COMFORT
Weiss
Five sugar cubes, an insane amount of creamer, stir them together vigorously and voila! Chocolate milk disguised as coffee. The fact that I know that still just goes to show how much I think of Ezra. Thankfully, Ruby likes her coffee the same way. So much has happened these past few days that I can't really blame anybody in our group for not being able to sleep. That's why I'm not surprised to see the sisters awake and already making so much noise early in the morning.
"Three cups it is."
As I make my way over to the patio outside the training room, Yang and Ruby couldn't help but poke around and tease me- something that I normally wouldn't have tolerated back in Beacon, but something about these little musings of ours that I find very endearing. Nora was right, something did melt my heart while I was away in Atlas, and it was all of them. The fact that I can laugh freely is soothing to my soul, like a longing that I've always had that I never even knew existed till now.
I can only imagine what Blake and Ezra feels right now. To see what they're missing out pains me so...
"Ruby, Yang, I honestly thought I'd never see you two again."
Yang smiled and raised her cup.
"Here's to defying expectations!"
Yang, Ruby, and I clink our cups together, followed by Ruby gulping her entire cup in one go. She took a deep breath and smiled while she rubbed her belly.
"That was great. Thanks Weiss."
I nod back at her compliment, as me and Yang cautiously sipped ours. Ruby looked back down on her empty cup somberly while she played with it. It was clear that there was something on her mind, and that it's on the cusps of slipping of her tongue.
"I just wish Blake and Ezra could be here with us."
Why did I have a feeling that was what she was gonna say, and that Yang's about to have an attitude with her right about...
"Yeah, well, they made their choice."
Now.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
I ask, but she simply snarked back with a bitter look on her face.
"They could have been here. If Blake had just chosen to stay, or had Ezra said something earlier then they could have been here. It's no big deal though. We'll be fine."
The concern on Ruby's face mirrored mine, as she decides to risk angering Yang even further and asked.
"Don't you want them here?"
Without missing a beat, Yang replied.
"Why would I want them here?"
Again Ruby looked back at me, begging for help, but I too am confused as to why Yang was insistent on keeping Blake and Ezra out. Okay, Ezra I get, but Blake?
"Are you still mad at them for leaving?"
Yang looked at Ruby annoyed at the fact that she's even asking that question, causing her to scoff and respond sarcastically.
"Oh, whatever gave you that idea, Ruby? No, I'm totally fine. I'm great."
Though her sarcastic tone did nothing to stop Ruby's curiosity.
"Even Ezra? Didn't you two love each other?"
Yang gritted her teeth and clenched her robotic hand so much that cracks began to show on the cup she's holding.
"I know I did, I don't know about him though."
That's a fair assumption, and ridiculous at the same time. If Ezra is as evil as Yang paints him to be, then why did he help Jaune? Why did he help us find her Mom? Why would he help the three of us get back together? Even if that last part was an accident. It just doesn't make sense.
"Okay, calm down."
I raise my hand, trying to calm her down, but it seemed to have the opposite effect. Yang's eyes began to turn red and the cup in her hand promptly shattered.
"Don't tell me to calm down!"
"Whoa, Yang..."
Realizing what she's done, Yang abruptly stood up and walked away, leaving me and Ruby behind.
"I just don't get it."
Ruby pouted before continuing.
"Blake and Ezra are a part of our team. They both made mistakes I get it, but that doesn't mean we just shut them out. Especially when one of them is fighting for the same cause that we are. Alone even."
I place my hand on Ruby's shoulder to console her, but that wasn't enough to soothe her anxiety.
"I'm gonna go talk to her."
As much as I admire her straightforwardness, her insistence of poking Yang with a stick will only make things worse. Even if I agree that somebody does need to talk to her...
"No, I'll go talk to her, okay? I think it's just better that way. If you go ahead and speak with her now, you two will only butt heads and we'll end back where we started."
Ruby hesitated at first, but eventually gave in. I made my way through the house, towards Yang's room and knocked.
"Yeah? Look Ruby, I really don't want to talk about it okay? Can you just leave me alone?"
