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Jaune stood outside the grand hall's closed doors, honestly more nervous than afraid while he waited for Cinder to come out and begin their trip. He didn't have to wait long, as it turned out, before the doors swung open and the mildly surprised woman blinked at him before smiling in that eerie, sinister way. Like his existence was an amusement to her and little else, that he posed no threat to her in any way. The smile was friendly, but Jaune knew from past 'readings' - as he had started calling them last night, running through plans with an almost naked and mildly annoyed Neo on what to do about their current predicament - that she was friendly out of a sense of superiority.
Her kindness and friendliness was due to his weakness. The thought angered him surprisingly greatly. "Jaune, good morning. Are you ready to go?" She chuckled lightly, gesturing at his armored form, "Well, I suppose as much is obvious. Tell me, where is your pet? Is she not accompanying you?"
"My girlfriend," he held up a hand towards Cinder angrily, "is going to meet us at the airpad, she wanted to snag a quick shower before heading out this morning."
"Oh she's your girlfriend?" Cinder asked teasingly, though Jaune knew her well enough by now to understand that she was probing for information. Cinder did nothing without personal gain for herself. "Tell me, how do you think Roman will react when he finds out about this?"
"Probably by trying to kill me until Neo calms him down and explains that she wanted it as much as I did." He shrugged his lightly armored shoulders when she raise an eyebrow at him, "We talked a good bit about this stuff last night, actually. 'Always consider what others will do and attempt to integrate it into your plans.'"
This time, her smile was different. Wider, and she looked away from him for a moment before it returned to her normal indifferent smirk, "I can't say I am displeased by how quickly you have begun using my lessons, Jaune." She started walking, stepping past him close enough to brush against his shoulder, "Come, we have to get moving. We've much to do before we're ready to strike at Ozpin."
"Is he the real target of all of this?" Jaune asked as they walked, following behind her and staring a hole into her head. Suspicion was another part of her training and what she'd spent the last few weeks drilling into him, as well as the idea that gathering information was something you should always do. She didn't answer immediately, so he continued, "The White Fang won't be enough to deal with Atlas' defences and Beacon's staff. Not to mention the visiting Huntsmen students, teachers and Beacon's own student body and security staff."
"And the Maiden, of course. As well as whatever Ozpin is maneuvering into place to block the attack he knows has to be coming." She said quietly, "He always expects a new Maiden to come under attack, so when I felt the old one die and the power go elsewhere, I knew our goal was even further from us."
"You… felt it?" He asked quietly, taking several long steps to walk along side her and turning to look at her from inside his helmet.
"Yes, Jaune. The power was split between the old Maiden and myself in my first attempt on her. I could sense her at Beacon as well, somewhere. Even from here I could feel her…" she held up a hand as they walked, a small and wild fire crackling in her palm, "It hurts. A dull ache, like a missing limb that aches distantly no matter what you do."
He understood, sort of, from how Amber herself had felt back at Beacon but felt his anger boil up as she talked. She'd attacked Amber, but she thought she could complain about anything about it? "You won't get any sympathy from me, Cinder." He turned away as she looked at him, and he felt her glare, "Every waking moment in Beacon, I could feel what you did to her. The pain she was in every moment for weeks and weeks, I felt it."
The two were quiet for a long second before Cinder sighed, extinguishing her flame, "Yet you can forgive your whore for what she did?" She asked bitterly,shaking her head, "No matter. I don't need or want sympathy from you."
"She was acting on your orders. You don't get to pass the blame onto her for that either." He knew he was pushing her too far, but after every single thing she'd taken from him and everything she was responsible for forcing onto him, his frustrations were beginning to boil over. He missed having Pyrrha nearby, her calm and stable nature able to calm him when he needed it. "And unlike Neo, you aren't even apologetic for it. She at least feels bad."
"Her?" She laughed harshly, glaring into his helmet, "She doesn't feel anything unless she's cutting into someone."
