Chapter Twelve

She must have the worst luck in the world. Of all the places for Yang to pick as their destination for an outing of dancing.

Standing behind the group of excited teenagers, minus Weiss's excitement, Ashe stares up toward the black and silver themed building. Two spotlights rotating around the double door entrance as two familiar bouncers are at the door.

Ashe hears Yang leading the girls toward the bouncers, she pauses in stride to take a deep breath. Anyone who is anyone in the underworld, knows of Junior Xiong and his club. A central hub for thieves and criminals to gather for information and job opportunities. She herself frequented this place when she was low on funds and needed to make a quick buck.

However, due to her…tiny…features she was forced to make the ruffians take her seriously in the beginning. After all, appearances are everything in the underground. If you look or appear weak, then you will be treated as a lamb to the slaughter and ripe for the picking. Who would offer someone who looks like a child, at the time she tells you, any jobs for thievery or shady business?

…Did she call herself a child? Dammit.

She did end up growing up more since then…A few inches.

"What do you mean you won't let her in?!"

"She is too young, sorry. Rules are rules."

"I'll have you know! I am a beautiful and budding young woman that is in the prime of her youth!" Ruby stomps her foot as she points toward the bald and dark-skinned bouncer with shades.

Weiss couldn't help but scoff in amusement, "As if."

Yang whirls around toward Weiss in frustration, "Totally not helping, Princess." With her piece said, Yang turns back to argue with the bouncer in a rising anger.

Ashe huffs through her nose, reaching up and straightening her hat. Looks like she is going to apply her reputation gained moniker for a while. Hopefully, she won't need it for the whole night. Maybe once they are granted entrance, she will be able to drop it in the crowd and blend in without being noticed.

As the group argues with the bouncers, Ashe slithers around like a specter and quickly picks his back pocket for his wallet. Her bell was eerily silent. Finding what she wants, she places it back without a notice. A hand gently tugs onto Blake's coattail, making her turn toward Ashe in curiosity. "Don't be afraid, keep the others in line for me."

A delicate eyebrow perks with confused amber eyes, "What?"

Without a delay, Ashe slips around Blake as the question remains unanswered. The bouncer was wearing a black Tuxedo and a white undershirt, extremely well-groomed. Ashe's bell chimes out loudly as the arguing halts and all eyes turn toward her. Even the bouncer off to the side who was wearing a matching tuxedo, except his was messy and unbuttoned with messy dark red hair and pulled back in a ponytail toward his mid back.

"Mm, Rude, its been quite a while, hasn't it?" Ashe tilts her head to the side with a widening of her lips into a small grin. Honey colored orbs glazing over into a soft dull. Ashe's gloved hand slowly raises and cups along her own cheek. "You are certainly living up to your name, being so Rude to my acquaintances in my presence." A shine glistens within her dull colored eyes, lips twisting up into a playful and savage grin. "When did you become suicidal?"

Rude raises his hands with a step back in surrender, "A-ah, Fairy. I did not know these were acquaintances of yours. But rules are rules. My deepest apologies, ma'am." Rude clasps his arms to his sides and gives her a polite bow. "Junior would be most angry if I let someone young in again."

Team RWBY could only watch on as Ashe takes a step forward toward Rude with her arms slowly raising, "Of course, rules are rules. How could I forget. Silly me. Wouldn't want to make Junior angry at you, now would we?" Soft gloved hands caress along Rude's cheeks as he begins to sweat while staring into her shining honey eyes that grow duller in the passing seconds.

"But…" Ashe's lips twist upward sadistically and with glee, "If my friend can't get in, that would make me sad…I would cry and have to visit a dear old friend of mine to console myself." With a soft hum, she tilts her head toward the other side, "Where did he live again? Oh, that's right. Apartment complex 7th Heaven, suite 208."

Rude suddenly quakes in fear at the location. That is his new housing. How does she know where he lives? He just moved in recently, and the only person who knows is Reno. "Don't you remember?" Soft gloved hands caress his dark skin, leaning herself forward toward his ear, "The Tooth Fairy isn't the only Fairy to visit you in your sleep."

Rude snaps away in fear with a step back before staring down at her from behind his shades. Ashe could easily feel the shocked expressions of team RWBY on her back, but she ignores it for now. A hand suddenly plops onto Rude's chest as the other bouncer makes his presence known, "Now, now, let's not get so hasty here."

Ashe flicks her gaze toward the other familiar figure. "Ah, Reno! It has been a while. Junior treating you well?"

Reno raises a hand to rub onto the back of his neck lazily, "Ah, ya know, the usual. We have been his little errand boys lately. Smuggle this, smuggle that, beat this guy up, kick that guy's ass. He's running us ragged. We have been short-handed since a while back. Apparently, some job went belly-up during a dust heist and some of the boys were taken out."

That tickles on her memory, he isn't talking about the guys she took out, is he? They did look a bit familiar, and they were with Torchwick. He likes to deal with Junior.

"Mm, such a shame. He is going to lose another one so soon as well." Well, that's not her problem. They attacked her after all. Junior always warned his goons not to trifle with her after the incident, but they must have been new-comers.

"Aw, cut him some slack, Fairy." Reno gives Rude a smack on his chest with the back of his hand, "You know how much of a stuck-up ass he is about the rules. Tell ya what." Reaching into back pocket, he pulls out his wallet and hands out a carded Lien toward Ashe. "You ladies go on in and have the first round on me."

Ashe gives a teasing smirk as her hand reaches out and snatches the Lien from his hand. "You always were my favorite, Reno. It's a wonder why you haven't settled down with a woman yet."

"Hah!" Reaching out, Reno presses one of the double doors open before waving them through with a grin, "You know me, not just any woman can tie me down."

Ashe paces forward while looking over her shoulder and waving the Lien card around that he gave her, team RWBY following her with confused and gob smacked expressions. "I seem to remember a certain blond woman catching your fancy."

"Blond? Who—Oh, no way." Reno waves his hand around dismissively, "She nags me way too much. Not gonna happen. Now you ladies have a good time. Don't forget to give Junior your regards."

"Mm." Before long, the door closes behind them, team RWBY and Ashe find themselves at the entrance with another set of double doors before them and a window to their right with a ticket booth. "We don't need to pay, just head o—" Four sets of hands grab onto her shoulders and spin her around. Her bell chimes before finding herself staring into four sets of colorful eyes.

