The Schnee Black Sheep
A/N
Hello one and all!
Yes, it has been a very long while since my last update but it is all now resolved and everything is under control.
First off, I'm not in the least bit sorry for leaving for so long. My sister had a bit of an issue with the birth of her child. Don't worry it's okay now and both mother and daughter are now home and causing trouble once more. I dont want to go into to much detail about that as it is still rather personal.
Some of you also took the time to send me a PM to see if i was okay. You all know who you are and i refuse to name names as this has been a bit of a personal issue for me and a trying time for me but i just wanted to thank those of you once more for some of the things that you all said which helped both me and my sis get through this.
Thank you!
That being said I have found the resolve to actually sit down and write this chapter even though it has been so long since my last update.
I hope you all enjoy the chapter and the continuous updates will resume shortly as they previously were… I just want to spend some time with my niece first :D
Chapter 27: Revival
(A week before Coal and Weiss arrived at Beacon)
Coal walked up to the water edge of the slow river and took a seat in the short grass next to his mentor. Ironwood had agreed to meet him on short notice after hearing about the dispute the boy had with his father about studying to become huntsmen and huntress with his twin sister. Ironwood sat holding a fishing pole lazily in one hand and in the other he help out a bottle of beer towards his apprentice.
"How's the arm Runt?" Ironwood asked with a hint of concern detectable to the younger boy.
"It's heeling." Coal informed smiling as he moved the fingers of his right hand that was tied up in a sling across his chest. He only received the wound a few days ago and was told that it would take a very long time to heal the amount of nerve damage he had received but he was already able to move his fingers slightly without any pain. "I've had worse."
"I know…" Ironwood agreed casting a look over the boy he had basically adopted nearly five years ago. the boy was already well on his way to becoming a man. He had been small as a young teenager and rather skinny and malnourished, but over the years he had developed into a strong and capable soldier… Something Ironwood was both thankful for and also regretted at the same time. "I'm sorry Coal."
"For what?" Coal asked tilting his head and taking the beer. "Did you fuck something up with that blond lady that works with the friend of yours in Vale?" Ironwood shot the boy a very dark glare getting a laugh in response. "Come on man, you are so into her I'm pretty sure you use some of the military's satellites just to get pics of her stepping out the shower."
"I would do no such thing." Ironwood stated truthfully, not that the idea hadn't crossed his mind once or thrice.
"Keep telling yourself that and maybe one day someone will actually believe it." Coal laughed further having cornered his mentor. Ironwood tried to get back to the point that he was apologising for.
"I mean, I am sorry for ever recruiting you into the military… And that squad." Coal stopped laughing and looked away from what he would secretly call his surrogate dad and pulled out a small cube like device, holding it in both hand he twisted it until the small device started to fold outwards and into a coal black mask etched with the roman numeral for 7 in a frost white. "I never should have gave you that mask."
"Probably would have been smarter to not bring a teenager into this mess…" Coal agreed. "But what's done is done. We both know that despite everything that has happened, what I've done, the people I've hurt and killed, I wouldn't change anything. You have no right to apologise for something that you cannot control." Coal said wisely. Ironwood looked over to the boy staring over the water as if waiting for something. Little did ironwood know, that in truth Coal was in fact waiting very patiently for something.
"You've been speaking with Lucian again?" Ironwood asked with a smile knowing that the boy was finally somewhat human compared to the monster that he had found in the asylum.
"Yeah…" Coal answered. "Without him and the rest of the ten… Nine Executioners, I don't know how I would have come this far. The nightmares are happening less and less and I'm starting to actually feel genuinely happy again… I think Weiss might be starting to realise that I'm just faking it half the time for her sake."
"She is your twin Coal, you can't hide everything from her forever."
"No but I can try." The boy and man laughed lightly. "Hey Ironwood?"
"Yeah?"
"Why am I here?"
"Excuse me?"
