Chapter 11: Tinder Glow

XxX

Ruby

Ruby stood stockstill as the door closed behind Blake, unable to form words. She had been in a room with a terrorist. A terrorist had been on her team. Not that she thought the faunus didn't deserve rights, but - Blake had known the name of the person on the train! And the tone she'd used, like she'd known what had happened on the train and what was supposed to happen - but she had sounded so regretful, and looked so scared -

A terrorist!

"The security drones reported a second criminal. They detached the front cars from the caboose. It's why the civilians on the back didn't get reinforcements." Weiss's voice could have frozen and shattered an Atlesian glacier.

"Weiss, she clearly didn't mean for people to die-" Yang's words were feeble.

"How do you know, Xiao-long? Did she tell you all this before? Were you lying to us?"

Yang's eyes widened.

"No, Weiss! I swear I didn't know any of this! I would have told you if I had!" She fell back into her seat, shoulders slumped.

"So she lied to all of us, then. Just what I'd expect, out of someone like her," Weiss said tonelessly. "Just another liar, hiding behind just another mask. Probably just trying to get her hands on a Schnee and up the White Fang's body count."

Ruby's eyes widened. It hadn't felt like Blake was lying to them - she had looked guilty, there at the end, before she ran. Ruby needed to find her. She needed to find out what was really going on. But Weiss wouldn't listen to something like that though, she needed something concrete, something real -

"Weiss, if she was trying to kill you, she had so many chances to do it... it doesn't make any sense! Why would she have been so outspoken about Faunus rights, if she were some...some...undercover agent?"

Weiss's eyes widened slightly.

"Maybe she wasn't trained well enough? Or maybe they were trying to hide her by giving her a believable cover?" The mirror that had been Weiss Schnee was finally beginning to crack, revealing the emotions hiding underneath. Ruby pushed onwards.

"And why would they have put someone like that on your team? Why not just have them be another random student and kill you in a sparring accident, or something? Look, Ozpin has to have known she was a faunus, right? If you died or vanished, all eyes would be on her! Weiss, this is your world, you know there are pieces missing!"

"You seem very desperate to defend her, Ruby. Need I remind you what she's done? What they've done?" Weiss paused, eyes shining. "Do you really want me to go search for all the pieces we need to prove that your sister's partner is a criminal? A murderer? Or is that some convoluted plot of yours to buy her more time?"

Ruby's eyes flashed.

"Don't you dare blame this on us, Weiss. We didn't know. We still don't know. It's your word against Blake's, and she's not here right now to defend herself. No, stop!" Ruby cried when Weiss opened her mouth. "I'm not defending a terrorist, Weiss. I'm defending my teammate. My friend! I don't know what's going on, I don't know what to think, none of this makes any sense! Right now, we need to find Blake and... and figure this out!"

"There's nothing to figure out, Ruby!" Weiss's voice was shrill. "Don't you understand? She was never your friend! Never your teammate! She lied to all of us! The Blake you think you know never existed. And we are not risking our lives on some harebrained wild goose chase because you can't believe that anybody's evil!"

"We should go to Ozpin." Yang's voice cut through the argument like Crescent Rose through the neck of a Grimm. Ruby and Weiss stopped in their tracks, turning to her, eyes widening.

"Don't look at me like that. Ruby, you're right, none of this makes sense. I know Blake Belladonna better than either of you two do, and this...this isn't her. Murdering people she disagrees with isn't her."

"Then why did she run, Xiao-Long?" Weiss asked, and Ruby realized her eyes weren't shining with rage, but...tears. Weiss's back was stiff and straight, like she was doing all she could to remain composed. Desperately holding herself together, because one little slip would have her falling apart. She had been betrayed, just like the rest of them. "Innocent people don't run."

"I don't know, Weiss," Yang said calmly. "But you know who might? The person who accepted her in the first place. I'll go. She was my partner, after all. Please, just stay here until I come back. Okay? Calm down, we'll figure this out together. Promise me. I...we're still a team, whether it's four...or three of us."

Weiss and Ruby exchanged glances. Ruby couldn't have been more thankful for her older sister. Crossing her arms, Weiss stared out the window but gave a small nod.

"Okay," Ruby said. "Go. We'll be here when you come back."

Yang nodded. "Thank you. Now…" she turned for the door. "I have a headmaster to see."

XxX

Yang

"...And then she ran. Headmaster...did you know? And what should I do?"

