Hey folks! Welcome back to RWBY: MNTR on RMNT. I would like to once again thank Sai Kunai Blade for helping me make this chapter a reality. Enjoy!
Warning: Musical Numbers and sad shit are ahead.
Chapter 10: Of Scoundrels and Liars
Chapter Summary: An outing into the streets of Vale brings all kind of twists and revelations for Team RWBY and their monsters. What was supposed to be a normal day would soon turn sour as the tensions between Weiss, Shade, and Blake come to a head...
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this fanfic. All rights go to RoosterTeeth and Capcom.
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Team RWBY dorm, a few days after the events of Forever Fall...
Team RWBY and their monsters were getting ready to head out to Vale. After the brawl at Forever Fall, the girls and their monsters agreed to just relax for a couple of days. Well, as much as classes and homework allowed anyway. During that time, the three monsters from the forest, a Mizutsune named Blossom, a Zinogre named Rai, and a Rathalos named Tyrant, were all chosen to live with Team JNPR, who lived right across the hall.
Monsters on neither team minded the change, except for Tyrant and Shade, who were almost immediately at each other's throats the following day during breakfast. It took the strength of Yang, Pyrrha, and Nora to get the two to stop fighting. This happened only one more time before the monsters decide fighting was pointless, but there was still tension in the air, even if there was a sort of truce between them.
Now, a few days had passed, and things had settled back into routine. Part the usual routine was morning showers, and it usually went in order of the letters that made up the team name. Ruby first, Weiss second, Blake third, and Yang last. Shade and Douglas didn't bathe as much as the girls, but one of them usually went in with them to fetch things that are out of reach, like spare bottles of soap, shampoo, towels to dry off, etc.
Right now, Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Douglas were waiting outside of the dorm bathroom while Yang was showering. Shade had gone in there to assist her (a.k.a. Hold the towel.) While does her thing.
"Shade, is Yang almost done in there? We're all waiting on her." Ruby called out.
"Yeah! She just needs to do the finishing touches on her hair and she'll be out!" She heard the Nargacuga yell from within the bathroom. Inside, Shade sat on his haunches while using his tail as towel rack for Yang.
Out of the corner of his eye, He made out the tanned skin of Yang's naked body through the foggy glass along with her mane of golden hair. He sighed in annoyance. The things she did to keep that mess maintained.
"Are you almost done in there? The others are getting twitchy outside." The Wyvern said, glancing back at her.
"Just a little longer! You can't rush perfection." She lightly scolded as she cared for her long mane.
Shade rolled his eyes and crawled onto the toilet next to the shower before shakily rearing up on his hind legs and placing his paws on top of the glass wall, which had a thin but surly metal frame to ensure its stability. He then poked his head over the top, looking down at the blonde brawler through the steam.
Now, one may think this is an intrusion of privacy, but the girls had learned monsters like Shade, Douglas, and the other beasts from their realm didn't necessarily have a nudity taboo. They saw the practical uses for clothing, such as protection from the elements, along with its stylishness for one's appearance, but other than that they didn't any other point to clothing. So instances like the one Shade and Yang are in had become rather normal for the team.
Shade glared down at the blonde as she conditioned her hair. The droplets from the shower head rolled down her fit musculature, tracing down the chiseled muscle of her abs, arms, and legs. "You look fine." He said, crossing his forelimbs on the metal frame as he looked down at the blonde. "Either you hurry up, or I'm dragging your toned-ass out myself!" The Nargacuga warned.
Yang smirked at this. "Well, thanks for letting me know it's toned." She said jokingly.
The Nargacuga gave a tired sigh, ignoring the fact his ears were practically burning from the blood rushing to them. "J-just hurry up, will ya?" He growled, hopping down from his spot on the shower panel.
"Try asking nicely~" She said in sing-song.
"Will you PLEASE hurry up with getting your hair ready?" Shade asked, his patience wearing thin.
"Ugh. Fine. I'm done." She said, turning off the water and getting out. "Jeez, here I thought I only had to worry about my butt when I take a shower. But no, I have to deal with two. Mine and you." Yang said, calling the Nargacuga a butt.
Shade only gave a huff and slapped her ass with his tail after letting her take her towel. He ignored the brawler's indignant cry as used his paw to clumsily open the door, push it open with his snout, and push it with his back leg to close it, leavings Yang get dressed in peace.
"Alright. She just has to get dried and dressed, and then we'll be ready to go." Shade said as he approached the others.
"About time. Honestly, other than Ruby, our hairs are all the same length and we don't take nearly as long in the shower." Weiss scoffed.
"Probably because we know if we use all the hot water, we'll have to face her wrath." Blake reminded her.
"Tell me about it." Douglas rolled his eyes. "I love myself a hotspring, but at least then there was enough hot water to go around."
"For once, I agree with you." Shade said. He looked and saw Ruby looking at something on her Scroll.
