3041 A.E.- January

"And you're sure you haven't seen it? Nothing of the sort?" Arowana seethed into his scroll as he held the device to the side of his face.

"No, sir," came the reply through the line. "I've posted several more dust transportation jobs and requested her little crew specifically, and she's been on every single one of them. We've talked repeatedly at this point, and she's never mentioned her semblance. Said it's the secret to her success when I asked them all about theirs, and I've tried more than once."

Arowana let out a low growl in response, his grip around his scroll tightening.

"Either she lies, or her semblance is still sealed off. Either way… now is the time for drastic action. We can no longer afford to wait."

"…with all due respect, these jobs… I've been posting them for groups, not just for Raven. I can't handle her and her friends in combat, and they've fallen into a routine of bringing people with them other than just Qrow. To change it up now would be sus-"

"Are you making excuses?" Arowana demanded. "They are children, and there is more than one way to put them in danger. I'm not expecting you to kill her personally- I'm expecting you to rattle her. Put her on edge, shatter her resolve and faith in herself, at the very least. Ramp up the danger. Give them an assignment that they may not return from… and make her see herself as weak."

The man on the other end of the line paused, considering his options.

"I'll get it done. I'll come up with something. I just… you're not leaving this to just me, are you? If she's this dangerous, then shouldn't we be assigning more people to keep track of her location until we can make our move?"

"Leave that to me," Arowana reassured as the doors to the temple opened, spilling sunlight onto the long carpet as a figure appeared and began to walk toward him. "More agents will be sent for precisely that purpose."

"And this intermediary. Jacques? We're still keeping him in the dark? Perhaps we could bring him in on th-"

"What reason could we possibly have for doing otherwise?" Arowana questioned as he watched Shrike continue to make his approach toward the throne. "Are you scared, Leonardo?"

"No!" the man replied quickly. "I was just… I… I'll get it done."

"Good. Play your part, and I'll play mine," Arowana said with a sneer as he collapsed his scroll. He watched with narrowed eyes as Shrike kneeled before his throne, adopting the formal pose that members of their clan so often used.

"Grandmaster," the man acknowledged before slowly rising and folding his hands behind himself. "I await your orders."

"The timeline has moved up," Arowana said firmly as he retrieved his long pipe from the receptacle on the side of his armrest and drew the wooden implement up to his lips. "You are to head to Vale immediately."

Shrike blinked in surprise, his brows furrowing instinctually despite his efforts to remain stoic and impassive.

"Yes, Sir," he replied. "And upon arrival, I am to find her? To eliminate her?"

"…perhaps," Arowana instructed. "We stand at the edge of catastrophe, and to wait any longer is merely tempting fate. I know of her semblance, regardless of whether or not she has unlocked it. I've seen it."

Shrike paled, a chill running up his spine as he gave his leader a curt nod.

"And… it is as devastating as you had feared?"

"Worse," Arowana answered before taking a drag from his pipe. "Far, far worse, though it has no application in combat. It will not affect your efforts to slay her, if it comes to that. You need not worry. Get to Vale, and learn her routines. Find a vulnerability, but make no move until you have my direct orders."

"I shall," Shrike affirmed.

"I'll be sending a team with you. We cannot afford to take any more risks," Arowana said coldly. "Use them as you see fit- even if that means rendering them… disposable."

"This is that serious?" Shrike asked, his rigid stance relaxing somewhat as he gave his leader a worried look. "She is such a threat to our order?"

Arowana rubbed at his chin with a ragged sigh, and kept his hat angled down to keep his facial expression hidden. Somehow, Shrike thought that it might not be far removed from his own.

"…should the worst come to pass… she could destroy us. Her actions, if misguided, could destroy Remnant. However, if there is still an opportunity to make her see the world as we do… then she could become our greatest asset. I am unsure of whether or not such power is worth the risk of letting her live," Arowana admitted.

"…if I may?" Shrike asked, his voice quiet.

Arowana paused for a moment, before simply waving a dismissive hand and bringing his pipe to his lips once more.

"…fundamentally, is our order not dedicated to eliminating such risk by removing players from the board who might abuse powers that they do not fully understand?" Shrike asked. "Is that not reason enough to dispose of her?"

