Darkness.
It surrounded her; robbed her of sight and mind; crawled on her skin like a million slimy bugs.
Time raced fast and slow, huge gaps of nothingness in-between.
She felt herself being torn apart, losing all sensation of being, yet being even more.
She was everywhere, and nowhere.
And then the agony ended.
Blake's eyes snapped open, her amber irises glowing faintly in the dark. Her wrists and ankles were bound to a stony bed. Water dripped from the ceiling and splashed on the floor somewhere near her. Every drop rang in her ears like a temple's bell.
She felt strange, as if some invisible layer had been dismantled around her. She could feel air brushing against her skin as if it were a breeze. Her already sharp vision was even sharper, allowing her to make out every detail of the rocky ceiling above her. Something drummed near her head; it took her a while to realize it was her own heartbeat, though it was far too infrequent.
Her memories came back to her bit by bit. The raid. Her fury at Torchwick. Returning to the fort. Adam's proposal. Accepting. And now she was immobile in a bed in a dingy basement.
Had she been tricked? No, it didn't make any sense. What reason would Adam have to lie to her about an awesome power that would allow her to kill Summer Rose? If he wanted her gone, all he had to do was kill her. He was stronger than her, she was sure, and nobody would miss her. Easy as breathing.
The only logical conclusion was that he had been afraid of the stone's power. From the vague memories of her painful transformation, Blake knew his fears had been justified. A person could go insane under such agony – she would have, if she hadn't suffered enough in her life already.
What power did she wield now? Adam had said it would match Summer's magic. So, was it magic too? Would she now be capable of twisting people's thoughts and release fire from her hands? She didn't feel well about any of that.
Her ears perked up as another sound joined the rhythm of the water drops, a lone pair of footsteps in the distance. Blake laid back on her bed, thinking it would be better if her visitor thought she was asleep. A couple minutes after, the light of a torch flooded the room, and Roman Torchwick appeared at her side.
"Well, well," he smiled. "Cat's still napping. Thanks for making the job easier."
With his free hand, he fished for something in his coat and retrieved a small vial containing a green liquid. He flicked the lid off and brought the vial closer to Blake's mouth. Her nostrils were invaded by a horrible stench, and tears stung behind her tightly-shut eyes. Her stomach turned and turned.
"Good night."
Blake gritted her teeth and shook her head without warning, slamming it against Roman's hand. The vial jumped from his grip and shattered against a wall, its content spilling hopelessly on the floor.
For a moment, the crime lord seemed startled as he took several steps backwards, until he stopped and stared at her furiously.
"You are one clever kitten," he muttered. "Tricking me."
"You would poison me?!" Blake shouted, not holding back a drop of her anger. "We're on the same side – or at least we should be! What do you think will happen to you now?!"
"Nothing, I believe, since you won't be leaving this bed alive," he produced a knife from his coat. "I didn't want it to be like this, you know? Too bloody - easy incrimination. Taurus wouldn't be able to lift a finger against me, of course, but it would be rather bothersome to deal with him. And, well… I do have a heart."
"No, you don't," she said. "You're just a sorry shell of a man, Torchwick. You have no soul, much less a heart. How many people have you killed to get your way?!"
Roman tilted his head and smirked, as if he found her question amusing.
"You are deceptively naïve, kitten. How many people have I killed? What about you? Do you know the number off the top of your head?" He chuckled. "No, you don't. Nobody does – and that's fine! Because this – lying, stealing, skulking around, murdering – this is what we have to do to live in this world. And that, my dear," he raised his knife above her head. "Is what I plan to keep doing. Lying, stealing, skulking around, and-"
Blake screamed and pushed against her bindings, and she felt something come over her. Shadows swirled around her like smoke as she lunged at Roman, free. His eyes widened in horror and surprised as they crashed against a wall and Blake tore his knife from his hand.
Adrenaline pumping through her body, Blake swung the knife vertically. Roman gurgled, blood pouring from his throat, before he fell to the floor. A red pool formed around him. His torch still burned on the ground nearby.
Blake blinked, and suddenly she was at the bed again. Torchwick was still dead, or dying. Leather held her tightly in place.
"W-what?" She croaked, pushing against her restraints. "N-no. Out!"
She pushed again, and this time, she remained lying down – while shadows swirled on the bed beside her, forming a shadowy version of herself. Blake stared, transfixed, then nodded towards her bindings. The shadow worked at them fast with her hands, and after a few seconds, she was free.