"Whatcha looking at?" The Wyvern asked.
"News Report. There might be more monsters besides you and Team JNPR's familiars in Vale." She explained.
"Hm? Hold on, turn it up..." Shade said. Ruby did so while the others (minus Yang, who was still in the bathroom) gathered around.
"Just in this morning: The reports of unidentified creatures continue in the City in light of the recent appearance of strange lights across the land. Two such creatures had been making their rounds across the city of Vale for the last few days." The new hostess on screen explained. A blurry photograph of a hulking beast, silhouetted by a raging fire in the background, was shown. "In downtown Vale, police have been in constant combat with a horned monster. By the looks of the destruction shown here," She says as another picture was shown, this time of a scene of destruction with several police cruisers either flipped over or on fire. "It looks like this one will be a tough one to take out." She said dramatically.
Shade was shocked to see the silhouette that looked like a terrifying legend all monsters knew by heart. "I REALLY hope that's not what I think it is." He said worriedly.
"Meanwhile, at the docks, which are rumored to be a hotspot for the White Fang, a large creature, with wings like a cloak, had been sighted prowling the area, radiating a strange black mist. The recent rise of disappearances in this place has led to a cause of concern for the citizens of Vale, who are worried about their own safety." She said as another blurry photo, showing a winged beast, silhouetted not by fire, but the moon.
"It is. It can't be any other monster." Douglass said in fear.
"What? What is?" Asked Yang as she stepped into the room, now dressed.
"Based on what we've seen, that monster in the news can only be Gore Magala, a walking extinction event. " Shade told them.
"It produces a virus in a mist that will kill most monsters, then revive them as furious, mindless beasts that attack everything, further spreading the virus until all life in an ecosystem is gone." Douglass explained.
"And it can turn some super strong monsters, like Tyrant, for example, into Apex Monsters, which dont die and are actually made stronger, but STILL spread the virus and kill everything." Shade added.
The girls were silent for a few moments, taking in this new information.
"Th...that sounds horrible. To have your will stripped away from you and not do anything but cause pain and suffering until you die." Ruby whimpered, tears appearing in the corner of her eyes.
"That's why hunters of our world try their hardest to kill them and keep that from happening. It's about the only thing we agree on." Shade says.
"And, what about the other one?" Yang asked.
"That other monster was a Rajang. While they are smaller in stature compared to other beasts, they are among the most powerful monsters in the Guild's records, being able to turn gold when enraged. Thankfully, though, they are rarely sighted." Shade reassured the others.
"Well...we shouldn't let it ruin our day." Weiss said. "I bet the authorities can keep those situations handled until actual huntsman can arrive."
"I suppose that is true. Whatever, let us go." Shade decided to end it there, and made for the door. The others looked at one another, before they too went out the door.
Little did they know what this day would have in store for them...
Later, in the city of Vale...
After taking an airship down to the city, Team RWBY and their familiars were walking in the busy streets. Passerby glanced and whispered when they saw the monsters traveling with the human girls, but they kept their distance. As they walked down the sidewalk, they saw some shopkeepers putting up a banner that read "Welcome to Vale!!". This apparently made Weiss excited, a shock to many.
"The Vytal Festival!! Oh this is absolutely wonderful!" She cried.
Douglass smiled at his partner's enthusiasm. "It's nice to see you're looking forward to something, Weiss." He said.
"Enthusiasm? That's a new thing for you, Ice Cube." Shade said with a raised eye ridge. "Yeah, it's kind of weirding me out." Ruby added.
"How could you not be excited? A festival dedicated to the cultures of the world!" Weiss explained.
"You guys have a World's Fair? Now this is certainly confusing." Shade said.
Weiss ignored him. "They'll have dances, parades, a tournament! Oh the amount of planning and Organization that goes into this is simply breathtaking." She boasted proudly.
"Ya know, you really know how to take something fun and make it boring." Yang said, crossing her arms.
"Quiet you!" Weiss scolded.
"Yeah, Yang. Lighten up." Shade added. "Besides, there's gonna be a tournament. About time we got some action!" He said as he brandished his claws.
"Unless everyone in Beacon and the other schools somehow get monsters, I doubt they'll let you in, Shade. It'd be unfair. " Blake pointed out.
Shade visibly deflated at that. "Shit..." He cursed, looking down. Looking up he noticed that they had arrived at the docks.
He crouches low, moving slowly. His ears and eyes constantly searching for threats. "What are you doing?" He heard Blake ask.
"Sorry. Just being cautious." Shade said. "I'm just a little paranoid since there were reports of a Gore Magala being here. Speaking of which, why did you bring us here, Schnee?"
"As a representative of Beacon, I feel it is my duty to welcome the incoming students from the other kingdoms." Weiss explained in a dignified manner.
