Ember Legacy, Volume 2

Chapter 12: Out And About

City of Vale

"A dragon took what it wanted. Took and kept."

~ Erin Kellison, Tempted by Fire

LEMON WARNING: This chapter contains sexual content. They will be marked in order to be skipped over if so desired.

"So," Ruby murmured, fingering the mundane dagger at her waist which was her only armament for the evening. "What can you tell me about him?"

Blake, dressed in her usual dark clothing so eminently suited for their current nocturnal activity, gave a rather noncommittal hum. The brunette was getting better at interpreting the small noises that the reticent Rogue would make, some of them indicating agreement or the opposite, other times a more complicated or conditional response. This time, however, it seemed to indicate that the Cat Faunus was gathering her thoughts in order to answer fully. As such, Ruby settled patiently back against the chimney on the roof overlooking their target.

She wore her usual outfit of mostly black with red trim, foregoing her red cloak in order to remain concealed in the shadows more effectively. Skulking wasn't really one of her talents, but she was a fast learner and could move silently enough when needed. Observing her companion over the course of the night as they broke into the previous two dwellings gave her plenty of tips, as well as some valuable insight into the raven-haired girl.

The one thing that stood out, aside from Blake's natural agility, was her precise and deliberate motions. The Cat Faunus never made a step that she did not intend to take, effortlessly gliding across rooftops with practiced ease. Ruby had been able to mimic her by placing her feet in the exact same spots, and so far it hadn't led her astray.

Finally Blake stirred, pulling in a deep breath before replying to Ruby's earlier question.

"The occupant's name is Canderous Aurum, retired Guildmaster of Assassins. That alone is noteworthy, as heads of the Assassin's Guild rarely are permitted to retire, much less survive that long. But he made himself friends with many powerful people, not to mention holding plenty of scandalous secrets over their heads." Blake paused in her recitation, amber eyes narrowed but still glowing slightly in the dim light cast from the street lanterns. "He's as ruthless and conniving as you might imagine for one of his former position."

"Interesting," Ruby mused, perceptively glancing over at her partner for the evening. "You know him, personally."

Blake froze, even her tail stilled, and her Faunus ears were now flattened on top of her head. It lasted only for a moment, but for the Rogue it was as good as a loud gasp of shock.

"What makes you say that?" the raven-haired girl murmured, her body once more relaxed as if nothing had occurred.

And, truthfully, if Ruby didn't have as good eyesight in the dark as she did, she might have missed it completely. But while she had a hunch before, now she held this as a certainty.

"Let's skip that," the brunette chuckled lightly. "I think it'd do both you and I a disservice to deny it at this point. I would like to know how you know him, since we're about to put ourselves into potential danger in his home."

"Why does it matter?" Blake asked, her quiet voice filled with a heat that Ruby hadn't heard before.

The shorter girl sighed softly, leaning forward to rest a hand on the other's shoulder. "Blake, talk to me. I'm not gonna judge, no matter what. Just tell me, okay? It won't go past the two of us."

The Cat Faunus stared hard at the multi-story building in front of them, complete with a walled courtyard and parapet around the roof. It looked to be more of a minor fortress than the manor of a wealthy gentleman in the middle of the town.

"Fine," she finally replied curtly. She crept backwards gracefully until she could sit against the chimney, Ruby moving back with her to sit shoulder-to-shoulder.

After a few minutes of silence, Blake eventually gave a despondent sigh. "I'm afraid of how you might think of me after I tell you."

"I will not think any less of you," Ruby promised solemnly. "Please trust me on this."

"I do trust you," Blake murmured. "Alright… Before I was a member of the Thief's Guild, I was… I belonged to another, somewhat similar Guild."

The brunette picked up on her meaning immediately, and just as quickly grasped the implications.

"So you were an assassin," she breathed.

Blake nodded slowly. "I was pretty damn efficient at it, too. Specialized in bow and blade, but I could easily take out a target with an arrow and escape before I was even seen. Made a decent pile of lien."

"What happened?"

"I got tired of it," the Cat Faunus replied neutrally. "Tired of the killing, really. Wasn't any one thing that made me stop, any one mark. I just… It just kept building up, and finally I couldn't take it anymore. Aurum was the Guildmaster at the time, he wasn't all that happy at letting me go, but he didn't really have a choice in the matter once I up and left. I kept my nose clean, no unsanctioned killings and not a word about Guild business or practices passed from my lips. In return, he allowed me to live."

"So you decided to join the Thief's Guild?" Ruby pressed. "Something you could still use your training and skills with?"

"Yes, exactly. I haven't really had use for my bow as an… 'honest' thief," Blake replied somewhat sarcastically, much to Ruby's amusement. "But yes, I've found some measure of contentment with my new Guild. At least, until the old Guildmaster got overthrown."

"Not too fond of the new one?"

"Roman Torchwick? Not so much, no."

"Well." Ruby turned to her companion and gave her a brilliant smile. "I'm glad you told me. And like I said, I won't speak of it to anyone, not even Yang, unless you want me to."

