Team RWBY, Qrow, Reaper, Oscar and Maria proceed on the trail. The snow starts to pick up even more.

Qrow: *sighs* Doesn't look like this is gonna let up.

Blake: Just wanna get this stupid Relic to Atlas.

Weiss: Let's hope we don't have to walk all the way there.

Yang: I thought trails led somewhere.

Maria: Do you have nothing better to do than to harass a defenseless old lady?

Reaper: Don't add fuel the fire Maria.

Yang growls at Reaper.

Reaper: You'll cool off soon enough.

Yang: I doubt it... You know, I thought you were one of those "Neutral Reapers". Why did we see you helping Oz out a few times during the story?

Reaper: Allies by convenience in his post-kingdom phase. I stopped helping him more after his and Salem's actions led to the splintering of my people. The last time I helped him out of loyalty was when I helped him try to get his daughters out, I did that more because I cared for the safety of the princesses. Unfortunately, that didn't end very well as you know...

Weiss: Wait, we saw you pick up the youngest daughter after the battle. Did she...?

Reaper doesn't answer that. Either because the answer is obvious, or maybe it's not as simple as they might think.

Yang: Reaper?

Ruby: Everyone, quiet. Do you hear that?

Everyone stops in their tracks. A metallic squeaking can be heard. A large farm can be seen, one of the front gates swings back and forth with the wind. A large sign above the entrance reads "BRUNSWICK FARMS". Everyone arrives at the gate.

Blake: Well, at least one good thing happened today.

Weiss: It looks abandoned.

Ruby: It's still better than this.

Qrow: Come on, I think we could all use some rest.

Everyone proceeds through the farm's gates, with Qrow being the last to enter. The snow starts to pick up even more as the gate is heard closing behind them with a metallic clang.

Ruby: *sighs* I don't get it. The empty towns I've passed through were all damaged or unfinished. But this place looks... fine.

Reaper: Hmm...

Team RWBY, Reaper, Qrow, Oscar, and Maria arrive at the porch of a residence. Weiss is shivering as she wraps her arms around her to keep herself warm.

Weiss: Maybe everyone left in a hurry. Before things took a turn?

Qrow tries to open the door, only to notice it was locked.

Qrow: Hmm. Stay on guard.

Qrow kicks the door open, everyone proceeds forward with their weapons drawn. They cautiously look around the place.

Maria: Close the door already! It's cold enough in here as it is.

Maria walks into the house. Afterwards, Blake and Oscar push a nearby drawer to block the door.

Blake: I saw a chimney from the outside. Maybe we could get a fire going?

Weiss: Please. I'll look for some blankets.

Qrow: Yang, go with her.

Ruby lingers by the entrance hall for the bit while the others look around. Oscar can be heard opening a door.

Oscar: Looks like a study. Or, a library?

Ruby walks forward to notice a group of pictures on the wall of the family that owns Brunswick Farms. Blake and Reaper walk up next to her.

Blake: What do you think?

Ruby: Something doesn't feel right.

Reaper: I could have told you that five minutes ago.

Blake: Let's look for some--

Suddenly, a high-pitched scream is heard.

Ruby: Weiss!

Ruby, Reaper, and Blake head up the stairs and run into the room Yang and Weiss were in. Qrow also arrives. They look on the bed to see a pair of decomposing corpses...

Reaper: Well then....

~An hour later, brought to you by chibi Reaper playing with Ozma and Salem's youngest daughter~

A fire is burning in the fireplace. Weiss watches it, still shaken from what she saw earlier. Blake wraps a blanket around Weiss before sitting on the couch Yang is on. The group hears the door open and close, and Qrow with Reaper walks back in brushing snow off themselves.

Qrow: It's the same in every house.

Yang: What?

Qrow: Bodies. Every bed in every home. It's like the whole estate just went to sleep and never woke up.

Weiss: Then we're not staying here, right?

Qrow walks over to the fireplace to warm up.

Qrow: We don't have a choice. Storm outside's only getting worse. We'd freeze to death before we made it anywhere.

Maria: Well, might as well get comfortable.

She walks over to a bookshelf.

Yang: Yeah, fat chance.

Ruby: Okay, then, let's do something. If this place wasn't abandoned it might still have supplies we could use.

Oscar: Hey, yeah. Maybe even a car.

Qrow: I'll do another sweep of the grounds. No one else goes anywhere alone.

Blake: Yang and I can search the other buildings for vehicles.

Yang: Fine, whatever gets me out of this house.

Reaper: Keep an eye out for a tall and slender creature.

Yang: Why?

Reaper: A hunch. If you see something looking like that....scream.

Yang: Oookay...

Yang and Blake leave, with Ruby moving the drawer to let them exit. Afterwards, Ruby looks over to see Weiss at the doorway to the living room with a melancholic look on her face.

Ruby: Food always makes me feel better. *chuckles nervously* Just saying.

Weiss: Right...

Reaper: Good idea.

Ruby, Reaper and Weiss leave the room, leaving Oscar and Maria alone together. The three walk down the hall and soon it gets pretty dark. They soon enter a dark room. Ruby uses her scroll's flashlight to look around. She finds alcoholic bottles on the shelves. Weiss uses Myrtenaster to send small flames to light up the candles in the room.

