Questions
There was only one thought that dominated Blake's mind as Glynda escorted them to Ozpin's office. It wasn't possible.
When the elevator doors slid open, Glynda gave the three of them a clipped nod as they quickly disembarked, only to stand awkwardly in the large office space, waiting for her instructions.
"Do not touch anything. I will be back shortly," she stated with an authoritative glare before the doors slid shut once more with a soft hiss, leaving Blake and her team standing in the large room with little furniture beyond the desk and chairs that filled the office.
With a small shrug Ruby slowly made her way across the large glass floor and grabbed one of the chairs, prompting Yang to follow her. However, Blake found herself still rooted in place as the same memory played over and over again in her mind.
The gunships began firing at the top of the tower again. Why – a figure leapt from the tower window, pulsing with a familiar red glow as they deflected the rounds with a blade. Dread gripped her, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from him. Not until a series of thunderous explosion and blinding lights forced her to—
"You know, I always wondered what it would feel like to be caught up in a conspiracy."
Blake's gaze snapped over to Yang just in time to see her lean back in one of the office chairs, a coy smirk gracing her face.
"Yaaaaaaang," Ruby whined.
"I know, I know. Just trying to lighten the mood a bit, Rubes."
Blake glanced around the all-too-familiar office of Beacon's Headmaster. The massive stylized windows and mechanical components of the clock tower above and below them, mixed with the almost alien desk he usually sat at… Honestly, Yang's joke wasn't very far off the mark. With a quiet huff, she pulled off her bow and began massaging away some of the tension in her ears that had built up over the day. It helped to ease her nerves despite the sound of Ruby patting her legs echoing through the room.
Adam. Of all the people who could have been responsible for the attack, it had to be the one person she needed to avoid at all costs. Her past was catching up to her—
No. Blake shook the ugly thoughts from her mind, shoved the ribbon into the tied fabric around her waist, and took a seat next to Ruby. She couldn't afford to waste time on that right now, not with everything that had happened, all that she stood to lose.
With her ears no longer tied down and the minutes slowly trickling by, she could easily hear her teammates' fidgeting beneath the clock's quiet ticking. They were clearly exhausted and uneasy.
Blake glanced down at her scroll. It had been a while since Glynda had escorted them up here, and they would likely be waiting at least a little longer until Ozpin finally showed up…
"You guys don't have to be here, you know. They only asked for me," Blake said, chancing a glance at the two.
Ruby stifled another yawn before beaming at her. "Yup. We know. But it's like we said: we're a team, and teammates stick by each other."
"Right..." Blake hugged her arms to her chest and looked out the enormous half circle window towards the CCT tower. "But this isn't exactly a team issue."
"Yah, and we know that," Yang said, dropping her smile and leaning forwards. "Doesn't change anything though. You don't have to do this alone, Blake. You're allowed to lean on us if you need to."
"Plus, Yang and I might remember something that'll help too," Ruby said with a nod as she lightly kicked her feet back and forth. "I mean, help more… You're probably gonna be a big help no matter what, 'cause… yah know…"
Thankfully, the elevator hissed open, drawing Blake's attention away from her leader's awkward rambling. She could easily pick out the footsteps of multiple people entering the room. Two… No, three sets of footsteps. Two were much heavier than the other. Possibly boots?
Blake stood from her chair and turned to face the small group. Yang and Ruby scrambled to follow suit as General Ironwood, Ozpin and Penny all filed in one after the other.
Ozpin took a sip from his steaming mug as he met their eyes before giving them a small smile. "Good evening, ladies. Please, take a seat. There's no need to stand on our account."
However, the words fell on deaf ears as all three stood stock still and patiently waited for the trio to make their way to the desk. Ozpin quickly took his personal chair while Ironwood stood rigidly beside their headmaster with his hands clasped behind his back. The weight of the situation was only mildly lightened by Penny as she did her best to follow Ironwood's example, but was clearly unable to stop herself from rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet or shooting Ruby the occasional grin and wave.
"Where's Weiss? Is she ok?" Ruby asked once everybody was settled.
Penny froze mid wave, her smile faltering as Ruby glanced between the three of them.
"That is part of what we would like to discuss with you," Ironwood's voice cut through the silence as he pulled a small egg shaped device from his pocket, and placed it on the desk. He pressed down on the top of it with an audible click and a few small vents opened up with a light hum.
Yang leaned forwards to get a better look. "Fancy. What is it? Some kind of lie detector?"
"Nothing of the sort," Ozpin said with a chuckle. "Though you may find your scrolls cannot receive a signal for now."
Blake let out a small huff as Yang and Ruby instantly pulled out their scrolls and tapped a few applications on them with little success. She had heard of such devices. They were certainly useful, but their cost made them less than viable for an organization like the White Fang. The fact Ironwood felt the need to use one here did not bode well for any of them…
Ironwood allowed them a moment before his voice demanded their attention again. "If you're done playing around, Weiss Schnees' current whereabouts are unknown."
The sisters' heads both snapped up from their scrolls as he continued. "Penny reported that she was injured during her escape. We're hoping you might know where she would go in this sort of situation. Where she might feel safe enough to hide."
The silence that filled the room was deafening to Blake, the rhythmic ticking and hum all together too loud as ice crept into her veins at his words.
