Hello Everyone!
This chapter ended up being twice as long as it should have been and it most likely will be felt as you read it. I will explain why in the end notes if you're interested.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy!
The sound of chatter and labor filled an outpost surrounded by trees. Its armed occupants were doing their regular tasks like any other day, although there certainly was something different about these individuals. Each of them had a unique animalistic feature as part of their physiology. Whether it be a tail, additional ears, fangs, scales, fur and more.
Among them, a cat-eared woman strolled through the pathways, receiving respectful nods from those she passed by.
A gesture she had come to loathe these past few years. They were sent to the kingdom of Vale to strengthen their group's presence and bring justice to their kind. However, she questioned the truth of the matter for a few reasons:
Unlike Atlas and Mistral, Vale was known to be quite welcoming to their kind. Of course, it didn't mean that it was completely free of discrimination, but it certainly couldn't have been at a higher priority than other nations.
Then there was the fact that most of their actions were to raid military outposts. Mainly those of the northern Atlesian settlements which had expanded to the South these past few weeks.
Although she failed to see how those excursions would help them as a whole, they certainly did not come without rewards. Just now, she wandered by the crates of Atlesian boosters from their latest raid which she still wonders how her colleague had managed to uncover such intel. Nevertheless they're products made by the Schnee corporation. If they can use these to further their goals, she wasn't opposed to hurting their bottom line.
With a dismissive shake of her head, she increased her pace, still searching for said colleague. She would eventually stop a random individual she came across to question them.
"Have any of you seen Adam?"
"He's interrogating the prisoners. Has no one told you, commander?"
Her eyebrows furrowed in displeasure. Commander: A word she also came to despise. Every utterance of the word would remind her that she has led all of these soldiers into committing those atrocities.
While she firmly believes that their brutality was entirely caused by her partner, she could definitely recognize that she had done nothing to suppress or even prevent it.
With a frustrated sigh, she resumed her walk; at a harsher pace while answering her interlocutor. "No. No they have not."
Approaching a decrepit building, she stopped when her amber eyes landed on a propped up body mirror. After analyzing her tired, unkempt appearance, she fixed her white tailcoat which rested over a black crop top covering her modest bust. A strap fastened from her side and over her shoulder held her sheathed sword whose handle peeked over her shoulder for a quick draw.
She then drew her semiautomatic pistol, much to the worry of those around her, inspecting the remaining ammunition in her magazine with one hand while pulling the firearm's slide back with the other. Once done, she stored it back into its holster attached to a white belt – along with a few pouches filled with dust vials or dust infused bullets magazines – holding onto her black pants. She tapped the tip of her black, thigh high, heeled boots onto the ground then passed a hand through her wavy black hair with an exhausted sigh before entering the building, passing by the two guards who saluted her.
Once she reached the basement, a pained cry bounced off the concrete walls followed by a thud. The floor became stained with a thick crimson liquid flowing toward a drain while a muffled, trembling whine could be heard under a scream full of rage and sorrow.
"Fuck! I told you already! I don't know anything!" Shouted a man in an Atlesian military uniform, tied to a chair. His eyes lingered painfully on his partner's corpse while her hair soaked into the pool of blood forming under her.
Steps echoed as a red-haired man walked over the dead body. Tall with a lean build, he wore a form-fitting double-chested gray leather tunic jacket behind which a precision rifle was strapped. Matching gray pants rested under twin crisscrossing belts which held onto an empty scabbard for a chokuto sword. His hands were covered by black gloves that he readjusted before taking hold of a cloth which he ran along his bloodied blade.
Once done, he exhaled while passing a hand through his hair, avoiding the two bull horns extruding from both sides of his head. Covering his eyes, was a red and white mask shaped like a creature's exoskeleton.
Stopping in front of the tied man, he leaned toward his face dangerously, making the other lean backwards frightfully. "You'll talk. There's no alternative for you, but you can decide how many will die before you do."
He turned away from the man to walk toward a closed adjacent door only to stop when he noticed the cat-eared woman nearby.
"Blake. I didn't hear you come in. I'll be done with this man in a minute." He said, resuming his track.
She crossed her arms, glaring at him with discontent. "Care to explain why I wasn't made aware of this… interrogation?"
His hand froze before he could reach for the door handle. "As far as I'm aware, these are my prisoners. I will do with them as I please. You can always report me to Sienna, but I doubt she would be very pleased with your attitude toward humans and we both know that it isn't a good idea to call her without some kind of good news."
Her features hardened, unable to reprimand him as he finally entered the other room.
The man in the chair stared at her, lips quivering as he addressed her. "Hey, you, cat lady! You have to believe me when I say that I don't know anything about what you're asking!"
Blake faced the man silently before taking a few steps in his direction, a skeptic eyebrow raised at him. "You want me to believe that you – a military officer – have no idea why Atlas increased its military personnel in Vale?"
"W-what?" He stammered, eyes wide in disbelief. "B-but I've already told him-"
His sentence was cut short when a frightened screech stole both of their attention in a panic. They were greeted by the sight of Adam, dragging forcefully by the arm a young girl with a bag over her head.
"Oh god, Tatjana?! Let her go, you monsters! She didn't do anything to you!" Screamed the imprisoned man, thrashing against his restraints.
Pulling the young girl in front of him, he raised his sword to her throat with a smirk on his lips. "You don't need to see this, Blake. Just leave and let me finish my work."
"For fuck sake, Adam. That's a kid!" She argued, raising a hand over her shoulder to grab her sword's handle.
The way his forehead creased made it obvious that the man glared at her from beneath his mask.
"Your thoughts are clouded, Blake. I think you're forgetting what we're fighting against. What we're defending the Faunus from." He said over the prisoner's shouts of protest.
The cat woman glared back, steadying her grip on her sword. "I fight against the injustice to our kind; not children!"
"So you suggest that I let her go? Let that child grow into an adult which will inevitably hunt us down like the rest?"
"You don't know that! Adam, I'm not saying we shouldn't fight; but if we do so by contradicting our message, this cycle will never stop!"
The red-haired man opened his mouth the reply but released an annoyed growl instead before pointing his sword at the bound Atlesian. "If you don't shut the fuck I'll kill her right n-"
He was unable to finish his sentence since Blake had taken advantage of the distraction to rush at him, kicking him backward into the room he came from, taking hold of the frightened young girl and placing her behind herself.
"That's enough Adam!" She shouted before pointing her sword toward the tied man. "Atlas. Here. Why?"
"I told him already!" He replied desperately, his eyes never leaving his shivering daughter.
"Then you won't have any problem with telling me, right?"
"There's a huge shipment of dust that will be transported by train to the Kingdom of Vale! In a week or so from now, escorted by heavily armed personnel through the maple sierra! That's all I know! Please don't let them do anything to my girl!"
