Ruby and Blake were greeted with a dark and empty room by the time they returned to the dorm. The younger huntress held the door open for Blake before stepping inside and flipping a switch, bathing the room in a bright light that felt as if it left more shadows than usual. Ruby's eyes strayed to Olivia's empty bed as she entered, pained thoughts of unfortunate truths forcing their way into her mind.
She was struggling to come to terms with what they'd learned. Though Ruby had seen the hints of Olivia's darker side for herself, she'd never thought the faunus could have done anything so heinous. Her constant encouragement, the way she so readily came to Ruby and Blake's aid, the ferocity she displayed in defense of those she cared for… Even the little things, like the enjoyment they'd shared in the comic books that now implicated her...
"It just doesn't make any sense…" Ruby sighed quietly. She raised her eyes to meet Blake's, the pain she felt reflected back in her amber gaze. "Olivia has never been anything but nice to me. It's hard to believe she's some hardened killer…"
Blake's ears wilted beneath her bow as she returned to looking at Olivia's bed. "I know you don't want to believe it, Ruby. I don't want to either, but... That woman's description of events? It matches with what I know of Olivia's past. At least as much as she's shared with me."
"But what do we even know for sure, though? It's hard to judge someone when you don't have the full picture. M-maybe… maybe she had a good reason for the things she did…?"
Blake's body seemed to stiffen, shoulders raising. "...That's a dangerous road to go down, Ruby…"
Ruby frowned, taken aback by the steel in Blake's voice. "Why? Shouldn't we always think the best of people? What if-"
Ruby cut off as Blake shook her head firmly. The older girl turned around, embers of her past now roaring to life in her eyes. "No, Ruby. It might be fine to give people the benefit of the doubt at times, but for things like this… I used to say the same when I was in the White Fang. About Adam. I was afraid of the truth. Even if you don't want to believe it, I know Olivia is dangerous. Even since initiation, she's-"
Blake froze, some of the color draining from her cheeks. She seemed hesitant to continue, fighting an inner struggle between speaking the truth and… something else. Ruby frowned, growing more worried by the moment as Blake refused to speak.
"She what?" Ruby asked timidly, urging the faunus to continue.
Blake lowered her head, speaking quietly towards the floor while avoiding Ruby's gaze, "Olivia has… She's… She's taken lives since then… since initiation."
Ruby's eyes widened as she took a step back, bumping into the chair behind her. It skittered across the floor on its wheels, the only sound that interrupted the brief silence between them.
"Wh-What do you mean?" Ruby managed to strangle out. 'Surely Olivia hasn't killed anyone at Beacon! That's impossible!'
Blake's shoulders raised warily, each hand grasping the opposite forearm as she tentatively began to divulge her secrets. "Even before tonight, I… already knew about some of the people she's… she's killed. The most recent was a member of the White Fang, when the- when the club was attacked? She did it to save Weiss…" Blake's eyes raised, still not quite able to meet Ruby's. She shrugged weakly. "I decided to look past it, given the circumstances…"
"To save…?" Ruby remembered that night vividly. Remembered the brutal markings around Weiss's throat.
Even though Olivia and Yang had kept her from looking inside, she'd soon realized what would have awaited her if they hadn't. Miniguns and crowds didn't exactly mesh together, and the news had been reporting the death toll mere hours later. Including the singular White Fang member, thirty-two people had died during the attack. Ruby thought the White Fang's casualty might have been caused by Qrow, or perhaps the older student Cinder.
Knowing what she knew now… it made sense that Olivia had been the one to do it.
"Who else?"
Even though it was unfortunate, the loss of life always was, Ruby could forgive Olivia for that. Doing so meant she had saved Weiss… It was the best way to look at it, no matter how her stomach twisted uneasily.
'Is that the same excuse Blake would have given Adam…?' The thought left a hollow feeling inside Ruby's chest.
"The second one I know of is… Beryl Verdigris…? I looked into him after Olivia told me about it. She mentioned him to Weiss as well, when we were on our way to your home on Patch. He was the one that tried to send her to the Schnee mines… She killed him after joining the White Fang. Olivia said it was to protect herself, not for revenge. She said Beryl would've gone after her if he found out she'd escaped…"
'A-Alright… Olivia was young… She's talked about how bad Mistral was, and Uncle Qrow always says the same stuff… Can I really judge her for that? For wanting to protect herself…?' Ruby struggled to look past it, struggled to find every possible way to give her friend the benefit of the doubt.
"A-And the third…?"
Blake seemed reluctant to continue. Her eyes flickered between Ruby and the rest of the room, avoiding eye contact as if it would help to delay the necessity for a response. Worried, Ruby stepped closer in order to offer up some comfort, only for Blake to retreat back just as far. The faunus practically flinched, shying away from Ruby's raised hand as if she'd meant harm. Ruby immediately stopped, trepidation mounting.
"Who, Blake…?"
Blake stepped back a little further, "Y-you have to understand, Ruby. When we joined Beacon… I'd just gotten away from Adam. I spent so long trying to change him, believing his lies, hoping that I would find a way to get him back, to get back the young man I once knew… Eventually I had to admit defeat. I had to admit that what we were doing was wrong. I ran with my tail tucked between my legs. I needed to set things straight. I needed to make up for the things we'd done. So when I found out... When I confronted Olivia..."
Blake raised her eyes. A frantic glow blazed within them, a desperate plea for Ruby to understand, "Olivia told me she wanted to change. It was something I'd always wanted to hear, just… not from the person I'd always wanted to say it... I latched on to the hope that this time… This time I would make a difference. I wanted our team to work out, wanted Beacon to work out, so like you… I tried to look the other way... With the promise that she would do better in the future, that she would come to me if she ever felt herself slipping…"
Panic rose in Ruby's chest. For Blake to think it necessary to go so far, to explain herself in such detail, meant she wouldn't like what the faunus had to say next. Her mouth felt dry. Her body numb, and chest hollow. Ruby was forced to lick her lips before she could strangle out her question again.
