Chapter 12: Making Preparations

Cat's Out Of The Bag

April 19th:

All of Farran's attempts to wake up the following morning were met with complete and total rebellion by his entire body. The heavy fatigue he suffered from the Metaverse, coupled by a night of near restless sleep, left his body craving what comfort there was to be found in his futon. Eventually, he the drowsiness from his mind, knowing full well he shouldn't make a habit of sleeping in, he opened his eyes to find himself not in the dorm room, but in their storage room connected to it. Confused, he looked around, only for a piece of paper to fall from his blanket to the floor. He picked it up, realizing that someone had scrawled a note on it.

"Morning Dummy,

You kept mumbling in your sleep last night, and you kept waking us all up! Yang and I pulled your futon into the storage room so that the rest of us could get some sleep, cause your dumb butt wouldn't wake up. Just wanted to let you know so you didn't freak out when you got up.

Ruby"

Farran groaned as he pushed himself up to his feet. While he was certainly annoyed about the change made to his sleeping arrangements, he couldn't help but feel bad about waking his teammates up. Everything about his dreams if the Headless Horseman the night before annoyed him, but he was plenty happy to know that the Persona, even if it was a part of him, was gone. He knelt down, rolling his futon up so it could be stored back in the room, then with a small grunt, picked it up and carried it under his arm.

At first glance, the dorm room seemed to be completely empty, his teammates no doubt having gone to take care of their own errands, until he made his way over to his usual sleeping spot to set his futon down, when he saw Blake. She sat on her bed, completely dressed save for her usual black vest which lay beside her. She held her hands above her head, having frozen in the middle of tying her bow around her ears. Wait, hold on… It was only after a double take that Farran realized that Blake had been usual black bow around a pair of soft-looking cat ears that he had never seen before. It took him a brief moment to shake himself from the stupor of the revelation. Ok, so Blake's a Faunus. I really hope that wasn't something that was supposed to be obvious, cause I completely missed that. Shrugging it off, he tried to play it cool, crossing the room towards the bathroom.

"Morning, Blake. Sorry if I kept you guys up last night, just had a bad dream, you know?" He froze in the middle of the room, in front of the room's main door, noticing that Blake had been staring at him in fear and alarm since he walked in, "Uh… Blake? Everything ok?"

There was a pregnant pause as the two teammates stared at each other. Farran was about to move, when in the blink of an eye, Blake shot off her bed like a bullet. She tried to barrel past him towards the door, but in trying to do so, knocked them both down to the ground. She scraped and clawed, trying to get over him and to the door, but Farran grabbed ahold of her shoulders.

"Blake, what the hell?!" He tried to force himself between her and the door, "Just calm down!"

"Calm down? Calm down?! How am I supposed to calm down?! You weren't supposed to know about this! Nobody was supposed to know about this!" She snarled as Farran backed up, blocking off the doorway, "Get out of the way!"

Farran shook his head desperately, "Not until you seriously calm down, cause the second I move, Dust knows if I ever see you again. Just calm down, and talk to me. We're teammates, remember? Ozpin said-"

"I don't give a damn what Ozpin says!" She roared, "Why would I trust a Gods damned thing that man says? He is the reason Richards is here! He knows everything that bastard does around here, about the drugs and the harassment and everything else, and he doesn't do a damn thing about it! I spent all of last night trying to calm myself down, not even being able to read, just staring at my book and trying to forget and act normal, after having to watch over Velvet, cause that asshole enlisted some other students to harass her! How can I trust a damn thing that comes out of Ozpin's mouth, when he allows that to happen?!"

"If you can't trust Ozpin, then at least trust me." The forcefulness of Farran's words took the wind from Blake's sails, as she sat there staring at him, breathing heavily, "If you can't trust me, then who can you trust? I mean, you know everything about me that I know about myself. I haven't kept any secrets from any of you guys, and that's because I put complete trust in you. I'm just asking you to do the same for me."

"I… I don't know if I can." Her cat ears flattened against her head.

"Then I guess all I can ask you to do is try, Blake." He stood up, helping her to her feet and over to her bed, "Even if you can't trust me enough to tell me everything, I just need you to talk to me. Ok?"

She plopped down, resting her face in her hands, "I guess so. Dust knows you won't leave me alone until I do…"

"Exactly. Now, I'm gonna go hop in the shower for a sec. While I'm in there, just take a minute to think about what you are and aren't comfortable telling me, and we can talk when I get back. Oh, and before I go," Farran stuck out his hand, "Give me your bow."

"My bow…?" She reached up and pulled the length of ribbon that had been hanging loosely off one of her cat ears, "Why?"

"Because I don't want to have to worry about you running off the whole time I'm in there. If I have your bow, I can at least assume you won't run off and come out as a Faunus to the whole school. And if any of the others come back while I'm gone, just… bury your head under your pillows or something, claim you got a migraine. I'll vouch for you."

Blake opened her mouth to argue, but just sighed and acquiesced all the same. Farran took her bow, and with a reassuring smile, left to take his shower. It was the absolute quickest shower that he had ever taken, still not convinced that she wouldn't run off. The hot water helped alleviate some of his exhaustion, but the events of the morning had still left him feeling more tired than he was when he woke up. Clean, dried off, and dressed in fresh clothes, Farran made his way back to the dorm room, Blake's ribbon in hand. She sat right where he had left her, her brooding obvious from the look on her face. With a shrug, Farran plopped down next to her.

She groaned, "So, what exactly do you want to know?"

"Whatever you feel like telling me." Farran thought for a minute, "How about, who you are and where you came from? Out of everyone on our team, I know about you the least."

Her ear flicked in annoyance, "Fine. I am… an orphan, from Menagerie. The Faunus there, they're all really nice, and did what they could to provide for me, but with things how they are there, nobody could keep me around for long." She paused, but when she saw Farran wasn't satisfied, she continued, "I spent most of my life at Faunus rights protests, doing whatever I could to help get us the equality we deserve."

Farran furrowed his brow, "So… like the White Fang, except not being evil and blowing people up?"

"The White Fang isn't evil! They're just misunderstood!" When she realized she had raised her voice, she paused and cleared her throat, "I know there's a lot on the news about what they've done, but it hasn't always been like that. The White Fang were originally a group that organized to get Faunus rights peacefully. It wasn't until recently that they started becoming violent, after the old leader was forced out from his position."

"I see… Then, why exactly are they being violent now?"

"A lot of Faunus don't think we have a choice but to fight back. There were protests for years, and we've come a long way, but there are still human politicians and businessmen that actively try to force us all back to where we were before. Denying us rights, trying to take our jobs away, doing what they can so all the Faunus on Remnant go back to Menagerie… I might not agree with their methods, but I can understand why they fight."

He tilted his head, "Denying you rights? What, are the Faunus not allowed to vote or something?"

"No, nothing as drastic as that. While I'm sure plenty of politicians would love to try, and their blind followers would support it to no end, they have to at least try to keep up appearances. They try to be a little more subtle than that. Take Councilman Unhilo for example. Many humans consider him the one of the most progressive Council members, and yet while he was in office, everything on the Faunus rights side stagnated. That's what is considered progressive now, not actively going against us. And even then, he was the member of the Council that pushed the bill to outlaw polyamorous marriages."

"…That's a thing? For Faunus, I mean, marrying more than one person." Farran tried to hide the surprise in his voice.

Blake grimaced, "Well, in certain groups it is. We have… more alike with animals than a lot of us like to admit, especially because some Humans use them as ways to label us. Some Faunus prefer to have polyamorous relationships. And it isn't even based on what kind of Faunus you are, contrary to what a lot of humans think, it's more of a belief system. Gods know, poor Velvet and the other rabbit Faunus suffer from that the most. Many think that because of how rabbits mate, that extends to their Faunus counterparts too. It sure as hell isn't."

