Hey. So, after an extensive and thorough review of my old fic I've made some heavy changes. So, uh… enjoy.
I own nothing, y'all know how it goes.
Chapter One: Introductions Are In Order
"C'mon Taurus, I need your help."
A well-dressed, red-haired man blew smoke from a cigar that never seemed to leave his lips. Roman Torchwick, criminal mogul and new associate of Adam Taurus, called for yet another meeting with the White Fang leader to discuss yet another dealing of lien for manpower. It was the third time this month and Adam was getting sick of that nauseating cigar smoke.
Roman snapped his fingers and his partner, a petite woman of multi-colours, set a briefcase on a table that was covered with a map of Remnant. She opened it to reveal a hefty amount of lien. "I can't pull these heists off myself you know." He said nudging the briefcase closer with his cane. "You know I'm always good on my word." Roman continued, punctuating his statement with a mischievous grin.
Adam all the while stood unmoving in front of a hanging map of Vale. He glanced at the offering, money wasn't what he sought after. It wasn't until Roman's plastic smile waned away that he chose to speak. "Your men are sitting in a jail cell, while you're here grovelling for more only so my members can be victims of the same fate." Adam hated to get involved with the likes of Cinder, but he wasn't left with much choice.
And being involved with Cinder meant having to deal with her other associate, Roman. A prime example of the villainy humans possessed. The man made him feel sick, though that could've been a side effect from the cigar smoke.
Roman brushed away Adam's obvious detest towards him and instead chewed on his cigar mulling over the matter. He didn't have to be generous and offer Adam money in exchange for his services, he could've taken whatever he wanted and claimed it to be an order from Cinder herself. But he wanted to stay on Adam's good side, if the man had one.
Roman spoke again waving at his assistant as he did so, "Well my heart breaks for Junior's men, it truly does. But they were idiots, the whole lot. Which is why I'm upgrading to a better breed of citizens" More like a more obedient breed, he thought. "Neo if you would be a dear…"
Again, his assistant pulled out another briefcase and set it next to the first. Both cases were identical in shape and size, but when opened it revealed to contain a currency far more valuable than whatever the first case offered. Dust, beautifully refined, and thanks to Roman's recent string of robberies, its value had increased tenfold.
Roman leaned on his cane a small glance cast towards the opening in the tent, "You know, those guard dogs of yours don't look cheap." He referred of course to Adam's newly hired muscle posted outside. He smirked as he thought of the reason why the gang leader would need such heavy hitters.
Word had it he was spooked, and rightfully so. Cinder had stormed his camp with her subordinates; Mercury Black, son of the assassin Marcus Black, and Emerald Sustrai, master thief. Not as masterful as him, Roman thought, but the girl showed potential. The trio had raided the White Fang encampment, threatened their leader's life, and forced him into a 'mutual partnership'. Shortly after Roman himself was contacted by the femme fatale, but unlike Adam he wasn't stupid enough to say no the first time.
Which left the three of them in a deadly power struggle. The board had been set, a deadly trio of players in control of their pawns and each with a different agenda that for now, coincided, but for how long?
"I kinda need an answer like, uh now." Roman spoke, breaking the silence that had crept in. He glanced at an imaginary watch on his wrist. "Time is money you know, so what do you say?"
Two figures stood guarding the entrance to Adam's war tent. Contract killers posing as hired guards, for now. Technically they were paid to do whatever Adam told them, and right now that meant 'guard the entrance'.
Keeping them under his employment wasn't cheap, but you get what you pay for, and these two were worth every lien. Besides with Cinder and Roman keeping the White Fang well-funded the terrorist leader had more money and Dust than he cared for. So now here they were acting as a couple of guns-for-hire for Adam Taurus.
He provided them with files on Cinder and Roman and their respective organizations as well as the plans they had for the White Fang. Well, only what he knew. Cinder had a habit of keeping information to herself and only revealing what was necessary.
What he did know, was that the White Fang needed to provide manpower for Roman's escapades. In return, he was provided with money, Dust, and limited power. And his life, Ash thought, but that went without saying. Roman's job was "Stealing every speck of Dust in the kingdom", nothing was noted to elaborate on that. She doubted that was the fool's only job but that was all Adam had on him. Cinder however…
Ash knew nothing about her. The files provided weren't very helpful either, so Ash turned to some contacts in Vale's underground all of which came up empty. Cinder was a ghost, and Ash hated ghosts.
Another interesting note popped into Ash's head, the duo that Cinder had acquired.
Mercury Black, son of the infamous assassin Marcus Black, who had interestingly turned up dead a few weeks before. Marcus was a drunk bastard, but he was a professional. Whoever his murderer was had to be good. And since his son hadn't seemed very grief stricken, Ash deduced him to be his own father's killer. But the boy wouldn't prove to be anything that the two Wunders couldn't handle.
The girl however, Emerald Sustrai, was concerning. She was supposedly a thief, nothing more. Certainly not a problem if they came to blows, so what was it that Cinder saw in her? Perhaps it had to do with her apparent semblance; deception. Ash wasn't quite sure how it worked but she'd seen footage of it in action, a shopkeeper handing over money without a smile, only to realize moments later what had occurred. The girl could be a problem, at least until the Wunders could figure her out.
What was their purpose? She thought, the two were handpicked for a specific reason. Control? The two had to be fiercely loyal, or afraid, to not be bought out by some third party. Unlike the Wunders whose loyalties lied with whoever signed their checks. Adam should be careful, lest someone offer them a deal they couldn't refuse…
She shook her head and tuned herself into the conversation that was happening in the tent behind them.
