RWBY Listens to The Soundtrack

Vol. 5, Smile

"'Smile is an...interesting one, particularly with regards to the perspective.'" The note began. "'It's the "theme", more or less, of Ilia Amitola, but it's told from the perspective of her parents...or maybe it's still her perspective and she's projecting. Can't blame her, in any event. Not after all that happened. Oh, speaking of, don't worry about this being invasive, I'll have asked her permission for it tomorrow, and she'll have given it.'"

That got everyone's attention. "Uhhh...what?" Ruby asked after a moment.

"'Did you think you were the ONLY ones I sent Communicubes to?'" The note rhetorically asked. "'You're the "main event", the primary focus...but not the ONLY one. Don't worry, I didn't send any to the villains...though I did lose track of one, and had to send a replacement. I couldn't find it anywhere in your plane of existence, so don't worry about it. One of them, tomorrow, will gather Ilia Amitola, Sienna Khan, Ghira & Kali Belladonna in Kuo Kuana where they'll get more of a..."limited package." Just the stuff that's relevant to THEM.'"

Everyone just looked at Ruby's Scroll. That was...

"...what?" Blake whispered. "I don't..." That was...

"...Okay, that's a...lot, you couldn't have mentioned that before?" Yang spoke for everyone.

"And what's this stuff about it being tomorrow?" Nora asked.

"And...how do you already have her permission?" Blake asked in a smaller voice.

"'It means that it'll get started tomorrow. At which point the program will ask her if she's okay with it, & the answer will be sent back in time to...just as the explanation for this song comes up. Whatever decision she'll make will be reflected here, & in so doing will affect the decision she makes tomorrow. Time travel's funny like that. You have no idea.'"

"Gods, my head hurts..." Jaune muttered. Multiverse stuff he could handle, but this?

"Seems like a closed loop, but..." Blake trailed off, thinking of her favorite Sci-Fi novels. "...what can WE do to affect that? And why would she even...?"

"Yes, I...can't imagine she would like ME of all people hearing this." Weiss admitted.

"'Well, that's the thing. The Cube will make the argument...and part of that relies on you two, Blake & Weiss. In fact, ALL of it does: Right here and now, I'm asking you two if it's okay to show Blake's Parents, the High Leader of the White Fang, and Blake's closest friend there if they can listen to YOURS. Before you ask, Weiss, if they're to understand how Team RWBY works, and if they're to understand the rot in the SDC, they need more context. But the choice is yours.'"

The UI on Ruby's Scroll changed. Instead of the song, it was a yes or no box. Blake & Weiss looked at each other.

"I...okay, that's a bit much to take in." Blake undersold. "I...I think...I don't know."

"That's..." Weiss had to agree. "...I know I'm still biased, but...Sienna Khan? Every part of me is saying no, which I KNOW isn't okay, or maybe it is considering who she specifically is, but..." Weiss was rambling a LOT recently, huh?

"...But if she hears all that stuff, then she'll realize you're not the bad guy." Ruby argued. "I think that's good, right?"

"And your parents, they're cool, right?" Yang asked her partner. "So...maybe this will help them hear what you have to say, y'know, easier."

Blake & Weiss looked at their partners. We'd spoke up. "That's...not terrible I suppose, but...Blake, you know all of these people better than we do. How do you...?"

"It...could work." Blake had to admit. "If...if she's not as bad as he let me think. I don't know if I can...well, I guess it's a good way to explain myself to mom & dad. A WEIRD way, but maybe."

"...And what about Ilia?" Ren asked, noting that that only covered three of the four.

"...She'll probably want to know exactly why I left, & why I'm able to be teammates with Weiss Schnee of all people." Blake theorized, giving Weiss a slightly apologetic look. "She WAS my best friend there, so I guess she'd want to know, but...in the intro..."

"Yes. Where DO they fall under this?" Weiss wondered.

"...None of the "villains" will receive any Cubes, yes?" Ozpin put together the pieces. "And, following on that, none of those four qualify in your eyes?"