Blake stood in front of her shadow, wondering if it would answer if she talked to it. An instant later, the being dispersed and rejoined with her.
"Blood and bones," she swore under her breath. "My shadow's unbound. My shadow's unbound…"
She looked down at Torchwick. His knife laid next to his head, its blade red with blood. She picked it up and wiped it on her clothes while thinking of her next move.
She had to pay a visit to a certain someone.
The town square was just as Weiss remembered it during her first visit, full of merchants, children running around, and guards doing patrol. Before, she had been in the company of Ruby, Blake and Yang, but now she was alone. She knew even coming close to the place was dangerous.
She had cut her hair to fall down to her shoulders, but its pale coloration was still far too recognizable. She hoped the ragged hood she had gathered on the streets would be enough to conceal most of it. Her rapier was another case entirely, though. She left it at the corner she had taken for herself, hidden from greedy eyes.
Then again, maybe she should have brought it with her and sold it for a small fortune. It was a royal heirloom, after all. But she wasn't ready to do that yet.
After taking a deep breath, Weiss walked into the plaza, very aware of how she stood out amongst everyone else. Small girl, but not childish complexion, dressed in a dirty dress made of worn-out fabric. She imagined bells ringing inside her head, warning her of danger.
But she was so hungry.
She stopped before a vendor's tent and looked down at his wares. Apples, grapes, bread, cheese. Somehow, he'd managed to keep a decent ware midway through winter. Well, the food looked a little… unhealthy, to her eyes, but she was past the point of being picky.
Five coins for an apple – and her world came crashing down. The vendor had his back turned to her, shuffling through a chest on his knees. The perfect opportunity.
Her stomach rumbled, but her hands refused to move. She felt sick, but she doubted it was entirely because of the hunger. Theft? Was this how far she was willing to lower herself? She was – had been the Queen of Vale. Why should she sit on its throne if she resorted to stealing from her own people?
Cursing herself and her standards, Weiss turned away and marched outside the plaza at a brisk pace. Just as she arrived at a narrow street, someone whistled above her, making her halt and look up in surprise.
A young man was sitting on a rooftop, his legs dangling over the edge carelessly. He had short blond hair and, to Weiss' indignation, was wearing nothing but pants and an open vest which displayed his chest for anyone to see.
"Hey. Good show," he said cheerfully. "Always warms my heart to see one of us take a better path."
"W-what?" Weiss asked, too startled to follow his meaning.
"Sheesh. Sorry. Guess you haven't been out here for long," he waved his hands apologetically. "The name's Sun. Fifteen. You?"
"Snow," she replied carefully. "Seventeen."
"Uh, by fifteen, I meant fifteen years I've been on the streets. I'm putting you at a week, at most?"
Weiss dropped her shoulders. Not that much, but close enough. She felt like a child, all of a sudden.
"Don't worry. It gets better with time," Sun smiled. "Want a banana?"
He tossed her a fruit without waiting for an answer. Weiss almost didn't catch it.
"But…" She frowned. "Why? I can't repay you."
"Just looking out for the good ones. I don't need anything in return," Sun got up. "Anyway, I gotta go. If you ever need a place to stay, go to Brittle Alley, yellow house, kind of broken down. There's a chalk drawing of a monkey on the wall, you can't miss it. I've got like, thirty more bananas there."
That's a whole month worth of bananas, Weiss thought. She was once again reminded how weird a turn her life had taken – she was counting days by bananas, now.
Before she could say anything, Sun turned around and ran, just in time for her to see a furry monkey tail poking out of his pants. Weiss blinked several times, as if to make sure she was seeing things properly.
On the way to Adam's room, Blake took the opportunity to test her new powers. When a couple of faunus came around a corner, she hid at a shadowy space between two torches, and to her delight, found that their eyes passed over her like she wasn't even there. The darkness seemed to embrace her like a warm lover.
She also discovered that she could send out her shadow ahead of her, then join with it where it stood in the blink of an eye. It was disorientating, and she almost threw up the first time she did it, but the usefulness of the ability was undeniable.
The only thing she wished to determine but couldn't, was how strong her shadow was. It was tangible, that much was certain, as it had been able to wield Torchwick's knife and break her free, but aside from that, would it be able to fight as well as herself?
A question for another time – perhaps very soon.
Blake stopped before Adam's door, wondering what to do. She couldn't just enter. No, this wasn't a simple visit. She needed to make sure he understood who she was and what she was about.
