A/N: Chapter 77 of REKT. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or teams of RWBY, they belong to Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum. What I do own are the characters and teams of my OCs: REKT, GTSY, KACE and DAZE. I also claim Ingrid, Teo, Reina's parents and aunt as well.
Special thanks to the reviewers and to the readers who Fav/Alert this story, I really appreciate it.
Chapter 77: Beginning Complications
Outside a cafe in Menagerie...
"If I'm being completely honest my brother and I weren't expecting such an open invitation after...the slight debacle when we first met. Especially coming from you, Sister Blake. You seem to be the last person who would like to interact with us out of your own free will." Fennec mused, his eyes flicking back and forth between Blake and Sun while Corsac listened calmly. The four of them ended up sitting outside underneath an awning upon the request from the chieftain's daughter. "Normally Mr. Ghira Belladonna would host our negotiations, or meetings within his own home and away from the public eye. By being discrete we reduce the probability of rousing suspicion of the citizens of Menagerie."
"Well I believe it's time for a change...don't you think? Being discrete and telling lies will only fester that seed of doubt." responded Blake, her eyes narrowing slightly at his words. She was tense, and rightly so. Knowing her experience with the White Fang, she couldn't drop her guard for even a second. "Sometimes having conversations out in the open can be a breath of fresh air, instead of being cramped inside a stuffy building."
"Not only that, this place has perfect weather all year round! Sun's shining, and everyone is having a grand time." Sun added, before following up with, "We wouldn't want to have our pals hunkering in the dark somewhere plotting something that could, oh I don't know, drive Faunus kind to extinction!"
"Sun! Exaggerated much?" Blake all but gave him a weathering glare in warning. Leaning over she hissed in his ear, and attempted to keep her voice down, "What happened to not going straight to the point!? We don't want to pin accusation on them right away when we have no proof?"
"No worries Blake, I have this in the bag. Besides they've been suspicious of us the moment we stepped foot on the island." Sun whispered back, tail flicking back and forth anxiously. "Gotta cement the thought in their fat heads that they have to watch their own hides at all times."
"But now it makes things difficult for us because they'll be on high alert! Mistakes will be minimal...that also means we'll have to be on alert too so we don't get caught trying to out them." Blake could feel a headache coming and held back of slapping her forehead with a hand.
"I don't know where you gathered your information young man, but I can assure you that you are clearly mistaken, and spouted some serious accusation." Fennec replied in a calm manner, watching the huntsmen with a critical eye. The air was so thick due to the tension between them that Blake swore she could cut it with Gambol Shroud if she had her weapon on her; against her better judgment she and Sun decided to leave their weapons behind, showing that the two of them merely wanted to talk and not fight. "If I were you, I'd watch what you say...else you will find yourself in serious trouble."
"...are you threatening us?" Blake's ears pinned low against her head, eyes hard, and lips slightly curled.
"Sister Blake, it would be hypocritical of you to make a remark. Right after your dear friend made his claim mind you." Corsec spoke up before Fennec could respond. "My brother was just making an observation of the situation, nothing else. I can assure you he had no ill-will."
"Thanks for waiting! Here are your drinks!" A young waitress approached them with a tray on hand, four large glasses filled with various colors piled on top. She had long rabbit ears that reminded Blake of Velvet, which were critical when there were a lot of customers; her heightened senses kept her alerted and on her toes whenever someone was calling for service from the other end of the cafe. She quickly placed them in front of their respected owners before bowing. "Please enjoy!"
"Thank you very much." The four of them responded in kind, and the waitress scurried away to tend to the other patrons. The initial veil of hostility lifted slightly, but the presence never left the table.
"Hmmmmm, a bit too fruity for my taste. Seems I have misjudged what I ordered based on description alone...or perhaps it was the pictures." Fennec commented after taking a sip, ignoring the blatant stares from the younger faunus pair sitting across from him. "The cocktail is lighter than I would have liked, but I wouldn't want to be intoxicated during this little conversation."
"Glad we're on the same page." Sun also quipped before taking a sip of his own concoction. His eyes widened and he had a broad smile on his face. "Oh yum! Banana flavored with a hint of fresh coconut!"
"I see that your other friend isn't here with us." Fennec's eyes darted between the two, a slight hint of suspicion. Corsac also appeared on edge, knowing what his brother was hinting at. "Where is she? You two aren't here to lure us into a trap, correct? Because I fear we won't be held responsible for the others around us should you decide to go all out."
"I believe that won't be an issue, fighting was the last thing on our minds. And where Kairos is is none of your business." Blake stated firmly before Sun could open his mouth, making sure she maintained eye contact with Fennec. "You should focus on us and only us, because we were the ones who extended our invitation first. What you just said was discourteous to your hosts."
"...of course, my sincerest apologies. I was merely stating my observation – I seem to be doing so very frequently today for a bizarre reason – since I was sure I'd see three of you guys in a group...joined at the hip so to say." says Fennec, catching his brother's stare out of the corner of his peripheral vision. They nodded to one another and visibly relaxed. "Now then, where were we before the lovely waitress arrived with our drinks?"
"Why the hell are there White Fang members on this island?" Blake dove right on in, not holding back the amount of anger she had within. "We have never once thought about making Menagerie a place to establish a branch; this island was utilized for the sake of refugees after the war. It is a haven for our people, not used for any revolutionary tactic. Was this Adam's thinking?"
"Sister Blake, please perish the thought. We are not in cohorts with Adam Taurus by any means. Rest assured my brother and I have sworn utmost loyalty to High leader Khan, anything we say or do is for the greater good." Corsac drawled out. "We've always kept that in mind."
"Sounds like a bunch of nonsense..." grumbled Sun who yelped when Blake stepped on his foot under the table.
