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Requested By : Polemoduke

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"C'mon, c'mon!" Nora grunted, sitting on the crate in front of the table and beaming a feral grin at the Faunus arrayed around her little corner. They were all uniformed, and masked up, too, but seemed alright enough with her to laugh as Topaz, a tortoise Faunus, got up and shook his arm out. Looking at them all, she said, "No one else wants to try and take down the bear, eh?"

"You're a Huntress!" One of her detractors called from a few feet away, sitting in a little semi-circle of crates and eating with the others. "We can't beat you."

"I ain't even using my Aura!" She threw her hands up, smiling as Banesaw lumbered into view, stepping off the stairs that lead upstairs and giving them all a look, his head cocked sideways in confusion. Smiling, she called over, "Got bored waiting on your planning sesh! So I'm arm wrestling all takers."

"And if we win…?" He asked, his deep voice crossing the distance as he turned to come over, looking over the Faunus like he expected them to be hurt.

"I dunno." She laughed, "No one has!"

"We're just passing time, boss." Topaz grunted as he passed the larger man by, headed towards the door. "I'm tagging Russet off for door-watch."

"Mhm." Banesaw hummed, watching the shelled-Faunus leave and then turning to them all, seemingly thinking. As he reached the group he asked the Faunus around him, "Is she really that strong? Even for you, Grizz?"

'Grizz' was a large Faunus, only beaten out by Banesaw himself, with bare arms covered in a thick layer of fur and a shaggy mane of hair that hung down to his shoulders around his mask.

"Hey, big man." She grinned, reclining against the wall of crates behind her and beaming. "You thinking of trying your hand up here? I'd hate to have to show you up in front of your lads…"

"Arrogance." He growled, pushing one of the Faunus out of the way with a shoulder and taking the seat across from her. Resting his elbow on the barrel, he said, "Typical Human. I'll humble you. As a favor to her Highness."

"Damn, she's like, seriously a princess." Nora whistled, shaking her head. She knew it already, of course, but the way he so casually said it… Leaning forward, she took his huge hand in her own powerful grip and grunted. "Someone wanna count us in?"

The same Faunus, with a long, wispy thin and scaly tail that flicked behind her, chuckled and ran teh count, slapping the tip of her tail into a crate for rhythm. "One… Two… Go!"

The Faunus gave a few inches right away before he seemed to reinsert just how strong she was and grunted, pressing back against her just as hard as he was. She grimaced and he rumbled a growl as he leaned into the struggle, both of them squeezing each other's hands until it stung. Under them, the barrel groaned, and the Faunus started to mutter around them excitedly when Nora's elbow slipped just a bit, barely an inch, and Banesaw pressed her back a few inches, just past the starting point. She grit her teeth as the seconds ticked by into minutes and their hands started to sweat, and he growled, low in his throat.

"You are strong…"

"Yep." She grunted, "Samesies. Hell do you lift?"

"Tires."

"I meant weight…"

"I lift whatever tires weigh." He shrugged his free shoulder, gripping the edge of the barrel and grunting. "Never weighed 'em."

"Fair…" Suddenly, she felt a presence beside her and a kiss pressed against her cheek and she squawked, meeting her girlfriend's cheshire smile and stammering, "B-Blake!"

The moment of distraction caught her and she staggered to the side and down as her arm snapped to the side, her knuckles crushing the lid of the barrel as it came down. With her Aura relaxed as it was, the wood splintering nicked at her knuckles and she hissed as she stood and looked down at the mess, picking out the splinters while Blake watched with a wide, embarrassed face.

"That wasn't as funny as I was hoping it would be…"

"Tell me about it." Nora chuckled as Banesaw reached behind his waist and pulled out a little roll of cloth he offered to her. It was simple, and smelled of alcohol on one side, to keep anything from the wood from causing any kinds of infections. She took it, smiling and wrapping it up while her Aura got to work. "Thanks, big man."

