The crimson on Olivia's appendage disappeared as she dismissed it. Corpses littered the dance floor and bar, interposed by unconscious White Fang members and their fellow students. Fires burned at the front of the building, and the sounds of gunfire could still be heard outside.
Olivia gripped Weiss's hand tightly while lifting her from the floor. She was taking care to keep the anger out of her eyes, opting instead to only show the concern she felt for her teammate. Weiss's throat was roughly bruised, her breaths coming out in a harsh rasp after the man's brutal attempt at strangling her. The heiress trembled, incapable of taking her eyes off him or the hole that Olivia had speared through his chest.
"You'll be alright, Weiss. He can't hurt you anymore," Olivia assured her, turning her away from the gruesome sight. Truthfully, the rest of the room wasn't much better. It was a bloodbath, the likes of which Olivia hadn't seen in years.
'Last time, I was the one doing the killing…' Those had been guards and hunters though. Seeing normal citizens being brought into the crossfire...
Olivia's unease was mostly outweighed by her anger. Outrage that a member of the White Fang had gone against her wishes and attacked Weiss directly.
'Seems Widow doesn't quite have them in line… or…' Olivia didn't want to believe it, but Widow… 'She might have ordered the attack. I can't put it past her, not after everything she's done.'
'And in that case…' Olivia unfurled her appendages, draping them around Weiss without actually touching her. The heiress's aura was entirely depleted, run dry through substantial use of her semblance and finished off during the attack. While the remainder of the fight was taking place outside, Olivia wasn't going to take any chances. A single stray bullet was all it would take to hurt Weiss right now, and with the White Fang's current track record, she wouldn't put it past them to try.
"Once the fighting has died down, we'll get you to the infirmary. I'm sure some aura enhancers will help you heal soon enough." Olivia placed a hand on either of Weiss's shoulders and began guiding her towards the end of the bar.
"I'm-" The single croak was all Weiss could manage before devolving into another fit of coughs.
"You're not fine," Olivia chastised, guessing at what Weiss had been attempting to say. "Your throat's a darker purple than my sweater. We're getting you to the infirmary as soon as possible, and that's final."
Weiss stared back for a few seconds before finally nodding acceptance. Her eyes were reddened, tear streaks leaving tracks across her face. Olivia wanted to help. This was certainly the first time Weiss had seen death from up close, a shocking sight for anyone, let alone one so distanced from the true brutality of the world.
To also come so close to dying herself…?
With the White Fang inside all taken down, only the older students were still keeping themselves busy. Emerald and Mercury were watching the downed faunus, while Fox, Yatsuhashi, and Neo moved from body to body, checking for anyone that might still have a pulse. Olivia grimaced, seeing Yang and Pyrrha standing off to the side. Both were rooted in place, shocked by the gruesome sight before them now that the battle was over and their adrenaline had run its course.
"Pyrrha! Yang!" Olivia called out, startling both of them, "Help me get Weiss out of here."
"O...On it," Yang stammered. She grabbed Pyrrha by the shoulder and steered her away, meeting up with Olivia as they headed in a group towards the front. The wall of fire was beginning to die down, the conflict outside resolved and the last few rounds of gunfire being cut off at their source. Olivia dropped her semblance, but kept a wary eye out for any stragglers Cinder might have missed.
Olivia frowned, noticing that Cinder hadn't been fighting alone. Qrow had been the one to finish off the last faunus, and was now surveying the street as well. The engines to both Bullheads were melted, leaving them flightless in the middle of the street. White Fang members were strewn about, still alive as far as Olivia could tell. Their hearts still beat, though many wore scorched and charred uniforms.
'Ozpin must have Qrow following Cinder around to protect her. I'm a little surprised, considering what happened to the last one. Does Ozpin still trust him that much…?'
Qrow's eye caught on to hers, and the two shared a brief smile. Regardless of circumstance, Olivia was glad to see him.
"Yang!" Ruby caught them off guard, blurring into the gaggle of students and crashing into her sister with a fierce hug. "Are you okay!?" Ruby stood on tiptoe, trying to peek over Yang's shoulder, "What happened insi-"
Yang grabbed Ruby and held her tight, stuffing the younger girl's face into her chest so that she couldn't look into the building. "Don't…" Yang's voice quavered, "Don't look."
Ruby muttered in frustration, attempting to pull away from the older girl, "Yang, what are you doing? Let me-"
"No." Yang and Olivia spoke in unison, quailing Ruby's struggles. She turned her head to the side with a measure of uncertainty, eyeing Olivia to see how serious the two girls really were. Olivia only shook her head, silently denying Ruby's curiosity in favor of retaining her innocence. She was too young to be subjected to what lay inside.
'Far too young…'
Olivia felt Blake's presence approaching from off to the side. She frowned, turning to face her teammate as she noticed her awkward gait, leaning against the wall next to her. Focusing more closely on her sixth sense, she could feel-
"Blake!" Olivia left Weiss with the others and darted to the faunus's side, helping to support her and take what weight she could off her injured back. Olivia could feel the gash across it, a long line running from one shoulder to the opposite hip. Her blood had slowed to an ooze, already drenching her clothes. The damaged flesh was being ever so slowly repaired by what remained of her aura. "What happened!?"
Blake bit her lip, seeing that the rest of the group had also taken notice of them. She leaned into Olivia, wrapping an arm around her shoulders to speak quietly in her ear.
"Adam."
One simple name was all it took to ignite Olivia's anger further. She clenched her fist tightly, mind immediately recounting all the details it could about the man. 'If he… no…' Olivia needed to look at the bigger picture. Who was really to blame? Who would have put him up to it? Condoned it? Olivia might have never had the chance to tell Adam that Blake was on her team, therefore off limits, but Widow would have.
'Is that her plan? Convince others to kill my teammates so she can feign innocence? Would she try something so obvious?' Widow was smart enough to know that Olivia would suspect her immediately if her teammates started dropping like flies, though. Olivia had already been disillusioned. If anything, Widow couldn't afford to break the promise she'd made not to interfere.
'So was this her doing, or not?' Either way, Adam was now a threat that needed to be removed. Whether Widow had turned him against them, or if Adam had attacked of his own volition, all that mattered was that Blake's life was at stake.
Between the two, it was an easy choice.
