Sorry for the wait, Life's been busy. Enjoy.
The Runaway
The nightlife of Vale was in full swing outside the uninhibited room Blake sat in. It was an office or used to be used as one. Dust covered the couch, desk, chair, and scattered papers around the room and cabinets. Finding a place of peace and quiet was near impossible in the city, so she had to settle for a third-floor abandoned suite over a dive bar. Stale air hung in the atmosphere, giving the sense of limbo Blake currently felt.
The couch she laid on was uncomfortably at best and didn't help distract the torrent of thoughts in her mind. Blake was an idiot for believing that she could start a new life just like that. Hiding her ears with a bow, not even changing her name, getting strong armed by the Headmaster of Beacon. And worst of all, being partners with a Schnee. The Schnee Dust Company was the most exploitive business on Remnant, mutilating works and putting them into so much debt that they might as well be slaves.
Faunas all over the world hated them, loathed them, murdered them in retaliation for their cruelty. It's what turned her parent's White Fang into the terrorists they are in the first place. Peaceful protests only worked when someone in power sympathized. For her parents, no one did. They were too busy worrying about how to make money, like the millions already in their possession would vanish at any second. Greedy bastards, all of them.
It was why she hated herself for actually getting along with Weiss. How they could joke and insult each other, while Jaune and Ruby would a comment here and there. He did have to break them up a few times, but he was the team leader. Blake hated how ignorant Weiss was to her own company, denying the obvious truth that all Faunas had to deal with. And she hated herself for how cruel the White Fang had become.
Blake saw the signs. It started with little things, raids not going to plan, casualties caught up in the heat of the moment. Or maybe it started before that, when Adam came back from labor mine, disfigured and missing an eye. He never was the same afterward, the righteous boy she once knew adapted. And he adapted in the worst of ways, seeing force as the only option that worked. And the ugly truth is that he was right, changes did start happening.
Faunus were being treated better. It was disgusting that it worked but it only proved to Adam that violence could solve anything. Blake had a more romanticized view of the world and was hoping that there were more peaceful ways to solve the conflict. Then she saw Wiess reach for her weapon the moment she found out that Blake was a White Fang member. The action hurt more than she dare admit. A sick, twisted feeling gripped her gut as Blake remembered Weiss's story.
There could be no way that happened, right? It was far too soon and far too brutal. She would've heard about it through the grapevine, so there's no way it actually happened. But the raw emotion from Weiss told her it was true, that they were worse than monsters. Had the White Fang become this vicious? Did she commit these acts unknowingly? Was she responsible? Blakes identity started to fracture in her mind at the thought.
"Hey, nice place you got here." A masculine voice commented from the window, interrupting Blakes thoughts and kicking her reflexes into overdrive. Gambol Shroud was leveled at the intruder at the next moment, ready to put a hole in him. The new arrival put his hands up in surrender. "Hey, hey, hey, calm down. You looked like you needed some company." He took a step closer, Blakes genetic night vision seeing through the shadows.
"You're from the docks." She stated, keeping her weapon trained on him. Moonlight filtered through the window behind him, bathing the room in a gentle glow. "How did you find me?" The man moved around her to the desk slowly, but she didn't drop her guard.
"I may have been watching you after I made my getaway. Couldn't help myself." He said, sitting himself behind the desk and kicking up his feet. His demeaner told her that he was at ease with the whole situation, composed despite the gun trained at his head. "Could you please put that thing down? It's making me nervous."
"No." Blake's thoughts were going a mile a minute and she had little facts to work with. "Who are you? Are you with the White Fang?" She demanded. His tail waived lazily back and forth from the chair.
"Name's Sun, and no, I'm not with the Fang, I'm from Shade Academy. Why does everyone ask that around here?" Sun mumbled as he leaned back. Blake instantly felt a flush of guilt and winced at believing Weiss's words for even a moment. What was she thinking? Faint laughter could be heard outside of the room in the streets, as if mocking her flimsy beliefs.
