Chapter 10: Despot

It was a rather quiet morning, the air was cool, yet still. The mountain breeze that usually swept around was all but silent. She didn't know why it was, but the hairs on the back of her neck were standing up. Usually, she dismissed these sorts of anxious feelings, lest she looks like a fool in front of her brothers and sisters. But ever since Adam's return, she had felt rather different.

Alas, Sienna figured it was another passing feeling. She figured nothing was going to happen, but after what had taken place in Vale several months prior, she was beginning to doubt the man. She had appointed him to look over the Vale Chapter of the Brotherhood, and yet he had turned them all into monsters, willing to kill humans at the drop of a hat.

Despite her reprimands, it was obvious Adam was no longer following the code. He was obsessed with his mission, wanting to bring harm to the humans, something she didn't exactly agree with. Yes, she had been the one to instill fear in the humans, and she had been all for using violence as a means to teach them why the faunus should be respected. But now, her views were beginning to change. The Fall of Beacon had affected the entire world, and now the White Fang was being seen as nothing more than a group of criminals, the complete opposite of what she was aiming for.

"Madam High-Leader, we have received a report from Brother Adam. It seems he will be coming here soon to discuss a few things with you, ma'am." one of her loyal men said, causing her to sit up a bit.

"Then be prepared for his arrival, ensure that all of his needs are met before he arrives. You know how Brother Adam can be," she said firmly, earning a firm cry from the man. Her ears twitched a bit as she heard him running off. Normally, she had guards with her at all times, but they had been strangely absent as of late. Not that she minded, she could handle herself just fine after all.

"If Adam is returning, then that means he must be plotting something. I already reprimanded him for what he did in Vale and for attacking those SDC compounds. What else could he be plotting?" she thought, as she flicked her scroll open.

Just as she did, she noticed her email icon was glowing, causing her to tap it with a finger. Her eyes scanned the attachment, slowly reading the words that had been printed on the report. "16 Atlas Personnel found dead inside Relay Tower. Culprits still at large. White Fang operative caught on the security cameras."

Her ears flattened down against her head as she squeezed the device. How could he have gone behind her back again? Had he lost his mind? Adam was starting to get out of line quickly, and she needed to deal with it. "Excommunication is no longer an option regarding him. He is far too popular, and would easily convince the others to join his cause. That means there is only one way to fully take care of him."

She heard the chamber door creaking open, causing her to turn around, pocketing her scroll. Her fingertips brushed against the handle of her weapon, ready to draw it if necessary. She had been expecting one of her guards, but to her surprise, she was instead greeted by the man she had read about. Her eyes narrowed a bit as he approached the throne, slowly kneeling down before her.

"Greetings, high-leader. It has been quite a while since-"

"Save it, Adam." she hissed, causing him to look up at her. "I want you to explain something to me. Why is it that 16 Atlas Tech personnel were found dead within one of Mistral's relay towers?"

"Why… whatever do you mean?" he asked, his tone clearly showing no remorse.

"You know exactly what I mean, Adam. You have led a campaign of violence all throughout Mistral since your arrival from Vale. I do not understand what it is you are trying to accomplish, but it needs to stop." she said, backing up a bit. She took a firm stance before him, keeping her eyes firmly trained on the man just in case he tried something.

"My apologies, High-Leader. I did not intend to upset you, but those lives were taken for the greater good of our organization. You see, my friends have given me a simple request. In order for them to succeed here in Mistral, they must destroy Haven Academy. As such, I have volunteered our services." the man said, keeping his head bowed as he continued to speak. "Humanity will learn to fear us if we continue destroying the things they hold dear."

"The things they hold dear? Adam, this is not the right course of action. I do not know what deal you have made with these people, but you must terminate it at once. I am not going to risk more lives for a pointless endeavor." she said firmly. "Let it be known that the White Fang will not be attacking Haven Academy."

"High-Leader Khan, I am begging you, we must-"

"You should beg for forgiveness!" she shouted, anger flowing through her at the audacity of his words. "The assault on Beacon was not the great victory you believe it was. And you should be grateful your punishment wasn't more severe. You are a symbol of what we stand for in our organization. As such, you should be setting an example, not through violence, but through peace."

"Peaceful talks will get us nowhere. Ex-Leader Belladonna found that the hard way," the bull faunus said, looking up at Sienna. "You should know that in order to get what we want, we have to use violence. We shouldn't sit down and let humans control us. We shouldn't let them cage us on an island that is two-thirds desert. We need to be feared!"

Sienna let out a sigh, ears flattening a bit at his words. There was some truth to what he was saying. Despite everything that had occurred, humanity still treated them like animals. Not everyone was that way, in fact, she had met many humans who cared deeply for their faunus friends, and even loved one another dearly. But she also knew this mindset was poisonous. It was why she was trying to stop his violent actions in the first place.

"I understand what you are trying to do, Adam. Truly I do, but we cannot keep acting like this."

"Forgive me, I was only trying to follow your example," Adam replied, in a rather cheeky tone, which didn't go unnoticed by Sienna.

"And what example would that be?"

"Strength," Adam told her, slowly raising his head as he spoke. "Strength and unwavering conviction. The humans have seen that now."

The woman let out a sigh, glancing up at the ceiling briefly, remembering the early days of her rule over the White Fang. "I was one of the first to suggest the use of violence where violence was necessary. Peace spreads complacency, and acceptance of our place in the world. I will not allow the humans to push us without us pushing them back. But the destruction of the huntsman academies… that is a step too far. A step that I will not allow you to take."

Sienna could almost sense the anger flowing through Adam. It was tangent, palpable even. It was the same anger he had displayed on the battlefield, the same anger that had allowed him to split Atlas Knight 130s in half with a single swing. She was beginning to grow nervous, but her face didn't show it. Her fingers curled around Cerberus' handle, ready to fling it forward at a moment's notice.

"You don't seem to understand the precarious position we are in, Adam. The loss of Beacon Tower has brought communication to a crawl. The White Fang is more of a target than ever before. Faunus hatred is spreading throughout Mistral, all because of your suicide mission. And for what? What purpose did it solve in the end? It didn't pave a path for faunus acceptance, it only destroyed it. This is exactly what you get for siding with those humans!"

He continued glaring at the woman, as she gave him a verbal lashing. His hand twitched a bit, but he remained still as she continued speaking. "All you have done is justify humanity's campaign against us. All for the empty promises of those humans. Humans, we still know nothing about. And come and go as they please. These are not examples of your strength, Adam, they are examples of your talents being diminished by short-sightedness."

