AUTHOR'S NOTES: An all-Blake chapter-more or less the "Blake Character Short," but leading up to a few things later on that aren't in canon RWBY...

Glasgow

Lower Scotland, Menagerie

10 June 2001

Blake Belladonna ran her hands over the scarf. She didn't quite recognize the tartan; it was all green and blue, with thin red stripes. The shopkeeper, an elderly Faunus with a cat tail, walked up to her. "May I help you, Miss?" She smiled. "It's a lovely scarf, so it is." Her voice held the burr of a Highlands Scottish accent.

"Which tartan is this?" Blake asked.

"Gunn. If you don't mind me asking, miss, what is your clan—or do you have one?"

Blake shook her head. "I'm afraid not. My last name is Belladonna."

The older Faunus nodded. "Blake Belladonna. I thought I recognized you." She held up a finger. "I'll be right back." She was gone for a moment, and returned with another scarf. The tartan was slightly darker, with different hues. "Black Watch tartan. As close as I can get to your name."

Blake chuckled. "You're trying to get me to buy this?"

"Aye. Is it working?"

"It sure is." Blake pulled three other scarfs off the rack—the yellow of Clan McLeod, the red of Stewart, and the white of Erskine. "I'll take all of these."

Blake left the shop, a few pounds poorer, but considered the cost worth it. Sun Wukong was waiting patiently for her. Both had left the Belladonna Lodge a few hours before, both attempting to fool the other into thinking it was for mutual protection, rather than just wanting to be with a friend. "What did you get?" he asked.

"Scarves."

"Scarves?" Sun asked. "It's a Scottish clan shop! You didn't buy any broadswords or anything?"

Blake rolled her eyes. "No, Sun, I didn't buy any claymores. Besides, I can't lift them." Her father had one in his study, and Blake had nearly thrown out her back trying to life it one time.

"Well, I can," Sun said, and flexed for her. Blake couldn't help but snicker. Despite there being a slight chill in the air—a cold front had rolled in the night before—Sun still had his shirt unbuttoned to his chest. His abs were not on display, but his pectorals were enough to arrest female passerby. "Scarves. It's summer. Girls are weird."

"Boys are weirder," Blake returned. "What did you get?"

"Nothing so far. Nothing's really jumped out and said 'buy me'."

Blake motioned up the street. "About three blocks up is a nice little model shop."

Sun's eyes lit up. Rare was the fighter pilot that wasn't a model builder of some kind. "Now you're talking!" She laughed and led him up the street. Sun took a chance and gently took her hand. Blake didn't stop him.

They had gone about a block when Blake suddenly stopped. Sun saw her ears flatten back. "What's wrong?"

She turned away to look into the windows of a candy shop, dragging him with her. "Don't look," she warned in a low voice. "Eleven o'clock level. Leopard Faunus."

Sun leaned forward, as if to inspect the shop's wares. He spotted the Faunus in the reflection. "Tally-ho. What about him?"

"He's White Fang. Not the Albain Brothers White Fang either."

"The 'I hate everybody' White Fang?" Blake nodded. "Okay. What do we do?"

That was a good question, Blake asked herself. They couldn't exactly arrest him; they weren't police. There was a knife in her boot, but she wasn't going to simply murder the Faunus. She knew he'd murdered quite a few humans in his time, but those crimes had not taken place in Menagerie.

"You think he's up to no good?" Sun asked.

Blake watched the Faunus. He was shopping, the same as them, looking at fresh bread in a bakery. She checked around a little more, falling back on skills she'd learned in the White Fang, on covert operations, and in the Marines, where everyone was a rifleman. There was no one else that she could see; no obvious tails or attempts to box her in. She glanced at the leopard again. He was buying a loaf of pumpernickel. She relaxed. He was not here to kill her. "I guess not." She looked down. "Sorry, Sun. Guess I'm getting paranoid."

"Understandable."

"Let's go." They started walking again. Blake didn't make eye contact as they walked past the leopard, though she kept him in her peripheral vision. The other Faunus paid for the bread, turned, and looked straight at her. Blake slowed down. He cocked his head to one side, as if trying to place her. Then she saw recognition spread on his face. "Oh shit," she breathed, as he dropped his bag of bread, reached into his short jacket, and pulled out a pistol.

