AN: It's been almost three months, ouch. Sorry but I lost passion for this story for a while there but as you might have guessed with it being updated that has changed. Anyways I hope you like chapter four
"Are you certain it's safe to expose ourselves like this?"
Weiss glanced around at the streets of Atlas. It was like it had always been, a chill hanging in the air permeating everything. It was neither crisp or biting, it simply existed as a fact. In Atlas it was cold. The buildings also were the same with their utilitarian architecture, squat and square only using what space was required to save heat.
What was different was the man walking next to her. After breaking out of prison, unlocking her aura after it had been relocked, and entering a deal with him Weiss made her way down the street next to a man that should either be dead or trying to kill her. Roman had given her a large coat to wear but now they went to find more permanent clothes for her and a few other 'errands'.
"If it wasn't we wouldn't be doing it," Roman had put his signature hat under his arm but kept using his cane despite his lack of need for it, "While you can bring monsters to life others such as myself have much more refined semblances."
Weiss dodged around one of the few people on the sidewalk, "Refined is the last word I'd use to describe a rogue criminal," She remarked.
"We're both rogue criminals now," He shot back, "As I was saying before you interrupted my semblance normally brings attention to me but if I want to I can make it so that myself and a plus one can go by unnoticed by most."
"It makes sense that you would have an attention grabbing semblance."
"Truly I'm hurt, and after all I've done for you snowflake."
On his brow Weiss could see that he was sweating even in the northern air, presumably because of using his semblance to conceal them. Torchwick was putting a significant effort into helping her, perhaps her attitude was unwarranted. Her mind might have been altered or some other absurd possibility happened and this was not the Torchwick she knew.
An armored vehicle parked across the road from them idling a few moments. A rush of panic flowed through Weiss, it wasn't possible that they had been discovered, not this quickly. Pushing aside her demeanor she pointed it out to Torchwick before an Atlesian knight emerged and it continued on it's way.
"That is one of the things my semblance doesn't work on," Torchwick warned as he pulled the two of them down a side street, "Robots, grimm, and particularly attentive guards are my worst enemies."
"Is there anything else I should be aware of?"
Roman scanned the new street before taking off again, "Don't go summoning grimm and sicing them on anyone, I can't cover that up."
The new street was as empty as the last, the few others that occupied it dressed in the attire of the Atlesian elite. The road itself also saw little traffic with only high end cars speeding by. The streets should have been bustling with all kinds of walks of life headed to their various destinations at this hour.
Perhaps this was another instance where she misremembered or the world had changed, similar to Torchwick. But maybe that was an opportunity for her, Torchwick believed that she had been afflicted with some form of magic that affected the mind.
"Torchwick," Roman shot the normally temperamental girl a curious glance, "I'm not sure if this has something to do with what happened to me but isn't it strange that there's so few people are about at this time of day?"
Roman sighed, "This is going to be a recurring thing isn't it kid? Well you see in my wisdom I chose to leave at this time because there isn't anyone out. The labor caste is working right now so only the nobles and the night laborers are around."
Kings, magic, and castes. More and more piled up that did not make sense. Pushing that aside Weiss pondered what a caste system meant, for starters the world's people were under a higher amount of control. People were unable to choose what they wanted in their life, she would have been unable to be a huntress and a better person here. The only ones that didn't share that fate were criminals that defied such a system.
"We're here," Roman announced.
He had brought them to a stop outside a small cafe. It didn't look like much but he walked through the door forcing Weiss to follow, inside he didn't stop going through another door. Through this one they returned outside, now in an alley she could see multiple shops advertising various services that she was certain would not have been allowed on the main street.
Roman handed her a stack of lien, "You still know what this is?"
"The thing that my father thinks can replace family."
"Your troubled childhood aside I'm going to get us some fake identities, and you are going to get a new look. You can find all that over there," Roman pointed towards a section that offered clothes, tattoos, and other ways to change how you looked.
