#monosweek19

Jacques Schnee. A name that should’ve soured their taste buds a lot sooner than coming to Atlas. The man who not only defined spite and hatred, but lived it as well.

Along with hearing the things he had done was one thing, but seeing them as Blake and Weiss had was a different story.

“This is Mantle?” Blake stared in awe. Crowds of faunus were making their way through the streets, but not one seemed to have any sort of cleanliness about them. It reeked of sulfur, trash, and every thing that could ever rot.

Not every place around Mantle has been equal, sure there were nicer spots but that didn’t rid the streets of the smells or of the poor and mistreated faunus that roamed the streets.

Blake felt sick to her stomach. While Weiss had looked no better.

The two, the night before had made a promise to one another. To understand where each of the other was coming from. Weiss had accepted Blake and Blake had accepted Weiss, but there was something much more meaningful behind the need for acceptance.

To them, there was an equal need to learn and know about what really goes on behind closed doors.

Weiss took a step forward as the two began walking together through the streets, Weiss sticking more closely to Blake. “I...I didn’t really expect this. They had never let me down here and I had no reason to come down here and…” she stopped speaking as she seemed to watched a group of Faunus being corralled in by Atlas officials. Who were doing a lot more than just corralling them in.

Blake’s ears lowered, she didn’t need context and she didn’t need any other reason to just jump in. With a few quick jumps she stood in between the personnel and the faunus.

“What the…?” the Atlas official seemed to raise his weapon to Blake’s sudden entrance. “Well what do we have here, a fresh faunus face ripe for the pickings. Little girl, do you really want to be made an example of?” the Atlas official kept his gun raised, as did the five others who were with him did.

“You’re beating these faunus up for what reasons?” Blake growled, her hands raised to her back ready to strike and pull out Gambol Shroud if need be.

Weiss silently stood behind the squad, but she was there strategically - as her and Blake made constant eye contact - making sure they had been on the same page if things went awry.

The main officer laughed, “Do we need a reason to beat up worthless shitheads like you?”

“Truth be told, there was no right answer here.” Once more, Blake looked at Weiss and nodded.

Within an instant, Weiss created a time dilation gylph underneath Blake’s feet and soon enough she shot off towards the squad who had begun to fire at her, with Gambol Shroud already unsheathed she struck the bullets away and with her hastened self she went around tripping the soldiers and knocking their weapons out of their hands. Weiss followed through with an ice freezing glyph, locking the soldiers into place.

Weiss joined Blake as the stood over the fallen soldiers. “W-Weiss Schnee… and a faunus?”

“Her name is Blake Belladonna. Remember that name.” Weiss sneered, crossing her arms.

Blake looked over at Weiss and gave her a small smile. Time and time again, Weiss had proved to be defiance. Rebelliousness. Going against the odds. Something that the two shared.

The name Schnee had usually turned heads, and this time was no different. Soon enough, the streets around them had been filled with curious faunus. Some angry, some stunned, but most just curious.

A Schnee was here?

“The Faunus Girl and a Schnee!”

“A Schnee? Hold her hostage!”

“Belladonna? Isn’t that one of the White Fang’s former leaders?”

“A Belladonna and a Schnee working together?!”

Voices through the crowds could be heard, but it was hard to make heads or tails of this situation. Sure, the two girls had just attacked military personnel - and were now known by name.

Oops.

Being a “hero” sometimes meant breaking the law. Or attacking the world’s strongest military. Either way, it didn’t matter to the two. What’s done is done and pushing their way out of this crowd seemed unlikely.

“Weiss… ?” Blake seemed a little concerned as it felt as if they were in a zombie apocalypse about to be surrounded by hoards of faunus.

Weiss stuck Myrtenaster into the ground and summoned the Queen Lancer. The crowd seemed to slightly disperse as Weiss grabbed Blake’s hand and dragged her onto the Lancer. Making a tight getaway as they did.