Sun had been watching the leopard as well. "Down!" he shouted, even before he realized Blake was already dropping to the street. He dived behind a pretzel cart as the first shot sang out. It missed; the second ricocheted across the cobblestoned pavement as Blake rolled behind a car. The crowded shopping area quickly scattered, with screams and cursing. She grabbed her knife, knowing that the police were minutes away when seconds now counted.

The leopard wasn't interested in killing her, however. Instead, he turned and fled back the way they came. At that point, Blake did something rather foolish: she jumped to her feet and ran after him. "Wait, Blake, dammit!" Sun yelled, then tore off after her.

The leopard Faunus was fast, but the press of the crowd slowed him down. Occasionally, he glanced over his shoulder. In a flat out race, the leopard would have outdistanced both Blake and Sun. In the obstacle course the street was during a busy shopping day, Blake and Sun had the advantage, using their natural agility to leap over carts or slide between groups of Faunus; they quickly closed the distance. Blake turned the knife in her hand to grip it by the blade, preparing to throw it once she got close enough.

The Faunus turned, pointed the gun first at Sun, then at Blake. Others in the crowd saw the weapon, and there were more screams. He fired at Blake, a hasty shot that missed by a mile. She drew back and threw the knife across her body. It sank into the leopard's left shoulder, and she cursed; she'd been aiming for the right, which would probably force him to drop the gun. Instead, all it did was throw off his aim. His next shot was aimed at Sun, but instead another Faunus yelled and went down, clutching a leg that was gushing blood.

"Sun, help him!" Blake shouted. The leopard turned, pointed the gun at her, and pulled the trigger, only for nothing to happen, not even a click of an empty magazine. He's jammed the pistol, Blake observed clinically. He threw the gun at her, missed, and started running again. He turned into an alley as Blake slid to a halt and then followed. In the distance, she could hear police sirens.

At the end of the alley was an eight foot wall. The leopard jumped and grabbed hold with his right arm, but didn't have enough strength with his left to pull himself over the wall. "Stop!" Blake yelled. "It's over!" She suddenly remembered his name. "That's enough, Colin! That's enough!"

Then she sensed movement from above. Blake leapt backwards as a figure dropped from a windowsill a story above her. The figure dropped to a crouch. Blake instantly recognized it as Ilia Amitola. She was dressed casually, except for the White Fang mask that covered half her face. And the automatic she held in one hand, pointed at Blake. Ilia slowly rose, the gun still pointed. Behind her, Colin finally was able to scrabble up and over the wall.

They stood for a moment. Blake stared at her former friend. "Go ahead and shoot," she told Ilia. "You've got me, Ilia. You're pointing the gun. Shoot me." The barrel of the pistol looked huge, but Blake forced herself to be calm. She tensed, getting ready to dodge, but one part of her didn't care. "Dammit, Ilia, shoot me!" she shouted, all the frustration and rage of their broken friendship in her voice. The chameleon girl flinched. Her exposed skin suddenly turned blue, and she walked backwards to the wall before turning and jumping over it in one fluid motion.

Blake stood in the alley for a few minutes, unsure. Sun finally came pounding around the corner, puffing. "That Faunus dude is going to be okay," he assured her. "Where's that asshole?"

She turned away from the wall. "He got away," she sighed.

Lecket Hill

North of Glasgow, Lower Scotland, Menagerie

10 June 2001

In a movie, the headquarters of the White Fang would be an elaborate, underground base, beneath a mountain. In reality, it was a rather large Scottish hunting lodge, dating to the 17th Century, made of dressed stone and with an interior of wood so old it was polished. Originally, the White Fang leadership had met at the Belladonna Lodge. After Sienna Khan had taken it over, the organization had moved to Lecket Hill. The Menagerie government knew its location. The British government knew its location, enough that the Special Air Service had built a mockup at their Wales training area and regularly practiced storming it. Neither moved, since in Menagerie the White Fang was still a legal organization, and the British were afraid of enraging the Faunus. Sienna still had the place guarded: in the trees lining the path to Lecket Hill, there were at least a platoon of White Fang operatives on duty all the time.

