Prologue: The Red Crow

"An unquenchable fire, burning deep down in every fiber of my being."

-Unknown

Blake Belladonna's thoughts became clouded as she looked at the warm amber sky that always seemed to exist in Forever Fall. She had been having...doubts, about her mission, her profession, her life as a whole. Her mind was a whirlwind of conflicted emotions as she stood on the proverbial fence about the most important decision of her life, leave the White Fang or stay.

The White Fang was once a noble and proud organization, steadfastly defending Faunus rights and seeking even more than they were allowed...but that eventually changed. Now instead of that beacon of hope they once were, they were terrorists, murderers and thieves; completely unworthy of their previous banner. The part that hurt the most was that it was actually working, faunus were gaining respect, though it was totally out of fear.

Blake legitimately couldn't sleep at night, she had seen some of her best friends maliciously murder innocent people without a second thought or even a shred of remorse. It was haunting. She had watched Adam, her best friend, mentor and first crush, murder innocents upon innocents...just to make a point.

Blake decided that this mission was the tipping point, there would be crew members on this train that they planned to rob, human crew members. If Adam let them go or even spared them she would stay...but if not…

Blake's eyes simply focused on the sky as she simply sighed. If Adam attempted to harm the crew members of the train, she would leave; never to be seen again. Dried leaves crunched as footfalls sounded behind her and Adam's voice was heard, "Blake. It's time."

Blake's mind rushed to the present and her thought returned to her current self as her golden eyes glanced over her shoulder at her bull Faunus partner, "Okay."

Blake and her partner began walking through the Forever Fall forest. It was a fairly simple mission, infiltrate the Schnee Dust Company's Dust transport train which was also transporting a number of passengers near the front of the train itself, destroy or avoid the robotic guards, plant only enough explosives to destroy the cars transporting Dust, then leave. This mission would deal a heavy blow to the SDC and hopefully would end without causalities.

Reddish leaves were crushed as the pair's footsteps increased in pace, moving from a walk to a jog then to a full on sprint, not wanting to miss their prime opportunity to gains access to the train. While the young cat Faunus appeared as stoic as usual, internally her mind was in chaos but whether it was just how strange this mission felt or her appending life changing decision was anyone's guess.

Eventually their running ceased and the pair looked down from a cliff bathed in red leaves to see the raised train where the SDC's transport train would pass through on it's way to Vale and their refinery. They waited just long enough for the passenger occupied section of the train passed before launching themselves off the edge and sliding down the steep cliff side. Wind whipped through their hair before the partners launched themselves off the cliff side, landing on the roof of the train and each jamming their weapons through the metal of the roof; not wanting the speed of the train to be the reason they were launched off.

Blake watched as Adam sliced off the lock to a ceiling hatch and turned to her before lifting the hatch. Blake nodded, signaling that she was ready to begin and Adam nodded back before flinging open the hatch and jumping down into the train car, Blake following not even a second after. The two White Fang agents landed on the metal floor of the train car with a soft thud but Blake's eyes widened as she noticed that something was wrong. Very wrong.

Blake stood and gazed around the train car to see absolute calamity, SDC Knights were scattered around the train car. All of which were beaten and sparking or simply on fire and ruined, their dark metal being cooked by the flames and becoming even darker. It was obvious that the attacker was long gone but Blake's eyes were instantly drawn to the tag on the door of the train car, it appeared to be a crow perched on something. Blake saw that the crimson colored paint was running, it hadn't been too long since the attacker had been through.

"Adam...I don't like this." Blake admitted to her partner as the bull faunus examined a specific Knight, the Knight had had it's own blade turned on it and was pinned to the wall of the train car. Adam watched as the robot attempted to pull it's own arm out of itself before simply cutting the Knight's head off.

"Stay focused. If we're lucky, whoever did this is much farther ahead than us and we can take them out with the train," Adam said before continuing through the train car, stopping to look at the tag on the car's door, "I've seen this before…"

"I thought it looked familiar too." Blake said as she and her partner exited the train car, now in the open air train car to see a familiar scene to the last car. SDC Knights beaten, battered and sparking as well as engulfed in flames. One particular Knight keep repeating the same message over and over again, "Identify yourself...identify yourself...identify yourself."

Blake withdrew Gambol Shroud quickly finished the robot off with a single shot. As Adam and Blake approached the next door, Blake looked down to see another red crow tag. Blake's mind stumbled, she had seen that tag somewhere before, she'd bet her life on it. Adam held an arm out, bringing Blake to a halt as he set a hand against the handle of Wilt and set his other hand against the door handle to the next train car. Blake realized he was preparing in case of a surprise attack and held Gambol Shroud at the ready and nodded at Adam.

