Some day there shall be a rhyme or reason to when I upload these things. Today is not that day!
Blake averted her eyes while led by the guard; she wanted nothing to do with this. Beacon was supposed to be behind her, and those involved along with it.
And yet you're hunting down Adam. He was involved too – you know he was. You're no less finished with Beacon than you are with him.
To see Emerald and Mercury here after learning what they had done, it had sparked something inside of her. Adam was out of her reach; Cinder Fall wasn't even remotely on her radar. But here were two people who she knew shared the blame and she could take out her anger on, and she'd tried.
She needed to get after them, get answers; they had to be here for Adam, she couldn't think of any other reason to be on Menagerie. They would know about his plans – about what he was thinking, having a village totally razed like that. Blake told herself Adam wouldn't do such a thing, but then… He hadn't, had he?
Greyson had. Looking at the man now, his head held high, it was plain as day that what he had done was affecting him. The fact Emerald had tricked him meant nothing; he'd been the one to deliver the blows, not her. Where she had slain criminals, he slayed innocents. Cause meant little in the face of that fact.
"What did I say about crying for the stupid?"
Blake frowned and looked up at Greyson, only then realizing the dampness of her cheeks. She scoffed and wiped at her face; she hadn't been weeping for him, but for those slain by him. More victims of this stupid war their people waged.
"What's done is done. I'll face my punishment as it comes, that's all there is to it. The fact I was tricked is only further testament to my failure as a Huntsman."
She wasn't sure if she'd go that far. Emerald had tricked her too with that Beowolf – it had felt so real that she'd attacked. Blake couldn't quite understand how Greyson was deceived so thoroughly, but she understood, in some small part, what it was like.
The houses and shops began to thin out as they approached the mayor's home. What was it about leaders that demanded they have extravagant homes? Even her own family was guilty, though theirs had been given to them, rather than taken. It was a strange nuance that Blake had never fully understood; did people in power feel the need to show it off any way they could?
The mayor's home sat apart from most of Palio, one of the few buildings to have any semblance of a yard of its own. Tall wrought iron fences surrounded the property, a large gate sealing off the lone entrance to the home. It was massive, bigger than even her home in Kuo Kuana.
"Sir, if I may? Could I speak to Greyson before we meet?" the man in armor spoke, glancing at the aforementioned Huntsman. "I would like to ask him a few questions in private, if it's all the same."
The mayor took a moment to contemplate this, and Blake finally could get a good look at him. Of everyone she had run into today, the mayor was by far the least imposing. Stout and well-kempt, it was evident he'd either never gotten his hands dirty in his life, or it had been a very long time since he had. Must be nice.
"Very well, but don't be long. People are already worrying why two Huntsmen are in Palio," the mayor cautioned, "And I don't want to chance Grimm appearing. We've already got our hands full with Nihoa."
Nihoa. That was the name of the town that had been wiped out. Blake would have to remember that – it was another reason for her to take down Adam.
She'd hoped Greyson and the Huntsman would be led inside, but instead they would remain outdoors with the guard. Blake found herself being directed inside along with the mayor; why was she being dragged into this meeting of theirs exactly?
Comfortable. If Blake were to assign a single word to the mayor, comfortable would be most apt. She didn't mean it in a flattering manner either; Nihoa was wiped out, the White Fang was apparently within Palio's own guard, and yet the man didn't seem the least bit disturbed. Either he was extremely confident this would be fixed quickly, or he had one of the best poker faces she'd ever seen.
"Would you like anything to drink? Some wine perhaps?"
Blake shook her head, standing awkwardly by the door of the office. The mayor had asked simply to be polite, already pouring himself a glass even before she'd answered. "Why am I here? I don't see what I have to do with any of this."
The mayor chuckled, lowering himself into his chair – the poor thing squeaked in protest beneath him. "You're quite involved, and we'll need everything we can get for an investigation. Your experience could help shed some light on this mess."
