"Owww my head." I groaned slowly waking up rubbing my head to feel warp in bandages, "Wh-where am I?" I muttered looking around in a room that was obviously not mine
"Oh good your up now you can return back to the minefields where you belong," The girl said
The first thing I noticed about her was her dark blue eyes and the long golden blonde hair overflowing over her shoulders. She was wearing a light blue t-shirt with white trim and blue jeans tieing an apron around her waist and throwing a towel over her shoulder. She looked at least around my age late teens or early twenties and even though the tone of her voice seem gentle her folding her arms was a clear sign of her going on the defensive.
"Where am I? What time is it? Who are you?" I quickly questioned
"First of all, I think a thank you is in order for not turning you into the authorities. Second, you might wanna change clothes and hide those damned dog ears it's sunrise. And last but not least I should be asking you the same question, after all, you were loitering behind my shop." She replied
"Johnathan is my name and I wasn't loitering behind your shop I was just lost trying to find...someplace else," I said
"So you can steal from them you aminal," She said
"Why even save my life since you clearly seem like the type that'd want my kind dead," I said making my way to the foot of the bed
"Because you're more trouble dead than alive, and you're worth more able-bodied than a corpse," She said
"From whose perspective because it's clearly not your own," I said
"It doesn't matter as long as you can support this city," She said
"And there it is!" I yelled laying down on the bed, "The Schnee Secret Creed and people question why at least eighty-five percent the mine workers are Faunus in Mantle." I commented
"Mantle? Well, I figured that much your clothes are dirty and dusty you smell rotten and is that ash from the minefields in your hair because it's shading everywhere," She said throwing a towel at me, "Take a damn shower you mutt and another thing how did you get here I saw the last ship land here while I closed up my shop everything was fine for the night," She said
"That's for me to know and for you to find out, oh and by the way, they're not dog ears they're wolf ears I'd appreciated if you get it right," I said getting up
"Whatever you say poochie just make it quick I gotta open soon and I don't want my customers seeing me with some flea covered mutt," She said
"I am not flea-ridden and one day I'll make you see I'm not so bad," I said
"Sure until than shower now I'll see if I can find some clothes that are appropriated for you while you're here," She said
"Hey thank you ummm..." I started
"Skylar. And don't think this is just gonna be a regular thing one and done dog," She said walking away
"Wait where's the...bathroom?" I sighed realizing she was already gone, "Guess I'll find it myself," I muttered
I eventually found it and I won't lie having already purified water to shower in was nice I felt more fresh and clean washing the soap in my hair felt great. I may have stayed in there longer than I should have especially when she started knocking on the door. When I finally came out of the shower and peeked outside the door I saw clothes on a hanger on the door handle. It was a white button up shirt with a light blue vest and black dress pants looking at the outfit I started to look at my own image.
"Hey, are you done...yet? You clean up pretty nicely for a mutt." She said folding her arms, "Is your hair naturally that color? That icy white." She said
"Yes but I'd rather keep it gray anything to avoid the question am I related to Schnee family. I'll tell you now I have no relationship with the Schnee family name nor their company if it was my choice I wouldn't want it anyway." I asked
"Speak for yourself I'd kill for something like that anyway if you're gonna go out I recommend you hide your ears," She said
"Of course it's not like I can buy our way up here anytime soon," I said looking for my clothes, "What did you do with my clothes?" I asked
"They were dirty. What did you think I did with them?" She sarcastically asked rolling her eyes, "You do whatever it is you gotta do in town after that get your stuff from behind the shop and leave but hide your ears with this." She said giving me a black fedora
"Where do you get this stuff from?" I asked trying it on
"That's for me to know and for you to find out now get out before my regulars start coming in." She said leading the way downstairs
I followed her to the back door of her shop and thanked her again for everything she said her one and done phase and slammed the door in my face. I decided to walk around front to see what kind of business she ran and to my surprise, it was a small Cafe under the apartment she slept in. It was weird breathing the fresh air seeing the ripe bold color foods at the market even seeing the people happy smiling and laughing without a care in the world. I was nervous walking among the elitist and hoping that I don't stick out but that was the least of my problems when I got to the pharmacy I realized that I didn't have enough money to afford the medicine and with security still on alert stealing wasn't an option anymore. I had to think of something to earn more money without doing anything that would make anybody suspicious of me but what? It wasn't until I stumbled across a music shop with a trumpet player outside playing jazz that caught me and a small crowd's attention.
"Thank you! Thank You! And remember with coal you could end with gold at Coal's Instrument Emporium!" He shouted finishing up his set
"Excuse me, Sir!" I yelled through the crowd, "Is the piano available for others to play?" I asked
"If you got the talent for it. Let's see what you got," He said twirling his trumpet in circles and stepping to the side
When I sat down at the piano I tested out a few notes thinking of something to play eventually settling for an upbeat jazz medley after awhile I lost myself in the music tapping my feet as I went from song to song. I honestly happily forgot myself in the music unaware of everything around me until I heard the trumpet playing in tandem with me. After a moment or two the crowd double more like triple I didn't even realize the amount of money that was piling up in a hat on the piano while everybody clapped I stood up and took a bow.
