When Jaune's eyes cracked open, his gaze was slightly obscured by blonde hair. With a bleary grunt in confusion, he tried to move and brush it aside, only to find his arms pinned. It was at that point he realized that there were two distinct sources of warmth on either side of him, belonging to Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long.
The two women had been utterly fuming when he arrived home the night prior, having seen the news story about the White Fang attack on the plaza and had tried to call him…just after he'd silenced his scroll. Honestly, he was a bit surprised that Yang hadn't broken then thing herself when he got back, her hair ablaze and eyes burning a fiery red.
However, after explaining the broad details of what happened, Yang called down enough that it seemed like she wasn't going to punch him through a wall. Blake, however, was still sufficiently pissed, and insisted that he not leave their sight for the rest of the night…which naturally led to them all sleeping in one bed.
At least Yang was nice enough to let us use hers… He thought to himself, gently trying to wiggle out of their grasp to no avail. Blake was latched onto his left arm, purring softly with her head resting just above his chest. Yang, on the other hand, had half her body sprawled on top of his own and was snoring soundly just above his head, hence the hair in his eyes.
Worse yet, Yang's leg lay between his own, making any attempt at escape result in an awkward burst of friction that made his cheeks burn and blood flow lower than he'd like. He was well and truly trapped for a time…until the Brothers above granted him some small amount of mercy as Yang suddenly rolled over the opposite way, sleepily grumbling something before returning to snoring.
Jaune shifted carefully and eventually managed to wiggle out of Blake's grip, though she did grumble softly in her sleep at the loss of her pillow before he replaced it with a proper one. Slipping off the bed, he took a deep breath and stretched, surprisingly well rested despite his unusual sleeping conditions.
He snuck out of Yang's room and moved over into his down, changing out of his suit from the night prior and into a more comfortable outfit. He planned to take a shower too, but before he exited his room, he elected to check his scroll for any messages he missed while he was out.
As it turns out…there were quite a few. In total, he had three messages from Ruby, two from both Yang and Blake earlier in the evening, three from Saffron, and a whopping twelve from dear old Mom. Words couldn't even describe the fear he felt in that moment, knowing just how fucked he was at that moment.
It took him nearly a minute to work up the nerve to call her back, and barely even got a word in before the thunderous roar of, "JAUNE MILES ARC!" boomed from his scroll speaker loud enough that the device shuddered in his hand.
"Mom, mom! I know you're pissed at me, but just let me explain-" Jaune tried his best to soothe her, though she promptly steamrolled over him with a distinct irate gleam in her eyes.
"I should hope you have some kind of explanation prepared, considering you kept me and your father up all night, worried sick!" She huffed, her statement punctuated by the distant but audible snore that could have only belonged to his father. "Explain yourself right now, young man!"
Jaune sighed deeply, and then undertook the frustrating task of explaining the events that transpired the night prior. His invitation to the Schnee Gala, the hostile takeover that occurred thanks to the White Fang, and how he, Ruby, and Weiss had taken the fight to them.
When he finished explaining why he hadn't answered her calls, he could imagine her expression was a mix of surprise and disapproval. However, she didn't interject for the entirety of his explanation, and when he finally fell silent she just sighed and hung her head low for a moment.
"Jaune, I know you're looking to carve out your own path in life, same as your sisters. As much as it hurts for me to admit it, you've grown up into a young man who doesn't need to be coddled anymore." She stated, before raising her gaze back to the scroll with a somber look on her face. "With that said, this cannot happen again. Not just you not calling back, but putting yourself in danger like that…please, promise me you'll avoid situations like this in the future."
Jaune mulled over his mother's plea seriously, not blind to the concern in her voice. He certainly hadn't planned to fight the White Fang, but at this point, he'd somehow managed to do it twice. The trunk at the end of his bed that held the dented remains of his armor was a keen reminder that he was not built for this. He was not some hero out of a comic book. He was just Jaune.
"I promise, mom. I'll do my best to keep out of stuff like this in the future." He replied softly, imagining the relief sweep over his mother's face as she sighed again and nodded in response. "Please tell me you didn't get the whole family worked up over this…"
"No, no. I called Saffron, but she talked me down along with your father…I was just so worried, Jaune. This is the exact type of thing I was worried about when you left." She huffed, oblivious to the way he seemed to stiffen on the other side of the screen and shaking her head with a frustrated groan. "I just…I don't want you to get hurt out there, Jaune."
