Chapter 8: To Catch A Cat Part 1

"I heard you are going to be next."

"Ah yeah, do you remember the…well…"

"Not me personally, but a little birdie woke up and saw something he shouldn't have."

"Oh, so Qrow also…! Wait, oh yeah, haha…my aunt too, well, that…"

"Back to my question, you are supposed to be next?"

"I was. Stuff happened, and now I'm not anymore."

"Care to elaborate?"

"He's not with me anymore. He left me for a girl."

Ozpin blinked. Well, that's new.

"Why is he with a girl?"

"We have no idea."

Ozpin straightened up and looked at Emerald, who had an anxious look on her face. "Now, about this woman in front of me."

"She left her abusive girlfriend and helped me escape," answered Oscar. "That said, I called her to make sure she isn't, ah, gossiping about me."

"Do you trust her?"

"I'm…not sure, but she's not with her girlfriend now so she shouldn't be influenced by her at least. Not anymore."

Ozpin tapped a finger on the table.

"Hm, as exciting as this is, I'm sure you can tell me better in person," he said. Oscar had been very good at keeping their conversation casual and revealing as little information as possible, but talking over an unsecure connection was still highly dangerous. Even within his inner circle where they had an encrypted network, they had to avoid certain words when talking online, just in case.

"Yeah," agreed Oscar. "That would be better, yeah."

"Alright, I will have someone fetch you. Are you still on your farm?"

"No, we're at your house. You don't mind, right?"

"My– ah, no, no. That is better. Will two weeks from now be fine?"

"That's okay, but are you fine waiting that long? We have a lot to talk about."

"Yes, they've already told me the basics," said Ozpin. "You and your friends should spend this time to rest, Winter will meet you there in two weeks. "

"Oh, Winter! Did she join the group too?"

"Yes."

"Cool! Pun not intended. She's cold, pun intended, but she's also nice when you get to know her. You'll like her, I think."

"I will, I'm sure. Now, I believe I have a thief to interview. Stay safe."

"Tell her good luck. And yeah, you too."

Ozpin gave Emerald her scroll back and looked at her pointedly. The woman shrunk further under his gaze.

"You're hired," he said finally.

Emerald's eyes widened.

"Sir, that's it?" She and Professor Goodwitch said at the same time. The two women looked at each other in surprise before turning their heads toward the headmaster, who sipped on his hot chocolate.

"Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer," Ozpin said. "Perhaps you are familiar with the phrase?"

Emerald furrowed her brow, but nodded. "I assume you want to know what Salem is planning?" she asked.

Goodwitch slapped her riding crop. Emerald glanced at her briefly before turning back to Ozpin.

"You know about her?" asked Ozpin. He lowered his mug to the table.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"It wouldn't be the first time Salem used pawns in our little game without them knowing of her true nature," replied Ozpin.

"Like you?"

Goodwitch growled. "You have a lot of nerve–"

"It's alright, Glynda." Ozpin stopped her with a raised hand. "I know what I have done in the past, and what I'm trying to avoid in the future."

He looked at Emerald. "However, I am not planning to destroy the world, Miss Sustrai, remember that."

Emerald closed her eyes.. "Yeah, that's why I quit. I'm a thief, not a murderer."

She paused, remembering Tukson. "Well, mostly not a murderer. The point is, Salem's bad news, and I wanted out."

"I'm glad you realized that," said Ozpin. "And what can you tell us about her plans?"

Emerald took a breath and steeled herself. "I don't know how useful this information is going to be now that I'm no longer with them, but a woman named Cinder Fall…" Her lips shook when she said Cinder's name."...is planning to kill the Fall Maiden."

Finally, Blake was in range of the CCT. A wave of relief, but also nervousness, washed over her. She could feel herself slowly going insane as she pretended to be okay after what has to be the most vivid dream of all time. Even after a few days, the things she remembered from the dream wouldn't leave her head, almost as if she experienced them personally.

She clutched the scroll in her pocket. It would not be long now until she can get some answers.

Life in the White Fang was difficult. Always constantly moving. Always in danger of sudden military and SDC raids. Moving between kingdoms has always been the most difficult part of life on the move. So far away from civilization, a single mistake can be deadly.

Already Blake's group had lost a few people either through Grimm or accidents.

Thankfully, Vale was near, evidenced by the single bar of signal that Blake was able to see on her scroll.

As they were setting up camp, Blake excused herself to go to the makeshift bathroom. She wrinkled her nose at the smell, but put up with it.

With trembling fingers and her mind close to breaking down, she opened her scroll's chat function and formed a new chat group with a name that had suddenly become very prominent in her memories.

Blake Belladonna: Yang? It's me, Blake.

A few seconds passed, Blake gripping the scroll like her life depended on it.

Thankfully, she did not have to wait long.

Yang Xiao Long: Blaaaaaaaaaaaaake!

