Chapter 18: Shadow Touching Fire

Blake Belladonna

"You'll be alright, miss. No permanent damage. I doubt the scars will last more than a year even. You're a lucky young lady," the doctor announced, looking over the bandages she had just tightened fresh along the punctured limb. Her clothing was stark white, emblazoned with the alabaster Schnee crest. Personal doctor brought along with a host of security forces and personnel who had arrived just in time for the biggest controversy the school had faced in perhaps centuries. The academy was attacked, attempted abduction of students by teachers, a bombing that had luckily left only a blown out hole in what had been an empty part of the building. Yet they came, all the way from Castle White, some from Atlas. The CEO himself arrived to help his good friend Ozpin. Blake couldn't help but think how much better it would have been had they come in an hour earlier. A scandal could have been avoided.

"Nah, she's all skill. Couldn't break her if you tried," Yang countered with a smile, gripping Blake's shoulder for comfort, there with her after the struggle in the forest, and hadn't left since they arrived. Sunny as always, though the quake in her body could be felt through her fingers. Ruby and Weiss weren't here yet. The guards said they were fine, but until Yang could see her sister's smile, see her messy red bangs glow by the light of her own spunky nature, she wouldn't nearly be as okay as she pretended with that goofy outlook.

"I'm sure you will be a fantastic huntress, Miss Belladonna. I'm going to check on the other injured, if you want more painkillers just ask." The young doctor typed out notes on her scroll as she finished up, likely the bill of good health she suggested earlier, pausing before she stepped away from the pair of students.

"It's alright, I don't mind the ache in exchange that I keep my senses," Blake added to reassure her that she could go. Mostly the faunus wanted some time to herself. Well, to the two of them, Yang and her. As stressful as the Schnee workers buzzing around the school was, she was thrilled to be alive. Everyone was okay. No one was even in critical condition aside from some of the White Fang. This was kind of a temporary respite, propped up against the bed arm aching, but not terribly, Yang gold as the sun and the source of light here smiling at her, just happy to be. Simple transient moments that Blake had never learned to savour as she should. Yang was teaching her, day by day.

"Good girl, Blake, don't do drugs. She's a perfect Vale scout!" Yang shouted at the doctor with gleeful gusto suitable for only her, her sister, and similarly delightful and quite daft children.

"Shut up." Blake weakly struck at Yang, really doing nothing more than rubbing her hand against the girl's face. This elicited a giggle and an equally weak flick of the wrist. Blake immediately returned a palm. The beginnings of a slap fight.

"I don't think you're ready for this, Blake. Seems you've been," Yang grabbed her uninjured limb with her left and with the right, she took her victory, rubbing Blake's head with near nuggy veracity, "Disarmed!"

"Has no one ever taught you not to pick on the crippled!" Blake shouted, trying her best to struggle. It was to no avail.

"Nope, I was so spoiled! Mom never even punished me once!" Yang replied with a smile. Blake wasn't though, she stopped resisting and just looked up at her partner, amber eyes coated in sadness and sympathy, shocked that she would say something like that. Must have been the look cause suddenly Yang just cracked apart into a massive laughing fit. The surprised look on her face must have been hilarious.

"Oh gods, Yang! That's terrible!" Somehow Blake was even laughing now, despite herself, she let out her cool and rare chuckle, near silent. Yang could somehow always coax the bastard out and ruin her stone cold reputation.

"What's the point of being abandoned if I can't make it funny!" Yang proclaimed, proud of her accomplishment, letting herself laugh heartily as she alway did. She was the type to believe the one who laughed loudest, laughed best. Maybe she was right.

"Blake! Yang! Guys!" Yang shot right around, laughter over and eyes full of conflicted joy and apprehension. The one thing that put her to the edge. Ruby.

"Ruby!" Yang engulfed her into a massive hug, one that could crush men twice her size into twin shards. "Are you okay?! I didn't know where you went, I would've followed you, leave marks or something, god damn!" the sister added, putting her down. The redhead seemed relatively unharmed despite being manhandled thoroughly.

