Valence

by Cowjump

With the end of their first year at Beacon Academy having come to pass, Team RWBY must contend with the next three months of their summer break. Follow this eclectic bunch as they are thrown into a situation that utilizes neither their combined combat prowess nor their acquired knowledge on all things battle-related during their adventures in the city of Vale.

14. Chapter 14: Bildungsroman

Welcome back! I'm sorry that the wait between this chapter and the last had to be this long. Hopefully the delay was not too discouraging and hopefully this chapter makes up for it.

Before this chapter begins, I should warn that unlike the previous chapters in this novel, there are no line breaks in this instalment. I apologize if this proves to be an inconvenience, but it was necessary for the narrative's sake.

With this said, I shall depart and leave you with chapter fourteen.

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Chapter 14: Bildungsroman

"Blake! Stay down!"

Amidst perilous darkness and the acrid stench of smoke and sulfur, Yang's bark came coupled with a hand that kept the young Faunus beneath the low cover they both crouched behind. Despite her best efforts, Blake was unable to peer over this barricade to see her targets, but she supposed this was for the best. After all, the opposition had proven that they were not pushovers and were skilled enough to exploit even the slightest misstep—such was the fate of the quarrelling warriors previously beside her. But while Yang's protectiveness had kept Blake relatively safe from incoming fire, it left the Faunus with hardly any opportunities to shoot back and protect her partner in kind. Yang had been hit more than a few times by this point, but she seemed fortunately unfazed, grinning widely and excitedly all the while as she often did when faced with tumult and impossibility. The blonde focused her smile on Blake momentarily before standing from cover and returning fire. Two shots later, she returned to the barricade with a satisfied, if weary sigh.

"Yeah, they're bunkered down good. I'm not hitting anything." Blindly enthused howls echoed across this otherwise blackened battlefield, but only with the Faunus' inherent traits would these canon-fodder warriors be seen rushing through the building's wreckage. None were scared and instead raced towards the front with zeal. They were fools with this strategy, but they likely knew this already. This battle was not about casualties or ramifications to them, but instead victory, and in this regard, their zeal was to be commended. However, those who had trained for this scenario knew better than to rush the cover opposite themselves. At least, this is what the Faunus thought before her partner spoke. "Okay, so I think I've got an idea on how to flush 'em out."

Blake rolled her eyes.

"Hey!" Yang exclaimed indignantly. "This one's going to work, I promise."

"Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm sure it will." Before Yang could respond, Blake continued. "Just like all of the other plans that you promised would work."

One challenging smirk met another as a playful glare was shared between the two girlfriends on this battlefield. "O ye of little faith."

Blake raised an eyebrow. "You I have faith in. Your statistics, not as much."

As the shouts and hollers grew in intensity and the need for progression mounted, Blake could not think of anything more than her partner's knowing smirk. This expression communicated the blonde's awareness that Blake was interested in the plan but was hiding behind a purposefully difficult shroud of indifference. After months of teasing and facetious remarks at Blake's expense, it was only natural that some revenge might be taken. However, even the supposedly uninterested silence could not bring Yang's smile down. Eventually, Blake conceded. "All right, what did you have in mind?"

"I knew you'd come around!" At this, Yang's grin widened brilliantly and Blake could not help but smile as well. "But I can't exactly tell you from this far away. The enemy might hear us!" That was a shallow request if ever there was one. Though the two were only a couple of feet apart from one another, Yang's invitation for Blake to move closer during this time of conflict was nothing short of unnecessary. Regardless of this fact, Blake willingly closed the gap so that her girlfriend could whisper in one of her human ears.

The plan was definitively Yang in construction. It was reckless, impulsive, self-sacrificing, and all the while self-aware. The longer she spoke of her stratagem, the more unrealistic it seemed, but never once did Blake doubt the blonde. If anyone could pull off what she had in mind, it would be her, and she seemed excited about the prospect of at least attempting it. While Blake did think to dissuade her partner and save her from the probable repercussions, the sheer conviction in the whispers told of how entirely necessary this stratagem was—not only for victory's sake, but for Yang's. When the blonde whispered the question of if Blake agreed to the plan or not, the Faunus hesitantly nodded. With this came Yang's gratitude in the form of a sudden kiss on Blake's cheek as she pulled away.

The Faunus shook her head in accepting disbelief. "So," Yang began again with the same grin as before, "you ready for this, kitten?"

With a heavy sigh, the girl in reference responded, "As I'll ever be." She then proceeded to unfurl the ribbon wrapped around her forearm and attached it to her gun. It was not that she disagreed with her partner's plan—in actuality, it seemed feasible enough when compared to their other failed efforts—but she worried for Yang. That she would risk her life for a relatively small victory was doubtlessly brave—foolhardy, no doubt, but brave nevertheless. But it was this bravery that Blake did not want to live without. For this, she suddenly said, "Wait. Yang?"

The girl in question had begun to prepare for her actions, but upon hearing her girlfriend's call, she leaned against the barricade once more. "Yeah? Is something wrong?"

Blake gave a brief forewarning smile before she grabbed her partner's collar and pulled her in for a kiss. Yang was not at all shocked by this, and instead grinned into the ephemeral contact and would maintain this expression—albeit in a more toothy fashion—after they pulled away. "Be safe," Blake pleaded. "I don't want to see you get hurt doing something this reckless."

"Oh, you know me." She seemed to be using this as an excuse—as though her regular personality somehow mitigated the potential consequences of her intended action.

"That's why I'm telling you this." Blake frowned. "You are liable to get ahead of yourself and be hurt in the process. It has happened in your other plans and I'm worried about what this one will cause. Please take care of yourself and come back to me in one piece."

This elicited a flippant chuckle from the blonde. "Blake, I'm pretty sure you're overthinking this. The only reason why I messed up the last few times was because I couldn't see where I was going. Not all of us have night vision, you know?" She was met with an even stare that begged her acceptance of the plea. "Okay, fine," Yang resigned. "If you care that much about it, I'll go easy on 'em. Well, I'll do my best, anyways."

Blake smiled warmly. "You always do."

"Blake!" Under the dim light of this cityscape battlefield, a blush flourished on the cheeks of the perennially confident blonde. It was apparent that such a direct statement of affection and trust was still yet unfamiliar to the girl who complimented freely and regularly. And despite Blake knowing that this would happen, teasing had not been her intent. "We're trying to fight a war here! There's no time for stuff like that." To this, Blake raised an eyebrow, challenging the regularly flirtatious girl. "We can do that after we win. Just…get set."

She was flustered—an expression that was not usual for her personality, but one that Blake found amusing in a sort of self-satisfactory way. The Faunus nodded and her partner detached from cover, lowering herself into the shadowy embankment behind it and moving into a sprinter's crouch. She took a calming breath to recover from her partner's words before looking to Blake. Once more the Faunus nodded.

The two simultaneously counted down from three, mouthing the numbers and watching each other for any signs of trepidation, and when this count reached its end, the two quite literally sprang into action.

Blake moved from her position to fire at the figures across the divide. However, these shots were not intended to hit her targets as much as they were to keep them from firing back. Suppression was phase one of Yang's plan and would be followed by the blonde's vaulting over the barricade they had used for cover. Yang did just that, pushing off from her position and bolting into the scathed wastes with no sense of fear or hesitation of any kind. Blake continued to shoot, ensuring that her partner would stay safe if it meant standing in the enemy's line of fire. Yang had already taken a few hits and was still running strong, but not even she could withstand the full force of the enemy combatants. For this reason, Blake would gladly and attentively return the protective sentiments that Yang had provided by way of covering fire.

Though the distance between Blake and her enemies was a mere thirty meters or thereabouts, Yang's unending enthusiasm was communicated through her stride which made even those clamoring zealots beside her seem pitifully incompetent. Neither barrier nor rubble could deter her dashing pace as she hurdled the former and climbed the latter, all while alternating her direction, further confusing the opposition. She quickly overtook the front line, reached the opposite embankment, and leaped far over it before she gave Blake her signal.

With practiced aim and technique, the Faunus ceased fire and immediately threw her gun forward, using her ribbon as leverage and Yang's faraway hand as her target. It was an unorthodox plan indeed that required Yang's possession of both weapons so to maximize the number of shots on target and to allow for multiple enemies to be engaged at once. Though this action left Blake unarmed for the time being, this was not the cause of the Faunus' concern. Her concern rested only in Yang's safety, but at the same time, she trusted her partner and knew that if anyone could pull this feat off, it was Yang.

The blonde caught the gun mid-leap, and upon landing, fired twice to either side of herself. There were no resulting movements around her and no shots were fired in her direction in the following seconds—Yang's goal had been completed and she was safe. For this, Blake allowed herself a smile.

However, she knew the battle was not yet over and now her objective was to rearm herself—that is, Blake had known this fact and had prepared for this objective up until the moment the lights turned on.

In an instant, the wreckage of the battlefield was illuminated wholly and completely. All of the running and shouting and stomping settled into understanding silence. All hostilities evaporated into energetic grins and congratulations from both factions and all weapons were disabled. It was at this point that Blake sighed in relief. Their game was now over and she could rest assured that Yang was safe from her own plans.

It had been a game of laser tag they played—a spur-of-the-moment decision by Yang after the team's earlier lunch. Blake knew that the chance to test her aim and see if this past month (rather, month and a few weeks) had atrophied her combat ability should not be squandered, and, in the process, she had enjoyed herself. Though, she was aware that a simple game could not justly define her current skill, being that Beacon's training regimen was far better suited to make such tests and this locale was more so intended to give the city's populace the feeling of being warriors themselves. However, reacquaintance with combat had not been her intent on this day. Her intent was across the simulated war-torn divide—across the path of wooden representations of buildings and uneven, pitted flooring that, when subjected to the darkness, would seem to most as a post-apocalyptic rendition of some indeterminate city. Across this divide that Blake so easily maneuvered was her intent for the day, grinning triumphantly at the fruits of her plan.

"Ruby, stand up!" Weiss chided. "You are making a fool of yourself." As Blake found her way to the opposite cover, she saw that the heiress did not hold any hostile expression for the young girl. Perhaps her expression could be defined as indignant to a lighter degree, but hostile she was definitely not.

"Weiss!" Ruby croaked from her supposedly injured position. "She got me. She got me, Weiss! My own sister, a traitor!"

"It had to be done, Ruby," Yang said. "Orders are orders."

"Weiss!" Ruby croaked again, eliciting an eye-roll from her partner. "Y-you've gotta leave me behind. There's no other way!" Blake moved to stand beside her girlfriend and retrieve her weapon as they both exchanged congratulatory smiles. Weiss simply raised an eyebrow at her own. "I'll be okay—everything's going to be okay, Weiss. Just…" She faked a cough. "There's something I need to tell you before you go." At this, the girl in white turned away and crossed her arms. "Weiss, I always liked you the most."

