69

Vale Dockyard

"Well, it's official. The world's turned upside down."

Much as she loathed to admit it, Ilia couldn't help but agree with Roman's muttered words as she followed the (former?) conman and Neo through the dockyard gates. Just a year ago, she and her fellow White Fang had been scoping out these very docks. Memorizing security shifts, camera locations, shipment manifests, all in an effort to steal whatever Dust, weapons, and money they could so as to further their cause. Thanks to her own abilities, Ilia herself had been the forerunner for such operations, hiding and ducking out of sight of the guards. If even a fraction of her actions were known to the authorities, she likely wouldn't see the outside of a cell for years.

But now, with nothing more than a quick flash of Roman's scroll, she was being waved in by Atlassian guards and handed a visitor's pass, a soldier laying out, firmly but not unkindly, where they should go and what was off-limits.

"It's rather self-explanatory. Any locked warehouse is off-limits to the public. Any with standing guards, you must show proper identification and orders from Command before being allowed entry. The one you're looking for is just down the way, number D-47."

Roman gave the man a nod and a smirk. "Seems simple enough. Thanks, private."

Romans tone had clearly been sarcastic, but the soldier, who didn't sound much older than a teenager, straightened his back and clicked his heels. "Always a pleasure to help a Huntsman, sir," he said brightly, giving Roman a crisp salute.

Ilia shared a brief glance with Neo, seeing her own incredulousness reflected back in the girl's mismatched eyes.

Yes, the world had indeed gone mad.

"Uh… yeah," Roman said awkwardly after a painfully long moment. "Good. Umm… at ease." He let out a deep breath when the soldier nodded and finally walked away. He quickened his pace to get away from the gate. "Yeesh. That's going to take some getting used to. Seriously, 'Sir'. What the hell…"

Ilia couldn't help but keep glancing around warily as they walked. Everywhere she turned, all she saw were Atlassian soldiers and SDC emblems. The fact that nearly every armored man they passed did a double take at them and wouldn't stop staring until they'd moved a dozen steps away did nothing to soothe her nerves.

"Are we sure we're… safe, walking around here?" she couldn't help muttering as she briefly locked eyes with one soldiers' visored gaze.

Roman snorted. "Depends on your definition of safe. Old Man Oz said that Ironwood's spread word of my 'undercover' status among the ranks." His sarcastic tone made clear his thoughts on the situation. "So me and Neo got a clean slate… at least on paper. I doubt some of these fine armed forces are going to forget us knocking heads and shooting at them anytime soon."

As if to prove his point, a pair of passing soldiers turned sharply to him, and Ilia could have sworn she heard one of them growl under his breath.

Roman just flashed them a smirk. "Hey, how you doing?" The two soldiers tensed, before walking away with a scoff. Roman just chuckled snidely. "See? And as for you, my reptilian friend… well, guess there's a benefit to those fancy masks of yours. Just don't go flashing that around, and you should be fine."

Ilia squirmed a little at his dismissive tone. Of course she wouldn't be wearing her White Fang mask around this SDC infested dock! She hadn't even dressed in her usual outfit, instead settling for some red jeans and a black shirt and cropped jacket Miss Kali had brought to her guest room. Aside from being a Faunus, she looked nothing like a White Fang member at the moment.

That didn't stop her from nervously eyeing every single soldier they passed, as if expecting one of them to pull out a set of cuffs to detain her.

Ilia gave her head a firm shake. She couldn't think about that, not right now. The Chief and his wife had promised her safety, and thus far it seemed that the General and his men were keeping good on their word. She had more important things to worry about anyway.

Specifically… what she was going to say to Blake.

She heaved a heavy sigh, trudging behind Roman and Neo as they made their way up the docks.

It only took a minute or so before Ilia heard the sounds of battle. She tensed on instinct, straining her Faunus hearing. She relaxed slightly when she heard no real strain or anger in the voices she heard shouting over the sound of heavy impacts.

Roman and Neo perked up about thirty seconds after Ilia had, it taking that long for them to hear what the Faunus already had. Roman smirked, looking towards the warehouse directly in front of them. "Sounds like the party already started." His grin widened when he turned to Neo. "Well, kid? Ready to meet your cousins properly?"

Ilia did a double-take at his words, mouthing the word 'cousins' in disbelief.

Neo just shot him a harsh glare, before staring straight ahead, wringing her parasol in her hands nervously.

Roman just chuckled, patting her on the back… and quickly yanking his arm away when she looked ready to cut it off. "Hey, cool off and calm down. Whether you like it or not, it's a thing now. Might as well get it over with. Don't know what you're worried about, anyway. Unlike me, you haven't done anything to piss them off. Hell, Little Red is probably going to love you just on principle."

Neo gave him another glare, her shoulders tensed.

Rolling his eyes, Roman kept walking, flashing his scroll at the guard standing by the small door at the corner of the warehouse. The guard looked it over, giving Roman a scrutinizing look, before nodding sharply and stepping out of the way.

"Seems in order. Just… hug the wall and keep your head down."

The three gave the man an odd look as he opened the door. They stepped past him and into the warehouse-

"Gah! Heads up!"

Then flinched back in surprise as something bright and yellow slammed into the wall just in front of them, making a sizeable dent in the metal. They heard a muffled groan as Yang yanked herself out of the damaged wall, running a hand through her blazing hair.

Ilia blinked at that, nonplussed. The girl's hair was literally blazing, as if on fire.

"Uh…" she groaned, shaking her head clear. "Yeah, gonna be feeling that for a while." She blinked her red eyes a few times, starting slightly when she noticed the newcomers. "Torchw-... uh, Roman," she greeted them unsurely, giving them all a confused look. "What are you doing here?"

Whatever surprise Roman was feeling, he masked it quickly, shooting the blonde a smirk. "I was hoping to talk to you and Little Red about a, uh, family matter, and Rae said I'd find you here. As for Lizard Lass here, she wants to talk to Kitty-Cat about something."

Yang's eyes narrowed suspiciously before she looked away with a scoff. "Well, whatever it is'll have to wait a minute. We're kind of in the middle of something right now."

"Yang! Are you okay?"

Ilia looked over in surprise. Blake was standing a little ways off, giving Yang a concerned look. She had a light sheen of sweat on her brow, her clothes slightly ruffled. Her eyes darted towards Ilia for a quick moment, registering surprise, before focusing back on Yang.