Yang is at the forefront of the group, placing both hands upon Ashe's shoulders and looking down at her with a neutral, yet questioning gaze. "Ashe, what the hell was that?"

Ah, that's right. She kind of forgot about team RWBY there for a minute. This is going to be awkward. With a blink of her eyes, Ashe holds out the Lien card toward Yang. "What was what? You'll have to be more specific." She was not expecting all of team RWBY to speak up at once. Raising her hand in a stop gesture, they calm back down a minute later. "One at a time and one question each."

Yang was the first person up as usual, "Since when did you have so much street-cred to pull a stunt like that?"

A soft shrug of her shoulders, "A while back honestly, I do not really like to flaunt it. It just ends up leaving a trail. Next."

Blake steps up after looking over team RWBY before back to Ashe, "How did you earn such a reputation around here?"

Ashe's nose twitches ever so softly, "Well, I had to do a few…unsavory…tactics for people to take me seriously and not look down on me. They learned really fast, not to cross me."

Weiss crosses her arms and shifts her weight back onto her right leg, "Why were they calling you 'Fairy'?"

Another shrug of her shoulder with her head cocking to the side in a 'what can you do', manner, "I have never told anyone my name, so eventually someone just decided to give me that moniker and it stuck. I would like to keep it that way if possible, so refrain from saying my name in front of people if you can. If it got out, that could turn out bad for me."

Weiss frowns heavily at the statement but is unable to respond as Ruby steps forward for her turn. She looks timid for some reason and shuffles around on her feet. Looking up at Ashe, Ruby raises her hood up to partially hide her head. "Ashe…have you killed people?"

Silence slams into the small room at the innocent and heavy question. Weiss tightens and grips onto her biceps as Blake shuffles her heels and looks anywhere but toward Ashe. Yang flicks her lilac eyes between Ruby and Ashe with her lips thin but understanding.

Without a word, Ashe thrusts forward with her arm and smacks the Lien card into Yang's chest. Said golden girl grasps it easily into her palm. Whirling around with a chime of her bell, Ashe retreats toward the inner doors and pauses with a hand upon the handle. "I did not have an easy childhood. Leave it at that."

The door springs open with a loud creak as blaring music bursts through the gap before Ashe disappears into the club.

"Well, that happened." Pocketing the Lien card, Yang whirls around and runs a hand through her lock of gold. "So far, Girls Night is off to a bad start. I was honestly not expecting us to get in with Ruby joining us, but boy, that sure was a surprise."

Receiving no response, Yang sighs before loudly clapping her hands to get the teams attention. "Alright ladies, we came here to have a good time. So, lets just go on in and enjoy ourselves. We can work this out later back at the dorm."

"So, what do we do now?" Spoke out Blake in uncertainty.

"Now?" Yang whirls around and paces toward the door with a sashay of her hips. Turning around in a half-turn with a grin, "We go out there, drink, shake our ass, and have fun. Let's go girls." Yang's brows suddenly furrow in before pointing toward Ruby, "Except you, none of that. You're too young for my taste."

"What?! That's not fair!"

"Tough, life's not fair, Sis." Thrusting open the door, music once more blares into the room. Yang sways out into the club like she owns the place as Ruby chases after her complaining.

Blake and Weiss remain in the small room. Amber eyes slowly turn toward Weiss, "What do you think?"

Cold blue stares toward the door in a scowl, "I think, that Ashe has a lot of explaining to do when we get back. I'd stay on guard if I was you. I am." With her piece said, Weiss stomps forward with an angry click of her heels, disappearing into the club with a flick of her snow colored pony-tail.

Blake could only blink her eyes and cross her arms uncertainly. Repeating what Ashe told her earlier within her mind, 'Don't be afraid, keep them in line.' With a huff, Blake struts forward with her hands at her sides before speaking to herself, "Sure, leave it to the quiet one that hates interacting with people to keep others in line. How could this possibly go wrong?"

Music blares into her ears after stepping into the dance room. The design was simple, black walls with silver trimming and white lights. There was an occasional red bulb illuminating the corners, the center of the room was tilted with glowing white tiles for a large dance floor, as the surrounding area was for tables and sitting area. On the opposite end, is a high area with a disk jockey playing music, toward the right far end wall is a long bar against the wall with stools.

Thankfully, Yang and Weiss stood out like beacons within all the dull colors. Quickly pacing toward them in a strut, Blake ignores the person that attempted to talk to her with practiced ease, not even flicking her eyes in his direction. Blake approaches the table of team RWBY and quickly takes her seat.

Yang is the first to turn her direction with a large smile of pearly whites, "There ya are! We were waiting for you. I went ahead and ordered a drink for you, so it should be here any second. We have to stake our claim at this table before we can start the party."

Weiss's light blue eyes inspect the dwelling with a keen eye, as if she was looking for something. "And exactly, how do we 'claim' a table? If none of us remain, what is to stop someone from taking it for themselves?"

Ruby looks like a caffeinated squirrel gazing around with over-enthusiasm. Going so far as to kneel upon her chair and look over the back rest. Yang rolls her eyes with a smile, she always wanted to bring her sister dancing with her. She knows how much Ruby hates to dance, but her curiosity won over her hatred for it. She will have to thank Ashe and team RWBY for that. A twinge of a frown breaks through at the thought of Ashe, but before it could continue, a tall and blond woman approaches their table with a boyish type of haircut as long bangs curve over the right side of her face.

Blake couldn't help but blink at her professional aura, brown eyes quickly scanning over the young ladies in interest before she begins to grasp the drinks on her tray and hand them out. "Strawberry Sunrise for the blond, White Russian for the snow-haired woman, virgin strawberry margarita for the kid—"

"Who you callin' a kid?!"

"Cheshire Cat Cocktail for the sultry lady."

Blake couldn't help but arch a brow toward the blond woman. Sultry? Is that how people seriously look at her and label her as with first glance? Should she feel insulted or grateful? "You are not going to question giving alcohol toward young women?"

Yang looks toward Blake in alarm, "Blake!"

"Hmph." Placing the empty tray under her arm, the woman looks down toward Blake with a professional manner. "Tell me, with those weapons on your persons, are you huntresses-in-training and have fought grimm before?"

Weiss reaches for her drink patiently, giving it a soft jingle as the ice clicks against the old fashion glass in a soft chime. "Of course." Taking a sip, Weiss leans back casually with a leg crossing over the other. The White Russian was always her favorite drink.

