Chapter 9

Blake looked terrible. She had massive eyebags under her eyes, and she slumped on her bed, exhausted.

"You want me to what?"

"We want you to go to the dance," Ruby reiterated.

She scoffed, "That's ridiculous."

"Is it? Blake, frankly you look terrible, and you haven't been getting enough sleep," Percy pointed out.

"Blake, this investigation is starting to mess with your head. We, as your teammates, are worried about you," Yang said.

"You don't even eat! You toss and turn in your bed at night, and your grades have been suffering," Weiss laid out points using her fingers.

"I don't care about grades right now! There are people out there suffering!"

"We know, and we're all still working on what Torchwick and the White Fang are up to. But you not getting enough sleep isn't going to help anyone. Let's face it, you are obsessed with the White Fang. But you aren't the only one working on this, and your affiliation with them was a while ago, so long ago that you aren't privy to their internal operations anymore. So stop trying to take it upon yourself to work at it day and night without getting any sleep, Blake," Percy said.

"Thanks to you and Sun, we know that they're operating somewhere out of Southeast Vale," Ruby laid out.

"And the Schnee company records singled out Vale as the primary target for dust robberies over the last few months," Weiss added.

"And that missing military tech from Atlas," Yang said.

"But there's still unanswered questions."

"And you won't be able to do anything if you literally can't keep your eyes open," Percy countered.

"How many nights have you gone without sleep now Blake?" Ruby questioned, worried for her friend.

"Two, but I don't feel that bad. No, seriously guys!" she amended when they all raised their eyebrows at her, "with the master brew of coffee, I don't feel that bad."

"That explains it. But you're gonna feel like shit once you have to start sleeping."

"All we're asking is that you take it easy for a single day," Yang said.

"It will be absolutely fantastic! Yang and I will make sure of it," Weiss added.

"Yeah!" Yang pumped her fists in excitement, "We're planning the whole event!"

"Excuse me?" Blake looked offended for some reason.

"Team CFVY's mission lasted a lot longer than expected, so Yang and I got put up to the task," Weiss said.

"So Weiss and I were asked to pick up where they left off. And now we can make sure you have the perfect night."

"Once it's all over, you can have a good night's rest," Percy pointed out, "and you'll be more vigilant and alert for the search. So, what do you say?"

"I think this is a colossal waste of time."

She left, "I'll be in the library."

Tch. How generous of her to let them know that she'd be in the library.

Yang sighed.

"We have to stop her. She can't keep going like this, running on fumes," Weiss said.

A knock sounded on their door.

Weiss went to open it.

A certain blonde from team JNPR was in front of the door, with a guitar.

"Weeeiisss!" he sang horribly.

Percy facepalmed.

Jaune… my gods.

He winked.

Weiss slammed the door in his face.

Way to go Jaune, way to go.

Jaune knocked again, "Oh… come onnnn."

"Jaune, are you going to sing again?" Weiss asked.

"Maybe…"

"Then no," she instantly denied.

"Finee…. I won't sing, okay? I promise not to sing…" Jaune pleaded from the door.

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance, and Percy couldn't blame her. Jaune apparently hadn't taken his advice.

"I liieeed!" he sang horribly, strumming the wrong strings of the guitar.

"Weiss Schnee, will you accompany me, to the dance on… Sunday?" he tried to rhyme.

"Ugh. No."

She closed the door on his face.

She looked at Ruby and Yang staring at her, "What?"

"And that is why they call you the ice queen."

Percy sniggered at her offended look.

Yang pulled his arm, "Wanna go spar?"

Spar? Right now?

He shrugged, "Sure. Ruby-"

"Actually, I was just thinking me and you," Yang butted in, some kind of silent message in her lilac eyes. Percy didn't know what it was, or why, but he got the gist of it, and allowed Yang to pull him outside their dorms.

They began strolling, falling animatedly into their normal banter and chatting.

"Remember that one time we caught Ruby sucking on your neck?" Yang grinned, reminding him of the memory, as Percy groaned.

"Please no."

"She thought you were a cookie!" Yang cackled madly attracting stares from bystanders as they made their way towards the training rooms.

"Ugh. You're infuriating," Percy snarked back good humoredly, before sighing.

"I feel bad for Jaune. He's head over heels for Weiss, but he just keeps trying even after she keeps shooting him down… he needs to broaden his horizons, if you know what I mean. I mean, I just talked to him and told him the ol' 'there's plenty of fish in the sea' expression, but he tried asking Weiss to the dance anyway!"

Yang hummed in agreement.

