Here we are at Chapter 11. It's time for the return of an old fan favorite from RWBY. I do not own RWBY or Genshin Impact. They belong to their respective owners. Here's chapter 11. Enjoy.
Chapter 11: True Self
"Miko, why didn't you tell me about what happened with Venti?" Ei asks on her scroll.
"Because we don't know much other than what Zhongli told me and you, and because I wanted you to get settled back in with the mortal realm," Miko replies nonchalantly.
"Miko!" Ei does not have time to deal with the fox's twisted sense of humor.
"Well, it's true. Without more to go on, we can't go on a wild goose chase. You may be immature at times, Ei, but you're not foolish," Miko replies.
Ei sighs. She hates it when Miko has a point.
"Fine, but what should I do in the meantime? Just sit and wait for this mystery woman to attack me and my teammates?" Ei asks.
"One, you're at Beacon Acadamy, one of the most fortified locations on Remnant. There are some military bases that don't have the defenses that place does. Two, keep learning and growing stronger with your teammates. That way, should this opponent in the shadows ever reveal themselves, you and your friends will be ready. And three, have a little faith. Humans and Faunus are far more resilient than you sometimes give them credit for, Ei," Miko replies.
Ei sighs again, "Fine. You made your point, again. Do you at least have a means of gathering information on this for me?"
"Me? No. But, I do have an idea on someone who might be able to gather a little intel for us. It'll take some time, though," Miko replies.
"Please, whatever you can provide would be appreciated Miko," Ei pleads.
"I'll see what I can do. So, how are things at Beacon going? You're not locking yourself up in your room all the time, are you?" Miko teases her.
"I am not. I have classes, remember. And it's not like I'd be alone in that dorm room. My teammates live there too. And I am making an effort to get out more, as you once said," Ei replies.
"Well, I'll consider that progress. I hope you're getting along well with your teammates," Miko notes.
"Yes, I am. Candace looks out for all of us, Dehya is very straightforward, and Nilou is an amazing dancer," Ei says.
"What was that tone in your voice just now?" Miko smirks.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Ei is confused.
"Ah, never mind. Do enjoy yourself. We'll talk again soon," Miko says before hanging up. "Nilou, huh..."
Ei stares at her scroll, "Miko can be very confusing at times,"
...
Another day, another class listening to Professor Port's ridiculous stories. Ei wonders how one mal can talk so much about himself, even if those stories are made up. She glances at her teammates. Surprisingly, while Dehya and Candace are awake, Nilou is starting to dose off. Not that Ei can blame her. She nudges Nilou's elbow to help her stay awake. Nilou nods in thanks. They manage to make it through another dry lesson with Port before finally finding their freedom.
"Anyone else fee like counting sheep?" Yang yawns.
"Yang, you shouldn't fall asleep in class," Weiss berates her.
"Oh, and you actually enjoy Professor Port's stories?" Blake teases her.
"Well, I... alright, you have a point there," Weiss concedes.
"Hey, at least it's only Port's class that's like that. The other classes are interesting... sometimes," Ruby says.
"If only you would put as much enthusiasm into your studies as you do your weapon," Weiss rolls her eyes.
She's been a little nicer to Ruby since she tried Ruby's cookies. It seems Ruby now has another card to play against her should she ever need it.
"Crescent Rose is my sweetheart. I have to take extra good care of it," Ruby pouts.
"Nothing wrong with taking care of your weapon. I do the same thing with my sword," Dehya notes.
"Yes, but we must also take time to spend with living people, and not just inanimate objects, Dehya," Candace reminds her, making the Faunus roll her eyes.
"Well, at least we have the weekend ahead of us. With classes over, we can spend some time in the city as a means of relaxing," Ei suggests.
"Sounds like a plan to me," Yang gives her a thumbs up.
"I'm okay with that," Nilou agrees.
"Alright, then it's a plan!" Yang pumps her fist.
...
