Chapter 14

~ Vale... Again ~

Crystal POV:

I said to myself that I won't go to Vale any time soon, yet here I am, only two days after the events that happened in JPNR's room... I haven't seen anybody from Beacon, I didn't even go to classes... Not like I contribute anything to them, the teachers probably didn't even notice me not being there.

The only one that noticed was Glynda, most likely, the other ones maybe did too, only if they cared for my 'perfect' attendance. But, unfortunately, I will have to see and probably talk with people soon, because the Vytal festival is happening... And with that, the tournament, that I definitely won't get to compete in... Not only would I win it by default, but I also don't have a team to compete with.

I am lost again, but unlike last time, I don't care this time, in fact, it's better this way, at least if I get back to Beacon somehow, I will know that it wasn't of my own volition.

Nora called me several tries, it was really hard to resist answering her... I felt quite guilty just leaving it for the time to run out. After about 20 calls she stopped, only to resume after an hour or so, so in total... I think she tried at least 100 times in two days before she gave up... For now, at least. Blake also did, but I didn't answer.

Huh? What is that smell, it's good, definitely not bad... But it's not fleshy?... Not a human... Neither, a Faunus... How can that be... That makes no sense. I suppress my other senses and focus only on my nose, letting me easily smell the trail of this... Person?

I jog a bit instead of walking, following the trail, it's getting closer, I don't look where I go, only dodging the other smells, while following this particular one, so I wouldn't bump into anybody.

It's close, very close... So close, in fact, that it... It stopped being anywhere else other than around me. I stop suppressing my other senses and letting them go back to normal and finally look up to see bright green eyes staring at me in what I assume is interest.

I blink... "Uhm... Hello?" Wait... My instinct (Our), it didn't activate? What is going on, this has never happened before.

I stare at the short orange-haired girl, she smells different, she isn't affected by my instinct... If there wasn't a better candidate for a friend, then I don't know who is. I found myself a unique individual, I have to show the best side of myself, so that she didn't walk away muttering 'weirdo' under her nose, like many others I tried to befriend in these two days.

"Sal-u-ta-tions!"

She even speaks awesomely, heck yeah, this is my chance, don't screw it up.

"Yes, Salutations to you too, my name is Crystal, what is yours?" Ha, nailing it so far.

"My name is Penny! It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Yes, I got her name, a great start, unlike some other attempts and she doesn't seem to be bothered by talking to a Faunus, sweet.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead" Penny answers me excitedly.

"Why is it that you don't smell like a Human or a Faunus does?"

Wait... Why did I ask that instantly... I probably screwed up, didn't I? Who just asks somebody why they smell in a certain way, now she's going to think I am weird. I close my eyes in wait for her to brush me off... Only to be met with silence. I slightly part my eyes open, only to see Penny looking at me defensively... And with sadness mixed in? What did I do?

"I don't know what you're talking about"

Yeah, I definitely shouldn't continue with this topic, it seems I still might have a chance, let's not... screw it up more.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean anything bad or offensive about it. You see, I am a... Unique Faunus, my senses are very precise, so while I was wandering around, I smelled a smell I never had the pleasure of smelling. It wasn't like a Human, Grimm, or Faunus smell, it was something new... And then there's one other thing, I have something that happens by instinct, once I meet a new woman. I rate them in appeal to me, from 0 to 10, but that didn't happen with you, so I just wanted to talk to you, to know more about you"

"That's awesome, why do you have better senses? How did I smell? Was it nice? I hope it wasn't bad. How does your instinct rating work? How did it start?" The girl just keeps asking me questions. Good start, she's interested, instead of weirded out. But she still seems to be hiding inside of herself for some reason, it's the same feeling that I got from Jaune... She's wary of me.

"1st. My childhood. 2nd. You smelled good. 3rd. It was indeed nice, so you don't have to worry about it. 4th. It works by me seeing a woman I've never seen before and before I could say anything else, I always seem to say numbers, it didn't happen with you, so for the first time I can judge myself and give a number of my choosing for somebody, so I thank you for that chance... And for now? You're a definite 9. 5th. I don't really know how it started, but one day, when I woke up after a certain event, I started doing it, I tried to stop it at first, but after a while, I just went with it"

Saying that 9, was so satisfying, wasn't forced, it was me thinking for myself and there's no way I'd give her any lower, she seems so awesome, no bad feelings coming off of her, because of my Faunus heritage, because of how weird I seem, just two girls talking... I wonder if I can already ask her to be my friend... Or is that not how it works? Is there some method of friendship? I should've bought a book on it.

