Ch. 25
'The White Fang'
After everyone had taken a seat including Cinder Torchwick stood up and walked to his whiteboard where he planned his jobs.
"Alright, We've recently begun working with the white fang."
"I thought the white fang hate humans" Ruby interjected
"They do, but they need weapons and dust so there willing to pay good money, which is where we come in."
"Now we've received intel that a Schnee warehouse is expecting a large shipment of dust via cargo train, so the plan is simple we intercept it and steal what's on it."
"That doesn't seem too hard what's the catch?" Zack said
"The catch is only one of you is going to be intercepting the train while the other is going to be coming with me to the docks to get some Schnee dust crates that arrived via boat."
"Don't forget this is a joint operation Roman" Cinder then stood up and walked next to Torchwick.
"Now since this is a joint operation so you'll be working alongside white fang members."
"For the person who will intercept the cargo train, you'll be working with another operative from the white fang, and for the docks, you'll be working with a small group of white fang members."
"So who's going where?" Ruby asked hoping she would get the easy job of stealing cargo from the docks.
"Ruby you'll intercept the cargo train while Zack comes with me."
"Uhm.." Ruby was contemplating if she should ask if there would be any people on board that she would have to take down. Torchwick noticed Ruby's hesitation and spoke up.
"There's only going to be Atlast security drones guarding the train so you can let loose Red" Ruby breathed a sigh of relief that there wouldn't be anyone on board.
Now that they had decided who was going where Torchwick went into more depth on how they would intercept the train with a specific spot Ruby would have to wait with the white fang operative who they didn't know who it was only that it was one of there best agents. They would take down all the security drones then disconnect the cargo from the locomotive and shoot a signal flare to inform the nearby white fang members that they had completed their task where they would handle the rest.
For Zack's mission, it was straightforward they would fly in with a few vertibirds and loot all the Schnee crates for dust the security was bribed so they shouldn't run into any problems. Much too dull for Zack's liking he had assumed he would be the one intercepting the cargo train since Zack enjoyed fighting. He wasn't too worried about Ruby she looked like a sweet and cute 15-year-old, but Zack had seen her take down guys twice her size with ease and went toe to toe with Grimm like it was nothing. A couple of Atlast droids would be no problem for her. After the meeting had ended the duo returned to there respective rooms and starting preparing for there mission. Once they finished, they ate a quick meal and said good luck to one another and went off to complete the task they were given.
-Ruby-
Ruby walked through the Emerald forest, eliminating light packs of Grimm on her way to the meeting point. She hoped the agent she would be meeting would be easy to talk to and not be someone like Mercury or Emerald who seems to dislike her. When she got near the meeting point, she called out Qrow to scout the area ahead for the agent.
"Did you find him?" She asked her feathery companion as he returned
"Yeah, he's up ahead."
"Are you sure it's him?"
"Oh, I'm sure he was earing one of those creepy Grimm masks they seem to like."
"Got it cmon let's not keep him waiting."
When Ruby arrived, the white fang agent turned around to look at her. Ruby couldn't see his facial expression because of the mask, but she got the feeling he didn't like her one bit.
"Hello, are you the white fang agent I'm going to be working with?"
"Tch, You damn humans, aren't even taking us seriously," He growled.
"Um Did I do something to offend you" Ruby was polite so she wouldn't offend her temporary partner, but that seems to have backfired on her.
"I was informed your boss was going to send one of there best, but they sent a child instead, are we just a joke to you?" His rage-filled question left Ruby speechless.
He didn't even let Ruby come up with a response he just turned around and walked away clearly displeased with her. Ruby just looked down at her feet.
'I wish they had sent Zack here instead,' she thought to herself before following the white fang agent. She caught up to the agent who was waiting by a cliff overlooking the train tracks where the cargo train would soon pass.
"Your still here," he was annoyed that Ruby followed him.
Ruby took a quick breath to clear her head and spoke.
