Chapter 17: Where the Heart is

Chapter 17: Where the Heart is

Taylor

I looked at the quaint house before me.

The large log cabin welcomed all visitors with a well-worn path through trees brimming with green. A chimney poked out of the roof overlooking a porch beside the house. Nestled in the trees just to the side of the house was a small shed; my bugs noted the basic tools of the workshop/garage within.

It practically bled the 'small town' vibe, though seemingly everything on Patch did. It was a place that I could see someone calling home.

My fingers clenched, but there was no strain in my hand from holding the bags for so long, no plastic cutting into skin. However, the muscles in my arm burned from months of inactivity.

The metal arm was only a shadow of what had once been, but it made up for it in other ways.

I knocked and waited, letting my bugs survey the area.

The door opened with a faint creak, a noise similar to what the steps going up to my home in Brockton Bay had made.

A blond muscular man with a light soul patch and stubble stood with a broom and a smile. He had a casual look to him: brown cargo shorts and a tan shirt with a darker brown vest over it. A tattoo of a tribal styled heart marked his upper right arm while a red bandana wrapped around his left bicep—the same shade of red as Ruby's cloak.

Taiyang Xiao Long, Yang and Ruby's father.

"Well hello there, you must be Taylor." He reached out with his free hand and gave me a friendly handshake.

"Yes. Thank you for having me."

"We weren't expecting you so early. Ruby and Yang met Weiss in town and dragged her off on a little tour of Patch. I thought that they would have been back by now. I'd bet that Yang has something to do with it." He smiled in a way that only a dad with children that frequently got into trouble could, making me smile in return. "Well, let's not just stand here, come on in." He turned and walked toward the kitchen, beckoning me with a wave.

I liked Taiyang instantly. He was openly caring in every expression he made. People like him were usually honest in everything they did. Although, some people put up that front just to appear trustworthy.

"Knowing Yang, I wouldn't be surprised," I mused out loud as I followed him in.

The bottom floor of the house was fairly open, the kitchen, a dining room, a living room only separated by one wall.

Pictures lined the walls, regular family photos, but one caught my eye: a woman that looked exactly like an older version of Ruby, smiling brilliantly while holding up her white hooded cape like a set of wings. Summer Rose, Ruby's mom.

"I hope that doesn't mean she's getting into any trouble," Taiyang said over his shoulder, amused with a light undertone of worry; the sound of protective fathers everywhere.

"Nothing I think she would want me telling you about."

"Well of course not… but you wouldn't let her get over her head, would you?" His tone shifted to something between playful begging and soft scolding.

Make that very overprotective.

"Don't worry, Mr. Xiao Long, I'll make sure to tell you about all the parties, alcohol, gang fights, crimes, smuggling, street races…" I deliberately let the list fade off as I arrived in the kitchen to see Taiyang fumbling with the broom.

"Street races?! I told her no more bike races! I don't care if the other person challenged her or not! I…" He whirled, and froze when he saw my smirk, a matching grin breaking out on his own face. "Oh, ha ha. Alright, that's fair. And please, call me Tai. I get enough of Mr. Xiao Long from my students." Right, he's a teacher at Signal and a fully licensed Huntsman.

A black and white corgi was… holding a dustpan for Tai to sweep into.

"Thanks, Zwei."

The dog yipped happily.

Smart dog.

"Oh sorry, do you need help with those bags?"

"I'm fine, thank you." I waved him off with my free hand. "I actually was wondering if it would be okay if I made dinner for everyone. It's why I showed up early."

It was odd; I had thought that having my robotic prosthetic would make me dive into training. Instead, I wanted to cook, something I had never really had time for these past years.

"Oh wow. I don't see any problem with it. In fact, I think that would be great. Just let me know what I can help with." There was a small beat of silence as I set my bags on the counter. "How are you finding it?" he asked casually, nodding toward my arm. Ruby or Yang must have mentioned it because it was currently hidden by my sweater and gloves.

"It's… different than what I thought it would be like. I was expecting some big revelation or something after finally getting it, but it was really lackluster."

"Like you had never lost it?" He swept the last of the debris into the dustpan and the corgi ran out the porch door to dump it.

"Exactly."

"Do you like it?" His head tilted and his tone shifted softly.

"I think I do. I have to be conscious not to trigger it by accident, but I think it'll prove really useful in the future." It felt like I had a muscle that wasn't there before, and if I unintentionally tensed it, I would inadvertently fire off a deadly weapon.

"Hmmm, that's good. May I ask why you're wearing gloves to hide it then?"

"It's a habit I want to get into. Anyone who knows me will notice the new limb, but anyone else won't. It'll be a nice surprise," I said and began taking the ingredients out of my bags.

Tai took a moment to examine me before he frowned slightly. "Most kids don't think that way, though I guess a 'secret agent' would." His frown reversed entirely as he finished into a dopey grin.

I sighed loudly. "Ruby is very… imaginative, at least." Tai just laughed. "Also…" I pulled out the bottle of bourbon that Junior had gifted me and set it on a counter. "I got this as a gift, but I don't really plan on drinking it."

I had my arm, a small amount saved up, and the White Fang and Torchwick situations were calming down, so there wasn't much point in staying in Junior's 'employ'. All that was left to do was to tell him I was retiring so he wouldn't blacklist me in case I did need to get back into things.

"Oh, thank you! That's very considerate of you, but it would be a shame to drink alone." He walked over to a cupboard and produced two glasses. "Well, would you like to share a drink?"

