Ch. 17 Relationships!

At night Alabast goes over to team RWBY's room. He knocks on the door and rwby is there in her pjs.

"Hey Ashy" Ruby says.

"Hi Little Red, wanna talk?" Alabast moves so she can step into the hall.

Ruby walks out of the room and leans her back against the wall next to the door.

"How is she?" Alabast wonders. She should be fine physically, but coming to terms that she was beaten so easily would be hard for her, at least if it wasn't Pyrrha or Alabast who beat her. And if she remembered what she did with Alabast while she was out of it, the Princess would be completely embarrassed.

"She's all better now! She just didn't hear the first bit since apparently your voices were distorted for a little while. We caught her up to speed. But she does remember everything after she was sat down. She's kind of embarrassed about that…" Ruby gained her usual energy. She didn't have her red cape on and Alabast was in his pjs as well.

"Understandable. How are you doing Little Red?" Alabast can tell that some things are bothering her.

"Me? Oh, nothing really! I was just thinking, if I had fought her. Could I have beaten her y'know?" She was surprised Alabast asked and was honest.

"It would have been the same result. Even Pyrrha would have been caught off guard by Ayaka's semblance. Pyrrha could beat her if they fought without semblances. But with? Only a few could do it. If Pyrrha doesn't breath and ends the battle as quick as possible she can" But it wouldn't be an easy fight with only one breath" Alabast says.

"Then how can you be so confident you can beat her? You're really really good. But don't you, oh i don't know, also need to breath?"

"Yes, I do need to breathe. So I do. Only slightly differently. I can use the same technique I use to move from place to place just on a smaller scale for air. If I change the air I breathe to a place that isn't affected by her semblance I don't breathe it in. But I don't know if any semblances that can work like mine so only a few can beat her. I could also beat her in a single breath but it would be very annoying" He leans his shoulder against the wall as he faces Ruby.

"That's so cool! Your semblance is so versatile! Man, it's even more versatile than the glyphs Weiss can use!" Ruby had sparkles in her eyes. She didn't think that his semblance had that type of application. It also hurt her head to think how that works, very complicated.

"While semblances are great, they aren't everything. What matters is your skill without aura. Because if you rely too heavily on your semblance in a fight you'll surely die when your aura breaks. That's why we work on your combat skill and train you in hand to hand combat"

"Woah, that actually makes a lot of sense. I thought you guys were just nitpicking" She scratches the back of her head.

Alabast shrugs his shoulders. "Anyway, can you give me your music playlist. I'm already getting sick of the same music and I can't find anything good"

"Sure thing Ashy!" Ruby pulls out her scroll and sends it. "Let me know if you like any of them!" She smiles brightly

"Thank you. And I should have an answer soon for you and the others" Alabast takes out his scroll to see the songs in her playlist.

"Which side are you leaning towards?!" She goes in front of Alabast. She was very interested in his decision.

"I'll tell you all when I know for sure. Just be a little more patient" Alabast puts a hand on Ruby's head. Evidently, she seems to have found her answer already.

"Fine" Ruby says a little dejectedly.

"Don't be like that. It won't be too long. The others also have to sort their feelings out as well"

"I know…..So! Are you ready for the rest of the classes this week? I was just studying because, well, I skipped two grades to get here"

Alabast leaves his hand on her head as he sighs. "Haaaah. I know how you feel Red. I didn't go to any school previously. But luckily Pyrrha and Weiss are helping out"

"True!" Ruby giggles and enjoys the hand on her head. It's very big and warm, giving her a feeling of safety.

"Can you get Blake for me? Her and I need to talk" Alabast takes his hand off her head.

"Sure Ashy! She's just reading one of her books" Ruby goes inside and Blake comes out a minute later.

Before she can completely shut the door. "You may want to grab some shoes, unless you want to talk out in the hall here"

Blake looks at Alabast and then goes back inside to get her shoes. After she puts them on she exits.

"Let's go for a stroll shall we?" Alabast walks to the buildings exit.

"What do you want to talk about?" Blake is very serious and she makes sure Alabast knows.

"We haven't been able to properly talk since….well, ever Blake. I'm not gonna have you staring daggers at me until you finally ask. So I'm taking the first step" Alabast doesn't turn around and keeps walking. Once outside he goes for a walk around the empty courtyard. Nobody is outside and if anyone were to listen Alabast could know.

