Chapter 7: New Beginnings?; Black & White part II
The Vale docks were shrouded in an unnatural quiet as the expanded group took their positions. From her perch atop a shipping crane, Yukikaze's enhanced dragon senses picked up the first signs of movement – dark figures moving with practiced stealth between the cargo containers.
"Contact," she whispered into her earpiece, her black and golden-blonde hair whipping in the harbor breeze. "White Fang operatives moving in from the south. Count... twelve, maybe fifteen."
Below, hidden behind a stack of dust containers, Max felt his holy dragon flames flicker to life beneath his skin. "Confirmed. I can sense their auras from here. They're good, but not Sanctuary-trained good."
The plan unfolded with military precision. Team RWBY had taken position near the main loading dock, while the dragon and balrog faunus formed a careful perimeter. Sun and Neptune provided overwatch from the container stacks, their positions giving them clear sight lines across the entire operation area.
"There," Blake whispered, her keen night vision picking out a familiar figure in a white coat and bowler hat. "Torchwick, three o'clock."
Roman Torchwick stepped into view with his characteristic swagger, Melodic Cudgel in hand as he surveyed the dust shipment. "Alright, boys and girls," his voice carried clearly in the night air, "let's make this quick and clean. The boss wants this dust moved tonight."
That was when things went sideways.
A White Fang lieutenant – a wolf faunus with steel-gray fur – suddenly raised his head, nostrils flaring. "Wait. Something's not right. I smell... dragons."
Kazuma cursed silently from his position. Of course the White Fang would have enhanced senses among their ranks. His reaper dragon instincts had already identified the threat, but their cover was blown.
"All units, we're compromised," Ruby's voice crackled through their earpieces. "Execute now!"
The night exploded into action.
Max dropped from his concealed position, holy flames erupting around him as he landed between Torchwick and the nearest group of White Fang operatives. "Sorry to crash the party," he called out, his white horns gleaming in the firelight.
Torchwick's eyes widened in genuine surprise. "Well, well. Beacon students. And dragon faunus at that. This should be interesting."
Koga emerged from the shadows beside Max, poison energy crackling around his claws as his Balrog Lord heritage manifested. "Surrender now, and nobody gets hurt."
"Oh, I don't think so," Torchwick replied with a grin, firing his cane's explosive rounds toward the brothers.
The battle erupted across the docks with devastating intensity. Yukikaze descended like a lightning storm, her Dragon Empress powers turning the air electric as she engaged three White Fang operatives simultaneously. Each strike of her weapons sent arcs of black and gold energy crackling through the night.
On the western flank, Gwynne and Lethe worked in perfect synchronization. Her shadow dragon abilities allowed her to slip between dimensions, appearing behind enemies while Lethe's gold Balrog powers created brilliant diversions that left their opponents disoriented and vulnerable.
"Ruby, behind you!" Koga's warning came just in time as a White Fang soldier tried to flank the young huntress. His poison-enhanced speed carried him across the dock in seconds, intercepting the attack with a devastating combination that sent the operative sprawling.
Ruby's silver eyes met his for a brief moment, gratitude and something deeper passing between them before she spun back into the fight, Crescent Rose singing its deadly song.
Hon'oh had taken to the water, her sea dragon abilities allowing her to control the harbor itself. Waves rose at her command, sweeping away groups of White Fang soldiers while her cerulean hair streamed behind her like liquid starlight.
"Incoming!" Yang's warning came as a White Fang aircraft descended from above, searchlights blazing and weapons hot. But Shoryu was ready – his frost dragon powers sent a wave of arctic air upward, freezing the aircraft's engines and sending it spiraling into the harbor with a tremendous splash.
Toshiro had engaged Torchwick directly, his steel dragon abilities allowing him to match the criminal's weapon expertise blow for blow. Each clash of their weapons sent sparks flying, his storm-gray horns gleaming as he pressed his advantage.
"You kids are good," Torchwick admitted through gritted teeth, "but you're in over your heads!"
"Are we?" Mist's voice came from directly behind him.
Torchwick spun, but it was too late. Mist's dragon fire erupted around him, not to burn but to blind and disorient. In that moment of confusion, Toshiro's steel-enhanced strike sent Melodic Cudgel flying from the criminal's grasp.
But the White Fang wasn't finished. Their lieutenant – the wolf faunus who had first detected them – let out a howling battle cry that seemed to energize his remaining forces. "For the White Fang! For our brothers and sisters!"
