A NIGHT OFF

I was in shock, but of a different kind. There was no panic, there was no hysteria, there was no fear. I've felt this kind of shock before, only this time, there wasn't any real adrenaline running through my veins to make me snap out of it... like it did back in Beacon. Me and Blake had a talk after we arrived in Amity again, and just to avoid revisiting that memory once more, I'll just cut what she said short and admit it to myself.

Blake broke up with me.

She was always the type to be moody, very into her emotions. She was passionate when she hated me in Menagerie, passionate when she loved me, and passionate when she explained why she needed time for herself. I- I could do nothing but accept it. Blake wasn't the type to dwell normally, but when she does, she's put in a lot of effort and thought into it. I guess the only reason why I am even remotely angry is that she never involved me in the whole process of it. After all, that's what couples do... well did.

"I thought you hated Team FNKI."

Ruby groaned from her bunk, questioning Yang, who was getting ready with Blake. Yang smiled at Ruby and giggled.

"That's the best part about going to a club!"

She yelled then sarcastically whispered at Blake, who was understandably zoned out.

"you can't hear them talk. Uh, Blake, you okay?"

Blake was holed up in the corner, awkwardly holding on to her arm.

"O-oh! Yeah, yeah! Can't wait to go to the karaoke."

Yang raised an eyebrow before exchanging looks of suspicisions with her sister.

"Is everything okay, Blake?"

Ruby asks, but Blake brushes her off.

"O-okaaay. Ezra, you going with them?"

She asks me the question I was dreading the most. I did not wanna answer, nor did I even know what to say, but not wanting to put myself and Blake in a deeper predicament, I stuttered my way to one.

"M-me? No I got uh..."

Help.

"HEY!"

Just then, Jaune and Oscar popped their heads into the room.

"Me and Oscar were planning to hit the movies. Anybody wanna join?"

Before he could even finish, me and Weiss answered at the same time.

"YES!" "Sure!"

Awkwardly, I put my hands on my waist and forced a laugh.

"T-that's right, how could I forget! Movies! Yeah I gotta go with Jaune and Oscar!"

I thought I was ready for the curious looks everyone would give me, but oddly enough, it was Blake's refusal to even glance at me that made me my knees weaken. Unable to bear it any longer, I simply left the room, choosing to walk Jaune and Oscar in the process, to which the two followed soon after. After all that, I must have zoned out because I barely even remember when Weiss joined us.

I looked up at the stars above, somehow outshining the city lights around us. It was then that Jaune questionned me about the thing I knew he'd notice since we came back from Amity. The one thing I didn't want to talk about.

"Ez, I've known you for a bit now. I know when you're hiding something."

Jaune casually whispers.

I swiveled my head down to see Jaune, Oscar, and Weiss looking at me with a pinch of concern painted all over their faces. Jaune was right in his assumption. There was no point in lying. He'd already seen right through me, so I might as well tell em.

"Yeah, well... me and Blake broke up."

I faintly smiled before looking down at the street below feet. In the days that passed since, I elected not to think about it too much, let alone say anything about the topic. Blake did the same too, cause we both know that saying it makes it true, and we- I... don't want it to be true.

"W-what?"

Weiss gasped, but Jaune only sighed and placed his hand on my shoulder, as if to say that he knew all along that that was what happened.

"Why? You two always seemed so happy."

Oscar wondered. Or is Ozpin the one wondering? Nevertheless, I answered.

"That's the thing Oscar, we were happy, but only when together. Relationships are supposed to be mutual in a sense that yeach of you bring what you have to the table to experience something new. Sure, some have more to offer than others, but successful relationships work their way up to elevate each other to the level they want or need to be. It isn't fair to use somebody as a crutch in order for you to be happy."

Slightly annoyed, Weiss interevened. As to who she's annoyed with... don't know just yet. That, or she hasn't decided yet.

"So, who's using who as a crutch? No offense, but both you and Blake kinda have a case to lean on each other."

None taken, but leave it to Weiss to always be so brash when it comes to matters like these. No wonder her and Jaune- nevermind.

"Blake. Blake did."

I forced a smile her way and nodded.

"You know the last thing I wanted is to be alone again."

Weiss frowned apologetically.

"I'm... sorry."

Oscar placed his hand on his mouth, deep in thought.

"Love is a powerful tool to bring people together, but it's not an excuse to neglect one's own needs to achieve self-actualization."

Him saying that makes me think Ozpin is really still in there. I wish he'd just come out, but now is not really the time.

"I guess it's good that the General gave us some time off today then."

