Well, I'm back off my week away – and thank you to everyone who wished me well and ultimately supported me in my short break. Ironically, I still worked my 9-5 job through it, and yet it still felt like a break somehow. It felt refreshing.
It also gave me plenty of time to think about my fanfics, plan ahead on some of them, and ultimately tighten the ship as it were. I was able to identify several mistakes I made on some, and look to minimise or fix them going forward. One thing I will be changing is arbitrary word limits on chapters. Sometimes it feels like I've been aiming for a specific word count on some, and padding chapters when they don't quite match it. From now on, that will stop.
Chapters won't be drastically different from what you're used to, but in White Sheep for instance, it might mean you get anywhere between 7-10k, as opposed to me always striving for an exact number. Some chapters do better longer… some do better shorter. I'll be focusing on quality over quantity.
Beta: College Fool
Cover Art: Kegi Springfield
Chapter 18 – Like a Lamb to the Slaughter
It was already dark by the time they reached the docks, but there were convenient flashes of light to help illuminate the way through the broken fence on the side. Somewhat less convenient was the various explosions that caused said light. Mercury winced as another one shook the docks, followed by the rattle of gunfire and a Bullhead zooming by overhead.
"This isn't a good idea!" he said, voice raised over the ferocious noise. He panted, hands on prosthetic knees as he wished not for the first time that they went a little higher and thus robbed him of being exhausted from running at all. The idiots didn't hear him, or chose not to, as Cinder's little brother held open a barbed wire fence as one might a door and gestured for the girls to crawl through in a gentlemanly fashion. Mercury growled and stumbled through himself, though not without another complaint. "I'll say it again; this is a bad idea. Have you guys maybe missed the part where this sounds like a warzone?"
"Of course not," Red said. "That's where we're headed."
"Why?"
"To check it out, obviously…" The girl hit her head and made a `duh` sound.
"Words can't even begin to explain how stupid that plan is."
"You can stay behind if you're afraid, friend-Mercury," Orange-girl said. "We are combat-ready and more than capable of dealing with whatever this is alone."
Yeah sure, he'd have loved to take them up on that offer. Unfortunately, he was more afraid of what lay behind him than ahead. He didn't care to contemplate what fate would await him back at Beacon if even a single hair on the idiot's head got burned. Mercury scowled and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Fine. Let's get this over with."
Hopefully it won't be anything serious and we can get back in one piece. A follow-up explosion behind some warehouses a little distance away seemed to laugh in the face of that idea, but maybe it was just an industrial accident? Late at night… when no one was here… with a Bullhead flying overhead.
The straws he grasped at just kept on slipping away.
He followed the three lemmings as they clambered through the fence and towards a warehouse. Red said something about how they'd have a better view of the battlefield from up high, and rolled her eyes when he pointed out just about everyone else would have a better view of them if they were up high as well.
"It'll be fine, Mercury," Jaune said, patting his shoulder as though comforting a worried child. "I'll look after you."
One of Mercury's eyes twitched violently.
It was only once they'd climbed atop the warehouse and moved to the edge that the scene below was revealed. Numerous figures in White Fang uniform milled around, many with their guns pointed towards several brightly-clothed figures, but unwilling to fire when their fellows were engaged in melee. Two Bullheads flew overhead. One of them opened fire in a strafing run, driving two figures into the shelter of some industrial machinery. The other grappled with a cargo container doubtless filled with dust. A tall, white-coated figure fought with a blonde huntress, and Mercury's stomach dropped.
"Yang!" Red gasped, "She's fighting against Torchwick! Oh no, this is terrible."
"You're damn right it is," Mercury growled. This had to be the worst thing that could have possibly happened. Torchwick was on the job for them, and this was likely one of the many dust heists Cinder needed to go well. What was he supposed to do? If I do anything to land Torchwick in trouble, Cinder's plans will be ruined and I'll pay the price. If I do nothing though, and her little brother rushes in to get his ass handed to him, then it'll be even worse. He glanced over to the guy in question, who at least didn't look like he wanted to leap into action. He looked nervous too, which was a good sign.
"That is indeed your sister," Penny helpfully supplied. Her eyes brightened a little as she tilted her head to the side. "I also see Miss Yang's teammates, Blake, Ren and Nora, along with an unknown faunus they seem to be fighting alongside. They appear to be facing Roman Torchwick, alongside a small group of White Fang terrorists."
"All of them?" Ruby gasped and pushed herself up. "We have to get down there and help!"
"Do we, though?" Mercury asked desperately. "Do we really? You don't even have your weapon. None of us do." They could call them via their lockers, sure, but he wasn't about to remind her of that.
Red paused, and for a moment he dared to think his logic might have gotten through to her.
"I also see a Bullhead," Penny interrupted.
"Huh?" He blinked and turned to her. "Yeah, sure… as I was saying-"
"The Bullhead also sees us."
Mercury paused. "Wait, what!?"
Penny pointed to the left, where a huge metal vehicle hovered at the edge of the warehouse. Its twin-barrelled guns were fixed onto them, and they started to spin before their eyes. Red muttered something about rotten luck, while Mercury only had the time to register an intense desire to smash his head against a wall.
"Move!" Jaune yelled, dashing forward. He gripped Red by her collar and hoisted her into the air, the girl yelping as she was tossed over the edge of the building. Orange followed, and Mercury barely had the time to gasp as Jaune shoved him off the roof as well.
