A/N: Hey everyone! Blue again. This one is a little shorter then the other chapters, but hopefully you enjoy it none the less. I really had fun writing this and was giggling editing it. With out giving too much away, let's just say that my Yang side is showing again.

Also, I was thinking of writing a short little thing about Raven based on the new information we learned about her (I won't go into specifics in case anyone hasn't seen Vol. 5 Ep. 12). If you guys would be interested in seeing something along those lines let me know... Even though the cannon will probably disprove my idea anyways... But I can dream!... siiiiigh...

Thanks for all of your reviews, you guys are seriously the best. This chapter is a little fluffy, but the next chapter is where this story will really... amp up a bit (*Evil laughter builds in the background*). Please let me know what you think! Enjoy the Bees!

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

Chapter 6

Adam slammed the door of the Belladonna household behind him. He stomped towards the map pinned to the wall, took the pen nearby and roughly squiggled out a path. The map was basically all ink at this point, they had covered every possible inch of the forest and found nothing.

"Are you sure it was in the woods?" Adam growled in frustration. "Or has your brain finally addled from age, old man."

When the man didn't respond to his question, he whipped around to lash out at him again. But he stopped himself when he saw the man looking down at something in his hands. It was a book, The Count of Monte Cristo. Fat tears silently fell down his cheeks, his face devoid of any hope.

"She never got to finish this one." He said. His voice sounded hoarse and pathetic.

"She'll be able to read it once I find that beast and slay it." Adam huffed.

"We can't find her, Adam. She's gone, disappeared. I lost her too, just like Kali." Ghira moaned. The large man started to sob at his revelation.

"The only thing you might have lost is your marbles. She couldn't have just disappeared."

"SHE'S GONE, ADAM!" Ghira yelled through pain filled tears.

Adam took a step back from the grieving man. There was no use in talking to him in this state, he was just an irrational mess. There was no way Adam would believe that Blake was just gone, not after all the work he put into teaching himself, hunting and looking for her. He was too stubborn and determined. Perhaps there was no beast, and the old man was simply making it up to cope with the fact that Blake ran off. But she left so much here. So that meant that she had to come back some time.

"Look old man, I'm not going to make anymore trips to the forest. There's obviously no manor. When Blake does decide to come and visit, you let me know."

"Get out." The man said in a low tone, barely audible at all.

"Excuse me?"

"Get out of my house. You don't care about us at all, do you? Only your own selfish goals. So get out, get out of my house and GO TO HELL!" He said, getting progressively louder with each sentence. He rose from his chair and towered over the young hunter.

"Fine. You're welcome, sir!" He spat back with venom. He stomped out of the room much like how he entered.

"Didn't go so well?" An amused voice asked outside. Roman stood just to the side of the door, twirling his cane.

"An understatement." Adam said pinching the bridge of his nose. "I think I'm gonna have to call in a favor, Roman."

"What is this, eight now?"

"Nine."

"Honest fella, aren'tcha."

"From time to time."

"What do you need?"

"Ghira won't let me come anywhere near the house after that, but I need to know when Blake is back."

"So you want me to scope the place out and see when your girl is back."

"Yes."

"I can manage that." Roman said with a sly grin.

XxXxX

Yang's eyes slowly flitted open as the light cast down on her. She felt sore all over, which made sense after last night. Her body was changing again, this time it was wings. They had not fully emerged, but Yang had a feeling they would when it was too late. It was growing closer and closer to the deadline anyways.

"Mmmph," Yang heard a soft voice hum. She stiffened, suddenly remembering another detail of the previous night. Blake. She had come in while she was changing. The girl had held Yang and tried to assist her through the ordeal. Yang thought she had made it all up, but here she was. Snuggled up against Yang's bare chest. She might not have the same anatomy as she used to, but Yang felt very awkward having her against her like this. At the same time, she savored the contact and the view of the sleeping girl.

Surprisingly, Blake looked fairly comfortable, even if she was sleeping on a floor that was undoubtedly cold. She stirred in her sleep a little and buried her head further into Yang's chest.

"Oh gosh." Yang voiced. How did this girl manage to make her feel so flustered and warm all the time. She was a dragon, A DRAGON!

The beast had the urge to show the girl some affection. Something light and sweet, but she looked at her claws and doubted that anything she did would be light or sweet. So carefully, very carefully, she ran her claw through her untied ebony locks (it was so soft, she could have cried). She hadn't seen her with her hair down before. She had such long beautiful hair, Yang didn't understand why she chose to keep it in that low ponytail. Yang never did with her long, wild, vibrant mane. But now it was really just long and wild. Couldn't hold a candle to her former glory.

"Hmm?" Blake hummed again, this time gaining consciousness. She adorably blinked a couple times and looked up to Yang. For a moment, Yang was afraid she would realize who she was cuddling up to and jump back. Instead, she smiled. She smiled up at Yang and the dragon felt her heart leap into her throat.

