Chapter 6: Flat lined

Everything is a pain in the ass. Yang Xiao Long would think. It had been days. Weeks, that these lab doctors of some sort were doing tests and experiments on her. And she was growing very tired to have exhaust herself each day towards field testing in room simulations, not once being bathed in the outside sunlight. Her intelligence, strength, and moral values were being watched, read through analysis of the sorts through technology. She was beyond that of a normal person as scientist would claim, showing the charts that are booming overtime more than the previous. It was something that Yang would never understand as she proves to be 'perfectly' normal, perhaps some drastic changes to her flames, and her pure lilac eyes that were missing pupils, still able to view the world as it is without complaints. The scientists were as vague as a gibberish dictionary when they tried to explain the process to Yang as simple as they can. The Blondie groaned in frustration. It had almost been two months since she woke up from a hospital bed.

Months since she last heard of her team mates. She wondered, each day how they were doing and what is currently happening. She worried very much for her little sister, Ruby, as she was in critical condition and has not yet awoken. Teeth marks, stitches, and scars. It adorned her right shoulder down her upper arm more than any other sealed wounds from her body. The looks of it- pitiful and disheartening, weighed Yang down. And it enraged her to the core.

She had him down, fist after fist after fist. She did not notice the sound of her empty shells clicking, the need to reload before she can retrieve that very blast for hell's damage. But she does not hear it- she does not hear herself. She only sees. Sees the canine teeth of the Grimm chipping, the blood violently spraying within radius. To her face, her clothes. The ground. She does not know if the Beowolf is dead, but if it still breathed. If it still moved.. If it still had its eyes open. She is not finished.

Yang had abruptly awoken from her bed, nurses were holding her down, coaxing Yang that she was alright and that she was in care of the medical team. She still fought however, like the Grimm was still there taunting her. Her eyes, red in crimson, burned furiously at the image. It took several shots to calm her down. A throbbing headache came to effect and had come to torment her mind, hushing the brawler still and stiff as she curled into a ball. She does not know what happens next, only remembering the scientists running X-rays and blood tests after. They asked her questions. Repetitive questions that came out the same that made her explanations cut shorter and shorter as she grew weary of them. Then she was aware.

Why does she only remember now?

Her Teammates. Where were they?

She did not ask. But questioned. Almost menacingly. When they were not able to give her a straight answer she shot from her seat and banged a fist on the table of the interrogation room, the dead weight of her hand splintering the table in the inside. She was angry. And she does not know why she had to be.

On the verge of her temper, Yang began to notice herself digging the nails of her fingers into her palms. Releasing them her bones went rigid and her skin was marked from pressing too hard. Yang apologized sincerely, saying that she did not know what came over her.

"Please." She uttered, "I just want to know if they're okay... I want to see them.. And I want to see my sister."

It took little to no time for them to agree for once.

She was distraught the first time she saw her. Beside her bed she sat quietly, hands on her arm where the bite was located, wrapped with what seems to be a fresh bandage recently replaced. It really made its place. A scar that was sure to be left unhealed.

She became... thinner. Than before. Her nutrients flushed from the continuous feed of glucose that she looked more vulnerable than ever. More fragile and frail.

Your sister had numerous injuries ranging across her body. One, almost fatal, has suffered severe blood loss. Her Aura was unable to cope with the situation and it had already gone before it was sealed. It continued to bleed and she was pale than snow, dehydrated and burned from fatigue. Her limits reached as far as trying to stay alive. We took her in, our doctors trying as hard as they can and it took hours and hours without rest. Believe me, it pained us to see how much she fought. She screamed once.. twice, as we worked. What we found is.. odd. There were shards of what seems to be Dust. We don't know how it got there, but it somewhat helped by closing the blood clots with a miracle. But what worries us was the poison. It was supposed to be eliminated from her system by now, but it just spreads itself, eating her Aura from ever healing that wound, and from ever waking her up.

Here she lies. Silent. Breathing softly, but a hint of struggle like something was blocking her chest from heaving says otherwise.

Yang had her time left alone with Ruby, her life beginning to be a border of depressing thoughts. But she refuses to dwell negatively as it was not her. It was not who she was to think such things. Ruby and her. Almost similar yet far from their appearance holds confidence and optimism, and she will not break her image this way.

Ruby will wake up.

Time was unavoidable, Yang was still needed for field testing and she only got a handful of minutes to pass by. It was hard to leave the moment she moves her hands away, but she hopes that when she revisits, Ruby will be sitting on that bed, recovering surely and smiling.

Weiss in this moment was undergoing the same procedure as Yang have heard. Like Ruby, her Aura was exhausted, her wounds however were partially healed and still recuperating. In another time maybe, Yang will see her. She was just glad to hear that the Heiress was doing okay.

"And where's Blake."

