Sun gasped for air as he woke up in a hospital cot, although the hospital looked very crowded and the only thing separating him from other patients was a thin curtain that surrounded his cot. He looked down to his chest and saw a bandaged mark there that made it hurt to move his arm.
Next to his bed, he glanced over to see Blake who was asleep. "Um... Blake?"
She jolted awake and drew her weapon out instinctively. "Oh... Sun." she took a deep breath of relief before she then put her weapon away.
"Sorry to startle you." he sat himself up.
"It's alright." Blake assured. "Besides, if anyone should be apologizing it's me."
"For what?" Sun asked.
"For you getting hurt because of me."
"Uh... Remnant to Blake." Sun poked her forehead with his not sore arm. "You're not the one who stabbed me."
"No, but you got stabbed because of me." Blake shook her head.
"Unless you mind controlled that Ilia girl to convince her to stab me, you didn't hurt me Blake." Sun argued.
"But this is the second time this has happened, Sun. I'm cursed." she shook her head. "Whenever someone tries to help me, they just get hurt because of mistakes I made, that I ran away from."
"Do you... Think it was easy for Yang when you ran off from her?" Sun asked.
"W-What do you mean?" Blake glanced up.
"I'm asking you, do you think any of your friends are okay with you just taking off on your own like this? It's our decision to help you, Blake. You can't make that for us. Why do you think I came along? Because you forced me to? No. I went of my own volition because I want to help my friends." Sun smiled to her.
"Still though, of all friends to pick... You chose me? And honestly Sun... Part of me maybe hopes that they hate me so they won't miss me." Blake held her head now.
"Blake, come on. I know you don't believe that." Sun stood himself up and grabbed his shirt from where it was hanging and put it on, still gripping his arm in pain from having to raise it too much. "You know what you're doing by shutting everyone out like this? You're letting that manipulative psycho you described to me win."
"S-Sun I-"
"No, Blake. You of all people should know that what Yang did wasn't because of what Adam wanted, or because of you running away from your problems. Sure those things added up. But it ultimately came it's head when Yang decided to help you." Sun sat down next to her. "Yang made the choice and I'm sure you could bet that she'd have made it again. Just like how I'd throw myself in the line of fire like I did back there for you, any time because I care. Your friends care about how you feel and all we want is to help you get what you want. So please, Blake. Stop shutting us out."
Before Blake spoke up Ghira poked his head into the small hospital tent. "Oh am I interrupting a moment?" he asked. "I apologize if I am."
"Its fine Dad." Blake assured as Sun stood up and let Ghira sit while sitting back on his cot. "What is it? Did you find something on Ilia's scroll?"
"I did." Ghira took a deep breath. "Plans for an attack on Haven Academy."
"Haven?" Sun groaned. "T-That's my school."
"It'll be Beacon all over again." Blake stood herself up. "We need to do something to stop it."
"We do." Ghira affirmed. "I will hold a press conference, right outside of the town hall. With the evidence we have on this scroll, we will have all we need to get the good people of this city on our side."
"One problem though, Dad. People put their trust into the White Fang here, how are we going to just go and tell them that it's all a lie?" Blake crossed her arms. "Not to mention, why would they be inclined to stop an attack? Humanity's done nothing for us. Sure you can appeal to their sense of morality, but if they're too afraid, if they're too apathetic then this'll be for nothing."
"Well, that's where I'm hoping you'll step in." Ghira put a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "You'll speak up."
"A-Are you certain? M-Me?!" Blake was nervous now.
"You were at Beacon first hand and your human teammates stuck up for you. One of which, I'll remind you was a Schnee." Ghira pointed out.
"I... I see your point." Blake nodded before taking a deep breath. "If this'll get me some aid for stopping the attack on Haven, then I'll gladly do it."
"Say, Mr. B. Were you able to find any other information on that scroll?" Sun asked trying to flex his arm a bit.
"Just some texts about monitoring us." Ghira stated. "All calls are from blocked numbers or code names."