"Yeah, we're all okay. No one's hurt except for Blake. Are you okay?!" Ruby was concerned as always. She was a good leader for that reason. She was the type to always think of others first, if awkwardly. In spite of the bruises and scrapes she must have had, Blake bet she hadn't thought of anything else since someone told her about the bite. Likely Weiss. Perhaps that's why when she came in, she was silent. The Heiress was lockstep, looking down at her shoes with an air of unneeded shame.

"Yeah, just a little bite is all. You don't need to worry. Weiss, I'm glad you're... okay." Blake felt her words peter out as she saw the actual reason why the Heiress was frozen solid. A tall, thin shadow rested behind her, its owner the one who pulled her strings, twisted all their fates. One of the few people who deserved their reputation and infamy.

"Miss Belladonna got herself bit by an animal protecting you. Say thank you," Mr. Schnee demanded, his voice an uncomfortable heavy monotone, somehow loud yet not raised. The kind of voice that drowned out others with half the volume. It alone seemed to chain Weiss up, a prisoner to sound.

"Thank you, Blake. I really owe you this time," Weiss offered robotically. Blake was sure she would have said that on her own if he had not been present. Now the Heiress was more focused on her parent than the normal social closeness the team had developed, which the faunus could not blame her for. He was not the warmest creature in the room, more like a solid block of stone and as such it wasn't surprising to see the fire dragon of the team react to the chill.

"What are you doing here? When we asked for someone in white with a head two sizes too big we meant a doctor." Yang wanted to provoke him, this was obvious. In the moonstone halls of Castle White she was barred by his rules, but this was her place, her dragon's nest, to which him and his money were unwelcome.

"I'm here to save your school," he answered with a disinterested accent, not the least bit reactive to the heat. If he cared at all for Yang's opinion, he certainly didn't make it known. Perhaps that was the act, wanting her to think he didn't care what she thought.

"Yeah, doesn't explain what you're doing here in this room. I don't remember sending you an invite, Mr. Sneeze. I'm particular like that," Yang countered. You could almost see the fire bellow from her mouth as she spoke, but Ruby grabbed at her wrist, trying to cool the flame down.

"Returning your sister, Miss Long, would you rather I did not next time?" Mr. Schnee replied, whether it was a threat or simply a rhetorical question there was no telling, leaving Yang disgruntled, but silent, the two staring at eachother with antithetical levels of emotional investment. "Truthfully, I came to see the offender when she comes out of surgery. Ozpin and I will have precious few moments to speak to her before the police arrive."

"Wait, you're taking her away?" Ruby called out, not as mousey as she usually tended to be around Mr. Schnee. Her aunt meant something desperately to her, but even Blake knew where this was heading. Azura had to know there was no walking away from this. Only Ruby hadn't given it much of a thought. She always assumed the best and worried about the immediate.

"She tried to kidnap a student, my daughter, your... companion. I would prefer to see her receive the death penalty, but no one got harmed, barring present company. I predict a charge of fifteen years, maybe twenty-five as a faunus. At her age, she'll die in prison." The level of detached Mr. Schnee managed while discussing someone's demise was perturbing, but Blake couldn't defend her, couldn't in equal measure condemn her after all the things the faunus had done for the White Fang, but certainly couldn't say anything to deny what had happened.

"Wait! I have to see her!" Ruby blurted, standing up straight and assertive, grey orbs looking back at the equally grey old man, devoid of all color aside from his ghost blue eyes.

Blake was the only one who didn't ask why.

"I want to know what happened. She'd never hurt us. There has to be a reason. She might've been forced." Ruby kept herself surprisingly professional.

"Then," Weiss' voice sprung from the shell she hid and despite herself there was a taste of rebellion, "then we'll see her." That was a declaration, and with the subtlest motion she stood away from her father, stepping instead toward her partner, Ruby. A grasp of her hand and a flicker in her eyes as she glared at him, despite the shiver in her leg at his grimace, this rebellion of her's was clear. So that's your courage.

"Quite," he replied, distaste left unvoiced.