Brown eyes turn toward Weiss, "As I suspected. As you all know, there are no true laws restricting alcohol being served, considering the threat of grimm always at our walls. It is more of a moral restriction at an individual's discretion. As for my discretion, 'Old enough to kill Grimm, Old enough to drink.'"

Yang reaches for her drink and takes a quick drink before turning toward the waitress. "Kinda lax, isn't it?"

The blond turns toward Yang for a moment, "The way I see it, if a huntsman can not control their drinking habits, then they are a piss-poor huntsman and will be dead anyways. It is not difficult to control your intake, and to truly get drunk is easily avoidable."

Ruby and Yang hunch over as if they were just sucker punched in the gut. Both girls thinking of the same person with a drinking problem within their minds.

"She's not wrong you know." Everyone turns toward Weiss as she continues to sip carefully from her beverage with elegance that is misplaced within the club. "I have been drinking since I was in my early teens, and never once did I ever get drunk or even sick. It is all about control."

With a grin, the blond turns and walks away from the group of girls in a professional strut in her dress slacks and white button-up blouse. Weiss once more shakes her drink, feeling the gazes of her teammates directly on her. Mentally counting down, she bets to herself, who the first person to speak up will be. Her money is on Yang.

"Weiss, you've drank before?!"

Drat, it was Ruby.

"Of course, hasn't everyone?" Seriously, doesn't everyone get curious about it at one point and just feel like taking a sip to see what its all about?

Yang smirks while crossing a leg and resting an elbow upon the table. Her chin rests upon her palm with a smirk toward Weiss, "Well~, now you've caught my fancy, Princess. What made you start so young? My Uncle didn't let me take a drink with him till late last year."

Ruby looks gob smacked before slamming her palms upon the table and leaping toward Yang, "What?! Uncle Qrow let you drink?! That's so unfair!"

Weiss smirks with the corner of her lips toward Yang and shifts legs around before leaning upon the table with an elbow. "Let's just say, Mommy has issues, I was curious, and what Daddy doesn't know, doesn't hurt."

Yang bawks out a laughter while smacking her palm upon the table in mirth. "Looks like I was wrong about you, Princess. I think this might be the start of a beautiful friendship. I didn't think you had that type of side in you." Yang outstretches her drink halfway toward the center.

Stretching out her hand with a grin, Weiss clacks her glass against Yang's. "There's a lot you don't know about me."

A third glass out reaches and gives a clack against both Weiss's and Yang's glasses. Blake tilts her head to the side with a soft smile, "You know, I had my doubts about this team in the beginning. But maybe we all got off on the wrong foot."

A fourth glass slams into their collection enthusiastically from Ruby. "Count me in too! I may be young, but I'll do my best to not let you all down!" All four girls then take a swing of their drinks. Ruby stands to her feet, slams a foot on the chair, and thrusts a finger out toward the dance floor heroically. "Team RWBY, Operation Sunday Night Fever is a go!" Leaving her glass on the table, she begins to march toward the dance floor before suddenly stopping. Imitating a robot, Ruby whirls around and mechanically marches back to the table. "On second thought, I'll just stay here."

A hand roughly grasps onto the back of her hood and begins to draw her back toward the dance floor, "Oh no you don't. You are dancing tonight, and you will enjoy it." Ruby struggles against Yang's grasp and flairs out in despair.

"No! Please! I have two left feet! They are not right!" Suddenly, Blake and Weiss surround her with hands clasped upon her shoulders with small smirks. "Not you guys too!" Ruby is easily dragged away and into the dance floor by all three of the ladies. The table occupied by team RWBY's beverages to signal their claim over it.

Yang pumps a fist into the air in a whoop as she shouts out in joy. "In with a Yang! Let's show em how we do it girls!"

"Nooooo~"

Honey eyes calmly watch as team RWBY disappears into the dance floor. Ashe's gaze lingers for a moment longer before she swirls around on the bar stool at the corner of the long and red glowing bar. A napkin is placed before her as a frozen strawberry sangria is placed before her. Across the bar is a typically dressed bartender with black gloves. His eyes were black, and he has a short, clean cut hairstyle with his sideburns tracing along his jawline into a beard and mustache.

"I haven't seen you in a while. What brings you here?"

Ashe stirs the small straw within her beverage, "Some acquaintances of mine wanted to come dancing, and coincidently, here we are."

"Ah, that's fine so long as they do not cause me any problems." Grabbing a dirty glass, he begins to clean it calmly. "Especially the blond one, she busted my place up a while back. The girls are not too thrilled about her."

Her eyes narrow with the glass raised and over her lips in a near sip. "Speaking of problems, Junior. I believe I had a run in with some of your…boys a while back. Were they with Torchwick by chance?"

The now named Junior glances toward Ashe out the corner of his eye before groaning out with a roll of his eyes. "Of course, that's just my luck. I told them countless times, not to mess with Fairy. I don't care who the client is, but they were mostly a batch of rookies." Setting the now clean glass under his counter, Junior spreads his arms and leans onto the bar top. "You roughed them up pretty good, so I think they learned their lesson. Shame they got cuffed though."

Ashe takes a quick swing of her drink, "Mm, they should consider themselves lucky I didn't kill them. However, Torchwick was the one to sic them on me." Her glass thuds against the table top, clasping her fingers together, she looks toward Junior with an eerie shine to her eyes. "I have a debt to settle with him."

Junior gives her a one over before shaking his head humorously, "For once, I pity that bastard, but you're in luck." Leaning onto the bar top, Junior glances around suspiciously, leaning toward Ashe as she leans forward as well. "Word on the street, he has been holding a few recruitment rallies. A few sources of mine tell me he is in need of manpower. It makes sense, considering my boys are locked down, so he lost some muscle. Now, this is unverified, but a few hours ago, I heard his latest rally is today, and is being held just down the street at the old food storage house."

"Mm." Leaning back, Ashe takes hold of her drink from the top by her fingers and swishes it around a moment. "Information is never free, why did you tell me?"

"Heh." Junior leans back as he reaches up toward his vest pocket and pulls out a cigarette. "Consider it as an apology for my boys trying to ruff you up." Twirling the cancer stick around, he points it into the crowd toward a certain golden-haired woman with an annoyed scowl. "Also, as insurance to keep her from wrecking up my place again. Repairs aren't cheap."

