Dreams Do Come True

by DragonoftheEastblue

Do you believe in destiny? I certainly do, and so do two young Huntsmen-in-training who are about to have their lives changed forever. A retelling of events from the end of the Beacon Dance where Jaune realizes and accepts Pyrrha's feelings, and takes the first step on a journey he never knew was waiting for him. World-building/Canon-Restoration. Arkos, Boop, BlackSun, Iceberg, etc

18. Chapter XVIII: The Call of the Wild

"I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done so since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence. I much prefer history, true or feigned, with its varied applicability to the thought and experience of readers. I think that many confuse applicability with allegory, but the one resides in the freedom of the reader, and the other in the purposed domination of the author."

—Professor John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

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Chapter XVIII: The Call of the Wild

The following morning was the same as the last; stunning and bright. The group decided that it was too nice of a day in fact to spend it indoors. After eating breakfast, they decided to meet at one of the several gardens that surrounded the Beacon Academy grounds, just before entering the Forest of Forever Fall. The particular garden they had chosen, ended with a stone circular courtyard, with a modular block wall with a smooth top, which allowed comfortable enough seating for those who wished to enjoy the view. It sat just at the edge of a hill that led to another garden below, with a beautiful stream running by.

They sat and leaned against the low stone wall, and began to chat about the calmness that had maintained for so long.

"It's been super quiet, hasn't it?" remarked Ruby, swinging her legs.

"What do you mean?" asked Blake.

"Ever since we arrested Torchwick, there haven't been any attacks on the city. His gang hasn't tried anything, and the White Fang is nowhere to be found. I was worried that something would happen, and I was sure that it would be big" her captain explained, "but no, nothing. Nothing happened during the tournament, and nothing has happened since it ended. It's been quiet."

The others nodded in agreement, not realizing until that moment that things had indeed calmed down considerably. It had been weeks since the last major incident, and both Ruby and Pyrrha had suspected that the tournament itself would be a perfect target for an attack. Of course, Pyrrha knew the truth of the matter. She knew there was indeed an attack planned by their enemies, and that Team CLME had been integral in that assault. While she knew that the Order had succeeded in defending the capital, she was still missing a number of details as to what they did. She wanted to share what she did know with the others, Jaune especially, but after thinking about her future with him, she knew it would be more respectful to speak with the Order first; not to mention she swore an oath of secrecy.

"Yes" Pyrrha said at last, choosing her words carefully. "Thankfully both of us were wrong, and hopefully that it will remain peaceful for a good while."

"No, you were both correct, actually" countered Weiss, causing them all to look at her in confusion.

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked.

"The White Fang was planning an attack during the tournament, but they were subdued" the heiress explained with a smirk on her lips.

The others were shocked by this news, though none were as alarmed as Blake and Pyrrha. Blake was deeply concerned, obviously due to her fears of what her former associates would do. After what they displayed they were capable of in Mantle, the sky was sadly the limit. Pyrrha meanwhile knew that Weiss was telling the truth, but was unsure of how she knew it, and how much she truly knew.

"What are you talking about?" the Cat Faunus demanded, now leaning forward with her entire focus on the Atlassian Huntress-in-training.

"Adam Taurus and the White Fang were indeed planning an attack during the Vytal Tournament. But before they could execute it, the White Army descended upon them; stopping their assault before it could even begin" Weiss explained, folding her arms with a proud smirk on her face. "Those cowards didn't even put up a fight, and ran as soon as they saw the white uniforms of Atlas."

"Shit, really?" asked Yang in surprised.

"Damn, that explains why things have been so quiet" Sun stated, a grin growing on his face. "Thank the Gods for the White Army."

"How do you know all of this?" Pyrrha inquired politely, making sure not to let anything slip into the open.

"My elder sister is a Major. She led the ground forces personally onto the White Fang's hideout, as she was tasked with Taurus' defeat and capture; dead or alive. She wasn't able to apprehend him or even fight him unfortunately, as he ran with his tail between his legs with the rest of his goons; Schweinehund (pigdog)" Weiss explained. "She told me this the other day, and assured that it was only a matter of time before he will pay for his crimes."

"He's got nowhere to run" nodded Jaune. "It's suicide to return to Atlas, and both the White Army and the Valian Army are gunning for them for as long as they stay within the borders of the Kingdom."

"Can't go to Vacuo, that's for sure" added Sun, with the rest of his team nodding in agreement.

"That leaves only Mistral, where his master, High Leader Khan and the rest of the White Fang, are located" finished Weiss.

"What? His master?" echoed Yang, slightly confused. "I thought Taurus was the leader."

"He's the second-in-command" corrected Blake. "He was given control of the Valian chapter, with High Leader Sienna Khan controlling the entire White Fang from her citadel in Mistral."

"Ha! What control?" scoffed Weiss, her prideful expression turning sour. "She has allowed Taurus to run wild for years, not even attempting to bring him under control. The very fact he is supposed to be part of the Valian chapter, yet he operated in Atlas is proof enough. Khan may have disavowed him, labelling his branch a radical splinter group, but we all know that she secretly supports him, and did it solely to save face. Honestly, the Council of Mistral need to get off their hands and just arrest them all; then let the Mistralese Royal Army level the citadel to rubble. Nutzloser erbsenzähler (useless pea-counters)."

"What Adam has done is unforgivable" said Blake honestly, "but the White Fang as a whole can't be dragged through the mud because of him."

"Of course it can! And it should!" Weiss retorted, her eyes reflecting the anger she normally kept buried. "You and I both know that the White Fang is not the organization it once was from before we were born. They served their purpose, and they are just terrorists now. They should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law as traitors to Mistral, and be forgotten to a page in history."

"The White Fang is that old?" asked Ruby.

"Of course; do you not know their history?" Pyrrha replied, causing the younger girl to shake her head. "Nearly twenty years ago, a radical madman by the name of Bolto Silver, started attacking Faunus homes on the west coast of Mistral, and either killed them or kidnapped them, and brought them to his strong hold in the Fabled Tips Mountains to the north of Helike. He believed that the Faunus were abominations, and wanted to wipe them off the face of Remnant. He did unspeakable things to his captives, ranging from torture to rape. For months, the Mistralese military tried to find him and protect as many Faunus families and communities as possible. During all of this, from seemingly out of nowhere, a Faunus by the name of Ghira Noir, arrived in Helike, and began to rally a Faunus militia group to fight Silver's radicals and protect the Faunus of Mistral. He was a passionate and charismatic leader, and soon he amassed over fifteen-hundred Faunus volunteers from all four Kingdoms and Menagerie, ready and willing to fight for their people, with every victory attracting more Faunus to the cause. That was how the White Fang was born. The Council and the Army tried to convince Noir to stand down and let them handle it, but he refused to give even an inch. I think there was some sort of agreement behind closed doors that occurred, because the Army never tried to subdue the White Fang. In the end, the White Fang destroyed Silver's group, and with a swath of public support, the Council did not charge Noir or his militia with any crimes; they were vigilantes, after all. Afterwards, Noir tried to turn the White Fang into a political activist group, to make sure that something like this could never happen again. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out that way."

"What happened?" asked Nora.

"Civil war" answered Weiss. "Half of the White Fang wanted to remain as an armed militia group, while the other half wanted to transition into peaceful activism. The latter sided with Noir, with the former siding with his second in command, Khan; which was odd given her age, as she was rather young, and any of Noir's closest lieutenants would have been better choices. Regardless, the internal conflict lasted for a few months, until suddenly, Noir had enough."

"What happened to him?" Ren asked. "They didn't kill him in a coup, did they?"

"No, he is still alive" the heiress replied. "He's the current Chieftain of the state of Menagerie; has been for the past fifteen years, actually. He immigrated to Menagerie with his loyalists, and was given a hero's welcome from what I remember. That was certainly well earned, and it doesn't surprise me that he decided to run for Chieftain. Since then, he has remained mum in regards to the White Fang, and I cannot blame him for doing so. He was forced to step down to give control to Khan after all, and therefore has never expressed openly any sentiment towards her or the White Fang's global operations, safe for a single statement after the attacks on my family's company began. Once Taurus was identified as the ringleader, he said 'Khan needs to rein in Taurus or face the sword of Atlassian and Mistralese law with him'. Since we are all friends here, Chief Noir has even written to my father, apologizing for the White Fang's actions, and that he cannot actively interfere; both for personal and political reasons. I fully understand why of course. He is the head of state of a foreign nation, and given how he cut ties with Khan, there must be bad blood between them. Furthermore, he has done enough fighting, and has every right to some peace. He's certainly done well for himself, as I have only heard he's governed amicably in Menagerie; shifting from warrior commander to statesmen smoothly, and not become corrupt like so many other politicians."

"Damn right" the Monkey Faunus remarked, folding his arms. "Chief Noir is very popular in Vacuo with us Faunus. My dad would talk about him a lot, and all of us Faunus kids grew up looking up to him; me included. He's a hero to Faunus everywhere. Man, with even the founder not liking the White Fang, no wonder they've gone off the rails."

"Precisely. Without Silver as an enemy, and Noir to lead them, the White Fang are just rebels without a cause; worthless drifters committing crimes in the name of an ideal that they only blacken" Weiss concluded, her face filled with disgust.

"The White Fang need to exist" defended Blake. "How are we to stop maniacs like Silver from slaughtering innocent–"

"Maniac? Slaughtering innocent people?" echoed Weiss, her anger growing with each word to the point that her voice was nearing a shout, causing everyone to shift nervously. "What in the names of the Gods do you think Adam Taurus is? Are you not aware of what he did in Mantle? Of the innocent people he slaughtered?"

