Rolling on through with another update.
Thank you all for the support so far.
I know FFN is having problems, so I appreciate everyone keeping up with the story!
Quick note, no, Blake will not be added to the ship.
I said I wanted Monochrome, I'm sticking with that.
Same reason I want Milk and Cereal and ReNora.
Also, for those that noted it, yeah, a certain J was missing.
That will be explained.
Still have the team choice name up for grabs.
FRPY for Frappe or PYRE for Fire.
Kind of starting to lean toward Frappe myself, although that might be because I want an iced coffee right now...
This chapter is a little rougher, haven't put it through my full editing process.
Will do so later.
Enjoy!
Every fiber in his being told him he was walking into a trap.
Here they were, two intruders in a White Fang base, being led peacefully to a small, organized conference room. Plans of various objectives were written on scattered boards, with some being scribbled or crossed out, either having been completed or something having occurred.
It was apparent they had been there for some time, which annoyed Fen. The Fang had been quiet if they had been active within Vale if this was the case. That was very unlike them as they typically made their presence known with active moments against political figures and authorities that were anti-Faunus and had been recently targeting Dust supplies quite frequently.
Something startling as many individuals and groups had been doing the same.
Fen was on edge, knowing something could go wrong at any moment. He had only accepted Adam's offer as there was something peculiar about it and him that he couldn't shake.
It was almost like he wasn't in charge, and he was attempting to usurp that control back. And that was a weary sensation he was experiencing as if Adam was in control…
Then who was?
He did remember his mother saying there was a current faction within the White Fang with a young figurehead, and he fit the bill. But he would still act like he was in charge if that was the case…
Something here felt off. Like he wasn't in control.
And Fen didn't like that.
So seeing the bull Faunus offer them seats as he took the chair at the head of the table, he scowled but accepted the offer, Yang hesitantly doing the same as her partner as she was weary of the whole situation.
"Don't you have a rally speech to deliver to the new initiates?" Fen crossed his arms and kept his eyes squarely focused on the bull before him, keenly aware there were two guards stationed at the door. "Not a sound strategy to make them wait. You'll lose potential members every second they have to sit and wait for you."
They were of little consequence in this scenario. Adam was the threat.
He and whatever he was plotting.
"They will hardly matter in the grand scheme. They are irrelevant. You, by far, are more crucial to my operations than all of them combined." Adam let the words roll off his tongue like sultry butter, making Fen shiver.
He was always a smooth talker, complemented by his handsome features and rugged voice, and it seemed in these last few years, he had improved upon that skill.
That was lovely.
"Don't think they would like to know that," Fen drummed his fingers on his elbow, feeling quite opposed to that viewpoint, and continued to scowl at the bull. "So, shall we get down to business, my old friend? The moment you saw me, you should have known why I was here. This is not a pleasant visit."
"Which is why I asked you to put away your weapons and let us seek an alternate solution. I am very aware of your grudge against the current regime of the White Fang and why you harbor resentment for it." Adam laced his fingers together, calmly responding. "Tell me, how is dear Ze? I heard the wound she received was substantial and must be debilitating for her to live in such a condition."
"Knowing that with one more wrong move, one misstep, she will be paralyzed for life," Adam added, his voice which had almost seemed caring before, had this twisted and satisfied sentiment to it as he sat smuggled in his seat. "Can't imagine if something was to happen to her and cause her to be bedridden and defenseless for the rest of her life."
Fen snarled. He knew what the bull was trying to do. He was gauging him. Watching his movements.
Testing him.
He did not appreciate that. It only validated his thought before.
"Yo, who do you think you are, punk?" Fen's eyes grew as his partner snapped off, the table nearly buckling as Yang stood up and slammed her fists down on it. "You think you can threaten people's families? Nah, that ain't cool! I…"
"Yang, sit down," Fen commanded with gravitas, his voice calm and collected as his eyes shifted his gaze to his partner. "You will do nothing until I say so."
Startled at the shift within her friend once again, seeing the cold and calculating version of him now, Yang shivered. She felt compelled to listen, however… "But, he…"
"Do as I say, or do you wish to lose a limb or your life?" Fen declared coldly, causing Yang to go frigid as she felt his words freeze her very being. "He's baiting. Trying to test our temperament. Do not fall for it. I would like to see you intact and preferably alive after today, so sit down."
