Chapter 4: Representing Your Race, A Conflict of Ideals!
Professor Peter Port sits at his desk after a long day of teaching. Though dull, he's used to sitting at his desk and reading over countless reports. This particular assignment is more interesting, however, as it shows off the creativity of his students. Extremely creative and effective ideas are sometimes shared between Headmasters as a way to expand the average Huntsmen's arsenal. He's marked and graded everyone's papers... except one group's. As if fate decreed it, a student rushes through the door as Port finishes his last paper.
"Eyo, Professor Port!" You wave, changing from running to flying. "I got all the papers you asked for," you say, landing in front of his desk.
"Greetings, young one! I expected to see your entire group!"
"Hehe, well, they were kinda mad at me."
"Well, you did submit your assignment late. There had to be some sort of punishment! In the field, a mistake can lead to death! I remember there was on-"
You scratch the back of your head. "Um, professor, I just wanted to drop off the papers. I have training I wanna do!" You finish with more excitement. "I had to write all three of those assign..." You place your hand on your chin. "Actually, I think I wasn't supposed to say that."
Port laughs. "It seems you took the full brunt of the consequences. From what I understand, it was your desire to save the dinosaur that delayed your submission."
"I guess it was worth it. It took me longer to write those papers though."
"They are three days late. One day for each paper is satisfactory. But like me, you are a man of action and not papers!"
"Exactly!" You pull your hands in. "I just wanna get to the fighting already. This history and weapon maintenance and herbolo- actually, I like the herbs but I know that stuff already," you wave it off.
"Still, being a Huntsmen is more than just fighting. You are a symbol to the common folk, the ones you protect. You show that we can fight the terrifying force that's plagued mankind for centuries. What do you show people when you only care about battle?"
You cross your arms and sigh. "I'm not much of a role model like you, Professor. I just wanna fight the strongest people I can!"
Port chuckles. "Whether you think it or not, young man, your strength has placed you in the spotlight. You cannot ignore those around you."
You tilt your head and cross your arms. "Um... I guess. Well, I have four years till I graduate so I'll worry about it then," you end with a wide smile.
"Oh boy," Port shakes his head, slightly laughing. "You're an interesting one. Now, go on, child. I have papers to grade."
"Right. Have fun Professor!" You wave before flying towards the door and exiting.
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You land in front of the combat arena just behind a group of girls. They look back at you, almost disgusted.
"What?"
"You couldn't just walk?"
"Why does everyone ask that?" You scratch your chin. "But, uh, I guess. But why not go faster? Anyway, gonna pass you now. Unless you're going in for training!" You say with a smile.
"With a Faunus? No thank you," one says, instigating laughter from the others.
"Hm... I guess you're not that strong if you're scared of a certain race," you casually say. "Well, have a nice day!" You walk past them and into the building.
You quickly learned that the arena is open on Fridays and Sundays for students to practice with one another. Of course, anyone could train on the grounds of Beacon so long as it doesn't endanger anyone, but having a more sanctioned fight is always best.
You enter the room and look around for anyone else that you know... which basically consists of just JNPR, RWBY, and Velvet. Lucky for you, Yang is in the arena already laying a smackdown on some poor soul. You take a seat and happily watch as she disarms her opponents and handily drains his Aura with a flashy and effective combo. The buzzer goes off and Yang is declared the winner by a teacher you have yet to meet.
Yang upon celebrating, spots you in sitting on your own. With the match declared over she runs up the stairs and takes a seat beside you.
"You delivered those papers, right?" She starts.
"Yeah, I did. I don't know why you thought letting me do all three was a good idea but-"
"Because you like talking about fighting and that entire thing was about fighting. That's what Blake said, anyway. Probably had more detail when she said it."
"Meh, less detail is fine. I liked your fight, though. You're really good!"
"I trained a lot," Yang says with pride, puffing her chest.
"I can tell! You would have been awesome to spar with under Master Roshi. Maybe the-"
"Who would like to go next?" The teacher shouts to the stands.
You immediately stand up and raise your hand. "I'll do it!"
"Alright, come on down!"
"I'll talk to you after. I'm really in a fighting mood!"
"You're always in a fighting mood," Yang cheekily responds.
"Yeah, I am," you laugh.
You jump over the other students and land in the arena. The teacher, a short man with tidy hair and equally tidy attire, approaches you with his scroll ready.
"Alright... (Y/N), right? Let me just link you to..." He clicks a few buttons and brings up your profile for all to see. "Wait a moment... there must be a mistake..." He looks up at the larger screen, confirming what his handheld device was telling him. "Your Aura... isn't in the system."
Underneath everyone's picture is a gauge of their Aura. For you, however, it is completely empty with an "N/A" labeled in the middle.
"Oh, that stuff. Yeah, I don't know much about all that Aura stuff," you shrug. "But I'm still able to fight!"
The professor chuckles. "Lucky for you, I happen to be Beacon's expert in Aura. With your permission, allow me to unlock yours."
You shrug. "Sure."
The students watch as their Professor places his hand on your shoulders and recites some words that you don't bother paying attention to. His eyes open, a shocked expression taking place on his face.
