RWBY belongs to Rooster Teeth.
Little Nightmares belongs to Bandai Namco.
Chapter 8: Revelations, Confrontations and Evil
Evil is the surrendering will. To refuse compromise and only adhere to one's own view despite all other points of contention. Especially when it leads to the harm of others.
In the city of Vale under the cover of night, three figures walked the streets. They kept to the shadows, avoiding the main highways and anywhere in which they might attract any form of unwanted attention.
The trio of shadowed figures made their way to docks warehouse district, where they approached an abandoned storage building.
"You think he's expecting us?" Asked one of them with a female voice.
"I doubt it." Replied another with a causal and cocky male voice. "He never saw us coming when the boss first put him to work. No reason to think he knows better now, especially with how much he talks down to us."
"You mean the two of us." The female replies as they strolled up to the warehouse.
"Ppfff. Yeah." Chuckled the male voice. "He doesn't have the guts to act that way when everyone's in the room. Even with that mute freak smiling next to him."
"Be quiet, both of you." Said the third and lead figure in an authoritative female voice.
Around the warehouse were a number of people all wearing white masks with red lines around them. Most of them were outfitted with rugged combat gear with the white vest as a uniform staple.
The front doors of the warehouse had a set of lights that zeroed in on the trio, revealing one woman and two teenagers. The teenage girl with medium-brown skin and dark-red eyes. Her hair was a light, mint-green with a straight fringe and bangs as well as two long locks on each side in the back. She wore two bronze-colored rings on her middle fingers as well as a pair of strappy high-heeled pumps along with a sports white cropped pants with brown chaps that attach to her brown belt.
The girl glared at the approaching members of the White Fang while the teenage boy at her side just stood with his arms crossed.
He was the same age as the girl. He had a slate grey and black two-tone partial-zip jacket that covered his upper body. He also wore a single notched belt with what appears to be a sash or bandana draped over it. Protecting his arms are a set of reembraces and vambraces.
The woman at the head of the trio showed no reaction to the approaching guards. Even when they took aim with their guns she did not flinch. They were no threat to her. None of them were.
She was a fair-skinned young woman with ashen-black hair that covers her left eye which shone with an amber light. She wore a dark red, off-the-shoulders V-neck mini dress with yellow designs. There is a blue feather-like accessory on her right hip at the top of an open portion of her dress. The dress ended in an upside-down triangular tail in the back, ending just above the knees.
This woman was Cinder Fall and she was the one in command and would not be threatened.
The two White Fang soldiers that approached her looked her up and down. She drank in the attention. She wanted them to know that she was in charge.
The two behind her were her subordinates, Emerald Sustrai and Mercury Black.
After the guards confirmed who she was, they signalled for the doors to open.
The trio waltzed inside the large building to a sight that she had seen several times since her coming to Vale. Crates stacked upon crates all around the large open space. Through this space, Faunas all garbed in the uniform of the White Fang carried and organised the crates, preparing them to be moved to the mountain.
Cinder ignored them, she wasn't here to bother herself with something so menial. How they organised the crates and moved them meant nothing. All that mattered was that the job got done.
Making their way across the factory, she saw the worker make way for her. This brought a slight smile to her face. They had not forgotten what happened last time they tried to defy her.
Fear. It was such and effective method to controlling people. A lesson she learned from her days in Atlas, constantly scrubbing floors. And what a valuable lesson it was. People were ruled by it, and those who conquered it were among the truly powerful.
And it was fear that she instilled within these mongrels when she and Emerald attacked their camp. An example used to her benefit and a reminder of what she would do to the bull and chameleon Faunas should they try to double cross her.
A loud crash drew her attention to the far corner of the warehouse where a small group of Faunas had knocked over one of the crates, spilling out the red dust crystals. For a fraction of a second her heart quickened at the sight of them. Not because of the fact that they were explosive material being thrown around so clumsily, but the colour itself. The red she was so fond of turning to such a bright hue even in the low light only provided by a few lamps.
That colour reminded her of a sight that caught her off guard.
"No, no, no!" Yelled a male voice, drawing Cinder from her momentary reminiscence.
Turning her attention to the blunder, she found the man she was looking for. He was tall and lanky, with slanted, dark-green eyes and bright, long, orange hair, with long bangs covering his right eye. Black eyeliner traced his visible left eye. He wore a red-lined white suit with long black pants and black shoes. His accessories included a small grey scarf, black gloves with buckled sleeves, and a black bowler hat with a small feather tucked into its red band.
"You dumb animals! Did you forget what's in these crates?"
Despite his loud voice, he kept his posture straight and his facial expression calm. As a certified trickster, he was good at putting on a face that was contrary to his mood. Cinder had decided to snuff that out early in their relationship to keep his little games to a minimum. She didn't have time for games with the festival coming up. Everything had to be perfect, so she could finally have what was rightfully hers.
The man kept a lit cigar in his mouth and a cane in his hand. With his other limb he picked up one of the dust crystals. "This is raw dust. Unrefined. As in highly explosive. I don't think I need to remind you that we are standing in a building packed with the stuff and all it takes is one screw up to set off this whole keg."
He tossed the crystal to the Faunas who was gathering up the scattered dust, who fumbled before catching it. This made the man sigh. "It's like I'm working with complete amateurs here."
Cinder approached the man. "Roman." She said in a soft voice, she was not there to scold him.
At the sound of her voice, he spun around. Not quickly, but just quick enough to show that he took her seriously without making himself look like a pansy. She smiled as she found the act amusing. He was trying to act cool despite the fact that she could fry him with the wave of a hand.
"Well, this is a surprise." He said keeping that poker face. "What bring mommy hen and her little chicks to the barn?"
Cinder heard Emerald growl behind her and ignored both her and the joke Roman made.
"I want an update." Cinder said walking straight up to the man. "It's been weeks since last you contacted me."
"Oh, forgive me great Empress of Burning Suits." He sneered with a smile and a slight bow. Again, Cinder didn't really care about his remark. Even if he was referencing the day they met. "I wasn't aware that you were the type to demand constant attention. I'll mark it down in my schedule to contact you every day like a gentleman should."
Cinder snatched the cigar from his mouth and held it out in front of him.
Then with a grin of sadistic glee she turned the cigar black. Its ashes falling through her finger and over the floor.
"Don't push it now." She said in a seductive tone that emphasized that she would enjoy hurting him.
He blinked as he processed that he was walking on eggshells and coughed before recomposing himself. Good, the message got through.
"Now, stop wasting my time and tell me what I want to hear." Cinder had practiced keeping her voice low and sweet. It helped, especially with men.
Roman sighed, apparently the scare didn't put him in line completely. "You wanna know how much progress we made?"
He tapped his can on the floor making a loud thud echo across the warehouse and more lights became active, revealing just how many crates of dust they really had on hand. It was nearly triple what Cinder was able to see in the dark.
Roman threw his arms wide in a grand gesture as if he were some performer asking his audience for their opinion and bracing himself for it. "Does this answer your question?"
He didn't give Cinder a chance to answer before he started walking away. She followed but stole one last glance at the red dust crystals as they were packed away. That colour disturbed her.
Roman Torchwick took them into one of the backrooms where he had set up an office to serve as the planning centre for his operations in Vale. On the wall behind the desk that was placed at the back of the room, was a detailed map of Vale. It went down to every street in each of the city's districts.
Cinder eyed the map with mild disinterest. This was beneath her. Stealing the dust in Vale was Roman's purpose. Still, a small part of her was impressed by the level of meticulous detail the master thief had put into this. It only made her feel more vindicated for bringing him along. This was his trade.
Dotting the map was a scattered cluster of multi-coloured pins. Green pins were for available targets. Yellow pins were for targets that were being raided that night and he was waiting for reports to see if they were successes. Blue meant that they were already sacked and empty. Purple meant they were in the middle of resupply and thus were being observed for any changes in security. Red meant that they were too well guarded to be raided properly. So far Cinder had only spotted five reds on the map.
"I don't' know why you bothered coming." Roman said as he stood at the corner of his own desk. Opening a small drawer, he took out a new cigar and flipped out a lighter before taking a small drag.
"I mean, you can check on how well I'm doing from wherever you're staying by just watching the news." He said after letting out a puff of smoke. "No one's been caught so far so I'd say it's been nothing but smooth sailing."
"Smooth sailing?" Emerald smirked. "Then what do you call what happened back there?"
The girl pointed her thumb at the door before folding them across her chest.
Roman frowned, but it was of indignation rather than anger. "I'm a professional sweetheart. That means I hold myself to a certain standard. Is it a crime for me to hold those under me to the something similar? Because if I didn't, then we wouldn't have half the dust we do now. I've may as well have bankrupted the city with all the dust we've taken from them. Not a single shop we've visited has gone unpilfered since we started this little venture."
"Not all of them." Cinder corrected, looking past him to one of the red pins. That pin was on the shop labelled From Dust till Dawn. That was the place. The place where the colour red started to haunt her.
Roman turned to board and quickly caught on to what his boss was implying. "Oh, that was one little dust shop. Barely enough dust to fill up two crates."
"Then why's it marked red?" Mercury asked with a smug grin. "Afraid of going back because you messed up?"
"Maybe if you'd been paying attention while you and your girlfriend were strolling about in broad daylight, a luxury I am no longer afforded, you would have noticed that particular place of business is frequented by Beacon Academy students. And we all know that going after one would bring old man Oz down from his fancy tower and have all of Vale on our buts before morning. That makes it too risky."
Emerald gagged at the word girlfriend while Mercury just carried on chuckling. "What's the matter old man? You scared you'll have your but handed to you by a little girl again?"
Roman scoffed before prepping his suit. "I'll have you know that I didn't get anything handed to me. Little Red didn't lay so much as a finger on me. Just ask Cinder, she was there."
