Chapter 14: Clubbing

Somewhere in Vale…

Raven Branwen kept a close eye on her charge. Jaune Arc was no lightweight, but he was a potential target because he was a new face.

Here in the underworld of Remnant, one had to know their stuff in order to succeed and thrive. Failures weren't looked highly upon, and sometimes, failures ended up sleeping with the fishes.

Raven had dealt with a few criminals and gang leaders in her time, and no matter how much she had done it, she still didn't like it one bit. It was unfortunate that the scum down in the pits of Remnant were sometimes the only people with the information that she sought. Not even the most morally-guided people could provide the much-needed things a huntress required.

Like today.

Jaune had a mission clearly, and if his poking around was any indication, he was willing to use anything as long as he accomplished the mission. The huntress could admire and respect such a thing; such a morality would serve him well in his life. And she didn't doubt that he wouldn't overstep his boundaries. Jaune was disciplined, in many ways more than she ever was and would ever be.

And Raven knew that her repeated forms of contact with him were signs of how much she cared about his well-being. Jaune knew without a doubt, and more than once, he'd shown the same amount of care for her. It made her innards lift up to know that someone still cared for her.

But he was by no means a child that hugged and kissed her. No, he was an adolescent on a mission, a really significant mission. Raven had yet to know who her served and for what reason did he serve. His behavior was so unlike what was normal for boys his age, and Raven wondered sometimes if there was even a person in that body of his. It seemed like there was a machine programmed to do as it was told, more so than a boy who was trying to be a hero.

Yes, Raven was well aware of Jaune's dreams of becoming a huntsman. She knew it would stick with him because of the one time he had spoken of it, it had been with such conviction, such certainty. Such passion was far and few, and Raven hadn't seem that sort of passion for some time, not since Beacon Academy.

Would he be able to see that dream come to pass?

She didn't know, but she would damn herself if she didn't give him the skills that would make him into an ideal huntsman at the very least. In many ways, he was just like Taiyang: optimistic, hopeful, and driven, except Jaune carried himself with far more discipline.

"Do you even know where I need to go," Jaune asked.

Raven tilted her head to her right. "There's only one place you can go, dear Jaune."

"And that is?"

"It's a night club. Rumors are that the man who runs the place knows everything about what goes on in Vale. He's your best chance."

"And you believe rumors?" Jaune sounded skeptical.

"I've found out that the rumors are very true," she explained. "I've had some dealings with him before. His information is good, and if he won't talk, he can be 'convinced.'"

Jaune said nothing further about the subject, and she didn't feel the need to say any further words of explanation, so Raven kept watching him out the corner of her eyes as they traversed the tunnels.

They weren't the only ones there. They rounded a corner and soon found themselves with other men of various attires and various attitudes. There was nothing that the two of them couldn't overcome together. That being said, Jaune was new here, and even with his level of skill and experience, he still was at a disadvantage.

So Raven stepped up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder and thankfully he kept walking without requiring any words of direction to be given to him. Jaune was very much stiff at her change in mood. It wouldn't take him long to know why it was she was doing this. As long as she was with him, virtually no one would dare to come at him.

Raven leaned into his ear. "Do as I do at all times. And keep your eyes forward. Look at the wrong person, and you've made your work more complicated than it has to be."

He nodded, but otherwise remained still. Just as she said, he didn't do anything else. He was good at listening to instructions without even a hint of indecision, something that Raven was forever grateful that wasn't normal about him. Brats were frustrating, and Raven didn't like brats.

Eventually they were led to two large doors. Two men in black suits and ties as well as glasses to cover their faces stood guard. When they spotted Raven, they seemed to stiffen at the sight of the huntress. Then they noticed the boy in front of her, her hand on his shoulder, and she could see momentary curiosity.

They seemed really nervous as they opened the metal doors and allowed the two of them in.

If there was one thing that never changed in this place, it was the tunes that played. Poppy sounds of all kinds played, most of them about girls who were looking for a good time or guys who bragged about their good looks, natural charm, or some other macho-guy personality trait. Raven didn't prefer these settings as they starkly contrasted with her as a person. Frankly, it made her sick that people even had the time to bother in such a pit of a place, and she wasn't just talking about this specific joint.

