A Beacon in the Night:
Meet Jaune Arc: 19, a turned down Beacon applicant, and now a Private Eye with a penchant for getting into trouble. Some call him a hardass, but his regulars and friends know that he'd risk life and limb for the innocent. But when a certain Beacon official comes to him for help, he can't help but feel something is amiss.
0-0-0-0
She was blonde, that was the most striking thing about her. A shade lighter than my own tussled mess of hair and done up in a bun tighter than a Vacuon casino vault, and if her expression was anything to go by, it was a good indicator of her personality.
Professor Glynda Goodwitch, it was almost impossible for me to not know her. Especially when she handed down the verdict that I had been denied entry into Beacon Academy, yes I was a failed huntsman. I should have seen it coming really, a few months of training with my old man can't outdo some 15 year old prodigy with a scythe that shoots .50 caliber bullets.
After failing to get in I considered going to a shady contact of mine, but I thought better of it. Dad was already disappointed enough without me trying, and most likely failing, to get into Beacon using forged documents. Speaking of dad, when I lost that match against that mohawk kid dad sent me a letter the next day asking for Crocea Mors back; he wanted to give it to Joan to use in her huntress career and he mentioned I could come back home.
I could read the signs, he was disappointed in the fact that I, his only male heir and son, had lost outright. It stung, but I mailed back Crocea Mors and decided to stay in Vale, working as an accountant/secretary for some guy named Tauro Fernandez. A PI like I am now, and my mentor so to speak; see, he hired because of my skills in math and my ability to churn out paper work and case files so, besides offering me a good wage, he taught me some tricks. Now I got his business to look after since his retirement and subsequent vacation to some casino-laden place called New Reno.
"Mr. Arc, I am here on behalf of Headmaster Ozpin of Beacon Academy." she adjusted her glasses, her voice bringing me back to Remnant."
Professor Ozpin, we talked on a few occasions before, nothing noteworthy just him saying thanks when I completed a case mutual to the Vale police and Beacon. That said, it surprised me that he sent a representative here to ask for some help.
"And what could the good Headmaster want from an underage drunk like me." like I said, that letter from dad stung.
She grimaced as the smell of liquor finally made itself known to her. "Y-Yes, well, Professor Ozpin requires your immediate help involving a matter of utmost secrecy and complete disgression."
I cocked an eyebrow. "uh huh, so if Oz wants me in on this then he couldn't have gone to the police or one of his associates."
"I'm afraid so, and, if I'm being honest, I am unsure as to why he trusts you with such a task but he has put together a file on it." she passed me a manila folder containing various documents. "His personal recommendation was to memorize every facet of those files and then burn them to avoid, ahem, legal repercussions should they be found by the proper authorities."
Oh boy, if Ozpin is getting this serious then he must be in some deep shit. "Ok, but what is in it for me?"
She coughed once more and slid me a smaller envelope. I eyed her as he opened it up and was greeted to the tender smell of freshly printed lien, my eyes and hands hungrily roamed over the assorted notes, 20s, 50s, 100s, all my three most favorite flavors. I counted it all up beyond the speed of a normal man at my age and whistled at it, nearly 4500 in lien!
"That's some money, will afford me some of that good stuff down at the Crow's Bar." I said, leaning back in my comfy leather chair. She nodded and stood up a bit straighter as she adjusted her glasses.
"Yes, and that is only the first half of the payment. Upon successful completion of the assigned task you will be rewarded with an even healthier sum, and a monthly stipend awarded by the Vale council." I leaned forward and let my eyes search all over Goodwitch for any sign of discrepancy.
"I'm not naive Miss Goodwitch, if you guys are willing to pay me this much then you must be in some deep, deep shit." I clarified to which she just nodded solemnly, I sighed as he took in his office. Drab, sort of unappealing and in need of a major makeover not to mention the smell of liquor that reminded me of a somewhat scummy biker's bar down in Vacuo.
I let my thoughts drift back to his shabby apartment, his mounting bills, and my perhaps soon-to-be-needed trips to the ol' AA not to mention the cost of the liquor itself. Nearly (perhaps over) 10,000 lien for one case and an additional monthly stipend for completion?
"Just what the hell did you bring me?" I muttered under my breath, half to Goodwitch and half to Ozpin.
I looked at her and swallowed hard, I was going to regret this. "Alright, I'm in for now. But, if I check this case file and I don't like it count me out, and if I really don't like it Ozpin will know that I didn't, capiche?"
She could read the subtle threat, and I thought I saw her fight down a shudder before nodding. "Thank you Mr. Arc."
