A/N: Okay, yes this is REALLY short, but it's just a set-up piece. Also serves to gauge reader opinion - if you guys like the idea, I'll see where I can take it.

Thanks for all your views, reviews, faves and follows, people. It is truly astounding to see so much support. You are all great.

And many thanks, as always, to Linira, for helping me work through ideas and generally being awesome.

It was an uneasy time for Neo.

With Roman arrested, the White Fang scattered, and Cinder nowhere to be found, she'd been left pretty much to her own devices. Unfortunately, beyond sadism and some rather astounding combat prowess, she had a rather limited skill set.

And there really wasn't a very high demand for mute assassins these days.

Eventually, she'd managed to sneak into the famous Beacon Academy, hiding out in quiet corners of the library and forming a makeshift bedroom in a storage cupboard in the washing room. It wasn't much, but it was better than she was used to when working with previous associates.

Roman Torchwick, she thought idly. Pretentious wise-ass. Who wears bowler hats these days, anyway?

Such musings formed the basis of her days now, along with attempting to deflect awkward questions and trying to find something constructive to do with her time. Aside from the two whiny girls who had found her before, she hadn't really had much contact with anyone, and she'd soon sent them away with whatever bad advice she could offer at the time.

Of course, it wasn't like that was going to put lien in her pocket, so-

Her eyes lit up as she suddenly hit on a winning business idea. She was in a school full of whiny, hormonal adolescents, and if there was one universal constant it was that teenagers were full of angst. And angsty teenagers always wanted advice...

She scurried around the library, acquiring the paper and marker pen she needed for a sign. Thankfully, her "limited skill set" also included petty thievery, so what she couldn't find straight away she stole from the students when they weren't paying attention (which was almost all the time, especially when the short, loud red-head was around.)

After a handful of attempts, playing about with wording and prices, she eventually settled for the simple option: ADVICE GIVEN, 15 LIEN/SESSION. It was also written in bright red marker, so that should get people's attention.

With a bit of tape and a book - also stolen, because no-one read it anyway - she managed to form it into a sign that would stand on its own, which she then sat on the table in front of her. All that was needed now was to wait, and she had plenty of patience.

Neo, she told herself with a satisfied smirk, you're a bloody genius.