Cinder didn't deign to respond. She was caught up in a memory. The memory of the night where she was somehow roped into being Roman's getaway driver. Granted, he had managed to steal a gunship which would be useful later.
Little Red, that was the name of the girl that chased Roman up a building. At least it was the only name Cinder knew her as. A girl younger than her servants and surprisingly tenacious.
When Cinder first saw her, she seemed unremarkable. Just another pawn in Ozpin's game. But when girl's gaze locked onto Cinder, she realized that the girl might actually become a problem someday.
Her eyes. Those cold, dead, terrifying eyes that watched her like an eagle would watch a mouse. They were silver eyes. While Cinder did not know all the details, she was aware that her mentor wanted any information on the whereabouts of anyone with the extremely rare trait.
Cinder had admittedly failed to report this as she was supposed to. No doubt Watts and Tyrian would mock her for this when they eventually found out. That would be just like them, sticking their noses where they don't belong.
She wanted to tell her mentor but every time she thought about the girl, she put it off. Not even wanting to think about the child for too long. Cinder could not explain it, but a part of her shrieked at the sight of her. A part of her was afraid of that little girl.
When Cinder locked eyes with the girl, she nearly panicked when launching her attack. After knocking the child away, she was so relieved that she nearly didn't notice the counterattack from the huntress.
After that night, the child would haunt her dreams. It was not often, about once a week if at all. But whenever it did happen, she always appeared in shadowed corridors. Surrounded by a black mist. Hunting Cinder down like a ruthless predator.
Cinder blinked, shaking off the memory. This was not something to worry about. It was just dreams. Irrational fears. Perhaps it was the effect of the silver eyes. Maybe they induced fear into those who stared into them. Perhaps her mistress wanted to use them for some kind of new Grimm?
It did not matter. These were just dreams. Fictions of her mind.
"Don't forget the shipment tomorrow night. You'll need the dust and bullheads for the next phase of the plan."
"And just where am I to move all this valuable dust to?" Roman asked, sounding genuinely interested, maybe he was relived to finally move on from the constant heists.
"Mount Glen."
Ruby stared at the sign that flapped above the street. Slung between two buildings, it read 'Welcome to Vale.' All around, she saw people walking the streets, all busy, all on their own little missions. There were so many that they blocked the windows of the buildings they were walking by.
It made Ruby uncomfortable. Being around this many people. It always did. Ruby was not a social creature, at least not when she had no use for it. She didn't like crowds. Back at Beacon, she'd been able to ignore it due to what she would gain. Initiation was her entryway into the school and the procession that came after was just grandstanding. While it looked pointless, they did serve a purpose. Milling about in crowds did not and that was why she could shake off the unease.
Why? Just why had she allowed herself to be dragged along? How? How had she done it? How had her partner convinced Yang to bring her along rather than letting her spend the day working on her beloved Crescent Rose?
It made Ruby slightly angry.
"The Vytal Festival!" Weiss cheered as she looked at the sign too. "Oh, this is absolutely wonderful."
Ruby quietly grumbled at the heiress's excitement. As if she didn't have enough to deal with. Bored, uncomfortable and weaponless. The last part was as Beacon's rules stimulated. No student was allowed to take their weapons off of campus grounds unless given permission or on a school assignment. It only soured her mood more. If she had known that detail, she might have reconsidered Ozpin's offer when she first met him. It did not matter; she would get him back for this injustice. No-one bars her baby from her and gets away with it.
"Jeez, you sure are chipper today, Weiss. I've never seen you smile this much, even on camera." Said Yang out loud.
"Shh!" Hissed the heiress quietly. "Don't say my name so loud you oaf."
Yang blinked, realising her blunder. "Sorry."
Weiss adjusted her hoodie and looked around to make sure no one had seen her. Weiss had forgone her combat outfit for something a little more low key. As what she wore before stuck out like a sore thumb. Of course, this went for Ruby too but unlike the pop star, Ruby was far from famous in the mainstream of Remnant. Yang and Blake stuck out less, but given that they were both attractive women, it was inevitable that someone would notice them.
Hence why Weiss was dressed up in casual wear that his both her hair and the majority of her face. While the heiress detested such clothes, she found it necessary in order to move around Vale freely. A small sacrifice in her eyes.
After checking to see that they were not caught, Weiss sighed. "How many times do I have to tell you not to use my name when we are out of school? This is the fifth time today."
"I guess after spending over three months with you, I just forget that you're a celebrity sometimes."
Weiss paused for a moment and Ruby wonder if that comment had made Weiss happy. Given that Ruby spotted a slight upturn on her lips, she probably was. Before she shook it off as she usually did.
"Well, forgetful or not, make sure not to do it again. After the little show YOU made me do, the entire city began looking for me. Augh!" Weiss groaned, sounding like herself again. "News stations, reporters, journalists, crazy fans. I can't leave the academy and enjoy Vale anymore thanks to you."
"Oh, come on." Yang protested. "It's not that bad."
"I disagree." Blake said, coming to Weiss' defence. "They've had to up Beacon's security because of all the people trying to sneak in to see her."
"It only becomes worse since Weiss almost never does interviews anymore." Ruby said, parroting what the heiress had disclosed to her in a moment of vulnerability. The reason for it was that she was just fed up with lying for her dunce of a father. "It makes every media outlet in Vale go nuclear for the chance to be the first to get her back on the news. Hence the disguise."
"Exactly. Thank you, Ruby." Said Weiss.
Ruby just gave her partner a thumbs up. The two of them had become good friends over the past three months, Ruby would dare to say that the Schnee actually trusted her. Revealing all sorts of secrets in the moments when they studied together.
"And why wouldn't I be smiling. It's the Vytal Festival." Weiss said turning back to the sign.
That was not the only decoration that had been set up. There were balloons and streamers everywhere. Shops put up their own personal decorations, trying to draw in customers and tourists.
"It's a celebration that only comes once ever two years. Highlighting all the cultures of Remnant. Dances, parades, and best of all, the tournament."
Weiss almost skipped along her first step as they continued walking. She must have been really happy about the tournament. Ruby understood why, because she felt the same.
"Just imagine it." Weiss continued. "Amity Colosseum flying above Vale just waiting for us to compete. The cheers and roar of the crowd as we represent Beacon Academy to the world."
"Have to say, I kinda like the sound of that." Yang grinned as she smashed a fist into the palm on her other hand. "Gets me fired up."
Yang's enthusiasm spread to Ruby, lifting her mood slightly. "Team RWBY. Number one!" she cheered.
"That's right sis. We won't lose to anyone, ever." Yang's grin died at Blake's next sentence.
"Didn't you lose to Pyrrha last week?"
Yang went silent. Ruby remembered the fight well. The two were almost even in their duel. Yang and Pyrrha were in each other's faces for the entirety of the fight as was per Ruby's advice. Before all her fight, Yang would normally ask Ruby if she had any suggestions for how Yang should approach it. Ruby made a habit of studying how other people fight so she was usually able to spot weaknesses and she had spotted some with Pyrrha. Funny enough, Pyrrha's fighting style revolved on her outplaying her opponents a lot of the time. Displaying a level of flexibility that almost matched Blake and precision nearly on par with Weiss. Needless to say, the only method that would work on Pyrrha would be to exploit her abundance of options and force her to take a single approach that put her on the backfoot. Yang was the ideal choice for this strategy funnily enough. Pyrrha had displayed some solid defence, but it was for to stall until she got enough room to throw her opponent off balance. The key to victory there was never giving her the chance. Ruby had simply told her sister to go full throttle from the very beginning and not to let up. It had nearly worked too, Pyrrha was being pushed into a corner, unable to utilise her flexible fighting style. But somewhere along the line Yang messed up. Ruby saw it. Her sister's punches were off, going wide, just missing their mark. Giving Pyrrha the opening she needed to throw the brawler out of the ring.
That fight had slightly damaged Yang's confidence. Not because she lost. It was because she lost due to her suddenly becoming sloppy at the end of the fight. Their auras were roughly even with Yang having a slight lead. Had she kept up the assault she would have won, as was evident when Ruby caught the gladiator with shaking hands and legs afterwards from the exertion of keeping Yang at bay. Since then, Yang had taken her training more seriously. Upping the ante with her constant spars with Nora who is a freak of nature in her own right and the only member of any team in Beacon that can somewhat match Yang in pure physicality.
Ruby also later learned why Yang's punches were off. Pyrrha had a semblance that controlled polarity. As in magnetism. Instead of using it on herself, she used it to run interference. Pulling Yang's Ember Celica to the side to create and opening. Clever, but if Ruby caught Pyrrha disrespecting Cresent Rose like that she would get no mercy.
"So much for the nine-year winning streak." Ruby mumbled out loud.
"It'll be fine." Yang said with a causal wave of her hand. "All I have to do is beat her and I get it back."
"That's not how winning streaks work." Weiss said as the rush of sea air bellowed by the quartet.
"I'm cool with not getting my streak back so long as I can get even with P-Money."
"I still don't understand why you call her that." Weiss said as she turned a corner to reveal the Vale dockyards.
"Speaking of things we don't understand." Yang retorted. "I don't understand why you've brought us to the docks when you wanted to look around town for our afternoon off. It's a Friday and we don't get these often you know. Especially Rubes here with her extra lessons."
"Smells like fish." Groaned Ruby's Shadow. Luckily it was only in Ruby's head. She had no clue how to explain her other half to her friends or even her sister. On the topic of smells, the docks did smell like fish, her Shadow felt and smelled everything she did.
Weiss turned to her team while a ship had just finished docking behind her. "I heard that students from Shade Academy are arriving by ship today. As representatives of Beacon, I feel that it is our responsibility to welcome them to this fine kingdom."
Ruby raised an eyebrow. Weiss was thinking about others with little to no gain for herself? Unlikely, even with the improvements to her attitude over the months she was still doing everything for herself.