Jaune stepped in, attemping to wash the sour tastes in our mouths.

"Seems like we got more than just the Salem to take our minds off, so let's go ahead and enjoy ourselves. Personally, I've been super excited to see Kung Fu Chicken and the Wrath of the Skeleton Bride!"

He yammered on and on about the nuances of the kung fu styles in the movie we were about to see. Stuff I don't really care about to be perfectly honest, but I appreciate the distraction. With that, we went on with our night and made our way to the movie theater, trying my- OUR best to temporarily push all our worries to the side and take some much needed time off.

Yang

I place both my hands behind the back of my head as me and Blake strolled down the streets of Mantle on the way to the club Team FNKI invited us to. I yammered on about dance moves and all that, but Blake wasn't really paying attention. I tend not to think about the days I spent with Ezra back in Beacon as much as I used to, but I have to admit, Ezra can be a bit too much to deal with sometimes.

And that's with all the baggage he had kept tucked away. Can only imagine how Blake's handling all this with everything out in the open.

"Sooooo..."

I'm not exactly the best at maneuvering my way through a conversation to get what I want, so I just go about it like I normally do.

"How's you and Ezra going along?"

Blake's faunus ears perked up quite a bit before drooping down. She smiled at me faintly before looking at the road in front of her with eyes that tried to see past the frozen steel and concrete this whole city was made off- like she was longing for something. Blake sighed and gently closed her eyes, before opening them back up and looking at me with a defeated look. I can tell she knew that I wasn't gonna let this topic slide, so she might as well speak now and not delay the inevitable.

"I broke up with Ezra."

I see.

Wait.

"WHAT!?"

Blake chuckled and placed her finger on her forehead, a hint regret emanating from her face.

"Can you please keep it down?"

I couldn't anything but laughed awkwardly at what she had just said. Frankly, I'm not surprised that was all I could muster... considering how much of a big deal all of this is.

"Y-yeah, I'm sorry... I-I'm just trying to process all this, Ezra was just smiling and rolling around after Amity-"

Blake immediately cut me off.

"Come on Yang, you know him better than that. That wasn't Ezra, that was OWL."

Hearing her say that made me stop in my tracks, painfully reminiscing the times Ezra had to fake his reasons for being gone back in Beacon; the times he'd fake his reasons for being with us. How could I have missed it? All this time, Ezra and Blake weren't okay... but-

"Why?"

I asked.

"Because I didn't want to be the kind of person that can only ever do things when I'm holding on to someone. It's not fair to Ezra, and it's not fair to me. So I figured we'd go our seperate ways."

I scratch the side of my face in thought. I sorta get it, but I sorta don't.

"Surely temporarily right? You and Ezra went through a lot in Menagerie and back in Haven. Even with Adam-"

She brushed her hair behind her ear, and stopped me from saying anything more.

"I, uh, don't have the answer to that just yet. If I did, I wouldn't have broken up with him. I'm still trying to figure myself out."

Still, all this feels so abrupt.

"Blake are you sure about this, I mean-"

Again, she cut me off.

"My soul searching? No, not really, but I've come to terms with the fact that nothing in life is certain and I'd just rather do it than wonder forever and live in regret."

Then, with a face full of determination, Blake swung around and looked at me dead in the eye.

"How about you, Yang? Are you certain about your decision about Ezra?"

My decision?

"Wait, are you implying that I'm happy that you and him broke up? Blake you can't be-"

"Serious? I am."

It was a bold claim, yet I feel no hostility from her. Doesn't really clear up what she's trying to say though.

"Yang, I think me and Ezra being together have created some unfortunate circumstances for the people closest to us. You in particular. Beacon was a terrible experience for everyone, and it robbed us of a lot of things."

Yeah, you can say that again.

"But I think the cruelest thing that was robbed from you was your ability to find closure. You never reconciled with Ezra the same way everyone did. To us, Ezra was a friend that betrayed our trust, but to you, he was much MUCH more. And you never had the chance to properly close that part of your life because of me."

That's not entirely true.

"Blake don't get the wrong idea, I've moved on from all this. I lost an arm, I lost a lot of friends in Beacon, and I lost a lover. But I am whole."

She crossed her hands in front of her chest and smiled in agreement.

"And I am yet to be truly whole."

Blake sighed and continued.

"But tell me Yang, if you ever had the chance to go back and redo everything, how would you have come to terms with Ezra? Say we never met him back in Haven and he just appeared now. Just cause you've moved on doesn't mean that piece that was taken from you have been returned, or have healed. What would you do then?"

