"The Vytal Festival! Oh, this is absolutely wonderful!"
The city was bustling with excitement. The red, yellow, and green balloons anchored by the lamp posts. The chains of gold and crimson zigzagging across the streets.
The streets were lively, the people out and about, and the festival shaping to be the finest yet. Several shop keepers hung up a banner, the words 'Welcome to Vale' adorning the once boring street.
Winter looked up, his eyes as wide as they can be, fingers interlocked and tucked under his chin. He was enamored. Mesmerized. Engulfed. Swooned.
"Vytal Festival!" Winter squealed, unable to keep his typically stoic face. This was the biggest and brightest smile he's had since coming to Beacon. It practically lit up the street.
"Balloons! Stuffed animals! The tournament! The food! The dancing! Eeeeh!~" He nearly jumped in joy, clapping his hands together rapidly. Ruben was put off, never seeing Winter act like that.
He could see Yin acting like this...considering he always acts like this.
"Winter's excited for something?" Yin mumbled, his hands retracting to his pockets as he leaned over towards Blair. Blair, as usual, was nose deep in a book. Oblivious to the overjoyed Winter. He turned the page, wondering ever so slightly what will become of the heroine in his novel.
Would she finally be able to tell the boy she's been eyeing for several volumes now exactly how she felt?
"Did I miss something?"
"Miss something?! Only the most single greatest thing ever!" Winter said, smiling genuinely. Happily. He couldn't even begin to make sense of all the memories that began playing in his mind. All the great times he's spent here.
The days his father would call in 'sick' and he would be allowed to miss school to spend all day at the festival.
"Right..." Ruben nodding his head. He looked around, the whole shabang too flashy for his taste. Too many people. Too many sounds. Too much noise.
Still, he wondered if Velvet would like it? Would it be too much to ask her to walk around and enjoy the festival? "Single greatest thing ever. I'll make sure to remember that."
"Don't worry! We'll be able to get both barrels of the festival once they finish setting up." Winter said, making headway to the docks. "First, we need to inspect our competition."
"Competition?" Yin asked, before quickly noticing a box of unmanned doughnuts besides a set up ladder. The masons were busy making sure the canopy they were setting up wouldn't topple over.
"The tournament!" Winter said, walking over to the railing and leaning against it. The battleships, the cruise liners, then the academy's own ships now pulling into port. "Students from Vacuo, quote 'Single greatest academy for Hunters' unquote, will be arriving today. And can't blame me for wanting to be able to assess the other competitors."
"Wouldn't be too worried about them." Ruben said, moving over beside Winter. He rested his right arm on the railing, his left hand on the handle of his weapon. He peered at the ships, reminding himself not to get too close. He wasn't a fan of ships. Or flying really. "Friends close enemies closer."
"Meaning?"
"Well," Ruben nodded his head over at Yin, who was currently trying to steal a doughnut from the box without being noticed. Tiptoeing and leaning against the walls for cover. "He's your biggest challenge, if you thought about it."
"You can't be serious?" Winter questioned. Yin would be his biggest challenge. The same Yin, who once got detention for trying to see if plates made good makeshift shurikens? Ruben smirked, rolling his eyes as he watched Yin do a commando roll over to a different wall.
"Believe you me. Push come to shove...He'll send you face first into the floor faster than you can push." Ruben noted, turning his eyes away from Yin and towards the flashing police lights down the street. The flashing red and blue catching his upmost attention. "Hey, look at that..."
Winter turned his head, seeing the flashing lights across the way. He squinted his eyes, covering his eyes with his hand. "What? A robbery?"
"Can't say." Ruben said, crossing his arms. He recalled a similar situation weeks ago. A cigar. A gunship. An alooooot of gunfire. Oh, and Ms. Glynda. "Then again, I might have an idea of who might've done it."
"Who?"
"Know the name, 'Roman Torchwick'?" Ruben asked, narrowing his eyes. He recalled the bowler cap, orange hair, and cigar. The snide attitude and always poised stature. "Ring any bells?"
"Of course I do." Winter said, scoffing playfully at Ruben. The nights he heard his father complaining about Mister Torchwick were too many to count. "Frost Inc. has too. He's a major name in the ranks. Big time criminal. He rings quite a lot of bells from what I hear."
"Well, I met him." Ruben said, remembering barely ducking out of the way of an oncoming missile from his personal cane. "He was robbing a store. Like that one over there. The thing is...I didn't see anyone leaving with money. Or anything for that matter."
"Well," Winter rubbed his chin. "The place you were in? Did it sell dust?" Ruben nodded. "Maybe they needed-hold that thought-wanted dust."
"For what?"
