Hello, hello, hello! Man, I am strangely excited to keep this story going right now. I know I've said this so many times already, but seriously, it's been over 50 chapters and we're just getting close to the end of Volume 1. I love it, honestly. I love writing long stories like this. Though like half of the other stories that I am writing at the moment aren't going to be nearly as long as this one is. I mean, if we're at 53 chapters now, imagine how many we'll be at when I get to volume 6.

I believe I replied to everyone's reviews last chapter, so I will exempt that function from this chapter for now. Thank you to all those who reviewed!

Beta: CrowSkull

Now let's get right back into the story!

The Blind Huntsman

Chapter 53- Volume 1, Episode 20

Wrongful Growth

"I can't believe that uncle Qrow and Matsu's mom got together!" Ruby exclaimed into her sister's lap as she laid flat on her stomach across the bed, her head resting on her sister.

"I thought it was pretty cute," Yang said. "You know, technically if Qrow and her get married you, me and Kai will all be step-cousins."

Ruby rolled over and stared at her with wide eyes. "Really!?" She bellowed. Absolutely out of her mind excitedly. It was well known about the platonic borderline sibling relationship that Kai and Ruby had with each other. Though recently Kai hasn't entirely played his role as the big brother, in the past he was almost considered a third child of Taiyang. The only reason he wasn't was because of Marron and the entire situation with Raven secretly training Kai almost driving a wedge between the blind boy, Yang, and her father. Things were much better now obviously, but seeing her little sister like this was enough to make Yang smile and laugh along with her.

"Yup," Yang chuckled as she patted Ruby on the back. "We'd all be officially family." She didn't say how she felt like that would be just a little weird to her, since she considered Kai more of a best friend than a family member, but Ruby had different thoughts. She'd leap at the chance to get Kai as an official member of their family. Something told her that there was going to be something up with that.

Ruby giggled and went on to excitedly mutter about some plan to get Qrow to propose to Marron earlier than any other couple normally would. Yang couldn't stop thinking about what Kai's partner Blake told her. She almost lost her mind when Blake suggested that Kai was doing more than just training with Raven and Vernal, and not in the childish way where she might have thought that they were doing that kind of training. But if Kai was getting himself out there and in trouble, then that was going to cause a whole new slew of problems. Especially if Raven is even partly responsible for his new 'hobbies'. She started paying attention to the little things, and as her sister went on to talk more about the good things about Kai, an idea popped into her mind.

"Say, Ruby,"

"Hm?" Ruby perked up, stopping mid-sentence to listen to what Yang had to say.

"What was Kai like during the trip? I was hanging around with my team, is he doing alright?" The blonde asked curiously.

"Oh, he looked like he was having fun," Ruby said with a shrug, easily trusting her sister with what could be considered interpersonal information. "Orchid, Blake and I were with him the entire time, and he was smiling a lot so I knew that he was enjoying himself. It was a plan we made, by the way." The red reaper said that last part in a whisper. "And it totally worked."

"Heh," Yang figured that Kai was just happy to be with his friends, for once. He's been so 'busy' as of late that he barely spoke to them at times. "Speaking of Orchid and them, where is the rest of your team?" She asked, changing the subject.

"Well, Matsu is in the room with Orchid playing some card games. And yes, she knows that he is blind but is trying to teach him the rules anyway. And Blake is in the library with some boy."

"Ooo, do tell." Yang wiggled her eyebrows.

"Heh, I don't know if Blake is entirely approving of Sun — that's his name by the way — somehow always being able to find her. She told me that they met in the library once when he and his team, also named SSSN or something, while they were playing a board game." Ruby explained with an amused chuckle. "I think he likes her, I've been seeing them hang out together a lot recently once we came back from Forever Fall."

"Oh, and I met him once. He's a monkey faunus like Matsu, though his tail is yellow instead of brown." Ruby felt the need to add.

"Wait a sec…" Yang thought to herself and dug deep into her memories. "Sun… blonde… monkey tail… by any chance, does he wear an unbuttoned white shirt and jeans?"

"Six-pack abs?" Ruby added to that, Yang nodded her head in confirmation. "Yeah, do you know him?"

