Archive of Our Own ^beta

Blake Belladonna is five years old when she asks her father about the waltz. “Can you teach me?”

Amused, Ghira feigns a haughty huff, “Aren't you too young to be dancing?”

“No fair! You let me hold my own sign at the rally.”

He grins at his daughter. “Oh, you're right. I've completely forgotten. In that case...” He bows and holds out his hand, “May I have this dance?”

Amber eyes light up with excitement, “Yes!”

And with that, he picks her up and twirls her around the living room.

Ghira counts their supposed steps, as if Blake's feet would be able to touch the floor, “One-two-three, one-two-three. You’re not moving your feet!”

He holds her up still and she kicks her feet around. He lets out a boisterous laugh.

Kali comes in with her tea tray. “Is it time for the waltz already? I thought you were only four.”

“Mom, I'm five!” Blake says wiggling out of her father's grasp as if to make a point.

Kali looks down fondly at her daughter, “I'm sorry dear. Time really does fly.” She ruffles Blake's hair, “Come on, big girls can help pour tea. Do you think you can be careful?”

Blake nods, her face full of concentration and determination.

***

“What is this place?”

Footsteps echo around empty walls, sending a shiver up Blake’s spine. Her ears twist back and forth to get a better feel for her surroundings.

“A safe house. It’s located in the kingdom of Mistral.” Ghira answers plainly watching Blake gaze around the space. “No one knows about this place. Just you, me, and your mom.”

“Like our little secret?” Blake asks with bright awe in her amber eyes. This house is smaller than their house in Menagerie and far more simple. It lacks the columns and open space, but Blake doesn’t mind it. It feels cozy this way.

“We hope to never have to use this, of course.” Kali’s voice sounds from behind them. “But, your father insisted.”

Ghira rolls his eyes at his wife and winks at his daughter, “Your mother thinks I’m going overboard, but I don’t think she appreciates being able to have more than one house!”

“Says the man who doesn’t have to upkeep any house!” Kali sasses back before throwing an arm around her daughter’s shoulders. “Come on, I have something to show you.”

“What is it?”

Kali and Ghira chuckle in response. Kali hums as she walked into one of the rooms, “It wouldn’t be a surprise if I just told you, would it?”

Blake pouts, followed her mother with a slight drag in her step, “Right.”

When she enters through the small doorframe, she sees her mother perching against the single bed in the room. Kali softly pats the spot next to her, motioning for Blake to join her. “I was walking around the market and found this. I was going to wait until your birthday, but your father insisted that a few nights early wouldn’t hurt.”

Kali pulls out an object from the nightstand, one hand holding it upright while the other maneuvering under the box to turn a nob. The box opens with a tinny, yet haunting melody escaping from it. It fills the room and causes Blake’s ears to flutter in surprise. Inside it spins two figurines dancing in sync to the tune. She gasps when she notices the tiny ears atop the lady.

“It’s beautiful.” Blake breathes out as she carefully holds the music box in her small hands. She closes the lid to examine it, tracing her fingers over the initialed letter ‘B’. It’s a deep lilac all over with golden accents imprinted throughout.  “Thank you, Mom.”

“You’re very welcome, dear.” Kali’s ears perk up in surprise when Blake all but tackles her into a hug. “Oh, before I forget. Your father asked me to give this to you.”

She holds out a necklace with a pendant that reminds Blake of the emblem on Kali’s sleeve, the same one she spent many evenings tracing as her mother read after dinner. Blake gasps, “How did he know I wanted one just like yours?”

“We noticed that you’ve taken a liking to it.” Kali shrugs, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth, “He’s hoping you’ll find it helpful in choosing your own emblem design.”

Blake blinks, “But I don’t even know what my semblance is yet.”

“It will happen soon.” Kali assures her as she helps her put the necklace on. “There. Now you have something to remember me and your father if we ever part ways.”

“Why would I forget you?” Blake asks sincerely, if not a little heartbroken. “You and Dad always said that family sticks together no matter what.”

Kali sighs, stroking Blake’s hair as she spoke,  “We did say that and we do believe it, but if there ever comes a time where we can’t be together. I hope these gifts bring you back to this moment and points you back home, back where you belong.”

Blake is seven years old, and she sleeps with the music box under her pillow for the rest of their stay in Mistral.

***

“Ghira, with all due respect, I really don’t think this is a good idea.” Tai sighs as takes a seat  in the White Fang leader’s office.

“Says the man who took his two daughters on mission with him.” Ghira fires back, motioning to two little girls asleep on his couch.

“I need a babysitter as much as you do, Belladonna.” The moment the words leave his mouth, he regrets it. “I’m sorry. That was unprofessional.” He sighs and raises his hands in surrender as he calmed himself. “ I will take the job, but something in my gut is telling me that leaving your daughter here will put her in more danger.” He chuckles, “Even with a huntsman as her babysitter and the house full of guards.”

Ghira stares down the huntsman for a few moments. “You’re right, but I cannot risk her life more by taking her with us. Enemies of the White Fang know Kali and I are heading to Vale to discuss strategies. If they plan an attack, I do not want her there.”

“Then why go at all? Why don’t you just lay low or leave the White Fang entirely when you know the risk?” Tai asks him curiously, resting his elbows on his knees as he leans forward.

“We...we’re going to Vale to step down, pass the torch onto Sienna Kahn. We might even move permanently, even if it’s away from Menagerie.” Ghira admits forlornly. “The movement is going differently than we envisioned, but disagreements on methods is not worth my little girl’s life.” He sighs deeply and hangs his head, “She deserves a life that isn’t filled with resentment, spite, and fear. She deserves more than that.”

Tai nods at the faunus. “I’ll make sure your daughter is safe.”

“You know what to do if something goes wrong here?” Ghira questions, needing to make sure every scenario has been accounted for.

“Escape tunnel in the basement. Should lead right to the docks on the other side of Menagerie. There’s a boat there to take us northeast to Mistral. Get to the safe house. Only then can we safely contact you.”

Ghira looks over at Tai’s sleeping children, feeling a protectiveness over them. “Save yours, too, Taiyang.”

***

“Do I really have to stay here?” Blake asks, tugging at his hand as he enters her bedroom. “I can’t come with you? Join the protests in Vale?”

“Someone has to look after the house while we look for a new home in Vale.” Ghira ruffles her hair.

Blake crosses her arms over her chest, “But you’ve doubled security and Mr. Xiao Long is here.” She looks him in the eye, unwavering. “You never call him unless it’s important.”

“Just,” He lets his shoulders sag and sighs dejectedly, “promise you’ll be good to Taiyang and his two daughters until your mother gets back? They’re doing us a favor by keeping you company.”

She nods in a way that is both proud and determined, even for a girl who is barely 10 years old. “Yes, Dad.”

Ghira lowers his gaze down to his daughter and lets out a huff as he picks her up into his arms. She wraps her arms around his neck. He tries to console her, “Your mom will be back before you know it, and then we can be together in Vale. We will serve the White Fang better there.”

“How far is Menagerie from Vale?” Blake frowns at the thought of both her parents being so far away. Usually her mom stays with her when Ghira is called elsewhere. It bothers her that they both have to go this time around.

“It’s at least a week worth of traveling one way.” Ghira explains as he settles onto the end of the bed with Blake in his lap, “but no distance would keep me away from you, little one.”

Her ears twitch as she finally gives him a small smile, “Promise?”

He lets her nuzzle into his neck, returning the smile, “Promise.”

Kali leans against the doorframe as Ghira is tucking  Blake into bed. “I swear you two get more and more alike the older Blake gets.”

Blake grins as she waits for her mom to sit at her bedside. “I love you, too, Mom.”

“You’ll be good for Mr. Xiao Long and his two daughters?”

Blake rolls her eyes but assures her mom, “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll try not to run away.”

Kali sighs dramatically, “What a job it is to be a mother and hear her daughter will refrain from fleeing the moment she turns her back?”

“Fine, I promise I won’t trouble Mr. Xiao Long.” Blake grumbles, crossing her arms over her chest.

“There’s my Blake.” Kali smiled at her daughter, kissing her on the forehead. “I’ll come back to get you, and then, we’ll all be together again in Vale.”

“I still don’t understand why I have to stay here, if I have to go to Vale soon anyway.”

Kali tilts her head before fully nodding, “We’re trying to be extra careful. I know it’s frustrating, but it will make sense in the future.” Kali reaches out to stroke her hair, and Blake leans into her mother’s touch, “You’re strong. A fighter. Courageous beyond your years. Compassionate for our cause. And I couldn’t be more proud to call you my daughter. Just remember that your father and I love you very much.”

Ghira knocks on the door, “Kali, it’s time to go.”

Kali looks back to Blake, leaving one last kiss to her forehead before following Ghira out of the house.

Blake is ten years old and sleeps with her music box under her pillow for the first time since she was seven.

***

Blake hears hurried footsteps and frantic whispers before she finally opens her eyes.

A blonde man with kind blue eyes sits her up, a finger held up to his lips to signal her to stay quiet. She recognizes him as Taiyang, her father’s most trusted huntsman. He whispers to her, “There are some bad people here looking to harm you and your parents. I won’t let that happen. I need you to stay close to me or Yang and Ruby, okay? We’re going to get you out of here.”

Blake nods, following behind Taiyang, almost halfway out of her own room when she realizes she forgot something very important. She abruptly turns around and reaches under her pillow to grab her music box.

She rushes after Taiyang and his two kids, descending the stairs until they reach the basement. Taiyang opens what Blake always believed to be a vault. It turns out to be an entrance to tunnels.

Taiyang whispers to his two children and orders them to keep moving forward. The blonde girl nods at her father before grabbing her sister’s hand and reaching out to Blake with her free hand. She stares into lilac eyes and she nods, silently giving the blonde permission to pull her forward.

“I’ll be right there.” Taiyang calls out to them, “Whatever you do, don’t stop until you get to the docks. They’ll take you to safety from there.”

They can hear the door shut, but only in the far distance behind them. The girls run forward, chests heaving and legs carrying them forward and deeper into the tunnels. One of Blake’s hands is gripped around her mother’s music box like a lifeline.

She doesn’t know either of the girls names. This is the first time Taiyang ever brought his children with him. One is about her age, yet tall and blonde; the one that keeps shouting to keep going. The other is much smaller, probably a few years younger and wicked fast. Somehow she knows to trust them to take her where she needs to go.

As they continue to run in the almost darkness, they can begin to hear footsteps fast and approaching. The blonde calls out in question, “Dad! Is that you?”

When they receive no answer, the blonde stops them. They all take the moment to catch their breaths. Blake’s ears move back and forth trying to distinguish the fast footsteps.

It’s a split second too long before Blake determined it isn’t Taiyang coming after them.

“Hand over the Belladonna girl!” The voice booms from the pathway behind them. “If Ghira and Kali are too much of cowards to face us, then we’ll gladly take their daughter.”

A shiver crawls down Blake’s spine. Hair on the back of her neck stands straight on edge.

The three girls took off running again.

“I can hear you! It won’t be long before I catch up! Just give her up.” The voice sounds sinister and unforgiving in the dark tunnel. “Make it easier for all of us.”

The blonde tugs them forward, but Blake trips on a rock. The music box flies out of her hand and out of sight. The other girls try to pull her to feet.

But it’s too late.

Their pursuer is already hot on their heels, reaching out just in time to grab Blake by the arm. “See? Isn’t this easier?”

Blake struggles to break free, but the man-- the young man who has to be at least a handful years older than her with red hair and a mask over his face-- has a strong unrelenting grip on her.

“Get away from her!” The blonde demands, her small hands forming into fists, lilac eyes turning red, a flame engulfing her locks.

