Here we go.
Cover Art: GWBrex
Chapter 47
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Breaking News: Sienna Khan seizes control of Menagerie.
Atlas Times
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Vale to beef up security around festival following rumours Atlas might recall their forces.
Vale Daily Tribune
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Council of Mistral invests in home defence as troubling news rises of a conflict between Atlas and White Fang. Council assures citizens the country will not be drawn into a proxy war.
The Mistral Review
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Experts claim Vale closer to worldwide conflict than it has ever been since the Great War.
Vacuo Today
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Sienna Khan promises fair and democratic elections in the coming months but stresses she MUST take temporary control to install order.
Kuo Kuana Express
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Of all the things that could have affected his life from Atlas, from Vale or from any of the other great kingdoms, it was perhaps ironic that a tragedy in Menagerie was what had the greatest impact. Elm roused and escorted him to meet with the man. Weiss was there as well, tired and confused, but dragged from her room. Her hair stood a little on end and she kept trying to smooth it with one hand. General Ironwood was pacing when they arrived, but once they were both seated he dragged out his own chair and took it. His foot was tapping agitatedly on the floor.
"Ghira and Kali Belladonna are dead," he said at last.
Weiss gasped and covered her mouth.
Jaune felt like a heel as he asked "Who?"
"Ghira and Kali Belladonna. The parents of Blake Belladonna, who met with us in Atlas and bartered for her freedom." Elm reminded him patiently. His eyes widened. He remembered them; he remembered thinking they were all right folks, albeit with a daughter who had drifted far from what was right. He'd been angry at the preferential treatment she got, but Ironwood assured him the deal they struck would be worth it. "Wait," he cried. "Did this happen because of what we asked them to do?"
"Almost certainly," said General Ironwood. "The White Fang must not have taken our interference in Menagerie well. It's being covered up as a tragedy – a fire – but we know it was an assassination. The White Fang under Sienna Khan have taken control of the island awaiting an election I am sure will be rigged, and the White Fang's numbers are expected to swell. You're being briefed due to the risks that presents to the both of you."
"T-That's understandable," stammered Weiss, "but Blake's parents – does she know?"
"I have no idea. If she reads the news from her homeland…"
Weiss covered her mouth with both hands and moaned. "Oh Blake, no… I… I have to be there for her. Can I-"
"All I need from you, Miss Schnee, is an understanding that this may mean the White Fang make a move on your family, Atlas, or Vale during the Vytal Festival. Security surrounding you both will be increased. Please keep hold of your teammate as well. I very much doubt Miss Belladonna will go back to the White Fang after they killed her parents, but she may try something reckless. I will give you my direct number. Call it the second she tries anything and we will put a stop to it. I hope you understand this is in her best interests. The White Fang will kill her to keep this quiet."
"Yes, I… Yes." Weiss fumbled out her scroll and gave it to him. He typed in his number and handed it back. "I'll contact you with regards to escorts. Please take care in the city. I know that you can defend yourself as a huntress, so I won't insult you, but keep in mind all the defenceless citizens around you if you are pushed to fight. Retreat is preferable if it means no casualties." Weiss was nodding. "You may go. I'll need to brief Jaune in more detail. He has my permission to share whatever he wants with you after." His face took on a more sympathetic quality. "Go see to your teammate. If she doesn't yet know then I expect this will be a matter you'll want to recruit your other teammates for. Ozpin has been made aware and the teachers will be informed that Team RWBY may not show up for lessons today. They won't ask why if that's the case."
Weiss stood. "Thank you. Thank you, I-" Her eyes slid to Jaune.
"Go look after her," said Jaune. He didn't need her here, and it was obvious Weiss wanted to be away from here. "I'll be fine. I'll fill you in later if you're interested."
Weiss mouthed "thank you" and rushed past him to the door, all but slammed her way out and then sprinted down the hall. There was no telling if Blake knew already or not. As Elm walked over to close the door, Ironwood linked his hands together and fixed his eyes on Jaune. "We need to discuss the White Fang matter further. The situation is in flux and we're not yet sure from our limited spies what is going on. Sienna Khan is focused on consolidating her power, and the overall sentiment in Menagerie is… split."
"Between embracing her and blaming her?"
"No. Between making a statement towards Vale and you or taking action against Atlas."
"What? They're all on board?"
