First part of the new chapter! Part two for this comes out tomorrow, it just felt a lot more natural splitting it up like this.
I moved to Mistral City when I was 12 years old. Sapphron had just finished her undergraduate studies, leaving the city with her computer science degree and then-girlfriend, now current wife, Terra. There had been approximately three weeks of overlap, and we had spent those three weeks gallivanting all over the city, the two grown women taking me to see the sights and sounds of the Mistralian capital. I had stayed with the two of them in their cozy little apartment, certainly nowhere near as luxurious as the high-rise that I now occupied six years later, but it was lovely nonetheless. We felt like a little family, and even back then I could tell that Terra would be a wonderful partner for my eldest sister. Now that I think on it, that was the longest vacation I've had since I was a small child.
One of the most interesting attractions we had visited was a performance art installation involving Dust. It had taken place in a rather dusty warehouse, and at first, Sapphron had been against the idea altogether. A small child, in a place like that, among strangers? It was difficult for her then, and even now I've always made sure to underplay the gory details of my work when I speak to her. Terra, on the other hand, had been just as excited as I was, firmly taking my little hand in hers and dragging all three of us to see the show.
I can't say I remember the details in full clarity, but one scene in particular always stood out to me. We had stood there, a crowd of perhaps a hundred and fifty people, in front of a shallow pool of water. All along the bottom of the basin were intersecting tubes housing lightning Dust, and the conductor had activated the lines housed within. In the span of a moment, the whole pool was a-glow with the stark light of ignited Dust, the lines shifting and activating on the whims of the conductor to play out scenes from various Mistralian folk-tales. It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen.
I would have been satisfied with just that much, but the last few minutes of the installation had been what truly blew me away. One by one, the conductor had collapsed the tubes, letting loose powdered lightning Dust into the pool of water. The artist had surely been a Huntsman or at least an incredibly talented dust manipulator, as they had kept the charged lightning Dust from branching out within the water, as natural lightning was wont to do. Instead, they had manipulated the free-standing lines with their Aura into moving even more fluidly than they had inside the tubing. I was mesmerized, transfixed by what must have been the most incredible usage of fine Aura control and dust manipulation. It had taken my breath away, and I could see instantly that Sapphron and Terra were no different.
Six years later, and I've probably been to a hundred or more shows just like that. In fact, it's become almost a hobby of mine, watching masters of Dust manipulate the finicky element into doing incredible, beautiful things. There's a few bars that most Mistralian Intelligence and high-ranking government employees are known to frequent, and I certainly like those too; I'm a glutton for a drink and I make no moves to hide that. But seeing Dust art has always been my passion, the activity to which I've devoted more free time to than anything else. I've seen everything, from novices fresh out of art academies, to masters of the craft that charge thousands of Lien per ticket.
Of course, I've always been the obsessive sort; once I sink my teeth into something I have a tendency to not let go until I've reached some measure of competence. With my, er, career choice, I don't exactly have too much free time, so I've accepted for a few years now that I'll never have the fine Aura control that the masters of the craft showcase. What I do have, on the other hand, is a frankly absurd amount of Aura, and a Semblance that lets me break a few rules here and there. The results? Thicker tubing that surrounds lines of free-standing powdered Dust, a sheath of Aura that allows me to manipulate the inert Dust with a fluidity that usually takes decades to master.
Why is any of this relevant? Well, as with most party tricks I've picked up in the last half-decade or so, I've weaponized it. Crisscrossed lines of thin powdered lightning and fire Dust, all covered and woven akin to a rope with a sheath of Aura about half an inch thick. Almost completely prehensile, and with a range of free motion that rivals genuine Magic, or at least that's what M had said when I first demonstrated it for her a year ago. I call it Retiarius, and currently it's coiled loosely around my unconscious prisoner. Sorry, make that recently awakened prisoner.
