

The four of them made it to the airship, which was loaded – in fact, overloaded – with the last of the refugees. They jumped on, and it lurched into the air and began to climb.

And then a Gryphon smashed into the front. The windscreen shattered and the pilot cried out, falling from his seat. The airship yawed sideways. With a shout, Coco fell backwards through the open door.

"Fox, the controls!" shouted Velvet. "Yatu, get ready to catch what I throw!" She leaped through the door after Coco.

Fox took the pilot's seat. One-armed, he steadied the craft.

"Honey, is there something you're not telling me?" said Weiss.

Velvet was spiralling through the air, creating Blake's Gambol Shroud as she fell. She threw the anchor end back to Yatuhashi, who caught it.

She could see that Coco had landed on her feet. But she was surrounded by Grimm creatures. She fired as she spun around, keeping them back. Then the gun clicked on empty. Coco turned it into its bag form to use as a club. But there were many, many Grimm. It was a question of seconds, no more.

"Coco!" shouted Velvet as she swung towards her.

Coco saw her coming and put her hand up.

"Velvet – " said Weiss.

"Gotcha!" said Velvet as she grabbed Coco. And then Yatuhashi was pulling them out of the pack of Grimm, and Fox was turning the airship towards safety.

" – what are you really doing?" said Weiss.

"Uh, er, I guess you could say that I'm just hanging around at the moment."

Coco rolled her eyes. Yatuhashi hauled them aboard.

"Is Blake with you?" said Velvet.

"Yes, right here. We're practising flips."

"Please thank her for letting me take the photo of her ribbon thing. Came in handy."

"Certainly did," said Coco.

"Are we still on for tonight?" said Weiss. "I'm thinking dinner at the place near that other place where we went that time, and then some cuddles."

"Sounds great," said Velvet. "Well, I probably should go now. You know, team things. But I look forward to seeing you later."

They both signed off.

Blake looked at Weiss and laughed. " 'Cuddles'?" she said.

"Sure," said Weiss. "Cuddles."

END

The Smoochie Was a Giveaway

Some secrets are less secret than others. Which may or may not be a good thing.

Weiss Schnee looked around at the Team RWBY members. "Thank you for coming," she said.

"Well, you said you would be buying the coffee," said Yang. They were at the usual Vale cafe.

"Uh, you remember that we all live in the same room, right?" said Ruby.

"Yes, but this isn't really team business," said Weiss. "It's important news. Er, not that I'm saying that team business isn't important. This is just ... different important."

"Oh brother," Blake muttered. "Here we go."

Weiss took a deep breath. "You know Velvet Scarlatina? Well, she and I are ... involved. Intimately. Have been for several weeks now."

Yang and Ruby stared at her. Long seconds ticked by.

"Still waiting for the important news over here," said Yang.

"What, you don't think this is important?" said Weiss.

"Well, um, I guess that it's ... sort of ... important," said Yang. "Maybe."

"Uh, are we supposed to be concerned, or just interested?" said Ruby. "I'd like to know. Why should we be concerned? Because Velvet is a member of Team Coffee?"

"Er, no, that's not it," said Weiss.

"Because she's a faunus?"

"No, not that either."

Ruby looked puzzled.

"It's because she's a woman, moron!" Blake burst out.

"Oh," said Ruby. "I see. No, I don't."

"Weiss, were you under the impression that this was some sort of secret around Beacon?" said Yang. "Because ... it isn't."

Weiss shot a glance at Blake.

"Don't look at me," said Blake. "I didn't tell anyone. It's not that I don't care ... well, actually it is that I don't care."

"If you and Velvet had wanted to keep it quiet then you shouldn't have done the big smoochie at the dance," said Yang. "It was something of a giveaway."

"There was a smoochie?" said Ruby. "Darn, I missed it. I was doing something violent at that time, I think."

"You are all idiots," muttered Blake.

"So we all agree that there's nothing wrong with having a boyfriend, right?" said Yang. "I mean, girlfriend. That's what I meant to say. Girlfriend. Nothing wrong with having ... someone ... to make out with ... a bit."

They all stared at her.

"Now I think about it," said Weiss, "Coco said something about seeing you out with a guy. Big guy. Beard. Not from Beacon."

"Hmm," said Blake. "You know, the only guy who fits that description is the guy who runs that nightclub. Junior."

"His name," said Yang testily, "is Hei. Junior is his working name."

"How the hell did this happen?" said Weiss.

"I beat him up. It kind of went from there. But it's just ... making out," said Yang.

"Good making out?" said Blake.

"Oh yeah," said Yang.

"Uh, Weiss," said Ruby. "I suppose if you're ... involved ... with Velvet, you've got to know the other Team Coffee people, right?"

"Yes, a little. Why do you ask?"

"I don't suppose you could, oh I don't know, arrange an introduction or something, could you?"

"But you've already met Coco, Velvet and Fox."

"Er, yes, I've met those ones," said Ruby.

Weiss, Yang and Blake looked at her.

"I think," said Blake, "that our valiant team leader is feeling a stirring in her youthful loins."

"No!" said Ruby. "Well, maybe a little. If 'loins' means what I think it means."

"Just a second, sis," said Yang. "Do you mean ... Yatuhashi Daichi? The big guy?"

"He's, like, twice your height. You'd have to stand on a chair to look him in the face," said Blake.

Ruby sighed. "But that's the point," she murmured. "He's so ... solid. And ... stern. And his sword is so ... swordy." She fanned herself. "Oh my," she said.

"Hmm," said Weiss. "And to think I was worried about telling you about Velvet, when you guys have secrets of your own."

"Well, I don't," said Blake.

The others looked at her.

"Nothing I'm willing to share, anyway," she said.

"As it happens, Velvet is meeting me here soon," said Weiss. "I asked her to. She might have Yatu with her. They go around together a bit."

"What!?" cried Ruby. "He's coming here? Soon? What, do I have time to go home and get changed? Is my hair alright? Do you think he's ever heard of me? What should I say?"

"As little as possible, I'm thinking," said Yang.

"Ah, here they are now," said Blake.

Velvet and Yatuhashi walked up to them. Weiss jumped up. "Hi!" she said, perhaps too loudly. "Yang, Ruby, Blake, I believe you have met Velvet, my ... g ... g ... g – "

"Go on, you can do it," said Blake, who appeared to be enjoying all this way too much.

"Lover!" Weiss finally managed to get out.

"There you go," said Blake.

"Yes, that's me," said Velvet. "You told them, eh?"

"Sort of," said Weiss.

Ruby was staring up at Yatuhashi, her jaw hanging open.

Yang gave a little cough, and nodded at her sister.

"Oh right," said Weiss. "Yatu, you might not have met our team leader, Ruby Rose."

Yatuhashi extended his hand. "Pleased to meet you," he said. "Although I am aware of your reputation."

