Ruby lay on her back, on the balcony, looking up at the sky. The sun was rising and the birds were flying about. She watches a bird fly over head following it with her eyes. She looks above her to see Yang leaning over to look down at her.
Yang: "You're up early."
Ruby: (smile) "Hey sis."
Yang: "Boop."
The blonde lets her long hair dangle over tickling Ruby's nose. She giggles to her self. Ruby sits up so Yang can sit with her as they watch the sun.
Ruby: (sighs) "What are you doing up?"
Yang: "Can't fall back to sleep."
Ruby: "Ah, me neither."
Weiss: "Well, fortunately, coffee exists."
The sisters turn around to see Weiss gesturing to (Y/n) who is skillfully balancing five coffee mugs on different parts of his body. One in each hand, one on each elbow, and one on the top of his head.
Ruby: (snickering) "Don't we have trays?"
Weiss: "See that's what I said."
(Y/n): (wobbling slightly) "But this is so much more fun!"
Weiss takes the one on his left elbow rolling her eyes with a smile.
(Y/n): "Wait no! My perfect balance!"
He teeters a bit but Weiss rolls her eyes again, and takes the one off the right elbow as well, handing it to Yang. (Y/n) crouches down to offer Ruby the one on his head.
Ruby: "No, please!"
Weiss takes the mug off his head.
Weiss: "Don't worry, I put in blasphemous amounts of cream and sugar, just for you."
Ruby: "Oh yeah! Nice Weiss strikes again!"
Suddenly, Weiss pulls the cup away just as Ruby was about to grab it.
Weiss: "I will pour this on you and it will burn."
She hands the cup to Ruby, who nervously giggles. Weiss and (y/n) sit next to their teammates.
Yang: "Can't believe we're actually in Mistral."
Ruby: "That's what you can't believe?"
Yang: "Well, yeah! And all the other magic and stuff. But... Okay, you know what I mean!"
Weiss: "I honestly wasn't sure if I'd ever see you three again."
(Y/n): "Yah..."
Yang: "Well, here's to defying expectations."
Yang and Weiss clink cups together, while Ruby gulps her cup down in one go, opening one eye to glance at the two cups in (y/n)'s hands.
Ruby: "What's with the extra coffee?"
(Y/n): "Huh?"
He looks down to see he's holding two mugs.
(Y/n): "Oh... it's tea. I forgot we're not all here yet..."
He chuckles but it lacks any mirth. Weiss and Ruby frown at him but Yang scowls at the ground a bit.
Ruby: "I just wish Blake could be here with us."
(Y/n): "Yah..."
Yang: "Yeah, well, she made her choice."
Weiss: "What's that supposed to mean?"
Yang: (showing bitterness) "I mean she could've been here if she just stuck around. It's no big deal though. We'll be fine."
Ruby and Weiss have concerned expressions on their faces. (Y/n) doesn't speak.
Ruby: "Don't you want her here?"
Yang: "Why would I want her here?"
Ruby: "Are you still mad at her for leaving?"
Yang: (scoffs) "Oh, whatever gave you that idea, Ruby? No, I'm totally fine. I'm great."
Weiss: "Okay, calm down."
Yang: (her eyes turn red) "Don't tell me to calm down!"
(Y/n) glares at her angrily with his visible eye while the other two look shocked and afraid.
Ruby: "Woah, Yang."
Yang blinks realizing what she did. Her eyes turn back to normal.
Yang: "Whatever."
She stands and walks back to the house. Weiss and Ruby watch her go with concerned expressions.
(Y/n) sets his two down next to him and stands stretching. He summons a Kunai and throws it into the distance.
Ruby: "(Y/n)?"
(Y/n): "I'm gonna go for a walk."
Before either girl could speak he vanished.
.
.
.
Back in Mistral, Yang sits alone on a bed looking at the "New Friends!" photo of Team RWBY. She hears a knock on the door and quickly puts the photo away.
Yang: "Yeah?"
