Holy crap it's been awhile. But I'm back, and ready to kick some ass. Hope yall like this chapter.
Chapter 6: Cutting Ties
Cinder, Mercury, and Emerald walked into the warehouse that served as Roman's base. The gangster had failed to report of the last couple of weeks, and so Cinder had come to remind Roman of just who it was he and his midget were messing with.
"Cinder, something's wrong." Mercury spoke up while circling around. "I see almost no goons, no dust, nothing from Torchwick."
"Oh please, you probably just missed something." Emerald sneered at her partner. "If anyone can find that puff doodle, its Cinder."
Mercury rolled his eyes as Cinder ignored the attention. While she knew Emerald was only saying it to stay in her good graces, it did not hurt to have someone tell her how brilliant she is. But if there was one thing she liked more than that it was putting the help in their place. "Unfortunately, I believe Mercury is correct. Dear Roman is not here, and there is almost no sign of the White Fang."
"Almost?" Mercury said, still shooting a smug look at Emerald. While he didn't care about how Cinder thought of him, he did enjoy messing with Emerald. Her desperate pleas for affection from Cinder annoyed him to no end. Reminded him of his younger self, the brat who did everything for the father who never loved him.
"Look up their." Cinder said, pointing towards a blank crate. Following her finger, the two saw a bag tied together with a rope. The foux-Fall Maiden nodded to Emerald, who used the chains on her guns to pull the bag towards them.
The chains caused the bag to tear open, spilling the contents of the bag upon the floor. Emerald gasped, while Cinder's eyes narrowed and Mercury cocked an eyebrow. Strewn out amongst the floor where a collection of heads, each one affixed with the Grimm Masks of the White Fang.
"Roman...I did not think he was this stupid." Cinder growled as she bent down to observe one of the heads. Noticing something odd - a small line that appeared to be a scar - Cinder used her semblance to create a dagger of glass. Dragging the dagger along the scar - which wrapped around the head of the former terrorist - Cinder's eyes narrowed as the skin peeled back. Instead of blood falling out of the cut, a red wire appeared in the skin.
Dropping the head and using her powers to create a vacuum of wind, Cinder gestured for Emerald and Mercury to leave. As the two ran out of the wear-house, Cinder turned the vacuum on it's side, flinging the heads to the far side of the warehouse before creating jets of fire, propelling herself out of the warehouse.
Not a second later, the warehouse went up in flames, the shockwave knocking Emerald and Mercury off their feet and sending Cinder stumbling back. Snarling, the false Queen glared at the flames that consumed all of the previous Torchwick hideout.
Turning her back on the flames, Cinder stalked out of the shipyard, her subordinates dutifully following. "Contact Adam, inform him of the changes. Anyone who sees Roman or Neo is to-
"Boss!" Mercury's urgent tone interrupted her, though the glare she sent the boy caused him to flinch. Gesturing to his scroll, Mercury handed it over to her. "You should see this."
A snarl and a yell where all that followed as Cinder read the bounty for her ex-subordinate, Roman Torchwick.
Flinging the scroll back at Mercury - who bounced it around his hands before catching it - Cinder stormed back to their hotel. There was planning and research to be done.
(With Roman)
Roman smirked as he saw the alert on his scroll. 'Probably didn't kill the bitch, but maybe I got lucky and the brats are gone.'
Regardless, it didn't matter. He and Neo had gone to ground over the past few months, eliminating anyone who knew about their hidden bases, and moving others - specifically Junior and the twins - to a special base that no one would know about.
Putting the scroll back in his pocket, Roman looked back at his little brother, who was practicing his knife skills with Merida.
"Jaune you need to focus. Remember-"
"I know! Hold the knife in reverse grip for slashing and twirl it for stabbing. Only stab when the opponent has no way to escape. Knives are close range weapons and those who chose to specialize in them have to be fast, smart, and able to make judgement calls on the fly. But that's not me! I'm not even that good at close range combat."
"I know! That's why we're practicing. Until the gloves Roman designed come in you must be prepared to fight."
"I don't get why I can't just use Crocea Mors? It's my sword."
"Jauney that sword belonged to Mom and her family. Just like the armor. That's why we sent them back. You took that without telling her. And besides, didn't you listen to the old Arc stories?"
"Uh yea. The knights would always show up with Croacea Mors and defeat the villains."
