Hello, everyone! I'm very sorry that this has taken so long to upload. Life getting in the way coupled with a dash of writer's block delayed this somewhat. Feel free to slap me upside the head next time it happens. But anyways, the show must go on!

And a special thanks to runemyth0 for giving the chapter a much-appreciated edit. A toast to you good man!

Chapter 3: Civil Blood on Civil Hands

Weiss pressed an ear against the door, trying her best to ignore the blast of frozen air bleeding in from the outside. Half an hour had past and Blake still hadn't returned from her scouting. She was beginning to get worried. The last time Blake had run off on her own was after she accidentally revealed her heritage to her team. Normally, Weiss would wait for her return, but with all the White Fang surrounding them, she was denied the privilege of being patient.

Yang and Ruby stood at the foot of one of the beds. Bistre was laid across the mattress with a blanket covering his body. Ruby wringed her hands in frustration. She wanted to do more for him, but this was the best they could do.

Yang wrapped an arm around Ruby's shoulder. Ruby settled herself in the crook of her sister's arm and sighed, "He deserved better."

"I know, Rubes," Yang said. Ruby shut her eyes. She swallowed a deep breath. She cracked her eyes open to see Weiss pacing back and forth in front of the front door.

"Where is she? She's been gone too long," she said. Yang tore her eyes away from the Bistre. Weiss had her hand planted against the aging wooden wall. Every couple of seconds, she would glance at the door only for a slight grimace to cross her features.

"We have to go find her. I'm starting to get worried," she said. Weiss grabbed the handle of the door and yanked it open with a strong pull. The wind had died down to a manageable chill. She heard two sets of footsteps behind her, but she didn't look back. She needed to find Blake before the worst could happen.

Weiss moved at a hurried pace, ignoring the cold creeping onto her. The trench they were in soon gave way to branching paths. Mining equipment was strewn about the cramped space. Weiss tried her best to overlook the shell casings and splotches of dark red on the ground.

"Blake? Blake, where are you?" Ruby shouted. Her call was only met with the wind's wicked howl. Weiss looked from left to right, looking for any sign of their missing teammate. The three moved through a path on the right and heard and unexpected noise.

"We have been abused! Extorted! Forced to live like animals! We won't stand for it anymore!"

Ruby pushed herself into a jog, Weiss and Yang following close behind. The path soon gave way to a steep incline. Ruby's boots sunk deeper and deeper into the piled snow. The voice she heard grew louder, accompanied by a cacophony of shouting and uproars.

"Every time we tried to make our voices heard, we were ignored. Our faces were pushed into the dirt! When will we stand up for ourselves? When will we fight back!?"

Ruby reached the top of the hill and breathed a sigh of relief. Blake was lying on her stomach, looking out over the massive landscape. Her bow twitched and she turned just enough so that her amber eyes met Ruby's.

"Ruby…you need to see this," she said. Ruby took a step closer and recoiled in horror. The unpleasant scent fire overwhelmed her senses. Ruby placed a hand over her mouth to stop herself from choking on the thick, black smoke.

Countless numbers of Faunus workers were congregating in front of a raised, blood soaked wooden platform. Excavators and haul trucks were overturned and burning into a black husk by flames that rivaled the mountains in size. Faunus among the crowd were carrying Schnee banners and lighting them aflame as onlookers cheered. Ruby spotted a few Faunus beating a destroyed AK-130 droid with its own limbs and throwing them at the few that were still activated.

The deafening cries of vengeance echoed for miles. Ruby turned to the others on her team. Blake's hands were curled into loose knuckles over her mouth, her eyes narrowing into slits. Yang clenched her knuckles, but her mouth hung open at the sheer volume of anarchy.

Weiss was the only one looking away. She tilted her head downwards, her eyes shut firm. But she couldn't tune out the calls for blood, the demands to see her family strung up for their crimes. Each word twisted the knife in her heart. The knife she herself put there when she realized how wrong everything with the SDC was.

"What are we going to do?" Yang asked the others. Ruby curled a loose fist over her mouth. The simmering rage was palatable. The Faunus were acting on raw emotion. Years of anger was releasing itself in a maelstrom of fire and violence.

"We have to stop them! If we can get them to calm down, we can solve this whole thing," Ruby suggested.

"How are we gonna do that? They don't look like they're in the mood to listen to us," Yang said as she motioned towards the crowd. Ruby tapped a foot against the ground, her body winding up like a spring. She had to fix this. Too many people were getting hurt.

