OPENING

A skinny Steve Rogers was kneeling on the streets of Brooklyn from the 40's, as he was surrounded by bullies.

They see you as small and helpless

The bullies then disappeared, as he saw a shadowed silhouette of his muscular self in front of him.

They see you as just a child

The skinny Steve Rogers then stood up, as his surroundings transitioned to the modern Brooklyn. He then transitioned himself from skinny to the present Steve Rogers, before he ran towards an enemy while wielding his iconic vibranium shield.

Surprised when they find out that a warrior will soon run wild

THE AVENGERS:

ASSEMBLE ON REMNANT

Prepare for your greatest moments

A young Natasha Romanoff was surrounded by numerous shadowed Black Widows, as she stared at Dreykov who was standing in front of the Widows.

Prepare for your finest hour

Sam Wilson stared back at his partner's grave before flying away while Clint Barton wore his purple shades and calmly sighed, before firing an arrow at his target's head from a tall building.

The dream that you've always dreamed is suddenly about to flower

A horde of Grimm and Ultron Sentries were shown, as Ultron fired a laser blast before transitioning to Roman Torchwick, Crossbones, and Aldrich Killian were then shown while their goons were behind them.

We are lightning

Cinder was then shown in front while Mercury, Emerald, Mysterio, and Taskmaster were behind her.

Straying from the thunder

The Avengers – Captain America, Black Widow, Falcon, and Hawkeye – and Team RWBY were surrounded by a horde of Grimm, Ultron Sentries, and EXTREMIS Soldiers.

Miracles of ancient wonder

The two teams then dodged from Ultron's deadly laser beam, before rushing towards him and the horde.

This will be the day we've waited for

Jaune was staring at the statues of the original six Avengers.

This will be the day we open up the door

Pyrrha then placed her hand at Jaune's shoulder, as Team JNPR and other heroes – Peter Parker / Spider-Man, Shang-Chi, Harley Keener, Loki, Kate Bishop / Hawkeye, and Scott Lang / Ant-Man – were all shown. All of them had an Avenger logo implanted on their combat gears.

I don't wanna hear your absolution

Hope you're ready for a revolution

Ozpin, Glynda, Wong, and Black Panther were in the balcony of an airship.

Welcome to a world of new solutions

Welcome to a world of bloody evolution

Steve, Natasha, Sam, and Clint were then shown with their hero symbols along with Team RWBY's.

In time, your heart will open minds

A story will be told

All of the main and side heroes from both franchises were then shown, before ending with Ruby spinning her scythe and Steve throwing his shield.

And victory is in a simple soul


CHAPTER 8: VALUE OF STRENGTH

When the Avengers and Team CFVY returned to Beacon Academy, all of the members of the Avengers went into their comfortable bed due to exhaustion, except for Captain America, while Team CFVY went to the hospital room to get medical attention. Steve went to the gym as he was unable to sleep due to his stamina. He still has energy left in his body. It was one of the perks of being a super soldier aside from helping people in need without expecting anything in return. Meanwhile, Professor Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch were having a discussion in the middle of the night.

"What do you think of the Avengers' capabilities, Glynda?" Ozpin asked in curiosity. He wished to witness their combat prowess and perfect team coordination, but unfortunately, he couldn't leave his school unattended late at night. There is a slight chance that there would be intruders, which occasionally happened ever since he became a headmaster of one of the schools he established in his previous life as the last King of Vale.

"They're… beyond what the footage from Crystal Town displayed." Glynda answered, recalling their tenacity and synchronization with one another. She could barely keep up with them due to her lack of fighting ever since she became a professor in Beacon. "They are experienced, reliable, skilled, and more. I even managed to pull a double team move with Captain Rogers despite the fact we have never trained together. His shield was indestructible indeed, as it was able to slice through several Grimm like they were butter. An ordinary shield would've been destroyed upon contact with a Beringel or Beowolf."

Ozpin chuckled, "I take it you have fun from the way you described it. It must've been a while since you fought properly, huh, Glynda. It was a good thing that Qrow wasn't in Vale yet."

"It was fun indeed." Glynda enjoyed getting out in the field again. She was one of the brightest and strongest students during her time as a student in Beacon, along with Ozpin. She may have enjoyed being a professor in order to teach students how to survive in the outside world, but she definitely prefers more in fighting enemies rather than teaching about them. "Nonetheless, they are like an unstoppable force of nature. They would be the perfect teachers for the children. Have all of them accepted to become teachers, Oz?"

"Fortunately, all of them have accepted to become teachers in the next school year." Ozpin answered. He was relieved that they accepted the offer as he needs their help to teach the children with their skills from Earth. It would certainly help the next generation of Huntsmen to combat against the formidable threats. "Captain Steve Rogers and Lieutenant Sam Wilson will be hand-to-hand combat teachers, Agent Natasha Romanoff and Agent Clint Barton will be stealth and firearm teachers, and Scott Lang will be an engineering teacher."

"The two soldiers are the right chance for combat teachers as they are veterans and skilled in physical combat while both agents are skilled in stealth and firearms as they are former espionage in a defunct government, S.H.I.E.L.D." Glynda understands the assigned subjects that Ozpin gave to the Avengers, except for Scott Lang. "But Scott Lang for engineering? Why?"

"It is because Mr. Lang, surprisingly, is an expert in engineering. His engineering is one of the reasons he managed to infiltrate an impenetrable company that was laundering money from their customers." Ozpin showed Glynda an old weapon of a fellow classmate in his school days with a new fancy appearance and upgrade. "He showed me his skills earlier before sending the Avengers to Forever Fall. He improvised this weapon with additional upgrades. It surpassed what most students created with their weapons, but he admitted that his skills are still inferior to Tony Stark." [1]

"Most impressive indeed. It'll be useful to have a person who can maintain damaged weapons during training. The students won't have to travel to the City of Vale and pay for repairing their weapons." Glynda was observing the weapon. The weapon didn't feel heavy compared to before, yet it was still capable enough to deal a massive amount of damage depending on who wields it. She placed it back on the table, impressed with Ant-Man's engineering skills. "Hold on. Did you say that he infiltrated a company back on Earth?"

"Yes, I did. You might want to ask him about it. It was for a good reason." Ozpin answered before yawning. "I must get to bed now, Glynda. You should too as you still have class to teach tomorrow."

"Very well, headmaster." Glynda lowered her head respectfully before departing his office. She still felt her heart pumped by intense action back in Forever Fall. She was about to show her excitement as she did in her younger years, but remained calm and composed as she doesn't want anyone to see this side of hers.

After Glynda left his office, Ozpin opened his scroll to see an unread message from Qrow Branwen. He listens to the recording that Qrow sent to him, which was about the conversation between Amber and Shaun. He was surprised to find out that Shaun, whose real name is Shang-Chi, wasn't an ordinary citizen and the fact that Amber told him about the secret of Remnant in return for saving her life. He was bewildered that Shang-Chi was the son of an immortal warlord who runs a criminal organization called the Ten Rings while sympathizing with his situation as there are other people who didn't have a proper childhood like him. He is going to reprimand Qrow for sharing Shang-Chi's secret willingly when it's his choice to share his secret with them, similar to how it is his choice to share the secrets of his world to the Avengers.

Nonetheless, Ozpin speculated that Shang-Chi isn't the only one who has secrets. He pulled out the holographic photos again to stare at Peter Parker and Wong. He already knew about T'Challa, also known as Black Panther, from the Avengers so he already knew the King of Wakanda isn't an ordinary citizen. He wondered if these two individuals aren't ordinary as they seem like Shang-Chi. He continues to search for the three of them in hopes to find them fast. It'll also be good to have more allies if Peter Parker and Wong aren't ordinary as they seem.