"She wants to spy on the competition." Blake said flatly.
"You can't prove that!" Weiss snapped indignantly.
"Woah..." They heard Ruby breath, bringing their attention to her. They followed her line of sight to a building down the street from them. The windows had been shattered and there were police setting up a perimeter with yellow.
"Hmm..." Shade hummed in suspicion. Something was wrong. Without saying a word, he ran towards the scene.
"Wha-!? Shade wait!" Ruby cried, dashing after him. The others looked at one another in worry before rushing after them.
"Damn brat, wait for us." Douglas said as they reached the crime scene as well.
Two officers were doing an investigation on the scene when the group ran up to them. "What happened here?" Ruby asked.
"Dust robbery. Third one this month." One of them said.
"That's awful." Yang said.
"They left all the money again." The second detective said, catching Ruby's attention.
"You thinkin' the, uh, White Fang?" The first detective asked.
"I'm thinking we dont get paid enough for this. " the other said.
Shade sighed at the officer's lack of care in his job. "Vale's finest, everybody." He said sarcastically.
"Hmph, the White Fang." Weiss scoffed. "What an awful bunch of degenerates."
Blake looked at Weiss. "What's your problem?" She asked.
"My problem? I simply don't care for the criminally insane." Weiss said matter of factly. Blake didn't like the way Weiss looked down on the group as her eyes narrowed.
"The White Fang is hardly a band of psychopaths, they are a collection of misguided Faunus." Blake berated the heiress.
"Misguided? They want to wipe humanity off the face of the planet!" Weiss cried out.
"Then they're VERY misguided." Blake said.
"Exactly. The actions of a select few don't represent the feelings of the masses. What, do you think ALL Faunus want to be a part of the White Fang?" Shade questioned.
"I never said that, Black Cat!" Weiss yelled, glaring at the Nargacuga. "You stay out of this!" Shade growled at this, and was about to fire back when Douglas stepped in between them.
"Enough, the both of you!" He growled, his eyes briefly turning gold. "Whatever this 'White Fang' may be, there has to be a reason why they're needing so much Dust."
Ruby hummed while looking down in thought. "He does have a point." Ruby agreed with the white Psuedowyvern. "Besides, the Police failed to capture that Torchwick guy I ran into the night Shade and I met a few months ago, it probably was him."
"That still doesn't change the fact that the White Fang are a bunch of scum." Weiss insisted with her arms crossed.
"Okay, Weiss. We get it. Why don't you act like that other Ice Queen from that kid's movie and Let It Go." Shade told her, referencing that Freezing movie Ruby made them all see.
"...Really? Movie references as comebacks?" Yang said with a raised brow.
"Yeah...it...sounded better in my head." Shade said, cringing a bit at how awkward it now sounded. Suddenly the normal sound of the city was broken by a cry for help.
"Hey! Stop that Faunus!"
They all rushed back to the docks to see a cruise line. Aboard said liner, a Faunus boy in an open white button-up shirt and a pair of Jeans and sneakers was seen running down the aisle of the ship. He then reached the middle and, seeing how he was blocked both sides, climbed onto the railing. "Thanks for the ride, guys!" He said, leaping off.
"You no-good stowaway!" Someone on the boat yelled.
The boy now hung upside-down from his monkey tail on a street lamp, peeling a banana. "Hey! A no-good stowaway would've been caught! I'm a great stowaway!" The boy defended himself.
"Well, he's got them there." Douglass said.
"Hey!" One of the officers called, throwing a rock at the boy's head, forcing him to dodge.
"Well, that was a dick move." Shade said.
"Get down from there this instant!" The cop ordered, only to get the boy's banana peel to the face, increasing his irritation. The blonde laughed and leapt off the street pole, tucking and rolling to soften the impact before breaking into a sprint, the cops on his tail.
From the railing, the others watched the scene in curiosity. Shade looked at Weiss. "Is this one of those students from the Other Kingdoms? Looks like a handful." He sounded close to laughing, but kept it down when the heiress glared at him.
"Someone needs to stop him!" Someone from the crowd cried. Both Shade and Douglas looked at one another and nodded. "This looks like a job for us." The Barioth said, smirking. "Provide back up for us, ladies." Shade ordered, before he and Douglas leapt over the railing to pursue the Faunus.
"Why do I feel like a musical number is coming?" Ruby wondered.
The Faunus ran, his intent to run up the stairs that led to the streets of the city. "Haha! No one can stop no-!!" In his excitement, he forgot to look where he was going, and he bumped into something hard and furry, sending him reeling back onto his butt.
"Ow! What the-!?" He fell silent, upon seeing Shade standing there on his hind legs. "Uh oh..." He gulped.
