Author's Notes:

Hey guys! I have an exciting news for you!

I.

Have made.

My very first.

Original story.

:D

It's a dark superhero story, sort of like a mash-up between Jessica Jones and Daredevil (my two favourite TV shows), but instead of focusing on the hero, I choose to focus on the regular civilian who will eventually get mixed up with the trouble. The main theme is mystery, but there's a decent amount of humour and action and suspense and - hell - even supernatural elements in it.

It's on Wattpad, and the title is called "Suffocating". I use the same username as I do in this site: ClementineDavidson.

I'd really appreciate it if you check it out. I won't be quitting on fan fiction, but I don't want to only write fan fiction, you know. It's limiting, at times, and I want to really prove myself as a writer. I get a lot more freedom with my own work, to twist and and turn the plot to my own liking.

I'll give you a sneak peek of the first chapter down below. Again, please check it out. I'm not asking you to follow it and love it or anything, just give it a read :)

Co-Writer:

FeugoFox42.

He's a superb writer and a superb lad~ his writing is also superb~ check out his work~

(Hey, that rhymed)

CHAPTER X

Unravel

"You doin' okay, partner?"

Weiss opened her mouth to lie and reassure the younger teen that, indeed, she was okay. But upon meeting those silver eyes that were equally filled with sorrow and doubt, she found no need. Why should she try to act fine when everybody knew she was faking it? When everybody knew no one could ever be fine after the knowledge they were given.

"... No, I suppose not. The Rogue Fang… What they did…" She bit her lip. She couldn't even put it into words - how horrifying it all was. It was… a nightmare. "How could anyone do that?"

Not even her great, fearless leader had an answer. "I… I don't know."

Weiss rubbed her temple, leaning forward to her chair, having no energy for perfect posture. Their discussion had left her exhausted. It had left them all exhausted, with her partner laying on her stomach on the heiress' bed, hugging a pillow closely to her chest - seeking for comfort, Weiss presumed, her sister pretending to be reading a magazine, and she herself with her notebook on the desk and pen in her hand…

As if she could study after everything.

"And Professor Goodwitch wants us to capture the man responsible…" She looked down at her cold, pale hands. The hands of huntresses in training who had only ever been in a real battle with real people so few times, each time only barely making it out alive. She shook her head in denial, looking at the younger girl who was equally as scared, gazing into her eyes as if she could find answers there. "How are we able to do that?"

"Well, she didn't say fight anyone…"

Ruby's words, meant to be reassuring, didn't reassure her in the slightest.

The probability of searching, finding, and not encountering the madman was low. Lower than the probability of finding him in the first place.

"But she wants us to find him… Who knows where he could be hiding…" She clenched her fists. "For all we know, he could already be in another Kingdom at this point. I just-" She froze, then let out a huge sigh, the little energy she had withering away. She pressed both hands to her face, drooping down. "I can't believe Blake knew all of this…"

"I mean, it's Blake!" Ruby did the 'jazz hands', wearing a sheepish, awkward smile - the kind she wore when she was trying and failing to lighten the mood. "We shouldn't be surprised." Ruby herself slumped back to the bed, bringing the pillow back to her chest and looking down dejectedly. "But yeah, still, I'm pretty surprised."

Weiss' heart broke at the sight.

… When I find Blake, I'm going to threaten her into apologizing to us. She briefly looked at Yang's bunk. All of us.

"Something about this just doesn't make sense…"

"What do you mean?" asked Ruby, tilting her head.

Weiss bit her lip. It was hard to explain, but… she'd try it anyway… Ruby was a good listener when she wanted to be, after all. "Before, she was so eager to execute the mission, to find out what the Rogue Fang was hiding," she started, looking up into Ruby's eyes to better convey this feeling of utter wrongness she felt. "She even went to me two or three days ago, explaining why something's so strange about the base. Compare that to how she is now…"

It was a complete one-eighty degree turn.

Could… Could it be that Blake knew something…? More than Goodwitch?

Or…

Could she somehow be involved in this? More than they thought?

We're missing a vital piece of the puzzle. I just know it!

