Chapter Four: Battle Not with Monsters…
A soft knocking on her bedroom door wakes Weiss from her tear-filled slumber. Hours have passed since the argument in the dining room and the deafening silence that followed it while they ate. Weiss returned to her bedroom immediately afterwards, not wishing to face any of her family while she felt so vulnerable, with her inner emotions running wild and a mask of indifference to hide them overtaking her features.
She couldn't hide the way her hands shook as she held her silverware, however. She wasn't sure if her father didn't notice, or more probably; didn't care. It was always hard to tell, and even harder to decide which she'd prefer.
In some ways she knew she still loved him, after all. Despite all the manipulation and cold shoulders, he was still her father and that would never change; though sometimes she wished it would.
"Weiss, it's me," a soft voice speaks from behind the door, after a second round of quiet knocks.
It was a voice she recognized, and one she cherished dearly. Winter. Quickly, she rushes out of her king-sized bed and walks to the door, careful not to make too much noise with her footsteps and appear desperate. As she reaches the door, she takes a second to fix her hair, making absolutely sure she looks presentable, before finally opening it.
"Winter! What are you doing here?" Weiss asks, unaware that the dried tears are still visible on her cheeks.
"Weiss…" Winter begins to speak before cutting off.
As if a replacement for the words she can't find, she wraps her arms around her little sister, an act of comfort not found often in the Schnee household. Weiss stands still in a moment of silent shock, before slowly falling further into the hug, her arms tugging on the front of her sister's nightwear.
Tears she thought had run dry slowly drip down her cheeks.
"Winter…" her voice cracks.
"I know, Weiss, I'm sorry."
A comforting hand brushes through Weiss's hair.
"I'm so sorry."
A melancholy moonlight fills the room through the glass of her bedroom window.
No further words are spoken as the two make their way to Weiss's bed, the younger of the sister's eyelids beginning to droop as her emotional exhaustion slowly overwhelms her. With the gentlest of care, Winter places Weiss on the comfortable mattress. Then with the slightest bit of hesitation, crawls into bed beside her, unwilling to separate from her sister's arms.
"Please don't go…" Weiss whispers as she falls asleep.
Winter only responds with a gentle kiss to her forehead, it's as much as she can offer.
She has had already made her choice, after all.
Even if it pains her.
I'll come back for you someday, Weiss. I promise you.
The words won't form. She knows if she tries, her walls will crumble, and she'll break.
She needs to be strong, for her, and for her sister. But the promise is made within her heart.
It's enough for now, it has to be.
This is the first night the two have ever shared, and for now it would be the last. Years ago, Weiss had admitted to Winter her wish for bunkbeds, of being able to share a room with her sister, whom she loved more than anyone.
Winter knows her father would never have agreed to something so uncouth, but she wishes she had fought for it, regardless of the consequences of disobedience.
She deeply wishes she had fought harder to make her sister happy.
After all, in this cold house of unfamiliar family, they only really had each other. Now, she knew, Weiss would be alone. The thought makes her heart ache painfully within her chest.
She only hoped the time apart would not harden either of them further, that someday they could share moments of comfort like this again, her hand combing through her sister's beautiful white hair, with moonlight reflecting off of it like fresh snow.
Hope. It would be something Winter would carry with her, always.
For Weiss.
"I will always love you, Weiss," the words are spoken softly, and Weiss is fast asleep, unable to hear them.
Winter wouldn't have been able to say them otherwise, unable to truly open up, even to her sister. Another gift from their father. Another regret.
Another hope that someday she would thaw.
Someday, but not tonight.
The next morning, Weiss would wake up alone, her big sister departing early into the morning, before the sun had even fully risen.
A White Fang flag blows gallantly in the wind, attached to the back of a large transport truck; its bedding filled with wooden crates of varying sizes, each of them full of medical supplies, food, water, and ammunition. A line of similar vehicles with matching flags and the same manner of supplies follows closely behind.
The convoy has one mission; deliver these essentials to the Kōmori village in the outskirts of Mistral. The village had recently been devastated by an influx of Grimm attacks, not something uncommon for places of this size, but tragic, nonetheless. Especially so considering the circumstances of this particular village; it was one of few villages on the frontier home to a majority population of faunus. Kōmori was a safe haven in the area, for all faunus refugees and human sympathizers that had been driven from their homes elsewhere; or at least it was.
Now it rests on the brink of collapse. In most situations when a village gets battered as badly as this, when supplies run low, and the number of capable defenders falls even lower, neighboring villages will offer what they can spare to help out.
Kōmori, however, was not a normal situation. It was a faunus village and the grim realization of what that meant during this siege was not lost on Adam.
It would not be receiving that assistance, not from the human villages that surrounded it.