In what had been the dining hall where hunters would gather after a stag hunt, the White Fang leadership would meet. Behind her back, it was referred to as Sienna's throne room. Certainly it fit the part: at the end of the table was a high-backed chair with crowns of the English and Scottish royal houses carved into it. On either side of the chair, Sienna would usually have one or two of her burliest guards posted. Where stag heads had once adorned the walls, now there were the blood-red banners of the White Fang: a stylized white cat's head with claws slashed across it.

Sienna walked into the room and took her throne, settling her cape around her and pulling one leg up to the other knee. Around the table sat the Albain brothers, Corsac and Fennec; Ilia Amitola; Colin Armbruster—his shoulder wrapped in a bandage; and Adam Taurus. The White Fang might be legal, but Adam Taurus was a wanted man, even here. Luckily, it was quite easy to slip into Menagerie. He'd landed Moonslice at the supposedly abandoned RAF base at Lossiemouth, and drove down.

"My apologies for being late," Sienna began. "It seems Ghira Belladonna has managed yet another procedural issue to delay me from talking directly to the Menagerie Council. He's out of town, it seems."

"In London, last we heard," Corsac supplied. "We're not sure why."

"I can answer that," Ilia said. She folded her hands in front of her. "Ghira went to Vauxhall Cross."

Sienna rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Wonderful. MI6."

"They can't move against us up here," Fennec assured her. "The British government won't allow them to interfere with the internal government workings of Menagerie."

"No, but if Ghira went to MI6, he's working an angle. Any idea what it might be, Ilia?"

"I don't know, High Leader."

Sienna sighed. "A shame Blake Belladonna is no longer one of us." She carefully watched both Ilia and Adam Taurus. Ilia's skin darkened just a shade, just the tiniest hint of blue that no one would have noticed if they were not looking for it. To her surprise, Adam remained passive, sitting almost lazily in his chair.

"She would have never betrayed her father," Ilia was saying. "Not even when she was part…part of us."

Poor Ilia, Sienna thought. Blake will always be your blind spot. "Well, I suppose we'll learn soon enough what good old Ghira is up to." She turned to Fennec. "What news do you have from Edinburgh?"

Fennec shrugged. "Nothing good, High Leader. Charles Tabey has recovered from his bout with influenza."

Sienna soured. "Dammit. Can nothing kill that bloody old bastard?"

"Will that complicate your plans to stand for his seat in the fall elections, High Leader?" Corsac asked.

"No. We're playing the long game here. He still plans to step down. I hope."

"What about the attack on Haven? Will these political machinations affect that?" Adam finally spoke. He said the word political like it was a horrible oath.

Sienna shook her head. "I see no reason why it would. Tabey and my Council seat aren't related to the Haven operation." She pointed at Armbruster. "No offense to you, Colin, but I'm not prepared to discuss that operation with someone who is not cleared for it."

It was Adam that answered. "No offense taken, High Leader. But before we speak any further about the Haven operation, I think Colin has something to say."

The leopard Faunus opened his mouth to speak, but Sienna raised a hand. "If this is about the shooting in the market this afternoon, I'm already aware of it. It was on the news."

Adam nodded. "Was it on the news that Blake Belladonna was the one who stabbed poor Colin here?"

Sienna's eyes flicked to Ilia, who also gave her a nod. "I was able to hold her off until we were able to escape, High Leader, but yes, Blake was the one who stabbed Colin. Threw the knife, actually."

"I see." Sienna shrugged. "So? Wrong place, wrong time." She looked to Colin. "Why did you open fire into the crowd, Colin?"

He shrugged. "I'm sorry, High Leader. I panicked. I thought Blake and that other one—the monkey—I thought they were going to arrest me."

"For what?" Adam asked. "Had you done something wrong?"

"Well, no. As I said, I panicked," Colin admitted. "The gun I had was illegally owned, but—"

"Are Blake Belladonna and Sun Wukong law enforcement officers?" Adam pressed him.

