A/N: Sorry for the long wait! Things came up, but hopefully we can get back to a good pace.

Chapter 7: The Atlas Tower Incident

Black was a good color to wear for her work. It was easy to blend in with the dark that way, and if her outfit got dirty, it was hard to notice. As the Kestrel flew itself out of Atlas, Violet sat perfectly still in the pilot's seat, staring at her gloved hands. It was difficult to see, but they were still slick with blood. The entire jumpship was filled with its thick metallic scent.

"Violet, do you want me to take care of that for you?"

Her eyes didn't shift away from her hands. "Yes."

She watched her gloves become enveloped in a grid of light as her gear was transmatted away, revealing her pale skin underneath. Spotless. "Fuck," she muttered, curling her hands into fists.

This was exactly what she was afraid of. These people weren't so fragile that her natural abilities would be enough, but the Light was far too lethal. At the very least, the way she used it. A paracausal force beyond her understanding, yet she wielded it to kill. It bothered her how easy it was for her. Violet looked up at her ghost, who was floating silently by her side. "How are you feeling?"

Yewan sighed. "I keep telling you—I'm fine."

Violet stared at her ghost, who stared back in return. A few seconds of silence passed between them before she finally nodded. "Good." She sighed gently as she turned to look outside the cockpit, watching dark clouds race her by as the Kestrel rushed them out of the city.

"Violet."

"Yeah."

"You shouldn't have done that."

"I was scared."

Yewan paused. "You shouldn't be. You know how strong you are."

She didn't turn to face him. "It's not about that, Yewan. You know that already. I don't care what happens to me, but you—"

"You should care about what happens to you," Yewan scolded.

"They tried to hurt you, Yewan. I had to do something." Her expression hardened.

Another pause.

"Violet," Yewan said gently. "We're a team. I'm glad that you protected me like you always do, but this wasn't the first time and this won't be the last. You can't turn to such extreme violence every time I'm in danger. You know you had other options."

"Did I?" she asked, more defensively than she meant. "What was I supposed to do, Yewan? I tried to hold back. That's how I got pinned down in the first place. And then they tried to destroy you, and—" Violet's throat tightened. "I tried, Yewan. But I'm not good at anything else."

She finally looked back up at her ghost. His icy blue eye met her gaze. She looked resolute. Yewan finally relented. "Okay."

Violet raised a hand in front of her, forming a grip as she pictured it holding a Void dagger. "I wish things were different, Yewan. I really do. I wish I knew how to use the Void better. If I did, maybe I could've held back more. I wish I didn't kill that man," she trailed off.

"Yeah…"

Violet slumped a little more into the seat with a small sigh. "Can you get me on comms with Ikora?"

"I can."

Ordinarily, comm links would be made through her helmet, but with her gear transmatted away, the sound of a static connection began to ring throughout the Kestrel instead. Violet leaned over, propping her elbows against her knees as she stared down at the metal floor. With each staticky ring, she doubted that this was going to work, but her faith in Yewan outweighed such doubts. If he told her that it worked, then it had to. As always, he proved himself to be correct after a minute had passed and finally a voice came through.

"Violet, is that you?" Ikora sounded throughout the jumpship. The quality of the audio was low as it went through terrible compression, but it was a miracle that she was coherent at all—a testament to Yewan's ability to convert an entirely differently encoded technology.

"It is," Violet said plainly. She had a habit of speaking monotonously, but she had difficulty hiding her growing fatigue from executing her Light abilities earlier—a detail that did not go unnoticed by the Warlock Vanguard.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"It's a long story," Violet grumbled.

"Let me hear it. But first, I want to congratulate you on establishing the comms link. I figured that's what you were working on after I didn't hear back from you immediately after you arrived. In two weeks, no less. Well done."

"Mhm," Violet vocalized, clearly unhappy. "It was Yewan who did all the work. I just got him where he needed to go."

"I'm sure that's not true."

"It's not," Yewan chimed in.

"That's what I thought," Ikora affirmed.

Violet sighed, leaning back in her chair to stare at the ceiling. "How much time do you have?"

"For you, I can make time," she said plainly.

Violet paused. "I…" she trailed off before sighing. It's just for business, she thought. "For starters, there is indeed intelligent life on this planet, which is referred to as Remnant by its people. Shockingly, most of the people on this planet are human."

