CHAPTER 2 - Confessions
"Never thought you'd see me again?"
"What are you doing here, Yang?
"I just...I just want to talk to you. Just a couple minutes, and I'll be out of your hair. Promise."
*Sighs*. "Fine. Speak."
Yang is sitting down on a bench at a garden, a statue of a woman standing near her. Holding something in her clenched hands, she slowly sighs. Sitting next to her, with her green hair pulled back and tied, Emerald Sustrai watches as Yang tries to speak. She is covered in dirt from gardening. She also sees that the object Yang is holding is a a locket.
"You wanted to speak." Emerald said. "So please...speak. Or I will just leave."
"Ok, ok." Yang said, before she speaks again. "I...I kept a secret. A terrible one. From the man who was...my best friend. I wanted to tell him. So badly. But he was hurting. Hurting so much, that he would keep to himself a lot. And if I told him...I would lose him forever."
"This sounds like something that should be said to a priest." Emerald said.
"No, no, no." Yang said. "Not a priest. No. I...I just feel comfortable saying this to a friend...or an acquaintance. You know what I mean."
Emerald sighs in annoyance. "Fine, then. So. Your friend. Why was he hurting? Was he still still feeling pain, from losing half of his family?"
"That, yes." Yang answered. "But...something else happened...couple months ago. One that almost broke him." Her lips begin shaking and tears begin to fall. She takes a few seconds to calm herself down, before speaking again. "I wish I told him. But I didn't want to hurt him more. I...I cared about him a lot. We took care of each other. I also helped take care of Nora. She wasn't the same after...after what happened almost a year ago. And...she was close...close to at least finally recovering." She smiles. "She was finally laughing again. Was starting to be her old self again. And as Jaune was taking care of her, trying to keep her safe...they got close. Very close."
Emerald raises her eyebrows. "Were they...together?"
Yang shrugged. "Beats me. Kinda looked like it. I think I might've seen her give him a kiss. But she was happy again. And I was starting to feel happy again, too. Having friends close to me again, was the best feeling in a long time." Her smile then begins to fade. "But all that changed...that one night. The one night, that I fucked up everything."
Emerald notices that Yang's leg shaking fast.
"Are you...comfortable with telling me the details?" She asked. "You look like you aren't."
But all Yang does is stand up and walks to the statue. Staring at it, she puts her hands in her pockets.
"Sometimes...it's take time, to tell the rest of the story." Emerald said, approaching Yang. "But you don't have to tell me, you know. You shouldn't even trust me. Given I was the reason why every bad thing that had happened...during that night at the Vytal Festival?"
"True." Yang answered. "...But Ruby always known something that Mercury didn't have. We all saw you, when you realized that Cinder didn't make it. You cried. And that showed that you cared for her."
"And your point?"
"...Ruby saw good in you, despite you being on the wrong side. And...I guess Weiss did too. That's why she vouched for you to not be jailed."
"...Sometimes, I wish I was imprisoned." Emerald said. "I deserved everything that I caused. But...I guess this...is my punishment...and my redemption. Gardening and community service for 2 years."
Yang slowly nods. "Thanks for listening. Maybe we'll talk later."
Emerald says nothing else as she watches Yang walk away, down the street and hopping on Bumblebee. She waves her hand as Yang drove by, before entering returning to tend to the garden.
OFFICE
Weiss sits in her desk, her hands in front of her face as she stares outside her window.
"Weiss?"
She slowly turns away from the window to look at Velvet, who looks at her with worry.
"Everything alright?"
Weiss just lays back on her desk and stares at the ceiling. "Just...just thinking. It's a rough week, Velvet. Getting shot...that explosion at the diner...what Yang told us at the hospital. I just...I don't know whether to feel angry at her...or sad."
"She does regret it, Weiss." Velvet said. "That's why when Jaune screamed at her, Yang broke down in front of us. It's a lot to take in."
"Yeah." Weiss said, as she stands up. "But we shouldn't let this distract us from our own lives."
"That's probably a good idea." Velvet said, nodding. "You've pretty much done nothing for the past hour."
"...Huh?"
"You...didn't notice the files on your desk?"
