Chapter 5

White Fangs in the Night

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

Flashback

Location / Date / Time Change

Vale City

Downtown

Teams RWBY and NVAR walked down the street as people prepared for the Vytal Festival. One man even set up a massive 'Welcome to Vale' sign.

"The Vytal Festival! Oh, this is absolutely wonderful!" Weiss said as she looked at the sign.

"I've never seen you smile this much, Weiss." Ruby said.

"It's kinda weird if you asked me." Ryuko whispered to Aerith.

"How could you not smile?" The heiress asked as she turned around. "A festival dedicated to the cultures of the world. There will be dances, parades, and a tournament!"

"I'm looking forward to all this festival food people have been talking about!" Natsu said as the group kept walking.

"Food prepared by the finest chiefs who follow the recipes to the letter." Weiss stated. "Oh, the amount of organization and planning that goes into something like this is truly breath taking!"

"Wow, you really know how to make something exciting sound really boring." Yang told Weiss.

"Quite you." Weiss said.

"So, remind me why you dragged us on our Friday afternoon to visit the docks?" Vergil asked as the asphalt under them was replaced by wood.

"They smell like fish." Ruby complained.

"Well, I've heard that students from Vacuo are arriving today." Weiss said before she turned around. "So, as a representative of Beacon, I feel it was my solemn duty to welcome them into our fine kingdom."

"Not buying it." Natsu stated as the group started to move again.

"She wants to spy on them, so she'll have the upper hand in the tournament." Blake revealed Weiss' true intentions.

"See, that I believe." Natsu said, making his team nod.

"You two can't prove that!" Weiss said back.

"But that doesn't explain why you would drag us along." Natsu added.

"Maybe because you have a better chance of winning than some of the other teams?" Blake theorized.

"Whoa..." Ruby said, making everyone look over at a broken Dust shop, with police tape slalom of the door and access to it. Two cops studied the scene and wrote down details on their Scrolls. The group walked over, led by Ruby and Natsu. "What happened here?" She asked the nearest officer.

"Robbery." The officer answered. "Second dust shop this week. I swear, this place is turning more and more into a jungle everyday..." He mumbled as he walked over to his partner.

"That's terrible..." Aerith said.

"They left all the money again." The second officer declared, catching Ruby's attention.

"I just don't get it." The first said. "Who needs that much Dust?"

"An army?" The second asked.

"What, you thinking the White Fang is behind this?" The first asked.

"I'm thinking that this is above our paygrade." The second said.

"Hmph, the White Fang." Weiss huffed. "What a bunch of degenerates."

"What's your problem?" Blake asked.

"My problem?" Weiss asked back. "I merely don't care for the criminally insane."

"The White Fang is hardly just a bunch of sociopaths." Blake said. "They're a collection of misguided Faunus."

"Misguided?" Weiss asked. "They want to wipe humanity off the planet."

"Okay, so they're very misguided." Blake said.

"Even if this was the White Fang, it still doesn't explain why they would rob a Dust shop in the middle of downtown Vale." Natsu said as he walked over to Blake's side.

"Natsu has a point." Ruby said. "Besides, the police haven't caught that Torchwick guy I ran into a few months ago. Maybe this was him."

"That doesn't change the fact that the White Fang are nothing but scum." Weiss huffed. "Those Faunus only know how to lie, cheat and steal." With every word she said, Blake and Natsu got angrier and angrier.

"That's not necessarily true..." Yang said.

"Hey! Stop that Faunus!" A sailor shouted from the docks. The group ran over to the railing and looked onto a ship as a Faunus with a monkey tail being chased by two sailors before he climbed onto the ships edge.

"Thanks for the ride, fellas." The Faunus said before jumping off the ship onto the docks.

"You no-good stowaway!" The second sailor shouted as the Faunus climbed up a lamppost and hung from his tail.

"Hey, a no-good stowaway would have been caught!" He shouted back as he peeled a banana. "I'm a great stowaway."

"Hey!" The detective shouted as he and his partner walked over. "Get down here right now!" His answer came when the banana peel fell on his face. The Faunus jumped off the post onto the dock and ran up the stairs, with the two detectives in pursuit. He ran up the stairs and passed the group, where he winked at Blake before passing them.

"Well, Weiss, you wanted to see the competition. There it goes." Ryuko said.

