SAPR

by Scipio Smith

Flight Response (New)

Flight Response

Rainbow got out her scroll.

“Devices should not be present at the breakfast table,” Ciel murmured.

Rainbow glanced sideways at her, a bemused look upon her face. She opened up her ‘device,’ regardless of Ciel’s disapproval, which was probably not entirely serious. Not that you could tell from the look on the Atlesian girl’s face.

“Save your breath, Ciel,” Neon said, placing a hand upon Ciel’s shoulder. “Your attempts to bring the light of civilisation to these backwards and benighted peoples are sadly doomed to failure. Rainbow here might as well be a Vacuan.”

Rainbow turned her whole head to look at her.

Neon grinned, her feline tail rising up over her shoulder to sway back and forth as though she were using it to wave at Rainbow.

“What is it?” asked Blake. “Something private, or—?”

“It’s from Cadance,” Rainbow said softly, looking at the message that had appeared on the screen of her scroll. “She’s sent me a link, hang on.” She tapped the link with the forefinger of her left hand.

Sunset was sat on the other side of the table in the dining hall, where they were all — Team SAPR, Amber, Team YRBN, Team RSPT, Team BLBL, Sun, Neptune, and special guest Neon Katt of Team FNKI — were sat down for breakfast; an array of hot and cold foods — sausages and bacon, pastries, porridge, cereals, fruits and yoghurts — sat in front of them upon the plastic trays.

Because she was on the other side of the table, she couldn’t exactly make out what it was on the link that Cadance had sent to Rainbow Dash, but she could tell that it was a news website, or at least she was pretty sure it was, just as she was fairly certain that that was a picture of Jacques Schnee that she could see inverted on Rainbow’s scroll.

“Oh, hey,” Rainbow said. “Oh, yes! Blake, everyone, listen to this: the SDC has settled with the Mantle strikers.”

“Really?” Blake asked, her voice rising enthusiastically.

Rainbow nodded. “Yeah, it’s right here in the link that Cadance sent me; it’s breaking news: ‘Following a period of intense negotiations and arbitration by the respected huntsman and private security contractor Bran Thornmane, the Schnee Dust Company announced that it had reached an agreement with Hanlon Fifestone, unofficial leader of the Mantle-based employees of the SDC who have been on strike for blah blah … Hanlon Fifestone in turn confirmed that all strikes had been called off immediately, declaring that they had struck a square deal for the people of Mantle and for hard-working people across the Kingdom of Atlas.

“‘Fifestone also praised retired Colonel Thornmane for his mediation efforts, saying that he had been open-minded, fair, and impartial throughout.’”

Rainbow grinned. “‘The recent wave of strikes that have brought Mantle to a standstill along with over fifty percent of dust processing activities in Atlas was precipitated by the actions of former Atlesian special agent Blake Belladonna and Atlas Academy student Rainbow Dash, who together—’”

“Blah blah blah,” Blake said, cutting her off before she could finish.

Rainbow pouted. “Aw, come on, Blake.”

“We know what we did,” Blake said softly, as softly as the smile that was playing across her face.

“Ah, but does everyone else know what we did?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“Yes,” Neon said firmly. “Yes, we know what you did, and it was awesome, don’t get me wrong, but we really don’t need to hear it again. I say this with love, of course.”

“I don’t know what you did,” Amber murmured tentatively.

“Nothing much,” Blake said. “We happened to be in the right place at the right time.”

“To uncover a modern slavery ring and shut it down,” Rainbow added.

“Mantle is the story,” Blake insisted. “Not us. Fifestone and Thornmane are the heroes, not us.”

“Come on,” Rainbow said. “We’re a little bit heroic.”

“They’re not wearing Fifestone wigs on the streets of Mantle,” Neon added.

“Hmm,” Blake said. “He’s probably glad about that.”

“It’s the price of celebrity, I’m afraid,” Pyrrha said sympathetically. “There’s very little to be done about it. Have they brought out toys of Gambol Shroud yet?”

Blake’s eyebrows rose. “I … I don’t think so; is that … is that a thing?”

“You can buy Miló and Akoúo̱ toys,” Pyrrha said. “It wouldn’t surprise me, considering the impact of this story and the fact that your fame is only likely to increase following the Vytal Festival, if there are Gambol Shrouds in toyshops by the time the year turns.”

“If they’re going to do it, then they’ll want to get it out for Longest Night; it’s when we give presents to celebrate the new beginning,” Neon said. “But would they really do that?”

“Perhaps not; I don’t know Atlas well enough to say,” Pyrrha admitted, “but I don’t think the possibility should be discounted.”

“What are they like?” Ruby asked. “The toys of your weapons? Do they transform?”

“Akoúo̱ is little more than a plastic frisbee painted gold,” Pyrrha explained. “For Miló … there is an expensive toy which does transform, albeit completely manually, more laboriously, and in a manner that is not entirely accurate to my weapon. There are also three cheaper toys that are simply the spear, the sword, and the rifle without any capacity to change between them.”

“When you say ‘not entirely accurate,’” Blake said, “what does that mean?”

“I gather there are some difficulties in replicating the means by which Miló transitions from one mode to the other,” Pyrrha said, “and so, especially when it comes the rifle, there are various extraneous bits of plastic sticking out that are necessary for the sword and spear modes but had no place on the rifle. The manufacturers told me this is quite common when making toys based on shifting weapons. They call it kibble; I’m not quite sure why.”

“Hmm,” Blake murmured.

“Don’t act like that would be a bad thing,” Rainbow said.

“I didn’t do this for fame,” Blake said.

“No, but since you did it, there’s no harm in being famous too,” Rainbow replied. “Look at it this way: the more people know who you are, the more people are going to listen to you when you start talking.”

“She’s got a point,” Neptune said. “Celebrities have influence, even when they don’t have any power.”

“But isn’t power preferable to influence?” Blake replied.

“Yeah, but you don’t have any power yet either way, so why get rid of your influence?” asked Sun.

Blake paused for a moment. “That … that’s a good point, I suppose.”

“I’m warning you now,” Neon said, “that if you two do get toys made of your weapons, I am absolutely going to swap out the real ones for the toys at some point. I will find a way.”

“That doesn’t seem very nice,” Amber said, quietly and warily.

“No,” Neon agreed, “but it will be hilarious.”

“What are the terms?” Blake asked, bringing the conversation back onto more serious ground. “What have the SDC agreed to in order to stop the strike?”

“Hmm, let me see,” Rainbow murmured, scrolling downwards through the article for a second. “Right, okay: SDC Security is to be disbanded; Fifestone’s union is to be officially recognised by the SDC, and they’re allowed to recruit members without fear of penalty; one third of all the seats on the board of directors are to be elected by the employees; an immediate end to wage garnishing for accommodation at SDC facilities; and everyone gets one day off sick self-certified and up to seven days sick per doctor’s note with no limit on the number of doctor’s notes you can get.”

“Pay?” Blake asked. “Working conditions?”

“Nothing about that here,” Rainbow said, “but I guess that the big victory is electing board members and getting the union acknowledged; now that they’ve got those two things, they can fight for better pay and conditions regularly, in the boardroom and with more legal strikes if need be.” She snapped up her scroll. “It seems like they’ve made it a lot harder for any future Calliope Fernys to come along and start doing what she did, which I guess was the main point of the exercise. Anything else they want will come later.”

