After the revelations Blake brought with her own frustrating experience as a pacifist, Weiss learned of the hardships she must have experienced. Certainly, her own childhood was not a paradise on earth either since that man, Jacques Schnee, made sure of it and not just with her, where even Winter and Wintley had the same fate.
The conflict was real and retaliation had existed forever, so just like for most faunus, security was an illusion and only existed on paper.
People died on both sides.
It wasn't for nothing that Weiss was so angry during their fight, being fed since childhood with the atrocities committed by those possessed by the hatred born of the cycle Sasuke had explained.
So if what Blake said was true and it certainly was after venting all those bad emotions from within, she lived her life fighting for her rights; taking risks in the streets for a more just world only to see it all go down the drain when hate screamed louder than reason.
The Schnee family had as much dirt in its structure as the White Fang came to have.
With that again, Weiss, despite yet another promise made on this day, felt inferior before someone else. First with Sasuke in the hospital and his inhuman resistance, where even knowing more about him didn't erase that feeling. Then with Ruby and the attention that Sasuke gave to her along with his cloak and offer of power, again something that hardly changed even as she was chosen by him as well. Now, she knew that her life, while complicated, didn't come close to being as bad as that of someone who grew up fighting for basic rights as a person.
However, all understanding and acceptance wouldn't change the fact that Weiss and Blake mixed as well as water and oil, as demonstrated by the dispute reignited for a different reason.
The reason was right there, lost in his thoughts amidst a scene destroyed by fire and ice, lit by the moonlight that was used to name him as savior around the world.
The way his stern expression relaxed in the face of contemplation, reflecting emotions hitherto suppressed by the brightness of his unique eyes, framed by the perfection of his face... one could understand why he had so many girls showing feelings for him without even knowing him.
Just like Blake, on a smaller scale, each of them must have come to the same instinctive and unconscious conclusion of wanting him.
Who could blame them? a girl just need to look at him and the answer would come in the skip of a heartbeat.
Exactly because of that, and regardless of the truths revealed and similarities shared, Weiss wouldn't ignore the fact that Blake was a pervert without any control, having to stand in this girl's way again, because she had no intention of letting her do whatever she wanted, thus continuing the existing conflict, but for a very different and even petty reason.
As for Sasuke, he had more to consider and learn to form the absolute answer in his quest for true peace, where this White Fang and its actions in this world could help, but putting that aside for the moment and focusing on his immediate needs.
Turning his attention back to these girls, Blake and Weiss were bumping heads, literally, with foreheads pressed together and hands clenched, teeth bared and fire in their eyes in a...friendly dispute?
I hate how familiar the whole thing looks. Sasuke swore he could see a small, panicked Sakura next to him asking them to stop before Kakashi arrived only to be ignored as usual. I seem to have succeeded failing in my attempt to suppress the past.
Inevitable, he would say, especially with the fact that he had lived his entire life with only the past as his goal.
No matter, Sasuke knew it was quite the opposite, but he would ignore it as he was more than used to. "I'm going," he reminded these girls of his presence and their little disagreement immediately ceased, one almost forgetting the other existed. "Do me a favor and try not to kill each other."
It would be counterproductive if they did.
That warning was more than enough to have Weiss and Blake almost panic, looking at a Sasuke about to make that weird sign with his fingers and disappear!
"Wait!" Weiss was quicker than Blake in asking, although it definitely sounded more like an order, and getting excited that Sasuke actually stopped instead of just walking away as expected. "W-where are you going to go now?"
Sasuke disregarded how agitated and assertive this girl was being, thinking about the question asked and not knowing if he should answer, but for his recommendation, he would say something.
"Find a place to rest until tomorrow," he greatly simplified what he would do for the remainder of his night.
After all that had happened, this answer wasn't surprising to either of them. Although, it was still quite a revelation.
It seems that even gods from another world need rest.
"In that case," Weiss perked up with an idea and began to speak confidently, however, losing her ground as she realized how her offer would sound, even more so to a Blake who stared at her endlessly, "W-would you like to come with me?"
Unexpected, Sasuke would say, so much so that even the girl beside her was gaping before changing her reaction to an almost threatening expression, especially as Weiss began to get shy and embarrassed; self-conscious of how her request sounded and the lack of immediate response.
"Hmph," Blake huffed, both in surprise at this princess' hypocrisy and anger at not having thought of it first! "And you call me a pervert."
Exactly why Weiss almost regretted saying anything at all!
