Knight Takes Kingpiece

by Twisted Fate MK 2

Jaune Arc must return home and gather his strength, to stand against all comers. Ozpin, Salem, Adam, Ironwood. From Vale, to Atlas and beyond, Jaune is done being used, manipulated, and taken to do other's will. Now? His future is his own. Uncaring for titles like Hunstman, he will protect what is his. No matter the cost.

15. A Knight's Gathering

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"No, I don't know for certain if Jaune is involved. But this situation just… feels like one he would be involved in, doesn't it?" Weiss asked meaningfully, watching the Atlesian fleet that had previously been lumbering around on what had to have been patrol routes turn and start to move with purpose distinctly away from Beacon.

If Weiss didn't know any better, she'd have said they were running. But Atlas was known for not running from battle, and there wasn't even a battle to run from here. So why?

"Compared to what else he has managed to involve himself in, I find it easy to imagine him starting something with Atlas." Ren agreed, Nora quiet and subdued beside and just behind him. Ever since they'd come back from the Grimmlands after their battle there, if that could be even called that, she'd been quieter and more withdrawn. Not terribly and enough that people outside their team probably would notice it.

Judging from Ren's hand holding her own gently and rubbing his thumb reassuringly along the top of it, he noticed it as well as she had. And that quiet had gotten worse at the mention of Jaune.

"Ruby said she saw the heavy cannons on the flagship moving back into their resting positions." Weiss offered quietly, more than wary of anyone around them hearing what they were saying. Why, she wasn't entirely certain, but something tugged her to quietness and a sort of paranoia she found uncomfortable. Looking at Ruby, the larger yet younger woman leaning against the wall beside the window and staring at her feet nervously, Weiss prodded her with a foot, "Correct, Ruby?"

Suddenly all eyes rounded on the youngest of the group and Ruby swallowed nervously, "I-I mean, you know, the guns were moving back, yeah. B-But I dunno if that's what happened, exactly. I didn't, you know, see the guns go off or anything. So I can't, you know, be too sure if that's true, Weiss."

"Ruby, would those guns move out of resting position for anything less than shooting down a large ship?" Ruby chewed her lip at Weiss' frank question and the girl sighed, crossing her arms and resting against the edge of the windowsill. "Then odds are good that they fired on that ship."

"Isn't that against the rules?" Nora asked quietly, Ren squeezing her hand to encourage her less out of need on her part than habit. When Weiss also raised an eyebrow she finally spoke, "This is Beacon. The Headmaster of Headmistress would have to permit it. And if someone was there…"

"Then they were probably invited." Weiss muttered, half to herself and half to the others while her foot tapped absently and her mind raced. "If the Atlesian military attacked an airship in Beacon airspace and are now withdrawing, as they clearly are judging from their formation and the directions they are taking, that would breach treaties not just dating to the Great War but even further back."

"Atlas is willing to risk another Great War?" Ren asked, thin eyebrow raised as he feigned calm composure. Internally his mind was racing as fast as Weiss' own, running through the possible targets that would motivate Atlas to consider that a worthwhile risk. "Jaune is the only one capable of drawing that sort of reaction out of Atlas. Or rather, he's the only with access to the person who fits that description."

"You don't mean….?" Ruby swallowed nervously and trembled slightly when Ren nodded. "But… She should be dead. We destroyed her castle, we all saw the fire and explosions and it collapsing."

"Apparently she may not be as dead as we hoped." Ren observed dryly, watching Ruby's face go paler than her complexion already was at the implications. "When Jaune returned, his blade was slicked with blood and I personally saw him see to the death of one of … that thing's people, and he did blow up the castle himself as well. But…"

"He never once left his own cabin after that, didn't even get his own food. And he looked like something was eating him up the couple of times I saw him on the way back." Ruby murmured, eyes searching the floor as though it held all the answers she needed to the problems plaguing her right now. When they apparently didn't provide them she continued, "I thought he felt, I don't know, guilty I guess."

"He had been through quite a lot, from what I understand." Weiss agreed weekly, shaking her head regardless. "But… Given what we know is out there in this world, now, and taken in part with today's events, I don't think that is the correct conclusion. Not given the… Well, the smoldering wreckage not five miles out, frankly."

"And all of this points to Jaune being here." Ruby followed, "If he was in Vale he'd have been… a lot further away than he is now. B-But is he…?"

