Chapter 2
Seven years ago:
Ghira Belladonna's hand had drifted towards his head, sighing in exasperation, as he sank right into his chair, behind his desk. As the current leader of the peace-seeking organization known as the White Fang, it goes without saying that he has become a well-known figure for the faunus, especially for the ones in Mistral. However, because of his duties, he has often found himself rather rundown at particular times, wether it be due to a long day, or due to some... particular discussions.
This scenario had a combination of both circumstances.
His black hair was neat, being combed backwards, which also made his golden eyes stand out more. His black beard was short, but well-kept. His face was rather strong and stern, but kind and tender, showing the face of a caring man.
His outfit was a purple vest with a white fur trim that has exposed his chest, revealing a large piece of black fur between his pectorals. A pair of brown fingerless gloves had extended over his forearms, beige pants and brown leather boots. On his shoulders, there were silver pauldrons that were strapped down with leather straps. There were four more leather straps that were attached to a circular silver emblem, positioned somewhere at the centre of his chest. On the emblem was the symbol of a wolf.
His wife, Kali, was a rather beautiful woman in her own rights. Just like her husband, she also had black hair and a darker shade of yellow for her eyes, almost amber. Her hair was cut short, just above her shoulders. On top of her head were a pair of fluffy cat ears, the left one was adorned with one gold piercing on her left and two gold piercings on her left ear.
Her outfit was a black hakama, which was worn over a white kimono, with sandals and white tabi socks. Over the outfit was a black shrug, that had one long sleeve on the right, and one short sleeve on the left, with golden-leaf embroidery had decorated on the outside of the opening, displaying a generous portion of cleavage. She also wears arm warmers that extend down to the middle finger, with a purple sash on the left arm warmer. She also had a black, loose sash with golden flower embroidery at the end.
The entire day had been based on the suggestion that bodyguards needed to be implemented, in order to secure the faunus' safety. One of the many jobs that the White Fang do for the faunus is that they take the escaped faunus that have either been wrongly convicted or those that have escaped from the clutches of the SDC. They certainly have the resources to perform such a thing, the problem remains that being caught by any humanist extremists or even any member of the SDC would normally spell disaster for many faunus that wish to seek voyage for Menagerie.
However, when they do attempt such things, the human extremists or the SDC are rather heavily equipped. They're the sorts of people that would rather subjugate or flat out exterminate all faunus-kind, much like the Grimm, only with much more discrimination. So it was all the more imperative to find such capable guards to defend the faunus.
Granted, they had Sienna Khan, someone who had been trained by a relentless teacher. She was someone who you didn't want to cross because she will bare her claws and chain-dagger-whip directly at you with a type of ferocity unlike any other.
However, that also had its drawbacks. Because of such behaviour, it would be incredibly hindering to the White Fang's goal of true equality. To some of the stubborn humans, they saw it as disregarding their true purpose in order to receive a cathartic feeling, to finally gain satisfaction, believing it to be putting what they want over the faunus as a whole.
So that's why he was searching for some more bodyguards, ones that are just as skilled, but not as vicious as Sienna Khan.
"I wouldn't worry about a thing, Ghira," Kali said, her hand rubbing against her husbands back. "You only just started offering the positions today. It'll take time for you to gain traction."
"I know, Kali, but... I guess I'm just worrying about what could happen if no one accepts." Ghira sighed.
"Believe me, Ghira, I know that you're worried," Kali said. "It's always pressure like this that undermines your ability to move forward. It certainly doesn't help with Sienna's ferocity, no matter how genuine her desire for faunus-equality is."
Ghira had grimaced at that. It was true that Sienna's presence was weighing down on him, certainly not helpful in most cases, and he was aware that it had affected other people as well.
"Still, this practice can be beneficial towards the White Fang. It will allow us to protect our kind while in the Four Kingdoms and will help with transportation between settlements," Ghira explained. "Of course I'm worried."
Travelling between settlements have always been relatively dangerous. The constant threat of Grimm had always made everyone feel like they're walking on that razor-thin wire between life and death. It was nerve wracking, to say the least, when travelling between settlements. Ironically, given the Grimm's ability to be drawn by negative emotions, those feelings often bring the Grimm themselves, solidifying their doomed fate. It was one of the many reasons why air-travel had advanced so much in the many years since they were introduced. It was to avoid the never-ending threat of the Grimm.
However, they didn't have access to such technology. Bullheads were relatively expensive, costing around eighty-two-thousand lien, towards the maximum price range of going towards above the six-hundred-thousand range. The maximum range was often reserved for those that wished a more... lavished life, often reserved for those like the Winchesters, which were in a different bracket of rich, or the Schnees themselves, who were in a completely different league miles away altogether.
So their only sort of choice were to hire mercenaries, or volunteering bodyguards in order to help them travel the wilderness itself.
"So, how's Blake?" Ghira asked, a heart-warming smile gracing his lips.
Kali nodded. "She's settling in the settlement well. Although, she could stand to get some more sun. Always caught up in her books."
