Ruby walked through the crowded streets of Vale considering a great number of things. Her mind wandered from her past to her future, flitting from different points in an attempt to weave a cohesive image out of the tapestry of her life. When Ruby had been a child, she found herself being read the old fairy tales of knights and heroes saving the kingdoms from horrible evils. She knew her family – mother, father, uncle, and even grandmother – were all warriors who served the kingdom. She knew that some people spoke of Grandma Rose like she was a legend. Even as she had sat on her lap, being told of heroes, the one telling her those stories had been herself a hero. Her Grandma Rose was known throughout the world as the greatest huntress of the era. She had wanted to be just like her, that wonderfully kind, humble, loving, and fun woman who told her of legends no greater than her own. Though she'd died when Ruby was young, falling in battle during a particularly bad Grimm attack on Vale, Ruby could still remember the feeling of being held warm and secure in her arms, a book before her as that calming voice floated over her ears. Her soul still resonated with the feeling of her white aura, the thrilling sensation from coming into contact with her characteristic white petals – so similar to her own red ones. From a time when she could scarcely hope to understand the world, Summer Rose was the inspiration for everything Ruby was and did to this day. It was a daunting pedestal, but Ruby was determined to do her best to live up to it – not necessarily in the terms of being a great warrior, but a great person.
"You know, you two weren't that different, once upon a time…" Roman's words echoed in her head. He was why she was thinking of her. She had sought some more information from the man. During the time after he was locked up and Ruby was able to walk around on her own, she decided to look into Roman Torchwick. She couldn't understand what he had meant, why he had done what he'd done. Unlike even her teammates, she knew that it had been no trap. For the briefest of moments, she hadn't seen the jerk who had been trying to hurt her and her friends but a man sincerely asking for help. "Maybe you can save her." It took her some time to find him, but soon enough she was speaking with the criminal.
He had returned to his usual attitude. However, Ruby knew that wasn't him. She'd seen through that façade, and knew what lied beneath. He was just like Weiss, running from himself and his past. He was running from his pain, but even after all this time, she still did not quite know what that was. She persisted in visiting him, remaining cordial and talking about anything she could get him to talk about. In time, she could tell he warmed up to her, even looked forward to her visits. She imagined for the most part she was the only one who would do so – at least for recreational reasons. It had been a difficult process, and not just because of his reluctance to talk with the sixteen year old girl that had managed to put him in prison.
Though she was less persistent about it now, it had been nearly impossible to have a moment of privacy because of Yang's mothering. At Beacon, she also had the rest of her team and JNPR to worry about. Even Ozpin had seemed to keep a close eye on her. There had been more than a few times she'd attempted to sneak out and found the old man waiting for her, either as she left or when she returned. He spoke only if she did, otherwise simply walking off with a sip of his coffee after seeing she was alright.
Her few brief conversations with him had told her things about the woman who had nearly killed her. It seemed she had attended Beacon just as Ruby had. Ozpin remembered her with a fondness that seemed strange for the woman she met, as though he was regretful of her fate. Though attempts to talk with Glynda were unsuccessful, it seemed she had at least known of her. Ruby had sought further info on her, but it seemed she'd been blacked out of the records. It was difficult to find out who the rogue had been. Similarly difficult was history on Roman. She was sure there was a connection there, but she couldn't get him to talk about her. She had looked into her in hope of discovering something to use as leverage against him, as he denied anything she suggested or otherwise refused to talk.
She did learn many other things about him, however. Though she no longer saw him as absolutely evil, she couldn't say he was good. He was very much a bad person, with little remorse for many of his actions. It seemed he valued the comforts and pleasures of a rich lifestyle, being very materialistic and selfish. He'd gained his position as a great criminal through a series of betrayals of everyone above him. He hadn't climbed to the top; he'd dug out the base until they all fell beneath him, all the while making them think he had nothing to do with it. It had been quite the tale to hear over her visits, the rise of the kingdom's most wanted criminal from a life of petty thievery. Whenever it came to Cinder or his youth, however, he locked up. She had only just begun to ease out some information as her talks had grown more infrequent. With the appearance of Vili, she'd decided she was due for another visit. It hadn't gotten her what she'd hoped, but was more than she'd expected.
"Oh hey, Red! It's been awhile since you last visited me here in the big house. How's life out in the free world?" he'd said, clearly pleased to see her.