I can hear the shaking in her voice, though it was muffled, like she was hiding it. Not wanting to let the situation linger any longer, I open up the door.
"Oh. Hey Weiss. Did you need something?"
Yang had on a fake smile on her face, and a bit of redness underneath her eyes. She wasn't fooling anyone with all that on, and I guess my silence was enough to convince her of that. I make my way towards the bed across from her as she began to pour out everything in her mind.
"I know they're our teammates, but I'm not just going to change my mind. I'm sorry, I just... I don't think you know what it's like to be left. You have a giant family, recitals to perform at, dinners to attend. I didn't have any of that. My mom left me. Ruby's mom left too. Tai was always busy with school and Ruby couldn't even talk yet. I had to pick up the pieces. I had to keep things together. Alone."
Yang glanced at the floor, then back at me over and over again, with her anger growing with each passing glance.
"Weiss, if you have something to say then say it."
How could I? There were so much to process in everything she just said, some of it true, some of it... made out of assumptions. Thinking about it, I find it funny that people think my life is perfect just cause I'm a Schnee.
"When I was ten, my dad finally admitted to my mom that the only reason he married her was for the family name."
I sigh as Yang's face turned to that of shock and disgust, the same face I make everytime I look back at that dreadful memory.
"It was actually on my birthday. He missed the big dinner, she got mad, he finally snapped. I think she already knew. Looking back, I think I knew too. But hearing him say it finally pushed her over the edge."
I made way my towards Yang and sat beside her after she finally decided to let her guard down.
"First it was separate lunches and dinners, opposite balconies at my recitals, a glass of wine here, a glass of wine there. Then, it was no dinners, no recitals, a bottle of wine here and... well, you get the idea."
Yang cringed at what she just did and looked away out of embarrassment.
"I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have assumed."
That's very sweet for her to apologize, but she wasn't really wrong either.
"You're right though. I don't know loneliness like you do. I have my own version, and I'll bet Blake and Ezra has their own versions too."
Yang was a bit calmer, but I can still feel her anger seeping through her body.
"Blake didn't have to be alone though! I was here for her. We all were! She chose to leave us. And Ezra? He's not the first person to make a mistake, and he clearly had good intentions, otherwise, he wouldn't have done the things he's doing now, but he chose to keep his secrets to himself, and in the end, that's what tore everything apart."
Finally, her true feelings.
"Why do you think they did that? Leave I mean?"
Yang looked at me dumbfounded.
"The entire time Blake was at Beacon, she was afraid to open up to people. She tried to keep her past separated from us. She tried to protect us. Eventually, those walls she put up came down."
I shook my head for a second and hesitated to bring Ezra up, but she needs to hear what I have to say to help her come to terms with Ez, otherwise, she'll only drag herself down and she won't ever move on.
"Same with Ezra. He too was haunted by his corrupted past, and by meeting us, he was finally able to connect to somebody and form a relationship strong enough for him to finally let go. But he too kept walls up to protect those bonds. Blake and Ezra, they're one and the same. The moment their walls came down, everything the two of them were afraid of happened. The universe proved them right."
Yang placed her hand on her forehead, tears began to well up in her eyes.
"No one blamed them for anything. If Blake just talked to us, she would have known that! How can I be there for her if she doesn't let me? What if I need her here for me? If Ezra had just said something everytime that stupid jerk flirted with me, I would have forgiven him, found a way to smooth things out with the school..."
I rub my hand along Yang's back, as tears begin flow down her red cheeks.
"Weiss..."
She whispered to me as she turned her face towards me, sobbing.
"I still love Ezra."
Faced with a person in so much pain, I could do nothing but give her a hug.
"Yang, that night Beacon fell. I saw Ezra. I was probably the last one before Jaune met him again."
Surprised, Yang pulled back.
"What?"
"He saved Ruby, then turned himself in... but I decided to let him go."
Again, Yang stared at me dumbfounded.
"Listen, I know it's not easy. I wish Blake didn't leave, and I wished Ezra said something earlier, but there's nothing we can do about the decisions they've made. All we can do now is trust them and be ready when they come back."