"Summer?" Her voice was so weak, so groggy, body covered in new sutures from what had to be Adam's work, both arms coated and wrapped in so much gauze one could not make out the faunus underneath. If she could struggle, she didn't. Azura barely whispered, eyes a cool blue, only a sliver cracked open and tilted towards the voice of the girl she seemed so fond of.

"No Aunty, it's me Ruby." The redheaded child seemed so unafraid of her adversary, seated to her right in a doctor's stool, machines displaying a full holographic display of her body, the bone structure, the fibers, and sinew damaged and healing. The heart seemed most critical on the display, her heartbeat present, but weak, in the repeated beeps that rang throughout the room.

"Shit, sorry child, you just look quite like... Well I suppose I'm not dead then?" she asked, closing her eyes to the world and resting her neck. The long black and blue hair she wore was damp in sweat and loose around her pillow.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but you are fine, resting in Beacon for now. Are you in pain?" Ozpin was there as well. He sat to the left of Azura, hands clenched to his cane and eyes set in thought behind his thin glasses. By the IV, though he seemed much more unrelaxed than Ruby. Blake felt that had more to do with Mr. Schnee than Azura. They clearly had a poor relationship from the moment they looked at each other, despite the polite greetings, there was an undercurrent of tension.

"Thanks Ozpin, should have left me to die though. Probably better that way," Azura mumbled.

"He didn't, I did, or more accurately my agents under order," Mr. Schnee cut in, not sitting, preferring to stand, a colossal figure over the proceedings, a tall thin shadow.

"Actually, I ordered it father if we're being accurate." This was not Castle White and Weiss Schnee was not so afraid when Ozpin was there to protect her. The little rebellions became more prominent, and Blake would be a liar if she said she did not enjoy them in the least. Instead, she let a small smile show, her own act of defiance.

"Another one of you? Damn, I can't escape you Schnees, you lot are everywhere. What do you do? Reproduce like rabbits?" Azura groaned seeing the older man, eyes near rolling into the back of her own head, "I am so sorry for your hips, Ruby." Yang cracked into a giggle and Ruby turned bright red. Weiss might have too, but she was too busy burying her face in her hands, shaking her pony tail back and forth. Mr. Schnee twitched. That made Azura give the weakest, but most sincere smile Blake had ever seen on her since Azura first saw Ruby.

"You think this is comedy?" he mouthed, the words sitting comfortably between a shout and a mumble, never passing the mark to become unsightly. His anger expressed in glares, not bouts of rage.

"Me? No, I don't think anything is funny, ever," Azura responded with sarcasm thick lips, her bite present despite the fact Mr. Schnee could probably kill her with one hand with how ruined she was. "What are you going to do? Throw me in jail? Like I don't know where I'm going." That explained the courage. Resignation.

"Burn!" Yang announced with a smile, hand on her hip and hair brushed back in confidence. This was the worst kind of role model for her.

"Is the council aware this is the sort of staff you acquire, Professor Ozpin?" Mr. Schnee noted, unable to hurt Azura, but plenty able to damage their school's reputation and Ozpin's authority. The Council near stripped him of position under Iron Wood a year back. Now this was worse, a more complete damnation of Ozpin's judgement. Azura knew it.

"I've always taken responsibility for my decisions with the Council, and this is no different. I'll be informing them of everything tomorrow morning when the full breadth of this attack can be calculated," Ozpin retorted with what little could be said, hand truly and fully twisted around his back in this political situation. The realization dampened everyone's bite, except Yang's. She smiled, completely ignorant, or unconcerned, with the consequences.

"I get the point, Schnee, no need to pin the others for having a giggle before I get thrown in jail. I'm sorry." Azura didn't mean it, but she said it anyways, to the relief of Ozpin. Weiss' father seemed no more pleased, face frozen in fervent distaste, unchanging and unrelenting.

"I would rather you answer a few questions. I think everyone here is interested in answers," Mr. Schnee announced to no one's complaints. To his credit, he didn't seem the type to shove his momentary vocal victories into people's noses. Less a virtue than a lack of a vice really.

