Yo. So, may end up doing some other stories, possibly on fictionpress or just another story here on Fanfiction. Try some other stuff. Thought I'd let you all know. Life just becoming an obstacle like it tends to do. As always would appreciate any comments.

Beta: Coeur Al'Aran

Chapter 15

Yang looked herself in the mirror as she went over a mental list of things to have ready.

Bag: check.

Scroll: Check.

Medicine: In progress.

Satisfied she had everything in order, Yang took a moment to comb a hand through her hair. Though she had taken better effort to look after it since she resolved to help Ruby, her hair had never gained the same luster as before. It still looked good by other people's standards. It would have been the first things you noticed of her, say for the stump, but it still hadn't been as it once was. Today it was looking closer to that than ever before.

In truth, it was made possible in no small part to Weiss. After returning from the mission, and consoling Weiss on the limit progress against the Grimm, they had spent the night together in what was essentially a girl's night. The first time any members of Team RWBY had been together since Beacon fell. They caught up on the last few months. Major changes both good and bad. They were both a little hesitant to speak at first. Due to the fact that Weiss had essentially been held against her will by her own father and Yang had been in a constant state of depression.

Yang paused mid sweep of her hair, took a deep breath and exhaled.

Still, they had eventually broached the subject and been able to speak openly for the most part. There was no need to go into detail about the horrible parts. Which was most of it. They comforted each other when they could say no more. They understood one another.

That was when Weiss had offered to brush her hair. Normally Yang would have more than hesitated. Her hair had always been something she did herself but it had become neglected since the fall of Beacon. The thought of having a full set of hands focus on her hair was appealing.

And it turned out Weiss knew a thing or two about proper hair care. Someone brushing her golden locks reminded her of a simpler time when Ruby was younger. She would always be eager to help her older sister look pretty. Though truth be told, she would always brush a little to hard an unorganized. But it was something she still held close to her heart. To be reminded of such a moment after so long… It hit close to home.

"Are you well, friend Yang?"

Yang sighed. And then there was the elephant in the room. She took out her scroll gifted to her by Weiss and looked at the screen. It had a picture of a smiling Penny on it. The voice coming from it also sounded like Penny. On the account that it was Penny. In her scroll. And she meant in her scroll. She had downloaded Penny into her scroll like she had instructed back at the tower.

The question of what Yang was to do with her quickly became apparent. Like seriously, what was she supposed to do? She thought about giving her to Weiss. She might have been able to send Penny back to Atlas and...get a new body. It sounded as good a plan as any other but when Penny had heard that Ruby was in trouble. Well… friends stuck together through thick and thin. That's what Penny had said. So, against Yang's better judgment, she agreed to let Penny come with them.

"Is it perhaps that time of the month?"

She was already regretting the decision.

"I'm fine Penny. Just… lamenting over the past."

"Oh, I do that all the time."

Yang raised a brow. "You do?"

"Yes. I often go over my memory banks several times a day. It is quite enjoyable when there is nothing else to do."

"Oh…" Right. Android. "Well, we're leaving today. There anything you, eh, wanna do before then?" This would take some getting use to.

"I had wanted to speak to friend Weiss but I believe my presence might add further strain to her responsibilities."

"That...might be true." Yang admitted. "She's workin' for Atlas right now, and they might not like the idea of you running around free."

"Is there anything you wish to do, friend Yang?"

"I have to stop off at the infirmary"

"Oh my goodness, are you well?"

"Yea yea." She assured. "I... just need to pick up some medicine."

"I see. Well friend Yang do not worry. I shall not keep you from our goal."

Our?

"By all means, full speed ahead! Unless you can't run. In which case, please, take your time."

"Eh, thanks Penny. I'm… gonna put you in my pocket now."

"I shall be as quiet as a mouse."

How did Ruby deal with her?

"Yang, you're early." Kitsune was in the middle of restocking her shelves with supplies. Mostly bandages and painkillers. Yang imagined there was a lot of casualties in one form or the other after the first attempt to retake Beacon. Having to camp near the battle, always healing blooded people. She didn't know how Kitsune did it. Even she wasn't that into pain.

"I misjudged the flight over." Yang informed.

"I see." She put the last of the supplies away before sitting down and wheeling over toward a table. "I take it you're here for these?" She held up a bottle of pills.

"You were able to get it." Yang stepped forward to grab them only to pause when Kitsune held her hand out.

"Yes, I did. I do have access to quite a bit of medication with the joint effort going on."

"That's great." Another step forward.

Kitsune held her hand out still. "Yang, when were your last prescription of these?"