It was more than just a "mess", but Blake refrained from correcting the man. "I'm not sure what good my 'experience' will do, but alright. I'm assuming I don't have a choice?"
"Not unless you'd prefer my having the guard keep you here."
In short: no, she didn't have a choice. Blake let out a steady sigh and took a seat on a chair along the wall, closing her eyes and nursing at her shoulder. So many stupid distractions.
/+/+/+/+/+/
"What brought you to Palio, young lady? I don't suppose it was to sightsee."
Blake bit down on her lip; how should she answer that? "I'm looking for someone." It wasn't a lie, and hopefully the mayor would be content with a vague answer.
"I see. Whoever you're looking for must mean a lot, considering what you've just gone through for them." A silence settled over the room and Blake fidgeted slightly in her seat. Was he waiting for her to say more? Her eyes shifted and she glanced at the mayor, relieved to find him busy with his scroll.
The mayor continued, taking another drink from his glass before speaking. "When we're through here please let me have one of our doctor's look at your wounds." Seeing Blake's confusion, he smiled, tapping his own shoulder in gesture. "I understand that was already looked at once, yes? Assuming you only need stitches, it's the least we can do."
"For what, exactly?" Why was she suddenly owed a favor?
"The captain has been under suspicion for some time now as a White Fang sympathizer. While we haven't gotten any confirmation he's working with them, the fact he appears to be cooperating with criminals is reason enough to condemn him." The mayor let out a sigh, reaching into his jacket and withdrawing a box of cigars.
Blake's nose wrinkled in disgust at the smell, and she shook her head when offered one.
"He got away, which is a shame, but it confirms what we feared. Now we'll need to do a thorough questioning of the entire guard, make sure no one left was working with him. Maybe it was coincidence, but your being here helped expose him, and possibly prevented matters from escalating."
She failed to see how any of that was thanks to her. It was coincidental at best; she did need her wound checked, and would be an idiot to turn it down.
There was a knock at the door, and Blake looked up, greeting Greyson and the Huntsman with a slight nod. Whatever they had talked about seems to have put the elder man at ease; she'd ask what they had discussed, but it wasn't her place to know.
"I trust you had a rousing conversation, gentlemen?"
The Huntsman nodded, stepping aside to let Greyson ahead of him. "We were just discussing his sentencing, and he's agreed to return to Mistral with me, assuming you and yours don't want to seek retribution…?"
The mayor nodded his head, smiling somberly. Would that he could, but there were so many problems that would come from making this public. "I think his returning to Mistral would be for the best. If it becomes public knowledge that a Human killed a village of Faunus, why, I don't think the White Fang would be wanting for recruits."
"I'm so sorry for what I've done. It doesn't absolve me of my crimes, I know, but I am truly sorry." Greyson lowered his head and grit his teeth, eyes staring at the floor at his feet. "If you wish to punish me, do so. I'm accountable to Humans and Faunus alike."
"It wasn't his fault. You know that." A fire was stirring in Blake's chest as she addressed the Huntsman. Her eyes held his unwaveringly, hands tightly clenched in her lap. "That girl, Emerald, she did this. You should be chasing after her." They all should be.
"What I think is irrelevant, what I know are the apparent facts. Greyson killed a village, dozens of innocent people. That he was tricked doesn't matter; he still did the deed."
The mayor harrumphed and folded his arms, leaning his chair back. He looked at the Huntsman, then Blake, a wry smile rising to his lips. "True, he killed them. But if it's not made public knowledge… We could use this."
Blake's eyes widened slightly – did the mayor really mean to use this for some ends?
"Humans killed those Faunus, that's one fact we can't escape. But does one blame the puppet for attacking someone, or the puppeteer controlling it?" He chortled and sat forward, splaying his hands out across his desk. There was a mischievous twinkle to his eye as he looked at the Huntsman.