"Just drop it, Weiss."

The Whiterose pair flinched at the uncharacteristically cold tone. They looked up only to find Yang already jumping down with practised movements, not bothering to look at either of them in the eyes.

"But-"

"No." Yang shook her head, her face covered with her bangs. They might not be able to see her… but they didn't miss the tremble in her voice either. "Please. Don't do this to her."

Ruby's eyes widened. Her big sis wasn't just angry. She was also… sad. Like, really sad. The kind of sad that was hard to understand. The kind of sad that was also filled with regret and disappointment and all of those other complicated emotions.

She looked at her older, more experienced partner for help, nudging her head to her sister's direction.

Weiss nodded, catching the memo, turning her attention to her usually-loud teammate. "What are you talking about?"

Yang looked down, her eyes darting as if searching for something.

Slowly, she met their eyes.

"You two do realize that… Blake's just a teenager like us," she reasoned, pausing to let her words sink in. She then ran her hand through her messy mane. "This whole crazy Rogue Fang evolution thing… She shouldn't have to deal with it." Her brows furrowed and she added, "We all shouldn't have to deal with it. Putting that huge burden to her…" She bit her lip, remembering how pained Blake had looked, how scared she was underneath all that anger. "It's not gonna do her any good. It shouldn't be our responsibility. Not anymore."

Sure, Blake might've done her wrong.

Sure, she needed to apologize for what she did.

Sure, she had to explain herself to Yang…

But Blake was still her partner.

She was still the determined, kindhearted, shy bookworm she'd come to know.

She was still the girl Yang loved.

Even after what she did to her… She still loved her and wanted to protect her and didn't want any harm to come to her.

Ruby blinked into realization, slowly nodding in understanding, as she looked down.

Weiss rubbed her arm, shifting her weight, feeling guilty. She… She never meant it like that, never wanted Blake to feel as if everything rested on her shoulders. But… "Even so, there's still something wrong about all of this, like a missing piece-"

"I said drop it!" roared Yang, her hair turning into a lighter color. She wasn't looking at them, but Weiss was willing to bet her eyes were red. "Blake's out on a date with Sun. She's not running off to chase after the leader that is totally real and not just a figment of a crazy terrorist's imagination!"

A beat, filled with heavy silence, passed.

And then another.

And then another.

"... Yang?"

She snapped her head to look at her persistent little sister. "What?!"

Ruby looked nervous, fidgeting and squirming in her bed as if she was hiding something. But she was also calm, the kind of calm she had whenever they were on a mission.

The sight of her solemn sister managed to ease off Yang's flame…

"Why do you say she's with Sun?"

And it went back in full-force.

"Because she told me so," she almost snarled, her voice a harsh whisper, "right before she went out from Beacon!"

"Yang…" Intensity and cold fury filled Ruby's eyes. "Blake's not on a date with Sun."

"Yes, and I doubt Blake sees him as more than a nuisance," Weiss added, her arms outstretched towards each of the sisters as a sort of mediator, afraid that something would catch fire or meet the sharp edge of Crescent Rose.

"Blake's on a date with Sun. There's no doubt about it." Yang howled out a fake laughter, grinning. "You were right. She really is making out with monkey boy."

"Blake's not out with Sun, Yang," Ruby repeated, her tone more urgent and forceful, only serving to anger the blonde even more.

"Oh yeah?"

Ruby's eyes narrowed, her own flame of rage starting to rise at being taunted like a child, but she forced herself to stay calm. Yang's not herself right now, she reasoned. She's tired, she's confused, Blake's missing, and something's happened between them.

She reached out for her scroll, fiddling with it for a short few seconds, stood up and walked to Yang before giving her the view of her device.

"Look."

Yang wanted to yell more, to blow off some steam, but, upon seeing her sister's pleading look, relented.

She had to squint to see better, realizing it was a text message between Ruby and… someone.

That someone was the first to message her little sister.

Yooooo, it's your fav stowaway.

I know this's kinda weird since we never rlly talk but blake won't answer my messages so… is she ok? I heard abt what happened n I wanna see her.

