(Vale Central Park, Early Morning)
Blake walked through the small almost hidden like path with no need to rush. Morning was just beginning to show, as the sun began to rise and take it's place in the sky. She breathed in deep the scent of the tall trees surrounding her and took a moment to listen to the bird's chirp.
With her eyes closed, Blake continued to walk the very familiar dark road. It was a ritual of hers to walk this path at least once a week. She sometimes came at night to bask in the silence of nature falling asleep, but the girl had recently found that she enjoyed listening to nature wake up much more.
As she continued the path started to widen where a large section of engraved marble occupied a small grass area off the road. The statue was more than familiar to her, it was the reason she had originally began to walk this route. It's dark smooth exterior was covered in the engravings of hundreds. This was Vale's memorial to those shinobi who had fallen on a mission.
This place was actually one of Blake's first memories. As a young child, before she could walk, her mother would carry her along this path. She'd never speak a word to her, even when Blake gathered the courage to try and start a conversation. Her mother would just silently hold her, standing vigil in front of the stone for a few minutes, and then continue on like it had never happened. A part of Blake reasoned that she continued the tradition because she so desperately wants to share moments like that with her mother again, but no there was a far more important meaning to her weekly walk.
Today's walk was different in the fact that she was not alone. As she happened upon the stone there was a figure kneeling before it. The person was draped in a long red cape that billowed around her to the grass floor. Blake was about to greet the person, but stopped when she heard the person trying to control their sobs. The faunus was unsure of what to do when she heard the young female voice.
"Hey mom." Blake's heart broke, listening to the young girl's sobbing grow steadily louder "Sorry, I haven't been able to visit recently, a lot has been going on."
To Blake there was something peculiar about that voice, the girl was certain she hadn't heard it before, but there was some sense of familiarity in it.
"I think Dad's finally starting to get better. You know he's still a goofball like always, but I think he was just using that to hide how much he was hurt. There are still times where I just find him standing there, staring off into nothing. Honestly, I think some part of him is still trying to find you, still expecting you to walk through that door again."
Blake bit her lip as the young girl started to shake.
"I miss you." Blake didn't need to see her face to know that the dam had broken and tears were freely flowing. "I can't blame Dad, there have been so many times where I just forget you're gone. My head just convinces me that when I get home you'll be there cooking dinner for me and asking me how my day was. My friend tells me sometimes that I should just grow up and get over it, but I don't want to. I'm afraid that I'll end up forgetting you. That maybe one day I won't remember what your face looks like or how warm and inviting your voice sounded when you called to me."
The Tensai felt herself shrinking back, feeling terrible for listening to younger girl when she's so vulnerable.
"Yang's a Tensai." That made Blake stop "That's good news I suppose, and don't get me wrong I know I should be happy for her and trust me I am!" The girl paused a moment taking a deep breath. "There's just some terrible feeling in me that I'm going to lose her too. After you, Dad just kinda shut down, he's only recently gotten back on his feet. Qrow was gone on that long term mission for years and the rest of the clan were too busy in mourning to notice me. All I had was Yang. She's the one who held me every night when I cried myself to sleep, who made me eat when I didn't want to, who went to such major efforts just to put a smile on my face."
Blake felt a tear slide down her face at the confession. Her respect for the blonde had just shot to unimaginable heights, but the concern for the girl in front of her grew as well.
"I can't lose her too, but there's nothing I can do to stop it. She hasn't even been an official ninja for a week and I can already feel her beginning to slip away. If she leaves me too I don't know wha-"
The girl couldn't finish, having completely broken down in a fit of tears. Blake knew she had to do something to help the girl, she wanted to do something. This was her teammates younger sister and while she had only known Yang for a few days, Blake wanted to be there for one of her first true friends. Although, that wasn't Blake's only reason, she wasn't just doing it for Yang. The girl in front of her was a mess, and while the faunus may be inexperienced socially, she couldn't just leave her.
With a deep breath Blake stepped next to the girl in red.
"My father is on this stone as well."
The sudden cool voice surprised Ruby, and Blake had to force herself to keep a straight face when the girl's grieving tear smudged face looked up at her. The faunus didn't give the girl a chance to say anything.
"My mother was seven months pregnant with me when the Donkage told her. He had been taken prisoner by Iwa on a long mission. We tried to negotiate for his release, but they just laughed at our efforts." Blake was quiet for a few seconds, and Ruby thought she saw her face falter slightly. With a sigh Blake continued "We were never able to get the body back."
