Chapter 11. Lady Trouble.

He didn't eat breakfast that morning. Across the cafeteria he could see Weiss and her team, sans one member, bickering. He watched her quietly, his mind racing to the night before. The White Fang want her dead. He'd never killed anyone before. Threatened, broken a few limbs, sure he's had practice at that. Murder? Never. Unless you count the warehouse. He didn't want to remind himself. His stomach felt queasy, he hated Weiss Schnee, he hated her family. He didn't want to kill her. All he ever wanted was to win. To beat her fair and see the look on her face. Murder wouldn't solve anything. The White Fang would come for him if he refuses, they would come for his family, they would destroy everything he has sacrificed himself for. He didn't want to kill anyone. Now he had no choice.

The day sped by like a blur, he avoided his team as best he could. He was worried they might find out. Perhaps they would try to stop him. He couldn't allow that, no matter how much he wanted it. His father always said, make your bed and lay in it. He had to honor that. He slammed into someone hard. He was staring up a the ceiling. He gazed down and found a suit of red armor staring down at him.

"Sorry about that Rudd." Ash said climbing to his feet. Rudd shrugged.

He felt the sickening feeling return to him. His mind was drifting back to the night before. Rudd gave another shrug. Ash let out a long sigh.

"You ever have to do something you never wanted to do?" Ash asked. Rudd responded with a shrug. "I mean like, something you would never ever want to do in a million years?"

Rudd scratched his helmet for a moment. Ash could faintly see a glimmer off his eyes through the slit in his visor. He seemed to fade out a bit, as if he was trying to catch a distant memory. Then he shrugged.

"Good talk." Ash said in a sarcastic drawl.

He remembered sitting in his father's study. It was a day like any other, he was eight years old and the world was just beginning. His father smiled down to him. Even behind stacks of binders full of legal documents and business manifests, he still always had time. He stepped away from his desk and put his arm on Ash's shoulder. That kind of warmth was something he had almost forgotten.

"Why so glum?" His father asked, the smile alone made him feel amazing. The pit in his stomach refused to budge, however.

"I made a mistake, I don't know what to do." Ash responded, his childish voice felt painful to his ears. "I don't think I can fix it."

"There isn't a mistake in the world you can't fix Ash." His father responded. He patted him on the back. "It might be hard, it might take sacrifices, but there is nothing you can't overcome."

"How?" Ash asked. His father closed his eyes for a moment.

"You just have to own up to it." His father explained calmly. Ash nodded. "Sometimes you have to face the consequences of your failure head on. Regardless of what becomes of it, you will learn from it."

"What if I can't? What if the punishment is too severe?" Ash asked. He shifted uncomfortably, his father matched his eyes and gazed cautiously.

"When you make your bed, you lay in it. When you make a mistake, you hold yourself accountable and accept the consequences. You learn from your mistake, you find the solution." He said calmly. He chuckled quietly. "So what did you do?"

Reality snapped back into focus. Hours had passed, he wandered the street alone. The sun was already starting to lower. Time had slipped between his fingers and the hour was growing late. This would be his only chance. He kept Silver Faust hidden in his coat, in a special holster. It was folded into it's revolver mode. He heard a voice whisper in his ear.

"Take the next right, three blocks down. That's where you will find her." The voice whispered. He turned his head just in time to see a hooded shape ducking down an alleyway.

Three blocks to the right, standing alone in the middle of the street, was Weiss Schnee. She was pacing back and forth, letting out frustrated sighs. It was like a passive aggressive temper tantrum. He approached cautiously. His heart was pounding in his throat, sweat dripped from his forehead. This was it. She turned in surprise.

"You dolt!" She shouted, he forgot how unpleasant she was. "You don't just sneak up on people like that!"

"I'm sorry." Ash muttered. His voice was caught in his throat. He felt his eyes water. He wasn't ready for this, he didn't want to do this. He tried to psyche himself up. He tried to convince himself he could. His heart sank deeper.

"Listen, it's okay. I didn't really mean to snap." She said. It was a different tone than he was used to. She was kind of nice. That just made this all a lot worse.

"I'm so sorry." Ash said. She looked a little confused.

