G.N. Chapter 39 (Patreon)

I do not own Bloodborne or RWBY.

A very special thank you to Patrons; your support is the fuel that lets my creativity burn all the brighter. So, thank you to –

E-Elf, Lee yang, Laplase, DocBot200, SkeletalPheonix Games, J-Rubia, Reed Gel, Alex, Jared Whitten, Tuber, Doubledoor, Colin, Dominik Michalczyk, Ryan Roberts, Not the smartest guy, Kolton, Andre, Loneshadowolf, Dev123playz, WoolJarl, Richard, Biowar, Ramon Diaz, Timothy D Theis, RangerNyhm, alex Fang, Eternal Frosty, Alberto, StormDrake, Bo Tran, Aelak, xydra22, Jeremy Hernandez, TheNamelessOne, Spex, JoeLikes Coffee, Doot DareusX, Matthew Hennes, Matthew McRoyall, Raven, clagann, Isaac Clutter, Isaac Najera, DogmaPiece, ThePanzerMedic, Jellow345, LiAndo, SeidrRaum, A Bad Rose, Sam Lee, Altaslaalsa, Dunton, Duane V, morten sonne, Twitch Twitch, Giovanni Lara, ShadowLord, Chalino, Brownie2020, Stephen, Hyptherion, NexUS9000, Sover­_Invic, Nauq, Skinnybonz, Grieve, Alexander Gilman, PoisonPen37, The Feral Gale, Dovadork, Angus Etheridge, Sirhawk, LOLZMAN, Krypto, ZBHuman, LoneStar, Beeman, Archmagos Veneratus Errant Rho, Albert Alvaro, idontexist, Tacoman3, Fazeclan Gandhi, Mercer Smiit, Benjamin Herschel, uo b, Tyrell Facey, Dustin Dubbo, Casey Valentine, Daraon, Mr.Mystery101, Hayden Harrison, Junsheng Limwilfrid, Adelphos Praeses, Charles Vanover, Rhy White, Christian Yukish, Xi, Artysian, Dale Austinson, John Southworth, Letrok, Historiarum Scriptor, AnDa, ShadyDeals, mike, Alan, Eaterofkneecaps, McMessy96, Legion_13, CaptainNibblesSpaceKitty, Elijah Garrett, Sylvardrake, David Sims, Misiercorde, Lescieux Jesus, Jeremy Shaw, lautaro olariaga, MalachiaDemon, Tyd Podz, caleb jenkins, Hyperion, Jean Maclay, Cole Alia, Sindraelyn, Nermin Memisevic, TheOnlyChou, Kevin Sanchez and MRimaloser, charles baker, TheScientist 23, Primal Realm, Rudolph, Shirokama, sean cassidy, The Blue Cow, Setsura Yuki, Resurrection99, Cleiver r pineda liborio, Zhahir Mochdie, Chandler Porter, Elz, Bellcross, Kenshin Uzumaki, Gunther Wulfgang, Skrubstar, guise, Marcussky, Spyglass, Link901, yoshijrlol25, Quva, Seanmonbeazt, Christian Savin, Beowulf, Koala, AliciaBell, Roxas Ordic, ArticRead, banana knight, Samuel Schmitt, Sir Gollum, randomguy, Xavier Abednego, White, Toxi Havoc, Fujisona, Exalted, Dewey08, Vexatriss, Dominic Ferlauto, Ekvathien, Magdragon, Slowchoke, Cooper Smith, Ayden Wolfe, Ján .Juráš, Jonny Van der Westhuizen, Remington0, Samuel, CideredApples, Arkavious, Squig-Herder, Captain_parad0x, WarlordWithAMountain, Alexander Welch, gustaf ganz, Xdrone, Bootbash, geci10, Raveren, a slice of pizza, The Anti-Simp and Lawrence.

I hope this story continues to be worthy of your support.

Chapter 39 …Action

“Good Hunter?”

He was unsure what to make of the Doll’s reaction to him, her usual picturesque likeness and her nature, making deciphering her emotions something of a trial.

Well, usually, this was the case.

Jaune did not have to struggle to conclude that the Doll was probably curious about his state. It was unusual, but the clothes that remained adorned on his person were still very much in a less-than-stellar state.

Usually, the dream would reconstitute the majority of person and adornments… only his weapons curiously seemed to bear the brunt of their wear and tear.

Them and his spirit…

Her tall stature only made the straightening of her back and the shift of her shoulders that much more noticeable. “Good evening, Doll, I apologise for my state, but I am afraid… things may have gotten out of hand,” Jaune admitted, running his bare hands down the beat-up leathers that were in a shabby state, to be sure.

“… Are you well?”

Jaune blinked.

Then he smiled and relaxed.

“Quite so now, it is good to see you,” Jaune admitted.

The Doll's head angled slightly as she relaxed her grey eyes, finding Jaune’s own, “Welcome home, good Hunter.”

“Thank you,” Jaune nodded.

Jaune would not depart from the Dolls company for a while more, talking to her and sharing a few interesting topics regarding the realities of Yharnam. He tried to linger mostly to topics lighter in spirit, but by nature of their beings, it would slip back toward hunting.

The Doll did not seem to mind, though, which Jaune reasoned was sensible, given that she was able to convert the esoteric power of the Blood Echoes into his strength.

He made sure to greet and spend a moment with the little ones, the always enthusiastic little critters welcoming him enthusiastically.

