A Changing World
Act 2
Chapter 1: The Butchering Of Stuttgart
A/N: Act two is here in time for Christmas. Readers rejoice!
Took much longer to write these two chapters but I've done it now.
So to clear up the confusion that may or may not arise as a result of the chapter numbering I'm using, this chapter is the first chapter of act two. It is also chapter twenty-four of this story.
As the title indicates, this chapter likely won't be very pleasant, but it is important for world-building reasons in this story since Rooster Teeth have yet to explain how the White Fang turned into a terrorist group in the show.
Here is what I think could have happened.
Also, shoutout to both of my beta readers for putting up with my horrible unedited writing.
Now hold onto your seats, everyone.
…
Stuttgart, 20 years ago
"Sir, sir?"
The large faunus turned around slowly, letting the reporters see his features.
The camera registered slight twitches of charred skin, the still fresh brand on his face coming into view as he pushed down the barricade; a wooden wall, reinforced with metal that towered over the man. The section his hand lay on had been considerably damaged, resulting in it being no taller than a metre.
Flames were still flickering along the edges of the section he was leaning on. All the while, smoke choked the air - the burning remnants of what it had been, still there.
A section of the barricade on his left had been half-shattered, broken by a mining drill that'd been reinforced during the fighting, after use as an impromptu ram.
"What is your opinion on the events that happened here?" The reporter asked.
He narrowed his eyes, laying a hand on the barricade that dwarfed it, turning fully, showing the rags that he wore, clothing him half-way.
Marks were visible on his skin, as hair had been burnt off by Dust burns or mere combat, the eyes barely glinting with unsuppressed emotion.
Menace and something else flickered, as weathered dirty features twisted, a barrel-like chest swelling as the man spoke up. "All of this started because of the fucking SDC. Look at me, human. Look at me!" His voice grew louder as he spoke and the red mark of the brand was displayed to many who were watching the news, with a cut above his eyes starting to bleed heavily.
His blackened skin showing the marks of Fire Dust, his eyes looking at the reporter with a dark expression.
Blood slowly ran into the grooves on that face, drawing with it the crusty remnants of blackened soot-riddled skin. After speaking he doubled over, gasping for breath.
Once he recovered from almost hacking up a lung, he continued. "All of my friends are dead, thanks to that man and his whole family. Are you watching this, Schnee? Fuck you, and fuck your whole family! By the gods…"
The reporter and cameraman stared as the bear-like man ambled away, setting off to help some more of the people still trapped within the danger zone.
His hand raised one of the fallen sheets, the large crumpled metal having been warped due to an explosion.
"There you have it, a grieving soul assisting where he can." The reporter's eyes were wide, the man looking bewildered at the sudden turn of events. A worried look flashed across their face and they spoke up with a hushed voice, looking at someone behind the camera. "Shit, was that live?"
The cameraman didn't comment, nor did the ones behind the screens, as the massive faunus disappeared into the soot-choked tunnels once more to rescue his companions, bodies strewn all around, half-broken and twisted, faunus and human alike.
…
Ilia quickened her pace, but still, the footsteps continued to follow her through the crowd, though slowed somewhat.
Spying an alleyway ahead on her right with walls close enough to jump between, Ilia broke into a run and ducked into it once she passed through the crowd.
Once there, she wasted no time in running to a drainpipe. Reaching it, she leapt up, gaining a firm grip for a moment before jumping between the walls of the narrow alleyway.
Reaching the roof of the house that the drainpipe was attached to, she straightened up, setting off once more.
She moved at a jogging pace now, fairly confident she was out of the reach of her pursuer.
Up ahead, a gap came into view, stretching between the roof she was currently traversing and the roof of the house next door.
She sped up to jump across and leapt into the air, only for someone to collide with her as she reached the apex of the jump.
She made it across but ended up landing awkwardly - falling face first as a result of being shoved unexpectedly forward.
Whoever had collided with Ilia landed with barely a thud behind her.
Rising to her feet and turning to face her rooftop companion, Ilia's face morphed into shock as she saw who it was.
"Hello, Ilia. It's been a while since Megnarie." The bat faunus said.
"Yeah, but I can't say it is good to see you here, Yuma." She replied curtly. "How did you find me?"
"Simple. Nobody ever looks up." He answered with a smile and a half shrug.
"Now, onto why I'm here. Why did you do it?"
"Do what?"
Yuma's smile vanished. "Corsac, Fennec and myself are captured by that green-haired huntsman and you mysteriously vanish. I always wondered why and the rest of the White Fang did too."
"I left to avoid being captured. You would do the same in my situation." Ilia countered.
"You didn't leave." He gave a low sigh, looking her in the eyes as he continued. "They let you go. I saw you get captured." Taking a step forward, he poked his finger at her, his voice gaining traction. "So why don't you quit lying and tell me what happened." Letting his hand drop, his shoulders slouching as he finished. "I think you owe me that much."
"I don't owe you a thing. Not the White Fang, not any huntsman, not the Belladonna's even if Blake is my friend, certainly not Adam after he killed Sienna." Ilia snarled.