"If you don't mind, I do believe my opinion differs from your assessment. I am not short-sided, in fact, it is my drive that allows me to accomplish my goals. After all, it is because of me that our message is being heard. It is because of me that the humans fear the faunus, and-"

"It is because of you that Beacon Tower is destroyed, and we have no idea what is going on outside of our kingdom. We do not know how things are for the other Chapters of the White Fang and are a huge target anywhere we go. I'm starting to wonder if you truly care about what I want for our organization or if you just pretend to listen and do whatever the hell you want." she said firmly, taking a step forward.

"I got results."

"You got people killed, our members arrested! You made us look like monsters to the rest of the world, but that ends here, Adam. I am no longer going to sit idly by while you continue to breed hatred toward us through your actions. As of now, you are no longer a member of the White Fang. As High Leader, I sentence you to-"

She let out a gasp, ducking back in time to avoid his blade from slicing her head off. She saw it cutting a few strands of her hair, the crimson blade emanating enough heat to burn anything it cut through. She rapidly spun around, drawing Cerberus from her pocket, pulling it with all her strength, wrapping around his Katana, pulling it from his grasp.

Adam let out a smirk, reaching for his scabbard, pulling the trigger back. Sienna let out a cry as the shotgun blast struck her chest, sending her flying back into her chair. Adam let out a chuckle as he picked up his katana, sheathing it at his waist. "Do you actually think you have what it takes to defeat me?"

The tigress let out a growl as she darted forward, swiping her claws at his face, all of which he easily dodged. She threw a kick at his chest, sending him flying back a few feet. She flipped out of the way of his gunshots, grabbing her whip as she did so. She flung it forward, the bladed knife at the end glowing a bright orange. Sparks rained around them as he deflected it, sending a blast of fire in her direction.

Sienna wrapped the chain around her fist, throwing a punch at Adam who blocked it with his scabbard. He pulled the trigger, sending Wilt flying into the air, using the recoil he slammed Blush into the tiger faunus's face, leaving her stunned for a few moments. Adam jumped into the air, kicking his katana at her. She swung Cerberus with all her strength, her ice knife striking it, sending a cloud of steam in all directions.

"You've grown weaker, Sienna. How long has it been since you've been in an actual fight? Has being a high leader softened you up?" Adam taunted, as the woman looked around. She swung her whip, deflecting his sword strike. She jumped over him, spinning her chain around, flinging it forward with all her strength.

"I haven't grown weaker, I've had time to wise up. There are other options that don't lead to violence, Adam. That is something that you still need to learn." she said.

He raced forward, causing her to pull her whip back, spinning around, she sent it flying forward. He parried her attack, swiping his sword to and fro, causing her to go on the defensive. She pulled her whip back, only for Adam to step on it, slicing it in half with a single swipe. She stumbled back, tripping on her chain. Adam darted forward, drawing his sword, delivering a powerful flaming slash to her chest. She screamed in pain as she flew back, striking the wall behind her. Her crimson red aura flashed for a moment before she fell to the ground, clutching her injury.

Sienna reached behind her back, pulling out a pair of daggers, the same ones she attached to her weapon. She flipped them around, forcing herself to stand up. Adam slowly walked forward, a smirk on his face as he kept a solid grip on the handle of his sword. "Just give up, Sienna. Your time is over, it is time for someone new to lead the White Fang. To make it the great organization that it can be, so that we may bring fear into the humans that loathe us."

"I am not going to let you sully what has taken me five years to construct. This is not what Former-High Leader Belladonna wanted. He wanted peace between us, and that is what I wish for as well. You'll have to take my title over my dead body!" she cried, racing forward.

She swung her daggers with all her strength, parrying his speedy sword slashes. She crossed her blades, catching his katana between them, giving her an opening. She kneed him in the chest, making him stumble back. She spun on her heel, driving her foot into his chest as hard as she could.

She sprung into the air, spinning around as she aimed her daggers at him. Adam barely dodged it, quickly sheathing his sword. He took aim at the tigress, firing Wilt at her. She managed to deflect the sword with one of her blades, leaping into the air for it. She threw her ice dagger at Adam, freezing one of his legs in place.

"I'm sorry it has come to this Adam. You had such a promising career in front of you, but you left the lust for power cloud your judgment. Please forgive me, I wasn't there to guide you as well as I could have." she said, darting forward with great speed. She pulled the katana back, aiming it at his neck, only for him to deflect it with his sheathe.

He spun it around, driving the stock into her chin. Shooting the scabbard on his leg, he spun his sheath around, swinging it as hard as he could into the high-leader's chest, sending her rolling across the floor. He picked Wilt from the ground, spinning it around and sheathing it.

"It is I who should be apologizing to you, Sienna. The stress of being high-leader has clearly changed your views. But don't you worry, I won't let it cloud anyone else."

Sienna let out a fierce growl, spinning around like a top, slamming her legs into the young man. Once on her feet, she sprinted forward, drawing an electric dagger from her pouch, channeling her aura into it. She threw it at Adam with all her strength, only for him to deflect it.

"ADAM!" she screamed, driving her fire dagger forward, fist swirling with flames. Adam only smirked as he stepped to the side, bringing his sword down on her hand, slicing it clean off. The tigress screamed in pain, rolling across the ground, clutching her arm tightly. "You son of a bitch!"

"You needn't worry, Sienna. I will ensure the White Fang reaches new heights, heights that we couldn't reach with you as leader. I was planning on letting you go, but-" he stepped forward, spinning his katana around. He kicked the woman in the face, making her aura shatter, fading away into little sparkles. "You were the one who said "over my dead body", such a shame. At least you'll become a martyr for our people. Thank you for your service, High-Leader. It was a pleasure knowing you."

"Adam, don't-!"

Sienna let out a cry as she felt his blade pierce her skin. She gasped in pain, the air leaving her lungs as he gave the blade a twist. He pulled it free, spraying her blood in all directions. She coughed loudly, globs of blood erupting from the back of her throat. "You… won't get away… with this."

"Ah, but I already have," he said, reaching into his pocket for a piece of cloth, using it to wipe Wilt clean of her blood. "No one will think it was me. I'll let them all know that it was a Huntsman who killed you. It will justify our attack on Haven Academy. Your final act as high-leader is to die with honor. I've made all of the preparations."

She grit her teeth as he walked away, forcing herself to sit up a bit, as the blood continued pouring from her wound. "You were right about my popularity in the White Fang. It was easy to convince them to leave you completely defenseless. So much for the great Sienna Khan, eh? I hope you enjoy your rest. Thank you for your service."

"Gr… Adam… you son of a bitch… you won't get away with this." she thought, as she felt her consciousness start to fade. "My only regret… is not killing you when I had the chance."


Location: 12 Kilometers Away from Kuchinashi, Mistral

"Alright, any lover, but you have to punch a panda. Do you do it?" Neo's scroll chirped, causing Weiss to groan at the question. Levi looked up in thought, ears wiggling a bit as he pondered the question.

