So... how many of you thought I was dead?

A near five month intermission between chapters was certainly not my intent everyone, and I'm sorry for the wait. Hopefully the events of this chapter are enjoyable enough to make up for the lack of Fen x Neo relationship goodness.

We got some fun, some seriousness, and a bit of comedy to balance it all out. Along with some extra goodies that will release with this chapter, read until the end to find out what it is.

Now, on with the show!

"Hey, who are those two?" "They were found leaving the Demon's Maw." "Seriously!? How are they still alive?" "Why are they here?" "They look like a huntsman and huntress almost." "I wonder what the high leader will say when they see them."

Murmurs continued on with each person they were led past as Fen and Neo followed the man that had 'rescued' them. The lizard faunus, who introduced himself as Zals, led them through the long corridor of a humongous underground complex; the Mistralian headquarters of the White Fang. The man looked back and apologized to them as they walked.

"Sorry for all the commotion, people around here get a little starved for news since most of them rarely leave the complex. Add to it where you two came out of, and you're basically the same as a celebrity to most of them. Don't worry, it should wear off in a day or two, but I got to ask, how'd you two navigate those caves? Grimm are known to avoid it and most who venture in either never return or are found horribly injured with barely any recollection of what happened to them."

Fen looked down to Neo briefly before giving a tired shrug: "I'm sorry if this disappoints you, but we don't really have an answer. We entered the cave system from the other side of the mountain to escape from some bandits and have been wandering for the last couple of days. We were lucky when we finally felt some air flowing through the tunnels and did our best to follow it, and it thankfully led us out to where you found us, Zals."

With some awe the man replied: "Wow, that's some luck. Bandits huh, I'm not surprised they didn't follow you. Even the least superstitious of people around here respect the Demon's Maw as a place to avoid. Though seeing as you two aren't from around here there's no way you would have known that. What a bit of fate for you to make it out unharmed just as I was patrolling. Haha, sounds like a miracle if I do say so myself!"

Fen chuckled along: "It does seem like a pretty crazy coincidence. Maybe we have a guardian angel or something looking out for us, eh Neo?"

Neo buried her head into his side and Fen laughed and patted her on the head as he interpreted the action for their guide:

"Seems like she's a bit on the tired side. Are we almost to where we can rest? My sister and I could really use some time to recuperate."

With a quick apology, Zals bowed his head: "How inconsiderate of me, blathering on no better than those we passed by. We're almost there, we don't receive many guests so the few rooms we have are quite nice, it's a fitting reward for making it out of the Demon's Maw unscathed."

After just another couple minutes Zals stopped in front of a polished wood door and unlocked it for them. Neo hurriedly rushed in leaving Fen to address their guide.

"We appreciate your help, Zals. This was more than I could have expected the White Fang could give to mere travelers."

The man shook off the thanks and replied: "Don't worry about it, you're faunus. Anything we can provide to make things easier for you is what the White Fang exists for. Oh and I should also mention that the High Leader wished to meet you two once you're rested. Seems like survivors of the Demon's Maw interest even them."

The lizard faunus laughed as he returned the way he had led them, and Fen closed the door with a heavy sigh he had long been suppressing. With his eyes closed he turned around and commented with:

"Jeez, things just seem to keep getting more complicated the closer we get to Mistral."

Well, what did you expect? We could have just dealt with that putz and avoided this all together but you wanted to deal with this peacefully. So you only have yourself to blame.

Fen opened his eye to glare at Neo whose semblance cascaded down her form as she released the illusion around her and let her hair and eyes return to their natural colors. Walking past her he let out a sigh before flopping down on the nearby bed.

"Neo, we had no need to kill him, plus there was no way of knowing he was alone. I noticed him but with how tired I was— and still am— there easily could have been others and I wasn't going to take the risk. Anyways, now we're barely a stone's throw away from Mistral. Whatever the White Fang's leader wants from us I know they can't force us to do. They might try to guilt us with something, but it's not like they have anything they can threaten to use against us. We'll listen, turn down whatever it is, and be on our way."

Neo sat down on the edge of the bed with a frown. And if they try to force us?

Fen waved it off before let his arm fall across his face: "If they try something that stupid then we have both Fir and your semblance."

