Chapter 18: Close, but no Cigar

Farran gritted his teeth, as harsh winds blasted by his face, chilling him to the bone. His arms were wrapped in a death grip around Yang's waist, as the two of them shot through the city on her motorcycle. They'd reluctantly left the Metaverse, leaving Viola behind with Farran's scroll to keep an eye on things until they got back. Yang had texted Ruby as they hopped aboard an airship heading into Vale, only to find that in all their time searching, neither she nor Penny had found any sign of Blake. The second they landed, Yang dragged Farran to the garage next to the airstrip where she kept her bike, flooring it out of the garage the second they were both safely seated. With every turn, the wheels of her motorcycle let out a deafening screech, as she blasted around corners without even thinking of slowing down. In any other situation, Farran would have complained about her speed, or at least made a sarcastic remark about her driving, but he held his tongue. He was, after all, just as anxious about this whole mess.

He checked the clock on the motorcycle's dashboard over Yang's shoulder: 9 PM. Just three hours left for them to find Blake, get back to Beacon, and defeat her Shadow. He shook his head, not willing to let himself get lost worrying about what might happen if they failed. The pair finally reached a point a few blocks away from where Ruby said to meet them when the ground started rumbling underneath them. Yang pulled over, her bike screeching to a halt, and pointed up at the sky out in the distance. There, behind the lines of buildings ahead of them, a steady cloud of thick, black smoke billowed up into the sky. Off in the distance, they could hear the sounds of police sirens starting up.

"What the hell was that?" Farran climbed off her motorcycle, staring at the dark mass looming above them.

Yang shook her head, "I have no idea, but that's definitely coming from the docks. You don't think it's Blake, do you?"

"How? The video said she shouldn't be there until tomorrow!"

"Does it really matter? That's the closest thing we've had to a lead all weekend!" Yang revved the engine of her bike, "Farran, you go on ahead. You can get there a hell of a lot faster than I can in the air."

He nodded, "Sure thing. You pick up Ruby, and I'll meet you two over there."

"I won't need to. If she is where she's supposed to be, she's probably already on her way there anyways." She waved him on ahead, "Now get moving! If Blake is there, we need to get there now! Before we lose her again, or worse, something happens to her!"

Not needing to be told again, Farran kicked off the ground, a silver light flashing behind him as his wings unfurled, carrying him up above the buildings, as the yellow dot that was Yang and her motorcycle sped off, navigating through the streets. He beat his wings as hard as he could, willing himself faster across the Vale skyline. Even if he couldn't be considered slow in the air, he found himself wishing, even if just for this once, that he could move as fast as Ruby. The deep navy blue of the coast grew ever nearer as he flew, replacing the lines of rooftops he passed over. He could see more columns of smoke rising from his destination, and the sounds of rapid gunfire filled the air. Whatever was happening at the docks, Farran was certain he was heading for a war zone.

Very soon after, the battlefield the docking bay had become came into view. Amidst the craters and destroyed shipping containers, a small army of White Fang troops spread throughout the area, all armed to the teeth. A number of them swarmed behind a crumpled up shipping container, only to be smacked around, much to Farran's relief, by Blake. His solace was short lived, however, as a short distance away he could see the monkey Faunus from the boat knelt down to a man in a white suit, who was holding a cane-gun up to the side of his head. The man looked as if he would pull the trigger, until a familiar voice cut through the air.

"Hey!" Ruby stepped forward from the shadows on top of a nearby rooftop, unsheathing Crescent Rose. Penny stood right behind her, watching Ruby curiously.

From as far as he was away, Farran couldn't hear the man's response to Ruby, but the moment she turned to address Penny, the man took aim at her and fired. Another explosion rocked the area, sending Ruby flying backwards across the rooftop. Enraged, Farran folded his wings and went into a dive, falling through the air towards the man. The wind hissed around him, as he forced Silverbreak free of its sheath, rearing back to strike. At the last second, Farran flared his wings, beating them as hard as he could to avoid slamming into the unforgiving concrete, while also using the momentum of his fall to unleash a devastating strike at the man. He swung with all his might, but the moment before impact, the man held up his cane, as Silverbreak collided with it with a resounding crash. Sparks flew, and the two weapons shook against each other, as both men tried to overpower the other, until the man in white finally managed to break the stalemate.

The man deftly leapt backwards, with Farran in hot pursuit. Farran kept to the air, hoping that the added leverage would help him get through the man's defense, but it was all for naught. The man easily managed to move out of the way of any of Farran's strikes that he couldn't outright block. Farran reared back for another strike, but before he could move, the man reached up and latched the crook of his cane around the tendon of his wing, pulling down and forcing Farran to smash face first into the ground. Dazed, Farran heard the click of a trigger, and swiftly rolled off to the side, just as the concrete he had been laying on erupted into flames. He forced himself back up to his feet, drawing Silverbreak in preparation for the man's next move, but instead of attacking, the man just tilted his head curiously. After a moment of just staring him down, the man began to cackle.

"Unbelievable. You really are full of surprises, aren't you?" His voice was a titter, "And tonight of all nights… How in the world did you manage to come back from the dead, kid?"

"Wha-" Farran nearly dropped Silverbreak in his surprise, "You… You know who I am?"

"Oh, that's right. Of course. There's no way He would let you off that easily, even if he didn't bother to finish you off. Well then, allow me to reintroduce myself." The man popped bowed theatrically, "The name's Roman Torchwick, criminal mastermind, and cream of the crop of Vale's underworld, at your service."

"Torchwick… So, you're that guy that held up the Dust shop Ruby was in." Farran glared at him, "So, how the hell does scum like you know me? And who is 'he'?"

"Well, if you really want to know so bad…" Torchwick chuckled, "Then how about I see if I can beat some of those memories back into your skull?"

Torchwick lunged at him, almost cracking Farran across the skull with his cane, if not for Farran ducking out of the way just before contact. Farran continued to give chase, lashing out with strike after strike from Silverbreak, each knocked harmlessly to the side by Torchwick's cane, his lethal grin growing each time. His best bet was to keep Torchwick in retreat, trying to direct him backwards into a corner, but suddenly Torchwick's smile fell, and he lashed out with his cane, slamming it into Farran's knee. He stumbled, looking up just in time to see the white crook of his cane collide with his face. Everything went white as his jaw erupted into white-hot pain, the taste of copper filling his mouth as he felt himself fall to the ground. When his vision finally returned, he saw Torchwick standing tall over him, the tip of his cane pointed down at his face, the bottom flipped up to reveal the barrel of a gun.

