Konnichiwa, Konnichiwa! Planeshunter here!
I had been meaning to watch RWBY for a while now, and I finally got around it a couple of weeks ago. Man, it was worth it!
Still, the end of Volume 3 triggered something in this little head of mine, and ideas about possible follow-ups popped left and right. This is but one of them, the one I feel less likely to actually happen, but one I would love to see nonetheless.
Events in the story take place around a month after the end of episode 3-12 "End of the beginning" and are centered around Blake and Yang.
The stars are almost invisible tonight, paling around the bright full moon. Under her silver glow, a train rushes forward, devouring distance on it's metal road. Twin amber spheres glow in the darkness, as a feminine silhouette crouches on the locomotive's roof. Even in the middle of the night, the forest scenery rushing both sides would maintain all it's beauty for this pair of eyes, but they are focused onwards.
This goes on for a while, the sound of metal wheels on metal tracks and the occasional whistle as the only sounds of the night. Then the head those eyes belong to nods off for a moment before quickly regaining its stance. It has been a long day, but she cannot rest yet.
She grasps tightly a package on her lap. It's something she must deliver, and she won't be able to relax until she does.
Yang sits alone in her bed, looking through the window. The full moon looks beautiful tonight, but she barely registers. She's too busy sinking into self-pity and blaming everyone around her, then feeling like shit for doing so, and sinking further. Rinse and repeat. It has been a month already.
She is alone. Rose had left with the remains of team JNPR. She couldn't blame her, really, who would like to spend time with a whiny, depressing disabled like her? Only you do blame her, you would've loved to have her here, listening your grumbles. Qrow had left too. One of those grandiose secret missions he was always mixed into, no doubt. It was for the best. But not for your best, you would've loved to hog him all for yourself, right? Oh, she still had her pops, of course. But he behaved like everything was his fault, and always seemed guilty and apologetic in front of her. It was painful to watch. Even then you enjoy the situation. Makes you feel less stupid about going and losing an arm just like that or something?
Team RWBY was no more. With her like this, her sister leaving with other hunters, Weiss no doubt spoilt rotten by her rich family somewhere safe and Blake…
Blake.
Just thinking about her was enough to feel a weird taste, salty and bitter, in her mouth.
Blake.
Always with her nose stuck in a book. Quiet, sometimes scary when her golden eyes admonished the rest of the team for being too loud.
Blake.
Warm and caring, loyal to a fault and dependable. And yet, so often insecure, needing other's assurement, and an occasional hug.
Blake.
She didn't blindly trust her after that incident during the tournament. Instead, she worried, she cared, about her going down the wrong path. Locking eyes, making her swear… Made her feel something warm inside, made her feel special. Even if she should've felt outraged.
Blake.
Who burdened herself with secrets simply to not burden her friends.
Blake…
The one she took for her best friend, only to be abandoned when she needed her the most.
She's just a coward, she said it herself. Even her semblance is only suited for running away.
The bitter-salty taste in her mouth intensifies, and she looks away from the windows, locking her eyes in the white sheets of her bed.
-"Dangit Blake…"-Her voice is just a whisper, halfways between resented and disheartened- "where did you go?"
There's an air current, and grazing sounds right outside the window. An owl, maybe. She is about to leave it alone, too depressed to even care. But in the end, she catches the first thing she can grab -the left glove of Ember Celica- and throws it towards the window. Throwing away your weapon? Well, not like you can use it anymore, eh?
-"Oops" -Instead of hearing the weapon hitting something, there's a well known voice- "That's some welcome."
Yang feels her whole body tense, as she stops in the last second the urge to turn around. What's she doing here? Why did she come back? She ran away the very night everything happened. It's too late now. The black mood that has accompanied her for the last month feels like a suffocating shroud, blocking any bright feeling. Only dark thoughts surface in her mind. You coward...
-"What the hell are you doing here, Blake?"
She doesn't really want to say that, she wants to turn around and look her in the eyes. She wants to jump into her, and embrace her silly. But… You don't want her to see you like this, right? Poor little girl, maimed and gloomy. Too weak to stand up, too proud to accept pity...
A weight suddenly falling on her lap interrupts the dark thoughts. It's Ember Celica. Pity, seems like you won't get rid of that thing so easily. Now she turns around, eyes wet from anger, mouth open, ready to yell some truths into that idiot's… face.
There she is, with those amber eyes, that sometimes seem capable of looking straight into her heart, and that soft smile that never fails to put her at ease. A pathetic, strangled sound escapes her throat, suddenly too tight to breath. Seeing the cat girl hurts even more than she expected. Her eyes well up, and she quickly covers her face with her good arm. Yeah, hide quickly, lest the girl see's what sorry state you've been reduced to.
There's another weight falling on her lap. A weight that clangs against the first one producing a familiar sound. She removes her arm, incredulous. There they are, both her gauntlets.
-"Ember Celica, but.. how?" -She turns again towards the window- "I lost it in..."
Her voice fails her and she stops, but the question still shines in her eyes.
-"Yes, it wasn't easy to recover, you know?" -The soft smile doesn't leave her mouth- "And I lost my scroll there. Do you have any idea how hard was to find you without it?"
