A Shadow

This was all wrong. Adam knew it the moment he stepped through the door. A line had been crossed with no going back. Yet still he knew it was right.

He didn't know what he was expecting when he walked through those doors. A crying and confused Nickel? Perhaps one that was happy and glad? Or the worst option: Dead.

Adam did not know this house. Did not know the layout. But when he stepped through the doors, he felt he knew where he was going. Each step was taken with purpose and the knowledge that they were leading him to his friend.

The darkness hid nothing from him. Ruined and soiled clothing were thrown in a pile at the corner of a small room, most likely Nickel's room, with knives laying neatly on a small desk and nightstand. The bed had not been remade and still showed the final impressions from it's last use.

Foul smells came from further in, dishes and food that had been left alone to spoil. Adam turned up his nose at the smell but walked deeper into the house. He found Nickel sitting at a table, his eyes unfocused and glazed over, almost dead at first and even second glances. In front of him was a bottle of something dark and a cup. An ashtray was directly in front of him with a cold smoke still resting on the edge of it.

"Didn't take you for a smoker."

No reply. Not even a twitch.

Adam worked his jaw and took the spot beside Nickel and stared at him. If there was ever a time he wished he were smarter about getting people to open up, it was now. Nickel was hurting. He was lost. It was as easy to see the unfinished paint on the walls.

If they had simply known, spoken to him, asked him how he knew this place was here, they would have just kept going. Blown through this place and drove through the night. It would have been rough, but it would have been better than this.

No one wanted to return to the place of their trauma. Those that had the strength to face that trauma were heroes to Adam. They were stronger than he was. He didn't dare go back to the mines. It was too painful.

Did Nickel hope to come back here? Had he wished to return here under the guise that everything would just go back to the way it was? He knew only this place in his life. Of course he'd want to return to it. Maybe, he truly did wish to return here. Even if it meant wasting away.

But Adam knew one thing about helping others, and that was to be there. Even if no words were spoken, their presence was enough sometimes. He only prayed that it would give Nickel some courage to open the door and speak of his problems.

(-)

It felt like hallowed ground beneath her feet. Each step, Sienna felt more and more shivers run down her spine, heard more voices whisper in her ear, and saw shadows move where light should be.

Maybe the village was haunted. Or maybe, just maybe, it was the wind, the warped wooden floor, and gnarled trees that danced for the windows.

Whatever the case, Sienna didn't get any sleep, bringing her to an old chair with knitting equipment sitting in a wooden basket beside it. A small oil lamp resting on a coffee table was left open with a small wick and oil canister beside it, telling the story of an old woman who couldn't sleep and raised the children of the village.

Sienna felt some pain for this old woman, despite her being human, wondering how alone she had truly been, even at the end. Was she a survivor? Did she die, hoping to be saved by Nickel or his Second-Father. Or had she accepted her end, believing to have lived a good and long life?

Still unable to sleep and curious for more answers, she took the chair, poured oil into the lanter, and lit it before opening the diary to finish where she had left off.

Yone was curious why I made the village. Truth is, it wasn't my intention to make one. I made a home. Not a village. People just showed up one day.

Nickel, you might not remember it, but you stopped me from running them off. I knew it was wrong. But the look in your eyes when you saw her made me realize that you needed more than just me. She stayed and then more showed up. I couldn't believe it. Still can't.

They came and then the village was formed.

I think they showed up because my Semblance made them come. The desire to be happy and hopeful lured them here like a moth to a flame. I didn't want this for them, but you spoke me up to them. Made me seem bigger than I actually was.

When I told Yone about my Semblance, he was shocked. Angry, even. Thought I lied to them. Made fools of them. I think he broke free of my Semblance, and I was happy. That gave me an idea. I could free you from the curse. But that would mean telling you the truth. A truth I doubted you'd accept. How could you accept something so foreign in your thoughts concerning me? I was your hero. I think I still am.

I know my time is coming to an end. I have to free you. Do something to break the curse I placed on you. I hope I still have time. Maybe this won't be found by you Nickel, then, if it isn't you reading, I hope the reader understands that my life was a lie. I wasn't the Noble Man people see me as.

Well, if you read this far, then you already know that.

If you find that cursed gun, whether it's in my hand or the hand of another, do the world a favor, and melt it down. It shouldn't be here any longer.

There will be a day in which it no longer serves a purpose, be it our destruction or the destruction of the Grimm. One day it'll have no enemies. On that day, what will become of it?

I gave up earthly pleasures all because of my curses, and at the end, I wonder if I did wrong in letting them control me. Maybe I could have controlled my Semblance, but I don't know how. It works on its own. And The Gun sure as hell shouldn't be thrust into another persons' unwilling hands. Not even yours.