"So, if Councilman Unhilo was the one who got that bill passed, could that be the reason that guy assassinated him."

"No!" She took a steeling breath, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to get so upset about all this. You see, I met Mr. Datrini plenty of times growing up. He was one of the nicest people I had ever met. Yes, he was with the White Fang, but that's when they were peaceful. Once the new leader took over, he cut all ties with them. I have no idea if the police forced him to confess, it wouldn't be the first time that happened, but I know it couldn't have been him. He was there with me… the day the White Fang turned violent."

Farran nodded, finally understanding why that had been such a sore topic, "I see… I'm sorry to hear that, Blake. I just… Is there anything I can do? I don't want you thinking all of us humans are racist assholes or anything like that."

She let out a dry laugh, "I'm sorry Farran, but with the experiences I've had with your race over the years, I find it hard to trust any of you. And I'm trying so hard to, but I just can't. It's part of the reason I wear my bow. I want people to see me for who I am, not what I am…"

"Well… Honestly, I wish you wouldn't wear your bow. Now that I can see them for myself, I like your ears. And no, not from a 'Oh, look at the cute cat ears' way. To me, I just sort of see them part of what makes you Blake. Just like how my wings are a part of what makes me who I am."

Blake stared at him in disbelief, then after a moment, she started to laugh, "Farran, you hardly count! Don't take this the wrong way, but you're… weird."

"Hey! What the heck is that supposed to mean?!"

"I'm sorry, Farran." She snickered, "I guess I should explain. I was told for years that the majority of humans are neutral to Faunus at worst. There's plenty that are positive to us, but that's because they have a close connection to them. And then, there's the small, but vocal minority that are actively racist against us. Unfortunately, almost all of the humans I've interacted with fall into that last category." She smiled, "And then there's you. With no connection to anyone, let alone the Faunus. And yet on your first day, you walk right up to Cardin when you see him picking on Velvet, get in his face, and kick his teeth in. You can hardly call that normal, can't you?"

"Well, I'm glad I exceed expectations. Does that mean you can trust me, though?"

"Exceed expectations? Perhaps, in some ways. In others, not so much, Mr. Selective Amnesia." She laughed as Farran's ego instantly deflated, "As for trust… I think out of all the humans I've met, you're probably the one that comes the closest."

"Well, that's a start at least! So if you can trust one teammate, how about Ruby? I mean, the girl doesn't have a mean bone in her body, and from what Velvet tells me, the two of them are friends. Can you trust her?"

"Hey, I never said I trusted you yet!" She protested, "But Ruby… It's true that she is one of the most naturally sweet people I've ever met. And out of all her flaws, I can't say any come from a mean-spirited place. I'm honestly not sure she even knows what mean-spirited means sometimes. I suppose, out of all you guys, I could probably end up trusting her…"

"Ok, so that's two. How about Yang?"

"Seriously Farran, I said… Oh, whatever. I'll admit that I hang around Yang the most out of everyone, mostly cause she either bribes, blackmails, or 'threatens' me to do stuff with her. She's nice, she's loyal, and I do find her funny outside of her puns… Not to mention I'm fairly certain she might actually murder someone if they harassed me, even if she finds out I'm a Faunus. Yes, I suppose I can trust Yang."

"Alright, three. Weiss?"

"No." Blake answered almost as soon as Farran finished speaking, her lips curled in a stiff frown, "Not Weiss. Never Weiss."

"Why not Weiss? I know she isn't exactly the most friendly or outgoing person, but she's not a complete Ice Queen. What makes her so different from me or Yang or Ruby?"

Blake shook her head, "Farran, you just don't understand. Faunus relationships with the Schnee Dust Company have never been good. Ever. Jacques Schnee is a putrid man, and he makes Richards seem like Ruby. He moves his refineries into slums and other densely Faunus populated areas, and uses them for what pretty much is slave labor. Terrible wages, horrible working conditions, accidents constantly covered up… It only gets worse from there, and the conditions in his mines are even worse than that. The man is an unabashed racist, and actively campaigns against pro-Faunus legislation, and nobody can do or say a damn thing about it, because the SDC is so important in the dust trade."

Farran sat there and let her say her piece, mulling over her words. When she finally finished, he waited a beat, then turned to her, "So, I can understand why you don't like the SDC, and I can understand why you don't like Jacques. That much is abundantly clear, and I already don't like the man from what you've had to say. The one thing I don't understand, and I know this is gonna piss you off, is what exactly does any of that have to do with Weiss?"

"What do you mean?!" She nearly leapt from her bed, "It has everything to do with Weiss! She is Jacques Schnee's daughter, Farran!"

"Yes, and?" He raised an eyebrow, "I know who her family is, but more importantly, I know who Weiss is. Let me tell you a bit about her. Yes, she has her cold, stern exterior. Yes, she's a bit demanding at times. And yes, I know she likes to be in control. But she really is a kind person. The day I got my brace, while the two of us and Ruby were going into town to get stuff to make cookies, I was feeling down about my knee. She took the time to sit down by me and remind me that, 'Hey, at least you can still walk. As much as it sucks, you need to look at that blessing.' I know that her father is an asshole, but more importantly, she knows he's an asshole! The whole reason Weiss and I have been hanging out lately is because she wants to try new things and get away from her father's influence. Like, take a look at this." Farran flipped his scroll, flicking through the apps until he got to the picture gallery. Once he opened it, the picture that was displayed showed Ruby and Weiss, standing in the kitchenette. Both were covered in cookie dough and a thick layer of flour. Farran had to suppress a laugh at the look of Weiss's shocked face, staring down at the bag of flour she had just dropped. He looked back to Blake with a smile, "Now tell me, I have a feeling that if what you say is true, any Faunus would pay all they were worth for a pic like this. And yet, here I am with it, and do you know why? Because Weiss is doing her best to be Weiss, not Jacques Schnee's daughter. I don't mean to be a dick, I really don't, but Blake, it sounds to me that you are judging her for what she is, not who she is."

Blake opened her mouth, wanting to argue, but she ended up just hanging her head, her ears drooping, "I… I suppose you're right. I must seem like a huge hypocrite right now."

"Eh, not necessarily." Farran leaned back on her bed, "I think you've just been through a lot of shit as far as Humans are involved, and with just how prevalent Richards is, and with what he does to the Faunus on campus, it just makes things worse."

After a brief pause, she leaned back next to him with a devilish smile, "You know, Yang might be right. Maybe I should start calling you 'Hero' now."

"Please don't." Farran grimaced, "I'm really not anything special, or anything like that, and the word 'hero' should be saved for people that are." He turned over to face her, "So… Now that I know you're a Faunus, and you think you can trust us, except for maybe Weiss quite yet, what do you plan on doing? Keep wearing the bow?"

Her lips curled into a curt frown, "I… don't want you to get the wrong idea, but yeah. I'm going to keep wearing it. And if you wouldn't mind keeping it a secret, I'd really appreciate it. I want to trust you guys, all of you, I really do, but right now it's just something I'm not comfortable with. Not to mention, you're right about Richards, and I don't want him coming after us…"

"Hey, no worries. I don't plan on saying anything until you give me the go ahead." Farran held the ribbon out for her, "Just remember, no matter what, you can trust me. If you ever need anyone to talk to, about anything, I'm here, and I'll listen to everything you have to say. Deal?"

She stared at the ribbon for a second, and then tentatively reached out and took it with a smile, "Deal."

Farran sat and watched as she delicately wrapped the ribbon around her ears, slowly but surely forming the shape of her usual bow. He had to admit, it was an almost impeccable disguise. When she kept her ears completely still, it was near impossible to notice that she was using it to conceal them. Deep down, Farran wished she wouldn't keep wearing the bow, he wanted her to be able to feel comfortable being who she was, and not to mention keeping her ears completely still couldn't feel great, but he understood her reasoning. Farran wasn't about to betray the amount of trust he had managed to build with her today, and at their same time, he realized that once they had taken Richards down, perhaps she would be more comfortable talking to the others about who she is. In the midst of that revelation, Farran felt the world stop around him, and the voice in his mind started to boom once more.