She charges for them, fast and unafraid.

The red-haired man unsheathes a sword, preparing to strike at Blake.

All she can do is blink. One second there’s a sword overhead. Another second she has flashed away from him. She sees a copy of herself dissipate the moment his sword comes  into contact.

Blake watches as the blonde shoves forcefully at the man, distracting his rage for a split moment. She turns and yells in Blake’s direction, “Run! Both of you!”

Blake has no time to react. She grabs the younger sister’s hand and surges on forward. The other girl runs faster than her own legs can carry, so she simply follows the red cape in front of her.

She hears a shrill scream and something like metal slicing through bone.

Gunshots follow soon afterwards.

She calls out to the little girl in front of her, “Keep running!”

One deafening gunshot later, everything goes black.

***

CCT Tower Announcement: White Fang splinter group executes attack on the Belladonna household in Menagerie; young Belladonna daughter is missing and presumed dead.

***

Whispers, all hushed and worried, wake her from her sleep. The light is blinding, but she opens her eyes anyway.

Suddenly, someone asks her, “Do you know your name?”

She opens her mouth to speak, and panic settles in deep in her bones.

No.

She doesn’t even know her own name. Where is she? Who is she? How did she get here?

Nurses immediately rush to her side, soothing her to lie down and relax. Machines are going off, and she’s finding it harder to breathe.

“She needs a name.” One of the nurses looks at the little faunus girl, kind and smile unwavering. “We’ll call you Kit. Is that okay?”

All she can do is nod, tears brimming at her eyes. Another nurse tied a bow around her head, her ears burning a bit at the sensation.

The nurse whispers to her, calm and firm all the same, “Keep this on when you’re outside. No one will bother you that way.”

She nods slowly, groggy, and sleep overtakes her.

Her name is now Kit, and all she has are the clothes on her back and, now,  a bow. No real name and no recollection of a life before this night.

***

CCT Tower Announcement: White Fang splinter group sends out anonymous message-- “A new wind blows as faunus rise up to take what’s rightfully theirs. Anyone who disagrees will pay the price.”

***

She continues to go down the main street of the Mistral black market, sweeping as she passes each shop and stand in the square. With the new White Fang order, the demand for street sweepers to work double or even triple their usual hours has grown tenfold. And if she wants out of Mistral and onto Vale, she needs the job more than it needs her.

An engine backfires loud and disruptive somewhere down the street and it rings like a gunshot in her ears, despite her faunus ones covered by her trusty bow. “No!” She screams out involuntarily, tripping on the pavement and dropping her broom.

A hand caught her by the arm and a voice follows, “Hey, it’s just a truck. There’s no need to fear. The White Fang will bring in a new era of peace and equality.” He pointedly stares at the bow on her head then at her face. “You look a little shaken. There’s a tea shop a few steps that way. Why don’t we--”

“No!” She interrupts him, clear and firm. She grabs her broom from him. “I must be back to work. They’re hard to come by.” She stops to nod at him, “Thank you.”

He lets her arm go finally and she’s able to walk away. She thinks she can hear him call after her, something about being at the market every day.

She ignores it. The thought of it makes her skin crawl, unsettled and uncomfortable.

***

CCT Tower Announcement: With no body found, Belladonnas in Vale will pay generous reward for information about their lost daughter.

***

“Rubes, did you hear that?” Yang elbows her sister as she drops herself onto the curb. “The Belladonnas are still looking for their daughter and they’ll give out a reward to whoever helps.”

“Of course, that’s what you take away from all of the news.” Ruby pokes a rock with a stick, not looking up at her own sister. “Do you ever wonder why that name sounds so familiar?”

Yang shrugs, taking a glance around the passersby in the market, “Because the Belladonnas and the White Fang have been having this feud for as long as their daughter went missing?”

“I guess.” Ruby spares a sideway glance at her seemingly excited sister. She lets out a sigh and reluctantly bites the bullet, “You have that glint in your eye like you have a plan that’s gonna get us thrown in an Atlesian jail. So, out with your hatched scheme.”

“The Belladonnas are in Vale. We want to get to Vale, or at the very least out of Mistral.” Yang hops up on her two feet, while gesturing with her left arm. Ruby motions for help off the curb, so Yang pulls her sister up before continuing. “They’re looking for their long-lost daughter. And we are looking for a way out. I think if we play our cards right, all parties involved could come out far more...fulfilled, if you get what I’m saying.

Ruby scratches the back of her head, looking up at the sky as she murmurs, “I don’t know, Yang. This seems grander than the rest of your schemes. But I think Weiss would be able to help us if we get to Vale. I heard the Schnee Dust Company has been working with the Belladonnas on a sort of faunus workers union.”

“Well, we can’t get there without a Blake Belladonna. You know, one they wouldn’t be able to deny. If we succeed in finding a girl who’ll play the part, then you and I are on a one way ticket from this dump and onto greener pastures.” Yang grins at her sister, looking a little too proud of herself. “Hey, who knows? Maybe we’ll travel all of Remnant. Or hey, you could join Beacon Academy and woo a certain Ms. Schnee right off her wedges.”

As if ignoring the last part, Ruby kicks at the ground, her right arm reaching for her left elbow behind her back, “It almost feels wrong to trick them. They lost her daughter ten years ago. Who’s to say she’s even alive?”

“Yeah, and who’s to say she’s dead? She could be anywhere. She could be anyone. But you’ve heard the CCT announcements and you said it yourself, we can’t stay in Mistral. Plus, we need the lien.”

Ruby scrunched her nose, full of skepticism, “Has it ever been safe? We literally grew up next to the black market.”

“Fair, but if we get to Vale, maybe we can find a way home.” Cracks in her confidence start to splinter and Yang sounds more hopeful than convincing. “Hell, even find a home.”

“Yang, we don’t even know how far Patch is from Vale,” Ruby heaves a sigh as she leans against her sister, who wraps a protective arm around her shoulder. “Or if we even have a right to Dad's house. It’s not like Dad had a will.”

“Dad barely had a plan, even if he made up for it in heart.” Yang placed her hand on her hip, tilting her head.

Ruby perks up suddenly, “Hey, if we get to Vale, maybe you could finally get that prosthetic that Dad pulled strings for before he died. He even said Ironwood made it special for you. Do you think he’d make a new one now that you’re, you know, not ten anymore?”

Yang motions to her missing right arm, “I’ve done well enough without it, right? You and I turned out okay, didn’t we?”

Ruby grinned, hands on her hips, “We’re still together and that’s all that matters. But a free arm’s a free arm, right? Especially if it's Atlesian. ” She peers at the surrounding buildings outside the market. “Come on, we need to secure headquarters for auditions if we want to be discreet.”

Yang matches her grin, only to throw back her head with a cackle, “Have you met us?”

***

Ruby stumbles upon a gold mine when it comes to clandestine hideouts for totally illegal hideouts. The building lies just on the outskirts of the market and looks worn down due to neglect and lack of inhabitants, probably an abandoned safehouse. She nearly squeals when she finds a door untampered and easily picked it open. The kitchen is surprisingly stocked with canned food, which Ruby nearly drools over. The furniture appears untouched for at least a decade. Yang is just happy to find a bed not made of grain.

“Do you think they were loaded?”

“Not loaded enough, if they abandoned it.” Yang rummaged through some of the drawers in the kitchen, finding a stamp that looked an outline of a wolf over a unfilled circle, one that they’ve seen plastered over CCT News from time to time: “This looks like the old White Fang emblem. You know, from the times when they were still peaceful and actually getting somewhere.”

Ruby concurs as Yang takes another look around the place,  “Definitely looks less violent than what it is now.” Ruby places her hands on her hips in a quick relieved and triumphant manner as her eyes follow her sister’s movements. “So, what do you think?”

“Oh, Rubes, you’ve certainly outdone yourself.” Yang exclaims as she spun in a circle in the middle of what they assume was the living room. She falls back onto the couch. “This is a sweet pad you found!”

“Totally beats sneaking behind the lentil stands when the market closes.” Ruby drops herself into a chair, sighing and closing her eyes as she lets the comfort sink in. After a few moments, she cracks one eye open and addresses her sister, “Yang, are you sure we can pull this off?”

Yang sits up on the couch, making eye contact and throwing a lopsided smile at her sister, “I’m positive.”

“How can you be so sure? We barely know anything about the Belladonnas and now we’re going to teach someone to be their daughter?”

“We don’t know anything, sure.” Yang agrees, shrugging her shoulder slightly. “But, Dad did.” Then she reaches into her satchel. “I still have Dad’s journals from before he died. He didn’t just do Grimm jobs. He did private security jobs, too. He wrote a lot about the Belladonnas. ”

She waves a thick notebook around before tossing it at Ruby, who gracelessly catches it. “Where did you even get this?”

“I have his satchel, remember?”

Ruby stares wide-eyed at the journal in her hands, “Yeah, but you didn’t tell me about it before.”

Yang shrugs again, “I had to make sure it wasn’t full of non-mission related things.”

Ruby makes a face that causes Yang to cackle, “Yang, gross.”

“You would’ve thanked me if that were the case, but Dad was serious about keeping a missions journal.” Yang smiles sadly, her fingers clutching at the strap of the satchel. “It was almost as if he expected to never come back one day.”

“Hey, Dad mentioned a safehouse in Mistral. Only the family was supposed to know about it.” Ruby said, flipping through some of the pages at the end of the journal. “His briefing revealed this location as an emergency destination, if anything ever went wrong at Menagerie.” Ruby takes a shaky breath, tears threatening to well up, “Too bad he never made it here.”  

Yang peeks over her shoulder to read it, only nodding when she read the confirmation. “I guess this is it. You’d think it would’ve gone through better use than to waste away like this. Seems like a perfectly good hideaway.”

Ruby hands back the journal, placing a hand on her sister’s shoulder, “Hopefully, we can do some good with it, then.”

“Speaking of which,” Yang throws the journal back into her satchel and digs something else out, “Check out what I nicked when I was in the market.”

“I could hardly believe you’d have nicked anything. Stealth isn’t exactly one of your best skills.”

“Fine, I won it in a bet.”

“Arm wrestling again?”

“Do you wanna see or not?”

Ruby rushes over, a trickle of petals left in her wake. “Whadya get?”

Yang pulls an item from her satchel. She displays it on her palm and looks at with a sort of pride that makes Ruby want to believe it’s actually important. “Supposed to be from the Belladonna household in Menagerie. Can’t imagine how it got here, but maybe it could help us.”

“Cool! What is it and, uh, how does it work?” Ruby grabs the object from her sister, lifting it up and turning it left and right and over to inspect it.

“Well, I, uh, think it’s a music box.” She quickly followed up, “but i’m pretty sure it’s broken.”

Ruby looks at the blonde, raising a skeptical eyebrow, “You really think it would be useful?”

Yang almost scoffs, “Come on, between Dad’s notes and this wonderfully broken little trinket, we’re bound to be on to something.” Yang dares to have the audacity to look proud of herself. “So,” she grinned wildly at her sister, “sis, do you believe in fairytales?”

***

Rumors spread like an infectious disease. Rumors in a black market spread like wildfire. Everyone in the black market has heard of two sisters trying to find the missing Belladonna girl and take her to Vale. This type of rumor is shocking even for a place that housed the most lucrative black market in all of Remnant.

A handful of girls, human and faunus alike, attend auditions at the old abandoned house. Yang turns her chair around, swings her leg over the chair, and sits as she watched each candidate get worse and worse.

“Mom! Dad! It’s me!”

Yang hears this line so many times she has a hard time stomaching it before the last girl can even finish, “Thank you all for coming! We’ll be in touch!”