"Should you be offering a minor a drink? Aren't you a teacher?" My eyebrow raised accusingly.

"It's fine. From what I hear, you're the most adult of the students anyway."

Well, that is… probably true. Why not try one?

"I'm not much of a drinker, only ever had a bourbon tea cocktail before."

Revel had snuck it in for us a month after I had joined the Wards. I was more than surprised that a tight-laced, no-nonsense hero like Revel would be the one to sneak in alcohol, but she had said it was a bit of an initiation, to help build camaraderie.

I smiled every time I thought of her pouring us drinks, then immediately monitoring our health and making sure we didn't have more than she had strictly designated, asking if we needed water every ten minutes.

"Do you like that drink?"

"It was fine. Company was nice too." Nostalgia colored my tone, then my smile sunk.

Revel died under Khepri's control. My control. My bugs writhed, and I slowly forced the memories back under lock and chain.

"Perfect then. I needed to use up those oranges anyway. I'll mix us up a bit and we can talk about how my girls are doing at Beacon," he stated with satisfaction. If he noticed me swallowing my guilt, then he didn't shot it.

I hadn't actually agreed to drinks, but only shrugged in response. My smile deepened at his plan to find out what his daughters were up to, beyond all the phone calls and letters Ruby sent him.

I hadn't thought that I could be this open with someone I had just met. Maybe it was because it reminded me of how my dad and Kurt used to talk. Well, how they talked on Dad's good days.

Dad…

I sucked in a breath through my nose and pushed those thoughts down. I didn't need to look at that scar right now. New arm, meeting friend's family, trying to relax a little for once.

My sweater was loose against my torso but was tight against my arms, and the white fabric caught on the more angular forearm plate of my new arm as I rolled up my sleeves and peeled off my gloves. The gunmetal sections and circular black joints glistened under the sink water as I washed my hands.

I took extra care to get into the nooks and crannies of the robotic limb. I also took out the Dust cartridge from just below the elbow and tucked it away. Best not to accidentally fire off my arm and skewer Tai's kitchen.

"Mind if I ask how it happened?" he asked almost offhandedly as he dug out a kettle.

"It got crushed, had to have it burned off," I said, keeping my tone light despite its contents.

I heard Tai grimace behind me as I grabbed a cutting board he had placed out at some point. "That must have hurt like no other," he said in a joking, matter-of-fact way.

"More than the bullets through my skull, actually."

"Ha!" A joyful smile returned to his face. "Worst one I ever got was probably when I got gored by a Telphus." He circled three sections of his body, one on his leg and two on his stomach. "Luckily, my team got me out of there in time, but boy, did it ever hurt."

"A Telphus? That's those huge stag Grimm, right?"

"Yup. Pretty normal for Grimm to take something like antlers and make them like swords."

"Too true."

"So, what are you planning on cooking and how can I help?"

"I'm making lasagna." I haven't made Mom's lasagna in… I don't even remember. "I should be fine on my own, but thank you. " I could have used the help, but I wanted to do it by myself. "Can you point me toward your pots and pans? I brought a casserole dish, but I'll need some pans and a pot."

He pointed out a cupboard, and I grabbed what I needed. "Lasagna? Never heard of it. What's in it?"

What?

I fished out my Scroll and did a quick search, finding nothing.

For fuck's sake, Remnant. You literally have Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but you don't have lasagna?!

"It's like… a spaghetti casserole, I guess."

"Huh, sounds interesting. I'm looking forward to it."

I got to work. Meat fried in a skillet with onions and garlic. When browned, I added in most of the tomato sauce I had and set it aside to cool. The meat had been so lean that there hadn't been any fat to drain. Spices, ricotta, and beaten eggs were combined in a small bowl. I unwrapped the ball of dough I had prepared at Beacon, divided it into three pieces, then rolled each section out into thin noodle strips. They were boiled until they were slightly tender, drained, then coated with a bit of olive oil.

Tai stepped in to help with a salad that now just needed dressing, and strips of garlic bread were ready to be toasted when the time came.

When all the individual pieces were ready, I started to put them together in the pan. A layer of tomato sauce, then noodles, meat mixture, ricotta mix topped with mozzarella, noodles again, and repeat until the top layer.

The process was so unfamiliar. A forgotten mundanity. Almost uncomfortable.

Just as all the preparations were finished, Tai handed me my drink. He held his glass out and I clinked mine off his.

Orange wedges floated amongst ice cubes in the chilled tea. Heating up tea just to let it cool always felt barbaric to me, but the sweet, soothing taste accented by the bourbon was refreshing enough for me to let it go.

I took some long breaths to force myself to relax, drinking somewhat quickly in hopes the liquor would loosen the constant tension I felt.

There was no imminent apocalypse, no necessary plan to get right at the last minute, no looming threat.

You're at a friend's house for dinner, having a casual drink. You're allowed to relax, to open up a little.

Just don't think about how Contessa might suddenly appear to take you away for whatever reason she left you on this world in the first place, or all the terrible things you've done, or the talk you're going to have with your friends tonight—relax, damn it!

"So, what do you think of the team, Taylor?" Tai asked.

"Your daughters specifically, or all of them?"

"I would like to hear about what they're all like—Blake, Weiss, and my daughters. Ruby and Yang have talked about you guys, but Ruby wouldn't say anything really bad about anyone, and Yang would just go with the flow and keep her judgments to herself; deal with things on her own and not tell me about them. Or, if there was a problem she wanted to address, she would do so head-on. So, I guess I'm looking for a more honest idea of them. How is Ruby as a leader? How is Yang as a teammate to the others? What are Weiss and Blake like? What's it like being a liaison for all the first-years? Stuff like that."