Adam emerged from the other room, holding onto the doorframe aggressively. "Blake, what the fuck are you doing?"
"This man has already told you information worth reporting to the high leader. What else was there to ask that needed you to threaten a kid's life?" Replied the cat-eared woman with an edge to her voice.
The two faunus became silent, the only sounds in the room coming from the child in Blake's protective grasp and the father's nervous breath. Eventually, the red-haired man grit his teeth in indignation then sheathed his sword.
"We should report to Sienna." He said, leaving the room.
Once out of her sight, Blake faced the Atlesian soldier, meeting his expression of fear and relief before removing the bag on his daughter's head and gently pushing her to the man.
She turned to leave but froze momentarily when the man's voice reached her cat ears.
"Thank you."
She remained silent for a moment before releasing a huff in acknowledgement then closing the door behind her. Once she emerged from the building, she gazed at the guards over her shoulder.
"I don't care what he says. The next time commander Taurus comes here, I want to be immediately notified. Understood?"
Both saluted her, shivering fearfully. "Y-yes commander!"
With a nod, she left toward the temporary tent used as a base of command after ordering them to dispose of the dead. Once inside, she observed the soldiers preparing the various equipment needed to securely communicate with their leader. Without a word, she marched up to Adam, who had been fixing his attire while standing in front of the camera.
"I doubt she'll care if you aren't clean." She commented, taking place next to him and facing the device as he was.
"Count yourself lucky. I won't report your latest actions. You can thank our relationship for that." He replied bitterly, adjusting his jacket's collar.
"I still want to know what you were asking him." She said flatly, rolling her eyes to the side.
While they may have different views, their connection as childhood friends had made them act rather close outside of the battlefield. However, he seemed to have misunderstood that familiarity with intimacy which she hadn't been able to address properly. It didn't help that almost everyone who knew them thought the same despite her protest.
The screen in front of them lit up to the image of their leader. Sienna Khan. Her dark complexion contrasted her bright amber eyes which gazed at them with great authority through the display. She had two extra bengal-tiger ears on top of her head, one adorned with two golden rings which could also be found on both of her human ears. A red jewel was encrusted in her forehead slightly hidden by her chin-length black hair styled in an asymmetrical bob.
She sat lazily in what seemed to be a throne, her head resting on her wrist while she leaned onto her arm, revealing her tiger stripes tattoos along her appendage.
"Taurus, Belladonna, I trust that you're here to report valuable intel." She declared with an imposing tone.
Blake attempted to respond but was cut off by the bull faunus.
"Yes, high leader. It would seem that an important cargo of dust will be transported by train to the kingdom before the end of the week. Part of a trade deal between Vale and Atlas. If we could manage to steal it for ourselves, the White Fang could become a force rivaling a nation's army."
"It would also increase the armed response from the entire world against our organization should this heist reach the public's attention." Replied their superior with a glare. "I like your ambition Adam, but we currently do not possess enough members to endure that much attention."
A smirk appeared on the man's lips. "But what if there were no traces of our presence?"
Both women raised a curious eyebrow.
"Explain." Ordered the tiger faunus.
He beckoned a soldier present to bring a map of Vale on which he motioned toward a highlighted trail. "Thanks to our recent raids on a few Valean settlements, we've acquired some of their weapons and ammunition, which could place a doubt on the identity of the assailants. With the help of the surrounding elevation of the sierra, an ambush is easily achievable to give us an advantage."
"A simple distress call from their troops would immediately hinder that plan of yours."
"With all due respect, high leader. I was getting to that." He then pointed to a certain location circled along the trail. "I've discussed the details with a few associates before our call. There's a communication tower in the area which just so happens to be the only one allowing the nearby region to send and receive any kind of signal. If we sabotage it when the train gets in range, they would be forced to hold out against our assault or die trying."
Sienna had a pensive look on her face before motioning for one of her advisors to come closer. They discussed with hushed voices for a few seconds until she finally addressed the redhead once more.
"While the blame could be directed to any competent bandits or mercenary group, there's a probability that this could create tension between Vale and Atlas. Are you aware of that fact?"
"Is that not all the better? With the world's focus on war, we would be able to move a lot more freely than before." He replied, his grin ever present.
It was then that Blake finally intervened after remaining silent for so long. "W-wait! A large-scale war would only bring more death! And what about all the innocents who'll be affected by that war?"
"What about them?" Adam coldly replied, receiving a nod from the tiger faunus.
"It is unfortunate, but sacrifices must be made to achieve our goal. For all faunus kind, we will bear that responsibility and use the mayhem to our advantage."
Eyes wide and shaking, Blake's gaze alternated between the two. The blood of many were on their hands that was a given, but she had only led her troops against military outposts in order to avoid involving civilians. Had she been the only one taking these precautions all this time? How many innocents had Adam's cell slaughtered on their own? Or the others from their organization? They were supposed to fight against the big figures in the way of true equality between faunus and mankind, not breed world wide conflict.
"Do you have anything else to add, Belladonna?" Asked Sienna with a raised eyebrow.
The bull faunus' forehead creased in a clear indication to leave the matter aside. With a subtle calming breath, her eyes darted to the side while her cat ears flattened against her head, holding back a tear which moisted her eyes.
"None, high leader."
What had she been fighting for?
Nightfall came quickly afterwards. Blake laid in her bed, book in hand yet she could not read a single word. Her thoughts were swirling in various directions, wondering if all of the lives she had taken truly helped in bringing peace to her kind.
With a frustrated groan, she threw her book onto her bedside table. Her eyes moistened while she rolled onto her side, coming face to face with her mask. She stared at it for a few seconds before sitting at the edge of her bed, grabbing in and setting it on her lap.
Its color scheme was similar to Adam's, but it covered her entire face unlike his. It had more prominent animalistic features, some might say monstrous, resembling a fearsome feline creature.
Every White Fang member had a mask, but only those of higher ranks could have a custom made one. She could remember when they had been first suggested.
The years of peaceful protests against the injustice against their kind had frustrated many. One day, a certain cell of their organization had enough and fought back against the armed enforcers sent to disperse them, resulting in multiple deaths on both sides. While deplorable, it had made their presence indisputable. Afterwards, when the cell had been tried for their action, they managed to convince a majority that a change needed to be made.
Peace had led to stagnation and dismissal.
Violence brought them recognition.
Mankind wanted to treat them like beasts? Then they would become more ferocious than they could ever handle.
It was then that the masks were suggested. Inspired by the most recited fairy tale across Remnant. A tale of large monstrous creatures made from the collective suffering and anger of the world annihilating all life.
The Grimm.
Myths would become threats.
Morals would become warnings.
The White Fang would be heard.
