The Vale Voice - Chapter 13 (Patreon)

Blake’s plan to distract herself all weekend didn’t go as anticipated, mostly because thinking about Yang made her want to see Yang.  To see Yang, she had to go to work.  And work reminded her that everything changed this week, which freaked her out.  She didn’t want to say she wasn’t ready, but...was anyone ever ready for something like this?

Ready or not, by the time Monday rolled around she was relieved to get out of her apartment.  Now she could freak out while setting out on this new endeavor rather than freaking out alone.  So, with Yang’s recently-washed sweatshirt hanging over one arm and a hot tea in the other, she headed to the office with determination and a fair amount of nerves.  Those nerves were tempered in part by the knowledge that Yang would be there this week.  Not only Yang but the rest of her coworkers, who went out of their way to support each other whenever needed.  They were like a family - a work family, but a family nonetheless.  

That family, surprisingly, included Yang.  Blake never imagined they could welcome someone like Yang into their midst, yet that’s exactly what happened.  Ultimately, she was grateful for their unexpected new addition.  With the changes headed her way, she needed all of the support she could get.

While walking through the lobby, she sipped her tea and sighed at the comforting combination of warmth and subtle peach flavor.  So long as she had her morning tea, she could accomplish anything.  At least, that’s what she told herself while climbing the stairs to the office.

This morning when she found the door already unlocked, excitement rather than panic surged through her veins.  That feeling only grew when she headed inside and discovered Yang already there working.  Having heard the door open, she turned around and, the moment she saw Blake, broke into a big smile.

“Good morning,” Yang said, her gaze never leaving Blake as she walked over.  

Once upon a time, she hardly paused for idle conversations while hurrying directly to her office.  This morning, however, she approached Yang with the intent of having at least one of the conversations she’d craved all weekend. 

“Good morning.”  Feeling a burst of energy from just seeing Yang, Blake couldn’t hold back a small smile.  “You’re here early.”  

“I’ve got a lot of work to do.”  Yang motioned towards the maze of outlines covering her desk before grinning.  “Although I’m sure it pales in comparison to what you have on your plate.”

“Don’t remind me,” Blake replied before blowing a puff of air through her lips.  Before Yang apologized or offered help, however, she extended the sweatshirt she accidentally borrowed last week.  “Thank you for letting me wear it,” she said before quickly adding, “I washed it for you.”

Raising one brow, Yang lifted the sweatshirt to her nose and took a deep breath, closing her eyes in the process.

“Mmm...that does smell like you,” she sighed before giving Blake a grin.  “Would it be weird if I asked you to wash all of my clothes?”

“You...want your clothes to smell like me?” 

“Yes, please.  You smell good.”

“But -”  With her cheeks growing increasingly warm, Blake stopped talking to avoid further embarrassment.  It probably meant little to Yang, but scent-marking was a very real thing for feline Faunus.  And she was a feline Faunus.

Fighting against the blush, she cleared her throat and tried to formulate a proper response.

“I’ll write down what detergent I use,” she said before hurrying away so she didn’t have to explain further.  Yang’s confusion was nearly palpable as she rushed into her office and shut the door, so much so that she felt guilty for not sticking around to elaborate.  Yang didn’t mean anything by it, but that didn’t stem the waves of embarrassment rolling through Blake’s chest.

Noticing Yang sniff the sweater again did nothing to ease that embarrassment, but Blake forced herself to work rather than dwell on a thoughtless comment.  Yang thought she smelled good, which was nice.  At least she didn’t smell horrible.

In an ironic twist of fate, after spending all weekend using Yang as a distraction, Blake now needed a distraction from Yang.  Fortunately, work was more than up to the task.  

The phone calls she put off on Friday now had to be done today or tomorrow.  And apparently everyone was back in the office today, because she had an entire page of new emails to respond to.  Between those and Yang’s interview, today would be busy.  So she did what she did best - put her head down and worked as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Unlike normal Mondays, however, her increased work ethic extended to the rest of the office.  Everyone was busy coming up with outlines and topics for this week’s edition, and she knew she didn’t have to stress how important it was to pick something impactful.  The dedication of her coworkers meant there were hardly any interruptions until just before lunch, when Yang knocked on the door.

“Hey…”  Yang glanced at the stack of messages awaiting callbacks before giving Blake a guilty look.  “If you’re too busy -”

“No,” she interrupted before Yang gave her an excuse.  Spinning away from the computer, she grabbed a pen and pad of paper before meeting Yang’s gaze.  “Well, yes,” she admitted.  “But I could use a break.  I’ll come back and work more later.”

It wasn’t until she met Yang by the door that she noticed the droop in Yang’s smile.

“You’ve been working so hard all day though…”

Touched by the worry, she lightly tapped Yang’s arm with the pad of paper.  “I appreciate the concern, but I’m fine.  Once the initial rush is over, everything should get back to normal.  This week will be crazy, but I can handle it.”