Before I knew it, I was staring at both my hands, pondering the very thoughts Blake planted in my head.

"I- I don't know."

Was all I could muster in all my confusion.

"Then I guess you and I have some things we need to work out, don't we?"

I chuckled at what she just said. I looked away and tried to hide the smile in face that I can't wipe off.

"Damn you, Blake for making me feel this way."

Blake laughed at me and turned around.

"Hey, you asked about Ezra. If anything I should be mad. Haha. Anyways, let's not keep FNKI waiting."

I scratch the back of my head and followed Blake, eager to dance the night away, yet in the back of my mind was the thought of what Blake had just said.

Coming to terms with Ezra, huh?

Weiss

The entire time I was just lost. The movie Jaune and Oscar took and me and Ezra to see was a bit confusing to say the least. Even the usually calculating Ezra was baffled by the plot of the movie. I wanna say he's distracted, but every now and then I'd glance back at him and he seemed... really into it oddly enough. Of course there's always the notion of him being interested solely because he's distracting himself on purpose, but I doubt it.

"Jaune."

I whispered as we walked out of the movie theater.

"Uh, yes Weiss?"

I took a deep breath and prepared myself for a long scolding session.

"How come you never told us the movie is the sixth part of the installment, and that we needed to see the first five before we can even think about watching the sixth one?"

Jaune laughed nervously.

"Well Ironwood said a night off. It'd take more than a night to watch all six."

Unbelievable.

"I didn't mind it."

Ezra boldly claims as he walked past me with his head held high and his hand burried deep in his pockets.

"Of course you don't. You're looking for a distract-"

I pulled back, catching myself and holding back on what I was about to say, but it was too late. What a massive slip up. To think I'd bring something so sensitive after he enjoyed himself.

"Ezra, I'm sorry. I feel horrible."

I tried to apologize, but Ezra simply laughed it off.

"Don't think too much about it."

He claims before continuing.

"Sides, ain't really nothing wrong with you just said. I am looking for a distraction and I'm happy to say I found it."

Still, that doesn't make me feel any better.

"True, but I still feel bad."

Ezra shook his head and kept walking.

"Distractions are just that- distractions. They're not there to solve the issue. You're fine Weiss."

Even if he says that, I have this feeling that I need to make it up to him. No, that's a lie. There's a reason why I feel so guilty about bringing up Ezra's current predicament. I know for a fact Ezra has gone through worse, and that he can handle it, ill-timed as that joke was.

"Well... truth is."

I needed a distraction myself. A couple days back, Winter introduced me to the Winter maiden... well as close as I can get at least. I understood right away what Ironwood had in store for my sister, and I am painfully aware what awaits her at the end of that decision. The current Winter maiden is fortunate enough to live a long life, but the way things are going, my sister may not share the same fate.

"And that bothers you?"

Ezra asks.

"OF COURSE IT DOES."

I yelled back, but Ezra stood there unfazed.

"So that's what Qrow meant when he said the winter maiden ain't exactly a spring chicken."

I take it back, I don't feel bad at all for bringing up his break up.

"Well if there's any good news, it's that we have that part solely under control. With everything going haywire around us, it's kind of comforting that we have something that we know will go our way."

Oscar wisely intervened.

"Oscar's right. I think your sister will be a great winter maiden."

That was never in any question, but that doesn't make the situation any more desirable for me, nor does it change the risk my sister is about to face. The three guys with me tried to console me as we walked back to the ship we took to go to the theaters, but just as we turned around the corner, a familiar cold breeze suddenly brushed against my face.

"The winter maiden, huh?"

I chilling voice echoed throughout the unusually empty streets. I knew who the owner of this voice was, but I did not believe it. Nevertheless, the voice continued to speak.

"Winter Schnee... hmm. Interesting. I think I'll take that up with my employer and-"

Before she could finish, Ezra launched a barrage of icicles up on the shadow sitting on top of the light pole in front of us. The shadow swiftly jumped backwards, before landing gracefully beneath the shine of the flickering street light, revealing the image of a woman clad in black, wearing a white Swan mask. Her hair was neatly cut into a bob, and all the scars and bruises she had from chasing us throughout Mistral were all gone. She had on her left arm, a metal brace that wrapped around all the way to her elbow.

There was no mistaking it, this was Eliza, Ezra's sister. The Black Swan.

"What do you want, Eliza?"

Ezra asks, but all his sister ever did was sneer and mocked us.

"You know why I'm here."

All of us readied our weapons and pointed them at Swan while she continued to calmly stand in front of us.

"Oh don't give me that look Ezra, I'm here for a job. I have no quarrel with you no more, if I did, I wouldn't have saved you."

