Here we go!

Cover Art: Mystery White Flame

Chapter 26

There was a buzz taking place around Menagerie, and Jaune was sure Salem was the cause of it. Masked faunus ran around like their tails were on fire and many of them argued in the streets. He heard words like "traitor" and "spy" thrown around and even saw the odd fist thrown as well. From up on the balcony set off from his room, he watched the low-scale carnage with a worn expression.

"This is Salem's doing…"

"Almost certainly, master." Winter Schnee said, making sure to add the spiteful little title at the end of her statement. Still dressed in her black and white frilly maid uniform, still angry and still making sure he knew it, she stood respectfully behind and to the side of him, hands clasped in front of her.

"You don't have to call me master."

"I could not call you anything else, master. It would be disrespectful, master. Does master not like being called master?"

"You know, you're kind of an asshole."

"I wouldn't know, master. I'm nothing more than a humble woman, kidnapped from my home and enslaved by my master."

"First time?"

Winter blinked. "Huh?"

"Nothing." Jaune rubbed his nose and looked back outward. "The White Fang have mostly been in control of things since we arrived. Now they're scrapping in the streets. Do you think Sienna died? Seriously," he said. "Less passive-aggressiveness and more concern for our current situation please."

He could tell Winter wanted to continue with both, but the severity of the situation warranted the latter. "I don't know enough about the White Fang's leadership structure to be sure," she said. "Poorly organised groups tend to split apart when a leader is deposed, but the White Fang is a movement. Its people should be loyal to the cause, even if not the individual."

"You don't know what could have caused this then?"

"I know it involves Sienna. Otherwise, she would be out here putting a stop to it. She can't afford for the White Fang to lose its backing in Menagerie by acting out like this."

"You sound pleased about this."

"It's no secret Menagerie has been harbouring and protecting the White Fang. If they were to lose that support and be cast out, Atlas could more effectively put them down."

Jaune wasn't so sure. The fact the rioting was being allowed to continue at all suggested there might not be any law enforcement without the White Fang. He wondered if they'd always taken care of the law or if the original authorities had joined the White Fang instead. Either way, the chaos wasn't stopping anytime soon.

A knock came at the door and Jaune turned to see Mercury waiting, leaning on the doorframe on his new robotic legs. He looked Winter up and down unashamedly, earning a sharp snarl and a self-conscious tug of her skirt downward.

"Yo," he said, smirking. "You're wanted downstairs, boss."

Boss? Since when did anyone call him that?

"What's happening?"

"Mr B wants to go call for unity, peace and all that jazz. Put a stop to the fighting. He's asked for Salem to go with, which mean you're getting dragged along."

Yeah, that sounded about right. At least someone was doing something. "Alright. Winter, stay here. What about you, Mercury?"

"I'm guarding the manor. Some of those White Fang freaks don't have the best opinion of Mr and Mrs B." Judging from his expression, he took that personally. "If they think they're using this as a chance to hurt them, they got another thing coming."

"Okay. Look after Winter as well."

"I'll keep an eye on her. Both eyes."

"Creep." Winter sneered. "I'll take those eyes out if they aren't removed from my legs this instant."

"What? Going to criticise a disabled person longing for a pair?"

"I know exactly what you long for my legs to do!" she snapped. "J-Jaune, tell this brute to stop looking!"

"Sorry." Jaune said as he walked past her. "I'm a horrible, evil, heartless, enslaving master or something. I'm too busy being a monster to help you." He enjoyed the annoyed scowl she shot at his back and strolled past Mercury. "Down in the foyer?"

"Yep. Good luck, boss."

Ghira was waiting with Salem and Tyrian when he arrived. If it would only be the three of them escorting Ghira, then they'd chosen the three best. Well, the two best and him, but the point remained. Tyrian could keep Ghira safe all on his own, while Vernal, Mercury and Emerald shouldn't have too much trouble looking after Kali, Saphron and Terra. If it came to it, Winter would fight on their side if only because it was against the White Fang.

