Jaune awoke to the first ray of sunshine and a mess of tangled limbs.
He shifted slightly, causing Cinder to stir in his arms.
"Morning, babe." He teased, gently shaking her shoulder. His inevitable morning wood had come on with a vengeance, and he wanted to have a little more fun before going to Beacon and being surrounded by gorgeous girls he couldn't touch. Despite having spent half the night pounding Cinder's lights out, he was well rested and chomping at the bit for more.
Cinder was not.
She let out a feeble groan but was otherwise unresponsive.
'It's progress, at least.'
Jaune's usually M.O. with Cinder was to pound her into insensate bliss, but after she had gotten back from her emergency meeting she had wanted to experiment with his semblance. The results were… interesting.
Cinder shuddered as another orgasm wracked her body. Jaune's aura flowed through her, amplifying her own many times over. The power flowing coursing through her was pure ecstasy. She bucked wildly, riding her lover on the greatest high of her life. " Oh gods, more! More! I want more!'
He spanked her, hard, leaving a bright red mark on her rear. Her aura didn't bother to defend her- it was under his control, and would do whatever he wanted. The thought put Cinder back in her place. With her master, she was stronger than she could ever be alone.
But he was stronger still.
"You didn't say please." he teased, lying back as she pleasured him.
Cinder's eyes grew wild. "Please, Master, use me. Take me. Fill meEEEEEE—-"
In a blur Jaune rose and flipped his lover on her back, slamming into her pelvis with reckless abandon. Cinder struggled to get back on top, but it was a fruitless gesture- one that turned both of them on.
"I-I'm gonna cum." Cinder whimpered, as Jaune expanded inside her.
With a harsh cry, her lover finished, pushing her over as he pumped more aura and sperm into her than she could handle.
Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she let out a cry of bliss.
Jaune looked down at her body, which was limp and covered in a faint white glow as excess aura leaked off her form, and streams of sperm leaked out of her slit.
"Gods, that was great." He said. With his healing factor, he could get as rough as he wanted without having to worry about hurting her. Also, either his aura was an aphrodisiac or power was an even bigger turn on for Cinder than he thought: she went wild when he was amping her. Maybe she could even keep up with himif he kept amping her stamina. "We need to use my semblance more often-"
He blinked. Cinder wasn't moving.
"Cinder? Cinder?!" He shook her shoulder, pinched her, slapped her face, anything to get some kind of reaction.
He stopped as he noticed the slightest rising of her chest.
It was faint, but she was breathing.
His posture slackened, and Jaune settled in by her side, listening for the slightest hitch in her breath. At first he was wired, terrified that he might have finally pushed her too far, but as her condition remained stable and the endless seconds turned into minutes and hours he gradually drifted off alongside her.
Cinder's breathing was deeper now, and it looked like exhaustion was the worst side effect of last night's debacle.
Jaune was tempted to try amping her aura again to see if that helped things along, but he decided against it. It was a painful reminder that for all his power, he was still an amateur in this world.
His 'semblance', his 'Blessing', his 'aura': he had only the barest understanding of how any of it worked. It rebuilt and reshaped his body, amplified his strength and sex drive, mended his wounds, and could be used heal and power up others… but that was only scratching the surface. The last few weeks had been a helpful crash course, but he could spend a lifetime unraveling its mysteries.
He understood Cinder's obsession a bit better, at least.
He looked her over critically. Coco didn't seem negatively affected by his aura… but neither had Cinder, at first. What had driven her over the edge?
He had more aura than Cinder, he knew that. With Coco the experience had been different- he had channeled his aura into her body, and let it do its work. Cinder's aura was more… open. It felt different, and he had been able to interact with it more directly: strengthen it, expand it. But aura was the energy of a person's soul, and their body was its vessel. What if it overflowed?
He wasn't sure what had happened, but maybe he had amplified her power so much that it overloaded Cinder's system until she short circuited. Or maybe this happened every time he used his semblance, a sudden rush of power followed by an inevitable crash, like a potent shot of caffeine. Or maybe his aura only healed physical damage: Cinder's mind could only handle so much pleasure before it gave out.
There were too many variables, too many unknowns. But he couldn't keep experimenting on other people to figure them out. Not even Cinder.
Once he was sure she was safe, his gaze turned more appreciative.
'Gods, she's gorgeous.'
Sure, Cinder might have been a conniving femme fatale bent on world domination, but she at least looked the part.
Except… she didn't, at the moment. Not exactly. The flawless beauty was still there, but some of the edge was gone. Cinder was asleep, vulnerable, and relaxed. She looked different in her sleep. Innocent. Young.
It was hard to remember that Cinder was only a few years older than him- she carried herself with a certain worldliness and poise that seemed more appropriate for an older, seasoned woman.
But that was a carefully crafted image. Cinder had to be strong in a world that wanted people like him and her dead, and she had to be sure the people around her knew it.
Jaune was the only person who would ever see her like this. Naked, exposed, exhausted. For all her powerlust, Cinder trusted him enough to offer her throat, without having to worry that he'd tear it out.
Jaune laid a gentle kiss on her jugular.
Cinder let out a pleasant sigh as he pulled her close, savoring the gentle beating of her heart as he left a trail of kisses up her neck. Finally, he stopped, planting one last peck on the corner of her mouth.
"Sleep tight, Cindy." He said, slipping out of bed before he lost control again. He turned off her alarm and closed her blinds- she could miss a few classes if she had to. As he moved to tuck her in, he noticed the globs of white still leaking out of her red, swollen pussy.
'Gods, that's a lot of cum.' He thought worriedly.
'A half dozen creampies'll do that.' Shadow said proudly.
'Knock it off!' Persona spat. 'What if she gets pregnant?'
Jaune's cock twitched.
'Oh, someone likes that.' Shadow teased. 'So what if you knock her up when you fuck her? Is that, like, the point?'
It was something he enjoyed bringing up in dirty talk, at least. From their very first time together Jaune had told Cinder he was going to breed her. He had no idea if he succeeded.
He had never broached the topic of birth control with her, and he wasn't sure he wanted to. The sane part of him thst realized he was nowhere near ready to become a father and Cinder was far from an ideal mother ('Is she?' Shadow thought, looking over her hourglass figure) thought he should make sure she was on something. The rest of him wanted to make sure she wasn't.