"The White Fang is enemy to Humans and Faunus alike. If it's made known that wanted criminals were behind Nihoa – and humans and White Fang both, then people would rally around the event. It would bring everyone together over the tragedy, make us stronger for it. If we allow Greyson here to take the fall, even if we never publicize who carried out the attack – "
"I don't see what good that will do anyone." Greyson interjected, frowning as he lifted his head. "Please, sir, with all due respect, allow me to take my punishment. I deserve this."
The mayor shook his head defiantly, smiling broadly. "And allow the White Fang their victory? Please, dozens of people saw the captain flee with those humans. Who's to say he didn't frame you for his crime? Perhaps he let the White Fang fighters - those our young friend here fought, into Nihoa. With a human to use as a scapegoat their crime would have furthered their goals, while painting Humans in poorer light."
"Are you trying to politicize this?" The armor-clad Huntsman sounded very distrustful of the idea, his eyes narrowed at the mayor.
"I am making the best of a bad situation. The captain probably had a hand in the events in the village, so putting the blame on his shoulders isn't that much of a stretch. He fled Palio with known criminals, no one would question if we labeled him the one responsible. Meanwhile, Humans could assist us in bringing him, and those responsible, to justice. It would serve to strengthen relations between our people."
And bring down the White Fang, Emerald and Mercury in the process. Not a bad idea…
It was a goal that Blake would sooner see done herself. But as she was learning – or to be more precise, remembering, Adam and those who followed him had many enemies, not just her.
"So, what do you propose then?" the Huntsman asked, looking down at Greyson as he spoke. "Do you intend to use us as dogs, chasing after these people for you?"
"If I understand correctly, Mr. Greyson's mission was already to track these people, no? He'd simply be continuing his work, and you would be assisting him." The mayor spoke not to the Huntsman, but Blake. He smiled at her puzzled expression. "You clearly have your own reasons, but your enemy seems to be ours. Why fight alone when you can have allies?"
Fighting with Greyson made perfect sense really. He was a seasoned Huntsman and they already had something of a report, if built on a shaky foundation.
Still, Blake was guarded. She wasn't looking to take down the entirety of the White Fang – that wasn't something any one single person could do. She just wanted Adam Taurus dead; the idea of bringing Mercury and Emerald to justice wasn't off-putting however.
The Huntsman spoke before she could voice her opinion on the idea. "I'll need to discuss this with my superiors in Mistral. Greyson was already slated to be brought to face his charges back home. I don't know if he'd be allowed to undertake this mission."
"Then tell them I'll return home once we've finished our job here. I'll not run, not from this." Greyson looked at the mayor almost desperately, moving closer and lowering his head in deference. "I will gladly accept your offer, and if allowed I will bring those people to justice. I swear my life and my honor upon it."
"Then assuming our young friend here and the Mistral council agree, I believe we have ourselves a deal!" the mayor declared. He smiled and rose from his chair, extending a hand which Greyson took uncertainly. "Palio is an ally to Mistral, which makes us very unpopular with the White Fang. But our economic power, and alliance to your kingdom, make us a difficult target."
"So, believe me when I say I will take any chance to deal a blow to our enemies. My people's welfare is my foremost concern, and I can't rest well at night knowing things like this might happen at any moment."
She hadn't been officially conscripted, but it sure felt like it. Still, Blake couldn't deny that having even one person to work with would make this easier. A further discussion needed to be had, but neither her nor Greyson had any part in it. They were dismissed, and instruction to the guard was given to bring them back to the hospital. She could already see the face of her doctor, expecting ridicule for blatantly disregarding his orders. In her defense she didn't expect to be attacked.
/+/+/+/+/+/
"You know what happened wasn't your fault."
"I do."
Blake frowned. "Why then? If you don't feel responsible for what happened, why fight? Why just accept your fate?"
Greyson smiled tiredly, looking towards the sky as they were led down the streets. "Mistral is old-fashioned in many ways, and we are honor bound. They had the right of it: I killed those people, whether I was tricked or not. And a man like myself must face the consequences of his actions, regardless of circumstance."
"Why I don't simply roll over and die? I have a chance to stop them, prevent similar attacks from happening. I'll lay down my life when it is over still, but I have a chance to make things right."
