Last update of this fic for 2023. Good timing too as I need to spend the time off to do a little thinking on future story beats and chapters for it.

Cover Art: Kirire

Chapter 83

Their specialised containment facilities were almost complete.

And they looked ridiculous.

From the outside, they were squat square units with concrete walls and garage-door fronts that could be unlocked and rolled upward. They'd buckle with any significant force and didn't look capable of truthfully protecting anything.

Inside, however, it was a different story. If someone were to drive a car into the door they'd smash through the garage door and then run into a rather nasty surprise of two-foot thick steel. Before they were squashed to a pulp. The new steel walls were obnoxiously thick and went around the inside of the whole storage unit, even into the ground itself and over the ceiling. No one would be digging in. That was for sure. The doors had three-coded locks with number codes she and Jaune knew, then fingerprint scanners and finally a voice recognition scanner.

And, because it couldn't hurt to be safe, a capcha asking if they were human and a two-factor scroll authentication. You never knew, and it came with the security packages. Blake doubted Coda would be too foiled by the simple tick box, but maybe she would. There had to be a reason they were used all over the internet.

Once all was said and done they were left with a smallish room that was technically below the standard Saphron had set out, but it was good enough, and had a raised plinth for an anomaly to be placed on.

"I figure if Saphron brings up the size, I'll play dumb and say that I thought the measurements included the walls." Jaune clicked his tongue like he was such a goofball. "Silly me. But hey, we'll keep an eye out for larger facilities to transfer them over to. These will have to do in the meantime."

"Will that work? I got the impression she didn't care about excuses and just wanted to catch you out."

"Yeah, pretty much, but if I try and she says it isn't good enough then I can raise an appeal to the Director and have him decide."

His father. Blake grimaced. "Will that be any better for you?"

"It'll be bad for both me and Saphron. Father will chastise her for wasting his time with such petty games and chastise us for failing to follow instructions. The difference is that I'm used to being the black sheep, so it won't bother me. It'll damage Saphron's standing, however."

"And she won't want to have it escalated to a point where she could be criticised." Blake nodded. It was all political powerplays from her point of view. They'd existed within the White Fang as well, namely between Adam, the Albain brothers, and Sienna, but she had always done her best to stay out of them.

Much like with the White Fang, she felt it was a waste of time and a distraction from what should otherwise be a unified goal. Much like with the White Fang, her opinions would go ignored. People were idiots, which was why Blake often enjoyed the company of books.

And six-foot spiders.

Monstrously large spiders didn't bother with politics. They just snuggled up to you with their many spindly limbs caressing your body. There was nothing cuter in this world.

"Weeeell, we'd best start getting the anomalies shifted over," said Jaune, stretching his arms above his head. "No point dawdling after we put all this effort in. I'll miss having a few of the harmless ones on the shelves. It really set the tone."

"We could replace them with actual furniture. You know, a normal globe rather than one which has a living civilisation on it. And a camera that doesn't age you."

"Yeah…" Jaune's sulky tone said it wouldn't be the same. "Yeah, I guess we could. Ugh. Well, I'll drive us back and we can load up the van."

It was a slow ride back through Vale's traffic and a long job of carefully stacking anomalies into boxes to be carried downstairs. Most were easy enough, but Blake and Jaune carried the globe between them, each holding part of the base with her hands on the poles to stop it spinning. She had no idea what the people thought of the fingers of god coming down to touch their planet, or the universe as they knew it shifting as their world travelled through the expanse of space.

Was it global panic? Had they set off a nuclear winter? It'd be even worse if they'd stuffed it in a dark box with packing foam, so they secured it on the passenger seat and Blake would keep a hand on it to stop it falling over or spinning. Otherwise, they'd be storing a barren world and a fallen civilisation to the storage unit and Blake really didn't want "mass genocide" on her conscience going into the weekend.

"How did you even find this one in the first place?" she asked. "And how did it survive this long?"

"Oh, it didn't. It was a display unit in a store and people kept spinning it. Whole civilisations rose and fell. I actually found it after the Christmas period when the store was closed. It let the people living on the globe reach a level of scientific development where they were able to reach out to the stars with radio signals. They lived – or they believed they did – on a world that was ravaged by apocalyptic natural disasters every one hundred years, lasting for several hundred years, and then another one hundred years of peace. I think those dates fit with the opening and closing times of the store."

The apocalyptic events being kids and adults spinning the globe as they went on by. Blake couldn't imagine what it must have felt like to live on there. "And time goes faster for them?"