Arowana used his free hand to grip the armrest of his throne hard enough to turn his weathered knuckles white.

"…I am aware, Shrike, but there are reasons I am not giving you a direct order to assassinate her immediately. First- to learn of her semblance, I had to use power on that very same level, did I not?"

Shrike sank back into a respectful kneeling position as he cast his eyes to the carpet, his mouth a tight line.

"…that is true, yes… but I trust your judgment in doing so. Secondly…?"

Arowana rose from his seat and walked down to the carpet at the base of his throne, before moving past his subordinate.

"…despite what the safest option may be… she is still my daughter. The human heart is weak, and clings to hope. I need time to decide."

Shrike closed his eyes and shook his head, unseen to his master.

"…I understand. I'll make no move on her until I receive direct orders."

"Good," Arowana praised. "Leave this place, and prepare."

"Yes, Grandmaster," Shrike replied before rising and making his way back to the door of the temple.

Arowana watched as the massive portals swung open again to reveal the bright blue sky, before sliding shut and bringing darkness back into the entranceway. Slowly, he turned and eyed the hallway behind his throne where only a dark, narrowing tunnel could be seen.

"…I should have used you sooner…"


Adam let out a yell to accentuate his attack as he spun in midair, raking his blood red blade in a downward arc for the girl below him. Raven brought up her own matching crimson sword to catch the blow and dropped into a stance with bent knees while Adam leaned his full weight into the weapon as he landed.

"You're improving!" she praised through grit teeth as she braced herself further against the faunus boy's pressure, their blades grinding together.

"Professor Calavera is a good teacher," Adam replied with a smirk. "And I've been keeping up with practicing."

"Does that mean you're ready for me to stop holding back?" Raven asked as she tilted her head.

Adam's expression changed to one of worry as his eye widened, just in time for Raven to slide off to one side while using her sword to direct Adam's down toward the forest floor. The boy stumbled forward from the amount of force he had put into the deadlock, and Raven swiftly whacked him upon the back of the head with the base of Omen's hilt.

"Gah!" Adam cried as he whirled and righted himself while rubbing at the back of his head. "You're not serious? All this time?"

"You have no idea," the girl replied as she narrowed her eyes. "Come on. Try me."

Adam sheathed his katana and adopted a low stance much like Raven's own as he began to circle her. The girl held her sword out in front of her, both hands tight around the base as she tracked him with the tip of the blade. Adam began to circle slowly, disappearing briefly behind trees as he went.

"From here on, then, I ask that you don't hold back anymore," Adam said as he continued on his path. "We have a big week ahead."

"We do," Raven agreed as she rotated in place. "Tomorrow's the big day in Glynda's class, and midterms are coming up. Who knows what else will go on before Friday?"

"Not me," Adam replied.

Almost immediately afterward, the faunus spun out from behind a tree in the same direction he had approached it, aiming to catch Raven off guard. The boy aimed his sheath at his opponent and fired his sword from it by using the spring-loaded mechanism within the casing. The blade flew through the air in a straight line and whistled through the trees toward Raven, who just barely managed to get her own scabbard up in time to deflect the blow.

Adam's sword whirled into the air, spinning like a buzz saw directly above Raven's outstretched arm as she quickly hopped backward. Suddenly, two things happened at once, and the combination was almost enough to distract her into dropping her guard. Adam himself soared through the air after kicking off a tree and reached for his blade just as a buzzing sensation went off alongside Raven's hip. Thinking quickly, Raven spun backward once again and dropped her sheath to the ground as she used her free hand to take out her scroll while parrying Adam's falling strike with Omen in her other.

"…hello? A little busy at the moment," the girl let on as Adam grit his teeth and moved forward with a series of slashes. Raven managed to meet them all, clashing blades as he chased her backward through the trees.

"Miss Branwen," Jacques' voice said through the scroll. "Have I caught you at a bad time?"

Raven hesitated, keeping her attention on her attacker as Adam leapt to the side to obscure himself behind another tree.

"…not sure just yet. Busy sparring. What's up?"

"I have another job for you from Leonardo, but he's only asking for two of you, this time," Jacques replied. "He doesn't think three or four are necessary for this one. Cheap bastard, making excuses to cut back. Either way… are you in?"