"'No, that would defeat the purpose.'" The note paused for a second before refreshing. "'They don't, no. Frankly, I think Sienna's justified in many of her actions...but she really needs to learn who to trust. Really, the problem is not noticing the rot, in this case being Adam, until it's too late, until he's ensnared them. That's the point of all this, to notice it before it happens.'"

"So, she doesn't..." Blake noted. But the Intro...maybe they DID get her out at the end.

"Well...well that's good, right?" Ruby asked her Team. "Like, what it's saying is that they're not there yet. I mean, that's what it looks like to me."

"And this can make sure one of them in particular never does..." Weiss realized the benefits. "If Sienna Khan isn't as awful as the media portrays, if she's doing this because there really aren't any other options, then the issue would be Ilia, who we can surmise is being pressured by those twins."

"And so before that happens, she hears & sees...well, less stuff than us." Yang exposited.

"And the time-space continuum would have less of a headache to deep with." Ozpin added. This whole time loop struck him as...a little manipulative, to be honest, forcing a choice.
oh, the Irony.

"What happens if we...break this "loop" by refusing?" Pyrrha had to wonder.

"'Then tomorrow goes differently on Menagerie and you skip this one song.'" The note clarified. "'I've already broken your universe's natural flow of time with all this, what's one more? Granted, none of us will see the fruits of that for a WHILE, at least from me & my peers' perspective, but we'll get there eventually. Hopefully the wait will be worth it. It's all very technical & talk-y & distracting setting it up in the first place, if you hadn't noticed.'"

"Then...I think I can agree." It was a very difficult choice for Blake to make (heh), but looking at her partner, she knew that she...kind of had to. Running away, that...wasn't an option.

"...So can I." Weiss declared.

"Are you...absolutely sure?" Blake asked. All things considered. "I think it can work, but given that half of them are active members of the White Fang..."

"Well, it's...trust, isn't it?" Weiss replied. "If we show them some, then we can...mend some things that our...respective abusers would like to stay broken. I...I understand them better now, though not perfectly of course, & I know who's really to blame."

"And we trust YOU when you say it's okay." Yang told her partner. "So we can trust Ilia & Sienna & your folks if you do."

"Heh. Who says "folks" anymore?" Blake couldn't help but chuckle. "Anyways, Ruby...you can tell it yes."

"From both of us." Weiss agreed.

"Alright, aaaaaand...there it goes." Ruby declared. "Time travel loop closed! Or...will be tomorrow?"

"Hopefully no more of THAT ever again." Yang honestly didn't know what to expect anymore, but the less time travel nonsense there was, the better.

"...I notice the program didn't do anything like this for Qrow." Glynda glared at the Cube, so as to not make Ms. Rose feel uncomfortable.

"'Yeah, well, some people just need a swift kick in the ribs.'" The note defended. "'Primus knows he wasn't going to talk about it without that.'" It refreshed again. "'ANYWAYS, the Ilia song.'"

"Oh yeah, wow, took us a while." Ruby noted.

"Where DOES the time go?" Nora noted. "So, Ilia song. Or her parents, or something."

"This isn't going to end well..." Blake knew already. But the show must go on.

[Song Start]

[*Short Buildup*]

"Hm, this is nice." Yang commented.

"Reminds me of home." Blake almost smiled. Almost

"You okay?" Ruby asked.

"Her parents died in an Atlas Mine." Blake said bluntly. If she will have given her permission tomorrow or...something, then... "She was able to pass as human, in an Academy even, before that, but..."

"...Yeah." Weiss could imagine. She HAD to, in fact, as she'd never heard of this. All she remembered was a slight decrease in revenue in the time she worked out this would have happened.

[Child...
Our daughter]

"Okay yeah, that's obviously the parents." Nora pointed out. "Why's the note being weird?"