Then it was to the workshop.

To say there was work to be done would be an understatement, and Jaune would see it done correctly. Luckily, he had long since learned that time was nothing if not malleable to the whims of the Dream.

Dying so much you lose count had that effect.

For the time being, Jaune cast aside any thoughts that did not immediately pertain to his arsenal, as he needed weapons if he was to get anywhere. He could use makeshift tools in the interim, but he would need a real weapon against a monster like the one in the Grand Cathedral.

A Hunters Weapon.

He kicked open his chest, and what he found inside cemented the fact that this was unlikely to be a quickly resolved matter.

It was telling that his Kirkhammer, the weapon that had broken in two, was arguably the least damaged of his arsenal. Jaune simply grabbed the heaviest of his weapons from inside the chest and got to work, the lid of his chest closing behind him.

He placed the heavy weapon on the workbench, cast off his armour, leaving him only in his buttoned-up shirt with rolled sleeves and got to work. Luckily, Gherman had already taught him how to maintain his gear. As such, it was not a task he felt unprepared for. Much like most of the procedures he performed with his weapons, it revolved around the usage of Blood and alchemy.

With a quick cut to his finger and the required tools in hand, as well as aid from Hugo to grab a reference book he needed, Jaune got down to the lengthy task of repairing his arsenal.

He couldn’t say how long he worked; in truth, he wasn’t sure either, as he didn’t pause for breaks other than to enjoy some tea gifted to him by the Doll. At some point, the workbench became the entirety of his focus, his weapons, every one of them slowly coming back together. He had blueprints and manuscripts lifted from journals and left on the bench spread about.

At some point, he began to regard the Doll with a simple nod of appreciation when she brought him fresh tea. Papers or books he needed would appear on the bench without him even needing to lift his head from his current task.

But most importantly, when he finished one weapon, another would be laid on the side of his chair, ready and waiting.

All the way up to the last.

A metallic click and the swipe of a bloodstained cloth signalled the end of his efforts as he completed his repairs on the last of his weapons. He held it aloft, checking it over, scanning for faults or damages he had missed…

But there were none.

He sighed, placing the weapon back on the bench, his red-tinted fingers brushing over the cold steel; he pondered whether the metallic scent in the air originated from the blood or steel…

Or was there even a difference at this point, given the amount of Blood needed to perform the alchemy to restore his weapons?

He dragged his hands down his face, massaging the flesh with his fingers, noting the feel of his fingernails, the sharp abstract between his calloused flesh and the jab of the keratin tips. How long had it been since he had forgone gloves again?

Right… he couldn’t remember.

‘Worrisome…’

He massaged the flesh of his hands, noting that his nails still appeared darker than he recalled them being and that his flesh was darkened with lighter streaks of skin beneath. He needed to wash…

“Good Hunter?”

He didn’t startle at the sudden appearance of the Doll despite being surprised, he found he lacked the energy for such an explosive reaction.

“Doll?”

“Do you have need of me? You seem to have finished your tasks… more tea perhaps?” The Doll enquired.

Jaune blinked, “Oh… no, no umm…” he looked about then recalled what he had been thinking of only moments before. “Water… I would like to wipe off my hands. Would you mind-“

“Of course,” The Doll nodded, walking towards a cabinet, withdrawing a bowl and then proceeding to the heated pot by the fire. “I have hot water, but if you-“

“No, that will be perfect, thank you,” Jaune quickly explained, not wanting to bother her.

“Very well,” The Doll poured the hot water into the bowl before finally grabbing a clean rag. “Will this suffice?”

“This is perfect, thank you,” Jaune smiled.

The Doll seemed to look at him for a moment, her eyes glued to his face before she placed the bowl on the workbench and handed Jaune the rag. Jaune found himself staring at her fingers, the most and sometimes only sign that the Doll was, in fact, not just a beautiful woman.

“Is there anything else I can help you with, good Hunter?”

“No… well, I don’t suppose you know where I could locate the attire I left with little Anima, do you?” Jaune asked, finding that he felt particularly undressed in the presence of the Doll and her many shawls and layers.

“I will enquire with the little ones. Hopefully, they have not been mischievous,” the Doll was quick to proclaim her tone, gaining a stern quality that had Jaune smiling.

“Hmm, Anima did not seem the type, but such would likely only make her more able to perform such… it’s Stitch I would keep my eye on,” Jaune chuckled.

“I will be sure to find out, pardon me, good Hunter,” the Doll bowed.

“Do as you will, thank you again,” Jaune replied, returning the Doll's bow.

He had grown used to her servile behaviour but not to the point that he would say that he was comfortable with it. The Doll was kind and always quick to offer her kindness and aid even without his say-so. To treat her like a simple staff or servant would no doubt afflict him with guilt foul enough to churn his guts.

So instead, he would meet her pass-for-pass until, hopefully, she would either become more comfortable around him or… well, maybe she would at least cut back on the bowing.

Maybe use his name more… that would be nice.

With the Doll gone, Jaune wasted no time using the water. The steaming clear fluid was quite hot, but the rag helped sap away at least some of the heat. He just had to ring it out with care and speed in equal measure.

The feel of the warm rag dragging over his face, however, was… beyond welcome.

He hadn’t realised how dirty he felt.

He wiped down his face and neck, even going so far as to unbutton his shirt and paw the filth he could not ignore off his body.

Then he got to his hands.