Blake nodded. “I suppose Fifestone didn’t want to be seen as too grasping or opportunistic, addressing issues outside of Mantle’s original complaints related to what we found. And you’re right; it will make it a lot harder for anything like that to happen again, not least because of the oversight given to workers’ representatives.”

“Will there be enough huntsmen to defend the SDC facilities now that SDC Security has been disbanded?” asked Ruby. “I know that the boss turned out to be running the slave camps, but couldn’t they have just reformed it instead?”

“Who would have trusted it?” asked Rainbow in reply. “Some things, you just can’t come back from, and it wasn’t just Calliope Ferny; she admitted herself that a lot of her guards were in on it too. Would the workers really be able to trust that Security was there to protect them, not keep them in line?”

“SDC Security had a bad reputation amongst the faunus even before this,” Blake added. “When … the White Fang feared going up against Atlesian military, but they relished the opportunity for payback against SDC Security. This will be welcomed by all the faunus, and it’s like you said, huntsmen can be hired to protect facilities against the grimm, or the White Fang. Or independent private security like this Thornmane person.”

“Bran Thornmane,” Neon said. “Former officer, like it said in Dashie’s article, retired from the military and founded Thornmane’s Guardians.”

“Huntsmen?” asked Ruby. “Or not?”

“I’m pretty sure they’re all huntsmen,” Neon replied. “Thornmane stations them in little villages and places that might not be able to afford to hire a huntsman whenever they got into trouble, or where a huntsman couldn’t get out to them in time. Hence the name; they’re guardians of their communities.”

“Sounds like a great idea,” Nora said. “There are a lot of places in Anima that could do with a guardian like that. By the time some of these villages figure out they could do with a huntsman, it’s already too late; the grimm or bandits are closer than any huntsman is.”

“Indeed,” Ren murmured, “but if these places cannot afford a huntsman in an emergency, then how do they afford the full-time protection of one of these Guardians?”

“It’s, um, Ciel, help me out with the word,” Neon said. “That thing where you charge less than you should for some things, and more than you need to for others, and it means that things even out, and you end up with the right amount of money.”

“I am not sure there is a dedicated word for that, unless it is simply evening out costs,” Ciel replied. “The point is that Thornmane’s prices for certain other huntsman activities are higher to enable him to support his Guardians in poor communities.”

“But they still work alone, the Guardians?” Ruby asked.

“Mainly, yeah,” Neon said. “I think Thornmane sends backup if anyone needs it.”

“Huh,” Ruby murmured. “That sounds … that sounds like a great way of doing it, really.”

“Doing what?” asked Jaune.

“Everything,” Ruby replied. “Not as rigid or controlling as a military, but not everyone just working on their own either; there’s a way of bringing people together when you need to.”

“But there is a boss,” Sunset reminded her. “I mean, this Thornmane is in charge, right?”

“But in charge of what?” Ruby responded. “I guess he’s not giving orders all the time, only when he absolutely has to. I think … maybe that’s the way that it ought to be done.”

“I can see where you’re coming from with this, but no,” Yang said firmly. “I don’t want to be under some other guy’s instructions, even if they are rare, and I don’t want to be stuck in one village for the rest of my life; I want to be able to go where I want, when I want, and be my own boss; I wouldn’t want to give that up.”

“Not even if it was important?” Ruby asked.

“If it was important, then sure, I’d put that to one side,” Yang said. “But when it stopped being important, I’d like to pick it up again.”

“Anyway,” Jaune said, “that sounds like great news, about the SDC.”

“Indeed,” Sunset said. “You’ve both done very well. And it will impress your mother, no doubt, to hear about it, if she hasn’t heard already by the time you see her again.”

“Yes, I—” Blake stopped as Weiss and her team entered the dining hall.

Weiss didn’t look at them as she led the three boys inside. She didn’t look at anyone, but kept her face to the front, eyes up, moving with a gait that would have been perfect if it hadn’t seemed a little stiff; she moved with the brittle dignity of someone who was trying hard to ignore the opinions of others.

She didn’t look at any of those sat with Sunset around the table. She didn’t look at anyone in the dining hall, despite — or more likely because — of the fact that a number of people were looking at her, faunus and others.

Sunset couldn’t tell what they were all thinking, but even without using her semblance, she could take a guess.

“Weiss!” Blake called, getting to her feet.

Weiss stopped, turning her head; her long ponytail flapped around her a little as she looked at Blake. “Yes?” she asked quietly.

Blake smiled at her. “There’s room here, if you’d like to sit with us.”

Weiss hesitated for a moment. Her teammates also paused, waiting to see what she would do; none of them offered her any advice, or even their own opinions on the matter. They kept quiet and looked at her, and looked at the empty spaces next to RSPT on the end of the table, and they waited.

“Thank you,” Weiss said, “but I wouldn’t want to impose.”

“It’s no imposition,” Blake said. “I, we, would welcome your company. Please.”

Weiss stared at her for a moment, and then a moment more. She inclined her head in gratitude. “Well, in that case, how can I refuse?”

Her wedge-heeled boots tapped against the floor as she made her way towards the first empty space, on the left flank of Team RSPT.

She stopped as she noticed Amber, sitting between Pyrrha and Dove.

“Hello,” she said. “I don’t think we’ve met.”

“No,” Amber said. “No, I don’t think we have. My name is Amber Briarrose, and I … I’m staying with Team Sapphire for a while.”

“Amber is Professor Ozpin’s niece,” Pyrrha explained. “Staying at Beacon while other arrangements are made.”

“I … see,” Weiss said quietly, not sounding as if she saw at all, but evidently deciding that it wasn’t her place to push the point. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Amber; I’m Weiss Schnee, and these are my teammates, Flash Sentry, Cardin Winchester, and Russel Thrush.”

“Good to meet you,” said Flash, with a slight bow of his head.

“Indeed,” Cardin added.

“Hey,” Russel said. “I didn’t know Professor Ozpin had a niece.”

“Not too surprising; he’s our headmaster, not our friend,” Weiss said as she sat down next to the Rosepetals, “and some men wish to keep their family circumstances private.” She glanced at Amber. “That being the case, it’s best not to pry into those circumstances.”

Perhaps it was the presence of Amber nearby, and the marks on her face that were nearly completely concealed beneath expertly applied makeup, but Sunset couldn’t help but notice the scar on Weiss’ face, the mark that ran from her temple down — via her eye, which she was lucky to still have — to her cheek. Amber’s treatment of her injuries begged the question that Sunset had not previously considered of why Weiss didn’t try to hide her own injury, which she surely could have done.

People were different, of course, and it was entirely Weiss’ choice, but still … Sunset found herself curious. Clearly, it was not something of which she felt ashamed, or even regarded with any distaste.

She didn’t know how Weiss had gotten the scar; they weren’t close enough for Sunset to ask.

And, as Weiss had said, it was best not to pry into the circumstances of those who wished to keep such things private.

“How are you holding up?” Blake asked.

Weiss looked at her. “I’m sure there are some people around this very table who find your being solicitous of me to be very odd indeed.”

Blake glanced down the table. “If that is true, then they don’t know me as well as they think.”

“Civis Atlarum Sum,” Rainbow said quietly. “Like I told you when we first arrived, if you need any assistance, then … you can call on us, or any Atlas students to assist you.”

Weiss snorted. “A very generous offer, but I think that some of the Atlas students are amongst those who can’t see beyond my last name.”

Blake winced. “Has … anything … happened?”

“It hasn’t helped our reputation as the racist team, that’s for sure,” Russel muttered.