Something in Yang compelled her to listen to Fen. What he said was logical, even if she despised it. She hated that he didn't believe she would come out on top. He hadn't even seen what she could truly do…
But Yang obeyed his command and sat back in her chair. Miffed but compliant.
"I see you take after your mother," Adam commented as he kept watch, his hand slipping from the hilt of his sword, Wilt. "Calm and collected, capable of making rational decisions under duress and keeping subordinates in line. I must say, my White Fang could very well use someone as capable as you in our ranks. We won't be held back by the simple fallacies that Sienna or Ghira allowed to hold us back…"
"You mean morals and laws," Fen retorted, reaching up and slipping his mother's White Fang mask off and glancing at it. "You could learn something from both High Leader Sienna and Belladonna. Hell, he tried to teach you that lesson, from what I remember. I remember seeing you broken and miserable before our fateful departure. Tell me…"
"Do you still dream about his words as the blood stains your foolish hands?" Fen coldly stared into the one visible eye behind Adam's mask.
A snarl twisted on the bull's lips, but there was no further reaction. He stayed poised as he kept his gaze with the Fennec Fox. However, his tone was no longer pleasant as it had been before when he spoke. "I could say the same for you. How often do you think of the ashen corpses left behind in your wake? I know you haven't stopped using it. On the contrary, you have flourished in using it here in Vale. It's put you on the map, Kitsune no Ogami."
"I've made peace with it and myself." Fen pointedly stated in a calm tone. "My Semblance is only meant to take life and will only use it when necessary. So know this when I say it, those corpses in my wake were necessary as they were too dangerous to let live. Shall I add you to the list?"
Yang's naturally light complexion was now devoid of color as she gazed upon Fen with wide eyes. He had killed people before? Both of these people talking before her had taken the lives of others, yet were talking about it so frankly? As if it wasn't an issue?
She understood that in the line of a Huntress, she would see death. She could very well cause it while attempting to apprehend criminals. It was an aspect of the job her father and uncle had warned her about, but she had always brushed it off. But to hear it be talked about so plainly and by some, she started to consider a friend…
"Let's not be hasty." Adam shook his head, offering his hands up in a peaceful manner. "I did call you here to talk after all. So let's talk. I assume you are here as you finally caught wind that we have been operating within the area and aim to stop it, no? That's something I can't allow with everything going on."
"Then what business do we have? Sounds like you made a grievous error in separating yourself in a room with me with a paltry backup? My partner can easily handle them as I take care of you." Fen uncrossed his arms, shifting his stance in his seat.
"Now, now. As I said, I can't allow it with everything going on, but there are some things I am willing to offer in exchange for, say, a deal? A trade of services?" Adam once more put his hands up in a passive and defensive manner, showing he did not wish to fight. "The very top of that list would be the removal of your family from any search lists and guaranteed protection as long as I'm in charge as branch leader of Vale and the eventual High Leader of the White Fang. I would very much like to invite your family back, but considering what happened, I can understand the hesitancy."
"You burned that bridge already with your failed intimidation tactics. Should have known better." Fen narrowed his eyes before lacing his fingers, propping his shoulders on the table, and putting his chin on his hands. "What if I were to tell you my goal was much simpler than you thought it was when I came in here? That it wasn't just about protecting my family?"
"What"? Adam scowled, leaning back as he hadn't predicted this. "Why else would you be here?"
"Protecting my family, obviously, is my number one priority. I can't deny that." Fen tilted his head as he admitted the truth before his cerulean eyes gained a determined hue. "But, if I can protect and help other families by kicking you to the curb and out of my city, yeah, I'm gonna do it. I never came here with the intention of peaceful negotiations, Adam."
"I came here to kick your ass and humiliate you so badly that you have no choice but to leave Vale."
"What's going on in there?" Ruby muttered, staring through the rifle scope of Crescent Rose as she looked at the entrance of the base her sister and her friend Fen had entered a while ago. "Oh, I hope they are doing okay. Fen hasn't been answering, so I think he's turned off his side of the radio…"
"This is so frustrating!" Ruby cried as she sat on top of the roof, pulling the rifle away, and pouted, unsure what to do. "I want to be in there doing something cool! But no, I'm stuck out here doing nothing! Man, this sucks!"
"Hope they have a cool story to tell me when they get back, at the very least," Ruby grumbled in annoyance, drawing her rifle once more and looking down the scope again, scoping out the immediate area for anything suspicious.
Not that there was anything.
