The troll is back and imitating me and others in the reviews, this time trying to make it look like I'd attack my own reviewers because obviously that's a thing I'd randomly do from a guest account. Ignore the nonsense.


Cover Art: Serox

Chapter 21


"I'm not messing around here, Junior."

"When do you ever?" the bartender asked, squeezing a dry cloth into a glass and running it around until it was squeaky clean. He hooked it above the bar and reached for another. It kept his hands busy and bought time for him to look his favourite customer up and down. "For someone out a cell for over a day now, you're looking rough, Roman."

His rough was another man's smart casual, but Roman was usually the height of fashion. He was the kind of guy who'd press his coat before going out and wear makeup to cover any blemishes. The bags under his eyes were all kinds of worrying, and his white overcoat was wrinkled and smudged with grime.

"I'm about to look and feel a lot worse if I can't follow through on what I've claimed."

"This on that kid the newspapers are going on about?"

Roman flinched and looked back over his shoulder. There, by the door, a youngish blond lad in a hoodie was being pestered by the twins. It was too far to make out his expression but judging by how the girls were leaning all over him, it must have been indifferent. They only acted like that when they were miffed someone wasn't giving the attention.

"He doesn't look that bad," Junior said.

"Looks can be deceiving. He's in a good mood since I promised him progress – and I don't want to see that change to a bad mood. You don't either."

"That goes without saying, but I'm not yanking your chain for no reason. Only Chivalric Arms operation I know of in the area is their subsidiary offices on the Boulevard. That's household robotics, though."

"He saw military robots."

"I'm not saying he didn't, Roman. Only that they're smuggling them better than I can find 'em if that's the case. Then again, I've not been looking. If you could give me time…"

Roman slapped his hands down on the bar and leaned over to hiss, "I don't have time."

"And I don't have the intel," Junior whispered back, meeting him halfway. "I'm an information broker, not a fortune teller. I need something to work with. If I had this, I'd give it. You know you're my pal, Roman. Only reason I put up with you running through my boys like a lawnmower."

"Fuck." It was uncharacteristic of Roman to swear so vulgarly, or to stand up and run a hand through his unkempt hair. "Fuckity fuck. I can't begin to tell you how bad my week has been, Junior. I didn't need this. Prison would have been easier."

"He that bad…?"

"He's unhinged. Dangerous." Roman's eyes slid to the left, but he refused to look back. "I don't know what it is that makes him so dangerous, but if it's enough to have Atlas on his ass and him relaxed enough to go to sleep around me, it's not something I want to tangle with."

He didn't even know-? "Might be bravado."

"Bravado doesn't put Goodwitch in the hospital! Bravado doesn't have a guy storm a police station alone without giving a fuck. I've heard of his body count." He leaned in to whisper, "He told me huntsmen aren't a problem because – and get this – they die too easily."

Junior wasn't a man used to feeling fear. What he felt at that moment wasn't crippling fear either, but a sudden chill that had his eyes flicking back to the man with his girls. Those two better be okay. Shifting his position so he could reach for his weapon under the bar if he needed it, Junior leaned an elbow on the desk and crooked a finger. Roman emulated him, leaning on one elbow until they were face to face.

"I ain't got anything for you, Roman, but I might be able to get something. Knowing that ought to keep him satisfied, yeah?"

"I hope so, Junior. I really do. What do you have?"

"Arms have to be shipped. I've got contacts in haulage and might be able to lean on those a little. Everything is tracked nowadays – if not the cargo then at least the vehicles it's shipped in. Now, they might be spooked after he attacked them. Might be spooked enough to go low. They'll still need to dispose of those droids, though. Big incident if they don't. I can't guarantee they'll be shipping them to the right place, but I can find `a place`. Or wherever it is they move them. You might be able to find more from wherever that is."

Roman released a long breath. "You're a lifesaver, Junior. You're a damned saint."

"I'm a man trying to make ends meet. Just do your best to come out of this alive – and to keep him and whatever he does away from me and the girls."

