As the sudden snowstorm cleared, the area was revealed once more, showing two Weiss, one standing, the other lying on the ground, the regular Weiss, and Weiss Survive.
No one spoke for a few seconds as they simply watched the interaction between them. Tsutsumi had taken on the form of an older Weiss, since Weiss herself couldn't change forms as he could.
After a short pause, the older Weiss stepped forward. She crouched down slightly and raised a hand toward her younger self.
"Now," Weiss Survive said calmly, "stand up. Someone like you shouldn't be lying on the ground like that."
The regular Weiss stiffened immediately.
"H-Hey!" she protested, face heating up as she instinctively looked away. She lowered her head, clearly flustered, before hesitating for a moment and then reaching out.
Her hand met Weiss Survive's, firm and steady.
"…You didn't have to say it like that," Weiss muttered as she was pulled up.
Once back on her feet, Weiss quickly wiped the tears from her eyes with her sleeves. A few streaks of makeup smudged in the process, leaving faint black lines under her eyes.
Tsutsumi noticed.
He wisely chose not to comment that she somewhat looked like a panda right now. This wasn't the time. If he were the kind of person who kicked others while they were down, he wouldn't bother helping them up.
He'd just kick harder, even throw in a few stomps.
Weiss Survive's body began to glow, cracks of light spreading across her form before she shattered into countless particles. The light faded, revealing Tsutsumi standing in her place.
Weiss looked up at him.
There was no glare this time. No cold disdain. Instead, there was a faint blush creeping across her cheeks.
Tsutsumi felt a sudden, very strong urge to shoot himself in the head. Unfortunately, that wouldn't solve anything.
"This really is terrible…" Weiss murmured, still holding onto his hand. "Getting a pep talk from you of all people."
"…You're welcome?" Tsutsumi replied flatly.
He tried to pull his hand away.
Weiss did not let go.
"…You can let go now," he said.
"I know," she replied.
She still didn't.
After a few awkward seconds, Weiss finally loosened her grip and lowered her head.
"Thank you," she said quietly. "For everything…"
She paused, then added, "…Don't let it get to your head."
"Too late," Tsutsumi said. "It's already a nightmare."
"Hey!" She shouted.
Weiss let go at last, quickly turning away and pretending to fix her sleeves as if that would hide her blush.
From the sidelines, the rest of Team TNPR and Team RWBY watched with mixed reactions.
Ruby smiled. "Hey! They aren't fighting anymore!" Although she does feel conflicted since her relation with Tsutsumi is still a bit at odds.
Yang crossed her arms. "That's… progress, I guess."
Pyrrha looked relieved, though her expression softened into something more complicated as she glanced at Weiss, then Tsutsumi. Feeling complicated.
Blake let out a quiet breath. "At least no one died."
On one hand, it seemed like the two people who couldn't stand each other had finally made up.
On the other hand… Weiss was clearly acting strange. And that strange behavior pointed directly toward Tsutsumi.
Which was a problem.
Because now there was an awkward situation forming, one involving Weiss, Pyrrha, and Tsutsumi. With both girls having an interest in him, while Tsutsumi, for his part, wanted absolutely nothing to do with any of it.
"Well, well, well," a new voice announced, smooth and confident. "Looks like you guys and gals are having a merry time."
All eight of them turned toward the sound. A group of four students was walking their way, clearly in no hurry.
Leading them was a girl with dark-brown hair, part of her bangs dyed with a gradient that faded into a lighter shade. Aviator sunglasses rested low on her nose, just enough to reveal sharp dark-brown eyes underneath. Her heeled boots clicked loudly against the ground as she strode forward with an easy, confident gait.
"The name's Coco Adel," she said, stopping a few steps away. "Second year. Leader of Team CFVY."
She casually tossed her hair back with the hand that wasn't holding her expensive-looking bag.
