Sorry for the lack of an update yesterday. I was sick and stressed from getting little sleep for days in a row. Too many meetings last week. Too much drama.
Cover Art: Solace O'Autumn
Chapter 62
Jaune was welcomed at the gate to the manor by Bon-hwa. He had Cinder with him, his lone guest for the evening. Pyrrha had wanted to come but she'd only become a weakness to be exploited, since Joo-won could try and hold her involvement with criminals over her head since she was a celebrity. Besides, Cinder was stronger, and if he could only have one person with him then he'd be bringing the best.
"Jaune Arc." Joo-won rose from his seat at the table. He hadn't risen first the last time they met, so this was a show of respect. "Welcome. You've risen far since the last time we met. And this is…?"
"Cinder. An associate of mine. Cinder, this is Joo-won, leader of the East Dragon Family. Cinder is a huntress," he said, which was only a small lie. "I find her skills and experience to be invaluable in this line of work."
Cinder smiled and pressed a hand to Jaune's arm. While he had dressed up in a black rental suit, she'd gone much further with a gorgeous red robe with gold highlights. It looked stunning on her, and she knew it because of how he blushed and stammered when she'd met him tonight. Her slow smile had been enough to tell him she'd noted his reaction, and that it pleased her.
"A pleasure…" Cinder shook Joo-won's hand. "Jaune has told me much about you."
"Has he now? All good, I trust."
"Mostly." Her flippant answer would have made Jaune wince if he wasn't focusing all his attention on keeping a straight face. "He's spoken well of your organisation compared to the Spider Gang. I hear there is much more discipline here."
"Malachite ran her gang like a thug because it pleased her to feel superior." Joo-won scoffed. "We all knew she would be deposed sooner or later. Please, take a seat. Bon-hwa, bring us refreshments." The man bowed and left. "Tell me, then, of your new Concert Cartel. What operations will you be running?"
"Much the same as before. I've little interest in starting a gang war or overreaching. The decision to take over wasn't premeditated. Malachite reneged on our deal and sought to have me permanently under her employ. Even made threats." Jaune paused, as if to highlight how suicidal such a decision was. He wasn't good at threats but he could let Joo-won's imagination come up with some for him. "Naturally, I decided that enough was enough."
Joo-won took the bottle of wine Bon-hwa returned with, uncorked it, then poured the pale, sparkling liquid into three champagne chutes. He offered one first to Cinder, then to Jaune, before taking his own.
"One should never go back on a deal," he said, raising it in toast. "Our word is one of the few scraps of honour we have left in our line of work."
Jaune raised his own glass. "I'm glad you agree. Cheers."
It was dry. Wine had never tasted good to him. Red, at least, tasted fruity, but he'd never understood how a drink could feel dry. Or why someone would want it to. The fact this bottle was likely expensive beyond belief didn't fix it. At least Cinder seemed to like it.
"I expect you came here for more than simply introducing yourself to me. Our only connection is my daughter. You want Chae-young."
"This does relate to your daughter, Joo-won, though not in the sense of me wanting her like that. I was her teacher, her instructor, and I took the role very seriously. I did my best by her."
"Bon-hwa told me as such. Your point?"
"It came as no small offence when I discovered that the fruits of labour had been poisoned."
Joo-won grunted and leant back in his seat. "Not by me."
"No. By your wife. Except that your wife claimed to have poisoned her only because she feared you would do worse had Chae-young succeeded at your challenge."
"Would she have?"
Jaune didn't hesitate. "Yes."
"Then it is perhaps best my wife took the steps she did."
"That answer doesn't please me, Joo-won."
"Had you been someone of any importance at the time, I'd have done differently. Or at least explained things to you. But you were not. You were just a man with a debt." He sipped at his own wine. "Things have changed, but they hadn't changed until after this perceived insult."
"Why do it at all?"