"Well, Ruby is… awkward, socially." Not like I'm one to talk. "Talking to anyone outside her group of friends makes her freeze up nervously, but she's also caring and gets attached to different people quickly. Breaks down barriers, makes you feel welcome." Even when you don't deserve it or don't reciprocate.

"She finally broke you down, huh?" Tai's eyes crinkled as he smiled wider.

"I guess she did."

He huffed a laugh. "She had been writing about wanting to be your friend. Haven't seen her do that before—not shy away after not getting along with someone, that is."

"It's not that we didn't get along..." Why had Ruby been so persistent? She hadn't with anyone else I'd seen. Maybe because I shared a room with her? "Do you know why?"

"Not sure. Maybe because she found you in the alley, a shared trauma—though, you had the worst in that situation. She just really wanted to be your friend."

"I see." Someone actively wanting to be my friend was… odd. Flattering in a foreign way. "Well, she succeeded in the end so…" I trailed off.

If anything, I had just stopped closing myself off a bit, enough to maybe make friends. I partly accepted the invite to Ruby and Yang's house because I felt bad for not doing so sooner.

Bugs fidgeted for me.

"She ummm… She told me I was like a big sister…" I mumbled the last part shyly. It felt almost arrogant to say out loud.

"Like an older sister to her, one older than Yang?"

"Yeah."

"I can see it," he agreed amusedly. I didn't deserve the praise. "And Yang?" he asked.

"Yang and I get along, but we're not close. I doubt we'll ever be." His grin twitched downward. "We haven't really talked much and never found a reason to. We just don't mesh. Our motivations are fairly opposite. There's also…" Blake's problems. "Yang's headstrong." Tai huffed a laugh at the understatement. "Especially when trying to help others, but she's been dealing with a situation where she can't help and I can. It caused some friction."

He nodded, deep in thought but with the smile. He saw it as her learning a lesson instead of tackling a problem.

"That being said…" I continued. "I came across something that I wanted to ask you about." Tai's expression invited me to continue. "Why haven't you told Yang about Raven? About what she's been doing and where she is?"

Tai's breathing hitched. "You, uh, know about Raven?"

"Raven Branwen. Suspected bandit leader. Current guesses are that she and her tribe are in western Anima right now."

"How'd you find all that out?" Curiosity mixed in with his solemn tone.

"Yang had mentioned it before… I bought some info from a broker that came through." Junior provided the contact in Mistral, for a fee.

Tai smiled slightly through his gloom. "I'm happy that Yang was willing to open up to you guys about that. It says a lot… I haven't told Yang because I'm worried about what she would do with it."

"If she would go after her? Demand answers?"

"I don't want my daughter tearing across continents to track down bandits. It's too dangerous, and Yang is too… passionate to go at it with a level head. She would go rushing for answers… and I don't know she could handle them. It's why I've been waiting to tell her..."

"You don't think she could handle it?"

"I don't think Yang would understand that Raven has already chosen to not be her mother…" Tai closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh. The knowledge must have been weighing on him for years now, and I'd barged in and dragged it out.

I thought of everything I did in preparation for Jack Slash. I thought of Blake's fixation on the White Fang's actions and what it did to her. Unlike Blake or me, I didn't see Yang as someone who could hear the information and react rationally to it.

Blake had stepped back and let me handle things because she understood that I would be able to help her, and that she would need to be in a better state to deal with the White Fang when I found them.

Yang wouldn't, though. Despite vowing to not let her desire to find her mom become an obsession, I didn't think Yang would be able to see the danger in it all. There wouldn't be a happy ending, and I doubted any explanation would justify Raven abandoning her family to go around raiding villages and leaving them for the Grimm to pick through afterward.

And if Yang found out what her mother had been doing? She would need to know why. She would just be pulling a wagon with her sister in it all over again, but this time she would be alone.

"I understand, and you're right. Right now, learning about it would… well, I'll hold off on talking to her about it." More secrets…

I'll tell her after the school year ends… I'll go too. Maybe the others might be willing. It'll be safer, we'll have time, be more prepared.

"Thank you. I plan on telling her, just... I'd like to see how she handles her current problem first. Make sure she isn't just going to places and beating people up for answers," he said, his tension washing away.

"Oh, you heard about that?" I wouldn't have thought Yang would have mentioned that she beat up everyone in Junior's nightclub for information.

"Wait, she actually did that?!" Oops, he was joking. His brow furrowed, and he looked in the direction of town where Yang was with an expression that told me he was going to have words with her later.

"Anyways… Weiss is a good partner for Ruby. Weiss pushes Ruby academically while Ruby pushes Weiss… socially. Blake and Yang… Blake has had some personal issues that have kept her from the team for a while, so they aren't as close as the other two." I swirled the contents of my drink, watching the light dance within it before taking another sip.

"I was wondering. Yang stopped mentioning anything particular about Blake after the second week of school," Tai said.

"Things have hopefully calmed down for Blake. We plan on talking about it tonight."

"Sounds serious, but why do I feel like that 'we' means you and Blake talking with everyone else?" he pointed out with surprising insight.

I didn't think I hinted at anything, I guess he just understands his daughter that well.

"I helped Blake a little with her troubles, yes." Tai nodded at his confirmed suspicions. "Blake understands that being distant wasn't something anyone wanted, and she plans to make up for that."

There was a beat of silence as Tai pondered my words. Zwei wandered into the kitchen and stopped to examine me, tongue out and head tilted.