I'm sure Qrow would very much occupy a place like this.

Pushing her brother to the back of her mind, Raven guided Jaune to the bar.

And there he was, as normal as he always was.

Hei Xiong

Or Junior, which to Raven, suited him just fine in the right situations.

Junior didn't hesitate to take notice of the huntress as she made her way to the bar. His expression was disinterested. He likely didn't have take any joy in seeing her here. It was unfortunate that she didn't care what he thought.

She gestured, and he immediately took her sign and went to mix a drink.

With him indisposed temporarily, she had time to ask questions.

"What exactly are you here for Jaune?"

"My superiors want to know what the White Fang plans."

The White Fang? The non-violent Faunus protest group turned terrorist? What interest would he or those he served have in a terrorist group?

Only governments cared about terrorists.

Raven let that realization be filed into her mental library. She already knew what to ask Junior.

A small glass was pushed her way; with her free hand, Raven retrieved it and quickly downed it. She'd get a bit of a buzz, but she could hold down her alcohol just fine. She knew her limits.

"What do you want," Junior crossed his arms.

Blunt, just the way she liked it.

"Have you heard any news about the White Fang," Raven pressed. "Spare no details."

The well-dressed man pulled out a scroll. Jaune's head shifted slightly, no doubt to watch what was on it.

Junior tapped a control. "My sources say that the White Fang are already on the move. They've already got several operations at these locations."

He handed her the scroll.

The woman took the device and looked carefully at the information. Although it wasn't priority information for her, it might yet prove useful sometime in the near future. It was also "free," and she wasn't about to waste anything she could use. Raven made sure to hold the scroll in a way that allowed Jaune to see it as well. Perhaps he could process information faster than she could with his cybernetics.

It was surprising to see that indeed that the White Fang was up to more than what Raven had known initially from word of mouth on the streets. Already they were planning on targeting factories and transportations systems that were essential to the Schnee Dust Company. Of course that made sense, as that was the source of much injustice done to Faunus. What also was logical was that larger forces were being concentrated on less-protected areas. Vacuo locations had the least defenses, so platoons were being moved to attack. In Atlas, there were operatives and agents working in pairs at specific targets.

"The Schnee family," Jaune whispered.

Raven followed her mentee's voice to what he was staring at. A red dot marked a location in Atlas. She magnified the section to see more details.

She then sucked in a deep breath.

Twelve-year-old Weiss Schnee was a prime target of the newly-reformed White Fang. She was to be captured during a conference meeting between her father and members of the Atlas Council.

"I've seen enough," Raven tossed the scroll back. "I'll be taking my leave."

"Please so," Junior voiced annoyingly. "You're scaring everyone off."

Raven ignored the quip, and steered Jaune to the exit, while flinging a wad of lien at Junior. He had earned it for at least being being decently compliant. But before she left, Raven made sure to give every of his men a withering stare to scare the daylights out of them. They had to remember who meant business.

As soon as they were alone, Raven unveiled her weapon and created a portal.

"Where are we going?"

"Back to the surface. I'd prefer not to tolerate another moment here if all possible."

"If you say so."

It sounded like he didn't really have any negative opinion of this experience, and the huntress doubted that he would change his opinion as long as he remained as he was. If only she could say that she approached every situation without any form of emotion.

They both entered the portal, then exited onto an abandoned street. It hadn't been too long, but already more clouds were filling the sky that weren't in the sky when they'd first entered the underworld.

"You have what you needed," Raven pointed to his head. "What will you do with it?"

"Whatever must be done," Jaune replied cryptically.

She frowned at his unwillingness to explain. Such was Jaune Arc's mode of conversation. There was nothing more to be gained from this conversation.

"Then no time for dilly-dallying." She sighed. "I must go."

"...thank you Raven."

They rarely ever smiled, and eye contact was the closest to an emotional goodbye ever 'said' between the two of them. Blue against red.

Raven walked through the portal again, and Jaune took back to the city.

(X)(X)(X)(X)

The door to their apartment opened and closed quickly. Penny perked up from her searching to see Jaune with a look of utter focus.

"You found something," Penny guessed.

