Sins of the Forefathers

Act the First: A Beacon of Hope

Author's Note: Apologies that this took so long to publish. I was busy with personal matters.

A slower chapter this time around. Life acts most when you aren't looking.

Please, read, review, and I hope you enjoy.

Chapter Four: Discussions

I collapsed on my bed at home. After dealing with Junior, I had left him tied up in his office. When I left, I told the guard standing by the door that Junior had asked to be left alone for a few minutes to make a business call. He was wary, but he seemed to buy it, since he just stood by the door as I left the club.

I won't lie. I ran home as fast as I could. Looking back, it was reckless of me to charge into Junior's home base unprepared like that, but it would have been worse if I had waited. If I had allowed time to pass, he might have prepared counter attacks against me, increased the defenses of his club, or even just increased his men's training regimen. No, it had to have been that night, when the wound was still fresh.

Still, I had just humiliated and tortured a significantly powerful crime boss- powerful enough that he had a public business that civilians could walk into at almost any time, and no one in Vale was willing to stop him. He probably had connections in the local government, enough to stay open without issue. Maybe he sold them information…

Didn't matter. He would probably be pissed. I'd have to be careful about where I went in the city. I'd definitely have to stay away from that district, at least. And I'd have to prep my apartment's defenses.
And make a plan for what to do with Cinder Fall.

I brought up my Scroll and flicked the screen on. Two A.M. I had work in six hours… Considering what I'd been through yesterday, I thought I could afford to skip my workout routine. So, if I rushed to get up, I could get a solid five hours of sleep.

The clock face changed. Two-oh-one. Well, four hours, fifty-nine minutes.

I placed the Scroll down, closed my eyes, and breathed.

BLAM! BLAM-BLAM-BLAM! Gunsmoke filled my vision and the smell of lit gunpowder filled my nose as I fired four times, three of them kills. The last shot was made to injure- I still had use for one of them.

I kept my eyes forced shut, and breathed.

I stood up from where I knelt over Kayle Cassidy's form. After a quick chamber-check, I pointed the barrel of the gun at his head. His eyes widened with fear before I fired, and then the light left them forever.

I kept my eyes forced shut, turned onto my side, and breathed.

The stench of burning flesh made me gag as I lit the four bodies on fire. The Dust-fed flames consumed their bodies quickly, their skin melting, their eyes popping, their bones cracking. The blood boiled up, bubbling across the refuse of the dumpster.

I kept my eyes forced shut, turned onto my back, hugged myself, and breathed.

Hei Xiong screamed with pain, the sound rattling my bones as I slammed his own metal bat into his shins. Each impact made a sickening crunch as the force of the hit rattled up the bat into my own arms, turning them to jelly. But his legs would go before my arms would, if I could just keep up my strength. But the screams...

I kept my eyes forced shut, turned onto my other side, hugged myself, assumed the fetal position, and breathed.

A little girl whimpered, her white dress turning red as a knife-

"NO!" I screamed, rocketing up in bed, my eyes shooting open to check my surroundings. I was home. Safe.

I breathed heavily before checking my scroll again. Two forty. My throat was dry.

I got up and went to the kitchen before pouring myself a glass of water. I drank slowly, trying to calm myself down. But it wasn't going well. His voice echoed in my head again. It always did when I took a life.

Don't let it get to you, kid. You've gotta get used to it. After all, killing is in your blood.

I shook my head violently, and took a deeper sip. "No!" I muttered to myself. "No. That's your blood, not mine. Not mine…"

The Lady sitting on the throne wore a long black gown that went past her legs to obscure her feet. A dark purple cloak draped over her shoulders and provided some padding against the crystalline chair's harsh back. Her skin was a deathly white pallor, though it was interspersed with red lines running across it, as though some of her veins had been brought to the surface of her skin. A black crystalline substance in the shape of a diamond was stuck in her forehead. Her white hair was done up in a bun, with six cylindrical offshoots that contained various crystalline jewelry of uncertain purpose.

Her bright red eyes pierced through the portal in front of her. "You are telling me that you may have accidentally incited the ire of the most infamous Assassin in recent history?"

On the other side of the portal, Cinder cringed with embarrassment and fear. "Y-yes, my Lady. I had believed from my initial estimations that he- the boy, Jaune Arc, was nothing special aside from a potential Atlesian connection, but he turned out to be more capable and well connected than originally assumed.."

"You were not taught to make assumptions." The Lady's voice was at a common speaking volume, and yet the pressure behind the words caused Cinder to feel as though the woman was yelling at her. "You were taught to know. To find out the truth, and use it to your advantage. Instead, you rushed into action without thinking ahead. Someone of Junior Xiong's caliber might not have been able to discover information regarding Jaune Arc, but you hired Roman Torchwick, the greatest intelligence agent in Vale. To not use him, even when you had access to him - especially if you believed that Jaune Arc would be useful as an entryway to Atlesian politics - was foolish of you."

Cinder's head had long go hit the ground in her prostration, but she nevertheless attempted to bow lower, her spine bending down in Cinder's attempt to capitulate further. "I have failed you, my Lady. But I swear that I will accomplish my mission nonetheless. My meeting with the White Fang tomorrow will grant us a standing force in Vale, and once I have the Maiden's power-"

"Silence."

…

For several long seconds, Cinder held her breath in fear. Was she going to be killed? She had no way of knowing. If her Lady wished, she would die with a thought. But Cinder was too unimportant to be punished by the Lady herself - she'd probably be killed by Raven, coming through the portal to act as executioner. She'd probably-

"Raise your head, Cinder Fall. And look me in the eyes."

