Velvet awoke with a start. She was back in her bed in Valkryite. Confused, she quickly rose and began walking about. She was attired in her old sleepwear, and her hair was a disheveled mess.
How did I get back here? Did Kandase find out who I really was and take me home? Does that mean that my family knows what I've done?Velvet walked over to her bedroom door and opened it. The house, like the world outside, was deathly silent. This spiked her anxiety, and she proceeded with caution into the adjoining hallway That led to the living room and kitchen. She stepped lightly on the balls of her feet in order to generate as little sound as possible.
Making little progress over a long period, she finally reached the end of the hall. She saw her mother watching the television, her back to Velvet. Her brother was seated next to her, his hands in his lap. Velvet then saw Ein, lying on his side next to the front door. Velvet took a deep breath, then advanced on them.
"I... I don't know what I can possibly say to apologize for the mess that I made of things. I'm sorry for any pain that I may have caused you over the past few months. Any chastising or resentment that you wish to express will certainly be welcomed. I know that I deserve it."
Her family did not respond. Initially hurt, Velvet understood her family's response.
You did hurt them badly, Velvet. It makes sense that they wouldn't want to reconcile with you right away.The program that her family was watching quickly changed to a news bulletin about her. She gasped as a picture of her came on screen, the reporter keeping a stern expression as she spoke of the horrible misdeeds Velvet had done.
"Police and Kingdom officials are still on the hunt for now-notorious fugitive Velvet Scarlatina. A Valkryite native, she was spotted by several witnesses as attempting to murder the wife of a High-ranking Mistral official. She fled the scene with a Hansel whom she later murdered during a standoff with authorities. Scarlatina has terrorized the Kingdom of Vale, spotted in several homes and villages breaking and entering, looting, and disturbing the peace. As the pressure mounts to capture this elusive terrorist, police are urging citizens to continue sending in tips and sightings to their various hotlines across the Kingdom. Should you come across Velvet Scarlatina, authorities express that you do not approach her. She is a skilled fighter with heightened training, as well as possessing an especially deadly Semblance. If you spot her, call this number displayed onscreen."Velvet's eyes darted downwards as her eyes met the flashing number. She felt the sudden urge to vomit, but restrained herself, swallowing the bile instead.
"And now we go to Rosalind Pinkerton for Sports."The screen shut off by a hand unseen by Velvet. She peered aroind the corner just enough to see who had committed the action. It was there, in the corner of the room, that she saw a man she recognized to be Hansel's father standing on the wall opposite of her.
His hair was a stringy blonde, receding from the front and extending to his shoulders. He was a masculine man, his muscles rippling underneath the worn tunic he donned. His legs were covered with a set of mustard yellow tights that looked as if they had not been washed in ages.
"Did you hear that? Did you hear what she did to my boy? All he wanted was to help your filthy Faunus girl, and look where it got him. You people are nothing but trouble. Aren't they, Velvet?"
Before Velvet could react, he removed his Bagh Nakh, a set of brass knuckles with spikes at the tips, and clutched her mother's throat. She heard her brother's frantic cry as he attempted to protect his mother and was slammed to the floor. Ein rushed in to assist, and was slashed across the side as a reward for his efforts. Velvet cried out and Dove over her brother to help. He moved to slam his weapon into his mother's chest, but altered his trajectory to run Velvet through.
She gasped,looking down at her wound. Her abdomen was beginning to soak with blood, and all she could do was watch as her assailant lifted her into the air. Velvet felt her head tilted upwards, so that she was forced to look into the eyes of her attacker. He leaned in, so close that she could smell the alcohol on his breath.
"Know this, little girl," He whispered, "The pain you feel now isn't even half of the pain you've caused all of those around. Your family, Coco, Hansel, all are worse off than they would've been if they had never crossed paths with you. Let me ask you this: are you worth the trouble?"
Hansel's father tilted her body downward, sliding his weapon out of her. It was an odd sensation, feeling the cold steel invade and leave her body. She heard her mother's piercing scream as she fell to the floor in slow motion.
