Chapter 13: An Unlikely Lawyer
"Hey, Yang! Good news: none of mine are missing. Eggs, I mean." Ruby's bright voice faltered. "Silver lining more than good news, with some of yours missing. Call me back when you get this message, and please don't tell me what you were busy with if it was anything to do with bedroom stuff or wherever else you and Blake do it. I really, really, don't wanna know." She sighed. "Why am I leaving a voice message? Because I tried to call you and you didn't pick up, I guess. And now it's awkward. I should've just typed this out… Love you, bye."
Curled up in bed with Blake snuggled up behind her, Yang hit the dial button on her scroll. She double-checked to make sure it was voice call only; they were under a blanket, but Ruby would be able to guess they weren't wearing anything under it if she saw them. Yang could be merciful to her little sister… sometimes.
"Hello," Ruby said. "And I don't want to know why this isn't a video call, do I."
Blake chuckled. "No, you don't. Hi Ruby."
"Hello!" Yang said. "I'm taking pity on you with voice only. And great to hear about your eggs, that's definitely good news. But if I were you I'd move them somewhere safer."
"I was going to do that anyway after what happened to yours. Any idea where to move them to? I don't have a lot of time to do my own research, I have a mission to get to by the end of the day." Ruby groaned.
"How about the clinic where Blake keeps hers?" Yang suggested. "It would mean a trip to Menagerie, but they've managed to safely store hers."
"I don't suppose you could handle it for me?" Ruby's voice was much the same tone as it would be when using puppy eyes; slightly higher pitched.
"Considering they wouldn't tell me if your eggs were safe? I don't think they'll allow it without a contract signed in blood."
"Maybe Dad could do it…"
"Maybe. He should have permission already, but it might take a while for him to find the time to do it." Yang tried not to sound resentful. From the way Blake's arms tightened around her, she hadn't entirely succeeded.
"He's busy. Teaching, field trips, marking homework… it's a demanding job." Ruby's defence sounded half hearted, but she had to resent the long hours of Tai's job as much as Yang did. Even if Yang had tried her best to shoulder the burden of housework back before Beacon, she hadn't been able to do everything. And nothing could take the place of quality time with their Dad. How rare it was made it all the more precious.
"Yeah," Yang agreed. Her voice came out flat. Blake kissed her shoulder.
"I'll figure out something else, don't worry about it. You've got enough to deal with. How'd things go with the midwife?" Ruby asked.
"Fine, she seems just as competent as Doc, maybe even more so. I'll be seeing her with Blake next time."
Blake nodded against Yang's shoulder. "Definitely. My parents can find someone else if this would happen again, I won't miss another."
"Good, I like knowing you and the Bumblebaby are being taken care of. I'll let Weiss know too—What?" Ruby cut herself off, and Weiss's muffled voice came through the scroll's speaker, too far away from the microphone for Yang to be sure what was being said. "Sorry Yang, Blake, gotta go, talk later, bye!" The words ran together, and the call cut off. It took Yang a moment to parse what Ruby had probably said, and insert the commas.
"I guess something came up. Maybe that mission she had to get to later," Blake suggested.
"Yeah. I just wish we could be there too, with our team. I miss it."
"Me too. But we have other priorities now." Blake stroked Yang's belly. The Bumblebaby moved within her, although Blake didn't seem to feel it. Yang would've felt a reaction from her with Blake pressed against her back.
Perhaps in a few more weeks the baby would have grown enough for the wriggling to be felt from outside too. Come to think of it, babies were infamous for kicking within the womb, so Yang had that to look forward to as well. She just hoped it wouldn't disturb her sleep even more. There'd be plenty of sleep deprivation after the kid was born… for Blake too. Maybe the aunts and grandparents would be able to give them a break sometimes, if milk could be—
"Yang?"
Oh, right. Blake had said something else a few seconds ago, after the thing about the Bumblebaby being their priority. Yang's brain just hadn't quite caught up.
"Sorry, what was that?"
Blake kissed her shoulder again. "I asked if you'd thought any more about what you'd like to do while being an active huntress isn't an option. Not that you've had much time since the topic came up this morning, and it doesn't really matter until after our maternity leave is over."
