A/N:

Well, as a new name in this fandom, I might have to leave a few words here. I am a writer on this website for a while now, mainly League and Animé fanfics. This is my first RWBY fanfic that I work on, and it has been quite interesting thus far. I met Veraduxxz through a skype group filled with writers, and since we're both Dutch, and I was semi-beta'ing on his main fanfic already (thus pulling me (back) into RWBY), so we decided to work together on this really awesome idea.

Anyway, I think I need to start rewatching the series now… For now, Veraduxxz has been delivering the knowledge, while I provide the superior writing.

Without kidding, I am pretty hyped for this project, all that's left is to find out how to balance this with Wish of an Angel, and my quest for writing more M-rated stuff at the League Fandom. Anyhow, vacation's here, so there should be enough time. Writing this goes fast, and is fun, and -as said- I am pretty hyped up for the ideas that we have for this story. In case that you enjoyed this story, go see Vera's others, and check out mine while you're at it. ;-] See you in the next chapter!

-Alsodef

So. I don't really have to tell you a lot about the guy who wrote the author's note above me except that he is quite a sarcastic dude at some points. *cough*.

Anyway, this kind of started off funny, and this was the project I was talking about in Weapons Pointed at the Enemy - Redux Chapter 18. The idea came up and me and Alsodef started working on it. We have a large part of the storyline set up. It's going to be awesome. I brainstorm or discuss certain parts with Alsodef for Weapons anyway, so working together was quite easy.

But, I won't hold up any longer. Please enjoy Chapter 1 - Beginning

Veraduxxz

Chapter 1 - Beginnings

"Here at Abstergo Industries, we pride ourselves in advancing the human race by finding and enhancing the technologies of the past. In the last century, humanity has come far as we have researched and developed much of the luxuries and necessities the world now enjoys." the screen droned on. A commercial, mostly shown to the visitors to Abstergo Industries to 'woo' them into excitement for their products. To James Ironwood however, it was nothing but a repetitive nuisance on every working day of his life.

As Chief of the Animus division, more specifically Lineage Research and Acquisition, he was tasked with finding, acquiring and researching potential 'Assassins' belonging to the Brotherhood of Assassins', and making sure that they would be killed, or captured in order to study their use of 'Magic'. It had been a phenomenon that had been unknown to the Templars, but had been the bane of their existence for the longest time.

It hadn't been until they had placed a sleeper agent into the Brotherhood of Assassins a few years ago that they could destroy their enemies in an event that would be called 'The Great Purge'. All over Remnant Assassins were killed along with destruction of their bases, safehouses and training facilities. Of course Abstergo hadn't managed to kill all of the Assassins, but what remained would never be able to challenge them again, provided they would ensure it. That was where James' division came in.

The Lineage Research and Acquisition program was a program that had it's primary use in finding and capturing Assassins or their descendants in order to explore their memories and find the source of their magic, potentially to harness it for Abstergo themselves to complete the ascendance of the New World Order according to their plans.

However, it seemed that every day, some new failure struck the project, leaving their data incomplete and unusable. Taking people by force had of course the result that they would not always cooperate. Not to mention that it wasn't unusual for subjects to suffer from the bleeding effect, causing their brains to slowly deteriorate into madness, as some subjects before had done.
But nevertheless, their current subjects had provided more results as time had gone by. It had been the first time where they had found subjects that shared memories because their ancestors had been an Assassin squad, working together to complete most of their missions.

Stepping into his office and opening up the terminal, he quickly typed in his password. He had hoped more information about the 'Magic' the Assassins used would become clear soon.
As was customary there were many threatening e-mails from the higher-ups demanding results, and it only spurred him on to push his team and the subjects further to get them, even against the advice of his director. It wasn't until he read an encrypted e-mail about a hacking attempt that he feared the worst.

A tap on the glass door to his office alerted James and he already knew that the woman outside would bring nothing but more bad news. "Come in." James spat, his sour mood only worsening.