"You're going to leave me here?" Weiss questioned
"You were seen coming in with me," Roman explained, "Everyone knows everyone here, and despite what others might say they know crossing me can make their lives very difficult. Or short."
When Roman found her again Weiss was wearing a blue double breasted jacket with a same colored skirt, her hair was now in an off center ponytail reaching down to her shoulders, and a fake scar over her eye.
"You know those fakes are won't come off right?" Roman pointed out.
"A friend had one," Weiss replied while she finished paying for a new scroll, "The idea is to look like someone else, I did that."
"Well I commend you for taking such a sacrifice upon your pretty little face," He said with a small theatrical bow which was met with a roll of the eyes, "But we need to go, now."
Roman took her hang and drug Weiss back out of the hidden alley into the streets, there he let her go but left at a brisk pace not waiting for her. Whatever had happened it had spooked Roman, catching up to her only ally Weiss decided the best path to learn what could make the normally confident man run with his tail between his legs.
"Do you mind telling me why you thought the best thing to do was drag me onto the street and then dump me there?"
"You're a big kid, why don't you tell us what's going on Snowflake?"
Weiss scowled at the name but if Roman wouldn't tell her she'd play his game. What she knew was they were recently escaped criminals charged with serious crimes, still in the city they had escaped the prison of, and had done so in a spectacular fashion. There was also the fact that Roman even faced with a team of huntresses is normally unflappable, he was also in a location that she thought would be safe for him.
"We're being followed,I thought you said we would be safe."
"Well done kid, but don't worry your little head I noticed the guy. That means it's an amatuer, we'll have heat on us soon but we have just enough of a window to get gone."
"And just where are we going to 'get gone' to?" Weiss asked trying to see whoever was following them. The streets were still mostly abandoned but she still couldn't tell who it was.
Roman smacked his cane against her hand, "Don't look," He admonished, "We're going to 'get gone' to Vale, judging by recent events-"
"Like your capture and seeming loss of respect within the underworld" Weiss interjected.
Roman sighed in frustration, "You are just a pile of snappy remarks aren't you? As I was saying we're leaving for Vale because Atlas has become something of a mess."
The two of them continued their brisk pace trying not to draw any attention to themselves and bring the nearby guards to them. Their speed was enough that Weiss started to run out of breath, coming out in quick puffs of white. Buildings that gave her a vague sense of familiarity seemed to fly by as they hurried to the air station.
Once there they became lost in the crowd. The building was massive but from here Weiss could only see a semi transparent barrier separating the entrance from the rest of the station with multiple lines leading to gates in the barrier to the other side. Roman passed her a file of papers telling her to keep them close as they found and entered the line for the next flight to Vale.
They were five people away from moving through security when Roman pointed out a two people that looked like they were huntsmen.
"That would be who our tail tipped off, they find us and you can bet we won't get a flight."
There was only four in front of them now as the huntsmen started scanning the crowd. At the rate they were moving they would be caught before moving through the security gate. Weiss began looking for anything that could be used as a distraction, getting an idea she whispered to Roman.
"I have an idea but I need to focus, can you handle the papers?"
He nodded and took them from her. They were only two people in front of them as the huntsmen closed in. Weiss closed her eyes and made the smallest glyph she could within her hand, from it a queen lancer a few inches long formed and shot off before anyone noticed. As Roman handed the man the papers, forged of course, a hand fell on Weiss' shoulder.
"Turn around, slow-Ack!"
The lancer had flown down from the high ceiling to stab him in the neck. What followed was chaos as the huntsmen opened fire on the small glowing grimm. Most people scattered but Roman and Weiss moved through the gate, they had submitted their papers after all.
AN: Alrighty then, this chapter I tried to focus on being more descriptive in my writing so that my characters don't seem to be talking in a white room. My other goal was just to finish it, again I don't feel great about taking so long but it took less actual writing time when I was actually trying. This is meant to be the end of the Atlas prologue, coming up is Vale and familiar faces. I am definitely looking for criticism to improve so if you have any don't hold back