"Why are you here?" Blake questioned again, doing whatever she could to distract herself from her thoughts. Sun shrugged his shoulders.
"I was bored and needed a place to stay. I thought to myself, 'why not stay with a gorgeous woman?'" A teasing smile graced his lips while heat creeped up her neck. Blake wasn't expecting that.
"Well, get out. Find your own shelter." The command came out harsher than intend, but her emotions from the day left her tired and agitated. She lowered her weapon and fell back over the couch, intent on ignoring the fellow Faunus.
"Why do you keep that bow on? It must be uncomfortable." He asked, still relaxed in the chair. Her hand reached up to the black fabric that covered her Faunus ears. Why did she keep it on? There was no reason to hide it anymore, since she burned all the bridges she recently made. Blake pulled the strand holding it together, unfurling the fabric to let her Faunus ears free of the restraints. A sigh escaped here as her contained appendages twitched in freedom, it was oddly liberating.
"So, White Fang, huh?" He disturbed Blake's small peace. "How'd that happen?" The flood of memories brought back a torrent of emotions. Each one morphing from elation, to purpose, to doubt, and then to disbelief and indecision. That's who she was, but who was she now? Blake the white Fang member, or Blake of Beacon academy?
"Not telling." Blake scowled as she rolled over away from him. Why wouldn't he leave her alone? She already had enough to think about and was barely keeping it together.
"That's fine, just curious. I did happen to overhear some gossip on the boat I snuck on. Something about a SDC cargo ship and millions worth of Dust." He babbled on to himself, as if knowing that she was intently listening. "And a rumor that it would be a prime target for the White Fang." Sun had Blake's curiosity, now he had her attention.
"Where? When?" Blake demanded an answer as she turned back to him. For all the atrocities committed by the White Fang, she felt somewhat responsible for how twisted it became. The guilt of her blindly following Adam and the new headed brought her down this path. If only she was a better voice of reason for Adam, if only she was a better partner, if only she did something more to help steer it into a different direction. If nothing else, at least she could prove to herself that she wasn't like them.
"Food first, I'm starving." Blake didn't hide the scowl at him leading her on, but the emptiness of her stomach couldn't say no to the idea. And maybe, the company wouldn't hurt.
"She's could have killed us at any moment!"
"But she didn't! Blake is our friend, Weiss!"
"You don't know the White Fang like I do! They will play innocent and helpless until you let your guard down, then kill and scatter your remains!"
"It's been weeks! She's not like them!"
"You can't know that! We can't know that!" The argument between Ruby and Weiss was echoing in their dorm room. Jaune was certain that ever room around them could hear the debate, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Sitting on his bed, Jaune watched the dispute and thought hard about Blake's actions. There were a couple of facts that he had, and he tried to rationalize them as much as possible.
One; Blake was a White Fang member and was unclear if she left or not. Two; She hadn't harmed anyone that he knew of, and was actively a good teammate, if a bit standoffish. Three; She was accepted into Beacon, which lead him to believe Ozpin probably knew something about her situation. Where her loyalties where, there was no telling. Though the constant arguing with Weiss did make a lot more sense now.
"You're being unreasonable!" Ruby yelled at her teammate as Jaune finally tuned back in.
"No, you're the one being unreasonable about it! Have you delt with the White Fang? Have you?" Ruby shook her head at Weiss's question and intended to speak, only for the heiress to cut her off. "Then you don't know how they work. They are clever monsters waiting to for you to be vulnerable! There is a reason they wear Grimm masks!"
Alright, this is getting out of hand.
I think it's fun to watch.
You're not me.
Pretty sure I am.
Not going down that rabbit hole. "Alright, stop. Before everyone knows about it." Jaune was tired of the arguing and wanted it to stop. "We're going to see the headmaster to get some answers. Any objections?" Weiss shook her head.
"Why Ozpin?" Ruby piped up.
