Ruby sighed deeply as she walked through the bustling streets of Vale, her mind weighed down by the growing concerns about Kate. Ever since her new friend had vanished from Team CAKK after learning about the White Fang's dust store robberies, Ruby had been worried sick. She wasn't sure where her friend had gone, but she had a sinking feeling that it was something dangerous.
Now, to make matters worse, Yang had left with their kids leaving her to take care of her new... friend.
Penny. The eccentric but lovable girl was walking beside her, staring curiously at everything around them. Ruby wasn't sure if Penny fully understood the gravity of the situation, and it wasn't exactly easy to explain to someone like her.
"So, let me understand this better, friend Ruby."
Penny began in her usual cheerful tone.
"You're upset because your friend Kate disappeared after finding out about the White Fang stealing dust?"
"Yeah... pretty much."
Ruby sighed again, feeling the weight of it all.
"I just don't get it. She could've come to her team, or to us, her friends. But instead, she just took off without saying a word."
Penny tilted her head.
"But friend Ruby, isn't it understandable? If the White Fang is involved, she might feel personally connected or... even angry?"
Ruby stopped in her tracks, looking at Penny with surprise. For someone who often seemed so innocent and clueless, Penny was remarkably perceptive when it came to emotions.
She had a point. Kate had always had strong feelings about the White Fang. Her brother had been caught up in their conflict, and it had left her with scars that Ruby could fully comprehend.
"Yeah, you're right."
Ruby admitted softly.
"Kate's had a hard time dealing with the White Fang. I just wish she would've trusted us enough to let us help her."
Penny nodded enthusiastically.
"I can help you look for her, friend Ruby! That's what friends are for, right?"
Ruby smiled at Penny's boundless energy, grateful for her company.
"Thanks, Penny. We could really use more people to help us search, though. This city's huge, and I have no idea where Kate might have gone."
As they walked, Penny suddenly pointed toward a nearby pharmacy.
"What about asking her for help?"
Ruby followed Penny's finger, her silver eyes widening when she saw a familiar face from her harem, leaving the shop. A fox-eared faunus with a stern but caring expression—it was Nurse Tsune, Beacon Academy's school nurse.
"Nurse Tsune!"
Ruby called, her semblance kicking in as she zipped over to the faunus with a trail of rose petals behind her.
Tsune flinched slightly but quickly composed herself, recognizing Ruby.
"Ruby? What's going on?"
"We need your help!"
Ruby blurted out, not wasting any time.
"It's Kate. She disappeared, and we think she's going after the White Fang. I don't know what she's planning, but it can't be good!"
Tsune's golden eyes narrowed with concern as she processed the information.
"The White Fang, huh? That girl always did have a vendetta against them. Alright, I'll help you find her. But it sounds like she's already made up her mind."
Ruby nodded, her expression serious.
"Yeah, but if we can talk to her, maybe we can stop her from doing something she'll regret."
Penny, who had caught up with them, smiled brightly.
"Oh, I'm so happy you're joining us, Miss Tsune! This is going to be Sensat-! No. Double sensational! Two friends in one day! I am, as they say, on a roll!"
Tsune raised an eyebrow at Penny's enthusiasm but nodded.
"Sure... let's call it that. Now, where do we start?"
"The last place we think she might have gone is the docks."
Ruby said.
"There have been rumors about White Fang activity there. It's our best lead."
"Alright then, let's move quickly."
Tsune said, taking charge as the three of them made their way toward the docks.
As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the city, Ruby's anxiety grew. She could only hope they'd find Kate before it was too late
"We might need to call this off Ruby..."
The older woman sighed, making Ruby shake her head angrily.
"We can't just leave her out there!"
Ruby exclaimed, her voice tinged with frustration and worry.
"What if something happens to her? What if she's hurt or... worse? We have to keep looking!"
The older woman, Tsune, glanced at the darkening sky.
"I understand how you feel, Ruby, but it's getting late. Searching the streets of Vale in the dark is dangerous for anyone, even Huntresses. Kate might not want to be found right now."
"But... what if she's in trouble?"
Ruby pleaded, her silver eyes filled with determination.
"We can't just give up."
Penny, standing quietly beside them, nodded in agreement.
"Friend Ruby is right. Kate is important to her, and therefore important to us. We should keep trying."
Tsune sighed again, clearly torn between her practical concerns and Ruby's insistence.
"We just need a sign..."
Ruby muttered under her breath, almost like a wish.
As if on cue, a loud explosion echoed in the distance, followed by a plume of thick, dark smoke rising into the sky. All three of them turned toward the docks, eyes wide with surprise.
"That... that's an explosion."
Penny said, stating the obvious.
"More like a sign."
Tsune remarked dryly, glancing over at Ruby.
"Looks like you got what you wished for."
Ruby's eyes filled with a mix of urgency and hope.
"It's gotta be Kate! We need to get over there now!"
Without waiting for a response, she darted forward, her red cloak billowing behind her.
Penny followed immediately, with Tsune bringing up the rear, her fox ears twitching at the growing sounds of chaos coming from the docks.