"I thank you for your compliments and for your valuable information" She talks very funny, but I love it already.

You know what? I might as well if it doesn't work... So be it, there hasn't been a better chance anyways.

"Penny"

"Yes, Crystal?"

"Will you be my fri-"

"Hey! Stop that Faunus!"

I get interrupted by a faraway shouting citizen, normally people wouldn't hear so far, but I can... And it seems Penny could too? How?

Well whatever, let's continue.

"As I was saying, will you be my fri-"

Those smells... Team RWBY... I really don't want to see them.

"Ah... Gotta go, bye Penny, hope to see you again and I hope we can be friends, byee"

I say as I run away and hide in an alleyway waiting for team RWBY to pass, so I could leave.

But, of course, it doesn't go my way. As I hear somebody falling to the ground and Weiss's voice yelling.

"No, he got away!"

Couldn't hurt to get a look... Plus I'd see if Penny left already or maybe she tried following me, but I was too fast.

I lean over a bit and peep out half of my face to see what's going on, only to see Penny on the ground, making me angry (Who dares to hurt my friend).

The only people around her are RWBY... It must be them that knocked her to the ground... No matter what I think of them right now, I know that they wouldn't just push somebody down, well maybe Weiss if it was a weaker Faunus... So it must've been an accident.

"Sal-u-ta-tions!" I see Penny greet RWBY while still on the ground... She's so cool. I should've grabbed her with me instead of leaving by myself.

"Um... Hello," Ruby greets back.

"Are you... Okay?" Yang asks Penny. She's way more than okay, she is completely fine, never seen a person on the ground?

"I'm Wonderful! Thank you for asking" Penny answers the question, making me want to giggle, but my giggle turns into a low growl, the way they look at her (I don't like it).

"Do you... wanna get up?"

Penny doesn't respond for a moment, but then expertly leaps off of the ground back on her feet while saying a cheery "Yes", that was badass.

"My name is Penny! It's a pleasure to meet you!"

"Hi, Penny. I'm Ruby" Ruby names herself, her team following.

"I'm Weiss"

"Blake"

"Are you sure you didn't hit your head?" I roll my eyes at Yang's question, while Blake hits her side. Ha, nice one Blake. "Oh, I'm Yang"

"It's a pleasure to meet you!"

"You already said that" Ugh, always the party pooper, aren't we Weiss?

"So I did!" At least her moodiness doesn't affect Penny, that's good.

"Well, sorry for running into you" Of course it was the Schnee... If I heard right, somebody shouted on a Faunus, so she probably ran after it... Hitting into Penny that way.

RWBY turns around and starts walking away, while Ruby waves her arm while adding "Take care, friend!"

Okay, Penny is still there, I can start coming out... Or not.

As I see Penny getting into Weiss's face in speed comparable if not faster to that of what I've seen from Nikos and Ruby respectively while asking "What did you call me?". She... Is so awesome, but she isn't as simple as I thought, it has to have something with that weird, but, nice smell coming off of her. Well, that's for later, now why did Penny follow them?

Weiss looks back and forth in shock, almost seeing me, that was close, while I hear Yang answer Penny.

"Oh, I'm really sorry, I definitely didn't think you heard me!"

"No, not you" Penny walks through the group, straight to the captain "You!"

"Me? I-I don't know. I, what, I, um, uh..." Ruby stutters startled.

"You called me 'friend'! Am I really your friend?"

"Uuuuum...." Ruby loos over Penny's shoulder to see her teammates motion in every way imaginable for her to say no, I expected it from Weiss and perhaps from Yang... But Blake too?

"Y-Yeah, sure! Why not?" Ruby answers, making her teammates faint... Oh, it was all in a joking manner... It seems I've forgotten jokes existed during this month.