Kōmori would fall if left unattended, perhaps even that was the point of their inaction.
Adam refused to let that happen, it was why he had convinced Ghira to rally this convoy together; or rather why he had convinced Sienna. Ghira himself had been somewhat against the idea, he had faith that Kōmori's neighbors would pull through, he still believed that humans and faunus would naturally work together when faced with the crushing threat of the Grimm.
It was a noble belief, but a foolish one. They could not rely on the help of humans, doing so would only get innocent faunus killed, which is why he voiced his concerns to Sienna, the two had found a mutual understanding in the weeks that have passed since their discussion.
They both understood the true nature of mankind, how selfish and hateful it could be to those who are different from them.
They both believed the White Fang would have to take more drastic measures to achieve the peace Ghira had rallied for. If only Ghira himself could share those beliefs. He truly was an idealist to a fault; Adam had come to realize.
Sienna had told him that day; if Ghira would not do what is necessary, then perhaps it was time for new leadership; a new voice to lead the White Fang. Traitorous thoughts, and ones that Adam wasn't entirely sold on yet. He still wanted to have faith in the man who had saved him all those years ago, perhaps with time he could convince him.
Regardless, this wasn't a situation that could be solved with time. Kōmori needed to be saved; now.
While Ghira had hesitated to send an armed convoy, something unprecedented in the organization, to send assistance, Adam had taken matters to his own hands. With the help of Sienna, they had gathered what supplies they could along with a few dozen volunteers and made ready to deploy.
Ghira had discovered them just as they began to load up the trucks onto Menagerie transport boats. It was a tense argument; one Adam would normally be ashamed of if not for the important urgency of this mission. When it became clear that they wouldn't back down, Ghira had little choice but to join them, regardless of his feelings on the matter. He still believed the risk unnecessary, that support would arrive for the village from much closer sources, but he wouldn't allow them to travel into Grimm infested territory alone. Not without him to help protect them. The thought gifted a small smile to Adam.
He almost wished he could bring Blake, but he knew she wasn't ready to face the Grimm. She still hadn't moved to the next stage of Ghira's training like he had, and her weapon was only partially constructed; the complex nature of it causing some delay.
No, it would be far too dangerous, and he wasn't willing to risk her safety.
Still the thought of her was enough to ease his mind for a moment as the convoy continued to its destination. At this pace they would arrive by nightfall, not the ideal time to show up announced, but this mission hadn't had the most well-thought-out planning; its urgency preceding them to act as soon as possible.
They hadn't encountered much Grimm as of yet, though that was more than likely to change in the coming hours, as the convoy drew closer and closer to the designated infestation area. Adam only hoped Kōmori would survive that long.
As the hours rolled by and the sun grew low, however, the situation only grew more tense. Something was terribly wrong.
According to their maps, they were supposed to be knee-deep in Grimm territory by now.
Yet they hadn't encountered more than a handful of Beowolves. No more than what would normally be expected in the frontier, and not nearly enough to line up with the reports they had received.
His first instinct was to believe they had all converged into the village itself, a death sentence for the villagers to be sure.
But something seemed wrong with that explanation, wouldn't there still be stragglers?
The growing pit in his stomach seemed to think so.
As the convoy draws closer to their destination that pit only grows larger, the sight of smoke billowing into the sky in dark forbidding fumes visible even through the thick tree line.
Grimm didn't start fires.
Adam's hands tighten into shaking fists. Sienna's authoritative voice broadcasting through his scroll only confirms his fears; they need to prepare for the worst. The faunus in the driver's seat to his left begins to panic.
"Adam, w-what do we do? Is it the Grimm?"
A cold sweat drips down to Adam's brow.
"Stay calm, whatever is going on we can handle it."
He's afraid, they both are, but this wouldn't be the first time Adam has jumped headfirst into a dangerous situation. He steels his nerves and takes a deep breath to follow his own advice.
He only hopes this time he'd make it out without losing an eye, he only had the one left after all.
"I'll protect you; I promise," Adam swears to the shaking faunus beside him.
The act of kindness brings a small smile to the man's face and his thumping heart begins to calm itself. He trusts Adam completely, most of his comrades do. They knew the boy had a heart of gold, and the inherent skill to back it up, even at his young age.
The remaining drive continues in tense silence, until they finally reach the village's front gate; or rather, what's left of it.
It has been blown open, large pieces of scattered wood litter the ground where it once stood.
The truck he's riding in halts to a stop, they all do.
Are we too late? Adam wonders, fearfully.
He needed to find out, the thought of failing the villagers being too much to bear. So, with a quick parting glance to his driver, he exits the vehicle and makes his way to the village on foot; his sword fastened tightly to the sheathe on his hip, the hilt held tightly within his palm.
