The kingdom was in an uproar! The mysterious fire in the shady part of the kingdom had thrown people into a fit. Newspapers and news networks were trying to make sense of the fires but with no witnesses walking forward if was believed that some vandals had accidentally set the building on fire. The only thing that kept people from making the situation a bigger deal than it was, was that reports of White Fang activity were popping up left and right.
There had been several reports of White Fang terrorist acts appearing on the papers for a time now but nowhere near Vale which caused a little worry to the inhabitants of the kingdom. However, it was something that had to be dealt with before their presence became a much bigger issue.
And since the police were keeping public order and the huntsmen were keeping grimm out of the kingdom, it fell upon the dark avenger to fight this off.
At Lamont and Margot's usual cafe, they were discussing the big impact that the White Fang would have on the kingdom and the slowly rising tension that had been building up.
"First this unknown vigilante starts making bad guys drop left and right, and now a slowly rising terrorist organization is making its way here. What is going on Lamont?" asked Margo
"Not sure, the White Fang started off as a humanitarian force trying to get both Faunus and Humans together, but ever since the former leader Ghira Belladonna stepped down it has become more and more like a radical group seeking equality by force, or so they'd have people believe." said Lamont
"What do you mean?" asked Margo putting down her coffee mug.
"Have you heard of the train robbery and the raids in of some Schnee's buildings? There have been several casualties of people, mostly humans. Those are obvious acts of terrorist violence that are being covered with the excuse of showing strength." said Lamont with a dark voice.
"I understand that, but why are they moving here?" asked Margo
"Like any terrorist organization they'll seek to spread their influence unless someone stops them." responded Lamont
They stayed silent for a moment, thinking of the words that they had said. It was a tough pill to swallow, but it had to be swallowed either way. Many people were willing to treat everyone with respect and give everyone equal rights but the terrorist actions of the White Fang were making the people that called Faunus dangerous animals sound like they were in the right.
"Wow, this is a depressing topic I just walked into." called a voice behind Lamont and Margo.
Both Lamont and Margo turned around and saw the source of the voice. Behind them was a tall Caucasian man with short red hair, and blue eyes. He wore a green suit, white shirt, black tie and brown shoes.
Both Lamont and Margo's spirits lit up in cheer. They got up and went to greet their newly arrived friend.
"Well, if it isn't Pat Finnegan. Or should I say, detective Pat Finnegan?" asked Lamont as he shook Pat's hand.
"Lamont, a joker to the end as always, being able to switch from serious and dark to joyful and happy. I haven't been promoted yet, just Pat for you guys for now. Margo as stunning and knock outish as ever." said Pat before he then shook Margo's hand.
"Give it a rest Pat, you're not my type." said Margo with a cocky smile.
Detective Pat Finnegan was another one of Lamont's old friends. He had met him when they were in high school and shortly afterwards, Pat joined the police academy and rose in the police department as of late. He sometimes gives Lamont and Margo a tip or two but he didn't always liked it.
"So what are you doing now?" asked Pat
"Nothing much, just working like every other law abiding citizen." replied Lamont
"But if you are willing to tell us something we shouldn't know then we won't stop you." said Margo hoping that Pat would spill the beans on something regarding the vigilante.
"Sadly, I'm not supposed to say anything, but I happen to know that people are looking into the mysterious red scarfed man that has been making the people of Vale a little scared." said Pat as they all started walking out of the coffee shop.
Lamont and Margo rose an eyebrow at what their friend had just said. Most people would like to about the mysterious vigilante, but why would they be afraid of him?
"What do you mean? This person has only been targeting criminals and saving people. If anything the people should be happy." said Margo
"What can I tell ya? The chief and some of the officers are a little on edge since they claim that this vigilante attacked them while on a stake out." said Pat
Lamont couldn't help but think back at what Pat had just said.
The Shadow had followed some members of one of Lombar's remaining men to a large parking lot. They were looking to sell some smuggled drugs and use the money to disappear as to avoid the nasty end that their boss and co-workers received.
Some people came in to take some drugs and some of those people were cops, dirty cops looking for a cut from the sell.
Using the darkness of the night, The Shadow shot the lights from the lamp posts and then began taking out the drug dealers. Dodging the bullets in the middle of the night was child's play for The Shadow as he punched his enemies on the throat before shooting them with his pistols. One of the dirty cops tried to kill The Shadow but he never stood a chance. The Shadow disappeared before his eyes and then his arm was snapped before being punched in the face and chest.
The officers were able to leave after The Shadow made them swear that they'd never pull this kind of stunt again.