"No idea." Winter shrugged, before smirking softly. "Maybe to help that Devil-May-Care hell-raisers known as the White Fang. Our trains have been getting hit for the same reasons. We presume it's because of the Fang."
"I hear alot about them." Ruben said, rolling his shoulders back. A white Wolf, three red claw marks. Other than that, he knew nothing. "Remind me again? I typically fall asleep in History class."
"You and your little toys." Winter chuckled. The tinkering hasn't ceased. He could hear it in his dreams, it was so monotonous. "Well, the White Fang is this group of Anarchists who's only goal in this world is to reek destruction and mayhem wherever there is peace and tranquility. Much like Grimm, in that they kill indiscriminately and without care-"
"Except it's everything but." A voice spoke out. Ruben and Winter snapped their necks towards Blair, who's book was shut and at his side. His eyes staring intently at Winter. "They are simply Faunus who were pushed too far."
"Pushed too far?" Winter asked, raising a brow and standing straight. He lost the playfulness in his voice, his tone now much colder. "Scum, who happen to be Faunus, are going around bombing and attacking innocent people. Because they simply were 'pushed too far'?"
"The way they were mistreated all those years, wouldn't you want to fight back? Stand up for what you believed in?" Blair argued, his left hand curling into a fist. He squinted his eyes at Winter, letting out a huff. "For one moment?"
"Hey!" A voice cried out over an intercom. "Stop that Faunus!"
"Speak of the Devil..." Winter mumbled, falling the sound of the voice. The group ran towards the railing, watching several officers chasing a Faunus in a white jacket and dark pants around the ship. The Faunus jumped off of the ship, tumbled as he landed, and took off down the dock. "And he shall appear..."
The monkey tail moved in accordance with his body, his rolled up jean pants reaching his upper thigh. His jacket flying back from his intense speed. He jumped up the wall, hearing more officers chasing him.
He ran past the group, his eyes meeting Blair's for a moment. He stopped dead in his tracks, his cheeks going pale and his heart stopping.
"Oh my God..." He whispered. He turned towards the officers, turning back to Blair. He waited for a brief moment, as if expecting Blair to do something. Without a second thought, the Faunus took off.
Leaving team RWBY in his dust. Winter pulled out his revolver, half a mind to start taking shots. To do his citizen's duty. Blair grabbed Winter by the arm, flipping over his head and onto the pavement.
Winter groaned, one minute eyeing the monkey and the next staring into the blazing sun.
"Don't you even dare!" Blair shouted, before taking off after the Faunus. Ruben ran after him, wondering what was going on with Blair. Yin, watching all of this happen, popped the rest of his doughnut into his mouth and picked up Winter.
"Let's go!" Yin muffled in his mouth, carrying Winter as he ran off after Ruben.
Ruben continued his pursuit of Blair, hot on his heels as he rounded a corner. Blair hesitated for a brief moment, causing Ruben to crash into him.
They toppled over, Ruben landing on top of Blair. Blair, without any hesitation, grabbed Ruben by the collar and threw him over his head. Ruben crashed against someone, watching helplessly as Blair continued to chase the Faunus. He cracked his neck.
Blair was very strong for someone so quiet.
"Son of a-" Ruben started, before hearing the sound of someone breathing. He rolled onto his side, his eyes meeting those of emerald green. "Oh no!" He jumped up, reaching down to help this poor girl up. "I am so sorry!"
"It's alright." She said, taking his hand. Ruben stood beside her, looking her over to make sure nothing was bruised or broken. He saw no cuts. No bruises. No clothing damage.
"Are you-"
"Ruben'sgottagirlfriend!" Yin shouted, running by Ruben with Winter over his shoulder as he turned the corner and ran. Ruben watched him go, immediately about to explain that she isn't his girlfriend. But it was too late. He was too far gone.
"Am I alright? I already answered that." The girl said, her voice perky and full of joy. Oblivious that this stranger was thrown into her and sent her into the ground. Ruben took note of the orange hair, a certain cigar and hat only missing.
She was a fragile looking girl, looking as though Ruben could have snapped her in half if he landed wrong. "I am absolutely fine. Just wonderful."
Ruben nodded, his hand rubbing against his neck. He turned his head towards Yin's direction, smiling awkwardly. "Just...ignore him. He's an idiot-"
"Girlfriend?" She repeated, looking over at Ruben. She saw his missing sleeve, his roughed up shirt and jacket. His heavy breathing. "I'm your girlfriend?"
"Ahhh..." Ruben started, blushing slightly. Did she just seriously ask that? "I mean...no-"
"So I'm just your friend?" She asked, her face lighting up and her eyes shining. She seemed to think that Ruben became the moon and stars for a moment. Ruben let out a sigh, still smiling.
