Author's Note: As always a big thank you goes out to everyone who's reading this story. I noticed a nice increase in attention since I advertised it in my latest Letters to Winter update. Excellent. My plan worked perfectly.

I know there are plenty of questions out there about what Jaune will be doing in this story, and I assure you there is a plan. There is a method behind the madness. He most certainly will not become a minor character in this story. I suppose you'll just have to wait and see.

I hope you enjoy the latest chapter.

He felt like he was going to be sick. And it wasn't just nerves.

Jaune gripped the handrail of the airship tightly as his head dropped down to stare at his boots. His big, sturdy, black boots. With steel tipped toes. Yes. That's good. Focus on the boots. Focus on anything but the nausea.

He stood near a lone trash can just in case his queasy stomach got the better of him. Between it and him sat his guitar case, which he had decided to carry onto the ship itself rather than trust it to the transportation personnel like he had with his other luggage. Perhaps he would be able to play it during some of the downtime at Beacon Academy.

I wonder if I'll turn into one of those guys who sits barefoot under a tree playing a guitar...

The sudden jolt of turbulence sent all such ideas from his mind, and nearly his lunch with them. Why did he have to be cursed with such a weakness? Of all the things that could cause him to become violently ill, why did it have to be motion sickness? No one took that seriously. No one could ever believe he was cool if they found out. Most of the time they did indeed find out the hard way, when he was spewing projectile vomit in their general direction. He couldn't let this new chapter in his life start out like that.

When Jaune had went back to Junior's club to report his success he was ecstatic. He had succeeded, at least in his mind he had. The man in white who had hired Junior's men had attempted to rob a local dust shop of only the dust and not its lien, information that he had relayed to the club owner which caused him a fair amount of confusion as well. Jaune was happy that he was not alone in that. To have a man who used to be a professional huntsman thinking along the same lines as himself only boosted his confidence.

After a brief discussion Junior had presented him with a hard copy of his forged transcripts. Jaune had been surprised that they were already finished. What if he had failed? What if he had been killed? Junior would have done the work for nothing. However Jaune was not about to look too deeply into it. Perhaps the man was just fast and efficient. In the end it didn't matter. He had upheld his end of the bargain, just as Jaune had his.

He was actually going to Beacon. He could hardly believe it. More than once already he had pinched the skin on his arm to ensure that it was not simply a dream he was having. When he was at last satisfied with the fact that he was on board the airship which would take him to his destination he finally allowed himself to relax. Sadly that relaxation had not lasted long, and soon enough he felt a faint rumbling in his stomach.

Jaune gripped his stomach with a gloved hand and squeezed, silently willing the organ which lay inside him to settle down and obey his will. At the same time he closed his eyes and took slow, deep breaths through his nostrils. At this point it didn't matter if people saw what he was doing so long as he did not vomit. He was off in a secluded corner with his back to the majority of the crowd anyway. For all they knew he was simply looking out the window and was amazed by the view of the city of Vale below.

The deep breaths continued to go in and out, and he gritted his teeth as he felt the contents of his stomach threatening to move up from their rightful home. His eyes drifted to the trash can, and a part of him wanted to hunch over it and just get the whole ordeal over with. However a sudden tap on his shoulder forced all of his focus from his internal battle and onto the person behind him.

Jaune turned expecting to find a stranger, but to his surprise found anything but. "Ruby?"

The tiny girl clad in her familiar black clothes and red cloak smiled as she looked up at him. "I knew it was you!"

The shock of seeing her dispelled all thoughts of motion sickness from his mind. Although it had been a few days since he had met the younger girl in the alley back in Vale, he did not think he had forgotten everything she had told him. Ruby was two years younger than him and she was jealous of the fact that he was going to be attending Beacon while she was not. So what was she doing on the airship taking them to the combat school?

He could not hide his surprise when he spoke. "What are you doing here? You know this ship is going to Beacon, right?"

"Yup!" she beamed happily. "Guess who got in early? Come on! Guess!"

The total and utter joy in her voice caused him to smile unknowingly. It reminded him of one of his little sisters whenever they were proud of their achievements, whether it was baking a cake all by themselves or beating his high score in a video game.

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say it was you?"

Her head nodded exaggeratedly. "Mhmm!"

"Wow, that's awesome. How did that happen?"

"Remember that huntress I was talking about back when we beat up the bad g- those criminals?" Jaune nodded in affirmation. "Well she took me to see Headmaster Ozpin. And he was so impressed with me that he decided to let me attend Beacon this year!"