The door opens but Yang doesn't look up to see who entered.
Yang: "Look Ruby, I really don't want to talk about it, okay? Can you just leave me alone for a bit?"
Yang looks up, and is surprised that it was not Ruby, but Weiss who is at the doorway.
Yang: "Oh. Hey Weiss. Did you need something?"
Weiss says nothing. She closes the door behind her and sits on the bed opposite to Yang.
Yang: (sigh) "I know she's our teammate, but I'm not just going to change my mind. I'm sorry, I just... I don't think you know what it's like to be left. You have a giant family, recitals to perform at, dinners to attend. I didn't have any of that. My mom left me. Ruby's mom left too. Tai was always busy with school and Ruby couldn't even talk yet. I had to pick up the pieces. I had to keep things together. Alone.
Weiss says nothing.
Yang: "Weiss, if you have something to say, then say it."
Weiss remains silent for a moment, before responding.
Weiss: "When I was ten, my dad finally admitted to my mom that the only reason he married her was for the family name."
She sighs
Weiss: "It was actually on my birthday. He missed the big dinner, she got mad, he finally snapped. I think she already knew. Looking back, I think I knew too. But hearing him say it finally pushed her over the edge."
She gets up and sits down next to Yang on the other bed.
Weiss: "First it was separate lunches and dinners, opposite balconies at my recitals, a glass of wine here, a glass of wine there. Then, it was no dinners, no recitals, a bottle of wine here and... well, you get the idea."
Yang: "I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have assumed."
Weiss: "You're right though. I don't know loneliness like you do. I have my own version. And, I'll bet Blake has her own version too."
Yang: "She doesn't have to be alone though. I was here for her. We all were! She chose to leave us."
Weiss: "Why do you think she did that?"
Yang: "Hm?"
Weiss: "The entire time Blake was at Beacon, she was afraid to open up to people. She tried to keep her past separated from us. She tried to protect us. Eventually, those walls she put up came down. And the moment they did, the one thing she was afraid of actually happened. The universe proved her right."
Yang: "No one blamed her for anything! If she had just talked to us, she would've known that! How could I be there for her if she doesn't let me? What if I needed her here for me?"
Yang buries her face in her hands and starts sobbing quietly. Weiss puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
Weiss: "I know it's not easy. I wish she hadn't left too. The only thing we can do now is be there for her when she's ready. When she comes back."
Yang lowers her hands from her face.
Yang: "If she comes back."
Weiss: "She will. Yang... You, Ruby, (Y/n), and even Blake are more like family to me than my brother or even my own father. I would do anything for you three, and I'm willing to bet Blake feels the same way. So, when she's ready, I'll be there for her. And I know we're not as close, but... I'm here for you too."
Weiss smiles and Yang calms down.
Yang: "I bet (Y/n)'s pretty mad at me right now huh?"
(Y/n): "You really feel bad about it?"
The two turn to see that the door is open and (Y/n) is leaning against the door frame crossing his arms.
Weiss: "(Y/n)?! I thought you left?"
(Y/n) holds up his scroll.
(Y/n): "Forgot my scroll."
Yang looks away from him at the floor.
(Y/n): (to Yang) "Well?"
Yang: "(Y/n) I'm-"
(Y/n): "Stop."
Yang looks up at him angrily
Yang: "I'm trying to apolo-"
(Y/n): "Then shut up and give your favorite cousin a hug."
He holds his arms out smiling. Yang just stands and runs over to hug him. She wraps her arms around him and cries again.
(Y/n): "Jeez, I should be the one crying, it's my girlfriend that's M.I.A you know."
Yang just squeezes him tighter.
(Y/n) rubs her back softly.
(Y/n): "I wasn't angry that you're mad at Blake, hell even I'm a little upset about it. No, I was mad because you turned that anger toward everyone else. You let your frustration get the better of you, let it dictate your actions and words. And yelled at your loved ones because of it."
Yang: (muffled) "I'm sorry..."