Yang responded with a playfully hurt "Hey!" but was met with a nudge from Blake and a look that communicated that this exchange was meant to be had only by Weiss and Ruby. Unfortunately, any sort of returned affection would be uncharacteristic to the heiress who disinterestedly responded, "I know you did. Now hurry up and die. We have places to be and if you do not get off of that floor, we will likely not make it in time."

"Fine," Ruby happily resigned. "Can I at least get a hand here?"

Though the young girl's hand had been intended for Weiss, it was Yang who hoisted Ruby up in one quick pull. Regardless of this fact, the girl in red gave a grateful smile to her sister before moving to stand by the frigid heiress and focusing this grin on her. Despite the previous display of disinterest, Weiss responded with a slight smile of her own.

In this past month, the younger partnership had grown closer—rather, they had grown more comfortable around each other. Stating that they had become closer would be unfortunately inaccurate in this particular instance. Such a statement would imply that Ruby and Weiss had progressed to a point in their relationship where affection was readily exchanged in front of others and assistance like what was recently asked of the heiress would be instinctually given. Instead, the two were simply comfortable with being in each other's presence and had no qualms with blatant kindness—at least, this was Weiss' perspective of the situation. Ruby had been kind and affectionate even before the two began dating and would tell someone such as her sister or Blake that she truly had grown closer to Weiss.

As the four gathered to discuss what they thought of the game, they were interrupted by a tinny voice over the room's PA system. "Players, be advised," the synthesized voice said. "Scores and standings are compiled and will be displayed on the holoscreen at the center of the playing field." At this, the lights once again dimmed and all occupants of the simulated battlefield looked to its center in search of the referenced screen. In a matter of seconds, a small light spun rapidly among the ceiling's supports and from it came a four-sided screen that cast a teal glow over all the excited faces.

By this point, it should be understood that the four members of Team RWBY are proficient warriors, both as a team and as individuals. However, their training lies in practical, real-world conventions of combat and strategy. The game of laser tag does not equate itself to actual warfare and necessitates a separate outlook to the methods of engagement and the drive for self-preservation. Though, it is not to say that the four were ineffective in this setting. In actuality, these four huntresses proved the most capable and skilled out of the thirty other patrons, but because they were the most skilled and because they were all prone to accepting challenges, they had focused their combat efforts against only each other as an unstated means of proving which partnership was more capable. Unfortunately, this focus led to their standings being at the bottom of their respective teams' lists.

Ruby had proven the most competent with her "kill" count being in the double digits—most of which were attributed to Yang's disregard for cover, but more than a few shots had connected with Blake. The Faunus, unsurprisingly, came in at second behind her opposing teammate, trailing her by only a few shots confirmed but beating her in the number of shots taken. Mostly, this latter statistic was ascribed to the protective nature of Yang, whose "death" count rated higher than only the heiress who came in at a distant fourth with no "kills" to her name.

Weiss scoffed. "Of course I came in last place. Whoever thought that using such unwieldy instruments to fight a battle obviously has no regard for the classics." She lifted her gun disdainfully. "Honestly, how could they expect me to hit anyone as far away as you were?"

"Hey, it's not the business' fault that you can't shoot." Yang smirked at the now glowering heiress. "C'mon, Weiss. Just admit that you aren't perfect for once in your life."

"I'm not!" she huffed. "But I am certainly not as bad as my score says I am!"

"Aw, Weiss, I thought you did great!" Ruby grinned reassuringly at her partner.

She received a flat look in response. "You do realize that I failed to hit anything?"

"Yeah, but you distracted Yang and Blake and let me get the kills. Teamwork, Weiss! Teamwork."

The heiress released this conversation with a sigh. In these past few weeks, Blake had observed Weiss' temper cooling and her argumentative tendencies in regard to Ruby slowly dissipating. For some reason, the heiress still seemed disinterested in conversing with her partner whenever such a positive tone came about, but she would not oppose it as she would have previously. There was no doubt that Weiss was warming to the younger girl, and Yang was relatively thrilled about this. The tensions between the blonde and the heiress had still not completely settled, but Yang was beginning to trust Weiss with her sister's protection and Weiss was beginning to see Yang as something other than a ticking time bomb of overprotective wrath.

Unfortunately, these reflective thoughts and their conversation were interrupted by the voice of a vacating patron amongst his own group of friends. "A lot of good that 'teamwork' did, huh?" the boy sneered with no small amount of disappointed malice lacing his tone. "Maybe if you nerds didn't try so hard and actually played the game, we would have won."

As the shadowy group walked away, Ruby turned and glared. "Yeah?" she began defensively and awkwardly. "Why don't you try harder…?" She unintentionally paused and added, "Nerd!"

As that group exited the playing field, laughing all the while, Yang placed a hand on her sister's shoulder. "Nice one, Ruby. You really got him there." Upon hearing this, the young girl's shoulders slumped and her uncharacteristically aggressive expression fell away. "Hey, it's all right," Yang reassured. "They're just mad because they didn't do as well as us. I mean, sure, they scored higher, but where's the fun in that if you can't add a little flair? I thought we did good—well, three of us did. Weiss, you've really gotta work on your aim." The heiress stuck her nose up at this. "But other than Weiss being a terrible shot—and I mean absolutely horrible—I thought this was a good way to get back in the saddle, you know?"

At some point during the teasing aside made at Weiss' expense, Ruby stifled a giggle and managed to recover somewhat from the boy's mean-spirited words. To her credit, Weiss took this comment in stride, seemingly being at ease with Yang's remark if it could brighten Ruby's disposition again. Fortunately enough, this seemed to be the case. "I guess," Ruby accepted. "I mean, we probably need more practice before we head back to Beacon, but I liked it. How about you, Weiss?"

There was a brief moment where the heiress looked to be internally debating her next course of action, but at this pause's end, she admitted, "I thought it was fine." This elicited a cheery smile on her partner's features. "However, we must be going if we hope to make our reservation."

"Oh, Weiss, I'm so excited!" Somehow, Ruby's smile was able to broaden exponentially and her expressed demeanor shifted from generally positive to radiantly jubilant at Weiss' referencing words. "It's your first date ever. It's my first date ever. It's our first date ever! It's gonna be so much fun!" By the end of this rapid exclamation, the young girl's speech had reached such a high pitch that the heiress could not hide an averse shudder.

"Compose yourself," Weiss snapped. "You agreed to my terms that if a date was to occur, you would behave and not draw attention to us like you are now."

"Wait," Yang interjected. "Don't you mean 'outing?' I thought you two didn't go on 'dates.'"

"Don't be absurd. Outings and dates are two entirely different beasts. This is most certainly a date and there is no way around it. What else would you call an occasion where two people are required to dress up and travel to a restaurant they have made reservations to whereupon they will dine alone yet with each other?"

"An outing."

Weiss' unamused glare came to rest upon the blonde as Blake attempted to hold back a chuckle. "We don't have time for this. Ruby, let's go."

The young girl smiled and moved to depart, but both she and her partner were halted by Yang. "Hold it," she said firmly, catching Weiss' gaze with her own and losing her lighthearted expression. "I'm fine with you taking Ruby out on a date. Honestly, I think it's sweet of you to hold off for this long. But—and here's the kicker—while you're taking your pride with you and all your thoughts pointing to this date as being something trivial and not worth your time, you're also taking my baby sister and she's bringing with her my rules." The heiress sighed and relaxed her stance so to heed the blonde's instruction.

"So, first things first: no funny business. That can mean a lot of things that I'm sure you don't intend, but just know that if something seems like it's a bad idea, it's probably off-limits. If something happens to Ruby, I'll know. I can read her like a book—well, like Blake can read a book, but it's the same idea.

"Second thing: like it or not, you're going to show Ruby a good time. She's still new to the dating scene and I'd be shocked if you weren't, but if I hear that she was bored or that you made her cry, there will be a price to pay—one that not even you can pay with all your money and pretty words. She will always be my sister before she is your girlfriend and I have every right to make sure you don't hurt her. You're growing on me, Schnee, but no amount of friendship will save you from a bad first date. You are going to show her a good time, no, a great time, and you aren't going to royally screw up her love life for the future. It's her first date and I want it to be the best one she'll ever go on just so that she'll decide never to date again because she'll know that there's no way she can recreate what you are going to do for her tonight.

"And now the last rule: smile. If I know you, you're going to hate tonight because it's not 'proper' or 'refined' or 'befitting of a Schnee', but you're at least going to look like you like it. And I'm not talking about smiling at Ruby, because that's part of rule two. I'm talking about you smiling at everybody you come in contact with tonight. I want you to look like it's an honor to stand beside my sister as you chat up all the other stuck-up elitists. To those people, you're not Weiss Schnee tonight, you're Ruby Rose's date and nothing more. And you're going to smile about that fact like I smile about my sister every day because it is an honor to stand beside her. And if you think your family's name means anything tonight, you're wrong. The only thing that matters to you is Ruby, not the people there, the press you're going to get, or your name being ruined. You got all that?"

"Yang!" Ruby pleaded, sporting a blush that seemed entirely uncomfortable and embarrassed. "Stop! You don't need to do all this, I'll be fine!"

However, the only one that seemed to hear her was Blake due to Yang and Weiss heatedly staring each other down. The young Faunus saw her leader glare at the blonde, hoping that no rules would inhibit this milestone in her socially awkward life. But Blake's allegiance was to Yang, and she knew that these rules set upon the opposite partnership were intended not to inhibit, but to assist—at least in the case of Ruby.

Eventually, this staring contest would come to a close when Weiss raised a challenging eyebrow. "Get all that? Please; you are giving me rules for which I have already prepared. You speak as though tonight is a hindrance upon my affairs, but I can assure you that you and your simple mind have never been more wrong. I plan on making tonight memorable because not only is it Ruby's first date, it is my own first date, and if Ruby could ever recreate this, then I would applaud her. Tonight is the culmination of this last month's worth of plans. When a Schnee sets her mind to something and has the ability to plan around it, then you have something to the effect of the Schnee Dust Company in its current state.

"I will keep your rules in mind, but I will not give you the satisfaction of knowing that they are in any way holding me back. I know who tonight is about, and that is Ruby. To think otherwise would be selfish and, as you put it, unbefitting. You have my solemn word that your sister will not want to date another soul after tonight, not because of the money or pretty words behind this occasion, but because of the care that I have personally put into it. And, just for you, I will smile the entire time."

Yang gave a low chuckle as she smirked. "You're all right, Schnee. You might be a snob sometimes, but you're all right." This smirk shifted into a smile and so, too, did Weiss' expression. "Be back by eleven or you know what I'll do."

The heiress nodded. "We will return by ten. No sooner, no later."

Yang nodded in kind before moving to her sister and wrapping her in a hug. "You take care of yourself out there, okay?" Ruby nodded into her shoulder and reciprocated the embrace. "I don't want you getting hurt. I know you won't, but please take care of yourself."

"I will," Ruby promised.

At this, the blonde pulled away and smiled proudly at the young girl. This was followed by a hearty pat on the shoulder that caused Ruby's own happy expression to waver for a brief look of pain. However, Yang ignored this and said, "And don't let Weiss get the better of you. You're faster than she is, Ruby. Don't forget what I taught you." She grinned—mischievously if Blake were to remark. "Remember, thumb outside of the fingers, aim before striking, and connect with the knuckle."

