After the conversation between Blake and Jaune. They were walking around Vale for a bit.
Walking around Vale, Blake stared at Jaune. She felt her heart race. It felt nice that someone was willing to help her.
One thing Blake knew about Jaune is he was not one to beat around the bush. If he had an ulterior motive, he did not have to hide that fact. He was not that type of person. Hence, Blake knew that Jaune was helping her because he wanted to, not because of other reasons.
As Blake was staring at Jaune, she did not see the person on her left as she kept walking and bumped into her.
Blake and the other girl both fall to the ground.
Jaune looked at Blake, he gave her a hand to help her up. Same with the other girl.
As Jaune contacted the other girl with his hand, he knew that she was not normal. Her hands felt cold to the touch, like touching metal. Her skin felt synthetic.
Using the Gamer ability, Jaune saw the name and what the other person was.
Name: Penny Polendina
Occupation: Atlas Military Property
Title: First Synthetic Human with a Soul
Level: 73
Jaune raised an eyebrow at the information. Synthetic Human? This was… breathtaking!
Blake saw the way Jaune was staring at the other girl. She felt a pang of jealousy. She hoped that Jaune looked at her that way.
"Sal-u-ta-tions!" said the girl. She was on the ground staring at Jaune. "My name is Penny Polendina! It's a pleasure to meet you!".
"Hello, Penny," greeted Jaune. He gave her a helping hand. "I'm Jaune Arc. And can I just say, you are a work of art. You are stunning! Whoever built you must be proud".
Penny blushed at Jaune calling her stunning, but it went away as she heard him continue. He knew that she was not a normal meat person!
"Built?" hiccupped Penny. Whenever she lied or tried to lie, she hiccups. "I don't know what you mean. I am a normal meat person. Just like everyone else".
"Pfft! That's hilarious, Penny," said Jaune. He laughed at what she said. "One, no one calls themselves a normal meat person. Second, you have nothing to worry about when it comes to you being a synthetic human. I find you quite intriguing. Not just because of what you are. I think you are hilarious".
Penny wanted to say something, but she couldn't. She didn't know how to process the feelings she was having. However, she knew one thing. The attention she got from Jaune; she liked it a lot. And she had the attention of many individuals, but no one has gotten her to feel the way she does now. She wanted to learn what it is she is feeling.
Blake saw Penny and remembered her from the other day.
"Hey, aren't you the girl that bumped into Weiss?" asked Blake. She then thought about the words she heard Jaune say. "And is it true you aren't Human?".
"Yes, I am Penny. I am a friend of friend Ruby," said Penny. She smiled. She wanted to divert the conversation about her being a robot. "And you're one of friend Ruby's friends, yes? The Faunus".
"I am," said Blake. She was confused. "How did you know I was a Faunus?".
"Uhm…," said Penny. She didn't know how to say it. She knew because of her sensor and her connection to the CCTS. "The ribbon…?".
Blake's eye twitched. Her so-called disguise was worse than she thought.
…
Docks, later in the evening….
Jaune Blake and Penny are scouting the place to see if the White Fang is going to be there.
Since Jaune told Penny that he finds her intriguing, she decided to stick around, something that Jaune had no issues with.
However, it can't be said the same with Blake.
It has been an hour since they arrived and nothing has happened, nor are there any signs of the White Fang.
However, Jaune can feel it is only a matter of time.
As Jaune and Blake scouted the place, there was a gurgle.
Jaune looked at Blake and knew what it was.
"Here," said Jaune. He took food out of his Inventory and gave it to Blake. "It would do you no good to be hungry when the time comes".
Blake blushed at Jaune. She couldn't believe her stomach would gurgle at a time like this. She took the food and spoke.
Penny was amused with Jaune's ability. Being what she is, she started calculating in ways that his 'Semblance' can be used.
"T-Thanks," said Blake. She held her stomach to help stop its noise. "I didn't have time to get something to eat when you told me this could be a heist the robbers would do".
"No need to be embarrassed, Blake," said Jaune. He chuckled at her. "Everyone gets hungry".
Blake looked down and took a bite of the food Jaune gave her. It was a Tuna steak.
"This is delicious!" said Blake. It escaped her mind they were on a stakeout. "Oops…".