Ruby stared at the massive hand. She glanced at Yang. Yang mimed a quick lesson on how to shake hands.

Tremulously, Ruby took it. "You ... you ... you have a wonderful sword!" she blurted.

"Thank you," he said, a little surprised.

"Perhaps you two can ... compare weapons ... sometime," suggested Blake.

"Yes!" said Ruby.

Yatuhashi, in his unsmiling way, nodded. He turned to Velvet. "I will see you later," he said. He nodded to each of the women, and then went on his way.

Ruby slumped back in her seat. "Oh," she said. "Oh oh oh. That went well, didn't it? I think it went well. Please tell me it went well."

"What is she talking about?" said Velvet.

"It ... was not altogether bad," said Yang.

"It was a disaster," said Blake. She laughed.

"Don't you three have somewhere else you have to be?" said Weiss.

"No, not really," said Yang.

"I said, you have somewhere else you have to be," said Weiss, through gritted teeth.

"Oh, alright," said Blake. She and Yang prised Ruby out of her chair. They said their goodbyes and started down the street.

Blake looked back at Weiss and Velvet. "Well, how about that," she said. "Big smoochie."

"What, where?" said Ruby.

"Oh, too late," said Yang. "You missed it."

"I'm sure there will be others," said Blake.

END

Bedtime Stories

In a moment of happiness, a premonition of darkness

"Tell me something," said Weiss Schnee. "Do you believe in destiny?"

Velvet Scarlatina lifted herself onto one elbow and stared at her lover. "I think that perhaps we make our own," she said. "Which I suppose would sort of defeat the point."

Weiss was sitting at the little table by the window. She was naked, and brushing her hair with long, slow strokes. Watching her, Velvet's rabbit ears began to rise – again.

Weiss saw the reaction and gave a little chuckle. "That's always nice to see, but I was thinking about you saying that Grimm attacks in the Borderlands have been getting bigger," she said. "Then there's the attack on Vale through the underground train line that Torchwick organised. It's as if ... something ... is happening. Or going to happen. I can't shake this sense of foreboding. More intuition than logic, I suppose, but my sister once told me that you should listen to your instincts."

"Something to do with the tournament, maybe? It starts tomorrow."

Weiss considered. "No, I don't think so," she said. "That's a regular event, after all. But I have to say that I think that new team from Haven looks a bit odd. No-one seems to know anything about them, and they don't act like students."

"Hmm," said Velvet.

"Actually," said Weiss, "I feel that if something big is going to happen it's connected to Ruby in some way. You know, when I first met her I thought she was a juvenile idiot. True, there are times when I still think that. But ... there's something else. She ... has a quality. When she was first appointed team leader I thought it was a sick joke. Now I would follow her anywhere."

Velvet considered. "We all chose to train at Beacon out of our sense of duty," she said. "But now you and I have found each other. Do you think we might have to one day chose between our loyalty to our teams and our feelings for each other?"

Weiss considered. She put down the brush and came over to Velvet. She sat down on the edge of the bed. Velvet put her hand on Weiss' thigh.

"You are so lovely," said Velvet.

"Is that the only reason you want to spend time with me?"

"Yes, the only reason."

"Do you expect me to believe that?"

Velvet gave a little laugh. "No, I suppose not," she said.

Weiss slid into bed beside Velvet. Skin to skin, bone to bone.

"Let's hope," said Weiss, "that the day never comes."

END

Shield and Sword

You picked a hell of a time to realise you love someone.

Weiss Schnee stared in amazement. "Fuck ... me," she whispered.

With the Battle of Beacon going on around them, she was watching Velvet Scarlatina smash into two renegade Paladin machines. Velvet morphed from one weapon to another: Ruby's scythe, Coco's gun, Yang's gauntlets, Nora's hammer, even Penny's swords.

"Told you," said Coco, beside Weiss.

But the Paladins were strong. Even damaged, they kept coming, kept swinging. One of them struggled to its feet and struck out, catching Velvet. She was sent flying, and her photo-pack was knocked away. The Paladin, slowed down but still powerful, started for her.

"Give it everything!" shouted Coco, and then all of the students were firing.

The Paladin shuddered under the onslaught but did not stop. It seemed determined to finish the one who had hurt it so badly.

Before she could think about it, Weiss found herself moving, running, creating a pathway of glyphs to get past the Paladin and reach Velvet. She knew where she had to be, whatever the risk. And then she was there, standing between Velvet and the massive machine. It lifted its mechanical fist. Weiss raised her blade.

My darling, I will be your shield and sword, she thought suddenly.

Shield and sword ...

From a large glyph the huge sword of the armoured knight, a vanquished opponent, appeared. It slashed out ... and the Paladin was cleaved in two. It fell, in a shower of sparks and smashed metal. Weiss, almost exhausted from creating so many glyphs, slumped to her knees.

The other students raced over to them. Yatuhashi helped both Velvet and Weiss up. Then he gave them a push ... so they fell into each others' arms. "I believe that now a kiss is appropriate," he said.

"Yatu, you big softie," said Coco.

"But he's right," said Neptune. "Because all that was ... pretty impressive."

Weiss and Velvet looked at each other. They smiled. Then they kissed. It was a hard, passionate, sparky kiss.

They parted. "Just a moment," said Velvet. She snapped a photo of Weiss. "Not for a weapon copy," she said. "Because ... you're you. And you're beautiful."

Another Paladin was charging at the group of students. Then, as the Atlas flagship crashed and exploded, the Paladin toppled, fell, and ground to a halt.

"Huh, that went better than expected," said Sun. Everyone groaned at him.

Yang came running up. Weiss, still recovering, told her where Blake had gone, and Yang ran off to find her.

Weiss looked at the Beacon tower. The Grimm dragon was circling, and there were Gryphons and Nevermores across the night sky. Grimm beasts were rampaging everywhere. The battle was not yet lost, but it was just a question of time.

"Velvet," she said. "I'm sorry, but I have to go. Link up with Ruby and the others. Do what I can, what we can. Whatever is happening here, tonight, it's much bigger than you and I. Compared to all this, what two little people might want doesn't add up to much."

Velvet nodded sadly. "I know," she said. "But we'll meet up again, right?"

Weiss kissed her again. "Count on it," she said. Then she was off, searching for Yang and Blake and Ruby.

END

After the White Light

Weiss doesn't know how much strength she has ... until she really needs it.

Neither of them had wanted to leave their injured team-mates in the safe zone but there was not much they could do about it. Now Weiss and Ruby were staring up at the broken top of the tower, where there was a storm of thunder and lightning, as Pyrrha battled Cinder. Weiss conjured a series of glyphs running up the side of the building. She turned to Ruby. "You can do this," she said.

Ruby nodded. Then she was off, racing up the ladder of symbols.

