Well, we're back with chapter 3 of this story. I was contemplating on whether or not to continue it, or go for that role reversal story, but man, I just can't do that to myself. I have this motto that my dad taught me, "Finish what you started, no exceptions." And that kept repeating itself to me over and over again in my head. So I will continue this story, and if all goes well, HOPEFULLY, this story will be around 30 chapters long. Again, HOPEFULLY. If you've read any of my other stories, you would know that any plan I make most likely is going to be extended by like ten chapters or so. Sometimes by accident.

Destiny Fated Black

Chapter 3

I had my world turned upside down, and after that it was just a roller coaster...

Adam Taurus groaned in frustration as he rested his hands down on his planning table. His lieutenant was by his side, just as angry as he was but much more willing to show it. They have all just come back from a botched mission thanks to the abandonment by Blake Belladonna. A well respected and high ranking White Fang officer that was the right hand of Adam himself. She just up and left him after saying goodbye to her only explanation.

"I swear to you sir, I will personally make sure Belladonna regrets her decision to leave us. I have word that she was heading toward-"

"Forget it," Adam growled. "I will not waste resources to chase a traitor to our cause. If she ran now, it means that she has been thinking about it for some time." He shook his head, barely restrained anger being obvious with each movement he took.

"If that is what you wish. But if I may, what if she uses the information she has on us, and by extension you, to her advantage?" His lieutenant, Banesaw, asked him.

Adam placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. "When the time comes, the time comes." He said cryptically. "Now however, I will not be hearing any more about Blake. Sienna trusted me with control of the Vale division of the White Fang, I am not keen to disappoint the supreme leader."

"Of course," Banesaw bowed his head respectfully. "What is next for us then?"

Adam looked to Banesaw through his mask. "Gather the troops, we shall hold a meeting and-"

A blood chilling scream cut Adam off, and his hand was placed on the hilt of his sword once more. Instead this time, he drew it enough so that the red blade was peeking out of the sheathe. One look to his lieutenant and he prepared himself for combat as well. After a mental countdown, both of the faunus commanders burst out of their tent to face this new foe.

What they were met with was chaos.

Almost all of their men were dead, knocked out, or dying painfully. Their camp was set aflame, and the human with the red dress stood before him once more yet again. However, this time she was much more confident in her abilities, as the flames dancing around her arms and body suggested anything. Adam growled and prepared to attack her right then and there, but from behind the orange eyed woman, a man walked out. A man with white hair, a bloody knife, and black eyes. Staring blankly at him. Then another one, the same dark skinned girl from before walked out from the other side of the woman's body. Kneeling down a few paces in front of the human in the red dress and placing two briefcases down on the ground.

It wasn't them that he was concerned with. "Marcus Black," Adam hissed, drawing his sword and pointing it towards the man with the white hair. "Assassin, you tried to kill me once."

"Only because you got in the way of my actual target." Marcus smirked at him. "Trust me, trying to kill someone isn't something I usually do. It would make me a pretty bad assassin after all. But then again, didn't you hire me to kill a Schnee or two once or twice?" He mocked. He remembered that particular contract, it was what made him the most wanted man in Atlas as well after he made sure a Schnee politician and a sibling of Willow Schnee didn't speak out against the White Fang anymore. Since he had no faunus traits and the white hair, all he had to do was put on a fancy suit and walk straight into the manor. He didn't even get stopped by security, it was ridiculous. He still gets a laugh when thinking about that even to this day.

"Silence! If I had known just how untrustworthy you were, I would have never made that contract with you." Adam pointed his sword toward the other man, but turned his head to face the woman. "Human, I do not know how you were able to secure a contract with a man such as he, but explicitly remember that I told you once to never come back here, why have you returned and caused such chaos to my camp?"

Cinder smiled. "I have returned to claim what is mine, Taurus." She said that one of her eyes bursting into flames. Before Adam could respond, Cinder raised a hand and created an entire ring of flame around them all, encircling them completely. Adam and Banesaw grit their teeth and prepared to fight, but were now much more cautious of this woman's power. It was unlike anything they have ever seen before.

"Where did this power come from!?" Banesaw asked the obvious. "You did not have this strength before."