Glaring down at the lazy man before her, Neo's expression softened as she remembered: Is Fir ok? Are you, for that matter? That change looked agonizing, I can't even imagine what you must have felt.

With a small jolt of surprise, Neo looked down to see Fen's other hand over her's. Peeking at her from under his arm still across his face he gave a tired smile: "I'll be ok, Fir too. Though I can say I never want that to happen again. It was… it was like my bones and flesh melting like a rock falling into lava, and forcefully reshaped into an entirely new form. I think Fir shielded me from some of the pain because otherwise I don't know how a person would remain sane after experiencing what I did."

Neo sat still for a few moments as she had no idea how to respond, but with a poke to her side Fen broke her from her thoughts.

"Go take a bath, I know you've been dying to have one. Plus it saves me from having to deal with two smelly, tired people."

Jumping up with a jolt, Neo stared down with indignation at Fen before grabbing him by the leg and dragging him off the bed. He hit the ground with a heavy thud as Neo marched off to the bathroom.

With the slamming of the restroom door, Fen propped himself up against the edge of the bed and lightly chuckled as he muttered to himself: "That's better. I don't know how to deal with you when you act sappy. I have enough reasons to feel weird around you. Isn't that right, Fir?"

In the back of his mind he felt his other half stir, and from within his mind he heard the dark rasp of a voice answer:

Must… Protect.

Fen gave a half laugh to himself: "First time I've ever gotten such a clear response that simply. That damn Kitsune really did change something about you, or really both of us since I had a feeling you'd answer me just now. I get the feeling that more changes will keep coming, and faster than they used to."

We… Together.

"Geez, I even understood what you meant by that! That feels kind of weird after having to guestimate ninety-nine percent of what you ever tried to tell me before. Though I can't really deny it will make things a lot easier going forward, especially if you, or better yet we, keep evolving."

Fen's ears twitched as he noticed the sound of running water cease. He looked over as the door opened to reveal a damp-haired Neo with a towel wrapped around her. Moving her hair from her face, her eyes met Fen's who gazed at her with a small smile. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she turned her head away and walked over to sit on the other side of the bed from where Fen sat on the ground.

Standing up, Fen walked towards the bathroom to enjoy a shower for himself, muttering to himself as he reached the door and looked back at the petite woman that was his partner; noticing that she had a faint and tired smile on her face.

"Heh, must protect indeed, Fir. Very much so."

Fen opened his eyes to stare up at the pitch back ceiling above him. Several hours had likely passed since he had first fallen asleep but he knew there was no going back to dreaming considering what had awoken him.

Still now, he could hear the faint sound of a whistle so low that it was only due to his trait as a faunus that he could hear it at all; and he imagined whoever was blowing it knew that as well. Turning his head and using Fir's sight, he could just faintly make out the amber aura of someone standing a fair distance down the hall outside their room. Fen slowly attempted to rise, but quickly found that his right arm was currently being used as Neo's pillow.

Carefully extracting himself, he scribbled a quick note for her as he threw on his shirt and patch over his right eye and slipped out of their room. With the click of the door closing, he looked to where he saw the aura before and noticed it walking down the hall. It stopped as it turned a corner and he heard the whistle once more. Playing along, Fen followed and caught the slightest glimpse of a crimson cape round another corner as he reached where they had been.

Following through the halls and up flights of stairs of the White Fang's complex, Fen took note that the path they were taking avoided any patrolling personnel. He was on his fifth flight of stairs when he noticed the airflow changed and the smell of dirt and grass reached him. Ahead of him there was an open door that revealed the starlit sky, and he slowed his pace as he noticed that the aura he was following was standing still just a small distance outside.

Reaching the top of the stairs, Fen stepped out onto a natural plateau where a tall tan skinned woman with a long crimson cape stood at it's edge some paces away. Under the moonlight, Fen noticed that her arms bore large dark stripes and among the tuffs of short black hair on her head sat a pair of faunus ears, traits of some kind of tiger he surmised by their appearance. She certainly knew he was there; a small breeze passed over them before Fen finally heard her voice.

Her tone was light, but it carried with it a strong presence: "Very few would heed a summons from someone they don't know, much less under the current circumstances you surely find yourself under. Fen Rir."

Fen leaned on the edge of the door frame as he lazily replied: "Well when someone so abruptly wakes me up in the dead of night, I found myself just unable to resist finding the culprit; even if the list of suspects is remarkably short. Or maybe I should say it's exactly because the list is short, I knew who would do such a thing and it'd be rude to refuse."