The irony of being saved by the guy he was meant to be looking after wasn't lost on him. Nor was the horror as the Bullhead opened fire. Bullets scythed through the thin metal roof – and Cinder's little brother let out a cry of shock as it collapsed under him.
"Jaune!" Mercury yelled, the cry echoed by both other girls. Mercury hit the ground hard, aura flaring as he winced and rolled back onto his feet.
Okay, fine… this was bad. He had to find the guy and rescue him before something worse happened. He scrabbled forward, intent on saving his ass via the medium of saving another man's ass.
The Bullhead opened fire again, and the warehouse exploded into flames.
He stared at the inferno.
A piece of flaming wreckage bounced off his forehead.
"Fuck my life…"
/-/
"Jaune? Jaune, are you okay?"
"Ugh," Jaune coughed and hacked as he pushed some mangled girder off his body. It crashed to the side and he stumbled out, taking deep breaths. His skin felt like it had been scorched, and his hands ached from where he'd touched hot metal. The pain was nothing compared to his back, though. The last thing he needed on top was his passenger screaming in his head. "Remy, you live inside me. You'd be the first to know if I died."
"Yeah well, there's a difference between alive and conscious and alive and unconscious, buried beneath a flaming pile of twisted metal." The parasite swam about inside him but didn't dare break out from his skin. "Good save by the way. I'm pretty sure you'd be dead if you hadn't transformed."
Jaune nodded and used one of his tentacles to pry some sharp steel away from his leg. The change had been an almost instinctive thing, taking place somewhere between the roof disappearing beneath his feet and the ground rushing up to meet him. He'd managed to slow his fall by catching a mezzanine walkway with a tentacle, but the rubble still buried him as it fell.
Thank Salem for my aura reserves, he thought, cracking his neck to one side. At least the others were okay. He wouldn't have been able to do this if Ruby or Penny was knocked down with him, and that might have left them both dead. While he didn't know Mercury well, he was also fairly sure his Big Sis would have been devastated if the guy got hurt.
Even if I died, at least she would have had him to help her deal with the grief.
His thoughts were interrupted as a wave of smoke billowed into his face. It was hot like ash and burned his lips and lungs. He bent forward, one hand over his mouth as he fought for breath. Aura was great, but it didn't do much for the internals.
"Not that I'm second-guessing or anything, but could you have this moment maybe outside the currently burning warehouse?" As if to punctuate Remy's words, there was a loud crack and crash as more of the roof gave way and tumbled to the ground around him. The moonlight rushed through the gap now, and a Bullhead soared overhead – probably the same one that opened fire on them. "Like… maybe now, before it collapses?"
"It's not exactly that easy, Remy." he said out loud. "Didn't you see who Ruby's sister was fighting against? It's the same guy from before Beacon, the one that I uh… helped out."
"The one that tricked you," Remy unflatteringly said. Jaune winced. "Yeah, I saw him. What's your point? You can just get out of here, transform back into your human form and either leave or help your friends take him down. It might even be good to get our own back on him." Remy hummed deep inside of him, an almost sinister chuckle. "We could show him exactly who he played with. Make him scream for mercy before you stamp on his throat an-"
"Yeah, except that he knows my name and face – in both forms."
Remy's sociopathic laughter halted. "Erk… I may have forgotten about that."
"A good job I didn't," Jaune groaned and ran a palm over his face. It wiped soot and ash away more than it did sweat. In fact, all it really did was smear it across his skin. His shirt was gone too, it seemed. The fire and the impact hadn't done much for the thin, white material, and now he was essentially naked from the waist up. "I can't let any of them see me, Remy. Not my friends in my Grimm-form, or that criminal in my human form. Either option spells problems."
"You could always leave them to it." Remy suggested.
Jaune scowled and scuffed one foot against the floor.
"Listen, I know you don't want to, but think about it for a second. There's an entire team out there, not to mention the silver-eyed monster, legless cyborg and Penny." Why Remy only referred to Penny by name, he had no idea. "There's almost no way your friends are going to lose this. That Torchwick guy struggled against the midget on his own. How do you think he'll hold up against seven or eight of her?"
Remy had a point, as much as Jaune didn't want to admit it. Those armed goons were a concern, but not a big one since they seemed to be doing fine against them before Ruby, Penny and Mercury got involved. Staying out of the fight would leave a sick feeling in his stomach, but it was better than being ousted as a half-Grimm monster and chased out of Beacon.
"You think I should let them handle it, then?"
"I'd get out of here, transform and stay out of it. Once it's all over you can come out, all covered in soot and half-burned and just act like it took you some time to get out of the warehouse." Remy sounded pleased with his plan. "Just make sure the Torchwick guy is unconscious when you approach and you're all good. Heck, if you tell your girlfriend you saved her sister, she might even reward you with a kiss."
"Whoah, hang on a minute. Yang's not my girlfriend."
"Jaune… you've been on multiple dates with her."
"Does… does that make it official?"
"You're asking a Grimm parasite for relationship advice? You must be desperate. Forget about it, you've got enough on your plate. You need to stay hidden. Don't let anyone see you."
Jaune nodded. He didn't like it, but Remy was right and speaking in his best interests at the moment. He trusted Ruby and the others enough to deal with Torchwick. One of the walls to his left collapsed in an explosion of metal, prompting his quick evacuation from the dying building. With fire still raining all around him, along with parts of the roof, he had to stay in Grimm form and pick his way through it, tentacles held over his head lest something brain him.
