Chapter 60. Resolve

I woke up feeling something cold and sharp, pointed at my neck. I saw Rory looking at me with a smile that didn't reach her eyes as she said.

Rory: So... Give me one good reason why I shouldn't make your morning a nightmare.

As her dagger made of ice poked my aura protected neck I quirked an eyebrow and asked.

Silva: Just one?

She deadpanned a response.

Rory: Make that 2...

I shrugged and put my hands behind my head not worried and told her.

Silva: First off you deserved it for going behind my back with Winter and secondly, don't you want breakfast first...

She gave me a hard look then sighed making the dagger of ice turn to ice powder. She laid on top of me with her breasts pressing against my chest and looked me exasperated. She then said with a look that was a mixture of amusement and annoyance.

Rory: Keep giving me reasons, as to why I shouldn't make this morning unpleasant.

I felt that today was going to be a long day. I then told Rory.

Silva: If you didn't want to share you could have given up on me but you wouldn't, would you.

Rory shook her head side to side in denial and replied.

Rory: My family tradition is to find a worthy mate to continue producing strong heiresses for the Eis family. This tradition helped made the Eis family reach the top of Atlas back when it was the kingdom of Mantle that was just formed. The family founder started this to ensure the survival of her bloodline throughout the ages regardless of what comes.

I gave Rory my undivided attention at her sudden history lesson because it seemed important to her.

Rory: The Eis family has always produced women and there has never been a male in the line. Due to this women have always been in charge of the household and the men were thoroughly dominated to ensure it stayed that way regardless of their strength. We Eis women always get our way no matter what method we have to use...

Rory started an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes then continued.

Rory: Silva I chose you regardless of the fact you're a Faunus or you almost literally showed up out of nowhere because you are the only one to ever defeat me not only in combat but in spirit as well. So I never give up on you no matter what, so while you may have more than one woman in your heart I will not share you any more than necessary if I can help it because I will make you mine.

Rory leaned in close and kissed me. I then grabbed her and pinned her then said.

Silva: Rory, I am greedy, selfish, and prideful so I will not become purely yours. I throw your own words back at you, I will make you mine...

Rory wrapped her arms around my neck and smirked then said.

Rory: I must admit, I do like your dominant side and I looked forward to our, shall we say, game of who comes out on top. However, don't expect me to like any of the girls you pick for your harem, you naughty thing.

I just shrugged and got out of bed then made breakfast for both of us. Rory stayed and joined me then was surprised that I was a fairly good cook. After breakfast, I ask her.

Silva: Rory, is there any way for me to own some property up in Atlas?

Rory: Why do you ask?

I told her my reasoning.

Silva: Well, most of the people I know live up in Atlas, and I already have my eyes on a property here in Mantle that I going to buy. I also copied a semblance that lets me bond with places and creates a portal to them, ignoring distance altogether.

Rory looked at me with interest and asked curiously.

Rory: How many places do you have across Remnant?

Silva: Well, I do have a place at Mistral, the Menagerie, and I plan to have a place at both here and Vale.

Rory held her chin for a few moments with a thinking look and said.

Rory: Well... There might be one place you might be able to get up in Atlas despite you being a Faunus but I will need to call in a few favors.

Silva: My home up in Atlas will also be your home and I will give a copy of the keys to it.

Rory smiled and said.

Rory: Deal.

Rory walked off and I got ready to head to Pietro's clinic to continue our work on Lucifer's body. It didn't take me long to reach the clinic and I knocked on the door. Penny answered the door and greeted me.

Penny: Salutations, Silva you're looking well this morning.

I smiled then replied.

Silva: Thanks Penny and you're looking nice as well. Is your father awake?

Penny: He is waiting for his coffee to start his day.

I nodded and Penny let me in as I waited for Pietro. He showed half an hour later and then greeted me.

Pietro: Morning Silva, are you ready to continue our project?

I nodded and we got straight to work aside from Pietro helping out the occasional patient we didn't leave the lab for most of the day. This continued for a few more weeks until it was time for that operation with the White Fang with Penny.