"Good morning. Are you feeling better?" She asked, voice still laden with sleep.

"A-a little sore, b-but much b-better. Thanks." Yang answered.

"Good, I was worried." Blake said. She yawned and shifted a bit, but made no attempt to move away from Yang. "So all those other times, that was you?"

"Yes."

"You transform at night?"

"Not every night."

"You're growing wings."

"I guess so."

"It's not your choice."

"No, it's not."

"Is this the curse?"

"Yes."

"As much as I like twenty questions, Yang, I need some answers. As... as your friend."

Yang sighed. She really didn't want to tell her, but after what she saw, she deserved an explanation.

"I was... We all were cursed by an enchantress. It reveals what we really are on the inside. Ruby was beautiful, Weiss saw everything and I... I was a monster. It turned me as ugly as I was on the inside."

"You don't seem that ugly, Yang."

"You didn't know me before. I was awful, I can see that now. I just wish the enchantress could see how much I've changed." Yang said. "It's a slow process too. I am cursed to slowly turn more and more beast like and ultimately... Lose my humanity."

"Your humanity?" Blake asked.

"Yes."

"So... You used to be..." Blake asked, not wanting to finish the phrase.

"Yes. I was."

"Oh, I see."

"That's... why I'm so ashamed. Because this," Yang said, gesturing down her body. "Is what I really am. I've always been a monster, she just revealed it to the world."

"No, Yang. You're not."

"How can you say that, Blake? After I took your father captive! After I forced you to help me! I'm nothing but a monster! I'm a selfish monster that doesn't deserve people like Ruby, Weiss or you." Yang yelled, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "I don't deserve this kindness. I am nothing but a beast."

"Yang! You are not a monster. You've just made some bad decisions, and that doesn't make someone bad. That just makes you... Well... Human." Blake told her. "A monster wouldn't be doing all this for Ruby and Weiss. A monster wouldn't fill a room with flowers, just to make someone smile. And a monster certainly wouldn't feel bad about their past misdeeds."

"Y-you really think that?" Yang asked, afraid that she may tell her contrary.

"Of course I do. I've gotten to know you, Yang. And there is so much good in you. I can see it." Blake told her, placing a hand right over Yang's heart. "I think you are beautiful, inside and out."

That got Yang. She started sobbing and pulled Blake closer to her in a gentle hug. Blake wrapped her arm around Yang the best she could to reciprocate the embrace.

"Thank you."

XxXxX

"A day off?" Yang asked, slipping her ripped up shirt on.

"I think we both deserve one, don't you think?" Blake said. After Yang had stopped crying and after Blake helped bandage the self-inflicted wounds on Yang's arms, Blake suggested they take the day and just relax. No textbooks (A shocker, considering who said it), no curses, just a relaxing day where they could do whatever they felt like doing.

"I don't know." Yang said. She combed through her mane like she did whenever she was unsure. It was a nervous habit that Blake had learned to read.

"Yang, you must be exhausted from yesterday. First, you got up early to find all those flowers. And then last night happened." Blake pointed out. "Let's just relax today. Take it easy."

It was strange to hear herself say these words. Ever since she got here, she had been so focused on trying to break the curse so she could leave. But now, she was more concerned for Yang. It's not like one day would set them back so much.

"Ok, what do you want to do?"

"Hmm." Blake said. "How about we go for a walk. Outside, around the manor?"

"Sounds great." Yang replied with a large grin. She reached behind her and grabbed the cloak Blake lent her last night. "Here, this is yours."

"You... You can hold onto it." Blake told her. She didn't really need comfort right now, Yang did. Ironically, right now, Yang was her comfort. She couldn't explain how, she couldn't explain why. She just was.

"O-ok, thank you Blake." Yang said, fastening the cloak to her back. It actually looked good on her. Yang then offered her right elbow to Blake. "Will you accompany me on this walk, Miss Belladonna?"

"Why certainly, Miss... Um." Blake stammered. She was totally blanking, did she ever learn Yang's last name?

"Xiao Long." Yang informed.

"But isn't your sister's last name Rose?"

"We have different mothers. She took her mother's surname, while I took my father's."

"Do your parents... know about this?" She gestured around them.

"They disappeared long before this, but I imagine my uncle has no idea what has happened to us."

"Oh, you were the people who lived here before. The rumors said that..." Blake trailed off, not wanting to tell Yang the stories people made up about her.

"Rumors? What did they say?"

"They said that... A beast slaughtered the people who lived here first."

"Of course they did." Yang said in an unamused tone.

"They don't know any better."

"Yeah well, they don't take kindly to any sort of differences. No matter how small."

"Did something happen before?" Asked the raven-haired girl, knowing there was more to her words.

