"So you are both ready to go ?" Ozpin asked Simba and Amethyst as they all stood in front of a large Bullhead designed to take both Lions away to Mistral, one of the four continents of Remnant. "Yes the sooner we meet Sienna the better..." The reddish-browned Lioness replied back at she looked at the Headmaster of Beacon with understanding. The night before, Mufasa had changed Amethyst into a Lioness so she could be with Simba and Ozpin had no choice but to erase her name from the students' list.
However, she had been allowed to stay by the Old Man despise her not being human anymore. The majority of the students didn't seemed to mind much about her new appearances even if some of them, particularly Ruby and Nora had complained that she was lucky because she won't have to deal with Professor Port's lessons. Earlier, the two Lions had said their goodbyes to their friends as they were about to go see the Leader of the White Fang herself, Sienna Khan.
From what Blake said, the Tiger-Faunus might be in Mistral and Simba had thanked the black haired girl of Team RWBY for this information and in return, Blake had wished them good luck. Speaking of Team RWBY, they were sent out of Beacon for a Field Trip with Professor Oobleck (which had caused Amethyst to sympathize with them) along with the others students for their first missions.
Amethyst herself had a busy morning as Simba had started to show his now official girlfriend how to be a real Lion. She knew how to walk and run like one but now HOW to be a Lion. He taught her how to approach a prey and at first it was really difficult but she quickly got the hint and her posture was perfect.
Sadly, they didn't have the time for testing it on a living prey. So instead, Simba had decided to teach her how to fight and she was struggling to be able to pin him down. The Golden Lion was bigger than her and heavier built so it would be hard for her to maintain him down but then she showed something that made the difference : cunningness. When he had pounced on her, she dodged him at the last second and, before he could turn around, she jumped on his back using her claws to stay in place as he was shaking his body to get rid of her.
Simba admitted that it wasn't easy as even after a few moments of this strange 'rodeo', she was still firmly on his back and he was now tired. His state hadn't been unnoticed by the reddish-browned Lioness who instantly jumped away from his back before using her shoulder to push him hard. The strength of the impact had caused him to fall on his left side but before he could get up, Amethyst pounced on him before using her front paws to maintain him down : one of his face and the second on his belly.
The Golden Lion had congratulated her and she had purred loudly in delight at the praise she received from him even she was shocked that she managed to FINALLY beat him in a fight. When she was human, the two of them used to train together in fake-combat but each time it was the Lion who won thanks to his bigger side and strength. Amethyst felt overjoyed that she was now to keep up with her Golden Boyfriend and was now regretting her decision to become a Lioness.
After the training, the two Lions went back to Beacon and were greeted by Emerald and Amber who just woke up. The two women, who were enemies at first, acted friendly toward each other as Amber had forgiven Emerald for the attack on her, something the green-haired girl was happy to hear. Amethyst had happily told the two about her victory over Simba and they were overjoyed that she managed to won against the 'Giant Golden Fur-ball' , a nickname the Male Lion disliked a lot but decided to let it slide for this one time.
Back to present, Ozpin nodded his head in agreement at Amethyst's words before inquiring in a serious tone "I suggest you act good around Sienna… From what I heard from her, she is not someone you want to mess with..." The Lions nodded their heads before saying their goodbyes to the Headmaster and entering the Bullhead under the calm but worried eyes of Ozpin who watched at the airship flied away toward Mistral whispering softy "Good luck in your journey..."
Back in the airship, the two Lions were laying down in the cockpit talking with each other " Are you alright Ame ? You don't look good..." Simba inquired to the Lioness who indeed seemed nervous "I'm okay Simba its just… The first time I go to Mistral is to meet the Leader of the White Gang of all people !" Amethyst responded with nervousness. The Golden Lion sighed as he could understand what she was feeling.
Himself had never left Vale and he was excited to see what Mistral had to offer but deep down, he was wondering why was the real reason Sienna Khan would want to see the both of them. Of course, they knew she wanted to thank Simba for saving one of her friends in the fire a long time ago but the Golden Lion couldn't help but feeling that something was off. Sienna must have personal reasons to see the both of them especially Amethyst as she was supposed to dislike Humans.