"Any lover huh? But that wouldn't be ideal for me, I've only ever had one girlfriend so I can't really do much of anything."

"Okay, same question but any idol," the scroll said, causing the young man to smile, a slightly pervy look on his face.

"If I can select any idol, then I am definitely picking Begonia Summers. I mean, have you seen those hips? Those are child-bearing hips." he said, an image of a beautiful idol filling his mind.

Begonia Summers was a young woman from Vacuo who had taken the world by storm with her singing. She was ridiculously kind as well as fashionable and crafty. She was a graduate of Shade who not only was a huntress but also traveled the world throwing concerts to lift people's spirits. She had tan-colored skin, and long rose-colored hair, with bright orange eyes. She had an hourglass figure, large hips, and long legs, everything a growing young man apparently wanted in a girlfriend.

"Seriously, you'd pick that idol out of everyone?" Weiss asked, causing the young man to look at her.

"Sure, why not? I bet you would pick that Grayson boy from Atlas, the guy who's the lead singer of that pop idol group Sonata used to listen to."

"I would not! I happen to have highly refined tastes, I do not, will not, and never will enjoy pop music!" the heiress said, causing Neo to quirk a brow. She typed something out on her scroll, holding it out to Weiss. At the same time, she made a ring with her fingers, slipping her tongue through it.

"I bet you would deep throat him, let him blow his load down your throat."

"You disgusting little shit! I would never do that! And stop doing that with your tongue, it's disgusting!" she cried, cheeks tinged red. Levi rolled his eyes at their antics, slowing to a stop.

"Well girls, I think this is a perfect spot for our camp tonight. I hear a river nearby, so we can take this time to do some laundry and wash up. Neo, you're on cooking duty, Weiss if you don't mind, would you wash our clothes?"

"Of course, I'll take this time to see if I mend some parts of my dress. Would you mind letting me borrow your spare tee shirt and shorts?" the former heiress asked, earning a nod from the young man. "I appreciate it."

With their jobs decided, the trio broke up, getting their tasks done. They found the perfect spot away from the main road to set up their camp. Levi had gotten an early start on setting up the sleeping bags. It was the only thing Neo had been able to grab and shove inside her bag since leaving the bandit camp. Once he had helped the ice cream-themed girl with the firepit and the pot, he gathered up their dirty clothes, handing them to Weiss.

It was a beautiful day, not a single cloud in sight. The Grimm were also far away from them, and since there was a settlement nearby, that meant the roads were usually very clear. They had been tuning in to the news every now and again, getting more information about what had happened at the Relay Tower. Neo had been right, the White Fang was responsible for the attack.

It had only been a few days since that, and all of Mistral seemed to be in an upheaval. They were expecting High-Leader Khan to make a comment on the matter but she had been strangely silent. He didn't follow up much on the White Fang, the whole organization hadn't really interested him, but he did meet Sienna Khan at one point, thanks to his mother, so he was slightly concerned for what she was going to say.

"Hey, Neo, may I borrow Hush for a few minutes? I'm gonna sharpen her blade, make sure it isn't chipped or anything," he said. Neo reached behind her back, drawing her weapon from her holster, handing it over to him. "I'll have it done soon."

She gave him a thumbs-up, gesturing for him to leave her alone. She needed time and space for her to cook, and he gave her just that. After all, all masters needed space when they worked on their craft. He sat down at the base of a nearby tree, grabbing his cleaning kit from inside Shiva's holster, pulling the box open.

"Alright, let's see here. I'm gonna need more oil soon, might as well pick some up whenever we make it to Kuchinashi," he mumbled, setting it aside. Once he had everything out, he began the arduous process of cleaning the blade.

Once he had finished that, he grabbed the whetstone, beginning the even longer process of sharpening the blade. Thankfully, Neo was very diligent when it came to her weapon, so it rarely needed sharpening. The slow methodical rhythm he had set reminded him of the times he did this in Beacon. Whenever Sonata's piccolo blade needed sharpening, he'd be the one to do it. He had done it for Aria's claws once, and he had gotten yelled at for it, which had upset him. He had wanted to do her a favor and all he had gotten in return was screaming.

He sighed as he glanced at his reflection on the blade. He had changed quite a lot since his time at Beacon. He no longer looked like a young boy, rather he now looked like a young man. He had lost a bit of the flab he had put on at the academy and had built up a lot of muscle from his daily sparring sessions with Neo. He was getting a lot better at fighting too. All he needed now was to finalize his weapon design and get it forged. Though without money, he now didn't know what to do.

"Laundry's done." Weiss's peppy voice said, causing him to look up from what he was doing, simultaneously cutting himself on the blade. He let out a hiss, looking at the dribble of blood before it slowly sealed itself up with his aura. "Are you alright, Levi?"

"I'm a little distracted. Just thinking back to when I did this at Beacon. I made sure to keep Sonata's piccolo nice and sharp. Cadence handled her whip because only she understood how to refill the dust crystals, and Aria was… Aria." he said, glancing at Neo's blade. "I miss those times."

Weiss spared a glance at Neo, who made her gaze with a fiery one of her own. Neither made a move, nor said anything, and thankfully, Levi didn't notice. He sheathed Hush's blade, turning his attention to the parasol's main assembly, flicking it open with a press of the button. "I also know hanging onto the past can be detrimental. Shit happens, you just gotta deal with it."

"That isn't healthy, Levi," Weiss said firmly. She pulled their makeshift clothesline from Neo's bag, along with the stakes they used to attach it to the nearest trees. "You have to move on, yes. But saying you have to deal with it isn't right either."

"You say that but…" he paused, setting down his oil canister, wiping away the excess. He opened and closed the parasol a few times, before fully closing it. "I keep thinking back on that night, and how I could have been there. I should have been there. Aria wouldn't have died, and Cadence wouldn't have gotten carried away. I keep replaying it in my mind, that goddamned pointless argument we had before. If I had kept my mouth shut, Aria wouldn't have yelled at me."

"You couldn't have known about the attack, none of us did. We weren't expecting that Emerald girl to trick the world into seeing Yang break Mercury's leg. None of us expected her to mess with Pyrrha and make her kill Penny. It all happened so fast, we didn't have time to react."

"That doesn't change the fact that I could have been there, Weiss. I survived and they didn't. Every night I wonder, had I been there, could they have lived? Would we be here together heading to Beacon?"

An eerie silence filled the camp, only the sound of the birds chirping and the leaves moving could be heard. Neo fully turned away from what she was doing, rubbing her arm a bit as she looked down. Levi noticed this, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"Do you feel it too, Neo? You lost someone close to you during the Fall. Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like if he was still around?"

She held a single hand out, signing one word with it. "Everyday."