A low groan prompted him to be a little quicker, and it was with a gasp and a desperate leap that he slammed through a weakened piece of wall before the whole thing collapsed behind him. Dust – the more mundane kind – rushed out behind him as a great wall of smoke expanded from the wreckage. In the distance, he heard Ruby shout his name in fear. He thought he heard Mercury do the same, though his voice sounded particularly high-pitched.
He peeked around the corner, in time to see Penny leap off the top of a building and spin in the air. Several silvery threads shot out from her, attached to blades which impacted the side of the Bullhead carrying the cargo container. It shifted and fell, and she dragged it down into a fiery explosion.
There was no chance the crew could have survived that.
"Can we have her as our girlfriend instead?"
"Remy!"
"What? I'm just saying… I mean, she's possibly the best human you know. She's strong, feels great to be around, isn't a selfish monster like most other humans…"
"And the fact she just killed a bunch of people without batting an eyelid?"
"I know! Isn't it great!?"
Ugh, never mind… He pushed back and stepped away, feeling a rush of guilt as he heard Ruby call out his name in panic.
Sorry guys, Jaune thought. He couldn't let himself be found, in Grimm or human form. Not until the battle was already over. He also couldn't let anyone else see him transform, since one person in the know was already one too many.
The cargo containers should provide some cover for me. It's not like they're going to fight in the middle of them if they're all filled with dust. It would cause all kinds of explosions. There were also loads to hide behind, which would let him stay hidden until it was time to heroically reappear. He looked left and right as he slipped towards them, but luckily everyone was focused on either the fight or the warehouse. He sighed and strolled around the corner, into a narrow alley between several metal containers, only for his foot to bump into something.
Or someone, as it turned out. An unconscious blonde teen with shaggy hair and an open white shirt lay slumped against a container. His skin was smudged, like he'd been caught by an explosion, or maybe just hadn't seen a shower for a long time. Not much better than he probably looked himself in all honesty.
"What do you think a homeless person is doing here?" Jaune asked. He reached down and pressed a tentacle to the boy's neck, sighing when he felt a pulse. That was good.
"Sleeping?" Remy guessed. "Whatever. He's out of it, so he won't see you at least. Just get a little deeper into this place before someone finds you."
"And leave someone here on their own when a Bullhead is doing strafing runs overhead?" Jaune didn't wait for an answer before he gently picked the boy up around the waist and lifted him into the air. He didn't think he'd be able to forgive himself if he knowingly left a homeless person in danger just to save his own skin.
"Sun, are you okay?" Blake asked as she jogged around the corner.
Jaune froze.
Blake froze.
It took him a second to realise the scene, him with two tentacles wrapped about the guy's half-naked chest, and his eyes blazing crimson. It was around the same time he realised Blake had Gambol Shroud in hand, and that it was now pointed towards his face.
"Get away from him," she snarled. "Keep your tentacles out of him." Her cheeks darkened. "I mean off him. Keep them off him."
Jaune swallowed and slowly stood back up, holding his arms open-palmed before him. His tentacles emulated the motion, though they slowly placed the person down first. He held them up in the air above his head, but from the way she took a step back, he would hazard it didn't look very placating.
"T-Tentacles down," she snapped.
He did so, letting them rest on the floor. Blake's shoulders rose and fell but her eyes kept flicking between him and the downed faunus at his side. "She doesn't recognise me," he said in his mind.
"Are you so surprised? Right now the only thing even remotely similar between you and Jaune Arc is a pair of blue jeans," Remy said. "From what we've seen, those aren't exactly rare. Just play it cool and she won't figure it out."
"And avoid getting shot, you mean?"
"Yeah, that too. Your aura would deflect it, but there's no reason to draw attention."
"Don't move," Blake said. She took a single step towards him, then flinched and took another when he didn't make any aggressive gestures. "I warn you, I'm a huntress," she added. "I won't let you do something like that to Sun, even if he is a stalker."
A stalker? Jaune's eyes flicked down to the guy, but quickly shot back up to the conscious girl with her weapon trained on him. Blake was worried about the guy? Ah, of course… she probably thought he was a here to kill him or something. "You don't have to worry about your friend," he said. "I'm not here for him."
"Then step away from him," Blake said. She took a step to the right, he taking one to the left as they circled about one another in the enclosed space. It was clear she wanted to put herself between him and the downed faunus, and Jaune was happy to let it happen. So long as he got to slip away afterwards, it was fine. Still, the others were still fighting against the other guy and he couldn't help but worry for them.
"Shouldn't you be helping your friends against Torchwick?"
Blake hesitated. She bit her lip and looked like she wanted to turn around to check if the others were okay. She was smarter than that, however. "They'll be fine. I trust them. If you think I'm taking my eyes off you, you're wrong."
Damn it… this wasn't going anywhere. Jaune frowned but kept his hands up.
"Should I rush her?"
"Not yet. She hasn't opened fire, which means she clearly doesn't want to start a fight with that injured guy nearby. We might be able to get out of this peacefully yet. So long as neither of you make any sudden moves to startle her, we should be okay."
Jaune nodded and kept his tentacles on the floor. He saw Blake glance down at one and swallow, but he gently tugged it away so she wouldn't feel quite so nervous. She definitely noticed, and her amber eyes flicked up to his. Funnily enough, the gentle motion didn't seem to have calmed her any.