Turning around fully, the bright golden eyes of the woman locked on him as she smirked: "Then you know who I am? I suppose that makes this easier, I get to learn more about you then, to make us even."

He felt his hair bristle under the gaze of the woman, but kept the emotions on his face in check as he answered: "You aren't so much for the protests and speeches of your predecessor but I have seen your picture before: Sienna Khan. Though I do have to wonder why the High Leader of the White Fang would go through so much effort to meet me in private in the middle of the night when you've already requested to meet me in the morning."

She kept her catty grin as she kept her head held high and stepped forward: "Why indeed, that is a more than reasonable question to have. I could be boring and say it's because I wanted to get a judge of your character, to see if you'd be willing to join the White Fang, but from the report I received from Zals I could already tell that would be little more than a pipe dream. No, I rather prefer meeting someone who witnessed the sins of our people firsthand during what will remain one of the darkest stains on the White Fang's history forever."

Fen straightened up off the door frame, narrowing his gaze he answered: "I'd say you're crazy, but I don't think a fool would try to make that claim at random that someone is a survivor of the Fall of Beacon. I imagine you were told by someone who recognized me when we were paraded through the halls of this place."

With a glimmer in her eye, she smiled just a touch wider: "It had only been a suspicion, but thank you for confirming it. Zals didn't have much fondness for his cousins, neither survived I was told, but he did hear about someone that fought both being a silver-hair wolf faunus; I'd almost imagine he might thank you for removing the blight from his family tree considering what I heard they were doing before they met their ends."

Fen looked at her with evident doubt: "If you expect me to believe that's the only thing you confirmed about me then I would be more the fool than my sister likes to claim I can be."

For reasons he could not fathom, Sienna continued to smile: "Oh, do you mean like how you were wearing a tattered Atlesian uniform during The Fall? Or that your sister isn't actually a faunus, or your sister for that matter. "

If he didn't know better, Fen would say he was being blackmailed, but he wasn't for the plain clue of where they presently stood: "I have to say you're awfully calm considering you know there's a human within your precious faunus base. Plus an Atlesian that I certainly would have assumed to have been indoctrinated to hate your organization or even his own species, if I were in your place."

Turning her back on him, Sienna walked back to the plateau's edge: "Contrary to your indoctrination you'll find that the vast majority of faunus, even those here among the Fang, don't hate humans. We often, myself most assuredly included, detest and revile the actions taken by humans against our kind, but I desire no war with humans; even if we did have the chance to succeed in such a campaign."

Fen crossed his arms: "You've gone through plenty of displays suggesting otherwise, and I'm not even including what happened to Vale in that statement."

Sienna spun on her heels back towards him as she growled and bared her teeth: "You mean the labor camps and sweat shops that are the large majority of faunus-related deaths brushed off as 'workplace accidents'!? Faunus are capable of so much, this complex is a testament to that, and I can not and will not tolerate all the abuse I witness those like you or I suffer just because of something as small as a pair of extra ears or a little tail while I get to lounge in comfort!"

With some shock, Fen let his arms fall to his side, but not merely because of the words he had heard. Because for the entirety of their discussion, he had been carefully judging the truth of her sentiment by observing the state of her aura though his shared right eye.

She… is completely adamant towards her goal. There wasn't the slightest waver in her even when challenged with judgement of the violence that has resulted from her leadership. Sienna Khan, is all you really desire really as simple as not wanting to watch faunus suffer?

Strong…

In more ways than one, I agree, Fir.

Squaring his shoulders, Fen regained his composure and asked simply: "So what do you want to accomplish, Sienna Khan? What milestone do you want to accomplish to say the goal of this organization is fulfilled?"

In seeing his composure, Sienna regained some of her own: "Humans need to fear the faunus, Fen. To know they can not oppress us without retaliation. That in and of itself requires violence, peace can't be brought about by kind words alone I'm sure you're aware; you're Atlesian after all."

