It felt strange really, the way Penny gazed at me as if I were ablaze. It didn't last too long though as Yang's voice broke through.

"All we need is Weiss and the gang will be back together."

"We've only been apart for a few hours." Blake commented as Yang waved her off.

"Details details. Besides, I wanted to get the plan rolling anyway, and the sooner the better."

"Then why don't we split up for a while? Vermillion and I can look around Beacon while you, Ruby, and Penny can search around the festival grounds. Weiss never really said where she'd be going anyway." Blake suggested as Yang smirked her way.

"You and Vermi? There something you're not telling us, or are you trying to live one of your fantasy books." Yang teased as Blake held an indifferent look, although there appeared to be a slight twitch in her form.

"No, but Beacon isn't as expansive as the ground, and there are only a few places she'd actually go. The two of us are plenty to cover it." Blake told as Yang held up her hands in mock defeat, smirk morphed into more of a passive smile.

"Alright then, if that's the plan I'll play along. If either of us find her we'll call the others." Yang spoke as she started off.

We watched as they left, with Ruby giving a few tugs to Penny's arm before the girl relented and trailed with them. I looked to Blake with a curious gaze, and the girl in turn mirrored my action, only wearing a darker look.

"We need to talk." She stated before walking off.

I followed along, all the while a tense silence hung from us as we passed through to the docking bay. The ride back to Beacon was just as still as our trek afterwards, with not a word from either of us. It was only after we made it to her team's room that she spoke once more, and only after the door was shut and locked behind us.

"I made that call you told me about, and I've learned a few things too." She said as a wave of understanding washed over me.

"Your mother."

"Yes, to my mother; just like Sienna asked right?" She questioned with a hard gaze as I nodded. "And with that she mentioned you; how she was going to have a 'talk' with you when she gets the chance."

I cringed at the thought, realizing Blake must have mentioned my actions to her. From the sounds of it she didn't take too kindly to me nearly killing her daughter. I couldn't blame her as I'd react the same way, only I'd do less talking and more beating.

Blake let out a breath as she took on more of a neutral look, still dusted with tension and distrust.

"I don't want a repeat of what happened at the docks so I'll give you the chance to explain how you met her." Her words came bluntly, leaving no room for question; She wanted the hard truth.

"She found me."

"Found you?" The girl questioned, veiled threat coating her words. Blake held her guard, yet it seemed as though she was giving me a chance to continue.

"Yes, found me. I'd been lost in the fog, and she pulled me from it."

Her look held a hint of suspicion, but not disregard. Although it looked like she was more on the line of disbelief, she didn't completely label it a lie. She was willing to hear the rest.

"As strange as it sounds she brought me right to her home, and introduced me to her husband Ghira."

"Dad?" Blake let out, and I nodded.

"From there we talked a bit, and they pointed me towards an inn for the night, giving me a token for a week's stay. She said it was used by the White Fang to rest on trips to Menagerie."

Blake grunted slightly at that before sighing as she sat back on the bed.

"Well, at least you're not lying. Those tokens can be used at the inns, but also a few restaurants and places around town." She let her head drop a bit as her arms crossed. "As I'm sure you saw the group doesn't have the terrible reputation there as they do everywhere else; all because Sienna opted to keep our operations in the dark. They still think we're only protesting, and at worst defending ourselves." The Faunus girl explained as she shook.

"And the rest of the Fang? Surely someone had to have slipped up at one point." I asked as she scoffed.

"Who would believe the rumors of a single grunt, especially when they just so happened to be caught with something illegal by the Fang enforcers beforehand. On Menagerie they help out with policing the villages, and are well respected by the people. When someone tries to leak the truth they'll coincidentally discover something messed up, and it'll be tied to the one spreading said truth."

"They're seen as trouble makers." I spoke as her gaze dropped lower.

"Yes, looking for petty revenge against the Fang after being caught. Nobody takes them seriously, and the Fang's public approval grows." Blake finished as she stood.

I watched as she pulled out her scroll. It switched to show what looked like a scene of people grouped before a building.

"Watch this." She said as the scene started moving.

I saw what looked like people chanting, waving signs in the air as others pushed and shoved about the crowd. There were people before the building, several of which were armed with weapons and outfitted in uniforms that covered their faces. Two well dressed individuals looked to be addressing the crowd from behind what I assumed were soldiers, yet all the sound was drowned in noise and I was unable to make out any words.