"I did not." Cinder admitted honestly. "But now I do, and that is all that you need to know. Now, I have a proposition for you Adam Taurus." She looked down to Emerald, giving her some kind of signal. Emerald nodded back and opened both of the briefcases, which were both filled with pristine dust crystals of almost all elements and Lien respectively. It was enough to supply dozens of men, and buy them more equipment as well. Adam looked at it, and knew what was coming before she even said it.

"When I came here the first time asking for your assistance, you turned me away. What was it you said? Emerald, you remember."

"He said; "I will not sacrifice my men for your cause, a human cause." Mam." Emerald added a smug look toward the masked man, who scowled at her in response.

"Isn't your whole organization this attempt to win equality between faunus and us humans?" Marcus asked lazily, crossing his arms together after flicking a booger out of his nose. "Because if so, the whole terrorist route is a killer plan."

"Now now darling," Cinder suppressed a chuckle, but did not refrain from growing a grin that spread across her face. "We shan't provoke the man now, not when we already have what we want."

"And how are you so sure of that?" Adam adjusted his aim so that the tip of his sword was aimed toward Cinder. "You weren't confident you could defeat me before, why do you think that's changed now?"

A fireball burning into his sword hand was his response. Banesaw cried out and made to attack the woman, but before he could get any closer after taking three steps Marcus intercepted him and disarmed him in a flash. Before Adam knew it, he was disarmed and his most trusted right hand was defeated in a matter of seconds. Marcus knelt over the faunus and threatened to slash his neck with his already bloody knife. The question as to if he'd really do it wasn't much of a question at all, more of a when he would get permission to do so.

"Make your choice Adam." Cinder continued, placing both of her hands behind her back as if she did not just nearly destroyed his hand just now.

Adam scowled. Even through his aura, his hand felt like it was broken. His sword was somewhere beyond the flames, and while he was confident in his hand to hand combat skills, he wasn't confident enough in them to defeat Marcus Black, Cinder, and the green haired girl all at the same time. Looking around, he could see his men, terrified out of their skins and some even hiding away from these three people. Just two young women and an assassin, and his whole White Fang camp was defeated. The choice was difficult and made with hatred, but it was the only one he had on hand.

"The White Fang is yours." He growled out. Cinder's smile grew. "The Vale division, at least."

"That is very good to hear." Cinder said as she started walking toward him. As she walked by she gestured for Marcus to get off of his lieutenant. Who holstered his knife and placed his bare hand against the officers face. A white glow flared for a moment before Marcus stood back up, clapping his hands together as if getting rid of dust before making his way back to the green haired girl. Before he could wonder why Banesaw started screaming about not being able to use his semblance anymore, Cinder gripped his face by the chin, making him look down at her. "I will keep in touch Taurus, in the briefcase is my contact details. Ready your troops, and started heading to Vale as soon as possible."

Adam didn't respond. He didn't want to tell the powerful woman that most of the White Fang in his control were already in Vale. He didn't want to see her satisfied smile get even more smug.

"And while you're at it, do remember. If you ever think about refusing me again, if I am not able to punish you for it, I will send someone who can." The threat was clear. A woman with Marcus Black under her employ was not a woman to be trifled with.

Adam nodded his head. Sighing through his nose because of this utter defeat.

"Good," Cinder said, sensing his submissiveness and turning her back on him. The ring of fire around them disappeared as she walked back to her two underlings. Leaving Adam and his forces to grovel in their loss and the fact that they are now going to be forced to work with her.

"So, off to Vale now?" Marcus asked as he followed up behind her, hands behind his head and Emerald taking pace at his side.

"Correct," Cinder said, chuckling softly.

"In a good mood?"

"Also correct." Cinder admitted. "How can I not? I have part of the powers of the Fall Maiden, and now I have the White Fang itself under my control." She shivered in her pleasure for a moment. "This power… is intoxicating, and yet I find myself yearning for more."

"Well, if all goes well, you'll become full Fall Maiden if this Beacon visit goes well." Marcus said, chuckling lightly as well. It's been quite a few months for the forty year old assassin. Firstly, he was betrayed by his fellow assassins and was forced to kill his own son because of it. Secondly, he was recruited by a rather mysterious yet rewarding woman, then killed the assassins that betrayed him in the first place. Then thirdly, he tracked down a magical woman, ambushed her, and almost killed her. And last but not least, he just overthrew the White Fang and put said mysterious woman in an even greater position of power. Even as old as he was, he still had it in him.

