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Chapter 34: A Mother's Love

Beacon Academy

To the world at large, Professor Ozpin was a bit of an enigma. While friendly, he always had an air about him. A certain… aloofness. As if he had some understanding of the world that no one else could fathom. He was always calm and collected, the most negative emotion he showed being a grim look of disappointment. Even among the harshest of criticisms, he never once showed anger. After almost two decades of being Headmaster, some believed him incapable of the emotion.

Only those closest to him knew differently. It wasn't that Ozpin couldn't feel anger, it just took something truly abhorrent to bring it about. And even then, only amongst those he trusted would he show it.

Unfortunately for him, James Ironwood was one of those people.

As Ozpin paced around his living quarters, a small pair of rooms resembling a simple apartment, he held his scroll in a vice-like grip. The only thing betraying his impassive expression was the raging fire in his eyes. He took a deep breath, trying to will away the anger building inside him. With a single tap on his scroll, he made the call.

The scroll rang twice, when a surprised voice came from the other end. "Oz?" Ironwood asked. "I didn't think you were speaking to me. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

The near hopeful tone in the General's voice lessened Ozpin's anger, if only for a moment. It quickly returned when he remembered what needed to be discussed. "I assure you, General, this is a call I didn't want to make, nor should I have ever had to." His voice was eerily calm, but strained. "James, what the hell have you done?"

"E-excuse me?" Ironwood asked, genuinely confused.

With a tone not unlike a teacher reprimanding a misbehaving student, Ozpin tersely explained. "Not a half-hour ago, a student from Atlas Academy was brought to the infirmary by two Haven students, and later joined by my own Team RWBY. They all had minor injuries, with the exception of Miss Rose's broken leg, and the Atlas student being unconscious."

"Okay…?" Ironwood said. "Sounds like an interschool spar that got out of hand. Why do you sound like you're about to rip my head off?"

With another calming breath, Ozpin explained. "Well, for starters, there was no spar, I assume you heard about the highway disturbance downtown this evening?"

Ironwood's voice hardened in an instant. "Yes, I did. One of my students was involved?"

"In a manner of speaking. I'll spare you the details for the moment, just that all the students involved retreated to Beacon's infirmary afterward. Why I'm calling has to do with what was discovered when a nurse examined your student."

There was a moment of silence from the other end of the scroll, and Ozpin felt a bit of grim satisfaction. Despite Ozpin's suspicions that he already knew the answer, Ironwood asked in a tight voice, "Oz, which of my students is it?"

Ozpin's tone was disturbingly calm. "I believe the other students said her name was Penny. I repeat, James: what have you done?"

Ironwood fell silent for a moment. When he spoke, it was clear that Ozpin was speaking, not to his friend James, but to General Ironwood. "I did what I felt was right."

Ozpin looked at his scroll in disbelief, some of his anger starting to bleed through. "'What was right?' Are you joking? James, we decided against this for a reason."

"No, Oz, you decided against this, and just expected the rest of us to agree." Ironwood fired back, voicing his own frustrations. "I felt the project had merit."

"Merit, yes," Ozpin agree begrudgingly. "It had potential, but the moral implications, the risks-"

"-Have been seen to," Ironwood cut in. "Penny has gone through extensive testing. She's been trained by my own second-in-command, someone I know you trust."

"It's not a matter of trust, James!" Ozpin nearly yelled, just catching himself. He paused, forcing himself to calm, lest he interrupt the conversation in the next room. Closing his eyes, he sighed. "What exactly was your plan? Tell me after Penny tore through every competitor in the festival? Sneak down to Amber's chamber when I wasn't looking?"

There was a pause, giving Ozpin the feeling he'd been right on the money. "I had to do something, Oz." Ironwood eventually said. "You've been dragging your feet for years in finding a new Maiden. I found a solution."

Ozpin let out a frustrated groan. "I have not been dragging my feet, James. I've been searching for the right candidate. We can't rush it."

"How is using Penny any different than you pulling some random girl off the street?"

"The difference is choice, James. We need someone who is willing to accept Amber's powers and responsibility, even knowing the risks. Whoever we pick, it has to be her choice."

"We may not have time for choice!"

Ozpin actually flinched at Ironwood's intensity. The General's words were shouted in desperation, almost pleading. It was enough to give Ozpin pause. After a moment's thought, he asked calmly, "What makes you say that, James?"

He listened to Ironwood taking deep, ragged breaths, likely trying to rein in his own temper. Once he was calm, he started. "They're moving, Oz. Not just the White Fang. Both in and out of Vale, we've seen supplies being moved all over, and the Grimm… they're acting strangely. I didn't bring my army to Vale for nothing, Oz. Something big is about to happen, and when it does, I don't want the Fall Maiden's power to be a sitting duck." He paused, then asked, "What if you run out of time, Oz? What are you going to do?"

Ozpin opened his mouth to reply, but then… stopped. As much as it pained him… he had no answer.

The room fell silent, both men waiting for the other to speak. It was Ironwood who broke the silence.

"Look, Oz… I'll call my second, have her here in Vale by tomorrow morning. How about we come to collect Penny, and then… we discuss this. I'll give you everything I have on Penny. You can go over it all, ask us whatever you want, and then you can decide if she'd work as one of your candidates."

Ozpin considered his words. "What of Penny herself? Does she get a say in this? Can she say 'no' if she wants?" When his only answer was silence, he huffed. "Maybe you should consider that yourself, James." He hesitated, then sighed in resignation. "Be here at nine-thirty tomorrow."