"She got accepted to Beacon somehow. I want to know why." He said, leading them out of the room. Outside, he could see Nora and Yang peeking out of their door before quickly closing it shut. Jaune pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. At least it's quiet now. Their footfalls echoed through the deserted hallways as the tense atmosphere surrounded them. It wasn't long before the elevator dinged at Ozpin's office. The door opened to the sight of Qrow and Ozpin discussing something in a hushed tone. Something about a queen?
"Uncle Qrow!" Ruby zipped out of the elevator with semblance enhanced speed. Jaune feared that she would knock him over with the force alone, but he didn't need to worry. The veteran hunter extended his arm out, catching his niece and spinning on the heel of his foot to bleed off the momentum. Qrow put Ruby into a headlock and began rubbing his knuckles into her hair.
"How's it going, squirt?" He chuckled at Ruby's struggles to break free, even Ozpin had a good-natured smile. Jaune waived at him and Qrow winked in response.
"Uncle Qroooow!" She whined from his grip. "Stoooop!" Qrow let her go, but Ruby still dangled from his arm with a faux pout on her features. "Why didn't you tell me you were in town?"
"Just got back from a job." Qrow jerked a thumb in the headmaster's direction. "Ozpin here has been keeping me busy." Ozpin just raised his mug in response.
"What brings you here, Mr. Arc?" Ozpin addressed him directly, ignoring the bickering family members. "I trust all is well." Jaune and Weiss strode to the desk to stand beside Qrow and Ruby.
"Actually, no." Jaune spoke first, somewhat irritated from the day. "Blake ran off on us, and we need as much information on her as possible."
"Oh? That's unexpected." Ozpin didn't look surprised in the least as he leaned back in his chair. "But there must be a reason why she ran off."
"She's part of the White Fang." Weiss seethed from beside him. Jaune could hear the hatred in her voice, causing him to wince. Ozpin hummed in understanding.
"Yes, she was. What about it?" Another sip was taken from his mug as Weiss slammed her hands on the headmaster's desk.
"You knew!? You knew and let her near us!?" Yeah, Jaune could get behind the heiress's outrage for that one. What self-respecting headmaster would let a terrorist into their school?
"Yes, and believe it or not, I am quite adept at judging someone's character. You could say I have years of experience." Qrow snickered at Ozpin's comment but said nothing as Ruby swung back and forth on his arm.
"Then why did you let her in?" Weiss hissed at the authority figure, which was new to Jaune.
"She wanted sanctuary. A place to start a new life away from her past. Qrow actually stumbled upon her sneaking her way past law enforcement. Isn't that right?" The occupants turned to Qrow, who was slightly swinging Ruby about.
"Yeah, came off a train attacked by the White Fang. Wasn't hard to put two and two together." He said, finally dropping Ruby.
"But why here?" Ruby asked, curious about her teammate's past.
"It was a matter of convenience. She saw a chance to get away and took it. Though, the past does have a nasty habit of catching up to all of us." Ozpin hid his grimace behind the mug. "I interviewed and listened to her story and deemed her a suitable candidate for Beacon. I've done the same with Jaune and Ruby, no less."
"So, she isn't a threat?" Jaune asked, pulling Weiss away from the desk.
"No more than you, Mr. Arc. That said, a rogue huntress does have the capacity for great evil if not properly contained." Ozpin directed his gaze at Jaune as he leaned back in his chair. "I recommend you find her as soon as possible before the appropriate authorities become involved." Jaune didn't miss the veiled threat. He swallowed his anxiety and nodded to the headmaster. "Is there anything else you wished to discuss?"
Weiss mumbled something next to him, but he elbowed her in the ribs to get the message across. "No, headmaster."
"Very Good. Qrow, please see them out." With a wave of his mug, Ozpin ushered the remaining team and huntsman to the elevator. The doors closed with the image of the headmaster occupied with paperwork.
"How's being leader treatin' ya?" Qrow asked, nudging Jaune.
"Like herding stray cats." He meant that literally and figuratively in this case.
"I am a delight to be around." Weiss rejected the notion.