Below was her sister's answer.

Heyoo.

I haven't seen blake 2day, I think shes in the library. Tried 2 ask yang but she wont answer me.

Hope it helps :3

Slowly, her eyes lifted from the scroll, a pit of unknown dread forming in her stomach as she met those silver eyes anymore, still as intense and furious and chillingly calm as before.

"Is this… Is this from Sun?"

"Yes," she said, leaning forward, urgency in her tone. Ruby shook her scroll again, her eyes flitting toward it. "Check the time of when they were sent."

It scared Yang to do just that.

A beat passed.

Then another.

And then it all clicked.

"Only an hour ago… but…"

"You said Blake took off this morning?" Ruby asked harshly, not paying much mind to Yang's confusion. They could be all emotional later. Now, they needed to get to the bottom of this. Whatever this is.

"She did… She… I…" Rage took over her. "The hell is all of this?!" Without really thinking, she grabbed the scroll away from her sister's hand and pressed the call button. She grew more irritated with each beeping sound, making sure the speaker button was on so they could all get some damn answers. When a small click sounded, signaling that the call was answered, Yang was already yelling, "Sun! Where the hell is Blake?!"

"Yang?" came Sun's extremely confused voice.

"Answer the damn question!" she screamed, not caring if her so-called neighbors would file a noise complaint.

"How should I know?!" Sun answered, his own voice rising. "She hasn't responded to any of my messages! I thought she was with you, you know, her own partner."

Yang gritted her teeth. His snarky comment served to agitate her even more. "Well, she told me she was off to your place this morning! She's not in Beacon anymore!"

A beat passed.

And then another.

And then Sun spoke.

"What are you talking about? I'm an exchange student. I live in Beacon."

Yang's breath came in heavy pants, her thoughts jumbled and incoherent. Out of them all, she, unsurprisingly, took it the hardest.

"Is everything-"

Yang hung up before he could finish his sentence. To hell with him. He was no use anyway.

Her breathing became more chopped and out of control as the reality of everything dawned on her.

She left.

She left us.

She left me.

To Grimm knows where.

Doing Grimm knows what.

Without telling us.

… She lied.

She lied!

Yang just barely contained herself from throwing Ruby's scroll to the nearby wall, choosing to, instead, throw it to the bed with so much force she'd be surprised if it didn't break.

"Yang!"

She paid no mind and, instead, gripped her hair and pulled, all kinds of angry noises coming out of her mouth.

She fucking lied!

To all of us!

Weiss and Ruby watched with sympathy and mild annoyance as their non-missing teammate, the fearsome, mighty, strong brawler… threw a tantrum.

"Dammit! I told her not to get herself involved in this! I fucking told her! And she just had to be the hero! Because asking for help is just dumb, isn't it? Risking her own life without even giving me anything! Leaving me outside like that! Lying and saying she's with Sun! Telling me it was all just some huge mistake! Fuck!"

Weiss rose an eyebrow at that last part, sharing a glance with Ruby. Her partner merely shrugged, causing her to softly sigh.

She'd had a suspicion since the morning started with how… personal the blonde had taken it all. In fact, she'd had a suspicion for a long time - that there was more than just partnership between them - but this…

She had no idea they had it this bad.

Weiss' eyes then widened as she remembered something important, she glanced outside to confirm that important thing, immediately looking down as a sense of resignation overwhelmed her.

"Please tell me Blake's not off trying to capture a dangerous madman on her own in this blizzard?"

Yang was off in her own world now, shouting about how unfair everything was... as if she was the only one who was suffering. Typical teenager.

Meanwhile, Ruby, ever the sweet and innocent girl, merely gasped and threw her hands to her mouth as she just now realized that it was, indeed, snowing harshly outside.

"... Great. Blake's off trying to capture a dangerous madman on her own. In this blizzard."

"Oh no," whimpered Ruby, "I hope she's not cold."

"Being cold is the least of her worries," deadpanned Weiss before she looked up and muttered, "Though, she might get hypothermia if she isn't properly clothed. But I doubt Blake would try to go outside without the right preparations." She nodded proudly, reassuring both herself and her team. "She's a smart girl, she can take care of herself."