"After him! We need to observe him!" Weiss shouted before running after the detectives. Blake stood still until Natsu tapped her on the shoulder.

"You okay, Blake?" He asked.

"Huh?" The girl shook her head and cleared her thoughts. "Yeah, let's go."

The two teams ran after the detectives as they rounded a corner. Weiss reached it first and bumped into someone, sending them both to the ground. The other members caught up to the heiress, who looked up as the Faunus jumped down an ally. "No! He got away!"

"Uh... Weiss..." Yang pointed underneath the heiress to the orange haired, green eyed girl on the ground. Weiss jumped back to her feet making Ryuko laughed at the sight.

"Sal-u-tations!" The girl said from the ground.

"Uh, hello." Ruby said back.

"Are you okay?" Yang asked.

"I'm wonderful. Thank you for asking." The new girl said. Everyone else stared at each other confused before they looked back to the girl.

"Don't you wanna get up?" Yang asked.

"Yes." The girl said before she kip-upped to her feet. "My name is Penny! It's a pleasure to meet you!"

"Hey, I'm Natsu." Said man introduced before turning to his team. "This is Vergil, Aerith and Ryuko."

"I'm Ruby." Ruby said.

"I'm Weiss." The heiress said.

"Blake." The bow wearing girl said.

"Are you positive you didn't hit your head?" Yang asked, making Blake whack her in the gut. "Oh, I'm Yang."

"It's a pleasure to meet you!" The girl repeated.

"You just said that." Vergil said, unimpressed.

"So I did!" Penny realized.

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

"Take care, friend!" Ruby said as she walked away.

"She was... weird." Yang told the group as they walked away from Penny.

"Now, where did that Faunus riffraff run off to?" Weiss asked as she looked around. She looked ahead and stopped, making everyone else look forward at Penny who was now in front of them, staring intensely at them.

"What did you call me?" She asked the group.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Yang said as Weiss looked back and forth from where Penny was and is. "I really didn't think you heard me."

"No, not you." Penny shook her head and walked into the group before she stopped infront of Ruby. "You."

"Me?" The leader asked. "Uh, I don't know, I-"

"You called me friend!" Penny interrupted the ramblings. "Am I really your friend?"

"Umm..." She looked over the girls shoulder to the group. Her team was giving her signals to say 'no', Natsu, Ryuko, and Aerith we giving signals to say 'yes', and Vergil seemed completely uninterested. "Yeah, sure. Why not?"

Her teammates face palmed as Vergil sighed and the other members of NVAR cheered internally. "Sensational!" Penny cheered. "We can paint our nails, and try on pretty clothes, and talk about cute boys!"

"Is this what it was like when you meet me?" Ruby asked Weiss.

"No, she seems much more coordinated than you at that time." Weiss answered.

"So, what are you doing in Vale?" Yang asked.

"I'm here to participate in the tournament!" Penny answered as she turned to the blonde.

"You? Fight in the tournament?" Vergil asked shocked.

"I'm combat ready!" Penny answered saluting.

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

"Says the girl wearing a dress..." Blake muttered.

"It's a combat skirt!" Weiss defended.

"Yeah!" Ruby added sliding over.

"I have to agree." Ryuko added and the three girls exchanged high fives.

"Wait a minute..." Weis walked over to Penny having been hit with an idea. "If you're here for the tournament, does that mean you know that monkey-tail rapscallion?" Her words infuriated Blake and Natsu.

"The who?" Penny asked.

"That filthy Faunus from the boat!" Weiss clarified and held a crude picture of the person in question.

"Why do you keep calling him that?!" Blake and Natsu shouted before walking over.

"Stop calling him a rapscallion! Stop calling him a degenerate! He's a person!" Blake said.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Weiss said sarcastically. "Would you like me to stop referring to the trash can as a trash can? Or this lamp post as a lamp post?"

"That's not the same thing, so stop it!" Natsu told her.

"Stop what?" Weiss asked annoyed. "He clearly broke the law. Given time, he'll probably join up with the other Faunus in the White Fang."

"You ignorant little brat!" Blake shouted as she clenched her fist before she and Natsu turned and walked away in anger.

"How dare the two of you talk to me like that!" Weiss said before walking after them. "I'm your teammate, Blake!"

"You're nothing but a judgmental little girl!" Blake said.