"Is this where you tell the literal mind reader what people are thinking because you know it better than him?" Jaune asked roughly, laughing at her blatantly. "Neo has… problems, that's for certain, but she's willing to try and be a good person. She's never had a chance until now, and wants it. You though…"
"What about me?" She asked dangerously as they exited the building.
"You aren't like her." He said quietly, shaking his head almost sadly, "You had chances, plenty of them. I can feel it, when this helmet is off. Your nature is warped and twisted at the core, deep down." He sighed and waved at Neo when she came outside, and she waved back, "Her problems are in her psyche, the way she is, but her nature is different. She never had a chance to be shown a better way, even Roman couldn't give her that. You had it though, I can feel it she can't help the rush she gets, you want it."
She rested a hand on his lower back, heat creeping out from it uncomfortably, "If I want you to judge someone, I'll tell you to." She smiled politely as they walked, trying to not betray anything to the small, dangerous woman they were approaching. "My mistress may have use for now, but should I push her for it, she will throw you aside when that use ends, Arc."
This time, he kept his mouth firmly shut, and she removed the hand as Neo bounced towards them, bright pink eyes shining excitedly. Smiling, Jaune rubbed her head affectionately, "That excited to see Roman, huh?"
She nodded, twirling her umbrella over her shoulder absently while she used her free hand to type on her Scroll. "Yeah, it's been weeks since I saw him. I worry about him when I'm not around to protect him."
Unsaid, of course, was that Roman could protect himself from the average day-to-day threats. Neo was there to protect him from Cinder and her 'friends'. Not being there to do that made her nervous, he'd felt that last night. Cinder said nothing, only continuing to walk after a few seconds, and he gestured with his head for them to follow. Neo of course obeyed quickly, falling into step behind him closely.
Unlike their first trip to the Queen's castle, the trip from it was far better planned and supplied. Instead of a small, slow flying Bullhead-like ship, a large, white one sat on the open landing pad. The main body was shaped largely like a rectangle, bulky with long sides and round gun ports protruding from every side. The large wings reached at least thirty feet in each direction and rested near the back of the ship and had two engines each, large and square with smaller turrets on the wings just in front of them. At the front, the ship sloped smoothly at every plane into almost a spear tip, flat and wider horizontally with two short barrels protruding under the window the pilots used for flight, probably usable by the pilots themselves. At least two hundred feet long and eighty tall, it was almost a proper warship in and of itself.
"What kind of ship is this?" He asked quietly, turning to look at Cinder, "Where did it even come from?"
"It's an Atlesian light frigate, actually. Watts purchased half a dozen for us here at the castle." She gestured at the smaller turrets, "Automatic flak turrets that just require a switch to activate, as well as a larger, manned turret on each surface of the craft for larger targets. Other frigates, Nevermores, lesser Drakes and so on. More than enough room and tonnage for us to get where we need to be and accomplish our goals."
"This… you're going to attack Beacon with it, aren't you?" He asked quietly, turning to look at the still irritated woman.
"Yes. Bullheads, at least the smaller variants that only carry a few people, can launch from the back of the ship. We use the frigate to fight our way through whatever is left in the air, and deploy attackers straight into Beacon." She smiled that vicious smile she always had whenever she was thoroughly pleased by a plan, "The Atlesian and Valean fighters won't even think to shoot at us in Beacon until we're on top of them."
"Your Queen piece?" He asked quietly, Cider rolling her eyes at the question.
"I have a dozen Queen pieces, if you insist on the analogy, Jaune. But yes, this is definitely going to be one." She continued towards a small ramp extended near the pilot's area, Emerald sitting on the stairs and toying with her blades idly. She stood up when they approached, smiling slightly in spite of herself, "Emerald. Is Mercury in the pilot's cabin?"
"Yes, ma'am. He's running the systems check for us now, we should make the rendezvous without any problems, and on time if the weather permits." She smiled when Cinder looked pleased, stepping to the side, "I took the liberty of preparing one of the officer's rooms for you too, ma'am."
