"Now I don't think I'm asking a lot here you know?" The man in the white tuxedo and bowler hat said as he sat on the cushion chair of the abandoned warehouse. "I know you think you don't ask for a lot human but in reality you do." Said the cow faunus who sat opposing to him also on a cushioned chair said to him as she eyed him warily. Roman sighed deeply as he looked to her compatriots. Two fang grunts that flanked the boss mask set and rifles ready. Roman pitted them.
To Roman, the white fang were, all the same, A bunch of ignorant fanatics that did not even know the first step of the revolution they were fighting for, as far as he was concerned. So blind to their own cause of fighting racism and hate that they never stopped to see their own glaring problems. Not that he cared anyway. Roman was a thief by trade he worked for the highest bidder and this time it was the fang.
" All I'm saying is that I don't see why I can't just take the device and blow the thing straight to hell the moment i'm Scot free." Roman asked as he watched the cow fauns seethe visibly. As he stared at her Roman guessed she was attractive? He could never really tell with these fang types. The masks they wore obscured their face and their uniforms were so bland and unisex they left nothing to paint a picture with.
He guessed she was attractive but had no real idea. She was skinny enough with black hair but beyond that, the woman was a blank.
"You will not trip the device until you reach the all clear zone. At which point we will activate the bomb for you. Human do I make myself clear to you?" "Enough with the human talk all ready!" Roman said tired with her blatant disregard for him.
"I'm a criminal! You are criminals! We can talk like equals can we not?" Roams said exasperatedly to the white fang members in front of him. "Criminals!?" One of the fang masks behind the woman sad incredulously stepping forward."How dare you call us criminals! we are freedom fighters offering you the opportunity of a life time and you dare to insult us!?"
Roman cocked a lone eyebrow to the man."Freedom fighters? Really?" That right there Fido? Roman thought as he bit back his smart assed response for a more diplomatic one
You are being offered a starring role in the world to come! You will get preferential treatment compared to every other human once the white fang overthrows Vale!
Roman was no fool. He knows a zealot when he saw one and wanted nothing more to do with them. If he didn't desperately their money he would have walked right out of the door a long time ago. But alas needs com as needs must. "Fine... I'll hold the trigger..."Roman said grumpily at not getting to blow something up. "Good! The cow faunus said as she clasped her hands together suddenly before staring at Roman with that indifferent mask. And as a sign of good faith, I will tell you why we are the ones pulling this trigger. Have you ever heard of Menagerie Roman?"
" You mean the hellhole where he faunus are forced to live?"One of the masks growled but the cow stooped him."A rather colorful but accurate description if I do say so myself. You see there is a royal family visiting the city for a sporting game and we can not let them be harmed by our operation." "The us have royalty? Really?"
Roman asked her honestly curious on the matter. BAH! said the goon behind her the human know nothing of our ways! nor should he! said the woman before him said with a snarl. He is an outsider and should be kept as such! Ladies! Ladies! Roman said with a textbook grin. Enough fighting! We already have the plans so the next big question is when do we start?
Roman was not having a good day. FSIHHH! The sound of a bullet ripping past his head made the master thief duck into cover. Not only had he been dined the ability to cause as mayhem and destruction, a fact that personally affronted the thief. But he was now in the process of avoiding having any extra openings in his body as he ducked into cover. The fact that he was getting shot at made this day even worse.
A sigh escaped the master criminal as a hail of bullets sailed above his head eating away at the fragile cover he was hiding behind. Damn it! He whistled softly as he checked his cane. He smiled as he stared at the master craftsmanship that formed one Melodic Cudgel.
It was currently running dangerously low but it still had ammo though. He thought as another fusillade of bullets pelted off the metal barrier keeping him from being rendered into a pincushion.
As the guards fired on his positions. Roman decided to do what he did best, bribe and misdirect. You know you guys could at least ask me to surrender! He shouted over the rain of hard rounds and glancing shots that impacted his frail and rapidly disintegrating cover as the bullets whizzed closer. Screw that! a voice sad as the bullets only increased in intensity.