Slowly, Cinder did as she was told. As she looked into her Lady's eyes, she felt her fear wash away, and her vigour was renewed as a sense of loyalty. Looking into her Lady's eyes, Cinder felt the tiniest smidgen of mercy, and she thought that she might live to see the dawn.

"You have made a mistake, Cinder Fall. Learn from it. And commit no more. This is your only warning. Deal with the Arc family yourself - if Raven has to get involved, I will consider your mission a failure, regardless of the status of your goals."

Cinder slammed her head back onto the ground in further prostration. "Thank you, my Lady! I appreciate this second chance you have given me! I swear to you, I will succeed in all my tasks!"

The Lady nodded. "Remember. No more mistakes."

With that, the portal closed, and the Lady was left alone in her meeting room with one other woman.

The Lady looked to her right, at the other lady who had managed the portal. Long, wavy black hair hung down from the woman's head to her waist, tied into a ponytail and adorned with a red shawl. Alert red eyes shone from a fair-skinned, angled face. She wore a long-sleeved black undershirt on her torso, as well as a red-and-black v-neck. Red gauntlets covered her forearms and fingerless gloves protected her hands. A black pleated skirt adorned her hips, covered by a leather red fauld. An accessory made of bird feathers hung off her right side. She bore no weapons- at least, none that were visible.

"So, Raven," the woman addressed her ally. "How well do you think Cinder is going to handle this?"

Raven shook her head and sighed, holding her hands out wide in a shrug. "Unfortunately, for all her femme fatale aesthetic tendencies, she's not very good at subtle manipulation, at least not doing so on the fly. If she had researched the Arcs ahead of time, she would have Jaune eating out of her hand. As it is, she's probably going to use Roman to find some weakness of Jaune's and use it to blackmail him into subservience and as a way to keep his father out of things. Knowing Jacob, he's probably had more kids than just Jaune, so Cinder will probably find out something personal about them and use that.

"I don't know much about Jaune himself, but if he's anything like his father, he won't take kindly to his family being threatened. However, unless they're close by, he won't be able to do anything about any threats Cinder makes. In which case, he'll begrudgingly go along with it while attempting to subvert her plans in subtle ways whenever he can."

"Do you think Jaune can be convinced to join us without blackmail?"

"It's possible, but not likely. If we told him everything, he might join us, but it's too big a gamble to make."

"What are the odds of Jaune seeking aid from Ozpin or other Vale authorities?"

Raven shrugged. "I don't know. All I know about the kid is that he's Jacob's son and has grown up receiving training from Assassins the world over. It probably depends on how close he is with his father. If he's close with Jacob and is in Vale on his behalf, he'll probably try to get word to him - which is the worst possible outcome. Hopefully, he'll just try and reach Ozpin."

The Lady raised an eyebrow. "You speak highly of Jacob Arc, to suggest that an outcome involving him would be worse than one involving Ozpin. Are you sure you are not simply biased because he trained you?"

"Make no mistake, Jacob Arc is the strongest human being I know of. The last time I fought him, I used my Maiden powers, and he matched me, blow for blow. If he had actually planned out a strategy for our fight, he probably would have beat me. He could probably take on all of us here at the Table, excluding you. If Jacob gets involved, the only resolution possible is a fight, and fights with Jacob don't end quickly, or quietly. On the other hand, we can monitor Ozpin, even bog down his time with meaningless political squabbles."

"Would it not be worth our time to convince Jacob to join our cause?"

"It would be, but I doubt he'd work for us. He works alone, and if we told him of our goal, he'd just demand money to solve the problem himself, or try and find some other way that he could personally benefit from the situation. In any case, no one knows where he is or what he's up to. Ever since he finished a job two years ago, he's disappeared off the face of Remnant. Even my government contacts have no clue as to where he's gone."

"Can you not simply use your powers to find him?"

"If it was that easy, I'd have done it when I heard that he'd disappeared. I don't know how, but he's beyond my reach."

The Lady nodded her understanding, her interest in the Assassin growing. Jacob Arc - "Jack the Ripper" - had disappeared. For Raven to rate him so highly was not merely because she held some love for her former teacher, it was because he was simply that powerful.

The only person who would even remotely know of his location would be his son, Jaune Arc. If he knew, then he would seek his father out- at which point, father and son could be dealt with in one fell swoop, one way or the other. Though if Raven's appraisal of his skill was accurate, the Lady herself might have to enter the battle.

On the other hand, if Jaune Arc sought out Ozpin's help, Ozpin could be dealt with more subtly, allowing Cinder to complete her plans with little interference aside from Jaune directly sabotaging her mission. Unless… he was given a reason to care. If he felt attachment for one of our group, she thought, his convictions to go against us would waver significantly.

The Lady looked up at Raven. "Cinder has a young apprentice of her own, no? A woman?"

"Emerald? What of her?"

"Suggest to Cinder that Emerald should befriend Jaune once he is forced to cooperate. If Emerald can successfully seduce him, Jaune will be more incensed to fully join our cause."

Raven tilted her head. "That seems like an odd straw to grasp at. Surely there are better ways to ensure his cooperation or silence?"

The woman shook her head. "We are severely lacking in intelligence regarding Jaune Arc and his family. This will merely serve as a way to hinder Jaune's ability to interfere with our goals until he and his father can be dealt with in a more complete manner."