"You... you have no Aura. That's not possible... every human, every animal, everything with a soul has-"
"I try not to think about it," you smile at him. "Besides, I don't need your... thing. I'm strong enough on my own. So... can I fight now?"
The teacher shakes his head. "No, I cannot allow you to. I need to confirm with Professor Ozpin... without an Aura, you could be injured. I cannot allow that."
"Oh come on," you hunch over. "I'm more tha-"
"That's final!" He adamantly states.
"Hey, (Y/N)!" Yang shouts from above. "Come with me! We can spar somewhere else and let others have a turn!"
You look back at Yang and smile. "That sounds like fun!" You fly back beside Yang and follow her out the door.
Some of the other students still ponder why Yang Xiao Long even bothers with a helpless, battle addicted Faunus like yourself when there are plenty of level headed humans for her to spend their time with. Of course not all factor your species into the mix, they wonder the same thing. You're not even on her team. Why bother?
You and Yang exit the building, passing the same group of girls who so graciously greeted you.
"So, you seriously don't have an Aura?" Yang asks, stretching her arms above her head.
"Oh, yeah. The, uh... the one with the stick thing and glasses. She already tested me for Aura. I didn't even know it was a thing. Weird, huh? Everyone has Ki and Aura except me."
"Ki? Oh, the thing you used to- wait, everyone has it?" Yang quickly asks.
"Oh, yeah. I can feel it in everyone. Nobody's as strong as me or my training buddies at Roshi's, but it's still there."
"So... I could do that 'Kamehameha' thing you did?" She asks with slight hope, as she thinks that was awesome.
"And fly. But not everyone is talented with it. I've fought people who couldn't even form this," you open your palm and form a basic ball of energy. You allow it to hover in your palm for Yang to see, then you let it dissipate. "So, you know," you cross your arms and keep your eyes forward as you two follow the stone path. "It's a training thing. Plus I can use it to defend myself so I don't see why I need Aura anyway," you throw your hands in the air.
"Well, Aura protects us. It shields us and fuels our Semblance. How do you plan to fight anyone who used swords and guns?"
"Because I can do that too," you shift your focus to Yang. "Honestly, I thought Ki and Aura were the same thing when I first heard it. I can use my Ki to protect myself. It's offensive and defensive, like yours. Ozpin said I was fine to spar with other students so I guess that guy didn't get the memo."
Yang crosses her arms and chuckles. "Funny, I thought Aura was known all across the world. I didn't even know Ki was a thing. Guess we're both learning, huh?"
"Well, isn't this a school? We should be learning," you innocently point out.
"No! I meant, ugh," Yang shakes her head. "Nevermind. So, wanna get right to fighting?" She says with a cocky smile.
Your eyes drift upwards, taking in the bright blue sky and fluffy white clouds. Just seeing such a beautiful day takes you back to when you were a kid. When...
"Hey," you step in front of Yang. "You what? Let's train later. I have a better idea."
"Wait, you don't want to fight? Did you hit your head as in the last few minutes," Yang taps your skull.
"No... not that I know of. Other than what you did right now. Anyway, come with me!" You grab Yang's hand and run over to a patch of grass that's slightly shaded by a nearby tree.
"Hey!" Yang protests.
It's unlike anyone to just grab Yang's hand... or for someone to grab anyone's hand. But before she can form words of complaint she's already at the spot. You let her hand go and lie on the grass.
"Huh, the grass is cool," you shift on the ground before looking up at the blonde. "Come on, you'd like it more than me. You show more skin."
"Are you trying to say something," she shifts on her hip.
"I thought I said something... that more of your skin is showing than mine... did I not say that?" You're genuinely confused by Yang's query.
Yang shakes her head. "Never mind."
Yang rests beside you, cupping her hands between her hair and the grass. There's a certain feeling of relaxation that instantly washes over the busty brawler.
"Huh... I haven't done this in a while."
"Me neither. When I was training under Master Roshi, he would make sure we took the time to relax. He'd have these hammocks set up for us to rest on. We'd stare up at the clouds and just talk about silly things. Sometimes he'd talk about his magazine collection but he'd never actually show it to me. Must have been something for old people," you shrug, pushing it to the back of your mind. "But he was a really good teacher. Really strong too. I remember the first time I fought him," you start chuckling as your mind rushes through the various memories of the Turtle School. "He can even-"
"Yang! Yang!" A young voice calls out.
Both you and Yang recognize the voice and sit up to get a better view. Ruby spots the two of you and jogs over.
"Yang!"
"What's up, Rubes?"
"What do you mean, my darling sister? Do you not remember promising me a trip to Vale because I do! Oh, hi (Y/N)," she happily waves.
"Heya."
"Now, are you going to live up to your agreement or are you going to be a terrible role model for your poor sister?"
"Alright, alright, no need to guilt me," Yang moans as she gets to her feet. "You're starting to sound like dad." She turns to face you. "We'll have to train another time, (Y/N). It was fun talking with you."
"You too, Yang! Have fun with... whatever, I don't know. I'll probably take a nap," you say with a yawn. "Or maybe I can find something to do. Oh, I should let Blake know I handed in the papers!"
You flip onto your feet and soar forward, passing the two girls as you go on your adventure. Yang and Ruby watch until you're out of sight.