"I mean, like, what is it that I'm looking for?" Coal asked confused by his own question. "I keep getting this feeling that there's something missing, I figured that spending time with Weiss would help me figure it out but I still have nothing."
"I don't know Coal…" Ironwood replied slightly confused also before coming up with a way to help the boy answer his own question. "Do you remember what I asked you that day we met?"
"Huh?"
"I asked you what is was that you truly wanted." Ironwood reminded Coal getting a hum in response when Coal actually recalled the memory. "You told me then that all you wanted to power to kill Adam… Well it's been almost five years. So Coal, what is it that you truly want now?"
Coal took a moment to think about the question before answering his mentor and secretly self-proclaimed dad. "I want to forget about my pain, my sins, so that I can move on… I want to fill this empty void that has been created in my soul so that I can be whole again."
"And by that you mean?" Ironwood asked shocked by the boys deep words.
"There is still a part of me that wants to reside in the rage and hatred I feel towards the world but now… after what I've experienced, I know that I can't keep going down that path unless I want to become the reason for my rage and see myself become Adam." Coal explained "I just don't know how I can run from that…"
"Maybe it's time to stop running?"
"Maybe…" Coal agreed half heartily. Ironwood reeled in his line and stood up to take his leave.
"I've already made arrangements for you and your sister to attend Beacon, your flight leaves within a few days so be prepared." Ironwood sated as he ruffled the young boys hair. He hadn't made more than a few steps before Coal spoke once more.
"There's one more thing…"
Ironwood turned to see the boy smiling right at him. Ironwood felt a brief sense of nostalgia as he realised that history seemed to be repeating itself, only this time, Coal's smile wasn't the dark and malicious grin that he wore the day that Ironwood had found him. Rather, Coal's smile was one filled with happiness and hope.
"We want to be free."
Grunting Coal slowly opened his eyes adjusting to the light of the room that he was in. not recognising the place, he made to sit up from his prone position on the unknown bed that he was lying in but was quickly forced back down into the pillows.
"Keep still Frosty." Weiss instructed. "You'll pull out your IV drips." She tried to force him to lie down but typically of her twin he forced himself into a sitting position and pulled the breathing mask from his face so that he could talk to his sister.
"Worst hangover ever…" Coal groaned holding his sore head. "How long have I been out anyway?"
"You came out of surgery only an hour ago." Weiss informed rather surprised by the fact that her twin was already awake and trying to move around. "How do you feel?"
"Crappy, hungover… violated."
"So pretty much no different to any other Monday after seeing Orchid." Weiss giggled jumping up and throwing her arms around her twin in a bone crushing hug. "I'm so glad you're okay!" Coal grunted from the sharp pain coursing though his back from the contact but put on a smile through the pain for his sister's sake and hugged her back.
"Me too Snow Angel… Me too." Coal said burring his head into his sister's hair, a few shallow sobs escaping him. "I'm so sorry."
"It's okay." Weiss assured in a quiet whisper. "I never expected you to tell me anyway. It still pissed me off that you kept it a secret but I can understand why."
"No Weiss… I mean I'm sorry."
"What are you… HAVE YOU FARTED?"
"yep." Coal giggled not releasing his sister and keeping her within the vicinity of the horrible smell.
"YOU JACKASS!" Weiss yelled trying to back away yet unable to supress the smile that overshadowed her irritation. "That stinks, let me go!"
"But I wanted to give my baby sis a hug!" Coal said with fake hurt. "I'm never letting go!"
The twins continued to laugh and fight for the next few minutes. Weiss couldn't remember the last time they had felt so close. Something seemed different about her brother, it was as if he was not necessarily happier, but as if his happiness wasn't overshadowing a dark and twisted fear that she had come to recognise in the recent years. For that single moment, Weiss recalled memories of their childhood from before Coal recruitment in the military, before their kidnapping, before he was infused with dust. From a time where neither twin needed to worry about their health or responsibilities. When both their smiles were real.
