Petal Burst, the ability to temporarily morph into a stream of rose petals, greatly influencing velocity and mobility. Not fully understood.

Shadow, the ability to create directional clones made of aura. Useful, but situational, and hard to plan with. Drains aura fast.

And, finally, Burn, the ability to turn damage into raw power. Acts like a transformation when the going gets tough.

Catra sat on her bunk, which was oddly tranquil despite the situation her and Blake were in.

Outside her window, she had noticed a camera oscillating slowly, hidden partially in the leaves of a fruit-bearing tree.

Adam. She thought, bitterly. I should've taken him out before he'd gained such a following.

Catra grappled with the thought. But it's tough to fully blame him for his actions. Humans tortured him, branded him, and made his life hell. But still...The same happened to thousands of faunus around the world...and they didn't end up like him. Does that make them weak? Does it make Adam strong? Or is it just a shitty, unavoidable set of circumstances?

Catra stood up, shaking her head. I need some air.

She repeated her though, aloud this time, to Ruby.

"Oh, um, okay. Do you want to go alone, or…?" Ruby left the statement open, Crescent Rose partially dismantled in her oil-stained hands.

Catra nodded, and left the room.

Ruby continued her work, and let her thoughts drift. I'm glad her and Blake are friends...I just wish that Weiss could've…

Ruby frowned, and went into the shared room of her team's dorm.

Blake was sharpening one of the cooking knives, and looked up at her leader's arrival.

"Hey, Ruby."

Ruby awkwardly waved. "Hey, Blake."

She sat at the counter, and took a deep breath.

"Why did Weiss leave?" She blurted out, simultaneously terrified that she'd crossed a social line, but relieved that she'd finally up and asked the question.

Blake seemed startled, her uncovered ears perking in alertness.

"Well, we had a disagree-"

"Yeah, a disagreement, I know, I know. But about what, Blake? I deserve to know why she left-" me "-us."

Blake set down the knife, and looked oddly guilty.

"Well, remember when I told you all about being a faunus?"

Ruby nodded. 'Yeah?'

"Well, Weiss left because I lied to her about it. Maybe a couple days after initiation. She pulled me aside and asked if I was one, because she'd seen my face on the news, when I was at a rally. But I lied to her, told her that I wasn't a faunus."

Ruby absorbed the information. 'But…'

"She didn't want to be on a team with a liar, but Beacon doesn't reassign teams. So she had to leave."

Ruby stared at the counter, lost in thought.

Blake looked out the window, and saw Catra walking through the courtyard.
-

Catra had her sword strapped to her back, just in case, but was surprised to see a White Fang operative casually walking through the main courtyard.

The girl was dressed in what passed for casual clothes in Vale, but wore a WF button on her shirt's collar.

It was faint, but Catra also spotted, well, spots on the girl's face.

Internally, Catra noted that the girl was somewhat attractive, and that the spots only enhanced her features.

Externally, she stopped in her tracks, looking the girl up and down.

"Ilia? You're-" Catra wanted to say alive, but that was probably rude. "-you're here?"

Ilia Amitola blinked. "I just want Blake. I don't care about whatever you're doing here."

Catra nodded, humoring her. "Those two things are one and the same. What exactly do you and our goat friend want with her? If it's tea in the park, for example, I'd allow it." Catra joked.

Ilia brushed past Catra.

"Ilia? I'm still talking, you know. And you know I can't let you talk to Blake, she's too soft for her own good."

Ilia smiled, a shadow crossing over her face "I know. And so are you."

Catra lifted her arm, only to notice that a small dart was implanted on her wrist. Catra's vision wavered. "When did you-? Dust!" She cursed again, having to lean against a tree. Catra cursed her overconfidence, having let Ilia get too close just because she had appeared unarmed.

Ilia bent her knees. "Don't worry, Catra. Once I get Blake out of here, Adam will be too busy chasing us to worry about you. And I'm really sorry."

Catra passed out.

Yang drove through an intersection. "I still feel bad leaving Catra behind without even a text."

Blake shook her head. "It'll be okay. She doesn't even like karaoke."

Ruby raises an eyebrow. 'Just yesterday, you two officially became friends, how do you know that?'

"Lucky guess?"

Yang laughs aloud. "You're pretty funny when you want to be."

Blake watched the streets pass by, the street lights turning on as day gave way to night.

Yang parked, and the three of them exited the borrowed vehicle, Yang taking Blake by the hand.

Ruby skipped along, eyes entranced by the lights and sounds emanating from the bar/club they'd arrived at.

'You think they serve apple juice here?'