Both of the parents shared a chuckle at that. Blake was not the most outgoing person in the entire world. While she does come to hang out with her family, she, more often than not, tends to stick her head into books, absorbing the information within them like a sponge. It was easier to get her to read books than than getting her to actively socialize with other children her age, unless they bribed her with a bunch of tuna, salmon, cod, or any other fish, or some of her favourite book genres, which generally involved some fantasy, adentures, and some history.
"Not wrong there, honey. Hopefully, some of the children here can help her get out of her shell." Ghira chuckled.
"Now ain't that a miracle?" Kali retorted, before the two bursted out laughing, completely overtaken by their mirth in the moment.
Little did they know that the miracle was going to arrive sooner than anyone expected...
The trip to the neary settlement was a bumpy ride, to say the least, through the trucks. A comparison of the rough, dirt roads that made up the routes in the wilderness to the smooth roads composed of asphalt within the Kingdoms, or even the neatly arranged stone paths used in settlements wasn't a fair one, mind you. To those with a weak equilibrium tended to have the inability to focus on such landscapes...
...something that Blake had, albeit begrudgingly, accepted as she was unable to focus on the very book she was reading. It was a history book, involving the Faunus-Revolution. To many, it would be an incredible bore. To the small minority, which included her, it was a thrilling read, enticing even.
So it was all the more disappointing that she was forced to close the book, with a disappoined sigh. It would be even better if she was older. The book she was reading was a simplified version, not going into too much detail about what had happened during those times. All that she knew was that they were incredibly violent, dangerous, and terrifying. The most detailed of books "would easily terrify her", her parents said.
She bares an incredibly strong resemblance to her own mother. The same shoulder-length hair, the same faunus-trait, although there was less detailing of fur and no golden piercings, and amber eyes, which seemed to naturally pierce whatever entered her gaze. Her outfit was a plain purple t-shirt, black shorts and matching black stockings and purple and white trainers.
Because she couldn't actually focus on her bookand was forced to put her book down, she would undoubtedly be rather grumpy. The only time she would ever be able to do something was when she was out protesting with her parents, or delivering supplies to charities that would willingly support the White Fang, or simply man any sort of stand to sell goods to people.
It also helped that a big chunk of the settlements within Mistral's borders have begun to accept faunus as equal beings as of recently. No one definitively knew what the cause was but some members of one of the settlements, albeit carefully, had stated that a faunus had been wandering the continent of Mistral for a great deal of time. His appearance isn't periodically. His arrivals to the settlements could last months, maybe even years.
However, he would often stay for a periodic downtime of a few days at most, before hitting the dirt roads again. Within that timespan, he would often do the odd jobs here and there. Volunteering to do work at a local clinic for some place to stay, clearing out some Grimm, or stopping the odd bandit raid. It seemed as if he was a hero to many of the people belonging to those settlements.
There was also the matter of his weapon of choice. A sword that was so large that anyone trying to use the blade in a quick-draw style seemed impossible, yet this man was able to do it. Witnesses say he could use this blade at light speed, before the blade transformed the targets into simple petals in the wind, sometimes being sparked with fire, before they crumbled to nothing.
She had desperately wished to meet this man. It sounded soooo much like the fantasies she had read when she was a kid where a strong warrior would save the damsel-in-distress and that they would leave together and have a happily-ever-after...
"Blake," A female voice snapped her out of it, nearly making her jump out of her seat. She turned to the source of the voice only to see a tiger-faunus woman. "Are you okay?" She asked, her voice filled with concern.
Sienna Khan was a woman that had the look of someone you didn't want to mess with. Her face wasn't constantly set in a scowl, but instead maintained a state of seriousness. Her hair was an assymetrical bob style, which was wild and black. Her eyes were of the same amber as Blake, and she had a red jewel on her forehead. Much like Blake, her faunus feature manifested as a pair of feline ears that protruded from the top of her head, but they weren't cat ears, but rather tiger ears, with a single golden ring piercing the left ear.
Her outfit was rather form-fitting. She had a dark grey sleeveless top, with white trimming and a diamond-shaped cut-out on the front, exposing a portion of her cleavage, and a larger diamond cut-out at the back. She wore white pants, which were also covered by her low-heeled light-grey boots, which were also cut-out at the sides. A grey waist cincher with a red trim was seen, along with a black belt, with a gold buckle. The belt had fastened a grey pouch and a a piece of red rope around her waist. Lastly, on her forearms, there were dark-grey, orange-trimmed, vambraces, an orange band tied around her muscular bicep, and tiger stripe tattoos scaling up her arms.
Blake nodded. "Yeah, just thinking..."
"About what?" Sienna asked, her curiosity being stroked.
"About... The Hidden Flame," Blake revealed.
Sienna's eyes narrowed. The Hidden Flame was a name that wasn't thrown around much. She only got the bare minimum amount of information, which included his weapon, his fightng-style, and his tendency to travel between settlements, doing whatever he can to assist settlements in whatever way he can. The fact he was also a faunus, a bull-faunus more specifically, had irked her to no end.