"Hello, Roman," she had replied, keeping herself pleasant. "Sorry, I've been busy with school and couldn't find the time to come out here." A nervous laugh had escaped her lips as she scratched her head. Had it been an act, or was she actually feeling sorry about not visiting him?
"So, what can I do you for?" he had said, plopping himself down in the chair across from her.
It had been a small room with but a table and two chairs. A camera had sat in an upper corner, turned toward the wall with the red recording light dark. As always, nothing remained of the meeting. No escorts had come inside, leaving only the comforting form of Crescent Rose as security. His orange hair had been long and greasy with matching wild facial hair, showing it was obviously not seeing much care here in the prison. Through the thin prison uniform the lights of an aura neutralizer had been visible, keeping Roman from accessing his aura. If he had tried something, Ruby could have chopped him up or shot him full of holes and they would have looked the other way. That was what they'd told her when she first managed to get access to him. She'd never do that of course, and had hoped she wouldn't have to prove it.
"I want to know more about Cinder Fall," she had said, expecting him to walk out on her. His gaze had instantly darkened, flashes of anger and sorrow appearing briefly. It had disappeared relatively quickly, replaced with his usual relaxed gaze.
"Why don't we talk about something more interesting? I hear the Vytal Festival is going on – literally, I can hear it from my cell. Brings back memories, doesn't it? Me, trying to steal dust with those mutts; you, getting laid out by my trusty explosive rounds. Good times – you know, besides what happened with Giuseppe's toy soldier that you brought along with you," he said, wildly gesturing. His face soured at the mention of Penny. He seemed to have a special dislike of her, but Ruby couldn't imagine why. Ruby had done much worse for his plans than Penny, all things considered.
"We can talk about that after. I just want to know who she was working with besides you," Ruby had pushed.
"You know who she was working with – me and the zoo animals. What are you doing here instead of enjoying the festival like a normal girl, anyway? I'm sure your friends are waiting for you," he had shot back, becoming angry. He had leaned back, looking to the side with his hair covering what she could see of his face. His rudeness had made it clear he hadn't wanted to talk about that subject. Some would have assumed that was because of his nature, that it was just because he was a good for nothing lowlife. However, Ruby knew there was something else – she had seen it in his eyes. He was remembering something.
"They are waiting for me, and they'll keep waiting for me until I'm done here. Right now, I'm here because I need your help. I want to make things better for people, and I can only do that with your help," she had replied. No reaction. She had taken a chance, pulling a dagger from Weiss' book. "You know, I used to think you were just trash – that's what everyone kept telling me. But I considered maybe there was more to you. You couldn't be the worthless good-for-nothing thief they always said you were. But I guess I was wrong, and you and Cinder are just evil criminals who got what they deserved."
"The fuck was that?!" he'd exploded, reaching across the table to grab her. He had stopped as the barrel of Crescent Rose met his throat. She'd been terrified, not sure if she had the ability to follow through on her threat. No one would notice if they began fighting, the room was sealed. They had remained like that for a moment, rage and tears beginning to drip from his eyes. "They didn't deserve that…" he had finally whispered out, letting go of her cloak and slumping back into his seat. He looked downward, his hair covering his face. "She didn't deserve to be turned into a monster…"
Ruby hadn't been sure what to make of it. Why had that made him so angry? What had he meant by "they?" And what did he mean by "turned into a monster?" She had stilled as she heard him begin to laugh. It had slowly escalated, building up with great heaves and a wide open mouth as a chilling cackle came from his throat. He laughed until he was gasping for breath, laying face down on the table. Her spine had shivered violently, and her skin had been crawling, but she eventually worked up the courage to speak.
"Are… are you okay," she slowly forced out, hesitant to retract Crescent Rose. Another laugh, this time a low chuckle.
"I suppose, Red. I just realized a cruel bit of irony is all. Oh, did I tell you I found out who you were? What inspired you?" he had said, rising up suddenly and half-heartedly straightening out his hair.
"Uh…" she'd hesitated, worried what he might say. "No, you didn't."
