Hello there, dear readers, and welcome to the second joint fic between HTKWolfe777 and I (The other is on his profile!). After persuading me to watch the anime RWBY, I have now become addicted to it and this right here is the result of our obsession!
Smoke and Cinder DO NOT belong to me and are property of HTKWolfe777 only! Angelique however, is mine.
And with that said, please do enjoy...
It's a quiet night in the city of Vale... For now at any rate. Below the people who call this city their home mill about under the light of lamp posts.
A figure dressed in black darts quickly over the rooftops, searching. He has red hair, a sword in the grip of his hand, and a white mask that covers his eyes. He sees through for horizontal slits in the mask, and he wears intricate designs on his back.
The most striking feature about this man however are the ears sprouting from his hair, bent backwards like a cat's when threatened.
"Where the hell are you Blake...?"
He stops abruptly when a glowing magic circle appears over him. He leaps backwards, and on the hilt of his sword and finger on a curious gun trigger on the hilt, and three more figures appear from the shining design.
A shadow finally reveals itself as a person...a female...her eyes glow in the darkness, exactly like those of a cat. She wonders...just what...is this place...
Off to her right are two more figures. One female one male. The female has crimson dreadlocks for hair, and a hat with a mask that covers her face from the nose down. Her top covers little more than just her breasts and she wears black leather pants with flame designs.
The boy wears a hoodie with a hood that only shows his eyes, and the left sleeve is missing at the shoulder. around his exposed bicep is some bandage material tied stylishly, and he wears grey cargo pants with sneakers. The only thing keeping him from being identified as a human is a cat like tail sprouting from the seat of his pants.
The man in black looks over the three, "What? What are you three doing here? What was that?" He looks up as the portal closes.
"Exactly what I'd like to know," One of the girls steps forward "Who are you?"
He stares at her, saying nothing.
"What's wrong?" She frowns "Why won't you answer?"
He takes his hand off his sword but leaves a firm grip on the sheath, "My name is Adam, Who are you?"
She hesitates, staring at him with a scrutinizing gaze before answering "Angelique..."
The man in a hoodie raises his hand, "I'm Smoke, and my friend here is Cinder." Cinder nods, her ice blue eyes looking over the group critically.
Adam pulls a picture of a girl wearing mostly black from his hip, "Have any of you seen her even in passing?"
Angel gently takes the picture from him and stares "No...why?"
"My business," he says firmly before showing the picture to the other two. Smoke gives a wolf whistle.
"Hot damn that is one sexy kitty-"
In a flash Adam has his sword pointed up into Smoke's chin threateningly, "Mind your tongue if you want to keep it."
Smoke looks to Cinder, "This guy friend of yours... Or related somehow?"
Cinder shakes her head, "No I have never seen anyone like him before... Where are we Smoke?"
Smoke casually pushes the sword away as he looks around, "... I honestly have no freaking clue."
Adam slowly sheaths his sword, "You are in Vale, which of the three kingdoms do you pledge allegiance to?"
Angel blinks, and looks to the other two "Uhhhh...this...one?" She answers meekly.
Adam stares at her through the slits in his mask, "Hmm..."
Smoke looks down at his shoes with a sigh, and then stares at his arm. "Hey where did all my fur go?!"
Cinder puts a hand over her bare skin, "interesting..."
Angel, too, looks down at herself and her eyes go wide "Woah...what the HELL is going on?!"
Adam is confused, to him they look like ordinary Faunus... "I don't have time for this," he decides all snatching the picture back from Angelique. "I suggest you all go home now, or at least find shelter for the night."
Suddenly loud gunfire is heard in the distance, and Adam are snaps his head up, automatically bolting for the sound on instinct. Cinder gives chase while Smoke scoops up Angelique.
Angel clings to him for dear life, completely confused as to what's going on. Maybe...maybe this is all some kind of weird dream? Maybe she'll be waking up soon, back to NORMAL...She has time to just think that before the world blurs by, and they stand on the edge of a building roof. Down below a young girl dressed like Little red riding hood is kicking the crap out of some thugs with a weapon much larger than she is. From the way she fights it appears to be some cross between a scythe and a gun.
"Holy crap...she is GOOD!" Angel watches, slack-jawed. "...Kinda makes me jealous.."
