Confrontations
"Cinder, what a surprise meeting you here" Roman chuckled, backing up a little as he eyed her burning palm.
"Likewise, Roman" she replied, no trace of humor in her voice. "I certainly wasn't expecting you to cut a deal with the law."
"I'm not quite sure what you're talking about" Roman said, proud that he managed to keep his voice steady as Cinder slowly advanced to keep pace with his retreat.
"You met with the old crow, didn't you?" Cinder stated. "Last I checked, he was working for the VCT. You know, our enemies?"
"Oh" Roman chuckled nervously, suddenly finding himself against the back wall of the alley. "That. Well, he's not exactly on the up-and-up, you know? He wanted dirt on Damien, and offered a free trip both out of the general's ambush and Vale. How could I say no?"
"And the nature of this dirt?" Cinder asked pointedly, pausing her advance to give Roman once last chance to explain himself.
I'm fucked... Roman thought to himself, gripping his cane a little tighter as he prepared to die. "...the truth about the Menagerie..."
As expected, his admission brought a snarl of rage to Cinder's face, accompanied by the infernal glow of a powerful fireball lancing from her fingertips. He desperately lunged to the side, knowing that it was a futile effort as the fireball expanded to fill the entirety of the alleyway. As he raised his cane to fire one last despairing shot, he mused that at least it would be a swift death, the heat was already shriveling his clothing... And then, just when he thought he had prepared for the worst, there was an unbelievable amount of air pressure against the back of his throat, and he fell to his knees, wracked by the worst coughing fit of his life.
"Hold your breath" a voice growled in his ear, and Roman felt a pair of hands roughly haul him over someone's shoulders. Unable to react in time, he again gagged and retched as another blast of air pressure collided with his still-recovering throat.
"I said hold your breath!" the voice growled again, what little patience it had ever possessed gone. This time, Roman managed to steady his breathing long enough to obey the command, and after a few more gusts of air had gone by he felt confident enough to observe the person carrying him. Judging from the black cloak, it was Qrow. They finally stopped moving in a back alley that, as far as Roman could tell, was no different from any other back alley in the Red-Light District. Feeling Qrow's shoulders beginning to shift, he braced himself and managed to roll a little as he was unceremoniously shrugged off the former hunter's back and onto the ground.
"...thanks" Roman finally said, picking himself up with as much dignity he could muster and dusting off his clothes. "Now, about that free-" Roman never completed his sentence, as Qrow suddenly disappeared in a shower of black rose petals, reappearing almost in the same instant directly in front of him with one leg outstretched in a supersonic roundhouse kick that rather brutally knocked him unconscious.
[Jaune's House, 6:00AM]
"...une...Jaun...Jaune, Jaune!" Jaune blearily awoke to someone shaking his shoulder and calling his name. Yawning massively, he blinked owlishly as he focused on the person.
"Ozpin?" he said, seeing a mess of silver and black and green and making an educated guess.
"Yes" Ozpin replied, an unusual note of urgency in his voice. "Get up. Now." Jaune snapped himself awake at that and sat up, extricating himself from Velvet's arms as he looked Ozpin dead in the face.
"About this..." he said, trying to piece together a believable lie as to why he and Velvet were sharing the couch.
"I saw nothing" Ozpin broke in, putting a single finger against a knowing grin.
"Thank you" Jaune said, genuinely relieved. He didn't need any more reasons for his father to deliver an unwanted lecture.
"Your father is waiting" Ozpin informed him, brushing the matter aside as urgency returned to his voice. "The preening for your bachelor's party awaits."
"Right" Jaune replied, getting up and heading for the bathroom to change. "Get Velvet up and give her something to eat, it's going to be a long day."
[Five minutes of hasty dressing later...]
Jaune easily slid into the waiting limo, black this time, taking a seat opposite his father as Ozpin and Velvet silently took theirs at the very back. Damien looked up at him with a smile that seemed almost genuinely proud, and more out of a desire to keep things cordial than anything else, Jaune smiled back. The car ride passed in a silence that hovered somewhere between comfortable and awkward and Jaune was relieved when they finally pulled up to the hall that his father had rented for the upcoming affair. He slid out of the car with equal ease and surrendered himself to the hands of the anxiously waiting makeup artists and stylists, who immediately began fussing with his appearance. He internally sighed as he was guided inside, allowing himself a quick glance back to see how Velvet was holding up. It was going to be a long day...