The group head out into the city in the early afternoon on a Saturday, eager to relax after a week of classes. Just like before, some of them have places they'd like to visit, so the group split off at the town square, agreeing to come back there in a few hours. Dehya, Weiss, and Blake head off in one direction while Ei and Candace head off in another, leaving Ruby, Yang, and Nilou as the last group. The latter group headed off for a quick bite to eat as they hadn't had lunch yet. Meanwhile, Ei and Candace check out some of the local stores for some window shopping, and Dehya, Weiss, and Blake make their way towards the main streets of Vale. Apparently, some people and shops in town are getting a head start on decorating for the upcoming Vytal Festival.
"The Vytal Festival. This is going to be so much fun. All the shows, parades, the tournament. The amount of planning and organization they put into this event is so exquisite," Weiss says as she looks around with a big smile on her face.
"I thought the actual event was supposed to be the fun part, not the part where they build it up, then take it down afterwards," Dehya whispers to Blake.
"Just go with it. I'm surprised you came along. I thought you didn't really like Weiss," Blake whispers back.
"Not really, but Candace basically made me come along. 'Try to get along with her' and all that. Another one of her semblance's moments," Dehya says.
"And you just went with it?" Blake asks.
"Well, Candace's semblance has a long history of being right. I gave up on questioning it a long time ago," Dehya shrugs her shoulders.
"What are you two talking about?" Weiss looks back at them.
"Nothing much. So, what were you hoping to see here exactly, Weiss?" Dehya asks.
"Well, I heard that students from the other academies will be arriving soon at the ports. As a representative of Beacon, I believe I have a duty to greet them properly," Weiss says.
Dehya glances at Blake, "She means spy on them to estimate their strengths in order to have an advantage in the tournament," Blake replies.
"That is... maybe a little... let's just not talk about that, shall we. Onward to the docks," Weiss scoffs, making the other two chuckle.
"Hey, nothing wrong with getting intel on the enemy before the brawl," Dehya smirks.
However, as they walk in the direction of the port, none of them notice eyes watching them from the shadows. The crowd in the city streets starts to get a little more cramped for the girls.
"Hey, let's take a little detour. I don't like getting bogged down like this," Dehya points down one way between some buildings.
Blake and Weiss nod and they head down that one way, away from the crowd. However, as soon as they do, small balls fall from above around them, hitting the ground and exploding into smoke.
"What the Hell?!" Dehya coughs as do the others.
When the smoke finally settles, they find themselves surrounded by several members of the White Fang.
"The White Fang?" Weiss grits her teeth as they draw their weapons.
"Who would've thought we'd be this lucky. To find not only a Schnee away from home, but also the damn traitor," one says, wielding an axe.
"Traitor?" Weiss wonders, while Blake just goes pale. Weiss glares at Dehya. "You're with the White Fang?!"
"Hell no!" Dehya retorts.
"We don't mean her. We're talking about her!" another Faunus points at Blake.
Weiss can't hold back her shock, "Blake... what... are they talking about?" she asks, but Blake can't look her in the eye.
"You traitor. You abandoned your people, abandoned our fight against the humans that oppress us. Worse, we now find you befriending a Schnee of all people. You have fallen as low as one can go. Lucky for you, Adam Taurus will want both you and the Schnee brat alive. But, that doesn't mean we have to bring you back in one piece," the leader of the group threatens them.
"Blake, what are they talking about?!" Weiss demands.
"Weiss..." Blake mutters.
"Hey!" Dehya yells at them. "We'll sort it out later. Right now, let's focus on the real enemy right in front of us,"
"Listen, sister, you don't have to fall with these heathens. Join us. Join your brothers and sisters and help us fight against the humans who oppress and harm us. Help us get the respect the Faunus deserve," their leader holds out his hand to Dehya.
Dehya narrows her eyes, "I admit, I damn sure don't like the SDC or the one in charge of it. And I can' say I'm Weiss' biggest fan... but if there's one thing I hate more than rich creeps who think they're above everyone else, it's crazy fanatics who harm their own people just for thinking differently than them. You can take your offer and you can shove," Dehya aims her sword at him.
"Then you will die as a traitor to the Faunus," he declares and the White Fang lunge at them.