Did Naruto expect something? She sure didn't, as only people were arriving for the rally, and that was about it. Nothing that was out of the…
"Woah, that was fast!" Ruby caught the sight of a blur through her scope and narrowed her eyes as she tracked it down, her eyes widened seeing someone running through the alley. "Wait, who are you? Why are you in a hurry…"
"Did you just knock out the guard and take his mask?" Ruby cried in alarm before bolting into action, trying to solve what was going on with this new intruder, transforming into a burst of roses and flooding to the scene.
As the person slid on the mask, they were startled and slid back into a defensive, crouched stance while holding out a wakizashi to the side and a pistol at the intruder as Ruby came into existence, training Crescent Rose directly upon the intruder. "Who are you, and why are you here?"
"I can say the same for you!" The intruder hissed, holding their pistol firm as their long, sleek black hair flowed behind from the gale shockwave of Ruby's petal burst. "You are too young to be here? Do you realize what this place is? Get lost, kid!"
"My sister and her friend are inside trying to send these criminals packing!" Ruby retorted to the stranger, refusing to back down and hating that she was called a kid by this person.
"They're not criminals!" The black-haired person snarled, taking offense to the term as her golden eyes shone behind the mask before her shoulder slumped and lost focus. "At least not all of them. Many are innocent and just following what they believe to be right. Fighting for a cause…"
"But being manipulated, right?" Ruby finished, and the intruder's eyes widened, and their eyes met, her weapons lowering, so Ruby lowered her rifle as well. "I believe you. Naruto, or Fen, whatever he likes to call himself, said the same…"
In an instant, the intruder was upon her, standing in her face, lifting her by her cape.
This sudden aggressive action took Ruby aback, but when she saw the removal of the mask and saw her face for the first time…
She saw the genuine fear and worry expressed.
"Fen?" The voice came, exuding a mixture of excitement and apprehension. "Fen Aryl? Uzumaki Naruto is inside fighting Adam?"
"Yes?" Ruby nodded, feeling trepid about how to respond.
Only to be dropped on her rear end as the young lady bolted inside. "No, no, no! This can't be happening! I came to end this! Don't you dare take this from me!"
"Wait for me!" Ruby cried, getting onto her feet and chasing after the intruder, now wanting to know more than ever what was happening.
She was too curious and felt this circumstance was enough for her to get involved.
The table cracked and smashed in half, and as the dust settled, two new figures stood between Fen and his intended goal.
"Oh, my feeling was correct. You aren't in control here. You are merely a puppet." Fen mocked Adam as the bull snarled, his eyes snapping toward the two that interrupted this session.
"What are you doing here?" Adam demanded of the two, sounding displeased and unaware they were here, his hand sporting on Wilt and Blush. "This is my battle. Stay out of it."
"Considering who you are dealing with, we politely disagree." The male voice of the silver-haired male of the duo slyly spoke, grinning as he did. "Besides, I sensed a good battle and couldn't help myself."
The dark-skinned, green-haired young woman of the duo scowled and rolled her eyes. She then focused her attention on Adam. "The White Fang are too important to our operations. We can't afford to lose you at this late. Leave this to us. We'll take care of this and clean up this mess."
Fen narrowed his eyes. Operation? Outside forces were manipulating the Vale section of the White Fang and Adam? That was not something he was expecting. He knew officials within the White Fang were puppeteering him, but now outside?
How strong were these individuals to make Adam Taurus bend a knee and obey them?
"Fine…" Adam scowled, turning from the battle with his eyes closed. "But I hardly expect you two to clean up this mess. There is a reason I wished to recruit him to my cause, and you are about to find out why."
"Pray you don't witness it if you value your lives." Adam waved his hand as he started walking away toward the room's back door.
"Adam!"
"Ah, my love? You came back?" Adam stopped in his tracks upon hearing the voice, glancing back to see the form of a breathless young woman breathing as the door was kicked in and the two guards knocked unconscious. "This is quite the reunion we are having here today. Such a day would normally call for a celebration… But I can only assume you aren't here for pleasantries as well. Such a shame this day turned out the way it did."
"Adam," The ebony-skinned lady attempted to interrupt Adam and bring the focus back to the matter. "You need to leave. We will take care of…"
"You will do no such thing." Adam snarled as he stepped forward, turning around and stepping forward, his intent focused entirely on the black-haired intruder. "Harm a single hair on her head, and I will kill you myself. Blake is my responsibility, and I will take her back myself."