"I'll be trying. Not easy, though. Between him, Cinder, and the White Fang, I'm trapped between a rock, a hot place, and the gates of hell. Only upside is that none of those lot are against one another. He worked with the Fang before."

"Might be an in for you," Junior pointed out. "Still, you're more anxious about this kid than you are Cinder, even though you and I both know she can't be trusted to keep you alive. What's the rub there?"

"Cinder is a monster, don't get me wrong. But she's a monster with a goal in mind and for that, she needs me. Him." Roman looked back. The kid was steadfastly ignoring the Malachites and watching them from all the way across the club. "He's one of those kinds."

"Those kinds…?"

"The ones with nothing to lose. Father defending a child. Druggie with a back against the wall. Someone struggling to make ends meet turning to crime." Roman waved his hand. "You know the type."

"I do."

Dangerous not because they were good at what they did – they often weren't – but because their breaking point was so much further. Most people, even among the underworld, were held back if not by moral compunction then by fear of consequences.

You didn't kill because that turned your simple court case and maybe six months in prison into twenty years or life. You didn't backstab those you worked with because getting a larger cut wasn't worth having everyone in Vale gunning for you. You avoided harming the police too much because they were just doing their jobs, and because if they acted out too much, the whole business would get hammered down.

There weren't rules in the underworld, but there was an understanding. Unwritten agreements. Common sense.

The same didn't apply for `those kinds` of people. They'd do anything because they no longer cared about what happened to them. It was like facing a man with nothing to lose in a game of poker. You never knew what hands they'd go all-in on and reading them was impossible. In a standoff, they'd be the first to pull the trigger.

In short, they were dangerous. Too dangerous for Junior to let into his crew. It was part of the reason why, for all his faults, he stayed far away from the loan shark business. Collecting protection money was one thing; rinsing people dry and then expecting them not to shank you was another.

"You're keeping rough company, Roman."

"Trust me, I know. So, any idea of a timeframe…?"

Junior considered. Normally, he'd need a week. "I'll see what I can do in twenty-four hours." He watched Roman's face register clear relief. "I'm not making any promises, though. I'll work my contacts hard but make sure he knows that! I'm not a miracle worker. If it takes two, it takes two."

"I'll see what I can do. I've got plans to distract him for today. That won't last, though. He wants results, and if I want to come out of this alive, I need to deliver."

"I get it, Roman." Junior sighed and picked up his scroll, waving it as proof. "I'll get onto my contacts right now."

Roman slid a hefty chunk of lien onto the bar. "Much appreciated."

/-/

Jaune had never been used to attention from girls unrelated to him, especially of the pretty kind. Ansel had been so small a village that his class in school was only eight people in his year, four boys and four girls. None of them had been as pretty as the two hovering over him now, bright eyed, pale skin and dark hair. The twins were undeniably attractive.

"Come on. I bet you could be cute if you smiled."

"Not handsome?" the one in red asked coyly.

"With that face and hair? Nah. Cute is about as good as it gets." She waited, staring up. "Aw. I really thought that'd get a reaction. You know, the whole `cut from stone` thing isn't as hot as most guys think it is."

"Mel's right. Guys think it's cool in movies and all, but you'll look better if you show a little emotion."

He wasn't trying to be hot, though. In fact, he wanted to be forgettable. It was the best thing right now. Jaune shrugged without saying a word, unsure if he was nerves or apathy that had him not reacting one way or the other. Apathy about this, anyway. His eyes kept returning to Roman and the `information broker` at the bar, waiting to see if anything was revealed.

"Oi. Oi. Don't ignore someone when they're talking to you."

Jaune looked back to an angry, pouting, face. It was so like what one of his sisters might have given if he ignored them that he said, "Sorry" without thinking.

"It speaks! Big, broody and silent has a voice!"

Great. And just like his sisters, they were going to jump on him for cracking. Sighing, he shoved his hands into his pockets, feeling the cold reassuring touch of Mors. He was careful not to draw or show it since Roman said these people were allies. He said it like he thought I'd go on a killing spree too. How bad does he think I am? He only wanted to save his family. Aside from not being an evil motivation, he wasn't going to get closer to saving them by starting gunfights with random people.

