"I don't know, Jeanette... Should I take it?"

I don't expect a response. Turning, I gaze at the resting face of my comatose sister, her chest rising and falling with her breathing. I come to visit her whenever I can, just to talk if possible.

"So much has happened in such a short time... I found the first clue, Jeanette. The guy that was hired to kill Dad... But he won't talk. I need to give him time, that's all."

I move closer and stand next to the bed, grabbing one of her limp hands in mine.

"Still no word from Kurei... She's still in Atlas, I know that much. But she hasn't tried to contact me at all... And I don't want to try to contact her. I want to hate her so bad for running, but... I can't, Jeanette. I feel that... If she hadn't done it, I might have... I'll bring her back one day, I promise... Just not now."

I look to the window, taking in the rising sun.

"I'm sure if you were here right now, you'd tell me to take the chance without a second thought, wouldn't you? You always were the studious one out of the two of us... And me? Always moving around, wanting to do something. The more things change, eh?"

I look back at the face of my sister. When we were younger, I would always ask her to play with me out of boredom, but most times she'd say she was busy with schoolwork or reading. When we played together, though... Those were the best times of my childhood.

I smile tenderly at the comatose girl. "Yeah, you'd tell me to take it immediately. And I will. I was thinking it over a lot last night, but it's a good idea."

I lean down and kiss Jeanette's forehead, looking at her tenderly. "I'll visit again soon, I promise."

And with that, I take my leave.

Driving down the road to my motel room so I can finish packing my things, I continue to ponder the offer Ozpin made me, as well as what he had said about keeping track of me and my remaining family.

I can only wonder how he does it. I could keep track of people thanks to my backdoor connection to the CCT and my semblance, but I wasn't sure if Ozpin was the same. Had he been having me and my sisters tailed?

That can't be; I'm sure I'd have noticed if he had someone tail us.

Then how?

A sudden vibration in the back of my head brings me back to the present. There's a crime about to be committed, not too far from my place actually. I set a waypoint to the area and race there, just barely avoiding collisions along the way. Thanks to Focus, I'm able to perceive any oncoming obstacles and avoid them, but I can't use it all the time. Gives me a terrible migraine.

In roughly three minutes, I reach the area where the crime will most likely be committed. Parking my car along the edge of the road, I look around the area. It's a residential block with a few apartment buildings here and there, as well as a convenience store, a gun shop, and a clothing store. A quick scan at the inside of the stores through the cameras I can see show me nothing particularly alarming, so I get out of the car and walk into the alley between two buildings, my profiler on and scanning.

As soon as I turn the corner, I immediately jump back and lean against the wall, watching the alley. The profiler had focused on some girl that looks to be just a bit older than me leaning against the wall of the left apartment building and constantly looking around the corner. I keep an eye on her, pulling up my mask. As soon as it's in place, I see another woman start to walk up the alley, distracted by the scroll she's talking into. I narrow my eyes, keeping track of both of them.

The first girl I focused on suddenly steps out, blocking the second girl's path.

"So you think you can just take my man and not expect some retribution?!" the first girl exclaims angrily, reaching into her jacket.

"He moved on from you! Just face it, bitch!" the second girl shoots back derisively.

I slowly stalk out and around the corner, keeping to the shadows while pulling out my staff. The first girl seems to have the same idea, but instead, she pulls out a pistol.

"Oh, you think you can talk like that to me?!"

"Whoa, what do you think you're doing, you crazy bitch?!"

As the first girl starts to aim the gun at her 'adversary', I dash in, extending my staff. Before she can fire, I spin it and slam it against the underside of her wrist, sending her shot flying into the air. As she turns to look at me, I twist the staff and hit the back of her knees, sending her to the ground, then collapse part of it and use it to hold her in a choke hold. I look up at the other woman, who was gaping at me.

"Go, get out of here," I order her.

The woman nods rapidly, and after a quick, "Thank you," she runs out of the alley the way she came.

When I feel the girl I'm holding start to struggle wildly, I pull harder on the staff, fully cutting off her air until she passes out. I lower her to the ground, then set a beacon on the CCT for the police to follow. This girl already has a record of stalking and harassment charges, but hopefully this time, she can stay behind bars for a bit longer.

"What a petty crime," I mutter, lowering my mask and moving out of the alley, back to my car.

When I get to my motel room, I realize that stopping that crime has cut into my time to catch the airship departing to Beacon, so I quickly run inside, strip, and jump into the shower. After washing myself up, I put on one of my favourite outfits: a black shirt, then a sleeveless orange sweatshirt (stitched with bullet-resistant Earth Dust) over it, and finally a white, short-sleeve jacket that reaches down to my knees and has a triple hexagonal design on the upper back. After putting on some black pants, boots, and a grey cap, I pack the rest of my outfits into a large backpack and head out, stopping by the clerk quickly to pay the next month's rent in advance. I'll come back another day to get my drives and stuff, but right now, it would be too much to carry.

