Hey guys, I hope you are doing well today. I wrote this chapter on my tablet, because laptop issues, so hopefully there won't be too many typos. I did my best to remove them. So, enjoy the chapter.
Chapter Three: Road to Recovery
A Couple of Months Later
"Good morning, my sunny little dragon," Taiyang greeted cheerfully as his daughter stumbled into the kitchen, bleary eyed and dazed.
"Ugh… too early…" Yang's words were swallowed up by a huge yawn. Her long, blonde hair was all over the place, the true definition of 'bedhead'.
"You never were good in the mornings. It seems you and Blake have that in common." He jabbed his thumb over to the table. Blake had her head resting on her hand, eyes half closed. If she was left any longer, she might end up head first in her bowl on the table.
Grabbing some Pumpkin Pete's marshmallow flakes and juice, Yang staggered over towards the table and sat down next to Blake, who seemed to wake up a bit when she came over. The dark-haired faunus offered her a sleepy smile, one she returned. Blake had officially been integrated into their family now, spending most of her time either in the house or the surrounding area. She rarely wandered far.
"So, what's on the agenda today?" Taiyang asked curiously as he prepared his own breakfast. He had a feeling he knew the answer already but thought he should humor her.
Yang shrugged as she swirled the spoon around her bowl. "Not sure yet."
"So more sitting around doing nothing then," he theorized smugly. Not to brag, but he knew his daughter fairly well.
"Probably," Yang admitted. She hadn't fully recovered or adapted to life with one arm and still had some emotional scars to deal with. This meant that she wasn't up to much these days. "Might go for a walk later."
"I'll drag her out kicking and screaming if I have to," Blake added, grinning cheekily. As much as she might say this as a joke, she would more than happily do it to get her friend up and about. Most days, Yang seemed her usual self more or less, but other times… she needed some motivation to get her going.
"I'm glad someone has my back," Taiyang chuckled as he sat down at the table. Having Blake around certainly made things more interesting around the house. It was nice to see Yang smiling so freely after… everything. He had to wonder whether she would be doing so well without her friend.
"Traitor!" Yang yelled with mock rage.
Blake rolled her eyes at the melodramatic display. "It's for your own good. I know you're a vampire, but you have to brave the sunlight sometime."
"Me the vampire? Says the pale girl wearing emo black all the time," the blonde huntress muttered just loud enough for them to hear. That had been her intention all along.
Instead of retorting verbally Blake flicked some cereal towards Yang, inviting a food fight. Before one could break out, Taiyang stepped in. He'd heard about the food fight fiasco at Beacon and didn't want a repeat incident. "I would like to still have a kitchen by the end of breakfast, thanks. A house too, if that's not too much to ask."
"She started it," Yang accused defensively.
"And I'm ending it," he stated matter-of-factly. Despite his protests, he was happy to see Yang more like her old self. The past couple of months had been tough on her, more than tough. Gradually, she was recovering from the trauma. Little incidences like this proved that much. While he might not fully support her over-eagerness to start a fight, he'd rather that than seeing her depressed all the time.
"Oh fine, don't back your daughter up…" she grumbled in an over-exaggerated manner.
Used to this kind of behavior, but never sure how to deal with it, Taiyang shook his head. "Don't pout, Yang. This isn't a competition."
Like the mature person she was, Yang stuck her tongue out at her father. He just sighed and continued eating his breakfast. Whether she was just joking or genuinely annoyed, there would be no reasoning with her. To be fair, if she was really angry then the house probably wouldn't still be standing right now. She did have an explosive temper. Thankfully, the rest of breakfast went without a hitch.
"I need to go out for a while, so don't cause any mischief while I'm gone," Taiyang announced as he finished up his breakfast. He had to meet up with Oobleck and Port to discuss important matters, such as their future plans. None of them could sit around and just wait for things to get worse. Since Blake was around, he didn't need to worry about Yang as much. He still did worry a lot, she was his daughter after all, but he knew she was in good hands even if he wasn't here 24/7. While Blake had seemed aloof at first, that had just been her shyness. She was a good person. That and Yang liked and trusted her.
"Me, cause mischief? How dare you even suggest such blasphemy!" Yang protested defiantly while Blake rolled her eyes playfully.