"Yeah, sure." He said, seeing her glistening white teeth in her hopeful smile. "I'm Ruben."
"Penny!~" She said, holding out her hand. She stood at attention, her smile not faltering. "Pleasure to meet you, Ruben!"
"Likewise." Ruben said, turning to where they were running. He glanced at her hand, then to the alley. He needed to go now. "I should probably follow them."
"I agree." She said, her hand returning to her side. Ruben nodded, waving goodbye and taking off after them.
After a while of running, Ruben did eventually catch up to them. He could see Yin standing idly by as Blair and Winter were in each other's faces. He walked up beside Yin, who now was eating a bag of freshly popped popcorn.
"Yin-"
"Shush." Yin whispered, handing the popcorn bag to Ruben. He pointed over at Winter and Blair, who were in a scream match with each other a few paces away.
"I can't believe I am even discussing this with you!" Winter shouted, his hands out to emphasize the point. He wanted to let Winter know how vile those Faunus were, and how evil they are.
"Discussing how ignorant you are?" Blair asked, crossing his arms and staring Winter down. Blair wanted to pull Winter out of his bigoted mindset, to show him that not all Faunus were evil. That the White Fang wasn't some radical group bent on destruction.
"This is getting good." Yin said, looking over at Ruben. He looked beyond Ruben for a moment. He waved. "Nice to see you brought your girlfriend."
"Wha-" Ruben turned around, Penny standing right behind him. She must've followed him. Rather discreetly too, considering he didn't even hear her running behind him. "Oh God."
"I'm Penny. You are-" She started, before Yin reached out and grabbed her hand to give her a firm shake.
"You're future brother in law. I'm Yin." He said, before smirking at Ruben. He leaned in, chuckling softly. He bumped his elbow into his, raising his eyebrows."She's a keeper."
"Shut it."
Yin turned back around, the arguing between Winter and Blair getting so livid and intense there was no coherence. Just shouting and screaming. Yin rolled his eyes, the screaming no longer entertaining, not going back and forth. Just dull scream match now.
"Better go before they kill each other. Some sleep will calm them down." Yin stated, moving over to them. He cracked his knuckles together, before snickering to himself.
He turned around, walking backwards and winking at Ruben. "No inviting Penny over! No Funny Business! Not while I'm still here as your big brother!"
"Shut up, Yin!"
The arguing didn't stop. Nor did it seem like it would ever stop. Winter stood beside his bed, pacing to and fro while Blair stood beside the door, his hands coiled in tight fists just in case he wanted to throw a punch before leaving.
"You, Blair, are defending a group of horrible, horrible people. You are saying that a group who's greatest course of action is bombing factories, robbing stores, and hurting innocent people, are worth defending." Winter asked, pointing a finger at Blair and walking towards him. Blair huffed out his chest, straightening his posture. "How dare you?!"
"How dare me?!" Blair asked, his patience reaching his breaking point and his voice rising. Ruben could have sworn the lampshades were shaking from the ferocity. "How dare you?! And your father! Your family! Cardin! Cardin's friends! How dare you all discriminate against them?!"
"I am nothing like Cardin!" Winter shouted, almost wanting to attack Blair for putting him in a group with that piece of work Cardin. "He has no justification for his actions-"
"And you do?!" Blair asked, standing over Winter. Winter let out a roar, shoving Blair back and against the wall. Yin and Ruben went to move in, only to see Blair's hand rise up. Signaling them to stop.
"I have seventeen years worth of justification!" He shouted, pointing a finger at Blair. He barred his teeth, his cheeks paling. "My family has been broken by them! Those Faunus! Those White Fang! Those monsters!" He cried out, tears building up in his eyes. He was shaking, his eyes tearing over.
"My uncle? Executed when I was twelve. My father's most trusted friend? His childhood friend? Shot down in the streets. In cold blood. My family has been at war with those beasts since before my father. Before my grandfather." He turned his eyes away from Blair.
"Father hated them." He curled his hands into fists. "He hated them. That hate...made my childhood...unbearable." He turned to Blair, his eyes as cold as his name.
"And if you think, even for a moment," He whispered, his heart beating calmly, his breathing slowing. His finger unwavering.
"That I hate them, for no good reason. You are no better than they are. They are monsters!"
"We wouldn't be if we were treated like equals! Not like slaves!" Blair shouted, sending a right cross to Winter's cheek and flinging him back. Winter crashed against Ruben, knocking them onto the bed. Yin snapped to Ruben, making sure he wasn't hurt. Ruben caught Winter, cradling him in his arms.
Winter spat out some blood onto Ruben's sheets, his eyes wide and his mind processing that Blair just said, 'We'.