"Heh, yeah I do." Yang snickered. "Weiss made us all visit Vale the other day to totally not spy on the competition for the upcoming Vytal tournament. Sun happened to sneak on a ship and ran past us as we were running away. He winked at Ren, probably because he thought he was a girl."

"Pfft." Ruby was barely able to contain her laughter, especially when Ren, who was also in the room with them groaned and let his head fall onto the desk. Brick and Weiss were out training again, so they weren't here to overhear them and Yang made her partner promise not to let anything they said leave this room.

"I do not look like a girl." Ren calmly complained as he lifted his head and went back to his homework.

"Don't tell him, but when we first met I didn't know he was a boy until he talked," Yang whispered to Ruby loud enough so that Ren was still able to overhear. He simply sighed and shook his head, muttering to himself denials on the mere possibility of him looking like a girl. He was manly enough, he was determined of that. The only thing that may throw people off were his pink eyes and stripe of pink hair.

Ruby giggled not too quiet as well, which made Ren slump his head against the desk. He loved his late parents, he really did, but must he have been more with apparently feminine features?

"Chin up partner, I'm sure Nora knows you're a boy, right?" Yang said in an attempt to cheer him up.

"True." Ren accepted, he could always rely on his childhood friend, even when she wasn't there.

"Hah…" Ruby sighed and laid back down on the bed, her sister beside her as they looked up at the ceiling together. Classes ended early that day, so they had the rest of the day to themselves, yet Ruby found herself away from her team. It wasn't like Team KRBR never talked with each other, but she would have liked if they all hung out together for once. "I wonder how things are going to pan out…" She pondered out loud. Well, at least she had her sister to keep her company.

"Yeah…" Yang agreed with her sentiment, her mind once again going back to what Blake told her. "Same here."

Blake enjoyed her silent trips to the library, it was a place where she could read, rest, relax her mind and go to her favorite secluded spot to read her favorite books. Sadly, that time was ruined when the news channel in the lunchroom, cafeteria, and even some lectures by Oobleck all revolved around the White Fang and their actions. Her past affiliation with the Fang and her constant worry of them going after her in Beacon drove her to do some more research on them. Besides a police raid, shootout, or a sting operation every once in a while, the one who was doing the most to slow them down happened to be this vigilante who went by the alias 'Stone Face'. It was an odd name, not one she would have chosen for herself, but that man or woman has been causing trouble for the White Fang. Raiding them single-handedly, and actually putting a dent in whatever their plan for Vale was. There was just one problem with this person that Blake could not abide by.

Stone Face didn't just stop them, he killed them. Bodies were found wherever Stone Face was, and while this person did have her respect for actually doing something, she highly disagreed with their tactics. It was little wonder why the police were going crazy looking for them, he's committing almost the same amount of heinous crimes that the White Fang were.

"Find anything useful?" The blonde boy who has compromised her hiding spot asked as he chewed on a piece of gum.

"I know not what you mean," Blake said as she kept her attention focused on the computer monitor before her.

"'Course I do, you're a faunus in disguise-"

"Am not," Blake argued.

"Cool, then take off the bow."

Blake choked and cursed herself for the way her upper ears twitched violently.

"Nice, so as I was saying," Blake made no motion to stop him as he continued. "You're a faunus in disguise constantly looking up news about the White Fang, and so that tells me two things; Since you're a training Huntress, you want to go on a one-woman army to try and stop them, with me tagging along as well of course," He winked at her, Blake glared back, prompting him to continue. "Or you're ex-White Fang wondering what your old pals are doing."

"The former would be more accurate." Blake conceded.

"Mhm…" Sun hummed, lazily smiling at her.

He continued to smile at her for minutes without end, and it lasted a long enough time for Blake to clench her fists, stop typing and look back at him with demanding eyes. "What is it!?"

"What's your last name again?" Sun asked, that same lazy smile still stretched across his face as he did so.

Blake narrowed her eyes at the other faunus suspiciously. "Belladonna…" She said hesitantly.

"Yeah… Belladonna… Bell-uh-dun-uh… hmmm."

"Is there something wrong with my name?" Blake asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nah," Sun waved off her non-existent concern. "I'm just wondering why the daughter of Ghira Belladonna is doing all the way over here in Beacon Academy."