“Not with anyone with any sense,” Flash said. “No one who thinks seriously about this thinks that Weiss could be involved with this; her father isn’t even involved.”

“But the company that bears my name is,” Weiss declared. “I don’t begrudge people their shock, and I don’t begrudge them their reactions to this news either; it … is the sort of news people should have strong reactions about.”

“That doesn’t excuse…” Sunset began, trailing off since as yet Weiss had given them no indications of what those ‘reactions’ have amounted to. “Flash, has anything happened? Has anyone … graffitied your door?”

“You had to bring that up,” Cardin muttered.

Sunset winced. “Sorry, it was just an example that came to mind.”

“No,” Flash said. “No, there’s been nothing like that. It’s just—”

“Staring,” Russel said. “And whispering. I feel like my grandad when he started to get on, thinking that everyone was talking about him behind his back, plotting against him: the bartender, the shopkeeper. Only, he was going round the bend; I’m certain they really are talking about us.”

“What did your grandpa do about it?” asked Yang.

“He picked fights and got himself barred from everywhere,” Russel replied. “I’d try picking fights, but some of these people are bigger than me.”

“Plus, you don’t want to get thrown out,” Jaune added.

“Well, yeah, that too, I suppose,” Russel said.

“It will pass,” Weiss said.

“Will it?” asked Russel.

“Yes!” Weiss said sharply. “I will not be defined by my father’s actions, and I certainly will not be defined by his incompetence! At the risk of sounding defensive, I would remind you all that my father knew nothing of what was going on under Ms. Ferny’s direction. That … does not make him the great businessman that he was believed to be, including by myself, but it does not make him a monster, and it certainly does not make me one.

“I am the granddaughter of a hero as well as the daughter of a … flawed man,” Weiss went on, “and I will not allow my name to be defined for me by my father’s mistakes or by the judgement of the wider world on those mistakes. I will define this name myself, by an accounting of my deeds, as we all will define our names and the name of Team Wisteria. Starting at the Vytal Festival.” She swept her gaze imperiously up the table. “I hope that none of you feel so much sympathy for me, for us, that you think of going easy on us, should our paths cross.”

Sunset snorted. “No chance of that.”

“Good,” Weiss said. “I’m delighted to hear it. Just as I was delighted to hear that this strike in Mantle has been settled to the benefit of Mantle.”

“'Delighted'?” asked Neon. “Really?”

“It is delightful news, isn’t it?” asked Penny.

“It’s delightful news for Mantle,” Neon replied. “Not for her family.”

“Neon,” Ciel said gently.

“I am more than just my name; I have opinions beyond what is for the good of the SDC’s bottom line,” Weiss said, a touch of frost covering her voice. “I can recognise the justice of Mantle’s cause in response to how my father’s company has behaved.”

“Then you’ve heard?” Blake asked.

“That the strike has been settled? Yes, and on what terms,” Weiss replied. “I have to say I feel as though this Fifestone fellow has been quite generous, not wringing any increases in pay or the like out of my father.”

“I think he wants to keep focussed on the issues that led to the strike in the first place, so as to not risk sympathy,” Rainbow said.

“You may be correct,” Weiss murmured, “but whether Fifestone is correct … he may have thrown away his best chance.”

“What makes you say that?” asked Ciel. “There will be other chances to negotiate better pay, better conditions, no?”

“In theory,” Weiss agreed. “But…”

“You can’t stop now; you’ve got us hanging off your every word,” Sunset said.

One corner of Weiss’ mouth twitched upwards. “But my father is a proud man,” she said. “I fear that he will take this as a defeat and bear malice for it.”

“Really?” asked Penny. “Even though it wasn’t his fault in the first place?”

“He has been blamed,” Weiss reminded her, “and his reputation damaged. I’m afraid…”

“Afraid of what?” asked Blake quietly.

“That … he will be stubborn in future,” Weiss said. “Even moreso than he was before.”

She shook her head, her ponytail shaking from side to side. “In any case, that is something for the future, something that may never happen, something that certainly shouldn’t detract from what Mantle has accomplished and what the two of you began.”

“See?” Rainbow said. “Weiss thinks we’re heroes.”

“As I was saying,” Sunset said, “this will be some good news to share with your mother when you see her next.”

“Whose mother?” asked Weiss.

“My mother,” Blake said. “She has come from Menagerie to visit me; she arrived last night.”

“Is that far away?” asked Amber.

“Quite far, yes,” Blake replied. “Farther than Mistral, and farther from here than Atlas too, I think, although in a different direction.”

“I see,” Amber said softly. “She must love you, to come all this way.”

Blake’s face reddened a little. “Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, she does love me, very much. She always did.” She looked away, her head bowing just a little.

“Did … did I say something wrong?” asked Amber. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

“It’s not your fault,” Blake assured her. “You weren’t to know. My mother and I, my parents and I … I didn’t appreciate them, and we left things … badly. When Mom turned up last night, it was a chance to start making things a little better.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Sunset said. Now if only Amber would do the same with Professor Ozpin. Once you forgive those who raised you for the mistakes they made and accept that they were just trying their best, then … then you find that they have so much more love to give you.

I really believe that Amber and Professor Ozpin would both benefit if she could forgive him; it would help him a lot, but it would help her too if she could go to him for advice, for mentoring, for love.

I just don’t know how to make her see that.

Perhaps Princess Celestia herself will know. Although she couldn’t make me forgive her, I had to come to that on my own.

Nevertheless, she may have some wisdom from which I may benefit.

Perhaps Professor Ozpin will have to make the first move.

I will see what she has to say.

“What’s she like?” Ruby asked. “Your mom, I mean.”

“She’s sharp as a tack,” Sun answered for her. “Really smart.”

“Really smart or smarter than you?” asked Neptune.

“Dude, when did you get replaced by Scarlet?”

“Oh, Scarlet would have much, much worse to say than that,” Neptune assured him.

“Is your mom coming up to see you again today?” asked Yang.

“Yes,” Blake said. “She is.”

“I’m going to fly down and pick her up after I’m done with breakfast,” Rainbow added.

Yang frowned. “Can’t she just get a skybus up here? Or is this respect for Blake’s mom?”

“It’s partly that, and partly all of this anti-faunus sentiment in Vale,” Rainbow replied. “I don’t want Blake’s mom to get mugged by some jackass on the way to the skydock, or harassed on the bus.”

“I guess that’s a fair point,” Yang conceded. “So, I take it that means you won’t be joining us for that sparring session then, huh?”

“No, I’ll be there,” Blake answered. “I wouldn’t want to put any of you out.”

Yang stared at her. So, too, did Nora and — more discreetly — Ren.

Blake blinked. “What?”

“Your mom is here,” Yang said.

“Yes.”

“Your mom who you haven’t seen in forever, right?”

“Six years,” Blake answered. “So?”

“So what are you doing sparring with us instead of spending time with your mom?” Yang demanded.

“I’m keeping my skills in touch and preparing for the Vytal Festival,” Blake said. “Meanwhile, Mom can watch me spar; we’ll have all the time when we’re not sparring and afterwards. It’s not like I don’t have plans.” She paused. “Sun, Sunset, Twilight, Ciel, are you okay to come to dinner with Rainbow, Trixie, Starlight, and me tonight? Mom wants to get to know you all.”

“Yeah, sure,” Twilight said. “That sounds great.”

“Count me in too,” Sun added.

“Where are you having dinner?” asked Neptune warily.