“Ok…”  For a moment, it looked like Yang didn’t believe the response.  But, after biting her lip, she smiled.  “If you need help with anything, I have some extra sleep I’m willing to give up.”

Smiling at the offer, Blake gestured for Yang to lead the way out of the office. 

“If this continues into next week, maybe I’ll take you up on that.”  The response provided reassurance to Yang, and Blake knew she wouldn’t need the extra help.  Hopefully.  “We’re headed to an interview,” she told Velvet on their way out, who nodded and sent them off with a smile.

With Yang holding the door, Blake walked into the hall and immediately sighed.  Being away from her desk was more of a relief than she’d imagined.  At least out here, she wasn’t bombarded by calls and emails constantly asking questions or making subtle demands of her.

Feeling a warm presence near her elbow, she turned and smiled at Yang.  As usual, Yang smiled back, and she felt another burst of that contentedness she’d silently craved since walking into the office that morning.  For the first time, she wondered if Yang felt it too.  Maybe that’s why she always looked so happy when they spent time together.  At least she didn’t hate spending time together...

“Let’s get this show on the road?” Blake asked with a wave towards the stairs.  Yang nodded and moved that way while Blake stayed near her side, happy to follow someone else’s direction for once.

“You still don’t want to know where we’re going?” Yang asked when they made their way out of the building and into the warm midday sun.

“I like a good surprise every once in a while.”

“You could try to guess the topic.”

Reaching the sidewalk, Blake considered the question while thoughtlessly following Yang away from the office.  If she had to guess, what would Yang want to write about?  What was important to her?  When Blake snuck another glance and appreciated yet another outfit that accentuated Yang’s figure in the most flattering way, she felt like she had a pretty good idea of what Yang liked.

“Faunus models.”

“What??” was Yang’s shocked response before she dissolved into the cutest giggles Blake had ever heard.  “That’s a great idea,” she eventually replied with a smile and nod.  “I didn’t even think of that.”

Chuckling at the response, Blake tried to walk across the street only for Yang to stick out an arm to stop her and motion around the corner instead.  This direction took them towards the neighborhoods instead of businesses in the area, which only increased Blake’s curiosity.  But she didn’t ask even though she wanted to know.  She’d already waited all weekend - she could wait another few minutes.  

“Speaking of models,” Yang added after another block passed in comfortable silence.  “You’ve seen that Faunus on a few billboards recently, right?  The model?  Her legs do not stop.”

“The giraffe?”

“Yeah!”  After a pause, Yang glanced Blake’s way.  “Am I allowed to say things like that, or is it insulting?”

“Things like what?”

“Like...identifying a Faunus by their animal.”

“Oh.”  The question surprised Blake, and she needed a moment to come up with a good answer.  “I think...it’s fine, but you need to be careful not to misidentify the animal.  Some Faunus are really offended by that.”

“So you wouldn’t like it if I called you a zebra?”  When Yang gestured towards a neighborhood street, Blake shook her head.

“If you’re joking, I won’t mind.  If you’re trying to be offensive, obviously I will.”

“Gotcha.  So try to be sure.  That can be a little hard sometimes.  Especially if they’re wearing hats or dyed their hair or something.”

“It can be.  Not just for you though, don’t worry.”

“So…”  When Yang trailed off, Blake looked over to encourage the question.  Sensing permission, Yang continued.  “In the interest of being extra certain...what animal might you take after?”

After raising a brow, Blake found that Yang was serious about the question.  

“Is that not obvious?”

“Well, my gut screams ‘cat,’ but you could also be like...a black panther, you know?”

“Exotic,” Blake replied with a smirk.  “But the first is more correct.”

“Got it.”  Yang gave a cute thumbs up before looking embarrassed about doing so.  Sticking her hands in her pockets, she motioned with one elbow for them to turn right at the next street.  “Thanks for explaining to me,” she added after not too long.  “You’re really great with these types of questions.”

“I am?”

“Yeah.  You’re patient and understanding, and I don’t feel like you’ll yell at me for being ignorant.”

“Oh...well, you’re welcome.”

When Yang smiled and fell silent, Blake’s brow furrowed.  She’d never thought of herself as being particularly tolerant of ignorance, but in Yang’s case it was easy to answer without growing agitated.  That probably had more to do with Yang’s willingness to learn than her willingness to explain, however.  

Regardless, Yang trusting her with those questions made her feel...special.  She hoped Yang kept asking, if only so she could impart more knowledge to someone genuinely interested in learning more about Faunus.

So lost in thought, Blake walked several steps without realizing Yang had stopped.  It was only when Yang reached out and touched her arm that she paused and turned around.  

“We’re here.”

When Yang waved to their left, Blake found...an old house.  Nothing differentiated it from the rest of the decently-sized, two-story houses in this neighborhood, except maybe the children’s toys strewn across the porch and slightly overgrown grass in the front yard.  Even with the mess, however, it looked like a nice family home, complete with the sound of laughter and running footsteps coming from inside.

