Chapter 8 - Bargaining Part 1

                                    

                                          
"The White Fang, huh? Yeah, I've heard of them. These days it's hard not to Faunus terrorists fighting for freedom with whatever means possible. Do they get your attention, sure, but effective? That's yet to be seen." I whisper, gripping the Grimm mask tightly on a wall overlooking the city. "I, for the most part, keep out of the way of these sort of people; getting in their way only makes you a target. I have no war to wage against them, unlike Blake and you, Weiss."
Weiss pressed herself against the barrier nodding as the sun began to set. "I understand that. They've always been trouble for my family. I'd do anything to see them wiped out from Remnant.
Holding my head in pain, I winced, unable to look away from Grimm's mask, turning it around, my headache growing worse. "Are you alright, Y/N?" Ruby whispered.
"Just fine... It's just, I don't know how to feel about this, but. Since the moment I found myself in possession of this mask, I've felt uneasy, almost like I have unfinished business. The mask is like a drug calling to me to put it on." Yang tried taking it off me, but I vanished, appearing behind her trails of darkness bleeding off me. "You don't need to do that."
"It's clear the mask is leeching off you, Y/N. So holding onto that thing will do you no good!" Yang argues.
"No!" I snap, keeping it from sight. "Don't you get it? This is the first clue to my past. I feel a connection to it, and if I hold onto it for now. I must just learn something from my past..."
"I mean, it's just a mask; I don't really see the problem?" Ruby shrugged off, nodding to me. "I think we should focus on finding Blake at this moment."
Putting the mask away, I nodded. "I agree with Ruby. She's been gone for two days now; we're getting nowhere looking for her together. If we split up, we can cover ground quicker."
"That's a good idea." Yang nodded. "I'll go with Weiss and search the school and the grounds again. For all we know, she might have gone back."
"Alright, Ruby and I will start from the outskirts and work our way in. How does the dock sound?"
"Huh? We're going together?"
"Yeah, is there a problem with that?" I question.
"No, no. That's fine." Ruby muttered, glaring at Yang. "We have no time to lose; we should get moving."
****
Wolfgang squatted down over some cargo containers scratching his ear nodding. "I told you they were communing here, Blake. The White Fang is moving on Vale."
Blake jumped down, looking conflicted, clenching her fist. "Damn it... What are they doing?"
"Who knows, it doesn't matter. These sick and vile creatures are the reason we Faunus are mistreated. I hate it; if they were all wiped out, things would be much better."
"That isn't the way to solve the problem!" Blake argued, kneeling down watching them. "The White Fang used to be far more peaceful in their protests. We only wanted what everyone else always wanted. But, things quickly got out of hand when new leaders rose to power."
"You sound like you talk from experience." Wolfgang scoffed, shaking his head. "Why am I not surprised you were one of them."
"I left the moment they went down the violent crusade they are on now. I couldn't be a part of something like that."
Standing up, Wolfgang placed hands into his pockets, nodding. "Then you're the smart one; these creatures won't be so lucky."
"We can't kill them! They don't know any differences. But, if they saw another way, we can help them!"