Seconds later there were loud bangs, and the crowd started to scream and frenzy as the soldiers started to open fire. People dropped and others ran as the screaming continued. Bodies littered the streets and the scene ended abruptly as Blake shut her scroll off. She turned away as her body tensed.

"That happened earlier this year before Beacon started. Over a hundred dead and fifty survivors wounded in hospital. The White Fang opened fire from inside the protesting crowd, and the police were reported to fire back." She explained as a memory from before resurfaced in my mind.

"Your family showed me a few pictures of you back before I came to Vale." I told as she looked to me with curiosity.

"They did?" She asked as I nodded.

"In one of them you were holding a sign like in the protest. I asked your mother but she didn't want to talk about it."

Blake's eyes widened a tad, immediately she shut them and grit her teeth. She looked away as something slipped from under her breath.

"What is it to you?" She questioned as I shook my head.

"Nothing but blind curiosity. I have no business with it, but the questions keep making their way back; especially now with what you showed me."

Her guarded look took on a softer edge, sheathed in a light pain as she let herself fall back on the bed. Blake looked tired, as though she'd just scaled a cliff only to find another in her way.

"I've been to plenty of protests in my life, but the one I'd attended after that picture was one of the worst. I wasn't exactly happy about going, even as a hopeful child, but I wanted to. Mom and dad told me I didn't have to, that it might be too dangerous, but I was stubborn."

She went silent for a moment as she rolled over, hiding her face from view as she curled slightly in on herself.

"It was supposed to be simple: Stand before the factory and let our cries be heard. There was supposed to be at least one who would listen, and we'd hoped somebody would care. They didn't though, even as the bullets flew."

Blake shook as she paused for breath, whether from fear or rage I couldn't discern.

"I made it out alive; crawling under the bodies of the others and going still whenever anyone looked my way. I wanted to wake up, for it to all be just some... bad dream, but it was real. Even as young as I was I knew there was no peaceful solution back there; only death."

I felt something, and as she quieted for a moment there was a pull within me; a sort of pressure that built against my chest and expanded outwards. It wasn't rage, or hate, or any other emotion, but something... odd. It felt almost right, natural even, and as I watched Blake face me once more I knew something was wrong.

"What was anyone supposed to do against that? How do you give words if the only answer you get is violence?" She shut her eyes as a shameful look crossed her face. "When Adam and Sienna started their 'new' way of running the White Fang I jumped on board, fully believing that the only way to fight violence was with more violence."

Her eyes seemed to hollow as her body slouched, and the feeling withering me grew.

"But it didn't, it only made things worse. Everything was good on the surface, with people even showing the Faunus some level of decent respect, but underneath it was a different story."

"Alright enough." I interrupted as she froze. Shaking my head I sighed and looked away. "I get it, everything went horribly and you were scared. Desperation caused you to join in the destruction; it does that to everyone."

I wanted to tell myself I stopped Blake for her sake, but that was a lie. As she told of the terror she'd seen the feeling within me gnawed; like it would consume me, and out of fear I did what I needed to do.

Stop it.

I didn't know what it was, but the speed of it's spread had my guard up and I was on edge. It wasn't bad, it wasn't painful, and it wasn't even fear inducing; it was... warm. Some part of me liked the feeling I got, which was another bad sign as far as I was concerned.

"I've killed people." Her voice was tiny, and as I faced her I saw the pain in her eyes.

"So have I." I spoke as she looked no better. "I've killed plenty."

"Is it always this bad?" She asked as her focus zeroed in on me, seeking any sort of answer.

"It shows you're still sane. When you grow numb to the killing you know you've lost it." I told as she relaxed slightly and stood.

"I guess that's all I can hope for." She said as I reached out to her, laying my hand on her shoulder as she grew a hint of curiosity.

"Sometimes we have to choose: to sacrifice and survive, or defend and die. Right and wrong go out the window when your life is on the line. And as far as I'm concerned, you can't help anyone if you're dead."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" She questioned as I shook my head.

"It's supposed to make you think. You need to decide what the better action is, and work from there."

"It sounds... cowardly." She spoke as a small chuckle escaped me.

"Cowards run from the fight. Defenders know when to move and strike. So long as you keep fighting you always have a chance."

"And if millions of lives are saved by sacrificing myself, do I do it, or leave them to die with the hopes I can do better next time?" She countered as I let out a small hum.