Olivia was pulled from her thoughts as Nora and Ren appeared, both hastily dressed and looking nauseous after their trek through the club. Nora let out a sigh of relief when she saw everyone gathered outside, incapable of dredging up her usual vibrance in the face of so much death. Ren looked the more normal of the two, though Olivia could tell that despite his semblance dampening his emotions, even he was affected. His eyes caught on to hers, and the two shared in a companionable nod, relieved to see the other was alright.
Blake regained Olivia's attention with a sharp tug on her sleeve, speaking in an urgent whisper, "You aren't planning anything, are you?"
"What do you mean?"
Blake flashed her a suspicious glance, keeping her voice low, "You have that… look… on your face. Are you thinking of hunting down Adam for revenge?"
Olivia's eyebrows rose in surprise. The ease at which Blake had read her was disturbing, to say the least. Either Olivia was lowering her guard far too much, or… 'Blake's used to it from her experiences with Adam.'
"So what if I do? Are you going to protect him after what he's done?"
"It's not about protecting Adam. Believe me, if I'd been strong enough… I would've taken him down in that alleyway."
"So…?"
Blake shook her head emphatically, "But I wouldn't have killed him. And you… Just because you are capable doesn't mean you should. You promised not to kill anyone after… after Cardin. You haven't forgotten about that, have you?"
Olivia averted her gaze, feeling genuine remorse. Not for her plans concerning Adam, nor for the man she'd killed to protect Weiss. She'd never feel sorry for protecting those she cared about. Her promise had meant a lot to Blake, though. She'd trusted her, despite everything. They'd finally started to really connect.
'I hope this doesn't ruin anything between us.'
Olivia drew Blake's attention towards Weiss, to the thick bruises covering her throat. "About that… Let's just say I got a little… overzealous… when I saved Weiss." She gave Blake an apologetic frown, shrugging weakly, "Better you hear it from me, I guess."
Blake inhaled sharply, eyes transfixed on the bruises, "You killed someone?"
"He was trying to kill Weiss, so… yeah. I won't apologize for what I did. It was the same Fang member from the cafe. Obviously he didn't want to take no for an answer… I already let him off with one warning. I wasn't about to make that mistake again."
"Letting people live isn't a mistake, Olivia…"
Olivia glared at the ground, thinking of those she'd spared in the past. Beryl, the first time she'd stolen from him, the thugs that invaded her home, the drug traffickers that planned retribution after she put a stop to their operation… The Arcs, who would have turned her in if Widow hadn't finished them off…
"Yes... Yes it is."
Blake opened her mouth to argue, but let whatever she was going to say go unuttered as the sound of sirens echoed in the distance. Engines roared and lights flashed. Police cars, ambulances, and firetrucks all came to a screeching halt in the street. In a short span of time, the space was teeming with rescue workers.
EMTs helped the injured into their vehicles, police apprehended the White Fang, and firefighters got to work on the still burning building. The metal frames were melted and twisted, along with what remained of the shattered glass.
Many more citizens were brought out, kept safe upstairs by Coco and Velvet until they were sure the danger had passed. The pair was as frazzled as Ren and Nora had been, clothes hastily buttoned back on and accessories left in the room above. They greeted their teammates with passionate hugs, glad that they'd all made it through the night's events.
"We'll talk about this later," Blake promised Olivia. Bullheads from Beacon had begun to arrive as well, and Ruby returned to their side, putting herself beneath Blake's other armpit to help prop the faunus up.
The back ramp of the first Bullhead opened to reveal both the Headmaster and Glynda on board. Ozpin stood stoically, hands clasped around the head of his cane in a white knuckled grip. Olivia watched carefully. He slumped once he'd spotted Cinder, visibly relieved that she was uninjured. Curiously enough, his eyes immediately sought Olivia out afterwards, a worried frown appearing upon seeing the state her teammates were in.
"Headmaster! We need to get to the infirmary!" Ruby spoke hastily, ushering Weiss along with them while heading for the Bullhead.
"Of course, Miss Rose," Ozpin stepped aside, allowing them to enter past himself and Glynda. Olivia returned his gaze warily. Though he tried to hide it, she'd seen her fair share of suspicious glances. Ozpin was undoubtedly paying her more attention than necessary.
'Why? Because I used to be a member of the White Fang…?' She'd never found out exactly how much the headmaster truly knew about her. Considering some of their conversations in the past, there was a fair chance he knew about her true identity. An assassin in their midsts, trying her hardest to turn a new leaf.
'I don't know how the Black Lotus would be connected with an attack by the White Fang, though. It's been years since I was actually part of their organization. Aside from that, I wouldn't really... be involved with…' Olivia paused in thought. Some pieces of the puzzle were beginning to fall in place, information she'd learned only that night bringing Ozpin's perspective to light.
'I helped Cinder kill the previous Maiden by distracting Qrow. That must be what made Ozpin interested in me in the first place… From his point of view, I helped someone steal the powers, then they died during the attack on Arcus. I wouldn't know who had stolen them, so...'
In retrospect, choosing to hang out with both teams involved had been a very bad idea. Now it would appear as if she'd helped plan the attack on the club, a morbid attempt to draw out the 'new' Maiden in order to reclaim the powers once more.
Olivia tore her eyes away from his and focused on her team instead. Whatever conclusions he'd come to, he'd likely confront her on them sooner or later. For now, she needed to make sure her teammates got the treatment they deserved. When it came to Ozpin… she'd cross that bridge when she needed to. At best, he kept an even closer eye on her. At worst…
Olivia didn't want to leave Beacon, but that was a far better option than prison.
As luck would have it, Beacon's infirmary staff were already on board the various Bullheads, ready to treat whatever wounded there might be among the students. Ozpin and Glynda exited while Team Rainbow was ferried aboard. Olivia and Ruby helped the nurses lay Blake down in one of the stretchers, on her stomach so that her back would remain exposed for treatment. Weiss was guided to one of the seats, another nurse treating the bruises around her throat.
"Come on, Ruby. Let's sit," Olivia guided the younger girl down next to her, a few seats away from Weiss so that they could give the medical staff the space they needed.
"But Blake-"
"Is already being taken care of," Olivia assured her, keeping Ruby from climbing back to her feet. "She'll be right as rain soon enough."
The Bullhead began its ascent, engines breathing back to life in a low hum before igniting fully. They rose steadily, the pilots taking care to avoid disturbing those in back while initial treatment was underway.