"I don't understand," Ruby glanced between Ozpin and the General. "We saw them get out of the tower. Penny was with her… What do you mean she's missing? She wouldn't just run off for-"
Ironwood's authoritative tone cut the younger girl off. "Miss Rose, your teammate is out there right now. Alone. You are wasting precious time, and-"
Ozpin cut the General off with a raised hand. "James, concern for one's teammate is a reasonable first reaction. Please, give her a moment."
Silence stretched out as the General glared at Ozpin, before finally relaxing his own posture a small measure. The dip in tension in the room was almost palpable, as Blake finally let out a shaky breath.
"…You could try the dorm roof," Ruby said hesitantly as she glanced between her and Yang.
"She spends a lot of time in the library," Blake mentally ticked off the places as she named them. "The training hall, too. I've also seen her spending time in the gardens with her sister. She may be there."
"She sneaks around the cafeteria a bunch too, so that's a possibility." Yang glanced over at them. "Also, a bit of a long shot, but check our dorm room."
"Thank you," Ironwood stated as he turned to Penny. "Ozpin will send you the access codes. Find her, and, provided she's not injured, bring her here as soon as you can."
"Yes sir." Penny saluted before she quickly made her way to the elevator, deliberately avoiding Ruby's eyes as she passed them.
"Rest assured Ruby, Miss Polendina will find her." Ozpin's overly warm voice irked Blake, but it seemed to help calm Ruby a bit.
"I'm sure she's fine. Probably just wanted to avoid all the cameras or something. You know how flighty she can be." Yang chuckled as she playfully poked at her sister's shoulder, inciting a small slap from her before glancing back at Ozpin. "Oh, actually since you're bringing her here can we get some food brought up? She probably forgot to eat before setting up the dance."
Ozpin smiled as he placed his steaming mug on the desk. "While I am quite pleased to see you looking out for your teammate Yang, I am afraid that will have to wait-"
Blake instantly tensed up as Ironwood's fist impacted the desk, breaking the small measure of normality. "Jacques Schnee's daughter is missing, your school is under attack and you're wasting time talking about food!? Either you start taking this situation seriously, or I will."
"Believe me General, I am taking things quite seriously." Ozpin remarked, his relaxed tone a stark contrast to the Generals. He took a small sip from his mug, before placing it right next to Ironwood's fist and continued. "However, need I remind you that these three are my students, not soldiers?"
"They are Huntresses in training Ozpin, not children, and time is not a luxury we have right now." Ironwood pressed, his fist slowly unclenching. "Six of my men were murdered and the council is breathing down my neck. You told me these students can help. How?"
"I would say they've already helped. However," Ozpin paused to take a small sip from his mug, the tension in the room cooling just a fraction as he did. "I do believe that Miss Belladonna may be able to provide us with some additional assistance."
"Belladonna?" Ironwood instantly turned on her, his gaze boring into her. "As in Ghira Belladonna?"
"The very same," Ozpin confirmed with a small nod, before he glanced over towards her. "Blake, I know this is not a topic you like to discuss. However, given the events of this evening, I am afraid our hand has been forced."
Blake shrank back. She would have given anything to have some excuse to leave the room right then and there. She could feel Ironwood's gaze as his attention shifted to her, ripping through the facade she'd constructed for herself, judging her for her name, her parents' legacy, and the mistakes of her past…
Ironwood shook his head. "I know you believed Sienna when she said the attacks were not on her orders, but this is beyond irresponsible! The White Fang have been labeled as a terrorist organization for a reason! How could you possibly allow somebody affiliated with them into your school?!"
Yang's voice immediately rose at the General's words. "Formerly affiliated with. She's not with them anymore. And for the record, I know Ruby and I are not from some big name family, but Blake's fought alongside us for months. We trust her."
Ruby nodded along with her. "Yeah. Plus, she's been rooming with Weiss this whole time. Sure, they've fought a lot but she's never tried to hurt her or anything. I mean, she slapped her that one time, but that was-"
Yang gave her a look. "Ruby…"
"Right. Sorry." She smiled, rather unconvincingly at Ironwood.
Ozpin's eyes were practically dancing with laughter as he took another sip from his mug. "Miss Rose and Xiao Long's testament aside, I can assure you she has renounced her previous affiliation quite thoroughly, and that her proof of such a claim was enough for me."
"And you simply took her-?!" Ironwood shouted before cutting himself off with a deep breath. "We will speak about this later."
Ironwood turned to face them, deliberately planting his hands on the desk and leaning towards them. His eyes flicked between the three of them before settling on Blake.
She had always wondered why the people of Atlas and Mantel put so much trust in the man before her. The General of Atlas' military and Headmaster of Atlas Academy. Even one of those positions gave him enough power and influence to make world-changing decisions. Now though? Now it only made sense. The man exuded an air of utmost authority that felt suffocating in a way that Adam had never been able to manage. Adam could be intense when he wanted, could sway people in a way that still terrified her, but compared to Ironwood? The propaganda barely did him justice.
"Before we begin, would any of you like something warm to drink?"
Blake blinked as her eyes were finally torn from Ironwoods. The frustratingly gentle smile of Ozpin greeted her as the tension in the room plummeted, earning a soft scoff from Ironwood as he stood back up and took a step back from the desk.