"She's definitely lying."
Ruby rolled her eyes as Yang tilted her head in confusion. "Again, why would you do that?"
"She wants to spy on them, so she'll have an advantage in the tournament." Blake said before Weiss got the chance to fib again.
"You can't prove that." Weiss said quickly, too quickly. She was definitely lying.
"You want to represent a Kingdom you barely know and is not actually your home Kingdom?" Ruby asked, forcing a look of betrayal on her partners face.
"Whose side are you on?" Weiss snapped.
"Mine." Ruby said with a glib smile.
"Ever and always." Yang finished with a grin.
Weiss sighed, but Ruby didn't give her a chance to say anything as the reaper marched up to her. "I'm the one who should be disappointed. You want to spy on the competition. Why didn't you just say so!?"
The heiress stared at her partner in surprise. "You would have been okay with it?"
"Duh." Ruby said with a half lidded stare. "Why wouldn't I want to get information on our enemies? I want to win too you know. You could have just been honest instead of trying to trick us."
"It was pretty weird that you wanted to go out even with half the city looking for you to leech off of your clout." Yang said crossing her arms over her chest.
"I'm sorry. Clout?"
"Look at that." Blake pointed to a building full of broken windows and doors.
Driven by a spike in curiosity, Ruby approached the site and her team followed not trusting the girl enough to let her go off on her own, for both her safety and that of others.
Yellow tape covered every breach in a crisscross pattern. It read, Vale police force. Standing before the main doors were two men dressed in white. Police officers or detectives if Ruby had to guess.
Stopping at the boundery, Ruby asked the closest one, a tall man with a beard covering his lower face what had occurred here.
"Robbery." The man said. "Second dust shop to be hit this week. This place is turning into a jungle."
As the man walked away, Ruby felt a slight buzz, her Shadow had moved. While connected, it was evident that her Shadow could go a small distance without her and somehow perceive the world on its own. It was useful as she would always have to tell Ruby what she saw. While they were not on the best of terms, they had to trust each other. If Ruby croaked, then her Shadow would die or fade away. As such, her Shadow never damaged the trust they had when it came to danger. Nothing was safe until you made certain that it was with your own eyes.
"All the dust is gone. Everything else is smashed to cover who came through here."
"They left all the money." The bearded man said to his partner. "It just don't make sense. Who needs all that dust?"
"White Fang maybe?" Guessed the other man.
"All I know is that I don't get paid enough to deal with that. If it is them then I'm asking for a raise."
Weiss scoffed at the mention of the name of the revolutionary group, and Ruby knew a rant was coming. During their study sessions, Weiss had been very vocal about the White Fang. They had a profoundly negative impact on the heiress' home life.
"Ugh. The White Fang. Always causing trouble like the degenerates they are."
Blake took umbrage with that, placing a hand on her hip, she stared at Weiss, her gaze looking less impassive than her usual. "What's your problem?"
"Nothing. I just don't care for the delusions of a so called revolutionary group. I personally call them criminally insane."
"They aren't criminally insane, Weiss. The White Fang are just a collective of misguided Faunus." Blake shot back, crossing her arms, her stance becoming more confrontational.
"They've raided and destroyed dust railways that are vital to the functioning of the Kingdom."
"Okay, they are a group of very misguided Faunus. That doesn't mean they would raid a dust shop in the middle of Vale. It would run counter to their goals as this is active crime."
"It could be Roman." Ruby piped up, wanting to stop this fight before it started. "I caught him robbing a dust shot before I came to Beacon. Maybe he's doing all this?"
"Maybe." Weiss conceded making Ruby and Yang breathe a small sigh of relief as the heiress appeared to abandon her train of thought.
Ruby was glad she knew about all of this beforehand and proactively discussed the difference e between a Faunus trying to make their way in the world and a White Fang member. Survival VS idealism. In that cage match survival always won. It gave Weiss a small amount of perspective, even some measure of pity for those who had to resort to crime to survive.
"HEY! STOP THAT FAUNUS!" Came a shout from the docks behind them.
The two officers ran past the girls, who ran to the railing so they could see what was happening. Across the deck of the nearest ship, three figures ran along it. At the rear were two men, probably crewman, the one at the front was different.
He wore a white jacked that left the entirety of his chest exposed and cargo pants. When he jumped off the ship, Ruby saw that he had a yellow monkey tail and yellow sneakers.
He was laughing as he soared through the air and caught onto a lamp post with his tail, to which he proceeded to hang upside down from it with his legs crossed. In his hands was a banana. The sight she found was almost comical. She heard her Shadow snicker at the officers as they yelled at the boy.
"You no good stowaway." One of the men shouted from the ship.
"Hey, a no good stowaway would have been caught. I'm a great stowaway."
"He's not wrong." Said her Shadow, and she agreed as a memory of a small wooden boat came to mind. She was tied up on it as a large figure rowed her to a strange mouth shaped structure in the middle of the ocean. The open hatch in the front yawned wide as if it wanted to swallow her whole.
Ruby shook the memory of that place away. There were multiple places from her past that she wanted to forget, and that place ranked among the top contenders.
The Faunus threw a banana peel into the bearded officers face and leaped from the lamp post. He was fast. Managing to sprint up a flight stairs and reach the street in a matter of moments. When he passed by Team RWBY, she noticed him glancing at Blake. What was that about?
As the officers ran by the Faunus boy rounded the corner and vanished.
"I think we've found the competition." Yang said.
"And it just got away." Finished Ruby.
"After him! We have to see what he can do!" Weiss cried as she took off.
The rest of the team followed along with the heiress at the lead. They crossed two streets and quickly overtook the police officers. Sloppy. They didn't even have aura. How could they defend Vale from crime if they couldn't protect themselves? No wonder there were so many robberies. If Ruby could do better than the actual law enforcement, then how would they stop anyone like Roman?
As Weiss heard another corner, Ruby heard her scream and that made the team leader run slightly faster. She wasn't leaving anyone in the dust again. If they got themselves into trouble that was their business, but if she could stop them then she would tie them to the wall if she had to.
When the rest of the team rounded the corner, they saw Weiss on the ground, on top of another person. They must have crashed into each other. As for the Faunus he leaped up the side of a wall and quickly scaled the building. If anything, they learned that he was highly agile and flexible. Perhaps even more than their resident ninja.
"No! He got away." Weiss said as she started to push herself up.
"Umm, Weiss." Yang said pointing at the person Weiss was on top off.
Looking down the heiress saw a pale ginger haired girl looking up at here with emerald green eyes. When the girl gave a cheerful smile, Weiss shrieked and jumped to her feet. "I'm so sorry."
"It is alright. I am unharmed." Said the girl who on the floor.
Ruby suddenly felt a slight pain in the back of her skull. It nearly distracted her from the strangeness of the girl. The way she formed her words was rigid and the way she just lay there like a dead fish was off.
The team just stared at the girl for a moment while she raised a hand to wave at them. "Salutations."
On reflex from her time in her interpersonal social classes, she replied with a quick hello. Making the girl to look at her.
"Are you okay?" Yang asked. It was a reasonable question. The girl had been knocked down and she looked completely unphased. Ruby couldn't help but feel something was off.
"I am wonderful, thank you for asking." The girl replied as if she were reciting a script she learned. The enthusiasm she displayed only heightened their suspicion.
"Do you want to get up?"
The girl looked at them for a moment, then her eyes widened as if she had just remembered that she was laying on the sidewalk. "Yes."
The girl pulled up her legs and jumped up to her feet. The sudden action made the rest of Team RWBY take a step back while Ruby just watched the girl with a decerning eye. This one was strange. She was easy to read, but at the same time what she saw didn't make much sense. Why would someone be happy after being knocked to the ground? Was she dumb? No. This wasn't that. Then what was it?
"My name is Penny, it's a pleasure to meet you." She said with easily discernible excitement.
"I'm Ruby." The red reaper said offering the strange girl a hand. "It's nice to meet you too."
The girl took the handshake with both hands and shook it eagerly, nearly hopping in place as she did it. When they let go of each other Ruby turned to her team.
"That's my sister, Yang."
"Are you sure you didn't hit your head?" Asked Yang only to receive an elbow jab from Blake.
"It is a pleasure to meet you Yang and Ruby." Penny said, making Ruby wonder why the girl was repeating herself.
"Right." Ruby said then turning to the remaining half of her team. "And this is…"
"Blake Belladonna and Weiss Schnee. It is a pleasure to meet you both."
Weiss flinched at the sound of her full name and looked around to check if anyone had noticed her. "How did you know it was me?"
"Simple." Penny said. "Your pale complexion is unique to your family, excluding your father who is only a part by marriage. This includes your eyes, facial structure as most females in your family look alike and your scar which has become a trademark of yours."
Yang whistled. "Wow. Guess we need a better disguise if this girl could tell just by a good look at your face."
"It would seem so." Weiss said not looking slightly more worried. Grimm she could handle, a mob of crazy fans. Well, they barely made it out of the karaoke bar alive.
"Excuse me." Penny interjected. "But why are you attempting to conceal your appearance? I was under the impression that celebrities desired attention from their supporters."
"Not when I am not performing." Weiss countered. "It gets in the way since everyone demands attention back from me."
"There's just one Weiss." Ruby said with a grin. "And she can't go around addressing everyone."
"I understand." Penny said. "Time is the most precious resource of all. It must be spent wisely."
"Glad to see you understand my point of view." Weiss said, relaxing slightly.
"So, what are you doing in Vale, friend?" Ruby asked.
"I'm here to fight in the tournament." Penny answered quickly, then her eyes went wide for some reason Ruby could not understand.
"Wait, you're fighting in the tournament?" Weiss asked her interest spiking.
"Correct. I am here to represent Atlas Academy in the Vytal Festival." Penny raised her hand in a quick salute. "I'm combat ready."