"T-that didn't even cross my mind, very unlike you!" she was glowing red, almost fuming with anger that this girl couldn't see herself before she opened her mouth! "My room is huge and has space to accommodate several people!" she tried to explain her reason for which Blake wasn't buying any of this and Weiss decided to focus on the real issue here, "Besides, Sasuke, without your Scroll, I won't be able to warn you about changes in the initiation that will surely occur after today."
Kind of.
Actually, she wanted to spend more time with him and get to know him better, but she wouldn't say any of it.
"Changes?" Sasuke didn't like the possible meaning of that, wanting more details.
"She's... not wrong," begrudgingly, Blake would admit that much. "The initiation of any Academy involves combat with Grimm, so... as she just said, after today, I don't think there are many Grimm left in Vale to have a traditional initiation and changes are extremely likely."
That was news to Sasuke. When they said there was an initiation test, he figured it was something to do with physical aptitude... well, it still was, but in a different way. Back in Konoha, not every child was allowed to attend the Academy, regardless of their background. Therefore, examinations were done to detect physical problems such as vision, hearing, and lung problems, among others, thus preventing those unable to do their job as Shinobi in their entirety from wasting their time and that of the village.
No, this is quite different. Sasuke forgot about the fact that this Beacon Academy being a post preparatory, so hardly anyone unfit would even get that far. Better to think of it as a Chunnin exam.
In that case, there would be exams in stages and that could complicate Sasuke's life.
After all, written exams in a world he was unfamiliar with could be quite a challenge.
It seems that more information is indeed needed, he resigned himself to the fate resulting from his thoughtless actions and had an answer as to Weiss' offer, "Very well." The girl smiled and brightened in a way that made Sasuke as uncomfortable as Blake was annoyed. "However, only if you promise not to try anything."
A more than reasonable request in his opinion, considering his personal history and the fact that Juugo was not there to help him this time.
Unexpectedly, he found himself missing that walking mass of insanity.
As for Weiss, it took her a few seconds to process the imposed condition; its meaning, and when she did, her face burned, anger almost overcoming embarrassment.
"I'm the girl here!" she remembered that detail, hopefully, more than obvious! "I should be telling you that!"
Normally, if it were anyone else, she wouldn't be wrong. Only,
"A slightly sexist line of thinking, even more so considering..." Sasuke didn't need much to make his point, not even explaining about the usual gender equality back in his world, having the example he needed by looking at Blake and making sure his point was more than clear.
"He's out of control, but he's not wrong, you know," Blake didn't even try to deny it anymore, at this point it seemed even more degrading than just going with the flow of the conversation. Besides, she could use this! "With that in mind," she smiled and looked at Weiss, making the girl feel that something she would hate was about to be said. She's not wrong. "You don't mind if I go along, right?"
"W-what?!" Weiss knew this girl was up to something! "Why would you want to..." she stopped, knowing full well the answer to that question of hers. If it were the other way around, I wouldn't keep quiet either...
That way, how could she deny it?
"You..." she was almost suffering at having to agree, and Blake was smiling, delighting in her pain! This bitch! "You can come too!"
Weiss was beginning to hate this girl for a different reason!
"Of course I can," Blake would only stop going if Sasuke said otherwise and she wasn't sure if she would voluntarily obey. "That way, it lessens the chances of something happening, doesn't it?"
Somehow, that didn't comfort Sasuke at all. Quite the contrary, increasing his discomfort, for Weiss could certainly keep herself composed in his presence, probably, quite unlike this girl with the little hearts that formed in her eyes every time she looked at him.
Sasuke was afraid to even think about what was going on in her mind, imagining it to be something... of a sinful and degrading nature.
"Blake," Weiss resisted the urge to start the fight again, calling out to get this brazen girl's attention and warning, "don't push it."
"Right..." Blake blamed her nerves, instincts, and Sasuke for all this current weirdness. At least it seems to be diminishing.
At first, she feared him so much that she couldn't even look at him properly. After the teasing, she couldn't stop thinking about him, so meeting him again made her feel her body catch fire. Now, while she still had that flame of desire, it wasn't burning uncontrollably.
That was only natural, where exposure to his presence would certainly increase her self-control and that was exactly why she wanted to spend more time with him... Okay, one of the reasons. After all, he was a powerful entity from another world and that in itself was fascinating to indescribable levels. Her body might be overpowering her strength and will, but her curiosity wasn't far behind in all this. Either way, she would use the excuse with those instincts of hers to learn more and perhaps verify if this Sasuke really was worthy of being... chosen.
At least that way, my dignity can be maintained! A reasonable expectation, but one that Blake came to understand to be an illusion when Sasuke decided it was time to go and extended his hand to her again, not to Weiss whose existence vanished from her mind, like an invitation of acceptance and her body moved on its own before she realized it! Oh crap...