Clicking his teeth in irritation Roman decided that enough was enough. Forget this! Roman hissed as he brought his cane inwards and fired a shot into the air disrupting the barrage of hard led before taking a deep breath and leaping over his cover and into the enemy's ranks. Now personally running out of hardcover and into the guns of the enemy was not Roman's m.o. Not in the slightest! But seeing the mouths of an incredibly surprised gaggle of security guards flop open like a broken door before they ran for cover was almost worth it.
"Evening lads!" An affectionate young Torchwick chided as he lept over a group of supposed guards, as the rent a cops raised their blocky grey rifles at him. "Now! Now lads! No need to be so hostile!" Roman said as he lept over his quickly dissolving cover and onto the surprised rent a cops as he used his cane as a blunt instrument slash makeshift Pogo stick, smiling gleefully as he used one unfortunate guard's head as a stepping stone as he stepped off it and into the air.
"Get him!" A angry voice shouted from his flank as he vaulted into the air with one motion before hooking the bottom rank of a low hanging ladder with the crook of his cane, using the momentum from the leap he hoisted the ladder down before using reaming force to clamber swiftly up the descend ladder and onto a close by catwalk. Leaping over the flimsy construct as he went for the exit he had entered on.
Before leaving he fired one last shooting he rent a cops ranks, hitting the guard he use as a stepping stone square in the chest causing the man to burst apart in a violent display of pyrotechnics and offal. He sighed dejectedly as the man was suddenly in several pieces as the body flew across the floor. " Such a shame to see you go, but I have business to attend!" He said and swung his weapon one Melodic cudgel and unleashed a shot of fire on the other guards causing one of them to erupt into flames.
As the guards recoiled from the violence rendered in their ranks Roman smirked as he started to sprint down the metal catwalk. I made it! He thought happily as he grasped the small metal ball in his right hand. He had no idea what the thing was but the white fang we're paying top coin for it and he wasn't in the business of asking questions.
He smiled smugly as he rapped his cane on the metal catwalk he was residing on as he saw the fresh outlook into the city of Vale the package whatever the hell it was was as good as already delivered and now only a handful of guards were in between him and freedom. as he ran the few opposing guards and sigh escaped his lips as he looked at them. As he sprinted a group of five guards in grey combat armor rushed to stop him.
"STOP!" One said before raising a hand to him you are under arrest! The man yelled before reaching into his back pocket. Wincing instantly Roman cursed his luck as he bit his tongue waiting for the painful sensation of being riddled with bullets. A second passed, then two, then three... the hell?
The master thief thought as Roman tentatively open one eye he had been expecting to be met with a hail of to breathe a breath of relief as he found himself without any extra holes he forgot where he was!
Roman was in Vale! Not Atlas! As the realization dawned on him Roman had to fight he urge to hit himself in the head. You see he was in the so called more Civilized corners of the planet. Here the local arbiters would at least have to courtesy of asking you to to stop before pumping you full of lead.
Meanwhile in the less courteous parts of the world aka Atlas the local authorities operated under much more… strict policy towards trouble makers. A policy that usually ended up with said trouble AKA him laying face first in the snow with a couple dozen extra holes in them. Using a shoot first ask questions never policy for the undesirables.
But! Luckily he wasn't in Alas! He was in Vale! And these poor saps of an law men had just given him a chance, not realizing what a absolutely lethal mistake he had just made.
Roman knew that Vale cops wouldn't shoot on sight. The idea of shooting a man before giving him every option to surrender himself went against everything they were taught, in fact they would not open fire until they had confirmed lethal force and seeing as he just incinerated two of their squad mates?
He might have to put some work as took off at an run. "Stop!" One of five men in grey armor called as they pulled out batons!? Roman was convinced he was having a violent hallucination but was shocked as he came to the reality that they had drawn batons against him."Batons!?"He asked in mock surprise what is this amateur hour?
