Cardin sat uncomfortably in his hospital bed, alone in the big room. The cast around his arm along with all the equipment to keep it elevated took up at least a fourth of the limited bed-space. Not to mention, Cardin was muscular also filling the area. But, the lack of space wasn't the reason for his depression. He would never admit it to anyone but he, the big strong jock known as Cardin Winchester, felt lonely. Not a single soul had come to visit him in the last twenty-four hours. The only visitor was Ozpin when he wished Cardin the best for his recovery. But, that was right after his injury. Not even his own team had come! No messages, except from...

Cardin looked down at his scroll, "Finally! I knew someone wasn't gonna let me die of bore-," he said as he opened his inbox, "-Oh...you." It was another message from Pyrrha. "Didn't I block you already?" Cardin asked looking at Pyrrha's contact. He didn't want her sympathy; he wanted to beat her. So what if he 'cheated?' You had to win, no matter what, no matter what cost! Hit them and make sure they stay down! Or...that's what Cardin's father drilled into his mind with his harsh words and beatings...

A girl screamed as Cardin swiped to block Pyrrha's number, "WAIT!"

Cardin almost jumped out of bed, "WHO?" His scroll soared through he air, crashing right next to the female figure. "Great..." Cardin sighed. "Guess I need to get a new scroll." He dreaded asking his father for a new phone knowing he'd be be ridiculed for not having a stronger grip. "You?" Cardin asked looking up at his visitor.

"Yeah...me." Velvet grabbed one of her ears and played with it out of fear and nervousness.

"What are you doing here?" Cardin asked with a deep hate in his voice. "This dirty Faunus had to be part of Nikos' plan to disable me so my team couldn't compete in the Festival," Cardin thought.

Velvet was just trying to be nice. "I just...I thought...that you...," Velvet squeezed her ears now failing to keep her cool.

"I asked," Cardin took in a deep breath, "what are you doing here..."

Velvet tried to explain, "Cardin, I know you probably don't want to see me-,"

Cardin chuckled, "Oh, me? Why would I ever be mad at you?"

Velvet took the bait. "Really? You're not mad at me? That's great-"

Cardin screamed in a rage, "FAUNUS, leave."

"Cardin," Velvet took a deep shaky breath. "I was checking in on you. I just wanted to see how you're doing since yesterday-,"

"I said, leave."

Tears began to form in Velvet's eyes, "Why do you hate me so much?" She didn't want to believe Cardin was the sexist, racist, homophobic, evil person he made himself out to be. But his actions were slowly convincing her otherwise.

"Yes," Cardin nodded. "I hate you and every Faunus that has, is, or will ever live."

"So that's what I am to you? Just a dumb animal without feelings? An object that you can kick around without consequence? An object that you think won't retaliate and develop hate?" A fire began to ignite in Velvet's chest. Violence was never the answer but it got results! Velvet couldn't believe she was thinking like that evil Faunus leader know as Adam Taurus. She despised everything Adam stood for, but it seemed Cardin could only be reached by non-peaceful ways. "You know what? I'm glad Pyrrha did what she did. You're lucky I don't ask her to finish the job."

Cardin shrugged, "And? I'll beat her next time."

Velvet growled from her failed threat and thought of the next best threat she could manage. "How would your parents react if they learned of your behavior?"

Cardin formed a fist at the end of his cast. Pain coursed throughout his arm, but he didn't care. No one talked to him like that or mentioned his parents. "Shut. Up."

"Ohhh?" Velvet said. "Should I find their numbers and call now?"

Cardin began to shake, holding back tears. "I said, shut up..."

Velvet could tell she hit a nerve. "Listen...I didn't mean to say anything to offend you. You just were making me feel bad. I was getting mad, so I decided to let it all out and...Cardin? Are you okay?"

Tears began to roll down Cardin's face. Veins showed in his neck from the stress of trying to keep from crying. Clear tears swept down his face as memories resurfaced of his mother and father screaming at him. "YOU'RE SO WORTHLESS! I WISH YOU WERE DEAD! KILL YOURSELF." Those were some of the 'nicer' things his parents would say to him.