Instinctively, I made eye contact, stood straighter and widened my stance to seem bigger, then made a soundless snap while pointing down beside me. A dominance display, just like Rachel showed me.

The corgi straightened, somehow looking serious. He marched over and sat by my feet, my own little guard dog.

Rachel would have been proud.

"He's usually a little more… dopey than that," Tai said perplexedly. "Anyway, it sounds like my daughters are on a good team. Thank you for indulging me."

"No problem."

"Would you like another?"

"…Why not?" I shrugged.

Tai finished his own glass and quickly mixed up another two batches. I realized that he had made a full kettle worth of tea, enough for a few more glasses for each of us.

The lasagna was covered in foil and ready for the oven.

All that's left to do is wait for the others.

I spotted Ruby, Yang, and Weiss approaching the house at a leisurely pace from the kitchen window.

Weiss's eyes were downcast, and she seemed to be in deep thought. The two sisters didn't seem to notice.

My bugs snuck through the wild grass and trees to better listen.

Yang was teasing Ruby about all the praise she had apparently gotten from the Patch locals for being admitted into Beacon early, while Ruby was doing her best to match the shade of her face with her cloak.

Weiss finished psyching herself up and stopped, taking a deep breath in.

"What? Not big enough for you, Weissy?" Yang probed playfully as she gave a thumbs-up point toward her home.

"What? It's fine—I mean—it's a lovely home," Weiss sputtered as she lost any composure she had built.

"Weiss, is something wrong?" Ruby asked with concern, stepping closer to her partner.

"Yeah, you've been kinda quiet for a while now," Yang said, losing her comedic tone.

"I wanted to say…" Weiss cleared her throat and stood up straight before falling back into an embarrassed posture. "I wanted to say that I appreciate that you… that you were willing to take me to see your mom with you," Weiss said, tiptoeing around the subject.

"Well, of course I took you. Why wouldn't I want to introduce my partner to my mom?" Ruby asked, as if it was one of the most obvious things in the world.

Yang beamed with pride, moving up to ruffle Ruby's hair despite her sister's protests. As for Weiss, I could only describe her smile as intimate. One made for her friends and them alone.

"C'mon, Taylor. You can't just blank out when you're telling a story," Tai complained.

I shook myself from my bug's senses. "What is there to tell after describing how she basically psychologically tortured those people!" I shot back.

"But they were criminals, and it wasn't really torture, more like pranks," Blake argued casually, having arrived a drink ago.

"Fine. I'll just rearrange your books every day without telling you and see how you make out."

"Never mind, I take it back."

"I think it's hilarious. What did she do exactly?" Tai said.

"We're ho~me!" Ruby announced as the door swung open.

"Welcome back! We're just in the kitchen," Tai called back.

"Oh, is everyone—" Ruby came around the corner and her eyes instantly snapped to my robotic arm. I had forgotten to roll my sleeves back down. "Taylor! Your arm!" Fireworks burst within the young girl and suddenly she was next to me, groping my new appendage. "Oh my gosh! What does it do? Is this segment here to reduce recoil? Oh! And the forearm plate rises up near the wrist! And that's not an ammo slot—Dust? Looks like it superheats—is that why the insides are so insulated? For temperature resistance?" She poked inside the hole that Dust cartridges were loaded into. She buzzed with child-like curiosity, a veteran's discerning eye, and something like a Tinker fugue all mixed into one.

As Yang entered the kitchen, she was also as mesmerized as her sister, but for another reason.

"You're letting them drink!" Yang's fingers pointed between Blake, me, and the bottle of alcohol on the counter.

"I've only had this one," Blake said passively before taking another sip of her bourbon sour. Tai had talked me into trying a different drink, same liquor but different taste. A bit sweet for my liking, but not bad.

"Taylor was nice enough to bring some—" Tai began.

"Then I'll have one too," Yang stated, as though her words were enough to confirm it was happening.

"No. Absolutely not. You and Ruby aren't allowed alcohol until you're twenty-five. Same with boys."

"That's so not fair!"

"Dad card!"

"That's not a reason!"

Hypocrite.

"The wrist joints are made to resist heat too… Long periods of exposure? It shouldn't stay hot that—oh! Unless the Dust continuously heats it! But is that for a flamethrower? No, it would need a bigger casing and it wouldn't need the recoil dampener," Ruby rambled.

"Zwei, hurt," I commanded, and a blur of fluff and love barreled into Ruby's face.

An onslaught of licks came from the corgi.

Close enough. At least she's not transfixed on my arm anymore.

Blake shuffled away from Zwei and glanced at the dog contemptuously. She gave me a look that threatened great vengeance should I ever do that to her.

I went to lean back on the counter, but as I moved backward I somehow missed it. My eyes went wide, and I moved to grab hold of something before my butt met the counter's ledge.

Oh, it was just farther back than I thought? Stupid drinks, making my body feel light and ready to move but also making me clumsy.

"Zwei, stop. Ha. Down. Haha, stop! Traitor!" Ruby groused before dissolving into giggles.

It was Weiss's turn to be captivated. She sped toward Ruby, picked Zwei up, and immediately began cuddling the dog, who reciprocated the affection.

"Oh wook at da wittle pupper, we're going to be best fwiends. Yes, we are. Yes, we are." She froze as she noticed everyone was looking at her. Zwei gave her one last lick on the cheek before Weiss stiffly set him down—causing Ruby to groan as Zwei landed on her stomach—and cleared her throat. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Xiao Long. Thank you for letting us into your home." She finished with a curtsey, a small blush the only reminder of what happened.