Raven nodded. "Very well. I suppose it serves well enough as a backup plan- hopefully Emerald is better at subtlety than Cinder is."

With that, Raven stood up from her seat, bowed to the woman, and opened a portal. She walked over to it and paused to turn back to her Mistress. "I'll be back, Lady Salem." She said, before walking off into space.

"Be safe, my friend." Salem spoke to no one, replying as a formality.

…

"Well then," Salem addressed the three men who sat on to her left, who had waited patiently for Salem to address them. "Gentlemen. What are your thoughts on these developments?"

They spoke in order. Salem had trained them well.

"To begin with, I never had much faith in Raven's apprentice," the first man said. He was a bit tall and lanky, but his posture was firm and stable. His short-cropped hair grayed around the back of his head, and he had a distinctively bushy mustache cultivated on his upper lip. He was fair, but tanned, and had green eyes. He wore an elaborate customized suit- a gray overcoat with dull yellow linings covered a burgundy undercoat and yellow shirt. Gray pants and a gray belt led the way down to a pair of yellow socks and brown dress shoes. Red fingerless gloves adorned his hands.

Salem sighed as the man began his rant.

"She was always too eager," he continued. "Too hungry to learn as much as she could, to do as much as she could, as if she never figured out the dangers of biting off more than you can chew. She sees things too broadly, always looking towards her end goals, and never quite realizing the importance of the details of the present situation. I'm sure she's a capable combatant, but perhaps we should see if Roman Torchwick can teach her a thing or two about-"

"Enough, Arthur."

The man fell silent.

"Your criticism is not unfounded, but the issue of Cinder Fall is none of your concern. Cinder's failings are a reflection of her teacher's failings, and I'm sure Raven intends to correct them as they speak. What I ask of you is what you know of the Assassin known as Jack the Ripper and his strength."

"I know only that he is capable beyond my knowledge or understanding. When I still worked for the Atlas Military, I heard about him in rumors and whispers. I heard that he was the best, the strongest, etcetera etcetera- and professional to the extreme. So I, seeking a promotion to a leadership position, sent out word that I was looking to hire him and pay accordingly. He arrived with nothing but a sword strapped to his back and a simple outfit consisting of a t-shirt and a pair of jeans and sneakers. I told him who I wanted killed, and he demanded an appropriate amount for the job. I paid him in advance, and sent him off. Honestly, I didn't think he would complete the job."

"Who was his target?"

"No one worth remembering. He achieved nothing great with his efforts- he was simply in the way of my own advancement. However, due to an unrelated attack on another scientist - the fault of the White Fang, if I remember correctly - he and his family had been moved to live on base, and he had a twenty-four seven security detail of several dozen veteran soldiers and two Specialists. I knew Jack's reputation, but I thought such a challenge would be beyond him. And yet, as I learned when I read the report and watched the security footage later, he exceeded my expectations beyond anything I could have imagined. He slaughtered every single soldier on the base, and killed not only the two Specialists assigned for the guard - Rank 6's, in the IGO standard - but also another two who were called in as reinforcements. He killed the target, of course, but left his family untouched."

"There is footage of him? How does he fight?"

"With a longsword, typically two-handed. Though he is not above using anything and everything in his environment to aid him in a fight. Honestly, now that I know he taught Raven, her immense skill with all her weapons makes much more sense. He had a tendency to disarm his opponents and use their weapons against them, or take it from them upon their death."

"What can you tell me about his personality?"

"Very little, I'm afraid. Like I said, he is a professional. No word ever got out that I was the one behind the assassination. He is a bit curt and impatient when doing business- or at least he was. I suppose it's possible that he's changed since then."

Salem nodded. "Do you have anything else to add?"

Arthur Watts shook his head. "No, my Lady."

Salem then turned to the next man down the line. "Tyrian? What do you know about the Assassin?"

The man known as Tyrian grinned from ear to ear. His long, messy brown hair was tied up into a ponytail in the back. Bright yellow eyes shone out of an angular face. An open brown overcoat seemed to be the only thing he wore on his torso, as his bare but scarred chest was visible underneath. The coat's sleeves were short, and he protected his arms with leather graves. He wore white pants held up by a brown belt, and brown boots that went up to his knees. Like Arthur, he was lanky and lean, but even more so, almost spindly, like an insect.

He held the grin for an unsettling number of seconds before simply replying, "I know nothing, my God- my Lady," he corrected himself as Salem scowled.

"Very well then. Hazel?"

The last man was a veritable giant. Broad shoulders and broad arms, he stood as thick as a tree trunk, and had the height to match. His eyes matched his namesake, and his face was covered in a dark brown beard and sideburns. His somewhat bushy hair was slicked back, though a few strands stuck out of the ensemble. A black shirt and green overcoat barely contained the immense musculature of his build. Black pants led to simple leather boots, all built wide to satisfy his broad structure.

He said nothing for a few seconds, recalling his memories of the man, before answering.

"... I fought him, once."

Salem's eyes widened in surprise. Both Raven and Hazel had fought him? And he had lived? Perhaps he might actually be as strong as was claimed. She trusted Raven, but she still felt that her opinion of him was skewed by their past relationship as teacher and student. But an outside perspective of his strength, one untouched by a bias towards him- her mind became plagued with questions.

She knew Hazel well however, and said nothing. He would answer all that was necessary, in his own time.