"Cardin?" Velvet asked, regretting her words. She knew people had struggles, but she couldn't really relate. Her parents treated her with all the love any parents could provide to their sweet daughter...and her dozens of brothers and sisters. "I'm sorry for what I said...I'm sorry."

Cardin wiped away his tears, "You're what?"

"You're really stubborn," Velvet sighed under her breath. "Listen, you don't have to accept my apology, but I wanted to check in on you. I'll see you around...Cardin."

"WAIT," Cardin yelled.

Velvet's hand stopped above the doorknob. She turned, happy knowing Cardin did want to talk to her. "Yes, Cardin?"

"Why are you so nice to me? Even after what I've done to you and everyone else here?"

Velvet's ears went up and down, thinking of an answer. "Well, hummmm...it doesn't matter if you're a human or a Faunus. It's what good people do. Help others when they're down. That's what makes us people. It's not what's on the outside," Velvet's ears wiggled, "it's whats on the inside. It's how you treat that big heart of yours. Cheesy I know, but it's true!"

Hot tears still washed down Cardin's face. "But why are you nice to me? I have done nothing but harass you, call you horrible names and wish you dead!"

Velvet gulped. She had always wanted a formal conversation with the school's biggest bully, but she never knew it would come so soon! "Well," Velvet kept up her flow, "it may be true that you sometimes grabbed me in inappropriate areas when we in the halls, called me a 'carpet muncher', even though I don't know what that means...I do not believe in an eye-for-an-eye. There is strength in forgiveness and compassion. Plus, if I punched you out it would empower all who think like you."

Velvet's smile brought surprising warmth to Cardin and stopped his tears. He kept stuttering and dropping sentences in his thought, "I...thank you?"

Velvet sighed, "Okay, listen..." She took a seat right next to Cardin on the hospital bed. He looked down to hide his blushing face from the beautiful Faunus sitting next to him. "I'm actually here so Coco doesn't kill you. You've got some anger issues and a bad temper and luckily it was Pyrrha who got to you."

"Thanks," Cardin said rolling his eyes. He'd heard the same thing about his temper countless times from teachers, "friends" and therapists alike.

"Well, think about this," Velvet offered. "Pyrrha was nice and didn't hurt you too badly. If you kept going on and never learned from this, you could have been lonely for the rest of your life. Just imagine if you accidentally made Banner upset or angry!" That sent shivers down both of their spines.

"I guess..." Cardin clenched his free fist out of stubbornness. "I guess you have a point."

"Now, if you excuse me," Velvet stood and looked down at the now former school bully, "I need to go find Coco. She's bound to be worried and wondering where I ran off to." She headed to the door, "Goodbye, Cardin."

Cardin's heart raced. Was it love? No! Just fear that the only person who had offered to be his only true friend was about to walk out of his life forever. He yelled and held his hand out to his new friend, "Wait!"

Velvet stopped. She hid a cheeky smile,"Yes, Cardin?"

"Could you...maybe stay a bit longer?" He let out a huge sigh and blushed. He was not only letting out his feelings to someone, it was a girl! He soldiered through his embarrassment and continued. "I...I feel lonely. I feel alone and I don't like the feeling. I guess I've been mean and an asshole to everyone so they won't be an asshole to me first. But look where that's gotten me. Not a single member of my team has contacted me to see if I'm okay...I just want to say, Velvet, I'm sorry. Sorry to everyone who I have mistreated and made feel like utter trash."

"You know," Velvet said, "actions speak louder than words. But you're learning," She turned to reveal a huge smile across her adorable face. "I'll stay with you, friend."

Cardin's heart felt...warm and he felt like crying. But not out of sadness. "Thank you, friend. Thank you." He thought he might not be able to right every wrong he had caused, but Velvet was a damn good start!

The day at Beacon was warm, but Blake felt cold sitting all alone. She wasn't even reading her book, just staring at the pages. Her thoughts still swirled and twisted like a tornado from the day before.

