Fuyu: Time to throw some more actual cannon moments out the window. But enough of that, who's up for a feel trip?

Chapter 10: The Past

When they reached the platform, they meet up with the guy they encountered back at the harbor. Without a spoken word, it seems that he just wants to hang out so they went with him to a late night transport. The trip was silent despite Sun's attempts at small talk. Arrival came by dawn all three of them had a quick nap on the ship. Much to Sun's apparent chagrin, Blake leaned against Gris' shoulder as she slept. Upon waking up to them arriving, Gris blushed upon seeing what position they are in. Blake noticed it, too but it seems she was still half-asleep until Gris lightly shook her after a moment, "H-hey, Blake, wake up."

As Blake finally woke up and sat up straight, She lightly blushes at him but stays quiet. They all get off the ship as Sun began to talk to Gris for the upteenth time, "So, why are you here, Gris?"

"Personal things..." Gris says. This almost interested Blake as she looked at him as though asking to elaborate. Gris shook his head after some thought as he says, "I don't feel like talking about it now."

"I know a cafe nearby," Sun says, "How about we chill there? My treat."

Gris simply shrugs even though he originally came to visit his parents' grave. So they all headed for the cafe Sun mentioned. The outdoor tables on the roof make for a good scene despite the awkward atmosphere but Sun felt none of it as he begins asking after he sips his coffee. "What's going on," Sun asks, "The only times I heard you two talk is just small talk or weird looks." Sun points out the example as Blake frowns at him.

Eventually, Blake asks the two, "Have you ever heard of the White Fang?"

"Who hasn't," Sun says as Gris' expression darkens, "There's not a Faunus in the world who hasn't heard of those freaks." They both gave him a quick glare but Blake continues telling them how she was a former member. That caught them both by surprise. Blake continues about how she was involved since she was very young, how she was at the front of protests and boycotts. How the White Fang formed and eventually became a more hostile group launching attacks on those who are against their ideals from shops to whole companies. How this led to humans fearing Faunus. "So there you have it," Blake says after finishing her story, "Just a criminal hiding in plain sight with a little black bow..."

"Those protests and boycotts," Gris suddenly begins, "I was involved as well but not as far as you were, Blake. When I learned the actions the White Fang began, I cut all ties to them and kept them away and pursued a better path as a huntsman. My parents would've wanted that anyways."

"What happened to your parents," Blake began, "You mentioned them before but I never got an answer. Something happen?"

(Author's Note: Now for Gris to tell his full story. I've had some slight change in his story from my original fic. the story will be long.)

Gris looked at both of them as they held curious glances. 'Well...She told me her story I might as well tell them some of mine,' Gris thinks as he resigns himself as he says, "My parents died during my last year at Signal. Due to my heritage and the person in charge of my final exams, I was kept from graduating even after I excelled so well that I skipped years..."

Blake cut in as she says, "Now that's just discrimination!"

"The person who observed my final test was apparently the son of a soldier who fought in the war but, yes he had no right to flunk me," Gris says and then continues his story, "Anyways, I was coming home to tell my dad the bad news when I saw Grimm attacking my home. We lived outside the walls along with a few other settlers so when I heard the roars of those creatures I knew something was up. My dad was amongst the chaos slashing and shooting with a longsword-rifle hybrid I've seen him use time and time again..." Gris' expression darkened as he seems to be shaking as he recalls what happened, "I was scared, there was so many of them. I still wanted to help but my dad told me to run as my mother pulled me away just before both of them died. All I had to do was run and run until I eventually reached the city and my cousin's place."

The table was silent save for a waitress who came to ask for any refills for them. The offer was politely turned down as Sun placed the appropriate amount of lien for all three of them plus a tip on the table. The three stood up and left the cafe in relative silence. Eventually Blake asks him, "So what brings you here?"

"Today's the day my parents died," Gris says, "It's been 3 years since they died...I came here to see their grave."

"I-I'm very sorry to hear that you lost your parents so long ago," Blake says.

Gris pulls his hood over his head as though to cover his eyes as he turns towards her. "Don't be," Gris says, "A-anyways, I'm gonna go to their grave. Don't wait for me."

"Wouldn't you want to let your parents see us as your friends," Blake wonders, "What about your team?"

"They're covering for me back at Beacon," Gris responds sadly as he starts to walk away, "I told them that I wanted to go alone."

"I think we should go with you, Gris," Blake asks reaching for him but Gris turns around and pushes her hand away. His hand glows as his aura is focused to his hand causing the push to feel harder than he intended. It seemed that shock shot through him realizing it as he just turns and runs away. Blake is left surprised by Gris' surprising amount of force which was enough to make her almost stumble.

As Gris ran, he began to curse at himself as he says to himself, "I did it again...I had to push her away from me...why...?" He eventually stops at the graveyard where his parents are buried. Gris attempts to pull himself together as he walks to where his parents are buried. Upon arriving to their grave marker. The headstone is a simple one with a rounded top but has a base for placing things like flowers and other decorations. The stone itself is engraved with a grand epitaph for both his parents since they were quite well known. With his sleeves, he wiped away any debris and moss that landed on the grave itself. As he did so, he tried to think of what to say other than a simple greeting and a quick positive summary of what happened. He eventually found the words as he says, "Hey Mom, hey Dad. It's been a few weeks since I last visited you two, huh? I even forgot the flowers... Yeah...Things have been going pretty good since I came to Beacon. There's some things I have to do and..." After some pause, Gris continues as he remembers something he completely forgot until now, "I screwed up...I came alone instead of showing you my new team. I pushed away a girl that I liked even though she wanted to support me...D-Damnit..." Gris paused as he began to remember what his parents would say to him. He remembered a time when his father said to him, "Look, son, crying will not change anything. Get up off the ground and wipe those tears. Don't sit around and cry about it, do something. Weather it may be, get up and face it but fall back on us or your friends and cousin when you cannot take it alone." His father said this again and again when Gris' struggles back then became so much that he would break into tears.

Gris smiles wryly at those times, "Heh...I was such a crybaby back then and he tells me that last part," Gris stands up a now determined smile on his face, "I gotta go now Mom and Dad. I have someone to apologize to." Then Gris takes off to where he last saw Blake but stops as he hears an explosion in the distance. He turned towards the sound just in time to see a plume of smoke and dust rise as a battle apparently begins. Without a word, Gris raced to the source knowing quite well who would be involved.