Jetstream Jaune: Revengeance

by Alfa21

Transported by his wild Semblance, Jaune arrived alone in a continent shaped by conspiracies, ripe, with mechas called Metal Gears, and a society constantly in war and revengeance - all with no Grimm. Seeing the cruelty spread in this world, can he hold on to what he knows for real, or will he turn to a Jetstream whose sole purpose was to kill for killing's sake? Cover by tsugeru.

54. Broken Strings, Repeating Scenes

Hi! Been a long time, hasn't it? My bad, but life's been a bit busy, so I didn't really get the chance to write. Also needed a bit of a breather too I suppose, though I'm back now.

And also, the obligatory: Kept you waiting, huh?

Enjoy.

---

Two-and-a-half years ago.

Arc Cottage Retreat, somewhere in the edges of Vale.

It had been two weeks now… And it was nothing short of an unmitigated disaster.

They were totally unprepared for a sudden and vicious attack by the White Fang, right on their very home with platoons upon platoons of enemies marching on their door. It was a miracle that they managed to escape to their cottage retreat, by the skin of their teeth but with scars too deep to bear.

Their current location was as safe as they could get without further preparations – A moderately-sized cottage on the edges of Vale's jurisdiction, a beachside secret place known only to members of the family and close friends. Nothing like the grandiose mansion that they left behind, and without nearly the number of facilities it had.

And it wasn't like they escaped whole, either. It had taken a few days for Tanner and his daughters to get fully healed up, at least physically. After that, they tried their best to arrange things, to get back into contact with the people they need to, but it would take quite some time.

So here they were, stuck.

Once upon a time the family had often used it for seasonal vacations, the cozy and comforting wooden walls echoing laughs and love, but now it felt dreadfully sombre, reminding them of the fact that one person was missing. Never to complete them.

And never to return.

With a sigh, Tanner opened the door to the cottage and stepped inside, the warm light of the fireplace shining an orange light on the side of his face. He gingerly closed the door behind him, shutting out the last of the cold night's bone-chilling winds.

He looked to the side of the fireplace and saw one of his daughters sitting on the sofa, legs crossed and looking silently at the fireplace. But even so, he greeted his father all the same.

"Welcome back, Dad." Jasmine said barely above a whisper. "How'd it go?"

"They'll come to pick us all up in two days. We need to get everything ready until then." Tanner shook his head, "Had to get pretty far to get a signal, and some Grimm didn't help the matter either."

"Well, at least you made it home." Tanner could see his daughter's shoulder tense ever so slightly, before slumping deeper into the sofa with a tired sigh.

"…"

"…So he's really gone, then?" Jasmine whispered.

Tanner silently shook his head, and the quiet ruffling of his shirt's collar was enough for Jasmine.

"The White Fang have already claimed it – proudly I might add." Jasmine heard traces of venom in her father's voice, before he took a deep breath and recomposed himself. "Got a bunch of search parties scouring around back home, but they can't seem to find find anything. I've put in good words with the surrounding areas, and where I think Jaune might've ran to… but they didn't get even a whisper."

"So he's dead." Jasmine said bluntly.

Her father's stretching silence after was enough of an answer for her.

She heard a rough scrape of plastic-on-wood, and then her father sat on a plastic stool next to her.

"The others are asleep." Jasmine said, "We should probably keep our voices down."

"Pft. Not well, I bet. Doesn't really matter." Tanner rolled the words inside his mouth, "How-." He took a deep breath and steadied his heart, "How's Indigo doing?"

Jasmine sighed, her eyes falling to the dark floor. "Not well."

Up above, Indigo sat on the edge of her bed, the window to the side showing the beach's tiding waves. The moon was high, shining through her window and the only source of light on her room.

Indigo gently moved her fingers, gingerly rubbing and holding a picture of her family taken just before Jaune had ran off to Beacon. She could see her brother there, smiling with innocence she always cherished.

She could see the silly hoodie he always wore, worn down at the edges yet still displaying the pretty bunny logo bright and cute. Could see how skinny he was, and all the boyish charm his young face offered.

But she could also see the creases in his brows, about how the light in his mile didn't really match his eyes, and figured it made sense – he did run off the next day after all.

He was so stupid. So STUPID! The whole family had told him that a Hunter's life wasn't for him. They had all said that he didn't have what it took, over years and years and years they told him, but he never backed down and snuck off anyway. And now what did you know, they were right after all!

And then he had come back after his first semester, wielding the family sword he stole, and told them he had a Team and friends and that he had defeated Grimm in training and that he was the leader of them all. The rest had welcomed him home with open arms, but not her.

Just because he snuck off and managed to pass Initiation didn't mean jackshit! Just because he managed to be a leader and wasn't expelled just yet didn't mean he could go on and continue with the damn farce! And just because he came back slightly trained didn't mean he had the real potential to be the best!

But the family had told him praises and said their forgiveness to him behind closed doors. But not her. He had yet to prove himself, one semester didn't mean shit in the grand scheme of things, and for the life of her she just didn't see a world where her brother would really be a fighter.

So that's why, even after everything, she remained tense and strict with every step he took. He didn't deserve praise, not when he cheated, and no matter how hard he tried she knew that he was just not made for it!

And what did you know, she was right! Now her brother was dead, trying to play hero and save Scarlet from a damn Deathstalker – a Deathstalker! – alone. Nothing remained of him except a broken shield and a bloodstain that's probably already been washed away by now.

Stupid Jaune. He wasn't supposed to be a Hunter! He was her little brother, an innocent soul that wasn't supposed to be tainted. He was supposed to stay safe at home while they worked hard, he was-

Her little brother, sweet and dorky and idiotic and innocent. He was supposed to stay with their family.

He was supposed to stay with her forever-!

A single tear fell from Indigo's eyes, tracing her delicate cheeks and staining her precious picture.

'Why didn't you just stay with me, Jaune…?'

All at once, Indigo crumpled.

She fell to the floor with her fist banging down, her tears flowing freely and her shoulders shaking violently. Guilt consumed her heart, replacing a hole in her heart that would never truly be filled in her life ever again.

Without her family whole, what reason did she have for going on anymore? She was done for as a Huntress, because what kind of Huntress couldn't protect her own family? Let alone her little brother?

She could hear his voice laughing in these walls, hear it cheer her as she graduated and became a Huntress, but she knew it was just moments of the past. Moments that didn't last in the end.

She clenched her fist and crumpled her picture, crying and devolving into sobs and resting her head on the floor.

"Why didn't you just stay with me, Jaune…? I- I-…."

A gust went through her window, waving against her skin, and Indigo broke down even more.

She wasn't strong enough. She wasn't fast enough. She wasn't sharp enough, wasn't good enough, wasn't enough to protect her baby brother!

"I'm sorry, Jaune! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…!"

It was all her fault, it was all her fault, from the beginning to the end. She as good as killed him with her words, as good as killed him when she didn't train him when he asked, she had killed him with her actions and strictness and there was no going back.

She was supposed to protect them all, and she thought she finally did when she reached the top, but it didn't last, it didn't last it didn't last it didn't last.

So what did she have now? What did she even have left anymore?

Unknowingly, Indigo opened her fist ever so slightly. She could feel the photo uncrumpling just a bit, still tainted by her tears and most likely ripped in various places…

But she still had it.

She-she…

She still had his love. Even if he was gone, even if he wasn't here anymore, he still loved her…

And- and she still had the rest of her family…

And Scarlet, he gave her his love to protect her, to make sure she came back to her…

His mark of love was still here, even if he was- was dead…

Then, then she'd make sure to honour it. This won't happen again.

She'll be stronger, better, faster, and make sure to bring the people who took her little brother away from her to justice.

It's the only way the last bit of love he gave her could stay with her forever.

---

Present Day

Alone, in a dark cell with nothing but only two remaining limbs and his own thoughts, a crippled captive thought hard on just what had happened to him.

He lost. Horribly, and was forced to pay a price he never imagined in his wildest nightmares.

How? How did that happen?

Again and again, he had lost, even though he had tried his hardest to catch up. He had thrown everything into it, made it his life's work, and yet still it seemed that his dream – taking back what the world owed the Faunus – was continuously out of his reach.

No matter how much blood and sweat he sacrificed, no matter how hot fury burned in his heart, no matter how many people he killed and swept aside…

No matter how hard he tried, no matter the sacrifices he made, he never won.

For the first time in his life, Adam Taurus began doubting if his bull-headed determination will truly bring him the victory he yearned for. He had never feared the world that struck him down, nor the SDC that tortured his kind, the authorities that turned a blind eye the system, and anyone that dared to stand in his way. But now, it seemed that that one figure was larger than the world itself.

That damned Jaune Arc – the person he had 'killed' who then sent his family beyond the grave, and even then came back from said grave and humiliated him, twice.

He and his compatriots had struggled for two and a half years in Vale, spreading their revenge and fighting against this oppressive construct. But even with their tenacity and power, the Arcs had always been formidable in pushing them back, and now…

Jaune had slaughtered them in less than a week.

Crippled him without breaking a sweat.

That single man, that single figure, was above any Hunter, above any of the other Arcs, and above any other opponent Adam had ever faced before. Even with his improvements and new weapon, it seemed that Jaune was here to stay.

He didn't get it! He knew the world wasn't fair, drilled into him in those SDC mines all those years ago – but he always knew with nothing short of unwavering conviction that what he was doing was right. That what he was doing was justice.

The humans deserved to pay. They deserved to fear them after all they had put the Faunus through. Violence was the only way they'll ever listen, and for that Adam had given pain out in spades.

And it worked! They finally took the White Fang seriously, were finally given attention by the media. They became feared, but that was just means to an end. They needed to fear the Fang's power, and only then did they begin to think a second time before oppressing the Faunus. Or did they want one of their members knocking on their door?

And if that didn't prove it, then another proof was that he had lived this long, didn't he? He had gained all this power, formed his own loyal pack within the Fang, carved a name that struck fear into the hearts of Humans in every Kingdom. They looked at him with fear, with apprehension, and he won't ever be stomped on again.

And yet… now…

With the arrival of a single man, he lost it all.

He had started losing ever since those Arcs started their division and fighting back against the Fang. And then RWBY grew stronger, as did PNR. And then Jaune Arc returned…

The White Fang was now a mere shadow of what it once was. Arc's slaughter with that cyborg friend of his had made sure a comeback was nigh-impossible.

'Arc…!'

So then why?! Why was such a strong power sided with those who oppressed them all?! Why was such a stronger power sided with injustice? It was like he was being paid back for what little victories he had achieved!

But here and now with, nothing else besides darkness accompanying him, he could only think of what he needed to do next. What he needed to do to make those who crossed the Faunus pay…

A knock on his cell door, and bright light flooded in as the door was slammed open. He heard heavy footsteps marching in, rough hands yanking his arms and dragging him away a cripple, and yet he didn't react one bit.

He didn't register as they dragged him out and roughly sat him down on an interrogation room, hands and neck chained to the chair as bright and aggressive lights assaulted his vision. Didn't react as he recognized another person enter and made her presence known, didn't react as they tried to pressure him into cracking and giving them something.

He had done everything according to what he believed was right. Fought and killed with no mercy, just like he believed and thought of, and yet he ended up here once more. A slave to the humans, crippled once more just like his past.

His mind was warped, thinking of nothing except how to proceed. Of the hand he had now and how they could win. Of the more sacrifices they needed to make, of the lines they had to keep crossing until they were feared by all.

Because he would never give up. Never!

Never!

But even with all his conviction, all his rage and indignation…

It was here, in this moment, helpless and captive just like he once was when he was a child…

A new truth began to form.