"Aunty, I just want to know why all this happened, and if you're okay,too?" Ruby asked with her usual innocence, that was what got to Azura. She looked back at her with so much sadness. The little fifteen year old could do something with kindness Mr. Schnee couldn't do with all his power: hurt her.

"Yes, sweet child, I am just fine. I don't think I'll have any more fighting left in me, but I'm alright," she tried to smile for her, but a tear streamed down her cheek instead, "You were never part of the plan. I'm sorry, Ruby. They didn't hurt you, did they?"

Ruby shook her head no, but with a heavy breath Mr. Schnee made his complaint known and eyes reluctantly went back to him. The tear was dry now. It was never meant for someone so cold.

"The White Fang approached me with an offer shortly before I applied for the job. They wanted me to help them capture Weiss Schnee in exchange for asylum and membership, rubbish deal, but I was interested in who I was supposed to turn Weiss Schnee in to. The primary funder of the White Fang since the Torchwick fiasco. Akagura Taurus, one of their current leader's grandmothers. I had a personal grudge. Figured I'd turn Weiss in, except I'd leave her her weapon. We'd kill them all, come home, I'd get arrested, and you all go out for milkshakes on a brisk evening knowing that the White Fang are defunded."

"Not this again... I thought you had given up on personal vendettas," Ozpin let out in a weak voice, pushing up his glasses in a moment of frustration. Exasperated at the mere mention of the name.

"You knew about this?" Mr. Schnee asked, looking right at the professor.

"No, not this, this was all me," Azura cut off Ozpin right as he turned to explain, a rushed panic tinting her voice. Mr. Schnee looked unconvinced, brow raised ever so slightly at the suggestion.

"Do you really expect me to believe this? We found you fighting my daughter, not the White Fang," he asked, calmly, almost as if in jest. Blake found it hard to believe too, but the ruined White Fang mechs couldn't have come from Weiss alone. Team RWBY had gotten better, but it required at least two of them to take down something of that size now. Azura had to have some other angle.

"She's not lying," Weiss popped in, her father glaring suspiciously at her. A twitch of the unnerved daughter came out as she looked to the floor and not him. "At least not about the White Fang. She fought them when they tried to take me and sort of warned me, though it wasn't exactly a voluntary position. She came after me after I tried to escape." Ruby hugged her arms, hearing the truth again. She wasn't denying it, but it was hard to hear about, Blake was sure. Like fighting the White Fang, it wasn't that she disagreed, it was just not easy.

"Miss Belladonna, do you have anything to say about the instructor's supposedly benign motives? I feel like you have a special perspective," Mr. Schnee offered the table to the much more subtle Faunus. Blake could tell he was looking for the obedient answer, but the deal never required her go to bat for the man. Ever.

"No comment," Blake near whispered, clutching her injured arm. Saying anything would play into his hands, and despite herself, the bandages spoke for her. Still, it was gratifying to see him alone on the issue, even if it did not change him having the strongest leg to stand.

"It's alright kid. How's the arm? I lost my head, I have no excuse. I'm sorry," Azura cut in, addressing what Blake wouldn't. Certainly wasn't helping her situation, but no one was going to save her. She knew that. So the wolf simply did what she felt was right, looking towards her with guilty concern.

"Nothing's broken. I..." Blake couldn't say she forgave her. It wasn't honest. Her arm still ached and her mind still couldn't find a way to justify it. Still, for Ruby, and the truth, she did not speak out against the charged.

"Was bitten by a teacher from this very academy. Bitten by someone who was charged with the defense of Vale. A huntress of Beacon," Mr. Schnee did not shout, but his teeth clenched between the words, face tightened into a disgruntled trap of disdain, "And you say you aren't even loyal to the faunus terrorists?"

"I don't care about the faunus. Why should I like them better? You think horns or ears make them more valuable to me? Doesn't make me warmer at night, doesn't put food in my belly. They can be as cruel as you," Azura grumbled, just as angry.