Jaune could not blame the man. He had seen Ruby in action firsthand and was blown away by her skills. If a fifteen year old could thwart a robbery nearly single-handedly then there was no doubt that she was skilled enough to begin her training. The way she moved with that scythe of hers was simply incredible. It was like she had fought with it for years, and from what little he did know about her, she probably had.

There was however a small twinge of jealousy in his chest. He had had to forge his own transcripts in order to be allowed into Beacon. While he did have some training from his father, a skilled huntsman in his own right, he did not have anything near Ruby's credentials. She was a former student of Signal Academy. Sadly despite their age difference she was undoubtedly a more seasoned and skilled warrior than he was.

However he would prove to both himself and his family that he deserved to be in Beacon.

He didn't let any of his negative emotions show when he replied. "Well you deserve it," he told her with a smile. She returned it with one of her own. "Honestly I'm really happy for you. And for me. It would have really sucked going to Beacon without knowing anyone."

The smile on Ruby's face faded when she heard those words. "You don't know anyone else who's going?"

Jaune shook his head. Remember. You studied in Mistral. You never went to Signal. She of all people would know. "Nope. Everyone I went to school with decided to go to Haven Academy back in Mistral."

It hurt inside to lie to Ruby like that. But it wasn't like it was a malicious lie. Only a little white one. One necessary to keep his cover. Still, as much as he justified it to himself he felt awful about deceiving the young girl in front of him.

"Oh, yeah, that would suck." Her head lowered for a few seconds as one of her boots twisted back and forth on the floor. When her silver eyes met his gaze she spoke again. "It's kinda like that for me too. Since I graduated Signal early I don't know anyone either. Only my older sister and you." Her eyes went to the floor again. "I'm happy to have at least one friend."

In that moment it looked as if her eyes had become locked onto the floor of the airship and her face began to redden slightly. They stood there in silence for long seconds as Jaune waited for some kind of explanation for the sudden shift in behavior. It reminded him of how she had been acting when they had first met in the alley, before he had told her that he intended to attend Beacon Academy.

"Ruby?" he asked and began to lift his hand to place it on her shoulder. Before he could move it even an inch however he stopped, mentally reminding himself that she was not one of his sisters and that he could not act so informal around her. Nonetheless he continued with his inquiry. "You alright?"

He saw how the front one of her boots had begun to twist back and forth on the deck. A nervous habit perhaps? "It- it's nothing," she said softly. "I just kinda assumed we were friends even though we only met once a few days ago."

Jaune smiled warmly, and a part of him wanted to even laugh at how flustered she had gotten over something so silly. "Of course we're friends," he said sincerely. The words had caused Ruby to look up at him with those same hopeful eyes which he had seen back in the alley. "Why wouldn't we be?"

"Really? Even though we barely know each other?"

He shrugged at the question. "Well my mom did always tell me that strangers are just friends you haven't met yet. And we're not even strangers anymore after taking on those criminals together."

What Ruby didn't know however was that Jaune was far more involved in their little operation than he let on. However that did not change the fact that they had fought side by side against them. It wasn't like he was on their side or anything. In fact Ruby may very well have thought that it was cool that he was on a mission even before he was attending Beacon. However the questions that would raise were not ones he wanted to answer.

"I guess," she said. He noticed how she seemed to stand a little taller now and that the warm expression on her face had returned. "You're right. We did kick some serious butt out there too."

"Even though you did most of the kicking," he admitted. "There's some old saying about how the strongest bonds are forged on the battlefield. So yeah, we definitely qualify as friends."

Ruby nodded emphatically before she whipped out her scroll from her skirt. "Friends should have each other's scroll numbers," she said before shrinking back slightly once more. "If you want to, that is."

This time Jaune did laugh. Not at her, but more to say just how ridiculous her last sentence was. "Of course I want to," he said as he brought his own out from his pocket. He opened up his contact list and created a new entry. "Just put your info here and we'll be all set."

The girl beamed with happiness as she did the same before handing her scroll to him. Jaune looked down at the screen as he began putting his own name and number in her contacts. Right when he finished and pressed the accept button he heard an unusual noise which he almost mistook for having come from the scroll itself.

Looking back up at Ruby he saw that a taller blonde girl had come up behind her and wrapped her arms around the redhead. Ruby had let out a tiny squeak of surprise that could only be compared to a dog's chew toy. The girl then held his scroll out to him, waving frantically for him to take it back. He did so, placing her own in her other hand at the same time.