"Seems to be the case. Anyway, the radio signals were a big thing for a while before we managed to suppress them as a prank. I hunted down the source, found the globe and bought it. It was an easy job. Well, the ending was. Actually tracking down where exactly in Vale the signal originated from was a lot harder." He smiled fondly. "Since then, they've lived a life of peace and bliss."

Until she touched it and eradicated them. Not that they or Jaune knew since she'd rewound the clock on it. "That's good. Here's hoping they'll have a few hundred thousand years of peace in the storage container."

"Given what happened with Cinder and then the White Fang, maybe they'll be better off." Jaune sighed. "But I'll miss looking at their little civilisation growing. Still, this is probably for the best. There was always the risk they'd develop interplanetary travel and start spreading. I don't think they'd be a risk, but imagine they landed on or in a person and decided it was a planet that should be industrialised and mined for resources. I don't know if they'd be symbiotic or not, but they could accidentally act like a pathogen and kill someone."

Blake imagined millions of microscopic humans creating factories of belching smoke inside her lungs and grimaced. Maybe she should dip her finger in some water to shake off any that might have decided to climb onto her. She'd only been touching it for half an hour in her time, but that might be years for them.

They better not have stuck a tiny flag in my knuckle and claimed me for a country.

The drive back was uneventful, which was fortunate. They were still waiting for the other shoe to drop with the anomalies left behind in Vale, but no one dared act out yet. The longer that went on without incident, the more conflicted she felt. Did it mean Jaune's warning had been enough to convince them, or did it mean they were taking their time planning something big? Neither of them had been to Alistair's bar since the incident.

Back at the storage lots, Blake set the globe down without shaking it and gently removed her finger, then backed out. The door hissed shut and buzzed angrily, telling them it was locked. Jaune tested it anyway, and their scrolls beeped of an unauthorised access attempt. It then showed a photo of Jaune and her outside.

The system was working, then.

"It's a little low-tech to what I'm sure ARC Corp used to use in the distant past, but it'll do." Jaune reset the system and backed out, rolling down the much more fragile shutter door. That was really just camouflage now. "We're at least ten times more secure than we were before."

At least? Blake rolled her eyes. Jaune had these anomalies on his shelves like furniture. They were infinitely more secure now.

It took them the better part of an hour to get all the anomalies out and secured, and there were still a few empty units left over for ones to come. Room to expand into. Jaune then took a few photos to send to Saphron, angling his scroll in clever ways so that it was never quite clear what these fortified units were inside, or where they were. He even took a few zoomed out as far as could be done, making the insides look a lot bigger than they actually were.

With any luck, it would convince Saphron they'd followed her instructions to the letter.

/-/

When they arrived back at the office it was to find Timothy freaking out and trying to capture and kill a bird that was squawking angrily at it from atop a cabinet. The spider kept trying to clamber up, but the bird would fly down and peck at his back until he fell off, then fly back up as if to taunt it. Jaune slammed the door shut, drawing the attention of both animals. Timothy screeched and raced up to nuzzle against Blake's legs while Jaune faced the bird.

"What does the stupid old man want now, Qrow?"

The bird flapped its wings and made furious sounds at Jaune. If a bird could convey rage, this would be the perfect example of it.

"Oh." Jaune's temper faded. "Sorry, I thought it was Qrow."

The bird flew down and transformed mid-air, becoming a tall woman with a mane of wild black hair that seemed to stick out in every direction. Her outfit was a dark reddish black that reminded Blake of Adam, and the mask didn't help. It hung around her neck instead of being over her face, but it was so similar to a White Fang's mask that she would have called them one and the same. Her face looked familiar, though Blake was sure they'd never met.

"As long as you don't think I'm doing anything for that old parasite," snarled the woman.

"I'd never accuse you of being as stupid as your brother, Raven." Jaune smiled. "Oh, this is Blake. Blake, this is Raven Branwen. Qrow's sister, though thankfully possessing of quite a few more braincells than him since she realised the monster Ozpin truly is."

Raven smiled darkly and held out a fist. Jaune bumped his own against it.

"Riiiight." Blake didn't know what she was meant to think about that. "Nice to meet you, I guess."

"Sorry about Timothy," said Jaune, nodding to the spider. "He's our new guard-dog equivalent."

"Hmph." Raven regarded the spider. "He fully intended to kill me. To wrap me up, melt my insides and then suck them out for the crime of having intruded into his territory." She nodded once, with a cruel smile. "I approve. He's a true warrior."

Timothy rose on his back for legs. "Screeeee!"

Blake rubbed his abdomen to calm him down.

"I doubt you came to meet Blake and Timothy," said Jaune. "What can we do for you?"