"So what? You betray your sacred duty for petty revenge? You've been a huntress for forty years, now you just turn it in and you don't even have a ideology to justify that?" Mr. Schnee retorted. Venom and hypocrisy laced on his tongue. He had a special hate, Blake supposed, for people without even a delusion of personal honor. Perhaps he saw himself in it, or his weakness.

"Oh would it be better to die stalling the inevitable? The Grimm are endless! We're just a candle burning till we're out of wick. In forty years of hunting, only thing I learned is this is pointless. So yeah I did it because I wanted someone dead!" Azura was cut off only by her own coughing and there was little reaction from the room vocally despite the emotional one. Ozpin was frustrated, but contained it. Ruby was hurt, likely thinking of her mother. Weiss and Yang in joint looked at her, then each other, caught between yelling back or comforting her. Blake never found the words. She was still thinking on this, one conclusion coming to mind, explaining this whole day that she was still piecing together.

"Summer Rose, she was a friend of yours. Once she was a friend of mine. She died for that. Remember that next time you consider spitting on the memory of every huntress and huntsmen in Vale's history. Their sacrifice meant something. Yours will mean nothing. That is my only comfort." Some people had a hushed voice that could quake remnant as they spoke. Mr. Schnee was one of them. Speaking just barely above a whisper, forcing you to listen so carefully at every word. A much more potent hate.

"I never meant to say Summ-"

"Don't ever say her name. Ever again. Animals like you simply do not have the right," Mr. Schnee noted before turning his back to them all, head only slightly tilted to say a few words before he left them in silence. "I expected your betrayal, I just thought you would have a much better reason. Ozpin, I'll be in your office." When he walked out, nothing walked in. There was a pause for a moment, though many people sighed with relief, a heavy pressure leaving with him. Though, Blake realized, he had shown his hand and given her a crucial piece to this puzzle tying the two.

"Ruby, I really never meant that about your mu-" Azura tried to mumble, but Ruby denied her.

"I forgive you," she said, looking every which way as she said it, "Please let's not talk about mom." Again, a pause between speakers. Yang nearly giggled from the awkwardness, but finally Ozpin just shook his head and began, a weary smile on his face, happy to be rid of Mr. Schnee no doubt.

"Alright, well I think I speak for everyone when I say that went about as poorly as it could. I'm sorry team RWBY, I would like to speak with Professor Thrym in private for a little while before she has to go."

"Wait! I haven't said goodbye," Ruby protested.

"Alright, but after I would like you to return to your rooms please, for the time being at least." Ozpin didn't have the will, or energy to fight her for what would be just a few minutes. Blake didn't need goodbyes though. She had a much more important place to spend her next few minutes.

"Will do professor," Blake interjected, standing to leave, a sway in her step as she moved, "but I have to run a few things to your office first."

"You knew Ruby's mother?" Blake asked casually, stepping into Ozpin's office without the fear she had last time she stepped into an office with Mr. Schnee. This wasn't his home, though he seemed to be comfortable in Ozpin's seat, looking over the holographic displays and listening to the turning rhythms of the clock tower gears. Light always found it's way in, despite dusk dimming the sun.

"Yes, When I was much younger. The subject of her death is a sensitive one. Perhaps I stepped out prematurely, but I doubt there was much more to learn from Ms. Thrym," Mr. Schnee responded with strangely graceful tone, eyes not looking to his worker, focused more on the documents that hovered over his face, the plentiful secrets, or what he could find unprotected on Ozpin's computer. One way or another, Blake didn't think anything in this school would stay secret from him for long. He was dead set on slithering his claws in every shadow and pulling out what was inside. He was a hunter of secrets.

"Were the two of you jilted lovers or something?" Blake asked, unafraid of punishment. If Mr. Schnee was angry, he hid it. The only tell of emotion was a slight pause as he typed. A moment to collect thoughts.

"No, thats not why. I was only about ten when I saw her for the last time, far too young for that. The war just ended, I sent her away, thinking it would make a better life for both of us. Kept her away for the same reason. You could say maybe guilt? She tried to contact me before going on her final mission. Some big news. I'll never know what it was. I don't like the mention of it," Mr. Schnee replied slowly, with some caution, careful of how he phrased it. Blake was just surprised he answered honestly at all. "Heroism has been the death of everyone important to me I've ever known. It was as if the world was suggesting to me there is a death sentence implied with truly caring about anything." He grinned very lightly like that was a joke. If it was, Blake found it distinctly unfunny.