She invoked her shadow and bid it to pass through the door, its wavering form compacting beneath it before appearing at the other side. Then, she took a deep breath… and surged to it.
Blake appeared inside the room, just beside Adam, who was sitting behind a desk, writing a letter. He looked up and cursed, and for a moment, she thought he would attack her. Blake smiled humorlessly.
"The stone worked," Adam said, trying to keep an even tone. "Or so it appears."
"It did. As you said, the gift it gave me is indeed very powerful," Blake narrowed her eyes. "Roman Torchwick is dead at the basement you had me held at. He tried to poison me. I didn't let him."
Adam tried to appear surprised, but she saw right through his ruse.
"You knew he would do that, just as you knew he was killing your people during missions," Blake accused, her fists clenched at her sides. "You are a snake, Adam. I knew it from the start, but I let you talk me into this mess regardless."
"And? Ever since the White Fang rescued you from near death, has anything bad happened to you? No. In fact, you've grown stronger," Adam crossed his arms. "But you're angry at me, because you think I'm a liar. I haven't uttered a single lie in your presence. I seek to take this city and make it the faunus'."
"And if that means dealing with witches, watching your kin die, and using me as a test subject…" Blake laughed bitterly. "Well, I guess that's just the price we pay for freedom, right?"
Adam stared at her for a long time, as if to divine what she was thinking. Finally, he stood up and leaned forward, pressing his hands against his desk.
"This city made you, Belladonna. Every part of it. The slaves, the nobles, the Rose girl, and most importantly – me," he said in a low tone. "I gave you this power. You owe me your obedience."
"No," she stated. "I'm done listening to anyone. Goodbye, Adam."
Her shadow left her body and passed through the door behind her, and then, she was at the hallway once again. She heard the sound of object falling to the ground, then Adam cursing and racing to the door. Without a second thought, Blake turned and ran.
To Weiss' delight, the banana was not so bad as she had expected. While there were plenty of fruits more to her taste, it did fill her stomach for the first time in days.
She was reluctant to enjoy the gift because of who it had come from, and she knew it. A faunus, helping her out of the goodness of his heart. She wondered if he would have done the same if he had known who she really was – and she wondered even more where he had obtained the accursed banana. Probably stolen from under a merchant's nose…
Weiss pursed her lips and shook her head, disappointed and angry at herself. After so much hardship, she thought she had learned a thing or two about the faunus, but apparently, she was still the same spoiled princess with frilly dresses who had lived her entire life in a castle, except now she didn't have any frilly dresses nor a castle.
She settled against the wall and brought her knees up to her chest, then drew her blanket up to her chin. Her little turf was located on a tight alley between two houses five blocks away from the town square. The sun shed no light there except for a couple of hours at the peak of daytime, so the probability of someone noticing her lithe form resting there was small. Inexperienced in the ways of homelessness she might be, but Weiss knew very well she had to stay hidden from the Guard and everyone else.
During the few days she gathered there, Weiss gathered that a small family of two parents and a boy lived at the house to the right, and to the left, lived a drunk old man. Or perhaps he was mad. Or both. She couldn't quite tell from his intelligible hollering at night.
It wasn't a good home, but it was enough to sleep at. Every day that passed, her standards lowered. She guessed soon enough she'd be content eating rat meat.
Weiss pulled her blanket closer and shut her eyes.
She awakened rudely with someone pulling on her ankle, her eyes wide with terror. Crude laughter filled her ears. She looked up only and saw two men and a woman standing on the alley with her – the man pulling her had a wide smile on his lips.
"She's up!" He chortled. "Look at that! Never seen someone more wide eyed before!"
"What the hell – don't touch me!" She tried to kick him, but he held her leg in place. "I'm warning you. Back. Off!"
"She's a fighter," the other man noted with a note of amusement in his voice. "All the better for it."
The woman laid a hand on her holder's shoulder and took a step forward. Her face was patronizing, as if she were looking at a small child who had done a very bad deed, yet also cruel. Deadly cruel.
"Now, sweetheart. I know this is a very frightening experience, but you gotta go through it sooner or later. We all gotta," she said. "You see, you stepped into my turf, and I don't recall you asking me for permission to settle down. Fine. Easy mistake. Can see you're not very bright. But… I can't very well let that pass without punishment."
"So what?" Weiss tried to sound brave, but her voice rose and fell beyond her control. "You're going to set your men on me?"