"Judgmental? What would make you two think that?" The heiress asked as she reached the two.

"On the first day we met, you accused me of trying to steal from you!" Natsu said to Weiss.

"You had your claws on my property! What was I supposed to think!?" Weiss asked back.

"Maybe not the worst of a person based on what they look like!" Blake jumped in.

"Uh... I think we should all go back to the dorms..." Yang whispered to Ruby.

"I agree with Yang." Vergil said making Aerith and Ryuko nod.

"Where are we going to?" Penny asked, unaware that they weren't including her.

"...solely based on someone's species, makes you just as much of a scoundrel you believe them to be!" Blake finished her argument.

"So you admit it!" Weiss said. "The White Fang is just a radical bunch of terrorists!"

"That's not the point and you know it!" Natsu said back.

Nighttime

Team RWBY's Room

The group of five stared at the bickering trio, who now entered their third straight hour of arguing.

"I don't understand why this is causing such a problem between three us." Weiss said.

"That's exactly the problem!" Natsu shouted back.

"You two do realize that you're defending an organization that hates humanity, right?" Weiss asked as she stood up from the bed. "The Faunus of the White Fang are pure evil!"

"There's no such thing as pure evil!" Blake said back as she stood up. "Have you ever stopped to think about why they hate humanity so much? It's because of people like Cardin, people like you, that force the White Fang to take such drastic measures!"

"People like me?!" Weiss asked offended.

"You're discriminatory!" Natsu shouted.

"I'm a victim!" Weiss said. "You two want to know why I despise the White Fang? Why I don't particularly trust the Faunus?" She walked over to the window and stared out into the night sky. "It's because they've been at war with my family for years. War - as in bloodshed."

The others stared at Weiss as she continued. "My grandfather's company has had a target on its back for as long as I can remember. And ever since I was a kid, I've seen family friends disappear, board members executed, a whole train of Dust, stolen. And everyday, my father would come home furious. And that makes for a very difficult childhood."

Ruby walked over to the window and put her hand on her partners shoulder "Weiss, I-"

"No!" The heiress turned around and walked back infront of the Faunus. "You two want to know why I despise the White Fang?! It's because they're nothing but a bunch of liars, thieves, and murderers!"

"Well maybe we were just tired of being pushed around!" Blake shouted back. Everyone stared at Blake in shock, even Natsu. "I..." She sprinted out the open door.

"Hold on! Blake!" Natsu shouted as he ran after her.

"Hold it! Come back!" Ruby shouted as she tried to catch up with them.

"Leave them be." Vergil said as he walked out of the room. "This is something only Natsu can help her with." Ryuko and Aerith stared at the sisters with shared concern before they followed him out and went to their room.

Courtyard

Blake ran along the stone with Natsu behind her. "Blake!" He shouted. "Stop! What did you mean by that?!" She stopped and stared at the statue infront of the school, letting Natsu catch up. It showed two Faunus standing on a cliff; beneath them, a Beowolf ready to strike.

"Blake..." Natsu panted out. "Please, let's just..." He looked up as Blake pulled the strings of her bow and held it in her hand, revealing a pair of cat ears. "Whoa..."

"I knew you'd look better without that bow." A voice said as the two students turned around to see who spoke.

Sunday Morning

Team RWBY's Room

Team RWBY woke and found no trace that Blake had come back. A knock on the door caught their attention before Aerith opened it, hoping that if Blake had come back, maybe Natsu wouldn't be far behind. Ruby shock her head and Aerith's dropped.

Downtown Vale

Teams RWBY and NVAR, minus the missing members walked down the street, hoping to find a trace of their friends. "Why are we doing this?" Vergil asked. "I told you, this is something only Natsu can help her with."

"Yeah, but they've been gone the whole weekend." Ruby said as she lead the pack. "Aren't you at least a little worried?

"They're grownups, I'm sure they can handle themselves." Weiss said uninterested.

"Come on, Weiss. They're our friends." Yang said back.

"Are they?" The heiress asked. "You heard what she said and how Natsu ran after her."

"Weiss." Ryuko said, telling her to stop.

"Look, it doesn't matter, okay?" Yang said back. "They're missing and we have to find them."

"A member of the White Fang, right under our noses!" Weiss said about Blake. "I bet she came to Beacon to recruit other Faunus."