"Yeah, I totally see it now. I don't know what took so long, it's so obvious… why she hated you," he stated, staring at her. It was almost as though he were simply stating his thoughts out loud. She was somewhat disturbed, but at least now he seemed to be willing to talk. He wasn't putting on the show of the great thief. Here he was low and human, someone down on his luck with no one else to talk to. No one besides her, it seemed. That was what she'd first started to see, what she'd looked for in her visits. Now he would tell her something – he couldn't help it. He had a lifetime to share after keeping to himself, and she was the only one willing to listen. That was Ruby's gift. In time, all walls fell before her until the truth rushed out. No one resisted her indefinitely, and in the end they welcomed it – wanted it even.
"You know, you two weren't that different, once upon a time…" he started. "You are all the same, blindly following the path of that woman. I always told them they were fools, looking at the world and saying that it's wrong. They wanted to change the world." His voice grew grim. "No one changes this world. It's worked the same way since we were using sticks and stones to fight. The strong rule the weak. The heartless lead the hopeful. The shepherds tend their lambs. But they didn't believe me…" he'd stopped then, shaking his head. When he next spoke, it had been with a manic rush. "But look who's still here, huh, Red? Roman Torchwick, the good-for-nothing thief. And where the hell are they? I'll tell you where. Six feet under! That's what your dreams get you in this world, Red. Pain, suffering, and death! You'll end up dead just like them…" he had ended up close to her again, leaning across the table and pointing at her. He then slumped back in his seat again, having apparently exhausted himself. "I think I'm done, Red. It's probably for the best we didn't talk about the festival. There are too many people to be enjoyable. Kind of odd, hating to interact with people and yet putting your life on the line for them. Of course, it happens anyway…" he rambled on for a bit.
Ruby had been confused – still was – taking time to process his rant. How had he known she didn't like dealing with people? Why had he kept saying they? She didn't understand what he had said. She was shaken out of her thoughts as he rose to walk out.
"W-wait! Where are you going?" she said, standing up and trying to walk around the table. Unfortunately, she had tripped on a leg in her rush, unsure if it had been the table's or the chair's since both were bolted to the floor.
"Jeez, Red. You're even clumsy like her. I'm done," Roman had said with a sigh. "How'd I end up being done in by that…" she had heard him mumble.
"But how did you know that?"
"Know what?" he had said, clearly exasperated.
"That I don't like talking with people."
"Wha…? Oh, I see. So that's another thing, huh? I wasn't talking about you, I was talking about Cinder."
That had surprised Ruby. Though she'd come far in learning about the mysterious woman, she still found it odd to think about her as a huntress. But a huntress she had been, a real guardian of the people, if Torchwick's speech was to be believed. How did that happen, then? How could someone go from fighting for people to trying to… do whatever her plan had been? What could make her into the woman she met nearly three years ago now? Ruby had become sharply aware of the remaining soreness from her wounds as her memory drifted to that night. She remembered eyes that had burned with a fury so strong Ruby couldn't believe anything else remained within her. If Torchwick was telling the truth, she'd once been like her. Ruby couldn't imagine ever becoming like that.
"Is that it? I'm busy around this time of year, and all the mooks get in a tizzy without their orders," Torchwick had asked.
"Uh…" Ruby had said, racking her brain. "Oh! So you don't know anybody else involved with what you were doing?" she had suddenly recalled.
He shook his head. "The word is that you didn't find everything we had. Her whole operation is gone without her, and I'm locked up in here. No prize for guessing who must have the stuff. If you think something's up, they'd be my target. It's a shame I can't help – I always did want to try hunting." Ruby had known what he was implying, but she couldn't believe they would have the pull in the government to do what Vili suggested. Remarking on the current situation, she had asked one last question.
"What about this?" she had asked with a gesture around her. "How did you pull off what you did to end up without banishment?"
"Ah, that. Believe it or not, I didn't exactly do it. I tried, but it looked like it wasn't going to fly. Someone else got this shindig going for me. If that's it, we're done. And I mean it – I don't want any more unexpected visits," he had said with steel. He had issued a final ultimatum before leaving out the door. "I'm not talking about her anymore. See ya, Ruby Rose."
He had said he knew who she was inspired by, and then mentioned them following in the footsteps of "that woman." Without a doubt, he had meant Summer Rose. But he had spoken in plural, just as he had several other times when talking about Cinder. Had there been someone else? The mention of the festival and dreams of being a huntress made her think that his ties with Cinder were deeper than she'd originally thought, tracing back to his childhood. Nothing at this point could be found on either of them in that regard. Cinder was blacked out, and Roman seemed to have lived a life without a paper trail– she actually suspected Roman Torchwick wasn't his real name. But if there had been someone else, they might still exist. She wouldn't get the full picture, but she might get a rough idea.