“Here?” Blake asked, although she couldn’t figure out where ‘here’ was.  

“Yup!  This is the place.  Ready?”

With a single word, anticipation swept through Blake’s chest.  And, as she followed Yang up the path to the front door, she realized she hadn’t been out for a story in what felt like decades.  She’d missed this feeling - a buzz that came from not knowing what to expect.  She could guess, but sometimes the interview uncovered a gem that led the story in a better direction...or threw it in the garbage.  In this case, and for Yang’s sake, she sincerely hoped the latter didn’t happen.

“Any other guesses?” Yang asked as they stepped onto the wooden porch, which creaked under their feet.

“No idea,” Blake admitted.  She was curious, to say the least, which only added to her invigorated energy.  She loved a good mystery every once in a while, and Yang certainly wasn’t disappointing her today.

“I don’t know if that makes me feel better or worse,” Yang replied with a short laugh before ringing the doorbell.  The running footsteps stopped when a chime sounded throughout the house and, a second later, the door opened.  

Blake expected an adult to answer, but it was a small child who peeked around the edge of the door.  The young llama Faunus looked hardly more than six, with doe-like eyes only adding to an aura of innocence.

“Hey there!”  Yang knelt on the porch to speak with their greeter, all while flashing that disarmingly-friendly smile.  “I’m Yang.  We’re here to see Ms. Woodley.  Is she around?”

With a meek nod, the little girl stepped back and opened the door without a word.  Yang shot a grin towards Blake before walking inside with Blake trailing right behind.  The first thing she noticed about the interior of the house was the evidence of more kids - so many kids.  The living room overflowed with toy bins, the carpet was a delightful pattern of bright colors, and one wall was covered in bookshelves stuffed with children’s books.

“But I got you!”

Turning towards the shout, she found a young fox Faunus sticking out his lower lip in a serious pout.

“Nuh uh!” an older fox taunted while Blake’s gaze swept the rest of the room.  Faunus children...of all kinds...and all ages...

“An orphanage?” she whispered when she realized where they were.

“Close,” Yang whispered back, leaning close and meeting Blake’s eyes with a small smile.  “Foster home.”

“But you cheated!” the younger Faunus argued, not caring that there was company.

“Did not!”

“Boys.”  The argument stopped as everyone’s attention turned to a deer Faunus being pulled into the room by the little girl who’d opened the door.  The older woman’s attention remained on the two arguers for the time being, and they looked up at her with timid smiles.  “What did I say about playing that game inside?”

“Uh...do it?” the older fox replied while the younger attempted an innocent nod.  But the woman shook her head and smiled - a smile weathered by years and years of patience. 

“Why don’t you go outside and play?”

The two boys quickly nodded and raced through the doorway, their footsteps pounding on the wooden floors as they went.  The woman watched them go before turning to Yang and Blake with a warm smile, although her eyes lingered an extra second on Yang.

Undeterred, Yang stepped forward and extended one hand.

“Ms. Woodley?”  When the woman nodded and hesitantly returned the handshake, Yang relaxed into another smile.  “I’m Yang - we spoke on the phone the other day.  Thanks so much for letting us come talk with you.”

The magic that Yang had about her - in her smile and eyes and posture - worked instantly.  Any reticence Ms. Woodley held about a human entering her home disappeared, and a genuine smile appeared in its place.

“The pleasure’s all mine,” she replied before glancing at Blake.

“Oh, this is Blake,” Yang added while Blake shook the woman’s hand and dipped her head.  “She’s our editor-in-chief extraordinaire.”

“It’s nice to meet you both -” Ms. Woodley paused when the teenage girl reading on the sofa gave a loud, exasperated sigh.  Smiling at the not-so-subtle displeasure, Ms. Woodley waved them after her.  “Why don’t we talk in the office?”

Yang willingly trailed Ms. Woodley into the room to the left of the living room, but Blake looked around for a few more seconds before following suit.  Of all the subjects she thought Yang would pick, this one never entered her mind.  This topic hardly ever entered her mind, actually, which she now felt extremely guilty about.

“This way we won’t interrupt her reading,” Ms. Woodley explained while closing the door.  “She’s trying to finish the rest of that book tonight.”

“For school?” Yang asked, sitting in one of the chairs across from Ms. Woodley while Blake took the other.

“No, just for fun.”  Ms. Woodley smiled at the response before giving them another curious glance.  “But what can I help you with?  You mentioned you want to write an article…?”

When Ms. Woodley looked to Blake for an answer, Blake motioned for Yang to explain why they were here.  Considering she hadn’t even known this place existed, she had just as much knowledge as Ms. Woodley right now.

“Right,” Yang began with a smile, although Blake could swear she almost looked nervous.  “We want to write articles about the issues Faunus face in Vale or...everywhere, really.  Obviously, children needing families is an issue everyone should care about, but I think you’re...uniquely qualified to discuss how the system works.”