"I'm only doing as you ask," he said. His voice was lower than usual, almost unrecognisable as his own. "I already said I'm not here for him, so there's no reason to worry."
"You'll forgive me if I don't believe you. Not after what you did the last time."
"The last time…?" Oh, right. "I only threw you into a tree," he said.
"Only!?" Blake growled. "You wrapped me up in your tentacles and- and-" She took a deep breath and let it go. "No. I'm not getting into this kind of conversation with a tentacle monster. I'm just not. I'm arresting you here and now."
That wasn't about to happen. His aura was strong, stronger than hers for sure. Jaune shifted a foot back and prepared to flee, even if it meant taking a few shots in the back, he'd be okay and she couldn't follow and leave her friend behind. Before he could, however, a startled voice cried out from the right.
"I've found her!" The masked figure pointed, dressed in a white and grey uniform. He rushed toward Blake, sword in hand. "Die, traitor!"
Blake didn't seem particularly enthused at the notion. She cursed and hopped over her downed friend's body, twisted her weapon into its cleaver form and blocked the overhead strike. Her other arm shot out into the man's stomach, catching him under the ribs and driving the wind from him. She quickly reversed her weapon and slammed the hilt into the side of his head, cracking the mask and knocking the man out.
She turned back around as fast as she could, but it wasn't like he could miss an opportunity like that.
"Ah! No!"
His tentacles streamed out and caught her about the wrist, hoisting her into the air by her weapon. She cried out, but another wrapped around her waist and dragged her in against him, her back to his chest. His hands wrestled with hers, picking her fingers open so that Gambol Shroud fell to the floor.
She kicked and howled, but wasn't able to break through the three tentacles he had wrapped around her. "Stop struggling," he said into her hair. It smelled nice, but once again he noticed an odd furriness against his chin. Was it her bow? "Don't fight me, Blake. This doesn't have to be a painful experience for either of us."
She froze against him. "H-How do you know my name?"
Uh…
Oh wow, that was a good question, wasn't it? How did he know her name? Damn my stupid brain. I need to insert a filter between it and my mouth. He wracked his mind for an answer, but Blake gasped before he could.
"You're not here for Sun," she whispered. "You're here… for me…?"
He was what now? He was about to argue against the notion, but several more shouts came from the direction of the first. He turned, as did Blake against his chest, in time to see four more in the same uniform round the corner.
"There she is!" one of them shouted. They all raised their weapons, rifles aimed towards them.
Blake screamed, unable to dodge or even cover her vitals as they opened fire.
Pain flared through his body as they struck, and although his aura protected him from the damage, it did little for the pain of the shots impacting against his body. He winced and clenched his eyes shut, trying to focus on the scent of Blake's hair instead. He could feel her hot breath against his chest, her cheek pressed into his skin, her body now half-turned into him. She was safe, though.
She was safe because he'd turned around to shield her with his body.
"Why…?" Blake asked. Her amber eyes flicked up to meet his. They were filled with confusion, and perhaps just a tad of gratefulness. "Why did you…?"
"Keep firing!" their attackers interrupted.
Jaune threw his hands up and over her once more, flinching as the pain washed over him. In the back of his mind he could hear Remy crying out for him to move, but if he did then Blake or the unconscious man would be hurt, maybe even killed.
These people were trying to kill them both – and he could feel Blake's fear.
He could feel it… almost like a thick mist. He could taste it. His nostrils flared. He could smell the anger and rage of those hurting him too, their hatred and bitter fury. Something foreign rose up within him. It was a heavy, heady feeling that made him want to rip and tear and something more.
This was supposed to be a day out with Ruby and Penny. This was supposed to be fun. It had been fun, right up until these assholes decided to ruin it. A low growl rumbled in his chest, and he felt his eyes flash crimson.
"Calm down, Jaune," Remy whispered. His voice was so very faint.
Calm down…? When they were shooting him? When he was under a barrage of fire and didn't dare turn to face it for fear of what might happen to Blake? When people were shooting at his friends? These… these monsters who dared to hide in human flesh were trying to hurt him, to kill his friends.
No…
He would not stay calm.
Blake gasped as she was tossed into a nearby container, but Jaune covered her with his body as he turned to face the assailants. Dust flared and bounced off him, but his aura seemed to grow to even greater proportions.
He roared like a beast.
The aggressors froze upon seeing his face, that or his eyes – or the inhuman tentacles above him. "K-Keep firing," one yelled. "Kill it as well. Kill them both!"
Jaune didn't give them the chance. He surged forwards, head held low and tentacles shooting out towards them. His weapon was back in Beacon, but that was fine. He didn't want to use it. He wanted to use his bare hands, his tentacles – wanted to wrap them about something, someone. One of his tentacles slammed into a grunt on the left and slammed him back into – and through – a metal container. Steel twisted and screeched as it gave way, leaving behind a silent body and a gaping hole that spilled dust out onto the concrete.
The other two faunus backed off to create space, reloading their weapons frantically. It was all that saved them, for his almost feral mind locked onto the two who continued to fire.
The masked faunus on the left gasped as a hand settled around the barrel of his gun, keeping it from moving away. In panic, he fired shot after shot into the monster's chest. Light flared, both from the gunfire, but also waves of aura that rippled out from the point of impact.