“Probably just the restaurant at Mom’s hotel; she didn’t say,” Blake replied. “Why?”

“Because Sun cannot show up dressed like that,” Neptune declared. “Do you still have your Haven uniform, or did you lose it?”

“You know I’m not a uniform kind of guy.”

“You lost it, didn’t you?”

“Not on purpose,” Sun said. “I put in the washing machine and it wasn’t there when I checked on it. The next day.”

Neptune rolled his eyes. “Whatever, dude, you can’t go to dinner with your girlfriend’s mom in that shirt and those pants.”

“All the Atlesians are gonna be there; it’s not that big a deal.”

“Yes,” Neptune said. “All the Atlesians are going to be there, so what’s it going to look like to Blake’s mom when you’re the only one who hasn’t dressed up?”

Sun’s eyes widened. “Oh, wow, you’re right; what do I do?”

“You don’t need to—” Blake began.

“Just come with me,” Neptune said, taking Sun by the arm and drawing him to his feet, “and let a cool guy with fashion sense take care of everything.”

“I really don’t think that—” Blake tried to protest, but it was too late, as Neptune was already leading Sun away out of the dining room.

Blake watched after that, before turning her attention to Team RSPT. “Are you really going to dress up?”

“I was going to wear dress whites, yeah,” Rainbow said.

“It’s only my mom,” Blake pointed out.

“She’s the Chieftainess of Menagerie,” Twilight replied. “And your mom.”

“Not to interrupt, but what was this about a sparring session?” asked Weiss.

“We’re having a quick few rounds to get ready for Last Shot,” Yang explained. “Team Iron, Team Sapphire, Team Rosepetal are going to keep their hand in as well.”

“Would you like to join us?” asked Blake.

Weiss quickly shared a glance with her teammates, who all nodded.

“Yes,” she said. “Yes, thank you; that would be great.”

---

"Are you sure you're going to be okay here?" asked Sunset.

The smile was a little tight upon Amber's face, but it was a smile nevertheless, however small it was. "I'll be fine, Sunset," she said as she sat down next on one of the benches that sat on the lower level of the amphitheatre, beneath and around the stage.

"Okay," Sunset said. "It's just I know you said that you weren't really very interested in tournament-style fighting." It was her turn to smile. "Although, who knows, maybe we'll be able to light a fire in you with our displays of superlative skill."

"Maybe," Amber conceded. "But I doubt it." She paused. "Wouldn't it be wonderful if all your battles could be for show and play, not life and death against monsters or murderers?"

"Show and play make them all seem very facile," Sunset remarked, "but, as to your point … yes, that would be very grand … save that I am not sure if we were all nought but Mistralian gladiators whether we would have some of us here. There are those who are driven by intent too serious who would not stoop to entertain a crowd upon a regular basis."

"No, I suppose not; you're all so very gallant and selfless," Amber murmured. "But then, if there were no enemy, no grimm, no … nothing, then … then those people could find something safe to do, something they loved."

"Yes," Sunset agreed. "Yes, I suppose they could." She knelt down in front of Amber, exchanging looking up down upon her for looking up at her. "And what would you do, in this world without monsters or murderers?" Or magic, though I cannot speak of it.

Amber's smile brightened, not least because she opened her mouth to show her teeth. "I would sing," she said. "In that great concert hall you all showed me. Or … or perhaps not. Perhaps … I don't know, the city is wonderful, but I don't know if I'd like to live there all the time. A little cottage, with Dove, that might suit me better."

Sunset chuckled. "A patch of land to call your own, with some woods, and a stream running by, and a couple of servants to do all of the hard work for you perhaps. The pastoral idyll sought throughout the ages."

"I wouldn't need people to do all the work for me," Amber said. "I could learn how to farm; I enjoy growing things."

"You might not once it became work, life and death," Sunset replied.

"Perhaps," Amber admitted. "Perhaps I could make things, and sell them instead."

"Or become a famous singer for a little bit, make your money and then retire to that cottage with no need to worry about how you'd support yourself," Sunset suggested.

"Perhaps," Amber murmured. She sighed. "But that … that isn't the world that we live in, is it?"

"No," Sunset conceded. "No, it's not."

"What are you talking about?" asked Dove as he ambled over, holding a lime green can of some sort of pop that he must have gotten from the vending machines outside. He handed it to Amber.

"Thank you," she said. "Sunset and I were just talking about what we'd do, in a world where … with none of … none of this. No need for huntsmen or huntresses, no … none of this."

Dove sat down beside her, which required Sunset to scoot a little bit to make room for him. "That … I don't know, really. I suppose I would have had to become a tanner like my mother, in that case."

"Or moved to the big city to seek your fortune," Sunset said.

"I'm not sure that I have the ambition for that," Dove replied. "It really took Amber to get me out of the village."

"There's nothing you want?" Sunset asked. "If you could be anything you wanted, anything at all, what would it be?"

Dove was silent for a moment, and then a moment more. He glanced at Amber, and then up at the darkened ceiling of the amphitheatre which covered all their heads. "A gamekeeper," he said.

Sunset's eyebrows rose. "'A gamekeeper'?"

Dove nodded. "Sometimes protecting the animals, other times hunting them, I think that might suit me."

"Huh," Sunset said. "Not an answer I was expecting, but okay." Maybe Professor Ozpin can arrange for you to hide out on some grand country estate? "Anyway, I've got to go now, but the stage isn't far away, and there'll always be someone not on stage. If it's not us, it will be the Rosepetals, or Blake at the very least. You good?"

Amber reached out for Dove, taking one of his hands. "Yes. I'm very well, thank you."

"Awesome," Sunset said. "Try and enjoy it, okay?"

So saying, she turned away from Amber and Dove and wandered over to join Yang and Weiss where they stood close by the stage.

"Is she okay?" Yang asked.

"Yeah, she's fine."

"You're very solicitous of her," Weiss observed.

"I'm naturally a very kind person," Sunset said, in a tone as dry as dust. "But seriously, she … Amber's been through a lot."

"Mmm, I suppose she must have," Weiss murmured. "At least she has an uncle who is well placed and has the means to assist her." She glanced past Sunset. "Dove Bronzewing also seems quite familiar with her."

"They're old friends," Sunset explained. "They used to live nearby one another."

"'Old friends'?" Weiss repeated.

Sunset smirked. "It's true love."

Weiss raised her scarred eyebrow. "If you believe in that sort of thing."

"I couldn't share a room with Jaune and Pyrrha and not believe in that sort of thing," Sunset replied.

Weiss snorted. "Well, that is as may be, I suppose. Either they'll make it work, or they won't; it's no concern of mine."

Sunset was left uncertain whether she was talking about Amber and Dove, or Jaune and Pyrrha, or both of them.

Weiss went on, "I suppose we're going to wait for Rainbow and Blake to return with … Blake's mother before we begin?"

"Are you in a rush?"

"Not particularly," Weiss replied. "But I would rather be up on stage when they arrive."

"You don't want to meet Blake's mother," Sunset guessed.

"She's hardly likely to look kindly upon a Schnee," Weiss said. "I'd rather remove the potential for frostiness."

"Well, we don't have to wait," said Yang. "Yeah, we can't do four on fours until they get back, but we could do some single sparring? Or doubles? Weiss and Flash against Pyrrha and Jaune?"

Weiss put one hand upon the hilt of her rapier. "I certainly wouldn't object to that."