Her eyebrows creased in sorrow. What had she been thinking? With a conviction such as this, how did she ever expect any other result? Her grip tightened onto the mask until cracks began to appear before releasing it, letting it fall to the ground.
She had left everything behind for this cause, her home, her parents, her right to a normal life, yet here she was, reconsidering the whole thing. This wasn't what she wanted. This couldn't continue. There had to be another way.
With a determined frown on her face, she grabbed her weapons and stood up.
In the dead of night, near the decrepit building where the prisoners were held, the two current guards could be seen dozing off at their post. A lone hooded figure silently approached them, draped in dark clothings. She sneaked by them inside the structure, dexterously stealing the key from the men before heading downwards to the basement.
Making sure to make the least amount of sound possible, she unlocked the door then swiftly closed the door behind her. The Atlesian soldier could be seen slumped over, fast asleep while his daughter knelt beside him, slumbering onto his lap.
The woman took the sight in before gazing away in guilt. With a somber sigh, she knelt next to the man, careful not to wake the young girl, before placing a hand on his shoulder. He immediately opened his eyes in panic and attempted to scream his daughter's name, but was silenced by the woman's hand.
"I'm not here to hurt you." She ushered, lowering her hood to reveal her face and cat ears.
"You… what are you doing here?" He asked with wide eyes once freed from her grasp.
Blake gazed warily at the door she came from before pulling out her sword and cutting the man's restraints.
"Come on. I'm getting you out of here." She said while sticking herself to the wall beside the entryway. "Wake her up and be quiet."
He did as asked, hoisting his daughter onto his shoulder despite his weakened state and following after the cat faunus, being extremely cautious of each step taken. The child had obviously been anxious about the White Fang commander's presence but trusted her father's judgment, clinging tightly onto him while trying her hardest not to make a single noise.
They managed to sneak by the slumbering guards and went as fast as they could into the wilderness.
"Where are you taking us?" Asked the father, looking anxiously over his shoulder toward the White Fang outpost.
"West. There should be a village somewhere in that direction. Unfortunately, it'll take quite a while by foot, especially for people without aura."
Shifting his hold on his daughter, he sent the girl a crestfallen gaze before focusing back on the woman in front of him. "Why did you-"
The next thing he knew, pain erupted from his free arm followed by the roaring thunder of a fired bullet in the distance. Keeping a firm grip on his little girl, he fell to his knees then gazed at his burning limb. He was met with a sight of flowing crimson and of empty space where flesh should have been. It was only once he was pulled behind cover by his collar that he understood the situation he was in. His eyes were opened wide as was his mouth, but through an impressive display of will, he managed to suppress a cry of pain while he patted his daughter soothingly.
Blake stood beside the man, back pressed against a large tree she used as cover. She risked a peek only to be met with a bullet mere centimeters from her face. However, she had been able to confirm her fear.
Adam was the marksman firing at them.
"Lower her to your chest and cover your ears!"
Still suppressing his pain, he wordlessly did as Blake asked, raising his daughter's hands to her ears while plugging one of his with the hand from his uninjured arm.
The cat faunus fished into her munitions pouch and took hold of a magazine with red tipped bullets which she loaded into her pistol, then searched her other pouch and took out a vial of red dust. She then feigned shooting back at the bull faunus while aiming at the vegetation. The red bullets would erupt into flames on contact, slowing creating a wall of fire between the three of them and their pursuers.
However, a simple fire wouldn't prevent Adam from going after them. She raised her dust vial in front of her face, examining it with a reluctant expression before pressing its lid against her forehead.
"Damn it." She muttered to herself with trembling lips.
She then popped it open and threw the vial with full force toward the raging flames she had created. As expected, the red-haired man had burst through the burning wall and was running at breakneck speed in their direction. A single tear ran down her cheek as she shot the vial, creating an enormous explosion which sent Adam flying back, lodging him into one of their outpost's buildings.
Without wasting a second, Blake picked up the two Atlesian into her arms and pushed her aura to the max, increasing her physical prowess to run as fast as she could into the wilderness while some of the White Fang soldiers fired blindly in their direction.
She couldn't tell exactly how long she had been running, but the fact that the Sun was reaching its zenith certainly made her realize how exhausted she was as she fell to her knees, gently setting down the two humans she carried. Thankfully, she had prepared a gourd of water which she carefully rationed between the three of them. The makeshift tourniquet she had made for the man seemed to have kept him alive, but his state was visibly deteriorating. She had no doubt that the wound would soon suffer from an infection if not necrosis. In either case, his arm will most likely have to be amputated as soon as they reach the village.
Tatjana clung to her father even while she slept. A sight which the cat faunus would have thought adorable if it weren't for the context of the situation or the fact that she was a part of the cause.
With an exhausted groan, she picked up the two humans once more and resumed her trek through the woods.
Before she knew it, the sun was about to set and she still had yet to find a single sign of civilization. In a way, she comforted herself that it also meant she hadn't seen a single sign of the White Fang. Her eyes drooped while each of her steps felt heavy and uncoordinated. She was used to long periods of time without rest, but not while transporting two other beings in her arms even if one of them was a mere child. She had to steady herself a few times as her concentration on her aura faltered – something she could not afford to do right now. If it were to happen, they would be forced to stop until she recovered at the risk of the father's life.
A part of her curses herself for not taking an aura booster while she was still at the camp. Although, she doubts that she could have given a believable excuse to those keeping inventory, not with the security around those supplies and all.
Security…
Why were the two prisoners left with so little protection? Were they not deemed capable of posing a threat in the attempt of an escape?
Coming to a realization, Blake's eyes widened in shock while she stopped marching for a moment.
How did Adam know they had escaped then? Was it a lure? Had her behavior really engendered them to test her loyalty to the cause? Was Adam… going to kill her?
The absence of movement awoke the injured man who gazed up at her.
"Why… don't you take a break? You've already done… enough for us. No need to push… yourself." He uttered with a weak voice. An obvious symptom of his deteriorating health.
The amber-eyed woman attempted to answer when a strange buzzing sound caused her faunus ears to stand up straight before pivoting in various directions in search of its origin. The buzzing slowly turned into familiar rumbles which caused her heart to accelerate anxiously.
That was the sound of cars. A convoy? Were they the White Fang? Had she accidentally wandered near a road? Even if she left these two to perish, she did not have the energy to fight against an entire group on her own.
"Lady...?" Muttered the man, snapping her out of her thoughts.
Her gaze then shifted toward the young girl, who met her eyes with curiosity and fear which made her shake her head. No, she's taken them this far, if the man is to survive, she would have to take the risk.
With her last remaining strength, she focused her aura onto her legs and ran in the direction of the noise, jumping over any obstacles while occasionally running along angled surfaces, a feat which seemed to amuse the girl in her arms.
