Ignis Nikos

I studied what remained of the train after the latest heist done by the White Fang, a group of Faunus that banded together with the goal of true equality between them and humans but had recently became terrorists under there new management. Thanks to their new direction the hate towards Faunus as a whole had grew until it was only a matter of time before another war broke out. I had been there when a then rogue sect of the White Fang had attacked Flare, a Primary Combat School for aspiring Hunters, and the school had not been able to recover before the negative emotions brought the Grimm. Needless to say I decided to take the fight to the White Fang and had made decent progress in pissing them off.

"It was those two again." Qrow Branwen, a Hunter Legend with ties to Vale and Atlas, said watching the footage salvaged from the droids that had been wrecked. "It seems she got cold feet though, she was the one to cut the engine from the rest of the train."

"That was found further along completely intact wasn't it?" I asked getting a distracted nod. "Do you think she found out about his kill count when they were separate or something else?" Every now and then a White Fang Member would leave or be found dead publicly as a message to traitors. It was the only reason I didn't place bombs in the hideouts I found rather than going in personally.

"I doubt it from the little exchange the tin cans caught. She apparently didn't like what Taurus was easing her into. I don't think she'll be a problem from now on." He said handing the scroll to me as it reruns the footage of the fight from several angles.

"That's all well and good but he was always the true threat and now he has no leash." He sighed as he took a swig of his flask while I caught sight out of the corner of my eye of a familiar woman walking towards us. Once she stopped I gave her a respectful nod. "Schnee, I thought you were to avoid cases like this due to conflict of interest."

"Due to the loss of droids here and upping security all hands are on deck until the next batch of droids roll out." Winter Schnee of the Atlas Military said holding her hand out for the scroll which I handed over after checking with Qrow. "We're going to need to up security even more than before. Nikos, I need a favour." I stared at Winter since she never asked for favours. "Weiss is going to Beacon soon and some White Fang might try to take advantage of that. I would like you to watch her back from the shadows and I would rather it was you than Qrow."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence Schnee." Qrow said taking his scroll back but was ignored as she kept looking at me.

"I can do that but from what I heard she isn't a pushover. Hell, from what I heard she would probably beat me like I owed her money if we ignored Semblances." I said making her shake her head.

"You have to get those doubts out of your head Nikos. With or without Semblances you would beat Weiss every time and it isn't any slight against Weiss. She's Decent but you're Good." Winter said making me grimace. I'd spent a decade being called a useless disappointment by my parents not only because I couldn't keep up with Pyrrha, my elder sister, but because I sucked with a sword. I hadn't left on the best of terms with them especially with my last conversation with Pyrrha which I had taken all my frustration and anger out on her reducing her to tears despite her being the only one I gave a damn about or gave a damn about me. It really wasn't my proudest moment.

"Fine, fine I'll do it. Where is she now?"

WFB

I listened with half an ear as Weiss sang for the audience while I scanned the landscape outside for anything out of the ordinary. I wasn't too fussed about the security inside the building as they had outsourced to Beacon for some Hunters but outside there was plenty of places to make a good attempt.

"There you are." I said noticing movement on a nearby roof. I leapt over easily to see three White Fang setting up a mortar aimed at, I presumed, Weiss. I checked Raptor, my Tekko-Kagi, and made sure they were both in Stun Mode with a charge before making sure the blades on the back of my boots had a charge. "You know…the War of Art is well over." I watched them freeze and slowly turn their heads to me. "This is the part where you three make a choice, surrender or be beaten to a pulp."

"W-w-we're not afraid of you Red Shadow!" The Squirrel Faunus shouted with fear clear in his voice as he flicked out a baton. Apparently the other two didn't agree as they froze. I decided to make things quick as I Blinked in front of the Squirrel and smashed the baton out of his hand before knocking him out. I turned to the other two only to see them be shot in the head. I Blinked to the other side of the roof just as the one I beat was given the same treatment and a bullet missed me. A quick scan of the area showed the silhouette of a fleeing figure.

"Got you." I said Blinking towards the figure and slamming her, no way was she getting confused for a guy with clothes that tight, but before I could do more she melded into my shadow and moved elsewhere. It was in that moment that I knew who she was and really hated what was about to happen.