After a few moments, he continued. "It was while I trained with the Yin Hu school, the Silver Tigers. At that time, I had already mastered Ba Ji Quan, Tai Qi, Shuai Jiao, and Wu Tang. Jacob Arc showed up to the school one day while I was still an initiate. He challenged the school, offering to fight whoever was willing. After several other students tried and failed, one of the senior students, who knew of my previous experience, suggested that I try my might against him. I did so and…" Hazel closed his eyes and breathed, as though remembering something unpleasant.

"His strength was… monstrous, in the most precise sense. His techniques were nothing special- basic boxing, kickboxing, that sort of thing. Like someone who had been taught to fight as a soldier rather than a martial artist. And yet… the strength behind each blow made blocking his strikes a poor strategy. Someone with greater speed and endurance might have worn him down, but I could not. With his great strength, he tore through my defenses and left me unconscious. When I awoke, the school was in mourning, for one of the three heirs to the school had challenged him to a deathmatch and lost. Until he was brought up just now, I had no idea that he fought with a sword."

Salem narrowed her eyes. Not only had this man fought her two greatest combatants, but by their own admission, he had beaten them, and at their own specialties no less. True, in Hazel's case, Jacob had fought him before Hazel had achieved the pinnacle of his strength- but yet, he had bested him without the use of his favored weapon.

How much greater would he be with it?

And his supposed victories against Raven… well, the terminology she used suggested a draw, but she herself said that had he known of her Maiden powers ahead of time, he would have won. Not only that, but Raven herself owed much of her strength to this man.

Jacob Arc… Just who was he?

Salem pushed the thought aside. He was a threat to be sure, but a threat only if he took action. If he stayed silent, then she could focus her power on other things.

Like his son.

Jaune Arc… Raven had said that Jacob had brought him all over the world to train with famous Assassins, likely including Roman Torchwick, among other notable names. But that didn't mean much- what were his specialties? What was he truly capable of when pushed to the limit?

Did he love mankind?

Such questions were important to Salem, as they, and other factors, determined whether or not she could trust them to aid her in her goals. But then, thinking of Jaune Arc in these terms presupposed his usefulness and skill. If Cinder made good use of him, and if he proved himself thus, then she would have to look into him more closely. Otherwise, he could be discarded, like all the other supposed greats before him.

"I appreciate your input," Salem began. "Your new orders are thus: Arthur, you will use everything at your disposal to try and find Jacob Arc. Once you have exhausted every possibility, return to your work on the virus for the new line of Atlesian Military robotics. Tyrian, go to Vacuo and make contact with your old associates. See if you can find any trace of the Maiden of Choice. If you can, return to me with the information immediately. If you find nothing within three months, then return for new orders. Hazel, return to Mistral and continue to hone your skills. Take jobs if you wish, but refrain from killing the people we have discussed. Give me reports of your progress every two weeks."

All three men bowed their heads low and said, "Understood, my Lady," before they rose and filed out of the room.

Left alone, Salem rose from her throne and walked behind it. The throne itself seemed to be carved out of a large crystal - and it was - but that was not the important thing about it. The important thing was what it contained.

She placed her hand on the back, and let just the slightest bit of her power flow through, and-

The uncarved crystals on the back of the throne split apart, revealing her treasures.

She gazed upon them, remembering days long gone, when she and her allies had walked the land, among mankind, before things changed.

Instinctively, her right hand reached out for one, but she forced her errant arm back down. She could not take them… Not yet. Not while things were yet incomplete.

But she had waited many thousands of years for things to be right, and in that time, she had never felt more certain than she did now.
Everything would be coming together, in due time.

"Hey Jaune, are you okay? You get enough sleep last night?"

My eyes shot open to see Tukson waving his hand in front of my face. I had been leaning against the back wall of the shop, and I had closed my eyes for just a moment… That was bad. If I couldn't keep myself awake for just one day after a single all-nighter, then clearly my endurance needed some work. How would I operate in a real battle if a single night without sleep made me fall apart?

But that was getting ahead of myself. I blinked a few times and answered, "I'm sorry, boss," before bowing slightly, a habit I had picked up in Mistral. It seemed pathetic, especially to those not from Mistral, but it was a useful way to garner pity in those who weren't aware of Mistralian custom. It made myself seem genuinely apologetic- though in this case, it helped that I was.

"I called my family last night to let them know about how I was doing. Unfortunately, due to the time difference, they kept me up until they were satisfied. I should have been more responsible and told them to let me sleep on time."

Tucson shook his head. "No, it's alright. Believe me, I know how insistent family can get when they want to know how you're doing. I've been on both ends of that dilemma… but still, if you need to take a break, I don't mind. Since I'm working today, it's alright if you just take some time off."

I shook my head and stood up straighter. "No.. It's alrith-" fuck, bit my tongue. "-egh. I'm fine, I can work."

Tukson placed both his hands on my shoulders and made me look him in the eyes. "Look, I know we don't know each other very well, and you're probably worried about losing this job for your own reasons, but I need you to stay healthy. If you can't work, then I can't take time off for my family, and I need to be able to do that. It's okay. You have my express permission to take a paid break."

I blinked. "...can I get that in writing?"

Tukson sighed. "If it'll make you do it…" He grabbed a piece of paper, scribbled down our quick agreement, and signed off on it. "Here, now you're covered in court. Smartass. Just go take your damn nap, alright kid?"
"Thanks, boss."
"My name ain't 'boss', kid. It's Tukson."

"Right… thanks, Tukson." With that, I crossed the door into the back rooms- just in time for a customer to walk in, though I didn't see them.