"I know, mom, but you can't always protect me. Life isn't predictable enough for me to never get into trouble." He retorted, before hearing a particularly loud snore and grumble from the other room made him look up. "Sounds like my roommates are starting to wake up. Can we talk about this more at another time?"
"I suppose so, yes…stay safe out there, son. I love you." Juniper Arc replied with a soft smile, one Jaune couldn't help but return as he let the tension leave his shoulders.
"Love you too, mom. Tell Dad I said hi." He chuckled before hanging up the call and tossing his scroll to the side as he scooped up his clothes, planning to make a beeline for the shower before Yang or Blake intercepted him. The snoring from Yang's room had mysteriously vanished at this point, adding to his unease.
He cracked open his door and slipped out into the hall, creeping past Blake's room and getting close to Yang's room, stilling as he heard a creak from within before the door swung open and tired looking Yang stepped out, hair still a mess and eyes blearily as she glared at Jaune.
"And where do you think you're going? You're staying in our sight for the rest of the day, Arc." She grumbled, rubbing her eyes before looking at him in slight amusement. "What are you even doing anyway, it's like 6 am?"
"Morning to you too, Yang." He chuckled with a roll of his eyes, before nodding off to the side towards the bathroom. "I was just gonna use the brief time out from under your prying eyes to get a shower in."
At that, Yang's eyes lit up with a dangerous gleam after having been sleepy only moments before. She suddenly leaned in quite close, a mischievous look on her face as she purred out her next words, dragging a finger along his chest seductively.
"Mmm, I don't see any good reason why we shouldn't take one together, now that I'm up~"
Jaune's cheeks burned a bright crimson at her flirtatious offer, and he sputtered helplessly while the wicked blonde grinned at him evilly. Before he could form a proper response, however, Blake cleared her throat from the doorway, catching both their attention as she fixed the duo with a deeply unamused glare.
"Yang, isn't it a bit early to be harassing Jaune?" She grumbled while rubbing the sleep from her own eyes. Yang had the decency to at least look embarrassed and lean back, chuckling anxiously while Jaune looked between the two with a bemused expression.
"What, I was just teasing him! It's not like I actually planned to join him for his shower or anything!" She defended herself desperately, pausing before her eyes filtered back to Jaune, that dangerous gleam returning. "Unless~?"
"Nope. Blake's right, far too early for this." Jaune replied in a deadpan tone, stepping past Yang hastily with a raging blush and quickly darting into the bathroom, trying his best to tune out the blond's laughter as he turned on the shower and stripped down.
"Honestly, Yang, you're gonna scare him off if you tease too much too soon." Blake chided with a slight chuff of amusement, Yang's chuckles slowly dying off despite the massive grin still on her face. "Try and dial it back just smidge, would you?"
"After what happened last night? No way in hell, kitty cat." The blonde refuted, crossing her arms as her smirk widened just a smidge more. "Don't tell me you didn't enjoy having him as a pillow last night~?"
"...touché." Blake muttered, cheeks flushing slightly as her ears twitched in apparent guilt given her feigned indifference only a few moments before. "Any idea on how we could make that regular occurrence?"
"Oh, I got a few ideas…" Yang replied, already scheming up fresh ideas for how she and Blake could seduce their mutual crush, their resident blond dork who was still utterly oblivious to their feelings. In all honesty, this was gonna be quite fun.
Daniel's head throbbed as he came back to consciousness, prompting a soft groan of pain as he slowly sat up and winced at the dull stick of pain that followed the motion. Maybe drinking his sorrows away hadn't been the best idea he'd ever had…
No shit, Sherlock. He chided himself as he rolled over so his legs hung over the side of the bed, hitting the hardwood floor with a soft tap. He looked over to his nightstand and spotted his scroll, leaning over and grabbing it, wincing again at the burst of light when he switched it on.
He'd missed a few messages from Winter, as well as a few from Penny. He responded to Penny's first and informed her that he was fine and would see her in the lab later that day to explain where he'd been. As for Winter's messages…he skimmed them, getting the general idea she was just making sure he'd returned home in one piece.
He was prepared to turn off his scroll and get another thirty-ish minutes of sleep before getting ready for work, but a sudden chime prompted him to look down and realize he was getting a call from Winter. After a beat of contemplation, he answered it.
"Daniel? Are you alright?"
"Mmm, I'm peachy." He grumbled drowsily, "What's up?"