"Speaking of the dance, Percy…" Yang looked at him with an unreadable expression on her face, "do you have a date?"

A date? Hilarious.

"Uh… I was just thinking of not going or whatever. Besides, we have to get Blake to go. That's the number one priority here," he articulated.

"Don't worry Percy," she winked one of her deep lilac eyes at him, "Leave that up to me."

Percy rolled his eyes at her boldness, but nodded nonetheless.

Yang suddenly looked a little nervous, her eyes looking down at the ground as she bit her lip uncertainly, her hands fidgeting.

"I was wondering… you said you didn't have a date right?"

"Yeah, no one's asked me out yet…"

"How?" Yang looked incredulous, "I mean… you're you! Percy Jackson himself! You beat Pyrrha Nikos without a drop of sweat, and you're the leader of the first team of five at Beacon!"

A slight tint coated his cheeks at the praise, "I don't really know… Being the best is like being put on a pedestal all over again. I know the feeling… I get lots of stares for no reason, and no one approaches. What about you, do you have a date?"

"Nah, no one's asked me out either… well, I mean people have asked me out, but they weren't the person I wanted, you know?"

"Oh?" Percy teased, "The blonde bombshell herself doesn't have a date? I knew you were all big talk, Xiao-Long!"

Yang narrowed her eyes, "Shut your mouth Jackson."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll tell Ruby that you said you wouldn't bake cookies anymore."

Percy was horrified at the thought, "You wouldn't!"

"I would," she grinned back, before they descended into an awkward silence.

"Anyway, I was wondering… would you like to co-"

"What's up guys!"

Percy whipped around to see Nora skipping into the hall happily, dragging an emotionally exhausted Ren behind her.

Percy could almost feel Yang fuming next to him, but for what reason, he didn't know. Unfortunately for him, it meant she would take all her frustrations out on him.

He gulped. It wasn't going to be a fun day.

Yang set up the hiding spot.

This idea was genius! And she had come up with it all by herself. Well Percy had come up with… eh… ninety percent of it? At least, after she had tried her hardest to beat his ass in a spar with him.

And the bastard didn't even have the decency to pretend he was tired! She grumbled silently at her missed opportunity to ask him out… Of course Nora had ruined it all, even if it really wasn't her fault.

Yang shifted herself, using a laser pointer on the computer her target, Blake, was working on.

As Percy had predicted, she followed the laser pointer like a cat followed a laser. Granted, it was a little… racist… but Percy was Percy, and he had been adamant it would work. He had also theorized if catnip would make Blake go insane… Yang, even in all her glory, decided to save that one for later.

as Yang played around with it. On her hand, then back on the computer, then on the keyboard, and then back on her hand.

Run around the computer screen a little, disappear as she got annoyed. Then reappear as she started typing, then disappear.

The art of tricking a cat faunus with a laser pointer was a deceptive one, and one that required immense skill that only Yang possessed.

Finally!

Blake got out of her chair in anger but saw the laser on the ground.

Now all she had to do was lead Blake to her.

Blake stalked the laser in fuming anger, following it.

She ran into Yang.

"Hellooooo!" she sang.

"What are you-"

"We need to talk."

"Huh?"

Percy was half-naked, lower body wrapped in a towel, when Jaune dragged Percy into team JNPR's dorm.

"We need to talk."

Ren was there too… also half-naked.

Damnit Jaune.

"Is this about training, Jaune? You've improved immensely as a fighter, and I already teach you on the weekends-"

"No, no, no" Jaune shook his head, "nothing like that."

"Percy, Ren… I'm just gonna come out and say it. You two are my best friends. These past few months, I feel like we've really bonded. Even though you," he gestured to Ren, "don't say much, and I don't know all that much about you."

Percy groaned internally. It was painfully obvious Jaune was asking for some kind of a favor.

"But darn it – I consider you two to be the brothers I never had!"

Ren had an awkward look on his face, and the guy shared a look with Percy.

"And I you," they both echoed awkwardly.

He reached out slowly to his clothes from the bench.

Lucky bastard. At least he could put on his clothes.

"Which is why I wanted to get your advice on… girls."

Of course Jaune. Of course.

"I just… don't know… how to… to… Um, I guess what I'm asking is…" he stuttered in the typical Jaune fashion.

Ren nodded, not understanding at all.

"Jaune, is this about Weiss?"

The blonde nodded bashfully.

He sighed in understanding.

"I'm completely head over heels for her, and she won't even give me a chance. She's cold. But… she's also incredible. She's smart, and graceful, and talented… I mean have you heard her sing? I just wished she'd take me seriously, ya know? I-I wish I could tell her, how I feel, without me messing it all up. Which is why I wanted to ask you," he gestured to Ren, "How did you and Nora… ya know… get together?"