"Right, because my worries are totally unfounded…" Taiyang chuckled softly as he stood up. If he didn't know any better, his daughter would've almost sounded convincing.
"Exactly!" Yang exclaimed fervently, stifling a broad grin in the process.
"Right… we'll see," he mentioned skeptically as he gathered his things together. Before long, he was ready to depart. "I should only be a couple of hours. Try not to burn the house down while I'm gone."
"No promises," his daughter called after him as he left.
With her father out of sight and mind, Yang turned to Blake with a gleeful grin. "So… party time?"
Blake sighed and shook her head, not entirely sure if she was joking or not. "Honestly…"
"What? I know you're not a 'people person' but it'd be fun. Trust me," Yang reassured as convincingly as possible. There was no way Blake would ever agree but there was no harm in trying.
Predictably, Blake wasn't as keen. "For you, maybe."
Deciding to push her luck and just out of curiosity, Yang went on the offensive. Something had to change. If nothing else it'd be fun to tease Blake. "Oh… or would you rather have me all to yourself. Don't want to share?"
The unashamed accusation made the amber eyed faunus hesitate, partly because it was true. She wasn't the best company and worried that someone more interesting might come along and take Yang's attention… and that she wouldn't be able to get it back. It might be selfish and childish to think that way, but she couldn't help it.
"You are ridiculous," Blake stated after a moment had passed, trying to hide her true thoughts.
Seeing an opening, Yang continued to push. She had to capitalize on her advantage. It was rare for Blake to be openly fazed by anything. "Did I sense a contemplative pause there? Look, I know I'm irresistible. You don't have to be embarrassed. You wouldn't be the first to fall for my charm."
"You're something alright…" Blake sighed, not willing to give her friend the satisfaction of admitting that… however true it might be. It was strange, over the past couple of months she had grown very close to Yang, closer than she had been to anyone else before in her life. She felt confused, nervous and excited all at the same time about that closeness, trying to figure out what it all really meant and what she should do about those feelings. "Anyway, I think it's time I drag you on that walk now."
"You really were serious about that… fine, only because it's you." Yang stood up and made her way over to her closet, taking out her clothes for the day. Even small tasks like getting changed could be a chore. Blake turned away to give her some privacy but stayed to make sure she didn't need help. Yang hadn't had much privacy over the past couple of months, so she deserved as much as she could get. After a few moments, Yang called out to her friend with a smirk. "I'm done, by the way."
Blake cleared her throat and turned around to see Yang changed. "Good, let's get going then."
They both left the house, entering the outside world. It was a beautiful day, clear blue sky and sunshine, if a little cold. Despite Remnant being in such chaos, you couldn't tell from this view. If they allowed their enemy to continue, places like Patch would soon fall… just like Beacon had. As they walked, Blake kept glancing over at Yang. She couldn't quite tell what the blonde huntress was thinking most of the time. Unfortunately for her, Yang caught her staring and grinned knowingly. Blake turned away shyly, only managing to keep her eyes off Yang for a few moments before she was staring again. Yang had been through so much, they all had in their own ways. Somehow, they were still fighting.
"Have you heard from Ruby recently?" Blake asked carefully as they walked the unbeaten track towards the trees. Ruby had set off fairly soon after the fall of Beacon with the remaining members of team JNPR the moment she was ready to fight again. In that regard, her and Yang weren't too different.
Yang shook her head slowly. Communication these days was extremely difficult and they had to rely almost solely on letters, not the most reliable or timely way of keeping in touch, "Not really. It's a bit hard with the CCT towers out of action." Another reminder of Beacon and the subsequent destruction.
She could remember both their first and last conversation about her journey like it was yesterday...
There was a soft knock at her door before it was pushed open. A familiar face popped through the gap belonging to Ruby. She looked a little worse for wear, but all in all she seemed unharmed. Cautiously, she stepped inside the room and made her way over to the bed. Yang sat up as best she could as Ruby sat on the chair nearby the bed.
Once settled, she offered a tired smile. "Hey, sis."
Yang let out a sigh of relief, happy to see Ruby up and about. For a while, she wasn't sure if she'd ever wake up. "You really had us worried there, you know."
