Ruby twirled, her scythe feeling so natural in her hands, even after so long. She knew exactly where to step, exactly how to move, and exactly how to hunt.

In front of her, the Beowolf slid in two moments before it turned to dust and blew away, but Ruby was already gone. She ducked under the swing of another Grimm and carved upwards, slicing a massive gouge through its chest. She danced and twirled, weaving under a claw before severing it, kicking off the beast's back and burying her scythe in one of its compatriots' head.

Ruby spared a glance towards the rest of her team. Pyrrha was gliding between the wolves as if she knew exactly what they would do a second before they did.

Across the meadow from her, Yang was struggling against three of the larger beasts. One of them knocked her backwards, sending her cartwheeling through the air and smacking into a tree. Blake screeched at the monsters and charged.

She was a furious shadow, so fast Ruby's eyes could not follow her as she danced towards her partner. One of the Beowolves leapt for her from behind and Ruby took aim down her sights, pulled her trigger, and-

Nothing.

Blake whirled just in time and liberated the creature's head from its body before twisting away to parry the next blow that was heading her way. Yang stood, wobbled slightly, but took her stance against the Beowolves. Ruby looked down at Crescent Rose, puzzled. Had it just jammed?

"Nnn-ya!" Came the grunt of effort from behind her and Ruby turned to see Pyrrha shove a Grimm twice her size backwards, forcing its claw away from Ruby. She snapped out of her haze and descended once more into the fray.

One of the wolves, larger than the rest, swept at Ruby. It had armor-like ribs covering its torso and long, pointed ears. An alpha. She sidestepped, but it came at her again, stomping at where she stood. Ruby rolled underneath it, came up on the other side, turned to strike its ankle and cripple it.

A claw smacked into her and sent her flying, her aura absorbing the blow. She tumbled, head over heels, came up on her feet and skidded to a stop. Pyrrha was already between her and the wolves.

"Are you alright?" The huntress asked.

"I'm fine," Ruby called back, shaking her head. She was supposed to be faster than that. What was going on?

Two of the Grimm dove at Pyrrha simultaneously, and she slid to the side, smooth as water, and impaled one of them on her spear. The other flew past, towards Ruby, and it had no qualms about changing targets. It barreled towards her, and Ruby leapt forward to meet it. It rose above her, blotted out the sun-

And suddenly the day was gone. It was night. The shattered moon hung low in the sky and three hulking figures chittered in the mouth of a cave and something cold slid into her neck and ice spread through her body and the nothingness crept in from the sides and

Ruby collapsed, screamed, dropped Crescent Rose. Pyrrha was above her in an instant, eviscerating her attacker. The circle of Grimm closed in on them as Ruby keeled over, hand on her stomach. It felt cold and empty. She vomited, the bile burning her throat as she retched painfully.

"Ruby!" Somewhere, far distant from wherever Ruby was, Yang called to her.

The alpha launched itself at Pyrrha and she was forced to roll to the side, leaving Ruby exposed. One of the Beowolves pounced, massive jaws opening to devour her. Ruby reached, grabbed her scythe, and brought it up just in time to skewer the monster. She felt energy course through her limbs as two more came at her, and she pushed, hard.

She felt her aura tense, and suddenly she was on the other side of the circle of Grimm. Rose petals flitted down around the confused beasts as they turned, slowly, dumbly. Only the alpha recovered quickly and lunged at her, even as Pyrrha's spear flew through the back of its skull and out its mouth. It made a garbled sound of surprise, then collapsed and began dissolving.

Low barks and growls rose warily from the remaining twenty or so Beowolves. Pyrrha walked forward calmly, with the cool confidence of someone who knew they had nothing to fear. The wolves looked at her, perhaps wary.

Then they bolted. Blake was beside Ruby a moment later, and Pyrrha was already dashing after them. "This is your specialty Ruby." Blake said from beside her with a grin. "Use your semblance."

"What?" Yang demanded from a dozen yards away. "She is not going after them alone."

"She's the only one that can catch them."

"Then let them go!" Yang shouted, marching up to Blake, standing eye to eye with the faunus, but Blake didn't so much as flinch. The air surrounding the two crackled with tension and the two huntresses stood apart, muscles tensed.