"Human?" Ikora questioned. "Golden Age colonists, perhaps?"

"That's what I thought at first," Violet pondered. "But publicly available records regarding space travel all denote failures. They are completely dependent on technology that relies on a material they refer to as dust. It powers everything they use and it becomes inert in a vacuum. So far there is no evidence to suggest that anything starside surfaced on their planet. It is highly unlikely that they originated from Earth."

"I see," Ikora said thoughtfully. "Perhaps humanity evolved on this Remnant as well. Improbable, but not impossible. In any case, it is a welcome surprise that there is an intelligent society out there. And humans, no less."

"More than just humans."

"Awoken?"

Violet shook her head, though Ikora would have no way of seeing it. "Faunus. They are similar to humans in most regards, save for the fact that they all have an animal trait about them. Some are more distinct than others."

"Interesting. Like what?" Ikora asked curiously.

Violet said the first thing that came to mind. "Like tiger ears."

"Huh," Ikora vocalized.

"Faunus face much discrimination which birthed the White Fang, an organization of faunus dedicated to fighting for their rights. I won't bore you with the politics, as I'm sure you're dealing with enough in the Tower as is, but they exist outside the governments on this planet, so they have been serving as my point of contact."

"Wise. You would have had no way of knowing what policies they would have in place for interplanetary contact. What is your estimation of these governments?"

"Hard to say," Violet mumbled. "There are four major governments in the form of kingdoms on Remnant. Despite having a common enemy that threatens both humans and faunus alike, the kingdoms remain as separate entities and only work with each other in limited capacities."

"Strange." Violet could almost hear Ikora's brow furrow. "What is this common enemy of theirs?"

Violet let out a humorless chuckle. "You wanted me on this planet to scout out potential threats to Earth. I think you and I both assumed that meant for whatever might lurk in the stars on its way to our solar system. It turns out that the threats exist on this very planet. Creatures of Grimm—beings made of pure Darkness."

There was a pause. Violet could picture Ikora standing over a desk, wondering dozens of possibilities. Finally, the Warlock Vanguard broke the silence with a simple statement. "Tell me more."

"Hmm," Violet hummed. "At the moment, I don't have that much more to tell. I've had a single encounter with them so far, and the ones that I did face weren't all that impressive. The concerning part is how they seem to appear in countless numbers on this planet and no one seems to know their origins. Even Yewan accessing all available public databases didn't turn anything up other than hunting guides.

"The kingdoms' only answer to the Grimm have been training people to become huntsmen. They're people who utilize an ability they call aura to protect themselves and fight back against Grimm, though that hasn't stopped anyone from using it against other people. They whole-heartedly believe that this aura is a manifestation of one's soul."

"I find that hard to believe…but the universe is much larger than we know. Perhaps there is some truth to that that we can't possibly begin to understand," Ikora wondered. "Though, it sounds like you don't believe it either."

"It's just something I've been thinking about lately." Violet shrugged. "What they refer to as aura—they use it for abilities that aren't unlike our own. This may just be another aspect of the Traveler's Light."

"That's an interesting thought, Violet. You just might become a Warlock," she joked.

Violet rolled her eyes. "It's not impossible. We know that the Fallen—Eliksni—have once been under the Traveler's Light. Who's to say that there weren't others? The fact that Remnant has an atmosphere and gravity so similar to Earth might lend credence to this."

"You might be onto something…I would love to send scholars your way, but I'm afraid that they won't be able to handle themselves like you. The ones that can, like Asher Mir, are unavailable."

"I continue to work alone. Shocker," Violet replied evenly. "What about you?"

"Sadly, I still can't join you in the field, Violet. I am needed here more than ever." Ikora let out a heavy sigh. "The qualified Hunters remain scattered to the wind, avoiding the Vanguard Dare. As such, Cayde's duties have been delegated between Zavala and I. That has made things…difficult. Not to mention that we have been preparing for the worst after Rasputin's warning. Eris has been doing better since the last time you saw her, so she has been diving back into research for any clues on what Rasputin might mean. Curiously, the Drifter has been more active lately. He remains…dubious, but an ally."

"I see. Well, what's next for me?" Violet massaged the back of her neck as she looked out the cockpit again. The Kestrel had flown well out of Atlas now.

"These Grimm that you speak of cannot be ignored. If there is a source of Darkness on that planet, you must investigate it. Even if they have no hope of getting off that planet, it might give us more insight on our longstanding enemy," she said firmly.