"I suppose she hasn't heard from them since she WAS a child." Weiss theorized...though she looked at Blake right after reassurance. Probably, Blake seemed to be saying as she nodded.

[Stand while
We talk awhile]

"Well, we're not going anywhere." Yang pointed out. "...no, still feels awkward. You sure she actually...?"

"Yeah. Call me crazy, but I think she did." Blake confirmed. Or...will, whatever.

[You've done
No misdeed]

"And even if she had, that wouldn't justify..." Blake began. "There's no excuse. It's...not about the individual & what they did, it's about everyone. Basic respect like that can't be conditional."

"No it cannot." Ozpin unnecessarily added. Are you trying to make yourself feel better for not noticing the cages at first? Or is it for what you did to Leo?

[Still they'll put
Your life on trial]

"Even as a kid..." Jaune muttered.

"It's like that for all of us." Blake agreed with the lyrics. "It's not exaggerating."

[Born...
Like your family]

"And all of us. Our entire lives. ...I'm sorry, I know we went over this before, but..." Blake said.

"It's relevant, & many, MANY people fail to get the message." Glynda defended. "But, then, I don't need to tell you that. YOU know better than all of us."

[Far from any
State of grace]

"Even for those of us who were better off. I remember Adam insulting my parents by "pointing out" how privileged they were, but..." Blake recounted.

"...That's just stupid; they don't just somehow stop being judged for what they are." Pyrrha seemed affronted. Saw a lot of that in Argus. High ranking, upper middle class...still stabbed in alleys. Not hard to figure out.

[You're as perfect
As the wind and sky]

"In many Mistralian cultures, it was believed that when someone died, they became a part of the sky, & you could feel them in the wind." Ren noted. "However, I never knew where that originated. And given some of my home Kingdom's...habits..."

"Yeah, that came from one of ours." Blake confirmed. "Heard it all the time in Menagerie."

[But they'll treat you like
You're out of place]

"Urgh. Jerks. Everywhere. Hey, do you think we could go visit them when we're done, y'know, give her a hug?" Ruby asked.

"We'll, uh...have to see how that whole thing goes....tomorrow, but..." Blake smiled. "...I think she'd appreciate that."

[This world
Is cold]

"Oh hey Casey!" Nora greeted. "...you're not wrong. Just ask Weiss."

"Yes. Irony." Weiss deadpanned.

"It has its uses, which is more than can be said for some people." Blake defended.

[The power's with those
Who would judge and control]

"I....have given you credit, Professor Ozpin, & I still mean that, but..." Blake seemed to struggle with what to say next.

"Yes, by and large that is rather accurate." Ozpin agreed. "And I have...not done as much as I thought I did at the time, I've known that for quite a while." Though Leo's a bit more recent, eh?

"...You-The King of Vale-you could have done more." Blake finally vocalized. "To make sure the laws were more clear, or actually followed."

"...Yes, but I gave up that sort of power for a reason." Ozpin defended. "It is VERY dangerous to give any one person, especially one with a perceived advantage, that much power." He learned that in his second life. Almost forgot in his last, if he was being honest, but thankfully...

"I mean, I feel like maybe there's a middle ground?" Yang proposed. "Like, I dunno...been more clear, or put ways to get people like that from the Councils?"

"Maybe, but if the problem was just a few racist humans, none of this would be happening." Blake pointed out. "It's the system they-not Oz, but everyone after him, I I've thought this for a while, even before...this-put in place that causes them to-to be like that, & so they treat Faunus like..."

"Yaaaaaay systemic problems..." Nora muttered.

"I...don't know how to make them go away. I've never been in that position." And, Ozpin didn't add but Blake was starting to suspect, part of me doesn't trust myself to be the one to do it. "I'll admit, I DO respect Sienna Khan somewhat, as I...may have stated, at least at first. She & your father are far more qualified than I ever was."

"...Well, sometimes you just have to admit when you don't have the answers." Blake granted. SHE certainly didn't.