[Vale PD, 7:30]
"Qrow" Damien greeted from across his newly supplied desk in his newly acquired office.
"Damien" Qrow replied, his tone even and unreadable. He eyed Damien cautiously. The old hunter had left his formal wear draped over the back of a chair and now sported his hunting fatigues, though his sword and rifle were currently leaning against the desk.
"There was an incident last night" Damien said, his tone also growing even and unreadable. "At Harper's Wharf."
"Would you like me to look into it?" Qrow replied, instantly on guard.
"No" Damien said, leaning forwards and looking Qrow dead in the eyes. "I want you to explain what you were doing there."
"I was at home with my nieces" Qrow instantly denied, his mind racing. He was certain that he had thoroughly swept the area for bugs and tails, how did Damien know?
"Qrow" Damien said, his tone brooking no argument. "We had aerial surveillance of the area, I know it was you. If it was anyone else in question I would have personally locked them up and submitted them for interrogation. I'm giving you a chance to explain why you met with Roman." Qrow's grey eyes bored into Damien's blue ones, both hardened against what might come.
"Okay" Qrow slowly admitted, still internally poised for action. "I lied when I said Torchwick wasn't at the warehouse. He was. I cut a deal with him. He would give me information on Cinder and in return I would smuggle him out of Vale."
"And you would actually have let him go?" Damien asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Of course not" Qrow scoffed. "I have him trussed up in my basement right now."
"Excellent" Damien backed down, losing his hardened expression in favor of a grimly satisfied smile. "You did well Qrow. You might've gone behind my back, but you did well."
Qrow chose not to respond to that backhanded compliment, instead letting his mind race. If Damien was allowed to take custody of Torchwick, it would very quickly become apparent that the information involved in the deal was not only related to Cinder Fall. However, lying about Roman's location would have landed him in far more trouble than he was willing to handle. He would have to keep Damien off long enough for him to fully peruse the information Roman had handed over, but how? His musings were interrupted by Damien setting his scroll down with a click and standing up.
"How long has it been, Qrow" Damien mused, turning to face the wall-to-wall window that overlooked the city. "Since we last held a civil conversation."
"At least two years" Qrow replied, wondering at his once-best friend's introspective tone. "Why?"
"Because I miss my best friend" Damien replied after a moment, turning back to look at Qrow with a tentative smile. "We did so much together, suffered so much together, and then we were forced apart by circumstances beyond our control."
Right... Qrow thought to himself. Beyond our control...
"I know you blame me for Summer's death" Damien went on. "And I'll admit, I should have done a better job on that mission. I don't know if you'll ever forgive me, but I at least will always be hoping."
Dream on, for all the good it will do... Qrow grumbled to himself. Your hands will never be clean of her blood...
"And look at the world we helped build" Damien continued, trying to bring up a few positives. "We all helped push back the Grimm, hunt them to the edge of extinction, even. We all served to defend Vale and her allies against a race of terrorists, and we won. We all helped to build this world, Qrow, and I just want you to stand with us in our success, just as you did back then."
"Was it really worth it, though?" Qrow muttered.
"Pardon?" Damien asked, leaning in a little.
"I said, was it really worth it?" Qrow repeated, a little more heatedly. "We all helped to change the world, but was it really for the better?"
"Of course" Damien replied instantly. "We helped eliminate two genuine threats to the general peace and security of Remnant's population."
"The faunus were part of that population too" Qrow threw back, trying and failing to quench the anger burning in his gut. How dare he try to win me over with empty words...
"They were terrorists" Damien said. "Just waiting until they were sure of their own safety before striking out."
"They were our friends" Qrow replied. "Many of those who fought and died in the Great Hunt were faunus, Damien, or have you forgotten their sacrifice for this world?"
"We had a common enemy then" Damien said, his tone finally starting to rise to match Qrow's. "And when the Grimm were gone, it only took them nine years to fully develop and implement their 'hate all of humanity' worldview."
"Not all of them hated" Qrow growled. "Many tried to continue serving in the military, but you wouldn't have them, remember?"