"Stop right there criminal scum!" He heard the cops behind him getting closer. He twisted around, giving a sly smile at the police. "That's Sun Wukong to you!" He countered, leaping up as both one of the officers and Shade lunged at the monkey Faunus, only for the blonde to flip over the Wyvern and leave them collide into one another. Both man and beast groaned as Sun landed, flashing a blinding grin at them.
"Remember folks, you're only in trouble if you get caught!" Just as he said that, he heard a growl, followed by a puff of hot air on his head. He turned and looked up, only to see the Icy gaze of Douglas staring down at him.
"I'm in trouble."
(Song: One Jump Ahead from Aladdin)
Sun: Gotta keep, one jump ahead of the breadline.
One swing, ahead of the sword.
I steal, only what I can't afford.
(That's everything.)
While singing, Sun sidestepped a paw-swipe from Douglas, then somersaulting over a tail whip from the Barioth. Breaking into another sprint, he chuckled as the irritated cops and monsters gave chase behind him.
Sun: One jump, ahead of the lawmen.
That's all and that's no joke.
These guys don't appreciate I'm broke.
The monkey faunus ran onto the streets, but found himself blocked by Team RWBY, who had their weapons drawn. Thinking quickly, Sun rolled under a swing of Ruby's Scythe and ran to a metal support structure next to a convenient stack of alcohol kegs. Hopping from barrel to barrel, the blonde looked down to see his fast approaching pursuers. Of course, this didn't concern the Faunus, who smirked and kicked the barrels of booze, causing them to fall and spill their contents on the officers, Shade, and Douglas. Team RWBY thankfully stopped themselves before they could get drenched, except for Weiss, who stumbled and fell into the large puddle of beer, soaking her outfit. All of those who were drenched glared up at the cocky boy.
Officers: Riffraff!
Shade/Douglas: Street-rat!
Onlooker: Scoundrel!
All: TAKE THAT!!
Sun dodged a volley of bullets, ice balls, and feathers before just shrugging at his assailants, not seeing their problem.
Sun: Just a little fun guys.
Almost immediately after he said that, he was met with another volley of projectiles that he barely managed to dodge. Then his perch began swaying as both the officers and Wyverns shook the base.
Officers/Shade/Douglas: Rip him open, beat his backside!
Sun: I can take hint, gotta face the facts, perhaps we can start anew.
Sun, with his agility, jumped down, bouncing off Shade's head before landing in the middle of the onlooking crowd. Coincidentally, he landed right next to two girls, one dressed in a mint and white colored outfit while the other was dressed in red, who jumped back in shock along with the thugs that accompanied them. These were the infamous bodyguards of Junior's Club, Militia and Melanie Malachite, if Shade remembered Yang's story correctly.
Malachite Twins: Oh! It's sad that Faunus hit the bottom.
They've become a one-man rise in crime.
Female Thug: I'd blame parents, 'cept he hasn't got 'em.
Sun ducked under a swing of the thug's bat, he roundhouse kicked her before zipping to each girl with each beat of the song.
Sun: Gotta eat to live, gotta steal to eat.
I'll tell you all about about it when I got the time.
Sun gave wink at Melanie, who rolled her eyes and shoved him away. He immediately righted himself and continued running, the monsters, students, and police charging after him.
Sun: One jump, ahead of the slowpokes, one skip, ahead of my doom.
Next time, gonna use a nom de plume.
Sun continued to evade his pursuers, at one point, even, hiding behind a bodybuilder who was putting on a show. Shade's irritation at his antics (along with the others) was growing with every passing second.
Sun: One jump, ahead of the hitman, one hit, ahead of the flock, I think I'll take a stroll around the block.
Weaving through a crowd of stunned bystanders, the monkey Faunus looked behind him, seeing that the students and police were losing ground because they have to navigate the mass of people, but their beastly companions had other methods. For the panther-mimic, it was wall-running, and for the Barioth, it was flight. Regardless, he pushed forward, using his tail to steal a bowl of noodles from a noodle-stand, also knocking it over in the process, much to the annoyance of the shopkeeper who owned it.
Officer: Stop thief!
Shopkeeper: Vandal!
Onlooker 2: Outrage!
Onlooker 3: Scandal!
Eating his noodles while on the go, he looked up and noticed the path ahead was blocked by the Nargacuga and Barioth, who growled as they stalked toward him. He looked back and saw the cops and Team RWBY catching up, forming a half circle around him. Sun gulped and smiled nervously, backing up towards a wall.
Sun: Let's not be too hasty.
Suddenly, a door behind him opened, revealing a BIG woman who wore a bit too much make-up. The sight got two reactions from Sun's assailants: Shock and cringe. Sun wasn't much better as he was picked up, grimacing at his situation.
Lady: Still I think he's RATHER tasty!
Sun: Gotta eat to live, gotta to steal to eat.
Otherwise we'd get along.
Monsters/Officers/RWBY: WRONG!!!