"Forgive me but you don't look the part."
"Says the one who wears a dress when she fights." Blake cut in; Ruby could help but notice that Blake appeared tense for some reason. Like she was just beginning to relax after being in a perilous situation.
"It's a combat skirt." Weiss shot back and Ruby stood right beside her. No one disses the combat skirt.
"Wait a minute." Weiss said looking at Penny, then shook her head. "Never mind."
"Is something on your mind?" Penny asked.
"I was going to ask if you know that rapscallion that we were chasing. That Faunus who ran past you. But I realized that you couldn't. You're from Atlas and he came from Vacuo."
"Why do you keep doing that?" Asked Blake.
"Excuse me?" Weiss said looking at Blake who appeared to be losing her composure.
"Why do you keep calling him derogatory names? He's a person."
"A person who stowed away on a ship. Which is illegal, and disrespected police and ran from them. What else am I supposed to call him? A model citizen? If that doesn't mean he can't be called names, then I may as well call the White Fang freedom fighters and pretend that they aren't committing acts of terrorism."
Blake gritted her teeth and clenched her fist. "Ugh! You ignorant little brat!" Blake said before turning around to storm away.
Weiss was stunned. None of them had expected that kind of reaction from Blake who was normally calm and reserved as a standard. With a huff, Weiss stepped forward to confront her teammate. Ruby sighed and held her head knowing what Weiss was going to do. Confront the issue right now. Her headache was getting worse ad her Shadow had made no sign of knowing why.
"Hey Rubes, are you okay?" Yang asked, stepping closer to her sister.
"I'm fine Yang."
"Is something the matter with friend Ruby?" Penny asked.
"I just have a headache."
"Is your scroll on?" Asked Yang.
"No." Ruby answered taking out her scroll as proof.
"I do not understand." Said Penny looking at the powered down scroll. "Why would the activation of your communications device trigger a dysfunction within your body?"
"The signal from scrolls always gives my sister a headache. It's been this way for years. It's a long story." Yang said giving Penny a hard stare. "One we don't share with anyone outside our family."
Penny took the hint in a moment of social awareness that she had lacked up till now. "I understand. I shall inquire no more."
At those words, Ruby felt her headache disappear. Odd. Whomever was using such a strong broadcast signal must have finished.
"How are you defending an organization that participates in active terrorism? They deprive innocent people of a vital resource that only the SDC is in a position to provide. Say what you want about my father's company but what those Faunus are doing is pure evil."
"There's no such thing as pure evil!" Blake shot back, and Ruby heard her Shadow chuckle.
"Then how can you justify what they're doing? Why would they go that far?"
"It's because of people like Cardin, people like you." Blake said with her voice rising.
"People like me?" Weiss asked as if she didn't understand the question.
"You're discriminatory. It's because of people like you that the White Fang go to the extremes that they do. How people like your father are using and abusing the Faunus who work for him. Exploiting them because they can't do anything to fight back. They are tired of being victims."
"I'm a victim in this too!" Weiss shouted, stunning Blake.
"What?"
"You think I hate the White Fang because I'm a bigot, right? Because I hate all Faunus, right?" Weiss got right in Blakes face. "Because I blindly listen to what the other racists in Atlas say right?"
Stepping back Weiss crossed her arms and looked away. "Well, I don't. I'm well aware of the attitude most people in Atlas have towards the Faunus. Of what my father and the company has done and is still doing."
Weiss was silent for a moment. "I'm not an idiot Blake. I know not all Faunus are bad. I've always known that. Some of the employees in the manor in Atlas are Faunus. I'm aware that what my father is doing amounts to slavery."
Weiss' face turned angry, turning back on Blake she yelled. "But that doesn't justify the actions the Fang have taken over the years. You weren't there, you don't know what it was like!"
"What are you talking about?"
"The fallout you dolt!" Weiss snapped. "Guess who had to be made aware of every little setback and inconvenience that the Fang caused the Company. My father. And guess how he reacted, he came home raging at anyone and everyone who he saw."
Weiss paused for a moment again and Ruby knew Weiss was remembering many well-liked figures who were pseudo uncles for Weiss. "You were never there at the funerals. Board members, close friends, all killed in assassination attempts from the White Fang. You think that made for a good childhood!"
"That doesn't change that you are discriminating against them too."
"Yes! I discriminate against them. I don't trust them. Why? Because they hate me!" Weiss shouted, making Blake take a step back.
The Weiss sighed. "They hate the very name Schnee. My father dragged the name of the company my grandfather built through the mud for profits and now everyone around him has to pay the price. Does that sound fair to you? Because the White Fang seems highly non discriminant in how they take their anger out on him. Butchering workers who aren't Faunus, damaging essential infrastructure that the Kingdoms need. Terrorizing an innocent family for the actions and choices of one man. Oh yes, the Fang are definitely in the right to want to kill me."
They were both silent for a moment before Weiss spoke for one final time, the anger leaving her. "So, yes, I don't trust Faunus. I can't really. I can't know who's the next person who wants to stick a knife in my back. Now that they know I'm in Vale I have to be extra careful."
"Weiss." Blake said, no longer rage filled. "I had no idea."
"Yeah." Yang said. "You seemed to get along with Velvet pretty well. Same for all the other Faunus in school."
"That's different." Weiss countered. "People who go to a huntsmen academy are carefully screened and selected. I can say with full confidence that she is not out to get me. Plus, she was a nice person."
Ruby saw Blake had a look of guilt on her face.
"Well." Ruby decided to throw her two cents in. "It's a good thing you want to try and fix all that huh Weiss?"
"What?" Asked Blake, as if shocked by the idea.
"Yes. From my perspective the only way to resolve this mess is from the top down." Weiss said with renewed confidence. "When I take over the company, I'll be demolishing everything that pertains to the discrimination against the Faunus."
"But, why?" Blake asked as if such a notion were a shot to the gut.
"To redeem my family name. Why else would I become a huntress? I want to make things right again. That's always been my goal. It's unfortunate that the Faunus under my father's employ have to suffer until then, but there's nothing I can do about that. And the White Fang's actions against company are only going to make things harder for me when I get there."
"If she gets there." Chuckled Ruby's Shadow, causing Penny to turn her head to the red reaper.
Blake stayed silent, having been defeated by the heiress.
"Are you both done?" Yang asked placing her hands on her hips.
"I am." Said Weiss, turning to Blake who looked ashamed, but then smiled as if she had just seen her first rainbow.
"I guess so."
"Oh, how wonderful." Said Penny. "Such a miraculous thing to see Weiss Schnee ally with a member of the Belladonna family."
At the mention of that name, Blake froze up while the remaining members of Team RWBY looked at Penny in confusion.
"What did you just say?" Asked Weiss.
"I said it is such a miracu…"
"No." Weiss cut her off. "What did you just call Blake?"
"A member of the Belladonna family." Penny said with that smile on her face.
"Belladonna?" Ruby repeated. "I've heard that name before."
Ruby and Weiss had extensive discissions on the history of the White Fang while Blake and Yang were not present. They went over how the movement had started. And its founders just so happened to have that name.
"Aren't those the people who created the White Fang? Back when they were pacifists?" Ruby asked.
"That is correct. Gira and Kali Belladonna are the founders of the White Fang." Penny clarified.
"And if Blake is a member of their family, that means…" Ruby looked at Blake who had a petrified look on her face. The bow at the top of her head twitched and that gave Ruby all the proof she needed.
Yang looked surprised. As it would make sense as to why Blake would be so reserved with her secrets.
As for Weiss. The look of shock and betrayal was evidence enough to show how she felt.
Before anyone could get a word out, Blake sprinted off in the opposite direction. "Blake! Wait!"
Ruby began to sprint after her teammate with Penny following close behind. Yang had not followed, staying with Weiss. Ruby decided to let her sister console her partner, they could not afford to lose Blake.
The chase went on, but Blake had more street smarts than Ruby and especially Penny. And soon enough, Blake was lost in the crowd.
"Blake!" Ruby called out. "Blake! Please, we'll kept you explain. We aren't mad!"
"It would seem that she has used the mass of people to camouflage herself from us." Penny said turning to Ruby. "We have no means of seeing through them."
Ruby set her face into a frown. This was unacceptable. Not again. She would not lose anyone again. Pulling her hood over her head, she calmed her thoughts and changed her perception of the situation. Until she found Blake, Ruby would not treat her teammate like a friend who is lost, she would treat her like prey to be hunted.
"Time to get serious." The words of her Shadow became clearer than they usually were, like whatever interference that kept them from lining up their thought patterns had weakened somewhat. This usually happened when Ruby registered that they were I a perilous situation. They both understood the fundamental reality of the world. Be predator or be prey.
"If we can't see through the crowd." Ruby said looking up the sides of the buildings. "Then we look over it."
Running towards a mailbox, she hopped on and launched herself up to one of the windows. The action drew some attention, but then the people saw her outfit and quickly realized that she was a student from Beacon and began to ignore her.
"Keep up!" Ruby called out to Penny.
"Roger that!"
Ruby questioned why she wanted the girl to follow her. To see her capabilities as a fighter from Atlas? Because she was the one who found Blake out to be a Faunus? Or the simple fact that she wanted to help them? It didn't matter. Questions to be answered after they found Blake.
When Ruby reached the top of the five-story building, she looked down to see Penny almost at her level. Not bad. She put the girl at the back of her mind for now and began to examine the crowd. It would be hard to find Blake, but while she was good at stealth, she stood out nearly as much as Yang when she walked around casually.
"Any sign of her?" Ruby asked.
"Negative."
"Then let's move on."