"I'll be there." Ironwood's voice came out oddly, like he'd been startled from his thoughts. "Goodnight, Oz."

"Goodnight." The line went dead.

Ozpin stood there for a minute, mulling over Ironwood's words. With a groan, he made his way to the kitchen, towards the coffee pot. He wouldn't be sleeping anytime soon now.

Coffee cup in hand, Ozpin made his way back into his sitting room. As he tapped his scroll to call Glynda, he glanced towards the door to his office. Hopefully, his student's conversation was going better than his own had.

Menagerie, Belladonna Residence

There were no words to describe the sickening horror Kali felt deep in her soul as she listened to her daughter's retelling of the last year. Once Blake got started, it was like a broken dam, tales of Adam and what the White Fang had done came flooding out of her, with no end in sight. And as she watched Blake's face throughout it all, Kali felt a part of her dying with every tear that fell from her daughter's eyes.

Blake left nothing out. From the first protest that Adam purposefully turned into a riot, she explained how the White Fang had gone from the peaceful organization her husband had proudly built with his own two hands, into a pack of thieves and possible killers. Rioting, extortion, thievery on a massive scale; all manner of criminal action, all under the banner of freedom.

But for Kali, the worst part was hearing, from Blake's own mouth, how involved her baby girl was in it all. Training new recruits how to fight, how to sneak and steal. Standing at Adam's side during rallies, shouting support of his every word. Being the lookout, the distraction, the leader for dozens of crimes.

Throughout it all, Blake spoke in the same shaky, resigned voice. It was a tone Kali was familiar with, having heard it many times before from sitting in on Ghira's trials, from criminals that had been caught red-handed and had no choice but to confess their crimes. The only time her tone changed was when she spoke of Adam, her words either filling with regretful sorrow, or bitter anger.

And Kali listened to it, trying to keep the shock and terror from bleeding onto her face as her daughter poured her very soul out. And the entire time, she felt a burning, roaring rage building inside her every time Blake said a single name.

Adam.

Kali felt sick. She remembered Adam from when he was a boy, running around town with a wooden play sword, taking swipes at imaginary Grimm. She'd watched that boy grow into a young man, become a source of town pride as his sword skills increased. For a long time, he was Blake's only friend. He'd been invited into their house multiple times, had dinner with them weekly. Kali and Ghira had treated him like family, like a son.

They trusted him. With the White Fang, but more importantly, with their daughter's life.

And he'd used her.

Multiple times, Kali wanted to stop Blake, either for clarification or just so she could process something, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. As horrible things spilled from Blake's mouth, one after another, the shaking in her voice slowly started to fade, replaced with grim determination. It was taking so much for her little girl to keep talking, Kali was afraid to speak, fearing that if she stopped Blake, she wouldn't be able to bring herself to start again.

It went on, Blake describing Adam's rapid descent from a noble activist to a power-hungry extremist. She covered raids, recruitments, riots, and more, all culminating with the theft of an SDC supply train.

He tried to Mate with my daughter.

Whatever shred of hope Kali held for Adam throughout Blake's retellings died in that instant. Before she'd run off to Vale, Kali had noticed Blakes' crush on Adam, even before Blake herself had. But she'd thought nothing of it, attributing it as nothing more than a schoolyard crush, something Blake would grow out of. That hadn't stopped Ghira from taking matters into his own hands, taking Adam aside one day, letting him know exactly how Ghira felt on the subject; how he was too old for her, to not let her believe something that wasn't there, to watch out for their daughter, so no one would take advantage of her.

He'd assured them that he felt nothing for her but friendship. He swore he would protect their daughter. He promised.

He lied.

Several times throughout Blake's story, Kali had to pry her hands off her husband's desk, slivers of oak embedded under her nails. Deep gouges were in the wood, the result of her trying to ball up her hands at the same time her cat's claws extended.

After what felt like hours, Blake started to wind down. "... I just kept circling around the city, avoiding anything that even looked like it might be White Fang related, until his Mark burned itself out. And… that's when I called you," Blake finally finished, her voice drained. "I needed a way to learn more, so I could stop Adam. Beacon seemed like my best option. I scraped together what money I could, applied for entry, and… that's it."

Blake looked down as she finished, and a silence like no other settled around them. Kali sat in her husband's study, staring at his computer monitor with wide eyes. Her thoughts were a tangled mess, unable to believe that the little girl who would hold her hand on market trips had been through an ordeal people twice her age couldn't even imagine. Her eyes drifted upwards, staring at nothing as she tried to process everything.

"...Mom?" A small voice came through the computer's speakers. Kali looked back at the screen, and her heart broke as Blake stared back, tears sliding down her cheeks. "Mom, please say something," she begged, her voice tight and desperate.

Kali's ears folded down, a guilty look flashing across her face. Her mouth opened to speak, twice, but no words came out. She worked her jaw, trying to say something, anything, but she just couldn't. With a heavy sigh, Kali leaned back in her husband's chair, feeling like someone had ripped her soul out. She rubbed at her temples, trying to ward off the coming headache. "Sweetheart…" she finally managed to say, feeling no less lost. "Oh, Blake… what do I even say?"