"I hardly think that a situation will arise where such conflict would be necessary," Weiss interrupted. "On the off-chance that someone does choose to harm Ruby, however, I will have my sword at the ready."

She was met with a cautious look. "That's exactly why I'm telling her this. I know that Ruby can take care of herself if it was just some random guy on the street, but you already know how she fights. I'm just telling her how she's supposed to defend herself if you don't follow rule number one."

Weiss did not argue against this statement nor did she glare at Yang for such a lack of trust. Over this past month, the friendship between the blonde and the heiress had recovered to an extent, but Yang still did not trust Weiss with Ruby's safety. Every night before she and Blake fell asleep, Yang would always find something new to worry about in her sister's relationship. Usually, these worries came in the form of their age gap, their opposing worldviews, and the disparity in their personality types (which Blake would always soothe through a comparison to their own relationship), but this present conversation was quite a bit different.

Now the blonde faced Weiss directly and shallowly explained to her that Ruby had been taught rudimentary hand-to-hand techniques. Rather than fighting back as would have been characteristic for the shorter girl, Weiss once again nodded. Her countenance seemed disappointed but surprisingly excited as well. She was undoubtedly aware of Yang's distrust, but she seemed to accept it and accommodated the protective sister. Her goal was not self-sacrifice—Blake knew that anything of the sort did not apply to Weiss Schnee—but instead Ruby's happiness. Fortunately, Yang was aware of this as well, leading to her eventual allowance of the date. Of course, Ruby's input certainly helped sway the blonde's opinion.

Before Weiss could respond with another assurance of safety or some other appeasing statement, Ruby moved quickly to her side and brought her into a not-so-gentle hug. "I promise I won't hit you, Weiss! Yang's just trying to scare you is all. We're gonna have fun tonight and it's gonna be the best date ever!"

While the heiress did seem uncomfortable with any form of physical contact and blushed at Ruby's affection, she did not lash out at the young girl. Perhaps this could be attributed to Yang's presence and the probable repercussions of reprimanding her sister, but Blake knew that this was not the cause of her dilemma. She knew that Weiss had grown fonder of her partner and was actively attempting to remove herself from her distaste for physical contact—the heiress had stated in confidence that the only way to properly accept Ruby as her girlfriend was to accept physical affection and even offer some in kind. However, she did seem unenthused still about the idea of letting the world know of their relationship, but that was what tonight was for, if Blake was correct.

"Okay," the girl in white accepted before turning her head to Yang, choosing not to shrug off her partner. "If you have no further commands, then we will be off."

She did not move, proving that she was willing to wait for Yang's permission lest her teammate's protective fury be incited. Yang released her subtly hostile expression for one of a reassuring smile. "No, I think that's it. Just remember my rules and be sure to have fun." Ruby flashed her an elated grin and the heiress nodded for the third time before moving forward with her partner still attached. The young couple exited the battlefield and disappeared into the veil of light separating this darkened room from the brighter outside.

Yang simply stood in place, holding a wistful smile as she watched that distant veil. Blake moved to stand beside her and took hold of her partner's free hand. "We should probably leave, too," Blake said. "I believe the staff here needs to prepare for the next round and we have been keeping them from doing so."

The blonde nodded and the two slowly began to move toward the exit. "Yeah, sorry. This is kind of a lot to take in and I want to savor the moment while I can." She sighed. "She's really growing up, isn't she? First she gets into the school of her dreams, then she gets to lead her own team of huntresses, and now Ruby's with somebody she's head-over-heels for. With her being the age she is, she's got the world at her fingertips and she doesn't even know it yet. Honestly, I don't think she'd care, anyways. I mean, if I was given that kind of responsibility, I would freak out, but Ruby? She seems like she has everything in control and she's not even breaking a sweat. In a lot of ways, she's more grown up than I am."

She squeezed Blake's hand. "How long has it been now? Ten years? I mean, I know it's been sixteen since I first met her, but after mom passed…I don't know. I guess after ten years of taking a role, you sort of become it, right?" The blonde interrupted herself with a short laugh. "It's not like I want Ruby to call me 'mom' or anything—I'm not that messed up—but it really does feel like I'm acting like one. So, to see her walking off with Weiss is…I don't know…weird? On one hand, I want to punch Weiss' face in for even looking at my sister as anything other than a friend, but at the same time, I know that Ruby likes her."

"You're doing the right thing," Blake assured. "It would be wrong to hold her back at a time like this."

"Yeah, I know, but it's all moving too fast."

The young couple stepped out of the battlefield and into the lobby. For the moment, their conversation would be put on hold as they returned their vests and laser guns and rearmed themselves with their own weapons. Evidently, hunters were a common enough occurrence here that their weapons were permitted on the field of play; their usage, however, was forbidden. But this was agreeable and so too were the staff members who, despite having been inconvenienced by the team's conversation, wished the couple a genial good-bye as they stepped out into the summer climate of the city.

They stood upon the populated sidewalk outside the establishment during the waning hours of the afternoon's light. It is to say that they simply stood there because their conversation had yet to continue and this new locale that lacked pressure to vacate allowed the young couple their opportunity. Yang continued. "I mean, you know what it's like, having the world change around you and knowing there's nothing you can do to stop it. That's why you became a huntress, right?"

"That's why we all did." Not minding the passing crowd whatsoever, Blake turned to face her partner and enveloped her in a hug that would hopefully ease some of the tensions. "Yang, I know this is a difficult situation for you, but there are some things in life that simply do not involve us. While your sister's safety and wellbeing falls into the category of what does involve you, who she falls for and how she goes about dating are things you only have so much power over. Eventually, these are battles she's going to have to fight without you. Perhaps she will fight them with Weiss, perhaps with someone else, but at the end of the day, Ruby is her own person and feels as though she must fix everything, too."

"I get that. It's just that seeing Ruby grow up doesn't sit right with me. She's always going to be that thirteen-year-old who just got into Signal and busts down my door in the middle of the night to tell me something new she read about the differences in ballistic trajectory of one bullet's grain and another. You just don't see that sort of enthusiasm anymore in our age group. I lost it, you lost it, Weiss never had it, and Ruby's still going strong." Yang returned the hug with a greater fervor than Blake had originally intended and rested her head against her partner's shoulder. "Blake, I don't care if she grows up, I just don't want her to lose that spark. That's what makes Ruby who she is. And if Weiss takes that away from her—"

"It will be all right, Yang, I promise." Blake leaned her head against her partner's as she rubbed the blonde's back, feeling the quick rise and fall of her frustrated breathing. "If anything, it seems to me like Ruby sees Weiss as a challenge. She knows that Weiss is hard to get along with and has braved her icy demeanor nevertheless. I doubt her enthusiasm will wane, because, as you said, it is part of her character. Hopefully she will continue to chase Weiss' affections and Weiss will continue to give her a challenge. I know that she likes that about Ruby, her spirit. Perhaps it is just my biased opinion, but I believe Weiss will not change your sister and they will do well with each other."

A grumble of discontent shook Yang's form, causing Blake to redouble her efforts. "It will be all right, Yang," she said before cradling her girlfriend's head. She repeated this reassurance once more and the grumble stopped.

"I'm sorry, Blake," the blonde whispered.

"There's nothing to apologize about." She paused to let the words take effect. "Your care is only natural, but at the same time, you have to understand that a mother bird lets her chicks fly the nest at some point or another."

"I-I guess…"

Blake pulled away to meet her partner's troubled gaze. Those lilac orbs that shone once fervently now rested on a space paradoxically immediate and infinite. And in this way, Yang's expression could be said to be worried, saddened, trepid, self-loathing, but most importantly and above all else, afraid. She who had been unendingly positive and strong saw now the means of her emotional demise in that silver-eyed child. She was a mother, a sister, a friend all to the same person, and to be stripped of one title at the girl's maturity was to deprive the blonde of these past sixteen years. But she knew that these three descriptors could not coexist in the way they had for much longer. In that space both immediate and infinite, Yang saw a trifurcation from which she would become only one of the surrogate mother, the protective sister, or the supporting friend. All had their ramifications, but only one consequence did shake the unshakeable girl: Ruby's hypothetical repellence.

This was a sad sight indeed, but one that had lost its edge since that returning night one month ago when the shocking revelation had been admitted and this pain had been revealed. In that time, Blake had found ample opportunity to find a response that would ease her partner back onto the road to recovery. She smiled as warmly as she could, catching Yang's distraught gaze with hopeful eyes. "It's okay. Do you remember what I said about Ruby never leaving you? Yang, you will always be her sister and she will always hold you in high regard. Just as Ruby will never leave you, I will never leave you. And though you might not like it, Weiss will never leave you either. We may not all be a family yet, but that's all right. We're getting there, and you're the keystone of this idea's founding. It's okay, Yang."

The blonde closed her eyes and took a calming breath. "Okay."

A reassuring smirk was given and a gloved hand taken before Blake said "Come on" and pulled the blonde forward. Yang offered some resistance at first, but eventually she was swayed by Blake's distracting efforts and followed.

Though Blake had no concept of sisterhood or what it meant to take care of another for as long as Yang had, she understood loss well. Moreover, she was aware of the pain that time brings through the changes it makes. When her affiliation with the White Fang disintegrated, it had not been an immediate process or a single explosive conflict. Her separation had been the effect of years of uncertainty and unstable ideologies upheld by a fickle leadership who dragged her down a path both unintended and unfortunate. In Blake's mind, Ruby would eventually grow out of her naïveté as was only natural. However, that enthusiastic spark and creative edge that Yang protected would never leave the young girl. It was so ingrained in her personality that to be deprived of it would be to deprive a body of its soul.

It hurt to see Yang in pain and the thought of Ruby losing her innocent enthusiasm was entirely disconcerting. Both were the types to quickly recover from whatever personally ailed them and focus their attention on someone else, but there had to be a limit to this strength. Truthfully, Blake did not ever wish to find this limit and thus leaned against her partner's arm and sighed at her warmth.

In this mid-afternoon hour, when the clear sky burnt orange and the gentle murmurs of conversation spoke of what next the masses would do to conclude their respective nights, the young couple found serenity in each other's company. In fact, Blake had been so relaxed that she chose not to wear her bow and allowed her Faunus traits to flit at the myriad sounds around her. Rather, it is to say that this courage was not exclusive to this day, but had been a mounting decision over the course of this past month. Today would be the second day she would go without the cloth. On that first day, only a handful of occurrences made her wish for the bow, but the sheer amount of tolerance and disinterest shown far outweighed these negative sentiments. Perhaps it was the imposing blonde at her side, but Blake felt as though she was treated as another person—in a way that the White Fang's leadership had preached could never exist in humanity's current state.