Then of course there was the issue of how everything had been reported. Ruby had been very surprised to find out the turn of events when she'd awoken from her short coma, not to mention the extended hospitalization and rehab she had gone through afterward. It was as though they had decided to fabricate a lie to report to the public with but a small vestige of truth. It had not surprised Ruby that their involvement was not mentioned – every case had been modified to not include them. Between Ruby's and Weiss' relation to people within the government and the risk to them as children (a label they grew to resent), their involvement had always been censored. However, there was also the issue of Torchwick's arrest and the lack of reporting on the White Fang. National security was given as the reason for these alterations. Torchwick was reported to have been brought in for the minor thievery he'd committed under Cinder's orders – without Cinder mentioned. This had resulted in the reported light sentence of a few years, but Ruby knew he'd actually been sentenced with life imprisonment. Also, the White Fang was only mentioned when their actions occurred without the direct aid or involvement of Cinder or Torchwick. Otherwise, the action was blamed entirely on the mysterious terrorists or the great thief. She was unsure whether they had simply wanted to downplay the danger Cinder had presented to them or if there was some other reason for their lies. Previously she had assumed the former, but now she began to consider the latter.
Torchwick seemed convinced that it was the White Fang who were behind the odd events, but Ruby couldn't wrap her head around how the group could do something like that. The girls had trusted the government's judgment, though not without their doubts. It was particularly true with Blake and Weiss, who both seemed skeptical about how much of their actions actually made sense. Each seemed to have slightly different reasons for their doubt, having the view of an outsider and an insider respectively, and Ruby wasn't sure just how much of that was bias. In the end, Ozpin's agreement swayed them. Could Ozpin have been fooled? They went along with it because they trusted their superiors – could he have done the same? But if that were true, then it would make even less sense for it to be the White Fang. Who was higher than Ozpin, whom she was sure had no place in government, but was a respected and influential individual? How could they have gotten someone that high in the government on their side?
The thought occurred to Ruby that Weiss may be right and they were getting themselves into something they shouldn't be. Pulling out Crescent Rose, she scanned the unfolding scythe. There in the middle the shine was an evident trace of new parts. The hand mark on her throat had been the result of that. That had been when she'd lost. Cinder's hand had gone right through the metal of her beautiful weapon and pinned her with a searing agony. That was the last clear memory she had of that night, the last thought being of her teammates. It was a message she told them as soon as she was able to speak again, a message she meant to this day: "I'm sorry I didn't listen." She wondered if she would end up repeating that.
"Ruby! We're over here!" Yang's voiced shouted out across the crowded street.
Weiss turned to look toward where the blonde was looking. A ways down from them Ruby's signature red cloak was visible. As she raised a hand in acknowledgement of the group's calling, she broke into a wide smile. Weiss wasn't sure, but she thought she'd looked like she had been concentrating on something, as though there was a problem she couldn't solve. Weiss wrote it off as Ruby trying to find them in the great throng of people.
"Hey! Where were you?" Jaune called as she approached them. They were split across two circular tables with Blake, Weiss, Sun and Penny at one and Jaune, Pyrrha, Ren, and Vili at the other. Yang stood on the railing nearby, while Nora had used Magnhild to get atop a streetlamp. She was waving strongly with the blond to get Ruby's attention. The tables were sitting in the shadow of a closed store's awnings. "We waited awhile, but you didn't show up."
Weiss was also curious about this question, but didn't expect an answer. Ruby never divulged where she went during her time alone. It was always given that she just wanted to take a walk to clear her head. Weiss could sympathize with the desire to be alone, especially with the way Yang started acting toward Ruby after the fight. The blond had once been prone to avoid her sister in favor of her other friends, clubbing, and, suspiciously, studying alone with Blake. That had changed to her nearly constantly being in the young girl's presence – it was a wonder she didn't try to shower with her. With a personality like Yang's, that could get annoying quick. Weiss herself often found comfort, if not pleasure, in being alone. Sometimes she did not feel like dealing with others, either because she grew frustrated with them or found herself unable to cope with her anxiety. Blake likewise seemed willing to give Ruby her space, herself prone to late night and early morning walks. Weiss often found herself the last asleep in the room with the brunette still gone or waking up to find her returning, washed and fully dressed for the day.