The monster he fired at, however, went unharmed.
Eventually, the gun ran dry and it was wrenched out of his hands entirely.
"N-No, please- urgh!" The faunus buckled over his fist, buried in it stomach as air and consciousness were driven out of him in one blow. Even so, Jaune lifted him up atop his hand and sent him soaring through the air, up and over several containers to crash into the ocean.
Jaune watched the body sail out of view, before turning back to the remaining three. Two of them pointed their guns at him, but it was the third his eyes locked on. The faunus, perhaps feeling he was distracted, looked back towards Blake, who was scrabbling for her weapon. He raised his weapon. Blake saw it, cursed, and threw herself over her friend's unconscious body.
The gunshot was muffled.
She opened her eyes in time to see black blood drip onto the floor. It oozed down a thick black tentacle, wrapped about the barrel of the gun. The shot had lodged inside the limb, which wasn't as protected by aura as his body.
The terrorist screamed as the tentacle slipped over the weapon and tightly coiled about his arms and body. He was lifted from the ground entirely, and then violently slammed into one of the metal cargo containers. Again and again, the cries fading away each time. After four consecutive blows, the tentacle flipped back and released, sending the battered and bruised victim crashing into a container on the other side, before he fell to the floor.
He didn't get back up.
"What the hell…" Blake whispered. She reached for her weapon but clearly didn't know what to do with it.
Jaune, on the other hand, held no such hesitation. His red eyes fixed on the remaining two faunus, both of which looked like they wished they could be anywhere else. Steam escaped his lips as he growled and took a step forward. He could still feel their hate and anger – but now it was mixed with something far better.
Terror…
He chuckled and placed one foot before the other. They looked like they didn't dare move. All the better, really.
"Wait!" Blake yelled. "Don't hurt them – they're already beaten!"
What? Jaune turned, teeth bared. Rage ran through him like hot fire. Why not hurt them? They hurt him – and tried to hurt her, and likely Yang and everyone else as well. They were monsters masquerading as human, far worse than even the Grimm who humanity decreed evil.
They deserved nothing more than death.
The fools seemed to realise his thoughts, for the moment his head turned away, they fled. Their screams about a monster cut over the battlefield, but Blake fired off a shot ahead of him. It prevented his pursuit, while also drawing his attention to her. He scowled and took a step towards her.
She took one back.
"They're defeated," she said. "There's no reason to keep fighting them."
His chest rose and fell. Through the haze, he noticed hers do the same. Her milky white skin was flushed, and a bead of sweat ran down her cheek. It fell onto her bare shoulders... a smooth, inviting expanse of creamy skin.
He took another step forward.
"-aune," a voice echoed. "Ja-… -op… don't…"
Don't? Ha, what a thought. She had nowhere to run, backed against a metal container and out of options as he bore down with an inexorably slow pace. His heart hammered in his chest, as did hers - he could hear it.
She licked her lips.
His eyes locked onto them.
"Jaune!"
The voice was familiar, annoyingly so. He shook his head in an attempt to ignore it, but now that he'd acknowledged it, the voice only grew more insistent. Insistent enough to make him pause... to make him question whose it was. It took him a few seconds, during which he took deep breaths and watched Blake watch him with wide amber eyes. Finally, however, he placed it.
"Remy?"
"Oh thank Salem," Remy sighed. "I thought I'd lost you. Jaune, you need to calm down."
Calm down? Jaune blinked and looked about worriedly. Two unconscious – at least he hoped they were unconscious – terrorists lay slumped nearby. Ahead of him, Blake had come to a stop in front of her downed friend. She looked nervous, but ready to fight if she had to.
What… what was that?
Had he done all of that? He had… he could remember it.
He could remember savouring it. Not only the pain he caused, but the thoughts he'd harbored for Blake... someone he tentatively considered a friend. He took another step, backwards this time, and he knew she noticed, for her expression shifted to one of confusion.
She clearly expected nothing more than for him to kill her.
Guilt crashed down upon him, thick and ugly. It drove him back another step. She watched him, both in shock and awe, as he turned and rushed away. He had to get out of here… had to escape, before someone else found him. Before whatever took hold of him happened again.
Why did I…? What was that...?
/-/
Roman never considered himself a religious man, but he was fairly sure there was a God. There had to be, really, because divine punishment was the only explanation for how unfalteringly poor the evening had gone. He ducked under a left hook, parried a haymaker with the back of one hand, then slapped the blonde girl in the face with his cane. That would have been enough for most people, but just like the last twenty times he'd batted her around, she only got angrier and kept coming. He let out a long sigh. "This really isn't my day."
"Surrender, Torchwick," Blondie growled, missing with her next three attacks.
"I'm afraid I have business to attend to, Blondie, and being arrested really wouldn't fit into my schedule." Torchwick skipped back, taking the brief moment's pause to flick some dust off his shoulder. "Tell you what, ask me again next time we meet and I'll see if there's any space in my diary."
"Rargh!" The girl's eyes ignited a fierce red and her attacks came in faster and harder than ever. Most people got sloppy when anger took control, a facet he liked to exploit at every opportunity, but this just so happened to be one of the few people who seemed to get stronger instead.
Just more proof some divine entity had it out for him. At least the White Fang were doing their job, that being getting their asses handed to them but buying him the time he needed. They'd only been brought along for menial labour anyway, and there wasn't much more menial than being thrashed by children.