The second wave of the battle was even more intense. Blake found herself facing off against the lieutenant, their weapons clashing in a deadly dance as she tried to reach whatever humanity remained beneath his fanatic fervor.
"This isn't the way!" she called out between strikes. "Violence won't solve our problems!"
"Says the traitor who turned her back on her own kind!" he snarled back.
That was when Kazuma intervened, his reaper dragon abilities manifesting as shadows that seemed to devour light itself. "She's not a traitor," he said quietly, his crimson eyes blazing. "She's evolved."
The combined might of the expanded group began to tell. Tadashi's frost abilities had created ice barriers that funneled the remaining White Fang operatives into killzones where Weiss's glyphs and Yang's explosive punches could make short work of them.
Sun and Neptune provided covering fire from above, their positions allowing them to coordinate the battlefield and call out tactical advantages to their friends below.
"Torchwick's making a break for it!" Neptune called out.
But Roman hadn't counted on the full scope of their preparation. As he tried to escape toward a waiting getaway vehicle, he found his path blocked by a wall of holy fire courtesy of Max, while Koga's poison energy had already begun affecting the vehicle's engine systems.
"End of the line," Ruby said, appearing in a swirl of rose petals with Crescent Rose at ready.
Torchwick looked around at the circle of determined young faces surrounding him – human and faunus united in purpose – and slowly raised his hands. "Well played, kids. Well played."
As the dust settled and the White Fang operatives were secured, the group found themselves standing victorious among the recovered dust containers. But more importantly, they had proven something that night – that when humans and faunus worked together, when they combined their unique strengths and abilities, they were unstoppable.
"Good work, everyone," Ruby said, her silver eyes bright with pride as she looked around at her friends. "We did it."
Koga moved to stand beside her, his emerald eyes soft with admiration. "We sure did. Though I have a feeling this is just the beginning."
As the immediate danger passed, Ruby found herself looking around in confusion. "Wait, where's Penny?" she called out, silver eyes scanning the dock area. The red-headed girl who had appeared during the height of the battle, fighting with incredible precision and strength, had simply vanished.
"Who's Penny?" Yang asked, moving to her sister's side with concern.
"She was right here! She helped us take down that bullhead, and then she just..." Ruby trailed off, her voice filled with bewilderment. "She said she was combat ready, but then she disappeared when those Atlesian ships appeared overhead."
Koga placed a gentle hand on Ruby's shoulder, his emerald eyes soft with understanding. "Maybe she had to go. Some people have reasons for not wanting to be around when authorities arrive."
Before Ruby could respond, a commotion erupted near the container where they'd left Torchwick. "He's gone!" Toshiro's voice carried clearly across the dock, his steel-gray horns catching the light as he examined the scene.
The group rushed over to find nothing but cut restraints and a mocking note: "Better luck next time, kiddos. -R.T."
"How did he escape?" Weiss demanded, ice crystals forming around her in frustration. "We had him secured!"
"Someone helped him," Blake said quietly, her amber eyes scanning the shadows. "The White Fang never abandons their assets. They probably had a contingency plan."
It was then that the weight of recent events seemed to crash down on Blake all at once. The fighting, the White Fang's continued extremism, the lies she'd been carrying – it all became too much. Her bow trembled slightly as tears began to form in her eyes.
"Blake?" Yang stepped forward, concern evident in her voice. "What's wrong?"
For a moment, Blake stood frozen, the internal battle playing out across her features. Then, with shaking hands, she reached up and slowly removed her bow, letting her cat ears spring free for all to see.
"I'm a faunus," she whispered, then stronger, "I'm a faunus. I used to be part of the White Fang before I realized what they were becoming. I've been lying to you all this time because I was afraid... afraid you'd hate me, afraid you'd see me as the enemy."
The silence that followed felt eternal, broken only by the distant sound of approaching sirens. Then Yukikaze stepped forward, her own dragon heritage clearly visible as she offered Blake a gentle smile.
"Sister," she said simply, using the term of fellowship common among faunus. "You were never the enemy. You were always family."
One by one, the other dragon and balrog faunus moved to stand with Blake – Max, Mist, Koga, Kazuma, Gwynne, Lethe, Hon'oh, Shoryu, Toshiro, and Tadashi. Their horns, tails, and scales gleaming in the moonlight as they formed a protective circle around their newfound sister.
"Blake," Ruby's voice was thick with emotion as she pushed through the circle to embrace her teammate. "You're our friend. You're our family. Nothing changes that."