Yang suppressed a flicker of irritation; Blake was being careful with her words, annoyingly so. But it was only because of Yang's hormones being such a mess. If things were back to normal, Blake wouldn't feel the need to tread on eggshells like that.
"Did you need me to repeat it again?" Blake asked.
"No. I know my focus isn't the best at the moment, but it's better than that." Yang did her best to keep her irritation out of her voice. "No, I haven't thought about it, I've been a bit occupied with other things."
Blake pressed another kiss to her bare skin. "That's fine, we have time."
"For now I'm going to try to tackle that excuse for an egg storage company."
"You mean more than removing your eggs?"
"Yeah: sue them, get the word out. They don't get to keep this quiet." Yang clenched her fists at the thought of it happening to someone else. Not everyone had the time to drag a company through the courts, or the money come to that. Hm. Money… "I think I need to talk to your parents." It wasn't like Tai had the money for a lawyer. Raven might have, but she didn't exactly have any experience with legal matters. The Belladonnas did, with part of the White Fang's work being supporting faunus with legal cases.
Blake nodded, jaw brushing against Yang. "They'll want to help. And you're right, that company can't get away with this. I know Weiss would help, but…"
"She hasn't been rich for years."
"The fall of Atlas, then what was left of the Schnee fortune being used for reparations to SDC mine workers." Blake sounded proud. As she should; it had been Weiss's idea. Lien couldn't bring back those who had died, but it could make life easier for the survivors.
Yang made the call to Kali. Voice only again, for much the same reason as with Ruby, although more for self defence because Kali would tease them mercilessly rather than being revolted.
"Of course we'll support you, either with one of our own legal team, or someone they can recommend based in Vale." Kali sounded oddly reluctant, despite her words.
"Kali? Is something wrong?"
"No, just… I'm sorry this is necessary. It shouldn't be."
"It's not your fault." Yang sighed. "It's not really Dad's fault either, for all that he should have told me."
"What didn't he tell you?"
"The company contacted him after noticing the missing eggs. He didn't want to worry me."
"I see," Kali said. "That might complicate suing them. But you'd have to talk to a lawyer to be sure, I don't know Vale's laws well enough."
"Even if the case ends up dismissed for whatever reason, I want this to hit the news."
Kali hummed. "Which it will with your name attached. You're not as famous as your sister, but you're still part of team RWBY, perhaps the most famous team of huntresses."
"I don't want what happened to my eggs to happen to anyone else, especially if they don't have the connections to… y'know…" Yang trailed off with a yawn. It had been a long day, and she'd be tired anyway without doing anything else. No thanks to the Bumblebaby draining her.
Blake stroked her back. "I think it's the right thing to do."
"So do I," Kali agreed. "It's noble, much as I know you won't think of it that way, Yang. I just have to ask: are you sure you want the stress? You're already under more than enough, and not every news channel will be sympathetic. By the time it comes to court, you may well have a baby and the sleep deprivation that goes with it."
"I can take it."
"You shouldn't have to." Kali sounded sad. If Yang could see her, chances were her cat ears would be pinned back. "I'll make sure you have the best lawyer for the case. Don't worry about paying them, it's the least Ghira and I can do."
"Thanks. I appreciate it, I'd hate to let that company get away with it."
"They won't," Kali stated. "At the very least, they'll get bad press and have to pay compensation. Just consider settling out of court if they offer that."
"I'll think about it." It'd feel like giving up, but Yang could see the wisdom if the company's reputation had suffered enough damage by then. Especially if Kali was right about the time it might take for the case to get in front of a judge. She'd probably be allowed to bring the Bumblebaby with her, but it wasn't what she wanted. Her baby deserved her undivided attention, and she could do without being distracted in court. "Thanks again."
"Anytime. Ghira will be sorry to have missed you as well as Blake earlier." Kali's voice was warm. It reminded Yang of Summer, making tears sting at her eyes for the second time that day.
Yang cleared her throat. "I'm sorry too. But we'll see you both soon. Dinner in a few days, right?"
"That's right. And feel free to drop by if you're bringing your remaining eggs to the clinic keeping Blake's safe. Stay, even. Ghira will make waffles."
"Will do." Ghira had learned to make waffles just because he knew she liked them. They were so good too… Mmm, waffles. With custard, because Yang's cravings were kicking in. She should probably be grateful the craving wasn't for mustard.
