So I've been a little slow on updates recently. it's a combination of being sick (which I'm thankfully removing from now) and a lot of other real life events piling up. Nothing too important but time consuming all the same.
Anyway, before we start with this one, I wanted talk about the recent chapters of Volume 6, mainly chapter 3. I feel like it's been long enough for anyone who's going to watch it won't be spoiled now and… well…
First of all; I'll say right away that I didn't hate it. It was good, great even if you went in with the desire for Salem's back story. The ancient history aspect of it was good, the visuals were fantastic and it felt like a unique sort of style that RWBY hadn't tried before.
I did have problems with it, and I'm fully aware that these are personal nit-picks and in no way mean the way the show did it was bad.
Firstly was Salem's and Ozpin(or Ozma, which is a clever touch) relationship. Now, they didn't fall into the trap I was worried about with the scorned lover trope, but I personally would have preferred they didn't have a lover's thing going on at all. Since chapter two I know that yeah, they'd be in some sort of relationship but I had hopped it would be more like a master and apprentice sport of thing rathe than husband and wife. (Though they subverted it nicely by having Salem be curse by something Oz had nothing to do with)
I would have preferred them to be something else, maybe friends or rivals or not even meat each other until much later.
I'm happy they confirmed Salem to be human though, called that a long while ago.
I had a few other problems and potential problems that might arise, mainly being how the moon was shattered, which was cool at first but disappointing in hindsight for really having no true importance other than a) the gods being petty and b) reminding Salem of her mistake every time she looked up.
The other is the silver eyes which judging from the flashback may or may not be decedents of Ozpin.
Again, Don't like that because I feel silver eyes should have far more importance but gets even creepier if you ship rose garden.
Bleh.
They're probably going to do more with that but hey, this is an AU, so it's none of the backstories going to be anything like what we were shown.
Also the Faunus was underplayed. Maybe they'll do something else with them later but I was a little disappointed we got nothing from them, or that they were some… well the gods said the planet was an experiment.
What I did like as the gods, not just their designs but the greekness I got from them. I know it's been a divisive topic in the community but to me the gods are the bad guys in this scenario. I mean yeah you can say Salem might have been selfish, but if you were grieving at the loss of the only person you ever loved you and you knew there was a way to bring them back after their live was cut short then You have to wonder if you would have done the same thing as her.
I would have.
Then they cursed her 'selfishness and arrogance' (aka grieving widow desperations) by making her immortal all that.
Maybe I'm just really petty but I would have tried to turn humanity against the gods too, especially after they played god-like tug-of-war with Ozma's life.
And the fact that they thanosed everybody for the decision of maybe a hundred, even a thousand people dosen't put them in my good books. And then they have the never to be like - Oh hey were totally wiped you out and now we're peacing out here and leaving ashes of your race behind in a world filled with no-rampaging Grimm but it was totally your fault and so if you manage to claw your way back up we'll be here for you to call us back sop we can rule over you again but if you fuck up we'll wipe you out again, totally great of us right?
And they bitched at Salem for being arrogant.
They were total assholes.
In summary…
They were exactly how I hoped they would be. To me they were like cold scientists viewing humanity as something to play and test. Like the planet was a Petri dish and when it turned out they didn't get the result they wanted they wiped the slate clean.
Now as long as RT doesn't have it so that they welcome the gods back with open arms I'll be fine.
I'm not certain but… well apparently Gurren Lagann was one of Monty's favourite shows. He may not have had all the story figured out before he passed, but most people at least have a beginning, middle and end of a story.
Just saying.
Anyway that's really all I wanted to say. I wanted to express my opinions on this one and ask what you think. You can of course have differing opinions and I'd be glad to hear them.
I do like what V6 is doing though. I think this is the most the community has argued about good things rather than whether RWBY is a good show or was never good in the first place and other rubbish like that.
I personally like how people are jumping back and forth on the Ozpin did nothing wrong standpoint.
My view? Wasn't wrong on the beginning, but once he started hiding things and essentially sending people off to their death (Summer included) against an unkillable enemy while still lying to them he's not exactly my favourite person. They can still change my mind though, if they do things, like explain why if his job was to unite everybody why he as the king of Vale shoved the Faunus off onto an island and did practically nothing about the racism until they actually fought back. Among other things anyway.
#Ravenwasrightallalong!
One last small warning, being sick I'm not totally in the game right now so while I have tried to check for errors some might still slip through. I've decided to finally start looking for a beta to fix this problem for the future but if you find any yourself let me know and I will do my best to correct them.
…
…
Blake felt numb.
It was a new and strange feeling, the confusion that whirled in her stomach even now was threatening to make her ill.
Yang was here.
On Menagerie.
She'd never, ever considered that possibility that it might happen.
How was she here? Why was she here?