"Because life is cruel and unfair and Chae-young needs to learn how to handle it. She is my heiress, my daughter, and she will take over the East Dragon Family. When that happens, every other criminal gang and family in Mistral will be watching for any signs of weakness. As may ambitious people within the family. I would not have what happened to Lady Malachite happen to my daughter."
Jaune had no reason to doubt the dangers of a criminal life. All those things could absolutely happen.
And yet…
"Why isn't it possible to be both? Chae-young can play and practice with her guitar while also receiving lessons from you. Even the most feared of criminal lords surely has a hobby. Why can't this be hers?"
Joo-won let out a heavy sigh. "Is that what this is all about? You take over a gang and come here to pressure me into allowing my daughter to play the guitar?"
"Yes."
"Why?" he asked. "How do you stand to benefit?"
Jaune smiled. "I do not."
"I don't believe that."
"Is it so hard to believe someone would do something because they like someone? Or because they want to help them for no reward?"
Joo-won grimaced. "Yes."
"Then I pity you."
"I am a powerful and wealthy man."
"And yet money and power apparently can't buy you a way out of your own paranoia."
Joo-won tensed. "You insult me in my own home!"
"Jaune did not mean to," Cinder interrupted. "He's simply passionate about everything he does – as any good man should be. You asked him to help your daughter; Jaune isn't one to leave a job half-finished."
"His duty with her is over. The matter is closed."
Jaune frowned. "Then re-open it."
"And if I refuse…?"
Jaune sat back. The question mattered. Whatever he said, he might be expected to hold to at a later time. He could bluff, make threats, but what if he was expected to keep them? What then? His Semblance was quiet. No Quests, no convenient answers, nothing to suggest he could get away with this.
Cinder was quiet as well. This had to be his decision.
He had to be convincing.
Convincing…
.
Jaune Arc
Lvl 17
Title:Bard
HP:890/890
MP:120/120
Str:9
Con:51
Dex:6
Wis:8
Cha:189 (190)
Aura:Unlocked (Basic Control)
Semblance:The Game
Perks:
Speak with Animals.
Bardic Skills.
Jaune-dor Calls for Aid!
Razor Wit
You have 15 points to spend.
.
With a silent sigh, Jaune did what he said he wouldn't – and put all fifteen of those points into Charisma, pushing it even higher. Until it reached Charisma: 204(205). Breaching the two hundred mark for the first time. Eight times higher than his Constitution. Over twenty-times higher than his Strength.
Jaune took a deep breath and looked Joo-won in the eye.
/-/
Joo-won regarded the young man before him. Little more than a boy, really. Not even seventeen yet. Not even old enough to order the wine he'd shared with him. He should have found the whole situation laughable. The boy was untested, unprepared, and his ascension to leader of the Spider Gang – or whatever he was calling the group now – should have been a sign for his men to sweep in and remove a rival. Claim new territory.
And yet the boy didn't feel like a boy. Didn't feel like a child.
He felt like a man.
An experienced, dangerous, and commanding presence. Joo-won had once been told he had aura. Not the type huntsmen used, but the commanding variety that caused people to go quiet when he entered a room. He'd never understood it much, even if he relied on it. Now, he did. This child had the aura of a man three times his age.
And as Jaune Arc looked back up and met Joo-won's eyes, the actual adult in the room froze.
Something…
Something had changed.
It was like a switch being flipped. The boy – no, the man – was frowning. His brows had drawn down, and somehow his messy blonde hair looked sharp and angular. Joo-won held the gaze, but only barely, and his toes fidgeted in his shiny shoes under the table. Joo-won's mouth felt dry but he refused to swallow lest it show any of the unease he felt.
"If you refuse…" Jaune Arc said, in a voice that felt like a tombstone being dragged across gravel. "Then I'll take her from you."
It was a punch to the gut. "What…?"
"I didn't come here looking to start a gang war. That doesn't mean I wasn't prepared for it."
Bon-hwa reached for his gun.