Yang just grinned, pumping her arm as she walked back towards her. "Yeah, I'm good." Once they were face to face again, she brought her hands up in a boxing pose. "Now power back up! I want you to try holding back a bit of power again. You almost had it that time."

Blake nodded, sparing Ilia one last glance, before...

Well, Ilia wasn't quite sure what she did. Just that it left her with shocked, wide eyes, and her mouth hanging open.

Blake brought her arms up, setting herself into a familiar martial arts pose. She looked dead into Yang's eyes. Her amber eyes narrowed for a moment… then suddenly shot wide, shifted to slitted cat eyes, and turned glowing red. Her black hair started to glow with violet light, trails of faint purple mist wafting away as it writhed like living shadows.

Yang gave Blake a proud smile, her girlfriend answering with one of her own. On some unheard agreement, the glowing girls rushed each other, unleashing a flurry of punches and, in Blake's case, rapid kicks. Each blow was either blocked or met with an equally powerful strike, each impact sounding heavier and heavier as their spar went on.

Roman blinked at the brawl, nonplussed. "Huh. Well, there's something you don't see every day."

Ilia said nothing, staring incomprehensibly at Blake as she fought.

"Ilia! Mr. Rose!"

A familiar shout broke Ilia out of her daze. Her head snapped towards it, seeing Kali waving at them from a small table further into the warehouse. The Faunus ruler had a bright, welcoming smile as she waved them over, a sharp contrast to the icy glare coming from Winter sitting at her side.

Though, she seemed to have that aimed mostly at Roman.

Speaking of… "Ma'am," Roman said in joking reprimand, already moving towards them. "I believe you must be mistaken. I am Mr. Torchwick, as I'm sure you know."

Kali just smiled, a playful glint in her eye. "Perhaps among strangers, but since your niece is my daughter's Mate, that makes us family."

At that, Neo's brows shot high, while Roman merely gave her an inquisitive look. "So that's really how that works? Huh. You learn something every day." He then frowned, realizing something. "Wait a second…" He looked sharply towards Winter. "Doesn't that mean your old man…?"

Winter narrowed her eyes at him, scoffing in disdain. "You assume our father will even acknowledge Weiss' relationship, let alone accept it."

Try as she might, Kali couldn't quite hide her grimace. "Yes, well… that's his choice, I suppose."

Roman hummed lightly. "Well, his loss, then." He then removed his bowler hat, giving the Faunus leader an exaggerated bow. "In that case, call me Roman, M'lady. It's a pleasure."

Kali chuckled in amusement. "Only if you call me, 'Kali', Mr. Rose."

Roman replaced his hat, giving a nonchalant shrug. "Ehh… doubtful. Now…" He turned to face the whole of the warehouse, leaning lazily on his cane. "What exactly am I looking at here?"

Ilia's thoughts echoed Roman's words, unable to move her eyes from the spectacle before her. Yang and Blake remained where they'd been, trading punches and kicks that seemed to grow stronger as time went on. But now that she could focus on the entire warehouse, she could see that they were not the only ones. Ruby stood a little ways off, trading blows with her father as her hair glowed red and… sparked? And on the opposite side, a similarly glowing Weiss threw sloppy punches at the robot-girl (Penny, she dimly remembered), who seemed to be directing the heiress as much as fighting her.

Kali smiled proudly as she looked over the various spars. "The girls are practicing with their Affinity."

Roman quirked a brow at her. "Come again?"

"It's an aftereffect of the Mating process," Kali explained, watching as Blake tried to kick Yang in the head mid-backflip, only for the blonde to block her with a quick elbow shot. "It's rare, but sometimes when Mates mix auras to create their Mates Marks, it gives them an extra ability beyond what they already have. With the girls, their Affinity seems to have gifted them each with the others' Semblances."

Roman blinked, and the smile seemed to freeze on his face. "Ah. That explains Kitty-Cat's purple snowflake and Sunshine's speed boost. And, uh, right now, they're...?"

Kali gave him a sidelong look at the nickname he'd given her daughter, but answered simply. "Currently, they are learning how to use Yang's Semblance."

"So, all of them have super-strength now." Roman clicked his tongue, his grin looking more like a grimace as he inhaled slowly. "Faaan-tastic."

Ilia swallowed thickly. The Belladonna's had told her of Blake's Affinity, but she'd not thought too much about it. The idea of having multiple Semblances was intriguing, but she'd had more pressing matters to focus on, like whether or not she was going to turn her back on everything she'd believed in.

But now, as she watched Blake send Yang skidding back with a single bone-shaking kick, it really started to dawn on her just how much power her friend now had.

All because of her Mates…

"Whoa! Ruby, slow down!"

Everyone turned to look towards the sudden shout.

Taiyang was slowly stepping backward as Ruby advanced on him, the giant of a man looking startled as he quickly parried his daughter's strikes.

Ruby just let out a breathless laugh, her jabs coming faster and faster, the red sparks in her hair starting to trail down to her arms. "Why, Dad? This… I feel so strong! This is… fun!"

Taiyang chuckled lightly, grunting slightly as Ruby's fist connected with his forearm. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, sweetie, but…" He grunted as she let loose a flurry of stomach jabs, blocking them on reflex alone. "I'm starting to think your losing control of-whoa!"

He let out a startled gasp as Ruby landed a quick stomach punch, sending him skidding back. Ruby cheered, moving to advance.

Suddenly, Ruby blurred forward, her body wreathed in rose petals and lightning. Taiyang's eyes widened, instinct telling him to move. He flinched out of Ruby's path, the speedster streaking right past him.

And right towards her sister.

Just as Yang had stepped back after dodging one of Blake's kicks, she saw the scarlet blur rushing towards her out the corner of her eye. There was a split-second where her eyes widened in surprise.

Then she grinned.

In a flash of yellow, Yang spun around to block her sister, crossing her arms in front of her just as the speedster reached her. The rafters shook from the thunderous collision. Yellow and red rose petals went flying at the impact, revealing Ruby posed post-punch, her fist landing dead-center in Yang's crossed arms. The little leader blinked her red eyes, looking surprised at having hit her sister rather than her father.

Yang smirked at her. "Adrenaline rush kick your speed on, sis?"

Ruby's cheeks reddened as she grinned back sheepishly. "Yeah. Sorry."

