Sin informed his team of the pair that attacked him, a man named Ashton and an unnamed woman, they retreated quite quickly after realizing they were unable to lay a hand on him.
"I feel like they were scouting me" Sin said, "Based on what he said he was looking specifically for me, he even knew my name."
Rhia said, "We should tell Beacon's headmaster."
"No" Sin replied, "Whoever he is he isn't going to be stupid enough to attack me on school grounds, but in the city maybe."
"Did you recognize him?" Rhia asked.
Sin shook his head, "No, that's why it's bothering me so much. If I knew who he was I could figure out what that was about. Someone from Mistral maybe? Brick what do you think?"
His brother nods, the chances of it being someone from Vacuo or Vale were next to impossible as Sin hadn't caused any trouble in those kingdoms, well not yet anyway. Mistral however.
Sin nods as well, "Yeah, it has to have something to do with our time in Mistral. Hmm."
"You don't talk about your life in Mistral" Alena said finally speaking, "All you've said is that you and Brick grew up on the streets, isn't it time you told us the truth?"
Sin didn't look at her as she continued"It's obvious that the two of you growing up on the streets isn't the truth, at least not the whole truth. Sin you always seem to have a lot of money available and for some reason despite being a supposed street urchin you've acted surprisingly sophisticated at times. So I think it's time you came clean."
"It's not something I like to talk about" Sin said, "Much less think about. Brick and I had to do a lot to survive and most of it wasn't legal. We had to threaten, steal and sometimes we had to hurt people."
Another half-truth of his past, but Sin could not bring himself to tell them the entire truth, best case scenario Alena and Rhia wouldn't trust him again, worst case they'd cut ties with him and Brick entirely.
He trembled as he thought of those days, as the heir to a criminal empire and the things he had seen and done, "I wanted something better for us, I knew one day Brick and I would either end up dead or, one day we'd end up killing people. We had to get out of there, so we stole a lot of money to make sure we'd be set for a while and paid a ship captain to get us out of there."
"We really do belong together" Rhia said quietly, "We're all just a group of traumatized people."
"Excuse me" a voice said from behind them, it was Weiss Schnee from Team RWBY.
She looked anxious staring at the ground, "About last night I. I wanted to apologize" she quickly curtsied, "When you heard my name you, I can tell my family and our business must have done something terrible to you and I'm sorry if hearing my name brought up some terrible memories, but I wanted to say that I'm working towards solving that. I want to build my family name into something respectable and hopefully one day foster a favorable relationship with the faunus."
Seeing the way Rhia was trembling, Sin reached for her hand and held her close, "She's not here to hurt you" he whispers to her, "Brick said she's a good person. Just breathe and hear her out."
"And what can you do about it?" Alena asked coldly, "How are you going to undo everything your family business has done to us, to all faunus?"
"Sche can't" Brick answered, "Not now, put one day sche can change Hefferyzing. Ven sche is in charge."
"Prove it" Alena said to Weiss, "Then we'll talk."
Weiss merely nods and curtseys once more before taking her leave rejoining her team determined even more to restore her family name to its former glory.
"Our little Weiss Cream is growing up" Yang had joked.
Weiss fired back with a playful shove, "Don't be a pest!" she looks back in the direction of RUST, "I'm doing what I have to, what's right."
After the heiress had left Alena checked on her sister, aggravated to see her clinging closer to Sin than her.
Rhia remained quiet as they returned to the dorms once more, her thoughts trapped within memories of her time working as a servant for the SDC, the abuse, verbal and physical, the environment, their living conditions. Every moment of it a nightmare and seeing that girl brought all of it back, transforming her into a petrified child on the verge of tears. The trauma of her memories left her unaware of the events around her, she felt something warm around her and like a child being comforted by its parent, leaned into whatever was wrapped around her.
"Mommy...Dad…" her inner self cried believing that one of them was the one holding onto her, too afraid to open her eyes and be reminded that they were gone forever.
Holding Rhia close to him, Sin raised his head to Alena, glaring at him as usual, but less harshly perhaps she was finally coming to believe he cared about Rhia. Hours passed as they sat in silence, the only sounds in the room were the ticking of the clock above their doorway and Rhia's light snores and her occasional moans as she shifted and nuzzled closer to Sin.
"I'll always be here for you" Sin said looking to Alena once more, "Both of you, even if you don't like me, even if you hate me. I'm going to be there for both of you and I will fight for you."
Alena exhaled, "I figured. I'm going for a walk, you do anything inappropriate to my sister and I'll make your insides your outsides."
Sin lowered his eyes and smiled, "Love you to Sis" receiving a growl from Alena as she closed the door behind her.
Alena wandered the grounds of Beacon, her hate of humans rising since they met the Schnee girl yesterday, but she could feel her hate for Sin lessening. "He can't be telling the truth, he's a human, he can't. There are no good humans" again and again she tried to convince herself that Sin was as bad as the others, but no matter what she couldn't get the image of Rhia nuzzling closer to him. It was obvious her sister was having nightmares of their past, but she remained calm in Sin's arms. Conflicting feelings met within her, she was upset, frustrated that Sin was able to calm her sister, something she had always done, but she also felt thankful and happy that someone else could help Rhia.