"I need to go after her."

They both snapped their heads towards the suddenly not-so-angry blonde as she grabbed her motorcycle key from her drawer with such a rush of speed and… barbarousness…

Ruby, who'd been watching everything unfold from the very beginning, snapped back to reality at her sister's rough, direct words, quickly rushing to block the door with her small body before Yang could go through it.

"No," she simply said, mentally preparing herself for the verbal onslaught her sister was about to unleash.

"What?!" And… there it is. "What do you mean 'no'?!" Yang growled and shook her head as if she didn't want that answer, taking one threatening step forward, her feet stomping jarringly with the floor. "Ruby, get the hell out of my way or else!"

"Yang!" screamed Weiss, not believing what Yang had said to her so-called 'precious baby sister'.

Ruby would've been scared if Yang really was about to hurt her. But that couldn't be further from the truth. Her big sis was just confused and scared for her partner and, in her eyes, Ruby was probably blocking her from getting Blake back to safety.

Ruby understood her. She may not be able to feel the pain Big Sis was feeling, but… she understood that it was bad and it really hurt.

She sighed and shook her head once more, forcing herself to be calm for the sake of the team. "I can't do that. Not when you don't even have a plan. And certainly not if you can get hyprotirmirea-"

"Hypothermia."

"Whatever," she growled.

Yang's head cleared when she saw just how rigid her sister was and how angry Weiss was at her.

"Sorry, Ruby…" she sighed, placing her hand over her eyes, forcing them to close in shame and regret. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that…" Ruby didn't deserve to be yelled at, neither did Weiss. She was being unreasonable right now. She needed to calm down…

"Yeah, I know." Yang blinked her eyes open to stare down at her sister in agape. Ruby shrugged in that nervous, awkward, 'Ruby-esque' way. "You've been through a lot."

Yang frowned at her reasoning. "That doesn't mean what I did was right…"

"Well," piped Weiss, placing her hand on the blonde's upper arm, squeezing gently. Yang looked at her and smiled at the girl's attempt at being comforting. "We forgive you. That's all that matters."

Yang smiled a watery smile at her, then, that smile turned sour as she thought of Blake. "I need to go."

"No!"

Yang turned to Ruby, who still looked frightened. Frightened for her big sister. She gently opened her arms to show that she was no longer driven by anger.

"Ruby… You know I'll be fine. I've got a heat semblance, remember."

Ruby frowned deeper. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean you'll be safe out there alone! At least…" She bit her lip for a moment, looking at the window in front of her before looking back at her sister with newfound resolve. "Let me come with you!"

"No!" Yang and Weiss shouted at once.

"Ruby, you'll freeze to death if you stepped out of the building," reasoned Yang.

Ruby opened her mouth to say that she didn't care so long as she was with Yang and that they were both safe and that they would find Blake, but then her partner spoke.

"Which is why you should take me with you, Yang." Weiss gauged their expressions for a moment before stepping forward in-between them. "Blake is my teammate, my treasured friend…" She then scowled in annoyance. "And you're not the only one furious with her refusing to let us help her."

The two siblings looked at each other, smiles slowly forming on their faces.

"Plus, I grew up in Atlas."

That did the trick.

"And your name is Snow Queen," chuckled Ruby as she went to her partner with a proud smile.

Huh… Yang wondered as she looked up, scratching her chin with ponder. I could've sworn it was Ice Quee- what the hell?!

Ruby kissed Weiss.

On the lips.

And Weiss kissed back.

Also on the lips.

They were kissing.

On the lips.

"Uum…" Her voice was a few octaves higher than normal. For obvious reasons. "When did this start?"

They then started and blushed as they looked at her. Apparently, they'd forgotten she was in the room.

"W-we should try to come up with a plan to find Blake!" Weiss said with a pointed finger, her face as red as the face and name of the girl she'd been making out with.

