Yep, this is what you think it is. A third chapter update in a row. I was inspired and didn't want to swap to anything else before the New Year. Figured I would update again while the iron was hot and keep the plot moving. New characters, old characters, moral debates, dentists, this chapter has everything. The hardest part of this was not allowing certain sections fall into the realm of crack fics. There were plenty of opportunities. Sadly, Accelerator got a little sidelined here, but he will come back later in a few other adventures. Other than that, I'm happy to see so many people enjoying this story and I wish you all a Happy New Years.

VGBlackwing: It's not Mercury that's going to discover his power. I have a plan for someone else to do something wrong and push Accelerator over the edge. No one will be safe then. Most of the students in Beacon and other academies are pretty smart with regards to fights and abilities. They would quickly deduce reflection is not his entire power.

Cygfried: It's amazing how funny some serious scenes turn out to be with Jaune and Touma.

RexJinx: Ends in a gunfight, kidnapping, and several unhappy ladies.

Maelaeran: I only ever got motion sickness playing VR games. Jaune also has Pyrrha, he doesn't need anyone else.

Batthan the Dark Knight: Neo and Blake's Rescue Mission is the goal. What the High Leader wants will be revealed here.

Lawoi: Lili is based on SilverFang88.

shiroryuu012: I'm not saying you have too. I just really appreciate that you take time out to comment on a fanfiction story. It also helps me know what readers like and where I can improve on. Names helped me avoid just saying White Fang Grunt #1.

D. : I was debating how Merlot would show up. Maybe he's getting pissed people are blowing up his labs.

Ahsoei: Nope. Just like a certain unlucky boy. Don't want to get others involved in their fights.

Fernandamichelleraya: They are old enough to drink in Remnant.

SlothDGod: Ozpin did nothing wrong. He was a victim of circumstances.

vietnamese guy: A normal Grimm won't kill Roman. It was a special Plot Armor Destroying Grimm Rooster Teeth used to kill him. Pretty sure Mercury mentioned what happened to those two.

Nine To One: Index might use lemon scented dish detergent instead of lemon juice.

Aminadab Brulle: You don't have to feel obligated, but I do appreciate the review. I try to explain enough in the story that even people without a thorough understanding of RWBY or Index can enjoy it.

Cbustroyer: If you want smut. Check out SilverFang's story Shattered Vale: After Dark. 1) Oscar will find something important most likely. 2) Some of the higher level magicians might be able to seal her. She's not as skilled at magic as they are. Not sure if they can kill immortals or not without specific items. 3) He hasn't lost anything yet. Only while Touma's touching him can he die. So Cinder has to kill him while Touma's hand is touching him.

vampireharry the 2: Thanks.

WriterAdam: I have a few ideas for Omakes. I mostly use them if I feel the chapter is too short and reached the spot I wanted.

TheB: Of course. He's not lucky.

zerofire210: Morality is interesting. Touma has the desire to save people and not give up.

Kaneki Spawn: Thanks. That means a lot.

Inacio: I do not support Bumblebee. While they are close friends and near family, they are not romantically involved.

Guest: An OC ship? Nah. Maybe if you come up with a good name.

AdLibThisFic: Yeah, but when I give something a name, I grow attach to it.

Passenger: The thing is you have to use a lot of OCs. A lot of readers don't like that. Not enough named WF in RWBY.

Stitches: I can neither confirm nor deny that conversation was people I know arguing over discord. Weiss and Accelerator will get their day in the sun. I kind of want Accelerator to interact with other characters, but it's hard to make it natural.

AMTT94: Neo and Blake will not be pleased with Touma's antics. Pyrrha will not be pleased with Jaune. A lot of your questions are answered in this chapter. I'm not planning to use Coronzon in this fic. I'm limited characters from the Index Universe coming over. Salem is going to have a lot to do with the path this story is taking. Being able to manipulate people is an art form she mastered.

PieterjanVDHD: Skill. The universe was just jealous of that and struck him with misfortune.

unclecreepy16: I think it came out reasonably soon.

Daiten: Writing fluctuates. Being and adult sucks.

TheLastSterling: I get entertainment seeing shippers rage at each other though. Winter will definitely not like Accelerator. I don't know why, but I really like shipping Accelerator and Weiss. I feel it can be done nicely.

UltraHydra: That was there to draw a line between Index and RWBY about having people line Pierce and Motoharu. I needed people who resembled them so Touma could mention their names.

G119: Ruby was supposed to be second, but it's really fun to write her trying to get Touma to notice her, but not having any experience getting boys to do that. They either notice her or don't. She's socially awkward too and doesn't really explain things well to people she's not fully comfortable with. Having a crush makes it hard to say words.

Masterx01: Controling Vectors isn't a power source, it's a result. It takes energy to change the vector of something. It's never told in Index where the power that allowed Espers to do what they do. Like generator electricity, move water around, etc.

Vilostrike218: When you burst out laughing and get in trouble, I have succeeded.

Mr. X: 1) Yep. Sometimes I'm quick. 2) Woah. Who said that? There's a story behind why the White Fang were after Touma and Jaune. 3) OC characters were just there to allow naming to make organization easier.

PraiseVictini: Accelerator is too OP to let stay.

Rajarshi Sarkar: Roman is a guy who survives in a harsh world. He only robbed all the dust stores and killed people cause Cinder would roast him otherwise. Sienna isn't a love struck teenager. She's a woman. Touma will have to bring the big guns.

Zero: An OC pairing? Eww.

Larmmason: The WF wishes they were dead after Jaune finished them. Remnant is a harsh world and not everyone survives.

Mrcrazyman94: After Othinus Arc, but before Kamisato.

Disclaimer: I do not own Toaru Majutsu no Index or RWBY.


The starry sky was just beginning to dull as dawn approached for Beacon. Ruby had been sleeping comfortably, but just woke up. Her mouth was dry and she needed water. Hopping down from her bed without making noise, she silently snuck toward the bathroom. This was a common occurrence for her. With Weiss sleeping right below her and Blake being a light sleeper, Ruby had to be careful when she got up early. Yang could sleep through a train crashing into their room, so she didn't have to worry about her.

Coming back from the bathroom, Ruby paused. The usual lump of her sister was there, but the lump that was supposed to be Blake was missing. She walked carefully over there and put a hand on Blake's bed. Her teammate was definitely not there. Growing worried, Ruby looked around the room for any signs of why Blake was gone. There was none and Ruby decided she needed to act.

"Blake's missing!" Ruby cried, turning on the light.

"What!?" Yang growled, not appreciating being woken up. "Who!?"

"Ruby!" Weiss hissed dangerously. "I swear if you woke us up in the middle of the night for-…"

"Blake's missing!" Ruby repeated.

"Huh?" Yang blinked the tiredness away and leaned over the edge. "Where did she go?"

"That's what I want to know!" Ruby said loudly.