Cinder actually smiled, stepping onto the first step and stroking the girl's cheek affectionately, "That's very sweet of you, Emerald. Thank you. I assume you mean the one at the back of the pilot's cabin?"
"Yes, ma'am. The stairs here lead to the fourth floor, just behind the cabin. Your room is just inside and to the left, across from our own. Mercury will take the first flight shift, so if you need anything, just knock, ma'am." Cinder nodded, and Emerald - still blushing and beaming from Cinder's praise previously - turned to them, "Yours is next to ours, straight out from the door at the top."
"Excellent." Cinder said quickly, "I trust the droids are already running as well? We'll need them to reach our crew after all."
"Of course, ma'am." Emerald said, nodding eagerly, "Everything is prepared exactly as you specified, ma'am."
Cinder hummed in response and began to climb the steps, Emerald close behind. Jaune made to follow her, but Neo grabbed his hand and, winking, made sure to go before him. He rolled his eyes at her antics and made to follow.
Inside, the ship was pristine, clean and lit with bright fluorescent lights lining the walls in the corners, indented slightly into the dull grey material. Vents, computer terminals and other assorted workstations. He rooms for what he guess would be officers and pilots were nestled against the pilot's cabin, with a small cantina at the end of the hall for breaks and rest. Several old mode Knights walked up and down the hall, probably the drones that Emerald had mentioned.
"It should take a few hours for us to reach the rendezvous, Jaune." Cinder said lowly, clearly aggravated still, "Rest up and relax until then, but keep your helmet on for at least an hour of the trip. I wouldn't want you to go into shock again."
He somehow didn't believe that…
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"Straighten your arms, let your shoulders absorb more of the force." Blake instructed, adjusting the rifle's stock against the recruit's shoulder, "The rifle is designed to fit against your shoulder for a reason, recruit. Let the design do its job until you can adjust with some familiarity. If Atlas is good at anything, then it's making weapons."
The small warehouse structure in Mountain Glenn's abandoned interior echoed with muted Atlesian rifles firing, a sound that would have normally had Adam running to investigate. Instead, he sat on a large stack of crates, watching Blake teach the new recruits how to use their rifles at least adequately. They'd recovered the weapons from the same base as the one Blake had been imprisoned at and, as soon as word spread among the new recruits arriving that she was here, they'd practically demanded that she teach them something.
She didn't use rifles all that much, but she was a pretty good shot nonetheless. Banesaw lumbered up, leaning against the crates near enough to him with his arms crossed over his chest, and Adam turned towards him slightly. "Yes?"
"The new recruits are almost fanatical about Belladonna. It's… odd." He said simply, the two watching the numerous Faunus almost fawn over her. "They're listening intently and learning, at least, but still. It seems strange, for Belladonna."
"She was always popular with the new recruits." Some days it was because she was attractive, others because he accorded her respect so everyone else had, or they knew a member who went on a mission with her. "It's not that odd now, it wasn't back then."
"Back then, she tended to avoid them." He pointed out in that same rumbling, almost monotone voice.
"True." Adam said quietly, though the larger man grunted so he knew he'd been heard. Blake had always avoided the fanatics and fans, preferring instead to be left alone to read and write. "Perhaps her time in Beacon brought some change to her."
"That was the worry." He said quietly, Banesaw appraising his leader closely for a moment before continuing. "Sir, she left us once. Betrayed you, preventing the success of a raid and leaving you stranded in the middle of the Grimm infested forest."
"Yes." He said quietly, sighing and scratching his chin idly. It had been a nuisance, yes, and he'd been furious as well. But she'd had a momentary lapse and come back, with zeal as well if half the reports and rumors coming out of Beacon were true. Plus some… interesting contacts, "I trust her however, Banesaw. She has changed, and has some new… friends I don't completely approve of, but she deserves a chance. She helped build this cell of the White Fang after all."
"The Schnee, you mean?" He asked lowly, voice rumbling in agitation. Adam turned to him fully and he shrugged, "I have loyal agents following you whenever you head into Vale, in case you are spotted and recognized by the authorities or worse, Atlas."
