Running
Blake's hand shook as she held the door for her teammates. The door closed behind them with a soft rattle of the handle and metallic click of the lock bringing with it feelings more akin to a jail cell closing than a bedroom.
Her team members were already milling around the room talking while Blake kept her back to them. Taking one last moment to compose herself for the shit storm she could feel brewing just beneath the surface.
It was pathetic. Despite knowing full well that these feelings were all in her head, that she would never find a safer place than Beacon, and that his world of fire and blood would not be able to find her here, every single survival instinct she possessed was still screaming at her to grab her duffle bag, open the door and run.
Run and never look back. Run like the coward she had shown herself to be time and time again. The coward he had branded with his blade…
Only running hadn't gotten her anywhere. The years spent moving from place to place, always leaving behind nothing but chaos and hate, fleeing with nothing to show except a long list of wronged individuals and broken hearts.
Her parents, her friends, her mentor… Adam…
It was a sickening feeling, the realization of how many people she had lost over the years. How many she had left behind. Even as her hand brushed over her buttoned vest, rubbing at the scar on her hip that served as a reminder of why she left, her mind crept back to the world she had been a part of only seven months ago.
The world of blood, revenge, and orders. So many orders it made her head. So many hurt in the pursuit of those orders. All for the good of the Faunus.
That's what he kept saying over and over. That they were the real freedom fighters. The ones brave enough to take a stand for their brethren. To wage a war against the humans who would see them thrown from the coast and put back in the work camps.
That's what she had told herself she was doing every time she worked late into the night scraping dirt and spatters of blood off her clothing and claws. Fighting for the Faunus who were too weak, too helpless, too afraid to fight for themselves. Blissfully unaware of the true impact her actions were having. The truth she realized far too late to break away cleanly…
But what about the civilians? Adam, we just saw other Faunus in the passenger cars!
Blake felt her claws extend, sharp points digging into her palms snapping her mind out of its descent, the iron cage of her slamming down on the disruptive thoughts…
She was getting better at that. Ignoring the intrusive memories and thoughts, but they were still there, lurking at the corners of her consciousness, waiting for her to slip up.
"Sooo Weiss… your sister..." Yang hesitantly broke the stalemate silence as she moved over to her side of the room. "She's ummm… nice?"
"What she is, is very good at sticking her nose where it doesn't belong." Blake could hear the frustration radiating off each word Weiss spoke. Clearly this was not the first time Winter had done something like this.
It was hard to fully make out with her bow still fixed firmly in place, but Blake was sure the heiress took a deep calming breath before sitting down on her own bunk, her eyes shifting over to Blake as she spoke, the room instantly dropping in temperature.
"However, this time it would seem she was right to do so."
Blake sighed and turned to face Weiss.
Running didn't solve anything, she knew that better than anyone, and it wasn't like she could hide who she had been forever. The fact that Weiss hadn't realized even this much the moment her name had appeared next to hers during the initiation celebration was a minor miracle in and of itself.
Yang let out a low dramatic whistle as she collapsed and removed Ember Celica, setting them on the bedside desk, before leaning herself up against the wall beside Blake and her beds, ready to intervene.
You and I are cut from the same cloth Blake. We will likely never be as strong as any of our opponents. So we must be ready to strike when the opportunity shows. That is how we will win. Using everything, all of our speed, strength, and aggression as soon as we can. Never hesitating to strike first, and when we do, striking as hard as we can.
That was a lesson drilled into Blake's and her comrades' heads. A harsh lesson maybe, but it had saved her more often than not, and was fresh in her mind given her evening of interaction.
"Weiss?" Blake stood her ground, hands on her hips, and as serious of a look as she could muster adorning her face. "You and I both know what you heard, so just spit it out."
Weiss, to her credit, was not thrown off by the change in mood. It wasn't surprising given her heritage as she was likely used to high-stakes negotiations or extensive business interactions. Ruby, however, was completely blind-sided, immediately turning to look at Blake and Weiss with a confused expression.
The Heiress in question took her time, taking off her glasses, placing them on her vanity, sitting down on her own bed, arranging her dress and legs into a more dignified manner, while quite obviously getting herself as comfortable as possible before even opening her mouth.
Clearly she was not intending on making this a quick talk, and that suited Blake just fine as she mirrored the Heiress and took a seat on her own bed. She was quite used to sitting, biding her time, waiting for the fight to come to her. If that was the kind of fight Weiss was angling for then she would be more than happy to meet her.
"Why did you lie to us about who you are?"