"Oh, I, uh, kinda got lost," she said, frowning. "I was thinking about stuff, and the next thing I knew I didn't know where I was. Sorry about being late." Weiss rolled her eyes at the response. Their leader really was hopeless at times. Jaune at least had the focus to not end up lost in his own home kingdom.
"Eh, you didn't miss much anyway. I can't believe we paid for that crappy show," Sun said, obviously not happy with what he had called a rip-off. Though Weiss was hardly strapped for cash, she had to agree. The circus show had been terribly overpriced considering its low quality.
"They didn't live up to last year?" Ruby said, disappointed. They'd enjoyed the show last year, going multiple times since it was largely a sedentary event that she could easily go to while recovering. Though she'd been looking forward to it, Weiss thought it best she'd missed it.
"It was definitely better last year. We came out here and decided to see if we could catch you coming through the crowd," Yang explained. "Pay up Nora – I saw her first."
"Aww, and I was just looking that way too," Nora said, having been facing toward the opposite end of the street. She spun around, falling from the post and catching herself by her feet. On the railing, the tall blond easily reached Nora's outstretched hand, holding a lien card. Weiss couldn't see the denomination as it was facing the wrong way from her perspective, but she expected it to be far too much for such a simple wager. The two always traded ridiculous amounts of money back and forth as each won whatever stupid bets they had going. When Yang had the card, Nora expertly pulled herself back atop the post with another flip. It seemed her insistence on Sun giving her lessons were paying off.
"Well, now that we're all here, what's the plan?" Vili commented. Weiss found herself staring at him, still unsure of what to think of the young man. It had been a few hours, but it seemed he was just like any reasonable boy their age, leaning a bit on the quiet side at times but capable of going toe-to-toe with the likes of Yang or Nora at others. Despite the chilling effect of his aura and his questionable past, she couldn't find anything overtly wicked about him. If she was being honest, she'd say she liked him better than those she found somewhat… taxing to be around.
"Well, we were going to see the second show, since they have two. I don't think I'm willing to pay for that anymore, though," Sun replied.
"I think the stadium should be open by now. We could see if they've got the initial brackets up, or at least the roster," Blake put forward, noting the time. Weiss liked the idea, as she had not seen the new stadium since it had been finished. Murmurs and cries of assent went around the group.
The stadium wasn't too far from where they had been. As they came to the docks, they could see it sitting in the waters. It was a resplendent sight, the polished marble shining as the afternoon sun reflected off the waves. Having learned their lessons from the previous years, this stadium had a drastically different design than the previous ones within the city. The first was the size. This stadium was massive in comparison, and as the ferry drew close, they could see the wall rise above them. The majority of it had been made from the stone quarries of Mistral, the final product shipped here for construction atop a man-made island in the bay. Traveling inward, they found the stadium had many built in amenities, ranging from small booths and vending machines to full blown shops and restaurants. The real spectacle, however, was the arena. From the coast, it seemed like the wall and domed ceiling might wrap all the way around, but that was not the case. On the western side the amphitheater gave way into an open view of the ocean. A multitude of seats sat on the descending eastern side, facing the large open arena which gave a massive area for the combatants to battle, the opened western side likely existing to deter any more extravagant attacks to the eastern side. The large walls came down in a curved form, meeting in a short enclosed panel booth on the side of the ocean. There would be where the judges and guests of honor would sit.
Finding their way down to the level of the arena, they made their way to the queue room for contestants. That would be where the roster and brackets would be until it was moved into the main atrium on Monday. The entire way, they were met by busy workers, briskly walking throughout the stadium. Any attempts to get answers were met with a quick apology and a finger toward the queue room – if they got a reply at all. Once there, they found a few people working at tables instead of hurrying about the stadium. Approaching a man with a haggard face and a young lady with a tired smile, they hoped to find some answers. The man was absorbed in his work, but the lady had noticed them from the moment they entered. He was old with a balding head and a grey beard and mustache. Pale yellow eyes set gazing down at his work. The eyes were shared by the young lady, who seemed more pleased to see them despite her apparent exhaustion.
"Hello, my name is Taylor Knecht. How may I help you?" she said to the group, her peppy voice contrasting with her tired appearance.
"Hello, Taylor, I'm Penny. Do you know where we can find the brackets for the tournament?" Penny replied, equally chipper.