"I'm sorry your not happy they sent a kid like me, but I still have a job to do so whether you like it or not I'm coming too," As much as Ruby wanted to walk away she didn't want to disappoint her Boss.
"Tch fine just stay out of my way," he said harshly
"Name's Ruby, by the way, what's yours?"
"...Adam"
"Alright Adam, I know I don't look competent, but I'm about to prove you wrong just you watch," She said confidently.
After that, they waited in silence on the cliff for the train to come. Ruby took a moment to study Adam. He looked taller than Zack, but not as built as Zack. Adam wore a black long-sleeved blazer suit jacket with a red wilting rose logo on his back with a red long-sleeved shirt underneath and a pair of black dress pants with black dressing shoes and gloves to match. His face hidden behind the Grimm mask he wore, but she could see he had auburn hair that spiked backward. Adam also appeared to have small bull horns which wasn't surprising since he was part of the white fang. Next Ruby looked at Adam's weapon it looked like a black Japanese chokuto, but the sheath resembled a rifle. Adam noticed that Ruby was staring at his weapon.
"What?" he said tightening his grip on his sword
"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't mean to stare. I was just wondering why your chokuto had a sheath that resembled a rifle."
Adam was surprised Ruby knew what a chokuto was most people just called it a sword or katana(I did too till I looked it up XD).
"I'm surprised you know what this type of blade is called."
"hehe I may not look like it, but I'm a huge weapons geek because I enjoy building them, here let me show you mine."
Ruby then unholstered Crescent Rose from her waist activating its scythe mode.
Adam was startled when she pulled out a large red scythe usually he'd attack her right on the spot, but he didn't feel any bad intentions, so he let it slide.
"This here is my darling Crescent Rose she's my greatest creation" Ruby was practically glowing she loved bragging to people about her scythe on how cool it was and such.
Adam was impressed she could craft and wield such a weapon with those small arms.
"What's your weapons name?"
"Wilt and Blush" Adam then unsheathed his sword and showed it to Ruby. It had a red colored single edge blade with a black handle.
Ruby's eyes were sparkling as she looked at Adam's sword(hehe gigity)
"It looks so awesome, and we also have Rose themed names for our weapons how amazing is that."
Adam was taken aback on how impressed Ruby was with his weapon; he watched her dance around it, looking at its design.
"Did you build it yourself?" Ruby asked while still inspecting the sword
"No, it was given to me."
"So it's like a hand me down."
"Yeah, sort of," Adam recalled the man that given him the blade he was the original leader of the white fang. He had given him the sword as long as he kept a promise to protect his daughter. The one that betrayed and abandoned him.
"Adam?"
"Mhm"
"Are you okay, you look angry about something."
"It's nothing don't worry about it" Adam then sheathed his blade and returned to watching the tracks.
Ruby also holstered her scythe and stood next to Adam, waiting for the train they were going to intercept.
'I wonder how Zack's doing.' Ruby thought as she waited
-Zack-
Zack and Torchwick sat in a vertibird filled with white fang members. They all wore the same uniform white garb with there fang logo on the back and black combat pants and boots. They also wore their famous Grimm mask. Zack never understood while they liked to wear a Grimm mask.
'Is it a fetish or something' he thought.
The vertibirds intercom chimed, and the pilot spoke
"Alright, we're here."
The veritbirds doors cargo doors opened up, and they all walked outside. Torchwick walked in front of everyone, then spoke.
"Alright listen up you mutts I'm going to make this simple and easy get as much dust as your paws can carry and load it up on the vertibirds and I want it all done in 2 hours."
"Got it?" The white fang members seemed annoyed, but nodded at Torchwick's orders and got to work.
"What about me, Boss? want me to stand here looking pretty?" Zack said in a smartass tone
"No jackass I want you to keep a lookout in case we have any unexpected visitors."
"Like that girl creeping up behind you," Zack said while pointing at one of the containers behind Torchwick.
"What!" before Torchwick could react a raven-haired girl with amber eyes jumped down and grabbed Torchwick putting and put a blade near his throat and yelled.