Weiss, near exhaustion after the creation of so many glyphs, saw Ruby reach the top, leaping up into the wreckage. And then there was a flash of white light, so bright that Weiss had to shield her eyes against it. The Grimm dragon screeched, and screeched – and then froze, perched on the tower. Of Cinder and Pyrrha there was no sign.

As the light faded away, Weiss saw something else. A small figure in red, falling, not flying, falling, spiralling earthwards, unconscious.

Weiss summoned the last of her aura, and a glyph appeared beneath the figure. Ruby landed on it, and Weiss slowly brought the glyph down. But it was fading along with her own strength. It vanished ten metres from the ground, and Ruby began to fall. Desperately, Weiss ran forward, stretching out her arms, reaching –

They went down together, sliding and rolling across the concrete. Then Weiss was holding Ruby, and she heard herself mumbling: don't be dead, please Ruby, be alive, we need you, I need you, you can't be dead, please don't be dead –

Ruby gave a little moan.

Weiss laughed in relief.

But Ruby was still unconscious, and there were Grimm creatures heading this way.

Weiss knew that she was not in much shape to fight. The crystals in her sword were almost depleted. She needed a weapon.

Ruby's scythe.

She took it from the holster on Ruby's back. She had never held it before. How the hell did you work it? She pushed buttons and pulled levers. Various blades popped out and then retracted. And then a bullet shot from the barrel.

"Aha!" cried Weiss. She levelled the scythe and fired at the approaching Grimms. Several went down. She swivelled and fired again ... and again ... and again. And suddenly there were no more Grimms in the plaza. But more were coming.

"This thing is certainly handy," said Weiss to herself. She put the scythe back into Ruby's holster and tried to get her to her feet. Ruby moaned again but showed no sign of waking.

No other way, thought Weiss. She managed to lift Ruby onto her back.

"It's a good thing you're on the small side," said Weiss to Ruby. "Couldn't do this with Blake or Yang." Staggering, she started for Vale.

In the safe zone, Qrow was supervising the loading of the injured onto airships when he saw Weiss stumbling towards him. He ran to her, and took the unconscious Ruby. Weiss collapsed to the ground, spent.

"Now that," said Qrow to Weiss, "was something."

"Please don't tell her," said Weiss. "I ... I wouldn't want her to think ... er, I don't know ... something or other. Damn, my hair is a mess."

Qrow stared at her. "You know, all of you girls are pretty odd, but I think that you might be the oddest," he said. With Ruby in his arms, he started for the medical station.

Weiss was not sure whether that was a compliment or not. She decided she would take it as one ... sort of. She struggled to her feet.

From above there was the sound of an airship. It landed. It had the emblem of the Schnee Dust Company on the side. Two uniformed officials got out and came up to Weiss.

"Good to see you," said Weiss, as they ushered her aboard. "You'll need stretchers for my friends, they were injured – "

But the door was closing and the airship was lifting off. "No, wait!" said Weiss. "You have to – "

"We have orders from your father," said one of the Company men. "To take you home."

Weiss looked out the little window as the ground receded. "Velvet," she whispered.

END

Correspondence, Most Secret

Cut off from her lover and her friends, Weiss makes a fateful decision

Weiss Schnee lay on her bed in her room at the Schnee family mansion, sobbing. She felt as if she had cried a river of tears since she had returned – been made to return – to the mansion. She alternated between crushing sadness and volcanic anger.

But, as much as anything, she was worried. The last time she had seen Ruby, Yang, and Blake was at the safe zone in Vale, and they had all been injured. Then the company airship had come, and taken her away from them.

And away from Velvet. Every time she thought of her, the pit in her stomach grew a little deeper. Where was she now? Did she know where Weiss was? Had she survived the Battle of Beacon?

Even while her mind churned over the uncertainties, her body ached as well. She had not known it could feel like this. She had not known that she could feel such burning desire. She wanted to touch Velvet again. See her smile. Hold her. Taste her.

She tried to wipe her eyes. She wondered if she should write another letter. She had already written so many. Trying to reach ... somebody. Anybody. With long-range scroll communication impossible, she had sent letters to every address she could think of. To the home of Ruby and Yang in Patch. To Haven Academy. Even the cafe in Vale where she used to go. She had written dozens of letters to Velvet, to various places, hoping that somehow – somehow – they would reach her. She had even sent one to Glynda Goodwitch, asking her if she knew where Velvet was, and where the other members of Team RWBY were. She gave each letter to one of the servants with clear instructions, and every time she saw the servant she asked if any had arrived. The answer was always the same. None today, Miss.

Could it be that Velvet had simply given up on the relationship? Decided that it had run its course, moved on, met someone else, forgotten about her? It was fun, yes, but all good things ... It would explain why there had been no word, no communication, nothing.

She looked at the beautiful dress that someone had laid out for her. There was a social function planned for the evening, to raise funds for the reconstruction of Vale. She supposed that, since the cause was what it was, she should go to it. And she doubted that her father would accept any more excuses from her. And maybe someone would let slip a skerrick of information about the world outside this mansion, this prison. She wiped her eyes again and began to dress.

Jacques Schnee looked at the most recent letter from his daughter. It was to this ... creature ... called Velvet. He grunted. Another letter full of twisted wishes and entreaties. Miss you terribly ... worry about you all the time ... please tell me you are still alive ... need your kisses, need you next to me ... come rescue me, my darling ... And so on. It was worse than the ones to those other women, Ruby and Yang and Blake. At least those ones were merely offering support and seeking information on their condition and whereabouts.

He was glad that the servant had done their duty and passed the letters on to him (in return, it should be said, for a generous bonus). And also the ones that had arrived for Weiss. The ones sent by the faunus had been just as corrupt, maybe more so, than the ones written by Weiss. Can't stop wanting you ... feel there is nothing left for me ... my body longs for you ... don't know where you are ... That sort of thing. There had been others from other people and, as per his instructions, they had all been carefully re-sealed and returned to their senders, with a stamp on the front: Not Currently At This Address. Eventually, the letters had stopped.

He put Weiss' most recent letter with the pile of papers to be burned. These days, knowing about her ... perversions ... he could hardly bring himself to speak to her. Indeed, he had come to the conclusion that she was unsuitable to inherit the family business. Fortunately, there was Whitley. Who was, in any case, a much better choice. The technical arrangements might require some work but, well, that's what lawyers were for.

In fact, maybe it was unwise for Weiss to remain ... around ... at all. He had heard from the servants that she was continuing her training, in any way she could manage. Perhaps that suggested an answer. After all, training was always a bit dangerous, wasn't it?

He adjusted his tie, checked it in the mirror. There was a party to attend.

I ... despise ... these people, thought Weiss. She was trying to keep a smile plastered on her face but doubted she was being successful. Her father was, as usual, keeping her close as he introduced her to a procession of meaningless faces.

But suddenly there was a familiar voice.