Weiss: There.

The two look around the room. Shelves are full of alcoholic bottles and they see a bar as well.

Ruby: On second thought, maybe we should keep this room closed.

Weiss: Huh?

Ruby: I'm just... Not sure how well my uncle's taking all of this.

Weiss: Oh.

Reaper: Note to self: beat Qrow up if he touches a bottle.

Ruby: Please don't do that.

Reaper: Just kidding Ruby.

Ruby: Come on, we'll never get to Atlas on an empty stomach!

Ruby walks forward, though Weiss lingers and sadly looks down. Ruby then opens up another door.

Weiss: Ruby? Are we really still going to Atlas?

Ruby: Why wouldn't we be?

Weiss: I mean... you heard what Jinn said. You saw what happened to the Reapers who tried to kill Salem. If there's no way to kill Salem, then what's the point in all of this?

Ruby: Weiss, you can't be serious.

Weiss: *sighs* Sorry, I- I don't know what I'm saying, I'm just really tired and I really, really hate this place.

Reaper: You and me both.

She walks up to enter the room with Ruby.

Weiss: Anything in there?

Ruby turns around and uses her flashlight to look around. She sees more alcoholic bottles arranged on a shelf on the right side of the room.

Ruby: More alcohol... At least we'll never have problems starting a fire.

Weiss: What's that?

The three notice a large, metal cellar door in the ground. Its handles are chained together.

Weiss: A wine cellar? Great.

Ruby then looks up to her left and lets out a yelp before zooming over.

Weiss: What? What is it?

Ruby: Food!

Ruby holds out a can that says "THREE BROS. BEANS: SHRIMP FLAVORED, EXTRA SODIUM".

Weiss: Canned food?

Ruby: Oh trust me, you put enough salt on anything, and it will taste juuust fine.

Reaper: Pfft...

Weiss: Well, I guess it's better than nothing.

The two share a smile. Weiss walks over and helps Ruby grab a few cans of food.

Weiss: But I still seriously hate this place...

Reaper: Same...

The two then walk out of the room. Reaper looks at the cellar and sees something lift up a door slowly until the chain stops it. He sees a pair of red eyes looking at him.

Reaper: You just fucked your whole pack. You know that, right?

Ruby: Reaper?

The Apathy slowly shuts the door. Reaper summons his scythe and cuts the chains.

Reaper: Be right back! Lock the door here please!

Ruby: Why??

Reaper: Just do it please.

Ruby peaks in and sees Reaper with his scythe out while looking at the cellar. She does as he asks and closes the door to this part of the house. She then hears Reaper slash at something before his slashes become faint.

Weiss: Is...is he going to be okay?

Ruby: Yeah! He'll be fine! Let's just uh, get back to the library.

The two walk back to where Maria and Oscar are. Maria looks up from her book to Ruby.

Maria: Where's Reaper?

Ruby: Reaping.

Maria: Ah, okay.

Ruby opens up a can of food for her and Weiss. Qrow, Blake, and Yang walk into the house. They all head to the fire to warm up.

Blake: We found a flatbed that we could hook up to Yang's bike. That can work in getting us to Argus.

Ruby: Alright, that's good news!

Qrow: Hey, where's Reaper?

Ruby: In the cellar...killing something.

Qrow: ALONE?!

Ruby: Yeah, he was pretty insistent.

Qrow groans.

Qrow: Crazy fool...

Meanwhile, underneath them, bodies of smoking Apathy are scattered in the waterways at Reaper slices the head of an Apathy.

Reaper: Who's next?!

He then sees a massive horde walking towards him from around a corner. His red eyes light up with glee and he charges right at them!

~Back on the surface~

Maria: I'm sure he's fine. Now, we should all get some sleep. If we're lucky, he'll be back up here in the morning with a grand story to tell!

Yang: Excuse me, but how do you know about Reaper so much?

Maria: Old Friend from when I was younger. Hadn't seen him for decades until recently! I gave him back that sword of his after we ran into each other in the Mistral marketplace. Now, all of a sudden he can talk! I'll tell you more tomorrow. Now rest, youngsters!

Ruby giggles a little. After her and Weiss finish their can of food, they and everyone does as Maria says and finds a spot to sleep at. Ruby takes a few minutes before finally going to sleep.

~Hours later, somewhere in the middle of the night~

Ruby wakes up hearing humming, beautiful, peaceful humming. She looks around and sees everyone is still asleep. Ruby stands up and walks over to the door and looks out the window. She sees someone in a cloak outside in the dark.

Ruby: Huh??

She looks to Qrow, who is asleep with a bottle in his hand. She tries shaking him awake.

Ruby: Uncle Qrow! Wake up! There's someone out there!

Qrow mumbles something and gently pushes her away. Ruby groans and decides to move the drawer away from the door and walks out the door. The storm has died down but it's really cold out. She closes the door and uses her scroll as a flashlight. She sees the cloaked person looking around aimlessly while humming her beautiful tune, a tune that Ruby was undeniably drawn to.

Ruby: Hello?

Ruby walks to the individual until she only stood a few feet from her. The individual turns to face Ruby and the latter's eyes widen. She sees someone that looks like her but older. It's Summer Rose.

Ruby: M-mom??

End Part!