Blake quickly shared a confused look with Ruby and Yang before turning back to Ozpin. "I think we're ok."
"Hm. Well, do let me know if you change your minds," Ozpin hummed before sliding his scroll across the desk so it was facing her. A blurred image of a man cloaked in shadows was displayed on it. "As I am sure you have guessed by this point, we believe that the perpetrators of tonight's attack are affiliated with the White Fang. I am hoping you might be able to tell us who these two individuals are."
He tapped the image and an all too familiar scene played out on the scroll before her. Adam was just as ruthless as she remembered. A red blur cutting through anything and everything in his path. Ruby let out a small gasp as one of the robots was effortlessly bisected. "What is that sword made out of? Is that Dust-infused…?"
Ruby's question died in her throat as the camera switched to show a woman clad in black with two wooden long-barreled revolvers taking pot shots at a couple of robots that Adam's tide of destruction left in his wake. Once the robots fell to the ground, she began creeping along the edges of the room toward the tower's elevators.
The camera switched once more, showing the guards and remaining robots all firing at Adam. His red blade flashed across the screen as he deflected their bullets again and again, while the red aura surrounding him glowed brighter and brighter with each deflected attack. Blake knew what was coming next. And yet, despite how badly she wished she could look away, she felt she had to watch. The least she could do was remember their faces.
Adam leapt back, sheathing his blade. Blake's heart sank as she watched a pair of soldiers in the back share a confused glance before a blinding flash of red filled the screen. The feed mercifully cut off there, sparing her and her team the sight of the aftermath of Adam's Moonslice.
Ruby's eyes were wide with shock as she clutched at her skirt.
Yang let out a heavy breath. "Weiss was in the tower with that – that monster?!"
"Indeed. Miss Schnee was able to identify a number of key characteristics about the two attackers as well," Ozpin stated as he took a sip from his mug. "However, based on your reaction Blake, I do believe you may have an idea as to who at least one of these attackers may be."
It was such a simple question. So why did her throat feel so dry? Why was her mind screaming at her-
"Hey." Blake flinched as Ruby's voice jolted her out of her own head. Her gaze snapping up to see a small assured smile on her leader's face, along with Yang holding up both hands giving her thumbs up. "You got this."
Blake let their smiles push her forward as she took a deep breath. "T-that's Adam. Adam Taurus."
The mood of the room plummeted the moment the name left her mouth, but she forced herself to continue speaking.
"He is – was – Sienna's second in command before… before she was killed. I never thought – I knew he could be dangerous, but I… I never thought he was capable of something like this," she began. Each word felt like a betrayal of the people she had fought alongside in Atlas, but she had to say something, had to help stop this from being pinned on the wrong people. "I – I know how this looks, but this attack? You have to know this is completely different from anything the White Fang did in Mantel and Atlas. They would have never even considered–"
Ironwood's harsh voice cut her off. "Then prove it. I've heard similar excuses time and time again, from both Sienna and your father. However, words mean nothing to the Council, Miss Belladonna. If you want to convince them that the White Fang had nothing to do with this attack, I'll need something better than that."
Blake gripped her arms, claws just barely digging into her arms as she struggled to properly speak. "I-I know an old camp location Adam took me to – The-the names of a few of his allies – My dad could help you with them…"
Her words petered off as the elevator door hissed opened. Ruby's eyes were instantly alight as her feet hit the ground.
"Weiss!"
"Miss Schnee!"
Weiss woke with a sharp gasp and immediately rolled away from the hand that shook her shoulder, instinctively forming a repulsion glyph as a blinding pain tore through her side. Her hand stopped its motions and shot to her injury, clutching it as she glared up toward the intruder.
"My apologies!" Penny said as she pulled away, covering her mouth and looking down at her. "You were restless and would not wake up. Are you alright?"
It took a few seconds for her panic to recede and pain to dull, but even then the shivers that wracked her body was more than enough for Weiss to answer the question. No. She wasn't ok. She was the opposite of ok. She was exhausted, she had a pounding headache, she was probably sick, and, as if all of that wasn't enough, she couldn't go to the infirmary for any of it without risking revealing her heritage.
Weiss grit her teeth and took a deep breath before slowly working herself into a sitting position. Her injury and wings ached in protest and her throat felt as dry as the Vacuan desert, but she paid them no mind.
"I'm fine," she rasped. "Nothing I can't handle. What are you doing here?"
Penny perked up. "I have been searching for you. The General and Headmaster wish to speak with you regarding tonight's events, Miss Schnee-"
Weiss cut her off with a small wave of her hand as she let out a small cough. "Weiss is fine. I meant why are you in my room? How did you even get…"
Her words petered off as she glanced over to the heavy wooden door that sat ajar. The hinges and lock were still in perfect condition.
Penny quickly waved her hands. "I have been given access to most of the school. I am terribly sorry for intruding, but I heard you through the door. You sounded panicked. With the intruders still at large, I assumed the worst."
"You mean they weren't–?!" Weiss cut herself off as she let out another dry cough, rubbing her temple with her hand. She wanted to be mad, but even the thought of it had her head pounding.