At long last, she reached a dirt road on which a few off road vehicles could be seen approaching in the distance. She released a sigh of relief once she noticed that these people were not of the White Fang, praying that she hadn't stumbled upon one of Vale's rare bandit tribes. However, that relief came with the release of tension in her body, causing all of her accumulated exhaustion to rush into her as she fell to the ground, unconscious.
Blake woke up with a jolt, immediately sitting upright despite her aching muscles while frantically observing her surroundings. Her panic increased when she reached for her sword only to find it missing from her back. After a few calming breaths, she blinked curiously at the sight awaiting her.
She was in some kind of bedroom. Actually, upon seeing the small bathroom and the various utilities, she assumed that this might have been the room of a hotel.
Her hands ran across the sheets she laid in, enjoying their smooth textures and how soft the mattress was. She had to restrain herself from letting a purr slip from her throat while she kneaded her bedding.
She then noticed the sound of people laughing and discussing among themselves in the distance. It was heavily muffled, but her faunus ears could barely catch the noise. This immediately ruled out the possibility of this being a hotel. A passing group of rowdy patrons would have made sense, but this sound had been constant and unmoving. Perhaps a motel then? Judging by the elevated view on the street below, she judged it to be a logical conclusion. It was then that she noticed the mouth watering smell of food most likely coming from where those voices came from.
With a hesitant gaze around her, she uncovered herself, thankful that her clothes seemed to have been left untouched, before leaving the bed while stretching. A familiar shape at the corner of her eyes caught her attention, revealing all of her weaponry and supplies which had been removed from her. She wasted no time strapping them all back around her, giving them a tug to make sure they were properly set once done.
With quiet, gentle steps, she explored the room, searching for any possible device which could be used to monitor her. She found it rather odd to not find any a few minutes later. With a sigh, she entered the bathroom and examined herself in the mirror. Her lips turned into a subtle smirk as she noticed that her tired features had disappeared in her sleep. Fighting for the White Fang had made it rather difficult, but she took pride in taking care of her appearance.
Her cat ears turned backwards when she heard the muffled thump of footsteps approaching her room. Quick on her feet, she approached her bed and raised the blankets as a double of herself entirely made out of shadow materialized beneath. She then ran back into the bathroom and turned off the lights, pistol raised toward the door.
A knock resounded through the door, repeating a few times when she didn't answer before a gruff voice called out to her.
"I know you're up. Dinner's on us for today. We'll see about the rest depending on your situation." It seemed that the man was about to leave when he began to talk once more. "Oh, and that little girl, Tatjana I think, she's in the diner with one of our staff members."
Her eyes widened in shock. How could she have forgotten about the two humans? The man only mentioned the daughter. Was it too late for the father? Had she been too slow?
She shook her head. This was not the time, the least she could do is make sure that the girl was fine. Holstering her pistol, she ran toward the door while dismissing her double.
"Just saying in case you were cur-" Said the man before being interrupted by Blake almost tearing the door off its hinges.
Wearing a tattered, red cloak attached to a long-tailed gray dress shirt. A graying, dark spiky-haired man stood in front of her, his faded red eyes wide in surprise while he leaned onto the door frame with a hand in one of the pockets of his black pants. A stubble covered his jaw which he rubbed while taking a few steps back.
Blake did not miss the pistol attached to his hip which she glared at before meeting his gaze.
"Take me to them."
It didn't take long before they reached the diner the man spoke about. A single stairway down the halls in fact. Oddly enough, he hadn't questioned her in any way, but then again neither did she. Their silent walk allowed her to realize that this place was not a motel like she had guessed, but an inn where the diner doubled as the reception. A rather popular one judging by the amount of guests at the tables.
Amber globes flickered between each of the patrons; specifically, the various weapons they carried.
"Everyone's armed here…" She muttered to herself unconsciously.
The man leading her looked over his shoulder with a smirk. "You'd be crazy not to in this town of ours."
She gazed at him curiously before gaining a look of recognition. "Wait, is this the mercenary town?"
"You make it sound a lot more barbaric than it is." Chuckled the man, turning around to face her while spreading his arms wide motioning toward the entire room. "Welcome to Fortuna. Where riches or ruin is but one job away, depending on which role you play."
His statement was greeted by cheers and laughter from most of the diner.
"Been a while since you had the opportunity to do that eh, old man?" Said a new voice beside them. It was smooth, enticing. Full of maturity with a hint of playfulness.
They faced its owner, revealing a raven-haired woman who's shoulder length strands ended in a beautiful crimson which surprisingly seemed natural. She sat at a table, leaning onto her seat which creased her black, red lined, laced up corset supporting her rather impressive chest covered by a mesh sleeveless top over a white long-sleeved blouse.
The cat faunus would be lying if she said she wasn't slightly peeved that this girl, who seemed younger than her, had slightly bigger breasts than hers.
The ravenette had one leg resting on top of the other, revealing her brown mesh tights covering her slender yet powerful legs, hiding underneath a short pleated red skirt. She seemed to be wiggling her foot to the rhythm of an unheard song which brought Blake's attention to her heeled steel-toe boots.
However, that woman wasn't alone in her seat. Atop of her lap, sat the Atlesian girl saved by the ex-commander: Tatjana.
With a humorous huff and a playful expression in her crimson eyes, she leaned towards the young girl while keeping her sight on the cat faunus.
"Didn't you have something to tell the lady?"
With a bashful expression, Tatjana played with her hands while avoiding the dark-haired woman's gaze. "Thank you, cat lady…"
Under normal circumstances, Blake would have felt bashful at the girl's gratitude, embarrassed even. When was the last time someone had expressed their gratitude for her actions? The recent years were mostly filled with praises for her exploits while under the White Fang, but genuine, heartfelt gratitude had been scarce if present at all.
Unfortunately, those feelings were buried under the strange pressure emanating from the raven-haired woman's presence. Just from her being under her gaze, she could feel a cryptic sensation crawl under her skin with each passing second. Never before had she stood in the presence of someone as imposing as her, like a prey trapped underneath its predator.
When the woman in question raised a question eyebrow at her, she realized that she never replied to the young girl. "Y-yeah, no worries. C-couldn't just leave you and your dad like that right?"
"About that," started the red-eyed woman, adjusting the girl's position on her lap. "All we've heard is that you saved them from a rather precarious situation. This little lady has been quite good at keeping her mouth shut on the matter, even after I offered to make her cookies. I'm guessing her father must have something to do with that. I've been told he was barely conscious when they found you. Nice job with the tourniquet by the way."
Blake couldn't keep her cat ears from folding defensively while she rubbed her arm awkwardly. "Thanks… I guess?"
The dark-haired man coughed to catch their attention. "Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but someone's gotta tend to the bar." He gazed at the faunus before leaving. "Name's Qrow in case you were wondering. If you need anything during your stay here, don't hesitate to ask. As long as you can afford it that is."
