Ch. 21

Soon enough, the fall season started to end and winter began creeping up on Vale. Snow wasn't present as of yet, but the air did get colder at night. Many students at beacon were hoping for snow, knowing that any large amount of snowfall would cancel any extra classes and allow them to go home for break, but for now they were still stuck at school.

"Ugghh, how did you convince me to play this stupid game?" Emerald whined.

She was in the lunchroom with Yang, Ruby, and Mercury playing the Remnant board game. Before, she would have refused to play, but they convinced her. She tried to beat him one on one and ended up losing five to one, greatly eroding her patience with the game.

"I told you it would be fun. I didn't say you were gonna win," Mercury told her. "Besides, its good practice."

"Yeah, at least you did better than Weiss did against Ruby," Yang said.

"What was the score?" Emerald asked.

"Ten to zero," Ruby answered. "She was very very determined."

"Wow, I didn't think someone could be that bad," Mercury said.

"Doesn't mean I plan on losing to you ten times," Emerald huffed.

As they prepared to start another game, Blake walked up to the table.

"Hey Blake, how ya been?" Mercury asked.

"Just fine," she answered plainly. "Have any of you by chance seen Abaddon?"

"Uhhmmmmm, last time I saw him he was going outside into the nearby forest behind the gym for a workout," Ruby said.

"Ok, thanks," Blake said. "I'll see you guys later."

Blake left her friends to their game. She walked across campus until she reached the gym, then exited through its rear double doors. Behind the building was Emerald Forest, or rather a portion of it that the academy had kept clear of Grimm. Blake didn't really know where to start looking from here so she walked into the forest. She made sure to keep her guard up just in case. She trekked through the trees for a while until she heard the sound of splitting wood. She followed the sound until she came to a small clearing filled with downed trees. Some looked like they had been gripped by giant hands while others were cut cleanly in half.

"Blake?"

Blake looked up past the group of fallen trees to see Abaddon standing on the other side. A pair of black and white clawed hands emanated from his back.

"What're you doing out here?" he asked her.

"I needed to talk to you," she said.

Blake walked over the destroyed trees to where he was and stared at the twilight claws. "Also, could you put those away? Their kind of intimidating."

"Oh, sorry," he said as he made the appendages disappear. "So what is it? You've been quiet for a week since I told you and the others about my abilities and past endeavors. Do you still have questions?"

Blake looked him in the eye and bluntly stated, "I know who you are."

Abaddon was confused for a moment. "Say what?"

"I know who you are, or perhaps who you used to be," Blake said. "Those few years you said you would hunt down the White Fang, you were on the news. You were the vigilante, the predator of the white fang."

Abaddon stared blankly at her. "I knew someone would say something about that sooner or later. Yes, I was the vigilante, the predator that the White Fang oh so despised because I hunted them like prey. I guess that was the wolf part of me acting on instinct. I was also called the bloody wolf, wrathful faunus, or the hell hound, but it didn't really matter what they called me."

"On the news, so many were slaughtered. Some even in front of the camera! Did you ever wonder if it was…really worth it?" Blake asked, an edge of frustration in her voice.

"No I didn't. I wanted them dead, especially Adam. If they were in my way, I fought them," he told her. "At the time, all I yearned for was vengeance."

"But you didn't have to kill them! They were just misguided!" Blake's voice started getting louder as her frustration rose.

"Misguided? Not all of them were Blake. You didn't see what I saw ok. With Adam in control, the White Fang became more ruthless. I've broken into bases to find many inhuman things," he said.

"Like what exactly?!" Blake exclaimed.

"Humans imprisoned along with faunus who were branded traitors! Some were killed, raped, even tortured! You think that's misguided?! Only a little over a handful of them can actually think on their own and have escaped from there clutches," Abaddon retorted.

"And how would you know that?" she asked furiously.

"Because Cinder, Neo, and I are the ones who freed them. We helped them to find a place to start over or go back to what was taken from them. Remora and Klyde were the same remember? Forced to do their bidding or else their family would die? What would you do in a situation like that?" Abaddon angrily asked.

Blake was about to retort, but couldn't think of what to say. If she was in their position, she probably would've done the same thing in order to keep her loved ones safe. She would've done anything she was told, maybe even kill someone just for her family's sake. That didn't stop her from being angry though. All she could do was glare at him until another question came to mind.

"Did Cinder and Neo do as you did?" she asked.

"Not really," Abaddon answered. "Neo doesn't like it, and her stepfather and I made sure she never had to kill. Cinder feels the same, afraid that such an action could change her. When they fought alongside me they would take our enemies down, not out."

"Ok." Blake sighed, calming her emotions so as not to go overboard. She was one of probably many who wanted nothing other than equality without needless violence. She remembered the past news footage of tens, once even a hundred White Fang, dead. All at the hands of one faunus who chose to take their lives out of anger and vengeance. If Abaddon wasn't her friend and had continued doing what he did in the past, the conversation would've taken a turn for the worse.

