Hi. My name is Thomas Gray, and my best friend is Gerald Wood. Among the White Fang we are known as Tom and Jerry. We are inseparable, so of course we joined the White Fang together. People are put off by our "Cat-and-Mouse" behavior, not understanding that it is just our dynamic. Lately however, things have been getting too serious for that behavior.
Adam Taurus is a vengeful individual. I can understand. Jerry and I met each other through our fathers, who both worked as accountants for a big name Valian corporation. When their corruption was exposed, they pinned the blame on the accountants who were all forced into silence. Who were all faunus. But his hatred is on another level. But that is not what has me worried.
It was one thing after another.
/
/
Jerry and I were standing guard on the north end of the camp. I turned to him.
"Hey."
"Yeah."
"Do you ever wonder why we're here?"
"Because you're too ugly to get a girl without a mask."
/
/
"Hey."
"Yeah."
"Do you want to watch Tom and Jerry?"
'Scoff.' "Nah. Not much for slap-stick humor."
A rustle came from the trees. Naturally, the two goons drew their weapons. Three humans emerged, a woman in a red dress in front with two sheathed blades behind her, a green haired girl with holstered firearms, and a seemingly unarmed boy, though he could be concealing them.
"Freeze humans! Hands where I can see them."
The woman in red walks up as if she owns the place. "Greetings. Is your leader, Adam Taurus, around?"
/
/
Jerry and I stopped their antics, ready for escalation against the humans.
"Tom…"
"Stick together, and don't fire first."
The nearest goon, because that is what we are, nearest to the humans stepped up, drew closer with his pistol in hand with a scoff. "What do you want with the boss?"
"Enough."
Everyone turned to the, clearly displeased, leader of the radical faction of the White Fang, accompanied by El Tee and their respective bodyguards, Alvin Gardener and Arthur Reeds, though we call the latter Artorias to differentiate him from some dead Atlesian.
The woman took a sweet devilish expression. "Greetings Adam Taurus. I have come with a… proposition. I am hoping both of us can walk away from this satisfied."
We watched weapons drawn. Despite our affiliation, and of course our antics, we were unused to violence. Poor Jerry didn't even have his finger on the trigger.
Adam turned to his subordinates, then back to the intruders.
"Come with me."
This was a shock. Jerry and I looked at each other, then at the two groups walking towards a tent while the goons parted ways.
Alvin shared a look at the two goons that confronted the intruders in understanding. He followed his protectee, even if his protectee isn't weaker than everyone else here combined.
The female goon then looked at the rest of us with a scoff. "Get back in position!"
She isn't our boss, but being part of Adam's Strike Force gives her some influence.
Jerry and I look at each other, followed by a nod. We got back to work.
It isn't our business.
/
/
What? Do you expect a story? Fine! Names Theodore Gardener. I am part of Adam's Strike Force, and am one of the most senior members besides the Lieutenant. I don't really like El Tee's bodyguard, aka my co-worker, Artorias. Something about him rubs me the wrong way.
Watching two co-workers play cat-and-mouse with each other is a different story.
I turn to my sister, Simone.
"Hey."
"Yeah."
"Do you want to watch Tom and Jerry?"
/
/
This human. Why can't humans just surrender when ordered?!
Simone followed after my orders, stepping closer to the intruder, finger on the trigger with another of her annoying scoffs.
"What do you want with the boss?
I was getting nervous. I've been in enough raids with Adam to see bad news in human form. Without Adam…
"Enough."
Speak of the Grimm and they shall appear.
A disgruntled Adam, the El Tee, and their bodyguards came from the main tent to investigate what the commotion is about.
"Greetings Adam Taurus. I have come with a… proposition. I am hoping both of us can walk away from this satisfied."
Adam turned to me and my sister. We are among his closest allies within his faction. He then turns to the intruders, understanding the seriousness of the situation.
If I can see danger, he can smell it from a mile away.
I sighed in relief, as Simone and I moved out of the way of the 'guest.'
