Chapter 10: Faunus lives matter

Present: City of Vale

Back in The Loft, Marcus and Kole were sitting on the couch playing video games while Shade was crunching the numbers, trying to determine how quickly they can pay off they're bills before their deadline in a few weeks. So far with the combines efforts of their recent missions, Kole's bounty, and Katherine's winnings from her bet with Adeline; they were still 5,000 Lein in debt.

"Hey Shade you got a minute."

"Kinda what's up."

"Cerise and I are going to get with a couple friends of ours downtown you wanna come with. They've heard all about you on my blog."

"You seriously have a blog?"

"It's the best way to make one's voce heard.

"Same with social media, but not many people give a shit about people online."

"Yeah but some people do listen. Anyway come on. They're dying to meet you."

"Fine if it means clearing my head for a bit why not. Kate I'm going out for a while. Keep an eye on the idiots.

"Okie dokie." Came a voice from the living room

The three walked down the streets of the Commercial District of the City of Vale and received a few snide remarks from shop owners about them being Faunus and how they were not allowed in their shops. The three Faunus returned the remarks with disgusted looks and obscene gestures.

"So are you two ready for a sparring match between me and Kole?" shade asked, trying to take their minds off the people glaring at them.

"Honestly, Oscar and I are scared shitless." Admitted Cerise with a slight chuckle to mask her anxiety.

"Yeah. I vividly remember the fight between you, your sister Auburn, and Kole." Said Oscar "The Fridulf Fight, as everyone called it was one for the history books."

"Yeah. That was something else. But relax, guys. It's just a sparring match. No one's gonna get hurt."

"Alright. If you say so." Laughed Cerise

"The shop is right up here." Said Oscar as he pointed towards a small coffee shop towards the end of the street.

.

"Don't worry about them, Shade. Since Humans think that they ban us from their businesses, well this is one of our little payback." Explained Cerise as she explained the 'No Humans Allowed' sign in the window. Up above them was a large red and white sign that read The Vacuo Espresso.

The group walked into the shop and saw five other Faunus were inside talking amongst themselves and reading. When they walked inside, the scent of freshly ground coffee beans and baked pastries hit Shade like a truck. Like most coffee shops, she had this warm and welcomed feeling. Somehow it almost felt like her home back in Mistral.

"Hey Hazel. How are you?" Cerise asked the barista preparing an espresso.

"Good. What's new with you guys?" answered the woman with long claws like Oscar's

"Nothing just here for the meeting. Could we get a few coffees?"

"One sec." she said pouring the finished espresso into a cup. "Okay what can I get you three?"

"I'll take a latte macchiato." Said Oscar

"Can I get a cappuccino?" asked Cerise

"Sure and you miss? She asked Shade who was looking up at the menu."

"After all that damn bookwork, I could take a coffee with a shot of whiskey in it."

"I'm sorry miss, but we don't serve alcohol."

"That was a joke lady. Just get me a decaf coffee."

"You got it."

With their drinks ready, the three took them in hand, and followed a staircase in the back of the shop leading into the basement. Where they wandered into a large open area where fellow Faunus gathered to talk and plan protests against organizations that hold strong prejudice against Faunus lives.

"Wow. This place reminds me of my anger management classes. All that's missing is the instructor screaming 'no not the face'." Shade laughed while raising her arms as if to defend herself

"And how are those classes going?" asked a concerned Cerise remembering their previous mission

"A lot better now that I stopped going. So What's all this?"

"This. This is change. The Faunus here are all members of an organization that wants to change Remnant. We want to help fellow Faunus be treated by this world with respect."

"Cool. And how do you expect to do that?"

"Protesting, boycotts, etc."

"And If that doesn't work. We go with plan B." said a young man about their age with pure white hair that was staring at a blue flag with a red lion-like face on it and three claw marks behind it.

"Wynn. I'm so glad you are here. I want you to meet a good friend of ours. Shade this is Mr. Wynn Artair." He said pushing Shade towards the gentleman "Sir I want you to meet the Shade Fridulf."