Yang wipes away the tears off her cheeks and pouted.
"If they come back."
I held on to her hand and smiled.
"They will. Yang... you, Ruby, Blake, and even Ezra are more like family to me than my brother or even my own father. I would do anything for the four of you, and I'm willing to bet those two feel the same way. SO when Blake and Ezra show themselves once more, I'll be there for them."
Yang smiled, genuinely this time.
"And... I know we're not as close, but... I'm here for you too."
After hearing me say that, Yang sunk back into my arms hugged me one more time.
In the forest of Mistral, The Branwen Tribe...
Swan
I spy with my little eye, a tribe lackey, pretending to be the Spring Maiden...
I tend to work only for myself and in the interest of the Snow Tribe. Killing has always been a sport for me, never as a means to support myself financially, though I've been told my life-taking skills are top notch. Every now and then a shady organization or... sometimes, even an individual would want to commission me for my expertise, but hardly does it ever pique my interest.
That's why it's so rare for me to have a repeat customer, except for Arthur Watts. The old man's cunning and smart, I'll give him that. One thing I've learned about his job requests is that most of them are more than meets the eye. I never get what I'm expecting.
Take this job for example...
Sneaking into the Branwen Tribe is absolutely boring, there's no fun in it. Raven's always been on guard about my tribe, with her little spies watching over me... well 'watching.' Little does she know that the people she's looking at as my tribe at the other end of the continent are nothing more than people I've exiled, people I've marked for death- only keeping their silence in hopes in that in doing so, they'd redeem themselves.
But they never will. Of course, none of them know that.
My true Tribesmen reside in Vacuo now. I've always been three steps ahead of the Branwens ever since Mountain Glenn, so to find that my supposed rival is this careless... is disappointing. She doesn't even know I'm on top of the very roof she sleeps in.
But leave it to Watts to shatter my expectations. Who would have thought that the Spring Maiden would be under the control of this little bird. Or so she would like Cinder and Watts to believe, but I see right through her. The Spring Maiden isn't this Vernal girl, it's Raven.
As someone on Watt's payroll, I'm inclined to tell him information this crucial, but where's the fun in that?
"Vernal has done well under my guidance. I'd take that into consideration before you try anything."
Raven offers up an empty threat after she asked her follower to demonstrate the powers of Spring, fooling the naive Cinder and her disciples. Now my orders are to lay low and make sure I swoop in for the kill the moment something goes awry, but I cannot help myself but join in on the fun.
"The Spring Maiden must have trusted you a lot."
I drop down from the tent behind Raven, catching her off-guard, as well as angering Watts and his crew. Both were equally entertaining to watch.
"What are you doing, Swan?"
Keeping myself entertained, obviously.
"YOU. What are you doing here El-"
I quickly put my finger up to my lips, stopping Raven from saying my name. It'd be detrimental if Salem finds out who I am, and that's something Raven has over me, but I know something that's even more damaging to her than Salem knowing my name.
"Hush now, little bird."
I've been told before that I have a very expressive set of eyes that pierces through my mask. Looking at Raven now, and how's she's glraing back at me, I can confidently say that it's true.
"You two know each other?"
Cinder asks.
"Our line of work often crosses paths, yes."
Unsatisfied, Watts and Cinder decided to pry even further. I can tell from their look that they're bothered by the fact that I never even mentioned mine and Raven's past relationship. Dealing with that would be extremely aggravating, so I decided to omit that fact.
"Does it really matter if she knows if I'm here or not? Look at her, she's close to making a decision."
Raven squints her eyes at me and gritted her teeth.
"If Salem already knows everything about my tribe, then I'm already backed into a corner with no other options but to help you in your cause."
Cinder scoffs, as she moved closer.
"You don't have to look at it that way. Think of it as us, giving you a chance to escape... an olive branch. If you help us, then all your transgressions against our Master would be forgiven. We get what we want, and Salem leaves your people alone. Sounds like a fair trade to me."
