This chapter ended up being a lot longer than I originally anticipated.
TW for grooming, rape, and pedophilia.
She trudged through the work stalls, snow falling around her. People didn't even give her a second glance as they walked by her. Tall, muscular men were talking to the various stall owners in Old Atlesian, it was all the people out here in the Frontier Towns could speak.
She got in line for one the stalls, faintly seeing the mark of the SDC over it, the man running it wearing a white and silver parka, blending into the snow around them. She rubbed her gloved hands together, the cold stinging as she stood waiting. The men in front of her shuffled forward, their hands tucked under their pits. After several moments she reached the front of the line.
The SDC representative was smoking a cigarette, smoke drifting into the gray skies. He cocked an eyebrow at her, his eyes going to the red horns sticking from her long black hair.
"You're a little young," he said, his North Atlesian accent thick.
"I need money," she replied. He laughed, taking a drag from his cigarette.
"Don't we all. Tell me why we should hire you for this job. The mine is far to the north, up near Lake Gibel', we've lost a good amount of our soldiers protecting the miners there from the Leshy and Likho's that keep attacking." He looked her over, taking another drag. "You, you are what, fifteen, sixteen? You're a tiny thing, I doubt you would be able to even haul a bag of Dust crystals to one of the trucks." He said.
"I need the money." She said. "I am stronger than I look, I've worked in the mines near the Sverd Mountains, on the Plains of Eis, the-."
He waved a hand, "All right, all right, kid I get it, you know how to work." He finished off his cigarette, flicking the butt away. He held out his hand, offering a smile. "The name is Belyi Sokolov. I'll be your boss for this outing."
She grabbed his hand, shaking it. "Eve Taurus." She said. He cocked an eyebrow at that.
"Taurus? What's a kid from Argus doing up here?"
"It's personal," she replied. He shrugged and pulled his hand free. He grabbed a box of cigarettes from his coat pocket, lighting a new one, and taking a drag.
"Hope you know we won't go easy on you, we're gonna expect you to meet the same quota as the others, even if you are a kid." He motioned toward her horns with his cigarette. "And you won't be earning as much as the humans. And if you get killed by a Grimm, we won't be paying for a funeral, mass graves are lot cheaper."
"I've worked for the SDC before," she said.
He shrugged. "Just gotta let you know, company policy and all that. We leave in the morning, be here." He waved her away, and she left, hearing him talk to whoever had been behind her.
Eve weaved her way through the small town, shivering as the harsh icy wind gusted past, her hair whipping behind her. She wrapped her arms around herself, trudging through the snow toward the shack she called a home. She pushed the door open, hurrying inside and shutting it.
Dozens of children were huddled around a stove, the Red Dust within glowing dully. Thick blankets and sleeping bags were scattered around, empty cans littered throughout. A short boy with red hair and black horns looked away from the stove, his face lighting up when he saw her. She smiled back, slipping off her boots and walking over to the stove.
"Were you able to find a job?" Adam asked. She nodded, taking off her gloves, shoving her numb fingers close to the Dust, what little heat they gave off a welcome relief.
"I'll be gone for a while, it's with the SDC." He made a face at the name, and she sighed. "Not a lot of mining companies are out this far, even fewer that can keep us safe from the Grimm."
"They're why mom and dad are dead. Why we're even here." He said, frowning. She shrugged.
"I can't change what happened to them. But I can try and earn enough to get us back to Mistral."
"Eve." She looked aside at one of the other kids. Raduga was their name, and they had a large, wolf life tail. They handed her a can of something. "Made sure to leave some for you," they said. She nodded appreciatively, taking a sip from the can.
The soup was lukewarm, almost entirely broth, barely any vegetable or noodle. She gulped it down, exhaling contently after the last bits were swallowed. She felt a tugging on her sleeve and looked over; Adam had a scrap of paper in his hand. He held it out to her, and she took it, smiling as she looked at the crudely drawn flower on it.
"You still like belladonnas, right? I looked up a picture of them on Raduga's scroll and tried to draw it for you." He said.
She smiled, folding up the drawing and pocketing it, she wrapped an arm around Adam, resting her head on top of his. "I do, thank you for drawing that for me."
Eve kept her hands in her lap, squished between two burly men in the back of the mining truck. The winds howled around them, the tires crunching through the snow as it sped through the tundra. There were no windows, the only light the dull Yellow Dust crystal embedded in the ceiling. It was uncomfortably warm, made worse by how tightly packed together they were.
After what felt like forever the truck slowed to a halt. The backdoor swung open, a figure outlined in the darkness. "Alright, break times over, time to get to work." Belyi shouted. Eve got to her feet, shuffling out of the truck alongside the others. The snow crunched against her boots, the icy air stinging her face, burning her throat as she breathed.
Polar lights danced across the dark skies, illuminating the mining facility with greens and blues. Mining trucks buzzed throughout, dropping people off, collecting carts of Dust. Smoke drifted from a long building, lights shining through its small windows. SDC soldiers, decked out in their white and silver combat parkas and blue goggles, patrolled the camp, assault rifles slung over their shoulders. Some were huddled around campfires, others standing up on watch towers, scanning the horizon with binoculars.
"New hires, follow me!" Belyi shouted, leaving the truck, and heading toward the mine.
It was more like a hole in the ground, a spiraling walkway leading down into a pitch-black abyss. A large, iced over lake lay nearby, reflecting the colors of the polar lights. Belyi stood in front of the abyss, a box next to him. He pulled out a gas mask from it, holding it up for all of them to see. "While you work, you will wear this. You will not take it off no matter what. I do not care if you have a hard time breathing with it on, because if one of you chucklefucks so much as sneezes down there with all that Dust in the air." He motioned with his hands, making an explosion noise.
"It also has a headlamp, and it is the only light you will be seeing for your stay here. We will be telling you when you can eat, and if you do not get up to the mess hall in time then that is on you. And for those of you wondering, yes, we will be feeding you. Dead people make for bad employees." He said with a laugh.
She grabbed her mask from Belyi as she passed him, flicking on the light as she descended into the darkness of the mine. Axes and drills waited for her at the bottom, various miners working quietly, the sound of their equipment the only noise. She side eyed the SDC soldier standing near the equipment, grabbing a drill, and heading further in.
Crystals of every color danced in the light of their lamps; the air thick with the smell of Dust powder, nearly making her gag even through her gas mask. She found a large cluster of crystals, and set to work, the drill shaking her body as she broke the raw crystals apart. She kept her head forward, looking from the corners of her eyes to see if anyone was watching. She kept the drill going, pocketing a few of the spare crystal shard that broke off.
Pay me less, huh. I'll earn that difference with these.
Every part of her ached, her hands trembling as she lifted the spoonful of shchi to her lips. The heat of the mess hall was welcoming after the freezing mine and tundra. She broke her bread in half, dunking it into the broth, unable to stop herself from moaning at the taste.
"You must be starved if you think this gruel's any good," the large bear Faunus beside her chided. She laughed sheepishly.
"I haven't been eating regularly back home, mostly some spare broth. This," she pulled out her spoon, a good portion of pork swimming there. "Is actual food." He shrugged, taking a drink from the large mug in front of his bowl.
"Schnees are dirt bags but least they feed us while we're out here. Did a gig with the Winchesters and the Marigolds, those fuckers don't even provide you with a lamp while you're down there." He took a bite from his bread, chewing before dunking the rest of the loaf into the broth. "They keep our bunks in a heated room too at least. Marigolds did as well, but that Winchester bastard? Made us sleep out in the tundra. Didn't care if anyone froze to death or got mauled by a Grimm."
"Winchester's pay better though," Eve looked over, at the dog Faunus sitting across from them. She pointed at them with her spoon. "Winchester's are tough bastards, but they at least pay us the same as the humans." The bear shrugged in response.
"Can't use that money if you're dead or left too frostbitten to do anything when you get home." He said.
Eve tuned the two miners out, focusing on her soup as they debated. Thick, warm broth, swimming with mushroom, pork, and cabbage. She savored each bite, every spoonful the best thing she had eaten in weeks. She lifted the bowl up, draining the broth before setting the bowl down, grabbing her bread and using it like a sponge, getting the very last bits of broth left.