"We won't deny that we believe that the faunus race should stand if not equal, but well above the human race." answered Fennec, "However, with Brother Taurus' disobedient faction and the rise of hostility between both parties, the High leader has pushed most of her agendas toward quelling tensions."
"All of the followers over Remnant have tried their best to help alleviate her of her stress by doing their individual duties, but most of the time they just add more to her troubles. Therefore it falls upon our shoulders to rally and bring the entirety of the Faunus race to be in unity." Corsac added from the side, his hands currently wrapped around his own drink. "For without unity, there will be unforeseen consequences in the coming future."
"As if the amount of blood being shed isn't more than enough to warrant a change in policy...ow!" Sun grunted, rubbing his side from where Blake harshly elbowed him. "Seriously Blake, that friggin hurt!"
"We are well aware of the casualties that comes with this line of work. It is unfortunate that the faunus are on a losing streak, spilling more blood than our human counterparts. Rest assured that High Leader Khan is working to change that so that the faunus are not on the losing end." Fennec mused.
"If she's doing her best then why isn't there media coverage of her deeds?" asked Sun. "Surely everyone would want to know the details."
"And risk the humans getting wind of it, and twisting it to suit their own needs? Everything you hear from them is just fabricated nonsense if you ask me. Humans are great at wearing masks to hid their true intentions. No, we cannot allow that. The White Fang operates from the shadows and move where no humans dare to wonder. It is more important that those who benefit from our actions are the ones to know."
"So basically for faunus ears only huh." Sun loudly slurped on his drink. "Then how come neither I nor Blake... heck even the entire populous of Menagerie aren't aware of what is going on?"
"Sometimes it is best for the public to be left in the dark." was the response.
Bzzt~ Bzzt~ Bzzt~
"Please excuse me, I need to answer this." Corsac gestured for his brother to let him out and take the call. Shuffling out, he proceed to place his scroll near his ear and spoke in a hush whisper to whoever it was at the other end. He made sure to put enough distance that even Blake's feline ears couldn't pick up the conversation.
"While he's doing that, how long do you two intend on staying here? If you want my option, the weather right now is incredibly perfect." Fennec asked, drumming his fingers against the table in thought. "Surely this isn't like one of your lover retreats that the juveniles love to go on, oh no you two are way above that...but by the off chance you two are, you know, together..."
"We aren't together if that's what you're implying." Blake hissed angrily, ears pinned back and lips curled. Sun's eyebrows narrowed in disappointment as well, his hands curled tightly around his cup. "Don't even think about snooping around my love life."
"No? A shame in my personal opinion, you two look great as a couple but I digress." Fennec took a sip, not at all bothered by the glowering looks that were sent his way. "Sometimes, Sister Blake, you are so focused on trying to change the White Fang that you lose the big picture of what is going on around you. Step back and take a breather."
"Who do you think you are deciding what I can and cannot do with my life?" Standing up abruptly much to some shock from the patrons nearby, she slammed both palms on the table. "My life is my own, and I decide the choices I make."
"Blake, calm down...he isn't worth your energy." Sun whispered, hearing some grumbling and not so subtle disgust from the others. "Besides you're making a scene..." She ignored him, her amber eyes lingering on Fennec who matched her stare without flinching.
"Brother, we have been summoned by you know who. We must leave as soon as possible, least we suffer his unchained wrath." Corsac, walking back from his call and not at all bothered by what occurred, bent down to murmur into his brother's ear quietly. Fennec dipped his head in response, acknowledging that he heard him loud and clear.
"What are you muttering about?" asked Blake, her eyes darting quickly between them. "Care to share it with Sun and I? Or is it something secretive?"
"Oh I was just letting my brother know that the phone call I received was incredibly important." Corsac said as Fennec made a move to rise. "My apologizes, but it is family matter and we aren't liable to answer your question...I do believe we aren't obligated to share with you two personal matters. We do need to get going however, time is of the essence."
"Well then I guess this meeting is adjourned, terribly sorry to have it end on a somewhat sour note. As always it was a pleasure talking to you, and if there's anything else we can help out with...don't hesitate to look for us. We'll be around. Oh and these drinks are on us." Throwing down a couple of lien cards, both brothers bowed politely and left the area in a quick trot.
"I'm sure I've made it perfectly clear where I stand on the issue...I don't trust them. Flat out." Sun commented once the brothers had disappeared into the crowd, his tail twitching behind him. By now the rest of the other patrons fell back into a steady stream of idle chatter, ignoring what had happened. "Seriously, there's just something about them that I can't get rid of. It's almost like they're scheming something underneath, trying to cover up their true intention behind masks."
"You think so too huh? I felt the same way just by sitting here." Blake response softly as she sad back down, eyes lowering to her drink and fingers drumming slightly against the cup's surface. "Speaking of masks, it was an element that was introduced when Adam took charge; from what I heard he was the first to show up with his eyes covered after all. Since then every single member of the White Fang use animal-like masks as a tool to intimidate the humans."
"Then shall we get started on our own agenda? I assume we aren't here to just drink our cares away." Sun leaned against a hand, his tail wagging lazily out behind him. "Although I would appreciate some leisure time to kick back and relax."
"We can't just 'kick back and relax', Sun. There's just too much to do around here...not when the threat of having White Fang members lurking on the island is a high possibility."
"And who was it again that said we weren't here to fight against the White Fang?" The monkey faunus whistled casually, bringing back his previous talk with the cat faunus since they were back on The Pride. "Don't tell me you changed your mind..."
