The Huntress of Vale
Chapter 3:
Mrs. Goodwitch sat in her office drumming her fingers as she waited somewhat patiently for the troublesome girl. The lunch period had begun and Mrs. Goodwitch was getting restless as well as annoyed that the girls had failed to both commit to the meeting time on only their second meeting.
Suddenly, loud footsteps could be heard coming towards the door and with this Mrs. Goodwitch got up and opened the door for the blonde who had her hand ready to knock looking as though she was a deer caught in headlights.
"Enter Miss Xiao Long," She said before returning to her desk.
Yang sat down and waited for Mrs. Goodwitch to sit before explaining herself. "I'm so sorry. I was late to school and everything is just so CRAZY today and … whatever it doesn't matter…" Yang finished her apology in exasperation and out of breath as the run across the school that she had to perform in order to get to Mrs. Goodwitch's office in a somewhat timely manner had left her very out of breath.
"It seems as though you girls are giving me all sorts of grief today" Mrs. Goodwitch stated as she began getting her things in order to begin the meeting.
"How so?" Yang said finally catching her breath.
"Well, first Miss Fall said she would not be able to make this particular meeting. Saying she didn't feel like it." Yang internally rolled her eyes to this news but responded to the news with a sweet tone "She's such a joker isn't she."
Mrs. Goodwitch gave her questioning glare before letting it go. "Also it seems Miss Belladonna is very out of it this morning acting very peculiar... as well as sleeping in my classroom."
"Oh that's news to me," Yang said but in reality knowing why she had fallen asleep in class.
"Yes well this is a matter for Professor Ozpin… Anyway let us begin going over more details for the production." Mrs. Goodwitch said writing as she did so.
"Why do you do this to your self Blake" Yang thought to herself inwardly sighing and hoping Blake didn't get into to much trouble.
Blake Belladonna sat in the dark at her desk in her room. The time of day was unknown to her at this point as the make shift blind did a good job of keeping the sun/moon light out.
The room wasn't very big but it had everything Blake needed and in her mind that was perfect. Her family wasn't exactly wealthy which the pre-owned books that scattered the floor indicated. But she had family and friends as well as school to focus on. The only reason she found the room perfect was that it was hers alone and it allowed for silence and solitude.
Although today a sound elicited from the blonde girl who lay on the bed next to her.
Yang and Blake had been hard at work all day and night trying to complete a script or at least make the groundwork on an idea on which they could expand upon. Reading scripts and just discussing ideas had gotten the ideas flowing and had started what was a good idea for a script.
But now with the Yang asleep Blake felt it necessary to examine what they had written.
Her eyes were scanning the words she had written on the page over and over again. Re-reading, re-evaluating and always coming to the same conclusion.
This isn't good enough. She hated the words she had written and couldn't see the possibility of this ever being worthy. When compared to the literature and writing she loved.
Casting the script aside and leaving it idle among the other discarded attempt of plot or stories that were meant to be a script that would capture the hearts and minds of people she opened up her laptop and began typing again.
As time went by it was becoming increasingly hard to focus and keep her eyes open but she needed something now, anything, any kind of idea to formulate into something she could at least begin to build on.
And with these thoughts in her mind Blake attempted to carry on…
The sun eventually came up and crept its way through the window next to the bed finding holes in the make shift blind that would eventually land directly and the Blonde girls face.
This woke the blonde girl from her slumber, she hissed as the sunlight ruined her vision and ripped her from what was a peaceful rest. She reached for her scroll in her pocket and looked at the time. It was late but she was sure it was Sunday so it didn't really matter. "
Wait…" the blonde thought as her eyes continued to adjust.
"Its Monday" She said out loud finally sitting upright on the bed realising she had worn the clothes she had worn yesterday to bed.
But not before realising something else.
"This isn't my room," she said to herself again. Panning around to view the space.
"Correct, it's my room" Blake said staring at a computer screen.
"What the hell Blake… You" Yang shouted as she had almost been scarred half to death. Yang recomposed herself before getting up out of the bed. "Sorry for borrowing your bed last night" Again realising something was wrong she walked over to Blake stepping over piles of paper and scattered books that lay the foundations of Blake Belladonna's room.
"Whoa Blake I don't get how you can deal with all this mess on your floor" Yang looked to one and picked it up reading it briefly, she recognised what it was and felt herself inwardly sigh as well as feel resentful for letting herself fall asleep on Blake during the middle of writing the script.
"Hey" Yang in a regretful tome trying to get Blake's attention but already knowing what the quiet girls answer would be, "isn't this what we came up with yesterday" holding the script up. Blake didn't respond or turn around, Instead she continued to type away at her laptop.
"Blakeeee~" Yang chimed trying to grab the attention of the girl "Why was this thrown away?" Yang said with more assertion in her tone. She attempted to spin Blake in her chair. But the seated girl slapped Yang's hand away. "Blake seriously what's the big deal? Talk to me!" Yang said as she grabbed the side of the chair and in a swift motion forced the Blake to face her.
"Blake…" Yang raised her hand to the back of her head feeling awkward as she looked at the quiet girl. "Blake please lets talk about this" Yang said in a quieter tone. Blake didn't care for Yang's attempt at talk and instead spun around again and tried to continue working.