"Hey man, you're pretty good. What's your name?" He asked sliding the hat over to me
"Snowden. Johnathan Snowden and are you sure you want me taking all of this ummm...," I started
"Flynt Coal and yeah I'm sure. They were giving money to your performance way before I joined in." He said
"Thanks, I could honestly use the few bucks anyway," I said
"I'm pretty sure if you come around and play here more often you can get somebody's attention." He said
"Don't worry he already has," A man said walking up putting his phone away, "Hello my name is Anthony Zora and I'm willing to tell you the deal of a lifetime if you care to know more?" He asked
To be honest I didn't care for this Anthony guy his whole dementor screamed control freak or dictator that smirk he had on his face it was like he knew I really was in need of the money and his flashy all-white suit didn't make him seem less sketchy. His black hair tied behind his back while he pushed up his glasses on his face.
"I'd like to know more," Flynt said
"Sorry but this offer is for the pianist only. You see I'm with the Schnee Orchestra and we are in despreaded need of a new pianist. Every since those savages attacked us during our last tour our original pianist fell in lighter words ill and we are having auditions in a few days. I'd love to see you try out here's my card and if you can show up at the Winter Orphan Theatre in three days at four o'clock for auditions," He said before a stretch limo appeared, "Well there's my ride I hope to see you at the auditions, Mr. Snowden." He said before getting in the limo
I glanced at the card thinking about the opportunity that was just layout in front of me before taking off towards the pharmacy with the hat full of money. I quickly grabbed the medicine my little sister needed and a few other items from a nearby shop return Flynt's hat and headed back to Skylar's Cafe. After finding the Cafe I calmly walked inside and sat down at a table.
"Hello welcome to Sky Cafe, would you like to try our new Royal Blueberry Vallina Muffins today?" She asked
"No but I'd just love to try the dog treats though," I said
"What the hell are you doing here?! I said get your stuff from behind the Cafe not in it!?" She whispers through her smile near my ear
"I need to talk to you it's about something important," I said
She sighed rolling her eyes before walking to other customers taking their order. She continued to ignore me for the rest of the time the shop was open after the last customer left she closed up the shop flipped the sign and pulled down the blinds.
"What is it that you want from me?" She asked dusting off her hands looking at me
"A room that I can stay in for just another day," I said getting up
"Why? Like seriously can't you just stay the Mantle where beast like you belong?" She asked
"I have a little sister who's five years old," I said
"So what does that have to do with me?" She asked
"She's dying. Lung failure actually the medicine helps slow down the effects but if I don't find a way to get her out of Mantle she'll die. I just got offered a really good chance to make it out there without doing anything illegal but I need to be able to impress some people and I'll need some help to do that. I'll do whatever is you want me to do I'll even be your guard dog at night just let me stay here a few nights out of the month please," I said
"Clean up around here don't ever use the front door again and you'll be charged for rent and anything else I have to get for you. I'll take my father's hat back the Gods only know how much fur and ticks you left on there now," She said holding out her hand
"And the clothes?" I asked giving her the hat back and wiggling my ears
"I don't feel like burning them so, keep them," She said dusting off the hat
"Thank you I really mean it," I said, "Thank you,"
"I'm not completely heartless like I said you're more useful to the capital alive than dead. By morning two things this place better be clean and you better be gone," She said walking upstairs
I shook my head thinking that her facade would eventually fall back the more time I spent with her, but I had to honor our agreement and clean up as I was told. After that, I found my clothes outside behind the shop next to a trash can I changed out of the fancy clothes she gave me and back into my normal ones carrying a bag over my shoulder. I ran to the edge of the floating capital looking down at the place I call home before inhaling one of the few cleanest breaths of fresh air that I could possibly get before putting my gas mask on.
"Hang on Lily," I muttered to myself before jumping down
It felt like falling from heaven itself, from being on top of the world to feel the smog and pollution in the clouds that block out the sky's view. I can feel the dust and smoke stinking into my skin just as I teleported becoming part of the same air. Even though I landed near my house falling face first on the ground was not my intention as the fresh fruit I brought from a shop near the pharmacy slipped out of my bag.
"Ashy! Welcome home!" Lily said picking up some of the fruit, "Are these ours?!" She asked
I sat up rubbing the back of my head, "Yeah. I stayed up there longer than I should've so I wanted to get you something special." I said
She glanced down at the bold ripe fruit and smiled giving me a hug not thinking about the fact that she dropped everything, "Thank you!" She said
I smiled getting up with her still wrapped around my neck, "You're welcome now let get what's ours and go home," I said
After picking up everything I carried Lily to the house with my bag on my back since she refused to let go of my neck. When I got to the front door a letter was sticking out of the door. I looked around before grabbing the letter and going inside after laying Lily down for a nap I took the letter into my room.
"To Johnathan Ashton Snowden, your hard work and determination have not gone unrecognized within this organization. We will continue to support your resistance against the Schnee dust company within Mantle. In three days time, a representative will be in Mantle to help coordinate a plan of action against the tyranny that befell the city you call home. I wish you the best of luck in your ventures and we look forward to working closely with you. Sign High Leader, Sienna Khan." I read to myself in bed before staring at the ceiling, "Three days. Why three days?" I questioned