"I am, yes. Next weekend?" Raven asked as Adam reappeared. The boy had swapped his sheath into his dominant hand and struck out with his blade in a sloppy motion, earning a raised brow from Raven as she tried to keep track of him and the conversation at the same time.

"As usual," Jacques agreed. "I did want to ask you about something else, but I'll forward you the details later and let you go, for now."

"Sure," Raven replied as she thrust her sword forward toward Adam in response to his strike. The faunus grinned mischievously as he pushed his sheath outward and slid it around Raven's blade, effectively stealing the weapon before he threw it backward behind himself and charged. The girl let out a gasp of surprise and backpedaled, collapsing her scroll.

"Raven?" Jacques asked, his voice unheard.

Raven spun backward and raised her device skyward as Adam struck with an overhead blow. The sword bounced off the back of the scroll in her hand, and Adam balked as his arm was thrown backward.

"Oh, come the fuck o-"

The boy let out a sudden lurching noise as Raven's fist crashed into his gut, causing him to double over and fall backward onto his rear. He skidded backward slightly through the leaves, winded and in disbelief as Raven flicked her scroll back open and raised it to her ear.

"…sorry, you were saying?"

"…do I even want to know what just happened? That was… incredibly loud, to say the least. Have you been paying any attention to the news, lately? By 'news' I mean the real, important goings-on in Vale. Police radio, and such," Jacques asked.

"No, not particularly," Raven admitted as she walked forward and stabbed Omen into the ground before offering Adam her hand. The faunus took it and pulled himself up, looking embarrassed. Raven switched her scroll to speakerphone and held it before herself, allowing Adam to listen in on the conversation and effectively calling off their duel. "Why, is something going on?"

"One Sasha Rainart is scheduled to be let out of jail, next month. Her accomplice, Tyrian Callows, is being transferred to a maximum-security prison out in Mistral," Jacques informed. "Just thought you should know, especially about Sasha. I'd imagine she isn't too happy with Summer and Kali. Here's hoping she sticks to petty crime."

"Oh, like yours, you mean?" Raven asked, earning a laugh from the other end.

"Yes, something like that. Hey, if you want to get technical, by working with me, you're technically all criminals, as well."

"You're not my first hustle, Jacques," Raven replied coolly. "Anything else?"

"No, no, that should do it. Just figure out who you want to bring with you on this one, and make sure they're ready to tow their weight. It actually works out to more lien for the two of you, but less overall," Jacques explained. "I'd imagine you're bringing Qrow along?"

"…no," Raven answered as she looked over to Adam. "No, I think I've got a different idea, this time. If Leo wants to spice it up… maybe I will, too."

"Fine by me. Keep it interesting, and all. Surprise me," Jacques said, his tone full of amusement. "Be seeing you."

"Ciao," Raven offered before snapping her scroll shut once again and transferring it back into her skirt pocket. "That was very clever of you, Adam. I'm impressed."

"…you held me off with a scroll," the boy offered, still in disbelief. He looked over his companion with awe, and more than a little admiration as his heart fluttered. "You're… really incredible, Raven."

Raven merely rolled her eyes and moved to retrieve her sword from Adam's sheath before gathering up her own and bringing the two together once again.

"And you really are improving," Raven insisted. "Which is why I'd like to invite you on your first job out for Jacques, along with me. It would just be the two of us."

Adam stiffened and gave Raven a wary look as he sheathed his own weapon back in place.

"You think I'm ready? That I can handle grimm, and have your back?"

"I believe in you," Raven reassured as she walked past Adam and patted his shoulder. "You can almost keep up with me. A beowulf or two won't stand a chance. Besides- you've fought one before, haven't you?"

"Yeah. A few, actually, in Professor Ozpin's class, and in Port's," Adam replied as he moved to follow her. "I'll… happily go with you. I just don't want to slow you down."

"Then don't," Raven said simply. "I learned everything I know about combat in trials by fire. I think it'll work out well for you, too. Besides… your semblance is still probably the most powerful within our circle of friends, maybe with the exception of Summer's."

"…which one?" Adam half-joked, walking at her side.

Raven rolled her eyes once again and ran a hand through her hair.

