Chapter 41

Blake

Author's Note: It's been a minute, hasn't it? I am sorry for last week's lack of a chapter and this week's short one. Unfortunately, both my financial life and personal life took a major blow due to some family matters. Things are looking up and, overall, I'm glad things are working out the way they are. I will do my best to have some real chapters up as soon as I can. In the meantime, here's a little something.

Peace and Love~

"What is your reason for fighting?" A voice asked from a bottomless pit in the center of the space Blake was standing in.

"What kind of question is that?" Blake asked in annoyance. "Is there ever a reason not to fight for equality?" she continued.

"Equality – Equilibrium – is a constant. Like the speed of light…constant. If the faunus were meant to be equal, then they would not be in the predicament that they currently find themselves in." the voice countered.

"Do you have something against us? Why do you defend their side when they are clearly in the wrong?" Blake yelled.

The voice laughed, "It's going to take much more than emotional jargon, girl. People, both Humans and faunus are taught, from a young age, to obey through the fear of punishment. Throughout their lives, most will make a living…by working for another; they will eat…because another killed or harvested their food for them; they will even die…for something as trivial as a flag."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Blake asked.

"The single most powerful tool, for either good or evil, is the status quo. Do you honestly believe that most, individual, humans hate the faunus?" the voice asked.

"Well…no; obviously not. Believing that would only serve to paint me in the light of a victim." Blake argued.

"Are you not?" The voice asked triumphantly.

"No!" Blake yelled.

"Then, I ask again, what is your reason for fighting?" The voice yelled louder, almost to intimidate.

"What is the purpose of this conversation? Who are you?!" Blake asked as loud as she could.

"You see…" the voice continued, ignoring Blake. "…the status quo is a powerful tool. The reason that you endure so much, as you call it, inequality is because of the status quo. The fact remains that people fear persecution, so they will follow what the most popular viewpoint is. It isn't until that a certain, outcast viewpoint becomes more popular that you will see any change." The voice explained.

"So what? Am I supposed to go around telling people the pros and cons of subjugating an entire race of people?" Blake asked sarcastically.

"Yes." The voice stated with no clear explanation.

"Feel free to elaborate." Blake stated.

"I said the status quo is a powerful tool, but that does not just apply to humans. Do you think that each and every faunus under the White Fang's flag is truly happy with killing every human they find?" the voice asked slowly.

Blake remained completely silent as she began to understand the voice's meaning.

"So, I ask again…what is your reason for fighting?" the voice asked.

Blake fell to her knees before slowing sitting back and thinking. She looked at her surroundings and saw only darkness. There was nothing…not in front of her, to her side, above her…nothing. It all felt, somehow, calming. She looked up with confidence in her eyes, "To show people that you don't have to fall into just one of two categories." She stated as a powerful burst of wind began to blow past her causing her to close her eyes.

As Blake opened her eyes, she was greeted by the sight of an infinite void of fractal patterns and rotating shapes. In the center was the pit to which there was a figure rising, his back to Blake. "Perhaps it is simply our different conclusions that make our happiness impossible." He said.

"Is that you?" Blake asked in a newfound rage as Adam turned to face her.

"I can choose the faunus or I can choose the Humans. I believe that the faunus have been wronged, so I will choose their side. Why is that choice not sound?" Adam asked.

"Because hate will only breed more hate. If we just start a war with the humans, they will retaliate; both sides will lose many; the war will end in either a stalemate or with mediocre appeasement…and the hate that started it all will still be there…" Blake argued.

"So your choice is to create a new side to pick? A new team, as it were?" Adam chuckled.

"Yes." Blake said confidently. "S…since I left the White Fang…I've met people who I honestly thought were hiding their true thoughts because I was a faunus...thanks to you and all of your paranoid propaganda. It wasn't until I actually spent time with them that I realized that how little they care about the fact that I'm not human. They genuinely find that I am a person that they like…they want me to be their friend. In fact, most of the humans that I meet tend to believe the much the same." Blake stated clearly.

"Up until the point you're useless to them, that is." Adam said.

"Hardly. There have been a few times now where my team was under no obligation to help me…but did so anyway. I'll make sure that I'm there when they need me." Blake said.

"It'll all be a lie in the end." Adam said. "You know that I would –"

"Enough!" Blake interrupted. "I won't let your words control me. The friends I've made…mean more to me than you ever will." Blake said assertively as tears began to cloud her vision. Blake blinked and Adam was no longer present. She looked around for him, almost as though she were expecting an attack which never came. Blake fell to the ground and began to sob uncontrollably.

"Blake?" Another voice asked.

Blake opened her eyes and found herself laying in the fetal position, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Damn, you okay?" Yang asked as she brushed some of Blake's hair from her face.

"Yeah…but I owe you guys for helping me to realize the truth." Blake said.

"What 'truth' do you mean?" Weiss asked.

"The truth about the relationship between faunus and Humans…I get it…thank you." Blake mumbled as she sat up. She slowly inched her way closer to Yang before placing her head on Yang's shoulder and resting for a moment.

"So, what did you ladies think?" Lionel asked as he reentered the room.

"That was probably one of the most intense experiences of my life. The few moments of clarity had me battling with my personal issues, but all the hours in between that were spent in complete confusion." Weiss stated.

"Very well put. I personally liked the way an old friend of mine put it: 'You're completely insane for an indescribable amount of time until you finally get somewhere that you can learn. All the insane moments in between just feel like a loading screen' or something along those lines." Lionel chuckled.

"I definitely understand where he's coming from." Yang stated.

"From your perspective, how did we do." Ruby asked.

"This is one of those things that simply being able to talk casually after the experience is a major thing. Some people have come back and were just so preoccupied with the memories that they wouldn't even bother talking to us until the Omni-dust was completely out of their system." Lionel explained.

"Speaking of which…" Blake started.

"There is no guaranteed amount of time it will take for one to be completely sober after the primary effects of Omni-dust have subsided; it's different for everyone. Most people say that they feel fine after a night's rest…if you feel like you can't wait that long, there is something you can take to end the effects quickly…" Lionel explained hesitantly.

"From the way you said that, I'm going to assume that it probably wouldn't be a good idea." Weiss stated.

"Indeed, even more so if you don't really need to take it." Lionel stated as he checked the pulse of each of the ladies in the room. "Best to stay away from any controlled substances for at least a week." He said as he shot Yang a playful glare.

"Ha. I told you someone would smell it." Weiss mocked.

"I know I could…you'd better be fortunate that there weren't many faunus close to our room." Blake said.

"Overall, I would say that was an experience I won't soon forget. Today's been really crazy…and it definitely feels like it's lasted longer than it has." Yang said to change the subject.

"And we'll probably have to do it again…" Ruby said as she rested her head on top of Weiss' head, who had slumped down in her lap.

"The thought of undergoing that experience again has me curious to the point of excitement…but the experience itself is so foreign that I find myself getting scared when I think of doing it again." Weiss explained.

"I know exactly how you feel." Blake said.

"I hope we'll have time to do a few more rounds, at least." Lionel said.

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked.

"I'll explained everything tomorrow…trust me, you'll want to be well-rested to hear it. Just know that we have a real plan coming together." Lionel said with a smile.