Arclight Foundries

It didn't take long for the Atlesian weapon to arrive, disassembled for safety reasons and packaged with instructions that had arrived a day prior on how to manufacture them - sent separately in case one of them were stolen or lost, in the hopes of preventing some lunatic getting a rather decent weapon in the sodding mail of all things, or a mad mailman, or terrorists stealing a functioning weapon, or any of a thousand reasons like that - and Jaune had set to work measuring and measuring every intricate piece of it in painstaking detail. From the trigger's exact shape and curve that he insisted he be able to replicate perfectly by hand, to the firing mechanism's internal movements, to the exact rifling pattern of the barrel proper, he spared no effort on memorizing the weapon before he even began work on replicating it.

Some had to be made elsewhere, with the heavier metals, of course, and those pieces arrived over the coming days. The barrel he'd hoped to re-make himself, in his own casting machine, but in the end, he didn't trust himself to work with the expensive metals and recast the barrel or skeleton. Instead, for it and the grip-frame, he'd simply ordered the pieces made by a heavier foundry nearby and swapped the barrels out along with the frame for the Dust-Enhanced Steel components. The firing mechanism's internals he did make himself, incredibly carefully cut from small blocks of the same DE Steel components in his drill press, along with the oak grip he'd carved by hand for Velvet twice before he was satisfied with it.

Before he'd pieced it together, he'd sent a message to Velvet about colors and symbols, and she'd sent back a somewhat confusing, "I like browns and earthy colors, but nothing green, and don't worry about a symbol on it or anything."

So he'd left the barrel a dull silver and colored the firing block the same brow as Velvet's ears, only a slightly dark shade than the wooden grip he'd made. The blade for the front he'd also made himself, the flat of it the dull silver of the barrel and the edge of it a lighter silver along its keen edge. He fixed it to the blade with a small addition he'd made, brackets along the underside of the gun that snapped on along the top of the barrel, with an addition of a simple bracket sight he'd added, and clipped around the bottom of the grip with a hole for the magazine. He'd tested it, of course, and it held. Three long cuts in the stone walls of his building proved that to his satisfaction.

Satisfied, he fished out his Scroll and dialed the number Velvet had put on record with grease-stained fingers, humming and leaning on the cage around the stairs patiently until she answered, "Hi, Jaune. How you going?"

"Hi, Velvet, I'm going alright." He sounded tired, even he could tell, but that was alright by him. He'd been working hard on this project, after all, and being tired was something he felt frankly entitled to. He heard chatter in the background, and then high laughing, and said, "I was calling to update you on your commissioned weapon. Is now a bad time, it sounds like you have company?"

"Ah, no, just… Hold on a second." She must have moved the Scroll away from her mouth, because now she sounded distant, talking to someone else. "It's the Engineer you made me hire, Coco, behave." A moment passed, and he heard something thump against something else, and Velvet's mortified, "Piss off, c.u.n.t, i-it is not a booty call! Brothers, Coco, you're just insufferable sometimes." Another moment where someone spoke to her and Velvet scoffed, "Rack off, you can go and see him yourself if ya wanna talk to him."

"Sorry for that, my partner is… Overbearing, I guess you could say. She's a good person, but a bit too bloody likely to play a bit of the drongo for a lot of folks." He heard velvet sigh, sounding tired in that way one got over something a friend did that annoyed them but was largely just something to be accepted, "Anyways, you had an update?"

"Yeah, I finished it up already." He answered, looking at the small weapon's mockups on the shelf, "It's ready whenever you want to come by and authorize final payments and test the weapon out maybe, though you'll have to sign papers and take it to a range to do that. I made a couple sets of ammunition for it, too, to get you started."

"Good on ya, mate." She sounded excited for a moment, and he smiled at the sound, and then she coughed and said, "I, uh, that's good news, Jaune. I can come down this afternoon if you like? But, uh, there's a catch."

"Catch? That doesn't sound good, the only good kinds of catch are fishes and a ball game." He heard her snort on the other end of the line, which meant the 'catch' she'd mentioned couldn't possibly be that bad. If it was, she wouldn't have laughed. But still, "What kind of catch."

