Fate of Kings

Tannum "Cooper" Oakwood

-----

1 week after the Fall of Beacon

Cooper wanted to throttle Roman.

Spending nearly a week tied up on a one way trip to Mistral was already horrible enough, but to get dumped in the back of some van and taken to who knows where was worse.

To make things even better, Neo was behind the wheel, smiling back at him every now and then, and Roman munched on greasy chips across from Cooper while holding the end of the rope binding his hands.

Cooper couldn't hear him over the boiling rage, so his voice just came off like an annoying, buzzing fly that wouldn't leave him alone.

Oh, what he would give to shut that gob.

The only bits Cooper did catch was when Roman mentioned his involvement in Beacon.

According to him, the mastermind behind the academy's downfall was Cinder, the gorgeous woman who constantly stalked Roderick, who fabricated herself and her minions, Emerald and Mercury, as Haven students.

Roman, Neo, and the another guy called Adam Taurus of the White Fang were also roped into the whole shebang, mostly against their will with the typical join or die touch and such.

Now that he thought about it, it was Cinder who infiltrated the CCT the night of the dance, wasn't it?

Bollocks.

"Is that really all true?" Cooper sent a dubious look. "There must be more to it than that."

"Sorry, Stripes, that's all I know." Roman chomped a chip. "The lady who hired me kept a tight lid on her grandmaster plan, only fed me enough scraps to do my part."

What a screw up.

If Cooper did something sooner, then Beacon would still be standing, he'd be with his mates, and in Ruby's loving arms.

What were they all up to now?

With the CCT shut down entirely, communication between kingdoms meant having to go old school. Really made him regret not asking his mates at school for their addresses in case he ever wanted to pop over for a visit.

At least now he knew who was responsible for the whole fiasco.

Once he returned to Vale, he could pass along the info to the authorities (anonymously, of course), and see where to go from there.

Cooper eyed Merry Outlaw propped beside Roman and his fingers twitched.

Tossing up the deep fried potato strip and trying to catch it in his gob, it bounced off Roman's bowler's hat.

Cooper snorted. "Nice catch."

Roman rolled his eyes. "Like you can do better."

Well, duh.

Roman flicked a chip, and Cooper jerked forward.

The van jumped, and the chip bounced off his chin.

Roman laughed.

"You know, as much as I want to never see your ugly tail again," he checked the windshield, "there's a tinsy, tiny, little something I need that requires your. . . talents."

"You know I went to Beacon for a reason, right?" Cooper glared at Neo for hitting a bump. "Count me out."

"Don't be like that, Stripes." Roman scooted over and slung an arm across Cooper's shoulders. "Besides, no matter how much you want to go home to dear, old Red, you can't."

A nauseating wave burned his gut.

"There's no going back to Vale." He dangled a chip in front of him like bait on a hook and crushed it. "Travel there is banned. And I doubt you have enough lien to get a ride over to the next town let alone another kingdom."

Cooper gritted his teeth.

"All I'm asking for is one last thing." Roman sweetened his words and flourished a hand. "Do this for me, and I'll be out of your hair. No big deal, right?"

Cooper pushed him off. "And get doubled crossed again? No thanks."

"Just had to hit me where it hurts." He feigned a look of disbelief. "That was the old me, Stripes. I've changed. I'm a new man now. Besides, you don't have much of a choice."

Neo slowed the van to a stop.

"Looks like we're here." Roman fixed his attire. "Just follow along, and don't get any funny ideas, okay?"

The back of the van opened up, and Neo playfully bowed, ushering them out and taking hold of the rope from Roman.

Stepping out onto the foggy dirt road, the all too familiar stench of high crime and bad business told Cooper exactly where they were.

The slums in the lowest level of the mountain: Mistral Below.

A place so far from hope, not even the sun could break through the miasma of poverty swallowing them whole.

Roman led the way while Neo trailed closely behind Cooper, and after several minutes of their unspoken game of follow the leader, they finally reached their destination.

A pub.

Unlike every other building around here that could be mistaken for old sheds, the pub might as well be a mansion, glued together by stacks of lien for bricks.

Cooper instantly got stomach cramps.

They weren't going where he really wished they weren't going, right?

On the way inside, Cooper was socked by the indistinct chatter and the beat of the jumpy jukebox, and the liquor stained air ensured everyone was getting at least one free drink on the house.

However, what stuck out the most were the customers.

Every single one of them shared the same purple and white apparel and matching tattoos for all to see.

A spider on a web.

Cooper's tail spiked, and his heart shot to the roof.

This pub belonged to Spider, the biggest and most ruthless gang in Mistral.

Cooper spun right around, but Roman and Neo hooked him back over.