The next morning, Team CFVY was seen back in Beacon Academy. They were completely healed from their injuries thanks to their Aura. All of the students practically swarmed with a bombarded amount of questions about what happened in Forever Fall as well as who saved them. Most of the students who stayed up late last night saw particularly dressed individuals exiting the Beacon Airship, so they asked Team CFVY about whether or not it was those individuals who saved them from the Grimm. Neither of the team members mentioned about the Avengers, just that they were rescued by an interesting group of 'superheroes'. The students weren't satisfied with the answers as it was somewhat ambiguous, but it was ironic as some of them have already seen the Avengers roaming around the academy in their regular civilian clothing. They kept asking Team CFVY more, but they couldn't answer any more questions as ordered by the headmaster last night.

"I advised you to not make this situation a big deal." Ozpin told Team CFVY who were on a hospital bed. "The Avengers do not want to have attention as it'll hinder their work. It's their choice to reveal themselves to the world, so do not tell anyone about them. Maybe just an ambiguous answer."

Team CFVY doesn't know why the Avengers didn't want to be known, but they respect the orders from the headmaster. When they tried to leave the curious students, Coco couldn't help but wonder who the extraordinary group of individuals known as The Avengers. She didn't have time to have a conversation with Clint Barton, who she helped a few days ago with his weapon, because she was too exhausted to do so. She wondered what was their goal and how do they form a relationship with Professor Ozpin who often doesn't do the same with other professional Huntsman. She had been watching videos of the Avengers saving a Grimm attack on Crystal Town. She was so intrigued by their perfect team coordination and amazing abilities that she is eager to train with his members to push their boundaries in order to be better than the Avengers, though she is aware that it'll take a few years to reach their level.


City of Vale

When the Ship arrived on the City of Vale, Qrow yawned and stretched his arms while Amber went to the lowest deck to fetch her white horse. Shang-Chi, on the other hand, stared at the city which reminded him of a European architecture based on the structure of the buildings. He is knowledgeable in some areas of history due to learning his father's feats as a power-hungry warlord in the past, such as when he indirectly started the French Revolution in 1789 or convinced Adolf Hitler to start another world war in 1939. Anyway, he enjoyed the moment of peace in the city despite being bustling with people. He would much prefer this lifestyle if he wasn't still haunted by his father in his dream.

"Welcome to the City of Vale, Shaun." Qrow welcomed Shang-Chi to the city before drinking a flask of alcohol when it was still early morning. He always drinks his beverage as it's his way to comfort himself instead of seeking comfort from others because of his unlucky Semblance. He isn't intending to tell anyone about his Semblance, not even his own adorable nieces. He shrugged the reason off as it isn't important right now. "What do you think?"

"So far? I love it." Shang-Chi answered truthfully before looking at the buildings once again.

Amber chuckled while leading her horse, "You may enjoy it now, but sooner or later, you'll get bored when you stay here for too long. I know I did when I became a student for a few months here."

"Yeah, places can get boring if you intend to stay in them for too long." Qrow agreed with the Fall Maiden's statement before staring at Shang-Chi who doesn't mind staying in the City of Vale as long as he isn't his father's shadow anymore. He then drank his flask of alcohol before guiding both of them. "C'mon. Let's get to Beacon before I will be overrun by a bunch of pipsqueaks. And I need to visit my nieces after dropping you off."

"Well, why don't I guide him then?" Amber offered to guide Shang-Chi around the city before going to Beacon Academy. She wanted to explore the city with her new friend, though her beating heart says otherwise. Besides, she didn't want to visit Beacon Academy yet. She still felt guilty for leaving the academy unexpectedly without any letter nor snickers from her classmates, who are probably still in the academy, for running away like a 'coward'.

Qrow could see that Amber wasn't ready to enter Beacon Academy, but he couldn't afford to leave Shang-Chi alone with her for too long judging by his history, yet he also doesn't want him to know that he recorded the guy in secret as it is a sensitive topic. He took one look at Shang-Chi before making his decision with a defeated sigh. "Fine, but you better not do anything funny. I'll know."

"I won't, sir." Shang-Chi said. "And that is the second time you told me by the way."

Qrow grumbled before walking away from them, "I'll catch on later after my visit. I need to see how my youngest niece has improved with her weapon."

"Come on. I'll give you a tour." Amber said excitedly, as she has never been exploring the place properly due to being an outcast to the academy. Her teammates wouldn't acknowledge her skills and helpfulness because she often helps other students with their injuries rather than focusing on the main objective which was the Grimm. Her desire to help anyone lead her to being an outcast, so she is excited to finally explore the city with a friend.

Shang-Chi gave her a smile before nodding in confirmation, "Sure."

As both of them explored the city, Shang-Chi was fascinated by their culture and food from the Commercial District. The architecture of the Commercial District appears to vary widely, possibly according to socioeconomic factors. While some areas appear to be surrounded by buildings with well-kept brick façades, holographic street lamps, pedestrian crossing, and clear streets, other areas appear to be more low-income, such as those surrounding Junior's Club, which are characterized by metal, bare concrete and power-lines. He and Amber ate a noodle from a noodle stand called A Simple Wok, which tasted much more delicious than the ones his best friend's mother cooked. There were also desserts in Bakery that were similar to Earth in appearance, but the taste was different which he isn't a fan of unlike the noodles.

Shang-Chi and Amber then explore the Vale Library. While Amber isn't a big fan of reading, Shang-Chi was rather interested in learning the history of this world. He still lacks the knowledge of the enemies like the Creatures of Grimm. The information that Amber gave him about the truth of this world wasn't enough. He plans to read some history books after meeting with the Avengers. He was eager to meet them upon arrival to Vale, but he wanted to explore the city with Amber first, as he could tell that she doesn't have that many friends to explore the city with judging by her facial expression. Suddenly, he felt that someone was watching him before they left. He looked back to find no one, but he swore that there was presence behind him briefly.

Shang-Chi and Amber went to the Vale City Square, which is a small park in a lowered area, surrounded by buildings. The area has grass and trees and the middle features a raised platform that functions as a stage for gatherings and announcements. Out of everything Shang-Chi explored, this might be his favorite yet. It slightly reminded him of the New York Time Square where he and his best friend, Katy, explore whenever they decide to take a break. Both of them sat down on the bench, busking in the fresh air and relaxing. It has been tough for the past couple days for both of them. For a few minutes, neither of them talked for a while as they felt an awkwardness with each other, but both of them shrugged it off eventually.

Amber breathed in and out deeply, "Okay, I'm ready now."

"Are you sure?" Shang-Chi was worried that Amber would enter the Beacon Academy unprepared. He could tell she is nervous to enter the academy again after she left without any warning. He understands what she is feeling as he felt like an outcast in a normal school after running away from his father until he met his future best friend who comforted him. He wants to remain patient from meeting with the Avengers, as he doesn't want to rush Amber. "I can wait until you are truly ready."

Amber shook her head, "No, I'm fine. I need to meet with Professor Ozpin anyway. I need to explain why I ran away from Beacon. Besides, I'm also curious about your situation. I still find it hard to believe you are from another world."

"You're not the only. I'm still in disbelief from the absurdity you have told me about this world." Shang-Chi made a joke, which made Amber chuckled, in order to make her feel confident instead of the nervousness.

As Shang-Chi and Amber walked towards Beacon Academy slowly, Ilia was sitting on a bench on the other side while munching numerous cornbreads due to stress. She couldn't find Hawkeye anywhere, so she'll have to wait for the night to arrive. She doesn't know whether or not Hawkeye will appear tonight, but there's a possibility considering the appearance of an archer vigilante a few days ago. She hopes that she succeeds on her mission, otherwise, she will have to join with her late parents in the afterlife… if there is one. She then lay down on the bench, hoping to get some rest for later, while activating her special ability in order to prevent the enforcers from interrupting her sleep.


