Chapter 9
Blake stalked out of her dorm, seething. So many negative, angry thoughts bounced around inside her head. She wanted to explode and rage and for everything to just stop.
She made it to the rooftop, and the sun was bright and briefly blinding Blake after coming from the windowless halls of the dorm space. The fresh air did nothing to calm her, and Blake once more began to pace. Pulling out her scroll, she looked at it indecisively. Blake hated the idea of burdening someone with her problems, but at the same time, she was going to explode if she didn't say something.
'He won't judge me. I know he won't.'
Ultimately, she sent Shirou a quick message asking him to join her on the roof. She stared at the text, half hoping he'd respond right away. The other half of her hoped he wouldn't even see the missive at all.
Her phone buzzed, and Shirou's name popped up on her screen. She began pacing again until the door creaked, and Shirou stepped through almost like a knight from a fairy tale that Blake's mother read to her when she was a small child with his kind, understanding eyes and silver armor.
"Blake, are you alright?"
"No."
Shirou nodded and moved closer to Blake, who was still walking back and forth like some kind of caged Beowolf, ready to snap at anyone who got too close.
"Is it Weiss?"
It wasn't a hard conclusion to draw, and Blake clenched her jaw as soon as Shirou mentioned the other girl.
"You heard what she said in the cafeteria, right? That I shouldn't have gotten involved. Just let Velvet be hurt by that asshole!"
Shirou didn't say anything. He knew Blake well enough to understand that her venting to someone didn't come naturally to her, and interrupting would be a detriment.
"And we get back to the dorm room, and she repeats it! Says I should have reported to a teacher that I shouldn't care that someone was being hurt right in front of me. I've tried to do what you asked, to not judge her for her family name. But then she says things like that, just because Velvet's a faunus, how am I supposed to not take that personally? And then I feel guilty." Blake took off her bow with a harsh yank and pulled a few strands of hair out as she did. "Because I can hide, but she can't, and I'm too afraid to stand up with her because I don't want to be treated like that. Could I be a more selfish coward?"
A stinging heat pricked Blake's eyes, and she finally admitted aloud that she was a coward. It hurt like a burn, constant and deep. She wished so badly that she could be brave. Blake had thought she had courage once, doing all those horrible things as part of the White Fang, but that hadn't been bravery, just another form of fear. So often, it made Blake want to give up. Just stop trying and go back to her home where she knew she would be accepted, where Blake wouldn't have to hide, and where she could be herself and live a quiet, unassuming life.
A tear slipped from her tightly clenched eyelids, and she turned her back to Shirou, her ears folded tightly against her scalp.
"Is it such a stupid, childish dream? A world where everyone is accepted, and nobody has to be afraid of being different." Blake said, more to herself than to Shirou.
Shirou felt something inside him ache at Blake's pain, at the hopelessness in her voice, and he couldn't stop himself from moving forward to putting his hand on her shoulder.
"I have a dream," Shirou said so softly that if Blake didn't have a second pair of ears, she would never have heard him. "It was inherited from my father, one of the last things he told me before he died. I want to save everybody, to create a world where no one ever cries. So when I was younger, I pursued it to the exclusion of all else, living only for the sake of others and never for myself." Shirou's words were bitter on his tongue like they always were since he first admitted to the fallacy of his oldest desire. "I thought that was what I had to do. That I could only be happy if I gave my life selflessly to the service of others." Blakes's shoulders were hunched further, and she tried to pull away from Shirou's grip, but he didn't let her.
"I was wrong, Blake. It isn't selfish to want to be treated with kindness, and I'm sorry you feel like you have to hide who you are to receive it from others." Shirou kept his voice soft, but a firm strength seeped into it as he remembered his lessons, hard learned as they were.
"You call yourself selfish, but a dream should be selfish, or you'll end up living the hollow life of a machine, empty and alone, and you'll never achieve your ideal. You call yourself a coward, but today you stood up and showed everyone the impact that can have. Those aren't the actions of a coward. You inspired people today, Blake. I guarantee it."
Blake looked up at Shirou with wide, shimmering eyes and slowly felt the churning in her stomach cease and some of the weight on her shoulders ease. She wasn't sure if she completely believed Shirou, but his words, even though they might be rose-covered lies, comforted her.
Exhausted and unable to keep looking into Shirou's eye, Blake turned and leaned forward, resting her forehead against his shoulder, ignoring the small thrill she felt one of her ears brush up against his cheek. If only for a moment, Blake would indulge in not having to hide who she was and put the guilt, shame, and fear to the side and allow herself just to feel grateful.
"Did you give up on your dream?" Blake asked an indeterminate amount of time later.