Yang snickered, lowering her arms just enough to meet Ruby's eyes. "Don't be. Seems you're doing a pretty good job of holding onto your power. But...you just gave me an idea." She shot Blake a sly grin, then leaned in closer to Ruby, giving her a conspiratorial smirk. "Wanna try mixing and matching?"

Ruby blinked, her eyes widening. "Like… use my speed and your strength at the same time?"

Yang nodded, her grin widening. "A high-speed spar. C'mon, you can't tell me you haven't thought about it."

Ruby just stared at her for a moment, before looking down at her hands in thought. She flexed her fingers a few times, before looking back up at Yang through her sparking bangs. Slowly, a grin spread across her lips.

In a blur of red, Ruby's fist flew right at Yang's nose.

Yang caught the blow in the next instant, yellow petals trailing from her arm.

Ruby's smile grew. She let off another super-speedy punch.

More yellow petals and Yang caught her other fist, a manic smile on her face.

Letting out an excited laugh, Ruby suddenly leapt up, using Yang's hold on her to try and flip-kick her in the jaw. Yang leaned back out of the way, releasing Ruby's hands and flashing back a few steps. Ruby landed with one knee on the ground.

For a few seconds, the sister's looked across at each other, beaming as they reveled in their shared Joy, Liberation, Excitement. Then Yang set back into her boxing stance, twitching two fingers towards her sister in a 'bring-it-on' gesture.

Ruby gave a smile usually seen only when Crescent Rose was in her hands, tensing her legs.

The two launch themselves at each other in a flurry of rose petals, meeting in the middle with a collision of fists. Several heavy thuds sounded as they blocked and jabbed at each other, their movements slow at first, but quickened rapidly as they kicked up a storm of petals, their movements starting to blur together as they applied Ruby's Semblance more and more to their fight.

Seeing that her spar was over for the moment, Blake watched the peculiar fight with a bemused grin. She looked over her shoulder, seeing that Weiss and Penny had paused as well. The two locked eyes, each taking a moment to appreciate their Mate's unique appearance. Smiling back at her, Weiss made her way over, telling Penny to go join Winter and the others for a moment.

"Seems I've been forgotten," Blake joked.

Weiss bumped shoulders with her. "Give them a minute. I'm sure they'll try to drag us both into a four-way brawl."

Blake huffed out a laugh. "Is it bad that that actually sounds kind of fun?"

A soft snort escaped Weiss. "Maybe if you can actually fight hand-to-hand." She held up her hands, flexing her fingers experimentally. "Still… this power… it's quite a rush, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Blake agreed. "Having so much strength… I feel like I can do anything."

"I'd stay away from that mindset if I were you," Taiyang said as he came up behind them, startling that. "Thinking like that usually led to Yang breaking more bones."

The two looked up at him sheepishly. "R-right," Weiss quickly said, stuttering slightly. "Sorry, sir. It's just…"

Taiyang waved them off with a laugh. "I can imagine. Now, do you two still have any energy building up inside you?"

They blinked up at him in surprise. After a moment, they both nodded, Blake giving her arm a small shake. "Yes. It's getting a little uncomfortable, honestly."

He nodded. "I figured as much. Don't worry, it's an easy fix. Just punch your fist into your palm, like this." He showed them, a quick thud faintly echoing around the warehouse before being drowned out by the sisters' spar. "The two forces hitting each other should cancel themselves out."

Blake and Weiss nodded, doing as he said. Twin bangs sounded, and the girls' hair and eyes slowly faded back to their original color.

Taiyang nodded in approval. "Very good. Now, keep in mind that that'll only work if you have a small amount of energy stored up. If you have so much that your bones are shaking, you need to find another outlet, like punching the ground. Otherwise, you're just going to hurt yourselves."

The two glanced at each other, Weiss swallowing slightly. "We'll keep that in mind, sir," Blake said.

Taiyang grinned. "Good. Now, how about you two go take a breather? I'll-"

A sudden burst of wind interrupted him as Ruby and Yang collided not too far from them. The sister's each wore exhilarated grins as they locked hands, pushing against each other as trails of red and yellow pulsed up their arms.

"It's like a super-powered game of Hot Potato!" Ruby shouted with strain in her voice, her red hair crackling. "This is totally amazing!"

"Yeah, it is!" Yang agreed with a yell of her own, pushing Ruby away and rushing forward, her flaming hair whipping behind her.

Taiyang watched as his daughters began speeding back around the warehouse, creating concussive booms every time they crossed paths. The blonde Hunter let out a beleaguered sigh, smiling fondly as he started walking towards the mayhem. "I'll make sure those two don't hurt each other… or themselves."

Blake and Weiss watched him go with twin looks of bemusement. Weiss then shot Blake a look. "Do you ever stop and realize just how crazy our lives are becoming?"

Blake arched a brow. "Were they ever normal?"

Weiss paused, looking up in thought. She gave a sheepish shrug, smiling. "I suppose not, really."

Blake laughed lightly as they made their way back to the group watching from the far wall. Most of them were watching Yang and Ruby's spar with awed interest, but Ilia and Roman noticed their approach. Blake eyed Torchwick suspiciously as they drew near, earning a superior smirk from the man in response. "What's new, Kitty Cat?"

Blake's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You don't get to call me that," she said sharply.

Roman just rolled his eyes with a mocking look. Kali, on the other hand, frowned disapprovingly. "Blake, be nice."

Blake's eyes blew wide, her mouth falling open. "But… Mom, he-"

"Is family," her mother finished firmly.

Blake's ears wilted. "But…"

Kali kept up her stare, raising a brow in challenge.

Blake glared stubbornly for a moment, before letting out a frustrated growl, crossing her arms as she ignored the man.

"C'mon, kiddos, I'm not all bad."

"You broke Ruby's leg!" Weiss ground out threateningly, joining Winter at the table.

Roman scoffed. "I apologized!"

"Did she accept it?"

"...more or less."

Neo let out a soft snort at his side, earning a light wap on the shin from Roman's cane. She retaliated with a sharp elbow to his side, making the man grunt in pain. "Gah... getting it from all sides today," he grumbled as he rubbed his ribs.

Blake smiled in amusement, eyeing the girl curiously. Her question of exactly who she was and why she was always following Roman around was stopped short when she caught Ilia's eye.