One of the girls saunters around Yang, a hand trailing along the collar of her jacket. “Don’t wait too long, Yang.” Her lion tail reached up to wrap around her arm, “I’ll miss you.”

Yang grimaces, backing away and trying desperately to disentangle herself from the faunus candidate.

“Alright!” Ruby chirps, ushering the remaining girls, specifically the one refusing to let go of her older sister, out the door, “We’ll let you know!”

Yang slouches back onto an old chair, blonde locks falling over her shoulders as she hangs her head. “They were all awful, Rubes. There’s no way we could get away with any of them.”

“Yang, that’s not very nice.” Ruby chastises her sister, “It’s not like we’re expecting to find the real Blake anyway.”

Yang grumbles, face growing into a pout, “Yeah, but they could at least be convincing.”

Pounding at the door interrupts their (Yang’s) commiseration.

The two immediately and quietly disperse to find a place to hide. Ruby opts for under the dining table that was covered by a white sheet. Yang beelines for the spot behind the couch.

“Hello?! I’m looking for Yang and Ruby?” A voice rings throughout the halls of the otherwise empty house. When the door slams shut, they hear another, “Hello?!”

Yang takes that as cue to reveal herself to the unexpected guest, who’s making so much noise that it could attract any authorities within hearing distance.  “I’m Yang.” She gestures at the table where Ruby makes herself visible, “That’s Ruby over there.” She turns back to the guest, “What do you want?”

“I’m trying to get to Vale.” She stalks right up to Yang with an eagerness in her bright amber eyes that Yang almost mentally stutters at her brashness. “I need exit papers and people in the market said you were the only one that could help me.”

Yang lets out a low whistle, her hand reaching behind her own head to rub her neck. “You know papers don’t come at a small price.”

“But I’ve been working for so long and have a bit saved up.” The girl insisted, “I just really need to get to Vale.”

Yang nodded mindlessly, before taking a glance at the girl before her. She looked to be at least her own age, though she had a broody look about her. Yang noted the bow on her head, but decided to sit back down, pulling a chair and turning it around before settling onto it. She looked the girl in the eye, “Alright, what do you do?”

“I’m a hardworker and won’t let you down. I promise I’ll get you your money.” The brunette said earnestly, “I’m a street sweeper. Sometimes I wash dishes.” The sisters shared a look. “Before that I worked at a hospital in Argus.”

Yang almost scoffed, “Argus is a long ways from here.”

“I know. I walked it.”

“What?” Yang blinks. “You walked here from Argus?” She looks at her in disbelief and throws a short look at Ruby, “Who are you running from?”

“Running to someone,” Came the confident clarification. “I don’t know who they are, but they’re waiting for me in Vale. I know it.”

Yang can’t help the laugh that escaped her. “Look, at this point you don’t even need papers. Just hop into the waterfall at Haven Academy and it’ll carry you across the sea to Vale.” She throws her head back and shares a laugh with her sister, “You’re crazy!”

“I’m not crazy!” The girl insists, staring horrified at the blonde and retreating a few steps behind her, “Why are you so unkind?”

Ruby decides to finally say something. “Forgive my unruly sister. She forgets her manners when she’s frustrated.” The girl tears her gaze away from the blonde and redirects her attention to Ruby, who’s sitting on the table and swinging her legs. “We were just hoping you’d be someone else.”

“The police?” The girl asks with a raised eyebrow, an unamused glint amidst amber.

Yang grants her a small chuckle, grunting as she set her chin on the back of her hand resting on the chair.  “At least you have a sense of humor.”

“We’re looking for…” Ignoring Yang, Ruby replies,  “someone who probably doesn’t even exist.”

The sound of Ruby’s voice bounces around and off the walls and somehow it gives the girl pause. Like a familiar sensation up her spine. She gazes around the room, “Strange. It feels like I’ve been here before.”

“If you’re from Argus, I’d doubt you’ve been here.” Yang sounds unconvinced, almost entirely uninterested.

“I-I don’t know where I’m from.” The girl admits quietly, her voice just above a whisper. “Argus Hospital was my first memory. They found me in the middle of the night, just off the docks, and gave me a name. Kit. The nurses said I had amnesia and there was nothing they could do.”

All the sisters could do is wait and listen patiently as she continues her story.

“So, I worked my way out of Argus after a few years. People said the black market would be my best way around the Atlesian borders and onto Vale. I’m pretty sure I could’ve died along the way, but I just kept going. I needed to get here, to find you,  if I wanted out.” The girl named Kit sighs deeply, “Look, I don’t know who I am or where I came from, but I know all too well what it’s like to live in the shadows and be haunted by a past that isn’t entirely my own.” She takes another breath, shaky this time. “I hear screams and metal and bonel and gunshots in my sleep more often than not. And I can only hope the answer to all of this waits for me in Vale.”

Yang pulls Ruby aside, and they whisper amongst themselves while the girl watches them with an air of curiosity and hope.  

When they finally stop, Yang approaches her and announces, “You know, Kit, maybe we can help you after all. As fate would have it, we’re planning on going to Vale, too. Ruby’s got a contact there that might just help your cause.”

***

They let Kit stay the night. She takes the small bedroom downstairs while Yang and Ruby takes the larger bedroom upstairs. Yang whips together a small breakfast of bread and canned beans. When everyone finishes, the real work begins.

Yang clears her throat and bows to the brunette,  “Are you ready to become the one and only Blake Belladonna?”

“I’m not trying to become anyone. I’m trying to find out who I am.” She tries to push past Yang, “but I don’t need to lie to do it.”

Yang immediately matches her pace before she could reach the door, “What if we’re just helping you remember the truth? This could all be an exercise on your journey to your past.”

She pauses, staring at Yang who is frustratingly nonchalant about all this, “You have too much confidence in this.”

Yang turns her palm facing outward, toward her,  “I’m just saying that if the Belladonnas recognize you as their daughter, then Rubes and I get a humble reward for our efforts, a family is reunited, and we all live happily ever after.”

“I wouldn’t have taken you as a hopeless believer in fairy tales.” She raises an eyebrow, “Have you even read a book?”

“Who needs reading when we can write our own fairy tale, huh?” Yang said with a cocky smile that made her faunus ears want to flatten with irritation.

“Even if we do, what if they call me an imposter?”

“Then we’ll have to call it an honest mistake.” Yang shrugs but smiles earnestly in response, “But at that point, you’ll be in Vale one step closer to finding your past while Ruby and I will be one step farther away from Mistral.”

There’s several moments of silence, of Yang and Ruby sharing worried glances, of the girl with bow atop her head staring between them.

“So, how do you become someone you’ve forgotten you even were?”

“It’s okay.” Ruby wrapped an arm around her shoulders, “Just take a deep breath. We’ll walk you through it.”

***

“Wait,” Ruby drops her spoon back into her can. “I just thought of a problem. Like, major dealbreaker.”

“What?” Yang doesn’t even bat an eyelash, “Weiss hates cookies?”

Ruby sticks her tongue out at her sister before she explains. “As I was saying, we’re trying to convince two faunus parents that we have their,” she looks sheepishly at Kit, who’s remained quiet throughout the entire meal thus far, “non-faunus daughter?”

“Actually,” Kit’s heart races, palms getting sweaty, as she braces herself for their stares. The intensity of lilac and silver eyes almost make her want to leave a copy behind. She shuts her eyes and lets out a breath. She reaches above her head and unties the worn bow that has hid her identity for as long as she can remember. “I don’t think we’re going to have that problem.”

There’s an apology on the tip of her tongue, expecting judgment, but judgment doesn’t come.

Ruby’s eyes widen and she speeds off toward the cabinet. She returns right next to Kit, a flurry of petals around them, dropping cans in front of her, “You can totally call dibs on all the tuna.”

“Oh, thanks, Ruby.” Kit smiles awkwardly, her ears pull back in a rush of embarrassment.

Yang hasn’t said anything, just watches her from across the table. Her stare is hard and unreadable. But then, her gaze softens, and she meets an amber gaze. “I never liked the bow, anyway.”

Kit doesn’t know why, but her heart soars.

***

The lessons last for weeks. Some days are better than others, but dance days are the worst. While Ruby thinks Kit has been catching on rather quickly, Yang finds her frustrating.

“Yang, of course, she’s going to be annoyed at you if you step on her foot.” Ruby says matter-of-factly over a can of beans one evening. “Your boots aren’t exactly light. Besides it’s been a long day.”

“We act as if she doesn’t have painful boots.” Yang grumbles to herself.

“You know, I can hear you, right?”

Yang opens her mouth and shuts it again.

“What?” Kit makes a show of her faunus ears, shaking her hair and letting her ears flick back and forth. “Cat got your tongue?”

With narrowed eyes, Yang murmurs, “show off.”

“Oh, lighten up, Yang.” Ruby grins proudly at her sister, “On the bright side, you’re getting better at the waltz after several weeks of practice.”

Yang pouts, sneaking a glance over at the girl who’s taken to reading their father’s journals about the Belladonnas next to the lamps in the corner of the living room.

She turns her attention back to her sister,  “How do you even know how to dance?”

Ruby scoffs, “Please, I can dance.”

Yang raises an eyebrow, completely unconvinced.

Ducking her head, Ruby mumbles a response, “Weiss said it was unacceptable for a lady to not know how to waltz.”

“That’s what we’re calling it these days?” The blonde shoots upright in her chair, “Wait, I knew you and Ice Queen were spending so much time together. ”

“You know she doesn’t like being called that.” Ruby reminds her sister.

“Well, would she prefer Weiss Queen?”

A laugh catches their attention. “That was bad, even for you, Yang.”

Yang throws the brunette a cocky grin, “Okay, but you laughed, so…”

“What do you say we call truce for the day?” Kit dares to ask, looking tired but determined to finish lessons at a decent hour. She walks over to stand in front of the blonde, holding out her hand for Yang to take. “May I have this dance?”

Yang gets lost in amber specks before she shakes herself out of her own stupor. She makes a motion to get up and accept the offered hand and almost loses her balance when the brunette decides to pull her hand away. “Without you stepping on my foot?”

“That hurts me deep, Belladonna.” Yang glares at her dancing partner and stands straight, approaching the girl. “Here I thought you were going to sweep me off my feet.”

“You don’t need my help with that, Xiao Long.” The girl says, her gaze unfaltering, as she holds Yang close to her. “Your balance is almost as bad as your puns.”

“That hardly feels fair. I have an uneven number of limbs.” Yang smirks, matching her gaze, “You should find me disarming.”

The brunette throws her head back to laugh, and Yang feels her own breath hitch.

The moment is short-lived when Ruby starts to yell at them, “Guys! Focus!”

***

Yang falls asleep on the couch one night. Ruby is boiling water in the kitchen when Kit decides to join her.

“She doesn’t hate you, you know.”

Kit tilts her head, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Ruby jerks her head in the direction of the couch that’s currently being occupied with her snoring sister. “She didn’t used to always be so rough around the edges, I promise.”

The younger girl turns off the stove, pours boiling water into two cups. She drops a tea bag in each. She hands one cup to Kit, who accepts it gratefully.

“That seems hard to believe.”

“Life hasn’t been kind to my sister.” Ruby sighs as she takes a seat at the table.

Kit scoffs, taking directly across from Ruby, “Life hasn’t been kind to anyone. Not even you, I imagine.”

“Maybe not, but I’m always looking forward. That’s what I learned from her anyway.” Ruby holds her cup to take in the smell of mint. “But sometimes she’s so busy looking over her shoulder or looking forward or worrying about me, she forgets about herself. I think she takes after Dad that way.”

