3rd Person POV:
The fall semester has one more day left before officially beginning as many of the students that have left for the semester break are now returning to Beacon Academy.
Amongst the large crowds of returning students stand Ruby and Yang, who are both seen exiting a docked Bullhead aircraft.
Ruby: We finally made it back!
Yang: You seem excited.
Ruby: Of course, we spent most of our semester break in our rooms once dad learned about what happened at the docks.
Yang: Which I still find completely unfair since I didn't even make it to the fight. It really should've been just you that got grounded, sis.
Ruby: You didn't even stay grounded that long because you would just sneak out the house most of the time just to hang out with your friends!
Both sisters continue to argue until Ruby is suddenly embraced by Y/N, who has changed to a familiar appearance as her hair has returned to being pure white and her eyes have taken on a rosé colored hue.
Y/N: Ruby!
Ruby: (blushing from the sudden affection) Y-Y/N?
Yang: (whispers to Ruby, who is still left a blushing mess even after Y/N released her from the hug) You're blushing~
Ruby: (whispers) Shut up, I am not.
Y/N: (tilts her head in confusion) What's wrong?
Ruby: Nothing! We're just...curious about why your hair changed again.
Yang: Are you sick again, Y/N?
Y/N: Not this time, I just don't have my Aura activated right now.
Y/N: Watch. (closes her eyes as her Aura proceeds to cover her body and change her hair back to its usual jet-black color)
Ruby & Yang: Wow.
Y/N: (opens her eyes to reveal their new magenta color) It took awhile for me to learn how to change at will, and I even got Ren to teach me a little more about how to properly channel Aura.
Y/N: Anyways, enough about me. How was your semester break?
Yang: Pretty uneventful.
Ruby: We got grounded because of what happened at the docks.
Y/N: Aw, that must've really sucked.
Ruby: I know right?
Yang: So, where's Blake?
Y/N: She'll be here in a little bit.
Blake: (appears as she whispers into her hair) Sooner than you think.
Y/N: Ah! (turns to face the smirking cat faunus) Blake, you said you wouldn't do that ninja stealth act on me anymore.
Blake: Needed to do it at least once before the semester ends.
Y/N puffs out her cheeks to pout from the teasing before letting out a small laugh, which is soon accompined by Blake's own laugh.
This display of friendship between the two girls has left both Ruby and Yang completely in shock from their sudden closeness.
Yang: (whispering to Ruby) I really didn't expect them to get this close so soon.
Ruby: (whispering back) Me either.
Meanwhile, a small aircraft baring the Schnee Dust Company symbol is seen flying overheard as its only passenger is Weiss Schnee, who is shown in a much more relaxed state compared to her usual display of confidence and grace.
Weiss gets up from her seat and heads over to the airship's bathroom in order to prepare herself for the day, she starts off by getting her hair into its signature off-center ponytail.
She proceeds to stare at her own reflection in the bathroom mirror before getting into her more serious and defined expression and posture.
Once the Schnee aircraft finally makes it to the docking bay, Weiss exits the craft with her luggage in tow as she spots the others, who are all shown awaiting her arrival.
Ruby: (embracing her teammate) Weiss!
Weiss: Don't be so clingy, the moment I get back!
Ruby: (releasing her) Sorry, couldn't help myself.
Weiss: (sigh) I'll admit that I did...(makes herself barely audible to the silver-eyed girl)...miss all of you a little.
Yang: (playful) What was that, ice queen?
Weiss: I said I miss the overgrowing annoyance that is my teammates.
Yang: Aw, I knew our charms would eventually help warm that ice cold heart of yours.
Weiss: Hmph.
Y/N: How was your semester break, Weiss?
Weiss: (takes notice of Y/N's changed appearance, which causes a small blush to form on her face) I-It was pretty normal.
Weiss: Oh! (opens one of her bags of luggage) While I was going around Atlas, I came across some gifts that I think all of you might like.