There wasn't much in the back room- just a bit of storage space for the books, though there was a little "break area" with a couch, small coffee table, a sink, and a microwave and coffeemaker. I folded up the note he had written me and placed it in my shoe- even if he assured me that it was okay, I had to make sure I had as much leverage as possible.

I layed down on the couch and tried to get myself as comfortable as possible, before closing my eyes.

A little girl whimpered-

I shook my head violently, trying to dispel the memory. No. No.

No.
I'd been trying to move past that all my life, and I wasn't going to succeed anytime soon, but I could at least focus on a better memory.

Think of the family.

Think of Juli.

Think of mom.

Think of-

A light breeze blew through the hills of Arcadia, Atlas. It was nearing the end of Summer, and the temperatures were beginning to cool. The trees were still full, though their edges were beginning to brown, and the grass still shimmered with dew. The sun had only just begun to peer over the nearby mountain range, bathing the valley in a soft, golden light.

I laughed, giddy and free, as I chased my sister around a lone apple tree at the top of one of the hills. We were playing tag, and I was it. She laughed and teased that I would never catch her.

I never could.

But soon the game would have to be put on hold, because it was getting to be time for breakfast. Normally we wouldn't be out here for breakfast, but since dad was home mom wanted to do something together as a family.

And as his voice rang out, Juli and I laughed and agreed that I had lost before running down that hill, towards another, where our parents had set up a little picnic blanket and some food. Fruits, berries, sandwiches, the works.

We came up the hill, me behind Juli, and we saw them, their faces practically radiating with love and joy for our presence. Dad picked Juli up and put her on his shoulder, and Juli squealed with delight at suddenly being over seven feet tall.

I rushed up to mom and did my best to give her a tackle hug, but she caught me easily - she always did - and held on to me, laughing as I looked up into her face.

I don't remember what it looks like. Well… I do. I know what she looked like well enough to describe her, and we have pictures of her in the house. But for whatever reason, I can't remember her face in this moment.

"So what do you want to be when you grow up?" my mother had asked. I don't remember what prompted the question.

"I want to be an artist!" Juli had said. One day, I swore, she would be allowed to realize that dream. Even now, she hadn't fully given up on it.

"I want to be a hero! The strongest hero ever!" I had said. My father had laughed. I didn't understand his laughter then. Weren't heroes cool? Weren't they strong? Like dad? Wasn't he a hero?
Wasn't he the strongest?

My mother's eyes, gone in the memory, had softened ever so slightly as she smiled. She opened her mouth to speak, but I couldn't hear the words. I had forgotten them, but I had never forgotten what they meant to me.

As Jaune walked into the back of the store, Tukson turned to face the man who had entered, opening his mouth to speak the store's slogan. He shut his mouth when he recognized his brother, however.

His brother, Baburon, stood a whole head taller than Tukson. He had an angled, clean-shaven face, with piercing green eyes. His tanned skin was covered by a green shirt and blue jeans, and he wore a simple set of sneakers. He was incredibly muscular, and a black tribal tattoo covered his left arm, a remnant of their childhood in Vacuo.

Before the White Fang. Before the so-called "Faunus Rights Movement"- but, Tukson thought bitterly, the SDC wasn't exactly wrong to call it a "Third Faunus Revolution", considering how militant the group had become.

"Tukson," Baburon growled in greeting. Most people were off-put by Baburon's voice, as he always seemed to be growling or speaking in a threatening manner.

Tukson knew better. That was just how his brother sounded.

"Hey, Bab. What's up?" Tukson paused for a moment, before muttering, "New orders?"

Baburon shook his head. "No. Your daughter has woken up. She is requesting your presence."

Tukson's eyes widened. Tariro was awake? So it had worked! But... "What, now? Oh god, I just let the new kid take a break… He looked like shit, I just-"

"Go," Baburon said. "I will watch the store."

Tukson looked up at his elder brother for a moment. To be sure, he knew how to run the store, and had done so every once in a while… But his new employee was a human, and Baburon- well, he was one of the more fanatical White Fang members. He'd even risen to the rank of Lieutenant recently. To say he wasn't friendly with humans would be an understatement-

Baburon placed his right hand on Tukson's shoulder. "I will not harm him." He raised his left arm, showing his tattoos. "On our blood, this I swear. It would not do well for us to lose this store."

Tukson shook his head, trying to free it of the worry that plagued him. Worry for Tariro, and worry for Jaune… To be sure, his brother could run the store, but with his full time commitment to the Fang, he didn't always have time to help. Jaune had the time to help, had even committed himself to working full time, and in that regard, he was a godsend. Tukson could only hope that whatever was really going on with the young man would resolve itself quickly. He really needed Jaune's help so that he could keep the store open and spend time with his daughter.

"Okay," Tukson said. "I don't know when Jaune will be back for sure, but it'll probably be in about an hour or so. When he gets back, just introduce yourself and keep him busy, got it?"

Baburon nodded. "I understand. Tell Tariro I said hello."

Tukson nodded back, leaving the counter and heading for the door. "Right. Take care, Bab!"

I yawned as I rose from the couch. After quickly silencing my Scroll's alarm, I was pleased to note that I had gotten exactly an hour's rest.

Only six hours left.

With a sigh, I opened the door to the front entrance, only to find someone who wasn't Tukson rummaging through the register. I tensed, raising my hands to my shoulders, when he spoke.

"You are Jaune, right?" His voice was like a growl, deep and slow, the sound drawn out longer. "Tukson told me about you. If you are back from your break, grab a duster and start cleaning. Start from the left side of the store, work your way in from the windows, and then come around to the right side." His spiel done, he fell silent, not even registering me.