While Tyrian was happy to be doing anything so long as it was with his deity, Salem looked disinterested in the whole thing. She was picking at her nails, attention focused downward and overall ignoring the loud noise of some nearby faunus calling got "humans go home!"

"We're all here?" Ghira asked. "Good. Sienna should really have handled this already, but if she hasn't then it's up to me to sort this out."

"Perhaps Sienna is distracted with something," Salem remarked.

Jaune winced. Make it any more obvious, why don't you? She might as well have put up a neon sign saying, "I did this" and Ghira seemed to know it from the way he looked at her.

"Hm." Ghira grunted. "Whatever the case, this can't continue."

"Then by all means show me how you take control. We shall escort you there safely. And by we, I mean Tyrian and Jaune." She let her hands fall and looked to them. "See Mr Belladonna safe and sound to his rally."

"You're not coming!?" Jaune squawked.

"Am I necessary?"

"I… well…"

"Not at all, my most glorious goddess." Tyrian wrapped an arm around Jaune's shoulder and yanked him in against his side. "We shall bond over cracked skulls and ruptured spleens. A men's day out."

"Good. Enjoy your male bonding experience."

Ghira didn't seem all too upset at losing the heavy hitter that was Salem, which only went to show how much he was overestimating Jaune's contributions. There wasn't anything he could do but follow, however, after pulling out of Tyrian's comradely grip.

"What are you doing?" Jaune hissed quietly. "We can't protect him from the entire White Fang! What do we do if a riot starts!?"

Tyrian made a stabbing motion with one hand, grinning wildly.

"I'm serious!"

"So am I." Tyrian cackled. "Have you ever been in a riot before? It's great fun! No one knows who is who, and everyone attacks everyone else. It's chaos. Do you know what thrives in chaos?"

"You?"

"Aww. That's sweet." Tyrian blushed happily. "But I was going to say random murder."

"Of course you were…" Jaune groaned.

"I'm serious! Stab a person here, gut a person there, and soon everyone is ripping out each other's throats. They have no idea who did what, who killed who, so it turns into an indiscriminate bloodbath. That's my favourite kind of bloodbath!"

"I wasn't aware you could be picky when it comes to murder," Jaune said sarcastically. "I was under the impression you'd appreciate pain and death in all its forms."

"Oh, I do. I do!" Tyrian, as expected, missed the insult. "But there's different flavours. Different textures. A good old fashioned premeditated murder is a great way to end the week, but sometimes you're in the mood for something a little more feral."

This was what he got for trying to insult a madman. Jaune sighed and let it go, tuning out as Tyrian waxed poetic about all the different deaths he'd seen or taken part in, extoling the virtues of particularly gruesome slaughters that would have made a news reporter vomit.

The three of them made their way down Menagerie's streets. They were for the most part abandoned but for the White Fang. The general populace had, sensing the danger, retreated into their homes to wisely wait it all out. Luckily, the worst they came across were White Fang arguing and hurling insults at one another.

"Traitors! You would turn on your brothers now?"

"You're the traitors – following that human!"

"You know nothing! It's a disguise!"

Ghira loomed over them, breaking up the argument by sheer weight of his massive presence. The faunus looked up and blanched, stammered their excuses and scurried off. It was hard to know just how capable he was, but with hands and muscles that big, he could probably crack a few heads even without training.

"This is madness." Ghira said. "What on Remnant is Sienna doing?"

"Can you put a stop to it?" Jaune asked.

"Why would you put a stop to it?" Tyrian asked.

Ghira ignored Tyrian as all wise men did. "I can try. My name still carries weight around here, enough to call for a pause if nothing else. I don't inspire the same loyalty I used to, but I will ask them to handle their affairs in private. I hope that will be enough."

"I hope it won't be," Tyrian said helpfully.

Ghira grunted and stormed ahead.

/-/

The Albain brothers were happy to see Ghira and happier still to call for everyone to listen to him, which was a bit of a surprise since, from what Kali had told him, the Albain brothers and Sienna Khan didn't get on with the Belladonnas as a rule of thumb. It turned out that discord in the ranks was reason enough to set old grudges aside.