"I'm sorry Blake. I care about the wellbeing of all faunus just as you do. It's just that for me, most of the White Fang are an exception. But you and the others are my friends. I can't promise that I won't kill again, especially since the White Fang have more of the Longinus fragments. Although, I'll do the best I can to contain myself," Abaddon said.

"Alright," Blake said.

Abaddon sighed. "You still mad?"

"Kinda," she answered. "It's just that life for us faunus can be hard and violence isn't the only answer. You know that right?"

"I do, but words don't always reach everyone's ears," he said.

Blake nodded in agreement, but she still had a troubled look on her face. Abaddon felt bad for her so he decided to try to make the situation better.

"Hey Blake, how about we go hang out in the city, maybe get something to eat. Maybe some fish?" he suggested.

Blake smiled slightly, or at least tried to. "Sure…Let's bring the others as well."

XXXXXXX

Later on in the city…

"How come everyone always votes against where I want to eat?" Weiss whined.

"Because it's too classy and the servings are too small," Jurano answered.

"Well, it wouldn't hurt to try," said Velvet.

"Maybe I could've ordered a buffet," Weiss suggested.

"Calm down Weiss. You don't have to spend so much," Kathleen said. "Besides, we can save your choices for special occasions."

"Fine," Weiss huffed.

"Another good thing is that Weiss knows where she's going, unlike a certain lost blonde," Abaddon said.

Yang laughed. "Hey, I just forgot. We made it there didn't we?"

"We did. And those burgers were delicious," Abaddon said as he licked his lips.

"So where are we going anyway-," Ruby stopped when she spotted a nearby crime scene on the street adjacent to theirs. She ran over to check it out. The others of RWBY, KAJE, and Velvet noticed and followed her as well. Two detectives stood in front of a dust shop, surrounded by police tape. From outside, they could see that the main window was broken and the shelves inside strewn about.

"Excuse me, what happened here?" Ruby asked one of the detectives.

"Eh? Robbery. Probably the fifth or sixth dust shop hit in the last few weeks. This city's turning into jungle," the detective told them.

"They left all the money again," the other detective whined.

"Yeah, doesn't make sense," the first detective said. "Who needs that much dust? You thinkin, uhh, White Fang?"

"Yeah I'm thinkin we don't get paid enough," his partner replied.

"Hmph, the White Fang. What an awful bunch of degenerates," said Weiss.

Abaddon frowned. "Oh no."

"What's your problem?" Blake asked.

"My problem? I simply don't care for the criminally insane," the heiress answered.

"The White Fang is hardly a bunch of psychopaths. They're a collection of misguided faunus." Blake briefly made eye contact with Abaddon when she said that. He simply nodded in response to stay on her good side.

Weiss raised an eyebrow. "Misguided? They want to wipe humanity of the face of the planet. Why don't you ask Abaddon, he knows more about this than anyone here."

Abaddon rapidly shook his head in disagreement. "Don't bring me into this Weiss."

"What does she mean by that Jurano?" Velvet whispered in his ear.

"I'll tell you later Vel," Jurano whispered back.

"Then they're very misguided," Blake retorted. "Either way, it doesn't explain why they would rob a dust shop in the middle of downtown Vale."

"She's got a point," Ruby said.

"That still doesn't change the fact that the White Fang are a bunch of scum. Those faunus only know how to lie, cheat, and steal," Weiss said.

"Uhm Weiss," Velvet said, trying to interrupt.

"That's not necessarily true," Yang added.

"Hey, stop that faunus!"

"Well, speak of the devil," said Jurano.

Everyone ran back down the street to witness a male faunus running from a store. He had short blonde hair with fair skin and wore an open white jacket with short sleeves, a gold necklace, red arm guards, rolled up blue jeans with wraps underneath, black and yellow sneakers, and a blonde monkey tale. As he ran past them, he took the time to wink at Blake then blast off down the street and around the corner with the detectives hot on his tail.

"He's one of the exchange students from Mistral I saw a while ago," Ruby said.

"Quick, we must observe him!" Weiss sprinted after the monkey faunus with the group tailing behind her. As she turned the corner, she unexpectedly ran into someone and fell to the ground. Everyone else turned the corner just as Weiss was getting up to see the faunus jumping out of sight.

"No, he got away!" Weiss whined.

"Uhhh Weiss." Yang pointed to the girl Weiss had just knocked down. Startled, Weiss got up her on her feet.

"Salutations," the girl said. She had short curly orange hair with a pink bow, green eyes, freckles, and wore an old fashioned blouse with short grey and green overalls, and a black and green collar and stockings.

"Umm, hello," said Ruby.