I knew it, Violet thought to herself with a smirk.

"I know you're capable, but do not attempt to eliminate it by yourself if you find the source of these creatures. Report back first. I have lost too many agents that way, and even more guardians. If possible, try to work with these governments for matters regarding Grimm. I trust you to use your own judgment on that matter."

The Hunter stared at the back of one of her hands again, imagining it slick with blood from only minutes before. "I don't believe that will be possible at this time."

"Why not?"

Violet sighed. "I messed up."

There was a pause. "That's…unlike you. How so?"

"Since this planet has no way of sending satellites into orbit, their only form of long-distance communication is through these gigantic towers. Each kingdom has one main tower and they're all under heavy supervision."

"And you needed to access one for Yewan to establish the connection," Ikora filled in.

"Yes. Yewan clearly was able to establish the connection, but my infiltration was a bust."

"You, Violet?" Ikora said with genuine surprise.

She snickered. "Remember my point of contact? They're the ones who gave me the info that I needed. Seems like someone ratted me out for some reason. I was confronted by their security. They proved to be difficult to fight alone. They went after Yewan…I didn't let them." Violet shared a look with her ghost. They stared at each other, both replaying the conversation they had just before with a silent understanding that they've built over centuries of constantly being within one another's presence.

"I see…" She didn't need to hear what happened to know what Violet meant. There was another pause before Ikora finally spoke again. "How would this affect your standing with the other kingdoms?"

"Each kingdom seems extremely proud of their sovereignty. I doubt any would respond well if another kingdom were to demand support for extraction of a wanted fugitive. I may have destroyed any kind of relationship with this one kingdom, but the others may still be viable points of contact."

"Good. They may still prove to be valuable allies against these Grimm you mention. For now, I suggest laying low after your…incident. Fortunately, time is a resource that you have plenty of right now. Unlike me," Ikora sighed. "When you feel it is appropriate, find the source of these Grimm and contact me again."

"Understood."

"And Violet?"

"Yes?"

"I would have done the same," Ikora said with a mix of sympathy and conviction.

Violet's eyes flicked back to her hands. They were too clean. "Thanks."

The line disconnected.

Violet let out a heavy sigh as she sank further into the pilot's seat. "Some place to lay low?"

"The kingdoms may not work together frequently, but it's not impossible. I suggest finding somewhere outside the kingdoms," Yewan chimed.

Violet looked at her ghost. "You do realize that outside the kingdoms means only one place, right?"

"Well, two," Yewan did the ghost's equivalent of a shrug. "But only one of those landmasses is inhabited, so yeah, just the one."

"Speaking of, that one continent has yet to be explored because of high Grimm activity. It's probably the source that we're looking for."

"Probably, but let's follow Ikora's orders for now. Lay low."

"Right." Violet sat upright in the seat. "Do I need to remind you that the one place we can hide out in has our rat?"

"Hardly." Yewan rolled his eye. "But we do have a friend there, unless you think Sienna is the rat."

"No," Violet answered quickly. Friend. She thought about the word. Who could she call friends? She looked at the only one she knew for sure. "I don't think it's her."

"I didn't think so either," Yewan affirmed. "There's also no better way to find out who it is than keeping them close and seeing for ourselves."

"Hmm," Violet hummed. Then what? I'm not interested in killing anyone over this. And I'm not an authority to these people. She looked at Yewan who looked back at her blankly. But they did almost get Yewan hurt…or worse.

"Violet?"

"You might be right." She shrugged. "Even if the rat is unhappy, Menagerie is completely independent of the kingdoms, and there is no way they'd be willing to go as far as contacting Atlas to tell them of my presence. That would risk everything they worked so hard to build for themselves at Menagerie to let Atlas of all kingdoms intervene. Even if they do become that brazen, Atlesian presence on Menagerie would set a precedent they would not allow. Even if the locals don't warm up to me, they probably wouldn't allow Atlas to do as they please on principle."

"Mmm," Yewan hummed in agreement. "Why don't you give Sienna a call? She'll want to know that the delivery to the Schnee manor was a success, and about her pest problem."

"Fine." Violet let out a gentle sigh. "Get Sienna on the line, please."

A periodic ringing sounded throughout the Kestrel—an unfamiliar sound in her ship compared to the comm links she was used to. After a few moments, there was a connection.