'What do you want? '
'To dominate. Impregnate. And break anything that gets in my way. '
Jaune ran his hand over his face. He was so fucked up.
A deep, primal part of him wanted to see his girls swell with his seed, bear his offspring. He was certainly doing everything in his power to make it happen- he never ended a session with Willow, Amber or Cinder without pumping a load deep inside their wombs. Amber, at least, was on the pill, for whatever that was worth when put up against billions of potent Arc swimmers.
'Maybe we should do something about tha-'
'Shut up!' Jaune thought viciously.
He wouldn't bring it up. With any of them. They were all adults, they could protect themselves if they wanted to. Cinder was a smart girl, she could recognize the inconvenience getting impregnated would pose and get on something.
If she didn't...
His eyes drifted to her tummy, still flat and toned, 'Guess I'll find out in a couple months.'
Jaune tucked Cinder under the covers and left the room. He came back to her bedside with a bottle of water, a snack bar, and a brief note explaining what had happened, and that he would be back later tonight to check on her. At the last minute he remembered to put a bandage on his cheek, for the phantom burn Ozpin had left on his face. Then he left, locked the door behind him, and headed back to Branwen's Fitness.
He had all his school supplies in the car, but he could use a change of clothes before school, and it would be good to slip in and make an appearance in the morning, before the regulars noticed his absence and started wondering where he was spending his nights.
The parking lot was crowded when Jaune arrived, making a stealthy entrance impossible. Luckily a few of the regulars seemed too distracted to notice him.
Amber was at the front, trying to keep everyone calm but looking very frazzled.
"Oh, Jaune, thank God." She said. "You have the key to the gym, right?"
The blond nodded. "Yeah." He said evenly. "But isn't Clover supposed to open the gym today?"
"That's just it." Amber said exasperatedly. "He sent me a text at 3 in the morning saying he wasn't going to make it and asking me to cover for him, but I don't have a key and he hasn't responded to any of my texts! Who the fuck does that?"
'Not Clover.' Jaune thought worriedly. The man was the most professional and put together member of their entire staff.
'Maybe he just had a wild night at the bar.' Shadow thought dismissively. 'Don't worry about it, it's not your problem.'
Jaune pulled out his key and let the grumbling gym rats into the building, unable to shake the sense that something was wrong.
He ran through a quick workout, picked out a fresh hoodie and jeans and made his way to the empty showers.
He heard the curtains rustle behind him.
A very naked Amber stood at the threshold.
"Mind if I join you?" She asked.
Jaune smirked as he pulled her in, rubbing his soapy hands all over her body. "Not at all." He teased. "But who's watching the front desk?"
"Nobody." Amber said, dropping to knees. "But there's no way in hell I can get through today without a protein shake."
She took the tip of his cock into her mouth and swirled her tongue around his crown, coaxing out a sizable load of pre-cum.
'Looks like I get to use my morning wood after all.'
Persona sighed. 'Just make it quick.' He thought. 'She has work and you have school.'
'Fuck yeah!' Shadow said. 'Morning quickie in the shower with the gym slut? Now you're speaking my language.'
'...I hate you.'
Jaune let Amber get into a groove for a minute before putting his hands on her head.
"Play with yourself." He ordered.
Amber obeyed, cupping a breast with one hand while the other slipped in between her legs.
Then Jaune shoved half his length down her throat.
Amber pulled off in a moment, coughing and spitting. Jaune loosened his grip long enough for her to catch her breath.
"Jeez, dude." She muttered. "Give a girl a little warning before - GAAHHKH!"
Jaune went back to fucking her throat.
Amber could hardly breath, gagging on his fat shaft, tears spit mixing with the constant flow of running water. No one else was ever this rough with her- no one else made her this wet .
Her fingers were buried in her dripping snatch as her eyes widened in bliss. Her lungs filled with his scent and her heart fluttered. 'I can't believe he can make me cum with just this.' She thought deliriously. 'I'm gonna... I'm gonna-'
Jaune pulled her off his cock, ignoring Amber's feeble whine of protest.
"On your feet, hands against the wall." He said. "Now."
Amber obeyed, rising on shakily legs, before pushing her rear back.
"Okay big guy, just let me know before you stick it IIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNN!" She moaned incoherently as he buried himself inside her with a single thrust, gripping her harshly by the waist.
Jaune smirked as she came around him, twitching violently. "I thought you'd be used to this by now." Amber's inner walls clenched him like a vice.
"N-n-n-never." She whined, coming down from her orgasm. "You're too fucking BIIIIIIIIGGGG!" Jaune started to move again.
Amber tried to look back as she leaned against the wall for support. Jaune's body was a blur, slamming into her hips furiously and battering her most sensitive spots. She came over and over and over, but her tightening, squirting snach didn't slow him down.
"What the hell- are- AHHH- YOU?!" She cried, before Jaune through a hand over her mouth.
"Quiet, babe." He said, still thrusting madly. "Wouldn't want anyone to hear us, would we?"
That was a futile thought. Amber was glad she had had the sense to lock the door behind her, because for the next 15 minutes the entire room was filled with the loud and rhythmic SLAP, SLAP, SLAP, SLAP, SLAP of his hips thrusting against hers, in the brutal Arc version of a 'quickie'.
No one could prove what they had been up to, but a few of the more observant guests could guess as Jaune escorted a hastily dressed Amber back to the front desk.
"You're- you're a machine." She said, amazed that he didn't even seem winded. An absurd amount of semen was sloshing inside her, leaking into her panties.
Jaune smiled. "What kind I say, you bring it out of me." He gave her a quick peck before rushing out the door. "I've gotta pick up my friends for school, see ya."
"...Yeah." She murmured, watching him disappear out the door before slumping tiredly onto her desk. "...See ya."
As Jaune hopped into the car he pulled out his phone to check the time, and saw an unread message from an unknown number.
'Hey stallion, it's Coco.'
'Don't ask how I got this number, I have people.'
'Are you free Friday after school?'
Jaune grinned eagerly as he updated his contacts. 'She doesn't waste any time.' He thought.
His renewed hard on at the thought of another romp after sex with two women within a couple hours was ridiculous. 'Are you ever satisfied?' Persona thought incredulously.