"Blake, Yang, you need to try anything you can to calm them down. Maybe they'll listen to you," Ruby said. She turned to Weiss and placed a comforting hand on her arm, "Weiss, we should go look for the security team. If they're still around, they could shut off the robots so that everyone stops fighting."

Weiss met Ruby's gaze. Uncertainty lurked beneath her icy eyes. Still, she nodded and placed a hand on the hilt of her rapier, "There's a guard facility near the quarry. They have to be there. They have to."

"Everyone stay safe okay? Call each other on the scroll if something goes wrong," Ruby said. Everyone nodded their agreement. Blake stared back down at the congregation of Faunus, a frown growing on her lips. Yang stepped up next to her and gave her a small pat on the back.

"We got this, kitty cat. Don't you worry," Yang gave Blake a wink and slid down the snowy hill. Blake spared a glance at the others and followed after her.

"Yang, I don't know if they'll be so friendly to you. You're not a Faunus," Blake said. She reached up to her bow and began to undo the knot holding it together. Yang snickered, placing her hands on the lapels of her jacket.

"Oh, I'm sure they won't be. But relax, Blake. I'm a natural charmer," she said with a cheeky grin. Blake felt a rush of cool air hit her cat ears as the bow came undone. They needed to hear things from her perspective. She could understand their frustration and their anger. The days of being treated like dirt were still fresh on her mind. But she got past it and she did it without terrorizing innocent people. She knew they could do the same. She had faith in them.

As they came closer to the enraged mob, some Faunus turned in their direction. Some let their guard down when they noticed Blake's ears. Others gripped their weapons tighter when they saw Yang following close behind her. Hate burned in their eyes, sending shivers down Blake's spine.

Her eyes scanned the crowd. More and more Faunus began to take notice of her. She took her time, making sure each one of their faces was burned into her mind. She stepped forward and swallowed a deep breath.

"Brothers and sisters! I understand the anger you must be feeling. I won't try to say that the Schnee Dust Company is in the right, but please understand when I tell you that violence will not solve anything," Blake said. Murmurs spread throughout the crowd. Blake took another step forward, "Whatever you think of the SDC, you have to realize that exacting revenge like this won't bring change you're looking for. If anything you'll achieve the opposite. You're giving them a reason to look down on you."

The Faunus in the crowd exchanged glances with each other. A few looked at the weapons in their hands, a range of emotions passing through their faces from anger to regret.

Out of the corner of her eye, Yang saw White Fang moving at the edges of the crowd. Her hands curled into tights fists. Her body winded up like a spring, ready to move at the slightest notice.

"Please, for our sake and for the sake of Faunus everywhere, don't resort to mindless fighting. As long as we work together, we can change our future. We can finally be treated as equals as long as we're willing to listen as much as speak," Blake said. Her last words hung in the air. The crowd remained silent and still.

Then she heard it, like a drum beating in the distance. Someone began to clap.

"Very moving, Blake. You haven't changed a bit."

The voice froze Blake's feet to the ground. Her eyes widened as she watched someone ascend the wooden platform standing behind the crowd. The crowd turned to him. His slow, sarcastic clapping ended as he stared back at his old partner.

"Adam," Blake breathed.

"I don't mean it as a compliment, Blake. Once again, you're steering everyone away from progress. Letting you join the White Fang was the biggest mistake I've ever made," Adam said, crossing his arms. Yang scowled, her hands curling into tight fists.

"You know this guy?" she asked. Blake reached back and grabbed the handle of Gambol Shroud.

"He was my old partner when I was in the White Fang."

"Back when you and I shared common interests. Until those ideals you held onto got in the way," Adam said. Blake took a step forward, her voice turning harsh.

"Of what? Murdering innocent people? Destroying homes and families? You're no better than the people you claim you're protecting Faunus from!" Her knuckles turned white from gripping her weapon. Her katana slid a few inches from its sheath, but Adam made no move to unsheathe his own.

He walked to the very edge of the platform and held out his arms. His eyes fell on the crowd that separated him from Blake. A wry frown crossed his lips, almost looking apologetic, "Blake, you didn't listen to a single thing I've taught you. All those lessons and yet you refused to learn a single one."

"What lessons?" Blake asked, trying to keep her tone neutral. Adam looked up from the crowd and met her hard stare.

"For such a perceptive girl, you always failed to see the bigger picture. You only ever focused on the present. And for people like us, you may as well be shooting yourself in the foot. Change doesn't come without pain, Blake. Sacrifices have to be made. I know it, the White Fang knows it, and deep down you know it too. But instead of realizing it, you hid behind your ideals and your sense of justice. You refused to look at the truth," Adam said. He paced from side to side and Blake tracked his every step. He nodded once and pointed at Yang, "Joining the Huntsmen only made it worse. Every day they'll feed you the same thing. Be the good guy and you'll have your happily ever after. But the real world doesn't work that way. We have to take what we're owed."