Separating after a long while, Coal look his sister in the eyes and lowered his head apologetically. "I should have told you… I know I should have but I just couldn't. I'm sorry Weiss."
"You're not the only one who needs to apologise for something Coal." Weiss said lowing her head also. "I've been keeping secrets from you too."
The silence that followed was soon broken by another round of laughter from both twins. Though they knew that the other was genuinely sorry, they both couldn't help but laugh at how in sync they could be without even trying.
"I swear we do this far too often." Weiss laughed.
"I know, so who goes first this time?" Coal asked laughing also.
"Well I went first last time so now it's your turn."
"No, no… I went first last time!" Coal argued.
"No you did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"DID!"
"NOT!"
They butted heads glaring at one another, adamant that the other was wrong. a routine they had done since they were only small children. This was not the first instance where Coal and Weiss had kept secrets from each other or had told countless lies. After finding that they would usually commit such offences at the same time, for some odd reason that they put down to being twins, they had come up with a means of giving the other a chance to explain themselves to one another, forgive one another, implement some form of fine and then forget that anything ever happened and move on with their lives.
"You know what!" Coal said finally losing patience. "I'll just go first and get it over with."
"It's your turn to go first anyway." Weiss smirked knowing full well that really it should be her to go first instead.
"I'm sorry for lying, for not telling you about my health… I guess I thought that I was protecting you from it but I guess I was really only trying to save myself from the pain of telling you. You must understand that I really wanted to say something but I just couldn't bring myself to. We have finally found something worthwhile here at Beacon and I guess I didn't want anything to change." Coal said with an apologetic smile.
"Your forgiven. To be honest I've known from the beginning that you weren't in the best condition."
"How?"
"Ironwood."
"That fucking little son of a…"
"Don't hate him too much Coal, you know he only wants the best for you." Weiss said getting a half-arsed groan in acceptance from her twin. "I forgive you Frosty but on one condition…"
"You can have all my helpings of ice-cream while I'm stuck in this place."
"YES!" Weiss cheered before taking her turn to start smiling apologetically. "I'm sorry for going behind your back and bringing Orchid here. I know you want nothing to do with her and that bringing her here now was by far one of the worst ideas I've ever had but I did have my reasons."
Coal just stared at his twin gaping like a fist for a few moments before finally finding his voice.
"Why, the fuck, would you bring that bitch here?" Coal yelled sharply causing Weiss to look away slightly ashamed. She had expected him to react far worse but that still didn't take away the hurt from his voice. "You know how much I hate her."
"I know you do and I'm sorry for putting you in that position I really am… But can you honestly just expect me to sit on the side-lines watching you and Blake get closer and closer knowing full well that she would show up at some point or another."
"Weiss there is nothing going on between…"
"Coal just admit it already." Weiss nearly screamed but found the resolve to keep her voice down. "You like her."
"Of course, I like her, she is my friend."
"I mean more than just a friend." Weiss said narrowing her eyes at her twin. "Face the facts Coal, you find her attractive."
"Well I'm not going to deny that she's pretty."
"Coal…"
"Fine she's super-hot, what of it?"
"You go out your way to make time for her."
"I like having he company while fishing…"
"Coal…"
"What do you want me to say Weiss?" Coal asked starting to feel very defensive. "That I've fallen head over heels for her or that she completes me or something to that extent? This isn't one of your crappy romance films."
"Are you sure about that?" Weiss smirked an evil grin. "She told me what happened on your mission."
"She… She told you about that?"
"Oh yeah." Weiss continued smirking. "She told me how you couldn't keep your eyes off her the entire time and that you asked her out on a date."
"Only because she called it one!"
"Did you deny it though?"
"…"
"That's what I thought." Weiss said victoriously having backed him into a verbal corner. "So, what are you going to do now?"
"I don't know. Probably get something to eat I'm starving." Coal shrugged patting his growling stomach.
"NO! You're going to man the fuck up and take her on this date or… I'll tell Winter you got a girlfriend."