Yuma stiffened. "He didn't-"
"Of course he did!" Ilia snapped. "No huntsmen or huntresses know where the White Fang headquarters are. If they did, the White Fang would not exist still. But it seems rather coincidental she ends up dead the day he visits her."
Ilia let out a short, angry breath before continuing. "If you want the truth, I had been planning to leave the moment I heard Sienna had been killed. Those huntsmen and the Schnee showing up gave me the chance to leave. That's all."
"What about your parents? Did you ever think about them before you turned your back on us?" He sneered.
Ilia's lightning dust whip was at Yuma's throat in an instant, causing him to tense up and yell out in pain as electricity flowed through his body.
"The answer is yes. If I could have them with me I would take the opportunity in a heartbeat. But I also know that I can never bring them back from that mining accident. So don't ever sneer at me while bringing them up or I will end you like I should have ended those stupid girls in that school in Atlas." Ilia then withdrew her whip and stepped back.
Yuma worked his jaw slowly and looked in her direction before speaking again. "You know, you should learn to watch your back,"
Ilia only had the time to notice he had been looking over her shoulder for a few seconds before she found herself trapped in a silk-like substance, rendering the chameleon faunus immobile.
Ilia was now stuck with her arms plastered to her sides and her whip sparking uselessly in her loose grip.
She cursed herself internally, having forgotten all about her pursuer as said pursuer stepped closer and dragged Ilia to her feet. She was a spider faunus that she knew well.
"Take our guest to the safehouse Trifa." Said Yuma. Ilia supposed he was the leader of the two.
The girl nodded wordlessly before smirking at her captive before turning and walking away. Ilia was dragged along and Yuma followed them both.
…
The SDC's share prices plummet after the White Fang speak out against what they view as the company's attempt to silence the organisation following the newly crowned CEO Weiss Schnee paid a visit to Menagerie last week.
The leader of the White Fang, who referred to himself only as Banesaw continued on to criticise the chieftain of the Island - Ghira Belladonna - for allowing the visit to take place.
Banesaw then announced that the White Fang now considered Ghira to be a traitor to faunus kind, following his publicised agreement to work with Weiss Schnee.
Weiss sighed aloud as she remembered that particular news broadcast from months ago.
"Blake, how are our share prices now?" She asked, turning to the only other occupant of her office.
"You remembered that broadcast just now, didn't you?" Blake half-smiled.
Weiss nodded. "They're doing fine Weiss. It did take some time but they got back to normal. You know this."
"Sorry, but I can't help but remember that from time to time. Anyway," Weiss chose to change the subject. "How are things between you and Yang now?"
Blake looked away. "We… we're still not on speaking terms."
Weiss sighed. "Blake…"
"I've tried, okay?" She muttered, frustrated. "You try to make up with Yang. It's like trying to talk to a wall. Besides, she's always on missions with her uncle nowadays. I think she's trying to avoid me now."
"What about Ruby? How is she doing nowadays?"
"Pretty well. She's opened a weapons shop that she runs with her dad's help."
"What about Jaune? Is he coping?"
"To answer your question, I don't know. He hasn't spoken to me-to any of us since the funeral."
"What about Nora and Ren? Also, has anyone heard from Hiccup or Astrid since they left?"
Blake laughed. "You know, when we first met, I never would have guessed you would care this much. You've changed."
"Of course I care you dolt!" Weiss snapped. "Why wouldn't I?"
"There's the Weiss I know." Blake teased.
Weiss huffed, though she was now smiling. "You enjoy that too much I think. How's Sun? His abs radiant as always?"
Blake flushed. "I don't know."
"That's a lie. I've seen you looking."
"C-can we move on from this, Weiss? What are we doing today?"
Smiling, Weiss obliged her friend's request. "I will be doing many things. Trying to meet with the White Fang for one. You, on the other hand, will be trying to get back on speaking terms with Yang."
"Weiss-"
"Please don't argue Blake. I've already asked Cardin to take your place while you're in Vale."
"Guess I have no choice." She sighed. "How is that mission that team CFVY are on with Port and Oobleck? Any news?"
"No, nothing since they left. I guess that means that they're busy."
"So we have team CFVY, Port and Oobleck away on a mission. Violet Peach, Cardin and Ozpin working on making changes to Vale, team SSSN and JNR mostly unreachable and our team split apart as well as Hiccup, Astrid and Gobber gone." She paused and let out a long sigh. "I wish things weren't like this."
"So do I Blake. So do I." Muttered Weiss.
…
"Any last words?" Trifa asked Ilia after they had reached the White Fang hideout they were currently in.
"I have been wondering why you bothered to find and kill me now. It's not like I pose a threat to the White Fang at the moment."
Her captors exchanged a glance.
"We're not here to kill you. But it's cute you think you do pose a threat. That just now was me trying to be intimidating." Trifa said, chucking.
"Then why am I here?" Ilia asked.
As if in answer, the door behind Yuma and Trifa opened and a familiar figure entered.
"Didn't expect to see you again Max," Ilia said.
"I go by Banesaw now." The huge man said gruffly.
"You're the leader of the White Fang? Well then, why are you here?" Ilia asked.
"To see you face to face," Banesaw responded. "You're going to be rather famous soon." He then turned.
