An Explosive Discovery

Chapter 2

"Yang, why aren't you and Blake sitting together?" Nora asks as brightly as ever. Before Yang could even give an answer Blake grunts from the row in front. "Oooh, someone's grouchy this morning!"

"Nora!" Ren scolds.

The hyperactive ginger just giggles. "I was only asking a question, Ren."

Dr. Oobleck, morning coffee in hand, whizzes into the classroom. "Okay students, the lesson begins now! Please turn your textbooks to page 162!"

Once again, Yang sighs before turning away from Blake for the final time that lesson. Jaune and Pyrrha share a look of concern but don't say a word - they'll sort it out, right?

Ruby drops her head to the desk. "I'm not being a very good leader am I? I can't even keep my team together." She mumbles dejectedly.

Weiss is there to comfort the young red. "Of course you're a good leader, Ruby. Blake will tell us in her own time if something is wrong."

"I hope so." The younger of the pair continues. "Thanks, Weiss."

When the bell signalling the end of the lecture sounds, Yang practically runs out of the classroom quickly muttering something to Ruby about needing to go to the bathroom. The remaining members of Team RWBY walk to the cafeteria with Team JNPR; Nora babbling through a story of her's, Ren peacefully listening while adding in a correction every now and then, Jaune and Ruby also listen as Weiss and Pyrrha discuss a few points from their most recent lecture, and finally Blake hangs back a little behind the group, silently slumped in her own thoughts. Why had she flipped out on Yang? Well, she knows the answer to that, but isn't entirely sure how to admit it to herself.

The conversation continues as normal while the group eat their lunch.

"Still no sign of Yang?" Pyrrha notes.

Ruby shakes her head as the group look to the seat where Yang usually sits. "No, I haven't seen her since she dashed out of Oobleck's class."

"Did she say where she was going?" Jaune wonders.

"She said she needed to go the bathroom, but I think she went there to clear her mind." Ruby adds.

Weiss huffs. "I've never seen her so down, it's not like her at all."

"So, why is she upset?" Nora questions eying Blake.

The Faunus turns away. "I have no idea why you're looking at me. I have nothing to do with her dramas."

That was the final straw. Weiss balls her fists and glares at the dark haired girl on the other end of the table to her. "No! You are the reason for her 'dramas'!" She uses her hands to emphasise the quotation.

"How is any of this my fault?" She argues back.

The tension grows even thicker when Weiss rises from her seat to glower down at her dark haired teammate. "If you hadn't have been so horrible to her in the first place she would have been sitting here with us eating her dinner! Now, all of us are sitting here worried because our friend is isolating herself and is going without food, and you couldn't care less!"

Blake follows suit and shoots up like a rocket to emphasise her next point. "Of course I care!"

"Well, you have a very funny way of showing it." Weiss sits down declaring the end of the argument. Blake also sits down, avoiding the wide-eyed stares from her friends. The heavy feeling in her gut intoxicates her as the worry creeps into her throat. How could she have done this to her? Her of all people. Yang. Yang Xiao Long. Her partner. Her-

A huge crash followed by a loud bang derails her train of thoughts. The seven teenagers leap out of their seats as they watch students run past screaming, and others running towards the cause of the noise. Blake is the first to start sprinting away from the cafeteria, the others following her soon after. Upon arriving at the scene they gasp as their eyes fall upon the devastation before them. Mounds of burnt rubble lie at their feet as an overhead airship shoots across the sky with the White Fang symbol imprinted on the bottom of the metal flyer. A bomb had been dropped onto the west-wing of Beacon.

"Yang!" Ruby gasps as she quickly realises this is the sector of Beacon she last saw her sister.

Weiss whips out her scroll in a desperate attempt to contact her blonde teammate. "... The call won't go through! It's saying she's not available!"

"I'm sure she's fine, Ruby." Jaune places his hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

Ruby's voice starts to break. "B-But why can't we call her? She had her scroll with her."

Blake shakes her head in disbelief as she begins to slowly back away from the bomb site, eyes wide and voice shaken. "No, no, no, NO!" With that she takes off down the hallway, ignoring the calling of her name from Jaune. She aims to take the other corridor which leads to Beacon's west-wing, the hall which will loop her round to the other side of the wreckage. 'This is my fault, this is all my fault.' Her mind races. "YANG!" She starts to yell as she's quickly approaching her destination. With all the hope in the world, Blake imagines Yang to be just around this next corner, looking at the destruction the explosion has caused. She imagines running up to the blonde and wrapping her up in her arms telling her how sorry she is. All hope and longing is crushed as soon as Blake rounds the corner - for Yang isn't there.

Tears threaten to spill from the Faunus' eyes. 'No, s-she can't be- that's impossible! She's not de- THIS IS ALL MY FAULT' The overwhelming sensation of shock, guilt, and soul-crushing despair is enough to bring Blake to her knees. 'She's gone. My bubbly, warm-hearted blonde... She's gone...' These thoughts swirl around her head until it all becomes too much. All these negative emotions pile themselves into a sudden shrill scream as tears string down her face. "YAAAAAAAAANG!"