Much to Blake's confusion, Ilia looked away the moment they locked eyes, her hands clenching and her cheeks pinked. The chameleon Faunus took a deep breath, then looked towards Kali, seeming torn. Blake was further bewildered when her mother gave Ilia a smile that… well, Blake was shamefully familiar with. A smile that somehow held understanding, sorrow, and encouragement all in one expression.

Blake tilted her head a bit, ready to ask her mother what was going on when she noticed Ilia stepping up next to her. "Ilia?" She was taken aback a bit by just how… uncomfortable her friend looked at that moment. "Is something wrong?"

Ilia grimaced slightly, letting out a small sigh. "Not… exactly." She swallowed discreetly, wetting her dry lips. "Can… can we talk? Outside?"

Blake frowned at her tone, but a subtle nod from her mother pushed her forward. She looked around at everyone else, seeing Weiss deep in discussion with her sister and Penny, while Roman and Neo seemed engrossed with the fight before them. Smiling slightly, Blake said, "Sure."

Ilia nodded in response, turning on the spot to lead her outside. They hugged the wall on their way out, just in case Ruby or Yang drifted towards them as their spar grew faster and their hits landed heavier. Part of Blake was a little worried about them hurting each other, but the sheer amount of Excitement, Joy, Playfulness the two were Feeling placated her for the time being.

Blake closed the door behind her as they left, muffling the sounds of battle. She gave a nod to the guards standing outside, only tensing slightly at their presence. She tried to ignore the feel of their eyes on her as she and Ilia made their way across the dock.

Ilia didn't lead them far, just to the railing directly across from the warehouse. The chameleon Faunus leaned heavily against it, gazing out at the ships sailing calmly around the harbor. When Ilia didn't say anything, Blake joined her, taking a moment to close her eyes and breathe in the sea air.

Minutes passed, the only sounds to be heard being the waves lapping against the docks and footsteps of soldiers and dock workers walking the pier.

"It's kind of funny, isn't it?"

Blake opened her eyes, looking at Ilia curiously. The girl in question didn't look back, still staring out over the water, her gaze slightly lowered.

"A year ago," Ilia went on when Blake didn't say anything. "We would've been hiding up on one of these rooftops scoping out which of these warehouses to hit. Now, we can just… stand here. Right in the midst of the Atlassian military."

Blake bit her lip, looking around at the docks around them. Ilia wasn't wrong, the place was practically crawling with soldiers, walking their patrols or standing guard around buildings. Even the workers unloading cargo bore the symbol of Atlas somewhere on their person. Blake took a calming breath of the salty air before responding. "It's… different. That's for sure."

Ilia gave a noncommittal hum. She finally turned her head to look at Blake, though her body remained facing the ocean. "That was your Affinity in there, right? Your mom said it lets you use your… team's Semblances?"

For some reason, Blake felt her stomach twist at Ilia's pause. She pushed it aside as she smiled. "Yes. It… kind of took us all by surprise, honestly."

Ilia just nodded slightly. "So… that was Yang's, then? Super-strength?"

"Not exactly. She can absorb the hits she takes and then release it."

Another nod. "And… you can use the others?"

"Yes. It took some time and practice, but-"

"Can I see?"

Blake blinked in surprise. Ilia's words were calm and collected, but her eyes had grown intense in an instant. "You mean… right now?"

Ilia nodded sharply, holding Blake's gaze firmly.

Now thoroughly confused, Blake could only nod slowly in response. "Um… sure, I guess? Well, I can use Ruby's superspeed, like this…"

It took a few seconds to get the feeling down, but Blake quickly felt her body vibrate. She felt an amused smile form when Ilia flinched away in surprise at the black rose petals lifting away from her body. Feeling a little mischievous, Blake quickly blurred to Ilia's other side. When her friend tried to turn to face her, she rushed right back to where she'd been, a very Ruby-like smile on her lips.

Ilia startled at the sudden rush of wind, black petals falling around her. She snatched a few out of the air, marveling at how real they felt. She looked back at Blake, and couldn't help but laugh lightly at her cheshire grin. "Very funny." Her own smile dimmed as she took a breath, steeling herself. "And… the other one?"

Blake's amusement faded quickly. She was missing something… something obvious, it felt like. Still, Ilia asked… Blake held her palm up and focused. Her hand lit up with violet light, and a small glyph formed in the palm of her hand.

Ilia tensed as her eyes widened, her pupils shrinking at the violet snowflake spinning lazily in Blake's hand. Her chest tightened, her breaths coming out as sharp huffs of air. As if realizing how she was acting, she suddenly straightened her back, her hands clenching.

Blake was quickly going from concerned to worried. "Ilia?"

Ilia swallowed thickly, before setting her face into a determined expression. Hesitantly, she lifted her hand towards the glyph, stopping just before her fingers grazed it. Her eyes flicked up nervously to Blake's. "Can I?" she asked softly.

Not sure what was going through her friend's head, Blake gave a slow nod.

Ilia gently placed her fingertips against the glyph, inhaling in surprise at the feeling. "It's… cool. Like glass." Her eyes never left the violet glyph, as if entranced.

Blake's frown deepened. She could feel Ilia's feather-light touch through the glyph. Her hand was… shaking.

"Ilia… what's going on?"

Ilia didn't answer right away. Her eyes darted from Blake's back down to the glyph.

"...they really are a part of you now." Her tone was soft, and to Blake sounded so very tired. Ilia let her hand slip away from the glyph, truly meeting Blake's eyes. "You… you really love them… don't you?"

Blake's mouth parted slightly, her cat-ears wilting. She relaxed her hand, letting the glyph fade away. After pushing aside her surprise, Blake smiled gently. "Yes… I do."

"...can… you tell me how?"

Blake tilted her head, confused by her question. "How… what, exactly? How I met them, or… how did we know? "

"Just… how… everything!" Blake flinched back as Ilia suddenly shouted, her scales shifting to an angry red. Instantly, Ilia looked down at her hands in surprise, looking around nervously. Blake did the same, taking note of the few Atlassian soldiers in the area looking at Ilia, startled. Blake narrowed her eyes at them, feeling a familiar growl building in the back of her throat.