"No, Adam."

"So there was no reason to draw a weapon and open fire on them, was there?"

Colin swallowed nervously. "No."

Adam slid back his chair and got up. He put one hand behind his back and another on the hilt of his sword. "Why were you carrying a gun in the Glasgow market, Colin?" He began to pace up and down that side of the table.

"Well, it was for personal safety."

"Ah. I've been away from Menagerie for awhile. Has the crime rate rose in Glasgow since I was in America, to the point where a pistol is needed in the main shopping district, in broad daylight?" When there was no answer, Adam stopped pacing. "That was not a rhetorical question, Colin."

"No," Colin admitted.

"So why did you need the gun?" Adam began pacing again. Colin opened his mouth, looked to Sienna, then closed it. Adam stopped behind him and leaned on the back of the chair. "Were you there to kill Blake Belladonna, Colin?"

"N-No!" Colin exclaimed. "No, I swear, Adam! I wasn't there to kill anyone!"

Sienna uncrossed her legs and slammed a palm down on the table. Adam's hand had tightened noticeably on the grip of Wilt. "Adam, enough! How would Colin have even known Blake was going to be at the market today? We have no one following her."

Adam turned to her, puzzlement on his face. Sienna couldn't be sure if it was real or faked. "We don't?"

"No," Sienna replied. "She's too damned knowlegeable about how we operate. She'd spot a tail in minutes."

Adam paused, then nodded. "That is true. She was one of our best, wasn't she? She would spot a tail…unless the tail couldn't be seen." He looked directly at Ilia. "Strange that you were there to 'hold off' Blake, Ilia."

Ilia stared back for a moment, then shrugged. "All right, fine. Yes, I was following Blake. I think it's wise we do so. She knows we're up to something, after she tagged me at the Belladonna Lodge the other day." She glared at Adam, hating him. "But if you think for a second that I—"

It was Adam who raised a hand this time. "No, no, Ilia. You're the last person I would suspect of trying to kill Blake." He shifted his gaze to Colin. "Still, even if you weren't there to kill anyone, Colin—and I apologize, but I do not believe you—you opened fire into a crowd of other Faunus, wounding one. Blake undoubtedly recognized you; others may have as well. Opening fire in a crowded area…not something to help our reputation, is it?" Adam stepped back. Wilt slid out of its sheath silently.

Colin was sweating, and he put his head in his hands. "Please. I didn't mean to. I was scared—"

"Stop!" Sienna commanded. Adam had drawn his sword back to stab through the chair and Colin's back. "No, Adam." Colin almost collapsed. He'd heard Adam step back. Sienna looked at the leopard Faunus, then shook her head in pity. "Not here. I don't want blood to get all over this table. We eat here." She inclined her head at the entrance. "Take him outside." She motioned at her guards, who stepped forward, pulled Colin weeping from the chair, and dragged him towards the front door. She then looked to Adam. "Did you want to do the honors?"

Adam sheathed Wilt. "Why not? I do need the practice." He smiled and followed the guard out the door.

Sienna turned to Ilia. "If you don't mind, Ilia, follow him and make sure Adam kills Colin on the grass. The last thing we need is a bloodstain on the landing, too." Ilia bowed her head, got up, and left, leaving her with the Albains.

"He's still sensitive about the Belladonna girl, isn't he?" Corsac commented.

"As is Ilia," Fennec finished.

"We all have our blind spots," Sienna said. "But Adam is right. Colin was an incompetent, and we're better off without him. And I did want them out of the room for a moment." She raised her voice. "You can come in now."

The door in the back of the hall opened as Sienna continued to speak. "Between you and me, I'm tired of waiting for Charles Tabey to shuffle off his mortal coil. So I've decided to give him a little push." A woman walked up to the table. She was human, which took the Albains back—it was very rare for a human to be allowed into Lecket Hill. She was also remarkably short, with long hair outlandishly divided into pink and brown—the same color as her eyes. She carried an umbrella over her shoulder. "Would you like to introduce yourself, Miss?"

"Neo Politan," she smiled.