Blake nodded, blushing lightly in the soft illumination from the broken moon overhead. "Thanks."

"Might be handy to bring your bow along with us, though," Ruby added as she rocked forward onto her knees. "When we leave to retrieve the Orb."

"I'll do that," Blake agreed. She crept forward in a crouch to overlook the manor once more. "Just need to retrieve it from my hideout."

"Sounds good. So, shall we?"

"Yes," the Rogue grinned with barely suppressed eagerness. "We shall."

The cobblestone street below them was clear of any observers, so both girls stepped back to the other side of the flat roof they were on currently. Blake went first, racing forward and pushing her aura into the jump. Her right foot hit the edge of the roof, kicking her off and sending her airborne.

Ruby watched intently as the raven-haired girl cleared the street and rolled to a silent stop on the other side of the parapet. She waited until she saw a slender hand poke up, waving her on.

Grinning, Ruby launched herself forward next. The pitter-patter of her boots couldn't be heard past the rooftop itself, and she easily cleared the distance, landing in a quiet three-point stance, one arm flung behind her for balance.

"One of these days," Blake murmured, gliding past her like a shadow, "you're going to have to tell me how it is you and your sister can do the things you do."

"Some day," Ruby agreed, knowing that at some point, indeed, it would be inevitable. A charade can only be maintained so long in close proximity before it is revealed for what it actually is.

The pair of them readily found the hatchway leading down from the roof. Blake pressed her Faunus ears against the wood, listening intently, before giving a confident nod and quickly picking the lock. The diminutive brunette crouched, pulling the hatch up with ease. Fortunately the hinges were greased enough that little noise carried through the night.

The chamber below was unoccupied, a small square room that seemed to only hold some storage shelves of linens and the ladder leading up towards them. Both intruders stealthily dropped into the room, though Ruby paused on the upper rungs to lower the hatch behind them.

She waited patiently as Blake listened at the door leading from the room. The Cat Faunus' brows were furrowed in concentration.

"Anything?" Ruby whispered once she'd lifted her head away.

"Not that I can tell," Blake whispered back. "No sound of anything breathing, even."

"Well, okay then. Let's check it out."

Blake nodded, making quick work of the lock there before easing it open.

It was a long hallway, lit only at the far end by a pair of sputtering torches in sconces beside a heavily-fortified doorway.

They knew from prior inquiries, and copious applications of bribes, that the library in this building should be at the end of the hall, likely where the torches stood. By happy circumstance, the treasure room was accessible from the library as well, reducing the number of places they'd need to search.

Wordlessly the pair crept forward, pausing at an intersecting hallway. The other branch led to what seemed to be a terrace of sorts that had staircases leading down from each end. Muted voices drifted up towards them, though even with her enhanced hearing Ruby couldn't make out what was being said.

Blake, however, was frowning heavily.

"Can you make anything out?" Ruby breathed, leaning close to her friend's ears.

The Rogue shook her head. "Just the voices, I recognize Aurum… two others, one male and one female, can't quite place the male's but it seems familiar…"

The brunette tried to extend her senses outwards. She knew that if they were visible right now, her eyes would be a swirling, stormy grey. And then she let out a soft gasp, rapidly backpedaling down towards the torch-lit door.

"Ruby!" the raven-haired girl called out softly as she hurried to catch up. "What? What did you hear?"

"Nothing I heard," Ruby muttered, examining the door before them. "Sensed. We need to move fast. Can you get the door open?"

"I need to check for traps, and-"

"Blake." The brunette took her companion by the shoulders, staring into her wide amber eyes earnestly. "We have got to get out of here quickly. Please, get the door open. Hurry."

The Faunus Rogue blinked her eyes and then nodded rapidly, pulling her tools out and getting to work. Ruby stood guard, watching the hallway with as much vigilance as she kept a metaphorical eye on the guest downstairs.

What in Oum's name is another of my kind doing here? Whoever they are, I just hope they don't bother looking when they've already been here for awhile…

With a muted, triumphant cry, Blake stood to her feet and pushed the door open. The library was fairly small, more of a study really, which would make the searching go easier.

The pair split up after sealing the portal behind them, looking through the bookshelves and stacks. Blake handled the drawers of the desk, checking for traps there as well while rifling through papers.

"Nothing?" the raven-haired girl finally asked, stepping back from the desk.

"Nothing," Ruby sighed, her arms crossed. She turned towards the only other door leading from the room, though it was disguised behind a false panel. She was entirely too anxious to wait for Blake to 'find' the door ahead of her, and just nodded towards it. "Can you, please?"

Blake gave her a funny look as she passed, but the brunette was still concentrating hard. No change in position or anything of the sort, meaning they were still hopefully undiscovered. Regrettably the room they were now in had no window to provide an easy escape, nor would a treasure room likely have one. A bolt-hole, perhaps, but none that her sharp eyes could determine as of yet.

It didn't take long for the Cat Faunus to pop open the secret door, swinging it inside to reveal a much larger room than the one they were in now. Both stepped forward, eyeing the shelves of small boxes and chests, scrolls, and items of value.