Ilia flushed in embarrassment, her scales shifting pink for a moment. She looked down at the ground, taking a calming breath as she willed her skin back to its normal shade. Once back to her 'normal', Ilia tried again, speaking so quietly that only a Faunus could hear her. "Look, Blake… just last year, we were thumbing our noses at the SDC. We stole from them, we fought, we lied. But now… you left the Fang, you're a Huntress, you're Mated, with a Schnee, I… I'm just trying to understand." She sighed heavily, shaking her head. She gave Blake a searching look as she said, "Your parents told me why you left."

Blake's eyes widened in surprise. Her face fell, her cat-ears falling further. "Oh…"

Ilia just nodded. "Yeah." She hesitantly met Blakes eyes, asking softly, "Did… did Adam really Feel that bad?"

Blake took a shuddering breath, looking across the harbor towards the Vale skyline. "Ilia… it's not just that he felt bad. He… he barely Felt anything at all. Just… cold and empty." She scoffed slightly. "Except when he mentioned humans dying. He Felt plenty happy then."

Ilia took a slow breath, following Blake's gaze over the cityscape. "After speaking with him yesterday… I can see that."

Blake hummed lightly. "Then when I left…" She let out a sigh, shaking her head. "So much anger. Rage. And… and I feel so stupid now!"

Ilia blinked at Blake's sudden shout. "Why would you feel…?"

Blake growled as she pushed herself away from the railing. "Because… he didn't just become like that overnight!" She started pacing, Ilia following her path worriedly. "He wasn't always like that. I… I just can't believe he was like this the first time I met him. But, that just means he turned into this… hate-filled… beast over time. And I never saw it! I was with him for nearly everything he did, and I never once thought he had that much rage inside him." She threw her hands in the air, falling back against the railing. She slumped as she put her head in her hands, her anger bleeding away until she just looked so tired. "How... how blind was I that I missed how much of a monster he'd become."

Ilia rubbed the back of her neck, running her hand through her hair. She bit her lip as she tried to think of something to say. Eventually, she let out a deep sigh, leaning her elbows on the railing. "No more than the rest of us," she quietly admitted.

Blake turned to her in surprise, her ears perking up a little. After a moment, she let out a breath, joining Ilia against the railing.

"...still," she said softly. "I was second in command. I should have seen… something."

Ilia shifted in place a bit. "Well… I guess it doesn't really matter anymore." She bit her lip, then said, "Can I ask you something?"

Blake looked over at her. "Of course."

Ilia's mouth opened and closed several times as she tried to figure out the best way to word her question. Finally, she gave up and just bluntly asked, "Why didn't you take me with you?"

Blake blinked at her, startled by the question, and while she'd feel bad for it later, she couldn't help but feel some satisfaction at seeing guilt swimming in those amber eyes. "Ilia...I didn't have any time to… do anything. Once I Felt Adam on that train, I just… acted on impulse." She laughed bitterly under her breath. "I didn't even have a change of clothes when I ran."

Ilia felt a weight drop on her shoulders. Despite her anger and frustrations, the mental image of Blake running for her life with nothing but the sword in her hand was like a splash of cold water to the face. Still, she couldn't help but ask, "Would you have asked me to come with you if you could have?"

Blake's ears splayed to the side, a clear indicator of her discomfort. "I… I don't know," she guiltily admitted, before asking a question of her own. "Would you have followed me if I did?"

"I…" Ilia's instinctive answer was a mystery even to herself, the words dying as she considered what Blake was asking. Would she have abandoned the White Fang, everything it stood for and everyone in it, just because Blake asked? Now, there was no question, but a year ago? She knew what she wanted to say… but after a full minute of thinking, Ilia could only let out a bitter laugh. "I don't know," she repeated, disbelief plain in her voice.

Silence fell as the two former Fang members stared out across the waves. Blake struggled for something else to say, to reassure her friend, but… with so much different now, she could think of nothing.

Ilia didn't seem much better off, gripping the railing like it was the only thing keeping her standing. She inhaled sharply a few times, her steel-blue eyes turning up towards the sky.

"Do they make you happy?" she eventually asked, eyes not leaving the clouds.

Though the question surprised her, it only took a moment for Blake to realize what she meant. "More than you could imagine," she said, a warm smile on her lips.

"... I could have made you happy."

Blake's cat ears twitched at Ilia's near-silent words. Blake's eyes snapped towards Ilia. "What?"

The most mortified expression appeared on her friend's face, Ilia quickly looking away. "I… I shouldn't have said that."

"Ilia, what do you mean…?" Blake stopped when she saw the panicked look on Ilia's face, her cheeks red. The past few minutes played back in her head, her friend's reaction to her Affinity starting to make a lot more sense. Plus her awkwardness around her Mates, the way she looked at them, then at her…

Blake's face went slack, her cat-ears dipping as far as they could go. "Oh."

Apparently, her little exclamation told Ilia everything she needed to know. Ilia's face pinched, her body turning light pink. She let her head drop, not even bothering to change her scales back.

Something cold and heavy formed in Blake's chest. "Really?" she couldn't help but ask, the word just slipping out.

"...yeah," Ilia muttered, unwilling to look away from the waves.

"... oh… oh, Ilia-"

"Don't," Ilia said sharply, her shoulders tensing. "I… I don't want your pity."

Blake shook her head, part in denial and part… she wasn't sure what. "It's not… Ilia, why didn't you say anything?"

Ilia barked out a bitter, wet laugh, her scales turning a bright green and hair deep blue. "What would it have mattered? You always only had eyes for Adam. I was just… your friend." She took in and let out a deep breath that seemed to shake her whole body, letting her scales shift back to their normal color. When she spoke again, her voice was stronger, if only slightly. "And I did say something. At least… I thought I did. You just never caught on, I guess. I figured you just weren't into girls." She let out a harsh scoff. "Guess I was wrong about that too."

Blake shrank in on herself. "Ilia, I… I don't know what to say."

Ilia gave a helpless shrug. "There's not much to say, is there? Adam hurt you, you left the White Fang… you found something else." She looked back towards the warehouse, where Ruby and Yang's joyful shouts and heavy impacts could still be heard. Ilia dipped her head. "Something better."

Blake swallowed hard. This… this was the absolute last thing she expected today. She'd just planned on spending time with her parents, practicing Yang's Semblance, maybe talk a bit about the coming fight with Adam. Not… not learning her oldest friend…

Curiosity. Worry. Concern?

Blake stiffened slightly. The ever-present tingling at the back of her mind grew a little sharper, the familiar feeling of frost-tinged emotions becoming prevalent.