When her body hit, Velvet awoke with a start, in a cold sweat. She frantically looked around at her surroundings, unsure if what she was seeing was real. She was in a small tent, covered with an itchy, teal blanket. She quickly flipped over the blanket off of her and lifted her shirt to examine her abdomen.
Velvet ran her hand across that area of her body, relieved to feel nothing more than her own sweat. She took a deep breath, coming to the realization that what she had experienced was nothing more than a dream. The second thing that she felt was an intense aching in her head. A quick recollection of earlier events made it apparent to Velvet why she felt the way she did, and she grimaced with said recollection.
She rose, and crawled out of the tent. The first person she saw was Kandase, directing a White Fang member who was lugging around a crate. "Make sure this goes over there next to those other crates. Got it?" The guard nodded and grunted, slowly walking over to the area that Kandase had directed.
Her head turned and she looked to Velvet. Her expression brightened and she wasted no time in embracing her. Velvet felt reassured, then immediately guilty when she became aware of what she forced Kandase to do as a result of her psychotic break.
Kandase didn't seem to mind, however. She held Velvet in a bear hug for what seemed like ages before letting go. "How do you feel?" She asked, pushing Velvet away at arm's length so she could properly look into her eyes while she talked to her.
Velvet awkwardly chuckled, brushing her hair back as she looked down at her feet. "I have a major headache." Kandase chortled and wrapped Velvet into a bear hug once more.
Velvet gasped for breath, but she didn't object to the expression of affection. "Well, I wonder why. I wasn't sure what to do after your freakout. Sorry, but there was nothing else That I could think to do. I tried restraining myself, at least. Practice what you preach, yeah?" Kandase said, retracting once more and rubbing the back of her neck with an awkward chuckle that would have been inaudible to a Faunus.
Kandase's attention was then turned to the White Fang member she had instructed earlier, crate still in hand. He was getting set to place it in the spot Kandase had instructed. "Hey, Genius! What do you think you're doing? Put over there!" She demanded, pointing in a direction opposite where she had directed before.
The member groaned, then raised the crate once more. He turned to move it to the New location that Kandase had instructed. Kandase herself turned to face Velvet once more. "So what happened back there?"
"What do you mean?" Velvet said, wanting to avoid the Goliath in the room at all costs. She knew such evasive tactics would not work with Kandase, but didn't see the harm in trying anyway. This was rewarded with a hard jab in the shoulder, the force of which made Velvet take a step back to keep from falling.
"Don't you play dumb with me, Velvet Scarlatina. I know what I saw. You almost getting wasted by a cop who was literally on his deathbed. You owe me an explanation." Kandase said semi-jokingly, taking a step back herself to cross her arms and cock her head.
Velvet sighed. She felt that there was never going to be a good time to discuss this with Kandase, only times that were less bad than others. I suppose that this is one of those times.
"It's just that... I saw someone when I pulled up that mask."
"Yeah. That's how masks work. They have to be worn." Kandase observed Facetiously.
Velvet scowled at Kandase, who put her hands up defensively. "Too soon. Sorry. "
"As I was saying, I saw someone under that mask. Someone from my past. He was... " Velvet trailed, trying her best to perfectly phrase her next choice of words. When no such combination came, she decided to be be out with it, no matter how blunt. "Kandase, have you ever killed someone?"
Kandase looked to the ground, then off to the distance into the treeline. Her arms went limp, thumbs digging into her pantline. "Why do you ask?"
Velvet put her hands down as well, running them slowly up and down the length of her thighs as she struggled to formulate her next sentence. Once again, no magical phrase came. "Well, it's because... this person I saw. He was... the first person that I ever killed. The prospect of being responsible for another death. I... couldn't handle it."
Kandase nodded, looking at Velvet with somber eyes. "I thought so. I could recognize that look from anywhere."
Velvet was taken aback momentarily. "H-How?"