"There you are," the blonde said as the exchange was taking place. "I was wondering where you'd run off to." She released Ruby before turning her attention toward him. "I turn my back for one second and she's gone. I swear sometimes it's like having to look after a toddler."

"Yaaang!" Ruby whined softly. The crimson tint had returned to her skin as her gaze once more reverted to the ground.

The blonde looked at her and then back to Jaune before a mischievous grin spread across her lips. "What's this? Abandoning your big sis to go talk with a boy? Ruby Rose I don't know whether I should be proud or concerned."

So the blonde was her sister? That made sense. They were obviously very familiar with one another if this behavior was anything to go by. The two looked nothing alike, however, but he supposed it didn't mean much. Not everyone could be a golden-haired child like he and his sisters.

Jaune felt a rumbling in his stomach. This was exactly what he did not need right now.

The smaller girl shook her head vehemently at the accusation. "No no, Yang! It's not like that! This is Jaune," she said as she extended her arm toward him. "He's one of the people I was telling you about the other night. He had my back during the dust shop robbery. And Jaune, this is my older sister Yang."

There was a slight lurch on the airship. Turbulence? He didn't know. All he knew was that his earlier queasiness had returned in full force. Not even the distraction of Ruby could keep it from his mind anymore.

"Oh yeah?" Yang asked interestedly as she looked back at him. She stepped forward and extended her hand. "Like Rubes said, my name is Yang. Nice to meet-"

Another jolt of the ship was the final straw. Turning to his side his eyes were forced closed and he did his best to aim through sheer memory. The contents of Jaune's stomach spilled forth from his mouth and into the trash can. Both girls recoiled in horror to the sudden surge of bodily fluid, but even Yang's quick reaction time could not prevent a small amount of the substance from splattering up from its new home and onto her boots.

To her credit however she did not scream or panic in response. Where many people of both genders would have been freaked out by the sudden disgusting outpour, she seemed to take it in stride. At least that was what the lack of a vocal response told him.

Sheer and utter embarrassment filled Jaune's being. Here he was speaking with a funny, quirky and admittedly cute girl who was soon to be his classmate, as well as her blonde bombshell of an older sister, and his body finally caves to its weakness? Now of all times? What would they think of him? Would Ruby immediately ask that he delete her number from his scroll? Would Yang's face twist with disgust at his uncontrollable reaction to motion sickness?

He turned back to them expecting the worst, a small almost silent apology slipping from his still wet and foul-tasting mouth. However rather than seeing looks of disdain or anger, he saw concern from Ruby, while Yang herself only seemed to look amused.

"Wow," the blonde girl said. "You know, that really isn't the typical first reaction that guys have to me."

Meanwhile Ruby, feeling that it was safe to approach the splash zone, quickly came up to him and placed a hand on Jaune's back. "Are you alright, Jaune? Do you need to see a nurse or something?"

He waved off her concern as he sought to get actual words out of his mouth this time. "I'm fine," he said roughly. "Just motion sickness. Happens every time I fly."

Ruby smiled weakly as she rubbed his back softly a few times before he finally stood up straight, her hand removing itself from him in the process. "Okay. We're almost there, so just hang on a little longer."

Jaune glanced out the window to see that they were indeed approaching the school. Beacon Academy. It stood high above the rest of Vale, a near impregnable fortress that was filled to the brim with both budding and actual warriors. Soon he would join the ranks of those warriors. They all would. He would show everyone what determination and grit could gain a person in life.

Even from this distance he could make out the beautiful architecture of the school. The tall towers, the huge glass windows which adorned the campus' buildings. It was like a fairy tale come to life. In those tall spires he could imagine knights and princesses living there, with tapestries adorning the walls depicting tales of slaying dragons and creatures of Grimm alike from times long since past. Maybe someday people would sing songs of him. Wishful thinking of course, but maybe someone, someday, would remember him for his noble deeds. For the people he was determined to save.

Even with his motion sickness the mere sight of Beacon seemed to cast all illness from his body. He strode up to the airship's large window and gripped the handrail once more. It truly was breathtaking. It seemed that he was not the only one to think so.

Ruby had joined him, standing at his side as she took looked out at what would soon be their new home. "It's really amazing, isn't it."

