We now see the vibrant streets of Vale, adorned with colorful red, yellow, and green streamers and balloons, all in preparation for the grand Vytal Festival. As the city bustles with excitement, Team RWBY and Team TNSD stroll through the festive streets. At the front, Weiss Schnee walks in awe, her eyes wide as the elderly Shopkeep finishes putting up a bright red sign reading "WELCOME TO VALE!" to greet visitors from all over Remnant.

Weiss stops suddenly, raising her arms in excitement. "The Vytal Festival! Oh, this is absolutely wonderful!"

Ruby, walking beside her, looks slightly bewildered. "I don't think I've ever seen you smile this much, Weiss." She frowns a little, clearly uncomfortable with this rare sight. "It's kinda weirding me out..."

Simon nods in agreement. "Yeah, ditto."

Weiss turns to both of them, her enthusiasm unwavering. "How could you not smile? A festival dedicated to the cultures of the world! There will be dances! Parades! A tournament! Oh, the amount of planning and organization that goes into this event is simply breathtaking!" Her excitement spills over as they continue walking, though her teammates seem less enthused.

Yang sighs dramatically, crossing her arms. "You really know how to take a good thing and make it sound boring."

Nilak smirks at her. "You don't know the half of it."

"Quiet, you!" Weiss snaps, though there's no bite to her tone.

As they approach the docks, the low hum of foghorns echoes through the air, blending with the sounds of busy workers and incoming ships. Yang wrinkles her nose, clearly unimpressed. "Remind me again why we're spending our Friday afternoon at these stupid docks?"

Ruby, covering her nose with her hand, grimaces. "Ugh, they smell like fish!"

Nilak raises an eyebrow. "What did you expect it to smell like, cookies?"

Toby, walking beside Team RWBY, chimes in. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm expecting a package from Atlas that should be here anytime soon."

Weiss, regaining her composure, adds, "That. And I've heard that students visiting from Vacuo will be arriving by ship today. As a representative of Beacon, I feel it's my solemn duty to welcome them to this fine kingdom!"

Blake, watching Weiss with a knowing look, mutters, "She just wants to spy on them so she'll have the upper hand in the tournament."

Weiss scoffs, glancing over her shoulder. "You can't prove that!"

Daruna grins mischievously. "I think you kinda already did that yourself."

Ruby turns her head, eyes wide. "Whoa."

The rest of the teams follow her gaze to a shattered window down the street, the remnants of the crime scene marked with yellow caution tape from the Vale Police Force. A detective stands in front, jotting notes on his pad. Curious, the group walks over.

Ruby, ever inquisitive, asks, "What happened here?"

The first detective barely looks up. "Robbery. Second Dust shop hit this week. This place is turning into a jungle." He moves away to join his partner.

Yang sighs, her expression turning somber. "That's terrible."

Daruna's eyes narrow as he overhears the second detective's voice in the distance. "They left all the money again."

Ruby turns her head at the statement, confusion on her face. "Huh?"

The first detective shakes his head, still baffled. "Yeah, doesn't make a lick of sense. Who needs that much Dust?"

The second detective shrugs, pushing up his sunglasses. "I don't know, an army?"

"White Fang?" The first detective ventures, his tone uncertain.

The second detective pulls his shades down with a sigh. "Yeah, I'm thinking we don't get paid enough for this."

Weiss huffs, crossing her arms and raising her nose in disdain. "The White Fang. What an awful bunch of degenerates."

Blake's expression hardens immediately. "What's your problem?"

"My problem?" Weiss turns to her with a sharp glare. "I simply don't care for the criminally insane."

Toby crosses his arms, raising an eyebrow. "Overdramatic much?"

Blake steps forward, her voice firm and serious. "The White Fang is hardly a bunch of psychopaths. They're a collection of misguided Faunus."

Weiss scoffs. "Misguided? They want to wipe humanity off the face of the planet!"

Blake's voice lowers but remains intense. "So, they're very misguided. But that doesn't explain why they'd rob a Dust shop in the middle of downtown Vale."