"We're huntresses, Yang. Not mercenaries." There was venom from an old wound coming up in those words. "We don't let Grimm go, we kill them. We finish the job." There was steel in Blake's voice, a sort of cold strength. Yang burned, bright, but fickle, and could do nothing to thaw her resolve. Yang's shoulders slumped in defeat.

Blake turned to look at Ruby, and nodded.

She grinned. The energy surged in her once more and she pushed off, feeling the world fly by below her. The Beowolves were disappearing into the forest, and with each step, Pyrrha found herself further behind them. But not Ruby. In a moment, she was on them.

Crimson death flashed forth from her, severing two of the beasts' heads at once, and Ruby twirled, decapitating a third before any of the others knew what was happening. A strangled bark from a creature off to the side alerted the rest, and they turned slowly.

Ruby let them asses her, smiling ever so slightly to herself. This was who she was. This was her destiny. It was just her and the incarnations of anonymity and fear. She was the light, and she would cleanse the world of their shadow.

She pulled the red hood over her head, and readied her scythe. It was just her now. They would surely attack.

And they did.

The largest of the remaining sprang at her, but its jaws clamped down on nothing but rose petals, and Crescent Rose was already cleaving one of its pack in two.

There was a soft clanging somewhere in the wall behind Ruby as their airship drifted lazily through the night sky. Yang had turned in early, saying she didn't feel well. Ruby suspected that the cuts and bruises lacing her own arms and torso may have been the cause of that, but she let it slide. Yang had always worried for her, it was what big sisters did. Pyrrha had stepped into a private study to call Jaune on her scroll - he had left her a message while they were hunting - and that left Blake as the only other occupant of the ship's common area. Ruby was surprised the other woman was still awake; it was well past midnight now.

The faunus was the one who had commissioned the luxurious vehicle for their travels. It left Ruby wondering how successful her friend had been over the past few years, but she didn't bother her by asking. Blake was curled up reading a black, leather bound book, knees tucked up to her chest. She looked like the young woman Ruby had met back on her first day of Beacon, curled up and reading in the candlelight.

Ruby held the memory, twirling it about, thinking about every miniscule detail she could remember. Blake's bow, the soft light, the soft whispers of other students too excited to sleep… She wanted to control all of it, every single last vestige of the memory. So many of them still eluded her, but her first day at Beacon was one of the strongest memories she had. It was when she had met all of them, except Pyrrha. It was the day she had met Weiss.

Typical of the heiress to foul up their first meeting.

It seemed ironic, thinking back to that moment. They had become so much more than just friends, or at least from what she could tell from Weiss' letters. All she could remember were fragments; the crystalline shine of an eye as she stroked soft skin, a peel of laughter so clear the world seemed brighter for a moment, her warmth against Ruby in long nights…

But she couldn't remember any of it properly. Those were the memories that eluded her. Of Weiss.

And of her mother.

Of the ones she loved, but had lost.

Ruby could feel it again, the pit opening in her stomach. Like rocks grinding her innards to a pulp. And her heart felt like it had been torn, leaving a hollow, scarred ruin behind. If Blake hadn't been there, Ruby would certainly have cried.

There was a buzzing in her pocket that reverberated against her seat. Ruby snatched the scroll out quickly and muted it, but from the tilt of Blake's ears, Ruby knew the other girl had heard. The faunus lowered her book a moment later, and looked at Ruby.

"You have a scroll."

"Umm… Yes?" Blake narrowed her eyes.

"And how come no one knew about this?"

Ruby stayed quiet, still fighting against the scrambling of her insides. She wanted Weiss there. She wanted that phantom tingle of a cool hand on hers to solidify into something real and for Weiss to be right there next to her.

"Ruby, what aren't you telling me?" Blake's voice sharpened to a dangerous edge.

Silence hung thick in the air. Ruby looked down at the scroll in her hand, the little green button that was flashing. A letter, from Weiss.

"Ruby?"

She couldn't say… It was all Weiss had asked of her.

"Nothing," Ruby whispered hoarsely, squeezing her eyes shut. She didn't want to lie like this. Not to Blake. Not to anyone.

"Ruby," Blake warned.

