Chapter Text
BREK Away Chapter 1: Illustrations of Nightmares Drawn
"Illustrations of nightmares drawn
A crooked empire now long gone
His face won't let me forget
The symbol of my regret"
Kana Brightwing
Beacon Academy- BREK Dorm
22 July 80 AGW
“Alrighty everyone. We ready to head out into Vale?” I called to my team. It was the Saturday before the Fall Semester at Beacon started, and we had all agreed for a trip into Vale to pick up any necessary essentials or desired comforts before we got swamped with classes again. I’d grabbed a nice, cute golden over-the-shoulder bag that Master Lianna had picked out for me before we’d returned from Mistral. My current outfit was another gift from my Master; a cream-colored jacket over a deep gold top with a lacy neck, a knee length gold skirt with crimson trim, and orange knee-high socks.
“Yup, should be all good,” Emily replied as she stretched. She had on one of her own new outfits from Mistral, a sleeveless black top with dark blue frills along the shoulders and black jeans. “Everyone know where we’re meeting up?”
“Just sent the text now,” Roark said from his desk. He had been sketching something or another, but what it was I couldn’t say. Probably another idea to build with Aurum. He stuffed his Scroll into the short-sleeved brown hoodie he was wearing, and his wallet into the black knee-length shorts he’d chosen. “We’ll all meet up at that cookie shop Ruby found back in April.”
“Sounds like a plan.” My partner was the last to emerge from getting changed. I smiled at her as she tossed her hair back out of her face. “Forgot how it felt to have my shoulders exposed, heh.”
The faded blue bare-shoulder top she had on had full sleeves and straps, but, well, it did exactly what it said it did, not that I was complaining. She’d paired it with a gray skirt that reached just past her thighs and a pair of sky blue stockings underneath. And most striking of all was the little pin she’d added to her top, right above her left breast. Blue, pink, and white–the trans pride flag. She’d snagged it back in Mistral, and had begun adding it to her outfits a couple days ago. All in all, my partner looked like a very pretty girl today…
‘Wait, what?’
I had to shake my head clear. Those intrusive thoughts had been popping up every so often since our talk on the roof nearly a month ago. And after Taylor had comforted me during the first panic attack I had at Master Lianna’s, they were becoming even more frequent. Sure, my partner was very pretty, but that was just, like… objective thinking. Right?
“Mistress, have you considered that you have a crush–” my Keyblade Spirit began.
‘Bright, please, I do not have a crush on Taylor,’ I shot back immediately. Crushes were… silly things that you got just by looking at someone, right? That wasn’t anything like how I felt. Right? Wait, was Taylor talking?
“...to Kana. You there?” Taylor asked me.
“O-oh, sorry Tay. Kinda spaced out there,” I admitted.
“Hey, that’s my sister’s job,” Emily teased as we headed for the door.
“I was asking if you had anywhere you wanted to head first,” Taylor repeated. “I haven’t really explored Vale all that much, so I was hoping I could tag along with you.”
“Oh, sure! I’d love to have you along, Tay.” I gave my partner a bright smile.
Emily Blackquill
Vale- Commercial District
22 July 80 AGW
As Roark and I exited the office supplies shop, I felt a realization hit me. “...Wait. Shit. It’s the 22nd, isn’t it?” I asked him.
“...Yes?” Roark replied, sounding confused. “Any reason in particular that’s significant?”
“Tay and I’s birthday is in three days, Roar,” I explained, making his eyes widen.
“Wait, seriously? And you just noticed now?”
“In my defense, life has been kinda hectic lately, Roar,” I pointed out. Between the trip to Mistral and the Vision, our nineteenth birthday had been the last thing on my mind. “Fuck, I need to go find a present for her.”
“And sounds like I need to go find a present for you,” he said, grimacing. “It’s last minute, but… I bet I can find something you’ll like.”
“Don’t go putting yourself out, alright?” I told him. “It’s last minute, I’m not expecting something extravagant, or anything at all. Birthday wishes are plenty.”
“Hmm… Nah. I’m getting you something,” he said as his grimace became a smirk. “You’ve been an incredible partner, Em. You deserve something just as incredible as a gift.”
I felt my cheeks warm as I glanced away. ‘...Dammit, why’s he gotta go and say that…’
“Oh? Pickin’ up a crush, are we, Toots?” Shade teased from the back of my mind.
‘You shut your mobster face,’ I shot back immediately.
“Any ideas for your sister, though?” Roark asked, catching my attention again.
I had to actually think on that. Tay would want something simple, no doubt, something that she could use regularly or wear. What could she get use out of…
“...You know what fidget toys or stim toys are, Roar?” I asked as we walked.
Roark nodded. “For the most part. They’re meant to keep your hands busy, yeah? And provide a grounding sensation?”
“Yeah. Tay had a bunch back home, and now that she’s no longer, you know…” I felt myself frown deeply, “...forcibly beating down her stimming, she’d probably appreciate a new one.” Speaking of which, I’d just struck upon an idea for my own present.
“Hmm… Yeah, I can probably pull that off. I’ll have Aurum help me throw something together while I figure out what I’m making you.” He gave me another cocky smirk that definitely did not make me feel just a little warmer.
“Sure, Toots. Whatever you gotta tell yourself.”
I ignored Shade and pulled out my Scroll. “Now then, you know any good electronics shops around here? Or am I gonna have to search one up?”
Kana Brightwing
Vale- Commercial District
22 July 80 AGW
“So Amy looks about ready to actually, literally bite the guy’s head off, Emily is busy trying to hold her back, and I have to be the reasonable one to calm Aims down while the dumbass is looking completely baffled at what he did wrong,” Taylor was telling me as we walked. She’d had her first session with Professor Goodwitch since we’d gotten back from Mistral, and the professor had suggested that Taylor share stories of the good times with Amy to help remember her while letting go of the grief.
I giggled at my partner. “She sounds absolutely amazing, Tay. Very protective of you, huh?”
“God, almost as bad as my sister at times,” she laughed, until her face turned melancholic. “...I think you and her would have gotten along, Kay. I wish I could have introduced you two.”
“Me too, Tay,” I smiled softly at her. “I’d have loved to meet her.” I gave my partner a brief hug. “So, not to change the topic, but… where to next?”
Before Taylor could answer, her Scroll buzzed. She raised a brow before setting several of the bags down and pulling it out of her pocket. As she read the message, I heard her swear under her breath, though it didn’t have any heat to it. “Aw, shit…”
“Everything alright?” I asked, stepping over to read over her shoulder.
Emily: Hey, idiot, I know I’m not the only one who forgot, so make sure to tell Kana that our birthday is on Tuesday.
“...Wait, your birthday is this Tuesday?” I clarified.
Taylor nodded, blushing faintly in embarrassment. “Yeah… In all the craziness, I guess I completely forgot. I need to get Em a present, shit.”
I giggled. “Well, lucky for both of you, I was prepared. I remembered Emily saying you had a July birthday, so I picked up some gifts in Mistral, just in case.”