The blond didn't even bother to say anything as he began to input information into the main terminal; Penny watched as the map of Remnant appeared along with information highlighted in different colors. Her eyes scanned, taking only seconds to process it.

"This is a lot," Penny frowned. "But where should we start?"

Jaune pointed. "We need to postpone information gathering for now. The Schnee heiress is being targeted. We need to return to Atlas and ensure her safety."

"But we may expose ourselves to the public," Penny warned. "We should reconsider this."

"This is a private meeting," Jaune disagreed, "Only the Atlas Council and a few members of the Schnee Dust Company will be present. The councilors are already aware of my existence. The Schnee's can be sworn to secrecy."

Jaune quickly rattled off a message to General Ironwood informing the change in plans. Penny said nothing, knowing that any chance of persuading her partner to change his mind had already left the moment he had obtained this information. His fingers worked at lightning-fast speeds as he typed faster than anyone his age could possibly type normally.

"Jaune," she tried again, "At least tell me you have a plan."

He nodded. "Always."

Because they were operating outside of the jurisdiction of the Atlas military, they had a great deal of resources that were more or less at their disposal. Of course any access to top-secret and otherwise classified information by the two of them wouldn't be sanctioned 'officially'. So while they were privy to such sensitive caches of data, it was risky to access said data.

Penny didn't doubt for one moment that Jaune had a plan. He was a master strategist and tactician. Give him a mission and he would find a way to complete it no matter the cost. He would expose every single little weak point that could turn the tide in his favor. Careful observation and a sharp eye led him to find conceivable ways to help him that few would be able to find. And if there wasn't a weakness to exploit, Jaune would make a weakness.

The map shifted to a large building which Penny could recognize as a Schnee Dust Headquarters in Atlas, right in the heart of the capital. It was one of the most secure places in all of the kingdom. With the influential status of the Schnee's in addition to cutting-edge technology, it was a disguised fortress.

The building was divided into many sections with workers and employees working different sections of the building. Guards also were stationed there, armed and ready.

"Here," Jaune pointed. "This is the main complex where the Council and Blanco Schnee will meeting. This complex has state-of-the-art security measures all around the complex. Nobody without a proper identification can enter the building without triggering alarms."

Penny acknowledged his words, but otherwise didn't talk. When Jaune was discussing a plan, it was best not to interrupt. He didn't like to repeat things more than once.

"Which means," Jaune thought out loud, "That likely the infiltrators are disguised as authorized personnel with proper clearance. And because it's the White Fang, their Faunus features would have to be disguised or somehow hidden."

That made sense so far, but it was a very large place, and security measures seemed a bit too high for two infiltrators to escape with a high-profile target. There had to be more.

"That can't be right," Penny contended. "Two agents can't do all of this."

"They won't have to," he answered. "All it takes are moles in a system to cripple it from the inside. The agents themselves may not even be the ones tasked with the kidnapping. They may be simply the first step in a larger plan."

A thought crossed the synthetic's mind.

"How do we know when this attack will commence?"

The part-cyborg blond's eyes darted to all of the information displayed. There wasn't a specific date nor a time. This was merely a location.

Then a thought crossed his mind.

"Check to see when the council is meeting with the head Schnee."

Penny reached for a second terminal and worked her magic in accessing Schnee records and scheduling. It didn't take her long to find the information she was looking for given how specific her searching parameters were.

Penny's eyes squinted slightly. "The attack will commence in exactly one day and six hours."

"Then we need to leave now," Jaune said, "We can plan out the details along the way. Inform General Ironwood that we are moving to the capital."

"Wouldn't it be easier to call General Ironwood and send soldiers to guard the building?"

"The attention isn't needed," Jaune argued. "And furthermore, how would he explain how he knew of such an attack? That could launch an investigation, and that's something we cannot have. No, this must remain a covert operation."

Logical as always.

Penny did what she was asked.

(X)(X)(X)(X)

Adam Taurus's hand scraped against the blade of his weapon. It had proved numerous times to be a reliable weapon for him. He needed it to be considering he was faced with foes of great power and high skill.

He was one of the best combatants of the White Fang, and he took great pride in showing his brothers and sisters how best to wield a weapon. They would all have need of such skills, for their means to achieve the goal of Faunus justice had been altered.