We both look to Adam's bodyguard, our brother Alvin. The look behind that mask said it all.
'We'll talk later.'
Simone then turned to the rest of the goons still gawking, with yet another of her trademark scoffs.
"Get back in position!"
'Sigh.' What am I going to do with her?
/
/
It was nighttime when the three of us met. Adam and Blake went on to rob a train full of Dust. He still should have taken us with them, but Blake insisted it just be the two of them. Lowers chance of detection. Something is up, but I won't get in the middle of a lover's spat.
I turn to Alvin.
"Well?"
"The human tried to recruit us for her own goals."
Simone scoffed. "What?!"
"Adam turned her down, and made it very clear that she should never come back."
Simone scoffed. "Well good. That hussy should learn her place."
I look down, holding my chin in contemplation.
"You think we'll ever see them again?"
Alvin can only shrug his shoulders, 'Who knows?'
I can only shake my head.
Alvin then pointed back to camp.
"I'm getting shut-eye. You two get some rest as well."
Simone scoffed, "Well, since when were you in charge of us."
I get between them, "Enough. It is pretty late out."
Alvin turned to me.
"Blake insisted they leave that this time. Something about beating the train."
Simone scoffed, "Well-"
""Stop it.""
Simone scoffed, "Wel-"
""Stop!""
Simone-
""STOP!""
"I didn't even do that time!"
'Sigh' "What were you saying?"
She made an expression, but stopped as if she realized she was about to do something. "I'm just saying that Adam shouldn't be with a girl such as Bla- HEY! Where are you going?!"
/
/
I'm tired.
"We've been searching for weeks."
"I knew that hussy would bring Adam nothing but trouble!"
"Do you know any insults besides hussy?"
"Do you have your swear jar?"
As if rhetorical, "Always," dangling it, empty.
Alvin looked back at us.
"We are almost at camp, we only have a few more-"
"Is that smoke?!"
Alvin and I look ahead.
"Oh no."
We rushed back to our camp.
'Please no.'
/
/
Jerry and I are hiding behind a tent.
Everything went so wrong.
After Blake disappeared, search parties were sent to search for them. Jerry and I were in one such party. We were patrolling near the camp in case Blake came back on her own
Jerry took some cheese and crackers he kept on him and ate one.
"Want some?"
I raised my arm no. Jerry just shrugged and continued eating.
This went on for several hours before Jerry broke the silence.
"So what do you think happened?"
I looked at Jerry. "Not for me to say. I would rather not find out."
Jerry looked at me in puzzlement. "Why not? Just curious?"
I looked away from him. "Curiosity killed the cat, and I'd rather not ended up dead."
He squinted at me. "So you think she's dead?"
I snapped in response. "What? NO! It's just, perhaps it's not our place to know. That is between Blake and Adam."
"Oh, I get it. You're afraid of-"
We both sniff with our enhanced senses of smell.
Smoke.
We rushed back to base, to find everyone by Adam and the El Tee dead.
Killed by them. No. 'Her.'
We hid behind a tent, hoping nobody would notice.
"What is this?!"
Adam's words were clear.
"We could've gone to anyone for help. But we chose you, Adam Taurus. Our plan will be beneficial for both of us. Or one of us. So which will it be?"
We look into each others eyes. I can see my ear reflecting off his own eyes of terror. Without a sound, we spoke:
'What have we gotten into?'
/
/
An: I started this like a week ago and boy is this my longest work. I admit, I procrastinated, and I had little motivation to write until recently, but hey: The fic isn't dead. As you can see, this chapter is… different to the previous ones. I didn't intend to put White Fang, but they are the most prominent goons in the series, so yeah. I cut the nameless convention here because it doesn't make sense to have the nameless mentality with their mindsets. I'm trying to cut back on the politics, and some parts got cut. This fic is turning darker than I intended. Tom and Theo are going to be the stars in future chapters. White Fang chapters are going to follow canon with more involvement. So what do you think of the change in direction. Bad, terrible? Tell me what