"Ugh," a tired groan sounded. "Violet?"

"It seems like I only ever call when you're sleeping," she said dryly.

"Yeah, it's morning over here." Sienna's voice was low and raspy with sleep.

"Sorry to wake you." Violet felt strangely apologetic.

A stifled yawn sounded quietly in the Kestrel. "Don't worry about it. It's about time I woke up anyway." Violet could picture Sienna stretching as she heard a repressed groan that turned into a deep sigh. "I wasn't expecting you to call so soon. I guess everything went well?"

Violet clenched her jaw. "I was able to drop off the message without issue. Per your request, I made it theatrical. It should be impossible to ignore."

"Ha," she let out in a pleased manner. "I knew you were perfect for the job. Can't wait to tell Ghira the good news. Have you got what you need from Atlas Tower yet?"

Violet nodded slowly to herself. Sienna was far too casual. It was more than likely that she had nothing to do with the one who alerted Atlas to her presence. She had already suspected as much, but she felt an odd sense of relief to confirm it for herself. "Atlas security was tipped off that I would be there. They knew I was coming."

"What?" Sienna said sharply with a vigor she did not have just a moment before. "How could…Violet, you know that I—"

"I know it wasn't you." She cut her off. "It wouldn't make much sense for you to do that. Besides, I…" Violet trailed off. "Doesn't matter. Listen, I got what I needed from Atlas Tower anyway, but the White Fang are the only ones who would have known about my objective. I know it's not you, and it wouldn't make much sense for Ghira to do this either."

Sienna grumbled. "Shit." She couldn't help but think of the conversations she's had with Adam. He was being very inquisitive about the mission and what Violet would get out of this. He's the only one other than Ghira who could have known that Violet was going to Atlas Tower specifically…because I told him, Sienna realized. "Fuck!" she cursed again. "It has to be him! The fucking nerve of that kid!"

Violet raised a brow at the outburst. "It sounds like you have an idea on who it might be," she said dryly.

Sienna made a sound that was halfway between a groan and a growl. "Sorry Violet, this is my fault. Remember that kid, Adam Taurus?"

Violet's brow furrowed. "The redhead? Yeah, I remember. He didn't seem to like me very much, but you think he would go this far? I don't think I even spoke to him."

"That's what I thought," Sienna tsked. "I…I let him know that you were going to Atlas Tower. I didn't think much of it at the time. I figured I would tell him that much so he wouldn't pop a blood vessel thinking we gave you everything we had. I fucked up."

Violet sighed. "No, how could you have known." She closed her eyes and massaged the bridge of her nose. "I figured it was important to let you know that I fulfilled my end of the deal…but that's not the only reason I called."

"Don't tell me there's more bad news," she grumbled.

Violet chuckled dryly. "Unfortunately. Because Atlas security was tipped off, I…" She looked back up at Yewan, who looked back in return. Despite their earlier conversation, there wasn't any judgment from her ghost. "I killed one of them. And they didn't seem like typical guards, unless all Atlas security is that impressive. If the other four are lucky, they should survive. The point is that I need somewhere to lay low."

There was a long pause. Far longer than even Violet was comfortable with.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have imposed." She rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. Why do I feel weird about this?

"No, no," Sienna said quickly, finally responding. "I was just thinking. Of course you can stay with me in the meantime. I am partly to blame for getting you into this mess."

"Oh." Violet blinked. "I was just thinking you would point me in the right direction. I didn't think…I didn't mean—"

"Violet, don't be ridiculous. You don't have any other friends here, and I'm not about to tell you to go sleep in the woods."

Despite the situation, Violet couldn't help the smile that crept on her lips. Does that imply that we're friends?

"You know, I was asking you to stick around before you left. Funny how things worked out, huh?" Sienna snickered. After a pause, she cleared her throat stiffly. "That was a bad joke…sorry."

Violet chuckled. "I should be arriving late at night for you. I'll give you a call when I'm about to land. And…thanks for helping me out." She disconnected from the call.

Sienna folded her scroll shut before shoving her face into a pillow on her bed. What the hell is wrong with me, she thought as she let out a drawn out breath, heating up her entire face in the cushion. She turned her head for fresh air as her brow furrowed. This is not how I pictured my morning.