"See, Ruby. You don't have to worry about your knees. He's got it covered," she ends with a smirk.
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Your boots click on the ground as you land in front of the library. Weiss pointed you here when you visited their dorm. You open up the grand doors and enter the building. Being a library, it's fairly quiet. Anyone talking is keeping their voice down in respect for those reading, studying, or working. Since you've met Blake, you know her energy signature. You kick off your back foot and fly to the second floor. People who have yet to meet you are surprised when you fly over the railing and land. You saunter down the path and diverge to the right where Blake sits. She instantly turns to see you.
"I brought the papers to Port," you say before taking a seat across from her. "Should be all fine."
The five other students along the table take a quick peek at you then return to their activities. One is on their scroll listening to whatever they feel like listening to, three are studying, and the other is aimlessly staring forward contemplating their life.
"Good. We almost failed our first assignment because of you," she quietly scolds.
"Hey, I had a good reason! It was that reason that gave us extra time!" You swiftly defend. "So I don't know wh-"
"In other news, members of the White Fang have been spotted in Vale over the past weeks. However, Police Chief Fora Ferns was reportedly kidnapped by a member of the organization last night..."
Your small group of students looks over to the boy looking at his scroll. His friend scooches closer and nudges him. You and Blake turn back to one another and continue your conversation.
"The White Fang... they're Faunus, right?" You innocently ask.
"The White Fang," Oobleck appears behind you. "Formed to spread the word of equality and to be a symbol but has been corrupted by time and violence. You'd know more if you PAID ATTENTION IN CLASS!" He quietly yells in your ear.
"You're a Faunus and you don't know about the White Fang?" Blake asks with surprise.
You shake your head as you slip out of the chair and away from the looming professor. "Nope. I just thought there were Faunus and humans... but the White Fang are bad, right? The ones in Vale?"
"The White Fang aren't... completely evil," Blake swiftly defends only to shrink in on herself. "They're a bad example of Faunus rights."
"Indeed. Ms. Belladonna is well versed in this subject. You could learn a thing or two from her, (Y/N)," Oobleck adds.
"Why are you here, professor?"
"Doctor," he sternly corrects. "And I'm watching over the library. Now, if you'll excuse me." The strange teacher speeds away, leaving your group alone.
You place a hand on your chin and think.
"Hm... so if Huntsmen are supposed to protect both humans and Faunus... why aren't they stopping the White Fang?"
Blake chuckles at the thought. "A bunch of humans attacking the one symbol the Faunus have. It wouldn't end well."
"What if it was another Faunus?"
"What... are you getting at?" Blake questions with various assumptions running through her mind.
"Well, if we're gonna be Huntsmen then why not get started early? If these White Fang are so bad then I'll deal with them. They're in the region, right? I should be able to find them."
"It's not that simple, (Y/N)! There are powerful warriors in..." Upon hearing those two words Blake notices your excitement growing. "Listen, this isn't something you can do. Their new leader, Adam, isn't someone you can just beat!"
"Ooh, that sounds awesome!" You cheer.
Blake sighs, slightly annoyed that her attempted warnings are just motivation for you. She rubs her temples and closes her eyes. "Look, just don't think you can take on the entire White Fang on your own."
Blake looks back up to you... or where you were. Blake quickly looks around the immediate area for you, but you're gone. "Oh no..."
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"So, the White Fang are the baddies around here. Well, I might as well try to figure that out. If they're all Faunus then maybe I can sneak in. I do have a tail after all," you chuckle, looking down at your tail. "So... they took the police chief... I guess I should check there first."
With a destination in mind, you start running and eventually soar into the air. Blake runs to where you were once standing. She watches you fly off towards Vale without any way to stop you. Her hands tremble as her mind floods with possibilities.
"If he finds Adam... no... I have to stop him!"
You reach the skies of Vale and hover over it.
"Hm... finding the White Fang..." You raise your hand to your chin and cross your legs as if you were sitting. "If they're bad guys they wouldn't sit in the city. Right? That be really weird? Hm..." You spin around and look to the forest. "Sensing around the forest would be boring. Maybe... Hm..." You start spinning around as you think. "How would I find some weirdos..? Maybe I should look for other Faunus. They might lead me to some other White Fang Faunus. Seems fair enough to me. I'm such a smarty pants," you happily laugh as you descend to the city.
You make sure to land in a less than populated area of Vale. Nobody spots you gently connect to the ground and start walking.
"Hm... baddies would be in the worse places in Vale. I should start there first. Man, is this what it's like being a Huntsmen? Like a detective or something. I remember Lucent would always talk about fighting Grimm and defending villages. Heh, I remember the one story where he had to fight another Huntsmen. I wonder if that happens often. It would be way more fun than the Grimm. Then again," you cross your arms as you saunter through town. "I haven't really had much fun fighting since-"
"Hey, monkey! What're you doing here?" A voice shouts from across the street.
"Probably since I fought Tien. That was a lot of fun. I wonder how much stronger he's gotten." You look around and realize you've fallen into the darker parts of Vale. Rundown buildings, dirty streets, shady individuals, all these set a certain tone that keeps the common folk away.
"Monkey!" The voice repeats.
"He can't hear you, mate. Doesn't know how to follow orders," another laughs.