"You know, you always did look at me like that. Like I'd just finished kicking your dog or something. Newsflash, kid. I'm more the type of guy who cons old people out of their money. Not a lot of profit from kicking animals around. Although, I'll admit kicking these Animals around has gotten me quite a bit." Torchwick sighed, pulling his cane away, "You know, I would love to be the one to put a bullet in your head and put you down for good. After how much of a pain in the ass you've been to my employer, and especially to me, you have no idea. Unfortunately, I don't think He would be very happy about it, and that's far more trouble than it's worth."

"What are you talking about?!" Farran spat a line of blood, "What the hell do you know about me?!"

"Ah ah ah. That is what we in the business call Spoilers, kid." Torchwick retreated a few steps, "And I'm the last person to be giving out spoilers. Least of all to you."

Torchwick opened his mouth as if he were going to say more, but in the blink of an eye, he leapt backwards, dodging out of the way as a green laser beam carved its way through the ground in between them, before it raised up and cleaved two approaching Bullheads in half. Farran spun around, staring in shock at Penny, who was standing amidst the wreckage of the battlefield, a number of swords levitating above her head. She motioned her hands, as the swords launched forward, embedding themselves in the side of a third Bullhead that had tried taking off with one of the shipping containers. She took a few steps back, a hint of a smile on her face, and with one last gesture, the Bullhead was wrenched from the sky, freefalling until it exploded on impact with the dock. Farran sat there stunned, unable to comprehend what he had just seen, until he heard the sound of another airship landing off to his side. He turned, just in time to see Torchwick climb aboard, pulling the hatch shut behind him as the Bullhead took off. Farran jumped to his feet, running towards the ship and considered flying after it, but he froze. He had a lead about his past, someone who knew who he used to be, but that lead was on an airship that was leaving him in the dust. He knew it would be a simple thing to follow it, but if he didn't get to Blake, she and Weiss would…

"Gods damn it!" He spat as he turned on his heels, running towards the last place he saw Blake.

Farran managed to reunite with Ruby and Blake over by the warehouse where a number of police cars had already flooded the scene. The reporting officers kept them, as well as Penny and Sun, in a secluded part of the docking bay while they waited for the police to clean up the White Fang troops that hadn't managed to escape from the scene. Even though they were assured that they wouldn't be placed under arrest, and that the police only wanted their statements as the Huntsmen and Huntresses that first responded to the scene, Farran couldn't help but worry that he'd see Blake being escorted to one of the cars in handcuffs after her questioning took significantly longer than his or Ruby's. As he was waiting, staring off in the direction she had gone with his mind racing, he jumped when someone tapped on his shoulder. Yang had finally made it through the mess of a blockade the Vale City Police made, plopping down on the box next to him. Ruby opened her mouth to speak, but Yang immediately shushed her, pointing her head towards Penny and Sun, the latter of which was sprawled out on his own box, and the former sitting cross-legged on hers, merrily humming away. After waiting for quite some time, with still no sign of Blake, an officer came over to get Sun and Penny, taking them for their statements.

With no other outsiders around, Ruby finally turned to Farran and Yang with a frown, "So, why are you two here? You're supposed to be in the Metaverse, finding us a way to the top floor!"

"We were." Farran rubbed his knee, still sore from Torchwick clubbing it, "But there was a big problem."

"A problem? Wait…" She looked between them, both trying to avoid eye contact, "Guys… Where is Weiss?"

"She's in the Metaverse, Rubes." Yang grumbled, "Blake's Shadow got her."

"WHAT?!"

"Quiet!" Yang shushed her, "It's not our fault, alright? We weren't planning on bringing her with us? She snuck into the storage closet after we turned on the app. We tried to force her to leave, but she wasn't having any of it until we explained what was going on. And while we were doing that…"

"Blake's Shadow snuck up and grabbed her?" Ruby stared at them.

Farran nodded, "We chased them all the way up to the top floor, but the stairwell up there has some kind of defense mechanism or something. Viola said the only way to get through it is to change her cognition. She's there keeping an eye on things, but we need to get back there before anything happens."

"Obviously…" Ruby buried her face in her hands, "Ok, so now what? We're gonna have to tell Blake, right?"

"Tell me what?" A familiar voice softly called from off to the side.

The group spun around to see Blake standing a few feet away from them, her usual bow already back in its place on her ears. Farran could see dark bags under her eyes, made even more noticeable by her sickly, pale skin. She slouched her way over to the box she had occupied before she'd been taken to be questioned, collapsing on top of it in a heap, letting out a loud yawn.

"You ok, Blake?" Yang bit her lip, "You were gone before I even got here, and you look like a total mess. They didn't… They didn't do anything to you, did they?"

"I'm guessing they already told you I'm a Faunus, then? Or at least you've figured it out by now…" A weary smile crossed her lips, "No, they didn't do anything to me. They were accusing me of being one of the White Fang at first, but Professor Goodwitch showed up and cleared everything up with them. I've just… had a really long weekend is all. I'm sorry for worrying you all. But, what was it you guys were talking about?"

Farran looked between Ruby and Yang, before turning his gaze back to their newly returned teammate, "Blake… You know how Cardin and Richards started acting like entirely different people out of nowhere? Almost like they had a change of heart?"

"That's a really off the wall thing to bring up." Blake raised an eyebrow, "But yeah, we were just talking about it the other day."

"Right… Look, I know this is gonna sound incredibly stupid and flat out impossible, but the three of us were the ones that made it happen."

"What are you talking about?" She looked between the three of them, like she was expecting them to start acting like it was some big joke, "You guys aren't messing with me… Are you?"

"Why would we do that, Blake?" Ruby stared at her feet, "We don't have any reason to lie to you about all this, and it's not like the first thing we'd do once we found you again is try playing a prank…"

"That's true but… How in the world is that even possible? I mean, Cardin is a member of a wealthy, powerful family, and Richards was a part of the drug trade! How could you three, when you're just a bunch of students, manage to pull that off?!"

