Taking Action

Apartment of Team RNJR

"I realize we didn't interact much during your time at Beacon," Said Oscar with Ozpin's voice, "But you seem a bit more somber than usual Mr. Ursario."

"Well I've got a bit of a favor to ask," Said Wayne, as he sat in a chair across from the former headmaster, "I've gone over what to say at least a dozen times in my head, but-."

"You're still not quite sure how to phrase your request," Said Oscar/Ozpin, "Understandable. After all you're not sure if I'd even grant it to begin with, or to be more precise, you're not certain I can."

"You mentioned your magic was fading," Said Wayne, "But you also said what you granted Qrow and Raven was a miniscule amount. Heck, at this point I'd even be open to just some words of wisdom or knowledge."

"You wish to have better control of your aura shadow ability then," stated Oscar/Ozpin.

"Yeah," Said Wayne, more than a little surprised, "You knew I'd come to ask you about it?"

"It's more like I felt the burning question at the forefront of your mind," answered Oscar/Ozpin, "You've turned how this conversation might go over in your head so many times, well you're practically dreaming about it."

"Sounds about right," Replied Wayne as he crossed his arms, "So why don't you pull that little switcheroo trick of yours and let the other guy talk."

"I don't see how Oscar will be able to help you with-." Oscar/Ozpin started to say.

"You know who I mean," Said Wayne, cutting him off, "So quit beating around the bush and say what you wanna say already."

"I'd hoped it would take you a little longer to figure it out," said Oscar/Ozpin as his body began glowing green. But instead of a simple personality change, the green energy soon turned to black mist as Oscar's body was replaced with that of the shadowed figure resembling a red-eyed, helmeted Wayne. "But it is good to see you're getting better at spotting lies."

"I hadn't actually mentioned the aura shadow to Ozpin yet," Said Wayne, "Not hard to figure out the lie considering we're more or less the same mind."

"And I had a whole other half of a routine planned too," said the Figure.

"Well then I just saved us a lot of time," Said Wayne, "So out with it already, I haven't got all night."

"You're surprisingly impatient tonight," Said the Figure, "I'd have thought you'd be a bit more grateful. Especially considering how my power is one of the main reasons you've even made it here in the first place."

"Your power was a last resort," Said Wayne, "A last resort we fortunately didn't have to follow through with."

"Because of what the potential result might've been," said the figure, "If you'd gone full force from the beginning, Raven Branwen might have released Weiss right then and sent you all on your way."

"Or," Responded Wayne, "She could've had that Vernal chick hit us with the full power of a maiden, killing us in order to keep from attracting the Grimm. The only reason she let us go in the first place is because the rest of the camp got riled up too."

"But that should tell you something else," Said the Figure, "She told Vernal to use her powers to stop us. Raven Branwen thought our power was enough to warrant a maiden's strength to end the fight quickly. And the fact of the matter was you were just biding time, if you'd unleashed your semblance throughout the camp while you had the aura shadow going. You could've easily torn apart the whole place."

"That wasn't my goal and you know it," Said Wayne, "I'll agree that if that had been any other bandit camp, any other gang of scoundrels and thieves. I wouldn't have much cared how much damage I did."

"But it wasn't," said the Figure, "This was the bandit camp of Raven Branwen, the mother of your friend Yang. So naturally you did everything you could to keep family from fighting family. But let's be honest here. That woman has drawn her line already, and that is likely why she asked you to make that promise in the first place. Because it was a promise she has never, or will likely ever keep herself."

"Well the next time we cross her path, we'll have help," Said Wayne, "With Qrow and the others we stand more than a fighting chance."

"You're assuming the next time you meet that bandit leader it will be on your terms," said the figure, "But you've got a larger problem right now than a bandit tribe."

"Yeah I know," Said Wayne, "The White Fang will be attacking soon. Which is why I'm taking what time I've got left to get as strong as I can."

"As strong as you could get right now would be embracing the power right in front of you," Said the Figure. "It will be more than enough to handle the White Fang and even some of the stronger lackeys of Cinder and Salem."

"And what should happen if Cinder herself shows up," Said Wayne, "She has the power of a maiden too. Do you honestly believe I'd stand a chance alone, even if I embraced every aspect of my darker half?"

