[RWBY] Sanctuary

[AndrewJTalon]

- - -

The man in black with red hair stood over her. She screamed in pain, the stump where her right arm was bleeding and burning with agony. She scooted back away from the man as he advanced, his red katana gleaming ominously.

"Time to finish what I started," he hissed. He held the sword up, brought it down upon her-

"AAAHHH! AAHHH! AAAAHHH!"

Strong arms held her shoulders against a bed as she thrashed. She opened her eyes, frantically looking around as a woman spoke to her.

"Calm down! Calm down! It's all right, it's all right, you're safe, you're safe..."

Yang Xiao-Long looked into blue eyes. They were kindly and compassionate, outlined by black framed glasses. She took deep breaths, her chest heaving as her heart threatened to beat right out.

"That's right, that's right, calm, calm," the woman said softly, "You're safe, you're safe."

The panic slowly subsided. She managed to focus her eyes as her heartrate slowed.

She was in a warm room, covered in red wood paneling. A large window, covered in blinds, was to her left. She was in a hospital bed, with several beeping machines on either side of her. The woman was older, curvy, but beautiful. Her light golden hair was tied in a bun. She wore green scrubs underneath a white labcoat. Her chin was pointed, her lips red, and her cheeks rather round with light freckles from the sun scattered across them.

She looked a few inches shorter than Yang, but her grip was so strong Yang couldn't even think of breaking free.

Then again, she thought, the ghostly feeling of nothing under her right shoulder, I... I'm not exactly in good shape myself...

The thought made something inside her break. Tears began to pour from her eyes. She clutched at her stump with her remaining hand, as sobs began to tear their way out of her throat.

The woman wrapped her strong arms around her, and hugged her tightly. She stroked her back, then rubbed circles into her shoulders.

"It's all right, it's all right," the woman murmured, "It's all right, I'm right here. You're safe..."

"... R-Ruby?" Yang gasped between sobs.

"She's safe, she's all right," the woman said, "Jaune got you, her, and a few others here. You're all going to be all right, I promise."

"Where... Where's here...?" Yang whispered.

The woman smiled against Yang's forehead.

"Radian, Gallia Province. North Sanus."

She held Yang as she cried, comforting her. It might have been drugs, it might have been the emotional exhaustion, but Yang slipped back into unconsciousness.

At the very least, she didn't have any bad dreams this time around.

She woke up some time later. The blinds had been opened, and sunlight streamed in. She blinked back against the glare, and her eyes slowly adjusted. Again, her hand went to her stump. Her heartrate skyrocketed again but she forced herself to calm. She breathed again and again, as deep as she could. She grit her teeth huffing and puffing through her nostrils.

C-Calm... Calm... Calm... Calm...

"Yang?!"

Yang opened her eyes. She looked at the open door. A small form in a blue sundress and ill matching black boots stood there with wide silver eyes and short black hair with red tips.

"Ruby!"

Ruby sobbed, and practically tackled Yang in her hug. Yang wrapped her arm around her, tears pouring down her cheeks. Ruby was ugly crying, loudly sobbing into her hospital gown.

"Y-You were so pale--I-I couldn't hear your heartbeat and-!"

She broke down into incoherent sobs, but all were very thankful and relieved. Yang hugged her little sister tighter, resting her chin on the top of her head as she cried too.

"It's okay, it's okay... It's okay... A-Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Ruby looked up and shook her head. She glanced over at Yang's stump, and winced. She buried her face in Yang's chest and sobbed again. Yang sniffled, but held her tightly.

"It's okay... I-It's okay," she managed, her voice choked with emotion.

The two sisters cried for a time. Yang didn't really know how long, but Ruby finally pulled herself together long enough to look up into Yang's eyes.

"I-I'm sorry... I'm sorry, I... I should have-"

As painful as it was... Old instincts came to Yang. She shook her head.

"This isn't your fault, Ruby," Yang said firmly, "O-Okay? This-This isn't your fault..."

"I... I could have... I should have..." Ruby whimpered.

"It isn't. Your. Fault," Yang said firmly, even as her voice wavered, "It isn't... It isn't, okay?"

Ruby still whimpered and hid her face in Yang's chest again. Yang found her fingers going through her short hair, just as she'd comforted her little sister when she was much younger.

"It's okay, it's okay," she whispered. "It's okay..."

"Hello? Can I come in?"

Yang and Ruby looked back at the entrance. The blonde woman from before stood there, smiling gently.

"S-Sure," Yang managed. Ruby smiled and looked up at Yang.

"Th-This is Isabel Arc. Um, Doctor Isabel Arc," she said, "Jaune's mom."

Yang's eyes bugged out as the older woman walked in and began to check on the various machines plugged into her hospital bed.

"Y-You're Vomit Boy-Um, I-I mean, Jaune's mom?"

"Guilty as charged," Isabel said wryly, taking Yang's remaining wrist and checking her pulse. She then shined a penlight in her eyes. "Good, good... May I check your injury?"