Raven crossed her arms. "You said your office would be available should I ever need you."

"I did," said Jaune, nodding. "You really helped me out in that case two years back—"

"Don't mention it." Raven shuddered. "Really, do not mention it. I still have nightmares of that thing and what it did to those people. What it almost did to us." Another shiver overtook her. "That slimy body. Those tentacles."

Blake's mind went places.

"The digestive fluids dissolving human flesh."

Blake's mind vacated those places.

"I remember it as well," said Jaune. "Definitely one of my least favourite jobs. But we did kill it. With extreme prejudice, I remember. Anyway." Jaune took a seat behind his desk. "I meant what I said back then. You ever need my help, you have it." He waved a hand. "So, spill. Let's hear it."

"Members of my tribe are vanishing."

"Tribe?" Blake interrupted.

"Raven runs a bandit tribe," Jaune explained, and then didn't elaborate further despite Blake's raised eyebrows. Why were they going to help—? Oh, right. Banditry was not their business. Blake sighed.

"It was one or two at first and nothing unusual," Raven continued. "People grow tired of the life and leave or want to take their loot and run. It's not against the rules but sometimes they'd rather run before letting anyone try and steal from them. I don't frown on it." She did now, frowning harshly. "But then the numbers started to grow and it was people vanishing and leaving family behind. Children in some cases. People who I know would stand up to a Beowolf naked and unarmed rather than leave their child alone. Something is picking off my people, and it's intelligent."

Jaune leaned forward. "How do you know?"

"Because it's methods and regularity changed the moment I alerted the tribe. It only took people at night before, so I decided to keep watch over the camp through the night. No one was taken. When I slept the following day, one woman disappeared. I stayed awake the following two days without sleep and no one was taken, only for someone to be taken on the third night."

"Not to cast doubt but could it be you taking them?" asked Jaune.

Blake expected Raven to fly into a rage but the woman grunted. "I considered that. But I was worried I might be taken in my exhaustion so I had three people watch me as I slept. They kept their eyes on me the whole time and I didn't stir."

"Hmm." Jaune rubbed his chin. "It sounds to me like you're right. Whatever this is, it's aware of you and the risk you pose. Have you travelled?"

"Yes. I brought us close to Vale. To you." She shrugged. "I thought that would make this easier, but I also hoped moving away might shake it. Make it go lose track of us. No such luck. It's with our camp." Her eyes hardened. "I'm beginning to think it's in our camp."

"Hiding in your camp?"

"Or in one of my people. Perhaps it's paranoia over Ozpin but… well… if there can be one anomaly taking human form, why not two?"

A skinwalker. Not the technical anomalous name, obviously, but the name for that kind of thing Blake had seen in movies and books. The kinds she really didn't like to read because while horror could be exciting, those books often mixed body-horror and gore into it, and she didn't like that. They were often about monsters that could either transform into human shapes, or who would kill humans and take over their bodies, wearing their skin like clothing.

"No offence but I really hope you're wrong," said Blake.

Raven snorted.

"I hope I'm wrong as well. Wouldn't it be a relief if one of my people was simply an opportunistic serial killer? But there aren't any bodies, and the regularity makes me think this is a creature that needs to eat. And my camp isn't small or spread out," she added. "There have been over twenty people taken and no one has heard so much as a scream. Twenty hardened men and women. Fighters all. Some had aura. They're not helpless civilians."

"It sounds bad," Jaune agreed, sitting back. "It was wise of you to come here and ask for my help. Wiser still not to go to Argus and try the Fist Office."

"I figured the easiest way to be sure would be to kill everyone in the tribe," said Raven, "And I happen to like a small number of those bastards, so I'm not a fan of that method. You're the only one of your ilk I can trust not to take that route. And not to try and kill or forcefully recruit me for my having worked with Ozpin in the past."

"Eh?" Blake sounded.

"My brother and I were Ozpin's trusted agents along with our team," Raven explained. "This was back far before we know of anomalies. He portrayed himself as an ancient wizard and granted us the power to transform into birds. Didn't warn us that it would make us less-than-human."

"Qrow and Raven aren't technically anomalies," said Jaune, "But that technicality wouldn't help them if my family got hold of them. They carry the taint of one. Anyway, that's not a problem since we're not going to be ratting Raven out. I assume you'd like for us to sleep and live with the tribe while we're on this case. Do you have some tents made out for us?"

Raven nodded. "You'll be staying in mine on the central platform. It's the best view of the camp and the safest area. The camp is under strict rules right now. No movement, no leaving unless in a group of four or more. A harsh curfew."