Ruby looked back at the stone, the tears starting to come back "What's next? Are you going to say you understand what I'm going through?"
"No." Blake answered simply "I have no earthly idea what you've been through. I didn't grow up with my father, even if I had I doubt I'd be able to say I could understand you. However, I don't think you realize how lucky you are."
Seeing the outrage on Ruby's face Blake continued "Like your father, my mother was broken by the loss. While you've had your moments with your father, their not enough for any child. What you did and still have though is a sister who would run from here to Konoha then back again just to put a smile on your face. You know what she said in the first hour we became genin? Yang said she was worried that the two of you were going to grow apart."
The redhead looked back up to see Blake now staring back at her "That's when Yang decided that you two would never grow apart. Ruby you're sister is an amazing person and I would have killed to have grown up with her as my sibling." Tears had stopped flowing as Blake placed her hand on the girl's shoulder comfortingly "She'll never leave you Ruby."
"What if something happens to her on a mission?" The girl's voice was grave and full of fear.
"I won't let that happen." Blake's answer was simple, but the sureness in her voice almost convinced Ruby.
Before Blake knew what was happening the surprisingly fast girl had her arms wrapped around her and was crying into Blake's shoulder. The faunus was surprised, but slowly began to rub her hands on the girl's back. Blake sunk to her knees and allowed the girl to pretty much fall into the faunus' embrace, continuing to empty her supply of tears.
Blake wasn't sure how long she sat in the grass with Ruby wrapped around her, she just knew that it was long enough for the sun to fully come up and greet the world. The younger girl had stopped crying and now leaned up. "I'm glad you're my sister's teammate."
Blake froze as Ruby once again wrapped her arms around the older girl, whispering into her ear "Thank you Blake."
With that Ruby rose up and with a grief free face gave Blake a genuine smile. The faunus watched the girl in red walk down the path, soon disappearing from sight.
Blake turned her head back to the memorial stone "So Dad, how are you?"
(Two Hours Later Training Ground 17)
Blake was unsure about what to do with the blonde she was currently standing in front of a large tree with. The faunus had expected to immediately be drawn into a conversation about the events she had been apart of earlier with the younger Long, but instead the moment she stepped foot onto the grounds she had been whisked away to the wooded area.
Blake noticed that there was quite a bit of rope wrapped the trunk of the tree, and a bit of bottled water and food laying around the base. What made her jaw drop slightly was the blindfold laying there.
Yang merely put a finger to the confused girl's lips and said "Shhhh, we'll make her squeal."
"Yang." Blake began "What in the actual fuck is happening?"
The blonde giggled "Ha, knew I'd get you to drop the F-bomb!"
"Is that what all this is for?" The still very confused faunus asked.
"Nope," Yang answered with a determined look and closed fist "we're going to make Pyrrha squeal about her secret training."
The look of utter disbelief Blake gave Yang caused the blonde to ask "What? Do you have a better idea?"
Pyrrha took that moment to approach the girls, smiling and offering a small wave "Heya."
Blake turned her head to the redhead and kindly asked "Pyrrha, would you mind filling us in on your secret training?"
The girl gave a simple "Sure." in return.
From the look Blake gave her Yang let out a nervous chuckle "I suppose that work's just as well."
The blonde pouted when Blake ignored her and a slightly confused Pyrrha just began explaining "It's probably just better if I show you."
Both girls eyes widened as Pyrrha bit her thumb, causing a bit of blood to roll down her hand. Dropping to her knees Pyrrha carefully formed five hand seals, before smacking her hands to the forest floor.
Their vision was impaired momentarily by the small cloud that erupted after the contact, but the eruption of the smoke was quickly drowned out by small cries. Not warning cries or battles cries, it was the cry of a small child.
Blake expected to see an infant when the smoke cleared, what she did see made her skin crawl. Wrapped in Pyrrha's arms was a small white pup, so young that it wasn't even able to open it's eyes yet.
"Puppy!" Yang exclaimed immediately at Pyrrha's side desperately wanting to hold the canine.
Pyrrha laughed saying "It's actually a wolf." That didn't seem to matter to Yang who was now holding the wolf and cradling it to her chest.
"He's so fluffy!" The blonde yelled "Blake you have to hold it!"
That's when the other two girls noticed that their faunus comrade was now residing in the highest branch of the tree.
"I'll pass." Blake yelled back down.
This brought Yang to laugh herself to tears "Of course! The kitty doesn't like dogs!"