"I'm not sure, myself. C'mon- let's go and get some food. Maybe head out into town without the others, for a change. It is the weekend, after all."

Adam offered Raven a small smile, and nodded.

"…sounds wonderful…"


Jay Winchester let out a long, ragged sigh as he picked up a basket of fries and deposited them upon his tray before turning to walk back out into the cafeteria proper. He passed several tables sparsely populated by students and kept his eyes off of all of them, though he could feel that the majority were not returning the favor. Several faunus students narrowed their eyes at him as he passed, and Jay felt the soft impact of some sort of food item upon his back as he continued to walk, keeping his breath even and calm.

"Fucking Atlesians," a dog-eared boy muttered as Jay passed his table. The student cupped his hands around his mouth and raised the volume of his voice. "Transfer up to your floating island with your asshole brother!"

"Hey!" came a far louder, piercing voice from behind Jay and to his left. The call was loud enough to make him jump, and he bristled as he expected more food to be thrown his way. "How about you fuck off, mind your own business, and stop trying to make relations even worse? He's one of the few who isn't causing problems for us!"

Jay looked back over his shoulder to find Kali glaring daggers at the dog faunus' table. The boy slowly turned away from her while gritting his teeth, and Kali approached Jay and quickly looped her arm around his while holding her own tray with the other hand.

"You here alone?"

Jay blinked in surprise as Kali practically dragged him along, her pace both quick and insistent.

"I am, yes. Still, I don't think it would be a good idea for us to be seen together."

"Yeah, well, I'm full of bad ideas. Let's find a table in a corner and keep to ourselves," the faunus offered as she made her way toward a table far away from the other students.

"Where's the rest of OKRA? And STRQ? Willow?" Jay tried, looking around the room and finding none of the usual suspects.

"Don't know, for most of 'em," Kali confessed with a gentle shrug as she slid into a seat. "Raven and Adam are out training in the woods somewhere, Willow and Summer are studying in the library, and Barty's with Yatsu. Dunno about Roman and Qrow. It's just another lazy weekend day where we all kinda split off and decided to do whatever. I'm too hungry to wait on their slow asses to arrange a meetup. What about your team?"

Jay eyed Kali's tray warily as she began to dig into her food without a care in the world. The girl had what appeared to be a bacon cheeseburger, a hotdog, a basket of fries, soup, and a bag of cheese doodles crammed onto the small plastic rectangle.

"…it's… gotten complicated," Jay began as he unwrapped his own burger. "Junior's out in downtown Vale, meeting with some shady people. I have no idea what he's doing, but I don't like it. Rob and I don't talk much anymore. Ever since… the party."

Kali paused in her ravenous assault on her food to give Jay a sympathetic look. Her ears flattened as she breathed out a frustrated sigh, and slowly placed her burger back down atop her tray.

"You know, I never got to thank you personally for trying to defend me. The others told me what Robin was doing, and I heard you punched him into a table or something?"

"I did, yes," Jay admitted before taking a bite. "I guess you could say I've chosen my side."

"I guess you have," Kali agreed before returning to her food. "And it's a good side to be on, even if some people don't appreciate you. I'm not about to let that kind of shit slide from faunus toward anyone, but especially not you. You're not perfect, but you're trying. That's what counts, in my book."

"…thank you," Jay replied softly. "It isn't just them, either. I've been getting heat from our father, since Rob has made a habit of telling him all about how I've been attending weapons workshops with Adam and collaborating with him on group projects. I'm doing my best to ignore it, but… the company is realistically only going to go to one of us, Kali, and the other will be second in command. Do you know what's going to happen if Rob inherits the majority?"

Kali paused, her ears pulling back as she sneered.

"Typical Atlas is what's going to happen. Winchester Military Technologies will be just another on a long list of corporations that doesn't give a fuck. The status quo will be maintained, a- Roman!" Kali called while beginning to wave frantically.

Jay turned in his seat to see Roman Torchwick enter the cafeteria, both boys looking bewildered at Kali's outburst. The redheaded boy quickly approached the table and offered Kali a wide smile before nodding to Jay.

"'sup? You two make an odd pair," Roman commented. "Lemme grab some food, and I'll join you?"