"Who was it, Blake?"
"It…" Blake turned further away, hiding her shame. "It was one of the other students during initiation. Two boys sabotaged her launch pad so that they could corner her in the forest, away from everyone else. I was there when it happened. Th-They attacked her first! But the hit..." Blake paused, raising a fist to stare at it with a pair of wide eyes. "I didn't think he would die from it. He did later, in the hospital. She definitely broke some of his ribs. Maybe one of them punctured a lung? I… I don't know. I remember hearing him struggling to breathe… Aura enhancers must not have been enough to save him…"
'She... killed a student?'
Without turning, Ruby's hand waved in the air behind her until she caught on to her desk chair. She pulled it closer just in time to sink into it, the strength leaving her body in a rush. Her eyes stared at nothing in particular, too busy reevaluating every moment she'd ever spent with Olivia.
"You're… you're sure?"
"I was there, Ruby. When I found out, Olivia promised it was an accident. She told me she didn't think he would have died from it, but…" Blake sighed, "Olivia confessed that if she'd still been in Mistral, back in her old life… She would have killed both of them anyway. I thought I could give her the benefit of the doubt because of that. It sounded as if she was making progress, after all... I see now that it was just wishful thinking. I fell back into my old ways so easily, just like how I always did with Adam..."
Ruby slumped forward, putting her head in her hands while her bangs draped down across both. She was trying to come to terms with the new information, to think of Olivia as the killer that Blake said she was, that Qrow and the blond woman had spoken of. All of their interactions flickered through her mind, a frenzy of expressions she'd seen on the girl's face. Every laugh or smile, the looks of sadness, and the occasional anger that had slipped through.
The first time Ruby laid eyes on her, standing above Yang with a cold look that spurred her into action. The first time Olivia met Weiss, and the fury she'd failed to hide upon discovering a Schnee would be one of her peers.
But... there were other times to consider. Other emotions the faunus possessed. She wasn't a stone cold killer. Far from it. As Ruby continued to think, more memories began to surface. They washed away the old, steadily taking their place in her mind's eye.
When Roman Torchwick knocked her unconscious, she'd woken up in Olivia's arms. Olivia had looked so relieved when she saw that Ruby was alright.
When Blake had been kidnapped, and Olivia and Weiss rushed to their aid. Ruby could still vividly remember the look on Olivia's face when the pair finally found her in the quiet city streets. Could feel the warm, comforting arms around her shoulders. Olivia had refused to let go until Ruby was ready, even defended her from Weiss's anger while the leader was at her lowest.
When they'd been about to save Blake, and Olivia had given Ruby the confidence she needed in order to carry out their plan…
When she'd been unconscious from her sickness. The way she'd stilled, smiling in her sleep when Ruby's hand held hers…
"She's not-" Ruby felt her words falter. She lowered her hands and raised her eyes, meeting Blake's gaze. "She's not like Adam."
The faunus was taken aback, her expression conveying the uncertainty she felt. "Ruby, I know you want to think the best of her, but-"
Ruby shook her head, "Olivia has only ever been good to me. Good to all of us, for the most part. From what you've said about Adam, he doesn't sound like the kind of guy that would care about his friends… If he even has any… Olivia does. She has us."
Blake frowned, "Well, no… but-"
"Olivia helped save your life, Blake. She saved Weiss's life. Even if her methods were extreme, even if she'll have to explain herself… I won't stop giving her the benefit of the doubt. Not until she does something to deserve taking it away."
"Ruby, she killed a student. How can you just look past that?"
"By looking at the good she's done as well," Ruby replied vehemently. She paused to take a breath, exhaling slowly before continuing, "I'm not saying what she did wasn't wrong, Blake. I'm just saying… people can change. Even if she's done awful things in the past... that's no reason to disregard all of the good she's done, too."
Blake's mouth worked silently, words seeming to form on her lips before being cast aside. She stared at Ruby for a few long moments, trying and failing to speak. After a while she sighed, head shaking wearily, "I hope you're right, Ruby. I tried so long with Adam, and I just…" She raised a hand to hold herself tightly, "...I'm just tired of excuses. I'm tired of worrying. I need someone I can trust..."
Ruby stood, warily stepping closer to Blake while waiting to see if the faunus would back away again. She didn't, and Ruby closed the distance to slowly wrap her in a comforting hug. The shorter of the two, Ruby turned her head to the side and laid it across Blake's shoulder.
"You can trust me, Blake. We'll get to the bottom of this. We'll find out everything there is to know about the 'Black Lotus', and by the end of it… I'll show you that it's not just me you can trust, but Olivia, too."
"...Now that I would like to see…"
It took some time, but eventually, Blake's arms wrapped around Ruby in kind. She breathed out, allowing herself to feel the reassurance the younger girl was trying to provide. Ruby gripped her all the tighter, reminded of the hug she'd shared with Olivia and wanting to give the same level of comfort she'd received back then.
Blake sighed once more, seeming to almost deflate in Ruby's arms as much of the tension left her body. "I hope you're right… I do trust you, Ruby. More than anyone. You've never given me reason to doubt you, and… I just want you to know…" Blake shifted subconsciously. "I'm… I'm happy I left the White Fang when I did. If I hadn't… I never would have met you…"
The hollowness that had been in Ruby's chest began to fill with a warmth that coursed through her body. It tingled from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. She smiled into Blake's shoulder, adjusting her grip to hold her that little bit harder. "Thanks, Blake. I'm glad I got to meet you, too."