"Can't sleep?"

Sienna turned sharply to the voice, finding Tukson standing in the doorframe, two cups of coffee in hand. He offered her one, but she shook her head. "I thought by reading, I'd fall asleep faster."

"Whatcha' reading?" He sat down on the floor, both cups at his side as he leaned against the wall for support.

Sienna looked down at the dairy, running a finger along the front of it. "The history of a man."

"Not familiar with it. Any good."

"Enlightening, actually."

"I always wanted to open a bookstore. Maybe because I never got to read much 'till a few years ago. Too much time being abused and not enough time learning anything."

Sienna rolled her eyes. "A bookstore? Really?"

"I grew up not knowing how to read 'till I was twenty, little lady." Sienna laughed. She hadn't been called that in a while. "My father and mother worked in the mines for some company that got bought out by the SDC. They didn't pay well and I never got to go to school. Didn't want Faunus. My mother tried to teach me the basics, but reading came to me when I was about twenty. Picked up a book and then never could put them down."

"It's hard to believe that they deny us as much as they ask for, isn't it?"

"Tell me about it. My last job was in a warehouse. Never got to touch a computer. Wouldn't let me near anything. Said I'd break it. Stupid thing is that I needed the stuff to do my job. When you guys came in helping people get away from the Grimm, I was more than happy to join up and flee. Anywhere was better than there."

"I'm not sure I can agree with that, but if you wanted a new life, it certainly sounds better."

"Grass is always greener on the other side."

"Ain't that the truth!"

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Sienna shut her eyes for a moment, her mind being drawn back to Nickel and his struggles here at his now former home. The idea of leaving had come to her, but Adam would most likely not have that and decide to stay as well, leaving the White Fang with a massive void.

"How did Nickel know about this place?" Tukson finally asked her, forcing her to open her eyes and stare at him. "Right. Former home, I reckon. So, when did you know?"

"As soon as we got her." She sat the diary down, her free hand going to the bridge of her nose. "It's...complicated."

"Can't be that complicated."

"I think it's more complicated then I'm currently being made aware of."

Tukson leaned forward, his eyes narrowed into slits. She knew little of this man. Troubled past and having only a brother, she saw him become something new before her eyes as he changed to someone wise beyond his years. "Nothing is very complicated."

Sienna smiled. "I doubt that."

"Try me."

Pursing her lips, she tried to think of a way to start. It took only a moment. "He lost everything twice. He grew up in another village, lost his family, and then ended up with a man who wasn't so great. Came here, lost everything again, and then he ended up with us."

Tukson shrugged. "Clearly, you're skipping some details. Either you don't know them, or think they're dangerous."

"Or his story to tell." Her hand instinctively went to the diary, running a thumb over the worn leather. "Have you ever heard of the Noble Man?" Tukson shook his head. So, she thought, he's not as famous as people make him out to be. "He was Nickel's adoptive father. He calls him his "Second-Father" and holds him up on a pedestal of greatness. He'll tell you he was a good man who did good things because it was good. He was Human. He isn't the man Nickel believes him to be. Maybe he is and I'm just looking at it wrong."

Tukson crossed his arms, his eyes closed in thought. "I can't say I ever heard of this man. But the idea of someone holding a title like that is rather strange. The White Fang would prop up such a person, as they'd be working with us to better our lives. A Noble Man can be anything. A man who speaks and negotiates for all parties to come to a middle ground where both sides are happy. A warrior who defends the innocent with a shield and destroys their enemies with a sword. A title such as that wouldn't just be left to one side. It'd mean this man was a speaker, a warrior, a healer, and so much more."

"And yet he was only a murderer."

Tukson opened his eyes slowly. "Faunus?" She nodded slowly. He turned away slightly. "But anyone can give anyone a title. Nickel is a little girls' Gunslinger, yes?" Sienna nodded. "He's the Gunslinger. His title would mean he is a warrior. One who would strike down his enemies where they stand, no questions asked, no words needed. Only the ringing of his iron."

"Why aren't you a writer, with words as soft and tough as that?"

"Don't think I can do it. No one but Faunus would read a book made by me, and that's even if I could get their attention with the title and the first page of the book." The two shared a knowing laugh. "It's been years since I was this happy. My brother often spoke about doing stuff like this. Being out on the road, rescuing other Faunus and fighting the good fight for our people, either with words or claws."

"But this isn't what you thought it would be?"

Tukson took a long, hard look at her, weighing his words and thoughts. Sienna could see the naive idealism slowly dwindle out of his eyes. He licked his lips and gave a soft smile. "I knew it wouldn't be how he thought it would be. That was beyond obvious. I knew what this might be like before you came to our aid. When you offered and I joined, I knew that the first part of this would be saving lives from that monster. But afterwards, I wondered what I'd do. I don't think I'm brave enough to speak out, but I can fight. I won't run away from a fight. Never have. But violence doesn't solve all problems. Sure, we could beat them. Break them so bad they would learn to fear us. But then we'd be no better than them, now would we?"

