Author's Note: Welp, twenty chapters into this story and we've overcome ten thousand views (fanfare ensues). I know that really doesn't say much I felt like saying it because...self validation.
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
Chapter 20: Silence Before the Crescendo
"You want to know about my village?"
"Yes, you've talked about it here and there but you have not gotten into the specifics. I'm curious about a place that raised a boy such as yourself."
Travis sat at the opposite end of the table in the restaurant, leaning back in the comfy chair that probably cost more than his armor and weapon. Across from him was the stunning woman Cinder, her soft eyes that even he knew held some kind of fire. What those eyes wanted to burn though Travis had no clue. As talented as he'd gotten with lying at nearly every corner she seemed to have the skill on lockdown.
"What exactly would you want to know?" Travis tried to dissect the question, maybe find an easy answer out of this. With her in front of him, there was only so long he could resist her. "Just saying my village is a little vague."
"Is it though?" She twirled two of her fingers in his directions, that same playful smile on her face, "I just want to know more about you. Hearing about where you grew up is an excellent way to get to know one another."
Travis' face fell, he knew that there was no around it, even if he tried to change the subject Cinder had a knack of turning conversations and arguments in her favor. It seemed like she was better at negotiations than some politicians. He could only imagine what she could do with that sort of skill, both good and bad. But someone as sweet Cinder couldn't be that malicious could she?
He looked to the window overlooking the ocean, noticing how it sparkled in the moonlight, "Brandon, Sam, Reese, and the rest of us grew up in a village in the continent of Sanus. It was pretty well defended, never had to worry about the grimm." He leaned back in his chair as he lied his way through this conversation, "I never had to think about fighting, I'll tell you the truth I always wanted to be an engineer not a huntsman, never even considered that a career choice until-" his breathing hitched as he realized he didn't have a good cover up for what happened.
"Well? I'm listening," Cinder kept up her curiosity, appetizers that she had ordered while Travis had been talking arrived and she took a bite out of one of them.
"Would you believe me when I say I've done bad things?" Travis suddenly asked out of the blue, eyes going narrow as he zeroed in on the coastline.
"Depends on the severity of the action," Cinder said in her usual reserved and calculating ways.
"Would you believe me that I exiled myself and my friends from our Home?"
Now that made Cinder pause, she went over Travis' body, usually when she did he would give a goofy and snide smirk, but now he kept a straight face that looked mournful. "I suppose it's possible."
"Well I did just that, me and my friend Reese screwed up big time and it ended up getting the others caught up in it. We were kicked out of our village only to return when we become hunters, they figured it would install some sort of respect for the other villagers."
While not true for maybe ninety percent of it, it was still close to what happened back Home. Travis and Reese drew the short straws for heading out early and were forced to travel with Brandon and Sam down to California.
"After we were kicked out Kendra and a few of us got into a disagreement that ultimately split us up in groups of four. It got pretty heated." "I mean, no one wanted to ride with Franklin." That was a pretty brutal tournament of Rock, Paper, Scissors. "The rest is pretty much self explanatory from there, we arrive in Beacon midway through the year and then you show up. That's my life story."
Cinder sat there, contemplating cooly almost testing him, but for what he couldn't imagine. "You said that you didn't even consider becoming a huntsman. Why's that? You clearly have some skill." Not too much in Cinder's eyes but some shred of skill nonetheless.
"I'll take that as a compliment then," Travis said with a small chuckle, "I- Can I be honest with you here?" He waited for a nod but she just motioned her fingers for him to keep going. "I find this society barbaric."
Cinder surprisingly didn't make any motions, something Travis found odd. Insulting someone's home was usually a way to get punched in the face. Perhaps she had heard of this declaration before. He decided to keep going.
"Yeah I'll admit that this place has everything to make it hospitable and you can live here without issues, but go thirty feet outside the walls and what do you find? Oh, just monsters that will rip your head off in about fifty ways. There are local bandit tribes for god's sake, if that doesn't show the primitiveness of this culture then I don't what what will."
"What do you mean by 'this culture'? You refer to it as if there is another one."
Travis' face froze, he'd been caught rambling about Remnant again but this time in front of someone from Remnant. Other times it had been one of the others, usually Reese or maybe Brandon. Sam usually left him to his own devices whenever that would happen, the jerk he needed someone to talk to.