Cinder crosses her arms, "Very interesting... Note how she doesn't shoot them, but instead uses her weapon's firepower as a form of propulsion?"
Smoke nods, "Never seen anything like it before, and I've seen a lot!"
Adam looks over the small group, "Then you must lead sheltered lives."
Angel doesn't pay any attention to him, instead her gaze is completely fixed on the scene in front of them. It actually inspires her to improve her own fighting skills. Once the thugs are down one of them in a white coat and cigar points his cane at the young girl. The bottom of it opens and he shoots something at her that causes the ground beneath her feet to explode as he makes a getaway up a ladder.
Adam watches calmly and then slowly turns walking away. Smoke calls back to him, "Hey where are you going?"
Adam replies coolly over his shoulder, "I'm not about to get between two humans that are trying to kill each other, makes things easier for me if one of them does die."
"That's kinda harsh..." Angel frowns "Do you really have to say such cruel things?"
"Are you serious?" Adam turns looking Angel square in the eye through his mask, "After everything we Faunus have been dealt by humans, all the abuse, hate, and segregation, you would still defend them? You're more sheltered than I thought if a human hasn't taken someone precious from you yet."
"What...what was taken from you?" She asks quietly, almost as if she's afraid of the answer.
"Freedom," Adam replies. "Maybe you need a brief history lesson... Long ago after the human/Faunus war we were supposed to be at peace, treated as equals. Yeah right, did humans resented us just because were different, faster, more agile than them. The White Fang was supposed to be a voice for those who had been mistreated, but we were ignored. Now I have no choice but to deliver our points to the humans by the point of a sword."
"But fighting isn't an effective way of communication!" She reasons "All it brings is bloodshed and fuels the cycle of hatred! The more you fight and kill, the stronger the cycle becomes until it gets to the point that fighting and blood is all you'll ever know..."
Adam snorts derisively, "We're already well beyond that point girl, the humans don't see us Faunus as anything more than animals. If you're going to be on your self-righteous peace streak then do so with one eye looking over your shoulder. Or else someone will stab you in the back."
Cinder, and Smoke. Who has been quiet through this exchange share a look. Smoke sets Angel down, and scratches his head.
"Quite literally, I assume you mean." She sighs "Look, I have absolutely no idea where we are, or what the hell is going on here. It would be wise of us to not make enemies, but friends. Can you...maybe help us?"
Adam stares at her, "How?"
"Well we obviously don't know shit about this place, would it be so troublesome if we...tagged along with you?"
"if you can keep up," he replies, and dashes off. Again Cinder is hot on his trail while Smoke slings Angel onto his back before following.
"Yeah...I'm the only one who can't..." She mumbles with a sigh.
Smoke says over his shoulder, "We can fix that."
Adam leads them to a warehouse that he's been using as an HQ since he started looking for Blake. Some members of the White Fang mill about carting crates of supplies and such.
"What's this place?" Angel looks around curiously.
Adam says nothing as he leads them to a few crates. Then he turns and says, "We won't let any Faunus walk around unarmed. Do you any of you have a weapons preference?"
"Um...I'm not necessarily very...good...with weapons." Angel smiles sheepishly.
Adam nods and carefully looks Angel over. He then pulls out what looks like an arm bracer and tosses it to her.
"And this is...?" She clumsily catches it, and examines strange looking device.
"Put it on, and curl your fingers like this..." He holds up the hand and slowly makes it into a fist by curling his fingers in sequence from his little finger to his index finger.
Angel shrugs and slips on the strange device. She copies him, curling her fingers one by one. As soon as her fingers make that fists a section of the bracer jumps into the air. It splits in half making a solid steel pair of nunchucks that hover over her arm.
Adam nods, "Good, now do you see that little switch near the chain on each end? Be careful, those are triggers. Also you can throw those, and when you curl your fingers like that agile in they will automatically return to your hand."
"Who makes this stuff..." She frowns.
"Hunters, and Huntresses that tried to kill us," Adam replies flatly. "The White Fang to them is nothing more than a terrorist group. That girl we saw on the street was probably a Huntress in training."
"Oh...well...thank you." Angel replies, not really quite sure she wants to get involved in all this...
Smoke steps forward, "Well my Frank's dollars mostly centre on my feet you got anything for Tae-Kwon-Do master?"