He nodded wordlessly. Amazing was the right word for the place. Amazing could describe everything up to this point. He had set his goal and he had achieved it. Despite the odds and despite everyone who said that it wasn't a good idea, he was here. He was living his dream.

"I don't really know what to expect," she continued. "It's just something I've always wanted to do. Being a huntress, that is. I don't know the details about how they actually teach us to be hunters."

Jaune didn't either. It didn't matter, however. He was determined to do his best here.

"But I do know a little about teams. My dad told me that when he went to Beacon teams had four people. It's where he met my mom. Oh, and my uncle too!" Out of the corner of his eye Jaune saw how Ruby's gaze shifted down to the floor once more. "Maybe we could be on a team together. Yang too."

He smiled at the idea. "I'd like that."

"Yeah. With the three of us we'd be unstoppable. Then we'd have a fourth person who could be another best friend. And we could do all sorts of cool stuff together like weapon maintenance, and dust ammunition quality inspections, late night cookie runs..."

A third voice came from behind them. "Ruby, if you're trying to convince a person to team up with you then you shouldn't scare them away with your weapon nerdiness." Yang joined them, presumably after wiping the small traces of vomit from her boots. She leaned with her arms up against the rail as she too stared out the window.

"I am not scaring him away," Ruby shot back defensively. Her features softened as he turned back to look up at him. "I'm not, am I? Yang says I can get a little weird with my whole weapon obsession..."

Jaune chuckled softly at the question. "Not one bit," he said with a smile. "I think it's really cool, actually."

The words seemed to please Ruby, as a smug grin spread across her features before she turned back to look at her sister. "See? Jaune says it's cool."

Yang snorted out a soft laugh. "Yeah, and Jaune's also the guy who threw up from motion sickness on an airship. Not exactly the guy I'd go to for advice on coolness." She paused for a second and shrugged lightly. "No offense."

He couldn't exactly dispute her point there. He had been afraid of such a perception just prior to the two girls talking to him. "None taken. But I'll have you know that motion sickness is a much more common problem than you think."

"Said exactly nobody else here on the airship," Yang said as her arms stretched out to motion to the many other teenagers who were on their way to Beacon.

"Yeah? Well..." Jaune's shoulders slumped in defeat when he realized he had no counterargument. "Yeah okay you've got me there."

Yang moved over and gave him a hard slap on the back. "Aw, cheer up, Jaune. Even though you did puke all over the place you still managed to befriend Ruby and her hot sister. That has to count for something, right?"

He felt all of the air leave his lungs with the blow, and it was only his firm grip on the rail which kept him upright. That girl must not have known her own strength.

"Um, he actually already befriended me a few days ago, remember?"

"Psh, whatever," Yang said dismissively. "Try not to look so clingy, Ruby. If the weapons talk doesn't scare him off then that will."

Despite the joking tone in which Yang had made the statement, Ruby pouted and narrowed her eyes at her sister. "I'm not being clingy! Jaune's just the only other person here I know beside you. Unlike you I didn't get to take all my friends from Signal with me. And he didn't get to take any of his friends from Mistral with him."

Right. He was from Mistral and he had to remember that. It was important to keep that part of his cover intact.

Jaune nodded in agreement to what Ruby said. "Yeah, Ruby's the only person at Beacon I know. Well, now I know you too I suppose. So it's nice to have someone to talk to. Nothing clingy about what Ruby said."

The older girl smirked and shook her head. "Wow, agreeing with each other about everything already? Ruby, are you sure that all you want from him is being partners?"

Ruby's face almost turned the color of her cloak with her sister's taunting question. However before either she or Jaune could respond to it a voice came over the ship's speakers.

We are beginning our final approach to Beacon Academy. At this time we ask all passengers to return to their seats and fasten their seatbelts for landing.

Excitement filled Jaune's body. They were nearly there. Soon enough the whole motion sickness incident would just be a funny story to be told to new friends and teammates. He hadn't even arrived yet and he already had two friends. Soon he would learn all sorts of new things about Grimm, about Aura, about fighting. He wondered what other incredible lessons the school would teach him.

Above all else, however, soon his new life would begin.

Wild and unrestrained laughter filled the room as another man was tossed to the side with strength unbefitting for someone of her stature. Melanie grinned mischievously as she reveled in her dominance over those who had been sent against her. The thrill of having her way with those who dared to oppose her was like a drug, and she needed her fix. She needed to show them that they were weaker than her. More than that, however, she needed to show herself.

Was this how the blonde girl had felt all those nights ago?