Ozpin hummed softly, fingers slowly tapping his mug. The room was dead silent. Yang had hoped that Ruby and Weiss would demand to follow her to Ozpin's office, but maybe it was good that they didn't. Everyone was worked up. They needed to calm down and Yang needed her answers. If they had followed her, then the conversation with Ozpin would have gotten nowhere. Weiss was determined that Blake was guilty. Ruby, that she was innocent. Yang just...she just wanted…

Yang just needed the truth. Whatever the truth might be. And the way they were now, Ruby and Weiss weren't going to help her find it.

Ozpin fell silent. Yang almost couldn't take the calm. Blake had run, and she might have been a terrorist, and everyone was just sitting here quietly? They had to do something, look for her, get the word out, something! She stood up. Ozpin held up a hand.

"Sit down, Ms. Xiao-Long. In your first question, were you asking about Ms. Belladonna's Faunus status or her...previous employment?"

"Both! Did you know about any of it?!"

"I did. All of it. Your partner originally wished to hide her past and identity, but Beacon's ability to ferret out secrets is consistently better than incoming students account for." The corner of his mouth turned up into a wry smile, as though he was laughing at some private joke.

"Then...why? Why let her in? Why not warn us?" Yang shook her head. Was Ozpin an idiot? "You partnered me with a former terrorist! I think I had the right to know!"

"Because she wished to turn over a new leaf, perhaps? Your partner has a lot of pain to work through, and I'm sure you saw it. But...deep down? She has the mind and dedication of a huntress. It's... I suppose one could say it's ironic." His mouth quirked into that strange smile again.

"What, that I pushed away someone with the soul of a huntress?" The bitterness in Yang's voice almost surprised her.

Ozpin's eyes widened slightly. He shook his head.

"Quite the opposite, Ms. Xiao Long. That you didn't."

Yang's eyes widened.

"What are you saying, Headmaster? She's gone."

"Is she, Ms. Xiao Long? The roster still marks her as present. She may accumulate a few absences, but students at Beacon have missed more. Your uncle, for example."

Yang paused, a little hope blooming. If Ozpin really meant what he was saying...Blake still had a chance. Everything could be worked out. Everything could go back to normal. A part of Yang yearned to forget it all, to turn the events of the past evening in to a fever dream. Perhaps that was what kept her going. Even though she knew...deep down, that things were never going to be the same again.

"Are you saying what I think you are, Ozpin?"

"Depends what it is you think. You asked, earlier, what to do? Find your partner. Get her back. Consider that an order."

Yang grinned and stood up.

"Does this mean I get a pass on work?"

"Ms. Xiao-long? I already let you off for 'Ozpin'. You do not want to push your luck right now."

XxX

Ruby

Ruby and Weiss stood at the door to Ozpin's elevator. The doors had closed on Yang just as they arrived and refused to reopen. So they had stood in silence. Waiting for Yang to come down. For half an hour. Saying nothing. Doing nothing. Ruby had tried to open conversation again with no success. Weiss remained dead silent, staring at the ground.

The elevator doors rumbled open. Yang stepped out, grinning widely, hand perched on her hips. "'You guys! You didn't schneed to wait for me, but I'm glad you did."

Ruby blinked. Yang was smiling. The expression felt deranged. "...Sis, are you alright? You remember why we're here, right? Your partner, the White Fang member, ran off?"

Yang nodded.

"Yep! Ozpin and I worked it out. Come with me."

She set off down the hallway, Ruby following behind her. Weiss looked up at her.

"'Worked it out?' Mind telling us where we're going?"

Yang sighed.

"I guess I should. Mission, of course!"

Ruby's eyes widened.

"Mission? Wait, how?"

"What do you think I was talking with Ozpin about for so long? You know, Rubes, you're pretty slow sometimes."

Ruby groaned.

"That's not an answer, Yang!"

"We have a mission to get Blake back! Assigned from Ozpin himself!"

Weiss's eyes locked onto Yang's.

"So, what, she gets off scot-free for her terrorism?"

Yang met her stare.

"No. I have questions for her too. But we'll need to find her to have them answered. You two can stay behind if you aren't comfortable. I can do this alone."

Ruby shook her head. Someone saving a team member without help? Not allowed. Not while she was the team leader.

"You won't be alone, Yang."

Her sister grinned.

"Good to have you with me. Weiss?"

Weiss inhaled and exhaled.

"I want to find her, too. But once we do...I won't make any promises.""

"Good enough for me."

Yang and Weiss continued walking, side-by-side with each other. Ruby lingered, a troubled look on her face.

"Er...Well, we'll talk about that, right? Don't- don't do anything rash. Right? Guys?"

Yang and Weiss were already out the door.