Briefly pausing, Yang gave Blake a glance that silently asked how she was doing.  Considering Blake’s immeasurable interest in hearing more, she smiled and nodded for Yang to continue.  After taking a deep breath, she did.

“Everything I’ve read says the foster care system is working, but I feel like that’s not true.  I was hoping you could tell us more.”

“Well...you’re right,” Ms. Woodley replied with a serious expression falling over her recent joviality.  “The system is broken for everyone, but most of all for Faunus.”

Abruptly realizing she should take notes, Blake pulled out her pen and placed it on top of her pad of paper, listening intently while preparing to write.

“These poor children are bounced from home to home or worse - sometimes humans take them in only to treat them like servants.  One woman once told me - ‘at least they’re getting a jump start on adulthood.’”

Blake frowned at the comment, and Ms. Woodley shook her head.

“Is the system supposed to be the same for humans and Faunus?”  After the question, Yang glanced at Blake again, but this time continued without receiving encouragement.  “I mean, I’m sure they’re ‘supposed’ to be, but are there safeguards to make sure there’s equality?”

Ms. Woodley’s sigh said it all, but she didn’t leave it at that.

“The foster system is outdated,” she explained while Blake tried to capture as much useful information as possible.  “When a child enters the system, they’re added to a roster of available children that all foster parents can see.  That system gives the most important information about each child but, in the interest of ‘equality,’ excludes race.”

Even in the midst of writing, Blake wanted to comment on that response.  Since this was Yang’s story, however, she turned towards Yang instead.

“I’m guessing there’s a way around that?”

“Oh, yes.”  Again, Ms. Woodley sighed and shook her head.  “You see, there are no repercussions for sending a child back.  All you have to say is that they ‘aren’t the right fit’ for your household, and they’re sent somewhere else.”

Blake frowned at the concept, and Yang wore a similar expression of distaste.

“So the human fosters who don’t want Faunus...just send them back?”

“Almost always.”

“How did you end up with all Faunus foster children then?” Yang asked while gesturing towards the entrance of the house.  “Is that just a coincidence?”

With each subsequent question, Blake’s respect for Yang grew.  Not only was she asking the right things, but the way she asked and listened to the responses encouraged Ms. Woodley to be more open and honest than she might be otherwise.

“Quite a coincidence,” Ms. Woodley replied with a dry laugh.  “I haven’t had a single human child walk through those doors, but I know I’ve selected one more than once.  Those children, however, are mysteriously unavailable when I choose them.”

Sitting back in her seat, Yang looked like she didn’t know what to say other than a soft “wow.”

“Just as well,” Ms. Woodley replied while waving the concern away.  “I’d have no issue fostering a human child, but there are plenty of other parents waiting to scoop them up.  This allows me to focus my time and resources towards those who aren’t as lucky.”

As Ms. Woodley said the words, she waved towards the bookcase taking up one side of the room.  Looking that way, Blake found most of the shelves filled with the same uniform blue binders.  While the binders were all the same size and color, one thing differentiated them from each other - a name written in the middle of the spine.

“Are those…?” Yang asked while Blake came to the same conclusion herself.

“Every child who’s walked through those doors,” Ms. Woodley replied.  “Some were adopted.  Too many aged out.”

For a long, quiet moment, Yang stared at the shelves.  It wasn’t until Blake noticed the way Yang swallowed and sniffed that she realized the emotion clouding lilac eyes.  That was the first moment she considered stepping in to assist, but that’s also when Yang cleared her throat and turned back to their host.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what made you decide to help?”

“My husband and I always wanted a big family…” Ms. Woodley looked out the window at the kids playing tag in the yard before smiling.  “After he passed away, I was alone in this big house - a house we built together - and thought to myself...why not?  I could still have the big family we’d always dreamed about.  And I could help others who’d lost loved ones too soon, just like me.”

When another period of silence seemed to extend too long, Blake glanced over just as Yang put on another small smile.

“That’s very kind of you,” she whispered before glancing at her hands and clearing her throat.  “And I was wondering...if you could suggest a solution, what would it be?”  

Nodding at the question, Blake prepared to write down the answer.

“All children are vulnerable, but Faunus in particular are even more so, especially at the hands of certain humans.  For the system to work, we need to make sure our fosters take their job seriously.  And, if they really don’t want Faunus, don’t give them a Faunus child.  Being bounced from house-to-house is detrimental to their fragile psyches.”  Pausing for a second, Ms. Woodley took a deep breath before adding, “And there needs to be more follow-up to ensure all the children are being appropriately taken care of.  That follow-up needs to be done by people who genuinely care about what’s best for any children - human or otherwise.”

After Ms. Woodley trailed off, Blake wrote for a few more seconds trying to put everything down and then some.  She even wrote descriptions of the binders, as she’d found writing down details now was easier than trying to remember later.

“Those sound like good suggestions,” Yang replied with a nod before glancing at Blake once more.  This time Blake couldn’t tell what Yang was silently asking, but it didn’t appear Yang needed an answer as she turned away.  

“Last question...can we talk to the kids?” 