"Dead?" Weiss asked coldly, shaking her head at the prospect. "If that creature is still alive in some manner, then that means Jaune allowed that. If he died, I doubt that even what time has passed would have ever done so without the Grimm swarming the ones responsible and Vale itself."

"In short, we would be up to our necks in Grimm and soon to be on our backs for their attacks." Ren elaborated quietly, Weiss grimacing but nodding regardless of the bluntness of the statement.

"But if… Jaune is working for that now, then what should we do about it?" Ruby asked nervously, the billowing smoke a permanent reminder to them all of whatever they did or didn't do and that's implications.

If helping Jaune led to this, whatever it was, didn't that make them responsible for it?

"I don't know what to do, but we can't just stay here and-" Weiss blinked once and then twice before a small smile Ruby more than recognized broke on her features and she pushed off the windowsill edge and past Nora eagerly, "Winter? Why are you-"

"Because of the smoke outside, blotting out the sun even now, Weiss." She cut in shortly, looking to them to be tired, mildly stressed and dirty from the forest. Before any could ask, she looked between each of them warily as another woman, smaller with curly orange hair and a smiling face, joined their small contingent at the window. "What do you know already, as I know you know much? We haven't much time to talk, and I would see what we do have spared repeating what you yourselves already know."

Instead of quick answers, as the elder Schnee had expected to receive, they exchanged nervous glances. Even Weiss, of all people, seemed to hesitate to answer her question.

A fact that shocked Winter enough that her stuff posture, drilled into her by years of military service and her father's own discipline, fell along with her face and she forced out a weak, "Weiss?"

"Perhaps you should instead explain to us what you know." She offered as diplomatically as she could, smiling apologetically at the eldest Schnee. "As you say, we know much, but we frankly are likely to know more than you. And given what I am fairly sure happened out there… We need to know your side, in all of this."

"I…" Winter swallowed nervously but sighed, turning and speaking over her shoulder, "Penny, find us a private location without prying eyes. We need to speak about a number of things, and may as well catch you up as much as we can while we do so."

"Do you mean you wish me to-"

"Yes, Penny." Winter cut her off as gently as she could, sighing and returning to her resting, military pose with her hands clasped behind her hips to wait.

After a moment, Penny spoke in a muted, distracted tone. "There is a room this way, which normally requires scheduled use monitored by the staff. It is not scheduled for use today, however, and will likely be empty all day." When the ginger blinked and smiled, her voice warmed and she continued, "I hope this is satisfactory to you, Friend Winter!"

"Quite." She answered coldly, voice... Oddly stiff and quiet, to Weiss' ears at least, before the eldest Schnee turned towards the small woman. "Penny, please lead us to this room and, if you can, make sure we can get into it. Preferably without alerting anyone we may find to be… Unsympathetic to our need of the room itself."

"Okay." She answered chirpily, turning and walking quickly away from the group with Winter in tow. After a moment's hesitation, exchanging anxious glances, the foursome followed behind warily.

Barely five minutes later, Penny pressed her hand against the slot for the Beacon-issued staff Scroll and visitor passes, humming happily as she did so, while the others watched on curiously. "Winter, who…. Who is this girl?"

"Her name is Penny Polendina, and she's not a girl. Technically, at least, she is a droid." Winter explained quietly, only willing to say even that after a cursory glance around them to verify that the side-hallway was indeed abandoned. "An advanced project to further our understanding of Aura and the synthetic applications of it to autonomous units fielded by Atlas."

"But…" Ruby started, freezing for a moment when Winter's hard eyes rounded on her before she swallowed and set her jaw, forcing herself to continue, "But Aura is generated by the soul of the person wielding it."

"You are correct, Miss Rose." Penny observed quietly, looking over her shoulder with a bright smile that caught the group off guard, given the subject matter. "My father knows that as well, and believes it. He has always treated me as a normal girl, regardless of my internals. I… Will not hold it against anyone who doesn't do that, though. Even I don't know what I think about it."

"Besides which we have more pressing matters than arguments of philosophy." Winter interrupted as the door finally slid open, stepping into the simplistic study area as soon as the gap was wide enough for her to fit. The others followed her, Ruby grabbing Penny's arm before she could.