"You mean to redeem yourself?"
Greyson laughed bitterly. "Redemption? What I did does not be redeemed, no matter what I might do. No, I do this because it's simply the right thing to do. What happens to me is irrelevant, now I seek only to bring these people to justice. And to spare others a similar fate."
How altruistic. Compared to his motivation hers felt petty; killing Adam would benefit others, true, but Blake did it for herself and herself alone. The fact she would be helping others in the process was only a byproduct of her own goal.
"Can I ask something? That man… Who is he exactly?"
"Ah, you mean the gentleman come to play executioner? He is my mentor, and one of Mistral's most celebrated Huntsmen. We'll be fortunate if he's staying here to fight with us."
Blake would rather that wasn't the case. If she'd wanted to amass an army to do this she wouldn't have set out on her own. Besides, becoming involved with the other kingdoms was bound to lead to headaches in the future, headaches she'd prefer to avoid.
"Mentor? But you're older than he is. How does that happen?"
Greyson laughed, flashing Blake a toothy grin. "How indeed? The man's a natural, as is his entire family. Each of them are celebrated. Tell me, girl. What's your story? You show yourself as an ally of the White Fang, then turn on your comrades and save the ship you were meant to raid. You seemed well trained, where did you learn to fight?"
Blake bit down on her lip; how much should she reveal? Neither Greyson nor his mentor seemed to discriminate based on who she was, but mentioning she was once part of their enemy's number might not sit well.
"I was a student at Beacon," answered Blake simply. She smiled ruefully as she thought about the school, and her team. Was it selfish to hope they were all doing well? "After the school fell I left and came back here to be with family. But the White Fang's always been a problem for us, and I finally had enough. So… I've decided to take the fight to them for a change."
"You were there at the attack then. Tell me, did you know Pyrrha Nikos?" Blake gave a nod, her face falling slightly. Greyson smiled sadly and closed his eyes. "She was my goddaughter. The man you saw before is her father, Tephro Nikos."
Seriously? Blake lowered her gaze and sighed, ears folding flat. "I'm… Sorry for your loss."
"I know. You and everyone else. Doesn't bring Pyrrha back though."
No, it didn't. People who were dead tended to remain that way, it was the one permanent truth of life. She'd had no idea these men were related to her former classmate. Suddenly Greyson's willingness to remain here and continue the mission made a lot more sense; Blake wasn't the only one after revenge here.
/+/+/+/+/+/
As expected, the doctor was less than thrilled to have Blake return so soon after discharging herself. Her nurses seemed even less pleased as they reapplied fresh stitching and bandages to her wound. It wasn't her imagination that they wrapped the bandages particularly tight, was it?
Tephro would be meeting her and Greyson at the hospital to catch them up on the plan. That was fine, it gave her chance to rest and think, not to mention sneak in a meal. Fine cuisine it was not, but her stomach was growling enough she didn't care.
Where did she even begin? These past few days had been so insane that she hadn't had much time to think it over. Had she known getting involved with Sebastian and his crew would lead to this she'd never have spoken up. That was a lie; Blake would have tried to stop their plan and ended up in this position regardless.
She'd been stressing discretion, both to retain the element of surprise and to not make herself a target. It was safe to assume now she had failed in both respects. If Emerald and Mercury were working with Adam then he would know she was moving about and expect her. He wouldn't run, she wasn't concerned about that, but now she'd have to fight him on his own terms.
Which you wanted to avoid at all costs. Now you won't have a choice, not unless you get lucky.
It wasn't all bad. Tephro and Greyson would be powerful allies, and they could deal with Emerald and Mercury while she took down Adam. Or the three of them could work together and beat the trio back; if Adam was brought down then ultimately Blake didn't care how. She would be lying however to say she didn't want his downfall to be at her own hands.
Legs pulled up to her chest, Blake closed her eyes and laid her head upon her knees. This was all so much simpler when it was just her going after Adam.