"Or maybe it's ignoring us on purpose!"
"So, I wonder how I'm supposed to find the White Fang here? I really wish they'd just show up, already. I'm tired of the searching game." You stop moving and look around the immediate area.
There's a group of five men standing across the street, pointing and looking at you. Oddly enough, their faces are hidden behind bandanas and glasses, clearly hoping to keep their identities a secret. One is significantly larger and more intimidating than the others.
"Hm, maybe they know something. They obviously noticed me. Heya!" You gleefully wave at the strangers.
"Look at him! He's mocking us!"
"He thinks he can step on our turf, boss!"
"Despicable. Let's teach this Faunus scum a lesson!"
The group approaches you with devious intent. You instantly sense that intent and ready yourself for whatever may happen.
"Hey fellas! I'm looking for-" You dodge the first three punches from different people and immediately hops back. "Well, I guess this is gonna happen. Trust me, guys, you can't beat me. There's no point to this," you honestly speak. "I'm not looking for a fight right now. Well, that's a lie, but definitely not with you."
"Don't get cocky, monkey!"
The five men take out small weapons consisting of knives and pipes. You shake your head and sigh. "That's not even fun."
You pull your hand back and send out four waves of air that knock down the lackeys. The bigger one looks to his allies that are now moaning on the ground.
"How the... you damn Faunus."
"How does my tail have anything to do with you losing?" You shrug then cross your arms. "Maybe you shouldn't have underestimated your opponent."
You flash in front of the large man and deliver a devastating punch that instantly knocks the man out. He falls forward, completing the small collection of downed men. You huff, place your hands on your hips and look around. "Well, now I continue to look around. Huh?" You spot another person approaching you.
This woman has orange hair and sharp eyes, her figure slim and built. By her eyes alone you can tell she's not human.
"I saw how you... dealt with the racists. These filthy humans are why Faunus are superior."
You cross your arms and squint at the woman.
Hm... that's not pleasant thinking. Maybe...
"I suppose. I've just trained a lot," you humbly respond.
"Well, that's clear. You know... I have some people who might appreciate someone like you if you want to fight for Faunus rights."
Haha, look at that! This might be exactly what I'm looking for.
"Of course! Those... dirty humans," you're clearly not used to saying anything like that. "Deserve my wrath."
"Huh... well, as long as you're committed." She walks past you, keeping her eyes locked with yours. "Come with me. We can't just give you a location and have you run off. You'll meet some other recruits and... well, we'll bring you to the meeting place tonight."
"Oh... okay, sure, that's fair. I can meet some others who share my... burning hatred."
"Perfect. Come with me. Don't worry, we'll provide a meal for you."
"Oooh, now you're speaking my language!"
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It was strange, being brought to an abandoned building with a dozen other young Faunus. You're all shuffled into an apartment with barely any furniture or commendations. They leave you all there, telling you the meeting will be soon.
"Huh, so much for us getting treated better. I had better stuff in the forest," you casually remark.
"Humans put us in this place! It's the only way we can hide," a young boy, probably Ruby's age, answers you.
This small squabble gets the attention of everyone else in the room since it's the only conversation happening. You shrug at his words. "I don't know, I was doing just fine. Maybe it's our fault and not humans."
"How could you think that? So many of us dead or beaten by humans!"
"I don't know," you shrug. "Not much has happened to me. Plus, I'm sure there are Faunus out there that's just as bad as humans."
The rest of the room huff or dismiss your words entirely. This instantly paints a target on your back despite your intentions. You don't understand the animosity between the two races because you never had to experience it. For a long time, you didn't even know there were two different races. But perhaps that's just you. Perhaps you don't see the bigger picture, the important details. That doesn't really matter to you, though. All you care about is stopping the boss of this whole operation, even if that means putting up with their philosophy.
You take your place by a broken window and look out at the gloomy alley below.
I should have thought this through. This is so boring.
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Team RWBY, though a little extravagant, spends their time as any team would as the night sky blankets Remnant. Yang is lying on her bed, listening to music, Ruby is looking through a weapons catalog, Weiss is at the desk, and Blake is sitting on her bed. Despite everything, Blake has the most on her mind. You've gone off to find the White Fang, something she knows far too much about, and she can't stop worrying about what could happen. You're strong, no doubt, but there are some powerful people in the White Fang including Adam himself. She's beating herself up over just letting you go off and do whatever you want. She should be there... she should be there...
"I have to go," Blake says aloud.
She immediately bursts off her bed and runs out the door. The three other members of team RWBY all hare a confused look.
"What's with her?" Yang speaks.
"I don't know. Maybe she remembered something?" Ruby responds. "Should we follow her?"
"I'm sure she'll be fine. She'll contact us if she requires assistance," Weiss chimes in.
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Though the day has been boring and the food promised wasn't as yummy as you hoped, your time has finally come. You and the other recruits were lead to a large abandoned warehouse. Everyone, including you, was made to wear a mask. The recruits like you are all in normal attire while actual members of the White Fang. There's plenty of them around on the floor and some watching over from the rafters. There's a makeshift stage at the front where most members stand. You're just part of the crowd, only noticeable because of your unique hair.