Blake seemed to have her arms wrapped around Weiss, as she held on for dear life as they sped away. The two flew up towards the island of Atlas as the Lancer begun to slow down.

“Blake, I am so sorry. I didn’t think it was this bad. How could I have been so blind all of these years? And I… I think I knew, I just didn’t believe it.” Weiss began, she still faced forwards refusing to look Blake in the eye.

“Weiss, it’s okay. Back when you had found out I was a faunus and blamed the White Fang, I had thought the same thing… how could the White Fang be working with a human? What were their plans? I refused to believe it at first until I saw it. Things change Weiss, people do. I do you. And you have changed most of all. But working with humans is the change the faunus need. And not one that goes destroying everything in their path, but one that can challenge all of us into working together.” Blake wrapped herself tightly against Weiss, giving her a hug from behind.

Weiss let out a weak chuckle, “Blake, that doesn’t excuse what we’ve done to you. That doesn’t excuse any of this bullshit.”

Blake sighed, “You’re right. It doesn’t. But the sooner we can put this all behind us and strive for the change we want to see then the sooner we no longer let this division hold us. Weiss, you and I can be that change.” she paused, “We’re living proof that a Schnee and a Belladonna can work together. So don’t let the past define you. Because for as long as I’ve known you, it hasn’t.”

Weiss weakly nodded as the two seemed to head over the ridge of Atlas and towards the Schnee mansion. “We’ll make it better. Together.” she finally nodded, breaking the slow minutes of silence.

But as she arrived, she seemed to be greeted by her own father - and her own father's armed guards.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Weiss asked, as her and Blake unmounted the Lancer.

Jacques and his hired forces now surrounded the girls. This seemed to be a common thing in Atlas now-a-days. “You are no longer welcome here. We do not allow your kind in here, especially.” he seemed to eye the two girls, specifically Blake.

“Her kind?” Weiss stepped up towards her father with a growl, “You can’t treat her like that. Like she’s something other than a deserving person, a faunus, who deserves nothing but the utmost respect.”

Jacques seemed to groan, “Whatever you say, will not change my mind. I make the rules of this house and you Weiss, are no longer a Schnee. Making friends with the enemy? With the help?”

Blake’s ears lowered, not out of fear but out of disgust.

Just as Blake had found no reason to not jump in, now it was Weiss’s turn. Once more she turned to her summoning glyphs, now summoning a hoard of white grimm.

The hired guards seemed to panic, looking all around them unsure of whether to shoot or not. Jacques seemed to hold himself together quite well, but his own will was faltering.

“You don’t get to define the Schnee name anymore.” she pointed Myrtenaster at him. “A boy, a liar, and a weakling like you don’t get to tell me what I’m worth. What we’re worth. I am Weiss Schnee. I am more than just a name. I. am. defiance.”

“And you will remember that name.” Blake stepped up, adding in. “For this won’t be the end of it.”

“Because this is only the beginning.” Weiss finished.

They hadn’t killed Jacques. Though they were awfully close to it. But Blake knew it was Weiss’s own decision to follow through and she didn’t pressure that. Weiss had gotten what she had needed from the mansion, hoping to never to return again.

The two were now comfortably back with the team, back on the Atlas Military Base going through what they had gone through during the day. Needless to say, Blake and Weiss’s own story had seemed to beat out every other’s for excitement while the rest of RYJNROQM seemed to have some new intel on the days to come.

It had been all too much for Weiss at the end of the day, she retired to one of the empty rooms. Seeming to reflect, her mind occupied with Blake and how Blake had to deal with all of that her whole life. The Faunus’ whole life.

“Weiss?” Blake had followed her back to the empty room.

Weiss pulled herself out of her thoughts, “I’m here Blake.” she called out to her.

“Are you okay?” Blake appeared near to her.

“I honestly should ask you the same thing.”

Blake let out a small chuckle, “You know Weiss. You really proved yourself out there.”

“Blake, you don’t congratulate a fish for swimming.”