"I am thou, thou art I…

Thou hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become a Beacon in the darkness

to lead you down the path to your own justice.

With the birth of the Hermit Persona,

You have obtained unforeseen power

that will allow you to remake your Fate anew."

Once time started up again, Blake finished tying her bow into its usual, completed state. The two of them sat on her bed until the late afternoon, just talking about nothing in particular. The more they talked, the more Farran noticed Blake start to loosen up, her face and arms becoming much less tense. He felt satisfied that, for perhaps the first time since she had come to Beacon, he had given Blake someone she felt comfortable confiding in.

Café Bombón

April 20th:

Farran walked down the sidewalk in the city of Vale, checking the message app on his scroll for the twelfth time in the last ten minutes. Early that morning, Velvet had sent him a message, asking him to go to a certain address in town for the photo shoot that he had promised to help her and Coco with. It was his first time going through Vale on his own, and he was desperately trying not to get lost on the way there. Of course, he could have asked one of his teammates to accompany him, however the idea of explaining to any of them that he had agreed to be a male model, even for just a friend's project, was not something he ever planned on doing. After about half an hour of wandering through the city, he finally found the place: an apartment building in the middle of town. Relieved that he wasn't anywhere near Park Street, an area he had no desire to go back to any time soon, he approached the door, and thumped the button for the apartment number Velvet had listed. After a minute, the speaker buzzed, and he could hear Coco's voice blare out.

"Afternoon, hun! Sorry about that, we were just finishing up getting ready." The main door clicked as she was talking, "Door should be open, so come on in!"

"Thanks Coco! I'll be up in a sec." he turned and made his way through the door, heading right for the elevator.

When the elevator finally opened for him, Farran stepped inside and checked the message one last time. The apartment number was 611, prompting Farran to thumb the button for the sixth floor, and within seconds, he was walking down the hall and into the apartment. Despite the overall class exuded by the building, he was surprised to find the entryway of the apartment itself was quite plain. Virtually no furniture or decorations were in sight, just a small end table with a bowl for keys standing guard next to the door. Not long after he shut the door, he could hear footsteps coming from around the corner, and soon after Velvet peaked her head out.

"Afternoon, Farran!" She gave him a small wave, "Coco and I are back here. Oh, and feel free to keep your shoes on, you're not gonna make the place any messier than we have."

The entryway split off into a "T", and Farran followed Velvet off to the right. She led him into a rather spacious, well lit studio, the floor of which was covered with a hodgepodge of various art supplies. Along the far right wall sat two metal frames, each supporting walls of thick, black curtains, which Farran guessed were supposed to be their "changing rooms", as he could see a clothing line inside one of them, jam-packed with a number of costumes. The far left wall, meanwhile was currently being carefully covered with a large green screen by Fox and Coco, who were delicately pulling it along a metal rigging that hung from the ceiling. Once it was in place, Coco took a deep breath and saw Farran standing in the doorway.

"There's my co-star!" She beamed as she walked over to him, hooking her arm around his, "Like what you see? It's not much of a set-up, but we make it work. It helps that I have such an amazing photographer and stage crew!"

Fox leaned against the wall with a tired smile, "Just remember, you owe us lunch! A world class stage crew doesn't work for free, you know?"

"Always, dear. Always." She gave him a wink, "Same place as always?"

"You know it! Just gotta save some for Yatsu, or he'll be pissed."

"Well, it's his fault for signing up to be a tutor for Oobleck's class! He knew our shoot schedule is erratic, there's nothing we can do about it."

"I gotta say, Coco. When you asked me to help out, I wasn't expecting all this!" Farran gestured around the room, "How can you afford all this?"

"That's the perks of being a Huntress, hun." She tittered, "I may not be in the business exclusively for the Lien, I know plenty that are and they're all horrible, but I sure as hell won't turn it down when offered. And when you're part of the best damn team in your year, you're going to be taking in plenty."

"It helps that her family was loaded to start with!" Fox called from behind them.

"Quiet you!" She shot him a stern glare, "I will admit, being the daughter of the owner of one of Remnant's premier beauty boutiques helped, but my mother only paid for the apartment in a misguided attempt to keep me separate from my team. The rigging, props, costumes, and everything else came from my own pocket, thank you very much."

"But… Why all this?" Farran shook his head in a daze, "If you're training to be a Huntress, and you're so good at it, why go so far to do all this?"

"Very simple, Farran." She slid her sunglasses off, hooking them to the collar of her shirt. She smiled at him sincerely, "Being a Huntress is my ideal career. I never wanted to do anything else as a job growing up but this, and I am damn good at it. At the same time, my passion, my love, my heart, they all are for art and modeling. As it turns out, with how everything works in our field, I can do both. I can have my ideal career, and follow my passion for supplementary income. It's the best of both worlds!"

Velvet set down a metal tripod in front of the green screen and looked over to them, "Ok, Coco! Everything's all set except for my camera, why don't you two go get changed?"

"Can do, Honey Bun!" She snickered as Velvet busied herself with her camera, trying to hide her obvious blush caused by Coco's pet name, "Well then, you ready for your big debut, hun?"

"Yea, just…" Farran took a quick glance around the room, "What exactly am I supposed to be doing again?"

Coco clicked her tongue, "Come now, we went over this when I took your measurements! Were you not paying attention?"

"Go easy on him, Coco." Fox prodded her shoulder, "With how you two talk about your shoots, I'd be surprised if the poor kid understood three words of what you were telling him. Hell, I've been helping you with these shoots for over a year now, and I still have trouble sometimes."

Farran raised his eyebrows, "You've been doing this for that long?"

"Well, yes. As I said, this is my passion after all, and I've been lucky enough to have the best crew I could ask for. Had to hire an outside photographer last year, though. Then our precious little Bun fell right into our laps, and she's been more than I could ever dream of!" She leered towards the blushing girl, "It's a shame she won't model with me. I have the perfect shoot lined up in my mind, and the lingerie I'm picturing for her would be just adorable-"

"C-C-Coco!" Velvet, her face and ears nearly completely red, stamped her foot, "If you have time to tease me, you have time to get changed!"

"Fine, fine, dear. It's all in good fun." She turned back to Farran, "In any case, since you didn't pick up on it last time, I'll explain the shoot again. You see, the average person views Huntsmen and Huntresses very highly, almost like a cross between a celebrity and a superhero. I want to try to capture the image that they see when they think of a Huntsman. Not something over the top, or anything super 'The Huntsmen are great! Support your local Academy', I sure as hell am not going to use my art or vision for some kind of ad campaign."

"Alright, so what do you have in mind?"

"You see, I am picturing a variety of scenes where an average citizen is attacked by a creature of Grimm, and is then saved by their Guardian Angel, a Huntsman. The part of the beautiful, stunning, all-around glamorous damsel in distress will, of course, be played by me." She posed dramatically, her hand resting on her forehead, "And the part of the Huntsman will be played by none other than Beacon's resident Guardian Angel, you. And, as I have heard from my lovely photographer, it turns out that our resident Guardian Angel has wings of his own. Am I correct?"

Farran sighed and activated his semblance, spreading his wings out, "This what you're looking for?"

Coco flocked to his wings, examining them closely and muttering to herself. After a minute, she looked over to Velvet, "You were right about the color scheme for the shoot, Velvet. They really are silver! Hey, do you want to have his whole wingspan in the shot, or is cutting them off a bit fine. They're a bit longer than I expected."