"Quite." Cinder nodded her head. They all stopped at the edge of the camp, and looked back at the carnage that they had caused. Because she willed it, the flames no longer burned and were no longer destroying the camp. But that didn't make it appear any less chaotic than it was when it was on fire.

"Grimm," Emerald hissed, drawing her weapons on a few passing Beowolves. "They must have been attracted to the fighting."

"Damn, and here I thought I was going to get to clean my knife just now." Marcus said as he switched the grip on his knife to a reverse grip.

"Marcus, Emerald, cease." Cinder said, placing a hand on both of their shoulders as she spoke. "The Grimm will no longer be a threat to us, I promise you."

"What?" Marcus asked, confused and a little concerned for Cinder's sanity suddenly. "Mythical magic powers or not, Grimm are Grimm. They live just to kill us all."

"Hmph," To his utter surprise, as well as Emeralds. Cinder casually walked up to a Grimm Beowolf which was charging at them a few seconds earlier, and watched as the Grimm slowed to a stop and allowed the woman to pet it. It didn't make any sounds, and when the rest of its pack trolled on by, they didn't even heed any mind to Marcus or Emerald as they did so.

Marcus didn't know what to think as Grimm literally just walked past him, sniffed him once or twice, before forgetting about him all together and ran toward the White Fang. Sounds of fighting could be heard, but that was the least of his concerns. He looked back to Cinder, and didn't know what to say.

Emerald knelt before her, but he remained standing.

"What is this?" Marcus blurted out, an unknown fear welling up inside his body.

"This," Cinder gestured all around her, to the Grimm that simply walked past her, that flaming eye of hers, and even to them two. Emerald and Marcus. "Is power. The power of my superior. The very being who will bring salvation to the world this generation."

She explicitly looked to him as she said this. Emerald seemed to already know who this being was, but not him. He didn't know anything, and the power to control the Grimm was something unheard of to him. But if it's true that there's four powerful women like the one they took down a few days ago, then it wasn't too hard for him to believe that there was some kind of leader for the Grimm. It was all shocking for him to behold, and for once, he was the one who found himself in an existential crisis.

"I believe I said I would let you in on the know of all what is required of you." Cinder's smile softened slightly, her eyes never leaving his as she stepped closer to him. "The first thing you should know is that there is a Queen of Grimm, and her name is Salem…"

A few months had passed since Marcus learned that the world of Remnant was much bigger and deeper than he had originally thought. He knew that Ozpin was a pretty fishy person already, but this? No way in a million years would he have been able to figure this out on his own. Even now it was taking time for him to fully process it. When Cinder told him about the Queen of the Grimm, Salem. Some dark powered human with the powers of the God of Darkness, Marcus somehow fooled himself into believing it himself. It might have been because of his mental vulnerability after being forced to kill his own son, and because of the revelation of the truth of the Seasonal Maidens. He would be the only one to know for sure, but after learning all of that he suddenly realized just how big the stakes of this mission were. He wasn't so stupid as to believe that in the long run this will all end with him getting his pay and living the rest of his life however he wanted to, not truly anyway. If anything, he was going to have to make sure this mission succeeded. It was still in the planning and preparation phase, but in about a month or so when the breach finally happens, he would be able to get away from all this if it went well.

Sighing to himself in the mirror, he washed his face and scratched at his beard before exiting the bathroom. They just got to Vale a few weeks ago and he was already given another task. It turned out Roman Torchwick himself was also under Cinder's control, whenever that happened, Marcus didn't know. But his task was to make sure everything they were doing were going as planned. Grass was with him as well, having the same task as he or maybe just to keep an eye on him in turn while Cinder went off to go apprehend a Bullhead for a dust robbery as an escape vehicle. They must have been robbing the home of Jacques Schnee himself if they needed a Bullhead to escape with, but he thought against the idea of outwardly questioning Cinder. The one with the fire powers who could burn him to a crisp if he gets too brave.

"Are you done yet?" Grass asked him from outside the bathroom. Amusing for him and annoying for her, she had to make sure they stuck together almost at all times. "Hurry up, we have to meet up with Cinder today, and you are not going to make us late."