"We underestimated the hold the White Fang had over Menagerie's media empire. We assumed that the Belladonna family would have influence of their own and be able to counter it, and they may have misled us as to how much influence they had in order to secure their daughter's freedom. Or perhaps they underestimated Sienna as well. Either way, they tried their hardest to uphold our deal and paid the price for it. Before their deaths, there were smear campaigns against them and the few outlets that carried their messages. The Belladonna family had traditionally taken an approach of non-interference with the White Fang, an uneasy peace if you will, and it seems that many residents took their sudden switch after visiting Atlas as a clear sign of our involvement."
"Which it was."
"Which it was," he ADMITTED, "but we'd hoped it wouldn't be so blatantly obvious. Unfortunately, they were quick to portray the Belladonna family as being in our pockets. Traitors to their own people, trying to force Atlas' views on the local population. It really doesn't matter if our views were the truth or not in this situation; the people there hate us, and admittedly for good reason. Many were forced from their homes by Atlas."
"In many ways this isn't bad for you," said Elm, chipping in as Jaune slumped in his seat. "The choice is between hating Atlas or you, and your recent break with Atlas and all the drama around it has a lot of the White Fang convinced you were just a mouthpiece forced to parrot Atlas' words to protect your family."
That wasn't entirely wrong either, though Atlas hadn't been so forceful as to blackmail him. It was more that he'd felt thankful enough for their intervention in Ansel to say whatever he thought they'd want to hear. He'd been so eager to please and he couldn't have known how terrorists on an island on the other side of the world would react to that.
"Normally the White Fang would bluster about Atlas but then target you," explained Ironwood. "The main reason would be that you're the easier target. You're one man, bodyguards or not, while Atlas is an entire kingdom with a technologically advanced military. You're simply the better choice, and with the Vytal Festival offering unparalleled media coverage, well, it would be a big win for them."
"I'm sensing a but here."
"But," said Ironwood, nodding. "Atlas has never been as weak or as isolated as it is right now. Election fever has paralysed the kingdom, and candidates are smelling blood in the water. They're promising whatever they think the people want, whether or not they can hope to deliver it, and those messages are getting ever more unhinged and fragmented. I'm talking about a second expulsion of faunus, the return of the death penalty, mandatory security chipping and monitoring, absolutely no chipping and monitoring, cutting taxes in half, pushing Atlas to take a superior stance against the other kingdoms, or pushing Atlas to ignore diplomacy at all and cut ourselves off from the entire world."
"If it was just two parties butting heads then it wouldn't be an issue," he continued. "People might disagree with who wins but at least the leadership would be united. It's not, though. There are more parties than ever, and most are just a collection of loosely aligned opportunists who see a chance to grasp at power and wealth and have decided to take it. As things are going, this is going to be the most disorganised Atlas has been since the colour revolution."
And Jaune couldn't help but think it was his fault. Or not his fault but caused by him. The fault rested solely on the shoulders of people who lost their minds at him speaking out against Atlas, and on those who took advantage of the chaos for personal gain. Still, he had to wonder if any of this would have happened if Atlas hadn't invested so much in him and boasted so grandly of having him subordinate to their kingdom. The simmering tension was always there, but he might have kicked over the ant's nest on his way out.
"Do you really think the White Fang can beat Atlas?" he asked.
"No." Ironwood shook his head. "But I don't think they will ever have a better chance to make us bleed, so they might be forced to take it. Victory for them won't be in conquering us; that's unreasonable. It will be in bleeding us, in sending a message, or in exposing us to the world for our many flaws. If we expel yet more faunus for instance, they'll not only have fresh recruits but they can pressure other kingdoms to promise not to do the same. If they do, they have to take an active stance against Atlas. If they don't, their own faunus populations will revolt and join the White Fang. A lose-lose situation. If the White Fang can pull that off, it will eclipse any glory they might get from killing you. It will be a hundred times the victory on their part."
"Should I be hoping they go for Atlas, then? Is that what you're saying?"
Ironwood grimaced. "Either will be bad for you. If Atlas truly comes under threat then I will be withdrawn. I'll have no say – and even if I did I cannot simply abandon my home against violent terrorism. I also hold two seats on the council that would be taken from me if I didn't, plunging Atlas into even deeper chaos. If I am withdrawn, then so too will most of the men I've brought with me. That might even include Elm."
Jaune tensed, swivelled on his seat and looked to the woman who'd been with him since the start. "Elm…?"
"I'd refuse and try to stay," she said, instantly, "and I've told General Ironwood that. But he doesn't rule Atlas. No one does. If they threaten to revoke my citizenship and cast me out, or if they try me for disobeying orders and serve me a court notice, then I'll legally have to return. Vale might even extradite me if Atlas pushed for it. I wouldn't have a choice."