Well… those two questions were easily answered. She'd gotten here by boat, and had been hired by her father.
Hired.
She was a mercenary.
Another idea Blake had never considered, never crossed her mind, and why should it?
She was out there now with her father while she shuffled around her home, with the intention of avoiding her two other guests.
"This tea is actually pretty good."
Sun and Neptune, the so-called Sage and Trident, were sitting in her living room with her mother, who was wasting no time 'getting to know them' as it was.
Why they were with Yang in the first place was just another question Blake had no answer for.
Questions, questions, questions. Far too many and all without a clue.
She couldn't- wouldn't speak to them. Not after their first encounter a few hours ago.
Everything was just so off. So instead she was forced to creep around her own home, eavesdropping in on the conversation from the other side of the paper wall.
"Thank you for the compliment Mr Wukong." Her mother smiled, and Blake forced back a gag at the sweetness in her voice. Why were they even here? Blake thought it would have been better if they were out looking for the culprit causing these disappearances, instead they were playing house with her mother!
"Please Miss B, call me Sun." he grinned.
"Oh? Miss B?"
"Ignore my friend." Neptune pleaded with a roll of his eyes. "He's friendlier than most people can handle."
"Oh don't worry yourself about it, you three are our guests, you can be as friendly or relaxed as you want."
"About that," the blur haired teen smiled. "Thank you for the rooms. It's been a while since we've had some real good beds to sleep in semi-safe rooms."
Kali blinked. "Why is that?" she asked, probably more out of curiosity than concern.
"Don't worry about what he says," Sun waved off. "He just means that since we're usually on the move we have to rent out rooms most of the time. They're not always the comfiest but we manage fine."
"I see." She nodded "Well as I said you're welcome here for as long as you need;."
"Thanks," Neptune nodded. "I was worried at the start that you wouldn't want us anywhere near your home to be honest."
"Why would you think that?"
"Well Sun's a Faunus but Yang and I aren't. Obviously I know I was wrong but we got a few uh…. 'looks' when we came into town." Kali frowned; "I see," she shook her head. "Well you don't have to worry about that from us. My husband and I hold no ill will against humans, especially ones we've never met before. We wouldn't have started the White Fang if we didn't think there was a way for Faunus and humans to live together normally."
"And isn't that something." Sun whispered. "I mean, meeting three of the White Fang leaders is a big deal as it is, but finding out that Blake is actually related to you guys?"
"Did she not tell you?"
"No. not that I blame her I guess, it's a pretty big deal."
"I suppose so." Her mother agreed. "Considering that she was only recently… well, she was a part of it's more aggressive era afterwards."
"Oh, we know."
Kali blinked. "I… you know?"
"Oh yeah that didn't really last as a secret. After the first, I dunno, month or so we all knew."
"A-all of you?"
"Yes," Neptune nodded. "Apparently Ruby, Weiss, Yang and team JNPR all figured it out at the same time. Then team CRDL was eventually told, then team CFVY and apparently all of the teachers had known from the start."
The Belladonna matriarch's mouth opened and closed as she tried to comprehend what she was being told. Mainly one detail. "Weiss Schnee? She knew about it?"
"Uh-huh."
"And… the headmaster?"
"Right from the start apparently. But hey, it's Beacon. Even among the Huntsman schools everybody knows they're the most… lax I think is the best way to put it, or weird, yeah, weirds the word that makes more sense… I was more surprised when General Ironwood knew."
Blake winced as her mother promptly dropped her tea.
"W-what?!"
"Oh yeah," Sun nodded, not seemingly as oblivious as he was letting on. "Found out a while ago, talked to her about it and everything from what Yang told me. He gave her a medal after their second mission."
"See… never told us about that."
This time when Blake winced it was followed by a shiver. Her mother didn't sound at all happy from the realisation that her daughter was deliberately vetoing information.
"Damn it Sun." she hissed quietly to herself. "Stop making things worse of me."
"Considering the trouble you actually got up to I think he's letting you off light."
"Ilia," Blake sighed to her chameleon companion, who was stood smirking behind her with a poorly concealed amusement at her suffering. "Can you be the only one to not make this day any harder, please?"
"Alright, alright," the girl laughed. "Though maybe you shouldn't be trying to listen in on their conversation."
"Well what else am I supposed to do?"
Ilia rolled her eyes, taking a hold of Blake's arm and pull her away from the wall. "Come on, you need some fresh air I think. I might help you clear your head."
Blake grumbled something unintelligible but didn't struggle as she was led away.
Ilia brought her out to the balcony to watch the sun as it set over Menagerie. They could see people beginning to return home, police and menagerie guard alike encouraging people to finish whatever business they had and stay indoors for the night.