"Me too!" Ruby added. Jaune let out a sigh, causing a bark of laughter to escape the Huntsman.
"Don't worry, every team has issues at the start." Qrow assured him as the elevator reached the lobby. It was nighttime at Beacon, leaving much of the school quiet. "I remember my team leader had to beat the hell out of all of us to stay in line." Their footsteps echoed the building as they walked.
"Sounds like a sadist." Jaune commented on the veteran's leader. He didn't have strength, skill, or charisma for that matter to make people listen to him. All he really did was acted like he did at home and hoped for the best. Honestly, most of it was improvising.
"Nah, she wasn't that bad. We were just assholes with something to prove. I can still remember Raven's face when she first loss." Qrow chuckled at the thought. "Pure shock. Greatest day of my life."
"See, Jaune? That's how you lead." Weiss said from beside him.
"You want me to beat you into submission?"
"Kinky." Qrow remarked on the statement, causing and indignant squawk from the heiress.
"No, you idiot! With strength!" A prominent blush graced her features. Whether that was from embarrassment or rage, he didn't know.
"If you start hurting my niece, Jaune, we will have words." Qrow promised, looking him into the eye. "And those words will be sharp and filled with booze." Threats considered; it was the most ominous in Jaune's opinion.
"I can take care of myself, I'm a big girl!" Ruby's response was met with Qrow ruffling her hair.
"Sure, you are, pipsqueak." He turned to the rest of the team, Jaune specifically. "Listen, I know this is new to all of you, but you need to find Blake." His tone turned serious, forcing the others to pay attention. "She's still an unknown right now, but Ozpin believes that she means well. The law won't see it that way, they'll see a White Fang member running around with their Aura unlocked. I would go out and do it myself, but right now Ozpin has me looking for something more important."
"Can you tell us?" Ruby asked form beside him. The veteran Huntsman shook his head with a kind smile.
"Nope, confidentiality with the boss." He enunciated the P just like the sisters. It must be a family trait. "The best we can do is hold off on reporting her missing for a day or two. Do you know what I'm saying?"
"If she's back within that time frame, then you don't have to report her?" Weiss questioned Qrow. He just gave a lazy smile and shrugged his shoulders. "Perfect, we wait two days and she's no longer our problem."
"Weiss! We need to find her!" Ruby was against the idea of doing nothing, and so was Jaune. Like it or not, she was his responsibility.
"No, we don't! We can stay here and let her be judged for her crimes. Blake is not innocent; I can assure you that. No one in the White Fang is." Weiss's answer didn't deter Ruby in the slightest. The tragic thing was both thought themselves were in the right.
"Weiss, we're going to look for her." The Heiress whirled on him, giving Jaune the death glare. "But, if she's not found within the two days, we'll let it be. And if we do find her, then we can decide if we want her back or not. I still don't know her side of the story." Compromising was the best bet he was going to get from Weiss. A promise of letting it go if she was proven right. She crossed her arms and kept her pale iris's trained on Jaune. He could see the fury and wrath behind the icy orbs and Jaune did his best to keep his own from backing down.
A tense moment passed before she spoke again. "On one condition."
"Name it." Progress.
"When we do find her, I ask the questions." The fallout and fight could already be seen in his head, but that was future Jaune's problem.
"Done."
"Operation: Find Blake is a go!" Ruby cheered in excitement. Jaune would've felt the same way if he wasn't so exhausted from the day's events. Where did Ruby get all that energy? He needed some. Qrow sat back and watched the interaction with a faint smile.
"Alright, you kids, get to bed. It's going to be a long day tomorrow and you need the rest." The Veteran slapped Jaune's back as his team walked away. "And don't worry Jaune, we'll make you a Huntsman yet!" Why did everyone have to patronize him?