"Or when you can't be the one to fix ALL you may want to." Weiss added. "I...could fix SOME, but..."

"Yeah, but...you'll work it out." Ruby assured them. "Now, uh, I think we need to listen to the rest of the song. Um, sorry, but..."

"We can discuss power structures in-depth later, perhaps in this song." Ren agreed. And so...

[But we have a chance to
Make it right (For You)]

"Uh, how? It's not that easy." Ruby asked.

"I explained it at the start." Blake replied.

"Oh, so-"

[This is. What
You'll. Do...]

"...So, what she "did" is the school thing, right?" Ruby concluded.

"They DID want her to have more opportunities than they did, but she could only "pass" for so long." Blake stated. "And from she told me, it...wasn't pretty."

[*Short Interlude*]

"I'll...admit I don't really see how the title is applicable." Ren admitted.

"I think I do." Weiss added. "I think I've known since Blake mentioned the Academy."

"Hm. Don't know how she'd take that." Blake admitted.

"Yeah, kinda hard to tell, huh?" Nora noted.

[Show them
How you Smile]

"Right. NOW the title it makes sense." Blake stated.

"So, "them" is her classmates, or whatever?" Jaune asked.

"It's practically a necessity to survive in such places." Weiss confirmed.

"And not just in Atlas." Pyrrha added.

[It's only
For a while]

"Everyone knows it's only for a while, but...it didn't end when they wanted it to." Blake explained.

"Kinda vague." Nora critiqued.

"I...still don't know how much of this I should share." Blake admitted.

"Well, the song's going to anyways." Yang pointed out, while pointedly looking at the Professors.

[Take what you need
Leave them to bleed]

"Wow, harsh." Yang noted. "Kinda abrupt."

"Not really." Weiss offered. "I had a feeling."

"Certainly harsher than I'd have phrased it, but..." Pyrrha agreed.

"That may be what the note meant." Ozpin theorized. "This may be how she interpreted what her parents did.".

"I mean, seems fair to me." Nora admitted.

[Let them know bitter
While your revenge
Is sweet...]

"...Okay, so, the "revenge" thing..." Jaune began.

"Some people lose sight of the goal while looking for it, but wanting SOME payback is..." Blake began.

"It's natural. So long as it's kept under control. So long as it's properly directed." Glynda stated.

"...I've noticed we...may be speaking over you at times." Ren told Blake at that. "Are you certain that...?"

"Thanks for asking, but she's right." Blake stated. "I'll admit, the idea of seeing Jacques Schnee get punched in the face has always been REALLY appealing."

"I think we ALL feel that now." Ruby noted with a slightly darker edge.

[*Longer Interlude*]

"So, the problem's not that we want bad things to happen to bad people, but that we need to make sure we focus on who's actually awful right, yeah?" Nora summarized.

"I'd say that's a decent way of describing it." Ren agreed.

"Some people will scapegoat, because it's easier." Blake added. "Easier for a poor human to, say, blame Faunus for that instead of recognizing who's actually responsible."

"And that's just what they want, isn't it?" Jaune continued. "People like...him, if they keep them at each other's throats, the,..."

"When allied together, a threat is display. Divided with doubt...." Ozpin quoted.

"It's....depressing how applicable that is." Pyrrha admitted.

"...Yeah, I just don't GET people like that." Ruby added. "And like...it's easy to blame Salem cause she wants to divide us, but they did it themselves, didn't they?"

"Much of her planning involves us doing the work for her." Glynda confirmed.

"Yaaaaaay..." Ruby muttered.

"...So, do you think this is what her parents actually told her?" Yang asked. But before Blake could respond...

[Keep...
The secret]

"She shouldn't...she shouldn't HAVE to." Ruby lamented. "And I know she DID, and I just...um, sorry Blake, I know I don't REALLY know, but..."

"We definitely went over this before. Stop apologizing." Blake told her leader. "It's frustrating and I don't know how to fix it with where we are now. That's what you were thinking, right? I've felt it for a while."