Blake really didn't have the desire to pay attention to it all too much. She sighed and leaned against the railings, resting her head in her hands.
"You okay?" Ilia asked her, resting beside her.
She wanted to say yes instinctually, talking about her feelings wasn't exactly something she liked doing with anyone… but Ilia would know she was lying as soon as she said so.
"I don't know." She said instead. "Everything's just… confusing."
"Confusing how?"
The cat Faunus scowled. "You know how Ilia, don't make me say it."
"…"
She sighed. "Yang's… she's here. My… partner… she's here in Menagerie. I just don't know if I'm dreaming this or not. I don't know what to do."
"Can't say I blame you," Ilia shrugged. "I mean, the first few times her and I met weren't on the best of terms. For me at least she's pretty terrifying but…" Ilia's skin flickered red for a minute. "I think that if I didn't know I was already into girls she would definitely have confirmed it."
Blake looked away as a blush threatened to spread across her cheeks. "Yes I… know what you mean." Her smile slipped from her face. "But she doesn't want to speak to me… she's angry… and I can't blame her."
"Yeah? What exactly did you do?"
"Something awful." Blake closed her eyes sadly. "I have to talk to her. I have to apologise if only to let her know that I'm sorry."
"Well…" Ilia nodded slowly. "That's good right? When she comes back maybe you can talk to her then?"
She nodded. It sounded like a plan if there ever was one.
All they had to do was wait.
…
…
It was about half an hour later when they arrived back and Blake felt her nervousness rise up as Yang and her father walked through the door.
The blonde's eyes didn't so much as flicker in her direction, instead falling on Sun and Neptune as they approached her.
"So?" Sun prompted. "How are things looking? We moving out?"
She nodded. "Yeah. We stay as a group for this one though. We should prepare while we can, we move in thirty minutes."
"You can take some of my men," her father offered. "They could help you if you encounter any danger."
Yang shook her head. "It's appreciated, but we'll manage on our own not to insult your people or anything but they'd probably just get in the way if they came along. No, it'd be a better idea to just leave it to us."
The older man hesitated, but seeming to realise that it wasn't a suggestion, but a command to leave it to them, he could only nod. "Very well. I suppose I should leave you two it then."
"Thanks," she said. "If you need me I'll be outside getting ready. Sun, Nep, you two meet me there when you're finished okay?"
They nodded. "Got it." now was her chance. She could talk to Yang alone, get this whole situation straightened out. Blake made to follow, only for Sienna to stop her.
"Blake, I need to speak with you."
A flash of irritation flared through her, but she pushed it down and sighed.
"What is it?" she asked. I was looking to speak with Yang so if it's not important.."
She trailed off as the tiger Faunus shook her head. That's what it's about. I want to speak with you about them… human
Blake immediately decided she didn't like the inflexion in Sienna's voice. "Is there something wrong with her?"
"I… would like to speak to you about it somewhere else. Come with me."
Blake frowned, realising that as annoying as this was it would be a childish move to ignore her, so reluctantly she followed the older woman, until they were outside the house, the other side of the house, away from Yang. It was dark out now, the moon beginning to rise high into the sky and down below lanterns were being lit outside people homes.
"You wanted a private place? This is it." Blake said, crossing her arms. "What did you want to ask me?"
Sienna was quiet for a moment, thinking or contemplating what she wanted to say perhaps. Either way Blake didn't like it. Ever since she'd found out a human would be coming to the island she'd been abrasive to those around her. It was starting to get on her nerves.
"Do you trust that human?"
Blake stared at her. The question, she'd expected, but not like that!
"What kind of- yes, of course I do."
"Why?"
"Why?" Blake echoed, a hiss almost escaping her. "Because she's my partner and my friend." She was more than that, but honestly, with how Sienna was acting Blake didn't think it was any of her business. "I trust her because I trust her, it's that simple."
Sienna snorted. "It didn't seem like that earlier. I may have missed the start but don't think I didn't see how she acted with you. Seems to me like she's not happy to see you."
Blake growled. The other Faunus had scored a blow there. She was right, of course Blake wasn't dense enough to miss that, but the reminder of it wasn't a pleasant one. Sienna must have realised she'd crossed a line because she took a step back. All the same she looked at Blake with a curious eye.
It was a challenge, but not one Blake wanted to take up. Instead, the younger girl let out a long, heavy sigh in an effort to calm herself before speaking again.
"I know she wasn't happy to see me. She has every right to be upset after what I did. I don't blame her. I was going to apologise for it before you interrupted me. Honestly I don't see the point of this questioning. She's here and doing a job you wanted done. The only thing I was worried about was that it would be someone we couldn't trust. There's no worry about that no, so why are you so against it?"
"Because," Sienna growled back. "She doesn't smell right. Can't you feel it? Hear your instincts? She's dangerous. She's a threat."