"Oh, I can feel the tension in the air, Emerald!" The silver-haired man grinned cockily with a chuckle in his voice. "Always wanted to see the Bull of the White Fang fight."
"Shut up, Mercury." Emerald snarled, looking quite unpleased with the situation at hand. "This is already a daunting situation, but we could have handled it. This did not need to be added to…"
"Yang!"
"Ruby! Why are you in here?" Yang roared, livid, upon seeing her sister running into the room, Crescent Rose in hand and ready for a fight. "Oh, if this weren't what it was, I would certainly tell Dad about this! You shouldn't be in here!"
"I was told to keep watch for anything odd, and I saw her and followed her in!" Ruby pointed at the newly introduced Blake.
"Enough, focus!" Fen barked at the two, drawing a knife and tossing what looked like a red powder vial to Blake, who caught it instinctively. "Blake, ready to burn it down?"
"Hey, I'm the one with Burn!"
"What?" Fen and Blake looked back at Yang, blinking oddly at her comment before she turned to him.
"Your new girlfriend is strange. I don't like her." Blake scrunched up her nose in disapproval.
"She's not my girlfriend." Fen retorted and shook his head, crouching and ready for the first move as neither side was willing to budge.
"Good." Blake held her wakizashi out and loaded the vial into the cartridge container. "You deserve better."
"Hey!" An explosion of aura set everything off as a fiery eruption tore the ground asunder from Yang, her eyes burning bright crimson. "You saying I'm not good enough for him! I'll show you! I'll Burn this place to the ground and show I'm not just a little dragon!"
"Yang, no!" Ruby cried as Yang took the first step and launched herself into the fray, straight at Adam, dispersing into a burst of roses to help her sister and get there first.
Only to get hit by a big boot in the face and knocked out of her Semblance, crying out in distress as she fell on her back. "What the… No one's ever hit me out of my Semblance before! How?"
"You were easy to track, little girl." Mercury grinned as he tilted his head and looked down, and stepped toward her. "Straight forward and so easy to read. Might be the fastest thing I've seen before, but with such a clear objective, I knew where you were going and made it easy to hit you."
"Oh yeah!" Ruby transformed Crescent Rose, shifting it into its scythe variation, and vanished into a swarm of roses, shifting side to side.
Only Mercury only grinned, and with a quick roundhouse, Ruby bounced against the concrete coming out of her Semblance, Crescent Rose sliding next to her. She breathlessly clutched her stomach, feeling like she was about to lurch forward and vomit.
What was this guy?
Why did his kicks hurt so badly? She had never felt anything hit so hard! Even an Ursa's paw swipe didn't hit that hard!
"Watch out!" She heard Blake's voice a clang of metal, her eyes widening as she saw the intruder standing just before her as the girl named Emerald was almost upon her, carrying two jungle green sickles colliding with what looked to be two blades, a sword, and a cleaver.
With a quick few slices against one another, their speed was complimentary. Blake's eyes narrowed. She wasn't used to others matching her hand speed, and she couldn't exactly move away to try and gain an agility advantage as the young girl was seriously hurt from that kick.
If only…
"And for the assist!" Her eyes widened as Mercury came in from the side, a heavy boot came straight for her chest.
She went to slash at his leg, but to her surprise, it didn't do anything! It felt like it reflected when it cut in!
What? That didn't make any sense!
A gunshot rang out, and Mercury backed off, grunting as he held his stomach as his aura fizzled, and he narrowed his eyes as Ruby got to her feed, Crescent Rose, in rifle mode. "Ow! That actually hurt! A sniper round at close range!"
"Not as much as this!"
"What? Fu…" Mercury started before being leveled and kicked in the jaw.
He flew straight through the concrete wall, Emerald's eyes widening as it cratered from the impact. Fen slid in, and his knife connected to her sickles and forced her to slide back. "What? How much force do you have in those blows? That's too much aura to be used for a single strike!"
"I have aura for days!" Fen grinned before his eyes shifted over to Yang. "Dammit! Girl, you are feeding him!"
"She's what?" Blake screeched, and she turned to the blonde fighting Adam, her eyes widening, watching her fists collide and fire round after round as he reflected each blow with his sword. "We have to stop him?"
"Yeah! I'm aware!" Fen drew several knives and what seemed to be fishing wire out of his bag, quickly tying them together. "As I said, ready to burn this place to the ground?"