"I…" She looked down at her hands, the scroll clutched therein. "Blake, there's something that I don't think any of you ever knew." She couldn't tell Blake everything. Not quite, but she needed to tell someone about what they had been. She couldn't bear to be alone with that secret any longer, surrounded by the darkness of solitude.

There was a rapping on the door and Pyrrha slid the metal door to the side. Her shoulders were drawn back tightly, militant, contrary to her usual relaxed pose. Her scroll was grasped firmly in her other hand, still on from her call with Jaune.

"I'm sorry if I'm interrupting, but there's something you need to hear."

"What is it?" Blake inquired calmly, ears perked and attentive.

"Let's get Yang first." Pyrrha said tiredly, as if a huge weight bore down on her.

The place stank of alcohol, sweat and sick. Winter wrinkled her nose. From what she had heard, this habit ran in the family, but by dust, did those damn Branwen's have to pick such filthy establishments? Her query could certainly afford better, but this was where he had decided to spend his days after his niece had died. She almost walked away then and there, but this was, of all things, the right one to do.

Besides, he was one of the most useful idiots around.

He was laughing with the barmaid as he slapped another few lien on the table. She seemed to be genuinely enjoying his company, something Winter was sure she didn't understand.

"Another of your finest scotches." Qrow drawled lazily, sliding the lien up the counter, no doubt winking at the lady.

"Make it a water." Winter chimed in over his shoulder and sat beside the miserable excuse of a man. The barmaid rose an eyebrow and Qrow waved his hand at her. She slunk off to get the drink. "I can stand you even less when you reek of that deplorable substance."

"Like you've never had any." She hadn't.

There was a thunk and Qrow's glass was set on the bar again. Scotch. Weiss wrinkled her nose. The young woman serving looked at Winter a little… Enviously? Wait, she had actually been flirting with Qrow before Winter showed up. Winter shuddered.

"Thanks, sweetheart." Qrow gave her a full grin, which seemed to assuage the maid's jealousy.

"Disgusting," Winter whispered under her breath.

"An old man can't still look for love?"

"Not with someone as old as his nieces."

"Niece," Qrow corrected viciously, hand gripping the glass so tight his knuckles turned white. Winter let him have a minute to re-compose.

"Nieces," Winter urged again, and a dangerous look came over Qrow. It was like a summer storm breaking; beautiful, and then terrifying.

"I don't know what you're playing at here." He stood and towered over her. "But you'd better leave real quick."

"We're in public. Be decent."

"You know what happened to her."

"I have some news about that." Qrow glared at her for a moment, scarlet eyes burning into glacially cold ones.

"I'm sure one of the others would have come to me if there was anything to say."

"You haven't talked to anyone for years. You didn't want to be found."

"Don't flatter yourself, if I didn't want to be found, you wouldn't have found me."

"Would you shut up for two seconds?" She hissed.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"Yes,"

"Too bad I've always had a rebellious streak. Now, I was enjoying my drinks, and I'd appreciate it if you'd leave me in peace with them.."

"Qrow, this is important."

"All you Atlesians think everything you have to say is so important. What makes this different?"

"Because Ruby Rose is alive." She snapped. "She's staying with the Arcs. 29-11, Apartment J. Thought you'd want to know." He opened his mouth, but she cut him off. "We don't know how, we don't know why. And that is why I'm telling you. We need to figure out what's happening, and as much as you revolt me, you're the best there is at finding these things out."

"That… Doesn't make sense."

Winter said nothing. Qrow studied her carefully, no doubt trying to discern if she was honest. He would find no lie in her eye.

"Alright," He said, his voice completely neutral. He waved to the barmaid, and she smiled brightly as she sauntered over. "The lady's paying for my drink."

And with that, Qrow got up and left, leaving Winter to glare hotly at his back. She pulled out some lien and tossed it back at the countertop and walked after Qrow, realizing a moment too late that she had seen Qrow paying his bill when she had walked in. She huffed and followed him into the dark streets.

Sorry this took so long to get out. I had a lot of it finished about a week ago, but scrapped it all. It just didn't feel right. Still not super happy with this, but I'm going to get it out. I'm hoping that the next Letter that I'm working on will get me back in the right writing space, and I can get back to the proper style of the story.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed the chapter! Any thoughts, suggestions, ect... Are welcome. Thanks for reading!

-Unjax