Taylor raised an eyebrow, but smiled at me regardless. “Thinking that far ahead? I’m impressed, Kay. What did you get Em?”
“Oh, just a plush owl. Do you think she’d like it?” I asked, feeling slightly self-conscious.
“Considering the sizable plush collection Em has back home? I’d say you guessed right.”
Well, that was a weight off my shoulders. Hopefully that meant both gifts would go over well. Speaking of which, though…
“Not going to ask me what I got you?” I teased.
“Would you tell me if I asked?” my partner immediately shot back with her own teasing smirk.
“...Fair,” I admitted, laughing. “I do hope you’ll like it, though. It was kind of spur of the moment, but…”
“Kana, if it’s a gift from you, I’m sure I’ll cherish it,” Taylor replied as her smirk softened into a more genuine smile. “The fact that you were thinking of me enough to get me a gift in advance is plenty.” Why did her saying that make my heart feel like it was going to skip a beat?
“R-right,” I stammered out. “So, uh, gift ideas for Emily?”
“Hmm…” Taylor put her free hand to her chin. “I know Em loves studying mythology and legends. She was reading that book of fairy tales Lianna had on and off the entire time we were there. Maybe if we found something a bit more local to Vale? Or focused on mythology?”
“Hm… Tay, you said you like fantasy novels, right?” I asked, getting a flash of inspiration. I’d tried my best to remember whatever details I could that I’d learned about my partner over these few weeks, now that she was being more open.
“Yup, why?” My partner looked at me curiously.
“I know a great book store near here, Blake showed me it a couple months ago. We can get you some books, and look for some mythology texts for Emily! He should still be open, come on!” I started walking off toward Tukson’s almost immediately in my excitement.
“Whoa, hey, let me grab my bags,” Taylor called, scrambling to catch up with me. I smiled and led the way towards the store. Down a few streets, take a right, and…
“...Huh. Guess not?” Taylor said as we approached Tukson’s Book Trade. Strangely, the lights were all off. That was odd; Tukson didn’t close until 7 PM on Saturdays. Maybe there was just a power outage?
“...He’s usually open by this point,” I said. I decided to try the door anyway, out of curiosity, and the knob turned. “...It’s unlocked?”
I looked back at my partner, who shrugged. I pulled the door open and poked my head inside. Rows and rows of darkened bookshelves greeted me, but I didn’t see the shop owner anywhere. “Hello? Tukson? It’s Kana! I wanted to get some books for my friend here?”
No response. Maybe he was on break in the back?
“Tay, is he even here?” I asked. If he’d just forgotten to lock up before leaving, then I could probably use my Keyblade to lock it for him and just come back tomorrow…
“Let me check.” My partner closed her eyes, and the edges shimmered blue as her Aura Sight activated. I slowly stepped up to the counter. Nothing. No sign of…
Blood. Death. My Faunus-enhanced nose caught the iron tang of blood in the air. With a sinking feeling in my stomach, I started following the scent, trying to find where it was coming from.
“No one’s here, Kay,” Taylor said quietly enough that I barely heard her as I stepped past the register counter. “Something doesn’t feel right…”
I kept following the trail right to a small storage closet. I pulled the door open… and Tukson’s body slumped out of it.
I screamed.
Taylor Blackquill
Vale- Tukson’s Book Trade
22 July 80 AGW
I immediately ran to where I’d heard my partner scream. I found her backed against the wall, terrified and crying as the body of a large man lay slumped in front of her. “Shit,” I cursed as I ran to her side. I quickly dropped to my knees and tried to get Kana to focus back on me. “Kay, Kay! Listen to me. Kay! It’s me!”
Kana immediately hugged me tightly, nearly hyperventilating. “T-Tay… Th-that’s him… Th-that’s Tukson… He’s dead… He’s dead!”
Well. Fuck. Okay. Step one, get Kana to take a breath. I pulled her hand to my chest. “Kana. Kana. Match mine, okay? In and out.” My partner frantically nodded, and though it took a few moments, her breathing began to slow and match mine. The panic left her eyes bit by bit.
Once she was calm, I helped wipe away her tears. “You back?”
“...Yeah. Sorry, Tay… I think the nightmares have been… They’ve been getting to me,” she explained. “Not usually so… fragile.” She’d woken up screaming twice more since we’d gotten back to Beacon, and I was almost certain she’d had other nightmares that didn’t cause full panic attacks. That was at least four bad nightmares that I knew about in the span of under a month, so I wasn’t surprised she was on a bit of a hair trigger.
“It’s alright, Kay. I’ve got your back. And I know you’ve got mine.” Alright. Kana was calm. Step two, figure out what the fuck happened. I gave Kana’s hand one last reassuring squeeze before letting go, then slowly crawled over to Tukson. He was definitely dead, since I wasn’t getting any Aura from him. But how?
‘Sky, Myst, any chance one of you can coat my hands in something so I don't ruin any evidence?’
“Of course, my Lady,” Myst answered. “One moment, please.”
I watched a thin sheen of violet magic envelop my hands, acting like gloves. “Alright. Let’s see what we’re dealing with.”
I rolled Tukson’s body over and almost lost my lunch. He had a massive bullet hole straight through his forehead, some sort of large caliber or shotgun blast that had nearly blown his face off. Kana didn’t need to see this. Didn’t need to see someone she knew utterly desecrated.
“...Kay, I want you to get outside and call the police. I’m going to figure out what I can here.” I didn’t like having her be alone at the moment, but I needed to find whatever evidence I could, and having her here was far worse for her mental health.
“A-are you sure?” she asked, getting to her feet.
“Yeah. Trust me, Kay. You… You don’t want to see this.” I looked back at her and gave her a reassuring nod. She gave me a very weak nod back before heading towards the front.
I made sure she had left before I got down to investigating. “Okay, what are we working with, here?” I gave the body a once-over, and noticed he had claws instead of nails. “Great. Faunus. Which means it’s a coin flip on if the cops give a shit. Likely feline of some sort, judging by the claw structure…” I stood up and started letting my analytical brain take over, the one I’d honed in my early studies to become a prosecutor back home. I needed cold logic and compartmentalization here, if only so examining the body wouldn’t make me sick.
‘Okay. Dead in the closet, no sign of the weapon. Tells me it wasn’t suicide, especially if he had his claws out. Body is still semi-warm and rigor hasn’t set in, so this happened recently, likely within the past couple hours.’
I got to my feet, stepped back from the body, and peered into the closet. No blood. ‘Wasn’t killed in here, then. He was dragged here. Hiding the body so it’d take longer to discover he was dead. But there’s also no blood trail, so he was drained before they stuffed him in here. Your average robber doesn’t know how to drain a corpse, so this isn’t some two bit thug. Now, where was he killed?’