"All Huntsmen are dangerous," Blake shot back easily. "It comes with the territory of getting stronger."
"This is a different feeling." She snapped. "It's like my senses are in overdrive when she's near. I can smell blood and death clinging to her like a musk. She's dangerous. She'll bring us war and death and blood."
Blake scowled as her patience finally snapped.. "You're being ridiculous. I've heard enough. You may not like humans but when one of them comes to offer their help it's not up to you to reject them if you want to complain about it, talk to my father.
And with that Blake turned away, had she hesitated for a moment she might have seen how Sienna's face had morphed into shock at the way she'd spoken.
She did not however, and made her way back inside to talk to Yang for real this time.
She came to the door of the Balcony where Yang was but stopped right as she was about to open the door.
She needed something to say, right? A plan?
No, no that was ridiculous. She just needed to be blunt, or frank if she could. Yang would appreciate that straightforwardness. No dancing around with her words. She could give her some warning though.
The knocked the frame of the door. "Yang? It's… me, Blake."
No answer. That was fine. She didn't expect to be welcomed with a cheery smile.
She knocked again. "Yang? I…. I need to talk to you."
Still no answer. Of course, what had she expected?
"I'm coming out." She said, steeling herself and making to open the door.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Came a male voice. Blake nearly jumped out o her skin as her head snapped to the side to see Sun leaning against the wall next to her.
How- when had he gotten there? Why hadn't she heard him?
No, not important.
"Why not?" she questioned. "I know she won't be happy to see me but I still need to talk to her."
"You can't."
"But-"
"No, Blake, you don't get it, I mean you literally can't right now. She won't hear you."
"What… do you mean?"
Sun sighed and after a grunt to himself slid the door open just a little, just enough for them to peer out of a crack. "You see her?"
She did. She could see her back, hair flowing down past her shoulders and tickling the ground as she sat on the balcony, cross-legged. Blake couldn't see her face from this angle but from how still she was she could tell the brawler wasn't just resting.
"What is she…?"
"Meditating I guess you can call it." Sun answer. "Look, I'm not gonna get into details, if Yang wants to explain it that's for her, but she's like this every time we do a job. It's kind of like how she goes through all the info we've got. Not exactly something I can explain but uh, let's just say she has a library up in that head of hers, and right now she's going through it."
Blake quirked an eyebrow back at the blonde. "A library?"
What did that even mean?
"Yeah. Listen, she's focused on her own thing right now. You're not going to get through to her when she's like this, and if you do manage it you'll just be breaking her concentration and make her mad. Just leave her okay? She's not going to wake up from it until we have to go."
That… wasn't what Blake wanted to hear, but as much as she actually wanted it to be, she could tell Sun was telling her no lies.
"Ugh… fine. But what am I supposed to do then?"
He shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe wait until she's finished before you even try talking to her though."
Blake huffed. "Then what am I supposed to do until then?"
"Well if you're going to talk to her you might want to loosen her up… maybe get her a drink?"
"Seriously?" What did he thing she was, a waitress?
"Hey what do you want me to say? I'm not a councillor."
She sagged. If there was nothing else she could do she'd have to wait.
She wasn't going to get Yang a drink though. Even she could tell that would have been tactless. She turned and left, ignoring the way Sun watched her go. Why was he even doing that anyway? He was so off-putting now. What happened to the guy who wore such a dopey smile and laughed at everything?
This Sun… he was guarded, more so it felt like he was guarding Yang against her.
She shook her head.
No, that was ridiculous. What would he do that?
She ignored the doubts that swirled in her head again. She had to ignore the suspicions that were crawling into the back of her mind. It would do no one any good.
So she would wait, and it would be easier to do that if she had something to distract her until then.
Thankfully, for that she had Ilia.
"What's with that look?" the chameleon asked as she stalked past her. "You look like you bit into a lemon.
"Sun's being difficult." She sighed, slowing down as Ilia fell into step beside her. "He won't let me talk to Yang and made up some story about Yang 'looking through a library in her head' or something else ridiculous."
"What'd he mean by library?"
"No clue. I don't know why he thinks I'd buy that."
"What was she doing anyway?
"Meditating."
"Really?" Ilia sounded surprised. "She uh… didn't seem like the kind of person who's… calm enough for that."
"She used to do it all the time," Blake explained. "Over the summer is when I first noticed it. For whatever reason she'd meditate for hours on end all by herself. Sometimes Ruby joined in but I never uh… well I wasn't really interested in things like that. Not at the time anyway. I didn't think she'd keep it up though, it threw me off for a moment if I'm honest."
"You stayed with them over the summer right?" Ilia suddenly asked. Blake's eyes flickered to her.
"Yes Ilia, I stayed with Yang over the Summer, no, we didn't share a room."