Whatever wind Blake had accrued in her sails by taking the initiative was instantly swept away. It was such a simple question, and yet as both Ruby and Yang turned towards the two of them with confusion clear on their faces, she instantly realized that what was supposed to be a one on one fight was now suddenly a three on one
"A bit rich coming from you don't you think?" Blake bit back, almost instantly regretting her words as both Ruby and Yang both rounded on her further. "What?! It's true! She's been lying to her father about who the team leader is!"
In retrospect, it really had been such a simple bait that Weiss had set up, and yet Blake found herself running full force into the trap's waiting jaws. The exasperated sigh and small smile Weiss let loose, betrayed exactly how badly Blake had just fucked up.
"Lying to my father so I can stay here is one thing." Weiss glared, glancing towards Ruby and Yang before pointing directly at Blake herself. "Conveniently forgetting to mention that you are the daughter of Gihra Belladonna? That's a level of dishonesty I can't even come close to Princess Belladonna."
Weiss' words echoed out through the room, the occupants stark silent.
Right up until a small snort finally escaped Ruby.
"Pf… I'm sorry… It's just the way you said that… It was so dramatic!"
Whatever spell Weiss had woven was instantly shattered by the pure unbridled laughter of Ruby as she continued to snort and chuckle, with Yang's smiles and eye roll doing little to help.
"She's kinda right yah know…" Yang spoke up, gesturing to the mostly monochrome pair. "Like that's it? Blake's parents are important? How's that any different from you Weiss?"
Blake knew she shouldn't find the sight of a baffled Weiss quite as adorable as she did, but frankly the way her mouth just dropped open at the audacity of the sisters was far too amusing.
"Important!? Her father is the current chieftain of Menagerie and the founder of the White Fang!" The indigent Heiress spat back. "And let me make this very clear Blake. The only reason I'm even giving you a chance to explain is because Winter didn't arrest you on the spot."
Whatever warmth Ruby brought back into the room was immediately swept away by the blizzard of Weiss' words. The mention of her former group immediately brought a dangerous, serious edge to the accusation to the table, despite the question of affiliation remaining unspoken.
"...Founder. He hasn't been affiliated with them for almost a decade…" Blake muttered quietly, as she quietly took in the room.
Yang's frown had not quite reached her eyes yet, and Ruby was glancing uneasily between her and Weiss, though seemed to remain at least a bit upbeat.
It wasn't great, but Blake didn't feel backed into a corner just yet.
"He also didn't want me getting affiliated with the group whatsoever." Blake bit her lip, pausing for a small moment to fully consider her next words and the potential ramifications of them. "But I won't lie to you all. I was a member for a ti-"
Weiss' gasp was like a gunshot to Blake's ears, her head snapping towards the heiress, ready to reassure her, even as the heiress used her shoe's back heel to pull her weapons case out from under her bed.
"Code Tau-"
"Weiss!"
A flash of red and Ruby was holding onto Weiss' weapon case with her other hand clamped over Weiss' mouth amidst a volley of petals that fell around them. In a different context Blake was quite sure it would make for quite a beautiful moment, but of course that was a world reserved for her fantasy novels and not the real one.
Ruby's stern voice cut through the room's silence. "She was in the middle of saying 'for a time'Weiss. Clearly, she's not a member right now. Do you think Ozpin would let you room with someone trying to kill you?"
Wrenching their leader's hand away from her, Weiss was quick to glare her down before a low hiss escaped her. "Ruby, those terrorists figured out a way to slip past the SDC screen process at one point! I doubt Beacon is nearly as secure as you think!"
Blake quickly tucked her legs under her chin, hoping the smaller profile would at least delay Weiss' budding tirade long enough for her to speak. "I'll make you a deal Weiss: you let me explain myself, and I'll tell you how they did it."
The tension bleeding off the heiress was palpable as her eyes darted around the room like a predator searching for their prey, no doubt analyzing everything from her team's posture to how Ruby was still holding Myrtenaster's case. It was frankly chilling to see how rapidly she analyzed the situation and made decisions based on what she saw.
Barely a moment passed before Weiss nodded firmly, stood up, marched over to Blake and extended an open hand. "Deal."
Apprehension washed through Blake as she tentatively took the heiress' outstretched hand, unnerved by how much power Weiss put into the shake, how seriously she was taking this entire situation, and the fact that they had even made a deal at all. The fact that Weiss very deliberately turned her back to her when walking back to her own bed, waiting silently for Blake to begin, further cemented in Blake's mind how much power their simple verbal agreement held for at least one of them. It was surreal, meaningless, and yet Blake still felt her breath hitch as she drew in her first breath.