The warehouse is extremely grey, bland, and with the crowded floor, the whole situation is rather uncomfortable for the average person. You're not one of those people. You patiently wait for a possible appearance of Adam or even the captive police chief.
"Hey," a whisper reaches your ear as a hand rests on your shoulder.
You turn around and face a friendly lower face. Blake, dressed in her regular attire with a few differences. First, she has a similar mask to yours. Second, her bow is gone and instead, there's a pair of cat ears.
"Wait, Blake? You're a Faunus?"
"Shh, quiet. Listen, we can't be here."
"What're you talking about? My plan's going exactly how it should. It'll be fine."
"That's not what I-"
"Brothers! Sisters!" A large, tanned man gathers the intention. "You have chosen to fight for your people's rights, their freedoms! We have been subjugated for too long by the humans! We will show that these cities, these people who believe the crimes against our race are justified! We will show them that we won't be put down, that we won't take this discrimination! Tonight... we will show this city the power of the Faunus!" The large Faunus walks back and forth as he addresses the hopeful and manipulated Faunus in the crowd. "Our powerful leader is bringing with him a bomb, one that will truly ignite the fire for Faunus around the world."
"A bomb? Are they crazy?" Blake whispers.
"Sounds like I was right to stay."
"We will bring this pathetic, human peacekeeper," the large man signals for some grunts to pull out the beaten and bruised policewoman. Her hair has been shaved, her eyes are swollen, she's clearly a shell of her former self – a punching bag for frustrated Faunus. "As the sacrificial lamb to this revolution. Tonight, my brothers and sisters is when we truly take charge of our destiny!" He ends his speech with a boom, inciting roars and cheers from the crowd. "Now, if you're with us, then follow our men to the right. They'll get you suited up and ready to fight."
The Faunus are funneled towards the right exit, which means you and Blake are inevitably washed away in bodies.
"We can't just let them explode some part of Vale. Let's play along, stop the bomb, save the woman!" You cheerfully explain.
Blake nervously shuffles in place. "I... (Y/N), this isn't a simple mission. I'm not kidding when I say Adam is dangerous and stop smiling!" She sharply whispers.
"I'm sorry! But stop worrying, Blake. I'm sure I can handle anything that comes our way. Now let's go. We're gonna look weird standing around."
You and Blake follow the flow of the crowd as they're lead to a separate section of the building. Everyone is handed a uniform of varying sizes and tasked with suiting up. You grab your outfit without any hesitation. Sure, it's not really you're style but you'll deal with it for now. Blake, on the other hand, hesitates when handed her uniform.
"It's your size, kid. I've seen enough of your type," the Faunus says, pushing the outfit against Blake's chest.
She grabs hold of the outfit and follows you closely, staring at the uniform. There are small storage room that recruits start using to change. You and Blake secure your own closet, locking it before anyone else can enter as well.
"What's wrong with you? You look... really shaken or something," you point out.
Blake throws the outfit on the ground, her eyes still glued to it. "I... (Y/N), I'm going to tell you something you can't tell anyone else, alright?" She turns her gaze to you, sharp and serious. "I was part of the White Fang before I came to Beacon... I worked with Adam to help Faunus... I thought we were really helping, but..." Blake's arms tighten around herself. "He killed Sienna – our leader. I was scared, I ran. You don't know how this feels, (Y/N), to be right back into this after leaving!"
You scratch the back of your head as you watch Blake talk. "I... don't. But... why are you here if you're scared. I'm not, so let me handle it."
"I can't," she adamantly shakes her head. "I can't send you off to do this alone. This is my fight!"
"One you don't want to fight," you quickly correct.
"I..."
"Listen, Blake, if you came here despite all your fear that means you really want to do this. Either way, we're roped into this now. We can't let them detonate a bomb in the city. Best case scenario, I get to fight everyone and we stop this little scheme," you remove all your clothes, leaving only your boxers left. "So, let's go be heroes or something. I don't know. I just wanna see what these guys can do!"
You put on the black hooded long sleeve, pants, and boots, then finish it off with a white, light overcoat that trails down to your calve. With a pair of black gloves and a new mask, you're set to go.
"Alright, your turn."
"Eh, well..." Blake squeezes her fists. "Turn around, then."
"Sure, I guess," you shrug and turn away from Blake.
You hear the shuffling of clothes, first taking them off and then slipping into them.
"Alright..." Blake mumbles. "I... don't like wearing this."
You turn around and witness Blake in the feminine version of your own outfit. Unlike you, she pulls her hood over her hair before putting the mask on.
"Alright, let's get out there, then," you raise your fist before you. "We'll show 'em what Beacon's got!"
"Heh... yeah," your confidence, your smile is contagious. Blake smiles back. "We can do this."
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You're still unsure of what they're trying to accomplish. Bringing the police chief with them to a place they're going to bomb? Sure, she'll die, but what about all the recruits and soldiers of the White Fang? How will they escape? What exactly is Adam, or whoever came up with this operation, thinking? You don't want anyone to die, not even these Faunus. You just hope the superiors feel the same.