"There's been a major development concerning the White Fang and SDC. Escalation of force is almost inevitable."
The drowsiness cleared from his system rapidly, pushed aside by a surge of adrenaline as he sat up sharply and blinked to clear his crusty eyes.
"I'm listening. What's the situation?"
"There's been a broadcast from the White Fang uploaded to the CCT this morning. They have…a confession from my father"
Daniel grimaced, and rose from his bed swiftly. "Let me guess, about the SDC's treatment of Faunus workers?"
"That's just the start of it...actually, it's the part everyone saw coming. He also confessed to paying off voters, covertly hiring strikebreakers, 'charitable' donations to friendly district councilors, full-on corporate espionage…even trying to purchase information on classified military R&D."
"Oh shit. I knew the old man was well connected, but it turns out he's got his fingers in just about every pie back home. No wonder nobody's been able to finger him for anything." Daniel muttered, pulling himself out of bed and starting to pull on his uniform.
"Yes. The Atlas Council is…VERY interested in having him returned safely, as is the general. However, that is being handled by another team. More important circumstances have arisen." Winter insisted.
"What is it this time?" Daniel questioned with a concerned tilt of his head as he shucked on a shirt.
"A mechanized detachment of the Atlas Response Team and elements of Vale Police managed to intercept a White Fang convoy on the outskirts of Vale. From the reports coming in and transmissions from the combat droids, they were in the middle of evacuating to their main base."
"You think they're trying to consolidate strength, or hauling ass outta the city now that they've shown their hand?"
"Most likely the latter. Merely forcing my father to expose his crimes on global broadcast like that….it's done more damage to the SDC in half an hour than the Fang have managed in the last 10 years combined. Faunus rights groups, families of SDC miners and other companies victimized by the SDC are likely tripping over themselves to file lawsuits as we speak.
"Not to mention the doors this opens for further support to their cause. Better working conditions for Faunus miners, enshrined Faunus rights in the Atlas constitution, reparations for dead workers' families, financial aid to Menagerie…anything they think the SDC and Atlas will be willing to capitulate to in exchange for Jacques to get swept back under the rug." Winter explained.
"But isn't he an admitted criminal now? Why would Atlas continue to support him after what he's said he did?" Daniel asked, his uniform secure and crisp enough as he made for his bedside drawer and drew from it his trusty sidearm, strapping it into his belt holster.
"Oh, they want him back for punishment, not forgiveness. His crimes are against Atlas as well, and they want fair retribution . Like I said, the Council and General Ironwood will BOTH want confessions of their own from him, separate from the Fang's mission."
"What about just accepting some concessions then? I mean….laws mandating treating Faunus a bit better wouldn't be a bad thing, surely?" Daniel suggested.
"Ordinarily, I'd agree with you…but these are terrorists making demands with a hostage. No matter how reasonable the demands or reprehensible the hostage, the Atlas Military does not give in to terrorist threats, especially now that my father is free."
Daniel sighed and pinched his nose.
"I figured as much. So, where are we needed? The Response Team and Vale PD need help cooling things down with the convoy?"
"That situation has already escalated, I'm afraid. The standoff ended 15 minutes ago and it's chaos down there, the police and Response Team are holding their own well enough, but…"
"How are the casualties?" He asked, gravely.
"Heavy. The last combat droid stopped reporting as of 8 minutes ago, while the police have already lost 3 cruisers."
"Fuck…" Daniel growled, pulling on his shoes. "Where's our mission?"
"The General wants us to find the Fang's Valerian headquarters. We're slipping behind enemy lines thinning the herd, and at best attempting to find Taurus or their remaining leadership in the city."
"On our own?"
"Last I heard, Specialists Washington and Carolina were selected to accompany us. Two teams should be enough to divide and conquer what Fang forces remain in the headquarters."
"Right, remember those two from basic training…not the worst team-up we've ever had." Daniel quipped, making his way out of his apartment and off towards the nearest elevator. "What's the boss man's thoughts on this series of developments?"
A beat of silence followed before Winter answered, her tone just slightly uncertain as she replied. "General Ironwood entrusted me and my choice of captains with overseeing this operation. He had personal matters to attend to."