"It's your call, luv." Velvet shrugged, still working on her camera, getting it just perfect, "You know how I'm always partial to getting everything in the shot, but it's not always the right call. Just let me know and I can move back a bit to get it all."

Coco hummed for a second, "Move it back a bit. We can get his full wingspan in a couple of shots, and if we need to, we cam just move it back up closer."

"On it. Now go get changed already!" She absentmindedly waved towards the curtains.

"My, my. Someone certainly gets her confidence up when she's taking pictures." Coco steered Farran over to the curtains, "Alright, hun! Everything should be all set for you in there. Take your time, and if you need any help with your armor pieces, just let us know."

Farran nodded and made his way into his makeshift dressing room. Resigned to his fate, he took one last look at the costume hanging from the line, and started to get changed. He had to admit that, whichever member of Team CFVY had made them, the costume pieces were top notch. After a few minutes, he emerged dressed in an armored tunic that came down to his knees, a plastic breastplate that, even now, he wasn't sure how it wasn't really metal, and had the Beacon Academy symbol subtly emblazoned on the chest, and a scarlet cape that reminded him somewhat of Ruby's. He was thankful that Velvet was merciful and allowed him to wear a pair of cotton pants under his tunic, as Coco had originally insisted his legs be bare. Coco, meanwhile, emerged wearing a relatively normal, modest outfit, if a bit torn and tattered in places that didn't show off too much skin, and yet somehow she made it beyond gorgeous. With their costumes all set, and Farran's jaw picked up off the floor, the group got to work.

The shoot lasted all afternoon, and well into the evening with all the posing and retakes that needed to be done. Coco played the role of damsel in distress well, effectively capturing true fear and panic in her expressions, as she was attacked by the "Grimm". The Grimm, of course, were played by Fox, as Velvet stated they would be editing them in later, as any realistic costumes were far out of their budget. After a few shots of Coco being attacked, they had Farran enter the scene, "floating" above her on a box that matched the green screen. What followed were a variety of scenes of him attacking and repelling the Grimm, effectively saving Coco.

Just when he thought they were finished, however, Coco directed him back to the dressing room. "That was just the first set!" She stated, "Now, you get to be the one in distress. Can't have people thinking we're forcing stereotypes, now can we? My career as an artist would be finished!"

With that, Farran returned to his dressing room, changing shortly thereafter into a simple farmhand's outfit. Coco, when she emerged, came out in a beautiful set of armor, that was unmistakably supposed to resemble that of a stereotypical Huntress. Even so, it hit all the notes of one of her usual outfits, conforming perfectly to her curves, and showing off a good, if still modest, amount of skin. Donned in their new costumes, Velvet ran them through the gauntlet once more. The second set managed to take even longer than the first, as Farran's acting and expressions weren't considered up to par for Coco or Velvet, demanding multiple retakes. Not too long after the clock struck seven, Velvet closely inspected the last few photos she had taken, and with a satisfied smile, gave them the all clear to get changed. When Farran finally reemerged in his usual attire, Coco had already changed, albeit into an outfit more simple than usual, just a tank top and shorts, and was on her scroll ordering some Mistrali food, disappearing shortly into the other room.

Farran gave Fox and Velvet a small wave, "Well, if that's all you guys need me for, I'm gonna get going."

Velvet's ears perked up, "You're leaving? Aren't you going to stay for dinner?"

"I mean, I didn't know I was invited. Otherwise, I would have brought some cash to help pay for it."

"Bah, don't worry about it." Fox waved him off, "Coco wouldn't let you, even if you tried. Trust me, it doesn't end well. She always buys for us whenever we do these shoots. Just kick back and relax."

Coco popped back into the room, a white towel draped around her neck, "Alright, delivery guy should be here in a little bit. Velvet, would you be a dear? I normally would, but…"

"Don't worry about it, Coco. I'll go wait for them." Velvet moved past her towards the door, "Tip money where it normally is?"

"You know it, hun." Coco beamed as Velvet exited the room, but once the door closed behind her, she flumped to the ground, exhausted, "Gods, I love that woman, but she is a slave driver when she steps behind a camera."

"That does get me thinking though, Coco." Fox snickered, "You can't be seen by the delivery guy like that, and yet you're comfortable with some freshman? Never thought I'd see the day. Took you three months before you let any of us see you in anything less than your full getup."

"Oh, hush." Coco groaned, "I'm not the girl I was back then, and besides, the kid rooms with four girls. I could be running around in less than this and it wouldn't be anything he won't be seeing anyways. As much as I like looking good normally, after a long shoot, I just want to be comfortable."

"Yea, yea." He pulled a chair over from the back of the room, plopping down on it next to her, "So, I take it you two are gonna be here all night shopping those pics then? You do remember all of this is just for a side project, so you don't have an actual deadline, right?"

"I know, Mom. You don't need to worry about us. Velvet and I are big girls, we can take care of ourselves. I know you're worried Fox, but nobody can get in here to hurt us!"

"That's not what I'm worried about, and you know it." Fox stared at her, sternly.

"You know I'm not like that, Fox…" Coco grumbled, "I wouldn't do anything to hurt her. Especially not after…"

Fox's face grew dark, "Yea, I know. Sorry…"

Farran looked back and forth between them, desperate to change the topic, "Uh… Well, Coco, I gotta admit, I had a lot of fun today. Sorry about all the retakes."

"Hmm? Oh, that?" Her face brightened as she looked at him, "Don't worry about it, hun. It's all part of the job. And like I told you, Velvet is one of the best at what she does, part of the reason for that is that she demands the best when she has a camera in her hands. But I'm glad you had fun all the same, most guys at Beacon wouldn't even think about doing something like this. Not enough adrenaline or macho-ness, you know?"

"Yea, I kinda figured that much out from the combat practice group I joined. Still, while I like the buzz of adrenaline, I get enough while flying. Nothing wrong with doing something like this every now and again. If you ever need me for any more shoots, just let me know."

Coco's eyes spread wide and started to sparkle, "Seriously? You'll come back? I haven't even had to tempt you with food yet!"

He shrugged, "Yea, why not? Like I said, it was fun."

Coco leapt to her feet, taking Farran's hand in hers, "Oh, thank you hun! I promise, you won't regret this."

Farran was surprised to see a second year student so excited for his help, but at the same time, he was happy that he was able to help her out with her passion in life. When Coco finally let go of his hands, he felt time stop around him, and heard the familiar voice in his mind.

"I am thou, thou art I…

Thou hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become a Beacon in the darkness

to lead you down the path to your own justice.

With the birth of the Moon Persona,

You have obtained unforeseen power

that will allow you to remake your Fate anew."

"Oh, boy. Now you've done it." Fox smirked, "Now that she knows you'll do this all for free, she thinks she's got you wrapped around her finger. You're never gonna get rid of her now."

"Will you stop picking on me for five seconds?! And you tell me to behave." She huffed, "Stop trying to scare the kid off. I'm lucky Velvet didn't manage to do it with all those retakes today."

"Well excuse me for taking pride in my photography!" Velvet's voice chided from the doorway. She came around the corner carrying bunch of bags, "And you two haven't even set the table up yet. I swear, if you want to have to find another photographer, you're well on your way."

Fox shook his head in disbelief as he got up, setting up a folding table that had been stored off to the side, "I swear, Vel. Put you behind a camera for a few hours, and it's like you turn into a whole different Faunus for the rest of the night."

Once Velvet set the bags of food down, Coco rushed to her with an evil smirk, "Don't worry about our little Bun Bun, Fox." She wrapped her arms around Velvet's waist, "One night with me, and the prissy little princess here will be her old self soon."

"Agh! C-Coco, please no!" Velvet squirmed, trying to get free from her captor's grasp, "I'm sorry about the retakes! I just wanted to make sure all your pictures were perfect…"

"Hmm… Apology not accepted."

