"So, we meet again Shayne, and it's good to see you too, Blake" he said as he came to a halt.
"Adam!" Blake exclaimed; Shayne just glared at him.
"What do you want?" Shayne said through his clenched jaws
"Oh, I think you know exactly what I want, especially after last time"
Shayne shifted his weight at the memory, they had fought and Shayne had taken a bullet to his midsection.
"How many times do I have to tell you guys to go fuck yourselves, I'm not joining you"
"We got the message; now we just want you out of the way. That goal can be achieved in a couple of ways, you join, thus no longer making you a threat, or you die. It's simple" Blake was staring at Adam trying to follow what he was saying.
"Blake, I can see you are confused so I'll clear things up. Your boyfriend here is special and the White Fang had great plans for him until recently..." no-one cared to correct him.
Dundra, Eddi and Hanna came to Shayne's side,
"Aaah, the gangs all here, now I don't have to worry about killing the rest of you later"
"Adam, I was told something a long time ago, by a very old friend, would you like to know what that was."
Adam smiled grimly;
"Do tell"
"I was told that Death is a blessing, it should only be bestowed on those who deserve it. I tell you this as I make a point of not killing people, as you may remember, but today I make an exception"
Shayne drew his blade, the simple Katana, and held it ready.
"You wish to fight me; after last time do you really think that's a good idea?"
"No, but I'm going to anyway" Shayne sprung, the Grimm projecting him towards Adam.
They're blades clashed as the rest of Team SHDE dealt with the White Fang, the shots echoed around the courtyard. Lights turned on in windows and they were flung open. Bullets pinged of the stonework of the buildings, some shattered glass.
Shayne had become more skilled since their last encounter, he parried and countered Adam's lightning fast attacks, Adam started to take the back foot as Shayne increased the ferocity of his assault. Shayne disarmed Adam and he beat a hasty retreat.
"The longer you resist, the more students will die Shayne, even your precious Blake, and your sister Lina" Shayne knew he had made a mistake but didn't let Adam see it.
Adam gathered what was left of his forces and left as quickly as they had appeared. Once he was sure they were gone, Shayne dropped to his knees, he could hardly breathe. Lina and Velvet came running from the bushes and helped him back to his dorm. Shayne had to make a decision.
He woke several hours later, Ozpin was stood over him.
"Shayne, I was told what happened last night, I think you know what needs to be done" Shayne nodded sedately, he looked disgraced, "Shayne, know this, even though the decision has already been made, it does not mean you shouldn't think about it. Whatever you do, know your grandfather is proud of you" Shayne smiled softly at his mention.
"Thank you professor, I need to go to the forest, can you arrange a pickup for me if I need it when I have made my decision"
"Of course, I'll see to it immediately"
Shayne got dressed and made his way to the cliffs, 'How many times have I been in this position recently' he thought as he dropped into the valley in which the forest resided. He made his way to the clearing, with his thoughts weighing heavily on his heart.
He called Nemea to him and communed with him;
"Nemea, you know what I seek an answer for, what advice can you give me"
'Shayne there is not much I can say, you have already made your decision and seem content with it'
"I'm content because I have to be, if I don't do this then more students will die. I don't need that kind of blood on my hands"
'Shayne heed my words well, the things you do in life echo in eternity, by sacrificing either your life or your principles, you change the course of your destiny not only here but after you die'
"I am not dying for anything that I have no choice over"
Shayne was brought out his trance by his Scroll going off;
'Shayne, Adam is back, he wants to talk to you'
Shayne got to his feet and climbed onto Nemea, he rode him back to the school to see Adam stood in front of Ozpin and Blake. He hopped off and went and stood between them;
"Ready to go, my bosses don't like to be kept waiting" Adam said calmly
Shayne nodded and followed him to the waiting Bullhead, not wanting to start yet another fight. Once he stepped aboard, Shayne was cuffed and blindfolded. They flew for about ten minutes, Shayne made note of the direction they were going, they were heading east, he could tell by the smell of the streets below. They landed and he was pushed out before being ushered inside. He was lead to a circle of light.
"Shayne Oceanstrider, do you know who I am?"
"You're Roman Torchwick, the wanted criminal, and according to certain sources, you're an asshole" Shayne said showing no emotion, Roman barrelled forward and was about to strike him when a voice came from the shadows;
"Roman leave him be, come forward Shayne" he obligingly stepped forward, golden eyes judging him,
"Now, I assume you know why you were brought here" a woman's voice said smoothly.