Beacon Academy

Meanwhile, Steve was exploding the rest of the academy with Glynda while hearing rumors about a group of unknown individuals who rescued Team CFVY last night. He was slightly frightened by how rumors could spread in a single night, but he was also surprised that neither of the students bothered to check the video about a group of newcomers saving Crystal Town. It might've helped them narrow it down and discover that they are in Beacon Academy. Anyway, he was refreshed from the craziness for the past few days while Glynda was guiding him around the academy.

"In this hallway, those rooms are primarily for welding and weapon customization for the students. It was barely used because the majority of them have no knowledge about the mechanics of weapons." Glynda told Steve the uses of the rooms that were once useless towards the inexperienced students. "But now that Scott Lang became an engineering teacher, he'll be the one to fix the damaged weapons as well as teach some of them on how to make or repair weapons."

"Makes sense. He is quite a good engineer." Steve complimented the insect hero. "He may not be on Tony's level, but it is still rather impressive. What is he doing currently by the way?"

"I think he mentions about… making disks or something? I'm not sure." Glynda couldn't pay attention to Ant-Man arsenals due to the absurdity of his abilities to shrink and grow as well as summoning and controlling ants, which all came from the suit and gadgets themselves. She really wondered if it's possible that Semblance would be replaced in the future if Atlas is capable of inventing similar technology as the communication device because it's oddly terrifying. "Anyway, have you considered getting your own weapon, Steve? It might aid you more."

"So far, I'll have to pass on that." Steve refused to get a new weapon unless he had no choice in the future. He may have hesitated to use the shield again after everything happened with him and Tony, but he doesn't dwell on the past that prevents him from using his iconic weapon. The shield has been with him since forever, even when he was stuck under the ice for 70 years. "I am comfortable with what I have. This shield is basically my trusted partner and savior since I became Captain America. I'm not planning to have another weapon, but maybe someday."

"I'll take your word for it then." Glynda then checked her scroll for the time. "I apologize, Steve, but that would end our tour. I have a class to attend to."

Steve nodded with a genuine smile, "It's alright, Glynda. I'll explore on my own. Thanks for giving me a tour."

Glynda blushed briefly, "Y-You're welcome."

When Glynda left, Steve stared at her for a brief moment while feeling his heart pounding momentarily before looking away. He wondered if he could start a relationship with the professor someday, but it's unlikely as Glynda isn't the type to form a relationship. As he looked ahead of the hallway, he saw a familiar faunus who was leaning against the wall with a droopy expression, which made him worried that something happened. He walked towards the faunus, who has yet to see him.

"Ms. Scarlatina." Steve called her out politely.

Velvet flinched when somebody called her unexpectedly. She looked over to see who called, which was Captain Rogers surprisingly. She blushed due to her shyness while looking away to avoid eye contact with the hero who saved her and her teammates. "You're… Captain Rogers, right?"

"That's right. You remembered." Steve replied politely. "Are you well, Ms. Scarlatina?"

Velvet couldn't believe that she would meet Captain Rogers so soon after saving her and her team. She definitely didn't expect him right now due to a personal issue, yet the fact he was holding a conversation with her and asking about her well-being was unexpected. It also had to be the leader of the Avengers out of everyone. She doesn't know how to respond as he didn't want him to worry about her while trying to hide her rabbit ears in order for him to avoid witnessing the bruises. She simply nodded in confirmation. "I-I'm… yeah…"

"Pardon?" Steve couldn't quite catch on her quiet answer.

"I-I'm fine." Velvet said a little loud, reassuring Captain Rogers that she is fine. She doesn't want anyone to find out about her problems, except for Team CFVY. She is too shy to ask for help because she doesn't want to act like the weak one.

"That's good to know. My apologies that we didn't check on you last night. Some of us were exhausted." Steve said solemnly, relieved that Velvet is fine. He remembered when she had so many bruises, along with Fox Alistair, last night until her Aura healed her completely. He wondered what would've happened if he unlocked his Aura. His injuries and wounds probably healed in seconds because of the mixture between the Aura and super soldier serum.

Velvet realized that her face was red as a tomato due to the captain's words and presence. She felt a commanding aura from Captain Rogers compared to her leader, Coco Adel, who doesn't really have an aura of one yet. It explains how much experienced Captain Rogers was in physical combat and team work despite never having heard about them until now. She felt like being on the right side of history when standing beside the presence of Captain Rogers. She doesn't know why, but his soothing words made her feel like she could do anything. She then dropped her hands that were covering her ears unintentionally.

Steve widened his eyes upon witnessing the bruises on her rabbit ears, "Ms. Scarlatina, what happened to your ears? They were not like that back in Forever Fall."

Velvet covered her ears immediately while her face went pale. She was in disbelief that Captain Rogers managed to see it once she dropped her hands. She couldn't find a way to answer his question, as he doesn't want anyone to know she was being bullied by humans. She looked away from him while closing her eyes, hoping that he'll forget his question. "It's nothing…"

"Velvet…" Steve understands her situation upon seeing himself in her position when he was a child. The difference between them, however, is that he learned to always fight back as they'll never stop coming for him while Velvet is too shy and polite to do so. "…you've been bullied, haven't you? I can tell."

Before Velvet could say anything, Coco and the rest of Team CFVY were waving their hands at her. She hid her rabbit ears immediately while Steve continued to give her a worried expression. Steve knew that if she doesn't have the confidence to overcome bullying, then she won't be able to survive outside where the prejudice against the faunus is stronger than Beacon Academy. But first, he had to greet the other members of Team CFVY.

"Hey, Vel! Where were you? We've been looking for y-" Coco placed her on Velvet's shoulder until she saw Captain Rogers standing beside her friend. She jumped back immediately due to an unexpected appearance, as Yatsuhashi and Fox shared the same reaction. "Mr. Rogers! I-I-I-I-I didn't you see there! I didn't t-t-think we would see you so soon!"

Steve chuckled, "At ease, Ms. Adel. We never left Beacon. Besides, I needed to check on you after the incident from last night. All of you are alright, I presume?"

"Thanks to you and your friends, we are." Yatsuhashi expressed his thanks towards Captain Rogers and the Avengers. "Is it alright if you answer my question from last night, Mr. Rogers?"

"Later. I have something to ask you four, regarding one of your team members." Steve said, as the rabbit ears of Velvet perked upon knowing what he's going to ask about Team CFVY. "Specifically, Velvet Scarlatina."

"Velvet? What do you m-" Coco saw a glimpse of bruises on Velvet's ears despite her attempts to hide it from them. She now understands what Captain Rogers meant by her friend. "Velvet, what happened to your ears?"

"No, did they do it again?" Fox understands the meaning behind the bruises. He slightly felt rage within him that those same idiots are still bullying Velvet despite the warnings Professor Port gave to them. He was trying hard to contain his rage because Captain Rogers was in front of him.

Velvet felt uncomfortable from all of the gazes that her team members were giving her. She didn't want everyone to worry about her situation. She was beginning to break down until she felt a reassuring touch on her shoulder. She looked to see Captain Rogers placing his hand on her shoulder to calm her down, giving her the confidence she needed. She still couldn't explain why his presence managed to rid her insecurities rather easily.

"Velvet," Steve began to speak to her in a polite tone. "We're not trying to force you to speak about your problems, but your teammates are concerned about you. I am concerned about you. We don't want to see you being a victim to bullying. There is a reason why you have a team, Velvet, so you can rely on them instead of yourself. It isn't just about fighting the Creatures of Grimm together."

