RWBY: Grey Chapter 19
Weiss pushed herself up from her stomach, where she had likely shifted herself during her sleep. Her body was sore, and her head was pounding with an unbearable ache. Her mind was filled with questions, but a quick glance around the room revealed no one to direct them to. She recalled being taken by Yuri after he had assaulted her teammates, but other than that, she had no recollection of current events.
She stood up, despite finding it rather difficult, then walked over to the other side of the barren room. She ran her hands along the wall, then let them fall back to her sides. The cold, lifeless room offered her no answers as to her whereabouts, but she had a sneaking suspicion that she had been there before. Her head throbbed, a sharp ringing shooting through her ears. She clasped her hands together tightly, trying to endure the anguish.
She clenched her eyes shut, her fruitless attempts to to ignore the pain taking everything out of her. An instant before she was certain she would have collapsed, she felt a pair of hands softly holding her cheeks, then a pair of lips on her forehead. Her eyes opened slowly, and she wrapped her arms around the figure. "You're fine... just take a breath... slowly now... you've been asleep for a few days... and your mind hasn't caught up." Yuri's voice said.
She took a few breaths, then pushed away. The pain in her head had subsided a great deal, and Yuri's presence had brought a significant amount of comfort to her. "Why did that hurt so much?" She asked. "I used a bit of Aura to suppress your thoughts... this put you to sleep with ease, but I was hoping to wake you up myself... however, that didn't seem to be what fate had in store for the two of us. Because your mind tried to force itself awake, it likely brought on a massive headache." He smiled.
"Is that all... of the pain, I mean?" She asked. "Well... this is the first time I used Aura for that specifically, so I can't say for certain. But if it's stopped hurting, there shouldn't be any reason for it to start up again." He explained. "Alright... now... where are we exactly?" She asked. "Oh... we're at my home in Atlas." He said. "That's what I thought when I woke up." She said. "Why here?" She questioned.
His head darted to the sides, looking around the empty, windowless room. "This place is close... tell me something... there's a train that departs and arrives at Schnee headquarters at a very specific interval... where is it now?" He asked. She looked puzzled. "Well... if it's been three days... then that would make it Wednesday. Hmm... it... should be getting ready for the return trip... which should start tomorrow... why?" She asked.
He pointed to his Scroll, which was tilted on the wall, next to the door. "I've been pouring over the data from the chip that I took from the White Fang. It's garbled... likely on purpose, but... there is still pertinent information that couldn't be hidden. Information that explained the entirety of their plan to me... and they didn't even notice." He laughed. "What information could tell you everything that they didn't hide?" She asked.
"Six words, my love, six words: Train, Atlas, Dust, Schnee, Solo, Sunday." He said. "In my view... they intend on discreetly planting explosives on the Schnee train while the miners are at work... then wait for the train to depart, and on it's way back to Atlas, Adam Taurus is going to board the train mid-travel to ensure that it reaches its destination. Upon which, he will detonate it, causing a powerful reaction with the Dust that will... well upon estimation... level the entirety of the Atlas capital." He explained.
"Actually... Dust... is volatile enough... that they could use a simple spark to set it off... especially considering that it's raw." She said. "Well... that makes nailing down the location of the explosive difficult. And here I was hoping that we could head to lower Atlas and take care of this first... I guess that's a no go." He seemed rather unfazed in her view, but the situation that he had just presented seemed more than hopeless.
"How do you expect us to stop them when the train is moving?" She asked. He laughed a little. "Well that'd be the kicker... we won't be able to... MIANA! Get in here." He shouted. The door slammed open, revealing the dark haired girl, clad in a light pink dress that didn't very well match her. "Hello there dear Brother... so you're intent on stopping Taurus, eh... well... I suppose I should help you." She giggled.
He started to reply, but she shushed him, before wrapping her arms around his neck. "Before you say anything, let... me apologize for the previous Sunday... It was arrogant of me to attempt to fight you, doubly so since I actually believed for a moment that I may have been able to beat you." She giggled. "Ah well... it's not as though you haven't been practicing yourself. I... apologize for... well... removing your arms... regardless of the fact that you can grow them back." He said.
"Well... I was going to chastise you on that front, I mean... we meet again for the first time in nearly a decade, and you greet me with dismemberment, it's unfathomable, really. Ah well... no harm... no foul, I suppose." She smiled. "Speaking of unfathomable... Ms. Schnee... it's... more than surprising to see you here... although... why her, and not the Black One?" She asked Yuri. "Eh... heheh... well... I need someone with information on the Atlas area, including certain... buildings... and Weiss seemed to me to be the best option." He explained.
She nodded, obviously content with his answer, then turned to Weiss. "So... should I continue calling you Ms. Schnee? Or will you soon be changing to Mrs. Greymoor... or Kallen, in his case?" Miana asked. Weiss' face was beet red, her eyes doing all they could to avoid the other girl's piercing gaze. "Umm... sorry for... showing up unannounced, even if it was him who brought me here." She said, trying desperately to avoid the topic.
