One of the most important lessons that Pyrrha learned in her admittedly short life was how to look utterly unremarkable which was surprisingly easy to do. To pull it off all she had to do was mess up her hair, not put any makeup on, wear thick glasses, put on some baggy clothes, carry a fake ID, and suddenly instead of the four-time undefeated, champion Pyrrah Nikos! You had the unremarkable "Girl Next Door," Allison Rouge. However that wasn't always enough, only the Brothers knew just how many times back home in Mistral she had been followed by an eagle-eyed member of the paparazzi who was just a little suspicious of the dorky girl who possessed a mere passing resemblance to a certain champion of the arena. She wanted to say that everything changed when she moved to Vale but, she wasn't nearly that naive, she wasn't allowed to be, Do Not bring shame to our Family. Shut Up, Shut Up, Shut Up!
Pyrrha took a moment to compose herself before walking up to the front door of a little Armorsmith located near the Academy. Once inside she was greeted by numerous pieces of protective equipment, some for display, others for practical use, and each one created with love, passion for the art, and most importantly a sincere desire for the wears to return safely home.
Working at the cashier was a young woman who seemed to be just a little older than Pyrrha whose tanned muscled skin, bright neon red hair, and a large visible scar peeking from under her shirt all suggested that she was either an older student of Beacon or maybe even a graduate who for whatever reason was working as an apprentice to the smith. However the single biggest piece of evidence to suggest the woman had Huntress training was the fact that she had been subtly watching Pyrrha's every move without giving away that she had been watching her at all, Ruby would love to meet her.
"Um, I'm here to pick up an order," Pyrrha finally spoke up.
"Let me see the Receipt," the cashier ordered.
Digging into her pocket she pulled out her scroll and in seconds had the digital receipt ready. The cashier took her time looking over the image and even crossed reference the receipt with the store's records and pressed a few more buttons. Finally, it seemed that the woman was satisfied, "We Got a Pick Up For Order D27. I repeat, get D27 here! The buyers come to pick it up," she suddenly shouted with a voice so loud Pyrrha wondered if it was her semblance, "Sorry about that, my man's hearing isn't what it used to be."
"No it's fine really, there's no need to apologize."
"So, tell me. Who's the armor for?"
"Oh, it's for my Brother! He's trying to become a huntsman and I worry about him sometimes," if there was only one good thing that ever came from her father's horrid lectures was the importance of being able to lie, Nobody wants to hear how your day actually went. All those parasites want a moment of weakness that they can plaster on the front page. Never give them a chance.
From the back of the store emerged an older and rather stocky man sporting his own set of scars which suggested that he was a retired huntsman, in his hands he was carrying a case holding of what Pyrrha assumed was her order. "Well here you go missy, I got to say that I had fun working on this. It's not every day I get a customer who knows their stuff as well as you do," The blacksmith placed the case down on the ground in front of her, "Well, go on. Check the goods out!"
With quick efficiency, Pyrrha had the case open and began to carefully inspect every single piece of armor searching for any flaws and making sure that it made to her exact specifications, after a minute or so she turned to the smith and with a smile said, "It's Perfect!" Soon she left the store in high spirits paying no mind to anyone who saw her carrying the case.
Once she was back at Beacon the champion who was still in disguise began to make her way over to one of many sparing rooms that Beacon held. In particular, she was on her way to a room that she had reserved for the team a few days ago to help Jaune catch up to everyone else, and to her great pleasure, she found Jaune and Ren sparing with each other as Nora watched on cheering both of them on.
"Ugh!" Jaune grunted as Ren's fist slipped past his defenses and buried itself into his side however, the blonde berserker simply ignored the pain and threw a haymaker that was deftly dodged by his more agile foe. But he wasn't finished just yet and he continued to assault the ninja while powering through any hits Ren landed, it wasn't a pretty strategy but it didn't matter as long as it worked, This isn't working.
Pyrrha was pleased to see that today's practice session was all about hand to hand combat which was a subject that Ren excelled at, Given how often Jaune seems to lose his weapon he needs this. Though I wonder why? Is it related to his semblance? That would make some sense considering he can get swept up in an adrenaline rush, in that case, we should also train up in Semblance control.
"Heeeeeeeey Pyrrha! Like what you see?" whispered Nora who had somehow snuck up on her captain.