And then Ruby's eyes landed on a statue at the end of the room. It was carved out of stone, holding a two-handed sword in its hands, but what caught her attention were the subtle runes lining its torso.

"Oh, shitbiscuits," Ruby breathed as the runes began to glow.

Blake had noticed as well, cautiously inching backwards. "Is that…"

"A golem? Yep."

"Fuck me…"

"Couldn't have said it better myself."

They both heard a soft click come from behind them, though neither girl took their eyes off of the magical guardian that was slowly stirring.

"Did the door just seal behind us?"

"Yep."

"We're completely screwed, aren't we." The question was more of a resigned statement as Blake slipped a knife into each hand, knowing just how futile the effort would be against a stone golem. The magical constructs could shrug off blades with ease, usually only affected by blunt weapons.

Which, of course, neither girl carried.

"Not completely," Ruby murmured as she eased her way to the side of the room. "Can you distract it?"

Blake snorted softly. "Yeah, does being turned into paste count as a distraction?"

"It does, yes, but let's not let it get to that point, okay?"

"Right."

Blake slid towards the opposite wall as the golem finally came to life, lifting its stone blade up menacingly as it advanced. The Cat Faunus immediately flung a knife at the golem's head. Though the small blade bounced off harmlessly, it certainly attained its consideration. The construct turned her way, continuing its slow approach.

"Okay, got its attention," Blake squeaked. "What was the next step? Ruby?"

Her breathing quickened as she got no response.

"Ooooh, this is gonna seriously suck," the Rogue murmured as she prepared to fling herself to the side.

But then a resounding crack sounded throughout the spacious room, and the stone golem paused as if in confusion. The noise was followed by several identical sounds in rapid succession until a series of cracks appeared, splitting the guardian's head in two. Almost in slow motion, it crumbled into small shards as the magic holding it together failed.

Standing behind the golem, weapon still upraised in both hands, was a heavily-breathing Ruby.

"Well, how about that," the brunette grinned. "It worked."

"Is that… Is that a candlestick?" Blake asked incredulously.

"Yep!" Ruby cheerfully tossed the giant silver candle holder behind her shoulder. "Makes for a handy club in a pinch!"

"Right," the Cat Faunus smirked, relief evident on her features. "I'll just… go see if that raised an alarm."

Ruby tilted her head worriedly. "Yeah… they know." She could hear the cries of alarm already, but the other presence she'd felt hadn't moved yet. Hopefully they were still blissfully unaware of her exact nature, but it wouldn't last for long. "Can you hold them off while I search? Sounds like guards approaching."

"Will do." Blake strode over to the secret door, opening it now that the magical trap had been deactivated, and exited the treasure room.

Ruby practically flew through the room, digging through everything she could find as the sounds of combat rang out from the other room. While there were plenty of baubles and coin and other such treasures, there was no manuscript.

Giving the room one more probing gaze to confirm that there were no other exits, she quickly trotted over to the door...

...Where Blake now stood nonchalantly, a pile of bodies stacked up by the exit. She was casually trimming one of her nails with a dagger in a pose so contrived, Ruby couldn't help but bark out a quick laugh.

"Going for the total badass look, Blake?"

"Mmm. Did it work?"

Giggling, Ruby grabbed her partner by the hand and jumped with her over the corpses. "I think the body count lends you more credence."

"I can still look good doing it, though," the Cat Faunus grinned.

Yeah, yeah you do… Dammitall, focus on the mission, not the girl!

They came to a skidding halt at the door that they'd come through before, only for Ruby to grab Blake's shoulder and haul her back. "Not that way."

"What? But-"

"It's not safe, let's try the front."

"The front?" Blake sputtered as she ran alongside the brunette.

"Sure, they never expect you to leave by the front door!" Ruby replied cheerfully.

"That's because it's insane!"

Ruby tried to grin, but it was held back by her worry. She'd sensed the presence now up on the rooftop, evidently trying to head them off. This was their easiest escape route, unfortunately, but she was pretty sure they wouldn't make it in time.

Well, if she had to fight another of her kind, she could do so.

I think. Never really tried it before… Really, really wish I'd brought Crescent Rose with me tonight...

They raced out onto the upper terrace, Ruby still in the lead as they tore down the long staircase. And then, just as their feet touched the marble of the ground-floor foyer, they heard slow, sardonic clapping.

"Well, well, well… If it isn't my favorite little kitty cat…"

Blake froze, her tail lashing angrily behind her as a orange-haired man in a white coat walked out from a doorway to join them in the large open space.

"Roman," she growled irritably.

"Oh, come on, now, is that any way to greet your Guildmaster?" Torchwick chuckled. "Here you are, on an unsanctioned burglary, and of a very dear friend of mine I might add, and all you can give me is hostility?" He made a tsking sound, wide condescending smirk firmly affixed as he twirled a cane in his hand. "I'm very disappointed. Dismayed, you might say."

"Stow it," Blake replied shortly. "We're leaving here."