'I- uh- well I'm just saying life outside the villages is very different then the rest of the world."
"But wouldn't your village subscribe to your idea of Remnant being a barbaric place then? Seems to me like it would."
"You would be surprised how cut off from the rest of the world we were Cinder, we were practically in isolation."
"So you were on an island then?" She gave him a knowing look.
Travis' eyes narrowed, slightly questioning her curiosity, "You could say that." A plate of entrees appeared before both of them and Travis cleared his throat, "Now I think I'm allowed to ask a question."
"As these usually go," Cinder affirmed while looking at her food with mile discontent, "what is it you wish to ask me?"
Travis took a small breath and exhaled looking conflicted but seemed to make up his mind in the mental dilemma, "What would you do if you knew your friend committed treason against a kingdom?"
-X-
"Hey Sammy, Kendra! What's up?" A slightly cheery Yang greeted as she set down a wooden table, Weiss off to the side holding a clipboard making notes or doing whatever.
As Sam was slightly pulled on his sleeve by his older cousin into the ballroom for the dance he had this sheepish look on him, maybe this was going to be harder than he thought. Especially with how Weiss was going ham on that poor clipboard.
"Oh, nothing much," Kendra kept a cheery demeanor while Sam flinched, that fake smile on her face was oblivious to Yang, oh the horror. "Sammy here just has something to talk to you girls about."
"He better make it quick," Weiss hurriedly walked over, "I need to make an order for the catering section right where you're standing."
"Wow, feeling the love," Sam said to himself, upon speaking Kendra nudged him in the elbow and he chuckled nervously. "Hey, so back when Coco and the others were planning this whole dance thing she asked us if we can do her a favor."
"Okay," Yang replied coolly.
"I was made no mention of this," Weiss said upfront, when Sam looked to Kendra he got a knowing look from her. "What did Coco have in mind?"
"She wanted us to use our skills we learned from back Home," Sam said avoiding coming right out and saying it. He had to ease them into it.
"Coco wanted them to play in a rock band for entertainment," Kendra however did not want to ease them into it.
"Sounds cool."
"Absolutely not!"
Yang and Weiss exchanged glances, then looked to the earthlings.
"Apparently not."
"I guess it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world."
Once again they looked to each other, both somewhat annoyed at the other. Sam stepped in before the madness could continue. "Listen, what do I need to do to get this band up and running?"
"Hmmm," Yang placed a finger on her chin with a smirk on her face, "what to choose? What would you play?"
"We would choose songs from Home," Sam replied something.
"Are you sure that's safe?" Weiss questioned, "Don't you think people might ask where they come from or why they've never heard of them?"
"Weiss, it's simple," Sam scoffed throwing his hand down at her comment, "we just tell them that we came up with them on our own. We are a band you know."
Kendra tilted her head and tried to find the logic in that, "Sam...isn't that piracy or plagiarism?"
"Technically it is interdimensional piracy and plagiarism, that is ten times cooler than regular piracy." Sam paused with a cheeky smile while his cousin face palmed with both hands. "Come on what do you say? We wouldn't have to play just rock music, we could play anything, we are really good musicians. We're gonna get both teams in on this."
Kendra's head shot up worried for her image whatever that was at this point, "Wait, what?"
"Don't worry, you're going to do great singing Paramore," Sam kept his look on Yang and Weiss ashe reached over to a very mortified Kendra and patted her on the back. "So girls, what do you think? Do we have a deal?"
"I don't know," Weiss said slowly.
"What if I got Reese to dance with you and be at your side for most of the night and cater to your every whim?" Sam raised an eyebrow. Weiss stopped functioning for a moment, her eyes wider than dinner plates, mouth hung open. Even Yang went up to close it and it just fell back open, she even swung her arms up and down in front of her eyes to get any sort of reaction. "Weiss?"
Sam's voice shook her out of her trance, "As much as I know some people would enjoy that-"
"People like you Weiss?"
"I still don't think it is in our budget to-"
"Did I mention we're free?"
Not even a heartbeat passed when Weiss gripped his hand tightly and shook it rapidly, "You're hired." Sam was about to chuckle, but with her grip Weiss pulled him in violently, his ear just in perfect range to receive a whisper. "If you tell anyone about this conversation, there will be nowhere you can hide, I will find you."