This wasn't going to be easy.
Blake had a long way to go.
"You know," Sasuke held back a sigh when his mere gesture of extending his hand to signal his departure and making a seal resulted in a Blake in his arms before he even said anything, "I'm beginning to regret bringing you along."
For real.
"S-sorry..." Blake blushed as she buried her face in his shoulder and smelled his tomato scent and intoxicating power, with no intention of letting go. "But," she pulled away a little to look into those unique eyes and facial perfection, at his discomfort that could be mistaken for shyness and break any logical restraint she still had for trying her luck again, "this is your fault, not mine... kind of."
Weiss' blue eyes were almost glowing red, trembling with anger and with motive as she moved to end the fight they had started! Then, in the next second, she was the one being hugged with excitement and almost freezing with déjà vu.
Sasuke switched places with her again!
"Blake, don't you dare!" a desperate plea that fell on deaf ears, before her lips were taken again! Damn it!
This time she had no Aura to save herself and the fate that Sasuke condemned her to was miserable.
Walking through the streets of Vale, Sasuke was accompanied by a Weiss and Blake who seemed to have lost a piece of their souls in that last long kiss. He could have done something, could have separated them earlier, but he preferred that they put their heads together and stopped fighting.
It worked, to some extent.
Blake was more docile now, and Weiss's sacrifice would not be forgotten even if he wanted to. However, to avoid another outburst from the black-haired girl, Sasuke put out of his mind the idea of carrying these two again to where Weiss was residing and opted to go walking, considering it was relatively close to where they were.
A deliberately slow walk for the two girls to drown in dismay.
"My first and second kiss..." Weiss murmured, almost in tears at how bad her night was going. Looking at a calm Sasuke who didn't seem to care about anything that happened, she couldn't help but grow angry with him. "Why did you switch places with me, of all things?" If she could understand this ability of Sasuke as she imagined she did, Weiss knew that he could have switched with a piece of ice or a cluster of bees for all she cared! "You could have gotten away without me, couldn't you?"
"Hn," Sasuke didn't even pay attention to Weiss' whining, more lost with his surroundings and all the endless bustle of the city. They... are celebrating?
It sounded like a joke, but that was exactly what was going on, so much so that it distracted everyone and he could walk around freely without attracting attention... he stopped there when he saw some girls whispering and laughing as they looked at him, rephrasing it to "less attention" than usual.
"That's not an answer!" Weiss almost shouted, waiting for him to say something, anything at all, and being practically ignored!
"Hn," was all Sasuke had to say, as he usually did, relieved that not one girl was trying to approach him. It seems that Weiss and Blake are... intimidating, I suppose.
These two were beauties even to this world, so they were certainly seen as challenges that cannot be overcome by the vast majority.
Something to keep in mind.
Why the hell did I have to like this guy?! Weiss had to take a deep breath, asking a slightly rhetorical question, knowing very well what the reason was; one that had to do not only with his appearance, demonstrated by his calm and thoughtful face as he studied this world, something she herself would do in his place. Yes, exactly why.
Call it narcissism, but Weiss kind of saw herself in Sasuke; as if he was an ideal male version of her.
"I don't know what you're complaining about, when I was the one who kissed a Schnee, twice, I should say." Blake, on the other hand, was at her worse for a different reason; for losing what little control she had gained in such a short time. Back to square one...
"And I kissed a faunus!" Weiss had forgotten about this girl for a second, suddenly wanting to nail this damn thing's hard head to a wall!
"That's racism," Blake reminded, embracing the hypocrisy of this apparent rival and pretending to be offended to get a reaction that helped cheer her up. Maybe I really am prejudiced.
Just one more item on the list to work on and change... later.
"Like you can talk!" Weiss hated it when Blake did that and they barely knew each other! If it keeps up like this, I'm going to have a nervous breakdown!
After that, she couldn't be blamed for her actions!
"Hn," Blake took a page from Sasuke's book, being more than pleased with the result by having Weiss at the edge of her patience.
"Not you too!" Weiss would go crazy with those two!
"Fu, fu~" Blake eventually smiled and her mood was back to normal to continue in this friendly barbs exchange with her enemy/rival/friend?
While the two were testing each other's limit, Sasuke was in a world of his own, watching their festive surroundings intently, especially when they came to a center and apparent meeting place where several large electronic screens were presenting one and the same content.
His momentary fight against the Grimm who were threatening to destroy this kingdom.
"Shadow Release!" echoed as loudly as the voices that accompanied in sync the war cry used in putting an end to the error triggered by his turbulent emotions.
