The Schnee Black Sheep

A/N

IM BACK BITCHES!

First of all. Thank you for all you guys who patiently waited for this chapter to come out. I've been busting my ass to finish my overall timeline for his volume and because of how long it is taking me, I just had to write something, for one stupid reason… I just couldn't help myself.

On With the chapter! Hope you all enjoy this little epilogue/prologue to Volume 2


Chapter 20: A New Beginning, To A Fated End

"So, tell me doc…" Coal spoke with a hollow quiet voice. "How does it look?" Sat across a bald man I a white lab coat, Coal was shaking furiously awaiting the doctors answer over his condition. From what started as routine check-up after being discharged from the hospital after his near departure from the land of the living a few weeks ago, had evolved into more routine tests and examinations upon orders from the General and his older sister. and for good reason too. Coal had become gradually weaker over the last few weeks and it was down to one simple reason… The engraving on his back.

"Unfortunately, Mr. Valiant." The doctor sighed after overlooking the latest test results that he had just taken. "It is looking far worse than I expected it to. It appears that not only is the dust that infused into you giving you greater strength, but it is also destroying your body from the inside. Quite literally your body is starting to deteriorate and before long, you will go into a comatose state before you die in your sleep from organ failure."

"How long do you think I have before I pass?" Coal asked absorbing the news and not letting it disturb him so that he could get all the answers he needed.

"It's unclear as the rate of decay has increased slightly. But at the current rate, I would not advise you to study up on any subjects that you would be taking next year. You will not survive that long." The doctor explained before putting down the clipboard and picking up a classified file on his deck. "General Ironwood has already given me all the research that he and yourself have collected in regards to extracting the dust, after adding that to my own findings… Needless to say that while the outlook doesn't look to promising, it is a far better option than waiting for the end Mr. Valiant."

"That file is bullshit!" Coal almost yelled before he managed to regain his composure. "I only have a 24% chance to survive the entire process."

"That may be true." The doctor agreed. "However, for the operation to be successful, we would need you to be in the fittest condition you can be. that will increase the percentage slightly. The longer you wait, the lower your survival rate is…"

"I just need more time." Coal said balling his fists in frustration at himself. "I need to research this more. I can improve it…"

"Mr Valiant. I hate to be negative in situations like this but unfortunately, time is something that you have very little of." The doctor said truthfully. "The general assigned me to be your physician all those years ago so that I could save your life Mr. Valiant not watch you throw it away because of childish reasons. I'm sorry that there is no other alternative, though it is already a miracle that you have survived for seven years bonded with such an unstable energy source." With his piece said the doctor got up from his seat and left the room closing the door behind him. Waiting just outside the room, was General Ironwood himself.

"How did he take it?" the General asked.

"I hate that you asked me to be so harsh with him James." The doctor sighed as he and the General walked the corridors of the hospital. "He is only a child, are you sure this approach is the best one?"

"It's the only one left Lucian." Ironwood sighed. "How many years have we put into this research and come out with a measly 24% chance. Think about what that means to him, how can he sentence himself to take a slim chance at surviving something that has never been successfully done to begin with."

"I know that James. I was his therapist as well after all, so I know him just as well as you do if not better." The doctor said. "Either way, he could end up breaking his promise to his twin…"

"That is what is stopping him." The General said rubbing his tired eyes. "He cares to much about her to risk leaving her. He can't put his faith in something that he won't be doing himself."

"What do you mean?"

"You only know him from the short sessions you had with him so you wont understand the way he tackles the situations when he if forced into a corner. He relys very little on the people around him if at all. If something needs done he will do it himself, so to put his trust into someone else… It goes against everything he knows. If he could operate on himself, he would do it in a heartbeat even with a lower survival rate." When Ironwood saw that the doctor looked offended he back peddled. "It's not that he doesn't trust you Lucian. It's that he won't let anyone else play with his life but himself. He may not realise it, but he is actually trying to keep your hands clean of his own blood."

"How can such a child be so mature at the same time?"