"Weiss, we didn't even go on the date let alone her becoming my girlfriend."
"Do you think Winter will care either way?" Weiss raised an eyebrow. "You know how she will react."
"You're not giving me a choice here, are you?" Coal sighed wondering which demon possessed his sister recently.
"Do I ever." Weiss grinned. "Face it Coal, you do like her."
"How did your apology turn into you forcing me to verbally admit my feelings towards Blake?"
"Just answer the damn question Coal."
"Alright fine!" Coal grunted taking a deep breath. "I may have recently discovered that I may possess the emotional capacity to have a slight romantic interest in Blake."
"There, was that so hard?" Weiss asked smiling in victory but also slightly miffed that her twin had been rather specific with his words so that she couldn't twist them into something else.
"Well since you're asking, Blake has had that effect from time to time." Coal said looking down at his crotch.
"Okay first, eww. Second, I did not need that mental image. And thirdly, just eww."
"You asked." Coal snickered before lifting his knees up to his chest and resting his head upon them. "How did this happen? I mean, I tried to kill her when we first met, wanted to manipulate her into leading me to Adam, found some form of bond due to our dark pasts… Then next thing I know we are sitting down on the docks mindlessly chatting over nothing and you know the weirdest part… I'm actually having fun! FUN! How does that make any logical sense!"
"Logic doesn't explain everything Coal. Though now that you say it like that it does sound slightly 'Romeo and Juliet'-ish." Weiss said with a soft smile at how her twin seemed so confused over the whole ordeal. "No matter how hard you try, you can't explain such a complex emotion such as lo…"
"Don't say that word." Coal interrupted his sister quickly.
"Seriously Coal, just admit it already."
"I'd rather admit it myself then have someone else tell me how I feel." Coal said quietly into his knees. His voice may have been quiet but Weiss had still heard him. "Shit I did not just say something that cheesy, did I?" Coal exclaimed after a few moments to process the words that left his mouth.
"I see your training has paid off." Weiss grinned evilly.
"What training?"
"Did you really think we started film night just to watch crappy films?" Weiss giggled. "You may have protested at first but you came to love those old romantic dramas. Looks like you actually picked up a thing or two. That and, going back to my apology here, Blake needed the push too and by bring Orchid here, she became jealous just like I planned."
"You scheming little…" Coal mumbled. "How long have you been planning this?"
"Since I caught you and Blake at the docks that first time." Weiss smirked. "Honestly Coal, you were so cute when you told her to sit with you."
"Screw you baby sis!" Coal spat through a hysterical laugh, he should have known his sister was up to something. "But what about Orchid? You obviously didn't think of…"
"Oh, we may have faked your death slightly with this whole operation thing and now she's returned home with Winter as an escort to make sure she gets far away from you." Weiss smiled innocently.
"You faked my death?"
"Yes, I did."
"For fuck sake not again…" Coal sighed into his hand.
"What's your problem, it worked this time didn't it!"
"Yeah, forty-eighth time is the charm I guess." Coal laughed shaking his head. His twin had gone all out this time. "I really should reconsider my position as the tactical schemer out of us both."
"Oh, please Coal, you do not want to know how many plans for you and Blake that I have locked away in this beautiful brain of mine." Weiss said. "The difficult part was getting you to ask her out in the first place. I knew I needed to get you two alone somehow but I just couldn't think of anything until Orchid eventually showed up. all I needed to do was leave a small trail of bread crumbs to make you think that she was somehow trading weapons to the White Fang. Then knowing you, you would want to get Blake away from the thing that made her act weird and then just wait patiently."
"Am I really that predictable?"
"Coal I'm your twin sister. I should know you well enough to know how you will act in certain situations."
"I'm still not hearing that apology…"
"I just did you a favour and helped you ask out a girl you like, while also getting rid of that bitch of a fiancée." Weiss smirked and getting a rather disapproving glare from her twin. "Just promise me one thing Coal." Weiss said getting her twins full attention. "Just make sure you do right by her. You've always been that, one and done, kind of guy and I really don't want you to mess this up."