"Sen-sational! That's two friends in one day, we can paint our nails, and try on clothes, and talk to about cute boys and girls!"

Wait... two friends? She did agree to Ruby's random thrown friend line... So she must've agreed with me too... Yes, yes, yes, I finally have a friend, ha, eat it, normies who called me weird. I will have to follow her after RWBY leaves, I want to talk to her more.

Ruby groans and asks Weiss "Oh, is this what it was like when you met me?"

Oh, that's interesting, wonder how all of them met, I never did have a chance to ask before everything transpired. Maybe... one day (Not going to happen).

"No - she seems far more coordinated"

"So... What are you doing in Vale?" Yang cuts in, throwing a question to Penny.

"I'm here to fight in the tournament" Neat, now going back to Beacon might actually be worth it.

"Wait, you're fighting in the tournament?" Excuse me? Did you not see her speed? Or how she got back up from the ground? Even I can't do that... I should get Penny to teach that to me.

"I'm combat ready!" Penny says saluting, yes tell her Penny, tell her how it is.

"Forgive me, but you hardly look the part" I roll my eyes at Weiss remark... How can you decide who can fight and who can't? I mean I don't carry any fancy weapons like you and I could still beat you while asleep...

"Says the girl wearing a dress" I would agree... But that's actually the only part of Weiss that I find decent, her clothing looks nice... It pained me inside to compliment a Schnee (Me too, so don't do it again), Agreed.

"It's a combat skirt!" Weiss shoots back with crossed arms.

Ruby speeds over to Weiss with a smug "Yeah!" Weiss holds out her hand and Ruby low-fives it.

"Wait a minute" Weiss walks over to my friend and grabs her by the shoulders.

G(E)t (Y)o(U)r (F)i(L)t(H)y, (R)a(C)i(S)t (H)a(N)d(S) o(F)f (O)f (H)e(R) b(E)f(O)r(E) I (T)e(A)r (T)h(E)m (A)p(A)r(T).

"If you're here for the tournament, does that mean you know that monkey-tailed... rapscallion?"

"The who...?" Penny asks.

"The filthy Faunus from the boat!" Weiss says holding a drawing of somebody.

You're the only one that's filthy, even after talking with me you haven't learned anything... It's good that I ignored Ruby and her attempts for her to reconcile me with Weiss, I knew that she wasn't sorry in the slightest.

"Why do you keep saying that?!" I see Blake angrily asking Weiss.

"Huh?" Weiss turns her attention towards Blake.

Blake walks, angrily over to Weiss "Stop calling him a rapscallion! Stop calling him a degenerate! He's a person!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Would you like me to stop referring to the trash can as a trash can? Or this lamppost as a lamppost?" The Schnee points to objects around her.

(She's really asking for it).

"Stop it!"

"Stop what? He clearly broke the law. Give him time; he'll probably join up with those other Faunus in the White Fang!"

Blake clenches her first, growling.

"You ignorant little brat!"

Blake walks away as Weiss seems to be offended, after a moment she follows Blake.

"How dare you talk to me like that! I am your teammate!"

"You are a judgemental little girl, a child, just like Crystal said all those weeks ago"

"What in the world makes you say that? And don't bring that criminal into this talk, she's of no concern to me"

"The mere fact that you would sort that Faunus boy with a terrorist group solely based on his species makes you just as much of a scoundrel as you believe him to be... And criminal? Seriously, Weiss?"

Yang slides up to her sister, uncomfortable "Um, I think we should probably go..."

Penny pops up from behind Ruby, says smiling "Where are we going?"

"What? Did I say something wrong? Crystal's just delusional criminal who speaks of murder as if it was taking a walk" Weiss continues.

"Delusional? Did you not hear anything of what she said to you in the corridor when you went to attack her with your stupid mouth? Therefore making her completely turn her back on the whole of team RWBY, because of you alone? Letting Ruby take the full brunt when she tried to talk with her in a mission to reconcile the already small friendship we had and now? Even JPNR got caught up in this and it's all because of you"

"Me? I am not the one that's crazy enough to just admit to killing multiple people, she fits in right at home with her fellow White Fang trash"

"Crystal... In White Fang... Are you... Huh... Do you just block out important information on purpose with your tiny brain? So that anything would be like you want it to be? When it's a complete fantasy?"