Weiss quickly turns to look at her desk. A small stack of files was on top of it. She then takes them and looks at each one. "Okay...noise complaints...employees hating their coworkers. We can fix that one, real quick. Ya-da, ya-da. Nothing too important." Her face shows surprise as an envelope intrigues her. On the front was a name of the sender: Blake Belladonna "Velvet. How long was this here?"
"Few days." Velvet answered. "Blake wanted to meet you personally. But you were in the hospital, so she sent a file instead."
"...Blake." Weiss said, her tone having some anger. "She's got some real nerve, I give her that."
Weiss then stands up and walks to her window as she reads the letter. "Says here that she plans on attending the anniversary, where she plans on announcing a Faunus Embassy here in Vale." Scoffs. "Yep. Of course."
"You sound...angry." Velvet said, worried.
"Oh, I have every reason to be angry, Velvet." Weiss said as she sets the letter done.
"Opening an embassy doesn't sound like a bad idea."
"No! It's not about the embassy!" Weiss exclaims, her voice raising. "I'm angry at Blake! Let me remind you, that after...after Ruby died...and after Sun died...she abandoned all of us. She abandoned me. She abandoned Yang. Do you have any idea how much damage she further caused by leaving? It's like with after the Fall of Beacon, all over again."
"How much damage?" Velvet said.
"It broke Yang. She needed her, at the worst time she was having. And Blake wasn't there. Again. Nobody was there to help her heal. I didn't even help her. And that's why she's like this, now. So yeah. I'm angry at Blake. And Yang probably will too."
"Weiss." Velvet said. "Blake had every reason for leaving." She watches Weiss cross her arms. "She watched Sun die in front of her eyes, Weiss."
"Yeah?" Weiss said. "Well, I watched Ruby die. But you don't see me running away form everyone."
"It's not just that." Velvet nods. "She...she experienced another tragedy after she left." She sees the confusion in her eyes. "I don't even think you know, huh?"
"Know...what?"
Velvet proceeds to take out her Scroll and swiping. "This happened a few months ago. Blake and her parents were in Mistral to discuss an embassy with the Council there." She hands the Scroll to Weiss. "But something terrible happened. And the news never made it past the Kingdom."
Weiss looks shocked as she looks at the new headline:
Anti-Faunus Protester Attack Belladonna Family. Chieftain and Wife Killed.
Velvet takes her Scroll and puts it away. "Let's just say that Blake won't be the same, the next time you see her."
Weiss goes to sit down and rests her head on her hands.
"Please don't start this in a hostile way." Velvet said.
Weiss stares down at the table as she begins to think.
CEMETERY
Yang is sitting on the grass of the cemetery that she's in, staring at the grave in front of her. Tears were already falling down her face as she looks at the name: Nora Valkyrie. She proceed to grab a small bottle and drink the contents inside. She then stoppers the bottle proceeds to let it rest on Nora's grave.
"Hey."
Yang doesn't turn to see who's talking. She just lowers her head as Jaune approaches her. He goes to sit down next to the blonde, looking at the gravestone.
"How long have you been here?" Jaune asked.
"...About an hour." Yang answered. "Didn't expect you to be talking to me again. After what I said in that room."
"...I know." Jaune said. "I am angry, Yang. Very angry. But...I know it wasn't your fault."
"...You know it was."
Jaune looks at Nora's grave with sadness, before he speaks. "It wasn't. You can't blame yourself for something that could've happened to anybody."
"I brought her to that bar." Yang said. "I thought that...If I hadn't...the car would've never..."
Yang tries to stop her emotions as she talked. But she would angrily pound her fist on the fist, making a small hole. She would proceed to stand up and walk away. But she would be stopped when she feels a hand around her wrist.
"Let go, Jaune." Yang said as she tries to free herself.
Jaune doesn't release his grip as Yang tries again.
"Please let me go." Yang said as tears fall down her face.
But all Jaune does next is bring Yang closer, hugging her tight. The blonde stays frozen for a few seconds before she hugs back and her head is buried onto his shoulder. He also feels her grabbing his shirt tightly as she breaks down. Jaune would then proceed to stroke Yang's hair.
"It's okay. Just let it all out."
