Blake did not come back that night. Nor the night after.

Team RWBY was in a stitch trying to find her. I kept my mouth shut and refused all questions. I would give Blake the time she needed. And the time Weiss needed to sort out her hatred of the White Fang and her deep care of Blake.

She came and had a very long talk Saturday night in the library. We talked long into the evening as I Healed and listened to Weiss' tale of a sad childhood for a bright, young girl who had been sat on by her father for so long she was afraid to breathe for fear of disapproval. Something I could relate well to.

It helped her but I would not affect her decision. It was not my job to play puppet master. That title belonged to one man.

The three of them set out to search that Sunday morning while my team lazily stayed in bed. I let them and continued on my surprise while they slept. It would take forever to complete and I used every spare second to work on it.

I didn't worry too much about Blake. She'd come back when she was ready and if she needed help, she had ways of getting me. Besides, she wouldn't miss class on Monday.

I had asked if team RWBY and JNPR would like to come to Daren's studio and everyone readily agreed.

Daren was excited for an audience. He had a flare for the dramatic. So Sunday was spent being lazy. Elise took a day off from her extra workout routine to hang out all day. Peyton and Elin snuggled for most of the day and I worked. We had finished all of our homework last night.

"Aren't you worried about Blake?" Elise asked. I shook my head.

"Blake is a capable warrior. She's fine." I said.

"I thought you'd be more worried since your sister's missing." She said casually.

My hand froze and my body coiled with anger. How had she found out?

I looked at Elin and Peyton, dead asleep.

"Relax. I figured it out for myself and I haven't told anyone. It's not for me to tell. But I am interested in knowing some of the details." She said coming to sit next to me. She smiled and I relaxed. Now two people knew of my strange relation to Blake Belladonna. How frustrating.

I closed my eyes. "Blake and I aren't biological sisters…" Elise nodded, understanding immediately. "Blood-sib." I looked at her surprised. Not many people knew of the old rituals.

She shrugged. "I come from a rural town. Lonely single children often find Blood-sibs. It's a respected tradition in our town." And here I thought it was just a Faunus tradition.

"Blake was the best thing in my life. But four years ago, things happened and we had parted ways." I said remembering the aching sadness when I watched Blake walk away from me as I was held down by Omar's men.

"You have no idea the shock and surprise I felt when I found her here of all places. We agreed to keep the blood-sib thing quiet." I said looking into her dark brown eyes.

"How did you figure it out?" I asked, genuinely puzzled. No one had made the connection between Blake and I since we were children.

"It was the way you acted on Friday when Ruby told us about Blake running away and her secret." She smiled. Elise could be clever but no one ever expected it.

"You were so protective. It was like watching me with Elin. And that got me thinking. Then I thought about the way you would look at her and you two would almost know what the other was thinking. You both never talk about your childhood or where you came from before. You said you knew she was a Faunus for a long time and I knew you had some Faunus in you... I've seen you brush your teeth, silly. Everything just added up that you were related. And I knew you were sisters because I don't act that protective over my cousin. It's just with my brother. So that's how I figured out you were sisters."

I smiled at her deductive skills.

"We used to look like real sisters, you know." She laughed. "I had black hair before but stuff happened and all of it turned silver. My eyelashes and eyebrows too. Everything except this." I said pulling my hair over my shoulder and showing her the special strands of hair that were still coal black.

"I hear you say 'stuff happened' a lot when you talk about the past but you never say what stuff." She said touching my black strands.

"I have many secrets." I said quietly. She eyed me. "You gonna tell me?" She asked.

I smiled. "If I told you, they wouldn't be secrets now would they? Besides you had fun figuring out one on your own. It wouldn't be fun if I just gave you the answer." She stuck her tongue out and I laughed.

She looked curious for a moment. "So what kind of Faunus are you?" I bared my teeth in a smile. "Mum was a Wolf-Faunus." Elise looked fascinated. "So why haven't I seen you howl at the moon?" I slugged her in the arm as she mock-howled. "That wasn't even a proper howl. Sometime soon I'll show you a proper howl." The small girl grinned and hugged me tight.

I had good friends.

Something was wrong. I could feel it.

Something with Blake.

"I'm going for a walk." I told my team before I left. They looked mildly confused but didn't question it. I had belted on all my bags to my legs, ready for whatever was going on.

I vanished into the hallways and quickly exited the Academy. I hopped on the evening bus into the city and sat anxiously tracing the orchids on my silver staff. She wasn't in danger yet but I could feel something coming.

I added extra rounds and knives to Orchid, filling her capacity. Somehow I had the feeling I'd need them.