Closing her eyes Alena inhaled deeply, releasing her breath she stared out at the city below the hills where Beacon stood. The sun setting behind her bathed her and the city in a vibrant light, one that did not suit her current mood.
"What should I do?" she wondered, "We were supposed to go to Menagerie and live free there, but she wanted to stay. She wanted to become a huntress. I'm her big sister, I should be guiding her and yet I'm always following."
Her ears picked up the snapping of a camera shutter and with the reflexes of years of paranoia, Alena spun on her heel ready to fight, stopping when she saw a girl in a Beacon uniform staring at her, camera in hand.
"Sorry" the girl apologized, "I. I know I. That I should have asked first, but I. I didn't want to compromise the natural look. I'm sorry."
A human girl, obviously very timid, Alena allowed herself to relax, "Don't worry about it" she sighed, "I've just got a lot on my mind and you surprised me."
The girl apologized again, "I'm sorry."
"You apologize a lot" Alena noted.
The girl's breath caught in her throat, "Uh...I know, I. I'm not good with words. I'm."
Sensing another apology Alena cut her off, "You're shy and nervous, is that it?" seeing the girl nod, Alena asked, "What's your name?"
"Emmara" the girl answered quietly, thankfully Alena's faunus ears allowed her to hear, "Emmara Ace" she said not much louder, "I'm. I'm a first year."
"Alena" the faunus responds.
"It's nice to meet you" Emmara managed to say without stuttering before checking the picture she took, "You...you look really pretty standing there" she timidly steps forward and shows the picture to Alena.
Alena wasn't much for art or photography, but she could see an aesthetic appeal. It was an angled from behind side shot, capturing Alena from behind her right side, a subdued expression as she brushed and tucked her vibrant red tinged chestnut hair away from her face. Half of her body was covered in the orange glow of the sunset with some of her hair billowing toward the camera from the light wind.
"I'm not well versed in art" Alena admitted, "But I suppose it does look good."
"The colors and lighting were right for the moment" Emmara explained staring at the photo, "And the expression and pose complimented the scene. Your beauty ties it all together in the center."
Alena looked at the girl, "My what?" she asked, wanting clarification on what she meant by beauty.
Realizing what she said Emmara's cheeks turned red, "Uh, your uh, I mean your…"
"First time a human has called me that" Alena said, staring back at the city. An untruth, Sin has told Alena she looks beautiful many times, but that was just him being an insufferable flirt. Right?
"Human?" Emmara noticed her word choice and then saw her ears, "Oh, you're a faunus too?"
Alena's eyes once more moved to the timid girl, "To?"
Emmara nodded, "My teammate Alexia is a faunus" she cast her eyes to the ground shyly, but brightly smiling, "She's one of the most beautiful people I've ever seen."
"That's a strange thing for a human to say about a faunus."
The human girl's cheeks turned red, "Is it? I never th, thought about it before I just…I think she's really pretty, there's nothing wrong with that r, right?"
Alena remained silent, the wind roaming over the area the only sound. This girl, there was something off about her, a human and yet just like Sin she saw nothing wrong with the faunus. The sun's light drew further away leaving most of the city in the embrace of the moon's silvery cast, Alena try as she might could sense nothing that would hint to perfidy or ill-intent, everything about her from her stance to her expression and tone even her aura it was all pure and innocent.
"Are you from one of the other schools?" Emmara asked her, trying to break the heavy silence between them.
"Shade" Alena answered.
Emmara replied, "Oh, so are you going to compete in the tournament as well?"
Alena nods, "My sister wants to so I'm being dragged along as well."
"You're on a team with your sister?" Emmara asked her, "My sister is the leader of my team. I was really happy when that happened. I don't know if I would have made it this far without her…I'm kind of hopeless without her around."
"My little sister is my team's lead" Alena told her, "I'm actually older than most first years. We weren't originally planning on attending the academy, but she wanted to in the end and I refused to be away from her. Headmaster Eden allowed me in even though I'm two years older than the rest of the first year students."
"Why am I telling her this?" Alena wondered.
Emmara smiled, "Well, I'm sure she's happy you're still around."
Alena knew she was, "I am as well. Neither of us would be happy if we were away from each other. We only have each other left. Is that why I hate him so much? Ever since we met him Rhia has opened up more, started going to him and Brick with her concerns when she only used to come to me. Is this…jealousy? He's annoying, frustrating and he rarely takes anything seriously, but…he's made every effort to be nice and even respectful even after everything I've done to him. There are no good humans, but him and now this girl, was I wrong?"
The more she thought about it, the more her mind spiraled. Yes, Sin pushed her buttons at every available opportunity, but he also took every opportunity to help both her and Rhia. Was she really letting her hatred of humans blind her to him? Or was she just jealous that her sister started going to someone other than her?
"Are you okay?" Emmara asked, breaking Alena's train of thought, "I'm sorry if I'm bothering you, I, I can leave."