Coco preceded to start tickling Velvet, who in turn started flailing around, falling to the ground. She sped from the room, with Coco right on her heels in hot pursuit. Farran looked on after them, "Those two are dating… right?"

"Dating? Hardly." Fox let out a bark of laughter as he finished setting the table, "That's just Coco. She doesn't understand boundaries. Lucky for her, Velvet actually enjoys her antics most of the time, even as shy as the poor girl is. Still doesn't help Coco any…"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, nothing. By the way…" Fox slid a small, plastic piece across the table, "I finished that program earlier today. The one to help you take down Richards."

"Oh!" Farran snatched the drive up, "Thanks Fox. What do I need to do?"

"Just plug it into the main computer in his office, the program will do the rest. All you need to do is wait until the computer has downloaded the whole file, then take the drive and get the hell out of there. And Farran…" Fox stared right at him with his empty white eyes, "I don't care how you do it, but you better get rid of that asshole. Not just for you, and not just for Velvet. For the rest of us at Beacon too. That guy is a plague to our school, and he needs to be taken down."

"Don't worry, Fox." Farran pocketed the drive, "I will. No matter what."

Shortly after, Velvet and Coco came back into the room, both out of breath. The group sat down and ate their dinner while making small talk. Farran was impressed by just how good the food was, and made sure to take down the name of the restaurant for the next time Team RWBY decided to order out. After dinner, Coco and Velvet headed to the other main room of the apartment, a moderately sized bedroom furnished only with two cots, a plush recliner, and a work desk with two chairs and a computer. Velvet hooked up her camera, and the two started delving into their finishing touches on the pictures. Farran bade them and Fox, who said he would wait up with them for a while longer before returning to Beacon, farewell. On his way back to the dorms, Farran felt the drive with Fox's program sitting in his pocket, and couldn't help but smile knowing he had been handed one of the final nails in the coffin of Richards's career at Beacon.

I Can't Be A Better Leader Than You!

April 21st:

Ruby buzzed around Farran as the two navigated the corridors of the training halls. She had disappeared early in the morning, before Farran had even woken up, only to reappear hours later, claiming that she had reserved one of the training halls for the two of them and Yang for a "mandatory training session". Farran, who had yet to even get dressed, found himself suddenly being rushed through his usual morning routine by his tiny leader, and once he was well enough prepared to train, she dragged him right out of the dorms. Yang, who always took a long time getting ready, promised to meet them there. His yawn reverberated off the stone walls of the corridor as he looked down at the pleasantly smiling Ruby, who was currently dragging him by the wrist.

"Alright, I'll bite." He sighed, "Why are we doing this, and so early in the morning?"

"Why do you think?" She beamed up at him causing Farran to grumble about how she shouldn't have so much energy in the morning, "The deadline is in three days, right? Which means that we need to take care of Richards's Shadow the day after tomorrow. This is the last chance we're going to have to get some practice between the three of us before then. Who knows what it's gonna throw at us when it transforms? We need to be ready for anything."

"That still doesn't answer my question about why we're doing all this so early…" He let out another yawn.

"Oh please, don't be such an old man!" She pouted.

"Old? I'm only three years older than you!" He deadpanned.

"Two. Two years older than me." She folded her arms, "Don't forget, my birthday's next month! So you four can stop treating me like a little kid."

Farran tussled her hair, "You're still gonna be the youngest person on the team. Shortest too."

"That's not true at all!" She stamped her foot, "Weiss is the shortest! Just cause she wears high heels all the time doesn't count-"

Ruby was cut off by the sound of soft sobbing echoing from further down the hallway. The two looked at each other, and made a silent agreement to go check it out. Quietly, they snuck their way down the hall, past the training arenas and into the administration area of the building, where one single office stood open, the light from inside flooding out into the otherwise dark hall. Farran sidled up to the door and peaked around, greeted by a pitiful sight. Professor Peach, sat at a desk in the room with her back to the door, crying into her own arms. Her hair which was typically pulled back into a tight bun now hung loose, cascading down around her shoulders. Beside her stood Professor Goodwitch, also with her back to the door, nervously patting Professor Peach's shoulder and talking to her in a soft, soothing voice.

"It's going to be ok, Peachy. I promise you, everything is going to be ok." She cooed to the younger teacher, "No matter what, I won't let him do anything to you."

"No it isn't, Glyn. You know it won't. Why does that horrible bastard still have a job here?!" She sniffled, "You know he's going to do everything he can to get my fired, and there's nothing I can do about it! Ozpin will do whatever he says… This is my dream job, Glynda!"

"Come now, you really don't think that will happen, do you? You know Richards is full of nothing but hot air. You are an asset to this Academy, and one of the best Dust researchers and weapons developers on Remnant. There is no way you're going anywhere, no matter what he says."

"That's a lie, and you know it. You heard what he said… Even if it's bullshit, Ozpin listens to him over anyone else!" She slammed a fist down on her desk, "Those access panels are perfect, I don't give a damn what he says! Yes, they will short-circuit when exposed to high heat, but they neutralize any kind of fire dust that's put near them! The only way anyone could get them to break is if they brought a Dust damned flamethrower into the building!"

"I know, Peachy. I know. Just calm down. Everything is going to be ok." She rubbed Professor Peach's back delicately, "Now, I'm going to go grab the two of us some tea, that should help you feel better. Will you be ok until I get back?"

Peach nodded her head, and Goodwitch started to make her way to the door. In a panic, Farran and Ruby sped away as quietly as they could, trying to put as much distance between themselves and the office as possible. Before they could get too far, Goodwitch stepped out into the hall, and closed the door softly behind her.

"Farran Park and Ruby Rose." She called after them, causing them to freeze mid-stride, "Pray tell, what are you doing here? The administration wing is closed until classes resume, after all. There is no reason for students to be here."

They turned around, and Farran met her stern gaze with a sheepish laugh, "Well, you know… Just reserved a training hall for today, and took a wrong turn."

"Is that so? Then tell me, why exactly were the two of you eavesdropping on my conversation with Professor Peach?" She sighed at their shocked, guilty expressions, "Honestly. Never underestimate the observational abilities of a fully trained Huntress."

Ruby tapped the ends of her index fingers together, "We're sorry, Professor. We just heard someone crying when we were on our way to practice, and we wanted to make sure everything is ok. We didn't mean to eavesdrop."

"I had a feeling it might have been something like that… Rest assured, everything is alright. Professor Peach is just a little emotional after a stressful day."

"What did that bastard do to her?" Farran's face turned dark, "Richards. We may not have been trying to eavesdrop, but we still heard his name. What did he do now?"

Goodwitch's lips curled into a curt frown, "Mister Park, you know I can't go around gossiping to students. Not just as a professor, but as the acting Headmaster of Beacon Academy."

"But what if I'm not a student? What then? I am still getting expelled when Ozpin comes back, aren't I?" He raised an eyebrow.

She hesitated, "The… paperwork has been filed for your expulsion, yes. Unfortunately, even as acting Headmaster, I do not have the authority to approve or deny it. It'll have to wait until Ozpin comes back." She shook her head, "But that's beside the point. I can't discuss such matters with you, regardless of your current standing!"

"Then how about for your mental health, Glynda." Farran folded his arms, trying not to smirk at her shock at him calling her by name, "Really, you look like you're completely drained yourself, to the point where I can tell you want to be pissed, but you're too tired. So come on."