Ruby kept her eyes on Blake, wearing a troubled frown while watching the doctors work. She inhaled sharply as the wound was exposed, the doctors cutting open what was left of Blake's tattered shirt. Ruby hugged herself against Olivia instinctively, seeking the older girl's comforting embrace.
"You're sure she'll be okay?" Ruby asked in a hoarse whisper.
"I promise." Olivia wrapped an arm around Ruby, pulling her in close. She had to fight to keep her anger in check. Cinder had promised her team wouldn't be harmed. Weiss, Blake… even Ruby's current fears were a violation in Olivia's eyes. She wanted to protect Ruby from the world, protect the innocence that Olivia had long since lost.
'But for now…' She needed information. Depending on how Ruby answered, Olivia wasn't afraid of breaking promises if it meant keeping her friends safe.
"What happened in the alley?" Olivia asked quietly.
Ruby's fingers tightened, curling into the sleeve of Olivia's sweater. "A… a man attacked us. I followed Blake out to see what she was doing, and there was a flash of red… she jumped in front of me…" Ruby blinked back tears that threatened to fall, watching Blake wince in pain as the doctors began to inject aura enhancers. "I couldn't see very well, but… Blake saved me from him. She told me to run, and… I couldn't… I didn't want to leave her like that…"
"Adam attacked you?" Olivia's voice was like ice, frigid and cold while fighting to keep her blinding fury in check. Attacking Blake was one thing. She was older, more world weary. Blake was competent enough to handle herself in a crisis. 'But Ruby…!?'
Unacceptable. Ruby was just a child.
"He…" Ruby paused, face slowly adopting a questioning frown. She looked at Olivia quizzically, silver staring into magenta. "How'd you know his name?"
"Blake told me a little of what happened while you were with Yang. I just wanted to hear your side of it," Olivia deflected, "She said his name was Adam, right?"
Ruby nodded, suspicions beginning to dwindle. "Yeah. Everything happened so fast, I was having trouble remembering his name… Blake was… she…"
Ruby paled, biting her lip while staring off at their wounded teammate. Olivia narrowed her eyes, seeing the doubt working its way across Ruby's features. 'Did she find something out from Adam?' Olivia followed Ruby's gaze more closely, noticing that she was actually staring at the top of Blake's head, at the hastily tied bow wrapped around the faunus girl's ears. Ruby's eyes flickered to Weiss, her uncertainty palpable.
'So that cat's out of the bag, and since Adam was involved… Does Ruby know Blake used to be in the White Fang?'
"She what, Ruby?"
Indecision eating away at her, Ruby finally sighed with a small shake of her head. She looked back to Olivia, feigning ignorance, "I don't know. I think he attacked because Blake caught him before the Bullheads showed up... maybe."
"Maybe?"
Ruby shrugged, "I'll um… have to talk with Blake. The alley was dark so I couldn't see much, ya know…?"
After a few moments, Olivia pretended to believe her. She hugged Ruby more tightly, one arm wrapped around the younger girl's shoulders. "You humans, always so helpless without the lights on~"
Ruby laughed weakly, "Yeah… us humans."
Olivia rocked to the side playfully, trying to help lighten the mood, "All things considered, I'm glad you're okay, kid."
"What happened to Weiss?"
"Don't worry about it. She'll be fine, too," Olivia shook her head when it seemed like Ruby might press for more answers. "I think the take away from tonight is that I shouldn't let any of you out of my sight. You're all hopeless without me."
Ruby pouted, "Are not. Me and Blake could have held our own if we had our weapons with us."
"If," Olivia chastised, "Never waste your time wishing for things you don't have during a fight. Take stock of what you do have and use that to the best of your abilities instead."
'Even then, from the way Blake talks about him… I doubt the two of them would've been enough to take Adam down, weapons or not.'
"I had my semblance," Ruby replied defensively.
"You should've ran when Blake told you to."
Ruby glared, half angered, half hurt by the remark. "I couldn't leave Blake behind like that…"
Olivia sighed, figuring out how best to approach the situation. "Listen, kid. Trust me when I say this… I'm really glad you were chosen to be our leader. With the team we have… no one else was fit for the job. That being said…" She gave Ruby an apologetic smile, preparing her for the truth, "You have less experience than Blake or me. Spars aren't the same. In the real world, when lives are on the line... If there's ever another situation like that… please listen to us. Even a moment of hesitation can mean the difference between life and death."
"Blake could have died if I left her there alone!" Ruby argued fiercely, drawing the attention of a few others.
"If Blake told you to leave then it was probably for the best," Olivia explained calmly. "She has enough aura left to have used her semblance a few times as long as she didn't need to worry about protecting you, too. She could have kept him distracted long enough to escape, maybe even long enough for you to get help."
"Olivia is right, Ruby," Blake spoke up before the younger girl could argue further. She winced as one of her stitches was put in, back arching slightly as if to avoid the pain. "Adam would have used you against me if it came down to it. I can dodge his attacks with my semblance… the alleyway was too cluttered for you to do the same."
Ruby shrank, shoulders falling and hands weakly held together in her lap. She stared at the floor sadly, fighting back tears.
"So I was just in the way…?"
"That's not how I meant it," Olivia tried to alleviate some of her sadness. "We all know you're good in a fight, just… not that fight. You need to learn how to pick your battles. That was the wrong time to stand your ground."
"We'll trust you to lead us, Ruby," Blake spoke up once more, flashing the girl a wide smile when their eyes met. "But you have to trust us too, alright?"
Ruby leaned into Olivia, shoulders still slumped and hands still weakly held together. "Okay…" she spoke quietly, not entirely reassured by the two older girls. Olivia kept her arm around her but left the conversation there. Ruby's inexperience wouldn't last forever, nor her innocence.
Olivia was going to do her best to protect the latter of those for as long as possible.
It was only a few more minutes before the Bullhead landed at the top of Beacon cliff. Ruby jumped to her feet, followed by Olivia. They kept close behind the pack as Blake's stretcher was carted out, the girl wincing at every unfortunate bump on the paved path.
Olivia watched with concern as Weiss followed suit, guided along by the nursing staff in the wake of Blake's retinue. She walked in a slump, eyes glued to the ground and a permanent frown affixed to her face. Her clothes were a mess, blood and alcohol alike staining the previously immaculate white threads.