I watched her form disappear behind my equally drab door and the sound of her heels on the dingy carpet fade away into the growing night time.
Oum what have I done?
0-0-0-0
I chugged the last of my drink as I flipped another page of information in the dossier Goodwitch gave me. Holy fucking hell, this was something beyond belief, something fat conspiracy theorists rant about in their basements next to their wall of pinned newspapers and red lines connecting the dots.
A conspiracy to bring down the entire kingdom of Vale in one fell swoop by a currently unknown party. Mission reports of a "Queen" as the head not to mention other reports of rising dust prices from around the globe and that Torchwick's attacks in Vale itself. The braniacs over at Beacon pieced together some kind of timeline or theory or something that they were all connected and that Torchwick, the White Fang, and whoever this Queen was were trying to make a move of the city of Vale.
I poured another glass of whiskey and downed it all the same. If this was true, then just having this file could attract all the wrong kinds of attention and put myself, Tauro, my family, and my friends into mortal danger. Still, this was too big to be ignored, if all this was true then Ozpin had just shoved the entirety of his problems onto me and hoped I could hack it.
I should have asked for more, 50,000 atleast and an additional 75 when I'm done. And the key to the city. I grumbled mentally, still I had dealt with cases of criminal conspiracy before, albeit on a much, much, much smaller level, and I knew where to get started. The file named a few names: Torchwick, Neo, Adam Taurus, the Queen, and atleast two servants.
Sighing I lugged himself up from the chair, I adjusted my shabby suit vest, red tie, and grungy dress shirt and shrugged on my coat. I got my sense of style from Tauro, just like those comic book stories of those PI detectives who would walk around solving crimes and shooting bad guys all the while dressed up to the nines. Apparently my old boss got the taste for it and made sure he passed it on to me, I tapped my left side to make sure my baby was still there.
Yep, Verdict was still there lying happily in her shoulder holster. Verdict, my Model 6 Unica-Dust revolver combo, was a welcoming gift from Tauro just before he left, and I've kept it ever since. The thing was stronger than most swords and I had bashed more than a few heads in with it, a fine cherry wood grip, black metal barrel and cylinder, and an intricate pattern sketched onto the entire thing resembling ivory vines.
It was ironic, I figured out, after giving up Crocea Mors, that my hands, while weak when it came to physical attacks, were surgeon-steady, even when sloshed, and that allowed me an natural affinity for accuracy. I could hit a target 400 yards away without blinking and could only get better as I closed in, my old mentor taught me the in's and out's of gunfighting not to mention some close quarter style called "Jailhouse Rock".
So I hit the pavement, dusty old shoes clacking along the sidewalk as I made his way to the downtown of Vale's night life. 10 minutes later I was in sight of the club, "The Red Room" was a semi-shady club owned and operated by "Junior" Hei Xiong. For the most part it was a decent place but I knew that behind those doors, prostitution, drug dealing, weapons dealing, information brokering, and other shady things happened all well within the knowledge of Junior himself.
He had stepped up security since a few months ago some psycho tore the place, and Junior, a new one. Both his nieces, Melanie and Militia, work as the security Overbosses of the place and I knew that I had seen them more than once dumping bodies into the old river. Still, the place wasn't without morals, 6 out of 10 of those bodies were would-be rapists and predators and the rest were probably some kind of scoundrel as well.
I skipped the line and went up to the bouncer, ignoring the indignant cries, as I neared I flashed them a silver card. "Sorry guys, is the boss in? I got an itching for some info he would be the only person to know about."
One of them grunted and stepped inside, ever since solving one of Melanie's personal cases, I had a silver card that allowed me instant entry into the club so long as I was within the rules. Snaking my way through the dancers and drinkers I came upon Junior working the bar, walking up to him I leaned over and said just above the music-
"Need some info, we gotta head to the back room for this." Junior nodded and waved one of his goons over to take his place as they both headed to the back.
"What's this about? Bringing me to the back room means you got a real itch to scratch huh kid?" Junior folded his arms across his chest and eyed Jaune wearily, the guy did more good than subjective bad, so that means he could, at any moment, try to turn his operation in.
"Yeah, I need info on Torchwick." I grunted, and he instantly saw the way Junior tensed.
"Why is that?"
"It is important beyond your pay grade."
"But not above yours?"
"Way behind mine Hei, but that's why I need to know." Junior nodded slightly before continuing.
"What do you want?"
"Nothing much, just what you know about the guy and any close 'friends' of his."
"Touche pal, I don't know much about him either other than he is essentially the king of the underworld here, and he has arms and ears that extend even into Atlas. His operations bounce around but last I heard there was some rumbling down at the docks." I nodded.