"Of course I do! It's why I've been so stressed about Adam being here in Vale!" Blake cried, which was true, though for more than she was willing to admit. "What Adam did in Mantle is beyond forgiveness or redemption–"

"Then that means the White Fang is dead!" Weiss shouted, rising to her feet. "Taurus hijacked a freight train carrying a shipment of Dust meant for Gunnarsberg City to the east, along with over two hundred passengers. That train had originally come from our mines in the Himinbjörg Mountain Range, and after passing our secondary inspection in Mantle, would go to Gunnarsberg for shipping. He set bombs throughout the train, and without an ounce of mercy, detonated them and causing a chain reaction to the Dust shipment, eviscerating everyone onboard, and injured and killed White Army soldiers and civilians in the surrounding buildings. He killed innocent men, women, and children–babies! That is why I despise the White Fang. They have stolen my company's property, destroyed our equipment, threatened our workers, and slaughtered my countrymen, painting the streets of the White City with their blood! I do not care if I offend you with what I say next Blake, but Adam Taurus is a disgusting, rabid animal that should be shot, and his body should be left in the Wastelands to be feasted upon by wolves and ravens. He has become exactly what Silver was, which means the White Fang is defunct, a fossilized husk masquerading as a tool for justice. For goodness sake, Khan stripped the White Fang of its original banner, and replaced it with the one we've seen them fly for over a decade. Thank the Gods for my sister and her men for stopping him from committing another horrific tragedy here."

The courtyard grew brutally silent as Weiss stared at Blake with a glacial fury that genuinely frightened her. The heiress usually kept her emotions in check, venting her anger towards Ruby and Yang in a scolding but constructive manner. This time it was something completely new. Weiss was incredibly proud of her family and their company, and was the most patriotic of the group, which was clearly fuelling her rage towards the White Fang. It hadn't been a mere attack against her family's property and business; it was an attack towards the soul of Atlas, and an attack like that, was an attack upon all Atlassians.

Finally, Weiss sat back down beside Neptune, doing her best to compose herself from her outburst.

"I'm sorry for shouting" she breathed. "I don't harbour hatred towards you nor do I blame you, Blake. I just can't stand to see innocent people, especially children, hurt."

"You're right to feel that way" Jaune agreed. "Taurus is a monster for what he did, and Gods know what he would have done if he had gotten his hands on more of those Paladins. It would've been a Hell worse than what he did in Mantle."

"Exactly; just imagine if he had attacked the Coliseum" added Pyrrha, something she had done many times before with Cinder at the helm. "And with spectators from all four Kingdoms present, it would have caused an uproar across the world."

"What did I say the week before spring break?" Sun reminded with a scowl. "All he's going to do is either start a race war, or unite both our races against him; and that would 100% be the case if he attacked the tournament stadium itself. You Humans have every right to hate that bastard, and as a Faunus, I can tell you we don't like him or the White Fang either."

"It is a hot-button issue in Mistral; without question" Pyrrha continued. "My father once said, 'When you attack women and children, when you attack people's families, that fear turns to rage'. It's without a doubt what drove Chief Noir and hundreds of Faunus to fight in the first place. I can only wager that things have remained as 'peaceful' as they have due to the diplomacy of the former and current Huntmasters of Haven. They are both Faunus, and speak with High Leader Khan regularly. How much longer will it remain peaceful while Taurus still walks free, however? He's proven to be so cruel and monstrous, that he will be granted no forgiveness in the next world."

"Yeah, fuck him" Yang muttered bluntly, before looking at Blake, her expression softening. "Look Blake, I know that you have a past with the White Fang, and you want there to be better relations between our races, but there has to be a better way than the White Fang. They're evil, and if even the Faunus don't like them, then why are they even still around?"

The Cat Faunus looked down at the grey stone tiles, fighting with her emotions, unable to form a proper response. She knew they were right. She knew how horrible Adam was better than anyone. But she couldn't let go; she couldn't let go of what had been her life for as long as she could remember, and what it meant if she did break the ties that bound her.

"The White Fang was created to combat the oppression of our race" she rationalized, speaking slowly so that her voice didn't shake. "To be treated like animals, lesser than Humans, is what caused Silver to slaughter innocent Faunus as if they were cattle. That can never happen again."

"And it won't" Pyrrha assured. "Blake, I remember my parents telling me about what it was like during that yearlong conflict. Humans were just as outraged as Faunus. The entire High Temple of Astrofengiá (Starlight) condemned Silver and his radical group as their crimes were so evil that the Gods would never forgive them. Many Presbyteros were sent to administer last rites to the victims, and aid their families with donations gathered from across the Kingdom. High Presbyteros Vartholomaíos said, 'The slaughter of children of the Light is a sin that rests on the shoulders of not only the butchers, but on those who chose to do nothing when they could have protected them. Nothing is more precious than innocent life'. I agree with that with all my heart, and if Taurus hadn't been stopped by the White Army, I would have gladly spilled my own blood to defend Vale."

"Same. And that goes tenfold for Huntsmen" added Jaune. "That oath to fight the Grimm in order to defend life, doesn't stop at Human life. We're all in this together."

"Damn straight" Sun nodded. "The monsters are out there, not here."

"Not to those who think we Faunus are monsters" Blake remarked bitterly.

"Then why did you start wearing Grimm masks?" asked Nora.

"Yeah" agreed Ruby, looking at her subordinate shyly. "Aren't you kinda giving those jerks what they want by wearing scary masks and making people afraid of you by attacking the Schnee Dust Company?"

"I–" began the former White Fang member, but the words died in her throat.

"And so what if someone calls you a name? Who are they to you?" Yang pointed out. "Tell'em to fuck off, and keep rolling. Seriously, do you have any idea how many times I've gotten called a bitch? If I let that crap get to me, then there's no way I could make it as a Huntress."

"You couldn't survive in Vacuo being that thin-skinned, that's for sure" added Sun. "I said it then, and I'll say it now: do it like we do in Vacuo; if you can survive here, you're one of us, no matter what or who you are."

"The world is too dangerous a place to be fighting amongst ourselves" added Weiss solemnly. "Isn't that the very point of the Vytal Festival; that fighting together against the Grimm is more important than warring against ourselves? I have a sneaking suspicion that was why Taurus planned to attack Vale during the festival; to make us feel fear and distrust, as opposed to unity."

"Oh I can believe that; easy" the Vacuan Faunus agreed. "It's why there isn't a chapter of the White Fang in Vacuo."

"Yes there is" countered Blake, finally finding her voice.

"No there isn't" Neptune informed.

"No, there is" Blake insisted. "Trust me, I would know."

"Then you're out of the loop because they aren't in Vacuo anymore" Sun assured with a grin. "We threw them out."

Blake's mouth fell open. "You...what?"

"This was months ago, obviously, but the White Fang came around trying to set up a chapter there and recruit Faunus in the area" Sun explained. "Right away they started talking about how Faunus are being oppressed by Humans, and how we need to band together to fight back. Yeah, that shit didn't fly. Right away we could smell something rotten, and we all, that's Humans and Faunus, chased them out of town, letting the other settlements know to keep pushing them until they were out of the Kingdom. They tried to get help from the Council, since half of the members are Faunus, but the Council is powerless in Vacuo. The real leader of the Kingdom is Huntmaster Blanco, a Human by the way, so if we Faunus will follow him to Hell and back, what chance do the White Fang have? And the rest, is history. We just told them to get lost, and if they ever tried to come back, we'd bury them out in the middle of the worst corners of the desert, left to be eaten by...whatever decided to swing by that particular day."

Blake stared at the blond Faunus completely baffled. Why had she never heard of this? Why had she not been made aware that an entire chapter had been thrown out? This was entirely new information for her, but a small voice in her mind whispered the truth to her; the truth she didn't want to accept: he lied to you again.

"Vacuo is sounding evermore like a wonderful place" Weiss commented with a smirk.

"Would ya look at that?" Sun expressed with a smile, extending his hands towards the heiress. "Looks like the White Fang is improving Human-Faunus relations. And it's helping local tourism. I know a great bar...several great bars, but one is rather special. The owners are a riot."

Thankfully this brought some well needed levity to the situation, as the others began to chuckle at Sun's antics. Blake was still in shock, trying to make sense of this revelation, as well as try to defend what little hope she still had for the White Fang. Sun noticed the girl's consternation, and flicked her arm gently with his tail to get her attention.

"Here's something you need to know about Vacuo, Blake" he said. "We don't like being told what to do. It's why the Council has no power. We like having the Huntmaster lead us because he's the one who went up the ranks, going through the harsh life we all have, and choosing to continue fighting on the front lines. We want to live our own lives free, and a council full of annoying bureaucrats would only get in the way. We need them to do a couple of things here and there, but overall, we work together without them. Since that's how we roll, why would we give some strangers like the White Fang space to start telling us what to do? You see this guy?" Sun pointed to Neptune. "This man, is my brother. I've known him ever since we were kids, and you better believe I'll kick your ass if you tell me that he secretly wants me dead. I'd give my life for him, just like I know he would for me. The same goes for Sage and Scarlet. We aren't just teammates; we're brothers, and we'll hunt, fight, party, and die together. That's how we do it in Vacuo, and Taurus can eat shit if he wants to get in the way of that."

As crude as the young man was, the sentiment was loud and clear. The bonds made on the Hunt were stronger than the average civilian could even comprehend. The constant training, fighting, Hunting, camping, and traveling, forged unbreakable relationships between teammates. It wasn't a shock to anyone that many mixed gender teams resulted in marriages, for teammates would come to understand one another better than many civilian couples ever could. It made sense as to why the Vacuans wouldn't tolerate a group such as the White Fang in their Kingdom, when they had naturally developed a form of coexistence and harmony in the world's harshest climate. The motto of Vacuo, if you can survive here, then you are welcome here, held more weight and credence than anything the White Fang could tempt the Faunus population with. The very essence of the motto was that race, religion, gender, and background meant nothing; only one's ability to survive and help their fellow man. The entire message of the White Fang however, was that race was all that mattered. It was only a matter of time before the White Fang would become exactly what they espoused to hate; and at the very least, Adam had already done so.

Blake looked at the blond Faunus in astonishment. Never in her life had she heard of something like this. No one had ever countered the ideology she had subscribed to...except one. She swallowed as the face of that person formed in her mind, and she tried to avoid it.