"Bye, Mom," Blake said. She waited until Kali said it too, then reached over to end the call.
"Hey, I hadn't—" A jaw cracking yawn cut Yang off.
"You need a nap. Relax while I get dinner ready." Blake slipped out of bed and dressed.
"But—" Yang yawned again.
Blake leaned down and kissed her. "Sleep." She tucked Yang in, tugging the blanket a little higher and more snugly around her.
Yang made a muffled sound of protest and leaned her head back until her mouth was above the blanket. "Blake!"
"It's my turn anyway, and with all your yawning you'll end up dozing off on the couch. Better that you do it here."
Yang grumbled, but let her eyes slide shut. She'd give it a try for a few minutes, then go join Blake. Just a… few…
As far as Blake could tell, Yang was doing better for having a nap the day before. She'd have to try to get Yang to have them more often, maybe by bribing her with snuggling. So long as a nap was Yang's idea, she'd have it with no argument, even inviting Blake to join her. Hm, maybe that was the best way to get Yang to cooperate: give in to temptation for a nap herself and ask Yang to sleep with her. They could order in dinner instead if need be.
Not that today was a good one for a nap, apart from on the airships to and from Menagerie, and sleeping in seats wasn't the same as snuggled up together in their bed. Besides, they couldn't both nap, not with precious cargo to guard. Blake laid a hand on the case containing Yang's frozen eggs. It felt cold to the touch, a good sign that the Ice Dust was still doing its job.
Yang sighed. She looked troubled. "I scared him, didn't I?"
"Do you mean the receptionist, or the security guy at the air docks who thought we were smuggling something?"
"The receptionist." Yang paused. "Oh, right. The security guy who was so suspicious of my case, and then the Bumblebaby bump, of all things! I definitely scared him. But he had it coming." She scowled, eyes red.
Blake took her hand and stroked it. "He did."
"The receptionist didn't. He just works at that incompetent company."
Blake lifted her hand to kiss it. "He was okay once he saw me there with you. I think it also meant a lot to him that you apologised."
"Yeah. I still feel a bit bad about it." Yang looked out the window at the ocean far below.
Blake put an arm around her. "All you can do is try your best to treat people right, and at the moment you've got whatever that pregnancy hormone is complicating things."
"Progesterone, I think Doc said." Yang got her scroll out. Blake looked away, much as she was curious about what Yang was doing. If Yang wanted her to know, she'd tell her. That was what they'd agreed. "Yeah. That's it. Stupid hormone. And I get to escape it in… three and a half months? Maybe? Doc was a bit vague, they said birth could be sooner or later than that. They're not exactly sure how far along I am, but estimated week twenty two now."
Blake tapped her fingers on Yang's thigh, trying to figure out how many months that was. About four weeks in a month, so… Oh. She was making this harder than it needed to be. Pregnancy lasted about nine months, so minus three and a half months… Yang was around five and a half months in. Probably.
"That tickles." Yang laid a hand over Blake's fingers on her leg.
"Sorry. I'll be sure to do it deliberately next time." Blake moved her other arm, fingers twitching against Yang's side.
Yang stifled a yelp. "Blake!" She pocketed her scroll and turned her head to give Blake a dangerous glance. "Which of us is the more ticklish?"
A rhetorical question, especially when it came to Blake's upper ears. "…I'll be good."
Yang hummed sceptically.
"I will! Would I lie to you?" Blake tried not to smile. She failed.
"A tiny little lie for fun? Yes. You would." Yang poked her cheek, right in the dimple from her smile.
"Maybe you shouldn't make being bad so rewarding for me."
Yang blushed. "Uh. I can't do that tonight if we stay with your parents."
Blake's own cheeks burned, and her upper ears flattened against her head. Definitely not something she wanted to risk them overhearing. "Something to look forward to when we're home."
Yang gave Blake her reward when they got home the next day. By that point Yang wasn't sure if it was for being bad or good, but she knew her wife had earned every last teasing touch. Or would do by next time, and then it'd be Yang's turn to be on the receiving end… She couldn't wait.
After lunch they went outside; the garden was in desperate need of some taming. Hopefully they wouldn't kill anything apart from weeds, although at this rate Yang would have to get her dad to visit. She might have to ask him to bring some replacement plants too, Yang was pretty sure the weeds had won the battle in places.
