Heyyy, I'm not dead!

I'm really sorry for taking this long to update. I've been struggling really hard with writing, mostly because I can't seem to find motivation to. Every time I try, the words just feel alien to me, like I'm not the one who wrote them. Does that make sense? Also the fact that my phone decided to randomly delete half of the chapter, forcing me to rewrite a big chunk, didn't help.



11. Urgency

The water slid through her body and onto the tub, relaxing her muscles and washing away the accumulated filth gathered during her time in the dungeon. It was almost freezing, but Yang didn't mind. She enjoyed the cold, it was soothing in a way, how it contrasted with her own warmth. Her skin was red from all the scrubbing she gave it, massaging it with soap until no trace of her imprisonment was left. Her hair was still a tangled mess but at least it had returned to its shinning golden tone of origin. It felt good to take care of herself again, the army hadn't been too keen on showers, and neither was the prison.

Ruby, who had showered first, was now joining Penny at the room on the other side of the partition. They began trading stories about their adventures, and the dangers they had persevered through. She tried to mute the girls out, concentrating on her bliss rather than their words, but she utterly failed. She knew what would come next on her sister's tale, and even though she didn't want to hear it all over again, her mind could think of nothing else.

Blake hadn't been in her life for long, but she had been important to her. It had started as simple attraction, two girls entranced by each other's good looks, and Yang hadn't expected it to last or become more than physical. Yet it had, and what had begun as just sex, had grown and blossomed. Despite how different they were, they understood each other better than anyone else, and that quickly brought them together. And now she was gone.

She heard every single detail of Ruby's story, feeling the shackles on her heart tighten and crush once more.

She heard every little thing that monster had done to the woman she loved, anger and despair boiling inside.

She heard her sister's sobs while she recounted the events of that darkest of days, her own tears mixing with the water in which she bathed.

She heard Penny hold Ruby and offer comfort, knowing full well that there no one would come comfort her.

And finally, she heard the redhead utter the words she least expected.

"At least... Emerald won't hurt anyone again."

"Huh?" As the sobbing subsided, the archer voiced her confusion, mirroring Yang's. "What do you mean?"

"I ran into her while trying to find you and I... she's dead."

She felt fire burning within her, a swarm of emotions she could barely contain. There was a primal, twisted satisfaction in knowing vengeance had been dealt, but there was also frustration for having been the one to do it. The brawler felt disgusted by those feelings that assaulted her, and exited the bathtub in an attempt to busy herself and dispel the awful thoughts.

After drying her body, she picked a brush and ran it over her hair repeatedly, returning the golden locks to their former lustrous self. The automated action allowed her to engage in a meditative rhythm, burying the pain deep within where it couldn't bother her. It was even somewhat nostalgic to take care of her appearance like she used to in simpler times.

Her lilac eyes diverted to a stool where a new set of clothes awaited her. She was more than glad to be leaving the ragged apparel she had used in the dungeon, and the innkeeper had procured some new pieces at Penny's request. It was nothing too much, but it would do. The brown leather pants slid comfortably over her legs, and she rolled the faint yellow shirt's sleeves, making up for its excessive size, and tied it at the waist with a belt. Next she steeted on the boots, and took a second to appreciate the transformation.

On the other side of the partition the girls seemed to have quieted down, so Yang strolled over to figure out what they were up to. What she saw chilled her blood.

Penny lied on the bed, her back pressed against the headboard and her legs stretched forward. Ruby sat by her side, and was leaning over the ginger with a hand...

Yang shuddered.

...a hand on the former-statue's thigh, hiking up her skirt quite a bit. Neither of them seemed to notice the mortified blonde until she managed to regain her senses, and yell in the angriest of tones.

"REALLY? You're doing that NOW?"

The huntress jumped at the sound, and removed her fingers from Penny's leg. Both girls blushed furiously.

"We weren't... I was just checking Penny's condition, that's all!" Her voice was a squeal, stumbling to find words to hide the embarrassment.

"Oh, were you now? Then let me have a look." The eldest of the bunch decided to call their bluff, by whatever means necessary.

"...what?"

"You heard me. Move over so I can see it."

Ruby begrudgingly scooched away from the redhead, allowing her sister free access. Penny didn't move when the blonde touched her knee, staring at the skin up close.

"Oh crap, you weren't kidding."

Yang forgot all about her worries over her sibling's innocence. The infection was festering quickly, going beyond her knee and up into the thigh, leaving it a smooth white marble. She poked it, and it was hard, cold, like death. No amount of self-control could hide the terrified look on her face.