She couldn't hear Yang's voice. She couldn't risk calling someone, but just seeing her partner's reply caused her to let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding.

It was like a giant weight had been lifted off Blake's shoulders. The name in her dream had been real!

She took a deep breath to calm her trembling lip. Right now, she did not care what was going on, only that Yang was real and she was here.

Yang Xiao Long: Thank the Brothers, you're here with us!

Yang Xiao Long: Are you okay?!

Yang Xiao Long: Where are you?!

Blake Belladonna: Somewhere just outside Vale. You're Yang, right? I wasn't dreaming?

Yang Xiao Long: Of course you weren't, you stupid cat! Wait, hold on.

Blake should have been offended by that, but somehow she wasn't. Instead she found it endearing.

Yang Xiao Long added Ruby Rose and Weiss Schnee to the chat

Yang Xiao Long changed her nickname to BurnBabyBurn

BurnBabyBurn changed Blake Belladonna's nickname to LittleBlackBow

Blake smirked when she saw her nickname.

'Only Yang,' she thought as she shook her head. 'Only Yang.'

BurnBabyBurn changed Weiss Schnee's nickname to Schneetzel

BurnBabyBurn: Guys, look who I found!

Ruby Rose: Blake, oh my gods, you're here!

Ruby Rose changed her nickname to Cookies

Schneetzel: Really, Yang?

Schneetzel changed her nickname to Bluesong

Bluesong: Hold on. Sorry Blake, can you tell us something only the four of us should know?

Blake rolled her eyes. Leave it to Weiss to be the only one worried about identity theft.

LittleBlackBow: Does the talking Grimm count? Or that time I found you eating the last three cookies out of the cookie jar in–

Bluesong: Yes, you are truly Blake! Now quiet!

Cookies: Weiss, that was you?! I gave Oscar and Jaune so much flack for that!

BurnBabyBurn: That's my girl. ;)

Bluesong: …I'll send you a box from this pastry shop I know.

Cookies: Bribe accepted.

Blake let out a giggle. Past or future, her team hasn't changed.

LittleBlackBow: So, why are we in the past?

Ruby explained Oscar and the exploding whale, and Jaune's theory as to why.

LittleBlackBow: That's a bit hard to believe.

Cookies: We almost can't believe it either. Jaune's going to Mistral now to look for Oscar, after he's done helping out his sister in Argus. We're hoping Oscar can have a better explanation about all this.

BurnBabyBurn: So Blake, how soon can you join us?

Blake hesitated. She was in the past, in the perfect position to influence Adam and perhaps make the White Fang a peaceful organization much earlier than before.

Her thoughts turned to Adam, no doubt looking for her right now; she's been in the toilet for a while.

LittleBlackBow: I'm not sure.

Bluesong: As I expected.

BurnBabyBurn: For once we agree, ice queen.

Blake sent her scroll a questioning look, bemused.

LittleBlackBow: Am I really that predictable?

Bluesong: You are.

Cookies: We're here to support you, Blake. We'll try and do something to make the White Fang more peaceful on our end too.

Blake smiled softly. She really had been given the best team possible. She wondered why she ever left.

Cookies: Of course, we also have a plan if you want out AND maintain good relations with them. Jaune and I have been thinking about it.

'Huh,' thought Blake. 'That would actually be ideal.'

She loved Adam. She really did, but she realized there were more things in life than just him and the White Fang. That there were dangers that made even the White Fang look like playground bullies.

And besides Salem, Team RWBY now ranked higher than him in her list of priorities.

LittleBlackBow: I'm listening.

Cookies: Great, first you need to work on your acting skills. In the meantime, Weiss will grab some stuff from the SDC.

LittleBlackBow: Why?

Bluesong: Bribery. I'll have Whitley do it, he actually remembered a few things too. Not a lot though, compared to us.

BurnBabyBurn: Finally, me and Ruby go turn our charms to Uncle Qrow and hope he agrees to meet with Robyn Hill. Otherwise, we'll have to ask Weiss to do it too.

Bluesong: Or Penny.

Cookies: Penny?!

Bluesong: She came back with us too.

Cookies: That's awesome!

LittleBlackBow: Why does your uncle need to meet with Robyn again?

Blake was startled by the sudden knocking on the toilet door.

"Hey, whoever is in there, it's been twenty minutes!" Shouted someone from outside.

She cringed and typed quickly.

LittleBlackBow: Sorry, chat later. Time's up.

BurnBabyBurn: Gotcha! Take care, kitty cat!

Blake let out an amused huff before pocketing her scroll and opening the door to the constipated faunus angrily waiting.

She couldn't wait to press her fingers into Yang's br…er, run her fingers through her partner's beautiful hair again.

Author's Note: See if you can guess the web series where I got the reference for Weiss' nickname.

Thanks for reading!