"E-excuse you, I'm allowed to change my mind however and whenever I want." She snapped at him somewhat peeved. However, deep down she knew Sun was right in pointing out that she was becoming inconsistent with what she wanted to do. "Now that I have been made aware of the situation, I have to change my plans accordingly. For better or worst, adaptation has to happen if I have even a slight chance of pulling the events in my favor. "
"Yeah yeah I get it. But sometimes we just gotta take time to relax. Over-thinking leads to too much stress, and too much stress hurts my head a lot; now that I think about it over-thinking also clouds one's judgment and bad choices." Bringing his drink to his lips with his tail, Sun took the one last slip before letting out a satisfied sigh. "Besides, I don't know when we'll come back here or even if we'll get some free time. Sad to say because these drinks are remarkable."
"You make it sound like we can never come back here." Blake snorted at his antics. Turning to look at him she added, "We'll have another chance, and we can bring Kairos with us too."
"Oh hell yeah we most definitely will bring her here! Alright, that's the plan! No take-backs! I'm holding you to it!" Sun's tail wiggled with excitement, his eyes shining brighter than all the stars in the Menagerie sky. "I'll introduce her to this magnificent concoction of tastes that makes my tongue all jittery. Seriously, it feels like there's a massive rave party in my mouth!"
"You make it sound like someone spiked your drink."
"Nah nah nah, here let me grab you one to go. I'm not letting you waltz out of here without tasting what I'm tasting!" Jumping out of his seat and grabbing the lien cards the brothers threw down, Sun darted away to make his order, leaving his dark-haired company to herself.
Oh now my head hurts, what great timing. Blake began to rub her temple with mild irritation, waiting for Sun to come back from the bar. So many thoughts flowed through her mind, scenarios that could have ended in so many other ways, endless possibilities along expanding tangent lines. Thoughts of 'what ifs' bounced around, contributing to her headache. Unconsciously her mind began to stray back to Beacon, back to the horrible night.
I'll make it my mission to destroy everything you love.
Blake! Where are you?
Starting with her.
Get away from her!
"Here you go, thanks for waiting. I couldn't help myself but get one too, it's not like we're spending our own money; those sleazy jerks left more lien then they should have left." The sound of glass slamming in front of her jolted her out of her trance, and she stared at Sun's worried expression. "Hey...you okay? You zoned out in a very unsettling way, it was almost like you weren't exactly here, well I mean at least mentally."
"...I was just remembering the times at Beacon. The initiation for first years, the friends we made, the mischief we got into, all the fights...and ending with the fall. I don't believe I took the time to internalize it...all of it. I thought I could utilize our ride to Menagerie to think of how far we've gotten, but I have spent that time just...completely lost."
"Blake, it's a lot to take in. I know, I was there through it all, and I'm willing to bet that anyone who had to deal with that shit storm won't ever forget. I'd be lying if I told you I still don't have tremors, nightmares of my teammates and allies dying." Sun said soothingly, taking a seat across from her. "This whole thing is not something that you can figure out in just one day or even a few minutes. Hell it may even take years or centuries, probably extending beyond our life span.
"Trying to make sense of it all, well, it's almost like you're going on a journey just to try and resolve one big problem. Maybe you'll go as far as you can before passing it on to the next generation. Maybe it won't ever be resolved. And maybe it'll resolve on its own organically. Point being...focus on what you can change, and what you really want in life. Don't worry too much on things that are out of your control."
"It is so easy to say...and yet it's so hard to put into practice."
"It doesn't have to be, some things are so much more important." Sun smiled with reassurance. "You put so much hardship upon yourself. If you continue down this path I'm not sure if your sanity will stay in tact. Honestly, if you want my opinion...you might as well be regressing back to when you were running after Roman Torchwick."
"Roman Torchwick was just the tip of an iceberg." retorted Blake, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "When being compared to the likes of the White Fang...he's just a speck of crumb. Your average local criminal or mob boss."
"Blake, comparing Torchwick to a well-known terrorist organization is like comparing apples to oranges. It's not an equal match. You can't just shove every bad person underneath the umbrella term 'enemy'." Sun released a loud and long groan, dragging both hands down his face. "And you wonder why I am so carefree, taking the opportunity to do what I want to do instead of banging and rattling my brain over this."
"Well someone has to do it, and if it isn't me then who else would step up to the plate?"
"Anyone if he or she really and truly wished for change. You didn't have to nominate yourself!"
"Oh so you're saying you'd do it instead?"
"Blake this isn't just about you and I. It's about the Faunus as a whole, working as an entire unit."
"And look how that's working out." Blake swept her arm around, gesturing to the other faunus laughing without a care. "They're all like...not at all worried that something bad will happen."
"Why would they be worried? You said it yourself when we got here, that Menagerie was a land giving by the humans for Faunus to live on after the Faunus War. To them, this piece of land is supposed to be a safe haven."
"So you don't actually care about the White Fang? About the discrimination?" Blake glanced down on the table and angrily huffed, opening and closing her fingers in irritation. "Those living in the mine or Atlas in general have it way way worst than us."
"You said that, not I. Don't put those words in my mouth. If I see something wrong you know I'd call it out, but sometimes you just gotta know when to take breaks. Listen, why don't we just enjoy the rest of the day and do some planning tonight?" Sun stood up, stretching his arms way above his head. He quickly grabbed his extra drink, holding it tightly with his tail. "I could use a little more site-seeing to get rid of this lingering foul mood. You up to giving me another tour?"
"Sure...why not. I could use a walk to clear my head before I explode." She said and allowed Sun to accompany her. Somewhere deep within her subconscious she had a hunch the White Fang is worse than she originally thought. She felt as though she was and always will be millions of steps behind.
Back in Patch...