"I think you're real." She whispered to the ginger android, squeezing her arm affectionately and smiling widely. "You have an Aura, and my mom always said that was the proof that Humans and Faunus were the same. Because only real people can even generate Aura. Since you can, then you are, you know?"

"I…" Penny's smile this time was wider, brighter, and to Ruby seemed to reach her eyes and make them sparkle in a distinctly human fashion. "Thank you. But Friend Winter is correct, we have more apparently pressing things to deal with then this right now. Once it is dealt with, I would enjoy spending time together if you would like to."

"I… think I'd like that, Penny. We'll be the best of friends, mechanical or not, promise." Ruby nodded, stepping past the android and into the room beyond with an offered smile and little else after that.

Penny, on the other hand, was practically vibrating in excitement at the sheer prospect of making not one but two new friends in the very same day. Winter and then Ruby, and even better they both knew what she was and accepted it without a word against it. "Sensational," was all she could whisper to herself as she joined them, locking the door behind them.

Inside the room was rather barren, compared to the kinds of facilities Beacon Academy tended to run and maintain. A trio of chairs, stacked against a wall, and two computers on a long desk pressed against a wall off to the left. Several bean bag chairs and a small table beside the door were all the other pieces of furniture in the room. Dim fluorescent lights flickered overhead weakly, the only light source to the interior room. One of a dozen along this hallway just like it, all lacking windows and with only basic provisions for the students using it to study and work in peace.

"Now then." Winter started after they had all taken seats, the woman herself standing inside and just to the right of the door. "I wish to start this conversation by restating the obvious. We have very little time to speak and still act in any way real enough to effect anything in any capacity at all worth considering."

"You're probably right." Ren observed quietly, nodding his head at the older woman. "I'll be blunt then, so we can expedite this. Do you know the name Salem?"

"Yes." Winter admitted mutedly, almost subdued at the mere utterance of the name. Enough to make an impression on the four and worry Penny. The former understood why someone who knew what Salem was would react that way, while the latter simply wondered what could frighten Winter. "General Ironwood dispatched me to… apprehend Mister Arc a short time ago."

"And what happened then?" Ruby asked, a bit sharper sounding than she met in her concern for her friend and eyes narrowed suspiciously. Or her former friend, she wasn't sure she knew anymore.

"I engaged Jaune and his companions and defeated them, then took him and attempted to withdraw back to a nearby Atlesian location." Winter took a breath at the memory and grimaced, "Grimm awaited us outside, and a creature introduced itself to me as Salem. At Jaune's request, I was… allowed to leave unharmed."

"Once back at the fortified base near Ansel I set to studying." She quickly moved on, hoping to get through these items as quickly as she could so they could move on. "I had a great many questions, the largest two being why Jaune simply let me go if he was so dangerous, and what Salem was. I found few answers to either, but at least more of the former than the latter. Even if they were uncomfortable to accept."

"So Jaune is working for Salem?" Ruby asked weakly, face downcast and frowning heavily. "If she was willing to save him like that, and even do what he said… Then wouldn't that mean this goes all the way back to that day at the castle?"

"He doesn't work for her." Winter said quickly, when Nora looked to be about to say something. "He didn't ask permission, or anything like that, for me to go unharmed. He… Demanded I be let go, almost. And the creature acquiesced almost happily. Like she desired to do as he wished, almost."

"Not something a servant would do." Weiss observed, taking a deep breath in thought at the implications as they raced through her mind. "You said you researched Salem? Any discoveries worthy of note? Right now, I mean."

"None. Just old myths and stories, with nothing concrete besides what myths often have." After a quiet moment, Winter spoke again, "I was unsure of what to do, going forward, but… Seeing the general throw treaty and alliance away simply to kill a man pushed me to my decision."

"Which is?" Nora asked curiously, arms crossed and watching the woman warily.

Closing her eyes and taking a long, shaky breath, Winter spoke, "For the greater good of Atlas, and all the Kingdoms, I will… I will help Jaune defeat General Ironwood or escape, as he chooses, and protect him lest this Salem creature decide to obliterate Atlas in retaliation for the loss of Jaune."

"Assuming he is not the enemy the general envisions?" Weiss asked carefully, mouth hanging slightly open at the declaration. When Winter shook her head, she added, "Even if he is an enemy of Atlas, you would still help him?"