Penny at least winced at the raised voice. "The man was last seen heading for the airship port, but that information is old. It is likely he has fled Beacon entirely."
"And the woman?"
Penny shook her head. "You are the only one who has reported a woman."
"Scheisse."
Penny nodded, her expression equally downcast. "Despite their target appearing to be the CCT tower, your safety has still been deemed at risk. I was ordered to bring you to see the General and Headmaster as soon as I found you, provided you are not injured of course."
"Of course. I should have expected as much." Weiss took a deep breath before she swung her legs off the bed and glanced around the dark room for her boots.
Penny quietly waited for her before leading them to the doorway, pausing just long enough for Weiss to quickly grab her jacket and sling the damp garment on. "Your team is already waiting for us. They requested to be brought in with Miss Belladonna."
"Of course they did," Weiss muttered, rolling her eyes to play her part as the two exited the dorm room. As they walked through the halls, her wound throbbed with each step, but the fact that she was alive and well and not dead in the tower was enough of a condolence that it made the pain manageable enough. "How long was I asleep?"
"It has only been fifty four minutes since we last saw one another," Penny replied as she continued to lead the way without so much as a glance at the signs or corridor. "I was worried when you disappeared. We all were."
"I had to avoid the media," Weiss lied. "Couldn't afford for my family's name to be dragged into this mess. Besides, the wounds were all shallow and the room had plenty of medical supplies. There was no need to waste a nurse's time."
"Weiss…" Penny stopped in her tracks. "I do not mean to be rude, but you do not seem okay. The infirmary is not far. Perhaps we should stop there before you are questioned?"
Weiss froze in her tracks. She could practically hear Winter's voice in the words Penny spoke.
"Of course. You know what's best for me, obviously," She replied bitterly as she looked Penny dead in the eyes, clenching her hands. "You and everybody else, it seems. I suppose I must be incapable of determining my own limits right?"
Penny cocked her head. "I am unsure what you are referring to Weiss. I merely wished to express my concern-"
"What I am referring to is the fact you are all overbearing and–and infuriating!" On some level, Weiss knew that she was acting irrationally, that she shouldn't be lashing out at Penny like this, that she truly didn't deserve it. But she couldn't find a reason to care. Not right now. "I said. I'm. okay. I'm not a helpless child. I can handle a few cuts on my own."
"O-Of course," Penny said as she tilted her head to the side. "I did not mean to question your competence. It is just that your teammates were very clearly worried about you. I simply wished to express my own worries as well."
Weiss scowled at Pennys words. "And as far as I'm concerned, Ruby and Yang are both far too concerned about others' well-being. You're from Atlas. You should know better. I've trained through worse than this."
Penny's head dropped as she clasped her hands in front of her. "That does not mean you are ok Weiss."
"I'm. Fine." Weiss ground out as she narrowed her eyes into a sharp glare. "Why don't you stop pretending that you have any investment in my well-being. We are not friends. You don't know me."
"Please Weiss," Penny began, holding up her hands. "I did not mean-"
Weiss coldly cut her off with a wave of hand. "It's Miss Schnee, and I believe you are supposed to be escorting me, not questioning me."
There was a long silence as Pennys eyes cast down to the floor.
"...Yes Miss Schnee," she replied in a hushed tone as she turned almost robotically to continue leading her through the hallways.
A cold silence lingered between them, only broken once they entered the elevator to Ozpin's office. The soft hum of the lift as it climbed up to the top of the tower was a welcoming distraction from the storm of emotions and thoughts that clouded Weiss' head until the doors opened with a quiet hiss once more.
"I-I know an old camp location Adam took me to – The-the names of a few of his allies – My dad could help you with them…"
The conversation petered off as all three of her teammates turned towards her.
Ruby's eyes lit up with relief. "Weiss!"
Ruby leapt out of her chair and managed a single step before she caught herself and gave Weiss an enormous grin instead. Weiss sent her a tight smile and a nod in return before stepping further into the room to take in the rest of the team. Blake's stiff posture was a stark contrast to the relaxed ease that Yang exuded as she lounged in her seat. Seeing the three of them still in their dresses and Blake's ears on full display only added to the anxiety squirming in her gut.
At least the office had not changed since her last visit. Though the softly glowing egg-shaped device that sat in the middle of the table did give her a small measure of hope that, this time, the conversation would stay private.
Ozpin gestured to the empty seat next to Blake. "Please. Sit."
With a nod, Weiss ambled to the empty chair and smoothed out her skirt while Ruby dropped into her own seat.
"I tried to get some food brought up, buuuuut," Yang droned, jerking a thumb towards the EDE on the desk with a shrug.
Weiss fought to keep an even expression as she met Yang's tired gaze. Even after everything that had happened, she was still looking out for her.
"Miss Schnee."
Weiss' gaze snapped toward Ironwood.
"I would like to thank you for coming on such short notice. I can only imagine how tired you must be after tonight's events."
"Anything to help, General." Weiss quickly schooled her expression and sat up just a touch straighter as she turned her attention to Ozpin. "I apologize Headmaster, but is a single dust emitter enough to consider this room secure?"
"Rest assured Miss Schnee, after both you and Mr. Winchester came forwards with similar concerns, a number of precautions have been taken," Ozpin acknowledged, sparing a glance for the General. "I believe the time for secrets has passed, and it would be remiss of me to not provide some measure of assurance that our conversation will remain private."