As he sprinted forward there were five men opposing him one the catwalk all of them armed and armored in cold grey material, one of the men actually shouted "stop in the name of the law!" Causing the master thief to balk at the man's blatant cliche.
"Or what the big bad bogey man's gonna shoot me?'
"I said sto- he never finished that sentence as the tip of Roman's cane came crashing down caving in his skull through splintering his helmet eliciting an sickening crack sound as he crushed it, blood and pink matter sprayed through the visor.
In that moment it was hard to know who was surprised more. Torchwick or the guard who's skull he just caved in. They have no Aura!? Was this really amateur hour in the V.P.D.!? Roman was shocked to see his opponents did not have their aura unlocked. A prospect that was ridiculous int he less civilized parts of the world aka Atlas, and downright fooling every where else.
His surprise lasted only a moment before being replaced with a vicious smirk. It took a lot to get Roman to grin let alone smile. Being a criminal had that effect on you. But now he sported a absolutely massive grin from ear to ear. He know that in a fight between aura unlocked and aura locked individuals could only end one way.
"You bastard!" One shouted to charge forward baton out only to be hooked in by Roman's cane, and drug underneath the thief before being unceremoniously shot in the chest. Roman smiled as his upper torso literally flew apart into a dozen fleshy pieces as the other guard upon seeing what happened to the other three were taking no chances and decide to use their heads for what probally was the first time in their lives.
As one charged while his partner's where readying their real weapons, heh rookies Roman thought as he smiled calmly as he easily stepped into the swing of the threat eliciting another curse and grabbed his arm and moved to use him in a more efficient manner, as Roman use him as a makeshift shield using him to halt his comrades as he brought up his cane, BANG! BANG!
He killed the men with two shots in rapid succession, before taking the fifth and throwing him down smashing his face and telling him to "stay down if he knows what's good for you"
That was fun, Roman thought as he observed the carnage he had wrought on the guards. " A perfect ten out of ten!" Roman said bowing extravagantly to the defeated and dead guards. "You were all a wonderful audience! I thank you for your time," he said before he began to leave the carnage. "Over there!" A voice yelled form below the thief causing him to turn his head as a line of guards appeared from beneath catwalk to the ground proper stop thief! A smile crossed his face as he saw the canister behind them as he lined up a shot and watched the fireworks begin….
It was hot and when Star Arc said hot she meant hot. It's so hot! Star Arc thought as she struggled to carry her younger brother her family had been right in front of her but a moment ago and now they were gone lost in the crowd of humanity as she trudged along. "Why me?" she asked depressingly as she worked her was though as her clothes bean to stick to her body giving her no relief and the sticky sweaty clothes began to eat into her flesh.
As she made her way through the see of humanity her pieces was broken by the sound sleeping brother of in spite of everything, everything was content to sleep. It wasn't fair!
She thought to herself as she looked to him he gets everything. He was pampered from head to toe, everybody loves him heck Hazel the sibling who probably didn't even notice the existence of anything other then herself, Hazel I tell you! The one who treats the rest of us as a bother at the best of times takes time out of her schedule to rock you to bed!
I mean she never rocked Star to bed, or at least she couldn't remember if she did! as she sighed sadly she was stopped in tracks by two large people both wearing Grimm mask, as she bumped in them i'm sorry!
She said as the two looked down at her they had apparently just appeared in the crowd out of nowhere, and many of the adults were giving them odd looks as they did the first one began to speak. "Fret not child." Said one who apparently had a pair of dog ears, "you're end will be soon." With That they left as soon as they she looked at them weirdos.
Come on! She thought sadly as her clothes now really began to eat into her armpits. Her body was aching covered in sores and stains as she trudged through the crowd. Her legs where creaking and her brow was filled with sweat. All the while her brother slept peacefully in her arms. You just like to see me suffer don't you? she thought Grimly look at his sleeping peacefully though she had less the peaceful thoughts regarding him. It's your fault she said as started to him. It's your fault mom and dad don't love me ! It's you fault Ashley and Karen never read to me!