"Roman!" Cooper hissed through his teeth. "Do you have any idea where we are?!"

Roman kept his cool, and Neo didn't seem to care all that much.

Many noggins turned and their hostile sights locked on them like predators judging whether or not they were worthy enough to hunt, some actually rose from their seats.

Roman and Neo brought Cooper to the table flanked by bodyguards in the corner of the room beside the bar.

At that table was none other than a chubby blonde woman in a dress with a bob cut and a beauty mark under her eye.

Cooper drew a sharp breath.

If memory serves him right, that was Lil Miss Malachite, the head of Spider.

This was bad, really bloody bad.

Lil Miss indulged in her fruit parfait and measured them past her lashes.

"My, oh, my. Do my eyes deceive me?" she said in her usual drawl. "If it isn't Roman Torchwick and Neopolitan in the flesh."

Her gaze fixed on his tail.

"And you even brought the one and only thievius raccoon himself." She sheathed the spoon in the parfait and unholstered a flash of intrigue. "Never thought I'd be seeing you again so soon, Cooper. You working again?"

"Can't say that I am, darling." He gulped and made doubly sure to keep his tone in check. "Still dandy, I see."

The interest on Lil Miss dropped.

Cooper was gonna be sick.

"Our most sincere apologies for the sudden intrusion." Roman slipped off his hat and lowered his noggin. "Thank you for allowing us to have a small amount of your time, ma'am."

Lil Miss opened her hand, and an underling put a cigarette attached to a holder in it.

"I'm being mighty generous letting you stay awake, Roman. However, since you had the gall to actually walk into my tavern the way you did, I'll bite." She smoked the cigarette and blew it from her nose. "You have a minute to convince me not to turn you in for the night."

Another underling handed Lil Miss a fan, which she flicked open and waved at herself.

"Did I also mention that my daughters sent me a letter from Vale?" She tapped her cigarette in the ashtray. "They were supposed to be in Mistral by now, but after a run in with a pair of hooligans, they lost their way here and are now stuck on another continent across the ocean."

With the amount internal screaming Cooper was doing, he wouldn't be surprised if people could hear it.

"That's why you're here, isn't it?" Her gaze burned hotter than the cigarette ash. "You're very much aware that I have spiders everywhere, so instead of running and hiding like the rats you are, you came straight to me. How smart."

Eyes hidden under his bangs, Roman smirked and leaned on the table.

"I've come to bargain," he said.

Lil Miss hummed and motioned to the seats, and they glued their rumps to the chairs.

"You see, after Stripes here," Roman shook Cooper, "vanished into thin air and disappeared all of a sudden. I heard that none of your other associates could ever really reach the bar he set. Because of that, I'm guessing your orders haven't always been top notch—that is to say delayed, or dare I say, cancelled all together."

The ropes binding Cooper's wrists tightened.

Of, bloody, course.

The side of Lil Miss' face twitched.

"Seeing as you've been struggling on that front, I went out of my way to hand deliver you the best money can buy." Roman knocked on the table. "And for that, all I request is full immunity for Neo and myself from Spider."

A round of laughter from the other oh, so innocent, customers made Cooper wanna hurl.

Lil Miss inhaled another puff of smoke and snuffed out the cigarette. "And what's stopping me from simply taking him from you two?"

"For one, we can leave here anytime without so much as a scratch. Can't say the same for you and your. . . acquaintances, though." Roman motioned to everyone else in the room. "Besides, we wouldn't want to ruin the aesthetics, now would we? Be a major pain to repair. I don't know about you, but I'd prefer to keep this civil. What do you say?"

What a crafty lad.

Spider might be a force to be reckoned with, however, Roman and Neo were nothing to scoff at either.

Especially Neo.

Beneath the mask of an innocent mute was not that of a tiny gal but a bloodthirsty monster only Roman could tame.

Anyone who understood that wouldn't dare cross them, and Lil Miss Malachite knew more than most.

Nothing good would come out of this for Cooper at this rate; his candle of opportunity was burning out real quick.

He had almost no options available to him right now. . . except one. At this point, what choice did he have? Anything was better than being stuck under Lil Miss' thumb.

Cooper filled his lungs as much as he could and let it all out, gaining everyone's undivided attention.

"Say, since we're making deals. . ." Cooper dropped a counter offer from beneath the brim of his flat cap. "Want to see what I have to bring to the table?"

Neo facepalmed and Roman shot to his feet.

"What do you think you're trying to pull here, Stripes?!"

"Sit down." Lil Miss pointed her dead cigarette at Cooper. "I want to hear what he has to say, and I don't want a single peep from you, Roman."

Roman grumbled and reluctantly obliged.