I relaxed for a second. He seemed to know what he was doing, since that was the way Tukson had told me to clean the store… But still, that didn't ease my suspicions.

"How do you know Tukson?" I asked.

The man scoffed. "Have you even known Tukson long enough for that question to mean anything to you?" He turned around to face me. His face seemed impassive, as though he barely registered my presence. "I suppose it is understandable that you are suspicious… You leave for a break, only to come back and someone you have never seen before is working. It is okay. Tukson is my brother."

I nodded slowly. "Right, sorry. Just- surprised, is all."

He shrugged. "No problem. I am Baburon, by the way."

"Jaune- but you knew that. Sorry, I'll get to work." I walked over to the counter and grabbed a duster before starting on the left-side shelves near the entrance. He nodded as I passed, apparently approving of my diligence.

…

Several minutes passed in silence as I worked thoroughly and Baburon waited at the register. After what seemed like forever, he spoke up.

"So you do not mind working for a Faunus?"

"Nope."

My immediate, blunt answer seemed to give him pause… or maybe that's just how he was, because it was another few seconds before he asked a follow-up question. "Why is that? Most humans wouldn't want to work for one of our kind."

I turned to face him. "As long as I'm being paid fairly for my honest effort, then it doesn't really matter who's doing the paying, does it? Tukson's a Faunus, sure, but as far as I'm concerned he's my boss first. He could be a human, or a woman, or whatever. As long as I could trust him to pay me what we agreed on when he hired me, then I'd work for him. Or her, as the scenario goes."

Baburon seemed to contemplate this for a moment, before replying, "You are a capitalist?"

I shrugged and returned to my work. "I guess? I work for a living, just like everyone else. I mean, I'm hardly qualified to argue the finer points of economic philosophy." Not with people I didn't know, anyhow. Talking politics with strangers? That way led to madness.

"Hmph… I suppose you have dreams beyond working for this store?"

"Yeah. I'm gonna apply to Beacon for the fall semester."

"You want to be a Guardian?"
"Hell yeah. It's a little idealistic, to be sure… But I've always loved the idea of just roaming the world, killing Grimm, saving people, and generally doing my best to leave a place better off than how I found it, even if it's just by a little bit. To make the world a better place than it was when I was born. To leave it a better place for whatever children I may one day have."

There were a few moments of silence as Baburon seemed to process my answer, before he replied. "I suppose I can respect that dream. I, too… Wish to make the world a better place for the Faunus."

I nodded. "Yeah, it… Could definitely be better."

"Hmph… In Vale, things are not so bad. Here, we have the ability to work equally alongside human peers, own businesses, and there are even a few Faunus on the Council. We can even vote in the elections. Though, things are not perfect. We have rights, but casual speciesism or discriminatory business practices are not outlawed, either.

In Mistral, the benefit of the meritocracy is that even a Faunus can achieve individual power by proving themselves, though their way of thinking is very focused on individual ability rather than group skill or equality. A Faunus can rise the ranks very quickly there, if they are skilled… But there is no guarantee that they can bring other Faunus up alongside them.

In Vacuo, all that matters is the tribe. Your race or species matters not, only your allegiance to the family. There, things are… in a strange sort of equilibrium."

I nodded again, seeing where he was going with this. "But in Atlas, things are bad for the Faunus. To put it lightly."

"Very lightly," he growled, and this time I could sense that he felt genuine anger at the mere mention of the nation. "We cannot vote. We cannot own businesses. We cannot attend civilian universities. Work for us is largely limited to unskilled minimum-wage work or blue-collar jobs - where we are managed by humans. We are excluded from the nation's tenets of universal conscription and mandated military training, but only because they do not wish to train Faunus the ways of war en masse the way they do with human children. The only way for a Faunus to rise above the rest in Atlas is to-"

"Enlist in the military, and prove their loyalty, or sign up for the Specialist program," I finished. "That cultural divide is part of the reason I left Atlas. Ever since the Second Faunus Revolution, the government's been so scared of an uprising that they put policies into practice that will all but ensure a repeat."

Baburon was silent again, and so I kept working.

"You are not like most Atlesians," he said after another few moments. "You have much more insight than they."

"A product of my upbringing, I guess. I've never considered myself any different from other people." Boy, what a lie that was. Though the first sentence was true enough, I suppose. Travelling the world, meeting people of all kinds of cultures and customs- it did wonders for your empathy and perspective. "I've never felt any reason to hate any groups of people." Except the Schnee family and the Atlesian military, but that was a whole can of worms I wasn't willing to open up to a guy I barely knew.

"I suppose you were lucky, then. Most Atlesians I know are rather vocal about their prejudice towards our kind."

I moved away from the left side of the wall and crossed over to the right. Sighing, I said, "It's just one of those unfortunate facts of life, I suppose… but people can change. Sometimes, all it takes is the right impetus."

"Impetus?"

"It means 'stimulus' or 'incentive'."

"I see… The right impetus, indeed…"

With that, we fell into silence once more, working on until the end of the day.

At last, I made it home from the grocery store. Despite how close the store was - just a few blocks - it was still quite a distance to walk, especially with arms full of basic foodstuffs. Aurie had admonished me when I had walked in carrying the stuff, and told me that I could have just asked her to drive me there and back. Even still, she helped me carry the bags to my room, and I told her to just place her load on the floor in the kitchen. I had my own system for that sort of thing, something she understood implicitly.

