Blake Belladonna was walking through Vale. She was on her way to the Mangaka Convention held in the city stadium, to get herself something to read during the night. It was midday, it was bright, and it was cheerful. The Fall Season saw fit to grace the City with red and gold, the shedding trees decorating the streets of Vale in an idyllic carpet of leaves, while glowing with the sunlight. The picturesque sight was further enhanced by a few visitors from across the world coming to Vytal and the convention, its preparations just beginning. The differing styles and outfits made for a rainbow beneath the autumn leaves, almost like the beginning of a fair.

It was perfect.

Why it was just so perfect, she decided to dress up. Now, going to a convention was special, it required proper attire for the fans of the con. It also be a little cold. So Blake needed to wear extra especially for her ears and neck. The only ones comfortable in Vale's uncharacteristic cold weather were the Atlesians. They were the only ones not decked in with a scarf or a some heavy sweater. Honestly, Blake was a little jealous. Both pairs of her ears would have frozen stiff in this, and the Atlesians, even the Faunus Atlesians, acted like it was nothing. Nevertheless, neither the weather nor the uncomfortable heavy clothing would stop her from seeing the Con. Her favorite Dōjinshi artist and author was there, and was selling a new series, after having been on hiatus for a year. She would not miss her work for the world.

There was just one small problem. It was very small, infinitesimal even.

Her friends were out and about too.

That brought in danger for Blake. There was a secret she dared not share with the Team. A secret so huge, so earth shattering, so Dust reactive, that she could not allow her friends to ever find out. Else she find herself thrown onto the streets.

Her mind was clear, and her objective thus: They must never know. Blake Belladonna must never allow anyone to know. The sheer chaos and damage it would wrought... unthinkable. The ostracization would be total, not even her friends would dare to look at her. She didn't think herself strong enough to handle that isolation. That disgust.

So she hid.

Disguised in plain sight, a simple convention goer pushing the boundary for what was acceptable Fall wear. A heavy, a thick scarf, a trench coat of all things, and sunglasses - ostensibly for rounding the outfit out. It hid enough of her features to make her indistinct. A far cry from her usual appearance. But it did the job, and the job was getting her to the convention.

And what a convention it was. Vale's timeless aesthetic of neoclassic Pre-Great War era architecture was in full display. It was practically magical similar to Beacon's tower. Like Beacon it came from a different age, a time when every public building tripled as both a fortress and a refuge. The sheer size and scale, height and width, and the host of people it held, couldn't be seen with a single look. It was awing. For it to hold one of her favorite form of creative arts was uplifting. To invite her favorite, and one of the most acclaimed writer-cum-artist, the creator of "Ninjas of Love", was inspiring. And have the chance to see her actual face? Amazing!

Nothing could ruin this moment.

Except for one thing. Her team.

Absently, she said "It's a good thing my team isn't here..."

Before realizing how badly she fucked up.

Rule 1: Never tempt fate.

She learned that early. Her involvement with the White Fang only further reinforced that paranoid and suspicious side. Before thinking those words she was confident, and now, simply walking to her artist's booth was nerve wracking. This wouldn't be easy. The booth was up two flights of stairs, through 3 choke points, filled with people. The Lobby, the Grand Staircase, and the hallway leading to both the food court and the final flight of stairs.

She could turn away, walk out the Main Entrance and go home. It would keep her secret hidden, and her school life safe. No risk, no exposure. No embarrassment, no disgust. Safe.

The easy path, and the safe one. The one she's used to.

But meeting her favorite Mangaka face-to-face was a once in a lifetime thing.

Thousands of men and women died before having seen their favorite writers face. Let alone having received their autographs. As a Huntress-in-Training, her life-span was even shorter. Could she really lead her life without ever having lived?

No. No she couldn't. She wouldn't.

"C'mon Blake. You can do this. Just walk forward and go meet someone awesome. Can't be harder than leaving the Fang." Having pitifully attempting to psych herself up, she marched forward, eyes darting to-and-fro. Her shoulders squared. The walk was tense.

It wasn't long before she neared the booth. Just 10 meters more. All was well during the final stretch.

"Is that Ren and Jaune... Oh my gosh, what are they doing?!"

And everything fell apart. The shrill screech of Weiss Schnee spearing her heart and soul.

Wait.

Ren and Jaune?

"So, um, how much?" Another voice. Yang?!

What was going on!

"30 Lien, no refunds."

Oh no.

That voice.

Sprinting forward, weaving as fast as she could before her legs seized up. Stopping before the greatest train wreck her brain ever experienced.

It couldn't be.

IT WAS!

Nora Valkyrie.

The creator of the most acclaimed piece of Literature. The masterpiece gracing her Hidden Library. The one book that was with her through everything. The Author of Ninjas of Love, was none other than Nora Valkyrie.

"So why did you make Ninjas of Love, and this, anyway?" Asked Yang. Her voice monotone and faraway for Blake.

"A girls gotta eat. Before me and Ren came to Beacon, we had to support ourselves. I learned how to write because that's easier than finding a job as an engineer during then." Nora said, as if it was so obvious. "It made a lot, a lot, of money. It made so much, I paid for both me and Ren's tuition for all four years. And I still have plenty left over. After that I thought, why not try my hand at making comics and manga. That way I'd make even more money, and I can buy the team something special."

"Whoa," Weiss whispered. Clearly something grasped her attention. "Is this accurate? Are they really like that?"

Blake wasn't sure she could handle anymore.

"Yep. You should see 'em. Ren I can understand, life on the streets isn't easy, you get used to going about like that. But Jaune though, he's well, he's West Valean, from outside the Walls. He's very comfortable, and..." Nora trailed off. The implications clear. "Pyrrha certainly doesn't mind." The cheeky sliding up her face, and the laughter in her eyes, got the other two roaring up a storm. "Anyway, here's an autographed copy. Oh Look! More Fans!" Nora picked up a copy of her newest series and began waving it around. On the cover was Ren and Jaune lookalikes, in an innocent and heart racing pose, helping each other bathe.

Blake burned the image into her mind.

And Blake booked it out of the Convention.

She had a secret now. Another, BIGGER secret.

She would die before she revealed this.

While she couldn't, and wouldn't, dare to meet the author of Ninjas of Love. She could at least, buy copies off the Network. In secret. Behind her team's back.

She wasn't ready to include Weiss and Yang yet. As wonderful as it was to share something great with them.

All in due time.