Grey clouds gathered overhead, bathing Vale in shadowless light. Ruby was with Jaune and Weiss as they combed the town for their lost teammate. Last night was difficult for her, on account of not getting a good night sleep. She kept tossing and turning, blinking in and out of consciousness while Jaune snored away beside her. How he could fall asleep instantly, Ruby wanted to know. The Reaper was still rubbing the sleep out of her eye.
"We've been at this for hours and still no trace of her. She probably already left Vale, on her way back to the Fang." Weiss said for the thousandth time. On and on she went about how pointless it was searching for Blake. Gods, it annoyed her, and she could see it affecting Jaune.
"Then it's a good thing we have two days to use." Jaune replied, showing more patience than Ruby. It was midday now, and the weather was only going to get worse.
"If she wanted to come back, she would've answered her scroll by now." Weiss, the ever pessimist just had to throw that out there. Each one of them tried bombarding her scroll, with no answer on any fronts. It did support that Blake did want to be left alone, much to Ruby's dismay. Jaune stopped abruptly, causing Weiss to crash into his back. "What now?"
"You know what? Fine." Jaune turned to face her. Uh oh… Right now, he seemed to tower over her, annoyance clear on his features. "If you're going to bitch and moan the whole god damned time, then go back to Beacon and stay there." It was a rare sight to see him angry, and doubly so to see Weiss on the backfoot. "I don't have time nor the energy to put up with your opinions or change them. Right now, I need to focus on finding my missing teammate and make sure she's safe." Weiss eyes were wide and appeared intimidated by Jaune's behavior.
"I'm just being rea-"
"Shut it." He interrupted her. "You're being an awful partner, that's what. I get the suspicion, I really do, but you're forgetting something. She is our teammate, our responsibility. And that lands squarely on my shoulders. So, what's it gonna be? Are you going to stick to your pride and abandon your partner, or are you going to get over yourself and start being useful?"
Both Ruby and Weiss were stunned by Jaune's words. He was imposing over Weiss, mere inches away from her. The heiress had traces of fear on her face but kept herself composed. A moment passed before Jaune closed his eyes, took a deep breath and stepped away from her. A heavy sigh escaped him as he recomposed himself. "Do you understand where I'm coming from?" It was the first-time seeing Weiss scolded so thoroughly for Ruby and she wished there was some popcorn nearby.
"Y-yes." It took her a moment to speak again. What was surprising was the light stutter. "I… I think I do. I'm… I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. I just can't trust her Jaune, how can I?" Weiss almost pleaded with him.
"I don't know Weiss." He sighed, lines of worry visible on his face. "But we owe her a chance, then we can go from there."
"Is this what 'having a moment' is?" A voice commented from beside Ruby.
"Sweet Christ!" Ruby was startled by the intruder and ruined the atmosphere. Penny was beside her, somehow not alerting anyone to her presence. "Don't do that!"
"Do what?"
"Sneaking up on people!"
"But I'm not specialized for stealth."
"Ugh. Never mind." The redhead was eccentric as ever, but that was Ruby talking. She had little grasp of what normal actually was.
"Hey Penny."
"Hey." Jaune and Weiss greeted the unwelcomed guest.
"Hello. Ruby, what is this 'Christ' and why is it sweet?" She asked her.
"I don't really know. My uncle says it a lot."
"So, it is a saying?" Gods, she asks a lot of questions.
"Yeah, but I haven't heard anyone else use it."
"Why?" Penny asked again, only Ruby didn't have an answer. So, she defaulted on what Uncle Qrow always said.
"Sometimes it's like that, no real reason why."
"Noted." Well, that was easy. Ruby was pleased Penny let it go that easily. "You are missing a member of your group. New friend named Blake, if I recall correctly." And she had to ask the awkward question. Great.
"Blake is going through some emotional turmoil." Weiss lied too easily. "We're trying to find her and bring her back to Beacon."
"Oh no!" Penny gasped. "That sounds dreadful! Can I help find friend Blake?"
"Well…" Ruby started. She wanted her to come with, to have someone to talk to while Jaune and Weiss had their discussion. Honestly, it felt like being a third wheel on one of Yang's dates.
