FEBRUARY 14TH 10:30AM
Over half an hour, the siblings and Blake sat in the living area while her and Ruby went over things. Blake went over the findings in the library, along with the other brief clues her and Sun had found together, while leaving him out of the subject. Ruby had went over the discussions with Weiss, and how the Schnee Dust Company had been on one or two expeditions there. Yang, who was still stressed about the presence of her ears and tail, also had to hear all of it. But it was beginning to sound like accusations she didn't like were being made.
"But this is crazy!" She insisted, running a hand through her hair in frustration. "Why would a company as big as Schnee Dust Co do all this? I know they can be sketchy in missing some inspections but this is a whole different thing."
"I know it seems weird, but it makes sense!" Ruby perked up. She didn't want to outright deny her sister, but the evidence they'd gathered indeed cleared out. "Everything that the vaccine promised to do, the Faunus can already do. And now you've grown ears and a tail! How much more evidence of a link do you need?"
As if she needed another reminder, Yang could only grasp her ears yet again, groaning sadly as she looked downward to hide her shame. But as Blake stared toward her new Faunus features, she was becoming more and more puzzled.
"She's not... exactly got Faunus features," she admitted, gesturing particularly to her own ears under the bow. "Faunus only have one animal trait. For me, it's been the ears. For my father, it was the tail. But Yang has two, the ears and the tail."
"I get it, alright?! I'm a freak! No need to keep reminding me!"
"That's not what I'm saying!" Blake insisted. This was difficult, how could you comfort a girl who took such pride in her appearance? "I'm saying, whatever you've been given... It may be Faunus at the base, but it's something more. Something's in that thing is designed to give you far more than just a Faunus's abilities."
"More than a cure?" Ruby was confused. "But why would they want to do that? Why would they want to make kids look like Faunus? If they are connected, wouldn't that give them away?"
"I don't know..." There was a whole lot more to this mystery now. Blake could feel it in her bones, this was definitely all connected. Whatever laboratory she was in previously, it was to do with the trials, the college Ruby was in. They'd been connected by fate from the start.
"But my priority is possibly finding more Faunus. Ruby, if they're in the Schnee Dust Company building, we have to free them!"
Blake was right, and Ruby knew it. She'd never wish the treatment Blake had gone through on anyone else, and if Blake was right, and there were more Faunus there, something had to be done. But what could they do? It was enough evidence for them, but a police investigator would never believe it for example. Why would they believe a group of children when they said a company was holding a mythological species that no one had barely heard of?
"We need to nail them good." With a bout of confidence, Ruby looked toward them both. "We need to make absolutely sure we have enough evidence that something is definitely up the Schnee Dust Co. And to do that, I think we need two examples of what's happened. And we can only do that... If I take the trial too."
"WHAT?!"
Both Blake and Yang cried out in unison. Blake even shuffled forward toward Ruby. "Are you nuts?! What good would that do? Then you'd just end up like me and Yang, hiding away and trying to keep out of anyone's view!"
Ignoring Yang's groan that followed another reminder of her appearance, Ruby placed a hand on Blake's shoulder reassuringly, smiling. "Don't worry, I won't be hiding. If there's two instances of the same symptoms, then we have evidence the Dust Co can't deny. Then we can tell Weiss, and she can contact the right people to investigate."
"But Ruby..." But before she went further, she thought about it. And sure enough, she was right. If they provided the evidence, and worked together, they could gather enough to warrant an investigation. And from that, they could stop whatever the intended goal of the trail drug was before they even knew it themselves, and even free the Faunus. That was if they were even there.
"Alright. But please, promise me you won't go in over your head. This is my species, my fight. I don't want you getting hurt."
Shaking her head, Ruby smiled. "It might be your species, but that doesn't mean I'm not helping you. I'd be a pretty cruddy friend if I didn't do that."
Both of them exchanged warm smiles. Blake knew she could trust Ruby all this time, she didn't know what was putting her off telling her in the first place. Even if she was in the dark about Sun, the brunt of information was shared between them both. They had an ally, and a plan. It was far more than ever before.
But the groans of Yang still broke the mood. With an annoyed expression, both girls turned to the girl, who was inspecting her face in the front camera of her scroll, flicking her ears slightly. "Why do these have to mess up my haaaiiir. I can never show Weiss my face agaaaaiiiin..."
"Oh shut up." Getting up from the ground, Ruby patted Yang's shoulder, gesturing for her to move. "Come on, we'll go to the bathroom so we have a real mirror and figure out how we can hide them. Weiss doesn't even have to know. You can tell me what to expect as well if I'm doing this." While Yang nodded and reluctantly followed, Ruby turned back toward Blake again, after seeming to remember something. "Could you make me and Yang a coffee? I think the one on the side's now cold."
"Only if I can make myself some tea." No objection there. With a warm smile, Blake headed toward the kitchen area, where all she could do was glance in Ruby's direction as she turned on the coffee machine.
Everything had changed. Ruby was in on the investigation, and willing to be a test subject so they could solidify their case. It was a matter now of keeping Sun in the loop for their next meeting, and they could have the Faunus freed far sooner than they thought. And to think, they wouldn't even need Adam's help, like she thought they would.
But if only she had changed it in another way. Feeling the weight of the box still in her pocket, she reached to pull it out again. Now wasn't the time anymore for romantic gestures. It wouldn't be appreciated, not when she had enough to worry about with Yang now, and for registering for the trials. It would no doubt be against everyone's interest if she suddenly proclaimed her love for her. A waste of her money after all.
Blake didn't want to give up though. She'd spent all that time motivating herself to do it and confess her feelings, she didn't want things to be a complete waste of time. Maybe she wouldn't confess today, but she could soon. With that in mind, she looked to the only safe hiding place she could think of. The vent.
'Tomorrow's another day.' That was all she could think as she hid the box and card behind the cover, closing it gently so as to not make a sound.
FEBRUARY 14TH 11:05PM
"Hello? ... It's me, Yang. From the tests?"
...
"I know, I know, it's stupidly late, but I couldn't call in the day. I didn't want the girlfriend to worry, y'know?"
...
"Listen, what you said; about calling if there were any side effects? Something's come up. And it-"
...
"It's pretty frickin' big, yeah."
...
"It's... very, physically obvious."
...
...
"Okay, that makes sense, cause obviously I don't wanna be coming in class like this. How soon can you get that?"
...
"Right, I'll stay put till that comes then. I guess I'm lucky my girlfriend does most things for me. I can get my sister to do the grocery shopping too."
...
"She is thinking about the trial, yeah."
...
...
"Well why can't you do it?"
...
"I see. I suppose she has met Cinder a few times. Might be best."
...
"A'right. Thanks for your help, Torchy. I knew I could trust you."
...
"See you in a week."
[Apologies for the shorter chapter today. But a bigger chapter is coming next to make up for it.]