A Long Awaited Journey

85 P.G.W. – Anima – Demi

Demi found herself in a most precarious position. Within less than 48 hours not only had she been arrested twice, she'd discovered she had traveled through time, met several younger versions of friends and family from her own life and even managed to find herself in the company of her deceased parents, both of whom were very much alive. Most people in her position would have been thrilled, not only to have experienced everything she had but to have questions about her past answered by the very people who had experienced it first-hand.

Unfortunately, Demi was anything but excited. In fact, she was more nervous than anything else. Simply being present in a time prior to her birth could have dire consequences for her future. Still, she couldn't help feeling a bit excited at the prospect of seeing her parents again. Her father had been an unexpected surprise to her in more ways than one. Callus one minute and then distant the next, his constantly shifting personality kept her guessing about his true motives and intentions.

Her mother, on the other hand, was another story. While she admired the loyalty she'd shown towards her teammates she couldn't help but notice her dignified attitude. All of her belongings were brand new with hardly even a string out of place. The way she carried herself came off as being above the common rabble and her attitude towards Jack was less than kind. While she'd kept a business like attitude when accepting his offer to escort them to Vale she hardly even acknowledged the man's presence while on the road. Even when her eyes did stray over to their guide they held nothing but suspicion and mistrust.

It must have been nothing short of a miracle for two people as different as them to have somehow fallen in love and have a child.

"Mr. Brisbane, sir, where are we going?" Jaune asked.

"The name's Jack. Mr. Brisbane was my father and I have no desire to be lumped together with him. As for where we're headed you already know. We're going to Vale."

"I know that. What I mean is where are we headed? What stops did you have planned for us?"

"I take it you realized we aren't taking the conventional route," Jack remarked.

"Yes, actually. I thought we might be headed to Kuroyuri but nothing looks familiar."

"You'd be right. If we were heading towards Kuroyuri we'd be taking the main road."

"Then what road are we taking?"

"Let me ask you this first. What can you tell me about the gate we passed through?"

Everyone was silent for a moment as they tried to recall the details from their departure. No one had really taken the time to consider the importance associated with their hasty withdrawal from Mistral. At best they knew the exit they'd taken wasn't at all like the others. It was smaller, manned by fewer guards and was in dire need of repairs. It was obvious the gateway had seen little use over the years.

"It was a back entrance," Demi said.

"That's only part of it. What else?"

"It could certainly use some much needed upkeep. I half expected the doors to fall off the moment they let us through," Weiss added.

"Good. So what does this all tell us?" Jack inquired.

"We're taking a back road, one seldom used by people," Ruby concluded.

"Exactly. Few people travel this road which means it'll be easier to identify anyone who may be pursuing us for their own gain. In this case, anyone who isn't us."

"It also means this road is a lot more dangerous. Apart from a higher number of Grimm there's also bandits that frequent these routes. You get ambushed here and, even if you survive, you'd have little chance of finding help," Demi pointed out.

"It's a risk we'll have to take," Jack said.

"How long will we be traveling?" Ruby asked.

"Depends. We'll need to change up our route with each village we come across or confrontation we run into. That and, if I should happen upon a convenient bounty, we'll need to keep our movements as sporadic as possible."

"So, in other words, you're not sure where we're going and if you should happen upon the chance to make a quick Lien that'll also add time to our trip," Weiss summarized.

"More or less," Jack replied.

"I'm starting to regret my decision to hire you."

"Too late to ask for a refund, Princess," Jack shot back.

Weiss scowled in response. Watching the two of them bicker Demi could see it was going to be a long, long journey.


Dragon Continent – Salem's Castle – Salem

"They escaped," Salem said, gazing down at Watts.

"Apologies, my lady. I had not anticipated the intervention from Atlas on their behalf. Had I known I would have taken precautions."

"It doesn't matter. You completed your assignment and what's more Jack is heading here with the girl."

"My lady?"

"The revelation of our betrayal did not come as a surprise to the young bounty hunter. He anticipated our motives but now he's coming here to pay us back. No doubt he thinks he might be able to use the girl's latent powers to weaken me and exact his own brand of justice."

"I'll have my operatives begin trailing him immediately. By the time they reach the nearest village we'll have them in custody."

"No, Watts, you'll leave them be. I want Jack to continue his advance."

"Forgive me mistress but I don't see the point in allowing him to seek you out. Surely it would be wiser to simply snatch them up while their vulnerable. As skilled as he may be I highly doubt Jack will be able to protect all of them from my hired muscle."