Sam nodded, gulped, and desperately gasped, "Yep, got it, never happened."
Weiss released him and returned him with an assuming, completely innocent, smile. "Good, now go practice, I'll be coming by to make sure it is up to my personal standards."
"Got it, so don't let Travis sing." Sam said to himself as he and Kendra started to walk away, Kendra herself was still trying to fathom the whole 'Reese slaving away' the two had just worked out. Sensing this, Sam spoke up, "Don't worry cuz, I got this."
"If it's anything like your mother's surprise party a while back I don't think this will end well."
"How was I supposed to know that Great Uncle Louis had an allergic reaction to latex balloons? I said I was sorry."
When they got back to the practicing room, both Sam and Kendra noticed how Franklin and Lavender were standing off to one side looking somewhat afraid while Reese was off to the other happily drinking from a water bottle and flipping through his scroll.
"What happened?" Kendra asked.
"Oh thank god you're here Kendra," Lavender and Franklin both sprinted behind her back to hide from the apparent demon that was Reese. "Never leave us with Reese again, he's scary."
"What'd he do?" Sam raised his eyebrow then looked at Reese who was just chilling there.
"Have you never noticed the creepy stuff he says?" Lavender asked pointing her thumb at Reese.
"Like what?"
"Uhh, how about when he says he may have killed somebody?"
Even Sam had to take a moment to process that, "Reese? Care to explain?"
Reese looked up as if nothing was wrong, looking content as a butterfly. "I mean I never said I killed him, they're jumping to conclusions."
"See?" Sam said with a grin, "You're overreacting."
"Now I will say I did drag the poor man into the closet," Reese immediately said.
Sam had this look on his face that could be only described as his foot had been put in his mouth and genuine fear for what Reese just said. The issue with Reese, in contrast to Travis, was that he rarely if ever used sarcasm. With the Euphonium player, you knew he was joking by his tone or he would give a smug smile. With their Percussionist friend here, there was rarely ever a way to tell if he was pulling your leg or….actually pulling your leg because he ripped it off.
"Well moving from that incredibly terrifying sentence, should we continue rehearsing?" Sam asked clapping his hands together like a giddy school girl.
"RWBY were okay with us playing?" Franklin asked a bit excited.
"Yep, we just had to pull a few strings," Sam said, hurryin to get in his place, not trying to look at Reese.
"What kind of strings?" Lavender asked putting the guitar strap over her shoulder and moving aside her purple hair.
"Oh, nothing much, just the usual stuff," Sam said incredibly fast, "helping set up, making sure we're appropriate-"
"Letting Weiss have Reese as her personal bitch for the night," Kendra interrupted with a snide smile that must have ran in the family line. Sam did the same thing to Weiss.
There was a period of silence, a awkward, terrifying, and long silence. Sam's gulp could be heard through most of the room. Kendra smiled and waved starting to leave, "Have fun with your rehearsal Sammy, I'm going to go practice some Paramore songs."
"Son of a bitch," Sam cursed in his head as the smell of burnt wood invaded his nostrils.
"Sam," he didn't want to turn around, he looked to the door as Kendra gave one last shit eating grin for him to see. Slowly and steeling his nerves in the process, he turned to face Reese, whose hands were on fire burning the drumsticks in his hands. "Want to run that by me again? Who is becoming whose bitch?"
"Save me Brandon."
-X-
"Committed treason against a kingdom?" Cinder said, even she didn't expect something like that coming out of her date's mouth.
"Yeah," Travis replied, "just kind of wondering what you would do in that sort of case. Not that it didn't happen...because it didn't. I'm just saying in a hypothetical case should the event ever arise."
Cinder made an important note that Travis was awful at keeping some things subtle, "Well apparently if I ever were to know a friend who would commit such a heinous crime I would want to know why they did it."
"You wouldn't tell the authorities?' Travis questioned, something in his tone gave the idea that he was judging her.
"No, what good would that do?"
"Umm, you know, stop them for being criminal and return the information before it gets out."