A new truth that was uncomfortable – that couldn't be anything but lies – but it kept banging against his head again and again in his solitude, always present every second of the day.

So eventually it did break through Adam's psyche, even if just a tiny bit, when he had nothing else to think about. His mere existence kept reminding him of his failure, and now, he was forced to take it slow and think…

Of what happened in the past, of the life he lived before he lost the freedom he so desperately thought he had fought for…

Maybe…

Could it really be a consequence of their own actions? He tasted freedom, once, and yet here he was again…

Where did he go wrong?

And did he truly bring this upon himself?

---

Victory was all that mattered. No matter the cost, lest she lose everything again.

Her enemies were relentless. Even after all that her family did, all that happened, they still existed – persisted, like cockroaches that always found a way to survive.

But her family always held their code, because at least they managed to survive this long, didn't they? Vale wasn't destroyed yet, right?

Indigo clenched her fist, feeling the veins in all but her face tensing. Her mask was there, ever so reliable, but she knew it wouldn't last long anymore.

Because if she were to be honest with herself, she had never encountered such an enemy like the White Fang, like Adam Taurus, before. Perhaps that was her being used to the top, being stronger than most Huntresses her age and status.

No matter how many hours they clocked, no matter how many leads they followed, they never managed to bring him to justice. Never managed to avenge her baby brother.

And now, things changed.

Even with the lead she tortured from Torchwick, Cinder and her little cronies still managed to get away. And then they got Taurus, but not without her brother's help. Not without her brother sinking his sword under her orders.

Her brother, who she was supposed to avenge.

Her brother, who was never supposed to be a Hunter but snuck off to Beacon anyway.

Her brother, who didn't have even an ounce of the innocence she cherished so much left.

Her brother, who she couldn't recognize behind his blood-red katana and cocky mask anymore.

Her brother, who was never supposed to be everything he is now.

Clearly something was wrong. And now the enemy won't just simply run away. No, they'll come back and strike harder this time.

They had to be ready. They had to be efficient, they had to be stronger. They had to win, no matter the cost.

But the thing was, they hadn't been winning so much lately, not really. Her family had indeed participated in this – if she were to be frank – war, and yet they were pushed to the sidelines, losing turns even to her own pupils NPR.

And if it wasn't for her brother, Vale would've already been in smoke by now. If it wasn't for her pupils, Jaune would never have risked a glance up from the abyss he fell into it.

Something was wrong with them. Something was wrong with how they were doing things, and as such they were pushed to the sidelines.

No, she refused to stand and brush off again. She refused to be reactionary, refused to be useless again.

It won't be her fault again. Not like last time.

She had to win unless she were to lose her family again. Unless she was to lose what broken parts of her brother remained.

No matter the cost, she will not have history repeat itself.

---

Behind a one-way mirror, the rest of the deployed Arc family watched as Indigo entered the interrogation room. Just minutes earlier, Adam Taurus had been brought in and strapped tightly to a seat, leaving absolutely no degree of freedom for the Faunus.

They heard the door shut with a click, seeing Indigo step in with stride and approach Adam with nothing but cold impassiveness. Cyan clicked her tongue at her sister's attitude.

"Never seen her like this before." Cyan said, leaning back in her chair. She put her hands behind her head, "…You guys think this is going to be a problem?"

"Well it's not like we can back her down now, can we?" Jasmine, her other sister, responded with a sigh.

Cyan bristled, "But c'mon, you can't deny that she's the one who told Jaune of all people to-."

A grunt, and their father's commanding voice cut through their conversation like a butter through knife. "We'll just have to be ready." Tanner Arc said gruffly. "For whatever that comes."

The sisters quickly shut their mouths and sat firm in their chairs. At this point, they all knew what had happened with Jaune – his return, his crimes, and his current actions, including ones ordered by Indigo – what hurt them the most was that they had heard it all secondhandedly.

Still, for better or for worse, Indigo had ordered him to come here, to this very interrogation, alongside Team JNPR. And while Indigo might have been more accepting of Jaune's… methods… it remained to be seen how their father would truly react. He had been stressed all day, more so than when he had heard of his dead son's sudden return, and - well, Cyan and Jasmine didn't think that was a good sign.

And that wasn't all either.

The door behind them opened, and they heard three sets of footsteps enter. Cyan tilted her head to the newcomers, Jasmine cast her eye to the side, but Tanner remained firm in watching the proceedings and didn't spare them a glance. He did, however, give them a small greeting.

"Sun, Neptune, Blake. Welcome."

The trio stepped in, Neptune closing the door behind them and then taking a seat with the rest. They sat quite a way back, choosing purposefully to be somewhat separated. It made Blake somewhat uneasy that she was sitting here, with people that have been fighting the Fang for as long as she had – but with none of the restraint she begged Team RWBY to have.

And even more, Blake felt her insides churn as soon as she looked through the one-way glass. She could see Indigo Arc staring Adam down, hands slammed on the table and radiating a calmness that gave her nothing but chills.

And as Blake looked at the state Adam was in, of being tied down to a chair, his legs having been cut cleanly off, and having light aggressively shining down on his scarred and unmasked face – she didn't know what she should really feel.

She felt a sudden warmth in her shoulder, and she turned and noticed Sun had placed a calming hand. She looked to him and he gave her an uneasy if not honest smile. The most Blake could give was a slight quirk of her lips, and then she turned back to the screen. She had to endure this – she wanted to be more responsible, didn't she?

BAM!

Everyone in the room flinched, Indigo's banging of the table reverberating loud against their speakers.

"Out with it." Indigo spoke coldly, "How are the White Fang connected to all of this? What's your endgame here?"

Adam didn't show a single sign of reaction, even if the sudden sound must've been hard on his Faunus ears. Indigo growled and began listing off names with her finger.

"We've already got most of the pieces. Emerald, Mercury, Cinder, Roman, Neo, and The Boss." Indigo said. "Question is – what's in it for you? Why'd the White Fang choose to risk themselves in such an intricate operation?"

Again, Adam didn't react. His eyes were emptily planted on the table, mouth shut and face slack.

Indigo grit her teeth and forced out another question. "Tell me – does it have anything to do with how you attacked us all those years ago?"

Adam didn't answer, but Indigo could see the barest glint of something in Adam's eye. And that was enough for her to keep pushing.

"Was it the way we reacted? Or how the Fang couldn't move as freely around Vale anymore?" Indigo asked.

Adam didn't answer. But Indigo kept pushing, wanting to see him crack – to hold certainty in her hands.

"What was the tipping point? What made you choose Cinder as the right path going forward?" Indigo put her hands on the table and gripped it hard, cracks spreading through and making Adam flinch.

'Perfect.' Indigo smirked. She bared her teeth and flared her anger.

"How does it feel, Taurus? To know that everything you've worked so hard for is turning to dust in your hands?" Indigo let out a vicious chuckle, "You can kiss your little dreams goodbye," Indigo waved to roughly below Adam was, "Since, y'know, you're not going to go anywhere anytime soon."

"I promise you, we're going to round them your comrades up." Indigo smirked, "One by one, slowly torturing them with uncertainty, until when they least expect it – they'll be thrown to a cell that won't have a hint of daylight. And they won't have their precious leader to save them."

At this, Adam finally raised his head. He looked at straight Indigo with his own eyes – and yet it seemed that she was too far into it to recognize his change.

"I'll make sure to crush the Fang no matter what it takes." Indigo said with conviction, "And the only way I'll maybe go easy is if you tell me what exactly their plan is here."

Adam stared straight to Indigo. Her smirked widened as she recognized the gears turning in his head, the ideas forming in his thoughts…

And after several tense moments, Adam finally spoke, his voice raspy but still filled with defiance. "…And what guarantee would I have that you'll keep your word?"

Indigo chuckled. "What other choices do you have?" She taunted back. "You're not the one in control here, after all."

"Then if that's so," Adam said slowly, "We'll happily go down fighting."

"Down to the very last man?"

"…"

"If you're so sure~!" Indigo leaned back and crossed her arms, "We'll hunt down every single one of your pets like the dogs they are." She smirked and put her feet on the table, pressing her heels until the table was barely being held together. "After all – I don't really think people should mind killing animals that much. Not like they got rights, eh?"

Adam's body tensed, his eyes shooting up with anger. "Why you-!"

Bam!

But he was interrupted when Indigo's fist suddenly smashed to his face, breaking his nose and sending his head back. He felt a hand wrap around his body and then his seat being held in place.

"I heard a bull gets angry when it sees red." Adam's head was held in place as Indigo flashed her fist in his face, soaked with his blood. She shrugged faux-absentmindedly, "But really, I've never got a chance to confirm it myself. So tell me, are you feeling that now Taurus?"

Adam grit his teeth, "Whatever you think – the White Fang won't go down that easy-!"

Indigo roared and grabbed a fistful of his hair. And then, with a relentless cry, she slammed his head down to the table.

SMASH!

The table crumbled beneath Adam's head, its plasticky debris stuck inside his eyes. He felt his forehead bruise and blood beginning to trickle down his horns.

"DON'T TALK TO ME LIKE YOU'RE WORTH JACKSHIT!" Indigo yelled. She yanked him back to his chair and punched him again, rage spilling out unfiltered.

"You damn animal." Indigo growled, yanking Adam's head back. "You've done nothing, nothing but ruin other people's lives! And you've got the gall to ask me for some respect?! Who do you think you are, huh?!"

With another yell, Indigo ripped him from his binds and slammed him to the wall, hoisting him up so she could stare him right in the eye.

"I should kill you!" Indigo growled, "You've done nothing but make our lives a living hell. I should make you suffer like you made all of us suffered. Crumble that little delusion of yours into the ground."

"You brought all of this on yourself!" Indigo shouted as she pressed Adam harder into the wall. "What rights do you deserve when when you've violated those of countless innocent lives?!"

Adam growled. No, that- that can't be-!

His people didn't deserve to die! They deserved freedom! A chance at what they were owed \-!

"Why should I spare you and your band of terrorists a thought when they never did with us?!" Indigo shook Adam roughly, "My patience is thin, Taurus. I swear you keep this up and I'll have every single one of your friends executed right before your eyes!"

But that final sentence seemed to snap something within Adam. His body tensed, and with renewed vigour, Adam spat on Indigo's face.

Indigo grit her teeth and withdrew her fist. "Why you-!"

A loud ring, and Tanner's voice blared through the intercom. "ENOUGH!"

Indigo paused. She huffed and dropped Adam on the floor, wiping the spit off her face and sneering down at Adam.

"Remember," She said slowly, "This is all your fault."

With a huff, she turned around and slammed the door behind her, leaving the interrogation room completely.

Adam let out a breath. He looked at the state of the room, the table nothing but debris and the chair bloodied from torture. With a grunt, he began dragging himself to the chair, in the vain hopes of at least finding some way to settle.

In the middle of his limp, he heard the door slowly creak open again, accompanied by much softer footsteps. Adam paid it no mind and continued to drag himself along. Let them come. He'll never stop fighting!

"A-Adam…?"

Hearing that voice - soft, quiet, filled with horror, and familiar - Adam turned around and forced himself to look up.

And as soon as he did so, his eyes met hers - there she was, standing before him with her face and golden eyes just as he remembered them.

"Blake…"

XXXXX

Tanner stared his daughter down. "What was that?" His voice was calm, and yet it held a frost all of them knew meant trouble if they ever stepped out of line.

Indigo sat across her father with unflinching certainty. And with a tone as neutral as stating a fact, "I did what had to be done."

"You let your emotions take control." Tanner shot back, "Had you thought and acted more calmly than Adam might have been more cooperative."

"Aren't emotions the entire reason we're doing this?" Indigo asked, "We did this, all of this, just so no one had to lose another Jaune - Doesn't make sense to deny that now."