"Oh no, not at all, I doubt our mother or have a problem with letting you stay for a while, especially as a guest of their favorite child." She giggled. "Favorite?" Yuri asked. "Oh dear... our parents love us all dearly... but... it's hard not to see the way they treat you as being... a little different. Oh don't give me that look, I don't think it's bad or anything, and I don't mind at all. Just know that it's there." She said.
"By the way... was... umm... the two most recent high profile murders... I assume you are the culprit, yes?" She asked. "It doesn't bother me, of course, these people were causing undue unrest in the population... and they were threats to true peace." She followed. "They were important members of the White Fang. You thought that you could scare the lesser members into staying out of the upcoming plan, right? Well... it worked... I haven't seen a single message of solidarity towards Taurus' plan... people think he's cursed cause of what he did to you before." She laughed.
Weiss looked between the siblings, her confusion plain and heavy on her face. "What did you do now?" She asked. "I uh... I... uh... killed some people, they were White Fang members with a lot of pull in the organization." He said. "And... you killed them... that's what you're saying... huh... I... want to tell you that's wrong... but... I think you already know that." She said. "Yeah... well as easy as it was to end their lives... it didn't make it any more enjoyable." He laughed nervously.
"Hey you all! It's dinner time!" Diana shouted up to them. Upon the mention of food, Weiss perked up considerably. "Oh good... I'm really hungry... are you eating, Yuri?" She asked. "Of course, our Mother made the food for us, and although none of us other than you need to eat very often, we do eat to show our thanks for her work." He explained. "Oh... I guess all Royals have that weird quirk... I'll never understand how Aura makes you able to go so long without eating... but I guess I've been around you long enough to know you're being truthful about it." Weiss giggled.
The three of them made their way to the dining room quickly. Weiss took the time to get a decent look at the home, as she hadn't done so the last time she had been there. The house was bland, which was honestly what she had expected, but was also covered in pictures of the Greymoor family. Yuri was easy to pick out in each of them, and after a certain point, was accompanied by a tiny girl who Weiss could only assume was Anna.
She sat at the large table beside Yuri. Diana giggled when she turned from the kitchen counter to her son. "I know I told you it was ready... but give me a minute to finish everything else, dear." She laughed. Her gaze moved to Weiss, and she smiled kindly. "We are Wolf Faunus' so when we do eat, it's usually comprised of mostly meat. Is that alright with you?" She asked. "Oh, uh, that's fine... I suppose I should have figured that you guys eat more meat than anything." She grinned happily.
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"Where are they at right now?" Blake asked. "Uhhhhh... they're at his parents' house I believe." Yang said. "Huh? Why there? Is he even trying to run from us?" Ruby pondered. "Not like it matters... I know we all want Weiss back... but none of us have any chance of taking Yuri down in a fight... not even four on one." She finished. Blake's mind returned to the previous Sunday, where she had watched him tear his own sister's limbs off without hesitation.
She shuddered at the though of that happening to any of them, then wondered if Yuri would really do something like that to any of Team RWBY. "He's ridiculously strong... I don't even think he knows just how powerful he actually is, but that's why we have to take this seriously... fighting him head on is a no go." Blake noted. "Then I suppose that would mean it would be best to take Weiss back when his guard is down... is his guard ever really down though?" Yang asked.
"I suppose not... ever since his friends died, I'm sure he's been watching his back, expecting death to try and take him as well... of course... maybe... he's has something else in mind?" Blake wondered. "What do you mean?" Ruby asked. "Well, think about it... if he wanted to kill us... he would have done it when he came to take Weiss, but he didn't... so maybe he has some other goal... maybe he need us for something... like a plan he has." Blake explained.
"I mean... I guess that might be true, but if it was, why not just ask us directly? I'm sure all of us would be willing to help him if he just asked!" Yang stated angrily. Her eyes darted between her remaining teammates, stopping on Ruby's bandaged thighs. "How are your legs feeling, sis?" She asked. "Oh, they're fine now... apparently Yuri left a bit of his Aura on his blade when he cut me, and the wounds started healing before you had even taken me to the infirmary." She smiled.
"And you're stomach, Yang? How's that doing?" Blake asked. "Oh uh, it was causing me some problems on Monday, but it's stopped since then." She stated proudly. "Alright then... I propose that we take what little time we have to try and figure out Yuri's angle!" Ruby shouted. "Well... that's not too bad of an idea, actually... when do you think we should make our move on him?" Blake asked. "Let's leave this Friday night... he's in Atlas, right? So we should take the next two days to try and figure out what's going on." Yang said.