She sat up in her bed and looked out her bedroom window with a growing scowl. Taurus. She couldn't understand to what benefit he would tell Atlas of all kingdoms about Violet. Sienna hadn't paid much mind to their conversations in the past two weeks, but she remembered having a bad feeling in her gut. I should've listened to my instincts, she thought as she played back the conversations in her head.

She recalled Adam not trusting Violet from the very start. He was someone who did not appreciate surprises, so an unknown person being brought into their camp already did not sit well with him. Compounded with the fact that she never showed her face and continued to still wear her helmet around them, Sienna knew that the boy couldn't possibly trust Violet. However, she doubted that that alone was enough for him to act so brazenly.

Sienna finally got out of bed, cracking her neck once her feet met the floor. She would just have to confront him herself.

Sienna knew exactly where to find Adam. He made a big deal out of this newfound free time the White Fang found themselves with, and took it upon himself to begin training sessions every morning. He announced that everyone was more than welcome to join him and that he would personally train with anyone who attended, going as far as saying the ones who turn up are the most dedicated members. Sienna rolled her eyes initially, but she couldn't deny their dedication when she passed by yesterday's session. The ones who attended were clearly determined to get stronger to support their cause, but Sienna knew that no amount of training would allow them to reach Adam's prowess. At least this was keeping their morale up. She marched to the open field just outside the city and just as she expected, there he was leading his "class" through drills.

"Always follow through," Adam said firmly as he demonstrated purposefully slow, but proper techniques, twisting his body into each swing of his sword. "I see the way most of you fight. Your fear holds you back from putting all of your strength into your attacks. Don't attack as if you're just trying to hit them. Attack as if you're trying to hit through them."

Sienna's mouth twisted in a displeased expression before she finally announced her presence. "Taurus."

Adam turned to his commander, seemingly unphased by her sudden appearance. He turned to face his class again. "Continue your drills," he called out staunchly before walking over to Sienna a few meters away from everyone else for some semblance of privacy.

"Lieutenant Khan," he said evenly with a nod.

Sienna couldn't hide her displeasure as she felt her brow furrow. He never called her that. His feigned respect made her furious. "You know why I'm here, don't you?"

The boy tilted his head ever so slightly to the side. "I do not, but I assume you are about to tell me, Lieutenant."

Sienna tsked, pointing a finger straight into Adam's chest. "Drop the act, Taurus. You could have messed up our whole operation," she growled.

Finally, Adam smirked. "I believe that whatever happened in Atlas Tower has nothing to do with our operation," he said in a low tone.

"I didn't say anything about Atlas Tower. Are you telling me by your own admission that you reported our ally to Atlas of all kingdoms?"

It was Adam's turn to frown. "You must be mistaken, Lieutenant Khan. That person is certainly no ally of ours. As I recall, she refused every opportunity she had to join the White Fang."

Sienna's frown turned into a scowl as her fury reached its boiling point. "I have had enough of your semantics, Taurus! You sold Violet out!"

"That is quite the accusation to make without any proof, Lieutenant," Adam raised his voice in turn, but his tone remained strangely calm. "To what end would that benefit me—or any of us?" He gestured around them. When he did so, Sienna finally noticed the White Fang members who were performing drills had now gathered around the commotion. "Lieutenant Khan, you're being irrational."

Sienna narrowed her eyes at the newly formed crowd around them, clenching her jaw tightly as she realized that this was exactly what Adam was hoping for.

"Stop pointing fingers at your true allies," he said as he brushed away her hand from his chest. "And accept that this…stranger you have chosen to put your blind faith in might not be as skilled as you thought. They got themselves into that mess, not me. Not any of us."

Sienna clenched her fists, feeling her nails digging deep into her palms. "You're lucky that she's better than your traps, Taurus," she tsked before turning around, the crowd parting for her as she stomped away.

Adam quietly watched her leave, as did everyone else. No one dared to speak while the furious Khan was still in sight. Once she was finally gone, one of the White Fang broke the silence. "What the hell was that?"

"Didn't I tell you?" Adam shrugged. "Sienna Khan has been losing sense. She would really blame her own comrades without any proof, just because an outsider said so." He looked around to the crowd murmuring and shaking their heads with disapproval. "And somehow she is the Lieutenant. That is who the High Leader thinks is fit to be second-in-command. That is who the High Leader thinks is fit to lead us after him. Is this the leadership we want?"

