RWBY: Black Cat

Chapter Nine

I've been listening to the score for Episode 13 - Forever Fall Part One. It's so pretty!

***

"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather is one of those things that give value to survival."

- C. S. Lewis

Neo strode silently through the corridors of Beacon, looking on the doors of room after room for the name "Glynda Goodwitch".

She hadn't thought about team ANGL for a long time. She knew what Adam was doing now, (she mentally spat the name, fury turning her eyes a hot white for a moment,) and Raven had told her the full story about him and Leif and the FRR. It had taken a while to get her head around the fact that Leif founded the White Fang. But in the end, it had made sense. Raven had explained a few months ago, when they started discussing to meet up about everything that had happened.

The White Fang was often described as a once peaceful organization. Leif had led the way through that period of peace, she supposed. The protests, the rallies...she remembered them well. She had been a simple bystander. Now she'd become used to the idea, it was easy to imagine Leif and Adam, partners in leading a noble White Fang, working towards equality.

But the discrimination hadn't stopped. Adam had become more and more agitated, and when Leif conceded that protests could only get them so far, he handed the organization over to him. Adam turned it into an army, with warlike and criminal intent. He and Leif had argued, then Leif left, saying that this was not the organization he created, though, Raven said, he was still loyal to Adam, deep down, but not the rest of the White Fang.

She sighed, deciding to pause her search, sitting down, putting her back against the door of a lecture theater. She sometimes wondered what things would have been like if team ANGL had stayed together. It was a shame. They'd been so close, until that day in 4th year. Adam hadn't let his ambition get the better of him.

She didn't like to think about what had happened. Adam had nearly killed Raven. It was meant to be a practice bout. They were in fourth year, all between twenty and twenty two - Neo had been a little younger than the rest of her team, Glynda a little older. Ozpin had assumed them responsible enough to fight unsupervised.

Stupid Ozpin.

Adam had gone too far. His semblance, even after four years, was uncontrollable. He had a handle on it now, but back then, it was activated by emotion - anger - rather than reason. Neo wasn't sure what Raven had said to make him so mad - it was something bad enough that she had forgiven him for it. But Neo couldn't forgive him for nearly killing her. Her aura had dropped to zero - Glynda had found them just as it happened, and just, only just managed to heal her.

The mute huntress was still mad. She always would be. Adam had begged for her to forgive him, being his partner, but Neo wouldn't listen. Actions speak larger than words. That was the principle she lived by now, and after deciding she wouldn't speak to Adam, she quickly decided that she would communicate with actions alone.

"I hope you're happy."

Neo looked up, surprised, as she saw Glynda's silhouette at the end of the dimly lit corridor. She had been so lost in her own thoughts she hadn't heard the familiar sound of those heeled shoes on the hard floor. Glynda's eyes were hard, narrowed, and glinting with fury and curiosity. Neo swallowed, and got to her feet, cursing silently as she stumbled. She had pins and needles in one leg. She looked at Glynda, unsure of what she wanted to say, in her own way.

"What are you doing here?"

Neo gestured to the uppermost tower. I need talk to Ozpin.

Glynda paused. "You didn't go straight there."