The woman got there first, leaping from her seat and closing the distance in the blink of an eye. One hand grasped Bon-hwa's wrists and kept the gun aimed at the floor, and her other held a wickedly sharp blade that she'd summoned from nowhere against his throat. Bon-hwa's eyes were wide.
Fast. So fast. A huntress indeed.
"A war would be a messy affair," Joo-won said, feeling just a little faint. "Aren't you looking to travel? I seem to remember you were planning to leave Mistral soon."
"Yes. This war shall have to be concluded quickly."
Even that sounded threatening.
"Gang wars are rarely so swift. It'd be a slow and bloody affair."
"I don't see how it could be." Jaune picked up his glass and swirled his wine around it. "I know where you live. I would simply bring all my people here and command them to kill all of yours. That seems like a quick solution."
Joo-won gasped. When people said crime war what they really meant was skirmishes and small conflicts. Shoot-outs at owned businesses, roughing-up of men, and infringement upon territory. Wars among the gangs had to be like that because neither side could afford to lose men or money in any significant numbers. If they did, the other gangs would eat them alive once the war was over.
They were like predatory animals in a way. You had to pick prey you could kill and eat without taking significant injury from, because winning the hunt but breaking your leg just meant you'd starve to death once the meat ran out.
"Do you really think your gang can best my family?"
"The gang? Maybe not. Do I believe Cinder and I can do it all alone? Yes, actually." The way he smiled sent shivers up and down Joo-won's body. He sounded so certain. Looked it, too. "But I think you're not asking the real question, Joo-won."
"And what might that be?"
"Does Jaune Arc give a shit about this gang he's taken over…?"
"…"
"Because from where I'm sitting, I think it's obvious that both sides will come out from a war as losers. Even should you win, you'd be easy pickings for someone else. Whereas I? I've no interesting in this gang. I'm leaving Mistral soon anyway. It costs me nothing to throw them at you. If I win, I win. If I lose, you lose. Me, personally? I'll be walking away just fine either way."
He was right. Joo-won felt his stomach drop. This wasn't a selfish or greedy man who wanted to keep hold of his empire. This wasn't someone who could be reasoned with. Mutually assured destruction only mattered if both sides wanted to avoid it, whereas Jaune Arc would relish it. He'd throw away his gang and drag the East Dragon Family down with it. All the work of himself, his father, his grandfather…
Gone in an instant.
All because… because…
"Chae-young," he rasped. "If I let her have her way, if she's allowed to freely express her hobby. You will back off?"
Jaune Arc smiled. "I shall."
"It is done." Joo-won waved his hand quickly. Too quickly. It made his panic apparent, but at this point he didn't care. The man opposite him had not only called his bluff but annihilated it. The loss of pride was a small price to pay to avert the loss of his family's legacy. "Chae-young will be granted freedom to practice her hobby and pursue a career in music, but she will also be expected to master her role within the family. You will not interfere with the latter and I shall not interfere with the former. Are we agreed?"
"We are." Jaune extended his hand. "I trust you'll hold to this deal, Joo-won. My men will be watching."
He would hold to it. But even as he shook the dangerous man's hand, he found himself wondering if this couldn't be put to his own advantage. Chae-young had his affection, even a small part of his loyalty, and he was deadly beyond belief. The man they'd invited into their home thinking helpless had turned into a bloody wolf.
But sometimes a lamb needed a wolf.
I shall have to tell Chae-young to keep in touch with him. Grow closer. Perhaps in time the two could be wedded.
It would make the family stronger than ever and unite the two gangs.
Jaune stood. "Let us go, Cinder. My apologies, Bon-hwa. Cinder doesn't like to have weapons drawn on her, even if it wouldn't have done much in the first place." Jaune flexed his arm, and a pale white glow appeared on it.
Aura. He'd never been in any real danger.
Only once the duo had left did Joo-won allow himself the freedom to sag and gasp for air.
"Lord…?" Bon-hwa choked out.