"Sir, we have a problem." the director said as her heels clicked on the marble floor.

With a heavy sigh James closed the digital terminal in front of him. "Tell me."

"There was a glitch in the Animus system. Subject 15 through 18 are dead." she said. James noticed four file folders in her hand already.

"How did this happen?" James demanded. The Board would not like this if he didn't find a solution to this and quick.

"We believe the Brotherhood of Assassins hacked into the system. As a result there are a lot of garbled memories in the memory bank and we think it caused the Animus to crash while the subjects were in it. We believe the Brotherhood of Assassins tried to inject their own memories into our data banks." the director said.

"I presume you've already sent the data to the Requisitioners so we can take care of them?" James stated gruffly.

"No. The signal was short and only injected something. We couldn't backtrace it properly. However, there is a silver lining." the director said before she put the folders on James' desk.

He took the top one and flipped it open. Ruby Rose, he read to himself. Descendant of 'Summer Rose', timeline start: 1478. He didn't need the specific details, just the necessary ones.

Taking the next one, he flipped it open and continued to read. Yang Xiao Long, Descendant of 'Raven Branwen', timeline start: 1480.

Taking the next folder, he repeated the process. Weiss Schnee, Descendant of 'Winter Schnee', timeline start: 1480.

"So I presume you've come to me with these files for a reason." James stated as he opened the last one. Blake Belladonna, Descendant of [Name Unknown], Codename "Belladonna", timeline start: 1484'.

"Yes. These are other descendants. Their locations are known and we are able to retrieve them right now. They are still just young children, but we could control them into helping us achieving our goal through exposure from this young of an age." the director said.

"Good. Do it. I'll inform the Board about the situation. Get the technicians to make sure this won't happen again. The Board will not tolerate another failure like this, I'm sure." James said, closing the last folder and shoving them towards the director again.

"Of course sir. I will make sure of it." she answered quickly, taking the folders and walking away, the clacking of her heels on the marble echoing around his office until she left.

James sighed to himself and rubbed his eyes with two of his fingers in frustration. The Brotherhood of Assassins had been a thorn in his side from the moment he got control of the program, but now they actually managed to kill his subjects. He opened the terminal on his desk again, typing in the special code for contact with the board. After a brief moment, the feed of his own camera sprang to life as he could see the other board members as well. At the head stood the General of the Cross.

"Ma'am, Gentlemen. There's been a situation." James started, hoping they would show mercy upon him.

"YANG! Yang! Wake up! It's saturday! We have the whole day to do what we want! Yaahaaaang, wake up!" The red haired girl was bouncing around the other bed inside the small room, occasionally shaking the lump on the bed roughly.

On top of the pillow, a bunch of unruly blond hair peeked from below the blanket. The girl, Yang, woke up rather slow. Her night hadn't been the best, as she had been awake a few times in the middle of the night, and her friend Ruby waking her like this was not always how she preferred her morning to start.

Since there was no stopping her roommate from bouncing around all excited in her pyjamas, Yang rose from her bed as well. Taking a few moments and shakes of her head to erase the slumber of the night, she headed through the hallway, a bunch of recently washed clothes on her arm. Ruby continued to bounce, even increasing her speed and excitement as they went towards the showers.

A few minutes later, both of them left their respective showering booths, hair bound in a turban of white towel, in Yang's case. Now, somewhat more awake, Yang realised that Ruby was right, and that it was in fact saturday. Saturday meant that there was nothing that they had to do, and therefore they could spend all the time on their own. Or in Yang's case, with Ruby.

They had been together for as long as she could remember, which wasn't all that long, but still. She didn't know why, but she always felt more connected to Ruby, even when she was waking her up like this, which happened way too often… Anyway, today was free-day.

"Yang, today is saturday. Cookie quest?" Ruby asked at her side with a hopeful voice, as she tugged Yang's shirt.