Now that made Daniel pause mid stride. Ironwood, Mr. Tunnel Vision himself, had temporarily left command to deal with personal matters while Vale was being tormented by a major terrorist faction? Must have been pretty damn important…
Ironwood made his way up Beacon Tower steadily, each step echoing up the swirling staircase to the top. He didn't feel fantastic about leaving Winter and a handful of officers in charge while the White Fang were making moves in Vale, but he trusted them to take care of the situation. Business with Ozpin and the rest of the Circle came first.
Once he reached the top, he opened the door and stepped inside, spotting the assembly of members not too far away. Ozpin was, of course, at the center with Glynda by his side, dutiful as ever. Team STRQ was fully assembled and standing to the right while the Fall Maiden stood off to the left. She was actually the one who noticed him first, nodding to Ozpin who noticed him a moment later.
"Ah, nice of you to join us, James!" He nodded with a warm smile, as the General approached the group, giving him a firm handshake once they met. "We're still waiting for the others to join via the CCT connections, but as you can see, the turnout has been better than expected."
"That I can see…certainly provides a certain amount of confidence." Ironwood allowed with a slight chuckle, shaking Ozpin's hand before stepping back and nodding to the blonde beside him. "Glynda. You look well."
"As do you, James. I'm glad you could join us today, especially given the circumstances." Glynda replied with a polite nod, flashing a brief look of concern his way. "Are you certain that the current situation in Vale is in safe hands with you deputies? I can always pass along the results of this meeting if need be."
"That's kind of you, Glynda, but unnecessary. Winter and Wilson have things under control, I'm certain of it. Besides…this takes precedent." Ironwood assured her, before glancing towards the leader of team STRQ and offering a respectful smile. "Mrs. Rose, I'm glad that you and your team are still among us."
"Don't tell me you expected us to walk away from a fight before it was finished, General!" Summer teased with a laugh, flanked by teammates Tai Xiao Long, Raven Branwen, and Qrow Branwen. "We're in this fight for the long run."
"Not like we have much of a say in the matter." Raven tagged on half heartedly, earning her a pointed look from both Tai and Summer which she shrugged in response to. "What? Just saying, this isn't exactly a fight we can step away from."
"What my delightful sister is trying to say is that we're committed to the cause, Jimmy. No worries here." Qrow chimed in with a nod before taking a swig from his canteen, before quickly guarding it from the agitated Rose as he slapped her hand away playfully. "It's just water, you nagging little-"
"If you would all behave, please." Glynda requested with a cool glare leveled at the group, who all stilled and soon fell into line. Ironwood chuckle, amused that in her years since graduating from Beacon, the good witch had become quite the disciplinarian.
"Thank you, Glynda. Now…I do believe we've ready to begin." Ozpin announced, tapping a few buttons on the large console at the center of the room, projecting two figures alongside Amber and bringing up a large, green projector on the table in the center between the group. "Thank you all for joining me today. I recognize that things have been hectic lately, but these status reports are of the utmost importance…Peter, if you would kindly start us off?"
"Of course, Ozpin. First and foremost, Theodore apologizes for not being able to attend in person, but something's come up at the academy that required his attention." Peter Port apologized, fluffing his mustache briefly before continuing. "Vacuo is stable at the moment, no signs of incursion or activity from any of her followers. For the moment, the city is clear."
"I can report the same regarding Mistral. No major incidents or findings to report, Haven is living up to its name." Leonardo Lionheart reported, a small smile playing on his face as he looked amongst the assembled council. "From what I hear, there is a slathering of vigilantes moving about in Lower Mistral, but nothing the authorities can't handle."
Ozpin nodded to the two teachers, some relief outlined on his features given these reports. They were locked in the middle of a cold war, and needed to keep tabs on all the major cities to make sure they were ready to counter whatever her next move was.
"From Atlas, I can report a similar phenomenon. A group known as the "Happy Huntresses" are galavanting around Mantle. They protect people and have admittedly reduced the crime rate, but there's also been reports of them engaging with Atlas Military patrols, and stealing hardware." Ironwood reported with a slight scowl, earning him a look of bewilderment from Amber and Glynda.
"They've taken up the name of Hunters? That's…bold, even for vigilantes." Amber remarked, knowing full well that the Hunter Program had been disbanded for almost two decades now. Pockets of vigilantes took up the title on occasion, but they never lasted too long before getting caught. "Is it possible they're in league with you-know-who?"