They remained there for a minute, both holding the other warmly and basking in the companionable silence they shared. At some point along the way, Ruby's mind began to wander, questioning why they were holding each other for so long, why it felt so nice. She ignored those thoughts and continued on, enjoying the comfort of Blake's body against hers and knowing the other girl felt the same.
After a time, Blake pulled away slightly and opened her mouth, catching Ruby's eye as a light dusting of pink began to color her cheeks. The faunus could hardly meet her gaze, but did her best to continue doing so. Ruby stared expectantly back, waiting for Blake to lend voice to her words.
"So, um… We've been really... busy for the last few days, between school and everything, so I-... I haven't had a chance to ask, but…" Blake shifted, voice lowering with hesitation, "Ruby, do you… li-?"
Blake froze as the sound of voices carried to them through the door. She pulled away in the same instant as Ruby, the younger girl not understanding why she also felt as if their hug was something meant to be kept private, between just the two of them. They both dusted themselves off and adjusted their clothes as the door opened, admitting a sight that Ruby hadn't been expecting in the slightest.
Her eyes widened, seeing the state that Weiss, but especially Olivia, were in. The dresses they'd bought for their date were ruined, Weiss's charred and covered in stains from smoke while Olivia's was burnt to a crisp and practically falling off her shoulders. Olivia flashed a smile and saluted in greeting as they entered, seeing the shock plastered across their faces.
"What happened to you two!?" Ruby choked out.
Olivia shrugged nonchalantly while Weiss crossed her arms, standing tall with a triumphant look in her eye. "We saved a little boy from a fire!"
"A raging inferno, more like," Olivia grinned. She regarded Weiss appreciatively before turning to the other two. Seeing their obvious confusion, she decided to explain further. "The White Fang set fire to one of the hotels downtown. The firefighters managed to get everyone else out, but couldn't go back for the kid still trapped inside." She shrugged, speaking as if it were only a matter of fact, "We did."
Ruby and Blake shared an unreadable glance, wordlessly conveying their thoughts through looks alone. Ruby hurriedly pulled out her scroll afterwards, opening it to the Vale News Network and casting the live video to the TV. Lisa Lavender appeared, in the middle of giving her report on the events of the night. What was left of the building could be seen behind her, firefighters hard at work smothering what embers remained. The majority of the building had collapsed in on itself, only a floor and a half worth of wall still standing amongst the blackened rubble.
"-tragic loss was avoided this evening thanks to the efforts of a pair of young huntresses. Video evidence provided by survivors of this dreadful incident shows the pair entering and eventually fleeing the burning building with the young faunus in tow."
Footage appeared next to Lisa's face, showing Weiss and Olivia sprinting in the front door engulfed in flames. It immediately cut, moving ahead to when Weiss burst back out while carrying the child. She was shown giving the child over to his mother, tears streaking in her eyes and thanks on her lips. What followed after was a short clip of very shaky footage, barely managing to catch Olivia in frame when she jumped out the window. With the speed of her fall and the distance from the building, it was difficult to tell it was her without knowing beforehand.
Lisa raised a hand to her earpiece, listening for a moment before speaking again. "We've just received word from our sources within the Vale Police Department, and it has been revealed to us that Weiss Schnee was the one to rescue the child, along with her, as of yet, unidentified companion. Our station plans on reaching out to the young heiress, in the hopes of gaining an interview with her soon. Until then, we'll be sure to keep you up-to-date on all of the information that becomes available to us. Stick around for-"
Ruby ended the video, closing out of the application. She turned to stare proudly at the pair, a wide smile brimming across her lips. "You guys are heroes! I can't believe you showed up in time to save someone! This is what being a member of team Rainbow is all about!"
Weiss basked in the praise while Olivia raised a hand to the back of her head, smiling in embarrassment. "It was more Weiss's doing than anything. I was just there."
Weiss raised an eyebrow and scoffed for good measure, "Don't sell yourself short. We never would have even found him if it wasn't for you, and none of us would have escaped if you hadn't stopped the ceiling from collapsing on top of us."
Blake frowned, "You stopped the ceiling from collapsing?"
Olivia and Weiss paused. They shared a glance, the heiress flashing an apologetic look before Olivia spoke up, "I just used my semblance is all. Super strength, ya know? Weiss ran ahead with the kid but gave me time dilation to escape. It…" She shrugged in defeat. "It was a team effort. I probably would have died if not for her quick thinking."
"Well, I wasn't going to let that happen," Weiss said firmly. She and Olivia smiled at each other before embracing momentarily. They pulled away after a few seconds, turning back to the other two in the room.
"Well anyway, that's how our night went. How was yours?" Weiss asked kindly. "Did you finish coming up with the names for our team attacks?"
Ruby nodded, pointing proudly over towards the notebook on her desk. "Yep! Got 'em all in there! Did you want to hear what we came up with?"
"I think they have more pressing matters, Ruby," Blake chastised lightly, drawing attention back to the state both huntresses were in. Their clothes were ruined, hair and skin streaked with soot and ash.
Weiss looked down at herself and chuckled dryly, "At least they lasted through dinner." She glanced to the bathroom then back to Olivia, a dusting of red suffusing her cheeks. "Now that I think about it, I… guess we both need to shower again…"
Olivia grinned, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking~?"