The weight of his footsteps feels heavy, a sensation only slightly lessened when he sees his two superiors exit their vehicles to join him, apparently making the same decision as he.
It doesn't take them long to assess the situation. Night had fully fallen upon the Kōmori village, and the shattered moon above luminates the scene in its haunting glow.
Homes and shops burned to the ground, glowing embers still radiating from their ashes.
Grim realization sets itself in the trio's hearts; they were too late, and the Grimm hadn't done this.
"Well, well, it looks like we missed a few of them boys," a deeply guttural voice mocks from a short distance.
A tall man dressed in a fine leather coat and slicked back brown hair makes his approach, flanked by two obvious flunkies. His mouth is set into a sinisterly smug grin beneath a grim white mask sat above his nose, oozing with confidence and sadism in equal measure, a dangerous combination. The weapon on his hip, however, is cause for even more concern, a vibrant red chokutō sword, most likely forged with red dust infused metal.
Adam knew this would the man to watch out in event of a fight. Ghira's presence beside him had never felt so comforting.
As Adam was studying the man's appearance, the man himself must have been doing the same to the faunus trio, his eyes sharpen as he absorbs the information.
"Wait… you lot aren't from this shithole, are you?"
"What did you do?" Sienna responds, her voice a guttural growl.
The man laughs. "What does it look like, sweetheart? We saved the town, gallantly marched up here as soon as we heard about their little Grimm problem. I'm guessing you didn't run into many on your way up here, aye?"
The group's silence is all the confirmation he needs. "Well you have us to thank for that, my boys are very effective at what they do, you see. Seems to me we even did your jobs for you, how nice of us."
The two men beside him laugh, their voices sounding out in an irritating crackle.
"Does this look like a saved town to you?"
"Not much of a thank you, but yes, there did arise some complications, as you can imagine. Grimm extermination is messy business, after all."
Sienna removes the serrated whip from her hip. "I won't ask a second time. What. Did. You. Do."
Adam's hand shakes as he grips the hilt of his sword, it does not go unnoticed. The man's grin stretches even further.
"Best keep an eye on that one, seems he's not quite cut out for this."
Ghira growls in response, clearly defensive for the boy he looks after.
"Easy there, big man, you're becoming a stereotype," the man jokes with a small laugh.
"Enough!" Sienna roars out, the whip in her hands snapping out with a loud crack.
"Ah, ah, ah, now let's not do anything stupid, wouldn't want something to happen to your little helpers by the gate, now would we? I have my boys surrounding their vehicles as we speak." the man threatens without ever bringing a hand to the hilt of his blade; he knows in this situation he does not need to.
Adam's eye widens in mute shock.
I'll protect you; I promise.
The words he spoke to the faunus echo in his head.
"Stay away from them," the warning exits his mouth before he realizes he's speaking.
"Oh? So the little bull does have some bite in him, I see. Cute, kid, though maybe you should workshop your lines a little more. 'Stay away from them' is just so typical," the man mocks with a poor imitation of Adam's voice.
The sword is halfway out his scabbard before Ghira's hand stops the motion.
"What are your demands?"
Sienna gapes at Ghira disbelievingly. "Wha- "
"Finally some sense among you people! Ah, if only the villagers had been this courteous. Now drop your weapons, nice and slow, then we can talk business. Hell, I'll even invite all your friends."
A stern look from Ghira and a moment of hesitation is all Adam needs before he follows the instruction, even if he disagrees with the action completely. He'll put his faith in Ghira, faith that he'll have some trick up his sleeve.
Sienna clearly doesn't feel the same way, her grip on her weapon not loosening in the slightest.
"Sienna, please," Ghira pleads quietly.
She grits her teeth, then complies.
The tall man holds his haunting grin, all the while.
A few minutes later…
Adam kneeled side-by-side with his comrades, tight knots of rope wrapped painfully around their wrists. Surrounding them on all sides are the ruins of incinerated buildings and a few armed bandits meant to guard them, all shrouded in the darkness of night, with only soft embers and a pale moon to light the area. The scene was like something out of a nightmare for Adam; his faunus brothers and sisters chained, bruises visible on those who dared struggle against their captors.
He should never have agreed to this surrender. As soon as their weapons had been taken any act of cordiality had been stripped away as well, and although the sword he had carried was nothing more than a simple straight sword, he missed the feeling of safety it had brought him. The feeling that he could fight back if push came to shove. Now, he felt completely powerless, and there was no feeling more painful to him. It reminded him too much of that day.
Beside him, Sienna seethes, rubbing her wrists red against the rope in a futile attempt to escape its bindings.
Ghira, meanwhile, offers no such struggle, he's been eerily quiet since they were taken captive.
