Hello!

I do not own RWBY

Small note at the bottom.

Enjoy? I hope?

...

The night following Blakes reunion with Ilia was restless. She couldn't sleep knowing her friend was hurting and that she was in a way partly responsible for it. What's worse was that she couldn't help but feel that she was justified in her anger. 'It's easier.'

"Why did I say that?" She asked herself frustrated. Because in all honesty, it wasn't. Her ears were sore and confined for so long, she really did just want to get rid of the bow. She trusted her team. She did, but she could never shake the 'what if's' her mind played on constant repeat. However, after a lot of thought she realized how unfounded the 'what if's' truly were. Weiss had more than proved herself trustworthy many times before by having her back in battle, and even proving she held no ill will toward faunus on many occasions, standing up to her father giving up her inheritance and title even befriending Velvet. So she very much doubted that Weiss would care. In fact she was sure neither Yang nor Weiss would care about here being a Faunus based on their great relationship with Velvet alone. Jaune even got along with the rabbit faunus. However, once Jaune knew, she doubted the whole of Beacon would be far behind, not out of malice but simple clumsy carelessness. That was just Jaune, even so, she couldn't bring herself to care all that much. Blake was sure she could handle herself if anyone were to have issues with her being a faunus. If Yang were around when any abusive words were slung then the only reason Blake would have to be strong would be to protect people from Yang.

A shiver went through her and she buried herself further into her blankets. If Weiss heard any negative remark about Blakes heritage then she would probably make the person wet themselves with nothing more than a cold stare and sentence, she had done it before with Velvet. Blake knew this; she knew it for a while but still never thought to reveal herself. She reached up to her bow but didn't touch it. 'Then why?' Blake looked to her feet where Weiss slept calmly on her bed against the corner of the wall. A snore Blake looked to Yang sleeping with her open mouth inches away from Weiss' uncovered feet. 'Why can't I stop...hiding?'

She let her hand fall with a heavy sigh. Suddenly, she couldn't help but think of the only true issue there now was with her revealing her heritage to her teammates.

What they probably would care about was how long she had kept it a secret. Yang would probably be hurt. Trust was huge with her, and the realization that Blake didn't trust her with this piece of herself would probably be like a punch to the gut. Weiss would probably feel even worse, she'd probably blame herself that Blake couldn't be comfortable enough in their own home. 'None of that is true though. I just...' exhausted she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to figure out why she had been so reluctant to let her team, her best friend in. Why even in knowing how attached she had become with her team did she never accept any invitation to Vale or anywhere else off campus unless it involved a mission.

She sighed, not finding the answers hidden behind her own eyelids she opened them tiredly. Seeing sunlight peak out from behind the drapes Blake gave up on sleep, got ready for the day and headed down for breakfast.

She was the first one there, she finished her food and continued to read her book as she waited for Yang and Weiss to make their way down for breakfast. Needing a distraction, she brought a book that was slowly becoming one of her favorites. She usually didn't care for books that centered around heros and villians but this one captivated her. The hero wasn't exactly normal; he was constantly being accused of horrible deeds by the villain of the story who was perceived to be the hero to everyone but the reader. Blake assumed even some readers would see him as such. The hero did always dress to disguise himself and the villain was an average person that no one would ever suspect.

The villain was kind and well liked and on the surface, a helpful kind man. But underneath was nothing short of a monster who would constantly sacrifice anything to reach his goals. The Hero had nothing and no one. He lived on the outskirts of the kingdom only coming near if he needed to resupply or turn in a bounty. No one ever saw his face which caused mistrust, but he would never ignore a child in need. Be it from hunger or bullies he would always provide aid, then leave the moment his work was done. Strangely enough both characters rarely ever interacted with one another. Other than the occasional slander the villain would toss the heroes way it was almost as if they existed in two different worlds.

Blake was pulled from her book at the sound of a tray hitting the floor, she looked up to see a red faced Ilia and some first year standing above her.