"You and I both know maidens can die," Said the Figure, "And if you say, use one or more of your little friends as a distraction to get a clean shot. Well, then at least they died doing something useful." The sound of breaking wood was the answer to that statement as Wayne slammed both hands on the arms of the chair he was sitting in.

"You know damn well my friends are not cannon fodder!" Wayne practically yelled, "And that's the same reason I don't embrace this power the way you want me too. Uncontrolled and unmastered, I'll be as much of a threat as the ones we're trying to stop. The only real difference then is that you and I don't give a $ % about those relics, only about destroying our opponents."

"You really believe all of those stories," Said the Figure, "That many of the users of this technique just went mad with power? I'd thought you'd be more open-minded by now, especially now that you know secrets were kept from you and your friends. Secrets that could've saved your friends if you'd known about them before."

"Even if we'd known," Replied Wayne, "There's no guarantee Pyrrha and Penny would've survived. You know I've mulled this over before."

"Maybe not," Said the Figure, "But the question is always in the back of your mind about that day. 'If I'd been stronger, or faster, or even the slightest bit smarter.'"

"Maybe they wouldn't have gotten away with it," Wayne finished the thought.

"But say you'd been stronger before then," Said the Figure, "More ferocious and powerful, well." The air shimmered next to the figure as an image of Emerald Sustrai appeared. "You just might have persuaded Emerald to turn against Cinder. Or at the very least she wouldn't have been a problem for you to get past."

"Once again," Said Wayne, "No guarantees about anything back then."

"Of course, we need to look to the future," Said the Figure as the image of Emerald disappeared and was replaced by that of Weiss, "Like hers for example."

"Are we really barking up this tree again," Said Wayne, "She's my friend and I'd give my life for her, just like everyone of my other friends."

"Except she's not like your other friends," Said the Figure, "Not to you anyway. Tell me, if it had been anyone of your other friends who got captured, would you have allowed me more influence. Had it been Nora, or Ruby, Jaune perhaps, would you have reacted the same way?"

"I allowed you more influence because the situation demanded it," Replied Wayne, "I was originally going in alone against a whole bandit tribe, Raven Branwen and a maiden. But we're not alone now, we have others we can rely on."

"That's rich," The Figure practically laughed as images of team RNJR, Qrow, and Yang joined the image of Weiss, "Only Qrow has a for sure chance of beating most of our foes, while the rest likely need you more than you need them. But you know what we're facing, and most of your friends, well." The images shifted again, but this time to something far more horrible.

Yang and Jaune now had a number of large, bleeding bullet holes in their limp bodies while Nora and Ren were collapsed over the furniture, covered in multiple cuts and bruises. Qrow had a large red sword through his chest and Ruby's body was riddled with Cinder's arrows. The last image to alter was Weiss, who now had a pleading look in her eyes as a familiar green sickle attached to a chain protruded from her chest.

"If you remain as you are now," Said the Figure, "This outcome is sure to pass. Your friends lack the strength necessary to prevail and deep down you know it. So cast off your burdens and embrace your power!"

"ENOUGH!" Yelled Wayne as he shot up from his seat, releasing a wave of energy which caused the images to crumble away. "I will not count my friends as a burden and I will not embrace a power that will turn me mad. I will master this power the right way, by making you nothing more than a whisper!"

"HAHAHAHAHA!" The Figure laughed in a bone chilling manner as he stood up, "A whisper you say. Ha, we'll see what you think when Haven is in flames. So just try reducing me to a whisper!" The Figure crouched and leapt at Wayne, who responded by throwing a vicious right cross as the room broke apart around them.

"AAAAAAARGH!" Wayne exclaimed as he shot up, slamming his fist into the couch he'd been sleeping on. The sound of splintering wood and the fact that his arm was now elbow deep in couch stuffing brought him back to reality. 'Ah crap,' he thought as he pulled his arm out of the couch, 'Why couldn't I just roll off the couch like a normal person having a nightmare?' Wayne brushed the rest of the couch stuffing off of his arm as he tried to slow his breathing.

He was also covered in a cold sweat, and he was pretty sure he looked extra pale. 'What in world is the time anyway,' he thought as he looked over. 'Oh you got to be kidding me, five thirty in the morning! Another half hour and I would've been up for training anyway.' Figuring there was no point in going back to sleep now, Wayne grabbed the rest of his wardrobe, checked his weapons and headed out the door. One thing he failed to notice in his current state, though, were the worried eyes of a white-haired girl.