Weiss felt a cold shiver pass down her spine at his words, her wings flaring ever so slightly.
"Miss Schnee," Ironwood spoke, his steely voice demanding her attention once more. "How much of Miss Belladonna's past are you aware of?"
"I-" Weiss glanced over at Blake as she hesitated, only to be greeted by a tight scowl. "I know enough."
Ironwood nodded as he clasped his hands behind his back. "Do you trust her?"
"I do..." Weiss blinked as the two simple words left her, equally confused and surprised by how quickly she had spoken them. She kept her eyes trained on the General, ignoring the sounds of her teammates turning in their seats.
"Very well," Ironwood said with a sharp nod, sparing a small glance at Ozpin before he turned his gaze to Blake. "It will interest you to know then, that we were just discussing how Miss Belladonna can help prove the White Fang were not responsible for tonight's attack."
"Excuse me?" Weiss narrowed her gaze she glanced at Blake, confusion slowly worming its way through the mud in her mind. "What do you mean it wasn't the White Fang? I was there, I- I saw the symbol on the women's jacket! A white wolf head with red marks-"
"Three red claw marks right?" Blake let out a shaky breath as she shook her head. Weiss narrowed her gaze on her teammate as she continued. "Did you even look at our flag? That's his twisted version. Not the White Fang's."
"His?"
"Adam's." Weiss twisted towards Yang as she spoke, biting back a pained hiss. "As in Adam Taurus. He's the one who attacked the tower."
"Oh," Weiss breathed, slumping back in her chair only for her wings to protest against the extra weight. "I see…"
"Miss Belladonna was just telling us more about him and his allies," Ironwood said, turning his gaze back towards Blake. "Names and the location of a camp are a start, I'll send some men to confirm what you've told me. However the council will eventually demand more than circumstantial evidence."
Weiss nodded in agreement as she tried to shake off the fog and focus.
"I…" Blake hesitated, wilting under the unflinching gaze of the general. "I was at the camp for only a few days. I didn't even plan to leave. I just – we were on a mission and – h-he was going to kill so many people…"
Ironwood's eyes drilled into Blake as she slowly shrunk back into her seat. "You left during a mission?"
"I was lucky..." Blake shook her head as she hesitated to speak her next words. "It was a… We were stealing a dust shipment on a train. I – we were just supposed to cut the cargo cars' connections, but Adam brought some dust charges with him. He was going to blow the other cars once we cut loose. I asked him about the civilians on board but…"
"He didn't care."
"Y-yah…" Blake stuttered as she tried to recompose herself. "T-There was a Spider Droid that ambushed us before he got the chance to do anything though, and in the aftermath… I cut away the cars he was on."
"You ran?"
Blake visibly shuddered as she brought her hand up to tightly grip her arm. "It was the only way. Adam, he-"
Blake chewed her lip for a moment before she took a deep breath and stood, maneuvering herself to push the bow of her dress down and reveal the zipper it had hidden on her side. Carefully pulling the small fastener down until she could finally pull a small section of the material aside.
Weiss couldn't help the small gasp that escaped her as Blake turned and showed the room the small scar that sat on her left hip. The small, clean mark sat a little lower down from her own wound, and in theory, it could have just been made by any similar blade. Yet something deep in her gut screamed that once her wound healed, it would look almost identical.
"I know it's not exactly proof…" Blake added as she quickly re-tied the dress's bow and sat. "But I hope it's enough for you to believe I have no plans on going back. In his eyes I'm a traitor of the worst kind. He would kill me before I even had a chance to explain..."
Weiss gripped her skirt for a semblance of sanity as the words washed over her. Traitor. Kill.
You're not leaving here alive, Schnee.
A small shudder ran up her spine. When did she and Blake begin to have so much in common…
The General remained stock still. His gaze almost seemed to crush Blake as she sat silently, waiting for what seemed like judgment.
"I want it on record that I do not like this," Ironwood ground out. Blakes ears flatten while Ruby and Yang tensed up as the General glanced over at Ozpin, before releasing a deep sigh. "However as a favor to your headmaster, I will ensure that the White Fang, as well as your involvement with the terrorist organization, are kept out of my reports for the time being. Only for the time being."
Weiss let out a deep sigh- Why was she relieved to hear that?
"However," Ironwood's gaze swung across all of them, instantly putting a damper on any positive feeling. "You are correct. A scar is not evidence. In exchange for this favor, I want everything you know on record. Every mission, every protest, every single action you committed while a part of the organization. From the moment you joined to the instant you left. Is that clear?"
Blake let out a deep breath as she glanced over in Weiss' direction, meeting her eyes once more. "Ok. I should start with-"
Ozpin quickly cut in with a small chuckle, "I can assure you he does not mean tonight Blake. There are still pressing matters to attend to, and I believe we would all appreciate some rest after what has happened this evening."
"Agreed," Ironwood nodded as he glanced over her teammates before his eyes finally met her own, the rest of the room's attendees all following suit.
Seeing all eyes back on her, Weiss pushed back the waves of exhaustion and sat up as straight as her wound would allow. "You wish to hear what I saw."