Weiss blushed more profusely, eyes flickering to Ruby and Blake without quite meeting their gaze. "W-We can't now. N-Not with them here. And I'm not going to ask them to leave at this hour…"
Olivia raised a hand to her chin, "Fair point. Even if we took turns, we'd probably be keeping Blake up." She tilted her head, smile widening. "That isn't the only shower available to us, though. Do you want to head down to the arena locker rooms? They have plenty of showers there~"
Weiss's body hunched, the red in her cheeks becoming a blazing crimson before she nodded shyly. Olivia smiled in wordless agreement. They both busied themselves, grabbing a change of clothes and towels while Ruby and Blake shared in Weiss's second hand embarrassment.
Once they were ready, Olivia waved goodbye for both of them. They exited the dorm with bundles in hand, leaving Ruby and Blake alone once more. The two were silent for a few long moments, recovering from the knowledge of what their teammates were about to do.
Ruby's mind slowly drifted back, thinking of the hug she'd shared with Blake. She coughed, trying to clear both her lungs and mind while her cheeks remained heated. Pushing that aside, she couldn't help but let a little of her smug attitude slip into the smile she shared with Blake.
"Told you she was better than Adam."
Blake smiled hesitantly in return, eyes staring at the door that Olivia and Weiss had left through. "That certainly helps your case. It… doesn't change what she's done... but… maybe you're right." She raised her eyebrows curiously, "Did you ever get a response from that author, by the way? We can't exactly investigate any further without him. Not unless we want to ask Olivia ourselves."
Ruby pouted, pulling her scroll back out to look through her emails. "I got in touch with his agent and told her what I wanted to speak with him about. She said she'd ask for me a few days ago, but hasn't gotten back to me since."
Blake frowned dejectedly, eyes trailing off in thought. "Does he have any comic signings coming up? Maybe we could go to one of those and wait until he's alone to ask him about it?"
A loud 'PING' sounded from Ruby's scroll while Blake was speaking. A new email had appeared, popping into existence at the top of her inbox. Ruby scrolled back up and looked at it, eyes widening in recognition of the name that was attached.
"I don't think that's going to be necessary. Here, look!" She waved Blake over, allowing the taller girl to stare over her shoulder as they began reading the email.
Upon first opening it, Ruby's eyes were greeted by a quote of her own, asking to meet the author and stating her reasons why. A video was attached, depicting a moment from the newsreel they'd only just seen a few minutes before. Ruby glanced at Blake hesitantly, then hit play.
Once again, they witnessed the moment when Olivia had thrown herself out the window. The video paused near the end, freezing on a singular moment when the faunus's face had been turned to the side, catching her profile. It then jumped to a camera from across the street, zooming in more distinctly on Olivia's face.
Ruby and Blake's breath caught as the newsreel vanished to be replaced by their team's photo. All of them were standing on stage after initiation had concluded, some worse for wear. 'Team Rainbow' was emblazoned across the arena's screen behind them, along with all of their names, and a symbol for the chess piece they'd collected.
The street camera reappeared, matching Olivia's face in the line up. It zoomed in on her name, the text filling the screen before flickering as if by some glitch in editing. Ruby's hands shook as 'Olivia Mandevilla' disappeared, replaced by the name 'Black Lotus' in a foreboding font. The video froze on those two words, leaving Ruby to scroll further down in order to read the text beneath.
'When my agent first brought your request to me, I thought you were just another crazed fan, but now I see… Meet me on Saturday at the address below, 12 o'clock sharp. I'll answer whatever questions you have. I'm sure you'll be able to answer a few of mine as well.
Until then… stay safe. The Black Lotus is not to be trifled with.
Regards,
Steinn Redcliff '
Ruby's hand shook slightly as she closed out of the email and pocketed her scroll. Blake seemed to share in her trepidation, both left speechless by the confirmation they'd been given, and the knowledge that the author knew who and where Olivia was.
"A-At least it sounds like he isn't going to turn her in… Not immediately, anyway…" Ruby spoke uncertainly, looking to Blake in the hopes she'd agree. "Why else would he want to meet us? He could've just told the police instead and saved himself the trouble…"
Blake frowned worriedly, "I don't know, but... we should be careful... I can only begin to guess what his motives might be. Maybe he wants to help us? Maybe he… maybe he's a fan of the girl he's been writing about all this time..." She shrugged her shoulders weakly, "You can never tell with writers. They're an odd bunch..."
"But how did he get access to all that so quickly? The news didn't even use any of the street cameras! And the video from initiation, the editing… It's only been a few minutes since the story ran..."
"I… I don't know. I guess we'll have to ask him that when we meet him? Until then… there isn't much we can do but wait."
Ruby eventually nodded agreement, frustrated that they were so close to learning everything they wished, yet still so far. The fact that someone else was aware of Olivia's past set her on edge as well, uncertain how she could protect the girl she still called friend. Whether or not she even should.
Ruby sighed, shaking her head while her shoulders slumped. Blake was right. There was nothing they could do about it now.
Mind going back to before they'd been interrupted, Ruby caught Blake's attention with a raised eyebrow, "What were you going to ask me, by the way? Before Olivia and Weiss got back I mean."
Blake turned away sharply, busying herself with adjusting some of the books that held her bunk aloft. "O-Oh, that? I uh, was just… was just wondering if you'd started reading Ninjas of Love! Yeah. That's what I wanted to ask."
Ruby rubbed a hand against the back of her head, smiling apologetically, "No, not yet. We've been a bit too busy." Her eyes strayed over to the shelf, the novel in question resting there where she'd left it so many days ago. "All we have left to do is wait though, so… I could get started? I'll need something to pass the time anyway."
"No rush! I was just wondering..."
Ruby waved away Blake's concerns, "I want to, really. Olivia's already been reading the copy she borrowed. She said it gets pretty good around chapter six?"