"Coco and I were gonna have a go 'round in Vale, and since this is her shout, she wants to… Come with me, see the guy that's chargin' her so much." Velvet sighed, and Jaune could at least kind of understand why that might be a 'catch', at least to Velvet's mind. "If you don't want her, you know, having a go at you, then I can come by in a couple days?"

"That's fine, I don't mind meeting your partner." Jaune smiled confidently, and then a moment later realized how silly even trying to smile confidently was on a sound-only Scroll-call. "As long as she doesn't, you know, break anything, then I don't mind her being here. Maybe she'll even need some ammunition made?"

"I mean, maybe? I can ask, if you want?" He chuckled, making sure it was loud enough to catch over the Scroll, and he heard Velvet sigh, "Gods, you're making jokes already? Wonderful, my Engineer is a comedian."

"And I'm as good as my jokes at making weapons."

"That fills me with so much confidence…" Velvet deadpanned, though he could make out what he at least some margin of amus.e.m.e.nt there. So at least he wasn't coming off as some creepy jerk. Or, he hoped not, at least. "If your skills at jokes correlate to what you make, I'm going to die on the first mission I take that gun out on."

"Rude." He joked, hearing the door open and waving when he saw Ruby walk in, looking anxious. The returned wave was a nervous one, too. Like she thought he'd make her leave, or something. "Listen, Velvet, I gotta go. See you this afternoon for the pickup?"

"Dead set on it, Jaune. See ya then, so, uh, later." She answered, and he let her hang up for him before sighing and sliding his Scroll into a pocket.

"Had a contract come in, Ruby. Sorry for not saying hi, but I was on a call with the holder." She gave him a nod, laying her bag down behind the counter like she always did and plopping into one of the two chairs he kept down there ever since she'd signed on more fully, and started showing up often enough to need another chair. "You look like something's bothering you. Everything okay at Beacon?"

"Y-Yeah, everything's fine, Jaune, you…" He raised an eyebrow at her, and she sighed and pulled her legs up in the chair, resting her chin on her knees, smoothing her skirt when the ruffles bunched it up a little bit. "My partner… Doesn't like me. Like, at all. You know, um, she hates me, I think."

"Did she say she does?" Ruby made a face like it didn't matter, and Jaune rolled his eyes, "If she didn't say she hated you, then maybe she doesn't. Maybe something else is going on. Something more, I don't know… Complicated, I guess?"

"But she's never liked me, Jaune." Ruby argued, sounding tired and hugging her legs against her c.h.e.s.t. "Even back in Initiation, she hated me, tried to run off and find… Anyone else to be her partner. And I just… I just want to be her friend, and be a good leader, and she won't even let me try to be."

"Then don't ask her permission." Ruby blinked at him confusedly, and he shrugged as he started to explain, "It's not her decision who the leader is. Tell her that she is going to give you a chance, and she doesn't get an option. If she argues, tell her you'll both go to the Headmaster right then and there."

"But what if she hates me-"

"Ruby, you can't let her just walk all over you." He interrupted her, "I'm not saying you should shout, and kick, and scream. I'm just saying you should have a discussion, and that you should stand your ground."

The two stayed in silence after that for several long, quiet minutes, while RUby thought about what he'd said. Then, after probably ten minutes, she sighed and nodded, "You're right, Jaune. I'm scared she'll just hate me more, or Ozpin will make me leave, or-or something, but… But you're right. I have to deal with Weiss eventually."

"I hope so, Ruby…" He shook the thought of, though, and instead smiled confidently, "Of course I am. Now, you ready for some work, or do you have homework to deal with? I'm here to help, until Velvet gets here at least, if you need it."

"Just some essays to do, history stuff, I can handle it." She smiled, and this time when she looked at him she seemed far more relaxed. Not happy, yet at least, but relaxed enough to feel much better about everything. "You can go work on… Whatever, if you want to. I'll let you know when, uh, Velvet right?" He nodded, and she continued, "Yeah, I'll let you know when she shows up."