"We're here," Rainbow declared, as she and Blake pushed open the doors and walked through into the amphitheatre, accompanied by a woman who looked like a slightly older — but still very well preserved; certainly you could not say that Lady Belladonna had grown old before her time — Blake, albeit with much shorter hair, that being the main difference between the two of them, apart from their clothes.

"Oh, hey," Yang said, turning to face them. "You're here. We were just about to start without you."

"Everyone," Blake said, "for those of you who don't know, this is my Mom, Kali Belladonna. Mom, this is … everyone." She began to point out the various people. "You've met a lot of them already, but that's Dove Bronzewing, Amber Briarrose, Lyra Heartstrings, Bonnie Bonaventure, Ruby Rose, Jaune Arc, Pyrrha Nikos, Sunset Shimmer, Russel Thrush, Cardin Winchester, Flash Sentry, and…" Her finger hesitated over Weiss, who was both not looking at Blake or her mother — her gaze was going past Sunset's human ears and somewhere into the middle distance — but also looked as though she were trying to turn herself invisible by the act of remaining completely still and motionless.

"And Weiss Schnee," Blake said. "A good friend of mine in recent weeks."

No one said anything. The amphitheatre was silent, save for the soft sounds of Lady Belladonna's footsteps upon the black floor as she walked forwards. Yang and Sunset made way for her, retreating a few paces so that they did not crowd her in as she walked, without a word, towards Weiss.

Weiss still did not turn her head; rather, her icy blue eyes darted in Lady Belladonna's direction, like a hunted animal who fears that its stillness stratagem has not worked to fool the predator.

"Weiss Schnee," Lady Belladonna said. Her tone brightened. "Well, any friend of Blake's is a friend of mine. It's wonderful to meet you, Weiss."

Weiss' mouth opened, forming a square or oblong of surprise as she could not resist looking at Blake's mother. "I … that's very kind of you, ma'am."

"Is everyone going to call me 'ma'am'? It makes me feel very old," Lady Belladonna asked. "And what, exactly, is so very kind about it? After all, you are Blake's friend, aren't you?"

"Yes, but…" Weiss clasped her hands together behind her back. "Not only that, ma'am."

"And I am not only Blake's mother," Lady Belladonna said. "But that is what I'd expect you to see when you look at me. You are more than Blake's friend, as we are all more than just one thing, but as I'm Blake's mother, I'm afraid you'll have to put up with me seeing you as one of her friends."

Weiss stared at her, before she bowed her head. "I understand. Thank you, ma'am."

"Thank me for what?" asked Lady Belladonna. She turned away, "Blake, is Weiss coming to dinner with us tonight?"

"Um…" Blake shrugged. "Weiss, are you doing anything tonight?"

"Having dinner with you and your mother, it seems," Weiss replied.

"Splendid!" Lady Belladonna cried. "Now, who else did you say you were going to invite?"

"Rainbow, Twilight," Blake said. "Sun—"

"I don't see Sun here," Lady Belladonna remarked.

"He's … being helped to get ready," Blake murmured. "I'm afraid … Sun's team doesn't like him enough to join him for a sparring session, and besides, the Haven students already had their qualification round. Anyway, you'll see him tonight if not sooner, and then there's Starlight and Trixie — they're not here either — and Sunset."

Sunset bowed, as she had done to Lady Nikos, spreading her arms out on either side of her. "An honour to meet you, my lady."

"'My lady'? I think I might prefer 'ma'am,'" Lady Belladonna said.

Sunset smiled. "In that case, ma'am, I apologise."

The corner of Lady Belladonna's mouth twitched upwards. "Sunset Shimmer," she repeated. "Jaune Arc, Pyrrha Nikos, Ruby Rose, you must be Team Sapphire, then."

Pyrrha bowed her head. "We have that honour, ma'am."

"Thank you," Lady Belladonna said, "for taking Blake in during the unpleasant business that happened to her last semester. I'm very grateful for all the support that she received from her friends. I'm glad that she seems to be surrounded by such good people."

"We've been very fortunate to have Blake's support," Sunset said. "Our efforts would have been … we've been lucky."

"That wasn't how you felt at first," Blake observed.

"That sounds like a fascinating discussion to have tonight," Lady Belladonna said amusedly. "But for now, I won't keep you from your sparring any longer." She walked to an empty seat. "I shall just sit, and watch, and cheer Blake on."

"Oh, you'll get something to cheer all right, ma'am, guarantee it," Yang declared. "So, now that we're all here, how about some four on fours?"

"Actually—" Weiss began.

"We'll take you on," Sunset declared. "Team Sapphire versus Team Iron, rematch from the start of the year."

"But I—" Weiss protested.

"Oho, yeah!" Yang cried. "Come on, guys, let's do this!"

Sunset turned to her teammates. "I take it no one has any objections."

Jaune shook his head. Pyrrha said, "This is why we're here, after all."

The four of them climbed up onto the stage, standing on the left hand side of it, while Team YRBN assembled on the right.

Sunset looked at them for a moment. Blake hadn't been a part of their team the last time; that would make this a little bit harder.

Still, Sunset was quietly confident that they would come out on top.

Sunset got out her scroll, Yang doing likewise, and the press of a button later, the aura levels of all four members of Team SAPR appeared on the wall on the left, and all the aura levels of Team YRBN appeared on the right.

At present, all the students were in the green, a hundred percent.

As the lights went down, shrouding the amphitheatre in darkness, hiding the spectators from view, Yang called out, "Hey, Weiss, do you mind refereeing for us?"

Weiss sighed. "Very well. I'll give you some time to discuss your strategies."

As Team YRBN went into a huddle, Sunset turned away from them and beckoned her teammates to join her. They drew in, huddling close, so that they could speak in hushed whispers without being overheard.

"Now, I hate to say this," Sunset said, "but man for man, woman for woman, I think they're mostly better than most of us, but I think we can win this if we break them down and take them out piece by piece. Jaune, I need you to pin Yang down; you don't have to beat her, just don't let her get away from you, take the hits for a little bit. Pyrrha, can you take Nora and Blake, at least for a little bit?"

Pyrrha nodded. "I believe so." She smiled. "Blake's semblance will be a novel challenge."

"Watch out for her use of dust," Sunset warned her. "Ruby, stay back and provide fire support to Jaune and Pyrrha as you think they need it."

"What about you?" asked Ruby.

"I'm going to take out Ren; he's the weak link," Sunset said. "Then I'll engage Blake long enough for Pyrrha to finish off Nora; Blake will probably take me out, but by that point, it will be three against two. When that happens, Ruby, switch fire support completely to Jaune and let Pyrrha deal with Blake, and then finally go for Yang to claim the win."

"And is Team Iron supposed to remain quiescent while this is going on?" asked Pyrrha. "Blake's semblance makes her uniquely capable of breaking contact."

"If that happens, then follow Blake," Sunset told her, "and leave Nora to me."

"I will try and deal with them both before you are done with Ren," Pyrrha murmured.

Sunset grinned. "That would be great, but not completely necessary. Are we all clear?"

Jaune and Ruby both nodded their assent.

"Okay then, let's do this," Sunset said, and whirled around to face their opponents.

Their opponents faced them too. Yang's hands were clenched into fists, down by her sides at present but with her elbows bent so that she could rapidly bring them up. Nora's feet were widely spaced apart, her weapon in its hammer form gripped tightly. Ren's Stormflowers dropped out of his sleeves and into his waiting hands, his expression as inscrutable as ever. Blake was reaching over her shoulder, one hand upon the hilt of Gambol Shroud.