"I could say the same thing to you," the younger, red-haired huntress countered.
There wasn't really much Yang could say to that other than agree. "Touche. I'm seriously glad to see you up and about."
Ruby's expression turned uncharacteristically solemn as she spoke her next few words. "I had a chat with Uncle Qrow."
Whenever Qrow was involved, trouble usually followed. "What about?"
"Beacon, among other things," she paused, wringing her hands in her lap before sighing and looking Yang directly in the eyes. "I need to travel to Haven soon."
This seemingly random announcement confused Yang. "Haven, as in Haven Academy in Mistral? Why?"
"Uncle Qrow… told me some important things," Ruby began carefully. "Things involving me and who we're up against. Haven is the only lead we have right now, apparently."
"When are you planning on leaving?" Yang asked, all of this coming as a sudden shock. She hadn't expected this at all. As strong as Ruby was, it was too much to rely on her for something so dangerous. Or any of them for that matter. Pyrrha had proven that much.
Ruby hesitated before answering, determination gradually taking over the uncertainty in her expression. She had made up her mind and nothing anyone said would deter her. "Whenever I'm strong enough to travel. Don't tell dad, okay? You know he'll try to stop me."
What else could she do other than promise? If Ruby wanted to do this, nobody could stop her. No matter how much they might want to. By the time Winter had come around, she was ready to head out to Mistral alongside the remaining members of team JNPR. She'd kept her plans vague, maybe because she didn't really know what she was doing beyond getting to Haven Academy.
After knocking and being invited in the room, Ruby stepped inside. She had a bag packed ready, Crescent Rose fixed to her belt. Her deep red cloak swished slightly as she approached the bed. "I… have to go now. To Haven. I really wish I could take you with me, Yang. You too, Blake… and Weiss, even though she'd moan about it the whole way."
Ruby had taken the words right out of Yang's mouth. She hated the thought of her sister leaving to do something so dangerous without her, but they had little choice. Yang wasn't in any state to travel. Even she could see that. "So do I, sis. You'll have to do enough fighting for all of team RWBY. Give 'em hell."
Blake nodded in approval with the send off message. "What she said."
Ruby smiled at them both, equal parts thankful and nervous, before turning to Blake specifically. "Take good care of Yang for me."
That made Blake smile. "She can take care of herself just fine, but I will."
"Damn right I can!" Yang protested, trying to lighten the grim mood. Someday, somehow, they would reunite. Until then, they would all work hard towards their goals.
"Don't go having any parties while I'm away. I'll never forgive you!" With those words, Ruby gave them both a quick group hug and left.
That was the last time she had seen her sister since she left for Mistral. Off wandering across Remnant. Who knew where she was now?
Noticing the worry in Yang's voice and expression, Blake stepped in quickly to reassure her. "She has Jaune, Ren and Nora with her, so she's not alone. That's something."
Tired of feeling sad and fearful for her sister's situation and the wider crisis across Remnant, Yang turned to humor, "Seems like they have well and truly stolen our teammate… sneaky thieves." Even without Pyrrha's valued membership, team JNPR were more than capable of handling themselves. Even though she knew that, she'd much rather be fighting beside Ruby now, along with Blake and Weiss. "Maybe, just maybe, we can fight as a team again one day. First, we have to ship ourselves over to Atlas and drag Weiss back. By force if necessary." And she would need to really get used to life with only one arm… that was a whole different struggle altogether. Yes, she'd made progress but it wasn't enough. Not yet.
"We will fight as a team again. I just know it," Blake reassured, wholeheartedly believing this. "Besides, even if Ruby and Weiss aren't here with us, we're still team RWBY. No matter how far away we are from one another, that fact remains."
"I won't argue with that. Although, I prefer it when everyone's around," Yang admitted with a somewhat distant expression. They hadn't heard from Weiss since she left for Atlas. She probably wasn't in much danger but it was still worrying.
Blake's ears drooped. She and Weiss might not see eye to eye all the time, but they would still do anything to protect each other. As for Ruby, she was the glue keeping the group together. "Yeah…"
Trying to push back the melancholy, Yang exhaled deeply and looked over at her friend. "At least we're here together. That's a start."