"Thanks, Ruby." He gave her a nod and turned, climbing the stairs leisurely - as though he had a choice, and he tried not to dwell on that as hard as he always did, but it was hard not to with a Huntress downstairs - and sighed as he entered his workshop, smiling, "Always nice to be home…"

Grabbing a sheet of heavy Steel as tall as he was and as wide as his c.h.e.s.t but only an inch thick, he carried it over to one of the massive arms lining the side of his workshop and sat it on the floor. Then he used the controls to pick it up, holding it longwise while he fetched his welding mask and cutter, rolling his shoulders as he set to work cutting away the rough shape, and then cutting wire-lines along its surface according to measurements he'd done weeks previous.

Now he'd just have to figure out how to mold the thing properly, and get some heavy duty copper wiring to run the current. Shouldn't be too hard, though, if he kept getting contracts that paid as well as Velvet's had.

XxX----XxX----XxX

"What's that going to be?" Ruby's voice asked, peeking over his shoulder while he crouched low over the project, the blonde jumping slightly in surprise at the close proximity of the young Huntress-in-training. He turned to look at her, blinking owlishly, and she tilted her head to the side, "You didn't mention that you were hired for another job. I would have helped if you asked."

"I'm, uh, I'm not. This is…" He spared a glance to the piece of the metal he'd been working on, cut into an oval and covered in markings for measurements, requirements, and scored by measurements. "This is something for me, to help around the shop hopefully if I get it working properly. A brace-system, I hope, when it's done. Got the idea from the wall-mounted vices. It'll let me lift and move heavier things without straining myself."

"Sounds pretty cool." Ruby nodded, stepping around him to trace the shape of the rough lattice-work carefully, avoiding the rougher edges he hadn't smoothed out just yet, "Looks kind of like the, um, I don't know what it's called, but the way cranes are built, I think."

"Laticing." Jaune offered, "That's what it's called in metalworking and construction, I think so at least. I don't know about the last part. Also, you had a paper to write."

"I have, like, a week on that, Jaune." She shrugged, "And if work got me delayed, they're okay with some minor extensions on stuff. Most people at beacon get important jobs for 'the integrity of Vale', or whatever, so we get a tiny bit of leniency."

"Makes sense, I guess… I mean, they wouldn't want to lose students over them trying to just get better at their jobs." He answered, using the vice-machine to move the metal onto a small rolling table, and pushing it towards the back of the room. "Anyway, did you need something?

"Oh, Velvet and Coco are here." She answered, pointing at the stairs and then smiling guiltily, "S-Sorry, Jaune, I got distracted talking to you about stuff, a-and I'll, um, clean up if you want? So you can go handle them."

"Thanks, that'd be great." He let the table go, sliding past Ruby as she moved to take it, and started to make his way towards the stairs, headed downstairs to see Velvet and another woman who he assumed to be Coco leaning against his counter, the Human looking at something on her Scroll idly, and apologized to the unformed women, "Sorry, Ruby's new and didn't tell me you were here. I'll go and fetch your item."

The two waved their hands and muttered their consent, and he ducked upstairs as quick as he dared, fetching a towel to scrub what he could off his hands - and leaving oily streaks behind, of course, because nothing could be easy for him - and the gun itself. He thought to actually go and wash his hands first, but Velvet's words about him worrying about a Hunter's qualms towards dirt came back and he shook his head at the idea, heading downstairs.

"Here we are." He said, carrying the small black case he'd put the weapon into the counter and setting it down, the Faunus excitedly turning to pull the box to herself and opening it, smiling at the weapon inside, laying on black cloth with two magazines worth of ammunition laying with it. "I had to order a couple of the heavier duty parts made and brought in, like I warned you about, but the internals are Arclight specials, the grip is hand-carved, and I painted each piece before assembly."

"That's a looker, right deadset on that…" She murmured, reaching in to draw the weapon out and gingerly holding it in her hands, passing it back and forth while she looked it over. She ran a finger along the keen edge of the blade, Aura sparking a couple times, "This is wonderful, Jaune, thank you."

"I mean," the other woman chuckled, watching him over the top of her sunglasses while she spoke, "I'm the one payin' for it, Bun. Unless tall, blonde and crafty here is doin' this on the house, which my bank would argue against."