"Summon Ha-rin and Chae-young. And dispatch someone to buy back the guitar we sold. Offer whatever they demand. I don't care on the price. The men shall avoid the Concert Cartel in all matters."
"This offence, lord…"
"The offence was mine delivered unto them. We will not test him, Bon-hwa."
Joo-won massaged his temples.
"We would not survive it if we did. Those eyes were the eyes of a stone-cold killer. I truly believe he would have killed us both then and there and swept through my home killing any who got in his way. We were fools to underestimate him. No. I was the fool. You simply followed orders."
"The woman was skilled. I could not have bested her." And even Bon-hwa hesitated. "But from what I could see with my own eyes, I would believe he was the greater threat. That however dangerous she was, he was ten times worse."
Joo-won could not find it in himself to disagree.
Jaune Arc was a dangerous and capable man.
/-/
Jaune Arc was a nervous wreck.
"I can't believe we got away with that!" He had one hand on a wall and the other on his heart, which pounded so fast it was a wonder it hadn't escaped his ribcage and run down the street. "I can't believe he bought my bullshit!"
"You were incredible."
"I was terrified!"
"But you hid it marvellously and that's what is so incredible." Cinder had a hand on his back and the other on his arm. If anything, she'd been incredibly cheerful since the meeting. "Lying like that isn't easy, Jaune. Politicians make a careers of it and yet are less convincing than you were back then. Even I believed you'd do it!"
It was the Charisma which did it. He'd just relief on it.
"It makes me wonder what else you could accomplish if you just put your thought into it."
"No thanks. This had been more than enough excitement for me. I'm leaving Mistral as soon as I can."
"Already?"
"Not immediately. I have to attend Pyrrha's birthday party in a week. But after that, I'll probably leave. I might slip back home for a bit before making my way to Vale in time to see Beacon start."
"Ah, of course." Cinder smiled. "And you'll be staying for the Vytal Festival, surely."
"That's the plan. Will you be there?"
"Competing, yes. I expect you to cheer for me. Unless you'd like to join me?"
Jaune paused. "What?"
"You're capable, Jaune. Your Semblance alone would make you an asset to any team. Ours is one of the few three-person teams. We're on the lookout for a fourth member. I'd be glad to have you—"
"Ha-ha, no. I'm not looking to fight. Look at me, Cinder. I'm freaking out from a verbal spar. A real one isn't for me."
"Practice makes perfect. I could teach you."
"I appreciate it, I really do, but I don't want to be a fighter. I want to travel, see the world, play music and meet good people." He finally pushed off the wall to face her. Cinder looked disappointed, but not unhappy. "But I'll be happy to help you out in Vale if you need me. Not to cheat in the tournament, but if you want me to help with your training in any way then I'm yours."
"I'll remember that." Cinder took his arm and led him down the street, the two of them arm-in-arm. "And I'll definitely make use of it. Exposure therapy with your Semblance will make us able to stand up to even the most terrifying opponent, and I'm curious to see whether the motivational aspects of your music could make us train harder. Most people don't train to failure because the brain is what makes them stop. I want to see if your Semblance pushes us to go all the way."
Those were all good things he'd be more than happy to help her with. Assisting them with getting stronger so they could protect people from the Grimm was what he would contribute to the world. That and good music under his alter-ego.
"I'm yours if and when you need me, Cinder."
"Mmm. I like the sound of that."
/-/
Once Cinder had Jaune back to his hotel and safely in his room, she excused herself to head back to Haven but did no such thing. Instead, she met with Mercury and Emerald and headed to a quiet warehouse on the docks of the city. Helping Jaune was her own personal mission, and something she still saw value in even if he wasn't yet ready to join them.
He didn't reject me. He rejected the life of a huntsman. All I need to do is show him he can do well and he'll join me.
Her team needed a fourth member. A partner for her.