Still skeptical about everything, Raven tilted her head back and forth, desperately trying to stall for time and make a decision.
"You speak as if we can just walk through Haven."
A legitimate question, one Watts has an answer to.
"Headmaster Leonardo is on our side. You don't need to worry about Haven and the relic at all."
Raven and Vernal looked at each other, before they silently came to an answer... and it's quite the intriguing choice I tell you.
"I want my brother dead."
Cinder and her posse's eyes grew wide in disbelief that Raven would even request such a thing.
"Now that's a proposition I can get behind."
Hearing Cinder's enthusiasm angered Watts.
"Alright people let's pause for a moment We have one objective - retrieving the Relic of Knowledge. Now Qrow Branwen may be on our list of individuals we would very much like dead, he's not going to go down without a fight, and he's not going to fight quietly. Our advantage here is just as you said - we walk straight into Haven, no resistance, no one the wiser. A battle with your brother throws that all out the window."
The four of them began to argue against Watts, till he finally relents. I can't say I disagree with Watts either. I hate to admit it, but I think we've been played a fool. Raven's done the impossible. Considering how her semblance works, she's not calling for her brother's head, she's calling for his help.
"SWAN!"
Watts yelled at me with his finger raised.
"Help me talk some sense into these clowns before we blow our only advantage out of proportions!"
Clowns huh? He's not wrong there.
"Don't look at me, I already disobeyed orders and revealed myself. I'm way past the point of talking, and a deal's already been made. I see no reason for me to intervene."
I walk past the irritated Watts, giving him and mischievous grin along the way.
"You'll just have to cross your fingers and hope that everything works out."
Not wanting to feel like he lost, Watts yelled at me one last time.
"FINE! Can you at least talk to Leonardo and secure the path to the relic before we make our move?"
More tedious tasks? I'm starting to think my talents are beginning to go to waste. If anything, Raven joining Cinder's cause will make this make this part of the job even more exciting than it already is.
With all these knives pointed at everyone's backs, I can't wait to see how this unfolds. The very thought of it all is giving me chills.
Meanwhile in Menagerie...
It couldn't haven't been more obvious. The meeting Ilia wanted from Blake was a trap, but despite knowing that, she decided to meet with her anyways. We had no choice, we were lost and going nowhere fast. For once, we wanted to be proactive instead of reactive, so we used Ilia's trap as an opportunity for us to learn more information.
Unfortunately for us, Ilia and the White Fang were two steps ahead of us. The trap wasn't meant for Blake, it was meant for her parents.
We quickly dispatched the goons meant to hold us back and quickly made our way towards the Belladonna estate, where the once peaceful house was now under attack.
"MOM! DAD!"
Blake tried to rush in in a panic, but the doors were barricaded, trapping the Belladonna's and the Menagerie police inside in an ambush.
"Blake! That window!"
Without a second thought, me and Blake bursts through the glass window only to find Ghira, locked in combat against Corsac and Fennec.
"BLAKE!"
I pull out my golden shield and blocked the twins' attack while Blake made her way to Ghira.
"Dad! Where's Mom!?"
Ghira could do nothing but shake his head in response.
"I don't know, I was ambushed right way and couldn't get the chance to look for her."
Oh yeah, that's bad alright.
"I'm willing to bet she's okay."
I yell back at them while I stare the twins down.
"There'd be more guards here if she's dead. You two find her, I got this."
Ghira and Blake both stood silent in their spot momentarily, before he finally spoke and realized what I was asking them to do.
"Ezra, these twins are no joke!"
"WORRY ABOUT ME LATER AND FOCUS ON YOUR FAMILY!"
Ghira was taken aback. He took a couple of steps back before finally nodding at me as a sign of trust. Blake on the other hand needed a little bit more convincing.
"I can't let you fight alone, Ez."
To that I can only smile to ease her worries, as I raise my golden shield and scarlet blade.
"I won't be. Now go!"
Finally, Blake relents and runs away with her father, leaving me with the twins who were smirking and scoffing at our conversation the whole time.
"Your arrogance knows no bounds."
Corsac twirled his dagger in his fingers, as he mockingly sneered at me.