Goodwitch glared at him, but sighed in defeat when he didn't waver, "Damn that bastard. He got in a screaming match with Peach earlier today over the security panel that grants access to his office. He couldn't just have a normal sensor that scans his scroll, or a regular lock and key like the rest of us, no. He had her design a state-of-the-art fingerprint and eye scanner just to unlock his Gods damned door. But the issue is, after she went through all the trouble of designing, building, and installing the damn thing, is that he just realized that it will short circuit when exposed to high heat…" She laughed bitterly, "As if that would ever be a problem! As she said, she built it to counteract any kind of fire dust that would be applied to it! The only way for anyone to get past it is if they brought in a welding torch, or decided to burn the whole building down. And now he's trying to get the poor girl fired. As if she hasn't had enough to deal with in life…" She took a deep breath, "I'm sorry I got so worked up. Thank you, Farran. I've been holding that in all morning."

Farran shrugged, "No problem. It's why I asked. I know you have to keep a professional appearance, but come on. Anyways, is everything going to be ok?"

She nodded, "Everything will be fine. I will do everything in my power to stop her from getting fired, no matter what. I will do the same for your expulsion as well, Mister Park. You've done nothing to warrant it. Now, you best be off. It wouldn't do to have anyone else find you here, and I really must return to Professor Peach."

"Will do. Let's go, Ruby." With a satisfied smile, Farran turned on his heel and walked away with Ruby in tow. He gave Goodwitch one last wave as they left, "Thanks again for your help, Glyn."

He heard an irate Goodwitch call after them, "You know, Mister Park, there was a fairy tale my parents told me as a child. It was said Witches would cut the tongues from the mouths of children that misbehave. Just something to remember the next time you address me by my first name."

Farran tried to keep his shiver non-noticeable as they walked along, heading back out of the administration wing. The two of them stayed silent until they were far out of Goodwitch's earshot, when Ruby finally spoke up.

"I don't know why you look so happy." She muttered, "That dumb jerk made Professor Peach really upset."

"I know he did. That's why I'm so happy." He smiled down at her stunned face, "It sucks, it really does, but at the same time, that asshole just gave us the keys to his office, and he doesn't even know it!"

Ruby tilted her head, "What do you mean? Are you talking about that scanner thing Professor Peach made for him?"

"Exactly. Goodwitch said that the scanner short circuits when it's exposed to heat, right? Which means, even if fire dust doesn't work, we still have a way in. After all, don't we know someone who can create a ton of heat naturally?"

"HEY!" Yang called to them as they drew near to their destination. She was leaning outside the door to their reserved arena, impatiently tapping her foot, "Where have you two been? I've been waiting here forever!" She yawned, "If you were gonna be late, you should've said something."

Farran gave her an apologetic wave, "Sorry, had to make an important detour."

"You ready to go?" Ruby smiled up at her sister.

"Heh. Always." Yang punched her open palm.

They entered the arena, the heavy wooden door slamming behind them. This particular arena was far different than the usual ones that were typically used in combat training and classes. Located far in the back of the training halls, it was shaped far more like a large, concrete room rather than an amphitheater circling the sunken hole where combat would take place. A large, wrought iron gate covered most of the far wall, with a giant holo-screen above it. Ruby pulled out her scroll and flipped it open, and after a few seconds of fiddling with it, the pictures of the three of them, as well as their current level of aura appeared on the giant screen. The trio started to stretch, getting their bodies ready for their practice.

"So…" Yang grunted, "What exactly are we doing today?"

"The Gauntlet." Ruby answered simply, focusing on stretching her arms, "Figured that we don't know what this Shadow will throw at us, so we might as well go for a variety of things. Can't hurt, right? Even if we can't use our Personas here, at the very least, it gives us more experience fighting together."

"And what exactly is 'The Gauntlet'?" Farran knelt down to slide his knee brace on, "Haven't heard of it before."

"Oh right! I forgot that we haven't done it since you joined us. Ok, so Beacon has a ton of mechs that can mimic the look, feel, and movements of Grimm, right? Easier to build and fix mechs than it is capturing Grimm to use for practices, and with the mechs you can call them off in the event of an accident. Anyways, they're stored back there behind the gate." Ruby pointed at the gate in front of them, "So, basically, what's going to happen is we'll be taking on waves of different 'Grimm'. They'll keep coming, one wave after another, until we beat all the waves, or one of our aura falls into the red. It's a great way to experience a little of everything, you know? Just let me know when you guys are ready."

Once they finished stretching, the three got into their combat positions with their weapons drawn. Ruby waited for a nod from both Farran and Yang, and when she did, she pressed a button on her scroll. The gate started slowly swinging open, an earsplitting, metallic screech reverberating throughout the arena until it finally stopped moving. Farran tightened his grip around Silverbreak's hilt as he heard the sound of metal footfalls pounding against pavement. After a few second, a wave of five Boarbatusk mechs came charging through the opened gate, and the Gauntlet was underway.

Clearing through each wave of mechs proved to be a grueling task, and to the credit of whoever designed them, they didn't just look like real Grimm, they hit like real Grimm too. Still, after shaking off the rust a bit, Yang, Ruby, and Farran all started to gel as a team. They were able to seamlessly transition whenever a switch was required, allowing any of the three to drop back and regroup any time their aura started to drop too low. The final wave they faced consisted of a single mech, an Ursa that stood much taller than its real live counterparts. It hit hard, constantly forcing the team back on their heels, and its thick plates of bone that served as its armor caused many of their attacks to harmlessly plink off its side. After a hard fought battle, the team finally managed to defeat their foe after Ruby called the three together and orchestrated a combo of team attacks. When Ruby called "Cardinal", the code for her and Farran, both charged the Ursa, executing a high-low attack where Ruby attacked its legs, and Farran its head, knocking it off balance. She followed it up by calling "Strawberry Sunrise", the code for her and Yang, in which Yang leapt onto Crescent Rose's blade, allowing Ruby to fling her skyward, catching the Ursa with a devastating uppercut. Finally, Ruby called "Phoenix", the sign for Farran and Yang, in which Farran caught Yang in midair, spun, and launched the now Semblance empowered girl down to deliver one final strike, turning what once was a mech into nothing more than scrap metal. Their run through the Gauntlet complete, the trio celebrated and grabbed a seat outside the arena, refreshing themselves with some hard earned water.

"That… was awesome!" Farran panted after draining half his bottle of water in one go.

"Hell yeah it was!" Yang slugged him on the shoulder, "There's nothing that asshole can throw at us that can stop us!"

"Ok, don't hit me. But seriously, nothing can stop us if you can turn into a bomb like that! Why didn't you say you could do that sooner?"

"It never came up before." She shrugged. After a brief paused, she did a double take over at Ruby, "Hey Rubes, you ok?"

Farran looked over to the girl on his left, who was currently staring glumly at her shoes, "What's the matter, Ruby?"

"It's nothing…" She shrunk under their gazes, "You're gonna think it's stupid anyways…"

Farran stared at her for a moment, concerned, then put his hand softly on her back, "Hey, just give us a chance, Ruby."

Yang nodded, "I know it's hard, but take your time. I promise, neither of us will think it's stupid."

Ruby nodded, and after a moment, she looked up at them, "Are you guys… Are you sure I should be the leader?"

Both of them stared at her until Yang slowly responded, "W-What do you mean, Ruby? Of course we do!"

"But why? Why should I be the leader?" She twiddled her thumbs, "You're super strong, Yang. I mean, you tore that mech apart like it was paper. And Farran, can use all those different Personas. And even when we bring in Weiss and Blake, Weiss is super smart and a great leader, and Blake is always super calm under pressure. I just… I don't know why I should be the leader compared to any of you."

The three of them sat in silence for quite some time, unsure of what to say after that. She did make a lot of good points. She wasn't as versatile as Farran, as strong as Yang, she didn't have Weiss's natural ability, nor did she have Blake's poise. Even so, Farran knew she should be the leader. Unfortunately, for the first time, he was unable to find the right words to comfort her. He thought hard about it, and then out of the depths of his mind, he thought of the battles he had fought with her in the Metaverse, as well as the familiar chirping of Charon.

"No…" Farran muttered, "Ruby, you're our leader, and that's final."

