BLACK meets WHITE…
Cars cruised by the busy intersection. Nestled all around by tall buildings, two roads met at the heart of the shopping district. Several stores ran along the paved sidewalk. The people of Vale went about their everyday life in peace, walking to and fro the intersection for one reason or another. Regardless, they all took the time to pause at this intersection for one unexpected roadside attraction.
At the corner of a bakery and clothing store, a snow-haired maiden handed out fliers with a smile. Her scarlet red eyes and porcelain white skin stood out, giving her the grace of a manufactured doll. Her dainty cat ears and tail swayed gently in the afternoon air. She wore a simple purple dress with a black apron over it. The letters 'UBW' embroidered discreetly onto the apron.
"Please visit Unlimited Blade Works for all your weaponry needs," Illya handed out another a flier. A boy blushed a bit before receiving it graciously. She giggled but remained polite and gave another flier to the boy's companion.
"For all your Grimm fighting needs, please visit Unlimited Blade Works!" Illya raised her voice a bit, containing it just enough to sound cute, but not overbearing.
Illya had to admit handing out fliers was getting harder and harder by the day. If she stuck around too long enough in one place, the people who frequented that area would get used to her and begin to ignore her. It was for this reason that Illya found a different spot each day to spread her fliers. She figured if she played her cards right, she could forever remain the irresistibly cute girl that caught people's attention.
Though attracting too much attention was a problem as well. Illya recalled just a few days ago when some older, gruffer men had stared at her just a bit too menacingly. The girl had quickly changed locations at the time, not wanting to get into any trouble and needlessly burdening her brother.
Illya tightened her hold on her fliers. Thoughts of her brother's already mounting concerns flooded her mind. She shook her head. No, she had to focus at the task at hand. Shirou was counting on her to rake in some customers.
That was when the girl felt a sudden burst of wind behind her. She lost her balance for a moment. A car over the speed limit? Illya didn't have the time or luxury to check, she realized in a panic, her hands were empty, the papers she had been carrying spilled all over the ground.
She panicked, immediately sprawling onto the pavement on her knees, picking up the papers. In her haste, she never noticed the shadows approaching her back.
"What do we have here?" A rough voice sneered behind her. Illya turned around and met eyes with the same group of men from a few days ago, the same ones she so curtly avoided.
"Still on the streets, eh, kitty cat? And on all fours and making a mess of our clean streets this time. What do you have to say for yourself, young lady?"
The man cracked his knuckles and snarled. He wore a dark tank top and jeans, not so discreetly displaying his muscles to the world. The two companions behind him shared a similar appearance.
"I-I'm sorry," Illya's voice became strained at the man's anger. She did her best to put on an amiable smile, desperately reining in the urge to smash the man's face in. She kept her hands busy, scrambling to collect all the fliers as fast as possible.
The man clicked his tongue and stepped closer. The soles of his shoes stomped flat on the flier Illya was reaching for. Illya looked up at the man. The sun cast a menacing shadow over his face. He was looking for trouble. Illya hadn't seen a face so prime for a punch since the Holy Grail War.
"You have a lot of nerve showing your face here like you belong, animal."
Illya's brows twitched, her hands crumbling up the flier she was picking up on impulse. This man for one reason or another had a thing against faunus. He didn't seem like the type to fall for her natural charm either. She'd already given him a way out. But the fool seemed insistent on picking a fight. Should she just oblige and wipe the floor with them?
The people around wordlessly gave them space. No one would be getting involved. No hero would be coming to save the day. Should she just use her powers and pass it off as a semblance? Here? In broad daylight? Shirou wouldn't like that...
"Come to think of it, what stupid store were you yammering about?" The man picked up a flier. His eyes scanned over the contents. "UBW? What idiot came up with that?" He crumpled the sheet and tossed it away.
That clinched it.
Consequences be damned. No one badmouthed her Onii-chan like that and got away with it. Illya relaxed her control, just loosening the lid over her powers by a fraction. Her red eyes narrowed, slowly changing into icy blue. The temperature of the ground around her and the men plummeted, the heat vanishing with her flaring temper.
"W-what the?" The man noticed a bit too late. His legs were stubbornly rooted into the ground. His thighs squirmed, but his feet refused to budge.