He could be doing so much more than what he's doing. Instead of fighting for the equality for faunus, he's out there, or here, trekking through the breath of the wilderness, fighting Grimm, bandits and what have you, while also assisting the settlements in whatever method thay exists. Giving pointers to upcoming Huntsmen and Huntresses, clearing out Grimm from the settlements that either mess up crops or inflict damage to the walls of the settlement, or even just play with the local populace, specifically the children, to raise spirits.
All of these factors, and more, had improved the image of faunus in the Kingdom of Mistral. Even though they haven't received the privileges of reaching to the level of a Council Member, with the exception being the Headmaster of Haven, Leonardo Lionheart himself, as their position is equal to a Council Member of their respectice Council, more and more jobs had been made more available for Mistral, and more restaurants have been made more accessible for the faunus there.
Now, those were small changes that have been imbplemented. In order for true change to occur, mass-scale change must be enacted. They can't simply stick with small changes. Massive changes must happen. Changes that would inflict the most damage to the Schnee Dust Company, changes that would improve Menagerie to an incredible degree that they could finally be rewarded with a Kingdom-status, their own CCT, their own Huntsmen and militia, their own freedom. Instead, they are forced to play second fiddle to humans on such a large scale their kind are continuing to suffer, especially by the SDC.
Despite the improvements being shown within Mistral, Sienna chose to believe that such things wouldn't last. It doesn't matter just what changed within Mistral. No matter what happens, changes don't last. If you want to make changes, you'll have to do it by force, even violent force. Lives must be lost, families must grieve, they must feel the very feelings the faunus have felt for years.
"What about him?" Sienna asked.
"He's just so interesting, you know?" Blake asked as she nearly squealed from excitement, a wide grin on her face. "I've heard rumours about him when dad and mom took me with them to some of the settlements. He sounds just like the sort of warriors I've read about."
"So I've heard..." Sienna replied.
"Yeah, I really want to meet him someday," Blake said, her legs swinging with excitement.
"Yeah, I don't think that's a good idea, Blake," Sienna said with total honesty. Honestly, she could do without this conversation.
Blake was completely floored by what Sienna had said. "What do you mean?! It's a great idea!"
"And do tell me, what are the benefits?" Sienna questioned. "I highly doubt this man is someone who would just willingly join our cause. Given that he hasn't done so already, despite his skill, then he doesn't care about the White Fang, despite our intentions."
Blake just simply pouted at that. Of course Sienna had go simply make the situation even more tense. It was bad enough that she couldn't even enjoy her literature in peace. It was bad enough that she had very little people to talk to back home, but now Sienna had to completely shut down any attempt at simple small talk.
Still, the most that she could do was just sit back in her seat, try her best to ignore Sienna, and be patient and as quiet as possible so that the drivers could get the passengers to the next settlement in peace.
"That's enough, Sienna," Ghira, her dad spoke out, his tone firm and warning.
"What do you mean?" Sienna questioned, although a growl would be more fitting, especially with her heritage. "What I said was true. The Hidden Flame is a strong person, a faunus as well, but if he chose to deliberately ignore our cause, then he either doesn't have the spine to join, or he clearly does not care about the future of our kind, not when people are being whipped within a mere inch of their lives. If he has the strength, the courage, to stand up to the enemies of the world, then he should join our cause."
"You can't force that man to join, Sienna," Ghira scolded. "We aren't completely sure what to make of this man. Very rarely do we take in those that have such strength. We need to prove equality can be won theough peace, Sienna."
"And where will peace get us, Ghira?" Sienna's voice began to rise. "Peace only breeds complacency, makes us weak. We won't be able to truly strive for fairness, for equality unless we show what we're truly worth. That we're truly worth something in our lives. We can't just protest, we have to act further!"
Blake, somehow, had managed to tune them out, instead focusing on her own thoughts involving The Hidden Flame. Truth be told, she heard a fair bit more than simple acts of kindness and travelling. She also heard about that he may have discovered new Aura-techniques. Simply meeting him out of pure fame wasn't her intentions. She wants to study under the man, even if he may be a bad person, in order to better the White Fang's efforts to better faunus-kind, to unite them together. She truly wanted equality for the faunus. Not just mere tolerance, or even acknowledging their presence, but complete acceptance that faunus are people, not animals, not freaks, but people.
Then, a loud bang had shot through the air around them, startling and snapping Blake out of her thoughts as it reached her ears. Accompanying that sound was a faint "pop" that ringed throughout the air around the supply truck they were on. The truck had slanted to the left side, before a faint hissing sound was heard. Even within the truck, they could still hear the faint hissing.
At that moment, the arguement that had escalated between Ghira and Sienna had paused for a minute, before Sienna just growled in irritation. "I'll assess the damage, you guys just stay here."
Without saying another word, she opened the truck door, and got out of her seat, carrying her weapon with her in self-defense, the faint wind of Vale hit her face. The other trucks in front of them had paused in order to see what was going on, before even a few of their passengers had gotten out. She then went to see where the tyre had popped. The front-left tire had burst, the bottom flattening slowy, and a faint hissing noise could be heard from it. Along with that, a faint puncture was seen at the side, which was the cause of the hissing.