She could almost feel as if he was testing her, the way he pressed his argument and posed his questions were all made to question her character. The fact Travis let it slip that 'information' was acquired said a lot and meant a lot to Cinder, in her world information meant power. And she craved power. "Well it depends on how you want to do with that information. I can already tell one of your friends is guilty of doing this, how you go about using that information is how you find your answer."
"So if I've used that information…"
"Then you are an accomplice and equally to blame, but I imagine a stand up person such as yourself would never do such a thing," Cinder said with all the sarcasm and snide in both Remnant and Earth.
"Goddammit Reese, what'd you get us into?" Travis remarked to himself, quietly chiding the percussionist.
"So Reese is a bad boy. Hmm, interesting," Cinder said to herself, barely hearing her date's words come out. From what Roman, and technically Neopolitan, said that Reese was with the brats who've kept interrupting and interfering with her plans. That fact Reese of all people did this only added to the mystery that was Team BBRS. She wanted to pry into this further, nothing was really going to stop her. Travis was practically an instrument she was perfect at playing. But that would have to wait, she had her own plans to make way for.
"Since we are appearing to trade questions back and forth, may I make a request," Cinder placed a napkin up to her lips dabbing away any of the food that may have been there.
"Sure, go ahead," Travis said finishing whatever food was in his mouth, "what's on your mind?"
"Well as you know the school dance is coming up and-" Upon hearing those words Travis started to choke, uncontrollably, like to the point other people were starting to stare at him. "I suppose you weren't prepared for that."
When Travis recovered, he took a swig of water and coughed one more time to clear his throat. In a somewhat hoarse voice he managed to get out, "Was that really the best way to follow up the previous conversation? We go from 'hey my friend committed treason against a kingdom' to 'let's talk about prom."
"Is there really a perfect follow up to your question? If you are so concerned about it then we shouldn't have even talked about it in the first place."
"Why do you have to be right?" Travis asked himself, hand running down his face, "But anyways, the dance, what about it?"
"Well it is only natural as we are students and everyone is going to go to it. It's the Vytal Festival Dance, a tradition like any other for the Academies." The way Cinder said that made Travis question her, it almost sounded fake but was hard to tell, "And since we are going out I imagine we were going as a couple."
"I've never been one for dances," Travis said, but immediately the girl across from him gave him this glare that made him turn one eighty on his heels, "but I suppose if it's an important tradition then I must indulge. Just know I can't dance."
Cinder clapped her hands together, "Perfect."
"That I'm going or that I can't dance?"
"I should mention though I will be running late, there is something I need to take care of in Vale."
"Being fashionably late I see, that's fine, I can always hang out with my team. Brandon and Sam will probably go alone if Velvet and Coco don't make it back before then."
"That will be fine. Now, back to your treasonous partner."
Travis choked again on his food, "Stop pivoting the goddamn conversation!"
-Early the Next Morning-
"Wait….you want us to do what now?"
"Perform, play in a band, come on guys it will be fun."
Sam currently was getting two very different looks. Travis currently was puzzled beyond belief while Brandon was questioning Sam's sanity. Maybe Coco smooched it out of him. Just being next to the woman was mentally draining. So hearing this only made Brandon palm his face, loud enough that it made the others wince.
"Sam can I ask why you want to do this?" Brandon asked not removing his palm that covered his eyes. The disappointment was layered in his voice like one of the those ice cream cakes that are more filling than they appear.
"Um..because why not?" He said with this hands in the air, "Dudes it will be fun."
"But we...I…," Travis tried, he tried so hard, to find words, "What the f! k?"
"Come on, we haven't gotten a chance to play any music for anybody since coming here. Sure there was that one time early on, but for god's sake we have done nothing besides acting like gladiators."
"We've been busy Sam," Brandon said.
"Yeah, super busy," Sam mocked with his arms crossed, "Travis here went on a date last night and you lectured Ruby for an hour about what happened with Reese and Kylie. I can totally see how you're time is a precious commodity."
"In my defense if Ruby and the others didn't take Reese and the others I would not have had to talk to her," Brandon defended mirroring Sam's crossed arms.
Sam turned to Travis, "And you?"
Travis's face made it look like he was trying to come up with a reason to why his superseded Sam's, but his face fell, "Yeah I got nothing, besides a date to the dance."
"She actually wants to go with you to the dance?" Brandon questioned.