"Pfft." Marcus held back laughter as he opened the door, leaning on the frame and looking at Emerald with a smug smirk on his face. He really did love messing with this girl, she had the best reactions and sometimes he didn't even have to say anything to mess with her. "I'm sure Cinder isn't going to be too pissed off because we're a few seconds late Grass."

Emerald scowled at him. "It's Emerald, get it right for once old man."

"Nope," Marcus shook his head. "As long as it gets those reactions out of you, your name is going to be Grass, Grass."

"Ugh." Emerald stepped off the wall and took the lead. "For an old man you can be pretty damn immature."

"Yeah? Well this old man can kill you if he wanted to, pretty easily at that. So maybe you should respect your elders some more. Or at least stop staring at them like you wanted to make love to them."

Emerald sneered at him and nearly drew her weapons. New weapons this time, still guns as she used before, but this time with blades attached to them. It could also shift into some kind of cleaver type weapon, and make it longer. Just like her hair did between the time they had a little chat with Adam Taurus and to where they are now. In these few months, one would think that two people forced to be around each other for so long would eventually just try and get along to make the experience even slightly more enjoyable, but when it came to Grass?

"I will never have those kinds of thoughts for a disgusting man like you!"

She was just so damn adamant to not get along with him.

"I never said with me dumb ass," Marcus said as he walked past her, flicking her forehead in the process. He didn't even need to say who he meant, because Emerald's face went red and she went on to deny the implications. It was just too easy, it was almost boring for Marcus to even try to embarrass the girl. She just did it to herself even at the best of times. "Will you quiet down already?" He cut her off after a few minutes of being forced to hear her voice. "I couldn't give less of a shit from a rat who you fancy and who you don't. You want to go see Cindy so badly? Let's go see her, c'mon."

His colder tone shut Emerald up, though she was still seething underneath. She hated him, and she annoyed him, but she knew when to keep her mouth shut. Which was her only redeeming quality. There was nothing else. The bitch was obsessed with Cinder and would take any opportunity to praise her.

"Trouble in paradise?" Roman asked him with an amused snicker as he stomped past him, and that mute girl that's always hanging around him. He knew her, and she knew him, and neither were completely content in being around each other. Assassins code and all that. "The big bad assassin getting annoyed by a, what, an eighteen year old girl?"

"Can it Roman, or Cinder's going to need a new 'mastermind criminal' to work for her." Marcus threatened. Of all the people that tried to annoy him, Roman was always able to actually pull it off. He knew just what buttons he needed to press. They used to be teammates after all.

"Oh c'mon Mark, you know I am just messing around!" Roman laughed loudly. "Man, when I heard that my old leader got caught up with-"

A knife was thrown right toward Roman's head. Aura would have saved him, but the criminal in the bowler hat was not exactly keen on getting the point of a knife bounced off his face. Roman staggered to the side clumsily after dodging the blade, but his hat did not come with him. It was stuck to the wall by the rim. Before Roman could tell him off about it, the ice cream themed girl Neo took the knife out of the wall and threw it right back at Marcus, aiming for one of his black eyes. The assassin caught it by the handle, and sheathed it, his eyes never once leaving from the other assassins multi-colored eyes.

Neo stood off against Marcus Black, and Roman did not want to know what the outcome would be if the two of them fought. Neo was very dangerous, but from what he's heard, Marcus has killed even more than she has, and has never failed a mission before. Neo might win against, but only might, and only if it took everything she had. "Nice aim Neo, next time give it your A-game though." Marcus quipped, then stared death into Roman's face. "Next time you bring up that life, I won't aim for the hat. Got it?"

"Geez… can't you take a joke?" Roman asked as he picked his hat up from the ground. "None of you ever know how to take a joke," He added as he gestured to all of the members of the White Fang working around them. "I say anything that might be mildly amusing, and I nearly get killed for it! First with the red haired guy, second with Cinder, and third and fourth with you two assholes! I can never catch a break."

"Your tongue is going to get you killed one day Torchwick." Emerald said, for once agreeing with Marcus about something.

"Hah, fancy that. That's exactly what he used to say to me back then, and look where we are now. We're all criminals, and we're all still alive."

"Tch." Marcus refrained from throwing the knife back at him again, but with Neo in between them, he didn't feel like having to fight her off just yet. The girl was small but damn was she fast and flexible. It would be such an annoying fight to take. Her eyes narrowed into his, a silent threat being sent with her gaze. Marcus stared right back, unafraid, but unwilling to start anything. "Just get Juniors men ready and let's get this shit over with."