"Did you stop and think she might have had a reason?" Weiss asked, though she sat up and swung her legs off the bed. "I'm not getting any sleep tonight until you find her, am I?" She sighed loudly.

"We need to figure out where she went." Ruby told them, as Yang frowned and reached for her scroll.

"Zwei's still here," Weiss pointed out. "So it's possible she went over to Team TAN."

"In the middle of the night?" Ruby asked.

"Blake does read a lot of smut." Yang pointed out, as she was reading something on her scroll. "Maybe she wanted to act some of it out."

"Get your mind out of the gutter," Weiss told her. "The only time she would run off was if the White Fang were involved. Though, that doesn't make much sense. They haven't done anything in Vale recently."

"Yeah." Ruby crossed her arms and nodded. "Plus she said she wouldn't run off again. I trust Blake."

"So if there was a White Fang attack last night," Yang said slowly. "Would you believe that's a reason she might go and check it out?"

"I would say it's possible." Weiss admitted.

"But Blake promised not to run off by herself…" Ruby protested.

Yang tossed Weiss her Scroll.

"What's this?" Weiss asked, catching it and looking at the news article. "For the love of…" Her voice trailed off in anger. Ruby looked over her shoulder and gasped at the headline.

White Fang Attacks Club in Downtown Vale.

Weiss's eyebrows narrowed while Ruby's had risen in shock.

"BLLLLAAAKKKKEEEE!" Ruby wailed. "You promised!"

"She ran off again," Yang seethed. "When she gets back, I'm putting her on a leash."

"Go ahead." Weiss agreed. "Though, I think we should still give her one more chance. She took her Scroll right?"

"It's not on the charger." Yang replied, looking at her desk.

"Message her." Weiss ordered. "See if she at least stays in contact."

"Fine." Yang huffed, grabbing her on Scroll. She started typing while muttering out loud. "Blake, where are you?"

"Now we wait," Weiss stated. "And watch while Ruby has a nervous breakdown."

"I'm just worried!" Ruby protested, zipping over by Yang and sitting on her bed.

It only took thirty seconds for a response to come, which surprised even Weiss.

I'm taking a walk.

That was all Blake sent.

"That's it?" Ruby asked.

"Like hell it is." Yang growled, her eyes glowing red as she typed furiously. "Well then, walk your pretty little ass back here."

It's a long walk.

"That little…" Weiss grabbed Yang's phone out of her hand before the temperamental blonde smashed it.

"Let me try." Weiss typed a short message and sent it.

You promised us you wouldn't go out on your own to fight the White Fang.

"Guilt trip?" Yang asked, somewhat proud.

"It seems to work on her." Weiss shrugged. "If you yell at her, she just withdraws."

"I can't believe she lied to us." Ruby moaned. "If she had told us, we would have gone with her."

"That's why she did it.' Weiss pointed out. "Blake thinks it's her responsibility and doesn't want to get us involved because she doesn't want us to get hurt."

"Which is stupid." Yang huffed. "We can take care of ourselves."

"And it hurts us more when she just leaves without notice." Ruby added, sounding depressed while Yang patted her on the back.

Then, Yang's Scroll dinged with a notification.

"A picture?" Weiss said surprised. Yang and Ruby looked over her shoulder as she opened it.

All three of them froze in shock and Weiss almost dropped the phone.

It was a selfie.

Neo was holding the phone and making a victory sign while Blake in the other seat of a Bullhead was reaching to grab it. Blake was obviously annoyed while Neo was grinning. There was no indication of where those two were, but there was a small message captioned at the bottom of the picture.

She's not alone.


Jaune and Touma found themselves shoved into a room once they were escorted into the White Fang compound.

The room was bare, but it's not like either of them really expected otherwise. This was supposed to be a training ground for the White Fang, so there probably weren't a lot of luxury items here. Shipping supplies outside of Vale into Grimm infested territory was no easy task. Add in the fact that they had to remain inconspicuous or the Vale government would locate them, deliveries could only focus on the necessities.

The room did have a few things. A couple cots with some of the itchiest looking wool blankets either of them had ever seen. There was a small table with an old pitcher of water and a couple plates of hard rations. Those had been delivered by a White Fang member escorted by several armed guards. Jaune and Touma were forced to stay on the beds as their food was dropped off. The rations were like stale crackers and Jaune could not choke them down. Touma on the other hand, didn't try.

He was out like a light on one of the so-called 'beds'. Which, for some strange reason, didn't seem to bother him all that much.

Jaune had no idea how long they had been there. Their scrolls had been confiscated on the Bullhead. There was no clock in the room, and no windows to check the sky. He tried to get some sleep, though his mind kept racing about what was going to happen to them. No one would tell them anything. Eventually, the alcohol and drowsiness overtook him and he dozed off for a bit.

A loud thump broke him out of dreamland.

"What's going on?!" Jaune cried out, falling out of the cot. He looked around wildly but saw nothing. "Damn." He rubbed his head where he hit it from the fall. "Hey, Touma. You up?"

"Mmmm." A groan from the other bed was the only response he got.

"Dude, wake up." Jaune was forced to get up and shake Touma. "You don't know what kind of trouble we're in right now."

"Neo… five more minutes," Touma groaned, rolling over to his side. "Just do whatever…"

"I think if she heard that, you would seriously regret it." Jaune shook the unwilling Kamijou again. "Come on, get up!"

"Huh! What… Jaune? Ow, my head." Touma sat up and immediately clutched his throbbing head. "Who hit me with a truck?"

"Here. Drink this." Jaune passed him a cup of water. "You got a hangover, buddy."

"I don't remember drinking that much," Touma muttered, chugging the water. "This isn't the club…where are we?"

"You don't remember anything?' Jaune asked.

"Not since we left Roman."

"Oh for the love of… a lot has happened and we are in some serious trouble."

Jaune explained what happened, or at least the parts he knew. White Fang had kidnapped them from Junior's club, brought them out here on a Bullhead, and now they were locked up in this room. Touma looked like he was listening, even as he clutched his head. Jaune had a small hangover, but it was nothing compared to Touma. Aura helped neutralize the effects of alcohol a little. Touma did not have that luxury.

"What about the twins, Melanie and Miltia?" Touma asked. "The people at the club? Are they okay?"

"I don't know." Jaune admitted. "Junior's club is supposed to be run by a gang and there were sounds of a lot of gunfire."

"Shit." Touma spat. "Why us? What did we do?"

"No idea," Jaune answered. "They wouldn't tell us anything and the ride over here… let's just say both of us were in no condition to ask questions."

"I vaguely remember screaming." Touma said. "Wait, you left out a lot of info about the ride back here. Did something happen?"

"E-Eh... nothing too bad." Jaune brushed those words off, but refused to look at him. That hour or so long ride on the bullhead had turned into an insufferable horror, and he remembered what he had done.

Vividly.

"So what do we do now?" Touma asked.

"There's not much we can do," Jaune said. "We don't have a way to contact anyone since they took our Scrolls. Plus they locked us in here. I also saw guards outside when they brought us the water and… some kind of ration bricks?"