But now that Amethyst wasn't Human anymore, how would the Tiger-Faunus react ? Shaking his head to get rid of his thought, he gently nuzzled Amethyst's left cheek, earning a soft purr from the reddish-browned Lioness "Everything will be okay Ame… I will be there with us~" he whispered softy to her with affection and Amethyst's purrs became louder as she nuzzled him back, rubbing her head against his "I know… love~"
"You know what ? Maybe we should rest for a bit… We don't know how long it would take before arriving..." Simba inquired the Lioness with a deep yawn as he putted his head on his front-paws "It is the best idea I heard this morning !" Amethyst retorted in agreement as she pressed her body against his side, making herself comfortable. "See you later Simba..." The reddish-browned Lioness whispered to the Golden Lion who shot her a soft smile before answering back softy "See you~" then he closed his own eyes before letting sleep taking him.
0000000000000000000(Time Skip)00000000000000000000000
"Simba ! Wake up you lazy head !" Amethyst's voice echoed as she used one of her paws to gently tap her boyfriend's face earning a grunt of displeasure from the Red Maned Lion who slowly opened an eye to see the reddish-browned Lioness staring down at him "Finally you are awake !" Amethyst replied with a look of annoyance as she looked down at him sternly.
"What's going on Ame ?" Simba asked her tiredly after letting out a loud yawn "We're almost arrived you big fur-ball !" Amethyst answered back sternly but also in amusement when she saw him looking at her with wide eyes "What ? Really ?!" The Red Maned Lion asked her, completely awake now. "Indeed Sir ! We are not far from Mistral ! In fact we will be there right about..." the pilot said before the engine started to shake.
The Bullhead was slowly landing on the ground and the pilot grinned to himself as he finished his sentence "...Now..." The Two Lions glared at him but he letted out a small chuckle before saying "Professor Ozpin asked him to wait for you… I will stay around… Good luck !" He pressed on a button which opened the cockpit and the Lions, after thanking the pilot, went outside where they took a deep breath "Finally ! Fresh air !" Amethyst shouted with relief as she looked at her boyfriend who looked back at her playfully.
"Yes ! Its smell so bad in there !" Simba said nonchalantly using his head to gesture the Bullhead where a "HEY !" echoed from the inside : the pilot must have heard him. In response to this, the Red Maned Lion chuckled and even Amethyst couldn't retain a giggle but then they heard someone coughing nearby and turned their head to see a young girl with dark red hair and small gazelle-like horns growing from her head. She looked to be in her late twenties.
The Lions instantly knew that this woman was a Member of the White Fang because she harbored the familiar black and white outfit of the Organization along with the Grimm Mask. The redhead looked at them with thin mouth as her eyes were hidden by the mask but Simba could smell the fear coming from her. "So you came…" the Faunus woman remarked out-loud as she looked at the two Lions.
"Yes and you must be here to lead us to Sienna..." Simba replied back in a neutral as the last thing he wanted at the moment was causing a conflict. "Indeed I am…" the unnamed girl mumbled neutrally as she turned her head toward Amethyst "You must be Amethyst the girl who gave up her humanity..." the Faunus's statement wasn't a question and more like a fact. "I am yes… How do you recognized me ?" Amethyst asked her with a hint of curiosity and the Gazelle Faunus responded back by saying "The High Leader will tell you… Follow me"
With that said, the Faunus walked away and the Lions had no choice but to follow her, leaving behind the Bullhead. The trip was made mostly in silence and Amethyst was feeling nervous because of it so to break it, she looked at their guide before asking "Can you tell us why your Leader want to see us ?" The Faunus glanced at her before answering "From what I heard, she wanted to thank you for saving someone she like… Its all I know..." but then she added something in a softer tone "And I should thank you too..." As she said this, the Faunus girl was looking at Simba who blinked as he glanced at Amethyst with surprise.
"You not only saved one of Sienna's friends in that fire… You also saved my niece… Thank you again..." The Faunus explained in a gentle tone as she looked at them with a smile "I saved many people that day… Can you describe me your nice ?" The Golden Lion asked her back and she nodded "she had dark orange hair, blue eyes and doe ears on her head…" Simba's eyes widened at those words as a flash of memory entered his mind "Yes I remember her… I wasn't able to save her father… Is she alright ?"
