Wingless Flight
"Blake are you sure you didn't hit your head?" Weiss questioned. Blake let out an annoyed sigh.
"I am sure. I'm not making this up." Blake answered. The RWBY walks through the snowy area. Passing through trees and trees. Blake was in the front, Yang and Ruby in the middle and Weiss in the back.
Yang was watching Blake from behind. Watching Blake's ears turn at times.
Listening to her surroundings. Though Yang could tell that Blake was nervous.
Everytime there was a sound that was sudden, like Ruby suddenly speaking loudly to Weiss, Blake's ears would twitched.
Blake was scared to hear the pitch again. Yang doesn't know how painful it is but she can tell Blake didn't want to go through all the pain again. Blake turned her head to a direction. Keeping an eye out.
"I won't run away... I'll... I'll do everything I can to keep you all safe..."
Yang breathed out a fog of her warm breath. She picked up her pace, almost tripping over in the snow. She was now by Blake's side, already catching her attention.
"Don't push yourself okay?"
Blake seem to furrow at that. "I won't. Please don't worry about me." She kept her eyes straight.
"I know, but you already went through a lot. It's reasonable for me to be worried about you." Yang puts her hand on Blake's shoulder, only to have it shrugged away.
"I'm fine, Yang. Now please be quiet. I'm trying to listen for any Grimm." Blake was so serious. It confused Yang. Blake is never this serious.
"A group of Grimms are up ahead." Blake informed her team. They come across a cliff, looking down at a huge frozen land. There are a bunch of frozen grimms.
"Should we attack them?" Weiss questioned. Ruby shrugs.
"I don't think it's a good idea. If we can leave without danger, and they don't put things in danger, then we should leave them." Ruby said. Yang liked the idea of that. Blake seem conflicted though.
"Hey...doesn't that Grimm look... strange?" Blake pointed at a grimm. Yang squints her eyes.
"It looks like Apathy. Though you're right it is... weird looking. Not the one we met before." Yang tilts her head. Weiss and Ruby stood by their side.
"Do you think it's a new grimm?" Ruby questioned.
"Honestly I wouldn't be surprised. Grimms are evolving as time goes by. They are learning and getting stronger." Weiss explained. Blake stood there.
Learning...? Understanding... people's behavior and attacks... Getting stronger. Could it be that-
The strange grimm then opened its mouth as if it was screeching. Blake let out a cried and held her ears. "Blake...!" Yang covered Blake's ears as well.
"Its that thing! I think it's creating a sound that humans can't hear but things with strong hearing can." Weiss then pointed her Myrtenaster at the Grimm, blasting fire at it.
Suddenly the RWBY was pushed off the cliff by a Grimm. They didn't notice it. Blake was unable to prevent this.
Weiss summoned her glyphs and slid down them, getting to the frozen land safely. Ruby used her Cresent Rose to shoot midair, landing a well.
Blake however, can't focus. The pain was unbearable. Yang grabbed Blake in midair and used her gauntlets to land safely.
The grimms all saw them and proceeded to come towards them.
"Looks like we don't have a choice in this." Weiss then slid towards the grimms, attacking them. Ruby joined Weiss.
Blake felt dizzy from the high pitch. Yang used her gauntlets to shoot at the new Grimm, killing it, putting Blake at peace.
"Blake! Are you okay?" Yang questioned. Blake stood up, holding her head.
"Yeah. My head is just ringing. But I'm okay." Blake then looks ahead.
"Okay. Then let's do this!" Yang then smirks as she charges towards the grimms, attacking them. Blake joins in.
As she's running, she is starting to get overwhelmed with the amount of Grimm noises there are. Why is her hearing so sensitive? Blake stabs the Beowolf before double jumping to throw her Gambol Shroud towards the beast, pulling herself towards the Grimm to slam its head into the ground. She does a back flip spin to shoot at the other grimms.
"Wooo! Go Blake!" Yang cheered. Blake smiles a bit. She runs towards the grimms, who swung its arms at Blake. Using her semblance, she dodges and appears behind the Grimm, stabbing it from behind. It disappears.
Suddenly Blake heard that noise again. She held her head screaming in pain. Not again! Are there more?! Blake tries to focus but her head feels so light. It's disrupting her senses. Blake can't do anything.
