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Chapter 7

~Six years later~

"I still think we should push into Atlas, set up a few outposts around the SDC so we can hit them fast and hard." Adam insisted while looking over a map of vale atop his desk. Across from him Blake frowned at the idea, clearly upset with his lack of caution.

"You honestly think they'll just let us set up shop in their backyard? you can't be serious." It was a foolish idea, not only would they have to worry about the grimm and huntsmen, they'd also have the entire Atlesian military a stone's throw away. "Once their patrols spot us it'll be hours at most until Atlas show's up to wipe us out."

"Then what do you suggest?" His voice held frustration, hours of arguing over their next move was yielding little results and Blake's sarcasm had lost its charm four comments ago. "We can't just sit around doing nothing."

"I suggest," she narrowed her eyes, hating when Adam started to lose patience, it usually meant the end of the meeting. "That we remain here, in Vale. Secure our position and work at cutting the SDC's support from under them. At least-" she stopped suddenly, Her ears twitching at the top of her head.

"What is it?" Adam recognized the action while his hand fell upon his blade, wondering if some SDC assassin would taste its steel. It wouldn't have been the first time he had been targeted within his own compound, Schnee's only hired the best after all.

"You had someone standing watch for us, didn't you?" Blake pulled gamble shroud free in anticipation, "Because I can't hear their breathing anymore". She wasn't sure exactly when it had stopped but its absence was all she could hear now.

"Among the dozens I have patrolling around the place, yea. Someone should be there." This was one of their larger armories hidden in Vale, He'd be a fool to have any less than seventy fanus loyal to the White Fang guarding the place. Whoever had come had to be at least half as skilled as the average huntress, sneaking or killing their way in unnoticed wasn't easy.

"You heard… the lack of breathing?" A distorted voice called from the door, as if it was being filtered through a voice changer. "I was unaware faunus could have such impressive hearing." The door knob turned, The locking mechanism barely making a difference as it audibly snapped, leaving the door to swing open.

"I assume it's a result of training rather than innate ability, none of the other's were nearly as perceptive." The male figure stood at the doorway covered head to toe in sleek, black body armor with a tinted glass visor hiding the face. The armor stood in stark contrast to the white shield on his left arm and a matching sword stuck to his right forearm. "You have aura as well…" It trailed off, as if thinking to itself.

Blake hesitated, its armor alone held an intricity that she had yet to see before. It was hard to see clearly with the pitch black color scheme but when he took a breath, however shallow, she could just make it out. Hundreds of metal plates sliding silently in unison to give the wearer a full range of movement and,depending on the metal used, an incredibly reliable defense.

Adam was not so reserved, choosing to learn about his opponent the old fashion way. He lunged forward without a word, sending wilt whistling through the air in a direct path with the figure's neck. Armor or not the blow could decapitate most with surgical precision.

Its shield came up instantly, not only stopping but pushing his blade back and causing the bull faunus to stumble slightly. Then its sword rose just as fast, seeing the opening and bring the weapon down with merciless brutality.

Blake was already acting, throwing her pistol with a ribbon attached, it wrapped around Adam's stomach and pulled just as the pure white blade came crashing down. Coming within inches of Adam, it bit deeply into the concrete giving Blake the opportunity to rush in for an attack.

Adam let out a deep breath, calming himself and sheathing his blade at the same time. He didn't think his opponent would have such brute strength considering its smaller stature. Taking the time Blake was buying He began to charge his semblance, storing more and more energy into his blade.

Blake knew how long Adam's semblance would take and used her own semblance to catch the Assassin's blade in a clone made of ice just as Adam finished charging. Without hesitation Adam set loose his moonslice, the built up energy extending out past his blade in a devastating, horizontal swipe.

The figure, and everything in the general direction of said figure, was caught in the destruction, destroying the wall of concrete and creating a wall of dust. Blake squinted her eyes to look closely at the cloud, she was expecting him to charge out with another swipe but she wasn't too keen on charging in herself to blinded by dust. she would wait until it cleared or an attack came.

\-/

"How does the new suit fit?" James stood tall, seemingly unaffected by the lurching of the bullhead while speaking to Jaune. They had been flying for a few minutes when he had finally broke the silence, wanting to confirm some details before Jaune's mission start.