Yang's muffled screams are heard as she continues to sob. And all Jaune can do is comfort his friend. But the sounds of an explosion is heard nearby, causing the two blondes to flinch and look at the direction of where it happened. Jaune growls and runs towards it.
"Wait!" Yang yells. "What are-". She stops when she sees someone fly into the air, their sword raised up before they launch down. Yang would then proceed to follow Jaune out of the cemetery. As they exit, they both suddenly stop, looking shocked.
Many men wearing black masks are lying on the ground, either dead or unconscious. And in the middle of it, the masked woman from the diner stands there, using a piece of cloth to wipe the blood off her sword. Yang is able to look at the sword and recognizes its look, before going eyes wide.
"Hello, Yang." The woman said. "It's been a long time."
The woman then proceeded to remove the device over her mouth and taking off the cloth over her head, revealing a pair of cat ears.
"Wait. What?" Jaune said, eyes wide still.
The woman proceeds to slowly turn around to look at the two. Blake Belladonna sadly looks at them, scars in some areas of her face, and the tip of one of her ears is gone. And a burn mark is on the right side of her neck. The three of them just stare at each other for a few seconds, before one of them speaks.
"...Blake..." Yang said as she starts to walk closer to Blake.
The cat-eared girl slowly backs away, making Yang stop. "Don't come near me, please."
"Blake?"
"Just don't. This was a mistake."
Blake quickly disguises herself and proceeds to uses a fire escape to climb up a building, leaving the two blondes at the street. The sounds of sirens begin to be heard.
"Come on." Jaune said. "We gotta go."
He grabs Yang by her arm and the two of them begin to run the opposite direction from the bodies on the street.
NIGHT - ROOM
A window slowly opens as someone inside is carrying a stack of boxes towards the men. The woman sighs when she hears the window and proceeds to put the boxes down. The chameleon girl, Ilia Amitola, watches as Blake enters the room. Blake closes the window, draws the curtains, and takes off her disguise before looking at Ilia.
"How'd it go?" Ilia asked.
Blake ignore the question and just sits down. She slowly starts taking off the jacket that she wore. But she winces in pain as her right sleeve slides off, revealing a bleeding cut on her arm. Ilia opens a cabinet and takes out a first-aid kit.
Minutes later, Ilia is halfway through stitching Blake's cut, while the latter just stares at the floor.
"How this happen?" Ilia asked.
"...I don't know." Blake answered. "Maybe one of them slashed at me while fighting."
"Well, you're lucky this isn't deep." Ilia said, as she finishes the stitching and proceeding to wrap the wound with gauze. "Anything else?"
Blake's leg begins shaking before she answers. "I...I saw Yang today."
Ilia stops wrapping upon hearing this.
"She and Jaune...they saw what I did. She saw my sword. I just...I just had this urge to reveal myself."
"How did she react?"
"...I didn't stick around for too long. But she was surprised. After all...I haven't seen her or anyone else since the Tragedy."
Ilia finishes with the gauze and sets the first-aid kit aside, before sitting behind Blake. She wraps her arms around the latter's neck and rests her head on Blake's left shoulder.
"I know how much you didn't want to come back to Vale, Blake." Ilia said. "You were worried about what or who changed since you left."
Blake turns her head, so that her face is across from Ilia's. "But you convinced me, after weeks of trying. And now we're here. And we got some work to do."
Blake the places her hand on top of Ilia's before moving her head forward, her lips meeting the latter's. After a couple seconds, Blake backs her head away.
"I'll be heading to bed." Ilia said. "Got a big day tomorrow. And we all need out beauty sleep."
Ilia stands up and is about heading for the door to the room. But Blake grabs her wrist, making the latter turn to her.
"Can you...can you stay with me tonight?" Blake asked.
Ilia smiles. "Of course."
THE NEXT DAY - PATCH
Yang sits alone inside her living of the house that once belonged to her dad, Taiyang. But now it's hers. Yang lifts her head to look at a set of photos on a wall. One of them is the same one, that she looked at, the year before. The one with her, Taiyang and Ruby having a picnic. Another picture has her, Ruby, and Qrow Branwen, their uncle, standing in front of Beacon Academy, the school having opened once again a month after the Tragedy. As she looks around the other photos, she hears the sounds of footsteps getting louder. But they suddenly stop.