Ruby chimes in, thoughtfully rubbing her chin. "Blake's got a point. Plus, the police never caught that Torchwick guy the twins and I ran into a few months ago... Maybe it was him?"

Weiss doesn't miss a beat, her frustration palpable. "That still doesn't change the fact that the White Fang are a bunch of scum. Those Faunus only know how to lie, cheat, and steal."

Daruna steps in, his voice cool yet firm. "Right, and we're supposed to agree with you on that?"

Before Weiss can retort, a shout rings out from the nearby dock.

"Hey, stop that Faunus!" yells a sailor.

The teams rush over, their curiosity piqued. A Faunus with a golden monkey tail is sprinting down the length of the boat, skillfully dodging sailors trying to apprehend him. Just before they can grab him, he leaps onto the edge of the boat with an agile flip.

He is a tan-skinned boy with short spiky light-blonde hair and dark-gray eyes. He wears two red wrist bracers over black fingerless gloves and an open loose-collared white jacket with no shirt underneath, displaying his muscular physique. He also wears blue cargo pants tied up with a white belt. He wears white bandages on his legs and has a chain hanging from the belt loop on the right side of his pants. He sports black and yellow sneakers and wears a twisted golden necklace around his neck with a round pendant bearing his monkey emblem. As a result of his Faunus lineage, he has a long prehensile monkey tail with the same color as his hair.

The Faunus grins back at his pursuers, mischievous. "Thanks for the ride, guys! Haha!" He jumps off the boat and hits the dock running, his tail swishing behind him.

Sailor 2 shouts after him, shaking his fist. "You no-good stowaway!"

The Faunus swings himself onto a nearby lamppost using his tail, peeling back a banana with one hand. "Hey! A no-good stowaway would've been caught! I'm a *great* stowaway!" He's about to take a bite when one of the detectives throws a rock at him to grab his attention.

"Hey!" the detective snaps. "Get down from there this instant!"

Unbothered, the Faunus casually drops the banana peel onto the detective's face, causing him to growl in frustration. With a laugh, the Faunus spins up the lamppost, perching at the top for a moment before leaping off and darting away.

As the Faunus passes by the teams, he winks at Blake in slow motion, the moment freezing her in place. Time resumes its normal speed as he darts off, officers chasing after him.

Yang watches him disappear, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Well, Weiss, you wanted to see the competition, and there it goes..."

Weiss, ever determined, raises a finger in urgency. "Quick! We have to observe him!"

With that, the teams take off in pursuit, but Blake hesitates, lost in thought as the encounter lingers in her mind. Shaking herself back to reality, she joins her friends.

They round the corner, hot on the Faunus' trail, but Weiss suddenly collides with someone and stumbles. Looking up, she barely catches sight of the Faunus as he leaps onto a building and vanishes from view.

Weiss groans in frustration. "No, he got away!"

"Uh... Weiss?" Yang points at something beneath her teammate, confusion evident in her voice.

Weiss looks down, startled to find herself lying on top of a girl who is grinning widely up at her. With a yelp, Weiss scrambles to her feet, her usual composure shattered.

She's light skinned with rather curly short orange hair that comes down to her chin with a small cowlick on top and she wears a pink bow on the back of her head, bright green eyes and freckles. She wears an off white old-fashioned styled off the shoulder blouse with frill detailed trim and frill flared cuffs that half covered her hands alongside copper button detailing on the lower parts of her sleeves. She also sports a short gray pinafore dress with golden trim on the hem alongside four light green stalagmite styled stripes on the lower half of the dress, two on the front and two on the back, accompanied by two matching-colored circles above the tips that had a stripe that ran around her waistline, with golden outlines, and a detachable black and light green collar. She also wears a pair of black thigh-high leg pieces that seemingly were attached to black shoes. The leg pieces had a single green stripe up the sides that appeared to light up.

The girl remains on the ground, her wide smile unfaltering. "Sal-u-ta-tions!"

Ruby takes a hesitant step forward. "Um... hello?"

Yang tilts her head, exchanging a bewildered glance with her teammates. "Are you... okay?"

The girl beams, her enthusiasm radiating. "I'm wonderful! Thank you for asking."