"I'm not denying that. But we have rules, laws, and lines. And rule number one is that we don't do torture." Tanner said calmly. "No self-respecting Huntress would ever stoop that low."

"And I don't care." Indigo stated flatly. "The enemy's knocking on our doors, and now you're telling us we should start pulling our punches?"

Tanner narrowed his eyes, his mind whirring with the implications. "…You're cracking under the pressure." He stated.

Indigo tilted her head, a glint in her eyes that was just barely visible. "I'm not sure what you mean."

Tanner clicked his teeth. Off to the side, Cyan and Jasmine gave each other a look. They all recognized that glint in her eyes – one that marked her quiet stubbornness and steadfastness in all the wrong ways. One that pushed her through all kinds of challenges but was also a real pain to deal with in and of itself.

Tanner didn't back down. He cast a brief look to Blake and Adam inside the interrogation room, and only hoped that things were going better back there.

He looked back to his eldest daughter, still firm in her belief – that what she did was justified and necessary – and steeled his resolve.

No, this can't continue. He had already lost his son; he won't lose his eldest daughter too.

---

Adam grunted as Blake put him on his seat once more, securing the straps around his arms and dragging another seat over. She sat down across him with a sigh, her body hunched over and looking at him with an emotion he could never decipher.

They both let silence stretched on and on and on even long after they were comfortable. After all, what would be appropriate to start? Too much time had passed, the wounds to deep to heal with a simple 'I'm sorry.'

Blake sighed and settled deep into her seat, other words failing her. Figuring she had to say something she settled on the one thing she did know. "…For what it's worth, I never wanted it to end like this."

"…Then what did you want?"

"Huh?" Blake's gaze shot up.

Adam stayed silent, meeting Blake's gaze emptily. There was nothing inside of them, she noted. No rage or indignance, and that somehow put her more on edge.

"We're on different sides now." He said bluntly. "You and I have no connection."

Blake felt a pang on her heart. Did he really think so little of what he did? "Is it that easy for you to say that?"

Adam kept silent and tilted his head to the side.

Frustrated, Blake sighed and closed her eyes. She rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I hate this."

Before she could speak any further, Adam cut her off. "…Why are you here? What do you want?"

Blake opened her eyes and looked back to Adam. "Justice." She said immediately.

"For who?"

"For-." Blake cut herself short. Indeed, for who? Adam was here, crippled and defeated, but the others weren't. The Boss and her group were still out there, and they posed a great and immediate danger to them all.

Apparently, it took her too long. "You don't know." Adam stated simply.

"I do." Blake shot back. "I want the world to be equal – Faunus and Humans alike. I want justice for victims whose lives were never fair."

Adam showed emotion for the first time and scoffed. "Life isn't fair. You and I both know that." He said, "Violence is the only way they'll ever listen to us."

"You're wrong." Blake denied with a shake of her head, "Life isn't fair, but that doesn't mean we have to resort to killing! To terrorism!"

"There was no other choice."

"There's always a choice!"

"You're proposing us to forget what they did. To forget what we both went through." Adam said. "Your memory's not that short, I know it isn't."

"Times have changed." Blake shot back with narrowed eyes. "They're starting to listen, Adam."

"Are they? If you want the world to be equal, then doesn't that mean giving them the same treatment?"

"This is the present – the past doesn't matter."

"The past always matters." Adam said firmly.

Blake sighed and looked down, frustrated yet not a single bit surprised. She knew this would happen. Adam always was as stubborn as they came, and while that made for good leadership in rocky times it also meant it was hard to convince him of something else.

Suddenly, she was reminded on why she ran away from him all those years ago. Because she tried and tried and tried but damn it no matter how hard she pleaded he just wouldn't listen!

…But no matter what the past was, Blake remembered that this wasn't about her anymore.

Blake thought long and hard of what to say, at least for the sake of her Team and for Vale. After another eternity, Blake took a deep breath and settled her nerves. She opened her mouth to speak-

"I heard you befriended the Schnee heiress." Adam cut her off.

Blake stopped in her tracks, her words dying in her throat. Adam pushed in. "How has that been for you?" He asked.

"I-It's been well. Weiss is as helpful as ever." Blake said, the sudden shock resulting in her blurting out the truth. Her questioning gaze burned to Adam's own, "But why-."

"So that must be how you knew Torchwick would be at the docks that time." Adam interrupted.

"I- Yes, that's right." Blake didn't have time to refute his conclusion. But she still couldn't figure out, "What does that have to do with anything?"

Adam sighed and looked away. "…Nothing, I suppose." The motion caught Blake off-guard, such a quick switch from offensive to defensive threw her in for another loop.

Honestly, at this point she was beginning to doubt she knew what was going inside that mind of his herself. None of this – the self-doubt, the sudden interest, and the emptiness of it all – matched what she knew of Adam.

But still Blake persisted. Even if her instincts screamed at her, she chose to stand her ground. This was her one and final chance, to bury her past once and for all.

"But to think that she of all people was the one you chose…" Adam muttered, and then he looked at her – truly looked at her, eyes shining and analysing something – and it all made sense in Blake's mind what he must be thinking in that head of his.

"Adam, this – this isn't betraying the Faunus. Not at all!" Blake said vehemently. He must be thinking on how she had it better than him now – free as a bird and much better than him and the Fang who have suffered, all because she chose to run and-

She saw him raise his eyebrow, 'Of course.' and knew that he despised her for her betrayal.

And for some reason, that single motion gave Blake all the fuel she needed. With renewed vigour she spoke up for what she believed, giving him a piece of her mind that she had kept buried for so long.

And then, slowly and just barely, she noticed a weight beginning to lift off of her heart.

"Weiss wants to stop the SDC's crimes. She knows what her family did to us wasn't right, but I knew what we did wasn't right either." That day at the docks, where they finally admitted both of their sins, was a moment that made her heart become the lightest in her life - even if for just a moment.

Adam gained a glint in his eye and, and it was enough for Blake to push forwards. And so, without restraint, she spoke to him from deep inside her heart. No more holding back her mind and soul.

She chose to stand her ground, rooted in her beliefs – and yet she had never felt so free, to have finally cast herself free of her chains.

Should Adam accept her, then maybe there was a glint of hope. But should Adam reject her – like he did so often before – then at least she could rest knowing that no matter what kind of life they may have lived… Adam would have never changed either way.

"Don't you see, Adam? Ever since we worked together, we've stopped you at every turn. Because we looked past our differences and helped each other, we managed to figure out where you'd attack next." If this didn't prove the righteousness of her path, then she didn't know what would.

Blake's voice turned pleading, "We all recognize that the past doesn't matter anymore because what matters is the future. Adam, she forgave me for what I did, and I did the same for her." The confliction in her eyes were burned away by fiery determination, lighting up in contrast against Adam's empty and lifeless gaze.

"Life is hard, but it doesn't mean that we have to be cruel." Blake whispered. She leaned forwards, her words backed by two-and-a-half years of her bonds with Team RWBY, "Just because they wronged us doesn't mean we should discriminate in turn and kill them all, Adam!"

"…"

Blake let out a tired breath and slumped back in her seat. Adam's silence was deafening, and as she looked at him for any sort of reaction, she found that nothing came up.

She wanted to be surprised, but really, she found that such a thing was impossible.

Blake let out another sigh and shook her head, "Look," She said, "Adam… for what it's worth, I never wanted it to end up like this. I wanted it to be fair. I know the Arcs aren't exactly the best, but still, I hoped you'd get a fair trial. We all need to face the consequences of our actions, you and me both. So we either try to fix ourselves… or we pay the price."

"And…" Blake closed her eyes. "I'm sorry it had to end this way for you. So make this easier for the both of us, please? Tell us what we need to know…

…It's all over now, Adam."

"…"

Blake stared Adam down. She observed him – beaten and crippled, far from the proud bull she once knew – and even if he didn't answer, she felt a large weight lift away from her heart.

She had finally done it. It was all finally over.

Him, and her failures, won't ever haunt her again.

"There's no use anymore. You're done." She cast a brief glance to where his legs were supposed to be. "Why don't you just spare the pain, and tell us what's next and where the rest of them are?"

"…"

"…"

Both of their silence stretched on beyond time, waiting for the other to speak. For them, all that mattered was the here and now. Finally untangling the complicated web they caught themselves in once and for all.

A part of Blake wanted to run away still. But a bigger part of her felt relieved to finally be able to speak to him again. She had gotten everything out from her side… everything else was now up to him. And if she could save RWBY from all of this, then all the better.

And so as the silence stretched on, she found herself thinking – and also wanting - to speak again. To dissect the man before her once more and know, for this was her last chance – to pick him apart just so she could see where she stood with him.

But it was Adam who spoke first.

"…You've done well for yourself."

That threw Blake for a loop. She could only manage to gape in response before Adam spoke again.

His voice was neutral and didn't hold a speck of emotion. Like speaking of something that was a simple fact, something undeniable.

"Guh- I-um, w-what?"

"You found something else to fight for." Adam said to himself, but the words still pierced through Blake's resolve.

Just what did he mean? What was his angle in all of this? He himself said that they had no connection anymore, right?

"Tell me…"

Blake shook herself off and focused on Adam once more.

"What's the world out there like? What do…" Adam trailed off, but the Blake caught what he wanted to really say.

'What do the other Faunus think of me?' Blake closed her eyes and sighed. Bull-headed as ever, and yet she supposed indulging him one more time wouldn't hurt. After all, it wasn't like he'd ever see the light of day anymore.

"You've… done more damage to us than I could ever really say." Blake said simply.

Adam sighed. "So that's how it is…"

Blake sucked in a breath as he looked at her again, feeling naked under his stare. It was like he was analysing everything she was, and her very instincts were screaming her to run far far away, and yet she held her ground. She wouldn't run anymore – and whatever Adam would say, she'd stand strong and face it head on.

"And… if you were in my place," Adam said softly, barely above a whisper.

Blake's ears twitched, and she leaned in in disbelief.

"…What would you have done differently?"

What she would have done in his place? Blake sucked in a long breath. How could she even begin to answer that question?

But she had to be brave.

"If I do this," Blake breathed out, "Will you tell me where the others are?"

And to that, Adam gave a firm nod. "I'll tell you everything."

And so, Blake sucked in a breath, reached deep inside herself to tell him just where they really went wrong. To settle accounts and move on once and for all-

And then, the entirety of the police station shook.

---

"Indigo. There's no justification for stretching the suffering on." Tanner said sternly. "Once they're done and out then they're down and out."

"You're wrong. We need to send a message," Indigo shot a dirty look to where Adam was before focusing back, "So they don't do this kind of shit again."

"And what exactly does that mean? Torture? Discrimination? What kind of justice is that?" Tanner denied, "We're supposed to be better than them. It's the only way a Huntress should act."

"A Huntress acts so they can win!" Indigo shouted, and the room fell silent.

Cyan reached out from behind her. "S-sis.."

"No. Listen!" Indigo shot a wild look to Cyan, and then to the rest of her family. "All of you listen. Adam's prepping up for something, I know he is! If we back down now and pull our punches then we'll never get to the end of this!"

"…Sis, what's gotten into you?" Jasmine said nervously. "You're not making any sense-."

"I am!" Indigo shouted. She pointed an enraged finger to Adam, "Are you stupid?! We've been fighting this an- this bitchfor two years and he's not giving up, even now! And now the enemy's at our gates; we need to find out what they have before we lose everything we have!"

"That doesn't mean crossing every single thing we stand for." Tanner crossed his arms. He levelled a strong stare at Indigo, "We torture them, then we're no better than they are."