Ruby kept motionless at her companion's side, knowing that it was far too late for an easy exit now. The presence was fully aware of her and was moving steadily down the staircase. Older than her, but that wasn't much of a shock, really. She wouldn't be able to grasp the measure from the other of her kind until they were closer.

"Oh, come now, kitty cat. You don't write, you don't visit… I'm feeling quite neglected." The orange-haired man fingered the round hat atop his head. "Just paying your dues doesn't mean you're still good with the Guild."

"It used to," Blake snarled back, her muscles trembling. "Before you took over. What are you even doing here? The Guildmaster of the Thief's Guild shouldn't even be associating with someone like Canderous Aurum."

"Well, my dear, I did say we're good friends." Torchwick slowly circled the two girls, his cane alternately twirling in his hand and tapping on the floor. "But if you must know… we're in a bit of a business deal here. One that has been very profitable to both of our Guilds, even though Canderous is no longer head of the Assassin's Guild."

"You're monologuing," Ruby stated quietly.

"Oh, she does talk!" the man cheered sardonically. "I thought you were the short and silent type, hired for your muscle. Well, yes I am, admittedly. Just stalling for time until my new associate can join us and Aurum can return with reinforcements."

"We should make a run for it," Blake whispered.

Ruby just shook her head. "Too late for that."

"In any case, your presence here means the two of you lovely girls will have to die tonight." Torchwick paused, regarding them thoughtfully. "It's a shame, really, as you were a valuable member of the Guild. Ah, well, that's what recruitment drives are for." He raised his voice then, calling out into the shadows lining the foyer. "My dear, are you finished lurking so that we can get this party started?"

And then a slim girl nonchalantly strolled across the foyer from the other side. She wore white leggings that came down to her knees and a crop top of the same color. Light crimson eyes bore into Ruby under a fringe of mint-green hair.

"The short one is mine," she growled menacingly.

"As you wish, Emerald my sweet," Torchwick replied with an extravagant bow.

"Oh, shit," Blake breathed. "Ruby, we have to run, I've seen her before, Yang told me to run if I ever see her again…"

The brunette placed her hand reassuringly on Blake's arm, cutting off her panicked babbling. "It's okay. I got her, if you can take Roman."

Not bothering to wait for an answer, she started across the room in a measured walk to meet the green-haired girl.

I hope you can handle him, Blake, 'cause I'm about to have my hands full...

"So, a puny little Silver," the other girl chuckled as she stopped a few paces apart. "Little young to be mixed up in all this, aren't you?"

Ruby smiled menacingly, allowing her silver eyes to darken to a stormy grey once again. "I might surprise you, Green."

"We'll see." Emerald's eyes went from crimson to a burning orange.

At a wordless signal the two of them darted forward, slamming into each other with enough force to crack the marble underneath. Emerald quickly spun, grabbing Ruby by her arm and flinging her into the staircase, collapsing it onto her head.

"Disappointing," the green-haired girl chuckled as she approached through the cloud of dust and debris, ignoring the fierce sounds of combat elsewhere in the room. Torchwick had drawn the concealed sword from his cane by this point, and was using both in a dextrous display. Blake, however, was easily keeping up with him, her long daggers already having nicked him a few times. The Guildmaster was beginning to show a few cracks in his confidence as he was forced further onto the defensive.

As Emerald neared the rubble at the end of the room, it suddenly exploded outward. She dodged a rather large chunk as it sailed past her head, turning to view her opponent with a anticipatory smirk.

"Right," the brunette stated flatly. "Let's try that again, shall we?"

"Gladly," the green-haired girl grinned.

The pair clashed once more, only this time it was Emerald who was knocked back. They traded blows and kicks, each one enough to stagger an Ogre. The other girl's glowing orange eyes widened as she experienced the unexpected strength of the brunette.

Ruby snarled as she dropped to the floor, spinning her leg around. It met Emerald's knee with a meaty thunk, staggering the girl briefly. It was enough of an opening for the brunette to twirl on her hands and deliver a mighty kick into the green-haired girl's face, sending her sprawling backwards.

"You little bitch!" Emerald snarled, leaping back to her feet. Unfortunately for her, it was only to be met with another kick, this one to her sternum. Ruby had put a decent amount of her aura into the strike, and it sent the green-haired girl flying backwards and through the wall, collapsing part of the house on top of her.

Breathing heavily, Ruby turned to see how her partner was doing. Torchwick had been giving her a bit of a harder time with the extended reach of both sword and cane, but Blake was finally able to step inside his guard, slashing deeply into both arms. He cried out in pain, dropping his weapons which left him open to the spin-kick that the Cat Faunus delivered, felling him into a boneless heap.

Ruby eyed the bleeding man on the floor as she walked up next to the raven-haired girl. Blake was wide-eyed and panting, her daggers clutched with white-knuckled hands.

"So, Blake... you gonna finish him or what?"

The Cat Faunus stared hard at the crumpled form at her feet. Ruby easily comprehended how Torchwick had represented everything she had fought against, both in herself and in the Guild, and there he lay, completely at her mercy.

"I don't know," the raven-haired Faunus whispered hesitantly.

