Flashback: Years Before Beacon

The streets of Mistral were abuzz with activity as a crowd gathered for a protest. The White Fang, before it became the feared terrorist organization it was known as today, was conducting a peaceful protest. Their banners carried slogans about Faunus rights, equality, and justice—messages for a better world for both Faunus and humans alike.

Among the gathered crowd was an eight-year-old Strikerz, watching the protest with casual interest. The young boy had always been sharp, his mismatched eyes scanning everything around him. He didn't have an issue with the protest; to him, the idea of humans and Faunus being different was absurd. As far as he could tell, Faunus were just people with cool animal features. They had ears, tails, claws, but at the end of the day, they were still just people.

Strikerz, ever the curious type, maneuvered through the crowd, making his way closer to the action. As he watched the Faunus chant, he noticed something interesting—a young girl about his age, her hair tied in a bow, peeking around nervously before her eyes fell on him. The girl looked intrigued, as if she wanted to say something but was hesitant.

Before Strikerz could even think twice, she rushed over to him, her bright golden eyes filled with curiosity. She stopped right in front of him, her expression shifting from nervousness to determination.

"Hey, you!" she said, her voice assertive for a girl of her age.

Strikerz blinked, surprised at the sudden confrontation. "Uh, yeah? What's up?"

Blake's eyes seemed to search him for something as she asked, "What do you think of Faunus?"

The question took Strikerz off guard, but not in a bad way. He tilted his head, a thoughtful look crossing his young face. "I mean... what's there to think? You guys are like humans, but with extra cool stuff. Like those ears—" He gestured at her head.

Blake looked confused. "Ears?" She blinked, then realized her bow had shifted slightly, revealing her cat ears. A blush crept up her face as she quickly adjusted the bow.

Strikerz, however, was already fascinated. He reached out before Blake could react and gently touched one of her ears."W-Wait, what are you—"

But Strikerz was already rubbing her ears, his eyes lighting up like he had found the coolest thing in the world. "Whoa, these are so soft!"

Blake stood frozen, her blush deepening as Strikerz continued to pet her ears. The sensation was strange—no one had ever dared to touch her ears like this, especially not some human kid she barely knew. And yet, there was something oddly pleasant about it. Her eyes softened, and she let out an involuntary purr.

Strikerz, noticing her reaction, chuckled softly. "Aw, you're just like a kitty." He grinned, his hand now moving under her chin, giving her a gentle scratch.

Blake closed her eyes, her body going a bit limp as the chin scratches took over her senses. She tried to keep herself composed, but the purrs escaping her lips were undeniable.

"S-Stop it...!" she mumbled weakly, though her body betrayed her as she leaned into the affection.

"Nah, I think you like it, kitty-cat." He continued with a grin, completely unaware of the scene he was causing.

Suddenly, there was movement behind Blake. Strikerz looked up and found himself staring at two adults approaching—both clearly Faunus. One was a tall, muscular man with a mane of black hair, his eyes narrowed as he took in the scene. The other was a beautiful woman with long flowing hair, her face split into an amused grin.

Kali Belladonna had already made up her mind. This young boy, petting her daughter's ears and making her purr like a kitten, was absolutely adorable. And more than that, he wasn't treating Blake like some "other" because of her ears. Kali's eyes sparkled with delight, and she couldn't help but think of future grandbabies with silver and gold eyes.

Ghira Belladonna, on the other hand, had to summon every ounce of willpower not to lose it. His daughter—his baby girl—was standing there, getting her ears petted by some random human boy. And, worse, she was enjoying it!"Stay calm, Ghira... Don't kick the boy... He's just a kid... But, Oum, is it tempting."

"Blake, darling, who's your friend?" she asked, her voice sweet, yet there was a hint of teasing beneath it.

Blake's eyes shot open, her face flushing a deeper shade of red. She immediately pushed away from Strikerz, stumbling slightly. "I—Mommy! Daddy! It's not what it looks like!"

Strikerz, unfazed, looked up at the two adults with a smile. "Hey there. I'm Strikerz." He glanced at Blake, who was trying to hide her face. *"Your daughter's got the softest ears I've ever felt!"

Ghira clenched his fists, taking a deep breath, his voice strained as he spoke. "Is that... so?"

Kali, unable to hold back her giggle, stepped closer, her eyes twinkling. "Well, aren't you just the sweetest. It's not every day someone appreciates Blake's ears like that."

"Mama!" she squeaked, completely mortified.

Strikerz, still oblivious to Ghira's barely-contained rage, gave Kali a thumbs up. "Yup! Ears like those deserve all the appreciation they can get!"

"Okay, that's it. I need to take a walk before I do something I'll regret." Ghira gave Kali a pointed look, to which she just smiled sweetly, then turned back to Strikerz.

"It's lovely to meet you, Strikerz. My name is Kali, and this is my husband, Ghira." She gestured towards her husband, whose eye was twitching slightly as he forced a strained smile.

"Nice to meet ya, big guy!" He gave Ghira a salute, completely unfazed by the man's towering presence. *"And, uh, nice to meet you too, Miss Kali."

Blake, still bright red, grabbed Strikerz by the arm, pulling him away from her parents. "Okay, that's enough! We're going now!"

Kali waved cheerfully as Blake pulled Strikerz along. "Take care of her, Strikerz! And come visit us sometime!"

"Not too soon, please."

As Blake pulled Strikerz away, her face still flushed, Strikerz couldn't help but laugh. "Man, your parents are funny. Especially your dad. He looked like he was gonna explode!"

Blake groaned, her cat ears drooping slightly in embarrassment. "You're... impossible."

"Yeah, but you like it, don't ya?"

Blake glanced at him, her blush deepening, but she said nothing. There was something about Strikerz that she couldn't quite place—something that made her want to stick around, even if he was insufferable.

Present Day - Beacon Academy

Back in the present, as Blake walked away with a subtle sway in her step, Strikerz couldn't help but smile at the memory of their first meeting. It had been years since then, and Blake had certainly grown, but some things hadn't changed. She still had those adorable ears, and he still loved to push her buttons.

Watching her walk away, he muttered to himself. "Guess some things never change, huh, kitty-cat?"

With a grin, he turned back to Ruby and Jaune, ready for whatever crazy adventure Beacon had in store next.