"You're fine" Alena told her, dropping her gaze to her feet, "I. Hmm, I think I just figured a few things out is all."
Their conversation continues for well over an hour, most of which is done by Emmara who gradually stammers less and less and by the time the sun and its orange glow have completely vanished beyond the horizon the two are ready to return to their dorms.
Saying their goodbyes the two go their separate ways, Alena returning to her team's room to find her sister still fast asleep and Brick silently reading as he sits on the floor and Sin changing his clothes.
"I'm heading into town" the human says to her, "Need anything?"
"No" she replies, "Thank you."
Her words surprised him, "We're a team right?" he says back to her, "Anyway I probably won't be back until the last bullhead runs so don't wait up for me."
Alena looks at him in the reflection of the dresser mirror, "Going to get into another fight?"
Sin said, "No, well, hopefully not. I want to check out the city some more. You can tell a lot by a place based on what happens at night and there's a shop that's only open in the evening I'm curious about."
Once done changing Sin pats his pocket where his scroll is, "Hit me up if you think of anything you want."
Alena merely nods as he leaves before reflecting on her thoughts from earlier.
In the city, Sin travels to a restaurant on the western side, a popular spot with a hot four star rating, the only issue is that the owner refuses to allow faunus. The place was closed for the night, but he wasn't there to be a customer. Watching from the alley across the street he could see the owner finishing his work through the large window, he was counting the day's profits and placing them in a briefcase, something Sin had seen dozens of times before he was counting the profits before taking them to the bank for deposit.
"You still have your expensive tastes" he heard her voice from behind him, "If you were hoping to ask me to dinner you should have done so earlier."
"Not this time Cinder" he said turning to see her wearing the dark red dress and yellow highlights he remembered from Mistral, "Besides I'd rather cook for you."
Cinder presented a smile, "Do I look as good as you remember?" she asked, noticing the way he was looking at her.
"More so" he admitted, "I always liked that dress…and you're always beautiful."
Cinder's smile grew, "Well, I don't mind waiting on dinner" she said, holding her hand out, "One burn crystal and mask."
She watched Sin pull the mask over his head and adjust it, "Does he owe you money?"
"No" Sin replied, "But he needs to be taught a lesson, keep watch for me yeah?"
Cinder agreed, "Sure, but I thought you left that life behind you."
"That's up to him" Sin said, walking across the street and waiting for the restaurant owner to come out and lock the door.
"I know you're locking up" Sin began, staying hidden under the burnt out street lamp, "But I was hoping to ask you something before you left. Just a minute of your time."
The middle aged man looked at him, barely able to make out his features in the shadows, "Who are you? Make it quick I'm in a hurry."
Sin pointed to the "No Faunus Allowed" sign on the window, "Why don't you want them in your place? You'd make more if you didn't restrict your patronage."
"That's what you want to know?" he asked back, "The hell kind of dumb ass question is that? They're animals! You don't let a dog sit at the table, you don't let a rat eat your best ingredients and you don't let birds fix your meals so why would I allow them inside my place of business? They should count themselves lucky that I don't stop them from eating out of my dumpster."
Sin asked him, "And what of the ones that become huntsmen and huntresses? Are they allowed?"
"They're still animals" the owner told him, "Just because they were smart enough to learn a trick or two doesn't make them any better. Honestly we shouldn't waste time letting them be hunters, we should just throw them at the grimm and let them kill each other, world would be a better place without fleabags thinking they're better than us."
Sin exhaled, "Is that right?"
"Damn right" the owner spat, "Now piss off."
Sin waited for him to turn around, he lunged, seizing his wrist and wresting the briefcase with the day's profits in it. As the restaurant owner yelled at him Sin turned on his heel and hurled the briefcase through the restaurant's window shattering it and causing the alarm to go off.
The owner yelled, "What the fuck are you doing?"
Sin raised his hand up, showing him the bright red dust crystal before squeezing to crack it and throwing it into the restaurant right next to the money filled briefcase causing the entire lobby to burst into flames.
"Bit of life advice" Sin yelled over the quickly spreading, roaring flames, "Change that outlook or it won't be just your business next time."
Sin took a shard of the broken window and gave himself a small cut along his arm, dropping the blood stained shard in front of the owner, "Just in case you think I'm a faunus, there's your proof that I'm human" he slammed his fist into the racist's gut causing him to hunch over and drop to his knees, "And you're scum."
Sin walked away, back to Cinder in the opposite alley as the restaurant was fully engulfed in flames, sirens from the local fire department already blaring as they sped toward the small inferno.
"Impressive work" Cinder told him when he rejoined her, "You think he got the message?"
"He got the message" Sin told her, "Whether he's smart enough to heed it is up to him, let's head back before we miss the airship."
"After you" Cinder smirked.
The two leave, taking back alleys to avoid being spotted, but unknown to them they were already being observed. A young woman with deer antlers protruding from her head and her face covered by a deer mask was watching them and saw everything. Taking out her scroll she takes a picture of the two humans before raising it to her ear, "Adam, there's something you need to know."