"Then we don't have any choice but to wait then." Touma sighed, pouring himself more water. "When they need us, they will come and get us. Food and water means they want us alive."

"You're… surprisingly calm about this." Jaune pointed out.

"This... let's just say it's not the first time I was contained in a dingy room for an extended period of time." Touma sighed loudly. "The air vent is too small to climb through and there's nothing we can do to sneak out that door. It's either we try to break through, which I doubt we can with a facility full of White Fang grunts, or we wait until we find out why they want us here."

"Got any ideas on that?" Jaune asked. "Most likely it relates to our adventures at the lab and your trip to that outlying city. Both of us fought the White Fang. Do you think they want revenge?"

"It's possible." Touma admitted. "I don't know much about them except what they told me and what I found out from you guys. Blake would know more, wouldn't she?"

"From some of the arguments I've heard, there's a lot of long-winded ranting mixed in there."

"So like Port's class?"

They both laughed.

In that moment the door opened and several members of the White Fang barged into the room.

The light-hearted atmosphere of the holding cell threw many of the White Fang off their beat. They had raised their weapons, ready for at least some form of resistance. Touma and Jaune were prisoners, locked in a room with no information and only water and stale rations. The natural reaction would be defiance or some form of nervousness. What they saw were two guys nonchalantly laughing away as if they weren't contained in a secret facility run by a radical terrorist group.

Several exasperated members had lowered their weapons when they saw the two guys laughing.

"Don't lower your weapons." The guy in the back ordered. "Assume these two are dangerous. Even with all of us here, we need to be wary. The blonde took out a whole Bullhead crew by himself while the other guy slept through it all. Don't you dare let them out your sights. "

"Huh?" Touma asked immediately, turning his head over to Jaune. "What are they on about?"

"O-Oh nothing, I'm sure they're just exaggerating what we can do." The boy started sweating nervously when Touma's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"You are being transported," the same grunt replied, as two other Faunus walked forward with handcuffs. "That's all I'm telling you two scum." Once Touma and Jaune were bound, they were pushed forward with the commander leading the way.

Several of the members in the back were whispering and Jaune caught a few snippets.

"…nearly tore off Adam's arm…"

"…monster…"

"…they traumatized Lily's platoon while chained up…"

The last comment made Jaune hide his embarrassed expression, not wanting to look anyone in the eyes while they walked for fear of being shamed for his actions. Touma was staggering slightly, still suffering from a hangover, but trying to remain focused. They were marched down a hallway and took an elevator down to the bottom. Jaune and Touma were separated with five guards each on the way down.

"How deep does this place go?" Touma asked.

"Most buildings outside of walls had extensive underground areas for protection against Grimm," Jaune said quietly. "This one is a little more extensive."

"It was designed to survive against bombing runs," one of the White Fang members told them.

"Oh, that makes sense." Touma admitted, looking at the walls. "I've seen the damage caused during an aerial bombardment before. It wasn't pretty."

Several of the White Fang members looked at each other and then shifted nervously. Even Jaune looked slightly perturbed by what he was hearing. Touma was talking about something so deadly all too casually for everyone's liking. Due to that the rest of the march was subdued. Any other Faunus they came across quickly stepped to the side to let them through.

Eventually they came to a large pair of double doors and were ushered inside. It looked like a conference room with several long tables. There was an elevated stage with a couple steps. A large golden throne was up there. The only other person in the room was the Lieutenant, who was walking towards them.

"Any problems?" He asked.

"No, sir." The commander of the escort group saluted. "We took precautions against any unforeseen actions these two might take."

"Good. You may leave."

"What? I mean, are you sure?" The commander sounded confused but his mask hid most of his face. "Aren't these two extremely dangerous? We can't leave them-…"

"You can and you will," the Lieutenant told them. "I am handling them now and this interrogation is confidential. Do I make myself clear?"

"Sir! Yes, Sir!" Not only the commander, but the others also saluted.

"Dismissed."

At the Lieutenant's word, the remaining White Fang members turned and quickly left without another word. He locked the door behind them before turning around slowly to gaze at Touma and Jaune, both of whom were still handcuffed.

"So…" He drew out that word. "We meet again."

"I'm glad to see you got out," Touma admitted. "I know I probably wouldn't get any news on your condition, but I'm still glad you're alright...Though, I'm aware of what you guys did now."

"Do you hate us?" The Lieutenant asked.

"Like you as an individual?" Touma asked confused. "No. I know each of you is your own person. I hate what the White Fang has become. The one I saw originally, the one my close friends knew, it's still there, but being overshadowed by the actions of some people who want to resort to violence. I support protesting for equality, but when you turn to violence, I can't approve of that."

"Interesting take." The Lieutenant's eyes fell onto Jaune. "What about you, kid? What do you think of us?"

"I really haven't been able to get to know you guys like he has," Jaune admitted. "But you're willing to hurt innocent people, so I can't support your group. However… I don't like judging individuals for something a group does. I believe in what my friends told me about you guys. That plenty of you are good, just misguided."

"Easy to say those things when you aren't on the receiving end," the Lieutenant told them. "But we aren't here to debate."

"Then why are we here?" Jaune asked. "Prisoners?"

"Guests… in the loosest sense of the word." The Lieutenant sighed and rubbed his forehead. "You shouldn't even be here, but some rash recruits were eavesdropping."

"Huh?" Jaune and Touma looked confused.

The Lieutenant looked directly at Touma.

"Did you think you could defeat Adam without your name being spread among the White Fang?" He asked.

Touma's eyes widened.

"Umm… what did they say?" He asked hesitantly.

"Lots of rumors, most of which are the wild theories of children." The Lieutenant did not look pleased. "None of which seem to describe you from what I've seen." He sighed. "However, the rumors reached the High Leader and she mentioned being interested in meeting you."

"She ordered us to be kidnapped?" Touma asked, his mouth agape.

"NO!" A heavy fist slammed against a table. "She simply mentioned wanting to meet you. Some of our new recruits thought they could garner favor by bringing you here." He kept eyes on him while he jerked his thumb over to Jaune. "You friend here was just a casualty of their failed operations. Not only did they start a gun fight, they got into a fight with another gang. Like we have enough trouble operating in Vale!" He slammed his fist down again.

"Oh."

Touma couldn't really believe that was all there was to it, so he couldn't help himself from letting out a few chuckles. The noise echoed across the empty room and Jaune found himself joining in. The sheer absurdity of all this dawned on them. New members of the White Fang kidnaped a couple drunken teenagers at a club to impress the leader of a terrorist organization. It was like a scene out of a bad movie. The Lieutenant even snorted when he said it out loud.

"So… what happened to them?" Jaune finally asked.

"They were given an appropriate punishment." The Lieutenant sneered. "Normally, stealing a Bullhead for a joyride could get them shot if we consider them a traitor."

That sobered up the boys immediately.