"What?"

"You stupid little girl, Crystal didn't even know when the White Fang was formed, or for what reason, she asked me why it was important and what actually is the White Fang, she only knew the name. And yet, here you are, saying that she's a part of it?"

"And you believe her? She's clearly deranged, she may as well be lying about it"

"Crystal, lying? She's the most honest person I've met, even too honest, that's why she's always alone, nobody wants to be with her, because she says something that people don't like and it makes them see her as crazy, weird... Just like you do"

"To me, that's just an act so that nobody would suspect her"

"An act? AN ACT?! She chooses isolation because she acts? Newsflash, you ignorant child, Ruby, Yang, and I were her first friends EVER, she has never had friends before us and the fact that JPNR were there with us, which made them friends with her too, was an added bonus that Crystal was ecstatic about, yet you ruined it all by defending your worthless name"

"How... Could you possibly know that?"

"Heh, well, because she actually talks to me, unlike everybody else, I actually try to understand her, instead of putting my problems on her, but of course, she even stopped doing that, two days ago, she completely disappeared, she hasn't been to classes, she hasn't answered any calls neither from me nor from Nora, basically? She's missing, but hey, you'd want that, wouldn't you? A crazy, deranged animal gone missing? That's just another party for you, right, princess?"

"How dare you? How can you believe anything she says at face value, the same person who at our first meeting talked about killing my father, how did any of you even want to become friends with her? Do you want to know why people avoid her and say that she's weird? Because she is... Who in their right mind would greet somebody with 'I want to kill your parents', she's crazy, therefore I can't believe that you choose to believe and side with her. It just baffles me"

Blake pauses at that question... And grins sadly, finally understanding the problem.

"Oh... So that's what's going on... No wonder you don't feel any guilt, regret for your actions, or sympathy towards her... You didn't believe anything of what she said... Her whole story, you just blocked it out as some crazy talk... You honestly believe that all she said was complete and utter nonsense... I can't..."

Blake shakes her head and walks away from the conversation, back towards Beacon.

Weiss follows after her shouting "Don't you walk away from me" Blake only ignoring her completely as if she wasn't even there.

Ruby and Yang look towards the two, then stare at Penny apologetically.

"Sorry, Penny, we gotta go, I hope we can meet again," Ruby says while grabbing Yang's hand and darting towards Weiss and Blake in pursuit. Leaving Penny alone...

I want to talk to Penny... But this argument between Blake and Weiss isn't good, it may escalate... Ah, damn it. I hope I get to see Penny again.

I jump on the buildings, suppress my senses other than my nose, and follow Blake's smell by jumping on rooftops.

I can't believe that Weiss didn't believe me when I told her about my childhood... Who would lie about something like that?

(It's good that she doesn't believe)

How... how is that good?

(Hehehe... Because, now I have a chance to show her how true it is, and I will do that, mark my words)

I ignore her and continue following team RWBY back to Beacon.

After a few hours or so, now nighttime. I am standing in Beacon grounds, all the way below team RWBY's open window... It's always open for some reason.

I suppress all of my instincts, leaving my hearing the only one, allowing me to easily hear what they are talking about.

"Stop ignoring me!" I hear Weiss's voice still demanding Blake to resume their previous conversation.

But nothing follows those words.

"I don't understand why this is causing such a problem!"

"Ugh. That's the problem!" Blake finally has had enough and answers annoyed.

"You do realize you are defending an organization that hates Humanity and also a self-acclaimed murderer, don't you? The Faunus and especially the Faunus of the White fang are pure evil!"

"There's no such thing as pure evil! Why do you think they hate Humanity so much? Why do you think that Crystal had a life of kill and be killed instead of a normal childhood as she deserves? It's because of people like Cardin, people like YOU! And people like your father, that force the Faunus and the White Fang to take such drastic measures!"

"People like me?"

"You're ignorant, racist, and discriminatory!"