New leaders had taken over the White Fang, preaching a need for violent means in order to bear tangible fruits rather than chase hopeless dreams that would never come to pass. Humans were violent and cruel by nature, and they shunned what wasn't them, and all Faunus were made into victims as a result. It was time for the victims to be the aggressors and retaliate in kind what Humans had wrought upon their species.

Many had already jumped on this new avenue of ideology. It was understandable seeing that protests and rallies and non-violent forms of fighting Faunus injustice didn't seem to do anything noticeable to change the minds of Humans.

With this in mind, there were many still who were hesitant about these means, saying that violence would only incite more violence and would never allow Humans to see anything more than monsters in Faunus should it continue.

Adam didn't care what Humans thought. Let them think what they wanted to think, because Humans hadn't given the same kind of mercy and thoughtfulness, so why should he show them mercy?

His first mission as part of the new White Fang was to capture Weiss Schnee, heiress to the most influential name associated with dust mining and purification, and heiress to the company which represented the greatest of Faunus prejudice. Adam despised the name Schnee and felt their kind didn't deserve any form of mercy, but like it or not, he had orders to follow.

And who better to join him on his mission than his partner Blake Belladonna? She was a natural talent with a blade. He had helped her to forge Gambol Shroud, one of few things she owned. She was also very much suited to this sort of mission given her ability to remain quiet and undetected.

Blake seemed a bit apprehensive about the changes in the White Fang. She wasn't strictly a non-violent person, but neither was she fully endorsing the combative methods that the White Fang represented. Adam didn't pay it much mind, as he knew Blake to be of a reasonable mind; she would be swayed to the right way of thinking when the results spoke for themselves.

"Sixteen hours," Adam muttered. "It would be a good idea to make sure all the pieces are in place."

Sixteen hours may seem like a long time to be waiting, but Adam was one to keep himself busy with something. Sometimes, days would pass by and he wouldn't even know it until he actually checked his scroll or asked one of his comrades.

Right now, they were at one of the various safe houses in Atlas, and because their marks were instantly recognizable to the public, they had to remain hidden until the attack commenced. Because Faunus had the advantage of near-perfect night vision, they would attack when the night covered the city. The less public attention, the better.

All they had to wait for was the all-clear to make a clean and silent infiltration.

The first thing he checked to see that were present and accounted for. A team of eight would attack the building, each with a set purpose. Fion and Aiden were to strike at the power station. Allura and Hunter were tasked to act as outside watch, only intervening if absolutely necessary. Chester and Lance were going to provide cover for Blake and Adam, and the two of them had the most important task: capturing the target.

If there was any real threat, they would have need of more warriors, but the arrogance of the Schnee family worked in their favor. They believed themselves untouchable, and as such, guard postings weren't as harsh as it could have been.

Each pair would have to go in individually and perform their task and not a hair out of place. They had rehearsed this plan at least twenty times. They couldn't stick around longer than an hour at best. They were good, but an armed legion would likely follow suit once the situation was realized by someone outside. That would make this job a lot harder.

They just had to wait for the agents within the facility.

Adam ran a hair through his bright red hair, his hands feeling his obvious Faunus features. Perhaps a few hours sleep were warranted given the fact that once the mission was complete, they wouldn't be getting much rest. It would be back to the wilds and from there, their next move would be planned.

"Adam," a familiar voice called out.

He turned his head to see his partner. Blake looked concerned for him, and as much as he appreciated the gesture, he found it difficult to accept her concern. He didn't want her to worry about him.

"I'm fine," he said. "Just making sure we're ready."

"We've been ready for weeks," Blake said. "What's there to worry about?"

Adam didn't reply, and truthfully, he wasn't sure what answer would be satisfying enough for Blake.

"Get some sleep," the man spoke. "You'll need it for tomorrow."

"You too," Blake sternly responded. "You won't do us good if you're half-awake."

"I'll get my sleep," Adam assured. "Make sure the others are ready. Don't do anything too overtaxing. Keep sparring to a minimum."

Please don't argue with me, Blake, he mulled.

It was silent for maybe a few seconds, then he heard her footsteps as she left him alone in the map room.

His eyes drooped slightly, before he shook his head.

He really did need more sleep.

Fourteen and a half hours left.