"I think he may surprise you, Watts. Jack's semblance is very unique. If he were to use it to its fullest potential you'd quickly find yourself outnumbered as one of your men that falls becomes a new ally for him."

"Doubtless he is too great a risk for us to allow him to live."

"On the contrary, he's too special to be wasted so easily. You will return to Atlas and continue your duties there. I'll have my own spies keep an eye on him. If an opportunity arises that requires an intervention on your part, I'll let you know."

"Of course, my lady," Watts said with obvious disappointment.

"One last thing before you go. What is the state of the little side project I asked of you?"

"I am nearly finished with the designs. It won't be long before your little scorpion is back in fighting condition."

"Excellent. I hope this gift will grant Tyrian the opportunity to prove his loyalty to me once more. I'll tolerate no further failures from him."

"As you wish, Lady Salem."


Anima – Jack

Being a bounty hunter wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. Being a typically solitary job it few perks that outweighed the many downsides to being a hunter of people. Still, it paid the bills but that didn't mean Jack had to tolerate all the stupid complaints that came pouring from his employers. Barely a few hours into the trip and he had already found himself assaulted with questions regarding their destination, his personal life, and his overall experiences. Being an introverted individual Jack found their constant questioning greatly annoying. It would take a miracle to prevent him from sewing their mouths shut just to gain a little peace and quiet before the journey was over.

There was also the matter of reaching Salem and paying her back for her betrayal at Mistral. While it had come as no surprise to him Jack wasn't very fond of letting people who'd wronged him get away scot free. What's more there was the matter of Salem's desire to possess young Ruby Rose. While he had no intention of honoring his deal with Salem he did see how the girl could prove useful. If he played his cards right he might be able to use her to land a critical blow against the demonic hag. He had his doubts about causing Salem herself any crucial harm but her lackeys were another story entirely.

As the day slowly gave way to night members of the group began voicing their desire for rest. In spite his overall annoyance with them thus far he had to agree it was a wise decision to consider setting up camp. As luck would have it a small cottage was coming into view. Overall it looked large enough to house them as well as offer considerable protection against any Grimm who might be foolish enough to try and assault them during the night.

"We'll camp there for the night," he said loud enough for everyone to hear.

A resounding cheer of relief echoed from the group. Upon closer inspection Jack was able to surmise that the building had once been an old hunting lodge. Typically used by villagers as a way point between home and the hunting grounds, they'd camp here and build up the food stock before traveling back home. From its state of disrepair it was obvious no one had used it in years. While Weiss started to complain of the smell and amount of dust covering the floor one comment from Jack about sleeping outside with the dirt and bugs shut her up immediately. Before long they had a large fire built into the fireplace with everyone huddled around it as they ate their makeshift meals. Only Jack remained detached from the group, settling into a chair next to the window as he stared out into the thick darkness of the night.

"Why don't you come join us Jack?" Ruby asked in an optimistic voice.

"I'm keeping a look out."

"For what?"

"Grimm," he said.

"We don't need to worry about that. We spent weeks on the road to Mistral and hardly saw any Grimm," Nora said cheerfully.

"Wasn't Qrow tailing you along the way as well?" Jack pointed out.

The cheerful smiles quickly faded from everyone's face. Jack rolled his eyes in response. Typical. Give a group of adolescent huntsman a handicap and they think they're invincible. They had a great deal more to learn if they ever expected to make it in Remnant.

"Hey, I've got an idea, why don't we tell some ghost stories," Nora said with a creepy smile.

"Won't that defeat the purpose of us trying not to attract the Grimm?" Weiss pointed out.

"Oh, don't such a spoilsport. Come on, it'll be fun," Nora insisted.

"You have any good stories, Jack?" Yang asked.

"None worth telling," he said.

"I do have a question. What turned you on to the profession of bounty hunting?" Weiss inquired.

"Necessity, for the most part," Jack said.

"Necessity for what?"

"Survival," he answered flatly.

"Why not enroll in one of the academies and become a huntsman?" Ruby asked.

"You don't know much about the world outside of Vale, do you Miss Rose?" Jack asked, slightly amused by her naivety.

"I get good grades in my world history class," she mumbled defensively.

"A class with a regulated curriculum will only tell you what people want you to know. Considering Vale was one of the Kingdoms that prospered after the Great War it's easy to see that they have the power to chose what would end up in your history books. History is written by the victors, after all."

"That still doesn't answer my question," Weiss pointed out.

Jack gave her a lazy look which she answered with a sharp glare. Reluctantly he shifted in his seat, making himself comfortable before beginning his long explanation.