"...I just wish I could help more, actually change things. That's why I'm here, to help people." Ruby muttered.

"...So do I." Blake admitted.

[Pretending you're
Just like them]

"I mean...yeah, she WAS different cause of the cool chameleon stuff, but that's not a bad thing. Being different isn't a bad thing. I mean, I guess sometimes it is, I don't wanna be like Salem, but not that!" Ruby speechified.

"Unfortunately, there are those who will forever associate "difference" with "bad", no matter how much you try." Blake lamented. "They don't WANT to acknowledge that not everyone's identical to them, that...that the world's bigger than them."

"Paradoxical, isn't it?" Ozpin rhetorically asked. "Because what I've found over the millennia is that change is perhaps the most natural thing in all of our lives."

[Live there
Like a princess]

Heh, "Princess Ilia" sounds kinda neat." Nora offered. "Plus I feel like she deserves the nice things. All of the nice things."

"We don't even know her, so we can't decide that for her." Ren reminded her.

"But yeah." Jaune concluded.

[In the kingdom
Of selfish men]

"The Academy was in Atlas, in case that wasn't clear. Technically, she's Altesian, or Mantelian at least." Blake clarified. Ruby & Jaune nodded to themselves.

"It was, and...that is painfully accurate." Weiss had to admit. At least, those she'd known.

"...Yeah okay I think I hate all of Atlas right now." Yang stated. Still, being in a room with an Atlesian & knowing of at least two others who were cool... "...like, as a place. It's just...bad on all levels, huh?"

[Play...
Their game now]

"It's not a game, though." Ruby pointed out.

"But it's how they would treat it, so perhaps it's easier to see it that way." Pyrrha theorized.

"The wonders of The Greatest Kingdom." Glynda deadpanned.

Ozpin sighed. He knew he'd almost fallen into the same trap himself. Twice, even. But then, that was the singular upside to his curse: It kept him grounded. It shouldn't have had to cost so much, though. Why hadn't he asked for clarification on how it would work?

[Do what it
Takes to win]

"When the system's stacked against you, you don't have many other options." Blake reluctantly noted. She knew she was right, but given the reputation...

"I...wouldn't really know. MY "game" is different." Weiss acknowledged. "But I...can't dispute that anymore." It hurt to admit that, but the truth was...

"So let's break stuff!" Nora declared. "Like-"

[Steal it back
All they keep from you]

"-Or just that, yeah." Nora acquiesced.

"Eh, either way works." Yang offered.

"...Are we talking over HER now?" Ruby wondered.

"Well, she's not exactly in the room with us, so-" Ozpin was cut off. The hell was this?

[They refuse to look
Beyond your skiiiiiiiiiin]

"For most of us it's extra parts, but yeah." Blake added.

"...Why DID they phrase it like that?" Weiss wondered. "It applies to Ilia, yes, but..."

"We...may be overthinking that." At least, Pyrrha sure hoped so...

"...they'd need a common point of reference..." Blake muttered.

[And as you grow
(As you grow!)]

"Nice repetition Jeff." Nora stated. "...What, I feel like we haven't talked about that part. Maybe. I don't remember."

"This was only half a day ago for us..." Blake muttered. That wasn't meant as an insult; she also did not remember.

[You'll gain from their knowledge
But your heart will know]

"Well, know your enemy and all that." Yang granted. "Kinda the point."

Blake stared at the screen. "...We only talked about this once, but I'm...not sure that's what her parents intended."

"But it's what she DID learn, isn't it?" Weiss rhetorically asked. Blake just nodded.

"..." Ruby regretted how she opened the song, what the title made her think. This was not fun, & after this was done Ilia was GETTING that hug.

[When the time is right
To end the lie]

"So, basically, Ilia thinks the point of all that was to learn from the humans so she knows how to fight them in the future." Nora summed up.

"I mean it's...not a bad strategy?" Jaune hoped he wasn't overstepping there.