"No, thank you for coming over. Anyone on my daughter's team is always welcome," Tai said, before he curtsied himself, resulting in Yang and Ruby snickering.

"Anyway, you never answered my question," Yang said to her father.

"Sorry, honey, Taylor was just finishing up a story."

I shook my head at the obvious deflection. "She would go into their houses and rearrange the furniture. Just a little though, only enough to be noticeable but not completely out of place. Or she would make noises. Sometimes leave messages. But she would do it for weeks straight." Tai devolved into chuckles. Blake was shaking her head but smiling.

"What are you talking about?" Yang inquired.

"I had a friend whose Semblance made people forget about her. I was just saying what she did to the criminals in town."

"She haunted them?"

"Basically." Now Yang was giggling.

"That's a terrifying Semblance," Weiss stated.

"It was. Strangers are scary like that. Aisha could have walked up to someone in a crowd and slit their throat, and no one would have remembered she had done it."

Ruby made a face as she got back up. "That's pretty scary, at least she used it only for pranks," she said with a shaky smile. I sipped my drink to hide my face and a few sets of eyes widened. "Oh," Ruby finished darkly.

"What did you mean by 'strangers', Taylor?" Weiss asked.

'Strangers'? Shit, I didn't even notice I said it. Am I drunk?

"It's a classification for types of Semblances," I lied—though, technically I had been using them for just that, so it wasn't really lying—using my robot hand to rub my chin in thought. The metal was chilly from holding my drink. I had forgotten to put my gloves back on. "I guess teaching you guys about them would be fine. Particularly Master-Stranger protocols." Especially since people like Neo were an active concern now.

"Master-Stranger protocols?"

"It's basically stuff to do for when your opponent can hypnotize people, make illusions, change perceptions, control people." My voice hushed at the last example. "That kind of thing. Stuff so that you can make sure your teammate coming toward you is actually your friend and not an enemy in disguise." Nah, can't be drunk. Didn't slur a single word there.

"That sounds practical," Weiss said approvingly. "Did you come up with them yourself?"

"No, just something I learned from others along the way."

"Like those 'combat exercises' you've made us do," Ruby asked with a shudder.

"Practicing hostage and bomb situations are important."

"I think Rubes is thinking of the ones where a teammate is injured and trapped, but there's some obstacle or bad guys in the way to get to them."

"Those are even more important."

Blake gave me a flat look. "You start those by describing, in great detail, the injury and amount of pain your teammate is in, and continue to narrate it while commenting on how much time till they die. Usually adding in a complication that cuts the time we have before our teammate dies."

Okay, those ones weren't my design, they were Protectorate drills established by Alexandria… That was probably why they were rather… harsh. "They're helpful because they're realistic."

I caught Yang examining me with an amused look. I raised an eyebrow at her.

"I honestly can't tell if you're drunk or not. If you are, then it's really sad that even alcohol can't liven you up."

"I'm not drunk." The syllables snapped in the air. My protest didn't seem to convince Yang at all.

"See, it's a blank face, three-second smiles, or glower. Nothing else."

I stuck out my tongue with a deadpan expression.

Yang smirked then turned to Weiss. "I'm surprised you aren't commenting on Taylor and Blake's drinking."

"Despite her aptitude, I've long since accepted that Taylor is a deviant."

"And Blake?"

"Is collected enough to manage herself." Blake looked surprised at Weiss's compliment. "They are still much better than your debauchery, Xiao Long."

"What?! What have I done?"

"Debauchery?!" Tai cut in.

"Well, to start, there's all the—" Weiss started.

"Nevermind! Don't answer, you win!" Yang blurted out, and Weiss glowed with smugness.

A ding on the stove rang through the room.

"Shall I throw on the garlic bread?" Tai asked, and I nodded. "Alright, Yang and Ruby, why don't you set the table since Taylor was nice enough to make dinner?"

"Coach cooked?" Yang asked.

"B-but… robot arm…" Ruby said weakly and gestured to my arm.

"It's not going anywhere, Ruby," I said dryly.

"Can you at least tell me what it does? I can't see the mechanism under the plating."

I looked away to avoid the puppy dog eyes. "I guess it's like a stinger?" I mused. Wait, did I say that out loud?

"Like on a bee?"

"Like on a fire bee." Wow. Maybe I should just stop drinking for a bit.

"Okay, maybe I do like drunk Taylor," Yang said with a snicker.

"It lights on fire?!" More sparkles bloomed in Ruby's silver eyes.

"Ruby!"

"Oh! Sorry, Dad!" With a burst of rose petals, she was grabbing cutlery.

Weiss examined the sisters as they set the table and a vein twitched on her forehead.

"Knives on the right, blade facing in," the heiress chided before making her way over to correct her partner.

"Hey, Taylor, can I talk to you for a second?" Blake asked, before motioning me to the living room.

"Whaaaat's up?" Why did I draw that out?

"I was talking to a friend of mine, one who used to be in the White Fang. Apparently, he was approached by some of the other Faunus who aren't in the White Fang that are coordinating a rally for Faunus, to talk about everything that's happened, and try to make a change," she whispered feverishly.

"Is that a good thing? I'm guessing they're trying to work with the rest of the Faunus to condemn what the White Fang have been up to." Blake nodded but still held her serious expression. "But you think that the White Fang may interrupt this rally?"

"It's a possibility. They were coercing Faunus who weren't in the White Fang to join, so I don't think they would take kindly to a gathering of Faunus that were speaking against them."