That small smirk on her face said enough, she was used to controlling first impressions. Anyone who thought she was delicate or fragile would be making a serious mistake. The way she shifted her stance slightly to balance the weight of her bag hinted that whatever was inside was far heavier than it looked.
Before anyone could properly respond, she continued.
"This one over here," Coco said, pointing to her right. "Fox Alistair."
A dark-skinned boy with messy copper hair stepped forward slightly. Scars lined his arms and face, each one hinting at a rough past. His white eyes swept over the group, and after a moment, he gave a friendly smile and a small wave.
"He can't talk," Coco added quickly, as if that explained everything. "But he's polite."
Fox nodded in agreement.
"Next up is the big guy."
The other male stepped forward. "Yatsuhashi Daichi."
He was massive, towering over everyone present. Weiss shifted uncomfortably almost immediately, standing up straighter as if that would somehow help her height situation.
Strapped to Yatsuhashi's back was a sword that looked more like a cleaver, easily as tall as some of the students there. It probably weighed a small ton, yet he carried it as if it were nothing.
Despite that, his outfit was surprisingly plain: a green robe over a black muscle shirt, brown slacks, and black boots.
Before Coco could introduce the last member, several people had already recognized her.
Her long brown hair flowed gently in the wind, bunny ears twitching nervously atop her head. Instead of the academy uniform Tsutsumi had first seen her in, she wore a brown long-sleeved zip-up jacket, brown short-shorts, black leggings, and boots.
"Don't let them pick on you, Velvet," Tsutsumi said casually. "You're the senior here."
"O-Oh!" Velvet blinked, ears perking up immediately. "Y-You remember me?"
Her cheeks flushed pink. "Um, thank you again! For helping me back then!"
Tsutsumi: "…"
Senior, what is that expression?
We barely talked. I saved you from bullies twice. Why are you blushing like Weiss was five minutes ago?
He sighed, rubbing his forehead. Another headache was forming.
Yatsuhashi stepped forward again, smiling warmly. "Tsutsumi Ryoko?"
"That's me."
"It's nice to finally meet you," Yatsuhashi bowed deeply. "You have my gratitude for standing up for Velvet. I apologize for not thanking you sooner, we were on missions outside the academy. And," he added with a chuckle, "you are a terribly difficult man to find."
"Ah," Tsutsumi replied.
Soft-spoken, yet oddly imposing.
"It's rare to see a fellow Eastern Mistralian here," Yatsuhashi continued cheerfully. "We're few in number around these parts."
Tsutsumi nodded, although he didn't understand much, but piecing things together, he could guess that Eastern Mistralian is probably similar to Asian, seeing how Lie Ren sounded Chinese, while Tsutsumi Ryoko and Yatsuhashi Daichi sounded Japanese.
"Ren makes good company," he said, motioning slightly. "But you know the saying, the more the merrier."
Yatsuhashi laughed deeply, his chest rumbling. "Too true, too true!"
"Alright, move over, big guy," Coco said, pushing Yatsuhashi aside.
"Sooo," Coco drawled, leaning in. "This is Tsutsumi, huh?"
Her eyes slid over the top of her sunglasses as she openly sized him up, absolutely not subtle about it.
"Hmm… now that I get a closer look," she said thoughtfully, then glanced back at Velvet, "I have to say, you have good taste."
Tsutsumi blinked.
Her gaze wandered freely, making quiet comments under her breath as she inspected him from head to toe. Without shame, she stepped straight into his personal space.
"I give him a solid ten out of ten," Coco declared, before shifting her gaze toward Velvet. "If you let me borrow him for a day, I can bump that up to a twelve."
She winked.
"C-Coco!" Velvet yelped, face burning as she grabbed Coco's arm and pulled her back.
Tsutsumi exhaled slowly. His headache was now officially worse.
"Between you and me," Coco added with a grin, leaning down slightly, "Velvet's got a teensy-weensy little crush on you. So do treat our bunny well."