"Weiss, I asked her on one date just to see if there is actually something between us."
"Still though…"
"Stop planning my wedding and how many kids I'm going to have."
"I was thinking no such thing!" Weiss said not very convincingly.
"I'm suddenly very worried for my balls." Coal groaned sounding very irritated at how his sister was planning his entire life.
"I want to be an aunt at some point in my life Coal!" Weiss yelled getting frustrated at her twin's attitude.
"Then go badger Winter or Whitley!" Coal yelled back.
"I just want you to be happy!" Weiss screamed at the top of her lungs. "That's all I ever wanted... Ever since that day we were kidnapped you haven't been the same. You think I don't see through those fake smiles Coal? How stupid do you think I am! You promised me you would always come home but you know what… I still feel like I'm waiting for you to keep that promise. We never even talk about what happened that day because your still to afraid to move past it! as if accepting it and moving on is going to change who you are!" Weiss got up from her chair and reached into a bag that had been sitting on the floor beside her and threw a six pack of beer at her twin. "Here, Ruin left these for you. Go and drink away your problems like usual." With her piece said, Weiss stormed out of the room only stopping to hold the door before it slammed behind her. "For what it's worth, I'm glad your cured."
With the door softly closing behind his sister Coal looked at the cans of beer in his lap, desperate to take a drink he pried one out of the rings and made to pull the tab from the can. Instead of opening the beverage, he threw it across the room exploding on impact and leaving a dirty stain on the white walls of his hospital room. He needed to be better than this. Wasn't that the reason why he took upon a new name and identity. This was not how he wanted things to go.
Getting frustrated that he had just let his sister run off before he could say anything further he pulled out his IVs and swung his legs out of the bed and ran after his sister.
"WEISS!" Coal called out just as he saw his sister disappear behind the closing doors of the elevator. He knew his sister would be heading to the bottom floor to leave the hospital so turning towards the window he closed his eyes and channelled what aura he could manifest into his right arm, more specifically his shoulder.
A small tattoo like glyph started glowing a burning crimson red as his frost white aura took shape around the entirety of his right arm, shaping itself into a frost white clawed arm of an alpha beowolf.
'It doesn't hurt anymore…' Coal thought to himself examining the new arm for a second before taking the claw and slashing at a nearby window. 'It feels, almost natural now.' He was about to jump out through the window before a hand rested upon his shoulder of his borrowed arm. Stopping in his tracks, Coal rounded to stare right in the face of his doctor who looked rather pissed off at seeing the boy wide awake and out of bed.
Weiss returned to her room furious. Not only had the mission gone completely sideways with the intervention of Roman and a mech suit but also, she was still pissed off at her twin for being such an idiot.
What right did he have to question her motives. What game him the right to be angry with her for trying to do him a favour. What right… who was she kidding, she deserved that kind of response. Coal really did hate Orchid and by bringing her here she had opened up a closed wound upon his heart that she thought Coal was long since over.
They had known Orchid for a very long time, since they were only 5 years old and back then, Orchid was still the same spoiled child that she was today. If not worse. It only took one instance for Coal to utterly hate the girl and that was when Orchid had bullied Weiss to the point that she ended up in tears over the fact that she was bound to a wheelchair 90% of the time. When Coal confronted the girl and told her to apologise to his sister, Orchid had tried to convince him to leave Weiss behind and only play with her and that having his wheelchair bound sister around would only be in the way. Coal was not pleased. Filled with rage, Coal launched insult after insult at the girl and made her cry. Then kept the insults flying until she could only collapse down to the floor, completely and utterly mentally broken. But that still didn't stop Coal as he continued to whisper into her ear, punishment after punishment, describing in great detail for a five-year-old what he would do to her if she ever tried to hurt his sister again. though he never would dare lay a hand on a girl, he had verbally abused the girl enough to shut her up completely. For a good two weeks, Orchid never said a single word to anyone about what Coal had said to her that day. But whatever it was that Coal had said, caused the girl to become obsessed with him. Coal himself had received a 'good talking to' from his father and his father's belt for verbally abusing the girl, but that still didn't stop the hate that boiled in him every single time he saw the girl. That and in recent days, the obsession she had with him had scared him to the point of running away. Just like how he handled all his other problems.