"Efram...am I...am I useless?" Yang asks, glancing over to where the huntsman was reading a book by her bedside with one leg crossed over the other. Her eyes were feeling heavy but she didn't feel like doing anything about it for it took energy and effort. To her, the concept of time was flowing at a very slow rate. "Will I ever be...okay?"
"Yang, you're not useless...you never were. Honestly, you're an amazing person and huntress. What happened with the Ursai... not to mention everything that had happened at Beacon that day, it's a lot to take and process." He quickly puts the book down to give her his undivided attention. "Taiyang told me a little bit about...uh, your upbringing so to speak. You raised Ruby all by yourself when you two were just kids...and I think that's incredibly powerful."
"Heh, an amazing huntress while the others are out there...on their adventures...having their fun without me..." Yang angrily bit her lip, curling and uncurling the fingers of her only flesh arm. "I can't even do anything except stay here in bed...I don't even feel like I want to step outside. Like...like a waste of space." Letting out a sigh she leaned against the frame of her bed, hand lying limp on the sheets. "It's fitting to be honest...with how I ended up now..."
"I know it can be incredibly frustrating, but you are recovering at your own pace." He told her gently, and in an encouraging manner. The last thing he wanted was to fuel her already self-loathing mentality. "Things may not turn back to how they used to be back when we were first inducted, but...that shouldn't hinder you from making tiny steps in your healing process. If anything, normality may have not been a good thing either. And I'll be here if you ever need me."
"Well that only makes one of us who shares the same sentiment..." Yang grumbled, her eyes then glancing at the black ribbon tied snugly around her stump of an arm. Something flashed behind her eyes, Efram thinking it was a hint of scarlet red but it was too fast for him to make an accurate guess, before she sighed in annoyance. "I don't even know why I bother...if she doesn't do the same for me."
"I'm sure she has her reasons as to why she did the things she did."
"Oh boy, I can't wait to hear what she has to say for herself." Yang rolled her eyes, voice laced with sarcasm and looked away, angrily clenching the bed sheet between her fingers. "Not that any of it would matter in the end...after what we've been through...after the things I told her so that she'd go to the dance...was everything I did just for nothing? Am I just chasing some kind of unobtainable dream?"
"Yang, I won't sit here and make excuses to justify her actions on her behalf. Nor am I going to repeat the same words you don't want to hear, I am by no means a licensed therapist. But it's as you said, you're gonna have to hear the words straight from her because only she can help you patch up your wounded heart." Efram scooted closer, making sure he looked the blonde dead in the eyes. "Yang, I can help you with everything else, but Blake has to be the one to help you with this. And we both know I am not a very good replacement for her."
"...no, you aren't..." He didn't miss the little crease in her brow the moment Blake's name left his mouth. Yang still refuses to utter her name, least acknowledging that she exists. "...you aren't..."
"And I'm willing to bet you wish she was sitting in this chair instead of me."
"I wish she hadn't run off without telling me anything, and I wish she was here for me when I woke up. That much is true. The least she did was leave behind her ribbon...but even so...sometimes a person's accessory could signify his or her death..." Yang lifted her only arm, gazing at the black material with a certain expression Efram couldn't place a finger on. After a minute she lowered her arm and released a shaky sigh, "It still hurts on the inside...more than I could have ever imagined."
She probably feels the same way...perhaps on an even deeper level. Efram held his tongue to stop the reflex mechanism, instead thinking about something before opening his mouth to ask, "Aside from knowing her background as a member of the White Fang...and the red-haired male that attacked you two that night, how much of her past do you know?"
"Aside from those two information I'm in the dark." She frowned, opening and closing her fingers against the sheets. "Makes me realize that there's still so much that I don't know about her...even though I am her partner...was her partner."
"Yang, you still are Blake's partner, don't belittle yourself or think that she deserved anyone better. Remember what Professor Goodwitch said at the beginning during orientation? The person's whose eyes you meet will be your partner for all four years. And I can tell you with certainty that you wouldn't allow your friendship with her just burn to nothingness."
"It feels like it though...feels like she didn't care."
"Yang, that night when Timber and I were out fighting, Blake came running with you limp in her arms...she was so scared and worried for you, she never left your side the entire trip to the hospital...whether or not you wish to believe or how you move forward, know that Blake did everything she could to keep you safe from her past. She had your best interest in mind and in heart."
"Well she has a very weird way of showing it...didn't really help the reality that I lost a part of myself I'll never get back. Until she tells me with words straight from her mouth...I won't hold my breath." Yang snorted in disbelief, waving her stump twice. Shaking her head she added, "Now then...we're getting absolutely nowhere too, and there's just...still so much to do and understand. I...I just feel lost."
"That's why I called ahead of time to see if we could get a little more help with this situation." The ex-students of Beacon turned their heads to see Taiyang leaning against the door frame, his arms crossed in front of his chest. Zwei's ears perked up at the sound of his voice, giving the blond his undivided attention. "Time to pack up your things, kiddos, we're heading to Signal Academy. There's a friend of mine who is willing to lend her expertise."
Outskirts of Menagerie...
"Are you sure it was okay for you not to be with your friends? You made it sound like the meeting they were going to was super duper important."
"Yeah I'm sure, they can fill me in when they come back." Kairos mused, watching the younger faunus leap across rocks one at a time. She had woken up inside the Belladonna household late in the morning, learning from Kali that the other two had already left to meet with the Albain brothers. Since she didn't want to impose she decided to visit Sen and her siblings, taking the youngest out adventuring. "If you want to get information out of someone, the last thing you want is to scare him or her away with large amount of bodies."
"You mean like imitation? Are you saying that with you not being there, your friends are enough to intimidate answers out of a person? No offense but holding a title like, 'Princess of Menagerie' can be incredibly detrimental if the enemy has a way of manipulating that against you."