"He has suffered enough to know when to be mature and he never had much of a childhood to begin with, so he never really grew out of it." The General laughed at the last part. "You have no idea how much trouble he gave me when I took him in."

"He once told me he replaced your prosthetic arm with a vibrator."

"Damn Runt!" The General sighed. though he couldn't help but laugh at the memory of the boy. "Though he did always bring a smile to the faces of the squad, hell even Winter smiled when he was around."

"You speak as though he was your own son James."

"Maybe…" Ironwood reached into his jacket and pulled out his wallet and opened it up to show a picture to the doctor. Standing in the middle of the picture was the general with a rather serious face despite the small smile pulling at the edge of his lip. He had one hand placed on a slightly younger looking Winter who donned a caring expression as she looked over out the corner of her eyes at her younger brother who was having his hair ruffled up by the general's other hand. Coal was around about fourteen in the picture and he wore his usual childish grin while he tried to pry away from the generals grip while also flipping off the camera with his free hand. "Those two are like my own children. Even though the Runt is a complete brat at time, I wouldn't have anyone else as a daughter or son."


Evening came and Blake picked up a book and headed out her dorm intending to go to the once place she knew where she would find the Human. The docks. Upon setting foot on the wooden pier, she immediately spotted the boy dangling his legs over the edge in the same exact spot that he always sat in with a fishing pole in his grip. She slowly walked up behind him and reached down to play with his hair slightly as she lowered herself down and leaned against his back. Once she settled into position she felt a hand reach under her bow and start to lightly tickle behind her cat ears causing her to purr slightly, a reaction she couldn't control but didn't mind doing in presence of the Human as this was how they greeted each other when they came here. Blake took a moment from her purring to start conversation. Something that she was becoming more accustom to, especially with Coal.

"Are you okay?" She asked in a soft tone. Coal stopped scratching the Faunus' ear and repositioned his grip on the pole.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Yourself?"

"I'm good thank you." Blake said. "Though I would be better if you stopped lying to me."

"Lying?"

"Coal I know when you're not telling the whole truth." Blake could have sworn she felt him tense up from the contact they shared. "Now what's wrong?"

"Nothing Blake…"

"Coal…"

"Ugh!" Coal sighed rather loudly. "I'm just sick of being grounded."

"Yet you constantly leave the school despite you being grounded." Blake giggled.

"What can I say." He shrugged. "I'm a free spirit. Winter may scare the crap out of me but I cant stay cooped up in my room forever."

"The only time you spend in there anyway is because the rest of us use it as a hang out."

"Yeah and?"

"Ive caught you asleep in the library more times that I want to recall."

"Okay first off im sorry!" Coal apolagised. "I still cant control that reflex."

"That's not what im bothered about." Blake asured as she ruffeled his hair once more, gigging at the fact that no matter what she did to it, it simply would spring back into place. "You will gain control of it eventually."

"Somethings are just out of our control Kitten." Coal said with an experienced mannor. "I can distort time, summon deceased Grimm, but I cannot control a simple reflex. Hell I cant even swim!"

"You can't swim?" Blake scoffed disbelievingly.

"Not even doggy paddle." Coal smirked as he felt his entire body relax for the first time in a while.

"Hey!" Blake said getting irritated. "Don't change the subject, what's bothering you?" Coal sighed once more as he realised that he couldn't get anything passed the Faunus. He remained silent as he thought about telling her everything. His remaining time, his mark slowly killing him and the constant phone calls he had been getting recently.

As if to clarify his turmoil, his scroll rang once more. He pulled out the device with was blasting the sound of a British idiot imitating the sound of a bird call that was more like a terrified yell of fear. [Insert any of Gavin's cries here.] He looked at the caller ID once more and let the device ring and ring until it timed out again and simply huffed at the device in his hands.

"Not important?" Blake asked from behind him, she never got a chance to see the caller ID mainly because she respected the boys privacy and didn't bother to look. Coal clenched his fist around the scroll and crushed the device in his hand and threw it deep into the water.