"Are both teams ready?" asked Weiss, her voice emerging from out of the darkness.

Sunset's left hand glowed a faint green as she gathered her magic. "Ready."

"Ready," Yang said.

"Go get 'em, Blake!" cried Lady Belladonna.

"Go Team Sapphire!" yelled Penny.

"Begin!" snapped Weiss.

Sunset raised her hand and fired a bolt of magic at Nora; she hoped that Ren would take the hit for her, but instead, it was Blake who dived in front of Nora, only to transform in the instant before the magical blast struck into a stone statue, an earth dust clone which took the hit, shattering into pieces but absorbing all of the magic in the process.

Blake was already in the air, hanging suspended for a moment before she descended towards Pyrrha like a hawk descending upon the hapless field mouse.

Ruby fired upwards, Crescent Rose barking. In the air as she was, Blake couldn’t dodge the shot, so she had to burn another clone on it — an ordinary clone, no earth or ice or fire dust involved — to take the hit, while she appeared back on the stage, the advantage of her descent lost.

She charged at Pyrrha, and Nora and Yang were doing likewise, rushing across the stage towards Pyrrha, doubtless to overwhelm her and thus give themselves the leisure to finish off the remainder of Team SAPR.

Ren alone hung back. Sunset raised Sol Invictus to her shoulder and shot at him, her rifle spitting, but he leapt out of the way, rolling along the stage and back onto his feet, the bullet missing him by yards.

Ruby fired twice more at Blake, who evaded one shot and used a clone to take the other for her.

The three YRBN huntresses closed in on Pyrrha from three sides, like a pack of hounds upon the deer. For her part, Pyrrha bore herself more like the majestic stag than like a hunted doe, head up, back straight, her armour glimmering even in the little light that illuminated the stage. Her weapons were in her hands, but her hands were by her sides, only late did she raise her Akoúo̱ up to protect her or bring Miló up in sword mode to strike above her shield.

Yang was on the right of YRBN’s approach, and Jaune rushed towards her, shield up, reforged sword held aloft.

Ren moved to intercept him.

So that’s your plan, Yang.

Sunset teleported, appearing right above Ren and bringing the butt of Sol Invictus — gripped by the barrel in both of Sunset’s hands — down upon his head.

There was a crack as the blow struck home, driving Ren face first onto the floor of the stage.

Sunset landed, standing over him. She raised her gun, intending to empty it into him while he was lying there. Ren rolled aside, and as he rolled, he grabbed Sunset by the ankle, yanking her off her feet so that she landed on her backside with a thump that she felt on her tailbone despite her aura.

Ren kept on rolling, rolling onto his knees, Stormflowers up.

Sunset’s hand glowed with telekinesis as she flung Sol Invictus at him like a javelin, guiding it bayonet-first into his chest hard enough to toss him backwards and onto his back.

Sunset leapt up, drawing Soteria across her back, but holding it in the grip of telekinesis, not her hands, which were both aglow by now with magic.

Ren, too, leapt upright, fire spraying from the muzzles of his Stormflowers as he blazed away at Sunset.

Sunset didn’t conjure a shield — she would have had to let go of either Sol Invictus or Soteria if she had — rather, she ran across the stage, ducking, feeling at least some of the bullets hit her but hoping that not too many did as she flung both of her weapons telekinetically at Ren. She slashed at him with Soteria. He parried with the blades on his pistols, but in so doing, he left himself open to Sol Invictus lunging at his back. He twisted out of the way, his body contorting, but with telekinesis, Sunset could, somewhat ironically, redirect the movement of her weapons more easily than if she were wielding them in her hands, so she was able to turn the rifle and hit him in the side with the barrel.

“Sunset, behind!” Ruby cried.

Sunset spun around. Behind her, Jaune had just taken a couple of hits from Yang straight to the chest that had knocked him on his back and across the stage; Akoúo̱ was lodged in one of Blake’s ice clones, and Pyrrha was locked in a furious battle with Blake, Miló in spear mode whirling in her grasp as Blake assailed her with sword and cleaver both; between Blake’s semblance and Pyrrha’s skill, neither was able to land a blow upon the other.

Of more immediate importance to Sunset, however, was the way that Nora was coming to Ren’s aid, hammer drawn back for a swing.

Ruby fired once more, shooting Nora in the back, staggering her mid-charge. Sunset retreated, conjuring a shield all around her to protect her from Nora in front and Ren behind.

Okay, I can distract the both of you, so long as Pyrrha can close the deal with Blake.

As Sunset thought this, Pyrrha lunged at Blake, spear drawn back for a thrust. Blake disappeared, the clone she left behind dissipating into shadow as Pyrrha charged through it, her red hair flying out behind her like a burning banner, rushing straight for the ice clone that Blake had left behind as part of an earlier evasion. Pyrrha’s brow was furrowed beneath her circlet, her jaw set, her expression firm as she ploughed into the ice statue shoulder first, shattering it beneath her impact, recovering her shield from the ruins as it fell to the ground.

Blake tried to catch her but was slowed by the need to evade fire from Ruby as Pyrrha charged towards Nora.

“Nora!” Blake yelled.

Nora barely had time to turn her head before Pyrrha threw Akoúo̱ at her, striking her on the back and partly on the side of her head, jolting her forwards with staggered steps.

Pyrrha did not recover the shield as she reached Nora; rather, she wrapped her free arm around the discomfited girl’s neck and hauled her backwards, wrenching her over Pyrrha’s head as Pyrrha’s own back contorted rearwards at a sharp angle, ploughing Nora headfirst into the floor of the stage which shattered beneath the impact.

Pyrrha leapt up, away from Nora, recovering Akoúo̱ and throwing it in moments to deflect the hook that Blake flung towards her legs, transforming Miló from spear into rifle to snap off two shots at Yang.

Miló transformed once more from rifle into sword as Pyrrha landed back in the midst of her foes.

Sunset dropped her shield as the pitter patter of running feet alerted her to the fact that Ren was making a run at her.

He slashed at her with the blades on the ends of his Stormflowers. Sunset caught the blow on her arm, taking the damage to her aura before she activated the lightning dust infused into her vambraces.

The lightning erupted from out of her jacket sleeve, snapping and crackling, snarling like some feral beast as it leapt towards Ren, rippling up his weapons and across his body, tearing at his aura. Ren gasped in pain, his body quivering.

Sunset hit him with a magical blast, point blank range, straight to the chest, sending him flying backwards and off the stage.

“Lie Ren is eliminated by ring out,” Weiss declared, her voice ringing out of the darkness.

Unfortunately, a cry from Jaune alerted Sunset to the fact that Yang had lost patience with him. In the dim light of the arena, Yang’s flames burned bright, her hair as pale as sunlight even before it was covered with a layer of flames, flames that covered her body too, as though she had covered herself in fire dust and ignited it. Thus all aflame, she pounded Jaune with her fists, wrenching his shield out of his grasp before hitting him once, twice, three times, the blows striking him in the gut, Ember Celica exploding with fire each time as Jaune was driven backwards towards the edge of the stage.

Jaune swung at her with Crocea Mors, the blade glowing as Jaune strengthened sword and sword-arm with his aura for a mighty swing.

Yang caught the blow one-handed, fingers closing around the sword as she wrenched it out of Jaune’s grip and tossed it aside.