"They were potential security threats" Damien countered. "The risk of betrayal was too high."
"Some, maybe" Qrow admitted. "But most? They were loyal soldiers, Damien. They disliked the radicalism of the new White Fang just as much as we did."
"They supported it though!" Damien thundered. "They hid White Fang operatives, supplied information and food, participated in their campaign of terror!"
"Some did!" Qrow returned. "But just because a few were so inclined, does not justify what you did to them in retribution!"
"Retribution?!" Damien exclaimed incredulously. "It was a war, Qrow! One that they started. My hands are clean of any innocent blood!"
"Innocent blood?!" Qrow growled. "Well, I guess you wouldn't have any on your hands, would you, Damien? You condemned millions to their deaths but never directly. It always had to be a battle, or fall under someone else's authority."
"What insanity has taken hold of your senses?" Damien demanded. "Normally-"
"INSANITY?!" Qrow thundered. "I'm not insane. Fort Castle was insane. The Menagerie was insane. Twenty million lives was insane!"
"I don't know what you've heard" Damien growled. "But the Menagerie was a peaceful relocatio-"
The sheer malice and pain in Qrow's scream of anger took both of them by surprise, as did the ferocity behind the flying knee he delivered to Damien's jaw. Qrow watched, suspended in midair as Damien fell back from the unexpected blow. He hadn't wanted to strike Damien. He hadn't wanted to lash out in violence. He hadn't wanted to relive the primal fury he knew boiled somewhere deep within him. But it was too late now, Damien's comments had already shattered the bottle he had sealed his emotions in, and the storm would no longer be contained. Qrow fell upon Damien as his former best friend stumbled, following up on the initial knee with a vicious elbow drop.
"DON'T!" Qrow screamed, feeling Damien's aura flaring and rolling off of him. "Don't lie to me!" He brought his arm down in a hammer motion as he lay prone, chopping Damien's windpipe before scrambling to his feet.
"Urk..." Damien growled, rolling away from Qrow's stomp kick and regaining his own feet. "I never..."
"You lie!" Qrow roared, his hands flashing out as his semblance activated erratically, Damien's massive aura being the only thing that stood between him and immeasurable pain. Damien spent a few seconds defending before delivering his own aura-infused blow to Qrow's chest, sending the old hunter tumbling over the new desk. Damien prided himself on his quick draw, but even as he raised his pistol to eye level he saw that Qrow already had him in his sights. The two stared each other down at gunpoint for a few more seconds, anger and pain on Qrow's face, exertion on Damien's.
"Why?" Qrow finally demanded, his grey eyes harder than steel over the barrel of his pistol. "Why did you kill her?"
"I don't-" Damien began, but Qrow cut him off.
"Raven. Branwen." He said, clearly enunciating each syllable. "You, killed her. Why?"
"I-" Damien began again, adjusting his grip slightly.
"Lie Orochi" Qrow broke in again. "Why?"
"I-" Damien's icy gaze held the merest glimmer of a crack.
"Summer Rose" Qrow said, venom coating his every word. "You killed her. You killed all of them. Why?" The crack in Damien's eyes shattered, showing a flash of genuine fear at Qrow's words.
"How?" Damien rasped, somehow managing to keep his breathing under control and his aim steady.
"Raven lived" Qrow said, rising slowly to his feet amid the wreckage of the desk. "She found me in the midst of Fort Castle. She told me everything, and then she died in my arms."
"She must have been delusional" Damien countered, though his voice had the tone of one who was grasping at straws.
"Why?!" Qrow demanded again, letting his anger pour out in his voice. Damien took a deep breath and opened his mouth, but was interrupted by the door being kicked in.
"Are you alright, Sir!" Coco exclaimed, raising her chaingun and staring in confusion at the standoff in front of her.
"Stay back!" Damien warned, but it was too late. Qrow was already moving, black rose petals drifting to the floor as he flashed across the office. Coco's finger tightened against the trigger, but it was all over before she could react. She watched in horror as Qrow caught Damien around the waist, driving him backwards and into the window. The fragile glass shattered, and both hunters dropped out of sight as Coco's bullet flew harmlessly off into the sky.