Weiss grits her teeth in anger but took a breath to calm herself down. After all, she didn't want to upset either Neo or Levi at the moment. She had finished tying the clothesline up and was in the process of hanging the damp clothing on it, making sure the clothespins were fully grasping the clothes.

"When Ruby told me that Pyrrha had been killed by Cinder, I didn't really believe her. I had thought, 'It can't be, she's Pyrrha. One of the world's greatest fighters, she can't be dead. But I soon realized that no matter how strong you think you are, you are just as fallible as anyone else. It taught me a valuable lesson, to cherish those you hold dear, and remember them for who they were, not what they became or how they died."

She chewed on her bottom lip, gathering her thoughts for a few moments. "I also learned to let go. I know Pyrrha wouldn't want me to keep blaming myself for my inability to do anything to save her. She would want me to keep going, and get stronger than I was the day before. I know you said Aria died hating you, but that isn't the truth."

"Yes, it is Weiss. You weren't there when she said what she said to me," he said, glancing up at the sky. "Sometimes I just wish I had kept my mouth shut. Maybe she'd still be here."

"Or you could be dead. Have you ever thought of that?" Neo's scroll asked, causing him to shift his gaze over to her. "I miss my friend every day of my life, but I also know he would be super pissed at me if I lay over and died. Be glad that you are alive, Levi. Because you have something you can do with your life, dedicate it to get revenge on the bitch who killed your friends."

"Noo! That's the worst thing you can tell him. What the hell is wrong with you? Revenge isn't the answer either. It's just another way to get yourself killed!" the former heiress said, causing Levi to sigh.

"Just forget about it. I'll eventually get over it, but I'll never not feel regret at surviving. Aria and Cadence had so much more potential than I do. Hell, I built a weapon that hindered my semblance. I'm surprised I haven't been eaten by a Grimm yet.'

Weiss closed her eyes for a moment, losing herself in thought about something. She clapped her hands, drawing her rapier from her waist. "Alright, get up Levi."

"Huh? The hell are you drawing your sword for?" he asked curiously. She adopted a firm look, flicking her weapon downward.

"I'm going to whip you into shape. Neo and you are training physically, but you aren't training your Semblance. So who else better to do that than someone who has experience with glyphs?" she said, holding her sword out. "Myrtenaster was built as a conduit for my aura, as well as my Semblance. Since we have similar semblances, it should work for you."

He took a hold of her rapier, feeling just how light it actually was. Despite that, it felt firm and strong. It was perfectly balanced as well. He looked the mechanism over a bit, taking in all the small details.

"Pressing the trigger will let you cycle through the dust, but in order to use you'll have to pull the hammer back. Now then, show me a fire glyph." She said.

"Uh… alright?" he said, holding her sword downward. He squeezed the trigger, selecting the bright orange fire dust. Once he had, he pulled the hammer back, holding the rapier outward. He channeled his aura through it, seeing the blade begin glowing orange. "Whoa."

"Focus, Levi. Form a glyph at the tip of the sword, it'll infuse the dust into it much quicker than your gloves. It should hopefully give you more control of it too." the white-haired girl said, earning a nod from the faunus.

He took a deep breath, channeling his aura through Myrtenaster, forming a glyph at the end of it. To his surprise, it appeared instantly, glowing a bright orange. The eight-pointed star at the center was burning brightly, small embers coming from it, something that didn't happen when he was using Shiva.

"Send the flames upward. We don't want to set the forest on fire," she said, gesturing up. He redirected his glyph, unleashing the energy outward, a massive fireball erupted from the glyph, much to his surprise. "See? Your dust takes on a greater effect when you use something that maximizes the output of your aura and focuses your semblance on a single point."

"Alright, but what about casting them on the ground?" he asked. Weiss took her rapier back, switching to Water dust. She formed a blue glyph on the ground, and with a single swing of her sword, sent a swirling funnel of water high into the air. She followed it with a green glyph, breaking it apart with a blast of wind.

"Aura is what gives your glyphs form. You don't infuse your glyphs with dust, you infuse your aura with dust, and then form your glyphs. That way, even without pointing-" she formed a black glyph beneath Neo's feet, causing her to be rooted in place. She looked over her shoulder, shaking her fist angrily at her. "You can form the necessary glyph for the necessary task."

"Infusing aura with dust… I never thought of that," he said, tapping his chin in thought as he looked up at the sky. "My mother did say a miqo'te's aura was different from a regular faunus or a human. She said we have the ability to bring out the true strength of dust and do feats of magic with them."

"Which is why I'm going to make sure you take your semblance seriously. You want to become a stronger fighter, then you have to be the very best you can be. Train physically with Neo, keep your physical strength up. I'll whip your semblance into shape, but in return, you will purchase any and all necessary dust. I can't have you wasting my supply after all."

"I can do that. Just as long as you show me how Myrtenaster's dust system works," he said, reaching inside his pocket for his notebook, flipping to his redesigned weapon. He handed it to her, pointing to his own design. "I based the revolver after yours, but mine is different. Rather than refined dust, I'm going to use dust crystals. They hold more power than the refined variants. I'm also ensuring I keep the gun's function intact."

"Levi, this is… an ingenious design. The repeater action of the rifle isn't going to be hindered at all by the revolver. In fact, it's a dual-action system. How did you come up with something like this?" she asked, turning to face him.

"I just combined different designs. I chose a Mare's leg rifle because it's short and easy to wield, then I based the blade around an estoc, capable of channeling my aura and dust through it. The revolver mechanism was again, based on your design. I also made sure the rifle could shoot since that'll benefit me in battle. It's a hybrid gun estoc. What I should have built in the first place."

Weiss poured over the notes a bit, checking a few things over. She hummed as she read every single function, before returning the book to Levi. "Well, it will certainly be an impressive weapon. A costly one, but an impressive one nonetheless. This shall definitely help you with your semblance. But for now, I shall train you with Myrtenaster. If you chose an estoc, then I assume you know some fencing?"

"Uh… well…" he replied, rubbing his neck in embarrassment. Weiss facepalmed, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Unbelievable. Choosing a weapon you don't even know how to use, you are lucky I am trained in the art of fencing. We will practice that when we have a tangible weapon. For now, let us return to Semblance training. Afterward, we shall focus on increasing your aura reserves. The more aura you have the more you can use your semblance."

"Alright, I'm ready and willing, Weiss. Show me what you got!" he said excitedly. Weiss blew the hair out of her eyes, a small smirk on her face.

"Levi, you are going to regret saying those words."

xxx

She didn't know how long it had been, but her head was spinning. She felt pain in her chest, the jostling was making it even worse. She tried to move her hand, only to realize it was missing. She forced her eyes to open, being greeted by the ceiling of a wooden cart. Her ears perked up a bit, hearing footsteps and low voices around her.