In this way, the passing crowds could be claimed harmless, not stressful. Of course, conversation and debate with those around her would more than likely go awry, but she knew that abstaining from interaction would yield restorative results. She was no longer afraid of being in the presence of a large group of people—she was still hesitant and nervous, but not afraid. The mob around her was no longer reminiscent of the one in her memory and the cause of this, she believed, was Yang.

Blake turned and found her partner's rejuvenated smile. No matter how cowardly the Faunus believed she was or how debilitating this sentiment could become, the blonde would always be a shining beacon of warmth and acceptance that warded off all notions of inadequacy. Blake chose not to smile back but instead closed the gap between them and kissed the cheek of her partner. It was a drawn-out action that served more a grateful purpose than those chaste actions of before, and as she felt Yang's skin flush under her touch, she knew that the affection was justly conveyed. Yang continued to blush and hold a grin that was more so goofier than confident while Blake disconnected their hands, nestled her head into her partner's shoulder, and wrapped an arm around her waist before stating, "I love you, Yang. Ruby will be all right, I promise."

Yang's expression faltered for a moment—not out of discomfort but out of uncertainty with how to respond to such flattering attention from an admirer she so revered—before she beamed and placed a comfortable arm around the Faunus. "Thanks, kitten. I needed to hear that. Not that I wasn't listening before, it's just that I needed to hear that when I was thinking straight. I'm probably overthinking this whole dating thing, aren't I?"

The only response she received was that of a contented hum as Blake cuddled closer into her girlfriend's shoulder, minding not the passersby whose expressions likely were of discomfort at seeing such an unbridled show of emotion. Alongside her relative ease amongst a crowd, Blake had truthfully lost any sort of care as to what these people thought of her relationship. If there had been any disagreement, there had yet to be an instance where it was voiced. Because of this trend, Blake decided that fretting over improbabilities was purely self-destructive. Yang seemed to be of a similar mindset.

"Anyways," she digressed, running a hand over Blake's arm and moving further down the walkway, "after we hit the music store, is there anywhere else you want to go?"

Today's itinerary had been eclectic to say the least, but was formed around Yang's insistence that she and Blake would travel to one of the city's music stores after the repeated references to it earlier in their summer break. This single idea had been suspended for the passing of the team's lunch, a brief trip to a clothing store which only Weiss was able to enter (so to retrieve a few ordered items), and this most recent game of laser tag. Unfortunately, while the preceding events to this present journey had been enjoyable and relaxing, what came next was disquieting to the young Faunus.

Memories had always been her greatest weakness. From the unforgiving knowledge of the acts which she had aided to the horrible visions that infrequently plagued her, Blake's past would seemingly always be her focus despite Yang's best efforts. This flaw never did arise from any sort of weak personality or emotional susceptibility—she had become calloused over the years in these two regards—but from her own insistence that once a memory was brought to light, it would be followed through until the sting of remorse could be felt. In this particular instance which was brought about by Yang's question and the impetus of the day, it came to mind that music and the act of playing it were examples of these regretful memories.

Fortunately, Yang's presence dissuaded the Faunus from following these thoughts for the time being. The blonde still required an answer and reminiscence could be put off for a later date. Blake sighed and shook her head against her partner's jacket. "Not particularly. Perhaps later we could sit down and eat somewhere, but it is entirely up to you."

"Well, it's a date then!" Yang paused and her radiant expression dipped into one of self-imposed uncertainty. "You know, I'm not even sure if it is a date by this point." Blake did not move her head, but did raise an eyebrow. "I mean, I'd count it as one, but it's just so…normal now. It's not like I can ask you 'Hey, Blake, do you wanna get dinner?' because the answer's always the same—not that there's anything wrong with that!" She paused again, but this was punctuated with a contemplative "Huh" before she smiled sheepishly at the Faunus. "I guess I'm not used to this kind of relationship. I've…never really gone out with anyone for this long."

For a moment, Blake was confused. It had been about a week shy of two months since their relationship began. Even to the Faunus who had been inexperienced with relationships prior to Yang knew that this short timeframe being perceived as an achievement to the blonde was telling of an unlucky past. Admittedly, this revelation seemed fortunate to some part of Blake, but at the same time, she could not help but feel sorry for whatever dormant stories rested beyond the wall of Yang's hesitance. Because of this latter sentiment, Blake said, "I'm still not entirely used to dating either, but I've enjoyed this routine we've maintained. It feels right."

"I know. I like it, too, and I wouldn't want to do this with anyone else." Blake felt a warm softness kiss the spot between her Faunus traits as Yang held her nearer.

The young couple moved past a number of shops specializing in all of antiques, books, fashion, and technology. Their destination was at the point from which they started this day—where Yang's bike rested and where the blonde's tour had taken place a little over a month ago. Blake could not help but smile at that tour and what it accomplished. While her knowledge of the city had grown only marginally on that day, it contained a moment of epiphany. She remembered that mirrored monument and seeing herself smile in a way the White Fang said she would never be able to. She remembered that internal conflict that now seemed laughable. In a way, she was envious of last month's Blake—the Blake who had yet to experience love and triumph and reunion for the first time—but the girl of the present could not complain with her current situation. Blake quietly chuckled. She never figured herself the nostalgic type, but here she was, reflecting upon past events without shame or fear.

The Faunus moved her head away from her partner's shoulder to see how the blonde was faring. She expected some positive emotion to take precedence over her countenance, but found Yang holding a somber stare. It was a look of intense deliberation not pointed at anyone or anything. She must have felt Blake move because her expression was released with a weary sigh. "Blake," she said, "I know Ruby told you some stuff about my exes. I don't want you worrying about them; they don't mean anything to me anymore. Actually, the people don't but the experiences do, but that's not the point."

She turned to her partner. "Blake, if you don't mind, I'm going to tell you some stuff, and you can stop me anytime you feel uncomfortable, but I want you to know that I love you. None of the people in these stories mean anything—most of them, I forgot their names. Just stop me whenever you want or if it makes you uncomfortable."

It took only a moment for Blake to realize that Yang intended to divulge the stories of her past relationships. The logical part of the Faunus' mind that focused on self-preservation told her to stop the telling of these stories that harmed the indestructible blonde. These were "the others" that Yang had feared mention of. Blake was curious, of course, but Yang's safety was her first priority. "Yang, you shouldn't have to tell me this. If they did not mean anything to you, you may keep them as secrets. It is not my knowledge you should be worried about, but your own safety."

"I know that, but this is part of keeping myself safe. I've had these stories bottled up for years because nobody needs to know them. This is stuff even Ruby hasn't been told, but I think I need to tell you. I'm tired of secrets, Blake. There are still a lot that I need to keep so that you and Ruby can stay safe, but these…these I need to get off my chest." She turned to her partner with an apologetic frown. "Please, kitten, you have the power to stop me at any time, but just let me start first."

There was a pleading tone to the blonde's words. This was no simple desire to let these secrets out but a necessity. Part of the reason why Blake did not want Yang to say what was on her mind was due to the similarities these memories had to those of the White Fang. Both had lingering effects and required a certain amount of withdrawnness in order to keep those they held dear safe from the past. But this was a brave action that Blake had to respect because this bravery was to her partner as childlike enthusiasm was to Ruby. If the Faunus was to ignore her previous conversation about her leader's changing character, then she would prove herself hypocritical. "Okay," she resigned, "just don't get ahead of yourself. And know that I will be right beside you if you need assistance."

Yang gave a grateful smile. "Thanks, Blake. I'll do my best." She then looked to the path before them. The route was doubtlessly cemented in her mind and she would remain aware of her surroundings as her tales were told. If Blake were to guess, Yang was calculating how long the stories should last if she wished to finish a comfortable distance before their destination. For the length of this ensuing discussion, it should be stated that the couple would make their way back to Bumblebee and the music store it was parked near, turning corners and strolling together down other walkways in the process.

"All right," Yang said. "Just to make sure no bad blood comes out of this, I'm going to try not to mention anyone by name. You're the only one that matters to me, Blake, and I'm not just saying that. I really am thankful that you've tolerated me for as long as you have. I just want you to know before I start that you mean the world to me, and no matter what I say about any of these guys, all of it's in the past."

Such a statement alluded to some sort of connection that could make one jealous. However, the stories needed to be told, causing Blake to nod, giving the consent and reassurance Yang desired to begin her tale.

Yang took a deep breath and turned her attention forward. She began. "When I was eight, I had my first kiss. We were just kids in elementary school and it didn't mean anything, but he was still my first. I was still at that age where I could say boys were gross and every other girl around me would agree, but for some reason, he asked me if I wanted to be his girlfriend and I said yes. I guess it was a sort of popularity thing back then. I mean, what eight-year-old has a boyfriend? We stood out for the three days we were 'together.' But on the third day, he kissed me and I kissed him. There was no lead-up to it or anything, he just said, 'I want to kiss you' and I let him. Right after, he dumped me, saying that he didn't like kissing me and girlfriends were dumb."

She shook her head. "I shouldn't remember that because I was young and there was a lot of other stuff going on at the time, but that guy just sticks out in my memory. Like, whenever I tried to chase after anyone or anyone tried to chase after me, I'd remember him and how he only wanted me for the popularity and to test his curiosity. That relationship was never about me. It was always about him. I spent those three days doting over some boy when I could have been spending time with Ruby and my mom. I wouldn't say he's my greatest mistake, but in terms of personal angst, that guy's pretty far up there on the list."

"I assume his judgment hurt your feelings?" Blake asked.

"Are you kidding me? He was technically my first boyfriend and I was only a kid at the time. After that whole thing, mom took Ruby and me to the park and that area way back there and I just cried my eyes out. I wasn't strong then. I never punched him like I should have and I couldn't keep myself from crying."

A small smile broke through the sunny girl's expression. "But mom was strong. She didn't just say everything was going to be all right, she proved it to me. She told me that the boy was just a kid and that one day I'd find somebody I could actually love and would love me back. She said that there would be a lot of pain on that road but that it was good I got him out of the way. If I could get over rejection and hurt feelings early on, she said I'd grow into a stronger girl. I'd like to think I've gotten stronger, but she never got the chance to finish her explanation before she left." At this, her smile faded.

When Ruby ambiguously described the sort of harmful relationships her sister had suffered, she had made it seem as though they were immediately damaging—situations that would make the blonde hold lifelong grudges against the perpetrators. Now it was clear that these relationships were more long-lasting and formative of her current style of affection. Selfish thoughts aside, hearing these tales spurred a sensation within the Faunus that was torn between a fiery hatred of those who had wronged Yang and a protective yearning to reach out and hold the blonde until she was whole again. But she would wait. Yang seemed convinced that her stories' telling was necessary.

"I didn't date anyone for a long while. After mom passed, I didn't have the courage to trust anyone, let alone with any sort of relationship. It all just sort of seemed pointless to me. When I was eleven, I went through this outcast phase where I wouldn't let anyone get close and those I could call friends were met with a really dark sense of humor. Looking back, it seems like I was in the wrong, but at the time, it was like a constant war I was fighting and the enemy was everyone else. It was weird back then. I've always liked meeting new people and making friends, but back then I just…didn't.