Adam nods reaching into the crate again and pulling out a pair of anklets. These two are solid steel and that have small thrusters covering the surface of them. "These will fire in whatever direction you kick."
He turns to Cinder, "And what about you?"
"I am my own weapon," she replies coldly. "I don't need any of your kill trophies."
"Adam!"
Adam looks over as one of the members brings him a piece of paper. Adam reads it carefully, not moving. "...Blake..."
"Is that...your friend?"
He nods, "She was my partner and closest friend up until our last mission together. I could tell the day she was feeling uneasy, and partway through the mission... she just left. This report just came in saying that she is going to Beacon Academy, The very heart of where all hunters and huntresses are trained..."
"And is that good?"
Adam lets the paper fall to the floor, "It means I know where to find her, but I'm going to need help getting her. We can fake transcripts, but I need you three to accompany me on the next flight to Beacon."
Smoke looks up from where he's done securing his new weapons, "Seriously? We're going to school?"
Adam nods, "If you'll help me. Our Intel says that the next flight is in two days from now."
"I guess it's the least we could do...but you seem to be having no qualms with trusting us, why? If the situation was reversed I'd never in a million years trust you this quickly..."
"We're all Faunus here, and we need to look out for each other. Blake was practically born into the White Fang like me, and even as a young girl she took part in every protest, and boycott before we took up arms... I need to know she's okay."
"She's definitely lucky to have such a great friend," Angel smiles "That's reason enough for me to help you..."
Smoke punches a fist into his open palm, "No way am I being left out!"
Cinder nods, "I will help as well."
Adam nods too, "Thank you. Smoke, Angelique, I suggest you use this time to grow accustomed to your weapons. The academy teaches future warriors of the highest calibre so to be convincing you must be ready to hold your own in a fight."
"Then I'm out...I couldn't fight someone who had their hands chopped off..I suck..." She sighs, and slips off the weapon, holding it back out to him. "If I've learned anything it's to not risk holding others back just because of your own lack of skill."
Adam puts a hand on the gauntlet and slowly, carefully pushes it back to her, "Then learn. I know you have it in you."
Smoke decides to give his anklets a try by kicking at a wall. It fires off a blast like a shotgun sending him rolling across the ground with the recoil. "Ow! Son of a bitch!"
Angel heaves a sigh, and slips it back on "Don't call me Angelique...I hate that name..." She says, staring at her weapon.
"...Angel then," he replies, drawing his sword so he can go sharpen it.
Cinder walks to Angel, eyeing her weapon, "I actually teach the Martial Arts, I can teach you what I can in a day to make you competent in it, and afterwards we can fine-tune your skills."
Smoke walks over, dusting himself off. He looks at his legs curiously, "Hmm..." He jumps, kicking downwards. His anklets let off a blast so powerful he's sent straight up towards the rafters on the warehouse.
Cinder gives him a casual glance before returning her gaze to Angel, "So...?"
"Okay..." She sighs
Cinder nods, and looks through the crates until she finds a normal pair of nunchucks. "The first tactic tithe nunchuck is misdirection, and intimidation. Typically a show of skill will cause an opponent to hesitate, giving you a short window to strike."
By way of show she throws the nunchuck around her so fast that her hand and the weapon become nothing but a blur, her eyes keeping a razor sharp focus on Angel's the whole time. "This will also instil a sense of doubt about your opponents, giving you already the upper hand in a conflict."
"I see...I fear if I were to attempt what you just did I would smash your bones to pieces..."
Cinder relaxes her stance and put a hand on Angel's shoulder, "Angel, remember this; danger is real, but fear is a a choice. You can choose not to be afraid, and that is true courage."
"But it's hard for me to fake not being afraid...I might as well just stick a post-it note on my forehead!" She grumbles "It's natural for me, I guess."
Cinder shakes her head, "I'm not saying to fake it, I'm saying to learn letting go of your fears. As the saying goes, you are your own best friend, and worst enemy,"
"I guess," Angel shrugs "I'm not exactly in my comfort zone right now so don't expect any miracles"
Cinder chuckles, "Of course not, now let's see if we can memorize some basic forms...
Reviews are very much appreciated and please note that flames have no effect on us whatsoever...they are merely a waste of your time.
With much love,
CP x