"Pleased to meet you, Miss Schnee," said General Ironwood. He offered his hand.

Odd, she thought. He and I have met before, several times. But he's acting as if we haven't.

She shook his hand. And then felt something small pressed into her palm. As she took her hand away she closed her fingers around it.

"I ... I'm pleased to meet you too, General," she said. "I ... I'm glad you could attend."

Her father nodded approval at her words. Then it was on to the next empty suit.

It was the end of the evening before Weiss, back in her room, and after her father had left, could unfold the note. It was not much more than a scrap of paper, and had obviously been written quickly. She assumed that General Ironwood had not known she would be there, and so had improvised.

It read: Miss Schnee, I believe that your team-mates are likely to head to Mistral. My advice is that you should try to link up with them there. I understand that Team Coffee, including your friend V, left Vale after the battle and headed for the Borderlands, to continue the fight there. But they could be anywhere in the region, and the area is very dangerous. In any case, you should leave this house as soon as you can. Good luck. JI.

She re-read it, and re-read it again. Then she threw it into the fire.

"Mistral," she said to herself.

END

Weiss' Unexpected Encounter

What began as a quiet flight turns into a dangerous test of steel.

Weiss started awake as the cargo plane rolled to a halt. She looked out the little window: they were obviously not in Mistral yet, so this must be the re-fuelling stop the pilot had mentioned.

The re-fuelling was almost complete when the door to the hold opened and a woman climbed in. She was dark-haired, and wore a uniform-style outfit. She carried a long black tube. She took a seat on a box and crossed her slim legs. When she saw Weiss she gave a little smile.

"Not long to Mistral," said the pilot over the loudspeaker as the plane took off. "But we're expecting some turbulence, so hang on to something."

Weiss glanced at the woman. "Let's hope it doesn't get too rough," she said.

The woman just continued to smile. Actually, thought Weiss, it was more like a smirk. Which somehow looked ... familiar.

"Have we met?" said Weiss.

The woman gave a shrug.

"That's a nice jacket," said Weiss. "I have a friend who has one like it. Perhaps you know her. Her name is Ruby Rose."

The woman ceased smiling for a moment. She blinked. And one of her eyes changed from brown to luminous green. Then she blinked again, and it went back to brown. The smile reappeared.

"Or perhaps you know ... Raven Branwen," said Weiss.

The smile disappeared.

Weiss touched the sword on her hip. She tried to remember what else Yang had told her about the fight on the train. Fast, she had said. Strong. Extremely nimble. Very tough.

Tough enough to floor Yang, which was saying a great deal.

"Actually," said Weiss, "you and I have met before. It was just in passing, but I didn't like you then either."

The woman stood up. So did Weiss. They stared at each other across the hold.

The woman held up her hand, as if saying: a moment, if you please.

Weiss drew her sword, and then swept it down. "When you're ready," she said.

The woman took a scroll from her pocket, looked at it, and then pushed a few buttons. Her outfit glimmered, and then changed to her familiar leggings and corset ensemble. Her hair changed as well. From the black tube, she drew her umbrella. She smiled again.

Weiss looked at her. She's confident and calm, she thought. Maybe I can do something about that.

"The outfit I can almost live with," she said. "But the hair? Really? Isn't that, you know, trying way too hard? But since you're named for a particularly tacky type of ice-cream, I assume that classy understatement isn't really in your design vocabulary. I speak here as someone with an eye for what makes a woman attractive."

The smile turned to a scowl. She pulled a blade from the handle of the umbrella. Her eyes changed colour ... to a smouldering crimson.

"And a lace umbrella?" continued Weiss. "I hate to tell you this, but they went out of fashion twenty, maybe thirty years ago. You might think it has some sort of retro charm, but retro is so ... past."

The eyes turned red.

"You know who had some style?" said Weiss. "Roman. Maybe he could give you some tips ... but, oh, wait, he's dead, isn't he? Really, really dead. And you were the one who was supposed to protect him. I guess that's a very big Fail for you. They don't get much bigger than that, do they? You had one job to do and you blew it, completely. That's probably why Cinder and the others left you behind. They didn't want a failure hanging around them."

Neo charged, swinging her blade with one hand and the umbrella with the other. But Weiss was ready. She blocked the blade with her own sword and dodged the umbrella. She backflipped, whacking into Neo with one of her heavy heels. Her umbrella went flying.

Weiss came up facing her opponent. She touched the sword hilt, to change into ice mode ... and then remembered that the crystals that fuelled her sword were in her carry-case.

So it would be steel to steel.

Suddenly, the plane jerked, and yawed sideways. Turbulence. Both Weiss and Neo went sliding into boxes.

But Neo was up again in a moment, slashing at Weiss. Weiss blocked the blade again, and took some satisfaction from the fact that Neo was no longer smirking. Indeed, she looked quite angry. Good, thought Weiss. An enemy not in control of themselves is already half-defeated.

Their blades locked, Neo kicked out at Weiss, catching her on the side. Weiss gave a grunt of pain and jumped back. Neo swivelled, aiming to use her agility to evade Weiss' longer sword.

Weiss conjured a pair of glyphs, jumping onto one and then bouncing onto the other. Now she was behind Neo. She braced against the glyph, and leaped –

And then, too late, realised that Neo was ready for the move. Neo kicked out again, a looping kick that sent Weiss flying across the hold and into a pile of crates, held in place by ropes.

She is incredibly fast, thought Weiss as she struggled to her feet. Faster than Yang, faster than ... me.

The plane gave another series of shuddering jerks. It began to climb upwards, and Neo slid backwards a few steps. Then she began to come forward again. Then she saw her umbrella, half-under a box. She reached down to extract it.

I am outmatched, thought Weiss. Simple as that. She is going to win, and I am going to die.

An odd comment drifted into her mind. From Whitley. Her loathed, loathsome brother. What had he said, once, when they had been playing a game?

When outmatched, cheat.

Weiss raised her sword and slashed at the ropes holding the crates in position. She jumped aside as they began to slide across the hold ... straight for Neo. She tried to leap up but the hold was too confined. They slammed into her, pushing her back.

One crate smashed into the door of the cargo hold, and there was a sudden hurricane wind as the door flew open.

"I never thought I would say this," Weiss murmured to herself, "but thanks, brother."

Neo managed to extract herself from the cascade of crates although she was clearly hurt, limping a little and holding one arm back. But she had her umbrella now, as well as the blade.

Weiss lifted her sword again, ready.

The voice of the pilot came over the speaker. "Sorry about all that, ladies. But we'll be landing in Mistral in a few minutes. So, no further problems."

Neo stared at her. Then she slid the blade back into the umbrella. She walked to the open door. She opened the umbrella.

And then she bowed.

Weiss pointed her sword downwards. "Another time, perhaps," she said.

Neo gave that smile again. Then she stepped backwards ... out the door. In a moment, she was gone.