Shirou thought back to his time in Fuyuki, the grail war, and the moment he realized why he would continue to chase it with reckless abandon.
"No, I never gave up on it. I just found a selfish reason to pursue it."
Blake understood, and she didn't press further. Instead, she pushed herself closer to Shirou and chose to let her mind wander. She considered a world where her dream came true, and for just a moment, it didn't seem so impossible.
Weiss didn't immediately follow after Blake. She was too busy replaying the argument they had in her mind. And she had admittedly not framed her case exceptionally well. It wasn't that Weiss took issue with Blake taking action. She only disagreed with Blake's methods. It would have been far more intelligent to let the teachers know. They were the people who actually ran the school and enforced longer-term changes to how it operated. Instead, all Blake had done was delay the inevitable when she stood up to that brute Cardin Winchester.
Weiss could also admit she had been outright wrong not to stick up for her partner when things looked like they might escalate.
Weiss sighed and resolved to apologize, something she hated doing.
"I'm going to see if I can find Blake," Weiss said to Nora and Ren.
Nora flashed her a relieved smile.
"Good plan, Weissy."
Nora's nickname made Weiss's eye twitch, but she didn't feel up to arguing again over something so minor. Instead, she walked out of the dorm, tried to think of where Blake would have gone, and realized that she knew little about her partner. The moment of awareness only served to worsen Weiss' mood. With no better options Weiss decided to check where she would have gone to clear her head.
At her home in Atlas, that would have been the balcony of her bedroom. Something about the vast open sky and expansive views always helped settle her. The dorms may not have had balconies, but the roof terrace could also serve that function. Weiss walked quickly, her white-heeled boots barely making any noise against the thick red carpet installed throughout the building.
Going up the stairs that led to the roof, Wiess saw the door was ajar and felt a brief flash of hope that she had been right. But as she got closer, Weiss could make out voices. Reaching the door, Weiss hesitated as she identified both Shirou and Blake, uncertain if she should interrupt them. Weiss carefully peeked through the small gap between the door and the frame, Weiss froze, and her eyes widened as she saw Blake pull her bow off and reveal a pair of cat ears that twitched on top of her head.
'Blake's a Faunus.'
Weiss turned and walked away from the door quietly. Blake's behavior around her made much more sense to Weiss now. Even their argument earlier could be looked at in a different light. Before Weiss knew it, she was outside under the hot sun, and like it was a switch, her shock began to turn to anger.
'She never told me.'
They had been partners for weeks, and Blake never mentioned that she wasn't human. So why would she even do that? Weiss's mind briefly went to a dark place, but even angry, she tried to push those thoughts aside. That Blake wanted to hurt was nothing more than blatant paranoia. That behavior belonged solely to Weiss's father, and she refused to follow in his footsteps.
"Ms. Schnee."
A voice pulled Weiss from her thoughts, and she looked up to see the Headmaster walking towards her, his cane clicking against the pavement with every step he took. Weiss tried to rein in her tumultuous emotions and plaster a pleasant smile across her lips.
"Headmaster Ozpin, sir, can I help you?"
"No, I shan't burden you with an old man's worries Ms. Schnee. However, I would be interested to hear about what has made you so conflicted."
Apparently, she hadn't been fast enough to fool the Headmaster. Weiss hesitated, unwillingness to discuss her thoughts warring with her conditioning to comply with authority, once more authority she greatly respected.
Without Weiss even realizing it, Ozpin guided her to a nearby bench and sat them both down, the wooden planks warm to the touch.
"This is a good spot," Ozpin said, leaning back and crossing his legs at the ankles. "If I must confess, Beacon is one of the few places I feel safe enough to relax, an occupational hazard, you understand. It isn't easy to spend life on guard against all threats, but eventually, it becomes ingrained into you, and it's like you can never turn it off." Ozpin took a deep breath, and Weiss unconsciously mimicked him, her shoulders relaxing as she did so. "At Beacon, however, I can let that tension fade away, which tends to make me sensitive to it in others. So, please, tell me what's troubling you."
Weiss didn't hesitate again, and words began to flow freely from her lips like water from a faucet.
"Blake, my partner, she's a Faunus and has been hiding it from the team."
Ozpin nodded.
"Is the fact that Ms. Belladonna is a faunus an uncomfortable revelation for you?"
"No!" Weiss winced as she realized how loud her denial came out. "I…I don't know. I can admit that I find faunus difficult to trust, but the White Fang has been at war with my family for years. They kidnapped Schnee family employees, sent hundreds of threats, and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in dust." Weiss shot to her feet. "And Blake's been hiding what she is since day one!"