"Agreed, brother. You really think you can defeat us by yourself, when Chief Belladonna couldn't even contain us? Preposterous."
I shook my head side to side and cracked my neck, lowering my body right after. I point my blade at them and returned their mocking smile with one of my own.
"You two have no idea how much I've wanted to beat the crap out of you."
My eyes and theirs meet, and instantly, we knew that the last words between us have been spoken and all that's left was for our blades to clash. Corsac instantly stepped back and began hurling fireballs at me while his brother, Fennec, nimbly dashed towards me at great speeds.
I waited till Fennec was mere inches in front of me before vaulting over him, raising my shield at the same time to block Corsac's fireball. I twirled my body and swung downward as soon as I landed, tripping Fennec, while simultaneously throwing my shield at Corsac, preventing him from firing another shot.
"Damn human! You dare!? I'm going to- AH!"
Before Corsac could finish his sentence, the shield that I threw bounced off the pillar behind him and hit him in the back of his head, knocking him to the ground. I quickly raised my hand to catch my shield back, but Fennec swung his dagger at my arm, forcing me to pull back and miss my shield.
"NOT GOING TO LET YOU!"
Fennec unleashed a flurry of strikes that left with me no choice but to backflip away and roll. I've only ever practiced with Pyrrha's weapons, never fought with it, even against grimm, but somehow it all feels very natural. The feeling of the leather on the grip rubbing against my palm, the length of the blade always hitting its mark with each swing, and how easy it was to find the buttons to transform it... all of it was very familiar.
I spun the sword in my hand as I recover from rolling, effortlessly transitioning my weapons from a sword to a spear, catching Fennec off-guard. I twirled my spear back and forth as I make way towards him, slapping him in the face with the hilt, then spinning it again and slashing him the blade, before finally morphing my weapon into a musket and finishing off my attack with a shot on his gut that sent him flying across the room.
"FENNEC!"
Corsac yelled at the dazed Fennec. He gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on his dagger, causing it to glow white. He pulled his arm back and launched a volley of tornados my way that were so big, it was impossible to block with my sword OR spear.
"Dammit."
Left with no choice but to run and dodge, I pull out my grappling gun and grappled to the wall closest to my shield, catapulting myself just in time for me to grab it and block Corsac's attack.
"AAAHHHH"
I tuck my body in close and hid as much of it as I can behind the shield, but the force of his attack was so strong that it hurled me across the wall and into the next room.
"EZRA!"
The hit from Corsac blurred my vision for a little bit, and when I finally came to, I was greeted with the sight of Blake and Ghira with Ilia on other side.
"I... I'm fine, where's Kali?"
"Ilia stopped us."
Just then, Corsac and Fennec arrived, angrier than ever.
"OWL!"
Corsac yelled.
"You and the Belladonnas have stood on High Leader Taurus' way for far too long! Tonight, we end ALL OF YOU!"
I dash towards Corsac and smacked him across the face with my shield the same time Ghira rushed Fennec. Me and Ghira kept the twins busy while Blake duked it out with Ilia. The fight was hard fought and felt like it lasted forever, but it was clear that the twins wasn't expecting the Belladonnas' fighting spirit to be this strong.
Or mine's.
In one swift motion, I dodged Corsac's final fireball, twisting my body sideways while throwing my spear at him at the same time. I am grateful that JNPR entrusted me with Pyrrha's weapons, but that's just it, this is Pyrrha's weapons. It wouldn't be mine unless I did some slight modifications to it.
With a push of a button on the shield's handle, a hilt of a bladeless katana ejected out from underneath it.
"Dance, Shirayuki!"
The frosted blade began forming on the hilt before it even touched my hand, and in one smooth stroke, I unleash a crescent wave of ice towards Corsac, which he easily blocked with his tornado.
"I'm not done yet! Sing! Amaterasu!"
The scarlet spear behind Corsac began to ignite, summoning a torrent of flames so sudden that it burned half his body.
"AAAAAAAGGHAHHAH!"