Pyrrha tried to go to Jaune’s aid, but this time, Blake did not use a clone, but physically barred Pyrrha’s way; she paid for it, her aura dropping as Pyrrha slashed at her with Miló, struck at her with Akoúo̱’s edge, but she delayed Pyrrha more than a dissipating clone would have.

Sunset fired a blast of magic, striking Yang squarely on the back.

Yang grabbed Jaune by the scruff of his hoodie and with one hand — and a wild shout — turned and threw him at Sunset.

Sunset caught a glimpse of Yang’s eyes turned bright crimson before her view was obstructed by Jaune flying towards her, arms flailing.

Sunset caught him, just about, with the downside that she was knocked on her poor tailbone again as they landed in a heap together.

And Yang was bearing down upon the pair of them, eyes aglow, wreathed in flame.

There was a sound like a whimper out of the darkness beyond the stage.

“Amber!” Dove cried. “Amber, wait!”

---

It was the fire that had done it.

Amber hadn’t enjoyed watching them fight, up there on the stage. She hadn’t enjoyed watching their faces twisted with determination; she hadn’t enjoyed watching the bullets fly, watching the weapons swung with vicious abandon; she hadn’t liked watching the levels of their aura drop downwards. She hadn’t liked any of it, not one bit.

But it was the fire that had done it. She couldn’t stand the sight of the flames, the horrid flames that sprung up all over Yang. She couldn’t stand the way she burned so brightly. Watching her burn, watching her fire, watching her eyes turn red, so bright and so cruel, watching her attack Jaune so viciously, then turn on Sunset too, it … it was too much.

As the flames rose up, all Amber could think of was Cinder, Cinder of the flames and the cruel eyes, Cinder standing over her while her allies held Amber still, looking at her with a tiger’s lack of pity.

And the flames, the flames that had enveloped her, the flames that she had ignited, the flames that had erupted all around Amber to burn away her aura and leave her vulnerable.

She could not bear the flames. In Yang’s face, she saw nought but Cinder.

She could not bear it, she would not endure it, she could not stay. It had been hard enough before, but this? No, no, she had to get out of there; she could not stay, not for one second more.

And so she ran, fleeing from the amphitheatre, bursting out into the sunlight, heedless of the cries of Dove and the others, she ran and ran, and she kept running as her sides stitched up, as her legs ached, as the pain of cramped muscles flared up everywhere protesting this harsh usage.

But she ran all the same because she could not bear to stay.

Not for one moment more.

She ran from the amphitheatre, she ran from the school, she ran through the courtyard, passed the statue of the huntsman and the snarling beowolf, she ran and ran, ignoring the hue and cry that had been raised for her, ignoring the voices calling out her name, she ran and ran until she reached the farm, the isolated and out of the way farm, the halfway secret place that Ruby knew, the place where they had spent last night, quiet and isolated.

There she ran, and there she fell, down on the ground, her body wracked with trembling, her muscles aching, her lungs straining. There she fell, on the ground, not sitting on the bench but with her back leaning against it.

There was no fire here, there was no Yang, no Cinder, nothing but chickens and that lazy goat, but still … still, she could see the flames, still, she could see Cinder and Yang, the two of them mingling together so that Cinder’s eyes were red as she stood over Amber, while Yang enveloped Jaune in flames instead of herself.

She did not want to be here. Dove was here, and Dove was wonderful, Team SAPR were wonderful too, Sunset and Pyrrha, Jaune and Ruby too, although she knew them less well, and she was fond of Lyra and Bon Bon also, and Ciel … they were good people here, kind hearts and brave, and in any other place, she would cherish their company and their friendship, but this place … she did not want to be here. She didn’t want to go into hiding, she didn’t want Ozpin to stuff her away into a dark hole where she could not escape, but she didn’t want to be here either, with these warriors, with these weapons, with these horrible things that…

How could any of them stand it? Pyrrha, Sunset, Ciel, Blake, any of them. How could they be here? Didn’t they know that they were all going to die? That there was no victory? Ozpin would kill them all, and she would be hunted, and Dove too, and … and there was nothing that she could do about it. It was her fate. It had been chosen for her, it was set in stone now, the Maiden powers were a prison she could not leave behind.

It was something none of these brave friends could protect her from.

Pyrrha had promised to protect her, by her life or her death. But Pyrrha’s death would not protect her. Pyrrha couldn’t keep her safe, nor Sunset, nor any of the rest of them.

It was all hopeless, and the worst … she had got Dove involved in this too.

If I was a good, kind girl, I would send him away.

But I’m not good, and I’m not kind; I’m selfish and lonely, and I want to love and be loved.

And it would kill him too, as it would kill her.

A rose petal, a single rose petal as red as blood, floated down from the sky above to land upon the wooden bench behind her.

“Amber!” Ruby cried, suddenly standing over her. Amber did not know whence she had come; she hadn’t heard her, but there she was. “Found you.”

“Ruby,” Amber murmured.

“I thought you might come here,” Ruby said. “You seemed to like it here last night.”

“It’s quiet, and peaceful,” Amber said softly. “And alone.”

Ruby was quiet for a moment or two; she sat down next to Amber, sitting upon the hem of her cloak.

“There … there are a lot of times when we shouldn’t be alone,” she said. “There are even more times when you shouldn’t be alone.”

“Because I am the Fall Maiden,” Amber said.

“That’s right,” Ruby answered. “Because you’re important. Well, I mean, everyone’s important, but you … you’re … you’re in danger, because you’re the Fall Maiden, and if…”

And if Cinder got the rest of my magic, then it would be terrible, Amber thought.

“Why did you run?” asked Ruby.

Amber hesitated.

Ruby shuffled a little closer to her, so their shoulders were almost touching.

“It’s okay,” she said. “Whatever it is, you can say it. Whatever we did, if we did anything, then we can make sure that we don’t do it again. Was it the fighting?”

“It was the flames,” Amber said. “I … I didn’t like the fighting, but the flames … when I saw Yang … all I could think of was … it frightened me.”

“Yang’s semblance does look kind of scary,” Ruby admitted. “Especially when her eyes change colour.” She giggled. “When I was a kid, she used to hide in my closet and jump out at me with her eyes turned red like that; it used to scare the pants off me, especially when she did it before I could turn the lights on.”

“That sounds…” Amber trailed off, unable to say how it sounded because it sounded quite frankly horrible.

“It was fine,” Ruby assured. “It was just sister stuff. I got my own back on her by eating cookies in her bed and leaving crumbs everywhere.” She smiled, as though this was supposed to make Amber laugh.

It didn’t. She failed to see the funny side of it.

The smile faded from Ruby’s face.

“Anyway,” she went on, “even though Yang can look scary with her semblance, she’s actually a really kind person, warm and caring. She would never set out to make you feel afraid.”

“Because I’m not her sister,” Amber murmured.

“Um … well, I … not exactly,” Ruby said. “She doesn’t scare me anymore either.”

“I imagine you’re too brave to be scared,” Amber said, looking at Ruby. “You must be brave, to be here.”

Ruby stared at her for a second. A faint blush of colour rose to her cheeks. “I mean… I’d like to think so.”

“I think so,” Amber repeated. “I think you’re all so terribly brave.” She paused for a moment. “Are you afraid of anything, Ruby?”

“Lots of things,” Ruby replied. “Failure, people dying because I screwed up, because I couldn’t do what had to be done. Letting people down. Letting my mom down.”

“Those are very brave things to be afraid of,” Amber told her. “You’re not afraid of dying?”

“No,” Ruby said at once. “Not at all.”