Thinking for a moment, Fen gave a nod: "I can understand your point, and it's far more appealing than most I had expected you to make, Ms. Khan. Though at the same time I find one glaring issue with such a sentiment." With his words, Sienna now was the one surprised as he continued. "The issue you have is with oppression, but outside the Kingdom of Atlas there is no oppression that is caused by a society. There are certainly more individuals than I wish there to be with malice towards faunus, but name me a place that actually suffers from rampant oppression. Vacuo has always been an individualistic place, you earn respect and give it when earned. Mistral boasts the largest faunus population outside of Menagerie, and even the headmaster of its Haven Academy is one through his own accomplishments. Then there was Vale, it was one of the most stable kingdoms until The Fall of Beacon. Problems there for the faunus had only generally worsened because of the rise in violent criminal activity that could be tied to the Fang."

Sienna cut in sharply: "What happened in Vale was not done under any order I gave; that was done under the leadership of the man I placed there. An act I've been made to greatly regret in recent months. Still! That doesn't mean that the White Fang hasn't achieved results elsewhere. Petitions for improved work conditions for faunus have been far more successful since we began to fight back."

"Because lawmakers fear for their families' lives should they refuse!" Fen fired back, forcing Sienna back into silence. "They're positions haven't changed! The Fang just continues to give humans a reason to hate us! We need to show merit, there will still be ridicule for a time, but for every person who still detests us after a kind or heroic act, we gain the attention of those who didn't use to care. Those are who matter, gaining the attention of the apathetic is what will cause things to change, Sienna. You just have to ask, what will be shown to them when their attention is gained?"

Turning half away from him, Sienna appeared to be in thought. Closing her eyes she drew in a large breath before letting it out as a heavy sigh: "It's been a long time since I've heard a point I can't argue with. It is truly a shame that recruiting you is essentially a lost cause. After a speech like that, I have half a mind to make you one of my direct subordinates."

Fen couldn't help the small smirk that rose on his lips: "I'm flattered you'd make such a claim, I assure you. This encounter certainly isn't what I expected, you're far more sensible to talk to than I would have ever believed if I was still in Atlas."

Turning back to him, Sienna opened her arms wide: "Well then, here we stand as two faunus enlightened more by each other than either of us would have dared to conceive with knowing the other's background; but I don't feel satisfied to leave it at that. Zals reported to me the generally ragged state you both arrived in, so I'll compensate your accomplishment of travelling through the Demon's Maw by granting you access to our armory. That's about the only thing I'm capable of offering you considering I know you would refuse a place at my table."

Fen bowed his head slightly: "I am grateful for the generosity, Ms. Khan. If there is something I can do while we are here, just name it."

Sienna waved off his formality: "Don't bother with the miss crap, the only time I care about that is having to address someone in the audience chamber. Though, in saying that, if you're going to offer yourself up like that, I have a prime opportunity to use such a clear outside view. Adam Taurus, the man I put in charge of the White Fang's Vale branch, will be under trial before me tomorrow evening for the events that transpired at Beacon and Vale. I wish you to observe this as someone who I readily imagine suffered and lost people during the violence."

Considering he had only dealt with the Fang after he had met Neo, Fen's rage was not nearly what it could have been. Even so, being present for sentencing of one of the ones responsible for the destruction of Vale seemed like a lucky coincidence considering that person must have some connection with the ones he and Neo were in pursuit of.

Fen answered with a slight grin as he knew Sienna would detect the restrained interest in his voice: "I believe such a chance would be an honor."

The soft chink of metal lightly resounded as Neo walked beside Fen down the hall that lead away from the White Fang's armory. They had both found some equipment that suited them surprisingly well; though of the two, Neo was clearly the one who came out with the most significant change.

Her jacket was now sleeveless and its collar removed, and a pair of gloves covered her arms up to the bicep. Her new pair of pants sported a lattice of thread down the side to allow an integrated strip of flexible fabric. Over them she wore a pair of leather stockings to better accommodate the unique metal bracers connected to her new combat heels. All because she happened to catch the eye of the seamstress who ran the armory.

Fen looked down at his new combat bracers and boots, with a half chuckle he looked over to Neo: "I can't help but feel like I kind of got a raw deal out of this compared to you. Best thing I got out of that place was some new hardlight dust."

Neo was certainly amused as she smirked over to him: Hey, it's not my fault I sparked that fox girl's 'inspiration'. Though neither am I going to complain, this outfit makes me sexier and deadlier.

Fen smirked back: "Jury's still out on that former claim."