I walked back into the main store, and got my answer almost immediately. There was a large splatter of mostly-dried blood behind and above where the counter was. But the angle was so high, with the spatter nearly hitting the ceiling. It certainly explained how Kana and I hadn’t seen it earlier, given the human propensity to not look up. ‘If he was shot here…’ I thought as I stood behind the counter, ‘...No, that angle doesn’t work. But if he was standing on the counter, perhaps?’
I cloaked my feet in the same magic as my hands and pulled myself up onto the counter, studying the angle from there with a guesstimate of Tukson’s height. ‘Okay. So this is certainly feasible with the gunshot wound. But it’s still a strange angle to be pointing your gun at. Why not just shoot him dead on? Why aim so far upwards?’ Maybe Tukson had been jumping at his attacker, but if that was the case, why had he been on the counter in the first place? If this was a simple stick up with above-average robbers, they most likely would have entered with guns drawn or in easy reach. No time for him to get onto the counter. So he had to have had at least a moment of time to react to the threat…
I looked closer at the spot with the blood spatter and saw a scattering of bullet holes, the tell tale sign of a spread shot weapon. ‘Shotgun, then, most likely. Consistent with my earlier conjecture on the wound.’
I got down from the counter and pressed the button for the register till. It opened, and there was plenty of Lien inside. ‘Not a robbery then. So what’s the motive?’
“Vale Police!” I heard from behind me. “Hands up!”
I turned and found two officers, a man and a woman, standing there, hands on their guns. “Easy, guys. Huntress student Taylor Blackquill. Scroll is in my back left pocket.” I held my hands up, not feeling like testing my luck.
The man nervously stepped forward and retrieved my Scroll.
“Password is 4-8-16-32.” ‘Me and my damn Fours hyperfixation.’
“...She’s legit,” the officer said after a moment, handing me my Scroll back as I dropped my hands. “What were you doing in here, kid? I’m guessing the one outside is a teammate?”
I nodded. “She found the body. Kana wanted to bring me here for some books, but the windows were all dark when we got here. The door was unlocked, but it didn’t seem like anyone was home. I think Kana must have smelled the blood. I was looking around, trying to figure out what I could.”
The second officer spoke up. “Kid, you should leave that to the professionals.”
I smiled. “Would you believe me if I said I was training to be one of those professionals before I got tossed forcibly into the Huntress life?”
I turned around and pointed out the blood spatter. “Spatter up there, combined with the pock marks in the wall and ceiling in that spot and the wound that basically ripped his face off tell me it was a shotgun-based weapon that killed him. No blood in the closet where Kana found him, so he was killed here, drained, and then tossed in there, which tells me you’re looking for a professional. Someone who’s done this song and dance before. Based on the angle, he had to have been on the counter when he was shot. Till is still full, so this wasn’t a robbery. Either they wanted something he couldn’t or wouldn’t give them, or this was a hit.”
The second officer blinked as she processed that information. “...I stand corrected. Good observations, kid.”
“Comes with the ADHD,” I snarked. “Good at math and being detail-oriented. Can’t tell you who did it or why, but the suspect is probably…” I ran some mental guesstimates. “5’9, 5’10 ish, if I still remember my trigonometry right? Either that or really short. Their weapon is probably unusual, either way. Not your usual gun with a pointy bit. Something they could have gotten in here with without immediately raising Tukson’s suspicions. That’s about all I’ve got, sorry.”
“You gave us a halfway competent crime scene breakdown, kid,” the first officer said as he walked over. “You keep everything clean?”
I gestured to the violet glow on my hands. “First thing I did once I calmed my partner down. No contamination from me.”
“Atta girl. Thanks for the help. You should go comfort your partner, eh?” the second officer told me. ‘Well, there’s my random gender affirmation from a stranger for the day.’
“You got it, officer.” I nodded and pulled my Scroll out to fire off a message to our group chat as I headed out.
[Me] Hey guys. Kana and I stumbled on a crime scene, she could use some comfort. We’re just outside Tukson’s Book Trade, on Central and 7th.
[NothingPersonnel] Jesus Fuck. Roar and I are on our way.
[RedLikeRoses] Crap. Meet you there.
[CatBurglar] Wait, Tukson’s? Is he okay?
[Me] …I’m sorry, Blake.
[CatBurglar] Fuck.
I found Kana sitting on the curb outside. “Just messaged the others,” I said as I sat down next to her. She leaned up against me, so I wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “How you doing?”
“...Not great,” she admitted. “I… I knew, on an intellectual level, that I’d see bodies in this career. That I’d have to kill people. But seeing Tukson… Seeing someone I know…”
“It fucks with you, yeah,” I said quietly. Flashes of Amy’s body flickered through my memory, but I forcibly shoved them aside for the moment. “Kana, like you told me last month… We’re still teenagers. No one is expecting us to just magically be okay at stumbling on a dead body, especially when it’s someone you knew.”
“I know, it's just… I feel like I’ve spent this last month being so weak, Tay,” Kana said despondently. “The person in the Black Coat made me panic, I nearly broke down telling everyone about my wings, I’m having nightmares so bad that they’re causing panic attacks, and now this…”
“You also stood up for Vixio with me, you had the strength to reveal your wings in the first place, you read me the fucking riot act…” I listed off all of the amazing ways my partner had shown her strength in the past month alone. “You. are. Incredible, Kana. Don’t just focus on the negatives. I know it’s easy to do that, but don’t start beating yourself up.”
“Kana!” I looked up to see Emily and Roark running toward us. “Tay told us what happened. Are you okay?” My sister dropped her bags and got to her knees to give Kana a hug.
“...Been better…” she answered. “But Tay is helping…”
“Well, that’s good at least,” Roark said as he sat down next to us. “We’re here if you need us, Kay.”
After a few minutes, the officers came out to take our statements, and then we were free to go. We met up with the others at the bakery, where Blake and Kana were consoled by the rest of us and buried in sweet treat therapy. I could see the light slowly start to return to my partner’s eyes bit by bit, thank God.
On our ride back to Beacon, I pulled Kana aside. “...Kay, I… I think you should talk with Goodwitch. And not just about Tukson,” I told her. “You have a lot to unpack, and I think Goodwitch would be able to help.”
She glanced up at me, uncertain. “I… I don’t know, Tay. I’m not sure she can. And I’d have to tell her about… you know.”
“She’s been a good therapist so far,” I reassured her. “And she takes confidentiality seriously. Anything you tell her won’t leave her office unless you choose otherwise.”
“...You really think it would help?”
I nodded immediately. “Yeah. Just… give it a shot, Kay. If you feel like it doesn’t help, then we can find another option.”
“...Okay,” she agreed to my relief. I didn’t want to watch her suffer the same way I had… She was far too important to me.
Ruby Rose
Beacon Academy- Dining Hall
23 July 80 AGW
The mood from yesterday had thankfully mostly faded by breakfast. Which was good. Because I had plans. Team RWBY had to maximize this final day off. Live it to the fullest! And so the group of us, save for Team BREK, were sitting in the dining hall bright and early.