"Watch it you freak!" Ilia stood and stared the girl down. "What? You got something to say scaly?" At the comment Blakes blood boiled. She stood and made her way to them, quickening her pace as she saw the girl raise her arms ready to shove Ilia down. But before she could make it half way a blur of petals encircled Ilia then burst together in between the two girls. Standing there was a figure in a long flowing cape hood drawn hiding their face. Blake was stunned still as were both Ilia and the girl. Aside from the color of the cape the figure looked almost identical to the description of the hero in the book she was just reading. Long boots disappearing into the cape which shrouded the figure in mystery.

"Leave my partner alone." Came a calm threatening voice. The girl was first to snap out of her trance at being addressed and she looked down at the figure.

"Well now that is a shame. How did a faunus freak get such a hoty for a partner while I'm stuck with that doofus."

"Hey-"

"Shut it Kerry. Anyway, sweety my name's Kai. I was just taking out the trash. Move out of my way,"Kai said as she slowly started to creep closer to the figure and placed a hand on her shoulder. "and maybe when I'm done you and I cou-AHH!" In an instant the figure burst into petals and circled Kai causing her to yell out in pain only for the figure to materialize behind her. Kai was restrained and on her knees facing Ilia.

"Apologize."

"Ah-Get off me!"

"She has a name! It's not freak, trash or scaly. Why would you even say that? She has great skin, it's really soft and nice. Now apologize." The girl said calmly as Kai struggled.

"F-fine! Sorry!" The instant Kai was let go she whirled to face her attacker only to be surrounded with rose petals and the figure appeared in between Kai and Ilia once again. Shaking her head Kai seemed to be done with the situation as she grabbed at her wrists and began walking away. "Whatever. Your loss animal lover." Blake watched as Kai left the cafeteria Kerry following close behind. Then looked back to Ilia and her partner who was watching Kai leave. Then, after being satisfied that Kai was gone for good, spun on her heel to face Ilia, hands on her hips lifting up her cape Blake now noticed the boots and cape covering her eyes were about the only physical resemblance the figure had to the character in her book.

The lifting of the cape reveals thigh high boots, a black mesh escaping them and disappearing into a pleated red leather armor skort, A loose black corset with matching fingerless gloves. The black mesh reappearing on her chest. A smile on the girl's face was the cherry on top that made Blake blush even though it wasn't directed at her.

"I didn't know you could do that! At first I saw you hit the ground and I was like 'oh no!' but then your hair and skin changed color like woosh! Even your eyes changed! It was so amazing! Ahh but your food! Do you want me to go get you m-"

"Ruby!" Ilia interrupted "I don't need you to protect me! I could have handled it on my own."

"I-Yeah. O-of course it's just she was gonna push you and your my-"

"Whatever! I lost my appetite anyway. I'm going to class."

"Bu-" Ruby wasn't allowed to finish as Ilia had already walked out. Blake saw Ruby's shoulders drop and head lower. "Okay." Ruby said sadly.

After a moment she let out a low unhappy groan as she shot her hands up revealing bare extremely toned pale arms. She reached over her head for the back of her hood and yanked it even further down her face. She sighed and whispered barely loud enough for Blake to hear.

"Stupid Ruby darnnit."she bends down and picked up the mess left behind by the altercation and put it in the trash. Blake watched in awe as Ruby slowly changed into petals that calmly drifted out of the cafeteria as if being carried away in the wind.

...

Panic. There probably wasn't a better way to explain the state that she was in other than just, panic. It was bad enough to have to sit still watching helplessly on the sidelines as your partner fights for her life against a monstrous Grimm but to be forbidden to help your partner by your own instructor? 'What is this crack pot...Port? Yeah Port What the heck is his problem?! What was the point of getting a partner if we were just gonna-' Ruby felt a hand on her shoulder interrupt her thoughts. She glanced to the side to see her teammate Oscar calmly watching the fight.

"It's okay Ruby. Ilia is doing just fine. I'm sure-"

"I don't know Oscar. She's probably gonna die."

"What?!" Ruby panics and jolts up from her seat ready to rush down to help her partner when she hears laughing.