"When you think of bounty hunters I'm guessing the image that naturally pops into your head is either that of a roguish hero, fighting off hordes of bad guys to save a small village from their tyranny or a dirty drifter who comes in guns blazing with little regard to any bystanders."

"Yea, pretty much," they mumbled, nodding their heads in agreement.

"Typical," he mumbled in annoyance.

"I guess what they show in the movies is a little off the mark," Jaune joked.

"Oh no, Mr. Arc, what they show in the movies is as far off the mark as you can get," he answered with a sneer. "Bounty hunting is, perhaps, one of the most dangerous jobs in all of Remnant. To be a bounty hunter means going after the most elusive and cold-blooded killers this world has ever seen, creatures that are far worse than the Grimm."

"That's a bit harsh, considering you simply take on people," Ren pointed out.

"You've obviously never killed a man, then," Jack said in retort.

"The first thing to know in regards to bounty hunting is that there are three types of people who take up the profession. The first the are glamor seekers. People who've watched too many movies and are blinded by the image crafted on screen take up the profession believing that they'll become world class celebrities overnight. That's never the case, obviously. Like any profession, bounty hunting requires you work your way from the bottom before you can truly be considered a force to be reckoned with."

"How long does it take before they quit?" Jaune asked.

"If they're smart they never take it up to begin with," Jack said, fixing Jaune with an icy stare. "The stupid ones, on the other hand, typically go after a bounty that is far above their skill level. In the end they only ever serve the purpose of increasing the target's worth and notoriety. A glamor seeker never lasts long in this field."

"The second kind are war dogs. They consist of huntsman who have turned their backs on the oath they took or former soldiers looking to fuel their need to dance with death. More often than not these are people who are as dangerous as those they hunt. They have no interest in money or building their reputation. They have an itch that needs to be scratched, an addiction to living on the edge, of holding a man's life in their hands. The really sad part is that most of these people become so engrossed in the hunt that they end up becoming the hunted themselves."

"The last and least common are career bounty hunters. We're the ones who became a bounty hunter simply to survive. To us it's simply a job, something that keeps food on the table. It's not something we take great pride in but it's something we've managed to do well. You get good enough and you can become a household name in some circles, often being hired out by private sectors or military organizations."

"That explains all the alias' I heard them using when we were at the prison. I heard them call you 'The Slender Man'. What's up with that? Why do you use such a creepy name?" Yang inquired.

"I don't call myself that. You get good enough in this profession and the bounties start giving you those names. Think of it as a rite of passage or a badge of honor. To be given a title by your enemies' means you've graduated to the adults table."

"I can certainly see why they'd give you a name like that," Weiss said, motioning to his slim physique.

"You're one to talk, Ice Queen," Jack shot back.

Weiss' face turned a deep red as she seethed with anger. Jack's mocking smile didn't help much to quell her aggression. Seeing this immediately Demi decided to quickly change the subject. She'd prefer that her parents revert back to silently loathing one another rather than senselessly bickering.

"I don't know much about bounty hunters but listening to you I get the impression there's more to your profession than what we see on the surface."

"Remember what I said about your history books?" Jack asked. Demi nodded in response, expecting him to elaborate.

"You live long enough and you start to learn a little about our history. Unlike the Huntsman whose exploits are written down for all to enjoy and emulate the bounty hunter's history is mainly an oral one. What knowledge we have is passed down from one veteran to the next. Unfortunately this means that most of the facts have been distorted by time but that doesn't make it any less important."

"Long before your academies were built, before the four Kingdoms became a democracy, before the title of Huntsman became mainstream, Bounty Hunters were Humanities saviors."

"I'd always been told Huntsman have been around as long as the Grimm," Jaune interrupted.

"Don't interrupt me junior and you're not entirely wrong. In the old days the profession of a Bounty Hunter was regarded as being on the same level as a Huntsman. To be a Bounty Hunter meant being a traveling warrior, one who wasn't tied down by borders or loyalties to governments. It meant being a servant of the people, someone who had the skills to do what no one else could."

"You needed to hire a body guard; contact a Bounty Hunter. Someone's gone missing and you can't go search for them; ask for a Bounty Hunter. A Grimm is causing trouble and you need someone to bring it down; post a bounty and sure enough it'll get done."

"For centuries we were the go to people in terms of Grimm exterminations and mercenary contracts. After a while there were so many bounty hunters roaming the countryside that people started stepping on each other's toes. In response to this a guild was formed to help regulate bounties, register new comers to the profession, and keep track of jobs that had been accomplished. In time nearly every major town had a Bounty Hunter's guild, a place where you could rest, acquire useful information, and even look up local job postings submitted to the guild."