The small trace of fear which crossed her mind quickly turned to anger, and Melanie's face twisted into a violent sneer as she walked over to another crumpled man on the floor a few feet away from her and yanked him to his feet. He struggled and attempted to fight back, but even if he had been uninjured he would have been no match for both Melanie and her twin sister.

She threw him up against the wall before extending one of her long legs to press her heel up against his throat. The action put no stress or tension on the flexible fighter as she held her position for long seconds as she witnessed the man trying desperately to pry the offending heel off of his neck. Melanie was taking care to not actually choke him or cut off the flow of oxygen. She wanted to draw it out as long as possible.

The man's eyes looked fearfully down at the blade on her heel before drifting up her leg all the way to her hip. Melanie smirked at the idea of someone could find her attractive even while she held his life in the palm of her hand. "Naughty boy," she teased in a playful tone. She lifted a hand to point at her face. "My eyes are up here."

The moment his eyes met her own she lowered her leg and the man brought his hands up to his throat as he tried to collect his thoughts. He did not have long, as the raven-haired girl brought her other leg up to strike underneath his chin and knock him out cold.

Her words were coy and mocking, but there was no doubting the truth behind them. The Blood Axe Gang were one of the many criminal groups who inhabited Vale's seedy underbelly in the same way that Junior's organization did. The members wore almost inverted attire of Junior's own men with blood-red suits and black sunglasses, but it was their weapons which had earned them their name. Each carried a cruel looking red axe which along with an assortment of small arms would have been dangerous to most people they encountered in the criminal underworld. Melanie and Miltia were far different than most people. They had been trained by a former huntsman and had from an early age seen the despicable actions that humanity was capable of. To both of them survival and their own well-being came first, and nothing would stand in the way of their own happiness.

The previous night's attempt at getting what they were after had turned out to be a bust. Melanie and Miltia had been so prepared to go out and have a good time, while at the same time collecting the lien that they were entitled to in order to help out Junior. As it had turned out the gang hideout they had visited was not their primary safe house, which had left the twins with little to show for their efforts. They did, however, manage to squeeze a few important details out of those who had inhabited the place. The location of the warehouse in which they now stood was the most important piece of information.

A pair of cruel, almost bored looking eyes drifted lazily over to where another man was pulling himself to his feet. He had been just another victim of her penchant for violence, and from the looks of it he had no wish to be on the receiving end of any more. If he had it his way he would probably be out the door at the first opportunity. However Melanie was not about to let him go before she got what she had come for. None of them were allowed to leave just yet.

The lighting of the room glinted off of her bladed heels as she made her way over to him. Much like with the man before him she "assisted" him to his feet, holding him by the front of his red suit and pressing him up against the wall that he had only seconds earlier been using as a stabilizing presence.

"The lien," she said smoothly, her tone a stark contrast to the bouts of vicious violence she had displayed only seconds earlier. "Where is it?"

The man grimaced, briefly flashing his teeth and squeezing his eyes shut as he mustered the strength to formulate a reply. "Fuck you," he managed to spit out.

Melanie rolled her eyes. "In your dreams." A knee to the gut later the man doubled over only to be thrust back up against the wall, his shirt still in the iron-grip of the white-clad girl. His breathing came out in ragged gasps now, in no small part due to the damage that she had just inflicted upon his torso. "I'll ask one more time. Where's our lien?"

A strange but familiar sensation began prodding Melanie in the back of her mind. It wasn't good nor was it bad. She struggled to even put into words a way to describe it. It wasn't an itching sensation, nor was it a burning feeling. In a way it was like experiencing déjà vu, only you knew exactly what your mind was trying to tell you. You knew because it was an innate part of your very being.

Melanie released her grip on the man and took a few steps backward as he slumped against the wall, unable to fully hold himself up with his own power. Her eyes were still locked onto him as she bent over at the waist just in time for her sister to roll across her back and deliver a punishing kick to the man who had been attempting to sneak up on her. She had realized he was there all along but knew that Miltia would be there to make the save, and so did not even bother lifting a finger to protect herself. To a casual observer it would appear to be tried and tested teamwork practiced together for years. The truth however was that such perfection came naturally to the twins. It was part of what made them special.

A glance over to where her sister had gone revealed that she too was eager for this fight. It was just as she had said a couple days ago, they both needed to blow off some steam. Miltia picked the man she had just struck up once more before going to work with her wrist-mounted claws. The telltale swishing sound of claws slicing through the air was music to Melanie's ears. She loved how her own combat high would affect her sister's emotions to such a degree. She loved when her more docile sister came alive with such feral aggression.