Ashe smirks while taking a quick swing of her drink before tipping it toward Junior, "Then next time, don't get your asses kicked."

"Like, we totally didn't get our asses kicked."

"For sure, we at least put up more of a fight than he did."

Two familiar twins saddle onto Ashe's sides as they cross their arms haughtily. The first twin with long black hair like a princess, a large and fluffy white scarf that is also a small upper back cloak, she wore a white battle skirt with light blue frills and a bow on her chest. The combat skirt was sleeveless and exposes her back and arms with thigh-high garter stockings with red stitching. A glare shines from the back of her heels from the deadly blades attached.

The second twin wore the same combat skirt, but in a different color scheme. A dark red with black frills, bow, and equally large scarf that double serves as a small cloak. Her black hair was shorter and cut around her jaw line. A glimmer shines from the blades attached to her wrists like claws, sharp and deadly.

Both of their eyes were a beautiful malachite green with a tinge of mischief.

"Hey, Melanie, like, do you think Fairy would forgive us if we attacked that blondie?" The red themed twin leans onto the bar top and looks over toward the white themed twin.

Melanie leans onto the bar, "Honestly, that would be totally rad if she did. We seriously owe that girl some retribution, Miltia." Miltia and Melanie both hum to each other as they shift their gaze toward Ashe.

With a simple shrug, Ashe responds amused, "If you two believe you stand a chance. However, you would be outnumbered, so I would wait for another day."

"Like, what a total bore."

"Cha, total snore-fest. C'mon Miltia, lets go find some entertainment."

Junior rolls his eyes with a sigh as the twins depart with a flare and upturned noses. "I swear, those two are always trying to cause mischief. They will put me in an early grave before Reno does."

"If you do, let me know beforehand. I want that jewelry box you keep hidden under the floor with the nightstand over it. I liked the sunglasses and rings." With another chug, Ashe slams the empty glass down and slowly hops off the stool with a soft thud.

A warning.

Junior watches her with a disturbed expression, the cigarette lit within his mouth. Raising a hand slowly, he calmly takes it from his lips and puffs out a small cloud of smoke. "Fairy, you are one scary bitch. Get out of here before I shit my pants, I like this pair. Snug and comfy." Ashe slowly looks over her shoulder toward him, a large and creepy grin smearing onto her lips. Junior shivers before she continues her way back to the entrance.

Warning received.

She pauses mid-step with a hand upon the first set of doors. Her honey colored eyes flicker toward the corner and attempt to peek behind her. Ashe can feel a gaze upon her…no…two? It's faint…or maybe she's imagining it? Better safe than sorry, throwing the door open, Ashe quickly flies out through the next set and leaps toward Reno.

Said crimson haired male blinks toward her with a neutral expression. Ashe reaches for a Lien card from her pay and hands it toward him with a serious expression. "You don't know which direction I went."

Reno snatches it quickly ands nods, "Got it, get goin'. I'll delay whoever comes through."

"Mm." Without further pause, Ashe sprints down the street before veering westward. If she remembers correctly, the old Food Storage warehouse was west of Junior's club. Occasionally looking over her shoulder, she finds nothing but shadows. Street posts flicker, most not even illuminating light from shattered bulbs in her midnight venture.

Before long, a multi-story, abandoned warehouse comes into view. A large grain silo is toward the back with rust coating it's old metal. Finding a window broken on the second floor, Ashe leaps and flicks her dagger toward the old brick as it easily buries and lifts her toward the entry-way. Before entering, she hangs from her dagger and peers into the vast darkness to find it clear. Entering without a sound, Ashe sticks to the shadows of the empty floor.

Abandoned tools liter the vast room with random brick pillars for structural support. 'Not on the second floor…too obvious. Food Warehouse…where would you hold a rally that you want to be secretive?' Tracing along the shadows and avoiding any moonlight from the shattered windows, she finds the long, slope ramp down to the first floor. Ashe could tell it was used for large carts shipping product between floors. 'The cold storage would be the best bet. One entrance, no windows, very little ventilation for sneaking around.'

Stealthily making her way to the first floor, she finds it bare and empty as well. Looking down along the ground, Ashe finds fresh foot prints imprinted within the cake of dust. There was quite a few of them, so multiple people have come this way. Looks like that information was accurate. A loud clang startles Ashe into a perk toward the warehouse entrance. Without delay, she melds into the shadows like an apparition.

Before long she can hear voices growing closer. Easily male and somewhat young, peering around the brick pillar, she is proven correct. Three males are following the trail and talking amongst themselves. They appear to be your average human. Nothing special.

Ashe shadows their steps as they lead her toward the cold storage. A large metal door that creaks loudly in age. Without delay, Ashe catapults toward the door before it could close and holds it open with a gap. Peering through the door, she finds the cold storage is vast with empty steel racks and a few hanging lights that are lit. With the coast clear, Ashe slithers into the cold storage and sticks low to the ground. She then trails along the walls to quickly map out the area from out of view. Ashe couldn't help but raise a brow at the lack of guards. Not even a look-out. Torchwick must truly be hurting for manpower.

Wonderful.

Starting from her lonely corner, Ashe leaps and flips upon the abandoned steel racks toward the top. With measured steps, Ashe cautiously trails along the top, making sure her steps do not echo. Before long she reaches toward the center of the cold storage, after leaping from one rack to the other with the grace of a silent panther.

There, in the center was a small hastily made platform of boxes with plywood topping. A smirk appears upon her lips at the sight of her prey. Torchwick is on the platform with his cane twirling absentmindedly. She couldn't make out what he was saying, but he was in mid-speech about payment. Ashe couldn't help but snort, he did not pay much for grunts.

Cheap bastard.

With a steel rack on either side behind him, Ashe retreats into the shadows, and takes a long route around. Along the way, she finds a forgotten bolt and scoops it into hand. Standing above him from his right, Ashe looks down at Torchwick and absentmindedly tosses the bolt up and down in hand. 'This is almost too easy…'

Ashe shrugs, sometimes that happens. You would assume a job would be more difficult than it is. She's not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Ashe furrows a brow in a random thought, unless it is a trojan horse. Then she's looking that horse in the mouth.

Without further ado, Ashe stands at the edge with a gleam in her honey coated eyes. Squeezing the bolt in hand, she throws it in the distance toward Roman's left into the steel racks. Never taking her eyes off the target, Ashe unholsters her daggers and holds them in reverse grip. Ashe leaps off the steel racks in a slow arch toward Torchwick.