"If you would be so kind," Ozpin smiled as he quickly spun his scroll around to show her a dark blurred image of Adam. "Despite the power being cut and the damages to the tower, we have managed to recover some of tonight's security footage. However, as I'm sure you can imagine, it paints an incomplete picture at best."
Weiss frowned as she dragged her mind back through the events of the evening. The gun fire, destruction, and sheer number of bombs she had seen being planted. "They had so much dust… How is the tower even standing?"
"Several of the devices failed to detonate," Ironwood noted as he clasped his hands behind himself. "We have several theories as to what went wrong. However, given you saw them being planted first hand, did you see anything strange? Anything unusual about the individual who planted them?"
Weiss shook her head adamantly, only to instantly regret the motion as her vision started spinning. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't get a close look at them, but they looked like Burn Dust explosives. Even if they failed to detonate, the explosions should have set them off regardless… And A– the individual planting them seemed competent."
Blake frowned as she let out a breath and leaned forwards. "He is competent. Competent, methodical and dan–"
"Just sing his praises more, why don't you," Weiss scoffed, crossing her arms. "Everyone makes mistakes. Maybe something was wrong with the dust mixture or the signal was interrupted-"
"No!" Blake spat. " You don't get it. Adam was in the correctional labor force… He spent time in the mines, Weiss! He knows-"
"Or maybe he lied to you! Maybe he's not as competent as you remember!" Weiss cut her off as she glared back down at the image, anxiety knotting at her chest. "Why are you so adamant that the only reason I'm alive and the tower is standing is because I was lucky?!"
"I don't know!" Blake clenched her dress in her fist, knuckles turning white."I just- This is- I never thought… What purpose does an attack like this even serve!?"
"Publicity! He said no one would forget tonight! 'Not with my body'-" Weiss stopped herself when she noticed Ironwood's eyes drilling into her. All the anger she felt instantly evaporated as a wave of shame tore through her. She had lost control. In front of the General. Like a damn animal…
"I-I apologize for the outburst." Weiss cringed as she swallowed her pride and pushed forwards. "I simply meant to say that he seemed quite sure the tower was going to be taken down."
"Maybe the explosives were just meant to be a cover for something else."
The whole room went silent as they digested Ruby's words.
Ruby chuckled quietly and scratched the back of her head as she looked down at the glass floor. "Sorry. I'll keep quiet."
"No," Ozpin cocked an eyebrow as he gestured to her. "Please continue."
"Ok…" Ruby glanced around the room, "It's kinda weird, but this just sounds like something Yang does in fights. Explosions are loud and bright, and if they hit they do a lot of damage. They're great for distracting people, letting her get in attacks they might not expect. This just kinda reminded me of that, is all…"
"Misdirection," Ozpin hummed as he glanced back at Weiss. "Miss Schnee, you mentioned the woman you saw plugged a scroll into the administration desk, correct?"
"Uh... yes." Weiss replied, blinking a few times to clear her head as she thought back. "A symbol appeared on the screen as well. It looked like a chess piece?"
"Hm," Ozpin frowned as he turned a side eye towards Ironwood. "Perhaps Miss Rose is onto something…"
Weiss fought back a haze of exhaustion as the voices in the room slowly muddled in with the ever present ticking-
"Miss Schnee," Ironwood's voice cut through the haze with ease, her eyes snapping back up to meet Ironwood's gaze. "Focus. When did you first notice something was off at the CCT tower?"
Weiss nodded and took a shuddering breath to calm her frayed nerves. "I was on a call with my brother when I heard gunshots…"
It was difficult, but she forced herself to recount the night's events, providing every minute detail she could recall. The haze in her head was troublesome but the General helped to keep her from falling further into the fog.
"It was clever of you to use your locker in such a manner," Ozpin paused to take a small sip from his mug before he continued. "And to face down such a foe with a broken weapon and come out unscathed is quite remarkable. Miss Polendina was sure you were hurt."
"I did sustain a few injuries. My apologies for not making that clear," Weiss evenly replied, shooting a glare at Penny. "He was simply unable to attack me after my Aura broke, so my injuries were relatively minor. Our dorm room has a first aid kit that was more than adequately stocked to handle the few cuts. Aura breaks are exhausting, as you are all aware, so I passed out not long after handling the injuries. That was when Penny arrived to bring me here."
"I see," Ozpin hummed, pulling his scroll back as he did. "Well it would seem you certainly had quite the evening Miss Schnee."
"I could do without ever experiencing anything of the sort ever again." Weiss stated firmly, willing herself to stay prim and proper right up until the end of their questioning.
"On that, we agree," Ozpin replied with a chuckle as he brought his mug back up and took a long sip, before glancing at Ironwood with a raised brow.
The General shook his head before turning back to the table, motioning towards the scroll that lay on it. "I have one final question, Miss Belladonna. The other attacker, can you identify them?"
Blake wet her lips as she looked down at the desk. "Not with any certainty. I don't remember anyone who used weapons like that – Trifa, maybe? No, she stayed in Menagerie–"
She paused to cover her mouth, stifling a yawn. "I'm sorry, but I really don't know."