"Weiss, the White Fang you know… It's so, so different from the one my friends and I grew up being a part of. Back then, the movement was all about peaceful protest, getting political legitimacy, and legally standing up for each other… It was only after my da- Ghira stood down that things started to shift and change." The small hitch in her words at the mention of her father brought a frown to Weiss' face, but Blake was far too focused on getting the next words out that she barely caught a flicker of it.
"Sienna Khan, my mentor, took over from Ghira. She was a lot more aggressive in her ideals and methods but even under her leadership, the Fang wasn't even close to what it is today. We sat in restaurants and hotels that wouldn't serve us, protested out in the streets and blocked traffic. The goal wasn't to hurt anyone, just to inconvenience those who stood against our call for equality… and honestly? It worked. People were actually paying attention to what we were saying..."
It hurt to talk about her past like this, but what came next was already tearing at Blake's heart. Her throat already clenched at the thought of what she had to say next.
"Then Sienna was murdered… and… and… he took over…"
The name sucking any remaining cheer from the room, leaving even Ruby frowning.
"The Brazen Bull…"
Weiss' words were as cold as her namesake, and Blake found herself shivering at the name, though for a very different reason than any of her teammates. The dull ache on her hip was a stark reminder of how close she had once been to the one of most prominent terrorists in Remnant.
You are my shadow Blake. Mine and mine alone.
"Yeah," Blake said hesitantly, breathing deeply to keep her heart rate from spiking as a flurry of unwanted memories flooded through her. "I left as soon as I realized what he was turning the Fang into."
Her words were like ash in her mouth. They were only slightly harder to swallow than the rage she had felt when Adam had first told her about Sienna's murder. That anger was even more raw now that she knew the truth. He had used her, manipulated her, lied to her. His ideals and vision. How the Fang wouldn't change under his rule. About how Sienna had been killed. He had woven a tale about how she had been stalked, tormented and killed by human Huntsmen. Hunted down and slaughtered like an animal.
The Fang will remember and reward your actions tonight Blake, I promise.
Rage had twisted her mind as she followed Adams' orders to the letter that night. She could remember every sound, every thought, every emotion as she crept through the dark and tore the throat out of the Huntsman he swore murdered her mentor. How her claws ripped through their flesh, staining her hands red. The wounds she left behind made it look like a wild animal had mauled him.
In the eyes of the humans, in their filthy minds, you're a murderer. To the faunus you are a liberator. A true freedom fighter. Your parents won't understand the greatness you have achieved tonight. You can't trust them, Blake.
Oh how Blake wished Adam had stopped there. That she had realized what he was doing right then, her thoughts descending deeper and deeper into the depths of memories that should have stayed buried in the depths of her mind.
Instead he had been there for her, had held her through the night and soothed her worries, gave her justifications and ideals to cling to. His lips caressing her as he washed away her sin in a blazing, all-consuming fire of passi-
Never forget. You are mine alone, Kitten. I'll protect you. I always have. You don't need anyone else.
Blake's knees hit the bathroom tile, hands gripping the toilet seat so tightly she could feel the tips of her claws digging into the porcelain. Nausea slammed into her as she retched up every bit of the night's food before she was entirely aware of what she was doing.
It was humiliating, yet even as tears streamed down her cheek, Blake could feel her hair being held by someone while the others audibly rushing around the room began to pull her away from the still flickering memories.
Apologies sat on the tip of her tongue, but before she could get a word out, another wave of nausea turned her world upside down.
"It's ok Blake. We got yah."
Weiss watched from the doorway as Yang slowly rubbed circles on Blake's back. Ruby rushing to pour a glass of water, Myrtenaster's case long since discarded and forgotten on the floor of their dorm room.
She should grab her sword and dial for security. Have Blaek arrested and thrown out of Beacon, maybe even go after Ozpin for his lax security, and obscene oversight in accepting a terrorist like Blake into his school.
The problem with that plan however, was that the events she had just witnessed were making it very hard to see Blake as the threat she should have been. She was a former White Fang member. She was with them when they began their war against her family and the SDC. She had probably hurt people, maybe even killed them!
'The White Fang have directly been involved with the stealing of SDC Dust shipments, countless injuries, and deaths, not to mention they claimed responsibility for shooting our grandfather. They are a bunch of terrorists and will receive no mercy from me.'
That's what she had told Whitely, the media, and her father time and time again. Now a former White Fang member was right in front of her, and Weiss found herself frozen in their bathroom doorway, watching as her… teammate… heaved, sobbed, and made an utter mess of herself after only talking about her affiliation.