“Hey, Blakey, whatcha looking at?” Yang asked, peering over at a book Blake had out on her lap.
“Just going over a few notes on the future,” she said, closing it.
I frowned. Blake had been starting to slowly hyperfixate on the Vision in these past few days. I knew all of us had it in the back of our minds; it was hard to just forget being told that a bunch of things were about to go wrong. But we couldn’t let it consume us.
“Blake… Don’t overdo it, okay?” Yang told her partner. Then she leaned over and… caught a grape in her mouth? I glanced over and saw a grinning Nora. “We’re going to investigate, I promise. But we still have to live our lives, too.”
“...Okay,” Blake agreed, putting her notes away. “Thanks, Yang.”
I took that as my cue to pull out The Binder. Was it actually one of Weiss’s Vytal Festival planning binders that I’d repurposed for my Best Day Ever plan? Maybe. Maybe not. No one would ever know. I cleared my throat to catch my team’s attention. “Sister. Honorary sisters. Friends. Four score and seven minutes ago I had a dream.”
“This oughta be good,” Yang snarked as she caught another grape in her mouth.
I continued on, undaunted. “A dream that one day, the four of us would come together, as a team, and have the most fun anyone has ever had... ever!”
“...is that my binder?” Weiss asked with a raised brow.
“I am not a crook,” I replied, smiling innocently and flashing peace signs at my partner.
“What are you even talking about, Ruby?” Blake asked, looking a bit lost.
“I’m talking about kicking our semester off with a bang!” I declared, pointing at my teammate.
“I always kick my semesters off with a Yang!” My sister cut in. “Eh? Guys? Am I right?” She was hit by an apple courtesy of Nora for the awful pun.
“Look guys,” I said a bit more seriously, “it's been a good four weeks, and between more exchange students arriving and the tournament at the end of the year, our second semester is going to be great! But, classes start back up tomorrow! Which is why I've taken the time to schedule a series of wonderful events for us today.”
“I’m not sure whether to be proud of you or mildly terrified,” Weiss replied, though I could hear the fondness in her voice. Aw, she liked me.
While Yang tossed her own apple back at Nora, Blake seemed a bit more uncertain. “...I don’t know, Ruby. Today might be better as a rest day, considering…”
“Whether we rest or do an activity, we should spend today as a team,” Weiss insisted. “I for one think that–” Whatever my partner was about to say was cut off by a pie to the face.
Taylor Blackquill
Beacon Academy- Courtyard
23 July 80 AGW
Thirty Minutes Later
“...Genuinely what in the shit was that?” Emily asked as the four of us walked away from the dining hall. We’d found ourselves walking in to breakfast a bit later than usual, and had stepped into what could only be called a warzone. Team RWBY and Team JNPR had, apparently, decided to throw the food fight to end all food fights, at least until Goodwitch stormed in. I was still trying to figure out where Weiss had found a whole-ass swordfish…
“Guess Beacon even overdoes its food fights,” Roark joked.
“Beacon?” Kana interjected. “Nah, it’s just RWBY and JNPR. Our friends might be a little insane.”
“I feel like you have to be at least a little crazy to get into this field to begin with, Kana,” I replied. I was thankful to see she had bounced back a bit from yesterday, at least, if she was smiling and bantering.
Any reply from the others was cut off by the loud sound of several airships flying overhead, likely headed for the airdocks. “Looks like the other schools are slowly arriving,” Roark commented. “Gonna start getting a bit cramped in class.”
“...Hey, isn’t today the day the Haven students are supposed to arrive?” Kana asked. July 23… So it was. But that meant…
Kana and I shared a look before taking off toward the landing pad, already knowing who we were hoping to see.
Vixio Rosemonte
Beacon Academy- Airdocks
23 July 80 AGW
I could not wait to get off of this airship and away from my team. With any luck, I would find some sort of Faunus group on campus to spend most of my out of class time with. Or maybe I could spend time with Jade’s team. Marigold could be a bit… intense around Silver, and Ember was certainly not the most sociable person around, but they made for better company than Drake.
As the airship came in for a landing and the ramp lowered, I was already moving to the front of the crowd as fast as I could. As I did so, though, I caught a glimpse of two figures in gold and white waiting on the landing pad. As soon as the one in gold spotted me, they waved, smiling brightly.
“Vixio!” Kana called.
I felt a smile slip onto my face as I made my way over to her and Taylor.
“It’s great to see you again!” Kana cheered as she gave me a hug.
“Hey Vixio. Long time no see,” Taylor snarked with her own smile. In reality it had only been less than two weeks since their team had been in Mistral, but they had certainly felt agonizingly long when I’d had to deal with Drake for one of them…
“Taylor, Kana. it’s good to see you both. Were you waiting for me?” I asked.
“Of course,” Kana answered. “Figured you’d want some friendly faces to welcome you to Beacon, right?”
“Tay, why the hell did you–” I heard Emily’s voice cut off as she approached, Roark in tow. “Oh, hey Vixio! Good to see ya.”
“It’s good to see you both too,” I said, glancing around. “Though, if we could continue this reunion elsewhere? I would… rather not stick around if I can help it.”
“Yeah, that figures,” Roark replied. “Could head for the library? I think RWBY and JNPR have holed up there to dodge any lingering anger from Goodwitch.” At my confused look, he merely said, “Don’t ask if you value your sanity.”
A short walk later found us entering Beacon’s library. As we walked among the shelves, I heard a younger-sounding female voice cry out “Nooooooo! My soldiers!”
“Sounds like they’re playing a game?” Taylor guessed as we approached.
Sure enough, we found four young women sitting around a table, playing what looked like Remnant: The Game. The shortest was dressed in mostly whites and silvers, similar to Taylor, though my eyes went wide at the snowflake insignia on her jacket.
‘A Schnee? That must be Weiss… Well, she is friends with Kana, and Roark was nice enough…’
Sitting to her left was a girl in black and crimson, with a long red cloak wrapped around her neck that highlighted the red tips of her otherwise dark hair. After that was a girl in monochrome and a black bow atop her raven hair, who looked rather distracted. Rounding out the players was a blonde dressed in browns and yellows, smirking at the one in red.
“Oh, and what's this? The Smugglers of Wind Path?” she said smugly.
Four others were also present, apparently studying. Well, most of them. A girl with hair only slightly brighter orange than my own, dressed in a pink skirt and white top, was snoozing atop one of the books a young raven-haired man in green was attempting to read. Then there was the blond boy wearing what looked to be a black hoodie and jeans, sitting next to…
'Dust, is that Pyrrha Nikos?’ I realized. Sure enough, the Pride of Sanctum was sitting there in a casual gold and crimson blouse and exercise pants, studying her textbook intently.
Taylor cleared her throat as the blonde finished explaining Remnant: The Game to the Schnee. “Hate to interrupt this riveting team-bonding exercise, but there’s someone I’d like y’all to meet.”
