"You have to come with us." A man in a suit pulled on Blake's hand.

The young faunus had no idea what was happening. Last thing she remembered she was being tucked into bed by her parents. Now she being hustled into a car, with only a small backpack of clothing. Squinting as the harsh red-and-blue lights of several police cars illuminated the night, she cried out again.

"Momma! Poppa!"

"Let's go little one." The man gently pushed her into the car and closed the door behind her.

As the vehicle pulled away the last thing she saw was the bright flickering lights of the squad cars surrounding her house.

She was watching out the window as a multiple vehicles pulled up to the front of the foster home she was staying at. A ward of the Kingdom of Vale since she was taken from her parents two years prior, she had stayed in several other homes like this one.

Moving every few months, she had no semblance of consistency. Every time a new car pulled up she hoped it would be someone to take her away to a proper home, and every time she was disappointed. Her ears perked up as several people, including a tall red haired man in a suit, knocked on the front door and were let in.

While the people downstairs seemingly weren't putting any effort into talking quietly, Blake couldn't hear them over the rambunctious activities of the other foster children in the same house. It wasn't until heavy footstep came up the creaky stairs did the rest of kids calm down.

"Blake." Her so called foster mother addressed her sternly, but more kindly than she ever had before. "This is Adam Taurus. He's here to take you to a permanent home. You'll be living with other faunus your age."

As the lady spoke, the red-haired man she had seen earlier stepped forward before dropping to one knee so their eyes were at the same height.

"Hello, little Blake." He slowly extended a hand out towards her.

Blake stared at it suspiciously before finally reaching out and giving him a small handshake. After the brief contact she quickly withdrew her hand and shoved it back into the pocket of her hoodie where her other hand was currently resting.

"I was heartbroken when I heard about your parents. They were hardworking citizens. To be illegally deported like that was disgusting."

Blake hung her head and fought back the tears that threatened to come forth. Her parents were the leaders of a peaceful organization that advocated for Faunus rights. Unfortunately, the more extreme members of their group started using increasingly violent tactics. Those crimes were pinned on her parents and their immigrant visas were revoked, forcing them to return to Menagerie. Blake herself, was born in Vale and therefore held as a ward of the kingdom.

"Ever since that day I took leadership of the White Fang and I have been fighting for your return to us. Looks like we finally have our victory." He smiled at her. "Let's take you home."

Blake crept through Adam's cluttered office as quietly as she could. The penalty for being caught in here would be a rough beating. But, then again, if she couldn't finish her homework and got another poor grade, she would get a beating anyways. It was better to only risk getting caught, then endure the certainty of failing.

In the four years she had been living at the White Fang 'home', she had become accustomed to the everyday struggle of achieving anything. The school she attended was poorly funded and the students, as well some of the teachers, openly mocked her for her cat ears. When she got back to decrepit apartment building she called home at the end of the day, it was no better.

The building she lived at was overcrowded and under maintained. Most of the doors to the various apartments had been removed, creating a more communal living space instead of separate abodes. Faunus of all ages passed through, some staying for years, others for only days. The building leaked when it rained, let in the wind in the winter, and trapped the heat in the summer.

Between the chores, and mandatory meetings for the White Fang she had to sit through on a regular basis, she barely had any time to get her school work done. One of the many things she was punished harshly for.

Which was why she was in the worst place in the building she could be caught. But she needed a new pencil and some pieces of paper for her assignment. Even the bare minimum of what she needed, she still needed to steal.

Not willing to risk taking anything from the desk, lest Adam noticed, she slowly opened the various drawers of the desk and the surrounding cabinets. Not finding what she was looking for, something else did catch her eye. A folder labeled 'Ghira'.

Eagerly pulling the folder out, Blake opened it in hope that maybe there would be some information on where to find her parents. As she read through the various documents her hope turned to horror. Each different page outlined the plans to oust her parents from control of the White Fang. How to pin various crimes committed by White Fang extremists on them in hopes to get them arrested and deported. The most efficient way to transfer the leadership and power to Adam.

So engrossed with her reading Blake didn't notice the other presence enter the office until a heavy hand came down on her shoulder. Blake yelped and spun around, coming face to face with Adam's second-in-command.