"Read my mind Mark," Roman tipped his hat toward him. "You heard him folks! Kick it into high gear and be ready for another shipment of dust, Mister Torchwick is going to go for another walk!"

"You used to be teammates with him?" Emerald asked after they left the supposedly abandoned warehouse. "That means you went to Beacon-"

"Stop right there." Marcus suddenly stopped, and got in close to Emerald. Her back was pressed against the wall before she knew it, and any words she might have said died in her mouth. "There's a lot of shit I am willing to let you spit out, but that…" He shut his eyes and shook his head. "Is not something I am willing to let you talk about." He pushed off of her and stuffed his hands in his pockets. It was night time and his arms were a little chilly. It was one of the downsides of wearing a tight sleeveless red shirt and gloves with exposed palms for upper body wear.

Emerald stayed quiet after that, which was something they were both grateful for. Even then, after seeing Torchwick again, and be forced to hang around him for this long and for so many weeks has brought upon memories that he had suppressed to as far back of his mind as he could possibly push them. Yes, he once went to Beacon, that was what he meant when he told Cinder that he used to live in Vale before, and thus knew the area. He was surprised to see that Cinder never asked him how he knew Qrow Branwen, she probably already knew, but until she asked he wasn't going to tell her. Yes, he used to train at Beacon. Stayed there for the whole four years and even became the leader of a team. Something that surprised him since the Black surname should have been something Ozpin should have been wary off, but he let him in anyway. He knew Qrow from Beacon, and the rest of his team for that matter. Roman Torchwick was part of the team that he leads. Fat lot that decision cost him, now they were the only two left, and were now Huntsman trained criminals.

They didn't exactly part on good terms, but not on bad terms either. They were both angry at one point and simply drifted apart because of mutual lost and grief. Pushing such memories to the back of his mind once again, Marcus started paying more attention to what was around him once again. He was supposed to be back up just in case the robbery tonight went wrong. As he thought, Roman should be rounding up his men right now. As ordered from Cinder, he and Emerald are to not intervene unless absolutely necessary. Ozpin may know that Amber has fallen and someone has taken her powers, and that she had Marcus Black to support her, but he didn't need to know that they were both back in Vale right under their noses. He could understand that, and he was simply supposed to sit and wait in the Bullhead with Emerald until they were possibly needed.

"This way," Emerald spoke up again, and pulled him into a wide open alley. He let her pull him along for a few feet before letting go of his wrist and taking the lead. It really was a very wide alley, maybe the city was going to build something here eventually, but right now hidden in the darkness between two more buildings was a dark grey Bullhead, with the hatch on the side open, and Cinder waiting for them with crossed arms and that same smug smile she has taken to having on her face almost all the time.

"Darling," Cinder greeted him, she has also taken to calling him by that pet name, although they were by no means involved with each other romantically. It was a sign that he was still on her good side however. Has been since he saved her life from that maiden a while back. "Emerald, you've arrived just on time."

They were a few minutes late or so, but that didn't seem to matter in the long run. "Roman hasn't started yet?" Marcus asked as he stepped into the Bullhead, and took a seat on one of the seats. Emerald doing to same to his side. Cinder sat across from them in the cockpit, but she spun the chair around so that she could look at them. That damn smirk never leaving her face the whole time.

"He has not, but he will be very soon." Cinder informed them. "As we speak, he should be walking toward the dust store."

"This some really popular joint? Has to be if we're stealing from it."

"Don't question her!" Emerald hissed at him.

Cinder raised a hand, and just like that, Emerald clicked her mouth shut. Such control, it almost made Marcus sick thinking about what kind of sick idol she had turned Cinder into for her.

"It is. From Dust 'til Dawn is currently the most popular dust selling establishment with the highest quality, and a lot of it. There is a small amount of security to be bypassed, but Roman has already seen to that with that little pet of his."

Marcus snorted. "You mean Neo? You know she used to be an assassin too, just like me."

"As I am aware, though she could hardly be considered a threat so long as we hold Roman on our side." Cinder said. "Do you two have history? If so, do tell, it isn't like we have anything else to do until Roman and his fools give the signal."