"I'll meet you there," Olivia said quietly to Ruby, splitting off from the crowd before her leader could get a word in edgewise.
Olivia made her way into the dorm building, taking the stairs three at a time until she reached their floor. She could guess what was troubling Weiss easily enough, and knew that continuing to wear her current outfit wouldn't help the situation at all. Weiss also wasn't the type to tolerate being in a hospital gown, especially when the wound she'd sustained didn't call for it.
'Might as well make her comfortable. It's the least I could do…'
It didn't take long for Olivia to collect the items she needed, though her face did redden slightly while searching for one article of clothing in particular. Wrapping them all in a tightly knit bundle to avoid prying eyes, she hurried back downstairs and across the campus grounds, making her way into the infirmary.
Finding the rooms that Blake and Weiss had been given was easy enough, the noise alone removing any necessity for her sixth sense. Ruby paced outside one of the doors, balefully glaring at the interposing wood keeping her outside Blake's room while the nurses finished her treatment and redressing.
Ruby noticed her approach, along with the bundle of clothes tucked beneath one arm. Her eyebrows rose in sudden understanding, and she stepped out of the way to let Olivia pass into Weiss's adjoining room.
"Good thinking."
"It's the least I could do," Olivia shrugged, stepping past into the doorway of Weiss's room and knocking once against the wooden door. Weiss turned immediately, a disapproving frown etched across her features while staring at the hospital gown held in one outstretched hand.
"Figured you'd want something a little more comfortable," Olivia smiled, hefting the pajama bottoms, night shirt, and slippers that Weiss so often wore. Mixed in was a pair of her undergarments as well, Olivia uncertain as to whether or not Weiss preferred to go 'commando' in her sleepwear.
Weiss breathed a quiet sigh of relief and tossed the hospital gown down across a chair. She accepted the bundle offered by Olivia, then turned towards the bathroom to change. She nodded her silent thanks before closing the door, still incapable of vocalizing anything.
Olivia had seen the glimmer of sadness in her eyes, the effects of the night having fully caught up with the heiress now that all of the excitement had winded down. It was a mild struggle, but Olivia tried to imagine what it must be like to go your entire life never experiencing the things she'd already seen, only to be so brutally introduced to the realities of the world.
'How does she feel right now?' Olivia had seen her fair share of death, but never in her life had she come as close to dying at the hands of another person as Weiss had. 'Except…'
Olivia wasn't sure whether or not the men that killed her family would have done the same to her. She hadn't given them the chance to try, after all. If Weiss felt even half as bad as Olivia had back then...
Olivia busied herself with her own thoughts for a few minutes while Weiss changed and got cleaned up. She waited patiently, focusing instead on the room next door and the progress the physicians were making with Blake's stitches. It wasn't too long before they were both finished, and Ruby was admitted into Blake's room while Weiss exited the bathroom.
Weiss caught sight of Olivia still in the room and stopped in place, hands holding the bundle of bloodstained clothes that she'd previously been wearing. She appeared uncertain of what to do with the bundle, keeping it awkwardly at arm's length while scouring the room.
Thinking quickly, Olivia felt out with her sixth sense and found what she was looking for, a box of trash bags that had been stashed beneath one of the counters. She snagged one of the bags and held it open for Weiss, letting her unceremoniously drop her tarnished clothes inside.
Olivia looked them over dubiously, "Did you want to try and get them cleaned?"
Weiss opened her mouth to reply, but with a rasping of air followed by a pained frown, simply shook her head instead.
"I'll get rid of them, then," Olivia promised, tying up the bag and setting it near the door. "Pity. You looked really good in those…"
The corner of Weiss's lip raised momentarily in the barest glimmer of a smile before she sat down on the edge of the hospital bed, laying back and pulling the blanket over herself. Olivia's heart went out to her, seeing how dispirited the heiress was. She scoured her mind, searching for words to say that might put Weiss at ease.
'How can I cheer her up…?' Not for the first time, Olivia bemoaned her own lack of experience when it came to this sort of thing. She'd tried in the past with varying success. Considering that it was Weiss of all people this time, Olivia didn't much like her chances.
Weiss was staring blankly at the sheet in her hands, pulled all the way up to her chest. Her entire body was slumped, as if no energy remained within. "Do you… want to talk?" she finally asked.
Weiss looked to Olivia. She seemed to be considering the offer for a few long seconds, but finally shook her head slowly instead.
"Guess it would be a little one sided~" Olivia tried to say jokingly.
Weiss only flickered that same miniscule smile, the corner of one lip raising momentarily before falling back into place.
Olivia felt a pit opening in her stomach. She desperately wanted to help Weiss, to ease her suffering. However, the words wouldn't come. She had no clue what to say. She owed Weiss for the night before though, for not judging her after she'd laid a sliver of her heart bare.
"Is there… Is there anything I can do for you?" Olivia asked the question, then waited for Weiss's response with baited breath. 'Please, just tell me how to help…'
Instead, Weiss rolled on to her side, facing away from Olivia and drawing the blankets further up her body. It was as much of a response as the heiress could manage in that moment, a clear sign that there was nothing Olivia could do for her.
Olivia stared at Weiss's back for a few long seconds, heart aching.
'I wasn't made for this… Maybe… maybe Ruby can talk to her later…'
Olivia turned to the door and grabbed the bag of clothes, pausing in the exit with one finger on the light switch. "Have…" Olivia stopped, reconsidering what she'd been about to say. What kind of person could have a 'goodnight' after what they'd just experienced?
Instead, Olivia softly spoke the only words that came to her in the moment.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that, Weiss…"
Olivia clicked off the lights and stepped out, gently closing the door behind herself. She waited there for a while, feeling out towards Weiss now that the door was in place. Cut off from the rest of the world and thinking herself now in isolation, Weiss pulled her knees up towards her chest, shoulders shaking as she began to lightly sob.
Olivia sighed heavily, running a hand through her hair and stopping to hold the back of her neck. She glared at the ground. Her anger was slowly rekindling in the face of her own worthlessness. Weiss had given her so much relief the night before, but now that the tables were turned, there was nothing Olivia could think to do for her.
Dejected, Olivia walked past the room that Ruby and Blake were in, not up for a conversation herself anymore. Her sixth sense told her all she needed to know about the state Blake was in anyway, aura mostly recovering and gash beginning to heal. Besides, with the door closed and with her two teammates only a foot apart, it felt as if they were intentionally speaking in private.