I quickly run outside and jump into my car, screeching out of the parking lot and onto the highway. The normal roads would be too cluttered at this time of day.

As I approach the airship port, I note that one big airship is still there, Beacon's insignia painted on its side.

"That's it, huh?"

Quickly parking my car in the parking lot out front, I go to the trunk and open it up, pulling out my backpack. After setting it next to me, I reach in and grab a lever on the trunk's floor, pulling it up and out.

There, on the space where the replacement tire normally sits, are my best weapons.

First, I grab a strap that contains two strong magnets, wrapping it under my orange, sleeveless sweatshirt so that it's covered by both that and my white jacket, and strapping it around my torso. Then I pull out two leg holsters, one small and one medium sized. I attach them to each of my legs, the medium sized one just under the knee of my left leg while the small one is strapped mid-right-thigh.

Next, I pull out my long range weapon: The Destroyer, a two-shot-per-clip anti-material sniper rifle that can penetrate anything in a hit or two and leave cars a smouldering wreck. I move it to my back in a vertical fashion, and the magnet on the left side of my back immediately attracts it, keeping it attached there until I grab it.

I reach into the trunk again and pull out my first mid-range weapon, and a personal conquest of mine: a biometric, fully automatic assault rifle, about half as powerful as the other rifle on my back. Thanks to a specialized aura and fingerprint scanner on its handle, the rifle will only fire while it's in my hands, and after having used it for some time, I stashed up what money I could and ordered similar modifications be made to my main weapons. I reach back and place the rifle next to the Destroyer, the second magnet holding it there.

My second mid-range weapon, though it's also pretty good for close range fights, is a burst-fire revolver nicknamed simply "Chrome" due to the chromatic silver finish. This monster of a handgun is just as powerful as the biometric rifle, but has a much smaller clip, only having nine shots per clip. I usually use it as a finisher weapon anyways, so that doesn't bother me.

And for my final weapon, a close-range one, I pull out a silver, sawed-off shotgun known as the D12. It isn't the best out there due to the two-shot-per-clip limit, like the Destroyer, but it makes up with its power in close range, having 12-gauge shells as ammo. How this thing can still wielded one-handed is a mystery, but I manage.

Finally, I pull out four compact packs that I attach to my belt, each one containing the ammunition for my weapons. I order them from biggest to smallest sizes, with the pistol and shotgun ammo on my left, and the assault and sniper rifle ammo on my right.

Finally, I stash my collapsible staff in a pocket on the inside of my jacket, and with that, I'm ready to head out.

As I enter the airship terminal, I'm given several looks by the patrons inside, likely due to the weapons on me. I ignore them for now and head to a person standing underneath a banner that has Beacon's logo. Around the uniformed guy are several people, one of which I recognize as Ruby Rose. I focus on the guy, who's giving out instructions.

"... First years must come to Beacon on the airship, as you will be given instructions on the way. Once there, you are to make your way to the main hall, where your will be further instructed. Any questions?"

One guy near me raises his hand. "Yeah, one question. If we have any personal vehicles, what do we do with them?"

"If you wish to bring them with you, Beacon does have an underground garage. You may leave your key and scroll number with my associate here," he motions to a woman next to him, "and they will be delivered after you arrive."

'That'll be useful. The rest of my weapons are still in the car.'

I walk over to the woman and hand her the key to my car outside, giving her my scroll number and the car's description. As I turn around, I nearly run into a buxom blonde girl. At this close range, the profiler activates automatically and gives me her information.

'Yang Xiao Long, 17 years old. Mother ran away when she was young.'

"Excuse me," I say, making to walk past her.

"No worries, hot stuff," she responds in a flirty way, giving me a wink.

I look back at her and raise an eyebrow, but she doesn't say any more and walks with a sway of her hips to the woman. I shake my head and continue on my way.

The trip to Beacon is largely boring, but after the airship docks and we all step out, the 'fun' begins.

The first thing being an explosion.

While I'm walking up to Beacon's admirable courtyard, the sound of an explosion catches my attention. When I look to where it came from, I'm actually not that surprised to spot Rose standing by a sooty, human-shaped object which the profiler soon recognizes.

'Weiss Schnee, 17 years old. Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company.'

Ah... There's a name I'm iffy about.