"Hm," She was right about that much. Marcus wracked his mind about everything he knew about the mute, and then thought about what exactly to say about her. He knew the underlying reason for Cinder asking this question, she wanted to know if Neo was going to be a threat. Honestly, he doesn't really know himself. All he knows is what he has learned from her on the one mission they did go out on, and one drink they shared. "First off, as long as I've known her, she's always been mute. I think she can talk, but just refuses too. Something about her old master teaching her to never use her voice to communicate, and it just kinda stuck."

"Interesting…" The face Cinder had when she said that suggested she felt anything but.

"In terms of how good she is… she's pretty dangerous, would definitely give me a pretty rough run for my money if we had to come to blows. Might even be able to beat me. She won't be an enemy unless we do anything to Roman though, she'll stay loyal for now."

"I see." This time, Cinder smiled as she spoke. Seemingly satisfied with what she's been told. "If the time comes for her to be taken care of, I'll make sure you are the one to do it. It almost sounds poetic for me, once old allies fighting to the death."

Marcus chuckled dryly and bitterly. But did not deny her. He knew what that was like already, and refused to make it show like he did. Luckily, Cinder's scroll dinged, and without even looking at it she knew what it meant.

"It seems that Roman has started," The pilot seat automatically turned around so that she faced the controls, and the Bullhead shortly began to heat up as it turned on. Marcus strapped himself in, and Emerald did the same beside him. "Be ready for any possibility."

Marcus sat back, and shut his eyes. Just waiting for something to go wrong.

Something went wrong.

He knew it before he was told because of the sound of broken glass and gunfire. Roman also shot a text to Cinder right as it happened. Apparently, they chose the wrong dust store to rob in the middle of the night, since a young Huntress in training was currently beating up all of his men. Marcus held onto the railing and reached into his left holster for his gun. He hasn't used one in a while, but his knife wasn't always going to be useful at ranged except if he threw it, and he'd only of one shot on top of that and most of the time the ones he was fighting would be fast enough to deflect it out of the air. So he got himself a weapon, modified it, and is now in possession of a glorified MK V Atlesian Black Hand-cannon that he may or may not have stolen from a visiting Atlesian officer. After making sure it was loaded, he unclasped the straps around his body and stood up in front of the opening hatch of the Bullhead, right next to Emerald.

He saw Roman right away as they hovered up into the sky, and leaned out to catch him by the hand to pull him into the aircraft. The green eyed man then pulled out a dust crystal, waggling his eyebrows as Marcus narrowed his at him. "Just like old times buddy, say it!"

"Argh," Marcus groaned, but didn't argue. Especially since the black and red haired Huntress was taking aim with that big ass sniper rifle of hers. He didn't want any of that. "Pull!"

Roman laughed as he threw the red dust crystal, and after taking in a deep breath the world seemed to move in slow motion. The dust crystal flying through the air toward the now confused Huntress. Marcus narrowed his eyes and took aim, but not before taking a second glance toward the face down there on the rooftop. His eyes widened slightly and his lips curled up at the sides as he recognized some of the girls features. She was a Rose, that was for sure. He's only ever seen eyes like that in one other person a long time ago.

His finger squeezed in on the trigger, a moment too early.

The dust crystal exploded in front of the girl, too far to actually severely injure her but too close to not blast her away. Whether he did that on purpose or not, even though he didn't know. But as the smoke dispersed with the wind he saw a woman he knew he did not know, and she did not look happy to see him.

"We got a Huntress!" Roman exclaimed to Cinder, and ran over to her to take over the controls.

Emerald went to go take aim at the woman, but Marcus pushed her back. When she scowled at him he was quick to explain. "They don't know you exist yet, don't show yourself now." He said, and Emerald was forced to acknowledge his words as fact and strap herself in once again.

"Criminals!" The blonde Huntress aimed at them with that black riding crop of hers. She pushed up her glasses further up her nose, and wisps of purple energy started forming around her. "Surrender now, or I will take down your Bullhead!"

"Yeah, not exactly keen on either of those!" Marcus called back, not showing his face by hiding it in shadow. "How about you leave, and we can call this one a draw. Eh?"