Weiss sagged down, rubbing her bruises. Eventually, she got up and pulled the door closed. She looked out the window as the plane touched down.

Well, I'm here, she thought, and there's no way back. Now what?

She wished she knew where Velvet was.

END

Nightclub Dance

Together again, with stories to tell

Weiss checked that she was showing the right amount of cleavage and then stepped out onto the stage. She began to sing, not an operatic piece but a poppy song that was appropriate for a nightclub. Not something she was particularly familiar with but, well, she needed the money. When she had auditioned earlier that day, the club manager, Junior, had made clear that she was expected to show a little skin, as it was the opening night for the club, freshly re-located from Vale to Mistral. Well, no problem there – she had found that she didn't mind showing off the assets. When someone tells you you're sexy it makes you feel sexy, she thought. Funny the things you discover about yourself when you spend time in bed with someone.

She had nearly finished the performance when she looked out into the crowd – and was so surprised she almost dropped a note. It was Yang, Blake and Ruby!

When she had finished the song she ran for the dressing room and threw on some less revealing clothes. She arrived back at the main area of the club ... just in time to see her old friend Neo about to bring her blade down onto Ruby. Almost without thinking, she conjured a glyph to stop it.

"Don't think so," she said to Neo.

She knew how dangerous Neo could be, so she started creating glyphs around her, stopping her from using her agility. From the corner of her eye, she could see Yang fighting with Adam Taurus. And then an electrical cord, with coloured light bulbs still attached, coiled around him. Blake snapped the cord again, and Taurus was pulled off his feet. He went sliding across the dance floor.

Neo finally managed to find a way out of the forest of glyphs. She spiralled away, somersaulting – and then a cord wrapped around her ankle. She was pulled off balance – and, astonished, came up face-to-face with Yang.

"We meet again," said Yang. And then she punched her. On her elvin nose. It sent Neo spinning away, and she landed next to Taurus. The two of them struggled to their feet.

And were confronted with Yang, Blake, and Weiss, standing shoulder to shoulder, dukes up, ready for another round.

"Coming through!" cried a voice.

A red vortex zoomed past them, slamming into Neo and Taurus. They were swept up in the slipstream as the vortex spun around the club, smashing them into pillars and walls. Finally, it stopped, and Ruby materialised next to her friends.

Neo and Taurus, bruised and battered, again struggled to their feet.

"Hey," said a voice from behind them. "I'll need to see your invitations, morons." And then Hei whacked them with a huge club, sending them staggering.

Neo and Taurus looked at Team RWBY. Yang made a gesture: come on, if you've got any more. Blake re-coiled the cord she was holding. Weiss raised her hand, prepared to loose another volley of glyphs. Ruby gave a grim little smile.

Neo conjured a portal behind her and Taurus. She put a hand on Taurus' shoulder.

Weiss looked at Neo. "Swords again, next time," she said.

Neo gave a smile and a nod. Then she and Taurus leaped backwards through the portal. They were gone.

There was a long moment of silence in the club. Then the patrons erupted into applause. "Best opening night ever!" shouted someone. The music began again.

"Sorry about the damage, Hei," said Yang. "Really, not our fault."

"Meh," he said. "No-one seems too upset, so I guess I can live with things. I suppose you guys are cooler than you used to be."

"Cooler by twenty per cent!" said Ruby.

"You still have to pay for your drinks, though," said Hei. He smiled, and then went off to oversee the repairs.

The four of them looked at each other. "Well, here we are," said Ruby.

"Yes, we are," said Weiss.

"I suppose that we all have some explaining to do ... about things," said Blake. "But, for the moment, fuck it. I could use another drink."

Sun came up to them. "Ladies," he said. "And Weiss."

"Watch it," warned Blake.

He pointed to his new shirt. "What do you think?" he said.

"Oh brother," said Yang.

"Worst ... taste ... ever," said Weiss.

He sighed. "Well, have I missed anything?" he said.

They all stared at him.

"What!?" he said.

" – and he said that he would destroy everything I loved," said Blake. "That's why I left. So he wouldn't come after you guys. But eventually I realised that running away to Menagerie wasn't an answer."

The others considered. "Well, maybe a scroll message would have been nice," said Ruby after a while.

They laughed.

They were sitting at a table in Junior's Club. Technically, the place was closed – the opening night having been rated as a success, despite the fight with Neo and Taurus – but Hei had said they could stay on a bit longer, since there were repairs that needed to be done. Sun was asleep on a couch, snoring, his tail twitching. He had, it appeared, had one too many banana milkshakes.

Ruby, Yang and Blake turned to Weiss. She gave a little cough. "Spill," said Yang.

So Weiss told them about how she had been taken away by a Schnee company airship on the night of the battle of Beacon, and her troubles at the family mansion, and the smuggled message from Ironwood, and the duel with Neo on the cargo ship, and how she had needed money and so had walked into the nightclub and offered to sing for a handful of lien, and then saw Neo and Taurus crash the party, and, well, that brought us up to here.

Everyone stared at her.

"Well," said Yang eventually. "That's ... a thing."

"You think!?" said Ruby.

"How about you?" said Blake to Yang.

"Well, I got a new arm. Which isn't that good a story, compared to yours and Weiss'."

"Mine's not that great," said Weiss. "Although I am thinking of changing my hair, and that's really important."

"Possibly," said Yang. "But hairstyles aside, I doubt that Taurus and Neo will give up so easily. It's become personal."

"But they didn't do so well tonight," said Ruby. "Which means that their next step will probably be to look for allies."

"Or allies will look for them," said Blake.

END

A Collision of the Future and the Past

Revelations for Team RWBY, and a fateful move

Glynda Goodwitch was sitting by the bed of General James Ironwood when Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang rushed in. It was in the main hospital of Mistral.

"We got your message," said Ruby. "Is he alright?" Glynda was clasping General Ironwood's hand, and there was a stream of mystic energy gently passing from her to him.

"He will be, according to the techs," Glynda said. "But ... I'm making sure. His cybernetic implants were damaged, there was some sort of overload. He's come awake a few times. Long enough to tell me that it was done by Roman Torchwick and Neo. They stole the Knowledge relic from the Mantle Academy vault. Weiss, your sister Winter ... I'm sorry ... she was killed in the fight."

Weiss gave a cry, and staggered back a few steps. Then her face hardened, and she said: "She was a soldier. She knew ... what could happen. She knew, and we all know."

"I saw Roman die," said Ruby. "At Beacon."

"I can only think that Salem brought him back somehow," said Glynda. "She is extremely powerful. And she now has two of the relics."

"How did the General get here?" said Weiss.

"Apparently, Raven Branwen simply stepped through one of her portals with him. Handed him to the medtechs and disappeared. Well, she does that sort of thing. There's not always reason or sense to her actions. Yang, I'm sorry to say this, but your mother did not handle the assumption of the power of the Spring Maiden well."