Had time really slipped away from him that easily?

(X)(X)(X)(X)

Jillian Arc snarled as she leaped forward towards her eldest sister, Jenette. The two collided with enough aura energy to cause a momentary whirlwind that lifted up loose objects with a few meter diameter.

The two of them separated and walked in a circle, trying to discern each other's weaknesses, or more specifically how to exploit the already-known weaknesses and be discreet about it. That was just as laborious as it sounded.

Jenette charged again, her eyes sparkling with sheer ferocity and seemingly unlimited energy. The elder sister didn't falter as she waited for the younger sister to charge. At the last second, an aura shield was brought up between the two of them, forcing Jillian to separate

"Whoa there little sister," Jenette said. "This is a spar, not a battle."

"Every time a weapon's drawn," Jillian growled, "It's a battle, regardless if deadly intent is meant."

Anger and annoyance had seemingly become more of a norm of Jillian Arc, and her mood was especially intensified when anything with relation to Jaune was on her mind. Being a huntress was one of those things. Jillian was a student at Shade Academy, which matched her more rough personality, and like Jenette, she was doing this to honor her little brother that was no longer a part of their lives.

Right now, it was spring break for both of them, and both huntresses in training had bid their teammates farewell for a short time and had returned home. Their teammates were already aware of their unfortunate plight, and understood the reasons why they wanted only family at the Arc household.

Ashton and Grace would be returning soon from their college studies. Both of them had enrolled in Atlas University, and proving to be quite good at keeping up with the high standards, with mostly A's and one or two B's; all in all, it was a good track record so far. The two of them had managed to move on in life, though that wasn't to say that they didn't wish for their baby brother back, but life wouldn't give them that, so they had to move on.

Jenette hadn't given up hope. She was determined to find the whereabouts of her brother. Her time at Haven Academy hadn't borne any fruit, which was a colossal frustration. Nothing, not even a clue here or there. Having access to resources of all hunter academies did nothing to help her search.

The worst part was that over time, her search had stopped completely, because like it or not, she couldn't find anything at all. It was like looking for a needle in the haystack of Remnant: near impossible.

It was sad, but what else could she do?

The sound of a vehicle pulling up the driveway alerted both sisters that their parents were home. The two of them stopped their spar, setting down their weapons before running up to greet them.

Jillian crashed into her mother before giving the biggest hug she could give. Their mother returned the embrace.

"How are our two huntresses doing," Gina asked.

"Better now that you're here," Jillian spoke softly.

Their father joined in on the hug. Jenette watched with a smile. It was nice to see that the family was slowly healing. Her father saw her staring and motioned her forward. So she joined their hug.

"So when did you guys get back," Jacob asked.

"Got back this morning," Jillian answered. "Dust plane dropped us off. It's good to be home."

"How's Miranda doing," Jenette inquired. "Lana? Amara? I haven't gotten around to visiting with them, being with Jillian and all."

"They're doing good," Gina replied. "All things considered."

Lana and Amara, the once carefree twins were not taking on the responsibility of maintaining the household and caring for Miranda. Even more strange was that they were becoming the mediators that settled differences between any warring family members. Less fights broke out as a result and the family had overall become much more bonded.

Miranda had taken the longest time to accept that Jaune wasn't in their lives anymore. It had taken the support of the entire family to try and stop her from descending into even more sadness. She still wasn't fully recovered, none of them were, but for the sake of the family and herself, Miranda had to accept what was.

"It's good that everyone's coming home," Jacob smiled. "It seems like forever since we've all been together."

"I know what you mean dad," Jenette nodded. "And we're glad to be home."

"What she said," Jillian muttered, "And then some."

"Got anything to bring in," Jenette offered.

"Nothing today," her father shook his head. "But thanks for the thought anyway."

The two huntresses decided to put up their weapons for the day and join in on the family. It wouldn't be long before the first twins got back, and like it had been mentioned, having all the members of the Arc family together was very difficult given their paths in life.

When the door opened, the television was sounding, and Miranda, Lana, and Amara were watching it with rapt interest.

"Mom, dad," Miranda acknowledged. "This is some crazy stuff right here."

"What is it," the Arc mother stepped forward.