"Where the hell am I?" she thought to herself, as she forced herself to sit up. She let out a hiss as pain exploded from her wound. She went to reach for it, only to see the cauterized stump of her right arm. She laid back down, gritting her teeth in anger. "That fucking son of a bitch. He's going to pay for this."

"Were you expecting him to do that? To the High-Leader, I mean?"

"Ex-High-Leader, and no, I wasn't. But you can't deny his claims either. Sienna Khan was just sitting on her ass doing absolutely nothing. High-Leader Adam made a good point. We need humans to fear us, and if we have to break some eggs to do it, so be it."

"High-Leader? So the bastard really did take over. Wonderful." Sienna thought as she continued listening in to the other's conversation.

"I just can't believe it, you know? I was only a kid when Sienna took over from Ex-Leader Belladonna. She was like a mother to us all, so seeing her dead like that.." the man let out a sigh. "I suppose all we can do is give her a proper burial. But why do it all the way here, near Kuchinashi?"

"Probably to prevent the White Fang High Council from conducting their rites. After all, if they see that one of her hands was cut off and cauterized at the same time, they'll start asking questions."

"Makes sense to me, let's just hope the damn hole is dug. I don't want to be forced to dig in the dry ground around here."

"So, they think me to be dead, eh? I suppose that buys me a little time." Sienna thought as she forced herself to sit up., She ignored the pain in her chest, forcing her aura to activate. It was still a bit weak but it would go a long way to heal whatever injury she had sustained. She looked around for a moment, trying to find something to use as a weapon. She spotted a sword nearby and moved to grab it. "This will do."

The cart suddenly came to a stop, causing her to look around for a moment. She heard the men start moving back toward the other end of the cart, some grumbling in what she assumed was annoyance.

"Alright, let's get the gurney ready so we can bring her to the burial site. We should have the markers set up. Let's just hope those idiots actually finished their tasks. I'm not carving another wooden grave marker."

Sienna knelt down, struggling to keep her balance. With her missing hand, it was almost impossible for her to steady herself without falling over. She clutched her sword tightly, waiting for the man to open the tent. When he did she sprung into action, driving the sword straight through the bend in his armor. He let out a cry of pain, a surprised look on his face.

"High… Leader?" he croaked, as she pulled the sword from his guts. She jumped out of the cart, wasting no time in felling the second man, who had been stunned into silence. She heard the sound of a hammer being pulled and ducked back in time to avoid being shot.

She spun the sword around, flicking the blood off her blade as she walked forward. The scared faunus held his handgun up, squeezing the trigger. With each pull, Sienna deflected it, looking angrier and angrier the more she approached him. He dropped his gun, holding his hands up in surrender. "P-Please, I'm sorry. Forgive me, High-Leader."

"It's alright child, I accept your apology. Sadly, treason is against the laws that bind our organization together. Alas, I am no longer the high leader and do not have the right to conduct such laws." she said, as she glared into his eyes. "Treason is punishable by death, you know."

"Yes, I know that. And I am sorry, it was all Brother Adam's fault. He convinced us to do this!"

"Indeed, I am keenly aware of what Brother Adam has done to our organization. Honestly, I believe in your words and am willing to let you go."

"Oh, thank you, High-Leader! Thank you!" the man said, kneeling down before her. "I will never betray you again, High-Leader, I promise you."

Sienna spat on the ground, angling her sword. "Yes, you won't break your promise ever again, because I will be using you as an example. It is a shame that it has come to this. I do not like being violent against my kind, but I have to send a message somehow."

The faunus looked up fearfully, only to see Sienna slash her sword at him. He let out a scream as he felt his arm being severed clean off. He clutched his arm hard, trying and failing to contain the bleeding. He screamed in agony as she drove her sword straight through his chest, giving it a twist. She pulled it free, throwing it aside. "Should you survive, tell Adam I send my regards."

With that, she started walking away, disappearing through the woods. She let out a groan of pain, feeling her aura diminishing a bit. Using it to fight while she was injured was a poor idea, but she needed to get away. She leaned up against a tree, glancing at her hand, seeing the damage Adam had done to it. Half of her arm was gone, the cut having been clean at the very least. The scarred skin was scabbed over, a few specks of blood seeping through it. She needed medical attention, and fast.

Without knowing the extent of her internal injuries, she was on borrowed time. Her aura could only do so much after all. She pushed herself off the tree, moving forward through the forest. She caught the scent of a campfire and started moving in that direction. She didn't know how far the camp was, but she was certain they would help her.

"I just hope they aren't humans. Those bastards are capable of letting me die. And I would rather not die at the hands of a filthy human." she thought, as she forced herself to walk. She felt her leg start going numb, the pain in her chest getting worse with every step forward. "Goddamn you, Adam. When I get my hands on you, I am going to make you pay for what you've done to me."

She felt her leg buckle, causing her to fall to her knees. She cried in pain as she held herself up with her left hand. She forced herself to stand up, dragging her leg behind her. "I can't pass out now. I must get help. I can't die just yet, not while Adam is…"

Sienna felt her vision start to blur, her legs finally giving out. She was unconscious before she hit the ground. Her final thoughts being about Adam and how much she wanted to kill him.

xxx

"Hello, diary. It's been quite a while since the last post eh? So much has happened I don't even know where to begin. For one, I managed to get my friend caught by bandits, not only that but said bandits kidnapped the Schnee Heiress and being the kind person he is, Levi allowed her to tag along with us, how joyous.

Honestly, I wanted nothing more than to drive Hush straight through her back, let the blade come out through her throat, and watch her choke on her own blood. But she's… starting to grow on me. God, I must be desperate for attention if I'm being friendly with Weiss Schnee of all people. This is the girl who used some time glyph to assist her friend, all so she could break Roman's Atlassian mech. This is the girl who invaded our train and caused us to crash through Vale, and this is the same girl who is friends with Little Red…

I'm beginning to wonder if even killing Little Red is even worth it. Sure, we fought on that Atlas Airship, and sure, she separated me from Roman, but at the end of the day, she didn't command the Grimm, and she wasn't the one who forced him into it. That was all Cinder. But… Little Red has a face that's just so punchable. Pinning all of my anger on her will make things easier. But killing her friends is going to be a lot harder than I had expected."

She looked up, watching Levi and Weiss practicing their semblances. She had decided to mentor him in aura control, getting him to understand the fundamentals of casting glyphs. Levi had been good with them before, but even the little bit of training he had gotten from the heiress had helped him out a lot. She looked back down at her scroll, seeing the blinking cursor, waiting for her to input another word. She tapped away at the hard-light screen, once she had made sure her soup wasn't drying up.