“Of course,” Ms. Woodley replied with a laugh as they returned to what was probably her favorite topic.  “They love to talk.”

Grinning at the answer, Yang stood and headed back to the living room.  Blake followed, curious about what would happen next.  As it turned out, Yang walked into the room and right over to the first child she found - a young badger who looked no older than five.

“Would you like to be interviewed for the paper?” she asked him, but he looked at Ms. Woodley first before hesitantly nodding.  “You’re awesome!  Ok.”  Reaching over, Yang snatched the pen from Blake’s hand before kneeling on the floor and using it as a microphone.  “My camerawoman is going to record too.”

This made the boy even happier, as evidenced by his growing smile.

“I am?” Blake asked, and Yang gave her a playful look of disbelief.

“You mean you forgot how to record videos?” Yang asked before giving an exaggerated sigh.  “Hold on,” she told the boy before coming over to Blake.  “Where’s your phone?” she whispered, so Blake fished the device out of her pocket and handed it over.  

“Alrightttt…so…” While stalling, Yang tapped through Blake’s phone looking for the camera.  And she stood so close while she did so, Blake felt the waves of warmth emitting from her - not altogether a bad experience while watching someone fiddle with her phone.

“There you go!” Yang suddenly said, handing Blake the phone with the camera screen up.  “I’ll tell ya.  I gotta do everything these days,” she teased while kneeling by the boy, whose adorable giggle made her smile grow.  “Ok, first, what’s your name?”

When she held the microphone out to him, he looked at her instead of the ‘camera.’  

“Xander.”

“Xander!  What a cool name.  Are you a cool guy?”  

He grinned sheepishly at the question while dragging one foot along the floor. 

“Maybe...”

“Maybe,” Yang replied with a quick laugh.  “You’re modest too.  Ok Xander, first question.  What’s your favorite color?”

“Yellow.”

“No way!  Me too.  What makes it your favorite?”  

Blake could tell he had no idea how to answer that question, but that didn’t stop him from trying.

“Uh...because it’s bright?”

“Like the sun!” another child pitched in, having crept over to join the conversation.  This young girl, an otter Faunus, had some of the cutest and most intent eyes Blake had ever seen.  “Can I be interviewed too?”

“Of course!” Yang said with a big, welcoming smile.

“Me too!” another kid piped in while running over - the small hedgehog Faunus having watched the interaction from afar.  As soon as he joined the first two, the foxes from earlier came back inside and wanted in on the action, while the older girl reading on the sofa actually set down her book to participate in the commotion.

Pretty soon, the entire house had congregated around Yang clamoring to be interviewed.  For her part, Yang handled it extremely well.  Instead of looking overwhelmed, she looked like she was holding court with a group of small children.

“Ok, ok, here’s how we’re gonna do this.  A group interview!  Now you all stand together…”  After motioning the kids into one group, Yang knelt to one side and looked at Blake.  “Now Blake’s going to record all of this, so you gotta answer honestly, ok?”

Even though they had no idea what this ‘interview’ was for, they were eating this up.  They were excited.  And the idea of being recorded only made them happier.  So Blake tapped the ‘record’ button on her phone and gave Yang a thumbs up, but lowered the screen so she could watch whatever was about to happen.

“Ok.”  Scooting a little closer, Yang lifted the ‘microphone’ to her mouth.  “I’m going to ask a question, and you’re going to shout your answers as a group.  Got it?”

“Yeah!” a couple of the kids yelled while the more timid nodded.

“Alright,” Yang said with a chuckle.  “What’s your favorite color?”

When she held the microphone out, the kids shouted a range of colors from blue to green to red.  Moving the pen back to herself, she nodded thoughtfully.

“Huh...brown, you said?  Interesting…”

Some of the kids giggled while others said “nooo,” but Yang smiled and kept talking.  “Ok, now we need to know...what’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?”

This time when Yang held the mic out, she turned away while the kids shouted flavors in her ear.

“Coffee??” she asked in surprise, and some of them said “ewww” before laughing with her.  “Wow, you have unique tastes.  But I think I see a pattern here…”  

When Yang glanced at Blake, Blake smiled and shook her head.  Chuckling again, Yang snuck another glance in Blake’s direction before turning back to the group of kids.

“Alright, and...who’s your favorite person in the whole wide world?”

“Ms. Woodleyyy!!” the kids yelled in unison as soon as Yang held the mic out to them.  Shocked by the response, Blake wondered how on earth Yang got them to do that.  It felt coordinated, yet it couldn’t have been...

“That’s right,” Yang replied with a kind smile, still using the pen as a microphone even though it wasn’t needed anymore.  “Ms. Woodley takes good care of you, doesn’t she?”

When the kids nodded their agreement, Blake turned and found Ms. Woodley holding one hand to her heart while tears dampened her eyes.

“She’s the best!” the older fox said while the badger ran over and hugged Ms. Woodley’s legs.