Sienna had frowned at that. A burst tire isn't too uncommon to happen within the wilderness. With all the sharp rocks jutting out of the uneven land, it was bound to occur. It was very reason why they carried more tires in the wilderness. It wasn't just 'Travelling in the wilderness: 101', it was just basic commen sense.
The real problem, however, was that there wasn't any sort of broken rocks that she could detect around the tire. So, instead of pondering what could of caused it, she then took a look inside the puncture, reaching a finger into it, before she felt something cold, much like the steel of a cold blade, and she even felt a mere spark jolt her finger.
She then pulled what was out, falling and rolling onto the floor, before she scowled at the sight of a metal cylidrical item, with the top being pointed much like a pyramid, and a indents of the same shape carved out on both sides . 'A bullet... a fucking bullet!!'
Something was much more ovbious now. This was much more than a simple stray bullet. The faint spark she felt was the residue of the lightning-Dust she felt. If it was a stray bullet, the Dust-residue would've just been left at the first point of impaction, much like a Dust-round piercing a tree. Whatever form of Dust it used would be left on the object as a form of residue. If this is what happened, then she should've felt nothing but the cold steel of the bullet-round.
But now it was clear. The Dust-residue here was relatively weak, but it was clear the tire was the first target of whoever shot the Dust-bullet. Judging by the state of the bullet, it was not held by bandits. Bandits tend to use basic hand-held weapons, such as an axe, a sword, or even some two-handed weapons such as a battle-axe, a greatsword, or some katana-based weaponry, even if they showed some . Only select few tribes tend to use firearms, as basic as they are, but they often revolved around armour-piercing bullets, in order to penetrate any sort of armour they come across.
This isn't one of those bullets. The bullet itself was weak, but sharp enough to pierce the tire, not to the point of exploding the tire, but enough to...
"Hey, you there!" a male voice shouted out behind her, causing Sienna, along with the other White Fang members, to turn to the source. A man with shaggy brown hair, lightly tanned skin, a blue adventurers outfit, and also, in his hand happened to be a firearm, a revolver more specifically.
Other people, of varying genders, also sported similar outfits, of varying colours, and designs, with each of them different syles of weaponry. The state of their clothes indicate that they were not bandits in the least, but the smirks they held on their faces indicated that they were not untrained individuals.
"Couldn't help but notice that your truck broke down," the man started, a growing smirk on his face. "That just means you're ripe for the taking."
Sienna didn't say a single word. Instead, she unclipped her weapon from her right hip. The weapon in question was a simple dagger-chain 2-in-1. The handle was silver with red cloth wrapping it for comfort. The chain was composed of small, octagonal links, arranged in a simple manner. At the very end of the chain were three light steel double-edged daggers, each one imbedded with a Dust-crystal, intricately cut so that it resembled a diamond shape. Each dagger was connected to one another with a link, which went through a hole at where the pommel should be, allowing them to be joined together. The one closest to the chain had an ice-Dust-crystal, the one above that possessed a lightning-Dust-crystal, while the one above that possessed a fire-Dust-crystal, allowing for many practical uses.
The man smirked at the act of defiance, as did everyone else. "Bunch of stubborn animals... I'll enjoy tanning your hides, and taking your stock."
Their weapons were trained and locked on all the White Fang members that had come out, with even more coming out, including Ghira and Kali, who was also bring Blake around the trucks for protection.
"Its not as though animals, like you, need it. After all, you guys can just graze all you like back at the pens back in our settlement," another man continued, his skin a chocolate-brown, with his hair being completely black, styled into dreadlocks. He brandished a silver shotgun, with light-blue lines appearing on it, indicating ice-Dust. "It would certainly be a massive help in the long run for our homes."
Sienna already had enough. Most of her entire chain was already wrapped around her right fore-arm, allowing the weapon to be used at close-quarters, ready to be unleashed at the blatant racism the humans were displaying. Just as she was about to make a move however, a male voice called out. "What's going on?"
Sienna had turned towards the voice, which had originated upwards, right on top of the truck she was at, before it revealed the individual, who was already crouching down, his arms over his knees and his only visible eye surveying what was around him.
His hair was red, spiky, some strands straying towards over his head. A pair of black bull horns extended from the top of his cranium, and over his head, making it seem more like it was black streaks within the sea of red that was his hair. His left eye was covered by a black eyepatch, but Sienna could see some red, scarred flesh that extended over his nose a little bit, with his other eye being a light-blue, which stood out amongst the red of his being.
His black blazer was long. It seemed like a combination of a trench coat in length and a blazer in terms of design, the length going just above where his knees where. The buttons on his blazer hadn't been done up, exposing his red shirt, along with a red bandana, with black petals, around his neck. A similar pattern had existed on his pants with the inverse colours, being black, with red petals, which only appeared on the calfs of his pants. His black gloves were also decorated with red on the palms. The sides of his blazer/trench coat were decorated with red thorn-like patterns, and his shoulders had red on them as well, which would end before the black would continue, becoming the sleeves. On the red left pectoral was a white crest that stood out more than anything, even his weapon.