At first, he began to wipe down his palms and fingers above the water, the hot, wet rag dragging over his miscoloured skin.

But before his eyes… he still could not see a change.

And so the feeling of filth lingered.

Jaune found this appalling in a manner he had not expected, and it led to him plunging his hands, clutching the cloth into the steaming bowl of water. He would purge the feeling of clinging grime as he would the scourge. Such was his action that soon steam and water left the bowl in equal measure.

The water was steaming, and his flesh pinkened from its heat, but anything resembling pain was lost as he scrubbed and brushed his hands with vigour. He raked at his flesh, his darkened nails clawing at flesh and the rag rubbing harshly on pinkened skin.

He did so with such fervour… that the steaming water began to redden.

He halted, watching the crimson fluid stir and mix with the water slowly, the thicker blood swirling and dancing in the now stilling water. He didn’t know how long he stared, only that the water was no longer steaming when he finally removed his hands from it.

Jaune dried his hands before carrying the bowl outside and dumping its contents on the plants out front. His mind was still as he did so, void of thought or emotion as he did his best to put his actions out of his mind.

He hardly felt the sting in his hands.

Jaune walked back into the Workshop. Trying to shake off what had just happened, he placed the bowl back on a side table and slumped into a chair.

His hand, by instinct or force of habit, ran through his hair, forcing his fringe out of his face, his nails scratching at his scalp.

‘They felt kind of sharp…’

Next to the fire, Jaune examined his hands; though still pink, he noticed… that the white lines he thought had been streaks of clean flesh were still present. He traced them with his fingers, but for the life of him, he couldn’t tell what they were, as they felt like plain skin.

But he didn’t remember them being there, though given his most recent bout of missing time, that might be indicative of his mentality rather than his physicality.

Watching his finger graze across his flesh; he couldn’t help but find his attention drawn to his fingernails… they still seemed darker than what was right.

“… I dread to find a mirror,” Jaune muttered, finding himself feeling very uncomfortable all of a sudden.

In his own skin, no less.

‘What’s under it might be even worse…’ Jaune thought, his mind replaying the scene of Gascoigne’s transformation and the woman who became a Beast within the Grand Cathedral.

“… I need help,” Jaune admitted, his voice so soft the crackle of the nearby flames easily trampled over it.

He made ready to seek out Gherman so that the old man could spare at least some advice on the direction he was supposed to take.

But he could not even remove himself from his chair before a low groan demanded his attention.

Jaune, having long gotten used to responding to the vocal commands of the Messengers, turned to face the origin of the noise. There, he beheld the sight of Hugo, small and with the same shade of flesh and faint glow as all his kin.

And in his hands was an open book, its aged pages agape…

And on them… was a picture of a cup.

YVYVYVYVY

Oto looked out over Bastion with a keen eye from his vantage point in the most southern of the residential districts. It was home to many apartment buildings, as was the trend for most cities; with limited space, it was only logical to build up.

Well, in most cases.

He lowered his binoculars, glancing over the edge to see the sparsely populated streets below; it was just after the end of peak hour, so the roads were nearly abandoned. The operation would be beginning soon, and Oto would be lying if he said he wasn’t excited.

He had been a member of the White Fang as long as he could remember; he had literally been raised in the organisation. He had never known his parents… but he knew enough.

His mum was Faunus, his dad was a mystery, and his mum had been rescued while pregnant with him. She had died giving birth to him, but luckily, they had been with the White Fang at that point, and Rajah was not one to abandon a Faunus in need.

Especially not a newborn.

That was how Oto became a part of the Bastion Cell, though he had no idea where he or his mom came from initially. But he loved it; ever since he was little, he had wanted to help, be like Rajah, and save Faunus.

Even as a young kit, he had been helping the cause, running messages and deliveries, keeping watch and helping sneak into secure places. As he grew, his skills only became more refined.

As did his understanding of the realities of the world.

He had lost his first baby tooth to a kick from a gang member of an anti-Faunus group; it had hurt.

Watching Eury beat down the same man and his entire gang had been one of the most amazing things he had ever seen.

When he was 10, he was arrested for the first time; the cops had grabbed him as a suspect in a B&E. The irony was that he was guilty of helping steal a car the next block over, not that they had known that.

He had not enjoyed that brief stint in lockup… but got revenge by tagging police vehicles.

When he was 14, he suffered the worst beating of his life. A turf war had broken out between a bandit gang with a hideout in the city and the Bastion Cell. They had been their business partners until it came out that they also dealt in Faunus.

He wasn’t supposed to be there.

But he had wanted to help.

He had been beaten so severely that when he woke up, it was a whole week later, and he had his Aura unlocked. Eury had done it; it had been the only thing that saved him, and it was just a good thing she had been around.

There had been others that didn’t make it.

He had run in with a bat… they had guns.

He had been obscenely lucky.

Eury began training him from then on. It was a jarring change; he had been the oldest member of the Chitters, their leader.

But a Chitter with Aura wouldn’t work.

Chitter’s where kids, inconspicuous and unseen… Aura kind of ruined that.

Unfortunately, he did not take to combat training nearly as well as his stealth training. But there were fewer missions for a stealth operative with Aura in Bastion. All it would take is one Huntsman with a decent handle on Aura sensing, and things could get hairy fast. He could still find the occasional job… but it was more problematic.

A teen with Aura was just too damn suspicious… well, Aura users who weren’t Huntsman were suspicious in general.

