Rogue gazed at himself in the mirror, his arms crossed as he seemed a little... Uncomfortable.

He was wearing new clothes, black pants and a crimson short-sleeved shirt with a black sleeveless robe that went to four-inches above his knees and was tied with a gold and black belt, and he'd trimmed his hair. The lower layer and the hair around his face went to just below his ears, his bangs still long swished to the right, while the higher-layer in the back was a little longer and pulled into a high ponytail that was off-center and to the right on the back of his head. On his feet were two black shoes that were quite comfortable. In fact, all of his clothes were comfortable.

However, what made him uncomfortable was that he had been asked gently by Ghira to use just a bit of his Dragon-Slayer magic on himself, and Rogue was still getting used to the feeling of the black scales that had formed in small patches on his upper-arms. They made him feel a little self-conscious, but he'd been assured that it would be for the best. He needed to blend in amongst the Faunus, after all...

"You look fine." A voice spoke, and Rogue looked back to see Kali standing there, smiling. They stood in Rogue's new room at the Belladonna house in Menagerie, a small home in comparison to the chieftain's mansion, but a very nice home compared to most on the island. Rogue was just lucky that there had been a spare room for him... "Blake is waiting for you, outside. She wants to give you a tour of the island."

"O... Okay." Rogue nodded, then he looked back at his reflection. He placed his right hand over a patch of scales on his left arm, frowning before managing a small grin, then he turned and ran from the room.


Blake waited at the bottom of the stairs from the porch of aher house, her arms crossed as she pouted. Next to her, Adam smirked as he looked down at her, chuckling.

"So, your parents are really making you give him the grand tour?" He teased, and Blake scoffed. "So... What's it like, having a new brother?"

"He's not my brother. He's just some kid my parents up and took in just because I found him in the jungle." Blake rolled her eyes, sighing. "Rogue, try on these clothes! Rogue, let me cut your hair! Rogue, Rogue, Rogue!"

"Come on, Blake. Kid doesn't seem to really know how to live with people, you know?" Adam looked up at the house, frowning. "I mean... You told me that, when he woke up after you found him, he acted like a scared animal... Think he's - I don't know - an escapee?"

"Might be." Blake gave a small shrug. "I mean... He could have stowed away on a ship from Mistral and ended up here." She looked up at Adam. "Still. I mean... Just look at you. You don't see others like him getting any special treatment just because they were sl-"

"Blake?" A quiet voice asked, and Blake and Adam looked up to see a timid-looking red eye peeking out from inside the Belladonna house. "Y-your mom said that you wanted to t-take me on a tour."

"... Yeah." Blake nodded, turning to him. "Are you coming, or not?" The eye blinked, then Rogue stepped out of the house, hugging himself and frowning. Blake and Adam took note of the black scales on his arms that they didn't recall seeing before but could have missed, and Rogue slowly came down the steps.

He was a few inches taller than Blake and two whole heads shorter than Adam, which made sense seeing as how he was sixteen to their ten. Rogue looked at the two of them, frowning, then he took a deep breath.

"Hey." He forced himself to extend his right hand to Adam. "My name is R-Rogue. Rogue Cheny." Adam blinked behind yhe ribbon that hid his eyes, then he reached out and shook Rogue's hand.

"Adam Taurus." He greeted quietly. "How are you feeling? You were in rough shape, when we found you."

"I'm doing better." Rogue looked down, frowning. "Mrs. Belladonna says it's gonna be a while before I get all of my strength back, so I have to be careful. That's all."

"What happened to you, anyway?" Blake asked, her eyes narrowing. "How'd you end up in Menagerie?"

"I... I don't remember." Rogue admitted, looking at her. "The last I remember, I was with my dad. He was really sick, and even though I tried to find someone to help, no one would, so-..." Rogue's eyes teared up, then he hugged himself again, bowing his head. "I-it all goes black, a-and I woke up in the jungle - five years older than I remember being."

"... Trauma." Adam suggested, and Blake and Rogue looked up at him. "Whatever happened to you in those five years... Your head wants to block it out. I don't recommend forcing yourself to remember, kid. You probably won't like what you see." Rogue blinked, then he nodded shakily.

"O-okay."

