Ozpin sipped his cup before looking at the remaining members of team RWBY. They were hurting, it was clear on their faces and he understood why, but he had to hear from them what happened. JNPR had arrived shortly after to find them on the ground, unconscious and the White Fang inside the SDC. Unfortunately almost half off the staff had been killed by the explosions or by the White Fang. JNPR managed to save the surviving staff members but Neo got away.
In front of Ozpin's desk stood RWBY, Ruby in the middle with Weiss on her left and Blake to her right. All three were hurting, mostly from the emotional pain rather than the bruises Ruby and Blake suffered. Blake and Weiss were confused at Yang's words. Neither could make heads or tail of what was happening.
Ozpin cleared his throat, getting the girls attention, "I'm sorry to have to bring you up here so soon. I know we usually give more time than a day when something like this comes up but it is important that I know what happened. Miss Rose, can you tell me what happened?"
Ruby wasn't sure she could get through the story without tearing up, but she nodded, "Yang said her concussion wasn't any better so we left her in the dorm. We went to guard the building and Weiss spotted figures in the distance. The building exploded in various places, I was hit with some rubble and when I came to Weiss was facing down Torchwick, Neo and a few White Fang goons. Blake and I got there and Torchwick said he was going to kill Yang if we didn't let the White Fang go in. It was my decision to let them go in, those lives are on my head. Blake tried to talk me out of it, don't blame her or Weiss." Ruby shook the guilt aside to get on with the story, "He let Yang go but she attacked us...I saw her closing in on Weiss and I just reacted. She threw me into Blake and I blacked out. I don't know what happened after words or what happened while I was down before."
Ozpin nodded, but he had a hard time picturing Yang striking her team mates. He was well aware how close they were with each other, as well as team JNPR. "Blake, Weiss, do either of you have anything to add?"
Blake shook her head. "No."
Weiss sighed, "I think someone is making her work with them."
"Oh? What makes you say that?" Ozpin asked.
"When I was staring down Yang I told her I wouldn't fight her. I was begging her not to do it, told her we could help her. I was getting to her but he said that something would happen to her if Yang didn't do it." Weiss' eyes shot from the floor and up at Ozpin, confident in her words. "She doesn't want to help him! She doesn't want to hurt us. She even told me while she was grabbing my pressure point that she was sorry. Torchwick is threatening someone close to her. He's got something on someone she loves and she's trying to keep him quiet and save that person."
Ozpin nodded once again, "An interesting theory. Do you have any idea as to who it could be?"
"Well. No. But you know Yang. You know this isn't like her. There's something going on."
"I'll look into it. I think that's enough for now. You should go back to your dorm and rest. Don't worry about classes or guarding the SDC." The trio nodded and walked out of the office. Ozpin looked out the window at the Emerald Forest. "Maybe we were wrong about her."
The trip to the RWBY dorm was quiet, similar to the walk back the day before. None of them could sleep well, knowing the bed above Blake was empty, likely not to be filled again. They didn't know how to cope without Yang, without her silly puns and her loud laughter. They couldn't cope with how she turned on them. The question that ran through their heads was: Why?
Inside the RWBY dorm Weiss and Blake went to sit on their respective beds while Ruby stood in the middle. They finally had their first conversation since the incident. "Weiss. You think she's being forced to work with them?"
Weiss was surprised to hear Ruby speak to her but she nodded nonetheless. "Yes. You know it's not like her Ruby."
"Do I?" Ruby countered. "I thought I knew my sister and everything about her. But I never thought she would lay a finger on me like she did."
Blake interjected, "Ruby, I agree with Weiss. I heard her before she walked over to us. She said to Torchwick "Please don't make me do this." There's something going on that we don't know about."
"It could've been a trick." Ruby said. "Yang knows you're a Faunus. She could've said that to throw you off."
Weiss stood up, infuriated. "How can you even think that? Yang wouldn't do anything to hurt us willingly! She loves us! He's threatening her with something!"
"Like what? One of us? Do we actually have any dirty laundry? I mean, everyone knows about how your family's mistreatment of Faunus throughout history. I'm pretty sure Ozpin already knows about Blake being in the White Fang too."
"What about you?" Blake questioned. "She could be protecting you."
"I don't have any secrets, Blake. I've never done anything bad. And she wouldn't need to protect us from him if it was a physical threat because we're huntresses in training. We can defend ourselves."
"No. There's got to be something we're missing. Who else could it be? Ruby, what about your Mom?"
Ruby shook her head, "My mom's dead."
Weiss froze, feeling like she just kicked a puppy. "Ruby, I'm sorry."
Ruby shook her head once more, waving off the apology. "No. That could've been it, if she were alive. But…"
Blake could see the gears turning in the smaller girls head. "What is it, Ruby?"
"Yang's my half sister. We have the same Dad, but we have different moms. Her mom left when she was young, no reason to why or anything. Just gone. Then Dad met my mom and she basically raised Yang like she was her own. But Yang's always wondered about her birth mother. Maybe if Torchwick knows something about her or has her."