"Very well. What you have given will have to do for now," Ironwood nodded firmly, standing back to his full height as he glanced between each of them as he spoke. "Until further notice, you four are to keep this information to yourselves. Do not speak a single word to the media, your classmates, and, of course, family members until we have made an official statement."
"If any of you need to talk, or if you recall anything, no matter how small, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. I would also suggest that none of you leave the campus unaccompanied for the time being," Ozpin added with a small smile, before he reached into his vest and pulled out a familiar scroll, holding it out towards her. "Oh, and I do believe this is yours Miss Schnee. We recovered it from the tower along with your weapon."
"Thank you, headmaster." Weiss replied as she quickly took the device, noting the plethora of scratches that littered its exterior.
"Your sword is currently being held in the armory. Please let Professor Hepht know when you are free to help him repair it," Ozpin said, briefly pausing to glance over to the General. "I believe that is everything for now. You are all free to go."
"Thank you sir," Ruby said with a small yawn as she rose to her feet. Weiss quickly followed suit, ignoring the stiffness in her legs and the exhaustion that dragged her down with each step as they all quickly shuffled to the lift and began their descent.
Silence filled the small space as all four leaned back against the elevator walls. Ruby slowly slid over until she was leaning against Yang's arm, her eyes barely staying open-
Weiss' nearly jumped as her scroll buzzed to life in her hand, drawing the eyes of her teammates as the sound of an embarrassing number of missed calls, messages and other notifications sounded off one by one. A quick glance down as she frantically fumbled to silence the infernal device informed her that Whitley and her father had collectively tried to call her at least a dozen times…
"Jeez, someone's popular."
Weiss glanced up to see Yang waggling her eyebrows at her.
"Yaaaaang," Ruby whined as she poked at her sister's arm. "No teasing. Too late."
"Yah, yah," Yang said, bringing a hand up to ruffle her sister's hair. "Just tryin' to lighten the mood."
The elevator doors thankfully opened not a moment later, allowing all four of them to slowly exit into the main hallways.
"I have to make a call," Weiss stated as she exited, immediately veering away from the main hall and hitting the call icon beside her fathers number.
She nearly jumped when Jacques' cold voice cut through the line before the first ring even finished. "You had better have an excellent reason for failing to answer my calls."
Weiss bit her lip to stifle any sound as she quickly schooled her voice as much as possible. "Yes father. General Ironwood and Headmaster Ozpin brought me in for questioning. They had an EDE active."
"Of course. I should have expected that you were somehow involved in the catastrophe I was just informed of." His anger was almost palpable as he no doubt paced around his office. He would never dare to be so cavalier with his words anywhere else. "An attack on the Vale CCT tower? What kind of fool would attempt such a thing? Tell me what you know."
Weiss' blood ran cold as she mentally prepared herself. The dread at least did wonders in keeping the lethargy at bay. "I am sorry, father… I've been ordered by the General himself to remain silent on the matter until a formal statement is made on the situation. The honor of our name demands I keep silent."
"Wonderful," Jacques scoffed. "I suppose that is to be expected of our glorious General. Always getting in my way… I want a full recounting once the statement has been made."
"Yes father," Weiss breathed as she struggled to maintain her composure. "I will also see to it that my involvement in this matter is kept quiet."
"I see you're finally taking my lessons to heart. Good. See to it that you continue to do so"
The line cut before Weiss had a chance to speak again, leaving her with her mouth agape until her mind finally caught up to what had just happened. With an exhausted sigh and slumped shoulders, she closed her scroll before trudging back to the main hallway, only to be surprised by the sight of the rest of team RWBY quietly waiting for her.
Blakes ears pressed tightly to her head as she glanced at her. "I kept them to myself…"
"Thank you," Weiss replied as she stalked past them, heading straight for their dorm.
The silence that followed her as the four of them walked was entirely welcome. She wasn't sure she would have had the energy to talk to any of them. Even simply staying on her feet was difficult enough, with how much the fatigue and pain weighed down on her. At least she wasn't the only one who was exhausted. Both Ruby and Yang's eyes continued to drop dangerously low, even as they all slowly climbed the final flight of stairs to their dormitory hall.
"We can talk in the morning…" Ruby mumbled as she slapped her scroll onto the dorm room door and stepped in.
The four of them didn't even bother to turn the lights on or even change out of their clothing as they kicked off their shoes and collapsed into their beds.
The sisters knocked into a few shelves trying to climb up into their beds, forcing Blake to help both of them up to their respective bunks, before unceremoniously falling into her own. All three of them were asleep almost immediately if the heavy and small snores were to be believed.
Weiss however remained awake as she slowly crawled under her covers. Aches and shivers wracked her body as the events of the evening replayed in her mind over and over until she finally felt the edges of sleep creep into her mind.
She had done it again. Walked the rope. Kept her secret safe and her teammates none the wiser. How many more times could she manage it though? How long until her luck ran out? She still had three months before winter break. Before this was all finally over.
Three whole months…
Weiss shivered as her mind slowly, mercifully, drifted off.
Blake listened as each of her teammates fell into a deep slumber one by one, silently glaring a hole into the drywall beside her, cursing her instincts.
Something about Weiss' story had felt wrong, but she hadn't yet been able to put her finger on exactly what until they'd been climbing the stairs a few moments ago. Now, that uncomfortable churning in her gut was keeping her from sleeping, and a single sentence was stuck repeating itself again and again in her mind.