"Let me go Ignis, they need to pay." She said splitting her sniper rifle in two making two aura blades appear. I sighed as I got to my feet and switched Raptor to Kill Mode knowing I couldn't hold back against her.

"And they will, Kin, but if we did it your way we would just be replacing them." I said to my fellow Flare Survivor and, although you wouldn't be able to tell by looking at her now, Kangaroo Faunus. She also happened to be my ex-girlfriend until that day. "Don't make me do this."

"I can't let you stop me." I ducked under her first attack and blocked the second before lashing with a kick aimed at her pouch that she avoided by melding into the shadows. I flipped forward deflecting he double blade strike upwards and blinked behind her slamming into her back. She didn't fall though and forced me into the air and sliced at me forcing me to Blink beside her and barely avoid being skewered. I grabbed her arm knowing she wouldn't be able to meld without melding me too and switched Raptor to Stun Mode.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry." I hardened my heart to her screams as the electricity slowly knocked her out.

WFB

"That was kind of you." A voice said as I walked out of the Mental Correction Facility for Faunus with Kin's sniper rifle on my back. I ignored him as I lit a cigarette, I didn't smoke often but there were times it helped me calm down. However, what he said next put me on edge, "Not many people are willing to help a wannabe Bane that far into depression."

"What exactly is your point?" I asked glaring at the silver haired man drinking from a mug. White Fang's Bane was what authorities called me while those that tried to emulate me were regarded as wannabe Banes. Thanks to most methods used we weren't very well liked as a while, I was probably the most respected since I shared what I found with the proper authorities and gave them all the evidence they needed to arrest those I captured and allowed myself to be taken into custody the few times I killed.

"The Various Councils want you Banes to be dealt with. They see you all as a threat to the public and won't be swayed otherwise despite the fact none of you have yet to have collateral deaths in any of your operations." He said not fussed at my borderline hostile reaction. I had to withhold a snort at the collateral comment as that was the main reason people became Banes for the most part.

"And the fact that there is no organisation or collaboration between us merely means we are a threat they can deal with while looking competent. While that is nice to know it doesn't explain who you are or why you are here." He nodded as if he was expecting the question.

"My name is Monty Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy. A mutual friend of ours pointed me in your direction when he heard of this and we came up with a plan to keep you out of the firing line. I am here to offer you a position at Beacon in order to convert you from Bane to Hunter over time. This will keep you safe and give you the education you are missing out on. You will, however, have to follow my orders and limit your Bane activities." I sighed knowing that there was only one way out of this without being branded a criminal by politicians trying to make themselves look good.

"When does it start?" I was not at all comforted by the smile on his face.

WFB

"So Ozpin managed to convince you to go to Beacon, I'm not surprised considering his silver tongue." Qrow said through my scroll as I scanned the crowd of hopefuls to see if there was anyone noticeable in the Airship. I could have sworn I saw Pyrrha but she was still in Mistral last time I checked and there was no way our parents would let her come here. "I'm surprised he found you so fast, you can be as elusive as me at times."

"Don't give me that you drunk. I know you're the mutual friend he mentioned. He probably found me because I was dealing with a Bane without their status being known." I said rolling my eyes as he chuckled. "But that isn't why you called me."

"True…my nieces are starting Beacon today, both of them, and with my side of things getting more complicated I can't watch over them as much as I would like to. They can look after themselves, Junior learnt that the hard way, but they're both rather naïve about the world…Ruby especially. With you there I don't have to worry so much. Yang Xiao Long is a thrill seeker with long blond hair and shotgun gauntlets. Ruby Rose wears a red cloak and wields a scythe. I doubt you will miss them." I nodded noticing them out of the corner of my eyes before I saw someone on someone I didn't think I was going to see anytime soon.

"I'll keep an eye on them but I just saw someone we talked about recently. Belladonna is here at Beacon. How much pull does Ozpin have?" With how much vetting went on to ensure there were no infiltrators there was no way she was here without Ozpin knowing.

"A lot, Ozpin is a Master of the Game but unlike the other Masters he only works with willing pieces even if they don't always know they're in it. Belladonna wants redemption and Ozpin is willing to help her along that path but if she diverts from it he will deal with her personally. Keep an eye on her if it suits you but don't act against her yet. See if she stays the course. I've got to go, keep me updated if you can." I sighed as he hung up wondering what I got myself into.

"Too late to turn back now, Beacon here I come."