The cool morning air whipped around Damien and Qrow as they fell alongside the Vale PD Tower, tugging at their clothes and setting Qrow's cloak streaming out behind them. They grappled as they fell, each striving to keep the other's gun pointed away while simultaneously aiming their own. Few bullets were actually fired, each flying harmlessly off into the sky as the ground approached. Seeing that very little time was left, Qrow gathered his legs under him and kicked off of Damien's torso, activating his semblance and buying himself a little time. His jump brought him close enough to the side of the Vale PD, and he holstered his pistol as he drew his scythe. It was an elegant weapon, long and with a large head, yet perfectly balanced and honed to a razor's edge. He watched as it unfolded in slow motion, lodging it into the wall of the tower and tightly grasping the haft with both hands. Releasing his semblance, he braced for the inevitable arm-wrenching jerk as gravity and physics collided, violently slowing his fall just enough to prevent his being splattered against the pavement. Still, his landing was a rough one, and it took him a few seconds to gather his wits as he slowly staggered upright.
A quick glance around showed him that Damien had landed not far away, his massive aura having cratered the ground around his point of impact. Not wasting any time, Qrow rushed forwards and caught Damien's neck with one hand, pushing off with a semblance-enhanced stride that enabled him to throw his oldest friend across the street and through a shop window. He blocked out the sound of people screaming as he jumped through the ruined window himself, his scythe now put away as he raised a keen-edged combat knife. His ears twitched as they caught the tell-tale sign of a stealthy footstep, giving him just enough time to bring his arm up and around as he deflected Damien's powerful strike. When both counter-levered their arms, however, they quickly became locked in a grappling stalemate, neither able to bring their knife to bear on the other.
"Why?!" Qrow demanded again, locking their knives together and pinning their wrists between their chests.
"I did what I had to" Damien growled back, breaking Qrow's pin with a brief flash of aura before quickly establishing his own. "I nearly had the war won, and then two of my closest lieutenants betrayed me!"
"They didn't betray you" Qrow countered, using his semblance to twist free and establish some space between them. "You betrayed your ideals. You talked of peace, yet all you could think of was vengeance!"
"YEARGH!" Damien's pained bellow rang clearly in Qrow's ears as the general bull-rushed him, driving him back through the checkout counter and into a wall.
Qrow retaliated with two quick knife strokes to the back of Damien's neck, both of which merely bounced off of Damien's impressive aura. Feeling himself being hefted, Qrow flared his own aura as Damien slammed him into the ground in a brutal throw. Still partially stunned from the force of his impact, Qrow just barely managed to activate his semblance and roll out of the way as Damien followed up with a powerful downward strike that splintered the floor. Rising, both of them squared off again, each with grim expressions on their face.
"Leave my sister out of this..." Damien warned, his anger smoldering behind his eyes.
"Shall I?" Qrow mocked, his own eyes burning. "And shall I also forget my own sister's death? What a curious double standard!"
"Drop your weapons!" Coco's authoritative voice rang through the shop, and both Damien's and Qrow's heads turned to face the VCT officer. She had her chaingun deployed and was flanked by four police officers who looked more terrified than anything else.
"Now!" Coco added, fighting to keep her voice from trailing off.
She would never admit it, but she was scared. This was the first time she had ever been close to a former hunter in a combat scenario, and she was painfully aware that both Damien and Qrow's auras were far larger, stronger, and more inflamed than her own. It was taking all of her mental fortitude just to maintain her stance, fortitude that was rapidly slipping as two pairs of eyes bored into her. They were remarkably similar, each glowing with repressed anger and hatred, and each seeming to carry the internal burden of great guilt. They were demon's eyes, and Coco knew for a fact that she would never be able to win against either one of them. A sudden spike in aura caused her finger to reflexively tighten on the trigger, but her weapon fell as a tremendous blow connected with her stomach.
As her lungs emptied themselves, she became aware that Qrow was leaning into her, his free arm pushing her aside even as his clenched fist drove deeper into her gut. As the edges of her vision blackened and everything else blurred, Coco could have sworn that she heard a muttered apology past the roaring of her heartbeat in her ears. Then she was falling, the ground embracing her with promises of darkness and release from her pain, promises she desperately fought to refuse. She watched through bleary eyes as the other officers panicked, unable to deal with the whirling tornado that was Qrow. The whole encounter was over within seconds, drifting black rose petals and unconscious bodies being all that remained. Her aura slowly restoring her, Coco struggled onto her hands and knees as she recovered the full use of her lungs. Seeing a hand enter her vision, she blindly grabbed it and was quickly hauled back to her feet by Damien, an infusion of aura from the general greatly speeding her recovery.