Sienna looks at him disdainfully. "Giving up already?"
Ghira sighs. "What do you want from me, Sienna? His men had our people surrounded; I wasn't going to risk their lives for a fight."
"Yes, because clearly our people are better off in chains. They had weapons; at your order they would have fought. We could have done something, anything."
Ghira remains silent at the rebuttal. Sienna clicks her teeth.
"Typical, shying away at the first sign of danger, and now look where your cowardice has gotten us. I warned you what your passivity would lead to, and I was right."
"Don't compare this to that- "
Suddenly, as if purposely to interrupt the argument, a large truck shoots through the debris and into view, its engine roaring loudly over the quiet night. The tall man watching over his captives cheers gleefully.
"Well, there's our ride everyone, hope you all enjoyed your stay in Kōmori, I know I did."
"Where are you taking us?" Sienna yells out.
"Oh! Yes, I just remembered, you asked me a question previously, didn't you? You wanted to know what happened to the villagers."
The tall man whistles as the vehicle reverse parks itself beside him.
The door opens, inside are all manner of faunus, clearly bruised and beaten into submission, and covered in the soot and ash from their own destroyed homes. Their eyes look hollow, and their wrists are tied in the same crude manner as Adam's group.
"Does this answer your question?"
Adam's eyes widen in shock, a fire ignites in the center of his chest as his breathing quickens, and his aura flares a dark foreboding red.
The tall man whistles in appreciation. "Well, isn't that a pretty light show? You've got an impressive amount of aura, kid, maybe you're good for something after all," he struts forward to get closer to him. "Trust me though, you're gonna want to save some of that energy for what comes next."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"You see, after we heroically saved this town from the Grimm, a very arduous task, mind you, all we asked for was a little compensation for our efforts. After all, if you're good at something; never do it for free. Well, unfortunately for these animals, they simply weren't able to pay the check, so we had to improvise," the man laughs, there is no warmth to it. "Lucky for us, the SDC offers an alternative. They'll pay good money for any able-bodied faunus ready for manual labor. Their dust mines need workers, and we need our payment. A real win-win scenario for all of us."
"Slavery. You're talking about slavery, damn you!"
"Slavery is such an ugly word, think of it more like an unpaid internship in a very successful industry, really you all should be thanking me for the opportunity."
"Wait." Ghira calls out, breaking his tense silence. "We're with the White Fang, we can pay you whatever you like, it doesn't have to come to this."
The tall man goes quiet, uncharacteristically so. His eyes bore holes in Ghira's skull from beneath the haunting white mask that rests above his nose.
"The White Fang," he mutters.
"That's right, we're an organization dedicated to- "
"I know who you are, old man," the tall man interrupts with a snarl, his jovial façade completely broken in light of the revelation. "I know exactly who the White Fang are, and I know who you are, Ghira Belladonna. I can't believe I didn't recognize you sooner."
"You do? Our transport vehicles bore our flag…"
"Is that right?" the man sends a glare to the bandits standing beside him.
The one closest to his wrath gulps. "Sorry boss, we didn't think- "
"No, you didn't," he agrees. The bandit goes quiet in response.
Ghira looks upon the exchange, apprehensive, yet curious. "… who are you?"
The man again goes silent for a moment, as if debating with himself, before steeling his features.
He removes the white mask and reveals glowing yellow eyes, narrow slits in place of round pupils sat submerged within the golden orbs, and small, jagged green scales litter the area of his face around them that was once hidden.
Faunus eyes, Adam realized, almost unwilling to believe it.
"… someone you failed to save, White Fang," the man voices stoically, as if reciting a mantra, his voice dripping with resentful malice.
The shattered moon sat above them glows ominously, surrounded by a sea of stars.
A/N: Finally this chapter is done! Writing dialogue is a pain and this chapter has a lot of it, definitely my weakest point as an amateur writer. I'll try to improve on it as the story progresses, especially since the next chapter will pick up right where this one left off. No Bruce this chapter, unfortunately, but trust me we're getting to him soon.
The greatest strength of a Batman story is his connection to his villains, and I want to respect that tradition by giving a lot of attention to Adam and his own backstory. See, one of the things I really wanted to highlight when I started writing this was the duality between Bruce and Adam's thirst for vengeance; and how they differ in their methods of obtaining it. We'll see more of that later on, wink wink.
Hyper-Nexus - Yeah, actually I did get the idea from RWBY x Justice League. I got pretty excited for it when I heard the news since I'm a fan of both series, but so far, it's been kinda meh. I figured I'd give my own take on the faunus Batman idea.
Also for anyone wondering, yes that is a good visual of what his ears look like in this story, check it out if you'd like. His eventual costume will not be that one, however, not Batman-y enough in my opinion.
Cheers.