Menagerie: Belladonna Residence

'Well this is going well,' thought Aegis as he passed the guards and entered the home of the Belladonna's once again. He'd spent all day helping Blake and Sun get names for people who were willing to go to Haven with them to stop the White Fang. Which turned out to be a very small number so far. 'I know I've never been good at public speaking, but you'd think at least a few more people would be willing to help out around here.'

On the upside, there was still a few sections of the island they hadn't made it to yet. Like the nocturnal section for example. 'I wonder if the opossum Faunus hang upside down to sleep,' Aegis thought to himself randomly.

"Hey Aegis is that you?" Called Sun from upstairs. He and Blake had gotten back only a few minutes before him.

"Yeah it's me," Answered Aegis as he walked upstairs, "So did your so-called monkey charm help you get anymore signatures?"

"I got a few people to pay attention by hanging upside down and swinging around," Said Sun as he hopped off a stool he'd been crouching on. "Heck I might've been able to get a few phone numbers too. But once I pulled out the list for signing, pretty much game over ninety percent of the time."

"Still better than me," Said Aegis as he held up his own list, which was broken, "Ninety-five percent of the time people told me no. I also had to knock a rather rude vulture Faunus out, unfortunately I kind of used the little notepad here to do it."

"Yeah, not your best recruiting strategy," Said Sun, "But hey, we're all gonna tackle the nocturnal section together. So maybe you'll find some folks among the night dwellers who like your recruiting strategy a bit better."

"We can only hope," Said Aegis, "Speaking of all of us, where's Blake at?"

"Oh you know," Said Sun, "Out on the balcony in thought again. Is it possible to get too much fresh air?"

"I'll ask her," Said Aegis as he headed towards the door. Not wanting to surprise his friend too much, Aegis slid the door open as quietly as he could and peeked out. There at the edge of the balcony stood Blake, who was reading something? 'What in the world are you reading,' he thought as he stepped out onto the balcony.

"Something interesting in the mail?" asked Aegis, startling his friend a little bit.

"Oh Aegis," Said Blake as she tried to discreetly slip the note into her white jacket, "You're back. How did recruiting go?"

"A little worse than I expected," Said Aegis as he held up the cracked electronic notepad, "I never knew a vulture could be so confrontational."

"People can always surprise you I guess," Said Blake, seeming to lose herself in thought for a moment.

"True, and sometimes they do the same thing they've always done," Said Aegis, "Like avoiding my first question."

"Oh you mean the letter," Said Blake, "Just a letter of support to the family from some of the Faunus. Not a pledge of help, unfortunately, but I guess it's good to know some of them at least care."

"Uh huh," Said Aegis as he held out his hand, "You mind if I read it? It'd be nice to see some positivity after a long day of getting turned down for help."

"I'm actually pass due to get going," Said Blake, "I'll let you read it after I get back from the nocturnal section."

"Blake," Said Aegis with a more stern voice, "What does the letter say?" Blake looked like she wanted to try arguing but relented instead.

"It's a note from Ilia," Blake finally said as she pulled it back out of her jacket, "She wants to meet. She says things have gone farther than she wanted them too."

"Well maybe she's sincere about it," Said Aegis, "But why meet somewhere else? She's made it clear that she can drop by whenever she wants if that note's any indication."

"I'm not sure," Said Blake, "But if she is being sincere I can't just ignore her."

"You can't just go alone either," Said Aegis, "The White Fang has still got a few agents running around the island. Or they've called in more, either way you know they're gunning for you."

"I've thought about that," Said Blake, "But I'm still going to meet her. Just-."

"Hey," Said Sun as he poked his head out of the doorway, "We are still going recruiting right? What's the hold up?" Blake and Aegis remained silent for a moment before Blake answered.

"Aegis is," Blake began as she thought how best to explain it, "Staying here actually."

"Say what now?" Aegis asked, just as confused as Sun, "I thought I was going with y'all?"

"Aegis you've done more than enough," Said Blake with a hand on his shoulder, "You chased down Ilia and fought one of the White Fang's more skilled members not long ago. Then you went through recruiting all day by yourself. I think you've earned some time to rest here."

"Blake I can't just-." Aegis started to protest but was stopped by Blake raising her hand up.

"Aegis please," Said Blake, "Me and Sun should be alright on our own for one night. So please, stay here with my family." Aegis wanted to protest, but the pleading look in Blake's eyes kept him from doing so.