"However, with the events of the Great War, everything changed for Remnant. With the disbandment of the formal Kingdoms and the rise of the Hunter Academies the positions of competent and experienced instructors needed to be filled and fast. Naturally they looked to the guild to help them accomplish this task."

"Becoming a Bounty Hunter often means that you're never in the same place for too long. Wherever you hang your hat becomes your home. Anyone who decided to start a family and settle down either had to stick to local job postings or give up the profession altogether. With the establishment of the academies, however, settling in one place became much easier to do. Before long the academies began churning out experience and skilled huntsman ready to face the ever present threat of the Grimm."

"It was good for a time but what you often fail to consider is that what may be good for one person can also be detrimental for another. With Huntsman becoming Humanities newest savior's people started relying on Bounty Hunters less and less. Soon jobs once undertaken by Bounty Hunters were turned over to the Huntsman. Funding for the guilds started to dry up and even our reputation began to fade. In time the once noble profession of Bounty Hunting became synonymous with assassins, cutthroats, and thieves. What started out as a pack of lies soon became fact as our exploits faded from the world."

"There's something I still don't understand. You said you hunt the worst killers Remnant has ever seen but we learned that the Grimm are the greatest threat humanity has to face," Ren interjected.

"Did your academies have a class devoted to the study of the Grimm?" he asked.

"Of course," Weiss answered.

"Do you know why?" Jack posed the question.

"So we know how to defeat them. It's meant to teach us their strengths, weaknesses, and habits," Jaune said.

"An excellent textbook answer but not what I'm getting at."

"Then what were you getting at?" Weiss asked in an annoyed tone.

"The reason that class exists is because the Grimm are predictable and are therefore easy to defeat."

"And we aren't," Weiss asked in retort.

"The Grimm are first and foremost animals. Like any animal their actions are dictated by instinct. What makes them different from the rest of the animal kingdom is that they have become consumed by the Darkness, but their natural instincts still remain, guiding their actions. Keeping this in mind it's not hard to see how scholars have managed to write guides on how to defeat them. When your opponent's actions are dictated purely by generations of hardwired needs and desires it becomes easy to predict what they'll do next."

"We as humans are different. We don't rely on instinct so much as our ability to reason. It's what has allowed us to rise above the animal kingdom. We're able to act based on reasoning that is greater than ourselves. That's also why we're the world's most lethal prey. While we are creatures of habit those habits do not dictate ever moment of our life."

"To say that the Grimm are humanity's greatest threat is simply our way of shifting the blame to something more convenient. I can't count how many times I've captured a rather elusive bounty only to find out that many of the crimes they perpetrated were blamed on the Grimm due to a lack of evidence. For all the harm they cause they've also become a useful scapegoat for us to use when the truth is too hard to handle."

With the room having gone quiet again Jack's eyes shifted to the forest outside his window. Hiding among the darkness, Jack could see several pairs of crimson red eyes gazing out at him. With how many there were and how high they hung off the ground Jack could tell it was a pack of Beowulves. Why they hadn't attacked or even attempted to come near the cottage was perplexing to him. It was certainly different from their usual behavior.

A chilling thought then crossed his mind. What if they were Salem's? Given her unusual appearance Jack had entertained the theory that perhaps she was a sort of Grimm, a combination of Humanity and Darkness. It didn't hold any weight but looking out into the forest he began to wonder if he had been right. These Grimm could simply be acting under her orders, watching him from afar while reporting all of his movements. It would take little effort on his part to dispatch them but there were always more waiting in reserve.

"I'm turning in for the night," Jack said, tearing his eyes from the window.

"I'm guessing you'll want the bed?" Weiss asked.

"Nope," he replied curtly and headed into the bathroom.

"You're sleeping in there?" Yang asked in disbelief.

"Of course."

"What if we have to use the bathroom in the middle of the night?" Weiss asked in an irritated tone.

Without saying a word Jack walked over to his pack and began sifting through its contents. Before long he pulled out a roll of toilet paper, a collapsible shovel, and a large flashlight. He set them all on a small table before turning back for the bathroom.

"What are those for?" Weiss asked.

"Find a bush, dig a hole, do your business, and make sure to bury it when you're done."

Flashing Weiss a curt smile as her mouth dropped in exasperation he disappeared into the bathroom before quickly shutting the door behind him.

"He can't be serious," she protested, turning to the other girls for support.

"Never been camping before, have you Weiss?" Yang said with a smile.


