Chapter 25: Ideas Forming (An Un-Bear-able Visit)

Summer continues to pace the floor of our living room, intent on spending the entire day fretting over such stupid things like trying to figure out how to be present the most persuasive argument she can come up with. The problem, though, is that she doesn't have an argument yet. "Come on, Sum. Please, just stop pacing. You're making me dizzy."

She smiles at me as she plops down onto the couch. "Sorry. I'm just so worried, ya know? I just can't seem to piece anything together anymore." She sighs and puts her head in her hands.

I pat her back. "Maybe you're just thinking too hard. It could be right under your nose, and you'll never know it cause you're thinking too hard." I keep my voice soft as I wrap my arms around her. Quiet sobs make her body shake a little, and I tighten my hold around her. I can't help but want to smooth her hair and make all of the tears disappear. "Please don't lose yourself to the stress. I don't want to see you in pain." I coo at her, trying to calm her, little by little.

She sniffles loudly. "I just don't know what to do. I thought it would be easy. I mean, so many people want to change this, but nobody wants to do it the right way."

My poor little optimist and savior of the world. It twists my heart to see her in this much distress. "Well, you said it the other day. Why not find a way that they can have a financial gain from this progressive operation that you're trying to get going?"

She lifts her head and blinks a few times, clearing the tears from her eyes. "I said that?"

I sigh. Of course she doesn't remember it. "Yep. You were trying to find a way to get them to see that it would be more profitable for them to give equal rights to Faunus instead of subjegating them as they have for intense physical labor."

Summer bites her lip in thought. The crease in her forehead gets deeper as she closes her eyes. "Raising their wage to that of their Human counterparts, giving them Heathcare benefits, providing them with vacation time and regulating breaks and hours worked could actually increase productivity in the long run. It would also incourage the workers to work harder, also increasing productivity, which increases profit, maybe even leveling or surpassing the current rate of income for the employers after they hand out raises and stuff." She takes a deep breath and opens her eyes. "Do you think that could be convincing enough?"

I snort. "That was a lot to take in, there. I don't have any idea, though. It could be enough, but the profit margin could be below average for a few years. I don't think that would work. They'd try to resind the law on some made up violation or something as soon as they see that what you're saying isn't true." Really, those guys will make something up, or even stage a coupor something and make it look like the Faunus, just to get rid of what was causing them to lose money. I just don't want to be the people that are the cause of that. There's no telling what they could do to us, to her, if we fail after being so close.

She throws her hands up. "I can't think of anything else! I thought it would be as simple as introducing the idea and having them accept it." She falls back on the couch, sinking into it in defeat.

Before I can even facepalm at such an asinine idea, there's a knock at the door. I sigh and stand rather reluctantly. Nobody ever calls before coming over, do they? At least I know it's not Tai or Qrow. They just walk in. That could really get them hurt one of these days. I open the door to see the leader of the White Fang. I gasp and usher him in before he can say a word. "God damnit, what the hell were you thinking just showing up at my front door like this. I'd rather not have a sizeable target painted on our backs for being associated with a known activist group that just happens to be full of Faunus. I don't know the opinions of my neighbors, so I can't tell you if they will try to kill us for just having a Faunus over."

The man's brow furrows deeply as his ears sag down on his scalp. "I didn't think you actually care."

I scoff. "I care about the safeties of the ones I love, Mr. Selfrighteous. I don't give a flying fladoodle if you're a Grimm, Human, or Faunus. If your very presence threatens my family, I will care, and I will make you leave, whether by your own feet or in a body bag." I cross my arms over my chest and stand there defiantly, glaring at the man daring to shift the balance of security that I maintain while at home.

His face shifts to a more neutral expression. "Ah, I see your point. Next time, I'll come through the back, stealthily."

I turn and walk toward the living room. "See that you do."

He follows and takes a seat in the recliner to the side of the couch. "I came for a status report. I had heard that you approached the council the other day, and I want to know how that went." He leans forward expectantly, probably thinking that it's all good news since we're here, relaxing at home.

Summer sighs heavily and sinks farther into the couch. "Two to three vote against the law. We lost this round, but we're trying to find a way to sway them in our favor."

A frown mars his otherwise peaceful expression. "I see. What have you come up with?"

"Everything we try to reason out winds up being a bust. We tried the financial approach, where each of the councilmen would personally gain from the enacting of equal rights of Faunus, but we figured that, as soon as the profit margin fell through what it would normally be, they'd resind the law and replace it with the truce. I can't really think of anything else that could potentially bring them over to our side."

He strokes his chin thoughtfully. "What about the economic stability of the city itself? With the passing of this law, there could be a massive influx of Faunus into the city itself, pouring money and time back into the community. Businesses would profit, and the city itself would be better off."

I blink a few times. "I hadn't thought of that. That could actually work as a probably argument to the councilmen. It would put them in a more prosperous position, that's for sure."

He nods. "Exactly. I think that that should be the approach that you use to get their attention. I don't think much anything besides protests could even help, and that wouldn't work. We've been trying that approach for years."

I shake my head. "Listen, Izzy, historically, protests never work. Why you're still doing them, I'll never know."

"It's not Izzy. You know my name is Isvold Balilika. Please do not simplify it to such a petty, efeminate nickname." The Grizzly, as he's known throughout the Fang, shakes his head and snarls.

All I can do is laugh. "What, you want me to call you something stupid, like Grizzly. I think that's more demeaning than Izzy. At least Izzy is a real name."

Summer coughs, bringing our attention back to her. "Just call him Isvold. Is that so hard?"

I roll my eyes. "Yes, yes it is."

Summer smiles at that. At least my sarcasm can bring her out of her weird funk. She looks at Izzy and shrugs. "I tried."

He shakes his head. "Well, fine, whatever. It really doesn't matter anyway. It's not like you're going to be in front the Fang any time soon." He gets up slowly, taking his time at going to the door. "Well, keep me updated. I'd rather not have to sneak about, if that's okay with you. I don't think that the neighbors can just ignore a bear Faunus, ya know?" He sighs and leaves, looking about suspiciously.

"I think that well, don't you?"

Summer just smacks the back of my head and lays down on the couch. "You're just lucky he's not a violent guy. I don't know many people that could just shrug off something they thought was disrespectful."

I shrug. "I just wanted to tease the guy. It's not my fault he took it personally." Really, all I wanted to do was make him a little mad. I don't really appreciate what the man asked of us, of Summer. It would be different if Tai and Qrow actually wanted to help instead of just pawning it off on her shoulders. I look around the room and back at Summer, who has started to finally relax fully and close her eyes. I think I need to get a security system. It couldn't hurt with the way that everything seems to be playing out. Rebellion and crap never is easy or safe.

A/N: And this chapter even confuses me! I'd like to give a shout out to Spangle Jenks, who confuses the crap out of me as to why he chose that name. Anyway, he helped me through this chapter bit by bit. (He probably won't even read it on the site cause I gave him full access to my Google Docs fanfic folder so he can read anything I have any time he wants, but I wanted to thank him anyway just in case.)

Sorry about the slow process, again, guys. It's a problem I'm working through. I'm hoping to pick up speed within 20 days. I'll be moved into the dorms and settled by then. Yay for technically moving out of my parent's place! I'm so excited for this. Plus, school! I love school! And I'm going to be learning German and stuff, so Imma be all over that. The greatness! The... God, I'm a nerd. Why didn't you tell me?! Oh, right... fanfiction... *nervous laugh* Nerd paradise... Gotcha... Backing away now.

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