"R-right, yeah, obviously, what was I thinking?"
"You were thinking about things that I consider private."
"Does that mean the two of you actually…"
Another sigh. "Yes Ilia, we did… once."
"What was uh… she like?"
"Excuse me?"
"N-nothing!" Ilia backpedalled. "I was just uh- nevermind."
Blake's eyes narrowed. "You've been looking."
"I uh…" Ilia flushed. "Maybe?"
The cat Faunus felt her shoulders sag as she grumbled in exasperation"… You really are a useless lesbian, you know that?"
"It's not my fault." The shorter girl cried.
"I feel like it is," Blake hummed "You think I haven't noticed you downtown every so often?"
Ilia did an impressive U-turn from pink to white in seconds. "You saw me?"
"Your flirting needs some work." It was technically helpful advice, but because it was… well… Ilia, she might as well have been speaking to a brick wall.
Ilia was awful at talking to pretty girls Blake had quickly found out, when she'd spotted her one night trying to make a move on a rabbit Faunus.
It had been painful to watch in all honesty.
Ilia shoved her face in her hands. "I don't know what's wrong with me." She groaned. "I just can't say anything to them. It's like my brain doesn't filter through what I'm saying half the time and I end up with something embarrassing. I don't know why it's happening! I was fine when I had a crush on you!"
"Were you though?"
"Huh?"
"From what I remember you never actually approached me with how you felt right?"
Ilia blinked. "Oh… yeah… guess I didn't. Actually pretty much all I did was act out scenarios in my head."
"Too much information Ilia."
"Sorry, sorry." She sighed. "That doesn't really help though. It just means I have like, no experience in a relationship."
Blake patted her shoulder comfortingly. "You'll find someone eventually Ilia. I mean, I think it's strange you're so set on having a girlfriend when we're busy with so much."
"Pah! Busy?" Ilia laughed. "Maybe for you but most of us are just kind of loitering about most of the time. The most I do is help you with your little militia. Most of the time I'm just waiting for something to change. I think most people are. Being stuck on a tropical island isn't great for me especially."
"Is the Atlas girl bad with the heat?"
"Mantel," Ilia corrected firmly. "We take that seriously, and yeah, snow is a lot different from what's practically a desert every day."
Suddenly Ilia's smile turned lecherous. "You don't have any problems with the heat though do you?"
The dark haired girl blinked. "What are you talking about?"
"Oh you know," Ilia snickered, nudging her lightly. "Just that a certain somebody got really close to the sun."
"Ilia…"
"I'm just saying, Cats are attracted to heat and you were really attracted I think." Oh god Yang wasn't even in the same room and the terrible jokes were spreading.
"You're really bad at this."
"Bad at what Blake?" Ilia asked with an oh-so-innocent-but-definitely-not expression
"The innuendos you're trying to pull off but can't." she raised an eyebrow. "Not to mention I find it weird how obsessed you are with Yang at the moment."
The former White Fang member scoffed. "Why? I hold no shame for liking the look of the blonde. I mean, she's utterly terrifying but that doesn't mean she's literally and figuratively the hottest woman I've ever seen?"
"Really?"
She nodded. "Really. I mean have you looked at her properly? She was a ten when I ran into her at Glenn but she's definitely a knockout now. She breaks the scales."
"You sure you're not just a perv?"
Ilia grinned. "Well we know where you're minds at don't we?"
Blake's eyes widened. "Wait a minute that's not what I-"
"But yeah you're right." Ilia waved off before she could defend herself. "In those areas I go so far past jealous that getting a piece of her would be enough."
"…Ilia."
"I mean seriously,"
"Ilia."
"Just smother me in-"
"Stop!" Blake flushed, shoving her hand over her friends face and making her squawk in suprise. "Don't go any further please!"
Ilia laughed. "Relax, I was just trying to get a reaction from you. I mean with all that smut you read I thought you'd build up a resistance to that sort of thing. Looks to me like you just get worst when it's real life. If anyone's the pervert it's you."
Blake chose not to deign that with a response.
"But seriously though," Ilia went on. "She has this edge about her that she didn't have all those months ago."
Blake frowned. "What are you talking about? Edge?"
The chameleon blinked. "You haven't noticed? She's like… I don't know, focused. When I ran into her she was hot yeah but too obnoxiously bright and cheery for me, even when she was fighting, and when she was mad that that midget, you remember her right, the one with two different coloured eyes? When she was like that it was some kind of stupid rage. She was dangerous sure but I wasn't scared of her. It was like intimidation through blunt force trauma."
Blake's crossed her arms. "I disagree with the obnoxious part but I can see what you mean. Your point though? As far as I can tell Yang's the same. She's angry with me yes but she's been angry at me before."