Ping.

The bolt slams against the rusted metal as silence reigns. The distraction works. Roman turns toward the source as does the small crowd of ten or so. A small shadow forms over Torchwick from the hanging light above. Quickly, the shadow begins to grow at a massive rate. Realization dawns upon him as he whirls around with a wide green eye.

It's too late.

Ashe's blades sink into his flesh at the collarbone. Slamming him down onto his back with her small frame using his broader form as a cushion. Yet, something strange happens. There's no blood, cracks begin to splinter from the wounds.

Then reality shatters like glass.

Danger pings to her left, Torchwick's body disappearing like pieces of shattered glass, Ashe rolls toward her right with her dagger striking upward to parry a needle like blade from stabbing into her skull. The assaulting figure does not relent. Righting herself up, the first thing to come to view are mismatched eyes in a grin. The needle reaching between Ashe's eyes with deadly precision.

Tucking toward her right, Ashe narrowly avoids the blow as it slices against her cheek. Her aura protecting from any puncture. Ashe retaliates at her assaulter. Dashing forward, the figure was nearly matched in height. Perhaps an inch or two taller. Ashe's right tests the waters with a horizontal swipe.

A lithe hand quickly reaches out and smacks onto her fist in a parry. The small hand covered in a black glove; pink cuffs connected to a white, long-sleeve dress shirt that's cut under the woman's bust. A golden button holding it together with a pink matching collar.

Swirling her dagger within her fingers, she stabs toward the female assailant's chest. The lower part of her chest like that of a black leotard that disappears into black dress slacks and white upper-calf heel-boots. A wall of white, brown, and pink suddenly blooms into view and forces Ashe to retreat. Sliding to a halt, her daggers are raised defensively.

She can finally view her assailant; the mismatched eyes were correct. The left being a chocolate brown with the right a pink. It matched her hair which was also mismatched. The left side of her head a brushed back chocolate brown, as the right side was pink with streaks of white. A smug grin adored her lips as an umbrella was propped open and resting upon her shoulder. That must have been the sudden wall of colors.

"Ho-hoh! That was a close one, nearly made me shit my pants there. You really, live up to your name, Fairy." Roman Torchwick strolls up besides the nearly equally small woman with a hand upon his heart. "If it wasn't for Neo here, I would be meeting ol granny Torchwick in the afterlife." With a twirl of his cane, he slams it onto the ground with a thud as the crowd begins to flee from the growing conflict. "So, what brings you to see me? Besides my dazzling good looks and roguish charm."

Ashe slowly stands into a relaxed stance as she twirls a dagger and points it toward Roman. "You tried to kill me."

Torchwick looks toward her before glancing down in thought toward Neo before back at Ashe, "Honey, you'll have to be more specific. I try to kill lots of people."

She startles back slightly in surprise. Seriously? Ashe glances toward Neo questioningly, "What are you talking about, we used to pull a few heists back in the day for some quick cash. You sent Junior's goons on me like two weeks ago. Which I might say, is what pisses me off more than your attempt to kill me. Junior's goons? Really? They can't even kill a defenseless rodent."

Roman remains silent as he contemplates what she said. He tilts toward Neo who merely shrugs a shoulder and smiles with a nod. He then turns back toward Ashe with a nod. "Okay, fair point. I would be pissed off too if someone sent those buffoons to take me out. That's an insult. My bad. Tell you what, how about I make it up to you?"

She knows he's full of it, but she will play along for now, "Mm, and how do plan to do that? I know your funds are running low, so I doubt you have enough Lien. I don't think you have anything I want either."

"What? Oh, heavens no. You're misunderstanding me. I don't mean I'll appease you or anything like that. I mean, I'll send a better assassin that isn't so much of an insult. I mean, just look at her!" Roman turns toward Neo and thrusts his hands out like he's showing off a prized object. "Neopolitan!"

Neo raises her hands and cups her cheeks with a playful shocked expression before looking between Ashe and Roman and pointing at herself. "So ladylike." A curtsy. "So strong!" A flex of her bicep with a smug grin. "Intelligent!" A shuffling of imaginary glasses. "She's smokin' hot!" Neo blushes while pulling on her collar with one hand and the other fans herself with a bat of her eyes. "But most importantly, a deadly and lethal assassin." With a smirk, Neo raises her hand and slides her thumb across her neck with a sadistic grin.

"Neat…How much does she cost? I wouldn't mind one of my own." Ashe points her dagger toward Neo with a tilt of her head. "What do you say? I know how much of an annoying bastard he can be. He never shuts up."

Neo cups her chin, looking toward Roman before back to Ashe. She nods her head and shrugs. "Neo! Do you really think that about me too?"

Neo nods while Ashe speaks out for her, "Of course she does."

"You know what, have it your way. You two have fun and knock yourselves out. I have a new matter to attend too." Roman begins to walk off before he turns and walks backwards. "I'll see you at home Neo, and Fairy…" Raising a hand, he takes his hat and tips it off in a farewell gesture, "I bid you…adieu." The green gleam of a mischief eye disappears into the shadows.

With Roman disappearing, Ashe turns toward Neo who in turn is staring toward her with an eerie smile. "Don't suppose you'll let me chase after him." A negative shake of her head. "I'll buy you some ice cream."

Neo taps a finger against her chin in deep thought. The same hand then lowering and rubbing at her tummy in circles. Clenching her eyes, Neo shakes her head in a negative. "Bummer…Oh well, lets make this quick. I still have a score to settle. He will learn, to respect the Fairy."

After a small pause, both assassins rush one another in silent steps. Neo has more range with her umbrella and makes ample use of it. A quick thrust forces Ashe downward to the ground. Swiping upward, Neo rotates toward the side to easily avoid the blow. Her hand thrusting out to catch Ashe's second hand before it could swipe. Both glare at one another with grins.

Ashe lashes out with her left foot in a sweep. Neo's left also lashes out as both shins smack against each other in a block. Wrestling her hand free from Neo's grip, Neo quickly pirouette's and lashes out with her umbrella in her left.

The heavier weapon slam's against Ashe's while she attempts to block it with her own left. Before she could counter with a stab with her right, a click sounds as the umbrella flares open. Neo shoves it forward in a thrust, forcing Ashe to push herself away from the wonky and awkward parasol. Neo continues her assault in a rush, closing the parasol and dragging it toward the side in her right.