Blake broke her gaze, looking down in shame. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Mom. I just… I just wanted to help. I thought we were doing the right thing, and Adam made it sound like… I should have known, should have stopped him before-"

"Blake, stop." Kali held up her hand, as if warding off Blake's panicked explanations before she could start. "I just…" She shook her head, looking down in despair. "I just can't believe this. Adam seemed like such a nice boy. I never could have imagined he could… for him to…"

"He was nice, Mom," Blake murmured, guilt in her every word. "A long time ago, something inside him… changed."

Kali's eyes blazed as she turned back to the screen. "That's no excuse. We trusted him to keep you safe and he…" Kali cut herself off before she could finish. She could feel it building, an onslaught of rage on the tip of her tongue, ready to spill out, but Blake deserved none of it. Kali took several long, slow breaths, forcing her anger out with each one. Her ears fell against her head, the lack of righteous anger leaving her drained. Mustering up the effort, she muttered, "Your father's going to be furious."

Blake winced, shame flashed across her face. This was not lost on Kali, who narrowed her eyes. She could guess at Blake's discomfort. "Blake," she started quietly, keeping her voice level. "You know I have to tell him."

A scared whimper escaped Blake's lips, a light mewing sound that Kali hadn't heard from her since she was a child. "I know," she murmured brokenly.

Kali watched as her daughter shrank in on herself, hugging herself tightly. Somehow, mentioning Ghira had made Blake worried and… frightened? "Blake? Sweetheart, what is it?"

It took everything Blake had to meet her mother's gaze. With a shaky breath, she asked, "Is he going to hate me?"

Kali felt her battered heart shatter, her mouth falling open as her ears flattened. Blake thinks…? She thinks her own father will…?

Kali tried to respond, but Blake steamrolled right over her, dropping her eyes as she fell to her fear. "Adam and I… we ruined everything. The White Fang, our progress… everything Dad worked towards… it's all gone. I could have stopped it, but I didn't. I helped make things worse…"

That was all Kali could take. With every word Blake said, she could see the weight of the world beating down on her daughter's shoulders. Her baby was being crushed by her own guilt, and Kali acted without thinking.

As Blake continued heaping more and more blame upon herself, Kali closed her eyes. What she was about to try was normally impossible, but with having Blake's face right in front of her, her voice ringing in her ears, Kali felt like it was the simplest thing. She flared her aura, focusing on Blake's voice.

Beacon Academy

"I wouldn't blame him if he did. Sometimes I hate my-"

Blake stopped mid-word, her eyes widening in shock.

Calm. Sadness. Heartbreak. Sympathy. Reassurance. Love.

She… felt something. For a moment, she thought one of her Mates was reaching out for her, but this was different. It wasn't like when their emotions came to her. It felt like they were coming… from within her.

Blake looked up at the screen, her mouth hanging open in disbelief. "Mom?" she called breathlessly.

Kali slowly opened her eyes, a soft smile on her lips. The phantom feelings Blake felt lessened, but only slightly. "I'm here, Blake." There was a sense of double meaning in her voice that Blake couldn't quite grasp.

"H-how…?"

Kali's smile widened a bit, growing sly. "I'll explain in a moment. But first, I need to tell you something." Her lips fell into a grim line.

Blake's ears pinned back. Icy dread filled her veins as she prepared herself for her mother's harsh words. "W-what?"

Kali leaned forward, so her face filled the whole screen. "Blake, I have only one thing to say to you." Her golden eyes bored into Blake's, making the younger Faunus cringe a bit. Kali took a deep breath, letting out slowly through her nose.

"This is not your fault."

For a few moments, the only sound in the room was the soft hum coming from Professor Ozpin's computers.

Blake stared at the screen, her ears twitching violently. She blinked rapidly, suddenly feeling lightheaded. "Wha...what?" she breathed, sure she had misheard.

Kali just leaned in further, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Blake, if there is only one thing you ever believe from me, let it be this: None of this is your fault."

Blake stared at her as if she'd spoken another language. She worked her mouth uselessly, struggling to form words. "You… I… but, wha… No!" Her ears splayed back, her eyes wide. "I… I ruined Dad's work! I wrecked-"

"Blake Belladonna, you listen to me."

Blake's mouth snapped shut as she flinched. That was a tone of voice she hadn't heard in years, not directed at her, at least. Kali stared at her daughter with a look that could only be described as a mother's glare. When she spoke, it was with a finality that the world itself would hesitate to challenge.

"This is not your fault. Yes, you've broken laws. You contributed to…" Kali took a shuddering breath, forcing the words out. "Something horrible. But I do. Not. Blame you."

Blake could only stare, her jaw still trembling to say words her mind was unable to create. She just looked at her mother with wide eyes, with an awe that was almost childlike.

"You followed someone you thought you could trust. Someone your father and I told you to trust. The moment you realized what was wrong, you got out of there. Better yet, you took steps to atone for your mistakes, of your own volition. That is far beyond what many would do." Kali's grim visage softened, a sad smile forming. "You did everything right. If anyone's to blame, it's your father and I."

At that, Blake finally found her words. Her ears stood on end, her eyes bulging in disbelief. "What?! Mom, no, that's-!"

"Yes, Blake," Kali countered forcefully, cutting Blake off. "It is. We told you to trust Adam." Her voice lowered as she said the name, holding back a growl. "We thought he was trustworthy. We put you in his care. We believed him when he said he'd take care of you. He-"

Kali had to stop herself, or else her voice would push over into screaming. She closed her slitted eyes, taking long, deep breaths. Blake looked on, concern and confusion in her eyes.