He drew Silver Faust from it's holster. He flicked it out, it extended into a long saber. He swung it into an attack position. She blinked. He waited for her to realize what was happening. It didn't take long. She didn't even seem surprised, the defeated look on her face gave him the impression that she was expecting it. Like it had happened before. No panic, no fear, just a fatigued shrug. She drew her blade.

He swung, she blocked. The blades clashed together. She pushed him back and, with a quick twirl, managed to distance herself and set herself into a ready position. She carefully placed a single foot forward, tilting her head up. He swung his blade and she raised hers. He lunged. The blades collided once again. Perfect blocks repelled him. He needed to try something else. He spun around, swinging the blade in wild, random movements. Some high, some low, she repeatedly blocked. Her blade swung to try to compensate, he swung fiercely. A downward strike, she held her blade out, he forced his weight down on her. If there was one thing he could say with certainty, it was that he was heavier than her.

She flipped out of the way, Ash crashed down towards the ground. He flipped over just in time for a barrage of ice to narrowly miss his face. He jumped back to his feet, another blast of ice flew his way. Glyphs were appearing all around him, blasts sent him staggering. He flipped Silver Faust into it's gun mode and opened fire. She dodged with a series of backflips. He flicked it back and lunged at her, he found himself flipping into the air. She sent him crashing down. He hopped back to his feet and lunged. His sword missed her by inches. She spun around with the grace of a ballerina, blade aimed at his throat. He flipped out of the way and raised his blade. He lunged once more.

She grappled his blade out of his hand, a simple flick of the wrist and Silver Faust was soaring. With a quick twirl and flourish she shifted position. He felt himself wince, he wasn't sure what had happened but his side felt as if it had caught fire. Searing pain was flooding his nerves, he lowered his gaze. Her sword was sticking into his torso. Blood was dripping down his leg. He looked back at her, panic in his eyes. She met his, the same look mirrored back at him. He grabbed her blade and with his other hand he swung. A single blow straight to her jaw, she dropped like a rock. He staggered back and carefully pulled the blade out. It wasn't too deep, yet it was enough to send his entire body into a state of panic. He tried to keep pressure with one hand, reaching for Silver Faust with the other. He flicked Silver Faust into it's gun mode.

He looked down again. He looked at the blood dripping down his side. He turned his head to Silver Faust, the glow of the moon was reflecting off of it. He turned his head back to Weiss, she was staring up at him. Her face was stern but her eyes were pleading. He coughed hoarsely.

"Why are you doing this?" She asked, he couldn't tell if she was angry or scared.

"I have to do this." The words left Ash's mouth, he felt so numb that he could have sworn they came from someone else. He looked back at his weapon, then to the blood, the back to her.

"Why?" She asked. He wished he could be anywhere but here. Make your bed and lay in it. He felt sick. His gaze went back and forth once more.

He was back in his father's study. His father was smiling down at him. Nostalgia alone hurt more than his stab wound.

"So what did you do?" He asked.

"I screwed up. I broke it." Ash said, pulling out shards of what was once his father's vase. However when he looked down he saw a blood-soaked hand and a gun.

Reality was screaming. Weiss was looking up at him and he was breathing heavier with each breath. He felt his eyes welling up. He didn't know what he was supposed to do. He didn't want to kill anyone, if he didn't he'd be the one to suffer. He made this, this was his problem. He worked for them, he couldn't let his family name die out, his company dissolved, his family bankrupt. He looked back and forth. He didn't know what to do.

"You don't need to do this." She said, calmer than she usually was.

"I do." Ash replied. He raised the gun, he felt a tear dripping down his face. His mind raced back and forth. At this moment he realized something. He could see it in her eyes. The pain, the misery, she looked tired. He realized that he recognized something in her eyes. It was like looking into a mirror. The White Fang have attacked and killed members of her family, her friends, they destroy her family's property and forced her father to retaliate. They were more alike than he ever thought possible. He closed his eyes squeezed the trigger. "I am so sorry. You really don't deserve this."

"Hey buddy, think fast!" The voice came from his right, he released his finger from the trigger and turned. He turned just in time to see a gauntlet flying towards his face. A golden gauntlet.

