A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing

Chapter 7

Later that night Jenni was standing in her tent pacing. What had happened with Roman left her confused, her head buzzed with thoughts, doubts, and worries and her stomach was in knots. "He can't like me. Can he? No he can't, he's human and I'm not....I mean I don't care but why would he like me? I mean he is handsome and he's really nice to me but am I really ready to have a boyfriend? What am I saying he probably was just asking to be my friend not my boyfriend. But I thought we were already friends. UGH!!!! Why does life suck?!!"

"Jenni?" Blake asked, walking into the tent.

Jenni jumped and turned to face the other girl, "Blake! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

Blake looked at her and blinked, "I just walked in here. I wasn't trying to sneak up on you. You're really jumpy are you ok?"

Jenni wrapped her arms around herself, "I'm fine. It's just.....what do you want?"

"Ilia and I were just about to go sit around and talk if you want to join us.

Jenni nodded and followed Blake out. A few minutes later she, Ilia, and Blake were sitting on the roof of a building not far from the camp.

"So what should we talk about?" Ilia asked.

"Well I do have a question for you Ilia," Blake said, "why did you join the White Fang?"

"For the same reason as you," she answered.

"But-," Blake began before stopping herself.

"Why fight when I pass for human?" The brunette finished.

"Pass for human?" Jenni thought, "what did that mean?" Jenni thought Ilia WAS human but that she had decided to aid the Faunus in their fight for equality.

Ilia went on to explain how she was raised just like a regular human girl and how she lived in Mantle with her parents who were dust miners. Then she explained how she went to an Atlas prep school and all the rules she had to follow in order to blend in. Jenni watched with curiously as the brunette's face fell.

"And the one day there was a cave-in at the mines. I was at school when the news broke. Apparently one of the workers tripped while handling some agitated dust crystals. The explosion caused a chain reaction....and my....friends....snickered."

Jenni's eyes widened, what Ilia had just said made the wolf Faunus remember something that had happened when she was younger.

Flashback

Jenni was seven years old and was sitting on the floor of her father's office while he talked with Mr. Schnee.

"It's your fault better safety precautions weren't added around the mines James!" Jacques Schnee yelled, "do you know how behind I'm going to be now?!"

"My fault?! You're the one in charge of the company and the mine. Don't you blame me for this. Besides one tunnel closing is only a minor setback you're blowing this out of proportion!" Ironwood fired back. 

"Minor?! Do you know how long it's going to take the workers to fix the tunnel and how long it'll take to find replacement workers?!" Jacques yelled. 

"There are plenty of Faunus in Atlas looking for work. It won't take you long at all but I have to say I don't like you blaming me for something that was clearly an accident Jacques." Ironwood yelled.

Jacques growled then walked out, slamming the door as he did so.

"Daddy?" Jenni asked looking up at her father, "did something happen? Why are you in trouble?"

Ironwood sighed and picked Jenni up and sat her in his lap, "I'm not in trouble Jennifer. Mr. Schnee just had an accident in one of his mines and blamed me for it."

"What happened?" Jenni asked.

"There was a cave-in at the mine and it killed all the Faunus who were workers inside."

Jenni looked down, "Faunus like me?"

Ironwood nodded, "don't worry the mines will reopen soon. Now why don't you go upstairs."

Jenni nodded then ran up to her room and shut the door before sliding to the floor and sobbing."

End of Flashback

Jenni felt two tears slide down her face and she quickly wipes them away.

"You ok Jenni?" Ilia asked.

Jenni looked up at her friend and immediately gasped. Every inch of Ilia's skin was bright red and her hair and the freckles on her body were bright yellow.

"You're a chameleon Faunus?" Jenni asked.

Ilia nodded, "my skin changes color based on my emotions. But seriously are you ok?"

Jenni nodded and Ilia sat down while her skin and hair returned to its normal color.

"What about you?" Ilia asked, "why are you here?"

Jenni looked down, "much like you I was told to hide my Faunus traits and to blend in with the humans. Except it's not because I was trying to avoid discrimination, it's because my family, my father and sisters, are human. I was always overlooked because I was different. When I was out with my family or whenever my dad had guests over I had to hide my fangs and I was never even allowed to talk to the other Faunus. I was always good to keep how I felt inside but one day my father brought home a new servant girl. He beat her and abused her and forbid my sisters and me from talking to her but I would always sneak down at night to the basement where she was so I could talk to her. She had been through some terrible things in her life and I knew I had to save her. One day she accidentally knocked my father out with her semblance and I helped her escape before he woke up, that was also the day I ran away. I just hope she's ok. So that's why I'm here, to help people like me and her."

"I'm sorry," Blake said.

Jenni sniffed, "if you don't mind I think I'm going to go back to the tent."

She climbed down off the building and walked back to her tent before laying down on her bed, "Cinder I don't know where you are but I promise I'll find you."