"That's what we're trying to tell you Blakey." Yang held up a hand to stop her, "It's like Farran said, this is all gonna sound like bullshit, but we need you to listen to what we have to say. We're not trying to trick you or prank you, and we have proof that everything we're going to tell you is legit. You just need to stay calm, and listen, ok?"

Blake nodded, and for the second time in as many days, the group began to explain their journey through the Metaverse from the beginning. At first, despite initially being confused when they started to describe the other world, Blake took the information relatively well, sitting there and listening to their story with complete attention. However, once they started describing the events of the past few days, especially once they told her what happened with Weiss, her body language changed completely. Up to that point, she had been somewhat slouched over, and she turned her gaze to whoever was speaking, but once they got to the point of Weiss's kidnapping, she went straight as a board, her hands placed firmly in her lap, gripped to the point her knuckles turned white, as she stared at the ground in front of her. She only moved when they showed her the video they'd received the day she ran off, and even then, she only adjusted her gaze slightly so she could see it.

When they finished, Blake started trembling, "Why…?"

"Blake…" Ruby tried to lay a comforting hand one of Blake's, but she ripped it away.

"No!" She leapt from her seat, "Why?! Why would you take Weiss there?! Why would any of you go somewhere so… so…?"

"Personal?" Farran offered, the words her Shadow had said flashing in his mind.

"Dangerous!" Blake growled, "If what you all said is true, and there really is another world, and those Shadow things are so dangerous, even by our standards, then why would any of you go there?!"

"Blake, you just saw the video. If we didn't, all that stuff that happened to you in the video would happen to you in real life."

"So what?!" She glowered at Farran, "So what if all that was going to happen to me? If that was going to be my fate because I ran off, then I deserve everything that would have happened to me." She crumpled down onto the crate, "None of you should have risked your lives for me… I'm not worth it… And now-"

"Stop." Yang popped up from her seat, her fists shaking, "You stop right now, Blake. I am not going to sit here, and listen to you tell me that everything I did this weekend wasn't worth it. That all the panic and anxiety I felt, and all the running around we did, and all the cuts and bruises we got fighting Shadows and everything… I'm not going to let you tell me that wasn't worth it." She looked up at Blake, her eyes burning red, "You don't get to tell me that you're not worth it. That's not something you get to decide! Me and Ruby and Farran, and hell even Weiss too, we would all do everything we did this weekend a thousand times over if it meant you would be safe. You are my teammate and my partner and my friend, and you do not get to tell me what you're worth to me, damnit!"

"Yang…" Blake mouthed breathlessly, her eyes starting to well up.

"Yang's right, Blake. None of us would let anything happen to you, no matter what." Farran cracked his knuckles, "And we won't let anything happen to Weiss either. No matter what. So what's most important is that we get out of here, and get back to the dorm so we can save her."

Ruby, Yang, and Blake nodded, and together, they made their way towards the flashing lights of the patrol cars blockading the entrance to the docking bay. As they drew nearer, Farran noticed for the first time that a number of ambulances had joined the ranks of the patrol cars, as several of the White Fang operatives were being stretchered into them. One in particular had been covered in severe burns, most likely from the Bullhead that Penny had somehow forced to crash. In the middle of the chaos, an enervated Glynda Goodwitch stood pointing her riding crop at Sun, scolding him.

"Hey Professor Goodwitch…" Ruby called as they approached, "What are you doing here?"

"Good evening, students…" Goodwitch sighed, her voice flat, "I am here at this hour because Professor Ozpin gave me a call while I was on my way home, telling me to go to the docks, of all places, as four of our students, as well as one from Haven Academy that has no business being in Vale, managed to get into a firefight with a terrorist organization."

"Hey, I do so have business being here! I'm here to fight in the Vytal Tournament!" Sun spouted indignantly.

He immediately regretted his decision, as Goodwitch turned an icy glare towards him, "In two months, Mister Wukong. You were to be here in two months, when you and your team were scheduled and authorized to arrive here. And you're lucky Professor Ozpin and Professor Lionheart decided not to have you shipped back to Mistral after you snuck out in the middle of the night, leaving nothing but a note to tell your teammates and the school where you'd gone, and stowed away on a ship to Vale."

"Uh… Heh heh…" Sun rubbed the back of his neck, "Right… Sorry about that, Ma'am…"

"And as for the rest of you…" Goodwitch turned back to Team RWBY, "Where are you going? I was under the impression you were being kept away from here while the officers were finishing up here."

"Well, that's the thing, Professor. They're all done being questioned and everything, and it's been a really long day for us all, so…" Yang gingerly pointed at the fence, "We were kinda hoping we could go…?"

Goodwitch pinched the bridge of her nose, "I'm afraid I can't allow you to do that, Miss Xiao Long. I've been given orders from Professor Ozpin to escort the four of you back to Beacon. At the moment, however, there is some paperwork that must be filled out, for the Police Department's records and our own. As soon as I am finished, we can go."

"Professor, please!" Farran's voice came out far more loud than he had intended. He cleared his throat before he continued, "I know you have orders, but I think we're fine to get back on our own. We've all been out pretty much since early this morning, so we're too tired to get into any more trouble on the way. Not to mention, Weiss is back at the dorm, cooped up in bed with a pretty bad migraine. I don't want to make her stress out any more because the four of us came back a lot later than we were planning. And besides, it just means that you won't have to make another trip all the way back to Beacon, then all the way back down here to go home… Right?"

Using Weiss's migraine from the day before was a lame excuse, and Farran knew that very well. Goodwitch wasn't the type to easily fall for something like that, and more than that, she was under no obligation to let them go for any reason. Even so, he had to try something, anything to get them out of there, or time would run out on them. He tried to convey that as much as he could with his gaze, hoping if nothing else, that the promise of being able to return home far earlier than she had planned would push Goodwitch over the edge. Goodwitch kept her glare at him, stern and unwavering, but after a few moments, she shrugged her shoulders in defeat.