Ruby: Gifts!
Weiss proceeds to pull out five bags from her luggage, the heiress then hands them out to her teammates.
Ruby: (opens her bag to reveal a nice binder) A binder?
Weiss: I noticed that whenever you start planning stuff out, it comes out a little unorganized. Now, you can make all the plans and strategies you want with peak organization.
Ruby: (hugs her binder and forms warm smile) Thanks Weiss!
Weiss: (hands another present to Yang) For you Yang, since I've seen how much care you put into your hair. I got you some top of a line hair products courtesy of Atlas.
Yang: Awesome!
Weiss: (hands her third present to Y/N) Sorry Y/N, I couldn't really think of a good gift for you so the only thing I could do is get some sweets from Atlas.
Y/N: (eyes sprakles from the motion of sweets) Really?!
She takes a small candy out of the bag and quickly bites into it as her eyes change to pure pink out of sheer joy from the sweetness of the treat.
Y/N: (continuing to enjoy her present) Arigato gozaimasu!
Her sudden switch in language causes most of Team RWBY, with the exception of Blake, to look at their cheerful black-haired teammate in confusion.
Blake: (responding to her teammates confused gazes) She tends to switch to the mistralian language when she's really excited. What she just said was "thank you".
Weiss: I see...
Yang: I kinda want to hear her say more stuff like that.
Ruby: Me too..
Blake: (turns to Weiss with a knowing look) You knew she'd like the present because of the photo I sent last week.
Weiss: Your photo did give me the idea but I was still a little uncertain if just sweets would be enough for her.
Ruby/Yang: (quietly pulls out their scrolls) Definitely taking more pictures.
After settling down Weiss grabs her final gift and hands it over to Blake, who was a little surprise from the act.
Blake: You really got one for me as well?
Weiss: Of course! We're teammates, i-it wouldn't be fair to you at all if I didn't give you anything.
Weiss: (hands the gift over to her) I-I'm not sure if you'll really like this gift, but the moment I saw this at the store all it reminded me of was you.
Blake looks into the bag and pulls out her gift, which is revealed to be a tea set colored black with purple flowers over it.
Weiss: I-I noticed how much you enjoy drinking tea and I wanted to give you something nice to help with that habit.
Blake: Weiss, I love it. (bows in appreciation with a warm smile) Thank you.
Weiss: D-Don't mention it. (forms a small smile) After all, you're also one of my valued teammates.
Elsewhere, in the city of Vale, the owner of the Dust shop "From Dust Till Dawn" is hanging a sign declaring its re-opening.
As he climbs down from his ladder, he stumbles and falls. While he recovers from the small fall, Emerald soon appears next to him.
Emerald: (let's out a small giggling) 'Scuse me, sorry. I'm not really from around here. (helps him to his feet) Would you mind pointing me in the direction of this shop?
She proceeds to hand him a piece of paper with some writing on it as the shopkeep looks over it.
Shopkeep: Hmm? (points in the direction of her destination) Mm-hmm.
Emerald walks away from the shop owner as both wave goodbye and passes Mercury, who was leaning at the corner of the shop.
Mercury: I knew you were lost.
Emerald: Mercury, I will seriously pay you to shut up. (waves the shopkeep's wallet, which is filled to the brim in lien at her partner's face)
Mercury: That's not your money.
Emerald: But it can be yours for 5 minutes of silence.
Mercury: Mmmm... no deal.
Emerald: Fine. (takes the lien and tosses the wallet before turning to walk away)
Mercury: Whatever. You want me.
The two proceed to walk through the city together, passing by most of the shops that Y/N and Blake went into a few days ago.
Mercury: So, how much farther?
Emerald: A few blocks.
Mercury: Ugh... this place is so dull.
Emerald: Eh, I kinda like it. Tall buildings, diverse culture...
Mercury: And nice dopey people who are easy to pickpocket.