Adam burst through the door, ready to do battle, to find that the train car was empty and dark illuminated by a single red light. Adam scanned the dark room once more before carefully stepping inside, moving to let Blake through before shutting the door behind them. Adam smiled maliciously as he quickly stepped forward and began planting the satchel charges, "Go to the next car. I'll plant the charges."

Blake's eye widened, he didn't care about the crew, he was going to murder them all without a second thought. Blake gulped, she had to ask, she had to know.

"What-"

Blake's sentence was interrupted as the train car shook from a nearby explosion, Adam shot up and immediately drew Wilt from Blush and shot forward, bursting through the door of the car and out into another open air car. Blake immediately followed and suppressed a gasp, a massive Spider Droid was in ruins. Many parts of it's armor was smashed in and fire seemed to dance around the droid's body, further destroying it.

Adam stepped onto the open air car and examined the droid, "Who the hell did this?"

"Moi."

Blake and Adam spun towards the car they had just exited from, weapons raised, to see...absolutely nothing. No one behind them and no one on top of the train car they just left.

"Ahem."

Blake and Adam spun around once again, weapons still raised to see a figure sitting amongst the wreckage of the Spider Droid while the flames of the droid simply danced and bended around him. He wore a long hooded red leather coat with fur and feathers around the edge of the hood and around the edge of the bottom of the coat, a black shirt that appeared to have body armor sewn into it, black pants that had angular, rectangular metal studs at the knees that were painted red, black boots, and a thin black and red pair of knuckle gloves. The next thing that drew in Blake's attention was his mask, a simple black Grimm mask with red markings. Like Adam's. The hood on his coat was pulled up but Blake could see his pale red bangs as well as a cocky smirk plastered on his face.

"Who are you?" Adam demanded as he held Wilt out, ready to destroy the interloper.

"Does the White Fang not watch the news? Read the paper," The figure asked as he stood up and hopped backwards off the droid. Blake prepared for a surprise attack but was surprised when the train suddenly turned and the droid's razed body tumbled off the train car, fully revealing the figure again, "Cause you see, kinda a big deal."

Blake knew that symbol was familiar, Corbeau Rouge. Corbeau Rouge had only just made himself known in Vale, quickly becoming known as one of Remnant's greatest mercenaries to date. He wasn't discriminate when it came to the manner of crime either, everything from stealing priceless artwork and gems to assassinations was his stomping ground. So Blake couldn't help wonder why he was on a train transporting Dust and...passengers. He had a target in his sights and that target was on this train.

"You're that mercenary...Corbeau Rouge." Blake muttered, not lowering Gambol Shroud as a look passed over Adam's face as he also realized who they in the presence of.

"A fan? A beautiful one at that. I must say i'm touched." Corbeau said, his smirk never faltering.

"Not hardl-" Blake began before she was cut off by Adam, who pushed her back slightly and, to Blake's utter astonishment, sheathed Wilt.

"Join us in our cause," Adam said as stepped towards the red clad merc, "You clearly show no love towards humans, join us and together we can change the world. Start a revolution."

"Why would I do that exactly?" Corbeau asked, his left hand descending into his pants pocket.

"We're both Faunus! We both want chan...ge." Adam said, trailing off as he realized something. Corbeau Rouge was laughing, howling even. The man leaned forward slightly and braced his elbows on his knees, still shaking from his laughter.

Blake and Adam's anger rose even more when Corbeau began clapping with every single pointed laugh. The man finally stopped and laughing and slid his left hand back into his pocket, "W-w-wait so what you're telling me is, the public thinks i'm a faunus?"

"You're not?" Adam asked, his hand wrapping around the handle of Wilt.

"Fraid not," Corbeau said as he withdrew his hand from his pocket and with it, a gunmetal gray flip lighter. Blake watched as Corbeau flicked open the lighter and a orange and blue flame flickered from the lighter, "I'm just here to do a job."

"And what's that?" Adam asked, clearly preparing for battle with the red clad mercenary.

"Not so sorry to say Adam," Corbeau said, smirking as he raised the lighter to eye level, "But you're the job."

Adam showed a hint of a reaction before a massive fire bolt shot from the lighter's flame, forcing the Faunus to dodge by separating. Adam charged Corbeau, whose gloves now seemed to be engulf in flames. Adam unleashed a flurry of strikes and to the bull Faunus' dismay, Corbeau dodged each one with one ease than the last. Adam swiped down, his blade making contact with the floor of the train car before Corbeau ran on the blade and delivered a vicious kick to Adam's skull before landing in front of Blake, his smirk still unwavering.

"Well hello there, I don't believe we've been formally introduced." Corbeau said, smirk still firmly planted on his face even as Blake slashed at him, which he dodged almost effortlessly.

"How bout dinner? Or if you're in the mood we could skip to dessert." Corbeau offered as he juked away from another set of slashed and launched a fire bolt from his still flame covered hand that Blake dodged with the assistance of her semblance.