"Come in." Blake knew who it was before they even finished knocking, and she glanced up, smiling at Asio. He looked nervous, and after her realization yesterday she was certain she knew why.
Blake moved over on her bed carefully, allowing Asio to sit if he so chose to. He clutched a bouquet of flowers to his chest and she couldn't help but sigh at the display.
"Asio? Are those for me?" He nodded, and the faintest of smiles appeared as he averted his gaze. "I appreciate the gesture, but I don't think I can… Be like that with you."
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
They shared a stare for a moment and sat in silence. It was eventually broken by laughter, and Asio hastily trying to cover his mouth to stifle it. Blake continued to simply stare, tilting her head in confusion.
"O-Oh! N-No, I'm sorry! That's not what this is about!"
"I-It's not?"
Asio smiled brightly and shook his head, laughing again. "Nope. This is just hoping you feel better soon, that's all!"
Blake slowly blinked, feeling heat rushing to her own cheeks. She cleared her throat and looked away, itching at her nose in embarrassment. "The other day though…?"
"I just think you're awesome. I mean you're fighting for what you think is right, and you help people doing it. You're a real-life hero!"
Blake nodded slowly, coughing into her fist. She felt like she was on fire now. "A-And you staring at me…?"
"Was I that obvious…?" Blake nodded and now it was Asio's turn to blush. "I was kind of… Admiring you? Not like that though! I just think you're cool, and I was trying to think of how to say something without sounding… You know, weird."
"So… You don't have a crush on me?"
"Me? No. N-Not that there's anything wrong with you!" Asio scrambled to save things. Hearing Blake laugh he smiled, glancing at the flowers in his hands before back to her. "What's so funny?"
"Oh nothing, I'm just an idiot." Blake shook her head and sighed, relaxing back against the headboard of her bed. "That's a relief honestly. After we spent the day together and I left I felt like I was cheating you out of a date or something."
"That was just me repaying you! Plus, you helped my town out too!" He smiled brightly and continued. "That shipment that came in? Any time a ship comes to port it pays a fee to use our docks, not to mention they pay people to unload the cargo. Add in housing for the merchants, and any time a ship comes in, the town makes a lot of money. So, you helped the whole town, it only seemed fair to show you around Palio."
That made sense. And boy was she an idiot for reading too much into that. While Asio set the flowers in a vase, Blake busied herself with finishing her meal. Tephro would be here before long, she should get as much food down as she could before then.
"About earlier… What happened at the barracks? Can you talk about it?"
Blake raised an eyebrow, surprised Asio had heard about it already. "You saw that, huh?"
"No, but half the city is talking about it. The captain of the guard ran away with some Humans, that's all I know. Can you say what's going on?" Blake shook her head and Asio sighed. "I guessed not. Did they have something to do with Nihoa?"
"Yeah, they seem to think so."
Blake wasn't quite sure what she thought of all this yet. She felt like a leaf being carried along a river, at the mercy of currents out of her control. She could leave, there was nothing really stopping her from doing so; going at this alone was suicide, she'd known that from day one. This "curse" was a blessing in disguise.
Asio didn't stay much longer after that. He was heading back home today and wanted to bid Blake farewell, and good luck. It was strange, she felt like she was watching a friend leave. She needed to try and get in touch with her team somehow. Maybe just send a letter, anything to let them know she wasn't dead. Not that she was even sure they'd care.
Tephro wouldn't arrive for another hour, and with him he brought Greyson and the mayor both. The plan wasn't much different from Blake's own: follow the path of destruction, and in doing so find the White Fang. Not a very impressive plan, but it will work. Since discretion is out the window now too it's not like they need to worry about hiding themselves.
They wouldn't leave until early tomorrow. The mayor was preparing arrangements for them, but with the scene at the barracks he was busy working on damage control for the time being. Tephro wouldn't be joining them either, meaning only her and Greyson would be traveling together. It wasn't stated why and Blake didn't bother to ask; just one more body to fight alongside made this mission much easier.