"Wow!" Emerald lets out as she continues to laugh. "Ease up will ya. You're not the only one who kicked ass in the forest Ruby. Believe it or not, your partner is pretty badass." Oscar sighed as Emerald tried, and failed to stop her laughing.

"She right Ruby. Your partner is quite skilled."

"Well can't you like...I don't know, help her?" Ruby asked, shuffling her feet looking nervously to Oscar and her partner fighting the angry Boarbatusk. An idea pops in her head but she stops shy. Focusing all her attention on Oscar now. "Its belly! Oscar, tell her to go for its belly!" Oscar let a smile slip through as he continued to watch the fight.

"I don't think that's necessary Ruby."

"What do you mean aren't you supposed to help-"

"Arrrrgh!" Ruby acted before she even looked. She Burst into her semblance and shot down to her partner ready to get her out of there. However, when she got there she was met by a shocked looking professor a fading Grimm and an angry Ilia.

"Uhhh." Ruby said as she relaxed her stance. She meekly waved and with a nervous chuckle she addressed her partner and professor. "H-hi."

The professor snapped out of his shock first and dismissed the class. Ilia just glared at Ruby and walked away. Ruby just stood there watching as the class filed out before hanging her head and walking back to her seat to gather her stuff.

"You know. She totally had that." Emerald called from in front of her.

"Huh?"

"Your partner. She was basically just toying with the thing."

"Bu-why would-" Ruby trailed off confused "If, she could beat it why didn't she just get it over with."

"I don't know but there is no doubt in my mind that she did indeed have it." Oscar said with Emerald rolling her eyes behind him. "You needn't worry abou-"

"She's my partner! How could I not?! I should be protec-"

"I don't need you to protect me!" Ilia interrupted Ruby from behind.

There was silence as she stared daggers at Ruby and she squirmed under Ilia's gaze.

"Well. Isn't this nice." Emeralds voice cut through the silence with a sarcastic tone. "What do you think Oscar? Freckles or red?"

"E-excuse me?" Oscar asked confused.

"My liens on freckles. Little red here's to skittish."

"A-are you?" Oscar shook his head "Nevermind, let's go I think our other half needs to have a conversation."

"Aww, you're no fun." Emerald said as she followed Oscar leaving Ruby alone with Ilia in the now all but deserted classroom. Ruby shuffled her feet trying not to focus on the fact that Ilia was still glaring at her. Feeling uncomfortable with the silence she decided to break it.

"Soooo. Are you okay?" Ilia's glare turned even angrier before she rolled her eyes and she pushed past Ruby.

"I came back for my bag not your stupid pity."

"Pi-wha? Ilia wha-" Ruby was interrupted as Ilia whirled on her with lived yellow eyes.

"Save it! I didn't ask for you to save me in the forest. I didn't ask for you to save me this morning and I didn't need saving from a single Grimm right now! I didn't get a scratch on me! I am not some poor helpless faunus for you to keep an eye on!"

"N-no, Ilia you're not-"

"Not what?! Did I not prove myself in the forest when I saved you?"

"Wait that's-"

"Or did all that change when you found out I'm a Faunus!"

"No! I don-"

"Don't what?! Don't think I can handle being here?! Don't think I deserve to-"

"Would you shut up an-"
"-be here?! What else could I-"

"-d let me talk!"

"-expect from a friend of a Schnee!"

The room fell to silence as both Ruby and Ilia stood there staring at each other angrily. Ruby just takes in everything Ilia said. 'Schnee…But Weiss isn't like that...' Ruby slowly stands up to her full height and looks down at Ilia from beneath her hood.

"You don't know anything about her." She said in a stern voice.

"I know that she's a Schnee." Ilia sneered defiantly. "And that's all I'll ever need to know." Ruby furrowed her brow and closed her eyes. She knew now why Ilia was so mad, she knew in some way her actions had caused some of Ilia's anger.

It was a misunderstanding that could be fixed with a conversation. A heart to heart, Ruby was sure of it. But this? The anger Ilia felt to Weiss, that wouldn't be so easy. The anger Ruby saw in her eyes was like Yang's it wouldn't be satisfied with a simple explanation. Ilia needed to blow off steam.