"Vacuo isn't the rest of the world" she said at last, though with much of the fight taken out of her voice.

"You're right, it's not" agreed Sun, "but what we think about the relations between Humans and Faunus doesn't stop at the border. There's a core reason to why the White Fang aren't popular with us Faunus anymore. They believe that race is the glue that holds everyone together. That doesn't happen with Humans, so why would it work for us?"

"Isn't that the truth" Jaune remarked, almost laughing. "Take a look at nearly every war in history."

"Right. But there's something different between Humans and Faunus. I'm probably going to totally butcher this, so you three jump in if I get something wrong, OK?" Sun continued, referring to his teammates, who all nodded. "When we threw out the White Fang, there was a lot of talk of why would the White Fang try to stir up trouble, and what did they want in the long run. We were all at the largest tavern in Paraíso at the time, La Fuente de la Vida, and an old man started talking, as he claimed he knew the answer. He was an old Coyote Faunus, and he was originally from Mistral, so he was there when Silver was around, and the aftermath from it.

'The White Fang are nothing more than a pack of fools, and Khan and Taurus are the most foolish of all! They think that all Faunus think as they do, that we all have the same wants. I can tell you what lads, they certainly were proven wrong today! And that right there is why the White Fang fails. They have no true goal or ambition. They fail to comprehend the true situation and reality of the Faunus race. We aren't united. The truth about the Faunus is that we are a scattered people, living in every Human Kingdom. Other than Menagerie, we have no homeland, no language, no culture, no folklore, no history, no Gods, no kings, nothing. All we have are the Kingdoms we are born in. All we know are our homes, and the people around us; Human and Faunus. We are citizens of these Kingdoms, and have been for far longer than the White Fang ever appeared in Remnant. We have been loyal to those Kingdoms, because we were Mistralese, Vacuan, Valian, and Atlassian first, and Faunus second. Without an ancestral homeland, it is our Human neighbours that are our kith. I was much closer to my Human friends in Mistral than I was with any Faunus in Vacuo when I first came here. And that is also why the White Fang fails. The bonds that tie through the soul, are stronger than those by arbitrary and immutable things like race. And since Khan and Taurus can't even begin to comprehend that fact, they continue to drive our races into conflict; if we didn't realize just how foolish they truly were, of course. The only thing worse than a fool, is a fool who thinks himself wise. That is Adam Taurus and Sienna Khan to a tee.'

He was right. He was totally right. I've never looked at myself as a Faunus alone. I've always been a Vacuan first, and have been super proud of that. I love my Kingdom; the food, the drink, the people around me, and the fight against the Grimm. To be fair, I can't lie and say that I haven't dreamed of something bigger, since I've thought about having a true Faunus Kingdom ever since I was a kid. That would be amazing. I know Menagerie exists, but a proper Kingdom of our own, with a King and a Queen, would be awesome."

"Sun is a semi-closeted Monarchist" Neptune remarked with a smirk.

"Hey!" his captain snapped, pointing at the blue-haired Vacuan. "You grew up with the same cool stories of King Alexandre, so you feel exactly the same way I do. Anyways, it's something I'd love to have. But that's not real life, is it? There isn't a Faunus Kingdom. There isn't a homeland that all Faunus come from. All we got are the four Kingdoms where we have to live along side with Humans...and that's just fine with me. Yeah, there's Menagerie, obviously, but I'm in no rush to pack my bags and move. These idiots over here are my best friends, and I couldn't ask for better. And ya know what, I like all of you guys too. I'm glad I met you."

"Likewise, Wukong" smirked Yang.

"Yes. You are all wonderful people, and I'm glad to consider you my friends" Pyrrha said sweetly.

"You guys make great barbecue; how can I not think you're awesome?" Nora added, causing Ren to chuckle.

"You're all cool for sure; if a bit goofy" Ruby remarked, causing Team SSSN to shrug, no offense taken. "So the White Fang was made to stop a monster who wanted to kill Faunus. But they stopped him years ago; so why do they still exist?"

"To protect Faunus from oppression" answered Blake, nearing robotic.

"What oppression?" demanded Weiss. "I'm sorry, Blake, but you've been very vague on the implication of Faunus oppression ever since you revealed to us that you were a Faunus and a former member of the White Fang. Oppression has a very specific definition, so you need to define your terms. Where are Faunus being oppressed?"

"The mines!" Blake gasped, unable to stop herself. "Everyone knows of how Faunus workers are treated in the Schnee Dust mines."

This caused Weiss to stare at the Cat Faunus with spite, but she quickly swallowed it, shutting her eyes and taking a deep breath. This was a long time coming.

"Yes" she replied, past memories of similar accusations lighting a fire in her belly. "I have heard those absurd accusations before; solely by the White Fang, might I add. Tell me, Blake, who exactly owns those mines? My family; and by extension, me. So why have you not asked me about the conditions of those mines given that I would be the best person to properly inform you?"

Blake felt her tongue lodge itself to the top of her mouth, realizing Weiss was correct.

"Have you ever been a Dust miner?" the heiress asked flatly. "Have you ever met the people that work in the Schnee Dust Company mines? I have; ever since I was a child. It is an incredibly difficult job; not one for the weak-kneed or the faint-hearted. My grandfather knows that personally, as he was forced to retire from his position as president of the company due to his waning health from a past accident. He worked in the mines for many years, just as his father had, and his father's father, going back many generations. With each generation came better equipment in order to make the job safer for our workers, as well as draw Dust and ore more efficiently. Grandfather has spent a great deal of time making working conditions safer since his retirement, pushing our standards higher for safety and efficiency. He may have stepped down as president, but he can never remain idle. Dust mining isn't a job that people flock to, especially these days, so we are grateful for those who do, and pay handsomely for it. Furthermore, Faunus tend to be physically stronger than Humans, making them better suited for the hard labour that mining requires."

"Not just mining; physical labour generally" added Jaune. "Back home, there's a moose Faunus named Jordan Panache who runs the lumber yard, mostly staffed by other Faunus, who's stronger than twenty men. Seriously, as a kid, he would carry me, two of my younger sisters, and some of my cousins in his antlers, while dragging fifty meter long Ponderosa pines behind him. 'King of the Forest' we call him, and yet despite being so powerful, he's the nicest and gentlest person you'll ever meet."

"He sounds like Master Shadrach" added Pyrrha. "He's a shorter Faunus, but far more powerful than you would think. And yet, he's as gentle and warm as a sunrise."

"Precisely" Weiss agreed. "Oppression, by definition, means 'prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or exercise of authority'. Where does that work in regards to Faunus today? Silver was killed nearly twenty years ago, and if my company miners find the job to be too demanding, they are free to leave. We aren't chaining them to the mines like slaves, despite what the vile White Fang accuses us of. Honestly, you are more likely to find a pair of Knockers causing cave-ins than you would the mistreatment of our Faunus workers."

Yang suddenly snorted and looked at her teammate in amused curiosity.

"I'm sorry, a pair of what, Weiss?" she asked.

"Knockers; small fairylike creatures that dwell in mines. They are part of miner folklore, blamed for any bad luck or error, ranging from stealing tools and food, to causing cave-ins. The latter is usually caused by knocking on supports right before a tunnel's collapse, hence their names. As a hewer's granddaughter, I was taught of such things from a young age. Do they not have such stories in Vale? Or do knockers mean something el–"

Weiss instantly halted her explanation and rolled her eyes in a huff, for just as she asked, the blonde cupped her own breasts with a grin. Team SSSN burst into laughter, with Team JNPR chuckling as well.

"Of course..." groaned the white-haired heiress, her cheeks tinted pink in embarrassment, "of course you of all people would draw such a comparison."

"Weiss, literally nobody says knockers and don't mean tits" Yang retorted, holding up her hands in prayer as if to beg for her friend to understand the absurdity of the situation. "For someone who has the biggest vocabulary I know, you don't have a clue about slang."

"Because slang is uncouth. Returning to the serious topic at hand, I can swear upon my honour and my very life, that any of our workers, Human or Faunus, are not being mistreated or have ever been mistreated at the Schnee Dust Company; whether it be in the mines, the refinery, or the board. And there aren't any laws that oppress Faunus either. There certainly aren't in Atlas, and there are no segregation or miscegenation laws in any Kingdom as far as I am aware."

"Misceg-what?" asked Nora.

"Laws that forbid the marriage between Humans and Faunus, and the children conceived of such a union" Weiss explained.

"Oh there's definitely none of that shit in Vacuo" informed Sun with the rest of Team SSSN bursting into laughter. "And even if there was, no one would follow them. People would just leave."

"Precisely. Faunus and Humans are equal before the law."

"What about people calling us monsters? That we're animals? That we're worth less than Humans?" asked Blake again, grasping at straws.

"Fuck'em" the blond Faunus replied bluntly. "Seriously, people can be assholes. It sucks, but it's life, and if anyone says that to my face or yours, I'll kick their ass."

"It is also immoral" Pyrrha remarked. "Racism is not simply using a racial slur, or doing some wrong in a moment of passion; it is a way of life. Bolto Silver did not merely want the Faunus out of Mistral; he wanted them exterminated. I mentioned before that High Presbyteros Vartholomaíos condemned Silver's actions as a crime against the Gods. I agree with that wholeheartedly, for the devaluing of life to the point of being disposable, is barbaric and foul. Sun, you touched upon the Faunus race not having a history or Gods of their own. This is sadly true, as my faith, Vóreios Astéras, does not have an origin for the Faunus; no known religion does. However, Faunus have Aura and can develop Semblances, alongside self-awareness, and the ability to make rational thought. They possess a mind and a soul. Animals have souls, but not minds, and Grimm have neither. This is why the High Temple of Astrofengiá decreed over two thousand years ago that the Faunus were children of the Light, even if their creation was not in the scripture. To say otherwise is sickening, for stripping a Human of their Humanity, or in your case, Faunality, is a monstrous sin."