"Girls. Girls." Roman swayed back toward them with a cocky smile and his arms open. The two women danced over and squeezed into his side, wrapping their arms around him as he did them. It looked more like a routine than anything, especially when Roman slapped the hands of the red one away. "Back, feisty. That's my wallet you're reaching for."

"One day, Roman."

"When I'm old and retired, sure." He winked, pinched her behind and laughed off the savage slice of her claws that grated along the aura of his arm. He didn't make a move to grope the one in white, but instead pushed her off him gently. "Alright, you two. Let's leave my acquaintance alone. Junior needs your help with something."

"Yeah?" Red crossed her arms. "And what might this `something` be?"

"Something of the walking away so me and my partner here can have a private conversation kind." Roman winked and shooed the giggling girls off. "Those two are a handful, huh? They didn't bother you, did they?"

"No. They reminded me of my sisters."

"Probably not the angle they were gunning for if I'm honest. You know, it's not healthy to compare every woman you see to one of your family. Makes you look obsess- well, never mind. I've spoken with Junior."

Jaune stood straighter. "And…?"

"And he's going to look into it right away. Hoping to have details within a day." Roman looked nervous as he said it. "CA are doing well at staying hidden and Junior hasn't had reason to look into them before. He's going to track the containers you found, or more specifically the vehicles themselves. Once he's found them, we'll see where they're going and hit there. If it's not the place where someone is kept prisoner, it should at least be a lead to find them."

It was so much more than he'd had before, aimlessly wandering around Vale. "That's good."

"It is!? I-I mean yeah, it's good." Roman laughed quickly. "Not perfect, mind, I was hoping he'd know straight out, but if these people weren't good at staying hidden, that wasn't going to happen." He fished out a cigar. Jaune noticed how the man's hands fumbled one and then failed to light it three times. "I'm happy as long as you're happy, kid."

Liar. Roman was terrified. Of him. Jaune wasn't so blind that he couldn't see it. Should I say something? He's doing his best and it wouldn't hurt to be on good terms. Blake's face flashed through his mind. No. It was best if Roman was afraid. It would keep him from trying to abandon him.

"It's good enough," Jaune said. "I'll give you time. What do we do for now?"

"Well, I told you I had a little work of my own on the side, right? Now I'm not saying you should work for me!" he quickly said. "But I do have an agreement with some people I need to honour. One of those is the White Fang, and I thought you might want to get in contact…?"

It was phrased as a question, Roman's voice rising toward the end to make it abundantly clear he was happy to let it go if Jaune had a problem. He didn't. One of his plans had been to contact the White Fang in Vale anyway, and he still needed a way to get in touch with Adam and find out if Hazel and Jade were safe. This was that opportunity.

"Okay."

"Okay-? I mean great! Fantastic." Roman placed a hand on his back and steered him toward the door. "Those anim- Those people aren't great fans of mine, so maybe this'll be a good way for both of us to break the ice. They ought to know you, human or not. I arranged a meeting today if you want to come with."

"Do they know about me?" Jaune asked.

"Had to tell them. They'd have seen who freed me on the news, and I didn't want them spooked if they saw me coming along with another human. You still have your mask, right?" Jaune nodded. "Great. We can hook up with them, help the Fang and get some allies for when we hit CA. Three birds with one stone."

Four if he counted doing whatever job Roman had before this. It was obvious he wasn't going to admit to that, though. Should I really be helping him? I guess it's not a big deal. He's a thief, so the worst that happens is we're stealing stuff. Probably dust. That was how he'd been arrested in the first place. I've already thrown my lot in with the White Fang, so I doubt my criminal record gets any bigger with a robbery.

And if he could stock up on dust, gain more allies and supply those allies for when they attacked Chivalric Arms, then it wasn't for nothing. It wasn't wasting time. If nothing else, helping the White Fang would please Adam.

"I'll help," he said, watching Roman relax. "Just be sure to keep your end of the bargain."

"Trust me, kid. I intend to."

/-/

"Can you believe this!? A curfew! A curfew keeping me out of an entire city!"