The blonde raised an eyebrow. “‘Y’all?’ Seriously, Tay? What are you, a cowboy? Er, cowgirl, sorry.”
Taylor rolled her eyes. “Yang, I grew up in the region where cowboys got famous back home. I’m going to let the occasional Southernism slip. Just be glad I’ve been able to tamp down on the random Spanish. Anyway…” She looked towards me. “This is Vixio Rosemonte, that friend we made in Mistral. He’s, uh, dodging his team because they’re either lazy idiots or bigots.”
“Oh, great. Just what we needed. Another Team CRDL,” the Schnee groused. “I do hope you’re better company than the rest of your team then. Weiss Schnee,” she introduced herself.
“Nice to meet ya, Vixio. Yang Xiao Long. And this is my sister, Ruby Rose,” the blonde smiled as she pointed to the girl in the cloak, who waved. Yang then pointed to the final person at the table. “And miss moody here is Blake Belladonna, my partner. We’re Team RWBY. And yes, it does get confusing,” she joked.
Pyrrha Nikos spoke up next. “You’re from Mistral, yes? Then I doubt I need to introduce myself, but I am Pyrrha Nikos. It’s a pleasure to meet a friend of Taylor’s.” Her tone was even, but it felt… forced? Fake? Like it was rehearsed.
‘She likely has had to deal with people from Mistral constantly harassing her, even before today,’ I realized.
“Likewise, Pyrrha,” I decided to respond. “Please, rest assured that while I appreciate your combat prowess, I am not here to act like some rabid fanboy.”
“Whoa…” I heard Yang whisper. “It’s one thing to see a picture, but actually hearing him…”
“I am a boy, yes,” I chuckled nervously at her. “And quite secure in that fact. I’ve just always preferred to also look pretty.”
To my relief, she just shrugged. “Hey, live how you want, my dude. You won’t see any judgment from this group.”
Pyrrha gave me a more genuine smile as well. “Thank you, Vixio. Fame has certainly been rewarding, but it can also grow… exhausting.” She elbowed the boy next to her, who seemed to be lost in thought studying me.
“O-oh, right! Jaune Arc! Nice to meet you,” he said with a startle. “The one in green is Lie Ren, but he prefers to go by Ren. And the sleeping one is Nora Valkyrie. We’re Team JNPR.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet all of you,” I said, giving them all a smile. “Taylor and Kana spoke about you at length during our time together in Mistral.”
“More like Kana spoke about us at length, right?” Yang joked. “Tay wasn’t exactly a people person til like… six weeks ago?”
“Just about, yeah,” my friend answered, looking embarrassed. “Sorry again.”
“Ah, you already apologized, Taylor! Don’t worry about it!” Ruby waved her hands. “I don’t think any of us blame you, given what happened to you.”
As they talked, I noticed Weiss looking at me. “Can I help you, Weiss?” I asked cautiously, suddenly being very aware of my horse tail.
“Hm? Oh, apologies. I didn’t mean to give any offense,” she said hastily. “I just… Your name sounds familiar somehow… Rosemonte…”
Pyrrha suddenly snapped her fingers. “Rosemonte Runway! They’re a fairly in-demand fashion studio located on the outskirts of Mistral. I’ve worn a few of their designs for galas and the like.”
“That explains it,” Weiss agreed. “We’ve received a few outfits from them as well. Much to Father’s grumbling,” she continued, rolling her eyes in what had to be disdain. “Still, any relation?”
I nodded shyly. “My mothers, yes. I’ve been helping in the shop since I could hold a needle and thread. Though my own wardrobe is designed by me.”
Yang let out a low whistle. “You designed that outfit yourself? Looks damn good on ya, to be honest.”
“Indeed,” Weiss added. “It certainly makes you stand out in a welcome way.”
I blushed at the praise. “Thank you, Yang, Weiss. It does mean a lot to have my efforts recognized. Though as I’m sure Pyrrha can relate, I would rather be defined by who I am as a person, and not just the fame around my name.” Pyrrha gave an appreciative and understanding nod at my words.
Taylor nodded before stretching her arms idly. “Alright. I’ll let you lot get back to your game and/or studying. Or reading comics, Jaune.” She gave a meaningful look Jaune’s way, making the blond gulp nervously. “Kana and I can show Vixio around Beacon. Em, Roar, can you two go see if you can take the temperature of his team? I want to find out what we’re dealing with and if I’ve gotta pull my sword out again.”
“Phrasing,” Yang and Emily both said with a smirk, to which Taylor replied with a middle finger aimed at each of them. “But yeah, I can do that for ya sis,” Emily continued. “Come on, Roark.” She grabbed her partner’s hand and dragged him away.
Ozpin
Beacon Academy- Headmaster’s Office
23 July 80 AGW
I watched with Glynda as several massive military ships began to take up positions around Beacon and Vale. Two Bullheads flew past the window of my office as the ship carrying Atlas Academy’s students came in for a landing.
Glynda sighed from behind me as I sipped my coffee. “James sure does love to bring his work with him wherever he goes,” she snarked.
“Well, running an academy and the military does make him a busy man,” I commented. “But yes. Those are certainly a bit of an eyesore.” I heard a chime from my desk, and turned to see an access request for the office. “Come in,” I called.
The door to my office slid open, and James Ironwood strode in. He was dressed, as always, in full uniform, his white tailcoat and suit pants expertly pressed over a gray vest and black undershirt. His dark black hair was starting to show signs of gray. Stress, no doubt, from trying to run both Atlas Academy and the foremost military in the world. However, he was not alone.
Another individual stood behind him, though judging by the lack of uniform, they were no Atlesian Specialist. The black open jacket he wore over a faded blue undershirt and his deep blue pants both ended with strange flannel-like designs at their bottoms. His jacket was sleeveless, leaving his well-toned upper arms exposed, though his lower arms were covered in armored black gloves. The man’s sea green eyes held more experience than someone who looked to be in his late 20s should ever have to hold. He ran a hand through his messy silver hair as he glanced around my office.
James smiled as he stepped forward. “Ozpin!”
“Hello, General,” I nodded cordially, extending a hand.
“Oh, please, let’s drop the formalities.” James shook my hand. “It’s been too long.” He turned his attention to Glynda. “And Glynda. It has certainly been far too long since we last met.”
Glynda gave James a fake smile and wave. “Oh, James!” Her face then dropped back to her normal stern gaze. “Who is this?” she asked, gesturing at the newcomer.
Said newcomer bowed slightly. “Hello. My name is Riku Miyano. It’s nice to finally meet you, Professors.”
Riku… Riku… Where had I heard that name… Ah, yes. Miss Blackquill had mentioned it on several occasions. Someone she referred to as “Master Riku” had been the one to bequeath his Keyblade to her.
“Is it safe to assume that you are the same Riku responsible for one Emily Blackquill arriving on Remnant?” I asked, dropping any hint of cordiality.