"AHHH!" Pyrrha shouted and nearly dropped everything, "How did you do that!?"
"Weeeell me and Renny had no choice but to learn to be all sneaky like a snake! Just be able to hunt down some animals so we wouldn't starve to death like Freddy did!"
"Who- who is Freddy?"
"No one. No one at all." Nora answered with an unexpected coldness before turning away making it clear that this particular subject was not up for conversation.
'Oh um, okay…" Pyrrha turned her attention back to the match between her two remaining teammates and saw that it seemed to be winding down. Jaune had done well to endure against Ren's numerous well placed strikes and even managed to get in a solid hit or two but Ren's discipline and training were the clear winner of the match, not that you could tell by looking at the content written all over Jaune's face even though he had lost. Only Pathetic Fools who are Destined to Fail can find Joy in Defeat! That's not true, it can't be!
"Oh, Hey… Pyr? Wow, I almost didn't recognize you." Jaune was looking straight at her while Ren stood a bit back while whispering something to Nora.
"Oh! This is just a little disguise I wore to avoid some fans while I got you this!" She handed him the package which he took with much curiosity.,"It's a new set of armor to replace the one I broke back at Initiation, I would have gotten it earlier but, l didn't know the city too well and had to ask around to find a good smith," she embarrassingly admitted."
He carefully set the case down and began to slowly open it, almost like he was afraid that it would disappear if he rushed it. Once it was finally opened he cautiously removed every piece of his new armor and carefully began examining it as he marveled at its beautiful appearance and it's clear quality, appearance-wise was designed to match what little remained of his old armor but that was of little importance compared to the feeling of holding it in his hands. Jaune always admired the knights in fairy tales, he admired them for their bravery and their dedication to always help the helpless and defend the defenseless. After everything that has happened to him, it felt as though that dream was becoming further and further away if he had never met Pyrrha or Ren or Nora… he didn't want to think about it. Without waiting for even a second longer he began to put on the armor as his team watched.
The result was an utterly ecstatic young huntsman who seemed to be on the edge of jumping with joy, "This is incredible Pyr but, you didn't have to-"
"I did Jaune. I'm the one who broke your armor meaning that replacing it was always my responsibility," Not to mention that he is going to need this armor since his aura doesn't protect him. "Besides I've paid for it months ago, it was only recently done."
"I can't wait to test it out!"
"Well, Jaune, you won't have to wait very long for that!" Nora exclaimed while hefting Magnhild in a manner that was beginning to make the young knight regret what he just said.
"Hey, Nora, could you watch where you're pointing that thing?" Jaune nervously said while trying to put some distance between himself and her.
"I apologize Jaune however, Huntsmen class armor is very expensive and takes some time to get used to." Ren began loading his Storm Flowers while walking up to Jaune who was now surrounded on both sides, "Don't worry, we'll help you with the adjustment process."
"Don't worry! Me and Renny are going to help you become the very best you can be!"
"Guys! Wait! Wait just a moment! Guys!?"
"Don't worry Jaune! This is going to help us all get closer as a team as we all help build each other up and push each other past our limits and it is my duty as the team leader to help bring out the best in all of you," Pyrrha playfully added.
During the brief period that Jaune was able to train with Qrow, he experienced sensations that were entirely new to him. Feelings of pain and sickness as the old drunkard did everything in his power to try and get the wannabe knight up to speed with the people who were going to become his peers and hopefully colleagues. This involved running a lot of running and push-ups and crunches and dogging so much dodging as the old man took every single opportunity to try and sucker punch the poor lad and it was one of the best and worst experiences of Jaune's life and right now, he felt the same way. Sure he was beyond tired as one would naturally be after a spring session with a Valkyrie, a Ninja, and a Champion but, they were his friends and allies and he was their Knight.
Suddenly his scroll rang bringing Jaune back to reality as he went to answer his scroll, "Hello Jau-"
The first thing he heard was the sound of someone fighting to hold back the tears followed by Ruby's anxious voice, "Jaune I need your help right now!"
"What Happened? What's Wrong?" He nearly shouted which caught the attention of the rest of his team who quickly noticed the look of concern on his face as well as how nervously he was acting. They quickly gathered around him to see what was wrong and when he saw them gathering, he put the call on speaker so everyone could hear it.