Blake blushed, turning away once again to mutter under her breath. Ruby could only catch a few words, something about, "She would like that," before the faunus reclaimed her previous demeanor. She coughed to clear her throat, then smiled softly. "I hope you enjoy it. You'll um… You'll have to tell me what you think about it, when you're done?"
Ruby nodded fiercely, "Sure!" She moved to grab the book, then hopped easily up into her bed. Blake looked taken aback at the immediacy of her actions, but seemed to recover quickly enough.
"You're going to read it now? Okay, well… I'm feeling kind of tired, so I think I'll try and get some shut eye. Can you use the light from your scroll to read? It's tough to fall asleep if the lights are on..."
"Sure!" Ruby smiled. She wrapped herself beneath her covers and pulled her scroll back out, setting it precariously on one of her bed posts. A soft glow emitted from the screen. It would be more than enough light to let her read.
Blake stood watching her for a few moments longer, then stepped over towards the door in order to shut the dorm's light off. The room itself was immediately blanketed by shadows, leaving Ruby with only a small globe in which she could still see. She heard Blake moving over towards her own dresser, followed by the quiet sounds of cloth on skin as the faunus changed into her sleep attire.
Ruby caught herself staring into the dark, a part of her feeling disappointed that Blake was no longer in sight. She quickly shook her head, freeing herself of the notion, then delved into the pages that awaited her. As she read, she couldn't help but notice the sound of Blake moving back towards her bed, then the telltale sign that she'd jumped up into her own bunk.
Blake shuffled around in the dark for a few moments longer before seeming to get comfortable. Ruby glanced up and caught the slight reflection of two amber eyes in the dark, reflecting back the small amount of light her scroll produced. Those eyes immediately blinked shut, cutting off the glimmer that had remained.
"Goodnight, Ruby. Don't stay up too late."
Ruby smiled, "Goodnight, Blake. Sleep tight."
Though it was barely audible, Ruby heard a soft sigh escape Blake's lips.
Resolving to finish as soon as possible, Ruby prepared herself for a night of heavy reading.
Just from her first impressions, the book already sounded promising.
"After you, Princess~"
Weiss took a deep breath and stepped past Olivia. Her footsteps echoed in the desolate locker room, barely audible over her rapidly beating heart. Her palms were sweaty and her body heated, a nervous excitement and trepidation suffusing her entire being. She felt simultaneously ready and not ready for this, willing to go further, yet hesitant to take the next step.
Olivia closed the door behind them and moved over to one of the benches, setting her clothes and towel down in a neat stack on top of it. Weiss replicated the action, spending longer than necessary making sure her stack was immaculate. Her hands shook as she rearranged them, breath faltering in her chest.
"Weiss…" Olivia spoke softly from right beside her, a note of worry in her voice. "Are you sure you're okay? We don't have to if you aren't ready for this."
Weiss shook her head emphatically. She raised a hand to her chest to try and still her beating heart, then turned to face Olivia. Weiss allowed herself a moment to relax, looking over the other girl while a small smile crept on to her face. Even with a burnt dress decorating her figure, Weiss couldn't help but feel her earlier yearning coming back to the forefront.
"I'm fine, just… nervous, is all."
Olivia nodded her understanding, "I get it. I was a mess during my first time, too." She tilted her head, giving the heiress a considering look. "Is there any way I can help? Anything you want to ask before we uh, get started?"
Weiss needed to think for only a moment before nodding weakly. There was a question that had been on her mind. One that was adding fuel to her nerves. "I did a little research over the week, about what tends to happen during a girl's first time…? Is it… Is it going to hurt?"
Olivia was already shaking her head, a small smile on her lips. "It's not the same for us as it is for regular people. Even without taking aura into account, that thing you read about? It probably broke a long time ago and you didn't even realize what it was at the time. Either during training, or…" She frowned, "You said you took dance lessons, right? It could have happened back then, too."
Weiss was immediately reminded of one such dance lesson that had been cut short. She'd thought her time of the month had just come early, but it hadn't lasted longer than a few short minutes. A bath and a change of clothes had been all she needed, along with her eternal thanks that the instructor had never found out why she'd cut their lesson short.
That fact helped to assuage some of Weiss's nerves. She calmed somewhat, letting out a long breath she hadn't realized was being pent up for so long. Weiss cast her thoughts inward once more, thinking on her worries and how else Olivia might help to relieve them.
The biggest factor remaining was her own self doubt. She would need to pick up things from Olivia as they went, learning, even as they explored each other's bodies. The faunus had so much more experience than her when it came to this sort of thing, Weiss couldn't help but worry that she might disappoint her.
Even so, she was determined to give it her all. There was only one question now on her mind, the most pressing of all now that the time had come. She looked around the room, feeling her breath catch and her heart beating rapidly in her chest. Warmth was once again flooding her body, culminating in her stomach and ebbing down between her thighs as her anticipation mounted. She shifted expectantly, eyes returning to Olivia's and seeing the pure affection held within.
"H-How… How do we start?"
Olivia smiled, stepping forward to press her hands against Weiss's shoulders. The heiress was pushed gently backwards, colliding with the lockers behind her. Olivia's smile grew, Weiss's heart now thundering in her chest as the other girl's lips drew near.
"Like this~" Olivia said softly, pressing her lips against Weiss's. She felt one hand go to her hip, while the other raised to caress her cheek. Weiss sighed in satisfaction, familiar with this at least. She closed her eyes and dropped her own hands to Olivia's hips, feeling the spark of inner heat igniting when the other girl's body pressed fully against her own.
Weiss groaned in satisfaction at the introduction of a wet tongue, both parting their lips in tandem to explore each other further. While the hand on her cheek remained, Olivia's other hand trailed higher up her body. It left her hip, gliding gently along her stomach before firmly planting itself against her breast. Weiss moaned into Olivia's mouth as the faunus began to knead her flesh, playing with the soft mound on the heiress's chest.