Emerald: (stops in her tracks) That's every city.
Mercury: (play acts as a victim) Ooh, Emerald! Master thief! Please don't take my money! I barely have enough to get by!
Emerald soon glares at him, groaning angrily. She then walks away from him.
Mercury: Ugh... you're no fun today.
Eventually the pair comes across a bookstore, which is soon revealed to be "Tukson's Book Trade".
Once the duo enter the shop, Tukson can be heard humming a tune to himself. Mercury simply stops near the door to look at books while Emerald approaches the counter and rings a service bell.
Tukson: Be right there! (Emerald looks back at Mercury as the bookstore owner is seen through a set of double doors carrying stacks of books as he walks backwards and out toward the counter) Welcome to "Tukson's Book Trade", home to every book under the sun!
Tukson: (sets the stack of books down) How may I...(turns around before letting out a gasp and hesitates upon recognizing the pair as Mercury is now seen holding a book)...help you?
Mercury: (opens the book but continues to look at Tukson) Just browsing. (shuts the book with a smirk)
Emerald: Actually, I was wondering, do you have any copies of "The Thief and The Butcher"?
Tukson: Yes we do.
Emerald: (excitedly) That's great.
Tukson: Would you... like a copy?
Emerald: No, just wondering. (as Mercury closes another book) Oh, oh! What about "Violet's Garden"? In paperback?
Mercury: He's got it. Hardback too. (grabs another book)
Emerald: Ooh, options are nice.
Mercury: Eh, no pictures. (closes the book) Hey! Do you have any comics?
Tukson: Near the front.
Emerald: Oh, no, wait! (changes to a more sinister tone) What... about... "Third Crusade"?
Tukson: (hesitates, visibly unnerved) Um... I...(Mercury and Emerald are shown to be eyeing him carefully)...don't believe we carry that one.
Mercury: (slams another book shut) Oh.
Emerald: What was this place called again?
Tukson: Tukson's Book Trade.
Emerald: And you're Tukson?
Tukson: That's right.
Emerald: So then I take it that you're the one that came up with the catchphrase?
Tukson: Yes.
Mercury: And, what was it again?
Tukson: "Tukson's Book Trade, home to every book under the sun."
Mercury: Except the Third Crusade.
Tukson: It's just a catchphrase.
Mercury: It's false advertising!
Emerald: You shouldn't make a promise you can't keep, Tukson. (continues to glad at him as Mercury presses a switch near the entrance a front window to darken) I hear that you're planning on leaving. Moving all the way to Vacuo.
Emerald: (continues on as Mercury presses another switch, which darkens the window at the front door) Your former brothers in the White Fang won't be happy to hear that. (Mercury activates the third and final switch, darkening the last window as he smiles creepily at Tukson) And neither are we... You know who we are, don't you?
Tukson: Yes.
Emerald: So... are you going to fight back?
Tukson: Yes! (forms claws from his fingers) Yaargh!
Tukson leaps atop his counter in a threatening manner. Mercury and Emerald back up slightly and he leaps at Emerald and slashes at her, but she dodges the attack.
The former white fang member looks forward and is surprised at Mercury as he raises one leg for a kick with his shotgun-greaves.
Mercury and Emerald are then seen exiting "Tukson's Book Trade". Emerald stretches her arms overhead while Mercury is seen reading a comic.
Emerald: What's with that?
Mercury: I like the pictures.
Back at Beacon Academy, Team RWBY and Y/N, who have now all changed into their school uniforms are seen heading to the cafeteria as Blake's scroll suddenly beeps.
The cat faunus pulls out her device as her usual calm and melancholic expression changes to one of complete and utter shock from the news article, which reads "Tukson's Book Trade" owner has been murdered as the crime has been stated to have most likely taken place more than five hours ago.
Blake: (holds a hand over her mouth to keep the shock hidden from the others, who all simply continue onward towards the cafeteria) No.
Chapter End