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Chapter 2 – Visitors
Seven months had passed since Fiona had become Luna's apprentice. Fiona became close to her mentor and had taken up residence in the Belladonnas' guestroom in their small home. When off duty, Blake's parents were sentries for the White Fang residential district – a village a few miles away from the main headquarters. Other than the few stray wolves or Ursa, the area was relatively calm and quiet. In other words, it was the perfect environment for training.
Fiona had picked up swords fairly quickly; although, she struggled a lot with shooting and long-range attacks. Blake had observed the many times that Fiona had missed a target by at least a foot.
"Okay, Blake, do you know what to do?" Blake nodded at her father. Luna was teaching Fiona how to track targets through crowded places. However, since they lived out in the forest, Shade had improvised a new task.
Since Blake was relatively small but could move quickly and weave in between trees and bushes, she was tasked as being the "target". A grey scarf was tied around her arm, and Fiona had to steal it. Yet, their simple hide-and-seek game included Blake being able to run from her pursuer and being able to fight Fiona off with punches and kicks.
The little girl nodded at Shade's instruction and took off into the forest. Blake had a ten minute head start before Fiona came running after her.
The cat Faunus contemplated hiding behind some rocks or finding a cave, but the chance at finding one were rather slim. Blake sped through the forest, making her surroundings blur with her speed. Yet, she was relatively quiet, careful not to step on any branches or rustle any bushes.
Finally, she decided to hide in a tree. Seeing a low overhanging branch, Blake pushed off the ground and swung upwards, landing gracefully on a branch. She smiled to herself; this was one of the benefits of being a cat Faunus.
The shadows from the trees concealed her, and Blake could look down onto the ground.
Her ears pricked and twitched; she couldn't hear any noises. That was odd, usually, Fiona would make occasional noise. Blake didn't know how long she waited, crouched up in a tree. Her leg began to cramp, and her mind started to wander.
Blake knew that there was unrest growing amongst White Fang, but she knew that it wouldn't affect her parents much. At most, they would be assigned a new target to guard.
But, some members were starting to support a new ideology. This new idea wanted members to be more assertive instead of the usual picketing and boycotting. Blake didn't know the alternative, but she did like the idea of White Fang being louder with their discontent. She felt that they weren't being taken too seriously, and Faunus were still being oppressed.
Blake vaguely recalled her parents mentioning the Schee Dust Company and its working conditions. The company was notorious for its questionable business practices, but nothing was being done to improve the workers' lives. If White Fang was more forceful, she reasoned, then wouldn't this problem be fixed? Their efforts wouldn't be ignored.
The crunch of leaves drew her out of her reverie. Blake's hands gripped the branch, and she leaned slightly forward. Fiona was currently sneaking through bushes; she had altered her skin and hair coloring to darker colors for camouflage. A puzzled look was etched on Fiona's face.
Blake's amber eyes squinted. She had to stay still and run in the other direction once Fiona had left. However, luck was not on her side. Fiona had tilted her head up and caught sight of her.
"Aha!" Fiona cried out and raced towards her. Blake swiftly stood and began climbing up. There was a rustle, and the tree bobbed. Blake jumped to another tree and decided to travel through the branches. She knew Fiona wasn't a very good climber. If she moved fast enough, Fiona would lose her trail.
Blake jumped from tree to tree, steadily keeping her balance. After a while, Fiona's noises had stopped. Blake paused and dropped to the ground. Travelling through the trees had started to take a toll on her energy; she had to find a new hiding spot.
"Gotcha!" Blake felt a hand on her arm. The girl squeaked and tore her arm out of Fiona's grasp. Suddenly, she felt a peculiar sensation, as if a warm energy settled in her mind, making her skin radiate. Yet, the sensation instantly faded, and Blade, despite feeling startled, sprinted into the forest.
Oddly, she began to feel the sensation at random intervals. Blake wanted to pause and see what was going on, but Fiona was still noisily pursuing her.
Blake continued running until she found herself in front of a stone wall. It dawned on her; Fiona was leading her into a trap. She had scoped out the area before coming after Blake.
In a last ditch effort, Blake tried to haul herself up the rocky face, but her nails scrabbled fruitlessly for a hold. She felt a tug on the cloth around her arm and sighed in defeat. Turning around, Fiona was wearing a triumphant smile but was breathing heavily.
"Did…did you see that?" Fiona asked. Blake frowned in confusion.
"See what?"
"Your Semblance." Blake stared at her in disbelief.
"What? What happened?" Fiona grinned.
"You made copies of yourself, but they vanished when I touched it." Blake looked at her arms; she did feel a peculiar sensation while running. Blake focused and tried to recreate the sensation. She felt a small heat pulsating through her mind and saw a faint outline. Blake sprang back and saw a copy of her form.
"Wh-whoa," she reached out and waved her hand, dissolving the copy into a black blur.