Sun pushed himself away from the lady just before his attackers attempted to dog pile him, only for them to get tangled in a heap on the ground. The Faunus, on the other hand, continued his sprint down the street, his pursuers managing to untangle themselves and resume their chase.
At one point, the group split up in a plan to cut off the Faunus' escape routes. But Sun knew their patterns, and had the perfect counter plan.
Sun: One jump, ahead of the hoof beats!
(Vandal!)
Sun: One step, ahead of the hump!
(Street Rat!)
Sun: One trick, ahead of disaster!
(Scoundrel!)
Sun: They're quick, but I'm much faster! Here goes, better throw my hand in, wish me happy landin', all I gotta do is JUMP!!
The monkey Faunus ran through the back alleys, his pursuers closing in. The chase eventually reached a condemned building, with Sun finding himself on the edge of a rooftop. He grabbed an old carpet, looked over his shoulder, smirking at the encroaching authorities before leaping over the edge, gliding to safety while his pursuers froze in midair and looked down.
"Aw crap..." Shade muttered before he along with Team RWBY and the cops fell to the ground below. The Nargacuga tried to grab onto a balcony, but it proved all for naught as he joined the huntress' in training and the Feds in a pile. Douglas, on the other hand, simply flew down and landed next to them.
"Oi, this is not a place to take a nap! Let's go!!" He barked, running in the direction Sun went. The others groaned, but untangled themselves and followed.
Everyone groaned and got back up and rushed down the path Sun ran down, Shade in the lead, before he rounded the corner, only to slam into something. "Oof!" He cried out, sending both him and whoever he crashed into falling onto the pavement.
Groaning, he clutched his snout and lifted himself off the ground. That impact felt like running into a concrete wall. He looked down to look at who he bumped into, only for his concern to melt into confusion.
It was a teenage girl with ginger hair that curled and touched her shoulders. Despite wearing only a pink bow, blouse, and black leg pieces, with NO ARMOR whatsoever, her green eyes and bright smile indicated that she wasn't too hurt, if at all. Was this girl wearing armor underneath her attire?
"Shade! What happened!? Are you are alright!?" He heard Ruby cry out, bringing him out of his thoughts. He turned his head and saw Team RWBY running up to him.
"Yeah, I'm ok." He said, climbing off of the redhead. "I just crashed into this poor girl here." The Nargacuga explained, looking at the girl, who was still on the ground with a bright smile on her face. Kinda unusual...and creepy.
"Um, are you okay?" Yang asked.
"I'm wonderful! Thank you for asking!" The girl replied nonchalantly, acting like she didn't just take an entire monster coming at her head on and didn't even bat an eye.
The girls and their monsters looked at each other, then back at the redhead. Maybe this girl hit her head a little hard in the fall. "Do you...wanna get up?" Yang asked unsurely.
The girl actually had to think for a moment before answering. "Yes!" She declared, suddenly leaping back to her feet from being on the ground, like in a lot of Kung Fu movies.
The action made the students back up while the monsters narrowed their eyes. Something was up with this one, they just couldn't pin it down yet...
"My name is Penny. It's a pleasure to meet you!" Penny introduced herself cheerfully.
"Hi Penny, I'm Ruby." Ruby said politely.
"I'm Weiss." The heiress said pridefully.
"Blake." The girl in black said simply.
"Are you sure you didn't hit your head?" Yang asked rather bluntly, before an elbow jab from Blake corrected her. "Oh, I'm Yang."
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Penny said excitedly. Her green eyes locked onto the two Wyverns. She tilted her head, staring at them with an almost childlike curiousity. "What are they supposed to be? I've never seen anything like them."
"The black creature is known as a Nargacuga and his name is Shade. He is Ruby's familiar. And the white creature is known as a Barioth named Douglas." He is my familiar." Weiss explained.
"Oh! They look just like cats! I love cats!" Penny squealed, reaching out to pat Shade on the head before the others tell her otherwise. The Nargacuga tensed up and flinched when he felt her hand plant itself on his snout. But...he found himself relaxing in the soft feeling of her palm, stroking the course fur gently. It was...actually rather calming. It was a feeling he hadn't since...
A pang of melancholy suddenly struck his heart as memories from a simpler time came back to the Panther-Mimic, making Shade cast his gaze downward in sadness. The others didn't catch his change in mood as they continued talking.
"So, what are you doing Vale?" Yang asked.
Penny then hugged Douglas' head, the Ice Tusk Wyvern raising to his full height and lifting her off the ground, but she held on. "Oh! I am here to fight in the tournament!" She declared.
"You're fighting in the tournament?" Weiss questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm combat...READY!" The redhead declared, doing a salute.
"Forgive me, but you hardly look the part." Weiss told the girl.
"Huh, that's funny. When I ran into her, it felt like hitting a concrete wall head on. I'd say she's wearing armor underneath her outfit." Shade said. "Besides, you're one to talk considering the fact you're wearing a dress."