With that threat taken care of, and the assurance that her twin would be there to watch her back, Melanie turned to her target once again. The hateful glare which he gave her only served to amuse her. "Well?" she asked, following up on the ultimatum she had given only seconds earlier.

"You're not getting anything," he said with bitter defiance. "No one's gonna give you shit anymore."

No one? Did this man know who she was? Did he not know on whose behalf she was here? A small frown crossed Melanie's lips at the thought of the last question. Technically she was here of her own accord. Junior had not sent her and Miltia to collect from the Red Axe Gang on this night. He had no idea what she and her sister were out doing right now. They were here by their own doing. They were simply collecting what was theirs.

Extortion, racketeering... these were such ugly little words. This wasn't either of those things, contrary to what those on the other side of the law might say. This was simply the way things were. It was the natural order of the world. Junior was in charge of Vale's underworld and the rest of the gangs fell in line. The strong devoured the weak. Melanie was determined to never be weak again.

"I don't think you know who you're talking to," she said as she stepped back over to the man, a single hand on her hip as she glared at him. "Maybe I need to knock a little more sense into you."

He spat off to the side. "I know who you are. Junior's little attack dogs. What's wrong, he too scared to come out himself after getting hit?"

Melanie's lip twitched at the insult of the man who was far more to her than just a boss. She spun around with the grace of a dancer, pivoting on her left foot as she sent a punishing roundhouse kick into his ribs. Had it not been for his Aura she was certain that such a blow would have left a few ribs cracked, but luckily for him all it resulted in was a coughing fit as he slowly slid down the wall to rest on his backside.

Her eyes watched as he sunk down to the floor, and bent her knees to hunch over to regard him with the same hatred he had been sending her way. "You need to learn your place. I'll be happy to teach you a lesson."

Perhaps the blow had more of an impact than she initially thought, for when the man opened his mouth again she saw the telltale crimson color on his tongue and lips. "I'm not saying anything that anybody doesn't already know. Everyone in Vale knows that Junior got hit a few days ago. Everyone knows he got beaten by a little girl."

The words sent chills through Melanie's skin. Had the information spread that quickly? Was that why the Blood Axe Gang was not submitting to them? Was that why this man was speaking so brazenly against her employer?

It was likely those useless henchmen who were no longer a part of Junior's organization who had spread such knowledge. Rats. Snitches. Cowards. There was a reason that Junior trusted only herself and Miltia with any sort of important information. The three of them were family, and one never betrayed their family.

Or perhaps it was the blonde girl herself who was gloating about her victory. Melanie had not seen her since then. She didn't even know what organization she was a part of. However if she ever saw the girl again then she would settle the score. Things would turn out differently the second time around.

She shook her head clear of such thoughts as she returned to the present. "Yeah? Well that doesn't change a thing. You're only allowed to do business in Vale because we say so. So pay up or else we'll trash your whole operation."

Somehow the man felt confident enough to let a blood-stained, toothy grin spread across his face. "You don't get it, do you? You're not the ones in charge anymore. Things around here are about the change forever."

Melanie's eyes narrowed dangerously on the defeated man. "What are you talking about?"

"Vale has a new top dog running the yard. And unlike Junior and his two bitches, this beast has fangs."

That last insult was the final straw for the girl who stood up with cold, emotionless eyes looking down upon her enemy. A second later she screamed, lashing out with another kick into his torso. Again and again she cried out, each time delivering a savage blow to the man, uncaring of which part of his body it landed on. He had attempted to shield himself from the blows the best he could, but after a couple of shots to the head he slumped over. His clear unconsciousness did not deter the young woman, and with each kick her pristine, white knee-high boots came closer to resembling the crimson shade of her sisters.

A pair of arms wrapped themselves around her torso to pull her back. Had it been anyone else she might have lashed out with an elbow, mistaking them for another foe. However Melanie knew that it had been Miltia. As a result she simply allowed herself to be dragged a few feet away from the bloody and unconscious man of the Blood Axe Gang who had dared to voice his challenge against her and Junior.

"Melanie," the calm voice said in a firm tone. The effect was almost instantaneous as Melanie felt a soothing sensation passing through her. It was enough to dim her rage. "It's over. Leave him alone."