Blake choked on air and tried to reach for a weapon that wasn't there. Sun made no move to defend himself as Blake caught him by his collar, dragged him up and pulled him in between one of the aisles full with books and slammed him against the shelves. He let out a soft 'Ow' but was relatively more than okay because of aura. He found a forearm slowly digging into his throat, but otherwise put up a very light defense.

"Who are you!?" Blake hissed at him. "Are you part of the White Fang? Are you here to do something to me?" Her glare became murderous. "To my team?"

"Just some guy, and no to the other two," Sun said with a nervous grin as a bead of sweat started to roll its way down his face.

"You're not just some guy if you were able to figure me out that easily. The White Fang's leader were never so public before Sienna Khan, only a select amount of people knew who my father once was." Blake said as she bared her teeth, resisting the urge to claw his eyes out.

"Fine, I'm not just some guy," Sun amended, looking back with a much less smug look.

"Explain," Blake demanded, keeping the pressure on his neck tight.

"Sure, I'm still just some guy, but I am also a huntsman in training. A huntsman in training coming to visit Vale for the Vytal Festival." Blake's eyes widened as she figured out where he was going with this. "I came in on a ship, from Mistral. That's right, I come from Haven Academy."

Blake let go of him right away and felt her back press up against the shelves behind her. Her eyes were wide and she felt the disturbing burning feeling behind her eyes that wanted to make her cry. She refused to do so and simply shook her head, looking away from the blonde boy in front of her. She might have questioned him about the reality of his situation, but Haven was run differently. Instead of four-year terms, they went by six-year terms. Which meant that students from Haven Academy in their first year two years ago would have been caught right in the middle of the most brutal terrorist attack in history.

"I was there when the last Vytal Festival was attacked," Sun confirmed for her, sounding much more grim and serious than he had been before. "I lost some of my friends to it, and very nearly lost one of my teammates as well. After that, I spent the next two years doing some research on the White Fang myself, heard some things, did some things, then that trail lead me all the way here to Vale. It was so important to me that I had to get here early before my teammates did, so here I am." Sun finished as he crossed his arms. "Sorry for scaring you a bit earlier, but after I heard that a girl with black hair, yellow eyes, and cat ears ditched the White Fang mid-attack and tried to defend a girl, only to be let go by the one she rescued, I just had to find that person. Maybe she'd know more, maybe not. I just recently heard that a girl with that same description was wearing a black bow. So here I am."

"I-I'm sorry…" Blake said as she forced herself to look at the young man. "I hate the things that the White Fang did, b-but I know less than you probably think I do. I'm sorry."

"I don't blame you for it, I saw the ones who hurt my friends, and I've already hurt them back for it. You're not to blame for them, I looked for you for a much different purpose." Sun said, his smirk returning as he brought his hands up to bring them behind his head.

"What kind of purpose?" Blake asked.

"This Stone Face guy I've been hearing about recently has inspired me a decent bit," Sun started. "Stopping the White Fang, slowing them down, raiding their bases by himself. I'd do the same, but I'm pretty sure I am not as good as that guy, and stealth was never really my thing. What I've been looking for is some help, and luckily you come with a bonus package."

Blake figured out what he meant quickly enough. "My partner, Kai Matsuoka." It was annoying, but every once in a while there would be that fan who would ask an endless amount of questions about her partner. She never did think that one of them would come to her for her partner's skills rather than to try and get his number from her.

"Got it in one," Sun laughed. Blake narrowed her eyes at him for it, remembering that was one of the lines Yang used on her to try and butter her up. Coincidentally, they were both blonde as well. It was almost like she was talking to a male version of Yang here. "Your whole team to be more specific, full of prodigies I hear. Fifteen-year-old girl who got accepted into Beacon two years early, the blind huntsman himself, and the one with the multiple personalities."

"You certainly know much about my team…" Blake pointed out.

Sun shrugged unapologetically. "I don't mean to come off as stalkerish. It's just what I've been hearing around here."

"So you want me and my teams help to go stop the White Fang?" Blake asked.

"Well, not the entire thing, that would be pretty impossible between just the five of us," Sun said, winking at her to let her know that yes, he knew that he was being a smartass.

"I don't know…" Blake said, looking away again. "My leader isn't exactly what the media says he is, I don't know if my team would agree to it."