Yang winced, but managed a nod. Isabel kept her eyes locked on hers, a kind, gentle smile on her face.

"It's all right, I'm just going to examine it," she said softly. She pulled up the sleeve, and ran her hands over the bandages that wrapped the base up. She sighed softly as she pulled some up, and checked the stump itself.

"Good, good... No infection," she said, "It's healing properly. We'll be able to attach the prosthetic properly."

"Prosthetic?" Yang asked, shocked. Isabel nodded with a small smile.

"Yes. We're relatively close to Atlas, so we get good rates on Hunter and Military-rated prosthetics. The neural interfaces take some getting used to... But you'll adjust, and be back to 100 percent."

Isabel nodded and squeezed Yang's other hand.

"I know this is probably the last thing you want to hear right now. And it will take time to heal in... Other ways..."

Yang winced. Isabel reached up and squeezed Yang's shoulder.

"But I promise... You're going to be okay again," Isabel said softly. "Okay?"

Yang looked down at Ruby. She managed a nod.

"O-Okay," Yang whispered.

"You-You mean it?" Ruby asked. Isabel again smiled warmly, and reached down to rub Ruby's head. For a moment, Yang saw another woman in her place. A redhead with silver eyes and different features, but the same kind, maternal warmth radiating from her.

"I mean it," Isabel said quietly. "Now... Do you feel up to another visitor? He's been very anxious since he brought you all in."

Ruby gave Yang a pleading look. Yang managed a slow nod.

"I... Sure," she murmured.

"Come on in, Jaune!" Isabel called. A moment later, a tall blond young man walked in.

For a moment, Yang was confused.

"Jaune?" She asked quietly.

The young man looked... Different. He wore a long brown coat over his armor and jeans, but his sneakers were replaced with muddy boots. His face was covered in thin stubble. There were bags under his eyes... Eyes that looked so hard for a moment.

Then, relief flooded his features.

"Yang? Y-You okay?"

He walked over to stand at her side. Yang managed a slow nod.

"I... As much as... Yeah," she finally decided on. "Mmph!"

Isabel shoved a straw into her mouth, a straw attached to a water bottle.

"Sip, sip, sip," Isabel ordered, and Yang obeyed. Ruby scooted out from under her arms to stand by Jaune. "Good, good... You're being hydrated by the saline but the old-fashioned way is best. You'll be getting meals from now on and you're going to eat everything you get, understood?"

"Mmph... Y-Yeah," Yang agreed, after sipping the entire bottle down, "How long was I out?"

"A week," Jaune said grimly. Ruby sniffled, and Jaune wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Ruby barely left your side when she woke up."

Ruby flushed. Yang managed the tiniest of smiles at her little sister.

"The nurses will be bringing your food," Isabel said, sighing as she checked her watch, "We've got a lot more patients to look after."

She turned and hugged Jaune and Ruby tightly.

"Take it easy for a while you two," she ordered, "Or I'll find out and make you."

"B-But, Mom-" Jaune tried, but Isabel's steely glare shut him up.

"No excuses. For either of you," she stated. Ruby winced, but nodded.

"Y-Yes ma'am," she said weakly.

Isabel smiled, and strode out of the room. Jaune slowly walked to some chairs near the far wall, and dragged them to the side of Yang's bed. Ruby sat down in one, and Jaune took the other. Yang stared intently at Jaune, this feeling of disbelief still strong inside her.

"I... What happened, Jaune?" She asked. "How the hell did you get us all here?"

Jaune sucked in a breath, and rubbed his face. Ruby squeezed his other hand.

"Well... Pyrrha..." He paused for a moment. He gritted his teeth and didn't look her way.

"What... What happened to Pyrrha?" Yang asked. "What happened to everyone? What happened to Vale?!"

"Yang, I..." Ruby bowed her head and looked at the floor. Jaune forced himself to sit up straight and looked into her eyes.

"Beacon... Beacon was overrun by Grimm," Jaune continued, "Vale is... Vale is in bad shape. The CCTNet was hit pretty bad. We're getting reports from it sometimes, and the radio networks still work, but... It looks like at least half the city's been wiped out. The police, local militias and Hunters are being organized by the surviving members of the government and Professor Goodwitch. We're doing what we can, so are other provinces, but it's ugly."

Yang stared intently at him. Jaune shook his head.

"Pyrrha... Pyrrha went to fight Cinder on her own," Jaune continued slowly, as though he was trying to force the words out, "Shot me away in a rocket locker. I landed near the library. Some... Some of my friends from Radian had brought their own airship here to watch the Festival, and managed to get to me to lead us to where they'd landed. Nora and Ren met me, they'd fought their way with a few of the other students. We... We found you in the wreckage of the library with Blake. She'd bandaged your wounds as best she could, then handed you over to me before she ran off. I uh... I carried you to the Bullhead."

"I... I see," Yang murmured.

Jaune sucked in another breath. Ruby pressed her face into his shoulders and bit back a weak sob.

