Ch 5: Revelation

As they walked to their new dorms after the ceremony Ruby was the first one to break the silence.

"So Richard what exactly were you doing in the forest?"

"Once I landed I started searching for someone to work with. I heard Yang fighting a couple of Ursas and started heading there. Before I got there I overheard a group of people talking. I climbed a tree to see what was going on and discovered they were a group of White Fang assassins trying to ambush and kill our group before we could advance at Beacon."

Weiss suddenly looked up and said,

"Wait, the White Fang were trying to find us. Why would they be interested in a group of hunters and huntresses from Beacon?"

"No clue, before I got the chance to look for a letter or mission I heard you guys fighting and ran over to help."

"I thought I heard fighting, we would have gone to investigate but Blake and I hound the ruin."

"Ruin? What did it look like?"

"Well, it was this little circular ruin with several podiums around it and a strange symbol in the middle. Oh wait now I remember there was a strange grave off to the side. Something about this George guy and the White Fang. Why do you ask Richard? Is something wrong?"

"No wonder Ozpin was there." Richard thought to himself but said,

"It's nothing just remembered a place that sounded like that."

"Ok well we're here it says here that this one is ours and the net room is yours Richard it says that you get your own room because there are only four beds but we all still share the same bathroom."

Blake was the first person to enter and set her things down on the nearest bed. Before anyone else could unpack Richard quickly moved across the room and pinned Blake to the nearest wall with a knife to her throat.

"Richard are you cra-."

"Stop! Before we do anything else I would like to know why a lieutenant in the White Fang is enrolled at Beacon. Not just any lieutenant but the same lieutenant that captured my friend and I and got George killed and was the reason I got this." He said as he tore off his bandana with his free hand revealing the jagged burn mark on his face.

"Richard I can explain." Blake said terrified as the knife point moved ever closer to her throat.

"Richard calm down put away the dagger." Yang said stepping slowly towards them.

"I think we should here her side of the story before we jump to any conclusions."

"Fine." He growled as he sheathed the dagger in a sheath hidden on his left foot. "But this better be one hell of an explanation if you want to survive this night."

"He's right, before all this I was one of the White Fangs best fighters. Back then we weren't that violent. We never hurt or killed anyone; we just protested and boycotted discriminatory businesses. I was one of our most ardent supporters and thought what we were doing was right. I thought we were the good guys. That is until that day you and George attacked our warehouse."

"Wait you said George, you mean the same George from the grave we found in the woods." Yang interrupted.

"Yes, Adam and I found them as they were leaving and captured them. I didn't know what Adam was going to do to them until I heard Richard screaming in pain. It made me sick to think that the organization I had supported my whole life could be that cruel. I tried to justify it or forget that moment and it almost worked until you and George escaped and I saw Adam end George in cold blood without any remorse. It was then I truly saw what the White Fang had become. I couldn't eat or sleep until I finally made the decision that I would no longer be a part of this tyranny and escaped the first chance I got. I thought I could just run away from my past until I saw you the first night we were here. I told myself that I would try to speak with you alone and apologize and move forward." Blake concluded with a small tear beginning to run down her cheek.

"Blake, I'm sorry. I let my anger control my actions and I almost did something that I would have really regretted. I just didn't know what to think when I saw you. I just jumped to the worst conclusion."

"Wait a minute how do you know she's telling the truth. She could just be using us." Weiss interjected.

"I can see the truth in her eyes."

"What are you talking about Richard?"

"I looked into her eyes and saw grief and sadness. I saw a person desperately trying to escape the pain and tragedy that she thinks defines her. I see a person who wants nothing more than to forget about the past and run away from the grief. I looked into those eyes and saw the pain and grief in my own eyes after I buried George."

"Richard I"

"No Blake it's okay. I just want to say thank you. From that night I was consumed with the desire to find those criminals and get my revenge but you showed me that there are some things in this world that can help you to move on a lot better than revenge ever could. Now that we've cleared this issue up I'll be getting to sleep."

For the first time in weeks Richard actually thought he had a chance to get a good night sleep that didn't result in bone chilling nightmares that have haunted him. Unfortunately that wouldn't be the case. He found himself in that same alley staring at the fallen body of his comrade and Adam is laughing maniacally in front of him.

"This isn't real. I'm not here."

Suddenly a sharp nudge on the shoulder caused him to wake up screaming flailing his knife and finding Ruby backing towards the door where the rest of her team was.

"What was that Richard you could have hurt my little sister." Yang angrily yelled at him.

"I'm sorry it's just that I still have these nightmares about that night."

"I'm sorry Richard I heard you turning in your sleep and wanted to wake you up"

"It's better for the rest of you to just stay away from me until I'm awake. I don't want to hurt any of you."

"Ok Richard. It won't happen again. I'm sorry." Ruby meekly replied before leaving with the rest of the girls.

"Well, time to see what this day has to offer." Richard thought to himself.