The door to the mess hall swung open and she looked over. Belyi stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable as he scanned the room. His gaze fell on her, and he motioned with his head, saying "Taurus."
She left her tray, keeping her head down as she went to the door. Belyi left, not saying anything, trudging through the snow. She followed after him, the wind howling, her jacket and hair whipping around her. He led her out of the camp, toward the mine and Lake Gibel'. He reached the shores and came to a stop, turning toward her.
"I needed to speak with you privately, far away from the others."
"About what?" she asked. He pulled a cigarette from his pocket, and struggled to light it, his lighters flame dying almost instantly in the cold. After a few moments he got it lit and took a drag.
"The SDC, we're really good at technology, you know? Explosive Dust rounds, mechs and robots for the military, high caliber sniper rifles that calculate for wind and gravity and still remain accurate for several kilometers. But do you know which one I find most helpful in this line of work?" He paused, seeming to be waiting. Her stomach started to knot, her fingers and toes feeling numb as the snow blew past. She shook her head. He exhaled, and tapped the side of his head, near his eyes. "The goggles they give our private soldiers. Night vision, thermal vision," he took another drag, his eyes going to her coat pockets. "X-ray vision."
She opened her mouth and he held up a hand.
"Don't try and say you didn't steal those crystals; the guard saw it on your person when you were leaving." He said, his voice colder than the air.
"I need the money, I- I have a brother, I need to get him back home to Mistral. Please, I'll give them back, and I'll work for however long it takes to earn the amount back." She pleaded. He took another drag, shaking his head.
"No, you won't. I'll be paying your brother a visit, and I'll make sure he always remembers what happens when you cross the SDC. He will be the one to pay us back for the amount you stole from us." He said. Her lip trembled, feeling tears welling. Her numbed fingers went to her pocket, clasping the belladonna Adam had drawn for her.
"You're going to kill me?"
Belyi laughed. "Me? No." he flicked the butt of his finished cigarette away. "That's the snipers job."
Adam jerked up from his blanket, snow flurrying in from the wide-open door. A man stood in the doorway, his face obscured by a goggled helmet, his eyes glowing blue. Adam frowned; he had an SDC patch sewn onto his white combat parka.
The man entered, keeping his rifle pointed down as several other SDC soldiers piled into the room. The other kids started to wake up, cowering against the wall, clinging tightly to their blankets. A new man entered, lacking any of the combat gear of the soldiers.
He looked around the room, and smiled at them, clasping his hands together. "Hello, children! My name is Belyi, and I'm here looking for an Adam Taurus." He said.
The children glanced at each other, Adam kept his eyes on Belyi, scowling at him. Belyi's smile fell, an annoyed look replacing it. "Mayhaps you did not hear me." He motioned toward the soldiers.
The soldiers fired into the ground, Adam's ears ringing as they fired, the other children screamed. Belyi held up a hand, the soldiers halting.
"Now then! Where is Adam Taurus?" he yelled.
Raduga glanced over at him, swallowing before raising a hand and pointing at him. Belyi looked over at him, smirking. He strode over, the soldiers following him. Adam stood up, glowering at the much taller man.
"You're Eve's brother, correct?" he asked. Adam said nothing. Belyi sighed and motioned with his head. The soldiers grabbed Adam, yanking his arms back and shoving him to the cold ground. Belyi crouched down, and grabbed him by his horns, lifting his head up. Adam's lip quivered as he glared up at him. "Eve. Brother. Yes or no?"
Adam yanked his horns free from Belyi's grasp and nodded.
"See? Not so hard." Belyi motioned toward one of the soldiers, taking a long piece of iron and a red Dust crystal from them. Adam thrashed, grunting as the soldiers held him in place. 'SDC' was at the end of the branding iron. Belyi placed it against the Dust, the metal beginning to glow. "Your sister stole from us, Mr. Adam. The punishment for that is death under Atlas law, and I've already seen to dealing with her. But that means we still need someone to fill our quota and cover the price of what she tried to steal." Belyi pulled the iron back, inspecting it before setting it back against the Dust. "The work is going to be grueling, kids your age usually die from the strain. If not that then a geist, leshy, likho, or schwarzmönch will find you in that mine."
"If you survive all of that then great! You have done better than most. But this," he pulled the iron free, turning toward Adam. "Will be a mark. To let every mining company know you are from a family of thieves and are to not be trusted. The SDC will still take care of you, but we will give you the worst jobs befitting scum like yourself and will keep you under constant supervision." He crouched down, grabbing Adam's horns, looking into his eyes. He offered a sad smile. "Remember that this isn't personal, child. This is just how the world works."
Robyn exhaled, her breath coming out in a silver puff. Snow drifted past, coating the streets and people of Mantle. The buildings towered around her, cold, gray, and brutalist in nature. The metal gates and streetlamps nearby were rusted, almost entirely brown. She had handed out every single flier, but nobody had seemed interested. She glanced aside, offering a smile as Joanna approached; all of her fliers were gone as well.
"Any luck?" she asked. Joanna shook her head and leaned against the side of the building they stood in front of. Robyn sighed. "We have to keep trying. The people here need the White Fang. Who else is going to fight for them?"
Joanna shrugged, looking at the people passing them. Robyn leaned against the building, her tail resting against one of her legs. Cars drove by, and the crowd walked past her, ignoring her and Joanna. Most were Faunus, a few humans mingled in. A dull red haze glowed throughout the city, the stars and auroras blocked out by the haze and the Alsius Mountains.
"Hey."
She looked away from the skies; a tall young man in a thick black jacket stood in front of her. He had red hair, black horns twisting from his head, and a red cloth tied around the left side of his face, obscuring his eye. He held up one of her flyers.
"I saw you hand this to someone, and they tossed it away. What's this for?"
"It's for a White Fang rally. We're protesting the unsafe working conditions that the SDC and other mining companies allow," she replied. He cocked his head.
"White Fang? I thought they mainly worked in Mistral."
"We're expanding, Ghira wants different branches across Remnant, to try and make every kingdom like Vacuo, where the Faunus are free to live like the humans."
Joanna stepped away from the wall, resting a hand on her hip. "You interested in joining?"
He smiled at them, and Robyn flinched, something about the smile unnerving her.
"I am."
Blake flipped the page, humming gently as she read. The truck bumped occasionally, Aunt Sienna had said they would be going through some rough roads, that it was safer than following the main roads or taking the trains.
"What book are you reading?" her mom asked. She turned in her seat, placing a finger on the page as she closed the book, holding out it for her to see.
Her mom's ears twitched, her eyes darting up from the cover and widening.
"Look out!"
Blake yelped, the truck swerving, her head hitting her mother's shoulder. Glass sprayed over them, he father grunting, his aura shimmering around him as he struggled to control the truck. Flames consumed the truck in front of them as it swerved, smashing into a tree. She covered her ears, screams ringing from the burning truck.
Blake screamed, their truck swerving to the side as a wall of stone shot up from the dirt. Glass and dirt sprayed over her as their truck slammed into the wall, her head smashing into the dashboard. She felt her mom grab her, yanking her out of the truck, shouting something at her dad. Blake's ears where ringing, her head swimming as her mom dragged her away from the truck.
The other vehicles in their convoy were stopped, glass and sparks spraying from them as the other White Fang members scurried out. Aunt Sienna's teeth were gnashed together as she peaked around her truck, recoiling back as gunfire sprayed past her.
Mom dragged her along, Blake had a hard time moving her legs, something warm and sticky was running down the side of her face.
She felt her mom lean her against a tire, shielding her with her body. Aunt Sienna was shouting something at them, the words hard to understand in the haze.
Somebody shot past them, sprinting between the open space between the convoy. Blake peeked around the tire, watching.
He moved between each of the humans, his red blade glowing angrily as he weaved between each attack, countering, striking, knocking each of the humans to the ground, disarming them, his aura crackling whenever a shot grazed him. He moved so quick; every strike so precise.
He was like the heroes in the books she read.