"... Let's go." Blake turned away, frowning. "My parents want us back in time for dinner. We need to start the tour." Blake started walking, and Rogue remained still for a moment, looking uncertain. Adam blinked, then frowned and placed a hand on Rogue's shoulder, the boy jolting before looking up at him.

"It's alright." Adam assured, and Rogue blinked. Then, he took a deep breath and nodded shakily before the two boys followed Blake together.


/\


By the afternoon, the three were on the docks. Rogue looked down at the fish-Faunus market with wide eyes, looking absolutely fascinated. Blake and Adam looked at him, amused, and Rogue looked up at them.

"This place is amazing!" Rogue grinned broadly, looking excited. "I've never seen anything like it in my life!" Blake crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow and smirking lightly.

"You seem more chipper." She noted, and Rogue blinked before looking down, embarrassed. "... While I do admit that it's beautiful, this place isn't as wonderful as it seems. The island is two-thirds desert, which makes this place very crowded."

"But it seems like a very tight-knit community." Rogue looked back at Blake, smiling lightly. "That's good, isn't it? The people must be really close." Blake blinked, then her eyes narrowed.

"That's because we understand why we're here. The humans gave us this island and tried to centralize all Faunus here - to separate us from the world. Even though we're allowed to leave now, this place is still considered the symbol of Faunus discrimination and the one place in the world where every Faunus can be safe."

"But isn't it good that they can think that?" Rogue inquired, frowning innocently. "Your dad told me that things between humans and the Faunus have slowly gotten better over time, but they still aren't perfect. So, if a Faunus is discriminated and can't think of another option, isn't it good that there's Menagerie as an option?"

"Ugh!" Blake turned and stormed off, and Rogue blinked. Then, he looked up at Adam.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"Blake's views are a bit... Extreme." Adam admitted, and Rogue blinked again. "She believes in gaining absolute and total equality. She doesn't think that a place like Menagerie should have to exist."

"But there will always be bad people, in the world. My dad told me that." Rogue argued lightly. "Things will never be perfect... So, maybe it is good that a place Menagerie exists. The Faunus can get away, even for just a little while, and be with out here like them - others who understand them."

"... You're right in saying that there will always be bad people in the world." Adam nodded, frowning. "And things will never be perfect, and places like Menagerie should exist... But part of me thinks that the only way to bring peace is for the whole world to be like Menagerie - dominated by Faunus who are sick and tired of being pushed around, who have banded together in order to stand against the humans and show them who the superior race really is."

"Faunus do seem kinda superior." Rogue agreed, looking down at the fish-Faunus again. "But... What about the humans?" When Adam didn't reply, Rogue looked back to see that he had chosen to follow after Blake. Rogue blinked, then turned and tried to follow, but he soon lost them in the crowd. "G-guys?! Hey, wait up!"


Adam leaned against a stall, his eyes lightly narrowed behind his ribbon as he looked down at Blake, who sat on a crate with her arms crossed and her ears flicked back.

"... Your parents are going to be pissed when they find out that we ditched the kid." Adam noted quietly. Blake looked up at him, scoffing and glaring.

"He said that having a place like Menagerie was a good thing!"

"Blake, he's not wrong. This is a place where all Faunus are eq-"

"I don't care! A place like this shouldn't have to exist!"

"But it does have to exist." Adam's voice had a snap in it. "And it will always have to exist, as long as this world is dominated by humans." Blake blinked, then looked down. "... Now, come on. If we don't find Rogue, we'll-"

"Well, look who it is." A voice spoke, and the two looked up to see four older teenage Faunus boys - each around eighteen or nineteen - smirking down at them. The leader, a boy with a pair of grey wolf ears, crossed his arms. "Little Blake Belladonna, and her babysitter." Adam and Blake's eyes narrowed. "You know, Kit-Kat, it's because of your old man that the Faunus aren't taken seriously anymore. All of those peaceful demonstrations he leads and those speeches about nonviolence, they depict the Faunus as pushovers who are willing to wait for equality instead of going out and getting it." The boy grinned cruelly, cracking his knuckles as his friends laughed. "It's time someone shows your coward of a daddy that we aren't willing to wait."

"Blake, stay behind me." Adam warned, clenching his fists. Blake's eyes were wide, her whole body frozen.

Her father... A coward?