"Uh, sorry, no. I, uh, I kinda need the money, Miss Adel." He chuckled, awkwardly scratching at the back of his head while the woman seemed to appraise him. "And, I mean, I like Velvet as, you know, a person, so I wouldn't mind it, if I could afford it, but-"

"Relax, Lady-killer, I wouldn't take it for free if I could. I don't trust high end stuff that doesn't meet a certain cost. High cost items, low cost price, usually means corners got cut. And that shit can get a Hunter killed, you know?" She gave Velvet's new gun a look, cl.i.c.k.i.n.g her tongue and nodding, "Doesn't look like you cut any corners on this, though. Kinda surprising. Faunus tend to get a bad rap 'round here, you know?"

"Coco…" Velvet warned, turning her head to give the taller woman a look. "Stop grilling my Engineer, please? And stop making things about race, he doesn't mind the ears."

"Oh, I know, he found them 'cute'." Jaune flushed alongside Velvet, and Coco actually barked a genuine laugh, "Oh Dust, he actually did, didn't he?" Velvet sighed, and the woman continued laughing for a second before suddenly growing serious, leaning on the counter, "Thanks for that, though. She gets it rough, even if she tries to ignore it. Got back a day or so ago to find out she's getting harassed again."

"Coco, stop airing my dirty business, you friggin' mullet. I can deal with Cardin and his limp-d.i.c.k little group of nob-suckers, I don't need you cancelin' your business over it. So don't-" She stiffened suddenly, head turning to look at Jaune with a stiff, lipless smile and wide doe eyes, "S-Sorry, I get a little, uh, I slip into a bit of the outback when Coco gets me going, or I get tired."

"I mean," he shrugged, "I have no idea what you're saying, so… It's whatever, I guess?"

Out of nowhere, a thin little book landed on the counter, and Coco said, "Helped me wonders when I first got to spending time with the Bun, here. You can have it." He picked it up to read the front while Velvet hid her face in her hands, and Coco read the title for him, "Menagerie's Basic Frontiersman Slurs, Phrases and Lingo. Had to order it from Menagerie itself, apparently, it's for people movin' in."

"Coco…" Velvet w.h.i.n.ed, and part of Jaune wanted to hand the Faunus the book to let her do with it as she wished. But…

"Thanks, Miss Adel." He said instead, tucking it under the counter and smiling a bit wider and more excitedly than was strictly necessary. "I'll make sure to read up on it when I have the time, get nice and studied up on it."

"Jaune…" She w.h.i.n.ed again, "You're both evil."

"You…. You, Jaune." Coco chuckled, leaning bodily on the counter and smiling widely, her beads hanging low enough to almost touch the countertop. "I like you. You're fun and competent at what you do, judging by that little thing you made for Velvet at least, and that's not a common combination around Vale."

"I, uh, I try my best?" She hummed and leaned to the side, c.o.c.king a hip, and Jaune swallowed suddenly nervously at the pose she was in and the face she was making. A raised brow, and a knowing smile, and her uniform skirt didn't do anything to hide her- No, bad Jaune, he scolded himself, turning to look at Velvet instead and saying, "Sorry, Velvet, I hope I didn't bother you."

"You're fine, Jaune." She sighed, smiling good-naturedly and moving her hands to the counter to drum anxiously to show no harm was done, "And, uh, don't call her 'Miss Adel'. She does not deserve the formality."

"Oi! I'll have you know I am quite a miss." The woman stood suddenly, and Jaune had to physically turn his head a bit to avoid what that did to her c.h.e.s.t. When he looked back, she was smiling knowingly at him, but spoke to Velvet anyways, "Why do you wound me, Bun? And I bought you a shiny new toy, too."

"It's a very nice gun, yes…" Velvet said apprehensively until Coco's grin widened, and she stiffened and almost growled, "Coco, no, don't you dare-"

"Yeah, I bought you the gun too, I guess." She winked at him, and he blinked owlishly at her in return, and then she moved on, fishing out a pair of cards and laying them on the table, "S'my Scroll number, Lady-killer, and all the Lien you could need plus change. Mind making me a couple thousand rounds of ten millimeter explosive?"