"Ilia… I…" Blake squeaked out in panic, her brain struggling to make a good excuse.

"You're coming with me." The older woman grabbed her painfully by the arm and dragged her out of the office and down several flights of stairs to the den on the first floor.

"Adam." She stated in a clear voice, silencing the Faunus working in the room. "I found her snooping through your office. She had this."

Handing him the folder she had taken from Blake, Adam froze for a brief moment before scowling at the two women.

"What did I tell you about being in my office?" Adam spoke quietly, instilling fear in Blake. When the bull faunus yelled he was simply annoyed, but, when he spoke so softly, something bad was about to happen.

"You did this to me!" She screamed at him, pointing at the folder. "You blamed them! You had them arrested! You're the reason my parents are gone!"

"Silence!" Blake reeled backwards, breaking out of Ilia's grip and falling to the floor as Adam's open hand slapped across her face.

Looking up from the floor, she saw the front door open. Normally locked, anyone who wanted in or out had to get permission from one of the few people with a key. Now it was wide open.

Taking one last fearful look at Adam, she clambered to her feet as quickly as she could and bolted towards the door.

As she made it out into the dark street she could hear voices yelling out behind her. Not even bothering looking back, she ran towards the busier downtown area of the city where the streets were more complex. Rounding a block and dodging down one alleyway, then another, she scurried under a pile of debris.

While she could barely hear the voices from the entrance of the alleyway, she could see Adam and Ilia speaking to another person Then the two disappeared.

Blake remained hidden for several terse hours before she finally climbed out of her hiding spot. She was free from Adam and the White Fang, but now she had nowhere to go.

"You can't sleep here." Blake felt something hard jab into her side. "Get up."

"Huh?" She opened her eyes, the early summer sun just starting to rise. As she felt another sharp jab in her side she looked up to see a couple police officers standing over her. Too groggy to understand the situation she stared up for a few seconds. "What?"

"Get up." One of the policemen reached down and roughly pulled her onto her feet before locking handcuffs around her wrists. "We don't need you degenerates cluttering up our streets."

As the man shoved her into the back of the patrol car, Blake managed to catch her reflection. Probably due to the warmth of the summer nights, she had accidentally lost her beanie she used to hide her ears.

"What are you doing?" Blake hear the police officer yell out to his partner. "Leave that junk here."

Peering out the window, she saw the other policeman hastily shoving her bedding into her backpack.

"It might be evidence, sir!" He replied tentatively.

"Whatever, just hurry up."

The second man dropped her backpack in the truck and got in the passenger seat of the patrol car. After a short ride, the first man pulled her out and lead her through the police station, shoving her harshly into a cell, slamming it shut behind her.

Desperately turning towards the officer, Blake gripped the bars.

"How long am I here for?"

"What does it matter?" He sneered back at her. "You filthy faunus don't contribute to society. You can rot in here for all I care."

Turning away from the door, the man left to a different part of station, leaving Blake alone in the dimly lit cell.

Terrified, she curled up on the lumpy cot and faced towards the wall. Despite her efforts, tears sprang unbidden to her eyes. While she had never been arrested before, Blake had heard many stories from other faunus about the rough treatment they had received.

So caught up in her worry, she didn't really hear when the loud laughter and conversation from the other room died down and was replaced by a quiet whisper. It wasn't until the footfalls of an approaching person echoed into the cell did she finally pay attention to her surroundings again.

Looking up, she saw the second officer that had picked her up off the street; he had her backpack in one hand and a ring of keys in the other. Quickly opening the door, he held out her pack.

"It's time to go."

"Won't you get in trouble?" She sniffled, wiping the tears from her face.

"Yes, but I'm told this is the right thing to do."

Leading her back to the front door of the police station, he handed her a small slip of paper with an address written on it.

"A friend told me this is a shelter that readily accepts homeless faunus." Turning away, he walked back into the station, leaving Blake alone in the bright summer afternoon.

Blake almost started crying as she exited the shelter into the pitch blackness outside. It had almost been like a home to her. Sure, the shelter was run down, overcrowded, and leaky, but it blocked the wind and rain. The other tenants were grouchy and withdrawn, but they didn't scream at her.