"Is this a weed or something we want?" Blake asked, pointing.
Yang leaned closer. She poked it dubiously, keeping her touch gentle just in case they wanted it. "I don't know? Probably a weed. Lemme take a pic and send it to Dad." She also checked the time in the process. "He'll probably be working, I doubt he'll be able to reply before the end of the school day. It'll take even longer if he needs to look it up. Leave it for now."
Her scroll buzzed. Yang blinked, checking her notifications. Something from Kali, saying that she'd found a lawyer based in Vale, and that she'd passed on Yang's details. He'd apparently give her a call soon. Sure enough, almost as soon as Yang finished reading Kali's message to Blake, her scroll rang. A private number… She could always block it if it wasn't the lawyer.
"I'll take this inside, you finish up out here," Yang said, kissing Blake.
"If you're sure."
Yang nodded. "We'll never get the weeding done if we keep getting distracted." She walked inside, closed the door, and accepted the call right before the answerphone would've kicked in. "Hello?"
"Hey, Blondie." The voice was familiar.
Yang's eyes narrowed. "Mercury." The name came out as a growl. With any luck she wasn't within range of Blake's sensitive cat ears. She could handle Mercury on her own.
Mercury's face appeared as he switched to video. His face was unusually serious, and he was wearing a smart suit, complete with a dark grey tie. "Don't hang up, your cat mom-in-law hired me. You wanted a lawyer, right? Something to do with… stolen or missing frozen ovum stored by a specialist company." His eyes moved as if reading that last line. It sounded so weird for him to be using words like that, almost like he'd swallowed a textbook.
Yang almost dropped her scroll. "You're a lawyer?"
"Passed the bar last year, won a fair few cases, landed a junior partnership. If you want to know more, I can send you my credentials."
"I think seeing is believing, and you can never be too careful." Yang belatedly added: "No offence."
"None taken." Mercury sent across some files, and sure enough, he was an accredited lawyer. He also included the proof that Kali hired him. Yang quickly checked with Kali that she'd hired a Mr M Black.
Yang ran a hand through her hair, and tried not to sound too bemused. "Huh. I didn't think you liked reading, and there's a lot of that involved with being a lawyer, isn't there?"
"I've come a long way since comic books were the only things I read. Besides, what else was I gonna do? Be a huntsman? I don't think so. I earn a lot more as a lawyer, and I've had enough of fighting." Mercury cocked his head. "That said, I wouldn't say no to a rematch against you. After you've had the kid and are fighting fit again."
"No Emerald involved, and you're on."
Mercury looked wounded. "Hey, if it was up to me, Em wouldn't have been messing with your head either time. I can take you."
"Uhuh, sure you can. But in the unlikely event you harm a hair on my head, you might want to bear in mind that Blake will murder you."
Mercury swallowed audibly. "Not that she scares me or anything, but maybe we should make it a fight with water pistols or something. Laser tag? We could even do that while you're preggers."
"Maybe. By the way, how do you know I'm pregnant?" So far it hadn't hit the news, at least not to Yang's knowledge. It wasn't a video call on her end, and even if it was, he wouldn't be able to see her belly.
"Em told me." He paused long enough to make it rude. Mercury may have defected from Salem in time to do some good, but he was still Mercury. "Congrats, I guess."
"Thanks." Yang put as much sincerity into her voice as he had; very little.
"Nothing personal, Blondie. Kids just aren't my thing. Even this case is pushing it, but the money's good. Tell me what you know."
Yang filled him in on everything she could remember. Including the illegal parts. She had to ignore the fact this was Mercury, the jerk, and focus on the fact he was apparently qualified for the job at hand. But he couldn't do it if he was left in the dark. Ugh. Why couldn't it have been just about anyone else? Fucking Mercury!
Mercury laughed. "We're definitely keeping it quiet that your mother and Ilia Amitola were involved. That wouldn't help your case at all, and Em would murder me if Ilia ended up behind bars and I could've prevented it."
"I know. And yeah, we wouldn't want that." Yang tried to sound like she meant it, and reminded herself that Blake wouldn't like it if Ilia got in trouble. "I just know you're supposed to be completely honest with your lawyer."
"Good girl," Mercury drawled.