"No. Let's reserve that for future mistakes, dear," the woman smiled. "You're afraid. I'm sure you'll do your best to behave. But that ain't enough, sorry. You gotta earn you keep," her eyes examined Weiss from head to toe several times over. "You do have a certain beauty, dear. Too skinny for me, yeah, but you look like a princess, and people love that."
Weiss' blood ran cold. The woman had no way to know who she was, but the words hit too close to home. And the threat was still there…
"Lucky for you, I know the best houses in town. No need risking your hide on the down low first," the gang leader said. "Who knows, you do good enough job, I might provide you with a real home."
Weiss stared at her in silence, desperately thinking of a way out. She could go along and try to run later, but she doubted that would work. She could choose not to run. She discarded that thought as soon as she had it.
That left her with only one choice. She extended her right arm at the man gripping her, and a burst of cold air hit him, making him crash against a wall. Ice enveloped his torso, immobilizing him.
As his companions cursed in fear and surprise, Weiss stood up and retrieved her rapier from underneath her blanket. Swiftly, she poked at the other man, tearing a hole in his belly. He fell down, screaming in pain.
"No! I-I'm sorry!" The woman begged, her face as pale as the moon. She looked at Weiss as if she were a demon. "Have mercy!"
"Run, and take him," Weiss gestured to the bleeding man. She slammed her rapier's hilt against the other's icy prison, freeing him. "Help her. And never come back."
Weiss watched them go with an emotionless expression on her face, while inside her chest, her heart beat like a speeding train. She knew there had been little chance of them overpowering her, but the whole situation reminded her too much of a night she'd rather forget.
Tears came to her eyes, but she wiped at them with the sleeve of her dress quickly, then looked down at her blanket.
"Can't stay here anymore," she whispered. "Brittle Alley, yellow house… Chalk monkey…"
The moon lay still in the night sky, casting its glow down into the city, lighting Ruby's way as she jumped from rooftop to rooftop, her silver eyes scouring the darkness for what she sought.
She had checked her house first, but it was just like she'd left it – except for a new layer of dust and dirt. Yang's cage hadn't been closed for a while, and she felt the strange need to close it. The act reminded her of their sisterly bond.
She wasn't too upset at finding the house empty. Raven had told her Yang had left the city. But Ruby had held a little bit of hope that, maybe, Blake would be there. She wasn't.
After that, she gone to the town square the following day, to hear some news. She took delight in the way looked at her red cloak and scythe, obviously linking her to the Regent. The thought of Cinder finding out she was parading around her town indiscreetly made her giddy.
She learned Weiss had been kidnapped by foreign rebels, or so the vendors and guards said. She didn't believe it for a bit. It was all too convenient for Cinder, who now had no opposition in the Castle. No, Weiss' disappearance had been orchestrated by Cinder, she was sure.
No news of Blake, but people were talking about Lord Port's estate being raided by the White Fang. He'd been killed during the attack. Ruby was a little sad at the news – Port had always been nice to her, giving her cookies directly from the Royal kitchen.
The next few days, Ruby wandered the streets, hoping to come across Weiss or Blake. Her newly-acquired agility helped her immensely in the search, allowing her to scour every fraction of the city quickly, but with utmost attention.
Three days later, and still no sign of either of them. Ruby thought about resting in her house for the night, but she wasn't arrogant enough to think that would be safe. Cinder knew where she lived, and she had the deadliest assassins in Vale under her command.
She dropped down on the street, her feet barely feeling the impact of the fall. It had taken a while to get used to… whatever had happened with her. She felt strange… too light… like her body was there, but not really there…? Regarding that, she had adopted the same line of thinking from the dream world: better not to think about it.
The Moon Drinker was right before her, as she had calculated. Yang used to come to the tavern often at night, when the Moon wasn't calling out to her. She had always said if someone needed information, that was the place to get it.
Thanking her sister silently, Ruby entered the tavern. The clientele turned to looked at the newcomer, and for a few seconds, silence reigned in the establishment as they took in her appearance. She smiled nervously and made her way to a table as conversations restarted, most of them probably consisting of speculations about her.
Ruby looked around the tavern restlessly, tapping her fingers against the table. A waitress approached her, and she asked for a glass of water. The woman raised an eyebrow at that, but brought her what she wanted anyway.
She was trying to remember what to do now. Yang had mentioned this kind of thing many times before. How to get information… Something about coins, a charming smile, and… a low cut… shirt…
Suddenly, Ruby had the wish to drop to the floor and disappear beneath her table.
"R-Ruby?"
