The sun was gently warming an upstairs patio of a cafe in downtown Vale. Blake and the monkey faunus were already there, sipping from teacups. The monkey faunus kept trying to get Blake to speak, but all Blake would say was to save it for when her leader showed up. Finally, Blake spotted black and red walking onto the balcony with a mug of hot cocoa in hand. "Sorry, I'm a little later than I wanted to be. Weiss just wouldn't take her eyes off me… I think she suspected I knew where to find you."

"Why didn't you tell her?" the monkey boy asked.

"I was afraid Weiss would just call the police," Ruby explained bluntly. "Also, who are you?"

"My name is Sun Wukong!" he announced with a huge smile. "I guess you can call me Blake's emotional support monkey."

"I only met you last night," Blake reminded Sun.

Sun didn't allow himself to be fazed by the bow-headed girl. "And already such fast friends!"

"He's been following me around, asking questions, and won't leave me alone," Blake grumbled.

"Well, sometimes you just need someone there," Sun grinned sincerely, "whether you want them or not."

Ruby could feel the honesty in Sun's smile, and smiled herself. "Well, Blake? Have you had time to think?"

"Yes," Blake nodded, "and, first, I want to thank you for trusting me and giving me the time."

"Of course," Ruby nodded.

"Well?" Sun looked expectantly, "Are you finally gunna 'fess up?"

Blake sighed. She looked to Sun, "Are you familiar with the White Fang?"

"Of course! I don't think there's a faunus on the planet who hasn't heard of them," Sun answered, "Stupid, holier-than-thou creeps that use force to get whatever they want. Bunch of freaks if you ask me."

Ruby took a calm sip of her cocoa. "And you used to be a member, right?"

Sun did an actual spit-take of his tea, looking to Blake again, "You were a member of the White Fang!?"

"For most of my life," Blake nodded. "I guess you could say I was born into it..."

"The Belladonnas in Menagerie," Ruby nodded. "They are your family, aren't they?"

"Wait, wait, wait..." Sun shook his head again, "You're one of those Belladonnas!? You're dad started the entire movement! Y'know, back when it was still peaceful..."

Blake's head dropped guiltily. "Things were different back then. People were still dealing with the aftermath of the Faunus War. My father's White Fang was meant to be a symbol of unity between the two species." Blake closed her eyes and breathed deeply, willing herself to continue, "I was at the front of every rally. I took part in every boycott. I thought we were making a difference… but no matter what we did, humanity still treated us like second class citizens. At best."

"That must have been hard to see..." Sun consoled quietly.

"Not as hard as what came next," Blake drooped again. "Five years ago, my father stepped down. Certain elements in the White Fang were calling for changes, and he wasn't willing to change. And the worst part is that I called my own father a coward. I thought he was giving up on us. On our people. I didn't realize why he was distancing himself from the White Fang. I still thought we were the best chance for the faunus."

"But the White Fang was spiraling out of control," Ruby deduced, "right?"

Blake nodded, her face turning dark. "After my father stepped down, the person who stepped up was more than willing to make the changes. Suddenly, instead of peaceful stand-ins, we were assaulting anti-faunus businesses. We were stealing, hurting people. There are rumors that we were even killing people, rumors I willfully ignored. Until I couldn't ignore it anymore."

"What happened then?" Ruby asked.

"I had a partner. A childhood friend who, perhaps, could have been more in a different situation. One day, I finally saw what this new White Fang had done to him. What it was doing to all of us. He became violent and angry. We were robbing a train, and he willing to sacrifice human lives in order to disrupt the delivery of a few crates of Schnee Dust. So I cut ties and ran away. I want to help people, not hurt them. That's what brought me to Beacon, and I've stayed hidden in plain sight ever since. All with the help of a little black bow."

Ruby nodded, and let the silence settle while everyone processed. "So… what now?"

"I still don't think the White Fang are involved in these robberies," Blake explained, "but I have to find out for sure. I can't face Weiss until I know."

"Why not?" Sun cut in.

"Because I defended an organization I know is corrupt to her face!" Blake answered. "What if I defend them again, and it turns out they are involved? And, if they are involved, why do they need so much Dust? They never have before."

"What if they are..." Sun seemed to scratch his chin thoughtfully. "They'll probably want as much as they can get, right?"

"You have an idea?" Ruby asked him.

"Alright, hear me out on this..." Sun leaned in close, "what if we stake out the place the thieves are most likely to go next? Either we run into the real thieves and can clear the White Fang, or we run into the Fang, and then... at least we know?"

