Blazing White

A heavy downpour rained over Forever Fall forest, specifically over the White Fang encampment. Adam Taurus looked at his lieutenant with seething rage as he asked.

" You lost them!"

" Adam, the trackers lost all trace of them, and none of our informants in the surrounding area have seen any sign of Ilia and Blake."

The tall, dark-skinned lieutenant reported, and the bull faunus took a moment to try and calm down, which was hard to do with his new scar itching in the damp weather. Adam now had a large burn on the right side of his face that started from his ear to his neck from what could be seen from his clothes, courtesy of his recent fight with the spider not on the SDC cargo train. It served as a reminder of the betrayal he was met with by Blake and Ilia, which agitated him to no end.

The bull faunus ordered with an even tone.

" Prepare to move the camp once the weather passes."

" Understood."

The lieutenant replied and then left the tent into the downpour outside, and after he left, the bull faunus grits his teeth with barely contained fury. He tightly grips his right shoulder and asks no in particular.

" Why did you abandon me?"

Outside Adam's tent, the storm raged as thunder could be heard, and lightning could be seen in the distance. Overlooking the camp, a hidden figure in a dark gray cloak raised his arm, revealing a feline-like paw instead of a hand. The lighting in the storm seemed to start gathering to gather in a single point above the White Fang, and the next moment, a massive bolt of lightning struck the camp and incinerated all that resided there in an instant. The cloaked figure turned and left through a black portal and said.

" Good riddance to bad rubbish."

***

Yang wanders through Vale to get familiar with the city, so she knows where to go on her weekends off from class. As she enjoys her walk, Ruby asks as she decides to come along with her big sister.

" Yang, are we looking for anything in particular?"

" Nope."

The blonde popped the P with a smile as the little cookie monster followed close behind. Ruby then suggests with a wide smile.

" Well, dearest sister Yang if you have nowhere in mind, then how about we go to one of the famous bakeries or cafes of Vale."

" Sure, why not? I could go for a bite of something sweet."

Yang said with a shrug and smile. The little cookie monster grabbed the blonde's arm and led the way.

" I know just the spot!"

The two sisters soon found themselves in front of a cafe called, Made Real by Love, and Ruby dragged Yang inside as she explained why she had picked this cafe.

" I hear this place has some really good carrot cake cookies!"

" Of course you have."

The blonde wryly quipped as she was all too familiar with the little cookie monster's love for cookies. They found a table and sat down. As they looked at the menu, their waitress came up to take their order.

" Hello~! I'm Nora, your server! What can I get you started on?"

The ginger asked with an energetic and bubbly smile. Yang and Ruby asked for, respectively.

" Strawberry lemonade for me."

" A tall glass of milk, please!"

Nora wrote down the order, then said.

" Do you need a few minutes to decide what to eat? I recommend a large order of pancakes since the shop serves breakfast during lunch hours."

" Nah, I want the largest order of carrot cake cookies you have!"

The little cookie monster order immediately, and the blonde tells her sister.

" Ruby, you need to eat something more substantial first before diving into dessert."

" Fine... We need a few minutes."

Ruby pouted at Yang at being denied her cookies since the blonde has their father's debit card and is paying. Nora then said before she left.

" I will get your drinks while you decide what to get."

The little cookie monster makes small talk while she looks at the menu.

" Are you excited for Beacon, Yang?"

" Yeah, I can't wait to start tackling missions and kicking butt."

" Oh, I can't wait until I can attend as well!"

Yang smiled at her sister as she set aside the menu after picking out what she wanted and said.

" You only have to wait two years, Ruby, then I can show you around campus along with whoever you wind up being on a team with, plus my team."

" True, but two years seems so far away."

The ginger gave them their drinks and asked.

" Ready to order?"

" Still a need minute, thanks."

Yang replied as Ruby hadn't decided yet what to eat before getting her cookies. The cookie monster then brings up a certain someone as Nora leaves to attend to other customers.

" Where do you think Silva is going to attend?"

The blonde sighed as she complained.

" Can we please not talk about him?"

" Yang, I know you are still weirded out by Raven, and Silva's relationship weirds you out, but he is our friend and pretty much family."

Ruby said and put away her menu as she decided what she wanted. Yang groaned as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

" I know, Ruby but come on, he is the same age as us and is dating mom despite the big age difference. Plus, it does not help that I have seen them being... intimate."