"That decision is up to you. It's a choice you need to make in the moment. But ask yourself this: will a sacrifice finish the mission, or are you just throwing your life away?"

Blake silenced herself for a moment as she looked to think it over, all the while I stood there. I wanted to help her, to calm her a bit, but I didn't know how to go about it. She seemed so keen on chasing danger, and my questions were designed to strike at it. Sadly it seemed the girl was more than willing to die for people; something that had me worried.

For a moment Blake opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the ringing of her scroll. She stopped and brought it out, answering it.

"We found her guys. Now come on, we're having a group meeting to plan our next battle and we could use your input."

Yang sounded enthusiastic to say the least, and Blake sighed as she shut the scroll.

"Guess we'll have to talk later." She spoke as I shrugged.

"Yang sounds excited at least."

"She's always excited." Blake spoke as she walked out the door. I'd noticed her voice was slightly less faded, and with a quiet breath of relief I followed after her.

.

.

It took several hours for Ruby to reach the ship, but she made it regardless. Every limb was killing her at that point, and she was dead set on taking a long nap afterwards. Looking up Ruby felt calmed by the sight of the airship still in one piece. With her luck she half expected it to be torn apart after she dealt with the colossal.

Ruby flurried up the side of the cliff, reforming along the edge of the railing and hauling herself up. She was tired, and her semblance seemed to be effected by it as she found herself out of breath from such a short burst.

Could really use that nap right about now.

Yet she had no time at the moment as there was still something she needed to do. Ruby noticed the deck was empty and immediately her mind went to all the worst places. Quickly she strode across to the main cabin and threw open the door.

Both captain Alcove and Pebble looked up from their board game, and she let out a sigh of relief. Before she could do anything she felt a weight hurl itself into her, almost knocking her over as she stumbled a bit. Ruby looked down at the sight of the small boy wrapped around her midsection, and once again she was reminded of her uncle Qrow.

Yep, it was painful all along.

Despite this Ruby held her own and reached down to pry the boy off, all the while Alcove laughed in the background.

"The lad missed ya it seems." He spoke through each chuckle as she rolled her eyes, having managed to get Pebble off.

"What did you find!?" Pebble questioned; eyes wide and tone drenched in excitement.

"Nothing to bring back sadly." Ruby said as the boy deflated slightly. "But I did find what was causing the Grimm to act strange." And like that his mood was restored.

"Now that sounds interesting. So what did you find?" Alcove asked as he raised a brow.

"Nothing but another Grimm. I don't know why but they were drawn to it. It's dead now though, so there's no need to worry anymore." Ruby explained as the captain hummed.

"So you're telling us you killed it, is that it?"

"That's the short of it yes." Ruby replied as the man shrugged and relaxed in his seat.

"Fair enough, I'll not question you about it any further. So, where to next?" The man asked as he closed up the game and moved it to the side, replacing it with a map and compass.

"Back to our original path." She told as the man let his eyes rest and nodded.

"Very well, we'll set sail tomorrow morning at dawn. Head on down and rest, you look like you need it." Alcove replied as she turned to leave, all the while Pebble walked with her.

"So what was it like?" The boy asked as she started down the hatch.

"Big, dark, surrounded by hundreds of other Grimm." She spoke as the boy let out a small gasp.

"Hundreds?"

"Hundreds." Ruby clarified as they paced down the hall. The boy looked amazed, so much so she had to guide him into the room as he wasn't paying attention and nearly rammed into some boxes.

"Did you beat them all?" He asked as she nodded with a tired smirk.

"Yep."

The boy took on a more intense look, but it was dulled as she slipped under the covers of her bed.

"Are you okay?" He asked with a hint of worry.

"I'm fine, just need some sleep is all. How about you go up and talk with the others, maybe they can teach you a few things." Ruby told as her eyes started to feel heavy.

"Okay." Pebble answered as he started out the door, looking back one last time before he left. "Good night."

"Good night." She replied as the door shut, leaving her to fall into slumber.

Author's note

...

Here we are finally, not as long of a chapter as I would have liked considering I missed Monday, but it's what I could put out. A story about time, that's being held up by lack of time...

Ironic.

Anyway we're moving ahead slowly. Future Ruby gets on the move again, and V may or may not have made things worse with Blake. At least we're moving through the festival somewhat, although we still have a bit more to go.

I'll try and get a chapter for Monday, but with my schedule flip-flopping so frequently I might not get out a long one. Fingers crossed.

Anyway, that's all this time, see you later.