He scanned the crowd, seeing the rising uncertainty within them all. "When this leadership inevitably crumbles, we must be prepared to pick up after the rest of the White Fang. Back to positions!"

It was already evening in Kuo Kuana when Violet landed the Kestrel in the unmarked landing zone near the docks. She had half a mind to paint it herself if she was going to stay here long enough. Violet stood up from the pilot's seat and made her way to the exit, habitually picking up Whisper from the armory on the way.

"Are you sure that's all you want to bring?" Yewan asked with caution coloring his voice.

She nodded. "Armor, please."

"Got it."

Her familiar black armor was transmatted over her. She looked down at her free hand, opening and closing her fingers against her palm comfortably. It felt so natural—as it should, considering how often she had to be in it. She wondered if it was a bad thing for this armor to may as well be her second skin. Violet holstered Whisper at her side and opened the blast doors. At the end of the ramp was a tiger-faunus, looking up at her with her arms crossed over her chest. After everything that happened today, Violet was happy to see someone who seemed to like her well enough.

"Hey, Violet." Sienna lazily waved at her with a faint smile.

"Hey," she greeted back, walking down to meet her. "Thanks for waiting after I called. Have you been here long?"

Sienna shrugged. "Only five minutes." Once Violet was standing still, the tiger-faunus began circling around her, looking her up and down.

"Uh…Sienna?" Violet raised a brow in confusion, standing still but turning her head to watch Sienna quietly study her before finally completing the lap.

"Hmm," she hummed with a nod. "Well, you look okay. That's good."

Violet paused for a moment before one corner of her lips curled up in half a smile. "You could've just asked if I was hurt."

"I get the feeling that if you were, you would be the type to say that you're fine and soldier on." She smirked.

"She got you there," Yewan said from within the helmet.

When Violet didn't say anything, Sienna snickered. "Yeah, I thought so." She turned around and began walking away, gesturing over her shoulder for Violet to follow. "Let's catch up on the way."

Violet picked up the pace just enough to meet Sienna at her side before the two walked at a comfortable rhythm. Kuo Kuana felt different at night. The last time she was here was only three days ago. It was midday then with the sun hanging high in the air, blaring down on the tropical city without a single cloud in the sky. The docks had workers hurrying back and forth and the market seemed more like an excuse to socialize than any actual bargaining. The sounds of bells mixed with all the chatter breathed so much life and energy. Now there wasn't anyone in sight except for Sienna walking quietly beside her. The coastline pushed cool sea air over the island and the gentle waves were the only sounds that stirred the calm night. There was a serenity here that Violet did not know.

"So what exactly happened in Atlas Tower?" Sienna asked carefully.

"Nothing good." She shrugged. "Well, I got what I needed, so there's that. An Atlas security team found me. I tried to hold back, but they put up more of a fight than I thought they would."

Violet turned her head slightly to look at Sienna, who was looking back at her in turn, giving her full attention. Her expression remained neutral, if just a bit curious. She didn't say anything. The only response was the waves.

"I lost my cool." Violet said evenly as she looked back ahead. "And someone died for it. I killed someone today. And that's just the one I know about. Hopefully the others pull through."

Why am I speaking so much? Violet thought to herself. I didn't have to mention this again. I answered well enough without giving all the details.

The two continued to walk in silence until finally Sienna said quietly, "I'm sorry."

Violet turned her head to look at her. She was facing forward, but her expression was that of melancholy and sympathy. They had a similar conversation when they first met. Here they were again, but perhaps they understood each other just a little more. "I'm sorry, too."

"Hey," Sienna began abruptly. "I know I mentioned this over our call, but I feel like this is my fault—"

"It's not. It's not anyone's fault."

Sienna grimaced. "Well, I confirmed today that it's definitely Adam Taurus that reported you to Atlas."

Violet paused. "You confirmed it?"

She nodded. "Heard it out of the kid's own mouth. The fucking nerve…" she trailed off. "Had I known what you just went through, I would have beat him myself. But I hate to admit it, he's more clever than I gave him credit for," Sienna sighed. "He's got a lot of the new members in the palm of his hand. He's trying to make me look crazy."

"Then it's probably a good thing that you didn't beat him then."