"Yes." Adam admitted finally after several seconds before turning back to the training, watching Blake correct another rookie's footing. "We… had a conversation, actually. Said that she wanted to help the Faunus."
"I've seen a Schnee's help before." Banesaw grunted, shaking his head lightly.
"She meant it though. Her company used to be smaller, and was lead by a Huntsmen, apparently. The Faunus still took the risks they do now, but they did so alongside Humans. And in Grimm infested areas, with the CEO's direct protection." Banesaw huffed, clearly not accepting it, and Adam added, "I verified the information independently when we returned. She, as the Heiress, can change things."
"She could, but why would she?" He asked disbelievingly, tensely.
Adam understood, had he not seen the Schnee herself and spoken to her,he'd have difficulty accepting it. But when it was clear to him she expected to die regardless of what she said? Then he believed her. Someone who knows they will die in the end, even if that is a lie, won't lie about opinions or things that could be verified easily. The Schnee, Weiss, had shared both her opinions and verifiable facts readily, even though she expected to end in that alley behind them.
"She thought I'd kill her anyways. People don't lie about random, unrelated opinions on death row." He rested his hand on his sword's handle, "They beg if they aren't asked questions, and lie if they don't know the answers, usually. If she'd been lying, she;d have either begged to be allowed to live, or lied and said she supported the Fang in some manner."
"Then what did she do?" He asked quietly, " My guards couldn't overhear you. When they reported that you'd let her go, I ordered them to respect it, but that's all."
"She said that, when she inherits the company, she wants to make a change and help the Faunus." He turned to look down on the larger man from his seat atop the crates, smiling almost viciously. "When she inherits can be changed, of course."
"Our next target?" Banesaw asked, excitement creeping into his voice slightly.
"First, we strike down Beacon with our new allies. Then, we renew our efforts at ending Jacques Schnee." He let his hand drift to his sword, gripping it tightly, "I can't be involved. If she knows it was me right away, she may turn against her promises out of grief."
"Understandable." He said, "I'll pass a message to Fennec then, and have him find out what he needs."
"Tell him to use an expendable asset, and to tell him that it's so the White Fang is known to have done it." Adam ordered lightly, "We'll turn them over to Weiss as an… inheritance gift, of sorts. Probably dead, to avoid questions."
"Of course." He straightened, nodding respectfully as Blake approached and the recruits dispersed idly, "I will do as you order."
He lumbered away as Blake climbed up next to him, accepting a bottle of water Adam offered, "You were talking to Banesaw?"
"Business?" She asked quietly, taking a sip as she always had before the train. He grunted and nodded, and she asked, "Can I ask what the business is or would that be too much so soon?"
"No." He said, sighing.
He hated that he had to keep larger operations a secret from her, but even she had accepted that it was smart. She had left once and only recently returned, so it made sense she'd have to earn trust back, regardless of the status of her return. Her introducing him to the Schnee girl was the reason he was alright with telling her what he would.
"Well?" She asked quietly, raising a thin eyebrow at him slightly.
"All I can tell you is that we intend to formally assist your… Schnee friend. And accept her offer, of course, in time." She smiled warmly and he smiled back in that small way he always did, glad to have that smile back.
It had nearly driven him mad to lose it, after all. Who knows what he would have done without her when Beacon fell?
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Raven turned at the last second, allowing her traitorous opponents axe to glide past her and driving her own sword through his unprotected, and luckily Aura-less now after their long battle, bare back. She smiled in satisfaction when she saw her sword tip above his shoulder, protruding from the man as his arms drooped to the sides and his life-blood flowed down her sword. Pushing him away and stepping back at the same time, she flicked the weapon lightly and sent the blood streaking along the ground as the corpse fell.
"Are there any others who wish to challenge me?" None answered, of course, this had been her tenth opponent. Normal among the tribe for newcomers and recruits to challenge her and others, but still annoying. Her orders had caused a lot of this conflict as well, she knew. "Good, then gather our supplies and break camp. The Grimm will come soon."