"I-I can do that, yeah, Coco. I can, you know, do a price-sheet for you if you want me to, so you can-"

"Oh, Honey." The woman chuckled, tapping the small cards on the counter with her well-manicured nails, "If you have to ask how much something nice is, you probably shouldn't try and keep it. You just charge me what you need, plus a little tip for treating my Bun right, and get me a receipt later. Just gimme a call, and I'll come down when it's done. We'll grab lunch, make a day of it, my shout."

"Coco, stop hitting on my Engineer, please." Velvet w.h.i.n.ed weakly, staring up at the ceiling as though crying out for the gods themselves to come down from on high and help her. She gave Jaune an apologetic look when she looked down again and added, "She doesn't mean it, don't let her get your hopes up or upset you or anything."

"Hey now, I was just suggesting a bite to eat when I'd have already come into Vale any way. And if we grab some drinks, and I crash here with him, and there's only the one bed after, then I'll just have to live with that." Coco laughed when Jaune's ears started burning, and she dodged back effortlessly when Velvet swung a fist at her stomach, blowing a kiss as she headed for the door, waving as she turned, "I'll be outside, Velvet. Come on when you get done with 'your Engineer'."

"Oh my god…" Velvet sighed, reaching out to close the case gently and cl.i.c.k.i.n.g the brass locks on it, "I, uh, I really like the Makar, Jaune. Thank you so much for it."

"Of course." He smiled and shrugged at the same time, "It's my job, after all."

"Jaune, you don't understand what this means for Faunus… To be served like this, like everyone else, is wonderful. Usually, they do it because Yatsuhashi scares them because of how big he is, or Coco, you know… Cocos." Somehow, he understood what she meant by that, and nodded. Velvet took a breath and smiled, and this one was warmer than before, but laced with some kind of anxiety. "Just… Some people won't appreciate you doing that on your own."

"I mean, I guess that makes sense." Jaune nodded, frowning bitterly at the knowledge. He was young, but not an idiot, and he knew that people would appreciate him serving Faunus so casually. "I'll survive without the custom of people like that, I'm sure. Honestly, I don't think I would even want them carrying Arclight weapons and armor around."

"It might be more serious than just not getting someone to buy something, Jaune." Velvet warned him, fishing out a small, white card and laying it with Coco's own. "Just… If anything dangerous happens because of you being nice to Faunus, call this number. Not the police, they won't help you if it's because of anti-Faunus racists. Too much politics in it."

"Whose number is it?" He asked, suddenly apprehensive as he picked it up, looking at it. Plain and white, and with only the contact numbers written in small print on one side. Why did this feel a bit on the important side? "There's no name."

"It's the number of a very old friend of mine." She answered, making a face that looked almost pained. "I haven't seen them in a few years, honestly, since I left Menagerie with my family. But if anything happens, he'll help you."

"Okay." He shrugged, feeling anxious over the card but trusting Velvet enough to take it and put it in his pocket. "I'll, uh, call them if anything 'happens', Velvet. If that makes you feel better, or, uh, I meant that in a good way."

"I assumed that, yeah." Velvet nodded, biting her lip and then nodding again, "Thanks for everything, Jaune. See you when I need more rounds made, or, you know, whatever?"

"Yeah, see you then, Velvet." He nodded, watching her god, before shaking his head and sighing, "That was weird…" Turning to the stairs, he shouted up, "We have to make rounds, now, Ruby and a lot of them! You good to go?"

"Yep!" She called down, sounding actually excited at something as mundane as manufacturing rounds, "I'll get the machines warmed up, you go get cleaned up so the grease doesn't get into the Dust!"

"Yeah, yeah." He sighed, heading upstairs and putting the weirdness out of mind, Lien in hand. "Big project, though, so might be a couple days' work."

"Kay!" She called uncaringly, and when he walked past she was gathering up Dust and metal, and switching on the machines to get them warmed up properly. She saw him watching, rolled her eyes, and sighed, "I can warm the machines up, Jaune. Shoo!"

He laughed his way upstairs to get cleaned up so he could get back to work.