"Well, I hope they do," Sun said, speaking much more quietly to her. "Because while I was on that ship, I may have heard some news of a Schnee freighter full of premium high-quality dust being on its way to Vale as we speak."

Blake looked to him, coming to the same realization he did once he put the pieces together. "If I was part of the White Fang…"

"I'd hit there as soon as they docked," Blake said for him, then sighed. "If they got their hands on that much dust, it'd be a huge problem." She almost despised herself for making the decision so easily, but for some reason, she wasn't all that miffed about going to stop the White Fang. "I understand your worries, I'll talk to my team about it. However, I cannot make any promises. Kai already suggested that we do something like this, only to change his mind days later."

"Hey, as long you try, then that is all that matters to me," Sun said with another one of his winks to go along with it. Blake nodded and moved to leave, the other faunus did nothing to try and stop her. Accepting that their conversation had come to a swift and admittedly abrupt end.

The faunus in disguise had much more to think about, and as much as she told herself that she shouldn't she did happen to agree with Sun about his concerns over the White Fang and their potential raid on the Schnee freighter that will be docking their the night after tomorrow. That gave her approximately a day and a half to try and convince her team to go with her and the sun. She knew that Ruby would jump at the chance to do some good, Orchid would most likely go as well if her partner was going, and definitely if Kai was going, but the one who had the final say in the matter was her partner.

Somehow, she didn't like her chances of convincing him to do something so dangerous.

"And a random monkey faunus who managed to figure out you were part of the White Fang was the one who told you all this?" Kai asked her, making it sound just as far fetched as she realized it was as she explained what she was told to him. She should have asked Sun to come with her, but for some reason, it slipped her mind.

Not to mention that she had to tell Ruby and Orchid about her past affiliation. They were surprised, especially when she took off her bow to reveal to them her faunus features, but once Kai proclaimed his trust in her they accepted her rather easily. Though even without Kai's proclamation, she knew that Ruby and Orchid would have accepted her anyway, as long as she was no longer part of the White Fang. Besides, Kai had more reasons to hate the White Fang and everyone affiliated with them more than most people. If he could forgive her, so could the kind-hearted Ruby and easy-going Orchid.

"Yes." Blake nodded her head along. The sun was slowly going down outside their window, lighting up the room in light shades of yellow and orange as she sat on her bed in front of her three other teammates. Kai was standing with his arms crossed, and Ruby and Orchid sat on the bed across from her. It was clear in all of their faces that they were thinking.

"I don't know about this," Kai ended up being the one who spoke first. "We don't know enough about this Sun guy to know if he is trustworthy or not. I would have liked to question him here myself." And use his senses to tell if he was genuine or not, it went unsaid. "Going out and stopping a White Fang raid, even if we succeed, will be incredibly dangerous. I don't know if I want to risk any of you getting hurt." He knew he was being extremely hypocritical, but Stone Face was something he needed to keep completely separate from his main life. Though he couldn't deny that going out as himself would give him the excuse of letting himself go all out with his semblance and abilities. He doesn't know how long it has been since he's used Silver Ebony, or any of its abilities, weeks definitely. Perhaps even more than that.

"That's why I wanted to come to you all about this." Blake took in a deep breath. "I want to go." She admitted.

"You do?" Orchid asked. "I thought you didn't want them coming after you?"

"They probably already are…" Blake said as she thought of her former lover, Adam. She wouldn't put it past him to try and get back at her for what she did. A target was on her back already. "I would be a fool to think that they are not at least planning something to get back at me for what I did."

"I want to go too." Ruby declared straight after.

"Ruby," Kai called out. "Think about this. These are people we are going to be fighting against, not Grimm. They would try to kill you just for being human, and you might be forced to fight back with everything you have."

"I know," Ruby replied. "And I still want to go. I am not going to let Blake go on her own, and Sun is right, the White Fang are becoming a problem and the police on their own isn't doing anything. Besides, if Stone Face by himself could do so much, how would a whole team of Huntsman and Huntresses fair?"

Kai didn't reply, still hesitant.

"Exactly. I want to go, Orchid, are you with me?"