She had been staying there for months, careful to arrive early enough to get a room before they were all full. It cut into her time begging for money and food, but it was a relatively safe place to stay. Today, she had been stuck on the wrong side of town, and arrived too late. The late fall sun had already set, dropping the temperature outside. She would be hard pressed to stay warm tonight.

Distraught as she was, she almost didn't hear the footsteps walking towards her. Looking up she peered into the darkness. A figure in a coat and hood walked confidently towards her and the entrance to the shelter carrying a large sack in their arms.

With no working lights in the immediate area, the other person didn't even notice her until the newcomer almost ran her over.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" The person stopped. With the coat, hood, and scarf around her mouth, the only way Blake could tell the other person was female was her voice.

As Blake didn't respond, the other stood their patiently. Trying to stay silent, she failed to stifle a sniffle.

"They're out of room, aren't they?" The other woman asked quietly, once again patiently waiting for a response.

Despite that the other woman wouldn't see it, Blake didn't trust her voice right now and simply nodded.

"I'll take that as a yes." Digging into her sack, she brought out a large wrapped loaf of bread, handing it to the despondent faunus. "Here, this is the least I can do."

Receiving the the loaf, Blake looked up, barely able to make out the other woman's face.

"Thanks." She managed to croak out.

"I drop off bread once a week, hopefully I'll see you again next time." The woman continued towards the shelter. "Stay warm out there."

The next day Blake was hurrying back to the shelter. After arriving late the last night, she had no desire to sleep on the street again. As she rounded the corner, her heart plummeted. Several large red fire trucks were parked next to the crumbled and charred remains of the shelter.

Standing near a street corner, she pulled her layers of clothing around her a little tighter. This winter was, if the discarded newspaper she read was correct, the coldest Vale had ever seen in decades. Forced to stay up and active at night so she wouldn't freeze in her sleep, she had limited time in the day to sleep and beg for money and food.

With her bag stashed behind her she held a small bowl out, politely greeting anyone who passed her in hopes of earning anything. It was hard, ever since the shelter burnt down, she had been exclusively on the streets. Despite that, she was fairly happy, having earned a decent about of money recently, she hoped she would be able to buy a new sleeping bag soon.

It was starting to get late enough she would need to find a place secluded from the wind to bunker down for the night. With the bigger stores closing, combined with the bitter cold, there wouldn't be very people out, rendering her efforts moot.

About ready to leave for the night, she saw three more people, two men and a woman who looked about her age, walking down the sidewalk. Pushing cold out of her mind for a little longer, she put on the best smile she could.

"Good evening." Ravaged by the dry, chilly air, Blake's voice came out quiet and hoarse. "Could you spare anything, please?"

Her hope quickly turned to panic as the closest of the three smacked the bowl out of her hands, scattering the change all over the ground. Yelping, she jumped backwards as the newcomers continued to advance on her aggressively.

"Oops." The man who knocked the change out of her hand sneered at her. "My bad. Let me help you."

Blake watched him pick up some of the money from the snow and hold it up, looking at it intently. As he held it out to her, she tentatively reached out to take it back. Before Blake could make contact, the man jammed the coins into his pocket.

"Actually, I think I'll keep these."

"Please." Blake begged the man. "I need that."

"Please, I need that!" The woman mocked her, forcing her voice to a fake shrill tone. Turning to the first man she grinned mischievously. "Wanna bet she's one of those faunus?"

"Let's find out." The man chuckled and took a step towards Blake, nodding at something behind the faunus.

Trying to keep her distance, Blake tried to take a step back, but the second man grabbed her from behind. Unable to escape, the first man reach for the layer of scarves and hats that covered her head.

She squealed in pain as her head coverings were roughly removed and cast into the snow and ice.

"You're right!" The man scowled. "She is one of the dirty monsters."

"She's disgusting! Make her go away!" The woman glared at her with disgust.

"You heard the lady." The second man used his grip on her to shove her to the side. "Get out of here, animal."

While her scarves were on the other side of the two men and her, her backpack with her possessions was just off to the side. If she was quick enough, she could get it. Trying to dart past the second man to grab her backpack, she received another rough shove that sent her reeling into the snow..

"Run, filth."

Taking one more terrified look at the three of them, Blake took off down the street. She could only run for a few minutes before her limited endurance caught up with her. Wheezing, Blake leaned against the wall to try and catch her breath. Confident that her aggressors weren't chasing her anymore, she took stock of situation.