She nodded in acknowledgement before gazing at the empty seat in front of the raven-haired woman. After a silent exchange between the two, she sat down clumsily. It was only when the patrons had begun conversing among themselves once more that she noticed they had gone quiet for a while.
"Back to the previous topic, would you mind explaining what led some of these guys to find all three of you in the middle of the road in such a state?"
A chill ran down her spine at the question. How would the woman react if she explained her involvement with the White Fang? How would those around them? No, she could most likely escape from the inn guests, but this woman's threatening presence was vast, as if anywhere she went would end in the same result: her death.
"We… I was… just going through my day like usual when I stumbled across them, captured by a group of… bandits." She said, hoping that the woman would believe her clumsily crafted story. "I'm not sure how many prisoners there were at first, but I saw one of the bandits interrogate her father. Something about a trade deal between Atlas and Vale."
This seemed to catch the ravenette's attention, who immediately stopped pampering the girl in her lap and fully focused on the cat-eared woman.
"But that wasn't the only thing they asked. Unfortunately I didn't manage to hear it, but the man didn't seem to have an answer which resulted in the death of one of the prisoners." She then lowered her gaze in remorse. "It was only when they threatened her life that I stepped in. We ran away to the best of our capabilities and ended up here."
The two women sat in silence while the red themed one seemed to be judging her story. A few seconds later, the ravenette's threatening presence vanished as if it never existed, causing Blake to release a breath she hadn't noticed to be holding.
"Well, the important part is that you've survived, right?" Reassured the red-eyed woman with a cheerful grin. A far cry from the aura she gave off a moment ago. "I know the little one's, but you got a name, hero?" She added in a teasing tone while extending a hand for a handshake.
The cat faunus stared warily at the appendage. Should she use her actual name? While they weren't very public about their names, she still was a commander of the White Fang.
"You're just gonna leave me hanging?" Asked the other woman, a suspicious eyebrow raised in her direction.
Blake did not miss a beat and took hold of her hand. "S-sorry. I'm just not really used to humans being this… friendly, I guess." She then realized that she has yet to give a name as her faunus ears stood straight. "I-I'm Twilight, by the way."
She felt herself chiver when red globes glared at her momentarily and while it could simply be a trick of the light, she could have sworn that they began to glow. However, as soon as it came, the woman's harsh expression immediately vanished when she released her hand.
"Scarlet. Are you not from Vale, Twilight? It may not be perfect, but faunus are rather well received wherever you go around here."
"I'm from Menagerie, actually, but I've been traveling quite a bit my whole life. Mostly around the empire of Mistral. I've only been here for a few weeks at best and mostly kept to myself." She nervously replied.
It was likely that Scarlet was a fake name much like her own. Has her story been seen through? If not, was she playing along to find holes in what she said? The longer she would ask questions, the more likely it was to happen.
'Scarlet' seemed to gain a surprised expression. "Well, that explains it. Mistral certainly has its own… culture."
"You've been there before?"
The ravenette opened her mouth to respond, but her attention was stolen by Tatjana who tugged at her attire.
"When can I see daddy?" She asked sorrowfully.
The woman stared at her for a moment when a comforting smile graced her lips.
"Daddy got hurt very badly. I don't think you'll be able to see him today." She replied calmly, causing the girl to gaze downwards on the verge of tears. "But tell you what. If you're super duper good and eat three meals a day, I can guarantee that you'll be able to see him in… how about two days?"
"... you promise?" She weakly asked, gazing up at Scarlet while tears fell from her eyes.
The woman raised a hand toward her face, wiping her tears away before raising her little finger. "Pinky promise."
Tatjana completed the pack, releasing a silent giggle before hugging the ravenette who reciprocated. The older woman then signaled a young boy who passed by their table.
"Hey Oscar, why don't you take this little lady to the kitchen? Tell Qrow to make her something. I'm sure no one's going to need the bar in the meantime." She said, raising her voice for the last part which seemed to have been understood as most patrons groaned before focusing back on their own conversations.
Both the young Atlesian and the red-eyed woman waved each other goodbye and once out of sight, Scarlet faced Blake once more as she stood up.
"You're free to stay at the inn for a while. If you need money, I'm sure you'll find someone who needs help If you wander around the town."
"Was it alright? Making a promise like that with her? He was pretty messed up last I recall."
The ravenette stared at her as if she hadn't expected her to question such a thing until she smiled confidently.
"This is Fortuna. A town of mercenaries, you've said it yourself. It'd be silly if we didn't have a pretty good doctor." She walked up to the faunus, causing her to tense up while she patted her shoulder. "He'll be fine. Loosen up a little. Those bandits would be insane to follow you all the way here."
With that said she walked away toward the kitchen, punching straight in the jaw a man who attempted to grab her behind to the amusement of the other patrons.
It was only when her nose caught an appetizing scent that she noticed the plate of food along with the hot beverage sitting in front of her.
" When did…? " She wondered, turning back toward Scarlet, who winked at her before disappearing from her sight.
With a shake of her head, she grabbed a fork and dug in, releasing a subtle gleeful hum at her first bite.
" Maybe staying here wouldn't be so bad. "
True to her words, two days later, Scarlet, Blake and of course, Tatjana were accepted for a visit to the young girl's father. The ravenette held the Atlesian child in her arms while they followed the doctor to their destination.
Not much happened in the meantime; as promised, the faunus had been allowed to remain in her room free of charge, but the meals – although remarkably delicious – had already begun to take a toll on her emergency funds. She had taken the time to explore the inn's surroundings, discovering that it had been named 《Qrowbar and bedding》which certainly felt a bit tacky to her. Nearby stood a popular establishment which collected contracts and advertised them to the town's mercenaries in exchange for a small cut of the profit. What had surprised her the most however, was the amount of civilians – a good amount of them being faunus – populating the streets and owning local businesses.
"Right in here. Just call if you need anything." Said the doctor, combing a hand through his blond hair.
"Thanks, Jaune. You're a miracle worker as always." Complimented the red-eyed woman, playfully elbowing the man's stomach.
He chuckled while rubbing his forming bruise with a wince. "Yeah, well, the semblance sure helps. Go on, he's still a bit lethargic and I'm not sure how long he'll last before needing to rest. I suggest keeping things short."
Giving him their thanks, they entered the room. Tatjana jumped out of the woman's arms and ran to her father who was treated to a tearful reunion. Once both had calmed down, Scarlet sat on a chair while motioning for the cat faunus to do the same.
" Ok… those definitely weren't there a few seconds ago. " She thought while warily taking her seat while glancing at the place they used to stand.
"Thank you for taking care of my daughter." Finally addressed the man once his daughter had finished retelling everything she had gone through since he was hospitalized. He then faced Blake and slightly bowed gratefully. "And a million thanks to you. I don't even want to imagine what would've happened hadn't you been there."