Yang started. "Er, what?" she said. "My mother ... is a Maiden?"

Glynda sighed. "Yes, I suppose it is time you knew," she said. "When she assumed the power, she became ... unbalanced. She had never sought it, after all. And you had been born just weeks before, so she felt a terrible conflict of responsibilities. It was that which led to the break-up of Team STRQ. Since then, she has been fighting her own battle against the forces of darkness, by her own rules."

General Ironwood stirred, and came awake. Glynda smiled, and kissed him tenderly.

"Wait, what?" said Blake.

"They're married," said Yang. "Have been for years. Surprise!"

"Gosh," said Blake.

"Whoa," said Ruby.

"Hmm," said Weiss. "Ah, the dance."

Juane and Sun came running in. "We got here as soon as ... hey, why is Glynda kissing Ironwood?" said Sun.

"I'll explain it later," said Yang. "Or when you're older."

"Have you seen the news?" said Juane. He turned on the television set in the room. A reporter appeared, standing outside Haven Academy. Part of the Academy was damaged, billowing smoke.

The reporter said: " – the attack, apparently led by a person known as Doctor Arthur Watts, appears to have been aimed at the theft of a precious relic from the underground vault of the Academy. Witnesses reported that Doctor Watts and his associates were opposed by a man wielding a long sword that turned into a scythe."

"Qrow," muttered General Ironwood.

"The witnesses said that the unknown man, believed to be a Huntsman, fought bravely but was eventually overpowered by the force of numbers," the reporter continued. "He has now disappeared, with one witness claiming to have seen him taken away by the robbers, unconscious, with the relic."

"That idiot," said General Ironwood. "Taking on a whole pack. He should have known he couldn't win. That stupid, drunken ... brave ... idiot."

"So now Salem has three of the relics," said Juane.

"But three are not much use without the fourth," said Weiss. The others looked at her. "Hey, some of us did the extra credit reading, you know."

"The one she is missing is the one kept in Beacon," said Blake. "Is it still there?"

Glynda and her husband looked at each other. He nodded to her.

"It's not at Beacon any longer," she said to the others. "It's ... here."

"You mean, here in Mistral?"

"No," said General Ironwood. "Here, in this room."

He pointed. At Ruby.

"M – me?" she said.

"Yes," said Glynda. "Your heart is the fourth relic. It is what gives you incredible power, like the power you showed on the Beacon tower. It is the source of your great speed and skill. And your great love, as well."

"M – me?" said Ruby again.

"I'm sorry, truly sorry," said Glynda. "Your mother, Summer ... she believed that it would keep both you and the relic safe. She told me, shortly before you were born, that she had created a spell that would merge you and the relic. But I didn't know if she had done it ... until that night I met you. And I saw your silver eyes. Even then, I didn't want to believe it. But after the battle of Beacon ... I knew."

"Qrow told us a story about a being with silver eyes who could vanquish evil," said Juane.

"So ... Ruby could kill Salem?" said Yang.

"Possibly," said Glynda. "But these old stories and myths ... some of them can be believed, and some ... are just fairly tales."

"Do you believe it?" said Blake to her.

Glynda looked away. "It doesn't matter what I believe," she said. "All that matters now is that Ruby is kept safe. That is now the responsibility of you, her friends. Take her ... somewhere. Somewhere safe."

"Does Salem know that Ruby is ... what she is?" said Juane.

"She has the relic of Knowledge, and she has Qrow," said Ironwood. "She will be able to look into his mind, and he won't be able to stop her. Soon, she will know."

Everyone fell silent, turning over their thoughts.

"So ... you two are really married, eh?" said Blake. "Wow."

"What, Glynda and Ironwood are married?" said Juane.

"Not really the issue of the moment," said Yang.

"We should go," said Weiss. "Right now. We might have a head start, and we should use it."

The other nodded, and in a few moments Team RWBY, plus Juane and Sun, were standing in the ground-level foyer of the hospital.

"They have Qrow," said Ruby.

"We owe him," said Juane.

"And if we run, eventually she will find us, wherever we go," said Blake.

"Weiss, what you said, that we had a head start and should go, did you mean it?" said Yang.

"Of course not," said Weiss. "But Glynda and the General don't know that."

"So we are agreed?" said Blake. "Come what come may."

"Wait a minute," said Ruby. "This is not your fight, guys. It's mine."

Yang, Blake and Weiss looked at her.

"Like I said when we first met, you are an idiot," said Weiss.

"Unusually, I agree with Weiss," said Blake.

"Get real, sis," said Yang.

Ruby smiled.

"But where is Salem likely to be?" said Juane.

"Hmm," said Yang. "Weiss, where do you think she would go?"

"Why ask me?" said Weiss.

"Because you think like a villain," said Juane. "Sort of."

Weiss scowled. But she considered the question. Then she said: "Beacon."

"Why Beacon?" said Sun.

"Because that's where the dragon is. I was there, I saw it frozen. She'll want to free it. To her, it's a pet. And, well, Beacon is where all this started. It's where it has to end. One way or another."

"You know, that actually makes sense," said Juane. "And I have an idea about how we can get there." He led the way to the elevator. They all went in, and Juane pushed the button for the roof.

"What's on the roof?" said Ruby.

"Ah, I get it," said Weiss. "Hospitals always have landing pads for airships on the roof."

Juane nodded, although he was sending a message on his scroll.

They got out on the roof, and as expected there were several airships there. The nearest one was warming up, ready to leave. They climbed on board.

"Hey!" said the pilot. "Who are you!?"

Blake drew her sword. "Get out," she said to the pilot and co-pilot.

Unsurprisingly, they did. Blake climbed into the pilot seat. She began to throw switches and push buttons.

"You know how to drive one of these things?" said Sun.

"Benefits of a mis-spent youth, with White Fang," she said.

"Uh, just a second," said Juane. "Ah, here they are."

Nora Valkyrie and Lie Ren suddenly appeared on the roof, riding Nora's hammer. They skidded to a halt near the airship and jumped off.

"Please don't make me do that again," said Ren.

"But it's so much fun!" said Nora, as they approached the airship. "What's happening, guys?"

"We are stealing an airship to go and fight an army of Grimm monsters and the most powerful evil being in the world, to save Qrow and stop the destruction of, well, everything," said Yang. "Oh, by the way, Ruby's a relic. Come with?"

Nora and Ren considered. "Yeah, sure," said Nora, and Ren nodded.

Ruby turned to Weiss. "Are you sure you want to do this?" she said. "Do you think you should try and find Velvet? We all know how much she means to you. If you choose that path, everyone will understand."

Weiss considered. This is the moment that I hoped would never come, she thought. When I have to choose between what is in my heart and what I know has to be done.

As she thought of Velvet, as she again felt the pain of separation in her chest, a tear ran down her cheek. She wiped it away. "Let's go," she said.