"I wanted to be alone and it seemed like everyone knew it, except one guy. It was lunchtime and I was alone at the end of one of the tables with my head down—as per usual—when I heard someone sit across from me. I knew him before then; we'd talked a few times and he seemed nice enough. What I didn't expect was for him to be as nice as he was. He didn't come to hit on me or anything like that, he said he just wanted to talk and know what was bothering me. I lied to him, of course, and said something about a pet dying and he just sat there and smiled. One thing led to another and he bought me lunch so that we could talk. Honestly, he was a really nice guy, all things considered.

"Lunch ended and because of that, we had to go our separate ways, but somehow he managed to find me at the end of the day when I was walking home with Ruby. He came running up with the biggest blush I've ever seen and spat out a question. He asked me to a dance the school was holding for kids of our age group. I told him no at first because I still had a bad taste in my mouth after the last guy, but Ruby didn't shut up about him all night. She kept telling me to go to the ball and be with Prince Charming. Now that I think about it, it's kinda funny, but Ruby was right. I didn't need to stay cooped up in the house all the time; my place was out making friends and having fun. So, I told him at lunch the next day that we would go to the dance together."

She gave a short chuckle, showing that what was to be said next was not as damaging as the previous story. "Honestly, this guy might be the best of the bunch. Don't get me wrong, this does end badly, but he was sweet. The night of the dance came around and all my friends from before that moody phase didn't even recognize me. It felt right being at that dance—not necessarily with the guy, but at the dance. The moment I stepped through the doors, I was smiling, talking with people, and even flirting with the guy—well, 'flirting' for eleven-year-olds. We talked, we laughed, we danced—although, at that age, 'dancing' really meant jumping around to two or three songs before attempting one slow dance. That last one never worked, by the way."

"It sounded like you two had fun." Blake smiled despite the pang of jealousy that chewed away at her. The action was innocuous enough because of her partner's age at the time, but it still was strange to hear her partner openly admit to liking someone else, no matter how superfluous she claimed the relationship to be.

"Yeah, I guess we did," the blonde said. "But like every other relationship at that age, it had to end sometime. When the night came to a close, we said our goodbyes and promised to hang out more often. At least, that's what I did. When his mom came to pick him up, he gave me this weird look that was sort of a stare, sort of not. I guess he must have liked me for a while before he asked me out because when his mom pulled up to the school's curb, he suddenly told me that he loved me." Blake's brows furrowed in confusion. "I didn't say anything. Who could? He just smiled at me again and then left."

Yang frowned. "I never saw him after that. I found out later that his dad got a gig in Mistral and they all moved away after the dance." She sighed. "I don't think I ever liked him like that, but I think I needed to hear someone say that."

It was at this point that Blake felt the need to ask a question. "Yang, it doesn't make much sense to me why you would shift so suddenly from crestfallen to comforted over something so…abrupt. Why did he have such an effect on you when you did not want to accept any sort of relationship at the time?"

"I was eleven, Blake. Not much from back then makes sense anymore." She shrugged. "I guess I needed to hear something positive and have a good relationship, even if it was only for a night. It certainly took the bad taste out of my mouth and I found myself more open and friendly after that dance.

"I don't know why he said he loved me. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. But whatever he meant, I knew that there was bound to be someone out there who actually loved me—someone who would make what my mom said come true." She momentarily tightened the embrace Blake was in and rubbed her arm. "And I think that's you, Blake. I really hope I don't mess this relationship up like the others."

There was that phrase again. "The others." While Blake did enjoy what her partner had said about her being the key to an apparent prophecy a meager decade in age, the statement following it was confusing. Perhaps it was only wishful thinking, but Blake did not want to accept that there were relationships past that boy, if only for her partner's wellbeing. However, she knew that this would be the case. "I assume that those two were not the worst?"

"Oh, no," Yang chuckled. "No, the first guy set me on a path that'll continue for the rest of my life, but other than that, those two were really not that important."

"And there are worse stories?"

The immediate response Blake received was that of a reflective smile pointed down the path they were to walk. However, this smile did not indicate any happy sentiment. Alongside conversational context and experience in understanding Yang's tells, Blake knew that this was to be a rather rough story that the blonde was only now coming to terms with. And in this regard, she would unfortunately be correct.

"When I was thirteen, I got into Signal. I knew I wanted to be a huntress because that was how I was going to chase my dreams. It was how I was going to fight monsters, become a legend, and see the world and all it has to offer. I love the rush that fighting gives and I did when I was thirteen, too. I didn't have a specialized fighting style by that point and I didn't have a weapon. I was still young then—we all were at that school. And with young age comes immaturity, I guess. Though, I'm not exactly the epitome of 'grown up', huh?"

Blake returned to resting her head against her partner's shoulder. Surely an introduction as frivolous as this preceded an event that required comfort. This was her intent in returning to Yang's shoulder. She felt as though acting like a sort of cathartic distraction by way of physical contact would eventually ease Yang's burden whenever she chose to vent her concerns. Blake found that she was correct almost immediately as the arm wrapped around her shoulder pulled her closer.

"I only dated one other person between this next guy and the last, but that was just a really short thing and I don't even like referring to it as 'dating.' This next guy, though…that was dating. At least for a thirteen-year-old.

"He was a year older than me, but we were in the same CQC Basic class. He was good—real good—at what he did. The guy could throw a mean elbow and was known throughout the school for being ruthless in matches. A lot of people were scared of him because of that, but not me. After the relationship I just got out of, I was seeking attention, trying to speed up that search for the love my mom talked about. At the same time, I was just starting to get really involved in becoming a huntress and all the training required of it. Some part of me thought that he would be like a storybook champion—a strong, mean man with a heart of gold—and because of that, I went after him.

"We hit it off almost immediately. He had the same drive I did and wanted to chase that rush of adrenaline. Looking back on the whole thing, that was probably the only similarity we ever had, but that didn't stop me from wanting to like him. I guess I thought that through him, I could become the best fighter in the school, but I was just a kid then." She sighed. "He responded well to my advances, training with me whenever I asked, complimenting me whenever I complimented him, flirting back whenever I went after him—basically, when I said 'Hey', he said 'Hey' back. Eventually, I asked him out and he said something super-cool and disinterested like, 'Sure. Whatever.' And that was that. We were dating and I couldn't have been happier.

"For the next two weeks, we hung out, sparred together, ate lunch together, went out on a couple of dates, and even kissed in front of other people—you know, for popularity purposes again. Dating someone was just the 'in' thing to do, and I think this guy knew that. I did, too, but it really wasn't about that. The thing was, I couldn't ever get his attention after school because he always wanted to hang out with his friends instead. I don't think I'm the clingy type, but I'd like at least some sort of attention for this kind of thing."

She paused and dropped her expression to the grey stone below. If Blake was correct, this next part would be that of the relationship's breaking point. This assumption was further evidenced by the renewed vigor with which Yang held her partner near.

"So, one day, I went up to him during school and talked to him about it like anyone in a relationship with a problem should. I wasn't mean about it or anything, I just told him that if we were going to be dating, we should at least spend time with each other and make some sort of an effort to look like we're together. I don't remember exactly how it all went down, but he disagreed and I disagreed with the disagreement and it all—relationship and everything—ended with him slapping me in front of his friends."

Blake surprised herself with the sheer fury that instinctually welled up inside of her. Despite the event taking place before she could have had a hand in its cessation, the Faunus felt a protective instinct seize her. Of course, this fury did come from the boy's abuse of such a loving soul, but it should be said that a fair amount of this outrage spawned from the fact that Blake had not been there for Yang. Had she been there, there would have been no fight, Yang would not have been slapped, and she most certainly would not have had to date that boy. At this point, the Faunus was certain she would have traded her time with the White Fang for an education at Signal Academy only for the effect of saving Yang from that unnamed boy. A scowl subconsciously crossed her countenance as she asked, "Are you all right? He didn't hurt you, did he?" She shuddered to think of what her own reaction would be if the answer was in the affirmative.

"Me? Blake, a slap's nothing." The girl in black moved to argue, but Yang shook her head. "Even back then, I had a high pain tolerance. It wasn't the slap itself that hurt, but what it meant. It told me that he didn't value me at all—I was just another 'girlfriends are dumb' realization. I don't know why he stayed with me if he never liked me. I guess it was for the social aspect of it, but I really think he hated me by the end of those two weeks. I'm glad it didn't go any further and I'm sort of glad I got to that point, too. I could have gone without the slap, but what that entire thing taught me was that if I didn't like someone or they didn't like me, it wasn't worth investing all my time in the person. There's also the part about not hurting those who care for you."

"Did you do anything to him?" Knowing Yang, some sort of immediate reprisal would have occurred. And if she was to be honest, Blake hoped that this would be the case, if only so her own concern would be satiated. "Did you say anything back?"

The embrace Blake was wrapped in warmed excitedly as a gradual grin appeared on Yang's features. "Blake, you should have seen it. I completely destroyed the guy after that!" Blake heaved a sigh of contented relief and continued to listen with rapt attention to her partner's tale of vengeance. "Either his dad never told him to not hit girls or his mom never told him that girls hit back harder, but I bet he doesn't remember much of what happened before that moment. I just decked the guy and he went out in one hit. I mean, I probably should have stopped there, but I thought we could have been something, so I just wailed on him until a couple professors broke us up." She laughed. "He was expelled and probably walked away with a few concussions while I was taken to the headmaster's office and was only suspended for a week on the grounds of 'self-defense.' It probably helped that my dad taught there because when I got home, he told me never to do that again. But he seemed proud and let me pick what we ate that night."

"And what of the lingering effects of this relationship?" the young Faunus asked. "You said that he taught you not to invest time in anyone who did not suit you. I assume this holds some relevance to the stories to come?"

Yang nodded. "After him, I dated more than a few other guys. I don't even remember the number, but it was high enough to where I got a bit of a bad reputation. It was always the same thing with each of them: I see a guy I might like, I go up to him and flirt a bit—I got really good at that part for a while—and then we would go out for a few days before I'd decide he wasn't worth it after all. I know it was heartless, but it was all part of that search. I never considered any of them as boyfriends, really, and I don't think they considered me as a girlfriend either. It was just dumb kid stuff and I think we all knew it. I never really had to dump anybody at the time; the relationships kinda ended themselves. Honestly, it got boring after a while, and just when I thought I would give up on the search, one relationship lasted for more than a few days."

"The guy was consistently average in just about everything other than his confidence—that was what I liked about him." Her slight smile drooped again into an unfortunate frown that Blake could only hope to rectify in time. "He was convinced he was going to get into Beacon and lead his own team; he had a roadmap planned out for it and everything. He was pretty bad at fighting and couldn't take more than a few hits, but he could get people to follow him. He wasn't the smoothest talker out there, but he just had this confidence behind everything he said. It was as though his word was law and those around him followed."

It seemed as though there was something else she wanted to say but did not. A sigh interrupted her speech and she looked down to the pavement below. It was not a reflective or contented sigh at all, but that of a discontented murmur. "I guess I was one of those people who blindly followed him. I've never been the best at dealing with people who speak better than me, and that guy…" This sentence trailed off.