"It's Blake! She's just run away and Weiss went running after her and now I need your help to find them! Please!
"Why did they run?"
"WHY DOES IT MATTER!? JUST HELP ME!"
The line then went silent but it wasn't because Ruby had hung up, in fact, they could faintly hear what they thought was Yang talking to Ruby, however, they couldn't make out what was being said between the two sisters. Though it was not for a lack of effort on their part with Ren going as far using his aura to improve his hearing and even then it wasn't of much help. Eventually, that private conversation ended and Yang's voice replaced Ruby's on the scroll, "Look, we just need your help finding our two idiot partners. So are you going to help us or not?"
"Just tell us what to do," Pyrrha responded.
"Huh, Pyrrha? I thought Ruby called… yeah, she did call Jaune which means you guys must have been… you know what? I don't care, it's not important and it's actually a good thing, Ruby and I are going to search through downtown, you guys take midtown and if it starts to get late head to the Docks."
"Got it! But Why the Docks?" Pyrrha asked.
"Let's just say that they both have some business that they need to attend to over there. Good luck and thank you, Ruby and I appreciate this more than you guys will ever know." Yang then ended the call and within moments there was a rush of activity as Team PRAN sprung into action to assist their sister team.
"So, let me see if I'm understanding this correctly," Weiss was sitting inside of a small and rather quaint cafe while enjoying a lovely view that came with the benefit of watching some of the roads leading to the docks. In addition to this, she was having a rather unusual, though eye-opening, conversation with a peer of hers, "You left an envelope on the captain's desk containing enough money for the ticket and to cover any miscellaneous expenses that you might have accrued while on his ship as a stowaway... Is this correct?"
"I have no idea what accrued means but, yeah! That's about right," replied the ever-watchful and cheerful Sun Wukong.
Weiss took a nice long sip of her tea before gently setting it on the table, she then slammed her fist into the table with enough force to crack it, "Then why did you stowaway on that Ship? Why not simply pay for a ticket like a normal person would have done!?"
"For training."
"What!?"
"When I graduate from Haven I'm going to join the Mistral police force and become a great detective! Sadly in Mistral, it's almost impossible to get anything done if you're not at least as sneaky as the guy you're trying to catch," he quickly explained.
Weiss tried her best to come out with a response, anything that she could use to try and point out just how foolish his actions were, and yet all she could do was think about what her older sister Winter would say. Stealth and survival training while going undercover as a stowaway? I Approve. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't imagine her sister saying anything else and that was starting to make her worry so she changed the subject, "And why are you helping me?"
"I saw the argument between you and your teammate, it wasn't hard for me to realize that I was responsible for that."
"No, it was me-," A Schnee is never wrong. What would you Know!? You're not a Schnee! "It was my fault. Earlier we passed by a crime scene and I said something... inappropriate. You quite frankly were only the metaphorical straw that broke the camel's back."
"So, this was a problem that's been going on for a while then. By the way, that isn't a question, you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to say," Sun took a moment to turn to a passing waiter. "Another coffee please, Oh! And can I get an orange as well?"
"Right away sir!"
"Thanks, Buddy!" Sun then turned back to the Heiress and with a smile that could launch a thousand ships asked two more questions "So, what are you going to do next? And how can I help?
Weiss took a moment to think carefully about his questions, sure it was an innocent suggestion and he did seem like the sort of man who would help her out. However, This would mean bringing an outsider into a problem that I'd rather keep within the team. Blake will almost certainly be at the Dock tonight and if she is wrong about the White Fang then the extra help would be welcomed also having another Faunus around would help calm her. "Look Sun, the situation between me and Blake is a little more complicated than what I've told you and no offense."
"You don't want to bring a stranger into your problems," he finished for her.
"That being said, I would love to have your help."
Blake would never admit it to anyone, but right now she was beyond scared however, she wasn't scared for her life or her safety or even how she would provide for herself from here on out, one of the benefits of being part of the White Fang for as long she was is that you learn to make do what you have and how to get what you need. What she was scared of was the possibility that Weiss was right, What if the White Fang are too far gone? But, isn't that why you left? Because you didn't like where they were going but you couldn't stand up to Adam? And now you left your new team because without even an explanation and to do what? Shut up, I just need to do this! But, why?
