Our Things - or 'God gave me a Coppola, so now I feel entitled to go Gangster on Remnant' (Pre-RWBY Gangster/Councilor!SI)

Current date: 85 PGW (Post-Great War) or, for the many that preferred to keep it simple, RWBY Volume 1 minus five years.

Yes RWBY and… Vale. I, John Bukharin, was in Vale. I woke up in a world that wasn't mine, in the cold streets of one of the 'safest' places in Remnant, and with quite the simple boyish outfit.

And a Coppola, the traditional Sicilian hat that I had back home because it was a fancy hat despite its infamous reputation due to banditry and mafia-related connections.

It was the same- the only thing I got from my original world.

…Fuck, can God get any more clear about this. I have to be a gangster!

I mean, what else could I do? Convince Ozpin? And for what? To become his new pawn? Or maybe have Qrow work as my confidant and- nah, I wasn't looking forward to it. Like, it's fine to help around to fix the world, but it wasn't my fight. Yet. Maybe it will become that but… I had to first think of myself, then other people's lives.

Plus, playing the 'Good Guys' can help so much before some legal limitations of the corrupt kind made it impossible to prevent disaster- something that being a criminal allowed me to overcome with ease with enough investment dispensed for the effort. I needed yesmen in some instances, yesmen with bad morals too in some circumstances if I wanted to screw with Salem's plans.

No family, no ties, no means to make a living… except the one thing that many poor people could do to make quick bucks without having a qualification to start with. I was literally the best kind of manpower a criminal organization could get, and I just happened to know someone that was in charge of said organization.

There was an issue with that information- I was five years too early to Junior taking over the Xiong Family. So, when I made my way to the Junior's bar, I was surprised to find out the hierarchy still had Papa Bear as the guy in charge of the business, Mr. Hei Xiong Snr.

The place was filled with young people having fun, but a few individuals already had the classic black with red outfits known to be used by the Xiong Gang. So, while I couldn't exactly ask Junior to hire me, I could ask him for indications to join.

He was a bit surprised to find a scrawny-ass fifteen years-old guy like me wanting to join the group, but he just shrugged and told me to walk backstage and upstairs where his father's office was. I thought there would have been a bit more resistance to this, but I realized a couple of those already donning the uniform were roughly my age.

Man, the economy truly went to shit in Vale as I had long assumed from how well-established criminal organizations were in the region- I just didn't expect for it to be that bad.

Still, it was convenient for me as I could easily tag along the gangster fun without having to go through some harsh test.

I made my way upstairs to where the office was, the loud music growing distant as I could finally hear my steps and happened to find the office's door partly open, with Hei Xiong speaking with one of those fancy-looking guys that looked like any bland politician in their late thirties.

I spared the guy a look and I could tell my vote wasn't going to him. I waited outside, paying no attention to the man as he soon left for his businesses. Instead, I turned to the side and knocked at the door.

"Come in," A quiet yet strong voice greeted me as I complied with the request. I was met with a tired-looking but still quite awake and annoyed old man that… was fucking towering on me more than Junior.

What?!

I mean, I know there are tall people, but that's stupid tall compared to the shocking tall Junior had for himself.

"What? What do you want, runt?" The questioning made me stand tense, but I managed to work out a response.

It was instinct telling me to be quite nervous and careful around Hei as this man was truly what one would imagine of a scary man-bear.

"I… I want to join the gang."

"...Why?" He asked, the old mobster really annoyed by this. "The glamor? The thrill?"

"I am poor," I replied flatly. "Does this work?"

Hei blinked and then… nodded. "It works. Have you tried other jobs?"

I didn't have the chance to reply that Hei caught himself with a snort.

"I am kidding. With the current businesses' crisis in Vale, no one can get a respectable job anyway- and now I have to take care of those that are like you. Brats with no future but numbered days at grunts."

"...I want to live to be a proper gangster, boss," I remarked flatly and he chuckled. "I am not lying."

"Neither are the cases of accidents involving the Spider gang from Mistral," Hei shot back, clearly not laughing at my expectations, but accepting a harsh truth I didn't know about.

Spider Gang? Sounds familiar but… I don't think this was ever mentioned in canon. Right?

"Still, you want to join despite the chances of dying in a firefight?"

"...It's a risk of the work?"

"That's about right, but that doesn't mean you have the right to be a smartass about it," The old man retorted dryly as he went to fish out from some compartments of his desk… a pen and a document.

"Here's the paper, you have ten minutes."

"...What?"

"I don't pick everyone from the streets. If you are capable of smart talking, then you can take this test and pass it. Now go."

I was gobsmacked by this development- There was an 'admission test'? What is it? A school?

Considering how the situation was with Hei's own words, maybe I wasn't that far off about it. I mean, if so many young men were pursuing a life of crime, then maybe it would be right to call this a learning experience or something like that.

Still, the questionnaire was fairly interesting. Gangsters had to have basic awareness of geography, know how to handle police interactions and also be aware of some laws of Vale. Luckily for me it was all multiple-choices and I blitzed through that with ease.

Hei gave my paper a long look before allowing himself a smile. "You pass."

My smile lasted roughly ten minutes. It was around the time of me getting a mop, told to clean around the kitchen area and go through this kind of chores until it was time for my first mission.

It wasn't what I imagined when it comes to going the gangster path, but I could tell that I was still going to get some mission quite soon as I heard fellow 'rookies' talking about the Gang War with Spider forcing the Xiong Family to get a bit more active to protect their home-turf.

It was a nice thing to know, but since it's a Gang War I should have considered that things would have been quite vicious and that…

My first mission was meant to be way more violent than I could have imagined.


Three years later…

"Ouch-" I pulled back while nursing my arm at the unexpected attack. "What? I told you I couldn't give you the full story just yet. We have stuff to do."

The cause of that hit pouted big time and a message floated from her Scroll.

You told me that it would have been awesome!

"I told you that my Semblance's awakening would have been like that. Here! Now, you're spoiling a big part of Roman… Wait, is Roman still conscious?" I asked, looking at the thug tending the prick's wounds.

"Still stable, sir, but he is unconscious."

I sighed, turning to see the source of my current limb-related aching winking suggestively in my direction while leaning closer. I sighed and just pulled her in for a quick kiss.

"Of course, I forgive you. But next time, I will deprive you of the ass-fondling privilege."

That was enough to put the young woman in muted shock as she just nodded and just waited for the storm to pass… so that she can hear more of my past and she can tell me more of hers.


AN

Next time, shit hits the fan. And MC learns of his own Semblance. Worry not, it's a perfect match with his pairing partner in a way that is quite terrifying.