"There has to be something we can use as evidence the White Fang are up to no good apart from the attack plan." Sun panted heavily as it still hurt a lot when he flexed his arm even as his aura was slowly healing the wound.
"I'm afraid this is all we've got." Ghira shook his head as Kali entered.
"Is everything going alright?" she asked before looking towards Sun and offering him a thermos cup. "Some tea for you."
"T-Thanks." Sun accepted and drank some of the tea.
"No, we're trying to figure out how we can get the people of Menagerie to side with us against the White Fang." Blake shook her head.
"I see..." Kali sat down next to Sun and started to ponder. "Well your father wants to give that speech."
"Yeah and his idea is me speaking up to try and appeal to people, but honestly I don't know if I have the charisma." Blake shook her head.
"Blake Belladonna. You are my daughter. If anyone has charisma it'd be you." Kali stated firmly.
"C'mon Blake. What's the worst that could happen? We'll probably have the police watching us..." Sun pointed out as Blake took a deep breath.
"We'll need a day to make the arrangements." Ghira explained. "But tomorrow I'll speak on the matter unscripted." he affirmed. "You likely will too, unless you'd like to prepare something."
This got Blake thinking. "Alright. We'll do it your way, Dad. But I'd like to keep my weapon on me for this, in case anything suspicious happens. Even with the police present the White Fang likely won't just take this sitting down."
The day had come and gone, Blake spent most of it with Sun, just trying to compose her speech with his input. Thankfully Sun was able to be checked out of the hospital just in time for the speech as Blake, Sun, Ghira and Kali all stood inside of the Town Hall's entrance, the press conference was to be held right in front of it and the podium was ready with a few journalists gathered about to record.
"Nervous dear?" Kali asked.
"Well it has been a few years since I've addressed our people like this." he admitted.
"Dad, I'm sure you'll do fine." Blake assured him. "I'll be behind you." she looked to the speech she had prepared in her hands. "Just like how I know you'll be behind me, right?"
Sun was mostly keeping quiet, but he did smile a little bit at Blake's willingness to accept the support of someone else, even if it was just her father.
Ghira opened the door, Kali, Blake and Sun all followed out, standing behind Ghira as he stood in front of the podium.
"Brothers, sisters and all who have come today. I come to you all today, not with horrible news, but news of something that will allow us all to make a change." he began as the crowd was notably starting to cheer.
"As you are all aware, the Fall of Beacon was a horrible tragedy. Many lives were lost and people's ways of life destroyed." Ghira stated.
"Yeah because of Atlas!" one person in the crowd interjected loudly getting cheers as Ghira raised an arm up to silence them.
"It has recently come to light that the attack on Beacon wasn't intended to be an isolated incident and the Atlesian Military isn't the only party at fault." he reasoned. "A splinter group within the White Fang has overstepped it's boundaries."
This was getting the crowd talking as Sun glanced over to Blake. "Why are they all so surprised by this?"
"It's likely the White Fang has been keeping this information from them." Blake stated. "What my Dad's saying now is news to a lot of the people here, I'm not gonna be surprise if people don't believe it."
"This splinter group is lead by non other than Vale Commander, Adam Taurus." Ghira explained as the crowd was again chattering among themselves, some of whom were voicing doubt.
"Recently, I have gotten a hold of some private information from the scroll of a White Fang operative. This operative has orders to partake in an attack on Haven Academy come the next Full moon next month."
The crowd expressed audible shock now at this new information being presented to them.
"Which is why I would like to enlist your help in staving off this attack and protecting the Academy and people of Mistral from another tragedy." Ghira finished as the crowd was now left in a state of confusion and uncertainty.
"My daughter, Blake who was at the Beacon attack will express to us all why it is important that we stand with the people of Mistral against injustices caused by our own Kind.
Sun pat Blake on the back and Kali offered an encouraging smile as Blake stepped up to the podium now and took a deep breath.