Olivia found a trash bin to drop the bag into and left, heading back out across the campus grounds to the first year dorms. She stepped inside and climbed the stairs slowly, mind weighing heavily with the night's events.
'Why can't my life be simple, like how I imagined it as a kid?'
Going to the academy, leaving home to study and become a huntress. That had been the life Olivia wanted while growing up.
'Instead, I'm neck deep in secrets. Cinder's plotting to kill Ozpin, Ozpin's suspicious of me, my mother might be trying to get my teammates killed, and the White Fang is running rampant. We never would have butchered innocent people like that… even in Mistral…'
Olivia stepped into her team's dorm and shut the door quietly behind herself, not bothering to turn on the lights before crossing the room to her own bottom bunk. She looked at her clothes, only then noticing the blood stains splattered across her body. They were harder to spot in the dark material, but were unmistakable in the way her clothes stuck lightly to her.
Olivia changed into her sleepwear, taking only a few minutes to wipe clean some of the blood residue on her skin before slipping on her shorts and tank top. Her scroll vibrated on the nightstand as she was lying down, pulling the blankets over herself.
Olivia checked the message on her scroll with a sense of dread, wondering who was attempting to contact her and why. She hesitated for a moment before sliding it open. It was an official-looking message from Ozpin himself.
"Teams RBOW and LYNN are hereby dismissed from classes for the remainder of the week. Over the next few days, you will be assigned individual appointments to speak privately with either myself or Miss Goodwitch so that we may evaluate the impact of tonight's events.
The life of a Huntsman or Huntress is never easy, but I deeply regret that ones so young were forced to experience what you did tonight. Know that if you wish to speak outside of the appointed time, my office is always open to a student in need.
Sincerely,
Headmaster Ozpin"
Olivia returned her scroll to the nightstand and rolled over. She was too tired to think of the implications the message might have in regards to her. After staying up all of the previous day and night, taking classes, training with Weiss, partying, and the attack… It was beginning to catch up with her. She closed her eyes and dug into the mattress beneath her, trying to keep at bay all the thoughts jumbling in her mind and fall asleep.
Olivia hadn't succeeded by the time Ruby entered the dorm ten minutes later. The young leader kept quiet, believing Olivia to be asleep. Without turning over, Olivia could feel her stepping into the room. Ruby slipped off her shoes, but didn't bother changing further other than to unhook her bra. She pulled it out from beneath her shirt and dropped it in front of her dresser unceremoniously, moving towards her bunk to climb into bed.
Surprisingly, Ruby stopped with one foot on Weiss's bunk, turning to look back at the discarded clothing. With a miniscule sigh, Ruby returned to pick up the bra and place it in the hamper instead. She then straightened out her shoes and combat boots, nodding her own approval once she'd finished.
'At least one good thing came out of tonight…' Olivia thought bitterly.
Ruby climbed into bed. She tossed and turned for a time, rolling back and forth while struggling to get comfortable. Olivia felt her turning to stare at her back a few times, never attempting to wake her in order to speak. With her previous failures with Weiss in mind, Olivia doubted there was anything she could say to make Ruby feel better either. She refused to acknowledge the younger girl's stares, and was eventually rewarded when Ruby fell into a troubled sleep.
'Sorry, Ruby… I don't know what to say…'
The minutes ticked by. Olivia was still awake by the time Team Lion returned, entering their own room across the hall and in various stages of weariness. They were quick to follow Ruby's lead, changing and climbing into bed. The night's rigors had taken a heavy toll on them as well. It was to be expected, given the circumstances.
Olivia could still remember Yang and Pyrrha's shocked faces, likely as unused to seeing death as Weiss. It weighed on her conscience along with everything else, a reminder that she was different, broken. Despite how talented her newfound friends were, they were still woefully inexperienced when it came to dealing with death.
'Not that I have anything to be proud of…'
She wished she could be like them.
Olivia flinched slightly when her scroll vibrated once more. With a weary sigh, she rolled over and opened it to see what new message Ozpin might have in store for her.
It wasn't a message from the Headmaster, though. Olivia blinked back the bleariness in her vision to reread the text, heart gripped in a sudden panic.
"I warned you not to sneak another student out of my infirmary again. If Miss Schnee hasn't returned within the next ten minutes, I'll be forced to inform Miss Goodwitch. I'm sure a few detentions would set you kids straight. Bring her back. NOW."
Olivia ripped the blanket off herself and leapt from bed, immediately crossing the room to pull her shoes on. She hurried out into the hall, careful not to wake Ruby before speeding off. Olivia still clutched her scroll in one hand, and swiped through her contacts in order to call Weiss.
The scroll rang repeatedly, showing no sign that Weiss would pick up, or even had it in her possession anymore.
'Think, Olivia, think!' What could she do? Where could Weiss be?
Hit with sudden inspiration and forcing down her mounting dread, Olivia hung up the call to dial a new contact instead, one whose number she had only just received.
"Miss Mandevilla? I must say, this is a surprise. What-"
"Can you track Weiss's scroll!?" Olivia cut Ozpin off, already leaping down the last set of steps and exiting the dorm building into the brisk night air. She stopped once she was outside, eyes roaming the campus grounds uncertainly, not knowing where to go.
"Did something happen to Miss Schnee?" Ozpin's voice had lost its previous lightness, now possessing a commanding tone that demanded answers.
"The nursing staff messaged me. They think I snuck her out of the infirmary but I didn't. Can you track her?"
"Only if her scroll is still on campus grounds and in her possession. Give me a moment," Ozpin replied hastily. A few seconds passed with Olivia nervously tapping her semblance infused heel into the steadily cracking pavement, body ready to break into a sprint in any of many possible directions.
"Miss Schnee's scroll is in the combat arena," Ozpin's voice returned. Olivia's momentary relief shattered when Ozpin quickly continued, "Her aura level is dropping."
The web of cracked pavement suddenly widened with Olivia's first step, invisible pointed heel digging in to let her push off in a dead sprint towards the combat arena. It was a remote building, one of the few secluded places on Beacon grounds if someone wanted to execute her teammate. The only rooms it held were the arena itself, the changing rooms, and Miss Goodwitch's office. With Glynda down in Vale...