"But that's not all there was to it." Blake stated. "They really DID want her to have a better life. But that's kind of hard when-"

[You'll know what to do
When the charade
Is. Through...]

"What DID she do?" Ruby asked. "Did she tell you?"

"They laughed when they heard the mine was destroyed. She broke their teeth." Blake answered. Okay, that was...easier. ...Was that a good thing?

"Haha, awesome!" Nora praised.

"While as the Headmaster of Beacon Academy, I cannot officially condone such things..." Ozpin began. "...I also, were I in change of THAT Academy, could not say for certain what had actually broken their teeth."

"Holy hell, Oz." Yang granted. She was still mad at him, of course she was, but damn.

[Show them how
How you Smiiiiiiile...]

No one was really in the mood for smiling, however. This was...yet another discussion of a serious topic.

[It's only
For a whiiiiiiile...]

But it's not one those affected can ever avoid. Even those who COULD, for a time, would fail eventually.

[Take what you need
Leave them to bleed]

And if they ignored it, which they refused to do, that would be letting the problem pass them by because it didn't personally affect them. Fuck that.

[Let them know bitter
While your
Revenge is sweeeeeeeet...]

And finally...while the tune had gotten more intense, to Nora's appreciation, the lyrics were the same, so not much to say. The NEXT few verses, however...

[You might think that
Maybe they're changing]

Blake flinched. "Okay, that..." she couldn't say anything else right then.

"...is that...?" Ruby began as Weiss looked at herself. Blake nodded.

[You'll pray that
Their hatred is waning]

"...But it didn't work out that way. Historically, it never really seemed to." Blake continued.

"That it has not." Ozpin admitted. Looking back on it all...

"No goddamn wonder the White Fang ended up like that." Nora stated.

[That's when it
Hurts most to find]

"And...yeah, she doesn't really trust humans. Any humans. It's...something of an almost universal experience." Blake continued.

"I mean...can't really blame her." Yang granted.

"Indeed." Ren agreed. For all his & Nora's hardship growing up...it would have been FAR worse if they had extra ears, he knew.

[The story unfolds
And their cruelty's exposed]

"...Ms. Schnee, do you want to say something?" Glynda noticed Weiss's reluctance.

"...I, I don't want to make this about me. It isn't. I'm not the one who suffered like that." Weiss deflected.

"...but?" Yang prompted.

"...It's really that bad, isn't it?" Weiss barely stated. "I-I knew it was, but about progress...there's SOME, yes, in some ways, but in other ways...nothing ever changes, does it?"

"...Yeah. That's really the crux of it: Nothing else WORKED." Blake ruefully stated. "They just SAID it did, shoved us onto Menagerie, and called it a day instead of really addressing it. Atlas & Mistral especially still haven't, as I've...probably said."

"And I..." Weiss shook her head. This wasn't about her human guilt, dammit.

[You'll be glad
You're not.
Their. kiiiiiiiiiiiiiind.....]

"That's...a bit much." Blake granted. "Humans CAN be good if they want to, & even the most unlikely people can change." She looked to Weiss.

"...but many of them won't." Weiss concluded. "Not the ones with the power to change things. They either want it to stay that way or they don't care enough to do anything about it."

"...TWO seats on the Council. I didn't even know that was legal." Yang admitted.

"It really shouldn't be!" Ruby agreed. "I mean, wasn't that the point, Professor?"

"It was, yes." Ozpin stated. "But I...had not accounted for loopholes such as that when I drafted The Vytal Accords. Nonetheless, despite his...bravado, there are far, FAR worse people to occupy that position than James."

"Also better people, though..." Nora muttered. This & Mantle were kinda proof of that in her eyes. She didn't WANT to judge who Oz said was an ally, there were three other seats occupied by others after all, but even so. When people think "The Atlesian Military", they think James Ironwood. He had influence and...no, not the time. Now they needed to support Blake's friend.