She looked up, only to meet eyes with someone she had never expected to see in a tavern: Jaune. Ruby squealed and jumped, wrapping her arms around his neck. They almost tumbled to the ground, but Jaune managed to sit down on a chair before that happened.
"Jaune!" She covered her mouth, realizing she was screaming much too loudly for where they were. She spoke again, in a more controlled manner. "Jaune! I didn't think I'd see you here."
"I-I can… say the same?" Jaune looked at her as if she were a ghost. "You're supposed to be in the castle, unconscious… pretty much dead."
"Oh, yeah. I suppose that's confusing," Ruby rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "I'm not dead. I never was. I was cursed to sleep forever – well, technically I was banished to a dream world where I was supposed to become a being unaware of my own existence – but that's the general idea."
"Ah. I knew that. I mean, not about the dream world stuff," he frowned. "What was that again?"
Ruby took a deep breath, then went on to tell him a shortened version of her life since she was cursed. She expected Jaune to interrupt her sometime, probably between the part about visiting her parent's memories and the one about the Regent actually being an evil witch that could possess other people's bodies. To his credit, he only nodded along and gasped occasionally.
"Alright. So," he said when she finally finished. "Basically. Cinder Fall, evil witch from a powerful bloodline, is on the throne; your sister Yang is not your sister; and you're sort of a ghost now?"
"No!" Ruby exclaimed, horrified at his suggestion. "I'm just… odd."
"Well, you always were odd, Ruby," Jaune smiled slightly. "Anyway. I have my own story to tell," his smile faded, and his eyes flew from hers swiftly. "I overheard while your Summ- Cinder cursed you. I talked to Pyrrha about it, and we tried to convince Queen Weiss that she had to do something about her General, or run. She didn't listen at first, so we enlisted your friend Blake's help and she-"
"Blake?!" Ruby interrupted, leaning closer to him. "Where is she? Is she alright?"
"I don't know. She confronted the queen, but something must have happened between them. Turns out… Uh, Ruby… Blake was faunus."
Ruby just blinked at him and cocked her head.
"Oh, you already knew," Jaune cleared his throat. "They had a fight, and in the middle of it, Blake ran. Cinder went after her. I haven't seen her since. Sorry."
Ruby sunk in her seat, staring desolately at the table. Jaune patted her back helpfully, and she snugged close to him, until her head rested on his shoulder.
"I'll find her. One way or another," she whispered. "Go on."
"A week passed. At night, the Queen went to Pyrrha's room and said she knew we were right. Something happened that made her sign a document naming Cinder her Regent in case of emergency. I was there. Pyrrha and I… we were, uh… together…"
For a moment, Ruby's gloominess took a step back as she squirmed excitedly next to him.
"We decided to get her out of the castle that night. We… managed to… but Pyrrha didn't make it," Jaune said roughly. "Cinder killed her and painted her as a kidnapper."
Ruby's mouth parted, and her eyes shone with tears. Jaune smiled humorlessly, wondering how his friend how grieve someone she had hardly even knew.
"I'm… v-very sorry, Jaune."
"Thanks. I'm dealing," he swallowed dry before continuing. "The Queen stayed at my house for a week or so. Then, a few nights ago, she told my mother she was leaving. She didn't want to put my family at risk," he sighed. "I feel worthless. She could be lying dead on an alley right now, all because I told her to give up."
"So Weiss is in town?" Ruby stood up. "Alright. That's good. I can find her; I know I can. I… I just need to work harder!"
"I can help," Jaune said. "Ask around a little, get some people to look around for someone like her."
"No, that would make you an easy target for Cinder," Ruby shook her head. "I'm safe. She won't dare come near me, not for a while. I scared her good after I woke up."
Jaune stared at her, wondering what someone like Ruby could do to put the fear in someone like Cinder, of all people.
"There's one place I haven't visited yet, an old friend. He's got a lot of allies around the city – mostly faunus," Ruby said. "I'm going there right now."
She hugged him tightly, then waved and walked away.
"Be safe, Jaune!"
Blake looked up at the house with yellow bricks, trying to determine if she was at the right place. Yang had brought her there but a couple of months ago, yet it felt like an eternity.
Then, she spotted the monkey drawn on the front wall and smiled. If that wasn't the right house, she would give up and find some hole to sleep. Remembering what Yang had done before, she picked up a rock and threw it in an arc, so as to make it hit the roof with a resounding noise.
A minute later, Sun opened the front door and looked at her.