Olivia kept Ozpin on the line as she ran, ready to ask for assistance at a moment's notice if the situation warranted it. She could already hear the Headmaster in the background, speaking hurriedly with one of the pilots to prepare a Bullhead for take off. Olivia would have normally admired his dedication, but for the time being her thoughts were solely centered around Weiss.
A million thoughts ran through her head, bringing up ideas and dismissing them just as quickly. It couldn't be Widow. She would have murdered Weiss in her bed instead of going through the trouble of transporting her elsewhere. Adam, maybe? Could he have gotten past Beacon's security while so many of their personnel were being dedicated to efforts in Vale? Perhaps another member of the White Fang? There were no end of enemies for the Schnees.
Olivia was breathing heavily when she arrived outside the building. She slowed down, feeling out with her sixth sense while opening the first set of doors quietly. From this distance, she could only feel up to the last row of seats, the rest falling away into obscurity. Olivia crept into the hall, hoping to maintain the element of surprise if need be.
She peeked through the windows, and let out an audible sigh of relief upon seeing what lay within. Olivia brought one hand up to rub her face, and raised the scroll as well to speak into it and update Ozpin on the situation. Her heart was beating faster than it had in recent memory, but ever so slowly she was beginning to reign it back under control.
"It's fine, Oz."
"Are you sure? I'm headed-"
"No. There's no need," Olivia cut him off. She turned on her camera and faced it through the window, allowing the Headmaster to see what she already had.
"Weiss is just… training…" Olivia didn't know what else to call it. The heiress was sitting in the center of the arena floor, her back turned to the doors, knees pulled up and arms wrapped around them. A single, misty white glyph floated in the air, spinning lazily. She focused on it alone, chin buried in the space between her knees.
"I see…" Ozpin spoke lightly, now at least assured of his student's safety. Activating the camera had worked both ways, and Olivia could see some hesitance on his face when she spun the scroll towards herself once more. Ozpin looked at her keenly, seeming to judge her silently through the scroll's lense. He continued speaking after a few moments, tone betraying a modicum of the hesitance his features held. "Miss Mandevilla… I will be stuck in Vale for most of the night. Would you, by chance… be willing to speak to her?"
Olivia looked back up through the window. Her heart went out to Weiss, seeing the heiress so alone. Her already petite figure being curled up in such a way only emphasized how empty the rest of the room truly was.
Doubt ebbed away at Olivia's mind though. She bit her lip, looking back down to Ozpin with a worried frown. "What do I say? I want to help her, but… what if I only make things worse?"
The edge of Ozpin's lip curled into a smile, "I'm certain your presence alone will do wonders for Miss Schnee's current state of mind. All you must do is offer your friendship, Miss Mandevilla. Extend your hand, lend an ear. Let your teammate know that you're there for her."
"You make it sound so simple…"
Ozpin laughed softly, "It is for most. But even heroes falter, Miss Mandevilla. It is those who continue to try that succeed in the end."
Olivia stared at Weiss for a few long moments, working up her own courage. 'I owe it to her to be the best teammate- No. The best friend I can be…'
"Thanks, Oz," Olivia offered him a small smile of her own, then shook her head with a quiet laugh. "I can see why Qrow likes you so much."
Ozpin grinned, "Qrow struggled with empathy as well, once upon a time." He nodded in satisfaction, finger moving towards the button to end the call. "Best of luck, Miss Mandevilla. I believe in you…"
Olivia didn't have a chance to reply before the call ended. She sighed, pushing out all thoughts on Cinder's schemes in favor of her current predicament. Olivia slipped the scroll back into her pocket, even as she opened the door to slip inside. She was careful not to make any noise, intent on giving herself as much time as possible to prepare for the conversation ahead.
Not for the first time that night, Olivia's plans were immediately flushed down the drain. "I know you're there, Olivia. Human senses might not be as fine tuned as the faunus's, but we aren't deaf either."
Olivia was only shocked for a moment before letting out a small laugh, "Guess I should stop underestimating you then, huh?" She walked down the steps and into the arena, then sat down next to Weiss with her legs crossed and their shoulders brushing against each other. Olivia raised her eyes to the glyph that Weiss had created, the one the heiress refused to take her eyes off of. "What are you doing, Weiss? You should be in bed."
"I couldn't sleep," Weiss replied simply. From so close, Olivia could still hear the raspiness in her voice. The angry purple bruise had diminished greatly, however. Now it was a much lighter shade of green, with some small amount of yellowing mixed in.
"I don't think you'll have much better luck in here," Olivia rubbed both her own forearms with the opposite hands, feeling the mild chill in the air. "Not unless you like the cold."
The glyph immediately ignited, flames wreathing the exterior and expelling a wave of heat. Olivia's eyes flinched away from the sudden light, but Weiss remained unmoving. Olivia could see now that she was clutching a group of small Dust crystals in one hand, each type on display.
"Better?"
"Yeah, thanks…" Olivia replied.
They sat in silence for a while. Olivia was unsure what to say, but was content to simply stay by Weiss's side for the time being. Ozpin had said that her mere presence might be enough after all, and if Weiss wasn't willing to talk yet, Olivia had no intention of forcing her to.
Eventually, Weiss did speak. It was so sudden and quiet that Olivia nearly missed what she said.
"I'm sorry you had to do that."
Olivia hesitated, momentarily unsure of what Weiss was apologizing for until the sentence truly clicked. "You've got nothing to be sorry for, Weiss. It wasn't your fault you were attacked. It wasn't your fault that I was so late. If I'd arrived sooner…"
"You got there as quick as you could. You saved me…" Weiss's shoulders began to shake, and she blinked back the moisture in her eyes while staring at the fiery glyph. "Everything was going dark… my body started feeling numb… I… I thought I was going to die…"
"Well I couldn't let that happen, now could I?" Olivia asked. She wrapped an arm around Weiss and pulled her in partially, unsure of where exactly the heiress's boundaries lay at the moment.
Weiss went along with it, however. She leaned into the contact as Ruby had, seeking comfort in Olivia's embrace while keeping her hands wrapped around her knees. Tears were beginning to stream unabated down her cheeks, previous blinking now insufficient for stemming the tide.
Her voice came out in a raspy quaver, "Y-You killed him, for me…"
"And I would do it a million times over just to make sure you lived to see another day," Olivia confided, pulling Weiss in more tightly. "That might sound wrong, but… I've lost too many people in my life, Weiss. Friends… family… and now that I've finally managed to start making new ones again… I wouldn't give any of you up for the world." Olivia sighed, "I'm not sorry for what I had to do. There's no reason you should be, either."