"You don't know the first thing about being a Huntsman! It isn't about our happy endings. We put our lives on the line for others! It doesn't matter whether they're Faunus or not. We're all in the same boat. We protect everyone," Blake replied. Adam tilted his head to the side, the beginnings of a smirk growing on his face.

"Is that so?" He turned his attention back to the crowd and motioned towards them, "Because what you're doing right now contradicts that."

Blake took a step back, "What are you talking about?"

"What was your plan coming here?" Adam asked, "Because unless you came to help us, you're just doing what the Schnees told you to."

"I'm here to do what's right for everyone," Blake barked. Adam shook his head and waved her off.

"Which is impossible," Adam looked back towards the group and raised his voice for everyone to hear, "It's unfortunate that it came to this. But tell me something, Blake. You came to restore peace. How are you going to do that? Are you going to let the White Fang free every Faunus here or are you going to help the Schnee's regain control and force all these people back into slavery."

"That's not my intention!"

"But that's what's going to happen. Either free all the Faunus here or leave them to the Schnee's mercy. And it's obvious from the way you're acting, that you chose the latter," Adam pointed a finger at her, "You even came with the heiress of the SDC. I think we can all tell whose side you're really on."

The crowd turned their glares on her. The murmurs from before grew in intensity. The expressions on their faces made it obvious. She wasn't their friend. She was another thing standing between them and their freedom.

"I'm disappointed in you, Blake. Betraying the White Fang was one thing, but selling out your own people to the Schnees? You're not the person I thought you were," Adam said. The crowd grew restless. Their murmurs escalated to full on shouts. The weapons that hung loosely at their sides were being thrusted into the air.

Yang took a step back. Ember Celica extended into its full form as she raised her fists. Blake caught motion at the corner of her vision and leaned back, narrowly avoiding the edge of a machete. Yang reacted on instinct. She grabbed the man's arm and twisted it into an awkward angle. The Faunus yelped in pain, the machete falling from his hand. Yang planted her foot into his stomach and kicked him back into the angry mob.

Another Faunus came from Blake's left. She pulled Gambol Shroud free and caught the Faunus' arm by the ribbon. She twirled on the balls of her feet and threw her attacker at Yang.

The Faunus was flung through the air and met a devastating uppercut by Yang, throwing him skywards. She grabbed him by his boot and slammed him back down into the ground.

Their resistance agitated the crowd further. More and more Faunus charged them with their weapons raised. Blake moved with constant motion, dodging a swipe from a pickaxe and parrying a blow from a bat.

A miner swung his blade at her from behind. Blake focused her aura and jumped into the air, leaving a shadow clone of herself to take the hit. She landed behind the Faunus and sweeped her leg out, tripping him to the ground. Blake followed her momentum and brought the heel of her shoe down on his chest, forcing a guttural moan from the Faunus.

Meanwhile, Yang stood her ground. Each time someone would swing their blade, it would bounce harmlessly off of Ember Celica. Yang deflected another attack and drove her knee into a Faunus' stomach. She fired off a flurry of jabs before throwing a brutal haymaker. Her fist connected with the Faunus as Ember Celica fired a shell. The sheer force of the blow knocked the Faunus aside like a ragdoll.

"We can't keep fighting them. We're only proving Adam right," Blake said. Yang pulled her fist back, ejecting the spent shell into the snow. She was right. The more people they beat back, the more aggressive the mob became.

"So what do you suggest, kitty cat?" Yang deflected a Faunus' iron pipe and chopped her hand down on the back of his neck. Blake jumped back as another shadow clone took an attack meant for her. She looked past the crowd and back at the platform. Adam crossed his arms, watching the whole fight with an expressionless face. A tight ball of outrage burned in her chest.

Adam was her friend, her partner. She used to trust him with her life and now he tossed her aside like trash.

Just like the people that looked down on her.

"I'm going after him," she said. Blake dug her feet into the snow and broke into a full sprint. She pushed past the angry Faunus, summoning her shadow clones to avoid any stray attacks. The platform came closer and closer, forcing Blake to run faster. Her legs burned from the intense exertion.

Just as she reached the platform she summoned one last clone. She jumped off its shoulders and flew through the air, pulling her katana free.

A flash of red sent a searing pain along Blake's side. The wooden floor of the platform suddenly slammed into her face. Her vision blurred, sending spikes of throbbing pain against her skull. Her aura vibrated as it struggled to cope with the damage.