Now if only he could create some distance for that stupid Bullhead to land and get him out of here. What he needed was a distraction… that or some reinforcements.
"I'm here, Yang!" Red said, dashing into sight with her bloody Semblance, the overgrown farming tool in front of her. "We came to help. Well, I did… Penny's off dealing with some White Fang, and Mercury is trying to dig Jaune out of a warehouse. We need your help with that, so can we deal with this guy quickly?"
"Heh, sure thing sis," Yellow said, flicking her nose with her thumb. "So, Torchwick, how do you like your odds now?"
Roman sighed and rubbed his temples. When I said a distraction or reinforcements, this wasn't what I meant you stupid asshole. What kind of God is out there? He still had the presence of mind to duck back as the brat's scythe threatened to make him a head shorter. One brat was already one too many, but he wasn't the kind of guy to fall to even two kids.
Nine, on the other hand…? Yeah, that was pushing it a little.
"Where do you all keep crawling out from?" he growled, parrying the scythe on his cane and then backhanding the midget in the face. The other one roared and rushed in, but he was able to push her fist aside and land a knee in her stomach. She didn't fall, however. Neither of them did. "Gods, it's like a bloody field trip or something. Is your home room teacher about to come walking out with a clipboard or something?"
He was interrupted by a panicked scream. Fortunately, it was shocking enough that even his two opponents stopped to look. Two White Fang soldiers – brave terrorists one and all – fled from the cargo containers, where he'd sent them off after the black-haired girl and the injured monkey.
"Monster!" one of them cried, voice raised in sheer panic. They nearly stumbled but somehow managed to stay on their feet and keep running. They actually ran between Roman and his two opponents, not that any of them were in a position to stop the two. "It's a monster! Aiyeee!"
Only once they'd passed did Roman look across at the two startled girls. "Another one of your friends?" he sighed, "Or is this the teacher I just mentioned?"
It really was time to try and discover religion, it seemed.
"I… don't think it was us." Red looked nervous. "Yang…?"
"What trick is this, Torchwick?"
Huh, so it wasn't one of theirs? Roman took a step back, putting some distance between them so he could run if things got really hairy. The three of them watched the area the White Fang had fled from, and the entire battle paused as well, both those remaining terrorists and the two members of the brat's team who were wiping the floor with them.
A figure rushed out in pursuit of the faunus. Their screams grew even higher as they saw it, but the beast stopped when it saw them. White skin, white hair – and eyes a creepy black and red. He didn't need to see the tentacles held in the air to know who it was.
"Well, crap…" Roman cursed quietly. "This doesn't look good." It was bad enough he'd scammed the guy before, but now he knew it was someone important to Cinder, and that he was quite possibly on their shit list for the whole tricking them into helping him thing. The monster was in Beacon now, and doubtless with these idiots. Roman took a step back.
"Hentacle!" Yellow shouted. She shifted her stance so that she faced both the monster and Roman at the same time. "Damn it. What's he doing here?"
Henta-what?
"He must be here to help Torchwick," Red said. "This is bad, Yang."
Help him? What had the brats been smoking?
Wait... They didn't know? Roman glanced over at his boss' pet monster, and then back to the girls in front of him. A terrible – almost suicidal – thought whirled into his mind. He'd pay for it, he was sure, but right now it was looking like the only way out of the whole situation.
And he was a man used to trusting his gut instinct.
Yellow cried out as he kicked her away, even if Red managed to escape the next. He took the opening presented and dashed toward the monster which set his heart racing. Up close, he was even worse than he had been before – and the fact he was topless and covered in soot, dust and blood didn't exactly help. Roman swallowed and stood beside him, however, more than aware of how dangerous the situation was. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened them once more.
"Now it looks like my reinforcements are here," he laughed. "Things don't look so hot now, do they?"
The teens balked. The two wiping the floor with his associates even broke off to regroup. He labelled them Orange and Pinky without really thinking about it. Orange looked frustrated. "You're working with Mr Hentacle?" she cried. "I should have known from the mascara… suddenly everything makes so much sense."
What was she on about? Roman was about to call back, but froze in panic when he felt a thick, smooth limb coil about his ankle. Sweat beaded on his brow.
"Reinforcements?" the monster hissed. "I'm no friend of yours!"
Okay, the monster was angry – he could see that. See it and understand, he really could, but right now the whole panic was mixing with the fear, not to mention the tentacle winding around and slowly moving up his leg really put a damper on his confidence. Roman knew what he needed, though, even if he knew this was probably the worst idea he'd ever had. He tossed an arm over the monster's shoulder, took a deep breath, and leaned in like they were the best of friends.
"You'll help me if you don't want me to spill your secret, Jaune Arc." he whispered. "Don't forget who forged the transcripts which got you into Beacon. It wouldn't tale much for me to reveal your secret and get you kicked out again." He swallowed the instant fear that shot through him. Yep, blackmailing the monster that could kill him... This was definitely not a bad idea. "Then again, with you being a Grimm, I'm sure it would be less expulsion and more extermination. If I get captured, I'm talking."
"Tch…" The monster growled but slowly retracted the tentacle. "You will pay for this, Roman."
Pay suggested survival, survival suggested not being killed. Roman almost collapsed in relief. He doubted he'd ever felt so frightened before, even when it was Cinder doing the threatening. He laughed out loud. "Whenever and however you want it, pal. Just get me out of this mess and I'm all yours."