"It's not fair," Ruby said.

"It's not!" For once, Weiss sided with her partner, and against her own sister no less. "It's ridiculous. Thank you, Ruby. At least someone understands that."

"I didn't say it was right," Yang argued.

"Not you. I meant Winter. I just… argh!" Weiss collapsed on her bed, rocking the bunk above her precariously. "I can't believe she'd do this. You can't just lock me out of the city. How am I meant to get dust? How am I meant to go shopping?"

"Online."

Weiss shot Blake an angry glower. "Not the point. And what about the Vytal Festival? I want to see the parade and the shows in the city. I want to walk around Vale. What about weekends? It's not like you're all going to stay here. You'll be going out for meals or shopping and I'll be stuck here on my own."

"I won't be," Blake said. "I can stay with you."

"What?" Yang made an aggrieved sound. "Oh, come on. Weiss, I can understand, but don't tell me you're planning to stay in Beacon all year long."

"That's exactly what I'm planning."

"No way. Nuh-uh. No partner of mine is being that much a shut-in. I'm taking you out even if I have to drag you out."

Good luck to her. Blake had zero interest or intention of leaving the safety of Beacon, at least until everything in the city was dealt with. While she wasn't under the same curfew Weiss was, the headmaster had still made it clear her every action would be watched. Even if they hadn't been, she'd have avoided the city for the sake of avoiding Jaune.

Part of the reason why Winter had ordered Weiss to stay in Beacon had to be because of who her partner was. She'd framed it like Jaune would go after her for being a Schnee, which wasn't likely. On the other hand, Weiss being close to her out in the city was far more dangerous. All bets were off if Jaune saw her. Hence why I need to stay here until he's left. I can order books online if I need to. I'm not going anywhere near him.

"And all for this one guy," Weiss complained. "As if I couldn't defend myself against him."

"I know, right? He's just one gu-"

"You can't." Blake's interruption annoyed three quarters of her team. Or more like half – Ruby looked more worried than annoyed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yang demanded. "Are you saying we're weak?"

"I'm just saying that if he hurt Miss Goodwitch and Winter Schnee is telling us he's dangerous, then maybe it's because he is. Not to mention your Uncle was here. He must have run into him as well. I bet if you asked, he'd tell you to stay away."

Blake wished she could, but the headmaster had been clear on what she could and couldn't do. No mention of anything regarding Jaune or the White Fang was to cross her lips. Her teammates didn't need to know, and the more people who did, the more who might be at risk to either Chivalric Arms or Jaune himself. To hear it from Ozpin, Team RWBY didn't need to know, because they were not to ever be in a position where that information would matter.

"Stay out of trouble, Miss Belladonna, and we shall have no problems. What you were before – all you knew before – no longer applies. You are a student. That is all you are. Remember that, for is the old Blake Belladonna returns, I won't be able to keep you out of a cell."

Ozpin's words echoed in her head. That her own team would be the ones putting her in danger was as hilarious as it was frightening. The fact she couldn't warn them without giving everything away only made it worse.

"So he's a tough customer," Yang said. "We're a team of four. Numbers count."

Not against him, it doesn't. Blake tried hard not to overreact. The conversation alone had her unnaturally tense, coiled like a spring ready to jump at the slightest provocation. Beacon was safe. She was safe.

"We're in training," she pointed out. "We're not huntresses."

"Yet. He's our age, too. How much more training can he have?"

"It doesn't matter. Weiss isn't allowed out of Beacon and I'm not going anywhere near him. You and Ruby shouldn't either, even if you do happen to see him on the street. Get away. Call the police. Leave it to them."

"Sheesh. You scared of him or something?"

Terrified. "Cautious," she lied. "Because I can tell that Winter Schnee, General Ironwood and the headmaster all working together to stop someone means they're not someone to mess with. He put Miss Goodwitch in the infirmary." Blake stared over the top of her book. "He could put you in the morgue."

Yang rolled her eyes while Weiss huffed and turned away from her, apparently deciding that if Blake wasn't going to side with her, she was going to be ignored. Neither of them were taking Jaune seriously. Blake's fingers dug into her book, stretching the cover out. Why were they being so stupid about this? It was common sense to stay away from a dangerous killer.