It's your fault that Meril and Misty always fight over clothes because we have to buy them for you! She nearly yelled to her brother as she stared at him hot tears fell from her face as she do. You Know what Juane? she said half shrinking him in her arms it's be best for everyone if you just up and- she never finished that thought as a sound no a force a wave of air hit her like a brick wall. As an loud crack! filled the surrounding air as a wave of heat that made the previous sweltering bog fell like a cool breeze filled the air as she was suddenly hurled off of her feet as her world want grey...
The next thing she knew she was one the ground, in a world of pain as she attempted to open her eyes it was like being stabbed by shards of glass. As she looked around the entire world was lost in a grey mist as she tried to see Jaune was out of her hands.
The entire word was filled with dust people were shouting screaming crying for help. She saw a lady with golden eyes yelling at her but she couldn't tell what they were saying as an loud ringing sound was in her ears and there was a taste of blood in her mouth. As she struggled to get up her body refused to cooperate as a pain she never knew existed filled her. As she tried to stand up and cry escaped her lips as it felt like knives in her knees, she never thought something could truly hurt! As she forced her muscles to move made her muscles move Jaune?
She tired to from the words but nothing came out her mouth was dry and hot. Like she been spend a week in the desert, and She asked a single question her eyes lost focus Jaune!? She called before see a familiar bundle of blankets and the gold grey dust Jaune! she yelled as she fought the the pain seeing the form of a baby in the blankets and grabbed something that looked to be her brother and crawled out of the smoke.
"STAR!"The voice of her father bellowed as he ran to see his missing daughter beaten badly bruised but alive. And judging by the concerned looks face of her entire families heck even Hazel looked worried about her!
As her Dad rushed to her daughter gripping her into an bear hug "Star! I was so worried about you! Where do you go!? Are you alright?!" the big man asked as he busily checked his daughter for any sign of injuries. "Daddy!"
She yelled finally giving in and letting her bundle drop as she embraced her parents hug. Letting weeks of pent up feelings along with a healthy supply of soot and blood off one his shoulder. "I thought I was going to die!" She cried as he patted her head it's OK it's all going to be- "Star?! Star!" Her mother finally spoke up after looking the pile on the ground, a look of pure panic was spread across her face, as her cool blue eyes as she stared at her daughter. "Where is Juane? Where's Jaune!"
"Uh him again!?" It's been less the two minutes and all they can think about is Jaune! "He's right there!" She said pointing to the bundle with a moving baby in it. "I brought him back!"
"No you didn't!" Her Mother yelled as she revealed instead of a blonde younger brother there was a young baby faunus with black hair golden eyes and a pair of cat ears that looked like a younger brother as she started to it in shock as her parents eyes filled with horror. She couldn't look into her mother's eyes as she stared numbly to her as her mouth opened up Star..."where is Jaune?"
Elsewhere…
"Whoa these White fang goons sure know how to do some damage!" Roman said as he twirled his cane in a circle.
He was casually strolling through the Vallesian streets in a attempt to escape the law and now ironically enough, found himself in the epicenter of the recent bombing attack. So far the master criminal had yet to receive even a drop of police support as he wandered past the shells of burnt out cars and broken bodies and cracked shop windows and the occasional odd missing limb.
That's the the price of business. He rationalized to himself not really caring little about the cost to lives. Lives especially human lives were fickle thins. They were all dead regardless of it anyways, they all died in the end it's all a matter of time is all.
Not that he wanted to die! NO sir! Roman planned on living forever! If he could help it! or at least until no one wanted to kill him and he could retire to a calm sunny bungalow in Mistral sipping cocktails in a private beach being serve by a tanned waitress in a bikini for the rest of his time.
Although that all hinged on people actually not wanting to kill him. A highly unlikely prospect in his line of work Roman thought simply as he moved. A sound broke the gloom that stopped him dead in his tracks. Now Roman was a simple man despite appearances, yes he owned the flashy suit with the bowler hat and the pearl colored cane but those were more cosmetic.