"Say that again and I'll steal your prosthetics."
"Hey, I didn't steal yours even when I had the opportunity!" Mercury protested.
"Good boy." Yang took great pleasure in using the same tone she used with Zwei.
Mercury shuddered. "Okay, okay, I get your point. I won't call you that. Back to business: anything else?"
Yang sighed, and told him about Tai's actions.
Mercury whistled. "This may be a waste of your time and your cat mom-in-law's—"
"Don't call her that," Yang growled.
He rolled his eyes, continuing right where he'd been interrupted. "—Kali Belladonna's money after your old man accepted compensation like that. I'm fine with taking it to court and finding out if the judge dismisses the case, but you might not be."
"The company hasn't paid the compensation yet."
Mercury grinned, not unlike a shark. "They will by the time I'm finished with them." He gestured towards himself with his thumbs, full of self confidence.
"I also want people to know this company can't be trusted."
Mercury shrugged. "Easy enough once the press notices your name attached to the case." He frowned. "Chances are they'll notice you're knocked up. This might backfire on you, Blondie. There's people out there who still hate you, and some of the press are hostile to huntresses in general. They might accuse you of wasting valuable court time, that this case doesn't matter when you're pregnant anyway."
"So be it. I need the word to get out to other customers of this company," Yang stated. It wasn't like Mercury could see her, but she still gave him a dirty look. "It's hardly the first time I've been on the receiving end of bad press."
He winced. "Tell you what, Blondie. I mean, Yang. If they bring up what happened in the Vytal tournament all those years ago, the way the worst of the press like to revisit old scandals I wouldn't be surprised… I'll make sure the truth comes out now coverage isn't crippled by the CCT being down."
"Won't that put you and Emerald at risk?"
"Not legally, we got pardoned for everything we'd done while on Salem's side. As for bad press, we can handle that." He smirked. "The ladies love a bad boy anyway."
"And Emerald?"
"Pretty sure they love a bad girl too, and Em doesn't care what strangers think of her," Mercury scoffed.
"Just as well," Yang muttered. "Is that everything?"
"For now. I'll get the paperwork filled in and submitted to the judge, and then we wait. It could take over a year to come to court. This isn't the sort of case that'll get expedited." He looked down, fingers tapping at what was probably a keyboard on a computer. Mercury's brow creased, and he looked up at the camera. "Do these stolen eggs of yours have anything to do with you being pregnant?"
Yang almost choked. That Mercury jumped to that conclusion meant others would too. Had Tai? Kali? Ghira? She really, really hoped not. If they had, chances were they hadn't asked to avoid upsetting her. And if they hadn't suspected yet, they might start to wonder if, say, news channels asked that awkward question too.
"Yang?" Mercury sounded as close to concerned as he got.
"I don't know." She took a steadying breath. "And the last thing I want is for mine and Blake's parents to ask that."
"That sort of thing might be included in negative press coverage of this case."
"I know," Yang snapped.
Mercury tutted. "Temper, temper. I'm trying to do my job and help you."
"Sorry. I'm moody at the moment, no thanks to hormones."
"S'okay. And I bet no thanks to apparently not knowing how you came to be pregnant too."
"It's true," Yang growled.
Mercury held up his hands in a pacifying gesture. "Just going off what you've said."
"You'd better believe it, and you'd better keep it to yourself too."
He nodded. "Strictly confidential, you're my client, even the Belladonnas won't hear anything and they're the ones paying me. Bearing in mind you don't want your folks to know, are you sure you want to sue, uh…" Mercury squinted at something off camera. "Precious Eggses?"
"Just call them 'the company,' not that stupid name."
Mercury snorted. "With pleasure, but I'll have to use the name in the paperwork and in court. If you're really sure you want to risk your parents hearing shit like that on the news."
Yang grimaced. "No, but I already said need people to know the company can't be trusted. I haven't changed my mind." At least no news channel would be able to prove it.
"Good, for me at least. Later, Yang. I'll be in touch." He hung up.
While she remembered, Yang sent a message to Kali, letting her know that Mercury had contacted her, and thanking her again for her support. That done, she let her scroll fall and dropped her face into her hands, groaning.
Blake came in a few minutes later and found her like that. "Yang?" She laid a hand on Yang's back, fingers tangling in her hair in the process.