The entire group looks at each other in confusion, Toby and Nilak narrowing their eyes as if trying to place the girl's face. Yang scratches her head before speaking again. "Do you... wanna get up?"

The girl pauses thoughtfully for a second before responding with a bright nod. "Yes!" In one fluid motion, she leaps to her feet, causing the group to step back slightly in surprise. "My name is-"

But before she can finish, Toby and Nilak's eyes widen in recognition.

"Oh my..." Toby breathes.

Nilak points with equal surprise. "Penny? Is that you?"

The girl-Penny-freezes for a moment, her gaze locking onto the twins. Then, her eyes light up with sheer joy. Without a word, she dashes toward Toby and Nilak and envelops them in a bone-crushing hug, her grip stronger than anyone could have anticipated.

Toby lets out a wheeze. "Yep... it's her..."

Nilak winces but manages a small grin. "Still as strong as ever."

"It's so good to see you two again!" Penny exclaims, her voice brimming with enthusiasm, though her hug continues to tighten. Toby and Nilak both wince, their faces turning a bit red as Penny's enthusiasm crosses the line into painful territory.

Simon and Daruna, along with the rest of Team RWBY, watch the scene unfold with varying degrees of concern. Yang grimaces, rubbing the back of her neck. "Uh, guys? I think she's gonna snap their spines..."

Ruby's eyes widen in alarm. "Penny! Maybe ease up a little?"

Penny blinks in surprise and loosens her grip instantly, letting the twins take deep, relieved breaths. "Oh! My apologies!" she says cheerfully. "Sometimes I forget my own strength."

Toby stretches out, still a little stiff from the hug. "No worries, Penny... just a little less enthusiasm next time."

Nilak rolls her shoulders, laughing softly. "Yeah, we'd like to stay in one piece, thanks."

Penny, still smiling brightly, tilts her head. "Noted! I'm just so happy to see my friends again!"

Weiss clears her throat, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow as she looks between the twins and Penny. "So... how exactly do you two know her?"

Nilak smiles, still rubbing her shoulder from the hug. "We've known Penny since Atlas. We were friends back there, and-"

Penny, still beaming, interrupts excitedly. "First friends!" She clasps her hands together, eyes sparkling. "You two were my first friends in Atlas!"

Weiss raises her brow in surprise, her curiosity deepening. "First friends?"

Toby chuckles, nodding. "Yeah, Penny was kind of a... new arrival when we met her. We ended up spending a lot of time together."

Nilak adds, "She wasn't like anyone we'd met before, but she was always full of energy and curiosity. Made it easy to like her."

Penny smiles brightly at the compliment, her eyes filled with genuine warmth. "You two helped me understand what it's like to have friends. And now I've made more!"

Yang leans over to Ruby, whispering, "Is it just me, or is there something... off about her?"

Ruby shrugs, still smiling. "I think she's awesome."

Toby chuckles as he speaks up, "Guys, I'd like to formally introduce you to our friend, Penny Polendina."

"It's a pleasure to meet you!" said Penny.

"Hi Penny. I'm Ruby."

"I'm Weiss."

"Blake."

"Are you sure you didn't hit your head?" Blake hits Yang's side "Oh, I'm Yang."

"The name's Simon."

"Daruna."

"It's a pleasure to meet you!" said Penny

"You already said that." said Weiss

Penny pauses again, "So I did!"

"Well, sorry for running into you!" says Weiss as they turn around and start walking away.

"We'll talk to you later, Penny," said Nilak. "Maybe we can catch up over lunch."

"Sure thing."

Ruby waves her arm, "Take care, friend!"

"She was... weird..." says Yang just when they get far enough away from a startled Penny.

"You're the weird one," says Toby.

Weiss looks to her right, "Now, where did that Faunus riff-raff run off to?"

Penny suddenly in front of a surprised Weiss "What did you call me?"

As Weiss looks back and forth in shock and Yang looks apologetic, "Oh, I'm really sorry, I definitely didn't think you heard me!"

"No, not you," Penny walks through the group and leans her head down to Ruby, "You!"

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

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

"Uuuum..." she looks over Penny's shoulder as she sees her teammates motion to deny her while TNSD give encouraging motions, "Y-Yeah, sure! Why not?