"Okay," Ruby said hurriedly. "So, there's more bad guys coming, and then there's the green-haired chick who's not gonna be terribly happy with me sending her through the wall, so let's make up our mind, huh?"

"I'm not an assassin anymore," Blake growled quietly, glancing up at the petite brunette.

Her partner for the evening sighed softly. "No, you're not. But he was trying to kill you. There's a time for killing, and this would be it, not to leave a live enemy behind us who not only knows who we are but would likely be looking for revenge, right?"

Blake gripped the handle of her dagger tightly, staring back down at the form at her feet. Ruby noticed her Faunus ears twitched as they picked up on the distant approaching hobnailed bootsteps of more guards from the streets outside, but she still looked to be struck with indecision.

Coming to a decision of her own, Ruby darted in front of her, holding her by the shoulders and staring intently into her amber eyes.

"Blake, I will not think any less of you either way," she stated solemnly. "I will do this for you if you wish."

The raven-haired girl sucked in a quick breath before nodding decisively. "No," she whispered. "I'll do it."

Without further hesitation, Blake crouched down and noiselessly slit the Guildmaster's throat. Wiping the blade on his soiled white coat, she stood once more and sheathed her dagger.

"Let's go."

The pair of them slipped out the front door, sticking closely to the shadows as numerous mercenary-type figures marched rapidly down the street past them and into the ruined manor. They ducked into an alleyway and nimbly scurried up to the rooftops, then proceeded to jump from roof to roof until they were a comfortable distance away.

"Well," Ruby sighed as they paused to catch their breath. "That was a close call."

"Too close," Blake agreed somberly.

"You okay?"

"I'm… fine."

"Blake."

The Cat Faunus looked up and into Ruby's earnest silver eyes.

"You sure you're okay?" the brunette whispered, laying a consoling hand upon the other girl's arm.

Blake looked away, blushing lightly though nodding. "Yes, I will be. I'm sorry that was all for nothing."

"Well, not completely," Ruby giggled as she pulled out the pouch she'd pilfered. She handed it over to Blake, grinning as her amber eyes widened upon viewing the gems contained therein.

"Didn't see the need to leave empty-handed," the brunette finished with a smirk.

"Spoken like a true thief," Blake chuckled. She dipped two slender fingers inside the pouch, withdrawing a large, sparkling ruby. "Here, you keep this one."

Ruby's breath hitched in her chest at the gesture. "Thanks," she whispered.

The Cat Faunus merely nodded as she tied the pouch and slid it inside her vest. "We should head back."

"Yeah, let's."

Her mind was awhirl as she followed in Blake's footsteps.

Of course, the first crush I get is for a spirit as free as hers… Well, not like I really have the time to think about this kinda stuff. Maybe after we get the Orb, after my mother's death can be redeemed, and things are settled down, then I can maybe talk to her, see if she's even interested.

The brunette shook her head, a part of her amused that someone like her could even be this reluctant to face something as simple as asking a girl out.

I suppose some things between the races aren't all that different, are they?

o o o

Yang sighed softly as she readied herself for bed. Granted, being who she was and what she could do, it didn't take much. Biological necessities were a must in any case, but otherwise she simply indulged herself in the wholly unnecessary but highly enjoyable task of brushing her hair.

And while she did so, sitting cross-legged on her bed in her plain linen shift, she let her mind drift in reminiscence of the day's activities. As well as a certain blue-eyed Elven girl that had accompanied her during her efforts to procure mounts and supplies for their upcoming expedition.

She's definitely different, the blonde mused. Not just in looks, though sure she's gorgeous and all. What is it about her I find so attractive?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, several qualities immediately sprang to mind. Her sharp intellect, quick wit, obvious magical skill, her fearlessness from the stories Nora and Ruby had told around the table the previous evening… While her outer beauty was undeniable, it was her inner qualities which seemed to draw her in like a moth to a flame.

Which, come to think of it, was a very apt analogy, if in the reverse.

Humming to herself tunelessly, Yang set her hairbrush down, one of the few items she actually carried with her in her rucksack, and stared out of the window across the dimly-lit rooftops of Vale.

I have to be careful, there's no possible way this could end well for either of us, especially now of all times… Still, I can't deny my feelings for Weiss, even if she might not feel the same.

Her introspection was interrupted by light but firm knocks on her door. She froze momentarily, but then sprang up with a grin before her brain could remind her what a monumentally disastrous idea this could turn out to be.

Indeed, as she expected, Weiss stood outside her door, arms wrapped around her middle. The diminutive Elf was wearing nothing but a pale blue nightgown that came fairly close to mirroring her eyes. That, and a rather tentative smile.

Oooh, this is bad, this is such a bad idea…

Her libido promptly told her brain to shut up as it took over completely.

"Hey there, gorgeous," Yang grinned. "Something I can do for you?"

Weiss opened her mouth, only to close it again with an unusually timid look on her face. All throughout the day, she'd been both decisive and confident, qualities Yang found immensely desirable. Though, admittedly, her hesitation regarding what the blonde presumed to be her intentions here so late at night, was something she found to be rather adorable.