Speaking of mess, he watched as two other figures joined the fray, one of which very much appeared to be one of Cinder's people. Mercury Black stared back at the two of them, eyes wide.
Also, the other girl had orange hair, which could lead to all sorts of naming difficulties.
"We can't let them get away," Yellow decided. "There's only two of them, even if one is some kind of Grimm. Be careful, but we can do this!"
"Break their legs," Orange cheered.
"No, no, no," Cinder's pawn shouted frantically. "How about we just let them retreat? I mean, dust protected, job done, right? We saved Vale, yay for heroism!"
"There is no reason to be afraid, friend-Mercury. I shall personally ensure your protection."
"You're missing the point entirely!"
The Bullhead overhead decided the matter for them, opening fire on the congregated group of teens. Roman cursed as he flicked his cane back up into his hand and prepared himself. This was going to be a rough night.
He could just tell.
/-/
This was a disaster! Jaune backpedalled away from Roman as everyone attacked. Nora and Penny were intercepted by various terrorists, some now dropping out of the Bullhead to reinforce, but that still left him stuck fighting against his friends – and for Torchwick.
Again!
"Can we just get rid of him once this is over?" Remy groaned.
The thought was definitely a pleasing one, but it was wiped away from his mind when a bullet whizzed past his face. Ren rushed in with his twin gun-blade thingies out. The slashed down on the spot where he'd once stood, then flashed up when Ren surged forwards in an uppercut.
Jaune used his tentacles like a wall, linking them together and wincing when the blades cut into his skin. The pain was dulled almost immediately, but it didn't stop him retracting them almost instinctively.
Ren rushed into that opening and slammed his weapon into Jaune's chest.
It bounced off.
"Ow," Jaune growled, gripping the shocked teen about the waist and launching him back.
Ren landed clumsily, but quickly rolled back into a standing position, guns held before him. "You have aura," he whispered. "Interesting… I wasn't aware Grimm could have aura."
Jaune opened his mouth to speak, but closed it and shrugged instead. As different as his voice was, he didn't want to give his honorary brother any hints. He was crazy perceptive. Instead, he took another step back and flicked his tentacles before him, whipping them from left to right so that his opponent wouldn't dare approach.
"Hey, I've got this," Mercury said, taking up a position beside Ren. The silver-haired guy nodded to the left. "Your partner's having some trouble with Torchwick. Think you can help her out?"
"Yang is...?" Ren frowned but did look to the side. "Be wary of him, he has aura. His tentacles are also faster than I imagined."
"I've got this. You go help your teammate."
"I'll get someone to help you."
"That won't be necessary!"
"I'll send help," Ren called, dashing away.
Mercury sighed and shook his head, turning and falling into a ready stance. He rushed forward and sent a kick towards Jaune's face.
It flew a good few inches over his shoulder.
"Jaune," Mercury hissed, "I know it's you. I'm on your side!"
"You know?" Jaune hesitated for a second, but quickly trusted Mercury once he threw a punch that was overly telegraphed and easily blocked. Jaune whipped a tentacle back, but made sure to make it just slow enough for Mercury to dodge. He did so, and the two of them remained locked in combat. "How do you know it's me?" he asked.
"Cinder told me about the transformation." Mercury said. He feigned a short cry and staggered back, even though Jaune's tentacle barely brushed him. His eyes were panicked. "Look, we need to get you out of here. We can't let them capture you, or worse – kill you! Can't you make a break for it? I'll say you got the better of me or something."
"Don't you think I'd have done that already if I could?" Jaune asked, frustration creeping into his voice. He wasn't stupid, no matter how many people seemed to think it. "Torchwick knows the truth about me. I can't run because he'll talk if he gets captured." He scowled. "I'm stuck here until he runs… or he dies."
"What are the odds of your friends killing him?"
Jaune's miserable face was probably answer enough for that. Ruby would never condone such a thing, and he doubted anyone else would either. The only way he was getting out of this with his secret intact, was if Torchwick got out with his neck intact.
"Damn it… Cinder will have my head if you get hurt here," Mercury growled.
Jaune felt a small bit of happiness at that, especially since he wasn't sure she would have been worried at all himself. It was quickly washed away by the current situation, however. "Do you have a plan?" he asked. "I don't want to hurt any of them, but I don't mind roughing them up if it lets me and Torchwick escape. I can make it up to them later."
"I don't… no, wait, I have an idea." Mercury glanced over to the other fight, where Torchwick struggled under an onslaught from both Yang and Ren. It didn't look like he'd be able to hold on much longer, and it only got worse when he saw Blake crash into the back of the White Fang keeping Nora and Penny busy.
"Running out of time, Mercury…"
"You need a way out, something to make them stop fighting. If you take me hostage, you might be able to bargain my life for them letting you escape."
Take him hostage? Jaune hesitated for a moment, but only a moment. He was desperate, it was a ruse, and it wasn't like he had to go ahead with the threat to kill his Big Sis' teammate. All things considered, it was an easy decision. He nodded, kicked Mercury back to create some space, and then sent two tentacles rushing in for the guy's legs.
Mercury made a show of being staggered and unable to dodge.
"Look out!" Ruby yelled, rose petals flying as she tackled Mercury out of the way.