"I'm okay." Yang lifted her head and met Blake's worried eyes. "Really. Just… ugh. Mercury's my lawyer."
"Mercury?! Are you sure you don't want a different one? If Mom had any idea…"
"She'd never have hired him if she'd known I don't like him. But if he's as good a lawyer as he's supposed to be, it's worth putting up with him." Yang sighed. "He wasn't that bad. Part of why you found me like that is the way he figured out how I probably ended up pregnant, just by knowing about the missing eggs and my pregnancy. And if he can do it…"
"Oh." Blake's cat ears flattened. "Others will too after the case becomes public. Which it will if it ends up in court."
"It doesn't change anything. The company needs to pay, and a court case is the best way I can think of to make it hit the news."
Blake grimaced. "I don't like it, but it's your choice. You know I'll support you no matter what."
"I don't like it either, but it's still the right thing to do. Too bad we can't stop our parents from hearing nasty rumours."
Blake managed a weak smile. She stroked Yang's cheek and leaned in to kiss her. "You always try to do the right thing, even when it's hard. That's one of the many things I love about you."
Yang kissed her back. It gave her something to smile about. "You may have mentioned that before. Once or twice." She winked.
"I should tell you why I love you more often."
"Right back at you."
Blake blinked. "I know you love me."
"So do I, but it's still nice to hear, right?"
Blake's cat ears perked up. "Right." Her smile, while still small, widened, her eyes warm. A rather different sort of warmth to Kali's. Yang wondered if it would be too much to suggest another round in the bedroom… Maybe they were just making up for that dry patch when she'd been plagued by morning sickness. Or maybe she just couldn't get enough of Blake. Or both? More than one thing could be true.
"I love you," they chorused, grinning at each other.
"And I want you." Blake's words came out in a sultry purr. Golden eyes flicked between Yang and the bedroom door and back. "Ideally in bed."
Yang's grin widened. "Insatiable!"
Blake smirked, raising an eyebrow. "I was talking about napping together. You're the insatiable one."
"Uhuh, sure I am."
They did more than just nap.
The company Yang refused to name tried to settle out of court the moment they received the relevant paperwork. It seemed they really didn't want to risk negative press.
"I'm guessing you don't want to take them up on their offer yet?" Mercury's drawl made it clear he remembered their first conversation.
"Not yet. They don't get to keep this quiet before the press notices anything."
"They don't need to know I've been in touch. All contact that company has with you goes through me now, and I'm a very busy guy. We'll talk again after at least one news channel has picked this up. Later, Yang - I really am busy."
It was a weird feeling not being at odds with Mercury, but it was hardly the first time. She was reminded of Vacuo, when he set up Tyrian and switched sides, a stunt that almost got Mercury killed. Tyrian alone was dangerous to cross, and Salem? Yang still had nightmares about facing her: both times. Especially the second, with her team to worry about. It wasn't that she didn't care about Ren, Nora, Jaune and Oscar, or even Emerald, but… her team were her family.
Yang took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to let the memories go as she did. She could do without being haunted by those recurring nightmares about Salem, especially with more than enough bad dreams related to her pregnancy still disturbing her sleep.
Most news channels picked up on the case within a week, and the rest of them in quick succession. That meant being bothered by reporters, although the decent ones at least left her alone after an interview.
"Kali had a point about the stress," Yang grumbled to Blake.
"This was still the right thing to do." Blake held her close, stroking her back. "The company can't bury this, and they're losing business."
"Yeah. That's something to hold on to when some of the reporters turn on me, because nothing sells news like hate."
Blake clicked her tongue. "You'd think they'd avoid stirring up negative emotions rather than risk drawing Grimm, but apparently not."
"There's going to be some busier huntresses and huntsmen. I hope no harm comes because of this. If it does—"
"No," Blake snapped. "Don't even think about it. I know where you're going with that, and It won't be your fault. It'll be on the news channels stirring up trouble."
Yang rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Mind reader."
"No, I just know you, and your hormones make you think the worst things."
Yang winced. "If they even let me think at all. My emotions just take over…"
"You did well with the interviews. Cut yourself some slack. Now, no more looking at news today."
"But there isn't even any bad stuff yet!" Yang protested.
"I don't care. You've done enough. Please, no more scrolls for the day, apart from messaging family and friends."