Heavy breaths shot through her mouth as her chest heaved up and down. The handiwork of her assault was on his side up against the wall, a small amount of blood dribbling from his mouth. At this point she had little doubt that he had internal injuries. His Aura would heal them in time, however, and she was not concerned over that fact. She had done what she needed to do not only to blow off steam, but to prove a point as well. Junior was still dangerous. Junior was still in charge. No one incident would change that.

Melanie's hands drifted down to rest atop her sister's, which still clutched her around her waist. "I'm okay," she said, letting out one more long breath as Miltia still did not let go. Her fingers squeezed gently on Miltia's in order to prove her point. "Really. I'm alright now."

Miltia finally released her twin, and Melanie took a step away from her before turning around. In doing so she finally took in the full scope of just what the two had accomplished on this night.

The bodies of men in red, perhaps ten in total, were scattered around the warehouse. Some lay prone on the floor, others slumped up against crates and boxes. Only one or two still stirred, the rest being knocked out cold from the savage and sustained assault courtesy of the twins. Those who were still awake had the sense not to stand up again to try to challenge them or flee. They knew their place after the demonstration. It was a shame the same could not be said for the gang as a whole as it related to Junior.

Melanie ran a hand through long, raven hair, her hand coming to rest atop the ornamental flower which decorated her luscious locks. Looking down at her boots she saw just how sullied they were with her fallen foe's blood. They would most likely need to professionally cleaned. Yet another bill to pay in a time when they needed to be financially savvy. First her dress and now this. The entire situation vexed her.

"What was he talking about?" Miltia asked, disrupting Melanie from her thoughts.

The older twin glanced back over at the man who had dared speak so candidly about the situation in Vale's criminal underworld. "He was talking shit about Hei," she said simply.

"That much? Like, enough to make you react like that?"

It was more than just badmouthing Junior, however. The man had brought up the nightclub incident with the blonde. That, along with talk of a new player in town, had been the final straw. All of the stress. The humiliation. The shame of defeat. The worry over their future. Melanie had been teetering on a razor's edge for days now. Tonight she had finally been pushed over the edge.

Melanie crossed her arms as she continued to stare at him. "He said there was a new player in town or something. Someone who was going to replace Hei."

She didn't see the look on Miltia's face, but she did hear a murmur of thought come from her sister's lips. "Did he say who?"

"Nope."

She turned back to her sister in time to see a look of concern in Miltia's eyes. "I don't like this, Melanie."

"Me neither, Miltia."

"If everyone in Vale puts up a fight like tonight..."

Miltia did not need to finish her thought for Melanie to understand the implications. The Blood Axe gang was one of several smaller factions under the thumb of Junior. It was as she had said earlier, they knew their place. Junior was the top dog, and everyone else followed. They paid their dues and were allowed to operate in peace, so long as it did not interfere with Junior's own business.

However if the news of Junior's defeat spread this quickly then things could change forever. If he was no longer placed at the top of the food chain then that would leave room for a new boss to take over. Was this the faction which the Blood Axe member had spoke of before? Even if it wasn't true, nature abhorred a vacuum. Soon enough infighting would take place until someone came out on top. And while that was happening no one would have any respect for Junior anymore. No one would have any fear of him anymore. The lien would stop coming. Enemies would be all around them. Life as they knew it would change forever.

The thought of it all was terrifying. This was no longer simply about getting a little extra lien to help Junior pay the bills after their club was trashed. This would be a war for survival.

The natural order had been disrupted, and soon enough Vale would become a dustkeg ready to explode.

Junior needed to know. However she was not about to tell her sister all of these thoughts. There was no need to increase her concern when Miltia was already having doubts over Junior's financial situation. It was best to continue to act naturally. They had a mission to complete, after all. It was about time that they finished the job.

"Come on," Melanie said simply, motioning with her head for Miltia to follow.

Clicking heels echoed through the large, silent warehouse as the twins strode through it. Scattered all around them were the crates which likely contained all manner of illegal contraband. However things like dust and weapons did not concern the two girls. Illegal materials such as these did not concern them. It was not what their role was in Junior's organization. Perhaps in time some of the grunts would be sent here to retrieve what they could in order to sell for a profit, but for right now all Melanie was looking for was cold, hard lien.

Crates and containers soon gave way to several small wooden tables and chairs. A number of small machines sat atop them, and Melanie recognized them as the ones which sorted and counted lien notes into neat stacks for the ease of storage and transportation. Her eyes drifted over a few feet, and there sitting on the floor was a large metal safe. She had little doubt that what they were looking for was inside.