"Except those weren't male knights dummy! All of them were female knights. Crocea Mors and the Arc fighting style around it is made for women. Its not made for men."
"Whats the difference!" Jaune exploded at his brother. "What difference does it make that the style is for women, I know I could have learned it!"
"No you couldn't have. Jaune this is why our old man-"
"STOP!" Jaune yelled, his aura flaring around him, causing Merida to back off. "Stop bringing him up! For the past month you've kept trying to convince me to fall back into place as Jaune Torchwick, but I'm not! I'm not that monster's child! I'm an Arc a hero!"
"If your a hero, why the hell are you here with me! Why the hell are you wanted as a criminal! If you think they won't throw you in a cell and throw away the key you are dead wrong!" Roman shouted back, neither brother seeing as Merida slinked out of the room.
"If I just talked to the Headmaster-"
"Ozpin can't overrule a decision made by the council! He's a headmaster not some ancient king!"
"But-"
"No buts!" Roman's eyes softened as he saw his brother look away and his shoulders shake. Sighing, Roman walked forward and grabbed his brother's shoulders. "Jaune, I need you to listen to me and to trust me. Trust that I know what will happen to you now."
"I do Roman I do...I just want this to stop. I thought when we all left we wouldn't have dad's reputation hanging over our heads. I just…"
"I know brother, I know." Roman said as he held his sobbing brother close.
No further words where needed.
(Time Skip)
Another couple of weeks had past and Jaune had assimilated himself to the gang. He learned more from Merida about advanced knife combat - even learning a martial arts that partially relied on knife combat - while also practicing his older skills with Roman.
Perhaps the biggest change in Jaune was that he learned how to harness his semblance, Aura Amplification. That had been an interesting experience, mainly involving an angry Neo and empty tubs of ice cream.
Jaune had also grown closer to the other members of the gang. At first, they had only really known him as Roman's kid brother, but now, in their eyes, he was a member.
So here he sat, with the other lieutenants as Roman stood before them, behind him a large tarp covering something. Taking a deep breath, Roman began to speak.
"Everyone the next couple of months will test us. And I don't just mean us being hunted."
"Yea that's nothing new boss." Simon said, before getting a glare from Damien.
"Silence doctor. Our leader is speaking." Getting an apathetic wave from Simon, Damien nodded back to Roman, who sighed.
"All right I'm cutting the bullshit. We are gonna be targeted by three different sides: the Huntsmen Academies, the Law, and, ever since a few weeks ago, a woman named Cinder Fall and her trained monkeys."
"Who are these monkeys Roman?" Jaune asked.
"Two are always by her side - Mercury Black and Emerald Sustrai. Both are trained killers, although Emerald is more of a pickpocket. Other than that, she's got the White Fang stationed here in Vale at her beck and call."
"Boss that's 3 armies that are gunning for us." Tristan said, twirling his gun. "Now, I don't wanna sound like we're already pushin up daisies, but the future don't look to bright."
"Tell me about it." Roman said, lighting a cigar. "But we will survive, because we are survivors. All of us have survived something awful. Our childhoods, our lives, even until recently our lives have been tragedies. But, now, now is the time for the survivors - for the hunted - to rise above that."
Turning around, Roman tore down the banner, revealing a large grouping of letters on a table.
FURES IN AURORA
"In an old language this means 'Thieves of the Dawn'. And that's what'll we'll be. We've always been thieves, that doesn't change. But we will always make it through. We'll be free, no matter what, we'll live and die free. Free from slavery, free from monsters, free from anything and everything that could ever tie us down."
Roman finished his speech, as the group stood up and clapped. One at a time, the group began to exit, leaving only Roman, Neo, and Jaune. Jaune, noticing the looks between his brother and the shorter girl, simply clapped the older man's shoulder and gave them a goofy thumbs up while walking out.
Roman sighed and shook his head as Neo giggled at the younger man's antics. Roman pulled a chair out and sat down, placing his forehead on his cane. Neo came up and placed a hand on his shoulder.
(With the Agents)
Agents J and K looked down at an ice cream parlor called Neapolitan Surprises. They knew what it really was. Agent J ready his gun and knife, while K drew two short swords.
They had a job to do.
Cut!
I know it's short but it's setting up for the rest of the first Arc. Thank you all for sticking by this long and I promise it won't be as short next time.
I know the Latin doesn't really make sense, but I liked it.
TheSaintsFollower, signing out.