The four who had just entered looked to the screen to see what was so interesting. The first thing that was obvious was that it was a news channel. The second was the headline that was boldly shown.

SCHNEE DUST COMPANY HEADQUARTERS UNDER ATTACK

"What," Jacob looked astonished. "Who in their right mind would do that? Attacking Schnee headquarters is tantamount to a death wish."

Jillian's eyes narrowed. "I think you know who would dare, dad."

He did know. He was a huntsman after all.

The White Fang.

(X)(X)(X)(X)

Weiss was not really sure what was going on.

One moment, it was quiet as she listened to her father drone on about family business with the Atlesian Council. The heiress didn't even pretend that she was even vaguely interested in what was going on in the meeting. She had made her stance clear with her father: she was going to be a huntress. She was going to choose her own fate, and she'd carry out the Schnee family name in her own way.

That didn't stop him from trying to give her a good reason to reconsider, and that never ceased to annoy her.

Her stew of thoughts were halted when alarms started sounding all around the facility. Weiss knew what they were as she had to know about Schnee dust facilities, especially this one, the primary one owned by the SDC. The facility was equipped with security systems that ensured that none of the work done here was disturbed by anyone.

Nobody had to wait long to discern what came next, as smoke filled the room, causing everyone to sputter and cough and curse.

Weiss didn't have Myrtenaster with her, but she wasn't without any weapon. She did have a short sword concealed in her dress. She brandished it and quickly got into a proper stance. It was far from conquering her fears, but it was better than being completely unarmed.

"Weiss," Blanco Schnee called out. "Where are you!?"

"Father," she called. "I'm here!"

She then felt herself knocked to the ground roughly. Whoever had done it wasn't her father. She flipped herself over only to see something that she both feared and hated.

A White Fang Faunus.

It was clearly a man the way he was shaped physically. In one hand, he carried a katana. In the other, he held a sheath that appeared to act also as a firearm. When Weiss tried to defend herself, he casually disarmed her with a simple swipe. The shot sword clattered meters away from her.

"Nice try, Schnee scum," he growled.

The white-clad girl had no time to get up as he grabbed her roughly.

"And don't bother trying to use your semblance," he warned. "Or I will kill you."

"I won't be taken," Weiss cried indignantly. "Not by the likes of you, terrorist."

"Shut up," he intoned. "Speak more and I'll have your t-"

He didn't get to finish his words as shots sounded. The heiress couldn't triangulate where the shots had come, but what she could see was that her assailant had been wounded. With a cry of agony, he released from his grasp.

"WEISS," her father yelled.

Too many things were going on at once and Weiss failed to heed her father's shout to her. The more urgent threat was the Faunus still trying to advance on her.

Then someone materialized in front of Weiss, and her first instinct was to shy away.

"In the name of the Kingdom of Atlas," a synthesized voice called out, "You are under arrest."

She did a double take.

What?

Daring to chance a glance, Weiss turned her head. The first thing she spotted was the symbol of Atlas on the shoulder pad of her rescuer. She couldn't make out any features as his back was turned to her.

Her eyes were then drawn to the longsword that he held in his hand and the sheath at his side. No normal local or military personnel in Atlas carried a weapon like a sword.

A huntsman?

She felt a hand grab her, and she panicked on instinct, only to find out the hand belonged to her father.

"Weiss, we have to go," her father said.

Even as she was being led away, she couldn't help but peer at the figure in white.

Who was he?

What's up my readers? I'm sorry for the delay, but midterms and college have been putting my writing time on hold. I really hate to make updates inconsistent, but school has to take priority.

The next chapter will finish up this story arc, and then we'll move along. As I may or may not have mentioned, this is AU to the bone. It's more fun that way.

If the sudden shift in the events of this chapter confused anyone, my sincerest apologies. The next chapter will briefly shed some light on how we came to this moment.

So where's the romance? I'm getting there. Jaune and Blake will have their first encounter, don't worry about that. A slow romance is how I like it.

And that's all I've got to say.

If you guys approve of this chapter, then let me know in a review. If you disliked it for whatever reason, I'd like to know why. Feedback and constructive criticism is appreciated.

I hope you guys enjoyed reading, and remember, the world is anything but stable.

Peace out!