Every city had a dark side. There were four major ones, large populated areas that all other places of living sat meekly in the shadows of. Atlas, Vacuo, Vale and Mistral, the shining beacons of remnant; but only shining so long as you didn't peer too close to the darkness that crawled in the hidden places.
Atlas, the bright city of progress. Sidewalks that walked for you, automated traffic, and AI packed into every megabyte of electricity that crawled through the city. Tall silver buildings that breached the clouds and watched the city below smugly, its gaze that of a gods. Cars zipped through the cities veins, red taillights blurring by in the darkness of the night. The night that was eternally brightened by the flashing lights. Advertisements, signs, billboards, telescreens, the city was lit up by millions of fireflies trapped within the screens of scrolls. Everything white, everything smiling and round and progressive. But it, more so than the other cities was fake. Fake cleanness, fake Cheshire smiles, those who stood behind them plotting and scheming. Corruption rules the city, the wealthy stepping on the blood and bones of the poor, living lavish lives while a poor man drinks his sadness, as he stares into the empty eyes of an eviction notice. Those on the top couldn't care less about those below, prices scaling up and up until the desperate seek less legal means of income. But the pristine white walls of Atlas denied even the smallest of smudges on its cleanliness. Soon men with guns would come, and take the filth away into swelling prisons. The privileged would shake their heads with despair and revulsion. How could anyone do something so inhumane? But the poor weren't the worst of Atlas, no that position belonged to the Faunus. A species of animal-like humanoids, with what was to be assumed meager intelligence at best. However do not fret; they fit perfectly into Atlas's vast and prosperous economy. Directly at the bottom. Have a job that's too undesirable/dangerous/doesn't pay well enough for a human? Scared you'll damage your robots that you bought with hard earned money? The solution was perfect, the Faunus! They had all sorts of useful abilities and traits, and the even the youngest of them put up a good profit. That way no one had to work in hazardous jobs, and employers had to spend very little of their money. Everyone was happy.
Then we have Vacuo. A city scorched by sun and made dangerous by the sands. The city was built upon a vast desert, meant to be a place to store criminals and unwanted. Times have changed since then, and now the unwanted come to the city of their own volition, to escape the insanity of those who are wanted. The streets are brimming with fights, smoke and shitty beer, the bars crowded with loud angry shouts. The city bears its darkness upon its chest proudly, attracting like-minded individuals of little morals. The people there range from pickpockets to master thieves and from drunks to murders, dark shady deals made in the broad daylight. For Vacuo doesn't need to hide its maggoted underbelly as it's comprised only of it. But this is not to say it's completely shrouded in filth and darkness. Happiness can be found in the smiles of those drinking merrily, laughing with friends, knowing that this is the only place that their piece of the puzzle fits. Fangs and tails are just as common as guns and cigars, and no more frowned upon. Children run about the streets, chasing each other through the narrow alley ways and bellow hanging clothes. The city is a complicated one, full of rumble violence and dark minds, but hiding peace and acceptance deep within its sandy walls.
Vale of course is the next on the list. The smallest of the empires, but by far the safest. Thick forests and shining blue skies surround the city, fresh air and lakes bringing endless joy to its inhabitants. Violence rarely touches its pavement, squalor and slums non-existent, and the people cheerful. Farming and agriculture feeds this city, and its generosity feeds the rest of the world. Quaint houses with smiling families devoid of pain, line the suburban's, row by row. Laughter of children fills the air, people picnic pleasantly; the city is by far the most convincingly innocent. Though its convincing-ness has nothing to do with its reality. Train tracks criss cross through its borders, snaking through is buildings, far into the farmlands and beyond. Shipping needed products to others is the city's main economic gain. The important resources include grain and lumber to Vacuo, fruits and coal to Atlas, and diamonds and potatoes to Mistral. However it also ships more troubling cargo from place to place. Ale and fugitives to Vacuo, weapons and Faunus to Atlas, and drugs and abducted humans to Mistral. The people of Vale turn a blind eye to these activities, happy as long as they can keep their green lawns and smiling policeman. The government revels in the economic gains from the 'unsavory' activities, shrugging their shoulders to the pleas of those in pain. The other cities were the ones that wanted slaves anyway; you couldn't blame this on them.