"More than ready! You, cover me!" Blake snarled, her eyes shimmering at the thought before charging Emerald after barking the order at Ruby.
"No problem!" Ruby did as she asked, firing free shots at Emerald while keeping an eye on the groaning Mercury as he tried to pull out of the crater he was kicked into. "What's the plan?"
"Burning the base to the ground," Fen said simply as he threw knives carefully and positioned a few wires around his fingers while making a net in the room with the fishing wire.
"What?" Ruby screamed, her eyes widening at the horror of the prospect of what they were doing. "But there are so many…"
"They'll get out here! I promise you! No one is going to die! They're not dumb enough to stay once they smell the fire raging!" Blake growled as she received a kick from Emerald, sliding back in annoyance as her opponent was indeed as fast as she was and thankful for the cover the girl was providing. "Just focus on your shots, or we will! They are trying to kill us!"
Feeling a shiver travel down her spine, Ruby gulped but grimly nodded. She had to put her trust in this person's words and believe in them. She seemed to know what she was talking about. Fen/Naruto seemed to know it too. And they were trying to help keep them alive as this was not part of the plan…
So she had to believe.
"Dammit!" Mercury cried as he felt a round enter his stomach and growl. "Can you not shoot me while I'm in this crater!"
"That's for my stomach! Stay down!"
"Did you just get vengeance against me? I'm starting to like you! You have some potential!"
"I think it's time to put an end to this dance of ours," Adam drooled, having continuously deflected the blows and stored the power within his aura, quite impressed by the force he felt within, and couldn't help but grin.
"I feel the same!" Yang stopped her assault, holding back and bouncing back and forth while waiting for Adam to make a move. "This has been boring with just me attacking. Come on! Fight back! Give me something to work with!"
"Ah, you need power to get stronger too?" Adam whispered while holding out his sword toward her, he then sheathed it, his blue eyes glistening as she stood before him, waiting as if she believed what she could take was about to happen."Against many others, my dear, you would be an opposing force. But against me, your power will be your undoing!"
"Shut up and make your move!" Yang roared, sliding back in a stance, finding it quite annoying she hadn't landed a single hit on this guy so far.
If he just gave her a little more power, she could break through and…
"What is this?" Yang felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.
Something was wrong.
Everything went red in her vision.
She could see rose petals. But not like when Ruby used her Semblance.
They were coming off him!
Was this his Semblance?
What was it? What was he doing? Why did it feel so…
Similar to hers!
"No! I've been…" Yang realized her mistake, taking a step back, unsure what to do as she was too close.
She wasn't the fastest, and her dodging skills were not great. She had always relied on her aura, and her Semblance to tank blows and come back and hit harder, so dodging wasn't something she had thought about. But now…
"Not happening, Adam!" Fen's voice caught her attention.
Fishing wires strung around the room and tightened around Adam's right arm, keeping the blade sheathed. His eyes narrowed as he attempted to overpower and snap through it, but…
"You are flowing your aura through it?" Adam snarled, recognizing why the line was tougher than expected, and his head snapped to Fen, seeing his hands wrapped with fishing wire and the room webbed in it now.
But on the fishing wire were soaked rags of what seemed to be…
Oil.
Adam's eyes widened. "Wait!"
"Blake, now!" Fen gave the order.
And as Emerald tried to slash Blake, she became a shadow of herself.
But not just any shadow. That shadow erupted into a fiery, heated ball of fire, knocking the ebony-skinned young woman back and catching the rags on fire. They surged down the lines, burning intensely, and Adam's eyes widened.
They were trying to catch him on fire!
Trying to end him as well!
But he felt the tension in the wires lax. Fen wasn't going to burn himself, after all.
And that was all he needed to escape!
"No!" Adam roared, ripping through the wires everything turned red around him, and he sliced through, cutting through with his Semblance as the flames nearly engulfed him.
Leaping back, his eyes narrowed as he saw the four running to the other exit as he stood up in the burning room and glared at them, his attention focused on Fen and Blake in particular. "This isn't over!"
"We will meet again!"
"Look forward to it, Bull!" Fen flipped him off as he made sure the three left before him, pushing Blake out the door as she seemed determined to see Adam meet his end.
But it was too dangerous to stay here and press the matter. His goal had been accomplished as he saw the walls had caught fire.
This base was toast. The White Fang would have to retreat from her for now. But there was a more pressing issue to deal with…
Who was backing and controlling this branch of the Fang?