"However, we decided they just lack discipline and needed to cool off." He crossed his arms. "One of them did ask to be shot, strangely enough."

"What did you do?" Touma half demanded, stiffening up.

"I made them clean out the Bullhead you all messed up."

Silence lengthened.

"You're just fucking with me…" Touma growled. Even if he wasn't quite sure on the events that transpired during their ride here, he was suspicious he would let them off with such a light punishment.

Jaune, on the other hand, knew quite well that it was anything but a light punishment. He silently prayed for forgiveness from the unlucky crew.

"Maybe a little," the Lieutenant confirmed. "After the shit I was put through last night, I deserve some entertainment." He looked over his shoulder. "She's coming. You two, kneel here." He pushed Jaune and Touma forward then kicked out their legs so they fell on their knees in front of the throne.

"Do you know who the leader is?" Touma whispered to Jaune.

"No clue," Jaune replied back equally as quiet. "But they have to be some hardened old soldier who inspires fear and respect among all the recruits, right? Or so the cliché goes."

Touma really had no idea but never got a chance to answer.

The door opened and four White Fang guards entered. Unlike the others, they were dressed exactly the same, with red vests over a black hooded coat and grey pants. Each of them carried a spear. Moving in tandem, two stood on either side of the throne. All four of them tapped the shaft of their weapons on the ground simultaneously, which alerted another.

A female tiger Faunus with orange eyes, dark complexion and wild black, chin-length hair with an asymmetrical bob style entered the room. She had an extra pair of ears and her body was adorned with numerous tattoos resembling tiger stripes. She wore four golden earrings on three of her ears, one each on her Human ears, and two on her left Faunus ear as well as a small red jewel on her forehead.

She was wearing a form-fitting black dress with light green accents on the rims of the outfit. The dress left most of her back open, and had two long splits on the side which revealed a pair of black shorts, a shorter split in the front and a small squared keyhole. Over the dress, she wore a back-revealing red cape with gold accents, as well as a green waist cincher with red rims that had a black belt over it. Aside from that, she wore black stockings in conjunction with green sandals that had red laces which were tied to her calves, as well as a black elbow length fingerless glove on her right hand.

The woman eyed Touma and Jaune as she slowly made her way to the throne, but did not say anything. She sat down and then leaned forward, with an almost predatory look in her eyes. It was only then that she decided to address them.

"I am Sienna Khan, High Leader of the White Fang." She stated. "And I suggest you two answer my questions or you won't return to Beacon in one piece."


Back at Beacon, Accelerator questioned why the hell he was up so damn early. The sun was still rising on the horizon and there he was, sitting at a table in Beacon's cafeteria with a bowl of soggy cardboard that even under the loosest definition could hardly be called cereal. This wasn't something that he would ever have gotten normally. For some reason, the kitchen was closed for remodeling and all they had were some old fruit and crappy cereal. Accelerator, on occasion, would shoot a dirty look at the sign hanging on the cafeteria doors.

Due to a fire in the kitchen, the cafeteria will no longer serve food for the next couple of days. Students will be able to eat breakfast but afterwards will be responsible for their own meals during this time. Kitchen facilities on each floor will be available for use.

When Accelerator found out who did this, he was going to kill them. Slowly and painfully.

"This tastes like shit." He muttered to the girl across from him.

"MISAKA likes it, MISAKA protests as MISAKA enjoys the pure sugary taste of marshmallows and cardboard."

That was what the box said the cereal was supposed to be; wheat cereal with marshmallows. Accelerator had never liked sweet things, but Last Order did. He only poured a bowl because there was nothing else for him to eat. The fruit leftovers in the kitchen weren't that appealing either. Most of them looked as if they were rotting already. Soft and tasteless garbage.

"Good for you, brat. It still tastes like shit to me, though."

"Sweet things make people happy though, MISAKA counters."

Last Ordered shoved another big spoonful of cereal into her mouth. The only reason she liked it was because the sweetness of the marshmallows overrode the tasteless cardboard chunks. It was created to be attractive to kids using bright colors and sugar. Accelerator was not a kid and thus saw through it.

"They also rot your teeth. You've been brushing before bed, right?"

Last Order continued to silently eat more cereal.

"...I'm not hearing a yes..."

"Umm... yes? MISAKA lies as MISAKA avoids eye contact."

Accelerator's eyes narrowed at the girl, who was deliberately looking down at her cereal while eating.

"...Tsk." He clicked his tongue. "Shitty brat. Do I need to pass you over to a dentist to see if you have cavities?"

"Do dentist exists in Vale? MISAKA asks curiously." Last Order actually looked up at him.

"They have showers. They have weapons. They have technology. It's safe to say they have a dental office somewhere in Vale."

"Ruby eats more sweets than MISAKA does, MISAKA cries as MISAKA tries to deflect your scolding." It was probably a good thing they were alone at the table because Ruby would have been stunned by Last Order's words of betrayal.

"Then that shitty sister of hers should take care of it." Accelerator countered.

"MISAKA thinks you treat Yang differently than the others, MISAKA points out."

"Don't try to change the subject, brat. Finish up then go brush. Take too long and I'll find someone who can point me in the direction of the nearest dental office."

"MISAKA thinks you might like girls who speak their mind, MISAKA mutters loud enough for you to hear as MISAKA tries to act innocent."

"You're pushing your luck," Accelerator growled, pulling out his scroll. "Heh, seems there's one not too far from the Bullhead docks."

"MISAKA might be in trouble, MISAKA mutters worriedly."

"Good morning!" Nora greeted, plopping down next to Accelerator out of nowhere.

"Morning." Ren added.

"Good morning! MISAKA greets as MISAKA is happy for the change in topics."

"What's with her?" Accelerator asked, pointing to Pyrrha, who sat down without a word.

"Jaune didn't return last night," Ren said. "Last we heard he, Touma, and Mercury, the guy from Haven, were heading to Vale."

"Jaune-Jaune said they were meeting with some friends at a club," Nora added and then leaned forward. "But that doesn't sound like our leader. I bet they went on a secret mission without us."

"I told you that is highly unlikely." Ren said.

"It's more likely those idiots got in trouble." Accelerator said, stirring the bowl of trash in front of him with no desire to eat it. "Or went off to meet some girls."

"There's no way that's true!" Pyrrha said suddenly, the spoon in her hand bending into a knot. Face reddening, she quickly sat down and smoothed out the spoon with her Semblance.

"Isn't a club a typical dating place? MISAKA asks."

The temperature around Pyrrha dropped several degrees. Nora and Ren shared a look. They knew why Pyrrha was upset. Last Order wasn't the most socially aware person, so it went over her head. Accelerator knew too. After all, it was so obvious it was actually painful to watch. The sexual tension around that girl even made Accelerator flinch. Getting involved was never an option he considered, unless it would affect him. Right now, with how dense Jaune was, he was getting close to the breaking point of just shoving those two into a room to fuck and get it over with.