“She is, isn’t she?”  Turning on her knee, Yang smiled up at Blake and Ms. Woodley, offering the woman a minute to enjoy that moment before finally turning back to the kids.

“Last question,” she said while she still had their attention.  “How many of you do you think I can pick up at once?”

The kids didn’t understand the question until Yang made a show of dropping the pen on the floor and wiggling her fingers.  Then they knew exactly what to do - scream and scatter.  

Blake laughed while the kids raced around the room trying to evade Yang’s grasp.  Yang eventually caught Xander though, and she lifted him in the air while his cheerful squeals echoed throughout the room.  

“That’s one!” Yang laughed before swinging Xander up onto her shoulders.  After making sure he was steady, she chased the others around the room while he pointed and yelled out names.  Whenever she got close to ‘capturing’ one of the other kids, they squealed, Yang laughed, and Blake smiled.

“Where did you find her?” Ms. Woodley asked then, drawing Blake’s attention away from the spectacle in front of them.  Pausing the recording, Blake lowered her phone and searched for the right way to answer that question.

“She was...recommended to us.”  That seemed like the most appropriate answer, seeing as how she didn’t want to get into the details of how Yang ended up at their office.  Looking back on it, being ‘forced’ to work with someone like Yang seemed...a little beyond words.

“A rare breed, isn’t she?” Ms. Woodley added, and Blake looked at her - reading the joy in big, expressive eyes - before turning back to Yang.

Her heart beat quickly while watching Yang interact with the children, watching her chase them around the room while laughter, giggles, and squeals of happiness filled the air.  The children loved being around her, and if the smile on her face was any indication, she loved being around them too.

A rare breed - the analogy was surprisingly apt.  In a world where everything felt so dingy and grey, Yang shone like the sun, standing out from others of her kind.

“That’s what we’re working towards,” Ms. Woodley continued, her smile growing when Yang wrapped the younger fox in a bear hug and lifted him in the air as he shrieked with joy.  “We need more people like her in the world.  We need more of both of you, but this is a start.  The future is bright.”  

While Ms. Woodley watched Yang with hopeful eyes, Blake tried to find a response to the sentiment.  She knew Ms. Woodley was right, at least in regards to Yang.  If more people thought and behaved like Yang, Faunus would be much better off - the world would be better off.  Not long ago, Blake wouldn’t have believed someone like Yang existed.  But, having found one, wasn’t there hope that more people like her could be out there?

“I hope so,” Blake murmured, as much to her internal question as to Ms. Woodley’s words.  Even if Yang was the only one - a true rare breed - Blake was glad to have met her.  More than glad, as an overwhelming and uplifting feeling rushed through her.

“Thank you both for coming out.  And thank you, for all you do to help our kind.”

“Thank you,” Blake replied with a gesture towards the children, who’d finally tired out and slowed down.  “This has a real, tangible benefit to so many lives.  If you can think of anything we can do to help...”

“I’ll let you know.”  Ms. Woodley dipped her head and smiled, but Blake already sensed that the woman had everything handled on her own.  The best help would be publishing her story - getting the word out there that Faunus orphans needed help.  And that’s exactly what Blake would do.  Well, Yang would. 

Should they really entrust such an important topic to a human?

The moment the thought flitted through Blake’s mind, she shook it away.  This was Yang’s idea.  It clearly meant a great deal to her, and she would do her best to make it as impactful as it needed to be.  Plus, Blake could help if any direction was needed.

“Alright.”  Yang’s voice drew their attention as she walked over with Xander still sitting on her shoulders.  “Think I’m ready to go,” she told Blake with a bright smile.  When Xander giggled, she glanced towards the ceiling as if confused by the noise.  After spinning in a half-circle searching for the source, she gave up and shrugged, which must have taken considerable effort with someone sitting on her shoulders.

“You ready?” she asked, her ear-splitting grin every indication that she wanted Blake to play along.

“Yes.”  Blake nodded and felt a smile of her own appear.  “Are you sure you have everything?”

“Pretty sure!  I didn’t bring much with me.”

With Yang still smiling and Ms. Woodley watching with a sparkle in her eyes, Blake couldn’t help laughing while heading to the front door.  “Let’s head back then.”  

Hearing another giggle, she glanced over her shoulder and found Xander covering his mouth in an attempt to stay quiet.  With another smile, she walked onto the porch and waited to see what Yang planned to do next.  And Yang pretended like she would walk right out with Xander on her shoulders, but he was up too high to fit through the door frame.

“Waittt!” he whined at the last second, pushing his hands to the wall before setting them on Yang’s head.

“What the -?” Yang turned in both directions before looking up, and Xander waved down at her.  “What’re you doing up there?” she asked, pretending to be surprised as he giggled again.  Having ‘found’ the stowaway, she carefully knelt to the ground so he could hop down.  Staying on her knees, she smiled and tapped his nose.