"Feels good!" Jaune replied while stretching his arms, enjoying the flexibility of the armor. It feels much heavier than the suit we normally wear, What's it made from? Feels far too heavy for any normal human to wear. Jaune had to chuckle at Whitback's bluntness, he didn't disagree but probably would have phrased it different.

"Whitback likes it too and is wondering what its made of." Jaune relayed while inspecting the slots on each of his forearms, his pale skin showing through the only exposed spots in the whole suit. The rest of his skin covered in hundreds of metal plates that Whitback attached to snuggly from underneath.

"It's a prototype we've been testing, I've had it modified to allow for Whitback's full assistance." James added while pulling the file up on his scroll. "It's covered in thin but durable plates made from steel compound, so it'll be a lot heavier than the regular militia outfit you wear to cover your features." James explained patiently, they didn't have the time for questions earlier when their schedule forced them into the bullhead at 0600 hours.

"It's normally infused and powered with dust for the weight and is planned to be outfitted with an specialised AI to keep the plates from sticking and rubbing against each other. You don't need to worry about any of that of course, since Whitback can fill both roles." James continued knowing full well Jaune had already stopped listening and distracted himself with the moving plates. James mainly went on for Whitback, knowing the grimm to have a ravenous curiosity and nearly perfect memory.

"Ya ya, so are you finally giving me a cool weapon like yours? I mean even winter has one and I've been here two whole years longer!" Jaune motioned to the cockpit where Winter was piloting, already bored of all of James's explaining. The suit was cool but he didn't care about AI's and especially didn't care about dust. He couldn't even activate the stupid rocks, so why bother learning about the stuff.

"She is seven years your senior and doesn't have an almost infinite supply of biomass protecting her at all and her fighting style goes beyond "Smash it fast and eat everything in site."." he explained with a sigh, lord knows he tried to train the boy but Jaune didn't seem to have a talented bone in his body. Without Whitback assisting his movements he was practically a civilian with a scary pet. At least he could take a hit like none other, always coming back for more.

"Hey! It's not infinite. Just what I could grab from the outposts you've sent me to clear." Jaune felt the need to clarify but couldn't deny his fighting had a "simple elegance" as he liked to say. Whitback called it blunt but effective so what else did he need?

James let out another sigh, that could be anywhere between one and two hundred White Fang extremists. It sounded like a lot but it was only about five or six outposts give or take. He didn't like sending the boy into danger and only did it on rare occasions, this mission was supposed to be a test to change that. Jaune wanted to contribute more, so James had to think of a proper test.

They continued to ride in silence, the trip taking the better part of ten hours even with the speedy bullhead. Their destination was a White Fang weapons depot tucked deep in the outskirts of a small island in Vale called Patch. The intelligence his scouts gathered suggested a large facility with at least a plattoons worth of masked extremists standing guard.

"We're approaching Patch." Winter called, warning Ironwood and startling a space out Jaune. "I'll get as close as possible without being seen." Secrecy was their top priority, Ironwood could ill afford news getting to Ozpin about Jaune. There was no telling what the old huntsman might do but it would be far easier for Ironwood if Oz just never found out to begin with.

Jaune took a moment to collect himself and calm his nerves. We'll be fine Jaune, I'll keep us safe. As comforting as its words were, the fear of pain wasn't the only reason Jaune shook. He didn't like what he had to do but he also refused to let nothing be done. The White fang had to be stopped, even if it meant he had to kill them.

Ironwood gave a nod and turned to Jaune, his expression turning serious when he noticed Jaune distracted. "Jaune, I want to be clear. This is not just another White Fang outpost guarded by a bunch of street toughs." He placed a hand on his shoulder, willing him to understand. "There is a good chance a high ranking member will be there overseeing operations. In all likelihood this individual will have Aura and training on how to use it." It was the main reason James had been avoiding sending Jaune to anything bigger than an outpost.

"I'll be fine, Whitback's got my back after all." Jaune gave a confident smile, he had no reason to think he could fail. Not even James's robots could lay a scratch on him, what could some White Fang scumbag do? Jaune had nothing to worry about.

"Just be cautious, we can't let Whitback be discovered by anyone. A witness with aura might be able to get away." James handed Jaune his helmet while speaking. "So if you find one, try not to let them see you do anything… grimm. Just in case." Jaune plunked the helmet on his head and gave a crude salute, the visor coming down a second later to cover his face.