In Yang's eyes, she saw Blake screaming in pain. Her aura is broken! Unable to see the incoming Nevermore. Yang yelled Blake's name, now running as fast as she can to save Blake in time.
But to her horror, she was too late. The Nevermore grabbed Blake's shoulder by its claws. Taking her into the air. Blake cried out in pain as the claws dug into her flesh.
Yang had jumped in time to grab Blake by the feet. Though she got lifted up with Blake as well. Blake can focus now since the strange grimm wasn't in her hearing range anymore. But she looks up in horror. She pointed her hands up, realizing she doesn't have her guns. She must have dropped her weapons when she was in pain. Blake looked down, seeing Yang holding on.
"Blake I got you!" Yang shouted. The Nevermore noticed Yang and tried to peck at her.
"Yang!" Blake shouted. Yang swung her body to dodge the Nevermore before she let go of Blake to grabbed its head and punched it repeatedly. The Nevermore then eventually disappeared. Blake let out a scream as she fell. She never realized just how far and high the Nevermore took Blake and Yang.
Yang closed her arms and legs to dive down, grabbing Blake's arms, pulling her to her chest so Blake can hold onto her. Readying her gauntlets, she tried to shoot in the air, only to realize she's out of ammo.
"Shit! Hang on!" Yang wrapped her arms around Blake, who's eyes widened. Was Yang going to take the fall damage for her? Is she sacrificing her life?! No! That can't happen!
Blake can't do anything though. She started to cry, begging Yang to not do this. But right as they hit the ground... This wasn't just a frozen land. It was a frozen lake. They just happened to be fighting in an area of thick THICK ice. But now, this was by far worse.
Yang and Blake crashed through the ice, the impact itself broke Yang's aura.
They went underwater in the ice cold water. Blake looks at Yang who was swimming up, trying to get to the surface, but she bumps her head against the ice. She punches the ice. Blake swam up, helping Yang. Every punch Yang did created a crack in the ice. But it was slow due to being in the water. So slow punches was the issue.
Blake felt her body straining to hold her breath. It was getting really painful. She cant swim all that well. She's never had to pratice holding her breath. Damnit! They are so close to breaking the ice!
This is all her fault. Blake should've stayed home. She should've never come here. Now because of her, she and Yang are gonna die. Blake couldn't hold her breath anymore. She felt all the cold water replacing her air. She watched all the bubbles leave her body. Her lungs burned for air.
Yang notices this and tried to hurry up punching. She's panicking. Can she even activate her semblance underwater?
Blake tried her best to stay awake but found her vision slowly going dark. Her punches came to a stop. Blake felt her body go limp. She feels so numb. Blake feels guilty for being so weak. She slowly closes her eyes.
Till suddenly she can breathe again. Blake opens her eyes, to realize that Yang was kissing her, giving air to Blake. Yang's hair is glowing! There are a bunch of bubbles coming out of her hair. Her eyes are red. Yang pulls away, relived to see the stunned Blake awake. She pulls Blake up again, and they both kept punching. Till Finally the ice broke.
Yang grabbed Blake and pushed the ice out of the way, finally at the surface. Yang and Blake gasped. Well. Blake was mostly choking. Yang pushed herself out of the water with Blake. Her hair and eyes back to normal. Gasping for that sweet air she lost. Yang was still lightheaded from the loss of oxygen but she put her attention on Blake.
"Blake...!" Yang gasped out. Blake was coughing up water. That's right. Blake drowned till Yang brought her consciousness back. "I got you. I got you." Yang whispered. Yang noticed that Blake really wasn't looking so good. With the wounds and at a risk for hypothermia, this was not a good look.
Yang looked around. Where the heck did they go? They were brought to a whole different area of the frozen area. Yang saw land. She picks Blake up, carrying her in a piggyback.
"Hang in there Blake!" Yang shouted. Blake could only cough. She did not feel great. Yang ran towards the snowy area. She looks around again. This really isn't good!
"Scroll. The scroll." Yang went into her pockets, pulling out her scrolls to find it damaged from the water. Yang cursed at herself. She looks back at Blake who was heaving.
"Fire... we need fire." Yang mumbled. She walked through the snowy forest. The cold air, drenched body, was not good. This whole damn thing is just shit!
Blake feels her consciousness fading away. She tried to say something but blacked out before she could.