"I wonder what Huntmaster Lionheart would have to say about that, ya know, as a Huntmaster" Jaune pointed out. "He would know better than anyone that Faunus and Grimm are not the same in any way."

"Or his brother, may he rest in peace" the redhead remarked. "He was the Huntmaster before Leonardo. I only met him a few times, but he was a wonderful and kind man."

"Beacon's Huntmaster before Ozpin was a Faunus too. I saw a portrait of him in Ozpin's office."

"There's also perspective to take into account" Weiss expressed. "There are plenty of Faunus in the White Army; that Neon girl for example. One of my sister's closest friends is a She-wolf Faunus Captain, Ulfhild Bachmeier, who leads a company of elite shock troops called the 'Ulveflokk', the 'Wolfpack', made entirely of Wolf Faunus. They pride themselves on how much fear they bring to their enemies, reveling in being called animals and monsters."

"Ya know, I've got to be honest" began Sun, "I've never really understood how being called an animal is a bad thing in most contexts. I'm more bothered by being called a monster since the Grimm are around; though I can't lie and say that it doesn't make me grin that my enemies are so scared of me they call me that. As for this 'Wolfpack' of yours, Ice Queen, that doesn't shock me in the slightest. Wolf Faunus from what I hear, always seem to gather in groups far more than other Faunus do; they call it 'packing up'. They also like the outdoors more than most, and seem to be much closer to their animal side; adding wolf iconography to their clothes and stuff. Well, more than we Faunus usually do. One of our teachers at Haven, Professor Badar, is a Wolf Faunus, and agrees with the claim they can talk to wolves. For the record, none of us Faunus can talk to our namesakes. Trust me, I tried talking to monkeys hanging about the markets as a kid, and that went as well as you can imagine. I don't even know when that started, or how literal they are about it, but it's apparently a thing."

"That is also why the Wolfpack has its name" added the heiress. "Not only are they all Wolf Faunus, they are Gebirgsjäger, Mountain Huntsmen; a mountaineer force that fight alongside wolves in the roughest of terrain. Their wolves aren't wild animals of course, but the Wolfpack claim they have a very close relationship with them. It hardly seems any different than other man-canine relationships in all honesty, but who am I to question their traditions?"

"Good point. Fighting like an animal is almost always a good thing, with both Humans and Faunus getting animal nicknames. Hell, people, Humans just as much as Faunus, have been painting animals on their flags, armour, and shields since forever."

"Now who would do a thing like that?" asked Jaune as he stretched, purposefully exposing his cuirass. The others laughed at this, with Weiss especially smiling at him.

"And plenty of women want to get into bed with a real animal" added Yang with a grin, causing Sun to laugh and fist bump her. "Like you said, it's all about context."

"I've lost count of how many Human girls have fawned after me" Sun snickered. "And tons of Faunus girls have gone after these guys."

"Yeah, but I ended up with Weiss who's Human, and you ended up with Blake who's Faunus, so that point's a little invalid" Neptune pointed out.

"True, but when I first saw Blake, I thought she was Human and I didn't care. I just thought she was the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."

This caused Blake's heart to skip a beat, which she hated herself for, as she was currently trying to deal with her entire worldview being dismantled like a children's block set. Unfortunately, any retort she could think of died in her mind as quickly as she thought of it. Sun had dealt a heavy blow against her understanding of not only the state of Human-Faunus relations, but also what other Faunus thought of the White Fang. It was completely new to her, for it had never even been brought up during her time with Adam. It conflicted with everything, and she wasn't sure of how to deal with it.

Sun could see the conflict in her eyes, and was going to offer some comforting words, as he very much didn't want to hurt her in any way, when something in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He suddenly began to laugh, which caused the others to look at him in confusion.

"You want to help Human-Faunus relations?" he chortled, grinning from ear to ear. "In the day, we'll hunt Grimm, and at night, plenty of that." He pointed over the edge of the courtyard, which everyone traced with their eyes, and they all reacted in the most appropriate of ways.

The Monkey Faunus was pointing to a pair of students seated at a bench below a birch tree, engaging in a rather passionate make out session. The girl was a Fox Faunus, sitting in his lap, with her more casual clothes and deep tan indicating she was from Vacuo. The boy on the other hand was Human and from Atlas, as his white uniform made clear.

"Well, I was right...in a way" Yang laughed.

"Oh you were. Fox Faunus are known for their libido, both men and women, so bless him, and good luck" Sun snorted, shaking his head. "In all seriousness, that really is the best way for Humans and Faunus to get along. Fight together, drink together, and for those of us that catch each other's eye, love together. The White Fang is just getting in the way."

"What if Adam and Sienna were removed?" Blake said at last. "If the White Fang could be taken back and placed under the command of someone who–"

"And do what?" Yang asked with a frown. "Blake, I know it means a lot to you, but when the White Fang removes their original leader and he doesn't want anything to do with them, have committed acts of terrorism, and both Humans and Faunus hate them, I have to ask, why even bother? Why did you leave to become a Huntress if you keep looking behind at who you used to be?"

Again, Blake was left speechless. Ever since she had entered Beacon, Blake had never had a proper indepth discussion about the White Fang and her reasons for her connection with them. The reason for not speaking was obviously due to the fact she was still hiding her deepest secret. However, this conversation was scraping dangerously close. It brought to light so many flaws with the White Fang's worldview, and by default, her own, that she felt more trapped rather than liberated. To make matters worse, Yang had rightfully pointed out that she was keeping one foot in the door of the past she had been trying to run and hide from. It was a struggle that she couldn't put into words, and no matter how desperately she wanted help, she couldn't bring herself to ask for it.

Sun once again saw the conflict within Blake's eyes and facial expression, and his own softened in sympathy.

"Look, I get why you care so much, really. And part of me does feel some sympathy for fighting for our race, but I chose to become a Huntsman to protect my home, my loved ones, and my countrymen, regardless of who and what they are. That matters more to me than petty insults from people who don't know me or care about me. So the second part of me wins over the other, I guess."

"And what part of you is that?" Blake asked, not understanding what he meant, as he so far had been fully against the White Fang.

Sun paused for a moment before scratching his right cheek.

"I don'know...the Human part, I guess..." he replied.

Blake frowned, as that only confused her further. Only after a moment did the pieces fall into place, and her eyes widened in realization. Her expression caused Sun to smirk, and he rubbed the back of his head.

"I'm only half Faunus" he confessed sheepishly. "My dad is a Monkey Faunus, and my mom is Human. It's why I never understood what the White Fang was about and why they do what they do after Silver's death. I grew up with Humans and Faunus getting along just fine, and I know a bunch of other Half-Faunus from my childhood. Again, it's why I don't care about insults from people I don't know, and who don't know anything about me or how I choose to live. My parents taught me how to treat others, being the best possible example of how our races can coexist, which I continued to my oldest friend, Neptune. He's obviously Human, but I never cared about that when we met, and we quickly became friends. Then six years later the White Fang show up, and I hear them say we need to fight against Humans. That just pisses me off more than you can imagine. They were basically saying that my parents don't actually love each other, and that our friendships with Humans, no matter how long they've been, are a lie. In fact, I know that's what they're saying, because they started yelling at people like me, and calling us 'dirty half-breeds'. Funny how quick the White Fang will turn on Faunus when we don't agree with them."

"A wonderful point indeed" Weiss remarked.

"Sex; the great equalizer" added Yang with a grin, causing the Atlassian to roll her eyes.

"Of course that is what you derived from that."

"What? Wasn't that the whole point of that story?"

"Never mind..."

"It's close enough" offered Sun with a smirk.

"Close only counts for horseshoes and hand grenades" Jaune remarked, "Though I can't really argue with either of you."

"Well, that's about right given how incendiary my sister is" Ruby added.

Yang turned her head slowly towards the short Huntress-in-training, a stony expression on her face.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

"You kinda blow up at comments about your looks, like your boobs or your weight."

"OK, listen, Shorty" the blonde snapped, pointing at her sister. "Just because you don't want to put time and effort into your looks like I do, doesn't mean you can criticize me."

"I thought you said to not let comments such as those get to you?" Pyrrha observed playfully.

"Watch it, Nikos."

"I'm just trying to be fair."

"That's the best part of having friends, isn't it?" Jaune said. "Looking out for one another, and calling each other out to keep ourselves honest. You know that, no matter how harsh the criticism is, it's coming from a good place."

"Like us making fun of you for not noticing Pyrrha's feelings?" asked Nora with a grin.

"Exactly" her captain smirked. "And speaking of which, I noticed something about what you said, Sun; about Vacuo's motto. I came to Beacon because I didn't feel like I belonged at home, and I wanted to be something. Vacuo seems to be a place that calls out to people, welcoming them so long as they pull their weight, regardless of their past. It's the same call that places like Beacon put out to those who are listening for it. Because of it, we all got to meet each other, hailing from every corner of the world. We all want to become Huntsmen for different reasons, but we found so much more once we came to Beacon. Pyrrha said it best, that because of Beacon, we've made relationships that will last a lifetime. For some of us, that means something deeper, but for all of us, it means a friendship that reaches the soul. I'm more grateful than I can put into words for meeting all of you, and being able to call you my friends is a blessing beyond description. That includes you too, Blake, regardless of your past, and I think I know what you're holding onto in regards to the White Fang.

The original goal of that group was to protect Faunus, and it brought together your race from around the world. Just like the people going to Huntsmen academies to take part in something bigger than themselves, Faunus go to the White Fang. I have a feeling you joined up with them because of how strong those feelings affect you. Even though things have changed, and you've seen what evil the White Fang can do, they made you want to continue doing the right thing in helping people, but not give up your principles. The only advice I can offer is that you shouldn't feel like you're betraying your principles by denouncing the White Fang, when the White Fang are the ones who betrayed you. In the end, there's only one thing that really matters: a place to belong. If you ask me, that place is here. "

The others all nodded in agreement, understanding the profoundness of his words. He wasn't just offering an olive branch in regards to finding purpose in live, but letting Blake know that he, and the rest of them, considered her a good friend. Race hadn't played a part in his judgement of her, nor had her past muddied what he thought of her since they met. Of course he knew that her parents were friends of the Huntmaster, but that hadn't factored into anything.