"Follow the waypoint on your visor, it'll show you where to go." As the last word left his mouth the latch released and Jaune was jumping free of the bullhead. "Impatient kid…" James muttered into the empty cabin, he wasn't used to feeling such worry about his troops. Let alone a human/grimm hybrid.

\-/

You honestly thought I would let you make a crater? Do you know how much noise that would make? Jaune let out a defeated sigh "I mean I guess not, but I'll be honest." Jaune looked at around at the slow moving scenery while Whitbacks makeshift wings were slowing his fall. "I was really hoping something a bit more... badass I guess" Jaune mumbled to himself, upset with how ridiculous he looked.

The wings flapped erratically, not able to actually lift Jaune due to his immense weight, they looked more akin to a chicken flapping around in a vain attempt at flight. Jaune felt like a part of him died as he landed with a dull thump, praying James and Winter missed his little descent as they flew somewhere off coast to await his call.

Come now Jaune, do you want me to assist you with the mission? or help you look badass? Jaune grumbled while letting Whitback withdraw the wings through the the slits on his forearms and cracks hidden underneath the plates. "Why not both?" He shot back while beginning to run towards his target. I'm sure I can think of something eventually. Now focus Jaune.

As he ran towards the blip shown on his visor he began to let the rhythm of his footsteps distract him from the anxiety seeping in. He knew he had nothing to worry about, Whitback was with him after all and it had never let anything happen to him before. Well, almost never… He pushed the thought away and picked up some speed.

The small waypoint on his visor disappeared automatically at 2000 hours as Jaune caught sight of the fenced off facility through the tree's. The darkening sky would serve no hindrance as Whitback had adjusted his eyes to work more like the faunus long ago. He moved from tree to tree, relying on his speed to get him closer without being seen.

As he moved, Whitback started relaying the enemies locations he could sense nearby, feeding information to Jaune on the ideal time to move and hold. Within seconds he was less than thirty feet from the main entrance, hiding behind a tree. While Peeking out he noted at least five guards at the main gate alone, not to mention any watchmen they had posted around keeping an eye out.

Move around the perimeter, take out stragglers and lone watchmen. Isolate and destroy. Jaune leaned against the tree gently, he knew what was coming. Even if Whitback calmed his heart his mind kept moving in circles, He knew it had to be done. He just wished his hands would stop shaking. Are you ready to kill? Whitback's question rang in his mind, just like it had done every time death was necessary.

"Only if you are" He answered the same as he always did, his circling thoughts slowing as Whitback's influence mixed with his own and their mind became one. It was an odd sensation, like living in a lucid dream, his whole body would move without him having to make it or even really think about it. He just thought about what needed to happen and Whitback would handle the rest. Like a bullhead on autopilot.

Jaune needed to go around the perimeter and take out the guards, so his body moved, like a panther stalking through the brush it moved quickly and silently. It was seconds before he saw a lone faunus standing atop a watch tower, a scoped rifle in her hands meant for distance shooting.

That guard needed to die and Whitback took a quick glance around to make sure no one would notice before letting loose a thin tendril. The Faunus couldn't even gasp as the spike drove through her windpipe and into her spine, the flesh surrounding the wound turned black quickly followed by the rest of the faunus body as she was digested.

Jaune then jumped over the fence, rolling to minimize noise, he landed in front of the tower and quickly started moving again. With the first body gone it was only a matter of time before something was notice, he needed to move fast and finish the guards outside. Whitback obliged Jaune happily, enjoying the flashes of information it obtained from the grey matter consumed.

With lethal efficiency, Jaune and Whitback tore their way through the facility, leaving no White Fang member alive. This was the justice they deserved, for dealing in death they only deserved death. Jaune had no reason to believe otherwise and he wouldn't be satisfied until they were all gone.

but why then, did it make him feel so cold?

He spun around the final corner, his tendrils making short work of a Faunus standing just outside the door. He could only sense two now, inside the room, but something was different about them. Almost like they somehow exuded more of a presence.

"You had someone standing watch for us, didn't you? Because I can't hear their breathing anymore." The female's voice was sounded vaguely familiar but Whitback was more curious as to how the faunus had found them so easily.

"Among the dozens I have patrolling around the place, yea. Someone should be there." a male voice spoke while Jaune tapped at his helmet to turn on the built-in voice modulator. He wouldn't risk his voice being recognized, just as Ironwood said, he couldn't be discovered.

