Chapter 4
The Kalo family was enjoying breakfast the next morning, idle chatter amongst the three of them. Aero had awoken in the middle of the night from his memory, his body shaking and his breath sharp. Weiss was able to calm him down, laying on top of him and wrapping herself around his body to do so.
"I haven't seen anyone in a while" Zurie said as she cut into her butter and syrup drenched waffle.
"We've all been busy. Your mother and I at Beacon along with Ruby while Yang, Sage, Sebastian, Blake and Sun have been having fun traveling the world and what not," Aero said while thumbing through the newspaper he was reading. Weiss rolled her eyes at her husbands sigh as she delicately ate an omelet that Aero had made for her, hearing him curse under his breath.
"United?"
"Fifth straight loss, how in the hell."
"I always tell you dad, you should go coach them," Zurie said with a teasing grin to her father, who peeked at her over the top of the newspaper.
"Yeah and they would win for the rest of the year," he said, the three of them sharing a chuckle that stopped when there was a knock at the front door. Aero shrugged his shoulders and got up, his five foot ten muscular frame casually hidden by baggy plaid pajama bottoms and matching shirt. He walked over to the door and opened it, a look of relief on his face as curiosity flickered in his eyes.
"Seb, good to see you," Aero said to his friend, who patted his shoulder and walked in.
"Same to you. Still getting up late I see," he said with a grin.
"The family is having breakfast. Want some?"
"Sounds good. I need to talk some things over with you."
"And Weiss."
"Of course you told her."
"She's my wife, why wouldn't I?" Aero asked his friend as they walked into the dining room, where Zurie's eyes lit up with excitement.
"Uncle Sebastian!" she exclaimed, getting up from her seat and hugging the former assassin, who grunted, laughed and hugged her back.
"Damn you are getting strong kiddo," he said with a smile.
"Hello Sebastian," Weiss said with a warm smile, patting his hand, a gesture he returned with a hug.
"Hello Weiss."
"What brings you around here?"
"Just wanted to meet up with you guys that's all," he responded, sharing a knowing nod with Weiss, "How's that weapon of yours coming along Zurie?"
"It's great! Let me get it right quick!" she said, running upstairs, allowing Aero to quickly move to his friend while Weiss listened in.
"The meeting was last night. It's as bad as it seems and you two aren't going to like it one bit."
"Alright, give us a few minutes. We have to get Zurie out."
"I'll take are of it," Weiss said, typing on her Scroll as they heard ecstatic footsteps bound down to them.
"Take a look Uncle Sebastian," she said with a big smile as she handed Sebastian her weapon. She had a rapier like her mother that had a blunt side because of a long barrel that ended a foot short of the point. At the hilt was a typical cross-guard but the handle was different, being slender amd near the middle of it was a trigger. Zurie's rapier was unique in that it used Dust-infused shots, much like the ones Blake used, with the clip loading into the bottom of the hilt. Sebastian twirled the sword around, enjoying the light feeling as everyone watched.
"That is kickass Zurie, like mother like daughter, from weapon to semblance," he said, handing the sword back to her.
"Thanks," she said, looking over the blade herself and admiring it. They chatted some more until there was a light knock on the door, confusing everyone but Weiss, who smiled, got up and opened the door.
"Hello Blake," she said with a smile as she hugged her teammate, who returned it with a matching smile.
"Hi Weiss, how've you been? I got here as soon as I could," she said.
"Oh don't worry, you're right on time actually," Weiss said as she led Blake back to everyone.
"Aunt Blake!" Zurie yelled, hugging Blake, who chuckled and hugged her back.
"Hey Zurie," she said, rubbing her back and looking at Aero, "Hi Aero, Sebastian," she said, the two sharing greetings with her.
"What brings you here?"
"Well, I was curious if maybe Zurie wanted to have a faunus girl's day out?"
"Oh that sounds awesome! Can I?"
"Go right ahead," Aero said with a warm smile, his daughter squealing in delight and running upstairs.