Once her breathing evened out, Kali opened her eyes. Blake nearly flinched back under her gaze, never having seen such intensity in her mother's eyes, burning like twin suns. "Here's what we're going to do," she said, in a tone that left no room for argument. "I'm going to discuss this with your father. I'm going to tell him everything you've told me. We'll find out who we can trust, and then we'll work on finding a way to solve this." Kali gave Blake a soft, motherly smile, one that promised unending support. "You're not alone in this, sweetheart."

Blake couldn't think. She felt like the floor had been ripped out from under her, and she was left hanging in the air, to be blown away in the wind at any moment. "Y-you don't hate me?" she murmured, her voice hopeful, yet still full of doubt.

Kali let out a helpless sigh, lifting a hand as if to reach through the computer screen and cup her daughter's cheek. Blake sounded so small, so broken. All Kali could do was focus, and speak from her heart. "No, Blake. Nothing could ever make me hate you."

Again, Blake took a shuddering, startled breath as new feelings rose to the surface, as if coming from her own heart.

Reassurance. Resolution. Love.

"A-and… and Dad?" she asked, the hope in her voice growing.

Kali just shook her head, smiling softly. "Never in a million years. I swear it."

Blake stared at her mother, unable to see, or apparently, sense, any kind of lie or falsehood in her mother's words. In Kali's eyes, she found nothing but warmth and love.

She took a deep breath.

Then another.

Before she could stop them, large, wide tears started rolling down Blake's cheeks. Her breathing devolved into heaving sobs. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself, closing her eyes shut to try and stop the flow of tears, but to no avail. The Link suddenly flared to life, bombarding her with warmth, cool, lingering feelings of concern and comfort. And on top of the emotions from her Mates several floors below, the strange, warm emotions from within her kept coming, leaving her between a flood of emotions.

"That's it, sweetheart," Kali soothed, her eyes having slit shut again. "Just let it all out."

And Blake did just that.

It took Blake almost ten minutes to bring her tears to an end. Her sobs slowly eased into small whimpers, her breaths becoming less shaky. She wiped at her cheeks with the sleeve of her jacket.

"Feeling better, baby girl?" Kali asked, smiling sadly from the monitor.

Blake sniffed, wiping at her nose. She managed a weak smile as she looked up. "Y-yeah… a little." A wave of relief washed over her, again, not from the Link with her Mates. As she tried to slow her breathing, Blake couldn't help but ask. "Mom, how… are these your emotions I'm feeling?"

Kali's smile faded a bit as she nodded. "Yes, they are, sweetheart."

"But… how? I thought that only Mates could sense each other's emotions?"

Kali let out a deep sigh. "That's true, for the most part." She growled to herself. "You should have been taught this… I should have taught you this years ago. Blake, you at least know that you can sense your Mate's emotions through your aura, right?"

Blake nodded, brushing away the last of her tears.

"Well, where did your aura come from?"

Blake blinked at that. She thought back to her classes and her reading, trying to remember if that had been covered in the past months. Her eyes slowly widened. "From… you and Dad."

Kali smiled gently. "That's right. Now, your aura has grown. It's changed and shifted over the years, just as you have. But it still has that spark, the same one it had when I held you in my arms for the first time."

"And… you can feel my emotions through that spark?" Blake asked, her face going slack in shock. "All the way from Menagerie?"

Kali made a contemplating hum at the back of her throat. "Not exactly. I could only do it this time because I can see you right now. If I tried it just out of the blue, I doubt I could, not from halfway across the world."

Blake nodded absently. "But, if we were near each other?"

"I could, but not like you're thinking." At Blake's confused look, Kali explained. "With your Mates, you can feel their emotions all the time, right? Well, unlike with Mates, the bond between parent and child is voluntary, and can be blocked by either party at any time."

Blake's eyes widened in surprise. "I never knew that."

Kali let out a sad sigh, sympathy and guilt in her eyes. "I'm afraid there may be a lot you don't know." She took a deep breath, smiling motherly. "Now… I think that's enough of this… horribleness for one night. Let's get to why I called in the first place."

Blake blinked at the subject change, then blushed when she saw her mother's smile grow. She looked away from the screen, ducking her head shyly.

Kali couldn't help but laugh at her daughter's reaction. "Oh, sweetheart, don't be embarrassed! This is a good thing! I've been wanting to talk to you about this all week."

That reminded Blake of something. "I wanted to ask about that. We only became true Mates yesterday. Why were you trying to reach me a week ago?"

Kali hesitated, then sighed in resignation. "Something else you should already know… well, Blake, the reason I've been trying to call you was because of this."

Blake watched as Kali turned her head, craning her neck so Blake could see the intricate design on it: a wide silver shield with a black center, flowing lines of gold weaving through its form. At its center sat a golden five-petaled flower.

"Your Mark?" Blake questioned.

Kali grinned, facing forward. "When a Faunus connects their soul to another person, anyone with a Mark in their family will feel it. A week ago, your father and I were sitting down for breakfast, when our Marks started to warm. I was hoping to speak with you about it before now, but we've been getting bad storms here all week. Today was the first time I've seen the sun in days."

"Oh," Blake breathed in awe. Then a ball of ice formed in her stomach, a sickening thought hitting her. "Wait. If you can feel when I Mate someone, what about… Adam?"

In an instant, Kali's eyes hardened. "Yes, Blake, we felt it then, too. I wanted to call you, but we'd just had a pack of Deathstalkers rampage through town the day before. They destroyed most of the buildings on the east end, including the communications tower."

