(See the end of the chapter for more notes .)

I am not a great writer. I wish I could've done a better-flowing end for this chapter, but here we are.

The sisters get to acquaint themselves closer with their new travelling companions

Chapter Text

Early the next morning, Jaune went around their improvised campsite, gently prodding his sleeping companions awake. When Yang proved extra tough to rouse, he gently withdrew a pouch from his belt, held it down next to her ear and gently jingled the contents within.

Yang snorted out a tuft of smoke from her nostrils and turned onto her side.

Jaune glared down at the sleeping woman from under his hood “All right, if that’s how you want to play it…” He untied the knot on the pouch, picked out a few gold coins and moved them around under Yang’s nose.

Her eyes flung open and slit, draconian pupils darted about. “GOL-hey. Not okay, Jaune. Not okay.”

Jaune just grinned dismissively. “It worked, didn’t it?”

“He does that from time to time. It’s… mean, but effective.” Pyrrha chimed in from across the camp where she was helping Ren dismantle their improvised sleeping cot.

Hoisting herself to her feet, Yang began to stretch as she walked towards last night’s fireplace, but Jaune put an arm in her way.

“We won’t be needing that anymore. We’re heading out again as soon as possible.” He gave Yang a friendly pat on the shoulder, before turning back to his tasks. “Time to get back in your scales, girl.”

Some time later the three girls stood ready at the beach, their passengers standing off to the side as to give them room for the transformation. Blake looked on as Ruby fell down on all four as she grew ever bigger. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this…” she muttered to herself before Jaune leaned in.

“Eh, I’ve seen Pyrrholynnhaeryhos do this thousands of times. You get used to it.”

Blake slowly turned to stare in disbelief at Jaune’s indifference and was about to retort when she was interrupted by Yang’s bellowing.

“No way! I thought we were about the same age?! How’re you so much bigger than me?!”

Blake had gotten used to Yang being bigger than Ruby in their dragon forms. It was only logical after all, that the older sister would be larger. But from what Blake had overheard from Yang’s and Pyrrha’s conversation the previous night around the campfire, they were about the same age – but Pyrrha’s red-bronze body was a good quarter time bigger than Yang’s golden form, positively dwarfing Yang as they lined up for their riders.

Pyrrha did her best attempt at a shrug her quadrupedal form would allow. “… Mistralian dragons are bigger in general, I guess?”

Yang muttered something to herself in draconian as she extended a wing down for Blake to climb up on.

Minutes later, they were all airborne.

“Hey, Jaune?” Ruby called over her shoulder to her cloaked passenger.

“Yeah, Ruby?”

“Where are we going, exactly?”

“You’ll know soon enough.”

As Pyrrha flew across the sea, occasionally flapping her large wings to keep her speed, Yang flew up beside her.

“So…” she began, “How long have you guys known Jaune anyways?”

Pyrrha tilted her head a bit, peering down at Yang. “Well, I don’t know about Ren, but I’ve known Jaune for quite a few years…”

Ren looked to the skies as he mulled it over for a few moments. “About the same for me. Given the frailty of Man, I’m surprised we haven’t seen him keel over from old age yet.” Ren looked down towards Yang’s massive form and chuckled softly. Ruby flew up beside her sister, Jaune glaring disapprovingly at Ren from his perch on her back. “Very funny, Ren.”

“You are the one with the shortest life expectancy here after all.” Ren shrugged apologetically.

“Right.” Jaune sighed. “We’ll be coming up on the mainland soon, at which point we’ll have to walk some kilometres inland to reach our destination.”

Yang looked over at the small cloaked figure straddling her sister’s neck in confusion. “Why not fly that last distance as well then? It’d be a lot faster.”

Jaune merely chuckled as he replied. “Remember a town by the name of Vale?”

“Yeah sure, but wh-oh. Oh. Yeah, walking is probably better. Does the body good, too.”

“’Does the body good’, my foot.” Yang grumbled as she carried her little sister on her back. “I should really learn to watch what I’m saying one of these days.”

“Not my fault my feet hurt.” Ruby cheekily chimed in from her sister’s back.

“Guys… who’s that?” Blake asked as she indicated an approaching figure in the distance.

“How should we know? Probably some random wanderer of no value to us.” Jaune offhandedly remarked. As the redheaded girl approached, the group took note of the absolutely massive warhammer she was carrying. Soon they could hear her singing as well.

The world was young, the mountains green,

No stain yet on the Moon was seen,

No words were laid on stream or stone

When Odin woke and walked alone.