“Your father’s journals were dated over 10 years ago.” Kit tries to approach the subject lightly. “Your sister had to grow up so young.”

“She did.” Ruby lets out a soft chuckle, “You know, this whole thing with the Belladonnas and ...you? Well, it’s the most excited she’s gotten about anything since she found the overlook near the waterfall, where you can see the valley stretch out for miles. She said it looked like adventure. But, we were still kids at the time, and we had no means to go anywhere. I’ll never forget how carefree she looked.” She sighs, looking down at her cup, tracing the rim with her finger, “She deserves an adventure and maybe even a happily ever after. But, after Dad, I think she stopped believing she deserves a chance at any of that.”

“What about your mom?” Kit asks curiously, “How come you guys never looked for her?”

“We had different ones. Yang’s left when she was a baby. Every trail Yang ever found was a dead end. I think that hurt her more than she wants to admit, but you didn’t hear that from me.” Ruby pauses, “Then there was my mom. Summer. She was a huntress, too, and died on mission before we were in Menagerie.”

“You and Yang were in Menagerie with your dad?” Something about that tugs something within her, but she can’t place it. She’s read all the journal entries. He never mentioned having his daughters with him in Menagerie. She had taken special interest in the last few entries, all things considered.

“Dad took a security job there. Because Mom just died and Uncle Qrow was nowhere to be found, he had to take us with him. He had two kids and needed the money.” Ruby’s voice grows small, “But something went wrong and he ended up getting injured and so did Yang.

Suddenly, the pieces fit together to make sense, “Your dad chose to get Yang treated.”

“Don’t get me wrong. I’m so glad he did, but his aura was so depleted…” Ruby trails off, lost in her thoughts. “Then it was just me and Yang. Stuck in Mistral. Couldn’t even get ourselves into Haven, no matter how hard Yang tried. But we survived.”

“I wish things had turned out different, Ruby, for both you and your sister.”  She smiles and takes Ruby’s hand. “I hope you find what you’re looking for in Vale.”

“You, too, Kit.”

“Do you think you’ll see Weiss again?” Kit’s heard this name mentioned so much, just in passing. It has to hold some weight. She wonders how they met, but Ruby looks far away in thought, she’s afraid to ask.

“It’s the only thing keeping me going sometimes.” Ruby admits softly, silver eyes darting from eye contact. “Who would’ve thought almost ruining an heiress’ dust carrier can result in finding a soulmate?”

“Sounds like you found a keeper.” Kit can’t help her eyes drifting to where Yang sleeps on the couch.

Ruby smiles, noticing where the faunus’ gaze went, “At the end of the day, she’s dad jokes and warm hugs. But I’m glad you found us, Kit. Maybe you’re the key to all of us getting where we need to go.”

“Goodnight, Ruby.”

“Goodnight.”

***

Kit shivers the moment she enters the White Fang headquarters in Mistral. She’s lead through hallway after hallway lined with guards. She wonders if they’ve figured out what she’s doing, if someone’s turned her in exchange for lien, for food, for freedom.

“You there, come forward” A tall man, dressed in all black with his hand resting on his sheathed katana, calls her. When he gets closer, he immediately recognizes her. “Oh, it’s you. The sweeper from the market.”

He looks at her expectantly, and it soon clicks he’s asking for her name. “Yes. They call me Kit.”

“Well, Kit. It’s good to finally have a proper introduction.” He smiles and circles around her, “My name is Adam Taurus. I work for the White Fang and it’s new revolution.”

“Why was I called here?”

“The White Fang has many eyes and ears all around Remnant. Do you know how many rumors I’ve heard about a certain faunus girl who hides behind a bow trying to get to Vale?”

Kit’s ears burn of irritation under her bow, which somehow feels tighter than usual. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Then you should be very careful with these rumors that prevail.” His mask covers his eyes, but she knows he’s studying her. “We wouldn’t want to have to use you as an example.” He raises his chin, proud and arrogant, “The Belladonna girl perished that night, and I’d very much like to keep it that way.”

“I have no business with the Belladonnas.” It can hardly be a lie if she has doubts about being Blake in the first place.

“The Belladonnas cower in Vale. It’ll only be a matter of time where I get what I deserve, and they get theirs. They are a disgrace to the faunus race, asking for aid from that despicable dust company from Atlas. As if joining forces with the humans helps any faunus. Humans deserve to suffer for all the suffering our race has to endure. It’s only fair.”

She keeps tight lipped, careful not to give away her stance on the matter. Equality shouldn’t condone punishment, not in the way Adam wanted. Something tells her she wouldn’t get out alive if she disagreed.

He flashes a smile, “If you behave, then I win, you win, and the faunus race wins.”

“I’m just a sweeper.” She tries to make her way out, suddenly finding it hard to breathe what with her bow and her lungs constricting.

“If you don’t behave, consequences will not be merciful.” He grabs her by the arm and warns firmly, “Be careful of the friends you keep.”

She nods and he lets her go.

She runs until she collapses in the living room with Yang there to catch her.

***

CCT Tower Announcement: White Fang splinter group movement sweeps across Menagerie; group sets sight on Mistral and the rest of the kingdoms.

***

Yang takes her out for a walk through the outskirts of the market. Kit remains quiet and follows her lead.

“You just seem kind of shaken when you came back, is all.” Yang says when they’re out of earshot of the market crowd, stopping by an empty alleyway. “May I?” Yang raises her hand to let her fingers barely brush against the fabric of her bow.

She stares at Yang in shock, mouth agape, only to grant her permission. “Please.”

Yang undoes the bow and hands her the ribbon. “This is bound to be better, yeah?” Yang scans her ears and then gives her a once-over. “Are you sure he didn’t hurt you? What was his name? Adam?”

“He didn’t hurt me.” She shakes her head, “but he knows where we’re staying. It’s only a matter of time before--”

“Look who it is! Yang Xiao Long herself.”

Yang glares at the group of men who approached from the nearby alleyway. “Wish I could talk, guys, but sadly we’re--”

“This your new girlfriend?” One of them sneers, setting their eyes on Kit.

Yang steps in front of her. “She’s not my girlfriend.”

“Then you must be Blake Belladonna herself!” The same guy doesn’t let the faunus ears go unnoticed. “Tell us, what’s it like to have Blondie here as your new master?”

With her hand forming into a fist, Yang gives him a fair warning, “Hey, man. I’m not her master. Nobody is. Now,  back off.”

“What? You don’t like sharing your pets?”

Trying to diffuse the situation, Kit holds onto Yang’s arm in hopes of calming her. “Yang, let’s go. I don’t think they’re good company.”

“Hey, where do you think you’re going?”

The second someone lays a hand on Kit, Yang starts throwing punches.

Kit holds up her own and does a spectacular job of dodging incoming melee. She finds a stick in the group’s makeshift fire pit and swings it recklessly at any of the guys who dares come within a certain radius of her.

She turns around to find Yang cornered by a burly guy almost twice her size. Before he can even lay a finger on her, she hits him over the head with her stick. He falls over to reveal a surprised looking Yang. Kit smirks and tosses the stick off to the side.

“I could’ve taken him.”

“I’m sure, but this was more fun.” Kit shrugs and continues walking.

Yang catches up to the faunus, “So, where did you learn how to do that?”

“I didn’t walk across Anima on just pure luck.” She throws a smirk at the blonde, “Though, knowing you, you probably could’ve accomplished that.”

Yang grins, “Please, I live off of sheer dumb luck.”

“I know.” Kit shakes her head, “Life’s easier with luck on your side.”

“Well, I wouldn’t call life easy,” Yang brushes dust off her sleeves and off her pant legs, “but I’m lucky to have Ruby.”

“It must be nice having family.” Kit wonders out loud. It’s not until Yang refutes does she notice that she hadn’t meant to.

“Hey, we don’t know whether or not you have one, yet. Can’t rule that out until we get to Vale, okay?”

“You know all this time I thought it was just me and you that had a stake in all this, but Ruby seems pretty invested in that Weiss girl, huh?”

“Ah, yes, Weiss Queen.” Yang smiles fondly at her name, “They’re quite the pair. Heiress of the SDC and then you have Ruby, who well, is Ruby. I thought she was gonna have us thrown in jail for even looking her direction.”

“How did you guys become friends, if you guys started off so rocky?”

“Ruby. It’s always Ruby.” Yang laughs, beckoning for Kit to go off the beaten path towards the river, “And eventually I grow on people.”

“Sure you do,” Kit rolls her eyes.

“Hey, you laugh at my jokes.”

“Sparingly.” Kit clarifies for her. “So, Ruby mentioned ruining dust carriers? How accurate was that?”

“Ruining? She caused an explosion in the middle of the market square!” Yang stopped at the bank of the river, plopping down and admiring the valley. “Weiss, as you can imagine, was not thrilled, but you know Ruby, she rambled off an apology and...Weiss accepted.”

“So, was it love at first sight?” Kit sits next to her.

“I mean, I guess? The Schnee family was in Mistral for vacation, I think for Weiss to visit Haven. How she stumbled upon us is beyond me.” Yang shrugged, propping one foot over the other. “She stayed longer than the rest of the family and spent every waking moment with Ruby. But she had to go back home to Atlas, and the last we heard from her she was in Vale taking care of her family’s company.”

“It must have been nice not having to look after Ruby while Weiss was here.”

“Honestly? I think she’s the one that looks after me sometimes.”

Kit bumps shoulders with the blonde. “Sometimes. But you practically raised her on your own. And she’s wonderful, Yang.”

Yang could only give her a goofy smile, “You think so?”

“I know so. She’s always looking forward. She says you taught her that. For what it’s worth, I think your father would be proud.” Yang’s expression falters, but Kit explains, “I read a lot of his entries. He wrote a lot about you.”

“I don’t think he’d have written about me if he knew he was going to die because of me.”

“Yang, you know that’s not true.”

“Do I, though?” Yang asks Kit honestly, her lilac eyes brimming with tears, “My birth mom left, then Summer died, and then Dad died, too. There’s not a day that goes by where I don’t think about them. How do you know I’m not cursed?”

“Because you still have Ruby.” Kit answers like it’s simple, even Yang is hesitant to believe her. “And, whether you like it or not, you have me. We’re getting each other to Vale, if it’s the last thing we do.”

Yang looks at her strange, with a somber tone set to her expression. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Belladonna.”

“Well, yeah, that’s why I didn’t speak for Weiss Queen.” Kit smiles at Yang’s shocked expression.

Yang sputters in the most delighted way, “You called her Weiss Queen!”

“That’s what you got out of all that?” Kit deadpans, shaking her head when Yang throws her a full-blown grin. “Come on, we should be getting back before Ruby starts looking for us.”

“Wait, I have something for you.” Yang stops her from getting on her feet. “Close your eyes.”

“Why?”

“Just do it.” Yang rolls her eyes, “I promise I’m not gonna put water in your ears.”

“Not convincing, Yang.”

“Sorry bad example. Just, can you please, close your eyes and hold out your hand?”

She does as she’s asked, nerves tugging all around her edges.

Yang places the music box in her palm. “Okay, open. Rubes and I think you deserve it after all your hard work.”

She opens her eyes and gasps. “What is it?”

“A music box!”

“It’s beautiful.” It’s mostly purple, gold accents wrapping around the edges.

“Aaand broken.” Yang adds, rubbing the back of her neck, wishing she could give her a better reward.

But she’s already reaching under it to turn the nob, like an instinct or a favorite memory. The music box opens to reveal two spinning figurines dancing to a melody.

Yang stares between the box and the faunus. “How- how did you do that?”