"It's a combat skirt." Weiss declared proudly, crossing her arms.
Suddenly, Ruby was at her side in an instant, arms also crossed. "Yeah." She confirmed, holding her hand out low for Weiss to give a low five, which she actually did.
"So...any particular reason why you bumped into me? You seemed to be in a hurry." Penny said.
"Oh, right. We're looking for a Faunus boy with a monkey tail. Seen him?" Shade asked. In the excitement, he seemed to have forgotten something rather important...
"Shade, she can't understand you." Yang told him, to which he became downcast with a dark aura around him as he groaned.
"Oh, yes. We were tracking down a delinquent riff-raff." Weiss explained.
"Oh, you mean the monkey Faunus? I saw him run past me before Shade bumped into me. I'm afraid he's long gone though." Penny said, causing the others to groan.
"Rats...well, thanks for the help anyway, friend." Ruby said cheerfully, turning around to walk off along with her teammates. She didn't expect Penny to zip right in front of her, appearing directly in her face. She yelped when Penny leaned in.
"You...said I was your friend, am I really your friend?" Penny asked hopefully.
"Uh..." Ruby said unsurely, looking to her friends, who all shook their heads no.
"Y-Yeah, sure. Why not?" Ruby said nervously, shrugging. Her friends, on the other hand, just dropped to the floor, defeated.
"Well, dont blames us when this bites you in the ass." Shade muttered.
Penny became giddy, shaking and pumping her fists in excitement. "SEN-SATIONAL!" She cried. "We can paint our nails, try on clothes, and talk about cute boys!"
"Ehehehe...well...um..." Ruby stutter, pressing her pointer fingers together. Thankfully was there to step in.
"While that does sound fun, we're kinda busy right now." Yang said, trying to get Penny to leave. "We can hang out another time, alright?" She reassured the girl.
"Aw..." the redhead whined. "Very well." She turned to the walk away. "I hope we meet again soon!" She said before walking down the road and disappearing around the corner. The others let out a breath they didn't even know they holding.
"Man, that girl was strange." Shade grumbled.
"Yeah. She is either a complete airhead or she hit her head really hard." Yang added.
"And worst of all, she didn't give us any clue where that monkey-tailed rapscallion went." Weiss growled. This sentence once again reached Blake's ears, and she didn't like it one bit.
"Oh just stop it!" Blake snapped.
"Stop what?" Weiss asked.
"Calling him a rapscallion! Stop calling him a degenerate! He's a person like you and I!" The girl in black argued.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Would you like me to stop calling this lamppost a lamppost, or this trash bin a trash bin? He clearly broke the law." Weiss told her.
Shade was rapidly becoming annoyed with this as well. "Look, Schnee, I dont know what you're so butthurt about, but if you keep talking crap about the Faunus, I'll add some serious pain to your ass." He warned, cracking his tail like a whip.
"You stay out of this, you beast!" The Heiress shrieked, placing a hand on the handle of her Rapier. She then snapped her cold gaze back to Blake. "I don't know why you two think we should give him a chance! He's likely to just straight up join that band of animals anyway!"
"YOU FUCKING BRAT!!" Shade snarled, his eyes blazing with red light. "It's no wonder you're such a piece of shit! You judge folks before you even know them!"
"That's because I know them more than any one of you ever will!!" Weiss screamed, her cold gaze clashing with Shade's own blood-red one.
The three of them dissolved into a flurry of insults and accusations while Yang, Ruby, and Douglas watched on in worry. Douglas leaned over to Ruby.
"How long do think it will be before they burn themselves out?" The Barioth whispered.
"Not long, hopefully." Ruby said.
Several hours later...
Unfortunately, as it turns out, they didn't stop arguing. The argument continued on the walk back to the airship, the flight back to Beacon, and on the walk back to the dorm. As the two girls and PseudoWyvern's fight escalated, Yang and Ruby watched on, unsure what to do while Douglas had his paws over his ears in an attempt to block out the increasingly loud accusations.
"I'm going for a walk." The Barioth muttered, walking out the open door and down the hall, his tail dragging behind him. The two spectating sisters said nothing, and continued to watch the situation unfold.
"So, did you just wake up and choose to be racist today, or have you always been total scum?" Shade questioned.
"No, it's just that I don't understand why anyone would support a group of delinquents." Weiss yelled defiantly. "And besides, I don't understand why this is such a problem!"
"That IS the problem!" Blake countered.
"You're acting like every single Faunus is part of the damn group. Watch, next you're gonna say that VELVET is gonna steal all your Dust and kill you with it." Shade scoffed.
"You two do realize that you are defending an organization that hates humanity with a passion, don't you?! The Faunus of the White Fang are pure evil!" Weiss shouted, standing up from her seat on her bed.