"Nobody Move!" while tightening her grip on Torchwick pressing her blade closer to his neck. The nearby white fang members came and stood ready to fight the intruder while Zack watched. The raven-haired girl reached up and untied her bow revealing black cat years.
"Brother's of the white fang why are you aiding this scum."
Her word's made the white fang members hesitate as if they agreed with her, but didn't back down.
"Hehe oh, kid didn't you get the memo," Torchwick didn't seem bothered that there was a blade pressed against his neck.
"What are you talking about."
"The white fang and I are joint on a joint business venture together," Torchwick said with a smug look on his face.
The raven-haired Faunus seemed confused at his words and pressed for an answer.
"Tell me what it is, or I'll put an end to your little operation." Almost like if it was planned two vertibirds arrived hovering above them shining lights on the raven-haired Faunus.
"I wouldn't exactly call it a little operation," Torchwick said with a grin on his face as he noticed that the raven-haired Faunus was distracted by the arrival of the vertibirds and aimed his Melodic Cudgel at her feet and shot and explosive dust round sending the cat Faunus flying back. Torchwick quickly turned around and started shooting more exploding dust rounds at his attacker. The cat Faunus dodged every shot Torchwick fired, but one that hit her directly. Zack thought she was done for until he noticed she had created a dust clone that took the shot while the real one jumped behind cover. Torchwick started walking slowly towards where the cat Faunus was hiding, keeping his weapon ready to fire at her.
"Here kitty kitty," Torchwick said in a threating tone.
A random banana peel hit Torchwick's bowler grabbing his attention he looked up to see a blond monkey Faunus descending from above about to kick him in the face, but his foot never made contact. Zack had noticed his approach and countered his kick with his own sending the blond Faunus flying back till he crashed against a container. The blond Faunus recovered quickly and looked at Zack visibly surprised he had noticed he was coming.
"I bet you were going to say something heroic like 'leave her alone' or something stupid like that," Zack said amusingly as he approached the blond Faunus.
The blond Faunus gave Zack an annoyed look as if that was what he was going to say. Zack picked up on it and chuckled.
"My bad didn't mean to make you look like an idiot, but I can't have you kicking my Boss in the face even though I agree he does have a kickable face." Zack looked at Torchwick who did not look very happy at Zack's joke.
"Alright Jackass you handle those two while we finish up here."
Zack flashed Torchwick a thumbs up
"You got it, Boss!" Torchwick turned around and ordered the white fang to continue what they've been doing.
Zack jumped back as he noticed the cat Faunus had come out of her hiding spot and tried to take him down.
"Whoa cat's got claws meoooow," Zack said mockingly as he imitated a cat scratching something.
The cat Faunus glared at Zack not finding his sense of humor very humorous.
"What are you planning to do with all this dust?" The cat Faunus asked Zack.
"Cmon on now you know I can't tell...unless you make it worth my while," Zack began to eye the cat Faunus body thinking she wasn't that bad looking. But before she could reply her blond companion rushed, Zack annoyed how Zack was looking at his raven-haired companion. He pulled out two red-colored nunchucks that also looked like flintlock pistols and connected them to form a staff. The blond Faunus then jumped in the air and tried to slam the staff on Zack's face, but was countered by a black staff that Zack materialized. Zack pushed his attacker back with ease and got into a combat stance.
"Is that all you got?" The two intruders looked at each other and nodded and rushed Zack together. Zack smiled and rushed them as well. The monkey Faunus was the first to reach Zack and begun to trade blows with him. The monkey Faunus tried to swing wide aiming for Zack's ribs but was easily blocked by Zack who expected that. Zack tilted his staff down and used the end of his staff to jab the monkey Faunus in the throat stunning him for a breath second. Zack then used his staff to sweep the monkey Faunus off his feet and kick him in the stomach before he touched the ground. Zack quickly dematerialized the staff and formed a shield and turned around immediately blocking the blade that was about to slash at him from behind. The cat Faunus was surprised her sneak attack didn't work, but Zack wasn't he had a feeling the cat Faunus wasn't the confrontation type and kept track of her while he fought the monkey Faunus. Zack broke the lock with sheer force and threw a kick at the cat's stomach, but instead of feeling flesh and bone he was met with dust as it dissipated from his attack.