Blake ran. She ran like her life depended on it. Where was she going? She did not care. They knew. They all knew. Thanks to that annoying girl. How? How did she know who she was? During her time inside the White Fang, she had been extra careful not to have her face caught on any cameras. At the very least, not public ones. People knew the name Belladonna, but not her. Not her face at the very least. Some people didn't even know her parents had a kid. They always kept her hidden during those early rallies. Or grouped her with someone else to throw people off.
This was a safety measure that she accepted and understood. Her parents may have been pacifists, but they weren't stupid. They knew full well that she could be used against them. It was a practice she took into the Fang after her father was forced to step down.
So, how did Penny know?
She wiped the tears from her eyes a she ran. She needed to be alone. She had to think. Think on how wrong she was. It made sense. It all finally made sense now. Why Weiss was so desperate to be perfect. Why she came to Beacon. Why She pushed herself so hard.
They weren't enemies. They were never enemies. They were the same. They had the same dreams, but they were on the opposite ends of the spectrum. Weiss saw the Schnee Dust Company for what it was. A corrupt corporation that was exploiting the weak for profits.
While their motivations were different. Weiss saw her family name as sullied by the wrongs committed by her father. Blake saw a people who were abused by a corrupt power. While Weiss' primary focus was on the redemption of her family name, she saw helping the Faunus as a means to that goal. This changed nothing about Blake's conclusion. They wanted the same thing. For things to get better for everyone and for justice to be served.
But unlike Blake who took to the side of the Fang, Weiss was not in a position where she could do anything about it. The only thing she could do was build up her own name and prepare for the day that she would take her father's place. That perfectionism she displayed was a result of the pressures both she and others placed on her. To Weiss, she had to be perfect to achieve everything because Blake would admit it sounded impossible.
This only showed her a darker truth about her companions in the White Fang. They were wrong about the Schnee's. The Schnee family was innocent in all this. The guilty party was Jacque Schnee. But even Blake was guilty of hating Weiss until a few months ago. How? How could she be so blind?
She recalled her last conversation with her father. How she called him a coward. How she called the entire Schnee family evil. Like a child she ran away. How stupid she was.
In many senses Weiss and Blake wanted the same things but took the opposite routes to get there.
Weiss was patient. In her goals mostly. In executing them she was as impatient as a Boartusk. But in terms of her grand scheme, she was as patient as a saint. She was willing to dedicate decades of her life to achieving her goal. Even if that meant the agony of being around one of the most corrupt men on Remnant. All to reach the top of that corrupt corporate system so she could destroy it from above.
As for Blake, she wanted results right in the moment. Not willing to allow others to suffer for a moment longer. Instead of top down, she went for bottom up. Tearing at the foundations of the company. Attacking places that refused to serve them or hire them. Attacking company dust shipments and mines. The times that hurt Blake the most were the Faunus who rejected their help. Stating that the Fang were ruining what small livelihoods they had through their little crusade. Adam and Illia were furious with them and nearly lashed out. Such memories reminded Blake of Weiss' words. That their intentions and reasons did not justify the harm that they were doing. The lives they were ruining for the sake of respect and justice. But what difference did it make in the long term? Jacque Schnee would not change his ways, that much was clear, and what respect they had was founded on fear not mutual trust.
In the end, which was better? Her path in which she clawed and bit at a world that had denied them? Or Weiss'? Where she allowed both herself and others to suffer so she could be put in a position to put real change into effect.
Blake had no idea anymore. Once, she believed in the Fang, she really did, but that was before the frustration of it all set in. Everyone started to change. They became vengeful and bitter. Whenever a mission promised violence, everyone looked eager. As if that were the only thing that they could look forward to anymore. And Adam. He had changed the most. From someone who would risk everything to same the Faunus to a man who was so callous towards the lives of humans that he didn't care if they were innocent.
"They're humans. None of them are innocent." Blake remembered his reply to her arguments on the train.
It had broken her then. The realisation that they weren't fighting for a better future anymore. They were fighting for revenge, and they didn't care how many people they had to tear down to accomplish their goals.
Feeling safe that she had lost her team, she turned and ran into an alley. There she slumped over by a garbage bin and did her best not to cry. Her life at Beacon was over. What was she supposed to do now?
"Hey."
She shot to her feet and reached behind her back for her Gambol Shroud only to realize that it wasn't there. She had left it in her locker at the academy.
But when she saw who called her, she realised she would not need it.
"You should probably take that thing off." Said the monkey Faunus from the docks who sat perched on the garbage bin. He was comically pointing to the top of his head. "I'll bet it's really uncomfortable."
Ruby and Penny had leapt from building to building. It was getting late, and they were going to mis curfew back at Beacon if this kept up. Not the Ruby cared for bring late herself. But if Weiss had another smear on her record Ruby would have to endure her mopping or rapid attempts to redeem herself for the next week. Hopefully Yang decided to do the smart thing and took her back.
"Do you see her yet?" Ruby whispered to her Shadow.
"Not yet." The Shadow responded. Her silhouette appeared on a nearby building for a moment before vanishing.
Why did she run? The instant Penny called her out she ran? Why?
"She's been keeping this a secret for a long time. It wouldn't surprise me is we decided to run if Yang found out what we did."
"That's not the same." She whispered. "I had no choice."
Flashes of memory entered her mind again. This time she was in a room full of cages and each cage had other children inside. All of them were looking at her because she had managed to break free of her cage. They all begged and pleaded for her to release them. So, even hurting themselves against the bars to try and copy what she did to break her cage.
Did she help them? Did she leave a way out for them? No. She barely noticed them. She didn't care about them at all as she left the room. There was no time to waste on people who would die anyway.
The memory faded and she felt a pulse of shame. "I really am evil."
"At least you can admit it." Her Shadow said, appearing a few building a head. "You aren't naïve like Blake."
"She's not naïve. She's just conflicted." Ruby glanced back to check to see if Penny could hear her, however the ginger was constantly looking around while trying to keep up with Ruby.
She heard her Shadow laugh. It was a mocking laugh that dripped with condescension. "You really think that? After what she said to Weiss back there?"
"What do you mean?"
"There's no such thing as pure evil." Her Shadow said, mimicking Blake's tone from before and then laughing again. "We both know that's a ridiculous thing to say."
"There's more logic in it than the reverse. Pure evil is not something someone can truly comprehend. They normally just chop it up to insanity."
"Oh, but we can." Another memory came. This time there were deformed monsters. No. Deformed people. All twisted and misshapen to the point where their faces just looked like sunken flesh that is folding in on themselves. How they just stare at the television screens without end. Their minds and spirits stolen to feed an entity that cares nothing for them.
Then is shifted. She was standing on a rooftop similar to the one she was parched on in reality. In the distance she saw a towering structure. One that rose high above all others. At its apex was a shining light. A light that displayed nothing but hunger. A hunger for the minds and spirits of others.
"What is evil but the lack of good? Especially in things that have the capacity to do good? I would say that the explanation is simpler than philosophers in those books you read say it is. After all, we have seen it with our own eyes."
In the next scene, she saw a hulking brute hanging from the ceiling like a spider. His large bloated arms pulling and yanking away at something that was meant to be a patient of his. Then came the living dolls that were the results of his work. How they stood in darkness. So traumatised that they feared the light to such and extent that they froze in its presence.
Ruby shook the memory away. "Stop doing that."
"Stop doing what, friend Ruby?" Penny asked, almost making Ruby fumble her next jump and take a nasty fall.
She managed to stick the landing on the next building when Penny caught up to her.
Ruby stared at the girl for a moment. "Umm."
"Is there some error in my search pattern that I am unaware of?"
"Umm. No."
Penny leaned in close as if to examine the red reaper closer. "Is this one of those strange incidences where an individual converses with themselves as a distraction from stress?"
"Yes." Ruby said quickly. "I talk with myself all the time."
She then shifted her expression to look embarrassed. "Mostly when I think no one is listening. Please don't tell anyone. They'll think I'm weird."
Penny took a step back and gave Ruby a quick salute. "Roger that. I shall reveal this information to no one."
Then Penny looked as if she had just realized something again. With a gasp she jumped in place. "Is this our first promise between friends?"
"Friends?"
"Yes. You called me your friend earlier? Do you not recall?" Penny said looking uncertain.
"No. I remember. Sorry. I was distracted by the fight my team was having."
"It is alright, friend Ruby. As your friend I shall help you find your teammate and I shall keep this secret. But…" Penny then looked away.
"What is it?"
"Can we… Can we exchange contact information?"
"Why?"
"To commemorate this moment. I want to be able to contact my first friend."
Ruby blinked again.
"What?"
"You've never had any friends before?"
"Affirmative. That would make you, Ruby, my first friend."
Ruby then chuckled. "Heh. That's two for two then."
Penny tilted her head. "Is that an idiom? If so, I do not understand your meaning."
"I'm Weiss' first real friend too."
"Oh. Is she your first friend?" Penny asked almost sounding like she lost a contest.
The memory of a boy entered her mind. He was a nice boy. With a paper bag over his head. Another pang of pain entered her chest. "No. My first friend left a long time ago."
"Well. Now we are friends. Correct?"
"Yeah. Take out your scroll and I'll give you my number."
"Sensational!"
Penny smiled and pulled out her scroll. Ruby's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets when she saw it. "Is that the new Sheridium 20!?"
"Correct."
"How did you get that? They've only been out for a month? Do you have any idea how much they cost?"
Ruby was flabbergasted. Weiss had the previous model. Those scrolls were top of the line. The only reason Weiss did not have this one was because she was out of reach to be able to get one. Since she was stuck at Beacon for the next four years. And the only place she could get one is from Atlas.
"I am aware that the price is quite high in comparison to the ordinary scroll designs, yes."
"How did you get it?"
"My father works as a scientist for the Atlas Military. While I am not privy to his salary, I know he is among the one percentile of highest earners on Remnant."
"Okay." Whispered her Shadow. "Quirks aside, maybe she could be useful in the future."
