Blake's P.O.V.
As I crouched on the rooftop, hidden in the shadows, I listened to the shouting coming from below.
"YOU HEARD WHAT SHE SAID! ITS HER FAULT! ITS ALL HER FAULT! SHE WAS RIGHT, SHE DOESNT DESERVE OUR HELP! DAD WAS RIGHT! FAUNUS ARE ALL LYING, FILTHY, TRAITORS! Then silence. Then I heard sobbing.
"Ruby," that was Weiss' voice. "I've never seen you like this. It's okay. It's okay. Calm down. You're just angry."
After a few minutes, I realized that tears were running down my face. Ruby, who was as close to me as a sister, who had saved me when everything looked bleak. She hated me. She was right, though. It was all my fault, all her pain, all her suffering. If only I had said something, anything. But no, I hadn't done anything to resist the monster Adam was trying to make me into. While we had been fighting, I had realized why I had recognized Ruby the first time I saw her. Her mother was the woman, the one with silver eyes. The others I assumed had been killed by Adam, or a lesser soldier. The same silver eyes, open with that same determination Ruby had when fighting. the wound, the life pouring out of her. It was frozen in my mind forever. I could have done something. But I had done it. I had pulled the trigger. I felt stupid for not making the connection before. Ruby's silver eyes and dark red hair, the same pale skin and seemingly fragile build as Weiss. When I couldn't bear it anymore, I put on my bow, and descended the side of the building at a reckless pace, not caring if I hurt myself. I dropped the last story and rolled, then came up running. I ran to the edge of the property, then caught the bus into Vale. I only knew one thing that could calm me down: books.
I had learned to read in the White Fang. It was a necessity, for obvious reasons. But the first time I had ever read a recreational book was while I was recovering in the hospital. It had opened up a whole new world for me, a way to escape the real world. When I read, my own self, my life, my world melted before my eyes and I became someone else, somewhere else. When I read, it was like I was dreaming. Except that I always remembered it. I got off the bus at the stop in front of the library. I washed my face in the water fountain, to get rid of any trace of my tears, then entered the large building. My mind was instantly blown. I had never seen so many books before, not even in the Schnee house library. And right in the middle of the room was a large, comfy-looking lavender loveseat. I walked over to a shelf and grabbed a book at random. I sat down on the loveseat and began devouring books like a machine. The first one was a trashy romance novel about ninjas, which I enjoyed, oddly enough. Then I read a strange fiction novel about a man who had two souls. Each one wanted control of his body, and the battle between the two was slowly tearing him apart. This one was an instant favorite, and I noted down the title, for later recollection. I read one about a man during the Faunus war who had realized that what the Humans were doing was wrong, and he died fighting for the Faunus. I was particularly touched by that one. Lastly, I read the story of a young princess who falls in love with a man she meets in the market. Her father doesn't approve, and he threatens the man never to come back. He tells his daughter that he is dead, and she slips into depression. Eventually she finds a clue that the man is still alive, and she goes in a great journey to find him. Just as I finished the last page, the nice-looking old librarian tapped me on the shoulder, causing me to jump.
"Miss, the library is closing. Do you want to check any of these out?"
I shook my head.
"No thank you. Should I put them away?" She smiled at me.
"Don't worry about it, I'll put them back. You just get home safely, alright dear?" I nodded.
"I will."
As I left the library, I realized that there were about 15 minutes until midnight, when I had promised to meet Sun in the garden. The buses weren't running this late, and I needed to stretch my legs after sitting for seven hours. Seven hours? I thought. How is that even possible? So I decided to jog back to the house. I realized that I couldn't return home now, so I resolved to ask Sun if I could stay at his place tonight. I turned down an alley that was a shortcut to another street that would take me into the Schnee grounds. About halfway down the alley, three thugs caught me by surprise. I managed to escape, but just before I could get out of there, one of them snagged the ribbon on my weapon, which was attached to my back, pulling it off. He was wearing a black vest and black dress pants, and a red tie, and a well-trimmed black goatie.
"Well, well. What do we have here? A custom weapon? Only rich people, fancy academy students and high-ranking white fang members get access to the materials to make these. And since neither a richie or a student would be out in this dark alleyway... I bet you've got a pair of cat ears under that bow! How's it feel, having someone know your secret, kitty?" As he said this, I was planning my escape. Punch that guy, get Gambol back, jump on that dumpster and onto the- a rough pair of hands grabbed my wrists. Well, there goes that plan. I was trapped like a rat, weapon less and restrained.