Ruby's teammates comically faint, but TNSD grin triumphantly and Penny looks overjoyed and laughs "Sen-sational! We can paint our nails, and try on clothes, and talk about cute boys! Like these three!"

Toby clears his throat, still trying to maintain his composure after Penny's unexpected comment. "Uh, yeah, we'll... we'll pass on the cute boys part."

Daruna chuckles awkwardly, his grin widening. "Yeah, not sure that's our thing, Penny."

Simon, barely containing his laughter, shakes his head. "What're you guys talking about? We all look good."

Nilak rolls her eyes, exasperated. "Trust me, they don't need any more attention than they already give themselves. Don't go inflating their egos, Penny."

Penny, still smiling brightly, blinks in confusion. "Inflating? But that doesn't sound safe at all!" She tilts her head, clearly taking the expression too literally.

As TNSD and Penny are talking, Ruby turns to Weiss who brushes herself off, "Oh, is this what it was like when you met me?"

"No - she seems far more coordinated." Weiss replies.

"So... what are you doing in Vale?" Yang asks Penny.

"I'm here to fight in the tournament."

"Wait, you're fighting in the tournament?" says Weiss.

Penny salutes "I'm combat ready!"

"Forgive me, but you hardly look the part." said Weiss.

"Says the girl wearing a dress." said Blake

Weiss crosses her arms "It's a combat skirt!"

Ruby speeds over to Weiss' side, "Yeah!"

Weiss holds out her hand and Ruby low-fives it.

"Uhhh... what's the difference?" said a confused Simon.

Weiss, now slightly flustered, points at Simon. "The difference is style," she says, her tone making it clear she won't take any more questions on the matter.

Ruby grins, jumping in. "Exactly! Combat skirts are practical and fashionable!"

Simon raises an eyebrow, glancing over at Daruna. "Guess we'll stick to pants, then?"

Daruna shrugs, smirking. "To each their own, I guess."

Suddenly, Weiss's serious expression returns as realization hits her. She briskly walks over to Penny and grabs her by the shoulders. "Wait a minute! If you're here for the tournament, does that mean you know that monkey-tailed... rapscallion?"

"Oh boy," Daruna sighs, sensing the incoming drama.

Penny tilts her head in confusion. "The who...?"

Weiss, with an almost comically serious expression, holds up a poor drawing of the Faunus criminal from earlier. "The filthy Faunus from the boat!"

Simon stares in disbelief. "When did you even find the time to draw that?"

Blake, growing more irritated, steps forward. "Why do you keep saying that?!"

Weiss turns her attention from Penny to Blake, raising an eyebrow. "Huh?"

Blake, visibly frustrated, marches over. "Stop calling him a rapscallion! Stop calling him a degenerate! He's a person!"

Weiss, still holding the sketch, gives Blake a dismissive look. "Oh, I'm sorry." She waves her hand toward random objects around her. "Would you like me to stop referring to the trash can as a trash can? Or this lamppost as a lamppost?"

Daruna, now thoroughly annoyed, steps in with a snarky retort. "I mean, if you're going by your logic, maybe you should start calling a person a person, instead of insulting them."

Weiss glares at Daruna, opening her mouth to retort, but quickly realizes she's outnumbered. Instead, she huffs in frustration, turning away with her arms crossed.

Blake, however, keeps her gaze locked on Weiss, still clearly upset. "You don't know him, Weiss. You don't know anything about him."

Toby and Nilak exchange glances, staying quiet as the tension lingers.

"Please, he clearly broke the law. Give him time; he'll probably join up with those other Faunus in the White Fang!" said Weiss

Blake growls, clenching her fist "You ignorant little brat!"

Weiss looks offended, but when Blake walks away, she follows "How dare you talk to me like that! I am your teammate!"

"You are a judgmental little girl."

"What in the world makes you say that?" Weiss asks.

"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!" says Blake.

Yang slides up to Ruby, looking uncomfortable, "Um, I think we should probably go..."

