RWBYond Vale
AN: So I goofed a few days ago. Instead of posting chapter 4 of this story I posted chapter 4 of my other story on this story. Sorry for the confusion but it's fixed now as well as some grammar and spelling on the first two chapters. Luckily nothing in chapter 4 comes into play until tomorrows chapter. This chapter is going to follow Blake as she arrives in Mistral.
Chapter 7: Why not wear a mask?
Blake was quickly learning that August Gold does not like taking time with things. They were currently on a train heading from Portus to Haven. Before that they were in Liverpool on the east coast of Vale. There they met up with August friend Maddie who drove them to Portus in her personal jump jet. Before that they took the train from Forever Fall to Liverpool. Overall the journey that should take them at least two weeks had only been a few days.
It was nice to see the trains were still running. Statistically they were the second fastest and the safest way to travel. August was apparently on a deadline and wanted as few detours as possible. He had explained that many of the people who were at the fall of Beacon were being brought to Mistral for whatever reason. The only other thing August knew for certain was that there was to be a peace talk in just a few more days. From there he could assume that the peace talk would be the enemies target. Any disruption of this meeting could end badly for everyone.
August kept a tight lip, or a tight beak, however about anything. He was only told to say what was necessary to get her to come along quietly. He wasn't one for small talk and spent most of the train rides meditating in his chair. Though he did at one point ask about Adam, namely where he got the idea for the mask. Blake didn't know, Adam started wearing the mask when he was 12, Blake was still a naïve little girl at the time. August wasn't satisfied but he left it as it was.
August slowly opened his eyes to look at her. He opened his mouth. "There is just one thing I'd like to know about you." He said opening up his posture and leaning closer to her. "I get why you wear a bow. I think it's cowardly but I can see why someone with your past would wear it. I also know that the bow means more to you than just a disguise." He said gesturing to the files yet again. "Why not wear a mask."
"The mask represented everything I grew to hate about the White Fang."
"Yes but you said yourself that it wasn't always that way. You would have been 12 when Adam was 16 and took over the White Fang's security. That's when enforcers started wearing masks and the White Fang started turning to more drastic measures. That was almost 6 years ago. Adam had already been wearing the mask for 4 years. And it would be another 4 years before you decided to leave."
Blake thought for a moment. "Masks draw unnecessary attention. Plus, Adam said I didn't need it, he said I didn't deserve to be seen as a monster like him." She remembered he put it a bit more romantically than that but she wasn't about to let that secret out.
"Isn't that sweet. How long have you known him?"
"Ever since I was a little girl holding up a sign of protest for the first time. Why do you want to know about Adam?"
"I don't have to tell you but I will. I'm sick of hearing people call him the strongest Faunus. A whole generation of people, people like your Schnee friend are growing up to hate and fear the Faunus because of him. In short I'm going to put him in his place."
"You can't! He's too strong."
"For you and your blonde friend. I've trained my entire life to be the strongest and when I beat him he'll start losing followers. That is the price of using strength and intimidation to inspire. As soon as someone supplants you, you can't ever come back."
"He's more than just muscle."
"And yet the woman he claims to love; a girl he's known for 14 years ran."
"I did what I thought was right."
"And so will they given the opportunity, the problem being they think they are in the right."
"They're misguided, that's why I want to be a huntress. I want to show them the better way."
"Is there though. I don't hate the White Fang; I don't hate the measures that they take. I don't like how their plans result in the death of innocents. But what I really don't like is why."
"We were tired of being pushed around."
"At first yes but that's not the truth beyond the truth."
"What are you talking about?"
"It's none of your business. Maybe when your older you'll be let in on Adam's dirty little secret. His heart might have been in the right place but it was always personal. You were just the straw that broke the bulls back. Adam is incapable of keeping his eyes on the big picture."
"You seem to know a lot about him."
"If you didn't come when you did that was going to be the next thing I say."
"So how do you know so much."
"Perks of being a huntsman and a leader." He then stayed silent the rest of the trip. Blake pondered on what he had said. Was it possible Adam's protest were some kind of personal vendetta. And more importantly does that change who she thought he was. After all, she didn't exactly have room to talk.
AN: So to give you a timeline, chapter 1 came first then chapter 4 was the same day. Chapter 2 came next then chapter 3. Chapter 5, 6 and 7 are the same day with chapter 8 happening the day after that. So Blake and August are going to be the first to arrive than Ruby and the gang with Yang coming in last. So chapter 9 through 26 or so are going to take place entirely in Haven city. As for this chapter, I'm not trying to dehumanize Adam in any way, just implying that there is a little more going on beneath the surface. Definitely keep track of the ages going forward, especially if you are also reading my other story. Next time Yang breaks in her new arm.