Warmth. There was warmth on both side. Blake shifted a bit. Finding it hard to move. Her senses was returning. There was a muffled noise. Blake opens her eyes. Seeing a blur figure of Yang. Her hearing and sight soon became clearer.
"Blake! Thank god." Yang sighed in relief. Blake blinks, she's in an embrace. Right in front of the fire. Yang was fortunate to find a cave and start a fire.
Blake tried to move to only hiss in pain. "Hey easy there! You're aura is still healing your wounds. We aren't going anywhere anyways." Yang looks out at the exit of the cave. It was snowing outside.
Blake stares at the fire, watching the sparks float up. Blake began to feel a pounding on her back. Yang's heart is pounding... is she that nervous?
"Yang...?" Blake turns her head, to which Yang rested her chin on Blake's shoulder. "Hm?" Yang hums.
"I- I'm so sorry. I should've been stronger. But instead I was weak and brought you into this mess..." Blake spoke as she stares at her lap.
"Blake. It's not your fault. The Grimm messed your senses up! I'm not blam-"
"I wish I was normal..." Blake interrupts. Tearing up. Yang was staring at Blake. "I wish I wasn't a Faunus sometimes. I wouldn't be discriminated. Adam would've not taken your arm away. I wouldn't have dragged you into this." Blake started to cry. Yang only hugs tightly from behind.
"Blake....Blake." Yang whispered. "Faunus or not, it's not your fault. We just happen to be good at getting into trouble." Yang smiles. "But you're a strong woman. I've seen you before. You are a badass out there. You are not weak. Plus, we all have our weaknesses. It's okay to be scared sometimes. It's okay. It's not your fault. Not your fault." Yang comforted. Blake sobbed in that response.
"I- I'm so scared Yang...! I'm scared!" Blake choked out. "Ever since I had that battle with Adam, I- I've been so scared. Scared that he'd come back for me and hurt you guys again. I'm so scared that I might lose you." Blake cried. Yang sighs. She puts her face against Blake's neck.
"Adam scares me too. I'm scared to lose you and the others too. But we have to be brave and keep moving. Blake. When you're with us, no one is dying. Not when I'm alive."
Blake wipes her tears away. "Yang I-" Blake was about to say something till she heard a familiar voice.
"YAAAANGGG! BLAAAKKEEE!"
It was Ruby, along with Weiss running from behind. "Thank god you two are okay!" Weiss said. Ruby tackled Yang into a hug, expecting Yang to hug back but she only let out a pained groans.
"Ruby get off...!"
Ruby frowned and quickly got off. Yang sat up wincing. "My back is still hurting when I hit the ice."
"YOU FELL?!" Ruby shouted. "A-Are you okay?! And why are you two so wet?!"
"We fell into a frozen lake apparently. Almost drowned. We both need medical attention. I'm getting really lightheaded and Blake won't stop shaking." Yang informed. Weiss nods and opened her scroll to call for medical support. "They should be on their way."
"Good... cause I'm ready to go home." Yang laid back down. While Yang did say some things, Blake still can't help but feel like a burden.
"The fuck did you two get into?" Qrow eyed at Yang and Blake. Yang laughed nervously.
They were at a nearby town currently in a house getting help. Yang and Blake got their own blankets.
"Mild hypothermia. Won't be a danger but I'm worried about her back. It's best she take it easy for a few days." The medic said. Yang let out an upset noise. She didn't like taking things easy.
"Well that's gonna be a challenge for Yang." Weiss smirks. "I- I'll do perfectly fine!" Yang said. Ruby giggles.
"Hss!"
Yang looked over, seeing Blake being treated. The medic was applying disinfectant on Blake wounds, and it made her hiss in pain. They then wrapped bandages around Blake's shoulders before giving her a new dry shirt.
"Can we get an extra blanket? She's still shivering!" The medic asked.
"I got it!" Ruby then went to go get some. Yang stared at Blake. Ruby giving Blake a blanket to which she wrapped herself in. She noticed that her breathing was quicker then usual. Blake isn't in good shape.
Yang can't help it either, but feel guilty as well. For not saving Blake in time when she fought Adam. For putting Blake in danger and almost took her hearing away. For Blake when she got taken away by the Nevermore.
Yang tightens her grip on the blanket. Not sure what to do now.