"How are they taking that? I can't imagine bandits would be fans of the rules."

"Better than you'd think." Raven wore a wry smile. "They're even less a fan of being torn apart and eaten by some mysterious beast hiding among our own people. You'll be surprised what rules they'll put up with if they can see the sense in them. Everyone must be in their tents by ten, and I have sentries posted in groups of three with alarms set to go off if they don't report to one another every twenty minutes."

Raven listed some other measures she'd out in place, and Blake quickly realised that the woman was taking this very seriously, and that she'd tried to handle it on her own before coming to them. Some of the measures were downright outlandish, but made sense from the point of view of trying to force a hungry beast into reckless feeding. Raven had tried to starve it out and provoke it into attacking a larger group, but it hadn't.

"It's a patient hunter," said Blake.

Raven nodded. "It is. The longest it's gone without a kill is forty-eight hours, but even then the kill wasn't messy or risky. It chose its target well and took them before they could scream. It's calculated, which is what made me realise I couldn't do this alone. It's obviously afraid of me, to the point it won't even attack me while I sleep, but if it's disguised among my people then it can just wait until I'm occupied. I can't be everywhere at once."

"We'll help." Jaune said. "Would you be willing to wait here for an hour? I'd like to lock up and make sure everything is in order before we go. We'll need Ruby to look after Timothy again. Can you call her, Blake?"

"Sure."

"I'd best stay hidden. I'll remain a bird. Summer's child might recognise me." Raven moved off to the corner of the room. "I'll be ready to show you where we're camped once you're done, but best I stay like this in Vale. My face might be recognised otherwise, and neither of us has time for Qrow or Ozpin poking their noses around."

/-/

Once everything was sorted and Ruby was looking after Timothy and having a sleepover in their office – and she was upset the anomalies had been moved out – Jaune, Blake and Raven moved out the city and into the woodlands beyond the extensive farmland. The Branwen tribe were camped several miles out. A lot further than Blake expected.

"The cities have too much security to make for good targets and a group as large as ours would draw attention," she explained. "Better we camp far away and not draw attention than have to answer awkward questions."

When they did arrive, Blake was surprised at the size of it. They had camped in a rough and surprisingly well-organised circle, with wooden stakes and spikes pointing outward and then circular rows of tents like the layers of an onion leading toward a raised one in the centre. She didn't know if that was typical for them or if this was just a case of them huddling closer together because of the anomaly. Maybe they were more organically arranged when they weren't being picked off one by one. Raven wanted them all close and within sight for now, and they wanted to hide under her protection.

It must have been hard knowing that and knowing you can't protect them. Raven was doing her best but, as she said, the creature knew when to wait and when to strike.

"Raven, you're back!" A girl with shaved hair and tattooed arms panted as she jogged over. There was blood on her.

"Vernal. What happened? Did it strike again?"

"Yes! But the blood isn't mine or its," panted the girl. "We found two dead this time. One was taken, the same as usual, but the second was killed in a much more gruesome manner. Roland thinks he might have caught the beast in the act, but it tore him apart before he could raise the alarm."

"Damn it," Raven hissed. "It waited until I was gone again!"

"There is some good news," said the girl. "We do have some definite tells on who it isn't because we can vouch for one another. Can't trust everyone of course, but those of us you left in charge were all planning things in your tent. We had eyes on one another when it happened."

"That's something. It's good to know who we can trust. Speaking of." Raven gestured to the two of them. "You met Jaune before."

Vernal shuddered. "Y—Yeah. Hey again. Kinda hoped I'd never have to see your ugly face again. No offence."

"None taken." Jaune smiled. "Not after what happened the last time. This is Blake, my new employee."

The tattooed girl regarded her with shock. "You work for him? Fucking hell, girl. You must have balls of steel." Vernal smiled wryly. "Or a brain of lead."

"Little bit of both," Blake joked. "And here I thought a tribe of bandits would be cagey toward two people dressed in suits."

"Most of us would be, and I would have been if not for what I'd seen back when…" Vernal closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "No. No, I'm not going back there. Anyway, you're cool with those of us in the know. We respect strength here and you guys… well, you guys are fucking bonkers is what you are. Absolute fucking nutcases. You couldn't pay me enough to deal with your shit."

"You're a criminal bandit living in a forest."

"Yeah, and I'm still more sane than you! Try and tell me otherwise."

Much to Blake's frustration, she couldn't.

Raven: There's a hidden enemy...

Vernal: Don't say it.

Raven: Among us!

Vernal: Damn it, Raven. That's, like, two years out of date. It's Lethal Company now. Lethal company!

Next Chapter: 8th January

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