Illya smiled sweetly. "What were you saying again, Mister?"
The man clenched his teeth. He raised a fist. "You little-"
He never got a chance to finish his slur as a black boot connected with his cheek. The man's stupefied face spluttered saliva as his body sailed in the air before finally crashing into a wall.
"What the hell was that for?" The man yelled at his attacker.
The newcomer stood tall. Her long black hair fluttering lightly in the air. She wore a white V-neck crop shirt and black pants. A black bow sat atop her crown of hair. Her amber eyes narrowed at the man beneath her.
Blake Belladonna could not believe her eyes.
Here she was on the streets of Vale, on a personal detour around the Shopping District before she was due to meet up with her teammates at some new store. But when she saw people steering clear of a certain busy intersection, curiosity got the best of the cat faunus and she stopped to check things out.
Blake was appalled at the sight her eyes laid on. A trio of grown men sneering over a faunus girl picking up fliers on the floor. And nobody was doing a damn thing about it. Blake felt her stomach sicken.
Suddenly, the man before the little girl started fidgeting crazily. Blake was too far away to catch the words of their exchange, but when she saw the man raise his fist, her body moved on its own before she even realized it.
A moment later and the man was on the ground. A blaring red boot imprint over his cheek. "W-what the hell was that for?" He yelled at Blake. His two buddies steadying him back on his feet.
"For raising your hand against an innocent child," Blake answered the obvious, her voice loud and clear with righteous fury.
"Innocent child?" The man got back on his feet with great difficulty. "All I see is a filthy faunus brat in need of a collar."
Blake glowered. Did this man even hear himself speak? "Being a faunus doesn't make her any less of a person. She still has the same rights as everybody else. Apologize to her right now."
The crowd around them stirred at her words, the stupor of mob mentality finally lifting. The men could feel the tide turning against them. All because of one meddling girl.
The man grimaced. He couldn't run away, not with his legs still stiff. He would have to settle things here and now. "Oh, I'm sorry. Please... accept my humble apologies!"
The man abruptly threw a wild punch in the air. At first, Blake thought it was just another pointless display of rebellion but then she noticed the fist wasn't aimed at her. Her amber eyes followed the man's line of sight, all the way to the wide-eyed little girl sprawled on the floor.
Blake's battle-hardened instincts caught on. She felt the sudden shift in the air. From the man's fist, a burst of pressurized air blasted. It was an air bullet, a fist-sized ball of condensed air strong enough to shatter bone. And it was aimed right at the defenseless girl on her knees.
The huntress-in-training didn't need to think twice. She knew what to do. She hurled herself straight into the trajectory of the air bullet, effectively shielding the little girl and taking the brunt of the man's attack.
Blake felt a sharp wince as her white shirt was torn apart, a gaping hole bursting in the middle of her torso. Her gut twisted back, air forced out of her lungs. She felt her body being pushed back.
Behind her, the little girl gaped. She opened her arms ready to catch her savior in a hurry.
Above the darkness and the shame… Above the ridicule and the hate…
The words played in Blake's mind for an instant. Then she let her body melt into the shadows. She felt herself sink into familiar cold darkness. Her body vanished into wisps of inky black. The little girl's hands only caught intangible shadows.
Now in darkness, we will rise, reclaim our destiny…
The man blinked, not believing his eyes. He knew his semblance was good, but not that good.
"That was a dirty move."
He heard a voice speak directly below him. He looked down and met face to face with the girl who just disappeared. His eyes widened. How did she close the distance between them so quickly?
The girl's amber orbs glinted coldly in the sunlight. The next thing the man registered was the paralyzing surge of pain through his crotch. The girl rammed her knee straight into his groin. He grunted in agony, before backing up and crumpling onto the floor, his hands between his legs.
"I apologize. That wasn't my intention," the girl stood up, pushing back her long black hair with her hand. "But accidents do happen."
The faunus girl on the floor picked up the last flier and got to her feet, her red eyes never leaving Blake's graceful figure.
"Using a semblance in public like that, were you trying to kill someone?" Blake fumed at the man's recklessness. For all anyone knew, the little girl had a thin aura incapable of taking the air bullet.