There was a deafening crunch and he was soaring in the air. He felt pain coursing through his skull. It is amazing how much can happen in an instant. The pain surged through his body. There was a brief moment of clarity. He had made a mistake. He never should have left that prison. He should have stayed. Then his family would be free. He tempted fate by trying for a future. He didn't deserve one. Not with his mistakes. His mind raced back to his father's voice. Learn from your mistakes, find the solution. Admit your failings and own up to your mistake. That was a tall order all things considered. He hit the ground with a deafening crunch and flipped over onto his back. His vision was blurry, he could faintly make out voices.

"You okay Weiss?" The voice asked cheerfully.

"I'm fine!" Weiss spat out. There was a brief pause. Her tone changed considerably. "Thank you."

"What was all that about?" The voice asked.

"I don't know..." She said quietly. There was a brief pause. "Uh Yang?"

"Yes?" Yang asked back.

"He's getting back up." Weiss replied. Ash was pulling himself to his feet. He wasn't sure if it was just the concussion talking but his head was raging. His face had turned red. He was angry. Angry with himself. Angry with the white fang. Angry with Weiss and her friend. Angry with Beacon, with Glynda, with Cardin. His life was over, they won. It felt like the world was against him and, big surprise, the world won. It was definitely the concussion talking.

"Oh come on!" Yang shouted. She walked right up to Ash. He felt searing pain wash across his face and he was back on the ground. "Stay down!"

"Yang, he's getting back up again." Weiss said. He could hear Yang groan as he tried again to climb to his feet. There was a loud smack and he was back on the ground.

"We get it, your tough!" Yang shouted. He tried again. There was another loud smack and his head hit the pavement hard. "Do yourself a favor and just stay down."

Ash felt his hand wrapping around something. Silver Faust. He coughed and aimed it at her feet. He squeezed the trigger. There was a loud blast and he was flipping into the air. he crashed into the side of a brick building. He dropped to the ground. His body was searing in pain. He staggered back to his feet. Yang, a girl with vibrant blonde hair, was approaching him, her gauntlets raised. She lunged, he sidestepped. He flicked Silver Faust into it's blade form and swung it, she blocked with her gauntlet and punched him square in the chest. He staggered back. A sword came from behind, he barely blocked it only to receive a quick punch in the gut and a kick to the face. He deflected another strike from Weiss's blade and quickly spun around. Yang's fist was flying straight for him, he tossed some sand in her eyes and hopped out of the way. She flew right past him.

"Why are you doing this?" Weiss asked. She raised her blade. Blood dripped from it's point.

"Don't you know who I am?" Ash asked. She shook her head. He felt angrier. He stumbled out of the way of Yang's assault and fired several shots in her direction, she dove into an alley.

"You're a student at Beacon, we've met before." She answered with a shrug.

"My name, is Ashton Gray, son of Thomas, heir to the Gray Dust Company!" Ash shouted. She shrugged.

"Am I supposed to know that?" Weiss asked. "I'd never heard of it."

"Your father all but destroyed it!" Ash shouted. He staggered towards her and swung his blade down. She blocked it, he proceeded to swing his sword repeatedly down at her like a club. "Your father destroyed my family, he took everything from us. He took everything from me."

"So?" She asked. He blinked. He wasn't sure what made him more angry. That she was oblivious to his suffering or that she didn't seem to care. "I'm not my father. I know nothing about your family or it's suffering. Why are we fighting?"

"Because, they'll kill me if I don't! They might kill my family if I don't!" Ash shouted. She stepped back carefully. He felt tears dripping down his face. "I have to do this!"

"Who is going to kill your family?" She asked. She lowered her guard, he lunged. She sidestepped and smacked him in the back. He staggered about in the street like a drunk.

"Who else?" He asked. He staggered towards her again. "The White Fang!"

"The White Fang?" She asked. She took a moment to pause. "If they threaten your family then they are your enemy. They are my enemies too."

"So?" Ash asked. He swung again, she flipped out of the way. He collapsed in the street.

"Last time I checked, the enemy of my enemy is my friend." She replied. He pulled himself to his feet and staggered around.

"Friends?" He asked, he raised his blade again.

"Well not as far as that but at least not trying to kill each other." She said with a shrug.

"I..." He started mouthing the rest of his sentence but wasn't quite sure what he was even trying to say. He swayed back and forth on the spot. She raised her hand out.