"Sure, the more the merrier." That was all Ruby needed to hear from Jaune.
"Sweet, thank you! We're just gonna go over here and look, bye!" And with semblance enhanced speed, she disappeared with her new companion down the street. They stopped near a corner store. Well, Ruby did, Penny was spinning around trying to bleed off momentum.
"Fascinating." That was not a common word to describe her semblance. "It's almost like dematerialization on a molecular level in order for you to travel and inhuman speeds without adverse effects."
"What?" Ruby asked. She understood maybe half that sentence.
"Your semblance is so useful! Can you show me more?"
"Uhhhh. Maybe later." Ruby was already regretting this idea.
"Sensational!" They walked along the city streets searching for her lost teammate in silence. Silence that only lasted a couple minutes. "What was Blake struggling with?" Why did she have to ask the hard questions?
"It's… An argument between her and Weiss." Ruby didn't know how much to tell, since her teammate was a terrorist and all.
"An argument about what?" Damnit Penny.
"Ideology, I think? It was pretty heavy."
"A heavy conversation usually means important topics." Penny's helpful insight didn't help finding Blake. "My father says that only friends can have conversations like those."
"They do?" Ruby had friends back in signal, but it was mostly a group of people her age that she hung out with. Sure, they had sleepovers, copied off each other's homework, and got into occasional trouble, but that was everyone's experience.
"That's what he told me anyway. Only close friends argue about important things."
"Yeah. I hope it turns out alright." Ruby was optimistic, but the friction between the two partners was always visible. The reunion was going to be nasty no matter what happened and may even fracture the team. She shook her head, dispelling the depressing thought. "You're right, they are friends, even if they don't know it yet. Detective Ruby and Penny are on the case!"
"Spectacular!"
And the hunt was on.
"I'm sorry for snapping at you." Weiss was silent since Ruby took Penny to cover more ground searching for Blake, and Jaune was the same. And now he was apologizing. The rain was starting to intensify as the pair roamed the city streets, darkening the sky and adding to the already discouraged atmosphere. The lights of the city illuminated itself through the wet veil.
"It's fine." It wasn't fine, but she needed time to process. To think and rationalize what she was feeling right now. The thing twisted in her gut like dread, remorse, validation, and hope. Confusing was putting it lightly to her inner turmoil. She felt in the right for condemning her partner, but why did it feel awful? A hand grabbed her jacket, yanking her back midstride. Weiss crashed into Jaune's embrace as a car sped passed where she was just a moment before.
"I don't think it is." Weiss noticed that he caught on faster than most men, and that his chest was pleasantly warm against the cold rain.
"We should probably find somewhere dry." She stated, disentangling herself from him. It was odd how she missed the warmth. They found a small café nearby that was still open, the aroma of coffee permeating the air. It was quaint, with faint music in the background with table and booth seating. The gentle lighting and sound of rain hitting the glass could lull anyone to sleep. Jaune Grabbed a booth and Weiss followed suite, sitting across from him.
He ordered something for the both of them, but Weiss didn't notice. She was lost in thought about herself, and whether or not she was being prejudice or cautions. Whether or not she was a bad teammate or trying to warn everyone about impending catastrophe. Weiss new she was right about the White Fang being evil, why couldn't everyone else see it that way? "Lien for your thoughts?" Jaune asked, ruffling the dampness from his hair. The droplets scattered on the wooden table, reminding her of her own damp hair and clothing.
"I have plenty of lien, thank you."
"You know that's not what I meant."
"Just let me be." Weiss used a fragment of red dust to dry herself off, a trick she learned when dealing with the constant Atlas snow. All it did was remove the moisture, still leaving her cold as before.
"Alright." Sounds of quiet conversation and the comforting ambiance filled the silence. It wasn't long before the server returned with two mugs of warmth. They thanked her and she was on her way. It smelled of cinnamon and vanilla, begging to be consumed by a chilled owner. Weiss brought the mug to her lips and the taste did not disappoint. Heat seeped into her body, suffusing her with much needed warmth.