"She still missed her dad but… otherwise she is fine… She and her Mom went to live in Menagerie but they said great things about you to Sienna… In fact, everyone in the White Fang heard about what you did… both of you..." the Faunus explained to the two as they walked toward their destination : the headquarter of the Leader of the White Fang.
"We did what we believed was right..." Amethyst began to say, embarrassed by the hidden praise behind the Faunus' words, before Simba took over "Yes and we don't regret what we did !" The Gazelle Faunus seemed pleased by those words because she sent them a warm smile before looking back ahead without saying anything else. Simba and Amethyst shot a glance at each other before smiling as they followed their guide.
0000000000000000000(Time Skip)00000000000000000000000
Simba and Amethyst were looking around with interest as they followed their guide through a long hall made from stone and bricks and lined with columns. The walls featured a geometrical pattern and there were red banners hanging from the columns all of them harboring the Symbol of the White Fang. The floor had a red carpet that leads the length of the hall and leaded to a simple, elevated throne. The walls of the hall were filled with niche containing statues of a mysterious cloaked Faunus wielding a spear.
And there, sitting on the throne, was the High Leader of the White Fang : Sienna Khan herself.
Like Blake told them, Sienna Khan was a female Tiger-Faunus with amber eyes, dark complexion and wild black, chin-length hair with an asymmetrical bob style. Like their friend of Team RWBY, Sienna had an extra pair of ears, and her body was adorned with numerous tattoos resembling tiger stripes. The High Leader of the White Fang was wearing four golden earrings on three of her ears (one on each of her Human ears and two on her left Faunus ear) along with a small jewel on her forehead.
In addition, Sienna wore a form-fitting dark gray sleeveless top with white trim : the top had a large diamond cut out of the back exposing most of her back accompanied by a smaller diamond-shaped cutout just above her breasts. A long gray skirt with white accents that shaped inwards towards her calves which partially revealed them and her over the knee black stockings with golden trim alongside two long splits on the side which revealed a pair of black shorts.
Over the dress, Sienna was wearing a back-revealing long red cape clasped by golden accessories at the top of her small diamond cutout along with a gray waist cincher with red trim that had a black golden buckled belt over it. Also, she wore a pair of light gray wedged sandals that had red laces which were tied to her calves, as well as a black elbow-length fingerless glove on her right hand. In addition, she also had a red rope with a golden bell on her left side wrapped around her waist with a matching rope wrapped around her right wrist.
At her side was another Faunus , another feline one, with white hair and ice blue eyes which reminded the two Lions of Weiss but at the top of her head, she had white Cat-ears. She was wearing the traditional outfit of the White Fang except for the mask. Simba recognized her as one of the people he saved a long time ago in Vale "She must be Sienna's friend… the one I helped in the fire !" the Golden Lion thought to himself as the two of them were chatting of something when one of the guards approached the Tiger Faunus to whisper something into her ear.
As the group of three entered the room, Sienna's eyes landed on them with neutrality as at her side while the Cat Faunus she was talking with not long ago was watching the newcomers, especially the Lions with happiness. Simba and Amethyst watched in silence as their guide bowed before her Leader whose eyes looked away from them to look at the Gazelle Faunus " I thank you for bringing them here Rufina… you can leave now..." Sienna inquired the Gazelle Faunus , whose name was apparently Rufina, who bowed at her Leader before leaving.
With their guide gone, Simba and Amethyst were now alone with the High Leader of the White Fang who went on her feet to say those words "Welcome in my Headquarter ! Its a honor for the White Fang to have you here !" The Two Lions bowed their heads in respect for the Tiger Faunus before them in response "The honor is ours High Leader..." Amethyst began to say before the Tiger Faunus interrupted her by saying "Please call me Sienna..."