Taylor looked to the man to her right with a frown. "Bardak," she said, getting his attention. He seemed annoyed by the interruption, seemingly unaware of their approach. "Do you know if we've completed the brackets yet?"
"Mrs. Knecht, I've told you to refer to me as Mr. Sarg on the job. You may be my sister, but you must remain professional. Now, what is it you wanted?" he asked.
"I'm sorry, Bar – I mean, Mr. Sarg. I'll get it right next time, I promise," she said, clearly flustered by the chastising remark. Weiss assumed she'd needed a job and her brother, whom she recognized from previous tournaments, had gotten her the job. She didn't seem much older than them, and she imagined the effort to organize something like this tournament was quite stressful for her. "Penny here wished to know where she could find the brackets. I wasn't sure we've completed them – do you know?"
He frowned in thought, looking through the papers on the table. Apparently not finding what he wanted, he produced a scroll and began searching. After a brief moment, he made a grunt of disapproval. "Unfortunately not, miss. I assume you are combatants?" he said, looking up. Everyone nodded to him. "A large group. I imagine most of you will end up fighting one another at some point. That can be a good or a bad thing…" he said, looking down with a smirk. He looked through his scroll a little more before speaking again. "Ah, here we are. I assume you want the roster then?" he asked. Another round of nods. He smiled. "You always do. They should be working on it back here in room 4b, Mrs. Knecht will show you the way. Good luck out there, I recognize our previous two champions." The group gave him their thanks, turning to the young lady, who once more had her tired smile.
"4b is right this way, if you would kindly follow me," she said, turning to walk along a hallway leading further into the building. The group followed her not unlike a family of ducks.
"Oh, and Miss Xiao Long, please keep the pyrotechnics to the arena!" Mr. Sarg called out as they walked away. That got a few snickers out the group, and a defensive "Hey!" from Yang.
"You can't really blame him," Blake put forward.
"Blake! You're supposed to be on my side!" Yang cried. Then she called back to him, "Only if you name it after me!" Mr. Sarg waved her off with a smile.
Weiss shook her head at the lilac-eyed girl's antics. She noticed that Mrs. Knecht was shaking with her hands covering her mouth. Confused she asked, "Are you alright?"
She looked like a deer in the headlights for a brief moment as she turned around. She pulled her hands from her face, the traces of a smile evident. "Oh, I'm fine. It's just," she said, glancing toward Yang, "are you really the one that burned down the old one?"
Yang avoiding her direct gaze, embarrassed. Her golden mane of hair was pulled forward as she petted it, a nervous habit Weiss recognized from when she was uncomfortable with being honest. "Well, kind of. But it wasn't on purpose!"
"Yep. My big sister can be a bit fiery when she's excited," Ruby elaborated, giving her a reassuring rub on her back.
"My brother – Mr. Sarg – he told me about you. He says you should have won last year – er, no offense, Miss… Nikos, was it?" she said, turning toward Pyrrha.
"It's alright; I'm of a similar opinion. Yang is a great warrior, and I'm not sure I would have won if they hadn't called it off," Pyrrha replied. Weiss was reluctant to admit it, but Yang truly was something. She'd always been powerful, but after what happened with Ruby it reached a whole new level. If she wasn't hounding her sister, she was training. She'd failed to uphold her promise to protect her sister once, and it seemed she was going to make sure it never happened again. Blood, dread, and screams came to mind for a brief moment, but Weiss crushed the memories. She couldn't think of that night right now, not in public. She noticed her heart began to race, and hoped she could hold it together. Focusing on thinking of the work in making an event like this possible, she calmed.
"I'm not convinced. That semblance of yours is a bitch," Sun replied. Weiss remembered he'd lost to her in the first tournament because she'd ripped his weapons from his hands. Weiss found herself reluctantly agreeing with the monkey faunus – she had lost to Pyrrha because of that magnetism. It didn't help she'd been practicing with it. This year wouldn't be easy if she faced her again.
"But it didn't work, right? You were strong enough to keep moving against the deflection, weren't you Yang?" Nora said, having previously voiced awe at the action.
"I might have forced my way through it," Yang said with a smile and a nervous scratch of her head. That had been what caused her outburst. In her frustration to keep on track her aura had exploded in an inferno.