"He's right, Vel. We are your friends. You can talk to us about your problems." Fox agreed with Captain Rogers. He doesn't want to see a fellow faunus and friend to face her problems alone when she can seek help from him and others.

"And tell us the assholes who did this to you!" Coco cracked her knuckles with a wicked smirk until she saw Captain Rogers, who was amused with her protectiveness. "I-I mean…"

"It's alright, Ms. Adel. You aren't the only one who fought against bullies." Steve reassures her that he doesn't mind the young woman beating the ones responsible for bullying Velvet when he initially does the same thing back when he was a sick skinny person albeit he lost more times than he can count. [2]

Velvet sniffed while trying to hold back her tears, "I didn't really see them properly. I was… only sitting down on a bench… outside… until they grabbed my ears and ran away… laughing…"

Team CFVY felt anger rising within them, but they are trying to contain it because they are in the presence of Captain Rogers. If there is one thing they despised the most, it's that people who picked on others because of one's race and unable to accept the fact one is better than them. Meanwhile, Steve felt a connection with Velvet due to their similar situation in the past. He understands the position she is in currently, even after receiving the super soldier serum. He never thought that there would be someone who he can form a kinship with.

"Everyone," Steve had to interrupt the tension in order to get everyone's attention. "May I speak with Ms. Scarlatina alone? There is something I would like to discuss with her."

Team CFVY stared at each other. If the secret conversation would be able to cheer their friend, then all of them agreed. They didn't want Velvet to be distracted with her potential to become one of the greatest Huntresses in Remnant because of bullying. They were the only ones who believed in her strength and potential, except for Captain Rogers and the Avengers.

"Is that alright with you, Velvet?" Steve asked. He doesn't want to force herself to have a conversation with him if she doesn't want to, but it's an important conversation that might inspire her to become better than bullies themselves. "It'll be quick."

Velvet wipes off the tears that were beginning to flow out before shyly nodding, "It's fine."

Steve turned his attention back to Team CFVY, "If you guys have classes, then head there. And please don't cause any trouble."

"Don't worry. I'll try to stop our leader from causing a ruckus." Yatsuhashi reassured the captain.

Coco jumped from being called out by her friend, "Hey!"


Cliffside

The walk between Steve and Velvet was relatively silent the whole time. She doesn't know where Captain Rogers is taking her, but she remains silent as it's disrespectful to ask him a question for her while Steve didn't hold a conversation yet in order for Velvet to organize her thoughts. Their walk led them outside of Beacon Academy before eventually reaching the Cliffside a few minutes later. The place overlooks the city across the sound. At the top edge of the cliffside are several large, circular aerial docking bays, where airships and Bullheads can dock and allow their passengers to disembark. At the base of the cliffs, a docking bay is also available for water-going surface vessels, and a path from there leads upwards to the top of the cliff.

"What do you think? A great view, isn't it?" Steve asked Velvet for her opinion of the beautiful view that he found since staying at Beacon Academy.

Velvet, who was enamored by the beautiful view of the sun and ocean, simply nodded. It was like her worries were washed out within seconds. She couldn't believe she had never discovered the place when she had been a student in Beacon for a couple of months now. If she would've found this place, it would've been her comfort spot for relieving her problems. She continued to stare at the view until Steve was ready to converse with her.

"Yeah, I found this place a few days ago. I've been coming back here to clear my head whenever I have too much to think about." Steve explained. The Cliffside has been his comfort spot since his sudden arrival on Remnant, but the sunset view on Wakanda is unbeatable.

"It's beautiful…" Velvet complimented the view. She hopes to come here everyday after class. She can ignore her problems by watching the irresistible view of the Cliffside.

Steve nodded, "Funny, isn't it? The simplest things in life are the only things that can make you move forward."

"Yeah…" Velvet couldn't help, but agree with his wise words. She wondered how old Captain Rogers was because the way he is conversing with her feels like a person who has been living for 70 years to act like a wise person.

"I can understand why you don't like to talk about it, Ms. Scarlatina." Steve said before crossing his arms, as Velvet focused on listening to his soothing words. "You don't want anyone to worry about you. You want to face your problems alone, but that isn't healthy."

"…"

"Let me tell you a tale about a strong man who was once weak. Before the man was… this..." Steve gestured his entire body. He is still bewildered by his shocking transformation from his original appearance to the current one. He kept thinking he was still in a dream due to his impressive body, but he assured himself that it was indeed a reality everyday. "There was a scrawny kid, who had several illnesses, from Broo-a small town. That kid was too stubborn to run away from a fight or back down when someone is stronger than him. Do you know the reason why he was stubborn?"

Velvet was aware the tale was about Captain Rogers, but he is describing himself in third person. She stared at the eyes of a man who had been through a great and rough life, yet here he is standing with the same morals and beliefs that he developed since he was a child. She doesn't understand how he could move forward despite the world treating him like dirt from the way he described himself. She was curious why he becomes strong, not just physically, but mentally. She needed to know.

Steve chuckled blithely, "It was because he knew that they wouldn't stop coming after him if he did. There will always be guys with an attitude or ego who thinks they are better than everyone. They enjoy the suffering and despair from the victims they bullied… until they encounter the same scrawny guy who took all the beatings and ignored the pain which was unsatisfactory for them. They chased the little guy to keep tormenting him… to see his despair… yet none of their beatings were effective."

Velvet couldn't find any others from the reasons that Captain Rogers gave. She didn't know how much Captain Rogers has suffered throughout the years of being the victim, yet he remained strong compared to her. She hasn't experienced the intense bullying that Captain Rogers is experiencing right now, yet she considered herself an unfortunate victim due to being born as a faunus. It made her wonder even more on how Captain Rogers managed to endure himself for all the torment. She wanted to know the reasons so that she becomes strong mentally.

"That scrawny kid suffered a lot of beatings because of his morals and beliefs. If he sees someone that needs help, he doesn't hesitate to help that person even though he is unmatched in every fight. He doesn't care how much he suffered from the beatings because he can do this all day." Steve added more information before thinking about his best friend. "Now, one of the reason his morals and beliefs were never broken was because of a close friend of his. The only person who has been with him through the toughest time. He had a friend who gave him a boost to get him back on his foot, even in the worst circumstances."

After hearing the reasons, Velvet understands the reason Captain Rogers remained strong despite the world going against him. He had a friend who aided him through the toughest time of his life. She looked through the memories of her friends on Team CFVY, realizing that they are the sole reasons why she was happy in Beacon Academy despite the prejudice towards the faunus. If it weren't for them, she would've left Beacon months ago due to being unable to endure the bullying. She was holding back her tears upon realizing the answer to her problems was Team CFVY all along.

"You are brave for coming to Beacon to become a Huntress, Ms. Scarlatina, despite the discrimination and bullying. It just shows how strong you are. I have a feeling that you're going to become one of the greatest heroes of Remnant." Steve gave her the boost she needed to realize how much potential the rabbit faunus had, as tears were flowing from her eyes slowly. "As an old wise man once said, 'A strong man, who has known power all his life, will lose respect for that power. But a weak man knows the value of strength… and knows compassion'. That is what you are, Ms. Scarlatina. You understand strength more than the ones who bullied you and are shown to be more compassionate than them. Never forget that… because I will never." [3]

Velvet couldn't contain it any longer, as numerous tears were flowing from her eyes. She was crying due to the fact that nobody has shown kindness to her, except for her friends and parents. She could feel the genuineness as well as the power, understanding, and conviction within his words. It was something that she needed to hear for the couple of months she had been bullied. Steve gave her a hug to calm her down while patting her head for comfort, as she continued to cry on his shirt. She was glad to meet him last night to console her, otherwise, she might've thought about quitting Beacon Academy. A few minutes later, Velvet sniffed while wiping off her tears and silently apologizing for messing with Captain Rogers' shirt.