"Violence solves everything." Sienna pulled back, her eyes softening for a moment. "Words won't reach them anymore. My words won't, anyways. I care not for Ghira's soft approach, but what few results he has gotten have been stepping stones for us. Violence would be easy, but I'm here not as a voice, but as a sword to protect our cause."

Tukson took a sip of the coffee and nodded. "That's a fine thing to have. When I was younger, I would wish death upon those that treated me badly. I was a fool for thinking such things. Violence only solves the current problem. But as time went on, I grew up and gained a new perspective on the problem."

Sienna smiled and looked down at the book in her hand. Yes, she thought, maybe it's a perspective.

(-)

Adam recalled someone once telling him, "Eyes are windows to the soul," and never once understood what they meant. He was younger, naive, and less willing to look deeper than needed. A time in his life he wished he could go back to, pay more attention to, and glean more information for his troubled soul.

But those words rang true, as he looked directly into the eyes of Nickel Lancaster, the appointed Gunslinger by one little girl. Adam could see Nickel's soul. And what he saw was only loss.

Nickel's eyes flashed with a dozen emotions in the blink of an eye. Memories swam behind his eyes with tiny sparks of the emotion lingering and pooling until the dam was broken and those emotions were washed away, leaving only pain and sorrow behind.

That pain lingered, festering until it turned to rage. When hatred boiled behind his eyes, Adam felt a powerful knot form in his gut. But it didn't last. The moment that feeling hit him, it would quickly leave, giving Adam a sense of hope that Nickel was coming out of his stupor, only for him to return to his memories of pain.

Was the curse that strong? Did it bind itself so tightly around him to strangle the life out of him? Adam feared he didn't have a way to break him from his internal prison.

"...a storm…"

Adam strained his ears to listen. Nickel was muttering. His lips barely moved with each word he spoke. Cracked lips parted as Nickel's eyes began to slowly focus as his voice became colder, quieter, and sharper. He picked up only a few words here and there, but what words he could hear, they were fighting words… yet they weren't spoken with hatred. There was no malice behind them.

Standing beside him, Adam put his hands on Nickel's shoulders and shook gently shook him.

Nickel snapped to his feet, his head rising fast enough to nearly knock Adam back while one hand grabbed his shoulder to hold him in place, the other snapped to his gun. Heavy breathing. Pained eyes. Nickel had been safely yanked from his mind, but it had obviously been one of fighting.

"It's okay," Adam soothed, releasing him slowly and stepping back. He wasn't fully aware of his safe removal. Hands raised, Adam spoke slowly. "It's alright. It's just me." Adam unclipped his sword from his side and sat it on the table. Nickel kept his gun locked on Adam. "Nickel, it's almost morning. We'll be leaving soon."

Nickel pulled the hammer back on the gun. Adam tensed. Nickel wasn't free yet. Something still held him firmly in the hell of his mind. But he was fighting it. The gun shook in his hand. His eyes darted around the room until they stopped on Adam. Recognition came back.

"How long have you been here?"

Adam lowered his hands. Nickel was back for good now. "All night."

He lowered his gun, but didn't holster it. "Did I miss my shift?"

"It's fine." Adam looked around the room. "Are you good now?"

Nickel looked around the room and his eyes became cold. "Yeah… Yeah, I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"...Yeah…"

Adam took his weapon back and turned to the door. "We should leave now. We need to get back to others and get ready to leave. I'm sure Sienna will have some things to talk to you about."

"Alright…" Nickel took a step towards the door and stopped. "I need to do something before I join you. I'll be down soon. I promise."

Adam crossed his arms. "I'm not leaving you up here alone." Nickel said nothing and started walking up a set of stairs, Adam trailing after him. "We wouldn't have come here if you had told us about this place." No reply. "Nickel. We're trying to help you."

Nickel stopped in front of a door and faced Adam, a glare leveled on him. "I don't want your help. A storm does not cow to the will of others. It demands."

Adam grabbed him by the wrist, ripping his mask off his face. "If you think you're the only one that's hurting, think again. Everyone needs help. You need it more than others. I think that's very obvious."

"I don't need help."

"Why a storm?"

"What?"

"A storm. You've called yourself a storm twice now. Why call yourself that and not anything else?"

Nickel tore his hand away from Adam, his glare heated and unmoving. "My father believed he was strong, yet he was still just a man. A man can be killed. His body can be broken. His flesh stripped away. When all is said and done, a man is easily broken. But a storm is not. A storm does not bow to anyone. It is a force of nature. I will be that force. It's the only way to make the world better."