And then they were off.

END

Endgame

For Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang, this is where the road leads.

Part I

"So many," muttered Yang, as the airship flew over the masses of Grimm creatures. "So many."

The creatures were walking around the Academy, a ghastly parade of dark energy. Beowulfs, Death Stalkers, Beringels, Nuckelavees. Giant Nevermores and Griffons flew in slow circles around the tower. So far, none of the Grimm creatures seemed to have seen the airship. It was almost as if they were entranced.

"Where are the bad guys likely to be?" said Yang.

"The vault, I would think," said Juane.

"Beacon Academy has a vault?" said Ruby.

"Yes, and the entrance is over there," said Juane, pointing.

Blake headed for it.

Weiss pointed. "Uh-oh," she said. The dragon, in full flight.

"Looks like the big guy has been defrosted," said Yang. "And it's heading this way."

Indeed, it was coming for the airship, accompanied by flights of Nevermores and Griffons.

"I'll try to get us down near the vault entrance," said Blake. "But no promises."

The dragon was closing, its massive beak opening to snap the airship up.

And then a portal appeared in mid-air, and Glynda and General Ironwood came through it, landing on the back of the dragon. Glynda drew her crop and began to fire blasts of energy at the creatures flying alongside. General Ironwood pointed the huge bazooka he was carrying at the wing-joints of the dragon and began to fire. The dragon howled in pain and veered aside, trying to throw its attackers off its back. But they clung on, and kept firing.

And suddenly there was a gap in the flying crowd.

"Hold on!" shouted Blake. She hit the gas, and they streaked through the opening. But Nevermores and Griffons snapped at them. The airship was taking damage but Blake kept going.

"Yang, Nora, clear us a landing path!" shouted Ruby, as she pushed the button that opened the side-doors of the airship.

Yang and Nora leaned out, weapons ready. They fired, and their rockets cut a swath through the Grimm creatures.

Blake brought the crippled airship down, and it slid along the ground. The eight of them jumped out and ran for the vault door. They looked back to see that the airship had begun to burn. So: no way back. One-way trip.

They cut their way through the Grimm creatures, and made it to the doorway. The door had been torn off. The Grimm would be able to follow them. And then the eight of them would be caught between the army of creatures and Salem's minions. Unless ...

Juane turned to Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang. "This is as far as we go," he said. "We stand here. We stop them. You ... do what you have to do."

Sun drew his staff, twirled it.

"Sun ... " said Blake.

"Go," he said. "I'll stay with these guys. After all, they could do with a dose of style."

Blake wiped a tear from her eye. Then she pulled Sun to her and kissed him – hard.

Team RWBY ran for the hallway that led to the vault.

Part II

Team RWBY burst into the first chamber, a long, wide room. To be confronted by Cinder Fall, Mercury, Emerald, Tyrian Callows, Doctor Watts, Roman Torchwick, and Neo. Salem stood at the rear.

"Remember," she said to her minions, "I do not want the girl with the red cape killed. I just want her Aura worn down. When she is weak enough I can take her heart."

"And the others?" said Roman.

"Do as you please," said Salem.

Team RWBY came to a halt.

"Well, this looks like fun," said Yang. She cocked her gauntlets.

"I have a surprise for them," said Weiss. She conjured a large glyph, and from the glyph emerged a massive armoured knight, with a huge sword. It was a computer simulation that Weiss had used for training but it was as deadly as the real thing. It turned its head towards Weiss. "Go, my friend," she said.

The knight charged, smashing into Salem's team. Astonished, they scattered ... but then re-assembled. They began to fire at the knight.

But now Team RWBY had their own weapons drawn and were firing. The room was alive with bolts and bullets. Ruby snapped her scythe into its full position, and Weiss continued to draw vanquished opponents from the glyph.

Tyrian was running around the wall, aiming to leap onto Yang. He was laughing maniacally – and then he leaped.

"Blake, now!" shouted Yang.

Blake's Gambol Shroud shot out, catching Tyrian in mid-air and coiling around his neck. Blake snapped the cord, and Tyrian became a weapon that she slammed into the others. She pulled back ... and then threw again. Tyrian screamed as Blake smashed him into a wall.

Mercury and Emerald were face-to-face with Weiss. She saw the expression on their faces. "This is your chance to get away," she whispered. "Away from Salem, away from Cinder. Go. Go now. We won't stop you."

Mercury and Emerald exchanged glances. Then they ran for the door.

Watts and Roman were firing bolts of energy at Ruby, but she was using her Aura to defend herself. She could feel that her energy was dropping. She lifted the scythe and ran forward.

Cinder was coming for Yang. She hovered in front of her. Yang was firing, again and again, but nothing was getting through.

"You know, I remember you as being rather more attractive," said Yang. "But now ... well, I don't suppose you get asked on many dates. Am I right?"

Cinder gave a grimacing smile.

"Oh, you've lost an arm too?" said Yang, still firing. "I know how that one feels, believe me. What, no snappy comeback? Cat got your tongue?"

Cinder loosed a blast of energy that lifted Yang off her feet and threw her backwards. She drew her sword out of the air, and lifted it to strike at Yang. The blade came down in a deadly sweep –

And then was blocked by another blade. Cinder looked up, and saw –

Raven Branwen.

Cinder looked at Yang. Yang said: "Yep, that's my mom. You're screwed."

Raven lifted her sword. Cinder lifted hers.

Maiden against Maiden. The blades clashed together with a roar like thunder.

Ruby swung the scythe again and again, making Roman and Neo dodge, as she worked her way closer to Salem. But she kept taking hits, and her Aura was diminishing. And she could not remember how she had summoned the power of the relic.

Weiss' armoured knight had fallen, and her white Grimm beasts had faded away. Tyrian had finally escaped Blake's ribbon, and was ready to charge again, his wrist-knives extended. He was next to Watts when Weiss created a wall of ice, shutting them in the corner of the room.

That would hold them for a few seconds, she thought. No more.

And then Neo came whacking into her. She backflipped, and came up with her sword ready. She saw that Neo had her blade drawn. Weiss raised her sword, which was still in ice mode – and then returned the setting to zero. Neo threw her umbrella aside.

Blades. Steel. One on one. Weiss lifted her sword. "En garde," she said.

Roman was firing at Ruby, who was running around the walls, pivoting on the scythe. "Little Red, why won't you just give it up?" he said. "Dammit, girl, you've already lost."

"Not yet," said Ruby. "Not this day." But then she took a direct hit. She went down.

Tyrian and Watts burst their way through the ice. They raised their weapons.

Suddenly, from overhead there was the sound of stone breaking. And then the Grimm dragon came smashing through the ceiling, with Glynda and General Ironwood behind a protective shield, riding the dying creature down. It fell directly onto Tyrian and Watts. They screamed. The dragon gave a final screech, and then began to evaporate as stones from the shattered ceiling continued to fall.