Riku’s eyes widened for a moment before he smiled softly. “So she mentioned me, huh? Not surprised. I was getting a lot of Hero Worship vibes from her. Yeah. That’s me.”
He held out his hand, and a Keyblade appeared in a flash of shadow. The shaft was like a single-edged straight sword styled like a crimson bat wing, though the “teeth” of the blade was an angelic wing. The guard had an azure eye with a slit pupil set into it where an angelic wing and a demonic wing met. Hanging from the pommel was a black heart shape with red trim.
“Master Riku Miyano, Bearer of Dawn. But please, just Riku is fine.”
I gave James a questioning look. “He and another approached me seven months ago, Oz,” James explained as Riku dismissed his Keyblade. “They said they were here to help Remnant prepare for an oncoming threat. Of course, I didn’t believe them at first, but, well…” He gestured at Riku’s hand. “It’s rather hard to deny when two men are using magic.”
“If you’re here to prepare, then why did you not maintain contact with your apprentices?” Glynda asked, her tone already rising in irritation. “The Blackquills were dropped into a world they had no experience with, and with no chance to even bid farewell to their loved ones. Roark Stonebur and Kana Brightwing were handed power that they had no context for. What were you thinking?”
“We… The seven of us, that is,” Riku began, looking suitably chastised, “thought it would be best if we allowed our apprentices to make their own ways first, without our influence. Rest assured, we’ve had eyes on them… Well, six of them… this entire time.”
“There are three more apprentices, then?” I asked. That was… troubling. Three Keybearers completely unaccounted for, as neither Leonardo nor Theodore had made any reports of such magic appearing at Haven or Shade.
Riku nodded. “Yeah. Mine, Ven’s, Terra’s, and Sora’s all ended up here. Roxas and Kairi’s apprentices are… They’re both safe and accounted for.” Interesting choice of words. He didn’t want us to know where those two were, then. Perhaps holed up in a safehouse, or involved in a delicate situation. “Aqua’s apprentice, though…”
“According to Riku and Roxas, one of the apprentices was ‘redirected’ while in transit to Remnant and is currently in the wind,” James finished.
Alarming news, then. A Keybearer who was not even accounted for by the ones who brought them here? And if they were ‘redirected…’ Taylor had mentioned that the cloaked attacker at the docks utilized magic in a similar signature to Team BREK’s Keyblades. Perhaps that was where they had ended up? I glanced to Riku, then to James, asking a silent question. 'Does he know?’
James nodded. That was surprising. James was notoriously slow to trust these days.
“Do we believe she was involved?” I asked bluntly.
Riku shook his head. “No. We think our own enemy got here first, realized what we were up to, and steered Aqua’s apprentice off track somehow. We’ve been looking for her, but so far, no luck.”
“Well, you’re here now,” Glynda cut in. “Will you be showing yourselves to your apprentices?”
“Not just yet,” Riku replied. “We’ll step in if they’re put in genuine danger, believe me. But, well… Most of us set out on our journeys alone. We didn’t have a Master to fall back on, and those who did didn’t rely on him. We want our apprentices to forge their own paths first. Once they know who they are with this power, we can help guide them.”
“And being attacked by someone in an outfit that, by the Blackquills’ own words, marked them as the enemy of Keybearers last month wasn’t genuine danger?” Glynda questioned heatedly. “...I’ll be outside,” she said after a moment before storming out. It wasn’t surprising. Glynda had seen firsthand the struggles of the Blackquill twins, and knowing that help for them was being dangled just out of their reach likely incensed her.
“...Riku, could I talk with Ozpin alone for a bit?” James asked. The silver-haired man nodded and followed Glynda out.
“...Why are you here, James?” I asked once the room was clear. “I doubt that Mister Miyano was the only reason you traveled here. Headmasters don’t tend to travel with their students for the Festival.” I moved over to the coffee maker I kept in my office and poured James a mug, which he took gratefully.
“Well, you know how much I love Vale this time of year,” James answered as he pulled a small flask from his breast pocket and poured its contents into the mug. I poured myself my own mug and returned to my desk. “Besides, with you hosting, I thought that this might be a good opportunity for us to catch up.”
“I can certainly appreciate the quality time between friends,” I told him before gesturing to my window. “However, the small fleet just outside my door has me a bit concerned.”
“Well, concern is what brought them here,” James replied. I sighed. James was stalwart and steadfast in his beliefs of justice and defense. It was what made him an ideal member of my circle. But it also meant that once he believed he was correct, it was very hard to make him back down. “...Oz, you and I both know why they’re here.”
“We are in a time of peace,” I replied. “Shows of power like this are just going to give off the wrong impression.” I set my mug down as James did the same.
“But if what Qrow said is true, if what Riku has said is true…”
“If what Qrow said is true, then we will handle it tactfully,” I cut him off. “And if the Keyblade Masters believe their own foe is about to make a move, then I doubt all the guns in our world will be a solution. It's the Vytal Festival. A time to celebrate unity and peace. So I suggest that you not scare people by transporting hundreds of soldiers halfway across the continent.”
“I’m just being cautious, Oz,” James insisted. “Even if the guns don’t help, the people will.”
“As am I. Which is why we will continue to train the best Huntsmen and Huntresses we can.”
“Believe me, I am, Oz.” James sighed and stood up from his chair. He began walking toward the door, but stopped. “...But ask yourself this: Do you honestly believe your children can win a war? Even with these magic swords?”
“...I pray they won’t have to, James.” I watched my old friend leave without another word.
Emily Blackquill
Beacon Academy- Courtyard
23 July 80 AGW
‘I wanna fucking kill him.’
“Can’t say I blame you, Toots.”
Roark and I had been following Vixio’s leader for all of fifteen minutes and he was already probably the worst excuse for a human being I’d ever had the displeasure of witnessing. In those fifteen minutes, I had heard the entire spread of sexist, homophobic, and transphobic slurs I’d heard thrown at Taylor and Amy, alongside an entirely new set of slurs for the Faunus that Roark had called out.
Drake Viridian was like if Cardin was a few inches taller, had sea green hair, and had green eyes. He was wearing the black uniform jacket of Haven unbuttoned, showing a deep green muscle shirt underneath. He walked about with a confident swagger that could only come from thinking he was better than everyone else. And he just did. Not. Shut. Up. His toadies, William Langit and Trent Robin, would point out some poor, unassuming student, be they from Beacon, Shade, Haven, or Atlas, and Drake would rattle off a list of their perceived failings.
Any male students that didn’t have visible muscle? Any number of homophobic slurs.
Any female students that weren’t pretty enough by his standard? Prostitutes. And if they were pretty, he’d call them sluts instead and talk about how easy they’d be.
Any guys wearing a color more vibrant than dark gray were immediately labeled gay. Anyone wearing anything even remotely gender-nonconforming were barraged by transphobia.
He had plenty of vitriol for the Faunus, too, contrary to Vixio’s prior statements. I’d learned far too many new slurs today. And all the while, William and Trent laughed along like drunken morons without a brain cell between them.