Blake winced at that. Menagerie was a beautiful country, but it housed some of Remnant's deadliest Grimm, with more species growing larger than anywhere else in the world. Deathstalkers were some of the most common, but only attacked populated areas when in large numbers. "Why didn't you say something when I called?" she couldn't help but ask.

Kali's shoulders slumped, her ears wilting. "I wanted to, but… when you called and I saw how you didn't have a Mark, we thought your Mating just hadn't gone well, and you left the White Fang to get away from whoever it was. When you called, you were trying so hard to sound normal. I knew something was wrong, but I didn't want to push. I thought you were just dealing with a broken heart."

Despite the pain in her chest at the memory, Blake snorted lightly. "Well… you weren't exactly wrong…"

Kali shot her a reprimanding look, finding no humor in the situation. "Yes, well… that's partly why I wanted to speak to you. I was worried when you gave someone else a Mark so soon after rejecting one." Her smile came back in full force. "But then I felt you finalize the Mark. I just had to know who it was that fell for my little girl."

The joy in her mother's voice made Blake smile, only to have it fall in dread. She wasn't prepared for this. Her Mating was about as unconventional as possible, from how it started to who and what her Mates were. She had no idea how her mother would react to the nature of her relationship.

Kali noticed Blake's uncertainty. "What now, Blake?"

Blake hesitated, biting her lip. "Nothing, I just… I'm not sure if you'd approve of who my Mates are."

Kali blinked, surprise in her eyes. "Mates? Plural?"

Blake flinched, berating herself. She hadn't meant to say that. "Is that… bad?"

The surprise faded quickly, Kali shaking her head slightly. "No! No, no, there's nothing wrong with it, Sweetheart, I just wasn't expecting that. There's never been a group Mating in our family before, at least not on my side. I'll have to ask your father about his later." She smiled brightly, excitement dancing in her eyes. "Well, tell me about them! Who are they?"

Again, Blake bit her lip, trying to think of how best to approach this. "Well… they're not the most… conventional choices for Mates."

At that, Kali slumped a little in her chair. Though she tried to hide it, a bit of exasperation slipped into her tone. "Blake, at this point, I'd be surprised if they were." She let out a sigh, straightening up as she looked Blake in the eye. "Tell me something: are they good people?"

"Yes," Blake answered instantly, not even having to think about it.

"Do you all love each other?"

"Yes."

"Do they make you happy?'

"Yes."

Kali gained the largest smile she'd had since their talk started. "Then, whoever they are, whatever they are, I'm sure I'll love them. Now, stop leaving your poor mother in suspense," she teased, in a mocking version of her motherly tone. "Out with it."

Blake gave a small giggle, feeling her tension ease slightly. "Okay, um… well, there's three of them," she started, testing the waters. "And they're all female."

Kali's eyebrows rose a little, but she made no comment. She nodded encouragingly, waiting for Blake to go on.

Blake took a breath, knowing her mother would find something odd with her next words. "...and… they're all human."

At that, Kali's face went a little slack as she blinked rapidly. "O-okay…" she droned uncertainly.

Blake's ears wilted a bit in apprehension. "You… don't approve?"

Kali opened her mouth once, then closed it with a small hum, looking thoughtful. "It's not that I don't approve, sweetheart," she soon assured. "I'm just confused. If they're all human, how could they give you a Mark?"

Blake let out a sigh of relief. She knew her mother wasn't a very prejudicial person, but she had still worried about how she'd react to none of her potential daughters-in-law being Faunus. "I told my Mates that, with them being human, my connection to them would be weakened. They… didn't think that was fair." She smiled at the memory, remembering how she felt when Weiss pulled out that book. "One of them did some research, and found a way to repurpose my old Mark from Adam into a new one using their aura."

Kali's eyes widened in awe. "And it worked? Blake, that's incredible! I've never heard of such a thing. Your Mate must be rather resourceful to think of such an idea."

Blake blushed a little, smiling with pride at her mother complimenting Weiss. "Yeah, she's pretty smart. Top of our year, actually."

Kali's cat ears perked up, having finally heard an actual detail about her daughter's new loves. "Is she? That's impressive. Come now, Blake, please stop being vague. Tell me about these girls. What makes them special to you?"

Blake took a moment, thinking of how best to describe her Mates. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach at how she'd explain her affection to a certain white-haired heiress, but she pushed it aside. She'd have to deal with it soon enough, but first…

"Well, funnily enough, all three of them are members of our team here at Beacon. First, there's Ruby, our team leader. She's a couple years younger than me, but she's one of the most talented people here. She has so much energy, it feels like the world brightens a bit just because she's in the room. She's always smiling, always willing to help; even before I thought about us being Mates, just being near her put me in a good mood. She's… so understanding. She doesn't care about who or what someone is. She just wants to make everyone happy."

Kali beamed at Blake's tone. A soft smile had formed on Blake's lips as she spoke, one that spoke volumes about how she felt for this girl.

"Then there's Yang, Ruby's sister."

It took a moment for what Blake said to really sink in. Kali's eyes suddenly widened, her ears shooting straight up. "Um, Blake? If they're sisters, did they-?"

"They have a sibling's pact!" Blake shouted, throwing her hands up in defense as her cheeks tinted. "I knew that much!"

Kali let out a deep breath, her ears sagging in relief. "Oh, thank the gods. Otherwise, we'd be having a very different talk right now."