"Pyrrha... Pyrrha fought Cinder on the top of Beacon tower," Jaune said quietly, "But then a Grimm dragon broke out of Mount Axis, attacked the tower and..."

He bowed his head, before looking back up and staring right into Yang's soul.

"Pyrrha's dead. Cinder killed her," he muttered, his voice dead and empty of anything.

"Gods, Jaune," Yang breathed.

Jaune fell silent. Ruby hugged onto his arm, and he held her close, trying to comfort her.

"I... I saw her kill Pyrrha," Ruby whimpered. "I... S-Something happened, and... I-I blacked out..."

"The dragon turned to stone after that," Jaune took over quietly, "We managed to get to my friends' Bullhead. We crammed as many people as we could into it... Then your Uncle Qrow showed up and handed over Ruby. She was unconscious. He told us to take care of her, and he'd meet back up with us later."

"He-He has," Ruby said quietly, "He's helping us out. Dad's gonna come and visit soon."

"G-Good," Yang managed. Jaune nodded.

"Yeah..." Jaune took a deep, slow breath. "A-Anyway... Ren and Nora made it with us, along with Velvet, Cardin, and a few others from the other schools. Weiss got taken by her dad's people to Atlas. Blake... No idea where she is. I'm sorry."

Yang shut her eyes tightly and slowly shook her head.

"I... I'm sure she's all right," Yang muttered, but her heart wasn't in it. She was a little grateful to Blake but... Where did she go?

"Anyway... Um..." Jaune tried, "We've been working with the militia. My dad runs it here in Radian. We've been rebuilding the outer walls, taking in refugees, fighting Grimm... Ruby was sleeping at my family house."

"They uh, they loaned me this dress," Ruby mumbled.

"The outer walls?" Yang asked. Jaune nodded.

"Yeah. Uh, Radian... Radian used to be a lot bigger when it was the capital of Gallia. We've got the current walls but outside of those are the old walls which we stopped using. But there's a lot of ruined houses and fields for people to stay in, so we've been rebuilding the old walls and clearing out any Grimm. We've been getting a lot of refugees. The CCNet sabotage and the panic caused by Vytal caused a lot of Grimm attacks. We have't been the hardest hit but... It's rough."

"I see," Yang whispered. Jaune managed a small smile.

"It's going to be all right. I promise," he said.

She knew the look in his eyes. It was a look she was familiar with. One she'd seen on her face in the mirror, dozens, hundreds of times, when Mom died and Dad just... Checked out.

He was holding it together. He was hiding his pain, and his fatigue, all for the sake of everyone else.

"I..." Yang shakily reached out her hand to Jaune. He stared at it for a moment, as though not sure what to do. He then reached out and squeezed her hand.

"Thank you," Yang whispered. Jaune shook his head.

"Don't," he said quietly, "You-You don't have to-"

"I do," Yang insisted, her eyes flashing red for a moment, "I do."

Jaune met her gaze, then slowly nodded.

He squeezed her hand back, tightly.

"We're going to make it through this, I promise," he said.

He said it with such conviction. The same conviction that was in his mother's voice.

Despite how empty and wrung out she felt right now, it was like a little candle lit up inside her.

"I know," she murmured. "I know..."

- - -

One week later...

Yang winced a bit as the neural cuff was slipped over her stump. It felt cold to her skin for a few moments, before the Atlasian technology shrank and tightened. She grunted as nerve connections were made, and grit her teeth as feeling emerged on her stump for the first time in weeks.

Doctor Isabel Arc checked the flat screens monitoring Yang's vitals, and checked over Yang herself. She smiled comfortingly as the morning sun through the window lit up her face.

"I know it hurts, but it's a good sign it does," Isabel said gently, "Means that the interface is working properly."

"Y-Yeah..." Yang managed, taking deep, calming breaths. "Haa... Haa... Haa... Where did you say you got this from?"

"Your Uncle Qrow dropped it off," Isabel explained, making some notes on a paper pad before looking back at Yang, "He then had to leave."

"I see," Yang sighed. Her shoulders drooped a little.

Isabel shook her head slowly.

"He and your father are fighting in Beacon right now. Trying to regain control."

Yang winced.

Great. Now I feel guilty...

"But," Isabel said, resting a hand on Yang's shoulder, "It is perfectly all right to be angry with them. You can't help your feelings, after all."

"I..." Yang nodded and sighed. "Yeah... I mean, it's not my eighth grade birthday party but... Still..."

Isabel squeezed her shoulder again with her ever present comforting smile.

"I know," she said quietly. There was a knock at the door, and both blondes looked towards the entrance to the hospital room. Jaune and Ruby stood there, Ruby looking very nervous while Jaune looked tired.

But then, he always did.

"We didn't miss it, did we?" Ruby asked in worry. Isabel shook her head.

"No. In fact, I'll need some help. Jaune!"

Jaune stood at attention. Looked like it was a reflex from having his mom bark at him for all these years.

"Yes Mom?"