"Yang?" Blake asked hesitantly. "What happened with him? Did he harm you?"

She paused for an unsettling moment before responding. "Maybe I shouldn't tell you this one. There's another that you should probably know about before we get to the store."

"Yang." The blonde looked to her partner and found the Faunus holding a worried frown. "If you feel unable to speak about this specific incident, don't. I will not hold it against you. I just want you to know that whatever occurred in your past is out of our reach. Nothing you could say would dissuade me from being with you. If you want to speak about it, I will be here. If not, do not think much of it. This is your story and to compose it based on my comfort would be wrong."

There was another pause, this one longer than the last, as Yang took these words in. Blake returned to her position against the warm figure and pulled her closer with the arm wrapped around her waist. Whatever happened with this boy was telling of scruples the Faunus had not known existed. She had an idea of what the subject of betrayal would eventually become, but the thought alone made her blush. However, this blush was not exclusively embarrassed. Blake would harbor rational hatred towards this unidentified individual because of her assumption and its vile nature. But before these tangential thoughts were given any further time to fester, Yang gave a happy sigh and smiled down at her partner. "Thanks, Blake. I'll tell you about him one day, but now's not the time. Just know that after him, I stopped dating for a while. Like, it took me over a year to build up the courage to ask someone out again. And after the next one, it was you."

Although the assurance was endearing, Blake could not bring herself to smile. Yang seemed at ease with telling these stories and making retrospective commentary on them, but her partner was still concerned. Admittedly, there had been a stinging sensation that came with the knowledge that she was not Yang's first relationship, but Blake had always known this on some level and simply did not want to accept it. However, there was one more romantic relationship in Yang's life and she seemed willing to speak about it, if only to move away from the prior story. "Yang?" the Faunus asked. "Are these stories purposefully placed in any sort of order? I am aware of the chronology of them, but I am wondering of the increasing severity. These relationships seemed to have ranged from forgetfully childish to haunting. I am worried that the next story will be the worst yet."

Yang gave a short laugh and wrapped her other arm around the Faunus to form a more traditional hug as they walked. It was a disarming action, but Blake was not entirely convinced. "No," the blonde chuckled, "that last guy was the worst of them. That's why I'm holding off on talking about him. The story with the next guy is pretty bad, but at least I'm willing to talk about him."

"You know that you do not have to continue if you are uncomfortable?" Blake looked up to meet her partner's gaze with a careful frown. "If this is bringing back any bad memories, you do not have to continue."

"It's all right. This is actually helping, I think. Getting all this stuff off my chest is making it a lot easier to deal with. But if you want me to stop, I will."

Blake did want her partner to stop, but not for her own sake. The young Faunus believed that to air one's historical faults was to recall harsher times and climates. Such was not her idea of recovery, but Yang had claimed its merits. Perhaps she was still yet a coward and dared not look back into the shadow of her past, but Yang was courageous and braved the darkness to willingly shine a light on the obscenities that can only rot in time. "If your reminiscence is helping," Blake sighed, "do not let me stand in your way." The young Faunus could bear the given knowledge; she simply feared for her partner.

Yang shook her head and teased with a chiding tone, "Blake, you could never get in my way. You're the reason I'm talking about all this. I want you to know about this stuff now rather than later when it might become an issue. I'm not saying that what we have won't last or that it's shallow, I'm saying that what we have is special and, if I have any say in the matter, is going to last us a long time."

It took a moment to come to terms with this information and Yang's apparent indifference towards telling these stories. Eventually, Blake would nod into her shoulder, silently allowing for her continuance and granting her a nuzzle of care.

"Okay," Yang breathed, her smile turning into the same thoughtful frown from before, "this next one happened during my third year at Signal. I was still taking a break from the dating scene at the time so that I could help Ruby get through her first year there and so that I could get my life in order before heading to Beacon. I actually liked not being with anyone for a while. I could focus on those I cared about—Ruby, friends, dad—and I didn't have to worry about going out when I should have been studying. Well, that last part's made up, but you get the idea.

"Anyways, I still had that reputation buzzing around me from that time I dated all those guys, and the last guy—the one I can't tell you about yet—kinda made it worse. I thought I could get away from that reputation by going a year without dating anyone. I mean, I still flirted with people, but it never went anywhere—I thought I was just being nice.

"One day during, I think, the second semester, I met a guy in a Forging class and we kinda hit it off. I threw one pun out there and he threw another, and before we knew it, the class was over and we had to stay after to make up the work we missed. I didn't think about dating him at the time; I thought he would just be a friend. However, what started as accidentally missing work became something we actively tried to do. I don't know exactly what it was that made me like him, but we just meshed. He was outgoing, strong, had the same sense of humor I did, and we had a class together. At that age, that's pretty much all we needed to start going out, but I was still settling down after that last guy. But eventually, I caved and asked him if he wanted to get dinner somewhere and he said yes.

"Personality-wise, the guy seemed great—a total sweetheart. We didn't go out too often, but I thought it was because he was respecting my decision to dial back how often I went out with people. We saw a couple movies together, he took me out a few times, and I even introduced him to Ruby. I tried to take this one slow for once and I thought I was doing a pretty good job at it. We went out for about a month and a half until I met his girlfriend."

Blake raised a confused eyebrow. "That was a shocker," Yang stated flatly. "It was one of the days he said he couldn't spend time with me—he always used an excuse like, 'There's a lot of work I need to make up in some class.' I thought I'd surprise him with a hug, but when I did that, it turned out that I hugged him in front of his girlfriend who he had been with for around two years. She threw a fit at me first. I can't say that she wasn't justified in what she did, but I also can't say I didn't yell back. I just didn't want to believe that the first guy I dated in a year would turn out to be a scumbag after being so nice. Eventually, we both turned on him and just yelled at him in front of the entire school."

"So, he cheated on you?"

Yang nodded. "You know, it's weird to find that you were never the relationship, but the affair. It was like that kid way back when I was eight. It was like I didn't mean anything to him and I was just some throwaway he could do whatever he wanted to. I learned my lesson the first time, and after the relationship before this guy, I was just about ready to rip his head off." Her gaze turned downward. "Honestly, I didn't know what to do except yell at him. That was the longest relationship I ever had and I thought it was going somewhere, but then I found out it didn't mean anything. I guess it was all still a popularity contest to everyone then when I was searching for what my mom told me to find. Maybe I shouldn't have been looking so hard and maybe I shouldn't have trusted all those people, but I did."

The grip on the Faunus tightened desperately as the blonde rested her head against her partner's. Though the girl in black could not see it, Yang's atypical frown deepened into a look of regret and unadmitted anguish.

"It hurts to think about them, it really does. I didn't date anyone after him until you, and even when you asked me, I was a little scared. I mean, if I had trouble with everyday guys, how was I going to deal with a Faunus girl—a Faunus girl I would have to spend the next three years with? I guess the fear still exists—the fear that you'll leave me or throw me to the side—but I know you're better than that, Blake. Still, those guys messed with my head and even I can't deny it. But I'm not going to let them get to me. I've still got a sister to take care of an a career to pursue."

Her tone had drifted into one more insecure than confident and each successive syllable stung the ears of the young Faunus. She was understating how severely her past experiences affected her and her façade was crumbling piteously. Blake knew that there was more to these stories, but she also believed that shedding light on the unfortunate details would doubtlessly evoke an uncharacteristic reaction. However, this sort of reaction was already taking place before her eyes and it hurt to see Yang in any kind of pain. The blonde doubted herself as well as those around her—in this way, she was like Blake, who could not help but empathize. The young Faunus nuzzled into Yang's neck as an attempt to assuage these unsettling memories, but even this could not comfort her partner. Blake did not frown or resign, but instead decided that more direct action was required to assist her partner.

She could see the music store in the distance, perhaps a few minutes away from where they now walked and thus too close for any conventional attempts at comforting Yang. Such a distance required immediately affecting action that would speak not to the logical side of Yang's mind, but her emotional heart. This distance required an action more physical in its reassurance than rationalizing. As such, Blake spied an alleyway only a few buildings ahead and decided upon her rather uncharacteristic plan with a well-concealed blush and an undeterred sense of concern. It took only a minute for the two to reach this corridor, and when they did, Blake pulled her partner down it and away from the prying eyes of the public.

In a matter of moments, the two were shrouded by the shadows of the alley and the Faunus' obfuscating semblance that contorted to her need. Yang's back was pressed against the building's wall and her lips met Blake's in a sudden, crashing embrace. This kiss and all its emotions were necessary to communicate what Blake could not articulate in the words she had been raised upon. The kiss was desperate, it was conciliatory, but most of all, it was unconditionally loving and as Blake held her partner against that wall, Yang pulled her closer in kind, conveying her unspoken need for enduring companionship as her aura flared in a mix of happiness and thankfulness.

Surprisingly, Blake began to tear up at her own show of affection. This effect was not caused by the boldness that had proven effective, but because of what Yang had endured. It was sickening to know that she could not be there for her partner when she needed her most—to help fight the boy who slapped her, to keep her from the boy who cheated on her, to dance with her when the boy moved away. Yang had proven countless times that she was not one to be squandered with her selfless behavior and devil-may-care approach to any of life's problems. She was one of the few allies Blake had and was the only one that the Faunus would defend without question whenever conflict arose. Yang had accepted her without hesitation when White Fang affiliations were revealed; Yang had confided in her information known only to herself and her sister; Yang had been a dear friend to a girl who had none to her memory; Yang had shown her a relationship that, in all her years, Blake could never have even dreamed about; and Yang stood beside the Faunus throughout their voyage to Sierra and the reconnection to a family that was believed to be lost forever. Blake tried her hardest, but her remorseful sentiments took precedence over the kiss. Their lips departed from one another's and their foreheads met wearily as the tears in the Faunus' eyes fell.

"I'm sorry, Yang. I should have been there. I could have helped you. I could have done something."

"Blake," Yang soothed between heated breaths. "What's gotten into you?" The Faunus shuddered and buried her face in the crook of her partner's neck. The blonde acted in kind, rubbing Blake's back and whispering silent reassurances all the while.

She was doing it again. She was being selfless when the situation required attention and affection to be placed solely on her. It was frustrating to Blake, and this only made her shudder again. This, in kind, forced Yang to redouble her efforts, creating a cyclical pattern of altruism and dissatisfaction.

Yang did not deserve the treatment she had been given, the hand she had been dealt. It was all painful to think about—her mother's passing, her father's apathy, her biological mother's desertion, the care that Ruby required growing up, and now all of these bad relationships that scored the trust of the loving blonde. "Yang," Blake whispered, "I'll never leave you. I'll never leave you."