"Hey!" They all turned to see Yang greeting them. "What are you all talking about?" She sat down along with Weiss and Ruby. "Sucks about the cafeteria. Who do you think did that?"

"Hehehe, no idea." Nora answered nervously.

"We were talking about if Jaune, the Savior, and Mercury are on a date with some girls, MISAKA answers honestly."

Pyrrha wasn't the only one to react at that. Ruby snapped her attention toward Last Order. Weiss raised an eyebrow at Accelerator, who rolled his eyes.

"Or that they are on a secret mission." Nora interjected.

"Like spies?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah." Nora nodded excitedly.

"Don't you say that every time someone's missing?" Weiss asked.

"I'll be right at some point," Nora countered with a shrug, before suddenly doing a double-take. "Hey, where's Blake?"

"She's not out on a secret meeting," Yang answered. "Her new smut books came in and she had to go pick them up early." Only Weiss and Ruby knew that was a lie.

"So where are Touma and Jaune anyways?" Ruby asked.

"They never came back last night." Ren answered. "They were visiting some friends with Mercury at a club."

Weiss, Ruby, and Yang shared a look. A club had been attacked by the White Fang last night. Blake had found out and went with Neo. They had a hard time figuring out why Neo went, but now it all made sense. The guys must have gotten into some kind of trouble and reached out to her. Ruby was kind of hurt Touma didn't message her.

"Is everything okay?" Pyrrha asked.

"Yep! Super Okay! Nothing wrong. Peachy!" Ruby answered in an unusually high tone which did not fool anyone.


Touma and Jaune could only stare up at the woman looking down at them. Her head was resting on her hand, with her elbow on the throne. She was staring back at them, judging their reactions. Touma and Jaune shared a quick glance, but neither of them were sure how to respond. As she watched them, without asking anything, Sienna's expression changed from interest to almost disappointment. She turned to the Lieutenant.

"Is this really supposed to be him?"

"Yes." He answered. "The boy there," he pointed to Touma. "Is the one named Touma Kamijou."

"He appears human." Sienna stated simply.

"That's because he is." The Lieutenant confirmed.

"Are you really?" This time her question was directed to Touma.

"Yes." Touma answered without a second thought. "Why?"

"I ask the questions here and you answer them," Sienna told him sternly. "You are in no position to negotiate." She sighed. "I knew this was too good to be true. Couldn't you have at least been a Faunus?"

"Umm…. I don't follow." Touma replied confused and glanced over at Jaune again. He shrugged. It wasn't like he had any better understanding of the situation than he did. "Can you elaborate?"

"Tell me, boy." Sienna commanded, ignoring his question. "How did a kid like you defeat Adam?"

Touma stiffened up at her inquiry and a smirk graced her expression. It seems she was pretty good at reading them, or Touma was just an open book.

"Adam?" Jaune whispered.

"He was the guy who led the White Fang against the village we were helping." Touma explained. "He killed the mayor and took over the town before we stopped him." Touma glared at Sienna. "Did you order him to do that?"

"Adam has authority to act as he sees fit in Vale if it's to advance our goals." Sienna told him. While her voice was calm, Jaune noticed her eyes seemed almost troubled. "However, his act against the Faunus there was … regrettable."

"Regrettable!" Touma fumed. "People died!"

"The world is unforgiving," Sienna told him. "As Faunus, we understand it all too well, human. So, tell me. How did you, a simple student at Beacon, defeat Adam, a veteran fighter of countless conflicts?"

Touma didn't say anything.

"Your attitude isn't helping your predicament," Sienna warned him. "Your friend there is expendable." Jaune took a deep breath and tried to remain calm, though he was shivering on the inside. Touma's expression didn't soften at all. In fact, it grew angrier, though he finally answered.

"He cut off my arm and I beat him with it." Touma spat out.

Shocked silence followed this statement.

"W-what?" Sienna blinked and looked over at the Lieutenant. His face was hidden by his mask, but his surprise was evident. "Like, you clubbed him over the head with it?"

"Close enough." Touma replied, sounding oddly casual about it. "Things were a little hazy and I don't remember all the details."

"Blood loss?" Jaune asked and Touma nodded.

Sienna leaned forward and examined Touma's arms.

"Then… is one of those a prosthetic or something?" Sienna looked irritated. "Speak clearly, boy. You're not making any sense."

"It grew back." Touma said, holding out his right arm.

"It grew back?" Repeated the Lieutenant and Jaune in odd unison.

"…Excuse me?" Sienna said.

"Yeah, for some reason it does that." Touma added to be a smartass. He still hadn't forgiven Sienna for her casual attitude about killing people.

"…Right." It looked like Sienna couldn't decide between being annoyed at his lackluster response or being impressed at the courage he was showing. "I'm not going to question regeneration. As far as the reports indicated, Adam did indeed slice off your arm. What I want to know is; how did you actually beat him?" She continued when Touma opened his mouth. "And I don't believe you just picked up your severed arm and beat him with it."

"I was disarmed, I had to improvise." He replied.

Touma couldn't resist. He had been at Beacon too long. Bad jokes were abundant. Silence followed this statement until Jaune spoke up. However, there was a slight snorting sound that came from the Lieutenant.

"I have to hand it to you there." Jaune said.

"Heh," The subtle pun was not lost on Touma "Please don't tell Yang I said that." Touma whispered.

"I should kill you both personally for that." Sienna hissed at last, her eyes flashed dangerously.

"Tough crowd." Jaune muttered and quickly shut his mouth when Sienna's glare fell upon him.

"Listen," Touma said, making sure Sienna's wrath wasn't on his friend. "I told you. Everything was kind of a blur. I don't remember much. Weren't there other members of the White Fang there? Couldn't they have told you?" He really didn't want to spill out information to Sienna unless he absolutely had to. His memories were actually pretty clear until he passed out, although he didn't want her to know that.

"Several of the men were brought back unconscious and the few that did witness it seemed to have some unusual reports," Sienna stated seriously. "Care to explain what they saw?"

"I can't," Touma lied. "I don't know what they saw or believed they say. I only heard they carried Adam off."

"He told us this too," Jaune spoke up. "There's nothing he said we haven't heard already."

"This whole situation is giving me a headache..." Sienna rubbed her temple. "It would have been easier if you could just explain yourself clearly about what happened there."

"Why did White Fang attack the Faunus town anyways?" Jaune asked. "It's not like they had resources or were strategically important. They didn't even face discrimination there."

"We were there for a beauty pageant," Sienna brushed him off. "What's it to you?"

"Then who won?" Jaune asked, feeling the same kind of irritation Touma was feeling.

"Zip it, blondie."

"Did you plan for Adam to go to those towns and kill innocent people?" Jaune pushed.

"Shut your mouth or I will do it for you."

"So do you support your members killing other Faunus who were just trying to live their lives as best they could?" Touma pressed. Thanks to Jaune, there was a slight crack in Sienna's indifference.

Sienna glared at the boy.