That's why Emerald had said she was toying with the Grimm, but Weiss had done nothing wrong to Ilia and probably never would. It wasn't her fault and if Ilia hurt her, Yang wouldn't stand for that. Ruby sighed, opened her eyes and sadly looked at her partner knowing only one thing could fix that anger and save her sister and friend. She could deal with things now or she let it wait and let things get worse. 'I'm sorry…'

"If, that's what you think...Then you're just like Jacques Schn-" Before Ruby could finish her sentence Ilia tackled Ruby to the ground with a furious cry of rage. They tumbled down the steps into the arena where Ilia was fighting the Grimm. Ruby letting out a hiss of pain as the back of her head made contact with the hard floor. Ilia grabbed the front of her uniform pulling her up slightly just to slam her back down onto the ground.

"I am nothing like that MONSTER!" Ilia screamed as she hovered above Ruby forcing her to stay on the ground.

"He's a cruel-" Ilia lifted Ruby so their faces were so close their noses almost touched and continued to scream. "-racist asshole power hungry MURDERER!" Ruby squeezed her eyes closed as her head once again met the floor hard. Ilia, still fuming over her, is shaking with rage, her face red, her hair freckles and eyes yellow as she clenches her teeth. "You mean nothing to him if you're a faunus he treats us like garbage just because of how we were born! Do you get that!?" Ilia finishes with a heavy shake of her fists. Ruby winces as she looks Ilia in the eyes, seeing only rage, she speaks.

"Yeah, he hates you because you didn't choose to be a faunus, and you hate Weiss because she didn't choose to be a Schnee." Ilias eyes falter and widen at that only for only a second before she raises a fist and slams it down on Ruby's chin.

"Shut up!" She lifts her arm again and slams it down this time meeting Ruby's bare arms which we now shielding her face. "He's a monster!"

"He is." Ruby said as Ilia continued to punch.

"He hate's us!" Ilia screamed with another punch.

"He does" Punch

"He uses us!" Punch Punch

"I know." Punch

"He!" Punch

"Killed!" Punch

"My!" Punch

"Family!" Ilia punched Ruby several times after that, and when the punching finally stopped, Ruby could hear ragged breathing followed by a gasp. She moved her arms down so she could see.

She saw Ilia, her wide eyed breathing heavily as she looked past Ruby. There was no more anger in her eyes. But now there was fear.

"Your aura." Ilia whispered and Ruby shakily moved to put her arms down but Ilia caught it before she could. Ruby winced as Ilia examined it. "Why didn't you raise your Aura!"

"I-"

"You Idiot!" Ilia shoved her hand on Ruby's forehead and through her hair. Squeezing she forcefully, Ilia yanked Ruby's head up and down so she was now hunched over staring at her own legs. She felt a sharp pain on the back of her head as Ilia brushed the back of her head with the hand that wasn't holding her in place.

"Owch! Ilia! Quit it, that hurts!" Ruby said as she struggled against Ilia.

"You're bleeding, why didn't you have your aura up! Why didn't you fight back!?" Ilia asked as she let go of Ruby's hair allowing her to rub her now aching follicles.

"Did you have to pull my hair? That really hurt! You butt." Ruby said as winching from the pain.

"Ruby." Ilia said with a sternness that forced Ruby to give her full attention. Her eyes were hard and flashing between yellow, blue and grey. Ruby sighed and started gently rubbing her chin where Ilia had struck earlier.

"Do you feel better?" Ruby asked meekly. Ilias eyes widened in shock and she stayed quiet searching Ruby's face for something. A minute passed and she spoke

"What?"

"Is that what you needed? Is that what you wanted to do to Weiss?" Ruby asked with sadness in her eyes.

"N-no...I…" Ilia trailed off.

"I'm sorry for what he did. Weiss' dad? I'm sorry." Ruby stopped rubbing her chin and moved to steady herself on her elbow wincing as her arm caused her some pain. "But Weiss isn't him. She didn't do any of those things. There's one faunus she doesn't really get along with but, that's because he likes to mess with her. And I know she's friends with a faunus named Velvet."