'Nope.'
' Friday works. '
Coco responded in less than a minute.
' Cool. I've got a job for you. You interested? '
' Very. '
Suddenly a new contact was shared in their chat
Mark Ehr: Management and Consulting
' ...Wait, you mean an actual job? '
' ; ) .You and Mark can work out the details. It's at 4 o'clock in the photography club room. Don't be late, handsome.'
'Wonder what that's about?' At worst he could use the extra cash… and he had a feeling Coco would make things interesting for him.
He had a few unread messages he still had to deal with.
One was from Ren, letting him know that Nora's Uncle was driving them to school today so he didn't need to pick them up. He gave a simple acknowledgement- good to give those two a little alone time.
The next was from Willow, and it was a photo album. It was a simple collection of her doing Yoga poses in front of a mirror… nude .
Jaune licked his lips.
The last one was her in downward dog, pussy dripping.
' Looking forward to our session tomorrow. '
'Me too.'
He and Willow 'trained' together twice a week, Wednesdays and Saturdays, half actual training and half kinky sex. It wasn't enough, but while Amber and Cinder were at his beck and call the older MILF was on a less flexible schedule. Still, she was a very much appreciated addition to the lineup.
None of his girls was enough to sate him completely, but having three beautiful women to sleep with regularly relieved a lot of pressure and substantially brightened his mood. And, so far, the relationships were mostly functional. They were great fuckbuddies, none of them expected anything more from him, and so long as his breeding obsession remained in the realm of fantasy- 'fat chance of that'- there was no reason any of that had to change.
He got another ping.
Unread message from Velvet Scarlatina.
His heart skipped a beat.
With trepidation he opened the text.
' We need to talk. '
'About what?' He thought skeptically. She already knew everything.
What more could she want? He had only spilled his guts out while she was eavesdropping the entire time-
-No. Velvet deserved to know the truth. It might be the only thing that could save her.
Jaune liked Velvet. He really, really liked Velvet. He liked all his girls, but what he felt for the beautiful bunny girl was different. He might be Cinder's Master, Willow's Daddy and Amber's Stud, but Velvet wanted more from him than that. That wasn't something he could promise her… no matter how much he might want to.
'Dude, just fuck the Faunus already.' His Shadow said exasperatedly. 'She's hot, she's into you, you want her. Take. Her. Then take her friend. Then have a hot threeway with the two brunette babes and make some damn babies. You know it's gonna happen, stop wasting my time.'
'If I fuck Velvet and leave, it would shatter her heart into a million pieces.' Jaune thought guiltily. 'I'm not doing it.'
Shadow rolled his eyes. 'So don't leave. Make the slut part of your harem, if you care about her so much.'
Jaune cleared his thoughts. He did not have a harem… not exactly.
Still, if Velvet deserved better than him, she at least deserved answers. And she deserved to hear them from him, directly and honestly.
He dialed her number.
Velvet answered in a heartbeat.
"... Hey Jaune …" Velvet said anxiously.
"...Hey, Velv." He said back. "About yesterday-"
"- Could we -" she stuttered. He could practically feel her blush radiating over the phone. "- Could we maybe have this talk in person- please ?"
Jaune sighed. "Of course." He said. "Meet me in the library? During lunch?"
" Sounds great. " Velvet said. " I'll see you soon. "
"Yeah." He said.
" Alright. " Velvet chirped brightly. Unthinkingly, she added. " Love you ." Then, realizing her slip, she slapped her hand out of her mouth and let out an adorable squeak before hanging up.
Jaune slumped back in seat, the words echoing in his mind. '...Why does doing the right thing have to be so hard?'
Still, he tried to look on the bright side of things: his life was pretty good if his biggest worry was losing control of himself and making love to a beautiful woman. After years of angst, things finally seemed to be looking up-
"SHIT!" He said, slamming on the brakes as he came millimeters away from rear ending the car in front of him. Traffic had suddenly ground to a standstill.
"Hey, watch where you're driving, jackass!" The person in front of him said. Jaune resisted the sudden impulse to bash his head in.
A police officer was making his way past the commuters with a megaphone. "THIS ROAD IS CLOSED!" He yelled. "TRAFFIC WILL PROCEED IN A CALM AND ORDERLY FASHION ON THE DESIGNATED SIDE-STREE- STOP MOVING, DAMN IT!"
Jaune stewed in traffic as it crawled past the barricade ahead. 'Why the hell would they close Main Street without any notice?" He thought.
He got his answer.
Looking past the line of cars, he saw police tape, fire engines and debris littering the pavement. There were scorch marks emanating from the alley between the laundromat and the pharmacy, both of which were nothing more than burnt out husks.
The blond turned on his radio and flipped to the local news station.
" ...The identity and motives of the two assailants remain unknown, and the pair remain at large. The incident began with a shooting at 'The Qrow's Nest' a popular bar, before engulfing an entire block of the suburban town of Belle. Over two dozen people were injured, including local proprietor Qrow Branwen, and property damage has run into the hundreds of millions. "
A pit of lead sank into Jaune's chest.
"...Oh fuck."
Yang was not a morning person, but if there was one part of her morning routine she enjoyed, it was teasing her baby sister right after she woke up- because she wasn't a morning person either. But, this fine Tuesday morning, something was amiss. At first she was fine with it- she won the race to the shower by default, which was nice: Ruby was fast .
After showering, drying, brushing her teeth and brushing her locks into a perfect golden mane, and slipping into one of her favorite outfits, however, the waiting game got a little old. She went across the hall and knocked on her sister's door.
"Ruby?" She called. "Did you oversleep-"
The door opened in a flurry, slamming into her.
"Ah!" Yang cried. " What the hell-"
Ruby grabbed her wrist with one hand, while the other went over her mouth in a shushing motion. There was a manic intensity in her movements, and with another burst of speed, she pulled her sister into her room and shut the door behind her.
"Ruby." Yang said, eyes flashing, "You have ten seconds to-"
Her sister shoved an earbud in her hands. "Take this." Ruby said, before focusing her attention on her phone.
…This was that spying app Ruby had put together, wasn't it? She hadn't seen Ruby use it since the Jaune incident, but her expression was even more intent now.