When I stood in Vale, I breathed deeply. I closed my eyes and opened myself to the city, allowing everyone's feelings to batter me.

The last time I had done this, it had driven me half mad.

I clung to myself to avoid being swept away. I felt the people I knew and registered in my mind where they were. Ruby was with another girl. It took me a moment to recognize Penny. Yang was with Weiss. And there was Blake with the blonde Faunus across town at the unloading docks.

Immediately shutting everyone out, I took a few minutes to center myself again. It was incredibly dangerous to do that. No one can handle the feelings of an entire population.

Since I knew where Blake was, I took off at a run with Orchid in my hand.

It didn't take me long to find them. And see the danger that had just arrived. The two were up on top of a building across from a Schnee Dust shipment.

I hid in the shadows pushing one thought across my mind and into everyone else's.

There is no one here.

As a child, I had learned of a special ability. I couldn't tell if it was a part of my Semblance, but under the right conditions I could make myself invisible. All I did was convince someone's brain simply that there was no one there.

It had its limitations. If someone focused really hard the 'spell' would break.

But since no one was expecting me, no one saw me.

I observed the bullheads landing and saw with a heavy heart, members of the White Fang getting off. With their white uniforms and the horrible new symbol on the back. A snarling dog head over three angry claw marks in bright red. And then the Grimm masks.

Memories pushed but I pushed back. I would not remember the Grimm mask.

Humanity tried to make us into monsters, so we will wear the faces of monsters.

Blake felt sad. She had really not wanted to believe that the White Fang were involved in the crime in Vale.

But they were.

Here was the proof.

Their squad leader, holding a Dust machine gun motioned to his men. "Alright, grab the tow cables."

My eyebrows came together wondering. Why were the White Fang stealing so much Dust?

The answer came swaggering down the ramp a minute later.

"Hey! What's the hold up? We're not exactly the most inconspicuous bunch of thieves at the moment. So why don't you animals try to pick up the pace?"

Roman Torchwick. Oh, the sense.

The man had slanted green eyes and bright orange hair, his bangs were curiously long and covered his right eye. He wore a black bowler hat with a red band and a feather stuck in it.

He had long black eyelashes that I could see from where I stood that framed his eyes captivatingly; eyelashes that women everywhere envied.

His attire was a red-collared white suit jacket, a small gray scarf tied around his neck, black pants, black gloves with rounded sleeves and black shoes. In his right hand he carried Melodic Cudgel, his cane-cannon. His skill with that weapon was uncommonly good. I knew because I had fought against him many times in practice.

I sensed Blake's confusion and saw her stand up and pull her katana out of her cleaver sheath.

The boy tried to stop her but she was down and gone before he could. I watched and moved quietly after her as she quickly approached the group of thieves.

Torchwick was yelling at the squad leader before Blake came up behind him and put her katana to his throat. "What the? Oh for f-"

"Nobody move." She said.

Real subtle, Blake.

I readied myself for the fight.

"Whoa. Take it easy there, little lady." I ground my teeth, wishing nothing more than to sink them into his throat.

The squadron of White Fang men gathered with their weapons trained on her even as she pulled her bow off revealing her cat ears.

"Brothers of the White Fang. Why are you aiding this scum?" She cried to them.

They all just smirked at her and lowered their weapons.

"Oh, kid. Didn't you get the memo?" Torchwick drawled.

"What are you talking about?" She replied pressing her katana deeper into his skin. "The White Fang and I are going in on a joint business venture together."

Blake nearly hissed. "Tell me what it is before I put an end to your little operation." She said menacingly before another two bullheads flew overhead.

"I wouldn't exactly call it a little operation." He replied blew the bottom of Melodic Cudgel popped open and pointed at the ground in front of Blake.

"Look out!" I cried. Everyone looked at me but Torchwick still pulled the trigger.

There was an explosion at Blake's feet.

She was blown to the ground and Torchwick turned and fired another shot. I jumped in front, twirling Orchid. The blast was halted and dissipated into nothing.

I looked him dead in the eyes. Or at least the one I could see.

He went pale.

"You."

I didn't hesitate before I began firing. He dodged and fired at Blake, not me.

Blake jumped and rolled out of the way and several of the White Fang descended on me. Torchwick kept firing at Blake but he didn't lose his pale complexion.

He too had seen a ghost.

Orchid became a bladed staff, spinning death in my hands. The White Fang's weapons were pityingly ineffectual against my whirling onslaught fed by pain and rage.

Blake ran behind some of the Dust containers. "Here kitty, kitty, kitty." He murmured.

That comment helped me finish off the eight who had attacked me.