“'Not at all'?”

Ruby shook her head. “We all die sooner or later, and huntresses sooner than later, or sooner than most. Dying’s not the hard part, or the part that I worry about. I…” She looked away. “I worry about not living a worthy enough life before I die, but the dying? That doesn’t bother me at all.”

“Brave,” Amber whispered. “Brave new world.”

“'New'?” Ruby repeated. “Nah, I don’t think it’s new. I think these are good, old-fashioned values, like Olivia and Percy would recognise.”

“They’re new to me,” Amber replied. “My … my mother told me that if I was kind, I’d leave Dove be. That was after she found out about him obviously. She told me that if he was involved with me, he would only be involved in things that would hurt him. That if I was kind, if I cared about him, I’d let him go. But I didn’t let him go, because I’m not kind—”

“I don’t think that’s true,” Ruby said. “I think … I can see what your mom meant, but she didn’t explain to you what she meant. Were you supposed to figure it out? Take her word for it? I think … I think that if you can find joy and love and happiness in your life while you can, then that’s a good thing, provided that you don’t lose your sense of what really matters because of it.”

“You don’t think that love is what really matters?” asked Amber.

Ruby was silent for a moment. “I … maybe it is for some people,” she said. “But if you let it blind you to duty, to right and wrong, if you let it cause you to make terrible decisions … it’s possible to love too much. There are more important things than whether we’re happy.”

“Why?” Amber asked. “Why don’t we deserve to be happy?”

“Because … because I chose this,” Ruby replied. “I chose this road, I chose to put my life on the line and dedicate it to protecting others, I don’t get to do that and then complain that I don’t also get to have a perfect life filled with ordinary happiness as well. If that’s what I wanted, I shouldn’t have come to Beacon.”

“But you chose this,” Amber said. “I never did. I didn’t want to come to Beacon, I didn’t want to become Fall Maiden, nobody asked me, Ozpin never asked if I wanted this, any of this, he just … it just happened. Because my mother loved me enough to think of me with her last thoughts, or hated me enough.”

“I’m sure she didn’t hate you—”

“Then why did she curse me like this?” asked Amber. “Why did she make me this way, this … this thing they hunt?”

“We can—”

“You can’t protect me, none of you can!” Amber cried. “You’re all going to die, and maybe you can accept that, but I … I can’t. I just can’t. Now that they know who I am … to be a Maiden is to die. Everyday, a little death in darkness until one day … the final death. Maybe…” She closed her eyes. “If I was brave, like you, like all of you, if I was brave, then I could bear that. I could bear it for the greater good, for duty, for the sake of everyone else. But I’m not brave. I’m frightened, and I want to live.”

---

“I’m frightened, and I want to live.”

Bon Bon hadn’t been sure at first why she was hiding. She had followed Ruby looking for Amber, because Ruby seemed to know where she was going, and because Bon Bon wanted to make sure that Tempest hadn’t found Amber while she was out of sight of any other protectors. But when she’d caught up with Ruby, at this place that she hadn’t even known existed, and seen Amber there … she had been about to turn away, satisfied that Amber was found and safe, maybe let Dove know about it. She had no desire to pry into what passed between the two of them.

Then she had heard some of it. Just a snatch, but it had been enough to give her pause, to make her crouch down behind this bush so that she could hear more.

Amber was frightened. Well might she be frightened, all things considered, but to hear her confess it … no Beacon student would have spoken like this. Even if they had felt it, then pride and bravado would have made them put a false front for fear of being disdained, regarded as pathetic. But Amber wasn’t a Beacon student. She was the Fall Maiden, and she had been trained to fight, but she hadn’t chosen to be a warrior, a protector of the people, or even a servant of Salem and Doctor Watts; she had chosen none of this, none of the risk or the sacrifice.

Yet the risks were hers nonetheless, and the sacrifice … she feared the sacrifice would be her end.

For Dove’s sake, Bon Bon would try to protect her from that, but the best that she could do was to stall Tempest.

No, not quite; she could stop being such a coward herself and actually out Tempest, and in the exposure, expose herself, but … but Tempest was only one person. Cinder was still out there, and Salem could always recruit others once Tempest was gone: other cruel, ambitious, or simply foolish people who thought they deserved more than life had given them.

People like Tempest, people like Cinder, people like Bon Bon.

If only there was some way that Amber could be made safe, protected for good.

If there was, then Bon Bon — and Amber too, she thought — would take it in a heartbeat.

If only she could see a way.

Comments

[Mastermind4892]

“I am the granddaughter of a hero as well as the daughter of a … flawed man,” Weiss went on, “and I will not allow my name to be defined for me by my father’s mistakes or by the judgement of the wider world on those mistakes. I will define this name myself, by an accounting of my deeds, as we all will define our names and the name of Team Wisteria. Starting at the Vytal Festival.”

One of the only great parts of Volume 9. Well done!

He twisted out of the way, his body contorting, but with telekinesis, Sunset could, somewhat ironically, redirect the movement of her weapons more easily than if she were wielding them in her hands, so she was able to turn the rifle and hit him in the side with the barrel.

Little details like this can easily get lost in the big philosophy, but I really appreciate this kind of attention to detail. As a unicorn and a prodigy at that, of course Sunset knows how to use her magic more than her humanoid limbs. Perhaps even more than her equine limbs since it's connected to the mind and soul. Many unicorns probably start using magic before they learn how to talk.

“Because … because I chose this,” Ruby replied. “I chose this road, I chose to put my life on the line and dedicate it to protecting others, I don’t get to do that and then complain that I don’t also get to have a perfect life filled with ordinary happiness as well. If that’s what I wanted, I shouldn’t have come to Beacon.”

I love getting to see the noble and truly virtuous side of Ruby, rather than the one-track mind she's developed in this setting. Where victory can come from a smaller, more honest soul. When you willingly sign up to risk your life, you don't get to turn around and act all surprised and betrayed about those risks. That is both the freedom and responsibility of choice.

[Stet709]

“I am the granddaughter of a hero as well as the daughter of a … flawed man,” Weiss went on, “and I will not allow my name to be defined for me by my father’s mistakes or by the judgement of the wider world on those mistakes. I will define this name myself, by an accounting of my deeds, as we all will define our names and the name of Team Wisteria. Starting at the Vytal Festival.” She swept her gaze imperiously up the table. “I hope that none of you feel so much sympathy for me, for us, that you think of going easy on us, should our paths cross.”

Reminiscent of Volume 9, and Weiss' self-reflection.

At first, I thought Amber was gonna run towards the fight, and fighnoff Yang, but now I realize she ran away. I wonder who won, or did the fight just stop, seeing as Ruby went after Amber (and I don't recall her getting knocked our of the fight)

[Scipio Smith]

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They stopped the fight to look for Amber

[Christopher28]

I’d say that the safest place to send Amber would be to send her to Equestria. Heck, send Winter Maiden Luna through as well to guard the portal from the other side.

Of course, the downside to that is that Salem might discover Equestria and invade. But then all they’ll need to do is zap her with the big old rainbow laser of friendship, right? Boom. One more stone statue for the palace gardens. Immortal or not… nobody ever said Salem couldn’t be turned to stone.

[Adser]

So, does Bon Bon know about Salem or not? Because in previous chapters she seemed to be in the dark, but here she is referencing her directly.

[Scipio Smith]

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I'm going to say that she doesn't and that this chapter is a writing error caused by story length/sheer amount of stuff to keep track of.