"We really shouldn't be listening in on Mom and Dad's conversa-" Yang began, before stopping dead in her tracks.
"- What do you mean Raven had nothing to do with it? " Summer said.
" We were just having a talk. " Qrow said. " She tipped me off before the attack happened, she didn't set it up. "
"So, the first time in almost a year that she makes an appearance, and Vale just happens to have its first major bombing since the Faunus Revolution? "
" It wasn't a majorbombing. " Qrow said. " Just a little fireworks show put on by some amateurs trying to make a quick getaway."
"People are in the hospital, Qrow." Summer shot back. " You'rein the hospital."
Uncle Qrow still talked to Raven? Her parents knew? And a bombing had put him in the hospital ?
'What the hell's going on?' Yang thought.
"Summer, I'm fine." Qrow insisted . "And how do you know the last time Rae and I talked- "
" I hear what I hear ." Tai shot back. " You Section 4 spooks aren't nearly as smooth as you think you are. "
" Obviously ." Qrow said exasperatedly. " Considering how easy it is to spy on us."
The line went dead for a moment.
"... Where?" Summer asked, an unfamiliar edge entering her voice. That wasn't a tone Yang ever expected to her from Super Mom.
" Why don't you come clean, kiddo? " Qrow said goodnaturedly. "I know you're there."
Ruby's finger trembled as she unmuted herself. " H-hey Mom. Dad… "
Tai let out an angry sigh.
" Downstairs, now. " He ordered. "... Both of you. "
" You're smarter than you look, Tai ." Qrow said.
If Ruby stumbled on anything related to Raven there was no way in hell she'd leave her sister out of the loop. Yang felt a surge of warmth in her chest as she wrapped a comforting arm around her sister's shoulder.
"If we go down, we go down together." She said, only half joking.
Ruby nodded.
Summer and Tai were sitting around the kitchen table, both looking very cross. Ruby looked guiltily at the floor. Yang looked them dead in the eye.
"When were you going to tell me?" She asked.
"That is not the issue, young lady-"
"-You said my mother abandoned me! That she ran out on all of us right after I was born! That you had no idea where she was! But you did! And you've been TALKING TO HER?!"
"WELL I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN TO AN 8 YEAR THAT HER MOTHER IS THE MOST DANGEROUS CRIME LORD IN ALL OF REMNANT!"
Yang staggered back, mouth dry. " ...What?" She whispered.
Summer stood, and put a comforting hand on Tai's shoulder, before helping Yang into a seat.
"Yang… Ruby…" She said softly. "...we have a lot to talk about."
The sisters didn't think their entire world could be turned on its head in 10 minutes. They were wrong.
"...You were VSS?" Ruby whispered, stunned.
Her mother sighed. "Yes." She answered. "Your father and I were recruited in college- we were underqualified, but they thought that would make us less suspicious. Our mission was to gather intelligence on an international crime syndicate that operated across all four Kingdoms."
"...The Branwens." Yang muttered.
Summer nodded. "The two of us couldn't possibility dismantle the entire criminal empire on our own, but the reason we were recruited was because our skill sets and backgrounds were the perfect compliment to two young Branwens who had defected from the family."
"We did meet in college-" Tai explained. "-and our time on campus was the perfect cover. No one would question why a bunch of undergrads were constantly hanging out and visiting shady bars together."
" We did start to develop a reputation, though." Qrow said. " Only a few suits at the top knew our names, but our code names leaked. While we were ferreting out Branwen agents, they were trying to hunt us. We used to laugh about it- it was a secret double life between classes and frat parties, something that made us special. Like a big inside joke we were in on. " He chuckled. " No, Summer can't be here tonight, she's working on a 'communications paper.' " There was a tinge of longing in his voice. " It was fun."
"...Until it wasn't." Tai said gruffly.
" We had a few close calls… and the syndicate wasn't the only one taking losses. "
Summer's eyes looked haunted. "There were still so many things about the Bonecrushers that we never learned, but some of what we did see was..." she bit her lip. "...it's not something I ever wanted you to know."
"...Why did you leave?"
Summer and Tai looked at each other awkwardly.
"You did leave, didn't you?" Yang continued. "Would you even tell us if you didn't? Or are we too much of a liability?"
"Yang, that's not fair." Ruby said. "They told us Qrow was VSS."
"Obviously he still is." Yang countered. "What exactly is 'Section 4' anyway?"
Tai shrugged helplessly. "Now you're asking questions we don't even know the answer to." He grumbled.
Yang rolled her eyes. " Of course you don't."
Summer gave her a stern look. "Yang, if you trust us at all, I don't ever want you to say the words 'Section 4' again."
Ruby hummed thoughtfully. She had checked out the VSS website years ago- she was surprised by just how much about them was public information.
Section 1 was the administrative core of the service, tasked with coordinating with other agencies, international diplomacy, and managing the organization's facilities and budget.
Section 2 was focused on domestic criminals, tasked with unsolved murders, white collar crime, drug trafficking, etc.
Section 3 was a special task force dedicated to gathering intelligence on large, international syndicates… like the Branwens.
Ruby had never heard of Section 4.
"It's existence is classified- no one outside of it knows even half of what they get up to." Tai said. "Not even other VSS agents."
"...Are you Section 4?"
" No." Qrow cut in. " They're not. "
Yang waited quietly, unsatisfied.
" Your parents aren't qualified to be in Section 4." He said. " I, on the other hand, am awesome, so I get to do all the cool secret agent shit."
"Is that why you drink yourself half to death every night?" Yang asked.
…
" Jeez, Firecracker, right for the jugular. " He said. " Wonder where you get that from? "
…
"... I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean-"
"-I'm fine." Yang said sharply. "Now, if you're the only one who's going to be straight with us about this, tell us the truth. Are Mom and Dad still with VSS?"
Tai and Summer both started to speak. Yang ignored them.
" No." He said. " They left after you were born. The same time Raven did. "
"...Why did my mother leave?"
Qrow sighed. " ...To take over the Family. "
Summer cut back in. "We had just graduated, and we had finally isolated the leader of the entire Branwen Syndicate- Dolph Branwen. We lured him into a trap, Section 4 took him out, and it looked like the entire organization might collapse."