"It… certainly came at a cost." Regretfully replied the dark-haired woman, eyeing the soldier's missing arm.
He released a low chuckle while snuggling his child. "It's nothing compared to what I could have lost."
"I'm sorry if this seems abrupt, mister…"
"Tobias. Tobias Niels."
"Mister Niels. I know you've barely recovered from your injuries, but we have a few questions we'd like to ask you."
He nodded, sitting his daughter beside him to give them his full attention.
"From what I've gathered, and trust me that this little devil has been very good at keeping her lips sealed, you were captured for interrogation about the upcoming transport of dust by train as part of the latest trade deal between Vale and Atlas. However, that wasn't the only question they had and when you couldn't answer whatever that other one was, Twilight here saved both of you before they could harm your daughter."
The man's gaze had flickered toward the faunus when Scarlet had spoken her fake name. Fortunately, it would seem that he had been discreet enough for his action to go unnoticed by the ravenette.
"Yes… that is… correct." He replied hesitantly, a part of him conflicted about helping the ex-commander of terrorists even if she saved his daughter.
"My question is: would you happen to know which group of bandits took you captive?" She asked as an odd pressure filled the room.
Maybe it was an effect of the stress she felt, but Blake had this strange sense of complete isolation. As if the doors and windows had suddenly vanished, leaving her at the mercy of the unfolding events.
The man fell silent, gazing at his missing arm before facing his daughter. Both shared a loving expression as he replied. "They didn't seem like a group that I've been briefed about, but make no mistake, they seemed fully capable of whatever they're planning on doing with that train."
Scarlet reclined into her chair, pinching her chin pensively which left Blake to pick up the conversation.
"Back when Ad- when you were being interrogated, what were they asking you when they threatened Tatjana?"
"They were asking about someone. They called her 'The Humming Huntress'." He replied, which seemed to catch both women's attention.
While she didn't know how Scarlet was related, the faunus had heard of this 'Humming Huntress' before. They had been the subject of rumors among the White Fang even before she had been sent here.
A woman in a red cloak, commanding two wolves which seemed to hunt specific individuals before hastily retreating. Those beasts are said to be undying vengeful spirits since bullets were reported to be ineffective against them. While her hounds were on the hunt, she would use a bow to injure any who'd attempt to interrupt their chase. However, what earned this mysterious person her title was the fact that she would be humming a song described to be morbidly soothing from beginning to end.
"Unfortunately, I've never heard of someone like that; but based on their description, they sound like a certain individual I've been briefed about." Continued Tobias when none of the two women added any comment. "About a month ago, four men came running into an outpost up north…"
"Help!" Screamed one of the soldiers, stumbling into the outpost and tripping on his own feet while the others ran past him.
"The hell are you four doing? You can't just run in here like that!" Warned one of the stationed soldiers, raising his rifle toward the four men who halted in their tracks.
"Wait, please! We're-" Attempted to explain the fallen man, hands in the air before suddenly stopping when the distinct sound of sliced flesh echoed through the air.
Blood began to pour in an angled line before bursting as the man's body fell in two halves.
The three others screamed frightfully then resumed running while the other soldiers fired near the dead man. A few sparks appeared, accompanied by the sound of metallic impacts which approached them. The closer it went, a translucid figure could be perceived, twisting a large object to block their bullets while evading the larger calibers from the defense turrets.
"Semblance user!" Warned one of the men, causing most of them to grab the injector on their hip and inserting it into their neck.
Taking advantage of this brief respite, the figure burst forward, catching up to one of the fleeing men and swinging their indiscernible weapon through him, killing the man on the spot.
By then, the figure's semblance seemed to have faltered further as colors could now be perceived, revealing a great, red mass.
Said mass seemed to extend a limb before two muzzle flashes along with their signature thunderous sound announced the projectiles which planted themselves into one of the man's legs and the other's skull, causing both to fall to the ground.
It then burst forward once more, grabbing onto the injured man as it finally took form, revealing an individual covered by a crimson hooded cloak which reached their ankles. Whatever weapon they had previously used was nowhere to be found. As they turned to face the armed men, the soldiers found themselves confused when they were met with a dark void under the hood instead of any discernible facial features.
Still holding onto the fallen man's collar, the figure nodded at the soldiers before both they and their captive dissolved into rose petals which stormed away from the outpost.
"... a couple of other reports detailed similar events for the coming weeks and then nothing." Said Tobias as he finished his explanation. "The thing that many officers have yet to understand is that this individual would always target a few individuals and leave the others unharmed. Odder yet, other than being on friendly terms, these individuals had no particular connections that we've been able to dig up. In the end, these incidents became classified and this woman with strange tech was simply classified as: shoot on sight."
"That is… strange, yeah." Awkwardly said the cat faunus, glancing at the ravenette who still retained her pensive expression. "Wait, you said a woman with strange tech?"
The man hugged his daughter closer with a nod. "How else do you explain the strange hood and experimental cloaking device?" He then frowned awkwardly while glancing at his missing arm, still unused to being unable to move the removed appendage.
" No wolves either, but the red cloak matches. " She thought to herself before addressing him once more. "I thought you said they were a semblance user?"
He raised an eyebrow at her. "Morphing into rose petals doesn't sound like a semblance to you?"
"Right…" Blake replied, faunus ears flat on her head.
"Could be magic." Suggested Scarlet at last, earning apathetic stares from the two adults. "Hey, just adding my own thoughts." She added with a shrug.
They continued to talk until the man eventually ran out of energy, bringing an end to their visit.
That night, Blake laid in bed, staring at the ceiling with a frown on her face. They had Tobias call his superior to report the upcoming heist during their visit, but the answer he received – while acknowledging his warning – sounded almost dismissive which certainly rubbed her the wrong way.
Then there's the fact that no update had been made on the shipment publicly. Whether it be delays or increased security.
This didn't make sense, such an important trade would be handled so poorly? She couldn't believe that to be the case, but what else could she do?
Oh, if only her parents could see her now. She hadn't seen them ever since they fled Menagerie when the presence of the White Fang grew. She had refused to follow them, the fool she had been, having chastised them for abandoning their people. She wonders where they are now. If they would still embrace her fondly should they meet again and forgive her sins.
If they still loved her.
Rolling to her side, amber orbs landed on her weapons laying on the bedside table.
She couldn't change the past, but she could prevent what's to come. Yes, there was something she could do.
With a shake of her head she rolled to the other side and closed her eyes. Who was she kidding? A single woman against the White Fang and possibly the Atlesian soldiers? When Adam would most likely be there? She stood no chance against that. Her efforts would simply be wasted and her life forfeited. Therefore she wouldn't and instead enjoy the comfort graciously gifted to her while it lasts.