"The only enemy I believe Jaune could ever be or is now is one of the General's creation. And my own as well, as his proxy." Winter asserted simply, opening her eyes to look at her sister. A soft smile broke her face and she went on, "We two are all which seek to save the Schnee name, Weiss. That cannot be done if Atlas is destroyed. And maybe if I aid him, he may seek Atlas' preservation."

"And if he seeks retribution against you for starting this?" Weiss asked quietly, standing slowly, jaw set in a hard line and eyes narrow. "What if he, or Salem even, wants your life as well for this?"

"Then…" Winter sighed, shoulders sagging under weight unseen, "Then I suppose only one Schnee shall stand to redeem our name, little sister." Weiss' mouth opened and Winter stepped forward suddenly, grasping her arms and gently pulling her into a warm embrace that drowned out the smaller Schnee's words. Weiss' arms hung frozen in the air as Winter spoke, "I'm a soldier, Weiss. I go into everything willing to die for my Kingdom and my people, and for the redemption of our name as well. This is no different."

"You don't deserve it, though, Winter. I won't let him murder you." Weiss said simply, wrapping her arms around her sister and holding her tightly. "Not you."

"My life is not worth Atlas, let alone your life, Weiss." She said simply, pushing the girl away gently and smiling down at her. "And besides, up against Pyrrha Nikos, Jaune's assassin of a lover and his bodyguard?" The next smile was bitter, but sure, "You won't be able to stop him, or Salem should she be the one to demand my head in the end."

"We won't tolerate it either." Ren asserted, standing with Nora in tow. "Jaune will understand, or fight us himself. I believe he won't go that far. He was a good man, when I knew him."

"And Salem will do as he says. She wants something from him, and she won't risk that, I don't think." Ruby offered hopefully, laying a hand on Weiss' shoulder and squeezing it gently. "But all this is kind of… You know, jumping the gun. Let's go talk to him, before he leaves."

"Penny?" Winter asked simply, the ginger's eyes closing as she worked once more.

"He is on his way to the Bullhead docks, Friend Winter." Penny responded, voice quiet and clearly distressed as her eyes opened. "No Bullheads or other transport craft are, currently, present to transport him. Catching up to him should be easy."

"We'll get our equipment and meet there." Ruby said, gently pulling Weiss with her as they headed towards the door. Turning, Ruby tossed over her shoulder, "Just wait up for us, okay? We'll talk to Jaune together."

Once they were gone, Penny looked to Winter nervously, "Friend Winter…?"

"Penny, I need you to promise me something." Winter asked tiredly, fixing the young android with an icy gaze that froze her non-existent heart in her chest. "A promise is something you can't go back on, not if you can help it, and I want you to promise me."

"W-What is the promise?" Penny asked nervously, eyes searching Winter's own anxiously.

"Trust me to do what is best, for Atlas and my sister as well." Winter asked simply, Penny blinking in confusion. "And if I must do what needs to be done… Don't let my sister fall. Protect her, please. Promise me."

"I…" Penny paused and then nodded, smiling brightly, "I promise, Friend Winter."

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"You're sure?" Pyrrha asked anxiously, looking at Jaune who in turn stared at the door out onto the landing pads with an almost… Curious expression, his sword-hand resting on the grip of his blade loosely, readily but not yet drawing the weapon. "I don't think she's worthy of trusting, Jaune. If she means to trick you now would be the time, with your abilities dampened by so many people thinking and feeling so much." "And the echos what Salem did no doubt as well."

"As muddied as my senses are, I can tell the differences between the people around me. And she isn't… Planning anything. If anything, she's actually scared." He answered, looking to the two women behind him, Cinder holding Neo's sleeping form cradled against her like a child and the Seer cloaked in her disguise once more, standing at the edge of the landing pad where where it hung out away from the building, just at the end of the wall. "I can't tell what she wants, but one on one she can't beat me before you are all aware of what she's doing. Trust me, Pyr. And you, too, Cinder."

"Whatever you decide, we will respect, Master." Cinder responded simply, adjusting Neo in her arms and giving Pyrrha a glance, "Is that not correct, Pyrrha?" "I trust you, at least… But does she?"

"Of course, I just…" "Gods, explaining things has always been my greatest of weaknesses." Pyrrha sighed, giving a meaningful look towards the smoke billowing into the sky, "I will stand beside you regardless of where you go, or what you do, and in all things you allow. I just do not wish to see you lose yourself, and become what you would have before struck against."