-"But why... " -Words fail Yang, but she tries again- "That must've been dangerous! Why did you go alone?"
-"Because…" -Now her smile fades, and Yang feels a pang in her heart- "Because it was my fault. This was the least I could do."
Oooh, isn't she cute? What a pretty little gesture. -shut up- A shame you have no more use for your toy -shut up!- Not that you deserve it anyway -uh?- There she was, risking her life to recover that thing, then traveling god knows how for a whole month, looking for you. And you were here, warm and comfy, sitting in your bed and blaming her for everything!
-"Yang?" -But there's no answer- "Are you alright?"
-"SHUT UP!"
The shout startles both girls. The blonde because she's suddenly back in the real world, the brunette because, well… apparently her friend just shouted at her for no reason.
-"Blake, I…" -The first thought in her mind is apologizing. But you won't do it, right? You don't deserve her, so better keep her away before she gets any more hurt- "It's all gone, I have no use for Ember Celica anymore."
Yeah, just like that. Now get up and leave the room. Leave this beautiful girl and her undeserved friendship behind. She slowly stands up, without looking at the feline girl, imagining the disappointment in painted in her face. But you'll leave anyway. She slowly walks away, she… gets surrounded by two arms. huh?
-"Huh?" -This isn't like her- "What are you doing?"
-"My best friend once told me that, sometimes, people just need a good hug" -Yang feels a shiver upon hearing those words, her words- "Nothing's gone yet, nothing's gone till you let it go. What's wrong, Yang? You know you can tell me."
She's sharp, isn't her? What will you do now?
-"Nothing's wrong, 'xcept for the obvious." -Yeah, hide the ugly truth, keep her away- "There's nothing to tell."
-"Come on, you could get an implant if you wanted, that can't be all." -She's getting close! Hurt her away before she understands!- "I'll listen to whatever it is."
Yang feels divided. She doesn't want to hurt Blake, but the ugly voice within her is strong. In the end, she tries to break free, only to find herself more tightly hugged. Why's she so rough? Why doesn't she let it go like the others? Doesn't she care about you?
-"I won't lose you too."
Those last words sound muffled, Yang can feel Blake's face pressed against her back, and her warm breath between her shoulderblades. And that makes something crumble inside the lilac eyed girl. She's so rough because she cares. She doesn't let it got like the others because she cares. She really cares. The voice that asks her to hurt her friend disappears, and the gloominess that has surrounded her for the last month melts away as she bursts into tears.
-"I… I am… I am scared, okay!?" -Blake makes her turn around and she doesn't resist- "Scared of fighting, of getting hurt! Scared of that man!"
-"Adam."
The hate held in that single word startles her. But now that she has opened up, she's incapable of stopping.
-"Each time I remember that night, I all strength leaves me. I feel nauseated and only want to hide behind my covers" -She feels Blake's hand under her chin, forcing her to lock eyes- "I can't be a huntress like this, Blake. Turns out I'm just a coward."
She was expected pain, surprise and disappointment reflected in those amber eyes. Maybe even scorn. Instead, the just keep their sharp gaze, that seems to see into her heart. Instead, she just keeps her faint, warm smile. She understands. Somehow, that stings worse .
-"Then we won't fight anymore."
-"We?"
-"If you can't fight, that's it. But I told you, Yang: I won't lose you too." -There's no change in her warm smile- "Maybe a peaceful life on the countryside isn't so bad… with a friend."
-"But that's…!" -Yang realizes she's trapped- "Oh, alright! But I am a lousy patient, always whining and begging for attention, and you're stuck with me during my rehab. You've been warned!"
The other girl's smile gets a bit wider, and she can't help but smile in turn. Then, hesitantly, she offers another hug. The girl in black practically jump into her arms. Ember Celica rests on the bed, reflecting the moon's light and clearly visible from where she is now.
That "life in the countryside" thing is utter bulshit and she knows it. There's no way she'll ruin her friend's future anchoring her here. That scares her way worse than any masked man. But somehow, the world looks brighter now. Plans start forming in her head like crazy. For now, she'll need some basic rehab, she hasn't really moved around in a month, and her body is getting flabby and lazy. In a week, two tops, she'll suggest a visit to Weiss, and casually ask about arm prosthetics. In a month she'll have it all mastered, and the three of them will go looking for Rose.
Yeah, things look way brighter now. Everything will be OK.
And that's it, ladies and gentlemen! This setting kind of sprout into my head right after watching the last chapter (most precisely, after seeing that last short scene about Blake right at the end) and refused to leave. When it came to actually put it into paper, some concepts had to be refined, others proved to be actually incompatible and more text than initially planned kinda happened. Guys, this was planned as a real short story, maybe one page or so, and suddenly I find myself with 2000 words just like that, I don't know how it happened, honest!
For people following "Kaleidoscopic Grail War", bad news, I'm afraid. Next episode is still veeeeeeery green. Also I'll go into a trip to visit Tokyo around the end of the month. I'll try to get it ready before I leave, but I can't promise anything.
And with that, I bid farewell till the next time!
-Planeshunter
PD: It was thiiiiiis close to become a Blayang romance story.