"Or ya know, fuck each other senseless." Corbeau said as Blake rushed him. Blake loose another flurry of slashes that the mercenary either dodged or blocked with his gloves before Blake realized something, he was inside her guard. She slashed at the man in a panic but swung through midair due to Corbeau dropping to his knee and delivering a vicious blow to her own knee. As Blake began dropping to her own knee, she felt Corbeau's elbow smash into her jaw, sending her onto her back.

"I'll have to take a rain check my exotic beauty, I kinda have a job to do." Corbeau said as Blake began struggling to her feet, she was surprising disoriented and realised he must of had studs similar to the ones on his pants on the elbows of his shirt underneath his coat.

Adam rose and began firing at Corbeau but almost instantly give up as flames rose from the mercenary's hands and defended him by simply melted the bullets as Corbeau slowly walked forward, hands never even rising from his side.

Adam rushed forward with Wilt at terrifying speed and the two began to clash. After multiple traded blows, the two separated, seemingly ending their clash at a stalemate. Seemingly. Adam was breathing heavily and had multiple singes on his clothing and what looked to be a second degree burn on his left hand while the only change in Corbeau was that his smirk was missing.

Blake, now having gained her bearings, launched herself at Corbeau while Adam shouted at her, "Buy me time!"

"But-!"

"BUY ME TIME BLAKE!"

"So you're name is Blake? Such a beautiful name for a beautiful woman." Corbeau said suavely as Blake internal struggled with the fact that this mercenary who was trying to kill her partner was also flirting with her.

Blake swiped and slashed at Corbeau who simply dodged and blocked her attacks as if she was nothing before he fired a fire bolt at her, sending her flying back from the first hit. Blake climbed to her feet before advancing forward again only to hear Adam yell, "Ready!"

"Oh my I wonder what that could mean." Corbeau mused sarcastically as he fired another fire bolt at Blake, which she dodged with her semblance this time. The bolt flew through her shadow and right towards Adam, just like they planned. Adam quickly withdrew Wilt which absorbed the fire bolt and was quickly resheathed as Adam's crimson hair glowed slightly while Blake retreated further back, not wanting to be caught in the crossfire. Adam drew Wilt and swung the blade downwards, a slash made of fire charging towards Corbeau at blinding speed.

But Blake and Adam watched as the slash suddenly stopped and they remember just exactly what Corbeau Rouge was recorded to be able to do. Controlling all fire was on that list. The slash turned into two red and orange balls of flames that found a place in each of Corbeau's hands and as he began to pivot on his heel, Blake saw Adam quickly move in front of Blake. Blake didn't have time to react as Corbeau finish his spin and the two balls of flame rocketed towards Adam.

Blake felt the explosion, Adam took most of it but she still felt it. The impact hurt the most closely followed by the heat, oh god the heat hurt it it own different way though. It was almost like...the fire was alive and constantly attacking her. She felt the marrow of her bones nearly melt and then Blake realized something, if she was experiencing this agonizing pain...what was Adam feeling? Blake felt her body being blown backwards and slamming against the train car they had previously exited and groaned as Adam's body fell to the side while she fell directly onto her face.

Blake saw Corbeau's boots out of the corner of her eye and she had to muster up every ounce of strength in her being just to turn her head slightly and see Corbeau even better, his smirk was gone. She saw Corbeau reach down and pull Wilt and Blush from Adam's steaming hands, the man drew Wilt and slashed through the air once or twice, "Excellent craftsmanship."

Corbeau returned Wilt to Blush and Blake was forced to watch as he attached the weapon to his own belt. Blake watched as Corbeau's boots clicked against the train car as he began walking away, away from Blake. Blake knew she should have been silent but her pride and anger at the mercenary got the better of her.

"Give it back…" Blake attempted to scream in a raspy voice but broke out in a series of pitiful coughs before Corbeau spun on his heel and walked towards the ruined faunus.

While Corbeau approached, Blake's eyes widened as she looked at Adam. She couldn't tell skin from blood and what little she could tell was skin was burnt and cracked. His clothes were absolutely scorched off or fused with his very skin and his Grimm mask was tossed to the side, bloodstained and cracked. Her mentor, her friend, her partner was now a steaming pile of melted flesh and bone because of this heartless human mercenary.

"I should kill you. That would be the most sensible thing to do at least," Corbeau admitted in a soft, low voice, "But I want to see something, I want to see just to what lengths you'll go to to see me die. Granted it will never happen but i'll let you dream Kitty Cat."

Corbeau Rouge then disappeared from her sight with the last intact thing that reminded her of her partner. She was no longer confused about whether to stay or leave the White Fang, because she swore on Adam's grave that if she survived she would stay and hunt Corbeau Rouge until the day she died.

AN: And that's a wrap guys. Follow and favorite to stay up to date on the story and leave a review about the chapter. Stay cool everyone and live out loud.