"There's no such thing as pure evil!" Blake countered, also rising from her seat. "Why do you think they hate humanity? It is because of people like Cardin, people like YOU, that cause the White Fang to take such drastic measures."
"Exactly! It is miserable fucks like you, folks who never had to lift a finger their entire life, that make people like them turn to violence! Not giving them a chance before you even met them is childish and proves my view on scum like you!!" Shade added, the red lights in his eyes creating trails with his movements.
"I'm a victim!" Weiss insisted.
"A...a victim!? A. Victim!? Hehehe...hahah...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Shade began cackling hysterically, disturbing everyone in the room, before he suddenly stopped and snapped his gaze back, the Heiress giving a gasp when she When she saw the white hot fury in his eyes. "DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH!! HOW ARE YOU THE VICTIM, YOU BITCH!!!" He roared, spit flying out his jaws and hit the heiress in the face.
"Dont you dare laugh at me, you beast!" Weiss snapped, slapping Shade across the face with enough force to even impress Yang, knocking the ambush predator to the floor.
Weiss took a few deep breaths before she told her story. "I have issues with the Faunus because they've been at war with my family for years. War, as in actual bloodshed. For as long as I can remember, my grandfather's company has had a target on it's back. I've seen family friends disappear. Board members executed. An entire train car of Dust stolen. And every day my father would come home furious. And that led to a very harsh childhood." Weiss said angrily, balling her fists.
Ruby walked up the Glyph user and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Weiss, I-" She was silenced by Weiss slapping her hand away with a death glare, making her flinch back with wide eyes. "NO!!" She yelled.
Shade, who had been picking himself off the floor, quickly got between the two girls. "That is enough!! Weiss, you're in-over your hea-!!"
"SILENCE." A single word, cold as ice, caused the Nargacuga to shrink back, his ears flattening against his head. Weiss returned her attention back to Blake, who stared back with a neutral expression.
"You want to know why I despise the White Fang!?" Weiss asked, her volume increasing with every word. "Because their a bunch of liars, thieves and murderers!!"
At that moment, something snapped in Blake.
"WELL, MAYBE WE WERE JUST TIRED OF BEING PUSHED AROUND!" Blake cried out, not realizing until too late that her secret was out.
The rest of the team was in shock. "What?" Yang asked.
"You said 'we'..." Shade breathed, putting two and two together. "Blake...are you...a Faunus?"
Blake was absolutely panicking now. "I-I..." She began while backing away, before rushing out the door before anyone could react.
"W-Wait, Blake! No! DON'T GO!!" The Nargacuga reached out with a paw in desperation.
"Blake, wait!" Ruby cried, trying to go after her, but it was too late.
"Blake...no..." Shade said, his paw reaching out shakily to the doorway Blake left through. His gaze became downcast, his feelings raging inside him like a storm. Then he remembered why they were in this situation...
"You... just HAD to set her off, DIDN'T YOU!!" He snarled accusingly, slowly turning around and stalking toward the heiress.
Weiss was terrified now. She'd never seen this side to Shade before. "I... I didn't know... I was just trying to explain why I am the way I am." She explained, backing up until she felt the cold wood of the bookshelf against her bottom.
"You may know loss, you twat, but nothing you've experienced in your life will compare to what I had to go through!!" Shade roared, inching closer to the Sword-user.
"Stay back! I warn you!" Weiss yelled.
"Shade. Don't do it." Ruby pleaded. Their words, however, fell on deaf ears.
"You lost relatives? Imagine having everything you ever knew proven to be lies..." Shade's snout was now inches away from Weiss' face. "...Imagine having your entire village razed to the ground and having everyone, people who loved you and you loved back, slaughtered like cattle, leaving you in place you wouldn't be able to crawl out of..." He planted a paw on the white-haired girl's chest and pressed down, pinning her as her eyes stared in horror into the red fire of his irises. "...Imagine being forced to live your rest life on the run with a target on your back! You don't get loss like I do, Schnee, and you never will..." Shade hissed at the Heiress pinned beneath him, tears running down her face out of pure fear. Ruby, from her place by Yang, knew that this had to stop.
"SHADE!" She barked. "STOP THIS INSTANT, YOU'RE NOT HELP-!!"
*WHAM!!*
"KYAAAH!!"
*CRASH!!*
Without thinking, Shade, eyes blazing with blind rage, released his grip on Weiss and spun around, landing a harsh blow on Ruby's abdomen with his tail. Even though her Aura prevented any serious injury, the force sent Ruby flying. She hit the wall with a pained cry, the impact leave an indention and few cracks on the surface. Sliding down the wall, she slumped down on the floor, weakly clutching her side.
The Nargacuga breathed heavily, his eyes and ears glowing crimson from the hot blood filling them. Globules of drool dripped off his teeth and hit the floor as the adrenaline slowly left his system.