"Great! Blake... you and I will head to the Menagerie, since Ozpin has excused Team RWBY from class for the time being. Yang! You talk to old Ozzy and see if you can find out why exactly he brought Yuri here. Blake, are you ready to go?" She asked. Blake nodded, and stood up. Ruby hopped off of her bunk waving her sister a quick goodbye.
As they closed the dorm door, Yang pondered what reason Ozpin really had in bringing Yuri to Beacon. Yuri is unimaginably strong... but nothing really makes me think he has any desire to be a Huntsman... sure he's killed Grimm... but I don't sense the drive to erase them from him. If I can tell, there's no way Ozpin didn't see it already. So... WHY?
"Why did I bring Yuri here, you ask?" Ozpin questioned. Yang nodded and he shifted his chair slightly. "Hmm... there are many types of people in this world, ranging from those who seek out a pleasure and satisfaction, to people who simply desire to live their lives alone, peacefully. If I had to say, I'd venture that Yuri is someone who was born the kind of person he is... one who above all else, survives. That to me, was something I saw in him the moment we met." He said with a blank stare.
He curled his fingers together, then rested his chin on them. "Many of the students here have a desire to crush the Grimm, and whether their reasons are to protect, or even if it's for revenge, the end result is that they've taken an honorable path. But Yuri... he seems to have a path all his own, and whether his desires are righteous or not... I intend to see what he makes of his life." Ozpin explained. "So... you brought him here to keep an eye on him, eh? Well... I don't see how that could help us figure out what he's trying to do... sir... what is your opinion of Yuri?" Yang asked.
"My opinion? Well... to be honest with you... I don't understand him too well... I am aware that the two of you have had a number of illicit encounters... but other than the things I can see from him... I don't think I have any pertinent information that could assist you girls in your attempt to uncover his motives. My apologies." He smiled. "Is that so... ah well... I'm sure that-" She started. "Actually... wait a moment, I just realized that it was Wednesday." Ozpin said.
He rifled silently through his desk, before pulling out a small red notebook. He tossed it to her, and she fumbled slightly in surprise. "What's this?" She asked. "He gave it to me, just before he left with Ms. Schnee... he asked me to give it to you on Wednesday, which just so happens to be today." He smiled. "I see, thanks Oz! See ya later!" Yang shouted as she rushed from his office.
I can't wait to see what's in the book... but I should probably wait until sis and Blake get back tonight. Wait... didn't Oz say he knew about us? Oh... my... god... I think I may die! She stamped her foot on the ground in embarrassment. "I can't believe I didn't catch that when he said it." She laughed nervously. "Ugh... well, I don't know what's in this notebook, but it could be a good lead on Yuri... I wonder what those two are up to." She said.
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"So where are we headed first, Blake?" Ruby asked. "Heh, so you decided to head out here without knowing where you were going? I shouldn't be surprised... that's just who you are." Blake giggled. "Well... that's why I was alright with you coming along, I'm not really familiar with the Menagerie, but I knew that you've been here before. So... I was hoping you knew what to look for." She smiled innocently.
"I get it... well... Weiss said that Yuri stopped at a bar when they were here before... I just have to remember where she told me it was." Blake said. "Until then... let's just walk until we see something interesting." She told her. "Sounds good. I didn't realize that Yuri was a drinker... I'd have never known." Ruby laughed. "Well... we don't know why he was in the bar... but... I don't suppose drinking is so unbelievable." Blake said.
They walked on through the empty streets in silence. "You know... it's really quiet... you'd think that on a nice evening like this, there would be a plethora of people enjoying themselves out here... but this place seems... dead." Blake noted. "Yeah... why do think people are staying in?" She asked. "I... think it may have something to do with this." Blake said, pulling out her Scroll. "Uh... yeah... a few days ago two incredibly well known Faunus were murdered... I guess people right now are just really scared..." Blake said.
They arrived at the bar, which they almost missed while talking to each other. They opened the door to find it too, was also empty, save for a lone man attending to the bar in the back. "You girls seem a little young to be here... well, at least you do, Red." The man said in a gruff voice. "Uh... someone we know has been said to frequent this bar... we were hoping you could help us with him." Blake murmured.
"Hmm... you're a decent looking girl, Black... I think I know who you're going on about... but I consider him a very dear person to this place... all of the Menagerie in fact... so tell me, why should I just give you information about him?" He asked. He had a scarred face, and oily black hair that covered his left eye. His hand trailed the short stubble on his chin as he looked the two over.
"He's our friend... and he wants us for something... we just don't know what." Blake stated. "Hmm... you're his friends, eh... Yuri doesn't keep many friends... so prove it." He said. "Yuri has sex almost everyday with my sister... I also think he's slept with another of my teammates... but I'm not sure." Ruby piped up. The man looked to her, then burst into laughter. "Is that so? Well... if he's like that with you girls... I guess I could tell you some things... what do you want to know?" He asked.
Hopefully... we can understand why we're still alive... things don't make sense yet... but maybe after this... we will.