"A last piece of advice I'm going to give you." Steve then placed his hand on her quivering shoulder. "You have a group of friends who really care about you, so don't forget about them. They are like part of your family. It is something you and I will always have… for they are always with you until the end of the line. Understand? Not for me, but for you and your team?"

Velvet nodded dutifully while wiping off her tears before hugging Steve tightly again. He was slightly surprised by the action before returning the hug once again. He felt like an older brother who would ensure to his little sister that he'll always be there no matter what happens. From this day on, both of them have a sibling figure relationship which is something that Steve doesn't mind if it means helping Velvet to become a great Huntress.

"If you still don't want to talk your problems with your friends, you can always talk to me, Ms. Scarlatina." Steve offered his help to Velvet with a genuine smile.

Velvet sniffed, "Please call me Velvet."

Steve nodded, "Then you may call me Steve. I'm not so keen on formalities."

Eventually, Velvet departed with Steve as she doesn't want to be late to her class. She is filled with determination and confidence unlike her personality earlier. She isn't going to be the timid girl who is going to surrender whenever she is bullied. She'll instead use that to strengthen her wish to become a legendary Huntress that Steve believes her to be in the future. She cannot wait to meet with her friends in the classroom.

Steve glanced something behind him before looking at the happy rabbit faunus, "It is unwise to sneak up on a person who has experience in stealth missions, headmaster."

Ozpin chuckled, joining Steve on the Cliffside, "My apologies. I didn't want to interrupt such an emotional conversation between you and Ms. Scarlatina. It was truly a special thing that I've witnessed."

"She needed a push just like how Dr. Erskine gave me one. She can't become a great Huntress if she is always down whenever she is bullied." Steve explained the reason to Professor Ozpin before making eye contact with the headmaster. "Speaking of bullies, do you know who are the ones responsible?"

Ozpin nodded in confirmation, "Yes. I've already given them detention for four days by cleaning the entire school campus after the class."

"Harsh, but understandable." Steve agreed with the method.

Ozpin chuckled before taking a sip of his coffee, "I went to look for you to speak with you everywhere, yet here you are acting like a professor already. Your class is still in the next school year, Professor Rogers."

Steve tilted his head uncomfortably due to the name while chuckling, "Professor Rogers? Yeah, that doesn't sound right to me. Besides, I'm just helping someone who needs help whether I'm a professor or not."

"You're really quite an inspiration to everyone, captain." Ozpin complimented Steve. He has never seen a man who holds to his morals and beliefs despite the hardships he experienced. It was quite refreshing to see a man who is as pure as the sun. He wished he had the same determination and confidence that Captain America possessed because these two traits are more leaning into 'luck' rather than 'hope'. "Now that I see you're comfortable around here, I'll be taking my leave now. I'll let you know if there is something eventful."

"Very well." Steve then remembered that Shang-Chi and Qrow should've arrived by now. "What about Shaun and Qrow? Aren't they supposed to be here by now?"

Ozpin stopped on his tracks before turning his head to Steve, "They have arrived. Qrow is visiting his nieces on Patch, but the man who you claimed is an 'ordinary civilian' isn't so ordinary after all, Captain Rogers. I can't bear to say it from my mouth for it is his choice to tell his tale. If he ever speaks of it, don't be too shocked… not that you will ever be anyway."

"I've seen the weirdest stuff for the last couple of years, so no, nothing surprises me anymore." Steve wondered what Ozpin meant by Shaun. If he isn't an ordinary civilian, it means that there's an unlikely chance that he is dangerous. He isn't going to jump into conclusions unless he converse with Shaun later.


Beacon Academy

Back in Beacon Academy, Steve continued to explore the academy for the whole day. The students who passed by him wondered who he was, but shrugged it off as it wasn't important right now. He stumbled across the training room where Natasha was shooting at the moving targets in order to improvise her aim as it isn't superior to Clint's. He entered the room without Black Widow due to her intense concentration on the targets. He looked around to see a bunch of mannequin targets whose heads were completely shattered by bullets.

Natasha took a shot at the 45th target, "45."

"I see your skills aren't hindered." Steve complimented her skills, which made Black Widow flinched due to his unexpected appearance behind him.

Natasha sighed, "Do you really have to sneak behind, Cap? That is supposed to be my area of expertise."

Steve smiled, "I couldn't help it, so where is Sam and Clint? I know Scott is in the weapons room because I saw him there recently… talking with somebody else."

"That is creepy. Sam is currently flying around in the forest while Clint is… I don't actually know where he is right now." Natasha answered before reloading her glock. "He's probably out to buy some more Dust. They are quite helpful during a fight. I should also buy some later as I'm running out of them."

"I don't know how this Dust really functions. I bet Tony would love to study and experiment on them. He could create a bunch of armor that is filled with Dust." Steve missed his old friend. Both of them may have a rivalry, but they shared a friendship until the Sokovia Accords. He wished to make amends with Tony, but he is confident that it isn't a good idea when Tony is probably still furious about Bucky killing his parents. He hopes that his friend realizes that Bucky was a puppet to HYDRA one day.

Natasha noticed the sadness on her friend's face, so she decided to change the subject. "I heard from Ms. Goodwitch that you helped that rabbit faunus from last night. Velvet Scarlatina, was it?"

"Yeah, she reminded me of someone from the past." Steve answered while smiling at the similar connections between him and Velvet. "I just gave her a push, that's all."

"Of course you did." Natasha knew that the 'someone' meant Steve. She has read history about Captain America during her time as a spy of the Red Room. She could see how Steve would've been bullied during the 40's due to his scrawny appearance and numerous illnesses. "You're going to be a better teacher than the rest of us, Cap. You have experience in training the rookies back in 2015 after all."

"You do realize that all of us are going to be teachers, right?" Steve reminded his friend.

"Oh, I know. But you're basically the perfect teacher among the rest of us." Natasha said, as both her and Steve exited the training room while the sun was beginning to set.

A few minutes later, both of them received a text from Professor Ozpin. It seems that he requested them to have a meeting with Shaun, who was revealed to be in the Beacon Academy for quite a while. The two of them were walking towards the headmaster's office, passing by the noisy students, while Sam, Clint, and Scott decided to not come as it's not necessary to have all of them meet with one guy. A while ago, Steve was still perplexed by what Professor Ozpin said about the true identity of Shaun, so it seems that he's going to find out sooner. He briefly stopped on his tracks to see Velvet, who was smiling and laughing with her friends, before picking back the pace. He is glad that she became better after their heartfelt conversation earlier.

Upon arriving at the headmaster's office, both of them entered calmly to see Shang-Chi and Amber sitting on the chair while Professor Ozpin and Glynda were having a conversation with them. Shang-Chi turned around to see the living legend, Captain America, with his own eyes. He was rubbing his eyes to ensure he wasn't hallucinating because it was unbelievable for him to meet the Star-Spangled Man With A Plan. He isn't a big fan of the hero, but Katy would've loved to meet him because she practically sang the USO Tour song repeatedly during their school days. He stood up to greet the captain in person.

"H-Hi, I'm Xu Shang-Chi." Shang-Chi introduced himself with his real identity, deciding to not hide it in front of the Avengers as Ozpin warned him that Captain America is notorious for knowing when someone is lying thanks to HYDRA back in 2014, which was understandable for him. He is still deciding if he should tell the Avengers about his life, but considering he told Amber and the Avengers knew about Remnant as well, it would be selfish to not tell them about his life.

