"So… why does Ghira want to see me? Is something up with Blake or…" Ilia trailed off uncomfortably, her hands resting behind her head as she walked down the samey halls of Haven Academy where they had been staying since they foiled Adam's attack.
"I'm not at liberty to say." The dog faunus woman who lead the way in front of Ilia spoke coldly and with the slightest edge of resentment towards the reformed radical. Ilia could guess, judging by the ornate armor she was wearing, that her guide was a guard at the Belladonna residence back in Menagerie.
I guess I can't expect everyone to be so quick to forget as Blake did. It was a somber resignation but with the softest of sighs, Ilia let her hands fall back to her sides. The fight is over, Blake is leaving with her team soon for Atlas. Maybe I should just leave. No one wants me here and I'm not sure I belong here anyway. I'll just cause problems for everyone, no matter how kind and understanding Blake is, no one is going to forget what I've done.
"He's waiting for you inside." The guard came to a sudden stop, her words snapping Ilia out of her slow descent into guilt and resentment. A large door stood before her and the woman the brought her there now stood staunchly and stoically aside.
"Do I knock or…"
"He's waiting for you inside." The guard growled, putting almost no effort in hiding her disdain for the girl.
"Ugh, yeah yeah, I get it." With an embittered huff, Ilia looked back up to the door, gulping nervously before turning the handle and pushing it open.
It was the room of former Haven faculty, larger than the student dorms she and the others stayed in and more well decorated, more resembling a small apartment than a dorm. Sitting at the other end of the room, at a large wooden desk, was the new leader of the White Fang, Ghira, who stared inscrutably at her with his hands clasped below his chin.
"Close the door, we have something to discuss." He sounded cold but with the faintest hint of subdued excitement. Or maybe I'm just imagining it because I have a bad feeling.
"R-right." Ilia carefully and quietly closed the rather heavy wooden door and as soon as it latched shut, she felt her anxiety spike. "Um… Blake's not here."
"No, my daughter is busy preparing to leave for Atlas along with her friends. However, she has been made aware of why you're here and fully supports my decision." The large, imposing and stoic leader ushered her closer with a subtle nod of his head.
"What kind of decision? What's going on?" Unlike Ghira who was completely subdued, Ilia couldn't keep the note of fear and nervousness from her voice as she hesitantly approached.
"You've had quite a journey to get here, I haven't forgotten how you attacked my home and my family or how you helped Adam destroy the peaceful reputation of the organization I devoted much of my life to." His hard amber eyes stared relentlessly at the girl before him, watcher her own gaze fall downcast to the floor and her fists ball up tight at her sides as a look of pure pain and guilt swept over her visage.
"However, I also haven't forgotten the bond you shared with my daughter, Blake always cared a great deal for you. Nor have I forgotten how you helped stop Adam and his heinous plot."
"I-" Ilia's glistening eyes raised up to meet his, some defense barely conceived died on her lips the moment she saw a warm and genuine smile on Ghira's face.
"You've made mistakes, Ilia, You've committed sins that you must bare for the rest of your life. Redemption is a long, hard path, but taking the first step is the hardest part." His hands came to rest on his desk and his body language softened, no longer hard and dissuading, now he sat before her with nothing but hope and acceptance for her.
"I- I don't understand?" The bewildered look on her face contrasted with the glimmer of hope and gratitude that sparked in her cool grey eyes.
"It's my opinion, and Blake's, that you've more than earned a second chance. I believe that you are in a unique position and that your experiences will make you perfect for a very important job, something that I hope you'll accept." He leaned forward, his smile growing on his lips.
"A job?" Now, more perplexed than ever, she tilted her head in confusion and curiosity.
"As I said, Adam, Sienna, and so many others… including you and even Blake, have tarnished the White Fang's reputation. Thanks to those efforts, both faunus and humans see the White Fang as a radical terrorist organization. Hatred and fear of our kind has grown, only furthering the divide between us and putting equality and peace further out of reach." As Ghira spoke, sorrow dripped from every word, and the weight of guilt hung heavily on his heart.