He leaned to the side to dodge one of the blasts of purple energy, and nearly fell out of the Bullhead because of the way the thing shook when she fired the rest of them all at once. Marcus cursed and held on to the vertical railing beside the hatch with his left hand, and took aim with his hand cannon with his right. The woman's eyes went wide as she raised he riding crop to block the powerful yet silent bullet from hitting her right between the eyes, and then caught the rest of them with her semblance. Marcus took cover as his own bullets were sent right back at him, and glowered over to Roman who was still trying to convince Cinder to help them.

"Cindy we kind need you here! All I got are Bullets and she's got a semblance!" Marcus called out to her as he took aim once more, only to grunt as a sniper bullet pinged off the armour he had around his collarbone, forcing him to take cover again. "And now the little red one is shooting at me again!"

"Hah! Little Red, I like it!" Roman replied to him. "But seriously, now would be a really good time to use those fire powers of yours!"

"Fine!" Cinder exclaimed and let go of the controls. The Bullhead dipped slightly as she ran to the back of the Bullhead, but Roman dove and caught them before disaster could strike. Taking control of the Bullhead as Cinder stood in the opening of the ship and extended her hand out toward the Huntresses.

Marcus didn't see it, but he heard the sickening sound of her powers being used, and the explosion that quickly followed. He peeked out to see the carnage that was unfolding, and surprisingly the blonde Huntress was still dishing out as much damage as Cinder was. Which could only mean that Cinder wasn't going all out just yet. After hiding and hoping that none of their attacks hit him, he was relieved to hear an actual grunt of effort from Cinder as she pushed back a powerful attack, and knocked both the Huntress and the trainee down. The hatch closed, and Roman was quick to put the ship into full speed in order to get away from the authorities that were most certainly on their way.

"So," Marcus looked into the back of Roman's head as Cinder walked back to take the second pilot seat beside the master criminal. "Got beat up by a little girl did you?"

"Not me," Roman groaned. "Juniors men were weak and without aura, they didn't stand a chance. Should have known better than to go to him for muscle. Surprised he hasn't been taken out already."

"Hmph." Marcus snorted and rolled his eyes. Roman is still the same man he's always been. Annoying as shit.

"Inconvenient timing." Cinder commented, and like that the entire Bullhead was quiet. "It is not a problem however, we hardly need every ounce of dust in the city. Only what we need."

Marcus heard Roman say "Thank God," under his breath, but didn't call him out on it. Cinder was right next to him, so there was no way she didn't hear that.

"As for you two," she continued, Marcus found himself at attention once Emerald elbowed him in the side. "I applaud you for not showing yourself Emerald, even if Marcus was the one who had to tell you that."

"Thank you mam." Emerald preened.

"Do I get a compliment too?" Marcus asked, placing a hand on his chest dramatically as he fluttered his eyebrows. "Maybe on my dashing good looks? Or was it my aim?"

"The latter, actually." Cinder said, Marcus raised an eyebrow.

"I could have sworn I had pretty good aim."

"You do," Cinder easily surrendered. "Which is why I am concerned as to why neither of the Huntresses found themselves full of holes when I fought them myself. You had plenty of time to fight back after all."

Marcus tilted his head as he thought about what to say. It's true that he had the skills and the aim to maybe beat one of them back if it was only just one of them. But with a sniper shooting at him and a Huntress using her semblance to take shots at him as well, and at the same time? He was more surprised that Cinder thought so highly of him. Unless, she was referring to the stupid dust crystal that Roman told him to shoot. He shot that before it hit the ground and it blew back the red one. He didn't know if that was what she was potentially complaining about, but then again, he hardly knew what Cinder was thinking at the best of times.

"I don't know what you want me to say. I might have been able to take one of them down with my gun, but one of them had a sniper, which is much better at shooting at range than a pistol by the way, and the other was a fully trained Huntress with a powerful ranged type semblance. I don't know how good you think I might be, but even I have my limits."

"Hm," Cinder at least looked like she understood. "That is understandable, I suppose. In any case, you did well holding them back while I got prepared."

Marcus nodded his head, taking what might have been a compliment for what it was.

"So, what's next for me then?" He asked after a few moments of silence.

"At this time, there isn't anything I have for you other than assisting Roman and the White Fang on their dust robberies. Emerald will stay with you, which places you in charge of her."

"Mam-" Emerald tried to protest, but kept her mouth shut when Cinder glared at her.