He sucked at fighting… and stealth was now a lot more complicated.

Eury explained that when he got a better handle on his Aura, he could move unseen once more, but… that had been over two years ago. He couldn’t even run missions outside the city… it was too big a risk to have an Aura user when there was a risk of Grimm.

All because he wanted to be a ‘real’ White Fang.

‘Fucking peer pressure,’ Oto thought spitefully, looking through his binoculars towards the building where tonight’s objective was located.

He was but one of the many different operatives the White Fang had to serve as lookouts and scouts throughout the city tonight. His position might seem out of the way, but Oto had been taught long ago to know that looks could be deceiving. Some of him still desperately wanted to be in the thick of it…

Especially with the Vale branch leader heading the operation.

He had been incredible; how he took apart that bastard Simon had only made the bull Faunus even more impressive to Oto. That was the kind of Faunus Oto wanted to be: fierce and powerful, capable of making a difference.

But he knew better.

He was far from the best fighter in the White Fang… he was garbage, actually. Every Faunus that had come with the branch leader looked ready to go to war… Oto knew he would be liable to get in the way.

… Or worse.

“Yo Oto!”

Oto’s ear twitched as the voice echoed from the other side of the building. He turned around, a scowl coming to his face as whoever was calling him was being way too loud. He hurried over to the opposite side of the roof, and what he saw made him scowl.

Sandy, another White Fang member, a kid like him who had joined the White Fang in his teens, was at the base of the building. He wasn’t alone.

“Hey, there he is!”

Oto’s fists clenched, “would you stop shouting.”

“What?” Sandy shouted.

Oto breathed angrily, putting his finger to his lips, “Shh!”

“We’re coming up!”

“Go away!” Oto hollered back.

“Will you shut up!” A random resident bellowed out their window, causing Oto to swiftly move away from the roof edge. He didn’t have his mask on, let alone his hood.

His ears were nothing if not noticeable.

He counted to five before he looked back over the edge of the roof and resisted the urge to scream obscenities as he watched Sandy and the rest of his group climb up the fire escape. Oto decided to ignore them and hurried back over to his post.

He did not want to endure Eury coming down hard on him… again.

Especially not tonight… this was big; this was what he had been dreaming of his whole life. Tonight was his chance to make a difference, and he would not fail.

“Hey! How you doing, Oto?” Sandy cheered, swaggering over loudly, throwing his arm around Oto’s shoulders.

“Stop shouting,” Oto ground out, his ears curling at the loud boy's voice.

“Pshh, I ain’t yelling. Your ears are just too damn sensitive,” Sandy smirked, his hand flicking one of Oto’s admittedly very sensitive ears.

“All the more reason for you not to shout,” Oto rebuked, shrugging the boy's arm off, turning to see the bald teens giving him a less-than-pleasant side-eye. “What are you even doing here.”

“What do you think? We are here for the op!” Sandy boasted, his mates agreeing as he reached down to rifle through Oto’s bag.

Oto resisted the urge to stomp on his arm.

“Stay out of my shit,” Oto warned, sliding his bag closer to himself with his foot before he looked through his binoculars again.

Still no air traffic.

“What ya looking at,” Sandy sniffed, trying to peer through the binoculars, his head ramming into Oto’s.

Oto took a breath; he couldn’t afford to break the binoculars; he didn’t have a backup pair.

“Why the fuck are you here, Sandy?” Oto asked again.

“I told you we are here for the op-“

“No, you aren’t,” Oto cut him off, “I was ordered to be on lookout, alone.”

“Well, that’s not what I was told,” Sandy shrugged, rubbing his nose.

Oto knew he should ignore the boy but asked anyway, “And what were you told?”

“We were to meet up with you and assist you with your real objective,” Sandy lied.

“Really?” Oto pretended.

“Yeah!” Sandy smiled, thinking he had lied successfully, “So what’s your mission, huh? How you helping hunt the Scn-“

“Shut the fuck up!” Oto hissed, swiping at Sandy, trying to silence him, listening carefully to see if anyone had heard him.

“Wha-“

“Shh,” Oto shushed, holding a hand out, his ears twitching as he listened to the room beneath him.

…

Nothing.

Otto sighed.

“Are you out of your fucking mind? What if someone heard you!” Oto whispered and shouted at the bulkier teen.

Sandy just snorted, “You’re overreacting.”

Oto growled, “Just fuck off, take them with you, Sandy none of you are supposed to be here.” Oto peered back at Sandy’s group and noticed they had at least been smart enough to keep their masks off.

Small miracles.

“I told you-“

“Lied, you mean,” Oto scoffed.

Sandy groaned loudly, leaning against the lip of the building, “Come on! They had us listening into chatter over by the fucking warehouses; there was literally another group there already doing that!”

“Then you should be there doing that,” Oto rolled his eyes, pulling his binoculars up.

Sandy did not relent, though, “or… we could go and really do something.”

“No.”

“Come on, don’t you want to make a difference-“

“Do I look that fucking stupid to you!” Oto hissed, annoyed that Sandy would have the audacity to use the same line he had used two years ago.

“… Honestly.”

Oto was done.

“Get out of here, or I will report you, and something tells me you might not be up to suffering the consequences this time… The Branch leader doesn’t seem the type to wave off failure, or did you miss the show he put on with Simon,” Oto snickered.

Sandy blanched.