Blake swallowed the lump in her throat, for she understood the deeper meaning of what he was saying. He understood the desire to join together for a common cause beneath a single banner, and that now she could do so again, but for a better charge. That wasn't the first time she had been made such an offer. And yet, this time, it was different, and she knew exactly why: it was genuine.

"Well said, Arc" Sun grinned. "And speaking of a place to belong, I would love to go and see Menagerie. I've wanted to see it ever since I was a kid. It's not a Kingdom and it never will be, but a place built and governed by Faunus that's all prime beach real-estate? Who could say no to that?"

"Vale and Atlas, humorously enough" Pyrrha remarked. "After the armistice and meeting at Vytal Island, it was agreed that the two unconquered territories, the large island to the south of Mistral and the continent to the north-west of Vale, would be divided amongst the warring Kingdoms. An accord was made between the Council of Mistral and the Faunus chieftains whose brigades aided in repelling the Valian Royal Army, that they would be given a territory of their own to govern. It was a thank-you for their service, and a way to help heal the world after so much was lost. Mistral is the largest Kingdom in Remnant, as well as being on the largest continent; therefore she possesses the largest population of Faunus, rivaling Menagerie. There's always been a strong bond between our races in my homeland, which is why there are large Faunus communities in the western and northern corners of the Kingdom; the very same that Silver assailed. Those chieftains agreed to the terms, as did Vale and Atlas, who agreed to instead try to establish colonies on the closer continent. Vacuo declined as they were in no shape for such ventures, and Mistral was content with supplying the Faunus with whatever they needed to land on the island that would then become Menagerie.

Given the density of Sea Grimm in that part of the world, that territory had never been successfully conquered by any Kingdom. However, with the military advancements birthed from the Great War, the Mistralese Humans and Faunus were better equipped to deal with the threats. Nevertheless, it took ten years, clearing the land and defending themselves from sea and land Grimm, but they at last established a stable home. On the tenth anniversary of the colonizing of the territory, the Chieftain of Menagerie at the time, Reynaldo Espinal, and the Council of Mistral signed a declaration of statehood, turning the island over to the Faunus as an independent state. Unfortunately, as I'm sure everyone here knows, Vale and Atlas were not so prosperous. Despite their military power, any and all settlements were lost on the unknown continent; just as they were throughout history. To this day we do not know what happened to them, but after a time, neither Kingdom saw the point of continuing such ventures, and agreed on focusing on trade. The Faunus got the last laugh in the end, as Menagerie has become a major exporter of goods to the other Kingdoms, with Mistral being their largest partner."

"There's lots of trade between Vacuo too" added the Monkey Faunus. "There's a large port to the south of Paraíso called Maqead in Bialmatri Bay, where ships sail for Mistral and Menagerie. It's how I developed such a strong taste for rum, as Menagerie makes it in spades and it's damn good."

"If they made the same rum that was in my Zombie, then we need to plan a vacation there" Yang grinned, causing her sister to roll her eyes. "Humans are allowed in Menagerie, right?"

"My, wouldn't that be hypocritical?" remarked Weiss sarcastically.

"No kidding. But I can confirm that Humans are welcome" Neptune replied with a smirk. "I've spoken to enough sailors that travel there to speak definitively of Menagerian hospitality. It's a popular vacation spot for Vacuan Faunus, and for Humans as well."

"It's also a very popular place for newlyweds to go on their honeymoon" added Pyrrha.

"Of course you know that. Making plans, Nikos?" asked Yang with a grin.

The Mistralese champion blushed at the questions, eliciting snickers from her teammates and chuckles from Team SSSN. As always, Jaune was right beside her, and he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"If you are, just make sure you talk to me about it" he said with a smile. "But don't forget we need to meet each other's folks first. Not against going to a beach resort, though."

Pyrrha smiled gratefully at her boyfriend, and kissed him on the cheek, falling deeper in love with every moment cementing that they were always on the same page. Weiss nodded in comprehension at both her tall friends' input, when she felt her Scroll vibrate. Knowing who was calling her, she quickly killed the call, but paused when she noticed the time.

"Is it really that late? We need to head into town if we want to get anything done before tonight" she informed.

"You and Neptune are going on your date today, aren't you?" asked Pyrrha.

"Yes we are" the blue-haired Vacuan confirmed with an eager smirk. "I already got my new outfit the day I helped out Jaune with his, and I can't wait for tonight."

"Neither can I" agreed Weiss with a blush, though there was a strange flash of melancholy behind her eyes. It quickly vanished, but Pyrrha managed to catch it, and was curious as to why it had been there. "We should all go now to avoid having to rush to our reservation. Of course they would not give it away given it was made in my name, but arriving late would not look good either."

With all of them in agreement, the Huntsmen-in-training rose to their feet and began to make their way to the Commercial District. Blake tailed them just behind Sun in silence, lost in her thoughts, and feeling more aimless than she had ever been.

λΛλ

The rest of the day had gone rather pleasantly, minus Blake's limited interaction. Sun had tried his best to lift her spirits, but when he saw that she wasn't even smirking at his jokes or reacting to his flirting, he stopped entirely, accepting he was powerless to help. Her teammates noticed this, though were unsure of what to do, as they knew their previous conversation had affected her. They were hoping that it would help her get over her past, and allow her to focus on the future that lay ahead. Instead, she seemed even more dejected, and remained silent throughout their entire outing, and even when they returned to their dorm for Weiss to prepare for her date. The heiress left without the Faunus girl even acknowledging her parting, causing her to give her a look that was a mixture of annoyance and sympathy. She hoped that their friendship hadn't been damaged because of what she had said, as she had tried to be as honest but polite as possible. The others all seemed to be alright with how the debate had ended, and yet, Blake was even more introverted than before, causing guilt to sit in Weiss' stomach. She did her best to set it aside for now, as she knew she had her date to focus on, and left her friends to enjoy their evening.

Ruby, Yang, and Blake sat in their room in relative silence as they waited for Weiss to return. Blake had maintained her seclusion since their debate at the garden, and was now lying in her bed reading with a pair of specially made headphones plugged into her Scroll. Her friends were suspicious if she was actually reading, or was just putting as many barriers as possible around herself to avoid talking, but they silently decided not to press things further. The Xiao Long sisters instead quietly discussed about what they would do over the summer when they returned home, and wondered if their father would go full teacher on them, and give them summer homework.

Suddenly, the knob of their dorm room turned, causing the sisters to look, and Blake to pretend not to notice. As they expected, it was Weiss returning from her date with Neptune. What they weren't expecting was the tired and near dejected expression on her face.

"Weiss?" asked Ruby, worried. "Are you OK?"

"I'm fine..." she sighed, placing her purse on the dresser, "I'm just tired."

"How did it go?" Yang asked hesitantly.

Weiss looked between the three of them frostily, taking a long pause before replying.

"It was alright."

"It doesn't sound like it was alright..." Ruby pointed out quietly, which Weiss hardly appeared to acknowledge.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Yang offered, having a bad feeling in her gut about the affair.

"I..." the heiress began, looking away from her teammates, fighting with herself in how to phrase her emotions, before looking back at them defeated. "You wouldn't understand."

It was not the response any of them expected, and Ruby and Yang glanced at one another in concern. Without saying another word, Weiss unfastened her heels, leaving them strewn on the floor, and fell into her bunk without even bothering to change her clothes or remove her makeup. This was the last straw for the blonde, and as quietly as she could, grabbed her sister's hand, and pulled her out of their room.

She said nothing to Ruby, even when she began to ask where they were going once they were clearly out of earshot. Only when they reached the roof did Yang begin to speak, as she knew the windows below them were closed, thus granting them privacy.

"OK, this is bad" she expressed. "And I mean really bad."

"What do you think happened?" Ruby asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine, because I've got no fucking clue" Yang cursed, sweeping her hair back and out from her face. "Weiss and Neptune have been getting closer and closer for weeks, and they were just as excited for their date as Jaune and Pyrrha were. What the fuck could have happened to wreck her like that? Seriously, did you see the look on her face? If he rejected her again..."

"How could he? Even I can tell how much he likes her, so it has to be Weiss" the sniper reasoned, though that also made little sense.

"She's totally in love with him!" Yang shot back. "Calm and steady my ass. If he just pulled her into his arms and kissed her, she'd melt! I expected her to come back tonight on cloud nine to the point of being a puddle on the floor, and instead she came back like a wet sock."

"It's...not great."

"It's fucking shit! Seriously, Ruby" Yang exclaimed, slapping her left palm with the back of her right hand. "We cannot end the school year like this, and go into summer vacation with the team in such a mess. I'm already pulling my hair out with Blake; I can't deal with Weiss like this too."

"Yeah, I thought that things would only get better with Blake, but she seems more depressed than ever" Ruby frowned with anxiety. "I thought what Sun, Jaune, and Pyrrha said was really nice, but Blake seemed like she was almost in pain."

"I know! You saw how she was at the party, right? I've never seen her that happy. I don't know why she's not pulling the trigger with Sun, and I'm running out of patience. He's crazy in love with her, and I'm willing to bet my right arm that she really likes him too, but if she keeps backing into a corner, I'm going to tie her to Inferno and drag her to Vacuo; if I don't throw her at Sun before we all go home."

A heavy silence rested on the sisters' shoulders, at a loss of what to do. They knew they had barely any time to help their friends, but they were also aware that rushing things could horrifically backfire and do far more damage. It hurt to see their friends in such distress, especially when they seemed on the cusp of being truly happy. What options were even on the table?

"So, what should we do?" asked Yang.

"I don't know" Ruby sighed.

"Maybe you should go talk to them?"

"Me?" gasped the sniper. "I can't do that!"

"Why? You're Team Captain" the blonde reminded. "It's your responsibility to make sure that the team is in top fighting condition."