Ezra raised his frozen sword and pointed it at her face.

"Then why are you here?"

Swan laughed as she stretched both arms out in the open.

"Cause you're in the way."

As soon as she was done talking, a flurry of frozen dust particles began to blow towards us, like a wind tunnel, blowing a stream of course sand against us. The image of Swan began to slowly fade as snow and ice began to blur our vision. We frantically searched back and forth, till Jaune's yelling shook us to our very core.

"ABBBOOOOOOVVVEE!"

Like a missile, Swan dove straight down towards us. Her body covered in a thick layer of ice that all met in the center, forming a tip that looked sharp enough to sever steel. In a blink of an eye, everyone rolled out of the way, but the impact Swan caused when she landed created a shockwave so strong that it knocked me off balance- a sight she didn't fail to capitalize.

"Gotcha."

All I could see as I was rolling on the ground was the sight of Swan's coat fluttering in the wind, as she sped towards me. Instictively, I put a glyph right in front of me to slow down her assault, and when I finally got my bearings back, all I could hear was the sound of her blade grinding against my semblance.

"Leave it to a Schnee to always ruin everything for me."

First off...

"I've never even heard of you before you chased us!"

Second...

"Take this!"

I placed three glyphs around her, and summoned three sabyrs that immediately lunged at her the moment they materialized.

"OF COURSE NOT!"

Swan agilely jumped out of the way, laughing hysterically as she glided in the air.

"Worst part about having white hair is that the color stains so easily."

She bent her knees back and set her sights on me, as soon as she landed, preparing for another assault.

"NO YOU DON'T!"

Both Jaune and Oscar swooped in and swung their weapons at her, but before they could, Swan flicked her wrist, summoning the black blade Banshee. The sound of the scream it released caused the sabyrs I summoned to freak out and attack Jaune and Oscar, jumping in and blocking their attacks for her.

"W-wha? How?"

As Jaune and Oscar lay distracted, Swan ducked down and zigzagged her way towards me with Banshee in hand.

"I guess you don't get to live as long as the Schnee's without knowing how to wipe off a few stains clean."

I spun Myrtenaster's chamber and loaded in a cartridge of fire dust and parried Banshee with a burning blade.

"What are you talking about?"

She grinned at me, as she held her blade closer and closer to my face. Mockingly, she spoke.

"Why don't you ask your mother?"

Mom?

"Dance, Shirayuki!"

Just before I lost my balance, Ezra jumps in and kicked Swan on her side, parrying the little cheeky blade swing she took while falling down.

"I told you little brother, I have no business with you. Get out of the way."

Ezra raised his blade. The frost surrounding Shirayuki began to shatter, revealing a still blade made out of water. I remember when he first pulled out Ryujin, it wasn't as solid or mesmerizing as it is now. I guess he took some time to work on his semblance.

"Then why are you after Weiss?"

Swan wiped her face a little bit, chuckling as she stood up.

"Well I'm not after anyone. I just want the information pertaining the about the winter maiden. You tell me that, and I'll walk away."

She glanced back at me arrogantly before nodding her head.

"She just so happen to know more than you three numbskulls."

Ezra wasn't too happy with her response, as he immediately jumped in as soon as Jaune and Oscar got into position.

"Well these numbskulls are about to take you down!"

Simulatenously, the three of them jumped Swan, but oddly enough she didn't move an inch. Swan tilted her head down before slowly raising her head with a huge grin on her face.

"I'll tell you a little secret, Ezra. You're not the only one who can change the nature of your semblance."

Terror began to flood my senses as the image of Swan smiling became the sole focus of my mind. Banshee's blade began to disappear, sinking further and further down its hilt, till finally.

"Electrocute, Raijin!"

It was but a few sparks at first, before a massive wave electricity exploded around Swan that emanated from her body. The impact of electricity knocked Oscar unconscious, while Jaune and Ezra were able to pull up their shields in time. Unfortunately, Jaune was sent crashing towards a car, breaking his aura completely, while Ezra barely made it out with his. Ezra was able to pull himself together enough for him to shout at me.

"Go get Jaune and Oscar, I'll keep her busy!"

At his command, I sprinted towards Jaune who was fighting to keep himself conscious. I placed my hand behind his head and gently lifted it up.

"Ugh, AGH! Is... Oscar okay?"

Jaune winced at the pain he was in, but managed to keep his consciousness long enough to ask about Oscar.

"I don't see any blood from here. I think he's just out. Can you sit up? I'm-"

"GO! GO! Oscar."