"Oh, hey… Blake!" He said, with a pause that indicated he had to search for her name in his head. "Long time since I last saw you… and Yang, for that matter."
"You haven't seen Yang?" Blake frowned. "Damnit. I thought you could give me a clue where to look."
"Sorry," Sun shrugged. "Come in?"
Blake hesitated, having planned to only ask him about Yang, not stay the night. But she was tired, and the streets were not safe at night. She nodded and went inside. Sun closed the door behind her and pointed to a vacant chair with stuffing that was almost completely destroyed.
"You look like you've been through hell," Sun said, taking a closer look at her face. He turned and put his hands on his hips. "Well, my banana supply is plummeting faster than planned. Three mouths to feed tonight."
"Three mouths?" Blake repeated curiously.
"Yeah. There's this girl I met earlier today, seems like she's barely a week into this crappy life. I offered her shelter for a while. Calls herself Snow – which is a horrible fake name, in my opinion." Sun chuckled.
"Some people would say Sun is a bad fake name too." Blake smiled slightly at his startled expression.
"Well, then. Someone's grown snarky," he huffed. "I'm going out to grab some more food from a friend. Guy owes me at least seven bananas and two apples. Some people just don't know to pay up, can you believe it?"
Blake hummed amusedly as he went out the door. She sunk into her chair, trying to make herself more comfortable, but she felt restless. He eyes followed the wavering of the lone torch Sun had illuminating the front room.
Her ears perked up as she heard someone walking on the only other adjacent room, followed by the clattering of steel and tearing of fabric. A loud hiss filled the air, then a sigh. Blake tried to put it out of her mind, but something about those last noises woke something inside her.
A few seconds later, Snow stepped into the room, shaking her head slightly. White hair flowed gracefully behind her. Bandage was wrapped around a pale arm, concealing a wound of some sort. A rapier hung on her waist, attached to a worn-out dress.
Blake rose, and their eyes met.
"Schnee."
"Belladonna."
Weiss stepped back, drawing her rapier and wielding it in front of her. The temperature dropped considerably, sending chills down Blake's spine. The air seemed to crystalize near Weiss.
"What are you doing here?!" Blake asked in disbelief.
"…I thought you were dead," Weiss muttered, her voice betraying the feelings she tried to show with her sword. "I thought-"
"Answer my question!" The faunus interrupted.
"I'm here for refuge, what do you think?!" Weiss barked, her cheeks tinging with rage. "The same reason you are here, right?! Would you –Throw that blade away, Belladonna!"
Blake looked down and only then noticed she was gripping Roman's knife in her right hand. Her arm shook, and she stared firmly at Weiss, refusing to obey.
"You can't order me around anymore, Your Highness," she said. "You have no hold over me. No one has. I could cut you down this instant, and you wouldn't be able to do a thing to stop me."
"Really?" Weiss' posture stiffened. "Care to try?"
Blake tossed her knife, and Weiss swung her rapier just in time to deflect it. The faunus' shadow surged forward, crossing the space between them, and suddenly, they were both on the ground, with Blake holding down both of the royal's arms.
"What the – What are you?!" Weiss exclaimed fearfully.
"I'm just like you now. No, I'm better," Blake smiled. "How does it fell, having someone more powerful-"
Weiss opened her mouth, and a wave of cold air hit Blake right in the face, making her yell and jump away, blinded. She felt something hit the side of her head, and she fell to the ground.
Blake spun, kicking at what she guessed were Weiss' legs, knocking her down too. She opened her eyes, fighting off the frigid pain, and straddled the exiled queen. Her hands found Weiss' throat and started to press. Blue eyes bore into hers with hatred and fear.
And suddenly, she was pulled back and to her feet by another pair of hands. Blake spun around and swung at once, slapping the intruder with the back of her hand. She closed her eyes again and bent down, still feeling the repercussions of Weiss' attack.
"…Ruby?" Weiss voice echoed through the house, clear as day. "Ruby!"
Blake opened her eyes and saw the white haired girl embracing Ruby. She almost fell to her knees.
"Ruby?" Blake muttered, somewhere between confusion and joy. It was too good to be true.
"Princess – my Queen – Your Majesty – Weiss!" Ruby exclaimed, jumping from one title to another until she found the most appropriate one. "I-I'm happy to see you, but could you let me go for a moment?"
Weiss released her, then immediately moved to stand behind her, as if to seek protection from Blake. The faunus just stared, not knowing what to say.
"H-Hi, Blake," Ruby said mutely, then looked from her to Weiss and back. "Why are you two fighting?"