He turned suddenly, his horns and sword glowing crimson as he swung, a maroon shockwave leaping from his blade, cutting through the dirt as it shot toward a human.
The truck shook, something hitting the side of it. Crimson dripped down before the lower half of he human's body slumped to the ground, their torso falling to the side. Mom's hand covered her eyes as she pulled her away from the truck.
She could see it, even through the darkness of her shielded eyes.
Blood. So much blood.
Ghira paced his office; Sienna stood away from him, her arms crossed.
"What he did was the right thing," she said. He stopped, glaring at her.
"He took another person's life."
"He took a human life, not a person's."
"That! That is the type of mindset I am trying to end, Sienna. Hating the humans will not get us equality. We need to build bridges with them, get them to see reason and join our cause."
"So, you would just stand by? Let your fellow Faunus die to the humans? Let those thugs murder us with our hands in the air pleading for their approval?" She uncrossed her arms, stepping towards him. "You would let Blake-"
He raised his hand, pointing at her, his lip curling, "Don't you dare drag my daughter into this," he warned. Sienna stared at him, her gaze cold and unwavering.
"How much innocent blood will you allow to be spilled for what you believe to be progress?" she said. She turned, not letting him answer as she left, slamming the door behind her.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair.
The Faunus in front of Robyn looked over her shoulder, their jaw dropping. Robyn turned, looking at the large digital screen she had been tuning out while working. Her eyes widened.
Multicolored flames belched from the opening of a mine shaft, seemingly unfazed by the torrents of water being sprayed into the opening. Firefighters and SDC soldiers swarmed about, dark spots against the white tundra.
"This is Atlas News Network, reporting on an ongoing mining incident at the Fehu Mine. The cause of the explosion has yet to be identified, but emergency personnel are hard at work trying to stem the f-."
An explosion erupted out, incinerating those closest, the entrance shuddering as several boulders came crashing down.
The feed cut out, and Robyn looked away. A crowd had formed, all gawking at the screen, and she could see other groups of clustered people throughout the street.
This needs to change, today.
"Just how much is this going to cost us?" Jacques sneered into his scroll. The voice on the other line was quiet for a moment.
"That was a fresh vein, and it had a large amount of Dust, and the employees lost, we-"
"Give. Me. A. Number."
"E-eight billion."
He snapped his scroll shut, standing up from his chair. He stretched his neck, fixing his tie.
Eight.
He left his office, heading for one of their rooms. Any of them would do.
Billion.
The staff got out of his way, cowering as he stormed down the halls.
Those stupid fucking animals. Are they all so fucking incompetent? Do none of them know how to listen to company policy, on how to get those damned crystals out without blowing themselves up?
He stopped in front of Weiss' door; he always found himself here when the worst news hit. He grabbed the handle, swinging the door open.
Weiss stood in front of her mirror, holding onto a brush like a microphone. He saw the fear fill her young eyes as she looked away from the mirror and toward him. She dropped the brush, scrambling back, hitting a corner, cowering.
He shut the door behind him, taking his time walking toward her, savoring her fear, her powerlessness. "The Faunus blew themselves up while working, and it's going to cost me a lot of money. Just remember that, Weiss, this is the Faunus' fault."
He rolled up the white sleeves of his coat; he didn't feel like washing her blood out this time.
Roby stood at the front of the crowd, her voice mingling with the hundreds of other Faunus as they stood in front of the SDC headquarters, chanting.
"Safer work! Better pay! Not another Fehu!"
She could see the humans working inside, their reflections distorted by the blue glass. They didn't even give a passing glance at the crowd of Faunus at their doorstep.
Jacques pulled out his scroll, keeping his eyes on the news coverage. He dialed and held the scroll to his ear, a few seconds passing before General Grønn answered.
"I want those animals put down," he said.
"The Atlesian military is not your private hit squad, Jacques, I can't just-"
"Do I need to remind you who provides you with your ammunition?"
"You ca-"
"And tell me, General, how long your soldiers will last out in the tundra without my Dust heating your barracks and camps?"
"Ja-"
"And if you're liking your odds of surviving without my Dust, I want to ask you, who used their position in the Council to get you that promotion. And who can just as easily have the Council strip you of your rank." The General was silent. Jacques smiled, watching as the camera focused on some light-haired animal as she yelled and complained. "Now, what are you going to go do, General?" he asked.
"… put down that riot," he responded.
"That's my boy," Jacques said.
He hung up, pocketing his scroll, and leaning toward the screen, smirking.
Robyn heard the crowd grow quiet, and turned away from the SDC building, looking out over the crowd. Her blood turned to ice, her eyes growing wide at the lines of soldiers marching toward them. She looked around, gritting her teeth at the tanks rolling down the other streets.
They were trapped.
"Do not let them think that they can intimidate us!" she heard herself shout. The crowd began to murmur, pushing against each other as the soldiers drew closer, the tanks halting, a wall of steel and iron between the buildings. She saw humans running down the sidewalks, rushing past the military, scurrying into any nearby building. "Remnant's eyes are upon Atlas, they would not dare shoot us!"
The soldiers stopped at the edge of their crowd. Screams rang out from the crowd as they raised their rifles, taking aim. The crowd tried to break away from the SDC building, some surging toward the tanks, trying to find a way to squeeze between them. Robyn swallowed, her voice trembling as she stared down the soldiers.
T-they actually would do this to us
The tanks opened fire, shredding through the Faunus that had been rushing toward them. Screams intermingled with the gunfire as the soldiers started firing. The crowd surged past Robyn, screaming as they went toward the SDC's entrance, beating on the glass, screaming, and shouting to be let in. Robyn grunted, being shoved around by the crowd, gunfire and screams all that she could hear, the air thick with the scent of metal.
Robyn screamed, paining leaping up her body, blood spraying from her elbow, her aura crackling around her. She was shoved to the ground, grunting, and yelping as Faunus trampled over her, bullets flying overhead. She grasped the wound, gasping, every breath causing a shot of pain.
t-they're using aura piercing rounds-?
She turned on her side, staring down the corpses as the soldiers pressed inward, not caring about the wounded, and dying as they marched on the crowd. She tried to grab a passing soldier's leg, tugging weakly. The soldier paused; their face obscured by their visored helmet.
"Why?" she croaked out. The soldier yanked their leg free and stomped down.
Sienna kept her body pressed against the wall, her semblance blending her into the background. General Grønn sat at his desk talking on his scroll.
"Lieutenant General Ironwood, you're being reassigned to the Frontiers." She couldn't make out the response, but she saw the General smile. "I was worried you might not like your new assignment. Not a lot of people are willing to do their dues and protect our most vulnerable. I'm sure there will be plenty of children there for Penelope to play with as well." The General hung up, the smile fading as he exhaled. He turned his chair, looking out his window, light from the shattered moon seeping in.
Sienna stepped away from the wall, feeling her body return to its normal colors, her tiger like stripes glowing a bit before fading back to black. She crept toward the General slowly, pulling the syringe from her pocket.
She jabbed the needle into his neck, placing a hand over his mouth, his scream muffled.
"This is an aura blocker. You won't be able to use your semblance or protect yourself from this." The General sprang from his chair, and Sienna yanked the syringe out, blood trickling down their neck. He stumbled, placing a hand over the wound. Sienna smirked at him, unwrapping Cerberus from around her wrist. "I wanted to add a numbing agent, to make this easier. But you don't deserve such mercy."
The General charged her. She casually sidestepped his swing, finishing unfurling her whip. The tri-Dust blades rested against the hardwood floor as the General spun, throwing a hook at her. She smirked, her whip lashing out, blood spraying over her face as the General's arm went flying.
She twirled with her whip, latching onto the General's feet, shock still on his face as he tried to process what had happened to his arm. She yanked down, dragging him to the floor before yanking on her whip, pulling it free and into the air. "You tried to crush the spirit of my people." She spun the whip, the Yellow Dust blade breaking free, and stabbing into the General's shoulder, his body growing rigid as electricity coursed through him. She stepped over him, licking the blood off her lips as she stared down at him, savoring the animosity and fear in his eyes. "So now," she raised her whip, the blades glinting in the moonlight as she swung at his head. "I will crush you."