"Shang-Chi? I thought… your name was Shaun?" Steve pointed out suspiciously.

"Shaun is… my disguise name. You see, I'm not an ordinary civilian." Shang-Chi took a deep breath before he could tell them about his identity while Amber reassured him that everything will be fine because she's here. "I am the son of Xu Wenwu. The leader of the criminal organization known as the Ten Rings."

Natasha perked upon hearing about the infamous organization, "The Ten Rings? They are the organization that kidnapped Tony back in 2009. They were also a terrorist who planned to bring America to its knee with a false leader in 2013. And they formed a temporary alliance with HYDRA due to their interest in Pym Technologies in 2015 according. They are all over the place like HYDRA."

Steve turned his attention back to Shang-Chi, "And your father ran the organization?"

"Yes, for centuries now." Shang-Chi answered, which piqued both heroes' interest in the history of his father and the organization. "My mother told me a story about him. Around a thousand years ago, he discovered the ten rings which had gifted him with unmatched power and immortality. Possessing the power of the rings, he soon became a powerful warlord and founded the organization, known as the Ten Rings. He became a myth throughout the ages, but only his devoted followers truly know of his existence."

"If the Ten Rings has been established since… millennia ago, why were they weak in the past? They could've brought terror to America or any other countries with their overwhelming power." Natasha was confused on why the organization became weaker as time went by. It wouldn't make sense for a powerful organization from the ancient times to be weak in the current one, especially when technology became advanced.

"It's because… of my mother." Shang-Chi answered, as everyone remained silent. "In 1996, my father wasn't fully satisfied with his power yet so he seeked out the village of Ta Lo, which is said to contain various mythical beasts, to expand his powers. He eventually made it to the village's entrance where he encountered a woman named Ying Li, who guarded the entrance to Ta Lo. Both of them engaged in a fight, where she displayed her own impressive combat skills, but the two immediately began to fall in love. And because of that love, my father decided to abolish the Ten Rings, both the organization and the ancient rings, to spend his remaining life with his family who loved him back."

Steve and Natasha found it hard to believe that a megalomaniac warlord would surrender his seek for power willingly in order to spend his time with family, but they could see in Shang-Chi's eyes that he was telling the truth. They wondered what his mother had done to change the heart of a warlord and terrorist. They could see that Shang-Chi had a happy life with his family judging by his tone… until noticing the sad expression on his face, meaning that something had happened to the peaceful family life. They then recalled that the Ten Rings is still active until this day.

"Something happened, didn't it?" Steve believes that Shang-Chi's father truly changed his ways to become a family man, but his guts told him that something must've happened to him if the Ten Rings is still active. "If what you said is true, then the Ten Rings should've been abolished a long time ago. What happened?"

Shang-Chi took a deep breath as he was about to relive one of his traumatic memories, "A rival gang called the Iron Gang seek revenge on my father after discovering that he gradually became weaker over the time. They killed my mother in front of me and my sister as revenge. It broke my father as she meant the whole world to him. He brought back his organization and wore the ten rings again out of rage and unacceptance."

"That explains it. I'm sorry for your loss." Steve apologizes for the loss of Shang-Chi's mother. From the way he talked about his mother, she must've been one of the sweetest people to exist as she is the sole reason that a warlord had a change of heart. He understands that Wenwu wouldn't have simply accepted her death easily because of his past. He guessed what happened to the peaceful family life after her death, but he doesn't want to force him. "If you don't want to continue, we can drop it."

"It's fine. And so, my father seeks the one who killed my mother which was unsuccessful. He then trained me to become a perfect killer when I was only a child in order to become the future leader of the Ten Rings and assassinate my mother's killer." Shang-Chi explained what happened after his mother's death, which made Natasha flinch from the similarities between her life and his. He was aware about Black Widow's twisted past because of the secret S.H.I.E.L.D. files that were purposefully released in public back in 2014. "And after my training was completed, my father sent me to kill the man who killed my mother… I didn't get through with it."

"Are you sure?" Natashi doubts that Shang-Chi wasn't able to assassinate his mother's killer. She is quite experienced in body language, so she could tell that Shang-Chi was lying when he looked down upon telling them that he was unable to kill. "I know a killer when I see one, Shaun. I killed a lot of people before I joined S.H.I.E.L.D. and became an Avenger. It's alright. It's nothing to be ashamed of when it wasn't your fault to begin with. You shouldn't have been put through that training to become a perfect killer." [4]

Shang-Chi sighed in defeat as it was pointless to lie towards a former experienced killer, which slightly surprised Amber that he indeed went through with it. "It was still my fault. If I had been able to save my mother, we would've still been a happy family."

"You were a child at that time, Shaun! How in the world could you have possibly saved your mother!?" Amber interjected into the conversation, which surprised the two heroes and teachers. "It wasn't your fault! No father should have trained their child to become a murderer! He should've instead shared his grief with you and your sister! You would've still been a happy family if he wasn't so selfish with his so-called vengeance!"

"Amber…" Shang-Chi was stunned to speak. He was baffled that she said all of that towards him, yet he doesn't deny the fact it was true. A normal family would've comforted each other when one of their own passed away, but his father was far from normal. The warlord side within him wasn't fully diminished. He looked down, wondering if it was really a good idea to tell the Avengers of his past in order to gain their trust.

"Shaun, I'm glad that you didn't end up like your father." Steve broke the tension once again, which surprised Shang-Chi. "You were harshly trained by your father, but you didn't lose sight of who you truly are. A good person. It doesn't matter if you killed someone unless you forgive yourself. Besides, some of us have already killed a person directly and indirectly."

"He's right. Don't let the past define you. It took me a long time to figure that out." Natasha agreed with Shang-Chi. She doesn't want to see him dwell on the past to define who he is. "The past is the past, it's better to look beyond the future. I hope you understand that."

Shang-Chi nodded while sniffing, "Thanks, but it'll take me a while to accept that."

"Go to your room and get some rest. It looks like you had a tough day." Steve ordered Shang-Chi to sleep as he could see the tiredness in his eyes.

"I'll be going then." Shang-Chi gave a respectful nod to everyone in the room before leaving the headmaster's office.

Amber stood up before turning her attention to Ozpin, "May I leave as well, headmaster?"

"Very well, Amber. We'll move the discussion about you tomorrow. You may get some rest as well." Ozpin accepted the permission to leave the room. He was honestly glad that Amber made herself a friend with someone who doesn't berate her for her kindness to help others in need, which in this case, is something Shang-Chi sorely needs right now. He turned his attention back to the two Avengers. "Quite a tale, isn't it? I found it hard to believe it myself, but there is actually someone who has been alive for centuries."

"It's not that surprising. One of our members has lived ten times in our lifetimes after all." Steve reminded him about the one thunderous member in the Avengers.

"Oh yes, I remember you've told me about Thor Odinson. The God of Thunder." Ozpin was still bewildered that an ancient deity aligned himself with mortals in a group of superheroes. He would love meet this particular god gladly rather than the Brother Gods of Remnant. Anyway, what he was surprised about wasn't Wenwu's longevity but rather the ten rings. An object that granted one's unfathomable power and immortality to those who wear it. He was truly fascinated with the objects from Earth. "Anyway, I'm honestly surprised you handled his tale quite well. I thought there would be caution or suspicion towards him, but you rather accept him."

"Why should we be suspicious of him when he didn't want to live his life as an assassin? He is in pain, even now. All he needs is the comfort that he truly deserves." Steve looked back to see Shang-Chi and Amber walking together before making a turn around the corner. "And whoever the woman is the key to forgive himself and accept for who he truly is."