"Eh, a while ago." Yang answered, fidting in place. She would have gone through her breathing steps but that seemed to obvious an action. "That's why I came to you for some more."

"Yes…" Kitsune shuffled some papers, bottle still in her hand. "You had asked me a few days ago to acquire these for you to refill your prescription."

"I was here doc. I know what I said." She didn't like where this was going.

"I just thought for a girl going through what you are, you'd have other medication."

Yang swallowed. "I do. Counting the medicine you're holding I have three different kinds."

"I see." Kitsune rolled the container between her fingers as she looked over something on her pad. "And you did not need the other two refilled?"

"They… don't require me to take them as much."

"I see."

Yang was getting really sick and tired of hearing that. "Doc." She held her hand out expectantly. "Do you mind?"

She stared at the pad for several seconds before replying. "Actually, I do."

Yan gritted her teeth but caught herself before she could say anything. This time she bothered with her breathing exercises. "And what exactly is the problem?"

"I believe it is you that might have the problem. Antidepressants are not a cure. They are simply a means of supporting you while you seek help. You can't rely on them to solve your problems. Not all of them."

Yang's fist clenched. She didn't like this. She didn't like this at all. She didn't want to hear it but something told her she wouldn't get her medicine without it. "I don't have time seek help."

Kitsune placed her tablet to the side along with the medicine. Her fingers tangled together in front of her as she took a deep breath. "I believe you might be becoming addicted to the medicine or, at the very least, dependent on it."

Yang remained silent. It looked like Kitsune was waiting for her to respond. She didn't.

After a few more seconds of silence, Kitsune sighed. "Yang, I do not pretend to understand everything that is going on in your life. Especially with… recent events but please understand that I am here to help. I am not your enemy."

Yang took a deep breath. "I know. I… I appreciate your concern but I'm doing my best to deal with… things." Not just the things Kitsune mentioned. "I know you might not take my word for it but understand I won't let myself be controlled by a bottle. I just… I just need enough to last me until I get to Mistral. Till I find my sister."

Kitsune remained silent for a moment. "These… pains you no doubt feel, how are you dealing with them?"

"Exercises. Light training. Breathing techniques. They… They help." Really they did. When she remembered to do them. "But it's not always enough. So… I take those." She motioned to the capsule beside her. "Maybe a little more than I need to but that I've been doing better!" She paused. "Did better." There were times, both before and after deciding to find Ruby that she just needed to numb some of the pain away. Then there was that moment she thought Weiss had given up on her and… "I am getting better." She empahses. "I just want to have those around. Just in case."

Kitsune stared at her for a long while. Maybe she wanted to see if Yang would snap at not being given the medicine right away. Maybe she was thinking on the best way to deny her. After a few more seconds, Kitsune reached for the bottle. Yang tried to keep calm but she'd be lying if her heart wasn't beating a little faster. The faunus doctor looked at the case of pills before tossing it to Yang. She caught it and looked at the bottles before looking to Kitsune .

"Don't make me regret this." Was her response. "Times like these…" She sighed. "I don't know what's the right decision or if there even is one. If I take away something that gives you comfort, that might make things worse and get you hurt. Especially now." She sighed, leaning her head into her arms. "Maybe I'm just a coward." She glanced up to Yang and repeated. "Don't make me regret this… and please, think about what I have said. These aren't going to help you forever."

Yang nodded. "Thank you."

"Guess this is it." Yang stood across from Weiss. Weiss' chaperon a fair distance away behind to give them some privacy. Mauve did the same, moving ahead and waiting for her.

"Guess so." Weiss' hands scrunched up her skirt. This was difficult for her. That much was obvious. "You have everything you need?"

She nodded. "The supplies you gave us will be a big help. They'll get us where we need to go."

"You have the lien too?" Weiss asked.

"Hey." Yang rested her hand on Weiss' shoulder. "We have everything. Don't worry. You've done everything you can for us."

Weiss lowered her head. "I… I know that but it still might not be enough. What happens when you run out? What if you get attacked? What if…"

Yang pulled her into a hug, arm around her neck and chin to her neck. Weiss clung to her back a moment later. "We'll figure something out. I'm not saying it'll be easy but we'll get through it."

"Right." Weiss held onto her for a few more seconds before they separated. "Safe travels."

Yang nodded before stepping back. She saw Weiss tense at the simple action as she took one step back after the other before turning around to face the road.

"Ready?" Mauve asked as they walked side by side.

Yang nodded. "Ready."

"We camp here."

"What?" Yang looked back to Mauve who had stopped in his tracks. "Why?"

"I'm tired."

Yang groaned at the simple response. "You can't be serious. I'm not tired. I'm good to go."

