Fragment #2
A simple story
"You wished to speak with me Ms. Belladonna?" Cassian sat opposite Blake, sipping from his coffee cup. The two of them were in a cafe somewhere in Vale, Cassian having left Winter with Yin in order to check the festival preparations.
"Yes Colonel." Blake sipped her tea, only to scrunch her face up in pain and place her cup down. "H-hot!"
"You have a cat's tongue don't you?" Cassian said, a smile growing on his face as he watched Blake try to cool her tongue down. "Can't take hot or cold."
Blake wondered if Cassian was hinting at something, perhaps knowledge of her identity. She had no doubt in her mind that Cassian knew something about her past. Exactly how much and what he was planning to do with this knowledge, well that was what Blake was here to find out.
"I can't at all." Blake blew on her tea, trying to find the right words to carefully probe the information out of Cassian. "Colonel, may I-"
"Let me tell you a story Ms. Belladonna." Cassian interrupted suddenly, placing his empty coffee cup on its saucer. "I think it'll answer any questions you have, as well as potentially help you with any issues you may have."
Blake looked at Cassian, wondering what his game was. Cassian, for all appearances, simply gave Blake a relaxed smile. After a moment, Blake nodded her consent.
"This is a hypothetical story, with no relation to real world events in any way." Blake resisted the urge to laugh at Cassian's disclaimer. There was no doubt that his 'story' was anything but hypothetical. "In a certain kingdom in a certain place, there is an organisation called the White Fang."
"Hypothetical?" Cassian grinned.
"The White Fang doesn't have a trademark on the name." Blake sighed. "Anyway, one day this organisation decides to send two of its operatives on a mission to a forest of red leaves. Their target is a train full of precious goods."
Blake felt herself tense up. There was no doubt Cassian knew exactly who she was. She wondered if she would be able to escape this meeting without getting herself slashed in half.
"So-" Cassan continued, seemingly unaware of Blake's internal conflict. "-the operatives attack the train, which is owned by the Schnee Dust Corporation and is patrolled by numerous weaponized droids of various types. These droids-" Cassian looked Blake directly in the eye. "-have cameras built into them for vision purposes. Like any security system, there is a direct link between the cameras and a centralised database run by an organisation in charge of SDC security called Pale Horse."
Blake mentally kicked herself. How could she have forgotten about the cameras built into the droids? At the time she hadn't cared, since Adam had wanted their faces to be associated with fear. In hindsight however, these cameras had basically screwed her over. This explained how Cassian knew exactly who she was. What it didn't explain however, was why she hadn't been visited by Pale Horse the moment she stepped into Beacon.
"Now, in this company called Pale Horse, when an event like this happens, all video feeds will be checked by a high-ranking member of the company. In this particular case, a dashingly handsome Colonel is the first one to access the feeds. Regular members can't access these feeds, due to security reasons." Cassian placed his elbows on the table, intertwining his fingers to create a platform, and rested his chin on this platform. "So when this Colonel, who is the first person to access the videos, checks the feeds, he finds himself watching a play-by-play of what happened on the train. In perfect high definition with sound."
Blake felt her hand slowly drift to the hilt of Gambol Shroud, which she had hidden under the table. Cassian, despite noticing the gesture, did not move.
"So in theory, the correct procedure that the Colonel should follow is to report his findings to his superior, as well as spread the information through the proper channels in order to capture the suspects." Cassian's gaze seemed to bore into Blake's soul, freezing her and preventing her from moving. "However, the Colonel doesn't do that."
Blake felt her tension peak and then release. A mystified expression grows on her face as she processes what Cassian had just said. Cassian, noticing Blake's expression, laughs.
"Like I said, the Colonel has access to both video and sound feeds." Cassian gave Blake a kind smile. "He hears what one of the members, the protege of the other one, says. He sees what the protege does in order to save the crew and escape from the White Fang."
"Colo-" Cassian held his hand up, preventing Blake from speaking.
"So the Colonel ends up accidentally wiping all data regarding the robbery from the databases, before reporting his findings to his superior. Due to one thing or another, the Colonel only reports one of the White Fang members, that of the man with red hair and a Grimm mask. The other White Fang member, with a pretty black bow, officially does not exist." Cassian leaned back in his chair. "Quite a story isn't it, Ms. Belladonna? A curious mix of coincidences that could not possibly occur in the real world. "
"...yes it is." Blake takes a moment to collect her thoughts, before continuing. There was a question that she needed to know the answer to. "In the story, why did the Colonel do what he did?"
"A good question." Cassian gave Blake a Cheshire smile. "Perhaps the Colonel believes in second chances. Or maybe growing up with Faunus makes him more sympathetic towards their plight. Then again, he could just be an idiot-"
"Or he's someone who does what he feels is right." Cassian smiled at Blake's comment.
"Between you and me, I like to think that's the reason why he did it." Cassian stood up and placed some Lien on the table. "Now then Ms. Belladonna, a question for you. Do you think the girl with the pretty black bow will use her second chance to do what she feels is right?"
Without waiting for Blake's answer, Cassian left the cafe.
Some people were wondering if Cassian knew who Blake was. Well, here's your answer! (Originally this was gonna be in the next chapter, but I decided that it should be a fragment instead, since it wouldn't fit the tone of the next chapter.)