An image from her mind of Jaune, boot pressing against Winter's chest as he raised his new sword high reached him, and he understood the echoing image easily enough. Even if her doubts stung him, he could see where they came from.

"Pyrrha, I can't get rid of what you're feeling with words." He responded simply, smiling reassuringly regardless. "But I'll try anyways, and promise you I'm not some bloodthirsty villain who won't even hear her out. You know me better than that."

"I should hope that I do, given my vows." Pyrrha responded unsurely, eyeing him up and down, "But does that base kindness extend to all?" "Even Ironwood himself?" "Or… Is it only when it is easiest?"

"Don't even compare them!" Jaune snapped hotly, rounding on her and stepping close enough that her face covered most of his sight. She flinched at the closeness, shock echoing out of her mind and to him at his sudden anger, and Jaune continued, "I gave him chance after chance, and all I have ever received is more attacks, over and over, and now one of us is dead. This ends when he joins Roman in the dirt."

After a moment, Pyrrha blinked and smiled, leaning forward and closing her eyes,their foreheads resting against each other, "I have already told you I would stand by you, regardless of anything which comes. I am yours, and I trust you." "I just don't want you to fall from what you are…"

Staring at her face, and feeling her acceptance and trust, Jaune sighed and stepped away, looking at the floor with a pained expression. "I-I'm sorry, Pyr, I just… It's all so much, you know? I feel so… Angry and, some of it is Neo, and some of its me but I can't tell, and I can't get it out of my head, a-and-"

"Your mind is strained." Salem's eerie voice said, the small figure stepping around the Mistralian. "Too much emotions, intermingling with your own, and a kind of pain that rends hearts apart without interference. Such passion is beautiful to behold, but dangerous. Men lose themselves to it, and this is what the girl is fearing."

"You sound as though you have experience…" Pyrrha said quietly, green eyes watching the helmet bob curiously, "What happened to you, exactly?"

"I… Lost someone I loved, long ago. And in recompense I seized control of the Grimm nearest the battle where he fell and used them to slaughter the warriors who had taken him from me." After a moment, her voice lowered now, she continued on, "Then, in my grief and rage and overwhelmed by the Grimm's minds around me, I marched to their village and razed it to the ground without mercy."

"Did it help?" Jaune asked quietly, the orb hovering silently for several long seconds before Salem responded.

"Yes. I felt much better amid their broken bodies and burning homes." She chuckled when Jaune grimaced and he stepped away from her anxiously, "What, did you expect that I would have such regrets? I don't allow myself them, else I would have gone mad long ago."

"That figures-"

"But you and I are not the same, and acting as me would be a mistake." She cut him off, the blonde blinking as she spoke, "Do as you believe just, or just satisfy your bloodlust, I don't care either way. But please, do stop all of your whining over whatever comes before this so far unnamed woman arrives? I've no doubt she is close by now, you all have been griping for ten minutes or more."

"You're…" Infuriating, he wanted to say, but instead accepted her corrects words and settled on, "right, Salem. Cinder, Pyrrha, stay with Salem and see about that Bullhead we were promise. Go back to Ozpin if you have to, but stay together. It's safer that way, easier to get Pyrrha away from anyone crowding her if they spot her."

"I will endeavor to keep them both out of trouble, Master." Cinder assured, nodding at Pyrrha and then Grimmling in turn.

He nodded and she and the other two stepped by, headed across the landing pads towards several air-control officers massed around a console, coordinating the fire-fighting efforts and rescue services for whoever might be in the ship that went down, all amid the confusion brought on by the sudden and apparent desertion of the Atlesian fleet, and the withdrawal of ground forces as well.

Because of course they didn't know what in the world was going on, and Jaune wasn't in the place or position to bother informing them. Not that it would matter much, for their jobs even if he had felt motivated to do more than wait on Winter. He didn't need to wait longer before she and a smaller, ginger-haired girl stepped into view, the small woman pointing towards him and looking up at the Schnee, smiling brightly until she saw the white-haired woman's own facial expression.