“… The fuck you just say?”

Oto went rigid.

He knew that voice.

He didn’t even have time to look back before a hand grasped his ear, and his teeth were grinding against the concrete lip of the building.

“You cocky little shit,” Simon snarled into his ear, “you think you're better than me.”

“Simon? Rajah sent you-“

“Rajah can eat shit!” Simon shouted in Oto’s ear, “sucking up to that fucking bull like that, it's fucking pathetic!”

Oto tried to shove back, but… Simon was stronger.

“Fuck you,” Oto hissed out between his teeth, “You were the one running your mouth.”

Simon didn’t respond verbally. Instead, he tugged Oto up and sent him rolling across the roof. Oto skidded to a stop and tried to get up, but Simon was by far the better fighter.

Oto was pressed, his arm held aloft as Simon’s boot stomped on his scapula.

“Woah! Check! This! Out!” Sandy cheered, pulling something from Oto’s bag.

‘Shit…’

“Damn, Oto! You were holding out on us,” Sandy laughed, shouldering the rocket launcher.

Oto was far more concerned that Simon let him go and strode towards Sandy and the very heavy weapon.

“Wait, don-“

A boot caught him in the face, shutting him up.

“Shut it, mutt,” Simon barked, walking over to Sandy, but instead of going for the rocket launcher, he went for Oto’s bag.

Oto cringed as he found a map.

Simon only looked at it for a handful of seconds before he looked towards the rest of the Faunus and gave a crooked smile. Oto would have to be blind not to notice that Simon’s teeth were in quite a state—one of his pronounced canines broken in half and an incisor missing from his mouth.

“Boys… how would you like your own luxury airship?”

Oto paled as the rest of them cheered.

Before he knew it, he was being tugged off the roof and shoved into their van. His Scroll was left on the roof with his radio. He was jammed next to Simon, who was giving him a less-than-friendly look.

Worst of all… they were bringing the rocket launcher.

They made it to the city's edge far too quickly for Oto’s liking, and just as they crossed out into the outskirts, his watch buzzed.

It was beginning.

YVYVYVYVY

Adam walked with purpose.

Gekko, his lieutenant, covered his left, and his unit moved with discipline and unity behind him.

Their plan had commenced, and their approach was perfect and utterly mundane: a garbage truck retrofitted to serve as a transport. The smell was horrendous.

Neither he nor any of his Faunus so much as uttered a single complaint.

The trip was wholly uneventful by design, with Adam ensuring they would not move until after the traffic activity dipped low enough to minimise possible issues. The truck drove through the streets and found itself secured in an alley near their mission location.

They waited there until the time was right, the signal being the inconspicuous rhythmic knock on the outside of the garbage truck.

Their window was open.

There were cameras on the outside of the building, and security was stationed on the perimeter. However, the security was situated primarily towards the entrances and exits, and the cameras were positioned at points of elevation.

So they would avoid both.

While the garbage truck parked in the alley, and before the engine was cut, a manhole was removed simultaneously as an internal hatch was opened. The fake garbage bags that gave the illusion of a full truck did not so much as a budge as the customised waste vehicle became far emptier.

They had been forced to pack light to ensure they could fit more men in the vehicle they requisitioned off the Bastion Cell. But this would not pose any issues for his unit; each was hand-picked and had served alongside him multiple times, some since his days in Mistral. They had trained under and alongside him and were more than a match for the average Schnee mook who chose to throw their life away.

In the case of something a little more hazardous, Adam was confident in Gekko’s abilities to handle the matter.

Their entry point was a service tunnel; it had less security, and what was there had already been handled by agents on the scene. One such agent waved them on, and the Faunus in question, with their whiskers, gave them an acknowledging nod.

Adam returned it.

They pulled out an employee key card and handed it to Adam just as panned.

“Remember 60 seconds,” they said before they hurried away.

A part of Adam disliked that they would not stay and provide further support, but he ignored that issue for the time being. He had more pressing matters to focus on.

They pressed on, a right, the second left, 3rd door…

It was propped open, which was against the building regulations, but the employees did so regularly for ease. Hence why, it was chosen as their entry point. Adam grabbed the handle and threw the door open, stepping into the room smoothly, Gekko at his back.

It was clear.

A single Lemur Faunus sat atop a step ladder, nodded, hopped off the piece of equipment, and moved towards her toolbox. A member of Adam’s unit was already relieving the maintenance worker of the required tools.

His radio crackled to life.

“Hey, how’s that camera going down there?” The static voice asked over the radio. Adam peered at the camera; it was clearly disabled because otherwise, a storm of guards would be marching down on them.

“It's going,” the maintenance Faunus replied crisply.

“Any Idea when it might be done?”

“Sooner if you let me work,” the Lemur Faunus replied crisply, communicating to Adam’s group to follow them.

There was no radio reply following.

The lemur Faunus led them down the basement level, pausing at a bend before turning back around to face Adam and his group. “I will wait here; when I see you guys get to the correct level, I will count down from five; after that, lights off.”

“The car park?” Adam asked; he disliked asking needless questions, especially given the situation, but the operatives were all locals.

It was prudent to be sure.

Rather than reply verbally, the lemur Faunus pointed down the hall, and a smoking figure waved. “As soon as you start loading up, the security barricades go up.”

Adam nodded.

“Remember, 60 seconds or the elevator doors will trigger an alert,” Her piece said; the lemur moved over to a power box and began speaking into her radio.