"You're going to hold Yang's hand for this," Isabel ordered. Yang blinked incredulously but Jaune just nodded, walked over to her side, sat down, and held out his hand.

"Good. Ruby? Please hand me the rubber cylinder on the nurse's table over there," Isabel said, pointing to it. Ruby picked it up and carried it over to Isabel. She took it and sterilized it with a spray.

"You're going to help me by wiping sweat off your sister's forehead, and helping to keep her calm," Isabel ordered. Ruby nodded quickly, and dashed over to get some paper towels. Yang raised an eyebrow.

"You know... If you're trying to set me up with your son, there are less obvious ways," Yang managed. The joke made Jaune smile a bit as Ruby blushed.

"Yang!" Ruby growled.

Isabel smiled back. She turned, reached down, and opened a very secure looking case. It slid open with a hiss. She pulled out a yellow and black metallic arm, and set it on the small table between herself and Yang.

Yang felt an ominous chill. Isabel shook her head.

"We're just going to be making the initial hook up and calibrations so the arm will respond like your original," Isabel said calmly. "I can't use anesthetic because it will dull the responses. So... It's going to hurt."

Silence fell. Yang felt her heart pound. She sucked in a breath. She looked at Jaune. He was stone faced, but determined. His hand was still held out to her. Ruby bit her lower lip in worry.

I... I can do this... I can do this...

She took Jaune's hand, and slowly nodded to Doctor Arc.

"Okay... I'm ready."

Isabel nodded. She held up the cylinder to Yang's mouth. She opened up then bit down.

"Okay. Just try to stay as calm as possible..."

Yang nodded back.

She was ready. She was ready...

Several minutes later, she realized she was not ready.

"NNNNGH! GNNNGH-HNNNNGH!"

It took every ounce of her willpower to stay put. She was squeezing Jaune's hand like her life depended on it. Ruby had given up wiping up her sweat, and was holding down her shoulders as best she could.

The whole time, as Isabel knit flesh and metal, her voice was calm and even.

"You're doing great Yang, you're doing great... Just a few more left..."

Yang winced, holding back her Semblance with all her might. She shut her eyes, trying to hold back tears but it hurt so much!

Even losing the arm hadn't been this painful!

"Y-You're doing fine, Yang!" Ruby whimpered. She could feel her little sister's tears fall onto her face. She breathed hard through her gag, holding back the instinct to thrash and run with everything...!

Please... Please... Make it stop, make it stop just end JUST END...!

"Yang! YANG!"

Jaune's voice broke her focus for a moment. She looked at him fiercely, her eyes burning red. He stared back into her eyes, both of his hands around hers.

"You're doing great. You're going to get past this. Don't give up, we're right here, we're right here, don't give up...!"

Yang bit down on the gag harder... She forced her legs to stay still...!

"You can do it! You can do it! We're right here!" Jaune urged her on.

"You're okay, you're okay!" Ruby chanted with him, gripping her shoulders almost painfully.

Please end please endpleaseendpleasened-!

The pain stopped. An arm appeared in its place. Yang gasped as she dropped the gag, and breathed hard and deep. She saw Isabel smile kindly.

"I've never seen such a brave patient," Isabel complimented her. She tapped something on the arm, and it closed up. "Go ahead. Try it out."

Yang held up her new hand to her face. She turned her arm this way and that, studying it. She gaped in disbelief.

"It... It feels like... Like it's real," she murmured. Isabel nodded, and held out her hand.

"Let me do some tests first. I want to make sure the Aura Synch is operating properly."

Yang lowered her arm into Isabel's grasp. She poked and prodded it a bit, making Yang twitch and even jump.

"Ah!"

"All right, that's a sensitive part," Isabel murmured, tapping some commands into a computer, "There, that should be better."

She tapped the same spot.

"How's that?"

"It... It's fine," Yang murmured. Again she lifted her hand up and just stared. Isabel smiled warmly. Ruby wrapped her arms around Yang's neck in a hug from behind. Jaune squeezed her real hand comfortingly.

"It will take some getting used to, but like I said," Isabel stated, "You'll be back to 100 percent. This was the worst part... Pain wise, anyway."

"I-I..." Yang blinked back tears. "Thank you..."

She felt exhausted and sore as hell but... She also felt a little more whole.

"It's all right," Isabel said with a smile, "It's my job. You being my son's friends helped a lot though."

Jaune blushed.

"Mom!"

"Now now... Laughter can be the best medicine," Isabel chuckled. "Jaune? You should escort these ladies to the house. They need rest..."

She gave Jaune a stern stare.

"And so do you."

Jaune shook his head.

"I need to get back on patrol-"

"And they need a guide," Isabel stated firmly, "I can't spare anyone else."

Jaune looked at Ruby. She had her puppy dog eyes out. As for Yang, well... She could crush bricks with her fingers. The fact Jaune hadn't so much as flinched while holding her hand made her more kindly disposed towards him.

That and saving her and Ruby's lives, of course.

"All right," Jaune sighed.

"Wonderful!" Isabel said, clapping her hands together. "I'll get them ready, you get the carriage."