The sound of a high pitch whistle rang in the air. Blake's bow twitched. She looked behind her and spotted a pair of men in white dress shirts and black suspenders approaching. The badges and guns strapped to their belts indicative of their authority as police.
"Alright, people, what's all the hubbub about?"
Blake frowned. The cops showed up now?
YELLOW bricks pave the road forward…
Yang Xiao Long wasn't sure what was up with her teammates as of late. She frowned at the two girls walking ahead of her. Ruby, her little sister, hummed a happy tune. Her red scarf fluttered in the air. Beside her, Weiss strut forward, her heels digging into the pavement just a bit too much. Her ponytail swung from one side to another like a clock's pendulum played fast forward, impatient.
"Ugh, guys," Yang waved her hand. "Where did you say we were going again?"
Ruby practically bounced. "Yang, we're going to Unlimited Blade Works! The hottest new weapons store in all of Vale."
"Then how come I've never heard of it?" Yang shook her head. Her little sister was prone to bouts of misplaced excitement. She recalled the time the girl kept on insisting the floor was lava once upon a time.
"With the Vytal Festival just around the corner, new stores and businesses are popping up left and right. It's no surprise for a new weapons shop to remain discreet," Weiss explained with a smile.
Yang nodded. Weiss spouting out information wasn't anything unusual. But she swore she detected something else in the heiress' voice, something almost like excitement.
"Are they any good?" Yang asked her two teammates who had apparently already been to the store.
"Yes, yes, picture it with me, dear sister! An entire room filled to the brim with weapons! Weapons as far as the eye can see!" Ruby gushed, wrapping an arm around Yang.
Yang snickered before brushing off her sister's antics. She looked to the girl's more level-headed partner. "Is it true?"
Weiss smiled. "While the number doesn't quite reach 'unlimited', the store does boast a considerable stock of weaponry." She patted the pommel of her rapier strapped to her waist. "But the store's real value might be in their reinforcement services."
"Reinforcement?" Yang asked unsure if she'd heard right.
Ruby beamed at the sound of the word. "That's what Shirou called it when I asked him what he did to our weapons. I don't know how he did it, but he took my baby's firepower to a whole new level."
"Almost like magic," Weiss mumbled to herself.
Yang eyed the snow-haired girl walking beside her now. "That doesn't sound like you, Ice Queen. Is there something else about this store you're not telling me?"
Weiss remained silent, not even rebuffing Yang's use of her much-loathed nickname.
Ruby placed a finger over her mouth, tilting her head. "Hmm? Something else? Uh… the shop is called UBW for short and um…"
Silver eyes widened. Ruby clapped her hands together. "Illya was adorable."
Weiss stiffened.
"Illya?" Yang prodded.
"She's the store owner Shirou's little sister. She helps around the shop by handing out fliers. Weiss ran into her on the streets the other day," Ruby offered.
Yang nodded. "She must really be something if she can draw our resident Ice Queen into a weapons store. That's more of your scene, Sis."
"I know. That's what I thought." Ruby agreed.
Weiss huffed. "It's perfectly normal for a huntress-in-training to patronize a weapons shop."
"But I always thought you preferred Atlas' high tech mail order delivery," Yang countered.
"Well…" Weiss gave Ruby a look. "Illya and her brother looked like they could use some regular customers, given their history…"
Ruby's smile turned somber, recalling the little girl's story from a few days ago. "Yeah, there's that."
The red and white duo walked in silence after that. A grave cloud trailed their steps.
"I must be missing something again," Yang sighed under her breath. She knew better than to prod further now. She watched the two again. The silence between them was pregnant with a story special to only to the two of them.
Yang's thoughts drifted to that of her own partner, Blake. She was supposed to be with them on this team outing. But the faunus girl had left earlier to take care of something in private, promising to meet up with them later at the new weapons shop.
Wherever Blake was, Yang just hoped she wasn't getting into any trouble.
Blake Belladonna did her best not to actively antagonize the police. But the men in uniform were making it very difficult, with their stern frowns and suspicious looks. If she didn't know any better, she swore it was like she were the one being treated as the offender.