Jaune laughed at Blake. It was funny. Even someone as experienced as Blake in recon can make a mistake.
Just as Jaune laughed, the winds blow all around them, and they look up to see a Bullhead's searchlights flashing around for a landing spot, descending in the middle of the cargo containers and extending a ramp for a black hooded individual with a metallic fanged mask to come out of.
"Well, there's your answer," said Jaune. It was White Fang. They are the only ones stupid enough to wear the stupid mask. "What do you plan on doing now?"
Blake looked at the scene in front of her. She jumped. Tried and failed.
"What the hell, Blake?!" said Jaune in a very low whisper. With Blake being a Faunus, the whisper was loud enough for her to hear clearly. "You can't just jump in without a game plan".
"You know that is quite hypocritical of you," said Blake. It was true. During the initiation, Jaune jumped toward the horde with guns blazing.
"True, but you aren't me," said Jaune. He was not being arrogant, but he knew no one in Remnant can harm him. Hence, the seemingly reckless actions. "I know my limits, and you don't. Do you believe that you have what it takes to beat Roman Torchwick?".
"I can take him," said Blake. She saw Jaune raise an eyebrow at her. "Okay, maybe I can't. I won't know unless I go down there and take him on".
"That's true, but you're forgetting something," said Jaune. "Roman isn't alone. He has the White Fang, grunts they maybe, backing him up. Plus, I researched him, and I believe that he may have a partner. I don't have proof, but I won't dismiss something I have suspicions of unless I find proof otherwise".
Blake wanted to say something, but she held it in. She thought about Jaune's words, and she heard no fallacy. It was quite sound.
"You're right," said Blake. She sighed at how rushed and stupid she acted. She wanted to fight a foe she knew nothing about. "Do you have a plan?".
Jaune thought for a moment, and he had none. But they didn't need a proper plan.
No. Jaune thought about it and thought why not go in guns blazing?
"I don't have a plan, but I have an idea," said Jaune. He then used his magic on Blake. It was a simple, but powerful defensive spell. "That should be able to protect you. And if it starts to fail, then you and I will automatically switch places".
Blake looked at the spell used on her. It made her glow for a moment.
"This…I feel safe," said Blake. She didn't know how to describe it. The spell was making her feel as if everything was going to be okay. "I still can't believe that magic is real".
Jaune smiled at Blake.
"Go on, then," said Jaune. He had no reason to stop Blake now. "Go do your thing".
Penny was about to go and assist Blake, but Jaune stopped her and asked her to watch the show.
Jaune gave Blake more than a protection spell. A bit of strengthening and speed-up spell was a no-brainer to give Blake as support.
Blake jumps to the ground in a crouch, then continues to hide behind one of the containers, peeking around the corner to see Roman berate a White Fang member holding a coil of rope.
"No, you idiot! This isn't a leash!" said Roman. As he's looking around, Blake suddenly appears behind him with her blade at his throat. "What the- Oh, for fuck sake!".
"Nobody moves!" shouted Blake. She made sure that everyone heard her.
The White Fang soldiers ready their guns and equip their swords in response.
"Whoa! Take it easy there, little lady," said Roman. He showed no fear of being held at sword point. He was used to such situations. A calm mind is needed.
As the White Fang closes in on her, Blake uses her free hand to go for her bow and remove it, causing the ribbon to fall away as her Faunus ears are shown to the world.
"Brothers of the White Fang!" shouted Blake. She wanted to know that she was one of them. Or at least used to be one of them. "Why are you aiding this scum?".
The White Fang members lower their weapons a little at this development, unsure of what to do when Roman laughs.
"Oh, kid, didn't you get the memo?" said Roman. He laughed.
"What are you talking about?" asked Blake. She was confused at Roman's words. What memo? She didn't get any memo when she was still White Fang. Meaning, it was a new development. "What memo?".
"The White Fang and I are going in on a joint business venture together!" said Roman. Happily. He could tell it would rile up the girl holding him at sword point.
"Tell me what it is," said Blake. She held her blade closer to Roma's neck. "Or I'll put an end to your little operation".
Suddenly, the air is filled with more turbines blowing the wind wildly around the holdup.