Back in the present, Lamont now reconsidered letting the scum live after he showed he wouldn't give him another chance at life. As the three friends walked down the street they could feel the air as it slowly got colder.
"Hey Lamont, reached the moon yet?" asked Pat catching Lamont off guard or at least he hoped.
"Almost, I still think that it's possible. I mean, if we look for another form of energy maybe the people of Remnant will finally be able to." said Lamont
"There he goes again. Lamont Cranston, newspaper editor and everyday dreamer of the impossible. What's next Scrolls that don't need to be recharged?" asked Margo in a joking manner.
"Why is it so hard to imagine those things? If we could divert some of the resources that being squandered by the Council, we could find a way to do those things. I mean, in eighty years no one has come up with a way to fix the biggest flaw of the CCTS or is it because people don't have the resources?" asked Lamont
"Swell... He's got us there." said Pat
Margo only shrugged knowing that talking or debating with Lamont at this point as he had hit a few good questions. And sometimes that was all he needed to win an argument.
"Now Pat, what are you going to do with this vigilante and the rumors that the White Fang are trying to set up shop in the kingdom?" asked Lamont shifting the conversation.
Pat was easily at a loss of words, he was more than aware that Lamont was a fox hound when it came to getting the truth out. Despite his friendly and joking attitude, he was a very serious guy that wanted to get his way no matter what.
"Fine. I got from a good word that the Council doesn't want to do anything since mobilizing the force would only cause more panic thanks to the recent reveals from the vigilante. Instead the Headmaster of Beacon will put some of his more 'experienced' students on look out." said Pat with a sigh
"By 'experienced' I take it that they've been out on the field like once or twice?" asked Margo with air quotes.
"Exactly. Only when they find out anything will we take action. Personally I'd round up some of the known White Fang members we have under surveillance and make them tell us what they know." said Pat balling his fist.
Both Lamont and Margo shared a look knowing full well that their friend would go through with his plan. Sometimes he was so stubborn that he'd match dicks with General Ironwood if he even looked at him funny. Not that either Lamont or Margo would blame him, his stubborn nature worked wonders in the Vale police force.
"Then I'm guessing that you're not going to wait for this to blow up horribly to act?" asked Margo
"Sadly, but I'll be there to tell the big guys they screwed up badly." said Pat
"And we'll be there to quote you." said Lamont causing Pat and Margo to laugh at the thought.
To the unknowing passer by the group would look like they were old friends that were only doing their own thing. Sadly, the laughing had to cut short as there was a problem appearing in the horizon.
Across the street a young group of Faunus were talking and sporting some small hints at the White Fang. The kids were looking like the rough and trouble making type especially after giving the group a dirty look.
Lamont looked at the kids after looking at his watch.
"Hey kids, shouldn't you be in school at this time?" asked Lamont
"We don't need no school old man." said one of the kids
"Yeah, we know better. We're street smart." said another kid
"That's good, but you should consider expanding your horizons. Learn from the past and present to make a good future. Don't let the none sense hatred of fools guide you." said Lamont
The kids looked down at Lamont's words but said nothing. They grabbed their stuff and left not giving much of a word at Lamont.
After the kids had left, both Margo and Pat went to where Lamont was and just looked in silence as the kids walked down the street.
"Do you think people will actually listen to the White Fang and join them?" asked Lamont
"Hard to say, I can only hope that they aren't that gullible." said Margo
Night had fallen and The Shadow was on the hunt, not for his usual scum but against a threat that he could stop before it came and made its mark on the kingdom. From a dark alley, The Shadow looks to "Tukson's Book Trade" a respectable business for all intents and purposes but also as a front for White Fang recruitment. That ended tonight.
The owner was a man named Tukson, a Faunus puma who had been part of the White Fang ever since it was a more pacific organization. He was tall and had short black hair.
The Shadow rushed towards the store just as the owner closed for the night.
Tukson continued on walking as the lights of the street flickered, giving him the uneasy feeling that someone was behind him or at least following him. Tukson continued walking feeling a piercing glare digging into the back of his head. Every step became faster and faster, Tukson looked at the mirrors of the nearby shops hoping to get a good look at the man behind him. He managed to make out an outline of a black figure with a long red scarf.
Tukson quickly turned around in fear, only to find that the street was empty and there was no noise around him.
The man that had been tailing Tukson had disappeared. Before Tukson could let out his breath of relief, a pair of black clad arms came out from the dark alley behind him and pulled him into the dark alley.