"Listen kid, if I need to break a few eggs to make an omelet, I will. That doesn't mean I want to do what I do, or like it for that matter. If it brings results, then I'll do what I must for the Faunus."

Touma's eyes widened at this and narrowed in anger.

"That sounds like something the people who mistreat Faunus say when they try to root out the White Fang. Justify hurting people who aren't involved."

"You little..." Sienna actually almost stood up as her face contorted. She managed to catch herself and sit back down with a sigh. "It's not how I prefer to do things. It's just that I have to. Don't get my motivations twisted. I'm not that bastard Adam. He's only doing what he wants. It's for his gain."

"So why keep him around if you know what he does goes against what you fight for?" Touma asked bewildered. "His actions are hurting your cause."

"I can hardly expect some kids to understand how the world works." Sienna sighed again. "Because he has influence. He inspired countless Faunus to join us. He has led countless successful raids that gave us desperately needed supplies and have saved plenty of slaves from Atlas. You may not understand, but I can't just stroll up to him and kill him. If I did that, his men would make sure I followed. Many of those he has under him fight for a sense of accomplishment rather than the cause. They want power and position. Not to make the dream we have become a reality."

"Why does killing always seem to jump to the top of the list?" Touma demanded. "Why not change his mind and make him see the big picture?"

"Because a rabid dog is effective," Sienna answered bluntly. "When we were peaceful, our protests did nothing. Our kind was attacked by you humans. People with power preyed on us. I was the first to suggest violence where violence was needed. And guess what? It worked. Since I took over, we have made strides in our fight for equality. There are still those in power who see us as animals. So why not have someone who can frighten them? That's why killing is so widespread. It's easier to nip a problem in the bud, then to resolve it through careful treatment. We don't have the time to talk things out anymore. Even if we did, who would listen?"

Sienna leaned back in her chair.

"And Adam is not my responsibility. He can do whatever the fuck he wants. If he crossed me, then I will deal with it in a manner I see fit."

"Do you hear yourself?" Touma asked incredulously. "That is the kind of reasoning that starts genocides. We can't reach an understanding, so let's give up and what the hell? We might as well kill each other. And another thing. Adam is your responsibility. You're the leader of this organization and he's a part of it. If you let him do as he pleases, then the blame also falls on you. You support his ceaseless slaughter."

Touma struggled to his feet from his knees, hands still bound.

"He nearly killed a friend of mine and killed the mayor of the town who was only protecting his citizens! Is that the equality you are really fighting for!? For the powerful to kill the innocent without fear?!"

Sienna hesitated for a fraction of a second before answering.

"And what about the thousands of Faunus that were harassed, mocked for their appearance and in radical cases, killed?" She demanded. "What about the responsibilities of the people running this fucking kingdom!? Where is their justice? Should we just roll over and die for them?"

She slammed her hand on the throne with a loud bang

"If Adam brings us to an age where we can at least be respected. Then so be it! I'll accept my fate in the history book as the villain."

"Respected?!" Touma stared directly at her. "No, he's working toward fear! If you think what they are doing is wrong, then why are you doing it? I'm sorry for what happened to the Faunus, I know about the conflicts. But do you want a repeat of that? Of both sides killing each other? Do you want to become what you hated?"

He took a step forward and the guards around Sienna shifted.

"You should be encouraging the settlements that mix human and Faunus in peace, not destroying them. Self-defense is one thing, but that's not what happened. This was out of spite and anger."

"Fear breeds respect!" Sienna countered. "I may not fully agree with what he has done but I can't deny the results! Once that fear subsides and they see we're not so different from one another, the respect will blossom into understanding." She took a deep breath and calmed down. "I don't really care about the mayor, or your friend. I will, however, say that it was not my intention to harm the civilians of that settlement."

The silence between them lengthened.

"I've seen what fear breeds, and it's not respect," Touma said, calming down himself to choose his words carefully. "If you want respect, you have to understand each other. Regardless how… painful it might be. The results you see are just the calm surface hiding the churning below. At some point, the fear is going to boil over and they will strike back. With the same thing you are doing to them. It's not going to end in mutual understanding, but bloodshed. One side is going to wipe the other out. Then… will the remainder be able to handle the Grimm?"

Jaune was impressed. Though, he got a sense that Touma had seen something pretty drastic based on what he just said.

"What about you, blondie?" Sienna turned to look at him. "What's your name anyways?"

"Jaune, Jaune Arc."

"An Arc?" Sienna raised an eyebrow.

"You know my family?" Jaune asked, noticeably taken aback.

"The Arcs were actually quite famous for fighting with the Faunus during the Faunus Rights Rebellion." Sienna stated. "Though, based on the descriptions of them… you hardly look the part."

"Hey!" Jaune protested.

"Regardless, I'm curious as to what you have to say about our little discussion," Sienna said. "Before I throw you both out of this hall."

"I think… you both have points," Jaune admitted. "I have friends who are Faunus. I've seen them getting bullied by people for no reason. Getting their ears and tails pulled, or mocked for different skin. It's only a few, but still..."

Sienna hissed angrily.

"So they do this even in the Beacon?" She pressed. "I will admit that most humans haven't done anything directly to our kind, but it's what they didn't do that allows this mistreatment to continue."

Jaune looked confused, but Touma uttered a single word.

"Inaction."

"Correct," Sienna said triumphantly. "Your kind tends to ignore the plight because it doesn't have anything to do with you or you don't want to get involved. You are just as guilty as the others for letting it happen."

"Like you do for Adam?" Touma interjected.

The temperature in the room dropped as Sienna's eyes flashed dangerously at him. Jaune quickly tried to distract her before she did something rash.

"I'm not proud to admit it," Jaune said. "But at one point, I was one of those people. The bully was stronger than me and I knew it. It took time, friends helping me grow, before I could stand up to them. I finally did it when I couldn't watch them bully a friend of mine."

"Did your other friends ever think about helping?" Sienna pressed.

"…They wanted too…"

"But they didn't." Sienna seemed satisfied. "Now imagine that on a much bigger scale. Faunus being refused service for just their race. Being attacked by humans because they are different. That is what we are fighting against."

"The town I grew up in treats Faunus and Humans equally," Jaune stated. "The only time we saw discrimination was some outsiders who wouldn't want to do business with them. The town quickly encouraged them to leave." He paused. "Would you attack my hometown, innocent people who don't discriminate, if it would fulfill your goal?"

"Yes."

The speed of which she responded actually shocked Jaune and then he too grew angry.

"Then Touma is absolutely right about you," Jaune said. "You've forgotten what you fight for and just want revenge. This is why people have a negative-…"

"Enough!" Sienna raised a hand. "I understand my actions can be distasteful to people who have lived lives without discrimination, but only if when you can understand what it's like to be looked down upon can you… what's so funny?!"

Touma had burst out laughing.

Jaune suddenly remembered what Touma told him about Academy City. They were divided into levels, with 0 being the lowest and 5 the highest. Touma was a zero and there were some inequalities there too. Many of the higher levels must have looked down on him for being a 0.