"Nothing at all," Yang agreed fiercely, wrapping both Blake and Ruby in a protective hug that Weiss quickly joined.
"I'm sorry I didn't trust you enough to tell you sooner," Blake sobbed against Ruby's shoulder. "I was so scared—"
"You don't need to apologize," Mist said gently, her crimson eyes warm with understanding. "Fear makes us all do things we later regret. What matters is that you found the courage to trust us now."
Sun, who had been watching the emotional scene unfold, grinned broadly. "Well, this explains why you always seemed to understand faunus issues so well. And for what it's worth, I think you made the right choice leaving the White Fang when you did."
Blake pulled back from the group hug, wiping her eyes but leaving her bow off. "It's strange," she said with a watery smile. "I've been hiding for so long, I forgot what it felt like to just... be myself."
"Well, now you never have to hide again," Koga said firmly, his own tail swishing with determination. "We've got your back, Blake. All of us."
As the Vale police finally arrived and began securing the scene, the expanded group found themselves changed by the night's events. They had not only proven their effectiveness as a fighting force, but had also deepened their bonds of trust and understanding.
"You know," Ruby said as they prepared to return to Beacon, her silver eyes still occasionally scanning the area for any sign of the mysterious Penny, "tonight felt like a turning point."
"In more ways than one," Blake agreed, unconsciously adjusting to the feel of air on her newly revealed ears. "Thank you. All of you. For accepting me, for standing with me."
"That's what family does," Max said with a warm smile, his flame orange hair catching the moonlight. "And we're all family here, human and faunus alike."
As they made their way back to Beacon Academy, their mission successful despite Torchwick's escape, the group carried with them something more valuable than any captured criminal – the knowledge that trust, once given freely, could transform not just individuals, but entire communities.
Tomorrow would bring new challenges, including a certain dinner that had the potential to change two more lives forever. But tonight had proven that when people chose understanding over fear, acceptance over prejudice, anything was possible.
Under the shattered moon, a new kind of unity was born – one that would echo through the halls of Beacon Academy and beyond.
The Next Evening
The aftermath of the dock mission had rippled through Beacon Academy like stones cast into still water. Professor Ozpin had called each team member individually for debriefings, his calm demeanor betraying nothing of his thoughts regarding their unauthorized operation. Glynda Goodwitch, however, had been less subtle in her disapproval, though even she couldn't argue with their results.
Blake sat in the RWBY dorm room, her cat ears twitching as she adjusted to their newfound freedom. The support from her friends had been overwhelming, but the process of integration was still emotionally taxing.
"You sure you're okay?" Yang asked, sitting beside her partner on the bed. "I know last night was a lot."
"I'm better than okay," Blake replied, a genuine smile crossing her features. "It's like I've been holding my breath for months, and I can finally breathe again."
Ruby, sprawled across her own bed, was still puzzling over Penny's mysterious appearance and disappearance. "I just can't shake the feeling that there was something different about her," she mused. "The way she fought, the way she just vanished when those Atlesian ships showed up..."
"Maybe she was just shy around authority figures," Weiss suggested diplomatically, though her own expression suggested she had suspicions as well.
Meanwhile, across the academy, Mist stood before her mirror, adjusting her outfit for the third time. The simple but elegant dress – deep emerald green with silver accents – complemented her scales beautifully, but she couldn't shake her nervousness.
"You look beautiful, sister," Yukikaze said from the doorway, her own formal attire indicating she was preparing for "surveillance duty" with the others.
"This is just dinner," Mist protested, though her tail betrayed her anxiety with its restless movement. "Cardin wants to thank me for helping him change. It's not... it's not what everyone thinks it is."
"Isn't it?" Hon'oh asked with a knowing smile, entering with Gwynne close behind. "Because Cardin spent three hours this afternoon asking Max for advice on 'how to properly escort a lady to dinner.'"
Mist's scales flushed a deeper red. "He did not."
"He did," Gwynne confirmed with a gentle laugh. "And from what Lethe told me, he practiced his dinner conversation with a mirror for two hours yesterday."
As Mist made her final preparations, Cardin was experiencing his own pre-dinner crisis. Standing in his team dormitory, he adjusted his tie for what felt like the hundredth time while his teammates offered their own brand of support.
"Just be yourself," Russell suggested helpfully.
"That's terrible advice," Dove interjected. "He's trying to impress her, not scare her away."