"You heard… The lack of breathing?" He wondered out loud for a moment while forming weapons at his side in preparation. once a sword and shield formed the black veins that covered the material faded away, preventing him from morphing the weapons but giving them a less monstrous appearance. "The devil was in the details" as Ironwood taught him.

"I was unaware the faunus could have such impressive hearing" He twisted the doorknob, headless of its protests, and opened the door to look between a red haired, male bull faunus and a black haired, female cat faunus. Both held weapons that looked highly customized, reminding Whitback of how Ironwood's specialists would arm themselves with similarly, specially crafted weapons.

"I assume it's a result of training rather than innate ability, none of the other's were nearly as perceptive." They had to have training, they held such intricate weapons comfortably and didn't flinch from a fully armored opponent. That combined with the odd presence they gave off brought Whitback to a conclusion. "You have aura as well…" That could prove a challenge, but even with aura he only needed to deal sufficient damage to defeat them.

He looked at the pair, took a breath, and waited for them to strike. Judging by their rather offensive weapons he figured it wouldn't be long until they came to meet his shield.

The red headed bull was the first to lunge, his blade clashing against Jaune's shield of ivory with a resounding clash. Jaune acted quickly to exploit the opening his shield afforded, bringing his blade down with all his might.

The black haired cat prevented his victory however by pulling the bull from his reach and forcing him to bury his blade into the concrete below. The female charged without hesitation, taking the opening his mistake gave her, she sent her blade that doubled as a pistol flying towards him. The ribbon attached to the trigger allowed her to fire and build momentum, manipulating its trajectory.

Jaune struggled to move as the ribbon wrapped around him, the cat tightening it more and more. He let a tendril slide from underneath one of the plates on his back, sharpening and cutting the ribbon out of sight. With a loud grunt he pulled free his arm/blade from the concrete just as the kitty was taking a swipe.

His shield blocked the sheath/cleaver that was coming for his neck and he attempted another swing of his own, not realizing she had her gun back in hand. With a press of its trigger she shifted backwards as the white blade flew for her, a copy of her made completely of ice catching it in her place.

Whitback realised their plan a moment too late, a wave of unprecedented energy already headed straight for Jaune. Whitback raised the shield, desperately attempting to block the steel from separating flesh. Jaune thought he was untouchable, and yet this searing pain in his chest spoke differently. Oddly enough though, the pain reminded him of his family.

I've… misjudged the situation. Please allow me to take full responsibility and rectify my mistake. Jaune wanted to laugh, Of course it blamed itself again, despite him forcing them there to begin with. Well he supposed he had no other option, his sense of touch already going numb. "Do your best Whitback."

So I chose to make a large time skip in order to keep the story moving forward. I debated writing a few chapters of him being trained by Ironwood but in the end decided against it in favor of moving towards beacon. That being said I may still go very off track depending how things work out and any suggestions I may pick up on. I attempted to make Jaune a bit more "Teenagery" as he is about 15 right now. I hope I didn't do horribly, I was terribly "edgy" as a teen but i thought of Jaune as more of an awkward but joyful one so not sure how I did. Side note I really wish their was an "action" genre because I feel like that's what I'm focusing on (not on necessarily on purpose, just an observation). If anyone has genre suggestions please let me know!

Thank you Artjom435, I try to improve whatever I can when re-reading. I would also like to say your comment is what made me think of an armored suit for Jaune. I'm sorry i didn't show much of the training, I hope I made the right call with a timeskip. Though the electricity is definitely something i'll be remembering for the future. Thank you for the idea's! I hope I'm not butchering them.

Sm0keyPanda, I agree completely! I do see Ironwood as a hardass but not because he's a real dick or anything. He is in charge of protecting thousands (if not millions) of lives in a world where rocks explode more often than not! I can't imagine the stress that would put on somebody, let alone a world filled with Grimm. I hope I lived up to your expectations when writing him this chapter. I skipped a lot of time but I hope I was able to properly show their relationship.

343, I can't believe I forgot that! I changed it as soon as I saw your review, Jaysus I can be scattered. I also added Ironwood and Jacques though I'll be honest, I don't know if I should've added Jacques as he is more of a secondary character. Hope your enjoying my work!

Alno