"Notify all available units" he commanded, glaring into the distance. "I want Qrow Rose arraigned on assault and battery charges, investigation into further criminal activity pending."
[The Beacon Tavern]
Sun had seen quite a few strange things in his time as a bartender, but few could compare to the sight of a bedraggled Qrow bursting through the door of his own bar. One hand was clutching a knife and the other was outstretched from his sudden entrance, his cloak was swirling around him and his eyes gleamed with a grim determination. The few patrons that were already seated looked up in amazement as Qrow swept past them and vaulted the bar, whispering something to Sun in passing before barging into the kitchen and calling for his nieces. The patrons looked to Sun, whose face had gone somewhat pale.
"I'm afraid we're going to have to close early" he apologized, his voice slightly shaky as he began closing down the bar. The patrons sat, most still stunned by recent events and slowly turning Sun's comments over in their heads. A few began to raise their voices in confusion or protest, though they went utterly silent as two gunshots echoed through the bar.
"You heard the man" Qrow thundered, a few pieces of ceiling falling on him as he stood in the doorway to the kitchen. "We're closed." Everyone promptly fled before Qrow's furious gaze, spilling out into the street in a panic.
"Pack only what you need" Qrow said to Sun, holstering his pistol and turning back to the kitchen. "And gear up. Damien knows."
"How?" Sun asked, jogging behind Qrow as the old soldier jumped the flight of stairs that led to the basement.
"I miscalculated" Qrow admitted, grabbing the evidence that Neo had given him and lugging it towards the van. "...and I lost my shit. Regardless, we only have a few minutes before the VCT descends on this place with as many SWAT units as they can scramble."
Sun didn't waste any more time, quickly digging through his locker and grabbing his gunchucks and other gear before turning to the other's lockers. He grabbed Ruby's mostly unused gear and stuffed it into a waiting bag along with his own, swallowing back a curse as he hefted the weight. He slipped past a very awake Yang as she stormed in, running into the garage and dumping the bag in the van as she began to gear up.
"Two minutes until the police arrive" Ruby said, startling Sun as she jumped into the back of the van, still in her pajamas and a scroll in her hands.
"Yang!" Sun called, hurriedly tying a handkerchief around his neck as he got into the van and started the engine.
"I heard!" Yang called back. "I'll follow on bumblebee, go!"
"Go" Qrow growled, tossing a bound Roman into the back of the van with a crash and waiting for Blake to jump in before banging on the closed door twice. "Head for the old airstrip. I'll be right behind you."
Sun gunned the engine and drove up the exit ramp, pulling out into the back alleys of Vale and carefully snaking his way through them. He heard the muted roar of Yang's bike not far behind, and he grimly gripped the wheel as he tried not to draw too much attention to himself. He could hear sirens beginning to wail in the distance, and he kept his head down as one police car passed them by. Whatever Qrow was doing, he'd have to do it fast.
[The Beacon Tavern, front entrance]
"Get out of here!" it was a cry echoed on all sides, and one that grated on Coco's nerves.
SWAT units were waving off the small crowd that had gathered in front of The Beacon Tavern, setting up a perimeter and preparing to kick down the door. Coco believed this to be somewhat of a waste of time. Judging from the crowd, Qrow had already come and gone, chasing the patrons out of the bar and presumably taking anything that could be used as evidence with him. She glanced around at her following, nodding in approval. In addition to herself and Yatsuhashi, she had three SWAT teams of ten men each to breach the place with, and another team en route. More than sufficient to storm an unoccupied building, and probably enough to give Qrow a run for his money should the old soldier still be lurking in there.
"Okay, form up!" Coco called, signaling to the SWAT to let the regular police handle the crowd as she and Yatsuhashi approached the Tavern.