"Here we are," Mrs. Knecht said suddenly, motioning to a room. 4b was painted in black above the door. "I'll be waiting here to guide you out when you're finished."
"Sweet, let's see who else we know participating," Sun said, entering the room. Inside was the large bracket, awaiting the names to be placed on it. A box on the floor next to it held all the names. A table held a reasonably large list spanning several sheets. This was the roster, containing all the combatants in the tournament. Sun came up to it, immediately scanning up the list from the bottom. Ruby was quickly beside him, scanning down.
"That Cardin dude's back after not competing last year," Sun said, hitting Winchester from the bottom.
"Bernard Buck? He's new," Ruby said, hitting the Bs.
"Hey, looks like Vili's message is legit – here he is. Oh look, Scarlatina. Isn't that the rabbit faunus from your school?" Sun said.
"Her whole team is competing this year," Weiss told him, coming around to scan the list upside down.
"Yang, the Malachites are on here," Blake said, looking at the middle of the list.
"What? What are they doing on here?" Yang said, coming over to see for herself.
"Who are the Malachites?" Sun said, still scanning.
"They work for Junior Xiong, a mobster from downtown Vale," Vili responded. Weiss wondered how he knew that if he was from Asylum. Then again, perhaps that was why he knew of them. The idea about Asylum being bad was because it was an organized network of criminals. Did that network spread to those residing within the kingdoms? Weiss had to assume so.
"Xiong?" Sun asked, reversing his search. "I think I saw him on here too… Yep, here he is. Junior Xiong."
"Why are they competing all of a sudden?" Ruby asked, looking over to verify that it was Junior's name. Weiss turned her attention that way to see for herself. Blake and Yang likewise came over from the middle pages.
"You don't think this is a coincidence, do you?" Yang said, herself seeming anxious.
"It might be my fault," Vili said, looking at his own name. "I would be known by people like Junior. It's not often someone from Asylum leaves – most can't. They may want to see what my deal is." He frowned suddenly. "Why are some names in red, like this one?" Vili said, pointing to a name in the Cs.
"They're people who reported entry but backed out or were disqualified," Penny said, looking at the name. "Adam, huh? I'm afraid I don't recognize the name. He might have even been a placeholder name for a scalper waiting to sell the ticket." Weiss saw Blake freeze for a moment. She stood up from leaning over the table and watched as Blake slowly walked toward the name, growing pale when she saw it.
"Blake," Weiss said, becoming worried. She started in response.
"Y-yes?" she said, looking up. She seemed to be struggling to keep a straight face. Weiss just gave her a comforting look, glancing to the name. Do you recognize it?
She slowly shook her head. "It's nothing, I thought I saw someone I knew."
Weiss didn't believe that, but nodded. As Blake turned her attention elsewhere, Weiss looked at the name. Adam Cain. Weiss didn't recognize it. Who could Blake know that she didn't at this point? A red sigil came to mind, a violent reminder of her past. A name she'd heard muttered before fluttered at the edge of her mind. "Adam…" she said, trying to remember what she'd heard. This name wasn't quite the same, only similar. Failing, she gave up. Now was not the time to allow herself to drift into such thoughts. She'd have to ask Blake about it again later, or possibly Yang. Maybe then she'd get a better explanation.
They continued on for awhile, but found no one else of interest. As they left for the mainland, Weiss thought about the tournament. She'd never won, despite consistently making it to at least the quarter-finals. Last year she'd even made it to the semi-finals. It was something on some level she was proud of, but the words of her father still echoed. The Schnee men had all won their tournaments with ease, and yet here she struggled to get into the semi-finals. Her grandfather had been the harshest. He was convinced she would ruin their reputation, and hoped whomever they married her to could better represent the Schnee name. For someone who strove for perfection, the ease with which people like Yang and even Ruby could succeed at times continued to infuriate her. It wasn't that she was bad; it was that she wasn't the best. She hated that part of her now, always had really. Because beneath that strong will and cold desire was something far more fragile. The beast lurked in the darkness, its eye locked on its prey. The soft tremors of its steps remained a constant reminder that she was not who she seemed.
Unknown to her, black eyes scanned her soul. Every unguarded flow of her emotions was apparent. Weiss was not as strong as she wanted everyone to believe. And yet… perhaps that was what made her so interesting. The emotions could not betray their context. Curiosity grew. A voice muttered under a breath, "Who are you really, Weiss Schnee?"