“You be good, ok?” she said, and he nodded before throwing his arms around her neck for a hug.  She looked briefly taken aback by the gesture, but quickly recovered and returned the hug.  “I’ll see you again, ok?” she whispered.  After he nodded, she smiled, tapped his nose one more time, and hurried out of the house.  

Without pausing on the porch, Yang flew past Blake and gave her only a short moment to wave goodbye before scrambling to catch up.  Curious and confused, she matched Yang’s long strides on the sidewalk and waited for an explanation.  After several seconds of silence, however, she realized Yang was actually upset or saddened by the interaction.  And, while she wanted to know why, she didn’t want to pry.  Instead, she walked in silence and went over it in her mind.

Sadness was a logical conclusion, but that interview was also inspiring and motivational.  Seeing other members of the community doing what they could to help filled Blake with a sense of belonging and even more determination to do her part.  They were in this together - they would fix it together.  When it often felt like it was her against the world, this was a much needed reminder that she wasn’t alone in this fight.

Yang’s continued silence, however, prevented her from taking away only drive and determination from that experience.  From another block of silence, she could only guess it affected Yang in a more personal way.  The thought of Yang being sad was difficult for her to stomach, so she hoped to put the moment behind them by breaking the silence.

“You’re great with kids,” she said, hoping that getting Yang to talk would help.

“I love kids,” Yang replied, looking at her hands rather than at Blake.  “They’re sweet and unspoiled by the world.  If a kid likes you, it’s because they like you.  Nothing to do with Faunus or humans or any of the political bullcrap.”

Hearing the edge in Yang’s voice, Blake stopped and caught her by the elbow.

“Yang, is something...wrong?”  If it was something Blake could help with, she needed to know what it was.  She tried to decipher the flurry of emotions that swept through Yang’s eyes but got nothing.  Eventually, however, Yang sighed and hung her head.

“Sorry...it’s just sad to think of all those kids without families.”

“But they have a family,” Blake pointed out.  “They’re with Ms. Woodley now, and you know she treats them like her own.  Plus, they can get adopted from there - you never know.”

“Yeah, but…”  Trailing off, Yang thought about the situation for another few seconds before shaking her head.  “But you’re right.”

Even though Yang agreed, Blake felt like something was still wrong.  Instead of prodding too much, however, she tried to keep Yang talking.  She had a feeling that as long as Yang kept talking, eventually the feeling would work itself out.  At least, she hoped that’s what would happen.

“How did you even find that place?” she asked while motioning behind them.

“I ran into a kid once...well, he ran into me.  Cutest little bear you’ll ever meet.  He was alone, so I asked where his parents were.  He said ‘dead’ and made me feel like a horrible person, then laughed and tried to run off.  I got him to wait and asked where he lived so I could take him home.  I was worried about him being out alone since it was late, so I walked him home.  I didn’t go in, but I saw some of the other kids through the window.  I’ve just...never forgotten it.”

“So you ran into a young Faunus...and insisted on making sure he got home safely?”

“What was I supposed to do??”  Yang threw both hands in the air before letting them drop to her sides.  “It was getting dark, and he was just this little bitty guy.  I didn’t want anything bad to happen to him.”

“I just don’t think many people would’ve cared that much...”

“Well I care,” Yang grumbled, sounding almost defiant in her defense.  “He was just a kid.  Who knows what could’ve happened…”

The way Yang muttered that last part suggested the possibilities perturbed her, so Blake changed the subject.

“If you don’t mind me asking, why did you choose this subject?”

“My mom died when I was really young.”  Blake’s ears flattened at the answer, but Yang didn’t notice and carried on.  “If it wasn’t for my dad, my sister and I could have been those kids.  We could’ve been on our own.  And who knows what might’ve happened to us then...what if we were split apart?”

Tilting her head back, Yang briefly closed her eyes and sighed.

“The world is messed up sometimes, but knowing that people are willing to open their hearts to strangers…”  Yang turned to Blake with a sad smile.  “The motherless child in me is really, really happy there are people like her out there.  Maybe I didn’t need her, but...other people do.”

When Yang gave one last smile and turned away, Blake numbly walked towards the office, stunned to the point of speechless.  Part of her felt horrible for asking.  Part of her felt special and relieved that Yang answered.  And the last part of her, the part that was hardest to ignore, realized that she didn’t know as much about Yang as she would like.  Even worse, most of what she ‘knew’ was based on assumption due to Yang’s appearance, but...hardship didn’t care about appearance.

“I’m sorry,” she said, knowing she wouldn’t feel right if she didn’t apologize in some way.

“It’s not your fault.”  When Yang glanced over, it was with a more normal smile.  “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

Blake wanted to accept the absolution, but she didn’t feel right about it.  She felt guilty for something, although she couldn’t put her finger on what.  For bringing it up?  For making Yang remember?  For assuming Yang’s life was a breeze?

Thinking on those questions and more, she absentmindedly followed Yang back into the building and up the stairs to The Vale Voice.  When they walked into the office only Victor and Velvet were there, as everyone else probably left for interviews or research already.