"It's like a shadow," Fiona commented, "Let's call them that! Shadows! That makes them sound cool!"
Blake's parents were surprised but extremely happy. And, whenever there was free time, Fiona would teach Blake the basics of Aura and Semblance. So far, Blake had managed to produce weak copies that vanished within half a minute and was able to use her Aura to heal minor scrapes and cuts. According to Fiona, Blake was far more skilled for her age compared to other children. Blake liked her compliments; the faster her skills improved, the faster she could join White Fang.
Blake had awoken to the sound of doors slamming. Groggily, she opened her eyes to see her room dimly illuminated from the light outside her bedroom door. She glanced at the clock at her bedside – 4:17. The sun hadn't even risen yet.
Blinking, she rose out of bed and crept to her door. Opening it a crack, the little Faunus girl peered out to see her parents and Fiona speaking with an unknown visitor.
The visitor was a wolf Faunus; his ears gave that away. Yet, the man's hair had unusual coloring. Even though he didn't look a day past 30, his hair and wolf ears were a stark white. The man's ice blue eyes flickered from her parents to Fiona, worry was evident.
Blake strained her ears to hear what was being said.
"We're starting to experience tension between White Fang members," the wolf Faunus said. His voice was quiet and calm, yet it held power in it. Her parents shifted nervously while Fiona wrung her hands.
"You don't think there'll be a split, will there?" Fiona asked tentatively, "I know some people have differing ideas, but things aren't going to get violent, are they?" The wolf Faunus sighed and sat down at the nearby seat.
"You should let your daughter listen in. She's old enough to understand, and I think my followers should know what's going on." Blake jumped and stumbled back in surprise, leaving a Shadow behind.
Her door creaked open, and she saw Fiona's silhouette.
"Hey, c'mon. He knew you were eavesdropping. Let's hear what he has to say," she said gently. Blake lifted herself off the floor and waved away her Shadow, making it disperse.
The wolf Faunus arched an eyebrow with interest.
"Little girl, do you know who I am?" he asked. Blake shook her head.
"I am the Faunus who started White Fang – Bai Lycannis." Blake felt Fiona squeeze her shoulder. The cat Faunus's amber eyes met the leaders' blue ones.
"Do you know what is White Fang's purpose?" Bai asked. At an instant, Blake knew the answer. Her parents had been repeating the same thing ever since she learned to speak.
"Peace," Blake's voice was barely above a whisper, but the leader heard it. The wolf Faunus' lips twitched upwards in a small, sad smile.
"Yes, White Fang was created to bring peace between humans in Faunus. For all of us to coexist, help the oppressed, and banish the Grimm together. Can you remember that?" The girl nodded.
"Yes, sir." Bai sighed.
"Carry on this belief even when everyone else doesn't believe anymore?" He reached out and squeezed her hand.
"I promise." Blake felt a warm glow in her chest, "I won't let you down, sir." She felt reliable. The leader of White Fang had asked her to complete an important task; she would not fail him.
Bai stood up and made for the door.
"I'm going to keep White Fang together as much as I can," he told the family, "But, if a split does occur, then continue to support White Fang. Peacefully." However, he turned to give the family one last look.
"I would be careful. Not all Faunus share the same ideals." Without a word, he turned and left into the night, like a white ghost.
The was a moment of silence before Luna spoke up.
"We should get to bed now," she said gently. Luna's amber eyes shifted towards Shade's grey ones.
"Starting tomorrow, you should teach Blake some dodging and defense tactics." There was unanimous agreement amongst the adults, leaving an uneasy air hanging in the room.
That was just the beginning of Blake's troubles.
Yet again, Blake sat in the headquarter library, reading a novel. Her eyes read the words, but her mind was detached.
Her parents and Fiona were sent on a mission, and, according to rumors, it was dangerous. The participants themselves had never revealed any information, but Blake had the feeling that they were leaving Menagerie. They were off in the lands where humans ruled, and Faunus were just considered lesser beings.
The thought of humans made Blake shiver. Blake wasn't a child anymore and knew what some humans did to Faunus. However, surprisingly, her parents reminded her that not all humans were bad and hated the Faunus. Blake was skeptical, but a part of her hoped that it was true. She did not want a war to tear her parents away from her.
It had been four months since Bai Lycannis's last visit, and the soon-to-be ten year old knew that there was unrest growing amongst the White Fang leaders. The organization had split off into three smaller divisions with Bai as the main head and his successor as the second in command. However, each division had a new leader. The three new leaders were more radical, and, according to Blake's parents, they were more violent than what Lycannis himself would allow.
Blake glanced up at the clock; it read 1:30. Her parents and Fiona wouldn't be back for another four hours. She hoped that Fiona would be able to put some of her skills to practice. Before, most of Fiona's assignments were just guarding a minor diplomat or exterminating stray Grim loitering around the area.
The silence was broken when the door slid open. At first, Blake thought that her parents had returned early, but a redhead looked in.