Opening the door further, Yang stepped aside and gave her a wordless welcoming gesture. The platinum-haired Elf offered her a regal nod of gratitude as she glided by on bare feet, stopping in the center of the room and facing away from her.

Yang closed the door behind her, silently sliding the lock shut. "What's on your mind, princess?"

The girl shot her a quick glare over her shoulder at the nickname before turning her gaze back out the window. "You," she replied simply.

"Hmm," Yang murmured, inching closer to the slim girl. "Funny enough, I could say the same of you as well."

"Is that so?" the Elven Mage whispered, still with her back turned. "Well, then…"

She finally turned around, regarding the blonde pensively. "I suppose you've made no secret of your… regards for myself. I was unsure at first if it was all bluster… But I can tell that's not the case."

"No," Yang breathed, allowing the heat of her emotions to leak into her lilac eyes, knowing that they were likely ringed with crimson. "No, it's not." She took another slow step forward, like a predator unwilling to startle her prey.

Only this prey seemed perfectly willing to be caught and devoured. "Then know I have the same regard for you," Weiss stated, her voice still kept to the level of a whisper.

Yang took another step, now within arm's reach. "So, then, why are you here?"

"I think you know."

"No, I need to hear it from you, gorgeous. Why are you here?"

The white-haired girl swallowed, the only outward sign of her nervousness. "I wish for you to bed me."

"I was hoping that's what you'd say," Yang grinned, stepping forward once more so that their bodies almost touched, though she kept her hands to her sides still through sheer willpower alone. "And will I be your first?"

"Yes," Weiss replied, barely audible now as her lips hardly even moved.

"And you know that you won't be my first."

"Yes," Weiss repeated, pale blue eyes shining.

"I have to warn you, though," Yang said firmly, though she kept her voice quiet. She had to get this out, even though by now she could easily smell the other woman's desire. "Once I get started, it's… difficult for me to stop. What I mean to say is… If you're having second thoughts, or want to back out, I won't mind, but… you have to say so now." She lifted a hand up, trembling with her efforts at restraint, to rest on the Elf's cheek. "Are you sure about this?"

"Oum, yes," Weiss breathed.

Yang grinned exultantly. "Alright, then…"

Weiss let out a soft squeal as Yang swept her up in her arms, carrying her bridal-style over to her bed.

"Oh," the Elf giggled nervously. "Is that how it is, then?"

Yang let out a wordless, quiet growl, causing the other girl's eyes to dilate with need. She lay Weiss down upon the bed as gently as possible before pulling her shift up over her head, shaking out her blonde locks. The taller girl noted with a smirk how Weiss was now staring at her avidly, pale blue eyes roaming eagerly over her toned, naked body.

"Weiss."

"Hmm?"

"You're drooling."

Unwillingly her hand shot up to her mouth, only to grace the chuckling woman with a glare at her teasing. "Oaf," she muttered. "Are you the only one to be unclothed here?"

"Oh, no, not at all," Yang grinned wider, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

A wild LEMON appears! Roll a saving throw of 15 or better to skip ahead!

With gentle care, she lifted the petite girl up by her slim hips, settling her onto her lap and straddling the blonde. Already she could feel the heat from the other girl's core as it now rested against her abdomen, the silken nightshirt riding up her thighs.

And evidently it was in the forefront of Weiss' senses as well. She let out a soft groan as her slender legs wrapped around Yang's waist, pulling them in tighter and causing the blonde to chuckle once more.

She lifted both hands up to cup the beautiful Elf's face, staring into her captivating blue eyes intently. Ever so slowly, she lowered her lips towards Weiss', still holding her gaze unblinkingly.

The lips that so often formed into a hard, disapproving line, or curled up ever so slightly into a sarcastic grin, right then felt like the softest substance on Remnant. Yang was trembling like a leaf on an Autumn wind at the attempt to hold back from devouring her right then and there, but she managed to take her time, closing her eyes and savoring the feel of those silken, wondrous lips against her own. I have to take care, not just for myself… This should be something wondrous for her as her first time, and I want nothing more than to provide that for her...

She almost let out a startled gasp as the platinum-haired girl was the first to initiate the deepening of the kiss, her small but warm tongue poking out inquisitively. Yang eagerly complied, parting her lips and hungrily exploring the insides of her mouth.

As her tongue was busy, so were her hands. They roamed up and down the slender Elf's sides, her thumbs brushing up against the undersides of her small chest. Unable to hold back further, Yang growled once more in the back of her throat as she tugged upwards on Weiss' nightgown.

The other girl separated just long enough to fling her nightwear over her head and off to the side before eagerly clamping back down upon Yang's mouth. The blonde now stroked Weiss' naked back, cupping the cheeks of her rear momentarily before moving on, mapping every inch of the Elf's body that she could reach. She marveled at the feel of all that loose, unbound white hair spilling from her hands like water. Yang then let out a pleased moan as she ran her fingers along those surprisingly muscled legs that were still locked around her waist.