All of it, the reactions, smiles; the happiness impregnated in the air to the point of being nauseating, was what put Sasuke in this current state of guilty contemplation and wonder.
At least I didn't say my mother's name out loud. Out of all that, it seemed that only that part he didn't regret doing. As for the rest...
Sasuke hated where he was, what he did; both what he caused and what he solved, especially this ignorant acceptance of the truth.
People were too happy about something he did without thinking.
How many times did Naruto turn the village upside down in search of that same acceptance? What did he feel when he finally got admiration when he defeated Pain and became a hero to the village that used to hate him?
Conflict, that's what he believed to be the only possible feeling, but maybe Naruto was too dumb to delve that deep into it and just decide to ignore the past to enjoy the present; enjoy what he wanted most in life: recognition.
In that case, where did that leave Sasuke?
He was not looking for attention, quite the contrary, he even disliked it and tried to stay away from the public because nothing good came of it.
Girls bothered him constantly, boys envied him, and the village that used to respect him by force for fear of his clan started to feel sorry for him.
What did they think of him after he left the village? At the very least, they compared him to Itachi, even more than usual, this time as a traitorous criminal and not an inferior genius; they talked about how he almost caused the death of his comrades, just as he tried to kill his teammate to join the man responsible for the Hokage's death...
Ignorant fools, every single one of them.
The Hokage they respected and worshipped was the monster while the traitorous Uchiha was the hero who prevented war by sacrificing everything he had in that world, including himself.
Sasuke wanted to become Hokage so that nothing like that would ever happen again.
In this world, on the other hand, people knew that the one who exterminated the Grimm also attracted them; that the one who saved them also put them in danger.
So why was there such acceptance?
Sasuke didn't know what to think about it anymore.
"Sasuke, are you all right?" Weiss tried to speak to him again since he had stopped walking.
The silence persisted for a while until he decided to acknowledge their presence again.
"Would you be?" Sasuke did not divert his attention from the largest screen displaying his contradictory deeds, answering with another question, "if you were being revered like that for merely righting a wrong?"
Blake and Weiss looked at each other, not expecting something like that from Sasuke; that he would think like that, explaining a bit the almost melancholy look he had amidst this festive scenario.
"Hmm, that would be odd, I guess?" Weiss didn't have an exact answer to such a question, but she could share a piece of opinion that might help, "However, I think it goes far beyond what you're seeing, Sasuke."
This time, he had his eyes on these girls.
"How exactly?" Sasuke wanted to know what was possible beyond the reach of his legendary, divine eyes; what he could not see.
"What you did was much more than 'merely righting a wrong' as you put it," Blake took the liberty of speaking this time, to which Weiss didn't seem to mind.
"Exactly," Weiss went on to say, "while, yes, you caused the problem, you solved others."
"That doesn't answer my question." Sasuke heard only what he already knew and had just said.
"Actually, it does answer it," Blake would try to explain, "In view of the fact that you are possibly not from this world," something that was still hard to believe, she must say, "you shouldn't know, but kingdoms and settlements are all that is left to house the decreasing population, where every attempt to expand is frustrated and results in abundant losses of resources and life."
"Mountain Glenn is the largest example in recent decades," Weiss knew of others, but this one was the closest to their current location. "The Grimms always stop the advances that humanity and…" she looked at Blake and added, "faunus try to expand."
"Now, however," Blake smiled a little, for more than one reason; for Weiss showing that she was trying to change, even if somewhat reluctantly. "Thousands of those things were killed all at once."
Sasuke was beginning to understand what they were getting at.
"That way, Vale must have become one of the safest places in the world, and that represents a long-coveted opportunity." Honestly, Weiss hadn't thought about all this before, coming to these conclusions only now by allowing herself to think about it.
"Do you understand now?" Blake was happy to see the change in his expression, leaving that downcast look to become something more. "You haven't corrected a mere mistake,"
"You gave life a chance to bloom again," Weiss finished with some pride for an achievement that didn't belong to her, and it was clear that Sasuke didn't know what to say.
This is similar to what Itachi did. Of everything in his life, only his brother's example remotely fit this situation. He sacrificed the clan to save the village; he did something bad that resulted in something good...he killed for life to prosper.
It was similar but different; his brother had no recognition for his actions and would rather it stay that way, hiding the truth to preserve the honor of the clan and stop the hatred from spreading.
A plan that Sasuke threw in the trash by becoming a living manifestation of hatred itself.
"Shawdowww" Sasuke was pulled out of the dark path his reflection was taking by a sudden, high-pitched, childish voice right next to him "Releaseeee!"