Eyes darting quickly towards Ilia to make sure she was still gazing out at the harbor, Blake did a cursory scan of the Link. Yang and Ruby were still bouncing around the warehouse, likely too full of joy and adrenaline to notice how she was feeling at the moment. But Weiss had, a trail of wispy white aura enveloping her like a protective shield.

Blake smiled slightly at the feeling, sending back Reassurance, Patience, Gratitude. Biting her lip, she tried to think of what she could possibly say to Ilia. She quickly came up blank. What do you say to a long-time friend when they tell you they love you far too late? In desperation, she latched onto the last thing Ilia had said. "It didn't start out so great."

Ilia finally looked up from the splashing swells, curiosity breaking through the melancholy on her face. "What didn't?"

"Me going to Beacon, meeting the others. Honestly," She rubbed her arm self-consciously, blushing slightly as she realized what this train of thought would lead to her admitting. "I kind of made a complete mess of things almost immediately?"

Ilia gave her a long, knowing look. "Blake… what did you do?"

Blake giggled nervously, recognizing that look. It was the one Ilia always gave her when she was about to suggest or admit something foolish. "When I first came to Beacon, I tried to hide the fact that I was a Faunus. Kept my ears hidden under this big black bow."

Ilia gave her the most disbelieving look, almost insulted. "You… what?" Then she groaned, putting a hand to her forehead. "Oh, don't tell me you got that idea from me!"

Blake ducked her head sheepishly. "It… seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Blake…" Ilia huffed heavily, turning around to lean back against the railing. "And people fell for that?" she asked, crossing her arms.

Blake nodded slightly, unable to wipe the small smile from her face. Her friend still wasn't happy, but she'd take annoyed Ilia over heartbroken Ilia. "Yeah… for a few months… right up until me and Weiss got into an argument about how the SDC treated Faunus." When Ilia narrowed her eyes, Blake was quick to explain. "She's a lot more open-minded now, obviously, but back then… she was trapped in a house with Jacque Schnee all her life. You can imagine the kind of mindset he left her with."

Ilia looked like she still wanted to say something, but her ire lessened dramatically the more she considered what Blake was saying. With a small huff, she motioned for Blake to go on.

"So, Weiss and I started arguing, I got worked up, and… I outed myself as a Faunus… and that I'd been in the Fang. Between the realization of what I just said and the surprised looks on their faces… I panicked. I ran."

Ilia's eyes widened, before narrowing, not in anger, but in sympathy. "Where'd you go?"

Blake shrugged. "Stayed out of sight with Sun's help - monkey Faunus," she explained at Ilia's cocked brow. "I met him… well, the same day I ran." Ilia's brow shot up high, forcing Blake to quickly explain. "He's from Haven Academy, Mistral. He'd just come for the Vytal Festival, saw that I was hiding what I was, and offered his help when he saw me wandering the streets that evening." She paused, before lifting her chin a bit as she met Ilia's eyes. "He's a good friend. Honestly… he reminded me a lot of you."

Ilia jolted at the admission, then shifted her weight from one foot to the other, not knowing what to think of that.

Blake went on. "So, he helped me hide, but… my team was looking for me. Ruby finally found me when I was scoping out some White Fang members I found… at this same dock, actually, now that I think about it." She looked around the shipyards almost wistfully. "We fought the Fang and Ruby dragged me back to Beacon. We all talked, Weiss and I settled things, and… well…"

"Next thing you know, you're Mated?" Ilia supplied with little humor.

Blake felt her cheeks warm. "N-no… that came… later…"

Ilia's eyes narrowed. "Blake… what's with that tone?"

Blake's shoulders slumped. "It's just… I don't regret anything! I just want to make that clear! But… how we all got together is… kind of… embarrassing…" she was officially blushing by this point.

Ilia gave Blake a long look. "Is this something I really want to hear?"

"...probably not."

Ilia breathed in deeply through her nose. "I'm going to regret this… and why not?"

"W-well…" Blake cursed that she was suddenly stuttering, unable to keep a lid on her nerves. "It was… intimate."

There was a long moment where Ilia just closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Blake… you're Mated. I… I already assumed that something… intimate happened." She groaned under her breath, before looking up, clearly dreading what she was about to say. "Just… tell me so I can get over it," she rushed out.

Despite her face feeling akin to a bonfire, Blake nodded. "Well… the week that I disappeared on them? It was the same week I was supposed to refill the prescription for my heat suppressants."

Ilia blinked… twice. "Blake, please tell me you're joking."

Blake hung her head. "No…"

Ilia stared at her, eyes wide, head tilted slightly forward. She blinked rapidly

Then… she laughed.

It started small, just a tiny snort that she tried to stop, putting a hand to her mouth to stifle more.

Blake's head shot up at the sound, eyes widening in surprise… only to slowly narrow as Ilia's snorts quickly turned to giggles. "You're laughing at me…"

"No!" Ilia denied, trying to keep her laughter under control… and failing. "It's j-just… ha!" Her shoulders started to shake. "Blake! I'm sorry, but that… that sounds like some kind of trashy romance novel!"

Blake made a sound in the back of her throat, like a disgruntled purr. "I'm well aware…" Another bout of giggles made her raise her voice out of annoyance. "It's not like I planned it! There was so much going on between school, me getting closer to my team, worrying about the White Fang, it just… slipped my mind."

Ilia coughed a few times as she finally got her laughter under control. "So," she said between lingering giggles. "One night of… passion with your team and you decided that was it? You wanted them to be your Mates?"

"...more or less." At Ilia's curious look, she hesitantly explained. "The next morning, when we all woke up, I realized… I'd Marked them during my heat. I know!" She held up a hand at Ilia's scandalized look, her mouth already open to shout something. "I know. That… I shouldn't have done that. And… when I explained what they were, what they meant… Ruby was the only one really okay with it. Weiss and Yang… needed some time.

"But once everyone had calmed down and I'd explained… everything… they decided to ride out the week until my aura burned out. To see what it was like being Mated to me and each other. And… they did." Blake's eyes lowered, the softest of smiles on her lips. "By some miracle… they decided to go through with it. That… they loved me… and each other just as much."

Ilia's humor had drained away by then, but her frustration and sadness hadn't returned just yet, being held at bay for the moment. She looked thoughtful for a while, before sighing, leaning back heavily against the railing. "Must be nice," she murmured.