"Wow, Weiss," she said in a deadpanned voice that would've make her partner proud. "Real smooth transition there… But you're right." As much as she hated it. "We shouldn't waste time."

Yang took a step toward the door only to groan when Ruby glued herself back to it,, pouting up at her sister. "Ruby, you can move now."

"Nuh-uh! Not until you come up with a plan first!"

"Ruby, how can I come up with a plan if I don't even know where she is?" Yang reasoned, watching as the realization dawned on her sister. "Plus, we're dealing with Blake here, not some Grimm who we need a plan to capture."

The worst that would happen was that they'd find the man responsible for the experiments along with Blake, in which they would call Glynda or the cops or any kind of authorities and not try to deal with it themselves.

"R-right… I totally knew that." Ruby cleared her throat as she stepped away from the exit, causing Yang to immediately rush outside. "Yeesh, hold your horses, Yang." Ruby knew this was a potentially dangerous situation that may or may not include teenagers having to face with a super duper dangerous criminal, but she was the one with speed semblance here! Not her big sis!

Yang rushed outside and could already feel her hand on the handles of her sweet Bumblebee only to groan again when Weiss was still inside, taking her sweet time. "Hurry up!"

"Do you expect me to go without retrieving my weapon?"

"Oh…" Yeah… Sometimes she forgot not everyone had awesome weapons that could turn and be worn as bracelets.

Speaking of which, had she reloaded her gauntlets? Yang frowned when she activated her weapon and checked the barrel only to find that she had a few ammo left. Not too little to be considered dire but…

"Yang…"

At that tone, the blonde rushed inside, finding Ruby and Weiss' extremely troubled faces as they gazed at the closet where they set their weapons.

And, upon seeing what they saw…

Yang's own face turned into one of troubled, if not, angry.

Gambol Shroud was inside the closet.

…

"W-where are w-we?"

Yang rose her eyebrow in curiosity as she jumped out of her bike, the princess doing the same in a much safer, much slower way.

She looked around. The storm had died down some while ago. The snow layered everything around them - buildings, roads, even the lampposts. Specks of white fell down from the sky, slowly and graciously.

Yang pulled out of her helmet, running her hand through her now-messy mane after putting it on her baby bumblebee.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a sight that made her raise her golden eyebrow.

"Why are you cold?" Yang tore her gaze away from the building in front of her, her mouth threatening to curl into a smile at the sight of the shivering Weiss. "Thought you grew up in Atlas. Shouldn't you be, I don't know, immune to the cold at this point?"

"I-I am!" Weiss tried to convince. Unconvincingly.

Just for the sake of teasing the frigid Ice Queen, Yang leaned toward the girl, way too close for the girl's comfort zone, grinning. "Aren't you Ruby's little Snow Queen~?"

"S-shut up!" Weiss shoved her away, not too much for it to actually hurt or anything.

Yang chuckled lowly, gazing at the heiress with a knowing look. "Don't think I'm just gonna let you off that easily…" There was a hidden warning tone, a tone Weiss didn't miss.

"Of course you won't," she muttered, trudging forward with forced stride as her white coat fluttered graciously.

Yang chuckled before taking the lead, walking forward with ease.

Weiss was good to her sister, no doubt about it. But that didn't mean she wasn't going to give her 'The Talk' - it was her responsibility as a big sister, after all.

She'd do it after this whole shenanigan with Blake was done…

Blake…

Just thinking about her soured Yang's already bad mood.

They came to a stop at the front of the building.

"S-should we try k-knocking?"

Yang looked over her shoulder, facing Weiss' expecting eyes with a wink from one of her own ones.

Then, she did the only rational thing she could…

She punched open the door, watching as its dented surface clattered to the ground.

"Y-Yang! Are you insane?!"

"Don't worry about it." It was amazing how she could say that and actually meant it, walking inside without another word, smirking when she heard footsteps from behind her.

With any other place, she would've been worried…

But, hey, this was not just any place!

Yang's eyebrow rose in thoughtfulness as she gazed the unusually empty place, reasoning that people didn't really like partying in a blizzard.

… Their loss.

"Blondie?"