"If we pull our punches then we won't have anything to be better about!" Indigo denied. She focused to her sisters, "While we're all sitting here on our asses, the enemy is moving in and planning their next move. If we want to save people, then we need to take steps now to get the upper hand!"

She turned to her father and spoke her mind, "You've seen what happened to us in the last few days. We managed to get the drop on the enemy, and they still had backup plans after backup plans and got away. If it weren't for Jaune and his crew we'd be dead on the ground with Vale nothing but ashes and memories."

Cyan reached out from behind her, "Sis-." But Tanner raised his hand, stopping the younger Arc in her tracks.

He narrowed his eyes at Indigo, who looked back at him with smaller pupils.

"And you know what Jaune did? He finished the job. Took down an entire Fang base in a single night when it would've taken us weeks – not counting two years collecting all the intel we already have. We want to win then we need to step up our game, or else this peace will never last."

With growing conviction, Indigo spoke again, "We need to be faster, stronger, better. We'll lose everything we have if we don't stop Adam now, and that means making him an example. Isn't two years of fighting enough to teach them a lesson?! They won't stop if we don't do this seriously and make them stop! And if that means butchering them all, then SO BE IT!"

Indigo let her words hang in the air, wanting the effects to sink in. Because it was true – they needed to take steps and they needed take them now. She won't let them lose and suffer, so she'll cross whatever line she needed to. The proof was right in front of their eyes – if it hadn't been for Jaune they'd all be dead by now, and so she'll do her part and do what she needed to do.

But alas, it seemed that it wasn't her decision to make.

Tanner let out a breath and stared her down cooly. "You're off the case."

Indigo's world went still. She let out a startled gasp, "W-what…?"

"Starting from now you're on leave until further notice." Tanner said calmly, "Turn over your IDs at the front and check yourself out. Don't make it harder than it needs to be."

Immediately Indigo's voice turned pleading. "No,nononono, dad don't do this-."

"Unfortunately I am." And if she looked right, she could see her father's gaze turn just a bit sympathetic. However, it never amounted to anything other than that. "Now go."

With shaking hands, she withdrew from her seat and made her way to the door. Taking a calming breath, Indigo slowly closed the door behind her and made her way down the Police HQ halls.

As she walked further away, her vision began to fade and her footing began to slip. With every step, she felt herself beginning to fade and fade and fade until-

SLAM!

Indigo smashed a furious fist into the wall, creating a moderate-sized hole and spreading cracks all the way down to the floor. Her shoulders began to shake, and curling her fist until her nails drew blood, she roared and slammed her fist back in.

SLAM!

Idiots, the lot of them! Couldn't they see?! There was no use holding back anymore! Taurus held the information and if they didn't act quickly, they'd all be dead, and then,all their efforts would all be for nothing!

She had given her everything in this fight, and yet still she came across troubles that halted her. She had did everything she thought she needed to do, and yet still the enemy persisted.

And the longer she fought, the longer she realized that these people didn't deserve her mercy. They responded in measured force and The Fang fought back by killing innocents. They gave them fair treatment and they spat back on their faces.

Indigo growled. They took her brother and they still wanted more. Hadn't they taken enough from her?! They're set to kill her very family, and everything she ever held dear, and she had to wonder what evil in their hearts could motivate such a thing.

She began to doubt if they even deserved a shred of what they wanted at all – not if they were willing to kill her family to get it, kill thousands just for their own sake?!

And the answer rang clear in her head.

No…

No, they didn't.

That damned Taurus held something, as did the rest of their stupid menagerie of rabid animals. It didn't matter that they endangered an entire Kingdom, oh no, all that mattered was their stupid animalistic pride and 'equality'.

Well fuck them! She tried to be fair and bring them to justice, but it turned out they had all been planning to take the whole Kingdom from below them all along! They tried their hardest to be above it all, but in the end they didn't respect it and undercut them to the very end, didn't they?!

"Fucking ANIMALS!" Indigo slammed her fist once more, digging it deeper into the wall and splattering her own blood to her face.

Beasts, every single one of them! No concept of honour or humanity! All that mattered to them was getting fear into the hearts of those she loved, and then ripping them to shreds in front of her very eyes. They'd take anything just to mark their own territory, just to make sure no one got close, and they'd butcher any that suited their goals. Just like wild animals that can't recognize what compassion is!

"Fuck fuck fuck FUCK!" Indigo punched the wall again and again, splattering blood all over, until she eventually felt her knees shake in rage and fell to the floor.

They were going to take everything away from her, just like they took Jaune away. They were going to kill them all and raze Vale to the ground, and they they'd have nothing, nothing. All their efforts to save lives and save their family would all be for nought, worth nothing more than spit on the ground.

And her brother…

Indigo closed her eyes, rage and sorrow and everything in between raging inside her. Sure he was back, sure he was the one who gave them all the small victories they had…

Tears began to prickle at Indigo's closed eyes, and she let out a sad whine.

…But he wasn't the way she remembered him anymore. Sure he came back, and sure she loved him still, but it just wasn't the same. He wasn't innocent anymore, he lost that boyish charm she held dear so much, and he never smiled without being smug and condescending everyone in the room. Her precious ray of hope was gonegonegone, taken by the White Fang and returned as a violated and cracked image of what he once was.

He'll never look up to her with that admiration anymore, never look at the world with hope and optimism, and never have hands that could delicately cradle life in its fingers. It was gone, taken by the Fang, and he came back to them with hands dipped in ocean-deep blood and cynicism that was never supposed to be his!

And even then The Fang wasn't satisfied. They wanted to destroy them, as if destroying her family wasn't enough, as if perverting her brother into a killer wasn't enough, as if making her family fear to lose another member wasn't enough!

They were hiding somewhere, in the darkest corners of Vale ready to jump out, and so they needed to exterminate them like the pests they were now!

Why?! Why didn't they understand?!

Indigo let out a shaky breath. With vibrating hands, she covered her face in her hands and tried to compose herself.

It didn't work.

Her breaths grew shallower every second, her body shaking and letting out an ominous blue glow. No matter how much she tried to regain control, it always seemed to slip by her consciousness just barely.

They were coming for them. They were going to wipe them all out now and now of all times she was benched-!

She was at her wits end. She was going to lose them all again and she didn't know what to do, she didn't know she didn't know-!

Indigo the tiniest of drops escape her eyes. "P-please… not again…"

It was going to be Jaune all over again. And she was going to be helpless again, she was going to be useless and watch them die one by one again, watch them be perverted into something they're not-!

She could hear the echoes of her brother before all this; when he was once a pure boy, watching them all grow from the sidelines and being his innocent dorky self, "You're doing great, sis!" "Wow, you're so cool!", "Can you teach me one day?", "I wanna be just like you!"; and then the Fang took everything from her and she'd never hear those words again.

They took everything, no matter how hard she tried.

BOOM!

The entire police station shook, immediately followed by the blaring of alarms and the switch of lights from bright white to dark red. An intercom announcement quickly followed, "Alert, we've been breached! Alert, we've been breached!"

Slowly, Indigo's wavering lips turned from a frown to a smile.

"Heh, heheheh…"

She'd never hear him again. She'd never live in peace with her family again no matter how many animals she locked behind cages. No, no, they'd just keep coming from the cracks and swarm her family one by one.

"Heheheh…"

The sounds of gunfire echoed the walls, coupled by screaming of both police officers and their attackers alike. And Indigo could recognize the shout and screams of them anywhere – those of the Fang, no doubt to rescue their leader.

And then she could hear their voices though the intercom, the room housing it having been no doubt been broken into by the White Fang.

BRRRRRTTTT! BANG BANG BANG BANG!

"AAAAHHHH!"

"Move move, get back control!"

"Moving in!"

"Gah, I'm hit! I'm hit!"

"Human scum!"

"Heheheheheheh…"

Indigo lowered her hands and put a fist to the wall, using it to get back up and stand tall. She let out a ow sigh and rolled her neck, pulling out her sword from its sheath and closing her eyes for just a brief moment.

And with another breath, she opened them back and let a toothy grin stretch across her face, her teeth shining against the red alarm light and her pupils greatly dilated.

If she had to choose, then she'd choose to fall to this.

Newfound determination filling her steps, Indigo walked forwards proud and true and let herself lose control.

As she walked the red-lit hallways, she let her Semblance loose on her Zweihander and electricity course through its metal spine.

Brt!

The oscillation of her electricity proved to be exact. Her blade hummed and vibrated with power, and in a matter of seconds, turned and shone a vibrant blue against the red alerts.

Step, step, step…

SLAM!

With a toothy smile, Indigo slammed the steel exit of the halls before her open and let it violently close behind her, leaving the halls behind and heading straight for the gunfire.

XXXXX

BOOM!

"Get back, get back!"

"Get to cover, call in the Arcs!"

"On it!"

A cloud of smoke enveloped the entrance of Vale PD's HQ, its doors blown off its hinges and replaced with wide crater. Police officers quickly aimed their handguns and rifles at the hole, taking cover behind seats and desks and whatever piece of furniture they could find.

As they aimed their weapons, the smoke began to clear, and then their attackers burst forth. Members of the White Fang, wielding melee weapons and firearms alike charging with matching fervour.

"It's the White Fang! Fire!"

"FOR THE FAUNUS!"

In mere moments both law enforcers and terrorists clashed, spilling sweat and blood on the floor and the walls. Clangs of clashing weapons and bangs of firearms echoed in their ears, assaulting on both sides' senses and pumping adrenaline to their veins.

In the midst of it all, two special figures stepped through the hole, covered and protected by their White Fang associates. Mercury stepped one foot through the blown entrance first, quickly followed by Emerald right behind him. He could feel his metal feet knocking away bullet casings, and then hitting the sides of a dead policeman. With a scowl, Mercury kicked the body aside and clenched his jaw as he looked at the chaos.

"Never one for subtlety." Mercury spat out. "Always the same with these guys."

"Doesn't matter now. Come on, we need to find out where Adam is." Emerald placed a hand on Mercury's shoulder, the other one on her holstered gun. Mercury shook his head and brushed her off, but nonetheless took a stance and began trudging through the chaos as well.

A police officer exited his cover aimed his gun at them. "Stop right there-!"

BANG!

A quick draw from Emerald's revolver and the man dropped dead, a bullet hole precisely at his forehead.

Footsteps approaching from the left, and Mercury turned to see another officer rushing at them with an electric baton. Mercury ducked under the man's swing, and then swiftly planted his boot into the officer's stomach.

"Ack-!"

BANG!

Mercury quickly fired his pellets to the officer before he could recover, sending him flying with blood sprouting out.

"Tch." Mercury tilted his head to the side and saw more and more police officers rushing out, immediately engaging both them and the White Fang. "This is never gonna work, there's way too many for us to take 'em all down."

A police officer peeked from her cover and aimed her service rifle at Mercury's head. "AA-!"

BANG!

Emerald lowered her smoking gun in sync with the police officer's falling body. "Don't shout so loud next time." She snarked. Emerald spun her revolver and reloaded her two rounds, ducking as bullets whizzed past her body. "But you're right. Remember the mission, we're supposed to get Adam out of here-"

BANG BANG BANG BANG!

"Grah!" Mercury gnarled and quickly found cover right across Emerald. He looked past his cover and saw several bodies of White Fang soldiers dead on the floor right next to the police officers'. And though some were still fighting out there and more were to come, Mercury couldn't help but curse their incompetence. "Yeah, but his people's not exactly the best at it are they?! They're really pulling their own weight right now!"

"Shut it! Just do the job; it's what Cinder told us to do!" Emerald spat back and peeked from her cover. Unfurling her weapon's sickles, she threw it out and caught an officer by her stomach.