Mistral, the city of art and drug cartels. Beautifully crafted statues and elaborate buildings grace its well swept cobble streets. The people there enjoy the newest of gourmet foods, the most breath taking paintings and the widest array of jobs and professions. Tourists flock its rainbow streets, gasping at its marvel columns and street performers playing soft music from every corner. The market places are colorful and brimming with exuberance and new interesting foods. Voices shout out waving brightly colored woven shirts. The city truly is welcoming and unique, every alley way full of interesting and amazing things. Some alleyways however, will lead you to the other side of town, which is just as interesting and amazing, if not more so. The largest gambling center in the world, lit up by flashing lights and the sound of money being won. Try your luck, party all night, let the colored smoke and fireworks shoot up into the starry sky. Deals are made in nooks and crannies, money passed between hidden hands. And just as one can pleasure themselves with gambling and parties, more worldly pleasures are also offered to those who seek them. Intoxicated lips and lustful eyes await every street, and any person man or woman, human of Faunus, of whatever orientation can get lucky. But only if you possess the coin to do so. Without the green to back up words the city can suddenly turn into a very dangerous place. One can buy all the drugs they want, but denying payment can only result in unpleasantness. The mafia lords and gang leaders protect their investments with barbed words and shining guns. Bodies line every dumpster, the polices quest for justice long destroyed by the wave of unsolved crime being relentlessly pounded through the city. But the most crucial element to this story perhaps lies in the fighting rings of the city. Underground facilities that rake in bets and turn up huge profits. Just as tournament fights are popular in Vale, fights with bare fists and blood are equally so in Mistrals darkest crevices. The organizers of the fights are widely known and respected, their statues that of extreme importance. Truly prosperity and fame is sought and won in the rings. This is to say if you survive. Fights to the death are uncommon but not rare, and in major tournaments between champions, assignation attempts and cheating are plentiful if not encouraged. This is where our story takes place, in the beating heart and snarling mouth of Mistral.
The night was quiet and cool, the stars twinkling sleepily in their soft cloudy blankets. The only sound bellow was the small chime of a young girl exiting a small convenience store. The girl peered around inquisitively at the cheerful looking houses lining the streets. She sipped softly on her recently bought fruit smoothie, marveling at the lack of people hurrying along the streets. If Atlas was the city of watching eyes, and spying cameras than Vale was the city of sleeping night-guards and peaceful snores, she thought amusedly. It was amazing that she had even escaped in the first place, but finding her way to a place like this was the best luck she had in a while, if ever. The girl sighed, playing with her recently dyed hair, her face growing into a subtle frown. She had been stupid. She had wanted to avoid her father's men finding her so she had decided to change her hair color to something else, something they wouldn't look for. Well, she had certainly done that, but a sixteen year old girl with white hair was bound to bring some attention. Then again maybe it wouldn't, she knew nothing about any social practices of people her age. She was a Schnee, Weiss Schnee, an heir to the Schnee Dust Company, the world largest supplier of energy. Dust of course referred to Samantha Duskin, the wife of the founder of the company and the man who had discovered a new form of generating electricity. He had loving called the energy propellant after her. Weiss chuckled bitterly; she guessed that once upon the time at least one marriage had been a happy one in the Schnee blood line. Although her parents certainly wasn't. She shook her head determinedly, depositing her finished drink in a nearby garbage can. No time to be pessimistic she chided inwardly. Sitting down on the closest bench Weiss pondered her current situation. She was on the run from the most successful people in the world, with little money, little experience with the real world, and zero social skills. With a groan of irritation the snowy haired girl messaged her temple, attempting to fight of a biting headache. Okay, okay, she just needed to think of somewhere to go. As tempting as it was to stay in this city of smiling faces and breathtaking forests, Weiss knew she couldn't. She was simply too close to Atlas, and her father would definitely be able to search this place, with all the government officials he had bought over here. She needed to go somewhere her father would be hesitant to enter. Vacuo was a good candidate, but its Faunus population was bigger than its human one, which served as an obvious problem. As much as she liked to claim to be unlike her family Weiss knew that most of the 'facts' she had given about the Faunus were probably fake. Not only that, but she had a bit of a problem with the species that had tried to take her life on more than one occasion. Wrapping her jacket around herself tighter to fend of the cold Weiss made her decision. She would take a cargo train to mistral. Sure she had heard some…less than savory things about the town, but with its huge population and reputation for secrets she would never be found. Steeling herself Weiss got up, and headed determinedly towards the nearest train tracks. Which wasn't very far, this city had an odd obsession with shipping cargo.
Here it is, a story I'v been working on for awhile but have never quite been brave enough to let others actually read. As it is this is my first fanfiction posted on this site I'm more than a little nervous. Please comment if I've messed up on my grammar or spelling, or y'know if you just want to say something about my work. Constructive criticism is welcomed! Also, this is going to be a bumblebee and whiterose story, but I'm open to other ships with different characters if you have any suggestions. Chapter two will be about Yang and Ruby.