And Weiss was not idle with her own hands, hesitantly exploring her lean, toned limbs and flat abdominals. She seemed to enjoy her rear end in particular, resting both of her hands there and squeezing earnestly.

Yang leaned back ever so slightly, enough to finally slide her industrious hands up the girl's flat stomach and cup her small breasts. That actually caused Weiss to break away from the kiss again, letting out a shocked gasp at the pleasurable contact. She massaged her gently at first, but then began to knead her tiny nipples, already pebbled with arousal. Weiss' head was thrown back as she moaned in ecstasy at the attention, and the blonde took advantage of her position by giving her porcelain neck a series of licks, nibbles, and kisses. Her attention only served to increase the volume of the smaller girl's moans, as she began to grind her warm core into her stomach, tentatively caressing Yang's own more generous breasts.

"Y- Yang," the breathless Elf moaned. "C- Can we p- please lay down… b- before I fall over?"

The blonde laughed lightly into her neck. "Absolutely, gorgeous." She was quick to acquiesce, pulling Weiss around effortlessly to lay her across her sheets. Yang hovered over her on all fours, her crimson gaze claiming her prize visually before doing so in a far more intimate fashion.

"Are you ready for this?" she whispered harshly, feeling the sweat beading upon her brow in tune with the heat coursing through her system.

"Yes," Weiss murmured, running her hand through Yang's curled tresses and offering her a smile, any trace of hesitancy now gone. "Please…"

Yang could only give a grunt of acknowledgment before she plunged down, ravishing the pale beauty below her with far less gentle kisses and nips. The slender Elf let out a surprised yelp when her teeth clamped down on her hip, but soon enough it dissolved into a needy whine when the blonde's hand ran along the inside of her thigh.

And then her mouth was there, covering her core and assaulting the girl's lower lips. Weiss arched her back at the wholly unfamiliar pleasure, rocking her hips in tune with her lover's tongue as it plunged into her. And then Yang moved up to her sensitive nubbin, tearing a startled scream from the Elf's throat.

"Oh, GODS! Bloody fucking Oum, Yang!"

Yang was pulled back into the moment by the uncharacteristic swearing, laughing softly into Weiss' labia as she eased her fingers inside.

If her screams were loud and piercing before, they were nothing compared to the banshee-like howls that issued forth from the normally demure Elven girl. Weiss was like a woman possessed, writhing and undulating underneath Yang as the blonde continued her ministrations, plunging her fingers inside while sucking and licking her clit.

It actually took much longer than she anticipated, but eventually Yang could feel the other girl's slender legs tightening around her head as the pace of her panting increased. With the ease borne of experience, she curled her fingers up, unerringly finding the sweet spot at the front.

Weiss let out one more wordless shriek of pleasure before collapsing back against the bed, limp and unmoving.

She eased her finger out before crawling up beside her lover, licking her digits off with a wide and self-assured grin.

You have defeated the wild LEMON! Carry on, noble adventurer!

Yang waited patiently for the overwrought Elf to regain consciousness, caressing her side with gentle fingers. The blonde's head swiveled over towards the door upon hearing the sound of a loud pounding.

"You didn't kill her, didja?" Nora's voice called out cheerfully.

"Nope, she's unconscious, not dead," Yang replied merrily.

"Okay then, carry on!"

The blonde laughed to herself with the realization that likely the entire tavern, if not the neighborhood, was now aware of their activity.

Pondering just how mortified her new lover might feel upon this knowledge, she failed to notice when the platinum-haired girl awoke until a slender hand slid up across her cheek.

"Hey," Yang murmured, gazing down into pools of pale blue.

"Hey," Weiss answered breathlessly.

"Sooo… I take it you enjoyed that?"

The Elf blinked her eyes slowly. "Yang… I am a Mage. I have relished and endured the exquisite power that comes from magic coursing through my veins, the experience akin to standing upon the tallest mountain and gazing out across the world like a goddess."

It was Yang's turn to blink. "Okaaay…"

"But to compare that to what I just experienced… is like a toothpick beside that oversized hedge-trimming instrument of death that your sister carries around."

It took Yang only a moment or two to wrap her head around the complicated analogy that Weiss was weaving, but when it finally clicked, she broke out into another wide grin. "So… you liked it."

"Yes, Yang," the Elven girl sighed with a roll of her eyes. "I loved it."

"Well, good. There's more where that came from."

"Oh, really?" Weiss giggled, the new sound like that of wind chimes, instantly entrancing the blonde brawler. "How long will it take for us to be kicked out of our rooms?"

"Nah, never happen," Yang smirked. "I bribed the owner."

"You… What?" The Elf glared at her smug expression. "You were expecting me to show up tonight?"

"Hoping, yes. Not expecting." Yang shrugged a bare shoulder. "Helps to be prepared."

"I suppose so," Weiss murmured. "Well, I do believe I've regained some feeling in my limbs. Though I suppose I should return to my quarters for a healing draught at some point this evening…"

"No need," Yang snickered, indicating her rucksack with a tip of her blonde mane. "I got both healing and stamina potions. Prepared, remember?"