"I'm sorry, but I still don't understand what you want me to do?" If I'm being honest, I don't understand what anyone could do about that. No one is going to forget… no one is going to forgive.
"The path to redemption is long, not just for you, but for the White Fang. I think you can understand what's needed to rebuild trust and restore the name of the White Fang, you can help change how people think and feel." Slowly and ceremoniously, he stood up from his seat, his eyes never faltering from hers.
"Ilia, I want you to be an emissary for the White Fang. Help bridge the divide you helped create." He was earnest and insistent, his tone was laden with hope and conviction as he watched the look of shock spread across the young woman's face.
"Me? An Emissary?" Her eyes became wider than Ghira thought possible as she stood and stared, frozen in disbelief.
"That's right." He stifled a laugh at her awestruck expression.
"So, I'd be trying to make friends with the humans?" Ilia's voice became soft but bitter with spiteful venom, accentuating around the utterance of humans. She could hear it, all over again… the laughing, the sheer amusement at her parent's death by those she thought were her friends. With that painful memory came the deep, burning rage that changed her skin color to a hot crimson.
The humans… I know what Adam was doing was wrong, it was only hurting faunus. Stopping him was the right thing to do, but I- I still hate them, I still hate humans. I know not all of them are like that but I just- I just…
"I can't…" It was barely a whisper, but the pain it contained was so potent it nearly brought her to tears.
"Ilia, I understand how you feel. We've all been hurt, trust me, you aren't the only one who knows the pain you've gone through, but over the years, I've learned something, something that Blake understands far better than I did at her age. Humans are not the enemy; hate is. Fear is. Division is. Prejudice is. It's these things we must combat, not the humans. I believe that your experiences give you the weapons you need to fight these invisible but all too real monsters." Giving a solemn moment of silence, letting his words ruminate with her, he lowered himself back into his chair.
"I do hope you'll reconsider."
"I'm sorry… but you're wrong about me." Her lip quivered and her hands went limp, the girl's voice was soft and strained as she fought back tears that constricted her throat. "I- I have to go!"
Before Ghira could say another word… Ilia rushed out the door, her vision blurred by the drops that pooled on the surface of her eyes.
Damn it… damn it! What the hell was he thinking, offering me something like that?! How am I supposed to make the humans like us when I- I… I still hate them? A small part of me, even though I know everything he said was true, a small part of me still hates them, for everything they've done to me. How can I be the one who makes things better when I caused so much pain because of a hate I still have? He's wrong, he has to be…
Those thoughts echoed powerfully through her mind, resounding over and over again, driving her deeper and deeper towards that hate, and a new hate that was slowly burning to life in the darkest parts of her mind; a hate towards herself. She barely even noticed that she had wandered from the grounds of Haven and into the streets of Mistral's commercial district.
Ilia meandered through the streets, her self-contempt and confusion gnawing at her heart while she walked through the sparse crowd with her hands in her pockets. With nothing but negativity swirling around in her mind, she took a long, deep breath, and took to silently observing the people around her.
The people that had taken to shopping were mostly human, though in the aftermath of the attack and learning that their headmaster, The man who was supposed to protect them, was a coward and traitor, she figured that many were not in the mood to shop. Still, she imagined that the ratio of humans to faunus was probably pretty indicative of the rest of the the Kingdom. Too many faunus live in the slums, probably can't really afford to shop for fun. It's just like everywhere else. The humans laughing and having a good time while the faunus are out of sight and out of mind living in squalor! How am I supposed to just ignore that? How can I put these feelings aside and do what Ghira asked? I want to help… but I can't do this. I just-
"Hey!" A sudden warm and cheerful voice and a delicate and soft hand on her shoulder snapped Ilia from her thoughts. On instinct the experienced fighter spun around in a blur and grabbed hold of the wrist that startled her, only to find…
"Oh! Sorry, I- I didn't mean to surprise you, I should have known better, heh-heh." It was a girl, a rabbit faunus with olive green eyes and short, light taupe hair. She wore a red long sleeved top with the sleeves rolled halfway up her arms, black fingerless gloves and two tiered green and black shorts.