Speaking of which, his weapon was rather tremendous. His weapon was rather peculiar, being a combination of a typical katana and a broad dao-blade, which earned some incredulous stares from both the White Fang members and the human supremacists that stood in front of them. The blade was set into a black metal sheath, which was attached to a magnetic circular plate, which was attached by brown leather straps that wrapped around his waist and shoulder so that, when he turned, he would be able to pull the blade free. It didn't display any sort of transitional or any mutible parts, indicating it doesn't transform, which made it seem strange. The handle was long and black, which hinted at its two-handed usage, with a single string of silver wrapping around it, with the faint spike appearing on the thin line, making it resemble thorns.
Sienna nearly dropped her chain when she saw the man-No!-The Hidden Flame. His weapon was of no doubt earning him the confusion of many people around him. Hinoha, he called it. It meant 'Leaves of Fire' as the petals he would create with his Semblance would often be imbued with fire-Dust, making it seem that the leaves were on fire.
It didn't even cross her mind that he didn't even make the subtlest of sounds. Because of her heritage, she had greater hearing than most people, even amongst faunus, so it makes it all the more unbelievable that he was able to bypass that entirely. Then her gaze was fixated onto the blade itself, which he confirmed was once, and still somewhat, heavy and large, had the potential to be an incredibly fast blade, the fastest in history. Such a thing was confirmed by its creator, who had poured every ounce of his passion and love into that blade that he was capable of.
Sienna, and all the other White Fang members, had regarded him with trepidation and caution. Being one of the very few people in the White Fang that had an unlocked Aura, the other being Ghira Belladonna himself, she could see and feel what others could most likely not see.
When she stared at him, she received some sort of... off... feeling from him, for a lack of better term. It was difficult to pinpoint what it was exactly that seemed to rub her the wrong way, but she noticed it all the same. But what stunned her was the amount of his Aura.
It was massive! His pools of Aura were unlike anything she has even felt. It felt like he could run five marathons, and still have Aura to spare. The quality of his Aura was also something to be amazed at. It was smooth, self-contained, and firm. It showed the work of someone who had ironed out all the inpurities of his Aura. The mere fact that there wasn't a single leak of it anywhere out of his body was something to stare in wonder.
His Aura itself was sharp, and deadly, showing the signs of someone who fights with unrivalled conviction... and continued to maintain himself as a proper weapon. But it also showed the sign of someone who would forge and hone his spite, his hatred, his anger into a blade for his foes, to the people that truly deserve it.
When he jumped down, Sienna found herself reeling from whatever oddity there was about The Hidden Flame. His single eye turned to the human supremacists, before narrowing it.
"Am I right to assume that you were going to ransack their supplies, hoard it to yourselves, instead of saving it for the people who truly need it?" His voice spoke with demand, leaving absolutely no room for any arguement.
This was something that the human supremacists realized, and so came clean. "W-we were... b-but..." The leader stammered, but was unable to finish his sentance as something about the man had cut himself off.
"Am I right to assume you're bandits?" He asked, before his eye had widened, before narrowing again. "No... I think not. Your clothes aren't exactly all that dirty... your weapons are well-kept. There seems to be no injuries on you at all. All of that indicates that you are people that take care of themselves in a much more nicer setting."
The entire group of supremacists had gulped. This man was reading them like an open book.
"Now let's see here..." He said, before his head leaned forward, his single eye narrowing further, and taking notice of the man's gaze, or rather its direction it was taking. "I detect disgust, and hatred. Seem to be doing this out of pure prejudice. As they're faunus, you believe them to be weak, am I right?"
His question received a list of nods from the oppressors.
"I see... So this was a simple release for your hatred and digust, no?" The man had asked. "I see the type of people you are. You're nothing more than people that want nothing more than to leach off of the hard work of off the faunus, saying it's your own, and then berate the faunus for being too weak, for being pathetic animals correct?"
By this point, his assessment of the suppressors haf shook them massively. His assessment was so accurate that it gave off the sense that their very livelihoods were in great peril. Adam could see it. The way their feet shuffled, the way their fingers strayed away from the trigger, the way their eyes were going back and forth from the direction behind them. Some of them knew that one wrong move could set them up for death.
However, their hatred towards faunus were incredibly strong. Even the ones that were aware that they were proposed with death, they would jump at the chance to wipe a faunus off the face of Remnant.
So it came as no surprise as one of the mundane bandits, the one with the shotgun, had made an advance on an attack. The sight was lined up so that he would assure he wouldn't miss. A blue flash had erupted straight from the barrel of the shotgun, with a surprisingly narrow spread. A shotgun would mainly be used to spread the entirety of the force it would release through numerous, smaller pellets, while also maintaining greater surface coverage. However, a lower spread would mean that they would cover less space, but would ultimately focus all the power into a particular spot, assuring an even greater hit.
