Light (Jaune)

It was a cold day in the village. Jaune had his bags packed, even though it was a week until he was meant to leave. His transcripts were awaiting his arrival. His father had already brought his tickets. His boss was ready for him to start working the moment he arrived. Everything seemed to be well. Well, other than that his transcripts where for citizenship in the kingdom of Vale rather than for Beacon, but he tried not to let that get him down.

"Son, are you ready?" Jaune's father asked, leaning on the door. He was frowning slightly, hiding his worry and fear behind the stoic face of a woodsman.

"Yes, Dad." Jaune answered. "I'm almost an adult. I don't need you to hover." He chuckled nervously at that. In truth, the young man would miss the reassurance of his parents always being behind him, ready to catch him if he fell. Yet at the same time, he felt the urge to break free of his cage and fly.

"I worry, boy. Just remember, if you ever need to, you can come back and work with me. I could always use an extra set of hands. Vale will always need wood, and I will always need woodcutters, or even caring for the saplings if you want."

Jaune merely shook his head at his father's words. He knew what he was doing. He was giving his son a way out. A way to stay with the family, to work and save up enough money to one day start his own family in their safe little corner of the world. But that was not what he wanted.

"Thanks, dad. But I need to do this. I... I didn't get into Beacon, but that's ok. I can still help people, even if it's from over a bar rather than with a sword."

Jaune's father smiled. It was the honest smile of an honest man. "Live will, son."

"Live strong, father." Jaune said back.

Many old families had their sayings, their words of encouragement passed down through the ages. But not the Arcs. They had a wish for each other. For the son to live well, and as they want, and for the father to live long and strong. It was simple and true, though every generation, no matter the occupation they took.

Dark (Neo)

It was a cold night in the backstreets of Vale. Neo's aura was shattered, so she had to run. It was a week until the next mission, but that wouldn't mean anything if she was caught now. It was meant to be simple, yet it wasn't. Someone, somewhere, had fucked up.

Police sirens echoed all around, lights flashing down alleyways. Her illusion had held until she got into the alley, so they didn't know her face, but if they found her here where there was meant to be a blond woman with a giant sword, they would put two and two together.

So she ran. It was a solo job, so there was no one to watch her back. It was meant to be simple. Break in, steal some documents, get out. Well, she had those documents and was out, so it was a mission success at the end of the day. But the info was hot, too hot. Hotter than it should have been. It wasn't just a politician having a hidden Faunus family. No. It was worse.

It was a politician keeping Faunus chained in his fucking basement and paying the cops off to look the other way. It made her want to vomit. Neo had killed people, even started to like it at some point. But that was NOTHING compared to what that politician was doing. Hardcore non-consensual BDSM stuff. Cutting off fingers, ears, eyes. It made her touch her own neck. The scar hidden under a thick layer of makeup.

If she could get back to The Club, well, he would pay. Rather literally. It would set them up for another few months. Afterward, she could make sure some sort of 'accident' happened to him. But they needed the money first. Thus the whole current fiasco.

Neo jumped over a small wall into a park, deciding it would be a good spot to lose the cops. She took a few random turns and somehow ended up coming out a few streets down from where she entered the part. Dipping into another alley, she finally stopped. They had lost her trail now, so if she came across them, she could look like an innocent bystander.

The short girl decided now would be a good time for some rest, and simply collapsed in the alleyway. Her heart was racing, beating like she had just finished fighting the mother of all Grimm.

'Well, I did just run a marathon.' She thought to herself.

That's when she noticed something red and sticky coming from her side.

'Shit. I need to get moving again.'

With blood, a graze luckily, staining her clothes, Neo made her way back to The Club. Dropped the papers off to Junior to give to Roman, then went upstairs to a group of rooms. Opening one revealed a small, two-room apartment. The small girl collapsed onto the couch and quickly fell asleep. She had a week to recover, so she knew she would be fine. But for now, it was just her and her pain.