A pang of fear echoing out of her, and eyes wary in a stony face, she ignored the small woman and started to make her way towards him with the ginger at her heels. To her side, he saw Cinder eye her warily before turning back to the controller she was talking to. But something felt… off, to Jaune. Something that took until Winter had closed the distance entirely and came to a nervous stop in front of him, fighting an urge he knew she felt to grip her rapier defensively.

"You aren't human." He accused quietly, looking down at Penny with a confused expression, eyes narrowed at her. Both women echoed surprise and, in the ginger's case, anxiety at his assertion and he continued, "I… Your mind, it feels different from everyone else's. Somehow bigger, and… Your thoughts don't flow the same way."

"She's… an android." Winter started quietly, uncomfortable already with discussing the ginger. Why, Jaune wasn't quite sure yet, but he was curious and fascinated by the reaching web of her mind, sending images of files and even pictures taken from online sources - of himself and others - as well as her own sight, meshed with security cameras watching the platform and himself even now. "It's an Atlesian experiment in synthetic Aura generation and the possible security uses that entails. I-I'm afraid I… don't know much about it, it was classified." "Aside from her existence, everything was kept very tightly shut. Worryingly so."

"I agree, it's worrying that they wouldn't want people knowing about this… What are they planning that they would need technology like this." Jaune offered absentmindedly, his own mind quickly thinking through everything he knew before he sighed, "The Maidens. They pursued the technology to be able to pick Maidens they liked, or ones that served their purposes."

"Maidens…?" Jaune blinked, looking at Winter's confusion filled face, and she asked, "I confess I don't know why the technology was pursued, I always assumed it was simply meant to augment our ground forces." "Outnumbered as we are,we could certainly use it… Especially with recent revelations of how dire the situation is, truly."

"No, this isn't about that and makes perfect sense now that I think about it." Jaune shook his head, resting his off hand on the top of his sword. "But I can figure out what to do about that later. For now, I have to wonder why Ironwood's lap dog is here when his fleet is very quickly beating feet north."

"I…" Winter hesitated a moment, swallowing anxiously, "Do you not already know?" "He is a psychic, after all, he should know."

"I read minds, Winter. I can only tell what a person nearby is thinking at the moment, or feeling if I pay attention." Jaune explained simply, confused for a moment, "Didn't you say Ironwood made you a file to read on my Semblance? When I was here, I mean. At Beacon."

"It was mostly theory, unfortunately, as even you seemed to not fully understand how your Semblance works." "This isn't how I expected this to go…"

"What, did you expect me to put my sword to your throat?" He asked sharply, Winter flinching at the frankness and her eyes flicking to his hand on the pommel of his sword in pseudo-answer. "I'm not insane. No one here is going to allow me to kill you, even if I wanted to. Which I don't."

"You… don't?" She asked, sounding and - to Jaune especially- radiating relief at the idea, "I… Felt that as at least part of the instigator for what has occurred today, you might paint me and Atlas with the same brush as the general himself." "Gods, even Weiss and her friends thought it…" When he gave her a disparaging look, she added, "It… Seemed an obvious enough possibility."

"I guess." He shrugged, sighing, "I guess the others are on their way then?"

"Yes." She answered honestly, making a pained face, "I… I believed you may wish to kill me, and wanted to speak to Weiss first should that come to pass. I have made a large number of mistakes regarding Weiss, and not saying goodbye isn't one I wished to join that list."

"The only person I want to kill is Ironwood." He assured her, though from the disquiet he sensed that cause he knew that didn't quite comfort her. "He's had more than enough chances, and I will have my revenge for all his crimes against me and my friends. No one else will bring him in, after all."

"I… only hoped to plead with you on Atlas itself's behalf." She confessed weakly, "I feared that your wrath might not end with him, or that you would… Let my home be destroyed in his pursuit.""A flawed home it might be, but annihilation isn't what it deserves."

"I won't." He assured her, feeling her calm until he added the next part. "If I can't destroy his fleet and kill him before he gets there, then I'll simply surround Atlas in Grimm no one can face and demand his presence and his head. You shouldn't have been making assumptions like that, that kind of thinking is exactly what caused all of this crap."

"I understand. Of course, you're right, making assumptions about you is what brought all this on. I shouldn't have made assumptions further. Forgive me." She bowed her head and Jaune rolled his eyes until she straightened, looking at him curiously, echoing relief. "And forgive me a second time for asking, but how are you planning to get Atlas to hand over their Councilman and most decorated military officer?" "Assuming anyone exists to even make that decision."