“I-I…” She stares at the box a little longer, her heart swelling, “don’t know. It almost feels like I’ve seen this before.”  Like a favorite memory or maybe even a far off dream. It feels like another piece of the puzzle, and she’s so close to getting answers. She looks up at the blonde, who’s watching her closely, “How soon can we leave?” Her excitement doesn’t let Yang speak, “They’re going to close the borders if they know Mistral’s unsafe.”

Yang remains hopelessly quiet, looking  like she’s battling some internal struggle.

She pulls something out of her pocket and shoves it into Yang’s hand. “Here, I worked some extra shifts. Every little bit helps, right?”

“We’re not even close,” Yang blurts out, handing the lien back to the faunus. “I thought I could get us out sooner, but we’re running out of time. Look, there has to be someone who can help you in time. I’m sorry, Kit.”

She backs away from Yang’s outstretched hand, refusing to take the lien, crestfallen. “You’re the only hope I had.”

“It’s your money!”

“It’s our money.” She reminds the blonde, insistent. “We were supposed to be in this together. I trusted you!”

“I said I was sorry!” Yang pulls away, looking out into the distance. She half expects the girl to leave her and wish to never see her again.

Instead, Yang hears, “Close your eyes.”

“Why?”

“Yang.”

Yang drops her shoulders and closes her eyes. “This isn’t very original.”

“Well, neither are your jokes, but we all can’t get what we want, can we?”

Yang cracks an eye open and points at the faunus, “I love it when you’re feisty.”

“Yang!”

“Alright, I’m closing them!”

She places something into Yang’s hand and takes a deep breath. “There.”

Yang almost does a double take when she recognizes the item in her palm. “That’s... dust. That’s pure unadulterated dust.”

The faunus’s ears droop down, guilty if anything, “The nurse at the hospital found it sewn into my coat lining. And she waited until the day I was okay’d to leave to give it to me. She told me not to tell a soul about it until it was absolutely necessary. I don’t really know why she did, but I wouldn’t have that if it wasn’t for her.”

“You mean you’ve had this the entire time?” Yang’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. “You didn’t say anything?”

She desperately confesses, “Because it’s all I had left!”

Yang challenges her, waving the dust crystal in her hand, slowly backing away. “How do you know I won’t just run away with this now so you’ll never see this again?”

“I don’t think you would.” She stares into lilac eyes and prays to the Gods she’s right.

Yang just flashes a grin, picking up the faunus and spinning her around, “You’re right, I totally wouldn’t. This is amazing. You’re amazing!”

They share a moment of laughter, and joy, and even a little bit of hope. This is their ticket out, and the plan can finally move forward. They’re that much closer to finding all the answers.

The call comes from a distance at first.

“Yaaang!”

And then, they’re surrounded by rose petals.

“The White Fang guys raided the safehouse. We can’t go back--” Yang shoves the dust crystal in her sister’s face, “Oh dang. That’s...some dust.”

“Our friend here had it the whole time.” Yang explains with an unamused expression.

“I’m sure it was a perfectly good reason, Kit.” Ruby says calmly before tackling the faunus into a bear hug, “and all is forgiven!!!”

Yang laughs at her sister, “Ruby, take it down a notch.”

“Oh, right.” Ruby nods with determination, “I’ll go get the exit papers and, Yang, you go fence the dust crystal at the market.”

“What do I do?”

Yang shrugs, “Just make sure you’re at the station before midnight. We’re going to Vale!”

The sisters run off in separate directions. She watches them go, a soft, endearing smile settling on her face. She doesn’t know why, but she’s almost sure they can pull this whole thing off.

***

“So, for the sake of this trip, we’ll be Team RBY.” Ruby announces while handing out papers. “Huntresses on our way to a reconnaissance mission in the outskirts of Vale.”

“Really original there, sis.” Yang says as she reads over hers.

She rolls her eyes, glancing over her own papers. “Yang, we’ve been over this. You don’t get to be a judge of originality.”

“Kit’s right, but it’s not my name. It’s the first letters of our names.” Ruby corrects herself, “Well, it spells better than RKY. Sorry, Kit. Blake’s far more versatile.”

“I’d be more offended if it didn’t feel like we’re so close to getting there on this train.” She isn’t going to admit out loud that there’s comfort in entertaining that she might be the Belladonna’s missing daughter.

“Remember, we still have to get on a boat after this.” Ruby says with a tired sigh. “But, we’re that much closer.” Ruby claps her hands together, “We won’t get to the coast for a few hours, so rest up!”

She falls asleep on Yang’s shoulder, and she wakes up in terror. A slamming car door jolts her awake. She screams “NO!”

One second she’s next to Yang.

The voice doesn’t belong to Yang or Ruby, but it pulls at something within her, “ That’s my Blake. I’ll come back to get you, and then we’ll all be together again in Vale. ”

The next second she’s on the floor, several feet away.

“Hey, shhh.” Yang’s right there to pick her up off the floor. “It’s me. Breathe with me, okay?”

All can she do is nod, seeing Ruby’s cape disappearing behind the door that connects to the next train car.  She tries to breathe in and out, watching Yang’s chest rise and fall. It takes a while before she feels her senses come back to her.

Yang lets her stay like that until Ruby returns.

“They’re onto us.”

“Keep breathing, okay?” Yang hops up on her two feet and faces her sister before looking around the car. “What do you mean?”

“They’re looking for two girls and a faunus who boarded on this train illegally.”

Yang scoffs, waving her hand dismissively. “That could be anyone.”

Ruby reveals a wanted poster with three very accurate depictions of them. “I’m pretty sure that’s us.”

She pushes herself up on her feet, making her way to a window “Let’s go then. We have to jump off.”

“We what?!” Yang calls after her sister and the faunus who already have a window open.

Ruby calls for her sister, “Yang, come on! On the count of three.”

They land in hay, thankfully. But, they can all agree their journey hasn’t exactly started out on the best note.

“We’re not that far from the docks. Luckily, I secured us a room on the boat, so we should be able to go unnoticed.”

“Good thinking, Rubes.” Yang sighs as they head forward through a field. “Weiss is gonna love hearing about this.”

Ruby cracks a grin, “Absolutely.”

She decides to join in, “Next time we try to flee a kingdom, we should bring her along.”

The sisters laugh, Ruby patting her left shoulder and Yang patting her right shoulder.

They continue walking in silence, each girl tired from their escape. It’s another mile before she decides to say anything.

“Hey, I’m sorry about that back there.” Her ears droop and her eyes avert to the ground, “If I didn’t panic, they wouldn’t have found us.”

Yang places her hand on her shoulder, squeezing slightly, “Not on you at all. The wanted posters tell me they’ve been looking for us for a while.”

Yang smiles warmly at her, full of understanding. All she can do is return the smile.

“Oh, look! We’re nearly to the docks.” Ruby announces several yards ahead of them.

She takes a grounding breath, “Just a boat ride.”

“Yep,” Yang nods, letting their hands brush ever so slightly. “Then we’ll go from there.”

“We’ll go from there.” Her ears straighten up as she relishes in the sea breeze.

This is the only chance they’ve got.

***

The announcement rings through the boat: “Attention, passengers, we’ve arrived at Vale. Please wait as we prepare for deboarding.”

“I’m gonna go see what’s up.” Her white coat flows behind her as she strides down the deck.

“I think she’s excited.” Yang tilts her head, a smile tugging at her mouth, as she watches the faunus walk away.

Ruby’s shoulder drop and she places a hand on her sister’s shoulder. “Yang….”

Yang doesn’t even consider having whatever conversation Ruby wants to have. “Come on, sis, we should make sure she doesn’t get into any trouble.”

They find her on the lower deck, letting her ribbon blow away in the sea breeze. When she spots them approaching, she smiles, “Shouldn’t be too long.” Her ears twitch in a way that Yang hasn’t seen before, “You look good, Yang.”

They all got new outfits, not wanting to look like they’ve been out on the streets their entire lives. Ruby now dons what she calls a ‘combat skirt’, one that matches her red cape. Kit opts for a black pants with a stripe of purple, a low cut top, finished off with a white coat. Yang has ditched her tank top, cargo pants, and bomber jacket for black pants and slim fit leather jacket that hugs her perfectly.

Yang adjusts the purple fabric just at the top of her left knee. “Not so bad yourself. Ready to meet your parents?”

Kit rolls her eyes, “Let’s get off the boat first.”

“And we should find Weiss.” Ruby chimes in excitedly, “She’s bound to be able to pull strings for us.”

Yang and the faunus share a look and follow the excited girl off the boat.

“Okay, first agendas.” Ruby claps her hands together, practically vibrating herself off the pavement. “Kit, you’re going to the hotel to check in. Yang, CCT Tower. As for me, I’ll see if I can find Weiss. When we’re done, we’ll meet back at the hotel.”

She watches as the sisters run off in different directions. The younger one almost has a hop to her stop, more often than usual. Her cape trails behind her and she gets smaller the farther she gets. The older one doesn’t walk with nearly as much conviction. There’s a weight of hesitation in her step, something she’s not used to seeing in Yang. She watches after her, silently wishing her good luck.

And then it’s just her. In the middle of a square in Vale. She knows she has to find the hotel soon, but she takes in her surroundings for a moment, gives herself a moment to breathe. She’s come so far, and she can hardly believe she’s here-- closer than ever to all the questions she’s had about her past.

“Can you believe we’ve made it, Blake?” She whispers to herself. She’s never said the name herself, but the way her mouth feels around the syllable almost feels like second nature. That’s enough to steel herself for what’s to come next.

She spies Beacon tower in the distance, wondering if this is where her journey begins or ends.

***

“Mr. and Mrs. Belladonna, what a pleasant surprise. I wasn’t expecting your company today.” Weiss Schnee greets them as they entered her new office. “Did something go wrong with the Dust transfers to Menagerie?”

“Everything went smoothly.” Ghira assures her before laughing at the young heiress, sharing a look with his wife, “Weiss, how many times do we have to tell you to call us--”

“Ghira and Kali, of course.” Weiss smiles, motioning for them to sit. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

Kali presents her with a letter, “It’s another one, and quite frankly, I don’t know if I can keep looking at these.”

Weiss scans the letter and reads a part aloud, “If only there was a way for me to make it to Vale, then I could prove that I am really your daughter.” Weiss almost scoffs, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Ghira supplies an interpretation, “Sounds like she wants us--”

“--to pay her way to Vale?” Weiss looks appalled. “This is getting ridiculous.” She sets the letter down on her desk, and turns to the Belladonnas, “What can I do to help?”

“Well,” Kali starts, her hands fidgeting in her lap, “We were wondering if you could send word to the CCT to say that we...don’t want anymore inquiries about Blake. My poor heart can only take so much.”

“And you’re absolutely sure?” Weiss asks, providing them an out if they needed it. She’s  known them since she took control of the company a few years before and they approached her for an allyship of sorts for the faunus. When she agreed, they were shocked, but they never hesitated to care for her or dote on her when they could. She’s found them to be efficient and insightful colleagues, but even then settled on them being her friends. She couldn’t imagine them giving up on their search for their missing daughter. She had to make sure.

When they nod in response, she can only respect their decision. Spirit and hope isn’t like aura. It could only last for so long before finding oneself emptier than before. “Very well. I have a call with Ironwood at the end of the week to discuss SDC transfer security. I’m sure he could pull some strings with Communications.”

“Oh, Weiss, you’re doing amazing things with the Schnee Dust Company.” Ghira smiles at her proudly, “We couldn’t thank you enough for your strides to make life better for the faunus.”