XxX

Sun

Sun and Penny slowed as they neared the Beacon transit pad. Even at this time of night, the landing area was abuzz with people. Ships carrying cargo landed and took off every few minutes, taking with them the lifeblood of Beacon Academy. After a day spent seeing the results of the newest crime wave in Vale, it was nice to see part of the city working well. Way fewer broken windows. Actually...Sun's eyes widened. Was that a passenger dropship? At this time of night? Who would need to head into Vale after midnight? Sun turned back to Penny.

"Penny, I'm going to go see who that is reentering Vale this late."

She nodded.

"I will follow behind you."

Sun walked up to the opening door of the dropship, perching a hand on his hip and grinning. A blade flew out of the shadows behind the door, bouncing off of Sun's Aura. Sun nearly jumped a foot in surprise, reflexively punching and kicking in front of him and hitting empty air.

A menacing voice spoke from the shadows.

"Who are you, and why are you waiting for me?"

He bowed dramatically. With a straight line like that, he couldn't be expected to resist temptation.

"Did they not tell you I was coming? My Lady of Shadows, I am here to help."

He heard the cock of a gun. Sun straightened, raising his hands.

"Okay okay, I'm just joking around! Don't shoot! I come in peace, alright? Name's Sun, I'm from Shade Academy. Here for Vytal. Just wondering what someone from Beacon's doing out this late."

"Leaving."

Sun's eyes widened.

"Oh, really? Let me know if you want some tips, this wouldn't be my first time...leaving a Huntsman academy early."

The voice paused.

"...Really?"

"You might even say this isn't my first rodeo," he said, smirking at the shadows. His tone and expression didn't falter as he continued, "except, this isn't a rodeo, but a...huntsman academy...escape...thing."

There was a pause. "Are you some kind of idiot?"

"An idiot would have gotten himself caught."

"And the girl behind you?"

Sun glanced behind him, where Penny stood with an innocent smile. "Oh, Penny? She's totally norm-well, not normal, but I'm pretty sure she won't hurt you."

"That is correct! Attacking an allied huntsman out of combat would be most dishonorable!"

Sun grinned.

"Right you are, Penny. See? Totally alright."

The door to the dropship fully opened, revealing a tall black-haired cat Faunus wearing dark combat gear and a bow over her ears, two swords strapped at her sides. Sun pointed at the bow.

"Any reason you wear that? I can't imagine it's comfortable."

She tensed up.

"What are you saying?"

Sun laughed. "I mean, no judgement here, if that's your thing. It's just... I can only think of one reason for you to be wearing that. And I can't imagine it's comfortable on the ears."

Catwoman paused, fear flickering over her face. "Excuse me?"

"Seriously? I have a tail. Penny here's a cyborg or something. Your ears just twitched. There is no reason to be coy about this."

"Sun, I must object! I am a real girl!"

Sun turned back slightly.

"Penny, not the time, trying to save someone's self image here-"

"I can hear you, you know."

"Good! Then you can hear me saying that if you're wearing the bow because you're scared, that you're among safe people now."

The girl slowly relaxed, extending her hand.

"...Thanks. Name's Blake Belladonna."

Sun smiled, shaking it.

"Good to meet you, Blake Belladonna. Let's find someplace quieter to talk. I imagine you've got some stories to tell."

XxX

Blake

(36 hours later)

"... So I figured what the hell, right? SSSN was running perfectly, we weren't actually being taught anything useful, and I was going to be going to Vale anyway for Vytal. I jumped on the first ship going the right way, and here we are." Sun took a short sip from his warm cup of tea, tail curling around the cafe chair.

"What ships were going from Vacuo to Vale that take passengers on such short notice?" Blake was interested despite herself. It felt wrong to be so calm after what had happened, but maybe...maybe it was a good idea to be relaxed. It was difficult to be worried around someone so carefree. It twas the same reason she stayed sane on team RWBY, honestly. Yang was much the same way.

Sun ran a hand through his hair.

"About that...Penny, you said Atlas pulled you off tracking duty a few hours back, yeah?"

Penny looked up from the cup of tea she'd been staring at contemplatively for the past hour.

"That is correct, Sun! Searches indicated the stowaway took nothing and never left his hiding spot. They were therefore deemed to be a non-threat and taken off the priority target list. Wherever he is now, he'll be left alone."

He grinned.

"Good. It was me, by the way."

Penny's eyes widened.

"Sun! How could you! I thought we were friends!"

Sun put a hand on his chest, pretending to be wounded.

"Of course we're friends, Penny! I helped you find the stowaway, didn't I?"