She turned, heading for her tent as her tribe began breaking camp, and stopped when Spring stepped in front of her tent's entrance, "Raven."
"Spring." She said lowly, eyes narrowing at her. Raven had to accept any challenger, of course, but the Spring Maiden actually stood a chance against her. And she couldn't just kill the girl either, that would cause a lot of issues. "You didn't challenge me, but you're stopping me from entering my tent. Why?"
"You're taking us to Vale." She said shortly, stepping aside just enough to let Raven pass unopposed but tell the Chieftess that she'd be coming in as well. "To fight Ozpin's battles."
"To fight everyone's." Raven corrected lightly, ducking into her tent and taking a breath as the warm incense hit her nose.
Many chieftains and chieftesses kept their tent lavishly decorated with the best spoils from raids and conquests. Immaculate furniture, statues, furst, whatever they liked. Raven preferred to live plained though, only really needing a couple trunks on the far end of the tent from the door, a large dresser, a stand for her equipment to hang on and a large bed with simple covers, and a couch at the foot. Better than what many in the tribe had, but not so lavish as to annoy her underlings as others did.
She dropped onto the couch,crossing her legs comfortably and letting out a breath, "The fight coming in Vale will decide much of the world's fate. If it falls, Vale will be cripple along with Atlas." She sighed, "I hate it… But we're being paid, and the fight has to happen."
"And if Ozpin tries to take me?" She asked quietly, clearly nervous. And for good reason as well, even Raven would be strained against Ozpin, with or without Spring's help.
"We'll fight and run." Raven said simply, "But if we don't break our enemy here and now, then someone with far worse intentions for you will come after us eventually. And we'll be without the Atlesian fleet or the Valean Huntsmen and army, against an even more powerful opponent."
"Fine." She said after a long second, "I'll make sure everyone gets their things ready. Same time frame as usual?" Raven nodded, and Spring inclined her head respectfully, "Then I'll make sure it's done."
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"I'm fine, Yang." Weiss said for the thirtieth time while she watched her preparing Ember Celica, even if she was still shaken up. "Blake only wanted us to talk, and they let me go right after."
"I don't give a damn." She snapped, slamming her locker closed and sliding one of the armored gloves onto her off hand. "She put a gun to your back and took you to meet terrorists."
"Only one terrorist," Weiss argued weakly sighing and sitting on a bench while she changed out of her uniform into her combat outfit. "I'm fine, Yang."
"No, you're not. And even if you are, I'd still be pissed." Red eyes met her own and she slammed a fist into a locker, "And you didn't even tell me right away! I can't even see straight when I think about that."
"Yang, what are you even going to do if you find him?" She asked, sighing, "Which you won't. It was a day ago, I doubt they're even in Vale anymore. "
"I'm going to cave his head in and drag Blake back to Beacon, of course." She snapped back, slamming her boot onto the bench beside the heiress and starting to lace it up. "And I'll find them. I know a guy who should know, he knows just about everything that happens in Vale. And everything in the actual Kingdom part of it."
"This is the White Fang, Yang." Weiss argued quietly, looking her in the eyes in spite of their frightening redness. "And if you just behave then maybe I have a chance at actually stopping them for good."
"You believe what he said?" Yang asked incredulously, leaning back and standing tall above her, with her leg still on the bench. Kind of intimidating, being so close to her powerful muscles reminded Weiss of how easily she could crush her.
"Maybe, maybe not. I believe Blake though, and he would have k-" She choked, swallowing nervously and adjusting her blouse absently. "He would have killed me if he wasn't serious. I'm a Schnee, and he was White Fang, killing me would have been easy to justify to anyone. Even Blake would have probably understood it, even if she were upset by it. But he let me go."