Jasper didn't worry himself with criminal politics, or any kind of politics for that matter. Instead he was more concerned with warming himself up and avoiding freezing to death while Adam had his playdate with that Roman guy.
A dull fire burned some fifty yards away from the tent Jasper and his sibling stood in front of. The occasional breeze brought with it a hint of the blaze's warmth. The boy Wunder wished he could stand a little closer and warm his hands, and maybe chat with some of the other members who seemed to be laughing and having an enjoyable time. But he couldn't abandon his post, not until Ash said so.
The tall boy shivered a bit, his nose tinged a soft pink from the cold, its hue matched his eyes. His pale skin had gone pale and contrasted deeply against the dark green tailcoat he wore. His white pants were tucked into brown, leather knee-length boots and his coat had a leather collar with matching brown buttons that were embellished with the Wunder's symbol, a top hat and sewing needle. His gentlemanly look was complete with a top hat of the same colours as his jacket, dark green and a chocolate brown ribbon.
He shivered again and wondered how his sister could brace the cold in nothing more than a sleeveless dress and stockings.
Jasper risked a peeked at his sister who was standing next to him. She had her arms crossed and stood as still as could be. If the cold bothered her she didn't show it, instead her icy blue eyes were focused on some unseen object in the distance. She had waist length, platinum blonde hair that matched Jasper's. As always it was held in a ponytail with a red ribbon. She wore a sleeveless, semi-lowcut blue dress that ended in an expanding plume just above the knees, "combat skirt" she called it. Modest, but it still tempted the imagination as did the way it hugged her athletic figure. She wore white lace stockings with glossy black slip on shoes and there was no doubt she was beautiful, but behind that mask of beauty was a killer.
He shivered as a breeze blew by, bringing an unforgiving bite of frost with it. Damn it was cold, what month was it anyways?
'Kinda cold today, isn't it?' A voice asked. Jasper sighed knowing who it belonged to. Or, rather what. This voice didn't resonate from a physical body but rather echoed in the boy's mind. No one else could hear it but Jasper.
The boy couldn't remember when it spoke but it had to be sometime during his childhood he guessed. Now that he thought about it, he couldn't remember much about his childhood. But what he could recall were bright lights, wonderful music, and laughter. The thought always put a smile on Jasper's face, it was one of his more pleasant memories.
'Did you get a look at that girl who rolled in with Roman? Real piece of work, wasn't she?'
"Yeah, she was kind of cute. In a cold-blooded murderer kind of way." Jasper answered. Ash's eyes broke their fix on the horizon as she tuned herself in to her brother's conversation.
'Bullshit. Did you forget? I live in here with your thoughts. Someone's gonna need a cold shower later.'
"Shut up."
'Make me.'
"Jasper." Another voice cut in. He recognized it immediately. "Yes, sister?" He answered, internally groaning.
"Behave yourself, please." Ash's voice took an icy tone.
He lowered his gaze as a raspy laugh echoed in his head. 'Busted.' The boy Wunder clenched his jaw but held his tongue.
"As always it was a pleasure doing business with you Adam." Avoice called from inside his the tent. Both siblings recognized it as Roman's "Now don't go spending that all in one place you crazy kid." The tent entrance flapped open letting out Roman and his partner.
'You think they're like official partners or just partners with benefits?'
Jasper's eye twitched again. "Ohmygod just SHUT. UP." He repeated as Roman walked by. The gangster stopped in his tracks.
He turned Jasper's way. "I'm sorry, but did you say something?"
'Busted again.'
Jasper lowered his head like a scolded mutt, "I was just uh… speaking to myself. I'm sorry." He whispered, flinching as another laugh invaded his mind. He twiddled his thumbs in front of him, wishing the thug would leave. "James, is it?"
"Jasper." He corrected.
"Right, well James-"
"It's Jasper" Cut in a familiarly cold voice. "And forgive my brother, he's… unstable." Ash still stood with her arms crossed and wore an annoyed look on her face. Roman gave her a shameless once over, sizing her up. She was pretty, and probably a hell of a lot more dangerous than she looked, just like every other woman in his life.
"Bull-boy you really need to muzzle these guard dogs of yours." Roman muttered to himself before walking off towards a Bullhead that was prepared to take off. Neo trailed behind him stealing a quick glance at Jasper. The boy locked eyes with her and he gave her a wink before she walked away with a hint of a smile on her face.
'Smooth, criminal'
Jasper grinned to himself before he turned to Ash who was watching Roman as he boarded his airship.
"I wasn't too harsh on the boy, was I?" Roman asked while stepping on the Bullhead that had been so generously "donated' by the Atlas military. "Because if I wasn't then I need to try harder." He took one final puff from his stogie before flicking it into the wind as the vehicle took off into the sky.
Ash's eyes followed Roman's airship as it darted away into the sky. She felt a presence behind her before Adam's voice spoke up.
"You two have a new mission." He said plainly, "Details and payment are inside. You have thirty-six hours."
Well then, that was the revised edition of the first chapter of this little fic. What did y'all think? Sorry for any spelling and grammar errors and just the whole damn thing in general, I tend to only write these things when drunk. Also, if you happen to have liked the old chapter and hate this new one, well… sorry.
And SPOILER ALERT: I've realized that Jasper and his disembodied voice is like Ozpin and Oscar's situation, not intended. Jasper isn't some sort of awesome-wizard-magic-deity or whatever the fuck Ozpin is, he's just a dude who hears voices. Fun fact: He was partially inspired by Blake's book about the man with two souls. So, until next time…