"...But Raven turned on you."
Tai sighed. "Maybe she did… maybe she never was on our side to begin with." Her father's voice was cold, calm; only the faint trembling of his hands betrayed the old wounds under his facade. Summer gently slipped her fingers between his.
"The Branwens had sent Raven and Qrow to infiltrate the VSS for them- they didn't know they had switched sides until it was too late. Once the leadership had been culled, though, Rae went back, took advantage of the power vacuum and became the new leader. She put a stop to our operation single handedly- she knew everything. The VSS dropped us from the program and moved Qrow over to Section 4, helped us move here, get jobs, protect you, and start a new life." Summer smiled. "Then we fell in love, had Ruby and… well, you know the rest."
Yang sat silently, with a thousand yard stare.
"...She tried to kill us?" Yang croaked. "That's why we're here? That's why you're hiding? Because Mom wanted to kill me?"
"No!" Summer said fiercely. "I… I won't defend Raven, but she never did anything to hurt you. Or any of us. She gave us a chance to escape- helped maintain our cover. She's keeping the Branwens off us."
"...As long as you stay out of her way."
"...Basically." Tai admitted.
Summer glared at him for a moment. He shrugged. 'What do you want me to do, lie?'
Ruby looked at her sister, and with a trembling lip pulled her in for a hug. "Yang, it's okay."
She pulled back like she had been burned.
"I need to be alone." She whispered, standing up from the table.
Ruby looked like she was about to protest, but she hesitated. Her parents looked conflicted but let her go without a struggle.
Before Yang had left the room, her sister called out to her.
"I love you."
Yang slammed the door shut behind her.
"...She'll be fine." Qrow said wearily. "Just give her some time."
Summer tried to take her mind off her daughter's pain by focusing on something more manageable.
"...How did you put this together?" She asked, flipping through the code on Ruby's phone.
"...I found the source code for conference calls on the CCCT." She said dully. "I modified it so that I could automatically join any call you were on without notifying the other people on the line. I… I was trying to find out what you were getting me for my birthday."
Tai sighed. "I don't know if I should be proud or pissed."
" Both ." Qrow said. " It's your own fault. Retirement's made you sloppy. Both of you should know better than to let your guard down. "
Summer looked guiltily at the floor.
Tai seemed less cowed. " Well, why didn't you notice? "
Qrow grinned on the other side of the line. "I did." He said. " I just didn't say anything until now. "
"Why not?"
" Because we never said anything she wouldn't find out on her own when she was on the line, and watching your teenage daughter outsmart you was fucking hilarious. "
"Qrow!" Mom said. "Not in front of Ruby-"
" She's a young woman now, Summer. She's old enough to handle a few bad words. "
Ruby tried and failed to smile.
"...Uncle Qrow." She asked. "Are you going to be okay?"
" It'll take more than a few fireworks to take me out of commission. " Qrow said. " I'm good. "
Maybe that was true. Qrow was tough, one of the toughest people she knew. But whatever he was doing in Section 4 involved more than just a few fireworks.
"What about the people who are after you? The Branwens?"
" -The Branwens aren't any threat to me. " Qrow said. " Rae isn't exactly our friend, but she and I have a lot of the same enemies. Last night she was passing me information- "
"-When you were attacked." Ruby pointed out.
Qrow was silent for a long moment.
"Qrow." Summer said. "Classified or not, we have a right to know. Was the attack last night targeting you? Is our family in danger?"
"... Summer." He said gently. " You know I would never let anything happen to you…. to anyof you. "
She sighed. "... I know."
"... I'll keep you posted ." Qrow said. " Right now it looks like an amateur intel op gone horribly wrong, probably just a one off. I'm going to have spies and police up my ass for the rest of the next week trying to figure the case out- they come up with anything interesting I'll let you know. Until then, stay calm, stay safe. Isn't it almost time for school? "
Tai sighed. "...I can take you-"
"-Jaune should be here soon." Ruby said, not looking her father in the eye. She got up, and went to follow Yang.
Yang had gone into the garage and had started pummeling the punching bag until her knuckles bled, screaming at the top of her lungs.
"DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! I HATE THIS- I HATE THIS!"
She punched and punched until she collapsed, chest heaving, arms leaden, throat raw.
It felt like an old wound had been ripped open and filled with poison, slowly eating her from the inside out.
'I was over this.' She thought angrily. 'I'd made my peace with it. Why did it have to get worse?!'
It wasn't enough that her birth mother was a neglectful asshole, she had to be a violent criminal too?
Ever since she'd learned that she wasn't Summer's daughter, she'd clung to the occasional comments her parents made about her father's previous flame. They didn't talk much about Raven- 'can't imagine why'- but as much as it hurt these tiny nuggets were all she had of a person she'd never met.
'You've got your mother's figure… and her sense of humor.'
'Only Raven's daughter could be this damned stubborn.'
'Wake up, Sunshine- does hating morning run in the family?'
It was comforting, knowing part of where she came from.
Now it made her want to puke.
How did it feel, watching a child grow into a mirror image of a traitor? Having a constant reminder of the woman who broke your heart, stole your future and stabbed you in the back eat your food and grow up in your home? Raven might have spared her parents, but how many VSS agents did she 'take care of' to keep her crown? How many of her friends lied butchered under some pier, or buried under a mountain of rubble? How many bodies had she climbed?
"Yang?"
The blonde looked up to see her sister- 'half-sister'- standing beside her.
"You're bleeding."
The brawler rose to her feet, blood dripping from her hands. " I might have gone a little overboard." She said, voice coarse, rolling her shoulder playfully. She winced as the motion sent a twinge of pain down her arm.
"Jaune's going to be here in a few minutes." Ruby said, looking over Yang's sweaty, soiled clothes. "Do you want to take a sick day or-"
"I'm fine ." Yang said harshly. The last thing she needed was to draw attention to herself at school- have people start asking questions. "...I need another shower…" she muttered.
"Yang, you don't have to-"
"Fuck off, Rubes." She said brushing past her. " Don't worry, I'll be quick...wouldn't want to keep lover boy waiting."
Ruby wilted
Her anger fizzled. It was wrong to lash out at her little sister. Ruby hadn't done anything to provoke her, she hadn't done anything wrong at all.