Adam worked his jaw for a moment. There, he thought bitterly, Nickel is broken. Admitted his desires and finally taken a step down a terrible path.

Adam withdrew his hand slowly and stepped back. Nickel was hurting, though he didn't show it. This place, this village, was nothing but a prison for him. One they had to remove him from. It poisoned his mind and made him think dark thoughts. How long before the Grimm would arrive to challenge them?

"I'll meet you outside." Nickel stepped into the room.

Adam retreated downstairs and waited for Nickel to return. He doubted very much that he'd do something crazy like off himself, but given his current mental state, he wouldn't put it past him to think of it.

Nickel returned a few short minutes later, his eyes no longer hard. His gun was holistered, more out of a sense of tiredness than a desire to use it. His hand was in his pockets as opposed to the handle of the gun which he was known for.

"I'm ready." Nickel walked out the door. Adam could smell smoke and knew then what he had done.

They didn't look back as they walked down the path. Nickel was quiet, his eyes once more full of regret and pain. Adam knew this would be hard, but moving on was the hardest part when leaving a life you had only ever known behind.

The trucks were ready and the last of the people were already jumping in, some still clinging desperately to their coffee like lifelines. Sienna was speaking with Tukson about something when they stepped up to her. She hardly noticed Adam.

"Jump in the back with the families," she ordered, slapping his shoulder as she did. "Get a little bit of sleep if you can." Nickel moved to the truck but she turned and added, "And if you need to talk, I'm here," before she and Adam jumped in the cab and started it up.

Nickel looked up slowly to a rising cloud of smoke. The fire he'd left was doing its job. There was nothing to return to anymore. No home. Just an empty village. He remembered his father once telling him of a fool's journey. A man that had desired to leave everything behind, burned his home and belongs to the ash. It had something to do with strength and the journey one started by burning the bridge behind them.

The story didn't have a good ending, or so his father had claimed.

Nickel jumped into the back and sat down next to a few adults that were rattling on about lives they left behind. He paid them little mind, insteading watching the smoke rise as they turned the vehicles around to start heading to Argus, but his vision was quickly stolen by a sight as unnatural as the monster they faced.

Perhaps it was his lack of sleep, the horrors this place brought to him, a Grimm that could bend reality. Whatever it was, it was not normal.

As they passed the massive frame of the village gates, a shadow moved where light should be. It was human in shape and stood with the form of a Gunslinger, hand on an invisible piece at their side. The shadow was not connected to anything and moved slowly, as if the owner were walking behind them slowly.

"Mister?" A child spoke up, tugging at his sleeve to get his attention. "Are you okay?" Nickel nodded silently. "What was this place?"

Nickel turned his attention from the shadow to the child and then back to the shadow, only to see it gone. He wondered if this was the result of the village and his lack of sleep. His mind playing tricks on him or the results of ignoring the terrors he ran from.

"A village where there is no Light," he finally confessed, reaching up and ruffling the child's hair. "Wake me if something happens, please." The child nodded and returned to his parents when they called him back as Nickel leaned against the metal frame and shut his eyes. The last thing he heard was a familiar voice laughing.

A/N

There are things I wanted to let everyone know about concerning this story and the RWBY/Naruto crossovers. First and foremost, the two RWBY/Naruto crossovers are sadly done. A former friend of him who was helping with the stories is no longer friends with me over a game. Yes, strange, but he made his choice and I made mine. Ten years of friendship down the drain because I got tired of cleaning up his messes and jumping clans in Destiny 2. And since I stopped being friends with him, I was able to see that those two stories were taken in different directions than what I originally wanted. They will stay up, and if someone wants them, you can have them. I will probably redo them later on, but right now, Allies Out There and this story are my top priority. When and if I do them, I will most likely not do it as a Crossover and instead do what I'm doing here. Might even use Nickel as a result.

Another point is something that I was curious on and wanted your opinion on. How much of the main story in RWBY, when I get to the start of the series, Vol 1, and then so on, would you like changed? I had an idea to make small changes, like leaving Tukson alive and putting him on Nickel's team, and doing the same with one other person, but recent episodes have made me question if now would be a good time or later when it seems to make only a minor amount of sense.

Again, there are things I want to do and then there are things I will do. I would like to keep Pyrrha alive, but her death had more impact than keeping her alive would. Would JNPR even follow Ruby if Pyrrha died? Probably not unless Pyrrha made a request of them. I will have a different path for Blake and Adam to take instead of what was strangely hinted in the series. Honestly, with them, it's more of a master and apprentice rather than a romantic relationship as age was a major difference between them I think.