RWBY: Legacies

The Runaway

A cold tension hangs over the team RWBY dorm, no one quite sure what to say. It's so quiet that one can even hear the wind gently blowing through the open window, whistling sadly as it rustles the curtain in slow ripples. Weiss leans by the door, arms crossed looking at the floor. Ruby sits on the edge of Blake's bed, looking at Yang who sits glumly on Weiss's bed. Theodore and Eliza have taken one of the desks, him in the chair and her sat atop the desk with Surtur sat between them, spewing black smoke like a chimney. Each of them ponders the day's events, unsure of what to do.

"Well... this fucking sucks." Eliza mutters, running a hand through her thick hair and sighing deeply. Theodore hums in agreement, so lost in his own thoughts that he barely acknowledges her; she looks from him to Weiss, her eyes narrowing slightly at the heiress.

"Maybe... Maybe she was forced into it? Like how people were conscripted for the great war?" Yang rationalises, her tone wavering a little with uncertainty.

"It's not a military... there is no conscription." Weiss says.

"But all she said was she was tired of being pushed around... so yeah, she's a Faunus but it's not a sure thing she was in the White Fang, right?" Ruby asks hopefully, looking to each of the others one after another, searching for any sign of reinforcement.

"She said 'we' were tired of being pushed around," Weiss corrects her, an icy look in her eye. "If she didn't have a guilty conscience then why refuse to face us? Why run?" Her tone is outright accusatory but there is also a hint of thoughtfulness, as she too sighs. "And her being a member of The White Fang would explain her defensive attitude for them." She adds, looking off to the side.

"Not like she might have run away because you were being aggressively racist or anything." Eliza scoffs under her breath; Surtur growling in agreement.

Weiss ignores the comment.

"There has to be an explanation," Ruby argues. "Blake's quiet...not criminal." She stands up and paces in between the beds for a few steps. "We should just ask her when we find her." She says, looking back at the group and seeing only Eliza nod her head.

"If she's a member of a terrorist organisation, then we don't need an explanation - it's inexcusable." Weiss scowls, looking at Ruby as she speaks then turning to Theodore when he takes a deeper breath, still staring off into space. "Not only that, but we don't know if we can even trust her now... she lied to us." She feels Eliza's glare grow stronger.

"And I'm sure you've never told a lie in your life, right Weiss?" Eliza says, her tone more exhausted than angry now. "Besides, she didn't really lie, just left out some choice details. Everyone has secrets." She adds.

"A lie of omission is still a lie." Weiss replies firmly, noticing Theodore shift uncomfortably.

"What happens if we do find her?" Yang asks, drawing the attention of the others, feeling the sudden weight of their stares. "I just mean... whatever happens, whatever the truth is, learning it might mean that things will never go back to the way that they were." Her shoulders slump and she rubs her hands together, awkwardly looking at the floor. Everyone remains silent for a moment as they consider her words.

"I'm afraid we might just have to accept that reality," Theodore states solemnly. "Weiss, a word if you will." He stands and walks over to the door, opening it for her to step into the corridor. She looks at him for a moment, puzzled, as are the others, but then Weiss sees the same look in his eyes as he had on the balcony. She sighs, trudging into the corridor before turning to face him.

The door has barely clicked shut when she speaks. "I don't need another lecture." She places her hands on her hips as Theodore takes a deep breath. "I honestly thought you'd be on my side," there is disappointment in her voice, "yet you insisted we refrain from telling Ozpin or even your mother... why? You understand the danger she might pose. For all we know she was only here to spy on the academy." She says defensively.