‘I wanna fucking kill him,’ I thought again as I watched him decide to get a bit more direct, harassing a racoon Faunus girl wearing the Shade uniform (if Shade Academy could be said to have a uniform) and a progressive Pride pin on her jacket.
“I mean, I do too, but I'm pretty sure Ozpin frowns upon that,” Roark said. Shit, had that one been out loud?
I sighed quietly and looked back at Roark. “How in the fuck is this guy allowed to attend a Huntsman Academy? There’s blatant bigotry, and then there’s this. What the fuck is the Headmaster doing?”
“No clue,” Roark said, a hard edge in his voice. “But there’s no way in hell we’re letting Vixio spend one second more around this guy than he’s absolutely required to.”
I nodded, turning back to keep watching. Roark taking a hard stance on this made me happy, despite having to spend my afternoon listening to this garbage. My partner would have my–
Drake shoved the racoon girl down, and another torrent of transphobic and racist insults spilled out of his mouth.
No. Fuck that. Time to channel my inner Taylor. “Oh no. He’s not getting away with that one.”
“Em, wait for–”
Before Roark could finish, I’d already launched myself forward through one of the long shadows cast by the raised archways around Beacon’s courtyard. Merging with shadows always felt off, like I wasn’t fully myself, and I couldn’t maintain it for long. But it was long enough for me to launch out of a shadow to land directly between Drake and the Faunus girl, my combat outfit manifesting around me in a whorl of shadow alongside my Keyblade.
“Back. The fuck. Off. Now.” I practically snarled the last word, channeling as much magic as I could into amplifying my sheer presence. It was enough to send Drake’s cronies scrambling back, and put the bigot on the back foot.
“What the fuck do you want?” He managed to growl back. “What, you hoping this furball is a carpet-muncher too?”
My Keyblade shifted into my scythe, and the flat of the blade pressed against Drake’s stomach. “I have been listening to your bullshit for the past twenty fucking minutes,” I told him, using a tiny bit of illusion magic to deepen and darken my voice for added intimidation. “You can either shut up and fuck off, or I can show you how me and my sister like to handle bigots. Shame for you, there’s no windows around for me to throw you out of, but I’m more than happy to get creative.”
“...Are you threatening me, furfag?” he asked, finally catching on.
“Threats imply a chance I’m not going to follow through,” I replied. “You have five seconds to leave and go back to your assigned dorm, or we get to see how strong your Aura is against my Shadow Magic.” A dark cloud of magic manifested around me as I activated Shadow Cloak.
“I’d listen to her if I were you,” Roark’s voice called. He stepped forward, also in his combat outfit, with his warhammer resting on his shoulder. “Unless you wanna see if this hammer is good for breaking more than just stones.”
There was silence for a short few seconds before Drake’s common sense, whatever tiny fragments that existed, finally kicked in. “...Tch. Fine. Whatever, furfags. Fuck off.” He stepped back and waved for his lackeys to follow him before stomping off.
I watched until he was out of sight, then sighed in relief as I let my magic fade along with my combat outfit. I turned around and knelt to help the racoon girl up. “Hey. Sorry about that. You okay?”
The girl nodded shyly, taking my hand after a moment. “U-um… Why did you… Why did you do that?”
“My sister and I both despise bullies,” I told her as I helped her to her feet. “And I wasn’t about to let him get away with attacking you. Are you alright? Anything hurt?”
She shook her head. “N-nothing my Aura can’t handle… U-um, Evelyn Kalina. Nice to meet you…”
I gave her a kind smile. “Emily Blackquill. My teammate over there is Roark,” I said, gesturing toward my partner. I’d learned my lesson with Vixio, and omitted his last name. “I’m glad you’re alright.”
Once we’d made sure that Evelyn was safe, and she’d set off to go find her team, I sighed to myself. “What a piece of fucking work…” I muttered.
“No kidding,” Roark agreed. “Next time, though, let me know when you’re about to go blasting off, eh? I would have backed you up from the start.”
I smiled weakly at my partner. “Sorry. Just kinda… saw red there. Didn’t get the chance to stick up for Velvet or Vixio, so… I guess something in me demanded that I step in immediately this time.”
Roark chuckled and gave my arm a reassuring squeeze. “One of the many reasons I like having you as a partner, Em. Come on, let’s get back to the dorm.” And if I walked slightly slower to hide the blush that I’d gotten from him saying that… Well, he didn’t need to know.
Taylor Blackquill
Beacon Academy- BREK Dorm
23 July 80 AGW
“There is not a chance in hell I am letting Vixio anywhere near that bastard for a microsecond longer than he’s absolutely required to.”
That was what my sister greeted us with as myself, Kana, and Vixio returned to our dorm after our little tour of Beacon. I’d found Emily with an absolutely thunderous expression as she paced the length of the room. Roark’s own face was grim, not even bothering trying to calm Em down. The fact that my normally level-headed twin looked like she was five seconds from going on a warpath didn’t exactly fill me with confidence.
“...That bad, huh?” I asked as I sat down on my bed. Kana waved Vixio over to join her on her own bed.
“Drake Viridian is… probably the worst person I’ve ever met in my life,” Roark confirmed. “And I lived with Whitney Stonebur for most of that.” If Roark was comparing his abusive mother favorably compared to this guy… Just who had Vixio been stuck with?
“Seriously?” Kana cut in, her face a mix of disbelief and worry.
“We followed him for twenty minutes, and in that time, he ran down the entire list of homophobic, sexist, and transphobic slurs I know, plus introduced me to about ten more I’d never even heard of,” Emily spat out. “Oh, not to mention the many colorful ways to insult Faunus that I learned today. And that was all before he fucking shoved a student from Shade because she had a Pride pin on.”
“Em… might have pulled a you,” Roark added. “Pulled out her scythe and everything. I backed her up, and we got him to fuck off, but…”
“If he’s that bad, then how is he even still a student?” I asked, concerned. “Is the Headmaster over there sleeping on the job?”
“Headmaster Lionheart is… not exactly the most charismatic or strong-willed person,” Vixio explained. “Considering what happened last year, if I had had the option, I wouldn’t have even attended Haven. But I didn’t want to worry my mothers any more than I already was by going further afield…”
“Wait, what happened last year?” Emily asked. “We weren’t exactly here for all that.”
“...A student was nearly raped by a professor,” Kana said quietly.
The look of disgusted shock on my sister’s face likely mirrored my own, and summed up both of our reactions to that. A professor had seriously tried to violate one of their own students like that?
“She was a Faunus, and the ex-professor apparently had a… fetish for us.” Kana looked like she wanted to take a shower just from uttering that sentence. “Thankfully, the student’s brother found them just in time and sent the professor to the hospital.”
“God… I can’t even imagine…” Emily breathed.
“That just makes even less sense though,” I muttered. When all eyes looked to me, I continued with my thought process. “If something like that happened at my school, even if I was spineless, the board would be breathing down my fucking neck to make sure I took that shit seriously. Not cracking down is just a lawsuit waiting to happen.”