"So what's going on?" Blake asked, sitting at the table. Blake looked as though she hadn't aged in the past twenty years. She wore her familiar bow that covered her ears and wore a black and white jacket and matching leggings with black heels, her golden wedding ring shining in the dining room lights.
"Apparently a group are trying to reform the Guild," Aero said, Blake looking at the three in shock.
"You're kidding."
"I wish we were Blake," Sebastian said, leaning on the back of a chair, "How's Maurus?" he asked, referencing her recently graduated and full-time Hunter son.
"He's good, he and Sun are on a mission… are they going to come after you?"
"I think they will," Aero said, looking at his food that became increasingly inedible.
"You guys are gonna discuss a plan while I take Zurie out?"
"If you don't mind," Weiss pleaded.
"Of course not, but keep all of us in the loop, okay?"
"Got it," Aero said, everyone putting on fake smiles and fake chatter as Zurie bounded back to them. She and Blake departed a few minutes later, leaving the three at the table to talk about everything.
"They want to take you down and more importantly they want to go back to the ways of the Guild: interfering with world affairs and try to control the Kingdoms. I saw a few familiar faces there and about thirty to forty new faces. The meeting was in Atlas but they say they are based out of Mistral and are now actively trying to get new bases. They're being supplied with money but they did not specify who was supplying them," Sebastian said. Aero sighed in disbelief as Weiss rubbed his arm.
"Why me?"
"Revenge," Sebastian said quietly, "I don't remember any member of the Guild having kids that we didn't know about. The record keeping there was meticulous so someone must've tried real hard to hide this kid if he is the child of an assassin. I'll see if I can do any digging. What are you thinking?"
"I have no clue right now. But I would look into Nico, I remember him saying something about being with a faunus when he was training me," Aero said, shaking his head and rubbing his forehead, "When is the next meeting?"
"A week from today in Mistral. You know, I could sneak you in as a friend, put some makeup on you, maybe dye your hair…"
"Could do that," Aero nodded.
"What about me? I told you to let me help," Weiss said, clearly annoyed as the two talked as if she wasn't there.
"Sorry Weiss… um…" Sebastian said, thinking.
"You and Zurie should head to Yang's while I take care of this," Aero said.
"Oh no, we are not doing this again!" she yelled, "I went through this 21 years ago and I'm not doing it again! I said I want to help and I'll be damned if you don't think I'm going to!"
"Weiss I don't-"
"And I don't want you to die!" she said, Sebastian leaning back and away from the fight that was unfolding before him, "I'm not putting Zurie through that!"
"Then what do you suggest hm?" Aero asked with anger.
"Weiss, you can stay with Zurie and you two can head to Yang's so she can at least be with Harley and maybe in your free time see if you can dig up any info on the Order or get some friends on the council to help, see who could be supplying or if any names pop up that have been giving money to mysterious donors," Sebastian said, the two others looking at them then at each other, a look of realization coming over their faces.
"That could work," Aero said, rubbing his chin.
"It's something," Weiss said, squeezing Aero's hand.
"Well I gotta head out, do some research. I'll see you guys later," he said, leaving the two alone.
"Don't isolate me Aero."
"Weiss-"
"Until death do us part, in sickness and in health."
"Yeah, well, being hunted by assassins wasn't part of that vow," Aero said, looking at her sternly and receiving an even sterner look, making him sigh.
"I'm your wife Aero. I would do anything for you."
"I just don't want my family to get hurt or killed," he said, looking away from her but soon was forced to look at her as she gently pulled his head to look at hers.
"And I don't want that either. I don't want the love of my life to get killed or wounded. Don't leave me in the cold again," she pleaded, Aero showing a small smile at his wife's words.
"Okay baby," he said, the two sharing a loving kiss at the table before talking about how to prepare for this new threat and what she should look into.
The two partners stood outside an arcade in Mistral, which housed little shops that were thriving off of good word of mouth.