"Yah!" Emerald pulled her sickles in to where they were and tossed her to Mercury.

"Doesn't mean I have to like saving the raging extremist of all people, Em!" Mercury popped out from the other side and kicked the officer's body down to the floor hard, smashing her face in and the sheer harsh force causing her to bounce back up with blood leaking from her face.

"RAH!" Mercury twisted his footing and kicked the woman to her comrades with both his feet and his slug rounds, killing her and knocking her comrades out down for the count.

A rush of footsteps and they both turned to see more officers marching out. Mercury cracked his neck and looked behind him, seeing more Fang men swarming in as well.

"Fuck me," Mercury swore, "We're not his damn errand boys here, Em-"

"Then I suggest to get a move on and finish the mission, you two." A stern female voice interrupted him. Emerald gasped with surprise, as did Mercury, and they both saw the speaker emerge from behind the new Fang company.

"We're not playing games." She said sternly again. There was something in that tone that chilled both Mercury and Emerald to their bones, a flat tone that seemed so dead and cold. And in their moment of pondering, The Boss quickly flitted her eyes to them.

There was something wrong there, Emerald quicky feared. The slight crease in her eyebrows as if she was truly annoyed at them, her Grimm-transformed eyes holding back cold fury and rage when as long as they knew her it had always held a comforting warmth.

"Finish the mission. I will handle things here." The Boss growled to the both of them. She pushed aside the Fang men in front of her and took the lead. Raising the Patriot at the officers facing them, she tilted her head to the side in command for Emerald and Mercury. "Go on. Get to the controls and find out where Adam is."

"Y-yes ma'am." Emerald stuttered, nodding and quickly rushing away with Mercury eagerly following her.

There was something wrong with The Boss, and they both knew it. But they'd both prefer to stay on her good side, because if The Boss had ordered this attack and she was angry, then what did it mean for them?

The Boss let Emerald and Mercury's fading footsteps echo in her ear just for a moment as they exited her peripheral vision. Staring down the officers blocking both her way and the Fang's, she bared her teeth and let her anger control just a bit of her emotions.

"You stand in my way." The Boss said. She lifted The Patriot and aimed it at them all, Solid Snake's words echoing in her head.

But this world didn't deserve her mercy. Not yet.

"You don't stand a chance." The Boss stated.

And with dead eyes, she fired.

BANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANG!

---

"What was that?!" Blake stumbled on the floor, quickly regaining her footing and looking wildly to the one-way window. The intercom on the room crackled to life and Tanner Arc spoke to her quickly.

"Stay inside. Keep guard over him." Cut!

Blake faintly heard footsteps leaving through the door and slumped to her chair. Of all the things to happen, and right now of all times…

She risked a glance to Adam. And to her surprise, he wasn't smug or proud or in any way glad. He looked to the side with narrowed eyes… and was that fear?

And when he spoke, barely above a whisper but with a tone she never expected to hear, it only served to confirm Blake's suspicions. "No… what're they doing here…?!"

Blake swore to herself and looked to the door. Because if Adam was scared, then what did it mean for her?

She heard another crackle from the intercom, and Sun's voice spoke through. "Blake, we're with you. Neptune and I are staying guard outside the door."

"Right. Thanks, Sun." Blake gave a brief nod and turned back to Adam. She spoke to him in rushed tones, desperate for answers before the chance slipped their fingers, "Adam, you've got to tell me what they're going to do. If you don't, then they'll burn Vale to the ground! What good will that do to your cause?!"

Adam turned back to her, his eyes narrowed and twinkling with shining with an emotion she couldn't decipher.

"Please! More and more of the Faunus are going to get hurt! Yours and civilians both!" Blake pleaded, "We'll never be able to live in peace if you keep doing this, so what's even the point?!"

Silence.

Blake felt her breath hitch as Adam stared her down. His eyes bored into her soul, piercing and analysing and just for a moment, Blake was reminded of the beast that Adam was. Of the numerous lives he's taken and of the cruelty he continuously dove himself into and subjected to his victims.

Her instincts told her to run. Her fear threatened to seize her heart. But Blake persisted, and despite the slight treble in her gaze she stood her ground.

And then Adam sighed, looking to the side with eyes that shone with sadness. His body slumped ever so slightly, and for the first time Blake saw him so… defeated.

"They're going to try to free me." He said, barely above a whisper. "I don't know why, I never even knew about this part of the plan…"

"Then what do you know?" Blake pleaded. She was getting somewhere, now she just had to squeeze it out before they lost their chance!

Silence reigned again, but this time she could clearly see the waver in his conviction. She could see the way his eyes shook, the way his breaths were just a tad shorter than what they were supposed to be, and the situation he was in. The situation his men put themselves into just to save him.

They were unfalteringly loyal, and they risked their own lives to save him. Put the live of others on the line as well, all just to get their leader back.

Even though they knew that this raid had a pathetically low chance of succeeding, not when they've been the ones running from the police for the last two-and-a-half years.

A last-ditch kamikaze attack to save their leader that they held high so much.

Adam felt his world crumble.

It really was all his fault.

Ever since the beginning.

He had ripped open the seal to this madness, and now his men were to pay for it. The Faunus were about to pay for it. All because of his stubbornness and anger, leading those who trusted him down a path they could never return.

It was all on him.

And the only person… the only woman who could've turned him away…

He threw her to the side and betrayed what they once stood for, declaring her a traitor when it was he who forgot what they truly fought for.

"The White Fang…" Adam looked to her and Blake saw unadulterated vulnerability in his eyes, "They don't deserve this. They don't deserve to die because they chose to trust someone like me. They never would've done this if it weren't for my orders… If-if I didn't drag them all down with me."

He took a deep breath and said with one-hundred percent honesty to her. "This is all my fault, okay? I admit it, all of it. But they never, never would've done anything without my say-so."

"…Maybe you were right to run away." Adam said softly, his eyes looking to anywhere but her's, "So please, I'm begging you-"

He looked to her, and she was shocked to see him pleading for help, "Save them. I'll tell you everything you want, but they don't deserve to be punished like I did."

The intercom crackled to life, Sun's voice speaking through it to give her comfort, "Blake…"

Blake met Adam's gaze with her own steady determination, yet she couldn't help but let a small amount of emotion leak through her mask. She never expected to see him broken like this, torn of everything he held proud and resorted to begging the enemy for mercy.

A part of her relished in the pain he felt, at how well the tables were turned now. But another part of her, the part she thought she had buried deep within when she left the Fang and the part that had grown attached to Adam ever since their childhoods together, felt pity that such a proud man was reduced to a mess.

But seeing the honest desperation in his eyes, the desperate tone in his voice, she realized that he was speaking of nothing but the truth.

So it seemed that he really did care for something after all, something she had given up a long time ago. He wasn't as lost as she thought, and that...

That was enough for her to close her past behind her once and for all.

Blake let out a shaky breath and took down her mask. She gave a slow but sure nod, closing her mouth and clenching her jaw.

"I promise." Blake nodded. "I'll protect them with all the power I have."

"…Okay. Okay…" Adam recalled everything he knew and made sure to speak with as much detail as he could remember.

"They'll try to take down Vale, and they'll use the Grimm to do so." Adam said, "They're going to do something big to make sure morale falls. Something that'll get the attention of everyone and everything in Vale, and then crush their hopes and draw the Grimm to them all."

"Something big…" Blake trailed off. Her mind wandered to the most recent 'big event' that she could think of, "Wait, do you mean the Vytal Fesitval?!"

Adam gave a grim nod I response.

"Shit." Blake shook her had and rubbed her temples. "Okay, okay. So they've been planning that all along. Any idea how specifically?"

"It won't be your average terror attack, that's for certain." Adam said firmly. "They've got some way to control it specifically, though I'm not sure how exactly…"

Blake raked her brain for any opportunities the enemy might have. It was hard for her to ascertain just what exact opportunity did Cinder and her allies take over the last two-and-a-half years, and only now did she realize what an effect this had on all of them.

There were simply too many instances in hindsight, too many sleepless nights spent in both grief and one-tracked thoughts on taking down the Fang that her memories were simply too hazy to remember clearly. Her mind's pictures now blurred into the feelings of vindication and desperation…

Blake tried to keep her breaths steady, and she desperately fought against her fading memories. Her team was counting on her; Vale itself was counting on her, and just when they were so close…

With her memories the state they were, Blake tried to focus on the recent events in a desperate hope that they tipped something off back then, desperately wishing the enemy had become sloppy when they were oh-so close to the finish line.

All her recent memories, clouded by the return of Jaune and her Team's desperate scramble to get back to their top shape and only regaining a fraction of their bonds…

Blake's mind zeroed in on the one moment before everything went to hell.

The dance before the Vytal Festival, the one held in Beacon's halls to commemorate the arrival and coming competition of all four Academies.

"The dance…" Blake whispered.

Adam leaned forwards.

Blake's mind quickly connected the dots. "There was an attack on the CCT Tower that night, Ruby fought the intruder herself. They couldn't recognize who it was back then, but with what we know right now… it was probably Cinder all along."

Adam gave her the slightest of nods.

"So if they want to control the fear, they'd take control of the media. And since the largest event right now is the Vytal Festival…" Blake's eyes widened and she let out a gasp in realization.

With panic, her eyes darted back to Adam, desperately hoping she was wrong.

But her heart fell down her chest when she only saw grim confirmation.

"They're going to sabotage the tournament…" Blake whispered in fear.

"…Yes." Adam said, "Most likely."

That meant that they were the targets all along. Cinder wasn't content with just infiltrating Beacon – no, she wanted to kill the students inside it as well. Use them as an example, dying for the whole world to see while they themselves thought that they were doing the world a service.

Then, in that night, Cinder must've been more successful than they realized. She must've successfully installed a virus into the CCT, one that went even below Atlas' cyber-defence systems.

Who knows how deep it really went. But it must be how they managed to escape so easily, their greatest hidden hand that allowed them to always stay ten steps ahead.

Even now she had no doubt that this single fact was what allowed them to attack the Police HQ, using the intel such a virus provided to gain a significant and surprise advantage.

Cinder was about to take everything she ever loved away from her. And she was about to be alone again, lost with no purpose and suffer without another family once more.

No, running wasn't an option.

She'll fight, save her team or she'd die trying.

Blake took a deep breath and looked back to Adam. "How deep are they?"

"I don't know exactly." Adam softly shook his head, "But I think it'd be best to assume the worst. Make a total clean sweep, do it several times, and try not to use the Atlesian Knights. I overheard that it was one of her main advantages as well."

"Tch, of course." Blake shook her head and quickly noted that as well. She had to wonder, did those Knights and the Metal Gear RAY had a connection as well? "How did you know about that?"

If his hands weren't chained, then she swore Adam would have tapped his ears. For the moment, he merely tilted his head. "Faunus hearing." He stated simply.

"Hn." Blake gave a simple nod and noted that fact down as well. And now, for her final inquiry. "One last thing… where are they hiding right now?"

Blake waited with bated breath for her answer. She stared Adam down, who looked away and knitted his eyebrows. "I don't know." He whispered.

And Blake felt both surprise and disappointment grip her heart. Because she could read him so easily, and that meant that all those years didn't mean nothing.

But she could also read that he was lying through his teeth, even when he didn't want to.

"Adam…" Blake whispered. She scooted her chair closer and poured her heart, "Please. I need to know if I want to save the White Fang. T-they were my family once too, you know…"

Adam let out a shaky breath. His head shook, cast to the side with eyes looking anywhere but to her own. His lips moved, forming words but without any sounds.

"I- I can't tell you." Adam whispered. "No no no, they'll kill them all…"

"The Arcs won't spare any mercy too. We both know this." Blake said softly.