Weiss collapsed onto her bed exhausted from the events of the day as she thought about the memories of herself and Coal. only able to pull memories of him looking out for her, watching over her, standing up for her… not once could she remember going above and beyond for him. Not because she hadn't tried, but because Coal never let her. He had always done the same thing, give up his own happiness for her own without her consent. At first, she enjoyed the attention but now that they were much older and Weiss was able to fend for herself, she came to hate it. he was always getting hurt for one reason for another because of the simple reason that he put everyone above himself… That thought alone infuriated her as she came to the assumption that Coal simply did not care about himself at all. That he was willing and ready to give his own life and not worry about the people he left behind.
A soft knock came at her bedroom door and being the first to return to Beacon ahead of the rest of her team Weiss got up from her bed and walked over to the door, swinging it open furiously wondering who would be knocking at such a late hour.
"Do you have any idea what time it… Oh Professor Ozpin."
"I see that you are the first to return." Ozpin smirked from the open doorway. "Might I come in?"
"Err… sure." Weiss said uneasily confused by the professor's appearance. "Is there something you need?"
"Yes, actually there is." Ozpin said taking the seat at the lone desk in the corner of the room and swivelling around to face the girl. "It's about that brother of yours."
"What's he done now?"
"Nothing wrong I assure you I just wanted to pick your brain on a few things is all."
"Well I'm not sure how much help I'll be…" Weiss said honestly taking a seat back on her bed. "I feel like I hardly know him myself these days."
"Oh, and what exactly do you mean by that?"
"He acts like Coal but he… He's not Coal at the same time. It's hard to explain."
"Due to his MPD?"
"Multiple personality disorder? Yeah probably…"
"When was he diagnosed?"
"When we were five… there was an instance with Orchid and after some doctors examined him, they came to the conclusion that he suffered from it." Weiss explained. "It's like he can just flip a switch and become a different person at will."
"and its infuriating?"
"I didn't really see it that much when we were younger so I really didn't think about it much, but now… Now I kind of understand what those doctors were saying back then." Weiss sighed. "Why the sudden interest in my brother?"
"Because I need to know if he is a threat to this academy, or an ally."
"Honestly Professor… I really don't know." Weiss sighed again. They sat in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes. Weiss seemed to have nothing more to say on the subject so Ozpin decided to say his own piece.
"You know what I think?" He said leaning forward and gaining the girls attention. "I think that despite his obvious flaws, Coal recognises that he has fallen too far into his own darkness and thus feels the need to hold onto another to stop himself from becoming completely consumed by his hatred and anger. I think that he sees you as his light at the end of the tunnel, his silver lining."
"Are you kidding… I don't mean anything to him anymore." Weiss said feeling slightly bummed out. "I mean, he couldn't even tell me that he was sick and here I am trying to help him out from the side-lines."
"By not telling him about bringing his ex-fiancée to my school and forcing him into getting a life-threatening operation?"
"Well when you say it like that…"
"Everyone is born with both light and dark attributes Ms. Schnee. The road that one choses to walk determines who they are. In my time as headmaster I've seen many students walk the halls of my school and if I've learned anything it is that twins are the most affected by this fact." Ozpin stated. "You see when twins are born they both lean towards one of the two attributes. I believe that Coal leaned towards the darkness while you took the light, balancing each other out."
"You hardly expect me to believe this, do you?" Weiss questioned with a raised eyebrow. "Your starting to sound just as crazy as Lucian."
"The boy's doctor?"