"Not important." Coal clarified smiling in satisfaction. Blake couldn't help but giggle at his actions. Everything he did seemed so over dramatic it was just too funny for her to not laugh at. she found him to be one of the funniest people she had met despite his terrible jokes and actions. But that was what she had needed, he hadn't just broken down her walls, he utterly demolished them by blowing them up. though she was completely honest with him, she was still annoyed that he was hiding things from her. Were they not closer than that?

"You still haven't told me what's wrong." Blake said again not letting up about the subject. She heard Coal sigh once more into the night sky before he started to speak to her.

"My father keeps trying to call me…" He told Blake technically not lying. He figured that by telling her one truth he could avoid explaining the other one.

"That's what those calls are?"

"Yeah." Coal informed. "Well, his personal assistant anyway. She keeps trying to call me on my father's behalf for what I can only presume to invite me back to the family."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Not from where I stand."

"But your sitting." Blake quipped trying to bring back his humour.

"Regardless of what ever bodily position I'm in, it is still a bad thing." Coal lightly laughed causing Blake to smile also at the return of his personality. "The only reason he would want me back is so that Weiss will go back with me and then he can force her into a singing career again."

"But she's worked so hard here and come so far!" Blake argued. "Why would he force her to do something she doesn't wat to do?"

"Cause he is a fucking arsehole." Coal shrugged. "That's why I won't answer the calls. But he, well she anyway, won't let up."

"Want some advice?"

"Are you going to give me a choice this time? Or are you just going to pin me down and slap me some more?"

"I will slap you if you don't shut up for once."

"That's better." Blake smirked as shifted her position to sit next to him and lean her head on his shoulder. "You need to stop trying to do everything alone. Talk to Weiss, see what she has to say on the matter. Maybe between the two of you, you can come up with a solution which satisfies you both." Coal glanced at the girl on his shoulder from the corner of his eyes and smiled softly at the sight, once again confused by the gut feeling which told him both to run far away and rest his head against hers at the same time. Choosing to do neither, he simply looked back out at the water and muttered in defeat.

"I hate it when your right…"

"When am I ever wrong." Blake stated rather than asked.

"Well there was the time you compared me to your ex…"

"When did I do that?" Blake asked lifting her head to glare daggers at him.

"In Frostpoint… When I killed that guy." Coal clarified, Blake's eyed dropped in sorrow as she repositioned her head on his shoulder. Recalling the events that took place that night in the blizzard.

"I am sorry about that…" She said quietly. "I was wrong. Your nothing like him."

"Still a killer so I am similar." Coal shrugged not really caring anymore, he had gotten over the comparison quickly at the time but he just couldn't stop himself from mentioning it to the Faunus once more.

"No… You're a soldier." Blake reminded him getting a look in return. "And a child and an idiot and a complete tool and a…"

"Okay, okay I get it!" Coal laughed.

"But your also kind, caring and considerate… Gentle even." Blake finished but before she could stop herself she added one more thing. "And I like that."

"Huh?" Coal looked at her with a slight red tint to his cheeks. Baffled by the Faunus' honest tone.

"I um…" Blake tried before she noticed the colour of his face. "14-11! I'm pulling ahead Fluffles."

"Damn it Kitten that's just playing dirty!" Coal laughed as he regained his composure. Blake inwardly sighed with relief at the save. Why had she let that slip? Why was she even thinking something like that. He was a human and she was a Faunus, there shouldn't be anything between them. There couldn't be? Could there? She was broken from her thoughts when Coal abruptly jumped to his feet, retracting the line swiftly while pulling back on the rod in order to reel in his catch. "Come on you little bugger… I'm hungry!" He yelled as he yanked hard on the road, just as the line snapped and from the force he was pulling he sent himself flying backwards and landing hard on his back. Blake looked at his fallen form before bursting out in a fit of laughter as he sat upright rubbing the back of his head trying to rid it of the pain his fall had caused. He was thankful that Blake was now doubled over in laughter as he wiped a small trickle of blood escaping from his nose before the Faunus could see it, or more importantly smell it from her enhanced senses.