"Salem's great dragons guard her continent from exploration, and herself from discovery. They have snuffed out everything Atlas has ever sent up until now, and can help here too." He explained simply, "I already have a plan in mind. And it doesn't include destroying a Kingdom full of innocent Humans and Faunus. All of this isn't well explained, because we don't have time right now since I sense that Cinder has gotten me my Bullhead finally, but I can at least promise no to randomly kill everyone there."

"I wish to come with you, then." She said suddenly, Jaune raising an eyebrow curiously, "As a representative of Atlas, I can report on his treaty violations her directly to the military officialdom there. If you wish to do this without war, then-"

"You're welcome to come." Jaune interrupted her dryly, holding a hand out for her to shake with a flat face. "I'll tell Cinder to get a second Bullhead for you and the others, since I am sure they won't get left behind. I know them, and get the feeling they'd just follow me anyways if I don't take them."

Hesitating a moment, she took the hand and shook it firmly, "Thank you, Mister Arc. I… appreciate how honorable you are, even now given everything that's been done to you. And I apologize for my part in it."

"Let's just get this show on the road. You're in charge of reigning in Ruby and the others." He dismissed, turning and striding towards Cinder quickly. "I'm not a very patient person right now, so I don't feel like letting Ironwood get any more space on us."

Lost in the noise and far enough away Jaune didn't notice, a lithe woman watching him from a window pushed off the railing and strode quickly into Beacon, pulling her Scroll out and sending a quick, "Agents in Ansel were right, he came to Beacon. He's moving again, though, can't follow right now."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Snorting, Adam sent an order to come to Vale and close the Scroll in his hands, tapping it on his arm a few times before tossing the disposable thing aside and turning, dropping off the roof of the abandoned building and down into the alley below, landing with a muted thud beside two other Faunus in hooded clothing. One was a massive bear of a man, Banesaw.

The other was a new recruit, named Sera, bright red eyes and tail flicking about as she scanned the alleyway anxiously and whispered, "Anything worth the risk?"

"Fall and Arc are moving, soon. I don't know where to, but I have a few contacts in the Atlesian fleet that just left, and my agent in Vale knows the boy is after them." He turned, pulling a hood up to cover his head and a scarf to hide his face, he added, "Once we know where they are, we will take them and bring them before Sienna Kahn or Ghira."

"And if neither decides our way is the right one?" Banesaw asked roughly, Adam chuckling in response.

"Then I will offer them to the White Fang, and lead them myself to what we all desire." His hand drifted down, to a thin and tattered ribbon hanging at his waist, barely three inches long. Sighing, he nodded to the two and ordered, "Spread out across the city, prepare to move when I give the order, and lie low for now."

They nodded and departed, Adam waiting a few moments before stepping out into the throngs of people along Vale's main boulevards. His thumb stroked the ribbon once more and he smiled beneath his scarf.

Revenge would be delicious and swift, as soon as he had the forces he needed to deal with those two and their power over the Grimm.

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Beta Notes:

Ayyyyyyy! I'm back, finally finished school, I bet you guys are glad to get some superior edits ;)

P.S. For some reason Twisted doesn't put the discord invite links in the story so here it is: vHqu4V [take out the spaces]

As usual, stay tuned for next chapter, Voltegeist signing out

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Cadaver :

I hope some of Jaune's words displayed how not murder happy he is. And I made sure to spell out how murder happy it is reasonable to worry he might be as well, though that was already planned.

That said, you can only push a guy so far before he hits 'Fuck it' and makes you into a fucking kebab.

Emperor King Perby :

*Amazing

Split Haven :

The irony, you say?

Perseus Pendragon :

#RomanDidNothingWrong

Xager-The-Chaos-Kind :

Yeah, Jaune's powers are legitimately terrifying. Especially now, as pissed as he rightfully is.

Night Shade Dawn :

Yup~

Stone Cold :

Glad you enjoyed it~

Kill Kill 123100 :

I intend to please, if possibly.

The Impossible Muffin :

#RomanDidNothingWrong

Cloth Slayer :

The fight will actually not come just yet, not until the next chapter. And gods below if that is going to take some PLANNING on my end. It also won't be the kind of battle you may be envisioning.