"Of fucking course!" Berserker Orchid exclaimed with a wide toothy smile. "No way I am going to let my adorable little partner go hunt people all by herself without me! Nope!"

"Heh… thanks." Ruby chuckled before she looked to Kai with pleading eyes. He could see them, but somehow he knew what she was trying to do.

"You guys…" Blake said quietly, smiling and feeling the urge to hug her two other female teammates. "Thank you."

"I need some time to think about this," Kai said finally, inadvertently ruining their little moment. He reached up and rubbed his forehead in thought, then let out a sigh to accentuate his indecisiveness. "It's more than just the White Fang that is out there. Cinder is also still out there, and we don't know just how dangerous this little raid of yours is going to be. Just give me some time to think." He said as he made his way to the exit of their room, muttering something under his breath as he made it to his door.

"Wait, where are you going?" Orchid asked him before he could leave.

"To think about this while training," Kai said. Blake raised an eyebrow, it was an odd time to go and start training.

"We'll come with you." Ruby offered.

"No," Kai turned back toward them and shook his head. "That won't be necessary, I'll be back by the time midnight comes around and we can talk more about this. Tomorrow is Saturday after all, so we are going to have plenty of time to think about it anyway."

"O-okay." Ruby surrendered easily, if a little awkward. "Just come back soon, please. I'd like it if we can all hang out tomorrow."

Kai stopped before leaving. He looked back and nodded his head in agreement. Making a silent promise with the younger girl to stay with them the whole day tomorrow. She looked happy that he did so.

"There's… another thing." Blake said once she knew Kai was down the hall, too far to listen to what they say through all the walls and doors in between them and him.

"What is it?" Orchid asked, ever concerned with her teammate's issues.

"I… don't think we should bring Kai along." She said, Ruby and Orchid perked up with surprise and didn't know how to react. Blake was quick to explain. "Just think about it, with everything everyone has been able to see from Kai so far, do you think it is a good idea to let him in on this plan of mine? I don't think it'd be healthy for him, and I mean mentally."

"W-wait, you know Kai would flip his shit if he realized that we're going without him?" Orchid pointed out. "I've seen Kaizy angry before, it is not a pretty sight nor is it pleasant to hear. The moment he finds out that we aren't taking him, he's going to forbid us to go or force himself into our group. That's how he is."

"I figured that," Blake said. "I thought about telling Yang about it, but I don't want to involve her in this. She has her team to worry about and I don't want too many of us involved. Once it gets to Yang, it might get to Ren, and Ren to Nora, and before we know it we have eight more tag a longs. Which leaves this situation with Kai to be handled interpersonally…"

Yellow eyes stared into silver as she finished that final sentence, after a few moments Orchid realized what she meant, and hummed in her agreement as she trembled slightly in a shift of personalities. "I agree with what you say, Blake." Nerdy/The original Orchid started. "I might be one of the only ones who can explain to you the exact changes that Kai underwent these past few years. I worry for him all the time, he hardly spends time with us unless we practically force it on him, and he is way overtraining. I don't know how that guy is even able to walk on a daily basis with what he's been doing every morning and night. I don't think even Pyrrha would be able to keep up with that schedule of his." She also turned to look down at her partner, who looked more stressed than before. "I also know him well enough to know that if anyone can convince him to relax for at least a little while, it'd be you, Ruby."

"Eh!?" Ruby made a sound that was between gasping and choking. It was the only way to describe it. "Me!?"

"Yes." Orchid nodded her head. Blake remained silent, opting to let the smarter personality of Orchid explain to Ruby what she wanted to explain to her except much better and with much more experience. "Think about it, he does care for you after all. You two are like brother and sister who were separated at birth and reunited to instantly fall in love with each other. Platonically, of course."

"Wait, wait, wait," Ruby waved her hands around frantically. "What about Marron? Or his sister? Why does it have to be me? He definitely has those who he cares about more than me."

"Maybe, but Marron is currently bedridden being taken care of by her boy toy, and Malienna is just scratching three years old soon, who is also being taken care of by Qrow. Marron's boy toy, by the way-"

"I know, Orchid." Ruby groaned. She knew where Orchid was going with this, if they went to Marron or his little sister, then that information would get to Qrow, and by extension Ozpin, and that would lead to a potential fracture in the team. "But what about you? You're his best friend!"