"By all means," Jay offered with a nod of his own. He watched with curiosity as Roman walked off to the service area, only for Kali to lean in and begin speaking in a whisper.

"…you two don't talk much, do you?" she asked.

"Not… particularly," Jay admitted. "The only class we share outside of Team Synergy & Tactics is Weapons Crafting & Maintenance, and he's usually sharing a table with you and Barty."

"Gotcha," Kali answered as she leaned back into her seat. "You two should fix that. His dad's a shithead, too, and constantly pushing him around. Not really my place to talk about it, but who knows? You guys might have more in common, and it sounds to me like you could use some more friends who understand what you're dealing with."

"Yeah. Yeah, I could," Jay agreed. "You're a really kind, considerate person, Kali. How do you do it, with everything you have to put up with as a faunus? Aren't you worried that your own kind are going to turn on you?"

"They already have," Kali replied as she rolled her eyes and started in on her hot dog. "It's not about ears, tails, or whatever other faunus features, in my eyes. It's about people. I feel like I shouldn't even have to say that, but I do. People suck, for the most part. I was lucky enough to get a team that doesn't, and they help out a lot. You're helping out a lot, too, to be honest. Without you getting closer to Adam, I get the feeling he might be sitting at that table over there," she finished while nodding toward their dog-eared antagonist.

"Maybe," Jay considered. "But I wouldn't blame him, if he did. Vale is… well, it's not Atlas, but it also isn't anywhere near as tolerant as I'd expected it might be."

"Nope," Kali agreed. "Not really at all. I'm mostly free of it at Beacon, at least."

"That's because you've stomped some assholes in Goodwitch's class," Roman pointed out as he approached the table with a drink, bowl of soup, and two slices of pizza. "Being way up there in combat rankings shuts people up real quick."

"Yes, it does," Kali said with a grin as Roman slid into the seat next to her. "I'll kick Raven out of the number one spot before the year's out. Just you watch."

"You're both incredible fighters," Jay pointed out. "Consistently impressing Professor Goodwitch week after week, let alone the student body. I hope she pits you against each other soon. I've got lien burning a hole in my pocket, and I do enjoy betting."

Kali quirked a brow as her ears perked up.

"…you know, I could ask the professor about it. Do a show match between us. I'm sure that's something people would want to see," she mused.

"Do it," Roman encouraged. "You two are the best fighters on OKRA and STRQ, no question. Hell, do that, and I'll ask about going up against Qrow. I'd say he and I take the number two spots pretty cleanly."

"Qrow is good," Kali agreed. "That would be fun to watch. Summer and Tai could easily handle Barty and Adam, though, so an all-out brawl would go in STRQ's favor, for sure."

"…I don't know," Jay offered as he crumpled the tinfoil that had once been around a suddenly absent burger into a ball. "I think you two might be more evenly matched than you think. Adam's been steadily improving week after week, and Barty has a tactical mind. Don't count yourselves out just yet."

"Well. Maybe we can put it to the test, after we earn the ability to spar outside on our own terms," Kali suggested. "A four-on-four brawl. There's something that could get lien changing hands in the audience."

Roman hesitated for a moment, before offering them both a shrug.

"…eh, sure. I'm down. It'll be fun, if nothing else."

"Hell yeah!" Kali said with a grin as she bounced in her seat before suddenly rising. "Pee time. You touch my food, you die."

Roman stealthily stole one of her fries as the girl walked off toward the doors of the cafeteria, and Jay raised a brow.

"Playing with fire, are we?"

"Always," Roman answered with a smirk.

"Are you two…?" Jay began, only to suddenly feel bad as Roman's good mood seemed to disappear immediately.

"…nope," Roman replied with a sigh of defeat. "I mean, we screw, but we're not… a thing. I went for it a while back, got shot down, and I'm too much of a chicken shit to try again. Been told I should multiple times, and backed out after insisting I would, just as many. Do me a favor and lay off? I'm getting it from both teams, and Willow."

"Sorry," Jay said quickly. "I wasn't aware."

"It's cool," Roman assured. "It's just… not pleasant. I know I'm risking her slipping away, but… ugh. Whatever. I'll deal with it, eventually."

"I trust that you will. You seem…" Jay paused, trying to find honest words, and instead found that he did not know Roman very well at all. "…interesting."