"Yeah, how swell of him, not murdering you must have been very hard on him." Yang said derisively, stepping back and checking her Ember Celica before flicking her wrists torm them and then disarming them experimentally. "Now if you'll excuse me-"
"I won't." She said, grabbing her shoulder as she tried to walk away. Yang turned, part n instinct and part out of anger, and grabbed her by the throat, pinning her to a locker. There was no force to the hold, so she continued, though she gripped the blonde's forearm warily. "Yang, if you attack them for me, then they'll just come after me. They'll assume that I lied and sent you. And then they'll come after me for it."
Yang was quiet for a long second before gently setting her down, "Damn it."
"It's okay, Yang." Weiss said, rubbing her throat gently. "I'm fine, nothing happened just let it go."
She collapsed onto the bench, holding her head in her arms, and Weiss said next to her. "Sorry I grabbed you, Weiss-cream." She sighed, "Just… got angry and snapped. You're right, though."
"I know." She said, awkwardly patting the larger woman's back in a weak attempt at comforting her, She was very bad with people, especially in situations like this, and she hated it.
Yang wrapped an arm around her, pulling her against her chest in a hug and taking a deep breath over the Schnee's head, "I just feel bad that you got grabbed while you were with me. Like, you could be dead right now, because I wasn't paying attention."
"It wasm't mour mault." Weiss said, muffled while she weakly pushed at her stomach. "Mang, I meed mair."
"Hm? Weiss? What was that?" She asked, resting her chin on her head and smiling mischievously. "You sound kinda weird."
"I'm im mour mreasts, and I man's mreathe!" She said quickly, pushing harder, "Met me mo!"
"If you couldn't breathe you wouldn't be talking~" She teased lightly.
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"My fleet is almost ready, and the frigates are being escorted to the meeting point to pick up Raven's…" James trailed off before sighing, still angry at Ozpin clearly, "Forces."
"I know you are displeased by the need to utilize petty bandits and the like to fight Salem's forces, but I am glad to see you accept it." Ozpin smiled politely, and James huffed. "If it helps, they'll be weakened after this, so their raids will likely abate for a while. Not to mention that they won't need to raid with the supplies we give them for their services."
"You must have some other motive for using them." James asked as much as asserted at the same, looking at Ozpin sternly through the screen. "Or I should hope so, at least."
"I believe Spring may be among them." He admitted, raising a finger to ask for a moment when James looked like he'd explode. "I don't want any actions taken against Raven to get her back. I will attempt to convince Raven to hand her over, but she's at least protected with the Branwen Tribe."
"And the head of that particular snake can teleport her away in the case of a failure,I suppose." James agreed after a second, "Very well, I'll monitor and let you know if I see her, but I won't act against her directly."
"Thank you, James." He said, meaning it completely. "Your cooperation in spite of my story is welcome and appreciated immensely."
"We're not discussing that." He said shortly, Ozpin sighing and holding his hands out as though in surrender. "Do you need anything else?"
"No, thank you." James grunted again and ended the call,and Ozpin reclined in the chair, accepting an offered mug from Glynda as she passed. "James is still angry with me, it seems."
"Yes, he was quite...upset last night." Glynda agreed, sitting down across from him quick enough Ozpin almost felt some sympathy for her, "I am working on it, however. I just need time, and he'll come around."
Ozpin hummed in response, looking up at her after a second of staring at his mug, "Is Miss Nikos ready for what is coming? And her team mates, of course."
"Her training is coming along exquisitely, sir. And her team mates are prepared enough for a supporting role in the combat, yes." She sighed, shaking her head weakly,"I won't say I think they're ready, I don't, But I do think they'll at the very least stay alive through it, yes. I must insist you protect them though, or I will."
"If I fight beside them then I will attract far more attention to them." He shrugged after a second and sighed, "Of course, the moment Miss Nikos unleashes her Maiden abilities, our opponents will know she's there and move towards her,"
"Assuming they don't have some way of telling, of course." Glynda offered quietly.
"Indeed. So perhaps staying nearby is best, until she begins fighting in earnest." He said, nodding lightly, "Very well, make sure our plans are concrete then. Want our security prepared as well as our staff."
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