Losing him his bodyguard and any hope of protection in Vale. He could see where this was going. In an event like that, the White Fang might not actually be a threat – though a cell in Vale might still be. No, the real threat would be Atlas' own terrorists, who would suddenly have free reign to avenge their perceived wrongs against him with no one to look after him. He could try and look after himself, and maybe even hire his own security team. He had the money. It would all be that much riskier, however. There would be more and more chances of bad people slipping in. He'd almost been kidnapped once in Vacuo, almost assassinated in Mistral, and both times he only made it out because of the Arc-Ops. Now, he might lose that. On the other hand, the White Fang could decide to go after him, in which case Atlas wouldn't feel pressured to issue a recall, and he'd have protection, but also more threats. He'd have an entire country full of faunus gunning for him.
Neither was ideal and he wasn't sure which terrible scenario he'd prefer.
"Is there anything we can do to influence it?"
"No. The decision rests with the White Fang now. All we can do is try to present a unified image – but that's being constantly undone by those back home."
"What will happen to my family in either scenario?"
"I personally promise they will be cared for – out my own pocket if necessary. I've spoken to Jacques Schnee as well and he's sworn to take them all in if needs be. They'll be some of the most well-protected people in Atlas."
Jaune bit back a wince. It was good of Jacques to offer, but he knew why he was. It was because having him marry into the family would still be a huge win despite his reputation in Atlas. Great. Even more reasons why I can't afford to let my relationship with Weiss fail. It's bad enough we're struggling, but now I have the pressure of my whole family needing the Schnee family's help. That wasn't Jacques' fault though, and as far as the man knew everything was going well with him and Weiss.
"What will happen if you all leave? Are you asking me to return to Atlas?"
"I'm sure that will be what they demand of you," said Ironwood, "but I think you should refuse. Any return to Atlas from you will require you back in the hospitals every day. They won't accept less than that now. You'll probably have your pay cut as well, and the Arc-Ops will be replaced with a team more designed to keep you in line than protect you. I've already spoken to Ozpin and he has promised to house you here in Beacon regardless of any threats Atlas might make. If that happens, you might want to hire your own team. I've already spoken to a few banks and have paperwork ready to transfer your funds out of Atlas, preventing them from being frozen." He brought out a folder. "You can take these and look through them, but I'd suggest signing them sooner than later. As it stands I've split your resources across all three remaining kingdoms, in six different banks. Some are famed for their neutrality and discretion with high-profile clients. Jacques Schnee helped me with this, and in creating inroads with these people."
"Thank you." Jaune took them and laid them in his lap. He hadn't even thought Atlas might freeze his money, but they certainly would if they demanded he return and he refused. "Not just for this but… well… for everything."
Ironwood inclined his head slowly. "I only wish I could have done more. That's all there is to say for now. Elm will inform you if the situation changes. I'm sorry for being the bearer of such bad news, but the world is heading in an unstable direction. I want you to know that's not your fault. Your Semblance and your importance only exposed the cracks that were already there. At most, you sped up something that had been building for a while. This conflict with the White Fang was something of our own making, and due in no small part to our poor handling of the matter. The anger and the resentment had always been there, and your high-profile split from Atlas was simply the spark needed to set it all off."
"I see. I…" Jaune licked his lips. "Is this confidential information?"
"No. The world can see what is happening in Atlas. Tell who you wish but ask them to keep it quiet. I won't stop you trying to reach out and find allies when those I've given you might soon be taken away. Be careful of Vacuo, however." He closed his eyes. "Things are not as stable there as they seem. Mistral… Perhaps Mistral would be a good choice, if Vale falls through. Ozpin is a good man, however. He can be trusted to stand up for you."
He was also an old man. Jaune wasn't sure how much longer he'd be in power.
"May I be excused?"
"You may."
/-/
He would have told Weiss but she sent him a text saying Blake was "having a meltdown" and she needed to be there for her. He couldn't argue that, and so he ended up dragging Pyrrha and Mercury to his room instead. Neither of them got on all that well, but it was less antagonism and more a noticeable lack of anything in common. Simply put, they didn't dislike one another but also didn't like one another either. They were the definition of "friend of a friend". Still, they were his friends, and they listened as he retold the story. Pyrrha with shock and horror, and Mercury with a scowl that kept growing more and more irritated as it went on.
"That's a whole load of shit," Mercury accurately summed up once he was done.
"That's awful!" cried Pyrrha, almost in tears. "I can't believe they'd cut you adrift like that! And Blake, I didn't know her well, but she seemed so nice. To think her parents… It's terrible. What are you going to do? You're not going back to Altas, surely!"
"He ain't," said Mercury. "Or I'll break his legs for being that dumb."