"Very well… I had noticed Miss Schnee wasn't with you all, and I can understand your concern about the well-being of your teammate. There is a ship waiting at the airfield to take you back to the Academy. Go straight there, no other stops, and don't go causing any more trouble, or I promise, you'll regret it." They nodded and moved to leave, but she stopped them, "One last thing. I want you all to understand that you are not the police, nor are you trained Huntsmen and Huntresses. You are students. What you have all done tonight, taking on an extremely dangerous criminal organization without going through the proper channels, is completely unacceptable. That being said, despite the odds being stacked highly against you, you preformed admirably. I just ask that you keep what I said in mind. Understood?"

"Yes, Professor. Thank you…" Ruby's head perked up as she scanned the area, "Hey, wait a minute… Where's Penny?"

Farran looked around, realizing that the mysterious girl hadn't reappeared since she was taken in for her statement, "Hey Sun, wasn't she with you? They took the both of you in at the same time, didn't they?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah." Sun closed his eyes, frowning slightly, "Now that I think about it, I haven't seen her since then. They took us over to the warehouse, but as we were heading inside, some guy in a black suit stopped the cop who was with her. Other than that, I dunno what happened."

"I believe you are referring to Miss Penny Polendina of Atlas Academy, correct?" Goodwitch hummed, "If I recall correctly, I saw her stepping into a car owned by an Atlas Academy staff member as I arrived. Most likely, she was being escorted back to her own accommodation."

"Atlas, huh? Makes sense. She seemed waaay to nice of a person to be from there, but those swords she was using definitely screamed Atlas Tech to me." Sun folded his hands behind his head, "Oh well, it's about time I started heading back. Blake, if you need me for anything else, I'll be at the café-"

Goodwitch clamped a hand down on his shoulder, "And just where do you think you're going, Mister Wukong? I may have given permission for my students to return to the Academy, but that doesn't include you. You and I aren't finished here yet."

"Well, we better get going!" Ruby started shoving the other members of her team, getting them moving, "You have a good night, Professor!"

"W-What?!" Sun tried moving out from under Goodwitch's vice grip, but to no avail, "You can't just leave me here like this! I helped out tonight too, right?!"

"Sorry, pal." Yang winked back at him, "This one's all on you. Have fun!"

"No… No! Come on, guys! You're just gonna abandon me? Don't leave me here with her!"

Goodwitch spun him around, pointing a finger right in his face, "Now, I believe it's time you understood exactly how much extra work your little stunt has added to my plate. Beyond all the paperwork I'll have to fill in tonight from this incident, I'll also have to make sure we have accommodations prepared for you on campus, I'll have to juggle around students to make sure you have room in the already limited space in our classrooms reserved for students from the other Academies, not to mention I'll have to contact your professors to let them know you've left far sooner than scheduled. On top of all that…"

Team RWBY could hear Goodwitch's lecture for a good distance, until they finally turned a corner, her voice drowned out by the surrounding buildings. For as tired as they all were after the day's events, the group moved surprisingly fast, reaching the airship that awaited them far sooner than they had expected. Once Ruby had informed the pilot that Goodwitch would not be joining them, they took their seats in the otherwise empty ship, Blake next to Farran and the sisters across from them, as the doors closed. Farran could almost feel his eyes bulging as he stared at a clock on the airship's wall; the neon green numbers reading 10:30. The flight back to Beacon wouldn't take any more than twenty minutes, which gave them just over an hour to work with. His concentration finally broke when he heard Blake speak up for the first time since they left the docks.

"You guys said that in order to get to Weiss and my Shadow, you need to change my 'cognition', or something like that." Her ears flattened against her head under her bow, "So, how exactly do you plan on doing that? You said you had to plant that virus on the main computer for the security cameras so that Richards would realize he wasn't invincible, but I know I'm not…"

"That's the thing Blake, we don't really know." Yang grimaced, "Viola, the girl that's been helping us get through that other world, all she told us was that it had to do with something you don't want us to see or to know. So, we were kinda hoping you might just tell us stuff we don't already know about you. That might be good enough."

"Stuff like… what exactly?"

"The White Fang, maybe?" Farran offered, "When we saw your Shadow last, we asked her if you were a member, and she told us to ask you. Not to mention all the Shadows we saw in your Palace were in White Fang uniforms. What do you think?"

"Of course…" Blake let out a half-hearted laugh, "The White Fang… It would make sense. Pretty much my entire life has been connected to them, from the moment I was born. You see… Farran, I lied to you the last time we talked. I'm not an orphan, I never was. I am the daughter of Ghira Belladonna, former High Leader of the White Fang, and Chieftain of Menagerie."

"Wait, what?!" Ruby's jaw nearly hit the floor, "Your dad is the leader of the White Fang?!"

"Former High Leader." Blake corrected, "Back when my parents were around our age, they were both high ranking members of the White Fang, and after the High Leader before him stepped down, my father was elected to become the new High Leader. But back then, all the way until after I was born, the White Fang was meant to be a symbol of peace. Protests and civil disobedience, never riots and outright violence. It was working, and changes were being made, but not nearly as fast as most wanted. So, my father decided to step down."

"Which is when the White Fang started to become violent like they are now, right?" Yang frowned.

"Exactly. Not too long after I turned twelve, the new leader of the White Fang, Sienna Khan, took over. She believes that Faunus can only get the rights and respect we deserve by taking it through force. And to be fair, it is working in some areas, but for all the wrong reasons, and as a whole, it's been hurting Faunus everywhere. At the time, I thought long and hard about leaving the White Fang. My parents and many others already had, after all. But in the end I stayed…"

"…Can you tell us why?" Farran was cautious about pressing her, but there was a feeling deep within his mind telling him to keep her talking.

"I was young and stupid, most of my friends were still members, and Sienna's message seemed like the greatest thing ever to me." She shrugged, "Finally, after protesting for most of my life at that point for very little change that I could see, it felt like we were actually going out and doing something about how things were. My dad tried getting me to leave, and we ended up getting in a huge fight over it. So, later that night after everyone was asleep, I ended up sneaking out and running off with the man who would become the leader of the sect of the White Fang I was a part of." Blake shivered a little at the memory, "Adam Taurus was his name. The man who was talking at the end of the video you showed me. Even if his voice was distorted, I know that was him…"

"The guy who said you betrayed him or whatever?" Yang tilted her head.