"I don't know if it's alright to see her at this moment-"

Yang stared but looked as if she was glaring hard, which made the person in charge of keeping the patients in check uneasy. "S-She needs to go through medication." He continued, "she stays in the corner m-most of the time and she doesn't even want to be touched, more or less talked to."

Yang gave a look of does-it-look-like-I-care-about-what-you're-saying face and a raised eyebrow. The man sweats, no other choice but to lead her to where Blake is located.

"Here," He directed, slightly opening the door, "I can only allow you five minutes. I hope that will be fine..?"

Yang nodded, going in without a word. As she closed the door behind her without straying her vision away from the unlit and dark room, she advances. Blake was not on her bed, the sheets disheveled and moved to one side. To one direction towards the corners. And as described, she was there, cooped up and hugging her knees, head resting on it. Blake did not look up to see who it was, assuming that it was one of the doctors who would want to give another try on asking her a question they hope she'd respond with. Yang nears her, and at a fair distance where she kneeled down, she gently calls her name.

The Faunus slowly looks up. Her eyes shined a little and the pupils were slightly different compared to Yang's missing ones. Instead of the typical round, it was becoming more.. Slithered.

"Hey.." Yang says. "It's me."

Blake was silent, she looked confused at most. Her eyes squints a bit like she needed more detail to who she was looking at, unable to believe as if it were just a figment of her imagination. She raises a hand from her knees, slowly reaching out to Yang, hesitating that she would hold back. Yang takes it just as Blake nearly touched her and held it firmly. Blake had jumped a little when their skin had come in contact. Her face releases a sign of shock, and at the same time relief. She was real.

"Yang.." Blake looked at her again and she was happy. In that moment, she threw her arms around the Blondie, the familiar weight pushed onto her that Yang sat back.

"Missed me that much?" Yang chuckles as she puts her arms around her in a firm embrace.

Blake holds on-

Her scent was unmistakable and yet she doubted, it was maybe the after taste of the medicine.. maybe it was the room. Her voice was familiar, yet she drowned the sound of it. The noise, too unbearable in her head, must have mixed. Maybe if she listened hard enough. Her form. Her being. Yang's purple eyes and golden hair unmistakable, still she did not believe. It felt like a long time, it felt like she was never there.

-and she responds after a little while. "Yes."

They stayed that way for a bit before Yang helped her to her feet. She lets Blake sit on the bed and grabs a chair to sit in front of her. The little conversation had gone back to the day, if they remembered, the destruction that happened in the company to how they ended up waking to find themselves in a hospital of some sort. It felt too military now that Yang was sent to the fields that was only held inside, it felt like the sun hasn't hit her skin yet except that rays of light from the windows.

Blake was supposed to, but it was all too vague. She woke up without an emotion to start with, she did not know what to feel and she did not question at first why she laid on bed, she did not try to figure out what happen, but the second the memories flooded, the headache bumped in and things started to change. The lights were hurting in that moment, her vision blurred and in unison had tried to fixate itself to the changes of the bright room. Then everything else became just as eerie. She was able to pick up sound. From the air that breathed from the aircon, the slight movement of her finger at the sheets, and even the padding footsteps outside the room. But it felt as if it would drive her mad as it would come and go without warning. The smell she would pick up would become precise, from the fabric and even the room which was a little too heavy on air re fresheners. But what bothered her the most were the perception of deceiving images. She thought she lost it for sure and had lost the appetite. The voices in her head were talking, and the shadows were moving. The smell was different and they were all too unfamiliar. There were images.. Images she does not want to remember after leaving the White Fang. It felt as if all the problems has collided at once.

The door opened, a sip of light passing through with the same person outside who waited. "Five minutes has passed." He said. When he saw Blake on bed like it was the first time, he looked at Yang, feeling a little astonished.

"Please give us a few more minutes." Yang said. The man nodded and left them again.

Blake's features faltered, "oh.."

Yang tilts her head to the side, "cheer up, Blakey." She smiles, putting a finger under her chin to let their eyes meet again. "It's not like we're not going to see each other. Soon enough we're going to get ourselves back to Beacon with the others."

The assurance of her partner made Blake smile, nodding at her hopefulness she kept confident. "The others. What about the others?"

"Weiss is okay as I have heard." Yang responded, her voice coming down in a whisper as she mentioned the next, "Ruby's in a.. Coma.."

Blake puts a hand over her mouth, holding the grief for their leader's condition.

"For now." Yang added in. "She'll be fine."

From there, when Yang's time had passed by the call of the nurse outside, she proceeded to walk out and when she was onto the light, Blake grasped onto her arm while it was still silhouetted by the dark, the action a little sudden even for Blake. They both look into each other's eyes, one concerned with worry, squinting from the light, and surrounded with the emotion of loneliness of leaving each other again after the small reunion. Yang sighed, stepping in again to embrace the Faunus one more time. Blake trembled slightly.

And she was gone.