"Ok, that's all I need to know and if anyone asks this never happened." I slipped Junior a 200 lien note and left quickly. Oh boy, if this Torchwick guy was this powerful and he was just one cog in an operation to overthrow Vale, then I was in big trouble. Yet, the night was still young and I had much left to do, so, shuffling my way down to the docks, I pinned myself to the crates of the shipping yard and tried to scope out anything.
Nothing.
Which was wrong. Dust freighters, dust cargo, Schnee Company crates everywhere yet no dock workers, no security, no goddamn homeless people milling around which was a sight new to me. And that meant one thing: Junior was right, this is where Torchwick was, or atleast was going to be.
I swiveled my head around, I had watched enough detective movies to remember that whenever the main character starts putting together is the moment he gets jumped from behind. I reached into my coat and undid the strap on his holster, I gently pulled the gun out of its holder and cocked it back softly. I leaned around the corner of one of the crates I was hidden behind and listened for anything.
Sure enough, maybe a minute later, I heard the distant whirring of bullheads arriving. My eyes roamed the sky before picking out 3 or 4 black bullheads, nearly invisible in the night sky, making preparations to land. So, looks like old Torchwick is out for a midnight milk run this was bad in more ways than one, I knew Torchwick was a certifiable badass and in my own way I was too, but this guy used a cane like a rocket launcher while I only had my pistol.
Not to mention what other kinds of armed security he was packing in the bullheads, I needed backup but the police would be useless here. I tried to think of who in my contacts could help me, Junior maybe but there was no way he was getting involved. Dammit, I didn't know any hunters and if I left now then I could lose this only chance at getting Torchwick.
I leaned back over around the crate and saw the man himself step out with his entourage of... White Fang... Shit, shit shit shit! So the fang really are a part of this somewhere in me I was hoping it wasn't true. Just my luck.
Suddenly, I heard the somewhat distanced voice of what might have been a man shout something. Leaning over once again he saw Torchwick in a very compromised position, a blade at his throat and a very angry girl holding said blade. She shouted some shit about the White Fang I didn't really care about, but if this girl was coming to capture Torchwick I could consider her an ally in need.
The enemy of my enemy I suppose.
Torchwick suddenly turned the tables and sent the girl rocketing back with a single shot. I closed in, moving in between the cargo crates, inching closer to the nest of Fang who had congregated around the impromptu fight. Torchwick fired another volley, almost hitting the girl had another blonde, tailed newcomer not joined the fray protecting her from the blast and engaging Torchwick.
The friend of the enemy of my enemy?
Blondie boy was taking out some grunts near him as I drew ever nearer. I was smart enough to realize that in a fight between a Detective, some terrorists, a huntsman, and a criminal overlord the detective didn't have the best chances of making it. Some of the less injured grunts got up and the one leading them closed in on the girl with their weapons drawn.
Showtime I stalked silently behind him, Verdict drawn and cocked I approached within her field of vision. The grunt mere inches away from my gun laughed cockily and exclaimed something about a traitor or something. He stopped laughing when I pressed the gun to his head.
"Alright chucklenuts, get your posse here to lay off or I turn your head into a canoe." I growled, with a small wave the other grunts backed up and tried to divide their attention between the two of us. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Torchwick ready to finish off blondie before yet another pair of newcomers joined the fray.
"Roman Torchwick!" shouted a squeaky voice from another rooftop, some red girl with a massive scythe.
"Oh hello red, isn't it past your bedtime?" Torchwick taunted, giving blondie enough time to run.
The friends and the friend of the enemy who is also my enemy?
The grunts shifted nervously and I pressed the revolver harder into the back of leader-boy's head. "Hey black, if you ever chose a time to be useful now would be perfect!" I said, apparently enough motivation for her to get moving as she went to join the fight once more when Torchwick blasted red off the ground.
Seeing the chance the faunus leader tried to whirl around and slice my head off but, unlike him, I was still fully prepared and pulled the trigger. Chunks and spurts of red flew everywhere as I grabbed the body and used it as a shield, unloading the rest of Verdict into the faunus near me who were either armed with swords or two confused to shoot passed their now dead friend.
Luckily, most of them had no aura so I cut through them like butter. The bad part to Verdict was that her power led to most of the pavement around me baring a stark red color as I reloaded as quickly as possible. Another ginger chick, friend of Red's (?), landed near me and began to mop up those that weren't dead or dying around me, she used to spinny sword trick that looked good for a circus act. Dropping the hunk of meat in my hands I noticed Torchwick making his getaway, Aw hell, not when he's right here!