So when the attack had simply connected, many of the White Fang members were in complete and utter shock at the icy-blue explosion that covered him. Sienna, however, did not share their shock. Instead, she seemed to adopt a look of skepticism.
'There's no way he would take on that attack head on, and expect to get away from it unscathed!' As far as reckless actions go, taking an attack from a shotgun of that caliber, it was the riskiest of the riskiest of moves.
To her genuine surprise, when the smoke died down, he was shown to not only be alive, but what he did to protect him was incredible.
He had grabbed the inside of his blazer, crouching down, and pulled it in front of him so that it had completely absorbed the entirety of the attack. Sienna knew of this technique. In any Combat School, they teach you how to run Aura through your weapons. What was implicit in such a lesson was that that applied to the clothing on your back. It was a technique that very few veteran Huntsmen were proficient in.
Granted, by grabbing the inside of his blazer, he made it easier for him to do such a thing as it allowed him to treat that part of his blazer as an extension of himself. However, to absorb the entirety of the attack of that magnitude was absurd. Even with the amount of Aura he has, it wouldn't even make sense as to how he was able to do such a thing.
The answer came in the from of the changes within his clothing. From the red soles of his black shoes, a crimson colour had climed up right below the knees. It wasn't even like a meter. It was more akin to streaks of crimson-red had been painted on his lower body, with smaller spots on his legs. For the red petals on his calfs, they've been transformed into mere black outlines, which were the only indication that they were there to begin with.
Adam had released his blazer and stood up. "Are you done?"
That earned a growl from the leader, who had proceeded to fire more Dust rounds directly at Adam. Adam, however, had merely used the palm of his hand, along with channeling his Aura, to protect himself from the Dust rounds. The bullets didn't even make contact with him. Instead, he had used the fire-Dust woven into his gloves to disintergrate both the bullets and the Dust within said bullets, turning them to red ash within seconds, which were blown away by the wind.
"Again, are you done?" Only a slight level of irritation had leaked out of his voice. The only indication that he was getting angry.
One of the crooks had brandished a sword. It was more akin to a dao-blade than anything else, more so than his sword. The crook had jumped above him, holding the blade horizontally above himself, aiming for an overhead strike. However, the attack would ultimately be halted in the most inconceivable way imaginable.
Adam had took both his index and middle finger on his right, and proceeded to grab the sword at the very tip of his fingers. The shock at such a thing was only short lived as they found something else to be in shock about.
"Yeah, don't be surprised," Adam had scolded, seeing their surprised faces. "When you experiment with your Aura as much as I have, doing such a thing is a relatively simple and easy feat." He explained.
The red energy that had been built up in his feet had began to shift upwards, stright through his torso, and right through his right arm, directly into the blade itself. The whole blade flashed red, before it turned into an ashen-red, before the whole weapon crumbled bit by bit, each piece being transformed into a cluster of wilting rose petals.
"You see, my Semblance is a potent one. The attack you dealt me earlier? It was absorbed by my coat, which had been weaponized enough for it to absorb energy, and thankfully, durable enough to hold it." His arm had dropped back to his side as the crook in front of him had backed away in fear.
"That's what's needed for my Semblance. A weaponized, durable object for me to absorb damage. Of course, absorbing energy is a simple task, especially for me. The only problem is that, if it comes into contact with a weapon that is pathetically weak, the whole thing ceases to exist." Adam explained, a smirk growing on his face.
"Y-Y-You m-m-monster!!" The crook had gotten onto his backside and crawled away in fear.
"Oh I'm the monster?" Adam asked retorically. "Like I haven't heard that one before. Also ironic coming from a bunch of thieves like you."
His words were completely sarcastic, not that it wasn't obvious, but his words cut incredibly deep. "After all, isn't it hypocritical when you're berating me for being the monster when you..." he gestured to the man in front of him, and the rest of the group. "Were the ones who wished to ransack their supplies, and murder the group of faunus just because?"
A growl had escape the lips of the people in front of him. He was unable to argue back as one of the members of the group had grabbed him by the shoulders and proceeded to pick him up, and drag him away, the rest of the group following their trail. Adam also detected some... uncertainty within the beliefs of the humans.
"We didn't need your help, Hidden Flame," Sienna snarled, stepping forward as she brandished her signature chain, Cerberus Whip.
"Seems to me like you did," Adam replied, also stepping forward, his impressice six-foot-three-inch build allowing him to tower over Sienna easily.
"And what makes you say that?" Sienna asked.
"Well, if I hadn't intervened, you..." he accusingly pointed at Sienna. "Would've most certainly killed atleast one of the humans. My method was infinitely more efficient. If I had just stood aside, you would've, undoubtedly, took them all down with efficiency. However, that doesn't equate to the problem being solved.
"What you would've done was to not incapacitate, but to kill one of the humans to show your superiority. It isn't a matter of true equality if you follow this path, its about faunus supremacy. It may not be the path that you may follow, but it could easily be the path that others may follow to the utmost extreme. My methodry was to show them that their was a faunus in front of them that not only could they not force to their feet, but to show that their was nothing they could do.