"I just hope they're okay..." Ruby said as they kept walking as Aerith did a silent prayer.

With Blake and Natsu

Unknown Caffè

Blake lifted her teacup and took a sip. In front of her was the Faunus from the boat, drinking his tea with his tail. In-between them was Natsu, trying his best not to act like a pig. The monkey Faunus took a sip from his cup when Blake put hers down. "So, you two wanna know more about me?"

"Finally, she speaks!" The Faunus declared. "Two days of giving us nothing but small talk and weird looks." Blake glared at him and Natsu shook his head. "Yeah! Like that."

"Dude, not now." Natsu said.

"Sun, are you familiar with the White Fang?" Blake nervously asked.

"You kidding?" The monkey tailed man asked. "I don't think there's a Faunus on this planet that hasn't heard of them. Stupid creeps with a holier-than-thou attitude who use force to get what they want. Bunch of freaks, in my opinion."

Blake raised her cup and took another sip as Natsu took a bite of his pastry. "I was... once a member of the White Fang."

Both Sun and Natsu coughed upon hearing that. Sun wiped his mouth before speaking. "Wait a minute! You were a part of the White Fang!?"

"That's right." Blake answered. "I was a member for most of my life, you could almost say I was born into it. Back then, things were different. In the aftermath of the Great War, the White Fang was meant to be a symbol of peace and harmony between humans and the Faunus. But despite being promised equality, many Faunus were still subject to hatred and discrimination. Humanity still thought of us as lesser beings, so the White Fang rose up as a voice for our people. I was there, at the front of every rally, a part of every boycott. And I actually though we were making a difference."

"But then, it all changed. Five years ago, our old leader stepped down and a new one took his place, and with him, came a different way of thinking. Suddenly, our peaceful protests were replaced with organized attacks. We set fire to shops that refused to serve us, hijacked cargo from companies that misused their Faunus work force, and the worst part that it was working. We were being treated as equals, but it was not out of respect. It was out of fear."

Sun and Natsu stared at her as Blake finished her tale. "So, I left them. I decided I no longer wanted to use my talents to assist in their crimes. Instead, I would dedicate my life to being a huntress. So, here I am; a criminal hiding in plain sight, all with the help of a little black bow." Her bow twitched as she looked up at it.

"So, have you told any of your friends this?" Sun asked.

"Rigth now, she just told me." Natsu answered. "Why would you keep that from us?"

With the Teams

"Blake! Natsu!" Ruby called out.

"Blake!" Yang shouted.

"Natsu!" Ryuko shouted.

"Natsu! Blake! Where are you guys!?" Aerith and Vergil shouted together.

"Weiss, you're not helping!" Ruby scolded the heiress.

"Oh, you know who might be able to help? The police." The heiress suggested, making the other shake their heads. "It was just an idea!"

"Yeah, a bad one." Ruby said as she continued walking.

"Weiss, there's two sides to every story. I think we should hear hers before we jump to conclusions." Yang said as she followed Vergil, Aerith and Ryuko.

"Well, I think when we hear it, you'll see that I was right." Weiss said from the back.

"And I think Weiss' hair looks fabulous today!" A new voice said, causing them all to turn around.

"Agh, Penny, where did you come from?!" Ruby asked.

"Hey guys! What are you up to?" The new girl asked, ignoring the question.

"We're looking for our friends, Blake and Natsu." Yang answered. "You met them the other day."

"Oh, you mean the Faunus pair." Penny said, making them all stare at her.

"Okay, I get Natsu, but what makes you think Blake is a Faunus?" Ruby asked.

"The cat ears." Penny answered pointing to her head.

"What cat ears?" Yang asked. "She wears a... Bow." Everyone looked at each other as they realized Penny was right.

"She does like tuna a lot..." Ruby whispered to her sister.

"So, where are they?" Penny asked as she looked around.

"We don't know." Ruby confessed. "They've been missing since Friday."

"That's horrible." Penny said as she walked over to Ruby. "Don't worry, Ruby my friend. I won't rest until we find them."

"Thanks, Penny, but I think we've got it. Right, guys?" Ruby looked over and found nothing but air where everyone else was suppose to be as a tumbleweed rolled by.

"It sure is windy today, isn't it?" Penny asked.