“Do you want me to create a rough outline for you?” Blake offered while holding up the notes she took.

“I’d kinda like to try myself.  Unless you want to?”

Shaking her head, Blake handed the notepad to Yang and smiled. 

“No, I was hoping you’d say that.”

“But if I need help...?”

“Of course I’ll help you,” Blake replied before Yang even finished the question.  And she smiled at the relief that crossed Yang’s expression from the simple reassurance. 

“Thanks for coming with me.”

“You’re welcome.  It was fun.”  Leaving Yang to work, Blake returned to her office and quietly shut the door behind her.  Before sitting down, however, she sighed and pulled out her phone instead.  It might be the middle of the day, but after what she and Yang just talked about...she had the strongest desire to call her mom.

On the second ring, the call picked up.

“A call during the day?” her mom immediately asked, a smile evident in her tone.  “What a surprise!”

“Hi Mom,” Blake replied while sitting down.  “I just reached a lull at work -”  A bit of a fib.  “And wanted to give you a quick call.”  

“I’m more than happy to hear from you whenever, Blake.  You know that.”

Blake did know that, and now she felt even guiltier for not calling as much.  Here she was, blessed with both parents, only to be ‘too busy’ to call.  Going forward, she would make a concerted effort to call more often...

“I know, and I’ll try.  Even if it’s only for a few minutes, that’s ok?”

“Of course it is.”  Even through the phone, Blake felt her mom’s happiness at the unspoken promise.  “But how’s work?  I’m surprised you have a break during the day.”

“Ah, well…”  Blake considered going into the specifics of how and why she called but ultimately decided against it.  “We’re making some big changes to The Voice this week.  I’ll send you a copy once it’s ready but...I think you’ll enjoy the new direction.”

“You’re not even going to give me a hint?”

Blake smiled at the consternation in her mom’s voice.

“I want you to be surprised,” she replied, and her smile grew at her mom’s disgruntled “You and your father with your surprises...”

“You’ll know soon.”  Knowing her mom would grill her for clues, Blake quickly changed the subject.  “And we’ve had some office changes too.”  Her gaze flitted towards Yang with the comment, finding Yang hard at work.  “We have a human working here now.”

“Really?  I thought it would stay Faunus only.”

“Yes, but...there were extraneous circumstances.  She’s really...great though.”  Glancing at Yang one more time, Blake felt that fluttering feeling in her heart once more.  “Very nice.  Very sweet.  And just...not at all what you’d think from looking at her.”

“That’s good to hear.  I’m glad you like her, Sweetie.  I know how...particular you are about work.”

Blake’s brow furrowed at the response, but she didn’t argue it.  She could be very particular about her work environment.  But she did like Yang, as strange as that was to think.

“How’s Sun doing?”

“Sun?” she asked, frowning as the conversation moved away from Yang.  “He’s fine.  Why?”

“He was so funny when we last saw him.  Has a great sense of humor, doesn’t he?”

“I guess...”  Blake supposed Sun was funny sometimes, and a nice guy, but she didn’t see him as anything other than a friend and coworker.  

“I know you’re busy with work, but you need to get out and have fun sometimes too,” her mom continued.  “And maybe, I don’t know, let someone take you out on a date for once?”

“Mom…” 

“Ok, ok.”  After pausing for a second, Blake’s mom added, “Have you spent any more time with those exotic cats you mentioned before?”

The question sent Blake’s gaze right back to Yang.

“No, haven’t seen them,” she muttered while watching Yang work.  

“Would it be the worst thing in the world to let one of them take you out to dinner?” her mom asked in a lightly laughing tone.  “You could have fun!  You never know.”

Yang caught Blake’s gaze then, but Blake looked away.  She didn’t necessarily like the direction of this conversation, but her mom was only teasing her.  And her mom was most likely right - she needed to get out of the office more.  But wasn’t that why she went on the interview with Yang today?

“I don’t know how I feel about a leopard or a tiger…” she replied, and knew she’d walked right into her mom’s trap after hearing a laugh.

“Oh the leopard, Sweetie.  Definitely the leopard.”

“...why?”

She knew she shouldn’t ask, but now she was curious - just like her mom knew she would be.

And, as her mom launched into a somewhat-joking, somewhat-serious explanation of the ‘perks’ of dating a leopard, she realized something.  It was something she’d always known, but never explicitly thought about until now though.

Her mom only tried to set her up with Faunus.  Her mom only talked about her potentially dating Faunus.  Her mom wanted her to end up with a Faunus.  Which was...fine, really.  It wasn’t as if she imagined her future any other way.  But, as her attention again drifted towards the greater office and people working there, she found herself wondering what Yang’s mom would have wanted for her daughter.  But also...who did Yang want for herself?

Blake kind of wished that she knew, and maybe one day she would find out.  For now, however, she smiled, listened to her mom’s intentionally-awful dating tips, and watched Yang write out an outline.  Work would call her back soon enough, but she was content to enjoy this moment for as long as it let her.