"Mhm." He nodded, flicking Blake a look when she avoided Nora's gaze. "Your plans are made?"

"We'll do the march this weekend." She nodded, turning to the Faunus and adding. "Saturday morning. Voting starts Sunday and runs through Wednesday, so…"

"So they can't do anything." He nodded, "They'll have to see us. Not that we'll be there for long…"

"The one upside to those damn masks…" Blake sighed, grimacing and frowning thinly. "No one can see us. So, no one can arrest us without making themselves out as the bad guys. As long as we aren't violent."

"The Fang is a terrorist group." Banesaw pointed out, leaving the obvious question in the air.

"True." She nodded, "So we'll need new masks. You know someone who can handle it?"

"I do." He nodded, "Design?"

"They call us animals." She shrugged, "May as well look the part. All the better to throw it in their faces, no?"

"I see…"

"Plus, mom and dad will be there." Blake added, flicking Nora a look when she threw an arm around her and grinned toothily, to kill whatever dregs of guilt were there from Nora scuffing her hand up. She seemed to get the point and leaned against her side as she went on, "With Council-electee Hare's invitation. Our best fighters will wear masks and uniforms, but you'll be acting as bodyguards. Ostensibly from Menagerie herself. Any of the rest of your people you bring come in civilian clothes."

"They won't like that…" Banesaw rumbled, "Anonymity is the point."

"I know." Blake nodded, "Ask for volunteers only. The rest can help out in the slums. Back end, with masks."

"Alright." He nodded, "I'll get everything arranged. Where will you be until then?"

"Beacon." Blake answered, "I… Have a history assignment I still haven't written."

"Hah!" Banesaw barked a laugh, turning to leave without another word.

With him, the rest of the Faunus sort of… Scattered, off to eat, or rest, or check the water-seals along the wall. With them gone, Blake asked, "So… What are you off to? We have a few days before the weekend."

"Homework." She shrugged, "And… Date night for Renny and I."

"Ah." Blake blinked, processed, and for a moment Nora worried she'd have something to say about it. But, finally, she just shrugged and said. "Alright. Bring me something if you go somewhere nice that has good fish?"

"Hah." Nora smiled, "We'll see, babe. Now c'mon, gotta catch our ship back."

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Vale had a ton of movie places scattered throughout it and, usually, they were all slammed. Day in, day out, the theaters were at least half full. Usually more. But, on a tip from Yang, they headed downtown towards the docks and found a smaller place on a side-road, built between a couple of hotels with rundown shutters and iron on their windows. Inside, though, it was surprisingly nice, with fresh pretzels, tiny pizzas and stromboli baking against a wall behind a long glass front full of candy and, in a refrigerated bit at the end, even sandwiches. There wasn't any popcorn, which was weird, but…

"What kind of place doesn't have popcorn?" Nora complained, pouting a bit while their food was packed up to carry in.

"You say that," Ren smirked, "but would you have needed any between the five Mistrali stromboli you ordered?"

"I mean, no…" She rolled her eyes, "But that's not the point! Popcorn is a tradition!"

"From where…?"

"From the tradition zone!" Nora guffawed, taking the stack of little boxes of six inch strombolis while Ren took the bag of pretzels and the two tiny pizzas they'd ordered. "I dunno where they come from, but a tradition is a tradition! Right?"

"I suppose." He shrugged, leading her to the left and down a short hall for another left, to head into one of the two screening rooms the theatre ran.

Inside, rather than rows of seats, five rows of platforms ran from front to back, with booth sating along the back of each, trash cans along the front, and racks of drinks of all kinds. Sodas, juices, some water, even milk, all stacked in a long line of mini-fridges under counters stacked with cups and spare utensils. It all looked rather more like a restaurant than a theater, but…

Well, it was kind of nice. Almost like they were sitting down at a place to eat and it just happened to also have a movie running. And mostly empty, too, aside from a couple in a corner and a gaggle of teens way down in the middle, as close to the screen as they could get.