"Wait. Are you suggesting Yang turned on us for her own personal benefits?" Weiss asked, disgusted.
Ruby groaned exasperated. "I don't know, Weiss! I never thought she would hit me and look what happened! She always said she was going to protect me and here she is causing me pain." Ruby sighed, blinking the tears back. "All I know is Yang's never given up looking for her mother."
"She wouldn't do that to us! Yang would have us help her bust in and save her." Weiss argued.
Blake jumped in between the two. "This is all just speculation at this point anyway. We don't know anything concrete. But we can't give up on Yang without solid proof."
"You think I want to give up on her?" Ruby spun to the Faunus. "Of course I don't but look at the evidence I have! I didn't hear her say any of the things you two claim she said. Maybe it was your imagination. Your ears playing tricks on you. I don't know! All I know is I've lost the only family I had left."
"Ruby, you haven't lost your family. You still have me and Weiss." Blake said gently. "And what about your Uncle Qrow?"
"I…" Ruby sighed and buried her face in her hands. "You don't understand. You haven't lost family before!"
Both Blake and Weiss' faces hardened at that one sentence. Blake was in front of Ruby in a flash, "I know you're hurting right now, we are too, but don't take it out on us. You don't know about my family. You still have your dad, Qrow, Yang. I lost all of them. My parents, my aunt, my twin. They're all gone. Don't tell me I haven't lost any family!" The cat Faunus walked out of the RWBY dorm and slammed it behind her.
Ruby blinked, staring after Blake feeling the guilt build up inside of her. She looked at Weiss waiting for the screaming. Weiss just shook her head with a sigh. "My mom was on every station when she died. There's no way you could've have heard. We're hurting too, Ruby. Don't take your pain out on us, we don't need that. We need each other more than ever now." With that Weiss walked out of the room and tried to find Blake leaving Ruby alone in the dorm.
Weiss couldn't find Blake anywhere. She looked everywhere in Beacon and didn't find her teammate anywhere. Knowing Blake would come back when she was ready Weiss headed back to her room.
On the way she thought about what Ruby had said. Could Yang betray her team just for a mother she's never known? For one that possibly abandoned her on purpose? She couldn't believe that but she couldn't figure out what's going on. She's protecting someone, but why and who was a mystery. It was frustrating to think her Yang was out there helping wreck havoc on Vale just to protect one person.
She knew that if Yang came at her again she would have to defend herself. She could subdue Yang without hurting her and then they could bring her back to Beacon. Weiss didn't want to hurt the blonde, but she couldn't refuse to fight her again. If Ruby could go after Yang then surely she could to. She just had to push her feelings aside like her father told her. If you have no personal attachment you can get the job done easier. But would it be so easy to push the feelings aside?
Weiss sighed shaking her head. Dammit Yang why didn't you just tell me?! Weiss cursed in her head.
The heiress was so distracted she bumped into someone as she rounded the corner. The person fell to the floor with a familiar shout.
"Jaune?" Weiss looked down at the clumsy boy.
"Oh, hey Weiss."
Weiss held a hand towards him, "Sorry."
Jaune took her hand and got to his feet, "Eh, don't worry about it. How are you guys holding up?"
"Honestly? Not good. Yang didn't do this to hurt us though. Something's going on, Jaune. Torchwick is threatening someone, maybe one of us, to keep her in line."
Jaune nodded, "Yeah, Pyrrha mentioned that may be why she turned on us. It's hard to believe Yang just jumped ship like that. How's Ruby taking it?"
"Hard. She's confused and hurt and she's lashing out at Blake and I. She's all but given up on Yang." A thought occurred to Weiss. "Jaune, you were her first real friend here. Why don't you talk to her?"
"I don't know, Weiss. I want to help but you know I'm not good with talking." Jaune said sullenly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"That may be just what she needs. I'm not asking you to fix her problems or anything. Just talk to her. Like I said you were her first real friend at Beacon, when Blake and I wouldn't even give her a chance. It would mean a lot if you talked to her."
Jaune thought for a moment before he gave a slight nod, "I see your point. I'll give it a try."
Weiss actually managed a smile, "Thank you, Jaune. I hope you can make her feel better even if it's just a small amount."
"I'll do my best."
"I think I'll go to the training room in that case. Oh, hey, wait. Have you seen Blake?"
The blonde defender shook his head, "Sorry, I haven't."
Weiss sighed, "Off to the training room then."
Weiss turned and walked down the hallway. Partway there Jaune called out, "Weiss!" Stopping she turned and look over her shoulder. "It may be a good idea to check around your dorm room. It's possible Yang could have left a something for you guys."
"That's a good idea. I'll look when I get back. Thanks, Jaune." With that the heiress marched off to the training area.
A/N Just to clarify, Ruby may seem out of character here. But I'm having her act from her emotions, she's hurt, confused, betrayed, she's lashing out. She is two years younger than the others so it's possible she would have a more immature reaction. Hopefully it's not too ooc.
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