"N-no, I'm sorry. I guess I'm a little on edge still." With a breathless sigh, Ilia released the girl's wrist. "You were at the battle for Haven right?"
"Yeah! I was… well, if I'm being honest it was kinda terrifying. I'm glad you were there though." Her voice softened to nearly inaudible and the happiest, most awkward smile forced its way onto her lips as her cheeks warmed with a soft pink tint.
"Huh?" Ilia's eyebrow raised in confusion, though she was thankful for the reprieve from her thoughts.
"Oh, yeah, a lot happened that night so you might not remember but you saved my life! We cornered a few of Adam's followers and I let my guard down. He was about to shoot me but you jumped and and took him down! It was amazing!" The Bunny faunus was practically gushing now, and Ilia had no idea how to react.
"Oh! Oh yeah, I remember now, um, sorry, I mean, sorry I didn't remember you right away, I'm not sorry that I saved you or anything! L- like you said, it was a busy night and I- ANYWAY! I'm glad you're okay!" Now she was the one who was blushing and trying to catch her breath from the bouts of rapid fire dialogue.
"Yeah, me too! Hey, let me treat you to lunch as thanks for saving me! I saw this cute little cafe yesterday that I really want to try out!" Ilia wasn't sure if the bubbly girl was just being merciful in not pointing out her fumbling over her words of if she was just socially inept and didn't notice.
"Um…" Ilia's brain was just catching up with the situation and as her head moved nervously from side to side looking around in vain for a way out. Finally, all she could do was resign herself to the whim of the strange girl. "Yeah, sure, why not."
"Great! Thanks bunches! Heh-heh, I'm glad, I would have felt guilty going in by myself." She giggled, clasping her hands behind her back.
"Um, I'm not sure if you told me or not, but I can't remember so… what's your name again?" Ilia felt stupid asking, dreading a look of sadness on that cheery face because she had to go and forget her name.
"Oh! I'm sorry, no, I didn't get to tell you!" Her long bunny ears stood up tall and perky atop her head as she smiled so brightly. "My name's Olive."
The cafe was small and quaint, and thankfully to Ilia, practically empty. It had a warm, inviting atmosphere that helped soothe her nerves and intrusive thoughts. She smiled at the delectable smells wafting in from the kitchen, drawing in a long, deep breath through her nose. Okay, maybe this isn't so bad.
"Here you go, are you ready to order?" The waitress gave an amiable smile as she placed down two ceramic mugs of steaming hot coffee. One laden with sugar and the other with only cream.
"Oh, yeah! I'll have a blueberry tart, um, let's see… a strawberry parfait and chocolate cornet." Ilia could feel her cheeks heating up and could only imagine that she was beginning to change color out of embarrassment. She clutched tight to her menu and didn't dare look up, especially at Olive.
"And I'd love to try your tomato and mozzarella sandwich." Olive folded her menu, content with her decision.
"Good choices! I'm sure you both will enjoy." The waitress scrawled down their order before walking hastily towards the kitchen, leaving Ilia and Olive to each other.
"You must really love sweets." Olive didn't hesitate to fill the silence but her brutally innocent observation caused Ilia to flinch, turning even more pink as her fists deformed the edges of the laminated menu.
"I- I guess…" Was all she could fumble out in her defense.
"That's really cute, I didn't peg you for a sweets lover, but I guess the way you take your coffee should have been a giveaway." She giggled softly, taking a sip of her rather bitter drink.
"It's not like I make it a habit okay! I just like to have something sweet to pick me up when I'm down." Ilia huffed, patches of her skin practically glowing pink as she slammed down her menu.