"I concur." Natasha agreed before remembering the random woman who was listening to the conversation the entire time. "Wait. Hold on. Who was that woman?"

"We shall discuss that matter tomorrow, but if you are that curious, she is the Fall Maiden." Ozpin answered.

Steve was surprised by the reveal as he turned his around briefly, "The Fall Maiden? One of the Four Maidens?"

"Exactly." Ozpin answered before taking a sip of his tea. "As I said, we shall discuss the matter tomorrow when she is here with us. You may take your leave now, Avengers."

Steve nodded respectfully, "Very well, Oz."

After Steve and Natasha left the office, Ozpin turned to see Glynda who was stupefied by the twisted backstory of Shang-Chi. She pointed out the similarities between Black Widow and Shang-Chi. She wondered if all heroes on Earth have harsh lives, and if so, she doesn't understand how they managed to fight through that to become heroes. She was also in disbelief by the fact that Shang-Chi's father is an ordinary human who has been alive for centuries due to the power of the ancient ten rings. The only human who has immortality is the one beside her right now - Professor Ozpin.

"It was a fascinating tale, wasn't it, Glynda? It strengthens my belief that there may be artifacts in Remnant that we have yet to discover." Ozpin was confident that there are hidden artifacts scattered around the world after hearing about the ten rings. He simply had to find them before they fell to the wrong hands, but there's also a possibility that the hidden artifacts are only exclusive to Earth, which means that there's no other way for the Avengers to be sent back home. "The Ten Rings. It holds an unfathomable amount of power like the mystic hammer of Thor, Mjølnir. Earth is really an interesting place. A land where science and magic are one and the same."

"I still find it hard to believe. I was beginning to accept the concept of other worlds and the existence of superheroes, but now, I have to deal with ancient weapons? I'm going to have a headache at this point, Oz." Glynda was massaging her head due to the amount of stories that she has been hearing. She couldn't believe how much history Earth has despite claiming to be the weakest and uninteresting planet in the cosmos according to Captain America from Thor.

Ozpin chuckled, "You're not the only. I wonder if Peter Parker and Wong, excluding King T'Challa, are also interesting like Shang-Chi."


City of Vale

Meanwhile, Clint was buying a couple of Dust from the shop called 'From Dust Till Dawn' while secretly carrying his weapon, Ronin. He brought quite a lot of them in order to craft his very own Dust Arrows. He has been gaining some experience on weapon smithing thanks to Scott Lang, so he is slightly confident that he can craft a custom made arrow without anyone's help. He has yet to meet Coco Adel, who helped him a few days ago, again as he was too busy experimenting with the combination of Dust and arrows. Before he was going back to Beacon, he wanted to have a drink in order to relax. As he was about to leave the commercial district, his legs were stiff from the continuous travel around the academy and city whole day. He stopped in order to stretch.

"Clint yawned before stretching his arms and leg, "What a day."

Suddenly, a gunshot can be heard near him. He hides behind a building instinctively, causing him to drop the bag of Dust, while the people around him are running around and panicking. He took out Ronin, transforming it into a sword. It was unfortunate that he didn't bring any arrows as he is at a disadvantage against guns right now. He took a peak around the corner to pinpoint the shooter's location, but there was no one. He stared at the rooftops, but it was too dark to see. Fortunately, he brought his purple shades to see in the dark clearly and to see someone's heat signature easily. It didn't help as he couldn't find anyone. He speculated that it might've been simply a sound prank. He was about to walk towards the bag while minding his surroundings in case someone will attack him in the open.

Clint groaned in annoyance, "If it was a prank, damn those kids."

Unbeknownst to him, an unknown assailant was sneaking behind him. As Clint was about to pick his bag, he heard a clunk behind him. He turned around to block a rapier that was producing electricity around the blade. It was fortunate for him that Ronin has immunity to lightning, otherwise, his entire nervous system would've been shot down the moment his blade made contact with his assailant's. He pushed his assailant before jumping back to regain his posture while the assailant landed on their feet perfectly. He then saw his assailant properly for a brief moment. He recognized the assailant from a few days ago. The assailant was a young woman and a chameleon faunus. Her skin has somewhat darker spots on her arms, legs, stomach and face, resembling chameleon scales.

"You!" Hawkeye called her out. "You're one of the faunus that was robbing a Dust shop."

Ilia revealed herself as her special ability isn't effective against Hawkeye, "Yes! And I came back to finish what I've started!"

"Kid, you're making a big mistake." Hawkeye pointed Ronin at her while preparing to activate the Fire Dust embedded in it. "You can still walk away. I'll forget about this event."

"No! I can't go back until I kill you!" Ilia shouted at Hawkeye with pure while few tears flowing from her eyes, trying to contain her fear with anger. "I have to redeem myself after I failed my objective days ago! And it's all because of you!"

Ilia rushed towards Hawkeye, as both of them clashed with their blades. Hawkeye parried his enemy's blade as fast as he could, but it was slightly difficult to him due to his lack of speed and agility while Ilia was trying to pierce through his head in order to bring it back to the headquarters and impress Adam with the kill. Hawkeye activated the Fire Dust, sending a burst of flames towards Ilia, but she managed to dodge it in a nick of time. Ilia sent a beam of lightning at Hawkeye, but he managed to dodge it upon seeing the charging attack in advance. Ilia transformed her rapier into a whip in order to attack him from a distance. She activated the Lightning Dust embedded on the whip before striking Hawkeye with the dangerous weapon, but he kept dodging the attack perfectly.

Hawkeye then grabbed a pebble from the ground before throwing it to Ilia, which hit her in the head perfectly, but the Aura protected her from the pebble, so it only felt like a tickle. It was unfortunate that Hawkeye didn't bring any arrows, as Ilia had a massive advantage on hand-to-hand combat. Hawkeye isn't in his prime anymore where he could keep up with numerous enemies without any arrows. He is beginning to slow down because of his age. He couldn't get any closer towards Ilia due to her devastating whip while also couldn't afford himself getting hit as he doesn't have an Aura nor Semblance yet. The smart thing to do is tactical retreat, but Ilia is faster than ordinary humans so he is confident that he'll be screwed once he starts running. The only thing he could do currently is throw anything at Ilia in hopes she'll get her guard down.

Once Hawkeye was throwing various lethal objects at her, Ilia kept destroying them with her lightning whip. She kept spinning her whip, as glass shards and rocks made contact with them, but she was starting to get tired whilst Hawkeye kept breaking the glass windows of the shops before throwing them at her. Once she began to slow down, a bunch of glass shards made contact with her body which dealt a lot of damage to her Aura. She then made contact with a bunch of several Dust powder that was thrown at her, as each of them exploded in her face which dealt a lot of damage to her Aura while she fell on the ground. When she got back up on her feet, Hawkeye was nowhere to be seen in her vicinity. She can't let him escape to call for anyone, as she needed to end him in order to be accepted back to the White Fang, redeeming her failed mission.

As Ilia went camouflage to blend into her surroundings, the Vale Police Department arrived to investigate the fight that was happening in the district. She sneaked past them to find Hawkeye before he escaped. Meanwhile, Hawkeye was running towards a weapons shop, which belongs to Gil, that had been closed for the night. He broke inside the shop to 'borrow' some arrows for the continued fight. He is confident that the chameleon faunus will be back for him soon, but he couldn't help but feel that she needed help. After hearing her reason for the attack, he speculated that she must've been severely punished for her failure from a few days ago. He refused to call the Avengers for help, as he has to deal with the situation himself. Once he retrieved arrows in the weapons shop, he moved head slightly to dodge the rapier attack. He was then kicked into the back room where he made Ronin with Coco Adel.