"Then what do you want to do?"

"I want to be there when it happens, just in case."

"With everyone?"

Blake turned away from me and sighed. "I… Yes? Maybe? Having everyone there in case something does happen. All of Team RWBY, and Team JNPR, if they want."

If they were still willing. I hadn't been able to visit Ren in the hospital yet, nor had I seen anyone from Team JNPR after we had gotten back to Beacon. The texts I had exchanged with Pyrrha didn't give me a good enough idea of how they were doing after what happened.

"But that depends on what happens tonight, right?"

"Is it okay? Asking for something like this right after I tell them I've been lying to them for months? That we went ahead without them to attack a criminal organization?"

"Suuure, I mean—wait. When is the rally?"

"I don't know. Not for a while at least."

"Then we read the mood. If it seems like the right time, then ask. If it doesn't, then it can wait. There's no rush, and we can hopefully look into if the White Fang are planning a response as we go. Also, ask me again after dinner just in case." When I have some food in me to help clear out this alcohol.

"R-right. Thank you, Taylor. Talking with you about these things… it's nice to have someone who can help and isn't… distracted or biased by what's happening."

"What? All I'm good for is being human?" I joked.

"No! That's not what I—" She noticed the wry grin on my face. "Oh, ha ha." She rolled her eyes, but I could see her lip twitch.

We moved back into the kitchen just as the timer on my Scroll was about to finish. I grabbed a set of oven mitts and took out the lasagna from the oven.

I set the dish on the table and shuffled my hands out of the oven mitts so that they would act as heat pads.

Dinner was served.

"That was very good," Weiss announced, almost surprised at the fact.

"What was that, Taylor?" Ruby asked, a smudge of sauce bouncing with her cheek as she spoke.

"A completely original dish… apparently." I began gathering the empty plates before Tai waved me off with a smile and took over the job.

My mind felt clearer now. I hadn't even noticed how the alcohol was making me feel. I didn't think I'd be drinking much in the future; not having full control over my thoughts and actions irked me.

"You made it up yourself?" Yang asked incredulously. "Cause I never really pictured you as the cooking type."

"It's a family recipe for something that I thought was a common meal"—well, it is a common meal, it just isn't one here—"but I couldn't find it online or under a different name, so I guess so."

"What's it called?"

"Technically, it's lasagna al forno, but I've never really used the full name. Always called it lasagna..." Just like Mom had. I'd found out the difference only after she died.

"Thank you again for dinner, Taylor. Why don't you girls go talk while I clean up?" Tai said as he lugged the stack of dishes over to the sink.

Blake shot me a look, and I nodded. I guess it's time.

"So, what do you think of our small-town life, Weiss?" Yang asked playfully as we made our way to the porch.

There was a circle of cushioned, wooden chairs that were covered by a slanted roof. The sun was deep into setting, and Yang flicked on a pair of wall lights to illuminate us.

"It's… nice here. I've… never been over to a friend's house before. At least, not in a way that wasn't my father having me build relations with a business partner's child," Weiss said.

She made it sound so natural, how she thought her father was using her. There was no gratitude for having been brought along to meet potential friends. No, Weiss knew intrinsically that those visits were always about schmoozing, and she considered that completely normal.

Blake sat down first, her movements stiff as she prepared herself. It wasn't purposeful, but the seating arrangements ended up with Blake and me on one side with the others slightly opposite us.

It was just how the chairs were set up, but I hoped they wouldn't read into it.

"So… what do you guys—" Yang began before Blake cut in sharply.

"There's something I wanted to talk to you all about." Blake locked herself into a state of calm. "And it's… well, it's pretty important to me." Her tone was stern and focused; she was ready.

Yang was rapt with attention instantly, but her posture felt skittish, like she was worried that moving would scare Blake away.

"Sure, what's up?" Ruby asked innocently, only partially feeling the edge in the air.

"Okay… just." Blake took a shuddering breath and her hands slowly crept up to her bow. Everyone looked confused but didn't break the silence.

Blake's hands quivered as they grasped the midnight cloth. Then with a final glance at me and a steadying breath, she steeled herself and pulled. The bow fell gently onto the ground.

Blake's eyes were focused on it, too afraid to look up at her teammates. I placed my hand on her shoulder and felt her trying to contain her trembling.

Blake looked guilty, of all things. I wasn't sure if that was because of how she felt about hiding who she was or for how she felt about being a Faunus. I didn't like it.

Finally, Blake looked up. Yang looked like revelations were exploding in her head while more questions were coming out of the debris. Weiss was simply shocked and confused. Ruby…

"You have cute kitty ears!" Ruby proclaimed as she pointed at Blake's ears.

I closed my eyes, suppressing what was either a smile, a chuckle, or a sigh.

"Yes, Ruby, I do," Blake said with quiet amusement. The younger girl's gushing cut down the weight on Blake's shoulders, but not all of it. "Also, ten months ago…" This was the big one. "I was a member of the White Fang."

A breeze chilled the air as the others froze.

"Explain," Weiss bit out accusingly.

"I was… born into the White Fang. I went to every protest and participated in every boycott. We had been promised equality, yet we were still discriminated against everywhere we went. Then, the leader of the White Fang stepped down, Sienna Khan took over—"

"How is this pertinent to you being—" Weiss started.

"She's giving context, Weiss," I cut in. "Context in how despite winning the war, the Faunus were still treated like shit, abused by companies, or outright banned from work and villages. For decades the Faunus were kicked around, but instead of retaliating again for their mistreatment, they started a protest group to try and fix things. Only after that didn't work, did the White Fang take a more extreme approach."