"I care not for this foolish grudge you have against Mister Black, he will be in charge of you whenever I am not present, and you will listen to him. Am I clear?" Just in case Emerald didn't get the message, Cinder let one of her eyes burst into flames. Scaring Emerald into submission. Marcus chuckled as Emerald nodded her head and accepted the role as the support.

"Ah, isn't this great Mark?" Roman asked as he landed the Bullhead in the same abandoned warehouse from earlier that night. Continuing when Emerald and Cinder filed out, leaving just the two of them alone together. "Just like old times, isn't it? You and me, partners in crime going out and causing trouble. Heh, Ozpin must be rolling in his sleep knowing that he let the two of us train at his school, and come out like this."

"This isn't like back then," Marcus warned him. "I'll let this little slip up of yours slide this time, but we are not going to talk about Beacon. Not after what happened, and not after what I did. Listen to me Roman," He leaned forward onto his knees as he stared into the criminals eyes. Roman being Roman, wasn't at all intimidated. "The past is the past, and neither of us are the same person. I'm only talking about it now because you're not going to shut up until I do."

"Fair point."

"I'm not your leader or your partner anymore. If anything, I'm reluctant ally who was dragged into this mess. We're not friends, and as long as you don't do anything stupid, then I won't have to kill you under Cinder's orders."

"What's she got on you that's making you such a submissive little bitch?" Roman asked in a chuckle. Marcus didn't let himself get angry for it, this was what he expected. "I haven't seen you this whipped since-"

"Stop right there." Marcus cut him off, and stood up to leave the Bullhead. "This conversation is over."

"If you say so." Roman rolled his eyes. "See you around I guess, when we go rob a store again or something-" When he noticed that he was already gone, Roman sighed.

Marcus sat down on the bed provided for him, and to Emerald's dismay, it was the same room her bed was in, which she moved to the other side of the room as far as she could make it from his. He wouldn't be surprised if Emerald planted landmines between the two of their beds just to warn her if he tried anything stupid. He didn't have any ideas in mind, not this time anyway. He always did like to prank her.

Being in Vale again was quite the experience for him, especially after seeing Roman again. He would have rather not have Emerald put it together that Roman and he were once partners in Beacon so early on like she did, but he knew that it wasn't going to stay a secret forever. Like his father once told him many years ago, 'in order to know how to kill a Huntsman, you have to know how they fight.' and with his semblance to steal other semblances, he definitely learned how to kill them.

His hand fished around in a hidden pocket sewn into the side of his pants, and he took out a thin photo from it. A photo he hasn't cared to look at in at least a year or two. He had no emotional reaction looking at the picture, he just felt like looking at it tonight.

It was a picture of him back when he was a young stupid seventeen year old, standing with his arms crossed and a cocky expression on his face. To his right were three others, first one with his arm resting on his shoulder was the orange haired, green eyed Roman Torchwick in his younger days, and to his right was a silver haired boy with black eyes, his name was Maddox. Lastly, there was Emma Flores, the girl of the team.

Half of them would be dead before they even graduated. Marcus clenched his hand absentmindedly and then stuffed the picture back in his pocket. He didn't know why he still had it even to this day. To reminisce? Probably. They were all his friends after all, back during a time where he actually liked having friends. He pushed the memories back, and forced himself to get as good as sleep as he can.

He felt like he was going to need the rest.

And this is where it all started going downhill… Probably.

Hello all, like I said before I will be continuing this story. It is going to be a bit fast paced, but not incredibly so. This chapter is an example of that, keep in mind that Marcus is taking over from where Mercury would have in the cannon, and for the sake of not just making everything the same as the show, I will be writing original scenes and plots that doesn't take away to the cannon, but add to it. That's the plan anyway, I already have a reputation of just writing whatever comes to mind and sticking up the middle finger to the cannon. Mostly because I hate what they did to Adam, but let's not open that can of worms…

Also, yes, Roman being a student of Beacon in the past is a borrowed Idea from Coeur Al'Aran. As it says in his FAQ's, he doesn't mind if some of his ideas are borrowed. Or stolen, whatever you want to call it. I figured I'd say it here first before people start calling me a thief or something. Just in case.

Please review and let me know what you think of the story so far.

T w itter . com (slash) genatools

P a treon . com (slash) Genatools