"We don't like the White Fang, do we, boys? We'll just have to teach her a lesson." He cracked his knuckles threateningly. "Hold her."
I tensed, realizing what he was about to-oof. He punched me, hard, right in the gut. "Like that, huh? I'm just getting started." Suddenly there was a whoosh of air and a loud crash, like someone had broken the concrete. As it turns out, someone had. And that someone was on fire.
"I knew you liked hitting on girls, but really, Junior? This is a bit too far." She grinned at the joke she had just made, then got into a fighting stance. What was she gonna fight him wi- oh. There were two metal yellow bracelets on her wrists. As she positioned herself, they expanded into full in gauntlets, wrapped in- were those bullet casings? Apparently they were, because the girl air-punched the ground, sending a shot downwards and throwing herself into the air. The men let go of me in fear, and Junior was cursing.
"Sweetheart- Blondie- Sir, please! We'll let her go! Please!" I grabbed for my weapon, yanking it out of Juniors hand. I saw what was about to happen, and managed to do a back handspring out of the way just before she landed. She pinched the ground, sending up a shockwave and throwing thugs everywhere.
"I saw you punch her." For the first time, I noticed that her eyes were red. Funny. I had thought they were lavender a second ago...
"Sir! Please! I'm sorry!" Junior was on his knees now begging her not to hurt him. The blonde girl considered this.
"Only if you get me that Strawberry Sunrise next time I'm in your club."
"Okay, okay!" She took a step back, her gauntlets retreating back into bracelets, and Junior scampered off like a mouse. For the first time, I was able to get a good look at the girl, she was rather... Busty. She was wearing an orange scarf over a brown leather jacket and a yellow shirt underneath with the pattern of a flaming heart on it. She was wearing super short shorts and an odd belt with long brown tassels hanging down, almost like a skirt, with the same symbol on it. She had yellow socks, one pulled up over her knee and one up to the edge of her boot. Under her gauntlets were thin black fingerless gloves.
She had a huge wild mane of blonde hair. Her eyes were purple again. Had I imagined the redness? That was the most logical answer. Oh, and she was no longer on fire. That had also probably just been the light coming off of her shining yellow hair. She held her hand out to me.
"Hi!" She said. Why was she so perky? I shook her hand.
"Um... Hi?"
"My name is Yang. Yang Xiao Long."
"Nice to meet you." Her hand was soft, and warm. Her amethyst eyes seemed to be looking through my orange ones like windows. After a moment, I realized why I was here.
"Listen, thanks for saving me, and I hope to see you around, but I've got to go."
"Alright." She said. "I uh, I didnt catch your name..."
"I didnt give it."
"oh, okay then. See you later!" She waved at me. I took one last look into her eyes, then turned around and took off running. Wow, I thought to myself. She's pretty. Those eyes... Lavender was my favorite color. I turned the corner, out of the alley, sprinting the last few blocks. Finally, I came up to the property fence. I climbed up a tree and leaped over, rolling as I landed. I stood, and strolled into the center of the garden, where a familiar blonde boy was hanging upside down from a statue.
"You're late."
"Yeah, I lost track of time." No way was I about to admit I had been defeated by a couple street thugs. Sun let go with his tail and flipped as he fell, landing on his feet.
"So. What's your story?"
We sat down on a nearby bench. "Sun... Have you ever heard of the White Fang?"
"'Course. I don't think there's a Faunus on the planet who hasn't heard of them. Stupid, holier-then-now creeps who use force to get whatever they want." I had committed now, there was no going back.
"I... Was a member for most of my life, actually. You could almost say I was born into it." I went on to explain how the White Fang was meant to be a symbol of unity between Humans and the Faunus after the War, but Faunus were still mistreated. I told him how we hadn't been making a difference until, five years ago, my father took over. Our protests turned violent, we began hurting people, killing them. Four months ago I had been unable to take it anymore.
"And so I tried to run away. But my father got in my way, and I was forced to fight him. He won, leaving a huge gash in my side. He left me in a dark alleyway to die. Abandonment was intolerable. And then Ruby found me, and adopted me. The rest you know." He was quiet for a few seconds.
"Does he know you're still alive? Adam?" I shook my head.