Partner. Cinder licked her lips, liking the sound of that. She'd thought him strikingly handsome when he made Lil Miss Malachite piss herself with fear, but when he threatened to declare war on a crime family and slaughter them all, she'd been thankful for the man whose gun she'd been holding onto.
Because her legs would have given way otherwise.
Never in her life had she felt the urge to jump someone as she had in that moment. Jaune was lucky – or perhaps unlucky – that those people had been there, because had they been alone then she would have dragged him up onto that table and rode him until they both saw stars. Or maybe he would have been the one to push her down onto it. Cinder purred, rather liking the image of him taking control, even if it was so against his normal attitude.
Is this what it means to be head over heels for someone? It's ridiculous given how he normally acts, but when he's angry and pressing… Cinder sighed dreamily. I want to provoke him into getting angry at me.
She could already imagine it. Him backing her into a corner, hands on the wall either side of her, using his extra inches of height to stare down on her and make her feel small and vulnerable. He would grasp her chin, force her head roughly up, then activate his Semblance and bombard her with so much fear she'd be reduced to jelly.
"Hahhh… Hahhh…"
"Uh. Cinder?" Emerald broke her fantasies, and her good mood. "We're… uh… We're here."
Ah. Right. Work. Cinder sighed and pushed past Emerald, refusing to even acknowledge her little moment. In her mind, the way Mercury and her mooned over that celebrity was so much worse. At least Jaune earned her interest by taking over one criminal gang and threatening another into submission.
Sadly, her other work called her attention, hence why she had to let Jaune go for tonight.
The warehouse they found was occupied by some fishing firm, but quiet at night. Cinder and her entourage waited there as a boat slowly pulled into harbour with its lights off. It docked and several people jumped off, all of them faunus. They tied ropes and lowered a ramp, down which strode a man with red hair and bull horns.
He looked different than she remembered. The clothing was similar, and yet he'd done away with his sword. The lack of a mask was what really did it, revealing his scarred face and a smile that was a little less vicious and a little more relaxed.
A way to appear non-threatening, she assumed.
"Adam." Cinder greeted him. "It's good to see you again."
"You as well. I'll apologise for the delay getting back to you. A lot has changed on Menagerie."
Cinder didn't care for small talk, nor for that island. "I'm sure it has. There have been a few changes in my own plans as well, though those are for the better. The attack on Vale and Beacon will still achieve the goals they set out to, but there have been minor alterations—"
"I'm afraid there will have to be major ones as well. I'm here to tell you we're quitting."
"You… what…?"
"We won't be attacking Beacon. Though, out of respect for our agreement, we also won't warn them about you. Nor expose you."
"Why? Does the White Fang have something else planned? I tell you now you won't find a better way to send a message than this, Adam. Destroying Beacon will have everyone afraid of you."
"A message of fear. A message of terror."
"Yes." Cinder looked at him askance. "Isn't that the whole point of being terrorists?"
"I used to think so…" Adam closed his eyes. Sighed. "The point of this was to push for equal rights. To fight back against those who oppressed and mistreated us. And we did so by oppressing and mistreating. We had such dreams and yet we let them die. Because it was easier for us to let them die."
Cinder stared, unsure what she was even comprehending.
"No more!" Adam declared, throwing an arm out wide. His mask, which had been strapped to his hip, splashed into the ocean. "The White Fang is more. There has been a paradigm shift. We have found our wings again, realising they were there all along, simply hidden by our fear and despair."
"…"
"We are the White Fang no longer. Now, we are the White Wings!" His men cheered, throwing their own masks away. "And we shall fly once more on perfect wings!"
"As terrorists…?" Cinder asked, hopefully.
"No."
"For fuck's sake…"
When she found the one who orchestrated this bullshit, she'd give them a piece of her mind – delivered via arrow right through their windpipe. The loss of the White Fang not only as cannon fodder in their attack but also a destabilising force on Remnant would not be a good thing, especially not in Salem's eyes.
Next Chapter: 16th March
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