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

Nilak grabs Penny as Team TNSD, Ruby and Yang walk away while Blake and Weiss continue arguing.
______________________________________________

Timeskip.

In the quiet of Team TNSD's dorm, night had fallen. Toby is tinkering with his vambraces at his desk, Nilak lounges on her bed reading, and Simon lays sprawled on the floor, sketching.

Daruna, who had been uncharacteristically silent, stands up from his spot by the window. Grabbing his weapons, He clears his throat to get his teammates' attention.

"I'm heading out tomorrow," Daruna announced, crossing his arms casually. "Got a personal errand to run, and I'll be gone most of the day."

Toby looks up from his work, raising an eyebrow. "A personal errand? That sounds mysterious."

Nilak glances over the top of her book. "You need us to tag along?"

Daruna shakes his head, smiling faintly. "Nah, this one's on me. Nothing dangerous, just something I've got to handle on my own."

Simon, always curious, leans up on his elbows. "Oh come on, you're not even going to give us a hint? Where's the fun in that?"

Daruna chuckles, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Sorry, Simon. Gotta keep some things to myself."

Toby shrugs and returns to adjusting his vambraces. "Alright, just don't get into too much trouble. You know how you are."

"Yeah, no promises," says Daruna before he massages his head, still hearing the persistent noise from the next room-the unmistakable sound of Weiss and Blake's STILL ongoing argument, "But seriously, they've been at it for hours."

The rest of the team groan in agreement as Toby speaks up, not looking up from his work. "You really think they're gonna stop? It's Weiss and Blake, man."

Nilak didn't even bother lowering her book. "They'll stop when one of them passes out from exhaustion."

Simon, still lying on the floor, grins mischievously. "What's the plan, Daruna? Gonna barge in and settle the debate yourself?"

Daruna sighs, running a hand through his hair. "I've gotta get some peace and quiet before I leave tomorrow. But there's no way I'm barging in there on my own. That's asking for trouble."

He turns to Simon, who is still watching with amusement. "Hey, Simon, I need a favor. Think you can phase me through the wall?"

Simon sits up, his grin widening. "You want me to ghost you into their room? Man, you must really be desperate."

Daruna rubs his forehead again, nodding. "Desperate doesn't even cover it. I can't take another minute of their arguing."

Simon chuckles, already standing up and stretching. "Alright, alright. Let's get you over there."

Walking over to Daruna, Simon places a hand on his shoulder. His semblance kicks in, making both of them flicker slightly in an orange aura, their forms becoming semi-transparent. Daruna feels the familiar tingle as he phases through the wall separating Team TNSD's dorm from RWBY's, stepping directly into the middle of the heated argument, nobody noticing his presence.

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

"That is the problem!" Blake retorts.

Weiss gets up from her bed, "You realize you are defending an organization that hates Humanity, don't you? The Faunus of the White Fang are pure evil!"

Blake gets on her feet as well, "There's no such thing as pure evil! Why do you think they hate Humanity so much? It's because of people like Cardin, people like you, that force the White Fang to take such drastic measures!"

"People like me?" Weiss asks, offended.

"You're discriminatory!" Blake yells.

"I'm a victim!" as they stare each other down in silence, Weiss leans in close, leering as she speaks quietly "You want to know why I despise the White Fang? Why I don't particularly trust the Faunus?" leaning against the bookshelf by the window "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." She bangs her fist on the bookshelf.

Ruby goes over to comfort her "Weiss, I-"

"No!" Weiss turns away and walks back over to Blake, "You want to know why I despise the White Fang? It's because they're a bunch of liars, thieves, and murderers!"

"Well maybe we were just tired of being pushed around!" yells Blake.

Silence drops down on the scene again. A surprised Weiss backs away slowly, and Blake realizes her mistake as she looks around at her teammates.

"I... I..." Blake stammers, her eyes wide with regret. Without another word, she bolts for the door, her footsteps echoing through the hall as she runs.

"Blake, wait! Come back!" Ruby rushes to the door, calling after her, but Blake is already gone. Yang remains seated, her usual bravado replaced with quiet concern. Weiss, now staring at the floor, looks lost in her own thoughts.