"Bring her. The White Fang could use her help." He added over his shoulder before he was gone.
Following his order, Yuma and Trifa each grabbed an arm and pulled Ilia to her feet before following after their boss.
…
The lift chimed as its doors opened and Hiccup, Astrid, Gobber, Neo and Roman were all shoved into Ozpin's office by Cardin.
"Our dragons require fish by the way. You better take good care of them." Astrid said, smiling sweetly at Cardin before the lift doors slid shut again and both it and Cardin began to descend.
"Hiccup," Ozpin spoke once both were standing in front of his desk with Taiyang standing beside Ozpin's chair. "Care to explain why you were escorting Roman Torchwick?"
"I was helping him and Neo escape a mutual… enemy, Ozpin." Hiccup stated.
"Um, you know that's a boy. Not Ozpin?" Roman interjected.
"Reincarnation Roman. Believe it or not, that is him." Hiccup replied.
"Getting back on track. Who is this mutual enemy you claim to have?"
"Raven Branwen." This time it was Roman who spoke.
"Raven Branwen. The same Raven who I used to be married to and whose tribe has been, according to Qrow, growing to the size of a small kingdom in its own right, with anyone who passes through south Mistral having to pay a toll?" Taiyang asked.
"That's right." Said Roman.
Hiccup snapped to face him, shocked. "What?! Why wasn't I told about this? I spent all that time working for Raven's tribe and you never told me about that!" He exclaimed.
"I never told you that? What a shame." Said Roman, sarcasm dripping from each word.
Hiccup rolled his eyes before looking back at Ozpin and Taiyang. "While we're on the topic of things I should know but don't, what happened back at my old forge? One minute I'm talking to Ruby. Next minute, Cardin shows up and tells us to come here."
Ozpin coughed. "That was a security measure put in place with fairly regular attacks performed by the White Fang."
"So Ruby activated this security measure for a criminal who I would have dealt with had he attacked her. Right." Hiccup said dryly.
"Anyway." Ozpin continued as if Hiccup hadn't spoken. "If you wish for Roman and Neo to escape Raven Branwen, what do you plan to do to make this a success?"
Taiyang rolled his eyes. "Ozpin, you already know how to help Roman out, even if Hiccup doesn't."
Taiyang glanced at Roman, who looked as confused as Hiccup. "I'm surprised you don't know it either, given your profession."
"I-oh. I do believe I know what you mean now." Roman grinned.
"There is one task I'm sure Taiyang would appreciate help with. If you help him, I will speak with Atlas on this matter." Ozpin stated.
"How would that help them?" Asked Hiccup, a hint of frustration entering his voice.
"There are prisons over there that stop semblances from working. Raven would be able to portal there, but then get stuck and captured." Taiyang said. Hiccup nodded in response.
"Moving on. I was just about to go check on Yang and Qrow because I haven't heard from both in three days." Taiyang explained.
"Is that out of worry or because you don't want them leaving as they did before?"
"Mostly the second," Taiyang admitted with a shrug.
"I assume everyone is up for it?" Hiccup asked, turning to the others.
"I'm in." Said Astrid.
"I'm with you laddie." Said Gobber.
Neo nodded while grinning.
"Guess I'm in too." Said Roman.
"Then let's get you ready to go to Mistral." Said Taiyang.
…
A portal appeared and Raven, followed by seven others, five humans and two dragons stepped into camp.
"You've had time to see Vale again, now get back to work!" Raven told them. "Good working on getting those dust ammo cases though." Then she left, striding towards her tent.
"Good thing she fell for it." Hiccup said once Raven was out of earshot.
"If you don't mind, I'm just going to take these dust ammo cases to the armoury tent. Good thing little red gave us this from the forge." Said Roman.
"Her name's Ruby, Roman. Try to remember it." Hiccup said.
"Sure. Whatever. Come on Neo." As the pair headed off, Hiccup turned to Astrid and Gobber.
"One of us should work in the forge while two of us go to find Yang and Qrow." Hiccup stated.
"I'll do it, laddie. You two should go." Said Gobber.
"Thanks, Gobber." Hiccup replied before the blacksmith waved him off, already heading towards the forge tent.
"Right then Milady, how about we go to the safe house?"
Astrid nodded and they turned to set off when loud roaring was suddenly heard, followed by several dull thuds and a collection of pained screams as Grimm - a horde of Ursai burst into the camp.
Next, gunfire was heard as the bandits sprang into action and Raven returned to the scene with Vernal, Neo and Roman appearing as well.
Hiccup ran for the armoury tent, returning to Astrid with his crossbow. Firing at the Ursa, the impact of the crossbow bolt knocked the Ursa, only for the bolt to bounce off of its dark flesh, almost like-
"That Grimm has aura?!" Hiccup exclaimed, shocked before he fired again and killed it.
"…Impossible." Raven muttered.
"What's that?" Astrid asked, pointing at a small device that had fallen where the Ursa had been, only coming into view after it dissipated.
"Forget about that for now. Get rid of these Grimm!" Raven ordered.
"With me bud." Hiccup told Toothless before both ran forward to meet the Grimm.
…