"The process was slow at first. A tail, some sharp teeth, claws, and the horns. They could all be disguised, so I would go out from time to time. One time I tried to find some people I thought were my friends. I begged for their help. And when they saw me, saw my face... they laughed. They told me that they could never be friends with a monster."

"Yang, I'm sorry." Blake told the beast. It made sense why she didn't want to read the Count of Monte Cristo, she had suffered enough betrayal.

"It's in the past now." Yang told her. "And besides, I have a real friend now, right?"

"You do." Blake confirmed.

"So." Yang said, clapping her claws together. "How about that walk?"

"Let's go."

After running to grab a coat, the pair made their way down to the main entrance, where Yang flung the doors open. They were greeted by an unexpected, but not unwelcome sight.

"Snow!" Yang shouted, bouncing in excitement. "Come on, let's go! Let's go!"

There was a thin layer of snow accumulated on the ground. Slow graceful snowflakes flitted and fluttered, falling to the earth in a rather elegant manner. It was an entirely serene scene. Until Yang bounded down into the courtyard, the cloak she wore waving behind her. She spun around and tried to catch some snowflakes on her large tongue (it was not a difficult feat). So preoccupied with this snowy surprise, she didn't even see a snowy surprise that came from Blake. A snowball landed on the right side of her snout.

"Did... did you just-" Yang started, but Blake stopped her with another snowball to the chest. "Oh it is so on!" Yang called out. Blake took cover behind one of the trees, but peered out to see what she was planning. The dragon was pulling in as much snow as she could to create a snowball the size of her head. She raised it above her, ready to throw it, but before she could, Blake used this opportunity to toss a well timed snowball at her face. Yang reeled back from the blow, dropping the larger snowball on top of her head.

"Yeah, it's on your head."

"Oh you think that's funny, huh?"

"A little, yeah." Blake said, giggling. Yang joined in her laughter, forming some small snowballs to pelt at her. Blake dodged most of them, but caught one to her left shoulder and one to her gut. Blake got her back for those shots by nailing her in the head three more times and another time in her chest. At the last shot, Yang dramatically clenched her chest and fell to her knees.

"Oof, I've been hit. I can't go on! Bleeah." She said, falling on her back and kicking her legs up and flopping them back on the ground. She stuck her tongue out for comedic effect. Blake laughed at the 'dead' beast and fell on the ground next to her. Not able to keep up the dead act while Blake was laughing, Yang burst out into laughter as well. "I should have known there was 'snow' way I could win."

"No, no you didn't just make a pun."

"I don't 'snow' what you mean, 'flake'."

"Stop that."

"'Ice' still don't understand, stop what?"

"Stop it!" Blake commanded, but her giggles gave away how she really felt.

"Woah, sounds like someone needs to 'chill out'."

"Uuuugh." Blake moaned. She couldn't believe it, she would have to live with a pun making, flower picking, snow loving dragon for the next six months.

Actually, that thought made her rather happy.

XxXxX

After their little early winter excursion, the two went inside to dry off. At least Blake did, Yang's natural heat helped dry her off pretty easily. They spent the rest of the night in a room they hadn't used in the past three months, the study. There was a fireplace in there, so Yang brought in some wood and lit the fire to keep Blake warm. Making a small detour to the library, Blake picked up the book they were in the middle of. Another romance, as per Yang's request. She read to Yang until she started to trail off, too sleepy to continue. Yang kept asking if she wanted to go to bed, but Blake would insist that she was fine and continued to read. Only to fall asleep a couple sentences later. By the fifth time this happened, Yang didn't even bother waking the bookworm up. She scooped her off of the ground and brought her back to her room, much like she did on one of her first nights here. But this time, Yang left a small kiss on the girl's cheek as she tucked her into her bed.

"Things seem to be progressing nicely." Weiss said from a mirror just outside of Blake's bedroom.

"What do you mean?"

"You and Blake. I see everything, Yang. I can see budding romance when it's there."

"You mean like you and Ruby?" Yang retorted, making Weiss scowl at her. Her blush, however, gave her away. "Besides, she only sees me as a friend."

"I don't know too many friends that act that way, Yang."

"You don't have too many friends. Just Ruby and me. And you want to kis-"

"ANYWAYS." Weiss cut her off. "Maybe you should tell her how you feel."

"No, not yet. I'm not ready, Weiss."

"Why not?" She asked. "It's not like we have much more time. In only six months you'll be twenty-one and the curse will be-"

"I know! I know. But that's still time. I don't want to scare her off if she's the only chance Ruby has." Said Yang. She started to walk away from the mirror.

"She means more than that and you know it, Yang."

Yang stopped walking and slumped her shoulders.

"I know, but what if I don't mean as much to her. What would I do then?" Yang asked. Weiss said nothing. What could she say? "And there's my problem."

Yang walked off to her room and slumped into her bed.

She already missed having Blake by her side.