Gah, it's taken way too long to update this story, therefore I shall do it now. Pretty graphic scene early on, folks. I'll warn you if you don't want to read it. It begins now.

Blake POV

After leaving the room, Yang and I walked down the hall in silence, holding hands. What do we do now? I wondered. I haven't seen Kyra recently, or the new girl who kept giving me funny looks in every class we had together. Though just because I haven't seen Kyra doesn't mean she's not still around.

No sooner had I finished that thought than Yang and I turned a corner and a pungent, metallic smell hit my nose, making me gag. Yang turned to me, eyes wide.

"Is that smell what I think it is?" I nodded, trying not to throw up. Yang's eyes dulled. "We have to look, don't we?" I nodded again, taking shallow breaths through my mouth to avoid the overwhelming stench. I looked around until I determined the source.

It was coming from our room. We burst inside, and a wall of the smell all but smacked me in the face. Yang froze in the doorway, staring around in horror.

"Ruby." She whispered hoarsely. I fought to keep down the contents of my stomach when I saw what was making the smell.

Laying crumpled in the middle of the rug, was Ruby Rose. . .or what was left of her.

****WARNING! GRAPHIC IMAGES AHEAD!****

Yang let out a choked sob and I grimaced as I took in the blood soaked corpse that must have looked like my friend once. Most of the blood was coming from a deep gash where her throat had been laid open viciously, nearly decapitating her, but several other cuts and slashes on her body contributed to the puddle.

I gripped Yang's hand tightly as I took in the gruesome sight. Her arms and legs, were all either removed or bent at unnatural angles, her body had been cut open like a dissected frog, and her organs had been removed and strewn across the floor. On top of that, her eyes and teeth had been removed, as had all of her finger nails.

****OKAY, YOU'RE GOOD****

It was all horrible, but the worst part, the salt in the wound, were the words painted all over the walls in blood.

IT BEGINS NOW.

I clenched my jaw and fought the urge to scream. Stop it. I told myself sternly. You expected this, now push past it. Yang wailed loudly, unable to stand the sight of her brutalized younger sister. I took her head in my hands and turned her away from it.

"Yang." Tears poured freely down her face as she sobbed, and I grimaced. I pulled back my hand and slapped her hard. "Yang! Snap the fuck out of it!" She stared at me in shock. I stabbed a finger at the bloody lump. "That is not your sister!" Yang's eyes cleared a bit.

"It. . .It's not?" I shook my head.

"No it's not. What do you smell?" Yang sniffed and coughed.

"Blood. Lots of blood." I nodded.

"Yes. Now feel the rug." Her eyes widened and I sighed. "Never mind, I'll do it." I touched the carpet, it felt wet as I'd expected. I lifted my hand and blood rubbed off on it. Also what I'd expected. I lifted it up in front of her eyes and spoke slowly.

"Close your eyes and imagine hugging your sister. As many details as possible. How she smells, how she feels, and imagine her voice. She wrinkled her nose and clenched her jaw.

"Okay." I smiled proudly.

"Good." Then I wiped my bloodstained fingers back and forth across her cheek. "What do you feel?" Her brow furrowed.

"N-nothing. Well, your hand. . .but that's it." I grinned.

"Bingo. Keep her in your mind. What do you smell?" Yang sniffed the air and her eyes flew open.

"Ruby?" I nodded approvingly and watched as Ruby's corpse flickered and disappeared.

"Good job Yang. Now look around you." She looked around and blinked.

"It's. . .It's all gone!" She sighed in relief and her legs buckled. She gritted her teeth and punched the floor, making the wood creak. "What was that?" Her voice was a low growl.

I crouched next to her and rubbed her back.

"That is what I've trying to tell you."

"So she can make anyone see, hear, smell, or feel anything?" I nodded and leaned my head back and rested it on the edge of my bed, stretching out my legs.

"That is her semblance, she calls it Mirage. She tricks your mind into seeing what she wants it to see." Yang smiled at me gratefully.

"But you know how to block it." I shook my head sadly.

"Not entirely, but it's had a 97% success rate." Yang smirked and leaned her head on my shoulder.

"Yeah, but you made it sound hopeless." I sighed and leaned my cheek on her head.

"I'm sorry Yang, but it is." She wrapped her arms around me and nuzzled my neck.

"And why is that?" I rubbed her shoulder and sighed.

"Well, she's had so much practice, she can do it almost without thought now. And trust me when I say that it's impossible to fight and block her illusions at the same time. Unless you have no emotions or senses, she will eventually find a way to take you down. She's never failed."

"If she's so dangerous, why didn't you tell Ruby, Weiss, and team JNPR about her?" I shook my head.

"Two reasons. One, Kyra believes that she is some sort of reincarnated goddess, the goddess of battle to be exact, so she wouldn't engage in a battle with a party that is unaware of her. That's why she created an illusion of Ruby instead of killing Ruby for real"

Yang nodded, but I could tell she didn't understand. I continued anyway.

"The second reason is because it would require revealing my secret, and Weiss would never trust me after that. Ruby wouldn't be able to keep her mouth shut, so even if I only told her, she'd end up telling Weiss eventually." Yang nodded.

"So I guess it's just me and you, eh partner?" I smiled a bit.

"Yeah."

"Aw, don't forget about me, Miss Blake." I flinched and darted to my feet, whirling around.

"How did you get in here?" Korra studied her nails as she lounged on my bed.

"Well, the door's been open for quite a while now. I walked in while you were cuddling." She flashed a fanged grin. "I did knock."

"Can it, Nanny McPhee." Yang snapped. She turned to me. "Another one of your former acquaintances?" I shook my head.

"I have no idea who she is." Korra stood up and moved closer until we were standing practically chest to chest.

"That's not true, now is it?" I shrugged.

"I know your name, but I honestly don't have a clue who you are." Korra looked a bit disappointed and hurt. She sat on my bed and shook her head.

"You'd think you'd remember your own cousin, Brake." The blood drained from my face. Only one person calls me that.

"You're kidding me." She spread her arms in a ta-daa gesture.

"What do ya think, cuz? Did I grow up, or did I grow up?" I grimaced and muttered.

"I take it back Yang, turns out I do know her." Yang sighed heavily.

"I don't think I like your friends." I nodded sympathetically.

"I know, neither do I."

Bleh. I don't much like this chapter, but I figured you guys should know I'm not giving up on this story, I just need to sort out the plot a bit more.