Adam still didn't answer, his head cast to the side and looking to the side and eyes shining with worry.

Blake lips shook. It didn't break her heart that Adam was like this, far from it.

But it was a real shame of what they both once were.

Softly, Blake lifted her hands from her lap and reached forwards. Gently, she held Adam's head and directed it to her.

"Adam, look at me." She whispered, steeling her gaze and forcing her conviction to her voice.

And only then, did he redirect his gaze to her.

And for the first time after she ran, she could see it clearly, the confusion and the desperation in his eyes. She could see him genuinely care for his men, and the guilt he only now realized and immediately held deeply for causing them so much death.

For once, he lacked his signature bullheadedness and infinite pride. She could see him confused, desperately looking for the right way forwards when everything he tried ended in failure and death.

They both knew that he brought this upon himself. But that didn't mean that the way to a better tomorrow was lost just yet.

Because if she could fight her urge to run and instead choose to stand and fight, then maybe it wasn't so off the table for Adam to change.

"I need you to help me, Adam." She said earnestly because this was bigger than both of their pasts. They both needed to be the bigger person, to be better, for the same people they cared about.

For the Faunus.

"I…" Blake breathed out, her voice shaking but honest all the same, "I can't save our people if you don't help me."

"I…" Adam swallowed, fighting against himself deep inside. His eyes shook as his conviction began to crumble. He could hear his rage lash out, that he was colluding with the enemy. This little bitch had been the one who ran, had been the one who betrayed him and chose the allegiance of humans and a Schnee instead of her own people. He should spit in her face and swear his revenge to the very end for crossing them all!

But his softer yet more prevalent voice told him the facts as it was: he had tried his best for his whole life, living from one battle to the next, and yet he never found victory. He had killed countless humans and Faunus alike, and that had brought him nowhere but his position now.

He had let his justified rage carry him his entire life, leading his men with their desire for vengeance and a life for an eye. Had struck far and wide, carving out his name with blood and sweat and tears, and yet it had done nothing but mark fear into his own kind and tossed in a prison as trash.

And yet Blake…

She had run, and yet she stayed true to herself. She recognized where she was being used, where she no longer agreed, and even if she ran, she never lied to herself. And then she had allied her Team, found a new reason to fight and a new truth to hold, and one that didn't require so much anger and loss.

He had lived his life filled with rage and anger, and here his road ended. He had forgotten the last time he felt joy that wasn't coloured with smugness and bitterness, and now he was condemned to watch his men die one by one, paying the price for his leadership.

And yet Blake had discarded her rage long ago, fighting with hope for the future and now she sat before him in a better position, facing her dreaded past head-on and cracking though him all. Her human team, and yet they all loved each other all the same. Whereas he…

Adam closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath. He remembered what he told Jaune back in their last fight; that she didn't hold a place in his heart anymore. And that remained the truth – she was the one who left him, and with everything going on around them, he truly did not have room when he had to save his men from further destruction.

But, here and now, he had to face the facts.

He had wondered where he went wrong, what he could've done differently. And now, Blake was the only one who was willing to entertain him.

She was the only one who still saw something in him. They both knew it wasn't for love, wasn't for anything of the sort. That had faded out a long time ago, a burnt bridge that could never come close to being repaired.

No, it was nowhere close to love.

But it was still a shame, that for all the years they spent together, for their once shared dreams of equality and shared days of starving and fasting together, that it ended up like this. Maybe…

Maybe a part of him still yearned for yesterday. For a time where he had sacrificed everything and let himself be consumed with rage, became blinded with his own pride that someone who was as important as important as Blake back then couldn't turn him back from his downfall. For a time where he let himself be happy and look at the world with hope, not now when he had nothing and couldn't look at the world with anything other than rage and indignation.

And for a time where he wasn't bound in this chair, losing everything he ever cared for. Defeated in every sense of the word, only now realizing how much of a waste his life was.

Adam looked to Blake, her hand still cupping his face and her eyes steady but hiding a begging desire for him just to answer, and to let her save who she loved now…

And only now realizing how much pain he had caused.

Blake felt Adam's facial muscles tense beneath her hand, could see him close his eyes and let out a shuddering breath. And then, she could feel him heavily swallow and then open his eyes once more.

"Please …" He begged her, eyes sincere and pride tossed to the wind, "Blake…"

Blake lowered her hand from his face and gripped his hands within her own.

And she could feel him immediately return her grip strongly. "Save them." He said firmly.

"…"

"I… I need to hear it now," Adam asked desperately. "Say it. Here and now, Blake…"

She rolled the thoughts long and hard in her mind, both of them in bated breath. She thought of what the White Fang was to her and to the rest of the Faunus, of what their crimes and transgressions, but also what RWBY and her current life meant to her.

And more so, of what the future might hold.

"…Alright."

Blake gave Adam a short but stern nod. "If they promise to leave their ways behind… then I'll make sure they're safe from a fate like yours."

She could feel him relaxing immediately, shoulders slumped and body collapsing with relief. His lips didn't smile, but it did quiver upwards ever so slightly.

"Thank you." He whispered, and she could hear and feel the relief in his voice.

But she could also hear the shame and guilt in that whisper, on how none of this should have happened had he chosen better.

On how everything was his fault, and he knew it and will punish himself forever for his mistakes to both their people and humans alike.

And so Blake withdrew, both her and Adam content with how it ended.

And as Adam looked to her again, his mouth moving to spill the secret to her and fully admit his mistakes, helping her save RWBY and her new life… and also helping her finally close the chapter on her past…

She had never felt freer in her life.

---

An army of White Fang soldiers quickly marched deep through the halls of the police station; weapons ready to fight cause a distraction while their superiors went to free General Taurus. The plan was simple – follow the orders of The Boss, to stall for time and cause as much damage as possible while she and her disciple's followers went straight to where their leader was currently being interrogated.

It was simple and it was effective. It also served as an outlet for their anger towards the establishment, for them to let loose and strike the humans as much as they had struck them down all these years and undoubtedly tortured their leader.

"Come on, this way!" The platoon leader shouted, carrying an automatic rifle primed to kill. The others chorused in agreement behind him in solidarity, their veins filled with blood that was ready to spill their enemies'. "We'll give them what they deserve-!"

BANG!

Metal doors in front of them opened and Indigo Arc stepped out, Zweihänder glowing blue and stance relaxed yet confident.

All the Fang soldiers immediately zoned in on her, their earlier plans immediately combined with rage for their leader driving them to attack. "It's Indigo! Attack!"

With shouts and readied weapons, they swarmed at Indigo, firing their guns at full-auto and swinging down with swords and hammers.

Indigo smirked.

With an easy flick of her hand, Indigo swung her Zweihänder around her…

SLASH!

"AAAAAHHHH!"

Rows of White Fang who were swarming at her were immediately cut in half from the waist up, their uniforms and weak Aura no match for an HF Blade. With a flourish, Indigo spun her Zweihänder above her head and let electricity spark from her blade, striking those using ranged weapons.

CRACKLE!

"Arghhh!" The Fang soldiers let go of their guns at the same time as what remained of their cut comrades fell to the ground, guts and blood spilling free to the floor.

Indigo slammed her Zweihänder down to the floor, and with glee, charged to the nearest Fang she saw.

The soldier could see Indigo rushing at him in a flash of blue and blood, her sword's crackles chilling his spine. With her earlier attack having unarmed him of his firearm, he raised a desperate hand for mercy, "No, wait-!"

SLASH!

"AAAAAH!" The Fang felt his feet being cut out from under him, literally, and immediately fell to the floor with blood in a splash of blood. And before he could utter another word-

"AHAHAHAHAHA!"

Stab!

Indigo slammed the tip of her Zweihänder straight to the soldier's heart, causing him to gurgle in his own blood. With a wicked smile, she twisted her sword around and watched as the Fang suffered-

"Grk-aaghk-!"

"HYAAAA!" Indigo cheered and dragged her sword up, cutting the Fang sideways in two. She felt blood splatter her clothes, staining her skin and sinking into her hair yet she relished in the adrenaline.

Who knew letting go was so fun?!

"TAKE THIS, YOU FREAK-!"

Indigo laughed and stabbed her sword behind her without even looking. She could hear her sword pierce Aura and flesh, could hear the White Fang soldier gargle in his own blood, and laughed even more. She eagerly spun her body and dragged her sword down with her, splitting him in two.

"Haha!" Indigo smiled toothily as she finished her spin in a crouch, blood and guts spewing around her. Her eyes quickly flitted to the next soldier, clumsily aiming his gun at her.

"S-stop-!"

"Huh? Aw~, but we're just getting started!"

"No, no-!"

"Come on! Let's let loose!" Indigo quickly bounded forwards and stabbed the White Fang straight through the heart. She didn't stop there, even as the blood gushed straight to her face. She pushed the White Fang soldier down until he was stuck to the floor, and then planted her knee at the hilt of her Zweihänder, pinning him to the ground.

The White Fang gurgled, "Argk-mmmf!"

Before he could groan more, Indigo gleefully grabbed his head and slammed it to the floor.

Crack!

And with a wide smile she slammed it again and again and again, more and more even as blood pooled underneath. "Ahahahaha!"

Clicklclickclick!

But she heard the clicks of guns pointed at her and knew her time was up. Quickly reacting before they could fire, she pulled her Zweihänder off the body and spun on her heels, slicing the bullets around her just in time.

"Tch! Amateurs, every single one of you!" Indigo felt her hand vibrate in pain yet pushed even more of her Semblance into it, causing her vibrant blue sword to glow brighter and brighter. The blue electricity burned red blood off its blade, and Indigo just wanted more, more, more!

She gripped her Zweihänder in one hand, the other on the dead Fang's head, and bared her teeth. "I'll show you how it's done~!"

She violently ripped the man from the floor and charged again, using the corpse's back to shield her from incoming fire. Once she reached the other Fang, she stabbed him through both the corpse's gut and his own, before quickly pulling her sword back and slicing them both to fours.

A set of footsteps quickly approached, and Indigo swiftly ducked under the swing of another soldier's mace. She rose back up in a flash and cut the man's hand off, and before he could even scream, kicked him away straight in the face.

"Hah… Hah…" Indigo lowered her foot and looked around her. The Whtie Fang were surrounding her, guns and melee weapons at the ready, and yet it did nothing but pump her blood even more.

And as she looked at each and every masked member of the Fang, she relished in the fear and terror in each and every one of them, at the wavering grips that held their weapons and shaking feet that they dare called a stance.

And so, Indigo opened her arms, letting out a laugh that hauntingly echoed the walls. And with every syllable she spoke, her Zweihänder shone brighter and brighter and brighter.

And she came to the realization, is this what Jaune felt in the U.C? Slaughtering men and women alike with the rush pumping you for more more more?!

If so, then she had to give it to him – this sure was the happiest and freest time she's ever had in her entire life!

Her blood rushed through her veins, her Semblance pumping out through her hands even though her skin began to burn.

But it didn't matter. She had finally let loose and she wasn't about to back down now.

More! More! MORE!

"Come on!" She screamed, her smile wide and true, blood intertwined with the very fabric of her clothes and her sinking into the very gums of her teeth.

"I'LL KILL EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!"

RATATATATATA!

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

---

Within minutes, Emerald and Mercury had seized the control room and immediately contacted her where Adam was being held. The Boss felt a slight tinge of satisfaction at their efficiency, but immediately squashed the thought.

She still had her next objective, which was to get Adam out of here. She had no room for error now, not that she usually had one anyways.

And that meant doing everything for the sake of freeing Adam Taurus – no time for flamboyant fights, no time for grandstanding. Once an opponent was down, dead or not, they were done.