The explosion echoed through the warehouse docks, shaking the walls and causing dust to fall from the rafters. Shizuo Heiwajima stood in the midst of the chaos, his eyes narrowing as White Fang members rushed toward him.
His inhuman strength was on full display, but even with that, he made sure to control his blows on the human goons, sending only the attacking White Fang members flying through the air not caring if he permanently crippled them. He needed to maintain some semblance of balance, ensuring that Roman and his crew had what they needed and could still escape.
The White Fang members were relentless, their masked faces filled with determination. Some brandished crude weapons, others held firearms, but none of it fazed Shizuo. With a swift movement, he grabbed the nearest attacker by the collar, effortlessly tossing him over his shoulder into a nearby crate. The man crashed through the wood, groaning, but quickly scrambled to his feet, dazed but still capable of fleeing.
"Why are there always more of them?"
Shizuo muttered, dodging another swing as he grabbed the next White Fang member and flung him skyward like a ragdoll.
Nearby, Sun Wukong fought with his staff, nimbly dodging the strikes of White Fang members while Kate used her agility with her Sniper Glaive to hold her own, her sharp reflexes showed no mercy as she went for vital spots on White Fang members only. The battle was intense, but the two of them weren't aware of the bigger picture Shizuo was managing.
Roman, as always, kept himself at a distance, watching the fight with a cocky grin on his face as he twirled his cane. Shizuo shot him a quick glance, silently signaling the criminal to keep the act up, to make sure the heist went off without a hitch. Roman winked in response, knowing exactly what was at stake.
Sun glanced over at Shizuo between his own fights, clearly impressed.
"Man, you're tearing through these guys! How are you not breaking them in half?"
Shizuo grunted, effortlessly tossing another White Fang member into a stack of crates.
"I'm holding back."
"You call that holding back?"
Sun exclaimed, parrying a blow with his staff and knocking his opponent out cold with a quick strike.
Shizuo didn't respond, focusing instead on making sure the White Fang were still able to retreat once their morale broke. Roman's heist was close to being complete, and the last thing he needed was for Sun and Kate to turn their attention to him.
As the fight raged on, Shizuo caught sight of Kate moving toward Roman, her face filled with suspicion. She had seen too much, piecing together that the gentleman thief wasn't as involved in the battle as he should've been.
"No, no, no."
Shizuo muttered under his breath, knowing he had to act quickly before she confronted him. With a powerful leap, he placed himself between Kate and Roman, blocking her path.
"Not so fast, Kate."
Shizuo said, his tone steady but firm.
"I told you—we're here to gather information, not take Roman down."
Kate glared at him, frustration bubbling in her eyes.
"He's right there, Shizuo! We can stop him now!"
"Trust me."
Shizuo said, his voice low.
"Now's not the time. We've got bigger problems."
Before she could argue, another explosion sounded off, this time from the far side of the warehouse.
Ruby's heart pounded in her chest as she stared at the scene unfolding before her. Tsune, who had just protected her from an attack blast, was now standing perfectly fine, her burnt nurse outfit the only sign that she had just been on the verge of death. The air was thick with tension as she processed Shizuo's sudden and brutal intervention.
"Tsune…"
Ruby breathed in relief, her mind still reeling from how close she'd come to losing her. Tsune's semblance, Thou Shalt Not Die, had saved her life, but Ruby still felt the weight of guilt for putting her in harm's way.
Tsune cracked her neck, rolling her shoulders as if the blast had been nothing more than an inconvenience.
"Oh, hi, Red."
She greeted casually, despite the fact that her clothes were singed and her hair was a little out of place.
"Nice job there, by the way. Really impressed me."
Her tone was sarcastic, but Ruby could hear the edge in her voice.
Ruby opened her mouth to reply, but before she could, Shizuo moved like lightning.
In an instant, Shizuo had Roman Torchwick in a chokehold, one arm wrapped tightly around his neck while the sharp fingers of his Gilgamesh gauntlet hovered dangerously close to Roman's throat. The criminal's usual smirk was gone, replaced by a look of sheer disbelief and frustration.
"Oh, what the...?"
Roman muttered, his voice laced with irritation.
"Oh, for fuck's sake."
Shizuo tightened his grip slightly, his voice dripping with dark humor.
"Nobody move."
He warned, his tone casual yet deadly.
"I have your boss as a hostage, and he's a ginger. So, if he dies, there's no afterlife for him. You know... no soul, no afterlife."
Roman groaned in exasperation, his orange eyes rolling.
"Really? Is that the best you've got? Ginger jokes? I'm being held hostage by a guy who makes ginger jokes…"
Ruby couldn't help but feel torn between the absurdity of the situation and the deadly seriousness of it. She glanced at Penny, who stood beside her with wide eyes, and then back at Tsune, who seemed more amused than concerned.
RACE: Lion Faunus
NAME: Shizuo Heiwajima
Semblance: Energy Absorption
LEVEL: A Rank
Aura: A- Rank
Vitality: A- Rank
Endurance: A- Rank
Strength: S- Rank
Dexterity: A- Rank
Perception: A- Rank
Skill: A- Rank
Charisma: A- Rank
Libido: A+ Rank
Virility: B Rank