"I'll have to thank Yang," Ren hummed as they sat in one of the dark red booths, "This place is… Awesome."

"Yeah it's pretty swank." Nora agreed, flopping on the booth-seats and laying out on it, wiggling her eyes at him as he passed the end of the seat where she'd laid her head. "Gonna thank Yang or thank Yang?"

"We aren't there yet." He sighed, sitting at the other end. The booths were fairly large, but not large enough that, laying down, Nora couldn't drum her foot on his thigh.

"Yet?"

"Nora, behave." He rolled his eyes, laying out their food and then swatting her feet off the seat and waving at the array with a hand. "And you should eat, the movie-" As if planned just for comedic effect, the lights dimmed and the screen lit up as advertisements started to run and Ren sighed, "Will be starting soon."

"It's just ads." She waved him off, grabbing a stromboli and taking a bite from it while she sat up. "And come oooooon, you gotta give the deets, dude."

"Why are you talking like a skater boy…?"

"Iunno." She shrugged, "Why are you ducking the question?"

"Because I already answered it." He answered simply, "There isn't anything else to say. For all either of us know, there isn't even a 'yet' there."

"Boooo!" Nora complained, "Come on, Renny, look at her! She's gorgeous!"

"Do you really want to spend our date night talking about another woman?" He countered, rolling his eyes when she shot him a flat stare. Shaking his head, he said, "We haven't even discussed it, and won't any time soon. Now stop fishing for gossip."

"Boo~" She stuck out her tongue and rolled her eyes as the movie finally came on. Laying her head on his shoulders, she sighed, "I'm just curious is all."

"I know." He sighed, watching the massive machine the lead was piloting launch from the long, ship-shaped space-ship to join a battle made up of hundreds of mechs and dozens of the same sort of warship.

They'd been together so long, it was strange for either of them not to know what the other was up to nearly constantly. Even knowing jealousy wasn't even a question, he understood why she'd be so… Prodding.

So, why not play the game back?

"So," he smirked, "you and Blake are doing well?"

"Hm?"

"You haven't said anything." He sighed, "I can only assume you're planning the wedding already."

"Pffft, of course. Skipping right past first base to home plate!" Nora rolled her eyes at his chuckle, smiling and watching the explosions playing across the screen before she added conspiratorially, "bee tee dubs, she's totally trying to get in my pants."

"Oh?"

"Mhm." Nora said, voice as smug as he'd ever heard it. "Why, I have to fend her off with a stick!"

"You're full of it, Nora."

"Full of what?" She sang quietly, "Sugar, spice and everything nice~?"

"Only when I make pancakes, maybe."

"Boooooo~! Fighting dirty isn't faaaaaaair!" She pouted and he leaned in to peck a kiss on her cheek. Still pouting, Nora sighed and said, "The whole 'princess' shebang is a bit of a thing though, you know?"

"Oh, indeed." Ren nodded, "Speaking of…"

"Hm?"

"You met her parents already?"

"Yeah." She nodded, "They're really sweet. And damn, Blake's mom is almost as hot as she is scary!"

"Seriously?"

"Yeah!" Nora nodded, "You'd think her dad, who is frickin' huge by the way, would be the scary one. But no, no, noooo! He just plays scary, but her? She's sneaky!"

"How so?"

"She sneaks questions in, and distracts you!" Nora explained quietly, "She spent, like, two hours giving me sweets and asking how Blake and I were getting along! If we planned on babies! Where we were gonna live! And don't get me started on all the protest stuff…"

"The protest?"

"For the election." She flicked him a look and sighed when she saw his curiosity, "It's complicated… I'm going just because Blake wants a human, for solidarity, but the peeps don't want anyone else. Even though they need humans to vote for them and- Ugh, don't get me started, it's a mess."

"But-"

"Don't get me staaaaarted." Nora groaned, flicking him a purposeful look. "It's a mess and I don't wanna think about it yet."