"And that's why having an important title like that isn't something one would want to flaunt around unknowingly." Kairos retorts in response.
"Wouldn't matter. Everyone and their mothers would be able to point someone of high importance on the spot. Besides, we're not out here to talk about that." Nev made a clicking noise with her tongue, almost like she was giving the much older faunus a mild scolding. "If they were your friends, they'd want you to be with them no matter what. And if you were their friends, you'd want them to be with you no matter what."
"You don't have to be with your friends every single minute, being glued at the hips can be exhausting albeit mental or physical. Taking personal time allows one to recharge or meditate on certain issues."
"Then either you need some better friends, because real friends always stick together, or not have friends period."
"Things aren't always so black and white you know. If they were then we wouldn't have so many issues in the world." Kairos rose from where she had been sitting, dusting off the sand from her pants. "It would make life a lot more simpler if you ask me."
"Things are only complicated if you want them to be complicated, and having a simple life without challenges along the way sounds incredibly boring. I mean, doing the same mundane thing over and over again to the point of boredom...I would rather die." Jumping off the rock Nev twirled around with her toes in the sand. Coming to a stop she smiled and said, "Sen had this saying that she would tell us whenever we hit roadblocks, something mother used to say to her...back when she was still alive. She'd say, 'Make things as simple as possible, don't sweat the details'. It's become some kind of a mantra my brother and I recite to ourselves because we often over think about things and in turn...stress ourselves in the process."
Kairos stared at the younger Faunus in silence, replaying the words inside her own head. While she agreed with keeping things as simple as possible, the statement does not hold for all cases. Some subjects are much more complex, bounded by either ethical or moral standards, perhaps even both. Some subjects have been prevalent throughout history, never to be formally addressed by society but still lingered in the shadows. And then there are subjects that get regurgitated over and over again, each story different from the last. It gets to the point where the original story gets lost forever, and what gets passed around is nothing more than someone else's interpretation.
"I can hear the gears within your head spinning...or rather, your thoughts are quite loud on their own." Nev giggled, hopping over with her hands behind her back. "Some lien for your thoughts? Sometimes it'll make you feel better if you talk your thoughts out step-by-step with someone."
"...I have things I want to say out loud, but it's kinda hard to put into words what I want to portray..." Taking a deep breath Kairos just shook her head with a snort. "It doesn't make any sense I know...there are many things stemming out and I'm not sure which to tackle first. Or if I should even tackle them in the first place...for if I begin to delve in I may dig myself a much deeper rabbit hole."
"So instead of pursuing the truths to the many questions you may conjure up you would rather stay behind and let things flow the way they are?"
"I mean...it'll save me the trouble and the headache."
"Even if things continue as they are? All the aggression and hatred toward the faunus and its subspecies while the others who aren't the intended target had a choice to turn a blind eye or not?"
"We've known from history that racism against the Fuanus stemmed from the very beginning, solely because humans back then were very weary of beings that were different from them. Following the heels of the Great War, the Faunus War occurred, a period in time where the humans attempted to centralize the faunus. History says that the faunus won their bout with the humans and as a reward, they were given this whole island."
"Yup they did indeed won! However, even if the faunus won the war...the racism continued to traverse through history. This is an example of a subject that has never truly been eradicated, it only grew and grew stronger from the shadows. Mostly humans do not bat an eyelash in the direction of discrimination, which only fuels and encourages the behavior even more so.
"You must be wondering why there hasn't been any revolts against this behavior. Over time it got so bad that many of the people here held meetings in secret. Soon the organization known today as the White Fang came to fruition in response to the faunus mistreatment, taking in massive amounts of reports of those across Remnant."
"Were they successful?" asked Kairos.
"Oh they were...until the change of authority." Nev nodded her head. "As you know, Ghira Belladonna was the founder. Then he stepped down and allowed Sienna Khan take charge. She ascended to high power, and over time gradually changed what the White Fang originally stood for."
"Hence the protests and the faunus fighting back against the humans."
"Bingo! Some of those who held high positions – obviously positions way under Sienna's but still upholding some kind of authoritative power...obviously – had a more radicalized view and took violence way too far. Faunus began to pick up the aggression, their anger that had been festering underneath now have an outlet.
"It only started as a small flame, petty little activities that slowly and gradually evolved into reckless behavior. Most of the faunus try to separate themselves from the minority like the White Fang, trying to blend in and not draw attention. But there will always be the few who cannot distinguish members of the White Fang from those who don't associate themselves with them, and lash out indiscriminately."
"I feel that...albeit not as much as the others." Kairos took a deep breath, before exhaling at a slow pace. "These ears, this tail...being here with you and seeing Menagerie for the first time, it just goes to show just how...out of line I am. These physical characteristics were not just for show. Is this the reason why Ingrid despises me?"
"Just because others had it worse than you doesn't invalidate your own struggles. You are entitled to your own feelings." Nev smiled before tilting her head to the side with a questioning look on her face, "On that front why would you value your worth based on how others perceive you? If you continuously compare yourself to others then you'll never feel happy. You'll always feel like you'll only be second best."
"As you two should!" Another voice spoke up, getting their attention. The one who spoke, a child no younger than ten, had a very arrogant air about him. Around him were a couple of other children, mostly the ones that were residing within the main village and were either around him or younger in terms of age. "Look at these lower lives taking residence on our turf...they probably didn't even pay the toll cause they're so dirt poor."
"Who the hell do you think you are?" Kairos growled, immediately sensing something very different. To her knowledge no one ever wonders too far from the village, even if it was along the coastline, and the place she was current at was a bit far and somewhat out of view. The winding paths weren't exactly a walk in the park for some, it takes someone who knew the terrain very well to stumble across the area. "What do you want with us?"