Blake leaped back to escape the destruction.

"Hello, my darling," said a voice from behind her. She turned.

Taurus. He grabbed her by the wrist. He looked around, at Yang and Weiss and Ruby. He smiled.

"Adam, please," she said. "Don't make me do this. You can run. You can get away. Don't make me kill you."

"Oh, my dear Blake, don't you remember all the good times we had together? You could never kill me. Even after I cut off your friend's arm, you can't. And after I kill your other friends, you still won't be able to. You're weak – "

He grunted. He looked down. Blake's sword was in his ribs. "I wish I could say I'm sorry," she said. "But I'm not."

In another part of the room, Cinder and Raven were smashing at each other, with swords and energy bolts. A howling wind swept around them, glowing as if it was on fire.

Weiss parried again, and thrust, knowing that Neo would block it. Their faces were only a few inches apart now. Neo smiled again.

Weiss lunged forward, ramming her forehead into Neo's face. There was a crack! Neo, astonished at such an unladylike tactic, staggered backwards. She could feel blood streaming down her face.

She stared at Weiss. This time, it was Weiss who smiled. Weiss knew she had worked out Neo's tactics of swordplay. She knew how to win.

Neo realised it too. She cartwheeled backwards, towards Roman and Salem.

"Enough of this!" snapped Salem. She extended a tentacle of energy and pulled Ruby to her. She whacked her across the face, dazing her. She could sense that Ruby's Aura was all but gone.

"And now," said Salem, picking Ruby up, "you will help me destroy the world, little one." She turned to go into the last chamber.

"Uh, just a moment, boss," said Roman. "Wasn't there something in my job description about me and Neo being saved when the apocalypse came down? I'm sure there was a clause about it."

Salem stared at him. "When I say I will destroy the world, I mean that I will destroy the world and everyone in it," she said. "Including you. So I suggest you say goodbye to your girlfriend. You two have just been pawns. You have all been pawns. To be used as needed and sacrificed when necessary."

Roman grunted. Then he raised his cane, aiming at Salem.

But Salem was too fast. She fired a bolt of energy from her hand. It slammed into him, knocking him down. Blood spurted from his mouth. Neo knelt down beside him.

Salem turned to Neo. "Ah, I should not forget about you," she said. "You will recall that I said that the bill would fall due at some time. Well, it has."

She gestured, and a wave of energy wrapped around Neo. When it evaporated, Neo was ... not Neo. She was a stooped and arthritic crone. The price of love had been her beauty, her agility, and her youth.

Salem, still carrying a semi-conscious Ruby, went through the door. It slammed behind her.

At that moment, Raven's sword stabbed into Cinder. And Cinder shot a blast of energy into Raven's chest.

They both went down.

Yang ran to Raven. She lifted her mother's mask off.

Raven reached up and touched her on the cheek. "My precious child," she said. "I have watched over you all these years. Loved you. And now I have one final gift for you."

Blake knelt down beside Cinder. Cinder reached out. Dark blood was pumping from her wound. Blake took her hand. No-one deserves to die alone, she thought.

Cinder clasped Blake's hand. "H ... hurts," she rasped.

"I know," said Blake. "I know. But it will be over soon."

"Th ... thank you," whispered Cinder.

Weiss, Glynda and General Ironwood were examining the door that sealed off the other chamber. It had been closed by a heavy bar and a dose of magic. There was no way in.

"Can you create a portal to the other side?" said General Ironwood to his wife.

"I don't have enough Aura left," said Glynda.

"I do," said Neo.

Ruby drifted back to consciousness, to find Salem staring into her face.

"Let me look into those silver eyes of yours," said Salem. "Let me take your power."

Ruby felt her eyes start to burn. The pain built; it became agony; and then it became something else.

"Yes, child," said Salem. "This is what it feels like to have your soul die."

And then, behind and above Salem, a portal opened. And through it came Weiss, leaping, her sword ready. It rammed into Salem's back, and lodged there.

Salem screamed in pain and surprise, dropping Ruby.

Weiss pushed the sword further into Salem's flesh. A current of dark energy surged out of Salem's body, along the blade and into Weiss. Weiss shouted in pain but did not let go. She pressed the sword even deeper, and twisted. The sword cycled through its Dust modes. Salem screamed again.

There was a massive thump on the door. And then another, and another. It became to give way.

Salem managed to twist herself around to grab Weiss. She pulled her away and threw her into a wall. But the sword remained embedded in her flesh.

The door flew open.

"No," said Salem. "It isn't possible."

Two Maidens, glowing with power, stood in the doorway. One of them, the one with golden hair, threw something red to Ruby. "Go get her, sis," she said.

Ruby, her eyes ablaze with silver fire, leaped and caught Crescent Rose in mid-air, and extended the weapon into its full, deadly, length. She brought the blade down, driving it into Salem's body, from her shoulder to her hip.

"It ... it can't be," gasped Salem. "It ... can't."

"It is," said Ruby.

Salem's form shimmered, shimmered, and dissolved. In a moment, she was gone. Weiss' sword fell to the ground.

Ruby, Blake and Yang ran to Weiss. Yang put Weiss' sword into her hand.

Weiss looked up at them.

"I am done," she said. "Finished. But ... a favour, if you would."

"Sure, anything," said Yang.

"Please find Velvet," she said. "Tell her ... tell her I – "

Then she was gone.

END

Together

There are bonds that not even death can break

Yatuhashi Daichi poured cups of tea for Yang, Blake and Ruby. They, with Coco and Fox, were in the dojo attached to Yatuhashi's family home.

Yang had finished telling the story of the fight with Salem and her minions, and of the critical role that Weiss had played, and how the price of victory had been her life.

" – and her final words," said Yang, "were about Velvet."

Yang, Blake and Ruby were painfully aware that Velvet was not in the room.

There was a long silence. Then Coco said: "We regret to inform you that Velvet Scarlatina died not long ago. In a fight with a very large pack of Grimm creatures, one of the most ferocious we had ever seen. She ... she ... she – " Coco shook her head, unable to go on.

"When the rest of us were injured, she stood alone and defended us," continued Fox. "Even though she had herself been hurt, seriously hurt. Wounded ... fatally. She kept fighting. It was like nothing we had ever seen, the way she fought. She killed all the Grimm, and then ... then ... she died in our arms. The last thing she said ... was ... was – "

" 'Weiss, my love'," said Yatuhashi. Tears began to roll down his face.

There was another long silence in the room. Then Blake said: "Just when was this?"

Coco thought about it, and then told her.

"Hmm," said Blake. "You know, they died at about the same time."

Weiss was walking along a light-filled hallway. There was a door at the end. It opened. There was someone there. Her heart skipped a beat when she realised that it was ...

"You are so beautiful," said Velvet.

END AND AMEN