"But, it couldn't have been easy…"
Olivia frowned, glad that their current positions kept Weiss from seeing her face. Though she couldn't admit the truth to her, it had been easy. What that said about Olivia as a person… she'd long since already known about herself.
"It wasn't," Olivia lied. She waited a few moments to let those words sink in, then shifted back to the truth, "But every second spent with you makes me more certain I made the right choice."
Weiss exhaled shakily and leaned into Olivia more heavily, relying on the faunus to support her weight. She bore it unquestioningly, glad that her response had only served to draw Weiss closer instead of pushing her away.
Happy to have Weiss finally speaking and unwilling to let her fall into silence once more, Olivia decided to keep the conversation going with one of the night's revelations.
"I'm pretty sure Ruby knows Blake is a faunus now."
Olivia felt Weiss's eyebrows raise at that, but she remained staring at the glyph. "Really? If that's true then I'm glad it's finally out in the open, at least amongst our team. Blake can't be comfortable always wearing her bow like that."
Olivia laughed, "That I can confirm. She goes into the bathroom all the time just to take it off and massage her ears. She gets some relief when others aren't around."
Weiss shrugged minutely, "Now that we all know, she'll be able to keep it off in the dorm as long as the door is locked."
"So, that's two good things that came out of tonight."
Weiss shifted, turning to eye Olivia out of her periphery. "Two?"
Olivia chuckled, "Yeah. Ruby actually picked up after herself when she got back to the dorm. Seems our minor tirade earlier had some affect on her."
"Never thought I'd see the day," Weiss stated plainly. "I'll believe it when I see it though. We'll likely be finding her tights on the floor in a week."
"Hey, have some faith," Olivia laughed, "Ruby's full of surprises."
After a few moments, Weiss let out a quiet, "She is…" before returning to silence. Olivia frowned worriedly, but didn't know why the heiress's emotions had suddenly taken another dive.
"What's wrong?" She decided to ask the question blatantly, wanting to comfort Weiss further. It had been nice to have Weiss confide in her, if only a little.
The seconds ticked by while Weiss stared up at the glyph. After a minute had passed, the flames died out. The glyph returned to its typical, misty white appearance. Her breath trembling, Weiss sagged further in Olivia's grasp.
"It's my fault…"
Olivia's eyes widened in confusion, and she wrapped her other arm around Weiss as well to offer her support. "What is?"
"All those people… I didn't… I didn't react fast enough." The glyph shimmered, wavering in and out as Weiss began to lose concentration. Tears poured anew. After a few moments, the glyph vanished completely, snapping out of existence and leaving a wafting trail of silvery mist in its wake. Weiss's body shook, and she finally turned fully to embrace Olivia in a real hug, body racked with sobs.
"I-I could have saved everyone if I acted sooner... If I'd blocked the bullets before they had a chance to fire... If I'd taken training more s-seriously… I've been picturing it in my h-head, over and over. I can't stop thinking about it! I-I let them die!"
"No," Olivia's heart sunk in her chest. "Weiss, you can't think about it that way. You can't blame yourself for being young. You can't blame yourself for lacking experience. Someone else's actions aren't on you. Everyone there did the best they could. There are dozens of people alive because of you. People that will be able to go home, people that will be able to see their families. All of them have you to thank. Only… Only the White Fang is to blame for those that died..."
"What if they were just there for me?" Weiss asked, shuddering in fear once the question was out in the open, once she was afraid of the possibility that Olivia might agree. "Why else would they attack a random bar? It… It had to be because of me…"
"It wasn't."
"B-but-"
"It wasn't," Olivia repeated fiercely. "Who knows why the White Fang did what they did tonight. We-... I've never heard of them attacking citizens like that. Setting buildings on fire, killing guards, stealing from the SDC… That's their usual M.O. Not this."
"What else could it be…?"
Olivia bit her lip, knowing she couldn't reveal any of Cinder's secrets. "I… I don't know, but… I don't think they would have attacked like this if it was just you they were after. Maybe they were trying to make a statement. Maybe the bar's owner wronged them in some way… As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter. Their choices are on them. You can't blame yourself for this."
Even without their faces being visible to each other, Olivia could feel the doubtful expression Weiss wore. Her assurances had fallen short. Though Weiss's body shook less, tears still fell down her face. Olivia hugged her even more tightly, desperate to make Weiss feel better, to help her in the same way the heiress had helped her the night before.
"I'm sorry that I don't know what to say, Weiss. I just… I want you to be happy. You've grown on me these last couple weeks, and… I care about you." Olivia let out a short, singular laugh, "If someone told me a month ago that I'd end up with a Schnee heiress on my team and be happy about it, I'd have called them crazy. Or flown back to Mistral to escape such a horrible fate~"
Weiss let out a sobbing laugh. She nuzzled her face more deeply into Olivia's neck, letting go of the Dust crystals to hold her more firmly instead, "Well, I'm glad to hear that at least."
Olivia smiled widely when she heard Weiss laugh. She was surprised by her own previous admission, but quickly realized it was the pure, honest truth. Weiss had grown on her so much in such a short amount of time. She'd become precious to her, just as much as Ruby or Blake. She was a true friend. One of the best Olivia could have ever asked for.
Olivia allowed her hands to drift up and down Weiss's back in what she hoped was a soothing motion, trying to ease the pain her friend felt. "I'm here for you, Weiss. Whether we're training, fighting Grimm, the White Fang, or even just putting up with our teammates' antics… I'll stand by your side… You can turn to me when you need support, so please… the next time you're feeling down, don't seclude yourself. Come to me. I promise I'll do whatever I can to help… even if I'm not good at this sort of thing..."
Weiss laughed once more, clearer, devoid of the sobbing rumbles that had been there before. "You're wrong about that. I'd say you're very good at this... Thank you, Olivia." She pulled away, lifting herself out of Olivia's lap to regain some semblance of composure. Her blue eyes glimmered as she blinked away what remained of the moisture in her eyes. "I still believe the White Fang was there for me, but… you're right. I shouldn't blame myself like that."
Olivia nodded her agreement while Weiss's eyes grew clouded with doubt. She stared at the faunus, hesitant to speak.
"Go on," Olivia smiled softly. "Let it out."