"Shut up! You have no right to speak to me that way!"
"Yeah! No right! Apologize immediately to those who stand higher than you!"
"What the..." The huntress looked at them with a questioning expression, slowly blinking her eyes as if to wrap her brain over what she just heard. She knew how nasty adults could be in terms of degrading others, but to hear such toxicity being spewed, it is an eye-opener. Am I being berated by a bunch of kids? Who raised such privileged brats?
"Oh hey, it's that filthy junk rat!" Another pointed to Nev who stood a bit straighter, a female with curly ram horns protruding from both sides of her head. "How's that slut of a sister? Or that bastard of a brother?"
"Sen isn't a slut! You take that back!" Nev shot back immediately.
"Why would I take something back if it wasn't the truth? In fact that's not what I heard from the others who actually interact with your kind." The ram faunus snickered, looking a picking at her fingernails in an almost bored mannerism. "Heard your sister was...a screamer."
"Ha! If you think Sen screams, her brother is an even bigger screamer."
"He acts tough. He acts like he owns the place. But when push comes to shove...he runs home with his tail tucked between his beaten ass."
"Honestly, what a poor unfortunate family you have. You can blame them for all your failures. I wouldn't be surprised if they hated you internally because you yourself...are incredibly weak. You just hold them back."
"Hey that's enough. Knock it off!" Kairos stated, standing firm with one arm held out. She felt Nev's fingers curled around her clothes, holding onto her tightly. The huntress herself is no stranger towards verbal abuse, whether she was a victim herself or she's witness such a thing happening to someone else, but she was absolutely livid. "Don't you think you've said enough?"
"Ooooo! Big bad freak of nature thinks she's gonna scare us away by acting tough!" One of the kids taunted, turning to the others with a big grin on his face. "My dad said your kind are disgusting and should just disappear like the humans one day!"
"The lowest of animals! Lower than shit underneath our feet!"
"Filthy degenerates! Societal parasites that take away everything from the real hard-working faunus!"
"On this island you're nothing more than a guest. You don't belong here so your words hold no power over us!"
"In fact," Another stooped down to pick up what seemed to be a mid-sized rock, muddy residue dripping slowly off its surface. "why don't you feel exactly how the rest of us feel!"
The rock bounced off harmlessly as Kairos' aura absorbed the blow, dropping to the ground with an audible 'plop'. The others began their own assaults as well, throwing whatever was within arms reach. The huntress merely stood there, one eyebrows raised as she waited for the group to lose their energy. By now she was covered in who knows what, and couldn't wait to take a long shower.
"Tch, this isn't working! Those damn huntsmen and their auras." One of the kids huffed, wiping away the sweat that had accumulated on his forehead. "By the time we even chip away it'll be nighttime."
"Well, if we can't damage her...then we'll just change target. Aim for the other freak!"
"Wha the – guh!" Kairos found herself separated for an instant, half of the kids taking aim at her eyes rather than her body. No matter how she tried to move back to cover Nev, she was immediately stalled in place; deep down she knew she could finish this fight with a simple slash of her weapon, but her opponents were just kids. It would reflect badly upon her if she just let loose on a group of toddlers, painting herself as a giant bully.
"Ouch!" Nev yelped as she was continuously bombarded by objects thrown by the rest of the group, both arms lifted to protect her face the best she could. As far as she knew no one in her family managed to delve too far into investigating whether they had what it took to go to any of the academies. However, due to their social and economic status, they immediately scrapped the idea.
"Hah! You pegged the fucker real well, can't say that red is a good look on it." Someone snickered, grinning as trickle of blood slowly flowed from multiple cuts along Nev's arm and cheek. It is unknown whether it was because of a sharp rock or a stick, but nonetheless the group ended up getting into a frenzy. "Makes me sick knowing that we bleed the same color as them."
"Even breathing the same air."
"Living in the same place."
"If you ask me you obviously missed a very vital part. I knew you had bad aim but damn at least hit a part that will leave a lasting impression!" The first tormentor commented, shaking his head with disgust and mock pity. "Nor did you use a big enough stone."
"Hey...don't you think that's a bit too big?" Another questions, looking at the slightly bigger than a palm-sized rock in hand. "If you hit someone with that, especially in the head...they'll either die or..."
"Don't tell me you're thinking of chickening out now." A sneer stretched across his face and he leaned a little closer to sneer, "You definitely live up to your expectations as a chicken faunus."
"Listen man you said we were just gonna rough up some of those outskirt slums, but nothing in the agreement says we're gonna do murder!"
"Does it even matter? What's a couple of outskirt scraps gonna hurt in the long run? After all, we're making room for the true, pure-blooded faunus. We don't need all these mixed blood, these blood stains."
"Dude, it's not that...if you murder someone it'll be on your record. Permanently." The chicken faunus male grabbed the other's wrist, his feathers obviously ruffled by the whole plan. "Think about it, would you rather risk everything you've been working hard for? Or would you rather leave this as it is and focus more on your dream? When you're in a high position, you can basically do anything."
"...by the time that happens those lower than us will be older and powerful enough to defy us. If you ask me...the time to strike is here and now! And I'm not going to let this opportunity to slide."
Bang!
"You can bad mouth me. You can throw things at me. But if you think you can get a pass for killing someone who hasn't even begun to experienced life...you even had the gall to draw blood." A soft wisp of steam could be seen exiting the barrel of Kairos' weapon, the bullet crumbling the rock immediately, and scattered the tiny pieces like dust once the slight wind blown through. "Get out of here. I won't repeat it again."