"Carriage?" Yang asked.

- - -

Twenty minutes later, Yang was sitting in the back of an old horse drawn carriage, Ruby clinging to her as they headed out of the Arc-En-Ciel Hospital. It really was a castle: She'd left her wheelchair and been loaded up in a courtyard, before Jaune had whipped the reins and made the chestnut mare hitched to it trot off.

They went through the tall wooden gates, and down a small hill on a paved road. It was here Yang got her first real look at Radian.

The entire town was encompassed by three rings of gray walls, with four gates at the cardinal points. The mountains loomed all around the town, beautiful and majestic. The town itself consisted of three main sections, like slices of a great pie graph: Red, Yellow, and Blue roofs, all radiating along four roads from a central roundabout.

Jaune took the carriage into the traffic circle, joining several other carriages and a few cars. In the center of the roundabout, standing tall on a pillar, was a statue of a woman wearing armor and wreathed in frozen flames. Yang looked up in curiosity. Something Ruby noticed and beamed at.

"Oh! That's a statue of Joan D'Arc! Jaune's ancestor! She killed the Witch Queen of Argus and liberated Gallia from her tyranny!"

"My direct ancestor," Jaune tossed back, eyes on the road.

"Wow," Yang murmured. She stared back at Jaune as he took a turn, heading down a road. He waved at townsfolk eating at an outside cafe, and they waved back. A few yelled his name in familiarity.

"Hey Jaune!"

"Good to see you, Jaune!"

Jaune nodded back politely, his hands tight on the reins. They kept going through a few rows of blue roofed buildings, ranging from shops to houses. That didn't last long, as soon they broke out into farm land. The green fields went in every direction, right up to the walls. They passed by cows lowing and grazing, and people working in the fields. Jaune waved to many of them, and most waved back.

It's like something out of a freaking fairy tale, Yang thought to herself, her eyes fixed on Jaune's shoulders.

It wasn't like she disliked Jaune, of course. He could be a fun, easy going guy. And a pretty nice dancer, too. She was also glad he was Ruby's best friend: He was reliable, kind, earnest, and just as dorky.

They just... They hadn't really talked much, had they? Despite all the opportunities to do so, Yang hadn't taken many to just... Get to know him.

And he carried me and Ruby to a Bullhead to save our lives,Yang thought, shame rearing its head. She squeezed her new mechanical fist.

I get my ass handed to me, maimed... Lose... And the dead last loser saves us all.

Self loathing filled her, as she bowed her head.

Some sister... Some friend I am... To anyone...

Ruby frowned, then squeezed her shoulder.

"H-Hey! Yang? We're here!"

Yang looked up. They had turned off the main road onto a dusty dirt drive. She glanced back: A rusty sign stood over the steel gates. They were cut out of the metal, and even backwards she read:

"ARCADIA FARM."

She turned her eyes forward. A large farmhouse soon came into view. It was pained in white with green shingles and roof that seemed to blend into the smattering of trees that surrounded it. A tower with a widow's walk dominated the front of the house, while the rest was fairly boxy but long. Opposing it was a large aluminum barn, and surrounding it was a partially paved staging area. A well tended garden ringed the structure, green foliage and colorful flowers helping to conceal the porch that girded the farmhouse.

Jaune brought the carriage to a stop, and smiled softly.

"Welcome to my home."

The front doors opened. A tall blond man with short hair and an impressive beard stepped out. He was dressed in a long brown duster, that covered up very thick, elaborate white and black armor. A gigantic twin-pronged sword hung from his back. He walked out, his tall boots making the porch creak. A few more men and women in militia battle armor, all wielding guns, followed after him. Jaune tensed up a bit as they came out.

"Dad," Jaune greeted.

"Son," Jaune's father returned with a tired but genuine smile, "Good to see you."

"You too," Jaune replied, stepping down out of the carriage after securing the reins. "Um... I'm dropping off my friends. Then, I'll go with you to the perimeter and-"

Jaune's father walked up and rested a large hand on his shoulder. He shook his head, as the rest of his men all stood at attention.

"The rest of your friends are in the house. I want you to take charge and rest here."

Jaune's eyes widened.

"What?! But you-!"

"We've gotten some reinforcements from Doremy," his father said, "I'm having all the students you brought with you stand down. You need the rest."

Jaune scowled.

"But Dad, we're not even that tired-!"

"Son," His father stated, a bit more firmly, "Am I or am I not the Captain of the Militia?"

Jaune ground his teeth a little, but nodded.

"You are."

"And you're to follow my orders?" He pressed.

"... Yes sir," Jaune managed tightly.

"Then follow them now," his father stated calmly, "You need rest."

He looked up to the two sisters and smiled.

"Hey! I'm Nick Arc, Jaune's dad! You must be Yang, Ruby's sister! It's great to meet you!"

"I uh, yes, thank you, sir," Yang managed awkwardly. Nick elbowed his son.

"Come on, Jaune. Remember your manners."

