Shaded White

Blake Belladonna and Ilia Amitola walked through the streets of Vale late at night and found themselves at a store called "Tukson's Book Trade." They went around the back of the store, and the ninja cat girl knocked on the back door in a certain way. After a few moments, the door opened to reveal a young pale adult male with black hair and hazel eyes, Tukson. He looked around from his back door cautiously before asking.

" You weren't followed?"

" No, Tukson, we were careful."

Blake replied to assure the store owner, and he then told the two girls with a welcoming smile.

" Come on in."

The two girls entered the back of the bookstore, and Tukson told them.

" I have a pair of beds set up in the corner for you, and I will be upstairs if you need me for anything. Oh, and the restrooms are near storage to the left."

" Thank you, Tukson, for everything."

Blake expressed her gratitude, and the store owner waved her off casually as he said.

" It's my pleasure, Blake. I owe your folks a lot for everything they have done."

Tukson yawned and then said.

" Night, you two, and see you in the morning."

" Sleep well, Tukson."

The ninja cat girl said as the store owner went to his room to sleep. The two girls went to find the beds Tukson had set out for them, and after seeing them, the fatigue of their almost non-stop journey to Vale after getting off the train hit them. Ilia crashed face-first into the pillow on the bed and said to Blake.

" Night, Blake."

" Night, Ilia."

The ninja cat girl responded as she eased herself into bed and found a position she was comfortable in to relax. She recalled what led to her final decision to desert the White Fang at the first opportunity she got with Ilia.

( Six Months Prior)

Adam had become the leader of the Vale branch of the White Fang after the previous leader died under some mysterious circumstances, which gave Blake some suspicions she really hoped were wrong. Things didn't change at first until the first raid against the Schnee Dust Company, which Ilia and herself disagreed with as while past crimes of the company were not excused, the SDC was trying to make amends by ensuring their faunus workforce were properly compensated and had benefits for their dangerous work in mining Dust.

Most of the Vale branch relished in striking against the SDC along with Adam, but the final straw was when Silva showed up to deliver a letter to Blake from her parents. Unlike with the previous leader of the Vale branch, Adam did not welcome the snow leopard faunus presence and was even hostile to the "traitor of Faunus-kind," as the bull faunus called him. Things quickly escalated to the point a fight broke out as Adam tried to cut Silva down, only to fall through a black portal that opened up in the sky and made the bull faunus fall from a great height.

Before the snow leopard faunus left, he told Blake.

" You can always leave and find another path if you want to try and make things better."

What he said stuck with the ninja cat girl, and she decided to become a Huntress in the end. Ilia soon found out about her plans and also decided to come with her as well.

( Back To The Present)

Blake closed her eyes as she relaxed and soon fell asleep.

***

Weiss Schnee looked in the mirror as she examined the scar on her left eye. She gently touched it, and it still felt tender to her. As a complex series of emotions filled the snow princess, she heard a knock on the door of her room. Willow called out from the door.

" Weiss, dear, may I come in?"

Weiss considered for a moment, then answered neutrally.

" You may, mother."

The Schnee matriarch entered her daughter's room and saw the scar on her daughter's face and looked guilty as she asked.

" Does it bother you?"

Weiss touched her scar and pursed her lips as she thought about how to answer. After a few moments, the snow princess said.

" It does not bother me as much as I thought it would, and I know some consider scars to be badges of honor and-."

Weiss did not get a chance to finish her sentence as her mother suddenly hugged her and said with tears in her eyes as she could tell her daughter was putting on a brave front.

" I am so sorry; my selfishness hurt you. I never wanted you to get hurt, let alone have a scar on your beautiful face."

A lot of the more negative emotions decreased in the snow princess as her heart felt warm for her mother's care and apparent guilt over her actions. Weiss returned her mother's hug and assured her.

" I'm fine, mother; it's just a scratch. We were both being stubborn in our opinions on what was best."

" Weiss, dear, if you want, I can use some of my contacts to see about having the scar removed."

While the offer admittedly tempted the snow princess, she chose not to make a big deal about her scar to put her mother at ease.

" I'm alright, mother, really."

" Are you sure, dear? It's no trouble at all."

Weiss smiled at her mother gently as she assured her.

" I'm sure, mother."

***

I, Silva Branwen, sat down as I made notes on Wulf Terra and Summer Rose's progress. So far, my treatment plan is working, and they should be back to normal physically within the year. What I did was energize the two's cells with Magic to grow back parts of their body perfectly as I eliminated the Grimm corruption bit by bit. Plus, their minds are now whole and unlikely to have any trauma once they wake up since they are in a constant state of deep, dreamless sleep. Overall I am pleased with my work and look forward to bringing Summer back into her daughter's life.

They only have a bit of Grimm corruption left near their vital organs, which makes things far more dangerous, but I am confident I will succeed. Only a month and a half left until Beacon starts. Ozpin is still operating under the assumption that I am the Spring Maiden, much to my annoyance, but is taking the slow approach in trying to earn my trust. Not that he will get it, as he currently is with his secrets and half-truths about everything. The old wizard has taken a step back as he knows I am going to attend Beacon next semester, and I wonder how my time there will turn out.

I think I will check up on Ren, Nora, and Blake soon to see how they're doing. Ren and Nora have become friends with me and almost everyone that lives with me in Vale. Neopolitan and the thunder girl have become a pair of trouble-making wild cards that always cause either mischief or explosions. Ren has become a great guy friend just to chill and hang out with on the occasional guys' night. We mainly swap recipes, talk about cooking, and tell funny stories about the women in our lives.

If Blake has not left the White Fang by now, she should soon and I can finally go open season on Adam's little cult. I can even make it look like an accident or Grimm attack if I want to. Still, I probably won't, as I will not hide anything and own up to what I do because if I want to date the ninja cat girl I need to give her a sense of transparency with me, as Adam always had a figurative mask on. So much to do and so little time.