"And you didn't pay her?" Sam followed.
"No, Sam, I didn't pay her," Travis said through gritted teeth.
"And you're sure she's actually a she? Not some transvestite or some Caitlyn Jenner crap?"
"One: that's just rude, two Caitlyn Jenner...really?"
"I'm just questioning why that Cinder chick would suddenly be all into you," Sam said, "there's something off about her Travis be careful."
"I think you're overreacting Sam," even Brandon defended Travis for once, "what could one person do?"
"Travis here is basically Green Lantern, Lavender is Gambit, Reese is Ghost Rider, Kylie is a Water Bender, I'm...whatever Travis and Reese still have to find a correlation to, you and Franklin are basically Batman and the Punisher, and god knows who Kendra is when she finally shows us her Semblance. We could easily do anything and we've only been here a little over half a year, imagine what someone who's been here all their life could do. Besides, I have a sixth sense for these things, I'm telling you to keep an eye on Cinder."
Travis sighed, somewhat in defeat and to get Sam off his back, "Fine I'll keep an eye on her, but I'm starting to agree with Lavender that we're all starting to get paranoid."
"Jitters," Brandon said, "I think we're all starting to get homesick."
"Yeah," Travis repliend solemnly.
That's when Sam butted back in with his earlier conversation starter, "Which is why you should help us put this concert on!"
"Sam," Travis said, "I can barely sing, you heard me in class."
Sam did, the poor windows broke, not from high pitch but for the sweet merciful release of death. The artist who wrote that song was rolling in his grave when he did.
Yet that didn't deter Samuel Perish, who wrapped an arm around both of their shoulders, "Which is why you're playing guitar and string bass."
"I haven't touched a guitar in three years," Travis was still trying to weasel his way out of this.
"We have a few weeks until the dance, I'll have Lavender help you, Reese did originally say you should play guitar."
"Remind me to mess with his armor," Travis turned to Brandon who nodded and made a note in his scroll. "I don't know Sam, it's been a while and we only have few weeks-"
"We're going to play Crazy Train."
On a dime Travis responded with, "I'm in." He started to walk away, "Time to get my playing finger ready!"
"Well Brandon?" Sam said with a smile that only furthered Brandon's faltering stance.
"Fine," his resolve gave way, "what am I doing?"
"Oh, I'm not telling you, I have leverage over you so you get to do my bidding."
"But you told Travis."
"Yeah and I just now put Crazy Train in our lineup, I only did that to get him on board."
Brandon looked at Sam with a flat stare, "You are an evil little man."
"And is the boyfriend of your girlfriend's team leader, watch your tongue."
"I thought you were friends with benefits?"
"I swear if I hear that one more time!"
-Two Weeks Later-
The bottom floor of the arena beneath the campus of Beacon Academy had become a noisy little spot. Not because of fighting, or metal clashing upon metal , but because of music that no one on Remnant had heard of. The sounds had brought some of the students to investigate but the doors were locked, most of the sounds muffled, and any way to view what was happening was blocked by curtains. Inside though was a completely different story though, multiple guitars, several empty water bottles, drums, and someone who might still be in the closet. And no, not in that way.
"Okay," Sam took a raspy and tired breath, "let's take like a ten minute break."
"Thank god," Lavender would have dropped her guitar had it not cost so much, instead she leaned up against the wall and slid down her back to the floor.
"I think my fingers are gonna fall off," Travis followed suit, dressed in a green long sleeved shirt and jeans. The sleeves though were rolled up to his elbows.
"Hey last rehearsal before the dance, basically a dress rehearsal," Sam said before taking a swig of water.
"Speaking of dressing," Kendra said looking the least tired of the group, "what are we going to wear while performing?"
Sam's head shooting up told them all what he had for an answer. Nothing.
"Oh for god's sake Sam," his cousin rolled her eyes.
"Well excuse me for not thinking of wardrobe choices, just wear regular clothes a and then get back into formal attire."
"Do you realise how long it take a girl to put on a dress," Lavender combatted.
"Kylie wears dress to fight," Sam pointed to the faunus girl who had for the most part recovered from the events a few weeks past.
"I think this is more formal," Kylie said but then giggled, "we're trying to look our best. Don't worry I'll teach you girls my secret."