Seconds later, she released a groan as she left her bed, grabbing her weapons while she headed for the bathroom.
Straightening her sleeves, Blake swiftly went down the stairs to the diner but immediately froze when she overheard a conversation in the distance thanks to her cat ears.
"Absolutely not. You're not going over there." Came the voice of Qrow. It's tone was strict with a hint of worry, showing great care for whomever he was talking to. "Besides, why would they need dust, of all things?"
"When was the last time you heard about anyone attempting a heist on this trade? They even have the exact railway which will be used. They will be prepared, but for what? Even if they pull it off it's obvious that they'll have more to lose than gain. They must be involved somehow." Replied who she recognized to be Scarlet.
Light on her feet, Blake advanced until she could peek at the two from beside the wall. Both were behind the bar, the ravenette sitting on the counter while the man cleaned the space.
"Or these amateurs are simply too ambitious for their own good. Point is, there's no reason for you to risk yourself for a maybe." He grunted, drying a glass with a washcloth.
The red-eyed woman gazed at her dangling feet with a determined expression. "We already know that some of them have infiltrated the Atlesian military. We've sent a warning about this potential heist and yet no actions have been taken thus far. What if the cargo isn't what they're after?"
The man sighed while storing the glass away. "You're going no matter what I say, right?" He jammed his thumb toward the stairs, unaware of the cat-faunus who ducked away, hugging the wall for dear life. "What about that new friend of yours? You're just gonna leave her here?"
Scarlet raised an eyebrow, laying back along the counter to the red-eyed man's disdain. "Friend? Please, we barely know anything about each other. Plus, I think she hates me. Anyway, yes. She seems a bit older than me. I'm sure she can take care of herself."
Qrow groaned, throwing the washcloth over his shoulder while leaning onto the counter over the ravenette, staring down at her. "Take something to eat with you this time at least? We own an inn for god's sake."
"Fine, fine." She replied, rolling her eyes.
She then reached out of the cat-faunus' line of sight and pulled out a red hooded cloak which she swiftly threw on as she stood from the counter.
Blake's eyes widened in shock at the sight. A red cloak, much like the woman from Tobias' reports, much like the Humming Huntress. Could they be related? A group perhaps? Was Scarlet one of the two or another unknown third?
Before she could ponder on the matter any further, Qrow began to talk again. "Guess that means you'll be gone for a while again? Well, I'm sure Oscar and I can hold down the fort until you come back."
"You could always ask that girl to help? She is staying here for free. Maybe it could pay for her meals?" Replied the cloaked woman, rummaging through the kitchen.
"She doesn't look like someone with a customer winning smile. I'd say she's more able with those weapons of hers than with conversing with anyone."
Blake frowned at the comment, slightly peeved. Although, he wasn't wrong. Her skills in warfare far surpassed her social ones.
Scarlet came out of the kitchen, seemingly without any trace of bag or stored food in her possession, while raising an eyebrow at the owner. "Says the one without any eye for people. I, for one, think she'd have a wonderful smile if she tried. Besides, it's not like you're any better."
"Ladies love me." Rebutted Qrow with a suave smirk. However, the slightly offended tone in his voice let his true feelings bleed through.
He was met with silence as the ravenette stared at him impassively. "Right… Well, see you in a few days." She replied, tapping onto the rim of her hood, making it glow momentarily while the interior darkened until her head became imperceptible. She then dissolved into a cloud of rose petals which flew out of a nearby opened window, leaving the red-eyed man alone to close it with a groan.
Having no time to ponder those events, Blake attempted to stealthily run toward the exit while the owner's attention was elsewhere.
"Before you leave." He said, stopping the faunus in her tracks. "Mind taking this with you? She forgot to bring it with her."
Did this man have eyes behind his head? How could he have heard her steps when even other faunus couldn't? Her thoughts were interrupted when her hands reflexively caught a large gourd filled with water.
"While you're at it. Could you talk to her for a bit? She could use a few friends her age for once." He added before returning to cleaning his bar.
Blake's gaze alternated between the gourd and the man before leaving without a word, following after the falling petals which seemed to vanish a few seconds after touching the ground.
She couldn't remember the last time she had to run this fast. Having two non-aura users had forced her to control her speed last time, but even while concentrating her entire aura into her legs, she could barely keep track of the petal cloud.
From the conversation she overheard, it was obvious that Scarlet was heading for the maple sierra railway. All she had to do was follow and she would reach her objective without any trouble. That is, if she'd manage to keep up with her.
It also became quite obvious that the crimson themed woman was the same person who openly assaulted Atlesian outposts on her own. To say that she was anxious of her fate should the ravenette notice her would be an understatement.
This pursuit, much to her surprise and frustration, persisted for a few hours until she lost sight of her target. Trying her best to suppress her heavy breathing, Blake pressed her back onto a nearby tree, peeking on both sides in an attempt to catch a glimpse of anything clueing her of the woman's position.
"You know, it's kinda creepy to follow someone at night like that." Came the familiar voice of the ravenette from over her, causing the faunus to jump in fright, creating a double of herself where she stood as she launched herself away.
She then drew her pistol toward the origin of the voice only to see the hooded woman lying lazily on a branch, most likely staring at her through the unnatural darkness surrounding her head.
Was it the difference in elevation? Something about their situation made the faunus' senses flare in distress. She couldn't let those stories get to her head. No matter what, they were both semblance users; their strength must be somewhat close to one another, so why was she unable to rid herself of this feeling of imminent danger emanating from her?
"L-look, I'm not a threat to you in any way." She said, cursing herself for stuttering.
"And yet, you're the one pointing a gun at me."
Blake continued to stare at her for a few seconds before switching the safety on her gun and throwing it forward. She then raised her hands in surrender.
"That sword is quite conveniently placed, huh?" Followed the hooded woman, nonchalantly tapping against the branch she laid upon, kicking her feet in the air.
This made the dark-haired woman glare at her, cat ears folded defensively against her head, before loosening the straps holding onto her sword, letting it fall to the ground behind her.
The red cloaked individual muttered something under her breath which Blake barely managed to hear before glancing at the place where the faunus' shadow double still stood.
"You've been quite cooperative for someone who's a semblance user." She commented, receiving no response.
She then let herself slide off the branch, falling gracefully to the ground where she knelt to pick up the two weapons, causing Blake to stare in bewilderment toward the two locations where the armaments used to be.
"How are you doing this?" She asked, unable to stop the words for leaving her once they entered her mind.
Yet, Scarlet never answered her. Instead, she sat down near a bundle of sticks which she lit up instantly, most likely through the usage of fire dust.
"Sit." She ordered, motioning toward the opposite side of the blaze. "It's not easy keeping up with me like that. You must be tired. I got a few pepperettes if you're hungry?"