"But this isn't about fighting or Hunting! It's about dating, and I don't know anything about that stuff. You're the expert, apparently; you go and talk to them."

"OK, real talk, sis, do I really look like I know what I'm doing?" Yang retorted honestly, which was genuinely shocking to Ruby. "Neither of us have dated before, and all I know is the fun stuff I want to do. Our friends are crazy and are already talking about getting married, so I'm totally out of my element here. I've tried talking to Blake before, and I thought I got through to her since she came back to the Dance and started getting closer to Sun. I just don't know..."

The heavy silence returned, leaving the sisters feeling there wasn't much they could do. Pyrrha came to both their minds without mentioning her, but simultaneously felt that it wasn't the right approach. It was then that Ruby finally proposed a plan.

"I think we shouldn't do anything" she said slowly.

"What?" asked Yang, confused.

"I think we should leave them alone for now, and let them figure things out on their own."

Yang blinked. "That's it? That's your plan? We just sit on our hands and wait?"

"We've done all the talking we can at this point. It should be up to them to deal with it. And honestly, we really shouldn't be digging into our friends personal lives, even if we're really worried about them. You're right about what Weiss and Neptune feel about each other, and that Sun loves Blake and she likes him, even if she won't admit it. If things do get any worse, then we'll ask them directly, but for now, we should wait."

Yang stared back at her little sister, trying to think of a better retort that didn't come across as whingeing. With a groan, she dropped her head in defeat, not knowing what else to do.

"Fine. Let's go with that...as much as it drives me nuts" she muttered.

"Don't worry" Ruby smiled reassuringly. "Everything's going to be alright. I can feel it."

Yang looked at her little sister carefully.

"I think you're being overly optimistic, but I hope you're right" she sighed. "Fuck, it's going to be awkward as all get-out sharing a room with those two."

"I know. We just need to bite the bullet for now. They're our friends, not strangers. C'mon, let's go back."

Reluctantly Yang followed her small captain, with a voice in her mind complaining about how things just had to be overly complicated when they didn't need to be.

λΛλ

In Jaune and Ren's room, the amateur cook was in his bed reading a book, occasionally replying to texts from Nora. In the bathroom was Jaune, who was in the process of staring at his Scroll. Ever since the start of the Vytal Tournament, he could sense that something was bothering Pyrrha. The suspicious nature of Team CLME, the private conversation she had with Huntmaster Ozpin, her stressful behaviour, all of it drove him mad for he didn't know how to help her as she wouldn't tell him the truth. He ultimately had let it go, believing that when the time was right, she would tell him everything; she promised him, after all. She had not done so as of yet, but given what they had been up to since then, it wasn't as big of a deal as it once was. However, with Weiss informing them that the White Fang had indeed been planning an attack and was subdued by the White Army, Jaune's suspicions began to grow once more.

He wouldn't bother Pyrrha with this again. No, he would wait to hear the truth from her, but that didn't mean he couldn't call in some favours to get a broader picture, and hopefully put his mind at ease. He brought up his contacts on his Scroll, and selected one person in particular. With only a slight moment of hesitation, he pressed the call icon, and lifted his Scroll to his ear.

'Please be awake' he thought, hearing the second ring without pause. Finally, after the third ring, the line connected.

"Hello?" came the voice he had expected to hear.

"Hello, Uncle Thomas. It's me, Jaune."

"Jauney-boy! It's been ages! How are you?"

"I'm good, Uncle. What about you?"

"Swamped with work as usual. You're lucky to catch me, actually. Hey! I've been meaning to ask–"

"I won't take up too much of your time then" cut in Jaune, knowing where the conversation would go otherwise. "Has there been any major military activity in the Kingdom recently?"

Thomas was silent for a few moments, not expecting this would be the nature of the call.

"You're asking me to divulge military secrets" he said at last. "Not only is that dishonourable and treasonous, it's also a court-martialable offence."

"I realize that, but it's me you're talking to" Jaune reasoned. "Also, I already know that there was an assault by the White Army led by Major Winter Schnee against Adam Taurus during the last day of the tournament. Since my friends and I have been fighting them for months now, I think we deserve to know a little more about what's happened; especially since we captured one of their major allies."

The line went quiet once again, and Jaune patiently waited for his uncle to come to a decision.

"You know the rules..." he said slowly. Jaune smirked as he knew that tone very well, and what that phrase truly meant. "Yes, there was a major action recently; I took part in it. But it wasn't near the capital. It was up north near the coast against the Grimm."

"The Grimm?"

"Oh yeah. Believe me when I say that I have never seen a horde that size before. I was confused when we got the orders to move our troops, and received so much support from HQ and the White Army. No word of a lie, Jauney-boy, it was the largest military engagement of my career: thirty thousand men, one hundred and sixteen tanks, two hundred and forty artillery guns, naval support, air support, the whole nine yards. Admittedly we were a bit over prepared, but you can never be too careful with Grimm; especially with the Vytal Festival going on. Anyways, we leveled them into oblivion, and Gods on high it was a show I wish you could have seen. Shame that we've been ordered to not share too much."

It was Jaune's turn to remain silent. This wasn't at all what he thought was the case, and it was incredibly suspicious that a massive Grimm attack occurred on the very day as the White Fang was planning an assault on the capital.

"How can that be?" he asked. "A Grimm attack and the White Fang. On the same day?"

"There's nothing that suggests these two are related" Thomas assured. "We expected that such a large gathering of people would attract an equally large number of Grimm; it's only natural. It's why the border guard exists, after all. Thank the Gods for General Ironwood's efficiency, and our own for that matter, but it was great to hear how they whipped those coyotes at the capital."

"Humans can't control Grimm..." mused the young captain, listening to what his uncle was saying, but was still fixated on the horde.

"You're right. If we could, then you would be out of a job, and mine and your father's would be a lot quieter."

"But neither can Faunus..."

"Last time I checked..."

Jaune chewed his lip, feeling more lost than when he started this phone call.

"Right...thanks, Uncle."

"No problem. Was there anything else you wanted to know?"

"No, that's it. Sorry for bothering you."

"Think nothing of it. BUT..." Thomas offered, with a grin that Jaune knew was on his face despite not being able to see him, "if you want to apologize properly, you can answer a couple of questions I have for you."

Jaune sighed, knowing there was no point dodging it further. "Ask away."

"I managed to catch you running from the Coliseum with that lieutenant of yours, bridal style" his uncle remarked. "Care to explain what's going on there?"

"Yes, Uncle, we're dating."

Thomas laughed so hard that Jaune nearly dropped his Scroll into the toilet.

"My nephew, dating Pyrrha bloody Nikos! Well done, Jauney-boy! I and the rest of the family couldn't be prouder! You need to tell me the entire story."

"It's kinda late, but I promise I'll tell you if you have leave this summer" Jaune replied honestly.

"Cheeky. Alright, tell me this then, do you love her?"

"Yes, I do."

That question had once been significantly harder for Jaune to answer, as the weight of it all made him hesitant. Now, there was nothing he was surer of than his love for Pyrrha, and he was ready and willing to withstand anything to be with her.

"You've come a long way, Jaune. We saw how you fought in the tournament, how much stronger you've become, and finding someone you love in only a year's time. You've made us proud" Thomas said softly, meaning every word of it.

Jaune felt a warmth wash over him. He had never been praised by his family like this before. He had been shocked by the amount of texts that had been sent to him after his Team secured their first victory, but to hear from his family express clearly their pride with every word, touched him greatly. On top of which, Thomas was his favourite uncle, and hearing him say he was proud of his accomplishments meant the world to him.

"Thanks, Uncle Tommy" the younger Arc breathed graciously.

"Hey, you haven't called me that since you were a kid; Gods, where has the time gone? Speaking of which, I better cut this short and finish that damn paperwork before hitting the sac. Night, Jauney-boy. I'll see you at the ranch in a few weeks, and I'm holding you to it that you'll give me the details about you and your woman, ya hear?"

"I hear you. Night, Uncle" Jaune replied, and hung up after he heard the line go dead.

The blond looked at the pulsing icon on his Scroll's screen, before it faded into darkness. He could still hear his uncle's words, as well as those of his mother and Pyrrha, proving that his fears were entirely wrong.

'This is going to be a nutty summer' he thought sucking his teeth, placing his Scroll beside the washbasin, before reaching for his toothbrush. 'I'm gonna need the rest of that armour sooner than I thought.'

---

The War of Allegory: Misunderstanding Kemonomimi

(An excerpt from the DDCT companion volume)

Right, let's fully open up this can of worms, shall we?

I'll be honest, I dreaded writing this chapter. I dreaded writing this chapter before I even began writing the first one. I knew that with this rewrite I would have to talk about what I came up with for the Faunus and the White Fang, as well as point out the flaws in the canon. It's part of the plot of DDCT; it has to happen to tie everything together with Weiss, Blake, Sun, Adam, Ghira, Menagerie, and the Faunus race. And yet, I hesitated. I already knew this story would anger RWBY fans as it was; opening this can of worms would only make things worse, so I honestly tried to think of a different way to go about it. And then Miles Luna opened his mouth:

"I think to be completely honest we were like 22 when we started writing RWBY and when you're young you want to be like let's make a show about good things and good morals and touch on this, this, and this! I think it could be really interesting and really important to have a show with you know, some segregation and let's talk about racism and minorities and stuff. And I think we were a little too ambitious for like a 15 minute… at the time a 5 minute long show, especially with like two white guys writing it."

That statement ignited a fire in my belly, and I said aloud to myself, "Alright, Luna. You wanna play that game, I'll give it to you lock, stock, and barrel!"

That has been the closest that Miles or anyone part of CRWBY has ever come to admitting that the Faunus and the Racism subplot of RWBY was bad. However, instead of blaming their lack of skill, or that the idea was poorly implemented, or that they failed to get Monty's vision across, or even that Monty's idea wasn't good to begin with, they blamed it on the fact they are white guys in their 20s who haven't experienced Racism. While RWBY and RT loyalists have tried to claim that Luna wasn't implying that his race had anything to do with the Faunus being poorly written, I personally cannot comprehend that statement otherwise.