"That… may not be as bad of a plan as it sounds," Ruby admitted.

"Thanks!" Sun smiled brightly, either purposefully ignoring or outright missing the back-handed nature of the comment.

"The only problem with that plan is that we have no idea where that is," Blake pointed out.

"I did hear something on the ship," Sun informed them. "Big Schnee freighter unloading here tomorrow night. Apparently, so much Dust has been stolen already, they needed an emergency restock for half the city. Whoever is doing all these robberies can't pass up a target that big."

Ruby nodded and looked to Blake, "What do you think?".

Blake nodded. "It's worth a shot, at least. We'll stake out the docks tomorrow night."

"Alright, it's a plan," Ruby agreed. She downed the last of her cocoa and stood. "I should probably track down Yang and Weiss before they start worrying about me."

"What are you going to tell Weiss?" Blake asked.

Ruby thought for a moment. "What do you want me to say?"

Blake sighed. "Nothing. I'll apologize to her myself afterwards, if she'll accept it."

Ruby, Weiss and Yang returned to the dorm shortly after they all found each other again. To honor Blake's wishes, Ruby hadn't told Weiss they spoke. Ruby hadn't had a chance to speak with Yang alone, so the blonde didn't know yet either. "Don't worry, girls. I'm sure we'll find her tomorrow," Yang tried to assure.

"I'm still not sure we want to find her," Weiss huffed.

Yang looked hurt, likely for her partner's sake. "You really don't care if we find her, do you?"

"Don't be stupid, of course I care," Weiss argued, "I'm just afraid of what she'll say when we do. The innocent never run, Yang."

"I think we should hear her side of the story before we jump to any conclusions," Yang countered.

"I think that when we hear it, you'll all realize I was right," Weiss stood her ground.

Ruby nearly growled, having reached the end of her patience with Weiss's attitude. After a day and a half of listening to Weiss's crap, Ruby finally broke, "And I think you're not doing enough to meet our teammate halfway!"

Weiss seemed stunned. "What do you mean?"

Ruby didn't hesitate to tear into her partner, "Why do you think she felt a need to hide!? Not as White Fang, she could have done that lie without her bow, but as a faunus!? Because she didn't want people to judge her just for having an extra set of ears! Ever since she revealed herself, you've done nothing but stereotype her, just like any other faunus you come across!"

"I have not!" Weiss denied.

"Yeah, you have," Yang countered. "Just like that monkey kid yesterday that started this whole argument. You've generalized an entire species based on the actions of a few corrupt extremists. I get it, you had a rough childhood caught in the middle of a war you probably didn't understand. But why do you think they come after your family, after Atlas and the SDC, so hard? Not to defend terrorists, they have done some pretty messed up stuff. But it takes two to go to war, Weiss, and one side is rarely faultless."

"She said she was in the White Fang!" Weiss reminded them.

"But she's clearly not anymore," Ruby pointed out. "Have you given no thought on why that might be?"

"Yeah, Weiss, who's to say she wasn't a part of it when it was peaceful?" Yang picked up. "Maybe she left because they went crazy."

"The innocent. Never. Run," Weiss reiterated.

"The innocent run all the time," Yang refuted. "Especially if they're afraid of being wrongly persecuted."

Weiss opened her mouth to continue arguing, but couldn't find anything to say. She just floundered for a few moments in silence.

Ruby approached her partner, slowly taking the heiress's shoulders in her hands and looking her dead in the eyes. "You left Atlas to study here for a reason. I think you wanted to grow. Not just as a fighter, but as a person. But sometimes growing hurts. Sometimes it means facing a part of yourself you don't want to admit exists. This is one of those times, Weiss."

Weiss's eyes softened. "Ruby… what is the curriculum at that mysterious school of yours?"

Ruby smirked, "the curriculum itself isn't so special. The real advantage was the library. Would you believe me if I told you it's bigger than Beacon's?"

"You'll have to show me," Weiss suggested.

Ruby giggled uneasily and rubbed the back of her head, "I can't promise anything..."

"So," Yang cut in to save her little sister, "what does this mean for Blake?"

Weiss composed herself and answered calmly, "If or when she returns, I will give her the chance to explain herself. Well see where things go from there."

Ruby smiled. "One step at a time."

"Indeed," Weiss nodded. "Thank you, Ruby."