"Weiss is an interesting case. She knows who I am, but hasn't said a single thing to Levi. She threatened me with revealing everything but hasn't made a move. That little show we had back in that bathroom told me a lot about her. She'd rather watch me put my foot in my mouth than say anything. Either that or she doesn't want to hurt Levi. He considers me a friend, a true genuine friend. I can still feel Shiva's blade on my throat when he made that threat back in Vale.

I don't know what I am going to do. With each passing day, I am more and more lost. The more I find myself, the more I start to wonder why I even started this journey. I have a promise to keep, but things are not turning out the way I wanted them to. Even worse, I'm starting to see Roman. It makes me wonder what he would do if he was here. He'd likely be laughing his ass off, wondering when we would kill Levi and bring Schnee in for a ransom.

But the more I get to know them, the more I start feeling close. It's in my nature to be loyal with my friends. Loyalty was the basis for my and Roman's relationship after all. We knew each other for a long time, and I took orders from no one. Could it be that… I'm starting to see them, the same way I saw Roman?"

She shook her head, tipping her hat back. It had been a while since she had worn it, but now that she was, it made her calm. It was a piece of Roman she wasn't going to part with. She had left Melodious Cudgel back in Vale after all. This was the only thing she could bring back with her, her most precious item. She clutched the hat tightly, feeling a tear rolling down her cheek. She sniffled a bit, wiping it with her sleeve, glancing up briefly at Weiss and Levi, who hadn't even noticed her. She took a deep calming breath, slowly exhaling.

"Calm down Neo, just keep it together. Levi is nothing but a stepping stone, always remember that. If he's that stepping stone then Weiss is the Jackpot. Once I do what I gotta do, I'll get rid of him and sell her to the highest bidder. Maybe Papa Schnee will make me a billionaire if I play my cards right. Remember the rules. Lie, Cheat, Steal, Survive. That's all that matters to me right now… that and Revenge. I'll talk to you later, diary, I can't let this soup dry up."

xxx

"What was that?" Levi asked, lowering Myrtenaster. Weiss gave him a look, tilting her head a bit in confusion.

"I didn't hear a thing, Levi." the former heiress said, causing him to frown.

"No, I'm serious. I heard something, coming from the forest," he said, pointing toward the overhang in the woods, not far from where they were camped out. "It almost sounded like something dropping. Like if you let go of a sack or something."

"This is unbelievable. If you wanted to take a break, then you should have just said so. You don't have to lie to me, you know."

Neo rose to her feet, Hush at the ready. She pointed toward the woods, gesturing for the pair to follow. Levi handed Weiss her weapon back, reaching behind his back for his own. Weiss let out a huff but followed along. Levi was a faunus after all, and he had the best hearing out of all of them.

They moved through the woods swiftly and quietly. They kept their eyes on their surroundings, making sure they weren't being surrounded. They had heard gunshots not that long ago and figured someone was nearby, likely hunting or taking out some rogue Grimm. If that was the case, Levi didn't want them to be caught in whatever the hell that was.

"Levi, are you sure you heard something around here?" Weiss asked softly, keeping her sword aimed outward, just in case she needed to cast a glyph. Levi gave her a nod, keeping his gaze straight ahead.

"I did, it sounded like something dropping to the ground. I dunno what it is, could be an injured buck, or some other animal. We heard shots earlier, maybe it was a hunter's kill that got too far away from him." he said.

"Or, it could be an injured woman." Neo's scroll said, causing the pair to stop. They looked in the direction she was pointing, spotting the figure behind some trees. Levi immediately moved toward the body, his eyes widening a bit in surprise as he got a good look at her face.

"Holy shit, it's the White Fang high leader."

"The White Fang?" Weiss screeched, backpedaling a bit. "She's the leader of the White Fang? What the hell is she doing here?"

Neo pointed to her arm, making Levi gasp in surprise. He checked her over, noticing the wound on her back. "I think someone tried to kill her. They served her hand and ran her through with a blade. I can't believe she's still breathing."

"We gotta do something! We can't just let her die you know." Weiss said firmly. Levi flicked his wrist, shifting Shiva into gun mode, handing it to Weiss.

"Watch my back while I bring her back to the camp. You see anything, you shoot it. The ones who did this to her might still be around." he said, lifting the woman's body up. He hefted her over his shoulder with ease, earning a pained groan from her in return.

"I've uh… never fired a gun."

"Well, you'll have to learn someday, come on. Before she dies on us," he said, starting the trek back to their camp.

The former heiress sighed, sliding her rapier into the ring at her hip. She kept a firm grasp of Shiva as she followed after Levi, with Neo covering their flank. She was beginning to grow nervous. If the White Fang was around, then it wouldn't be long until they found this woman. The Schnee family wasn't exactly on the White Fang's good side, the last thing she needed was to be attacked by them.

"The White Fang only got this way because of people like my father. Humans who think caging their kind is a just thing to do. And now I'm quaking in my boots wondering if a faunus is going to slit my throat open. Thanks for the anxiety, dad, I really appreciate it." she thought to herself, feeling her heart beating hard in her chest.

It didn't take them long to make it back to the camp. Neo grabbed one of the sleeping bags and pulled it next to the fire, along with a folded towel to use as a makeshift pillow. Levi carefully set the woman down, laying her on the bag. He began the process of unlacing her sandals, setting them down beside her. He reached inside Shiva's holster for his first aid kit, frowning a bit when he looked inside it.

"I don't have anything to deal with her injuries."

"Our bigger kit was in our bag, which those damned bandits took from us. All I have in my bag are bandages and ointments. I don't think that will be enough to help her out." Neo's scroll chirped, a deep frown on her face.

"Here, let me. I received medical training in Atlas before heading to Beacon. I know how to suture and how to take care of broken limbs. We need to dress her arm before it gets infected. Neo, do you think you can bring me a bucket of water from the river?" she asked, earning a nod from the girl. She reached for her rapier, pulling the small canister of Fire Dust from within. "Make sure you boil it for me, just to make sure there is no risk of infection."

"What should I do?" Levi asked curiously.

"I need you to make some bandages with that gauze, so we can take care of her chest wound. It looks to me like she was stabbed with a fire-infused sword. So her internal injuries were likely cauterized from it. We'll have to take her to a hospital for further tests." she said, as she started examining her stump. "How far is Kuchinashi again?"

"Twelve kilometers, do you think we'll be able to make it?" the miqo'te asked, causing her to sigh.

"We're gonna have to, she's got a fever too, so I'm not sure if she'll live much longer. Her aura should kick in, but it won't heal everything. We need to make sure she's ready for the trip." Weiss said, taking a deep shaky breath. "Come on, Weiss. Your dad did fucked up shit to the faunus, time for you to start fixing his mistakes."

Levi remained silent as he watched her work, grabbing the roll of gauze beside him. He washed his hands with some rubbing alcohol, before grabbing the scissors, beginning to cut the gauze-like Weiss had instructed.