"I'll never join the White Fang you know? Not after all they have done to me"
The woman stepped into the circle; she had dark hair and wore a short red dress;
"I would never expect you to, but it would have made our job easier if you had. No matter, you are here because only you can do what we need"
"And what is that exactly?"
"We want you to channel your Grimm into a vessel so it can be controlled, freeing you from it forever"
Shayne was thoughtful for a moment;
"I'm afraid you're too late, I have split the Grimm, even if I did as you said, you wouldn't have it all" he said with a smile.
Her face hardened as she conjured a fireball, trying to judge if he was lying, he was emotionless and cold. She extinguished it and strode towards him, she drew level with him. Shayne stared her down, daring her to call him a liar, no such accusation came.
"Very well, seeing as we have no use for you, you will be killed" she strode away and armed Faunus surrounded Shayne.
"I know as well as you do that I'm too valuable to die" he turned the Faunus that now enclosed him.
"Why do you do this, all you are doing is reinforcing the humans suspicions about the Faunus" he saw some weapons being lowered as they began to doubt if this was really the best way, "Come on then, you heard her. Kill me!" he shouted, trying to shake their convictions even further.
The Faunus hesitated, and Shayne waited;
"If none of you are going to kill me, I'll be taking my leave" Shayne went to go to the exit but as he heard the first blade sing through the air, he held up his bonds. The blade cleaved right through them and Shayne drew his blade.
He dispatched anyone who stood in his way to the door;
"Shayne, you know this means that people will die because of you"
Shayne rested his hand on the door knob;
"We'll see" he stepped out and strode away from the door, pulling up his hood as he went.
Sometime later he reached Beacon; Ozpin was waiting for him in the courtyard.
"So, you're not dead. I suppose this means I'll have to tighten security?"
Shayne nodded, as he went to pass Ozpin, he held up his cane, stopping Shayne.
"What did they want?"
"They wanted to control my Grimm"
"And?"
"I told them it had been split, I didn't say with whom"
"And they didn't try to kill you?"
"Oh no, they tried, I'm just very persuasive"
"Hmm, I see. Goodnight Shayne" Ozpin let him pass and looked out over Vale.
'I hope he knows what he's doing' Ozpin thought taking another sip of coffee as Shayne walked to his dorm.
Several hours later, Shayne and Blake stood atop the dorms. They stared out over the campus, watching, waiting. They observed several couples moving around, teammates or Faunus using the buddy system. Ozpin had implemented this in an attempt to stop any murders. Shayne's Scroll went off, it was Ozpin.
The buddy system had failed.
Blake and Shayne made their way to the location, he told her to wait around the corner in case it was anything like the last one. Blake went and talked to the girl who had found the body, she was covered in blood.
Shayne knelt down by the body; the throat had been cut and had bled out slowly onto the ground. Shayne stood up and got a feel for the crime scene, he determined that the assailant had been waiting in the shadows for someone to use the pathway. He walked towards the waiting police.
"Same story as before, throat slit after death, White Fang symbol painted in blood" he said as he ducked under the tape, "Only difference is that she isn't Faunus, this isn't good as it means that anyone could be next"
Shayne walked back to Blake.
"So, you were walking down the pavement when you tripped, you turned on your Scroll to light up the area and saw the body, you ran, when you checked your clothes you were covered in blood. Are you sure you're telling me everything?"
The girl nodded as Blake stood up and walked to Shayne;
"She's innocent, you can tell by the fear emanating from her"
"I am not going to let this continue, I have to go back to them..."
Before Shayne could finish a student came running towards them, he slowed to a stop, panting but talking all the same;
"White Fang...want you in Vale..."
"Slow down, catch your breath and try that again" Shayne said sitting him down
He caught his breath and tried again;
"The White Fang have been going around town telling people to get you into town; they want to talk to you"
"Blake, go tell our teams to be ready, if this gets nasty, and I know it will, I want some support, I'm going to see what they want"
They divided and Shayne reached the town in minutes.
He was walking the streets, walking in the middle of the road. There was no-one around, probably out of fear of the White Fang. He reached a crossroad and they showed themselves.