The other Faunus actually looked at her with pity. "You seriously haven't noticed. That's… listen Blake, Yang might be a human but every time I'm near her it feels like I'm in front of a predator."
Ilia genuinely shivered. "I don't know how you haven't noticed but you're parents have, Sienna has; the way she moves, walks and talks, every single thing sends alarm bells off in my head. And I don't even know how you can deal with her anger directed all at you. I can't and I'm not even on the receiving end."
"I thought you said it was like blunt force trauma."
She shook her head. "No, the old Yang was like that. This girl, she's different. I said she had an edge right? Well I meant it. I feel like she could cut me with it like a knife. She's dangerous, really dangerous and she hasn't even done anything yet. I mean, it doesn't help that apparently people call her The Berserker for god's sake."
"You can't be serious," Blake shook her head. "It's Yang. She gets upset sometimes but she's the type of person who drops things quickly. She wouldn't hurt you anyway, she's not that kind of person. You're freaking out over nothing."
Ilia didn't look convinced. "You know she's only actually looked at me twice since she got here right? You know what it was like both times? It was like I was looking into the eyes of a giant beast. Like a huge, otherworld monster that was going to eat me alive if I so much as breathed wrong. She's fucking terrifying."
Blake bit her lip. What Ilia was saying… it didn't make sense. Yang wasn't anything like Ilia was describing, and she hadn't felt any of what Ilia said she was feeling at all.
But still… she couldn't shake the feeling.
Sienna had been upset just a little bit too much for the situation, she'd said it herself that she didn't trust her, and her own parents had been cautious in their own ways too. Her mom had been unsure of herself and what she should say, and her dad actually went with her into town, not just to help out but because he didn't trust Yang to be near his people.
The same person who fought for equality through peace didn't trust some Blake had called a friend.
Something was wrong.
So why could she feel the same way?
Why could she not feel anything the way they could?
Whatever her answer might have been, such concerns vanished as a shunting echoed through the house. It was the front door. Blake had to admit it was stupidly loud-
Wait.
"Oh for- he said he'd let me know!"
"Hey where are you going?!" Ilia cried out, but it was too late, Blake was already running. The chameleon cursed under her breath and sped after the girl "Wait up!"
…
…
By the time Blake found her she was already quite a way from her home. The three mercenaries spoke amongst themselves, facing away from the Faunus as she ran after them.
"Yang, wait!"
The blonde stopped at the call of her name, but as Blake caught up with her she didn't turn around.
"What do you want? If you can't tell I'm in the middle of something. We're going to find the thing that did this."
"I know." Blake said. "I'm coming with you."
"Uh, excuse me?"
"I'm coming with you," she repeated. "I want to help you find the Grimm that did this."
For whatever reason her words seeming to make them less impressed instead of more.
"Not happening." Yang said with a shake of her head. "I don't even know why you think I'd let you come with us. As far as I can see it's none of your business."
"You can't be serious-"
"Don't I sound serious?"
Was she really going to be stubborn about this of all things?
"Sun, Neptune," she tried. "Help me. It would make it easier for you wouldn't it? Is I was there to help?"
"It's not our decision." Her fellow Faunus shrugged, though he at least looked guilty about what he was saying. "Yang's the one who makes the final decisions… and, for me at least I think you might just…. Slow us down."
"What!?" Blake gasped.
"Can you even use your semblance Blake?" Yang drawled. "Because from what I can remember that was a problem for you before."
She looked away. "I…" No, she couldn't. Not even a little bit. All she got when she tried was that puddle of black that dragged her down when she tried. "I can't yet."
Yang scoffed. "Then you'd be a liability. Just go back home when it's nice and comfy until we get this over with alright?"
Blake shut her eyes and let out a breath. This was it wasn't it?. She had to say it now or she might not get the chance again. The words were there, clawing up the back of her throat desperate to get free. It was hard for her to swallow that resistance and admit…
"Yang… I'm sorry."
And just like that, Yang stiffened.
It was a start, an opening. For whatever reason it shocked Yang into silence, and gave her enough time to speak, to say what was on her mind.
"I understand why you're upset with me," Blake continued. "I… I don't blame you. It's my fault."
Slowly, the blonde turned to face her, eyes wide, face disbelieving and… something else… something more.
Even now, after months and months of going through the same scenario, Blake couldn't let go of the guilt she felt for it, that sensation of rot at her core. It could have been different, maybe, if she'd done something else, decided on another course of action or just not been herself for once.
"It's my fault that you were hurt the way you were. My fault it happened at all." Yang's eyes narrowed in confusion.