"Here should work. How's your ears? I couldn't hide mine like that for over a week. Sounds like torture" He laughs internally at the torture, since he actually went through a form of it and it was way worse than having to hide your ears.

"My ears just get cramped from time to time. It's not so bad" Blake adjusts her bow as she faces Alabast who turns to face her.

"That's good to hear. Now I can answer your questions" He puts his hands in his sweatpants pockets.

Blake gets serious as she looks up to Alabast. The shattered moon right over his shoulder in the sky. There aren't any lights around and only the moon eliminates the courtyard. Blake has a form of night vision like almost all other Faunus do so it doesn't bother her.

"Ayaka Mika" Blake crosses her arms.

"Jumping straight into the deep end. Alright. Ayaka Mika. Part of the White Fang and focuses on eliminating targets anonymously. She is good at many other things and that's why Sienna had her and I team up even if it wasn't needed. Ayaka is sadistic and enjoys killing. She seems to only try and get close to me. I heard that she isn't very fond of other people per se. I don't really know much about her aside from the fact her parents were killed in the Schnee dust mines and that she really wants to get vengeance at any cost. Her semblance has the ability to make various fragrances and scents. It seems harmless until you realize that she focuses in poison and other harmful substances that she can mimic with her fragrance semblance. I don't understand how it works but it's stupid effective. Some only take one breath to paralyze you"

Blake looks very concerned. If such a strong member has made it into Beacon it's only a matter of time for something to happen.

"What is she doing here?"

"Wish I knew so I can get rid of her faster. She's probably to take me back or inform me of something. Both aren't good, and it might be both"

"Do you want to go back?" Curiosity with a hint of hostility in Blake's voice.

"Not at all. I'm finally free and making my own path. If they want the leash back on me they will have to try harder. I also finally have friends and a place that I could call my own" Alabast puts his hands on his hips as he looks to the starry sky.

"That's good at least" She doesn't really feel like she belongs completely.

"If you tell everyone the truth they would accept it. And it would make you feel better. But the choice is yours, I think I've let you know that through my actions"

"Later. Not now"

"Whatever. Anything else? I also have a question of my own"

"Yeah. But you can ask first"

"Alright" Alabast looks at Blake in her eyes. "Adam"

Blake flinches a little when she hears the name. She's been doing her best to forget about him.

"Have you gotten over him"

Blake looks to the side. "Yeah. I realized how much of a monster he has become"

"Don't lie to me Blake. You may hate him now, but I can tell that there's a small oart of you that is clinging onto the fact he might go back to being the way he was before. I can tell you he won't. He's gone, whatever you saw in him is gone"

"I know damnit!" Blake shouts at Alabast. "I know that he's gone. The man that I loved, the kind hearted, sweet, honest, respectable man is gone! I know he's changed! I can't help but hope for him to go back to the way he was! I loved him for a very, very long time!" She had tears in her eyes as she shouted at Alabast. "Where do you get off telling me this!"

"Blake. Do you really think I enjoy seeing you in pain!" Alabast crosses his arms across his chest and grips his biceps hard.

Blake is shocked for a second. Alabast raised his voice and had so much emotion in it. Pained and angry, with sorrow mixed in.

"I've seen the way you two were Blake! Everytime I saw you he would be right there or close by! I know the pain of having to give up on love! And I was damn close to completely giving it up! I saw you but you never saw me Blake Belladonna! Ever since that day I saved you, I didn't even know who you were when I saved you! I think that was the time I fell for you! It kept me going through all the years of training! All the hardships I faced! I clung to whatever I could to keep going! And you were so close yet so far away! I figured that I could make you fall for me when I was stronger, if I became the best man I could become I could protect you! But then there was Adam. Any time I could talk to you he was there to whisk you away! And you just up and left ever time! Every Time!" Alabast breathes heavily. "I saw the way you two looked at each other. I realized at some point I didn't have a chance. There wasn't a way for me to have a place in your heart. But I still hoped for something to change. That you would see me Blake. But it never happened. And then when you left the White Fang there was no reason to stay. I heard what Adam did and that you left as soon as you found out. I also left soon after. I didn't know we were hurting innocents! I thought my targets were all dirty. That they all deserved it! But when I heard about the train I wasn't sure. Sienna could have fed me false information....No. I'm getting off topic…..After you left I knew you would be hurting bad since you lost Adam, the White Fang, and your family. So I tracked you down to Beacon. I wanted to check on you and if I could have my own life while I'm at it then all the more reason to. And you know the rest"

Alabast's heart was pounding away in his chest. He doesn't want to yell at Blake, but he couldn't stop himself. He's been holding himself back and burying his emotions so much.

