AN: Sorry for taking so long on this one. Some of the subject matter was a little tricky to write, and also I've been working on an original work (Shameless plug alert.)

Hopefully, this chapter isn't too upsetting.

As far as the last chapter goes, though, I thought it was important that Team RWBY hash some things out. And as much as I love Weiss, it does seem kind of wrong that no one got even a little upset about her leaving. Still not as bad as Blake getting off scot-free, but still a bit weird to me.

And of course, Raven has her plans and makes her own rules. The best the heroes can do is try to outplay her.

On to another flashback chapter!

Ghira and Sienna sat at opposite ends of a table from each other while Kali sat nervously between them.

Sienna sighed and decided to talk first, "Why are you here, Ghira? I thought you'd washed your hands of us. You gave up on our cause long before you abdicated leadership of the White Fang."

Ghira growled at that. "That's not when I gave up. When the Faunus Relocation Act was repealed, I decided that violence was no longer necessary to achieve our goals."

Sienna sneered. "That was your excuse, but I think you were just tired of war."

"Of course I was tired of war. I was tired of the killing and dying. I was tired of watching it twist and ruin people like Tyrian Callows and Julius Arc. Once we gained the right not to be forced from our homes, using force to secure the rest of our rights no longer seemed necessary. It was time to give kindness and peace a chance. And in case you've forgotten, it was working!"

SIX YEARS AGO: MENAGERIE

Ghira sat next to a twelve-year-old Blake watching a press conference led by now General James Ironwood. Kali sat on his left side, and Sienna stood next to the couch, paying close attention.

"Nine years ago, I had the misfortune of being on the wrong side of a conflict with the Faunus population. During that conflict, I witnessed first-hand the courage, strength, and brilliance that they brought to the conflict. It was such that I was hardly surprised to find myself on the losing side of the conflict."

Ghira nodded in appreciation. The General made no bones about which side he was on, but he showed no resentment. Having known Ironwood before the war, Ghira believed that it wasn't an act.

"As the newly appointed leader of the Atlas Military, I would be a fool if I did not invite that talent into the fold. It is, therefore, with great pleasure that I announce that the Atlas Military will begin allowing Faunus to enlist and commission, starting with our first faunus commissioned officer, Fiona Thyme!"

A young sheep faunus joined Ironwood on the stage who saluted her crisply, then proudly shook her hand before continuing.

"And this is just the beginning. In the coming years, I hope that we will be welcoming our first Faunus to the Atlas Huntsmen Academy!"

Fiona leaned into the microphone. "It's only a matter of Thyme!"

The General's announcement was met widely with applause and laughter, though a few boos mixed with the cheers. Ghira rolled his eyes at the bad pun but beamed and gave Blake an encouraging squeeze. "If you keep up your training, chances are good that you'll be a huntress someday."

Blake beamed happily and hugged him back while Sienna shrugged, "I wouldn't hold your breath. It's been almost ten years for us to get this far. I wouldn't be surprised if it took us longer to get into the academies."

Ghira scowled at her. "Ironwood's word has a lot of weight. I even heard he's hoping to become headmaster of Atlas Academy as well as General. The ball's moving, and soon it will pick up momentum."

Sienna shook her head. "Ironwood is one man."

"It's not just him!" Blake piped up, "We've got lots of friends among the humans. Ozpin, Lionheart, the Arc's, and the Schnee's."

Ghira smiled and ruffled her hair while Sienna shrugged again, "Nicholas Schnee was our friend. I'm not sure about that Son-in-law of his."

"He does seem like a bit of an opportunist," Kali joined in, "but he knows where Nicholas's success came from. He allowed Faunus to keep their homes during the war by providing them with work visas. Jacques knows not to besmirch that reputation by discriminating against the people who made his predecessor a success."

Sienna shook her head, "You convinced yourself that things were getting better. But they were just using us for cheap slogans and to look like they were catching up with the times while turning us into slaves."

"Not every human is Jacques Gele, Sienna." Ghira groaned wearily.

"Aren't they? I seem to recall you being wrong about him too."

Ghira rose sleepily from his hotel room in Atlas and rushed to the frantic pounding on his door. In the hall stood a frantic Sienna leading a young red-haired boy with bull horns and a bandage over his left eye. The boy looked half-starved and was covered in what looked like mining dust.