"My time at Beacon was short." Blake began. "I made many friends and most of them were human. If we continue to allow the White Fang to act the way they have Splinter Group or not, then we're just welcoming us to be reviled as Monsters, no worse than the Grimm." she took a deep breath and looked to the next part of her speech, it was addressing her teammates individually starting with her team's leader and going all the way to Yang, her partner.
"I was a member of Team RWBY, a team of which I was the only faunus on, yet my teammates-"
"Aided you in fighting against your own people!" the voice of Ilia interjected from the crowd as she stepped up, at the base of the stairs now.
"What?!" Blake was confused now as Ghira and Kali glanced over to Sun, who nodded and jumped off around the stairs to try and get the drop on her while a couple of the police that were there, stood between Ilia and the Belladonnas, to prevent her from moving closer.
"Why don't you tell them, Blake. Tell them how you teamed up with a Schnee and betrayed your own people?!" Ilia scoffed, her skin turning red now.
"Ilia, it's not like that at all and you know it!" Blake glared.
"Oh?! what's this then?" she held up Blake's scroll with a picture of her with her teammates. "You look awfully chummy with that Schnee there and don't even get me started on the blonde. Doesn't ANYONE here remember what she did during the Vytal Festival?!"
Blake looked away. "Your team's a bunch of loose cannons. I'm willing to bet that red girl probably killed a few of us on your mission, too. I don't even wanna discuss what they did to Vale Lieutenant." Ilia turned to the crowd and the cameras. The crowd was in a panic now. "Don't believe the Belladonnas, they'll only lead you to your deaths! But if you truly believe in our cause, in Adam Taurus. Then you'll know that he will lead our people to the path of betterment! He knows what crimes the kingdoms and academies have committed onto our people and he will deliver justice to-"
Sun then jumped at Ilia and attempted to bring his staff down on her, but she saw his attack coming and jumped out of the way. Sun grasped his chest in pain as he fell to one knee as Ilia smirked before jumping off into the bushes as several ravagers and Nevermores were now flying in from the sky.
"Sound the alarms!" the police chief demanded. "Sir." he looked to Ghira.
"Sabor." Ghira looked to him seriously. "I should stay and help our people.
"No, sir what's important is that you stay safe, we'll protect the people." he took his pistol out and fired a shot at an oncoming Nevermore.
Blake took Gambol Shroud off her back and started firing off shots at the oncoming Grimm. "Run!" she yelled as she then used her sheath to slice through a Nevermore's wing, killing it as she saw a Nevermore pick a girl with bear ears up off the ground. This girl was screaming.
Blake wanted to fire a shot off but Kali held her arm. "No, wait you might hit her!"
She stopped and hesitated, unsure of what to do when suddenly a web shot out and pulled the girl towards a woman wearing a spider Grimm mask over her face. She wore no sleeves and the webs appeared to emerge out of her wrists.
Another faunus, wearing a Bat Mask flew towards the Nevermore and drop kicked it onto the ground where Corsec stepped on it and Fennec stabbed through it's head. "Go now!" the two brothers instructed as the girl ran back towards her mother while the Ravagers were starting to fire off shockwaves at the town.
"Trifa, pull as many down as you can." Corsec instructed the spider-masked one who smirked and nodded, jumping up. to a roof.
"Yuma, draw their attention." Fennec stated as the bat masked wearing White Fang operative smiled and flew up into the air, getting the attention of as many of the airborne Grimm as he could.
"You want a free meal?! I'm right here waiting for you!" he called out as he flew around.
Sun could only watch in awe. "Wow, he's actually getting them onto him. Sabor and the other police were firing on the Grimm and hitting a few.
Trifa was pulling as many down as she could for Corsec and Fennec to kill by stabbing and slicing through them.
Corsec cut through two that flew in his direction with a bit of fire dust, while Fennec then jumped over his brother's shoulder and kicked another one that got close and stabbed one that wasn't flung his direction before looking to his brother and nodding.