"Fridulf? My, my it is an absolute pleasure to meet you miss." He said bowing and kissing Shade's hand.

"Sorry pal I have a boyfriend." She said pulling her hand away

"My apologies miss… Fridulf. It wasn't my wish to come off in such a way. As it happens I too have a significant other. It's an honor to finally lay eyes on the infamous Shade…Fridulf."

"Thanks. So what did you mean by 'plan B'?"

"Never mind that. We should get business. Mr. Greane? How goes plans for the protest?

"Good sir. Shade and her team is planning on providing security for us in case the SDC tries to snuff our attempts."

"Excellent. And how capable are these teammates of hers. It is my understanding that they are human."

"They are, but they are more than capable fighters. Cerise and I witnessed them in action. They are awesome!"

"So will you be attending this protest Mr. Artair?" asked Shade with suspicion.

"Unfortunately. I have business to attend to with our associates in Menagerie. Now then let's begin with the meeting." He said gesturing to the ring of chairs in the middle of the basement. Everyone in the room took a seat in the circle and looked to Wynn "I'm so glad to see all of you again. Today we will have to continue our work for the protest. Today we have ourselves a special guest. Mrs. Fridulf, would you be so kind as to tell everyone here why did you become a Huntress?"

"Well, I did it to fight monsters. Same as every other Huntress in history."

"Pardon my callousness, but don't bullshit us miss. That is what you do. We want to know why?

"Because it's what my family has always done."

"And that is what they do. Why do you?"

"I don't know."

"Well if you don't know, then why should I have you and your humans safeguard the lives of our brethren at the protest?"

"Listen asshole! I don't give a shit about you and your protest. I only care about keeping my friends from being kicked out of our home and living on the fucking streets!

The white haired man smiled and chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head. "And tell me Mrs. Fridulf are you loyal to your family?"

"What kind of shit question is that? Of course I am. I'm a Huntress after all."

"It's to my understanding that your family has some kind of 'legacy'."

"Yeah. The Fridulfs are a clan of elite warriors. It's been like that for centuries. As a Fridulf it's my job to continue our warrior tradition."

"Ah ha! That is your reason! Loyalty! You are loyal to your family. You are loyal to your friends, are you not?

"Duh. I'm their leader. They trust me with their lives and I trust them to pull through when the shit hits the fan."

"Are you as loyal to Oscar and his team as much as you are loyal to your team?"

"I fought alongside him and his team. They have earned my respect and I hope that I have earned theirs."

"Well then. The choice is yours Oscar. Can she be trusted?"

The blonde Huntsman hunched forward in his chair and hung his head down in contemplation. "Honestly. She and her team, have saved my butt from Grimm these past couple days. I think she can do it."

"And there you have it." Said the leader "Welcome to the fold. Mrs.…Fridulf" he said struggling to form the words.

After the meeting the three returned upstairs where they ordered another couple drinks before would go home. As they sipped their coffees. Shade noticed that the barista had a rather disgruntled look on her face. "What's wrong Hazel?"

"Some human waltzed in here earlier and started harassing us."

"Really?"

"Yeah the guy started spouting off racist remarks and almost pulled a gun on one of be favorite customers."

"Its people like that, that make me sick!" said Cerise.

"Do you have any idea what he looked like?" Asked Oscar

"Not really. All humans look the same to me."

Back at The Loft, Shade said goodnight to her friends and returned to her team. All appeared to be the same as she left it. Marcus and Kole were still playing video games and nothing was broken yet. "Hey I'm home. Anything exciting happen while I was gone, Kate?"

"Kate went to bed early." said Marcus not taking his eyes off of the screen.

"Yeah she said something about having a headache or something… Damn it!" yelled Kole as he threw his controller on the floor.

"Ha. You ain't gonna beat me, chump."

"Bring it bitch!" he said picking up the controller again wanting to prove him wrong.