Jaune's tentacles were suddenly wrapped around a very different target indeed. It took him a second to process it, during which his red eyes met silver- and widened, as cold gripped his inhuman heart and made it beat twice as fast. Those silver eyes- they could hurt him. Destroy him. Eviscerate him to his innermost core, even, and leave nothing unexposed.
He had to have her. Have her at his mercy first - before he was at hers.
His tentacles coiled about her, wrapped and tugged, turning her around so that he didn't have to meet those silvery orbs. Crescent Rose fell and a surge of excitement rushed up inside of him. He had her. He'd caught her.
Only then did he realise his mistake.
"He's caught Ruby!" Yang howled.
"Friend-Ruby," Penny gasped. "Worry not. I shall cut him down immediately." Several blades shot out from her back, though only Salem knew where she could have hidden those. He backed away, however, eyeing them warily as they hovered in the air.
"Wait," Mercury said. "Don't attack him."
"Why not? He has Ruby."
"Because… because he has a hostage." He made a frantic gesture Jaune caught; one he assumed meant `run with it` or similar. "If you attack him, you'll only place Re-Ruby in danger."
Jaune nodded and drew Ruby back into him. It wasn't the intended target but he could still go with the plan. With a silent apology, he tightened his tentacles around her legs and gripped her shoulders with his hands.
Yang froze, eyes wide and mouth wider, and that gave Torchwick the time he needed to limp away and over to them.
"Good job, kid," he said. He soon went silent, however, when Jaune shot him a look filled with all his anger. "Uh… I'll just… leave this to you, then?"
"Call your bullhead." he growled.
"S-Sure… I'll get right on that." Torchwick turned to one side and whispered something furiously into his scroll. It didn't seem to be going well, not if his face was any indication. "They said it will take a few minutes."
A few-? Jaune looked up at the Bullhead literally hovering in the sky above them, and then back down to Torchwick. His raised eyebrow said everything, really.
"Trust me, I know." Roman sighed. "You wouldn't believe how useless the animals I got saddled with are. They seem to take pride in how much they can mess just about anything up. It'll probably take them that long just to remember what the controls are."
Jaune sighed and turned back to the others, more than aware of how perilous the situation was – especially with the delay. With Roman behind him, all the focus was now on him, and having Ruby in his tentacles hardly helped. It only took the briefest look at Yang to know he'd be dead if it wasn't for his human shield. The others weren't much better. Ren and Nora looked deadly serious, Blake confused and embarrassed, Penny angry and Mercury…
Mercury had one hand on his forehead and looked more embarrassed than anything.
"L-Let go of me," Ruby wailed. She kicked and flailed, even if her scythe had been knocked aside when he grabbed her. "Let go of- whoah!"
He swept her up and into the air. Her head was a foot or two off the ground, but he made sure to wind his tentacles around her tight-clad legs. Just to make sure she didn't slip out of his grasp, he slipped a tentacle between her thighs as well for better purchase.
Ruby shivered. "O-Oh… That feels weird…"
"Hey, we're not moving!" Yang yelled, waving her arms. "Stop that! Ruby, are you okay?"
"I-I'm alright," Ruby called back. She squirmed and panted in his gasp. Her face was really red, her eyes lidded. "It doesn't hurt," she whispered. "It actually feels kind of… o-ooh…"
The sound she made didn't seem to be of pain, but hardly helped matters, not if Yang's face was any indication. She looked like she might throw caution to the wind and try to kill him before he could arrange his and Torchwick's escape.
Jaune scowled, and then quickly raised a tentacle above Ruby's upside down form as he saw Yang take a step forward. It was enough to make her freeze, but he knew it wouldn't last for long. If she kept pushing, this would end in disaster. A hostage was only as useful as the captor's willingness to go through with the threat, even he knew that.
He couldn't hurt Ruby. Hell, he was terrified of dropping her two feet onto the floor.
He needed to create space… make them back away or cow them into submission. All of Uncle Tyrian's ideas were out since he wasn't about to start murdering his friends. Uncle Watts, on the other hand, was an option. Misdirect and bluff… an idea came to mind, even if it was risky. Uncle Watts and Cinder always said bluffing about something you weren't familiar with was the most dangerous of things. It wasn't like he had a choice, though.
He took a deep breath, lowered his voice, and went with the one thing he knew would make them all freeze.
"Don't move, or I'll tentacle hentai her."
Oh dear… well, he's not wrong – it's going to definitely cause some reactions. I suppose you could say this chapter is a new facet of my desire to write stuff that works, as opposed to stuff that doesn't. I actually wrote another 3-4k on this, but it wasn't enough for the whole docks incident. It felt rushed, stymied… it skipped entire scenes for convenience. I began to feel it would be better as two chapters, but that didn't fit well with my aims of having a 10k chapter. It would have left the next chapter at only something like 6k words, and then probably 4k tacked on top of that which just didn't fit the feel of the chapter.
Instead, I decided to just focus on making it work. As such, it's going to be two chapters of around 8k, which lets me focus on improving it, getting it to College Fool on time to beta, and ultimately making the chapters flow better.
This chapter came in at around 9,200 anyway, so no difference - but just be warned that there might occasionally be smaller ones. Not too small. I don't want to write nothing. I'd guess it would never go smaller than 7k, but that's just a number. The point is, things are going to be more flexible.
Next Chapter: 25th May
P a treon . com (slash) Coeur