"Alright… As my mate said, the honor is ours Sienna… After all its not every day we get to meet the High Leader of the White Fang..." Simba remarked with a smile and Amethyst glanced at him with an amused raise-brow "Indeed… Now I want to thank you for saving Bianca from that fire ! Without her, I would be lost..." Sienna said with gratitude as the White Cat-Faunus she talked with earlier , Bianca, stepped closer while looking at Simba with a warm smile before saying softy "Thank you for saving me… If you hadn't, I would not be there today..."
The Golden Lion bowed his head again, accepting the thanks he was getting and Sienna's head turned toward Amethyst "I heard a lot of things about you… Good things in fact… but I'm curious… Why did you gave up your Humanity ?" The Tiger-Faunus's curiosity was genuine and internally, Amethyst was shocked that the High Leader of an Organization known to hate Humans… was talking to calmly to her.
"To tell you the truth, I wasn't really happy as a Human before meeting Simba… My parents died in a Grimm attack many years ago and my Uncle never cared about me…" Amethyst began to say before looking at Simba who was staring at her sadly "But then I met someone who showed me love and kindness… someone who was always there when I needed him… I found the love of my life~" the reddish-browned Lioness explained before pressing her head against Simba's mane, earning a purr from the big Male.
Sienna and Bianca watched the scene with soft smiles on their faces and behind them, the guards staid stoic even if two of them looked at the two Lions with smiles of their owns. "I see… Now it make senses… I understand your decision…" Sienna nodded at Amethyst who nodded back at her with a friendly smile. Bianca, for her part, approached Simba who looked away from Amethyst to look at the White Cat-Faunus "Can I help you ?" he asked her with curiosity, titling his head a bit.
"Well… Can… Can I pet you ?" Bianca asked him and he blinked in surprise, not expecting this request before glancing over at Amethyst who nodded at him. Simba slowly lowered his head down whispering to Bianca "Alright…" The Cat-Faunus' eyes brightened as a soft squeal could be heard (even if she tried to hide it) while she extended an arm forward before pressing it against the Golden Lion's russet mane. "Its so soft..." Bianca whispered under her breath as she started to caress Simba's mane and giggled when the Lion purred in response.
Amethyst watched the scene with a smirk on her muzzle as she replied teasingly "Enjoying yourself Simba ?~" The Golden Lion glared at her but didn't responded which caused the reddish-browned Lioness to laugh with amusement. Sienna watched her friend caressing the Red Maned Lion with a raise-brown, surprised that such a big creature could let someone pet him like a House-Cat before stepping closer.
Bianca saw her friend coming and smiled at her as she said in a inviting tone "Come on you have to touch him ! He is so soft !" Simba was embarrassed by those words and groaned when Amethyst shot him a mischievous grin. But before he could say anything, he felt another hand touching his mane and slightly turned his head to see that it was Sienna Khan herself. The Tiger-Faunus seemed shocked by how soft his mane must be if the look on her face was any indication but he had to admit it wasn't so bad to be petted.
The guards had their hands on their weapons ready to step in if the Lions tried something but seeing that nothing was happening they relaxed. Simba closed his eyes , purring from the caresses he was receiving from Bianca and Sienna who seemed to enjoy hearing him purring. "Awww Simba you're such a softy !~" Amethyst cooed teasingly as she watched the scene with mischievousness in her purple eyes.
Simba glared at her before smirking deviously "Keep that smile on your face and I will make our next training sessions a NIGHTMARE for you~" he calmly replied with a toothy grin. Amethyst's face, which showed nothing but amusement, turned into one of horror as she shook her head saying loudly "I shut up right now but please don't do this !"
The Golden Lion smirked at her before saying playfully "Too bad…I had planned to make you run for a few miles..." Amethyst's face paled drastically at those words as she retorted back with horror "You're cruel ! You know that ?!" "But you still love me like I love you~" Simba replied back with a grin and Amethyst rolled her eyes before cuffing his head with a paw "Ow ! Jeez what was that for ?!" he asked her with a glare as he rubbed the top of his head "For being an Idiot !" the reddish-browned Lioness retorted angrily before giving him a gentle lick on his left cheek "And this is for loving me~"
Simba smiled at her before the two of them pressed their heads against each other, purring with affection. Beside them, Sienna and Bianca were watching the scene with amusement even if Bianca was silently cooing about how cute they were as a couple before grinning at Sienna who blushed in response. However, the moment was ruined when a guard appeared in the throne room "High Leader ! Adam Taurus is here !"