"No one is saying anything about trying to find him," Ruby said, ever the mediator. "We're just saying Weiss shouldn't be punished just because other people can't do their jobs and catch him."

"Precisely. Thank you, Ruby. I'm glad someone understands."

"We could sneak her out," Yang suggested. "How is Winter really going to keep an eye on her at all times? Dress you up, get you a wig, and no one will be able to tell."

"I will."

Yang rolled her eyes. "No one was asking you, Blake."

Her book fell flat on her knees. It wasn't like she was reading it; as exhausting as this topic was, she could hardly focus at all. "Maybe not, but I can go to the headmaster if you try."

"Wow, Blake. Wow." Yang gave her a disappointed scowl. "Didn't realise my partner was the kind of person to rat on us to the teachers the second we do something wrong…"

"Well now you know," she said.

"Traitor…"

Blake flinched. Yang had only muttered it, and without any real heat, but the title stabbed into her chest all the same. Swallowing, and with hands shaking, she picked her book back up and turned away, offering her back as the others hugged together and muttered angrily about Winter and now also her.

It was better they all stay in Beacon until the tournament was over and Jaune was gone. With any luck, he'd either find his family and get out, or be captured by Ironwood. And if her teammates really did want to try and sneak Weiss out, she'd go to Winter herself. It was for their own good.

Jaune would murder them if they got in his way.

/-/

"A graveyard?" Jaune hissed. "The White Fang want to meet in a graveyard?"

"Not my idea of a good spot either," the thief whispered back. "Theatrical bunch, these lot. I wouldn't be surprised if they used secret handshakes. Least they're meeting at night," he added, lighting a cigar. "Might as well make use of that night vision."

Adam liked to plan his operations at night for the same reason. After a while, he'd gotten used to it. The graveyard was a large thing with tall hedges acting as barriers broken up by wrought iron gates that had been left open. It wasn't a small patch of ground on a pretty hill like Ansel's communal burial spot.

It was an acre or more of privately owned ground with hundreds, if not thousands, of tomb stones, cairns, and sites. Some of them were obviously more expensive than others with statues and tombs, while others were cement blocks with numerous slots, bronzed plaques on the front for the departed like apartment blocks for the dead. It looked rough and cruel to him, but then what were you meant to do with so little space for so many people? There was a reason most people favoured cremation.

Roman brought them to a spot hidden away between a cairn with two dog statues at the front and one of the `apartment block graves`. Jaune idled away reading the plaques on those. Names, lives, hopes and dreams summarised into a name, date, and unimaginative one-liner.

Loved by all. Pillar of the community. Mother, wife, and best friend. He brought laughter to our lives. Missed but never forgotten. Jaune dragged his eyes away, wondering if his life and all the things he'd been through would one day be condensed into that and, if so, what it would be. Loved his family too much. He went too far. Brother, son, murderer.

"Hey." Roman looked over, hand extended. "Want one?"

"Huh? Oh, I don't smoke. Thank you…"

"You sure? I didn't start because I thought it looked cool or because I wanted to spend all this money on it. Good for nerves. Helps you relax."

Jaune swallowed and answered as his mother had always told him. "They're bad for your health."

"And doing all this isn't? Bullets, blood, and bombs. People like us are lucky if we live long enough to die naturally. Sometimes the temporary benefits are more useful than a cost we're unlikely to make it to." Roman took the packet away and puffed on his own, drawing in a deep breath and relaxing. "Suit yourself. Offer's open if you change your mind."

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't curious. Smoking was one of those things he'd never seen the point of. Not why people kept doing it – addiction was addiction – but he'd never understood logically why people started. You smelt of smoke, it was expensive, it was unhealthy, and then you had to deal with pangs and addiction. It'd never seemed like there was a good reason for it other than some weird `cool factor` and the whole stress reliever part never seemed important. Now he knew why.