Yang smiled. It was their ritual to start their saturday with a cookie quest. Which was exactly as it sounds like: a quest for the cookie jar. The cookie jar was always placed in the kitchen, on top of a high shelf, by the matron herself. It was higher than Yang could reach, even when she would stand on the tips of her toes. However, with the addition of Ruby, they were always able to just reach high enough.

So, that was how they started their free-day. They would avoid the matron by sneaking into the kitchen when she started doing the morning round, and Ruby would climb on Yang's shoulders to reach the cookie jar.

"Higher Yang… Hnnng, yay!" The cheerful voice of the small red haired girl was accompanied by the sound of moving glass on wood, as well as a soft plop, signalling that the cookie jar was opened.

A hand reached down, handing Yang three cookies. Still having Ruby on her shoulders, Yang nibbled on the first chocolate chip loot. That's when she heard the door open behind them. In her haste to spin around, Ruby lost her balance, and after a few clumsy moves, fell down.

As a heap of red and yellow, they tried their best to get back on their feet fast, only to realise that they were in big trouble. In front of them stood the matron herself, together with a man in black and white clothes, and a green piece of cloth around his neck and in front of his chest.

Yang wasn't sure who he was, but she knew that the matron would scold them for their cookie quests. However, it was the man who spoke up.

"Hello Yang, Ruby. We have been searching for you, can you join me for a moment?"

Weiss sat on her bed, knees drawn up to her body. It was almost a ritual that she repeated every morning. The kids would call her names, she'd conjure .. 'something' and she'd scare them off and be left alone. 'Ice Princess' was one that they called her often, followed by 'freak'.

Weiss simply rejected their name calling. She was just different. Her 'powers' made her more than them, and that's what scared them. She didn't need anyone. She could only trust herself.

The door to the sleeping hall opened with a loud creak. The owner of the orphanage standing in the opening with two men in black suits in tow. Weiss looked over her knees at them.

"Weiss? These men are here to take you away, to your new home." the owner said, trying to sound as compassionate as possible.

Weiss kept silent and just stared at them, not showing any emotion.

One of the black men tried to make his way past the owner who stopped him with a hand. In a low tone, he spoke to him "Be careful. There have been incidents with her and the other orphans."

The first man simply pushed the hand away and made his way over to Weiss, standing at the foot of her bed and crouched down. "We're going to take you to a place where we can help you, okay?" he said, smiling at her a little and motioning his hand out to her to hold.

Weiss looked at him, then at his hand. Slowly she dropped her knees and took his hand, standing up from her bed. "Will I be okay?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes. We'll make sure of it." the man said as he guided her out of the sleeping hall.

Laughing, Blake lunged at her father with her wooden sword again. The rhythmic 'clacking' of wood against wood filled the backyard, as it did often since she had gotten the swords for her sixth birthday only a month ago. Blake loved to mock sword fight with her father. She had always loved the stories her father told her of her ancestors, mighty Assassins slaying the evil with superior might and skill. Her father too, wielded a sword, and she looked up to him to learn how to fight with one herself. This birthday, she had gotten a wooden one to practice with and Blake always tried to train every day.

The cat-ears on the top of her head, a trait from her Faunus heritage, twitched as they listened for every move her father would make. Blake would always try and hit him and sometimes her father would let her, she knew. But it still seemed she got better and better, at least to her. Sometimes she could hear his foot stepping in and instinctively remembered what he'd do next, so she'd block him.

"Lunch!" her mother called out, causing Blake to turn her head. A tap on her stomach was met with a loud guffaw by her father.

"And I win again!" he proclaimed victoriously.

Blake scoffed. "Not fair! You cheated! I was distracted!"

"Ah, but a swordswoman must always know their surroundings. Because if you forget a single thing.." her father started, pausing his words for a brief moment. Blake leaned it to listen to him closer before she noticed the mischievous glint in his eyes.