The sun set over the Vale docks. Blake lay in wait on the rooftop of a nearby warehouse, watching intently as entire shipping containers of Dust were off-loaded.

Sun appeared beside her, "did I miss anything?"

"No," Blake shook her head, "They're still offloading the crates."

Sun watched as well. "It looks like they're done. And now they're leaving." After a few moments of nothing, Sun held an apple out to Blake, "I stole you some food?"

Blake looked at the apple, then narrowed her eyes at the monkey boy. "Do you always break the law without a second thought?"

"Hey, weren't you in a cult or something?" Sun countered.

Blake scowled in turn.

"Too soon?" Sun shrugged.

The sound of metal boots approached the pair, and they turned to see Ruby arrive. "Hey. I miss anything?"

"Nope," Blake repeated, "They've offloaded the containers. Now they're just sitting there."

"Maybe that's good news?" Ruby suggested. A couple of airships appeared suddenly, prompting Ruby to duck down low like Blake and Sun. "And here are the thieves..."

They watched the airships land and several people in white tunics and Grimm masks exited the crafts. "Oh no..." Blake's head dropped.

"Bad news?" Ruby asked.

Blake nodded. It was the White Fang.

"You really didn't think it was them, did you?" Sun deduced.

"No, I think I always knew," Blake refuted, "I just didn't want to believe it."

Just after Blake said this, another person stepped out of one of the airships. Someone who was very much human. A short girl wearing bright white, brown and pink clothing, with hair just as colorful. She was carrying a parasol she was using to gesture and give instructions. She even used the hook to drag around a White Fang underling who apparently wasn't understanding her instructions.

"Something's not right," Blake stood, "The White Fang would never follow a human." The feline faunus leapt off the rooftop. Ruby called out after, too late to stop her. Blake was already on the ground, quietly sprinting toward the small human. Blake quickly grabbed her from behind and put her blade to her throat. The faunus quickly reached up and undid her bow. "Brothers of the White Fang, why are you aiding this human!?"

The small girl, known as Neopolitan to her allies, rolled her eyes. She roughly grabbed Blake's feline ears and pulled. She used the leverage to flip herself onto Blake's back. By the time Blake could register the heeled boot standing on her right shoulder, Neo's other boot had struck her in the back of head, hard. Neo used the same motion to back-flip off the collapsing Blake.

"Blake!" both Sun and Ruby called out in unison, and jumped off the building together.

Neo noted the oncoming helpers, and made a silent sigh. She pointed at the pair with her parasol and dragged her thumb across her throat. The message was clear to her White Fang underlings. The masked soldiers ran forward, weapons raised. They were no match for either of them. Ruby had three years of intensive Keyblade training and no reason to hold back on her magic with only strangers and criminals to see her. Sun's weapon, a set of four lever action shotguns that could also connect together both as a set of nunchucku and as a bo staff, easily overwhelmed anyone to took a shot at him.

While fighting, Ruby managed to spot Neo walking away. "That girl is going to get away!"

"Go after her! I've got this," Sun assured.

Ruby looked down at Blake. She wasn't unconscious, but she clearly was struggling to stand. "Are you sure?" Ruby asked.

"I'm sure," Sun shot her a confident grin, "These guys are nothin'!" Ruby nodded and ran after the multi-colored woman. Neo was strutting toward an airship stuffed into the corner of the yard, intent to step on and leave the scene.

"Blizzara!"

A chunk of ice whizzed passed Neo's ear and struck the airship. The ice froze the airship's door shut just as she was reaching for the handle. Neo was actually surprised, and turned to face her aggressor. Ruby held Crescent Rose at her with one hand. That weapon, those clothes… she's the one who arrested Roman. Neo smiled and tapped the airship with her parasol, signaling it to take off without her. She stepped up to little red, parasol over her shoulder, smirk on her face. I'm going to enjoy this. Ruby's other hand gripped her Keyblade's handle as she settled into her combat stance.

Ruby took the initiative, opening with her usual combo. Neo gracefully dodged every attack, biding her time. When Ruby attempted a thrust, Neo made her move. Suddenly, the crook of the parasol's handle was inside Crescent Rose's handguard. It hooked onto the Keyblade's handle and one of Ruby's wrist and sweeped downward, flipping Ruby right onto her back while Crescent Rose spun into the air, stabbing into the ground several feet away.