"I..." Ilia looked lost looking anywhere but Ruby and rapidly changing colors.

"I'm sorry if I made you feel...like...like I didn't..Aghh!" Ruby breathed in and tried to collect her thoughts. After a few minutes she looked up at Ilia who was now just sitting on Ruby's legs looking down at her own hands. "Ilia." Ruby said gently. Ilia's eyes flickered, she had heard but didn't look. Trying again she reached and gently touched the tip of one of Ilia's fingers and spoke again. "Ilia." Ilia looks at Ruby and her eyes settle on blue. Ruby offers a small smile.

"I used to get picked on a lot. When my sister found out she lit the school on fire trying to find the ones who were mean to me."

A small sad smile appears on Ilias face and Ruby continues feeling relieved this seems to be working. "No one picked on me after that. I was fine for a while I had a few friends but I mostly hung out with Yang. Then, she came here…"

Ruby shook her head and took a deep breath. "and the bullies came back. I just," Ruby took a shaky breath and rubbed her eyes on her shoulder. "I hate the feeling of people treating you like you're nothing. So when I saw that girl being mean to you I just...I just wanted her to stop. I don't care that you're a faunus, I don't care if you're cranky or grumpy or mad at me, you're my partner. And, I know you're strong and you can take care of yourself but if I can help, then I want to."

Ruby squeezed her eyes shut, she could feel her shoulders starting to shake and she hated it. 'Darn It I pushed her too far. I should have just-' Her thoughts were interrupted by a hand on her forehead gently pushing back her hair. She opened her eyes to see Ilia smiling at her softly.

"Come on." Ilia said, grabbing Ruby's hand and pulling her up. "Get your Aura to work. We'll fix you up then head back to the dorm." Ruby smiled at Ilia and let her lead to the front of the class where the medical supplies were. Ilia had Ruby sit down on the desk while she got everything she needed.

"Head down." Ilia said in a calm voice. Ruby obeyed and winced at the sting of whatever disinfectant was searing her scalp.

"Owwwwie." She whined

"Well next time- Wait why are there roses in your hair? Whatever , next time don't be such an idiot and put your Aura up." pouting Ruby agreed and sulked as Ilia continued to clean the wound which was already closing up thanks to her Aura.

"Ruby?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry."

"S'okay."

"It's not."

"Mmm." Ruby shrugged not really knowing what to say to that.

"I'm an ass."

"You were angry."

"That doesn't make it right." She said with an unnecessarily firm dab of disinfectant.

"No, but-ouch!" Ruby reached up and pulled Ilia's hands away and looked at her. "You're trying to make it right. For now. That's good enough." Ilia furrowed her brow and shook her head.

"You're an idiot." Ruby pouted at that and crossed her arms.

"Just because you got kicked around before doesn't mean you're a punching bag." Ruby looked back at Ilia to see her once again angry. She didn't change color, but you could see it. "So don't act like one again."

Ruby looked down at her dangling feet not knowing what to say she understood why Ilia was saying that but.. 'I can take it'. Her chin was quickly caught and pulled up forcing her to look at a still angry Ilia. "Got it?" Ilia urged for an answer. With a heavy sigh Ruby nodded in reply shaking some petals loose.

"Where the heck do these things keep coming from!" Ilia said ruffling Ruby's hair shaking even more petals loose. Causing Ilia to groan and Ruby to giggle. Ilia smiled at that and pulled Ruby's hand to get her to follow.

"There ya go. Rosy cheeks because you're laughing is better than rosy cheeks because you got your ass kicked. Come on, let's go little rosy." Ruby chuckled at that and pulled her hood over her eyes as they walked out of the classroom.

"Little? Aren't I taller than you?" Ilia sighed and as she walked and mumbled.

"You're so lucky I already put lightning lash away."

... Hellllo there! ...

Hi! I planed to get this up hours ago but some times internet connection just says no.

Oh well I still got it up here. Hope you enjoy if not that's cool I apologize for your lost time please accept this little guy as compensation

('-')

Anyway... Yeah next chapter April 30th