Sienna looked at the woman in black. Violet typically spoke with an even tone, but there was something unnerving in the calm she presented. Sienna has dealt with enough people to tell when someone was holding back their bite. "Maybe. It would've felt good though. Unfortunately there's nothing I can do to punish him in an official capacity," she scoffed as she shook her head. "As much as we try to do things the right way, the reality is that we're a small band of scrappers just trying to make things work. This isn't a kingdom, and we aren't a military."

"Should you be concerned?"

"They all still respect what little structure we have. And if they do, that means I have to as well," she grumbled. "We don't have any proof that he had anything to do with Atlas Tower, and no one would believe my word that he admitted it to my face. I hate it, but I have to play his little game right now in the interest of maintaining the status quo. The White Fang is finally picking up more steam."

"I see," Violet said plainly.

"I'm sorry, Violet."

After a few minutes, Sienna nodded towards a path in front of them. "My place is just up ahead. It's out of sight and I don't have any neighbors, so no one should bother you."

"Thank you," Violet said as she came to a stop.

Sienna walked a few steps ahead before realizing that Violet was no longer next to her. She stopped and turned around, raising a questioning brow. "Are you coming?"

"There's something I have to do first," she said firmly.

Sienna paused. "Violet, you can't kill him."

"I know. Despite his issues, he has been effective for the White Fang. I understand that. And as you are in the White Fang, I understand that there's little you can do to reprimand him at this moment. But I'm not White Fang. And I think I know how to speak to his type."

Sienna observed Violet quietly. It was remarkable how she was able to stand so perfectly still. After a few moments passed between them, Sienna merely sighed. "Well, it's not like I can stop you. Just make sure the kid can get up in the morning."

Violet nodded and turned her back, walking towards the city.

Sienna shook her head and continued on her way to her home before perking up. "Wait, I didn't tell her where he lived."

Adam was on his way back home when he watched an airship fly overhead and land in the dock. He sucked air between his teeth with a mix of annoyance and amusement.

Sienna really invited her back. Is she really that stupid? What happened to our leader? He sighed aloud. Well if this is how she's going to be now, Wei's presence will make this much easier.

He massaged the soreness out of his neck from training. It was good that there were White Fang members determined enough to get stronger, but they still couldn't keep up with him. He brought the drills down to a level they could handle, but that meant that the forms he wanted to practice had to be later in the evening in private. He wondered how this would be sustainable once they were actively taking on missions again, but he would figure that out once they got there. For now, it was enough that they were training seriously.

Adam eventually arrived at the front door of his little bungalow in the city and unlocked the door. As he turned the knob and began to open the door, he heard a voice.

"Hey, kid."

He recognized that voice. Adam turned to see the woman in black, reaching for Wilt at his side. Then through the darkness of night, he was blinded by blue sparks and his senses were overwhelmed by the smell of ozone. As his fingers wrapped around the hilt of his sword, he felt a hand grip his wrist. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't draw his blade. Right as his eyes readjusted to the dark, he saw a fist closing in against his face.

Violet let the boy go as she punched him across the face, watching him stumble back against the door, swinging it open with his body weight before falling against the ground, spun around by the force. The Grimm mask bounced and cracked against the floor. She caught a glimpse of his face before he turned away, quickly reaching for his mask. He hid an SDC brand across his left eye. No wonder the kid hated them so much. She stepped through the doorway, quietly closing the door behind her.

Adam placed the mask over his eyes again, glaring at the woman in black from the floor, brushing his cheek with the back of his hand. "What, that's all you got?"

"Do you normally go all out against children?" she snickered before shaking her head. Violet scanned the new environment. Though it was dark, it was easy enough to tell how little there was inside. He lived a rather spartan lifestyle.

"Do you realize what you're doing?" Adam smirked. "Breaking into my house. All I have to say is what Sienna's new human friend is doing on Menagerie."

"Hmm," Violet hummed. "You could. But you won't."

Adam stood up defiantly, placing a hand on his weapon again. "Is that a threat?"

"No," Violet said plainly. "But are you really going to tell everyone that a human bested you? Why couldn't you deal with me yourself?" She watched the boy grimace. "I didn't think so."

"What do you want?" he growled.

"I just thought I would come by to say hello. After all, it seems like my stay on Menagerie will be a little longer." She shrugged and leaned against the door behind her. "Wouldn't have happened if you didn't pull your little stunt. What were you hoping for? That I would be in an Atlas prison? That they would kill me?"