"Alright fine," Said Aegis as he relented, "I just hate the thought of you guys going out there while I lounge around here."

"We'll be fine Aegis," Said Blake as she turned to Sun. "I've got a bit of an errand to run on the way there, so you may have to go ahead without me when that comes up."

"Just so long as that errand of yours doesn't take too long," Said Sun as he and Blake walked back through the door, "The nocturnal section is pretty big." Aegis waited until they were out of sight before letting out a sigh. 'I hate this keeping secrets $ %,' he thought to himself, 'I hope you got a plan Blake.'

Mistral: Haven Academy Training Grounds

'More precision,' thought Wayne as he slashed through another few training targets, 'More speed.' Spinning around, Wayne attached his wrist wires to his weapons as he swung them around himself, creating numerous circles as his blades slashed through the training dummies. Then, quickly reeling his weapons in, he switched them to SMG mode and fired at a number of distant targets, riddling the vital spots with bullet holes.

'Now semblance attacks!' he thought to himself as he ran forward. Switching his weapons back to sickle mode, he released a couple of crescent-shaped blasts. The blasts destroyed a pair of pillars which were acting as his targets as he advanced into the last field of the training area. 'Let's see how many forms I can do?' Wayne continually charged his semblance then as he released two javelin-shaped blasts, then switched position and released two spinning blade blasts from his feet.

More pillars fell or where cut to shreds as Wayne started unleashing multiple blasts at once. An orb from both his hand and foot, multiple crescent blades in one swing of his arm, ground destroying blasts from one foot then the other, and last but not least, a new attack he'd been working on. 'Keep the formation together until the right moment,' He thought as he charged the attack, 'NOW!'

Wayne released the attack and watched as it destroyed nearly all of the remaining pillars. "Blast it," Said Wayne as he breathed heavily, "Still not all on target."

"Wow what was that?!" Called an excited voice from just outside the training circle.

"Hey Ruby," Said Wayne as he switched his weapons back to SMGs and slipped them into their holsters before turning to her, "I thought you'd still be at breakfast at this point."

"I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep," Replied Ruby, "And everyone else who was already up was wondering where you were at."

"Well you found me," Said Wayne, "I guess all the dust kind of gave me away."

"A little," Said Ruby with her characteristic smile as she held her hands behind her back, "But why were you up so early anyway?"

"It was just thirty or so minutes earlier than usual," Said Wayne as he scratched his head, "In fact it's more unusual for you to be up early."

"Well," Ruby said as the smile on her face shrank, "The reason I was up so early was because I heard a noise. Then I ran into Weiss, she showed me the hole punched through the couch where you were sleeping."

"Ah yeah, that," Said Wayne, "Sorry about that. Had a bit of a nightmare."

"But even Yang doesn't punch a hole through something over a nightmare. Not even with her worst nightmares, and Weiss says this isn't the first one of those you've had."

"Everyone handles nightmares differently Ruby," Replied Wayne, "Aegis once bit a hole in his pillow over a nightmare."

"But Weiss thinks it has something to do with that black mist coming from your body," Said Ruby, "Wayne what is she even talking about. What black mist, and why would it give you nightmares?" Wayne didn't want to tell her, to be honest. She had enough to worry about already without worrying about him. But once again, Ruby's pleading eyes got the better of him.

"You know," Said Wayne with a sigh, "I should've trained myself to resist those puppy dog eyes of yours." Ruby let out a small laugh at that. "Over the last few months, I learned and have been trying to master a fearsome and rather dangerous technique known as the aura shadow. A very old technique which can be extremely destructive to one's opponents and to the user."

"What," Asked Ruby, "But why would you learn something like that? Why learn a technique that could hurt you?"

"Because I'm not like you or Weiss, or even my own little brother," Replied Wayne, "I may have a powerful semblance but it's ultimately limited. I didn't inherit an incredible power like your silver eyes, or get an ability through genetics like Weiss or Aegis. Heck, Aegis discovered his semblance before I did. Plus, Cinder and Salem have been using all kinds of ancient knowledge to gain the upper hand."

"So I took a page from my Dad's side of the family and learned an ancient technique of my own."

"But what happens if it backfires," Asked Ruby, "I know we all need to get as strong as we can to face Salem. But if you wind up destroying yourself in the process, what was ever the point?"