"Why am I doing this?" Blake whispered to no one but herself as she observed the Docks from the roof of a nearby building, Because I have to know, I have to know what's going on. And I need to see it with my own eyes. Her resolve restored, the former agent of the White Fang returned to her vigil, watching and waiting for anyone of anything that might be considered out of place. Eventually, a ship of unmistakable Altas design appeared on the horizon bearing the unmistakable logo of the SDC and carrying a cargo of Dust as well as being armed with enough firepower that one might have mistaken it for a battleship. The mere sight of the ship disgusted Blake who saw it for what it truly was, a show of force by an over-privileged self-centered manchild upset that the Faunus didn't simply lie down and obediently accept their mistreatment, But, what if it is also a sign of things to come?
She watched as the ship pulled into docks and as the workers began the lengthy processes of unloading and storing the precious cargo. To say that it was boring would be a tremendous understatement and it was something that Blake had no intention of subjecting herself to especially when it was completely unnecessary. After all, even if the battleship was mostly for display since Grimm and pirate attacks on the open sea were rare, it didn't change the fact that the guns were real and a fight here would surely bring the police and the academy down on everyone's heads. If the White Fang were coming then they would arrive after the ship was gone and most of the dock workers had left for home. Should the worst come to pass she would need to be at her best if she hoped to make any difference whatsoever and that would not be possible if she tried to keep a vigil during the entire day, so she set her alarm and allowed her eyes to rest.
After taking some time to nap Blake returned to her watch, this time hiding within the Dock itself. The Cargo had been successfully unloaded and easy to find thanks to the SDC logo on the containers, the ship itself was already sailing away to some unknown destination, the dock workers were getting ready to clock out as the sun sank and the moon rose. The hours continued their march with Blake carefully making her way through the Dock taking every possible entrance and exit into account as her heart soar higher and higher as the night dragged on with no White Fang insight, I was right!. Then came the unmistakable sound of several Bullheads flying overhead and what she saw broke her heart as the vehicles stopped right over docks and began to hover in place as men and women wearing an all too familiar looking uniform and mask got to work attaching cables to the storage units containing the Dust.
"Alright, you animals remember that we are on a tight schedule so please do me a solid and try to act with some measure of professionalism!"
What!? Among the robbers was a human, who seemed to be leading them. No, that can't be right, Adam would never let a human lead anything especially if they spoke like that! Blake needed to get closer and so she began making her way through the storage units taking great care not to make a single sound, it was painful to keep quiet as she watched her fellow Faunus toiling under this human but it paid off when she got close enough to make out the face of the cigar-smoking human giving orders. Roman Torchwick!? Wait, didn't Ruby get into school because she stopped one of his robberies? Nothing made sense, according to what she heard about that robbery Torchwick had been working with humans back then and yet for reasons that she could not even begin to guess he was somehow here barking orders to the White Fang who against all logic was following orders rather than turning on the racist pretty boy.
Taking a nice long dragon from his cigar the premier master thief of Remnant looked upon his hired hands and felt just a teeny-tiny bit of pride as he watched them work. Glad to see that my work training these dogs to learn a few new tricks wasn't a complete waste of time. For a moment he felt a feeling of pride rising in his chest, then he felt a blade press down on his neck, and like magic any feelings of pride he may have had transformed into incredible disappointment, Of course, these animals wouldn't keep an eye out for trouble. Judging by the size and feel of the hands I'd say that it was another brat, though this one seems bigger than Little Red.
"Brothers and Sisters of the White Fang! Why are you working with this man?"
Roman was insulted, Really I'm right here and you're just going to ignore me!? How incredibly rude! Quickly scanning around he began to assess the situation as whoever this young lady just kept asking questions and paying him no mind. Let's see she didn't take Melodic Gudgel so probably thinks it's just a cane and she probably thinks I don't have aura since she's not trying to choke me out. Without turning his head the thief quickly looked around to see if the girl had any allies but couldn't spot anyone, Doesn't mean that they are not there, but at least these animals seem ready for a fight… Making up his mind he angled his cane so that it was now pointing at the ground beneath whoever this girl was, prepared his aura, braced himself, and pulled the trigger.