It took a while to put everything away, but once it was all settled, and once I had cooked myself some dinner (finally, something other than pizza or convenience store food), I settled down on the couch and called my sisters.
It would waste time, I knew. I had to prepare some defenses for the apartment, and gather research on Cinder Fall, and prepare for how I would deal with her.

Still, I had promised Juli that I would call, and I had already pushed it back a day.

I set up my Scroll for a facetime call, and called Juli's Scroll. After a few rings, she answered.

"Hey Jaune!" She whispered. She was in her bedroom, placing the Scroll up on something as she sat on the edge of her bed. Her long blonde hair, normally tied up in a professional ponytail, had been let loose as she brushed it. It looked like she was getting ready for bed.

"Did I call at a bad time?"

"Not a bad time, just too late to talk to the others. It's a school night, after all."

I nodded in understanding. The Atlesian public school system was in progress all year long. To prevent burnout, there were plenty of official holidays, and unlike the other nations, the schools were closed from Friday to Sunday. Still however, it did have a tendency to be a bit draining. Though literacy rates in Atlas were the highest among the nations, as were test scores. Though, with the only real competitor being Vale, that wasn't saying much.

"So how've you been Jaune? How's work? I see that you weren't lying about scoring an apartment- how'd that happen?"

"Well you see, it all started when I landed in Vale…"

I recounted how Cinder Fall, a fellow passenger, had offered to share the cost of a cab. When I described her and my encounters with her (leaving out her attempt on my life, obviously), Juli's eyebrows furrowed in deep consideration, her blue eyes narrowing. She was probably thinking about whether or not I should try and take her up on her advances, if only because she seemed successful.

My sister may be normal compared to me, but she was an Atlesian, born and raised. She knew her way around business intrigue.

Still, I ignored her look and kept going, describing how I had lucked-out upon Tukson's shop and gotten a job thanks to his desperation, as well as the apartment thanks to whatever deal he had with Aurie. I went further to talk about my meetings with other notable people, mainly Blake and Baburon. Her expression on the screen softened into a smile. She looked a bit like mom when she did that.

"I'm glad to hear that things are going well. I know you've been working, but have you been keeping up with your studies? Beacon won't accept a dunce, you know."
I rolled my eyes. "Yes, I've been reading my Dust Chemistry textbook, and working on that essay I was doing before-" my incarceration, I didn't finish. "Anyway, I'm working in a book shop, so don't worry about whether I'm lacking in reading material."

Juli nodded. "And you're keeping up with your workout routine, I assume? Loathe as I am to praise him for anything, I do have to thank our father for keeping you in shape."

"Yes, that as well. I am aware of the Beacon standards, you know. There's information about that sort of thing online."

"I know, it's just… I worry, Jaune. I know I don't have to, since you're the one that knows how to deal with situations the best, but… Before, when you were out away from us, at least you had dad to back you up, you know? Even if he is a complete scumbag, I could always trust him to keep you safe, no matter what he dragged you into. But… Now it's just you, on your own, and- I'm scared, Jaune."

"I know, Juli… I'm sorry for making you worry, but this is just what I have to do. I know you've got a bigger burden than I do-"

"Don't say that, Jaune. I've never thought of our sisters as a burden. You know that. Besides, Alice and Lorena have started part-time work themselves, so it's not like our money situation is in a tight spot or anything. They're helping out, and so is everyone else."

Except dad, she didn't say. Well, it's not like he hadn't tried to. Anytime dad had offered to help Juli with the bills, she would always respond, "I won't live my life with blood money."

She's stubborn like that. But it's one of the many reasons I love my sister.

"Right, sorry. I know that. And trust me. Once this all goes through, I'll send you everything that I don't need. All the money I can spare."

Juli smiled sadly. "And if it doesn't go through?"

I lowered my head. "If it doesn't work out, then I'll just come back, I guess. Or find a better job here, something that pays well. Same goal, though. Something I can do that'll help you back home."

"I believe in you, Jaune." Five simple words, but whenever she said them, they always lifted my spirits. "Whatever happens, I know you'll be able to deal with it. You always have."

"I always will," I promised. "Good night, Juli. I love you."

"Love you too, Jaune. Sleep well."

I hung up the call, took a shower, and got ready for bed.

As I lay awake on the mattress, I stared up at the ceiling.

I wouldn't have a repeat of last night.

I had my family with me, wherever I went… Even if I sometimes needed to be reminded of them, they were always there.

I closed my eyes and went to sleep.

Author's Note 1: Replying to Reviews

ZenithTempest: As far as Jaune's in-universe power level goes, I'll just say this much. He'll be involved in the attack on Amber.

You're correct in the mindset that Assassin ranks and Guardian ranks don't really compare well. Assassin ranks are granted based on threat level and combat skill (some Guardians of particular skill and/or poor public opinion have Assassin ranks, such as Qrow.) On the other hand, Guardian ranks are granted based on the ability to fight Grimm, assist local law enforcement, organize public events, participate in the government, etc.

There is no flat line where someone can say "an Assassin is stronger" or "a Guardian is stronger". Victory or defeat depends on more circumstances than just combat power alone.

With that said, Rank 1 Guardians and A1 Assassins are the exception to the rule. If you compared any individual Rank 1 or A1 to any other lower rank, they would surpass the lower ranks in just about every realistic scenario.

That's what it takes to stand at the top.

lambertjonathan63: I will admit, I was feeling a little bit of the John Wick vibe while writing the pen scenes. Thanks for reading, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story.

Rigel Lroy: Thanks! Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Guest 1: Thanks!