Twisting to her side, Neo's left leg raises and snaps a kick toward Ashe's mid body. The back of her right hand raises to block the blow, as the left leg then snaps again toward her head. Dodging down, Ashe swipes toward the offending leg. In a show of flexibility, Neo raises it straight up with a grin and drops it down in an axe kick.

Ashe thrusts forward and slams her shoulder into Neo's chest. With the wind being knocked out of her chest, Neo lashes out with her right and slams it into Ashe's midriff in her flight back. Both girls raise a hand to hold onto their midriffs, blow-for-blow.

"Mm, you're pretty good." It is a new experience to fight someone of equal height. Well, Neo was taller by an inch or so, but close enough. Ashe doubts she will find someone at her height that is not a growing child.

Neo tilts her head with a smile and nods once before pointing toward Ashe and giving a thumbs up.

A sudden pain thunders through Ashe's head, forcing her to wince in discomfort. A feeling as if something was thrashing within her mind, attempting to escape. Ashe swirls her daggers between her fingers to advert the pain. 'Stay out of this.'

Neo couldn't help but look toward Ashe with confusion, leaning backwards onto one leg with a hand cocked upon her hip. It doesn't last for long, one-minute Ashe was a healthy distance away. The next blink, Ashe is before her with a dangerous gleam. Neo sputters a moment and raises her parasol in a defense.

A rising snap kick from Ashe's right thrusts upward and slams the umbrella upward with a loud smack. The metals attached to her boots proving their usage in kicking power and defense. Her heterochromia eyes widening in shock, Ashe thrusts forward in a butterfly stab with both blades. They find their prey in a deep gorge.

Her eyes narrow with a dangerous glint. Once again, cracks thunder from the punctures as reality shatters. Neo was sliding back with a deep frown and a hand holding her chest. A fraction of a second later, she would be more fatally wounded. Her Aura held up nicely, but she may bruise later. She's out of her league. Her mission is complete, she delayed her long enough. Torchwick should be long gone by now.

Giving Ashe a curtsy bow, Neo sprints away into the aisle toward the entrance with a soft clack of her heeled boots. "Tsk." Ashe follows suit into the adjacent aisle to keep stride with Neo. She's left with two options. One, take her out and lose her lead. Two, nip at her heels and hope she leads her to Torchwick. The first one will be difficult now. Neo will be more on guard for her burst of speed since the first attack failed.

Option two was better anyways.

Neo twists her head to look toward the next aisle through the empty steel racks. She finds Ashe keeping stride easily. The steel beams occasionally blotting her out for a half second.

She's gone.

Neo quickly looks up; Ashe is descending from above after leaping between the racks. She thrusts upward with her parasol and opens it defensively. Ashe slams her feet upon it and mindful of the pole with the hidden needle. Neo swings her parasol toward her right, but Ashe snakes around like a serpent from the left.

Spinning like a torpedo, a blade lashes toward Neo who uses her left to grab hold of Ashe's wrist and pull her around. Spinning in a circle, Neo tosses her away toward the racks. Ashe flips with a hold of her hat. Landing upon the second level, the chase continues.

Neo keeps her gaze upward as they near the entrance, a firm stare toward Ashe.

With a flick of her wrist and glint of light, a dagger flings through the air in Neo's path. Pulling herself forward, Ashe blocks the way. Dashing forward, Ashe swipes out in a horizontal blow. Neo bends over backwards, as her legs kick out in a bicycle kick. Her backflip is easily done without hands. Thankfully which allows her to block a fist from Ashe's right.

Her smug smile is gone and only a neutral expression remains upon Neo's lips. Pushing forward, Neo forces Ashe to backpedal as the two exchange a flurry of blows. Neo's flexibility and agile proving a formidable evasion. Spinning like a top, Neo slams her parasol in a downward blow. Chunks of cement slamming upward from the power. While Ashe dodged back, Neo angles it upward and clicks it open before she could retaliate.

Rushing forward, Neo shoves Ashe away toward a steel rack. She has arrived at her first destination. Sprinting through the metal door, Neo does not bother to look back. Instead of running straight toward the warehouse entrance, she takes a hard left and rushes toward a weakened window. With the grace of a wrecking ball, Neo slams through with a loud bang.

Secrecy is out the window.

Literally.

Sprinting along the side alley, Neo quickly leaps up the fire escape toward the abandoned buildings. Reaching the rooftops, her heels click loudly in her hasty retreat. Neo easily bounds over between buildings with the help of her parasol. Looking back, she finds no one behind her. Yet she can feel a tingling on the back of her neck.

Someone's following her.

Suddenly, a bullhead roars into being further down her path. The side panel opens as Torchwick holds out a hand toward her. The tingle grows more erratic as she nears Roman. Deciding to trust in her instinct, Neo leaps toward Roman's outstretched hand. As he pulls her upward, she continues forward relentlessly and slams into him. Roman yells out in shock, and then it hits.

An arrow slams into her side in a bright color of ash. Her aura shatters and Neo pummels into the ground before rolling and slamming her back against the interior of the bullhead. There she remains unmoving and unconscious like a ragdoll.

Torchwick gapes in shock, before snarling. Grabbing onto the side of the door, he looks out and finds Ashe with her bow at the ready on the edge of the building. He could easily see the smirk upon her lips, her low pigtails on the back of her head fluttering in the wind. His fist tightens and quakes at unbridled fury. "Fairy…I will get you for this. Mark my word."

"Now swear to respect the Fairy. You will learn your place."

Torchwick raises his cane, a cross-air popping up with a deep scowl on his features. "Go to hell." With a loud bang, a flare shoots out from his cane. Ashe releases her charged bow as the two collide within the open space. A shockwave bellows out before a boom erupts into a fireball. The bullhead rushes off into the night safely.

Torchwick kneels over Neo to roll her over onto her back. Giving her a quick one over, he sighs in relief. A scowl returns at the thought of Fairy. Reaching into his trench coat, he pulls out a scroll. Finding the number, he wants, he dials it and lets it ring. Not three rings later, it is answered. "Put her on." Roman leans against the wall and props a knee up. His arm rests upon the knee, "If you want me to fully commit to this operation of yours...I have an…extermination problem for you to help me with. Deal?" A smirk is all he releases, a dangerous glint shimmering within his green eye.

