The train sped along through the forest, passengers in the front cars sat and enjoyed the ride unknowing of the danger they would soon be in. The cars farther back were occupied by Atlas soldiers and mechs protecting experimental weaponry, lying in wait along the tracks were a group of White Fang members ready to ambush said train hoping to destroy the weapons before they could be used against them. "The train should be here soon, be ready." The leader of the group looked to his lieutenant as he readied his katana.

As the train rounded the corner the White Fang quickly and quietly boarded the train, slowly making their way through the cars taking out as many soldiers they could without making a sound. As they made it to the open cars they could hear a sergeant over the radio of a dead soldier commanding him to report in, they decided that it was time to go loud. Stepping out of the last covered car the grunts stepped out into position and opened fire, the number of atlas units was cut nearly in half before they could return fire.

Standing behind one of the crates the sergeant pulled his sidearm and started to return fire trying to drag a wounded soldier into cover all the while, the civilian passengers in the cars ahead of them couldn't hear the battle raging over the sound of the wind and engine of the train. The White Fang slowly made headway, but not without sustaining casualties of their own.

Stepping forward the leader of the terrorist attack squad walked through the hail of bullets without fear, as he approached the soldiers he unsheathed his weapon, cutting men down left and right. The sergeant having watched enough of his men die stepped from cover and charged toward the group of faunus attacking the train, pausing only to grab a machine gun from a fallen soldier. Running into the ranks of the faunus he tackled what a young woman who seemed to be giving orders to the rest of the white fang.

"Put your weapons down or she dies," the sergeant threatened as he stood up, the girl held before him like a shield his sidearm to the back of her head. The red haired leader turned toward him slowly pushing a deadman from the blade of his weapon.

"What makes you think you can kill her," the man said with a slight chuckle, "she wouldn't be here if she couldn't hold her own in a fight." As the soldier opened his mouth to respond he caught a glimpse of movement out the corner of his eye, a second later his breath left his body as he felt a blade pass through him and into the girl he held hostage, only for her to dissolve into shadow a second later.

"You should always watch you back," the girl whispered into his ear as she pulled the blade from his body, "it tends to be a good place for a sneak attack." The sergeant fell to the ground blood already pooling around him. "Now let's set that bomb and get off this train before the rest of the soldiers get here."

"There aren't anymore soldiers on this train my dear, only useless civilians." The man stated as he started to rig a bomb to blow, the girl looked at him with a shocked expresion. Walking forward she started to argue with the man about equality and morals, the man bleeding out on the floor found the irony of the situation almost laughable, almost.

Slowly dragging himself forward as to not draw attention to himself he made his way to the coupler that held the cars together, behind him an argument raged but he didn't care all that mattered right now was protecting the civies. As he got closer he heard the voices of the two faunus grow louder, it would make it easier for him to detach the cars if they were distracted.

Just as the girl was about to smack the red haired man she felt a sudden jolt, looking over she saw the soldier she had stabbed leaning against a console with his gun raised, before they could react he fired at them. One round grazed her feline ear, while two more slammed into her partner's back. "Looks like I could at least save some innocent people from you monsters," the man slowly slid down the the console, only once he hit the floor did she notice the other cars pulling ahead.

"Irritating human," the wounded faunus said as he stepped forward and leveled his shotgun at the man's chest, "why don't you just roll over and die."

"Adam, stop!" The girl rushed forward to stop him knocking his aim off course, causing the discharge to hit the soldier's left shoulder instead, turning it into what equated to ground beef and making him drop the grenade she had seen him prime as Adam had limped toward him. With a bloody smile the soldier rolled of the car and was swept away into the field beside the tracks, the girl jumped off after him followed by her partner. Moments later the grenade detonated, setting off the explosives on the train.

"You should have let me kill him Blake," Adam said as he walked over to her clearly angry, "we would've been able to get off the train in time either way."

"I don't care Adam, what is the matter with you?" Blake demanded as she looked him in the eyes just as angry, "I didn't sign up to kill innocent people, if we start doing that than we're no better than the people we're fighting to stop."

"Don't you dare compare me to those filthy humans," Adam seethed looking her dead in the eyes, for the first time she saw how the man she thought she'd loved had changed, the atlas soldiers were right, he really had become just another animal.

"I'm done Adam, I'm leaving," she stepped away and started to head off toward town. Adam stepped in front of her.

"You're not going anywhere my dear," he grabbed for her shoulder, only to have her dissolve as his hand made contact. Looking around he couldn't see her anywhere, "I'll find you Blake, you belong to me, and I will bring you back."

Two days later, Atlas military compound…

"Were there any survivors?" The large man asked as he made his way through the complex, his white haired assistant close behind him.

"Only one General, the sergeant in charge of the guard squad. We found him half a mile from the train, he was badly injured but appears his aura was unlocked by the injuries, it kept him alive until we got there." The woman said as she followed the general through the halls toward the medical wing, "I think he might be too injured to resume active duty."

"Well, I'll just have to see for myself Miss Schnee, we need every soldier we can get." The general opened the door to the room the soldier was in, only to find the man sitting by the window cleaning his sidearm. "Sergeant!" The man stood up quickly, only to stumble and land on his knees. Slowly getting back to his feet he saluted the general and stood at attention.

"General Ironwood, sir." The soldier could barely stand, his strength of will the only thing keeping him up. The general was impressed, if only slightly, at the man's dedication. Unfortunately the man was obviously too injured to be an effective soldier, he regretted what he had to say next.

"It has come to my attention that you have been injured in a way that makes you unfit for active duty sergeant, I'm sorry but I'm afraid that you will have to retire, Atlas appreciates your service." The general watched as the man deflated, a certain sadness settling over him before turning and leaving the room.

"I can still fight," the soldier said under his breath after the general left, hands shaking in frustration and exhaustion.

"I believe you still have your uses sergeant," the Schnee woman said getting his attention, he had forgotten she was there. "I have a different assignment for you, more of a personal favor really, but you will keep your military grade pay." Looking at her with a shocked kind of happiness he smiled.

"Of course, what do you need me to do?" He would agree to anything, his pay was the only thing he had to help his family out since his father had died on a hunting mission.

"I would like you to attend Beacon academy, under the guise as any random teen, to keep an eye on a VIP." She stated as he looked at her in confusion.

"Ma'am, if you don't mind me asking, who is the VIP?"

"I would like you to protect my younger sister Weiss, she has decided she wants to be a huntress. I won't lie to you, she is the only member of my family I truly care about and I don't wish to see her come to harm." Winter Schnee was looking at him with an honesty that was almost shocking.

"Of course Miss Schnee, I know the importance of family," he said with a sad smile as he thought of his sisters and mother back in Ansel. "I will gladly look after your sister."

"Thank you." She smiled brightly for a moment before once again returning to her look of discipline. "Well then, I believe you should head to your quarters than, sergeant. Because your flight for Ansel leaves in a few hours, and I thought you might want to tell your family what your new assignment is." Nodding the sergeant made his way to the barracks to pack as Winter Schnee left to return to her work.

The soldier looked up at the house with a nervous expression on his face, he hadn't been home in two years, not since his father's funeral. Slowly walking up to the door he knocked, "One second." The voice stirred up fond memories, as the door opened the woman stopped dead in her tracks to stare up at him.

"Hi mom, it's been a while hasn't it?" He smiled awkwardly at the woman in front of him, only to feel panicked as tears started to form in her eyes, she was obviously saddened by the number of injuries that covered his body.

"What happened to you, why are there so many bandages?" The tears fell freely as she looked upon the scarred face of her nineteen year old son, "Jaune Arc what happened to you?"