She looked at him, startled, "Wha- But why?! Farran, I just said-"

"I know what you said, and even if you made some good points on our side, you left out something major." He leaned back against the wall with a wink, "You forgot your own good points. Like, for example, the fact that you're a damned tactical genius in my opinion."

"I wouldn't go that far…"

"Farran's right, Rubes." Yang shot her a thumbs up, "Like, just now. Who's the one who was barking orders all through the Gauntlet? The whole time, you were keeping track of our aura, watching the enemies position, and telling us where to go, all while attacking on your own. Not to mention, you came up with those team attacks that took down the Ursa. Neither of us may be stupid, but you are so far ahead of me and Farran when doing all this planning that it's not even funny. Hell, doing this practice was your idea in the first place, and I feel much more ready to take that asshole down!"

Farran nodded, "And what about all the fights so far in the Metaverse? You were calling orders against the Charon, Salamander, the Shiisa, the Musketeers… Honestly, I have no idea how you do it."

After a minute of uncomfortable silence, Ruby started to laugh softly, "Thank you, guys. I'm sorry. It's just that sometimes when the three of us are in combat, I start to doubt myself, and think that maybe I'm not cut out for all this."

"That's what we're here for, little sis." Yang got up and tussled her hair, "No matter what, we're a team, and it's like this guy keeps saying, we need to trust each other, right?" Yang directed her thumb at Farran. She hesitated for a moment, but then smiled, "So seriously, whenever you doubt yourself, come to one of us, and that includes Blake and Weiss too."

"But Weiss will just call me a dolt, and start yelling at me about how I should be more confident." Ruby pouted.

"Oh come on, give Weiss some credit." Farran snickered, "She knows more insults than just dolt, you know."

The three of them laughed, and Yang pulled them both to their feet, "Now come on. I dunno about you, but after this, our shower is calling my name."

"Not if I get there first!" Ruby grinned devilishly, and in a split second, took off running, leaving a trail of rose petals in her wake.

Farran and Yang looked at each other, realizing what happened, and chased right after her, Yang calling after her sister the whole way. Farran couldn't help but laugh as he watched Yang from behind, desperately trying in vain to get to the shower before her sister. He knew in his heart that his bond with Ruby had grown stronger from that conversation, but at the same time, he couldn't stop thinking about what had just happened. Out of nowhere, it was as if the idea on how to help Ruby had just appeared in his mind. After pondering it for a bit, he decided to just shrug it off, and figured he'd look into it more later. After all, with the meeting to plan their heist against Richards coming up the next day, his full attention was demanded elsewhere.

I Need To Trust You…

April 22nd:

"Alright, tomorrow is the day." Ruby addressed her teammates with a smile, "Let's get this plan sorted out. We can't afford to fail."

As soon as the coast was clear of Weiss and Blake that afternoon, Ruby, Farran, and Yang made their way into the school library, and out onto the maintenance platform, where Farran used his card to bring Viola out from the Velvet Room. Farran had spent most of the day before after their training session just laying on his futon, staring at the ceiling, and formulating his plan for how to get into Richards's office without getting caught. With one last look at the assembled group, he was convinced that the plan he had ultimately come up with was the right one.

"Right." Viola folded her arms, "Two days from right now, the man known as Agni Richards will have planted a bag of the drug known as Diamond Dust in the locker of an unsuspecting Faunus. He will use this to try to manipulate her into helping him in his drug trade, and effectively ruin her life. Also, he will use the altercation between him and Farran as grounds for Farran's expulsion."

"And he'll try to get Professor Peach fired too, although we don't know whether or not he'll be able to." Yang nodded to the summary with a frown, "What a dick! She might be a bit spacey, but there's no reason to get her fired!"

"Exactly. Now, our objective for tomorrow is clear. We find a way into Richards's office, upload the program Farran got from Velvet's teammate onto the computer, and get out of there all without being seen. From there, we will head to the usual spot in the alleyway, and we will enter the Metaverse to take down his Shadow. The question is, how exactly are we going to do that? Farran, you spent yesterday thinking it over, do you have any ideas?" Ruby motioned towards him.

"I think I do." Farran took a deep breath, readying himself to pitch his plan, "We'll need all of us working together to make this happen. Viola, can you still make your mirages on this side?"

An identical copy of Farran appeared right next to him as she smirked, "Does that answer your question?"

"It does. Your part in this is simple. You're going to need to pick out a good hiding place, somewhere out of the way where there's no students, but still has a security camera, and make the image of these two guys appear, talking to Professor Goodwitch." Farran pulled two pictures from his pocket, "I found these with those pictures of the goons sent from Atlas. Apparently, they're two of the students that Richards has been having selling Diamond Dust."

Ruby raised an eyebrow, "Ok, but how do we get him to check that specific camera feed? And even if he does, is the two of them talking to Professor Goodwitch enough to get him from his office?

"That's where you come in, Ruby. You're gonna knock on his office door and tell him those two were trying to sell Diamond Dust to you. Tell him you told Goodwitch, and she told you to tell him. Even if he tries to stay hands off with the whole drug ring, even a small thread can lead all the way back to him, and he knows that. Considering how much Goodwitch hates him, and the fact that he knows he can't just threaten her into keeping quiet cause she'd report him no matter what he says, he'll freak out and try to take control of the situation before anyone can look into it. Once he leaves, you're gonna zip down to where Viola is hiding and get her over to the alley."

Yang creased her brow, "So, the Asshole is out of his office, but how are we supposed to get in?"

"Simple, you." Farran beamed, "We learned yesterday that the sensor that locks his office door will short circuit when exposed to high heat. And it just so happens that when you use your Semblance, you heat up."

"I ran up to his office yesterday while someone was laying in bed staring off into space." Ruby bounced on her heels excitedly, "Professor Peach and Professor Goodwitch were exaggerating when they said you'd need a welding torch to break it, but you still need a lot of heat. Still, I've seen you use your Semblance, Yang. I think it should do the trick." When the other three stared at her, she pouted, "What?! I'm good at math and stuff! I made Crescent Rose myself, you know. I have to know the heating point of metals and all that junk."

Farran nodded, "Right. So, you and I will be hiding somewhere on the same floor until he leaves. Once we get in, we'll pop the drive into his computer. Depending on how long it takes for him to get down, we should have time to get in and out the same door, but if not, we can always just pop open one of his windows and I'll fly us down. From there, we all meet in the alleyway, and go take on his Shadow. Thoughts?"

Ruby sat back and considered it for a second, "You're assuming a lot of things with how Richards will act, but in all honesty, I think it's our best bet. So long as there are no objections, I approve it."

Yang snickered, "Look at you being our little leader, Rubes! But yeah, I'm cool with it. How about you, V?"

"Well, you three know far more about this world and the layout of your school than I do, so I can hardly object." Viola smiled, "All in all, it sounds like a solid plan."

Ruby pumped her fist, "Alright, since everyone agrees, then that will be the plan we will be executing tomorrow. With that settled, Viola. Do you have any idea what Richards's Shadow will throw at us?"

With the gaze of the other three solely on her, Viola shrunk, "Well… no. I have no idea, honestly. There really isn't any way to know until we face him. The only thing that can be certain is that this will be the strongest foe we have faced yet."

"Like we haven't figured that out. No offense, V." Yang plopped down on the edge of the platform, letting her legs dangle off the side, "Just gotta go in there, kick some ass, and come home like usual."

"You're right." Farran stared off at the blue horizon, "No reason to overthink things now."

"Excellent. It would seem we have our plan of attack all set then." Viola smiled, satisfied, "In that case, I will see all of you tomorrow afternoon. I would recommend you get plenty of rest. You'll certainly need it."