"Yuma, Trifa, now!" Yuma drew all of the Ravagers and Nevermore flying after him in one direction while Trifa threw as many of them in the same direction Yuma was going before Yuma flew upwards and turned away just as Corsec activated the wind dust in one of his daggers while Fennec activated the fire dust in his daggers, creating a massive fiery tornado that incinerated all the Grimm.
One last ravager flew in Blake's direction that she readied herself to cut down, but it came short of her, attempting to bite at her face now as one of Trifa's webs was holding it back. Smiling, Fennec shot out a single ball of fire from his dagger and the beast exploded into a dark mist.
The crowd cheered as the four White Fang members had saved them from the Grimm that the Belladonna's press conference had attracted.
Ghira stepped outside and looked to see the damages done by the Grimm, many roofs were blasted in, some of which ended up collapsing a few homes and buildings. "Sabor, you go tend to anyone who was injured." Ghira instructed as Sabor nodded and a couple of his officers ran off to go help the wounded.
Blake and Sun approached the four White Fang members who were being showered in praise.
"We're horribly sorry for what happened during your speech, sister Blake." Corsec bowed his head in apology.
"Don't play that game with me, Corsec." Blake glared.
"What do you mean?" Fennec asked.
"We know you sent Ilia to spy on us." Sun stated as he held his shoulder.
The two brothers turned to each other and nodded. "Sister Ilia has been acting as a member of the splinter group." Corsec explained.
"Yes, we have been hunting her and can assure you she will receive the maximum punishment." Fennec added.
Blake let out a sigh. "Well thanks for your help in dealing with these Grimm."
"Of course, it is but our duty as members of the White Fang to protect the good people of Menagerie." Trifa approached while cutting a web from her wrist with her knife.
"But that's not to say we didn't appreciate the help you were able to bring us." Yuma chuckled upon landing as Sun glared at him slightly while still holding his chest.
"Now then, if you want to protect your people truly, then I'd say you should join back up with us at the White Fang." Corsec offered as Blake turned away and scoffed. "Come on Sun."
Fennec narrowed his eyes as the pair of them left. "They'll regret their decision..."
"Yes, they most likely will. Especially once we get our new orders from high leader Adam." Corsec smirked to his brother while Yuma and Trifa were busy mingling with the people they just saved.
"That couldn't have gone any worse!" Blake lamented, sitting on the couch and resting a hand on her forehead. "All we did was get people to want to work with them! And I know Corsec and Fennec are working with Adam. They planned this. They had to have!"
"Blake, without any evidence the police won't do anything. I'm inclined to believe you since they're now holding a membership drive for the White Fang. But I'm afraid that isn't enough evidence to catch them on." Ghira crossed his arms.
"We need the right answer for this. A way to counter them." Sun shook his head. "But what could that be? What could we do that could destroy them?"
"Are you sure destruction is the right route for them?" Kali asked with concern. "No one deserves to be destroyed."
Blake thought about it long and hard while pacing around the room now. "Sun... Dad..." she looked over towards her mother now with a smile. "That's it! We don't destroy them." she snapped her fingers. "The people of Menagerie aren't interested in partaking in a war."
"What do we do then, Blake?" Sun asked, curiously.
"We get the people of Menagerie to help us protect something! There doesn't have to be any bloodshed." Blake nodded.
"How would you propose we recruit the people of Menagerie?" Ghira asked.
"The same thing the White Fang is doing now."
"A draft?" Kali asked.
"Yes." Blake nodded. "We petition the people of Menagerie to get them to join our cause in protecting Haven Academy from the impending attack. If we can't beat the White Fang head on, then we'll just work ourselves around them. We'll form a new organization for the true betterment of the faunus."
"I'll help you draft the petition up." Ghira stood himself up.
"Let's get to work." Blake smiled confidently.
Commentary: And with this Blake's arc is done for the volume, with the trust in her family being at an all time low after the White Fang had to clean up a mess they stirred up. I notably moved one major event from Volume 5 to here, that being Ghira's press conference. It just made more sense to have it here rather than in Volume 5, especially if each storyline needs a finale. Speaking of which, next up we conclude Yang's storyline with some good ol' Yang action...