"I know, kitten. That's why I said yes. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

Blake allowed these words to sink in. The form that enveloped her was not one she was meant to feel sorry for but one she was meant to cherish and ensure a better life for. Yang had been attempting to teach her the entire summer that the past was outside of their control and it was their future that they could make better. Blake did come to acknowledge this statement as probable fact, but she could never bring herself to believe it. Perhaps it was lingering White Fang ideals that led to the unwillingness to accept her girlfriend's truth. The organization fought for the future because of the past—a noble cause in its own right, but when coupled with an obsession with past indiscretions so miniscule in importance that those who fight know not of their relevance, this objectivity fades quickly into the realm of irrationality. Yang was now stating that Blake was a point in her life from which all subsequent events would turn positive. And though Blake believed she was only bad luck, she would accept this truth, if only so that it could make her partner happy.

The two would remain in this embrace with Yang's back against the wall and their heads resting against one another's for some indeterminate amount of time. Minutes became inconsequential when the only matter of importance was that of the other's comfort. As Blake held herself close to her partner, consciously assuring that everything would be all right and subconsciously telling herself the same, Yang calmly stroked the tangle of raven hair, running her fingers through it gently and whispering soft assurances into her partner's ear.

Eventually, the tears would dry, but Blake's stance on these past relationships would never change from that of wanting to be there. "Are you all right?" Yang would ask. Blake's only response was to lie and nod so to not give any reason for the blonde to fall into the same pit of anguish. "There, there." Yang moved her hand from her partner's hair and down to her back. "Take however long you need. It's going to be okay, Blake. I'm here for you."

The Faunus simply held her partner for these subsequent few minutes as she tried to compose herself. She knew that she was holding an uncharacteristic expression, but she did not care—this was the point of ducking into an alleyway and shrouding herself and her partner in shadows. This frown and weakened state came from Yang's vulnerability, but now that this susceptibility had faded away and the blonde wore a strong façade, Blake had no reason to remain this way. This pain gradually became a quiet peace within the arms of her partner, and as this shift in emotion occurred, Yang had somehow realized it.

The blonde gave a quiet laugh. "You know, if you act that way when I'm feeling down, I should probably make it a habit to bring up bad exes more often."

The Faunus pulled away and tired amber met brilliant lilac before Blake gave a small smirk. "I'm sorry, Yang, but I doubt I could bring myself to do that more often. It's just not who I am."

Yang laughed again. "Oh, fine," she said in mock disappointment. "I guess I'll just have to deal with everyday, humdrum, bookworm Blake." For only a moment, the girl in black felt the need to defend herself, but she realized upon seeing her partner's grin that she would never have to explain herself in such a way. "After all, that's the girl I fell in love with." Blake gave a small laugh of her own as her face flushed a revitalized shade of red. "So," Yang eventually began again, "all better?"

"Yeah," Blake sighed. "How about you?"

The blonde chirped, "Yup! Are you ready to head over to the music store or do we need to take another minute?"

"I think I'm ready." As she said this, Blake released the shadows around them, causing no discernible change from their perspectives, but a dissipating effect like that of a cloud of smoke when viewed from the perspective of a passerby on the sidewalk.

The two returned to their route with Blake nuzzling against her partner's shoulder once again as the blonde's arm rested atop the Faunus. Now that the pain of Yang's past was taken care of to some temporary degree, Blake knew that her own discomfort was yet to come. However, she had Yang by her side, and if the blonde could remain intact after discussing memories that were arguably more debilitating, Blake could surely make it through this next trip. After all, the ensuing memories could not come close to the pain Sierra had evoked and Yang had soothed.

It is to note that the hesitation on the young Faunus' part has its roots in memories, not of the White Fang, but of Sierra. When she first fled for the organization, she left behind a lot. Not only were there personal belongings she failed to find space for, she renounced her education, her home, her family, and in the case of what pertains to this upcoming store, her musical teachings. Though she was only eight at the time she left, music had been a rather enjoyable hobby to her. Now she was afraid of what her flight from Sierra might have caused in this regard. She knew already of changes to her personality and temperament, but these would have altered in time regardless. For this reason, she was scared of finding what latent repercussions existed from her time with the organization.

The store drew nearer and the sky tinged a deep blue as the sun set beyond the spires of the city around her. An ill wind rushed by and the faces of those anonymous crowd members seemed to grow apprehensive. Traffic slowed to a crawl and the life of the city felt as though it had died away, but Blake knew this was all in her mind. She still felt the effects of Yang's stories and knew she would continue to hold them close to her heart for the coming days, but added to this was the pain of the unknown. The Faunus' mind continued to play tricks on her by heightening her sense of hearing so that she could notice the sounds of her own footsteps amidst the noise of the city and making the nearby shop stretch far off into the horizon.

Fortunately, Yang walked beside her and would act as a suitable distraction until they reached the entrance of the store. Blake did not bother glancing at its name or what it looked like, instead keeping her eyes closed and all of her other senses focused on her partner. It was in the warmth of the blonde's embrace that she could find solace and the means of bolstering her courage. She would continue to feel uneasy about learning what the results of her flight were, but she would move confidently beside her partner out of the darkening city and into the dimmed glow of the music store.

When her eyes next opened to the electronic tone of the door's sensor, she was met with a world long forgotten. There was no immediate reaction upon seeing the store—no rude awakening or revelatory triumph. Instead, she was met with a bleak silence of the mind. It was as she feared. The memories would not flood back to her and those eight years before her flight seemed stricken from existence. It is not to say that Blake suffered from any woebegone melancholy of years long past, but that she was disappointed like a child would be if an idea were proven false before her very eyes. In this way, Blake simply stared at the store with a mix of fear that these memories did not, in fact, exist and hope that they could be spurred by some evocative instrument.

A man walked towards the two, welcoming them and asking if they required assistance, but Blake could not hear anything more than this. While she ducked under her girlfriend's chin as an attempt to find warmth and security from her own thoughts, the Faunus scanned the guitar-covered walls and displays of synthesizers and drums in search of some reminiscent factor.

Nothing made sense to her. All of the displays were faraway echoes of a time now reft of innocence. That was what these instruments were, she figured, innocence. She was a monster now—a coward—who had left behind a normal, decent life. And with the White Fang and the time it had taken from her came atrophy. Nothing was allowed within the ranks of the organization—not music, reading, writing, or even individual speech—but she had come to abide by this, willingly at that. Looking to these instruments and hearing this silence not only brought about feelings of regret, but memories of a hated period in her life.

Yang must have noticed her partner's expression because she brushed off the employee as kindly as she could before moving Blake further into the store. "Hey, are you all right? What's wrong?" The couple rounded a corner to move out of the vulturine employees' lines of sight before Yang turned the Faunus to face her. "Blake, what's going on?"

"I…I don't know." Blake turned to look at the shelves around them. It was all guitar equipment, and though she was not trained in the instrument's usage, it should have caused some reaction on her part. She turned back to Yang and found a worried expression. "I'm sorry, Yang. I suppose I expected some sort of immediate response upon returning here. It's just that nothing is coming back to me."

There was a moment where Yang looked to be in deep thought before she frowned. "I can't say I know exactly what you're going through, but I'll help in any way I can. We came here for you to have a good time, not to bring up bad memories." Blake did not react to this in any way other than looking down at the floor.

Was she hindering her partner by going against their original intent? Was she dragging Yang back into negativity after she had moved away from it with her stories? Was she overreacting? Blake did not have time to entertain these thoughts as Yang lifted the Faunus' chin. "Blake, remember the Mistral Festival? Remember the band? You looked so excited when they started to play. Try and go back to that moment, try to remember what it was like listening to them play. Maybe then you'll get your memories back."

Blake initially hesitated, but she would go along with Yang's idea. Not once had the blonde led her astray this summer and had only benefitted her in otherwise immutable matters.

She took a short breath and closed her eyes. In an instant, she was carried back to Sierra and the North Wind Park and the aged tree against which she and her partner rested as the orchestra played below. She remembered having her eyes closed in a similar manner as Yang brushed her hair languidly. The blonde must have remembered this, too, for she mimicked her past action without any sort of encouragement and caused a small smile to eventually break through the Faunus' doubtful visage.

It was a song from her childhood that played, one that could soothe her innermost demons without so much as a hint of remorse. It was grand, it was powerful, and her company was moving at the most heartfelt level. With two ears she listened to the variable melodies all serving the same tune's purpose and with her others she heard the simple, rhythmic beat of her girlfriend's heart. From across the small valley, she felt the boom of the timpani as though she were in the front row again, but from scant centimeters away, she felt the warmth of Yang's form envelop her and cure the ailing headache and dizziness. And in this moment of reflective bliss wherein she was wrapped in the benevolent embrace of her dearest friend, she remembered.

Before Blake could articulate a proper sentence or understand the importance of literature in her life, Lilian attempted to teach her piano. The only reason this is stated as an attempt was due to Blake's regretful flight and inability to continue with her mother. By the time White Fang propaganda had buried its claws into her morality, she had been fairly skilled at the instrument for her age and held an insatiable desire to learn more. Though this loss was disheartening, the thirst for knowledgeable progress still existed, but manifested itself more so in introversive and introspective matters such as reason and reading instead of audible or expressive actions such as music or writing. However, as disheartening as this divergence was in retrospect, she was still happy that the memories were coming back to her.

Blake remained silent as she remembered those long-lost days of her mother patiently waiting on her to learn which key meant what and which notes were placed where on the paper. Throughout this, Yang continued to hold her partner and glare at any employees who came to see if they needed assistance. After a few minutes of silence and stillness, Yang asked, "All better?", to which Blake nodded and smiled.

"Thank you," she said quietly. She opened her eyes and found that the memories thankfully lingered. Moreover, Yang was still there and would never leave.

"So, are you going to show me what you played or what?" As Blake pulled away, she found her partner sporting a dismissive grin, one that told of her shallow motive to move the conversation away from the harshness of the past and towards the positivity of their original purpose. Blake nodded and the two left their alcove in the guitar section in search of pianos.

Blake no longer held any fearful sentiments—at least not for the time being. She should have been paying attention to what Yang kept trying to tell her. The past was outside of her control, and though rectifications still could be made, there was no power on Remnant that could undo what had been done. Her argument with her parents, her flight from Sierra, and her allegiance to an undue cause had all been voluntary actions to which she had to suffer the consequences for. But she had been doing so for the past decade, leaving this logic to be more comforting than harrowing. Attention should be placed on the present and the future rather than what unchangeable atrocities had already been incurred. Her past was of that shadowy organization, her present was of this dimly lit room filled with inspirations of a quieter time, and her future was of the shining girl of gold and lilac that stood proudly beside the Faunus. The heavier sentiments of before were washed away by a serene smile the likes of which could never have existed before this summer break.

The couple would meander through the shelves and spaces, idly browsing what the store had to offer and taking their time with the journey to Blake's instrument of choice. Every so often, Yang would interact with what was nearest to her, absent-mindedly strumming a guitar on the wall, tapping a set of drums, toying with a bar chime, and occasionally humming along to a classic rock song that played quietly over the ceiling's speakers. All the while, Blake found herself entranced by her partner's unwitting curiosity. Though Yang's only reason for being here was to appease her partner, she did not seem inconvenienced in the least. For this, the young Faunus could not help but smile at that loving figure beside her.