"That's right…" Blake's hands balled up into fists, her knuckles turning white, "I worked under him for quite some time. And then… He changed, almost like he became a completely different person. It was like the changes of heart you guys caused, except backwards and more subtle at first and drawn out. Sienna Khan may have allowed violence, but at least she was somewhat sensible about it. She picked her spots, and very rarely permitted outright killing outside of self defense. What Adam became… it was far worse. He tried to kill any human he came across on our missions and raids, sometimes going out of his way to do so. That was the final straw for me… My last mission, I was with him. We were supposed to hijack a train carrying a ton of SDC Dust. But Adam wanted to blow up the train, and all the human workers along with it. I just... By that point, I couldn't stand to be a part of any more killing, so when I got the chance, I cut the connection between the two cars we were on. That was the last time I ever saw him, standing there, angrily watching as I sped off in the distance. From that point on, I dedicated myself to becoming a Huntress, so that I could help bring peace to both Humans and the Faunus, after everything wrong that I did."

As she finished speaking, her voice started to crack and she started staring at the metal floor of the airship. Yang moved across the aisle to take the other seat next to Blake, wrapping an arm behind her and started stroking her back, slowly and gently.

"I'm sorry for hiding this from you for all this time… I know you're my teammates, my… my friends, and I know I should be able to trust you, but something like this… being a part of the White Fang…" Her breath hitched, "I just knew there was no way you all would let me stay if you knew… Even just being a Faunus is bad enough for some. But for me… You all heard what Weiss said about the White Fang…"

"Blake…" Ruby had stood up while Blake was speaking, moving right in front of her without anyone realizing. She stood there, staring at Blake with a neutral expression, until out of nowhere, she raised her hand and swiftly brought it down, lightly chopping Blake on her head, right between her ears. Blake went to rub the now sore spot, but before she could react any more than that, she became covered in rose petals, as Ruby dashed forward, pulling her into a tight hug, "You big dummy! Why would we ever do that to you?! You're our friend! Stupid…"

"Ruby, I… How can you say that?" She struggled, but the smaller girl's grip never loosened, "I'm not entirely innocent, you know. All those raids, everything I did while I was still a member of the White Fang, I did it all without a second thought, and-"

"And you already clearly regret all of it." Yang beamed, her hand still carefully caressing her back, "And you're working towards making up for it. Anyone that says or does anything to you, and yes that includes yourself, is just punching down at this point. We're not letting you go anywhere, and that's final."

"But-"

"Sorry Blake, but she's right." Farran tightly wrapped his hand around one of hers, "After everything we've gone through this weekend after you left, do you really think we'd just up and kick you out? Not only did we spend Gods know how long looking around town for you, but we got our asses kicked by Shadows all over your Palace too. Hell, Yang almost made out with Ruby for your sake!"

"I'm sorry, what?" Blake blinked.

"Don't listen to that asshole, Blake! He's a liar!" Yang growled, "That's not at all how it happened, and you know it, you Gods damned perv!"

"If I wasn't hugging Blake right now, I'd kick you Farran…" Ruby grumbled.

For the first time all weekend, Blake let out a genuine laugh at their antics. The four of them sat there for a bit, Blake enjoying the comfort offered by her teammates. Even so, there came a point when she'd had enough, and started squirming to free herself. The sisters returned to their seats as Blake bit her lip nervously, "So… is there anything else you guys need to know? I don't really know what else it would be related to."

Farran peaked out the airship's window, noticing the landing strips at Beacon approaching fast, "Nah, I think that should be good. Looks like we're gonna be landing any minute now anyways."

"Alright." Blake nodded, then gave them all a determined look, "Guys, when you go to the other world… I'm coming with you."

"What?!" Ruby squeaked.

"Yeah, that ain't happening, Kitten." Yang frowned.

"Don't call me that!" Blake huffed, "And why not? It's my Shadow, and my other self we're dealing with, right?"

"Uh, hello! It's way too dangerous for you to come along! In case you forgot, the whole reason we're all scrambling here is cause Weiss managed to find her way in with us, and now look what happened!"

"That's exactly why I want to come! The fact that she's in danger is completely my fault. You guys went into my cognitive world with her to try and save me, and it's my Shadow that's threatening to kill her. I can't just sit around at the dorm doing nothing while you're all risking your lives." She folded her arms, "And besides, even if you say I can't come with you, I'll just do it anyways. You already told me how to get to the other world, all I have to do is be in the room with you when you guys activate the app."

"Then we'll just have to make sure you can't get into the storage closet with us."

"And how exactly do you plan on doing that, Yang? You planning on tying me down?"

"Don't you dare tempt me. I might just take you up on that." Yang tried to keep a serious face, but she couldn't stop the edges of her lips from twitching.

"Yang, don't be gross." Ruby slugged her sister on the shoulder, "Now's really not the time."

"Alright, think about it this way. If you guys defeat my Shadow and save Weiss, it'll change my heart. But then, would I still have a Shadow to face in order for me to get a Persona after that? Or would I never be able to get one at all?"

Farran furrowed his brow, "That… I have no idea, honestly. I never thought we'd run into this problem, and Viola never said anything about this. But Blake, does that mean you plan on trying to get a Persona, and start fighting with us in the other world?"

"I don't see why not." She just shrugged, "The job of a Huntress is to fight to protect the people of this world, isn't it? Even if my Palace doesn't affect very many people, you guys already took down Richards and made life better for all the Faunus at Beacon, on top of whatever his testimony can do to bring down the Diamond Dust trade. Who knows what else we could do with this."

"…Do you think you'll be able to accept your Shadow, though? Take it from me, it's not easy…"

"I have no idea…" Blake shut her eyes, tight, "I wish I could give you a simple 'yes', but from what you guys described… I just don't know. But I don't really have a choice but to give it a try. Like I already said, I can't sit around doing nothing."

"Blake… Fine. You can come with us. But I want you to remember one thing." Ruby pointed at herself, "I am the leader of this team, and what I say, goes. If it gets too dangerous for whatever reason, and I tell you to run, you run. Don't argue or question it, just get out of there. Got it?"