This boy looked vaguely familiar, but Blake couldn't place where she might have seen him. The boy's maroon eyes locked with her amber ones. He had a bored expression set on his face as he opened the door wider.
"Hey, Miles wanted to know if you've eaten lunch yet," he said dully.
"Yeah, I have," Blake replied and resumed reading. However, instead of leaving, the boy walked further into the library.
"So this is where White Fang keeps all the book donations, huh?" His voice sounded slightly mocking and made Blake bury her nose further into her book. She didn't like how he referred to her books like they were something unwanted. She hoped that he would soon grow bored and leave.
But, those hopes were dashed when he took long strides towards her and dropped himself into the opposite seat.
"Whatcha reading?" he asked.
"A novel." The boy craned his head to try and see her face that was hidden behind the book's black cover.
"Your parents in White Fang?"
"Yeah." The boy leaned back in his chair. Ten minutes passed in silence with the boy's impatient shuffling in his seat. He didn't like to sit in one place for too long.
"Kinda boring here," he said to himself, "It's so quiet." Blake merely shrugged and hoped that he would lose interest soon. She muttered a complaint under her breath and held the book closer to her face. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to read the printed words up close.
"Hey," fingers curved around the top of her book, "I'm not stupid. I can tell that you're hiding your face."
"If you're bored, go find Miles or go to the cafeteria," Blake retorted, "You're not going to find anything very interesting here." From the corner of her eye, she could see the boy fold his arms over the table and place his chin over his hands, looking up at her.
"There's no other kids," he replied dully, "I'd rather be here than watching Miles fail at flirting." Blake could feel his stare through the book cover.
"Go look for a book, then. I think there's a stack of comics on the far left bookshelf."
"Already read those, and the novels are so long and wordy without any pictures."
"I'm not sure what to tell you then," she replied with a casual shrug, "You might like some maps."
"Hey, read to me," he didn't sound forceful, but Blake could tell that it was a demand. Blake blinked, lifted her head from the book, and looked at him curiously.
"What?" she asked with a small frown, her ears twitching.
"Yeah, just continue on with what you're reading and say it out loud." The boy looked up at her casually. Upon closer look, the boy's hair wasn't red. It was brown with red streaks and brushed back. Two bull horns protruded out from his hairline; the boy was a bull Faunus. Although he looked a few years older than her, he looked familiar.
Suddenly, the boy lifted his head; amber meeting maroon. He studied her intently, and Blake could feel her cheeks tinge with pink. She averted her eyes and shifted back, suddenly finding the wallpaper interesting.
"Hey, you're actually kind of cute," he stated with a straight face, "I thought you were hiding some kind of deformity or scar, but your face is pretty." Blake looked at him like he was crazy, but the boy remained relaxed as if he were talking about the weather.
"Uh…uh…thanks…" Blake said, not really knowing what to say in such a situation. She heard a quiet snicker and looked at the boy.
"Y'know, it's kind of funny to see you flustered."
"Y-you," Blake spluttered; her face turning beet red, "That's not something very polite to say!" The boy chucked and slouched back in his chair.
"Yeah, I guess so," he replied in mock contemplation, "but it was fun to see your reaction." For the first time in Blake's tranquil life, she didn't know what to do. The cat Faunus was drawn between chucking the book at the boy's head or getting up and storming away to hide her embarrassment. Instead, she opted for the third option of just sitting there dumbly, not knowing what to do.
"That wasn't nice…" she muttered and sank lower in her chair, hoping to disappear.
"Yeah…I'll stop," he was fighting a smile, and his breath came out in short puffs as he tried to suppress laughter. "What's your name? I'm Adam, by the way."
"Blake," she replied.
"Isn't Blake a boy's name?"
"No, it's not!" Blake argued back. She furrowed her eyebrows to try to scowl, but her lips twitched into a small smile. Ultimately, her attempt to conceal her amusement failed. With the recent power struggle within White Fang, it had been a while since she had a truly lighthearted conversation. Oddly, she found that talking with Adam made her spirits feel lighter, even though he did tease her.
"Yeah, yeah, fine. Can you read? I'm sure Miles wouldn't even check here." Adam snickered, "I bet he's going to go crazy when he finds out that I'm gone."
Sorry that this chapter was so late! I had a lot of work to finish yesterday, and I was too tired to post. Anyways, writing Adam's character was pretty daunting, and, knowing my luck, he'll be completely different in the actual show. But, I have the impression that he's confident and a bit prideful, especially at this age (10 years old).
I tried not to establish Blake as a sue and show some of her inner conflict with White Fang's changing ideals. I think, for the most part, she's (hopefully!) in- character or at least retains most of her core character traits. But, I want to establish a sense of innocence to her and have her develop through the story. Mainly, most of her troubles have not occurred yet, and she is a 9 year old who looks up to her parents.
Feedback is appreciated!
Love,
raining-indigo