The blonde muttered the last part quietly to herself, the last part with a blush on her face. She did not need to see her mother and snow leopard faunus doing the nasty or being lovely dovey when they thought no one was nearby, specifically her. Unfortunately, the little cookie monster heard her perfectly.

" I mean, they are together, after all. It's not that strange that they do things like kissing and hugging or holding hands."

Yang does not correct Ruby in all her innocence and naivety, as the little cookie monster has yet to show any interest in relationships beyond friendship. The blonde already plans on dumping her sister's first crush on her mother to deal with, as she should not have to explain to her little sister about protection or being horny. Nora came by and asked with a cheery smile.

" Ready to order?"

The two placed their orders and enjoyed a nice lunch.

***

Cinder Fall had finally tracked down the current Fall Maiden and found out where she was going. The fiery woman picked a spot to ambush the Maiden with her three minions. Mercury Black a young assassin and son of the infamous Marcus Black. He had gray hair and eyes with a pale complexion, and his weapon of choice was some leg-mounted guns. Viola Freeze, a female bandit around 18 years old with pale translucent skin, red eyes, short violet hair, and a long white snake take that was longer than her body. She primarily wore simple white clothing with some purple accessories, and her weapon of choice was some gauntlets covered with blades and spikes that could fire Dust energy blasts.

And lastly, Akane Nikushimi, a young woman who is a mercenary for hire from Vale's underworld. Long dark hair and eyes to match that look soulless. She wore red Mistral-style armor over a black bodysuit and used a large bladed gunbai linked with a kama by a cord. As the Fall Maiden drew closer to the ambush, Akane touched Viola, and her red aura flashed blue briefly. Cinder drew her bow, and when the maiden was in range, she shot down the white horse she was on, and the fiery woman ordered.

" Now!"

Viola had a cruel smile as she used her speed-based Semblance, and Akane copied the young bandit's Semblance with her own beforehand and moved in sync with her to hit the Maiden fast and hard. Mercury followed close behind the two while Cinder provided firing support from afar. Viola struck first, followed by Akane with her kama, and the assassin launched himself with his guns to perform an axe kick. The Fall Maiden immediately started her counterattack with her staff by creating an air blast to create some distance.

Cinder smiled as she aimed for the point after the blast to fire three arrows around the Maiden to create an explosion that knocked her back. The Fall Maiden was disoriented for a moment, but that was all that was needed as the three minions of Cinder attacked with fury. Mercury kicked the Maiden from behind, Akane used her gunbai to strike the Maiden after the kick, and Viola then used her long tail to grab the Fall Maiden around the neck to choke her as she hit her from behind with sadistic glee.

The Maiden's eyes lit up with Magic and blasted the three away with wind then drew in the nearby leaves and froze them into icy blades to strike back against her attackers. The bandit uses Fire Dust energy blasts to destroy the leaves by burning them. The assassin fired off several shots from his legs to attack the Maiden, and the mercenary spun her kama and launched at the Fall Maiden to pull her down as it wrapped around her legs. Cinder switched to close combat as she quickly overpowered the Fall Maiden with dual blades and kicked her away.

The Maiden unleashed a wave of fire all around her to drive away her attackers, but Akane touched Cinder, and her red Aura flashed orange briefly as she charged through the flames as her gunbai gave her some defense. The mercenary's kama glowed orange from the heat of the borrowed Semblance, courtesy of Cinder, and struck the Fall Maiden, which broke her Aura. Before the Maiden could react, Mercury and Viola attacked aggressively from her flanks. Cinder seeing the Fall Maiden's Aura shattered, switched back to her bow and fired an arrow at each knee and the stomach.

The assassin and mercenary held the Maiden in place by her arms while the bandit squeezed the life of the Fall Maiden with her tail around the magic user's neck. Cinder walked over confidently, and she put on a glove as she reached the Maiden. Salem's symbol appeared on the glove, and a beetle-like Grimm appeared in the fiery woman's palm, making the Fall Maiden very afraid as a dark web covered her face and she screamed in agony. Cinder had a twisted smile on her face as the Magic of the Fall Maiden flowed into her until it was all hers.

Both of Cinder's eyes lit up with Magic as she turned the former Fall Maiden into ash with her newfound powers and laughed.