It was because he'd never in his life felt real stress. As a fortunate and mostly happy idiot living in relative peace, he'd thought stress was that horrible feeling you got when you handed in late homework or didn't clean your room perfectly and hoped your mom didn't notice the crap you'd shoved into your drawers or under the bed. That wasn't real stress. It wasn't even close. Real stress was suffocating, smothering and painful. It had every muscle in his body wound up tight and his stomach ready to expel all food.

Jaune considered asking for a cigarette. If it could wash that away for even a minute, it would be worth any cost. The White Fang took that moment away however, stepping out from the main path. Three of them in total, all masked. Jaune wore his own, covering the upper half of his nose and eyes.

"Well," Roman said. "Looks like the party is here. Now we can-"

"Wait, human." The lead faunus held out a hand. "We'd like to see your companion without his mask. To make sure. I hope you understand." Jaune reached up and removed it, sliding the mask up to show his eyes, and even activating his Semblance so they swirled with colour. "It is you!"

The leader reached to his waist. Jaune tensed. As did Roman. What came out wasn't a weapon, however. It was a scroll.

"We were told to find you," the leader said. "Our orders were to locate and take you to safety. We weren't able to. The number we were given had its calls blocked, and finding you was… well, not easy. There's someone who wants to speak to you."

Could it be…? Jaune stepped forward and took the scroll. The White Fang made no move to stop him or draw weapons. The call was active, the image distorted, but he could hear breathing on the other side. Pulling it up to his ear, Jaune spoke.

"Adam…?"

"Jaune."

"Adam! It's you!" Jaune paced suddenly to the side, all but ignoring Roman and the terrorists. "You have no idea how relieved I am to hear your voice. Adam, everything has gone wrong. Everything!"

"I know. Blake has betrayed us."

"Me too." Jaune could hear the fury. It matched his own all too closely. "I can't believe it. She told me you said to go ahead while you cut the train, then she found us a place to stay, offered to take first watch and ran. She even took my scroll. Destroyed her own. Just left me in the middle of Vale! I've been chased every day since!"

"Her betrayal is something she will pay for, Jaune, believe me on that. I'm glad to hear you're alive. I knew you wouldn't turn on us after what we did. I contacted the White Fang in Vale and told them to find you as quickly as they could."

"Thank you. I wish I could have found them first. I wanted to, but I had no idea where they'd be." Jaune gasped. "How are Jade and Hazel? Please tell me they're okay!"

"Safe," Adam replied. "No one doubted you on our end. There was simply no way you would betray us and leave them behind. We had to continue our journey to Menagerie with the dust we'd taken. They've safely met up with Ilia, Lavender and Coral. I'll be providing you a number to call them soon. In the meantime I've met with Sienna and explained the situation. She is angry, obviously, but more with Blake than you. I'll be sure to pass on that you're still loyal…?"

It was a question. "I'm still in on the plan," he confirmed. The White Fang nearby relaxed noticeably. "In fact, I was going to help the White Fang here secure some dust."

"That would be appreciated. I'll be coming to Vale soon. We've partnered up with some… humans. I won't say I trust them, but with Blake's betrayal, we now know Beacon is aware of us. Getting into Vale without outside help would be all but impossible for me otherwise."

"Alright. We're looking into Chivalric Arms at the minute. If we find a place, I'm going to hit it. I know I should wait for you, but they know I'm here. They've already sent people after me."

"I won't ask you to delay. I know you wouldn't. All I'll ask is that you be careful." Adam paused. There was an audible sigh over the line. "I'm glad you're okay, Jaune. I feared the worst when Blake left us."

"Yeah. How… How are you doing? I know you and here were-"

"Whatever we were, we're not anymore. Let's leave it at that. I can't talk for much longer. I don't doubt Chivalric Arms will have some means of tracing calls from Menagerie to Vale. They will know we will want to be in contact. Destroy that scroll once you're done with it."

"How will we get in contact?"