"She already knows who I am," Cardin said quietly, and there was something profound in that simple statement. "She knows who I was, and she's seen who I'm trying to become. I just... I want to show her that her faith in me wasn't misplaced."
Sky clapped him on the shoulder. "Then show her that. Be the man she helped you become."
The Starlight Garden restaurant was exactly the kind of establishment that would appeal to both humans and faunus – warm, welcoming, with an atmosphere that encouraged conversation. Cardin arrived first, his palms sweating despite the cool evening air as he waited by the entrance.
When Mist appeared, walking toward him with that natural grace that seemed to characterize all dragon faunus, Cardin felt his breath catch. She was beautiful, but more than that, she radiated a quiet confidence that made his earlier nervousness seem foolish.
"You look..." he began, then stopped, searching for words that wouldn't sound trite.
"Thank you," Mist replied with a warm smile, saving him from his struggle. "You clean up pretty well yourself."
Unknown to the pair, their audience was already in position. Across the street at Café Luna, a carefully arranged table hosted what appeared to be a study group but was actually an elaborate surveillance operation. Yukikaze had brought binoculars, Hon'oh was taking notes, and Yang was barely containing her excitement.
"They're going inside," Ruby whispered unnecessarily, as they all had a clear view of the restaurant entrance.
"This is so romantic," Weiss sighed, temporarily forgetting her usual composure.
Inside the restaurant, Cardin and Mist were seated at a quiet corner table, the warm lighting casting a gentle glow over their conversation. The initial awkwardness that might have been expected was notably absent – months of daily conversations had built a foundation of genuine friendship that made this transition feel natural.
"I never properly thanked you," Cardin said as they studied their menus. "For that first day, when you decided to stay and talk to me instead of walking away."
"You don't need to thank me for that," Mist replied. "I made that choice because I wanted to. Because I saw something in you worth believing in."
"But you didn't know me then. You had every reason to walk away, every right to judge me based on my past actions."
Mist set down her menu, her crimson eyes meeting his directly. "Cardin, can I tell you something my father once told me? He said that courage isn't about fighting monsters or wielding powerful weapons. True courage is about choosing to see the best in people, even when they can't see it in themselves."
Cardin felt something tight in his chest loosen at her words. "Your father sounds like a wise man."
"He is. And he'd like you, I think. He's always respected people who are willing to do the hard work of changing themselves."
Their conversation flowed naturally from there, touching on everything from their training at Beacon to their hopes for the future as Hunters. With each passing moment, both began to realize that something had shifted between them – the foundation of friendship was still there, but it was being built upon by something deeper.
"You know," Cardin said as they shared dessert, "when I first asked you to dinner, I really did think I was just thanking you for your help."
"And now?" Mist asked, though her gentle smile suggested she already knew the answer.
"Now I'm hoping you'll say yes when I ask if I can take you to dinner again. As more than just friends."
Across the street, the surveillance team erupted into barely contained celebration. Yang had to be physically restrained from cheering out loud, while Weiss dabbed at her eyes with a napkin.
"Did he just...?" Ruby whispered.
"He did," Blake confirmed with a rare, genuine smile.
Back at their table, Mist reached across to place her hand over Cardin's. "I'd like that very much."
As they prepared to leave the restaurant, both walking a little closer together than they had when they'd arrived, neither could have imagined how their simple act of choosing understanding over prejudice would ripple outward, inspiring others and helping to heal divisions they'd never even realized existed.
Sometimes, the greatest victories weren't won on battlefields or in grand gestures, but in quiet moments between two people who chose to see past their differences to the connection beneath. Tonight had proven that love, like redemption, often began with a single act of faith – and grew from there into something beautiful and transformative.
The shattered moon bore witness to it all, its fractured light blessing a world where change was not only possible, but inevitable when people chose hope over fear, understanding over hatred, and love over all the forces that sought to divide them.
The Next Day
Yang had been looking for Max all morning, her lilac eyes scanning the various training areas around Beacon Academy. She'd finally tracked him down to one of the outdoor combat rings, where the sound of controlled explosions and the scent of ozone indicated someone was practicing advanced techniques.
What she hadn't expected was to find him shirtless, his flame orange hair damp with sweat as he worked through a complex series of holy fire manipulations. His dark skin glistened in the afternoon sun, and Yang found herself stopping dead in her tracks as she took in the sight of his perfectly sculpted physique. Years of dragon faunus training had clearly done wonders for his physical conditioning.