Ozpin found himself briefly grateful that no one else happened to be near as Weiss's voice rose as she ranted.
"Am I just supposed to believe it's because she doesn't have something to hide? That she doesn't have some kind of ulterior motive?"
Ozpin listened patiently, without judgment, sitting so still it was almost as if he were a statue. It wasn't until Weiss's speech ended, and then she stood still, panting and shivering did Ozpin stand up and rested a hand on her shoulder.
"You are frustrated and conflicted, understandable, and you've shown wisdom to not act rashly in response to those feelings, which is commendable." Weiss didn't look at Ozpin, keeping her eyes on the grass between her boots. "I have some advice for you. Would you like to hear it?"
Weiss didn't know if she did, and she grit her teeth so hard her jaw ached as she remembered when she was six and had been screamed at by a faunus who called her all manner of horrible things. Then, when she was eight, a group of White Fang members picketed outside her home and threw rotten food at her every day when she left for school. Then, when she was ten, the White Fang turned violent, broke into Schnee manor, and killed Weiss's nanny.
One part wanted nothing more than to demand that Ozpin remove Blake from her team. To provide her a new partner, a human Weiss could trust to guard her back. The other part reminded Wiess that she hadn't stood by Blake when she confronted Cardin for no reason other than that only a faunus was being hurt. In the end, Weiss could only give the smallest of nods to the Headmaster's question. She was so beyond words.
"Thank you, but before I give it, I would ask you to place yourself in your teammate's place. Knowing the Schnee history with the faunus, how would you feel without knowing you as a person?"
Weiss closed her eyes. She was hoping for something more profound than 'think about how other people feel' from the venerated leader of Beacon Academy.
"You think it's foolish, or perhaps simplistic, but please indulge me. Assume that you are Ms. Belladonna. Imagine she doesn't know you; all she knows of the Schnees is what the media reports. How would you feel, and what would you do?"
"I would have kept it a secret, too," Weiss said, her voice small.
Ozpin nodded.
"Feelings are not rational, Ms. Schnee, nor do they have to be. You feel betrayed, frustrated, and afraid because you are unsure of her motives, even though you understand why she chose to do what she did. She feels afraid and persecuted because she is unsure of your motives towards faunuskind."
Ozpin paused for a moment to let his words sink in and enjoy the gentle breeze that rustled the grass and provided a welcome contrast to the warm sun.
"My advice Ms. Schnee is to communicate with your partner. Tell her about your discomfort and listen to hers in turn. That is the first step in becoming true partners."
"Easier said than done," Weiss said, sounding tired.
"It is, but you must decide how hard you're willing to work to succeed."
Weiss nodded thoughtfully, and she finally turned to look at the Ozpin.
"Thank you for your time and advice, Headmaster. I've got a lot to think about."
"Then I shall leave you to your thoughts, but please, feel free to seek me out should you desire an ear that will listen without judgment."
Ozpin picked up his cane and set off toward his original destination. Weiss lingered in the courtyard a while longer. Wiess didn't know if she felt better after speaking with the Headmaster, and she didn't know if she could take his advice. However, she would consider it because the alternative was an outcome she refused to accept.
"Glynda, you have the video and notes from today's first-year combat class?" Ozpin asked as soon as he walked into his deputy's office. The space was reflective of Glynda, all the furniture was made of rich brown wood, and everything was neat, clean, and flawlessly organized.
"I do, and you were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago."
Glynda reached up to adjust her glasses and gave Ozpin a frosty glare. Punctuality was a non-negotiable practice with Glynda, and she didn't take well to being kept waiting.
"Yes, my apologies. Ms. Schnee was having a moment of turmoil and needed some guidance."
Irritation shifted to concern, and Glynda leaned forward, clasping her hands together.
"Everything is alright, I trust?"
Ozpin nodded as he sat down, leaning his cane carefully against the armrest.
"Yes, yes, just some growing pains within the team."
That may have been understating things, but there was no need for Glynda to get involved as she would no doubt want to if he gave her all the details. So even though she wasn't wholly convinced, Glynda didn't question him further.
"Very well, the first year's combat class." Glynda handed Ozpin a tablet with the recording of all the fights queued. "To get the preliminaries out of the way, we have a good crop of fighters this year, but a few stand head and shoulder over their peers."
Ozpin glanced up from the fight he was watching.
"Not unexpected, but I fully trust your ability to ensure everyone receives the necessary instruction. So let us skip to our resident mystery, yes?"
Glynda's lips thinned, but she nodded regardless.
"He is highly technically skilled, with the strength, speed, and semblance to back up that talent. However, those aren't the things I found strange about his fight. If you skip to the end, perhaps thirty seconds prior, you'll see what I mean."