Blake let out an awkward laugh, beating down her blush. "Yeah, it was an… interesting conversation when I explained the concept to them." She cleared her throat slightly. "Anyways… Yang is Ruby's older sister, and my team partner. She's… I guess the best word is boisterous. She always tries to liven things up, making jokes or dragging me and… my other Mate off to do something she thinks we'll enjoy. She's almost as energetic as Ruby, except she has a bit of a joking side when she shows it."

Kali hummed at that. "She sounds like the life of the party."

Blake nodded slightly, the same soft smile sliding into place. "Yeah, but… she has a softer side to her, too. I love them all, but Yang was the first one that gave me the feeling that, no matter what happened, she'd support me through anything. She… helped me learn to trust again."

Kali's ears dipped a little. The fact that Blake had to relearn how to trust made her soul ache, as well as add fuel to the fury burning inside her towards Adam Taurus. Still, her heart warmed that Blake had found someone truly loyal. "They both sound lovely. What about your third Mate? What's she like?"

"Um…" Blake hesitated, unsure how to proceed. "She's… um…"

"What?" Kali frowned in concern. "Is there something wrong with your Mate?"

"No, nothing's wrong with her," Blake quickly assured. "I'm just a little worried about how you'll react to who she is."

Kali lifted her head a bit, perplexed. "Blake, what do you mean by that? I told you I'd love whoever she is."

"I know," Blake agreed, apprehension still clear on her face. "But…" She sighed, aggravated with herself. "She might be pushing the limit on that."

Kali frowned deeply, her confusion growing. "Blake, please. Stop acting like you already know how I'll react. Let me decide if I like your Mate or not. Now, will you tell me who she is?"

Blake bit her lip, her eyes darting down for a moment. "It… might be easier to show you… Mom, can you see my Mark?"

Kali blinked at the change of subject. "Um… not fully. It's a bit far on your neck for me to see."

Blake let out a breath. "Well, take a look at it. It'll probably explain things better than I can." She then turned her head to the right, showing the side of her neck.

Kali had no idea where Blake was going with this, but she leaned towards the screen eagerly. She'd been curious about it since she'd first called.

The first thing she noticed was how colorful it was. All four colors were bright and vibrant, showing beautifully against Blake's skin. She took note of her daughter's flower symbol at the center, connected to each symbol by lines of color. A bright red rose, sitting beside an odd yellow symbol. A flame, maybe? And at the very top of it, a blue…

…

Kali blinked.

…

She blinked again. Rapidly.

"...Blake?"

Blake cringed at her mother's apprehensive tone. "Yes, Mom?"

"On your Mark... that blue… snowflake… is… is it-?"

What felt like a rock settled in Blake's stomach, a resigned sigh escaping her lips. "It's the SDC logo, Mom."

The only emotion that showed on Kali's face was pure shock. "Blake… who…?"

Blake steeled herself, turning back forward and forcing herself to hold her mother's wide eyes. "Weiss Schnee, Mom. She's Ruby's partner on my team… and she's my Mate."

Kali tried to speak once, twice, but no words came out. She eventually just sat back in her husband's chair, rubbing her temple. "Blake…" She sighed heavily. Then she leaned forward, fixing Blake with a stare that made her sit up straighter. "Start from the beginning. How did you meet her?"

Blake's retelling was mercifully short compared to the previous one. She covered her initial meeting of each of her future Mates, how they interacted in and between classes, and quickly glossed over some altercations with the White Fang at the docks. Kali would have asked for details on that, but frankly, after hearing about the torment she'd gone through the last three years, listening to Blake speak about something as normal as piles of schoolwork and long-winded teachers was a welcome change.

Through it all, Kali's heart swelled at all the little details Blake let slip, from happy conversations with Ruby, to groaning good-naturedly at Yang's bad jokes. Even before becoming Mates, it was clear to her that each of these girls had secured a place in Blake's heart. However, it was listening to Blake speak of her third Mate that brought her pause.

Weiss Schnee. The name rattled around in Kali's head, like a tumbling stone that refused to settle. If it wasn't for the name, Kali would have no issue with the girl Blake described. A strong-willed girl, from a very strict upbringing. Someone who strived to be the best at everything she did, but slowly realized that to do so, she had to accept help from those around her. Someone who, when proven wrong about something, strove to learn everything about the subject as possible, so as not to be misinformed again. Someone who accepted her daughter for what she is, despite having been raised not to.

The girl Blake described was flawed, troubled, but had an awkward sweet side and a strength all her own. She had a thirst for knowledge, and a desire to make her own conclusions. Kali would think her perfect.

If not for the name.

As Blake fell silent, Kali stared up at the ceiling, trying to sort her jumbled thoughts. Her heart was telling her to be happy; after all the pain and heartache Blake had gone through, she had managed to find three wonderful girls that seemed to love her just as much as she loved them. It was more than she could have ever hoped for. But then her mind kicked in, and all manner of troubling thoughts materialized.

From the other side of the screen, she heard Blake give a sad sigh. "Mom, are you mad? That I Mated Weiss?"

Kali let out a small huff, locking eyes with her daughter. "I'm not mad, Blake, I just… I don't really know what to think. The Schnee's aren't exactly popular here in Menagerie."

Blake folded her ears back. "I know that. I've already met someone here at Beacon who had a rather blunt opinion about Weiss and I's relationship. Though from what I've seen, it's not the whole family that's the problem." Her ears perked up a bit. "Just Weiss' father."