Tsuyo no seishin: Jaune not having Aura is a plot point that will be addressed in the coming chapters.

The Batman comparison wasn't meant to suggest that Jaune will become some "Remnant Batman" who fights without Aura, it was meant to compare Jaune's fighting style with that of Batman. Their tactical nature, and skill for planning.

Thank you for reading, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story.

Baron Bolt (Guest 2): Jaune is skilled, but I wouldn't put him in the realm of Deathstroke or Bullseye. Not yet anyway. Thanks for reading, and I hope you keep reading.

ObscureAbsurdity: I'll admit, Roman's reaction was written as such because I just thought it was funny to visualize it. Like, this master criminal takes a bite of some garlic bread, and then when he hears a name he recognizes, he just coughs that shit out, drops the plate, and curses? Fucking hilarious. Though it's not Jaune he's scared of, of course. It's Jacob. Thanks for being such a constant presence, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story going forward.

Guest 2: Thanks!

Author's Note 2: A basic explanation of Remnant's five countries and the IGO

Vale: A Democratic Republic. The Vale Council oversees all decisions across the theoretical Executive, Legislative, and Judicial powers. Every established settlement, village, town or city with a population of at least 500 that pays taxes is allowed to elect a single representative from the settlement's population to represent that location in Valese politics. Representatives are allowed to hire up to two assistants each- assistants can not vote, but are allowed to attend meetings in place of a representative to take notes or contribute to ongoing discussions.

Vale has no standing military, and instead each settlement typically has its own militia, whether it is formed of retired Guardians, Police Officers, or whatnot. The effects of lacking a standing military are mitigated somewhat by the fact that the International Guardian Organization was founded and has its primary headquarters based in Vale.

Vale ranks second in adult literacy rates, third in crime rates (as in, it has the third lowest rate of crime), and has the second largest Guardian population (as in, the number of Guardians that are certified citizens of the country).

Atlas: A Military Republic. The Atlas Council is headed by the Five Generals, and Executive Power lies with the Atlas Champion - a Rank 1 Guardian. Officers of at least the rank of Captain as well as Enlisted members of Sergeant First Class are also allowed Council Seats. Typically, Enlisted Council Members serve as the Legislative branch of government while the Officers serve as the Judicial Branch. The Five Generals, politically speaking, serve as a sort of "Supreme Court" - every one of them has at least a Doctorates Degree in Military Law.

Atlas maintains a policy of Universal Conscription - every civilian receives basic military training to a certain degree. In short:

-Elementary School: Basic Physical Fitness, First Aid

-Middle School: Basic Survival Skills, Basic Combat (hand-to-hand)

-High School: Basic Squad Tactics, Basic Firearms Handling

-Civilian University: Officer Training, MOS Specialty Training

-Atlas Academy: Specialist Training Program (Officer Training, MOS Specialty Training, SERE, Airborne, Air Assault, Scuba, Psychological Warfare, Espionage Training, etc.)

Faunus are exempt from military training at all stages of civilian life. Should a Faunus express their desire to serve faithfully in the Atlas Military or even go into the Specialist program, they must undergo a rigorous series of evaluations to prove their loyalty to Atlas; not just the military, but the nation as a whole.

Atlas ranks first in adult literacy rates, second in crime rates, and has the largest Guardian population.

Mistral: A Meritocracy/Dictatorship. Absolute power is held by the Empress, a Rank 1 Guardian. However, as is the nature of Mistral, her absolute power is not quite so absolute - her prestige is granted only so long as she is deemed successful. If her laws or judgements were deemed inadequate, improper, or worst of all, hypocritical, she would be challenged and deposed by her subordinates. Not that it would be an easy battle - she's Rank 1 for a reason - but the shame of her failure would be more than enough to even the odds.

Mistralian culture universally supposes that all people are born worthless and that exceptional people are a rarity and should be cultivated and granted appropriate consideration.

Mistral ranks fourth in adult literacy rates, fourth in crime rates, and has the lowest Guardian population.

Vacuo: A Tribal Democracy. The Chieftains and Elders of each nomad Tribe gather once a year at Vacuo to settle legal disputes, draft/enact new laws, or make executive decisions. Emergency meetings can be called in times of crisis if at least three tribes call for it.

Like Vale, Vacuo does not have a standing military. Due to the necessity, Vacuo citizens are typically raised from birth within their tribe to know enough to survive, and fight.

Vacuo is third in adult literacy rates, first in crime rates, and third largest Guardian population.

The International Guardian Organization: The IGO is not run by Guardians - it is run by civilians. This was a deliberate choice made upon its founding to ensure Guardian accountability - any Guardian found in breach of IGO protocols or regulations would answer to a civilian body. In a scenario where a Guardian would need to be brought in for questioning or arrest, Guardians of other nations - having a neutral stance in the incident - would take them in.

The IGO maintains a strictly expert level of staff for the purposes of record keeping, intelligence gathering and coordination, legal upkeep, Academy Accreditation, and a myriad number of other purposes. Essentially, the IGO's primary purpose is to legitimize Guardians in the legal realm. By accrediting the Guardian Academies (whether they are prep schools such as Signal or full Academies such as Beacon), they ensure that all training is up to the international standard. They also maintain a strict protocol on Guardian Rules-Of-Engagement. Any Guardian that does not adhere to these protocols is subject to all sorts of punishments ranging from fines to outright expulsion. First and foremost amongst the protocols, as one might imagine, is that a Guardian must never harm a civilian.