"We haven't heard from Sienna," one of them said. "She's locked herself in her quarters and refuses to see us."

"Refuses to even acknowledge the bizarre rumours running around!" the other echoed.

"Impossible rumours," the first said. "We've tried calling for calm and those loyal to us have complied. The problem is the others. The White Fang is splitting in two and the factions are at each other's throats."

Oh no. A terrorist faction falling apart. Much shame. Jaune scratched his head and wondered why he was expected to care. Maybe Winter was rubbing off on him. Tyrian elbowed his side and winked, having noticed the indifference and somehow finding it amusing. That probably wasn't a good sign, not if Tyrian agreed.

"I will do my best to talk them down," Ghira said. "Tyrian. Jaune. Please prevent any interruptions." He paused on the first step, then turned and added, "Non-lethally."

"Awwwwww! But why!?"

Jaune punched Tyrian in the ribs. "Will do!"

As Ghira climbed up onto the raised platform with its microphone, Jaune followed Tyrian over to wait by the steps – the closest point at which anyone could get up to him. If anyone tried, he'd be leaving them for Tyrian to handle.

"Mrow!"

"Huh? Gillian?" Jaune looked down and found the black cat clawing at his leg. "Hey there." He stooped and picked her up, cradling her against his chest. "Did you follow us all the way from the manor? Such a sweet girl."

"Mrow. Meow. Mrow."

"I know. I know. I'll feed you when we get back."

"Mrow! Mrow!" Gillian opined. One of her paws kept thrusting off to the left, almost like she was tyring to point something out to him. It was distracting enough that he turned to look.

A dog sat nearby at the mouth to an alleyway close to them, watching Ghira begin his speech. It was a golden retriever with bright eyes and a rather stiff demeanour. Jaune laughed and scratched Gillian's head. "Aw. Is the big dog scaring you? Don't worry, it looks friendly enough."

"Mrow! Meow! Yowr!"

"What's the noise about?" Tyrian asked, sauntering up.

"Gillian is worked up because of that dog over there," Jaune said, pointing. "Don't worry. I've got her."

"Worked up, hm?" Tyrian looked from Gillian to the dog and back again. His eyes widened and then narrowed, and a smile stretched over his face. "Is that so? Hmm. Maybe I should do something about the dog then," he said loudly. "I could take it to the nearest pound."

The dog's ear twitched. It startled, alarmed, and quickly bolted back into the alleyway with its tail tucked between its legs. Tyrian cackled, though Jaune slugged his arm and said, "Don't be mean. You scared it off."

"Heh heh. Most dogs aren't scared by human threats."

"Dogs are smart."

"Smart enough to understand my language even if I didn't speak in a threatening tone? It knew what a pound was." Tyrian giggled. "Oh, this is interesting. Very interesting!"

Was it? There were plenty of dogs that understood words like "vet" or "bath time" and reacted badly to them. Maybe this one had a rough experience at the pound in the past. At any rate, it was crawling back down the alley toward them, trying its best to stay out of Tyrian's line of sight, but, and oddly, wanting to listen to Ghira's speech.

Okay. A dog wanting to attend a rally is a little strange…

When Ghira began to talk, Jaune's attention was taken away from odd dogs. It was obvious Ghira had experience in talking to a crowd. He had a deep, carrying voice, and he gestured with his hands as he spoke, first highlighting the discomfort being caused by the schism within the White Fang, then making everyone feel self-conscious by pointing out how much that was harming innocent people.

Jaune had expected more of a `let's band together` sort of speech, but it actually came across more of the `I'm not angry, just disappointed` kind. Jaune wanted to shrivel up a little over it and he wasn't even involved, which definitely went to explain why formerly feuding faunus in masks were suddenly kicking at the floor, fidgeting and refusing to make eye contact.

Sheesh. He's less leader and more disappointed parent. Both him and Kali are pretty crazy like that. I can't even imagine how their daughter must have ended up.