A child... A little girl, to be precise, who shouldn't be more than five years old, holding a stuffed animal in her arms as she mimics his actions displayed for the world to see. And she is not the only one.
There were many children, certainly accompanied by their parents and guardians, joining in the fun.
"Ha, ha, ha!" others laughed, more at the enthusiastic performance than at the girl, hardly similar to the original.
"That's not even how it's done!" Then others tried to replicate; to do better and failed in the same way.
"Ha, ha!" the little girl returned the mockery with an impossibly large smile, "you guys don't know either!"
And to think that Itachi witnessed a battlefield and took a life at a younger age than this little one, Sasuke could almost see himself there, with how big that smile was. A smile and innocence that disappeared no more than two years later.
Their life was hell on earth, Sasuke's a little less than Itachi's because he was younger, but... how many other children like this little girl, back in his homeworld, could keep smiling with the sacrifices made?
"It was like a dream, where children would no longer have to fight and could study; have fun while growing up having a much better chance of living long enough to know the taste of a good alcohol."
Suddenly, the words of the first Hokage had much more meaning and weight to him.
"Shut up!" one of the boys couldn't take being made a fool of and slapped the little girl's stuffed animal, an action that caused crying to break out in place of a smile. "N-not my fault!"
Afraid of the scolding that would come with the attention of others, the boy and all the rest ran off, leaving this little one in tears.
Blake and Weiss saw all this and were about to do something to comfort the child when they were surprised by Sasuke.
These two were not the only ones paying attention, where more and more people, especially the female audience, had their eyes on him.
Slowly, Sasuke walked over to the little girl and knelt down in front of her to retrieve a toy in the shape of a rabbit. How long had it been since he had last held a toy in his hands? To follow in the footsteps of his genius brother, Sasuke dropped everything related to a normal childhood, from toys to games, to holding Kunais and Shurikens in search of the acceptance he now so much repudiated.
Sasuke had not been a child since long before the massacre of his clan.
"Don't cry," he said in a tone rarely shown in his voice to have a pair of watery eyes looking at him and knowing immediately that she would be frightened if he kept his expression cold and distant. Just remember what you want to forget. His endless adoration for his mother and brother was there to give life to a calm and warm smile, reflected even in the unique gleam in his eyes but which did not compare to that of this gaping child before him. "A girl can't just be pretty, she needs to be strong too." His hand offered that which belonged to her and only then did the little girl turns her attention away from his eyes to have her toy back in her arms. "Don't you agree?"
"Hn," was all she could say at first, making Sasuke's smile become more natural, especially with the way Weiss looked at him for falling victim to his usual grunt, then the little girl hugged her toy so tightly it would have killed the rabbit had it not been made of plush and finally saying, "T-thank you!"
It seemed that all the celebration on that particular street had died down, where Sasuke had become the center of attention, whether on the screen above with his hidden identity or for appeasing a sad child.
"You're welcome." Sasuke stroked her hair before standing, watching this little one bow one last time in gratitude, and run into the arms of her parents who were also part of the surrounding crowd, and comment, "It's all for them, isn't it?"
Even when children were used as a weapon, the intent was always to protect other children from having the same fate.
Weiss and Blake joined him just in time to hear his words and understand exactly what he was talking about.
The next generation, the reason they were all fighting.
"Definitely!" was the joint response that the unusual duo of a Schnee and faunus, each happy to have confirmed for good that there was a kind heart within that otherworldly god.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
So, I caught a cold and spent most of the week in bed. But, even in that situation, I appreciated the mere fact of being at home, then a thought that has been occurring to me for some time now has gained strength about changing my current job to a part-time one to have more free time for me and to write.
If I do, I won't say now, but in a month or two, I'll continue my other stalled fics, Eternal Pride, and maybe even Eyes that Reflect the Soul.
"But didn't you delete that one?" Yes, I did it because I couldn't look at it without regretting it and not because I was angry as I said before.
"Regret what?" Let myself be influenced by the reviewers and the fact that it was my first attempt to write a story in another language. I'm not saying I'm fluent in English now as that won't be the case for a few years yet, but I'm sure I've improved considerably.
I'm not promising anything, but as soon as I have time to spare, I'm going to do something with that fic. It probably won't be exactly the same, as I'll have to change a few things because of Destroy to Rebuild, but nothing too drastic...I hope.
Oh, and I kind of started a Sasuke/DxD fic... let's hope I don't burn myself out.
That's all so don't forget to review, and if you want to support me and read ahead take a look at my P t r & on (slash) Bertoti
The next one comes out on the 15th.
Until then.