"…interesting?" Roman asked as he leaned back into his chair. "How so?"

"The few times I've heard you speak, it has always been something of value," Jay tried. "And the company you keep is rather wild. All good people, between OKRA and STRQ."

"Then you must not hear me too often," Roman sassed. "I say and do a lot of dumb shit, man. I do have my moments, though… and so do you. Nice work punching out your brother in Atlas, by the way. Wish I could've seen it."

"And here I was thinking I could finally escape that for the day," Jay mused. "I didn't really have a choice, in my mind. He needed to be stopped, so… I stopped him. It led to a nasty bit of tension between my family and the Schnees, though… Arcturus seemed oddly calm and blasé about it after he made sure that everyone else in the vicinity was safe, and no riot was going on. Still… Rob and I weren't welcomed back."

"Not missing much, as I'm sure you already know," Roman pointed out as he sipped at his soda. "Atlas blows. Family blows."

Jay hesitated, before leaning forward slightly and putting his elbows on the table.

"Yeah. Family does blow. So, you've got it bad, too?"

Roman snorted in indignation and simply raised his leopard print shirt, nearly up to his pecs. There along his left side was a large, ugly, purple bruise.

"Bad is an understatement. Stocks go down? I get hit. Not making as much progress as Dad thinks I should be making in grades, or with Willow? Same deal. It's endless abuse, and he's dangling having a place to live over my head to keep it going. Any and all money I've made has gone straight into the estate. An 'investment,' he called it, and who was I to question him? I was just a stupid fuckin' kid. I've got nothing without him, so I'm really just holding out until I get a huntsman's license or he has a heart attack or some shit. I hate him," Roman explain before stabbing his spoon down into his soup, to little effect.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Jay offered. "But… if it's any consolation, there's at least an end goal? One day, the company will be yours. With a man that angry and unhealthy, it may be sooner than you think."

"Gods, I hope so," Roman agreed before blowing his fringe out of his face and eyeing up Jay. "And what about you? How is it living with Robin, and then having him on your team? How's shit at home?"

"…it's shit," Jay said simply. "My father isn't the best man, but at least he isn't physically abusive. This whole situation with Rob, though… it's killing me. He wasn't always this way. We've done everything together, and some days, he's still the brother I remember him to be. Others, I want to wring his neck."

"And that's where you and me differ," Roman replied. "There's no love left on my end. We're too far gone for that. I can barely remember when Dad was anything other than a complete asshole… and I don't like remembering it, because I don't want it to change my perception of him, now. I don't have it in me for fiftieth chances with people who treat me like shit… and the worst part is, nobody really understands what I'm dealing with. I've stopped complaining, because they all give the same advice, and I've just had it. I'll get through it my way, and just… survive. If you think you can still save your brother, then by all means- do it. It'd be nice to have an actual family again, but that ship has sailed."

"Yes. It would be," Jay said contemplatively. "And… I'll do that, certainly. I'm just shy of the end of my rope with him, but… I do want to see him swing the other way again."

"Good. Must be nice to have hope," Roman offered with a roll of his eyes as he sipped his drink.

"…you haven't spoken to Junior much, have you?" Jay asked.

"Huh?" Roman asked as he lowered his glass back to the table. "The big dude on your team? Well… the second-biggest dude. Yatsu's a fucking mountain."

"That's the one, yes," Jay said with an amused smirk. "His… family situation isn't terribly different from yours. Maybe the two of you would hit it off. It's not something he likes to talk about, but then again, it seems to me like you don't particularly enjoy discussing it, either. I can give you his scroll information, if you want to meet up and talk in private, at some point. You don't have to go through this alone, and no one should have to settle for just 'surviving.' I think you know that."

Roman raised a brow and fell silent for a long while. With a deep breath, he pulled his scroll from his pocket, and held it up over the table.

"…hit me."


Author's Note:

A date (September of 2040, A.E.), was added to Chapter 1. Dates won't be showing up much in this story- only for significant time jumps, and to make it easier to coordinate the side stories. We're now moving into the final few chapters of Volume 1, and the last arc has now started off. The end might be closer than you think… and there will be plenty of hanging threads for Volume 2 and beyond.

-RD