I put on a solid black outfit that covered every inch of my body that was layered with combat armor. I had on a smooth black featureless helmet that covered my entire face and tiger ears to hide my identity. I also went the extra mile and made a new weapon in the form of large shield-like gauntlets with 3 claws attached to both of my arms.

For Penny, I gave her a similar to my own and gave her a sniper rifle for her to use to blood her if she could resolve herself to kill. Part of me does not want her to experience killing. However, this is a dangerous world where the only enemy is not just the creatures of Grimm but monsters garb in the appearance of people that only care for their desires regardless of how they acquire it.

We went to the meet-up point near the western coast of Solitas as we head there on my summon Skyfire Penny asked me.

Penny: Silva... Is there no other way to help the Faunus then by killing the slavers?

I smiled behind my mask at Penny showing doubt because that means she is thinking about the consequences of these actions instead of just jumping right in headfirst. I asked Penny a question in return.

Silva: Penny, what would happen if we just captured the slavers and turn them over to the proper authorities?

Penny replied after a minute or 2 of thinking.

Penny: They would be sent to jail.

I gave her some additional reasoning.

Silva: That is one possibility however they need to be convicted in a court of law to be sent to jail, and how does that process work?

Penny replied after a few moments.

Penny: First is an arrest, then gathering of evidence, followed by arranging, if enough evidence is gathered then, a date for the trial to start. After that, the criminal is persecuted by the law then the judge decides his sentence if the jury finds him guilty.

While simplified it is somewhat accurate so I then pointed out a variable that she didn't see.

Silva: Now Penny let me ask you this, who is buying Faunus slaves on the sly?

She replied simply.

Penny: A criminal.

Silva: Yes, but what kind of criminal?

Penny replied after thinking a bit.

Penny: A wealthy criminal?

Silva: In part but also a criminal that likely influences the council to some degree on laws and such.

Penny tilted her head slightly in confusion and I gave a bit more food for thought.

Silva: Penny, does any criminal want to be caught if they can control it?

Penny: No...

I continue to give her information does that she reaches her conclusions on her own.

Silva: Penny, do you think that those criminals can be convicted by ordinary means if they can make any of those processes stop by exerting their influence?

Penny kept a stunned silence as I continued.

Silva: Penny, no system of law is perfect, and with Atlas being the way it is with its Faunus bigotry and human supremacy how do you think this Faunus slave ring started?

Penny answer me in shock.

Penny: It was allowed in the first place!?

Silva: Unfortunately, yes because to most people in Atlas especially the so-called upper echelon they view Faunus as animals in almost every aspect.

Penny processed that information for several minutes then asked.

Penny: What do we do Silva if things are like that?

I sighed and told her my thoughts on the matter.

Silva: You can't just make hate and discrimination disappear at least not instantly. It takes time, time that no one will see in their lifetime which makes people impatient for results thus the current White Fang is born. Which is a terrorist cell that attacks any who discriminate against the Faunus...

Penny: Is there nothing else we can do?

I sighed and answered honestly.

Silva: I am not sure Penny, I just don't know for sure after all this problem confounds even the brightest of minds of the world.

We stayed silent throughout the rest of the trip to the meeting point and in a couple of hours we arrived. I was surprised that Sienna was the one meeting us instead of someone else lower on the ladder.

Silva: I wasn't expecting you to meet us personally Sienna.

Sienna looked at Penny behind me and asked aggressively.

Sienna: Who is she?

Silva: A friend not only to me but to Faunus as well. Putting that aside did you hold up your end of the deal and take off the targets on the Schnee girls and Rory Eis?

I looked through her mind to make sure she did and found she upheld her end so I will do my part.

Sienna: Yes, and thankfully it was not hard to persuade the others to put more men on the mission to assassinate Jacques Schnee.