It wasn't long after that Neo returned, with the water that Weiss had requested. It was still boiling, causing Weiss to add some ice dust to it, rapidly cooling it down, bringing it down to a lukewarm state. Once it was ready, she grabbed a clean rag from their pack, dipping it in the water. She wrung it out, using it to clean the woman's stump. She groaned in pain as the white-haired girl worked, mumbling a few things in her sleep.

"I wonder who it was that did this to her," Levi said, as he finished preparing the bandages. "She's a well-respected member of the faunus, held in high regard. I can't for one second believe someone from the Fang did this to her."

"They have gotten worse these last few months. They were pretty ruthless in Vale, but they practically control half of Mistral. The Mistral Council is far too busy worrying about politics and keeping the kingdom from falling apart than worrying about some "Upstart Faunus Movement" as Council Member Kuroi Hasegawa stated. It's just a mess on top of a mess."

"I might be grasping at straws here, but I think the one who did this to her was Adam Taurus." Neo's scroll spoke, causing the pair to look up at her. She adopted a serious look as she played the next message. "He was the one who led the attack on Beacon and released Grimm into the school. Not to mention he also stole an entire Schnee Freight Train filled with Dust. He was a vocal member too."

"That makes a surprising amount of sense." the faunus mumbled, glancing down at the injured woman. "My mom was invited by the High-Leader to join the ranks of the Fang. She was a licensed huntress, and she figured she could teach the younger members to fight. Mom obviously refused, Sienna here happens to be a hard woman to dissuade."

"What about you, Levi? Did you ever consider joining the White Fang?" Weiss queried, causing him to shake his head.

"I never really got behind their message. I understand that faunus rights are important, but violence doesn't solve anything. In fact, it just serves to make things worse. I don't exactly agree with their methods either. Peace should be achieved through mutual understanding, not rioting and certainly not war."

"Hgn." Sienna groaned, tugging on her arm. Weiss's grip tightened, causing the woman to jolt, grabbing a hold of her hand. Her eyes snapped open, a growl erupting from her throat. "Unhand me, you filthy human!"

"Hey! I'm trying to help you here, lady! Can't you see your hand was cut off?!" the former heiress shouted. Sienna blinked a few times, glancing around for a moment. Though her guard was still up, she relaxed a slight bit. "Let me finish cleaning it so I can apply some ointment and wrap it up. Just relax, alright? I won't hurt you."

"Tch… petty words coming from the Schnee Heiress. I bet you are relishing in this, aren't you? Seeing the high leader of the White Fang in such a state, suffering in pain like some common animal."

"Don't put words in her mouth!" Levi snapped, causing the woman to look at him. She let out a gasp, her ears flattening a bit. "She's the one currently washing your stump. We could have left you in the woods, you know. So at least swallow your bitterness and let her help."

"I uh…" she took a deep breath, sighing. "You're a miqo'te faunus, what are you doing colluding with humans?"

"Colluding?" the young man asked, brow quirked. "I'm not colluding, Weiss and Neo here are my close friends."

"He's correct, High-Leader. We're traveling huntsmen and huntresses-in-training, currently on our way to Mistral. You should be grateful that we made camp here, or else you likely would have died out there." Neo's scroll said. She had a smug look on her face as she glared at the tigress, who bashfully looked away.

"I am not the high-leader anymore, the White Fang led a mutiny against me. Brother Adam ran his sword through me, not before taking my arm," she said, glaring at the sky, anger written on her face. "When I get my hands on him, I am going to make him regret his attempt at murdering me."

"You'll have to finish healing before seeking vengeance against the one who did this to you," Weiss said, setting the rag down in the bucket. She dried it off with some leftover gauze, grabbing the ointment from the first aid kit. "I'm not entirely sure what damage you might have sustained with your chest wound. But with proper care, your stump should heal soon. You might even qualify for a replacement from Atlas Medical Institute."

Sienna bristled a bit at the thought. She never once thought she would have to rely on human-made technology to live. She glanced down at her mangled appendage, frowning a bit. "Damn him… to do this to the woman who practically made him who he is."

"Um… Sienna?" Levi called, causing her to look at him. "Do you know who I am? Do you perhaps remember me?"

She narrowed her eyes a bit, giving him a nod. "You're Terra Athan's boy, I only ever met two miqo'tes in my life. I took care of you from the time you were a toddler to the time you were in elementary school. I was only a teenager then. You've grown into a fine young man."

"You didn't tell me you knew her," Weiss said, causing Levi to chuckle, ears twitching a bit as he did.

"You never asked," he replied in a cheeky tone. Weiss finished wrapping up the woman's stump, moving onto her chest wound. She picked at her shirt, pulling the burned bits open.

"Hmm… it looks cauterized, but I'm not sure if that's good or bad. Again without knowing the extent of your internal injuries, we won't know. You could make a full recovery or you could need surgery. I'll dress it for you, but we must make haste to Kuchinashi. We can't afford to let you die on us." Weiss said, giving the woman a smile. Sienna looked away, holding back the urge to growl.

"Why?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are you being so nice to me? You're a Schnee. The Schnee Family has enslaved the faunus and forced them to work in the dust mines for as long as I can remember. I lead attacks against SDC Compounds. I ordered Adam to whack members of your company." she said, ears flat against her head. "You should hate me for the things I've done to you. You should relish in my pain."

The former heiress took a deep breath through her nose, slowly exhaling as she looked at the first aid kit. Her hands shook a bit as she grabbed the bandages Levi had prepared for her. "I should hate you. I should be laughing at your pain and at your misery, a part of me wants to. But that's the old me. I learned that everything my family did was because of my father. He is the racist bigot who cages the faunus like animals. He's the one who underpays them, and he's the one who… who brands them as his property."

She squeezed some ointment onto her finger, pressing it against Sienna's chest, earning another pained hiss from her. "I sat back for years and let him do the thinking for me, and I conformed to his wishes and desires. But my friend Blake taught me so much about the faunus. I've learned to treat them as equals, because that is what we are, equals. So what if they are part animal? That doesn't make them any less human than me or anyone else."

Weiss secured the bandage onto her chest, making sure the tape was perfectly in place. "Besides, your traits are part of your heritage. They make you unique. I don't know if anyone has ever told you this, but your tiger ears are super adorable, and your stripes make you look very pretty."

Sienna remained silent after that, letting the young woman dress the exit wound on her back. She had been thinking a lot about what she had said. There was no way she was telling her the truth. All of those words had to be fake.

"Having trouble believing her, auntie?" Levi asked, causing Sienna to quirk a brow. "What? You raised me when I was younger, that makes you my aunt or something."