"Weiss. Are you alright?"
Yang goes to a window, slightly moves the curtain, and sees both Weiss and Velvet. Weiss is frozen in place, her eyes showing sadness. Velvet looks at her in worry.
"...I...I'm sorry. I haven't...I haven't been here since...since I went to Ruby's grave." Weiss said.
Velvet gets closer to Weiss, putting her hands on the latter's shoulders. "I know how hard it is, Weiss. I felt the same way, when visiting my team's graves. But you can't just stop now."
Weiss nods and places her hands on top of Velvet's. "Yeah. Ok."
Yang sadly watches the two approaching the door. But before they know, Yang decides to open the door. The three of them stare at each other before one of them speaks.
"Thank you for coming." Yang said, grabbing her arm and turning around. "Please close the door after you enter."
Velvet looks at Weiss before the two of them enter the house, with Weiss closing the door. Weiss takes a look around the interior of the house.
"Everything looks...the same as before." Weiss said.
"...Guess I didn't feel like changing anything." Yang as as she exits her kitchen, carrying a tray with 2 cups and a coffee kettle. The tray also carries cream and sugar. Yang puts the tray down onto the small table between the couch and the TV. Weiss and Velvet sit down and help themselves to the coffee as Yang sits down herself.
"Thank you, Yang." Velvet said before taking a sip.
All Yang does is nod before her leg begins shaking.
"We appreciate the coffee." Weiss said. "But we would like to know why you have call us to visit? Given that we haven't been here in months, we're just curious."
"...Right. Right." Yang said. "Well...it's about Blake."
"You mean by the fact that she's here in Vale?"
Yang is surprised. "Wait. You already know?"
"Of course I do." Weiss answered. "I received reports of Blake and several Faunus arriving in Vale to discuss opening an embassy there. And as the head of the Schnee Dust Company, I volunteered to help with the funding of their campaign."
"Which was a very generous thing to do." Velvet said. "Given what had happened to her, it was a wise-"
"Wait." Yang said with a confused look. "What do you mean?"
The sounds of the front door knocking is heard. Yang quickly gets up and opens the door. She looks at Jaune, who walks inside with his Scroll on.
"Turn in your TV." Jaune said. "You're gonna-"
He stops upon seeing Weiss and Velvet sitting.
"Thought I'd invite them over." Yang said.
"I...just turn in the TV."
Weiss sees the remote next to her, picks it up, and clocks a button. The screen turns on, with news footage of a building and a limo stopping in front of it. The screen cut to another camera that is between the limo and building. The back doors to the limo open. And everyone watches as both Blake and Ilia exit, the two of them wearing formal clothing Reporters get closer to the two as they walk towards the building. Ilia manages to keep them away from Blake as the latter reaches the top step of the stairs. Blake suddenly stops and turns around to face the reporters. Ilia stands next to her. Yang watches in surprise as Blake speaks.
"Ladies and gentlemen." Blake said. "As evident, you have had heard reports of numerous Faunus arriving in an airship with a white lotus logo on it. Now a number of people have expressed their concerns about whether or not, we are either a threat or we come peacefully. I can assure every single one of you. The White Lotus absolutely have no intent on being violent, unlike the White Fang. If violence is used by us, it will be only to defend ourselves from those who are not fond my people. But again...we are a peaceful organization."
"Miss Belladonna."
Blake looks at a green-haired reporter, sporting bunny ears.
"Miss Belladonna. Exactly what brought your organization to Vale?"
"Good question. Me and several diplomatic members of the White Lotus were granted an audience with the Vale Council to discuss a Faunus embassy here in Vale. And as of now, we have several being built all over Remnant. Mainly in the Kingdoms. But in several villages and non-Kingdom cities. All except for Atlas, who has refused many times, despite our peaceful talks. I cannot blame them, for their hatred of Faunus nor will I be angry at them."
"Of course, Atlas would never help the Faunus." Weiss said, with a mad look.
"The reason for the Embassies is to increase Faunus Huntsmen and Huntress help in smaller cities and villages, while maintaining communications with embassies in the Kingdoms. We aim to give many Huntsmen and Huntresses the chance to help those in need. The opportunity to work alongside Humans without the need of violence against each other. And I pray that this will be a successful campaign. Next question."