"That's the second Long I've been able to make cry today." Blake murmured to herself, not quite sure how to feel about the achievement.
A poof of smoke later leading to a very disapointed Yang and a very relieved Blake, led to them all being on the ground once more.
"So your clan can summon wolves." Blake said.
"Yep," Pyrrha answered "I've been practicing the last few days, but so far I can only summon the pups."
Blake smiled as she pulled out two identical scrolls, offering one to each of her teammates. "This should help your progress." As they both took them Blake added "It's about time you learn how to make Shadow Clones."
As Blake said that Yang greedily ripped her scroll open, her eyes pouring over the contents. Before Pyrrha had a chance to open hers, a cough interrupted the three girls.
Surprised they looked to their side and noticed one of Vale's Anbu waiting for them. They were able to identify them as one by the regulation Grimm mask adorned on his face. Like other Hidden Village's the identity of the Anbu was unknown to all but a select few.
Having gotten the Tensai's attention the emotionless voice behind the mask said "The Donkage has requested your presence for a clan meeting."
"A clan meeting!" A shocked Pyrrha clarified, while it wasn't entirely uncommon for the heirs to be invited to a meeting of the village heads, they were always prepared days in advance.
As the lethal shinobi nodded their head Blake asked "When?"
"It's set to schedule in ten minutes." With that the Anbu disappeared in Vale's shunshin technique, the body flicker leaving behind particles of dust.
There was a moment of silence between the three before they all ran full speed towards the city center, with Yang shouting a very sarcastic "Thanks for the spectacular warning in advance!"
The silence of their sprinting was then broken by Pyrrha "So should I ask about the blindfold?"
(Hokage Tower)
As the girls jumped through the main doors of the building a male voice called to them "Ah, there you are!"
Looking up they saw both the Long clan head and Nikos clan head walking towards them. Each man was dressed in a cape, as is custom for all clan heads when attending a meeting, and both wore large grins upon seeing their daughters.
"You there are quite good at making an entrance." Pyrrha's father, Marik, said in his blood red cape.
"They have a sense for being late." Taiyang in his yellow cape told his friend with a playful smirk.
"Ha," Yang laughed at her father "wonder where I got that from?"
"Definitely not your uncle." A cool voice said from behind the group. They all turned to see Qrow giving them a friendly wave as he strode out of the building.
"I'll never get used to how easily he can sneak up on us." Marik murmured to Taiyang, who nodded in return knowing full well just how sneaky his twin can be. He had quite a few memories of how Qrow would use his stealth in their childhood, proving it quite difficult to hide anything from his brother. Taiyang actually cringed a bit recalling some of the more awkward things his damn snooping brother had uncovered.
Yang brought her father out of his uncomfortable trip down memory lane by asking "Qrow isn't coming to this meeting?"
Taiyang shook his head "Ozpin has him assigned for something." The blonde peeked at the clock on the wall adding "Speaking of the strongest ninja in the village, it's best not to keep him waiting."
Marik nodded then directed his words to Blake "Your mother is already at her seat."
The faunus nodded politely and left for the descending stairs, which led to the underground level, both her teammates following her.
As the male clan heads watch them leave, Marik said to his friend "I'm still not quite sure what to think of her."
"Yang speaks highly of her." Taiyang responded, having had his own thoughts about his daughter's teammate.
"As does Pyrrha," Marik agreed "I suppose we'll just have to trust our children on this one."
Not wanting to end the discussion just yet, Taiyang admitted "I hope she doesn't turn out like her mother, I'd rather my daughter not go through that."
The other clan head nodded "That would be unfortunate, but I don't believe she will."
As Marik began walking after their children, Taiyang asked him "What do you believe?"
"Perhaps she'll surprise us." Taiyang laughed at his friends response, but couldn't bring himself to believe it.
(Clan Head Meeting Room)
The large room was simple yet elegant in a way. There were nine large desks all assembled in a way so they were facing one another. In front of each desk was the name of the Clan written in Kanji, the only difference was the slightly larger ninth desk with the Kanji for Donkage written on it. Ozpin sat at this desk, for once without his cup of coffee. The man was never seen with the drink during clan meetings, although many believed the man in robes secretly chews coffee grinds to get his caffeine kick.