Adam remained silent, but Violet could easily see the adrenaline that was running through him. He wasn't used to situations he wasn't in control of.

"Well, here I am. And it's in your best interest not to do something so foolish again. After all, you wouldn't want Atlas cracking down on Menagerie looking for me, would you?"

Again, silence.

"What I'm still trying to understand is why you would go so far. It can't be about me. We hardly know each other. This is all about Sienna, isn't it?"

It became abundantly clear that the boy had no intention of speaking to her.

She sighed. "That's fine. You don't have to talk to me. In fact, the less we have to do with each other, the better. But I want to make one thing very clear." Violet stood up straight, her anger rising up into her heart and manifesting in her Light. Adam watched electricity sparking from her fists, realizing that was what he saw earlier. "Your actions almost got someone important to me hurt. That is not something that I can abide by. Do not make me choose between you and them. It's an easy choice." Violet turned around and opened the door.

"Are you a human?" he uttered through gritted teeth.

Violet stopped and looked over her shoulder. It was her turn to remain silent. She turned around and walked out the door.

Sienna heard someone outside. She lived alone out here and she didn't receive many visitors, and certainly none at this hour. It had to be Violet. She knew how silent Violet tended to be. It came to her as naturally as she breathed it seemed. Sienna chuckled at the idea of Violet purposefully stomping to let her presence be known.

She opened the door, frowning when she didn't see anyone in front. Sienna stuck her head out, instead finding Violet sitting on the bench right out front. "What are you doing?"

"Just…enjoying the night," Violet said hesitantly.

Sienna squinted. "What, too shy to let yourself in?" she teased.

Violet chuckled. "I don't think I'm going to get much sleep."

There was a joke there, but Sienna chose to let it go. She closed the door behind her and sat next to Violet on the bench. "How'd it go with Adam?"

She shrugged. "Kid didn't speak much, but I think he got the message."

"You didn't hurt him too bad, did you?"

"I punched him. He'll be alright. I think I bruised his ego more than his face."

"I bet." Sienna chuckled. There was more to talk about—details that were being left out. Neither of them were necessarily trying to hide anything from each other. She could just tell that neither of them wanted to talk about it any longer.

Sienna opened her mouth to say something, but changed her mind. She leaned back against the wall of her house as she sat on the bench next to Violet. It occurred to her that this was her first guest. This bench was one of the first pieces of furniture she got when she first moved in, but this was the first time she actually got to sit with someone on it.

"Why are you helping me?"

Sienna turned her head to look at Violet, who had her head turned to face her as well. She raised a brow without answering.

"You could have said no. It's not like you had to pay me back for anything."

Sienna's brow furrowed. "Are you an idiot?" For the first time since she met her, Sienna could tell that she said something startling to Violet by the way her shoulders jumped as she shifted back. She found it rather amusing.

"I would have found another way if you said no," Violet said, which only made Sienna laugh.

"No, that's not what I'm talking about. I just…I wanted to help you. We're friends now, aren't we?"

Violet paused and searched Sienna's expression, illuminated by the cool moonlight. She said it so easily with a smile she seldom saw anyone wear. But it felt true. She smiled back, but her helmet hid it away. "Yeah. We are."

Sienna chuckled. She wondered if Violet knew just how expressive she could be, even without seeing her face. She wanted to know the person underneath the helmet, but for now, this was enough. "You're really going to stay out here all night?"

Violet nodded. "Sorry. I don't think I'll be able to sleep very well. Don't worry about me, you can head inside."

Sienna shook her head. "It's okay. I'll stay here with you." She looked up at the stars that decorated the night sky. She's done this many times in the past on hard nights, but this was certainly the first with someone beside her. They weren't doing anything differently, yet it felt like an entirely new experience.

"Hey, Violet."

She turned her head to look at Sienna, who was looking up at the stars as she leaned back against the house.

"I'm sorry again, for the way things turned out at Atlas Tower. It must have been hard."

From the very first day she resurrected, Violet had to kill to get by. And when she became a Hidden agent, she made a career out of it. She couldn't seem to escape it, but she knew she had to for the sake of protecting her home. They all knew it—the Tower, other guardians. No one ever asked if it was hard. Death came so easily to them, after all. They wielded great power with lethal intent, and even when death finally reached them, they came back.

She felt her throat tighten. She worried that killing came too easily for her, but she was beginning to wonder if it ever was.

"Yeah."