"Wait, what are you-"
"Adam attacked you because you got between us. It's my fault that you were hurt by him and then when you tried to carry me away I lost control and-," Blake forced herself to ignore the way her voice cracked. Now wasn't the time to feel sorry for herself. Now was the time for making things right, so, she forced herself onward. "and I hurt you. I attacked you and made you bleed I- I almost killed you and I can't even, it's all so much of a blur that you had to suffer through the experience while I didn't… It's all my fault and I'm so, so sorry Yang."
There. She'd said it. It was like a weight off her shoulders that she didn't even know she'd had. She'd apologised, and it felt good, and even if Yang didn't accept it all right away that was fine. She could at least get her to understand that Blake had tried to make things right in even a small wa-
"I don't believe this."
Blake stopped, confused at the sudden change in Yang's tone, she looked up to see that Yang.
As furious.
"I don't believe this," Yang repeated as if she couldn't comprehend what Blake had said. "You think that- that I'm that much of a bitch that I'd be pissy about what someone else did? Or what you did when you obviously weren't in control? You think I'm stupid or heartless?"
"I-"
"You really thought I was upset because of what happened at Beacon," Yang interrupted again, shaking her head. Her face was scrunched up in barely restrained anger. Her eyes were bright red and it looked for a moment like she might actually hit Blake. "And that's not even the worst part. You don't even get what you did wrong do you?"
"What are you- what do you mean? Yang I don't understand. If… if what I did isn't the problem then-"
"Oh it is about what you did, but the problem feels like you don't even know what you did, you have no clue do you?"
Whatever Yang must have seen in her seemed to confirm it, for her a second later when she turned away with a snarl. "Un-fucking-believable. You really are the worst kind of person aren't you?"
What? What was going on? Why was Yang suddenly so angry? No, she wasn't angry, she was furious, so much so she looked like she might actually lash out at her.
That fact alone caused Blake to step back.
That moment of weakness cost her.
"Oh and already you're going to run again. Fan-fucking-tastic. I don't even know what I expected. Listen to be Blake because I'm only gonna say this once, back the fuck off and leave us alone. Got it?"
Wrong. This was wrong. Everything was going wrong. Her plan of apologising and making things right was crashing and burning.
"But, Yang I don't understand-"
"Yeah, that's the fucking problem!" Yang snarled, moving right up in her face now, not even inches away. "You don't even have a clue wah t you did wrong. Well you know what? That just shows me how little you care. You don't even realise what you did was wrong you're that much of a selfish ass. Well you know what? Screw you. If you can't figure it out yourself then I wasn't nothing else to do with you."
She made a noise that almost sounded like a hiss as she turned away from the Faunus.
"Sun, Neptune, we've wasted enough time already. We're going."
"Yes boss."
No!
"No stop!"
Blake reached out. It was on instinct, a desperate attempt to grasp for something, anything that would give her a chance to talk.
Her black fingers skimmed Yang's shoulder.
And an obsidian hand clamped around her wrist.
All of a sudden the tension racked up around them.
It was so bad that Sun, Neptune and Ilia almost reached for their weapons from a moment. Blake didn't notice, she was more focused on the blood red eyes boring into her own.
And she felt it.
The overwhelming presence of a giant bearing down on her. Of danger and rage spiralling out of control like a whirlpool that threatened to drown her.
They stood before a predator and she was its prey, a prey that could kick and scream and claw and bite and no matter how much she tried she wouldn't be able to stop them.
Her mind told her she was in danger, that the thing before her was a threat, and by the way she squeezed her wrist painfully, in that second it was true.
But her instincts were not the same.
Blake was warped. She knew that.
By this thing that had melded with her body, that moved on its own and flooded her with negative emotions she shouldn't have felt.
Now, it reacted to Yang in a way it never had before.
The feeling was intoxicating.
Blake gasped, and Yang must have thought it was in pain because her eyes widened a fraction upon realising what she was doing and tore her hand back as if it was burning, and a series of complex looks crossed her face.
The distraction was a godsend in a way, because it meant no one saw how Blake's legs quivered from the loss of contact.
What was wrong with her?!
"Please Yang," she panted, struggling for the breath that had left her. "Just… what happened to you? Please just tell me what's going on, with the three of you. How- why did you become some sort of mercenary? You know what it is that' been taking people don't you?"
Yang turned away as Neptune shook his head. "You're asking a lot of questions you shouldn't be Blake. This... this is important. It's not the sort of thing we can just tell people."
"I don't know about that."
"Yang?"
The brawler sighed tiredly. "Ruby said we shouldn't keep secrets any more… that we should be better than Ozpin was… is, I mean… Fine, I'll tell you," she scoffed, suddenly sounding angry again. "Not that I think it'll do much. I won't repeat myself so listen up."
Blake nodded. Finally. If Yang was willing to open up to her a little bit then she take-
"Magic is real."
… What?