"I wouldn't exactly call it a little opera..." said Roman. He was unable to complete his words.
Two more Bullheads are hovering above the heist, and as Blake watches in horror, Roman smiles, but it didn't last for long.
Jaune wanted to let Blake continue her thing. When the bullhead came to drop more White Fang members, he stealthily flew to the bullhead and stored it in his Inventory. This caused all the White Fang members to fall and get knocked out cold.
"Damn! How in the hell?" said Roman. He was shocked and that's something that doesn't often happen. In the last year, he has only been surprised once, and that was done by Cinder Fall.
"Didn't expect that did you?" asked Blake. She already knew who it was that was responsible for the sudden disappearance of the bullhead.
"Certainly not," said Roman. He was thinking of a way to get away. Normally, Neo would have already been in front of him saving him, but she isn't, and he didn't know why.
"Come on, Neo," thought Roman. He looked around, but Neo was not among the crowd. "I need your help right about now".
Alas, it was not meant to be.
Why? Because Neo was already in Jaune's arms, being fed Neapolitan ice cream that is to die for.
"What's your name?" asked Jaune. He already knew that the girl was Roman's partner. Small she may be, but his ability was never wrong. The girl looked at Jaune, took out her scroll, and typed. "Ah! I see, you can't talk".
Jaune took something from his Inventory and gave it to the girl. It was a device he made. It was stupid not to use Divine Smithing to the best of his ability.
Neo looked at the device and fidgeted with it. She didn't know what it was.
Seeing this, Jaune gestured for her to place the device on her throat.
When Neo did so, the device created a strap to keep it in place. This confused Neo.
"What is this?" said Neo. This caused her to become wide-eyed. "I…I can speak? Is this the device's doing?"
"It is. I made it for the company I plan to build soon," said Jaune. He thought about it and there is more than one way of helping people. Building things that can help better their lives is one of them. "What do you think? Do you feel any discomfort? Any sort of problems?".
Neo moved her head to see if she had any form of discomfort, but she got none. It was…It didn't feel as if it was there in the first place. So, she shook her head.
"That's great!" said Jaune. It was the first step to building his company. He already has a few more devices in mind to make. Such as prosthetics for any limbs lost, eye replacement for the blind, and many more. "This is quite exciting for me".
Jaune smiled. He knew when he opens his company, there will be many that would think him young and naïve in terms of business-related matters. If they dare to do something to him or his family to try and acquire something that is his, they will surely regret it.
"Can I ask? Why are you and Roman stealing so much Dust?" asked Jaune. He knew stealing Dust was not Roman's style. It was too mundane. "This is not your M.O. Both of you look at a bigger game than this".
Neo looked at Jaune with a raised eyebrow. It seems the man before her is quite knowledgeable about their operation.
"In fact, Roman would normally steal from the ones with immense wealth, not a store that is barely getting by," said Jaune. He read all of Roman's heist. Most of it is done to council members, or to the rich who can be called scum of the earth.
Neo sighed. She didn't know why but being near Jaune was making her calm, quite easy to talk to, and less stabby-mac-stab. This is not something she was known for. If it was anyone else, she would have stabbed the man and left him to die.
"This is not our choice," said Neo. She shook her head. "At the end of one of our heists, Roman and I headed back to our safe house. That's when she appeared. Cinder Fall. She threatened Roman and me. If we didn't do as she asked, she would kill us, and there is no hiding from her, we tried".
Down where the action was happening, Blake was brutally beating all the White Fang and Roman single-handedly without effort.
"Can you ask your friend to stop?" asked Neo. She was not feeling up for a fight. "For some reason, I don't have the will to fight with you around".
Jaune nodded at Neo and stopped the fight. Blake didn't like it, but he explained to her that something else was going on, something big.
Blake had no choice except to comply. She didn't like it, but Jaune was being serious.
The White Fang were all tied up to be left for the authorities, but Roman was knocked out by Jaune and brought to a place he bought in Vale. He called it his home away from home. It cost him well over 70,000,000 Lien. It was a massive house. Even bigger when he modified it to suit his needs.
Penny was a part of all this. She wanted to speak up, but it felt she shouldn't. She followed them to Jaune's Mansion. It was…impressive when one enters. It was a baffling sight.