Knowing him he will most likely still get away with his life but I still have the link to him through Kindred Link so I can end him when it is convenient for me. I and Penny followed Sienna to the hidden camp just a way off from the hidden dock that ships the Faunus slaves to and from Atlas. I was surprised to see Blake here and I took out some letters that Ghira and Kali made for me to give to her if I run into her.

Silva: Are you, Blake Belladonna?

She looked surprised as she hesitantly replied.

Blake: Yes... And you are?

Her outfit was the same as the one in Volume 1-3 I noted except no bow to hide her cat ears. I replied with a smile hidden by my helmet.

Silva: A friend of your parents.

I gave her the letters as she carefully took them and looked them over. A look of realization appeared on her face as she noticed that the handwriting is indeed her parents. She put them away even though she looked like she wanted to read them and said to me.

Blake: Thank you...

I shrugged and left to meet Sienna. I was surprised again seeing Adam Taurus here instead of one of the assassination units. He looked towards me and demanded Sienna.

Adam: High Leader, who are they?

Sienna glared at Adam and replied.

Sienna: An ally that will help make this operation go smoother, Adam.

Adam kept to himself in brooding silence as Sienna introduced me and Penny.

Sienna: I'm sure many of you are wondering why there were sudden changes in the plans and this is due to our allies here providing certain information to us.

The White Fang commanders started to murmur amongst themselves and one of them asked.

WF Commander: Why are they hiding their identity if their allies?

Before Sienna could reply I answered.

Silva: That is none of your concern...

This aggravated them and another said.

WF Commander: Why you!

Before they could say anything against me I flooded the tent with my aura shutting them up and told them.

Silva: I am helping you because it suits me at this moment but make no mistake I do not approve of the White Fang, becoming a bunch of terrorists or that your actions, in the end, do more harm than good by letting your hate rule you.

They bristled in fury by kept silent as they were pressured by my aura and I continued.

Silva: You may ask what do I know about the suffering of some Faunus but let me ask you this have you heard of the Cult of the Brothers?

Sienna asked surprised.

Sienna: You have seen them before?

Silva: And I saw what they did to the Faunus... They broke them through drugs making them into mindless puppets and used for labor and pleasure. The damage the drugs did to the Faunus was permanent with no hope of them having normal lives ever again...

I pulled back my aura and the White Fang kept silent as I continued.

Silva: I did the one thing that would be mercy not only them but to their loved ones... I killed them. So before you say anything let me tell you I am a Faunus as well and when I imagined my loved ones in that situation. I felt that death would be preferred over that husk of life so I took manners into my own hands. You call me selfish or a monster but let me ask you this if you keep on escalating what is stopping you from doing the same as the cult.

You may hate humans but what is to stop you from committing the same actions as them or even worse actions? You want to hate then hate but do not let hate rule you or drag others down with you.

I left the tent with Penny following behind me and she asked me.

Penny: Is what you said true?

I just nodded not wanting to speak on the matter anymore and asked me a different question.

Penny: Was there nothing you could do for the cult's victims?

I shook my head side to side and told her.

Silva: Penny one of the hardest things to do is accept that you can't save everyone regardless of how capable you are.

I found me a spot to sit down as I used Echo Tremor to make a mental map of the hidden docks of the slavers. Penny kept me company as I focus my thoughts and magic to increase the range of my sonar. Sienna walked in front of me and sits across from me and I ignore her. After a few moments, she told me.

Sienna: That little... stunt of your rattled my commanders down to the bone and now they are arguing amongst themselves about what do from now on. Half want to moderate the White Fang's actions after this operation to prevent the organization from going overboard and the other half want utterly destroy the humans altogether.

She sighed looking tired and I told her.

Silva: If that extremist faction touch anyone I care about human or Faunus I will destroy the White Fang down to the last man, woman, and child.

Sienna looked at me with a serious look and replied.

Sienna: I believe you...

I then told her what I found out about the dock.

Silva: There is a hidden path into the bay north-east from here and they also have a large shipment of weapons there as well along the captured Faunus.

Sienna looked at me with her eyes wide and asked.

Sienna: How certain are you of this information?

Silva: Dead certain...