Blake still had tears in her eyes and a few had fallen. She was scared by Alabast when he yelled at her. She listened to his words and couldn't believe what she was hearing. He nearly confirmed what she had been suspecting and then hit her with a curve ball. She was speechless as she sorted through it all.

"Yo…..th…..When did…..you save me?" She quietly asked.

"When we were 6! The 'Bloody Hours' protest 11 years ago! When my white hair turned black and I got all these scars! I was the one that saved you from that man! The one that moved you away, that let you escape! And the same boy that your father saved! He even had to awaken my aura!"

"Th-that was you? I, don't remember much from…that time"

"Well don't worry, because I remember a lot. I remember almost every night of the way they beat my mother and then the way I ripped the throat of that man with my teeth. The way they carved my skin like they were trying to make art" Alabast lifted his hair and showed Blake his left side of his face.

Blake's eyes widened and the tears kept falling.

"W-why?…..Why did you save me?….Why didn't you tell me you saved me? Just….Why?"

Alabast let his hair fall back down.

"Because there wasn't a point. You would have only felt gratitude and pity for me. And I didn't want that. You would have felt indebted to me and I wanted to avoid that. I wanted you to love me for me, not the person who saved you"

Alabast closes his eyes and stood back up. He had walked towards Blake and leaned forward.

"And I don't know why I saved you. I saw a little girl with cute cat ears sitting on the ground, horrified by a man with scissors approaching her. Even a child could tell something bad was going to happen. The next thing I knew I had already sunk my fangs into his neck and was already ripping a chunk out. I don't know why Blake, I don't"

Blake was silent. She didn't have anything to say. Her mind was racing but also standing still at the same time.

"Blake. I thought I gave up on you the moment you were on the stage joining team RWBY. But I don't think I did. Not truly. So when I say I know you are still waiting for Adam, I understand. I just hope you can move past"

Alabast lowers his head and puts his fists inside his pockets. "Let's go back"

They silently walk back to the dorm rooms and they don't say anything.

Alabast just goes into his room and lays down. He puts his headphones on and starts listening to Ruby's playlist. He listens as 'This Day Will be the Day' starts playing. It was a good song.

Pyrrha tries talking to Alabast but he didn't hear her when he walked in. His heart was still pounding and his chest was hurting. Not physically, emotionally.

She got up and went to Alabast's bed where he had curled up facing the wall. She saw him gripping his shoulders tightly so she gently placed her hand on top of his.

Alabast felt a hand on his and turned his head slightly. He saw red hair, pale skin, and brilliant green eyes. "I think I've made my decision, Pyrrha"

She was worried about him, but his body visibly relaxed a bit when Alabast realized it was her. She hoped he would feel better than whatever was hurting him.

Alabast rolled over to his other side so he was facing Pyrrha. He grabbed her hand and arm and pulled her onto the bed next to him. Pyrrha wasn't expecting this and yelped a bit when she was pulled down. Alabast didn't see Nora and Ren watching them.

"I've decided, to be happy. I want to be happy with you Pyrrha Nikos. I want to be happy with the others for the rest of my life" Alabast slowly said as he wrapped his arms and tail around her.

She was blushing badly, and she was extremely happy. "I like you Alabast. Let's be happy together. We can share each others burdens. You don't have to pretend to be so strong all the time. I'll listen to your problems and help you through them. I'll be your Ember in your darkness"

"Thank you Pyrrha. I'll make sure to keep that Ember burning through the rain and high winds. You don't need to be the 'Invincible Girl'. Just be yourself. I like you Pyrrha Nikos. Don't leave me" Alabast held her closer him. As he put his face in her hair.

Nothing else was said. Ren and Nora were silent. Nora was sitting with Ren on his bed next to him. She had her head on his shoulder and they were holding hands.

Nora had her scroll and was taking photos. It seems she found the button to turn the flash off.

After some time Alabast fell asleep and so did Pyrrha. Nora got up and shut the lights off and went back to Rens bed. He didn't stop her from big spooning him. He was not a fan of it, but Ren didn't think it was bad.

Alabast's hair that had gray tips got lighter. It was closer to white than black now but still gray.