Adam turned to his unit, getting a nod from Gekko.

“Positions,” Adam ordered.

Adam eyed them, including Gekko and himself; they were only 14 strong, but it was more than enough. The rest of his men were dispersed at other key locations, ready to supply support or engage in backup plans as the situation developed.

Another 12 men were stationed nearby in one of their custom vehicles, ready to provide reinforcements. If they were called in… things would get messy, but Adam was confident they could handle it.

‘Blake should be here.’

Adam sniffed and moved to stand with Gekko.

During the Great War, despite being primarily specialised towards night strikes and sabotage, the White Fang had been forced to engage in numerous battles. This spawned a specialised group within the White Fang that was more targeted towards dealing with open conflict and, in turn, became quite infamous for their lethality.

They were by no means the ‘Red Wake’, but within the White Fang, they were the best.

One of the first things Adam did when Sienna implemented herself as the new High Leader was to reconstitute them.

Despite now being the leader of the Vale branch of the White Fang, Adam much preferred his other title.

Leader of the ‘Chimera’ Unit.

Adam gave the command, and the elevator door opened.

He spared a glance to his right and saw the smoking Faunus disappear to complete their task, pleased at the haste on display. The whir of a power tool rang out from inside the elevator as the access hatch on top of the elevator popped open. The safety lock on it rendered useless as they just bored through it.

The hatch popped, and Adam and Gekko moved in.

Adam leapt onto the roof easily, the height being nothing for someone with even minimal Aura training to clear. Gekko took a knee inside the elevator, and the rest of his Chimera Unit began to enter.

Gekko would give them a boost, and Adam would pull them up simultaneously; even with the clock counting down, the efficiency with which they moved could not be understated. Within the 60-second time frame, everyone was accounted for either within or on top of the elevator. Adam moved to the front of the elevator, Gekko inside doing the same.

Adam watched as the doors went past one after the other.

His heart was calm in his chest, but all the same, the anxious energy of what was to come infected his muscles and bones.

“Brace,” Gekko warned before hitting the emergency stop button.

This was as high as they could go without tripping security.

“Lock it,” Adam ordered, and two Chimera quickly got to locking the Elevator in place by jamming the mechanisms responsible for lifting the heavy metal box.

Then Gekko was beside him, and he heard it.

The power was off.

Lights out.

It had taken the combined effort of several different operatives from the Bastion Cell to complete this. Still, the building and several surrounding buildings were now entirely without power.

This was it.

Gekko quietly but swiftly moved to the doors of the secure floor, the crowbar in his grip resting on the gap, ready to be wedged in. Adam was beside him, and below, he could see Chimera shouldering their weapons and assisting the last few onto the roof.

Adam looked to Gekko; his second was waiting for his say-so.

Adam took a breath.

His hands fell to Wilt and Blush, his balance almost wholly on the tip of his toes.

“Go.”

Gekko wrenched back on the crowbar, and his Aura-enhanced strength left the doors splitting apart with all haste, the sound quickly alerting the security guarding the elevator.

Adam wasted no time.

Wilt swung, and the two men dropped, blood smearing the walls.

Adam moved onto the floor properly, Wilt drawn and at the ready; Gekko soon joined him, pulling his brutal-looking weapon from his back. Behind him, his Chimera Unit filled in until they were all present. He had yet to activate it, though, as they would still, for now, cling to what stealth they could.

Adam kept his voice low as he spoke, “Find the Schnee, eliminate any opposition on me.”

Adam marched forward, his red blade dripping.

Tonight…

It would taste Schnee blood.

YVYVYVYVY

As soon as the lights went out, Jaune knew he should have taken the girls straight back to the hotel.

After Sky’s incredible performance, she had talked to some of the other contestants; Jaune had easily been swayed to allow her to attend a gathering. The offering of free food swayed Jade.

It was a ridiculous thing to be swayed by as he was more than willing to buy food for her.

The gathering had been… unpleasant. Jaune was easily the tallest person there, and this was the cause of many a look. Looks that made Jaune have to fight the urge to throw himself out a window.

Not in a suicidal way.

It was just the quickest way out of the building.

Eventually, he had found a comfortable area to sit that was out of the way and still granted him an easy view of the girls.

It was curious; Sky was really in her element, and if he didn’t know better, he would think that Jade was imitating him. Sky all but danced around the hall, picking at treats and drinks that Jaune had already checked were not alcoholic. She received many compliments on her singing, which was only proper as she was indeed talented.

Jade was merely a social buffer or support as the situation required aiding Sky along so that she might make the most of this ‘after party’. The atmosphere, for the most part, was jovial. Jaune only had to glare at one rude girl, and after meeting his gaze, she avoided Jade and Sky for the rest of the event.

Jaune even enjoyed some bacon-wrapped shrimp, a true delicacy by his ratings.

But then the lights went off.

The music cut and the chatter died as someone let out a startled yelp as the room plunged into the dark.

Jaune was already moving when someone began to ask ‘what was going on’, and different people started to pull out their Scrolls for light.

It was not nearly dark enough to impair his own vision, even if it was where he had long learned the scent of his siblings. He could track them from opposite sides of Reach if need be.

“Jaune?”

“Yes, are you both alright?” Jaune questioned, his hand resting on the back of each of his siblings.

“Yeah, it's just a blackout,” Jade supplied with a shrug.