She closed her eyes and chuckled, head shaking.

She looked up at the man who was anything but pleased to see her, smiling.

"Didn't I tell you to call me 'Sir'?"

News:

If you want to read the next chapter now, then go check out:

P a treon . com (slash) ClementineDavidson

Author's Notes:

What a chapter.

And now, here's a sneak peek for another chapter from another story~

"Anyway, like I was saying… wait, what was I saying again?" Claire was about to tell her but Roxanne snapped her finger and let out an "ah!" sound. This girl… "I believe there is something- nay, someone out there who's doing what must be done, protecting the innocents from the evil of this city!"

Claire's eyes briefly fell towards a boy walking in front of the shop. He have been no older than thirteen years old, yet he already felt like trouble. Nothing too big though; loitering? Graffiti maybe?

Nothing worth her time.

A meaningful cough draw her back to the brunette in front of her, who stood upright with her arms crossed and her chin tilted up, nonverbally demanding a compliment or an affirmation.

Claire chose to say neither of those things. "You watch too many Marvel movies."

"I'm an X-Men nerd and we both know it!" Roxanne pointed an accusing finger, glaring at her as if she'd spoken blasphemy.

Claire raised a black eyebrow. "Aren't they the same?"

"W-well, yeah, but- you- just- ugh! Simpleton." Claire shrugged, not knowing how to respond to that and not caring either. She wasn't a big fan of movies, or comic books, or comic book movies, not like Roxanne was.

With nothing else to do, Claire picked up a small towel and began wiping the coffee machine, knowing how important it was for the taste of the beverage.

Even after four years of friendship, Claire didn't quite understand Roxanne's obsession with 'the truth', 'what's really happening', and 'the lies they tell us commoners'.

It made Roxanne a great reporter - why else had she already been accepted into the city's famous newspaper company at the age of sixteen? - but it fueled her obsession.

Claire could respect that. It was admirable how much effort she put into each writing. You could always tell it was Roxanne's writing with how much positivity was in it.

Each of her piece was guaranteed to draw at least two chuckles from the reader.

Unfortunately, some of the effort put into making that piece public was… catastrophic.

Claire couldn't count how many times she had to drag Roxanne out of a 'well-informed debate' with her own boss… and the people she was interviewing… and sometimes people in general…

It was a chore. Worse, it was a second job. One that didn't pay at all.

"Claire." Her voice was soft. Roxanne's voice always sounded more feminine and 'adult-like' when she was serious about something, like now. "I know it sounds kind of insane, but I genuinely think there's someone out there protecting our city. Our home."

Claire dropped the towel, facing her friend.

Roxanne had always been the smaller of the two, but with her standing on one of the footrests of a chair and using the counter as balance, they were on equal heights.

The warm light of the sun framed Roxanne well.

Her light-brown hair looked more strawberry red backed by the glow of the sun. Her freckles were orange glitters, ornaments dusting her face. Light beads of sweat layered her skin despite the air-conditioned room. Roxanne easily got sweaty, it was why she was currently wearing a t-shirt despite the autumn weather being out in full force, and despite Claire's insistence that she wore something with thicker fabric, or at least with sleeves.

Roxanne's passion overwhelmed her. Sometimes it scared her. Claire had a hard time finding the right words to ease her off of her obsessive state of mind.

"Claire?"

Crap. She'd zoned out again. "Huh? What'd you say?"

Roxanne was always the more expressive of the two. She wore her emotions on her sleeves for the world to see. Well, her lack of sleeves, considering the t-shirt. And sometimes, those emotions were contagious.

Which was why guilt hit Claire hard when she saw Roxanne's face. The girl looked hurt; eyes wide, lips pursed, glasses slightly tilted down.

"You don't believe me, do you?"

"Look, Rox, it's not that." Claire outstretched her hand but it froze half-way, uncertain of what to touch and how to touch. She wasn't good at this comforting thing, not like Roxanne. Neither was she good at talking. Chatting casually was okay and all, but speaking her mind? It just wasn't her forte. "It's just… don't you think whatever's out there's… dangerous?"