"I… I think I'll stand, thanks."
"If you don't sit, I'm leaving you here without your weapons."
They stared at one another; Blake with apprehension while Scarlet seemed mostly in between bored and annoyed. Ultimately, the faunus took a few careful steps closer then sat where she was assigned, hesitantly taking hold of the offered snack.
Scarlet took hold of her hood, once again seemingly making the rim glow as she pulled it down, revealing her face and making Blake gain a surprised expression at a particular detail.
"Your eyes…" she mumbled, staring into the other woman's globes. "They're…"
"Silver?" Suggested the cloaked woman, carefully analyzing her reaction.
Never before had Blake seen eyes like hers. While she had yet to meet someone with amber eyes like hers, save for her mother, something felt different about the ravenette's color. It could have been a simple trick of the light like the day she first met her, but there was an elegant glow coming from them. Like the serene welcoming radiance of moonlight reflecting upon the edge of a sharp blade captured in her irises. Inviting yet deadly and it was up to the cat faunus to choose a side.
"Are they?" She asked, realizing that she had just been staring this whole time. "S-sorry. I've just never really seen anyone with eyes like that."
In an instant, the blade was gone from her gaze leaving captivating crystals. She sent her a charming smile, reaching behind her back and taking out a cut of cheese which she offered her. "Well, I've rarely seen ones like yours either."
She clumsily accepted the odd peace offering, slightly lost in her own thoughts. Since when has she ever been this captivated by anyone's eyes? It's not like it was anything she was into. In fact, she's not even sure what she's into. Maybe it was best to leave those thoughts for another time.
With a subtle shake of her head, she reached for the gourd attached to her hips. "That, uh, guy. Qrow? He asked me to bring this to you."
The ravenette's eyes widened as she took hold of the container. "Did I really forget to bring water, of all things? Well, aren't you a life saver?"
They then spent the next few minutes in silence while they ate and drank. The dark-haired woman analyzed her 'captor', noticing how she seemed to awkwardly refuse to meet her gaze once they had stopped conversing. It was then that the innkeeper's words came to mind.
" She could use a few friends her age for once. "
"So…" she began, immediately earning the other woman's attention. "Are you… the woman from Tobias' reports?"
This seemed to catch her off guard, freezing her momentarily before she gazed at the embers reluctantly. "You got any other questions?"
She knew that she had stepped on a subject she shouldn't have, especially for the objective she was pursuing, but she couldn't fight against her curiosity. "The Humming Huntress?"
The only answer she received was the ravenette wrapping her cloak around herself.
"Uh, what about why you're interested in the train heist?"
This time, Scarlet stared back at her with an impassive gaze. "Why are you?"
"I…" She tried to replied, but couldn't come up with anything that would reveal her identity.
The cloaked woman stood up while pulling her hood over her head. "Nevermind. You should rest. I'll watch over for tonight." She said before using her semblance to disappear into the tree beside them.
Blake watched her leave before gazing at her weapons which were left behind. She grabbed them then observed the surrounding darkness with hesitant expression. A few seconds pass until she decided to lay down near the tree trunk while setting her armaments beside her.
She couldn't explain why, especially after spending so much time fearing the woman, but something told her that she could trust her for now.
She dismissed her aura and let her cumulated exhaustion seep into her as she closed her eyes, falling into a deep slumber.
The sound of chirping birds and the warm embrace of sunlight gently shook the cat faunus awake. Rolling onto her back, she was about to stretch when the memories from yesterday flooded her mind, making her sit up, swiftly grab her sword and wield it defensively while observing her surroundings.
It was only when she heard the sound of multiple fluttering wings over her that she thought of looking upwards, where she saw Scarlet sitting on a branch with a hand outstretched, most likely having held one of the many birds which were fleeing.
"Slept well?" She asked, turning to face the faunus before dropping to the ground.
Blake's eyes darted between her sword and the ravenette a few times before relaxing her stance and sheathing the blade. "Yeah… Sorry. About the birds and all."
Scarlet waved her off, kicking a bit of dirt over the smoldering ashes then approaching the amber-eyed woman with a granola bar. "Eat this then we can start running again. If you're fast enough, we'll reach the tracks before the train departs."
The dark-haired woman accepted the snack, glancing at the cloak wearer then toward the branch she previously sat on. "Did you really watch over me the whole night? Why? We barely know each other."
She shrugged, leaning against the trunk while crossing her arms. "You don't seem like you're after my life and you know what they say, it's always better to travel in pairs."
"That's… it?"
"Does it need to be anything else?" She asked while taking a bite of her own bar. "The way I see it; we both want to reach that train before those bandits, right? I don't need to know why you do and neither do you. So why don't we watch each other's backs on the way there?" She then glared while adding a few words. "Fair warning though, I can't promise we'll be on the same side once we get there."
Prior to the previous night, the woman's presence would have felt overwhelming to the faunus. Yet, now that she had time to observe her further, she caught a glimpse of something behind her harsh demeanor; well hidden, but easily caught when you know where to look.
The ravenette was forlorn. A feeling she was quite familiar with during her years in the White Fang. Fortunately for her, she had her mentor and close friend, Adam by her side during their travels. Who did Scarlet have? If it weren't for her pursuing her, would she have simply traveled alone? If so, how long has she done so?
With subtle amused huff, Blake smiled which caught Scarlet off guard, then extended her hand towards her. "Sounds fair to me. Good to know I'll have a strong friend to watch over me."
The cloaked woman's eyes widened when the subject of friendship came along, seemingly shocked by its presence, before smiling back at the faunus. "Friends sounds good." She said, shaking hands with her. "I knew you'd have a great smile."
Blake chuckled awkwardly at the compliment. She had already heard the woman's opinion back at the inn but found herself flustered when told upfront. A low yelp escaped her when Scarlet tugged her closer, shifting her grip to intertwine their fingers as their faces became closer.
"So, friend. We still have a long way to go, so…" She said, grabbing the dark-haired woman's other hand and tangling their digits much like the other. "Do you trust me~?" She asked with a lustrous voice, making Blake stare at her in confusion.
"Wha-?" She barely managed to exclaim when both of them burst into a large cloud of rose petals which darted into the wilderness, leaving no traces of their passage.
That's chapter 2 down!
So, yeah. As most of you might have noticed, the first four chapters are each focused on a different woman from team RWBY (this one being Blake). However, most of the events that happened here were supposed to happen in Ruby's chapter but contained too many elements relevant to Blake that cutting the chapter before touching on those would make it a bit... incomplete? Anyway, this allowed me to modifiy what I wanted for Ruby's chapter in a way that I enjoy the new approach much more and I hope you guys like it too once I get there.
Next chapter is Weiss, leaving only two pilot chapters before I focus back on my main story for a bit.