To all of their surprise the doors swung open, how they were opened when they were locked must have been Goodwitch's doing. Weiss, along with Ruby and Yang stepped into the room.
"Close the door would ya?" Sam told them, to which Yang complied and shut the doors closed, "What brings you here girls?"
"Weiss-y wants to spy on Reese," Yang teased and was quickly elbowed by Weiss.
The heiress cleared her throat to regain her posture, "I came to see how your practice was coming along. We do not have long until the dance so I wished to see your progress."
"But yeah she wants to see Reese beat more than that drum," Yang's comment got herself slapped and elbowed again, one of Reese's sticks snapped in two with a growl aimed not at Weiss or Yang but at Sam remembering what Sam promised Weiss in exchange.
"Let's just get to playing," Sam nervously said, tossing the bottle aside.
"Which one?" Lavender asked slinging the guitar strap over her shoulder, Franklin followed suit leaving Travis, Brandon, Kendra, and Kylie off to the sidelines.
" I feel like playing Green Day...Brain Stew?"
"Sounds good to me," Franklin replied with a chuckle and tightening the pegs on the side of his bass.
(a/n: you can skip this part if you want to)
~Song Start~
The opening riff started with the guitars strumming in a very simple rhythm and with a breath Sam stepped up to the mike.
I'm having trouble trying to sleep
I'm counting sheep but running out
As time ticks by
And still I try
No rest for crosstops in my mind
On my own, here we go
The drums and bass came in, out of her peripheral vision Ruby could see Travis along with Kendra's head bobbing their heads to the music. After there was a long pause between lyrics just of hearing the riffs Sam gleamed a smile at Lavender and stepped back up
My eyes feel like they're gonna bleed
Dried up and bulging out my skull
My mouth is dry
My face is numb
Fucked up and spun out in my room
On my own, here we go
Another break in the lyrics had Ruby this time looking at her own sister who was grinning moving her head with the beat, her golden hair moving in time. This did seem like some of the music she would listen to.
My mind is set on overdrive
The clock is laughing in my face
A crooked spine
My senses dulled
Passed the point of delirium
On my own, here we go
As Ruby looked to Weiss she had to stifle a giggle, partially due to her utterly confused expression that was mixed with annoyance.
My eyes feel like they're gonna bleed
Dried up and bulging out my skull
My mouth is dry
My face is numb
Fucked up and spun out in my room
On my own, here we go
Sam stepped away from the microphone and let Lavender step up who went ham on the last riff of the music most of her hair shaking violently with the drums as probably for the first time in a while Ruby had seen a wide smile on Reese's face.
~Song End~
"So what do you think?" Sam asked, eager written all over his face.
"Uhh…" Weiss said not sure what to say.
"That was awesome!" Yang shouted, "How many more you got like that?"
"Green Day? Or rock music borderlining on emo? Answer for both: Plenty."
"Good."
"No, not good," Weiss finally was able to push out some words, "this is still a formal dance, not a nightclub."
Travis leaned into Brandon's ear, "Clearly she's never seen a prom from back Home."
"Come on Weiss, have a little fun with this," Yang pleaded, "Rubes you're the team leader tell her."
"Uhh.." Ruby tried, she really did, "Weiss.."
However Brandon stood between them with a smiling face, "Weiss, Yang I'm sure we can work this out. Why don't you two join me and Sam for a drink and we can hammer a song list that would be the best of both worlds."
Weiss grumbled something, somewhere just maybe he heard her mention 'Reese' in there. "Fine Brandon, twenty minutes in our room and don't be late." Weiss walked away with a *click-clack* in her heels on the hard floor.
Travis turned to Reese waiting for Weiss to leave the room so he could say, "Reese why do you attract complete bitches?"
The smell of burning wood filled the room as Reese's hands ignited ruining another pair of sticks for Reese. "I hate you so much."
"Hey I wasn't the one who made you Weiss' personal bitch for the dance, that was all Sam's."
To avoid getting burnt, or maybe even crucified, Sam sidestepped to the door, "You know I think I'm going to get an early look at the list for Weiss."
"May as well join him," Brandon said following after him, "come on Yang."
"Sure," the blonde replied with Ruby slowly with her.
