Chapter 13: Dysfunctional

"Blake, why did you have to do that? At the docks." Ilia's eyes turned blue when the faunus looked at her teammate.

Blake leaned back onto her hands, looking up at the setting sun. "Its wrong. The White Fang doesn't work with humans..." She said.

"I know... but now you've practically announced to the White Fang "Hey Adam! I'm right here!" And he'll probably come..." now the chameleon faunus's skin began taking a green tone as her sorrow became more apparent. Blake rested a hand on top of Ilia's.

"Hey, we're surrounded by a school full of huntsmen and huntresses in training. Adam is smart, he wouldn't dare attack us." She comforted.

"What if he targets Weiss and Yang?" Ilia asked. "What then?"

Blake sighed. "I don't know, Ilia. We'll protect them, I'll protect them. Somehow." She said

Ilia nodded, colors returning to normal slowly. "You know I'll be here for you. We're in this together." She comforted, scooting closer to Blake.

"I know. Thank you, Ilia." Blake nodded and closed her eyes for a moment, soaking in the moment.

"No need to thank me." Blake had looked down at the ground under the roof the partners sat on, watching a third year team walk into the building while chatting. In that moment, Ilia's cheeks lit up pink.

The two faunus just sat there, enjoying the silence. Until their Scrolls buzzed.

Blake? Where r u? Blake read Yang's text.

Ilia, are you with Blake? Where are you? Yang and I are looking for you. Ilia read Weiss's text.

Blake began typing out a reply, but Ilia put a hand over one of Blake's. "Don't." The chameleon faunus said softly. "Let's just have this time to ourselves."

Blake hesitated, her bow twitched as she moved her hand away from Ilia's before closing her Scroll down. "Alright." She agreed quietly.

Yang sighed, staring at her Scroll where the message showed it had been read. Blake had typed for a moment, and stopped. "Did Ilia say anything?" She asked.

"No." Weiss responded. Yang slumped down against a wall.

"Blake looked like she was gonna reply." She said "Then she stopped."

Weiss exhaled in a way that could only be described as a controlled sigh. "Its late, so let's just go to bed. We have class tomorrow. Blake and Ilia will show up for class, if they don't for bed." She stated. Yang reluctantly nodded.

"Alright." She pushed off the wall and started to walk back to the dorm, Weiss following.

"Are you alright, Yang?" Weiss asked, out of the blue.

"Weiss, our team's being divided, my sister has gone into hiding. I'm trying to keep us together, but that's because Blake hasn't attempted to do so herself." Yang exhaled a frustrated sound between a sigh and a groan. "So no. I'm not alright." She finished as they neared the dorm.

Weiss was silent, seemingly unsure as to what she could say. "Yang. I promise thing'll work out." She said at last, and Yang looked over to see uncertainty flicker in the heiress's blue eyes.

"I hope you're right." Yang said after a long pause, and entered the bathroom to shower.

Weiss sat on her own bed, looking across the room where Blake and Ilia's beds were empty. Soon the water in the bathroom began to run, signifying her partner beginning her shower.

Weiss sighed, leaning back onto her bed and staring upwards. She felt bad, Yang was just as torn up as her. Blake and Ilia were closing themselves off from Yang and her, avoiding them.

But... I thought we're supposed to communicate as a team. Her hands curled lightly, fingertips digging slightly into the covers. This isn't what Team Basil is about. We've been all for communication and now, Weiss sighed and let her eyes drift shut. Now we're a team divided by our partners.

In the bathroom, Yang had her hands up against her mouth. Sobs escaping through her nostrils as she let tears run down her face. I want Ruby to see I love her. I want Blake to be our leader again. Everything just so damn WRONG! She resisted the urge to punch something, lest she alert Weiss.

The brawler instead lowered herself gently to the ground and curled her knees up to her chest, pressing her face into her knees as her arms wrapped around her legs. She was so strong for everyone, she was Yang Xiao Long. But when she was alone she was just a lonely 11 year old who, despite being around her friends, was longing for her little sister to come home.

"Yang. I ran away, and Roman and Neo took me in. They trained me up and gave me a life and a purpose in life." A glint had been in those silver eyes, yet no matter how many times Yang replayed that moment, she could never identify it. Anger? Was Ruby mad at her? Defiance? Did Ruby really not want to come home? Sorrow? Was Ruby being forced to say those things?

Yang let her body rattle in muffled sobs, and once she thought it was out of her system she got up and finished washing herself off before stepping outside.

"You look like shit." Ilia said bluntly. Apparently they had returned while Yang showered. Ilia was sitting on her bed, fiddling with Lightning Lash. Blake was reading on her bed.

"So? Our team is going to shit." She crossed her arms. Ilia glanced at the ground for a moment and said nothing.

"Yang, I'm sorry for how I've been acting." Blake half mumbled, half told her.

Yang wanted to forgive her in that moment, the two words right on the tip of her tongue.

"But actions speak louder than words, Blake. You and Ilia are always avoiding Yang and I. Its been that way ever since the docks. You don't talk during meals, you put pathetic work into our team training." Weiss cut in before Yang could have said those two words.

Her will faltered, she didn't want to contradict Weiss.

"I know. Its just we have a lot on our minds." Blake replied.

"Well can you put it aside? I'm tired of us being a dysfunctional team. The Vytal Festival and the tournament is coming up soon. Team BSIL needs to put their best foot forward." Weiss asked, blue eyes soft in emotions that raged like a storm.

"Yes." Blake nodded "We'll do our best. Weiss, Yang, we're sorry about it."

Ilia's eyes flashed a color for a second, but it was so fast none but possibly Blake could have caught it. "Yeah." She agreed.

"Team Basil?" Yang offered.

"Team Basil." The rest of her team echoed quietly.