"I understand that much better than you think I do." Touma said.

Sienna stared directly into his eyes. Like she was looking for something. Her head twitched slightly, as if she found what that thing was.

"You don't seem to be lying," Sienna finally admitted. "Or you're quite skilled in it. Though I doubt the latter. You were both quite easy to read, except…" She glared at Touma. "About how you defeated-…"

There was a loud bang behind the doors and a guard leaned over to whisper to her. The door burst open and two White Fang members were thrown through it.

"Speak of the devil…"

Marching in behind them with a dark aura around him was Adam.

"You!" Touma shouted, turning around and struggling to free himself from the handcuffs.

Adam immediately reached for his sword. Though, now that Touma and Jaune were staring at him, they saw his right arm was in a cast, so he was forced to use his left hand to grab the blade.

"High Leader!" He called out. "How could you bring this… demon here!?"

"Demon?" Sienna asked calmly. "I was under the impression you didn't believe in such nonsense, Adam."

"That kid is not human!" Adam stated, refusing to remove his hand from his sword. "I warned you we should have him killed quickly before the humans used him."

Jaune had no idea what this guy was talking about. Glancing over at Touma, he saw he did not look happy at Adam's arrival.

"From the reports, I would have assumed he was a Dragon Faunus," Sienna continued simply. "Several of your men mentioned that to me, so I expressed interested in seeing him. I was rather disappointed he turned out to be a human."

"He's only pretending to be one." Adam declared. "High Leader, you need to trust me. This thing needs to be killed; now."

"I am not starting a war with the Huntsmen Academies," Sienna stated firmly. "They protect both Human and Faunus against the Grimm. Our strife is with those in charge." She glanced over at Touma. "You never did explain how this boy defeated you. From what I can see, you should have been able to kill him in a matter of seconds."

Adam went silent. It was hard to tell if he didn't believe what happened, didn't remember it, or just didn't want to talk about it. Whatever the reason, he tried to change the subject.

"Humans are not allowed here," Adam pointed out. "They can reveal the location."

"The order of 'no humans' was given by me," Sienna reminded him. "Therefore, I can decide if there are exceptions. Lieutenant!" She held out a hand toward him without turning. "Answer me this: Would these two know how to find their way back to this location?"

"No, ma'am." He answered. "Both of them were not only drunk, but were stuck in the back of a Bullhead with no directions. They don't know which direction we went, let alone the time and landmarks."

"Then there is no problem," Sienna continued.

"You've grown soft, Sienna." Adam said, deliberately using her name to show his displeasure. The scowl on Sienna's face showed it was not lost on her.

"I will not deny violence where violence is due," Sienna said, her voice cold. "However, I will not tolerate you using our organizations resources for your own personal grudge."

"What are you saying?" Adam asked, sounding almost nervous.

"One of you men was willing to tell us who you went there for," Sienna continued, her lip curling.

"Blake?!" Touma yelped before slamming his mouth shut.

"She may have been a traitor," Sienna continued, as though she hadn't been interrupted. "But that hardly excuses your behavior. Not only that, you set back our relationship with the outlying villages back years. You're lucky I'm only relocating you. If you were anyone else, I would have you executed for treason!"

"You will regret not killing him," Adam said, pointing to Touma. "I could care less about the other human, but that one is going to end up costing us greatly."

"Then you finish him off."

Touma and Jaune spun around at Sienna's words.

"…What?"

It appeared Adam was just as surprised.

"You say he's a threat and this boy obviously has some issues with you," Sienna explained. "You two can fight to the death. Of course I will have him unbound and given a weapon. I won't have a one sided blood arena like… others would."

"I won't kill him." Touma growled at her.

"Then you die," Sienna told him plainly. "Two enter, one leaves."

"You can't be serious!" Jaune gasped.

Sienna's icy stare was her only answer.

Adam's hand hovered over his weapon. All logic told him he could kill that boy in a single move, but his body refused to agree. The boy wasn't strong or fast. He wouldn't be able to react to one of Adam's swings. The problem was that… thing that emerged from the boy's body. A monster that resembled a dragon. Adam's arm was still healing because his Aura seemed to have been ripped out of him when that creature's teeth tore into it. It was healing and his Aura was returning, but it was taking time. Aura was a manifestation of one's soul, so somehow that creature seemed to have damaged his soul directly.

"You will regret this, High Leader." Adam warned with a growl, turning around. "Showing weakness in front of an enemy is a costly mistake."

"Much like this meeting is with you." Sienna growled. "If you aren't willing to fight this human, leave. I have more important things to deal with."

Adam looked back one last time at Touma. Even though his eyes were hidden, the intensity of his hatred was felt by them all. He only hesitated before leaving, the echoes of the doors slamming shut the only sign left that he had been there.

"Looks like the scars run deep." Sienna observed. "Shame. Things would have been so much easier if you had just been a dragon Faunus. Adam's reaction was not one that could be easily faked, so it looks like you two will remain our prisoners for a little while longer until I decide what to do with you."

"What?" Jaune gasped. "But that's not fair!"

"Life's not fair, get used to it." Sienna stood up and prepared to leave. Her guards followed her. Before she exited the room, she stopped and looked back. "You will tell me how you defeated Adam." She pointed directly to Touma. "One way or another."

She left without another word.

"You're lucky she's in a good mood and certain rumors exist. Otherwise you would have been executed talking to her like that," the Lieutenant warned them. "I suggest if you speak with her again to mind your tongue."

"I notice you talk a lot more now." Touma commented dryly.

"Under orders not to give you more information than necessary." The Lieutenant grunted.

"Right…"

"What rumors?" Jaune asked, wanting to know more about why they were captured.

"Some of those that dragged Adam back spoke of an encounter with a dragon," the Lieutenant explained, sounding annoyed. "So some believed he was a dragon Faunus."

"Is that a big deal?" Jaune asked.

"Some… religious groups believe so," the Lieutenant grunted. "Some bullshit about a sign from the gods for the Faunus to rise up. They need to stop being stupid and take their fates into their own hands."

"Oh, so any idea how long we are going to be here?" Jaune continued.

"No." Was the only answer he received.

"Looks like we're stuck here," Touma sighed to Jaune. "Sorry for getting you roped up in this."

"Please, I'm friends with Nora," Jaune added. "This is pretty tame to some of the life or death situations she gets me involved in."

The Lieutenant briefly considered asking about that. In all honesty, he didn't believe these two were a threat to anyone. If push came to shove, he could handle them. The problem was the rumors. Yes, he hadn't lied about the dragon Faunus one. Some believed Touma might be one, just hiding it. Letting them know he wasn't one wouldn't do much. Defeating Adam and letting him live already made him sort of a pariah. A lot of the ones who met him in Mt. Glenn were still alive.

Most people knew he was sympathetic to the Faunus.