"Oh… I'm sorry, I didn't know. I wasn't trying to make fun of you, sometimes my mouth works before my brain you know? I really didn't mean anything bad by it!" Olive looked absolutely desperate, nearly pushing the table into Ilia as she leaned suddenly forward. Her eyes were big and glistening and her lips curled into a frown while her brows furrowed with worry, Ilia could just feel Olive's brain scrambling to try and find a way to make her new companion better, and strangely… that did make Ilia feel better, even if it was just a little bit.
"It's fine, don't worry about it, I shouldn't have gotten so upset over it, I guess I just normally… don't do this with other people around." The fearsome combatant became meek and withdrawn, her blush softer and less intense as she relaxed her body and looked shyly away.
"I won't tell anyone, promise." A grin and a wink sealed her promise while her big bunny ears twitched playfully in what was probably one of the cutest things Ilia had ever seen.
"Thanks… I'd appreciate that." Ilia giggled, a real, authentic giggle free of stress or embarrassment. She was quickly finding herself becoming very comfortable with her new acquaintance.
"So, what's gotcha down? If you don't mind me asking? Maybe I could help. I mean, you saved my life so I think I owe you more than a meal." Olive's demeanor cooled, taking on a more serious tone as she looked earnestly at Ilia, determined to do something to help.
"Ugh, thanks but… I don't think anyone can help me." The chameleon faunus deflated, slumping over the table, cushioning her head with her arm as a downcast look took hold of her.
"Well, then you can't be disappointed right? So why not take a chance? Maybe there's something I can do?" When Ilia looked back up, she was not prepared for the sheer determination in those olive green eyes that stared down at her with unwavering conviction.
So I'm supposed to say no to that? Whatever, I guess venting isn't the worst thing I could do right now. Her fingers toyed with her cooling mug, gently rotating it back and forth as she laid her upper body on the table.
"Ghira offered me a job, he wants me to be like an ambassador for the White Fang, to try and improve our image for the humans. Problem is… I don't think I can or should do it, don't even know if I want to." It pissed her off, she wasn't even sure why anymore but just the idea pissed her off.
"Well, why not? I think you'd be great at it." It was such a simple and quick response, like stating a blatantly obvious fact, something she just knew to be true and Ilia just couldn't fathom why or how.
"Because I hate humans!" Ilia lashed out, her anger exploding as she slammed a fist down hard on the wooden table. Her body burned with rage and pain, her breaths quivered and her eyes were as hard and cold as ice… but Olive didn't look afraid.
"I've heard rumors about you, that you defected from Adam's movement. I know that it couldn't have been easy. I think- no, I know you want to do the right thing, otherwise you wouldn't be here. I don't believe you're anything like Adam, even if you hate Humans, wouldn't you rather see a peaceful world where we can all be happy?" Olive held her steady gaze on Ilia, patiently waiting for her to respond.
"You don't know me." She muttered, once again relaxing her body. "I'm here for the faunus. I don't care what the humans think."
"You said that you don't even know if you want to do this, that means part of you wants to. The way it seems to me, is that you want see things get better, and not just for humans or faunus, but for yourself." Olive didn't hold back or hesitate, there wasn't an iota of doubt in her words and her gaze was steady and true.
"I'm not the right person for this kind of thing, I get so angry, I've made so many mistakes, I still hate humans when I think about what they've done to me, to faunus…" Ilia could feel herself beginning to crumble under that stare, and the words of her companion were like devastating blows to her own narrative she built around herself… She saw right through it… what an pain in the ass.
"Well, if you're not sure, I think I have an idea that might help." Finally, and much to Ilia's relief, Olive's face once again softened with that smile that seemed just right on her face.
"I heard that Blake Belladonna has a team from Vale, rumor has it that one of them is actually the Schnee heiress. If you really want to know for sure if you're capable of doing this, then why don't you sit down with her and talk to her. If you can't handle it, then you can walk away knowing it's the right thing, but if you can make a connection, even the smallest one, then I think you owe it to yourself to try." Olive smiled gently and her tone never lost its deep compassion, but Ilia was awestruck. The girl before her had an incredible talent for making the most complicated things so stupidly simple… it's kind of annoying, but is she wrong?