"Blake stop ignoring me. Why was this thrown away!?" Yang said with mixed feelings of anger as well as concern for her friend and her actions. "Talk to me Blake" Yang said again standing behind the other girl as she continued to type on her computer.
Blake seeing no more point to avoiding Yang she turned swivelled around in her chair and looked up to the blonde girl.
With an exasperated sigh Blake looked at the script and said, "It isn't…" Blake couldn't find the words to explain what she felt at this point. She had been up for so long and was so tired the words just couldn't come and she felt angry as well as saddened.
All she knew at this point was that the script just wasn't right.
A loud tearing sound could be heard which seemingly snapped Blake out of her trance. She turned to see Yang tear the script in half and then let it fall to the floor. "If its not the one. Its not the one" Yang said quietly whispering before perking up and apologising as she picked up the paper and put it into the bin near Blake's desk.
"Well I'm going to go home and be late for school," Yang said as she checked her scroll that had many messages from Tai Yang as well as Ruby. "Wish me luck" and with that the Blonde girl began her run down the stair.
Polite good mornings and goodbyes to Blake parents could be heard before the door sounded opening and closing.
Yang didn't ask for a reason or even question Blake's decision that the script wasn't right or at least try to defend the idea so they wouldn't have to come up with a new one. She was just with her. With that she decided it was time to take a break but not before looking at the time.
"Oh no"
"Why did I end up here?" Blake thought, one minute she was in her literature class and the next she was outside of Professor Ozpin's office awaiting what could be punishment for misbehaving, Although Blake didn't believe sleeping in class to be "misbehaving".
"You may enter" the Professor said from inside his office. With tired movements Blake enter the room and shut the door behind her before sitting down at one of the seats on the tables in front of Professor Ozpin's table.
The Professor was currently browsing through his scroll but looked up as soon as his student sat in front of him casting his scroll aside. "Well this is rare," He said as he rearranged his glasses to see the girl before him. Blake didn't respond opting to look downcast. "It isn't often that one of my top students such as your self is sent into my office". He said again trying to get her attention.
"Sorry, It's not often I fall asleep in class either" Blake said looking up to meet Professor Ozpin's concerned look. "What seems to be the matter Miss Belladonna?" He said again now brining his arms up to rest his head on his hands.
"Well I'm just having some personal issues at the moment sir… they just happened to catch up on me at school" Blake said avoiding eye contact with the teacher before him instead opting to look at the hands she held together in her lap.
"Is this to do with the schools end of year production by chance?" Professor Ozpin said. This took Blake aback, "You know I'm writing the script?" Blake said.
"Yes I am always kept up to date with my students especially in the arts program, Glynda has told me a lot about the work in literature you produce so I am already expecting a good performance regardless of whether you believe it yourself." Blake offered the Professor a weak smile but remained quiet preferring to look to the ground.
Seeing first hand that this was in fact the cause for her unusual behaviour the Professor continued, "You know Miss Belladonna, neither by fate or by chance you, Miss Xiao Long and Miss Fall have been given a great opportunity that few students have been able to take at this school. You all stride in your respective abilities and that is why you have been given such an opportunity." Lifting himself out of his chair he proceeded to get a book off of the top shelf.
Blake watched carefully as the Professor wiped away the dust on said book and viewed it with a small yet bitter smile. As if looking for the next words he was about to say.
"Mr's Belladonna what is your favourite fairy tale?" Professor Ozpin with a sly smile.
"I… don't exactly follow" Blake said not certain as to where the Professor was trying to say.
"Is there anything that inspires you to pursue your interest in writing like no else? Is there a form of fiction or fantasy that you see above all others and that you appreciate in its meaning the most?" He said with the book still in his grasp.
Blake seriously thought about the questions she had just been asked. However nothing came to mind. Although she had read more then people would consider "healthy" what did define her experience?
"Well it could simply be that the troubles you are experiencing may be coming from a lack of clarity and end goal in mind." Ozpin said as he sat back down in his chair.
"Might you try this?" Professor Ozpin said as he handed over the seemingly prized book to the dark themed girl.
Blake's golden eyes read the title "The Huntress of Vale". The book itself was nothing amazing looking very tattered possibly from being read multiple times. The Professor watched in interest as Blake inspected the book before beginning.
"Blake, I can't have a student such as yourself fretting as well as sleeping in class therefore I think it would be wise to excuse you for the day so you will be ready for tomorrow. However do read this book I have given you when you get the chance I'm sure it will find you well."
Blake now at home and in her room once again collapsed dropping her things and attempted to sleep. However the short nap she had had in Mrs. Goodwitch's class has seemingly given her the energy needed to avoid sleep at this current time.
Looking across with her face buried in her pillow she saw the book given to her by Professor Ozpin poking out of her bag.
"What else can I do?" She thought to her self drearily as sleep had not come, "Maybe inspiration will just hit me."
Little did she know that in that time of delusional despair as she read the book and delved within a world full of monsters known as "Grimm", war between oppression, war between schools and ultimate despair that had totally twisted what she expected from reading the beginning of the seemingly childish book given to her from Professor Ozpin...
Inspiration would grace itself in Blake's presences.
Not bothering to check the time or even get out of her school uniform she sat to her laptop and with that Blake began writing.
A/N Heyyyyyyyyyyyyy so I wrote a chapter. I hope you enjoy. Volume 3 was pretty great. Can't wait for Volume 4 :)
-PH1LEX