"She drew her knife on me. I had barely stepped a foot inside the room." Weiss answered bitterly.
"I- I didn't." Blake shook her head.
"Yes, you did!" Weiss refuted immediately, and there was so much emotion in her voice Blake had to admit it was true, even though she didn't remember it.
Ruby frowned.
"Why did you draw on Weiss, Blake?" She asked patiently.
"I… hate her." Blake replied hesitantly.
"No, you don't! You're friends!"
"No, we aren't!" Weiss and Blake shouted at the same time.
"Uh… Wow. You guys sure had a falling out, huh?" Ruby lowered her head nervously. "Stay asleep for a month, and everything changes. Have cows learned to fly yet?"
She chuckled a few times, feeling both of her friends' stares fixed intently on her.
"Alright," Ruby sighed. "I guess I'll have to explain this whole thing. Again."
At that moment, the door swung open, and Sun stepped inside, carrying two boxes of fruit with him.
"Turns the guy actually owed me this much food! He just blurted it out of nowhere, the little rascal. Felt a bit bad, but he had it coming, and-" He looked at Ruby and blinked. "Oh, come on! I'll have starved by winter's end at this rate."
Yang sat on the porch of Nora and Ren's house, leaning against the wall with her arms wrapped around her knees. Fire burned in her eyes, which were fixed on the howling storm but a few steps in front of her.
The door opened, and Ren poked his head outside.
"Yang?" He called. "Dinner's ready. I made pasta."
"Hmm. I'm not hungry." She said distractedly.
"Are you sure?" He frowned. "You spend a lot of energy when you go out there. It's essential that you eat frequently."
"I know, but I'm not hungry. I'm not eating."
Ren opened and closed his mouth, as if he wanted to argue, but couldn't. Finally, he sighed and gestured helplessly with a hand.
"The Moon is getting higher every day," he noted. "When will it start?"
"Tomorrow," Yang said. "As soon as night falls, I'll go, and won't return for another week."
"A full week in the blizzard? That sounds really unwise."
Yang just turned her head to stare at him. A few moments later, he retreated and closed the door.
The blonde continued sitting for some more time, then rose to her feet and clenched her fists, igniting two flames in them.
"Actually," she muttered. "Let's get a head start."
Yang stepped off the porch and disappeared into the whiteness.
Ruby, Weiss and Blake shared their stories over a basket of fruits, while Sun sat in a corner, listening curiously, but not giving any input of his own.
It took a whole hour, but by the end of it, they were all caught up. Pieces started to join between their tales, forming a fuller, more accurate picture of what was happening in Vale.
When they were done recounting these events, Weiss became unusually quiet. Thoughts raced through her head, of who her real enemy was, of the nature of the White Fang, of magic and power. It all seemed so big, but in the end, it all came down to one thing.
The throne, and who had the right to sit on it.
Ruby and Blake were far more interested in the smaller scope of things – how each of them had changed so much over the course of a month.
Blake was afraid of looking at Ruby for too long – no, not afraid. That didn't cover everything. She was ashamed of herself and who she had become. A killer, twisted by a dark power which she had taken of her own volition.
She wondered if that was how Ruby saw her now. She could tell the redhead's view of her had definitely changed, but how was another story. When they talked for too long, or when their hands brushed when they reached for food, Blake heard Ruby's heart beat louder and faster.
Ruby had changed, but Blake knew it was for the better. The redhead looked and sounded stronger and wiser now – the scythe on her back only augmented that belief. But underneath it all was the sweet girl who had taken Blake for no reason other than it was the right thing to do.
"Ruby," Weiss spoke suddenly. "I'm happy you are back. I can't express how much. I wish you could truly rest for now, but…" She shook her head and smiled bitterly. "I thought my fight was over, that I had no allies left. But you are here now… Together, I know we can defeat Cinder and take back Vale."
Ruby took a big bite of an apple, then nodded vigorously.
"Yeah! We definitely can!" Her silver eyes wandered to Blake.
Blake gulped. Her eyes met with Weiss for a moment before the white-haired girl looked away.
"If Weiss will allow me…" She muttered.
"Yes. You may fight at my side," Weiss said firmly. "But I don't trust you. Ruby, you will keep an eye on her."
"Yes, ma'am! Blake, I am keeping an eye on you!" Ruby exclaimed gleefully, then leaned closer to Blake, until their noses were almost touching. After a moment, her cheeks reddened, and she backed away. "I m-mean, because Weiss ordered it. I trust you."