As pathetic as his statement was, I expected him and/or other members of CRWBY to say crap like that. At the time, people were rightfully pointing to every dropped plot point, lack of world-building, retconing of lore, and forced politics, and asking Luna, "Does this have to do with you being white and male as well?". His full statement was rather hollow, using many platitudes to cover up the core of what he revealed within it. Luna said the quiet part aloud; that things have become too big for him and he needed more people to help.

That the Faunus subplot was too much for RWBY.

The not so secret secret with The White Fang and oppression of the Faunus, was that there isn't any evidence of it. The Faunus and the White Fang have taken up a large part of the plot of RWBY, making themselves just as "important" as the Grimm and Salem. And yet, so little is done to explain what the Faunus are, the goals of the White Fang, and how do they fit in with the world. The more that CRWBY then tried to contextualize the Faunus, the more confusing it all became, resulting in it being well known, even outside the fandom, the Faunus and racism subplot was a joke.

The only instance of the Faunus being mocked in the first 4 volumes, including Beacon, was Cardin, who bullies EVERYONE, bullying Velvet; a second-year from the allegedly famous and strong Team CFVY, who should have been able to kick his ass in less than 3 seconds. So not only does that fail to make us the viewers believe in the oppression of the Faunus race, but make it impossible to believe Team CFVY is to be taken seriously (and nothing of value was lost). Other than that, Faunus are seen hanging out with Humans, being fawned over by Humans, owning property, owning businesses, aren't subjected to segregation or miscegenation laws, can keep and bear arms, can vote, become politicians, have their own independent state (Menagerie), can freely travel and immigrate, can become Huntsmen, and in Mistral's case, can even become Huntmasters. In volume 5, you have characters like Ilia, who was specifically created with the intent to enforce how badly Faunus are treated. Instead, she reveals she straight up lied about being oppressed, about Humans blaming Faunus for accidents, and even took sadistic pleasure in mocking her own kind. It's then no shock that Adam murders Sienna for power, showing that he doesn't care about his race over Humans, as all he wants is power and control.

This then leads us to Atlas. Atlas and the Schnee Dust Company are a giant mess. The fact that Adam's brand was originally a regular scar is just one example of how much was hijacked. By this point, RWBY was such a joke, that when a particular meme popped up in my news feed at the start of V7, I thought it was real. It was what looked like an article called "Blake Finds out about Atlas' Leash Laws". I belly laughed at this, and I legitimately believed that CRWBY decided they needed to make it clear that racism towards the Faunus is real in Remnant, and introduced "leash laws". Now, there were obvious problems with this I should have realized at the time. The first would mean the obvious retconning of Faunus wearing collars as fashion accessories like Neon. The second would be the major question of why none of the Atlassians, especially Weiss (who's supposedly a racist but only hated the White Fang; rightfully so), ever asked why Faunus can go about without them in Vale or other Kingdoms. What instead came screeching to mind, was a question with an obvious answer: "Do CRWBY not know what 'pet-play' is?"

To be fully transparent, I truly believed at the time that in their desperate attempt to try and retroactively validate the racism subplot, they had a scene where Blake is forced to wear a collar. And in doing so, they [CRWBY] failed to realize that all they did was give lots of people fap material. No more will dudes need to commission rule34 of Blake in skin-tight clothing with a collar around her neck, for CRWBY have provided it to them for free! I mention all of this as the first image of Blake I mentioned, looked rather believable, with only the meme version now available online. Because of how things have gone in RWBY, I bought it, as it was just as stupid as everything else. Of course, no such scene or leash laws existed. The true reason is the popular belief in the fandom that Blake is into BDSM thanks to RWBY Chibi, but it nevertheless adds to the failure of CRWBY making us believe in what they wrote.

So how did CRWBY get this so catastrophically wrong? There are many reasons, but one that plays a major part, is something I only realized a few years ago: the Faunus AREN'T a race.

The Faunus are clearly a version of Kemonomimi (Animal Ears in Japanese), no different than their Anime counterparts. However, as time has gone on, I realized what a mess the Faunus truly were. While originally they possessed animal attributes past ears and tails (their behaviour), they lost them from V3 onward. Their physical attributes have no rules, where two Cat Faunus can possess separate traits; Blake has cat ears but no tail, whereas Neon has Human ears but a cat tail. Faunus can either have Human and animal ears simultaneously (I never noticed that Blake had both until writing this, and apparently I'm not the only one), or have no visible traits whatsoever. Some might have extra abilities such as poison tails or camouflage, though most are no different than Humans, past a standard ability to see in the dark. Since the Animal halves of Faunus don't conflict much with their Human halves in terms of taxonomy, all Faunus are part of the Class Mammalia and Order Omnivora like Humans. Fair enough. However, even in breeding there is randomness. Two Faunus of the same animal Family and Genus result of offspring of the same Family and Genus. No issue here. However, two Faunus of the same animal Family but different Genus can result in the traits of one parent over another (regardless of what the "canon" claims), instead of a hybridization of both. If two Faunus of different animal Families or Class breed, the offspring will be a Faunus of an entirely different animal Family, Genus, and/or Class: a Dog Faunus and a Cat Faunus result in a Rabbit Faunus. It honestly makes me wonder if paternity tests are big business with the Faunus, and how many husbands thought their wives were cheating on them. Then we have the breeding between Humans and Faunus, which used to result in either a Faunus child or a Human child, but was then retconned that more times than not, the child takes on their Faunus parent's traits; no clarification if they are a half-breed or not. There's also no uniformity to Faunus of the same animal Suborder, Family, and Subfamily, as we not only see standard Kemonomimi, but also specific unique versions such as those that resemble Kemonomimi of other series; Gran Blue Fantasy, for example.

The conclusion that I have since come to, is that the Faunus are not a race, but a mutation. Since an in-canon explanation of the Faunus is nonexistent, and that in-world studies on Faunus cannot confirm that they are exactly Human, my money is that they are nothing more than an unstable mutation. And before anyone tries to wiki-dive, I have now become aware of the "creation myths" of the Faunus whilst fact-checking this essay. That is all supplementary material created long after the fact, and has no tangible impact on the story. Furthermore, it muddies the already messy waters surrounding religion as a whole in RWBY; if that wasn't obvious enough. If the show doesn't tell us, it might as well not exist; especially when it keeps retconning itself. All those video series, comic books, and other side content, are not the Silmarillion or any of the other supplementary works of Tolkien. The Lord of the Rings was complete before he and his son began to work on those extra stories, which provide context, not vital information for the main story to work.

How disappointing.

So now we are back to the question as to why did CRWBY get this so wrong? Yes, part of the blame falls on Monty's shoulders, but as I said before, it was V3 onwards that truly made things terrible for the Faunus; therefore, we must look at Luna, Shawcross, and the rest of CRWBY.

The first reason is that they fail to understand what Kemonomimi is. Kemonomimi is the personification of animal traits that we as Humans find cute, and add them to Humanoids. There are very specific things we like about them. We either love them for being cute (No Game No Life), sexy (Monster Musume), or badass (Inuyasha). Given that part of Kemonomimi fandom is pet-play (for the record, is something I'm not a fan of), this gives credence to my theory that CRWBY had no idea what they were dealing with. They took something so simple, and made it an overly complicated mess. I honestly think that CRWBY, and in part Monty, looked at Kemonomimi and thought, "Anime has Catgirls in it…what can we do to make that into an allegory?".

The second, and this gets ugly, is that CRWBY have no understanding of races other than Humans in fantasy. A race, in the context of fantasy, is a people of sentient creatures that are mostly, but not always, Humanoid. Humans, Light Elves, Dark Elves, Wood Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Dragonborn, Centaurs, Mermaids, Khajiit, Vampires, Werewolves, Lamia, Ents, Orcs, Goblins, Yokai, etc. We love these races because of their cool factor. We love how they look, their personality traits, their racial traits, and their unique cultures. We've done this for time immemorial, going as far as making them playable in both tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder, and video game RPGs like the Elder Scrolls.

And this is why the Faunus fundamentally fail in RWBY. We love Kemonomimi and other cool races in fantasy; so to take that love away and replace it with racism, is so different and cruel, it's off-putting. We, the viewers, cannot understand how there can be such hate towards, let's be frank, a beautiful race like the Faunus. Ugly and evil races like Orcs we understand, but Catgirls? The very reason we include other races in fantasy is because we think what makes them different from Humans is amazing and cool. For Kemonomimi, we grew up with characters like Aisha Clan-Clan from Outlaw Star, Koto and Juri from Yu Yu Hakusho, and Inuyasha, Sesshōmaru, Shippo, and Koga from Inuyasha. Yes yes, MHA fans, I'll include Miruko. Video games have many examples, with Nia from Xenoblade Chronicles being one of the most popular these days. In Western media, the list is endless when you include not just fantasy, but also sci-fi. I personally have been playing RPGs for over a decade, tabletop and video games, and out of nine major campaigns where I invested hundreds if not thousands of hours, only in one did I play as a Human. And with many more games on the horizon, that ratio will surely increase. With this as the baseline, it makes us as fans of the genres RWBY draws from, hard to believe or even want to believe there is this cruel subplot about racism towards the Faunus.

But wait, there's more.

What makes this even more laughable to me, is that Humanoid creatures, rather attractive ones at that, with animal attributes, exist in our world outside of Anime...and those would be GODS. Coyote, Ganesha, Hanuman, Dagon, Gugalanna, Kutkh, Kamapua'a, Mórrígan, Cernunnos, Kinich Ahau, Quetzalcóatl, most of the Kemetic pantheon (Horus, Khonsu, Set, Hathor, Anubis, Sobek, Thoth, Bastet, Sekhmet, Khnum, and Ra), and so many more; not including full on animals like Heidrun. Putting aside how attractive Kemonomimi are, if the Faunus were to come to our world (pre-Christendom), they would be worshiped as Gods. This is what kills the claim that the Faunus are hated in Remnant completely, even more so then the lack of evidence. It completely shatters the verisimilitude of RWBY. For Odin's sake, they are named after Faunus, the horned Roman God of the forest, plains and fields. If that isn't the final nail in the coffin, then I don't know what is.