"Here, let's end this right now. We'll shake on it." She said holding her hand outstretched. He stared at it. Weiss Schnee, offering a truce. He shook his head and closed his eyes. Everything was a blur, he tried to think. He reached out his hand.

The fist collided with his head, he stumbled over and rolled out of the way. Weiss was shouting at her friend but he couldn't make out the words. The world was ringing. He flipped onto his feet, almost falling over and swung his blade blindly. There was a shriek and he saw strands of golden hair falling to the ground.

"YOU MONSTER!" The Yang shrieked, he looked up and found Yang's gauntlet flying towards his face, behind it her hair a flaming mane.

He blocked her first hit, her second clipped his shoulder. Another hit him right in the gut, then another in the leg. There was a loud crack as she hit him square in the jaw. It felt like it almost unhinged. His legs buckled. He wasn't sure how many times he was hit afterwards, or even where he was hit. It was like a constant surge of pain, an endless barrage of strikes. He was soaring through the air and with another painful crunch he slammed into the side of a building. He hit the ground hard. He could barely hear, let alone see.

"Yang!" Weiss shouted. "What is wrong with you?"

"Did you see what he did to my hair!" Yang shouted back. Weiss let out a sigh.

"I was talking him down. He cuts a strand of your hair and that gives you the right to attack him?" Weiss asked. Yang sounded like she was trying to talk but was quickly interrupted. "Next time maybe you should learn some tact."

"Tact?" She asked. "Well excuse me princess! I was only trying to save your life!"

"My life didn't need saving..." Weiss was interrupted by a loud explosion. It sounded like it was coming from the harbor.

"We have to go!" Yang shouted, Weiss stamped her feet. "Come on. It could be Ruby or Blake!"

"We can't just leave him bloody in the street." Weiss pointed out, Yang hung her head.

"Yeah you're right." She said quietly. She turned around a knelt down. "Hey anger issues. You able to find your way back to Beacon? Is all this done?"

"Yeah." Ash groaned. His body felt like it was on fire. "I'm done."

"Good! As long as you're done with your little fit, we'll forget this ever happened." Yang said. She patted him on the shoulder firmly. His body felt numb. He was done, the White Fang will make sure of that. "Don't try this again or we won't be so gentle. Next time we meet you better hope I'm in a better mood."

They ran off, Ash could faintly see them disappear into the darkness. He couldn't move. His vision blurred and he felt himself falling asleep. He lost. It was over.

He awoke to the sounds of sirens. He staggered to his feet, wobbling more than a little. It was as if every bone in his body had broken and then mended. The pain was pretty hard to bear. He needed a drink. He limped down the street, his head pounding and his breathing heavier and heavier. He staggered into a dusty bar. It was late enough the entire establishment was practically abandoned. The vacant chairs were stacked neatly on the tables, only one other person sat at the counter. He slumped into a chair next to him and hailed the barkeep.

"Well well, you look like you've been through a ringer!" The man next to him exclaimed excitedly. The man wore a fine white suit and a black bowler cap. His hair was a fiery orange. He looked horribly familiar, he just couldn't place him.

"In a manner of speaking." Ash replied, the barkeep placed a glass in front of him. He downed it quickly. His throat burned, it numbed the pain everywhere else.

"So, what happened?" The man asked. Ash quietly chuckled.

"Lady trouble." Ash replied. The man nodded slightly.

"Had a little of that myself." The man said. "It seems to be going around."

"Ashton." Ash introduced himself, sticking his hand out. "Ashton Gray."

"Roman." The man replied, a long smile across his face. "Roman Torchwick."

"Pleasure to meet you." Ash said with a smile, raising his glass. Roman met it with his.

"The pleasure is all mine." Roman's smile grew wider. "Perhaps this is the start to a very fruitful friendship."

"Words right out of my mouth." Ash smiled back.

The White Fang would be pretty pissed at him, on top of that he imagines he's made a few enemies back at Beacon. To hell with it, he thought. He downed his glass. They'd have to form a line. He thought about what Weiss offered, an alliance of sorts. They didn't have to be enemies. Then again that's right before her crazy friend attacked him over her hair. He figured that sort of 'friendship' wouldn't last long. Roman raised his glass.

"To lady trouble, may we find mutual solutions." He said, there was something to his smile. Ash met his glass.

"To lady trouble." Ash nodded.

-End of Volume 1-