As I ran to tend to Oscar, all I could see was blur of frost and electricity colliding against one another, as the siblings duke it out once more.

"I thought I'd take a page out of your book and branch out. So, how do you like it? Ezra?"

Swan arrogantly waved her hand holding the bladeless hilt, wielding the electricity back and forth like a whip. Ezra jumped side to side and flipped over any attack he can, and blocked every other attack by creating a thin mist of ice that promptly evaporated upon making contact with Swan's new weapon. He's keeping her at bay, but there's really no opening for him to strike.

"We-Weiss."

Oscar groaned in my arms. I can tell his not fatally wounded, but he is injured. I can't just leave him alone. Sorry Ezra, you're just gonna have to hold out a little longer. I pull out my scroll to call for help, but before I could do anything with it, an influx of messages came flooding it. All from my Team and family.

[Blake: Where are you? Are you all okay?]

[Yang: Weiss, pick up!]

[Ruby: We need back up! Grimm is flooding in on the west side of Mantle!]

[Breaking News: Jacquee Schnee wins the election, as the 'Protector of Mantle' massacres the masses at Robyn Hill's ceremony]

Wait!? What! Father won!? Penny killed who!? What the hell is going on?"

"WEISS LOOK OUT!"

When I looked up, a bright flash blinded my eye sight as a jolt of electricity heading my way. I could do nothing but duck down and cover Oscar, but just in the nick of time, Jaune jumped in and blocked the attack with his shield.

"JAUNE!"

Jaune struggled to get up and was breathing heavy. I hurried over to his side to pick him up, as he forced himself to gasp for air.

"A-are you... hah! Hah! o-okay?"

Tears began to blur my vision, and I instinctively wrap my arms around him.

"I-I am! Thank you."

"ELIZA!"

Ezra's shouting compelled me to drag both Jaune and Oscar out of the way. Swan swung her electric whip towards Ezra to which he surprisingly swapped his frozen blade with his burning one. The collision of the two elements created an explosion that created a steam thick enough to block Swan's view, catching her off guard when Ezra popped out of the smoke covered in a ball of ice, the same way Swan did when she first attacked.

In a panic, Swan wrapped her electric whip around the ball, causing it crumble, but as Ezra emerged he immediately swung his blade at her. Swan raised left arm her to block it her metal cast, but Ezra liquified his blade, allowing it to pass through, only solidifying it as he slashed across her chest, breaking her aura.

"GYAHH!"

The impact sent Swan reeling back, but in a cruel twist of fate, something else immediately stabbed her clean through her gut. Or should I say, someone.

"Damn you... T-Tyrian."

Blood began to spurt out of her mouth, as Tyrian callows laughed like a maniac behind her with his stinger jammed inside her body. Me and Ezra were frozen in our spot, stunned at what we had just seen. Why wouldn't we? They were supposed to be on the same team.

"You've out lived your usefulness, Swan."

Swan grabbed Tyrian's stinger and pushed it out, still trying her best to maintain her composure. She held her hilt tightly and summoned her black blade, swinging it backwards as she fell down on the ground. Tyrian swiped back and blocked her futile attempt.

"Your long time employer sends his regards."

Tyrian raised his hands up, fully intending to plunge his blades clean through her chest, but Ezra swooped in to push him out of the way. Before Tyrian could retaliate any further, I summoned as much grimm as I can to scare him away, which thankfully worked. I rushed towards Ezra who now had his sister's head laying down on his thighs.

"Ezra!"

He placed his hand on her belly to stop the bleeding, but that too was futile.

"Eliza! Teach me how to stop it! Hurry! Like you did to me! HURRY!"

Ezra was frantic, crying, and nervous, but Eliza calmly as her life began to slip away with each breath.

"C-can't..."

She whispered.

"Too late... for that. Poison too s-strong. It's in b-blood."

Ezra's aura flashed brightly in his hand but her wounds didn't mend, and Jaune is not healthy enough to use his semblance.

"What do I do!?"

Ezra yelled, as his sister's consciousness began to fade away. Swan gathered whatever strength she had left and whispered.

"Hathaway..."

As her eyes closed, Ezra looked up at me, and then at Jaune. Jaune shook his head, in disagreement of what Ezra was thinking, all the while I was lost.

"W-wait what's going on?"

Before anybody could answer me, Ezra carried Eliza on his back and looked at me with sorrow painted all over his face.

"I'm sorry."

He hesitated at first, but he quickly sprinted off into the shadows.

"WAIT! Ezra, WAIT!"

This would make it the second time Ezra ran away from me.