With the Faunus Trio

"So, what's the plan now?" Sun asked as the three walked on the sidewalk.

"I'm still not convinced that the White Fang is behind these robberies." Blake said. "They've never needed that much Dust before."

"What if they did?" Sun hypothesized. "I mean, the only way to prove that they didn't do it would be to go to the place they'd most likely go to if they were to do it, and not find them there. Right?"

"You get any of that?" Natsu asked, grabbing his head in pain.

"The only problem is, I have no idea where that would be." Blake said.

"Well, when I was on the ship, I heard some guys talking about offloading a huge shipment of Dust coming from Atlas." Sun confessed.

"How huge are we talking?" Natsu asked.

"HUGE." Sun said. "Big Schnee Company freighter."

"You're sure?" Blake asked.

With Weiss and Yang

"Thanks anyways." Yang waved goodbye as she and Weiss stepped out of the store. "This is hopeless." She noticed Weiss looking uninterested. "You really don't care if we find them, do you?"

"Don't be stupid. Of course I do." Weiss said back. "I'm just afraid of what Blake will say when we find them." She walked down the street a it before turning around. "The innocent never run, Yang."

With Team NVAR

"Thanks for your help." Aerith bowed before closing the door behind her. "Guys, I'm starting to get really worried. What if something has happened to him?"

"Then we better run." Ryuko told her as the group walked down the sidewalk. "Because I don't even want to think of what Miss Goodwitch would do to us if she found out we not only lost her son, but also got him killed." They all shuddered in fear at the thought.

"You don't think there's any truth to what Weiss said?" Aerith asked. "That Blake came to recruit new members for the White Fang?"

"I doubt it." Vergil said from the back. "She doesn't seem like the kind of Faunus who would do that."

"Wait, you knew she was a Faunus, and didn't tell us?" Ryuko asked and Vergil nodded. "Why not?"

"It wasn't my place." He said. "Besides, if she wants to keep a secret, who are we to judge?" The girls looked at each other before running after him.

With Ruby and Penny

"So, Blake and Natsu are your friends?" Penny asked as the two walked down the street.

"Yes, Penny." Ruby sighed.

"But, you're mad at them?" Penny asked.

"Ye- N-, well I'm not, Weiss is." Ruby tried to explain.

"Is she friends with them?" Penny asked.

"That's kinda up for grabs right now." The scythe wielder confessed.

"Why?" The new girl asked.

"I don't know what she has against Natsu, but I can explain Blake." Ruby said. "You see, Blake might not be who we thought she was."

"Oh, she's a man?" Penny asked.

"No, no. Honsetly, I don't know what she is." Ruby said. "She didn't exactly explain it to us before she took off. And even if she did tell Natsu, it doesn't matter because he is with her."

"I don't have a lot of friends, but if I did, I'd want them to talk to me about things." Penny said.

"Me two." Ruby agreed before the two walked forward.

Nighttime

Vale Docks

Blake and Natsu laid on top of an office building, staking out the shipping crates.

"I miss anything?" Both looked over at Sun with apples in his arms.

"No." Blake answered before turning back. "They've offloaded all the crates from the boat, and now they're just sitting there."

"Cool. You guys hungry?" Sun asked offering an apple.

"Yo." Natsu held his hand up and caught an apple.

"Do you always break the law without a second thought?" Blake asked.

"Hey, weren't you in a cult or something?" Sun asked, making Blake glare at him.

"Dude..." Natsu shook his head before taking a bite of his apple.

"Okay, shutting up now." Wind kicked up around them as a Bullhead shined its lights. The aircraft landed and the hatch opened, letting a man in black and white walk out. His face was covered by a Grimm mask and on his back was wolfs head with three claw marks in red ink.

"Oh no." Blake mumbled.

"Is that them?" Sun and Natsu asked.

"Yes, it's them." Blake said, eyeing the mark. More men walked off and one with a gun ordered them to grab some tow cables.

"You really didn't think they were behind it, did you?" Sun asked, noticing the look on Blake's face.

"No." Blake answered. "I think deep down, I knew they were behind it. I just didn't want to be right!"

"Come on, come on! Pick up the pace!" The three looked forward as Roman Torchwick walked down the ramp. "We aren't exactly what you'd call inconspicuous here. So, why don't you animals try to go a little faster, hmm?"