Weiss could feel her earlier excitement building. She leaned forward into the contact, indulging in the small pulses of pleasure coming from Olivia's deft fingers. Their tongues clashed more purposefully, the pace quickening as Weiss began to lose her previous trepidation. She raised a hand of her own to caress Olivia's breast in return, basking in the soft moan of praise that escaped the faunus's lips.
They continued for a few minutes before Olivia's lips pulled away from her own. She trailed kisses across her cheek, down to the side of her neck. Weiss tilted her head to give her better access, surprised by how good tender lips felt on exposed flesh. She sighed in appreciation, hands still and thighs rubbing together while she enjoyed the new sensation.
Olivia pulled away and glanced in the direction of the showers, drawing Weiss's attention along with her. The faunus looked back, a glimmer of joy in her eyes while a seductive smile graced her lips. She spoke quietly, tone lowered in a way that got Weiss's blood pumping even faster.
"Are you ready, Princess~?
Weiss nodded shakily, nerves and the pounding of her heart getting the better of her, but knowing it was from the carnal excitement coursing through her veins. Olivia pulled away and kicked off her heels, Weiss following suit as the faunus began to lead them both towards the shower stalls. Olivia's hands lowered to the bottom hem of Weiss's dress as they went, tugging it up and off her body.
Weiss raised her arms to assist, reservations long since lost to the wayside. Her smooth, creamy pale skin was revealed, a feast for the eyes that Olivia was all too willing to devour. After she'd had her fill, Olivia followed suit, dropping both of their ruined dresses en route to the shower stall.
Though she'd seen Olivia in nothing but her underwear earlier, Weiss was once again captivated by the curves put so readily on display. The smaller breasts that matched her own. The smoothness of her thighs and the round valley of her cheeks. The strip of wet fabric that hid Olivia's excitement. Weiss basked in the sight, eyes hungrily roaming across her girlfriend's perfect figure.
They embraced once again, fumbling in their approach while hands roamed and lips pressed together greedily. Weiss felt Olivia's hand go to her back, deftly unclasping her bra so that her breasts fell free. It was similarly thrown to the ground behind them.
Olivia pressed Weiss up against the wall next to the stalls, taking a moment to slow down their progress and enjoy every moment for what it was worth. Her hands fondled the heiress's breasts, eliciting the heavy moan that escaped Weiss's lips. She rolled them in her hands and pinched her nipples, exploring every inch of the flesh beneath her hands.
Weiss's breath caught as Olivia's head lowered, a cheshire grin spreading across her lips. They parted the next moment, Weiss moaning louder than ever as she felt Olivia's wet tongue swirling across her breasts. She played with the hardened nubs of flesh with lips and teeth alike, sending jolts of inexplicable pleasure pulsing through Weiss's body.
Trying her hardest to reciprocate Olivia's actions, Weiss fumbled with the faunus's bra for a few long moments before eventually unclasping it as well. Hands going slack when she felt Olivia start to nibble, the black bra was left to fall from between loose fingers. Even preoccupied as she was, Weiss was dimly aware when Olivia used her foot to flick the discarded bra out of their way.
Olivia retreated from the heiress's breasts, kissing back up her chest and neck until their lips were locked once more. Weiss took the opportunity to let her head clear slightly, hoping to return even an ounce of the pleasure that Olivia had so readily given her. She allowed her hands to trail up the faunus's body until she was playing with the other girl's breasts in turn. Nowhere near as deft, she couldn't help but pout when Olivia giggled past their locked lips.
Olivia pulled away slightly to raise her hands once more. This time however, she placed them overtop Weiss's. The faunus guided her, staring into the heiress's eyes all the while. Weiss could feel the rapid drum of Olivia's heart beneath her flesh, and knew she was just as excited as the heiress herself. She closed her eyes after a few seconds, moaning while seeming to enjoy the way Weiss was kneading her breasts.
"L-Last chance to back out, Princess~" Olivia spoke breathlessly. Her hands left Weiss's, allowing her to continue playing with her breasts while the faunus's hands dropped lower. Weiss felt both of her thumbs slipping past the hem of her panties on each side, lightly playing with them as if preparing to take them off.
Weiss was far beyond any desire to turn back. She leaned forward and kissed Olivia instead, simultaneously bringing her hands down to lay them atop the faunus's. Weiss helped her to pull them off, raising her legs one after the other so that they could be fully removed. She shivered with excitement, now fully nude in front of someone else for the first time. Weiss could feel the wetness between her legs, body begging to be given the pleasure it desired.
Olivia pulled away, basking in her first proper view of the now naked heiress. She smiled coyly, fingers lowering to trail slowly through the trimmed patch of white pubic hair that rested above Weiss's wet slit. "I have to admit, I was curious… So the carpet really does match the drapes…~"
Weiss blushed, but couldn't help the way her hips leaned forward into the gentle contact. She stammered, excitement getting the better of her and ruining her usually perfect speech. "S-So? Doesn't yours?"
Olivia grinned, grasping Weiss's hands to lower them to the only piece of clothing that remained between the two. Weiss's fingers slipped beneath the band of Olivia's black panties, hands shaking as the faunus whispered quietly in her ear, "Why don't you see for yourself~?"
Weiss gulped, ever so slowly beginning to pull down. Smooth skin gave way to yet more smooth flesh, until the wet, pink petals of Olivia's womanhood were revealed to both their eyes. Not a hair was in sight, her skin perfectly shaved. Weiss couldn't take her eyes off the sight, a needy moan of desire escaping her lips.