Kali had to bite back a growl at the man's mention. "Yes, well… I can believe that," she admitted, folding her hands on the table. "Your father has had the pleasure of meeting him a few times over the years and… well, let's just say he had some choice words about the man that I'm not comfortable repeating."

Blake cracked a small smile at that. She remembered a few times when she was little, listening from the crack under her bedroom door when her parents thought she was asleep. She'd heard her father say many things when he came home from a bad meeting, venting to her mother as he said things that could best be described as 'colorful'. "If it helps, Weiss isn't his biggest fan either."

Kali raised an inquisitive brow. "Oh?"

Blake nodded. She hesitated for a moment, unsure how much she should tell her mother, but decided that if there was one person she, and by extension Weiss, could trust, it was Kali Belladonna. With a heavy breath, she explained. "Weiss has to watch herself whenever she speaks with him. She can't say what she wants, just what she knows he wants to hear. She… she's worried she might become just like her father." Blake shook her head, the words tasting foul on her tongue. "Mom… I think Weiss is scared of him."

Kali's eyes grew huge. Of all the things she'd expected Blake to say, that was not one of them. She'd already thought lowly of the Schnee patriarch, but if his own child was afraid of him…

Without meaning to, a low growl formed in the back of her throat. She stopped it quickly, surprised with herself. It was rare that she made that sound, usually only when she felt someone was threatening her family.

…

Oh.

From across the screen, she saw Blake give her a startled look, a spark of hope in her eyes.

Kali heaved a great sigh. "Alright, Blake. I'll hold my judgment until I can meet her myself. But, if Weiss is anything like you've said…" She gave Blake a warm smile. "I'm sure I'll love her."

The apprehension Kali still felt melted away when she saw Blake beam. "I know you will, Mom. She's amazing. They're all amazing."

Kali chuckled a bit. "Of that, I have no doubt. And I'm sure your father will agree."

"I hope so." Blake smiled, then tilted her head in thought. "Where is he, anyway?"

"Oh, he's helping organize the cleanup in one of the towns down the coast. The storm hit them harder than us here, and your father was worried the Grimm might take advantage of the confusion. He should be back sometime tomorrow."

Blake smiled, her heart swelling with familiar pride. Then she breathed in deeply. "And… when he does…?"

Kali gave a slow nod. "I'll tell him everything you told me. We'll figure this out, sweetheart." She gave a kind, yet determined smile. "I promise."

Blake smiled back. Her grin was a little fragile, but for the first time in a year, Blake felt like everything would be okay.

Ding!

Blake jumped slightly as an electronic chime cut through the silence. She looked over the monitor, seeing the elevator door slide open. To her surprise, Professor Goodwitch walked into the room, looking at her scroll held in one hand while she clutched a stack of paperwork against her chest with the other.

Goodwitch walked a few paces into the room without looking away from her scroll. She looked up, words half-formed on her lips, only for her mouth to click shut in surprise.

"Miss Belladonna?" she asked, her brow raising in confusion. "What are you doing here? And… why are you at the Headmaster's desk?"

Blake wilted under Goodwitch's scrutinizing gaze, her ears dipping. Despite knowing she hadn't done anything wrong, she still got a feeling of having been caught red-handed.

"Um…"

"It's my fault, Glynda."

All eyes snapped to the side of the room as Ozpin stepped through the door, a wry grin on his lips, coffee mug in hand. "I allowed her to use my personal terminal for a familial call, and it seems I lost track of time."

Blake blinked at that. She glanced down back at the monitor, catching her mother's concerned eye, then looked at the clock in the corner of the screen. It was after midnight.

"Sorry, sir," Blake apologized, pinking slightly. "I didn't realize-"

Ozpin just held up a hand. "It's quite alright. I'm sure you and your mother had much to discuss. However, I'm afraid that it is quite far past curfew."

Blake's face fell, her ears dipping in disappointment. "Yes, sir." she turned back to the screen. "Mom…"

Kali gave her a reassuring smile. "I heard. It's rather late where I am as well. Before you go, do you still have your father and I's number?"

"Um…" Blake hesitated, remembering the fried scroll in her pocket. "I think so…"

"Then I hope you'll start using it more often. Maybe even let me speak to one of these girls you're so fond of."

Blake was surprised, then a small smile slowly formed on her lips. "I'd like that."

"Then I'll talk to you soon, sweetheart. I love you."

Feeling her eyes water a bit, Blake smiled back. "I love you too, Mom."

Kali gave her one last smile, then the screen went dark.

Blake stared at the blank monitor, her own happy expression reflected back at her. She let out a shaky breath, then remembered she wasn't alone. Standing up from the chair, she sent Ozpin a smile. "Thank you, Professor."

Ozpin grinned back. "It was no problem, Miss Belladonna. I'm always happy to assist my students. Enjoy the rest of your weekend."

Recognizing the kind of dismissal for what it was, Blake went to the elevator, giving Goodwitch a respectful nod, which was returned. As the doors slid shut, she caught a brief glimpse of Ozpin taking his place behind his desk, as Goodwitch started setting down dossiers.

Once she was alone in the elevator, Blake closed her eyes, leaning against the back wall. With no distractions, she let her Mates' emotions wash over her.

Worry. Concern. Curiosity. Confusion.