"He was simply unable to attack me after my Aura broke."
If Weiss had been talking about anybody other than Adam, she would have probably believed her. But she was talking about Adam, and she knew better than anyone how much of a monster he was.
No. Weiss had to have lied. Not just to her and Ruby and Yang, but to Ozpin, and Ironwood…
Why, though? What could she possibly want to hide?
Blake quickly glanced around the dark room for anything amiss. She knew she was unlikely to find anything; Weiss was an incredibly thorough person, after all. Except- Didn't she say she'd used the dorm's medical kit to handle her wounds? It wouldn't be difficult to see if the supplies she used matched up with the story she told.
With practiced movements, Blake quickly and quietly crawled out of her bed and padded into the washroom. The moment the door creaked open, the stench of chemicals flooded her nose, though there was an undercurrent of something… less sterile. It didn't take long for her to spot the small plastic bag tied up tightly in the corner of the room..
Any thoughts of checking the medical kit immediately left her mind as she hesitantly leaned over to pick up the bag. In a single swift motion, Blake unsheathed a claw and cut through one of the tied corners.
The smell alone had her gagging as she quickly placed the bag on the counter and took a step back, shaking her head as she looked at the mass of bloody cloth.
"Weiss…"
Author notes:
*Peeks sheepishly through the door*
Hiiiiiiiiiii….
So it's been a min, and by that I mean 2 months. Really sorry about the wait, but as the saying goes… "Real life can suck a dick." Also that last chapter was exhausting, and I have been working on a number of really cool things, and a number of Remnant chapters, and I'm just gonna stop making excuses now XD
So, we are back with Chapter 19. I know a lot of you were expecting a reveal, but sadly there was just one more order of business to attend to before we answer the question everyone is dying to ask. Interrogations! Because real talk, that bit with Ruby after Cinders attack pissed me off sooo much. I know we all make fun of how incompetent the villains and heroes of RWBY can be, but Ironwood is a GOD DAMN GENERAL and I will be damned if Clipped does not at least give him and Ozpin the shred of competency they damn well deserve!
We are slowly beginning to make changes to the canon events to suit our story. Again we do try to not needlessly change canon events, but the reality is the story we are trying to tell can not be told with ONLY canon events, and to that end, this chapter was really needed to fully cement who knows what, and what better time do do that than by INTERROGATING THEM.
So… onto the chapter.
I think SirDarkvid said it best. Blakes part is a little better, because she's not the usual Blake, whereas Weiss was still trying to keep her façade. Like Weiss was doing bad last chapter, and low and behold, she's still NOT DOING GREAT XD She's hurt, and exhausted, and sick and literally falling apart. She's lashing out, letting her instincts and emotions control her more and more, and that actually made it more difficult to write this chapter. But hey, just another day in the life of a secret faunus am I right?
Ozpin and Ironwood. These were two really difficult characters to write. I was trying to write them like they were playing off each other and working as a kind of good cop back cop routine. Honestly this entire encounter was about as unfair as it gets for RBY, Ozpin and Ironwood just ran circles around the three of them without even trying. This sort of strategy is very effective in real life, even if it's not always as obvious. Weiss is the only one with any experience that could have helped and well… We know that ain't gonna happen. I know competency is a departure from Canon, but I do hope this scene kept somewhat true to their canon characters while still showing them to competent leaders who are willing to utilize the tools at their disposal. Competent villains means we must also have competent leaders.
Alright let's get straight to the good stuff. Some good ol Blake POV. I think out of all the characters in this scene, having her perspective gives the most insight into what kinds of impact all this added White Fang involvement is having. Plus we got some of the small changes that have been made, a bit of talk about Sienna and her father, her past and facing some of the consequences for her past decisions…. There was a LOT. Funny thing we realized while writing this though, Blake really does not have any evidence other than her word. Right now she's really just the embodiment of "trust me bro", and I think that was really important to both call out and highlight that here as it's a part of canon that's really just skipped over, and is a really important part of her character growth. Realizing that she can't just talk the good talk. She had to be able to back it up as well.
Despite being a Weiss centric fic, Blake was the real star of this chapter and I am more than ok with that. I am a bit curious what y'all think about how things have progressed differently compared to canon though. Do you like the more definitive split between Adam and the White Fang? Are things progressing as you expected? We always love to hear all your thoughts, theories, guesses, questions, and all the edits we missed XD! Rest assured we will continue to respond. Yes even to your "good chapters"
A lot of work goes into making this fic as awesome as it is, so make sure to give a huge shout out to the TWO beta readers working on this fic. Shikotan (ShinraSorceress on AO3) who helps with all the editing, and Alucard45 who handles all the continuity edits/tracking and German. Both are amazing, talented and just all around awesome, so if you like this series, please check out their shit as well to support them, like comment, subscribe, you get the idea.
Also I do want to give a shout out to SirDarkvid Co-author of One Last Patch before the War, a colossal 500+k word RWBY AU. They made something really cool that I am really excited to be debuting in the next Chapter.
That's all I have right now for you. More Remnants and the finale of Arc 1 of Clipped is coming soon but until then,
Stay strong. Fly high and fly far,
Quinn signing off