Jaune scowled, but nodded.

"Right, hang on..."

He held out his hand. Yang took it, and let him guide her down to the ground. He did the same for Ruby, though she jumped into his arms at the last minute. Nick got all their luggage out, and set it on the ground. He nodded in approval to his son.

"Rest up, Son. If we need you, we'll let you know. Promise."

"... Yeah, sure," Jaune sighed. Nick hugged him, and Jaune returned it. The militia members all looked respectful, though it was hard to tell much of anything given their tinted helmets.

"All right!" Nick barked. "Hop on! We're not burning Dust just to get back to the perimeter!"

Nick hopped into the carriage, taking the reins. The rest of the troops clambered in. One in green hopped up onto the horse, and sat side saddle.

"Tex, what are you doing?" Nick asked wearily.

"Being lady like," the woman in armor replied.

"That'll be a first!" One of the men in the back laughed. Nick shook his head and whipped the reins.

"YAH!"

The horse pulled the carriage slowly, turned, and headed back down the farm drive. Jaune, Yang and Ruby watched them go. Jaune then sighed, and hefted up the luggage.

"Well... Let's get you guys inside, huh?"

"Yeah, sure," Yang managed. She shook her head as Ruby helped guide her to the front doors of the house. She noted the tension in Jaune's shoulders, and winced in sympathy.

Guess I'm not the only one with parent issues...

But a small, bitter part of her noted that at least his stuck around.

- - -

The Arcadia Farmhouse doors opened up onto a modest wooden hall, dominated by a staircase going up to the second floor. Warm brown wooden baseboards ran about the walls, and a few simple knit carpets sat on the hardwood floors. A simple brass chandelier hung from above, shining in the sunlight the many windows let in. The wallpaper seemed to be a plain white... At least, Yang thought it was white. There were hundreds of picture frames covering the walls, ranging from images of Jaune and his many, many sisters with their parents at various ages, to black and white photos of relatives and friends, and several paintings.

Despite herself, Yang felt a bit more... Homey.

Jaune led Yang and Ruby into an adjacent living room. This was at the base of the round tower-like part of the farmhouse, and had a wide panorama view of the barn, fields, drive, and a CCT repeater tower in the distance. It was filled with worn but comfortable furniture: Couches, arm chairs, two coffee tables, and bookshelves filled with books and knick knacks. A player piano made of warm cherrywood sat in a corner, with a few swords hanging over it on the wall.

Yang's eyes focused against the glare through the windows. Her jaw dropped. She honestly would not have expected these people to survive the fall of Beacon, and yet... Here they were.

Velvet Scarlatina, that shy rabbit Faunus a year ahead of them, sat on a light green couch. She was leaning against the tall form of Cardin Winchester, who was fiddling with his huge mace. Velvet had gotten some combat pants, a T-shirt, and a brown jacket with a tac-vest-They were a bit big on her, suggesting she'd been loaned the clothes. Cardin was in his usual armor, though it had some touch-ups obviously made by a welding torch. His hair was a bit shaggier, and he had some stubble on his chin and cheeks. Velvet looked exhausted, but definitely comfortable sidled up against her former bully.

A dark skinned, red-headed girl (May Zedong, from Shade, she vaguely recalled) was dressed in her usual hoodie and jeans. She worked on a sniper rifle, doing some maintenance with the guts of the weapon spread out on a coffee table. Neptune Vasilias, looking a bit shaggy and unkempt himself, was nevertheless bent over May's weapon with her, fiddling with various components and talking softly to her.

A dark skinned, blonde girl in nun's robes sat on a pillow on the floor, deep in meditation. Arslan Atlan: RWBY had eliminated her team in the Vytal Tournament. She'd been tough, but ultimately no match for them.

Nora and Ren were on another couch, Nora solemnly working on her hammer while Ren sat in repose with his eyes closed.

Everyone's eyes focused on them as they entered. Cardin, Nora and Ren got to their feet. Velvet, May, Arslan and Neptune soon followed.

"Hey Jaune. Hey Ruby. Hey, Xiao-Long," Neptune said, putting a bit of his old cockiness in his voice. "Nice to see you back up and about! Knew a babe like you couldn't be kept down for long!"

"It is indeed good to see you well," Arslan added, bowing slightly, "You were formidable opponents."

"H-Hello," May greeted softly, her eyes unable to meet Yang's.

"Xiao-Long," Cardin greeted with a simple nod. Velvet smiled a bit tiredly.

"It's... It's good to see you again," she said.

"It is," Ren agreed, giving Yang the slightest of smiles. Nora gaped in shock, then grinned.

"YANG!" Nora leaped over the coffee table and embraced Yang tightly. She tensed up, but relaxed as Nora sniffled and sobbed genuine tears.

"I missed you! You look great! Ooh, you got your new arm! That's great!" She grinned. "It has a gun in it!"

"... Really?" Yang asked, blinking.

"Totally!" Nora enthused. "That's what your Uncle said!"

"He visited you, huh?" Yang asked, eyes narrowing a bit. And not me...