Of course she didn't: Ruby was wonderful. Too good for her, anyway. Ruby was born of love and trust and joy. Not like Yang.
Yang was a child of lies. A murderer's daughter.
She did her best to keep her hair dry as she washed off the stink- the heat was going to frizzle up her curls and brushing it out was going to be a bitch as it was. She turned the water up until it was scalding, scouring her skin with soap.
She felt dirty. She was dirty.
With a hint of frustration she twisted the water off and stomped out in front of the mirror.
She looked like hell.
As much like hell as Yang Xiao Long was capable of, anyway. Her hair was wild, her eyes were red, iris and rim, but even disheveled she was still beautiful- dangerously so. Men would salivate over her figure no matter who it belonged to, and no matter what kind of mood she was in.
'Just like my fucking Mom.'
She took her time, wrapping her knuckles and brushing the knots out of her hair. If this was who she was, she was going to own it, and look damned good while she was doing it. If 'Vomit Boy' had to burn his time waiting for her, that was just fine. Better than fine- he deserved to be left out to dry for a change.
She slipped into her sexiest outfit, barely within Beacon's dress code, and walked out to the car. Jaune and Ruby were standing in the parking lot, inches away from each other, whispering in harsh tones. They stopped as soon as they saw her.
She smiled wanly. "Am I interrupting something?"
Jaune cleared his throat.
"So…" he began. "...VSS, huh?"
"You told him?" Yang muttered incredulously. Ruby looked down, wringing her wrists. "...Of course you did."
"I heard some of what happened on the way here." Jaune said. "How did Qrow sound?"
"...Normal, I guess." Ruby said. "The story sounded bad, but I think he's fine-"
"-If he wasn't, do you think he'd tell us?" Yang asked.
Her sister sighed.
Jaune looked at them both worriedly. "...How are you taking it?"
Yang rolled her eyes. "Well, Mom and Dad are liars and my mother is a piece of shit- what else is new? It's nothing I hadn't figured out already-"
"- Yang ."
The blonde glared at him. "I don't want to talk about this, okay? Especially not with you-"
Yang let out a startled gasp as the boy pulled both sisters into a tight hug.
One arm was wrapped around each of their waists, squeezing them protectively against his chest.
"I'm sorry." He said. "I'm so, so, sorry ."
Ruby returned the embrace immediately- desperately.
Yang stiffened at the sudden contact.
Then her eyes, which had been blood red all morning, softened to lilac as they fought back tears.
"You're damn lucky the bullet only grazed your skull." An investigator said. "Everyone who saw it swears it was a direct hit."
Clover nodded, a decorative wrap across his forehead. "I was lucky. But most people there were confused- you know how unreliable witnesses can be, especially when they're stressed. None of those kids had ever seen a shooting before."
The detective hummed. "Hopefully they won't ever have to again. Now…" he asked. "Are you sure you remember what the suspect looked like?"
"Yes." Clover said. "She- it was definitely a she- was a dark skinned woman with brown hair and green eyes. I didn't get a good look at her figure- her clothing was baggy, but she was about average height- maybe a little above average. She was wearing a lot of make up, but she young, late teens or early twenties, I couldn't tell which. That's why I approached her, I was going to card her for underage drinking, if that's what she was doing. I didn't expect her to pull a gun on me."
It was maddening to only be able to describe one of his attackers, but he wasn't supposed to have seen the other. While Qrow had pursued, the official story was that he was stuck lying on the ground, knocked out by the bullet that had ricocheted off his skull.
The detective wrote everything down, and then rose to leave. "Well, Mr. Ebi, you've got either the worst luck in the world or the best." He said. "If you see anything else that looks suspicious, give us a call. And try and rein in your friend, okay? Last thing we need is another idiot playing hero."
Clover chuckled. "I make no promises."
Qrow's aura had been almost empty when the explosion went off- he was spared the worst of it, but his body was covered in burns where his aura had flickered and died.
That hadn't stopped him from rushing into the nearby buildings to evacuate civilians, and then following Clover into the sewers once he was sure they were safe. He was practically begging for an infection, leaping into all that sewage.
The idiot.
Clover opened the door to his friend's room to find the man lying in a hospital bed, arguing with a beleaguered nurse. His upper body was covered in gauze and half his scruff had been singed off.
"Clover." He said gratefully. "Thank God . You have to save me from this crazy bitch!"
"And you have to stay down !" The nurse said. "You can't leave the hospital in your condition."
A third of the man's body was covered in first and second degree burns. "I'll walk it off." He insisted.
"You will not!" She spat. "You are going to stay here until the doctor says otherwise!"
"...Whatever, toots." he said dismissively. "Could you at least get me a drink?"
The nurse fumed. " Who do you think I am, room service? In case you haven't noticed, Mr. Branwen, this isn't a luxury hotel."
Qrow smirked. "Of course it isn't- the service here is terrible ."
"I can't take this anymore." She screamed. Then she pointed at Clover. "You! You're this maniac's friend, right?! He's your problem now!"
Clover shook his head as she stormed out of the room. "...Story of my life." He said, grinning sardonically.
"Oh, don't you start." Qrow said, as his friend took out a deck of playing cards. "Deal me in."
Clover shook his head gesturing at Qrow's hands. "You can't hold any cards."
"...What's the matter? That scared of losing?" Qrow said, trying to get a rise out of him.
"One of us has to be responsible." Clover said, starting a game of Solitaire.
"...Yeah, you never could handle honest competition." Qrow said. "...Does you surrendering mean my semblance is stronger than yours?"
Clover exhaled tiredly. "Qrow, we've been through this- our semblances cancel out." Usually that made Qrow an excellent man to play cards with- each man offered the other the only fair game they would ever play.
"Well, based on showings, I'm the only one who won a Kingdom wide lottery."
And Clover had made his living clearing out Casinos as Atlas's greatest Card Shark before James had gotten ahold of him. "You know as I do that Bad Luck Charm isn't strong enough to affect an entire Kingdom at once."
"Well, duh." Qrow said. "That's why I only got third."
Clover chuckled.
"Could you turn on the TV?" Qrow whined. "I'm bored."
Clover picked up the remote that the nurse had vindictively left out of her patient's reach and flicked on a soap opera.