That was when he heard it.
"*sniff*...*hic*..."
The sound of tiny sobs reach the Wyvern's sensitive ears, and almost immediately, his crimson eyes reverted back to their normal hellfire color. Regret weighed heavily in Shade's heart as he looked down at his claws. He let his anger get the better of him, and now he struck out at his friends because of it. That fact made the monster's heart ache, but what Ruby said next completely shattered it.
"S-Shade...w-w-why...?" She whimpered, looking at him in betrayal as tears streamed from her eyes. Shade felt an all too familiar sting in his own eyes, but kept it back as he reached out to touch her.
"R-Ruby, I can-" He stopped by Yang stepping in front of him and holding Ruby in her arms, protecting her from further harm. Her hair glowed like a hot flame as her amethyst eyes turned red.
"Get away, you monster. If you ever touch her again, I'll show you a monster more terrifying than anything from your world." Yang warned him, absolute fury evident in her voice.
Shade dropped to the floor and held his head in his paws, the pains of guilt, regret and anger towards himself wracking his mind. Soon, it became too much and he let out a furious cry.
RRRWWWAAAOOOWWWRRR!
Weiss ducked down at this, squatting and holding her head in fear, before Shade leapt onto the bookshelf and jumped out the window, disappearing into the night.
It was silent in the room, no sound rang out save for the occasional sob or sniffle. The silence was broken by a voice from the doorway.
"I go away for five minutes, and this entire room is a mess!"
The girls turned and saw one of the most imposing sights ever: A very livid Douglas. The Barioth's eyes shone with golden irritation as he scanned the room, scrutinizing the girls, who shrunk back in intimidation.
"D-Douglas! H-how long have you been there?" Weiss stammered, trying to compose herself.
"Long enough to see Blake run off and for see Shade lash out at you." The White Wyvern growled. "What. Happened? I want the truth, so no lying."
They were all still shaky and scared, both from Shade's outburst and now Douglas' stern glare. "B-Blake revealed she was in the White Fang, then ran off. And that made Shade go ballistic." Weiss said, before her anger trumped her fear.
"Honestly, that Wyvern has always been rabid! Look what he did to Ruby! I have half a mind to tell Professor Ozpin that beast should be put down." She declared.
"That's because you judge people before you even know them! Have you even sat down to think why he acts the way he does? Why he acts so standoffish at the drop of a hat? Hm?" Douglas asked, his golden gaze piercing straight through Weiss' soul.
Weiss was shocked at this, looking down in shame. "No." She admitted.
"Nargacuga are very secretive about their backgrounds, and Shade was no exception. Whatever you had said before had definitely struck a nerve in him, hence why he attacked you and Ruby. His kind are impulsive like that." Douglas explained. "What did you say to him that made him go crazy?" He asked.
"I just told him why I don't trust the Faunus and hate the White Fang " Weiss explained, telling the story again.
"I heard him rambling about you being a victim, and yet your suffering would never compare to what he had been through." Douglas said thoughtfully. "He also said something about a village being burnt to ash or something like that. Do you think...that village was Shade's home?"
"How could I know? He never said it." She said with a huff.
"Hmm...we'll think about it later. For now, we need get some rest. First thing in the morning, we go out and search for them. Both of them have a lot of explaining to do." He said firmly, walking over to Yang and Ruby. His expression softened to not frighten the crimsonette. "Hey. Can you walk, or do you need help?" He asked softly.
"I-I can walk." Ruby said.
The crimsonette slowly rose to her feet, and was led to the bathroom by Yang. Douglas walked after them, but not before looking at Weiss one last time.
"Just know, I'm not mad, Weiss, just very, very, disappointed in you. This is your mess, child, now you'll have to clean it up." Douglas told Weiss in an almost fatherly tone, before entering the bathroom to help Yang set up a warm bath for Ruby.
When the door closed, the shame in Weiss finally came to a head, and she sank to her knees, sobbing into her hands.
'Shade, Blake.' She thought. 'Wherever you two may be, I'm so sorry.'
Shade didn't know how long he ran, but it was long enough to where he had cleared the wild space surrounding Vale, and was now in the back alley's. He eventually came to a stop, panting in an attempt get some much needed oxygen in his lungs.
His hellfire eyes were puffy from crying the entire way there, and his tears had left tiny streaks in his already dark fur. He found a corner by a dumpster and curled up.
He blew his relationship with Team RWBY, and now they probably won't want to see him again. That was fine, Shade told himself. He had lived most of his adult life alone, and that was how it was going to be. It was a fact he took with a grain of salt as he hid his muzzle underneath his wing.
For the first time in years, Shade cried himself to sleep that night.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Sorry for the unnecessary sadness, but it had to be done.
Also, the next chapter will come in a littlelater than usual since Sai and I will be collabing on another story that will be posted on his profile.
Stay tuned...