Penny powered up the scroll and Ruby felt a headache coming on. Taking the scroll from Penny, Ruby typed in the number and handed it back to the ginger who pulled Ruby by the shoulder and took a picture of both of them together.
"I am so excited." Penny said. "My father is going to be happy when I show him that I managed to make a friend."
Ruby smiled. She found this level of innocence funny. How sheltered could someone be to get this excited about having a friend in their teenage years?
"Found her."
Ruby's head shot to where she felt her Shadow standing. About one block away from where they were currently standing.
"Follow me."
"Roger."
The two restarted their search and once they reached the spot indicated by the Shadow, they found their quarry. Blake was walking on the side of the street with the monkey Faunus from before. They appeared to be chatting.
"What are they talking about?" Ruby asked, wanting her Shadow to answer but got one from Penny instead.
"They are discussing the possibility of the White Fang's guilt in the recent robberies."
Ruby looked at he girl with a questioning look. "How do you know that?"
"I can read their lips."
"Oh."
"We need to be careful around this one. She's different somehow."
Ruby nodded to Penny, but it was more to show that she agreed with her Shadow. Penny was strange, in both and awkward and dangerous sense.
"So, friend Ruby, do we have a plan for confronting your teammate? If my speculations are correct, she will most likely attempt to flee if you approach her again."
"Hmm." Ruby pulled down her hood. "We need to keep them from running. We have no choice but to restrain them."
"No worries. I have been instructed on how to safely subdue and individual without harming them."
"Good." Ruby pointed to the Faunus boy. "Keep him from interfering while I grab Blake and force her to talk."
"Roger. I await your signal."
This was strangely refreshing. Having someone comply with her instructions without much complain or need to explain everything. It almost makes Ruby wish everyone was like Penny. Eager to listen and hesitant to argue. Everything would be so much easier if people just let her do her own thing.
Ruby held up three fingers and counted down without saying anything. When she reached zero, she made a fist and the pair dropped down on the Faunus.
Blake was the first to notice something was coming at her, but she reacted too late as Ruby surged downwards in a storm of rose petals. She circled around Blake once before appearing behind her back and trapping her in a hug. Ruby was no martial artist, but she knew Blake wasn't the strongest member of the team by any extent. Only managing to beat out Weiss by a slim margin.
As for Penny. She had no problems grabbing and holding the Faunus boy in a similar position. He was too distracted by Ruby's sudden arrival that he failed to respond in time when he saw Penny behind him.
The difference was that Penny's hold was so sturdy that the Faunus looked genuinely trapped. He thrashed about and demanded to be released but Penny would not move. She still had that cheerful smile on her face. Was she even trying at all?
"Augh! Ruby!?" Blake cried.
"Found you!" Ruby said with no hint of malice, only frustrated anger. "Do you have any idea how much trouble we are going to get in when we miss curfew? Weiss is going to throw a fit!"
Blake reacted as Ruby expected. The Faunus ninja was likely expecting Ruby to arrest her or call her a liar. Blake relaxed slightly but not all the way.
"Ruby, let me go!" Blake said trying to throw Ruby off.
"No. I'm not letting you go until we get a chance to talk about this." Ruby snapped back. "You can't just run away. I won't let you."
"Why? Because you want to throw me in jail? Turn me in to the Headmaster and get me exposed?"
"Because we want to know why?!" Ruby sneered, tightening the hold on Blake to the point you could hear her spine disks pop.
"Why what?" Blake asked still struggling.
"Why you're hiding. Who are you hiding from?"
Blake stopped her thrashing and half turned to look at her team leader. "How did you…"
"Did you forget who I am you dunce!?" Ruby laughed. "You've been keeping secrets since we met. You think I never wondered why you always wore that bow on your head when you went into the shower even when you only had a towel on. In and out that thing was on your head, even in your sleep. No one does that unless they're hiding something."
"But… but if you knew why didn't you say anything?"
"Because we trusted that you would tell us when you were ready." Ruby answered honestly. She knew what it was like to keep a secret. And felt no need to pressure Blake unless it posed a threat to the team. And right now, it did.
"But now the cat's out of the back. So, lets go back to Beacon and talk it out."
"I can't." Blake said.
"Why not." Ruby said putting a slight squeeze on Blake, she was smaller than Blake, but she could still lock her in place.
"I need answers."
"To what?"
"I need to know if the White Fang are behind these robberies. I have to prove that they aren't."
"Why does that matter?" Ruby asked. "It's not like them being guilty or not changes anything."
"I concur." Penny said holding the struggling Faunus. "The actions of others would not change your predicament unless you are planning to return to them."
Ruby tightened her grip. "Is that what you're doing? Going back to them now that we know?"
"No!" Blake cried. "I'm not going back."
Blake held her head low. "I can't."
"Why?" Ruby asked forcefully. It was better if she did this rather than Yang or Weiss.
"Because I ran away alright!" Blake said. "Weiss was right. The Fangs goals don't justify what they're doing. I ran because I could bear it anymore."
Ruby slackened her grip to show that she believed her friend. "If you can't go back, then why do you want to know if they're behind the robberies?"
"Because it's my responsibility."
Ruby tilted her head in confusion. How was any of this her responsibility.
She heard her Shadow sigh. "Stupid."
"I was one of the leading members of the cell in Vale." Blake continued. "I could have done something, but I ran instead. I could have stopped them if I had stayed."
"That is based on speculation." Penny said. The Faunus looked to be short of breath. How hard was she holding him. "If it proves that they are not responsible then you are not guilty for the actions you claim to have responsibility over."
"And if they are then I have to get them to stop."
"And how would you do that?" Asked Ruby. "Walk up and ask nicely?"
"I'm the daughter of the founder. I was there at the start. That holds some meaning to them."
"Wait? What!?" Gasped the Faunus boy as Penny continued to squeeze him.
Ruby let out a frustrated sigh. "Looks like I can't convince you."
Releasing her grip, Ruby let Blake go. "You can stop, Penny."
When Penny let go, the Faunus took in a large gasp of air. "Remind me not to get in an arm wrestling contest with you." Said the Faunus.
"You're just letting us go?" Asked Blake.
Ruby reached into her tool pouch and pulled out a device that looked to be some sort of remote switch. "Nope. I'm going with you."
Blake stared in surprise. "What? Why?"
"We're making a deal. Right here right now." Ruby said as se hovered her thumb over one of the four large buttons on the remote. "I'm going with you to see if the White Fang are behind this mess. Whether they are or not does not matter to me. When it's done you are coming back to Beacon so we can discuss this AS A TEAM!"
Ruby pointed at Blake with an accusatory finger. "You don't get to just run away. Not while I'm leader."
Blake looked around at the small group as they waited for her to decide. Penny stood with a neutral expression. As if she were assessing an interesting piece on literature. While the Faunus made no move to run or urge Blake in one direction or another. The ball was in her court.
With a sigh she said. "Fine."
Ruby smiled glibly. "Okay. Now that we've decided what to do, do we have any idea how we are going to do it?"
"We were in the middle of discussing that when you dropped in." Said the Faunus.
"And who are you?" Ruby stepped up and examined the Faunus with bright blonde hair.
"Name's Sun. Sun Wukong. I'm a huntsman from Shade Academy." He said with a smile.
Ruby held out her hand in greeting. "Nice to meet you."
"Same." He said taking her hand and shaking it.
"So, do you have an idea how we are going to sloth out the White Fang?" Ruby asked turning to Blake who shook her head.
Sun stepped past Ruby and stood at Blake's side. "I have an idea. All we need to do is find out where they are going to go and see who shows up."
"A stake out?" Ruby asked to which Sun shrugged.
"Pretty much."
"A logical solution to our dilemma." Penny said standing by Ruby. "If the White Fang are responsible for all these robberies, then it would mean that their targets would be locations with a substantial amount of dust."
Ruby began to think. There were plenty of dust shops and storage houses around Vale, but she hadn't been keeping up with the news and she for sure didn't know all of them. Even if she did, she had no idea which to look at for a possible attack.
"Any ideas?" Ruby asked.
"I know something." Sun said.
"What is it monkey man." Ruby said then raised a hand. "Sorry. I don't hang around Faunus that much. Does calling you a monkey make me a racist?"
"Nah." Sun said with a causal wave. "People try to insult me with it. I just give them a banana and bounce."
Ruby gave a short laugh as the image played in her mind. She might be able to have fun with this one.
"Anyway." Sun continued. "I heard on the ship I arrived on that a massive shipment of dust is due to arrive tonight."
"You're sure?" Blake asked.
"Positive."
"Then we have our target." Blake said. "If the White Fang are behind these robberies, they won't be able to turn down that much dust."
"And if not." Sun said. "We'll catch whoever is behind it."
"Sounds like a plan." Ruby said happily. Pressing down on the red and black buttoms on her remote.
She felt the sting in her head as the signal broadcast back to Beacon.
"Ruby." Said Blake. "What's that?"
"Oh. It's remote I setup for our weapon lockers. I hacked them so we could call them to us at any time." Ruby said with a hint of pride, to which Penny clapped.
"Most impressive, friend Ruby."
"That sounds like it's against the rules." Sun said.
"It is." Sighed Blake. "Ruby, did you really hack all of our lockers?"
"What? Did you really think I was going to let them keep our weapons under lock and key when we might need them?"
"Are you sure you're not doing this because you're mad at Ozpin for turning down your request to keep Crescent Rose with you in our room?"
"No one keeps my baby from me!"
Later, under the cover of night. The team of four stood atop a nearby building overlooking the docks. Cargo shipping containers were stacked everywhere, but the people and dockworkers had all left some time ago. Those who patrolled the place were few and far between.
Ruby stood at the back of the group with her scroll out. She was texting Yang to show up. She kept the message as short as possible.