Neo sauntered into a position blacking Ruby from running to her weapon. Ruby couldn't help but smile. Keyblade wielders were never truly disarmed. Still, having Crescent Rose thrown from her wasn't an easy feat. They were taught not to be complacent about their weapon grip, as even a second of vulnerability was still a vulnerability. "You're a lot better than your partner, what was his name? Torchwick?"

Neo's smug grin turned into a scowl.

"So it was you on that airship, huh?" Ruby deduced.

Neo's smile returned. This girl has no idea who she is dealing with.

Ruby noted the small girl's confidence. "I guess we'll know, if the robberies continue after I take you in!" Ruby punctuated her declaration by summoning Crescent Rose back to her hand.

Neo's eyes widened in shock. Her head whipped around, seeing indeed the weapon had vanished from behind her. She faced Ruby again.

Her face was now serious determination. Her grip on her parasol tightened and a thin blade extended out of the tip. She waited for Ruby's move, but Ruby wasn't giving Neo another chance to counter. "Magnera!" The second-tier 'magnet' spell lifted Neo off the ground and trapped in the spiraling orb of energy Ruby summoned. The young wielder jumped up and assaulted the defenseless criminal with a seven-hit combo.

The spell wore out, and Neo was freed from the magic trap. She barely managed to twist round and land on her feet, still trying to figure out exactly what just happened. Must be her semblance. Neo looked up at her quarry with a teasing smile. Ruby brought her Keylade down and the colorful girl… Shattered? The enemy faded into existence behind Ruby and struck. Neo looked one part ballerina, one part blender as she relentlessly spun, twirled, and flipped, striking Ruby with booth blade and heel.

Ruby got her break when Neo reared for a heavy thrust. She managed to bring Crescent Rose up in time to stop her opponents blade. While standing blade-locked, Ruby spoke up, "Illusionist, huh? That's fun. Never seen that trick before."

Neo rolled her eyes. Does this girl ever shut up?

That momentary lapse in attention was all Ruby needed to push Neo off balance once again. One strike, two strikes, a third in rapid succession. "Fire!" kept Neo off balance. "Blizzard!" froze her foot in place. Ruby followed with Zantetsuken.

Neo was laid out, and she realized she may have underestimated this little girl.

Not letting that deter her, Neo was quickly back on her feet and lunged. The fight became even more tense and brutal. Strike for strike, Neo took as many hits as she dished out. Finally, Neo felt she had the upper hand. After a few vicious slashes, she found herself back-to-back with her younger quarry. She whipped her parasol around the front of Ruby's neck, gripping both ends. Neo jumped forward and flipped. Her parasol carryed Ruby with her by the bottom of the redhead's jaw. Neo landed on Ruby's back as Ruby landed face-first on the hard concrete.

Neo rolled onto her feet, quickly turning to prepare for whatever retaliation Ruby had. Ruby found her feet slowly, looking a little worse for wear. Neo smiled. The illusionist wasn't in the best shape, but her young opponent was no better off. The fight had not been kind to either of them.

Then, Ruby once again did something Neo could never have anticipated. The girl raised her weapon into the air, smiling as she did so. "Cure." Flower bells briefly manifested over Ruby, showering her in a green light. Her cuts healed, her bruises vanished, and her exhaustion seemed to fade away. The damage to her clothing repaired as well, the enchantments drawing from the spell to stitch itself back together. Ruby settled into her combat stance, looking no different than she did at the beginning of the fight. "I can do this all night," she goaded.

Neo had no idea how she did this, and she realized she definitely had underestimated this little girl.

Neo turned to run, which Ruby was already prepared for. "Stop!" This was not a verbal command for a fleeing suspect, but yet another spell in the Keyblade wielder's repertoire. One that temporarily freezes a target in time. Ruby calmly walked around the front of Neo, who was unnaturally hanging in the air, 'stopped' mid running stride. She raised her Keyblade again, and counted the seconds until Neo returned to normal time. The moment she did, she was greeted by one last fireball that landed her flat on her back.

Ruby breathed a sigh of relief. Saying she could do it all night was a slight exaggeration. The Cure had given her a second wind, but she used the last of her magic power on those last few spells. While her power would recharge rather quickly, possibly even before the end of the fight if it had dragged on, she didn't like the idea of being handicapped of it during combat.

Still, that didn't matter now. The fight was over, and Neo was breathing softly on the ground, ready to be arrested. What did matter, Ruby reminded herself, was the aftermath of Blake's confession. Now that this event was settled, it was time for Blake to return to the dorm. It was time for the talk they had all spent the weekend avoiding.