Jaune was smiling at her when she set the cup down, which somehow irritated her more. She still had to think, to decide. How would she confront Blake and how to feel about her past? If she ever came back. Would she denounce Blake for her actions and personally ruin her, or give Blake a chance? Somehow this drama could fracture the team and it made her feel sickened that it was somehow her fault. Or was it Blake's? Weiss didn't know anymore.
"Running away isn't easy." Jaune started talking, staring down into his own mug. His metal hand wrapped around the delicate pottery, clinking with every movement. "Not on the person running, or the ones they leave behind." The metal thumb stroked the mug as he talked. "I remember when my sister, Violet, ran away. She got into a fight with mom, telling her how she found the love of her life and that she didn't understand, she was different. Mom said it was her hormones making her go crazy and it's normal. But it wasn't love." Jaune took another sip while Weiss listened.
"So, she called her a bitch and ran off with him. Dad was out on a job and wouldn't be home for two weeks and Saphron was at college in Mistral at the time. I was in charge of the house as she tracked her down. Can you imagine a single fifteen-year-old boy trying to wrangle five sisters for three days? I've taken care of them before with Vi and Saph, but this was chaos. I was exhausted when they came back, Vi had a busted lip and mom didn't say a word."
"After that, mom started handing me more responsibility. Making meals, laundry, helping with homework. Dad was there as often as he could be, but he was the only income. Then two years later, I run away. An idiot boy dreaming of being a free huntsman like his dad." He sighed and leaned back into the brown seat. "I guess I just felt suffocated, trapped even. There were so many things I wanted to do, but I couldn't focus on a single one."
The porcelain cracked in his hand, brown liquid seeping onto the table. "And look where that got me? Crippled, indebted, and trying to find another runaway. Damnit." Jaune shook his metal hand and started gathering napkins around the broken ceramic. Weiss watched him, pondering his words. His situation was like the heiress's, which made her feel less unique about her own problems. Being suffocated by family duty and expectations. Was that effecting how she saw Blake? Did he see Blake as a sister that needed to be brought home?
"Gods, if only I wasn't so pathetic, this would've never happened. I'm lucky to even be alive. And that's all it was, luck." He continued his monologue. "You don't need to say anything, I just want you to know that I don't blame you. If anything, it was bound to happen. She was running away from something and it caught up to her, like it always does. Or maybe I'm just rambling and trying to unload my own problems." He stood up from his seat and came over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. Azure irises pierced into her own, taking her full attention. "Take some time and think. If you need to talk, I'm a scroll call away."
"Where are you going?" She asked, finally speaking. Jaune continued walking towards the exit.
"Gotta find a stray. Only the Gods know what trouble she's in now." With a jingle of the door's chime, Jaune stepped back into the rain. The windows obscured his image as he walked away. Weiss looked back to the empty spot across from her, the cracked mug was all that was left of his company. Napkins were huddled around it, restricting the leak from the fracture. It was oddly poetic, the whole team was fractured and Jaune was there, trying to keep it together. And what was she doing?
Being prideful and letting the situation get worse. Weiss couldn't forget the White Fang's actions against her family and friends, and she doubted Blake could either. But she got along with her, and they would have conversations and arguments that she honestly enjoyed. Why can't things be simple? She keened forward onto the table, resting her head on her arm as she watched the mug slowly empty. Weiss promised Jaune to be a better teammate, and she was failing. What should I do? The indecisiveness was new to her, and she didn't like it.
Was her insight of the White Fang altering her perception of Blake, or was it the other way around? Were Blake's accusations against the SDC true, or was it lies? Weiss was having a hard time trying to figure out what was true anymore. Lost in thought, it only now occurred to her what Jaune had done.
"That bastard left me with the bill."