Jacques glared out the window as his chauffeur pulled up to the SDC headquarters. A large crowd surrounded the building, blue and red lights flashing against the white steel and blue glass of the building. He pulled out his scroll, dialing his secretary.
If you don't pick up, I sweat to Dust, I'll-
"Yes, Mr. Schnee?"
"What in the seven hells is happening at my building? Why are there police here?"
His secretary was quit for a moment before she finally said "Are you outside the building sir?"
"Of course I am. I expect every employee is."
"Look up, sir."
He pulled his scroll away from his ear, giving it a look before rolling down his window and looking out it.
Below the Schnee emblem, painted in red was the White Fang emblem. He felt his scroll fall from his hands as he looked at the Schnee emblem, at the head jammed onto the top spike.
Ilia stepped into the room, shrinking back slightly at all the Faunus moving throughout it. The building was a ramshackle, a large stove sat off to the side, Red Dust glowing within. A woman with light hair and tanned skin sat at a table, looking over several pieces of paper, her tail swishing behind her.
Why am I so nervous around other Faunus?
She shook her head, and walked toward the table, at where the light-haired woman sat. She looked up as Ilia drew near, offering a smile, some of the other Faunus looking at her. Ilia stopped in front of the table, playing with her hands.
"This is the White Fang, right?"
"It is."
Ilia took a breath, moving her hands to her side, trying to stand up straighter, to appear braver than she was. "I want to join. I want to help the Faunus."
The light-haired woman smiled at her.
Ghira sat at his desk, his head buried in his hands.
What am I going to do?
He lifted his head up, running a hand through his mane of hair.
What would Kali do if I turned Sienna over.
The bloody sigil and the General's head on the SDC spike flashed through his mind, and he exhaled.
This is not the path my mother would have wanted our organization going.
He turned as a knock sounded at his office door. "It's open," he called out. A guard entered, standing by the door. He cocked his head. "What is it, guardsman?"
"We've received word from Menagarie." The guard paused, not meeting Ghira's eye. "It's about the Chieftain. Your mother… she's…"
Gods, please, why do you test me?
Blake sat outside in her funeral kimono, resting her arms on her knees. She sniffled, sitting beneath the window where mom, dad, and aunt Sienna were talking. She couldn't make out their conversation, no matter how much she strained her ears. She wiped at her eyes, feeling the tears spread over her hand.
Why did dad not say anything during grandma's funeral? Why wouldn't he look at the pyre as it burned? Why did he just glare at aunt Sienna the entire time?
"You okay?"
She looked up at the voice. A tall man with red hair and black horns stood in front of her, a cloth tied over one of his eyes.
It was the hero who had saved her back at that convoy.
She glanced up; hearing dad raise his voice. Blake shook her head. Her Hero crouched down, becoming eye level with her.
"You're Blake, right?" he asked. She nodded. "My name's Adam."
"Hi, Adam." She said.
"Why are you sitting out here by yourself? Shouldn't you be with your family?"
"They said they wanted to talk with my aunt. Alone. Grown up stuff."
Adam frowned. "They shouldn't just leave you out here. Something bad could happen to you." He said. Blake shrugged, wincing as pain crept through her arm. Adam cocked an eyebrow. "Are you hurt?"
Blake nodded. She pulled up the sleeve of her kimono, showing the bite marks on her arm. Adam's lips parted, and he reached out a hand. He looked at her, and she nodded. He gingerly ran a finger over the marks, disgust filling his blue eye. "They had dogs at the last protest. Mom had a hard time getting it off me."
Adam pulled his hand back. "If I was there, I would have protected you."
"Like how you protected all of us when the humans attacked our trucks?"
He smiled. "Yeah. Exactly like that time." He reached for her kimono sleeve, tugging it back down, hiding the marks. "You look a lot like someone I used to know." He said quietly.
Blake cocked her head. "Who was it?"
Adam shook his head. "Someone I used to really care about. The humans killed her, a long, long time ago."
Blake rested her head on her knees, a dull ache coming from her arm. "My dad's been really upset with my aunt, about her killing some important human. I feel bad thinking that… she did a good thing? When I go to sleep, I get nightmares. Nightmares of you not saving me at that truck, of the humans killing me like they did in Atlas." She glanced at Adam; her voice somewhat muffled by her knees. "Why do the humans hate me?"
"Because the humans are evil. And they're afraid of us. Of how we are better than them." Adam said. He scowled. "Your aunt is doing the right thing. Your dad, he…" he exhaled. "He doesn't have our people's best interests at heart."
"That's what my aunt says. But why would my dad not want to help the Faunus? That's what he keeps saying he's doing?"
"He says he will help us, but Sienna is the only one who actually does so." He said. He reached into his jacket, pulling out his scroll. "I'm going to give you my number. For whenever you need someone to come and save you from the humans. Would you like that?"
Blake nodded, allowing herself to smile.
Adam would protect her. He would save her from the humans and their dogs and guns.
Ghira stood before the crowd, members of the White Fang intermingled with the people of Menagarie. Sienna stood next to him, and he cleared his throat.
"As of today, I will be stepping down as the leader of the White Fang. Due to my mother's passing, I believe my talents would better go toward governing Menagarie as its chief." He motioned toward Sienna with his hand, faking a smile for the crowd. "My dear sister-in-law, Sienna Khan, shall be taking over the White Fang in my place."
The crowd applauded, each clap a stab in the heart.
They clap, they clap for the death of my progress.
Sienna smiled at him, and he resisted the urge to scowl back as she stepped forward, waving to the applauding crowd.
Blake shifted, repositioning herself on her cushion. Mom was pouring them tea, fish, and rice on each of their plates, a cup of soup next to their teacups. Dad was quiet, his brow furrowed as he glared at his rice. Mom finished pouring the tea, taking her spot at the table, tucking her legs beneath her.
Blake clasped her hands together, offering a short prayer to Mother Devi before unclasping her hands, and starting to eat.
They ate in silence, mom glancing at dad as they ate. He didn't seem to be paying attention.
"When is Aunt Sienna going to visit again?" Blake asked.
"Never," her dad said, not looking up from his food. Blake frowned.
Mom looked over at her. "What your dad meant was that she is going to be too busy to be visiting us for a while," she said.
"Because she'll be helping the Faunus, right?" she asked.
Dad grunted, his lip curling. "She's going to be setting us back or starting a new war."
"Isn't that what great grandma did? Fight a war for the Faunus? Why aren't you doing that?"
Dad smacked his hand onto the table, glaring at her. "Watch what you say, little one. Our family renounced those ways after the Revolution ended. Your grandmother taught me to fight with words, not swords."
"Ghira, calm down," Mom said, resting a hand on his hand. Blake frowned, pushing her food away.
"Well, I think great grandma would be happy with Aunt Sienna." She pulled up the sleeve of her dress, at the bike marks still healing. "I can't talk to dogs, and the humans don't listen."
"Do not talk about these things as if you truly understand them, Blake, you are just a child."
"I'm not a child! I'm more grown up than you are!"
"Be quiet!"
"Ghira, stop!"
"No! You're just afraid to do anything! You don't care about the Faunus like Sienna does! You love the humans more than you love us! You wish you were a human you coward!"
He bolted upright, knocking his tea and soup over. "Then leave! Leave and never come back if you think your dear aunt cares more than I do!" Dad roared.
"Fine! I will! You filthy coward!" Blake screamed.
She ran from the table, slipping out of her mom's grip when she tried to grab at her wrist.
"Blake! Stop!" Mom yelled. Blake didn't listen, sprinting out of the house, throwing open the large front doors and running down the steps. The rain poured down, her dress growing heavier as she ran. She could hear mom and dad yelling, the lights from their house growing feinter and feinter as she ran.
Kali exited the bookstore, unfolding her umbrella. The rain was warm, most of the Faunus not seeming to be bothered by it as they kept on working and shopping. She started walking down the muddy road, rain spraying onto her occasional as the wind blew.
She's not in the house, she's not at the bookstore. Where else could she be hiding?
She wandered aimlessly through the marketplace, moving through the crowded stalls, the scent of the rain mixing with the smell of fish and spices.