The results were instantaneous as the resulting explosion blew back the would-be heroine, who to her credit quickly got back on her feet before his goons could rush her down much to his dismay. "No, No, No! I'll take care of the brat! The rest of you get Back to Work! We have a schedule to keep!" Seeing the wisdom in his words the White Fang grunts quickly abandoned the fight with the huntress-in-training to return to stealing. Under normal circumstances, this meant that she now had room to breathe which was a good thing. What wasn't good was that Blake now had to contend with a far greater foe. In moments the thief was in her face striking at her with his cane at shocking speeds, force, and precision that could only be possible with huntsman level training. However, her own training allowed her to keep a good solid grip on her weapon and strike back thus entering a contest of battle prowess that only helped Torchwick as it dragged on since it allowed the robbery to continue unchallenged. She needed to stop the robbery and get answers and to do that she first needed to get away from this man as soon as possible so she waited for him to strike at her head and then used her Semblance to create a clone to take the hit as she ran past him and it worked! Until she felt Melodic Cudgel hook right into her side and pull her right into Roman's fist which made her stagger out of surprise and confusion about what just happened.
"Well Kitty Cat I don't know what your deal is but I'm going to need you to take a bit of a cat nap right now," he walked toward her and raised his cane intending not to kill her, The last thing we need is a dead kid on the news, but rather knock her out cold and leave her to the authorities who in all their wisdom would probably blame her for the robbery since she was a Faunus.
"BANG!"
Torchwick took a step back as his aura absorbed the force of a bullet that struck him right in the chest, "What! When did you!?-" he was abruptly cut off as a monkey boy armed with a staff ran up to him and kicked him right in the chest knocking him to the ground but not out of the fight.
"Are you okay?" Sun shouted to Blake who managed to regain her bearings.
"The stowaway? What are you doing here?" she asked right back.
"I was helping your friend Weiss look for you!"
"What is she doing here?"
"She's worried about you. Duh."
While those two brats were wasting talking to each other in the middle of a battlefield, Seriously what are they teaching kids these days? Torchwick saw this as his chance to escape and try to get at least some work done tonight, Otherwise Cindy is going to lit me up like a candle. Slipping away unnoticed the thief hid behind a shipping container and then he reached into his coat and pulled out a Walkie-Talkie, "Give me an Update!"
"Everything has gone to shit!"
"What is that supposed to mean!? Details! Give me Details!"
"A goddamn Schnee just appeared and started attacking us and before we could take that bitch out! More people started to show up!"
The sound of battle was beginning to fill the night sky, Shit! Someone is going to call the cops if they haven't already! Dammit, all that bribe money is going down the toilet. Raising the Walkie-Talkie to his mouth Roman barked the necessary order that he knew he would regret before the night was done but the alternative would be far worse, "The Gig is Up! Everyone grab what you can and pull out! I repeat Everyone gets out! Bullheads! One of you gets over and gives us some covering fire while the others get loaded up! Now don't Fuck UP!" At least this way we can salvage something.
The speed that Roman's orders were carried out was a true testament to the training and discipline that Adam Taurus instilled into his White Fang as one of the Bullheads got into positioning and began to rain down hot lead, thanks to Aura it failed to kill or even injure the brats but it did send all of them running for cover which was enough. Without the threat of attack, the remaining Bullheads got into position to receive the cargo as the grunts that were left standing got back to work ignoring their injured and unconscious brethren in favor of gathering as much Dust as possible.
As Blake hid she took a moment to look around and almost couldn't believe what she was seeing, her teammates had come for her! Despite everything she hid from them, they were still worried about her. She even saw that Weiss of all people had come looking for her and was accompanied by the Faunus stowaway from earlier! How did that happen? Hell, even team PRAN had arrived on the scene even though she wasn't close to any of them as well as some weird girl that she didn't recognize at all but seemed rather friendly with Ruby. Blake should have been overjoyed but instead, she just wanted to cry, Weiss was right, the White Fang was behind the robberies but why? I know that everything runs on Dust, but we never needed this much Dust when I was in the Fang and their wounded; they're just abandoning them! What's happening with Adam!? Why is he doing all of this? Remember why you left, he was never the man he made you believe he was!
"Blake!" Ruby cried, snapping the Faunus out of her thoughts and back into reality, "I don't know what Penny is about to do but she says you need to Duck!"