"I thought you said the White Fang hated humans." Natsu whispered.

"They do." Blake said back. "This isn't right. The White Fang would never work with someone like him." She stood up and pulled out her sword.

"Hey, what are you-" Sun started before Blake jumped down and ran over to the crates. She looked around the corner to see Roman and a White Fang member holding a cable.

"No, you idiot. This isn't a leash." Roman scolded before he found a sword to his throat. "Oh for crying out-"

"Nobody move!" Blake threatened as other members of the White Fang ran over and drew their weapons.

"Whoa, easy there, little lady." Roman tried to play it cool.

Blake looked around and pulled her ribbon off, letting them all see her cat ears. "Brothers of the White Fang! Why are you aiding this scum!?" The members looked at each other, wondering the same thing.

"Okay, didn't you get the memo?" Roman chuckled out.

"What are you talking about?" Blake asked.

"The White Fang and I are going in on a joint business venture." He confessed.

"Tell me now, or I'll put an end to this little operation." Blake threatened as dust kicked up again.

"I don't think I'd use the word 'little' for this." Roman said as he looked up. Blake followed his eyes as two more Bullheads descended. Roman smiled before he pressed a button on his cane, creating an explosion that knocked Blake back. Blake struggled to stand as Roman fired again.

She looked as the fire ball flew closer before an ice wall rose from the ground, protecting her. "Geez, first Ruby, now you." Natsu joked with his hands on the wall. "You guys really need to get it together." Roman continued firing, weakening the wall with each shot. The wall soon broke and the two ran around a corner of crates.

"Here kitty, kitty, kitty." Roman taunted before a banana peel landed on his hat. He threw it off and looked up as Sun jumped down and planted his feet on Roman before rolling along the ground.

"Leave them alone." He said as he turned around. The Bullheads opened their sides hatches and White Fang members jumped out.

"You are not the brightest banana in the bunch, are you, kid?" Roman asked before the members charged. One swung his sword and Sun dodged before punching him in the face. He kicked another before rolling out of the way and pulled out his weapon, a red and yellow collapsible staff.

He swung it and knocked another member down before slamming it to the ground and spun, knocking down three other members before kipping up. Sun jumped over the last member before kicking him towards Torchwick. Torchwick raised his cane and fired, but Sun spun his staff and blocked the blast.

"He's mine!" Blake shouted as she charged the criminal and swung her blade. Roman blocked and the two traded swings before Blake used her Semblace and gained the upper hand. Roman punched her and sent he back, allowing him to gain the advantage with cane strikes that sent her back.

"My turn!" Natsu jumped forward and threw a punch that Roman blocked with his cane. Natsu used his tail to grab Roman's foot and send him to the ground. He encased his fist in ice and tried to punch him, but Roman rolled out of the way and grabbed Natsu's tail. He spun the Faunus around, but Natsu backfisted the criminal. He raised his fist to hit him, but Torchwick caught it with his cane and sent Natsu to the ground.

Sun jumped over Natsu and kicked Torchwick in the chest before separating his staff into nunchucks. He swung them and fired with great skill as Roman tried to block with his cane. Natsu ran up behind Sun and jumped to the side before slamming his ice covered fist into the criminals face, letting Blake swing her sword and send him to the ground.

Roman stared up a crane holding a freighter box before standing up and fired at it. Blake and Sun rolled out of the way while Natsu held up his hand and used his ice to hold it up. "A little help here, please..." He hadn't had any Dust in two days so he strained to keep his powers working. Sun turned around to see Roman pointing his cane at him.

"Hey!" The four fighters looked over to a building as Ruby unfolded her scythe.

"Hello, Red. Isn't it passed your bedtime?" Roman mocked.

"Ruby, are these people your friends?" Penny asked as she walked up behind the scythe wielder.

"Penny, get back." Ruby looked back told her. Roman took offense to the action and fired a shot that hit Ruby and sent her back.

"Payback sucks, doesn't it?" He asked rhetorically.

Penny glared at him before walking over to the edge of the building. "Penny! Stop!" Ruby warned her friend.

"Don't worry Ruby. I'm combat ready." Penny said as her backpack opened up and ten swords hovered around her. She jumped off the building and her swords crashed into White Fang members. She landed and sent two more flying before she spun her blades in a circle, blocking two more members. She threw the circle and took out a dozen more.