"Are you trying to justify what they've done?!" Weiss shot back.

"No, what I'm saying is that it's a complex issue, and it really isn't surprising what eventually happened," I stated.

"You realize you're defending a group that hates humanity, right? They're pure evil!"

"Even the Faunus that were forced into the White Fang? All because they didn't want to be discriminated against by both humans and their fellow Faunus, and were forced to pick a side. Are they evil too? What about Faunus that were so poor that they had no other choice than to join the White Fang for survival? Painting all Faunus, or even all Faunus in the White Fang, with one broad stroke is ignorant and discriminatory."

"They've been attacking my family since I was a child!" Weiss shot up from her seat. "I've watched family friends disappear, board members executed, tons of Dust stolen or destroyed." Her expression morphed into a scowl. "Everyday, my father would come home furious, and that made for a very unhappy childhood."

"Weiss…" Ruby murmured sadly.

"So, don't you tell me how I—"

"Weiss, don't blame the Faunus for your dad being a shitty person," I countered coldly, causing Weiss to stagger back. "Yes, they're responsible for the attacks on the board members and your family, but your father's actions are his own. Nothing's black and white. There are heroic criminals and villainous heroes in the world."

"Enough!" Blake interrupted and took a deep breath. "Thank you, Taylor." She cleared her throat and glanced between Weiss and the heiress's empty chair, who sat back down with rigid motions, seeming to have decided to simmer until Blake was done. "Anyway," Blake began, a slight shake in her voice. "I left the White Fang after… well, I didn't want to use my skills to help in their violence." Her voice became steadier and more confident. "So, I decided to become a Huntress, and hopefully try to make up for the things I've done and help the Faunus in my own way."

"Does… this have anything to do with why you've been so busy up till now?" Yang asked, her tone and posture far more reserved than normally. She must be waiting to hear everything before making any judgments.

"Yes. I was investigating why the White Fang had escalated their actions in Vale. It didn't make sense. They weren't helping Faunus or their cause, they were just hurting people... Honestly, I didn't get much done until Taylor confronted me."

Yang's breathing hitched for a moment. "That's why you two were working together, you found out about Blake…" she muttered before standing up and punching Blake's shoulder.

"Ow! What was that for?!"

"I thought you hated me! Oh my god, this makes so much more sense!" Yang started pacing, her hands emphasizing her words. "It was because you were worried how we'd react and didn't want us involved. Ah!" Each flustered step seemed to melt another layer of anxiety off Yang. "Man, that was bugging me!" She flopped back down and then noticed the confused stares from everyone. "Uh sorry… that really wasn't the time for that, was it?" She scratched the back of her head and flushed with embarrassment.

"You thought I hated you?" Blake asked warily.

"Well, yeah! You were always gone and avoiding us, nothing I did was helping, waiting wasn't doing anything. Taylor had to talk me down after I almost combusted at our little slumber party. Whew, sorry, I'm steering us away from the story. So, Taylor confronted you?"

"I… didn't know I was making you feel like that, you have nothing to be guilty for, Yang. I was the one who—"

"It's all good. Really, Blake. I was the one beating myself up over it. And you're trusting us now, and I can't complain about that."

"Thank you, Yang, and I promise I'll try to make things up to you. Anyway, Taylor knew I was a Faunus from the first day of classes—"

"What?"

"Really?"

"And you didn't inform us?"

"Her bow moved with her ears. You would have noticed if you'd pay attention. And it wasn't my secret to tell."

Blake's eyes narrowed and the rest of us quieted down. "Taylor helped me track down where the White Fang and Roman Torchwick were basing their operation in Vale."

"Wait, how did Taylor do that?" Ruby asked.

"I've been doing my own search on them for a while now… I moonlight as an information broker for a group in Vale, keeps me informed about some things. It's also an okay way to make money. We found out that Roman and the White Fang were working out of a small warehouse district."

"So you're telling us because you want us to go bust baddies together!" Ruby squealed in excitement.

Blake and I shared a look. "Actually, three nights ago, Blake and I, along with Team JNPR, attacked them at the warehouse."

"What?!" Ruby and Yang cried in synchronized dismay, Ruby looking hurt while Yang looked angry—specifically, at me.

"You said you'd come to us for shit like this," Yang growled.

"You just abandoned your team to go battle a group of dangerous criminals on your own!" Weiss rebuked sharply.

"No… we didn't. I was actually going to reveal who I was and ask you all if you would help, but…" Blake glanced at Weiss.

"What did I do?"

"You were talking about the White Fang being degenerates… and that Faunus we chased, the one from the boat…" Yang recounted before realization blossomed, and her hand met her forehead with a loud slap. "The one you had been calling a rapscallion or whatever."

"And? What about that?" Weiss asked.

"It… made me second-guess how you would all react to me telling you I was a Faunus," Blake stated honestly.

"B-but they were criminals! It's different!" Weiss protested.

"I used to be a criminal, Weiss," Blake said softly.

"Me too," I added, drawing shocked stares.

"Wait, you were a criminal? But you're so…" Weiss swirled her hands, as if it would be able to conjure up the words she wanted.

"Yes. I used to be in a local gang in my city. Did a lot of bad things before I eventually turned it around." Well, I became a hero. It didn't mean I made the right choices. "Am I a degenerate then?"

"I didn't mean that you were any of those things, Blake. I-I was r-referring to—" Weiss sputtered.