"He did say something about that," Ruby agreed, smiling at Yang, "I-I can take you through the features-"

"Later," Yang grunted. Ruby frowned, but nodded.

"S-Sure... It's been a long day," she said.

"So Arc," Cardin cleared his throat, "Your dad and his troops visited. Told us to wait here for you. What are your orders?"

Jaune paused. He sucked in a breath through his nostrils.

"We're on stand down," he said at last, "Dad wants us to take a break."

Velvet's eyes narrowed.

"Did he say for how long?" She asked, a hint of anger in her tone. Yang had never heard anything like it from the generally meek Rabbit Faunus.

Jaune shook his head.

"No. They got reinforcements from Doremy, so they want us to take it easy for a while."

"Jaune," Cardin growled, "The walls aren't fully secure-They can't just exclude us! We've been fighting since we got here, damnit-!"

"We have our orders," Jaune stated flatly, "We're going to follow them."

Cardin grit his teeth. Velvet's eyes narrowed. The two of them united in anger like this was strange.

"Jaune, those monsters-!"

"I know what those monsters did, Cardin," Jaune growled, so deep and angry everyone stared in shock. Yang's jaw dropped as she beheld the transformation.

Gone was the goofy blond noodle. In his place was a hardened soldier, full of cold rage and steel.

Breaker Above... When did that happen?! She thought in shock.

Cardin ground his teeth, still glaring at Jaune.

Ruby cleared her throat nervously.

"M-Maybe... Maybe it's a good thing," she suggested, "We've been fighting without a break for over a week. Some of us longer."

"It would give us the chance to catch up on things," Arslan said, soft but firm, "And to recuperate. We will do no one any good if we're fighting our fatigue and the Grimm..."

She looked at Jaune knowingly.

"Among other things," she finished.

"H-Hey, I am totally fine with a break," Neptune said, laughing nervously, "Um... I mean, your sister-Hey, Orchid!"

A girl a little shorter than Yang walked out of the kitchen. Her blonde hair was cut short in a utilitarian pageboy. She wore jeans and a T-Shirt with the "Achieve-Men" logo over her chest. A pair of square glasses adorned her tired blue eyes, as she absent-mindedly tapped on a Scroll. Yang could see some kind of interface projected onto her glasses.

"Hello all. Hello Jaune," she said in a monotone. She walked up and hugged Jaune tightly. He returned the hug, rubbing her back.

"Hey Orchid. What are you doing here?" He asked, a small smile on his face.

"I live here," Orchid replied, her tone not shifting a bit.

Yang fought a snicker. Orchid blinked at the stares, then shrugged.

"You asked."

"Right, right, tell us what you told me!" Neptune said eagerly, "When we were at the repeater tower!"

Jaune glared at Neptune. He coughed and held up his hands.

"I was escorting her, I swear! May, you can vouch for me, right?"

"Y-Yes, he didn't... Um... We just did our jobs," May managed. Jaune slowly nodded.

"All right. Orchid?"

Orchid held out her Scroll and activated a holoprojector. Several technical diagrams and windows of computer coding appeared above them. None of it made any sense to Yang. Nora actually stood on her head to try and make sense of it.

"In essence, while the main CCT Network is down thanks to the virus implanted by the terrorists," Orchid stated, "Several regional networks are still mostly operational. The Gallian and Albion networks in particular."

"How did they avoid the virus?" Ruby asked, intensely curious.

"Twelve years ago, the system was due for a major upgrade," Orchid said, "As it was a joint venture between Albion and Gallia, both sub-kingdoms' Councils would have to agree on a unified upgrade plan."

"... Which would require both Councils to agree on something," Neptune deadpanned. Orchid nodded.

"Correct. Add in a scandal regarding embezzlement from the Modern Arts Grant, and the Councils of both nations collapsed in their respective elections to be replaced by new ones. They ultimately decided to save upgrading the servers for the regional repeater system for the year after this one."

"So we have communications?" Jaune asked. "Can we reach Vale? Beacon?"

Orchid shook her head, flipping through a few more holographic pages of what may as well have been hieroglyphics to Yang.

"Only intermittently. In addition, global communications are still down. We did get a call from Uncle Arjun over the radio.""

"Uncle Arjun?" Yang asked.

Jaune coughed.

"He's our godfather. He uh, he lives in Pandu, south-eastern coast of Animus."

"Well, what did he say?" Neptune urged Orchid.

She adjusted her glasses. "It appears that Mistral has fallen into civil war. Mistral itself, Pandu, Temujina, Fuujin-They're all at war since the CCT Network collapsed."

"Oh Breaker, no," Arslan whispered. Neptune gaped.

"What about Argus? Anything on Argus?!"

"I do not have any news on that," Orchid said in her monotone, "Though he did say that Atlas was holding to its treaty and had forces still stationed in Argus. Other than that? There is little to report. I am hopeful that we'll be able to get more as we work with other engineers across Gallia and Albion: Enough to get direct communication back with Vale to some extent. There is talk of reactivating the old cable networks, though most of those were destroyed by the Grimm."