(Y/n) let's go and pushes away to look at Yang. He raises his hand an flicks her on the forehead softly.
(Y/n): "Don't apologize to me, apologize to them."
Ruby pops her head in the door.
Ruby: "Is everything ok?"
Yang wipes a tear and smiles at her sister.
Yang: "Yah."
Ruby steps into the room fully sighing a sigh of relief.
(Y/n) backs away from the two sisters to stand by Weiss
(Y/n): (whispers) "Thanks."
Weiss just nods to him politely.
.
.
.
Qrow and Oscar sit in the living room drinking coffee with a less then pleased look on their faces.
Qrow: "Things aren't looking good, Oz."
Ozpin: "Ever the optimist."
He takes a sip from his mug
Ozpin: "While I would not say our current predicament is... ideal, I think we can both agree that the situation could be much worse. Humanity is a resilient force."
Qrow: "Oz, pro Huntsmen like that don't just bite it all at once. Salem's powerful. It seems like her reach is growing by the day. What does that say about Humanity?"
Ozpin: "That there are indeed a misguided few who have filled their hearts with malice. It doesn't take a great number of people to cause harm, but I still believe there are far more people in this world willing to prevent it."
As Ozpin is about to take another sip, Ruby Rose is heard walking into the room. Behind her stands a nervous (Y/n).
Ruby: "Um, excuse me?"
Ozpin: "Ah, Miss Rose, Mister Sato, please join us. We were just about to gather everyone to discuss our next steps."
(Y/n) steps up next to Ruby.
Ruby: "Oh, uh, great."
Qrow: "Something on your mind kiddo?"
Ruby: "Uh... uh, it's... we had a question, if it's okay to ask."
Qrow: "Of course."
Ruby: "Well, uh... we've been talking about the Relic at Haven... and the Spring Maiden, but... what about the Fall Maiden?"
Ozpin: "Cinder?"
Ruby: "Does that mean... Salem has the Beacon Relic?"
Ozpin and Qrow share a brief look with each other.
Ozpin: "Very astute, Miss Rose, I was wondering who would be the first to ask. No, thankfully she does not. It's true that the Relic at Haven is very much at risk, and for now, that should remain our primary focus. Let's just say I made finding the Relic at Beacon a... bit more challenging than at the other schools."
Ruby: "Oh. (sighs in relief) That's good to hear."
Ozpin: "It is, but let's not forget the challenges that still lie before us."
Ruby nods.
Ozpin: "Now is there anything else we can help you with?"
Ruby: "Oh, uh... well, we did have one more question."
(Y/n) nods
Ozpin: "No, my cane is not a Relic."
Ruby and (Y/n) look at each other.
(Y/n), Ruby: "We have no more questions."
They all giggle.
Ozpin: "Yes, while this cane is indeed very precious to me, it is also just that - precious to me. While I admit it still has a few more tricks up its sleeve, I can firmly say that being a Relic isn't one of them. Now why don't you run and get the other students?"
Suddenly, Qrow's scroll is heard vibrating. He takes it out from his pocket to see 'LEO LIONHEART' calling. He takes the call.
Qrow: "Yeah? ... Okay... yeah, we'll be there."
Qrow hangs up.
Ruby: "Who was it?"
Qrow: (sighs while taking out his flask) "It was Leo, says he had a breakthrough with the council. Thinks he might be able to get together a small raiding party for the bandits. He wants us to meet up at the school tomorrow night to walk us through it."
Ruby: (gasps and smiles) "Really? Oh that's great! I'll go get the others."
Ruby runs out of the room while Qrow takes a drink from his flask.
Ozpin: "Mmm, that sounds drastically different from your original conversation, does it not?"
Qrow: "It does."
Ozpin: "Interesting..."
Qrow: "Things aren't looking good, Oz."
Ozpin: "I know..."
(Y/n) just stands there clenching his fist.
.
.
.
A/n: Alright well that's all for now. Anywho I hope you enjoyed and as always take care and have a good one. Cheers!