"Sienna, what-"

"This is Adam Taurus. He escaped from the Schnee Quarry. You need to hear what he has to say."

"My parents were given a job by the Schnee Dust Company so they could stay in Atlas while the Relocation Act blew over. It was good work. My father was even thinking about sending me to school."

The boy spoke softly. "Then Nicholas Schnee stepped down, and Jacques took over. It started slow, decreases in wages, lower safety standards, higher union fees. Then one day, Schnee says our visas nearly bankrupted him, so we were indebted to him. My parents were working eighty-hour shifts and barely eating to pay off the debts. Then my father died in an explosion, so I had to work in the mines to help my mother. She- She began doing 'favors' for the union leaders in Schnee's pockets to try and get me out, but she got sick and died. They gave me double shifts, and when I fought, they did this to me."

He stripped away his bandage to reveal the snowflake branded onto his face.

"I heard you were visiting on business, so I escaped and found Miss Kahn."

Ghira looked on in horror while an ashen-faced Blake brought the boy some soup. He and Sienna nodded to each other and headed to the next room while Blake gently took the boys' free hand in an attempt at comfort.

"Schnee's are our friends, are they?"

Sienna continued to glare at Ghira. "Our people were made into slaves, and you thought we could resolve that peacefully! You thought we could knock on Jacques' door and ask politely for answers."

"The Schnee Dust Company is one organization." Ghira reasserted, "There was no need to go to war. There was no need for violence."

"You're the only one who thought so."

Blake stood next to her mother and father, holding a sign that read "Answers Now!" She and hundreds more faunus stood in front of the main offices of the Schnee Dust Company, which was guarded by a line of AK-130's. She glanced over at her mother's vacant belt.

"Where are you're swords, mom?"

"We're not here for a fight Blake." Kali responded readily, "This is a protest, not a riot."

Blake nodded, then noticed a human man pushing his way to the front of the line. Her smile of encouragement faded when the sneering man drew a handgun from his jacket and fired it at one of the AK's. Shouts of shock and fear rang out as the Mech's registered the perceived attack.

SITUATION HAS TURNED HOSTILE: TAKING SUPPRESSIVE MEASURES.

More screams rang out, and the crowd scattered as bullets began to fly. Ghira's aura activated, and he shielded his wife and daughter from the sprays, ushering them into the nearest alleyway. Suddenly, a steel bat cracked into Ghira's head.

"DADDY!" Blake cried out as a rough hand tore her away from her father while he and her mother were beaten by a pair of masked men with bats. Ghira tried to shield his wife as best he could while reaching out for his daughter, and his aura quickly faded.

"Where's the boy?" One of the men demanded once Ghira began bleeding from his head.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Ghira lied. "Please, we don't want to fight, we just want to know-"

Another swing of the bat silenced him, and Kali cried as more blood fell.

"You animals don't need to know anything except your place. Now, where is the boy?"

"I don't know about any boy." Ghira slurred through the dizziness.

The leader of the men shook his head and gestured behind himself to the man who held Blake. "You know my friend over there is a bit of a freak. He's got a nasty bestiality kink."

Blake began whimpering as a hand began roaming her body. "Daddy, help me!"

Sienna continued to scowl at Ghira. "You were so determined to be the pacifist and keep things peaceful you were willing to let your own family suffer for your pride."

Kali slammed a hand on the table and snarled at Sienna. "You're wrong. Ghira shielded me and dropped his aura on purpose. The only reason we didn't kill those men ourselves was because you and Adam beat us to it."

Ghira began to snarl, and his fangs began to extend when a blade suddenly plunged into the back of the man who held Blake.

"RRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH"

Adam drove the man to the ground and viciously plunged his blade into the man as many times as he could. The two men with bats prepared to fight back, but a chained blade swung through the alley and across their throats before they could summon their aura. Sienna strolled into the alley, regarding Ghira with a look of disgust, before gently grabbing Adam's hand as he continued to stab his corpse. He slowed his stabs, then went to check on Blake, wrapping her in his coat.

Sienna and Ghira observed each other silently, then she took Adam's hand and walked him out of the alley. Blake watched them leave, then got up and followed, taking Adam's free hand.

"Blake…" Ghira called her in despair.

She looked back at him with tears in her eyes.