Then twelve more attacked from behind. Orchid split into my bladed nunchucks.

I smiled and Torchwick shuddered. I wondered if he still had that scar on the back of his neck. Then the blonde boy dropped a banana peel on Torchwick's head.

Torchwick looked up furious. And the boy leapt from the building and landed on Torchwick's shoulders, knocking him to the ground. The boy flipped staying on his feet and saw me. "Oh, hello." He said conversationally, waiting for the White Fang to attack him. "Hello." I said whipping a blade through a deer-Faunus' neck.

"My name's Sun." He said admiring my fighting.

"Hello, Sun. I'm Dahlia. Pleased to meet you." I said sweetly as I whipped my right arm up and sliced a bull-Faunus from groin to head.

"I like your weapon." I smiled and easily swung Orchid back into a bladed staff and continued to fight.

"Thank you."

He grinned at me then looked at Torchwick who got slowly to his feet. "Leave them alone." Sun said, no laughter in his voice. I felt Sun's anger at the man.

I killed the last one before I looked up and saw dozens and dozens more leaping from the air ships.

Oh, how the pain and rage flared.

They formed around Sun and I. "You are not the brightest banana in the bunch are you kid?" He said to Sun, who just smiled.

"Obviously neither are you." I said flippantly before I issued a warning growl to the White Fang around us, trusting Sun to watch my back.

"You, I'll deal with later. After a long chat with Omar." He said evilly. Goosebumps rose on my skin at the thought of Omar knowing I was alive.

"I'll just have to make sure you never reach him." I said sweetly dangerous.

They ran at us. I danced into action as Sun used hand to hand combat at first. Then he pulled out and unfolded his own staff of red and gold.

"I like your weapon too." I said smiling.

His style was incredibly similar to my own but his was less graceful than mine. Just as much flipping, kicking and hitting with the staff but mine was prettier. Of course.

He kicked a White Fang member at the evil man just standing there. He ducked and growled.

Torchwick shot at my back but Sun used the same move as me to deflect it.

Blake leapt over me and him yelling "He's mine!"

I smiled as I killed. Get him, Blake. Make him pay.

She was fast but Torchwick had also trained with me and he could still beat me if he tried.

He knocked her good, deflecting her every attack. Then Sun leapt over her and began his own incredibly fast attack.

His staff also split in half and then into nunchucks but his were shotgun nunchucks. He fired and whirled in a continuous attack, each swing cocking the pistols as he went. But again, Torchwick had trained with me for years and none of Sun's attacks landed. So threw myself backwards and whirled into attack. "Ah, just like old times, eh Roman?" I murmured. Sun attacked the next wave of White Fang as Torchwick and I danced. He had honed his skill and took advantage of my weakness.

Knowing he couldn't beat me fairly, he swung his cane into my leg, right where he knew it would hurt most. I yelled in pain and waited for the next blow but Blake leapt over me and nailed him in the chest sending him backwards into the ground. It was like we were playing a hardcore game of leapfrog.

Then he rolled to his feet and fire at the Dust container above us. Sun grabbed me and threw both of us out of the way and Blake flipped backwards.

Surprisingly, Torchwick aimed his cannon at Sun and not me.

A cold fear filled my chest.

He wants me alive.

Sun just stared coldly up the length of Torchwick's cane as the cruel man smiled.

"Hey!" A girlish voice called from above.

Ruby had come to the rescue. Crescent Rose was already in battle mode and she whirled the point into the top of the building. Torchwick turned and looked up at Ruby.

"Oh Hello, Red. Isn't it past your bedtime?" He said sarcastically.

I tried to stand but my leg gave.

Sun, forgetting about the danger to himself, rolled to his feet, ran to me and put my arm over his shoulder.

As he hauled me to my good foot, I looked up and saw that Penny had joined Ruby on the top of the building. Well, she said she was combat ready.

Ruby got distracted by Penny and Torchwick took the opportunity to fire a shot at Ruby that she wasn't ready for.

"NO!" I yelled as hit collided with her. Her Aura saved her but she was knocked back hard. Torchwick gave a wicked cackle.

Fury reigned in me and no longer did I need Sun to support me.

Another wave of White Fang attacked and I slaughtered them.

I felt inhuman rage from the top of the building and saw Penny step to the edge.

Ruby cried weakly for her to stop but Penny was ready. And I watched fascinated as a dozen foldable swords came out of her back without help. They unfolded and fanned out behind her as she leapt off the building.

Now that Torchwick had shown them my weakness, the Faunus now purposely aimed for my weak leg.