Blake nodded, "Yes, I understand. Thank you, Ruby."

Ruby held her pose for a few seconds, smiling proudly, until Yang let out a snort of laughter, "Aww, look at my little sister being such a grown up leader! So cute…"

"S-Shut up!" Ruby's cheeks flushed red, "Stop treating me like a little kid! I'm the leader of this team, and I should be respected and feared!"

"Sorry Ruby, but I've seen goldfish that are more intimidating than you." Blake snickered.

"Blake, you traitor!" She pouted.

"Now landing at Beacon Academy!" The pilot's voice rang over the intercom, "I repeat, now landing at Beacon Academy!"

"Looks like this is our stop." Farran pushed himself out of his seat, looking one last time at the clock which read 10:50, "Just over an hour to work with. Let's go get Weiss back, guys."

Viola paced along the shoreline at the entrance of Blake's Palace for what must have been the hundredth time. The others were running far later than expected, and they were desperately running out of time. She could still sense that Weiss girl, all the way up at the top floor, along with the Palace ruler, which at least meant she was still alive, but there was nothing Viola could do to help her. She'd already tried every trick she could think of to get past the cognitive barrier, but every attempt led to her being tied up by a tidal wave of ribbons. After her last attempt had ended with her being strung up upside-down, desperately holding the hem of her dress in place with her one free hand, she'd finally given up and resigned herself to waiting by the entrance. After about her one hundred fiftieth pass along the beach, a crack of thunder rang out as a blue light expanded in front of her, slowly expanding to fill the room. When it finally faded and Viola could see again, Farran, Ruby, and Yang appeared before her, standing in the sand, as well as a new girl that looked terrifyingly familiar.

"You brought the Palace ruler here?!" Viola stared despondently at Blake as the others got their wits about them.

"Not by choice," Farran grumbled, "But we were at least aware that she was coming along this time. Why, is it bad to bring someone into their own Palace?"

"I wouldn't say it's bad, but just like bringing anyone else without a Persona, it's extremely dangerous."

"Oh, don't worry. She knows all about it, but she still demanded we bring her along. Isn't that right, Kitten?" Yang smirked at Blake, only to find her staring off into space, "…Blake?"

"I know this place…" She murmured breathlessly, "I've been here before."

"Wait, what?! This place actually exists? In the real world?" Ruby gaped.

"Yes, in Menagerie. This was an old prison from back before the Great War. Back then, before Menagerie belonged to the Faunus, this place was used as a prison for our kind. After the continent was given to us, there was a lot of debate over what to do with it. Some wanted to renovate it and use it as our own jail, some wanted to knock out the cells and turn it into some bazaar or a shopping center, and most just wanted to tear it down and turn it into farmland. Even the White Fang, both under my father and Sienna Khan, wanted to turn it into a base of operations. But between the way it was built and where, underground and right by the coast, doing anything with it was a logistical nightmare. So, they just left it as it was, sitting there unoccupied and unguarded." She laughed, "Thing about places like that, is that kids always have a habit of sneaking in."

"Wait, are you saying you snuck in here when you were a little kid?" Farran raised an eyebrow.

"It was the perfect place to hang out! The place was huge, there was a ton of space for all the kids in town to have their own little area without stepping on anyone else's toes, and it even came with a swimming pool!" She gestured towards the water, "After a while, our parents realized that they couldn't stop us from sneaking in here, so they started a project to remove all the rusted metal and everything dangerous that had been left over, and installed lights everywhere, especially in here. I can't think of anyone that I knew that didn't learn to swim in here. Although, I didn't really join them much…"

"Aww, you scared of the water, Kitty Cat?" Yang tittered.

"Wha- NO! That's not it at all… And quit calling me that!" Blake groaned, "Look, you see that dark spot in the middle? There's a tunnel down there that leads all the way out to the ocean, as far as anyone knows at least. That's how the water in here stays so clean. I just… I know it's stupid, but I was always freaked out about the current being to strong, and it sucking me down and all the way out to the ocean. That's all…"

"Wait, it goes to the ocean?" Viola opened up Farran's scroll to the map of the Palace, "But in here, it goes to some solitary confinement cell…"

"A cell? Oh, right. You guys said one of the Prisoners here was going to be transferred somewhere like that." She shrugged, "I suppose it's possible, but as far as I know, nobody really knew for sure. Nobody that had any kind of aquatic trait really wanted to go swimming through a tight, dark tunnel like that to find out. All I know is my parents just always told me it went to the ocean."

"That's weird. I wonder why it would be different in here then…" Farran shook his head, "Alright, what else can you tell us about this place? Like, is there any kind of shortcut or secret passage up to the top floor that we can use?"

"Sadly, no. I can tell you that much with complete certainty." Blake ran a hand along the cave wall, "Believe me, if there was anything like that here, we'd have found it. All the kids from my village had to have checked every inch of this place over the years, looking for anything of interest. And…" Her knuckles cracked as she balled her hand into a fist, "You said Weiss was being kept on the top floor, right?"

Ruby balked at the question, "…Yeah, that's right. That's where your Shadow's 'lair' is. Why, what's wrong with that?"

"Because that floor is where the prison's exit should be. And more importantly…" She turned to them with a grim expression, "The top floor is what we always called the 'Executioner's Grounds'. The humans that built this place, back when it was a prison for the Faunus, thought that being imprisoned here wasn't enough. They used the top floor, the entrance to the prison, as an area to torture, or outright execute, any of the prisoners. That way, it always served as a reminder that the humans would decide exactly how we were able to leave this place. And if Weiss is up there with my Shadow…"

"Then we need to get up there. Now." Ruby finished her sentence, "Even if we still have time, who knows what could be happening to her right now."

At Ruby's command, the group made their way up through the Palace, now free to follow the shortest route possible due to the lack of Shadows. Blake seemed to be fine throughout the first floor, but once they reached the second, she became visibly disturbed. Many of the cell doors now contained deep gashes, some even going all the way through, from her Shadow's earlier onslaught of the guards, allowing them to see the horrid conditions inside the cells, and every so often, the prisoners would stick their hands and arms through the sheared metal. To make matters worse, the prisoners continued their earsplitting howls and moans all throughout the floor, which for as bad as it was for Farran, he couldn't imagine how bad it must have been for Blake, with her sensitive Faunus hearing. Still, they pressed on, Farran and Yang keeping a hand on Blake's back, both to keep her moving, and to serve as a mode of constant reassurance. When they finally reached the fourth floor, and started crossing the room where Yang and Farran had battled the Nekomata earlier, Blake finally waved them off her, despite still being clearly disturbed by the Faunus occupying the cells that lined the room.