Weiss desperately wanted to simply brush off what she was seeing, but she couldn't. She knew she couldn't, because Blake had been telling the truth. All through her story, Weiss had focused every single sense she possessed onto finding any fault, inconsistency, or contradiction that would make Blake's carefully constructed tower of words collapse in on itself. But it never happened, and now Weiss found herself trying to sort through her own thoughts while her teammates looked after what was, for all intents and purposes, a White Fang victim.
A former White Fang member, but also a White Fang Victim. A Faunus, the victim of the White Fang… It just– it didn't make any sense… Weiss almost couldn't believe her own eyes, but the truth was currently expelling a stream of bile into their shared toilet after having a nervous breakdown worse than the one she had before her first concert.
Ruby brushed past Weiss with a small cup of mouthwash, drawing Blake's tear-stained eyes in their direction. The sharp smell of mint hit Weiss' nose as Ruby knelt down and offered the cup to Blake.
"Don't forget to rinse," Ruby said with a comforting smile.
"Thanks," Blake croaked as she slowly grabbed the cup, slumping against the toilet before quickly rinsing her mouth out and glancing around the small room. Her confusion likely only grew as she found a very concerned pair of sisters and an oddly sympathetic Weiss looking back at her.
"What's the matter?" she chuckled weakly. "Cat got your tongues?"
"You really are something Blake," Yang chuckled back, helping the Faunus to her feet and back out to her bed while Weiss and Ruby quietly trailed behind the pair.
After the intensity of the last few minutes it felt strange to have the silence of the room be uninterrupted save for the creaking of Blake's bed as she got herself comfortable. Even the sisters were uncharacteristically quiet as they moved about the room, careful to avoid bumping anything or causing unneeded noise.
"Don't worry I know I haven't fulfilled my end of the deal…" Blake quietly lamented, frowning when Weiss couldn't bring herself to turn and fully face Faunus. "I can tell you all the details now if you want."
The open and honest sincerity on her unguarded face was more than enough to stamp out what little remained of the rage that had roared to life within Weiss the moment Blake mentioned the White Fang.
"Yoooou won't be saying anything more tonight," Ruby chided, walking leisurely out of the bathroom with a cup of water in hand. She only continued her thoughts when she reached the Faunus' bedside and handed her the water. "Sure, you haven't told us everything, but it was enough for us. Yang and I know regret when we see it. Plus, you kinda threw up from just talking about the whole White Fang bit, so it's not like you were really subtle about it…"
"Don't for a second think you're totally off the hook though. A deal was made, and I want that information," Weiss stated, sighing when Ruby and Yang both immediately glared her down. "What? If we are going to learn to trust one another this is a perfect opportunity for Blake to show us where her loyalties lie!"
"Weeeeeissssssss," Ruby whined, glaring over at the heiress, who despite the other two changing into the sleep wear, still had not changed out of her outfit from their outing.
Blake sighed, as Ruby's whine died away. "She's not wrong Ruby. Besides, I know nothing about the Schnee family outside of what the news and the White Fang told me. We both have some learning to do… "
A part of Weiss paled at the idea of having any more intimate conversations with any of her teammates, especially Blake. A larger part of her recognized that it was inevitable that they would eventually talk about her own history, even if she would have preferred a more controlled environment when doing so.
"Soooo Weiss, since Blake is not allowed to talk anymore, why don't you tell us why you lied to your dad about being team leader?" Yang's voice tore Weiss out of her own head as she whipped up to see the smug smile of the blonde brawler.
Weiss scoffed in annoyance as she glared up at Yang. "I didn't lie, and I don't feel like sharing since Blake was listening in on a private conversation."
Blake at least had the decency to look guilty, while Yang barely seemed phased as she continued to stare down at Weiss from her bed.
"However," Weiss continued with a deep sigh, "in the spirit of Blake trusting us, it would be quite hypocritical if I didn't do the same.
The absolute glee both Ruby and Yang displayed at her words would have made Weiss recoil any other day, but she soldiered on nonetheless.
"Becoming team leader was part of an agreement I made with my father. The agreement allowed me the chance to attend Beacon, and if I didn't become the team leader I wouldn't be allowed to stay."
"Oooookay." Yang held up her hands. "Sooo, ignoring for a second how completely messed up that entire situation is, how exactly is telling your dad your team leader not lying?"
"Because. I was made the Academic Leader by Ozpin." Weiss smiled, taking particular enjoyment in the plethora of expressions Yang made at her explanation. "He made it official during our meeting the first day. Not that it means much, mind you."
"What?!" Ruby practically bounced out of her seat, excitement clear on her face. "But that's so cool! Why didn't you tell us?!"
