Work Text:
_
“There is too much wrong in this world to just stand by and do nothing. Inequality, corruption. Someone has to stop it.”
_
I was born as a member of the White Fang.
In the ashes of war, the White Fang spoke for the Faunus, and represented the peace and unity between human beings and us. Today, it still communicates with human beings to ask for Faunus’ rights and liberation.
I know the necessity of this. Though Humankind promised us equality, most of them still thought of us as worthless animals. In many places, the Faunus was ridiculed and hated. They have occupied most of the land and driven us to this island, Menagerie. It’s beautiful, but the dense forests and winding rivers are just reminders. They seem to be saying ,
“You are imprisoned.”
What’s worse, human beings use us as cheap labor. Father always brings back news about enslaved Faunus.
It’s not fair. They should realize they are doing something awful.
So I took part in every boycott. I was at front of every rally, holding the board and shouting out our appeal made me feel excited, because I thought it would work—even if just a little.
I thought It might slowly sever the bonds of our fate.
But it didn’t.
_
So my father abdicated after five years. The new supreme leader, Sienna Khan took a completely different approach—Soldiers of the White Fang began to conflict with human beings to rescue our abused companions.
It's a moonlit night and the White Fang has a rally. I stand with my families in the crowd.
“Our agent Adam Taurus and Ilia Amitola brought heavy news, ”after a brief introduction to herself, Khan seems to look at someone in the audience. “Today three members of the White Fang had been caught by fierce human mercenaries, just because they want to save the exploited and oppressed Faunus in the mine…”
I follow her gaze and see a red-haired boy standing a short distance. He is tall and in good shape. Though He wears a grimm mask, the outline of his face makes me think he is pretty.
He suddenly looks in my direction.
I turn my head quickly. I feel like a caught thief.
“Mom, I’m not feeling well…Can I go home?” I don’t know why I am afraid, but that’s what I do. I tug at my mother’s sleeve.
“Blake…?”She looks puzzled. I know it’s strange because I never leave early before this. But I insisit, “Please, just a few blocks.”
When I pass my father behind his back, I think I hear him saying to my mom, “The White Fang continue to defend the Faunus’ cause of liberation, but don’t let the radicals among us insult our beliefs.”
When I come to the corner away from the crowd, I hear a low roar and crashing.
It’s him. The Faunus all have good night vision, so I can see it clearly. The red-haired boy is pounding on the wall.
He sounds miserable. I can’t just walk away.
So I approach him from the side and whisper,
“Hello….?”
His fist hasn’t yet been withdrawn. He seems stunned. He is not wearing a mask now, so I can see his face clearly.
He is really cute—but the scar on his right eye is more striking. Tears are gushing from his beautiful blue eyes. He is crying.
He turns quickly and put on his mask, then I hear his low voice, “You…you see it…”
He turns to me again, lying his hand on his sword, “You can’t…If you dare tell anyone!”
“I won’t.” I don’t feel threatened at all.
“The three Faunus who were arrested…they are your friends, right? I’m sorry.”
He mades no answer. He changes the subject,
“…You are Ghira Belladonna’s daughter. You shouldn’t be out alone so late. ”
Now I’m sure he was looking at me just now, and he knows I was watching him earlier. I try to hide my embarrassment, “My home is very near.”
“Either way it's too late,” his head down slightly, “Let me accompany you back…please.”
“You never know what monsters are out there in the dark.”
Just as I did not know the destiny of that moonlit night.
_
Over time our boycott switched to aggressive activities. We burnt the shops that refused to serve us, hijacked the van of the enterprise that enslaved the Faunus, such as the Schnee Dust Company…The worst part was, it worked.
Human beings began to respect us, not because of penance, but out of fear.
I know it is not the best way to change the status quo, but it actually help the Faunus. When I’m trained to be stronger, I feel fulfilled and inspired; when I do what I can to help my fellow citizens, I feel elated; when I fight with friends in the White Fang like Ilia and others, I feel secure.
But just at this moment, my parents quit the White Fang. They don’t agree to the new course of action. They even want to take me out of the organization.
I am very angry—didn’t they see our hope and light? Didn’t they realize our destiny is changing? I even yell at them,
“Cowards! ”
I leave home without leaving any message and go to the stronghold of the White Fang, which is not in Menagerie. There, Khan recognizes my talents and abilities and makes me one of the agents.
“Blake, I think you know Adam Taurus…”when Ilia try to introduce the red-haired man to me, I think I see his smile.
Of course, it’s because of him that I’m making progress so fast. In fact, he accompanied me through almost all of my training secretly.
“You come back.” Adam looks at me when Ilia walked away, “After your father criticized us as ‘extremists’ inside the White Fang, you’re still here.”
I look at him in silence.
“…Aren’t you scared?”
“No,” I approach him, he is taller through these years so I have to look up at him, “I wish the Faunus had a better world. My parents are safe, but so many others…”
We finally stand together honorably.
_
We fight side by side. We set enslaved Faunus in No.435 dust crystal mine free; we destroyed the dust-supply unmanned aircraft of the Schnee Dust Company and saved the prisoners they captured; we stood by the fire of victory…
It feels like being in a jet stream, a vortex or something chaotic and fanatical. I’m head over heels in love.
So I hold out my hand to his mask.
“No. Don’t touch it.” Half of his body is bathed in the warm light of bonfire.
"You can stop me." I think to myself.
But he still doesn’t move.
“I’m not afraid of you.” My fingers touch the edge of his mask, and I easily pull it off as soon as I try.
“I’m not afraid of this.”
His scar is clearly visible. It is branded with three letters.
SDC.
Schnee Dust Company.
The blue in his eyes is dyed red. I stand tiptoes but still can’t reach his face.
Then he bend down.
_
I never thought I would leave Adam. But once some ideas come, it just doesn’t go away.
The first time he killed a human, he explained to me it was an accident. And then “self-defense”. Until it becomes nature—a nature for a man who once cried in the corner for his friends. And he still promises me this is for the better future.
Khan didn’t forcibly stop him .She acquiesces.
She acquiesces in the spread of a certain ethos which will destroy the White Fang, even the Faunus.
I can’t change the situation on my own, and I still have my last hope for Adam. So I find him the night before we hijack the train carrying dust.
“Adam,” I approach him, “I heard six people died on your last mission.”
“Incorrect,” He grins,
“It’s ten.”
I can’t say a word.
“I could have killed more for our brothers of the White Fang, ” He continues, “Maybe in the future.”
“That's never who you are,” I say with difficulty, “Are you really going to do this?”
His shadow hangs over me. He suddenly hugs me tight.
“Are you afraid?”
“I promise you,” I rest my head on his shoulder, feeling something sinking in my heart, “I'll never be afraid of you.”
But that doesn't mean I'll never leave you.
So when I stand on top of another compartment of the train and look at him, I say,
“Goodbye.”
And cut the train coupler.
I'm the real coward.
_
When the coward become a huntress, when she finally finds her companions and targets again.
Why do you appear again?
“Hello, my darling. ” you lay your hand on the sword just like what you did on that moonlit night.
Are you here for the “goodbye”,
Or for the destiny?