"Yeah right! As if we'd–" The teenager's voice died in his throat when an overwhelming sense of danger sent the hairs along his whole body to stand upright. No longer did he see a huntress standing before him, it was some kind of unknown entity that could crush him with ease. Jerking his head as a gesture for the others he scurried away, his posse following suit. Some even had the guts to send almost fearful or hateful glances over their shoulders before disappearing.
"...I know you tried to defend yourself because everything they said were untrue, but...why wasn't the words enough?" whispered Kairos as she calmed herself, looking over at Nev with an unreadable expression. The younger had both arms wrapped around herself, trying to stay as small as possible. Sheathing Lancelot away, the huntress knelt down so she was eye-level with the other. "I'm sorry I didn't do anything sooner, and you got hurt. I should have done something much more...much much more to those hooligans."
"No I'm proud of you for not retaliating back. If I said anything to justify my own reasoning would it even matter to anyone else if they choose not to acknowledge me for who I am?" Nev turned her head to the side to question back, her voice a bit quieter that Kairos had to strain her ears to hear. "Even if I proclaimed that I was hurt, in their minds they already established I was lower than them. My words would just fly over their heads, my hurt would bring them entertainment."
"But, by not taking direct action..."
"Taking action or saying something in retaliation is just what they want; they want their words of hate to go under your skin, to make you abandon all reason and just attack. They want you to prove to them that their words are true, that you are nothing more than a mindless beast. It's a lose-lose situation...even more so for those less fortunate. Had you let loose and kill them in cold blood then everyone here will perceive you as you already are to them."
"If only things weren't so difficult..."
"Hey, don't feel so blue. Smiling makes you much more welcoming." Nev tugged on her hand, the corner of her mouth quirked a smile as the older one got to her feet. "I know a place that will open in the next few hours where we can get some good ice cream, I hear there's a discount going on for the next two days or something...and I'll be damned if we don't get first pick!"
"Don't you think you're deflecting just a bit?" Kairos laughed as she allowed her companion to drag her along. "This is a serious matter."
"And I'm being serious about this, but sometimes it's better to do something else and then come back to the issue at hand. Your mind will be refreshed and will thank you for this food break. Focusing on the bigger pictures all the time can chip away at a person's mentality, perhaps it is best to focus on those personal bonds rather than worrying about trying to please everyone else."
"At least let me clean up your wound, can't let it get infected...well, that and not worry the others. I don't believe a simple 'oops, she fell and scraped her arm' is going to cut it." Kairos glanced down at her own outfit and let out a sigh, "Actually...we could all use a clean up before wondering around. The mud is starting to dry up in various places and smells terrible in the Menagerie heat."
Somewhere else...
"Have the containers of dust been located? That blasted human woman who worked with that ginger-haired human male can no longer be reached, therefore we are under the assumption that she has betrayed us. Adam was right in that we should never trust their kind." The White Fang lieutenant spoke into his scroll in an aggravated manner, his chainsaw resting menacingly against the wall. He glanced over to Adam who was poised over a map, his mouth a straight line as he carefully looked over his plans.
"No worries, sir, all the dust have been found in one of the warehouses and we are currently in the process of removing them from the containers." The voice on the other end reported back, no doubt a younger ranking member. "Rest assured the materials will be at our designated area unharmed."
"And you made sure you and the others have stayed out of sight? It would make things difficult if someone was aware of our activities."
"Affirmative! We have only seen a couple of huntresses and huntsmen patrolling around, but they were long ways away. According to some of our scouts, the warehouses haven't been touched since the school's fall. It befuddles me that the humans didn't bother sending out like, the police to look into these dust incidents."
"Just goes to show what those humans prioritize other than sitting on top of their own egos, stupidly trying to out their competitors by the amount of lien in their pockets." The lieutenant growled an answer. "Luckily for us their small brains and lack of awareness has given us the necessary resources for our plans."
"That is truly indeed an ugly side of humans...they just care and look out for themselves. And when they get their asses handed, they're quick to point fingers and shift blame."
"Indeed they do...well that's enough of that, good work grunt. Report back once everything has been cleaned out and everyone has rendezvous to the meeting spot. If you need to take breaks along the way then do so, but don't rest for too long. Aside from bandits the Grimm are also problems." After getting a quick 'Yes sir', the lieutenant hung up, straightened his back and approached Adam. "Sir, the dust are being confiscated as we speak. So far none of the humans are aware of it."
"Perfect. We will utilize every ounce of Schnee dust to increase our fire power. It is becoming harder to go against the military prowess of Atlas no matter how hard we train...but if we are able to go toe-to-toe with them by utilizing their own manufactured goods, well I'm not going to overlook this opportunity." The bull faunus responds, glancing over his plans that lay strewn across the table.
"Sir, is there any possible chance some of the boys could infiltrate the Schnee Dust Company and steal some of those technology? We have some of the stealthiest among our ranks." The lieutenant questions. The name 'Blake Belladonna' was not mentioned, but Adam was no fool. Out of all the members, Blake was by far the best when it came to stealth, second to him. Since her departure, the young leader picked up the slack and quickly trained some potentials to fill her vacancy. However, he knew Blake outclassed many no matter who he chose to be her temporary replacement.
"That's not an option Lieutenant. I will never let anymore of our men go back to that hell." Adam's voice rumbled deep and his eyes flashed, making the other male scramble back out of reflex of being hit. "We barely made it out the last time I was put in charge of a raiding mission. Never again."
"My sincerest apologies."
"Well...no matter, it is what it is. Fortune favors the bold, and I intend on making sure every step matters. There will be no mistakes, no room for slight errors. Everything we do we do for reasons, every step counts." Turning around he approached the board where a plethora of papers were tacked on, some even falling off near the side. "So far so good, we are making excellent progress. We aren't far off now."