Fennec's eyes widened as he watched his brother desperately grovel along the ground in pain.
"CORSAC! NO!"
But him taking his eyes away from his opponent was a mistake Ghira would make him regret. Ghira wrapped his hulking hands around Fennec's neck, effortlessly lifting him up and slamming him against the ground, instantly knocking him out.
Me and Ghira looked at each other and nodded in admiration of each other's victory. It wouldn't be long after that that Blake would soon join in, with Ilia sobbing on the ground in regret.
"Illia please. You're a good person, but you're making all the wrong decisions."
The tears on Ilia's face wouldn't stop, and all she could muster were more words of regret... or rather, her true feelings.
"I- I don't know what else to do..."
The three of us stood there in silence. Here lies in front of us the person that has caused us so much pain, sobbing and begging for forgiveness. We stand there in silence not because of contempt or anger- but rather, pity. In my case, it was sympathy, maybe it was even empathy.
"BLAKE!"
Out of nowhere, Kali appeared with a gun in one hand and a broken pot on the other. It would seem there was nothing for us to worry about. The Belladonnas took a moment to savor each other's company in a tight embrace, while what remains of the Belladonna guards and the Menagerie police took care of the chaos that followed.
I zoned out for the most part, but we ended up apprehending about two dozen more White Fang sympathizers scattered around the estate and the island. The press quickly gathered in front of the mansion, while the police struggled to keep them in check.
Finally, Corsac and Fennec was exposed for who they really are. Psychopaths.
As for Ilia, the Belladonnas ended up forgiving her.
But it didn't stop there. Blake took the opportunity to use the attack on her family as an example of the White Fang's cruelty. Her message was powerful, and a lot more heartfelt of a speech than I ever could have given. Maybe Blake was right, Ghira asking me to speak was the wrong decision. I wasn't a faunus after all.
I made a terrible mistake that caused others pain, and I guess Blake did too in her past. Convincing the people of Menagerie was never my job, it was hers.
"What? Why are you staring?"
Blake asked.
"Nothing, it's just..."
I really didn't have an answer so I was left there awkwardly scratching the back of my head.
"Wanna take a walk? I think I need a breather after tonight."
I smiled and nodded. As crowdes as Menagerie is, there's still some places where there's barely any people other than the abandoned sector I like to hang out in. That or the commotion the White Fang did discouraged a lot of people from leaving their homes.
"Blake, what you said tonight in front of all those people. It was amazing."
She blushed and looked away, then quickly looked back at me.
"Thank you, but-"
I cut her off.
"You know! Uhhh... sorry, I really don't know where I'm going with this but, remember when you said I was courageous for doing all this? This whole redemption thing, I mean... Wow, saying that out loud is WEEIIIRDD."
Great, now I'm being stupid.
"A little bit, yeah."
She raised her hand up to her lips and giggled.
"Hey no teasing. I didn't when you were pouring your heart out. It's my turn now, so hush!"
I jokingly yelled.
"Blake. If courage is the thing you admire about me the most, then it's your undying devotion that I admire about you. Your dedication and will to believing that life can always be better for everyone is inspiring."
Blake smiled and blushed at the same, but this time, she didn't look away.
"I have in front of me a monumental task to do the right thing- NO! To be better, and I can't do it with courage alone. Blake, I need someone like you to be with me to be just that- better."
It took a little bit of effort to muster up some of that courage, but I was able to find enough to hold Blake's hand, startling her.
"Ezra, you already know my feelings about you, and I already promised to help you, so why are you nervous and jittery right now?"
That's a good question. Back when I confessed to Yang, I remembered being afraid after watching her get hurt and that gave me the push I needed to say what I need to say, but now with Blake, we're alone with only the stars as our witness.
No adrenaline rushing through my body to give me that extra oomph. Just me and my feelings.
"Blake. I love you. Would you do me the honor of being by my side as I continue my journey?"
Blake smiled with her cheeks as red as strawberries, and tears running through them.
"Ezra, YES! I love you too. I would be more than happy to."
We looked deep into each other's eyes till we both leaned in closer and kissed the night away.