So what do we do now? If the Faunus and the White Fang cannot function in the world of Remnant, or make the majority of people who see RWBY believe it, what is the course for them? If I knew then what I know now, and could talk to Monty, Luna, and Shawcross, I would have given them two options. The first is to get rid of the Faunus entirely. Given how little importance they actually play in the story, and frankly, how boring they are, better to make them Human and focus on the Grimm and the Maidens. Because even if you were able to do this correctly and make it crystal clear that the Faunus are dealing with the evils of racism, we would still be confused as viewers and ask ourselves, "Isn't this supposed to be a story about fighting monsters and saving the world?". Oh yeah, that's another thing. The Grimm exist, so attacking the Faunus in any way, like calling them monsters, is far too laughable to believe. Which reminds me.

The Kingdom of Vacuo has been a pulsating middle finger to the entire racism subplot. Here is a place with the motto, "If you can survive here, you are welcome here". In that inhospitable place, Humans and Faunus, regardless of their background, banded together to endure both the elements and the Grimm. This should not be the exception, this should be the rule. It's why I kept bringing Vacuo up throughout the story. It truly is the best in-story rejection to the White Fang, and I honestly believe it is why CRWBY will not go there. Then again, they have no reservations in regards to the retconning of basic lore and world-building, so there is really nothing stopping them changing what we already know about Vacuo. EDIT: OK, I just watched Chapter 12, and fuck me, I did not factor in the warp ability! What the fuck?!

The second option is to do it old-school. Make the Faunus a legit fantasy race. Give them traditional racial traits and stick to a set of rules, and give them a history. This is clearly the path I chose with my rewrite, but I went farther than I could show given spoilers. Unlike CRWBY, I have come up with history for the Faunus, along with set rules to their traits and abilities; even their breeding rules between their race and Humans. I've even gone so far as give them an origin story, as well as a major part to play in the war against Salem. I've strategically placed hints to it throughout the story, as well as in chapters to come. There seems to be a great hate towards having something simple and fun, and that is what should have been the approach with the Faunus; especially in comparison to what RWBY started off as. If I were to guess, I don't think that CRWBY even like fantasy, which certainly explains how poorly RWBY is written.

"A good novel tells us the truth about its hero; but a bad novel tells us the truth about its author."

—G.K. Chesterton.

There is so much more I could get into regarding this mess, but I honestly don't want to. I never wanted to get into the nitty-gritty like this. I just wanted to write a love letter to RWBY, to show what was lost and what could have been. I just wanted to write a love story about monster hunters, and good versus evil. Given I've seen so many pieces of fanart where the Faunus are more traditionally Kemonomimi, and even an ability called "Feral Mode", it seems I'm not alone (at least on the Faunus front). Unfortunately, it is impossible to tell my story without touching on what I changed for the Faunus. I couldn't go at it subtly as I had with other topics, so I had to brace myself and sail this icebreaker through the frigid, ice-covered waters. However, despite getting ready to drive the bow and break through, the ice of the racism of RWBY is wide as an ocean but thin as a wafer.

I'm sure that a fair number of you are not happy with what I have written today. I did my best to set things up from the get-go, changing the traits of the Faunus slightly and having characters make comments about the White Fang and the history of the world. If you are done with DDCT because of this change, I thank you for reading this long.

Now that the shit is out of the way, let's talk about the actual chapter, shall we?

---

Author's Note:

Obviously just because the tournament is over and the battle's won, doesn't mean that the characters haven't been thinking about what's happened over the past year. I decided that this would be a great lead-in to tackle the elephant in the room: the Faunus and the White Fang.

I planned from the beginning to make the Faunus a legit race, making subtle changes like giving Blake a tail, giving Neon cat ears, giving Leo ears and a tail, having Ian roar like a grizzly, giving Saphed (Laban originally but I forgot to change it -_-) a forked tongue, serpent eyes, and making him hiss, with many more changes to come. This would all then need to culminate in an explanation of the history of the world, Menagerie, and have Blake confront her demons; if in part.

The first thing I wanted to cover is the power dynamic of Adam and Sienna. I was legit surprised to learn Adam wasn't the leader of the White Fang back in the day, and that there was another person named Sienna Khan. While I don't understand why they did this, I never bought that Adam truly had an equal other than Ghira. There's then the reality of the pointlessness of Sienna. She supposed to be Shere Khan, but clearly Adam possesses more of his traits. While I didn't make the change in this story, I now believe that Adam should be Shere Khan, thus I'd make him a Tiger Faunus named Adam Khan; best of both worlds. This makes sense thematically as well, as despite everyone referring to lions as the king of the jungle, tigers are much larger. The dynamic between him, Blake, and Ghira, also make more sense this way. This also leads into something else, but that would be a spoiler.

Now that I think about it, while it would have been too much for RWBY, you almost wish there was a King Louie character. Then again, there were fans who were hoping to see Humans hunting Faunus in Atlas and mounting their heads to walls, so maybe not.

The next part is the history of the White Fang. This needed a lot of explaining for it to work, as well as fix some plot holes. Having a genuine atrocity occur to explain where the White Fang came from and how Ghira rose to prominence, was something that's been growing in my mind for years. I also had to show how and why Ghira left and ended up in Menagerie, allowing the fall of the White Fang and why he no longer wants to get involved. And of course, I needed to fix the plot hole regarding him and Blake. While I did fix part of it with Sam knowing who Blake was, I had to address the major issue of Blake trying to hide who she is but still using her family name. In my full rewrite, Noir is the fake name Blake uses to hide her identity, and it isn't revealed she's Ghira's daughter until later, with hints from a former White Fang member recognizing her and trying to subtly coax her in telling the truth in the meantime.

Then there is explaining of what exactly happened in Mantle and how this relates to Weiss. Some of you were surprised to find that I changed things; that Weiss was actually proud of her family and legacy. I always understood Weiss to be a proud heiress, and seeing the nonsensical changes made to her character bothered me to no end (still does). Changing things this way just makes more sense to me.

The speech made by the Coyote Faunus is a combination of two speeches made by other Faunus years into the story. The first half is mostly from an officer in the White Army when Sun and Blake meet up at a fancy bar filled with White Army Faunus soldiers and officers in Mantle. This is after the group fights in Vacuo, as well as the death of Adam and collapse of the White Fang (roughly two or so years into the story), and the first time Blake has returned to Atlas. After hearing this, Blake gets very emotional, realizing how wrong she had been, how much Adam had truly lied to her, and how much time she's wasted. The second half of the speech is from her squad leader (the former White Fang member I previously mentioned), trying to give her hope and encourage the other Faunus in the bar who were listening. There's more to this of course, but that's for another time.

Then there's the context of the Schnee Dust Company. The claims made about them are some of the most ludicrous imaginable. A company like that cannot exist in a setting like Remnant; unless everything about the world is hideously cruel, and you then have to wonder, why bother trying to save it? Regardless, I took the chance to explain more about the SDC, as well as more about what the Faunus can do; again to give them true racial traits. Far more to come on that.

And then we have the change of making Sun a Half-Faunus. While in my full rewrite he's a full blooded Faunus, I have been very much intrigued by the idea of him being Human. By making him Human, you can help bring Blake out of her brainwashing from the White Fang by Sun not caring she's secretly a Faunus. Then having him go and fight to protect her and her family in Menagerie, would further solidify that he loves her, and that Humans and Faunus can get along. That would be a great way to humiliate Adam as well, his girl now with a Human, and he fighting Sun and Ghira rather than Yang and Blake. If you want themes, that one could work rather well, with Sun becoming more like Mowgli, making his relationship with Ghira more appropriate. I do like the idea, so I decided for this story to compromise and make him half Faunus to explain his worldview.

I would go more into detail on this, but I'm exhausted. I love world-building almost as much as I love writing romance, but this one has taken a lot out of me. I don't know how you will all take this chapter, but I stand by it all 100%. I began to stress myself out for several days once I began editing this chapter; which was after procrastinating for days after posting chapter XVII, and sitting on it until my day off to deal with whatever backlash comes. Bear in mind that CRWBY drew first blood, not I. Every other fic ignores the madness of the Faunus; I chose to face it head on. All I wanted to do was create some escapism. We all need escapism, and 2020 was a year we needed it more than ever. Writing this story, as well as rereading the entirety of Professor Tolkien's work, was my escapism; keeping my mind busy during the idle times at work. I wanted to give all of you some escapism as well, since CRWBY, like so many other repurposers, don't want to.

I'm sure people will read malice into this; therefore, I'll allow a much greater man to speak for me:

"The prime motive was the desire of a tale-teller to try his hand at a really long story that would hold the attention of readers, amuse them, delight them, and at times maybe excite them or deeply move them.

Some who have read the book, or at any rate have reviewed it, have found it boring, absurd, or contemptible; and I have no cause to complain, since I have similar opinions of their works, or of the kinds of writing that they evidently prefer."

—Professor John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

There is still much more to come for DDCT, so if you want to stick around for it, I'm grateful. Your responses to how I write romance is pleasantly surprising, as I figured that would bother people most. You humble me, and I am thankful to you all, even if you no longer care for this story.

Thoughts on Chapter 11: No words, just madness. That's Nora's back-story, huh? Retconning that she had a mom that abandoned her?

Chapter 12: How is Ironwood a General and a Huntmaster when he can't fight? My version of him is SO much better. As for the rest, wow...break all the rules. I legit thought they would never go to Vacuo because of all the problems it causes for their story, and they did it by inventing portals. Shame on me for trying to predict things based on logical outcomes. Get ready for that Wasp kiss in front of Sun, people! It's coming!

Gods help me. I'm gonna go back to editing chapter XIX now. Cheers and see you all next time.