All of her collected money and gear was gone. No matter how old and worn they were, a bedroll and sleeping bag were invaluable, and this night was looking to be as cold and frozen as all the other these the last few weeks. Not wanting to stay in the area any longer, she pulled one of the scarves from her neck and used it to cover her head, and ears, and started trudging to a different part of the city.

As the hours passed, and the night kept getting colder, Blake knew she couldn't stay still lest she freeze. So she kept on wandering down the street. This was a part of town she had never been to before. Everything was so clean and tidy. No trash littered the sidewalk and there wasn't a single speck of graffiti anywhere. She doubted she would be able to stay here after sunrise without being arrested.

That's when she saw it, her heart leaping into throat. Yang's bakery.

"Blakey?" As she was slowly pulled from her dream by Yang voice, she could the warmth of the blonde's hand slowly caressing her face. "Are you alright?"

"Just dreaming." Blake looked up at Yang. Being the middle of the night, she knew there was no way Yang could see her, but with her faunus granted night vision she could see the concern that etched the blonde's face.

"Another nightmare? You were whimpering…"

There was something hauntingly familiar about the visage that looked down on her. In this darkness, Yang's eyes were a pale thistle, unlike the vibrant lilac she was accustomed to, and her hair had a straw-like sheen to it instead of its normal lustrous blonde. She had seen those features before.

"Just… my past."

"Don't worry, Blakey." Laying back down, Yang pulled her close. "No matter what happened back then, I'll always be here for you from now on."

As Yang's warmth soothed her to sleep, she slowly drifting back into her dreams.

She was hiding again, under the pile of debris that shielded her from Adam and Ilia. This time everything seemed more focused. Through the darkness, she could see, alongside her two old companions, a woman wreathed in pale straw hair pointing the wrong direction.

"She went that way! I hope you catch her!"

As Adam and Ilia took off the direction the woman had pointed, the mysterious helper looked back briefly into the alleyway, a glint of thistle gleamed in the night. Then she was gone.

She finally managed crawled out of the garbage pile as the dark night swirled and resolved into a jail cell, the cheer of several voice filtering into her cell more acute than last time.

"Hey there, squirt!" Blake recognized the voice of the man who arrested her. "We haven't seen you in forever."

"Sorry. Classes have been keeping me busy, but this is my last quarter." A soft female voice spoke as well.

"Did you at least bring us anything?" A second, unidentified man spoke.

"Not this time. I was actually sent by my father." The woman sounded apologetic. "He wanted a few officers to come assist him with the new class at the academy. I guess he needs some people with experience to give guest lectures."

"Not a problem, Little Dragon." The first man spoke again. "I'll give him a buzz."

"Thanks!"

As the voices died down, a whispered conversation caused her ears to twitch.

"I need help. The sergeant brought her in, but she's done nothing wrong." The first whisper was of the officer who grabbed her backpack when she was arrested.

"You need to let her out. This is wrong." The second voice was of the woman. "Here, this is the address of a faunus shelter I take my extra baked goods to. I'll talk to my father about this."

"Thank you."

She heard the footsteps approaching, turning she once again saw the second officer approach with keys and her backpack. Though this time she saw a flash of blonde hair out of the corner of her eye as the mysterious woman was leaving the building.

As the officer unlocked the cell, the building swirled into darkness. A moment later she was stumbled out of the shelter into the darkness.

Struggling to keep back her tears, the same woman as before came strolling up to her. This time the conversation was muted. Whatever was said was lost on her, instead she was focused on the other woman's features. At least those she could make out in the dark.

Thistle eyes and straw hair.

Blake sat up out of her dreams with a start as the realization hit her. Even though Yang didn't know it was her, the blonde had been a guardian angel for Blake in some of her most difficult times.

Snuggling back into the side of her still sleeping girlfriend, she drifted off into a much more comfortable rest.

"Thank you, for always being there for me."

So I was experimenting with a different style of story telling. Hopefully it was pleasant!
This is not the third part that was promised. I had many requests to explain how Blake ended up on the streets. This was my attempt with a romantic twist.
I guess there is one more part coming. The actual ending I had planned!
Let me know what you thought!