"If they truly believed in human supremacy, then this wouldn't place a seed of doubt into many of those people, except for the people who are the most easily influenced. That seed would grow and will slowly come to the realization that faunus are just as equal to humans."
Ghira stepped up, facing Sienna. "He isn't wrong, Sienna,"
Just then, Adam had turned his finger to Ghira. "You, on the other hand, are her polar opposite. Careful, soft, unsure of whether to use violence. You shouldn't deliberately hinder your own organization by oppressing them."
The statement had shocked Ghira incredibly. "I-I don't oppress my own people!"
"Oh, so you don't make them fear violence, by making them think that violence is uneccassary, or else they'd incur your wrath?" His voice was laced with sarcasm.
"It is unnecessary!" Ghira argued.
"Was it?" Adam asked, before gesturing to the spot where the supremacists were. "You clearly saw me use Aura and my Semblance. That, in and of itself, is violence. What you need to realize is that violence, as a whole, isn't always unneccassary."
"See, Ghira, I told you we should train the members of the White Fang," Sienna retorted.
"However," His head turned towards Sienna. "You should also realize that too much violence, in the long run, is completely detrimental to any sort of progress you've made in trying to earn faunus-rights. Instead of shying away from violence completely, you should learn to expand and control your strengths, using the necessary amount to achieve success."
He turned his head back to Ghira. "You shouldn't deliberately hinder both yourself and the ones who you surround yourself with. You should learn to build yourself up, and the others. Learn to make the ones around you feel empowered, confident. Fear, especially fear of failure, is critical in playing the role of the leader, Ghira. But fear of violence..." He shook his head, disappointed. "You hinder the ones who should be helping you."
Blake had watched the entire thing go down in complete shock and awe. This faunus, this man had completely picked apart any and all characteristics of both her father and Sienna, without having even met them once. She was completely aware of how some White Fang members had hidden their distrust against her father away from him, as they felt that opening up to the man would make them feel that he was the one oppressing them.
But here? The Hidden Flame had completely read them like an open book, took the most important parts of them, including their weaknesses, and had left them completely shocked. Blake knew for a fact that this was the only time this man had spoken to her father. She would've remembered someone so easily identifiable, so it left her questioning just how he was able to discern so much information from a first greeting in such little time.
"Now," Adam said, crossing his arms. "Introduce me to that daughter of yours. She's been keeping a close eye on me. She definitely wants something from me."
Blake's grip on her mothers dress tightened as she felt her nervousness spike. However, she felt a comforting hand run across her back. Looking to the source, she saw her mother giving a comforting smile.
Suddenly feeling invigorated, Blake had stepped forward, before taking in the sight of The Hidden Flame.
'He looks so cool!' Blake was taking in every inch of his appearance. From his black and red ensemble, to his weapon, to the floural patterns thay decorated his clothes. Everything was incredible.
"It is isn't it," Adam had said, confusing Blake for a minute. "You were thinking that everything about my appearance was incredible. Yes, it is."
Blake's confused expression turned into one completely that perfectly represented her shock. "H-How did you...?"
Adam had let out a strong, hearty laugh at her reaction. "It's pretty simple once you get the hang of it. People are a lot like books if you know how to read them. Of course, its easier for me to do so with a kid because they're more predictable. So, what do you want to ask me?"
Blake gave up on trying to figure out how he practically read her mind. It was mind boggling to figure out.
"It is," Again, he read her mind.
"U-Um, I w-was wondering if I could..." Blake's voice was failing her, making her stutter.
"What's your name?" Adam asked.
"Blake Belladonna?" Blake asked, completely unsure as to why he asked that.
"My name is Adam Taurus, and what is it that you wish from me?" Adam asked.
'Adam, huh?' So thats his name. Suits him really.
"I-I-I want to be able to help the faunus, bring true equality." She answered truthfully.
Adam quirked an eyebrow. The girls tendencies make her seem like her hand was caught in a cookie jar. However, underneath all that was a strong ambition to help those that can't protect themselves. She wishes to protect her kind, to fight for a greater future for them.
"And what is it that you want from me specifically?" Adam asked.
"I... I wanted you to teach me how to help the faunus, like you do." Once again, she spoke a truthful answer. She had hoped that this man could help achieve her goals.
Everyone around her was watching with keen eyes. Ghira and Sienna especially. Ghira was, more or less, concerned about the outcome. This man was strong enough to bow everyone here to his whim and they could not do a single thing about it. If she were to be taken with him so that he can be her teacher, she can easily be corrupted.
Sienna, however, was eager to have him accept. She was eager to witness the sort of power that this man had accumulated over the course of his lifetime. The sort of power that is awe-inspiring. This man was undoubtedly strong. That was certain. It was the kind of strength that can only be accumulated through hard earned effort.
'If I can see what makes him so powerful then maybe I can seize control of the White Fang and drive it on the course for success.' Her trail of thought was shattered however, by the next statement.