"It's…unlikely. In reality, I assume they're just another gaggle of former Hunters trying to do right in the world…Mantle certainly needs the protection." Ironwood admitted with a more remorseful look, before sobering up as a deathly serious look returned. "However, there is a more serious situation I'd like to discuss. Ozpin, if I may?"
Ozpin nodded to his old friend and gestured towards the glowing green projector on the table before them. Taking off his glove, Ironwood placed his prosthetic hand on a scanner built into the table, causing the green glow to pulse briefly before manifesting the image of a familiar, foreboding mountain range.
"Mountain Glenn has been a thriving colony for a few years now, but a handful of reports have arrived on my desk as of late that I find…troubling." The General explains, the visuals shifting to a series of security feeds and a few scrolling reports. "Unexpected tunnel breaches, unidentified movement in restricted areas, overpowering feelings of dread and fear reported among workers, and most concerning; at least twelve reported disappearances."
The assembled members of Ozpin's inner circle all looked notably worried with these reports. Vale had marketed Mt. Glenn as a city of the future, sporting notable advancements in tech that while still far off from Atlas' level, proved to be just as valuable to society. If something suspicious were happening there, the Valerian Council would risk keeping it under wraps…
"Do you have any suspicions on just what this might be?" Ozpin queried, though the knowing look in his eyes was enough for the other members among him to recognize he had his own assumptions.
"A few. Merlot Industries proved to be the source of a great many reports, and looking further into them revealed some strange details." Ironwood confirmed, the images on the table shifting once more to show a lab of the corporation, as well as a few key personnel on site. "They led research into artificial intelligence and genetics, but according to some files leaked to us by a concerned employee, an apparent third "splicing" project has become a president."
"You don't think…?" Tai interjected with wide eyes, his teammates looking equally as alarmed as the seasoned veterans of the group around him. He didn't even need to finish his thought as Ironwood nodded and finished it himself.
"Unfortunately, I do. It seems all entirely possible that Merlot has somehow discovered Grimm, and could well be experimenting on them."
The group looked amongst one another, this development clearly sparking no small amount of concern and prompting scattered discussion. Ozpin, however, was noticeably quiet, staring at the table with a quiet rage burning behind his eyes.
It was bad enough that Grimm could finally be making a resurgence after years of lying dormant, but the fact that people were taking the risk to experiment on creatures so beyond them for such selfish reasons, risking bringing her back into the fold-
"Ozpin? Are you alright?"
The gray-haired man blinked, noticing Glynda's concerned look, and the matching one that followed from the rest of the attendees. He reigned in his anger for a moment, and nodded as he stood up a bit straighter.
"I'm quite alright, Glynda. Just…reeling from the news." He admitted, before turning his attention to team STRQ as his expression grew serious. "Mrs. Rose, take your team and investigate Merlot's facilities, quietly. Stealth is of the utmost importance."
"I understand, sir. We won't let you down." The silver-eyed woman assured him, before turning to her teammates and nodding as they all turned and departed for their mission posthaste. Ozpin then turned to those who remained, and quickly dispatched orders.
"Port, Leo; circle the wagons at your schools. Gather what allies you can and tell them that something is coming. We cannot afford to be caught unprepared if Team STRQ discovers something of substance." He instructed, receiving warm nods from both teachers before they departed, their holographic avatars flicking away. "James, I need you to gather what intelligence operatives you trust, including your specialists, and inform them of the situation."
"Are you sure that's wise, Ozpin?" Ironwood asked with a surprise expression. There'd been a great many times he'd wished he could have told Winter, or even Daniel about the secret war that stretched so much farther than the borders of nations, but widening the Circle meant risking data leaks.
"I am. We're going to need all the help we can get, and be sure we can trust said help." Ozpin assured his friend, his firm expression softening a smidge to a familiar, sober calm as he sighed. "We may well be on the precipice of what I feared most; Salem's imminent return."
The room stilled briefly at the mention of the witch's name, one that had not been uttered in so very long. It seemed to have the desired effect, as Ironwood swiftly nodded and marched out of the room, leaving Ozpin alone with Glynda and Amber. The latter stepped up as the former placed a comforting hand on Ozpin's shoulder.
"So…what do you want from us, boss?"
Ozpin turned his attention to Amber with a serious look in his eyes, turning his attention back to the central monitor system, typing in a few buttons on the console and drawing up a number of names and files. A small smile finally rose on his lips as he turned back to them.
"I have some very important people I need you to find, Amber…with any luck on our part, they could well be our only hope against Salem's return."