And she'd make sure as minimal strikes as possible were needed.

She strode with confidence down the halls of the Police Station, a whole platoon of police officers already dead on the ground behind her. She let out a breath and kept her head high and senses on alert, not giving anything away.

The Boss came upon a four-way intersection. She turned to the right and saw a blockade constructed by a squad of police officers, complete with makeshift metal acting as a barricade that no doubt took heavy preparation and ready-to-fire rifles all aimed at her.

The Boss let out a breath – she could see them squeeze their triggers, their shoulders preparing for recoil.

And before they could even breathe in turn, The Boss lifted her hand and fired The Patriot.

RATATATATATATATA!

"AAAGGHHH!" The police officers immediately fell to the ground, guns firing to the ceiling and their lives gone right as their backs hit the pavement. Blood flooded the floor, marking pristine white ceramic with fresh blood.

The Boss lowered her gun and stepped over the blockade, knocking over their corpses and lowering her gun once more. She stepped over the mark of her headshots and her heart-shots on her enemies, quickly but elegantly moving to the next intersection.

All too easy.

The Boss turned to the left and stopped in her tracks, eyes settling on a lone figure that stood before her. And yet, her sharp and swift mind deducing his very being in mere milliseconds, she couldn't help but feel that this one was… different.

Tanner Arc stood still, his blood freezing to ice as he looked at the woman in front of him.

Of course, he had been informed of her – The Boss, a legendary soldier from where his son came from whose legacy shadowed all recent history. But reading and seeing were two different matters – and he had never resonated with a saying more than right now.

He felt his senses go into overdrive, seeing The Boss lift her gun and only milliseconds away from firing him; killing him like the rest of the people she had mowed down. Tanner could only just fight against the fear icing his veins, "Jasmine! NOW!"

The Boss let out a small noise and quickly aimed behind her, but it was too late.

Jasmine fired her rocket launcher from the halls opposite the intersection The Boss took. "EAT THIS, ASSHOLE!"

PSH! BOOM BOOM BOOM!

Tanner lifted his hand and covered his face from the debris, eyes squinting and just barely catching a body of black flying past him. He quickly turned around and got into his stance, watching as The Boss recovered from the blow and land in an elegant and firm crouch.

Tanner charged forwards with a fist cocked ready as Grimm-black matter coiled around The Boss, swiftly healing her from her minimal injuries. She stood back up just as Tanner reached her and could see him throw a swift punch for her head.

The Boss deftly blocked his fist with her arm. She twisted her hand and grabbed him by the arm, attempting to push him down.

Tanner groaned and pushed back, breaking free and spinning into a high kick. The Boss ducked under his feet and delivered an open-palmed push to his chest, knocking him off his feet.

"Ah!" Tanner fell to the ground with a thud, flat on his back. He looked up and saw The Boss lunging down, her arm turned to a frighteningly sharp bone-sword.

Tanner yelled and quickly unsheathed his sword from his hip, parrying her blow and standing back on his own two feet. He forced her back and took a deep breath, unhooking his sheath and transforming it into a shield.

The Boss tilted her weapon to the side and raised an eyebrow. She could see the inscription on the side of the shield as Tanner Arc assumed his dual-wielding stance, her mind recalling the file regarding the Arcs as she read the words – plus de mort, Vie Claire.

Sentimental fool.

With a roar, Tanner rushed at The Boss shield first. The Boss scowled and fired The Patriot, its bullets bouncing against his shield but making deep dents all the same.

BRRRT CLANG CLANG CLANG!

"RAAAAGH!" Tanner took a firm last step and bashed his shield forwards. The Boss tilted her body and elegantly stepped to the side, taking a step back and aiming her gun dead-centre at Tanner's head.

Click!

But before she could fire, Tanner acted faster and swatted her gun away. "HYAH!" The gun fired to the side, barely missing his cheek.

The Boss grunted and raised her knee for his gut. Tanner lowered his shield and parried the blow, quickly raising his sword Vie Claire for The Boss' shoulder. The Boss lifted her gun and redirected the blow, opening Tanner's guard and him hard in the face.

SMASH!

"Gah!" Tanner's hand went to his face, his Aura taking a massive hit from just a single blow. He faintly heard the click of The Boss' gun aiming for him and braced for impact-

"RAHHHHH!"

Before his daughter's roar interrupted his thoughts, quickly engaging The Boss in his own stead.

The Boss tilted her gun to the side and aimed at Jasmine rushing at her, her rocket launcher transformed to a giant war axe and ready to cut her down.

BRRRT!

Jasmine grit her teeth as The Boss fired, lighting up her Semblance and absorbing each bullet's momentum as they hit her Aura. She roared as she reached The Bossm and unleashed all the momentum from her Semblance into a single swing.

"HOAHHHHH!"

The Boss transformed her hand into a bone-sword and lifted it to intercept.

CLANG!

BOOM!

A shockwave burst from their clash, and yet The Boss stood still and elegant, only a slight buckle of the knees an indication of their magnitude.

Jasmine opened her mouth in shock but no words came out. 'W-what…?! But I put everything into that swing-!'

"Hmph." Swifter than she could react, The Boss shifted her arm and struck Jasmine straight across the chest.

"AAH!" Jasmine stumbled back but quickly regained her footing, taking note of her Aura and swiftly rushing again. She swung her axe free for The Boss' head. The legendary soldier ducked and smacked Jasmine's face with the butt of The Patriot, to which Jasmine scowled and let her Semblance absorb yet consuming more Aura.

Jasmine gripped her axe tight and swung it around her with a yell, "Rargh!"

And yet The Boss dropped to the ground, avoiding the swing by mere centimetres. She quickly rose back up, giving a quick jab to Jasmine's gut.

"AH!" Jasmine recoiled and swept her axe low, metal grinding on the floor. The Boss jumped and kicked Jasmine to the side of her head, ringing her ears and forcing her down the floor.

"Arrghh!" Jasmine gripped her ear and felt blood begin to seep out, Aura healing but just not fast enough. She groaned and stepped back up, hefting her axe by her side with a huff.

Her father soon stepped to her side, both of them steadying each other's breath to their rhythm. Tanner lifted his shield and eyed The Boss from behind it with slits, Vie Claire on his other side ready to attack.

His eyes flicked to behind The Boss and saw a brief flicker of a figure, quickly fading back into invisibility once his eyes saw.

Tanner didn't let his emotions betray him, but the invitation of a brief smirk was oh so alluring. He gave his daughter a side-eye and she gave him a nod.

'Alright.' Tanner flexed his wrists and prepped his shoulders. 'Now or never.'

"HYAAH!" Tanner charged in with his shield first, moving forwards to bash The Boss' head in. The Boss ducked and slammed her gun to his stomach, staggering him back. She aimed her gun at Tanner-

"RAH!" But not without Jasmine rushing in from her side, axe already moving towards her. The Boss let out a breath and tilted her body, letting the axe's dual blade just barely miss her suit. Jasmine grunted and stopped her swing immediately, planting her feet and launching a kick from the other.

"Tch." The Boss blocked it low with her arms, pushing both it and Jasmine's body back down and aiming her gun at Jasmine's head.

Click! The Boss prepared to fire, only an inch from the trigger, before Tanner rushed back in again, this time with his sword lunging fast.

The Boss redirected The Patriot and used it to push Vie Claire upwards, easily deflecting Tanner's strike. She quickly redirected and aimed at his heart, but Jasmine had recovered and was rushing back in again – once again, just before she fired.

The Boss dodged Jasmine's attack and aimed to strike back, but Tanner swung at her before she could finish it properly. And when she deflected his swing, Jasmine instead moved in, her axe low to cut off her feet.

The Boss narrowed her eyes. They were planning to swarm her.

What a pain.

The Boss lifted her feet just as Jasmine's axe moved in and quickly slammed it back down when it was right below her. Trapping both her Jasmine's axe and herself beneath her feet, The Boss swiftly stepped in and slammed her elbow to Jasmine's face.

SMASH!

Jasmine groaned, but didn't let go of her weapon. The Boss could hear Tanner yelling and stepping in from behind her and twisted her elbow's position, grabbing the back of Jasmine's head and Jasmine's head straight at Tanner.

While Jasmine finally let go of her weapon and stumbled back dazed, Tanner instead fell back into a roll and quickly rebounded straight at her. The Boss lifted her gun and fired.

BRRRRT!

Tanner felt the bullets bang against his shield but kept moving forwards. He reached her and swung down, to which The Boss stepped in and blocked him by the arm.

Tanner didn't let up and swung his shield in. The Boss let him go suddenly and stepped behind him as he stumbled forwards. Before he could recover, The Boss let out a silent kick that sent him face-planting into the ground.

The Boss stepped towards him and aimed her gun at her forehead just as he turned around. She heard her gun click as he stared into his eyes, ready to fire.

Tanner smirked, and The Boss raised an eyebrow. She couldn't figure it out, there must be something wrong…

And then the world seemed to slow down around her as she realized what was missing.

She could see it, feel it slowly and clearly. How Tanner's mouth moved to shout, how Jasmine began to stand back up behind her, and most of all, how the air behind her shifted even when she was sure nothing was there.

In mere milliseconds The Boss deduced everything and reacted accordingly.

Faster than even Tanner's shout of 'now' could be vocalized, The Boss turned around and lashed her leg at head-height. She felt her heel hit something hard and smirked. The third Arc sister – Cyan – became revealed to her, mere inches from her face; and her Invisibility Semblance deactivating as she cried out in pain.

The world moved slowly, but she moved normally. But to the world, it was faster than a flash, yet the plan was already in motion. Jasmine sprung forth with her axe drawn back. Tanner brought his hands up to grab The Boss by her legs and stop her from moving. Cyan jumped high while dual-wielding knives to stab her in both her shoulders.

The Boss let out a breath and moved.

With one move, she broke free from Tanner's grip and slammed her heel to his face, dazing him – one down. She lifted her hand and blocked Jasmine's axe by the handle – still a progress. She twisted her grip and lifted Jasmine with a single hand above her head, causing Cyan to impale her own sister – three down.

"NO!" Cyan gasped and tried to break free, but it was useless. The Boss lifted her gun above her and fired at them both.

BRRRRT!

The bullets of a legendary patriot ripped through their Aura like shreds, from green to yellow to red and then to none at all. With a grunt, she dropped the two sisters to the floor, bleeding from two bullet holes each.

Incapacitated, but not dead just yet. And yet, not too hard to change if she wanted to.

But she had a mission to do, and anything more than her minimal effort – confirmed kills, flashy and heartful fights, honour and mercy – it was all simply…

The Boss aimed her weapon back at Tanner Arc. He could only just barely move his shield to his chest before-!

…Inconvenient.

The Boss fired with haste, all for the sake of getting to Adam as fast as possible.

BRRRRRTTT!

And even after all her fights, the swarms of officers and the Arc family, it all felt…

…Painfully easy.

---

Blake leaned back on her seat, letting out a loud sigh of relief. Briefly, she could see Adam feel the same ever so slightly – and for that, she was glad that they could come to an agreement. She could feel the tension leave her body, and yet still vestiges of it remained-

BOOM!

And then the wall to their room, the one right behind Adam, collapsed to pieces and sent dust scattering into the air.

Blake screamed as she was knocked off her seat, closing her eyes and shielding her body as best she could. She could feel tendrils of heat lick her skin, the ringing her ears and clouding her senses. Her head banged against the floor and her vision blacked out for a split second.

With a yell, Blake quickly recovered and stood back up, one hand on her weapon and the other rubbing her head in pain. And yet it was no use – the entire room was clouded in smoke and debris, preventing her from seeing things that were right in front of her just a second.