"Very well." He nodded, "So long as you promise to be safe."

"When am I not…?"

"Is that a trick question?" Ren asked, snorting a laugh until someone across the theater shushed them loudly. Sighing, he said, "I think we're bothering people…"

"They can bite me!" Nora said, shouting the last bit and tuning a glare on the back corner of the room, scowling darkly. When they didn't say anything back, she turned back and relaxed against his shoulder, reaching for another stromboli and sighing. "Thanks for doing this, I mean, of course we're visiting that tea place you found after. But… Sitting still and quiet for an hour? More your thing than mine…"

"Nora, we're already sitting still and quiet for an hour."

"...I knew there's a reason we get along so well!" She beamed, snorting when Ren just sighed and rolled his eyes.

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Blake sighed as she reclined in her room, reading over her mom's plans for the next few days and smiling thinly. It was strange, in a way, working with the Fang and with her parents at the same time, but… Somehow, it felt right. Better, at least, than it had before. It was hard to understand, really, but it felt so much more hopeful than it had before.

The sound of the bathroom door opening yanked her out of her thoughts as Yang came in, wearing her combat shorts and a thin blouse while she brushed her hair and sighed, "Aaaaaahhhh, hot water… How I missed you…"

"They don't use all the hot water, Yang…"

"Nah, but they use a lot." She sighed, flopping onto her bed and lounging, arms and legs draped over the edges. Out of the blue, she asked, "You're doin' okay?"

"How do you mean…?"

"With Nora out on a date."

"They're together, too." Blake flicked her a look, closing her mother's plans and opening, instead, a book she'd been working through for the last few weeks. Reading along, she said, "It's part of the deal. I knew it when I got into this."

"Yeah…"

"Are…" She grimaced, flicking the human a look and sighing. "Are you doing alright?"

"I mean, yeah, it's just…" She sighed, "Weird, I guess. I dunno."

"You're Valean." Blake suggested quietly, "It's going to be an adjustment."

"I guess, yeah. I mean, I know they're poly and I get all that, Mistral and what-not…" Yang sighed, sounding more… Wistful than bothered, really. After a few moments of apparent thought, Yang asked, "What about you?"

"I already said-"

"Not about the date." Yang sighed, sitting up and turning to her. "Are you poly?"

"I'm sorry…?"

"You're from Mistral, right?"

"I'm from Menagerie." Blake corrected quietly, shaking her head and sighing wearily. "Although… The two do kind of bleed together, somewhat. Mostly because of how close they are and… Well, after the war, Faunus resettled along the south of Mistral more than a lot of places."

"That's interesting." Yang said, and Blake actually thought she meant it, too. But she was more focused on pressing, "That's not what I asked, though."

"I… Am ambivalent on it." She sighed, flushing a bit and turning back to her book. "Maybe in another relationship, but… I don't think my heart has room enough in it for more than Nora."

"That's… Romantic." Yang said, and when Blake turned, she looked… Caught between impressed and amused. "And way more direct than I expected."

"Yeah, well… You asked." She scowled, standing awkwardly and fussing with her Scroll before she added, weakly, "Shut up."

"You're adorable when you get all flustered…"

"I hate you so much…" Blake sighed, raising her Scroll when it chimed gently. Chuckling, Blake said, "Nora says they're staying at a hotel for the night."

"A hotel?" Yang's brow furrowed, "Why?"

"Why do you think, Yang?"

"...Oh." She blinked, shrugging and flopping back onto the bed. "Means a warm shower in the morning, too. My hair is gonna be so happy…"

Blake just rolled her eyes, "You and that damn hair… What will you do when it gets all muddy and ripped up one day, out on a mission?"

"Cry and murder something, probably."

Blake just sighed.

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Kaze :

I cannae remember, honestly. Autocorrect yells about one, though, and not the other.

Null Proxy :

You're welcome. XD