It is in this heavy silence that Daruna finally decides to speak. "Well, that was something," he said, stepping out from the corner.

Weiss jerks her head up, startled by his sudden presence. "Daruna?! How long have you been there?"

"Long enough," Daruna replies, his tone even, though there is a simmering frustration beneath the surface. "Heard every word of your lovely conversation."

Weiss narrows her eyes, suspicion creeping into her gaze. "Did you know all this time?" she asked, her voice sharp. "Did you know Blake was a Faunus?"

Daruna folds his arms, stepping forward, his green eyes meeting her blue eyes. "Yeah, I knew," he said flatly. "And before you ask-no, I didn't care."

Weiss's expression darkened. "Then you knew, and you still stood by her? You... you're just like her, aren't you?"

Daruna's brows furrowed, and his jaw clenched. "You mean, just like her because she's a Faunus? Or are you trying to say something else, Schnee?"

Weiss's eyes flicker with anger. "You know exactly what I mean! You must have been involved with the White Fang-there's no other reason you'd defend them!"

Daruna lets out a sharp, bitter laugh, stepping closer. "So, that's your logic? Any Faunus who doesn't agree with your worldview must be a White Fang member? You're really something else."

Weiss crosses her arms, her eyes narrowing further. "Are you denying it, then? That you were part of them? You threatened team CRDL in a horrific way and then during Professor Oobleck's class, you didn't raise your hand when the other Faunus did. Tell me you deny it."

Daruna's expression hardened. "And what if I still was, Weiss? What then? You gonna attack me with Myrtenaster? Right here, right now?"

The room grew colder as the tension between them intensified. Weiss's hands trembled slightly, her glare fierce, but she didn't move. They both knew that Daruna was calling her bluff.

Weiss clenches her fists. "I wouldn't hesitate."

Daruna's gaze softens slightly, but his frustration is still evident. "Maybe once upon a time, I was with them. But I walked away from that life a long time ago."

There was a flicker of confusion in Weiss's eyes, her anger momentarily faltering. "Why? If you hate humans so much-"

"I don't hate humans!" Daruna snapped, cutting her off. "Not all of them, at least. People like you, though... who judge us without even trying to understand... yeah, you make it hard."

Weiss's eyes flashed with indignation. "You don't understand what it's like! What my family has been through!"

Daruna's expression shifted, a flicker of sympathy crossing his features. "I get that you had a rough childhood, Weiss. Losing people, watching your family suffer because of the White Fang... I'm not saying that didn't suck."

Weiss's anger wavered, her gaze dropping to the floor. She didn't respond, but Daruna could see the conflict in her eyes.

"But here's the thing," Daruna continued, his voice quieter now, but no less firm. "Not every Faunus is part of the White Fang. And not every Faunus is your enemy. Blake? She's just someone trying to make things better. She's not a villain, and neither am I."

Weiss didn't say anything, her hands still clenched at her sides, but she didn't look up at him. The silence stretched between them, heavy and tense.

Daruna sighed, stepping back toward the door. "You don't have to like me, or Blake, or any Faunus, for that matter. But you're gonna have to get over this... or it's gonna tear you apart. And your team, too."

With that, Daruna turned and walked to the door, pausing only briefly to look at Ruby and Yang, who had been silent throughout the entire exchange.

"Take care of her," Daruna said softly before he steps out into the hall, leaving the tense atmosphere of Team RWBY's dorm behind.
______________________________________________

Blake runs outside and arrives 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.
Slowly, she lifted her arms, reaching up to the bow tied around her head. Her fingers trembled as she grasped the string and pulled it away, releasing her cat ears into the cool evening air. A single tear escaped her as she closed her eyes, the weight of hiding her true self for so long crushing her heart.

Just then, Blake felt a gentle hand rest on her shoulder, causing her to startle. She opened her eyes and quickly turned around, only to be met with the familiar and reassuring presence of Daruna.

He stood beside her, his expression calm but full of understanding. His golden eyes softened as he looked down at her, giving her the quiet reassurance she needed without saying a word.

Blake wiped away the tear that had fallen and looked away, embarrassed. "You followed me?"