Penny looked uncertain.

"I... I suppose you were moved off the priority list. And I have enjoyed spending time with a friend. I will not inform my superiors that the stowaway has been found. There is no need to burden them with useless information."

Sun smiled.

"Thanks, Penny. Anyway, Blake, I've been talking about myself for this whole time, what's your story? You don't just end up running away from Beacon in the dead of night."

Blake inhaled, staring into the dregs of her cup. After all this time staying secret , could she really just come out and say it? Not like being secretive had helped her any. And she could always be careful what she said. She steeled herself and began talking.

"My family was one of the founding families of Menagerie, after the Accords. I was brought up on stories of forgiveness, of trading peace for equality. My father headed up the White Fang, back in the early days of peaceful protest and negotiation. So, when I saw what the humans did to us outside Menagerie, joining the Fang was an obvious step. And, for a few years, it was perfect. We stood and fought idealistically, we protested peacefully... the only issue was that nothing got done. Eventually, my father stepped down. A new leader took over."

"Adam Taurus. Origins unknown. Marked as high-priority target. Extremely dangerous." Penny's voice was... dispassionate. Cold. Clearly, Adam wasn't just another criminal to her. Blake looked up defensively.

"He - he wasn't always like that! When he first took over, he just pushed us to get more personal. Respond to fire with fire, run negative protests, make sure the world knew the truth about what the Schnee were doing! And it was working! We were getting concessions, the public was turning to our side! Then everything... everything changed."

Sun leaned a little closer.

"Changed how?"

Blake inhaled.

"One day, Adam came into the command center...colder. He said he was tired of waiting for miniscule results and tiny changes. He planned our first strike on a Schnee factory that night. Even then, nobody innocent was hurt, it was always unmanned targets or security installations... Until the train. The Schnee Dust Train was the first time we ever attacked a civilian target with the intent to harm, and Adam said it would be the last, but... there was something about him that day. I knew he wouldn't stop there. And I couldn't be a part of it. So I left. Everything from then till now? I've watched. A car of civilian technicians murdered, Schnee board members kidnapped and executed... everything keeps going downhill. And I can't shake the fact that maybe it was all we were meant for all along." Blake fell silent.

Sun paused.

"Damn. That's, uh, a bit heavier than I was expecting. Doesn't explain why you ran though."

"Weiss Schnee is on my team. She just found out I was ex-White Fang yesterday."

"...oh." Sun nodded thoughtfully. He continued nodding for a full minute, 'uh-huh'-ing every so often. Blake looked at him weirdly. She honestly didn't know what to think of him. And Penny just sat quietly, poking the tea in her cup. Finally, Sun slammed his palms against the table. "So, what now?"

Blake paused.

"I... I really don't know. I think I might go back to Menagerie. If I'm going to figure out where it all went wrong, I should probably start at the source."

"Blake? No offense? But that's a stupid plan."

"I'm sorry?"

"Look, you want to know what the White Fang's doing in Vale and around the world? Then hear it from their mouths. I heard there's a meet later tonight."

Blake paused. "Tonight? Where-where did you hear that?"

Sun shrugged. "I have my sources. Eavesdropping, my sources are me eavesdropping. Don't worry about it. So, up for a little undercover work?"

That...actually wasn't a bad idea. Maybe the message they were giving their grunts would reveal a bit about their new ethos. Although... she reached up and pulled one end of her bow, undoing the knot and removing it in a fluid motion. Sun grinned.

"I knew it was uncomfortable."

"That's not why - Sun, I wore this bow while I was with the Fang. If I look too similar they'll recognize me. That's all this is."

"Right. Of course."

XxX

Ruby

Ruby's eyes flicked around the buildings as team RWBY - well, RWY for now - walked into the warehouse district. They'd been searching for Blake for almost 2 days now, and their path had finally brought them here. Well, sort of. Ruby still wasn't sure the book store owner knew what he was talking about. But, honestly, at this point? Ruby was willing to take any hint she could get. Not like they had any idea where Blake was besides that.

Ruby noticed an orange-haired girl standing by a corner and trying as hard as she could to look inconspicuous, judging by how unnaturally she was moving. She walked up to the girl, motioning for Weiss and Yang to follow.

"Hi! Sorry to bother you, but would you mind helping us with something?"

The girl turned to her, staring directly into her eyes.

"Salutations, fellow citizen! What do you need?"

"We're looking for someone. A team member of ours. Black haired girl, kind of looks like a ninja, Faunus? She ran away because she thinks we hate her or something, we're trying to get her back -"

"Speak for yourself," Weiss grumbled.