"Yes… Apparently Coal used to work on the same squad as him before he retired and became a doctor." Weiss informed getting an impassive look from the headmaster. Though Ozpin did take note of the newly acquired information. "He's not a bad guy or anything like that it's just… Well he's very weird. It's like he can look into your very soul through your eyes. Its creepy."
"Hmm I'll take your word on that." Ozpin hummed taking a quick sip of coffee. "Unfortunately, Weiss I do not have all the answers when it comes to your brother. In fact, he still remains a great mystery to me, hence why I've come to you, though if you can find in within yourself to even consider the possibility of what I said to be true… Then I think you will find it easier to understand your twin." With his piece said Ozpin stood from his seat and took his leave. Stopping for a brief second in the doorway to cast the young huntress a soft smile before leaving completely.
Weiss' teammates returned to their room soon after Ozpin left. After explaining why Ozpin was speaking to her, Weiss got changed for bed and settled herself into the covers and tried to sleep. After tossing and turning for what felt like hours, Weiss finally threw her sheets of her exhausted body and looked at the time. 03:27.
Weiss left her bed and walked out of her room and into her brothers unlocked room. Weiss sighed at the sight of what Orchid had done while she had been here. Everything had been painted purple and babyproofed beyond comprehension. Weiss was glad that the bitch was gone. She couldn't believe how easy it had been convincing the girl that her twin never survived the surgery. She almost felt sorry for the girl for when she would eventually realise that Coal was actually alive and well.
Weiss immediately went to the set or draws that sat by Coals bed and pulled out from it the photo album that she had let him hold onto for the time being and started to flick through the memories once more. The words Ozpin had used before rang in the back of her mind with each photo of their shared memories. What if he was right? Could it really be something so simple as them having such a polar difference because of the conditions of their birth? It did seem plausible… Coal was always a troubled person after all.
Stopping at the picture of them that they took recently after first rediscovering the album, Weiss look a long look into her twin's obsidian black eyes hoping to see some form of truth within them. Anything to prove that Ozpin was wrong in his statement that Coal embodied more darkness than he should. Yet, Weiss could only see the still image of her twin. Nothing more.
"If you concentrate that hard you'll get wrinkles."
Weiss jumped at the sound of her twin's voice from right beside her shoulder and turned to face him, snapping the book shut and placing a hand over her heart.
"Damn it Coal you scared me!" Weiss only half accused still remembering Ozpin's words. "What are you doing here you should be resting in hospital." She questioned pointing to his hospital robes. "Are you naked under there?"
"In order: I got bored and decided that I didn't need any more rest so decided to find you so I can apologise for being a bit of a dick… And yes."
Weiss eyes her brother sceptically for a second wondering just how honest his apology was. But all she saw in his eyes was the resolve to make things right. To be better.
Casting him a soft smile, Weiss crashed down on the now bright purple sheets of his bed and spoke softly to her older twin.
"You know, I really don't care anymore." Weiss said getting a worried look from her twin. "Not in a bad way Coal, but if I'm being honest, I'm the one that should be saying sorry. I've been holding onto this image of you from when we were kids and I guess that seeing who you are now… I just couldn't bring myself to accept it. I just, I just wanted my brother back. The brother that I knew."
"I'm sorry…" Coal muttered sitting down on the opposite side of the room to his twin. The moonlight pooled through the slit in the blinds, casting a line in between the twins as if to emphasise the barrier that had been built over the years. "But I just don't know how I can be that person anymore Weiss. I'm older now and I guess… I guess that I've changed for the worse."
"You're not the only one who's changed Coal." Weiss said immediately after her twin. "I've changed as well and honestly I'm not sure if it's for better or worse but I guess I just need to take a look at myself and see how I want to change next."
"Your fine the way you are Weiss." Coal said. "Your right pretty much all the time and you always look out for me even if I don't ask you too… Especially with this thing with Blake."
"So, you're finally admitting to it." Weiss said with an evil smirk and getting an irritated glare from her twin. "Okay I'm sorry, I shouldn't act so smug when I'm right."