Blake smiled with mild amusement, then took an apple for herself.
"So, I just heard a lot of talk of hocus-pocus, faunus rebellion, and dreaming ghosts," Sun spoke slowly. "You're not going to hang me or something for knowing all that, right? Because it would be really rude, considering I just fed you half you my stash."
"You may help too, if you wish." Weiss granted casually.
"What? I didn't ask for- Ah, forget it," he groaned. "Fighting an evil witch does sounds fun. Also, it's not like I've got anything else to do."
"We need more people. Someone inside the Castle; people to stand by our side… Weapons and armor… Some way to protect us from Cinder's magic…" Weiss pinched her forehead. "Blood and bones, this will be harder than I thought."
Ruby sat up straighter.
"About weapons and armor… I might have something to help with that…"
"You've got to be joking," Weiss said breathlessly. "There's a secret armory right beneath the northwest watchtower?"
Ruby laughed shortly as they Weiss, Blake and her entered the tower at the dead of night. The redhead looked around, straining her eyes to see in the darkness.
"Ah, this is useless," Ruby groaned. "Blake, do you see a vase with a bird feather engraved on its side?"
The faunus gave the place a look-over, then walked to a shelf where the mentioned object lay.
"This?"
"Must be! Spin it halfway right, then all the way left!"
Blake did as she asked, while Weiss' eyebrows rose slowly. Not that she didn't trust Ruby, but… dreams and memories from dead parents weren't the trustiest of resources in the world.
A soft rumbling sounded beneath them, and then a part of the floor slid sideways into a wall, revealing a spiral stairway that went deep underground.
"See?" Ruby giggled. "Told you it was here."
"Remind me never to doubt you again," Weiss gestured. "Belladonna, you should go first and warn us of any dangerous steps. Who knows what the years have done to this place."
"Only if you say please."
Weiss' body tensed with anger. She prepared to unleash a verbal assault on the faunus, but then Ruby laughed softly, followed by Blake, who was already walking down the steps. The exiled queen cleared her throat and followed, glad that Ruby couldn't see how red her cheeks were in the dark.
"What did your parents use this place for, anyway?" Blake asked curiously. "It seems – watch your step, the steps are getting smaller – it seems a dangerous location for a secret hideout."
"To them, that was a positive point! What better place for a secret hideout than under the noses of their fiercest enemies?!" Ruby exclaimed excitedly.
"Fiercest enemies?" Weiss shook her head. "As I recall, my parents were rather accepting of yours, compared to every other ruler in the land."
"One time, your mother threatened to stick a lance through my father's belly and roast him like a pig," Ruby said cheerfully. "Of course, she didn't go through it, mostly because mom scurried him away before things got more heated."
"Sweet Moon, what did your father do to deserve such rage?" Blake wondered.
"Eh, I think it was something related to an exploding jelly pie. Dad was a bit of a prankster."
Weiss wondered if Ruby would not stop reciting tales about her parents now that she had witnessed them with her own eyes. She considered telling the girl to stop talking, but she bit her tongue… Ruby sounded genuinely happy. Berating her would be cruel and achieve nothing.
A few minutes later, they reached even floor. The light of a torch came from around the corner of a doorway. The three stopped in their tracks and looked at each other. Why was there light in a secret hideout nobody alive except for Ruby should know about?
The redhead gestured silently to her companions before taking her scythe in her hands. With soft steps, she approached the doorway… and leaped through it, prepared to cut heads off.
She hadn't expected to find Ozpin sitting behind a round table, reading a dusty tome, a pistol laying at his side. His eyes rose above the pages, betraying not surprise, but delight.
"Hello, Ruby," he said. "I was hoping you would show up eventually."
Guess who's back, back again; Ozpin's back, don't tell a friend because they'll think it's canon and be very confused.
I wanted to make a bonus scene parodying the trailer of Batman VS Superman... Blake VS Weiss. It included Cinder as Lex Luthor and Zwei as Doomsday (and possibly WonderRuby!). I didn't want to delay posting this any longer, though, so I'll leave that to another time.
You know, every time I finish a chapter, I think... Next time, there'll be more Yang. I just feel bad for her now. Her time is coming. All logic dictates she has more space next chapter - but who even knows anymore. I certainly don't. The story has a will of its own by this point.
(also Ruby's not dead pls she's just super weird don't think she's dead pls super speed/agility is a cool super power/magic thingy)
-Zeroan