“Do you know what is going on?” Sky asked, not thinking it odd to assume her knowledgeable big brother would be aware of something.

“… No, but I don’t like this,” Jaune admitted to his siblings.

The room was filled with anxious bodies, curiosity and fear.

Blood.

Jaune’s eyes widened as the metallic tang of blood brushed against his nose.

“We need to go. Now,” Jaune told his sisters quietly but firmly.

“Huh?” Sky uttered, confused.

“Like right now?” Jade asked, noting her brother’s serious tone.

“Yes.”

Jade didn’t ask again, “Let's go,” Jade nodded.

“Hey, wait, but what abo-“

“Sky, listen to Jaune,” Jade instructed her younger sister.

Jaune picked them both up, Sky letting out a surprised squeak as he lifted both of them off the floor, and he began to move through the crowd.

As cramped as it was, he had moved through tighter still; the many confused bodies were brushed past as Jaune moved to the exit.

Blood.

Jaune halted and looked around.

His eyes settled on the landing and the outside world it led to.

Jaune cleared the room in as few strides as possible; the smell of blood was growing more potent, and the same substance in his veins was beginning to… agitate.

The warm night air and the faint trace of sea salt did little to settle it as Jaune looked around for an escape route. He resisted the urge to curse violently as he found no landing below their level nor a feasible adjacent one.

“Jaune?” Jade asked, a trace of worry in her words.

“Thinking,” Jaune replied quietly.

Jaune looked up.

Another landing, but it was in the wrong direction.

A door crashed off its hinges inside, and Jaune halted his deliberation. Both girls were silent now as screaming and shouting could be heard inside.

Then, the sound of suppressed gunfire ripped through the air.

The silence that followed was damning.

Jaune whispered so softly that he was unsure the girls even heard him, “Hold on to me as tight as you can.” But when he pulled his arms away from the both of them, they were clinging to his torso with everything they had.

With his hands now free and a threat behind him, Jaune wasted no time hopping on the railing that ran around the edge of the landing. Never had he been more thankful for his great height, as he did not even have to jump to reach the next landing above, his hands latching on as he pulled himself up.

The girls may have been absent for all the additional weight they supplied.

Jaune tried not to jostle the girls, given how badly both trembled, their terror silent as he climbed onto the next floor above, but expediency was the preferable trait in this case. Jaune wrapped his arms around the girls as soon as he could and held them tightly.

That had been far too close, and he still was unsure what that had been.

As he sat on the dark of the landing, he could hear talk below, but for now, he ignored it.

“Good job,” Jaune praised his two sisters, holding them close; Sky was shaking badly, but even Jade had been spooked.

“Jaune, what’s going on,” Sky whimpered.

Jaune kissed his younger sister's head, “I don’t know, but I need you both to be very quiet for a moment,” Jaune instructed as he tried to listen in on what was happening below.

YVYVYVYVY

Adam strode into the room, his eyes bouncing around, finding the other door already occupied by a Chimera pointing their guns at the huddled mass. A glance was sufficient to tell him that the Schnee was not present.

There was no security.

Well… no more security.

Adam walked forward, eyeing the terrified faces; a part of him twinged to see Faunus in the group.

‘Unimportant, we aren’t here to hurt them anyway.’

Adam looked lower, his eyes scanning over their persons until he spotted a dark-skinned human wearing a pricey suit and a lanyard with ‘staff’ written across it. He quickly snatched the badge, ignoring the startled yelps and cowering as he tugged the man forward.

His skin was slick with perspiration, and his eyes darted about in his head as Adam yanked him out of the huddle of bodies.

“Do you know who we are?” Adam asked, his voice clear.

The man nodded, his throat bobbing as he swallowed, “W-white Fa-ang.”

“Correct,” Adam nodded, reaching into his coat and pulling out a picture of his target, “Tell me where this man is, and no one in this room needs to die.”

There were scared cries at his request, terror settling over everyone like a wet sheet.

“I-I don’t-“

“I want you to think about the answer you are about to give very carefully,” Adam warned, returning the picture to his coat, drawing Wilt and placing his sword across the man's throat, fully prepared to decapitate him and grab the next staff member present. “We know he was here for the taping earlier, we know he didn’t leave, we know he is in the building… where is he.”

The man's dark skin would have likely had a sheen had there been lights to catch in the chilled sweat that now clung to the shaking man. Adam counted to three, and still, the man hadn’t said anything, so it was that Adam reared his hand back and prepared to lop the terrified human’s head off.

“W-wait the man spluttered, his words coming out in a jumble of spit and stuttering,” as he raised his hands.

Adam did wait, only for the man to lock up again.

Luckily, someone else came to his rescue; a woman with a child behind her standing toward the edge of the huddle stepped forward. “He’s not here!”

Adam looked at the woman, and though she couldn’t see it, he was contemplating the human race's stupidity.

“Did you not hear me-“

“No, I mean he’s not here, on this floor; this party was for contestants and crew. The execs went somewhere else,” the woman managed to get out her words far clearer than the blubbering mess Adam was still tossing up whether to kill or not.

“Do you know which floor?” Adam asked calmly, dropping the wet, terrified human who flopped to the floor.

“No, but I saw him go upstairs,” the woman admitted.

Adam nodded, turning around and walking away.

“Hey, wait!” The same human he had been threatening reached out, trying to grab him.

His hand fell to the floor with a thump, blood gushing free of his freshly made stump.