Another pause from Kandase. Once again, she broke her gaze from Velvet before continuing. "Because I've had that look myself. I'm so familiar with where you are because I've been there. I'm not sure about anyone else here, but I don't think I could forget how that feels, how any of that feels."
Velvet was unsure if she should have pressed further into the matter, but Kandase made that decision herself. "I was 13. It was the night of my initiation into that group I was telling you about. The disorganized one that my parents worshipped. Well, as I told you, they impressed that lifestyle on me, and didn't much care for my input. My father had been tasked with putting me through the initiation. He neglected to tell me just what it was that I would have to do. I wouldn't know until we were outside the doors of one of the largest SDC warehouses in the Four Kingdoms. 'Now, Kandi,' He said in the sweetest voice he'd ever used with me, 'tonight is the night that you get to prove to the world just what it is you're capable of contributing to the group.' I asked him what he needed me to do, and he laughed at me. 'Well, honey, you're going to break in and find where they keep the manifests of all the Dust shipments coming through this place. That way, we can see just where we need to send our groups for... stocking up.' From the way he made it seem, I was going into his office to find some files he'd left. It sickened me, but I wanted to make my father proud, and be damned if my kid mind didn't see this as the way to do it. He handed me a gun, telling me to use it if I ran into any trouble. I picked the side door pretty easily (it was a knack of mine, and my father knew it.) and slipped inside. I didn't need to turn on the lights, thanks to my night vision. It wasn't hard to find the office without a map of the place inside, and I picked the lock there as well. After a few minutes, I found the stuff that my father was looking for. I walked out of the office, back the way I came, and was set to present them. That's when I heard the unfamiliar voice. Someone was outside with my father. I drew the pistol, even though I was in no way prepared to use it. I stepped out, the nightwatchman's back to me with a gun trained on my My father eyed me, attracting the attention of the nightwatchman's gaze. He turned, his trigger finger itching.
'Now, Kandase! Now!' I panicked, and closed my eyes. I squeezed the trigger until the weapon clicked empty. When I opened my eyes, I made the mistake of looking into the eyes of the watchman. He looked down as his hands were struggling to his insides, well... inside. He looked at me, then fell to his knees. He stretched out one of his hands, as if begging for mercy. I did what you did. I grabbed it, and I apologized, as if that would make everything better. He collapsed onto me. I'll never forget how dirty I felt with another person's blood on me. My father bragged about me, started calling me 'Daddy's Little Killer'. I hated him for that. I thought that was the only time I'd ever have to do it. I was a stupid kid then. I had yet to understand how the world worked. Despite that, I could never get that watchman's face out of my head. Sometimes I still have nightmares over it. So... yeah. To answer your question, I have killed before. I've done it and, even though I never want to go it again, I know that killing is inevitable in this life."
Velvet couldn't help to ask the obvious question of what was keeping Kandase from simply leaving. "There's still work to be done for me here, Velvet. There're still things I have to take care that won't get done if I'm not here to do them."
Although she didn't completely understand, Velvet nodded and walked over, offering a consoling hand on the shoulder for her friend. Kandase smiled, but the feeling was short lived.
"Hey, moron. What are you doing? That crate goes over there. What are we keeping you for if you can't even move a box? " Adam shouted at the White Fang member that Kandase had been directing earlier, pointing at the first place that Kandase had instructed to the member. He groaned, and hefted the crate once more to its original place.
He then turned to Kandase and Velvet, approaching them slowly. Velvet still felt pangs of anger and fear when near Adam, but she didn't show it. "You two, I need you in the HQ tent. We're going to execute our next move, and you two are going to help spearhead the operation."
Kandase placed her hands on her hips. "Oh, yeah? If I may ask, Brother Adam, what exactly is this operation?" Velvet was surprised by Kandase's use of Adam's formal title.
Adam offered only what Velvet couldn't see as anything more than a malicious smirk. "I'm glad you asked, Sister Kandase. We're going to hijack a train full of Dust."