"Before I get to it, darling. . ." Cooper raised his hands so the bindings were in clear view. "Would you be so kind?"

Lil Miss jutted her chin, and someone sliced the rope right off.

"So," she braced against the table and rested her jaw on the back of her wrist, "what do you have for me?"

Cooper gave his sore wrists a rub and upped the ante.

"Old Man Strix," he said.

As soon as the name left his mouth, the entire pub went dead quiet, music abruptly scratching to a stop included.

Neo's face slacked, Roman was about ready to blow a fuse, and genuine delight graced Lil Miss as she pushed aside her parfait.

Cooper expected as much.

Old Man Strix was the leader of Clockwork, a criminal organization that rivaled Spider in terms of both size and power, or in other words, arch enemies.

Cooper refused to forever be a slave to Spider for the rest of his days, so if overwriting Roman's offer with another bad one was his only way out, then he was willing to take the risk.

"Give me six months." Cooper jerked his thumbs towards Roman and Neo on either side of him. "I'd also like some spare hands. These two should be enough."

Roman and Neo were gobsmacked.

"We'll steal Old Man Strix's wings and present them to you with a neat little bow on top." Cooper raised a finger. "In return, the three of us receive full immunity from Spider, and freedom and access to all your territories and any services you provide."

As expected, Roman and Neo practically died in their seats.

"Really, now? That's the craziest thing I've heard in my entire life." Lil Miss sweetened her tongue. "Make it four months and you got yourself a deal."

Cooper had just enough brain cells left to nod.

"Bring me the best bottle we have." She snapped her fingers. "On the double."

An underling snagged a bottle from the top shelf behind the bar and poured out four shot glasses just for them.

They all threw their drinks back down the hatch.

"If you fail, then the three of you will pledge fealty to me for the rest of your lives." Lil Miss touched her chin with her middle finger and showed her palm. "May Chihaya bring fortune upon you."

Cooper wanted to shoot himself.

What did he get himself into?

-----

Omniscient POV

-----

1 month after the Fall of Beacon

Within a large stone-brick hall, decorated with elaborate statues and silken banners bearing the proud White Fang insignia, a Faunus woman with tiger ears sticking out of her spiky, black hair sat upon a throne.

This was Sienna Khan, High Leader of the White Fang.

Kneeling at the base of the stairs leading up to the throne, the Lieutenant with the reptilian scales, the very same one who Team RRYL allowed to escape, gave her report about the recent attack on their outpost.

Hidden on her person was a tiny microphone planted by Yonah, which also served another purpose other than giving Team RRYL an ear in the throne room.

"What did you say?" Sienna's tiger ears perked. "Repeat that one more time."

A sweat drop fell from her cheek. "I said that the Huntsmen Reynold Hill is plotting something against the White Fang, High Leader."

The guards tensed.

Sienna gripped the ends of her arm rest. "And what proof do you have of this?"

"His team raided the Argus outpost and held us captive." Her head sucked in shame. "I managed to escape and came straight here."

Before Sienna could continue questioning her, the great doors opened, and Adam appeared.

"Pardon my unannounced visit, High Leader Khan." Adam sauntered to the base of the stairs and kneeled before the throne beside the Lieutenant. "However, I request an audience with you; it's of the utmost importance."

She propped an ankle over a knee and braced her jaw on a fist. "And what would that be?"

"Haven Academy."

Her amber eyes widened. "What was that?"

"The time is now." Adam flourished his hands. "Allow me to take charge. I will lead our brethren just like I did at Beacon and ensure the result will be the same."

"Adam, I'm not going to repeat myself," Sienna spat, "so I want you to listen when I tell you that the White Fang will not attack Haven Academy."

"High Leader Khan, I am begging you."

"You should beg for forgiveness and nothing else!" She got up but stopped herself and sat back down. "The assault you led on Beacon was not the great victory you clearly think it was, and you should be more grateful your punishment was not more severe. You are a symbol for many in our organization, but that doesn't make you infallible."

"I was merely trying to follow your example, High Leader," he said and rose from his knee.

"And what example might that be?"

"Strength." He brandished a fist. "Strength and unwavering conviction. The humans have seen that strength now."

"I was one of the first to suggest violence where violence was necessary. Peace bred complacency and acceptance of our place in the world." She slapped her arm rest. "I will not allow humanity to push us down without pushing them back. But the destruction of Huntsmen Academies crosses a line! The loss of the CCT has brought global communication to a crawl!"

Sienna huffed her exasperations.

"And the White Fang is more of a target now than ever before! You have justified humanity's campaign against us, and for what?" Her fingernail claws scratched the leather of the armrests. "Empty promises from a group of humans? Humans we still know nothing about, and come and go as they please! These are not examples of strength, Adam. They are examples of your talents being finished by your shortsightedness!"