"Alright guys, this is it!" Yang pumped her fist as they drew nearer to the stairwell to the final floor, "All we gotta do is take care of Blake's Shadow, save Weiss, and get the hell out of- GLARGH!"

Yang was cut off mid-sentence, letting out a loud retching sound. The second she stepped through the doorway, just as they had before, numerous black ribbons shot from the walls around her, tangling themselves around her throat, and anywhere else they could reach. The other four grabbed the gagging, struggling blonde, pulling her back through the doorway, forcing the ribbons to release their grip on her. Gasping for breath, Yang fell down to her knees, glaring at where the ribbons had come from.

"What the hell was that?!" Yang rubbed the red ring that had formed around her neck, "They were supposed to be gone! Blake, you aren't still hiding anything from us, are you?!"

"What? N-No! Of course not! I mean, I don't think so…" She bit her lip, "I told you everything I could think of… I have no clue what this thing wants!"

"Hold on…" Ruby stared intently at the doorway, "Yang, do me a favor. Just stick your arm through there again, ok?"

"Uh, ok…?" She pushed herself back to her feet, "Sure thing Rubes, but I don't see how much good it's gonna do."

Following her instructions, Yang stuck her arm through the doorway. Just as they had before, the ribbons sprung to life the second her arm crossed the threshold, ensnaring themselves around it. However, when Ruby mimicked her sister's actions, sticking her own arm through the door, nothing happened. The stairwell remained still and calm, and no ribbons shot out to stop her.

"Oh, come on!" Yang spouted indignantly, "How come they're not attacking you?!"

"These ribbons… Oh, I get it now!" Ruby spun around, beaming at Blake, "I didn't even think about it before. Blake, Yang and Viola still haven't seen your ears yet!"

"…My ears?" Blake tilted her head.

"Uh-huh, your kitty ears! Obviously you've seen your own ears, so you're fine, and Farran and I saw them earlier too. But by the time you came back from being questioned, you'd already put your bow back on, so Yang couldn't have seen them, and this is your first time ever meeting Viola!"

"I suppose it makes sense… You've been hiding everything about yourself from us, being a member of the White Fang and all that, from day one. More importantly, you've been hiding the fact that you're a Faunus, one of the most important parts of your identity. And the only way you were able to hide that as well as you have is, well…" Farran looked at the top of her head.

"My bow… So, the only way we can all get through is if I take it off?" She muttered, reaching up and touching the fabric, "Ok then…"

Effortlessly, she grabbed the end of her bow and pulled, the ribbon falling free and revealing her ears. The second the fur of her ears became exposed for them all to see, the ribbons that had held a vice grip on Yang's arm loosened, slithering off and back disappearing back where they had come from. With her arm now free, Yang began to furiously wave her arm in the doorway, until she was content that the ribbons wouldn't suddenly spring back to life and grab her again.

"Well, that worked…" She muttered. She turned to Blake, her eyes sparkling once her gaze turned to the Faunus' ears, "Aww, look at your ears! They're adorable! And they look so soft too… Why'd you hide these from us for so long?"

She reached up to pet her ears, only for Blake to swat her hand away, "Yang, cut it out… Can you quit staring at them? They're just a part of me, nothing special, but at the same time, it's like you're ogling my… No, I shouldn't say that… You do that just as much anyway."

Yang gasped in faux-offense, "Excuse me? I have never been so insulted in all my life! The nerve to imply I would ever ogle my best friend and partner's assets… It's unthinkable! I would never do such a thing… while you're aware I'm doing it, at least." She grinned cheekily, but after a moment of Blake not reacting to her joke, Yang quickly frowned, "Wait, you're serious…? Blake, I'm sorry, I never meant any offense by it! I don't know all too much about Faunus culture or anything, there weren't that many around Patch, so if they're really that private, I-"

"No, really, it's ok… If anything, I should apologize for overreacting. Intimate contact like petting is usually reserved for couples or parents, but it's not really that big of an issue. It's just… Now that you guys know what I am, I don't want you treating me any different, you know? I just want to be Blake to you… And my ears, I just want them to be normal for you too. Not like I just sprouted a second head or anything like that..." She started blushing, "Anyways, it's all clear, right? So, let's get going…"

She started forward, moving through the doorway without any delay, her teammates in close pursuit behind her. They ascended the damp, moss covered stairwell, Yang keeping a wary, annoyed eye on the walls around them, half waiting for another trap to spring forward on them. At the very top, they found a set of large, oaken double doors, almost identical to the set that had opened up into Shadow Richards's lair. With a grunt, Farran and Yang strained to push it open, the door creaking loudly as it swung open to allow them passage inside. The group crept inside, only to be met with the sound of soft, slow clapping as the door swung shut behind them. They found themselves inside a large, circular room, surrounded by stone walls and another set of oaken doors on the opposite side. The entire place was empty, save for a wooden scaffolding supporting a gallows, and in the middle, smirking menacingly at the group, stood Shadow Blake, Weiss held tightly in front of her. The cloak of billowing darkness that had once covered her had now lifted, allowing them to see that she wore what looked to be the heavily damaged remains of a prisoner's uniform. What had once been an orange jacket now hung loosely overtop a yellowing-white tank top, her orange pants now almost hung off her form like a skirt.

"I must say, you've surprised me." She stood there, bloodlust in her eyes, her hand returning to Weiss's neck, "I figured you would have been halfway to Vacuo by now. You do have a habit of running away from all your problems. Don't you, Me?"

"I figured as much," Blake spat, "How did I know that you were the Prisoner they were talking about?"