"I'm a victim!" There's a brief silence "You want to know why I despise the White Fang? Why I don't particularly trust the Faunus? And why I didn't believe Crystal? It's because they've been at war with my family for years. War, as in actual bloodshed. My grandfather's company has had a target painted across its back for as long as I can remember. And ever since I was a child, I've watched family friends disappear; board members executed; an entire train car full of Dust, stolen. And every day, my father would come home, furious. And that made for a very difficult childhood."

"Weiss, I-" I hear Ruby start saying something, only to be cut off by Weiss.

"No! You want to know why I despise the White Fang? Why I can barely handle Faunus? It's because they're a bunch of liars, thieves, and murderers!"

"Well, maybe we were just tired of being pushed around!"

There's a long silence, yet again, but this one is less thin.

"And you know what? Maybe it's your family's fault that the Faunus are in the war with you in the first place, but you can only victimize yourself without being able to search for real evidence, without having the ability to look at things from other perspectives... Because it's so much easier to blame somebody else and see yourself as a 'good' guy, right?"

I hear Blake walking away from her teammates, probably towards the door.

"I will be going now, I don't want to be in the same room as you, Schnee. And you probably don't want an animal anywhere near you. Oh and... Perhaps Crystal was right... You might be just like your father, after all"

I hear a loud bang as Blake shuts the door.

"Blake, wait! Come back!" I hear Ruby run to the door, opening it back up, calling down the hallway for Blake.

I guess that's enough of listening, I turn up all of my senses to their normal capacity and breathe out... That was... interesting to listen to.

Okay, time to turn up my nose again, so I could follow Blake, she might need somebody to talk to.

I follow the trail yet again, this time it's not that far. As I get closer, I slowly make myself sense normally again.

And I see, Blake arrive at a statue of an armored man with a sword and a hooded woman wielding an axe on an outcropping, staring at the Beowolf under the stone heroes in particular.

She closes her eyes and slowly lifts her arms to her bow and pulls the string to release the bow from her hair. She wipes away a tear away as I can finally, for the first time see her cute Faunus ears. I see her on the verge of crying, she becomes startled when she hears me walking towards her.

"Heya, Blakey"

Blake gazes at me.

"9/10"

I blink... And I smile after it.

"Well, lookie here, my instinct seems to see you as a whole new woman... I knew that you'd be a 9 without hiding your heritage"

Blake smiles sadly at my attempt to cheer her up.

"Where have you been for two days?" She asks me.

"Lost, again"

"Heh, of course, how did I not figure that out"

"Can you stand up? And walk closer to me?" I ask Blake.

Blake wordlessly gets up from the statue and walks up to me.

I extend my hands outwards, along with both of my tails.

"I think kitty needs a hug from today's events"

"Are you sure? I think that the foxy might need it more than I do"

We stare at each other eyes and together move closer, encircling around one another's arms in a comforting hug. I wrap my tails around both of us to add to the comfort.

"How much did you hear?" Blake asks me, while we bask in each other's warmth.

"All of it... I was there when Penny was on the ground"

"Mhm..."

There's another silence, but this one's sweet, no awkwardness whatsoever... Except for one little detail... That's irking me.

"You can come out already," I say coldly.

Blake goes stiff and looks at me confused, only to hear somebody speak behind her.

"Hi. There's no need to sound so cold... Oh and I knew you would look better without the bow"

Blake turns around away from the hug, but still close enough to me so that my tails would be around her waist, she looks up only to see the monkey Faunus that was running away earlier in the day.

"It's you"

"What do you mean?" I ask Blake.

"It's the guy that Weiss and we were trying to follow before everything happened"

I hum slowly... Not really interested.

"well, whatever, let's go to a hotel or something, I have enough money to rent a room for us" I propose an idea to Blake.

"Yeah, okay"

I lightly grab her hand and start walking towards the hotel that I used to stay at before I came to Beacon.

"Uhm..."

I pause, oh yeah, there was somebody else here, I turn around.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Can I join?"

"No"

I turn around and start walking away.

"Come on, why not?" I hear the monkey following us.

"And why would I let you come with us?"

"Because I want to join?"

What kind of reason is that...

"Blake?"

"Whatever, let him"

I sigh audibly and grumble out a 'fine'.

And now the two of us, plus a piece of extra baggage, walk towards Vale in the middle of the night.

~ End of Chapter 14 ~