"Your such an idiot." Blake laughed as she wiped a tear from her eye. She continued to laugh as she strode over to him and offered him a hand up. "Come on its getting late and classes start back up in a few days. Im sure Ruby will have something planned for us all for the last few days of our break."

"Ugh don't remind me." Coal complained as he took Blake by the hand and climbed to his feet. "More time down the drain." He complained.

"Well if you stopped pulling all-nighters to study the stuff we are about to learn then maybe you won't be wasting time in class by sleeping."

"I'm basically nocturnal Blake." Coal argued grinning like a child. "Can't help myself."

"Maybe you should do something to wear yourself out before you go to bed." Blake suggested.

"Such as?"

"I don't know… Read or something."

"What do you think I do when I study?" They argued all the way back to the academy though they wouldn't call it a real argument. They simply sent sly digs at each other as they walked in the moonlight cast over them from its shattered pieces. Smiling at each other the whole time.


When Coal returned to his room he found his sister sitting on his bed bouncing excitedly and hiding something behind her back

"Guess what I've found!" Weiss sang excitedly as she bounced on her knees hiding a book behind her back. One she had found just moments ago amongst her vast amount of belongings.

"Your mind?"

"Ugh you dolt!" She hit the book over his head before showing him exactly what she hit him with. "I found our photo album!" she squealed presenting the book to him. Coal rubbed his sore head before taking the book and looking it over. A few seconds passed before he hit his sister over the head just like she had done moments ago. "OW! What was that for?"

"Paybacks a bitch." Coal giggled before moving over to the sofa and sitting down making space for his twin to sit next to him. He sat the book between them and opened it up to be swamped with a mass of baby pictures of them both. "Oh hell no skip those." And he immediately started flicking through pages.

"Wait I wanna see." Weiss instructed as she pulled the book over to her side and flicked back to see the baby pictures of them both. "Aww. You were so cute!" She cooed.

"I was not!" Coal spat looking hurt. "Never say that."

"Oh shush you. Or ill show them to the rest of my team." Weiss dared narrowing her eyes at the boy who slouched down in silence. "That's what I thought." After cooing at all the baby pictures of herself and her twin she flicked forward and cooed once more at a picture of them both sat on Winter's lap when they were about two years old. Weiss was dressed in a snowy white dress while her twin was in a snow white suit of his own.

"What the hell did they put me in!" Coal laughed at himself looking very discomforted in the picture.

"It must have been the only time you looked half decent… Are you flipping off the camera?" Weiss teased him.

"Don't I always?." He shot back snatching the book from his twin.

"Yeah, yeah. What's next?" Coal turned to the next page for his twin and found a picture of them both when they were about five, Weiss was in her wheelchair with her twin standing behind it pushing her around the gardens of their family estate. "I don't remember that one." Weiss said gazing down at the image.

"I think Frostbite took that one, she did always tend to keep an eye on us remember." Weiss nodded before reaching across to turn through some more pages of them as children. She stopped when she came to a picture with was taken when they were about eight.

"Oh I remember that day!" she cheered snatching the book back to examine the picture further. She was standing over her twin holding a wooden sword pointing it at her brother throat looking like she just bested him in combat. Though Coal was on the floor he had a massive grin plastered on his face ruining the serious moment portrayed by this twin.

"Yeah me too. One of the few days where you had no issues moving around."

"That's what you remember?" Weiss said looking offended. "That was our eighth birthday you dummy."

"Oh yeah… I ended up stuck in bed for a week when Winter brought you that damn puppy."

"I still can't believe you were allergic to him…"

"I still can't believe you wanted to keep him!"

"Why wouldn't we, he was so cute!"

"Oh give over and keep going." Coal laughed getting a grin from his twin as she continued looking through the book. When she skipped past a page he stopped her and ushered her to go back. "Wait what was that one?"

"Which one?"

"Who was that?"

"No one."

"Weiss…" Coal snatched the book back and flicked back to the picture that he caught a glimpse of. Weiss was trying to stop him by trying to take the book back, unfortunately when he held the book away from her out of her reach she gave up and let him see the picture of her standing alongside a boy with dark brown hair and matching eyes, Weiss also had a small red tint to her cheeks. Both looked like they were around about ten. "And who the hell is he!"