Weiss rolled her eyes. "Because it has zero impact on the team, and is for my benefit alone. Granted, it's also not too far from the truth given how much I've been hounding you all to get your homework done."
Her three teammates didn't even bother trying to refute the assessment. She was the primary reason for the team currently being in the top five for academia, and they knew it.
Nodding, Yang let out a low whistle. "Sooo your dads a bit of a control freak then."
It wasn't a question, but Weiss nodded anyway, prompting a deep breath from Yang as she glanced over to Ruby.
"Weiss?" Ruby dropped down from her own bed to the floor in front of her. "What kind of agreement did you make with him?"
The tentative manner with which the sisters worked around the topic was a bit suspicious to Weiss, but given their childhood, maybe they were simply unused to how the rest of the world worked. Agreements were a standard part of business after all, not huntsman training.
"Nothing groundbreaking I assure you." Weiss began, her eyes catching Blake as she shifted to lay on her side, watching much more intently Weiss speak. "Maintaining a high standing in academics, weekly calls, mandatory extracurricular work. Typical parental concerns. I'm sure you understand."
"So like, high standings being?" Ruby's drawn out word and shrug indicating to Weiss she should probably be a bit more detailed.
"I must maintain a position within the top three students in my graduating class," Weiss stated. A frown formed on Ruby's face as she powered on. "The main point that concerns you three however, would be ensuring none of your particular brand of hijinks land me in a media hotspot. The Schnee family reputation must be maintained after all."
"Why?"
Ruby, of course, was the one to put to words the question they were all no doubt dying to ask. Why oh why did the Schnee name matter so much?
"That…" Weiss began, taking a deep breath, "is a complicated question, with numerous answers that I frankly do not have the time or patience to fully explain right now. To keep it simple for you, if I want to take over the Schnee Dust Company someday, which I do, maintaining the family name is one of the most important requirements."
Blake nodded almost as if that was the answer she expected, while both Ruby and Yang gaped at her openly. The sisters were clearly in need of some lessons in company takeovers.
"Now. If that's all your questions for tonight then I believe it is time for bed."
Weiss stood, intent on ending the discussion there before any further questions could be dropped on her. Pain instantly lancing up her shoulders and a pained hiss escaping her before she could cover it up with any sort of groan or cough, her wings instantly cramping from the sudden change in position and being bound for far too tight for far too long.
Ruby was, predictably, the one to rush forwards first, her hands outstretched in case she needed to catch the Heiress. "Weiss! You okay?"
"Just fine thank you." Weiss gritted out, two of the harness straps twisting and digging further in as she stood back up to full height. "I'm not some porcelain doll that's going to shatter Ruby. My leg simply cramped up because I've been sitting for too long. That's all."
"Why do your scores need to improve in four months?" The question was spoken so softly, Weiss almost missed it.
Instead her eyes immediately snapped to an extremely pensive looking Blake, and glared.
"For reasons that have nothing to do with any of you," Weiss stated acidly, turning despite the pain that lanced through her, and storming towards the bathroom to change. "And you had better keep your ears to yourself next time, princess."
If there was a god, they despised team RWBY. That was the only reasonable conclusion Weiss could make when the four girls walked into combat theory the following morning and saw a plethora of familiar faces from the night before, including a very specific white and orange haired duo.
"You have got to be joking," Yang groaned, jerking her head toward Winter who stood on the combat stage talking to Glynda.
"There is no need for you to worry," Weiss assured her, despite her own heart suddenly hammering at her chest. "She will likely be focused on me. You three shouldn't have much to wor-"
"Students, would you please take your seats." Glynda's voice cut through the conversations and chatter around the room with ease as the remaining students all scrambled to their chairs.
Two very contrasting figures walked into the room as they did so, joining Winter and Penny at the front of the class.
"As you can all see, we have our first round of exchange students present today. I would like you all to welcome Penny Polendina from Atlas, Mercury Black from Mistral, and May Zedong from Vacuo. They and their respective teams will be competing in the Vytal Festival Tournament, making this an excellent opportunity for you all to learn how the different academies teach their students. Do not squander it."
"That's the guy from last night," Ruby whispered loudly to Weiss, pointing towards Mercury who looked less than pleased to be the center of attention compared to the other two.
Penny was predictably busy waving and greeting everyone around her, while the other girl lazily propped herself up with a large axe, fiddling with her beanie.
"Now do we have any volunteers?" Glynda's clipped voice sparked a flurry of hands being raised.
"Miss Belladonna."
Weiss felt her head snapping to her left where Blake sat with her hand raised just below Yang's.
"It's quite refreshing to see you volunteering for a change. And who are you challenging?"
"Weiss Schnee."