Weiss smiles back, her chin raised ever so slightly, “My father tarnished everyone’s lives for long enough. It’s not his name to leave behind. It’s mine. I’ll do everything in my power to make sure we’re striving towards a better future for all of Remnant, not just the SDC and my father’s bank accounts.”

Kali rose up and opened her arms to hug the young heiress, “Please be sure to stop by for tea or dinner soon. We know you’re busy, but we miss you.”

“Of course...Kali.” Weiss whispers, suddenly overwhelmed with affection. “Oh, I hope to see you the ball tomorrow night?”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world. Kali loves having an excuse to go dancing.” Ghira patted her on the back, offering a smile, before leading his wife out the door.

Weiss’ heart twists in pain for them, for their daughter, for their decision.

***

Weiss finds herself sitting alone at the Ozdust bar after her meeting with the Belladonnas. She sips on her cocktail and prepares herself to announce the news to Ironwood.

“Can I get you another, Weiss?” Pyrrha, the bar owner, asks, pulling her out of her thoughts. Usually Jaune’s the one that’s bartending, but Pyrrha has taken his shift tonight. “You look deep in thought there.”

“Please and thank you, Pyrrha.” Weiss smiles at the red-haired bartender, who hums a nameless song a she prepares her drink.

Every once in a while, someone decides to chat her up. It’s rare, but she dreads it. This time is no different.

Except it is.

There’s petals and a gust of wind. And she knows.

“Weiss!” The voice sounds from the seat next to her. “Thank goodness I finally found you.”

“Ruby,” Weiss can’t help the smile that spreads across her face. “How in the world did you get here?”

“That’s a loooong story!” Ruby responds, scratching the back of her head. She smiles wide and goofy at the heiress, “It’s good to see you, Weiss.”

Weiss hops off her stool and flings her arms around Ruby’s neck. “I’ve missed you, Ruby.”

The shock wears off and Ruby just holds her, “You too, Weiss. You have no idea.”

Weiss pulls away, looking up at the girl before her. She seems so much different than when she saw her last. “You’re taller.”

“So are you.” Ruby grins, goofy and earnest, “Even with the wedges.”

Weiss shakes her head, “You never answered my question.”

“Wait, I have a question to ask you first!” Weiss raises an eyebrow, her lips pursed. Ruby holds out her hand, “ Care for a dance?”

As if she planned it, a slow song plays from the speakers.

Weiss drops more than sufficient amount of lien on the bar counter, and lets Ruby take her to the dance floor. “Of course.”

At first, they dance like they did when Ruby was sixteen, still lanky and awkward and unsure what to do with her limbs. And with a little encouragement, they fall into a synchronized rhythm, like they were meant to be partners forever. Pairs of dancers flow around them, but they only have eyes for each other.

The song ends, but they don’t stop dancing. They follow whatever song plays next. “I see you’ve improved. A lot, actually. I’m...impressed, Ruby.”

“Well, I’ve gotten a bit of practice in.” Ruby grins in response, “A lot, actually.”

“You mean Yang let you teach her?” Weiss asks as if she couldn’t quite believe it. “That, I would love to see.”

Silver eyes couldn’t quite hold a gaze, “Well, I had to teach her, so we could teach Blake.”

Weiss pulls away from her. Already walking off the dancefloor, furious and in a warpath, “Ruby, you didn’t. You wouldn’t do this to that poor couple.”

“Look, Weiss, I know how this looks, but you have to see her yourself.”

“I can’t believe you’d let your sister talk you and that girl into playing along with this.” Weiss hugs herself, not wanting Ruby to come close to her. “I thought you were better than this.”

“Weiss, look, I had my doubts, too, but…” Ruby sighs, her lips trembling, “we may have been a little desperate, but I’m convinced it has to be her.”

“How could you possibly know?”

“Don’t you trust me?”

“Of course, I trust you, Ruby. But you can’t expect them to just accept a random stranger as their daughter without any proof.” Weiss pinches her nose, setting her jaw and glaring at the younger woman. “Do you think it’s really her?”

“Weiss, I have memories of a little faunus girl who left a copy of herself behind when she was about to be struck with a katana.” It takes Ruby by surprise as much as it does Weiss. “And then ten years later,  some stranger is absolutely convinced we were the ones to help her get to Vale. She told us someone in Vale was waiting for her. ” Ruby looks up, tears threatening to fall, “When she panicked on the train, she left a copy of herself next to Yang and then we found her on the floor.” Her voice drops to a whisper, “What’s the likelihood of two people having the same exact semblance?”

Weiss looks at her wide-eyed and mouth agape, struggling to find words, “You’ve never talked about that night.”

“Yang never liked talking about it, so neither did I. But if you’re asking where my proof lies, that’s it.” Ruby looked at her unblinking, “And Weiss, I know this is a lot to ask, but I need you to trust me.”

Weiss surges forward and kisses Ruby, soft but reassuring. “Okay.”

“You’ll help?”

Weiss nods against her better judgment. She’s never known Ruby to be dishonest or mal-intentioned. Part of her needs to see this through, “The Belladonnas will be at the ball my company’s hosting tomorrow night. I’ll put you and your sister on the list. Yang will have to bring this...Blake as her plus one. You’ll only have that chance. By the end of the week, they’re not going to accept any other Blakes, real or fake. So, you have to make the most of it.”

***

“Ms. Xiao Long, I’m surprised to hear from you.” General Ironwood greets her, eyebrows raised. “I’m so very sorry for the loss of your father. He was a good man.”

“Thanks, General.” She looks away from the screen, “It was a long time ago. This is the first time I was able to get to a functioning tower. The one in Mistral is hard to get to, and it’s not very safe.”

“I suspect you’re looking to get the arm we promised you when you originally lost your arm.”

Yang throws him a lopsided grin, “Well, I doubt it’ll fit on my arm now. I’ve managed just fine without a prosthetic, and I won’t hold it against you if you’ve changed your mind.”

“You’re absolutely right.” Yang doesn’t realize how disappointed to hear the General’s changed his mind, but then he elaborates, “The original won’t fit.” General Ironwood holds up a prosthetic that looked to fit a child, but certainly wouldn’t fit Yang’s fully grown limb. “But, a promise is a promise, especially for a man’s dying wish for his daughter. I just need you to hold your left arm against the scanner below the screen and your amputated arm in front of the screen.”

Yang watches as the machine scanned her hand and arm. “All good?”

“Yes, that’ll be all.” General Ironwood nods, eyes flitting back and forth at the results on his end. “My team in Vale can have this ready by tonight. Put in your lodging and I’ll have a technician deliver it.”

She types in the address, “Thank you, General.”

“Of course, Ms. Xiao Long.” He sighed, “If you’ll excuse me.” Before he signs off, he quickly added, “However, please let me know if you have issues with the arm. I know a thing or two about adjustments, so please don’t hesitate.”

Yang nods and he finally signs off. She sits there for a moment, feeling a sort of relief from her shoulders as she takes a shaky deep breath.

It’s the least she could do for her father.

***

There’s so many voices that she can’t lay still, can’t keep calm.

“You’ll be good for Mr. Xiao Long and his two daughters?”

Her head hurts. Why can’t she remember?

“Aren’t you a little young to be dancing?”

Her heart pounds in her chest. Is any of this even real?

“But no distance would keep me away from you, little one.”

She feels like she can’t breathe. What happens if you don’t know who you are?

“I hope these gifts bring back to this moment and points you back home, back where you belong.”

Her eyes open, and all she sees is lilac.

“Hey,” comes Yang’s voice. “It’s me. It’s alright. It’s just a nightmare.”

She blinks slowly, finally remembering where they are. They’re in Vale. In a hotel suite. All of them have their own beds, but here Yang is sitting in hers. “I’m frightened.”

“It’s alright. I’m here. Take as long as you need.”

She turns to Yang and pleads with her, “Who do you think I am, Yang? Be honest with me.”

Lilac eyes shift at first, but then they still and they stare right back at her, “If I were them, I’d want you to be Blake Belladonna.”

“Me?”

“I would want her to be beautiful, strong, passionate, intelligent, and never one to back down from a challenge.”

“Is that...how you think I am?” She’s never felt felt so transparent in all her memories.

Everything stills and somehow they don’t blink.

“Of course.” It comes out as a whisper, a secret cradled close to the chest.

By the Gods, neither of them could look away. Until she finally breaks the silence, “Thank you. That’s probably the nicest thing you’ve said to me.”

Yang has the audacity to be indignant, “Hey, I complimented your ears!”

“You said you hated my bow.”

“Oh, right,” Yang grimaces, “For the record, I do like your ears...and I do think all of those things about you.”

She sighs, unable to quite look Yang in the eye as the awkwardness settles in between them. “Do you really think that I’m her?”

“I want you to be.” Yang’s hand shakes involuntarily, something she’s never noticed. “I’d like to believe you were the girl in the tunnel that night as we tried to leave Menagerie. I’d like to know that faunus girl escaped and made it out alive.”

“What?” She looks hopelessly at Yang, “What are you saying?”

“The White Fang overtook the house in the middle of the night. I was only about ten and Ruby was about seven or eight. Dad woke me and Rubes up, and then all three of us went to fetch her. The guards were easily overtaken, so Dad had to stay behind in the house while he rushed us out into the tunnels. He trusted me to get her and my sister out to the other side.” Yang’s eyes were filled with tears, despite having a distant look in her eyes, “But the tunnel was so long. And we were so tired. Ruby could’ve kept going, of course, but Blake and I didn’t have her speed. So I stopped, but someone was coming after us. And I hoped and prayed it was my dad.” Yang lets out a sob, “But it wasn’t. It was someone from the White Fang, angry and demanding we hand over Blake. But I--”

“--turned to flame.” She says in a gasp, a rush of memories all coming back to her at once at an alarming rate, “You-your eyes turned red and-and your hair turned to flame. And I-I didn’t know what to do. I panicked. And I left a copy of myself the moment his sword was going to strike me. And you were there to distract him and he was furious and” She lets out another gasp, “your arm…”

“ I’ve never told you about this. How did you…?” Yang looks like she might have seen a ghost. “I’ve never shown you my semblance.”

“You didn’t have to. I was there. I remember.” Amber eyes eyes widened, “You’re the one who saved my life.”

“Blake,” Yang breathes out, staring at her with wide lilac eyes. “It’s been you all along.”

Yang pulls her close, their foreheads resting against each other as Blake sobs-- as Blake finally gets the confirmation she’s been looking for. “I’m sorry I couldn’t remember you.”

“Me too.”

She grabs onto Yang’s hand that’s cradling her face, but she immediately notices something different straightaway: She’s holding onto cool metal, and Yang has more than one arm.

“Your arm.”

“Oh, shit.” Yang says, pulling her prosthetic away, “Sorry. I was just trying it on when I heard you screaming. I didn’t mean to startle you.” She smiles faintly at it as she flexes it, “I, uh, guess it’s not so bad if I forget I had it on.”

“It doesn’t hurt?” Blake says taking her prosthetic in her hand as if she’s afraid she’s going to break it.

Blake’s ears are drooped so low, Yang wonders if it relates to the amount of guilt Blake is feeling.

“Hey,” Yang says, lifting Blake’s chin, “I would do it all again in a heartbeat.”

“But, Yang, you lost your arm.” Blake almost sounds angry.

“And you lost your memories.” Yang argues back. “I think we’ve both suffered in this lifetime.”

Blake sniffles, unable to find a proper refute.

“Come on, Blake Belladonna, let’s get you some rest so you can finally go home.”

Blake is twenty-one, and she dreams of lilac and a warm flame.

***

It’s weird between them now, even Ruby can tell. Yang doesn’t hold a shred of doubt that Blake’s the missing Belladonna. Blake feels an undercurrent of emotion when Yang so much as looks in her direction.