"Just stop struggling and die!" Ilia expressed her anger towards Hawkeye before turning her rapier into the whip once again. She attempted to slash Hawkeye with the whip, but he managed to dodge barely as there was a mark left on his arms. "I don't want to be executed when I have yet to see the faunus rise up against humans!"

Hawkeye coughed, "You know this ain't right, kid. You shouldn't become something that you despise the most. You are acting like human oppressors you hate so much, right now."

Ilia growled before swinging her whip again, "Why should I listen to a human like you!?"

Hawkeye dodged the attack before turning his weapon from a sword to a bow. He then fired an ordinary arrow at her hand, which caused her to drop her weapon, Lightning Slash, before running towards her with his sword. Ilia doesn't give up as she swiftly dodged the attacks rather easily due to her agility and reflexes despite her inexperience in real hand-to-hand combat. The reason she lost to Hawkeye a few days ago because she was caught off guard and had a bunch of trick arrows that incapacitated her, but considering she is facing the same enemy with no tricks on his sleeves, it will relatively easier for her than last time.

Unfortunately, however, Hawkeye was still experienced in physical combat despite his age. He parried, blocked, and countered Ilia's punches and kicks briskly. He didn't want to harm her with the sword, so he was only attacking her with his fists. Ilia tried to fight back while defending herself from the attacks, but she heavily underestimated how skilled Hawkeye is in close quarters as she only thought his area of expertise would be archery. When Hawkeye was dealing several amounts of damage on her, her Aura finally broke. He then stopped punching her, as it wouldn't be worth it anymore, before he shook both of his hands. He could feel that the two of them were almost dislocated. He then grabs Lightning Lash, so she wouldn't be able to use it.

"Are you calm now?" Clint asked while groaning from the pain in his stomach due to the kick from a while ago.

Ilia kneeled on the ground, defeated, "No. I failed… again. I'm gonna… be killed."

"…" Clint then kneeled in front of Ilia whose tears were flowing from her eyes. He wiped them off in a fatherly manner, which surprised the chameleon faunus. He then gave her a pat on the head. "You shouldn't cry. Butterflies do not cry, you know. They are filled with hope and life, not sadness."

"What… kind of a human, are you…?" Ilia was absolutely confused on why this human was comforting, which was slightly effective, when she tried to kill him in order to save her own life. "I tried to kill you to save my life! Why are you so… weird, right now!?"

"It's because you are suffering, right now. I can see that. I am a father of three and it is my duty to comfort children who are confused, even if they aren't my own." Clint gave an explanation before remembering when he had to comfort Wanda who felt guilty for helping Ultron, along with her late twin brother, in attempting to destroy the entire world with a meteor which was Sokovia. He then gave Ilia a hug, much to her confusion. "If you are afraid of dying, then you shouldn't go back to the White Fang. There are other ways for humans to recognize faunus as their equal. I know it. We just… need to give it time. Trust me. You'll see."

Ilia was confused as to why the human was hugging her. She could see that he dropped his guard around, so she could easily push her off and pierce through his head with the Lightning Lash near her, yet she couldn't move. She felt nostalgic from the hug he was giving her until she remembered when her parents hugged her all the time whenever she returned home from school. She was trying to fight back the emotions, but she could the genuine expression from the human's face. She could see that he wasn't trying to hurt her, but comfort her for all the pain she has suffered from the discrimination and prejudice. She realized that the current teachings from the White Fang about all humans are cruel towards the faunus was nothing but false. There are some humans who would help the faunus as if they are humans just like what the human is doing to her now. He is helping her by relieving her pain as well as giving her closure to her pursuit of vengeance towards humans. She returned the hug while tears were flowing from her eyes.

"How can you be sure… that humans and faunus will get along peacefully?" Ilia asked. She wanted to hear if the human actually believes that humans and faunus could coexist, even if there is a tiny chance of it happening. She doesn't care as long as a human like him believes in equality, cementing the idea that most humans aren't inherently terrible as the White Fang say they are.

Clint smiled, "Because history often repeats itself. There will always be opinions about people who are different from them, but eventually, they will grow to become equals. Faunus are simply humans with animal traits. The humans will realize that both of their kind and the faunus aren't so different after all. I assure you that coexistence will happen in the future without violence and bloodshed." [5]

"But… if I leave the White Fang… they'll know I betrayed them…" Ilia was terrified that she'll be hunted down by the White Fang if she left them. It was basically suicide in leaving them. If what Hawkeye says is true about humans and faunus coexisting peacefully in the future, then she wouldn't be able to see it from happening. And she wouldn't be able to see Blake ever again.

"I won't let that happen. I promise." Clint promised to defend Ilia from the White Fang. Besides, he has tons of experience of hiding from his enemies during his time as S.H.I.E.L.D. 's assassin. Most of his enemies were unable to find his profile on the internet nor did anyone have any information about his whereabouts before. He could do the same thing to Ilia in order to make her feel safe without constantly thinking about the White Fang chasing her. "Are you going to leave the White Fang?"

Ilia sniffed before nodding, "If it means… saving my life… then yeah."

"Okay, good." Clint then helped Ilia stand on her feet until there were sirens outside. He took her hand in order to escape from the law. "We're going out now. We are going to Beacon."

"Beacon?" Ilia wondered why both of them are going to Beacon Academy.

"I have friends in that place. They could help you as well. Remember what I told you about a man who treats everyone the same and doesn't judge by their appearance a few days ago? He's there." Clint then made a hole on the roof after activating the Fire Dust before making an escape through there with Ilia. "Can you keep up?"

Ilia scoffed by his sarcasm, "Obviously."

As Hawkeye and Ilia made their way towards Beacon Academy, the police were investigating the mysterious fight that occurred earlier. Most of the witnesses couldn't catch a glimpse of either of the two individuals' faces, only that it was both a human and a faunus that were fighting each other. It reinforced some of the humans' minds that the faunus must've been a member of the White Fang, expressing their hatred and disgust towards the radical terrorist organization. Eventually, the news about the fight became a hot topic the next morning. The most important thing, however, is Clint's accomplishment in bringing back a confused lost child to the light. He was proud that he managed to do so early because it's unlikely he would've convinced her when she became a bit older in the future.

CHAPTER 8 ENDED


Author's Notes:

Hello, my fellow readers. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. As you may know, I haven't been very active on my other works, including this one. It was because of two reasons. One, I got sick for two and a half weeks. And secondly, I'm extremely busy with school. I simply don't have the time to commit to working on my stories, hence why I cannot focus on Iron Man 3 for the MHA Reacts: MCU. If it were an online class, I probably would've been finished with it already.

[1] A reference in Ant-Man where Scott "burgled" Vistacorp. who were laundering money from their costumes, to hack their systems and pay back the money to Vistacorp's customers which obviously led to his arrest.

[2] It's a double meaning. Steve has fought bullies before he had the serum, but it was a one-sided fight obviously. He then fought bullies after he had the serum, which was HYDRA. He probably doesn't mind if someone's fought back against their bullies, as he knew that the bullies wouldn't stop coming after their victims if they remained quiet about the abuse.

[3] An inspirational quote by Dr. Abraham Erskine who told Steve that weak men know the true value of strength compared to strong men who knew power in their lives. Steve now uses the same quote to Velvet to remind her that she is much stronger than the bullies because she understands the true importance of strength.

[4] It would be pretty obvious that Black Widow can tell whether or not someone is lying about their kill. She is a trained killer after all. She killed a lot of people while Shang-Chi only killed one, which was the leader of the Iron Gang.

[5] Hawkeye meant that humans and faunus were in a peaceful relationship with each other in the past before it went downhill in later years, but considering history often repeats itself, humans and faunus will live in equality in the future.