"Eurgh..." She mutters, eyelids slowly fluttering awake at the same time her cat ears begin to twitch. Damn, that's cute. "Have a nice cat nap?" I ask, just barely managing to keep the smug grin off my face. With a start and, I swear to Oum I'm not making this up, a genuine hiss of surprise, she's jolted awake, arms coming out to form a ready stance as her legs kick up to bring her to her feet. Or, that's what would have happened were it not for Retiarius. In reality, she tangles herself even further, tripping and stumbling as the net wraps even more thoroughly around her limbs. I can see the moment of realization in her eyes as she suddenly sways a little too forward, falling flat on her stomach in a mess of arms and legs and netting.
I don't hold back this time, letting out a genuine belly laugh at her situation. She takes this about as well as one would expect, coiling further in on herself to try to push out or at least push away some of the netting as she glares promises of a bloody death at my personage. Real cute, Ms. Terrorist Faunus, but you don't have shit on M, or Oum forbid, my mother.
"It's not exactly a ball of yarn, but I figured this was the closest thing. You have a name, or should I just interrogate you as Ms. White Fang?" I ask, watching as her eyes narrow even further and glance this way and that, for what I assume would be an opening. "Ah, no use in doing that, ma'am. You're welcome to try, of course, but I doubt you'll find the results very pleasing." I speak in a rather no-nonsense tone this time, her body language stiffening even further as she realizes that she's well and truly caught, at least for now. I'm sure she'll make an attempt at escape sometime in the next few seconds if not the next minute, but I at least have her attention for now.
"So, a name?" I prod again. She has the gall to simply snarl at me this time, the nerve! "You're not doing much for the Faunus reputation here, ma'am. I'm not asking for your measurements here, but a man does have to fill out paperwork and names are rather important for that."
She stares balefully at me, before managing to (finally!) bite out a reply. "Am I under arrest?" Oh, the humanity! I can't hold it in; a harsh laugh roars out of me. "Are... are you serious right now? Yes, you're under fucking arrest. What part of robbing a train and engaging in terrorist attacks wouldn't put you under arrest?!" She flinches noticeably at that, staring down with the sort of open eyes and blank expression that a professional would associate with shell-shock, or a traumatic stress disorder.
"Listen, ma'am. I don't know what you're involved in, or what you do or have done. Right now, all I know is that you destroyed a train car alongside one of Vale's most wanted criminals, an international terrorist I might add, and violently fought off two government agents. You blasted through at least half a dozen Atlesian government androids with what has got to be a Huntsman-class weapon, knocked out several civilians, and caused at least four million Lien, if not more, in damage to a Schnee Dust Company train, with whom all four of the Kingdoms contract, I might add. Practically any single one of these charges carries a long sentence in a maximum-security facility. Can I please at least get a name before I have to ship you out to some barred windows and metal cots hell-hole?"
The Faunus terrorist winces at each sentence, seemingly folding in on herself in shame and fright as I continue my short lecture. By the end of it, she's scrunching her eyes tightly, and I fear she may start hyper-ventilating, or worse, crying. I'm really not cut out for crying girls, as much as I may like to claim otherwise. Beringels and Nevermores, sure. Those I can handle. Terrorist plots too. But a pretty girl crying is... decidedly more difficult to deal with.
After a few tense moments where I fear I may have to confront the dreaded waterworks, she simply lets out a shuddering breath, before whispering. "Blake... my name is Blake Belladona." It takes years of training, which I will admit I absolutely half-assed, not to let out a groan to the Brothers. Of course, it's just my fucking luck that I get stuck with an ex-terrorist who just so happens to be the daughter of what is basically Faunus royalty. Just my fucking luck.
I let out a sort of nervous chuckle, one lone traitorous hand reaching behind my head in the tic that I had tried so hard to suppress. "Okay, uh, good. Blake, that's a good start." I absolutely refuse to verbally admit her last name, to confront the absolute cluster-fuck of a situation this is shaping out to be. "Alright, Blake, we can start at the beginning, but I'm just going to ignore all that and cut right to the chase here. Why are you running away from the train?"