But they have no time for that, for catching feelings and figuring out what it all means.

They have to attend Weiss’ ball if they want any chance of succeeding. Weiss sent gowns for each of them to wear, much to Ruby’s chagrin. Yang’s is white and cuts off just at the knee. Blake’s is lacy and black, even providing a black ribbon for her ears. Ruby’s is, of course, red and she actually loves it despite her protests. They awkwardly bound up the steps to a fancy venue, completely out of their leagues. But they knew they had to play the part.

“Your names, please.” The usher says looking at a tablet.

“Ruby Rose.” Ruby says with a far too eager smile that both Yang and Blake have to facepalm.

“Thank you, Ms. Rose. Enjoy the night’s festivities.” The usher steps aside to let Ruby in.

He looks at Yang and Blake expectantly.

“Yang Xiao Long and Blake--” Blake elbows her, and she corrects herself,  “and guest.”

“Thank you, Ms. Xiao Long and guest. Please enjoy the night’s festivities. Right this way.”

He steps aside for them to join Ruby, who’s already stuffing her face with hors d'oeuvres.

“Slow down there, Rubes. You wouldn’t want to vomit when Weiss gets here.” Yang jests, covering her own nerves.

“I will not!” Ruby complains, “Besides, I’m nervous.”

“Nothing to be nervous about, lil sis.” Yang grins at her sister, “Weiss is not going to be able to take her eyes off of you.”

“What? That’s ridiculous. Weiss is going to look at me the same.”

Yang chuckles, kissing her sister on the forehead, “My point exactly.” She’s already got her sights on a certain brunette before she finishes her sentence. “Tell Weiss Queen I say hi.”

“So, how about one last lesson for the road?” Yang asks, appearing at Blake’s side.

“And what would that be?”

“May I have this dance?” Yang says with an easy smile and an offered hand, “I promise I won’t step on your feet.”

“How could I possibly deny that?”

They’ve danced together many times, but it’s never felt like this. Yang is reverent, and Blake is radiant. They’re magnetic, moving together like they’re meant to be in each other’s orbit all this time.

***

“Oh no, I should’ve never let them dance.” Ruby says, burying her face into her own hands.

“And why is that?” A voice asks behind her. Weiss stands beside her, looking at the dancefloor from the top of the staircase. All she can see is Yang’s vibrant smile, “They seem to be having a good time.”

“No, it’s not that.”

“It can’t last, can it?” Weiss finishes what Ruby’s been afraid to say, even to her own sister. “If she’s Blake Belladonna, then she can’t live under the radar like they do now.”

“I don’t know how to tell her,” Ruby admits quietly.

Weiss doesn’t know what to say, so she holds Ruby’s hand resting against the rail. “If they dance this well together, they’re bound to figure it out.”

“What if they break each other’s hearts?”

Blue eyes meet silver. “What if they don’t?”

***

The song ends, the floor clears pair by pair, but they don’t move away from each other. Lilac and amber stuck in a trance they don’t want to break.

“Yaaang!” Ruby calls from the staircase, tearing them away from each other. They bound up the steps to meet her. “You guys were amazing.”

A small woman with platinum hair and a hard stare stands quietly behind Ruby, observing, and Blake assumes that has to be Weiss.

“Thanks, Ruby.” Blake says, nerves making her fidget in a way she’s not used to.

Weiss straightens her spine and murmurs to them, “They’re in the study through this corridor. Follow me.” They walk slowly and quietly behind her, as she greets guests that she passes. When they turn a corner, she turns her head and warns them honestly, “I don’t want to get your hopes up. You only have this one chance. I pray that you don’t blow it. ”

“Thank you, Weiss.” Blake approaches the heiress, cautious but confident all at once, “I’m ready.”

“Wait, Blake,” Yang reaches out for her, and Blake looks at her in question. “You forgot something.” Yang lifts her hand, hesitating, “May I?”

Blake almost forgot about her bow. She nods quickly. “Please.”

With gentle care, Yang pulls it undone and she smiles brightly at the faunus. “That’s better.”

Weiss steps out of her way and lets Blake walk in through the door. Yang and Ruby want to follow, but Weiss stops them. “You’ve already done enough. You’ll have to wait here until it’s done.”

After Weiss closes the door, Yang paces about the hallway, trying to see if she can stand close enough to the closed door to hear anything that’s happening. But to no avail.

“Rubes, what do you think they’re saying?” Yang asks on her millionth lap around the carpet. “We’re so close to winning everything.”  

All the cards are lined up so perfectly. She can almost taste success on her fingertips.

“I can’t handle this, Yang.” Ruby says, rising from her seat in a gust of petals. “Tell Weiss I’ve gone to quality check the cookies.”

Yang hardly registers that her sister leaves the hallway. She hardly registers anything at all. She can only hope that they believe her-- that they believe Blake. Ruby and Yang wouldn’t have gotten here without her, without her courage, without her stubbornness, no matter how foolish as it all seemed at the start.

All the cards are lined up so perfectly, and they’re at the precipice. But, there’s one thing on the line she’s not readily willing to give up.

Blake emerges from the doorway, a dimness to her eyes. Dejected and tired. Yang’s never seen her like that before. Like a fire doused in water and sand.

“What happened?”

“They wouldn’t even look at me.” Blake lets out an unsteady breath, full of contempt for something Yang couldn’t place. “Tell this imposter, Weiss, that we know her kind too well. All she wants is money and will make two mourning parents suffer just to get it.”

“Well, I’ll tell them the truth.” Yang says, rushing for the door.

But Blake stops her, steps in front of her, meets her eyes. “That I was some pawn in your half-hatched scheme?”

“Blake?”

“Did you really think I was Blake? Or did you make me believe it just so you could cash in?”

“Blake--”

“--I was cold and hungry and desperate when we met, but not dishonest. Now I’m even further from the truth than when we started.” Blake lets out a sob, “I really hate you for that. And the worst part is, now I have nothing left. ”

Yang tries to hold onto her, to apologize and make her stay. But, Blake uses her semblance, and Yang grasps at a Blake who disappears. All that’s left in her fingertips is thin air.

Yang cries out desperately, “Wait, Blake!”

Weiss comes out of the room, clears her throat to get Yang’s attention. “I’m sorry, Yang. They wouldn’t listen to me. And,” Weiss looks down sadly, “they wouldn’t even look at her.”

Two faunus emerge before Weiss or Yang could say anything. “Is she gone?”

“Mr. and Mrs. Belladonna!” Yang says, surprised that even came out of the study. Then it’s like she doesn’t even know what she’s saying, desperate to right this in any way she can. “Blake didn’t want your money. I take full responsibility for bringing her here.”

Mr. Belladonna growls, baring his teeth, “Young lady, please. We’ve heard enough.”

Yang pleads with them, trying to get either of them to listen to her. “Please, you have to go after her!”

“And why would we do that?” Mrs. Belladonna looks at the blonde with a curious glint in her eye. “What proof do you have?”

What started to be just a ruse has spiraled completely into something else, something so much more than her or Ruby or lien. It’s about Kit-- about Blake. Somehow she thinks it’s always been about her. How the Gods twisted their fates to intertwine such that when they meet, they collide and create explosions that change everything in its wake.

Yang’s semblance triggers, her emotions getting the better of her as her eyes turn red and fire washes over her, “Because that’s her. That’s the girl I lost my arm for when I was ten years old,” She shows them her prosthetic, shaking all the while. She whispers, “I wish I could forget her, but I believe with all my heart that’s her.” Her eyes still burn red, “Taiyang Xiao Long held off the rest of the ambush, and I bought my dad just enough time to carry us all out of there, even if it cost me my arm and it cost him his life.”

Tension suspends around them as the Belladonnas process that information.

Mr. Belladonna speaks first, a recognition passing through his eyes, “You’re one of Taiyang’s daughters?”

It’s like she doesn’t even hear him. Yang hangs her head, her eyes going back to lilac, “And she came barreling back into me and my sister’s lives ten years later demanding that we help her get her memories back, help her get to Vale where she hoped to find you both. But now that she did, you’re just going to let her go? You’re just going to break her heart? She worked so hard to get here and all you did was turn her away.”

“If you’re looking to get a reward--”

Yang doesn’t know who was speaking, but she didn’t care. “--I’m not. Not anymore. I don’t deserve it and I have no need for it. I just need her to be happy. I need her to come back home. It’s all she wanted.” She looks at them, pleading, “I know you lost a daughter ten years ago, but you have a rare opportunity to have your back in your life. I wouldn’t waste it.”

She leaves them to decide, slamming the door shut behind her, Weiss following behind her.

Ghira and Kali Belladonna are left speechless in her wake.

***

“Blake?” Ruby, Weiss, and Yang call out for her when they enter the suite.

“Don’t call me that!” Blake answers as she’s angrily throwing whatever she can into a suitcase. She picks up a ribbon that’s purple and waves it accusingly at Yang. “What’s this?”

“I bought that for you when we arrived. I figured you’d want a new ribbon after you let the other one go.” Yang admits quietly. “In case you ever needed it again.”

Blake tries not to recall the purple band that Yang likes to wear on her leg, and throws it at the blonde, “I don’t want it.”

“I can’t even fight for the faunus if I’ve spent my entire life trying to hide it.” Blake spits out at anyone in the room, causing Weiss and Ruby to retreat out into the hallway. When her eyes land on Yang, she starts back up again, “And you! I don’t want anything more from you, Yang. This was all a fun little game to you, and I never want to see you again. Get out!”

Yang, for once, actually listens to her. She grips the ribbon in her hand and walks right out the door.

Blake doesn’t even notice. Yang’s already left, but she keeps going as if she’s still there, “Not to mention, you’re so frustrating. What with your stupid jokes and encouraging words. To think I actually believed you?!” Blake scoffs, so frustrated with herself that she doesn’t notice two more persons in the room. “I showed you my ears, the dust crystal and you pulled that that trick with the stupid music box. Made me feel like I was special. I even shared my tuna with you even though you-- OH, Mr. and Mrs. Belladonna! I didn’t see you” Her ears droop and her eyes avert to the ground, “How long have you been there?”

“Eavesdropped from outside, watched your girlfriend leave, and then listened as you continued to yell at her.” Ghira explained, chuckling all the while. “Music box, huh? Wouldn’t still happen to have your necklace, would you?”

Blake shakes her head, “I think it got lost like the music box did. I don’t think Yang was able to find it. I remember the night that Mom gave me the music box. The girl in the music box had my ears and I used to dream of dancing with my soulmate to the melody.”

“I don’t see why that’s not a possibility.” Kali looks up to Ghira with a twinkle in her eye. “If anything, it seemed like it came true at the ball tonight.”

The frustration seeps over her, “What does it matter if I don’t know who I am? What does any of this matter if you can’t accept that I’m the daughter that you lost? It took over ten years, but I made it to the safehouse in Mistral when I needed it most. I made it here to Vale. And for what?  Why don’t you want me to be Blake?”

“We get so many letters and people asking to meet that it turned us cold and weary.” Ghira admits, his tone softer than it was in the study, “But I guess fear is what’s left behind after everything’s that’s happened. Some things get harder to remember.”

“I couldn’t remember you. I couldn’t even remember myself.” Blake whispers, “And now I...I think I’m someone completely different than who you knew.”

“We’re sorry that we doubted you. But look at how you’ve grown.” Kali said, engulfing her in a hug. “Still a fighter. Courageous. Compassionate for our cause.”

“You believe me?” Blake asked with tears in her eyes. “What made you change your mind?”

Ghira clears his throat, “The faunus ears for one. You always had the cutest ones.”