Jaune sighed in relief, and hugged his sister again.

"Thanks Orchid."

"You are welcome. I am going to bed now, as I have been up for forty-eight hours straight rewriting IP Protocol codes for the region. Excuse me."

Orchid headed off towards the stairs, and climbed them out of sight. Cardin sagged a bit.

"Well... Maybe I'll get to call my dad," he sighed.

"Same," Velvet sighed, "They're up in Atlas. I... I'm glad they didn't come to see my fights. Not after all this."

"Agreed," Arslan said, "It was lucky for them..." She bit her lower lip. "After calling my family, I am hoping to get back in contact with my team. We were scattered during the fall."

May winced, and remained silent. The pain in her eyes reminded Yang of what had happened to her team.

"Same," Neptune sighed, "I lost Scarlet and Sage when we were evacuating to the airships. They took another but I don't know where to." He shook his head. "And of course, Sun ran off after Blake again."

"Blake?" Yang perked up. "Blake Belladonna?"

Neptune snorted.

"You know any other Blake Belladonnas he'd chase after? I did get a message before the CCT went totally down: That they were headed to Menagerie-"

Velvet seethed.

"Of fucking course they were," she growled.

All eyes went to the normally timid rabbit Faunus. Cardin was grim, but didn't move away from her.

Yang frowned as well.

"So... She's okay. That's good, right?" Yang asked. She was glad Blake was (probably) alive, but what was Velvet's deal?

"Sure. Two traitors running off together," Velvet sneered. Neptune gaped. Ruby frowned.

"H-Hey!" Neptune said, "Sun's not a-!"

"Oh, so the princess of the White Fang and your buddy just ran off to, what, elope?!" Velvet demanded angrily.

"I-I mean, I'm sure she had a reason-" Ruby tried, but Velvet angrily cut her off.

"She straight up abandoned you! Abandoned her partner!" She pointed at Yang. Yang grimaced and gripped her artificial arm with her real one.

"I-I mean... She-"

"She used to be White Fang!" Ruby insisted, "She wasn't anymore-!"

"And the White Fang attacked and destroyed a city," Velvet snarled, "Just as she conveniently gets away!"

"She-She's not like that!" Yang responded, though doubt tinged her words. "She was fighting against them-!"

"Well she did a HELL of a job, didn't she?!" Velvet spat, fists clenched, cheeks red, "A bunch of their goons caught my team! They shot Coco! They blasted Yatsuhashi and Fox away! I would have been next if Cardin hadn't charged in!"

Cardin grimaced and rubbed his chest. His other arm stayed around Velvet's waist, offering support and security as she raged.

She fixed a glare on Yang and Ruby.

"They murdered my team and their princess runs off?! Convenient, isn't it?!"

"She didn't have-She saved my life!" Yang shouted back.

"No," Velvet snarled, looking at the grim faced Jaune, "Jaune saved your life. Jaune carried you to the airship! Where was Blake, huh?!"

"She didn't have anything to do with this!" Ruby insisted. "I-I know Blake! She just... She..."

"She ran off with the rest of those murderers," Velvet seethed, now being restrained by Cardin's arm. "I hope Atlas invades and flattens them! I hope Atlas kills them all-!"

"That's enough!" Jaune barked. Velvet grit her teeth and scowled at him. Jaune shook his head slowly.

"That's not going to help," he stated. He looked at Cardin. "Cardin, Velvet... Go chill out. Relax. Get some air."

Velvet shot another venomous glare at them all. Cardin nodded slowly.

"Come on, Velv," he said softly, "Let's go chill out. All right?"

"... Fine," Velvet stated slowly. She narrowed her eyes at Yang and Ruby.

"But if I see her again? I'm putting a bullet in her head. The same thing her thugs did to my friends."

Cardin and Velvet walked out, Yang, Jaune and Ruby parting for them. The doors shut behind them, leaving only the clock ticking away.

"... I'll get started on dinner," Ren said quietly, rising and walking to the kitchen.

"I'll help," Arslan contributed, walking after him. Nora followed, though not without giving Yang, Ruby, and Jaune tight hugs.

"Um... I-I need to finish reworking my rifle," May mumbled, sitting back down with her head bowed.

"Y-Yeah, sounds good," Neptune said nervously, "I'll help."

Jaune hefted up Yang's luggage, his face stony.

"I'll show you to your room," he said to Yang.

"It's-It's mine too, Yang," Ruby said with a smile, "It's great. You'll see!"

"... Sure," Yang whispered, staring at her mechanical hand in silence.

- - -

Well, once you build an extensive fanon, you want to start using it in other stories. So I'm using my own RWBY worldbuilding for this AU, which began as a series of idea snippets in my RWBY Snippets and Plot Bunnies thread.

I'll be reposting the existing chapters, edited into larger chunks, as well as the worldbuilding info so you're not too lost. Others can post their ideas and omakes for this universe as well.