/\


Rogue was looking around for Blake and Adam, looking extremely nervous. He slowly managed to get the courage to tug on a rabbit-woman's sleeve, and she looked down at him with a kind smile.

"Hello, there." She greeted, looking down at him. "Is something wrong?"

"I-I'm new to Menagerie. Some friends of mine were showing me around, but I l-lost them in the crowd." Rogue admitted, and she blinked. Then, she sighed and shook her head.

"That tends to happen, here on Menagerie... Maybe I saw them. Can you tell me their names?"

"B-Blake Belladonna and Adam T-Taurus."

"Blake and Adam?" The woman asked, seeming surprised. "Well, I believe I saw them looking for something near the old flower stand, that way." The woman pointed, and Rogue blinked. Then, he smiled and gave a brief bow of respect.

"Thank you, ma'am!" He exclaimed lightly, then he turned and ran off. The woman laughed as she turned away, shaking her head.

"Why, he was an adorable little thing, wasn't he?"

"Y-yeah." A brown-haired rabbit-Faunus girl of around eleven peeked out from behind her mother's skirt, her brown eyes wide as she watched the boy go. Then, she gave a small smile and raised a camera, snapping a picture.


Rogue arrived at the flower stand to see a group of boys smirking as one of them seemed to be speaking smugly to none other than Adam and Blake. Adam looked ready to lash out, and Blake seemed to have frozen, her eyes wide. Rogue's eyes widened in disbelief as the leader reared his fist back, then his eyes narrowed as he bared his fanged teeth.

"Heh." The wolf-Faunus smirked cruelly. "I've been waiting to give you a proper Menagerie welcome for a while, Taurus. Now, do us all a favor and show us what's under the r- AH!" The boy yelped as a flash of black suddenly leapt up and sunk its teeth into his arm.

He immedietly panicked and scrambled back, a bleeding wound in his arm, as a young boy released him and landed in a crouch, growling lowly as he wiped the blood from his mouth with his arm. Blake and Adam's eyes widened in disbelief as Rogue stood up.

"Get away from them!" He snarled, and the boys all seemed surprised. The leader looked back at his friends, glaring.

"What are you standing there for?! Get him!" He ordered, and the other three went to approach Rogue, only to pause as shadows suddenly began radiating from his fists. "The Hell?!"

"Whoa..." Blake was out of her stupor now, her eyes wide as she and Adam gazed at Rogue. "How is he doing that?"

"... It's a semblance." Adam decided, stunned. "He's an aura-user."

"Grr..." Rogue growled again, then he snarled and lashed out with his right hand, sending all four of the boys flying back with one strike. The boys looked up, their eyes wide, and Blake and Adam watched with astonishment as Rogue got down on one knee, scowling at them. Blake and Adam didn't see, but his eyes were actually glowing crimson due to his anger. "If you ever try to hurt these two or anyone else ever again, you'll answer to me. Understood?" The boys nodded shakily, and Rogue gave a fanged smirk. "Good... Now, go."

The boye scrambled to their feet and ran off, and Rogue stood, glaring after them, then he faltered slightly, suddenly becoming tired as he raised a hand to the side of his head, his eyes fading back to normal.

"Wow..." Blake stared at him, her golden eyes wide. Rogue blinked, then he let his hand fall as he looked back at Adam and Blake, his eyes wide.

"I..." Rogue took a step back, then he turned and ran off, vanishing into the crowd. Blake hopped off her crate, reaching out.

"Rogue, wait!" She called out, but he was already gone. "Rogue!"


/\


The sun was setting over the ocean. Rogue sat on the docks, gripping the poles that served as a support for a railing like the bars of a cage, gazing down at the now-abandoned market for the fish-Faunus. The whole island was far less crowded now, a majority of the people having returned to their homes. Rogue's expression was downcast, and he closed his eyes, sighing.

"Rogue?" A voice asked, and he blinked, looking back with wide eyes. Blake and Adam stood there, and Blake stepped forward, frowning. "Why'd you run off?"

"... Someone was going to run." Rogue looked back at the water. "If it wasn't me, it would have been you and Adam." The two blinked, surprised. "Skiadrum - my father - warned me about my power. Shadows would always be feared, misunderstood... And so would I, once people began finding out what I could do."