Blake tried to respond, but all she could do was repeatedly think I'm okay, everything's okay, and be completely amazed that she meant it. It didn't abate her Mates' confusion, but it did calm them down.

The elevator dinged at her floor, and Blake made the trek down the darkened hallways in a daze. When she reached her dorm and opened the door, she was met with a heartwarming sight.

Yang was sitting on Blake's bunk, leaning against the wall. Weiss was laying next to her, resting her head in Yang's lap as the blonde ran her fingers through Weiss' long white hair. They had both showered and changed into their sleepwear, Yang's hair still damp. Both had worried expressions on their faces.

When the door opened, Weiss quickly sat up, turning to face it. Yang instantly jumped up, rushing to meet Blake, grasping the Faunus' upper arms.

"Blake, what the hell? Are you okay?"

Blake looked between her Mates, Yang holding her tightly, while Weiss came up behind her, the same question in her eyes. She sucked in a shuddering breath, startling her Mates with the largest smile they'd ever seen from her.

"I'm fine, Yang." Blake was aware of the slight shake in her voice, but couldn't even try to stop it. "In fact… I feel better than I have in a long time."

Surprised, Yang's grip loosened, just strong enough for her arms to hang limply from Blake's. Weiss came up and placed a hand on Blake's shoulder, looking concerned. "Are you sure? You felt… conflicted before."

"Uh, 'conflicted' nothing," Yang scoffed, ignoring Weiss' stern look for her lack of tact. "Blake, you kept bouncing between the-world-is-ending scared and… I don't even know what! Happy, sad, pissed-beyond-belief, you were kind of all over the place. Freaked us out a bit."

"A lot," Weiss corrected, shooting Blake a firm look.

Blake just smiled, appreciating their concern. "Sorry. I just… wasn't really prepared for…" She took a deep breath, steadying herself. "Professor Ozpin took me to his office because he received a call. From Menagerie." The twin looks of shock she received got a watery giggle from her. "Yeah. That's about how I felt. It was my mother."

Shock. Disbelief. Worry.

Blake nodded, acknowledging their feelings. "I… I told her everything." More shock, more worry. Blake just shook her head, feeling tears trailing down her face. "About Adam, what I did in the White Fang… Mating you three." Her breathing grew choppy. "Everything. And…"

"And…?" Yang gripped her tighter, Weiss taking a light step closer.

"...she doesn't hate me." Yang and Weiss felt their faces go slack as Blake shuddered out the words. "I-I told her e-everything, and… s-she doesn't h-hate me. She… s-she still loves me."

"Oh, Blake." Yang pulled her into a fierce hug, a relieved laugh bursting from her lips. "That's great!"

Blake just cried into her shoulder, sobs of relief and happiness racking her body. She felt Weiss circle around behind her, softly closing the forgotten door, then embracing Blake from behind. Blake could feel the relief radiating off of her, along with happiness and hope.

Blake didn't know how long they stayed like that. Eventually, Blake calmed down enough to change out of her ruined outfit and take a shower. As she watched the dirt and grime spiral down the drain, she felt exhausted from the day's events, both physically and emotionally.

When she came out of the bathroom, she found Yang and Weiss sitting back on her bed, talking quietly with each other. They both looked up at her, then nodded to each other. Weiss got up, pulling her towards the bed as Yang pressed herself as far back as she could go. Blake suddenly found herself laying on her back, squished between Yang and Weiss as they laid on each side of her. Weiss took her hand in her own, resting her head on Blake's shoulder. Yang did the same, clasping Blake's other hand, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

Just before they drifted off to sleep, they all felt a tingling sense of Tiredness, Curiosity, Concern, Loneliness.

Yang let out a tired chuckle. "Guess Ruby woke back up."

Blake didn't bother saying anything, closing her eyes and seeing only a dark void. She turned her head, seeing the yellow and white glow beside her, then tilted her head down. A wispy red body laid below them, one of its legs lifted slightly higher than the other. Blake met its glowing silver eyes.

I'm fine, Ruby, Blake thought, feeling a tired smile form on her lips. She imagined Ruby was right next to her, letting her cup the younger girl's cheek. I feel better than I have in years. Thank you for worrying.

The red figure nodded, giving off a feeling of Happiness, Relief, Tiredness, before its silver eyes drifted shut. Within seconds, its red glow dimmed.

A soft snore sounded in Blake's ear. She opened her eyes, finding that Yang and Weiss had seemed to drift off along with Ruby. Feeling a slight pressure, she looked down. She smiled. Yang and Weiss' free hands had found each other, resting on her stomach.

A deep purr started in the back of Blake's throat, filling the quiet dorm. Feeling more content than she ever had, Blake joined her Mates in sleep.

Betaed by Covert Weapon

Old A/n: Ughhhh! Why are these chapters getting longer!? I swear, they don't feel like they're that long as I write them, but then I check and, surprise! 9000 words! I want to go back to the short slice-of-life stuff. ;_; Maybe in the next few chapters…

I saw someone on Reddit say that this story is like RWBY crossed with the intimate connection of a Steven Universe fusion, minus the actual fusing part. That was nowhere near the intent when i started this fic, but now that it's been pointed out… I can't unsee it. They're kind of right. ^_^

Our check in with Roman and Neo has been postponed due to this chapter being TOO FREAKING LONG! Since that interaction is supposed to happen this same night, I might make it a mini-chapter like I did WAY back with chapter 16. Hopefully that means I can have it out real quick. Fingers crossed!