The Remnant Theater (RWBY x Azur Lane)

Ball

Blake had not realized it at the time due to her focus on foiling Torchwick, but she wanted an opportunity to talk with one of the Sakura Empire girls. Thanks to Belfast, here she was sipping tea at a table with Amagi and Yorktown. Belfast herself stayed in a maid's position, ready to serve.

"I'm glad to see you saw reason Miss Belladonna." The kitsune said after a sip of her tea. "Obsession is a dangerous entity."

"It sounds like you speak from experience." Blake commented dryly.

"We both do." Yorktown chimed in. "Specifically, we know from our younger sisters."

"Huh?"

"Enterprise saw herself as an expendable machine meant solely to fight. Akagi was so obsessed with Miss Amagi that she willingly allied with our sworn enemy, the Sirens, in hopes of bringing her back."

"I see." Blake nodded. "Amagi, can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"Is the Sakura the only faction with..... Faunus?"

Amagi smiled gently. "No. The other factions have kansen with animal features as well. The Eagle Union has a few with neko traits, same for the Royal Navy and perhaps some in Ironblood."

"Then why-"

"Because our native nation had reverence for spirits in the form of animals, like me as a kitsune."

A shadow fell over Blake's face. "So that means you see nothing wrong with those features. You don't see our features as a sign of inferiority."

"It's both unfair and ignorant to compare your world's people to ours." Yorktown corrected the cat Faunus. "We are the humanization of warships from humanity, but not humanity itself. Our humanity is imperfect as well."

"How?"

Yorktown frowned when she said the next words. "The Eagle Union's native country had once defined equality and status by gender and skin color, to the point where the latter defined much of a civil war."

"Over skin color?" Blake repeated incredulously.

"They're not alone Miss Belladonna. The Royal Navy's homeland of Britain shares similar sins." Belfast added.

"And Sakura's home of Japan as well." Amagi's ears drooped. "The treatment of prisoners of war, and of civilians of nations conquered by Japan.... It's a great shame and stain on our honor."

"What about Ironblood?" Blake asked.

Yorktown and Amagi exchanged knowing looks. Blake felt a sense of dread. Everything they had mentioned thus far had been awful in nature. What in the world had the Ironblood's home country done to make them hesitate on disclosing it?

"Genocide. On a systematic scale never seen before. Or since." Yorktown answered. "Our point is that if Remnant is insistent on saying there's two species rather than just humans with unique traits, then know there is always those that harbor hatred for people who are different. You mustn't let these people prevail in order to have peace."

"Okay...." Blake let her thoughts drift off. She had hoped to gain some form of wisdom speaking with Azur Lane since they had similar looking people. To that end, seeing them work together and treat each other as equals meant that maybe she could garner something to help her own goals of seeking equality. She did not quite get an easy answer however.

"This topic is too morose. Maybe we should discuss the dance. I trust you changed your mind, Blake?" Yorktown asked.

"Well... yes." She admitted.