Neo placed her arms under her bust and pushed them up slightly: Are you saying you don't appreciate the view?

Considering the low cut of the jacket, the action certainly did emphasize her figure as Fen felt some heat rise to his face. He turned his attention back down the hall as he replied: "I swear you had to have told her to make it like that on purpose."

Neo's grin turned catty: I'm not hearing a no~.

Fen turned up his nose: "Begone, foul ice cream temptress. I have no need for your feminine wiles."

Neo snaked her arms around his right and pressed it into her chest: So come the words of this dark brooding Atlesian champion, but the heat of your skin would seem to imply otherwise.

They both stopped walking as Neo continued to cling to Fen for a few brief moments, before the two separated as they burst out in laughter. Considering only Fen could be heard, it would have been a horribly odd sight for anyone to find them in as Fen leaned against the wall while Neo was doubled over trying to catch her breath; but luckily for them both they had privacy for the moment.

H-how, heh, how long has it been since we've gotten to laugh like this?

Turning to rest his back against the wall, Fen stared upwards: "Probably not since we left Brim and arrived on Anima. Recently we've been pushing ourselves pretty similarly to how we were when we first left Vale; though most of it not exactly by choice."

Neo looked up at him with a cheeky smile: Well whose fault is that, I wonder?

Fen lifted the patch from his eye and gave her a glare, to which Neo just laughed and resumed walking down the hall. With a shake of his head, Fen lowered the patch and followed after her. They were on their way to the audience chamber Sienna had requested Fen come to the night before. He had explained the majority of what had happened to Neo when he had gotten back, and was somewhat surprised at how impassive she was when told about Taurus.

At present, they didn't expect much out of the show they were requested to attend. It was in the aftermath they hoped to get the ability to interrogate the former leader of Vale's White Fang to get something of use towards their goal. From what Neo had told him, it was unlikely that Salem would just let someone with his influence out from under her thumb just because their plans for Vale succeeded. So Taurus was probably still in contact with the Cinder, or some other member of Salem's inner circle.

He was about to say something to Neo when they passed by a group of passing Fang members. They were so engrossed that they barely regarded Fen or Neo as they walked by, but among their soft chatter Fen caught a word that made him stop and listen as they continued past him.

"That guy Brother Adam had us let in was giant! You think he might have been a grizzly faunus or something?"

"Nah, that guy was human, my nose could tell. Though why he told us to let one of their kind in I just can't fathom."

"Apparently he worked with humans to make what happened in Vale possible. Guess it proves even morons can be useful when under faunus direction!"

Someone at the front of the group shouted back. "Shut up with the whispering back there you dumbasses, we have things to prepare!"

The group ended up turning the corner when Fen felt Neo put a hand on his arm.

What's up?

Fen shook his head clear and they continued on as he spoke softly to her: "I don't know, but there's another human here somewhere; and he's connected to Taurus. Somehow I get this ominous feeling that something is about to happen, and we're liable to get caught up in it."

He felt a tug on his arm, and he stopped to see Neo looking up at him with a smirk: Hey, that's nothing new for us. Though this time, let's see if we can make it work in our favor. I think we're due to have something go our way for once.

Returning her smirk, he shot back: "Well let's hope you didn't waste our good fortune on getting that outfit and make the most of it then, shall we?"

Neo slugged him playfully in the arm: If this outfit used that much luck to get, then it must mean it's because I needed it.

Walking on, Fen glanced out of the corner of his eye: "Maybe to help you seduce me. I could believe that."

Neo quickly caught up: Like I need an outfit to do that. Except for maybe the act of slowly taking it off.

Want… see.

Neo laughed: My charm even works on omegas apparent...ly?

They both froze and looked at each other and said in tandem:

"You," I, "can hear him!?"

WRW

I can't help but feel this was a little short, but I am satisfied with what I was able to get out considering the writer's block that delayed this chapter.

Yonder

Tell them, tell them, tell them! Tell them about the surprise!

WRW

I'm getting to that, shesh!

Hopefully this makes the long wait a little more worth it everyone. We got art of Fen and Neo over on my DeviantArt page, same name as here. Correlating to the new outfits that they acquired here in this chapter!

I've been wanting to show these off, but I needed to make it official in story first so here we are!

Until next time everyone.

Stay awesome everyone, WRW and Yonder out.