Sienna couldn't kill him, no matter how much Adam warned her. She actually considered it the first time she heard of him, to make sure the humans didn't rally around him to show the White Fang was weakening. The problem was if she did, the moderate factions of the White Fang would start scrutinizing everything they did. Many Faunus truly did want to live in peace with humans, as equals. It was Adam's faction that wanted to rise higher.

Sienna had a hell of a job keeping the balance.

"Stay here and don't cause trouble," the Lieutenant told them, when they reached the room. "I'll make sure meals get sent."

"What about a bathroom?" Jaune asked.

"From what I heard, you used it when we found you." The shadow of a sneer was seen under his mask before he slammed the door in their face.

"Jerk." Jaune grumbled, plopping down on his bed. "So, Touma… I feel there's something you didn't tell us about what happened when you met… that Adam guy."

"Eh, hehe." Touma rubbed the back of his head nervously. "I might have remembered… some of it." He grew solemn and it was something Jaune caught.

"Listen, man." Jaune whispered. "We all have things we can't talk about. Things we've done, stuff that could get our friends in trouble, or even things as simple as something we aren't comfortable telling others. You probably had a reason for not telling us, right?"

Touma nodded.

"It's not like I didn't want to," he admitted. "It's just… I don't truly understand it myself and I didn't want to worry anyone."

"Then it's cool," Jaune assured him. "Tell us when you're ready. I can't imagine the stuff you, Accelerator, and Last Order are going through, tossed in another… region like that. So let's worry about our present situation and I'll make sure to keep what I heard a secret."

"Thanks a lot." Touma said relieved.

"So, any plans on what to do?" Jaune asked. "We can't just sit here until they get bored of us."

"Let's escape then." Touma suggested with a grin.

"Alright, smart guy," Jaune groaned. "What's the plan?"

"Just follow my lead."


Outside of the White Fang outposts, two girls were laying in the grass with binoculars, scouting out the place.

"Besides the two spotters on the room of the bunker," Blake said. "The rest of the patrols are pretty routine. Wait for one overreach a little and steal their uniforms?"

Neo lowered her binoculars and blinked, before her entire look changed. She was now wearing a White Fang uniform, complete with a mask. Her brightly colored hair was now brown and she was sporting a matching pair of dog ears. Blake scowled at her.

"Not all of us have that kind of convenience."

Neo began to gesture.

"Just… type it out." Blake groaned. "I can't understand your sign language yet."

That was really the hardest part of teaming up with Neo. As much as Blake hated to admit it, and she really hated it, Neo was stronger and more experienced than she was. Not only had she stolen a Bullhead and kept it hidden near Beacon, she also had a tracker placed on Touma for this kind of situation. Though, Blake had a feeling the tracker was more for her own purposes rather than to protect him. It was also Neo's idea to land the ship far enough away from Touma and Jaune's location to prevent them from being detected.

The walk took a bit of time, but they were now within range of the base. There were a lot of patrols, so Blake doubted even she could sneak in there undetected. Most Faunus had night vision after all. If these had been humans, she might have had a chance. Blake was distracted as Neo pushed her scroll over with her plan written out. Blake's eyes narrowed as she read it.

"You want to sneak in there all by yourself?" Blake asked and she nodded. "Can… can you do that?"

Neo gave her a thumbs up.

"I see, and my jobs to steal one of their Bullheads?"

Neo nodded and pointed to the refueling station.

"I still need a disguise," Blake stated. "It will let me stay near the Bullheads until you escape with the guys. You… can escape with them, right?"

Neo rolled her eyes and glared at her, angry for doubting her abilities.

"You understand if you get them caught, you're all going to die," Blake said solemnly.

The smirk on Neo's face sent shivers down Blake's spine. It never reached her eyes. If things went bad, the only people dying were going to be the ones not by her side. She pointed to Blake and then to one of the guards a little further out.

"Yes," Blake sighed, resigning herself to her fate. "I can get a disguise by myself. Go ahead… and please be careful. Don't get them killed."

Neo made an okay gesture, paused, and looked confused. She wasn't used to taking orders from other people. Especially some teenager who wasn't as strong as she was. To cover up her confusion, Neo stuck out her tongue before flickering out of existence. Her illusions were a cover, making it so no one could see her.

"I have no idea how Touma handles her," Blake muttered. "I need to get him to tell me that."

Blake silently made her way through the trees, keeping her ears on alert for any approaching White Fang. Preferably, she needed to find someone on their own. If they were in a group, she would have to knock them all out. That would then cause suspicion if the count was off. She would have to act fast. Suddenly, she remembered Neo never indicated a signal for her to get ready. That was going to cause some problems down the line for sure. Blake gritted her teeth.

Calm down. Neo's a professional and will do her part. I just need to do mine.

Movement up ahead caught her eye and she ducked behind a tree. Peeking out, she saw a single White Fang member standing there, adjusting his mask.

Perfect.

Blake unhooked her sheath with her blade still in it. She didn't want to kill the guy, just knock him out. Regardless how she felt about the White Fang now, her feelings on what they used to be were still there. She wouldn't kill them. Raising the weapon silently, she jumped out and swung. There was no way the guy would have heard her.

So why was he able to react?

Blake hissed as the man spun around and kicked at her sheath. It felt like she was hitting metal and her weapon was knocked back, though she managed to hold on. The man spun around again and kicked at her face, which she narrowly avoided by ducking her head. Drawing her blade in one fluid motion, she slashed upwards, but missed. The guy swayed backwards and kicked at her, forcing Blake to jump back.

This guy has good instincts.

"Blake?"

She froze when the guy said her name. The voice sounded familiar.

"You're Blake, right?" The guy said and removed his mask.

Blake could only stare.

Why was Mercury Black standing in front of her?

"How…?" She asked, lowering her weapons. "Why?"

"Probably the same reason you're here," Mercury told her. "I was out at the club with Touma and Jaune when the White Fang attacked. I saw them getting kidnapped and followed them to help. Stole a uniform and then got roped into patrol. Security is iron tight here. Some big wig is down below I heard." He frowned. "How did you find out about this place anyways?"

"Long story," Blake deflected. "Neo's sneaking in to get them out and I need to steal a Bullhead so we can make a quick getaway. I need a disguise to get close. Can I borrow yours?"

"I have one better," Mercury told her. He gestured her to follow him and he led her behind a bush. Two White Fang personnel were lying unconscious. The guy had been stripped down to his underwear. "Think she's about your size?" Mercury asked, pointing to the unconscious female.

"I was worried about approaching alone," Blake admitted, as she began to strip the woman. "But with you, I think I have a plan."


Feel free to leave a review, comment, suggestions, or ideas, I love reading them. If you have a question you wish to ask and would like a quick answer, feel free to message me directly. I try to respond to those within a day or two. Comments, I tend to respond to in the next chapter. All mistakes are SilverFang88's fault.

SF88: Fuck you, Dark. But we get more Neo next chapter (most likely) so I'm pretty excited to see where things go.