"True, but I still believe that he would listen to you better than he would be."

"Why do you think that?" Ruby asked, taking offense for her partner.

"Ruby, I haven't directly told you this, but I am stricken with something called Dissociative identity disorder with over a dozen personalities to my name." Orchid pointed out. "One of them might breakthrough, and it might not be a friendly one. Just saying. I-Don't-give-a-single-fuck-me, Queen of the bad bitches, might not be the greatest choice for this."

"Urgh…" Ruby sagged her shoulders and hung her head. If it was any other reason, she might have called bull on it. But Orchid was right, at this moment, she was the safest option to convince Kai to not come with them and not freak out too hard about it. With an explosive and defeated sigh, Ruby nodded her head and submitted.

"Fine, I'll do it… but only on one condition." Her eyes turned to Blake.

"What is it?" Blake asked, assuming correctly that Ruby wanted something from her.

When Ruby opened her mouth, she knew that she couldn't get away from this fate even if she wanted too. "No wearing the bow in the dorm room."

Blake narrowed her eyes. "Ruby, I-"

"Nope!" Ruby appeared in front of her in a flurry of rose petals and shushed her physically with her finger. "As second in command of Team KRBR, this is a direct order."

"Don't be ridiculous-" Blake was cut off as the bow hiding her faunus ear was yanked off by the third party in the room. "Orchid!" She hissed as her cat ears were revealed. "Give that back, this isn't funny."

"Oh, I know it isn't." Berserker Orchid cackled darkly as she wrapped the ribbon around her neck like a choker. "Come and get it if you want, I'm down to wrestle for a bit…"

Blake wisely backed down, and begrudgingly accepted Ruby's terms.

Stone Face landed on the ground into a roll and broke into a sprint, ignoring the warnings of police officers as the mysterious faunus vigilante dove through the window of a Valean bank. White Fang terrorists immediately trained their guns on him, but the huntsman trained masked warrior batted them all aside with a wave of his hand, silver aura flaring as he continued his assault.

From outside, the police officers cursed and were forced to make a desperate assault to save the hostages that were being held within, but by the time they got there, many of the hostages were already running out into their protective arms. Sounds of fighting, screaming, and shooting still echoed out throughout the bank. Some of the officers escorted the hostages to safety, and knowing that there were many warrants out for the arrest of Stone Face issued by the council themselves, ran in there to both arrest the White Fang members and the third-party fighting them.

By the time they got there only three of the two dozen White Fang terrorist confirmed to be spotted by their snipers were still standing, while all the others either laid unconscious, surrendered and in pain, or dead. During their shock, the last three terrorists were taken down with brutal efficiency. Stone Face kicked the last one in the head, and the crack of his neck was audible throughout the entire bank. The faunus vigilante turned to face them, but upon realizing that they weren't threats, put his arms down. Lowering his guard but keeping his aura up at the same time. For the longest time, none of the officers knew what to say or do to the masked vigilante now that they had him in their sights for the first time.

"F-freeze!" One of the officers finally had the nerve to scream and point his handgun at the vigilante. "You're under arrest for multiple accounts of homicide, vigilante, and for obstruction of justice. Surrender peacefully so that you may be given a fair trial Stone Face."

Stone Face raised his hands to the sides of his head in apparent surrender. The officers all looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders, two of them made their way toward the masked man. Though they noted that instead of the all-black colored outfit with a long-sleeved sweater and black pants was now changed to hold in a little color. He had another black sweater over a similar looking pair of black pants along with a strange metallic pair of black socks to go with it. The only difference that they could see was a strange red design over the right sleeve of the man's hooded sweatshirt.

They approached him, ignorant of the way Stone Face's aura flared as he prepared to run right through them.

"Hold it right there," A deep voice stopped them from getting within ten feet of Stone Face. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, I know his type."

No… Fuck fuck fuck! Stone Face screamed in his mind and tensed his muscles as he sensed a very familiar presence stepped into the room with them.

"A Huntsman? What are you doing here, we have this under control." The lead officer said, stopping the bearded Huntsman before he could move any further inwards.