Olivia helped Weiss get her own panties the rest of the way off, eventually discarding them the same way they had Weiss's. She grinned at the way Weiss was transfixed, a fire unlike any other before now ignited within her body. Olivia grasped her hand and opened the door, leading her into the small shower stall.
The stalls themselves were eight feet tall, stonework opening up above into the rest of the room. Slick tiles rested beneath their feet, while a series of shower heads lay above. The showers were designed to function in a variety of ways. Olivia quickly set theirs to what she desired and turned it on, blanketing the entire area with a light misting of water that fell from above.
Immediately, what soot and ash that had remained on their skin began to wash away. Olivia turned back around and approached Weiss slowly, raising her hands to begin lightly washing her flesh. The heiress's breath quickened yet further, resting her own hands on Olivia's shoulders as the faunus worked.
Olivia caressed her entire body. She moved from Weiss's neck to her shoulders, and teased her by cleaning off her sides before moving on to her breasts. Weiss closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation while it lasted before the faunus moved her hands lower. Olivia spent a few long moments on her stomach, playfully edging closer and closer to the space between Weiss's legs before trailing her fingers away instead. Weiss groaned in anticipation, hips pushing forward as her body moved with a mind of its own, begging to be touched.
Olivia teased her longer, though. Her hands went to her hips, then briefly ran down between the crack of her cheeks before caressing her thighs instead. She cleaned both legs, working her hands down further along the heiress's calves, all the way to her ankles before eventually beginning the return trip.
Olivia glanced up at Weiss, locking eyes with her as she began to run her hands along the heiress's inner thighs. Weiss parted her legs subconsciously, widening her stance in needy anticipation of the deft fingers that had felt so good on her breasts alone. She leaned back against the wall for support, already feeling her knees beginning to quake weakly.
Olivia stood back up to her full height, eyes level with Weiss's as she leaned in to begin kissing her once more. Weiss reciprocated readily, tongues beginning to dance together before she had to pull away in preparation for the moan she knew was about to come. Olivia was brushing her fingers through Weiss's pubic hair, letting her anticipation accumulate until she was fit to burst. Her fingers trailed lower, finally making contact with the slick, pink lips between her legs.
Weiss bit her lip and whined in appreciation, hips pushing forward into Olivia's hand as the faunus began to run her fingers up and down the heiress's slit. The pleasure was far beyond what Weiss had ever done to herself, the combination of foreplay and experienced fingers bringing her to unforeseen heights. She wrapped both arms around Olivia's neck and pressed her back to the stone wall, having to fight to remain standing while pulse after pulse of pure pleasure rocketed through her body.
Olivia resumed their kiss, one hand returning to Weiss's breast while the other continued to ravage the space between her legs. Weiss whimpered into Olivia's mouth, body jolting with another sudden increase in pleasure as she felt two fingers enter her for the first time. Olivia pushed in and out, rubbing against the front of Weiss's inner walls while a thumb circled her aching bud, attacking two bundles of nerves at once and leaving the heiress gasping for air.
Weiss could no longer respond to the kisses that Olivia delivered so affectionately. She could only let out a gasping whine, feeling an indescribable pressure mounting throughout her entire body. Olivia began to kiss her elsewhere instead, moving her lips to Weiss's cheek, her neck, her shoulder, to the top of her breasts and back again.
The heiress held on to her for dear life, feeling as if all strength was leaving her body. Her muscles were locked in place, tendons flexing as they fought to increase the depth of Olivia's fingers. The heat between her legs built and built, until no sounds escaped from between her lips. She only failed to catch her breath, feeling her final destination rapidly approaching at the hands of the slick-fingered faunus.
When Weiss's climax hit, it was like a dam breaking inside of her. She felt her entire body ignite with insurmountable pleasure, toes curling and legs locking together to trap Olivia's hand as deep as it would go. The walls of her sex pulsed, every light caress magnified a thousand fold as the faunus refused to relent, fingers pistoning in and out at an even faster speed. Weiss felt her head go numb, the entire world starting to spin as the rush of dopamine coursed through her brain. She gasped for air, incapable of drawing breath as her body simultaneously tried to unleash a moan of pure bliss.
Just like that, the rush was over. Smaller flickers of pleasure flashed through Weiss's body, the main event slowly reducing to a dull heat while Olivia's fingers slowed in kind. Weiss drew breath for what felt like the first time in minutes, body falling slack as Olivia removed her fingers from between the heiress's legs to instead help support her.
The faunus smiled smugly and pressed her lips against the heiress's cheek once more. "I told you it would be better than just kissing~"
Weiss could only nod weakly at first, still catching her breath. "Th-That… was… amazing…" She admitted it plainly, not wanting to downplay just how good Olivia had managed to make her feel.
Olivia raised her fingers to her lips and began to suck Weiss's juices free, enjoying the widening of the heiress's eyes in response to the sight. She pulled them free with a wet pop before speaking, voice once again returning to a lower, seductive tone. "That was only the beginning~" She leaned forward to whisper in Weiss's ear, causing her heart to pound in her chest once more. "Just wait until we find somewhere more comfortable. Then I can use my tongue~"
Weiss audibly shivered, feeling her hands and legs twitch in response to the heated promise. She didn't want this to end, not so soon after discovering so much bliss. "I-Is… Is there anywhere we could go?"
Olivia smirked, raising a hand to tap slick fingers against her chin. An idea sparked in her mind, smile widening further. "Well, the private study rooms in the library are as advertised. They don't have any windows, and they lock from the inside. Perhaps, if you wanted to keep going…~?"
Weiss nodded fiercely.