Blake turned herself over just in time to dodge the blood red blade of Adam's sword. She scampered backwards. Her hand fell to where her katana should have been, but she only grabbed air. Her eyes fell on the opposite end of the platform where it lay.

Adam pulled his sword back. Blake rolled out of its way and brought her cleaver up to deflect the attack. The blade bounced off Gambol Shroud's sheath, giving Blake enough room to drive her foot into Adam's stomach. A hand wrapped around her ankle and pulled her off the ground and over Adam.

Blake hit the ground face first. She heard Adam circle around and screamed out as he grabbed a fistful of her hair, "I'm disappointed, Blake. All that time in Beacon and you still can't even scratch me."

She growled and pulled away as she activated her Semblance. Adam's fist clenched shut as the shadow clone's hair evaporated between his fingers. Blake swung her cleaver outwards. The thick blade collided with Adam's sword. The crimson blade twirled around Blake's own. Blake pulled away and felt the air ripple in front of her as Adam's sword came millimeters from slicing her throat.

Blake lunged forward, a plan formulating in her head. She swung her cleaver in a wide arc. It was an obvious attack. One that Adam would have no problem blocking. It was exactly what she wanted.

She angled her cleaver so that it bounced off Adam's sword. He couldn't react in time. The cleaver slashed across his mask as he stumbled back and fell to one knee. Blake seized her chance and planted her foot on his propped knee, driving her other foot under his chin as she flipped backwards.

Blake landed on her feet. She looked back, seeing her katana laying a few feet away. She dived for it, her fingers grazing the familiar grip.

A white boot crushed her hand, forcing a pained cry from her lips. She looked up through squinted eyes to see a familiar multi-colored girl with her parasol leaning on her shoulder.

A distant crack echoed in the air. Neo snickered and spun out of the way as an explosive shell whizzed past her. In the distance, Blake heard Yang growl and run towards them. She snatched her katana and turned to face Adam only for Neo to appear beside him and place a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm giving you one last chance, Blake. For old time's sake. The Schnees are your real enemy, not me. The proof is all here. All you have to do is find it," Adam said. Yang ran up the platform and came to Blake's side, her hair burning and her eyes a fearsome red. Without warning, Yang charged them and slammed her fist into Neo's face. Her entire body shattered into pieces along with Adam.

Yang's punch threw her off balance. She stumbled and fell to her hands and knees, smashing her fist into the wooden floor, "DAMN IT!"

Blake frowned and looked back out over the crowds. A few Faunus were on the ground groaning in pain. The rest were backing away from them, fear written plainly on their faces.

Then Blake heard it, a series of rapid clicking noises behind her. She turned around and her eyes grew wide as she stared down a battalion of security droids. Their rifles were pointed right at her, their mechanical fingers pressed against the trigger. Blake reached up to the top of her head. Realization hit her immediately. Her cat ears were on full display and her weapons were still in her hands.

"Aggressive Faunus detected! Authorizing use of deadly force!"

A pair of arms wrapped around Blake's waist as she was tackled to the ground. A hailstorm of bullets tore apart the platform, sending splinters and hot lead in all directions. Blake didn't even realize Yang was holding her until she put her arms under her thighs and back and broke into a sprint towards a small building at the edge of the quarry.

Yang kicked the door open and slammed it shut behind her. The thick metals walls pinged as bullets ricocheted off its surface.

"That was a close one," Yang huffed. She took a few feet inside the small structure, making sure they were the only ones inside.

"U-Umm…Yang?" Blake said.

"Hmm?"

"You're still carrying me."

"Oh…that's fine with me," Yang said with a cheeky smirk. Blake glared at her. She fidgeted in Yang's arms until she rolled her eyes and set Blake down on her feet. She brushed the dirt and soot from her leggings and pressed her back against the cool steel door, "Well, so much for convincing them to cool down."

"Maybe we should contact Ruby. If it's gotten this bad, we might need a plan B," Blake suggested. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her scroll. Yang scoffed, pressing her ear against the door to listen for any more droids.

"Why give up? We can also knock some sense into them the old fashioned way," Yang said. Blake shook her head and raised her scroll to her ear as she looked around the room. Her entire body froze. Her eyes widened like saucers, "Come on, Blake. We don't have to go to plan B yet. Plan A is still good!"

"Yang…?" Blake said with her eyes fixed on the other end of the room. Yang pulled away from the door with a confused expression. She followed Blake's gaze and came face to face with a dozen assault rifles being pointed at them by SDC security guards.

"Yeah…?"

"I think we need a plan B."