Velvet activated a hard-light replica of Yatsuhashi’s sword and charged toward Carmine. The redhead swept a hand around and several small boulders flew out of the blockade toward Velvet.

Velvet swung the broadsword and smashed the boulders to bits—but Carmine fired the sharp fragments toward Velvet’s face. Velvet leaned back as they zipped by, then flipped forward into a somersault, sword out with the blade facing Carmine.

The Huntress stepped aside, and Velvet crashed into the crumbling rock barrier. She caught a glimpse of Octavia facing off against the three Huntsmen, fending them off with her dagger. She was as fierce now as she had been when they fought the Ravagers during reinitiation, and Velvet was glad to have Octavia by her side.

“Hey, Velvet,” Carmine said mockingly. “Long time no see. It was nice catching up with Coco and Yatsuhashi, but you were always my favorite.” She pressed a finger to her lips. “Don’t tell the others.”

Yatsuhashi’s sword faded away. Velvet noted that Carmine had only one of her sai—now she remembered she had seen the other one back at the club, transformed into gold by Rumpole’s Semblance.

“Why are you working with the Crown?” Velvet asked. “How can you do this? Do you really need money that badly?”

“This isn’t about money, at least not for me,” Carmine scoffed. “The twins and I go way back, to my academy days. I fight because I believe in them and their cause.” Carmine unsheathed her sai and sent another rock flying at Velvet.

- RWBY: Before the Dawn, Chapter 18