"If you want to know more about the humans, then why not talk to one of them yourself?" Adam smirked and turned back. "Hazel!"

The doors opened.

A very large man in a green coat with short brown hair and a beard entered the hall.

Sienna shot out of her throne. "What is this?!"

"Apologies." Hazel's voice was deep and rough. "I don't aim to cause any trouble."

The audacity of the sight before Sienna strangled her. "You've brought a human to this location?!"

The guards pointed their spears at Hazel.

Adam stepped aside. "You should hear what he has to say."

Sienna stomped the floor. "This is grounds for execution!"

"Ma'am, please." Hazel kneeled before the throne. "Nobody needs to die today. I'm just asking for a moment of your time."

"The longer you stay here," she brandished her fangs, "the less of a chance you have of leaving here alive."

"I'll take those chances," he met and held her gaze, "if you don't mind."

The growing rage inside Sienna bubbled to the surface.

"You don't like me," Hazel said, "you have no reason to like me. But you don't have to like me to get the results you want."

"I'm starting to doubt either of you fully comprehend what it is that I want." She lifted her nose and raised her voice. "I want humanity to fear the Faunus, to know that we demand respect! I do not want to start a war with the humans that we cannot win!"

"That's where you're wrong," Adam said.

Sienna and Hazel were struck by confusion.

"We can win a war against the humans." He climbed the stairs. "Not only because we have the support of Hazel's master, but because the Faunus are the dominant species of this planet. We're better than humans. We have everything humans have and more." He paused at the top step and lowered his voice to an alluring beat. "Humans shouldn't just fear the Faunus, they should serve the Faunus."

From their camp outside of Mistral, Reynold, Yonah, Laurence, and Alexander shared a look of concern.

Disgust soured Sienna's mouth. "I've had enough of this conversation for tonight. Guards, take them away."

The guards didn't move.

Her brow furrowed as she glanced back and forth between them. "I said take them away!"

"I will admit, Sienna, you were right about my popularity." Adam smiled wide and touched his chest. "My followers in Vale already see me as the true High Leader. And many here in Mistral feel the same."

Sienna narrowed her eyes and tensed.

Hazel frowned. "What are you doing?"

"What's right for the Faunus." He climbed the last step and stood right in front of her. "From this day forward, I will be the one to lead the White Fang!"

The doors blew open.

More guards poured into the room, and they directed all their weapons at Sienna, including the guards stationed beside her throne.

Quickly taking in the situation, Sienna hung her head and swept aside the piece of her heart shattered by betrayal.

"If you think I'll just step aside and follow beneath you," malice flooded off her fangs, "you're wrong."

Adam impaled his sword through Sienna's abdomen before she even had a chance to activate her Aura.

"I know," he said close to her ear.

She gagged, coughing blood and clawing at his shoulders.

"Thank you, Sienna." He lifted her higher. "You were there when our people needed you, but they need me now. I'm sorry you couldn't see this through to the end."

Adam flung Sienna down the stairs, and she rolled all the way to the bottom, stopping right in front of the Lieutenant who'd been silently watching everything unfold in complete shock.

Unbeknownst to the White Fang, the outside party was also privy to the sudden and unexpected turn of events.

Reynold put away his scroll, took the mask sitting on the side of Roxy's head, and pulled out a deck of cards from his pouch.

"That doesn't sound good," Laurence said without a hint of worry.

"I'm enacting the next phase of the plan." He wore the mask and shuffled the deck. "This will only take a minute."

Reynold flicked a card on the ground.

Yonah waved him off. "Good luck."

Snapping his fingers, he swapped places with the bug on the Lieutenant, and instantly appeared behind her.

Reynold got a good look at Adam on the throne before turning his attention towards Sienna, laying in a growing puddle of her own blood. The desperate heaving of her rasping chest, and the cry pleading from her hazy gaze alone was all he needed.

Snatching Sienna's arm, Reynold snapped his fingers.

Adam, Hazel, and all the guards blinked a few times before what had transpired hit them full force, but it was too late, and all they could do was stare at the card, a king of diamonds, laying on the floor.

Reynold and Sienna reappeared in camp.

Everyone scrambled into action, doing whatever possible to stop the bleeding with a first aid kit, and after several intense minutes of working to keep Sienna alive, Team RRYL and Alexander barely succeeded in that effort.

Yonah, who mainly stood back and prayed for the best, was the first to recompose herself.

"Reynold," she released a shaky breath, "what are we going to do now?"

"We need a place to stay." Reynold checked his red stained hands and then Sienna passed out on the grass. "I need to think."