Blake could only nod, mimicking her stance as she joined her at the rail. "It is." She paused, unsure if she should say what she was thinking, but deciding that she needed to, for both of them. "I'm sorry I can't be that for you, Ilia."

Ilia tensed, her eyes misty. She let out a heavy breath, looking down. "It's… it's not your fault, I guess. Even when we were in the Fang together, I knew you didn't see me like I saw you. I could have said something… more clear." She then laughed lightly under her breath, shaking her head slightly. "But, if I had… I guess we wouldn't be standing here right now, would we?"

Blake didn't respond, instead looking at Ilia in concern. "Ilia… are you going to be okay?"

Ilia just shrugged, but she could feel Blake's eyes on her, wanting a real response. Huffing heavily, Ilia said, "Just… give me some time, okay? There's a lot I need to unpack… and this whole mess with Adam isn't helping. Once I have some real time to think… I hope so."

Blake nodded in agreement, giving her friend a kind smile. "I get it. Believe me, I get it. Take as long as you-"

Riiiing!

The two jumped at the familiar noise of a scroll call sounding between them. Blake instinctually reached for hers a the same time Ilia did for her own. She frowned when she saw that the screen was still dark.

Then stiffened when Ilia inhaled sharply.

Blake felt her stomach drop, turning to find Ilia staring at her scroll like it was a live explosive. There was only one person it could've been to elicit such a response. The panicked look in Ilia's eyes only confirmed it.

Blake had all of a full second to freak out, to feel her cat-ears shoot straight up and immediately fold down against her skull in fear.

And then she Felt Weiss's Concern washing over her, Ruby and Yang's Excitement, Fun come to a dead stop, replaced with their own Concern and Alarm.

Their presence was enough to snap Blake out of her panic, if only barely. She quickly sent back Calm, Fear, Haste, and hoped that they'd understand.

Ilia was still staring at her scroll, petrified as it sounded a fifth ring.

"Ilia… Ilia!" Blake shouted, startling her friend into looking up. "Is it video or audio?"

Ilia swallowed thickly. "A-audio only," she said, her voice much stronger then she looked.

Blake gave a stiff nod, then took a deep breath. "Answer it."

For a second, Ilia looked like she wanted to protest, but then paused at the look in Blake's eyes. After holding it, Ilia's eyes hardened, pulling herself up to appear as calm and confident as Blake wished she felt.

Ilia tapped her thumb to receive the call,

"Ilia," growled a dark voice, and Blake tried not to flinch when she heard Adam's voice for the first time in over a year. "What's your status?"

"I'm… at the Vale dockyards," she said after a tense second, her mind running a mile a minute. She ignored Blake's bug-eyed stare as she went on. "Torchwick is making a deal for some of the men you requested, and I'm watching over the transaction."

Adam scoffed. "They had better be worth the money I gave that idiot. But that's not why I called. We have a situation. Are you aware that Ghira Belladonna is in the city?"

Blake tensed, her mouth going dry. No… oh, no… Blake looked around frantically, hoping, praying, that no one in the White Fang would be reckless enough to go this deep into SDC territory in broad daylight. She scanned the rooftops, looking for anything out of place.

Ilia stiffened as well but responded evenly. "I know, sir. They arrived shortly after I made contact with Blake. I was… just about to inform you."

Adam was quiet for a moment. "Do they suspect you?"

Ilia's eyes darted back and forth, before widening. She smirked. "No. I told them that I had had enough with the White Fang and wanted to defect." She winked at Blake. "They accepted me with open arms."

Blake breathed a sigh of relief, then narrowed her eyes when Adam scoffed dismissively. "The chief always was a soft-hearted fool. Well done, Ilia, but I'm afraid this changes things."

Ilia frowned. "How so?"

"With Ghira in the city, there is a chance he could damage our efforts without even trying. There are those in the Fang who find our more recent endeavors… questionable. If given enough time, they may believe that the chief is a better option for them and turn traitor, just as Blake did. We cannot allow this. I'm moving up our time frame."

"To when?"

"Friday."

She and Blake shared a startled look. "So soon?"

"We can't let Ghira get a foothold in Vale. Any later, and he might convince the authorities to help him in his 'peaceful endeavors.'" The amount of acid in his voice could have melted steel. "He's always been the sentimental type. We can use that to our advantage. Faunus have gravitated towards the White Fang in search of strength. What better way to show them how Ghira lacks it, then to have them see the great Chief of Menagerie be reduced to a blubbering mess, all to save his precious daughter."

Ilia's eyes widened and Blake's whole body lurched, feeling like she'd had her heart ripped out all over again. Bait, she thought, horrified. He wants to use me as bait to get to Dad.

Ilia pushed past her shock, clicking her jaw shut. "I thought we were just going after Blake, sir."

Adam growled under his breath. "Opportunity knocks, Ilia, and we'd do best to capitalize on it. Get Blake to the station on Friday night. So long as that human Torchwick doesn't fail in his mission, we should have everything we need. Understood?"

Ilia nodded slowly, keeping her face blank. "Yes, sir."

"Good." Without another word, Adam cut his connection.

Ilia slowly pulled her scroll away from her ear. She met Blake's worried gaze with her own.

"What now?

"So, you Felt that, right?"

Ruby nodded, frowning as she let go of Yang's arms. They had been mid-grapple when they Felt Blake's emotions spike, her Fear and Panic cutting through their joyful roughhousing in an instant. Ruby took a few moments to get her breathing under control, wiping the sweat from her brow. "She doesn't Feel like it's urgent, though. Maybe, she wants us to wait for something?"

Yang grimaced at the thought of waiting. "Let's ask Weiss first. Maybe she-"

"Hey! Are you two done knocking each other around?"

The sisters turned in surprise at the sudden shout. Roman was looking over at them with a sly grin on his face. Ruby frowned while Yang glowered.

"Oh," Yang grunted. "Forgot about him."

"What's he want?"

Yang shrugged as they started walking over. "I dunno. To talk to us about something." They paused when Taiyang stepped up to them.

"How do you two feel?"

Ruby gave him a wide, tired grin. "Exhausted. But… happy? Like when I run, only it's not just my legs that hurt, it's everything."

