Yang squinted against the bright, flashing, lights of the club at the bartender. "Strawberry Sunrise," she ordered. "No ice."

As the bartender made her drink she spun around in her chair and took in her surroundings. It was a dance club, the kind she used to sneak into when she was a teenager. Now the loud music and sparatic light shows were a recipe for a headache. I'm turning into my uncle. She thought to herself with a sigh as she faced the counter again, accepting her drink. It was refreshing and sweet, exactly like the little sister the beverage reminded her of.

She glanced at her watch and frowned. "He's late."

Pulling out her scroll she clicked on a file titled "Junior". He was the owner of the bar and small time gang leader. Illegal dust trafficking, gang violence, theft, the typical stuff. He was also her target for the evening. The police weren't getting anywhere with him, he knew all their guys, so they hired her to bring him in. A simple arrest with enough money to cover the rent of her cheap, run down, studio apartment. He usually checks on his bartender right about now. Where is he?

As if on cue a middle aged man in a suit slid into the chair next to her. "I don't think I've seen you before," he spoke smoothly, almost rehearsed. "I'm sure I would recognize a face as beautiful as yours around here."

Show time. Yang smirked over her glass and put on her best flirtatious smile. "Just moved into town," she turned to face him and crossed her legs, allowing one to gently stroke his calf. "I heard this was the best dance club around."

She fought the urge to gag as he flashed her a pervy grin. "Well you heard right Blondie. But this is just for the normal people. Wanna see where the real fun happens?"

She leaned closer to him and placed a hand on his knee. "I would love for you to show me."

He led her upstairs, past two guards, and into a dimly lit, smokey, room. Around them people were sitting at tables playing Poker and Blackjack. Add illegal gambling to the list of things he's guilty off. Junior walked past all of them, giving the occasional person a nod or high five, and straight into what Yang assumed to be his office, locking the door behind him for privacy.

"So whatcha think?" He asked as he plopped into his chair and spun around a few times. "Pretty swanky huh?"

He's almost making this too easy. She sat on his desk, facing him and gently grabbed his tie, tracing her fingers along the argile pattern. "I think you have a weakness for pretty faces Junior."

"Guilty as-" his smile fell. "Hey wait a second I never-"

Yang tightened her grip on his tie, pulling him forward, and covered his mouth. "I also think you've been a pretty bad boy Junior. The cops have been trying to get at you for months now and yet you always manage to just barely slip through their fingers," she uncovered his mouth and flicked her wrist allowing her seemingly harmless golden bracelets to turn into their actually deadly shotgun gauntlets. "So how do you wanna do this? The easy way or the painful way?"

He glared at her. "Ain't nothing easy about me."

"Coulda fooled me," she saw him reach for something under his desk and sighed as she just barely dodged the giant club he brought out. "Painful way it is then."

He leapt over his desk and swung at her. Once, twice, three times in a matter of seconds. Instead of dodging this time she blocked the attacks with her arms. He's stronger than he looks. She thought to herself as the pain from blocking settled in her shoulders. I might use that against him.

"So the cops hired ya huh?" Junior asked as he jumped back a few feet, breathing heavy from his frantic swinging. "You're pretty well trained for a mercenary."

"I had a bit more formal training than most," she smirked. "Now I'm trying to do this without causing to much damage to your nice night club so if we can just-"

She was cut off as Junior put the giant club on his shoulder and fired two missiles from it. The blast sent her flying through the locked door and right onto the Poker table. She groaned as she got up and nodded to the shocked gamblers. "Evening guys," she clambered off the wrecked table as Junior climbed over the ruble that was once his door. "You may want to scatter though I feel it's about to get real messy in here."

"You're in over your head here Blondie!" He shouted as his gamblers scrambled for the door. "You shouldn't have picked a fight with me."

Yang yawned and stretched her arms above her head. "This isn't much of a fight," she laughed. "But don't worry it will be over soon."

"I ain't goin to jail!" He roared. "This ends with you in a body bag!"

He lunged at her, club dragging behind him, and she rolled her eyes. She smirked at the look of confusion as she easily sidestepped him, followed by fear as her eyes changed from lilac purple to blood red, and finally to shock as her fist connected with his face with twice the force of the hits he gave her earlier. There was a click and the deafening sound of a shotgun as she fired off two shots from her gauntlets then silence as Junior rolled on the ground, unconscious.

The two guards from downstairs burst through the door and skidded to halt at the sight of their boss sprawled out on the floor and eyed Yang's smoking gauntlet nervously. "Care to join him?" They quickly turned on their heels and ran out the door. "Men," Yang sighed, "So damn typical."

From the ground Junior groaned and Yang connected her foot to his temple to make sure he stayed comatose. "What was that about a body bag?" She grunted as she hoisted him over her shoulder. "God's you're heavy!"

--

"Here ya go," Yang huffed as she tossed the still unconscious body of Junior at the feet of the chief of police. "One annoying, pervy, small time gang leader. Just as you ordered."

"Not sure I wanna know how you hauled him here on that motorcycle of yours," the chief nudged Junior with his foot. "You did bring him back alive right?"