[*Funky interlude*]

"...Heh, I can only imagine her listening to my songs & just...being incredulous that I think my problems matter like that." Weiss almost chuckled.

"My parents will probably help put in perspective." Blake countered. "And we've been over this, your problems DO matter, this isn't a competition."

"They don't feel like they matter compared to her." Weiss admitted. "And I'm...making it about myself, aren't I? ...Gods, I'm-"

"How many freaking times do I have to say "No, none of that", Weiss?" Ruby was actually agitated. "Just listen to Blake about this, she knows."

"Don't wallow in this stuff, okay?" Yang added. "Like, it's okay to feel guilty, I think we all kinda do, but that's not more important. What important is DOING something about it."

"She's right, y'know." Nora supported.

"You may stumble, in fact you WILL, but in that case, you should just correct yourself and move on rather than wallow in it." Pyrrha stated. "...That's what I was told, anyways."

"It's only as complicated as you make it." Ren supplemented.

"You can't change the past...normally, unless you have a Magic Multiverse Box...so what you do is just...go forward, right?" Jaune concluded.

"...right, sorry, just..." Weiss got glomped at that. "...It won't happen again." she declared. "This is, specifically, about Ilia, not my guilt, and...if she hates me, then that's fine. If most Faunus don't trust me, that's fine. I don't expect them to. But I'm still going to PROVE that I'm not my father. I'm going to tear his empire right down from under his feet & make my grandfather's name mean something better. One way or another."

"Now THAT'S what I'm fucking talking about!" Nora cheered.

"Language, Ms. Valkyrie." Glynda couldn't help but smirk a little as well.

"Well put, but we ARE focusing on Ms. Amitola right now, are we not?" Ozpin pointed out. "As was well pointed out, this isn't about any of us. So I'd propose that we-" Aaaaaand cut off again.

[Show them
How you Smiiiiiiile]

It was still awkward, of course...but a damn good beat. Knowing that Ilia will have given her permission helped them be at easy humming along

[It's only
For a whiiiiiile]

That "while" had long passed, of course. But you don't stop being a Faunus, or any other persecuted group, just like that. They all were dealing with it.

[Take what you need
Leave them to bleed]

And okay, that was a bit harsh, but it's naive to pretend you don't know where it's coming from. There's a reason Sienna Khan became High Leader, & HER issues are a...different form of naïveté.

[Let them know bitter
While your revenge
Is sweeeeeeeeet]

And at that... "Wow, that was kinda serious, huh?" Nora noted. "Wasn't expecting that."

"A misleading yet still fitting title." Ren added.

"It was a very...raw & personal look at the heart of the matter." Pyrrha added. "I...don't know if Jeff & Casey have any experience with...whatever forms of bigotry Earth has, but..."

"...Well, uh, really only Blake can tell us that." Jaune concluded. "So, if it's not invasive or anything..."

"I don't think they've experienced that particular kind of bigotry, no." Blake admitted. "Doesn't exclude them from other kinds, of course. Still, I think they got it alright. Not perfect, but from an "in-universe" perspective...it really works."

"I am giving Ilia ALL THE HUGS, you got that?" Ruby told her team. "I mean...she's probably gonna listen to THIS one, so..."

"Gods, I can only imagine..." Glynda muttered. At least she'd have support in the Belladonnas...& Sienna Khan, though given her own choices in who to trust...well, they'd see how they would go, wouldn't they?

"Alright, we get Ilia now, we get what Faunus go through better now, & hopefully we've stopped Weiss's guilt complex from going anywhere." Yang summed up. The heiress blushed at that, but didn't refute it. "So, until tomorrow that's kind of it, right? Like, until Blake talks to her..."

"Indeed." Ozpin agreed. "Ms. Rose, if you would?"

"Right!" Ruby held up her Scroll. "Up next we haaaaaaave...All Things Must Die. Oh. Yay."

~~~~~~

Hey it's Batch 2.


Hey, I found a reason SID goes offline, Time Stuff screwed him over.