"I'm sorry to disappoint, Blake, but..." Adam began, before seemingly looking disappointed. "I can't teach you the methods that I use for faunus rights to gain traction."
It felt like there was an audible shatter in the area, before Blake's ears had drooped, a sign of her sadness leaking out.
But then a grin had spread across the man's face. "However..." he spoke, gaining Blake's attention. "I can make you strong." He clenched a fist in front of him to prove his point. "I have cultivated my Aura in such a way that I'm on the path to surpass any power that exists in this world. While I can't teach you the methods I used for the faunus rights, what I can do is make you strong. What you do with that power is completely up to you. Not me.
"However," His tone went from mischievous to stern, a tone that would normally be held by a disciplinarian, when he saw the idealistic hope spark in Blake's eyes. "I shall warn you, it will not be easy. You'll push yourself to the limit, you'll get hurt, you will suffer for the power that I have attained. Armed with that knowledge, are you willing to move forward and accept? Or will you back down and continue to hide in your own shadow?"
Blake had to ponder that question very carefully. This is a choice that can affect not only her, but the lives of so many people suffering. If she had his kind of power, she would be able to help so many more people that the White Fang couldn't hope to do in a lifetime.
However, Adam had made it abundantly clear that trial and error was a must. Pain was a must. Failure was a must. He made it open and clear that if she was to get as strong as him, she had to be willing to get her hands dirty. She had to be willing to get hurt. She had to be willing to do this and that to get stronger.
Blake took a deep breath, and only nodded.
"Great, from now on, you may refer to me as Taurus-sensei, meaning that I shall be your instructor. We'll start after your family have done wrapping up their business. During that, I'll plan a route that will take us between settlements through the wilderness and that will help you with your physical conditioning."
Blake had gulped. She had already accepted the offer, with Ada-No!- Taurus-sensei. There was no going back now.
Then a thought occured to her. "How can I trust you?"
The reaction garnered jaw-dropping reactions from everyone, aside from Adam, who was stifling his own mirth. "I applaud your curiosity. It makes sense that this sounds like an opportunity that sounds far too good to be true, in every sense of the word. Truth be told, there is little I can really do that can dissuade your doubts... save for this..."
The last few words were set in a grim tone and Blake realized what he meant. She felt it, everyone around her had felt it. The soul crushing weight they all felt had caused all their chests to seize up. All of them, including Sienna, who had been thoroughly trained the most, had felt the weight that had threatened her knees to buckle under the slightest wind. However, Blake forced herself to say up, even if it took all of her power to do so.
"You feel it right?" Adam's voice turned dark, and outright malicious, even if there wasn't any sort of malice within him at the minute. "The vast power of mine, one that continues to grow with each passing day, with each small stepping stone that I cross each day? This is the power I have built for myself. With it, I can simply use it to command each and every movement of you. All of you are under my will, at this very moment. I can easily subjugate all of you just as easily as humans have subjugated our kind..."
The weight had then suddenly lifted off of their shoulders, causing them to breath with relief. "But I won't. I am no such monster. I'm actually quite the docile and gentle person until you cross blades with me, with the intent to kill. Even if you already agreed to it the first time, I will ask you again. Do you wish to continue?"
Blake nodded, realizing that it was Taurus-sensei who had ultimately left the choice to her. He had given her two chances to walk away. Even after experiencing that soul crushing weight of his power, she still accepted. She fully realized that there was no going back. Either she moved forward and succeeded, or he gave up on her.
"Smart girl," Adam noted, causing Blake to grit her teeth at Taurus-sensei reading her thoughts.
She'll push through with every ounce of grit she can muster...
And that resolves this chapter. The next few chapters are going to be very Blake and Adam focused, mainly on training, and all that sort of stuff, so for the next few chapters, not much is really going to be happening. I hope you all can understand that.
Also, Adam's Semblance. Here's my take on it. Adam has to be utilizing a durable, weaponized object in order to absorb damage. That energy can then be stored in various places, such as a sheath, his actual sword, and his clothes can be a storage. The only way he can actually use his Semblance's abilities without a weapon is if he taps into the stored energy within his clothes. For his sword and sheath, he can transfer the energy between the two easily, but thats only because the sheath and sword are so close together, attached even, compared to his clothes, which the sheath is simply hanging off of, not attached to the clothes at all.
This may not appease people much. However, I would also like to point out its my story. If anyone would like to have a different interpretation on how Adam's Semblance works, you can leave a review, but this is the logic I'm sticking with.
Also I find it weird that Adam's Semblance has so many abilities. First is energy waves, the second is afterimages, the third is strength/speed augmentation, while the fourth is disintergration. The last two I interpreted from the "Black Trailer" for RWBY, given how he had sliced an entire Spider-droid, while disintergrating it, from the looks of it. Four whole abilities sounds ridiculously absurd, even by the standards of regular Semblances. Even though its just additional applications of his stored up energy, it seems ridiculous to have that many different applications in its entirety.
Please remember to leave a like, follow and a review, and Happy New Year!! WOOOOOOOOOOOO, 2024!!!!!!