She paused at a kiosk full of flowers, looking them over before looking at the pier, at the large ship in the harbor.
Sienna wouldn't dare…
She pulled out her scroll, pressing on her sister in contacts, and putting it to her ear.
"Yes, Kali?" her sister answered.
"Do you have Blake with you?" she asked.
"Why would she be with me?"
Kali froze. "You mean, she isn't with you?"
"No, she isn't. Is she not with you?"
Gods, please. "I-if she's not with you, then…" Kali hung up, turning, and running back down the road. She had to get every guard, every capable Hunter. Every inch of this island was going to be searched.
"If you find any information about where my niece might be, please contact me immediately." Sienna's hologram flickered from the terminal in his tent.
Adam nodded. "I'll keep an eye out for her, High Leader. I'll let the other cells here in Vale know as well." He said. Sienna crossed her arms.
"I will be alerting every branch and cell leader myself, Taurus. I want her found and returned to Menagarie to her family." Sienna uncrossed her arms, and exhaled, shaking her head. "Kali mentioned that Blake wanted to continue working with the White Fang. My guess is she's in a cell in Mistral, it's the closest kingdom to Menagarie. She experienced enough fighting with Ghira, I don't want her experiencing whatever will come under my leadership. Girl her age shouldn't be exposed to all of this."
"Understood, High Leader."
The hologram flickered and disappeared.
Adam left the terminal, going further into his tent, where Blake sat waiting. She looked up from her book, her ears perking up when she saw him.
"What did my aunt want?" she asked.
"She said she wants to bring you back home to your parents. She doesn't think you're mature enough to handle this." he said. Blake frowned, her ears dipping down.
"I'm not a little kid, I'm twelve, I'm practically an adult. You have to be thirteen to start going to a combat school, why would she think I'm not ready for this? It's pretty much the same thing."
Adam shrugged. "I don't know. But she said she's going to have people looking for you."
Her ears dropped. "And they'd take me away from you, right?"
He nodded. "I think you should start going by a different name," he ran a hand through her hair. Far too short for his liking. "And maybe grow your hair out. It will make you look different."
Kali glanced at the covers of the books her sister had handed to her. Faunus Scales, Human Masks and The Wretched of Remnant.
"We've been getting results in Vale. There are less businesses and stores that refuse our people." Sienna said. She pointed to the two books. "I would suggest you at least skim them, Kali. Maybe they will help you see the reality that our people face, and the way that we can fix it."
Kali set the books aside, offering her sister a sweet smile. The sweet smile she always used when her sister said something stupid to her.
"I think the reality of the situation is you're making the humans give us rights out of fear, not out of respect or care."
"They have used violence against us and taken our rights away for thousands of years. My actions are nothing compared to the oceans of blood they have yet to wash clean." Sienna narrowed her eyes. "You used to agree with me, before you met him."
Kali scoffed. "Ghira showed me the courage it took to go down this path. You just haven't grown up."
Sienna glared at her. "Allowing humanity to walk over our people is not bravery, it is complacency."
"The only complacent person here is you! You've given up on finding Blake!" Kali yelled.
Sienna's ears flattened. "Don't blame me fo-"
"I will blame you! You made her think your way was best! You made her lash out at Ghira and run away! And you can't even be bothered to find her!"
"And what have you been doing?! Playing the housewife?!"
Kali's hand shot out, slapping Sienna across the face. Sienna tentatively rubbed the place she had been smacked; shock plastered on her face. Kali's lip quivered. "Do not talk down to me because I found something you will never have. I have been doing everything I can, day in and day out, to find my daughter while you piss our people's good will away." Sienna lowered her hand from her cheek, the shocked look fading. "You think yourself righteous when you can't even save one innocent girl. I want you out of my house, you're no longer welcome here, sister."
Sienna reached out a hand, Kali backed away from her, glaring. "Kali, please-"
"Get out of my house. Now. Before I have the guards take you out." Kali said.
Sienna took a breath and straightened her back. "Fine. If that is how you want things to be, sister." She turned, and left, her ears still pinned to her head.
Sweat stung her eyes, the wooden sword in her hands drooping, her arms like lead. Adam stood across from her, his wooden sword at his waist, his hand resting on the guard.
"We can stop for today. But this will be the last easy day. The humans are ruthless, they will not hesitate just because you're a child."
"I'm not a child," Blake growled. Adam chuckled.
"Right. But listen to me when I say that I'm hard on you for a reason. I want to protect you, to keep you safe."
"I know, Adam. I know this is for my own good."
Adam smirked, watching as the human scum slumped to the ground. Blood pooled around them, staining their white uniform, and coating their pistol.
Blake's hands were shaking, her eyes wide, tears forming as she stared at the corpse. Her gun clattered to the ground, Blake's trembling growing worse as she looked at her hands.
"I-I-"
Adam rested a hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up at him. "You were only protecting yourself, don't feel guilty." He said. Blake's eyes darted back toward the corpse, the tears sliding down her cheeks. Adam frowned, and wiped at her tears with his thumb. "Don't feel bad for the humans, they are scum, and they will kill you without remorse. He got what he deserved."
Blake sniffed, and wiped at her eyes, not looking at him as she nodded. He looked her over, at the curves starting to form.
"Let's head back. We're done here. I've got a gift for you tonight; a reward for your first kill."
Blake's ears perked up, and she looked back at him, cocking her head to the side as he smiled.
Blake stood in the tent. Adam sat amidst their blankets, nude.
"Don't be scared, my Belladonna. This is your reward for what you did today." He said.
Blake glanced over at the entrance of their tent; the campfires outside had been put out, there were only shadows and silence left.
"You want to be treated like an adult, right? This is how adults give each other gifts."
She looked back at him, feeling her hands go to her shirt and pull it over her head.
"I am an adult. This is just going to prove that I am one." She said, unclasping her bra and tossing it onto her shirt. She slid her pants and underwear off, leaving them with her shirt and bra, and joined him in their blankets.
He got on top of her, shifting the blankets to cover them. She looked up at him, at the love and lust filling his good eye. She felt her stomach growing warm as he leaned down, kissing her, forcing his tongue into her mouth. She closed her eyes, letting him lead.
He's the adult, he's going to show me how to do this, how to act like a woman.
Her eyes snapped open, her screams muffled by Adam's mouth as something was thrusted inside of her, her back arcing in agony. Adam broke their kiss, smirking at her as she whimpered, she felt something sticky leaking out of her.
"I didn't think you would bleed, with how often I've caught you enjoying those dirty books of yours."
"Please… it hurts… I-I think I want to stop." She pleaded. Adam frowned.
"I thought you said you were going to prove how much of an adult you are." He leaned down; his face next to hers. "You didn't lie, did you, my Belladonna?"
"N-no, I-"
"Do you not love me, Blake? If you love me, you'll let me do this."
"I-I do… I do love you, Adam." She said. Adam smiled, giving her a kiss. She whimpered, feeling him thrusting inside her, the pain returning.
"The pain will go away, my love, it's only temporary."
He pulled the branding iron free of the fire, inspecting it. Few more seconds and it should be good enough. He stuck it back into the flames, watching the White Fang emblem glow red. Blake sat nearby, fidgeting, her arm sleeve missing.
He pulled the iron from the flames, smiling. It was hot enough. He went to Blake's side, resting a hand on her shoulder. She stiffened at his touch; her eyes stuck to the branding iron. She swallowed, her ears twitching down.
"It's going to hurt, isn't it?" she asked.
He nodded, giving a reaffirming squeeze. "It will." He raised the iron, leaving it hovering over her arm. "Tell me when," he said.
Blake took several deep breaths, her eyes not leaving it before finally nodding.
He shoved it against her skin, Blake's eyes watering as she screamed. He tightened his grip, holding her in place, keeping her from breaking away. Her screaming grew louder as he pressed it further, listening to her skin as it seared.
"This is a mark, Blake, you're letting everyone know that you are a Faunus who fights for our liberation. A mark to prove to the humans, that the world does not work the way they think it does."