What happened next was easily one of the most unusual sights that everyone present at the Dock had ever seen. That new girl suddenly bent forward and blades emerged from her back and started to fly in a rapid circular pattern right in front of her as she straightened her back, then she suddenly thrust her arms forward and a Green Beam of Energy shot from her swords and impacted the attacking Bullhead destroying it completely. Shortly after that a barrage of Nora's signature grenades flew out and destroyed yet another Bullhead whose wreckage triggered a charge from all of the students sealing the battle as all the White Fang were forced to flee in the few Bullheads that remained.
When the last of the Bullheads fled from the scene an uneasy peace returned to the Docks as everyone began to seek and rejoin their scattered teammates which put Blake in an extremely uncomfortable position but it was also a position that she understood she deserved, Here it comes...
"Blake Belladonna! What in the Brother's name were you thinking!" Weiss shouted as she stomped her way towards her. "Do you have any idea just how worried I was? How worried Everyone was when you just ran off without an explanation?"
"You were worried about me?"
"Of course I was worried about you! You Dolt!" Weiss shoved an accusing finger at Blake as she continued to rant, "I was worried sick! And considering just how many people showed up I'd say that a lot of people were worried about you!"
"Weiss I-"
"Let me finish. I have had some time to think about what I've said and done and I'll admit that after talking to Sun-."
"Who's Sun?"
"The stowaway, except that it turns out that he isn't one but that is not the point! The point is that both you and I were both right about a lot of things and we need to get over our problems if we are to do anything about it! So I'm going to start!" Weiss took a moment to consider her next words but just looked at her still shaken teammate; the Heiress understood that it wasn't the exact words that would matter but rather the truth behind the words.
"Weiss?"
"Blake Belladonna, I apologize. I was both ignorant and arrogant, I was rude, I jumped to conclusions and I made you feel isolated and in danger when you should have felt safe and I would like a chance to prove myself to you," Weiss held up a hand to her teammate.
Blake took Weiss' hand "I also want to apologize for assuming the worst about you."
"Except I deserved it," Weiss plainly stated and upon seeing Blake confused, she clarified. "I am aware of what my father has done and upon whose backs the SDC is making its money from, it's why my older sister left the family and it's why I came to Beacon because I could not bear another moment with that horrid man looking over my shoulders. Blake when I inherit the company I will set things right but, it would be stupid and selfish of me to ask all of Faunus kind to just wait and suffer till then."
"Well, can I at least apologize for running away and making everyone worry?" Blake asked.
"Save it for Ruby… oh shit, Yang is going to kill us both for running away," Weiss realized.
"You're damn right I will!" said Yang as she grabbed both Blake and Weiss before pulling them into the warmest hug of their lives, "Thank god you're okay."
Inside of the car sat a rather dejected Penny Polendina who kept looking through the back window at her friend Ruby and the people around the huntress. Anyone with half a brain cell could figure out what the android wanted and anyone who had even a shred of a heart would feel for her. Fortunately for her General Ironwood who was sitting in the car with Penny had both in abundance, "Don't worry Penny, soon very soon you will be able to freely hang out with your friends and even make new ones. You just have to wait a little longer."
"I understand General, I just got excited today," she replied.
"You got excited? That's good! That's incredibly good!"
"Really!? But Lieutenant Winter said that a soldier shouldn't allow their emotions to control them!"
"Penny you're a teenager not a soldier you're allowed to be a little emotional and besides, I've always thought Winter was a little too strict for her good but don't tell her I said that."
"Indeed I won't! Oh, I just recalled! Jaune Arc was present tonight though I didn't get to officially meet him," she said with a tint of disappointment in her voice, a sure-fire sign that her artificial soul was very much real. She then perked up, "However, I was able to do a primary scan of his body!"
"Oh! Did you learn anything interesting?" he asked, genuinely interested.
"Based solely on what I could see I would have to agree with Dr. Gris' theory. Whatever was administered to Jaune was an incomplete prototype. Thus calling him a Pseudo-Grimm while rude is most certainly appropriate."
Ironwood felt his veins run cold, "Penny as soon as possible I want you to run a second deeper scan on Jaune and then send me the results, it's for his own good."
"Yes sir!"