"That's cool..." Sun said before turning to help Natsu. Three more Bullheads flew over and opened fire on Penny, who used her swords as a shield before launching two more back into the wall and pulled herself back. The other ten spun with their tips pointed at the aircraft as a green energy gathered in the center before it fired a laser, cutting two of them in half.

The halves flew over Ruby before they crashed into the water. She looked back as Penny sent six blades into the last airship and stared pulling it down. "How is she doing that?"

Roman ran back to his Bullhead as Penny slammed the other into a pile of containers, creating an explosion. "A scythe wielder, a cat, an ice lizard, a monkey and now a magician?" Roman mumbled to himself. "These kids just keep getting weirder and weirder." He closed the hatch and the vehicle took off as Penny ran over.

The police soon arrived and arrested the White Fang members before holding the other five for questioning. The sound of footsteps caught their attention as Yang and Weiss walked over.

"Look Weiss, it's not what you think." Ruby started. "See she explained the whole thing, she doesn't actually wear a bow, she has kitty ears and they're kinda cute." The heiress ignored the explanation and stared at Blake.

"Weiss, I want you to know I'm no longer associated with the White Fang." Blake said. "Back when-"

"Stop." Weiss ordered. "Do you have any idea how long we've all been searching for you and Natsu?" Blake shook her head no. "Twelve hours, meaning I've had twelve hours to think about all of this. And in that twelve hours, I've decided..." Everyone stared at the heiress, waiting for the answer. "I don't care."

"Say what?" Natsu asked.

"You don't care?" Blake asked.

"You said you're no longer one of them, right?" The heiress asked.

"No, I haven't been since I-" Blake started to explain.

"Uhpbupupup..." Weiss interrupted. "I don't need to hear it. All I need to know is the next time something like this comes up, you'll come to your team and not some..." She looked over at Sun who smiled. "...one else."

Blake gave a soft smile before nodding. "I will."

"Yeah! Team RWBY is back together!" Ruby cheered.

"It's not like you were ever broken up." Everyone looked over as Vergil, Aerith, and Ryuko walked over to Natsu. "I told you they would sort it out together." Vergil said.

"Oh, please. You were just as worried as the rest of us." Ryuko said back. The group of nine formed a circle as Weiss turned to Sun.

"I'm still not sure how I feel about you." She declared.

"What about me?" Natsu asked.

"You're... growing on me." She confessed.

"I'll take it." He said with a smiled.

"Hey, wait. Where's Penny?" Ruby asked looking around.

Penny looked out the window of a limo away from the group. "You should know better than to go running around in a strange city." The driver said.

"I know sir." She said back.

"Your time will come, Penny." The driver turned the key and the car drove away.

Ozpin's Office

Ozpin stared at the live feed before a letter icon flashed. He pressed and an email popped up from someone named Qrow. His message: Queen has pawns.

Unknown Warehouse

Roman walked into a warehouse and placed a box on the table before sighing in defeat.

"How disappointing, Roman." A female spoke from behind, scaring him.

"Woah! Haha." He turned around and nervously laughed. "Wasn't expecting to see you guys so soon."

"We were expecting... More from you." A woman with black hair swept over her left eye said.

"Hey, you were the ones who suggested working with those stupid mutts from the White Fang." He reminded her.

"And you will continue to do so." She held up her hand and flames danced above it as her eyes glowed. "We have big plans for you Roman, and all we ask for is a little cooperation." She walked forward as two more followed close behind. One a dark skinned girl with green hair and red eyes, the other a man with silver hair and grey eyes.

I wanna make one thing clear. Natsu isn't mad because Weiss said those things. He's mad BECAUSE Weiss knows him, and she still thinks like that. That's worse than just being ignorant on a subject.

Personally, I think the current leader of The White Fang killed the old one, but I haven't seen anything that supports that, so for now, it's just one fellows opinion.

The poll is up now, so make sure you check out my profile and make you opinion heard. I don't know when I'll end it. Maybe after the dance, maybe at the end of the volume. If you noticed anyone not up there that you want, PM me and if they fit the criteria (no preset interest) I'll put them on. I'm not putting Ryuko on there because I already have someone in mind.

One last thing, I've got a job now so updates might take a little longer. Just a heads up.

Beta read by digemsmack.