'Right she can make clones'
Zack then dodged left as he felt something was about to hit him and sure enough a staff smashed into the ground, leaving cracks in the concrete floor. The monkey Faunus had recovered and tried to sneak up on Zack as well. When Zack finished rolling, he aimed his shield upward blocking an overhead slash from the cat Faunus. He once again used force and pushed his attacker off him, but this time he instead of following it up with a kick he threw his shield at the cat Faunus. The cat expected it to hit her clone, but it curved around it, hitting her in the face dazing her. Zack saw an opening and rushed her. He materialized another shield and rammed her with it sending her flying into a nearby container. Her aura shield was shattering as it had reached its limit and would not be able to protect her for a while till it recharged. Zack noticed this and walked up to her with his hand cannon drawn.
"GET AWAY FROM HER!" The monkey Faunus yelled as he tried to attack Zack from behind
"Are you sure you wanna do that?" Zack said as he pointed his cannon at The cat Faunus who was still recovering from being slammed into a container. The monkey Faunus stopped in his tracks and glared at Zack.
"Good now drop the weapon" Zack ordered
"Sun don't worry about me attack him," his companion pleaded him to attack, but the monkey did as he was told and dropped his weapon.
"Good now you toss your weapon away" This time Zack ordered the cat to throw her weapons away.
"I'll never listen to scum like you" She growled at Zack
"BLAKE! just do it it's okay," the monkey yelled at his companion to obey Zack's demand.
She was very reluctant, but she eventually tossed her weapon away and glared at Zack with malice in her eyes.
In truth, Zack's hand cannon wasn't even loaded; he only used this weapon against Grimm since he felt it wasn't right to kill people with a gun that Ruby made for him. He was only using it to buy time, so Torchwick could do what he does best.
"Why are you doing this?" The cat Faunus barked at Zack
"Because it gets me paid," He said bluntly
"But why use the white fang they don't deserve to be used by scum like you!"
"The way you try to defend them makes me think you where once a member." Zack noticed the Cat Faunus looked away at Zack's question.
"Oof so you where a member tell you what, you answer a question I have and I'll answer one of yours, how's that sound?"
The cat Faunus looked at Zack, confused as to what he was planning.
She ended up agreeing since she really wanted to know what they were planning.
"Alright, Blake was it? Okay, my question's simple, why wear masks?"
"Masks?"
"Yeah, I noticed a lot of these white fang guys wear these Grimm masks always wondered why," Zack wasn't making fun of them or anything it was just something that made him curious.
Blake thought for a minute then she sat up.
"The mask are a symbol; humanity wanted to make monsters out of us, so we chose to don the faces of monsters."
"That's a bit dark, isn't it?" Sun said
"So was the person who thought of it," Blake looked sad as if she remembered something she didn't want to.
"I see alright Blake now it's your turn ask away."
Zack's response baffled her she had expected him to laugh and say he was just kidding about answering her question, but he looked at her waiting for her to ask a question.
"Alright, why use the white fang?" Zack wasn't surprised this was going to be her question.
"You asked the wrong question Blake," He said
"What do you mean?"
"The question you should be asking is 'why is the white fang using us'"
Blakes' eyes went wide she never expected the white fang would come and ask humans for help something big was going to happen, and she needed to find out.
"Why is the white fang using you then?"
"Sorry blakey I already answered one of your questions, and it looks like my time here is up" Zack looked and saw that Torchwick was signaling that they were leaving. He holstered his weapon and started walking away. Zack wasn't worried that they were going to attack him by now they should have realized they can't win against him.
"W-wait, please I need to know" she pleaded for Zack to answer her question.
"If we meet again we'll play this game again cya." And on that note, Zack left leaving Blake with more questions than answers.