With two doting and adoring parents, she'd probably come out to be a well-adjusted and sweet woman. Strong and independent, brave and unafraid to face the world's problems head on.

"-and while Sienna Khan and I have not always seen eye to eye, you chose her as your leader." Ghira went on. "That means you must have faith. So, forget the rumours. Ignore the hearsay. If she has not come out to dispel them then that is not necessarily a sign of guilt. It is a sign she is busy! The work involved in leading the White Fang is time consuming. I should know."

"Whatever the case, I will ask you now to put your differences aside. Or, if you cannot, then to handle those differences in a mature and peaceful manner. Debate, compete or spar if you must fight, but do it away from the innocent people who live in Menagerie and whom have been confined to their homes all day for fear of the people who claim to have their best interests at heart."

"Here! Here!" One of the Albain brothers was quick to hop up onto the stage and clap his hands together loudly. "Incredible words from our Chieftain. You've all heard him. Enough of this foolishness! Enough of dragging the White Fang's name through the mud. We are allies!"

"What of the human?" someone shouted. "My friend saw a human dressed up as Sienna!"

"We've been infiltrated!" another yelled. "Traitors in our midst."

"Calm! Calm!" The Albain brother raised his hands. "I have seen nothing of this human, and I met with Sienna yesterday. Please do not jump to conclusions. Allow us a moment to speak with Sienna and I'm sure we will very quickly have this sorted out."

"Indeed, brother." The other Albain came up. "In fact, we will have answers for all of you tonight! That is our promise." The bold claim seemed to have some effect on the audience. Muttering died out and faunus nodded. They were impatient, but they were prepared to give it some time. "All we ask in the meantime is that we do as Ghira says and cease this violence. In striking at our brothers, we do Atlas' work for them."

While the reluctantly agreed and began to disperse, a hand grasped at Jaune's sleeve desperately. It was so sudden that he jumped, and Tyrian's knives were out instantly.

Unnecessarily.

Hooded and tightly wrapped in dark-brown cloth with her face hidden by shadow, Jaune was still able to see the oddly dull amber eyes, dark skin and black hair. The woman looked desperate and afraid.

"Sie-?"

A hand covered his mouth. "Not here!" she hissed. "Salem. Where is Salem!?"

"Mnnbnghlll." Jaune said. The hand was removed. "Back at the manor. Why? What's going on? You do realise that your White Fang is literally blowing up right now. Shouldn't you be doing something about that?"

"SHouldn't I-? Shouldn't I!?" Her eyes widened hysterically. "I should be doing a lot right now, but one thing I shouldn't be doing is hiding like this!" Nervously, she pulled her hood down even further, concealing all but her nose and jaw. "You will take me to her. Secretly. No one can know."

Tyrian was already giggling.

"Alright. Okay." Jaune gave up with a sigh. "You know you could have just walked over there yourself and knocked on the door. No one would have stopped you."

Sienna made a loud, angry sound.

/-/

"Oh." Salem made a show of pretending to be surprised at Jaune and Tyrian returning with a visibly shaking Sienna Khan, still hooded. He knew it was fake because even if something did surprise her, she'd have pretended it didn't for ego's sake, so the fact she showed it at all meant it was on purpose. "And who is this young woman you've brought back, my knight? I'm not sure I've had the pleasure of meeting her."

No one in the hallway was sure how to react, and almost everyone had turned up to find out the results of Ghira's efforts. Outside, the streets were calm again, though people were moving around tentatively, and they all knew it was temporary at best. The White Fang wanted answers as to why Sienna was in hiding, and to be honest, so did Jaune.

"You know who I am!" Sienna spat.

"Do I? You look similar to someone I know. One Sienna Khan. However, I couldn't say you're the same person. There's just something a little different about you."

"You know." Sienna's eyes narrowed. "It was you! I knew it!"

Salem's amusement grew. "What is me, dear?"

"THIS!"