Dehya swings her sword, knocking two back when they swing their blades at her. Meanwhile, Weiss conjures a glyph and jumps off it, thrusting her rapier at one coming at her with a spear. The leader goes after Blake, swinging his axe down on her. Blake evades with her semblance, firing her pistol at him, but he blocks the bullets with the blade of his weapon.
"You were once one of our most respected members, but then you abandoned us... just like your family," the leader says.
"Abandoned? I never abandoned the true cause of the White Fang. I wanted equality, not bloodshed and murder!" Blake retorts.
"The humans will never see us as equals, not unless we force them to. If we have to kill them to get the message across, then so be it," the leader argues.
"But you're not getting any message across! You're only making things worse for the Faunus," Blake says.
She twirls in the air with her blades, making a few swings at the leader. He blocks with the staff of his axe before countering with a wide swing. Blake flips over the swing and deals a kick across the Faunus' masked face. Meanwhile, Dehya throws an uppercut into one White Fang member's chin, knocking them into the air. She follows it up with a hard right cross to send them crashing into a second member. One attacks her rear, but she blocks with her sword on her back and then throws a back kick to send them into a wall. While she does that, Weiss flips over her, sending out a wave of ice to freeze two opponents to the ground with her ice. She looks to see two more attacking her flanks, but she jumps around a few glyphs she made around them. She makes a few hit-and-run strikes on them before finishing them off by stabbing her rapier into the ground, sending out a surge of ice that knocks them out cold.
Back with Blake, she steps back as the leader twirls his axe around, bringing it down on her head. Blake dodges with her semblance and it crashes into the ground instead. However, the leader backhands her across the face and then swings the flat end of his axe into her chest. Blake crashes against the wall, getting unsteady on her feet.
"I'm going to bring your head to Adam Taurus, then we'll make an example of the Schnee brat for the whole world to see. To show them what happens when you go against the White Fang," he taunts her.
Blake narrows her eyes, "You leave my friends alone!"
She jumps at him and he swings his blade. Blake dodges again and makes a slash across his chest with her katana. She follows it up with a side slash of her second blade, and then makes a cross slash against his chest. The Faunus stumbles, but remains standing. However, his feet are suddenly encased in ice. He looks around, just in time to see Dehya throw a punch to his face, knocking him out. With the last of them down for the count, it doesn't take long before they have them all detained for the authorities to take into custody when they arrive.
Dehya wipes her hands, "Well, that's the last of these psychos,"
Blake sighs, but then notices Weiss approaching her with a glare, "W-Weiss, I-,"
"Shut it. Explain... Now," Weiss demands.
Seeing that she can't sneak her away out of this, Blake sighs before undoing her bow, revealing her cat ears.
"...It all started back when I was a little girl," Blake begins her story.
...
"Are you sure it was wise to leave Dehya with Weiss? I'm sure Blake will intervene, but still..." Ei asks.
The two do a little window shopping around the main shopping district of the city, where other decorations for the festival are going on.
"Oh, it'll be fine. I think Dehya and Weiss need to sort a few things out, and I think Blake is the perfect ne to help do that. Now, I don't like the SDC either, or her father, but I believe Weiss is different," Candace replies.
"I certainly hope so-oof," Ei accidentally bumps into someone. "Ah, my apologies. I wasn't looking where I was going,"
"It's okay," the girl she walked into remains smiling as she gets back up. "My name is Penny. What are your names?" Penny introduces herself.
"Oh, I'm Ei, and this is Candace," Ei says, while Candace just waves.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ei and Candace," Penny says.
"I don't recall seeing you around her before, Penny. Are you from another kingdom?" Candace asks.
"Yes. I'm from Atlas, and I'm here to fight in the tournament," Penny gives a military salute.
"You are?" Ei gives her a quick look and her clothing seems, for the most part... normal.
"I'm combat ready," Penny salutes again.
"Well, I'll just take your word for it, then, Penny," Ei says.
Suddenly, they hear an explosion in the distance and look to see smoke rising into the air.
"Oh no, that's where Weiss, Dehya, and Blake went," Ei says.
"I certainly wasn't expecting this. Let's go. Take care, Penny," Candace says before the two run towards the smoke.