Penny was god sent. Her swords flew without command at Penny's will, cutting down the Faunus as she went. They flowed with her movements and followed her kicks like a deadly fan. I didn't know how she did it but it was incredible to see.

Then three more bullheads arrived and fired. I was still fighting and Blake tackled me out of the way. We rolled to our feet, easier for her than me and continued fighting. Sun was at my back and we fought well together. Our styles were so similar that we knew instinctively how to fight together.

Penny's swords fanned and whirled, protecting her from the gun fire. Then another two came out of her back and buried themselves in the building behind her.

I could barely see the strings that attached itself to her. It pulled her back and anchored her as she knelt.

Her swords came together and whirled faster and faster and a bright green ball formed in the middle. I felt a buildup of power before Penny made a punching movement with her body and a green beam powerful enough the shatter the concrete beneath her shot out and cut the two bullheads in half.

They crashed into the ocean in a fire explosion.

What was that?!

There was only one flying bullhead left. Penny shot her swords into its side and I saw those thin wires attached. She held her arms out and began to walk backwards, using the swords behind her to pull her back.

I was still fighting hard but I was amazed by her abilities.

The bullhead sagged down. Those wires were strong.

She kept backing up further and further till she yanked herself down and the bullhead crashed into the stacks of Dust containers.

Torchwick ran towards the landed bullhead. I ran after to stop him. I had to kill him before he told Omar I was alive.

"These kids just keep getting weirder." He muttered before meeting my eyes.

"Be seeing you, Dahlia. Welcome back to the living." He said before the door shut and the bullhead took off. The door shut before my three knives could reach him but they buried themselves in the door.

I fell to my knees.

Penny tried to catch them but they were gone too quickly.

I felt tears fill my eyes and the energy was leaving me as rage was replaced with fear and despair.

Blake and Sun came over to me and I was forced to control my face.

I never meant for Omar to find out I was alive.

All the time I had been running and now it was worthless. But now I had a team. A pack. I had something to protect. I wouldn't let Omar take me back.

Then I began to wonder. What's Torchwick doing with the White Fang stealing so much Dust?

The whole idea stank of Omar and his ilk.

Sun helped me to my feet and I retracted Orchid into my walking staff and leaned on her hard.

My leg hurt so bad from Torchwick's blow and the White Fang's hits, I could barely walk. "Here, sit here." Blake said, motioning to some wooden boxes. Penny joined us and asked if I was going to be okay. The worry in her made me smile.

Sun had stored his weapon again and we all sat down. It wasn't long before the police came.

Ruby joined us on the ground and everyone talked a lot except me. I had too much to think about. And I cleaned Orchids blades while I was thinking about it.

"Are you alright?" Blake finally asked. I nodded slowly, putting a hand on my leg. She had a vague idea of why I was so troubled. Blake had always been training with the White Fang while Omar had trained me, using his other children and his pets, like Torchwick, as my practice dummies.

Then Yang and Weiss strode up.

Ruby jumped up and put herself between Blake and Weiss but I sensed nothing in Weiss that was bad. Just determination.

"Look, Weiss, it's not what you think, she explained the whole thing. You see, she doesn't actually where a bow, she has kitty ears and they are actually kind of cute." Ruby rushed to explain but Weiss didn't even look at her. Her ice blue eyes were focused on Blake.

Blake stood and stared at Weiss. "Weiss, I want you to know that I am no longer associated with the White Fang. Back when I was with-"

"Stop." Weiss said coldly. "Do you have any idea how long we've been searching for you?... Twelve hours. That means I've had twelve hours to think about this. And in that twelve hours I've decided... I don't care." She said taking a step towards Blake. Yang looked relieved.

"You don't care?" Blake said astonished. "You said you're not one of them anymore, right?" Weiss said.

"No, I haven't been since I-"

"Up, up, up. I don't want to hear it."

Ah, Weiss the rude.

"All want to know is that next time when something this big comes up, you'll come to your teammates and not some... someone else." She said looking at Sun.

Everyone was smiling and Blake wiped the tear that escaped her right eye. "Of course." Weiss' smile was happy and I could feel the rifts healing.

"Yeah, team RWBY is back together!" Ruby cheered.

They all got in a circle except for me, who stayed sitting, and Penny who had climbed into the back seat of an expensive car, motioning for me to keep silent. Another secret, I supposed.

Weiss whirled on Sun with a pointed finger. "I'm still not quite sure how I feel about you." Sun laughed nervously.

"Hey, wait a minute. Where's Penny?" Ruby asked. I looked down and smiled as I ran the cleaning cloth over my gleaming blades.

I was very good at keeping secrets.