"Is that why you hate Ruby?" she questioned. Trying to connect the frustration he had for Ruby seemed much more personal than anti-traditionalism. He didn't seem the type to accept the social elite's asinine morality as actual morality.

"No, her uncle Qrow is. There are a lot of secrets he's kept, but that's a story for another time," Mr. Schnee turned off the screen, moving data to his scroll, but for once truly giving Blake the time of day. Blue unfeeling eyes staring into her amber glare. "What are you here for? Reward? You performed well enough, so if it's a simple request I'll see to it."

"I don't want a reward."

"What do you want Ms. Belladonna."

"Answers," she snapped back, the emotional wall she built cracking, anger boiling.

"I think we all do-"

"From you!" Blake shouted feeling her blood raise up and feelings run rampant. She wasn't afraid of him enough to shut up nor solid enough to bury everything down like usual. The wind up was unraveling.

"Very well. Ask child," he replied unphased. sitting back in his chair with a look of boredom.

"You did this, didn't you?" Blake accused. Her hands were clenched into balls, at least the one that could was. Her instincts were to grab at Gamble Shroud and unload. The violent part of her, placed thereby the White Fang, held back only by her refusal to let either of them win.

"Hire Professor Thrym to kidnap my daughter? Do you really think we are on speaking terms?" He had the tiniest of grins when he replied, like he knew it was a stall that only served to irritate Blake further.

"Don't play dumb, you know damn well what I mean!"

"Do I?"

"You let this happen! You warned me, you showed up just in time. Now you're in Ozpin's office and your people are all over the school. You used Weiss!" It was out, all of her suspicion. With all the cocky arrogance, Mr. Schnee almost admitted it in motion, leaning back and crossing his legs with a slight nod.

"I reacted to the tip," was his vocal answer, unashamed and direct.

"When did you get this tip?" Blake could see him smile and an added realization flooded her mind, "Oh gods, that's why you looked at you're scroll during the meeting!" The flicker of a scroll's light flashed often during the blackmail in Castle White. Blake assumed it was work, expense reports, consultation dates, or anything. Spy records. Tips. The turn. When he just gave up, it was a plan.

"I'm usually much more proficient at getting my way in normal circumstances," he explained, catching on to Blake's realization.

"You sold me Weiss' return to Beacon because you were already going to let her go!"

"To my credit, I only learned during our conversation, and it wasn't concrete. I had a hunch," he was so calm, so professional, how did he never react? How was that human? How could a person be so indifferent? It was his child, how?

"You used your daughter! You put her in danger!" Weiss' father was, according to her, a very angry and cruel man, but never indifferent to her. What happened to the father who watched her sing and perform on his scroll day after day. Who, despite being a terrible person, seemed to at least care.

"I was convinced Weiss and her team would take care of her until my people could arrive." he replied with all the cool Blake lacked.

"She could have been kidnapped!"

"She wasn't and she wasn't going to be." There was the slightest rise in his voice, a small seeping of anger, but Blake didn't care. Not about him, this monster. To grow up with this as a father. Blake was suddenly happy for her own ineffectual father. Better than this.

"And me….I sold you everything. I worked for you…I turned in my people for...Nothing!" That hurt Blake twice as much. Turning on Ozpin, selling out her former friends in the White Fang, keeping secrets from the team she swore she never would. It was all important to do, but over something. For something. This was horrid.

"You wanted your team here at beacon undisturbed and their… consorting uninterrupted. You got that, exactly what you wanted, I don't see your issue." he enjoyed this. Seeing Blake, who was so sure she outsmarted him, making an unavoidable misstep.

"You don't see the issue?" She mumbled, unable to deal with this, with him.

"No, I do not."

"You're horrible," Blake admitted without fear. Yet, he barely reacted. Only recrossing his legs and looking back to his scroll.