"And this small place will house about forty people?" Aero asked. He was wearing a blonde wig and facial make-up, giving him a lighter skin complexion and green contacts that covered his eyes.
"Apparently, come on," Sebastian said, walking in the air conditioned arcade and looking around.
"Weiss did as much digging as she could but couldn't find any concrete answers on this new Guild or its leader. A few people have donated and sub-sequentially disappeared after giving their money. But she thinks a majority of the funding is coming from Roman somehow," Aero said.
"He got out of jail?"
"Possibly," Aero responded. It was a mixture of browns and yellows with each shop having their own color scheme to pop out and attract people. Weiss and Aero had explained what was going on to their daughter, lying that he had to go on a hunt when she got back with Blake and left with her mother to stay at Yang and Sage's in Mistral, where her half-sister and Scarlet also lived in a house a few blocks away. The two walked forward and found a side door that Sebastian opened with a keycard he was given, giving them access to a pitch-black hallway. The two stepped in slowly, walking forward to a door that was illuminated by a single light above it. They entered and blended in with about thirty others, all wearing different styles of clothing and talking amongst themselves, the electricity of excitement in the air as they waited.
At last someone walked on stage, someone Aero tried to recognize but simply couldn't. He was a younger man, more than likely in his early 20's with dark skin, a bald head and dark blue eyes, eyes that Aero knew all too well while the rest of his body was covered in a red cloak.
"That's Nico's kid," Aero said as the young man began to speak.
"My recruits! My assassins!" he began energetically, "I bring great news! Soon our home base will be completed!" The crowd roared and cheered, Sebastian with them and Aero clapping to save face as the young man continued.
"I, Dominic Shonan, will train all of you to become the best assassins! We shall control this world!" he bellowed, everyone continuing to cheer as he held a finger to his lips to quiet them.
"I have even better news… some say this man died many years ago… others thought he was locked up for life… this man will fund our Order… recruits," he said, looking to his left. Everyone went quiet and looked with him as a man walked on stage that Aero and Sebastian had never fought but knew too well. He wore a familiar bowler hat that covered his orange hair that had heavy tints of grey throughout. In his grinning lips rested a lit cigar that contrasted his white jacket, matching cane and slacks with black boots. Aero and Sebastian looked at him with complete surprise and couldn't help but stare.
"Hello everyone," he said, talking while keeping his cigar still, "I hope you missed me."
"Roman Torchwick," Aero said, "Un-fucking-believable. Weiss was right," Aero said as Roman talked about how he would be supplying money and giving the The Order bodyguards to defend them as they practiced. Thirty minutes later everyone was dismissed and Aero and Sebastian made their way to a waiting car, shaken by what had transpired.
"This isn't going to end well," Aero said, knowing of a coming war that he was going to play a central part in.
The two barged into Yang's house just past midnight, making a bit of noise as Weiss was sitting on the couch and looked at them startled.
"Jeez guys," she said, looking up from a magazine she was reading.
"I'm sorry babe," Aero said, walking over to her and kissing her on the forehead.
"What happened?"
"Roman is funding this Order, you were right," Sebastian said.
"Son of a bitch."
"I know, we need to get in contact with whatever jail he was at and let them know a prisoner escaped," Aero said, taking his jacket off and slumping on a chair as Weiss nodded in agreement, "I need to go on the offensive. I can't let this Order get to big. Did you find anything else on them?"
"Nothing so far but I have a few researchers from the Council working on it," Weiss replied.
"Time to break out the assassin gear then?"
"Time to break out the assassin gear bud," Aero said.
"What do you mean assassin gear dad?" all three heard and looked up in horror at once at the sixteen year old standing at the top of the steps.
"Zurie," he whispered to himself, Weiss swiftly getting up and going to her daughter.
"What are you doing out of bed young lady?"
"I heard a commotion, what is he talking about mom?"
"Bed. Now."
"What's dad talking about?! Tell me!"