Viola summoned the door to the Velvet Room, and the group said their goodbyes to her as she disappeared back into the blue void. Once the door had disappeared, Farran stretched, as he and Ruby got ready to leave. Yang, however, didn't move from the ledge of the platform, staring out over the city of Vale.

"Hey guys…" She finally spoke up as Ruby started to head down the stairs, "Would you mind chilling here for a sec? I need to talk to you. Well, you in particular Ruby, but it would help if you stayed around too Farran."

Ruby and Farran looked at each other and shrugged, taking up seats on either side of the blonde. Ruby reached up and patted her on the shoulder, "What's up, Yang? This isn't like you."

"I know. I just… I've been meaning to talk with you for a while now. Pretty much ever since I got my Persona…" She glanced at Farran for a brief moment, then started to stare at her knees, "Ruby… if I wasn't the super strong sister you think I am… would you still love me?"

Ruby looked taken aback by her question, "Love you? Of course I would! You're my sister, Yang. Why-"

"So, even if I was weak… even if I couldn't be the perfect sister for you… you wouldn't hate me? You wouldn't leave me?" Her last words were hardly more than a whisper.

"Are you serious?!" Ruby screeched, the pain clear in her voice, "Do you really think I would do something like that? You're my sister, Yang! I love you, and I will always be there for you no matter what. How can you even ask something like that?!"

Yang pulled her legs up, hugging her knees to her chest, "I just… I need to be able to trust you. I need to hear you say that. Cause I'm not as strong as you think I am, Ruby. I try to be, believe me, I try so Gods damned hard to be the perfect sister for you because you deserve it. I just can't keep the worry out of the back of my mind that you, Dad, Qrow… Farran, Weiss, Blake… I just can't help but think that you'll all abandon me like Raven did if I'm not strong enough. Who the hell knows why she left like she did, but deep down, I always blamed myself for it. That's what my Shadow was all about. And that's why… I just have to know if you'll keep loving me even if I'm not…"

She was cut off by Ruby throwing her arms around Yang, burying her face in her shoulder, tears streaming down her face, "Shut up! Just shut up you dummy… Of course we would never leave you! None of us, not me, not dad, not Uncle Qrow… Raven is stupid! She's always been stupid, and she doesn't deserve to have you as her daughter! I don't care if you're weak or strong, perfect or not, you are my sister, Yang! You're the only one I have in the world, and there's nothing you can do that would make me abandon you!" She sniffled, "Just… don't die on me, ok? I couldn't take it!"

"Ruby… Here, let's get away from the ledge." Yang maneuvered her way up and helped Ruby to her feet as the trio moved back against the concrete cylinder, Ruby cuddling up against her sister.

"I'm sorry… I know you probably figured it out a long time ago, especially after I found Farran, but I'm still not over Mom's death." Ruby dried her eyes on her sleeves, "That's what my Shadow was for. I guess, I'm kinda like you. Like, you're afraid that we're all gonna leave you, right? I'm afraid, constantly, that one of you guys are gonna die. It was bad enough growing up when Dad and Uncle Qrow were on missions, but now that I'm the team leader… It just makes me terrified that any decision I make when we're fighting might get you killed. And I hate it. I absolutely hate it."

"Oh, so that's why you were asking if you should be leader yesterday…" When Ruby nodded to her comment, Yang looped an arm around her and tousled her hair, "Don't worry, little sis. None of us are going anywhere. You're a great leader already, and you just keep getting better. Remember that fight against the Nevermore during initiation? You took me and two strangers, and came up with a plan to take that thing down! You're gonna be fine." She paused for a moment and grimaced, "Honestly… The whole reason I decided to talk to you today is because you told us about that. I couldn't deal with the fact that you were strong enough to trust us with your problems, but I'm not strong enough to trust you."

"You're plenty strong, Yang!" Ruby beamed up at her, "But just cause you're strong doesn't mean you don't have your own problems. And just cause you have stuff you need help with, doesn't mean you're weak! That's why you have me, and the rest of our team too."

"I know, I know. That's what this jamoke keeps telling me." Yang elbowed Farran, "Speaking of, you've been quiet. You usually would've jumped into the conversation by now. Don't tell me you've fallen asleep on us."

Farran rubbed the back of his neck, "Nah, it's not that. I'm just letting this all play out. You're both doing what you need to do, so I'm just letting it happen."

"Whatever you say, Farran." Ruby forced herself back to her feet, "I dunno about you guys, but sitting on concrete for so long is starting to hurt. Wanna head back?"

They both nodded, and made their way down the stairs to the maintenance shaft. Ruby started to crawl through first, but when it was Farran's time to go, he froze, looking puzzled at Yang. While it was true he had stayed quiet during the conversation between the sisters so that they could get everything on the table between the two of them, there was another reason for his silence. Much like the day before, when he felt the image of Charon filling his mind, reminding him of Ruby's strategic mastery throughout all of their fights so far, while Ruby and Yang were talking, he was imagining the Minotaur in his mind, steering him towards his instinctive desire to get her alone and console her himself. He bit his lip, unsure of what he should do in this situation.

Sensing he was staring at her, Yang turned to Farran with a wink, "What, do I have something on my face? Or are you just dumbstruck by my looks? Come on, Ruby should be through by now, get moving."

"Oh, sorry Yang…" Farran paused. His internal debate over what to do concluded when he decided to see where the Minotaur would lead him, "Sorry, I just… I know this is dumb, and I don't really know how to phrase it the best, but I wanted to get the chance to say I'm proud of your decision to talk to Ruby."

"Proud?" Her eyebrow flicked up.

"Well, I don't mean to sound like I'm talking down to you… But you asked Ruby to stay around and talk to you all on your own, didn't you? Even though this was some big problem in your life, you were able to reach out and talk to someone about it on your own! That's awesome, Yang. It really is."

Yang drooped her head and smiled sadly, "I wish I could agree with you, Hero. I didn't do it on my own. If you hadn't told me it was something I needed to do, and if Ruby hadn't talked to us yesterday, I don't know if I ever would have. And even though I did, I had to have you there next to me to do it. It wasn't anything impressive, I just did what I had to do, with you two pushing me along to the end."

"Oh, please. I didn't do anything, Yang. Just sat there, and let you guys talk! Even if I told you that you should talk to her originally, that was a while ago, and you still didn't have to listen to me. And yet you did, and that's awesome."

"Hey, don't you go selling yourself short now!" She threw an arm around his shoulders, pulling him to a tight side-hug, "You might not be some ace problem solver, but you still help more than you know. You can deny it all you want, but there's a reason I call you 'Hero'!"

Ruby's voice echoed through the vent, "Hey you dummies! Are you coming or what? I've been waiting forever!"

"Coming!" Yang pushed Farran off towards the vent, "Come on, no more dramatic stuff. We have more important things to worry about. But thanks, Farran. I really appreciate it."

Farran smiled as he crawled through the tunnel, and once both were on the other side, accompanied by the slightly annoyed Ruby, they made their way back to the dorm. The group spent the rest of the day relaxing, and once evening fell, Yang volunteered to make dinner, along with Farran and Weiss's help. Even then, he couldn't stop thinking back on their conversation, and about how Yang had said there was a reason she called him his nickname. The feeling of their bond strengthening in his heart held him over throughout the night, and when it was finally time for bed, Farran felt sleep take him immediately, without the anxiety he had expected in anticipation of the coming day.

Author's Notes

Oh, Blake... That was your chance to get everything off your chest! Why you gotta lie like that even then? Oh well, this IS a Persona story. All truths come to light eventually...

Alright, Gang! This is it! The next chapter we will have our first heist, and then take that asshole down! You guys excited? I know I am!

Just want to give a shoutout to weismax33, for reminding me I should be adding the dates when the days change. Sorry if that's been confusing for you guys, I should have been doing that for the start.

That's all I got for this week. See you in the next chapter for the Boss fight!

Inferno :D