"This is bad..."

Ruby nodded.

"We don't have much time. We need to worry."

Her legs were numb and aching, strained from such an intense activity after being confined to a small cell for so long, but the discomfort could not damage her ecstatic mood. She was finally free and on the road, feeling the countryside breeze running on her face and rustling her hair. Yang felt liberated, unshackled by the duties of the military life and all the issues that came with it. She had jumped at the possibility of knowing the truth about their father, but after everything that had transpired she wasn't sure it had all been worth it. None of it mattered though, she was out forever and yearning to return to the peaceful house they had left behind.

She chuckled at her sister tenderly holding her bow as if someone was about to steal it from her. Apparently Ruby hadn't been too keen on letting go of her weapons at the entrance of the city, and upon retrieving them she had vowed to never let them go again. It was all quite amusing, especially considering that very same girl had been tyrannically forcing them way past their limits to get to back to the witch as soon as possible.

Yang sighed with a smile on her lips, never ceasing to walk on. Nothing could ruin the peace of mind she was in, definitely not the feelings of loss she vehemently refused to deal with to the point of denial. No, everything would be just fine. They would find the sorceress, cure Penny, and live worriless for the rest of their days. After all that they'd been through, they deserved their happy ending.

Nothing could go wrong... or so she thought.

Her wide grin immediately died out when they reached the vicinity of the target, and she saw the trail of destruction. Scorched earth and frozen trees, it was a nightmarish scene that filled with a sense of unease. There was something wrong in there, she was sure of it, and they were walking right up to it. Ruby didn't seem too fazed by the display, since she'd been there before, but that only made all the more upsetting. The blonde wanted with all her might to escape that place, but there was no other choice. She swallowed bile, trying to ignore the screaming feeling in her gut, and walked up to the hut.

The huntress entered first, followed by Penny and Yang in last.

"So you came back? I wasn't sure you'd make it."

The woman inside was beautiful but imposing, and Yang's unease worsened at the sight.

"I have what you asked for." Ruby handed the magician a rolled bedsheet from the Inn they had been to, and she unwrapped it to find the saber inside.

"The enchantment is gone..." She slid her fingers through the edge of the blade, contemplating the glimmering steel. "That idiot must've gotten it broken. Nevertheless, I'm impressed. You actually completed my request."

"So will you help us?"

"After you bring me to Weiss, yes."

"But you said-" Indignation flashed through the archer's silver eyes, but she was cut short.

"I said this was a test to see if you were trustworthy. You passed. Now you will take me to my sister, and only then will I help you. Do I make myself clear?" Winter spoke bluntly, with a sharp and demanding tone.

Ruby nodded, although frowning with displeasure. Smiling curtly, the white-haired woman got up and took a couple of steps forward.

"Good. So lead the way, I assume it will be a long travel ahead."

The voyage back home was lengthy, but above all it was awkward. Winter shadowed their every move in almost religious silence, refusing to partake in any of their conversations, or even their meals. She would merely disappear from sight at nightfall, when the girls set up camp, and only reappear in the morning to begin the hike again. She never seemed to be tired, almost like she wasn't human at all, and as time moved on Yang learned to dread her presence.

There was just so much wrong with that sorceress. Unlike Weiss, who had lashed out in rage on their only meeting, Winter didn't show much in the way of emotions. She only smiled, and watched over them, flaming eyes attentive like a vulture expecting its prey's demise.

The worst part was undeniably how she interacted with Ruby. The huntress was trying to remain chipper as usual, an understandable coping mechanism much like the one Yang was employing, but the witch seemed to take advantage of it. Whenever the youngster addressed her, she would drink every word of it, and although rarely speaking, she would incentivize the girl to keep talking. And she always had a perverse smiled on her lips, as if she was cooking up a way to kill them all.

She had whispered her concerns to Penny, hoping to find a sympathetic voice, but the ginger had dismissed it as the usual protectiveness driven from sisterly instinct. In truth, she knew Penny had her own struggles to deal with, so she dropped the issue. The sick girl had been getting worse by the day, and the extensive trip had given the infection enough time to become critical. The former-statue was pretending to be faring better than she actually was, that much was clear, but she had already gotten to the point of needing a crutch to keep up with them. Urgency was now deeper than ever before.