As the bullhead disappears into the distance, a hunched figure stands upon the decaying food silo. A black, ragged, hooded-cloak covering their entire being. However, its gaze was not on the bullhead, no. It was staring intently toward Ashe. Watching her with mirth and ravaged interest. The figure begins to quiver slightly, "Hak-hak, I've found you." Black smoke begins to swirl around the cloaked figure before it is gone without a spec.

Ashe whirls around in alarm toward the food silo but finds the top abandoned and empty. Honey colored eyes scan everywhere, her instincts blared to life like a thunderous war drum. Was she imagining it? No. She was always taught to trust in her instincts. Better to be cautious and wary than dead and buried. Someone else was here, she did not notice them.

Pathetic.

She should know better than to let her guard down. "Ashe!" She whirls around with her bow drawn and ready toward the source. "Woah, watch it, it's just us. Didn't mean to spook ya." Ashe sighs at the sight of Yang and team RWBY. Lowering her weapon, she slowly holsters it back into position on her lower back.

Blake steps forward while looking around cautiously before turning toward Ashe, "I saw you leave and tried to follow you, but that bouncer guy kept getting in my way."

Yang is the next to approach with a smirk upon her lips and a fist cocked upon her hip. "Yea looks like you had one hell of a party without us. You didn't even invite me. Ashe, I'm hurt."

Suddenly, a cold, chill crawls out through Ashe's spine. Loud and angry heels clack against the rooftop as Weiss stomps elegantly toward Ashe like a blizzard. Weiss stares down Ashe, barely an inch away. Her cold and thin finger jabs into Ashe's chest accusingly. "What did you do?"

Ashe blinks, "What makes you think I d—"

The finger stabs further against her chest with each annunciation. "What. Did. You. Do?"

Her lips thin into a line. The finger uncomfortable and cold to the touch. Softly blinking, she stares into those cold and demanding light blue eyes. And demand answers did they ever. Glancing behind her, she could see the rest of team RWBY looking at her with their own volumes of worry. They won't let her go without some form of answer. Well, not like it was anything too serious in her books. "Let's just say, someone tried to kill me a while back, and again just now. I just returned the favor."

The finger stabbing into her chest slowly falls away, those cold blue eyes slowly warming up into confusion, "What?"

Before the finger could fully fall away, Ashe raises her own and gently bats it away. Slowly walking around Weiss toward the rest of team RWBY. "Exactly as I said. They tried to kill me, so I returned the favor. An eye-for-an-eye. Regretfully, they got away."

Ruby steps forward with her hands playing with her hood, "You tried to kill them?"

Ashe nods without a delay, "Of course. They tried to kill me twice, so I returned the favor." Approaching the edge of the building, she waves a hand in a 'look around you' gesture. "This is the real world, Ruby. Look, do you see any authority figures rushing to see what that explosion was? No, because they know this area is out of their jurisdiction. It belongs to the underground."

Yang blinks and approaches Ashe with a neutral and questioning expression, "What are you talking about?"

She couldn't help but do a double-take toward Yang, "Wait, you mean you brought us to this place, without fully knowing what it is?" Seriously? She thought Yang was much smarter than that. Or perhaps that was her own fault, for assuming Yang knew about the underground. Perhaps, the err of judgement is on her end. "This zone is where the crime syndicates gather. The black market, shady dealings, smuggling, you name it, it all happens in this area."

Blake approaches with a tilt of her head, "But why would the authorities allow it to exist? Surely, something of that scale would never go unnoticed."

"Because they gave up."

Weiss whirls around with a furrow of her brows, "What do you mean, they gave up?"

Ashe sighs, "Exactly what I mean. They gave up. You don't think they have tried? Multiple times, but the amount of resources needed would be too great. Not only that, even if they succeeded, how long would it last? You can't control humanity's greed and pride. Before long, another would pop up somewhere, and so the cycle continues. Better to keep an enemy you know, then one you don't."

A stomp of her foot signals Yang's anger and confusion, "So, what? They just let everyone run around and do whatever they want?"

"Not exactly." Ashe strides over toward Yang and gives her a pat on the shoulder, "They've come to an understanding. So long as certain lines are not crossed, the authorities will turn a blind eye. Like human or faunus trafficking. Not only would the authorities hammer down, but so would other crime gangs. There is a thing such as pride among thieves here."

"But…that's wrong." Ashe turns toward Ruby with half-lidded eyes and understanding. Said girl was staring toward her before looking down at the rooftop. "This isn't right. Something has to be done."

"Of course, it isn't, but that's the world we live in. Many people have tried, but all have failed. If you figure something out, let me know. I'll help you out if I can." Ashe gives Ruby a soft and understanding smile.

Yang gives Ruby a firm pat and squeeze on the shoulder, "Yea, you can count on me. Big sis always has your back. No matter the odds."

Blake approaches from behind Yang, "Count me in as well. I understand what Ashe is saying, but I would like to hope, that maybe something can change."

Team RWBY turn their gaze toward Weiss, said girl sighs and turns her nose up and walks away. "What? Not like I have to say anything. You already know my answer."

"Weiss~" Ruby jogs over to the snow-princess and plops onto her back in a hug. Earning a startled cry from the heiress before she begins to rant angrily. Yang and Blake trail behind them, talking amongst themselves. Ashe slowly turns to look out into the vast city once more, a frown upon her lips. Change is never easy. Nor is it readily accepted.

The trip back to their dorm was quiet, at least on Ashe's end.

Finding herself alone within her dorm, she is back into her pajamas and getting ready for bed. A soft knock echoes onto her door. Perking up, Ashe slowly approaches her door and creaks it open. Already, she knows who should be on the other side. There is only one person who would come over at this time of night. There, she finds her nightly visitor, clad in their pajamas.

Apparently, she was wrong.

Silver eyes stare back toward her awkwardly, Ashe watches Ruby shuffle around for a moment. "Ah, um. Hi, how are you? No, wait, I just saw you like thirty minutes ago. Uh—"

Ashe sighs before opening her door lazily, "Come on in."

"Yea, that. Thanks." Bowing her head once in a nod, Ruby shuffles on in with her index fingers touching at one another. Ashe closes the door behind her and lazily shuffles toward her bed and plops down onto the edge.

"So, what's up?"

Ruby stands and once more shuffles her feet, "Ah, well, um. I was, was hoping to chat with you for a bit."