Shutting her scroll, off she took a sigh as the pain faded. Walking to the edge of the building, she gave the area a cursory glance. Nothing.
"Anything happen yet?"
"No." Answered Blake who sat flat on her belly with her Gambo Shroud on her back. "All quiet so far."
"I see several containers with the Schnee Dust Company emblem on it. The shipment has most certainly arrived." Penny said as she stood as stiff as a board. Completely straight with no bend in her posture whatsoever.
"They might not show tonight." Sun said biting down on an apple he stole.
"Do you always casually break the law?" Blake asked.
"Weren't you in a cult or something?"
Blake's glare hardened against him, and he gave a nervous chuckle. "Hehe. Too soon."
"Friends." Penny said turning her head to the side. "Something is coming."
Blake shot to her feet. "Where?"
Penny pointed to the sky. Two bright search lights suddenly ignited, temporarily blinging the quartet. Then came the loud roar of thruster turbines. When their sight returned to them, they witnesses the large metal frame of a bullhead gunship descend on an open area of the docks.
"I know that ship." Ruby said as she knelt at the edge of the building. "That's the same bullhead I chased Roman Torchwick into four months ago."
"Are you sure?" Blake asked, her voice was higher, maybe she had hope that the Fang were not responsible.
"Yes." Ruby took out her Crescent Rose and peered through the scope. "Look closely. There's a mass of scratches on the top and the side. Prof Goodwitch did that with glass made by a dust attack."
When the craft landed, two hatched opened on either side of it. From which a boarding ramps slid out. From inside the bullhead a group of people dressed in white vests came out. Some were armed others had cables with them
"No." Blake said.
"Is that them?" Sun asked, his tone of voice lowering.
Ruby peered closer using her scope to see the marking of a red wolf's head and three claw marks on the back of one the white vests the people were wearing. This and the masks they wore identified them as members of the White Fang.
"Yes." Blake said.
Something made the White Fang soldiers turn to the bullhead. The figure that stepped out surprised Blake, but not Ruby. From the shadows of the loading bay, out stepped the suited form of the infamous criminal, Roman Torchwick.
"Roman." Ruby sneered as she focused her sights on the man.
"He appears to be the one in command." Penny said, watching as Roman gave the Faunus directions that none of them could hear.
"This isn't right." Blake said. "The White Fang would never work with a human. Especially one like that."
"Blake? What are you doing?" Sun asked as Blake drew her blade from the scabbard on her back.
"Putting an end to this."
"Hey! Wait!" Sun called but Balke was already moving. Having dropped down from the building and to the ground below."
"Blake!" Ruby called, but their resident ninja was already gone.
Ruby let out a feral growl as the frustration of the moment nearly forced her to give chase. But she managed to restrain herself. "Idiot. Roman is a dangerous criminal who's qualified to fight graduated huntsmen. She's going to get herself killed."
"Got a plan?" Sun asked as he connected a set of nunchakus into a long staff.
Ruby turned to Penny. "Do you have any long ranged weapons?"
"Yes. I am combat ready."
Satisfied, she looked at Sun, who had dropped his carefree attitude and took on a more serious demeanour.
"Get down there and keep that dunce from dying." Ruby ordered with venom dripping from her voice. She hated it when people played hero without thinking it through. "We'll circle around and cover you from that tall stack of containers."
"Got it." And with that Sun took off.
Turning back to Penny, Ruby almost backed up when she saw a mass of swords floating around the girl. She wanted to ask where those came from but decided that it wasn't a priority. Pulling up her hood she rushed off to her vantage point.
Roman took another puff of his cigar. This was a good night. A great chance to score at least three heists' worth of dust. And the best part, there was no one around to stop them. Still, they had to be quick. It wasn't smart to stick around. If someone spotted them, then all of Vale would figure out who was to blame. Not that it mattered at this point. They had enough dust for the next stage of the operation. But this was merely to be sure. And to pay off the White Fang. Cinder was a crafty bitch, but she wasn't nearly as smart as she thought she was.
The White Fang follow that Tauras zealot. And he follows Cinder out of a combination of fear and mutual interest. The end goal of attacking the entirety of Vale was too tempting for him to resist. But even that had its limits.
The fear Cinder used to control them would wear off eventually. The Fang would eventually start thinking of ways to either break away for get rid of Cinder. Even with those crazy powers of hers, she wasn't invincible. She walked around as if she was and that was her biggest mistake, and it would come to bite her in the arse in a big way. Roman would bet all the dust they had stolen on that.
That was why the he struck a deal with Tauras and his lieutenants' behind Cinder's back as insurance. In exchange for cooperation and no one questioning his authority on operations, they get to take a portion of the dust they have stolen for their own use. Self interest is a great way to get people to do what you want since he was the expert on thievery, they had to listen to his advice.
He saw one of the Fang soldiers struggling with one of the cables. He rolled his eyes and walked over. He almost felt bad for these poor slops.
Before he could even get a word out, the Faunus filched in and stepped back. For a single second, he thought it was because this was a newbie and he was afraid of authority. But the following second proved him incorrect.
The blade was at his throat and his arms were wanked behind his back. Worst of all, the sudden tug made him drop his cigar.
"Nobody move!" Said a female voice from behind him.
Everyone with a gun immediately turned their weapons towards.
"Hey. Hey! HEY!" Roman raised his hands to tell them not to shoot him.
Tilting his head slightly, he saw that it was a woman behind him. A teenager. "Take it easy little lady."
As the guards close it in them, Blake removed her ribbon, tossing it to the air to reveal her real ears. Her cat ears.
"Brother's of the White Fang. Why are you helping this scum?"
"Blake?" One of the guards took a step closer, brandishing a pair of swords. "Is that you?"
"Yes. Yes! It's me." Blake said louder, this time and some of the guard lowered their guns.
Roman narrowed his eyes. Blake? Blake. Where had he heard that name before? Roman's eyes lit up as the memory came to him. Adam and that girl, Illia. They mentioned the name before. Said it was the name of the old second in command.
Roman chuckled. "Heh. I wasn't planning on you animals having a little reunion during working hours."
He felt the cold steel of the blade touch his neck. "You're going to tell me what's going on?"
Roman held onto his calm. He's been in worse scraps than a girl with a knife to his throat. "I could tell you. But I figured that Tauras' lover would have gotten the memo."
"What are you talking about?"
"The White Fang and I have been busy on a joint business venture."
"Tell me what it is before a crash your little operation."
Roman smirked as he felt the wind buffet his suit. The rest had arrived. Looking up he saw the two new bullheads he had recently stolen fly in. "I wouldn't call it a little operation."
While she was distracted by the sight of the rest of his little crew, he positioned his cane to point at her feet and pulled the trigger.
Ruby growled again as she heard the familiar sound of fire dust exploding. Reaching the top of a six layer stack of cargo containers, she took out her Crescent Rose and fully unfolded it. But even without the scope she could see that Balke had already gotten herself into trouble. Roman was likely the one firing those shots. She remembered that his cane fired ignited fire dust rounds that had a good amount of destructive force on impact.
The shots repeated and Ruby saw Blake running away as she was being chased down by Roman and a small group of White Fang.
She set her face into a snarl like an enraged animal and positioned her rifle to take aim at the persuers.
"Friend Ruby?"
"What, Penny?" Ruby didn't bother to look up.
"Those gunships are quite the problem. Should they open fire I fear that Blake and Sun will be unable to defend against both them and their attackers on the ground."
Ruby watched as Sun entered the fray. Stepping between Blake and the perusing mob. All for more of them to drop from the above gunship.
"Well, there's not much we can do about that unless you have something that can get through their armour. My Crescent Rose is good, but I haven't outfitted her to punch through steel."
Ruby began to fire. She made sure not to use lethal rounds. Having loaded electric dust, each shot put one of the White Fang on the ground, witching as their nerves were overloaded.
Roman looked up for a moment, but never saw the sniper as Blake charged at him. Ruby only grimaced more. Stupid idiot. Damn her.
Ruby had warned that Roman was not someone to be taken lightly. She had read his reports. He took on two graduated huntsmen at the same time and came out without too much trouble. Her fears were only proven when Blake began to be pushed back.
Ruby watched for a moment. Taking in Roman's movements. Studying them. His style was simple, but effective. Especially against someone like Blake. He was able to read her movements and parry those he was unable to avoid while delivering strikes that threw off the balance she needed to continue attacking. That was Blake's biggest weakness. If she gest his once, her rhythm is completely broken, and it always puts her in a bad place.
It was only through the intervention of Sun that Blake was able to keep fighting at all.
Roman fired his cane up and brought down one of the suspended cargo containers, separating the pair and putting Sun at his mercy.
Ruby's eyes narrowed. Sun was down and Roman was standing there aiming his cane in the Faunus' face.
He was standing still.
"Shoot now." And she pulled the trigger.
Roman was about to pull the trigger when he felt his body freeze up from a sudden surge of pain that put him on one knee. The monkey kid was about to take the free sucker punch that Roman just had over him, when a hail of bullets from the Fang guards forced him to retreat behind the cargo container he just dropped.
Someone shot him.
Within seconds he was able to move again. He'd gotten plenty of shock therapy while working for the Spider. He'd toughened up to it, didn't mean it wouldn't hurt like a bitch.
"Hey!" Came a voice from behind.
Turning, Roman saw someone he genuinely wasn't expecting to see. It was Little Red, jumping down from the crates to see him.
With a smirk he opened his arms wide as if to welcome her. "Long time no see, Little Red. Isn't it past your bedtime?"
She looked angry, but not to the extent he would expect from a little girl. "I do what I want. And right now, I want to dismember you." She replied brandishing her oversized gardening tool.
Roman whistled. "I'm liking the attitude, but are we forgetting what happened last time? I recall you nearly got blown up and had to be saved by a real huntress."