"Weiss, I understand that the White Fang have done a lot of wrong. That I've done a lot of wrong. You have a right to be angry with the White Fang. All I want you to understand is that they aren't all bad people. That all Faunus aren't bad because of that one group. That you don't label someone by their race, especially while insulting them. Think of the person first." I heard a bit of anger in Blake's words that was tucked away with a long breath. The pause seemed to physically weigh on Weiss, pulling her shoulders down.

"I'm not really familiar with how it went," Blake continued, "but that Faunus who stowed away doesn't deserve to be placed in the same category as the extremists in the White Fang. Or insulted as if he were. Nor does any Faunus that makes a mistake or does something bad," she stated earnestly. I took my hand off her shoulder. She didn't need the support anymore, she was doing fine.

"I—but—I wasn't—" Weiss faltered before sitting back into her chair in contemplation.

No one spoke, all waiting for either Weiss to respond or for Blake to continue. Seconds passed uncomfortably slowly as the silence permeated.

Finally, Weiss looked up at Blake.

"Blake, I apologize. I didn't mean for my words to make you not trust me enough to… well, I'm sorry. I want you to know, I—if I can, I want to help. I—" She looked struck by realization before it shifted into resolve. "I don't want to be like my father in this. I want to do things different—better."

Blake got up and walked over to Weiss. Each step clattered against the wooden planks of the porch. The white-haired girl blanched and glanced around nervously, unsure of what was about to happen. Weiss flinched away from Blake's hand as it shot forward.

Instead, Weiss blinked rapidly as Blake wrapped her arms around Weiss.

"Thank you," Blake whispered to her. She had been so scared by how this could have gone. Weiss hesitated before returning the gesture.

"Blake, I'm sorry too!" Ruby stated sincerely. "I didn't know, and I didn't think that—"

"It's fine, Ruby," Blake said as she released Weiss, who drew a hand across her eyes to wipe them clear.

"No, it isn't. I'm sorry too, Blake. It's like Taylor said in the cafeteria, we just sat there," Yang said.

"I didn't do anything then either, but I get what you mean. How some Faunus are treated, it's just become normal. I'm not asking you guys to pick up a sign and start protesting or anything; this has been more than I had hoped for already."

Ruby and Yang embraced Blake before they all sat back down. Blake seemed comfortably relieved, more relaxed than I had ever seen her. Were we the first group of humans that she's opened up to about everything?

"I'm still not okay with this, the going off and doing something dangerous on your own bit"—Yang's eyes flashed to me, crimson for only a moment—"but I get it, and am definitely up if you guys need to go for a round two with any baddies."

"So, um, how did the thing with the White Fang and Roman go?" Ruby asked.

"Blake and I got Roman, while Team JNPR took out their transport. Roman had a woman with him, Neo, who was able to take on Ren and Pyrrha at the same time." That got some surprised reactions. "Her Semblance is to make physical illusions that can hide herself or entire areas, so she was tricky to deal with. After we knocked out Torchwick, she ran off, though she hurt Ren pretty bad first. He's in the hospital right now with a few broken bones but he should be fine in a few days."

"Is that why Pyrrha and Jaune aren't texting me back?!" Ruby asked.

"Probably. We asked them to not say anything until Blake talked to you all. We should go visit him tomorrow actually. Anyway, we did manage to retrieve most of the stolen Dust, and Roman was arrested along with a bunch of White Fang members." Now, I just have to look into who was backing Roman.

"That's awesome! Not the Ren part, but the butt-kicking," Yang stated.

"Yes, um, congratulations," Weiss added.

"But, you both will include us from now on… right?" Ruby asked hopefully.

"Actually, there's a Faunus rally that I'm worried the White Fang might attack. I wanted to ask you guys for your help… depending on how things went tonight."

"Of course we'll help, Blake." Ruby's smile radiated warmth, and Yang and Weiss nodded in confirmation as well.

I'm glad I met these girls. Maybe, with them, I can learn to do things right.

Chapter 17 End

Author Notes:

Praise be to Juff, Breakingamber, ccstat, Majigah, TheSleepingKnight, Hopefullylesspretentious, and Weird Caster! I shall (Insert something about murdering and/or blood sacrifice in their honor) for their wonderful help.

I don't know Remnant's drinking age, so I'm just gonna say it's 19 for now. Junior said Yang looked young at 17, but she wasn't carded or stopped from ordering her drink… whatever, it's 19 now.

I'm unsure about how well Taylor's logic about not telling Yang about Raven plays out. I'll tell you guys if I go back and change it.

I hated the entire train stolen line, it always felt too much of a callout to Blake's trailer for me rather than something that Weiss would have actually said but that's probably just me.

Some lines are treading canon ground, just earlier. Hate doing it.

Yes, yes, lasagna, a staple of a bad fanon trope for Worm. When I originally wrote this, I hadn't realized the whole lasagna thing was fanon until Juff pointed it out in the second round of editing. I decided just to leave it in. Oh well, consider it a nod to… oh wow, here's a thread for all the fics it could be (not counting the many many fics that have used lasagna in them). Who knows where it came from.

I can use it as an excuse if people think I'm supposed to be writing good word story, I'll say that this fic can't be good, it has a lasagna scene, thus I'm allowed to write as shitty as I desire.

I hope it's not coming off as Blake justifying people not helping Faunus with her 'how they're treated has become normal' thing. It probably doesn't (because it shouldn't), and I'm overanalyzing how people may interpret it because I'm overly anxious about making sure I'm tackling something like racism correctly… then again, it would be more in line with RWBY to tackle it badly.