You were split into small teams, all assigned to regroup at the other end of the city where all the higher class citizens live. Small teams mean less suspicion. Honestly, you could have just flown there but that doesn't really fit with the whole incognito thing you're going for. Besides, Blake was put on a different team and you intend to regroup with her. You're placed with Faunus you don't know and don't care to know. Luckily, they're all extremely agile so your little cell is taking the rooftops to reach your goal. You can easily jump the gap while some other Faunus use means such as webbing, flight, or parkour. Either way, your group makes their way through Vale with ease.
Not a sound is made as you dance along the rooftops, becoming part of the night sky for those walking along the streets. You're stopped on a rooftop on the same street as your rendezvous coordinates.
"We lay low until the rest show up," the leader of your squad commands. "Once the Bullhead carrying the bomb and Adam descend, we kill any humans in our way, plant the bomb, and extract. Clear?"
"Clear," everyone but you responds.
Your group keeps low, patiently waiting for the Bullhead and for all other squads to get into place. Time ticks on ever so slowly, making the hour wait feel like an eternity. Civilians come and go, all talking, laughing, and enjoying their lives. Meanwhile, you're stuck hiding from them. Not really a fun time or an eventful mission as of yet. Thankfully your ears pick up the sound of a Bullhead. You get off the floor and look towards the direction of the sound.
"Finally," you whisper.
The others join you in standing as they watch the aircraft descend upon your rooftop. It remains there for only a quick moment. The door opens, revealing three men and a large object, about the size of a trash can. Two men dressed like you carefully bring it down while the third simple hops off the door and onto the ground.
He's a very tall man with red and brown hair that spikes backward. He bears a similar mask to yours, but it's more customized for his own uses. He wears a long-sleeved black coat that ends around his thighs. There's a red and white design on the upper right of his chest, but bland otherwise. Underneath is a red shirt that's barely visible. He compliments his upper body with long black pants and black shoes, along with black gloves that reveal no skin. Finally, he holds his weapon, a sheathed blade, in his left hand.
He seems unique. He must be Adam.
"Everything is going according to plan, Adam," he says as he bows.
"Perfect. Everything is in place. We'll set the bomb down on the street and start."
The street? So is he planning on getting attention? Hm...
"We also have a special guest, Adam. An unintended one," the Faunus smiles.
"But dealt with?"
"Of course."
"Then fine. I'll deal with them after we set up. You have the human with us?"
"Another squad, yes."
"Bring her out, tie her to the bomb. You two, get it down the ladder!" He commands.
"Of course, sir!"
The White Fang members start to reveal themselves on the streets, scaring away any random citizen. Clearly subtly is not in their agenda. You and the rest of the Faunus descend down the ladder and join up with the small army of White Fang who now occupy this street of Vale. As you group up, you spot the two guests they referred to. One is the police chief, and the other is Blake, her mask and hood no longer protecting her. She struggling against the two, larger men holding her down on her knees, but she can't do anything in her situation.
"Blake," you whisper. "Damn..."
Blake spots you thanks to your unique hair. You share a brief look, acknowledging you'll be there to help her. Adam and the bomb carriers approach the two women, but Adam is clearly interested in one more than the other.
"Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise. Hello, my darling," he says with a cocky smile as he approaches Blake. "You've returned... I hope it's with good intentions."
"Good intentions? You're trying to blow up Vale! How could I come back for something like that?" She shouts back.
Adam kneels down in front of her, his blade still at his side. "Blake, please, you should know how despicable these humans are. Their lives mean nothing in comparison to the cause we work for!"
Adam's words incite some cheers from the crowd around them. You can sense some of the humans around shuffling, running, or hiding. There's no way the police aren't on their way at this point.
"You hurt me, Blake. You knew the sacrifices we had to make for our people... and now... now we have a way for them to suffer. Our voice will be heard, Blake. Please, let your voice be one of them," he says with genuine hope.
You can tell he really wants Blake to come back with him, but Blake's face clearly isn't having it.
"With someone like you? No. Never. Not for this! You're despicable!" Blake leans back and headbutt's Adam.
It barely fazes him. The most it hurts is his pride. "Blake... your attacks are light. You're scared... I gave you a second chance," he grabs the hilt of his blade and readies himself. "You... hurt me, Blake. I wish this could have been different."
He tightens his grip on his hilt and prepares for an attack. Before he can react, he feels a devastating blow connect with his neck, sending him flying into a nearby shop. The other Faunus around you draws their guns and blades as you stand in between them and Blake, Fora, and the bomb. You take off your mask and look to your fellow Faunus brethren.
"Thought this was the best time to come in. You alright, Blake?" You look behind you.
"I'm fine. I just-"
"Don't worry about It," you step back, giving you a view of her tied hands. You release a thin beam of energy from your hands to break the ties apart.
Blake gets on her feet as she rolls her wrists. "Thanks, but I don't have my weapons."
"Don't worry, I'll handle it. So, you turn your attention to the Faunus around you. "Look, guys, girls, this isn't going to end how you want it. I'd love to fight you all, really, but I can't really do that knowing you'll blow up the people around here. So if you could all-"
"A cheap shot," Adam's voice echoes as he steps out of the broken store, brushing off pieces of glass and dust. "It seems she didn't come alone." Adam walks through the crowd of Faunus and stops ahead of you. "That was a very strong hit... and a very big mistake," he threatens.