Ashe smirks, propping an elbow upon her knee as her chin rests within the palm, "Mm, you don't say? I figured as much, considering you came to my dorm room this late at night." Her other hand outstretches in a gesture toward the opposite bed.

Ruby chuckles awkwardly to herself, "Yea…yea that makes sense." In a random burst of speed, she plops down onto the opposite bed. Her hands rub onto her thighs and knees in an uneasy stroke. "This…went much more smoothly in my head."

"Let me help, what did you want to talk about?"

Drumming her fingers upon her thigh, silver eyes glance down toward the floor. "Back on the roof…You said, someone tried to kill you, so you retaliated and tried to kill them in return…Why? Couldn't you just talk it out? Maybe there was just a misunderstanding."

"Because life does not work that way." Ruby snaps her gaze up toward Ashe, "I can assume what you are here for now. You don't approve of me going on the offensive, when they first attempted to kill me."

Ruby eyes flick around in thought, "There could have been another way. Why didn't you report it to the authorities?"

Ashe rolls her eyes, "And what would they do? Nothing. They have more important things to worry about. Not only that, what proof would I have? It would be word against word, a waste of time." Ashe stands to her feet and clenches her fist, "Sadly, I failed to put him down. So, that leads us to only one thing."

Placing her finger tips together upon her lap, Ruby glances toward Ruby, a few strands of hair hugging the curve of her face. "What's that?"

"War."

Ruby stills and gripes onto her pajama pants, "War? What do you mean, war?"

"It's simple." Ashe looks out the window and up into the night sky. Peering into the shattered moon of their broken world. "He tried to kill me and failed. I tried to kill him and failed. Now, we both try to kill each other. Whoever succeeds, is the victor."

"No. Killing is wrong; it is not something we do." Ruby stands to her feet and gazes at Ashe's back, "We are going to be huntresses, we don't go around killing people."

"That's where you are wrong. Killing is what we do." Ruby freezes into place, "What do you think we are doing here? We kill Grimm, soulless, yes, but that's not all. Huntsman are also charged with keeping the peace. Do you honestly believe that can be done without bloodshed?" A slight discomfort bleeds into Ashe's head.

Ruby clenches her fist and raises her head defiantly, "Of course! I want to be a hero. A hero does not kill. I want to be their hope and savior. Defending people, I care about from evil." With a shake of her head, Ruby begins to grow more emotional, "What kind of hero would I be, if I went around killing people? I would be no better than the Gr—"

"You don't think I know that?!" Ruby shocks back, a hand slamming upon the bookshelf under the large window. "I want to be a hero too! I want people to look at me with kind and caring eyes. I want to be someone that people could come to in their time of need." Her small body quakes softly in the room with a grit of her teeth. "I too, want to shine like the dazzling stars and radiant sun above. But like the moon, so too am I shattered."

Ruby takes a small step forward with a slightly out stretched hand. "Then let me help. There has to be another way."

"No!" Silver eyes stare into a vulnerable honey, "I have to do this. This is who I am." Ashe places a hand upon her chest with a soft chime of her bell, "What I am. If I deny this, then I deny my existence. I exist." The hand raises and grips onto her hat like a life-line. "I promise, I exist." The discomfort grows into a dull pain within her head.

"What are you talking about? Of course, you exist, you're here. Right in front of me, silly." Ruby slowly inches closer toward Ashe with her hand out stretched.

"Ha, ha-ha. Of course, that's all anyone says. I exist because I am here. A doll, a tool." Ashe leans back against the bookshelf with a hand covering onto her face, "But what about my life? A legacy? No, no, I don't exist. So, I'll make one. Something where no one will forget about me. Even if I must fight an army alone."

Ruby startles to a stop, her finger tips slowly curling inward. "Ashe, what are you talking about? You exist, I would never forget about you. You are not making sense. You can't fight an army alone."

"That's where you are wrong. Heh-heh." Her body loosens and slacks against the bookshelf. Ashe's hand clenching into a fist before her lips. Head down and hair loose with her hat covering her face. The pain grows, covering half of mind.

"Ashe…you are kind of scaring me. Are you okay?"

Ashe's body slowly begins to quiver, "Wanna know a secret? Heh-heh." Slowly, her head picks up to stare toward Ruby. Her face shadowed with glowing eyes of honey. "I was thrown to the wolves alone. Abandoned to fight a lonesome battle. While they ran to their freedom, salvation, liberation, I too wanted to be free. I wanted my own salvation."

Her lips twist up into a large and thin grin, "It wasn't fair. They ran so they could have happy lives. Their freedom, at the cost of my life." Her head slowly shakes, "But they were wrong. I clawed. I struggled. I bled. So, I fought an army on my own. But I would not allow an army to stand before me and my will to live."

Ashe's thumb extends back toward her lips from the fist. Ashe bites onto her nail while staring at Ruby's widened and shocked silver eyes. Honey eyes glowing manically with a sinister twist of the lips. Thunder ripples through her mind like a broken half. Shattering down evenly through her mind.

A crack is formed.

"I was born, and when I fought that army alone…" The shattered moon above the window, casts a sinister shadow that engulfs toward Ruby. Within the shadow, honey orbs glowed brilliantly like a flame within the night. If it was possible, that smirk grew even longer, as if a bad joke was about to be told.

"I won."

(A/N) Wooo, another fun chapter to work on. I would have been done yesterday, but I had a headache and couldn't finish it time. Hopefully everyone enjoyed this chapter. Foundations are being set, and I'll probably have more fun writing chapters to come. Let me know your thoughts, ideas, theories, or whatever you wanna. I'm always open for discussions!

Also, thoughts on the cameos? It is something I have been debating lately. For small interactions, I was wondering if special cameos would be interesting for you all to read. Like Rude and Reno being the bouncers. Minor and background roles basically. For more major roles will be original characters and such, but I figured people may enjoy a special person here and there and be all like, "Eeeeey! I know that person!" Let me know if you all enjoy the cameos and would prefer if I left them with minor rolls, or maybe increasing interaction, but nothing too story or plot related.

In other news, I have some news...Redundant I know, but I rather not backspace to fix it. Toward the end of this month, I may have a new artwork finished for the story, yay! Depending on when and positive feedback, I may have one or two chapters done. It also all depends on life, it's fickle like that. Whelp, hope you all enjoyed, and see you next chapter!