"I will initiate if I need to. Otherwise, I'll be there within the week. Jaune, listen to me." Adam's voice dropped, making it clear the following was to be private. "The White Fang you are with are not the same as mine. You can't expect them to be. They're volunteers. Amateurs. Send them against Chivalric Arms and they will drop like flies. You can't rely on them to have your back like I or Blake used to. They will try their best, but they won't be able to match us. Keep that in mind. Information gathering, courier or scouting jobs they can do well, but they're not proper combatants. They'll flee at the first sign of trouble. The military teams we faced in Mistral will tear them to pieces."

"I get it. Anything I do, I'll have to do on my own. I have Roman anyway," he said, eyeing the man. "He's at least huntsmen level, and he knows better than to stab me in the back."

"Loyalty is important. Learn the lesson I didn't."

"I will." Jaune closed his eyes. "What about Blake? You want me to do something about her?"

"No. Blake is mine to deal with. You have your own priorities."

"Right."

"And one last thing. The person I'm working with seemed to be… interested in you. Or more specifically, your Semblance." Jaune hummed in answer, unsurprised. Everyone was interested in his Semblance nowadays. "I warned her against trying to manipulate you. I'm not sure how well that went. Be wary. The White Fang wants to use you as well, but at least we're honest about it."

"I'll be careful."

"Good. I've already instructed Vale's White Fang to follow your orders." Jaune sucked in a sharp breath. The question was on his lips. "I know it's sudden. I know you don't think you're not good enough. I won't even say you're wrong. You're the best we have in the area, however. You saw how I handled things. You're intelligent. Driven. But more importantly, you're one of the few remaining I can trust."

"I… I understand. I'll lead them until you arrive."

"Thank you. It won't take me long. We'll talk more when I do. Both about how we'll rescue your family, and how we'll deal with the traitor. I'll see you soon." The call ended. Jaune let the scroll swing down to his side and then tumble from his fingers. It shattered on the concrete pathway, but he dug a heel into and ground it down just in case. The White Fang didn't seem bothered. They probably knew what had been decided.

Roman didn't and responded with complete surprise to Jaune's words. "I'm leading the White Fang in Vale."

"You!? I-I mean, sure, why not? May as well be you. Maybe that means they'll be a little less useless. No news from Junior just yet," he said, "But it's still early." It wasn't. It was late at night, but maybe that was early for a thief. "There's a few dust shops me and the boys were meant to be hitting. Gathering dust for the Fang." He gestured to the faunus, who nodded that it was the case. "Might be a chance for you to get your toes wet."

"I'm not exactly new to this."

Roman winced. "I meant toes wet in thieving, not blood."

"That's not what I… No, never mind." Even if Jaune hadn't meant it, there was no denying Roman was spot on. Complaining about it wouldn't make Junior work any faster. Best to busy himself with something. "Show me where we're hitting. You can handle the breaking in and stealing."

"And what'll you be doing?"

"I shall be handling any huntsmen or huntresses that show up."

His eyes flickered but didn't change. The barest hint of gold could be seen within them, but the colours that usually followed remained absent. Roman shivered as a chill ran over him but he didn't know yet what that meant. He hadn't placed the subtle sensation of his aura dissipating outside his control. All he knew was that something happened, and his body didn't like it.

"Y-Yeah." Roman puffed his cigar agitatedly. "You do you, boss man. I'm just the hired help."


Hm. A weekend where nothing went wrong. No dog accidents, no internet power outs, business drama or anything. It is… suspicious. I've woken up today with nothing to panic about. Is this what calm feels like? Oh wow. That's a thing. Whoah.

For those asking, my elderly dog's vet visit went okay. He's put some weight on again and his protein levels are up. His hips are failing sadly (German Shepherds often suffer from poor hips due to the unhealthy posture bread into the species) and that's a sign he's reaching the end of his life, but that would be a peaceful end and hopefully not imminent. The drugs he's on, though. Yikes. There's 15 of one set of pills a day, one big pill that I can't handle with bare hands, 20ml of a syringe to be taken orally, and 3 sachets of B12 vitamin powder which luckily just sprays over food.

The pills are easy. He's always been food motivated. The oral medicine… not so easy. Not at all. 20ml sounds like so little until it's in a syringe and then yikes. That's a lot.


Next Chapter: 6th July

P a treon . com (slash) Coeur