You smile back at him. "Blake told me you were really strong. So, how about this. If I beat you, all of you gotta turn yourselves in?" You place your hands on your hips. "Cause, you know, if you don't I'll just have to beat you all to a pulp and fly you there myself."
"You're quite confident. It makes up for Blake's fear," he backhandedly compliments. "Very well," Adam slides his right leg back and hovers his hand over the hilt. "I'll kill anyone who gets in the way of our revolution."
"Blake, stay back. I'll handle this."
You burst off your foot and glide along the ground, leaving a trail of gravel and dust in your wake. The rest of the White Fang back up to give their leader more space, but one close to the bomb gets an idea in their head.
You throw the first punch which Adam blocks with his blade. It fails to cut you, but upon connecting the red bits of his clothes and hair, along with his sword, glow momentarily. You flip over him and immediately duck to dodge a swift swing of his blade. You spin around and attack with a roundhouse which, again, he blocks with his blade. You push yourself back, landing a few feet away from him, and rush at one another. You slide under his blade and get back on your feet beside him, then turn around and elbow his temple. He stabs his blade into the ground to slow himself down. Even that small attack was damaging to his aura. You raise your hand and fire two, small, yellow ki blasts at the Faunus. He raises his blade to counter each blast, glowing red each time.
He's glowing again. Every time I connect with the blade he glows. So...
The same could be said for Adam. Your hits are heavy, as he's already felt. However, you're fueling his Semblance immensely, to the point no other person has before. That being said, if you hit him directly with those attacks, you'll drain his Aura in no time.
"(Y/N)! Don't let hi-"
"I know," you casually respond, lowering your leg and facing Adam. "I'm excited to see what you have in store."
"Hm, you're a strange one. But nobody can defeat our species! We're better than humans, we should be the ones ruling over them as they did so long ago. Can you not see that?"
You shrug and cross your arms. "That doesn't really bother me. I mean, nobody's done anything to me, and I doubt you were alive during that time. Maybe you should just relax, buddy. Stop taking things so personally?"
"I carry the weight of the Faunus on my shoulders. All of us do," he gestures to the White Fang around you.
"Hm, you know you'll crack eventually if you're not strong enough. I can definitely say you're not strong enough," she ends with a coy smirk.
"How cocky of you," he twirls his sheath in his hand, transforming it into a gun. He fires multiple rounds at you, which you casually catch.
"That's not good enough, you know? You can't beat me like that," you bluntly say. "That goes for all you guys, too," you look around to the Faunus aiming their guns at you.
They all shimmy in place. The combination of your brief showing against Adam and confidence relay the fact that you aren't lying.
"So, Adam, shall we continue? You're definitely a lot of fun!"
"Don't look down on me," he growls, sheathing his blade and dashing forward.
You duck under his horizontal slash, then push off to the right to dodge another attack. Adam's attacks are fast and precise, virtually invisible to the average person. Unfortunately for him, you're far from average. Though fast, you can predict and dodge his motions with no difficulty, even as his blade chases you down the street. Left, right, ducking, jumping, you flow each of your movements together so expertly that it puts Adam to shame. His frustration grows more and more as he tries to keep up with you, cutting cars and lamp posts in half as if they were butter.
Finally, you stop, blocking his blade with your forearm.
"What?"
"Hehe, I guess you weren't as impressive as I thought," your eyes are closed, your smile wide. "So I'll finish this now."
You move his blade to the side and thrust your foot into his gut. Adam slides across the gravel, unable to truly recover and thus falling like a tumbleweed. He stops before his fellow White Fang members, all in shock at how their leader can be so utterly defeated. Blake, too, is surprised. You barely show any of your power during training sessions, and you definitely let out more during the entrance exams. Just how much are you holding back?
You slide your right leg back and connect your wrists together. "Ka... Me..." You bring your hands to your right hip, eyes locked on the helpless Adam. "Ha... Me..."
"(Y/N), you're gonna fire that at us! What're you doing?" Blake screams.
"What's that glow?"
"Why's she scared? Adam, what do we do?"
Adam's teeth are clenched as tightly as his grip on his sword... but then a smile creeps onto his face. "Do it..."
"HA!" You throw your hands forward, releasing a car-sized, blue beam right at Adam, Blake, the White Fang, and the bomb. Your beam tears the street below it apart, shaking the glass to its breaking point, scaring anyone who's still watching as they desperately wait for the police to arrive.
Adam holds his blade in front of him as the beam connects with it. He's slowly pushed back, but he's glowing more than he ever has before. You can see it from your position. The lava coloured glow emanates past the one given off by your Kamehameha. You stop the technique, leaving your hands in the same position. You watch a glowing Adam stand triumphantly.
"Now... have it back!" He sheathes his blade then slashes with all his might, activating his Semblance at the same time.
A large sonic wave blasts from the sword, cutting everything in front of him in a large, streetwide arc. Cars, stores, and even civilians who dared stay on the first floor of the building are all caught by this attack. You take it head on too, feeling the enhanced blade tear at your chest as the outfit is virtually disintegrated where you were hit. In fact, an entire shockwave makes its way down the street, progressively getting weaker as it goes.