Penny watches them go before deciding to follow them.
...
"...And so I left the White Fang. I didn't want to use my skills in their violence anymore. I then applied to become a huntress at Beacon. To use my skills for good, not ill," Blake finishes her story, putting her bow back on.
Throughout her whole story, Weiss and Dehya said nothing. Dehya already knew she was a Faunus, but she wasn't expecting Blake to be a former member of the White Fang. She wonders if even Candace missed that with her semblance.
"Well, go ahead, Weiss. Yell, scream. Call me an animal. A monster. Plenty of people have already," Blake says spitefully.
Weiss glares at her for a few moments, "You know the White Fang caused a lot of trouble for my family. Made my childhood an even greater Hell than it was before," Weiss says.
"Yes, I know. I believed in the old White Fang, the one that wanted peace and equality. I still want that to be a reality. But when humans like your father, like you reject us again and again and again when we never harmed anyone, can you really blame us when we got tired of being victimized? Of not being seen for who we are? That's why the White Fang changed and became something else, something worse. Because the Faunus were tired of it all. For a time, even I believed in the new cause, but... not anymore. I'm not a monster. I'm a person. Do you know what it's like? To be seen as something you're not. To have a name or title stuck to you when you never wanted it? To be judged for something that was beyond your control?" Blake retorts.
Weiss wants to retort, to say otherwise, but the truth is... she does know what it's like. Ever since her father took over the SDC and destroyed their family's good name and honor, she's been called for things she's not or for things beyond her control as well. People see her and think she's just like her father, a man she hates more than anyone else. That she's just a selfish, spoiled brat that only cares about herself. The problem is, there have been times where she was just like that. That was made abundantly clear when she ridiculed Ruby. However, seeing how hard Ruby has been working lately to be a good team leader made Weiss realize that she was wrong about the younger girl. She was a spoiled brat, but now she wants to change that. To change people's perception of her and her family. That's why she came to Beacon in the first place.
"I am upset, Blake. Upset that you kept something this big from your teammates. I still hate the White Fang for what they put me through, but... were you serious when you said you're not one of them anymore, right?" Weiss asks.
"Every word," Blake replies.
"Then... maybe we can start over. You may find this hard to believe, but I do know what it's like to be seen for something you're not and judged for someone else's actions. So, I've decided... I don't care. From now on, no more secrets between us teammates. We need to trust each other. I can't say if I trust you now, but I'm willing to try," Weiss says.
"Weiss..." Blake is stunned by her words.
"Count me in too. Maybe we all just needed to see things differently here. I suppose I was a little hard on you, Ice Queen. But, if you're willing to forgive Blake, then maybe you're not so bad after all," Dehya jokes.
"Hey!" Weiss yells.
Dehya looks between them, "So, starting over?"
Blake eventually nods, "Starting over,"
The three shake hands, just as everyone else arrives to find them standing over the bodies of several unconscious White Fang members. They are all too stunned by the sight to speak. Well, except for Penny.
"Are these your friends? Helo, friends of Ei and Candace. My name is Penny," Penny waves happily.
...
Meanwhile, at a warehouse at the port of Vale, Roman Torchwick goes over a map of the Dust shops he's hit so far when he hears some footsteps behind him.
"It seems things have been going well with your heists. I heard the White Fang made a move in the city today. That wasn't your doing, was it?" a woman asks.
"Hey, I had nothing to do what those stupid mutts in the White Fang. They obviously had their own business here in town, and they got caught for it. I'm not stupid enough to screw up like that. I got you your Dust, didn't I?" Roman retorts.
"Yes, and you'll get more for me in return for your payment. Once I have what I need, our deal will be finished," the woman says, slowly stepping out of the shadows to reveal a black mask covering a portion of her pale face and platinum blonde hair in an elaborate dress of white and red. "I just need a little more and I can move on to the next phase of my plan. And then, I'll be one step closer to my true goal," the woman says, holding a green chess piece in her hand.
And that's the chapter. Yay! We get to meet Penny again, and Weiss and Blake hash out their issues. Meanwhile, trouble is brewing in Vale. What will happen next? Until then, please Read and Review.