After a few minutes of aimless wandering and pleasantly inconsequential conversation, Blake would spot the section designated for her instrument of choice. Eventually, the two would arrive upon another alcove which contained what she had been looking for—rather, the type of instrument. Despite her more confident state of mind, Blake halted upon seeing the imposing grand piano shimmering in the lights that kept it on display. She had been taught on an upright and had never once touched anything of this calibre. A fleeting thought came to mind that she might break it, but the presence of Yang made sure that this wasn't the case. With a jubilant grin, the blonde asked, "So, you play piano?" Blake continued to stare at the spectacle but nodded nonetheless. "Sweet!" her partner exclaimed. "A girlfriend that knows how to use her fingers!"

The awe of the moment fell away completely for an embarrassed blush and indignant glare pointed at the blonde.

"Sorry!" the girl chuckled sheepishly. "I just had to say it."

This comment would fade in importance and the blush in intensity as Blake began to rationalize the comment's harmlessness and moved towards the piano. Rather, she felt compelled to bypass these flustering sentiments to focus on what was now in front of her and the memories that she still yet held.

If ever there could be a time to call the young Faunus hesitant or afraid as she so often described herself, it would be in this moment of her forward crawl and uncertain contact with the cold finish of the wood. There was neither dreamy stupor nor humbled trepidation that kept the Faunus from nearing the piano, but the belief that she would somehow harm it in her atrophied state. However, that encouraging force beside her took the initiative and pulled back the bench. The Faunus' uncharacteristically slow, clumsy movement eventually led her to sit and stare at the reminiscently intimidating row of ivory and the mirrored music rack above. From her stare into this latter object, she saw a person that was not herself, but the person she had been when last she sat in this position. She saw her mother sitting beside her, lacking the grey of stressful abandonment and holding that same slight smile the young Faunus would adopt in time. She saw her father behind them, grinning proudly as his wife played a beginner's tune just slow enough for the young child to mimic. Blake saw herself of twelve or so years ago, smiling widely like Ruby and Yang often did and observing her mother's tutorial movements.

She then saw a figure of gold step into view, in front of the father and behind the young Faunus. Yang smirked eagerly, wrapped her arms warmly around Blake's neck, and whispered the invitation of "Show me what you can do, kitten." Blake lingered in this position for a moment, simply basking in the energy of her girlfriend and settling into the acceptance of her past becoming her present in this current situation. After this moment's passing, Blake nodded to herself and pressed a finger to a key.

The sound shook her from her reflective reverie. It was so far detached from what seemed natural to this world—it was pure and resonating but mnemonically hollow. Blake pressed the key again and was met with the same silence of the past. She pressed another key and its sound came out rigid and forced. The cause of this, she found, was her fingers' unwillingness to simply touch the keys; after all her years of combat training, the digits now required a forceful motion like that of pressure being applied to her blade's handle or her gun's trigger. A frown crossed her features as she attempted to press a key with her opposite hand and found the same result. Perhaps a chord would work? She attempted this, but did not remember any such patterns, resulting in a negligent discord.

"Blake?" her partner asked, removing her arms from the Faunus' neck and moving to sit beside her on the small bench. The girl in question did not answer but stared insistently at the keys, attempting to will her memories back into existence. "Blake, what's wrong?"

"It's not working." Blake stubbornly pressed another key and heard a dissonant contrast between it and the last pitch.

"What's not working?" The blonde's brows furrowed.

"My memory." Again, a chord was attempted. While this attempt did yield more harmonious results, it still did not evoke any sort of song or knowledge that she had left behind. "I used to be able to play, Yang, but I can't remember anything." She pressed another key. "It's as if I've lost that knowledge."

"Blake…" Yang gently moved her partner's hand away from the keys. "You're just rusty is all. Give it time and you'll be back in peak shape." Her partner was silent as she continued to stare at the instrument. Yang sighed and then released the Faunus. "Here," she said, sitting up straight and moving her own fingers over the keyboard, "let me try something."

When she depressed a key, the sound that came from the instrument was rich and reassuring, but Yang seemed surprised. She pressed another and nodded to an idea she quickly devised. The blonde flashed a smile at her partner before she started to hum. The song was slowed and each note was elongated so that the corresponding key could be found, but Blake quickly recognized that Yang was playing a children's lullaby. As the tune progressed, its speed increased and so too did the blonde's confidence. It was a simple song, using only one note at a time, but Blake knew the melody from those formative years in the shadows of her mind.

On instinct, the young Faunus reached out to the daunting row of ivory and imitated her partner's movements, hearing the melodic tone of her voice and matching the varying pitches on the keyboard. Surprisingly, it seemed to be working and the notes sounded correct, causing the concerned expression to vanish.

The song moved at a reluctant pace and errors arose frequently, but as the two played on their separate octaves, Blake's memories gradually came back to her. She would not recover the skill she had once possessed nor would she remember enough to embellish or improvise over the song, but as she played in tandem with her partner, a confidence rose within her and the pitches she once thought unnatural became beautiful.

Yang would continue to hum and the song's tempo would eventually reach a speed similar to that of the original tune. They would play together for a while, matching each other's pace, smiling whenever either made a mistake, and repeating the song multiple times over due to Yang forgetting how it ended. Though it was but one children's song, it made Blake smile and this reaction caused Yang to beam. As she looked again to the music rack, she saw the shadows of her father grinning at her, her mother standing beside him with a smile wider than any Blake had ever seen from the stoic woman, and the tangible form of Yang sitting beside the young Faunus, radiating an earnest, prideful heat.

The song would eventually fade into silence around the point that it was meant to end. Blake turned to her partner, unable to contain a thankful grin. Yang simply giggled as she rested her head against Blake's shoulder. "See? What did I tell you?" She sighed contentedly. "You were just rusty."

Blake barely contained a laugh as she shook her head. "Thank you, Yang." She leaned down to kiss the top of her girlfriend's head. "I didn't know you played piano."

"Neither did I! I guess those music classes in middle school paid off after all." She nuzzled against Blake's neck for a moment before sitting up. "That was fun—probably more fun than laser tag, to be honest." The two quietly laughed in the silence they now purveyed. A fleeting, serious glance was shared between them amongst this mirth that communicated something that somehow made the Faunus' smile widen even further—something that could not be expressed even in a three-word statement. Yang let this silence linger until the moment seemed proper to ask, "What do you want to do for dinner? It's getting late and we can't let Weiss steal all the fun tonight."

"Wherever you would like to go is fine. I'm still a bit…off my game after today, but anywhere you choose will be fine."

Yang smirked. "Well then, I think that since we've had such a hard day and since Weiss and Ruby are off on their own adventure, we should treat ourselves to something nice. I was thinking we could find a quiet place that'll serve some pasta or, if you want, we could get sushi somewhere. I know a really great place by the Esplanade that we could go to. It'd take us a little while to get there from here, but I think it'll be worth it."

There truly was no end to the care Yang could give, was there? "Pasta is fine," Blake responded with a smile.

"Pasta it is!" The blonde stood from the bench and offered a hand to Blake. The Faunus took it and intertwined their fingers as she stood. "So, feeling better yet?"

Blake nodded. "Marginally."

"Marginally?" Yang exclaimed. "Well, that just won't do. Come on. Let's go make this date put my sister's to shame."

In the wake of these most current events and poignant recollections, it should be said that Blake was, for the most relative part, unscathed. Though the memories that haunt them unarguably sting when brought to light, the promised future and warm present more than made up for this temporary pain. Company when else there would none soothed burning remorse and paved a way for the two to travel. Such was a path of recovery, friendship, togetherness, and, most of all, rectification. In this latter regard, Yang was the avenue through which the past had been not forgotten about, but forgiven. Yet atrocities still remained and Blake knew this just as Yang bore the insecurities of those she had interacted with in her greener years. To do away with these maledict visions would be to dishonor oneself, but through acceptance and personal betterment, repulsive horrors shift to dark stories from which one might benchmark a future decision or contrast the morality of a present choice. With hands locked together, the two of black and yellow exited into the dour blue of Vale's early night, into the cheerfully lit path provided by perennial conversation and warm lights which lined the city streets. It was not cold in the least nor was it hot whatsoever and there was not any concern to be held when staring into the unknown of their doubtlessly affectionate future.

That is, there had not been any concern or amount of hesitation in the mind of either girl until the fateful moment they left the quiet safety of the music store and stepped out into the rambunctious world whereupon a harrowing noise could be heard, not only in the augmenting ears of a Faunus, but from human senses as well, of a roaring, cantankerous variety which emanated from the faraway yet nevertheless approaching White Fang protest.

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I apologize for the cliffhanger, but it had to be done. Without it, the next chapter's focus would seem sudden, jarring, and, in effect, forced. I'd rather state at the end of this chapter what the two arrived upon rather than giving the illusion that everything was fine and then start the next chapter with some excuse about how their situation truly was not fine. This cliffhanger is more so suited to transition into the next chapter upon later readings (when the story is complete) than it is to mildly inconvenience you. Though, I would be lying if I said the latter purpose did not play a part in my decision to end the chapter this way.

Now, moving on to Yang's relationship history (which I assume is a point of concern or interest for some of you), I should state that if her telling of the stories seemed flippant or unconcerned in any way, that is because she was attempting to appear unconcerned at the time of their telling. Such is Yang's character. Had someone like Blake or Weiss told the stories—someone who cares about the smaller details and the meanings behind them—then the stories would seem somber. With Yang, the stories could not be given a sad inflection until the very end when she looked back on all of them. However, this is not to discount the subject matter's severity—this is why Blake was in the scene, among the obvious reason.

She was meant to act as the grounding factor in the conversation in a similar way she acts to ground Yang in both reality and temperament. Blake took the stories to heart when Yang attempted to brush them off like they were nothing, moving such an unperturbed scene into one of deep concern (see: alleyway). In this way, a balance is shown between the two in a very ambiguous way. And in this secondary way, I am alluding to something more than likely important in their relationship's progression.

Finally, I should mention that through Yang's stories, there is the means of understanding why she treats Weiss the way she does.

In the last chapter, I promised that two stories would be posted before this chapter, being those of a Halloween one-shot and the first chapter of the White Rose novel (the short stories). The Halloween story is titled Recompense, and though it is probably dated by this point, it could be enjoyed. However, before this I would recommend reading the White Rose novel, Edelweiss. It takes place during the events of Valence and sheds light on Ruby and Weiss' characters while showing the means of their relationship's progression. Though Edelweiss is not necessary to read, it does play into Valence later on and shows why certain events occurred between Weiss and Ruby. Both stories can be found in my profile.

I also promised in the last chapter that I would alternate between writing Edelweiss and Valence after each chapter. This will mean another wait of a similar length to this last one (about a month and a half) for the next chapter of Valence to be released. Though the writing process may be expedited in some way, I do not want to sacrifice quality for an earlier release date. I hope this does not inconvenience anyone.

Thank you for reading. Stay safe and stay tuned.