"Pardon my intrusion!" Another voice spoke up, and a faunus made his way in. He snapped his feet together and gave a salute. "Sir, High leader Khan is on the other line requesting your presence."
"Doesn't she know we're incredibly busy actually doing things?" The lieutenant frowns, his hands curling into fists on the table. "On that note, why the hell is she on one of our communication lines? We've only use those to get in touch with those in the field!"
"She won't take no for an answer, sir. She demands an immediate response!"
"Adam, your orders." The lieutenant turns to his leader for guidance. The last time he himself answered phone in Adam's steed out of naivety, Sienna's whiplash of a tongue was permanently seared into his head. "Surely this little hiccup won't put a damper on our plans."
"...Tell her I will be joining her as soon as possible, after we clear out of here. If she yells at you then hang up after relying my message, you were just told to do your job." said Adam after giving the situation some thought, dismissively waving a hand. The reporting grunt snapped another salute and hurried out to rely the message. The red-haired faunus released a sigh, running a hand through his hair in mildly irritation. "Seriously, how annoying. I was just about to move up to meet with her anyway, so these calls are unnecessary."
"That's just how she is, when things don't go her way she has to lash out or voice her opinion. Impeccable timing when you least expect it." The lieutenant noted, dipping her head in agreement. "You know how it is sir, when the minority voices their complaints loud enough, the majority will surely succumb to their wishes."
"But...we could use this to our advantage. Oh yes, I've been meaning to pay her a visit one of these days...and it seems my plans are accelerating faster than expected."
"Sir?"
"Lieutenant, it has been my dream since day one to take full control of the White Fang and bring the human race to their knees. High leader Khan has served the faunus well over the years, but...she doesn't have what it takes to bring the organization to higher heights; the White Fang has the potential to reach the stars, the faunus will surpass the humans. However, there's weakness in Sienna Khan that prevents her from moving forward, prevents us, the faunus, to move forward." Unsheathing his sword Adam gazed at the red tint in a longing manner; the light reflected from a couple of candles added more to the menacing tone. "Ghira Belladonna was wise to turn over leadership to Sienna when he stepped down, but a new order is just over the horizon."
"...sir, you don't mean..." The lieutenant watched as the leader exited the room and quickly followed suit. All around them the sounds of many voices filled the air as faunus scurried around, too engrossed with their tasks. However once Adam made his presence known every moving body came to a halt. Everyone looked expectantly at their leader as he stood before them, head held high with a confident air around him.
"My brothers and sisters! Finally, our revolution is finally coming to fruition. Our sights will not be swayed, Atlas will finally learn the full might of the faunus. They will know that the faunus has always been the superior of the two races." Adam's voice resonated around, compelling and drawing those in like moths to a flame. "For way too long our kind have been abused and tainted at the hands of humans, treated like lowly animals under human control. But not anymore! Now is the time for all faunus kind to rise up and take back what belongs to them!"
"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!"
"We will no longer be abused! We will no longer stand for this inequality! We will fight back, and we will show no mercy! Any human that dares to stand in our way will be cut down! Any allies of those beasts will be cut down as well, even if they're human-loving faunus, we will not allow hanging threads! It's time to unite as the pure faunus, faunus who don't abide by any human ruling!" Adam raised an arm, his hand in the form of a fist as the crowd cheered and chanted. "Long live the White Fang, and long live the faunus!"
"Long live the White Fang! Long live the White Fang!" The soldiers below chanted back, their voices becoming one. "Long live the faunus, and death to the humans!"
"My brothers and sisters, while I enjoy you condemning those vile cretins to death, I think that would be too merciful. Oh no, I propose we enslave the humans and break them in. Train them, punish them, do to them as they did to us. Make them our own toys. Those who don't obey will then be subjected to acceptable punishment." Adam's grin grew as he spat out, "And if that still isn't enough...kill them. Kill them in front of those who wish to rebel. Make an example out of the human leaders, and we'll snuff out their flames. Our flames of revolution will continue to burn! We will no longer tolerate opposition!"
"A strong speech as usual, but don't milk it too much, sir." The lieutenant warns as he watched Adam bask in the chorus of his people, one arm raised with a clenched fist in unity. At this point Adam Taurus is looked upon by his followers as the true messiah, a divine entity brought about to bring the humans to the ground. "Underestimating foes could lead to your downfall."
"I'm well aware of the split, it's so painfully obvious that the faunus have very little. Against those money-hungry bastards in the clouds they have no chance." responds Adam, a frown on his face. "That's why we're going and alleviate that, we're going to do what we do best."
"And that is sir?"
"Thieving. I've been in those SDC warehouses, I know how they work. Under my jurisdiction we'll ransack them clean, and give our people a fighting chance. The humans won't know what hit them until it's too late, they do not deserve such a thing as 'equal footing'."
"Much like the incident at Beacon? We would have gotten the upper hand had the humans we allegedly partnered up with didn't fuck up." At the mere mention of the incident the aura around Adam intensified, cutting off the chants immediately. The faunus below looked at their leader with anticipation and awaited his next move.
"The Fall of Beacon was only the tip of the iceberg. I'll make it my mission that the fall of Atlas...will bring about an even bigger message towards those who have wronged us." Growling to himself, Adam turned to address his fellow followers, "Let me be clear, your efforts will definitely be rewarded. You have done nothing wrong. Your actions will bring honor and pride to your people; if my words cannot convince you then do it for those who came before you and for those who will come behind, we'll turn this world into one where the faunus race can be proud of. Pack up everything and prepare to move out. We have a long way to go till we reach Atlas."