"You don't just control someone who is trained like he is." Qrow Branwen pointed out as he kept his eyes firmly locked on Stone Face. "I'll bet you my life savings that he'd be able to wipe the floor with you all in seconds, and besides," He slapped an approval letter, signed by a council member. "I've been given an official order to capture this guy myself."

The commanding officer, after looking through the form that Qrow handed him was forced to let him through. Stone Face looked increasingly tense as Qrow made his way closer and closer to him, getting within ten feet before coming to a stop. The commanding officer ordered all others to start arresting the White Fang who were still alive and let the Huntsman do his business.

"So, you're Stone Face huh?" Qrow asked as he looked the other man up and down. "Little shorter than I imagined, but when has sighed ever mattered? Other than in a bed, maybe." He snickered.

Stone Face remained as quiet as his namesake suggested.

"Nothing? Man, I can't even tell if you smiled under that mask of yours." Qrow took a step forward, Stone Face took a step back. "Is that thing really made of stone? Or is it paper mache or something. If it's the latter, wouldn't it be heavy? Your neck must be killed you right now."

Stone Face did not reply.

"Hm," Qrow hummed, respecting the other man's decision to remain silent. He didn't blame him, with technology growing so fast as it is now, voice recognition devices were not so unheard of anymore. "I see what you're doing here, I respect it, I do. I might have even rejected the order to capture you myself. You wanna know what I nearly did?" He continued when Stone Face still made no move to reply to him. "I agreed with the notion that it was about time someone started dealing with the White Fang," He gestured around to the bodies in the immediate area. "I mean, their killing, terrorizing, robbing, just being real jerks. If someone else didn't start going after them, I might have, and between you and me, these officers are nowhere near tough enough to deal with these idiots. Sorry, I'm not allowed to say those things out loud."

"Prick," The lead officer commented.

"C'mon Seth, you know I'm just kidding around," Qrow said with a chuckle. "Anyway, back to what I was saying. I agree with what you're doing, just not how you're doing it. I mean, they're terrorists, I get it. But do you need to kill so many people? Most of them are kids around your age, maybe younger maybe older, all of them not knowing just what they've gotten themselves into. You've got to know that too, yeah? Thought so." He sighed disappointedly. "You had potential kid, definitely would have been a good fit for Beacon. I wonder how Oz didn't find you before you become what you are now."

"A murderer."

The wall beside Stone Face shattered as he slammed the back of his fist through it, and then forced the rest of his body through the hole and just managed to squirm out of Qrow's grip as he barely caught a hand on his hood. Stone Face kicked off the ground, and ended up in another room. Qrow was able to hear a window shattered as the man managed to get himself back outside.

"Maybe I went a little too far with that one, must have hurt his feelings," Qrow commented as he crashed through the wall and leaped out of the window. He was just able to spot as the kid sprinted around a corner, and sprinted after him. The kid was fast, he'd give him that, and pretty agile at that. But experience trumped natural-born skills any day of the week.

Stone Face ran into the busy road, and jumped onto the hood of a moving car and managed to hold on to the vehicle as it traveled well above the speed limit. Qrow watched with wide eyes as the car moved hundreds of feet away from him in a matter of seconds before finally slamming on the breaks, when that happened, Stone Face jumped off and ran into a crowd.

"Heh, game on then." A bus passed by and Qrow used that cover to transform into his bird form. He flew high into the sky and luckily caught a high-velocity wind current, quickly catching up to the vigilante wasn't that hard, and spotting him wasn't either. People saw him and moved out of the way like he was a plague, and those who stayed in his way were barreled through and knocked to the side. Qrow transformed back and ran across the rooftops, waiting for the man to go into an alley like he expected he would. When he finally did after sprinting nearly five blocks without stopping, Qrow muttered "Finally," and made his way down to cut him off.

Stone Face ran himself against a fence, and slumped a fist against it as he realized that he was trapped.

"You know," Qrow panted as he shifted his weapon into its sword form. "I should kick your ass for making me chase you this far. But I'll give you one last chance, stand down now and I'll take you in peacefully, to the headmaster of Beacon first, that way you'll maybe get out of a life sentence."

Stone Face entered a fighting stance as his response.

"Or not," Qrow sighed as he entered a stance himself. "Can't say I didn't at least make the offer."