"No. If he did, I'd be dead."
"What about the Schnees? Do they know?"
"Well," I responded slowly. "The sisters know. I had to tell them the night I met you. But their father doesn't. He'd probably kill me if he knew." Sun got really quiet.
"You know how big of a risk you're taking, right? With Adam a perpetual danger, and Mr. Schnee." I nodded silently. "You know," he said. "If you get in trouble, you can always come to my place. I live with my friend Neptune. He's a total playboy, got his own house and everything, but he's really nice once you get to know him." I thought about this for a few seconds. I couldn't go back home, at least not yet. I answered tentatively.
"I... I think I'll take you up on that, if possible. I sort of... Jumped out the window. Again." He raised one eyebrow.
"Again? You really need to stop doing that. Come on, let's get you home, it's late." We stood up, and began the walk back to Neptune's house. When we got there, Sun pulled a key out of one of his jeans pockets and let himself in.
"Hey Blake," he asked. "When was the last time you ate?" As he said this, I realized how hungry I was.
"A while ago." I answered. He started walking towards what I assumed was the kitchen. When we walked into the room, I saw a tall man with a red jacke, black fingerless gloves, yellow goggles, and... Blue hair? He stood up.
"Sun! Where were you? I was worried!" Sun laughed.
"Neptune, I can protect myself. You know how I can get myself out of trouble." For the first time, Neptune noticed me.
"Really Sun? Bringing girls home already? You just moved in here." Sun and I both blushed.
"No!" He protested. "Not like that! She just needs a place to stay for a little while! Blake, this is Neptune Vasilias. Neptune, this is Blake..."
"Schnee." I finished for him. Neptune's eyes widened, a lot like Sun's had when I first told him.
"Wait, what? That's impossible! I was at a party at the Schnee manor just a few nights ago, and I've never seen you before! There are only two Schnee children: Ruby and Weiss." Hearing their names upset me slightly, for a few seconds I didn't say anything. Then I reached up and took off my bow. Taking a deep breath, I said
"That's because my position is both illegal and embarrassing to Mr. Schnee. I'm Ruby's pet." Neptune looked shocked, then I saw a hint of recognition in his eyes.
"Ruby mentioned you once. Weiss had to cover it up, claiming that you were her pet cat, and that you stayed upstairs because you didn't like large crowds. Now I understand why Ruby was so angry. She doesn't think of Faunus as animals. How did she end up with a Faunus pet?"
Sun cut in.
"Neptune, we'll explain in the morning. Could you get her a room, please, while we get some food?"
He nodded.
"Of course. You two must be tired."
As Neptune left the room, Sun grabbed a pot and some soup and set it on the stove.
"Neptune doesn't believe in keeping servants, unlike his parents. In fact, the only reason he ever spoke to a Faunus thief like myself was to poss them off. Of course, our friendship means more than that now." As Sun continued on about Neptune, I took in our surroundings. The kitchen was pretty simple. A fridge, an oven, a stove, a sink. There was also a toaster, but strangely, no microwave. Sun noticed that I was looking around, and he smiled.
"Did you notice the lack of microwave? Neptune would never admit it, but he loves to cook. He has a vendetta against microwave dinners." He handed me a bowl of soup.
"Eat up. I'll be right back, I'm gonna go help Neptune set up your room." He turned to leave.
"Hey Sun?" I asked quietly.
"Yeah?"
"I just wanted to say. Thank you."
"You're welcome." He smiled at me, then left me to my soup. When he retuned, he grabbed my bowl and put it in the sink. "Come on. Neptune went to bed. I'll show you where you'll be sleeping." I followed him out of the kitchen, into a room with plain white walls, and a nice fluffy comforter on the bed. Sun nodded at me, then closed the door. I collapsed on the bed in full clothing, and barely had time to be thankful that someone else was taking care of me for once before I fell straight asleep.
Just as I promised. Yang is here! I'm rather inexperienced at writing romance, but I'm trying my best! Neptune always did seem like a rebellious rich kid to me, but I didn't realize it until I needed a place for Blake to stay, and I also needed a way to introduce Neptune... it just sorta came together. Also, I'd like to recommend a story called The Days of Winter, by mikotyzini. It's about what happens when Weiss' older sister comes and stays in team RWBY's dorm. It's also a BumbleBY story. Reviews are welcome, if I messed up, let me know!