His scream was blood-curdling, but Adam ignored it.

“Watch the doors; if they try to leave, kill them all,” Adam ordered to one of his Chimera.

“Yes, sir.”

Adam didn’t even spare a look back, heading back to the hall.

Ever his shadow, Gekko fell into step over his left shoulder and his Chimera, now down to seven at his rear.

Adam swiftly moved his head on a swivel as he waited for either Atlesian Knights or an SDC Security detail to open fire. They hurried quickly through the second private floor when Adam suddenly felt a chill race down his spine.

He paused, his grip on Wilt tightening as he looked about, his Chimera doing the same with their SMGs.

“… Adam?” Gekko whispered.

Adam didn’t say anything but kept staring out onto a balcony, the smell of the ocean wafting through the open door. He took a step, bringing Blush up as he saw a curtain flutter in the breeze, the scent of salt carried on the breeze.

Then he heard an all too familiar sound.

“Airship!” Gekko growled out, activating his weapon; the time for stealth was well and truly gone.

“They’re here for the Schnee!” Adam bellowed, forgetting the odd chill and sprinting for the stairs. “We are not losing him!” Adam roared, tearing up the stairs. Gekko was behind him, and the Chimera maintained a tight formation as they trailed behind.

When Adam reached the third private floor, he received confirmation that their prey was near.

In the form of a hail of bullets, he dashed through to reach cover.

Blush bucked in his hands as he returned fire and watched a human head disappear into a fine red mist. A body slammed next to his, but Adam ignored it as he fired two more shots, only one finding its target.

“We need to give the Chimera space to move up!” Gekko shouted over the bullets that chipped away at their cover.

Adam nodded, drawing up Wilt.

“Serpentine!” Adam barked, and Gekko exploded from cover, darting to an intersection in the hall, the hail of gunfire following him, his weapons great size serving to catch bullets instead of his Aura.

Adam lunged out a moment after, and the hail of bullets that came his way was far reduced, and he returned fire with Blush as he went.

A new sound joined the gunfire as Gekko revved his weapon’s engine, and the massively modified chainsaw roared to life.

Further enhanced by Aura when Gekko swung it the cover, and the SDC scum hiding behind it were obliterated, blood painting the ceiling and wall.

There was a slight break in the gunfire as Gekko never failed to elicit a response when he got his hands on someone. Especially not SDC.

Adam pressed the advantage, vaulting into the front foray, and Wilt began to parry bullets and sever heads in dual strokes. All too soon, he saw the tide shift as the Chimera started to return fire, their bursts of bullets forcing the SDC to remain in place as Adam and Gekko closed in.

Above, the roar of the airship served to drive Adam on like few things could, Blush cracking against a man's jaw, utterly destroying his mandible before he fired a round into the human's skull.

“Schnee!” Adam roared as the flesh behind his mask began to itch, and his Aura channelled into Wilt, igniting his blade.

“Push up!” Gekko roared, tearing a door from its hinges and reinforcing it with Aura, turning himself into a mobile shield.

Adam became the tip of the spear, a hurricane of slashes and lancing gunfire as anything that failed to retreat quickly enough fell before him. The Chimera were lethal bursts of gunfire shredding through SDC security that tried to fire at Adam or flee before him.

And all too soon, the final set of stairs came into view.

Above was the last private floor, and above that, the landing pad.

But more importantly, somewhere above them.

Was the Schnee.

YVYVYVYVY

Jaune peaked around the corner; the sound of gunfire above was continuous and worrying—his sisters were both terrified now, and Jaune found the urge to rip something apart growing exponentially.

He needed to get them out of here.

“It’s so dark,” Sky breathed, fear tainting her voice.

Jaune was loathe to hear his younger sister so afraid and quickly took a knee before his sibling.

“… Sky, listen to me,” Jaune turned around, his hand cupping his younger sister's face, forcing her to lock eyes with him. “I am here; nothing is going to happen to you, I promise,” Jaune swore before kissing his younger sister's forehead.

“Here, Sky, hold my hand,” Jade mumbled, grabbing her younger sister's hand with only minimal fumbling in the dark.

“ ‘Kay…”

“… Both of you keep a hold of each other and stay behind me … we need to be extra quiet,” Jaune instructed.

“Ok… what are we going to do?” Jade whispered.

There was no response.

“Jaune?” Jade whispered a little more frantically.

“… We are going to get to the elevator… or perhaps the stairs and get out of the building. Then we will return to our hotel… then we will go home.” Jaune announced, his eyes settling on something that drew his attention.

“One moment,” Jaune whispered before breaking glass filled the hallway.

“What was that?” Sky squeaked, doing her utmost to keep quiet.

The two girls saw Jaune walk beneath the light of an exit sign, their tall brother looking like a pale wraith beneath the less-than-flattering light.

In his hands was a fire axe.

Jaune spun the weapon around, getting a feel for the weight, “Stay close, stay low and stay behind me,” Jaune ordered once again, his tone quiet but severe, both girls nodding despite the oppressive dark.

Jaune breathed a tremor in his lungs as his blood began to stir.

The scent of death was in the air now.

Death and Blood.

“No matter what happens, girls… stay together,” Jaune whispered, turning around the axe in his hands, feeling… comfortable.

“And when I tell you to… close your eyes.”

“Why?” Jade asked.

Jaune spun the axe, his grip again.

“… Just do it.”