In the face of all that tension, the blonde was overjoyed to see their village appear in the distance. She had been the first to leave it behind, and not in the best of terms, but it still felt oddly right that the final stop of their long and arduous adventures would be home. Well, more specifically the clearing in the forest nearby. They didn't actually need to head to the old house straight away, and despite the yearning, Yang agreed to leave it be for the time being. If it meant keeping the witch unaware of where they lived, she would always be in favor. Witches and magic had only brought misfortune to their lives, and she wanted it to end as soon as possible.

They trekked away from the village and through the woods, absolute silence befalling the group. Anticipation was building up as the final destination grew closer. Soon all would be over, and that realization shunned the girls of all words.

The forest looked still yet watchful, just like it always had, but there was definitely something different about it. Yang didn't notice it, of course, she wasn't familiar enough with the fauna and flora of the area, but it was there nonetheless: life. Animals roamed around, although skittishly avoiding their presence, their cries clear for the attentive ear to listen. Trees and bushes grew unevenly, from petite to enormous, unbothered by the atmosphere that had once tormented nature. Magic had left for good, and the forest was healing the scars it had imposed.

The brawler found the clearing to be much smaller than she remembered. The line of plant-life circling it was tentatively starting to cross the border, limiting the space. The tulips still prevailed inside, but the careful set garden had given way to a sprawling growth of the flowers, free from any constraints. At the center, however, still stood the podium that used to house Penny, a permanent reminder of her essence and origin.

Yang was shocked to see the former-statue walk up to it and kneel down, stretching an arm forward as if to nuzzle it. She didn't appear fearful of it, just slightly sad for some reason. She was the first one to descend the pit, followed by Ruby, then Yang and Winter, who seemed to start growing weary of waiting.

The cave that had once been a laboratory was in a state far from the blonde's expectations. Instead of dusty bookshelves and tables, there was... nothing. No furniture or anything resembling human touch, just rubble scattered throughout the rocky cavern, and the frost pillar at its core.

She sought an explanation from Ruby, who complied with a meek smile.

"After Penny began having symptoms, and it became clear we needed a witch, we... destroyed everything in here."

"What? And she was okay with that?"

"It was her idea actually. Weiss Schnee said it was place of great power, and we didn't want it all to happen again."

Their conversation died out when the sorceress hit the ground, and began running up to the block of ice.

"Weiss..."

She observed the frozen person inside with wide unbelieving eyes, a resting white-haired girl with a scar over her left eye, and an ivory dress bearing a small cut on the chest, from which sprouted a red petal of blood.

"So it's true, she... How?" The magic-wielder didn't face them, not taking her sight off of her target, her expression impossible to discern.

"She did it to herself." Penny was the one who answered. She had been the one who saw it happen, after all.

The older woman nodded and began her work. She touched the arcane pillar with one hand, and with the other drew a circle in the air. She was muttering something under her breath, while still gesturing a strange incantation. An orange glyph materialized on the floor, and slowly the ice began melting, pooling the floor with water. She held the girl in her arms, keeping her from falling when she was unshackled from her prison. The tinge of blood vanished, and the wound closed, cauterized by the scorching vapors of the enchantment.

Slowly, Weiss Schnee coughed and feebly began moving, as the other witch held her. She gradually opened her eyes, and stared with confusion.

"Where am I? Who are you?"

"Oh Weiss, my dear sister, I can't believe I found you. Everything's going to be alright."

"Winter?" She jumped onto her feet and out of the other's grasp, betrayal splattered across her pale blue irises. "You're not my sister."

"Of course I am. You're just confused, we haven't seen each other for so long."

Weiss' tone became irate and loud.

"I don't care how long it's been, you're not Winter! She has blue eyes, no amount of time can change that!"

Winter laughed loudly.

"That's it? The color of my eyes? You know how long I spent making this disguise?"

Yang had no idea what was going on, and, by the looks on their faces, neither did Ruby or Penny. They remained quiet, trying to make sense of the events unfolding before them.

"Who are you?"

With a flick of her wrist, the woman's hair became pitch black, and her dress a deep crimson. It was astonishing how a mere color swap had turned her into a completely different person. She smiled, but there was no warmth in it, just a twisted display of victory, her burning eyes finally found their prey.

"Let's just say I'm someone who has been looking for you for a very long time. You can call me Cinder."

I wasn't too sure about this Cinder reveal, but here it is. I'm not even sure I like this chapter, it feels a lot weaker than my usual, but maybe it's just all in my head. Maybe you enjoyed it, I don't know.

I can't promise when the next one will be up. It will probably be a while.

If you want to review, I'd really appreciate it. I would've dropped this fic if it wasn't for you guys.