Tukson was thrown into the wall of the alley and then pushed into the large trash container. Tukson's eyes were able to adjust to the lack of light and was then frightened by the sight of the dangerous vigilante, The Shadow.
"Tukson, where is the White Fang meeting?" asked The Shadow as he pressed Tukson into the trash unit.
Tukson pulled out his claws and took a swipe at The Shadow. The Shadow jumped back as Tukson began swiping at him like a wild animal. The Shadow weaved and dodged the attacks left and right until he caught a swipe and punched Tukson in the face. The Shadow continued punching Tukson in the face and in the stomach. The Shadow grabbed Tukson by his shirt, pulling him into one last knee to the stomach.
Tukson fell down in pain, with blood dripping from his mouth.
"Stop this nonsense, Tukson. You are no match for me. Tell me where is the White Fang gathering." said The Shadow
"Why should I do that?" asked Tukson as he gave the Shadow a dirty look.
"You should care because a lot of innocent people are going to become terrorists by those mislead ideals. There is always another way. Even you must see it now." said the Shadow making it very obvious that he could do much worse.
Tukson looked away in shame.
"They're meeting at 25th and Diamond. A big warehouse." said Tukson before the Shadow disappeared.
The Shadow arrived at the warehouse that Tukson had told him about and saw that several Faunus young and old were walking into the building and as they went inside the man at the entrance gave them Grimm masks.
The Shadow jumped at the top of the warehouse roof and slowly walked crouched down towards one of the roof windows. The Shadow quickly opened the window and locked his grappling hook to lower himself. The Shadow easily lowered himself to one of the catwalks. The Shadow looked down to see several full fledged members of the White Fang, the new recruits and standing in a large podium stood what the Shadow thought to be a lieutenant.
"Welcome, I'd like to welcome every last one of you for coming here. As you all know, throughout the world, Faunus are being discriminated against. And no one is doing anything to stop it. Having service being refused, inhumane labor laws, being paid less than nothing. The people in power are giving all of that to humans from other lands while we are left in the dirt." began the lieutenant earning 'boos' from the audience. "But I am here to tell you, that there are those willing to put Faunus in their rightful place. Join the White Fang and we will put the world on the right track."
The audience was eating every word that the lieutenant was saying, despite the fact that Vale was one of the most progressive and tolerant kingdoms. Some of the things he was saying made a little sense, but to be honest all the man was doing was point fingers at problems that could be fixed without the need to go on a race war.
The Shadow couldn't help but laugh at the fact that these people were so blind to the truth that they were listening to this man. The Shadow's laugh began echoing through the entire warehouse sending chills down the terrorists' spines.
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...!
"It is always amusing to hear such hypocrisies from terrorist scum." said The Shadow as he laughed making his presence known. "You forgot to mention just what they will be agreeing to. The destruction of property, intimidation, extortion, murder, amongst many other things. Just like in the settlement of Keiko near the dust routes of Mistral. Or how about the small village of Arma in the northern kingdom of Atlas."
The new recruits began whispering amongst each other and even now The Shadow could recognize the kids that he'd met earlier that day.
"He's lying, that wasn't the White Fang. Brothers kill that scum." ordered the lieutenant
The full fledged members aimed their guns at The Shadow who only kept on laughing.
"Then I suppose that it wasn't the White Fang's symbol that was found branded on those places, including the attacked trains, or on the survivors both human and Faunus! It doesn't take a genius to figure out that you seek to make the world fear you, but how long until that fear turns to hate? Because the truth is that if you follow down this path you'll end up in a shallow grave. They've made their choice, but you all still have a chance to walk away." said the Shadow unfazed by the guns being aimed at him.
No one moved for a moment. But then one by one the civilians started dropping their masks to the ground, much to the shock of the White Fang. After they did that, they all began to leave the warehouse.
Angered by this the lieutenant pulled out his own pistol and tried to threatened them back to his side. But before he could pull the trigger, a bullet shot through his hand making him drop his gun. Everyone turned to see one of the Shadow's pistol's smoking.
Just as the White Fang was about to shoot the vigilante, he disappeared laughing like a demon from the darkness of the night. The White Fang members were frozen in place allowing the civilians to escape without much trouble. The lieutenant looked around only to find the Shadow behind him.
In a split second, the Shadow punched the lieutenant in the face knocking him out. The Shadow then released the grunts causing them to turn around and face the Shadow. The Shadow pulled out his pistols and began firing with pin point accuracy taking out the grunts. The last sound they ever heard was that of the Shadow's nightmarish laugh.
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...!