"I'm telling you, officer," Blake said, with bated breath. "The man attacked first. He even used a semblance on a helpless child."
The police officer scribbled a few incomprehensible lines on his notepad and adjusted his sunglasses. He looked to his colleague, the one in charge of collecting testimonies from the crowd. They nodded their heads.
"Well, your story checks out, Miss Belladonna, and so does your Beacon Academy ID. In the name of the Vale Police Force, we thank you for your efforts in handling the situation. You're free to go," he said dismissively.
The officers led the three men into a police car. The boot-marked man whose nuts Blake had cracked earlier gave her a mean look before he was driven away. He didn't even look the least bit remorseful of his actions. Blake clicked her tongue. What great tragedy could justify the man's unreasonable grudge with the faunus?
"Excuse me, Miss," a voice said behind Blake. "Thank you very much for saving me. I don't know what I would've done without you."
Blake turned around and met the little girl the men had picked on. It seemed she hadn't left the vicinity yet. Her white cat ears twitched to the side. "Are you okay, Miss?"
The little girl stared pointedly at Blake's belly and for half a second, Blake became self-conscious of her choice of clothing. She had after all chosen to wear a white crop top today of all days. But she quickly threw away such notions when she noticed the concern in the little girl's eyes.
"I'm fine. Don't worry. See?" Blake pinched a portion of fabric of her shirt. "Not a scratch. It pays to have a nifty semblance on hand."
The girl's brows furrowed. Blake's words seemed to do little good in easing the girl's worry. "Be that as it may, you still put yourself in danger for someone like me. Thank you very much." She bowed her head formally.
Blake's bow twitched. The girl sounded almost ashamed of herself, as if she were worth any less than anyone else. "It's fine, really. Anyone would've done the same." Blake smiled, willing herself to forget the unconcerned onlookers a while ago.
The still-bowing girl raised the hem of her dress a bit and curtsied. "My name is Illyasviel von Einzbern, but please call me Illya. It's nice to meet you, Miss…?"
"My name is Blake," Blake introduced herself and placed a hand over Illya's head. "It's nice to meet you too, Illya."
The two of them stayed like that for a moment. They stood on the busy intersection, in a patch cordoned off from any passersby. The earlier commotion having isolated them.
Suddenly, reality returned its course and Blake blushed. She hastily pulled her hand away. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."
She just looked so sad, Blake thought. She knew her fair share of hardship from growing up a faunus. So perhaps something inside her instinctively reached out to comfort the girl?
"I-it's okay, Miss Blake," Illya hid a blush as she hunched down to pick up the fliers she left stacked on the floor. "Blake… Beacon Academy ID…"
A gear turned inside Illya's head and she brightened. "Might you be Ruby and Weiss' teammate Blake?"
"You know Ruby and Weiss?" Blake blinked.
"Yes, they visited my brother's store the other day. They told me a lot of fun stories about themselves, like their time in Beacon," Illya explained.
Blake scrutinized the papers in Illya's hands, catching the image of a sword and the letters 'UBW'. "Ah, Ruby did mention something like that a while ago. I'm supposed to meet up with them there later."
"Oh?" Illya perked up. "If you'd like, I could lead you there. My brother could do his magic on your sword too for free." She glanced at Gambol Shroud strapped behind Blake's back.
"Thank you. That's very kind of you." Blake mustered a smile. "But I'm sorry. I'm actually looking for something right now."
"Oh," Illya's shoulders dropped, but then raised them back up. "But you're still going later, right? You're just looking for something right now. Is there any way I can help? Any way at all?"
Blake inched back at the girl's newfound energy. "Well, I'm looking for a store I heard about on the news. I've never actually been to the place myself so I was going to ask around a bit." She pulled out her scroll and showed it to Illya.
"Oh?" Illya blinked. "Miss Blake, you want to go here? I know it. I spent the afternoon yesterday there handing out fliers. But recently that place was…"
"They were robbed, yes. I saw it on the news but I wanted to see it for myself." Blake's face darkened.
"As expected of a huntress-in-training," Illya said, nodding. "Ruby said you were the serious type. I'd be happy to show you the way, Miss Blake."
"Thank you, Illya and just Blake is fine really."