"Something got you down Ruby?" Travis asked, "Out of the three I thought you would be more gung ho about this."
The younger reaper started to stutter, "Oh no Travis, it's great, it's just that Blake's been acting kind of distant for a while now."
"She's kind of letting our investigation get to her head," Yang added, "we want her to go to the dance but she won't listen to us."
Kendra looked over to Kylie who had averted her gaze, "Blake's the cat faunus right?"
"Yeah, why?" Yang asked.
"Why don't I try to talk to her?" Kendra offered, "A woman to woman chat."
The sisters exchanged looks and Yang shrugged, "Just don't be too rough with her. She's getting pretty fragile, touch her too hard and she might break."
Kendra started to walk to the door, her back to Yang and Ruby. "Don't worry," with a smile on her face, she turned, "I wouldn't dream of hurting her." She left the others with a solid slam of the door.
"Blake's gonna die isn't she?" Reese asked.
"Yep," Lavender said with a hard sound on the 'p'.
"What's she gonna do?" Franklin asked.
Travis sighed, he took out a bottle of water and took a swig, "What she's always had to do, be older than she already is."
-X-
The Beacon Library, for the most part, was empty. The desks and chairs left by many of the students who decided to turn in for the night. All of them except the cat faunus Blake with her bag riddled eyes, dark rings upon dark rings lining her features. Her fingers had been sore for a solid two weeks with all her searching anything on the White Fang. Discussions, articles, news reports, any and all things regarding the terrorist organization. Even though her body needed rest she wouldn't stop until she knew exactly what they and Roman Torchwick were doing. Not even the red dot moving mischievously up her arm wouldn't stop her. The red dot moved though, catching her attention, going over to her hand and circling her knuckles. Then it the screen circling around the middle. Then it stopped in the center and in her tired mind the image that lingered in her mind looked like a target in a shooting range. Then the dot moved, down to the desk, then up her chest, and even though Blake couldn't see it she knew where it landed.
Right between her eyes, an obvious shot for a sniper. Immediately she ducked out of the way and leaned up against the leg of the desk. Had they finally found her? Had Adam learned she escaped to Beacon.
"Get out from the desk Belladonna I know you're there."
That...was not Adam. Unless Adam had a change of heart and sex. That was most undeniably a woman talking, but that still could have meant she was an agent of his.
"For fuck's sake Blake it's Sam cousin Kendra. Get out here I need to talk to you."
Blake slowly, and still cautiously stood up to see Kendra standing in the room with a laser pointer in her combat gear, Persuasion in a smaller form attached to her back.
"What do you want?" The disdain was about as subtle as Travis' love for anything science fiction.
"Oh wanted to talk to you, we need to have chat, girl to girl," Kendra replied, malice possibly sprinkled in her voice.
"I need to get back to work," Blake shut her down, moving back to the terminal.
"You're gonna get people hurt Blake," Kendra said, not even bothering with Blake's attitude, "working yourself to death like this."
"I don't have the luxury of waiting around waiting for something to happen."
A sudden click had Blake looking up and in a second she jumped back in her seat as the silver spiked cylinder of Persuasion came into view and smashed into the wooden desk.
"What are you doing?!" Blake screeched, the amount of hours wasted were immense, all that work gone.
"Sucks doesn't it? You trust somebody and then they go behind your back."
"What are you talking about?!"
"Kylie, you dumbass, I'm talking about Kylie. Do you have any idea how torn up she was after you decided to play vigilante for a night?"
"It's not my fault Reese practically forced her into it."
"Oh, I know what Reese did. However you could have said 'no' like a sensical person. But no, you had to ignore common sense and think you were invincible.
"What is that supposed to mean?!" Blake's voice rose, echoing off the walls of the library.
"Do you honestly think that four teenage girls can really take down an entire crime syndicate? Do you really think you could eliminate a worldwide terrorist organization? You must have no idea how the real world works."
"I know plenty, I was a part of the White Fang. What do you know about what I've gone through?!"
"You would be surprised what I know Blake. I know you're angry, like part of your life was stripped away, I know you feel helpless right now but that isn't going to change anything. I know it sucks that you can't do much to change the world." Kendra got right into Blake's face with a sneer to match travis on his angriest of days, "You don't know what the f! k I've been through you spoiled little brat."