Melanie hunched over when she reached the safe, and pulled on the handle in hope life being easy and it being unlocked. She frowned upon having no such luck, and with a sigh turned to her sister. "Wanna do the honors?"

Miltia shrugged, bringing up her long, savage claws and scraping them together for effect like a chef would sharpen a knife. It served no real purpose, but the older twin smirked nonetheless at the display.

Razor-sharp blades forged from hard steel rained down upon the door of the safe, and more specifically the number dial which would have granted its owner access. The screeching noise filled the air, and people not used to being around Miltia and her weapons may have raised their hands to cover her ears. However Melanie was used to the noise. She enjoyed the noise, and she licked her lips thinking about the prize which would soon be theirs.

Miltia's slashes became furious, and the constant blow of metal on metal was soon sending tiny sparks out from the metal door of the safe. However after a few more moments she had finally achieved her goal. The weak point of the safe, that part which was not made of metal, fell apart. The dial had been obliterated leaving a fatal flaw in the device. Much like with any door, it was far easier to gain access to when the lock had been removed entirely.

As the door swung open both girls were pleased to see a plain black suitcase sitting inside it. Miltia reached down to grab it before placing it on the nearby table. After unclasping the restraints which kept it sealed the top was flipped open to reveal its contents.

Melanie was always amused when real life imitated the movies. Or perhaps it was the movies which imitated real life. In any case, the sight of rows of lien notes stacked neatly inside of the briefcase filled her heart with joy. Judging by the colors she had to guess there was at least a couple of thousand lien inside. Without bothering to take the time to count it all, she reached inside to take out a single stack.

Counting it out in her hand she could not stop a smirk from gracing her lips. A couple hundred lien would do for now. "I'm hungry," she said as she glanced over to Miltia. "Wanna get some food? It's on me."

Her twin shot her a quizzical look. "Since when do you pay for anything?"

Melanie feigned insult at the question. "I'm like, insulted, Miltia. I'm all about charity and whatever."

"So not."

The older sister huffed in annoyance, conceding the point. "Fine, whatever. It's not my lien that's buying," she said as she waved the stack in her hand.

She saw Miltia's shoulders stiffen at those words, her tone softening as she spoke. "I thought that lien was for Hei."

"Yeah, well... ten percent finder's fee." Melanie looked down and divided the number of notes in her half, placing an equal number in both hands. "But if you don't want your share I'll take it myself."

Miltia glared at her for long seconds before sighing. She held out a hand, wagging her fingers softly. "Fine. Gimmie."

Melanie grinned as she placed the lien in her sister's open palm.

Satisfied that she had made the right decision, Melanie gestured for her sister to follow.

Devastation surrounded them. Broken bodies and tables reminded her of what they themselves had gone through only days earlier. Now they were on the other side of such a massacre. The thugs of the Blood Axe gang had never stood a chance.

If what one of their number said was true, then war was coming. Junior would need to recover and do so fast. He, as well as she and her sister would all need to be at their best to maintain order in their world. Tonight had turned out to be an unintentional start to doing so. There would be more nights like this to come.

Especially if the rumor of a new top dog in town turned out to be true.

Jaune laid his head back against his pillow. A long breath escaped his mouth as he stared up at the ceiling. All in all, life was good.

What a day it had been. He was finally here at Beacon. Thankfully he was not alone. Ruby and Yang were nearby, the two a little bit quieter than usual after having a small altercation with an even smaller white-haired girl. She had taken notice of him too, but wasn't entirely sure that scraggly was a compliment. Still, it was better than indifference, right? Maybe she would end up being the fourth member of the four-person teams which Ruby had spoken of earlier.

He wasn't entirely sure how teams worked or what the morning would bring. However with the lights out at the moment he supposed that he should get some sleep. He wasn't sure if his body would be able to. Every part of him was filled with excitement. This would be the first chapter of his new life. He would soon become the hero he had always dreamed of being. Nothing would stand in his way.

The possibilities filled his mind as he closed his eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep. In the darkness no one could see the happy smile plastered on his lips.

Author's Note: What may seem like a transitional chapter will prove to be far more important than it may seem at first. In many different ways.

Questions, comments or concerns? Let me know and I'll do my best to answer. As always any sort of feedback is appreciated, because if you don't tell me why I suck I can never get better!

Thanks for reading. I hope you liked it.