"Very well, then." Weiss pushed on the blonde's shoulder, rolling her over and surprising her with her strength. "Your turn."

"Absolutely," Yang sighed, exulting in the feel of the slim girl's limbs around her as Weiss began to map her own way down her body.

Oh, yeah, this is not gonna end well… But at this point, I really can't give a good gods-be-damned… I'm gonna enjoy the ride for all it's worth.

And just pray the fallout is worth the journey.

o o o

On the other side of town, a sleepy member of the King's Council was about to finally turn in for the night when a light and hesitant rap sounded at her door.

The raven-haired woman's head snapped around, quickly ascertaining the identity of her caller. Though she was tempted to ignore it, knowing that the person would slink off alone if unanswered, she knew that it must be of some import to be bothering her this late.

Idle interruptions were not tolerated.

With slow, measured steps, Cinder walked to her door and opened it. On the other side was an extremely battered and bruised Emerald, mint-green hair in disarray and clothing torn.

"What happened?" she demanded flatly, standing aside to allow the shorter woman to enter.

"There's another one in town," Emerald reported weakly, staggering inside and swaying on her feet. "Silver, a young one from what I could tell."

Cinder growled quietly, closing the door and bolting it once more. "Did she get away?"

"Yeah, she did," the green-haired girl answered. She gave the woman a disgruntled look. "You know me, I wouldn't fuck something like this up without cause. She's strong, way stronger than I expected. And… there's more."

Sighing, the raven-haired woman nodded as she sat on the edge of her bed. "There usually is." With uncommon courtesy, she patted the spot next to her.

Emerald's eyes lit up as she scampered over, perching next to the other woman. She hesitantly leaned over to rest her head on Cinder's shoulder, but when she wasn't immediately rebuked she melted into her side.

"Roman's dead."

Cinder had begun to reach up to pat her head, but her hand froze momentarily. The smaller girl tensed up, prepared to flee, but relaxed when the raven-haired woman completed the action.

"I see. Was it the Silver?"

"No, some Cat Faunus. I think she used to work for him. But the two of them were together."

"No sign of Yang?"

"Not at all, but I think they might be associated with each other. I believe I remember that Faunus girl from the pub where we found Yang in the city. Too much of a coincidence."

"I agree," Cinder purred, stroking Emerald's hair back. "Where is Mercury?"

"Off on his own," the smaller girl snorted. "He figured we'd cover more ground that way, the arrogant ass. I was speaking with Roman and his buddy to try and track down Yang, but those other two girls interrupted our little talk. Permanently." Emerald craned her neck to peer up at Cinder warily. "How badly does this affect the plan?"

"Not at all," Cinder smirked slightly. "He was approaching the end of his usefulness, the list was almost complete. Only two left, and I can handle them myself. In fact," she smirked, her amber eyes flaring crimson, "it would be my genuine pleasure to eliminate the final two."

"Good," Emerald whispered tiredly.

"Are you fatigued, my sweet?" Cinder asked. "I'll tell you what… If you please me this night, I will allow you to stay with me until morning."

"Really?" Emerald exclaimed, all trace of exhaustion dissipated. "Oh, I most certainly shall, My Lady, I won't disappoint you!"

"I don't expect you will," Cinder murmured, her smirk turning somewhat cruel before she leaned in to capture the smaller woman's mouth in a rough, crushing kiss.

A/N: So, that was a thing. Many things, in fact. A little action, a little killing, a little sex… a little dubious comfort plus more off-camera implied sex… Hey, this thing is rated M, right? Oh, and now we have Blake's secret revealed! Now, I had only four scenes I wanted to include in this chapter, I worked on them in reverse order and each one grew more than I'd intended. And so we're left with this chapter of rather impressive length with perspectives from both sisters. I actually had to completely take out the first scene, rework it a little, and move it to the beginning of the next chapter.

Much love for my amazing Betas, KellyConnely and PandaAnimeLover (even if you will never read my lemon sections, should call you PrudePanda), and endless hugs for all of you wonderful readers for supporting me so far. Thanks for the follows, favorites, and reviews! RatedRSuperStar87, bankerrtx01, AntonSlavik020, RedWing36, ExKage, FoxyFoxation, eltiochips, Commando2341, Jiggly Joe, and Natural Born Flamer. You all obviously have cunning intellect, lively sense of humor, stellar physical attractiveness, and exquisite taste (in other words, you keep reading my stuff). Love you guys!

Also, to address a review by guest Jiggly Joe (make an account, man, so I can reply directly to you!): I'm very humbled by the fact that, despite the numerous aspects of my story that you don't particularly like, you're still invested in it and following along. Really, it does give me tons of warm and fuzzies, though I kinda feel bad to force you to read it! Might I also humbly recommend you check out my author page? I've written enough (about 50) stories that you might find one more to your liking… Finally, yes up to chapter 10 was the first 'arc' of three or four, I plan on somewhere around 40 chapters or so. I know, the summary only refers to Yang's actions in the first volume, it was a teaser to draw people in. Now that the story's more underway, I keep thinking about updating the summary, but can't really decide on anything yet...

Stay shiny!