He pulled the iron away from her skin, setting it aside. The White Fang emblem was seared into her flesh, her normally olive skin irritated and red around the mark. Blake's screams turned to sobs, her arm trembling.
Adam rested his head on hers.
"The pain will go away, my love, it's only temporary."
Ilia kept her arms crossed, looking over the map that Adam was hunched over. Belladonna and Cerise stood next to her. Adam pointed to a spot on the map, looking up at her.
"Ilia, I need you to meet us there with every truck we have. There should be tons of Dust onboard." He said. Ilia nodded. He pointed toward a different part of the map. "Cerise, you're going to have to hold down the loading facility while Belladonna and I take the train."
Cerise laughed. "You two better not take it too fast, let me enjoy my time with the humans."
Adam smirked and stood up, his sword dangling from his waist. "Let's go."
Blake kicked the SDC guard behind her, Cerise laughing as he swung his chainsaw. The guard's screams were garbled as the saw ripped him in half, blood spraying out, coating Blake and the walls. Blake sprinted forward, chasing after Adam.
Wilt was a blur in the red lights of the building, sparks leaping as Adam cut through the hail of bullets, rushing toward the guards. He slashed through the first guard, hurling Wilt toward the second, the blade burying itself to the hilt in the woman's chest as he weaved through the shots of the third. He grabbed Blush from his waist, firing, blowing out the guard's leg before firing another shot at their head as he ran past, a spray of blood and brains coating the floor.
Blake grabbed Wilt's handle as she ran past the human, hearing Cerise' chainsaw tear through the woman as she sprinted after Adam. He glanced back and smiled at her, she hurled his sword toward him.
The door at the end of the hallway opened, a swarm of guards filing out, their bodies covered in thick armor. She saw Adam smirked as he leapt, twisting in the air, his foot slamming into Wilt's handle, launching itself toward the closest guard. The blade stabbed through the visor of their helmet, staining it red as the guard slumped to the ground. The rest of the guards rushed past their fallen comrade, charging them.
Blake threw a shadow clone in front of her, leaping aside as the hail of bullets ripped through the clone. Sparks leaped from Gambol Shroud as she deflected their shots, rushing toward them. She yanked Gambol Shroud from its sheath, ducking low, and spinning, her twin blades cleaving through their legs. Adam snatched Wilt from the dead guard, hacking through the crowd. Blake left a clone, watching it turn to black mist as the guard struck it with the butt of their rifle. Blake smirked, flash kicking the guard, hurling them toward Cerise.
The saw ripped through their chest, the guard a twitching mess as Cerise yanked his blade free, stepping over their corpse. Blake turned, heading for the door, Adam having already ran through it.
Several trains lay below them, some of them being loaded by machines. One train was lit up, preparing to leave. Their target.
Blake grunted, pinning herself against the wall as gunfire rained down on them. Several guards and AK-130s were firing from the train platform. Their target train lurched, starting to leave. Cerise shoved past her, laughing as his skin turned to metal, sparks leaping over him as he charged through the gunfire. The guards turned and ran, the AK-130s continuing to fire.
Blake leapt over the railing, flaring her aura, having it take the blow from the fall. She heard Adam grunt as he landed next to her. Sparks and metal sprayed around them, and Blake spun around, snarling, Gambol Shroud taking its pistol form.
The guards fired at them, Cerise busy shredding through the AK-130s they left behind. Blake fired back, her hair starting to whip around her as the train picked up speed.
"Get down!" Adam shouted. Blake turned, gasping at the low hanging ceiling hurling toward them. She threw herself against the roof, gritting her teeth as her aura shimmered as a few stray shots hit her.
The ceiling passed, the train speeding through the surrounding forest. She got to her feet, Adam doing the same. The wind howled around them, buffeting her clothes, her hair and ribbons billowing behind her. She glanced at Adam, and he nodded at her. She nodded back, starting to run down the length of the train.
They leapt from car to car, heading toward the front of the train, at where the conductor surely was.
"FAUNUS: IDENTIFIED."
Blake slid to a halt, gawking as a slug of hardlight burst through the ceiling of the car. Several mechanical legs sprang out, latching onto the metal, the body swiveling out, taking aim at them with its four cannons.
Spider Droid.
The ends of the cannon's began to glow blue as the multilegged machine scuttled toward them. Blake ran toward it, Adam flanking it. Two of its cannons swiveled, firing a barrage toward Adam and her.
Shew threw shadow clones in front of her, moving between each shot, moving through the dark mist her clones left behind. She leapt toward the Spider, swinging with a yell. It spun around, its cannons smashing into Blake's stomach. She yelped, feeling herself get thrown back, off the train. Gambol Shroud transformed in her hand and she hurled it, feeling it embed in the side of the train. She pulled it taught, launching herself beneath the rails, the wind whipping around her as she swung into the air on the other side. She yanked her weapon free, pulling it toward her as she fell back toward the train. She fired a shot, hurling herself down toward the Spider.
She twirled, spinning the ribbon, feeling the recoil as the glock fired several shots, indenting against the Spider's armor. The Spider swiveled, focusing all of its cannons on her as she landed. She smirked, rushing it, weaving through the shots, Gambol Shroud transforming. She slashed at each leg, moving to each one, dodging them as the Spider tried to kick at her. She leapt up, landing on its torso, and stabbed into its head, sparks flying out as she mag dumped into its chest.
Blake yanked her blade free, backflipping off, reloading as she landed.
Sparks leaped from the Spider's head and torso, bits of oil leaking from its legs. "CRITICAL DAMAGE." It aimed it's four cannons at her, and she felt her smirk fade as the cannons combined into a single large one, the end of the barrel glowing blue. It fired.
Adam sprang in front of her, swinging Wilt, his horns and blade glowing crimson as he sliced through it, absorbing its power. She heard Adam chuckle before he yelled, a maroon shockwave launching from his blade, cleaving the spider in two.
The Spider's halves slid off the train, tumbling into the forest below. Adam looked back at her, flashing a confident smile. She nodded.
They ran for the front of the train, reaching the final car. Blake opened the hatch, Adam jumping in. She followed after him, her gun drawn.
The conductor was an old man in a white SDC uniform. He looked back at them, and took a deep breath before exhaling, holding up his hands. Blake sheathed her weapon, going to the conductor and patting him down. No weapons, not a threat.
Adam held up a piece of paper. "Stop at these coordinates." He said. The conductor calmly nodded.
The train began to slow after a moment, minutes passing before they finally stopped. Blake went to the back of the cabin, opening it, and looking out. Ilia and the other White Fang members were waiting with the trucks. Blake exhaled, and smiled.
Another mission done. The SDC would lose out on a ton of money and employees, they could use all that Dust to-
A shotgun fired behind her.
She spun around, her mouth agape as she stared at the headless corpse of the conductor. The conductor's body slumped to the floor, his blood staining his uniform.
The leering smile Adam gave to the corpse sent a chill down Blake's spine.
"That man wasn't armed!" Blake yelled.
Adam frowned, keeping his voice controlled, but allowing the threat to seep through. "What have I said about raising your voice to me?" he asked.
"N-not to do it," Blake said, her ears pinning back. She shook her head, her ears flicking up a bit. "But you killed that man, Adam, he didn't pose a threat to us. We're only supposed to kill those who would harm us or the Faunus."
"It was a human, Blake. I thought they were armed, they're all dangerous." He lied. Blake shook her head.
"He didn't have anything even looking like a weapon, and… you were smiling." She crossed her arms. "You've done this before, during that mission at that mine, you shot that guard even after I disarmed him."
"That was an accident. I thought I saw him grabbing his gun. I thought he was going to shoot you in the back. I was protecting you," he took a step toward her "Like I always have, my Belladonna." He said. "Are you growing soft, my love? Are you going to abandon your people like your parents did? Abandon me? After everything I've done for you?"
"No! I-I…" Blake looked away; her ears flat against her head. She turned away, her long hair blowing with the wind as she looked out over the forest. He approached her, wrapping his arms around her, resting his head on hers. He inhaled, savoring her scent.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought that up. I know you will never leave me. We're going to lead the Faunus to a new age, Blake. Together."