"Coco, please!" Velvet covered her face completely.
"That's enough," Yatsuhashi said firmly. "Stop teasing her."
"Alright, alright," Coco said, raising her hands. "But seriously, thank you. From one leader to another."
"No big deal," Tsutsumi replied, waving her off. "Anyone would've done the same."
Coco paused. "…Then you're better than most."
"Team TNPR, your flight into Anima is ready," a woman's voice announced over the intercom. "Please proceed to your assigned departure gate."
Tsutsumi inhaled. "Alright, team. Let's move."
"W-Wait!" Velvet hurried forward. "Could I ask for a picture really quick?"
"With just me, or?"
"With your whole team!" she said quickly. "And, if you don't mind, could you pose with your weapons?"
Tsutsumi looked at his team for their response.
"I don't mind Tsutsumi," Pyrrha smiled. She was probably already used to being asked for pictures and autographs.
"Yeah!" Nora whooped. "A team picture sounds fantastic!"
Ren simply politely nodded.
"Well," Tsutsumi said, "there's your answer."
Velvet beamed, pulling out her camera. "Okay! Everyone in the middle, please!"
They posed as Tsutsumi materialized his Rider Book.
"Three! Two! One!"
A bright flash from her camera. Then sparks flare and black smoke began to spread out from her camera.
"…Huh?"
"My… my camera broke," Velvet said softly, confused.
Tsutsumi stepped forward. "Then let me."
He pulled out his own camera. One is the usual camera that he always walks around with, the other one was created by Azu and the Cluster Cells on his body.
"O-Okay…" She answers, although there is some reluctance in her tone.
Click.
The photo was printed immediately, but the image was glitchy, overlapping badly.
"…Wow," Yang said. "You really suck at taking pictures."
Then she quickly hid behind Weiss as Tsutsumi turned toward her.
Tsutsumi sighed.
"Team TNPR, your flight into Anima is ready; please head to your assigned departure gate," urged the woman from the intercom.
"We should go," Pyrrha said gently.
"Right." Tsutsumi turned to Velvet. "We'll take another one next time."
Her ears drooped. "I'm really sorry…"
"Don't worry about it."
They waved their goodbyes as Team TNPR walked off toward the Bullhead.
...
As the Bullhead touched down near a small village on the continent of Anima, Team TNPR disembarked quickly and without ceremony. The moment their boots hit the ground, they moved out, heading straight toward what remained of Shion Village.
The walk was quiet.
Not because of tension between them, but because there wasn't much to say. This was a work-study mission, and none of them treated it lightly, except the Leader. Everyone stayed alert, eyes scanning their surroundings as they moved through the terrain.
Any Grimm unfortunate enough to wander into their path didn't last long. Some barely had time to react before they were cut down. Others never even saw the attack coming.
After traveling on foot for a while, the ruined outline of Shion Village came into view.
The place was empty.
Buildings stood half-collapsed, doors torn from hinges, walls scorched and broken. What had once been a village was now little more than hollow shells scattered across the land.
Tsutsumi slowed slightly as his gaze landed on skeletal remains near one of the broken houses.
Ren and Nora stopped as well, both staring at what was left of a building, probabaly their old house. Neither of them spoke.
The silence stretched.
Then Ren let out a quiet breath and deactivated his Semblance.
The air shifted.
Almost immediately, a loud roar echoed through the village.
All four of them snapped toward the sound.
From between the ruined structures emerged a massive Grimm, horse-like in its main body, with a skinless humanoid torso fused to it. Its forelegs ended in clawed limbs, while its hind legs were hooved, stamping the ground and leaving clear prints behind.
The humanoid upper half had long, curved horns, a mouth that looked partially sewn shut, and two elastic arms that stretched unnaturally, each ending in two clawed fingers. Bony spikes lined its spine, and various weapons from past fights were embedded in its back.
They tense up seeing the Nuckelavee has appeared before them.