I loaded a fire dust round and shot directly into the bullhead's cockpit, the round exploded across the windshield and caved it in, creating a raining hell of broken glass on the pilots. Our little gang closed in on Torchwick as I could see him desperately try to figure a way out, I cocked the gun and aimed it at him.
"Alright Roman give up it, you're flushed. Don't move and the first bullet won't end up in your lap." Roman once again shifted his eyes around before the loud whirring of more bullheads seemed to apparate around us.
Looking up I saw more of the damn things painted against the sky, these ones were really hard to spot and, if there was no noise, I may have not been able to know they were there.
"Finally you dumb animals!" said dumb animals dropped from the ship as another claimed Torchwick as he used his cane as a grappling hook and sailed away into the night sky. I would have time to curse my bad luck later, for now these dipshits needed to be dealt with.
Black-girl stepped up. "Brothers and sisters of the White Fang, why? Why do you aid this scum?"
One of them sneered. "Like a traitor has anything to say abou-"
He was cut off as I landed a perfect shot between where I thought his eyes would be if not for the mask. Red sprayed across the pavement once more as the others slowly reared out of their shock; adrenaline rushing, pulse pounding, aura flaring, guns shooting-
My semblance activated. Time dilated, everything around turned slow but I was largely uninhibited save for a feeling of lag in my arms. I swiveled the muzzle of Verdict and unleashed a single piece of metal justice into the fang around me.
One by one they fell in torrents of bright red life. Red and Black looked horrified but I would ask for forgiveness later, I knew this kind; give them a minute of pause and they'll use it to shoot you in the back.
Blondie and the ginger chick seemed shocked and somewhat appalled but more or less shocked. The world began to speed up again as the last of the faunus fell in a heap on the concrete. Silence engulfed the docks.
"Y-You... Psychopath!" Black screeched at me, yeah not how I expected this to go. "They were innocent! And you gunned them down without a second thou-"
"They were criminals kid, given the chance they would have shot you as well."
"They were misguided!" her expression reaching horrified as the three others looked between them.
"I'm not getting killed for a few 'misguided' faunus." I grunted, Black drew her weapon as the blondie tried to intercept her.
"You wanna kill me kid? You wanna commit murder? Cause that's what you'll be doing." I snarled at her, another wannabe huntress with dreams of everyone getting along in a nice big family.
"Y-You, you're dangerous! That was-"
"Enough Blake!" shouted Blondie, he stepped forward towards her. "He's right, misguided or not they would have killed you, me, Ruby, and the ginger girl over there."
"Hi I'm Penny!" chirped said girl.
"But Sun he-"
"I know, but there was little other choice." Sun said, looking over at me he continued. "And you, may I ask what you are doing here."
"Private Investigator Jaune Arc, nice to meet you." I introduced myself, Sun nodded at me looking for more information. "I got hired to check out these dust robberies by an official source, I assure you I am well within my rights."
I was, this wasn't my first rodeo. "Ok, thanks for assist for what it's worth."
"No problem, but we should wait for the cops to give our statement. They'll need to hear about this." Sun nodded and ushered Blake towards the nearing sounds of sirens and I tried to meet who I assumed to be Ruby and Penny.
"You two ok? I saw that nasty hit you took kid."
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine." she said, not meeting my eye.
I sighed heavily. "Sorry you had to see that kid but trust me you'll be there one day."
She nodded solemnly but Penny just kept looking at me. "You... You are the famous detective Jaune Arc!" she exclaimed, pointing a finger at me.
"Ugh, famous? Kid I don't know what you heard-"
"General Ironwood told me all about you! I looked up your file and saw all your achievements!" Ruby suddenly seemed interested. "Only 2 years on the job and yet you have been awarded the Vale Police Honor's Medal 4 times for astounding service in the field of justice!"
"Look kid I-"
"You singlehandedly stopped the Marcetti Family and the Spice Cartel's attempted expansion into Vale!"
"I didn't do it on my-"
"You were even asked to begin a case for-" it was my turn to cut her off as I cupped a hand over her mouth.
"Keep it on the down low kid, don't go blurting that stuff out!" I hissed, I sighed again and looked at Ruby who was positively enthralled by me.
"You... You're like a real-life superhero like Duncan Tracy or Iola Jones or Adam Pinkerton!" she exclaimed, swarming all around me trying to get a good look.
"Yeah, sure kid let's get you home." I took her over to the waiting cops and after an hour of giving a testimony and trotting my way back to my now comfy-sounding apartment. I got a ring on my scroll.
Please, accompany Miss Rose and Miss Belladonna home to Beacon, I would like to have a chat. -Ozpin
"Just great."