The Schnee Dust Company is the largest and most well-known Dust mining company in Remnant. However, its infamy is now as large as its fame due to some controversial leaked documents and its Faunus labour. But that isn't the only reason. Being the biggest distributor of Dust around, many of the backdoor deals and smuggles that involve Dust in any way lead back to them... including my family home's bombing. Thing is, the data I've gotten is incomplete, so I can't be sure that they're the culprits.

Regardless, I watch as another person walks up to the duo, a black-haired beauty that seems to have made catwalk striding her main walking motion. Once the profiler focuses on her, an interesting little titbit comes up.

'Blake Belladonna, 17 years old. Cat Faunus. Ex-member of the White Fang.'

Ah, the White Fang. There's another group I'm familiar with. The easiest connection I have to them comes from the fact that half the crimes I've stopped are from White Fang members attacking shops and utilities, especially Dust shops like From Dust Till Dawn. If this Blake used to be a member... Maybe she can answer some questions I have about them. Though not now. I bring it up as soon as I meet her and I run the risk of scaring her off.

When both Schnee and Belladonna walk away from Rose, the former a huffy mess, I notice Rose fall to her knees, then her back, sighing dejectedly. Understanding her plight, I walk over to her, intending to introduce myself (properly this time).

"Sound like you're having a tough first day already," I say as I approach her, holding my hand out.

"You could say that," she sighs, giving me an awkward smile as she takes my hand and lets me pull her up.

"The name's Jaune. What's yours?" I ask, for formalities.

"Ruby," she responds, her little smile still in place.

"Well, I can see you certainly took to your name," I muse, looking her up and down.

"Heh, yeah," she just agrees awkwardly, and we stand there in relative silence. Before I can think of anything to say, however, she says, "So… I have this."

And with a little flourish, she brings out her sniper-scythe, slamming the tip against the floor.

"Oh, nice," I comment, looking the weapon up and down now that we aren't in a battle. It has the same colour scheme Ruby has, and I recognize the scope as the same kind that my Destroyer has.

"Yeah, I built her myself," Ruby says proudly.

"You built that?"

"Yeah! All students at Signal forge their own weapons. Didn't you?"

"I never went to Signal," I answer, "Or to any other school. Plus, I never saw the need to make a transformable weapon."

"Oh, so none of those on you transform?" she asks, and I can hear a little disappointment in her tone.

"No, but they're pretty good nonetheless," I shrug. I pull my two one-handed weapons from my legs and hold them out. "Check it."

She looks at them, then grabs Chrome and moves it around a little, checking the grip, trigger, and even sliding out the magazine. This girl definitely knew her way around weapons, perhaps more than people. Makes sense, too, considering she has an apparent addiction to them.

"Wow, this is a really powerful handgun, though it seems like it's got a specific firing type."

"Yeah, it's a burst fire revolver. I call it the Chrome. It has a limit of nine shots per clip, and three rounds per shot, but I use it as a finisher so it's not particularly bothersome."

She hands me back the revolver and takes the D12 from my left hand, popping it open and checking it out.

"Ooh, 12 gauge shells? Nice and powerful, but what about rounds?"

"Again, pretty short. Two shots, but like Chrome, they're damn powerful. It's also got a pretty nice spread, so it's difficult to dodge fully."

"I see," she says in an interested tone before looking at the two larger weapons on my back. "And those?"

"Ah, maybe I'll show you them some other time," I smirk as I turn away and begin to walk to the school.

"Wha-? Hey, come on! Please?!" Ruby pouts, an admittedly cute as all hell pout, but something that doesn't faze me.

"No, Ruby, not now. We have an antechamber to get to."

"Oh yeah, about that… Do you know where it is?"

I close my eyes, connecting to the CCT and pulling up a map of Beacon. To my surprise, I find instead the actual blueprints for the building.

'Why the hell are these in the air?!"

I shake my head a little and scan it quickly, checking where we are, then where the antechamber is.

"This way," I lead the red-themed girl, turning left. Ruby follows along.

Minutes later, we reach the large room that the introduction is supposed to be at, both of our eyes widening at the amount of people there.

"Oh," Ruby suddenly perks up, "there's my sister!"

I focus on where she's pointing, noticing a familiar blonde girl waving at us.

"Wait... That's your sister?!" I exclaim. "She looks like she could be more my sister than yours, no offense meant."

"None taken," Ruby giggles. "We're half-sisters."

'Ah, that explains it.'

"Well, you better go. She's waving at you," I say.

"Sure! See you later, Jaune!"

And with a flurry of rose petals that appear as soon as she bursts away, Ruby leaves.

'She really is innocent. But her heart is in the right place, and she's got some good determination. She'll go far.'

Sighing, I make my way to the middle of the room, crossing my arms and looking up at the stage, where a lone microphone stands. A few seconds later, however, a snippet of conversation catches my ear.