Blake coughed and quickly covered her mouth with her free hand, the dust clogging her lungs. She heard a loud slam and looked to the direction it came from, noticing two familiar figures stepping in. She coughed and forced herself to yell, "Sun, Neptune!"

"We're here!" Her fellow Faunus answered, "Hold on!"

She gave a groan of affirmation, and seconds later both Sun and Neptune were by her side. She looked to where she was blown off of and muttered, "A-Adam…"

Sun gave a brief nod, and the three of them began to move forwards through the smoke. They had their weapons ready, expecting an ambush, an attack to swarm them all-

And then a harsh wind blew, the sheer gust sending them back a step and forcing them to cover their eyes.

"Ngh…" Blake lowered her arms and squinted, swiftly looking around. She gasped with surprise as her heart clenched with panic.

"No!" Blake sprinted forwards, leaving Sun and Neptune to catch up. And as she stopped in her tracks, eyes wide with worry as she looked at the facts before her, she could hear Neptune and Sun do the same.

Before her was the empty seat of Adam Taurus – no trace of the very man that once inhabited it at all. Not even the broken locks that once held him in place.

A rush of footsteps and Neptune sprinted past her, going through the hole in the wall that the intruder must have gone through and checking the halls outside for any trace. He sighed and turned back to them, downtrodden. "No trace, guys."

And that only proved to sink Blake's heart even lower.

She heard the lowering of all their weapons and sighed. If only she had been more aware…

Sun's footsteps knocked her out of her thoughts, standing beside her and putting a calming hand on her shoulder. "Well, hey, at least we kinda prepared for this, right?"

Right, their preparation for the worst-case scenario – her and Adam's way to ensure the safety of the Fang, in accordance with their deal.

"Hm." Blake leaned into Sun's touch, his presence bringing her back to reality. She pulled out a device from her pocket, a circle-shaped device the size of her palm with a beeping red dot in the middle.

A tracker.

She pressed the light in the middle and felt a vibration in return.

Good. They still had a connection.

"Yeah." Blake gave a relieved nod to the device and leaned heavily to Sun, using him as her support and letting her body crash.

It had been a tiring day, and for all her relief, she knew it wasn't done just yet.

But hopefully that won't be for much longer.

All she could hope was – and it was odd for her to think so differently now, after everything that had happened – was that Adam stayed safe.

---

There was chaos that enveloped the streets far and wide around his objective, destroyed shops and broken streets and bodies both enemy and allies scattered across the district - and his heart was immediately gripped with panic and fear.

And so he sped - for once he didn't care for killing every enemy in sight. He just needed to get there as fast as possible!

But he couldn't even do that anymore. With panic he ran, his bike had been destroyed long ago after a scuffle in the streets – his mind became one-tracked, fighting only those of the Fang that decided to engage him. What use would slaughter be right now, when he had more important people to attend to?

And despite everything he didn't know if he could go faster even if he tried. His body was tired, his wounds and bruises still not properly healed, his suit starting to run low on energy from the sheer use in these past days, and his Aura was completely shot.

And so it was with great relief that Jaune finally reached the police station, Nora and Ren following suit behind him – but it was also with great dread once they all saw the state that it was in.

"It's in ruins…" Nora whispered beside him.

Jaune growled. "We've got no time to waste." He put a hand to HF Murasama's hilt, "Come on! Behind me!"

"Right."

"Sticking close."

Nora and Ren both respectively answered and went in beside him, Jaune walking forwards in a readied crouch and his teammates' own weapons readied to engage.

And as they walked through the gates, the smell of blood hitting their noses and corpses greeting their steps, they could only steel their nerves and screamed inside at the slaughterhouse that surrounded them.

"What the fuck happened here…" Jaune whispered.

Every inch of the floor was covered in either bodies or blood. All kinds of furniture and tools were strewn about, either sliced or smashed or riddled with bullet holes. Every step met something slippy or something squishy but always red, and Jaune felt his guts churn.

And he noted that feeling well – that he was beginning to feel. Had this happened merely a month ago, would he have batted an eye?

Jaune clenched his jaw and shook his head. He signalled his Team to stick even closer, and they did, even with their own reservations.

Nora swallowed the bile rising through her throat and hefted Magnhild close, Ren aiming Stormflower around them in slight nervousness as Jaune lead their march. She gave her leader a brief nudge, concerned with her leader's lack of disgust, "Uhm, Jauney… you're not gonna tell me that you see this kinda thing often, right?"

Jaune gave her a side-eye before going back to focusing on their surroundings, leading them to turn right on an intersection. His silence was enough of an answer.

Nora chuckled nervously, "Heh, well then at least we know you've got our backs…"

Silence stretched on as they navigated even deeper, all the while the scenes around them continued to get even more horrifying. The amount of bodies increased, the stench became unbearable, and the surroundings barely told them of what the police station once was.

But still, one fact stood out to them as they delved deeper…

"We're seeing less police officer bodies." Ren said with a slight waver in his voice. "Someone must've turned the tides…"

Jaune's sharp eyes flicked around the room. If what Ren said was true, then he didn't know how to feel. Because as he looked at the blood splatters and mutilated bodies, Aura healing strewn about parts as if it was cut immediately and unexpectedly, his mind could only make one conclusion.

That this was all done by a High-Frequency Blade.

He didn't know anyone other than his rival who owned such a thing, and he was certain that Raiden was still at Beacon. This didn't bode well – not for him, who was nowhere near his top shape-

Nor did it bode well from his teammates, who had never trained for this before.

"Stick close." Jaune commanded, and his teammates huddled closer than they had before. "I don't like the look of this…"

He could hear the almost-silent grunts of his teammates agreeing with him. Reluctantly, Jaune led them deeper into the police station, following the increasing corpses of the Fang and decreasing corpses of the officers.

And as they continued their steps with pressure seeping into their psyches, feet starting to shake and hands beginning to tremble, the faint, echoing sounds of battle began to reach their ears.

"Someone's still fighting." Ren said, "We must be getting close."

"Alright. Safeties off, guys." Jaune breathed out, right hand on his katana and body leaning down for a fight. "Follow my lead."

Nora hummed behind him, "Right behind you, Fearless Leader."

A step, and the sounds grew louder. Another minute of walking, and the sounds became recognizable.

CLANG!

"No! Nononono-!"

Shrk!

"AAAH!"

SLASH!

"G-grk…!" The sound of the screams – the death – faded into a gurgle. Jaune narrowed his eyes and quickened his pace, his teammates following behind him.

The sounds of the battle grew even louder, ever more recognizable. And worst of all, before he could even see it, his fears were confirmed.

"AH!"

"SHIT! NO, DON'T KILL ME-!"

"AAAAAAH!"

The quick deaths, the fear, and the quiet hum of electricity humming across a blade at just the right frequency. Jaune had no more doubts.

And as he made his final steps, he could hear everything even more clearly.

The slashes, the stabs, and the arcing lighting that made a sword so deadly. All cutting through flesh that never stood a chance, spilling blood and in a frenzy that indicated both joy and thrill. Because what did it matter? The enemy was worse than the stain on his boot.

He should know.

Jaune steeled his nerves and knew his friends did the same. His priority was finding his family and keeping his them and his friends safe. Whoever this other user of an HF Blade was, defeating him or her came second – though he was certain that he'd be able to anyway.

And so, leading his Team, Jaune turned a final corner and prepared himself to face whoever this HF wielder was and beat him or her for answers.

And then the first thing he saw was blue. Blue, red, and the signature crescent of the Arc family slicing in two the last of the White Fang with no mercy.

"HYAH!" Indigo swung down with her entire body and cut the last, final member of the assaulting Fang party in two. Straight in the middle, blood spilling down to the floor and splattering her face and teeth.

Indigo let out a chuckle, deep from her soul and true to her heart. She stood back up, a wide smile gracing her face and her hands pumping more and more and more electricity into her Zweihänder, burning off all the blood that stained it and causing it to glow an even brighter shade of blue.

"Hah. Hah…" Indigo turned her head to the side, facing the new arrivals with glee.

She faced them with her heart free, proud of what she had done – of her victory, and because what use was holding back anymore? Her brother certainly didn't come back with it.

And so Indigo's eyes met Jaune's, the same blue shade as their father but with wildly different emotions beneath them.

Jaune's breath stopped short when he saw the small pupils that he had once seen so often – back in Desperado, staring back at him in his own mirror – looking true and at home within his beloved elder sister's eyes, and now the very shade of their father's eyes the same degree of insane he knew so well.

What had his sister done?

"Hello, Jaune." Indigo spoke with cheer, and wasn't that cockiness familiar? He had heard it from his own mouth so many times before.

Indigo spoke with bloodied teeth once more, "Don't worry. We're safe now." She laughed, "The Fang really are easy pickings once we get down to it, aren't they?"

Jaune couldn't help but lower his guard, horrified. And he knew his teammates did the same.

But Indigo didn't recognize that. Instead, she smiled wider, as if mocking him – no, Jaune realized, she was inviting him to her side.

And wasn't it tempting?

He had seen that abyss so many times before, and the bliss within it was worth more than almost anything he knew. Had killed so many within that abyss and made sure to spend time within it indulging those dark desires.

"Come on, Jaune. I know you feel the same." Indigo cheerfully said, "Not like they were gonna do much with their lives anyways, right?"

And wasn't that the truth? A part of him did feel the same.

And yet another part of him also didn't, a part of him that evolved since Armstrong and Raiden and Leonardo and Team JNPR - and also his family.

A part of him that knew bliss wasn't the answer. That knew his mistakes, acknowledging his broken nature.

And yet this was his sister.

His sister.

And so Jaune couldn't answer, except to himself - and putting his hand closer to unsheathing HF Murasama, desperately fighting his uncertainty, all the while Indigo kept the smile and cocky yet cheerful eyes that once graced his own.

All he could do was acknowledge the wallowing guilt that immediately ate his heart and desperately try to keep himself together. The sorrow that immediately came from seeing his sister surrounded by people that she killed without remorse, the lines she crossed and were damn proud to cross and show to the world.

Because deep down he knew, it was he who came back.

And Jaune began to doubt himself once more.

Because how could he not?

He couldn't lead his Team properly, not with the way he returned. His past crimes continued to haunt him, as it should a man that did what he did. A bad person trying desperately to fight for his loved ones, but instead only corrupting those he wanted to protect.

It weighed on him now - all the pain that came with his return, all the frenzy that became of it, of the emotional and physical burden he caused everyone from Pyrrha to JNPR and now to his family, and the mistakes that now stained not only him but also his sister.

And he had to wonder… If he hadn't been here… If he hadn't showed his friends and family his dark side and been more steadfast…

If he had just done something different…

When a man has mistakes so deep like his, corrupting those he loved – how could he truly make it right?

---

And that's that. Thoughts, opinions etc, leave it in the reviews.

Thanks for reading, and see you next time.

Review Responses:

To CriticaofRandomness, aa yeah pressure is mounting on Jaune, also Adam is on his turning point. Thanks for reading!

To Xealchim, ah that might be my bad then. Kiryu is actually a really good guy even though he's Yakuza, and even then, in the actual series he wants to leave that stuff behind him as much as he can, going so much as building an orphanage and helping anyone in need (though this doesn't usually bode well as he is constantly being dragged back). I don't want to sound condescending or anything, but I genuinely cannot describe him better than by knowing the character from the games itself. Will try to put more explanations in, still, mb.

To SolSparda36, and the crisis is mounting even more! And true, he needs to find his motivation again. That's coming in the future though! Thanks for reading!

To Insane Wombat, yeahhh a bit of a mistake on my end, like I said to Xealchim, should have put more explanation on who he is before so there's a bit more info on him than just 'the ex-Yakuza guy'.