She grinned back at him from underneath her hood. It was a grin that no little girl should have. It was feral. Evil. Something she would expect Cinder or Neo to have, but this little girl somehow made it disturbing. "Funny. I remember that you ran from me back then and had to be saved by that lady in the bullhead."
Little Red pointed the scythe at him. "Is she here to bail you out this time? I hope so. I have something I want to ask her."
Roman narrowed his eyes. What did this kid want with Cinder?
He braced himself for a fight. While he was confident that he could take this kid, he had seen how good she was with such an unwieldy weapon from the last time they ran into each other. She used a lethal weapon with perfect control. The last time he checked with Junior, he said that all of them only had concussions. If she could do that then he would need to be careful when she actually wanted to hurt someone. He saw her move and expected a charge, but then something odd happened. He saw two Little Reds. Only the second one that hid behind the first was pitch black and gave off a strange fog. She was grinning too.
Roman raised his cane to fire, but the bullheads took care of it for him. The final of the four he had brought here showed up and began to unload its ammunition into the pesky brats. Little Red took cover between the narrow crevasse between cargo containers.
While he was not averse to fighting the girl, he had better things to do with his time. Turning, he sprinted towards the bullhead that was on the ground. All this noise had gotten too much attention. It was time to leave.
Penny stood on top of the crates. She had been analysing the combat situation from this vantage point and determined that the gunships' destruction would be the deciding factor in this conflict. She raised her blades and prepared to leap into action, when her emergency transponders signaled that she had an important communicate waiting.
She grimaced. Remembering how she had deactivated them. It was to make her friend, Ruby, more comfortable around her.
It worked, but at the expense of cutting herself off from command in the meantime. The person calling was either the general or her father. She could not refuse either.
With a small frown, she reactivated her transmitters.
Messages from two were received. Repeated messaging withing the past six hours. Identification confirmed. ID General and ID Professor.
Penny: P.E.N.N.Y. reporting in.
Professor: Report status. Are you damaged? Malfunctioning?
Penny: Negative. All systems are functioning optimally.
General: What is your current location?
Penny: Vale dockyards.
General: State your reason for abandoning you escort?
Penny: I was exploring. This unit apologizes for her misconduct. I shall turn myself in for disciplinary action upon my return.
Professor: Forget that. Why are you at the dockyards?
Penny: I am aiding my friend.
Professor: Friend? You made a friend?
Penny smiled as her mind simulated the feeling of joy, especially since she calculated that the response from her maker came several milliseconds quicker than the previous ones.
Penny: Yes. I even have her scroll number for later contact.
Professor: Sensational. That is wonderful to hear.
General: We have made multiple attempts to contact you after your signal went dark. Is this friend the cause of your sudden radio silence?
Penny: Yes. The signal from my transponders were making her uncomfortable.
Professor: Really? Now that is odd. Does this person have a semblance that can interfere with signals?
General: Irrelevant. Does this individual know of your identity?
Penny: Negative.
General: You are certain? Confirm.
Penny: I confirm that my identity remains undisclosed, sir.
General: What is the name of the individual in question?
Penny: Ruby Rose. A huntress in training from Beacon Academy. First year student.
There was a moment of silence. It was clear that they were discussing something. How odd. Did they stop because she had made a friend? Or was it because of the mention of friend Ruby? If it was the latter, then what did it imply?
A final gunship emerged and began to fire at the ground, pinning the Faunus of both sided down while trapping Ruby between the cargo containers. Penny felt her engrammatic code simulate the human patterns of stress and the resulting simulation of anger. She wanted to help. Help her friend. Because that was what a friend was supposed to do.
General: Confirmed. You may continue with your befriending of Miss Ruby Rose. Further discussion shall be had once we retrieve you. No demerits shall me carried out. Good work.
Professor: We are on our way to your location now. What is the status of your friend? Are you two enjoying your time?
Penny: She is currently being fired upon by a bullhead gunship manned by members of the radical revolutionary organisation known as the White Fang.
Another moment of radio silence.
General: Engage. You are fully authorised to use lethal force so long as your identity remains intact. Do not allow Miss Rose to be harmed.
Penny: Acknowledged.
Penny turned her full focus to the battle. Now she could help without issue. Bending her legs, Penny ignited the thrusters built into the soles of her feet. Launching into the air, she aimed her swords down and thrust them all into the hull of one of the bullheads.
When she landed the wires connecting the blades to the ports in her back tightened and she began to pull. The gunship tilted as it tried to resist but she took solid steps to drag it away from Sun and Blake, who watched in awe.
With a hard tug on her strings, she brought the ship into a nosedive, preventing it from correcting its angle before it crashed into a pile of containers.
One of the gunships. The first one to arrive took off. The remaining two turned about and took aim at Penny, who launched her blades backwards. That hooked into the boiling behind her and released all traction she had to the ground, allowing her to be pulled backward narrowly avoiding the hail of bullets they were throwing her way.
Then she took aim, allowing her blades to form into a circle in front of her. Each blade had its own power converter, she utilised this to focus the power of her gift. Her aura.
A sphere of green light formed in the centre of the blade formation. She then punched forward with both hands. A powerful scattering of energy beams surged forward, cutting both bullheads apart.
As their remains fell to the ground behind her, she looked around to asses the area for more threats to her friends. When she found non, she retracted her blades and approached her friends.
Ruby ran up to her. A look of bewilderment on her face, along with the facial expression her database showed as signs of approval. As well as the slight twinge of pain from the signal of her transponders.
"Penny."
"Yes, friend Ruby?"
"That was so cool. You have to show me how you did that."
Penny paused for a moment. She was being praised by her first friend. What would be an appropriate response? Should she 'act cool'? Should she be humble as she has seen her father do when he receives praise?
She failed to answer as the sound of police sirens reached her audio receptors.
"Bye Penny." Ruby called as she watched the strange ginger get into a darkened vehicle.
"Farewell, friend Ruby." Penny said as she disappeared inside the care before it drove away.
Turning to the steps behind her, Ruby saw Blake sitting on the stairs with an angry Weiss who was back in her combat outfit and an annoyed Yang.
"What were you thinking!?" Yelled Wiess. "Do you have any idea how worried we were!?"
"I'm all about danger but running headlong into a fight like that is just plain dumb." Yang said with her arms crossed. "You placed Ruby in danger. I should strangle you with that bow of yours."
"Yeah. I have no idea what's going through your head, but going after the Fang because you're guilty is beyond dumb." Weiss said with a flip of her ponytail.
"So, you're not mad about before?" Blake asked.
"Of course, I'm mad!" Weiss snapped. "You lied to us for months. Berated me for my own views and ran the moment you were found out without giving us the chance to hear your side of the story. Why wouldn't we be angry?"
"It was the look on your face." Blake said. "That look of betrayal. I just couldn't handle it."
Weiss and Yang looked at one another. They were having their own discussion while Ruby was hunting down Blake.
"I'll admit. This caught me off guard and I was afraid for a bit. Every fear I've had about the Fang felt like reality when I learned that you were a Belladonna. But I've calmed down now." Weiss offered the cat Faunus a hand. "Can we just talk about this and go back to being friends?"
"You see me as a friend? After lying to you for so long? Laughing at you whenever you messed up?"
Weiss scoffed. "We all have secrets, remember?"
The heiress glanced at Ruby, then back to Blake. "And I'll have you know all that laughing motivated me to be even better so I could laugh at you later."
That seemed to get Blake to smile as she took the heiress' hand. "I suppose I should properly introduce myself then."
Standing up, Blake stood straight. "My name is Blake Belladonna. I was a member of the White Fang. Daughter of its founder Ghira Belladonna."
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Weiss said. "Now can we finally go back to Beacon. I can barely stand that we missed curfew."
"Neither can I Miss Schnee."
Team RWBY turned around together to see Glyda Goodwitch with two police officers at her side.
In Atlas. Beautiful music played. It was a sombre tone. A sad tone. One of meaning. Of isolation. It spoke to her. Told her of a sole in need of help. Of one who was lost.
Fria sat in her medical bed. She was barely breathing but she wasn't upset. She did not panic nor try to call for aid. She was ready. Ready to perform her last duty.
After years of being confined to this cot, she wondered if she would find anyone that she could trust to pass on her abilities to. Winter was a nice girl, but while Fria knew full well that her mind was failing, she was still aware of the girl's loyalty to Ironwood.
That kind of loyalty was admirable, but it often blinded someone to the importance of morality. If Ironwood messed up, then he would use Winter for the wrong reasons and then Winter would be to blame for not seeing past her own allegiances.
No. Winter would not do. If she were more open minded, then Fira would have done it sooner. This was the reason she had turned down all the candidates he had sent her over the years. All of them were just too loyal to him. It was probably the reason he selected them in the first place.
Poor man. He was doing what he thought was right, but these abilities are not meant to be used as a weapon. That is something both he and Ozpin has forgotten over the years. Too blinded by their war.
But now she had a candidate. One she could see developing into their own person. From what Winter had told her, the girl was a bit of a rebel. That was good, she would need to be the type to ask questions if she wanted to get through what was to come.
Fria's vision began to fade, but she could still hear the music and the face of the girl who would be her successor.
Winter stepped into the medical ward; she had a plate of food in her hands. It was her time to spend with Fria again. Lately Fria had been listening to all the music her little sister had ever produced. While it was a strange request, the general had authorized the setup of a sound system around her sleeping quarters.
The Winter Maiden had listened to all of Weiss' works over the past few months. She seemed to enjoy them. Even the more active songs, that she feared might give the poor woman a heart attack only seemed to amuse her.
When Winter approached the cot, her eyes dilated, and she dropped the plate on the floor. All its contents spilling everywhere.
She cried out. For someone, anyone to come and help. Fria. The Winter Maiden was dead.
And there we go. Hope you all enjoy.