Ozpin did as he was bid and watched as Shirou Emiya's partner struck him hard enough to send him flying with a raised brow.
"That is interesting."
Glynda nodded.
"Keep watching."
Ozpin did so, keeping his eyes on the screen as both combatants moved faster and hit harder until Shirou ultimately defeated Ms. Xiao Long.
"Was there a problem with the sensors?" Ozpin asked, already knowing that there hadn't been. Glynda was far too thorough in diligent in her duties to let such an error occur.
"I entertained the notion and double-checked the sensors before the next fight. Everything was working perfectly. Mr. Emiya, according to all our equipment, didn't lose or expend a drop of Aura throughout his fight. Though by all accounts, he should have."
Glynda was right. Ozpin leaned back and rubbed at his chin as he thought. Aura was a tool for offense and defense; by all accounts, Mr. Emiya used it for both. He moved faster, hit harder than possible without Aura, and took a blow that literally sent him flying. Regardless of how big a pool the boy had, any of those events should have shown a decrease in his aura reserves, but they hadn't budged, reading 100% from start to finish.
"I need to ask Ozpin, Mr. Emiya, does he have magic?"
Ozpin grimaced behind his hand and didn't respond to Glynda immediately.
"In going over what we know to date," Ozpin started, chewing on each word before letting them into the air. "We know he is not powerless based on his durability, speed, strength, and ability to summon swords. We also know that our equipment is picking up readings from him but cannot track energy expenditure. However, I still can not confidently say that magic is his energy source."
Ozpin held up a hand, interrupting Glynda before she could make a comment.
"Bear with me. For this, my line of reasoning becomes more opaque. I can feel magic, one of my few skills. It's wild and chaotic. From a user, I would feel their power coming off them in waves, or if an action is sufficiently powerful, even be alerted to its use miles away. However, even when I'm in close proximity to Mr. Emiya, I can not feel anything. Therein lies my concern, in the past, when humanity were practitioners of the magic arts, it was possible to conceal one's magical presence with sufficient training."
Glynda fixed Ozpin with a glare and huffed through her nose.
"You're saying we don't know anything more about Emiya since the night you offered him a place here? This can't go on, Ozpin. We need to know what this boy is hiding, and if our observation isn't working, asking him outright may very well be necessary."
Ozpin waved his hand in front of himself like he was brushing away a fly.
"I believe you are right, but we should be more patient. We will gather more information to confront the boy but also allow him to deepen his ties with his new team and friends. Keeping him here is getting more and more imperative, Glynda. I can feel it." Ozpin leaned forward intently and placed the tablet back on Glynda's desk. "Tell me, have you found anything more regarding Jaune Arc's admittance?"
Glynda's shoulder sank at the change in topic and the remembrance of the boy that died for such foolish reasons.
"I thoroughly interviewed Ms. Gale. I do not believe she is at fault. I also contacted his supposed referenced and preparatory school. The number for his reference, Rubin Wicks, was disconnected, and no professor at Lantern had ever heard of Mr. Arc. His records were completely falsified and tailored to meet our criteria but did not stand out in any way.
Glynda wasn't sure that Ozpin's eyes could become more intense as he absorbed her words.
"That collaborates with what his parents told me during our discussions. To their knowledge, the boy never had his Aura unlocked nor received any training. Which confirms our theory that our systems have been breached."
"I've already discretely contacted a few software engineers from Atlas to review software," Glynda said. "But finding whatever backdoor a hacker used could take months, and with the Vytal Festival so close at hand...Ozpin, someone is planning something. Mr. Arc's admittance feels like a test run, like someone trying to see if such a method is possible."
"I agree. I will contact the other headmasters, inform them of the breach in our systems, and ensure that they all re-vet their students. I also want you to coordinate with them to get a list of who they intend to send to Beacon for the Festival. Finally, I want to review everyone's student record and ensure no discrepancies exist."
"You think the goal is to sneak someone into Beacon?"
"I do. But at this moment, we have the upper hand. I think you are right, Mr. Arc was a test, but no one anticipated the boy not having Aura and dying so quickly. As horrible as that is, it has given us the advantage moving forward. One I'll not see us fail to capitalize on."
Ozpin stood abruptly, snatching up his chin as he did.
"Let us not tarry. We have a lot of work ahead of us."
Ozpin swept from the office with those parting words and got to work.
Damn, I missed my once a week goal, but better late than never. Alas, I started watching Berserk for the first time last weekend and was thoroughly distracted. Gotta say Gut's is quite the badass.
So, tell me, what's your favorite comedic anime? I'm gonna need something new to watch that's a little less dark.