The scene replayed in Jaune's head for what had to be the tenth or so time, We arrived late as the fight had already begun at the Docks. Pyrrha went to the right, Ren and Nora took the center and I took the left. It wasn't hard at first, those masked men were too distracted by the chaos to notice me, but that didn't last. Soon they came at me with guns and blades, without this armor it could have been far worse. Then I was ambushed, and I-
"Jaune? Are you alright?" It was Pyrrha coming to check up on her partner like any good leader would and she found him just staring blankly at three masked corpses: One was leaning limply against the wall with a stab wound through the chest, the second was off to the side with an oddly bent neck and the third was lying on her back with gunshot wounds peppering her body.
"I've never killed anyone before," Jaune softly spoke looking right at his blood-stained blade, "I'm supposed to feel something, right? That's what's supposed to happen when a person kills someone for the first time… I'm supposed to feel something, anything so why don't I?" he looked at her with eyes that were full of fear, fear that maybe he was a monster, "Why don't I feel anything?"
She rushed to his side and grabbed his hand, she had no idea what to say but at the very least she could stand by his side.
Cinder and her brats were waiting for him when he got back to the warehouse, Roman tried to explain himself but the results were everything to Cinder and she had no time for him. Before he could even open his mouth Mercury was already on him delivering a vicious kick that sent him flying right into a wall as his Aura began to waver.
"You asked for a base and I delivered. You claimed you needed equipment and you received that and more," Cinder began walking around the room, the clicking of her heels sounding more like the countdown to an execution as Mercury continued his vicious assault with Emerald's support screwing with Roman's head and rendering him unable to fight back even as his Aura shattered and his bones began to creak with every hit. "When I got you, men, you told me that they weren't good enough and I being an extremely patient woman found you replacements and yet despite everything you were given, you have delivered nothing in return."
With a smirk, Emerald and Mercury stepped away from the hurt thief as Cinder's eyes began to glow and her hand burst into flames that threatened to incinerate Tourchwick. Suddenly there was the sound of shattering glass and from seemingly nowhere emerged a petite woman with dual-colored eyes and hair and dressed in an outfit that seemed to echo Roman's. But what caught everyone's attention was the long slender blade that she was pointing right at Cinder's chest and the girl's utterly fearless eyes.
Before anyone could say or do anything, the sounds of engines filled the warehouse as truck after truck entered the warehouse filled with Dust of all types stunning Cinder and her brats. Roman then got up and dusted himself off as Neopolitan sheathed her blade and walked over to her partner to check on him, "Cindy, you asked for enough Dust to supply an army. Well, I have delivered it!"
"But you Failed! The Robbery Failed Roman! Where did you get all of this?" Cinder demanded while feeling an odd mix of anger, confusion, and pleasant surprise.
"The Schnee's sent several shipments in secret, what you saw at the dock was nothing more than their idea of a publicity stunt. They never counted on me figuring out where most of the Dust was being kept or that I'd bribe and blackmail the police dispatchers to delay the cops while I played the distraction." He reached into his coat and pulled out a cigar that he lit and took a nice long drag. "I'm a professional honey. I know what I'm doing."
Author's Notes: Vol 1 is now complete and I can now start on Vol 2, Yay! That being said, I'm honestly not too happy with how this chapter turned out but, with classes about to soon begin, I figured that it was probably best to put this one out now and replace it with a better version later down the road. So when that happens I'll include a note in the Author's Notes. Now let's get into the Nitty Gritty:
Jaune's Armor: I always meant to replace his broken armor and I wanted to do it sooner but it never felt natural until now. As for the appearance... I was going to describe it in detail but I don't know much about actual armor and quite frankly it was just taking up space. So just go with your imagination on this one and feel free to tell me about it.
Sun: Him being a stowaway was just plain dumb because it undermines the point that Blake was trying to make and the guy is supposed to be a Huntsman so, why would he break the law?
Torchwick: I originally wanted to tell the entire rumble in the docks from his POV but it soon proved to be a poor idea. As for the warehouse scene, well I figured that since the dock's failed Roman had to have gotten the Dust from somewhere else, and then I began asking myself "Where's Neo?" I realized that maybe he could have gotten the Dust from her.
Jaune's 1st Kill: The idea of Jaune killing some at the docks was always the plan however having him feel nothing is something new. I got the idea from a Fire Emblem SI fanfic titled Birth and Re-Death by Threedollarbratwurst, it is a great read and I recommend it to everyone who enjoys a story with great characters, drama, action, and plenty of laughs, seriously the MC is a healer who beats his enemies to death with a staff of healing!