"Believe me I've asked myself that same question," Said Wayne as he put his hand on Ruby's shoulder, "But this wasn't a decision I made lightly. I thought about all the risks and benefits beforehand, otherwise I wouldn't be trying to master it in the first place."

"But you shouldn't need something so dangerous," Said Ruby, "Not when you have your friends to rely on. We've made it this far by working together, and supporting each other."

"I know Ruby," Replied Wayne, "That's why I'm out here training. The Aura Shadow is meant as a last resort. If I can get better, and if we're all able to watch each other's backs, I shouldn't even need to use it." Wayne patted Ruby's head as he said the last part.

"Well I'll be sure to let Weiss, I mean-that's good to hear," Ruby stammered as she removed Wayne's hand from her head.

"So the others did put you up to this," Said Wayne as he crossed his arms with an amused expression on his face.

"Well it was Weiss mostly," Said Ruby, a little guiltily, "She said I'd be better at getting an actual explanation out of you."

"I would've told her if she just asked," Said Wayne, "I just never mentioned it before because I didn't want the rest of you guys worrying."

"Well we can see where that plan got you," Said Ruby, "Weiss is plenty worried, more worried than I think even she wants to admit. And so am I."

"Well if it worries you guys that much," Said Wayne, "I'll let you in another secret. I've got an idea that might make the aura shadow less risky. But before that." Wayne grabbed his coat and flung it over his shoulder, "I'm kind of starving, so let's hope Nora left something for lunch."

"We can only hope," laughed Ruby as they made their way back to the apartment.

Menagerie: Belladonna Residence

'I really don't like this,' thought Aegis as he sat on the roof of Blake's home. 'Blake's still got way more trust in that Ilia girl than she should. Now she's almost definitely walking into a trap and what does she tell me to do, wait here.' Taking one more look around the outside of the house, Aegis hopped down onto the balcony.

"You guys had better get back soon," Aegis thought aloud, "I really don't want to stay up all night." As he was about to enter the house, he caught a bit of movement out of the corner of his eye. Pausing at the door, he sniffed the air a bit, trying to see if there was anything unfamiliar. "Hmmm," hummed Aegis as he opened the door the rest of the way and stepped inside.

"Do you think he saw us?" asked the White Fang soldier as he peered out from the other side of a tree.

"Doubt it," Said the soldier, "I've heard he's a better fighter than tracker. But if we can avoid him, taking out the Belladonna's shouldn't be too difficult."

"Shouldn't be," repeated the other White Fang soldier. The sound of static filled their ears as their communicators came to life.

"This is Fennec and Corsac, move in and eliminate the Belladonna's. Clear the way for the Faunus," said the Albain twins over their radios.

"That's our cue," said the lead soldier as he and more than a dozen other soldiers emerged from hiding. They slowly converged on the house, going for an entrance Ilia had informed them about. The one blind spot in the Belladonna's security, especially now that it was time for guard shift change.

"Alright mouse, pull out the lock picks," said the lead soldier, "Get this door open."

"Thought you'd never ask," replied the mouse-eared soldier as he holstered his weapon and pulled out a tool kit. Just as he was about to work on the lock, however, the door opened to reveal Aegis Ursario.

"I'm sure this ain't how regular politics works," Said Aegis as a moment of stunned silence passed between the soldiers. With a quick movement, Aegis kicked the crouching soldier in front of him. The unfortunate Mouse was flung into a nearby soldier as the other stunned soldiers finally reacted.

"It's Ursario," yelled the lead soldier as Aegis grabbed and pointed a soldier's rifle at one of the other soldiers. The weapon discharged, blasting back the other soldier as Aegis knocked him aside with his fist. Any other soldier not quick enough to back away was sent flying by the bear-eared fighter's strength.

" # $ it," Said Aegis as he removes his weapon from his back and takes a fighting stance, "This is the kind of politics I can get behind!"

The White Fang has at last made their move against the Belladonna's. Now Aegis fights to defend the family of his good friend, while Wayne makes a fateful decision on how to deal with the increasing madness of the aura shadow. As for the rest of us, well we're stuck waiting on the next chapter. But don't worry, it should be out before long. And a thank you to all my readers for your reviews and critiques thus far. Be sure to stop by next time as Aegis unleashes his fury on those dumb enough to threaten his friends. 'Til next time.