Ruby turned back for a moment. "Not the time, Weiss." She turned back to face the girl. "See her anywhere near here?"

The girl paused.

"I am sorry, but I cannot help you."

Ruby's eyes widened.

"That doesn't mean you haven't seen her, right? Look, we really just want to have her back on our team and we're worried about her."

The girl paused. Ruby stepped forward.

"Please? I'll, no, we'll really owe you if you do, I don't have much to offer but having a team of awesome huntresses in training as your friends has to be good for something, right?"

The girl's eyes widened.

"Friends?"

Ruby nodded hurriedly.

"Yes, yes, friends, right guys?"

Weiss and Yang nodded reluctantly.

"Sensational! Five in two days! Your friend is safe, don't worry. She and Sun Wukong from Vacuo are undercover in a White Fang meeting, trying to figure out why they turned to violence so suddenly. I'm standing guard for them in case something goes wrong. I'm combat ready!" A blade extended from her backpack with a sharp whir.

Ruby nodded uncertainly.

"That sounds about right for Blake. Do you know where they are more specifically?"

Penny shook her head.

"No. Sun said I would know if they needed help."

Ruby paused.

"Could we wait here with you? It'll look less suspicious if we're all talking."

Penny smiled widely.

"Guard duty with my newest friends! Sensational!"

XxX

Sun

Sun and Blake stood quietly as the rest of the room fell silent, White Fang members silencing the crowd from the front of the room, one or two fiddling with the curtains behind them. One stepped forward. Sun strained to see him through the mask they'd put on at the door for 'security reasons'.

"Alright, new recruits! I'm sure you are all wondering why we called you here! Well, we have news I think you'd all like to hear. Take it away, Roman!"

A man in a white suit stepped onto the stage, gesturing expansively with his cane. Blake's eyes widened. What was a human doing there? Especially a human like him?

"Good evening, everyone! I'm sure you're all wondering why I, a human, am on stage in front of you! Maybe you think that you've been figured out, that this is some sting operation run by Atlas or the... expert Vale police force. Well, if you think it's that last one, you need your head examined. Anyway, worry not. Your voices have been heard! A group of government drones has decided that they want to champion your cause, and I am their suitably grimy instrument! And, as a token of their appreciation, they've sent us some very nice toys." He motioned with his cane and the curtain fell away, revealing a massive mech suit.

"I give you the newest in Atlas technology, the prototype Atlesian Paladin! This wonder of a machine will make all your force propagation problems just melt away! It slices, it dices, it makes julienne fries, and it fires 2000 Dust Rounds a minute from dual gatling cannons. Now, come on, step right up, who wants to give this baby a try?"

He made a show of searching the crowd, then waved his cane at...Blake and Sun. He smiled sharply. "You two! Don't be shy, now. We wouldn't want to have any problems."

A/N: Before we get into story comments: As I mentioned last chapter, next week will not have a chapter. The week after should, but college orientation is happening so I make no promises. Hopefully after that we should be back on schedule for the next while.

Storywise:

The RWY fight: that's been a long time coming. Hopefully the Weiss arc set this up well enough. But damn was it intense to write.

Yang and Ozpin/Yang and RW: Yang and Ozpin was written right after RWY as a bit of a palate cleanser and to give a sense of how Yang feels about all this. The tension of being the most betrayed but the most desperate to forgive is a fun one. Also, Ozpin being mysterious in a directed way is a fun challenge those of you who came here from LiDD will be intimately familiar. (I've always felt it a bit unusual that everyone kind of...forgave Blake after the docks. I'm hopeful I can avoid that pitfall a bit)

Blake, Sun, and Penny: Yes, I am messing with shippers. Yes, it is intentional. Yes, I do have pairings in mind(one with only one work to its name, that should be fun!). With that out of the way, Blake works really well as a foil for Sun and Penny ideologically and personality-wise. Definitely a set of characters I might want to write side stories for eventually.

White Fang lore: the show's timeline for WF violence(5 years ago, a/c to Blake) doesn't match with Weiss's timeline(grew up with people dying constantly). I decided to pick Blake's and just cut out Weiss's line for lore/plot reasons, which enterprising readers may be able to piece together. Also, the docks aren't happening right now since going to a meet makes more sense given their current knowledge.

RWY and Penny: Everyone's a little higher strung in this scene(but penny) than they were in the anime when they met, so a good deal less fun with that interaction.

Torchwick: Notice the small differences in what he says. Every choice has meaning.

(As always, many thanks to my betas.)

Please review!