Yang chuckled. "You finally got a proper workout, Little Sis!" She went to ruffle Ruby's hair, only to yelp when the red strands zapped her. "Yeouch! Okay, we're gonna have to work on that."

Ruby giggled sheepishly. "Sorry."

Taiyang chuckled at them. "Ruby? Want to try canceling out the energy?"

The speedster perked up, grinning brightly. "Sure!" Without warning, Ruby pounded her fist to her palm… and promptly let out a whimper as a loud boom echoed throughout the warehouse.

Yang winced in sympathy as Ruby's hair and eyes went back to normal, seeing how her sister's arms were shaking. "Oh, Rubes… I think you had a little too much juice stored up."

"Ow… ow…" Ruby blinked tears from her eyes as she pulled her hands apart, revealing that her knuckles and palm had turned a brilliant shade of purple.

Yang hissed at the sight. "Yeah, ow. Just breathe through it, Sis. Let your aura do its job."

Ruby nodded with a grimace, and if anyone noticed her movements being a bit stiffer as they walked back to the group, they didn't say anything.

Roman grinned as they drew near. "Quite the display, Rosebuds. Don't feel so bad about you kicking my ass now."

"What do you want?" Yang asked bluntly, crossing her arms as she glared.

Roman rolled his eyes, Neo smirking next to him. "Yeesh, known your mama only for a day and already acting like her." He found it no coincidence that Yang chose that moment to release her stored up energy, red eyes boring into his. "Well, my little ball of Sunshine, there is one last thing I neglected to tell you both yesterday."

Ruby's shoulders slumped, her face falling. "More secrets?"

Her despondent tone lessened Roman's grin, making him look slightly more sympathetic. "Technically, yeah, but this one wasn't really mine to tell. And it's the last one I got." Roman grinned, clearing his throat. He swung around his cane until the tip of it was just over Neo's head. "Little Red, Sunshine, allow me to introduce my adopted daughter, Neopolitan Rose. Neo, for short."

Ruby and Yang blinked in surprise, giving Neo their full attention. Behind them, Taiyang's eyes shot wide, looking between Roman and Neo rapidly.

Neo flinched slightly under the sudden attention, but managed a nervous smile as she waved hello.

"Your… daughter?" Yang repeated, her ire wiped away as she gave Neo an appraising look.

Ruby was a bit more in awe, her silver eyes starting to sparkle. "Really?" she asked Neo.

Neo's mouth came open slightly, her eyes darting between Ruby and Yang nervously. She looked towards Roman, pleading for help.

When Ruby and Yang looked to him as well, their confusion plain, he explained. "She's mute. She knows sign language, but mostly she prefers you to decode the various glares she gives you." Neo gave him a pointed look, which made him point and snicker. "Like that one! That's her telling me to screw off."

Neo's glare deepened, but her attention was drawn back to Ruby when the girl stepped forward.

"So…" Ruby said slowly, her eyes intense. "Then you're our cousin?"

Neo's cheeks tinged slightly. She could do nothing more than give a tiny nod, shrugging sheepishly.

Ruby just stared for a moment… then launched herself forward. Neo flinched, halfway expecting an attack, only to freeze when Ruby wrapped her in a rib-creaking hug.

"We have a cousin!" She squeezed Neo tighter, earning a startled squeak from the near-silent girl. Ruby beamed back over her shoulder. "Yang, we have a cousin!"

Yang let out a small snort of laughter at Neo's dumbfounded look, then truly laughed when she saw Neo turning blue. "We won't much longer if you don't let her breathe, Ruby."

As Yang moved to help Neo, Roman scoffed at the whole thing, grumbling under his breath. "Oh, sure, they meet their cousin and they're all hugs. But Uncle Roman? No, he gets a punch in the face."

"You earned it," Taiyang said, crossing his arms as he looked down at Roman. "Daughter? When did this happen?"

Roman shrugged like he was brushing the whole thing off as nothing. "About six years ago." And that's all he said on the matter.

Taiyang wasn't going to let it go, though. "So, were you ever planning on telling us that we had a niece?"

"Hey, you, Rae, and Qrow are all full-time Hunters. Would it really be a bright idea for any one of you to be seen around two big-time master criminals?"

Taiyang rolled his eyes at Roman's bravado. "And now that you're both pardoned and no longer 'master criminals', what are you and your daughter going to do now?"

Roman rose his arm, ready to say his counterpoint… only to quickly turn away. "I… haven't thought that far ahead just yet."

Taiyang let out an exhausted sigh, running a hand down his face. "Oh, Qrow and Rae are going to have a field day with this…"

Back at the table, Weiss watched the interaction silently, wholly exasperated. "Great," she muttered under her breath, pinching the bridge of her nose. "More in-laws." She shot Winter a weak glare when she saw her sister's amused smirk.

Kali giggled behind her hand, smiling brightly. "I think it's great. It's only been Blake, Ghira, and I before. Now we have more family than we know what to do with."

Weiss hummed in acknowledgment, ignoring her annoyance as she let Ruby's Excitement wash over her. She then looked up when she noticed Blake and Ilia reentering the warehouse, moving quickly across the floor. "Blake," she called out, her brow furrowing at the troubled looks on her and Ilia's faces.

Blake spared a confused look towards Ruby still hugging an overwhelmed Neo, Yang giggling as she watched, before moving over towards the table. "We've got a problem. Penny, we need to talk to my dad and the Headmasters."

Her urgent tone drew concern from all at the table. Penny gave a sharp nod, her green eyes starting to glow brightly. "I will contact them immediately."

Weiss jumped to her feet, frowning deeply. "Blake, what happened out there? You Felt… scared."

Kali looked to Weiss in surprise. "Scared?" she repeated, her ears wilting. She looked between the two Faunus with motherly concern. "Blake, is something wrong?"

Blake and Ilia looked out over their group, all suddenly looking tense. They shared a quick look with each other, before Blake set her lips in a grim line.

"Things just got more complicated."

Betaed by Covert Weapon

A/n: As if they weren't already. *sigh…*

Got a lot of people asking if I was alright, having gone apparently AFK for so long. Sorry. Nothing's really wrong, just a combination of regular life BS and this chapter in particular being a complete mess to write. Hopefully this nearly ten-thousand-word behemoth makes up for the wait.

Next chapter, things kick into high gear as we skip forward a few days. Preparations are made, reinforcements arrive, and Raven introduces her girls to the family business.