"Sounds like a plan, then. Once we're properly showered and changed, we can head over there instead of back to the dorms," Olivia leaned forward, planting a long kiss on Weiss's lips. She pulled away, lightly running a hand down the heiress's side. "I'll be sure to make it worth your while~"
"I-I don't doubt that in the slightest..."
"And maybe this time, I can teach you how to return the favor~?"
Olivia smiled at the eager nod Weiss gave in return. She was more than ready to try her hand, to reciprocate the pleasure Olivia had given her so freely.
They fooled around in the shower for a little while longer before eventually cleaning themselves properly, toweling off, and changing into the clothes they'd brought. They threw away their ruined dresses and headed for the library, ready to delve further into the physical connection they now shared.
Weiss couldn't help but wonder how she'd gotten so lucky.
Widow hummed happily, moving around the room to clean up several of the items she'd left out during the interrogation. The bottle of pills she'd slipped into his drink, the now empty syringe she'd injected him with, the clothes he'd managed to strip off in the heat of the moment before finally falling victim to the nearly lethal dose.
Qrow sat slumped in the chair she'd bound him to, aura slowly healing the bruises left over on his body. Widow removed the ropes next, allowing the unconscious huntsman to thump heavily to the floor. He didn't wake from the impact, still lost in a drug induced stupor that had given her all the answers she needed.
'So, that's how the maiden powers work…' It was a shame that Widow wouldn't be able to take them for herself. Killing Cinder would have been simple. The fool was overconfident, and believed herself superior when it came to her control over the grimm. Widow smiled, recalling their brief struggle in the woods in which she'd allowed the younger girl to succeed.
'A loss now leads to an easier kill later~'
Widow had taught Lotus that long ago. It was a lesson she'd had to learn for herself while clawing her way through life, forced to use every edge available in order to come out on top.
She paused, shoulders slumping as her mind wistfully drifted off into thoughts of her daughter, a familiar melancholy gripping her heart. 'I miss you, Little Spider…' Widow regretted the failings that had led to them being estranged for so long. If only she'd kept a tighter grip, and forced out the girl's foolish notions of becoming a huntress sooner. They wouldn't be in this mess today.
'...But, at least I've learned something that could benefit us both in the end.'
Even if Widow was too old to gain the maiden powers, Lotus surely wasn't. Though the reins she'd placed on her daughter had been removed, Widow was ever the schemer. There were many ways to get someone to do as you wished, the threat of violence towards those they cared for a staple among her repertoire.
Widow's attention was pulled from her musings as the huntsman snorted in his sleep. She cast a bemused eye in his direction, ready to put the second stage of her plan into action. Neo had been an invaluable asset in getting to this point, one that she planned on using again in the future.
With the way paved before her, Widow wasn't about to waste such a blessed opportunity.
"Up you go~" Widow teased, lifting the huntsman back up into the bed they'd shared. She spent a minute adjusting his body, twisting the sheets awkwardly around him as if he'd fallen unconscious in the heat of the moment. The drugs she'd used would do their work well enough, causing a severe black out that would keep him from remembering anything other than the fun times they'd shared earlier in the evening.
Once Widow was satisfied with his positioning, she grabbed a piece of paper from a nearby notepad and scribbled a few hasty words, playfully chastising the man for falling asleep in the middle of their 'fun'. She added a line requesting they try again, in the hopes he might hold his liquor better the second time. With her stolen name and number written out, Widow left the note on the bedside table along with his scroll. He would surely discover both in the morning.
Widow had to admit, their time spent together had been fun, even if it only started off as a ruse. She honestly couldn't remember the last time she'd had sex, her earlier life now a fog of painful memories that she refused to delve into for answers.
Widow stepped back to observe the room, looking over her handiwork one last time before nodding in satisfaction. Now all that was left…
"Shhhh, calm down, darling~" Widow whispered as she unclasped the purse she'd brought. She could feel the tiny creature scuttling around inside, incensed by the emotions that had previously filled the room.
The small grimm beetle crawled out of the purse and into her hand, its eyes staring up into hers, mesmerized by the commands she'd wordlessly given. 'If only controlling Lotus were so easy…' Widow sighed as she leaned forward, lowering the beetle down atop Qrow's naked chest.
"Get to work, little one. Remember, even if you are connected to him, it is I you must answer to. He's only your host for the time being~"
The grimm beetle looked at her one last time before turning around and jumping off her hand. It ran quickly across his flesh, finding the place just above his heart before sinking beneath blood and bone alike. Widow could feel it moving inside, the grimm's legs tightly gripping on to the steadily pulsating mass. It's tail moved into position, ready at a moment's notice to sever the man's ties to life, regardless of whether or not he possessed aura at the time.
Thankfully, Lotus's sixth sense was not as refined as her own. Widow had made sure of it when meeting her fellow spider, the younger faunus incapable of detecting the grimm until she'd pointed it out for her. Lotus wouldn't notice the one inside Qrow, not without help.
'A perfect reason to turn against Cinder, and claim the maiden powers for your own~'
Widow had warned Lotus that opening her heart to others was a mistake. If they weren't using you, then they were being used against you. It was the natural order of things for the strong to rise above the weak. Cutting those emotional ties only made you a better survivor by default.
Her plan was without fault, as far as she was concerned.
'Salem won't need Cinder if she has Lotus. All she's truly after are these 'relics'. Who obtains them is of no interest to her as long as she gets them in the end.'
Meanwhile, her daughter would be gaining an insurmountable power if she was the one to kill Cinder. 'Why stop at only one? There are four of these maidens after all.' Widow let out a giddy laugh as she headed towards the door, excitement getting the better of her.
Lotus would be unstoppable in due time.
And Widow would never need to worry about the safety of her daughter again...