"Here you are, we hope you enjoy." The waitress came by, placing the plates of food down before the customers. Olive returned a friendly smile but Ilia just stared at the rabbit faunus, her mind far from where they sat.
I think, maybe she's right…
"Good evening. Blake tells me you're her… associate?" Weiss, the heiress to the SDC, the symbol of oppression and exploitation to the faunus, sat across the table from Ilia in what was, for her, the most surreal experience of her day.
"Yeah, um, something like that…" She couldn't even bring herself to make eye contact with the human, a weird mix of awkwardness, apprehension and tension made her body feel tight and uncomfortable as she shifted in her seat. They picked neutral ground, or tried to, the empty Haven cafeteria at dusk was the best they could come up with.
"So…" The Schnee tried her best to be her eloquent self, but her nerves were getting in the way of her words as she awkwardly trailed off.
"Yeah…" Ilia mumbled, staring down at her fidgeting hands on the table, not having once yet met the eyes of the Schnee.
The quiet stretched on, their tense breathing the only sound keeping them from total silence.
This was stupid, I can't believe I went through with this! She gulped, though she tried to be subtle about it, in the wordless air between them it practically echoed.
"Well… I hope your flight to Haven was… um, uneventful."
"We took a boat…"
"Ah, I see…" Weiss stammered, clearing her throat. "Boats are nice, the sea must have been a lovely sight."
"Yeah, it was… wet?" Instant regret, the moment the half question left her lips. "What about you!? I- I mean, how did you get to Haven?"
"Oh, well, that's a bit… complicated."
"I see…"
… More silence.
This is the most painful thing I've ever experienced… okay, I think this is enough, I just want this to end and-
"Okay! I can't do this anymore! Just- just tell me what you wanted to tell me already!" To Ilia's surprise and immense relief, Weiss broke the tension with a verbal sledgehammer.
"Oh thank god!" Letting out a breath she didn't even know she was holding, Ilia relaxed.
"Blake didn't tell me much, just that you wanted some advice?" The heiress sounded a little hesitant still, but vastly more comfortable than before.
"Yeah, sorry, I asked her not to say much. I… I just wanted to talk to you." Taking in and releasing a series of steady, calming breaths, Ilia steeled herself… and forced her eyes up to meet the pale blue of the young woman sitting across from her.
"About?" Weiss pressed, sensing the hesitation in the faunus girl.
"You… you're a Schnee right?" Immediately, Ilia saw her become defensive, almost reflexively.
"Yes, my last name is Schnee." Her words held a hard edge, something so subtle that it was hard to identify exactly what it was.
"Okay, this is going to sound weird, but Ghira, Blake's Dad, he's the new leader of the White Fang. He kinda offered me a job… and I'm not sure I can do it." Ilia almost wanted to laugh. Me, opening up about my problems to a Schnee…
"Oh? What kind of job? What does it have to do with me?" Now Weiss was more curious than anything.
"Well, first, you have to know that… before I came with Blake to stop Adam… I- I kinda… followed him." It even surprised Ilia when a powerful urge to look down in shame nearly took over her body, even if the judging eyes were that of a Schnee.
But no judgment or hatred so much as flashed onto the cool and calm expression of the heiress.
"I know." There wasn't a hint of any disdain or even pity in Weiss' voice… just patience.
"Oh, I guess Blake told you that much? Well, that makes it a bit easier." With a halfhearted laugh, her thumbs fidgeted with each other to help her cope with the stiflingly uncomfortable atmosphere.
"I made a lot of mistakes… I know that. I've hurt people, my people, the faunus… because I was hurting and I needed to do something with all that pain and anger." Her voice almost broke with sadness and once again, she found herself tormented by the laughter of the humans, and her heart ached at the memory of her parents. "I still have it… that anger and pain."
"Ghira offered me a job as an emissary for the White Fang. He wants me to make the humans like us, he wants the world to see the White Fang as a peaceful organization, to help people, not as a bunch of violent radicals." A tiny, pitiful smile pulled at her lips as she spoke.