Focus, Yang, she told herself, realizing she was staring and possibly drooling a little. You came here for a reason.
Max was completely absorbed in his training, white horns gleaming as he channeled his Holy Dragon King abilities through increasingly complex forms. Pillars of golden-white flame erupted around him in precise patterns, each one requiring perfect control and timing. It was beautiful, powerful, and undeniably impressive.
"Ahem," Yang cleared her throat loudly, hoping her voice wouldn't betray her momentary distraction.
Max's concentration broke, and the flames dissipated as he turned toward her, golden eyes bright with surprise. "Yang? What brings you out here?"
"Well," Yang said, stepping into the training ring with her characteristic confidence fully restored, "I've been thinking. After everything that happened at the docks, and with Mist and Cardin finally figuring things out, I realized something important."
Max reached for his shirt, but Yang held up a hand. "Don't," she said with a grin that was equal parts playful and predatory. "I'm enjoying the view."
A flush spread across Max's dark features, his tail swishing nervously behind him. "Yang, what exactly are you—"
"You and I are going to spend the day together," she announced, crossing her arms in a way that emphasized her determination. "And before you even think about making excuses or saying you have other plans, just know that I'm not taking no for an answer."
Max blinked, his golden eyes searching her face for any sign that this was some kind of joke. "You want to spend the day with me?"
"Is that so hard to believe?" Yang asked, stepping closer. "You're smart, you're strong, you've got that whole 'noble leader' thing going for you, and frankly, you're not hard on the eyes either." She gestured toward his still-bare torso. "Plus, after watching you coordinate our mission last night, I realized I'd like to get to know you better. Away from the group, away from the planning and strategy sessions."
"What did you have in mind?" Max asked, finally pulling his shirt back on, though Yang made no effort to hide her disappointment at the loss of view.
"That's for me to know and you to find out," Yang replied with a wink. "But first, you're going to shower and change into something casual. We're not training today, we're not planning missions, and we're definitely not talking about team dynamics or combat strategies."
Max couldn't help but smile at her directness. "And if I refuse?"
Yang's eyes flashed red for just a moment, her hair seeming to ignite with golden light. "Then I'll just have to be more persuasive. And trust me, Max Dragonblade, you really don't want to see how persuasive I can be when I put my mind to it."
Despite himself, Max found Yang's boldness refreshing. So many people approached him with deference because of his leadership role or his dragon heritage, but Yang treated him like... well, like Max. Just Max.
"Alright," he said, his own grin matching hers. "You win. Give me twenty minutes?"
"Make it fifteen," Yang replied. "I'm feeling impatient today."
As Max headed toward the dormitories, he couldn't shake the feeling that Yang Xiao Long was about to turn his carefully ordered world completely upside down. And surprisingly, he found himself looking forward to it.
Yang watched him go, her own smile softening into something more genuine. After months of watching her friends find connections and growth, she'd realized it was time to take her own leap of faith. Max intrigued her in ways she hadn't expected, and if last night had taught her anything, it was that life was too short to wait for perfect moments.
Sometimes, you had to make your own.
Max and Yang's Day
True to his word, Max emerged from the dormitory in exactly fifteen minutes, his flame orange hair still slightly damp but now wearing casual clothes that somehow made him look even more approachable. Yang felt her heart do a little flip at the sight – without his formal uniform or training gear, he looked less like the composed team leader and more like... well, like a young man she was increasingly interested in getting to know.
"So," Max said as he approached, golden eyes bright with curiosity, "where exactly are you kidnapping me to?"
"Vale," Yang announced with characteristic enthusiasm. "Specifically, that little district with all the street performers and outdoor cafes. I figured if we're going to spend the day together, we might as well do it somewhere that doesn't remind us of schoolwork every five minutes."
The airship ride to Vale gave them their first real chance to talk without the pressures of leadership or team dynamics weighing on the conversation. Yang found herself genuinely surprised by Max's dry sense of humor and his thoughtful observations about everything from the changing landscape below to the quirks of their fellow students.
"You know," she said as they disembarked, "I always assumed you were all serious all the time. Team leader mode, you know?"
Max chuckled, his tail swishing behind him in amusement. "That's because you usually only see me when I'm trying to keep Koga and Kazuma from starting unnecessary fights, or when I'm planning missions with Ruby and the others. It's hard to be relaxed when you're constantly preventing diplomatic incidents."