Hundreds of members, every last one of them armed and angry, Adam stepped forward;
"I'm glad you made it, I was getting worried" he said with sarcasm resounding around the empty streets.
"Adam, I only came to stop the murders, now what do you want"
"We told you what we wanted earlier, we told you that you needed to die, so now, we're going to kill you" Adam brought his blade up,
"Before you do, may I make one last call?"
"I'm feeling generous so go ahead" Adam said fingering the handle of his blade.
Shayne took out his Scroll and called Lina;
'Shayne, where are you? Blake came and told us to be ready, ready for what?'
"For this"
He dropped to his knees and a large portal appeared behind him and the rest of team SHDE along with RWBY, FLLN and the twins materialised behind him.
He hung up as Adam's face screwed up in anger,
"Open fire!" He yelled and the front lines of the White Fang raised their guns.
Shayne stood and created a wall of Grimm to absorb the bullets.
"Vossler, you and Ashe take RWBY and flank them, no death just wounds" he said as Lina helped him maintain the barrier,
"Dundra, Lance and Frank, you just be ready to provide cover when I drop this, the rest of you keep the White Fang off of me, I'm going for Adam" his face hardening. They nodded and made ready, with the Genesis twins disappearing into an alley followed by RWBY.
Shayne dropped the Grimm wall, the bullets dropping to the ground, Lina jumped behind the shield wall as Eddi popped up giving them cover fire as they advanced. As they got closer and the White Fang charged, the shield wall broke and battle ensued. The others that went to flank arrived just in time and caused them to panic.
Any that reached Shayne skidded to a halt, regarding the dark tendrils that poured off his shoulders. They parted as he moved towards Adam. Lina was subduing those that watched him pass.
As Shayne drew closer to Adam, Lina felt the Grimm start to burn in her. As she watched Shayne closer, the darkness enveloped him, she was horrified at what he had become, she had to stop this, she just didn't know how. Shayne drew his Katanas and rage filled his heart.
Shayne was operating out of anger at the fallen; his parents, his grandparents, his uncle and the girls who had been murdered. He would avenge them all, he would kill those responsible.
Adam struck first, his red blade flashing towards Shayne's torso. Time seemed to slow down, he watched the blade being fired from its sheathe, it arced through the air and Shayne leaned to the side as it made its way lazily past him. Shayne thrust his blade toward Adam forcing him to dance away. Time returned to normal as Shayne turned to face him. Adam had to rethink his strategy, Shayne had become too fast, so he reverted to pure tenacity, quickly closing the gap between them and ferociously attacking Shayne. Shayne had Grimm pouring off his skin, soaking into the atmosphere.
As the battle wore on Shayne became increasingly aware that he was becoming less in control of his actions, acting off instinct and… something else. He came to the sudden realisation that 'He' had taken over despite Shayne's cautiousness. Shayne was about to finish Adam when he regained control, his senses were dulled, he couldn't hear properly and his vision blurred, he staggered into a wall. He regained his composure only to have a blade pierce his shoulder.
"No!" Lina cried launching fireballs at Adam as she sprinted over to Shayne.
Adam dodged back, Dundra and Hanna did their best to hold him off but he was too fast for them. Lina tried healing Shayne's shoulder but it was no use, the Grimm was coursing through his blood, preventing his Aura from activating.
Shayne forced himself off the wall as Adam advanced on him again to finish the job. Lina tried blocking his advance several times, before being knocked to the ground by a well-placed kick. Adam stood over her smiling evilly;
"You have the same choice as he had, join us or die as he will" Lina spat at him, "Very well, death it is"
Adam raised his blade to strike her down. As he thrust his arm down Shayne caught the blade in his fist, wrenching it from Adams grasp. Shayne stepped in between them, the Grimm had stopped flowing out of him, and he was back to normal. He held his tooth knife in his hand and backed Adam to a wall.
"How dare you touch her, after all you've done? You want to take the last thing keeping me here; I say, no more, you…will…die" he plunged the knife into Adams gut and twisted, Adam spat blood as Shayne pulled it out.
The White Fang stopped fighting at Adam's scream and turned to their leader, now bleeding out onto the pavement. Shayne strode away, picking up Lina on his way past and went back to beacon.
'Now, to deal with Roman and Cinder' he thought as the others joined him and the White Fang took their wounded and their fallen leader away.