"The problem is… I still hate humans for what they've done to me. I still hate the world for how it is towards faunus… and I hate the Schnees, for what they did to my family." The boiling rage welled up in her bitter words and her narrowed eyes fell on Weiss'... but the heiress did not meet aggression with aggression, nor defensiveness. Instead, her face was placid and calm, just like her body language.
"You're right. The world is cruel to faunus, my family, myself included, have caused so much suffering, and the faunus have bared much of it." The candid admission from Weiss shook Ilia from her rage, her lips parted but no words left them as she stared at the heiress.
"Do you know what life, my childhood, was like for me, because of the White Fang?" She didn't wait for a response, but instead took a deep breath, and her gaze drifted up to nothing but the past.
"Every time the White Fang attacked, there were losses; money, goods, manpower… and that made my father… less than pleased. He would take his anger out on me, and my mother when she was around. It made for a suboptimal childhood." There was a pain in Weiss' eyes, one that Ilia recognized… it was almost like a mirror, but something was missing from that pain… I don't see or hear any hate.
"The Schnee Dust Company, the White Fang, my father, Adam… it's a cycle of anger and retribution and all it creates is monsters and victims."
"It takes so much strength and courage to rise above it. Blake… she learned that long before I did, but then, she helped teach me, she showed me the other side, and I wanted to learn, I left my family because I knew there was a world that I was missing. I've seen it, and I know now, more than ever, that it's not the people who give into their hatred that change the world for the better… it's the ones that can rise above it." Now, she was looking into Ilia, it felt to the faunus like she was seeing her in a way no one else but Blake had before, a depth of empathy that broke her free of Adam in the first place.
"I think you should do it. You came here, you talked to me, that tells me everything I need to know, your past doesn't matter anymore, moving forward, that's going to be who you are. I see someone who wants to be more than what your past made you… it won't be easy, but it is possible if it's what you really want."
There was nothing Ilia could say… her mind was too busy internalizing everything that Weiss had said, the words had hit her like a freight train, leaving her only to stare in stunned silence.
She's right… she's right... everything she said… is true.
Knock-knock!
The dull banging against the hardwood of he door echoed through the hall. Ilia stood meek and nervous outside, her toes only centimeters from the threshold as the sound faded away, leaving her in only the second most uncomfortable absence of sound she had experienced all day. It's late… maybe he's asleep?
"Come in?" A deep and hard voice spoke from within, holding a note of confusion at who could be there so late.
"Um… it's me." She mumbled as she pushed open the door to Ghira's room, finding him still at his desk which was now nearly overflowing with paperwork.
"Ah, Ilia, come in come in!" Ghira looked more than thrilled to have a reprieve from his mountains of work. "What do you need?"
"I- I um… I want the job, if the offer's still there." She stood bashfully with her arms folded in front of her against her belly, looking hopefully at the new leader of the White Fang.
"Of course! I'm happy you reconsidered!" He smiled so brightly it almost looked out of place on the gruff, large man. "However, there will be a slight change. Someone practically begged me to let her accompany you."
"What? Who?" With a tilt of her and and a raised eyebrow she thought through the possibilities, quickly ruling out Blake who was leaving for Atlas.
"I think he's talking about me." A familiar girl with bunny ears curled up sheepishly atop her head popped out from an adjacent room with a paper and pen in her hand.
"Olive?!" Her jaw dropped and her arms fell limply to her sides. "B-but how did you know I'd change my mind?!"
"Just a feeling!" The Bunny girl grinned excitedly, walking over to Ghira and placing her paper down on his desk.
"I hope this doesn't effect your decision." He was smirking at her, like he was in on some joke she was just starting to get.
"I…" her eyes drifted over the Olive who smiled softly back without a hint of doubt. Am I really so predictable?
"I guess it beats traveling alone…"
"I agree completely!" Olive was beaming with contentment and by her side, Ghira stood up.
"I have every confidence in you. Get some rest, your flight to your first assignment leaves tomorrow afternoon."