"Sun kissed me?" He found Blake attractive and wanted to be with her? She was nothing hut a mess and a horrible person who had left her parents and joined the wrong side...or so she thought. The coldness began to recede as Blake thought about everyone who cared for her. Banner, Ruby, Weiss and...Yang, the person who she had disappointed the most. This meant she had to push harder to try stopping Roman and the White Fang! Not getting them involved was the only way to protect them. Powered by her ears, her bow weakly wiggled warning her someone was approaching.

"Blake," Bruce said, "I need you to come with me. I'd like to have a talk."

"Okay..." Blake didn't even try to argue or escape. She was too worn out and torn apart mentally to even think.

Bruce took Blake to an empty classroom. Blake could detect the faint scents of the teacher, Glynda.

"Why isn't anyone here?" Blake asked looking around. She rubbed her sleep-deprived eyes.

"Blake, what time do you think it is?" Banner asked becoming more and more worried at the sight of her.

"Morning..." Blake said with uncertainty.

Bruce sighed, "Blake, it's six thirty seven."

"H-How?" she asked in total disbelief looking out a window to find the sun about to set.

"That's why I'm here." Bruce grabbed a piece of chalk, and began to write on the blackboard.

"Bruce, if you're going to tell me to stop worrying about Torchwick and the Fang, just save your breath," Blake said in defiance. "Hey, what are you doing?" she asked. The continent of Vale was being drawn in chalk. Next to it, a small island Blake didn't ever notice on any world map.

Bruce lightly chuckled, "I don't want you to stop. Your team, Blake, just wants you to slow down. You need to sleep, eat and just rest. They don't want you to push yourself and get hurt-,"

"WE DON'T," Blake interrupted, "have the luxury to slow down."

Bruce frowned as he continued to draw his map. "It's not a luxury, Miss Belladonna. It's a necessity."

Blake wouldn't back down. "The necessity is for me to stop Torchwick!"

"And," Banner said replacing the chalk, "we're going too." He grabbed a nearby chair, "But first, you have to sit down and listen to what I have to say."

"I don't have time for this nonsense-,"

Banner's eyes flickered green, "Please?"

Blake rolled her eyes and sat as the stench of Hulk's metamorphose became evident to her feline-Faunus senses, "Fine."

Bruce's anger cooled. "I understand how you feel. All of your team does as well-,"

Blake opened her mouth.

"Just listen," Bruce said. Blake crossed her arms and rolled her eyes again. Banner took the piece of chalk and tapped on the small island next to Vale, "This is Patch. Ruby and Yang were born here. Their parents, Huntsmen. Their father worked at Signal while their mother took jobs around the kingdom. She never returned from her last mission. Summer wasn't their father's first love. Yang's mother was, leaving days after she was born."

"Why did she abandon Yang and her father?"

Banner smiled sadly. "No one knows. But Yang was going to find out. Yang thought she had found a lead to where her mother could have been. She grabbed little baby Ruby and headed off to look."

Blake looked up to see if the story would have a happy ending and end soon. "And?"

"Nothing. Just an old shack on the verge of crumbling to the ground. There they were, two frightened girls who were too exhausted to even scream for help. Then, as luck would have it, their uncle came and saved them from a pack of Beowolves. Yang's stubbornness should have gotten them both killed that night."

"Bruce," Blake sighed, thinking Yang might have set up this conversation between her and Banner. "I'm sorry that happened to Yang and Ruby. I understand what you're trying to tell me, but this is different!"

Bruce had feared she wouldn't back down. The chalk crumbled in his grasp, "Blake..."

"I'm not a child searching for answers! I can't just stop-,"

"I wasn't finished," Banner said. His words were sharp and cold, knives made of ice. The smell burned her nostrils again.

Blake took her seat and shut her mouth.

Banner began to tell another tale. "I was born in a small town. My mother was a beautiful woman who loved with all her heart and more. My father on the other-hand...that's a different story entirely."

"Why..." Blake didn't know Banner trusted her this much, "...why are you telling me this?"