Daruna's voice was gentle. "Seemed like you needed a friend."

Blake's shoulders slumped as she let out a shaky breath. "I... I didn't want anyone to see me like this. Not after everything that just happened."

Daruna squeezes her shoulder softly, offering silent comfort. "It's okay. You don't have to keep everything bottled up. You're allowed to feel hurt."

Blake swallows hard, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's just... I hate hiding who I am. And Weiss..." Her voice cracked. "I don't want to hate her, but the things she says... it's like she doesn't see us as people."

Daruna nods, his grip on her shoulder steady. "Weiss... she's got her own baggage, Blake. She's been hurt by the White Fang, and she's built up walls because of that. But that doesn't mean she'll never understand. She just needs time... and maybe a push in the right direction."

Blake looks up at Daruna, her eyes filled with uncertainty. "Do you really believe that? That she can change?"

Daruna smiles, though it was tinged with sadness. "I have to believe it. Because if I don't, then what's the point of trying to make things better?" He glanced up at the statue, the heroic figures towering over them. "We all have our battles, Blake. Some are just... harder to win than others."

Blake follows his gaze, her eyes settling once again on the Beowolf under the statue. She took a deep breath, the weight on her chest slowly lifting as Daruna's words sank in. "You're right," she murmured. "I can't keep running away from this."

Daruna gives her a reassuring nod. "And you don't have to face it alone."

Blake looks back at him, a small, grateful smile forming on her lips. "Thanks, Daruna."

He returns the smile, his hand still resting on her shoulder. "Anytime, Blake."

They stand in silence for a moment longer, the tension in Blake's heart easing as she leaned into her friend's comforting presence. Daruna then hears some rustling in the trees as something hits the ground, turning around, they both see the same monkey Faunus from before as he looks at Blake.

"I knew you would look better without the bow." He says as he then introduces himself to them, "Name's Sun, Sun Wukong."

Blake remains quiet.

"Name's Daruna," Daruna says as he then gestures to his friend, "And this is Blake."
______________________________________________

It's now morning at Beacon. A knock is being heard, waking Toby from his beauty sleep. Leaping from his bunk, he approaches the door as he opens it to see a concerned Ruby whose silver eyes were glinting with a mixture of worry and impatience.

"Still not back yet?" Toby asked, already knowing the answer before Ruby could even say anything. His voice is a little groggy, but the weight of the situation is clear.

Ruby shakes her head, biting her lip. "No... She didn't come back last night. I thought maybe you or Daruna might know where she is. I... I just-"

Before she could finish, Toby sighed and leaned against the doorframe. "Figures," he muttered. "Blake's been through a lot, but running off won't fix anything. Daruna's not back either. He went out on some personal errand, but I figured he'd keep an eye on her."

Ruby crosses her arms, looking down at the floor. "I just wish she'd talk to us... I mean, I know Weiss said some pretty harsh things, but we're her teammates. We're supposed to stick together, no matter what."

Toby glances over his shoulder, the faint sounds of Simon and Nilak stirring awake in their bunks. "You want me to go look for her? Or do you think she just needs time?"

Ruby looks back up at him, her eyes soft but determined. "I don't know if time will help this. But maybe if she knows we're not giving up on her... it'll mean something."

Toby nods, rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright. I'll get dressed and check some of her usual spots. If Daruna catches up with her, he'll keep her safe. You should check with Yang and Weiss, see if they've calmed down enough to talk this out."

Ruby offers a small smile. "Thanks, Toby. I just hope we can make things right."

Toby smiles back, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "We'll figure it out, Ruby. We always do."

As she turns to leave, Toby closes the door and takes a deep breath, knowing today wasn't going to be easy. "Guess I won't be getting that extra hour of sleep after all..." he mumbles to himself as he quickly gets ready to help his teammate and friend.
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Elsewhere, Blake is sipping a cup of tea and sighing. She looks up at her two companions having a conversation with each other, Daruna who has his own cup and Sun, who holds his drink with his tail as his hand props his head up as both of them are seen having their own conversation when Blake puts her cup down.

Deciding to cut in, she speaks up, looking at Sun, "So, you want to know more about me..."