Yang couldn't resist those golden eyes, certainly not when they looked at her so pleadingly. Zwei had nothing on Blake.
The next day, Blake put a hand over Yang's on the TV remote before she could turn it on.
"Would you leave watching the news to me? Weiss warned me it's not good."
Yang sighed. "Blake… you can't protect me from this. Even if you stop me seeing it on scroll or TV, these vultures are the sort to come here in person, looking for a reaction."
"They'll get one," Blake growled. Gambol Shroud appeared in her hands, unsheathed. Yang suspected she'd swapped places twice with a shadow clone to retrieve her weapon, faster than Yang could blink.
Yang reached out and gently made her lower her weapon. "I have a better idea, one that won't end with bailing you out of jail."
Blake gave her a knowing look. "I think we both know you wouldn't leave me to fight alone."
Yang laughed. "Fine, one that won't end with Ruby or Weiss having to bail us both out."
"Go on. What's your idea?"
"Get my lawyer to talk to the reporters for me. Besides, depending on how far back the parasites go digging for their story… If it includes the Vytal tournament, Mercury promised to give them the truth."
Blake stared. "Won't that backfire on him? And on Emerald."
"He seems to think they can take it, maybe even benefit from it."
"How?"
Yang shrugged. "Something about girls liking a bad boy. And a bad girl in Emerald's case."
Blake shook her head. "It's their choice. I'll think better of them if they really do it, presuming it's necessary." Gambol Shroud disappeared, and she lifted the TV remote. "Let's see how bad it is."
"Together."
Blake wrapped an arm around her. "Together."
Yang put her hand over Blake's on the TV remote and turned it on.
"—exclusive from our Vale correspondent, whose identity has been hidden for their own protection… for reasons that will become clear. Their report has been read by an actor, right here, right now!"
The view on the TV switched from the excitable host to a darkened room, with a shadowy figure in front of the camera.
"Hello Remnant!"
Yang's eyes narrowed at the distinctive deep voice. She had a bad feeling about this, especially after Weiss's warning. If it was as 'not good' as Weiss said, she'd have to stop watching anything with that actor in, because fuck him for taking this job.
"I speak for a brave reporter, as seen in this room, who only hides their identity for the safety of their loved ones. They have been investigating Huntress Yang Xiao Long, who as reported yesterday is suing the fertility preservation company Precious Eggses."
Yang grumbled under her breath at the stupid name.
"What no other news channel has dared to report sheds new light on this case: Xiao Long is pregnant! Yet she's suing over missing frozen eggs… We must ask why! Her pregnancy means her missing eggs do not matter. This is a waste of precious court time and money!"
"Let me turn it off?" Blake murmured.
"No, I think we need to know what's being said about me." Yang would have said more, but a live broadcast couldn't be paused, at least not on this TV.
"—must also ask if those missing eggs are actually the reason Xiao Long is pregnant, and if she stole them herself! Her character is questionable, as seen here, during the Vytal tournament just before the fall of Beacon ten years ago."
Of course they replayed the old footage. Of all the things to survive from the fall… maybe because the recording had been inside Amity Colosseum, and that only suffered superficial damage back then. Unlike poor Penny's first body.
"See how she attacked that defenceless boy after breaking his Aura? My sources say she claimed he was the one to attack her! Yang Xiao Long is a liar as well as being dangerously violent, that or outright unhinged and hallucinated an attack. Framing this company by stealing her own eggs wouldn't be beyond her either way. Furthermore…"
Blake went rigid against her. "How dare they," she breathed. They didn't miss anything this time in the dramatic pause, the shadowy figure gesturing with a sweep of an arm, finger pointing accusingly.
"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree! Xiao Long's mother is the infamous bandit wanted by the Kingdom of Mistral, Raven Branwen. That poor boy was lucky to escape alive during the tournament, and now, this reporter fears for the consequences of speaking the truth!"
"That's enough," Blake growled.
AN:
Coming up next: that appointment with Midwife Upland, and the baby shower. I know it's what I said was coming last time, but it should happen next chapter. Really. So long as nothing else ambushes me. No legal stuff or lawyers were intended to be in this fic, but Yang had other ideas and insisted on suing that company.
Comments much appreciated, it helps me keep writing.