"Well I'm not." He dropped his bag and started setting up camp.

Yang let out an annoyed sigh when it didn't look like Mauve was gonna budge. She dropped her own bag before taking out her pills and downing one. She noticed his stare. She stared right back, as if daring him to say something. He eventually looked away with a sigh.

The campfire was set. Not much work needed to be done about the snow since it was starting to melt. Spring was slowly approaching.

A small pot of stew started to boil over the fire as they sat across from one another. Zwei to the side was panting happily and glancing between them.

"I am so excited for our journey."

Yang nearly jumped from her seat before taking her scroll out. "Oh, sorry, Penny. I forgot about you."

"That is quite alright. I thought it best not to bother you after your talk with Weiss."

Yang smiled. "Thanks."

"Still kinda weird." Mauve commented. "She's in the Scroll?"

"That is correct."

"How does that… work?"

"Well my data-"

"It just does." Yan interrupted. "Let's leave it at that, ok?"

They sat in silence for the rest of the time till the soup was ready. They both got a bowl full and ate.

"So, Mauve, might I inquire on how you know of Ruby." Penny asked in partway into the meal.

"She's my friend." Was the simple reply.

"She is? Oh, how wondrous! Penny is my friend too! We met when friend Weiss slammed into me."

Mauve looked to Yang with a raised brow for context. Yang just shrugged. "It's complicated."

"What of you, Mauve? How did you become friends with Ruby? How long have you two been friends?"

"..." Mauve stared at the scroll laid on the ground. He probably found the conversation weird since he didn't seem to actually use scrolls all that much if at all. And talking to someone that lived inside of a scroll was probably a bit overwhelming for someone like him. "She ran into me. It sorta went from there."

"Same with me!" Penny sounded absolutely elated. "How wondrous! We have so much in common! The way we met, they height similarity. I wonder if those are common factors for how Ruby decides on her friends."

"I… couldn't say."

"How long have you been friends with Ruby?"

"Years."

"What activities did you two do together? Unfortunately, Ruby and I did not get to spend nearly as much time as I would have liked."

"That's when you… died?"

"In a sense." Penny didn't seem too bothered by it. "I would love to hear more about Ruby from a close friend of hers."

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything!"

To Yang's surprise, she found herself listening in on the conversation. Up until recently, she didn't even know much about Mauve or how he and Ruby met. He had explained it to her some weeks back but other then that he didn't really know about Mauve or his relationship with Ruby. He lived in a cave and apparently didn't use technology much. Not the best qualities in a friend for Ruby now that she thought about it. Was it bad that she never bothered to learn about Mauve? How he affected Ruby and being one of her oldest friends?

"What of the spa day?" Penny went on.

"The what?" Mauve asked.

"Did you ever go out with Ruby for a day of relaxation and pampering? Perhaps got your nails done and hair combed?"

"We never went to a place like that." Mauve paused. "Though Ruby would brush my tail when we were younger."

"She did?" Yang found herself asking. Was that an ok thing to do with Faunus? Was it bad for her to even ask that question?

"She liked it. Sometimes my hair too." He said simply. "And it was...nice."

"I wish Ruby would brush my hair and tail."

Yang held back of reminding Penny that she didn't have a tail. Or hair at the moment. She decided to enter the conversation properly.

"So you two just hit it off? Just like that?"

"She was eager to please and do stuff." Mauve explained. "And I just went along with whatever. I guess that makes for being good friends."

Given Ruby's energetic behavior, especially back then, it wasn't too hard to imagine her and Mauve ending up as friends if he just went along with everything she did. Still, it was strange to think of her normally anxious sister making friends with a complete stranger like that.

"You said this was recently after you came to the island, right?" Yang asked.

Mauve nodded. "Yea. Not long after."

"Does that mean Ruby was your first friend on the island?"

Mauve nodded. "Only friend really."

"Oh, we truly do have so much in common!" Penny sounded before she generated some clapping noises. Neat trick.

It was way to excited for Yang's taste. They were anything but similar thought she guessed some of their stories about Ruby had themes in common. Maybe Ruby really did have a unusual way of making friends.

She sighed. "Penny, could you quit clapping?"

"I am no longer clapping, Yang. I believe that is our guest."

"Then tell em to…"

Mauve was the first one to react. Yang a moment later. Her hand up and legs ready. Both stared down the person who was sitting on a log, continuing to clap. The gloves dulled the noise but that just made it all the worse.

Even more so was the fact that the person hadn't raised their guard. Their eyes were shut with a small smile. Umbrella in one hand resting over their shoulder, and her multi-coloured hair falling down in waves behind her.

Neo...