Blake was quiet for a moment, her ears flickering before she uncrossed her arms, resting a hand on his arms.
"It's fine," she said.
Ilia stretched her arms, leaning against the roof of the building. Belladonna shifted, crossing her arms, looking up at the cloud filled sky.
"Can I ask you something?" Belladonna asked.
"Sure. What is it?"
Belladonna shifted, looking down at her. She ran a hand up her arm, gripping her branding. "Why…why did you join us? The White Fang?" she asked. Ilia cocked her head to the side.
"The same reason you did?" she said.
Belladonna bit her lip. "But-?"
"Why fight when I'm human passing?" Ilia asked. Belladonna nodded weakly. Ilia chuckled, resting an arm on her knee. Should have known. "I'm fine with you asking. You're not the first to want to know."
"My parents were miners up in Mantle, and they saved up to get me sent to a school in Atlas City. I had to pretend I was human, and I could never let anyone know what I truly was. And I liked it that way, I pretended I was human, and I befriended the humans there, making fun of the Faunus whenever they did."
"And then the mining incident happened, the one that caused the military to kill all those people. My family were some of the miners killed in the accident. And when I heard the news, I snapped, and beat one of my human friends almost to death for the way she laughed, at the way she didn't care. It was then that I realized what the Faunus truly were to the humans, and that I needed to fix that. I couldn't live with myself if I had to keep hiding who I am, to not be proud of being a Faunus. I wanted to make the humans afraid to ever laugh at our misery."
She looked over at Belladonna, offering a smile. Belladonna looked away, still rubbing her branding.
"Do you ever think we might be going about this the wrong way?" she asked quietly. Ilia frowned.
"No, I don't. If the humans wanted to rule us through fear, we can show them what fear truly is. Adam and Sienna are doing the right thing." She said. Belladonna sighed, her ears pinning back.
She left, saying nothing.
Ruby sipped from her soup cup, watching as Aunt Ivory handed everyone a cup. Weiss, Blake, and Yang sat next to her on one side of the table, Ghira and Kali sat across from them, and Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren sat at the ends.
Ghira accepted his soup cup, nodding appreciatively toward Ivory. "Thank you again for letting us stay, I hope we are not imposing."
"Of course not! I haven't had guests in years, this is a very welcomed change of pace." She replied, handing Kali a cup. "What are you planning on doing while you're here in Mistral?" she asked.
"Haven Academy suffered a lot of damage in that fight, and the Mistral White Fang still needs to be reined in. I'll be helping in overseeing the reconstruction of the academy while my wife, uh, 'convinces' the White Fang here to rethink their ways."
Ruby looked aside at Blake as Blake cleared her throat. "Mom, dad, I wanted to formally introduce you to my teammates." Blake said, setting her cup down. She motioned toward Yang, who waved, bits of soup sloshing out. "This is Yang, she's my partner." She motioned toward Ruby and she flashed a smile at Blake's parents. "This is Ruby, she's our leader." Blake pointed at Weiss. "And this is-"
"Weiss Schnee. I'm well aware of who she is," Ghira said. Weiss seemed to shrink back a bit as Kali and Ghira looked at her. Ghira glanced at Kali before looking back at Weiss, his expression stern. "I've already been informed of your relationship with my daughter. And my wife has informed me that I should not be expecting any grandchildren from you two."
Ruby laughed, Blake and Weiss' faces burning red as Nora choked on her soup, laughing and coughing. Ghira's stern expression turned to a smirk, and he took a sip from his cup.
Kali set her cup on the table, looking at Yang and then at her. She smiled coyly. "I'm sure you two have plenty of stories about Blake during your time in school. Why don't you two share them?" she said.
Ruby looked aside at Yang, ignoring the death glare Blake was giving her. Yang gave her a toothy grin. "Well, there was this one time…"
Weiss shut the door to her, er, their room. Blake sat on their bed, unwinding the ribbons wrapped around her arms and hands. She leaned against the door, resting her hands behind her back as she watched Blake. She cleared her throat, causing Blake to look over at her, resting the last bit of ribbon onto the bed.
"I…uh…um"
How do I bring this up
Blake's ears twitched and she cocked her head aside. "Everything okay?" she asked.
"Y-yes, it's just…" Weiss paused, taking a breath. "What your parents brought up. Us, having kids." She said. Blake's expression softened.
"Would you want kids?" she asked. Weiss nodded.
"I know that we can't worry about that right now, with Salem and the Relics, but… that is something I would want to have with you." She left the door, sitting next to Blake. She rested her hand on top of hers. She leaned close, her face centimeters from Blake's, her eyes fixed on amber. "And that got me thinking, about how much I… I want you, Blake. I thought you were dead for so many months before I found Yang and Ruby again. And… I want…" she took a breath, not breaking eye contact. "I want you to make love to me. I don't know what is going to happen in the future, and I want us to have been together at least once, encase… encase…"
Blake rested her hand on Weiss' cheek, smiling.
"Only if you really want to," she said quietly.
Weiss nodded, resting her forehead against Blake's. "I want this."
Blake leaned forward, closing her eyes. Weiss closed her own, feeling Blake's lips meet hers. Her lips tasted so sweet. Weiss tentatively slipped her tongue into Blake's mouth, and moaned when Blake's tongue slid against her own. Weiss moved her hand away from Blake's as they kissed, trailing them up Blake's stomach and reaching her shirt, unbuttoning it.
Blake broke their kiss, bits of drool trailing from her lips as she leaned back. She slipped off her shirt, tossing it aside before looking back at Weiss.
"I want to do something," she said.
"Whatever you want."
Blake smiled, and reached for the sleeves of Weiss' jacket. Weiss hesitated, glancing at her wrists before back at Blake's face. At the love and adoration in her eyes. Weiss nodded, and lifted her arms up, letting Blake slip it off her.
Her scars were clearly visible, white lines crossing up along her arms, almost to the elbow. Blake rested a finger on Weiss' right arm, tracing over the scars.
"Do you have any others?"
Weiss nodded, and got up from the bed. Blake got up with her. Weiss motioned toward her stomach, biting her lip as the realization flickered through Blake's eyes. Blake glanced up from her stomach, and into her eyes. She rested her hands on her hips, asking the question with her eyes. Weiss nodded.
Blake's hands moved up from her hip, running over her stomach and resting on her breasts. Blake tugged on her dress, pulling it down; Weiss gasped, feeling Blake's fingers press against her nipples. Blake bent down, still pulling on her dress, hesitating for just a moment as the scar became visible before continuing down. Blake let the dress fall once it reached her waist.
Blake looked up at her; Weiss felt a heat growing in her belly at the sight of Blake's face so close to her waist. Blake ran her hands up her legs, resting at her hips, on her underwear. Weiss nodded, and Blake pulled them down.
Weiss shivered, feeling Blake's lips press against her thigh before Blake stood up and wrapped her arms around Weiss. Weiss rested her hands on Blake's hips.
"Let me do you."
Blake unwrapped her arms from around Weiss, her eyes tracing over Weiss' body as Weiss unbuttoned her shorts. She tugged on her shorts and panties, pulling them down, feeling herself stop, and her mouth open slightly.
It's so pretty.
She closed her mouth, and kept pulling on Blake's shorts, before letting them fall once they were past her knees. She looked up, biting her lip as she looked at Blake's crotch before looking at her stomach.
A scar ran across her abdomen, pink against her olive skin. Weiss traced a finger over it, feeling Blake tremble at her touch.
"Did he give you this?" she asked quietly. Blake said nothing for a moment, and Weiss looked up at her face. Blake looked away and nodded. Weiss closed her eyes, and pressed her lips against the scar, feeling Blake quiver, her breathing shaky.
Weiss pulled back, standing, smiling at Blake as she looked up at her. Weiss reached behind Blake, feeling for the clasp of her bra. She grunted, struggling to unlatch it. A moment passed, and Blake giggled, reaching back, guiding Weiss' hands.
Weiss pulled her hands free, letting Blake slip her bra off and toss it aside.
"Sorry. I've never really had to wear one."
"It's okay," Blake said with a laugh.