Ren laughed, "We're not together. Not, 'together together'. And I've never really had any luck with girls for some reason. They're just not interested in me."

Percy and Jaune shared a look. That might have something to do with the angry faced, orange-haired girl that was currently balling her fists.

Percy sighed, "I can tell you that there are plenty of fish in the sea. But the thing is, you've already ruined your image and her perception of you. She thinks you're a blonde dumbass because you keep trying to do stupid serenades or trying to use stupid pickup lines."

"Yeah!"

Percy whipped his head up to see Pyrrha stepping into the room, "Give it to her straight. Just be honest. You can't get it wrong if it's the truth."

"You're right. Thanks Percy and Pyrrha. And Ren, good talk."

Jaune left, and Percy a moment later.

Pyrrha strode around the room.

Nora sighed sadly, "Practice what you preach, Pyrrha."

Blake walked around the classroom, "Yang, if you're going to try to tell me to stop, you might as well save your breath."

"I'm not trying to tell you to stop, I'm telling you to slow down."

"We don't have the luxury of slowing down, Yang."

"It's not a luxury, it's a necessity. Can't you see? You're being torn apart."

"The necessity is stopping Torchwick and the White Fang!"

"And we have! On numerous occasions! We've done so much already! We tore up his rally, stopped a paladin, stopped them at the docks. But you're the one here still obsessed with Torchwick and the White Fang. We're going to stop them. But you first have to sit down," she patted the desk, "and listen to me."

Blake reluctantly joined her, "Fine."

"Ruby and I grew up in Patch," Yang started, "an island just off the coast of Vale. Our parents were huntsmen. Our dad taught at Signal, and our mom would take on missions around the Kingdom. Her name was Summer Rose."

"And she was, like, super-mom. Baker of cookies and slayer of giant monsters," she said wistfully. "And then, one day she left for a mission and never came back."

"It was tough. Ruby was really torn up, but I think she was still too young to really get what was going on, ya know? And my dad just kinda… shut down."

"It wasn't long before I learned why. Summer wasn't the first love he'd lost. She was the second… The first… was my mom."

Blake blinked in surprise, turning towards Yang.

"He wouldn't tell me everything. But I learned that the two of them had been on a team with Summer and Qrow, our uncle. And that she'd left me with him just after I was born. No one had seen her since."

"Why did she leave you?"

She sighed, "That question… Why?"

She slid off the desk, "I didn't know the answer, but I was determined to find out. It was all I thought about. I would ask anybody what they knew about her. Then… one day… I found something. What I thought was a clue that could lead me to answers. Or maybe even my mother. It was just a picture of a place, but it was something. I waited for dad to leave the house, put Ruby in a wagon, and headed out."

"I must've walked for hours. I had cuts and bruises, was totally exhausted. But I wasn't going to let anything stop me. When we finally got there, I could barely stand. But I didn't care. I had made it."

"And then I saw them. Those burning, red, eyes. There we were, a toddler asleep in the back of a wagon and a stupid girl too exhausted to even cry for help. We might as well have been served as breakfast on a silver platter."

"But, as luck would have it, our uncle showed up just in time."

"That should have been the end of us. My stubbornness would have gotten us killed that night."

"Yang.. I'm sorry what happened to you, and I understand what you're trying to tell me, but this is different! I'm not a child, and this isn't just a search for answers! I can't-"

"I told you, I'm not trying to tell you to stop. I haven't. To this day I still want to know what happened to my mother, and why she left me. But I will never let that search control me. We're going to find the answers we're looking for, Blake. But if we destroy ourselves in the process, then what good are we?"

"You don't understand! I'm the only one who can do this!"

"No, you don't understand!"

Yang whirled on the stubborn girl, her eyes red, "If Roman Torchwick walked through that door, what would you do?"

"I would fight him!"

"You'd lose!" Yang pushed her.

"I can stop him!" she tried to push back.

"You can't even stop me! Our team leader can stop that bastard, but is he worrying about Torchwick and tearing himself up about it? No! Of course not! Because we have other things to worry about too! Torchwick is number one priority, but if you lose yourself in trying to find him, what are you?"

Yang hugged her tightly, "I'm not asking you to stop. I'm asking you to slow down. Just please… get some rest. Not for you, but the people you care about. Us. Your team. Can you promise me that?"

Blake nodded, sniffling slightly, "I promise."

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'til next time!

Next Chapter: June 24th (1 week)

-thann3