Jaune couldn't help but laugh. They were opposed in so many ways, even down to how they expressed their concern. He liked that, though. Two people gushing over him would have been uncomfortable, as would two people blowing his problems off and insulting others. The combination evened one another out and left him feeling like Pyrrha had one side of him and Mercury the other, covering him as he waited in the corner for the next round of life.
"Even General Ironwood said I shouldn't return to Atlas. He says they'll pretty much enslave me and work me to death – probably make me apologise publicly too and say all my previous claims were lies to insult Atlas because I was petty or jealous or ungrateful."
"Fuck that," said Mercury.
"What about Mistral?" asked Pyrrha. "My family could put you up."
"I don't think that would fix anything," said Jaune.
"Different place, same problems," said Mercury. "And Ironwood said the White Fang would have to choose to focus on you or Atlas, but if you literally make it easy by going to Mistral without an escort then they'll take both. Vale ain't safe, but they'll take security seriously with the festival and all that going on."
"He's probably right," said Pyrrha, sighing. "Beacon is safe."
"Will it always be?" Mercury shrugged when Pyrrha shot him a glare. "Hey, I'm just saying it'll be fine now and maybe for the years you're here to keep an eye on him, but what happens in ten years? What happens when Ozpin retires and someone else is put in charge, and when the White Fang are dealt with but Atlas is still around and starts putting pressure on Vale to surrender Jaune to them? You know they will. The White Fang might bloody their noses, but they're not gonna conquer a kingdom with its own army. I'm sayin' he should have a plan for the future too."
Pyrrha relented. "I suppose that's a good point…"
"I need to make plans anyway," said Jaune. "Ironwood is helping to get my money out of Atlas so they can't freeze it. I've already read through the documents and they look legit. Jacques Schnee has good reason to help me too, and he uses most of these banks. Ironwood suggested I hire my own security team."
"I've used a few in the past for PR events, tournaments and the like," said Pyrrha. "I can ask my agents to send over their contact details."
"You should hire us," said Mercury.
"Eh?"
"What?"
"Just a thought," said Mercury, shrugging, "but we're talking long-term right? About what happens after a couple of years? I'm just saying my team will need work once we graduate, and not to toot our own horns or anything but we're good enough to be nominated for the Vytal Festival."
"You want me to hire your team…?"
He shrugged. "I was just saying it's a thought. We hang out anyway, you're chill with us, and we're more capable than some private security company. Cinder also handles your disguises, and I'm sure she could whip one up for Pyrrha as well."
Pyrrha had been frowning the whole time but suddenly reared back in surprise. "Me…?"
"Sure. I mean, you can help look after him as well. Can't you? And I bet you could use some time away from being the champion of Mistral. Jaune's already told me how you two became friends over going through the same shit. I figure you'd like the same solution we came up with."
Jaune could tell she was interested. The only reason he hadn't invited Pyrrha out before in disguise was because of the kiss, and the tacit implication of cheating if he went out alone with her. It wouldn't be like that if it was him, her, Mercury, Cinder and Emerald all out together. That'd be a gathering of people, and they could even invite Weiss along if she felt confident in leaving Blake alone. With that many people, he wouldn't feel awkward around Pyrrha and her maybe-feelings for him.
"I… uh… I…" Pyrrha glanced to him, away, and then back again. "W-What do you think, Jaune? Would you be okay with that?"
"I wouldn't have a problem if you're sure Cinder and Emerald wouldn't."
"Nah, they'll be cool with it." He waved his hand and laughed. "Honestly, Cinder likes you. Emerald doesn't mind you either."
No mention of Mint, but then she'd forever been absent. It was an odd suggestion but not an awful one. He'd have to be able to trust whomever he paid to keep him safe, and he wouldn't have the advantage he'd had before of Ironwood vetting and selecting a team for him based on trustworthiness. Anyone he hired from an exterior company would be motivated solely by money, and all it would take was the media offering them more, or bad actors, and they'd leak his private information or even lead him into danger. At least he could be sure Pyrrha and Mercury would never do that.
"What do you think, Pyrrha?"
"It's not a bad idea," she said. He didn't miss that she was more on board with it now that she had been included. Maybe she'd been afraid he was leaving her behind. "Should I come and meet Cinder with you, then?"
"Let me talk to them first," said Mercury. "Pitch the idea. You two can swing by tomorrow – I'll drop Jaune a text and he can pick you up. Cinder is team leader for a reason – she's scary smart – and she'll be able to figure out any holes in this plan and patch them up. You mind if I fill her in on all the shit with Atlas? Save you time having to explain it tomorrow."