Qrow groaned. " I hate this channel-"
Clover flicked it over to the local news.
'- amily with four children saved from the fire by local hero and entrepreneur, Qrow Branwen. More at 11 ."
Qrow leaned back with a satisfied smile. "That's more like it." He said. "It feels nice being appreciated for once."
For a long while the room was silent, save the shuffling of cards and the background noise of the boob toob.
Clover was the first to speak.
"...What if she's right?"
Qrow dodged the question. "What, the nurse? I don't care what anyone says, alcohol is the best medicine ever create-"
"What if Jaune really is a Blessed, let alone one as powerful as she claims?"
Qrow sighed. "Doesn't matter." He said. " Doesn't change a thing."
"But it does ." Clover insisted. "Jaune's a good kid, but semblances can be dangerous. What if he hurts himself, or someone else? What if he loses control and does something stupid? What if he exposes-"
"-Do you wanna get rid of him?
"Of course not!" Clover said. "But we have to face facts. Sooner or later Jaune is going to have to learn how to control his powers. He's part of our world now, whether he likes it or not. Raven is gunning for him-"
"-Raven won't touch him so long as he's with us." Qrow said. "If he dies, she loses her in with the Kingdoms."
"She doesn't have to do it herself." Clover countered. "All she has to do is drop a hint that he might be Blessed to the right people and they'll do the rest for her. She'll have plausible deniability- and if we wait long enough and someone else finds him she might even be telling the truth."
"So we'll look into it." Qrow said. "Keep an eye on him. And if she is telling the truth… then we tell him. But not yet. Not until he's ready."
"There could be thousands of other Blessed running around, who we know nothing about, any one of whom might kill him." Clover said. "Our people will give him just as hard a time, maybe worse."
"Look, I know." Qrow said. "Section 4 would kill to have him… or to keep him out of enemy hands. But we don't need to tell them."
"We can't protect him forever."
"...I know." Qrow said. "...Just… let him be a kid for a little longer."
Clover bit his tongue, and agreed. "For a little longer."
"...So." Qrow said. "Mason Arc the Blessed."
Clover hummed. Their old investigations had come up negative, but they had shown how much influence the 'Man of Stone' had within Vale- he owned media companies, businessmen… Council Members. "...Really makes you wonder how deep this all goes." Clover mused.
"Careful." Qrow said. "Keep talking like that and you might end up like Ironwoo-"
An Atlesian Officer walked into the room.
She was a gorgeous creature, who wore the white and blue about as well as anyone could. She looked familiar.
Clover rose to his feet. "Major." He said respectfully.
"Colonel." She replied.
Clover blinked.
"I read your file before I came." Winter explained. "I recognized your name."
Qrow cut in. "Hey, aren't you that chick I copped a feel of off a couple weeks ago?"
…If looks could kill.
"You're lucky you're already in the hospital, Branwen, otherwise I'd put you here myself."
Qrow chuckled. "Whatever. You want me."
"...I apologize." Clover said wearily. "My friend is-"
"-A complete neanderthal." Winter said. "Now, if you don't mind, the Atlesian Government would like to know the details of what happened last night."
"I've already talked to the ASF-"
"-What our special forces does is their business. I want to know what happened, and I want to hear it from you."
For what had to be the 5th time that day, Clover recounted the shooting. Qrow chimed in to embellish the story and fill in details that Clover wasn't supposed to know. Winter, to her credit, was more efficient than the other questioners by a mile- she wasted no time and zeroed in on the important information. 'Who were the attackers?' 'Why were they there?' 'Was the attack planned out or an improvised response to being exposed? Why hadn't Clover approached the suspicious girl earlier? Was there anyone or anything that might have attracted them to the Qrow's Nest that night?'
Clover shook her hand as the interview concluded.
"You're as sharp as James said."
Winter blinked. "Excuse me?"
"The General." Clover clarified. "He spoke of you, from time to time. You were one of his star pupils. He said you would do great things."
Winter's eyes softened. "Is… that so?" She asked. She rose to her feet. "Well, gentlemen, thank you for your time. If there are any developments in this investigation, I'll be back personally to oversee it. Take care."
"Of course." Clover said. "You're welcome any time."
Winter hesitated for a moment. "Permission to speak candidly, sir?"
Clover nodded. "I'm not in the service any longer, of course you can-"
"-Why aren't you?"
Clover said nothing.
"I read your file." Winter said. "All of it. You were top of your class at Atlas, you were recruited straight out of the Academy in the ASF, and the parts of your record that aren't covered in black ink suggest you were one of the best we had. Before you left you were General Ironwood's right hand man and the favorite to take over as the head of the Special Forces, which we all know is the easiest stepping stone to Supreme Commander. Then, out of nowhere, in 75 you resign your commission and left the Kingdom, with the General's blessing. After his death you made no attempt to re-enlist."
The man shrugged. "Plenty of people retire."
"Not in the prime of their lives." Winter said. "Not when their country needs them."
"...I have no interest in slaughtering my fellow citizens."
"They're dying in droves no matter what. It won't stop until we make it stop. Our side is the most likely to win- the sooner we make that happen the sooner we can put the pieces back together. Our men are dying from a lack of leadership, and an officer of your caliber is wasting his talents working as a bouncer, babysitting a sleazy drunk."
"Hey!" Qrow said. "I resemble that remark."
"...What makes you so sure I'd side with the Blues?" Clover asked. " Especially if Jacques Schnee is the one who inherits the keys to the Kingdom."
Winter shrugged. "It doesn't matter, at this point. Most people don't care who wins, they just want it to end . We can win the peace after we win the war." She buried her face in her hands. "Most Atlesians don't even remember why the war started."
"I do." Clover said seriously.
Winter met his gaze. "...The years of military build up weren't for the war." she said. "What was it for."
Clover looked out the window. "...Who do you think the real enemy is?"
Winter grabbed his shoulder and turned him around.
"Tell me."
Clover said. "It's not my place." He said. "The General was going to tell the world… and they killed him for it."
"...You know who killed General Ironwood." It wasn't a question.
"I have my suspicions." Clover said. "After the General asked me to retire, we stayed in contact. He gave me a mission, and I intend to carry that mission out. And I don't intend to get distracted by a sideshow."