"No Chief I thought I'd bring you a dead body to brighten up the place," she scoffed as she plopped into a chair. "Yes he's alive."

"Well you succeeded where my men couldn't," Cheif sat at his desk, completely ignoring the comatose man on his office floor. "Sure you wouldn't consider my offer of a job?"

"Nah you guys have to many rules," she shook her head. "You just pay good so I keep coming back."

He was about say something when his phone rang. He gave her an apologetic look before answering. "Vale Police Department this is...ah...Mister Belladonna. I'm sorry sir but my answer remains the same. You have your own personal security no? I understand that but I really can't afford to send anyone there. We are police officers sir not hired-" he paused and looked in Yang's direction. "Actually sir I think I know someone who can help you. They aren't a police officer but I can assure you they are good at what they do. Yes. Of course sir. I still have the file you sent. I will hand it to them personally. Expect them there on Monday."

"Please tell me you didn't do what I think you just did," Yang groaned.

"You're always picking up odd jobs Yang. This is steady work and really good pay. You know you wouldn't have to worry about this so much if you didn't stop being a Huntress."

Yang averted her eyes from him. "Fighting Grimm gets old after a bit. I had my fun and did my good deeds."

"Isn't your sister still out there? Hunting Grimm."

She shot him a red eyed glare. "Yeah and she's damn good at it too!"

"Sorry. I know it's been a while since you've seen her," he reached into his desk and brought out a file. "The Belladonna family is looking for a bodyguard for their daughter. She has a tendency to run off and always gives their guards the slip. He's paying four thousand Lien a week with bonus if something happens. Plus he's providing residence and food. You could get out of that shack you call a home."

"Hey leave my shack alone!" She snapped as she stood and snatched the file from his desk. "Why does she need a bodyguard anyway," she flipped through the file quickly. "No pictures but the name sounds familiar."

"I'm sure it does. The Belladonna's are a well known Faunus family and the head of the family, Ghira, used to lead the White Fang quite a few years ago. Now he is the chieftain of Menagerie, though he is still very active in fighting for equality, peacefully of course."

Yang let out a slow whistle. "All that would definitely put a target on his family, even among some of his own people. You said his daughter gives security the slip?"

He leaned forward and rubbed his temples. "Apparently she is incredibly good at running. Ghira is a protective father and worried about his daughter roaming the streets at night."

Yang nodded in understanding. "Not everyone is as nice to the Faunus as you and I. What makes you think she won't run from me?"

He gave her half smile. "Oh I'm sure she will. But I'm also sure you'll figure something out."

Yang snapped the folder shut and stood up. "Well guess I have no choice since you already accepted the job for me. See you later Cheif!"

"Be careful Xiao Long!" He called after her.

--

"The usual please," Yang took her usual seat at her usual bar and looked around at the usual people. "Same old, same old."

"Hard day?" Yang looked across the bar at Velvet, the bartender. She slid Yang her drink and her rabbit ears twitched as she waited for an answer.

"Eh just a job for the Chief," she shrugged. "What about here? Anything new?"

Velvet sighed and leaned her elbow on the counter. "A couple young Hunters came in here earlier but Yatsuhashi and Fox had to throw them out."

"Why is that?" Yang gripped her glass tighter as Velvet pointed to her ears. "Assholes. How did Coco take it?"

Velvet's face flushed at the mention of her girlfriend. "She doesn't know. She's been real busy and stressed at the store lately I don't want her to worry."

"You know she's gonna hear it from Yatsu or Fox if you don't tell her right?"

Velvet sighed and began to clean a glass. "Fine I'll tell her tonight. Anything new in the adventures of Yang Xiao Long?"

Yang shook her head. "Nope. Just the usual. A few escort jobs here, clearing a few small Grimm there, and a job or two for the chief. But I did take a new job today. Start monday."

"Oh?" Her ears perked at the prospect of gossip.

"Yeah it's-"

"I said leave me alone!"

Yang and Velvet snapped their attention to the other end of the bar where one of the regulars was harassing someone Yang had never seen before. She had jet black hair that donned a silk black bow, angled features, and mesmerizing golden eyes. She's beautiful. Yang thought to herself.

"Oh come on sweetheart it's just a drink," the obviously drunk man tried to lean closer to the woman but she leaned away from him. "Playing hard to get are we?"

"I'm not playing anything," the woman hissed. "I just want you to leave."

"But I don't wanna."

Yang made her way to the drunk man and placed a hand on his shoulder, forcing him to face her. "She said leave her alone pal."

He squinted at her like he forgot his glasses. "Who the hell are you?"

"Doesn't matter. When a woman says to leave her alone you leave her alone. Now get out of here before I have my friends over there escort you out," she jabbed her thumb behind her where Yatsuhashi and Fox were waiting for things to escalate.

"Whatever," he grumbled and stormed out mumbling several curse words.

"Thank you."

Yang turned to look at the woman and felt something she hadn't felt in a long time. Excitement. "No problem," she held out her hand. "Yang."

The woman smiled as she took it. "Blake."