Cherreads

Chapter 1 - Scarlet 1

Normally, parents would want their children to move on and be more independent. My parents were not what you would call normal. Firstly, my Mama is a vampire bat Faunus that was trained to be a Huntress at Beacon Academy. My Papa on the other hand, is a human that also went to Beacon Academy. He's a typical father that has a wife and a daughter. Overly protective. One time, when someone broke into the store, I managed to work out where the disturbance originated from and tried to tackle the intruder. Papa, however, didn't want Mama or me to get involved. He instead took care of the problem himself.

After this little incident, Papa said that he couldn't always protect Mama and I all the time, so he decided to further my training that I already had years ago. He led me out of the way of Mama after the bakery had closed. He said that based on my height, I should use a weapon that is taller than me. That was when he gave me what felt like a wooden pole. Papa corrected me and said that it's a practice bow. Papa had prepared a couple of stuffed dummies for me to practise on. Mama didn't want me to train because any opponent I came up against would capitalize on my blindness. That was when Papa said that I will work on my senses as well as my combat skills. This way I won't be at a disadvantage against anyone. When I could train after work hours had ended, I unbind my bat wings so I could freely move around. With Papa's instructions, I would attack the stuffed dummies.

During the day and work times however, I help Mama and Papa with the Bakery. Mama and Papa have been baking bread since they both retired from being a Huntsman and Huntress. Papa bakes the bread in the bakery in the back of the store away from the customers, while Mama works at the store and sells our bread to our customers that come by daily. We might not get a lot of people to stop by, but those that do are loyal customers. My job is to greet the customers and fetch the baked bread from Papa and hand it to Mama so it is fresh and ready for our customers, while wearing my pink hooded cloak.

Thankfully, it hides my bat ears and from unfamiliar body signals. Not so much for my bat wings though, because they stick out from my cloak. That was when Mama said that I should bind my bat wings underneath it. I was a bit uncomfortable at first... but Papa said that other people will take advantage of me, so I had to deal with the pain until it was time to close shop.

***

Mama and Papa didn't used to make bread for people. Before I was born and after they retired from being Huntsman and Huntress, Mama and Papa were in the White Fang when they were a Peaceful Movement for all Faunus and under the leadership of Ghira Belladonna and his wife Kali Belladonna. It had been a year since Mama and Papa had joined the White Fang, when Mama gave birth to me. Mama told me, she was overjoyed when she found out she was pregnant. However, when I was born they found out that I took after Mama's Faunus heritage but I was also blind. Mama and Papa were a bit worried at my lack of eyesight, but I had to learn to adapt.

During my time in the White Fang, some of our older 'Brothers' and 'Sisters' started my training, when they thought I was ready. This training mostly consisted of self-defence and offence; However, our training would only be used on defeating Grimm and not used on Humans or other Faunus. Other than living with my blindness, life in the White Fang was great until it was time for feeding. Because of our vampirism trait, Papa would have to offer himself as... a food source for Mama and me. We both were a little worried about it at first because we didn't want to harm Papa. He however, told us that he could handle it. While Mama nodded her head, and started to feed on Papa, I was still a bit scared about hurting Papa. However, after being comforted by my close friend Blake Belladonna, the White Fang leader's daughter; I agreed to feed on Papa.

Blake was never afraid of mine and Mama's 'unique' way of feeding, so we naturally grew closer together as close friends, even though Blake is several years older than me, just like another individual called Adam. He was dead set against having Mama, Papa and I in the White Fang. He proposed to Ghira and Kali Belladonna that Mama and I were the cause of dwindling resources and that Papa was not a Faunus, but a human so he had no right to be with the White Fang, my blindness didn't help the situation either. Thankfully, Ghira Belladonna didn't listen to him. He dismissed this as he said "Adam's pride was getting in the way of what is right. If we are to live peacefully and equally with the human population, he would need to learn how to live with them." Adam didn't take too kindly to this as he stormed off with 'Wilt and Blush' grasped tightly in his hand.

But, in five short years after that the White Fang evolved from peaceful, nonviolent protests, into a more aggressive and violent direction. Mama, Papa and I didn't want to be part of it so, when Ghira and Kali Belladonna stepped down, we all left after my 13th Birthday. Before we officially left the White Fang however, I had one assignment that I had to complete, and with Adam there as my 'assistance' on the mission. This mission was on a need to know basis, so Adam didn't tell what it was. Not until we both got to the destination in Atlas. I was told by Adam to assassinate one of the Board of Directors of the Schnee Dust Company. I knew that the Schnee Dust Company uses other Faunus as slave labour, but this is a step too far. Adam handed me, what felt like a sniper rifle as he drew Wilt and Blush. I immediately refused to carry this out, stating that I would do anything for the White Fang... but not Murder. He slapped me in the face and pulled on my ears and sternly said, "Times had changed!" He told me that if I didn't do this then he would kill Mama and Papa. Having no choice in the matter, I picked up the sniper rifle and positioned myself. He gave me instructions of how far he or she is away from me as he pointed Wilt and Brush at my back. I had no choice but to do it. I'm sorry. I pulled the trigger on the rifle as I heard an audible 'Thunk', as I heard the bullet connect to my target. We both left the scene and headed back to the White Fang. After that Mission, I went straight to my parents and cried into Papa's arms.

I told them everything about the Mission... What I did... What Adam made me do.

The very next day, we all left without anyone from the White Fang knowing. Mama and Papa eventually convinced Ghira and Kali to leave with us. We met them at an airship early in the morning, however Blake refused to leave the White Fang, stating that what the White Fang is doing is necessary for Faunus's voice to be heard. Ghira offered us a place at Menagerie, a peaceful Faunus colony; Papa and Mama however, refused. Papa said that we should find our own way in the world. Ghira Belladonna reluctantly agreed so we headed to Vale. This was where Mama and Papa came up with the idea of setting up a bakery.

More Chapters