Their first stop was a small street festival that had seemingly sprung up overnight. Local artisans displayed their wares while musicians filled the air with everything from classical melodies to upbeat folk songs. Yang watched Max's face light up as he examined a vendor's collection of handcrafted weapons, his expertise evident in the questions he asked and the genuine appreciation he showed for the craftsman's skill.
He's not just smart about combat, Yang thought as she watched him discuss metallurgy with the vendor. He actually cares about the artistry behind it all.
"See something you like?" she asked when he lingered over a particularly elegant dagger with intricate engravings.
"Just admiring the work," Max replied. "My father always taught me to appreciate good craftsmanship. He said you could tell a lot about a person by how much care they put into their work."
Yang felt something warm bloom in her chest at his words. There was something deeply attractive about someone who could find beauty in the details, who took the time to appreciate the effort others put into their passions.
They moved on to a cafe with outdoor seating, where Yang insisted on ordering for both of them – "Trust me," she'd said with a wink – and ended up introducing Max to what she claimed was "the best strawberry tart in all of Vale." Watching his golden eyes widen in genuine surprise at the dessert's quality, Yang found herself storing away the memory of his smile for later reflection.
"You know," Max said between bites, "I have to admit, this wasn't what I expected when you said you wanted to spend the day together."
"What did you expect?" Yang asked, propping her chin on her hand as she studied his face.
"I don't know. Maybe sparring, or weapon maintenance, or..." He paused, looking almost embarrassed. "I guess I expected something more like what teammates usually do together."
"Max," Yang said softly, her lilac eyes meeting his golden ones directly, "we're not just teammates today. We're just... us. Yang and Max, two people getting to know each other without any expectations or roles to play."
Something shifted in Max's expression then, a kind of understanding that made Yang's heart skip a beat. Oh no, she thought as she felt heat rise in her cheeks. This is more than just a casual crush, isn't it?
The realization hit her fully when they found themselves at an impromptu dancing area where a small band was playing. Max had initially protested that he didn't know how to dance to this particular style of music, but Yang had simply grabbed his hands and pulled him onto the makeshift dance floor.
"Just follow my lead," she'd said, and suddenly they were moving together, her hands in his, his golden eyes focused entirely on her face as if she were the only person in the world.
I'm in trouble, Yang thought as Max spun her around, his natural grace evident even in this unfamiliar activity. I'm really, genuinely falling for him.
The thought should have scared her. Yang Xiao Long didn't do complicated emotions or deep attachments easily. She was fire and passion and straightforward action. But watching Max throw back his head and laugh when she attempted an overly ambitious dip, seeing the way his whole face lit up with genuine joy, she realized she didn't care about her usual emotional walls.
She wanted to know everything about him – his dreams beyond becoming a Hunter, what made him laugh like that, what he thought about when he couldn't sleep, whether he'd noticed the way she kept finding excuses to touch his arm or stand a little closer than strictly necessary.
As the sun began to set and they made their way back toward the airship dock, Yang found herself walking deliberately slowly, unwilling to let the day end. Max seemed to sense her reluctance because he suggested they take the long way, leading her through a small park where fairy lights had begun to twinkle in the gathering dusk.
"Thank you," he said as they walked, his voice carrying a sincerity that made Yang's chest tight. "For today, I mean. For... for seeing me as more than just Team MKKH's leader."
"Thank you for letting me," Yang replied, and was surprised by how honest her own voice sounded. "For letting your guard down and just being... you."
They paused by a fountain, the sound of water mixing with distant music from the street festival. Max turned to face her fully, his golden eyes searching her face in the soft light.
"Yang, I..." he began, then stopped, seeming to struggle with his words.
Ask me out, Yang thought desperately. Please, just ask me out properly so I can say yes and we can figure out what this is between us.
But Max was too much of a gentleman to push, and Yang was too proud to make the first move beyond what she'd already done. Instead, she filed away the moment – the way he looked at her, the way his tail had curled nervously behind him, the way his hand had almost reached for hers before he'd caught himself.
She had time. They had the rest of their time at Beacon to figure this out. And Yang Xiao Long had never backed down from a challenge in her life, especially not one this important.
As they rode the airship back to Beacon, Yang was already planning her next move. Subtle hints, casual touches, moments designed to show Max exactly how she felt without having to say the words out loud. After all, the best battles were won through strategy, patience, and knowing exactly when to make your decisive strike.
And Yang had just discovered that Max Dragonblade was definitely worth the wait.
To be continued...
Next time - Chapter 8: Reunions & Bonds