"It makes perfect sense, doesn't it? This is your Palace! The world where all of your desires are made manifest, and the way you see the world around you is made clear as day. Of course, even in your own Palace, the place where you are supposed to be treated like royalty, you've been treated as a prisoner instead. After all, even in the safety and comfort of your own mind, you're still a criminal, aren't you?" Shadow Blake chuckled, "All the people you've hurt, and all the things you stole as a member of the White Fang… And after tonight, you'll be responsible for the murder of the Schnee family heiress as well!"

"Let her go. NOW." Blake stepped forward dangerously, reaching for Gambol Shroud.

"Why, Blake, isn't it normal for friends to hold each other?" Shadow Blake wrapped her free arm around Weiss's torso, pulling her in a faux-hug.

"You aren't her friend!" Blake growled, "Now let her go!"

Her Shadow let out a bark of laughter, "You're right, I'm not her friend… And I'm you. So tell me, Blake. What exactly does that mean?"

"Blake…" Weiss barely squeaked over the Shadow's grip.

"Aww, what's the matter Ice Queen? Did you really think I was your friend? You, the daughter of the man who practically enslaves hundreds of thousands of my people? No. You were never my friend. Your entire family sits back in your mansion, forcing my kind to be slaves, working us to the bone just to keep ourselves fed and clothed! You look down on us, and treat us like animals! I endured being with you day after day after day, putting a smile on my face to keep the team going. But not any more. Tonight, I am free, and I'm going to slit your pretty little throat like I should have from the start..."

Blake drew Gambol Shroud, her eyes sparking with deadly intent, "Shut up! You keep talking about things you know nothing about. Just... Just let her go!"

"Oh, is that right?" Shadow Blake stared at her, unimpressed, "I know everything about you, Blake. Everything. I know that ever since the White Fang you've thrown up walls around your heart the second ANYONE gets remotely close. Your teammates want friendship and you grow distant. They want to get closer to you, and you run. But that's not all I know. I know that no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't keep your heart in check…" Shadow Blake's voice turned to a titter as she continued, "Her silky, silver hair! Those perfect blue eyes! That smooth, pale skin… And it wasn't just her looks either. The more you got to know her, the more you notice just how sweet and kind she could be. How cute she was whenever she was proud of something she did, or how adorable she could be whenever she got embarrassed or flustered. No matter how hard you tried to stop it from happening, after being forced to live with her every day, you couldn't help falling in love! Falling in love with the Schnee family heiress of all people? You just refused to let that happen, didn't you? You replaced those feelings of love with feelings of HATE. And the more you grew to love this poor girl, the more you hated her. Let's face it Blake, you'd rather hate poor Weiss for what she is, than love her for who she is. You are no better than Jacques Schnee himself! But that's not all you feel, now is it? It's not just Weiss that-"

"Shut up!" Blake screamed. Gambol Shroud fell to the floor as she reached up, holding her head in her hands, "You… you don't know…

"Blake... You... love me...?" Weiss struggled to speak as Shadow Blake tightened her grip around her throat, jagged nails digging into Weiss's porcelain skin.

"Well, whatever… I suppose it doesn't really matter now, does it? Love her, hate her, however you feel is all pointless in the end. After all, no matter how you feel about poor Weiss here, you won't be able to see her for much longer, or any of your teammates for that matter. Tell me Blake, what exactly would happen if I were to just give Weiss back to you? Do you really think everything would just go back to the way it was before? That your 'friends' would let you stay? No. Now that they know who you really are, it's only a matter of time until you're back on your own again."

"That's not true!" Ruby piped up, "Blake, we would never-"

"Oh, please. You really think I can trust you? Like I trusted Farran when he said that I could believe in Weiss? That she wasn't like her father, and that she wouldn't hate me because I'm a Faunus? They've seen what you are, Blake. They see how you feel. All those humans and Faunus in cages… This lie you've been living, trying to move on and become a Huntress, is all coming to an end. But there is some hope for you…"

"Some… hope?" Blake muttered.

"Of course! It's all very simple… We kill Weiss tonight. Then, you can go back to the White Fang, back to Adam, get down on your knees, and grovel at his feet! Beg him to forgive you for betraying him! I'm sure between that, and having the blood of the daughter of Jacques Schnee on your hands… He might just let you prove your loyalty to him." Shadow Blake cackled, "And of course you'd do it too! You'd do anything for Adam, wouldn't you?"

"…Stop it…"

"Oh, that's right. You never told them, now did you? Even when you promised to tell them everything, even when one of your teammates might die, you just couldn't help but lie to them, could you? I know it's been haunting you all this time, Blake… Ever since you ran away from the White Fang. All the things Adam did, all those humans he killed… Their blood is on your hands, too. You could have stopped him at any time, but you didn't. You did nothing because he was your boyfriend, and you loved him, and because of that, you would do anything he told you, and believed anything he said!"

"That... That isn't true! You don't know anything about me..." Blake's voice was barely a whisper.

Shadow Blake smirked, "Oh, I do. I know everything about you... After all, I AM you. A shadow, of your true self."

"No…" Blake growled forcefully.

"No Blake, don't do it!" Farran called, but it was far too little, too late.

"YOU ARE NOT ME!"

Author's Notes

Hey, I never said this was only going to reference Persona 5, did I? :3c

Hey guys!

Sorry for disappearing for a bit. I work at an old folks home, and whenever there's any kind of bug or cold or anything like that going around, you're almost guaranteed to get it. Anyone who has gone to college or any kind of boarding school can attest to that. It passes around from person to person like the damn plague, and no amount of lysol or hand sanitizer can save you for long... ¬_¬ So, I got put out of comission longer than I would have liked, but I'm back now.

Now, this scene, the last one with Shadow Blake and Weiss, that was the scene that started all this madness. Four months ago, somebody posted a pic on the RWBY subreddit of Blake and Weiss, where Blake was holding Weiss by the throat. Even if it wasn't the original context of the work, it looked exactly like a scene out of a Persona game, so I wrote up a little blurb about it. In the end, I had so much fun writing it, that it just sort of snowballed into... Well, this whole thing! I've said it before, but at that point, I had no clue how big this would all get.

Well, I better call this one here before I start rambling and getting sappy, cause I really do appreciate all your support. I hope you guys are ready for the next chapter, cause it's finally gonna be Boss Time!

Inferno :D