Roman was in a good mood as the bullhead closed in towards their destination in the night. The rain was providing a nice cover of approach, his new muscle was loaned out and complying, and Neo was there as a contingency. The White Fang were only too willing to help steal from the SDC, courtesy of Adam Taurus of course. Roman didn't personally like him, too much rage and fanaticism. Being devoted to the cause of Faunus equality and all. But hey, Cinder said he was useful, and she wasn't lying about that.
Turbulence rocked the aircraft, swaying its passengers inside. "Three minutes!" The pilot yelled over the intercom. It was about damn time, the place stunk of animals. White Fang fodder only good for simple labor was what Adam had given him. They all head weapons of course, just very little training or value for that matter. If everything went according to plan tonight, then it wouldn't be an issue. "Just get the Dust and bring it back to Glenn." He muttered underneath the whine of the engines.
The familiar feeling of descent alerted the occupants to their arrival. Passengers crouched from the force of the subpar landing as the rear doors opened. Rain splattered the concrete ground surrounding the dock warehouses, creating a dirty reflection with the areas artificial lighting. Roman was the first out, twirling his cane and walking towards the biggest building they landed at. There was a keypad next to the bay door on the outside, ensuring that no one could get in without proper access.
It just so happens that Roman knew the code, thanks to a generous dockworker and sizeable donation. A few keystrokes and a soft click unlocked the entrance, eliciting a groan as the mechanisms raised the heavy entrance. Roman whistled a tune as he strolled in, flicking switches to turn on the lights. The shelter housed numerous cargo containers with its impressive space, which was both good and bad for Roman. Good because he knew the Dust was in here, bad because he had to sort through every container to find them. Well, he had help for that.
"Alright boys! And girls if you're so inclined." He began instructing his labor force. Irritable murmurs could be heard from the crowd be he paid them no mind. "There are six, count it six, containers we need! All of them labeled by the lovely SDC company. Be careful, these things are filled to the brim with Dust! One wrong move and the lot of you will be well-done with a side of steak sauce." More angry grumbling, but that was par for the course. "Now chop, chop! We don't have much time!"
The help spread out to find the Dust while Roman climbed the metal stair to the overseer's office. It was easy to find, the room overlooked the expansive space with large windows and a furnished workplace. Kicking open the locked door was easy with Huntsman strength, breaking the deadbolt and swinging it inwards. He didn't have to worry about being gentle, since they were stealing twelve tons of Dust. Neo waived from her position on the couch, spread out over it like a freeloader.
"Show off." Roman had no place to talk, being as flashy as he was, but Neo's semblance was both bullshit and incredibly useful. Hopefully he wouldn't have to use it, but it never hurt to be careful. They had a window of an hour at most, plenty of time to load up the cargo and get out. He lit a cigar from his coat pocket and inhaled deeply from the Vacuoan blend. I love it when a plan comes together.
"This is a really stupid idea." Sun whispered to himself as he and Blake watched the White Fang from the rafters. Why did he have to think with his dick and try to get on her good side? Dangling that rumor of White Fang activity in front of her was stupid on his part. There were probably around fifty or sixty of them looking for the Dust containers Roman Torchwick instructed them to find. Now that was a surprise, Roman Torchwick working with the White Fang.
"I don't get it." Blake whispered next to him. "Have they changed that much?" He looked over to see hurt and confusion in her amber eyes. It made him just want to comfort her and tell her everything will be alright. Her vendetta, responsibility, or whatever she felt towards them compelled her to seek them out and confront them. From little Blake told him, it was a matter of seeing it for herself and who she wanted to be. "No, something's not right… They'd never work with him."
Sun didn't know what she meant by that. They were both criminals and were stealing property, what else was there? "We need to find out more." Blake jumped down with the elegance of a cat, landing on a container below. Using the shadows as cover, she made her way to the office where Roman sauntered into. Great, just fucking great. Sun could only bang his head against the steel beam in front of him in frustration, mostly at himself rather than Blake. The noise below masked anything he did above.
Love at first sight sucks so much.
It's hard writing character development, but it's needed for the plot to move forward. Until next time.