"And you are dismissed. A job well done. I'll find you a minor reward and more work eventually, but at present I have no more need of you. Enjoy your time here at Beacon. You still have your three years." A cheap shitty deal.

"Fuck you." Blake said plainly, tossing the modified scroll Mr. Schnee had given her onto his desk, "I quit," she was done, rising from her seat and ready to walk out on him, "and if you ever come after me, or any of my team, or even think of taking Weiss...You better send a lot of people, because I'm done working for monsters." Blake made damn sure he didn't misunderstand. Gamble came out to prove her point, the blade converted to sickle gun in her hand to prove the point. She wasn't running. "I hunt them."

To all that he just had the smallest grin and a weak chuckle.

"I'll be sure to do that, Ms. Belladonna. Enjoy your evening."

The door slammed shut behind Blake and her tears began to flow silently, a hitch in her breath the only giveaway. She wouldn't ever let him known she was crying from that, but the frustration was overwhelming and it just broke the dam.

"What did he do to you?" Yang. She had waited, Blake didn't even notice when or how, but she was there waiting. Wasn't she always? When Blake needed her, Yang just had the tendency to just show up, like the sun at dawn. A smiling light that would always, eventually, come.

"No that's kind of the point. He never did anything. Yang...I've really fucked up." Blake could feel the confession rising in her, there was no stopping it, just trying to voice it in the least convoluted and stupid way possible. It was awful, looking weak in front of Yang. She had the power to break her and hold her together at the same time. One of the many reasons the feelings for her crawled under Blakes skin.

"I had a feeling working for him was a bad idea. He's a friggin' asshole," Yang mumbled angrily as she stepped out from the shadows, the light of dawn here as she swayed over to the faunus. Gold hair matching the smile from which all smiles were compared.

"You knew?" Blake let out hoarsely, with new tears dripping from her eyes. Yang's immediate response was a hug that engulfed Blake completely. It was so warm, the heat of the flame, the one shadows so desperately wanted to reach, but never could. It consumed Blake, and her crying began in earnest.

"I had a guess. I knew it had to be important for you to do it. I trust you Blake. No matter what, I know you'd have your reasons." Blake could feel her speak against her neck, the feeling was enthralling and made the faunus weak, "Do you want me to beat him up?" she added, that little flare of flame at the end. How did she not question Blake? Not interrogate her like everyone else? This kind of acceptance wasn't normal. Least not in her world.

"No," Blake responded, face covered in golden threads of silk, Yang's thick hair a wonderful place to rest her weary mind. "I want to beat him up." Both of them laughed and it felt good.

"Is everyone waiting? Do we need to go?" Blake asked not wanting to. This was the rare moment. Shadows touching fire.

"They can wait longer," Yang whispered into her neck, the tingle of breath like the softest burn she would ever feel, "Until you're ready."

****Whoops sorry for the long wait! I've had some nasty medical stuff going on which has delayed me. Getting some blood work results in so hopefully things get better soon! Also there was the unfortunate news of Monty's passing which affected me more than I would have ever previously thought. My condolences to all friends and family, and my best wishes to all who have survived him.

So post writing the abandonment joke I remembered a small line in Snowy Vale that suggests Yang's mom as being around, so I decided to just sort of gloss over that since this fits better with show cannon and well, I like the joke a lot. Based off a real conversation. Plus if Raven is Yang's mom, both these threads can come together off screen, she could have come back between the show and SV! TCR if you bring this up I swear to god . got Bumblebee for RWBY relationship week so I amped that shit up here! Also and I know I'm making this A.N. huge, I have a new tumblr .com where I will post updates answer all questions and screw around. Still learning how the system works so this are a little weird. It's called Booking-and-Blogging.

On a last note this begins the final and shortest arch of the MV series! Hopefully most of you enjoy, and though I've received a few messages lately with certain distaste for MV, I do hope the rest of you like it as it comes to a slow close. Editing was done by a half Lazykatze, and half by Snow White and Little Red. Lazy Katze is on hiatus and in the meantime I need an editor for one more chapter! Message me if you're interested!