"Okay, Blake."
Illya smiled and the shadows on Blake's face melted away.
Yang had to hold her sister back by the cape. She was sure if she hadn't, the store would've been neck deep in rose petals by now. Ruby shook herself free and pouted at her sister. "Yang, you're making me look bad."
"You don't need any help in that, Sis," Yang snickered and patted the girl's shoulder. "Try to take it down a notch." She said affectionately. Try as she might, she couldn't find it in her to blame the girl for her excitement. Just like Ruby had said earlier, the store lived up to its name of housing unlimited blades.
Ruby grumbled, but got the message. She took a deep breath and came to her senses, finally noticing that some of the other customers in the store were giving her weird looks. She quickly joined Weiss heading for the counter, Yang following behind.
"Hello, Shirou," Weiss said formally.
"We're back!" Ruby said.
"Ruby, Weiss, it's good to see you two," Shirou nodded to his first two customers. His golden eyes drifted to their third companion.
"Oh, this is our teammate and my older sister Yang," Ruby gestured to the blonde brawler beside her.
"Nice to meet you," Yang said with a wave. "I've heard a lot of good things about your work."
"Thanks. It's nice to meet you too." Shirou smiled. "Is there anything I can help you with today?"
"Yes, we'd like you to reinforce our weapons again please," Weiss answered, placing Myrtenaster on the counter.
Ruby followed suit with Crescent Rose. "We've been playing a little too roughly with them lately," she explained.
"I hear you work like magic," Yang joked as she presented her golden bracelets on the table. "What do you think of my bad boys here?"
Shirou gazed over them.
"They're not swords," he muttered the words automatically, unbidden.
Yang raised a brow. "Sorry, but I like my fights up close and personal."
"No," Shirou shook his head, his eyes dead serious. "It's no problem. I just work better with blades. I still know a thing or two about other weapons." He traced his fingers over the metal surface, stopped and pressed.
The bracelets expanded into full-fledged gauntlets. Ruby and Weiss stared at the sight like they had a dozen times before. But only Yang studied the way Shirou looked at her weapons. Only she caught the flash of silver in his golden eyes. It could've just been a trick of the light. But for half a second, she swore the guy's eyes changed color.
"Reinforcement for all three of your weapons should be fine," Shirou said in a stern, deep voice. "That'll be three hundred Lien in total."
The girls made a motion to pull out their wallets. "No, it's okay. You can pay later." Shirou stopped them, with a small smile. "Actually, I have a favor to ask you if possible."
Ruby tilted her head. "What is it?"
"If I'm going to reinforce all your weapons, I'd have to work in the back and that would leave no one to watch the front." Shirou rubbed the back of his head. "I realize this is improper of me to ask of my customers, but would you mind watching the store while you wait?"
Team RWBY learned just how badly understaffed the store was.
"What about Illya?" Ruby asked. "Can't she watch the store?"
"Illya's out handing flyers again. She's been really spirited about it lately and once she sets her mind on something, stopping her can be… difficult." Shirou sighed.
"Are you sure it's alright for her to be out alone?" Weiss asked in concern.
"No, but like I said, she's difficult to control." Shirou said, frowning. "But she knows to call me if anything happens."
"What if you don't make it in time?" Yang asked.
Shirou paused at that. The thought of any serious danger befalling his little sister causing him to blank. "Then I'll just have to make sure that never happens," Shirou sighed, heaving his shoulders.
The girls noticed the steel layered beneath his words.
Ruby broke the silence with a stifled laugh. "Okay, Shirou, we'll watch the store for you no problem," she answered.
Shirou smiled appreciatively. "Thanks, I'll do my best to work quickly then," Shirou said, taking the weapons to the back with him and leaving Team RWBY in charge of his store.
The girls gazed around the room full of weapons, meagerly filled with prospective customers. What could go wrong?
Author's Note:
Illya and Shirou aren't from any canon timelines. I made one up that's sort of loosely similar to Heaven's Feel and Miyuverse with several changes.
It hasn't been outright revealed yet, but this story is set a few days after the end of volume 1, and during the 2 week semester break before Volume 2.
I hoped you liked it, even if a little.
Thank you for reading.