The Atlesian Civil War was a sideshow?
"...What exactly is your mission?"
"...You don't have the clearance, Major." Clover said. "But it's bigger than the Reds and Blues."
"Then why are you telling me?"
"I'm not." Clover said. "You didn't hear it from me." he sighed. "Most of the old crowd is gone. Someone in High Command needs to understand that there are other threats out there…forces greater than any of them can fathom. An army of assassins, lurking in the shadows… forces Ironwood tried to bring into the light."
"...You know, you might as well just spill the beans to her on everything at this point."
Winter spun around in shock as she was reminded that Qrow was still in the room, lounging on a hospital bed.
" He knows?" She sputtered.
Qrow grinned. "I know."
Clover put a hand on her shoulder to calm her. " I'm telling you this, Major, because James trusted you. Because I'd like to trust you. And because, sooner or later, I fear that you're going to be dragged into it. For now, keep your eyes open, and trust that I have my reasons for what I do." He paused. "...That will be all, Major."
"Sir, yes sir." Winter said. She gave him a crisp salute. Then she marched out of the room.
As soon as the clack of her heels faded down the hall, Qrow burst out laughing.
"Look at you, playing at being commander."
Clover bowed his head. "...Shut up, Qrow."
The Red Light District looked a lot less glamorous during the day. The bright neon lights and loud, bass tones weren't there to mask the subtle signs of urban decay- the crumbling plaster, the broken windows, the broken spirits of the people who walked its streets. But there was opportunity to be had, if you knew where to look.
A handful of goons in discount shades and ill-fitted suits stood outside Junior's Club: officially, a thriving nightclub. Unofficially, the nexus of the criminal underground and the premier place in Vale to acquire information by less than honest means.
Business during the day was sparse, and the goons had orders not to let anyone inside.
Someone didn't get the memo.
"Hey, dipshit!" One of the men called out, as a confident figure approached. "We're closed."
"I have an appointment." He said.
The man drew a gun. "Sure you do, wise guy." He spat. "Who the hell do you think you ar-"
In a flash the pistol was knocked out of his hand.
A tall, dapper ginger with a bowler hat and what appeared to be a pimp cane walked up to the door. Despite first impressions, Roman Torchwick was not in the business of selling other people's bodies.
Just everything else they owned.
"I'd ask less questions if I were you." He said calmly. "You'll live longer."
His partner drew his gun. "You son of a-"
"HEY!" A voice called out from the club. "IS THAT TORCHWICK?!"
The redhead grinned.
"WHO THE FUCK'S TORCHWICK?!" The goon yelled back.
"HE'S A REGULAR!" The voice shouted. "IS IT A FAGGY LOOKING REDHEAD?! WEARING EYELINER?!"
Torchwick's grin vanished.
He felt a muted giggle behind him.
"YEAH!" The goon called.
"LET HIM IN!"
"Out of my way." Roman growled, knocking the doorman aside with his cane.
A tall, bearded man in a red tie and a black vest was smirking at him behind the bar.
"Faggy looking…" he muttered. " I oughtta blow your head off for that one."
Junior shrugged. "You could." He admitted. "But only a fool bites the hand who feeds them. Thought you would have learned that by now."
Roman grinned darkly. "Well, they say you haven't mastered the rules until you know how to break them."
The taller man sighed. "...Do you have it?"
He pulled a data chip from out of his shirt pocket. "Voila! The new prototype designs from Braires Arms, courtesy of the illustrious Roman Torchwick." He set it down on the table. "Can you believe the theft didn't even make the morning papers? It was upstaged by some gas explosion in some nowhere burb of the city. That is a black mark on my reputation."
"...Good thieves pride themselves on not having a reputation." Junior said.
"I'm not good." Roman said. "I'm the best."
Junior rolled his eyes as he reached for the chip.
Roman's cane smacked his hand away.
"Uh-uh-uh." He said. "Money first."
Junior grimaced, before pulling a briefcase out from under the sink.
"...I prefer top shelf." Roman said.
"Ⱡ100,000,000 in non sequential chips." Junior said, ignoring him.
Roman was too satisfied to be offended. " 0047921308651- 0197403811924… one million, two million, three million, four million." While he was thumbing through his cash, the thief made small talk. "So…" he asked. "...anyone special involved in last night's performance?"
Junior's countenance darkened. "...Maybe." He said cautiously. "The usual players are looking into it. If they do find anything, I'm sure they'll put out a hit." He leaned in, and dulled his voice to a whisper. "Would your… partner … be interested?"
Roman smirked. "That's the billion lien question, isn't it." He said. "Well, we're comfortable for the moment, and it is an awful risk sticking our necks out, but I'm sure she could be persuaded… for the right price."
Junior hummed. "Noted. Are we done?"
"Not yet." Roman said, taking a seat at the bar. "I'll have the usual- scotch for me, and a gourmet sundae for my friend." He glanced at a stray goon, who was lounging at the other end of the room. "And get him to leave. She's very shy."
"Do it." Junior said.
The goon laughed. "Hey boss." He said. "Isn't Poncy the Clown over here a little old to be hanging out with imaginary frie—- OOOOOOOOOW!"
The man collapsed, clutching his crotch.
"You really should not have said that." Roman muttered. "She prefers the term 'Silent Partner'."
The goon looked up to see the outline of a petite, curvaceous figure, grinning savagely, form obscured by a kaleidoscope of color.
She vanished as quickly as she appeared. Nothing more than a figment of an Overactive Imagination.
The goon rose shakily to his feet. "Boss…" He whimpered. "...what the hell's going o-"
"You should ask fewer questions, Keith." Junior said. "You'll live longer. Now leave ."
The man scurried out of the room.
As soon as they were alone, there was a flash of multicolored light, which faded into a mostly stable pattern of pink, brown and white.
A young woman was by Roman's side, smiling widely.
Junior sighed tiredly as he personally prepared their orders.
"One Neopolitan, coming up."
"ALL THE WORLD WILL BE YOUR ENEMY, PRINCE WITH A THOUSAND ENEMIES. AND WHENEVER THEY CATCH YOU, THEY WILL KILL YOU.
BUT FIRST, THEY MUST CATCH YOU."