More practical than anything else. In reality he actually like to keep things simple. Do a job get paid. Do it well and get another job. Keep this up and eventually you build yourself a reputable network of un-reputable contacts.
Everyone had a plan, a preconceived version of themselves, and in his experience, as long as you followed that order then their was no reason to pause and as some more sentimental people would say sniff the roses. But now as he walked through the bombed out street he heard something definitely not in his word of order, he heard a baby crying. The hell?
He thought as he twirled his cane through the gloom of smoke and soot as he leisurely stepped over several free ligaments that head decided to take a vacation from their homes and go gallivanting across the town. Narrowly avoiding pools of dried and some not very dried blood and guts.
As he walked he pinpointed the sound of the crying and surprise, surprise it was a baby! He started in shock to see someone had left a bundled up but not unkempt baby with a sword and is that kid on a shield?
He thought as he looked to the small child he had scraggly blonde hair with crystal blue eyes. The hell? Roman thought as the vehement child wailed impudently into the night sky. As the master thief approached the infant. "Who are you kid?" He asked absentmindedly as he noticed a name on his blue onesie "Jaune Arc?" Arc... Why does the name sound so familiar?
He thought as he looked down at the petulant child, where's your family kid? He asked to no one in particular as the child continued to wail impudently into the night, a sigh escaped the master thief's lips as he watched the infant cry this kids had it rough huh?
Roman thought as he notice for the first time that the baby had stopped frying and was staring it;s crystal blue eyes int his green ones. I guess i should be going he through as he walked away something stopped him, it was like a invisible force a unseen hand of some type was visibly pulling him down and striking his legs.
His breath came up short and in ragged bursts, his hands where sweaty he had the shakes, HE Roman Torchwick! A criminal mastermind who was just established in Vale! The single most safe place in the word was was shaking like a rookie on his first run!
As he tried to remind himself of what he was he knew the thing that plagued him the kid. Something told him something deep down inside of Roman's cold heart that night. It told him that if he walked away right now he would be making the single biggest mistake of his life!
Roman was many things but sentimental was not one of them, he was a professional at heart and took his job very seriously. In fact in all of his years of stealing he had never once let emotion get in the way of practical decision making it's how he stayed alive after all.
Being one step ahead of the enemy was a great way to keep your internal organs air tight and getting emotional tended to impede thinking straight hence why he never did. And he would be damned if he started now.!But at the same time he had not made it to where he was by ignoring his instincts.
In Fact they were one of the few reasons he was alive today! The latter being his ridiculous ability to talk himself into and out of almost any situation he came across! As he looked to the child he spent every second of mental prowess he had to justify not taking the child. In fact finding reason to not take the kid wasn't hard. Not by along shot.
He's too young! He'll never make it! How will you look after him!? There's no was he can be here in a life of crime! As he went through excuse after excuse some legitimate. How do you even look after an kid? What will you feed him!?
Some not like what if he whines at night? or the kid can walk it off! No matter what reasons he found to leave the kid behind It mattered little as he was now lifting the boy into the air.
Each excuse just seemed to galvanise him further. As he looked to him dual blue eyes of the child know as Jaune Arc the crying suddenly stopped and crystal blue eyes regarded him with curiosity. Before letting out a smile that made him feel something he hadn't felt in years, Roman felt warm as he let out an extremely uncharacteristic and rare true smile. What am i doing? He thought as he looked to the child. as a broad smile came to his face.
" You want to take a ride with your uncle Roman? He asked the petulant child. As a wide smile broke the kid's face as he giggled infectiously and smiled that finished it."OK kid you're coming with me!"Roman said as a smile broke his face as he hefted the child plus arms into his arms."Although that name's going to need an major overhaul."He said as he walked away form the epicenter of the blast."Who needs a name like Arc anyways? How dose the name Jaune Torchwick sound to you?"
AN: Cleaned up updated version!