"A large Grimm might come and whisk you away!" he yelled, grabbing her, causing a playful giggle from Blake. He flung her over his shoulder and carried her inside.

"Oh my." her mother said, laughing a little. "Ever the brute."

Blake stabbed him softly in the back with the sword. "I'll take down this dangerous Grimm, mommy!"

Her father mock-growled as he fell onto his knees and placed Blake carefully on the floor, before falling onto his stomach with a defeated growl. Blake smiled and placed a foot on her father's back and striking a heroic pose. Quickly her mother grabbed the photo camera and shot a picture, the polaroid printed instantly.

"Well, Hero, you still need to eat to stay strong, so if you'd sit down.." her mother said and shook the polaroid to help its development process.

Her father stood up as Blake got off of him. "She's right. You've got to eat to become big and strong."

Blake quickly went to the table to sit in her seat, grabbing at the sandwich her mother had made for her and taking a large bite out of it.

Blake loved every part of her life. She was practicing her sword fighting and she had many books she could read. She didn't have many friends, but she didn't mind. There was enough to keep her busy.

It started with a knock on the door. Her father looked through the hole of the door before he turned to her mother with his expression grave. "Get Blake to the hiding spot and signal for help. Abstergo is here."

Her mother nodded at him. Blake was confused for a moment when her mother picked her up. Blake quickly grabbed the sword from the table as she was hoisted up and they went up the stairs.

"Mommy, what's going on?" she asked, becoming quickly more scared as her mother too had lost her warm expression.

"There are some bad men at the door, Blake. Mommy and Daddy are just going to have a talk with them." her mother said, trying to reassure her. The warmth in her voice was still there, but it sounded shaken.

Getting to the top floor of the house, her mother put her down and pulled a few books out of the bookcase and it opened up a hidden door, much to Blake's surprise. Her mother quickly ushered her inside.

"Blake, listen to me closely. Put your hands over your ears and don't come out of this room until me or daddy comes get you, okay dear?" her mother said.

Blake nodded at her mother with wide eyes. "O-okay."

Her mother smiled at her, cupping her cheek. She looked sad. "I love you Blake. So does daddy." she said before closing the door and leaving Blake in the darkness.

The moment it closed, Blake put her hands over the ears on the top of her head and closed off the ears on the side of her head with her arms. She could hear a dull cracking sound and a heavy thump. Then she could hear yelling. She couldn't hear what the yelling was about, but it didn't sound good. Blake curled in on herself, trying her best to stay strong. Then she heard a dull ringing off steel before two 'pops' silenced them. Blake didn't know why, but a deep pit formed in her stomach and she felt crying.

Mommy or Daddy will get me out of here soon. I just have to wait. Blake thought to herself. Every passing minute felt like agony to her, only footsteps signalling anything in the house. There weren't anymore loud noises, but still, Blake reminded herself of her mother's words.

Slowly the heavy footsteps disappeared, but Blake continued to stay put. When she didn't hear anything anymore, against her better judgement, she slowly pushed open the door. A soft creaking was heard as she opened it enough to look out.

"Mommy..?" Blake hesitantly called out. She could hear a pair of footsteps ascend the stairs and it felt like the pit in her stomach disappeared. However, when someone in black combat armor ascended the stairs, she was immediately frightened.

"Where's Mommy?" Blake asked again, slowly backing off of the man.

"She's with us. Just come along." the man answered, the heavy combat gear muffling his words only slightly.

"No, Mommy told me to wait for her or daddy!" Blake said and defiantly held up her wooden sword, aiming it at the man.

"Just come on kid, I don't have time for this." he grunted and tried to lunge at her to grab her.

Blake closed her eyes as she thrust the sword forward, causing a noise from the man. He slumped to the ground and it took a couple of seconds for Blake to open her eyes again. The man in combat armor laid at her feet, another man, this time in a scruffy cape and shirt standing in front of her. He had slick gray hair and his eyes were coloured deep red. On his back was a large sword with what seemed like gears in the middle.