Blake wrapped her arms around her, pressing their bodies against each other, Weiss felt her stomach and cheeks burning as Blake's breasts pressed against her. Blake closed her eyes, leaning down. Weiss closed her own, leaning up, savoring the taste of Blake's lips as they met.
Blake led her toward their bed, her hands never leaving Weiss' waist, her tongue remaining intermingled with Weiss'. Weiss bumped against the bed, moaning into Blake's mouth as Blake forced her to lay on the bed. Blake broke the kiss, and Weiss opened her eyes. Blake was over her, her breasts above her face, lust, and love filling Blake's amber eyes.
"I love you, Weiss." Blake leaned down, kissing the scar over Weiss' eye before kissing her neck, trailing kisses down to her collar. Weiss grabbed Blake's breasts, squeezing. Blake pulled away from Weiss' collar, and gently pulled Weiss' hands away from her breasts. Weiss cocked an eyebrow at her. "I need you to keep your arms down for right now, if that's okay?"
Weiss nodded, and Blake went back to her collar. Weiss closed her eyes, moaning as Blake kissed and nibbled at her. She opened her eyes, glancing at Blake as Blake started to move down her arm, stopping at her elbow. Blake looked at her, her face resting above Weiss' scars. Blake smiled at her and pressed her lips against the first of her scars.
Weiss' eyes watered, and she sniffed, watching as Blake slowly kissed every one of her scars.
"I love you. I love you, so much, Weiss." Blake took a moment, planting several kisses on the largest scar on her arm. "I promise to never leave again, and to never let you deal with this battle yourself."
Weiss sniffled, closing her eyes, feeling the tears leak out as Blake swapped arms, starting at her wrist, and kissing upwards.
"You're so beautiful." Blake paused, kissing two overlapping scars. Blake reached her elbow, and moved her head, resting over the scar on her stomach. Weiss opened her eyes; Blake had her eyes closed and was leaning down, her lips puckered.
"Wait," Weiss said. Blake's ears flickered, and she opened her eyes, looking at Weiss. Weiss sniffed, and wiped at the tears. "There… there are others. But they're not ones you can see." Blake reached for Weiss' hand, interlocking their fingers. Weiss took a breath. "It's… not just my depression. I… I see things, Blake. I see and hear things that aren't real." Weiss' lip trembled, her eyes watering. "I'm a freak, I-I-"
"You're not." Blake squeezed her hand, smiling. "I already knew. I figured it out while we were at Beacon. I would hear you talking to yourself in the bathroom. I didn't want to bring it up until you wanted to tell me." Blake pressed her lips against the scar, holding the kiss for a moment before breaking it. She smiled at Weiss. "I meant what I said. I'm going to be here with you, Weiss. You're not alone anymore."
Weiss wiped at her eyes, trying to smile back at Blake. "Thank you," she said, her voice cracking.
Blake gave her hand another squeeze. "Do you still want to do this?" she asked. Weiss nodded. Blake moved back, intermingling her other hand into Weiss', her head hovering over Weiss' crotch. Weiss moaned, feeling Blake's breath against her clit. Weiss inhaled sharply, moaning, and gasping as Blake's tongue flicked against it.
"You are the best thing to ever happen to me, Weiss," Weiss' back arced, a loud moan escaping her as she felt Blake's finger's part her lips and enter her. Blake's voice was muffled as she spoke "And I want you to know how perfect you are in my eyes."
Blake stood on the large patio, overlooking Mistral City, her hair ruffling past her shoulders with the gentle breeze. Her ear flickered at a noise, and she turned, looking back at the doorway.
Yang stood there, holding onto something. It was wrapped in rags and papers, whatever it was. Yang wouldn't meet her gaze as she came over to her side, setting whatever was in her hands against the railing before leaning against it, looking out over the city. Blake looked away, and back toward the city, at all the lights lighting up the higher parts of the mountain, and at the pitch blackness covering the base of it.
"How did it happen?" Blake asked.
"What?"
"Your arm." She looked over at her, keeping her gaze on her face. Yang exhaled, running a hand against the remains of her arm, still looking out over the city.
"An ursa got me. During the Fall." She finally said. Blake reached a hand out, hesitated, and then pulled it back in front of her. "Why are you still up?" Yang asked.
"Not really tired." She replied. "You?"
Yang rubbed the end of her stump. "It's… hard to sleep." She lowered her hand back to the railing. Blake's ears folded back.
"I'm sorry." She said. Yang didn't reply. Yang glanced at her and grabbed the wrapped-up thing she had brought with her up onto the railing. "Velvet gave me this. She told me that this was all they could find of you at Beacon. I… brought it with me… encase Ruby and Weiss wanted to give you a proper funeral." She undid the wrapping, Blake's ears perking up as Yang pulled out Gambol Shroud. Yang held it out to her, unable to meet her eye as Blake took it; its familiar weight felt so good in her hands.
"The blood on the blade… I thought… it might have been Coco's." Yang said. Blake frowned, setting Gambol Shroud aside. "I… thought you killed them, Blake. That… you were actually working with the White Fang to destroy Beacon, and that everything you had done with us was all fake. You being my friend, you loving Weiss, all of it." Blake's ears pinned back as she watched Yang's fingers curl into a fist before relaxing again. "I hated you. I hated you so much when I was at home after," she motioned to the remains of her arm. "I hated what I imagined you to have been. I hated you for leaving if I was wrong. I hated myself for thinking those things about you." Yang took a deep breath, and exhaled, tilting her head up, looking up at the sky.
Blake reached out, resting her hand on top of Yang's. Yang turned her hand, holding onto Blake's, and giving a squeeze.
"I didn't want that to happen to you, or anyone else I cared about." Blake said. "Watching Adam kill Fox, and Coco screaming at me to run right before Adam killed her… I… I'm never going to be able to forgive myself for letting that happen to people I love. I am sorry I left, but I want you to know I never wanted to hurt you, Yang." She squeezed. "And I meant what I said at Haven. I'm never going to run away again. It… it stings knowing that you thought that about me, but honestly, when I was alone, I wanted all of you to hate me, and to think I was dead, that I was nothing but a curse and your lives better without me." She said. "I hope that we can be like the way we were before, Yang. You were one of my closest friends at Beacon, and I've missed you like I have Weiss and Ruby and the others." Yang finally looked at her, a stab going through Blake's heart at the hopelessness in Yang's eyes. Yang opened and closed her mouth a few times before sighing.
"I… I want you to make Weiss happy." She said. Blake cocked an eyebrow, tilting her head to the side, confused.
"I'll… try?"
The look didn't leave Yang's eyes, but she smiled at Blake, pulling her hand free, and starting to leave.
"I don't know when Qrow and Ozpin are wanting to leave, so maybe we can go check out a bookstore or tea place you might like if you want to go hang out and catch up." She said. Blake giggled, causing Yang to pause and look back at her.
"How about I treat you to something you want to do instead." Blake smiled as that look faded a little from Yang's eyes. Yang smiled back.
"We can do that instead."
"Try and get some rest, please."
Weiss ran her hand through Blake's hair, a pair of scissors in her other hand. Blake sat in front a vanity; Ivory having let them use her personal bathroom.
"You're sure you want me to do this, Blake? I've never cut someone else's hair before." She said. Blake nodded, raising a hand, caressing Weiss' arm before letting it trail down to her hand.
"I want you to do this."
"Is this a Faunus thing?"
Blake shook her head, her hair like silk as it brushed against Weiss' fingers. "No, this is a Blake thing."
"Then you can't get mad at me if I mess it up," Weiss said. Blake giggled, her ears perking up.
"I won't get mad. I trust you."
Weiss ran her hand through Blake's locks, savoring the feel of how soft it was, how it flowed through her fingers. She pulled her hand free, taking a breath before setting on it with the pair of scissors.
Minutes passed, Blake remaining quiet, her ears occasionally flickering as she snipped at her hair, her locks falling around her shoulders and lap.
She stopped, setting the scissors aside. Blake's hair was uneven, and choppy, resting a little past her chin.
"What do you think?" Weiss asked. Blake smiled, reaching back, and grasping Weiss' hand.
"I love it, mattä."