The third month passed by. Just what is going on in the world outside that she hasn't heard? It became very suspicious, odd, that none of any Beacon students, teachers, or even relatives were unable to visit. Not very recently have they been moved to another location, which has been guarded by one of Vale's military soldiers. It looked more of a training camp.

"Where are we?" She asked.

"Our old base, Xiao Long." A man, dressed those of a higher rank of white and a red tie replied.

"I really don't understand what's going on, sir. From a hospital we've been moving from one place to another. What is so special about us?"

"That. Is rather confidential. But since you have the right to know. You have been diagnosed with a rare case that calls to our attention."

"So you kept us away from other people, kept us away from each other, and do your experiments on us just because we are diagnosed with some case we aren't even aware of?" Yang's tone had become higher. "Tell me General, what is it that you want?"

"Yes General. Do tell my student because I as well would like to know." Ozpin walked in, a stern look on his face.

Yang's eyes widened. "Professor.."

Ironwood clenched his hands behind his back that he wanted to raise on his toes and back to keep his composure, twisting his neck from side to side as it gone tense. "This is none of your business, Ozpin. And I don't remember giving you access to our facility."

"Neither do I, General. But you have my students and it is my responsibility that I adhere to them as Principal. You are to explain to them. And to me why they were confined for 3 months without news."

Yang was so confused she glanced at both the General and Principal who looked like both of them was going to get at each other's throats.

"Ever since the siege, your students have reached contamination under Dust experiments. I kept them to be safe and made sure that they are still living in good condition."

"I hardly believe that. Isn't there something else you wish to explain?"

"No. Now get out of my sight, you've heard enough."

The door flung open, making the two look away from starting a heated argument. A soldier hurried in, stood still and saluted. "General Ironwood, Sir! We have a crucial report and we need orders, sir!"

"Report, soldier."

"Ruby Rose. Critical condition, sir!"

Yang stepped in, "What about Ruby? Tell me now and tell me straight!"

The soldier puts a finger to his ear mike, receiving intel through the comms.

"She's.. She's dead."

Yang sprinted towards the room where her sister lays. Her speed so fast she left the ground with small cracks and craters. In no time she reached the room, pushing aside soldiers who tried to stop her from going in. A fiery burst of wind tinged with flames pushed the soldiers to the floor and walls without hurting them completely. She opens the double doors and sees it. The doctors were lined, staring at Yang, their eyes all tinted with what seems to be disappointment and failure. Then there is where Ruby laid still, the heartbeat monitor flat lined, the deafening sound of the beep bouncing off the corners.

Yang goes to her knees beside the bed, her hands on her shoulders and calling her name in a cry.

"Ruby! No no, no. Please wake up!" Tears had started to flow without a second to notice, her voice cracking. She looked up at the doctors who were ashamed to look back. "Do something!" She shouted in a plead. She looks down at Ruby who was not breathing at all, Yang cups her cheeks, cold and hard from the hard edges of her surfacing bones, telling her that she's not dead, that she's still there and that she'll wake up. "Please wake up. Come on, Ruby..." She choked.

When she saw Ironwood come in, Yang in anger, had run to him and grabbed his collar, lifting him up and slamming him to the wall. The soldiers came in and raised their weapons at her, but were gestured by the hand of the General to put them down.

"You call this living in good condition?!" She shouted, pressing him against the wall with her elbows tucked under his ribs, her hands shaking.

Ironwood remained calmed and unfazed.

"What did you even do to my sister?!" Yang pulled him back to slam him again.

"Yang Xiao Long. That is enough." Professor Ozpin commanded, his cane stomping the ground. It was silent and the Blondie was staring knives sharper than death. After a moment, she dropped him and stepped away, going back to her sister and crying at the loss of her sibling.

Ironwood stood firmly, his hand fixing the collar of his suit, a cough escaping from his mouth. "I am deeply sorry for the loss of your sister, Xiao Long. But I must give you news about the outside. I know it comes as sudden, but you must listen."

Yang was silent, she did not answer and only showed her back against the General.

"Vale is under attack by Grimms with crystals appearing on their hide and shells. And we need your help. We need your team's help."

Ironwood sees the hand gripping at the sheets of her sister's bed, still, he continued, a certain Grimm he mentioned that might catch her. "One of the Grimms in particular, is the one you fought in the siege. A Beowolf."

And that was what caught her. She glanced back slightly, eyes still covered in tears that rolled endlessly down her cheeks.

"... I'll deal with that fucker myself."

A/N: Okay. So this took a hundred times to be rewritten and thought of. You have no idea how much papers were thrown and deleted because they weren't good enough and I thought of this. I said to myself yes, this seems to be better than the previous that I have written, but still I am left unsure as my laptop has been reformatted. I hope this short chapter can give justice to my delay. And I hope that it has still left you hanging in your seats as I still continue :)

Reviews, questions, and comments are welcome.

Thank you for reading.

Also, cheers to RWBY's Volume 3 now in session!