"Hey there.. Blake right? I'm a friend of your mom and dad." the figure said, his voice gruff.

"W-where are they?" Blake said, her voice shaking by how scared she truly was.

"Don't worry. They're at a safe place. Your dad told me to give you this." he said and presented her a stuffed animal. It was a black cat. Hesitantly, Blake took it and hugged it tightly. It smelled like her father and quickly made it apparent that the man was indeed a friend of her mother and her father.

"What's your name?" Blake asked, peering over the top of the stuffed cat.

"Just call me Uncle Qrow, okay?" he said and smiled sympathetically. "Could you give me your sword? We have to give this man something to defend himself against the Grimm with."

Blake hesitantly gave him her wooden sword. "Okay. He's a mean man, though."

"I know. But sometimes mean men get what they deserve anyways." Qrow said and gently took the sword. "You just go sit on the stairs and don't look at me, okay? I'll make sure he knows he got it."

"Okay." Blake said and sat down on the side of the stairs.

With his own sword, Qrow shattered part of the wooden sword. A large frayed wooden spike now showed instead of the smoothed edge of the wooden toy. As silently as he could he shoved the wooden spike in the back where he had stabbed the man. Once it was firmly lodged in, Qrow stood up and walked over to the stairs.

"I'm going to pick you up okay? We've got quite a way to go and there might be scary monsters on the way, so don't open your eyes until I say so." Qrow said.

Blake nodded and closed her eyes. Qrow gently picked her up and made his way down the stairs, passing the living room. The house was a mess after they had tried to search for Blake, but in the middle, close to each other, Blake's parents laid. Qrow allowed himself one last mournful look before he stepped out of the house and made his way over to the Brotherhood's base, Blake in his arms.

"So, Miss De Lys, was it?" the man in front of her asked. "Why exactly would you want to work at Abstergo?".

She smiled, "Aside from the nice pay and lovely benefits?".

Her attempt of humour was apparently well received, for the man chuckled and nodded. "Yes, aside from that. Surely a girl with such high grades and recommendations can work anywhere."

"Well Sir, I have always been really interested in history. And that's basically what the Lineage Research branch is all about, right?"

"Yes, that's true indeed. We at Abstergo take great care in noting down all of history, provide another perspective, you see?"

"Yes sir, I know that. It's because of this that I would like to work here. I would love to be close to history, how it truly happened."

The man nodded, and wrote something down on his paper. "You do realise that, as an assistant, you will not be diving in yourself? Every now and then we get applications of people who are supposedly interested in the job, but only come here to experience the Animus themselves."

"Yes sir, I was aware of that as well. It doesn't really matter, as long as I am close enough to observe it. I have been in an Animus before myself already, so I don't really need to come here for the experience alone."

"You dived before? Really? As who, if I may ask?"

"My great-great-grandfather. He was a captain on a battleship that fought the Grimm. They wanted to know more about the ship, since they recently discovered it's shipwreck. It felt really weird, to dive as a man, but it was fun on it's own. However, it was the technology that interested me far more than the actual diving itself, so I studied Mechanical Engineering, with a thesis on the Animus."

"You studied ME, with a thesis? Ah yes, I recall seeing something like that in your papers. Quite remarkable for a woman of twenty-three. Anyway, I think you are pretty much clear for the job. Of course, this conversation is more of a formality anyway, but thank you for taking your time. We would like you to be here tomorrow at ten, ask for a guy named Jonathan at the reception desk, he'll show you around the building, and introduce you to the head scientist of the Animus department, as well as the scientist you will be working with. Any questions?"

"No sir, I think everything is perfectly clear, thank you." The black haired, nineteen year old Blake, currently known as Belle De Lys, replied to the Templar with a smile, before rising from her chair, shaking the extended hand of her conversation partner, and leaving the room.