“Such is the life of us Mistralian Faunus, unfortunately,” Vixio replied bitterly. “We may have equality according to the text of the law, but in reality most of those with any power don’t actually care about us.”
Kana reached over and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “Well, at the very least, Beacon isn’t going to tolerate that. We’ll let Professor Ozpin know.”
I nodded. “And unless anyone has any issues with it, I’d like to offer our room in case you need a safe place to sleep?” I glanced about the room, receiving nods from each of my teammates. “There you go. You need to get away from your leader, just let us know.”
Vixio blinked in shock. “...A-are… Are you serious? You would do that for me?”
“Of course, dude,” Roark said with a smile. “I don’t think any of us could send you back to that jackass in good conscience.”
“There is not a chance in hell I’m letting you go back to Drake and his pair of chucklefuck cronies, Vix,” Em confirmed. “Not a brain cell between those two, just mindless toadies for the bigot.” My sister blinked, seemingly realizing what she’d done. “Oh, uh, are you okay with that nickname, by the way?”
Vixio nodded. “Oh, I don’t mind, Emily. Jade and her teammates have called me that for ages. And while your description is… harsh, I can't particularly disagree. William Langit and Trent Robin do not take anything about being a Huntsman seriously. They spent most nights going out to various parties around Mistral, and slept through most of their classes. It’s a miracle they managed to pass their Finals.”
“Well, our door is officially always open to you then, Vix,” I said, giving him a consoling smile. “And I’ll get us an appointment with Professor Ozpin as soon as possible. I’m not going to sit by and let you be harassed like that.”
Vix gave all of us a warm, if a bit watery, smile. “...Thank you, all of you… I appreciate it more than you can know.”
Roman Torchwick
Vale- The Candlewick
23 July 80 AGW
Things were proceeding pretty well, all things considered. Sure, Red and her weird friends showing up at the docks meant we were a bit behind on the amount of Dust our oh-so- generous benefactor was demanding, but nothing that couldn’t be fixed by having the animals make a few more snatch-and-grabs at Dust shops around the city. All we had to do was keep this up, and then Little Miss Burning could take her people and her Dust and hopefully leave me and Neo the fuck alone.
Speaking of which, I heard the so very unwelcome sounds of footsteps approaching me. Considering all of the White Fang were busy loading and unloading Dust, I had a sinking suspicion of who it was. I turned to see three of my least favorite people in the world. Well, I assumed the third one was someone I hated. It was hard to tell which particular asshole in a full body black coat I was dealing with unless they decided to speak.
“Ah, she sent the kids again,” I snarked, walking up and holding them in a very fake hug so that I could comb through their pockets. Tall, Gray, and Murderhobo didn’t have anything of note, but Miss Bootyshorts sure did… “This is turning out just like the divorce.”
Emerald shivered in revulsion as she slipped out from under my arm. “Spare us the thought of you procreating.”
“That was a joke; learn to take one, honey.” I produced the slip of paper I’d looted from her pocket. “And this might just tell me where you’ve been all day.” I smirked at Emerald’s frustrated and panicked expression. “I’m a professional, sweetheart. Pay attention and you might just learn something, hm?”
I recognized the address on the paper immediately. Oh, great. They’d gone and merc’d the puma for me. And here I was hoping I’d get to make a few more purchases before killing him. “How do you have this address?”
Emerald rolled her crimson eyes at me. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Yeah, I would, actually. What were you up to today?” I pressed.
“Cleaning up your messes,” Mercury replied smugly. “One of them, anyway.”
“I had that under control,” I ground out.
“Two packed bags and a ticket out of Vale said otherwise,” he immediately shot back.
“Listen here, you little punk,” I told him, getting in his face. “If it were up to me, i’d take you, your little street rat friend, and whichever dickhead is under the hood today and–”
“And do what, Roman?” my benefactor’s voice cut in. Like the bitch that she was, Cinder chose to make an entrance, riding down on a platform from above. Lovely.
“... Not kill them?” I finished lamely.
The street rat’s eyes lit up at the sight of her favorite sadist. “Cinder!”
Cinder ignored her, focusing on me. “I thought I made it clear that you would eliminate the would-be runaway.”
I scoffed. “I was getting around to it, but–”
“He was going to escape to Vacuo!” Emerald cut me off. “Mercury and I decided to take it upon ourselves to kill the rat.”
“Actually, I’m pretty sure he was more of a cat,” Mercury added idly.
Cinder’s gaze whipped to her lackeys next. “Quiet. Did I not specifically instruct you two to keep your hands clean while in Vale?”
Now it was my turn to laugh while Emerald floundered about. “I-I, well… I just thought…”
“Do not think, obey ,” Cinder said like the freaky cult leader she was.
Emerald immediately bowed to her goddess. “Yes ma’am. It won’t happen again.”
“And you.” Oh, great, she was looking at me again. “Why wasn’t this job done sooner?”
I gave her a deadpan look, then began gesturing to the literal tons of Dust sitting all around us. “Uh..? Eh..? Eh..? EHHHHH! Sorry if I've been busy stealing every speck of Dust in the Kingdom!”
“You’re an inspiration to every punk with a gun and a ski mask,” Mercury snarked, making Emerald chuckle.
“Can it, you,” I shot back. “If it was so important, why not have whichever dickhead of the week is under that hood go kill him?”
“Oh, please, Torchwick,” came the voice of the bitchy girl Cinder had insisted I take with to the docks heist. I’d taken to calling her Noxious. Because of the poison, and her shitty personality. “We hardly want to waste my talents on such a simple task. Besides, my ways of killing are… messy. We don’t want the Keys up at Beacon catching on just yet.”
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever, sure, fine. But look around you. I've got this town running scared! Police camping out at every corner, Dust prices through the roof, and we're sitting pretty on an old warehouse with more Dust crystals, vials, and rounds than we know what to do with! Speaking of which, if you guys wouldn't mind filling me in on your grand master plan, it might actually make my next string of robberies go a little smoother!” I hated not having all the cards. Not knowing what the fuck Neo and I’d gotten dragged into. Working with the White Fang was one thing, but Cinder and whoever she answered to were a whole different level.
Cinder walked up to me, putting a hand on my face I had to fight to not react to. “Oh, Roman… have a little faith,” she whispered. “You'll know what you need when you need to know it.” With that, she turned and started walking away. “Besides… We’re done with Dust.”
I nearly fell over myself. They were… done? Then what the fuck was all of this for? “Okaaaaay… What now then?”
“We’re moving,” came my answer as the four began to walk out. “Have the White Fang clear out this building. I'll send you details and coordinates tonight. We’re proceeding to phase two.”
“...Great…” I muttered, searching for my lighter as I stuck a cigar into my mouth. I glanced up just in time to see Emerald stick her tongue out and flip me the bird as she palmed my lighter. Little fucking brat…