Anima – Abandoned Hut – Weiss

The day dawned bright and early as the sun pieced through cracks in the dust covered window. Small mots of dust floated over the heads of the cabin's occupants as they slept soundly. Occasionally Nora could be heard spouting some incoherent mumbling regarding pancakes with Ren wincing in unison with her garbled statements. Ruby and Yang lay near one another, the older sibling having dragged her sleeping bag closer to Ruby in an attempt to keep an eye on her while deterring any thoughts the boys might have had of getting "closer" to her little sister in the middle of the knight. Demi lay on her side with her right arm tucked under her pillow. While most would assume this was done in an effort to support her head in reality her hand clutched tightly to her sword, ready to spring into action the moment something attacked.

Weiss was the first to awake. An early riser by nature she took a moment to asses her surroundings. It took her a moment to recall exactly where she was and by then the natural urges of her body began to take priority. Her eyes darted to the bathroom door, seeing that it was still closed, an obvious sign that Jack was still asleep. She glanced to the table where the shovel, flashlight, and toilet paper were still sitting where Jack had left them. She grimaced at the prospect of relieving herself outside.

Snatching up the toilet paper she walked quietly over the bathroom door. She knocked softly, waiting a few moments for an answer. When she heard nothing she knocked again, louder this time. No response. With her body screaming for relief Weiss ventured in, opening the door slowly to muffle any noise she made. With the light from the window illuminating the dark closet her desire for relief began to diminish. The room had obviously not seen a bottle of bleach in years yet somehow it still had working plumbing from the water reflecting in the toilet. On the far side was a cheap tub from which she could hear shallow breathing.

Moving as quietly as she could she looked in on its occupant, surprised to see Jack sleeping soundly. How he managed to make himself comfortable was beyond her but what she really needed was for him to leave. She gave him a slight nudge, hoping it would be enough. He didn't stir. She pushed harder, shaking him with some effort. He moaned, shifting in his sleep.

"Jack, get up," she whispered fiercely.

"Five more minutes, Eli," he said sleepily.

"My name's not Eli, its Weiss Schnee, now get up and get out."

Jack lazily opened a single eye, the ice blue iris barely visible in the dim light. Rather than vacate the tub he simply rolled over, pulling his hood over his head to block out the light.

"Get up. I need to use the bathroom," she said.

"I told you, go outside and dig a hole."

"No, I won't do such a disgusting thing. Besides, it wouldn't kill you to go sleep in the other room," she argued.

"It wouldn't kill you to learn to utilize the great outdoors," Jack mumbled in retort.

Few things in life ever truly scarred Jack and even fewer had the ability to throw him completely off guard. With his continued refusal to leave the bathroom Weiss' tolerance for the man had run its course. Her face beat red from anger and the building pressure from her bowls she let lose her emotions on the unsuspecting victim.

"GET OUT!" she shrieked.

Jack leaped into the air before slamming down into the tub, his hands death gripping the edges as he starred into the razor sharp glare of Weiss Schnee. Out in the main room the young heiress's shriek had awoken everyone instantly. Demi instinctively leapt to her feet, the sword in her hand having shot out from its hilt, ready for blood.

"GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!" Weiss shrieked, shoving Jack out of the bathroom before slamming the door behind her.

Still shell shocked from Weiss' verbal onslaught, it was a moment before Jack was able to register exactly what happened. Looking to the perplexed faces starring at him only Yang broke the mold as she gave him a sly grin. His gaze slowly fell back on the bathroom door before he finally managed to find his voice.

"What the hell is wrong with that child?" he said rhetorically.


I decided to shorten this chapter mostly because what I had planned next would have made it much longer than it needed to be. As you can see I'm working on adding some back history for Jack as well as his profession. I figured it would be interesting to have Bounty Hunters as the predecessors to the Huntsman prior to the academies. When you actually watch the World of Remnant videos you find that they don't mention Huntsman very much in terms of having been around all the time until they set up the academies.

Added some light humor between Jack and Weiss. Having spent some time camping when I was younger I decided to add an homage to the experience of knowing what it's like to have to dig yourself a hole in the woods as a makeshift toilet. Considering Weiss hasn't had much experience with camping (you can argue she did something similar in Vol. 2 but, let's be honest, it was less than 24 hours later that she found herself back in the city) I thought it would be rather humorous to showcase her discomfort about not having plumbing wherever she needed it.

The next chapter will show a Jack in a more positive light and have Weiss start to show him some mutual respect. I also have some moments planned between the two of them where she comes to realize he regards her with more respect than she'd first thought as well as learn a little more about Demi's past.

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I've seen the daily views of my story growing with each chapter so I'm very excited for that. Be sure to let me know what you think of this in the reviews and I'll see you next time RWBY fans.