Her head whips up at me in shock, those long black locks bouncing rather elegantly as she fixes me with the sort of wide-eyed, white-knuckled look that's usually a precursor to horrible violence or very passionate shouting. Frankly, I'm not in the mood for either at this point, and move quickly to work past her. "We have all the intelligence we needed for the actual train robbery, and given your last name I'm not going to wade into the mess that is you being involved in the Fang in the first place; best to leave that to the professionals. And yes, you are going to see professional interrogators for this." I add, one hand reaching out to grasp an end of Retiarius in case she decides to flee at that. Instead, she simply sinks again, her eyes seemingly hollow as she takes in great shuddering breaths. "Instead," I say. "Let's talk about why you're running. Is Adam setting you up for an operation inside Vale? Meeting up with local Fang branches, perhaps?" I ask, staring rather blankly at her tense form.
"I'm not doing any of that!" She insists, a spark of that initial energy still apparently present. I simply quirk an eyebrow in response, as if to ask 'oh really?' She looks away from my gaze, unable to keep up with the fish-eyed stare I've been nailing her with this entire time. Or, at least when I'm not laughing or wanting to curse Oum above. "Alright, Ms. Belladonna. What are you doing?"
She mumbles at first. "Care to repeat that?" I ask, my hand tightening around the end of the net weapon to show her that it's no time for teenage antics or sullen bullshit. I need to figure this situation out sooner rather than later. "I'm leaving the Fang!" She bites out, nearly screaming in my face. Oh, well... that's certainly interesting.
Instead of responding to that, I simply pull on the net with my thumb and palm, my four other fingers waving through the air as I manipulate the tubing of Aura that surrounds the inert dust. As if by magic, she rises from the air, or rather she's pulled up by the weave of net that she's tangled within, coming to a rest atop me not unlike a very attractive black-haired sack of potatoes.
"What are you doing!" She screeches, lashing out with feet and hands that I deftly avoid. "Taking you to a safehouse," I simply reply. What she doesn't need to know is that I have absolutely no fucking clue what to do from here. I need to contact M, I need to meet with Ozpin, and I need to figure out what to do with this apparently ex-terrorist. Too many options, not enough info. Time to leave.
And that was how I found myself wandering out of the Forever Fall forest and into Vale City proper, with a yelling and kicking cat Faunus slung over my shoulder, whistling an old Mistralian tune. I'm sure M will fucking love this.
As always, please read and review. Next part: Jaune meets with Ozpin! Jaune goes apartment shopping with his new captive/roommate! Jaune lewds the Shitty Kitty! (sorta)
To address the guest reviewers:
Guest says:
I am enjoying this and yup thats fine bro. Im just excited for when we get to their relationship XD WOOOOO! Excited for more chapter _
Thank you for the kind words! I hope you enjoy.
Guest says:
So far so god and to be completely honest Neo popped into my head along with a bunch of others as soon as I read the summary as getting with a hot female villainess is indeed a staple for Bond, James Bond related things wonder if it is going to be a villainess for each nation he visits? Let's see female villains in Vale: Malachite Twins, Emerald, Cinder, Neo. Menagerie: Sienna Khan, Trifa, Illia. Mistral: Raven, Vernal. Atlas/Mantle: Happy Huntresses? Technically enemies of the state. And this is just a vague recollection don't know if there are any I missed.
Lots of great suggestions here! Malachite Twins probably won't be a full lewd scene but flirting is practically guaranteed. Emerald and Cinder are a hard yes and people love Neo so I guess that's a yes as well. Sienna Khan is a maybe but I like her a lot. Trifa and Illia, we shall see. Raven is way too strong to get with at this point, but if it does happen I can see Vernal going for Agent Arc as well. Happy Huntresses are going to be so much fun to get to, I've already got plans for them, but that's quite a ways off. For now, I'm going to be focusing on Vale. You could consider this fic to cover events of V1-3, the sequel stories (if people like this enough for me to write sequels) would be focused on other kingdoms and plotlines that would include many of those later characters that you mentioned. Thank you for the suggestions again!