Jaune agreed, and Mercury got up and let himself out, leaving Pyrrha behind. He could tell she was more relaxed without Mercury there; she'd never complained about him, though. He appreciated that. He didn't expect or demand his friends got on with one another, but he wouldn't accept any of them trying to define who he could and couldn't be friends with. He was sure Pyrrha would never try that anyway.
"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked. "I get planning for the future, and Mercury is probably right to have gotten you started on that, but how are you feeling right now? Are you okay?"
"I'm managing. Nothing bad has happened yet so nothing has really set in. I think it'll be worse then they inevitably do." He sighed and let himself fall back on the bed. "I'll miss Elm. That's the big think I'm feeling right now. I know we argue occasionally, and she can be nosey and pushy in equal measure but having her around is like having a big sister with me. It'll hurt losing her, but I can't ask her to stay when Atlas recalls her. She'd lose everything. Even if I offered to pay her wages, she'd lose her home and basically be homeless and without residence in any country."
Pyrrha laid down beside him, her shoulder against his. "You should tell her how you feel."
He looked over. "What? And make things even more awkward for her?"
"No. But you'll feel awful if the time comes and you have to split up without ever saying it. If you both know she'll have to go then it's not like you're asking her to stay. But you can at least hug it out and promise to stay in touch."
Hug it out. Jaune laughed softly. He had a feeling Elm would be a brutal hugger and would probably snap his spine in two. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I think she knows anyway but… well… I'll talk to her. Make sure there aren't any regrets."
"You'll be okay," she told him. "Things will be okay. Even if they turn bad in Atlas, and even if Vale starts putting pressure on you, we can go somewhere else. Mistral, Vacuo, there are still places we could go."
We.
Jaune didn't know how to unpack that simple word.
So, he didn't.
He chose another angle instead.
"You know, someone put an idea in my head recently. Just as a random thought. I'm not planning it or anything." That was a lie at the end. "But do you think it'd be crazy for me to just run away? Like, fake my death and vanish."
Pyrrha was silent for a long moment, and then the sheets rustled as she sat up. "Where is this coming from?"
"Just an idea I had. Everyone wants me for my Semblance but the happiest I've ever is when I was just Jaune Arc, a normal guy back home. I was thinking that a lot of villages and towns aren't so connected to the big cities, and being in disguise has been fun. What if… What if it was permanent? What if the White Fang did attack, and Jaune died in the fight, and a guy who didn't look much like him slipped away to live a normal life. What would you think?"
"I think I'd feel sad," she said. "I think I'd be heartbroken."
"But what if you knew? What if this guy kept in touch and you visited whenever and however much you liked? What if he lived in a town near Mistral, and you could visit every day and hang out? Maybe you could even buy a place in the same town." He looked up at her. "What then?"
Pyrrha's eyes were fixed into the distance, and her lower lip was fixed beneath her teeth.
"I…" Her tongue darted out to wet her lips. "I think that doesn't sound so bad." Her eyes darted to his. "Are you-?"
"I don't know. Like I said, it's just an idea I've been rolling around in my head. Atlas was good until it went bad, and Vale is already trying to push me to up my healing days to three. As soon as my aura problems are fixed they'll want me working seven days a week. Maybe I can fight for five but give it a year or two and they'll try and fight for six again. I just don't see Mistral or Vacuo being any different in the long run. Even if they wanted to be, people would start coming and causing trouble because they want me to heal their families. No matter where I go, desperate people will try and make my life hell to get my Semblance." He laughed. "But some random no-name hermit living in a town in the ass end of nowhere? Sure, I might be eccentric and people might wonder where I get my money from, but I could just say my family left me an inheritance."
"I… I don't know." Pyrrha looked nervous. "It's your choice, Jaune, your life, but I don't know. Just… Just promise me that if you do decide to do this, that you'll tell me. I won't tell anyone – I promise – but I don't want to spend my life wondering if the man I – if the man I consider my best friend is alive or dead. I couldn't handle it."
"I'll make sure you know one way or the other," he promised. "I don't want to lose one of the few friends I have either, so I'd keep in touch and want you to come visit. As long as no one tracks you to find me. That'd be why I'd need to take my death. I was thinking about it the other night and I realised that people would search for me forever if I didn't. They'd never just let me go. I need a way to convince them it's pointless."
And maybe Cinder would have some ideas.
Basically, the events in Menagerie happening sooner due to tension ramping up early, and Blake and Sun not being there to help stop them. And before Adam even had to kill Sienna either.
Next Chapter: 8th June
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