It was a silent entry, the front door wasn't even locked. Coco slipped slowly across the restaurant floor, making no noise as she led her team behind the bar and into the kitchen. Finding that room to be empty too, she signaled for Yatsuhashi to take his men into the basement, receiving a nod in return. Carefully, she tested the stairs leading upward and, satisfied that they were not tampered with, began the slow upward climb. She licked her lips and readjusted her grip on her handgun as she passed a few family portraits at the landing, turning to face the second half of the flight. She shivered slightly as she began to climb, remembering Qrow's intimidating presence back in the city proper. Suppressing the sudden desire to have Qrow not be at home, she pressed herself up against the wall next to the closest door. Her men did likewise, splitting into smaller groups to cover the four doors in the small upstairs hallway. Nodding to the masked figure across from her, Coco stepped out, turned, and delivered a powerful kick to the door.
"Hands-" Coco paused as she shouted over the crash. A tiny flash near the top of the door had caught her eye as she kicked it in, and as she distantly registered the SWAT teams breaching their own rooms, her eyes widened with disbelief and fear. "GET DOWN!"
A gout of reddish-orange light erupted from the doorway as Coco dove to the side, accompanied by a sharp crack and the roar of flame. Rolling as she hit the floor and rising to one knee, Coco winced as three more gouts of fire exploded from the other rooms. Under the surprised shouts and screams of her men, she could hear deeper rumblings below her.
"Out! EVERYBODY OUT!" Coco ordered, grabbing the arm of the nearest SWAT unit and pulling him towards the stairs. "The place is ri-"
Coco never finished her sentence, as the floorboards shifted and cracked, dropping her, her team, and most of the Tavern down towards the foundation. Seeing the ceiling collapsing above her, Coco wrapped her head in her arms and flared her aura, praying for the best...
"Uagh..." Coco groaned, squinting into the ruddy glow of firelight. Her entire body hurt, which she took as a good sign: pain meant that she was still alive. Ignoring the flickering light in her eyes, she managed to get her blurry vision under control and take a look around. Miraculously, she seemed to be only half buried, her legs and head sticking out from under a pile of charred wood. Grunting with the effort, she managed to force her arms free and began shoving the beams off of herself.
She was about halfway clear when the ringing in her ears subsided enough for her to hear a chilling sound: screams. Turning slightly, Coco froze as she took in the sight before her. The police she had left outside, as well as the fourth SWAT team that had been slated for backup, were in disarray. Some were hiding behind their vehicles, taking potshots or unleashing random bursts of fire. Some were lying motionless on the ground, dead or unconscious Coco couldn't tell. All were panicking, shouting pointless orders to each other as a shadow flitted among them, silencing their guns and voices one by one. Redoubling her efforts, Coco clawed herself free and shakily stood up, patting herself down for a weapon. She had dropped her handgun in the fall, and she had also left her chaingun behind in one of the vans. All she had left was her knife, a weapon that she highly doubted would be of use. She drew it anyway and staggered forwards, making her way towards the closest group of police.
"Shit..." Coco growled, redoubling her pace as another of her men fell. She had almost reached the group, one of the men was rising from behind the police car to help her into cover, when she suddenly felt enormous pressure on her throat and a sharp rap against the back of her ankle.
Unable to react in time, Coco watched as the world reoriented itself around her, the SWAT unit and the car falling down beyond her vision, the buildings rolling by, and finally coming to rest with the blue sky filling her sight. It would have been pretty, except for the raging headache that came with having the back of one's head violently rammed into the pavement. Groaning, Coco flared her aura and struggled to remain conscious, blindly groping for her knife as she forced herself to roll over. She had gathered herself sufficiently to rise to her hands and knees when a steel-toed boot collided with her side, knocking her over back onto the ground. Her gasp of pain had hardly left her mouth before she felt a weight drop onto her stomach. Violently exhaling what little air was left in her lungs, Coco looked up through her swimming vision to see Qrow drawing his leg up for another kick. Struggling to force air back into her lungs, Coco spent her last few seconds of consciousness staring into Qrow's grey eyes. They burned with a raging, hateful fire that Coco hardly believed was human. And yet, they were also cold and distant, filled with a dispassion for the living. Then the world snapped to the side and her vision blackened as Qrow's boot descended onto her jaw, and Coco surrendered to the pain as it dragged her down into unconsciousness.