Sienna ripped off her hood and cast it aside. Fabric wafted through the air, almost smacking Winter in the face but for her quick step to the side. The heaving and shaking woman before them was dressed as she always was, the combination of black, red and grey over her dark skin and tiger-like tattoos.

"I don't get it." Jaune said. "Nothing has changed."

Saphron sighed. "Oh Jaune…"

"Well at least he's not a racist," Terra said with a roll of her eyes. "Her ears, Jaune. Look at her ears."

"What? They're normal-" Human normal. Jaune's eyes widened. "Oh."

"YOU'VE ROBBED ME OF MY HERITAGE!" Sienna screamed, tilting her head forward and pointing to her scalp. Black hair covered it entirely, with two dominant, orange triangles curiously absent.

Jaune would maintain the only reason it took it being pointed out to him was because it was harder to notice what wasn't there compared to what was. He looked around to judge the other reactions. Tyrian seemed pleased and Vernal amused, but most of the rest were shocked. The Belladonnas were staring with wide eyes, while Winter looked caught between shock and pleasure.

"Please," Salem drawled. "I've done nothing more than give you a fresh perspective. Isn't there that old saying about riding a mile on another man's horse?"

"It's in his shoes now," Jaune said woodenly.

"Ew. Walking? No thank you."

"You made me human!" Sienna raged. "How?"

Salem twiddled her fingers. "Magic."

The answer only enraged Sienna further, likely because she thought Salem was making light of the situation and not answering with complete fact. "Why!?" she screamed. "Why would you do this? We had an agreement! We had-"

Salem moved. It was sudden – so sudden that Jaune near leapt out his skin. One moment Salem was laughing at her handiwork and the next she had Sienna's chin clasped between her fingers and thumb.

"What we had was a truce, you loud little girl." Salem hissed. "It was an agreement to defend one another if assaulted by an external threat. That truce came with the unwritten assumption that we would assist one another, and yet you have actively delayed on providing me transport off the island as promised."

"I-I'm having a ship built…"

"You do not need to build a new ship." Salem's hand clutched tighter. She tilted her face, leaning in with a cruel smile. "We came on a seaworthy vessel you could have repaired if you wished. I even made sure not to hit it in your little display of power."

Sienna's eyes widened. "You missed on purpose…?"

"Of course."

Bull and shit. Jaune didn't believe her for a second and certainly couldn't believe how everyone else's eyes were growing wide as if they actually did. Don't fall for it! She's just trying to save face! Damn it, they're all idiots. Especially Adrian!

"Did you really think I would believe that a landlocked nation would not have any means of travel? You may have taken me for a fool, but that is only because I allowed you to. I have been judging you, Sienna Khan, and I have not been impressed with your haste."

"You… But… This won't help any! Turning me into a human, no matter how you did it, won't get your boat built any faster!"

"Won't it? As I understand it the White Fang is a primarily faunus organisation. I daresay you will be deposed if anyone discovers your… unfortunate situation. No one will actually believe I have the power to turn a faunus into a human, would they? They'll believe you're trying to cover for yourself." Salem purred and added, "Perhaps your replacement will be more helpful. Especially if I make an example of you."

"The White Fang will kill you!"

"They can certainly try, child. They can try all they wish." Releasing Sienna, Salem stepped back and faced her. "Now then, I think you are becoming so upset that you're missing the key point in what I've done to you."

"What?" Sienna spat. "That you're a monster playing with people's bodies?"

It was Winter of all people who spoke up. And she sounded very nervous as she did. "That if she can turn a faunus into a human, she can turn humans into faunus…"

It made everyone freeze.

For Jaune, it was just another example of how powerful Salem was – nothing new or surprising there. He imagined it was the same for Vernal, albeit with a little pleasure at realising her new boss was that much better than the old leader.

For the others, though, the implications went deeper. Winter must have been fretful of what might happen to her, that if she upset Salem, she might be turned into a faunus herself. The faunus currently in the room, or mostly the Belladonnas and Sienna, were likely thinking the opposite. Of how insane it would be to have the ability to turn humans into faunus en masse.