On either side of the Kage sat his advisors and once teammates. To his right sat Glynda Goodwitch, the woman appeared charming and regal, yet had a reputation of being quite callous. The large man to Ozpin's left is James Ironwood, no doubt one of the village's strongest having proven his worth many times over. It was actually quite a controversial topic when Ozpin was chosen over Ironwood to be Kage, while the two have always been known to be great friends the race for the position drove them apart. While his loyalty to Ozpin has been questioned, no one would dare question his devotion to Vale.
The desk next to them was occupied by Taiyang Long and his daughter. The usual humor seen in the good natured man was gone and the expressionless face of a politician had taken over. Many had believed that it was foolish for Taiyang to sit as clan head over Qrow, however the blonde had readily proved them wrong in several ways.
At the next desk is the Ren Clan, the clan head being Lie Roe. While Roe was the second oldest of all the clan heads even though he appeared to be the youngest of them all, much to the chagrin of the others. He was adorned in a green cape and his hair contained the pink highlights all members of the Lie clan had.
Than there was the Lie's greatest ally, the Valkyrie Clan, led by one Sora Valkyrie. Much like her daughter, Sora was the epitome of cheer and happiness. However, despite her bubbly personality, there was no clan head more feared than her. She has actually inspired many enemy shinobi to develop mental diseases, upon hearing her laughter in combat. Sora's orange hair matched well with her pink cape.
Next in line was the oldest and leader of the largest clan in Vale, Frost Schnee. The white cape he wore perfectly matched his personality. A man generally perceived to be cold and uncaring, it is hard to defend him, but Vale would not be where it is today financially without this man. Some may view the wrinkles beginning to show on his face as a sign of weakness, and that is exactly what he would want them to think.
Sitting in the desk next to Schnee was Leora Belladonna and Blake. Leora had never been one to seek out the other clan heads for anything, instead she waited for them to seek her out. The Belladonna Clan being the village's main source of all matters concerning fuinjutsu brought them quite a bit of importance, and Leora used this to her advantage often. This uncaring attitude brought her the ire of many, however it didn't seem to affect the faunus in the black cape.
Marik and Pyrrha Nikos were at the next table. The Nikos clan is actually the oldest one that has resided in Vale, being traced all the way back to the founding of the village. The redhead clan have always been known as natural leaders, and that was a clear trait in the two sitting there.
Finally there sat the newest addition to Vale, the Arc Clan. Jules Arc was a middle aged blonde man, who seemed a bit too naive to for this line of work, however having a seat in this room clearly shows he is capable. His blue cape seemed a tad too large for the blonde's lean frame.
"Welcome everyone." Ozpin addressed the already silent group "We've few issue to discuss today, but I assure you they are important enough to deem a meeting."
"I assume you're referring to the incident with Leaf?" Frost asked before anyone else could.
"It would be good to bring up." Ozpin nodded.
"How have they reacted to the skirmish?" The always polite Roe asked.
Ozpin looked to Glynda who answered "They have sent no official document to us regarding it, however our sources report that the Hyuga are displeased."
Taiyang scoffed and said "Does anything ever please those fools?"
Ignoring his friend's remark Marik asked "Do we know if the Hyuga boy was part of the main branch?"
"Our sources haven't been able to confirm." Glynda answered.
"I believe our Tensai could." Ozpin offered, immediately directing every head's attention to the young girls in the room. Ozpin then asked them "Tell me did you see the Caged Bird Seal on the boy?"
Pyrrha and Yang did their best to hide their utter confusion having no idea what their leader was asking them, however being a Belladonna, Blake knew what Ozpin was addressing "We weren't able to tell." Blake answered "His headband covered his forehead."
"That about guarantees him being a branch member." Jules pointed out.
"True," Leora agreed "but why would the Hyuga be so upset about a branch member being in danger?"
"His sensei is Mighty Guy, that's not someone Leaf would have teaching an ordinary shinobi." Roe suggested then turned to Sora "I believe the two of you are acquainted?"
The devilish chuckle that escaped the woman's mouth seemed to lower the rooms temperature as she responded "Oh, I'm sure he remembers our last scuffle."
"Branch member or no we'll continue to monitor the situation in Leaf." Ozpin announced ending that discussion. "Now onto the main reason you have been called here. There is a potential opportunity to be had, there are risks but the rewards may be more than worth it."
Having gotten everyone's attention Ozpin turned to Ironwood "James, inform the group about the situation in the Land of Waves."
Heya everyone, sorry this took longer than usual to come out. It seems I have a project to do in every course I'm taking. Enough about terrible school, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Favorites, reviews, and all that good stuff are always inspiring! Thanks again!
Until Next Time