"Call me what you wish, I will not stop you," she said, glancing at her stump. "I'm just having trouble believing her. I suppose not all humans are bad. Perhaps staying in those chambers was detrimental to my views on humanity."

"It goes to show, not all humans are evil. You just have to give them a chance." Neo's scroll said. The young woman gave Sienna a wink, making her look away for a moment.

"You say that but… I have had a lot of issues in the past. Regardless of that, I must thank you. You not only rescued me but dressed my wounds. Anyone else would have just left me. But you three… you are different."

"It's fine, Miss Khan. Even if I had to bring you back kicking and screaming, I would have. I'll help anyone in need, that's what a huntress does after all." Weiss said, packing Levi's kit up. "But now we need to pack up. You need serious medical attention, and staying here will only delay the inevitable."

"Here, Auntie," Levi said, handing the woman a mug, filled with some of the soup Neo had prepared. "It's vegetable soup, Neo made it earlier. It should help get your strength up a bit. In the meantime, we'll break down camp and start getting a move on."

"T-thank you, Levi. I very much appreciate it." Sienna said softly, taking a sip from the mug. She felt a lot warmer than before, her muscles loosening up a bit. She took another sip, drinking most of the broth in one go. "This is quite delicious,"

Neo gave the woman a smile along with a polite bow as if telling her to keep the praise coming. Sienna stared at her awkwardly, deciding to focus on her food, at least for the moment.

xxx

"Must you insist on carrying me like this?" Sienna asked an embarrassed look on her face as Levi and his friends moved up the path. She was currently riding on his back, her good arm wrapped around his shoulders. "I am capable of walking myself."

"The only thing you are capable of is passing out. You are weak from your injuries, who knows how much blood you lost. Besides if you were unconscious I'd still be carrying you on my back. This changes nothing."

"He makes a good point, Miss Khan. The less stress you put on your body, the better. Allow your aura to heal you a bit, at least let it bring your stamina back." Weiss said firmly.

"I suppose you have a point, the last thing I need is to pass out on you. But I also don't want to be a hindrance to you. What if a Grimm comes along, or worse, the White Fang?"

"We'll take care of it. We're not that far from Kuchinashi now, just relax and let us focus on getting there." the miqo'te faunus said, keeping his gaze ahead. "So, I have to ask. You said Brother Adam did this to you, am I to assume you are referring to Adam Taurus?"

"You assume correctly, young Levi. Adam Taurus has usurped my throne from me and has assumed control of Mistral's Chapter of the White Fang. What's worse is that he's planning an attack on Haven Academy. He was responsible for killing 16 Atlas Tech workers at a nearby relay tower." she said firmly.

"Figured that was the case. We were the ones who tripped that alarm, we found it odd that nothing was stolen. But when Neo told us what she knew, we figured the White Fang was planning something,"

"What Neo told you?" Sienna asked, glancing at the ice cream-themed girl. She held her scroll out, pressing 'speak'.

"I bought information from a shady bandit not long ago, and she told me that the White Fang were planning an attack on Haven. We just weren't sure if it was Adam Taurus or someone else."

"Adam is nothing but a fool. He's a short-sided idiot who thinks violence is going to solve all of the faunus's problems. I wished to bring both races to a mutual understanding through fear. But now I know that was a mistake. It bred people like Adam and the ones who followed his words. Perhaps I wasn't cut out to be the high-leader after all." the tigress said, bowing her head a bit.

"Hey, I'm not blaming you for anything, alright? I learned that forgiveness can go a long way. I don't agree with anything the White Fang has done over the last five years, but you also got results. The Fall of Beacon only made things worse. Which is why Adam needs to be stopped." Levi said, a hint of seriousness in his voice. "It seems the pieces are lining up for us."

"The pieces? To what, exactly?"

"Adam may have led an attack on Beacon Academy, but the mastermind of it is a woman called Cinder Fall. She was responsible for the attack on Vale, and the death of many of our friends, including Levi's mother." Weiss said, causing Sienna to stand up.

"Terra is dead?"

"She died defending some students back at Beacon." the young man confirmed, fixing his grip on her. "Cinder Fall and her lackeys claimed to be students of Haven Academy. There is something going on behind the scenes that I don't like. Headmaster Lionheart may have denounced them and claimed their profiles were faked, but something tells me that isn't the case. If Adam is leading an attack on Haven, then Cinder will be there."

"If she is, then me and Levi can finally get our revenge. For getting my best friend killed, and for the ones he lost in Beacon Academy." the mechanical voice of Neo's scroll said, causing Sienna to look down at her. "She has to pay for what she's done. If Adam is going to be there, then you can fight him as well, and retake the White Fang."

"A tempting offer, but I believe it isn't the right course of action. I was blinded, for many many years. The fact this mutiny was led against me is enough for me to realize I was not fit to lead. But I also know Adam is not right for the Fang either. I know now what must be done. The White Fang needs to be destroyed, it no longer served the purpose Ghira Belladonna founded it for."

"Belladonna?" Weiss asked, glancing back at Sienna. "Blake's father?"

"You know Blake Belladonna?"

"Of course I do. She's one of my best friends, my sister in arms. She taught me everything I know about the faunus. She's the reason I changed my ways. I haven't seen her in months. Adam Taurus… he hurt one of our friends, ended up severing her arm. Blake blamed herself for it and ran off before anyone could say anything. I was carted off to Atlas by my father before I could speak to her. Yang is in Patch and Ruby is… somewhere." the former heiress said, sniffling. "I miss them so much."

Sienna remained silent for a moment, processing what she had said. She had never heard a human say such things about a faunus. Even claiming one to be her friend. It was surprising to her. "I'm sure you'll see Blake again, Weiss."

"I sure hope so. She isn't getting away from my verbal lashing unscathed, right after I give her a big hug… and maybe some tuna."

Levi slowed to a stop after a moment, his ears twitching a bit, an action that made Sienna tense up. He looked up at the sky, seeing the blue skies slowly becoming gray. The wind had been still for most of their walk but had suddenly picked up from the east, making him frown. "There's a storm coming. We need to step on it before we get caught in it."

Neo placed a hand on his arm, giving him a comforting smile. He nodded in return, shifting his gaze back to the path ahead of him. "Well ladies, let's hope the clouds don't break until we make it to Kuchinashi."

They continued walking forward in silence, focusing solely on making it to town. Kuchinashi was known throughout the world for being a rather ruthless town. Levi wasn't looking forward to going there, but it was the last stop between them and Mistral, and with Sienna being injured, he had no choice. He needed to make it there, there was no other option. He just hoped the town wasn't filled with racists like some claimed it was. He supposed it would be another part of traveling through Mistral. One that he had to get used to rather quickly.


A/N: Yes, I decided to post another chapter. Hope you enjoy it. See ya!