"Just a friend…"

"Weiss..."

"Okay, okay sheesh. I may have had a… slight crush on him."

*Click*

"Put the gun away you dolt!" Weiss said finally being able to take the book back while her brother was distracted with thoughts of killing her first schoolgirl crush. "It wasn't anything more than that." She stated as she continued to look through the book. When she came to a one with a picture of her twin in a very formal suit and a pretty girl with purple hair…

"Don't give a shit." Coal spat.

"Me either." Weiss also spat and continued looking through the book. After that, the pictures became fewer and fewer. Each picture also became slightly more painful to look at as they came to the point in their lives when their kidnapping took place. All of a sudden the pictures showed Weiss standing alone looking very hollow eyed and forcing a smile for the pictures sake. It was obvious that she was in a bad place mentally at the time the photos were taken.

"I never meant to leave you alone for so long you know." Coal said softly, taking his sister by the hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"I know Frosty, I know." Weiss smiled at her twin showing that she was okay. "You had Winter to watch out for you so I knew you were okay when you joined the military and you always did come back regular enough. I just really missed you."

"I missed you too you know." Coal chuckled shifting so that he could wrap his twin in a light hug as she flicked through more pages. As they continued on through their teenage years the photos grew colourful again. Coal appeared in more and more pictures as they went on and Weiss' smiles grew more and more real. Weiss stopped at a picture taken on their fifteenth birthday. She was dressed in a formfitting white gown while her brother stood alongside her wearing a white suit and blue tie. Both looked quite serious as they were attending an evening party that was arranged with her father's associates.

"Ugh that was a horrible evening." Weiss grumbled.

"No shit… When we weren't hiding, we were running away." Coal agreed.

"You just wanted to escape from her." Weiss smirked at her twin.

"Hey! You don't like her either so shut it." Coal snapped back. "I don't think I'll ever get over that night."

"Me either… I never thought I would be thankful for something about you getting kicked out the family." Weiss sighed in frustration.

"Whoa Whoa baby sis… I know you don't like her but damn lass."

"She's a class A bitch."

"Agreed, let's keep going were almost at the end." Which they were. The final page held only one picture taken about a week before they set out for their new lives, before the duel with their father, before they found where they truly belonged. Lying beneath a white cherry blossom tree lay the twins each with their swords lying next to them, Coal's ice forged sword half melted in the sunlight. They were lying against each other side by side, Weiss resting her head on her brother's shoulder while he rested his head on top of his sisters. Both were sound asleep.

"We never could stay apart could we?" Weiss said smiling down at the photo.

"Took a lot to keep us apart. Even father couldn't separate us no matter." Coal said smiling also, subconsciously letting his twin finish.

"How hard he tried." Weiss finished a she pulled out her scroll and maneuverer to take a selfie of her and her twin. "One more for the album."

"Fine just don't get my good side. Don't want to show you up Snow Angel." Coal teased as he looked at the camera.

"Oh please Frosty. You know you don't have a good side."

In a moment their album had one new picture. Weiss and Coal sitting cheek to cheek. Coal also flipping off the camera while Weiss stuck her fingers up behind her twins head imitating bunny ears. Both twins were smiling cheerfully, just like the little children they truly were at heart. When Weiss when to head back to her room still clutching the book, Coal stopped her and started to flex his right fist nervously.

"Hey Weiss…" He spoke timidly as his twin looked at him with concern. "Can I hold onto that for a while?" Weiss smiled before handing him the book and left him to get some sleep.

"Don't stay up too late Frosty." Weiss instructed him as she left. "Your still human after all and you need your sleep just as much as the rest of us."

"I know Snow Angel, I'm going I'm going you don't have to pull a Winter on me." Coal sighed as he padded over to his bed and flopped down.

"At least you listen to her!" Weiss laughed as she closed the door and left her twin for the night. Unable to fall asleep, Coal spent the entire night looking over the memories that he had made with his twin. Wondering how many more he could make before his time eventually ran out.