"…You're a coward."

Kali continued to glare at Sienna. "You stole our daughter from us."

Ghira shook his head. "Blake chose her path, Kali. And I was a coward."

"I would have killed those men if Sienna hadn't, but I let them beat me, not considering that my injuries would prevent me from protecting you and Blake."

He looked down at his hands. "I was scared of my daughter seeing me in battle, seeing me as the monster I become when my semblance takes over."

Kali gently took his hands, and he looked back at Sienna. "And it was my cowardice that led me to leave the White Fang to you. That day I believed you were right. I believed that war was inevitable. And I was terrified of what that war would bring."

Sienna raised her brow. "And now?"

"Now I'm willing to fight. But to prevent a war, not to be a part of one."

"And you'll fight our own people to accomplish this?"

Ghira nodded. "If I have to protect my family from you, I will." His gaze softened. "But I don't think you are the one I need to keep them safe from. Have you spoken to Fennec?"

Sienna hesitated uncomfortably. "Yes. He denies Adam's involvement."

Ghira observed her discomfort and raised a brow "…But?"

"We found Ilia, and she confessed to everything. Even said you spared her life."

Ghira nodded. "Well, there you have it-"

"I have two conflicting stories-"

"One of which is from Fennec Albain-"

"Who you told me to interrogate. You said Trifa and Yuma were captured as well. Let me speak to them."

Ghira narrowed his eyes, "You're stalling Sienna. You know I didn't set fire to my own house and kill Corsac just to cause you trouble. You know what happened and who caused this."

"You're asking me to turn on my organization at a time when tensions are highest."

Ghira softened his gaze and spoke calmly. "This isn't about The White Fang, Sienna. It's about Adam. You don't want to turn on him."

Sienna glared back. "He's the closest thing I've got to a son, Ghira. And you're asking me to betray him."

"I'm asking you to do what's right. For everyone, including Adam. His actions will only lead to destruction."

"Maybe that's what we need! To tear down the old society and build a new one."

"That's nonsense, and you know it. This society accepts us more and more every day, despite you and the White Fang. We're welcomed in the academies now, where my daughter made dozens of human friends. Jacques Schnee's reputation grows worse and worse by the hour. You didn't accomplish that; we accomplished it despite you! The people Adam works for would tear that all down, and not for the White Fang, but themselves. You know what Callows has become. And if you don't act, Adam will become the same."

Sienna began to retort until a call came over Ghira's scroll. He answered in irritation.

"Ghira, it's Qrow! We need you at Haven now! I think things are about to get very bad."

Ghira observed Sienna for a moment, but she gave no sign of knowing what the call was about. "I'll be right there."

He put up the scroll and looked to his old friend, who seemed to be stewing over his words. Kali put a hand on her shoulder.

"If you want to be a mother to Adam, then sometimes you have to tell him, 'no.' Tyrian is leading him somewhere you won't be able to protect him from."

"Something is happening at Haven." Ghira looked to her gently. "Maybe the White Fang doesn't have to be the pacifist organization it was under my command. But my family and the academies are not your enemies."

Adam waited in his chamber when Tyrian burst in, furious "Somethings going wrong at Haven. You need to start your coup now!"

Adam jumped, "What are you talking about? I still have another day!"

"Not anymore, you don't! You have to deal with Sienna!"

"There's still a chance she could aid us!"

"Then where is she?"

"… She's visiting Belladonna."

Tyrian gave a chuckle that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Oh yeah, she's going to aid us."

"She could still come around."

"There's no time! We don't need her; we need the White Fang!"

Adam continued to hesitate, "You're asking me to betray someone who's been like a mother to me."

Tyrian grinned evilly and began to inch himself closer to Adam. "I thought your mother was Eve. Eve Taurus. The woman who gave her mind, body, and life to keep you alive. The woman who died so you could live. So you could avenge her."

Adam backed away, angrily "Stop."

"She let herself be used and abused so that her darling son could escape and bring her killers to justice. How would she feel if she could see you now?"

"I said, stop it!"

"You're throwing her sacrifice away because someone else has come along who's like a mother to you."

"No…"

"Such a disappointing son."

"SHUT UP!"

A metal stinger pointed itself at his throat before he could draw his blade.

"Prove. Me. Wrong."