"And I shouldn't lose my temper over every little thing." Coal said smiling. "This has been a long time coming, hasn't it?"
"Us needing to have this talk?" Weiss giggled uncontrollable as Coal voiced exactly what she was thinking. "Yeah. We haven't exactly been completely honest with each other since that day, have we?" Weiss asked rhetorically referring to the day they were kidnapped.
"That's an understatement." Coal agreed. "So how do you wanna settle this? Our usual method kind back fired earlier."
"I don't know…" Weiss hummed leaning back on her twin's bed. "Grab our weapons and beat the living shit out each other until we feel better?"
"I haven't got any better ideas." Coal said standing up. "Please tell me you actually have my weapons."
"I think Blake is holding onto them for you but Yang did pick up your order from Junior." Weiss said mentally thanking Yang for remembering to collect Coal package from the shady man. "Though I don't understand what that box was for…"
"Oh, Junior and I go way back… He's basically my bitch." Coal said with a shrug. "That box just contained a little bit of clarification."
"Let me guess, classified?"
"Sorry Snow Angel." Coal smiled apologetically. "There are somethings that I just cannot tell you."
"I really don't think I'll ever get used to that part of your life." Weiss said standing up and following her twin out the room. "I am aloud to worry about you."
"I know you are." Coal said as they walked down the hallway towards the lockers where their gear was kept. "Just as I do for you."
Though things may be unstable between them for the moment. Coal and Weiss walked side by side towards the arena with the intent of beating the crap out of each other as a means of blowing off some steam. Perhaps with time, they would finally break down the wall that separated them both.
(Elsewhere)
Roman kicked over a box in frustration having been bested by children once more. He was completely furious about it. worse of all, Cinder had just informed him that he was to be taking orders from someone else from now on as he no longer could be trusted to operate on his own.
"Who does she think she is!" Roman yelled kicking another box. "This is my operation. I control the city, I have the people running scared! Not her!" He kicked a third box shattering the wooden container. He was about to continue his rather effective stress relief but was stopped in his tracks as he was suddenly overcame with fear. Roman felt the air grow colder with each passing second and finally looking around he noticed that a low hanging mist had formed over the floor of his warehouse. He had felt a similar aura of bloodlust somewhere before, from someone else that went by the name of executioner, but this was different… It was all fake. "Who's there!" He yelled looking round the room.
Finally spotting the source of his nightmare come reality, Roman pointed the end of his cane towards a figure in a black cloak and fired a single shot. Which phased through the figure as if they were only a ghost.
"That wasn't very nice." A soft feminine voice spoke from behind Roman, who spun on the spot and fired again. once more, the shot phased through the ghost. "So, this is your nightmare…" The voice spoke again. "Now where have I seen this before?"
"Where ever you are, show yourself!" Roman shouted firing shot after shot around him until he ran out of ammo.
"Aww… Did Cindy not tell you about me?" The voice giggled like and innocent little girl. "That is a shame since she told me that you have already come into contact with one of my old friends… Someone I'm just dying to see again."
"What are you talking about?" Roman asked starting to become worried as a shiver ran up his spine. As if to be transmuted from the mist itself, Roman was suddenly standing before a small girl around about the same height as that little red scythe wielder that had ruined his plans earlier that night. The girl was covered head to foot in a torn black hooded cloak that cast a shadow over the girl's face… As well as the mask that hid underneath the hood.
"I'm looking for someone." The girl said calmly. "I'm told you know the most about his whereabouts."
"Who are you?"
The girl lowered her hood to show Roman the mask that hid her face as well as her short black hair. though her bright crimson red eyes were plainly visible through the slots in the mask, Roman's eyes were drawn to the frost white 'X' for the Roman numeral for 10 over the left eye of the mask.
"Just call me… Crimson." The girl said darkly raising her right arm to hold a claw like weapon up to the man's neck. "Now tell me where I can find Coal Valiant."