"Hi," Emma said.

"Are you okay?" Yang asked.

"I'm wonderful. Thank you for asking," the girl said cheerfully.

She didn't look okay, still laying on the ground. Everyone exchanged looks and wondered if she had a screw loose in her head.

"Do you…wanna get up?" Yang asked.

"Yes." The girl got up on her feet at once. Everyone took a step back from her.

"My name is Penny. It's a pleasure to meet you," she said to them.

"Hey Penny, I'm Ruby."

"I'm Emma."

"I'm Weiss."

"Blake."

"I'm Velvet."

"Jurano."

"Abaddon."

"Kathleen."

"Are you sure you didn't hit your head?" Yang asked, earning a hit in her side from Blake. "Oh, I'm Yang."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Penny said again.

"You already said that," Weiss told her.

"So I did," responded Penny.

"She's like a robot," Emma whispered to Kathleen.

"Well, sorry for running into you," Weiss said as the group began to leave.

Emma waved at her. "Later Penny."

Ruby waved at Penny as well. "Take care friend."

The Huntsmen left Penny where she was and went back around the corner that they came from.

"She was…weird," Yang said.

"Eh, I've seen weirder," Jurano added.

"Now, where did that faunus riff raff run off to?" As soon as the words left Weiss mouth, Penny suddenly appeared in front of them.

"What did you call me?" she asked.

Weiss pointed back the way they came from and looked from Penny and back, wondering how she managed to get in front of them without anyone noticing.

"How in the wild blue hell did she do that?" Abaddon wondered.

"Maybe she's fast like Ruby?" Velvet guessed.

"Oh I'm really sorry. I definitely didn't think you heard me," Yang apologized.

"No, not you." Penny walked past Weiss, Blake, and Yang to stand in front of Ruby. "You."

"Me?" Ruby was surprised, she didn't know what she said to offend Penny. "Oh, I…I don't know…I…what I…uhm..uhh."

"You called me friend. Am I really your friend?" Penny asked.

"Uhhhh." Ruby gazed at the others for an answer. Everyone gave signs to say no, except Jurano and Abaddon who jokingly had their thumbs up. Emma couldn't really decide and just copied them instead.

"Yeah, sure. Why not?" she answered.

After hearing Ruby's answer, Penny raised her hands in joy. "Sensational! We can paint our nails, and try on clothes, and talk about cute boys."

"Uhm, is this what it was like when you met me?" Ruby asked Weiss.

"No, she seems far more coordinated," Weiss replied.

"So, what are you doing in Vale?" Yang asked, trying to change the subject.

"I'm here to fight in the tournament," Penny told her.

"Wait, you're fighting in the tournament?" Weiss repeated.

Penny raised her hand in a salute. "I'm combat ready."

"Forgive me, but you hardly look the part," Weiss said.

"Says the girl wearing a dress," Blake said.

"It's a combat skirt," Weiss replied.

Ruby zoomed right next to her. "Yeah." Then gave her a high five.

"Wait a minute. If you're here for the tournament, does that mean you know that monkey tailed rapscallion?" Weiss asked Penny, aggravating Blake.

"Weiss don't," Kathleen pleaded.

"The who?" Penny asked, confused.

Weiss raised a crudely drawn picture of the aforementioned faunus. "The filthy faunus from the store."

"Why do you keep saying that?" Blake asked. She could only stand so much discrimination.

Weiss looked at her teammate. "Huh?"

"Stop calling him a rapscallion. Stop calling him a degenerate. He's a person," Blake said to the heiress.

"Uhm Abby, we should probably leave them to it," Emma told Abaddon.

"Hold on Emma," he told her.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Weiss continued. "Would you like to stop referring to the trashcan as a trashcan, or this lamppost as a lamppost?"

"I'd rather not be compared to a trashcan," Velvet said.

"Stop it!" Blake exclaimed.

"Stop what? He clearly broke the law. Give him time, he'll probably join up with those other faunus in the White Fang," Weiss finished.

Blake clenched her fists in utter annoyance. "Ugh, you ignorant little brat!"

Weiss narrowed her eyes, but continued to run her mouth as she went after Blake.

"Ok, now we leave," Abaddon said.

"About time," said Kathleen.

"We're we going?" Penny asked.

"My team, Velvet, and I are going anywhere but here. I guess Weiss can really be no different from her damn father. We need to go. If I hear anymore, I might actually lash out at Weiss," Abaddon growled as he and Kathleen began to depart.

"I can understand why Blake's so upset. What she said was really hurtful," Velvet said.

"Come on Velvet, let's go." Jurano grabbed Velvet's hand and led her away.

"See ya later guys," Emma said as she caught up with her brother.

Wanting to get far away and forget about Weiss' words, KAJE and Velvet went back to Beacon to turn in, hoping to get a good nights sleep.