"... Shadows aren't scary." Blake spoke, giving a light grin. "I actually think they're really cool." Rogue blinked, surprised, then he looked up at her. She was smiling, and even Adam was giving a light grin. "They're nice places to go to when you need to be quiet and alone with your thoughts, and they protect you when you don't want to be seen by those who would hurt you... Almost like Menagerie."

Blake had thought about what Rogue and Adam had said, earlier. She'd known about both aspects of Menagerie - the sanctuary and the symbol of oppression - but one had always overshadowed the other. She'd never forgive the humans, but she had finally begun to see it as a safe-haven for her kind - even though, sometimes, she needed to be protected from her own kind as well. But she had Adam and Rogue, didn't she? And Adam had promised that, someday, she would be strong, too. Strong enough to change the world for the good of the Faunus.

"H-huh?" Rogue managed, absolutely shocked. Blake walked over and sat down next to him, looking at him with a smile.

"Shadows are quiet and protective... Kinda like you." Blake told him, and his eyes widened. "So... What reason do I have to be afraid of them, or you?"

"I..." Rogue looked away again, trying to hide his smile. "I've never met anyone who thought that way, before." Adam raised an eyebrow behind his ribbon at that.

"Then, you must not have met many decent people." He announced, and Rogue blinked. Then, he frowned and nodded glumly.

"I suppose I haven't." He agreed, then he looked up at them. "But you two seem nice." At that, Blake and Adam blinked. "Mind if I, I don't know, hang out with you sometimes?" Blake felt guilt beginning to set in. Rogue hadn't seemed to have noticed how he was being treated, earlier. He really thought the world of her and Adam... "I mean, if not - that's okay. I'd hate to be a-"

"Kid, are you for real? You took down four jackasses, who were each twice your size, just because they threatened to hurt us - with one hit." Adam stated, then he smirked lightly. "You can hang out with me anytime." Rogue blinked as Blake managed to giggle, then he slowly grinned.

"O... Okay." He beamed, then he looked at Blake. "Think we can finish that tour?" Blake and Adam blinked, then Blake nodded and smiled as she stood, holding a hand out.

"Of course." She agreed, grinning. Rogue hesitated for only a moment before reaching up and taking her hand.


After the tour was finished, Blake and Rogue parted ways with Adam and began walking home. Rogue appeared to be in a good mood, and that made Blake smile, but then she looked down guiltily.

"... Rogue?" Blake finally asked, and he looked over at her. "I... I was upset for a while. My parents were paying so much attention to you, and I was jealous. I said some mean things behind your back, and I feel really bad about it, now... I don't deserve it, but now: I really want to be your sister." Blake wasn't looking at Rogue, so she didn't see his widening eyes and reddening face. "Do you think you could-?"

"Blake." Rogue spoke, and she cringed, only to blink in surprise as he rested a hand in her shoulder. Blake looked up, her eyes wide, as Rogue smiled. "I'd be honored to have someone as kind, smart, and brave as you for a sister."

Blake stared at Rogue, stunned, then leapt up and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him. Rogue blinked, surprised, then smiled again and hugged her back.


Well... Let's talk about what happened in this chapter.

1. Rogue created his Faunus disguise.

2. Ten year-old Blake acted like a legit ten year-old about having to share her parents' attention with another child - I'm an older sibling, I know how that works. XD

3. Blake showed her disdain for what Menagerie stands for in terms of Faunus oppression.

4. Adam showed that he's already thinking about placing the Faunus as the dominant species on Remnant.

5. Blake was introduced to the idea that her parents' peaceful ways made them cowards.

6. Our favorite rabbit-Faunus, Velvet Scarletina, made a cameo. XD

7. Rogue dealt with some issues when it came to his magic and explored Menagerie.

8. Blake, Adam, and Rogue did some bonding!

So, yeah! I'm actually proud of everything I managed to accomplish in this chapter. Next time with Rogue, there's definitely going to be some more bonding (we've gotta get Kali and Ghira in there, after all) and maybe Adam's gonna start teaching the kiddos how to really hold their own, on Remnant.

Next time on "Dragon Hunters" as a whole, we get a look at the Sky Dragon Slayer Wendy Marvell and how she's doing with the Arc family!

I own nothing! Please read, review, check out my other stories, etc. Thanks! :)