Still, to say she was enthused about the turn of events wouldn't be honest. She'd accepted that her mission might cost her own life, and there was a very real chance she could die without accomplishing that. She'd made peace with that grim reality.
Having Greyson along meant she had another life to worry about. She was fine forfeiting her own, but not someone else's. It restricted how she could go about matters and the risks she could take.
"Be honest… Is this about Pyrrha?"
It might not be her place to ask, but if they were going to be working together then Blake felt the need to know.
"I'd be lying if I said it wasn't. At least a small part of it anyways." Greyson chuckled, reclining in his seat. She had joined him in his room, the two of them sat together and chatting. There was little else to do until tomorrow and neither could sleep, so what better way to pass the time than getting to know one another?
"But it's as I said: I do this because it's the right thing to do. The revenge is a happy accident, and I won't say I don't look forward to it. But I do this so that others won't suffer the way I have, and the way so many more did. The world is a hard-enough place without people like them complicating it further."
Greyson looked at Blake carefully then, studying her. His wizened eyes pulled up amused as he smiled. "You're the same as me, I can tell. Who is it for? A lover? A family? A friend?"
"Friend." Blake answered shortly. Though all could apply really in one way or another; the White Fang had touched her life in so many ways.
Greyson nodded his head, laying back in his bed. He was recovering far more slowly than Blake, and she didn't know how hard he'd been searching before arriving in Menagerie.
"Revenge is fine, but don't let it consume you. It's like hatred: you lose sight of who you are, of what's right. Don't become what you're chasing after, otherwise your victory means nothing in the end."
Wise words, though not the easiest to abide by. Had Greyson ever lived through what she had? Endured the kinds of things that Adam put her through? It was a contradiction: seek revenge but don't be consumed by it? To her it didn't seem possible, revenge required a fixation, borderline obsession.
Her drive for revenge had brought her here to Menagerie to face her fears. If not for her fixation then where would she find the same drive, the compulsion to seek out Adam?
"So long as he ends up dead I don't care." Her words came out in barely a whisper, but Greyson still heard her.
"Do you know what separates us from the beasts? Emotions. Love, sadness, anger, hate, joy and jealousy. Grimm can't feel anything other than unbridled rage and hatred. We're as blessed as we are cursed, feeling both. We can't know happiness without sadness, love without loss, or anger without joy."
Greyson turns slightly in bed, a wistful smile on his face. He suddenly looks much more his age, the wrinkles in his face prominent. "Whatever happened to make you hurt so much, I can't imagine. But you've known the good side of life too, haven't you? Don't lose sight of that. Hold onto it, cherish it. Revenge might be sweet, but it means nothing if you lose your life for it."
Blake sighed and sank into her seat, looking away and closing her eyes. She didn't want to die, no one did, but she was ready to if need be. Thinking back on everything, however, and she felt her chest tighten uncomfortably; her team, her family, the friends she'd made back at Beacon. Even those she was meeting now, she didn't want to lose any of that.
"I know…"
Greyson nodded his head, groaning as he shifted again in bed. "Damn wounds. And good. Take it from someone who's spent much too long doing this: your life is important, no matter what happens. There are always people who want to see you again, and even if not for yourself, you owe it to them to come back."
She knew that. Blake had imagined dozens of times over already how her parents must have reacted to her leaving. How her teammates must have felt when she vanished. She was being selfish even when she thought she was helping someone. Fixated on killing Adam, she hadn't really considered what she was doing to those around her.
It wasn't even that late, and yet Blake was feeling inexplicably tired. Greyson said something else but it went unnoticed; her eyes had shut and she'd drifted off to sleep in record time.
"Hard life we lead, isn't it, girl?" Greyson chuckled and eased back into his bed, allowing his own eyes to settle closed. "It's only going to get harder from here…"
Looks like Blake's going to have a travel buddy! Hope that bit about Pyrrha didn't seem super contrived, I thought it'd be interesting to see some of her family, since we never do in the show.