Everyone can see that affected you. There's no way it couldn't. Adam took all your attacks and released it all in one go. He watches triumphantly as you stand as still as a statue, ready to see your body tumble, to see you lay on the ground lifeless.
"Wow, that was awesome," you shout, looking up with a smile. "But that wasn't your power. I guess I got my hopes too high," you admit as you rip off your destroyed shirt. "That was your trump card, right? I don't think you got much more than that."
Adam's cocky smile is replaced with sneering rage. "How... that could have-"
"Well clearly that's not enough, is it?" You cross your arms and listen beyond your current area. "And the police are coming. You're done."
"No, we're not!" A voice from the crowd shouts.
You, Adam, and the other White Fang look to the voice. A random Faunus stands beside the bomb, Blake forced to the ground by his blade. "The counter has started! We won't be put down!"
"What? This wasn't the time!" Adam shouts. "We're revolutionaries, not martyrs!"
"What the hell, Richard?" Another shouts.
Blake slides out from under the blade using her Semblance, then quickly knocks the Faunus down. The others raise their weapons to her but she doesn't bother defending herself.
"Do you want to die?" She shouts to her fellow Faunus. "Then shut up and let me stop this!"
Adam's gaze switches between you, Blake, and his subordinates. The bomb can't be disarmed, but if it's left to go then they'll all die. It's only set for thirty seconds, and the clock is ticking.
"No... no! Damn it!" Adam screams.
"What? How long do we have until the bomb goes off?" You exclaim to Blake, dashing past Adam.
"Twenty seconds... I don't know how to disarm it!" Blake frantically responds as her eyes quickly dart from one section of the bomb to another.
"Run for your lives!" The White Fang start shouting as they all bolt from your location.
Of course, they don't get far. As you heard, the police roll up, fully armed and densely manned for this situation. They block both sides of the street, Bullheads flying overhead to keep an eye on any trying to escape through the alleys. But none of them know the severity of the situation or the risk they've just put themselves in. The police chief is down the bomb's timer ticks, the White Fang panic. Adam's resolve slowly crumbles into rage as his entire plan falls apart in no time. But none of that will matter if you're all dead.
"Blake, move out of the way!" Adam commands as he runs to the bomb.
"Wha-"
"We're not martyrs," he bluntly repeats.
Adam opens up a hatch revealing wires, switches, buttons – a confusing assortment that would throw anyone for a loop.
"Damnit! He sabotaged it!" Adam looks down at the unconscious Faunus. His fist tightens as realization comes over he and Blake. "There's... nothing I can do."
Blake's eyes shake as she looks at her former friend. You, on the other hand, watch the timer reach its final ten seconds. You look around to the buildings around you, filled with scared people trying to live their lives. To the Faunus who just want their rights, to the police who're just doing their job... even to Adam, who just thinks he's doing what's right.
Without a second thought, you grab the bomb with both hands and burst into the sky.
"(Y/N)! What're you doing?" She screams at you.
A white trail shows where you've been and where you are. It leads out to sea, as far away from the city of Vale as you can get in these few seconds. Eventually, you leave Blake's view, leaving her imagination to run wild. She merely stands in fear as police round up the Faunus in the area, which, because of her outfit, includes her. She's forced to the ground with her hands being swiftly cuffed. Adam doesn't fight back either. He lost to you, he knows it... and now you're sacrificing yourself so both humans and Faunus can live. Out of respect, he's given up this day.
And then all of Vale hears a sound. A large, thundering boom that shakes everyone to their core. Far out to sea, over the water, the bomb explodes. Its shockwave is weaker than Blake thought it would be, which means you got farther than she thought you could. Before she can even begin to fear what happened to you, a figure lands on the street. Now your clothes are in complete tatters, barely keeping your privates protected. You're laughing, though, despite everything.
"That... packed a punch, I won't lie," you pant and chuckle. "Hey, Blake, whoa, she's not one of them!" You jog up to the police holding Blake.
"Be quiet, Faunus! You're not fooling anyone!" The police shout back, cuffs at the ready.
"Oh, come on. I just, ah..." You roll your eyes as they place handcuffs on you as well.
You have no reason to fight police officers, even if they're mistaken. So, you follow along as they drag you and Blake to one of the vans housing a dozen captured White Fang members. They force you both in and close the door, stealing the light from you.
This took me longer than I'd have liked. But... well, it happened and I won't complain. I'm glad to get it out, though. I'm actually really happy with this chapter. It was just fun to make. Plus, this should show the RWBY fans that I'm not following the story of RWBY itself. It also shows that I kinda did Blake's arc in about two chapters, if you're counting the next one. But, whatever, better or worse it had to be done. I had no use for the White Fang in the story I want to write so I thought this chapter would clear all that up. I hope you all enjoyed! I'm sorry for the lack of updates for this story. I was a little more focused on Crimson Shadow, but I won't anymore. They're even now. You'll be getting one or two chapters of this a month, depending on scheduling and efficiency.
Anyway, I actually have a quick question for the audience! Are any of you only Dragon Ball fans? I know a lot of you readers are RWBY fans and probably read Crimson Shadow as well, but I wanna know if there are any Dragon Ball nerds like myself out there too.
But that's it for me. I'll see you all next time!
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