"Miss Belladonna." A grey-haired man said. "Was the deaths of your family, you main motivation into starting this campaign?"
"Wait. What?" Yang said, her eyes wide in shock.
Yang just watches as Blake doesn't answer. The Fuanus just stares at the reporter before she moves her head away. Ilia walks forward with anger in her face. But her wrist is grabbed by Blake, who nods. Ilia calms down and backs aways. Blake takes a few seconds, breathing slowly before answering.
"The answer is yes. My parents...they fought for equal right for the Faunus, a long time ago. And they wanted to try again. But...some people, both human and Faunus, didn't want that. And now they're gone. My father, Ghira Belladonna, once told me something that I remember to this day: No matter what happens...when life knocks you down...we can choose, whether or not...to get back up. And that's why I'm here. I got back up. And I'm living up to the dreams that my parents longed for. Thank you all. No more questions."
The reporters still ask questions as Blake and Ilia turn to enter the beginning. Weiss proceeds to turn the screen off. She turns to Yang, who just sits there and staring at the floor.
"Yang?" Velvet said with worry.
Yang taps her hand onto the armrest before she gets up and walk upstairs as the three just watch her.
"Just give her some time." Jaune said. "I'll go talk to her later.
BUILDING
Blake is inside a room, where she is lightly sobbing, her hands covering her eyes and tears falling down her face. Ilia is holding Blake as the latter cries.
"It's okay, Blake." Ilia said, stroking Blake's hair. "It's okay.
The pair just sit in the room as Blake still cries and Ilia comforts her.
EVENING - PATCH
Yang sits on the floor on her floor, sadly watching the moonlight shining through her window.
"I never knew about her parents." She said.
"It's understandable, Yang."
Jaune is sitting nearby, watching Yang with sadness.
"And now she's in Vale." Yang said. "I haven't her since that day...in the forest." She turns to Jaune. "I want to see her. Check on her. But...a part of me doesn't want to."
"Well, it's completely up to you, Yang." Jaune said. "Only you can make that decision."
Yang turns her head back and stares at the ground.
"Weiss and Velvet will be meeting her tomorrow. Blake wanted to discuss a few things in regards to the embassy. And Weiss was happy to listen. So...you have until tomorrow to make that decision."
"...Are you going to go?"
Jaune stares in silence for a few seconds before answering. "Yeah. Probably."
The sounds of a Scroll is ringing. Jaune takes out his and his eyebrows raise upon who is ringing. "It Oscar."
Yang quickly turns in surprise. "Oscar. Haven't heard from him in a while."
Jaune answers his Scroll. "Hey. It's been a while." As he listens in, his tone drops. "Oh. It's you, Oz. What do you want?"
Yang just stares at Jaune as he is listening to Ozpin. After a minute, Jaune ends the call. He stares at his Scroll, before putting it away.
"What's wrong?" Yang asked.
"...That was Ozpin." Jaune answered. "He wants to speak to all of us. In 2 days...we're heading back to Beacon."
Yang stands up and quickly nods her head. "No."
Jaune looks at Yang with confusion. "What?"
"I'm not got back there." Yang answered in anger. "Never again."
"What...what do you mean? Yang? What is wrong? Talk to me."
"No, no, no, no, no!" Yang repeats as she walks around the room and grabbing her head.
"Whoa, whoa." Jaune said, grabbing Yang and making her look at him. "Yang. You're scaring me."
Yang's anger slowly fades away, before sadness takes over. "I...I can't go back, Jaune. I just can't."
"Why?" Jaune asked softly. "You can tell me anything, Yang. And I'll keep it myself. I promise. All you have to do...is just tell me."
Yang stays silence for about a minutes, with Jaune still holding. But she would say something that would shock Jaune.
"Ozpin knew...he knew what was going to happen...he knew Ruby was going to die."
END OF CHAPTER 2
MAN! I finally got a new chapter up. And man, the changes that occur during writing. Scenes that I was going to write. only for me to make changes later on. It happens. So yeah. The end of Chapter 2. Chapter 3 might bring back Ozcar(Oscar and Ozpin) as well as reunited the former team RWBY after a year of separation. But we'll see once I begin writing. Until then...later guys.