It was wrong, even he would admit it, but there was no denying that if everyone was a faunus, then the whole faunus vs humans issue would go away. Same for if all faunus were turned human. The thought of rabid faunus-hating supremacists being forced to experience life on the other side also had some poetic irony to it. That was undeniable.

"It also means she can turn you back." Saphron pointed out, bringing normality back. "What can be done one way can be done the other, right?"

"Of course." Salem said, making Sienna's eyes almost bulge out. "I could quite easily make you a faunus once more."

"Do it!"

Salem raised one eyebrow.

Sienna coughed. "Um. P-Please turn me back?"

"While manners are a good first step, I was looking for something a little more fitting to my immediate needs."

"A ship!" Sienna said, all but gasping it out. "I-I can give you one of our best – the White Fang's best boat. It's a retrofitted Atlas destroyer. It can get you to Vale ten times over!"

"Ah. Now we are talking!" Salem clapped her hands together. "And when can this vessel be made ready?"

"Tomorrow!" Sienna wailed. "I'll have it ready tomorrow!"

And yet again Salem's brand of "diplomacy" was coming through. Jaune had to wonder if they'd one day run into a person who would stand up to it – or if Sienna hadn't invited this on herself with her blatant attempts to manipulate them. There was stupid and then there was suicidally dumb.

"Tomorrow, hm? Much sooner than the months you quoted before. But I suppose you can't make those orders like this, can you?" Salem reached out and Sienna closed her eyes. Placing a hand on her cheek, Jaune caught the brief flare of reddish light that enveloped the woman.

There was no slow and painful transformation, both to his and probably Sienna's relief. Her ears didn't sprout from her head or form from flesh and hair. Instead, they just appeared. Gone one second and there the next. When Sienna's eyes opened, they were a brighter shade of yellow. She darted back, touching her hands to her feline ears and gasping in relief.

"I can take them away again as easily as I gave them back." Salem warned. "Remember that, Sienna. I do not much like those who try to control me."

"I… I'll remember." Caught between hate and relief and fear that Salem would turn her back, the once-more tiger faunus bowed her head and backed away, eager to run. "Our ship will be ready for you tomorrow. It might be the afternoon or evening, but it will be ready. Please get off my island and never return."

Without waiting for a response, Sienna turned and fled. It didn't stop Salem's laughter chasing her out. Nor the shame of having given in to their demands. No one else spoke for the longest time, allowing Salem to finish her laughter and come back down from her high.

"Marvellous show, my goddess." Tyrian said dutifully.

"A simple trick." she replied. "If only Sienna had dealt with us with the same honesty Miss Malachite did, this could have all been avoided. Oh well. Let it stand as a lesson to those who would cross me." Her eyes swung toward Winter. "Or seek to backstab me."

Winter hopped behind Jaune without a second thought.

Yeah sure. I'm the asshole until you need a human shield. Typical.

"Out of curiosity," Kali said. "You could turn any faunus human?"

"If I wished to." Salem looked the woman in the eye. "You've given us good hospitality and company. Would you like me to turn either of you human? I would do it as a boon."

"I think if you'd asked me that twenty years ago, I would have accepted," Kali said with a slight sigh. "But now… well." She giggled and clung to Ghira's arm. "I'm happy with who I am and what I have."

"Can you do it temporarily?" Saphron asked.

"Saph, no!" Terra said.

"Think about it. Fox ears and a tail. Aren't you curious?"

"Well… maybe a little…"

"And I'm going to say no to that one before I'm emotionally scarred," Jaune said. "Please – please – don't mess with people's bodies, Salem. I know I can't tell you what to do, but this is a breach of a person's rights. You can't just change who or what they are without permission."

"Mrawr!" Gillian yowled.

"I'll feed you soon," he soothed, ignoring the cat's angry huff. "Seriously," he said to Salem again. "It's not right and you shouldn't rely on it."

"Alright."

"And… and…" Jaune's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You're agreeing?"