"I'm spoiled?! I'm trying to stop the White Fang, what are you doing?!"
"I'm trying to go Home, we all are Blake," Kendra kept right in her face, "let me make this clear Belladonna, we are going Home and I won't miss you. You're just going to end up hurting the people around you because you don't care about what happens to yourself. You feel responsible for what happened that you'll destroy yourself to pay some kind of retribution."
"And how would you know that?" Blake said with arms crossed.
"Because when my dad died I felt helpless."
For once the color of the world returned to Blake's eyes, the weight of Kendra's words finally hitting her. Blake noticed as Kendra shifted her arms around, and even started avoiding her gaze.
"I assume the guys never told you about what's happening back Home?" Her voice was soft, fragile, probably the first time Blake had seen any of the earthlings in such a vulnerable state. "Well I don't blame them, sort of depressing when you do hear it."
"Hear what?"
"Do you have any idea how petty your squabbles look like to us? Your 'Great War' can barely hold a candle to many of the wars back in Earth. We've had two versions of the Great War on Earth, but that was a long time ago. Yet we always find a way to shoot at each other, my daddy was sent to tour in Afghanistan back when I was just a young girl, I remember kissing him on the cheek goodbye and watching him go with his unit. That was the last I ever saw of him."
She took a few steps of lean on a desk and pulled out a photograph from her back pocket. "I still remember the day when my mom got the call that my dad was killed in action. He was fighting terrorist and he died a hero who saved a small group of children. I was eleven at the time so I sort of knew what happened but also had trouble processing it at the same time. All I knew was that my dad was gone and he was never coming back. Do you know what I did Blake?"
Blake shrugged, "Got revenge?"
Out of all responses Blake could have thought of, none of them were laugh out loud as Kendra did, "You truly don't understand a thing about what the guys have told you. We don't fight on Earth like here on Remnant, you really can't do that sort of thing. My dad was killed halfway around the world, no way a young girl like that could ever get revenge. So I was stuck and for a long time I stewed, I let it eat away at me and wanted to be alone from everyone. The only person who could cheer me up was good old Sammy. He encouraged me to go into music where I met Kylie, Lavender, Brandon, and I guess the other three are alright."
"So what, you want me to relax? When there's injustice in this world?"
"There is injustice everywhere Blake, that's what I want you to know. I can never get revenge for those who killed my dad, but when I get back I plan on joining the military and fighting for those who can't. But I'm doing it when I know I should, right now you're seventeen, I'm only a year older, you can't be making huge decisions like this."
"And why not? Why can't I go help people right now when they need it?"
"Because you can't help people if you work yourself to death, look at you, I could probably push you over with a poke. When I lost my dad I let that consume me and I wasn't in a good place for a long time. I never told Sam this, but I was this close to taking one too many pills that were prescribed for me. I was driven to the point of near suicide, but the thought of hurting my mother and more importantly my little cousin made me stopped and if you continue to do this you're going to hurt your team who loves you in many ways." Kendra stood up, and different from how she entered, there was a smile on her face, "So go to the dance, have fun, be a kid while you still can. Those days are running out for you."
Kendra, in her now tired and somber mood, left the library, "You know, I planned on beating the sense into you, but right now you're too tired to even hold your weapon. Right now, you would be easy prey for the Fang. Getting some sleep and surrounding yourself with your team would help protect you. If that doesn't tell you to get some rest then I guess you're a lost cause."
The door slammed from the library and Kendra took a shallow breath, still gripping the photo of her father in military gear. With two fingers she pressed them against her lips and placed them on the photo. "Thank you dad." She put the photo back and pulled out her scroll, front and center was a clock counting down.
-Project Gaia in 59:15:13-
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
The countdown has begun, Project Gaia is approaching, it is time to make music and time for the dance next chapter. There will be more musical parts with other songs from a few differing genres of music (not many differing as I'm choosing them but enough). I know it's a bit different form the canon but I wanted to give a different perspective for Blake, may not have been the best choice but I'm sticking to it. I imagine next chapter will be a bit shorter because it is the dance and it will be more filler outside of you know the break in to the CCT. Also, poor unaware Travis. Well twenty chapters later were approaching the end of Vol 2. See ya later suckers.