Author's Note: OK, so I meant to post this way back in August, but my computer issues relegated it to the low priority of whenever I could find it again, which I have obviously done. This does not mean that I will be altering my schedule in any way, shape or form. I will be taking Decemberand the first half of January off from writing to do some much needed corrections in ALL of my stories, as well as relaxing and casually writing the rest of this story. Until then,enjoy the first chapter.

"Weiss!" - Regular Speech

'Dolt!' - Thoughts

-{Sis!}- - Radio/Scroll communication

Chapter 1 - Cooling Embers

Yang ran.

She didn't know where she was or why she was here. All that she could see was the endless darkness that surrounded her and a trail of floating red rose petals that beckoned her onwards. Something about it terrified her and that was why she was charging down the path in desperation.

"Yang!" a familiar voice called, echoing around her, making her halt in her tracks.

"Ruby?!" the blond yelled, "Ruby, where are you?!"

"Yang, help me!" the voice of her sister screamed in terror.

Violet eyes turned crimson and Yang Xiao Long deployed her shotgun-gauntlets, Ember Celica, before charging down the red path before her. Her sister was in danger and she was not going to fail her.

After an eternity of running, the trail of petals eventually led to a large clearing in the darkness, covered in red...blood red. Lying in the centre was Ruby Rose, Yang's beloved little sister. Her silver eyes stared up into the sky sightlessly as blood seeped from the dagger embedded into her heart.

"R...RUBY!" Yang shrieked in denial. She collapsed onto her knees, tears falling from her eyes as blood covered her knees. Then, from the darkness behind her sister's dead body, a man wearing a white tuxedo and wielding a cane stepped out, a sneer plastered over his face.

"Looks like it's third time lucky." Roman Torchwick laughed sadistically, "So long, Red!"

The blonde brawler screamed her rage as flames erupted around her. She leapt forwards, right fist cocked back and ready to strike the laughing bastard who had murdered her sister, when he abruptly vanished.

Cursing violently as she landed, Yang turned back to see Ruby's body start to sink into the blood beneath her.

"NO!" with a cry, Yang leapt towards her sister's body, only to land atop where it had been only moments ago. Pounding the bloody ground in impotent, frustrated rage, Yang Xiao Long screamed her rage and grief to the heavens as the darkness swallowed her entirely.

Team RWBY Dorms

With a shriek, Yang leapt from her bed and landed in a heap on the floor.

"Yang?!"

Ruby, a light sleeper in the week following her poisoning and almost assassination, had woken up almost immediately. She used her Semblance to appear next to her panting sister and was taken aback by the tears that were poring down her older sister's face.

Recognising the need to comfort the distraught girl, Ruby hugged her sister as she started to sob.

"Not again." Blake moaned as she peered down at the sisters with concern in her amber eyes, "This makes a week and a half straight."

"Nightmares are common in these cases, Blake." Weiss told her as the Schnee Heiress sat up and swung her pale legs around to rest her feet on the floor, "Honestly, I don't blame her. What that scum Torchwick did to Ruby last week was beyond the pale."

The cat Faunus nodded with a scowl on her face. Roman Torchwick was something of a sore point for her, as he hated Faunus with a passion, yet was in charge of at least some of her former group, the White Fang. His attempt to murder her friend had only made Blake all the more determined to capture the foul man.

"What was the dream about this time, Yang?" Ruby asked softly, "Me dying again? Urgh...I wish I could fight dreams! I'm here and alive, Yangie."

Yang gave a wet chuckle at hearing Ruby's childhood name for her. "I know, sis. Sorry for waking you three up like this."

"Brute." Weiss sniffed, "As if Blake or I would take umbridge with you over this. But I think you should talk to a councilor at some point. The nightmares seem to be getting more extreme."

"Do I have to?" Yang asked with a wince, "I'm not fond of shrinks."

"Yang, watching you like this is distressing for all of us." Blake said gently, "Having to watch you tear yourself apart night after night is almost as painful to watch as it was to watch Ruby endure that antidote last week."

Yang winced. "Yikes. Worse than I thought. Sorry Blakey."

"I can have the best 'shrink' in Vale made available at any time for you." Weiss stated, "Female, of course. Just let me know when you want to start and I'll clear it with Ozpin."

"Thanks Princess." Yang nodded, "Rubes, could you...?"

"Of course." Ruby smiled at her older sister. Yang climbed back into bed and Ruby sang 'You are my Sunshine' to her sister, making the blond brawler drop off just as fast as she had the first time Weiss and Blake had seen the phenomenon.

"I still can't believe how quickly she falls asleep." Weiss muttered to Blake quietly, "Is Ruby part Siren or something?"

The cat Faunus shook her head. "I think it's because it's part of some of the best memories she has." she disagreed.

The white-haired girl looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding.

Once Yang was snoring lightly, Ruby quietly stepped down from ad-hoc bunk bed and sighed.

"Is it bad that I'm happy that she cares about me enough to have nightmares?" the red-cloaked huntress-in-training asked in a subdued whisper.

"It is, but I understand where you're coming from." Blake said quietly. Ruby had an inferiority complex, constantly undervaluing herself and doubtful of her place in the affections of others, even when they were someone like Yang, who practically had a neon sign saying 'I LOVE RUBY ROSE' present on her at all times.

"Off to bed now, Ruby." Weiss said firmly, "We still have classes tomorrow."

Ruby hugged both of her awake teammates before climbing back into her bed and burrowing into the blankets like a cat. She was fast asleep a couple of minutes after that.

"We have the most unusual choice in partners." the white-haired Schnee Heiress whispered to Blake.

"Yup. Would you change it?" the Faunus asked just as quietly.

A small smile crossed Weiss' face as she turned back to her own bed.

"Not on your life."

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Next Chapter: Flickering Sparks

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