Kali refuses to beat around the bush, “Also that girlfriend of yours.”

“She’s not my girlfriend.”

“Well, in any case, she made a very strong case in your favor. She seems about as passionate as you are,” Ghira gives Kali a knowing look, “if not more fiery.”

Blake, true to her own nature, is stubborn about it, “Well, she’s just in it for the reward.”

“We thought so too, until she refused it.” Kali’s eyes twinkles, “She said something about needing you to be happy. Weren’t those her words, dear?”

Ghira supplied, “Needs you to come back home.”

“Why would she…” Blake gasps, realizing the one thing she wouldn’t readily want to give up.

***

She’s almost out of the hotel lobby when someone grabs her arm, hard enough to bruise and she struggles against their hold. They lead her out outside, into an alleyway.

“Finally, we can have some time alone together.” He shoves her to the ground and smiles down at her. “Stop parading around like you’re the lost daughter.”

“But I am Blake Belladonna!” Blake fires back, “Why is that so hard to believe?”

“History would not want you alive.” He says coldly and unyielding.

“I beg to differ, especially when it comes to things you stand for.”

He pulls out his sword, swings it around a few times, and then points it at her, “And what do you think I stand for?”

“Spite, hate, and punishment.” Blake almost spits at him, “All these people lost due to your own personal agendas for payback.”

He stops pointing the sword,  “And you don’t think that’s gonna get us on the same level as these humans you call your friends? Are you really going to follow in the footsteps of your weak-minded parents?” He takes off his mask to reveal an SDC brand across his left eye. “Align with these monsters?”

Blake doesn’t say anything, knows that Weiss is working to right all the wrongs her father did. In hopes it can make up for even a fraction of all the injustice. She stands up and faces him, hands curled into fists, “There’s power in forgiveness, Adam. Maybe you’re too blinded in your hate to see that.”

His eyes flash with anger, “There’s power in control, Blake! You’ll see!”

“Control means nothing if people don’t believe in your cause.”

“Control is everything,” He smirks, pulling out his sword again with one hand and pulling out a pistol with other, “Who do you think is in more control here? Me? The one holding his own weapon as well as the weapon he found on one of your parents’ bodyguards. Or you?” He points the pistol at her. “Tell me, how does it feel to be alone?”

“I’ve been alone for half of my life. And it’s all because of you and your hateful movement.”

She takes a deep breath, “This is what you wanted all along, right? Just finish the job.”

“Revolution is a simple thing, Blake Belladonna.” He smiles, and it makes her skin crawl. “You’re either for it. Or against it. And it seems like you’ve chosen your side.”

He cocks the pistol, looks her in the eye, and pulls the trigger. Blake uses her semblance to get out of the way, but when she looks for him, he lays flat on the ground. His face is unrecognizable, and the pistol is torn to threads.

The pistol backfired and she’s still standing.

“Blake? Blake, is that you?!” She hears voices and footsteps approaching.

“Thank goodness you’re alive, dear.” Kali sweeps her into a hug, checking her over. She looks at the man on the ground. “Is that…”

“Adam Taurus.” Ghira finishes for his wife, then he looks at Blake. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

Blake shakes her head. “I thought my semblance saved me, but his pistol backfired.” She takes a steadying breath, “How did you guys know I was here?”

“One of our guards saw him take you outside and called for us.” Ghira sighs, “I’m glad we got here in time.” He turns to his wife, “Take her back upstairs. We’ll need to notify the authorities and White Fang leaders.”

When they return to the hotel suite, there’s no sign of Yang. “Did she come back?”

“I’m sorry, dear. I don’t know where she is.”

Blake nods tearfully, and rummages through her half-packed suitcase. She sighs in relief when she finds her music box.

Tears begin to fall when she realizes she wouldn’t have gotten all of this if it weren’t for the blonde with a blinding smile and deep lilac eyes.

***

CCT Announcement: Adam Taurus, leader of the White Fang terrorist splinter group, found dead after freak accident. The remaining members of the terrorist group has started surrendering to the leaders of the White Fang.

***

“Tell everyone they must wait until the press conference commences.” Weiss tells the coordinators and security.

Blake strides in and smiles at the heiress. “Thanks for doing this, Weiss.”

“Your parents are an absolute dream. I’d do anything for them.” Weiss shrugs. “Besides, I don’t think Ruby would have had it any other way.”

“I can always count on your diplomatic honesty, Weiss. It’s refreshing.”

“They don’t call me Ice Queen for nothing.”

“Actually, we call you Weiss Queen.”

Weiss’ jaw drops. “That’s what she came up with? If I ever see Yang again…” She stops when Blake looks withdrawn. “Oh, I mean. I’m sure she’ll come back.”

“She hasn’t been at the hotel, and I don’t know where she could be.”

“Yang’s lived out on the streets for so long, she’s probably fine.”

Blake sighs. “You’re probably right.”

“Blake, darling, you look wonderful!” Kali says rushing to hug her like she’s making up for lost time.

“Don’t you think you could cover up more?” Ghira asks quietly, referring to her choice in crop top.

“It covers up just fine, Dad!” Blake’s ears move this way and that in embarrassment.

Ghira laughs heartily and picks another embarrassing subject for Blake, “So, when are we going to see this girl of yours?”

“Dad, she’s not my girl.”

“Could have had me fooled.” Ghira says, whistling low. He jerks his head to give Kali a turn.

Kali takes a different approach, “You know, when she so rudely lectured us about the way we treated you, I couldn’t help but be delighted at the thought that my little girl found someone who loves her so fiercely.”

“Weiss! Blake!”

It’s Ruby, and she’s rushing around in petals.

Weiss asks, trying to get her girlfriend from moving around so much, “Ruby? What’s wrong?”

Ruby finally finds Blake and she appears in front of her. “She’s at the docks. I tried to convince her to come back here and win you back, but she won’t listen to me.”

“What? Yang? Why is she at the docks? Where is she going?”

“I don’t know, she’s just convinced you don’t need her anymore.”

Blake rolls her eyes, “That idiot.”

“I know, right?” Ruby says, throwing her hands up in frustration. “At least someone will listen to me.”

She doesn’t really think about it, doesn’t hesitate, when she decides what she’s going to do next. “Ruby, how far are the docks from here?”

“At least four or five blocks. Just follow the main street til you hit water. You can’t miss it.”

They nod at each other, but then Blake remembers her parents. She looks sad and a little guilty facing them. “I’m sorry, I just really need to do this. I need to have an adventure with her.”

Kali strokes her hair and smiles at her tearfully, “We know, honey. Just remember that your father and I love you very much.”

“Don’t be a stranger, okay?” Ghira clears his throat, trying to stop the tears from his eyes. He looks at his daughter fondly, “Now, go. Before you miss her. You deserve this.”

With that, Blake makes a run for it, heart pounding in her ears.

***

Yang sits on her suitcase on the docks, tired and ready to get away from Vale.

“Yang?”

It’s Blake. Her hair is blown and her chest is heaving. She looks at Yang like they’re at the edge of something.

Yang sighs, “Look, you don’t have to thank me or feel sorry for me. I’m used to people leaving. You don’t have to be an exception.” She gives her rueful smile, “I’m cursed, remember?”

Blake slowly walks toward her, a glint of amusement and adoration in her eyes.

“I don’t want to be in love with someone I can’t have. I’m glad you found your parents and I’m glad you found your way back home.” She stands from her suitcase and waves, “Goodbye, Blake Belladonna.” She picks up her suitcase and turns to walk away.

“I always thought my first kiss would be with my soulmate, the one I danced my first waltz with.”

“I’m not your soulmate, Blake.” Yang tells her, like it’s some cruel punishment. Lilac meets amber and something twists in Yang’s stomach.

“Yang, you idiot. You are my home.” Blake says with the softest look in her eyes. She flings herself at Yang, who catches her (always catches her), and pulls her down for a kiss. Her hands make their way down to the lapels on Yang’s vest and she tugs, pulling her in deeper. She pulls away, smiling up at the blonde, getting lost in lilac. “It’s been you all along, and I love you.”

All Yang can return is a goofy smile, still lost and dazed in the kiss. Her hands framing Blake’s face as steals a glance at the faunus, “You do?”

Blake agrees, letting Yang rest their foreheads together. “I do.”

“I love you, too.” Yang’s smile morphs into a full-blown grin, “I told you, Belladonna, we could write our own fairytale.”

Blake scrunches her nose. “I don’t think I should go by that last name.”

Yang considers it for a moment, “Can I still call you Blake?”

“Yes,” Blake says as she rolls her eyes.

The blonde nods like she’s made an important decision, “Blake Xiao Long, it is.”

“Buy me dinner first.” Blake rolled her eyes as she shoved at Yang’s shoulder.  

“For you?” Yang’s smiles wicked and knowing, “Anything.”

“So, tell me, where was the one and only Yang Xiao Long going to go?”

“It’s going to sound a little lame.” Yang admits as she nods to the incoming boat. “But I wanna go home to Patch.”

“Then let’s go home.”

They stand there hand-in-hand at the edge of the docks with the wind blowing around them, ready for the next journey.

***

CCT Announcement: Ghira and Kali Belladonna-- There will be no more talk of Blake Belladonna. We will no longer entertain any letters or inquiries.

***

CCT Announcement: After the dismemberment of the White Fang splinter group. Ghira Belladonna accepts a new role as chieftain of Menagerie in hopes of bringing peace to the faunus again.

***

The weather in Patch is drier than it is in Menagerie, but Blake welcomes the warmth anyway. She lets the sun’s rays filter in through the bathroom window and lets herself bask in it for a moment.

“Blake! Come downstairs. Your parents are here!” Yang calls to her, and she smiles to herself.

When she gets to the bottom of the stairs, she’s met with the sight of her parents sitting at the kitchen table with Yang having coffee and laughing like they’ve known each other forever.

The front door opens to reveal Weiss and Ruby. “Hi guys! We brought cookies.”

Weiss grumbles from behind her wife, “There would be more if Ruby hadn’t eaten ten of them.”

“Quality control, Weiss!” Ruby whispers loudly to her. When she spots Blake, she grins and tackles her with a bear hug. “There’s my future sister-in-law!”

She chuckles and revels in the eager warmth Ruby gives, “Hi, Ruby.” She looks up and Weiss is coming in for a group hug, “Hey, Weiss. I’m sure the cookies are fine regardless.”

She grabs the container from Ruby and places it on the table, giving her mother and father a kiss on the cheek before taking a seat in Yang’s lap.

Ghira smiles at them, “If you’re not too busy using Yang as furniture, I was wondering if you’d could help me with my speech later.”

Blake reaches for a cookie and feeds half of it to Yang, who’s holding her by the waist and beaming up at her. Blake grins and answers her father, “Sure, Dad. I’d love to. Can you show me the new policies you’ve made, too? Illia and Sun told me they’re groundbreaking.”

“You know you’re the only person I’d trust.”

Kali looks at Blake and Yang with absolute delight. “So, how soon can we start talking about grandchildren?”

Yang almost chokes on cookie crumbs and Blake almost falls out of Yang’s lap. “Mom!”

Kali shrugs shamelessly, “What? An old woman can dream, can’t she?” Weiss and Ruby giggle at the interaction in the corner. She turns to them with a raised eyebrow, “Don’t think this excludes you two. You’ve been married for at least two years, and I’m waiting.”

“Mom!” Blake cries out, feeling all her skin get red from embarrassment.

Everyone at the table laughs. And Yang kisses her anyway.

Blake is twenty-five and knows that life will make the craziest turns. But she’s found her home, love, and family. She’s just happy to be here with Yang at the beginning of the rest of their lives.