Simba and Amethyst, hearing the name, growled as they went back on their feet : Blake had told them about her ex-partner, who had suffered in the Schnee Dust Company and had developed a strong hatred toward Humanity to the point where he thought that Faunus should dominate the world and enslave Humans. And from what Emerald told them, Adam equally worked with Salem's previous pawns to take over Beacon.
Bianca, seeing their reactions, looked at them with confusion even if she was a bit scared by the hostile look they harbored "Why are you angry ?" Sienna too was curious as she looked from the guard she just dismissed "This 'Adam Taurus' works with Roman Torchwick ! A HUMAN criminal !" Simba responded with a growl before Amethyst took over "The two of them stole Dust from many stores in Vale !"
"WHAT ?!" Sienna screamed in anger as she looked at them with narrowed eyes while Bianca seemed shocked by those revelations. Behind them, the guards were looking at each other in equal shock. "It is true ! Adam and some White Fang members were helping Torchwick ! They worked for Cinder Fall, a twisted woman who want to take over Beacon for reasons we don't know..." Simba explained to the Leader of the White Fang and her friend with a serious look on his face. Of course, he lied at the last part as he had promised Ozpin to not say anything about Salem to ANYONE.
"Taurus… One of my best soldiers… working with a criminal ! Unacceptable ! First, he stopped sending me reports of his missions and now I learn he is working with a criminal !" Sienna was furious at this point and some of the guards flinched at the harsh tone. However Bianca ,despise being shocked by the news, was still confused about one thing "But why working with a Human ?"
"The answer is easy to guess..." Simba began to say before pausing. Sienna stopped pacing to look at him as she too waited for his answer "He works with a criminal to steal Dust… From what we heard, this Dust was supposed to be used for explosives so they could destroy something protecting Vale..." The Golden Lion explained before looking at everyone present with a cold stare as he said those next words "He wants War..."
Sienna's eyes narrowed as she shouted in anger "How dare he ?! While I wanted Humans to FEAR us, I never wanted this ! He betrayed the White Fang !" Simba and Amethyst shared a glance when suddenly someone else entered the room : it was a tall Faunus , a male one, with a lean built and auburn hair spiking backward in a windswept way. While most of his hair was red in color, he had streaks of brown among it.
But a noticeable trait of his appearance was the mask he was wearing ,the mask of the White Fang, which obscured his entire upper face above his nose Above his head, there were two reddish-black horns on each side on his head. His outfit was mostly black and red with a rose emblem on it. On his back, was what might be his weapon… Amethyst recognized it as a chokuto while the other weapon he carried was a rifle.
"Adam ! What is the meaning of this ?! You, one of my best soldiers, working with a Human ?!" Sienna screamed at him with pure anger. The Bull Faunus seemed shocked by the fact she knew the truth and was even more shocked to see two Lions standing near the High Leader. However, he quickly regained his composure to answer as he unsheathed his weapon, looking at Sienna in particular " Its a small price to pay for the achievement of my goal !"
"And what is that ?" Bianca asked him with a snarl as she pulled out a pair of guns from who-know-where "Faunus Domination ! Humans have enslaved us, treated us like Animals ! We should return the favor but NO ! Instead all we are doing is either trying to have peace with them or doing petty actions !" Adam roared in response as he seemed ready to attack. "And by doing this ! You are only showing that you are not better than them !" Simba snarled in anger as he took a step forward with a look of fury on his face.
"I AM NOTHING LIKE HUMANS !" Adam roared back at him as he charged the Lion with a battle-cry. The Golden Lion growled at him but effortlessly swapped him away with his right fore-leg sending the guy flying hard against a wall. "YOU ARE ! You let your hate consume you ! You are becoming nothing but a Monster !" Simba roared at him as he approached the Fallen Faunus who was trying to get back on his feet.