"A very good start," Blake agreed as they pressed on. When they had walked a fair way from the house, they both took refuge under the nearest tree. The morning sun cast a warm glow through the leaves, casting shadows. A few spring flowers were starting to poke through the grass, signs that winter was over.
Yang started picking at the grass. There was something she needed to discuss with Blake… a few things, actually. She might only be able to manage one now, though. "Blake…"
"Yeah?"
Swallowing hard, the blonde huntress steeled her resolve and began, "I… want to talk. About Beacon. I think I'm finally ready now. If that's okay with you." She was understandably hesitant approaching this topic but now felt like the right time.
"Of course. Go ahead," Blake encouraged. She hadn't wanted to push Yang about it, figuring that it was much better to let her bring the topic up on her own. Forcing never worked well on Yang. She was stubborn, through and through.
Yang nodded, continuing to play with the blades of grass. She'd had this conversation a million times in her head, wondering just how to word it. Each time when she thought she had it sorted, she chickened out at the last minute. She wanted to be honest with Blake, let her know what was going on in her head. Sitting on these thoughts wouldn't do her any good.
"We lost good people at Beacon. Good friends. Penny and… Pyrrha. Not to mention Ozpin. I don't want to lose anyone else. I can't." If she lost Weiss, Ruby, not to mention the rest of her family, or… Blake, that would be it for her. How could she ever get back from that?
Blake nodded sympathetically, having had similar thoughts before. It was hard to know what to think these days. "Then you know what we have to do? We let our enemies know that we won't be pushed around. We protect our friends and family. We fight back. What we don't do is give up. That way, we've already failed."
Yang's mind wandered back to the robotic arm Atlas' general, James Ironwood, had sent her. It was stashed away in one of her drawers, never seeing the light of day. She had been reluctant to wear it for so many reasons. Her arms wasn't the only thing she had lost that day and replacing it would only help so much.
"Blake, I know what I have to do to fight back but… I don't know if I can." Fighting had led to death, but so would surrendering. Their enemy wouldn't just let them all live, not after they had resisted so vigorously.
Blake gently took her by the shoulder, staring into her lilac eyes, "Of course you can. You are Yang Xiao Long. Fearless huntress. Valuable member of team RWBY. My friend, the best I've ever had." Not to mention so much more than that. Over these past couple of months in particular, she had grown even closer with Yang, gotten to know her so much better. Blake had found herself growing used to Yang's bad jokes and over-eagerness, while liking other parts of her even more than she already did. It had come to the point where she didn't know what she'd do without the mischievous blonde. If only she could tell Yang exactly how she felt… she could never find the right words when the time came, like now.
A cheeky grin crossed Yang's features. "And here I was thinking Weiss was your bestie."
Blake's face scrunched up in melodramatic disgust as she let her hand drop from Yang's shoulder to the grass again. "I know you're kidding but that's still a scary thought. My point, you can do anything. I know you can."
"I don't know about that…" There was still one thing Yang was too scared to do... and it involved Blake.
"The Yang I know can do anything she puts her mind to." Yang was stubborn to the core. That could be both her most aggravating yet endearing trait. She would equally never give up on a friend. Ever.
"You think so?" Yang asked curiously.
Blake shook her head slowly, a tender smile tugging at her lips. "I know so."
The blonde huntress allowed herself a small smile as she leaned back further against the tree, briefly looking up at the sky. Hearing Blake say that of all people made her really happy. "Well, if you know that then how can it be wrong?"
"Precisely. So, don't worry about it. We'll manage somehow. Especially if you're there with me." Blake believed that with all her heart and soul. With Yang here, there was nothing to fear.
"I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. Unless you're coming too." Cautiously, Yang allowed her hand to brush against Blake's. If nothing else, she could pass it off as an accident.
Blake noticed, but tried hard not to react. If she did, she might scare Yang away. She didn't want that. Her heart was beating fast in her chest as she felt warmth over the top of her hand, fingers slowly intertwining. Instead of pulling away like she might have done before out of nervousness and uncertainty, she let it happen. She wouldn't run anymore.
...and we'll end it there for now. A little cruel, I know. Have an amazing day and see you next time.