Stone Face moved in, unarmed Qrow noted. To do what he did back in that bank he would need a weapon, so that meant that he either tossed it as he was running away, or he had it hidden somewhere. Qrow didn't want to kill the kid, so he used the dull side of his sword to divert the kids punch away, and throw his offhand fist out to attack. Surprisingly, Stone Face ducked under and swept his long legs out from under him. Qrow coughed as his back slammed against the ground, and cursed when he saw Stone Face sprinting toward the open side of the alley. He scrambled back up to his feet and made to chase him, but by the time he made it around the corner, there was no sign of Stone Face to be seen.

"Heh, damn. I played too nice." Qrow berated himself as he realized that Stone Face managed to lose him completely. "I underestimated you this time kid, and got caught by surprise. That ain't happening a second time. See you around, Stone Face."

Stone Face held his breath as he listened for the older man to leave, and after a minute he broke out of the wall and fell onto all fours and coughed for air. He scrambled back into the alley he scuffled with Qrow in and lifted his mask enough so that he could breathe.

"Fuck…" That was close, way too close. Kai Matsuoka thought as he went over everything that happened in the last hour. They were sending Huntsman after him now, and not only that, it was fucking Qrow of all people. "Shit, I wanted to get Stone Face well known, but not considered a threat to society. Damn it." He'd have to deal with it, you reap what you sow as they say. But he had to admit, Qrow calling him a murderer, despite him not knowing that it was Kai behind the mask, it stung hard. But if being a murderer was what it took to defeat Cinder, then he would kill every single threat to Vale and his friends he could find.

Raven came to pick him up minutes later, and once they made it back to that secluded spot back at Beacon. Kai told her everything that happened just then, and she listened with a surprising amount of determination.

"I see, so they sent my little brother after you. Cute, very cute. I am impressed that you were able to get away from him."

"He underestimated Stone Face, he knew that he was good, but he didn't know that he is as good as me," Kai said with a shake of his head. "He would have wiped the floor with me if he wanted too. He held back. He won't do it a second time."

"Then it looks like you need to get even stronger," Raven said. "Keep it up, you have already surpassed my expectations by leaps and bounds. For your age, you're probably as good as a third-year or fourth-year student. Perhaps even some rookie hunters."

"Heh, thanks." He just worked hard, but a compliment from Raven was a compliment from Raven. "Tonight went pretty well, I stopped the attack, and hopefully made it back before midnight." Kai smiled. "Besides the chase with Qrow, I'd say everything went smoothly."

"Good." Raven nodded her head toward him. "Now go back to your room, I'm sure the little rose is chewing her nails waiting for you even as we speak."

"Sure, but before I go, did you know that apparently, Qrow started dating my mother recently?" Kai asked her.

Raven widened her eyes, the rare emotion of surprise fulfilling her. "I… did not." She said slowly. "Interesting… my little brother finally caught himself another girlfriend after nearly two decades. Strangely enough, I feel a sense of pride."

"Yeah. Pride." Kai groaned, but then snickered at a thought.

"What is it?"

"Well, I was just thinking. If Qrow and my mother got married, that'd make him my stepdad, and you my aunt by law. I'd be your nephew."

Raven raised an eyebrow, and promptly created a portal for herself to leave through. "Change back and return to your team." She said, refusing to look at him as she left through the portal.

Kai chuckled and did what she said. She had a cold exterior but he knew that she meant well on the inside. Even now, she was like a second mother to him, or perhaps she was an unrelated aunt already. They spent so much time together, he couldn't help but form a bond with her, and Vernal as well. They were part of his family, faults and all.

A second family away from the peace he was fighting to protect. He didn't think he'd ever be able to say it, but he loved them like family too. Though an amusing thought did cross his mind as he wondered how Raven would react to him saying that to her.

He returned to his room soon after that thought died, and after promising Ruby that yes, he was going to hand out with her tomorrow, committed himself to bed.

As he slept, one word kept echoing throughout his mind. It was enough to almost make him lose all the sleep he could have gotten.

Murderer.

Wow, I really did write this all in a day, huh. I forgot that I had it in me. I'll be editing this right away, and then go to sleep. I'll probably post it in the morning, so hello everyone in the future!

Please review and let me know what you think of the story!

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