A smile flickered across Weiss's face, attempting to take the edge out of her next question. "How… How do you feel about the White Fang now? You wouldn't… defend their actions, right?"
Olivia shook her head sadly, "No… not this time. Fighting for equality or sticking it to the man is one thing, but the White Fang should never be about killing innocent people. What they did tonight was wrong."
'What I let happen tonight…'
Weiss breathed a sigh of relief, the smile returning effortlessly to her face. "That's good to hear. I was worried, but… I wasn't thinking straight. I should have known you wouldn't approve of something like that. I'm sorry for doubting you."
"It's fine…" Olivia kept the smile from falling off her face.
Weiss's words were like a punch to the gut. Olivia's delight at helping dried up after being faced with the harsh truth. While Weiss definitely wasn't to blame for the events of the night, Olivia was. Cinder had told her the White Fang would attack, and she'd… she'd done nothing. Olivia had waited a minute upstairs as she'd been told, allowing Cinder to make her grand entrance before descending herself.
Because of her, Weiss had nearly died. Because of her, Blake and Ruby had been attacked. A hero wouldn't have let that happen.
'Because you aren't a hero… You're only playing pretend...' Widow's words came back to haunt her. Words that, deep down, part of Olivia agreed with. How could she hope for redemption after all she'd done? Was all of this just some ploy to make herself feel better? Could she ever truly be a hero?
Weiss interrupted Olivia's thoughts by wiping the tears from her eyes. She dabbed her cheeks, trying to rid herself of the watery residue. "Are you ready to head back to the dorm? I think… I might be able to sleep now."
Olivia stood up and offered a hand down, one that Weiss seemed all too pleased to accept. She pulled her to her feet with ease, all the while trying to push out the doubts crowding her mind.
"Are you sure you don't want to go back to the infirmary?"
Weiss shrugged, "I don't see the need. I can breath easily enough and my aura is back in full effect. I should be healed by the time we wake for breakfast."
Olivia grinned, rubbing a hand across the back of her head, "Well, it would be pretty hypocritical of me if I tried to force someone else back into that place. Besides, I think my ten minutes was up ten minutes ago."
"Ten minutes? What do you mean?"
Olivia started towards the stairs, pulling Weiss along by the hand as they left together. "Oh, I found out you escaped the infirmary because the nurses sent me an angry message, demanding I bring you back 'or else'." She flashed Weiss a smug smile, "I thought it was beneath you to... How did you put it? 'Skulk in the shadows'?"
Weiss's cheeks colored slightly, and she glanced off to the side while giving her response, "I didn't have to sneak. They were just… busy."
"Waited for the opportune moment, eh?" Olivia bumped her shoulder into Weiss, content to remain in the moment instead of dwelling on her previous thoughts. "Guess I am rubbing off on you after all."
"Maybe that isn't such a bad thing…" Weiss spoke quietly, a small smile gracing her lips.
"Oh, trust me. It is, Princ-" Olivia stopped short, shooting the other girl an apologetic smile before continuing. "Sorry, that's going to take some getting used to."
"I don't mind it."
Olivia's eyebrows rose in surprise, and she stared at Weiss, wondering if she'd just heard the heiress correctly. "Come again?"
Weiss's cheeks were still dusted a slight shade of red, but she spoke with conviction, "I kind of like the name, or at least, what it entails. It's sort of… our own little thing. Like Yang calling you 'short stack', or the way you always call Ruby 'kid'. I don't mind if you slip up now and then."
"Well… I'll keep that in mind," Olivia replied. It was surprising to say the least, but not altogether unwarranted. Weiss was right about the nicknames already being thrown around. Olivia wouldn't continue doing that to Ruby if they weren't close, and while 'Princess' had started off as an insult, it had slowly worked its way into becoming a term of endearment between them.
Weiss groaned, stretching out while they walked by raising the opposite hand from the one Olivia still held. Her body creaked and her back popped, still overcoming the day's rigors. "Oh, I don't know how I'm going to deal with classes tomorrow. I can't even imagine sitting through one of Port's lectures right now."
"No worries. Our team and Lion don't have to take classes for the next couple days. Special orders from ol' Ozpin. We will have to attend private discussions with either him or Goodwitch, though," Olivia shrugged at the curious expression on Weiss's face. "I'd guess therapy sessions, just in case there were any… lasting effects on the younger students involved."
"Like say, someone blaming themselves for what happened…?"
Olivia grinned, "Yeah. Good thing nobody would believe something silly like that, right?"
"Right…"
"If I get detention for not bringing you back to the infirmary though, that will be your fault," Olivia teased.
"If you go down, I go down."
Olivia's lips parted, ready to make a jab at the phrasing Weiss had used but stopping herself. She remembered the promise she'd made earlier that night. Nicknames might be one thing, but she didn't want to tease the heiress and make her uncomfortable now that she knew Weiss shared the same sexual orientation.
Olivia became all too aware of the fact they were still holding hands and gently slipped hers free, raising it as if to stretch. She took a wide step away as well, distancing herself an extra foot from Weiss's side.
'None of that,' Olivia reprimanded herself silently. 'She's a…'
Olivia's train of thought faded into obscurity. The excuse that Weiss was a 'Schnee' no longer held any weight. Olivia didn't care about that anymore. Weiss was her teammate. Her friend. Someone she could turn to in a time of need, and someone she hoped would do the same in kind.
Olivia let her gaze stray over, looking at Weiss from the corner of her periphery. The sky blue eyes, the delicate smile playing at her lips, the beautiful mane of white hair flowing down her back. Weiss was intelligent, kind, and forgiving. Her laughter was like a song and her flashes of anger were enticing. Martially she may have been Olivia's inferior, but she was quickly remedying that through training, becoming far more competent in such a short span of time.
'She's…'
Olivia paused, reflecting on herself. The years of bloodshed, the many mistakes she'd made. Olivia wasn't intelligent or studious like Weiss… Past revenge proved that she wasn't forgiving… A member of the White Fang, an assassin, and now… a failure of a pretend hero. All in all...
'She's too good for me...'
Weiss flashed her a smile as they walked and Olivia reciprocated in kind, but deep down, she could only sigh in remorse.
She needed another drink.
And she needed to talk with Cinder.
Sorry for the delays. Depression is just getting the better of me as of late.
Thanks for reading,
- Sybaen