Blake let out a laugh, “All right. Well, you certainly fought your way out of the bears mouth in this case.”

“Blake. Thank you. Thank you for just being you and being patient.” Weiss held herself.

Blake approached her, giving her a long and well-needed hug. “And thank you Weiss, for defying the odds and expectations.”

Weiss released herself and wrapped her arms around Blake, deepening the hug. The two fell silent, as they hugged one another.

Finally, the two pulled away but they seemed to hold onto each other’s hands. “So, a Schnee and a Belladonna, huh?” Weiss chuckled.

“You make it sound like we’re getting married.” Blake commented, smiling down at her.

Weiss made a face, but then smiled “That definitely wouldn’t be a bad thing.”

Blake let out a shaky breath, hoping that it went unnoticed by her teammates. Unfortunately for her, Weiss was as perceptive as ever. Narrowing her eyes imperceptibly at her as to not draw attention from the sisters. Blake gave what she hoped was a reassuring smile, but it did nothing to deter the ex-heiress.

“Ruby, can you and Yang go recheck our supplies to ensure that we’re fully equipped?” Weiss asked. Ruby nodded, and Yang gave her a wink before they departed. Blake closed her eyes and released some tension from her shoulders. Maybe now she could take a quick nap before the energetic duo returned.

“Blake.” No such luck.

She opened her eyes to find concerned blue gazing back at her with a questioning eyebrow. She huffed. Even after being months apart, she still wasn’t sure how to properly communicate with her team.

“I’m fine, Weiss. This journey just exhausted me.” She knew it was a weak lie, and from Weiss’ disapproving glare, it wasn’t bought. Weiss sighed. She knew that Blake wasn’t the best at communication but believed the Faunus only had good intentions. It seemed that she would have to be the one to start this long overdue conversation.

Weiss picked up Myrtenaster, causing Blake to stare at her curiously. She opened the dust cartridge and emptied out the remaining rounds.

“Do you remember what we discussed at our coffee and tea...outing?”

Weiss’ hesitation had Blake wondering if she was going to use a different word before she considered the question. She had tried to repress as much of that night as possible considering what had occurred afterwards. She recalled a discussion involving business policies, labor practices…

Something signaling her recollection must have shown up on her face because when Blake looked up, there was a sad smile on Weiss’ face. “Before we were interrupted, I think I wanted to say that you inspire me, Blake.”

Blake couldn’t think of a response to that, so she just gaped at Weiss with wide, disbelieving eyes. Weiss gave a small chuckle in response and shook her head. “I know, I wouldn’t have expected this either before meeting you. But hearing you speak so passionately about wanting to peacefully seek equality for your people made me reconsider a lot that I was familiar with growing up. Violence was always the expected force to produce results, especially when used by my father”-Blake’s eyes widened-”A-anyway, seeing you want to resolve things peacefully allowed me to be more open-minded and accepting.”

Blake made a mental note to ask about her teammate’s upbringing more later. For now, she gave a more genuine smile and felt her chest fill with warmth from the honesty being shared with her.

“Honestly Weiss, you inspire me too.” Before Weiss could get her token protest in, Blake continued. “Seeing you always bounce back after getting repeatedly knocked down, especially with what happened in Haven, gives me hope that I can overcome any obstacle I come across. I kept that in mind as I was taking back the White Fang.”

Hearing this, Weiss looked away and smiled bashfully. “I actually wanted to ask for your assistance in taking back the SDC. If a nonviolent solution is possible, I can’t think of anyone better to help me. After all...” Weiss finally turned to look at Blake. “...Weapons don’t have to be physical objects.”

Weiss reloaded Myrtenaster, and Blake put her hand over the ex-heiress’, making her look up and smile. “Together, we can overcome Jacques Schnee’s influence and pave a way for a better future for Atlas.” It wasn’t going to be easy, but they both knew better than to refuse aid from others.

Defiance. What a powerful weapon indeed.