"After what happened at Beacon the world got a whole lot more crazy; somehow magic washed over the whole world, starting from the School. It's a whole series of events I don't want to get into, but me, Sun and Nep decided we could do more good out her rather than just standing around. We deal with the things Huntsmen don't have any understanding of; ghosts, spirits, goblins, ogres, harpies, griffons, hags, selkies, ghouls and all sorts of other things that could hurt people."
She crossed her arms.
"It's what we've been doing for the last eight months. No there's something like that here on Menagerie, something that's been eating people… we're here to deal with them… we've been doing this sort of thing as much as we can, helping people with their problems I mean and… I guess that's about it."
For a moment Yang stopped, as if waiting for her reaction as something passed through her eyes.
And Blake… could only stare. Her eyes flickered left and right and then…
"Yang…" she said slowly. "When was the last time you took your pills?"
Sun sucked in a breath sharply. "That wasn't the right thing to say."
At those words, a realisation struck Blake suddenly, and she stared at Sun and Neptune.
They were okay with this?
They were completely aware of this, this madness Yang was spewing and going along with it? They were seriously letting her put herself in danger like this? Believing in this ridiculous and putting her life at risk again Grimm at the same time.
On its own Blake's jaw worked itself, as she tried to comprehend just what she was seeing.
Two Huntsmen-in-training taking advantage of a girl that clearly needed help.
"I don't know what I expected," Yang muttered aloud. "No, actually, I did expect this, but I'm disappointed that I was right." She sighed to herself before shaking her head. "I guess this makes things easier though."
Blake frowned. "Easier?"
"To end us… officially I mean."
A thrum of fear shook Blake's heart. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying we're done." The brawler sneered, eyes snapping opened once again to show her eyes, flickering from red to lilac and back again. "You and me, I'm making it as clear as I can. We're through. I don't want anything more to do with you."
The Faunus fell back – stumbled even – as if she's been struck. Yang… couldn't really mean that.
She couldn't!
She was confused, that was it. That had to be it and Suna and Neptune weren't helping her. They were making it worse by letting her chase these delusional fantasies. She- she just needed to get Yang to see it. To listen to logic for a minute so they could talk things out.
That was the idea, but as soon as she tried to speak her breath left her, and that presence returned. That feeling of dread that made the hairs on her neck stand up and her ears flatten against her skull almost painfully. It was like a wall, a noose, suffocating her, forcing her silence.
And all she could manage was a feeble plea.
"N-no… no Yang you can't be serious. This- you're not thinking straight. You can't mean that."
"I don't know what else it could mean." Yang shrugged, and suddenly Blake saw it:
How Yang's burning anger had been snuffed out, her heat gone, and all that was left was an unnatural chill a calm, like the heavens before a storm.
She didn't look upset anymore.
She just looked bored.
And now she was realising how much that hurt.
Yang looked away. "Come on. She's already wasted enough of our time. If we're lucky we still might be able to find that woman's son alive."
With that they left properly this time.
Blake watched them go, as something dark twisted in her gut.
Yang couldn't- she couldn't say things like that, treat her like this.
Yes, she'd done wrong but she should be treated… like this.
It wasn't fair.
It wasn't fair!
It took the sound of Ilia shuffling awkwardly behind her to snap her out of her thoughts.
She'd… forgotten the other girl was there.
"Ilia… what is it?"
The chameleon bit her lips. "You're thinking of something, aren't you? You're going after them."
The twisting sensation in her gut hadn't ceased. If anything, it was growing, writhing inside her as something angry bubbled to the surface.
Her hands clenched into fists as she glared in the direction Yang had left.
This wasn't over.
"Yes… I am."
...
…
Yang and Blake aren't off to a good start by the looks of it, they still have some things to sort out, and it doesn't look like it's going to be pretty.
Emotional conflict moments between main character are hard, especially when one's mad at the other but you want to keep their reasons why a secret and yet don't want either to come off as idiots or assholes but also being justified.
Maybe I'm just bad at it though, I'm sure plenty of people could do it better.
You'll find out soon, but what kind of monster do you think is devastating Menagerie? I've left some clues sprinkled around the last few chapters so if you go back you should be able to piece it together.
I had a crack at Ilia's character her too as you probably noticed, not much but at least some kind of banter to give you a show of it. In the show I appreciate how they introduced her in V5 without jumping straight into the fact that she was gay, but in Volume five it seemed to be the only part a majority of the FNDM cared about. and well, yeah she's a side character but RT didn't really help change that. she got a redemption cool, but apart from being in love with Blake and agreeing with Adam's viewpoint for a while there really wasn't much meat to her metaphorical characters skeleton.
So, I tried something here. You might not like it but I gave it my best shot to show her actually acting like a person and not a trope. But if you thought it was too much or just flat out wrong though be sure to let me know.