"HUMANS ARE THE MONSTERS !" Adam shouted in anger but then he froze when Simba letted out a thunderous roar which echoed in the room and caused the others present to flinch. Sienna's eyes widened in fright at the roar and Bianca squeaked in equal fear while the guards were shaking in terror. Amethyst looked at her boyfriend with worry but also a bit of fear : Simba was usually calm and cool but when he was angry… he was scary.
"WRONG ! Yes Humans can commit atrocities I know that but not ALL of them are bad ! Some are trying to HELP your kind but if you don't realize this then your eyes are clouded by your anger and hatred !" Simba explained in a harsh tone as he towered over the figure of Adam who was looking up at him with fear. His mask had fallen from his face and his scarred face was exposed to everyone.
"I was like you at first… I believed all Humans were nothing but greedy Creatures who respected nothing and no-one ! I thought Faunus were the same because you looked similar to Humans ! But not anymore..." The Golden Lion explained in a much more calmer tone and Adam asked him back with a hint of curiosity in his voice "What changed your mind ?" In response, Simba's head turned toward Amethyst before saying "I met someone who showed me that not everyone is cruel and evil… that there some light in everyone even Humans… Someone I grew to love and care a lot..."
The reddish-browned Lioness smiled warmly at him before stepping closer and burying her head into his mane purring. Simba smiled at her before looking back down at Adam and saying "Your hatred is understandable… but you shouldn't let it cloud your judgment..." With that said, the Golden Lion stepped away from the Bull Taurus, quickly followed by Amethyst who shot a glare at Adam who didn't responded.
At the same time, Sienna was deep in thought : Simba's words struck something in her that caused her to review her vision of Humanity. But what hurt her the most was the fact that he was right. Some Faunus, even herself, had let their anger clouding their judgments and were slowly turning them into the Monster Humans saw them as.
However her thoughts were quickly interrupted by Adam who was now back on his feet, readying his weapon "I see… You are protecting Humans… Fitting… A Freak to protect Freaks !" Adam's eyes were showing nothing but madness and he ignored Simba who was right now looking at him with a glare and a growl to instead look toward a certain Tiger-Faunus "Sienna Khan is weak ! She doesn't deserve to be our Leader !" with that said, Adam charged the High Leader of the White Fang with a crazy smirk on his face.
But then Amethyst pounced at him with a roar before pinning him down "LET ME GO YOU BEAST !" The Bull Faunus screamed back at the Lioness as he struggled to escape but those words enraged Amethyst who raised her left paw, unsheathing her claws before swiftly bringing them down. Adam gasped in pain as his neck and chest were slashed open by the sharp claws of the Lioness who backed away from him with an expression of shock on her face.
"All of you… Be cursed… for eternity..." Adam said between deep breathes before expiring for the last time as his head fell to the side with his eyes looking up to nothingness. Around the dead body, everyone stared at it in shock as silence was the only thing you could hear in the air. "I didn't mean to… I'm sorry..." Amethyst whispered in horror at what she had done only to be hugged Simba who pulled her against his mane in an attempt to comfort her.
"You shouldn't be… He didn't deserved your sympathy..." Sienna said calmly despise the fact someone died in front of her "Guards ! Take this trash out of my sight !" The Tiger Faunus ordered the Guards who instantly did what they were told while Simba was still comforting his mate. But then the Lions' attention turned back to Sienna when the Tiger Faunus approached them "Thank you for saving my life !" Sienna told Amethyst with a soft smile despise the sternness of her face and the reddish-browned Lioness nodded at her, feeling internally a bit better.
"As for you… Your words make me realize that I should keep a close watch on my subordinates…and even make me change my mind on humans… For that, I say thank you..." Sienna said to Simba who accepted her words with a respectful bow of his head. Suddenly, a growl echoed nearby and Simba, Amethyst and Sienna turned their heads to see a blushing Bianca holding her stomach with embarrassment "Well… Someone's hungry ?" the White Cat-Faunus asked with a softy smile which caused the Lions to laugh with humor while Sienna herself was chuckling.
"Its not a bad meeting..." Simba thought to himself as he and Amethyst followed the two Faunus to somewhere they would eat in peace.
(To be continue…)