Blair stood there for a moment, his eyes showing the regret he had. He looked down at his hands, Winter's blood on the tip of his middle knuckle. He took a step back, his back hitting the wall.
He started mumbling something. His lips mouthing the word, 'Sorry' at least a dozen times as he scrambled to find the door knob. His hands wouldn't stop shaking. His breathing getting more erratic.
"Blair..." Yin started, slowly making his way towards him. He shuffled his feet towards him, ever so slowly. He held out his left hand, lowering it slowly to try and calm him down. Waving him to control his breathing.
He squeezed his right hand that he held behind his back, his gauntlet slowly forming in his hands. "It's ok...Let's calm down..."
"No..." Blair said, his hand feeling the door to find finding the knob and opening the door. The next moment, he was gone.
Yin stood there, realizing he was about to restrain Blair using force. About to harm Blair for hurting Winter.
Winter laid in Ruben's arms, his cheek killing me. Dazed from the fact Blair said. 'We'.
Ruben shut his eyes and whispered silent curses.
RWBY. In just a few weeks, lost B.
Blair ran.
Out of the dorms.
Out onto the campus.
He needed to escape. Needed to leave the situation.
His tears running down his cheeks, his heart about to burst from his chest.
He felt his knees shaking, his breath shallow. He stopped for a brief moment, to catch his breath.
He looked to his right, seeing the display that was at the entrance of the school. The two hunters and the Grimm they had just slain. The noble heroes standing over their enemy. A symbol of righteousness defeating adversity.
Blair stared at the Grimm, seeing images of him being the one stabbed and beaten, while Cardin and Winter took turns. Each of them hurting him. Making him suffer. Making him pay for being himself.
For being a Faunus.
Blair took off his hood with a single jerk, his short ram like horns peeking out of his messy black hair. The tips of his horns spiraling back instead of to the sides.
He pulled down his scarf, his protruding canine fangs poking out between his lips. He looked up, his eyes filling to the brim with tears. Without another word, he let out vicious roar and took off into the night.
"He didn't come back." Ruben said, as he walked down the street the following morning. The night had not been an easy one. Neither of them had gotten any sleep.
Winter and Yin followed silently behind, not wanting to look at one another.
Yin felt disgusted, knowing how close he was to simply taking a stand against Blair if he were to take another swing. If he had decided, Yin was sure he would have had to hurt Blair.
Winter rubbed his still very sore cheek, expecting Blair to be a harder hitter. None the less, he felt a tooth lose and the taste of blood still in his mouth.
Ruben simply felt as if he failed. He let his group fall apart in the matter of a few hours. And he couldn't do anything to stop it.
Ruben cleared his throat, deciding they needed to talk things out with Blair. Get through this as a team. "We need to-"
"To what?" Winter asked, his hand rubbing his bruised cheek. "To help the White Fang supporter."
"Winter-" Ruben started, stopping in his spot and turning heel. He stared into the eyes of a man who didn't care for his team. Who didn't care one of his own was hurting. "Let's not-"
"Focus on the fact that he was, or could still very well be, one of those terrorists? Don't you know how dangerous it is to-"
"Shut up, Winter!" Yin shouted, any enthusiasm in his voice gone and replaced with a hurting sort of anger.
He turned to Winter, his usually big joyful eyes now sharp and dark. "We don't need this right now. We just need to find him. That's what is important right now."
Winter didn't say another word, Yin being angry enough to tell him that this was serious.
"So..." Sun Wukong, the Faunus from the boat, started to say. As he sat in his chair, opposite of Blair. The coffee shop was off near the center of town, down a ways from the docks.
Away from the festival.
Away from Beacon.
Away from RWBY.
Blair sipped his tea, his eyes shut and his cheeks still stained with tears. Didn't help that the tea was irritably bitter. "You're-"
"Blair." He said, opening his eyes. He looked at the monkey, with indifference. He let out a sigh, trying to keep himself calm and under control. "My name is-"
"The Beast!" Sun shouted, before clasping his hand over his mouth. Blair couldn't help but look surprised. He looked down into his tea, staring at his reflection.
He could definitely see The Beast, the very same who robbed that Dust Train. The same one who did just as much fighting as any other member of the White Fang.
"The Beast..." Blair repeated, letting out a soft chuckle. A name of a rebellion's mascot. The rebellion's fighter.
"'One of The White Fang's top Elite." He repeated the elders calling him, recalling the stories he heard about himself amongst the lower ranks of the White Fang. How he would use his chains to break other's own slavery.
How his life would pave the way for new opportunities and new life.
He leaned back in his seat, before looking up at Sun. Sun sipped his tea, using his tail to hold it up and bring it to his mouth. Blair crossed his arms, letting out a sigh. This was going to be a long morning.
"So, what do you want to know about me?"