"Of course." Salem said it simply, as if it were nothing. "Transforming people into other things is simply one of my many abilities. I can rely on alternative methods if it bothers you so."

He was sure she could, but it was more the fact she was agreeing to that made him suspicious. Salem did not agree with things – unless those things were how wonderful she was.

"You're really agreeing to?"

"You are my Seneschal and Knight, Sir Jaune. You have earned your right to a boon if you wish it. If it bothers you so, I will cease with the transformations. As I've said, it does not inconvenience me."

"Huh. Well… okay. Thank you. I appreciate you doing that."

"Me too." Saphron said, sliding up to Salem. "But I fully consent and would be very curious to experience things as a fox faunus with both a tail and ears. And Terra to be a cute little bunny I'm going to hunt down and devour."

"Aaand I'm out of here," Jaune said, hurrying away. "Bye!"

/-/

Sienna gasped and collapsed into her throne, the last confused mutterings of her loyal-once-more guards fading into the background. After numerous claims of them having seen an imposter and her own excuses of capturing a human spy, the rumours were being put to rest. The Albain brothers had been all too eager to lap it up, noting with their own eyes that Sienna was quite clearly a faunus.

Rumours had a way of blowing out of proportion. Before long, this would be a story about drunken guards mistaking her for human and causing a stink. It would blow under the rug soon enough.

But it could happen again so long as Salem was here.

No more, she told herself. I'll give her a boat tomorrow and send her on her merry way. With any luck she'll be caught off the coast of Vale and sunk. Let the Grimm eat her for all I care. I'm going to lose my mind if I have to deal with her any longer.

The Albain brothers would be upset to lose their new weapon, but she could handle that. What she could not handle was the looming threat of being turned human once more. Or the far more immediate one of her own people assuming she was a spy, hunting her down and torturing her to death for information she didn't have.

"I dodged a bullet there. Literally."

"Sienna!" The door burst open and one of her commanders entered. "Sienna, I have news!"

"If it's about me apparently being a human then I already know." Her laugh was equal parts dismissive and hysterical. "It's all fake. I'm as faunus as you are and I always have been."

"It's not that!" He rushed forward and pushed a map of Menagerie down onto the floor. "It's Atlas! They're here!"

In her defence, it had been a crazy day, so Sienna felt she could be forgiven for staring at the man like he'd grown a second head. "What?"

"Atlas are here!" he yelled. "That fleet – the flotilla I showed you – it's in our waters! They've surrounded the island and cut off all escape! They're hailing us and demanding the immediate surrender of the international terrorist, Salem."

"Let them have her!" Sienna whined, cupping her face with both hands. "I can't even be bothered anymore."

"But Sienna. Didn't you sign a pact saying we'd defend her if Atlas came?"

Sienna froze. Her hands fell from her face, as limp as her expression was. The mutual defence pact. The agreement. Salem, a monster more than capable of ruining them all and who apparently despised those who went back on their words. Oh, how simple that written agreement had seemed when she thought she was dealing with an egotistical idiot.

Now, of all times, Atlas had come knocking, and Sienna was left with the undisputable proof that if she'd shipped Salem off the island in the days prior, this would never have been an issue in the first place.

"Fu-"

/-/

"-ull coverage of the island with cannons." General Ironwood ordered. "We know this woman is powerful – leave nothing to chance. I want infantry squadrons on standby and boats loaded. If needs be, we will storm Menagerie to find her. This is it, soldiers, our chance to not only bring a criminal to justice, but to put an end to the White Fang threat once and for all!"

"SIR YES SIR!" the assembled forces shouted. The sound even came from other ships, carried on the wind just as his voice was over numerous speakers.

"For Atlas!" he cried.

"ATLAS! ATLAS! ATLAS!"

Meanwhile, perched on a munitions crate, Qrow Branwen could only sigh. "This is going to suck. I just know it…"

The Battle for Menagerie commences. Or, well, how much of a battle it's going to be is still up in the air.

Next Chapter: 12th July

P a treon . com (slash) Coeur