Bruce ignored her, "His name, Brian Banner." Blake could hear the emptiness in Bruce's voice, trying not to get sad or angry. Steel began to bend as Banner didn't notice his grip on a railing. "Brian didn't marry my mother out of love. He wanted a trophy wife. She couldn't get a divorce, just suffer. 'She had a roof over her head and food to eat. I'm the best thing that ever happened in your life,' my father would often tell her. She couldn't run to the police. He'd kill her before she could pick up the phone. Then...I came along, actually bringing happiness to my mother."

Blake had no response. If this was Yang, she would have tried to escape the conversation or keep interrupting. Banner needed to unload to Blake.

"Seeing this, my father became jealous of his own son. Along with my mother he used us as ashtrays, blamed us for bad days at work and hit us to blow off steam. After infancy, my father began to realize my heightened intelligence and capabilities and started to fear me." Bruce turned to the entrance of the classroom imagining the ghost of Brian Banner. The desk under Banner's hand collapsed as his eyes became bloodshot and showed hints of green.

Bruce could feel arms wrap around his waist. Blake couldn't hesitate; she had to save Banner from himself. "Bruce," she said as she rested her head on his back, "I never knew. I never knew what you had to suffer."

"Thank you, Blake," Banner said with a shaky breath. "But it's not over."

Blake cringed as she realized the worst was yet to come in Banner's story. "Please, don't do this to yourself." She could sense the pain and agony inside of Bruce. Hulk waiting to come forth and unleash Banner's rage and sorrow.

"As I grew, my vocabulary expanded. I was able to say simple words and sentences. Eventually, that's what caused my mother's fate. On my second birthday, my mother and father were arguing about how in the world he forgot my birthday. I grabbed the phone and dialed for help. I told them daddy was hurting mommy. Within minutes, we heard police sirens come into the neighborhood. My father was already mad...now he was furious." Bruce's breath became shaky once more. "I can still remember the sound of that man's fist smashing into my mother's skull. He was never my father; he was never human to begin with. On my second birthday, I saw my mother's life cut short by a monster. By the time the police burst into the house, it was too late. My mother's blood soaked the carpet. My father was trying to strangle me."

Blake's face had drained of color as her bow drooped.

"Somehow, he was never convicted..."

"HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?" Blake screamed.

"He pleaded to insanity and the judge believed him. He spent his days in a mental institution, not getting what he deserved." Blake couldn't comprehend how Banner, a human, could have been treated like a Faunus. His pain overwhelmed her as he spoke more, "Later in life, after Hulk and I became one, I visited the institution." Tears raced down Bruce's face, but there was no remorse in his voice. "I killed him, Blake. Not Hulk, ME! That path led to nothing but sorrow and pain. My beautiful mother could still be alive if I had shut my mouth and taken the abuse!" Bruce fell to the ground and sobbed.

Blake looked down in horror at the broken man known as The Hulk. She couldn't believe she had tried to kill him when they first met months ago. It felt as if her ribs were cracking as she began to break down. How could she have been so selfish as to think she wasn't affecting other people. "Banner...I'M SORRY," she wept.

Bruce wiped away his tears, "Blake," he turned to face the young Faunus and hugged her. "I'm not telling you to stop. Just please...don't let your anger consume you like it has me. Not only for you, but for the people you care about and who care about you." He pulled away, staring into Blake's eyes. "We will get this dirtbag," he said referring to Torchwick, "but please, get some rest. Please...do it for your team. Do it for Yang and Sun."

"I...I don't..."

Bruce smiled, "Look who's here."

Blake face lit up from embarrassment when she saw Yang and Sun.

"Blake..." Yang said worried that her teammate would take off running again.

Sun finished, "We're here for you whenever you need us-,"

"I'm sorry..." Blake choked out, frantically grabbing and hugging Yang and Sun.

Bruce watched happily as Sun and Yang helped Blake to team Rwby's dorm. "Now, where are you, Brian?" he turned to look for the shadowy figure who was gone. Banner's heart began to race as he looked around for the entity who haunted him.

Banner turned to find his father. "Hi, son. Let's have a talk, son?" He grabbed Bruce by the throat and began to strangle him. Banner's vision narrowed into a dark tunnel and disappeared as he slipped into a seizure. As Bruce faced his demons, a pair of pink and brown eyes continued to watch from the shadows.