"... And we can talk about cute boys like tall, blonde, and... scraggly over there."

'Scraggly?'

Now, I'll admit that I'm not overly muscular, but I don't need large muscles. I have a runner's build, meant to be agile.

With a raised eyebrow, I look at the girl that's pointing at me and am not surprised to see the white hair, skin, and outfit of that Schnee girl. Shaking my head, I walk over to the girl, a hand on my shotgun.

"Excuse me," I say to her.

As soon as she begins turning, I draw my D12, aiming both barrels at her eyes, which widen in panic.

"Boom," I say. "This 'tall, blonde, and scraggly' just blew your brains out."

As she looks at me with wide eyes, I holster the gun and look at the girls she was talking to.

Ruby and Xiao Long. Of course.

"Are we going to keep meeting like this?" I ask Ruby in jest.

Ruby gives a half-hearted chuckle while her sister observes me with a little smirk.

"Soooo..." she drawls, stepping closer. "You're her new friend, hot stuff?"

"That I am," I nod, holding my hand out. "Jaune Arc."

"Yang Xiao Long is the name," she says, shaking my hand enthusiastically. "Don't wear it out, 'kay?"

"I'll try my best not to," I chuckle.

"Why, you little…"

I hear the sound of a hand gripping metal and quickly turn, activating Focus instinctually. Schnee is glaring at me, her hand on her rapier. I deactivate Focus and lash out, grabbing her wrist, preventing her from drawing the sharp object.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," I growl.

She looks between my eyes and my hand in surprise, then glares at me. "Unhand me at once."

"Are you going to stab me with your pointy object?"

"I will not deny that I have the urge to do so."

"Then no."

In the back of my head, I barely register the fact that Ruby and Yang are nearly bursting with laughter, but I keep most of my focus on the heiress in front of me.

"How dare you point a weapon at me?" Schnee sneers.

"How dare you call me scraggly? Take a good look at me," I respond. Schnee does, but I talk before she can say anything. "Besides, I didn't point a gun at your eyes because you called me names. I did so for dismissing me like that. Anyone, if they truly want to, can catch one unawares and take them down. It only takes the right sting in the right place for a fly to bring down an elephant. Remember that."

And with that, I let go of her and turn back to the stage.

"Plus, you shouldn't start a fight here. If you want to fight, we can always do so once initiation ends."

Schnee stares at me for a little bit, but eventually turns to the stage herself, crossing her arms and studiously ignoring us.

"Well, that was exciting," Yang comments. "Better than the boring fest this is. Seriously, where's the headmaster?"

As if on cue, a door on the stage opens and said man steps out.

"There he is," I say jokingly, making her give me a scrunched look, a mix between annoyed and amused.

"I'll… keep this brief," Ozpin starts with, pushing his glasses up. "You have come here in search of knowledge. To hone your craft and acquire new skills. And when you are finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy; a need of purpose… direction…"

'Harsh, but honest…'

"You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will show you that knowledge can only take you so far. It is up to you to take the first step."

And with those words, he leaves, and Goodwitch takes his place.

"You will gather in the ballroom tonight. Tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready."

I raise an eyebrow. That was pretty short. Also…

'This is a ballroom?'

A few hours later, the rest of the prospective students and I were lounging around the ballroom, getting ready for early turn-ins.

Earlier, Goodwitch had come by and lead us to the locker rooms, where each of us was given a rocket-propelled locker (they had apparently outfitted each one with a propulsion system and enough fuel to travel directly to any spot in Vale) to stash our weapons and ammunition in. Some redheaded asshole had tried to shove me into one, and ended up with a concussion thanks to my staff.

Regardless, I had decided to leave my weapons there and simply change into a pair of shorts, though I kept my bullet-resistant vest on me. Slight paranoia, I guess, but it's a habit by now, and I've grown used to wearing it to bed anyways. As I hadn't brought a sleeping bag, I decide to simply use one of my spare jackets as a pillow. I don't need a blanket.

As I walk to an empty spot I noticed after finishing my nightly routine, I feel eyes on me. Turning to the source, I chuckle when I realize Yang is giving me a flirty look. I shake my head and continue on my way. It isn't that she's not interesting, but right now, I don't really feel like getting into a relationship.

It would be too dangerous, honestly.

As I lay down, I can still feel several vibrations where my semblance is telling me that there's a possible crime out there. Today, however, I leave it up to the police. I can't constantly mark the areas of possible crimes, as then they can trace my signal (I found out I do emit one) and cut me off, and I don't have anyone trustable enough to give them the info anonymously.

I sigh and turn my back to the wall, ignoring a squabble going on a few meters away and closing my eyes. I need to be well rested for tomorrow.

…

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